The ELF Rundown: Playoff Picture Takes Shape In Week 11
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The ELF Rundown: Playoff Picture Takes Shape In Week 11

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With 11 weeks down in the ELF in 2024, things are really beginning to take shape as the playoff picture unfolds. After a weekend of exciting action – which of course, included a few blowouts, we saw more postseason berths clinched, with some teams being eliminated.

Following week 11’s results, the following ELF teams have been eliminated:

Frankfurt Galaxy
Barcelona Dragons
Milano Seamen
Hamburg Sea Devils
Fehervar Enthroners
Helvetic Mercenaries
Prague Lions

Additionally, there’s only three playoff spots that remain open. Stuttgart, Rhein, and Vienna have clinched. Tirol, Madrid, and Paris all hold positions in the postseason at the moment, but that could change with a few teams “in the hunt”.

Let’s take a look at what happened in the ELF this weekend, and what the future might look like heading towards the playoffs.

Helvetic Mercenaries vs. Vienna Vikings

The action began with one of the most lopsided matchups of the week. The Vienna Vikings obliterated the Helvetic Mercenaries, taking them down 49-3 on the road in a game that wasn’t even remotely close at all.

Ben Holmes, a potential MVP candidate, had another fantastic day. He threw for five touchdowns and 304 yards, as Vienna’s offense racked up 549 yards. It helped that RB Kari Pajarinen had 150 yards and two scores on the ground as well, just pounding away at a Helvetic defense that had zero answers.

Truthfully, it was tough to expect this affair to go any other way than it did. The Mercenaries have greatly struggled since losing Carlton Aiken Jr. to injury, and were already in a deep hole to begin the year. Plus, a head coaching change midway through the season didn’t help either.

Madrid Bravos vs. Hamburg Sea Devils

Speaking of ugly outings, Madrid vs. Hamburg was another contest that was not all that competitive at all. The Bravos mopped the floor at home, cruising to a 52-9 win powered by a stellar defensive performance.

Steven Duncan continues to look the part of a quarterback that can take this team to the next level. When he’s on, it’s very tough to slow the Bravos down. He threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns – and his lone interception was thrown as a Hail Mary before the half came to a close. WR Jean-Claude Madin Cerezo was unstoppable on the day, recording eight receptions for 212 yards and three touchdowns.

Hamburg has quite a bit to try and figure out. They’re now eliminated from the playoffs, and have zero identity as a team. D’Angelo Fulford continues to disappoint, which isn’t entirely his fault given the lack of chemistry this organization has as a whole. That said, the Sea Devils are not a team that has shown they can win games consecutively, and will have to start thinking about changes ahead of the 2025 season.

Milano Seamen vs. Stuttgart Surge

Another game, another blowout. Not surprisingly, the Stuttgart Surge easily handled the Milano Seamen, holding a 45-0 lead at halftime. They took the foot off the gas in the second half a bit, but still won with a 51-18 final score.

QB Reilly Hennessey was tremendous yet again, scoring five touchdowns on the day. He did exit the game with an injury, so the Surge will have to hope that it’s nothing serious and that their QB will be good to go for the postseason – something Stuttgart has officially clinched.

It was a strange move for Milano to ditch their QB in Zack Bronkhorst a couple of weeks ago. Eystin Salum has been terrible so far, completing just four of 15 pass attempts for 49 yards this weekend. The Seamen, who were gaining some momentum midway through the year, now appear to be one of the league’s worst yet again.

Cologne Centurions vs. Frankfurt Galaxy

After the lack of competitive matchups this week, Cologne and Frankfurt made up for it in the best way possible. This was a matchup that had it all. Frankfurt, despite leading 34-13 at one point in this game, somehow let the lead slip away as the Centurions mounted an unbelievable comeback to win 43-37 – keeping their playoff hopes alive.

This game was about as evenly matched as can be. Frankfurt posted 415 yards, while Cologne had 460 of their own. The Galaxy picked up 23 first downs, Cologne had 24. Even the turnover margins were equal, with both teams losing a fumble.

Somehow, the Centurions found a way to get it done. Isaiah Weed was outstanding, throwing for 370 yards and four touchdowns to bring this team back from the dead. WR Carlos Hill caught 16 passes for 205 yards and two scores – torching a Galaxy defense that had zero answers for him.

It’s a frustrating loss for the Galaxy, as Matthew McKay and Frankfurt did play a fantastic game. They were in full control late, but some costly mistakes ended up being the difference in this one. With the Centurions win on Sunday, Frankfurt is now fully eliminated from postseason contention.

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Berlin Thunder vs. Paris Musketeers

Another game that came down to the wire: Berlin vs. Paris. These two teams are battling for leverage in the playoff race, and it was the Musketeers who got the best of the Thunder in a 40-37 nailbiter.

Zach Edwards was on absolute fire for Paris in this one. After a bit of a rocky start, he ended up throwing for 352 yards and six touchdowns, while adding 56 yards on the ground. Edwards has consistently been one of the top quarterbacks in the league this year, and put that on full display this weekend. WR Austin Mitchell had a fantastic outing as well, with 162 yards and four scores.

This was a difficult loss for Berlin to swallow. At so many points throughout the ELF season, they’ve held strong leads – but can’t manage to hold them. This was another example of the Thunder being so close, but yet so far. Their defense once again could not find a way to keep Paris out of the end zone, resulting in another close defeat.

Prague Lions vs. Munich Ravens

To close out the week, we had another lopsided affair. The Prague Lions did what they could against the Munich Ravens, but it wasn’t enough as Munich waltzed their way to a 47-14 win – a crucial victory for them when it comes to the overall playoff picture.

Chad Jeffries was stellar yet again, completing 20 of his 23 pass attempts for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Munich totaled 481 yards of offense, picking up 23 first downs compared to Prague’s 10. The Ravens have had relatively easy opponents as of late, but have done their job in ensuring a dominant win every single time.

Prague showed some potential with David Perkins at quarterback, who flashed a bit of potential with his legs and arm in this game. Truthfully, the Lions are an organization that will need a full makeover in 2025, and will simply hope that these final few games are a bit less ugly than most of the year.

Final Thoughts

It’s going to be tough for some of these ELF teams to try and sneak into the playoffs. An organization like Cologne needs everything to fall their way in order to make something happen. With 11 weeks down, both Stuttgart and Vienna are the two teams who have stayed undefeated, at 11-0 and 9-0 respectively.

If you missed our ELF Recap from week ten, you can check that out here.

For those wanting to keep up with all the games here in the states, you can acquire ELF Game Pass here.

What are your thoughts on week 11 action in the ELF? Which teams and players impressed you? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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