During Week 10 of the 2024 regular season in the European League of Football, two things were apparent: the playoff picture was coming into focus, and ELF offenses were reaching new heights in offensive scoring outputs. In Week 9, the Vienna Vikings made history by becoming the first team to clinch a conference championship and a spot in the playoffs. This remarkable achievement set the stage for an exhilarating Week 10. In Week 10, the Rhein Fire picked up a pivotal win to clinch a place in the playoffs and secured their opportunity to defend their 2023 championship.
Four weeks remain in the 2024 regular season, and four playoff spots are still up for grabs. Well, it is not entirely up for grabs. The undefeated Stuttgart Surge is in a position to clinch a playoff spot very shortly, and the Paris Musketeers and Mardrid have separated themselves from the pack. Depending on what happens over the next several weeks, the last remaining playoff spot will be the Raiders Tirol (6-3) or the Munich Ravens (5-3) as both teams try to do their part to earn a playoff berth. Outside of a collapse by any of the top teams, the playoff picture is becoming clear for teams that intend to make a run for the 2024 ELF championship.
In addition to the clarity related to the playoffs, Week 10 showed that the top teams in the ELF are exploding offensively. Out of eight games this week, four teams scored over 60 points, and two more scored into the 40s. These outstanding performances reflect the improving offensive units across the league and set the stage for some thrilling matchups in the playoffs. As the season continues, the teams of the ELF are separating themselves into haves and have-nots, which may lead to some lopsided wins during the next few weeks of the regular season but should also lead to exciting playoff games featuring excellent matchups between teams with dynamic offensive outputs.
Now, let’s delve into the thrilling outcomes of the eight games that defined Week 10 of the 2024 regular season in the European League of Football. Each game was a chapter in the unfolding drama of the season, with its own unique story and impact on the playoff picture.
Panthers Wroclaw (4-5) 62, Fehervar Enthroners (2-7) 12
The Panthers are doing all they can to work themselves back into a position to compete for a playoff spot this season. Along the way, Wroclaw will need a lot of help to have a chance to sneak into the playoffs, but they are doing what they need to do by playing well against teams that are not playoff contenders. This week, the Panthers crushed the Enthroners, with wide receiver Josiah Norwood leading their offense at the quarterback position. Norwood threw three touchdown passes this week, including to wide receiver Devan Burrell.
Vienna Vikings (10-0) 62, Prague Lions (0-9) 23
One week after clinching the Eastern Conference championship, the Vienna Vikings continue to play dominant football. This week, the Viking’s offense was too much for the Prague Lions despite a reasonable effort by Lions running back Adam Zouzelka, who had 109 yards and two touchdowns. There needed to be more than Zouzelka’s efforts to allow the Lions to compete with a Vikings offense playing at a championship level. Also, two fumbles by the Lions put the Vikings in an excellent position to pull away from the Lions, securing a victory for Vienna. In the process, the Vikings quarterback reached a new level of excellence by passing for over 265 yards and seven touchdown passes.
Stuttgart Surge (8-0) 71, Barcelona Dragons (2-7) 7
The Stuttgart Surge continues to show they have a great chance to make their second appearance in the ELF championship game after losing to the Rhein Fire last year. This week, the Surge took off against the struggling Barcelona Dragons despite turning the ball over and not playing well on special teams. The Dragons started strong against the Surge in the first quarter but could not compete against the Surge for the rest of the game, leading to a decisive blowout win for Stuttgart.
Madrid Bravos (6-2) 37, Cologne Centurions (3-5) 0
After losing a big game last week against the Paris Musketeers, the Madrid Bravos got back on track to make a push to the playoffs in their first season in the ELF. This week, the Bravos defense led the way, intercepting four of Centurions quarterback Isaiah Weed’s passes. The outstanding defensive effort helped put Bravos quarterback Steven Duncan in position to lead the Madrid offense to three touchdowns while throwing for 189 yards.
Rhein Fire (9-1) 38, Paris Musketeers (6-2) 6
The Rhein Fire appears locked and loaded to make another run to an ELF championship after taking their lone loss earlier this season. This week, the Fire played well against the Paris Musketeers behind a strong performance by Fire quarterback Jadrian Clark and wide receiver Kelvin McKnight Jr. Clark threw for 287 yards and four touchdowns, and McKnight Jr. caught a staggering 13 passes for 183 yards and scored a touchdown. Musketeers quarterback Zach Edwards did score a touchdown, but it was not enough to give Paris a chance to get back in the game against the Fire.
Munich Ravens (5-3) 69, Milano Seamen (3-6) 30
The Munich Ravens continue to do what they can to give themselves a chance to compete for a playoff spot during their second season in the ELF. This week, Ravens quarterback Chad Jeffries threw six touchdown passes, including four to wide receiver Malik Stanley. Milano struggled to compete against the Ravens with new quarterback Austin Salum, who threw four interceptions against the Raven’s defense.
Raiders Tirol (6-3) 42, Helvetic Mercenaries (1-8) 28
The Raiders Tirol are working hard to finish the 2024 season strong, with the Munich Ravens following them closely as both teams race to earn a spot in the playoffs. This week, the Raiders won a vital win against the struggling Helvetic Mercenaries. In this game, the Mercenaries struggled with many injuries to their American players, opening the door for DeAndre Clayton to lead the Mercenaries offense. While Helvetic did lose the game, Clayton did connect with receiver Terryon Robinson for 138 passing yards and two touchdowns. Clayton’s strong performance was not enough to overcome the Raiders, which an explosive performance by Raiders quarterback N’Kosi Perry led. Perry passed for 279 yards and four touchdowns to help Tirol secure a valuable victory.
Frankfurt Galaxy (3-5) 40, Hamburg Sea Devils (2-6) 23
The Frankfurt Galaxy rode a strong performance by quarterback Matthew McKay to a win over the Hamburg Sea Devils. McKay threw for 250 yards and a touchdown while running for over 100 yards and a touchdown. In addition, Galaxy running back Sandro Platzgummer ran for over 100 yards and a touchdown, and the wide receiver Markell Castle added 153 more receiving yards. Frankfurt sealed their victory over Hamburg when Galaxy defender Simeon Gabriel intercepted a pass by Sea Devils quarterback D’Angelo Fulford and returned it for a defensive touchdown.
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