The ELF Rundown: Week 12 Sees A 90 Point Blowout
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The ELF Rundown: Week 12 Sees A 90 Point Blowout

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Week 12 in the ELF has come and gone, and it was…all over the place, to say the least. We had nail biters, defensive standoffs, and we even had a 90 point blowout.

Three more teams were eliminated from the playoff race following the results of this weekend:

Let’s take a look at what all went down this past weekend, as there was plenty of action across Europe.

Fehervar Enthroners vs. Prague Lions

For the first time in franchise history, the Prague Lions were able to secure a win. It wasn’t pretty, but their nine points was enough to get past the Enthroners, who only posted six points of their own.

If you were looking for high quality offense, then this was certainly not the game for you. Neither offense could crack over 250 yards, with just 24 total first downs between the two teams. It’s been tough for both Prague and Fehervar this year in the ELF, and this stalemate was the perfect example of how most of the season has gone. QB David Perkins did have a decent day for the Lions, all things considered, throwing for 165 yards and a touchdown in the win.

Frankfurt Galaxy vs. Madrid Bravos

With some of the Frankfurt Galaxy’s struggles over the past few weeks, many expected the Madrid Bravos to handle business smoothly. This was not the case, as the Galaxy took the Bravos down 37-20, dominating most of this affair – with a 30-6 lead at one point.

Matthew McKay had himself a day. He threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, leading this Galaxy offense to one of their best performances of the entire year. He also led the team in rushing yards, with 97. His dual threat capabilities make Frankfurt a legitimate threat heading into next season. Across the board, Frankfurt was firing on all cylinders, and we got a glimpse into just how good this offense can be when they’re clicking.

On the other hand, the Madrid Bravos looked vulnerable. Their defense had a rough go, and QB Steven Duncan completed just 21 of his 41 pass attempts in the loss. The Bravos had a tough time on third down, converting four of their 15 attempts. With the playoffs fast approaching, Madrid desperately needs to kick things back into gear down the stretch.

Stuttgart Surge vs. Tirol Raiders

In one of the most exciting games of the entire season, the Stuttgart Surge ended up losing for the first time all year, at the hands of the Tirol Raiders. Despite holding a 28-10 lead, the Raiders fought back, ultimately taking Stuttgart down 45-42.

N’Kosi Perry has shown some tremendous improvements since joining Tirol. There were a couple of weeks where he did not look like “the guy” for this Raiders offense. But recently, he’s turned the corner. Against the Surge, Perry threw for 265 yards and three scores, adding 49 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well. Tirol saw production from their running backs and wide receivers, all of which played a crucial role in the comeback win on the road.

Stuttgart shouldn’t be too concerned, considering they turned the ball over four times and only lost by three points. That said, there are some things the Surge need to clean up heading into the playoffs. Reilly Hennessey uncharacteristically had three turnovers, and Stuttgart’s defense collapsed in the second half. If these two teams rematch in the postseason, the Surge will be the clear favorite if they don’t give the ball away.

Cologne Centurions vs. Paris Musketeers

The “Cinderella Run” for the Cologne Centurions is officially over. After a couple of convincing wins, it seemed like the Centurions were turning the corner, potentially ready to make a playoff run. This could not be further from the case, as the Centurions fell to Paris by 50 points, with the Musketeers completely taking over the second half.

Paris got quite a bit of support from their ground game, which changed the dynamic of the offense. With 217 rushing yards, the Musketeers posted 635 total yards of offense – as Zach Edwards looked absolutely unstoppable with 441 passing yards and five touchdowns. What he did in the final two quarters was incredibly impressive. Remi Bertellin had an outstanding performance, catching four passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

Cologne is in some serious trouble now. Isaiah Weed, who was unbelievable a week ago, threw for just 124 yards – tossing two interceptions in the red zone as well. The Centurions can’t find a way to stay consistent, which greatly hurt their ability to be a true playoff threat. Additionally, their offensive line was overwhelmed on seemingly every snap, with Paris dominating the trenches.

Munich Ravens vs. Barcelona Dragons

As the amazing hosts of ELF’s LIVE Recap put it, there’s not much to say about this one. On one side, the Munich Ravens scored 90 points, setting an ELF record with 12 touchdowns. On the other, the putrid Barcelona Dragons…who scored zero points on the day.

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The Dragons had just 155 yards compared to Munich’s 578. Chad Jeffries and Munich simply ran up the score, and with the point differentials mattering in the playoff race, it made sense. The Ravens completely ran the table on Barcelona, in a matchup that wasn’t close from the very first seconds.

Berlin Thunder vs. Wroclaw Panthers

Another affair that went down to the wire: Berlin vs. Wroclaw. These two teams were both fighting for leverage, and it was the Thunder who came away victorious in multiple overtimes, winning 36-34. Berlin has struggled to close games out often this season, but found a way to get it done against the Panthers.

Wroclaw was extremely one dimensional in this ball game. They ran for 355 yards, with David Brzozowski rushing for 188 of those – and three touchdowns. Josiah Norwood threw for only 84 yards, but he didn’t have to do much because of their success on the ground.

However, the Berlin Thunder got a massive performance out of Jakeb Sullivan, throwing for 382 yards and three scores. The Thunder’s offense kept things moving in the second half, and despite very little production from their own ground attack, came away with a last second victory in overtime. With a 5-6 record, the Thunder have been eliminated despite the win.

Rhein Fire vs. Hamburg Sea Devils

To close things out in week 12 of the ELF, we had another blowout. The Rhein Fire destroyed the Hamburg Sea Devils at home, 51-2 – in a contest that was never at all competitive.

Rhein is simply an unstoppable force, even when they’re not playing at 100%. Neither Jadrian Clark or Glen Toonga had big days, but it didn’t matter. The Fire still posted over 50 points, with their defense playing fantastic football all day long.

Meanwhile, D’Angelo Fulford has not looked at all like the quarterback of the future for Hamburg. He threw for just 86 yards, completing less than 50% of his pass attempts, and tossed an interception. This entire Sea Devils organization has not been able to discover what their identity is this year, and it’s cost them the season.

Final Thoughts

With the Surge having finally lost a game, the Vienna Vikings remain as the only unbeaten team in the ELF. Despite their big win, the Tirol Raiders are now on the outside looking in, and will have to remain perfect in order to secure a playoff berth in 2024.

If you missed our ELF Recap from week 11, 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 12 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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