World Bowl race goes down to the wire

Published on May 17, 2005 under National Football League Europa (NFLE) News Release

THREE weeks of regular season action still to be played. Four serious contenders within one game of each other at the top of the standings. Two World Bowl berths up for grabs.

That's the fascinating scenario in NFL Europe as the 2005 campaign hurtles towards one of the most nail-biting finishes of all-time.

With tensions sure to be high during the upcoming triple-header weekend, the Berlin Thunder (5-2) have the first chance to clinch a place in next month's Yello Strom World Bowl XIII if they can defeat the Hamburg Sea Devils (4-3) in AOL Arena on Sunday May 22 and the Cologne Centurions (5-2) defeat the Amsterdam Admirals (4-3) when Monday Night Football descends upon the Amsterdam ArenA on May 23.

With those four clubs boasting winning records, it marks the first time a quartet of teams have been above .500 at this stage of a season since 1998, when the World Bowl line-up was not known until the conclusion of the Week 10 action.

The Week 8 contests kick off on Saturday night with the Rhein Fire (1-6) hosting the Frankfurt Galaxy (2-5) in the second Deutschland Derby of the season.

The action gets underway in Düsseldorf, Germany, with a battle for pride between two of the most storied franchises in NFL Europe League history as the Rhein Fire welcomes the Frankfurt Galaxy to LTU arena – site of Yello Strom World Bowl XIII.

Following his team's loss in Berlin last weekend, Fire head coach PETE KUHARCHEK says: "We need to score more points. We got stopped twice in the red zone for field goals and if those had been touchdowns it would have been a closer game. We will keep working hard and get ready for an important game against the Frankfurt Galaxy this week."

The Galaxy fell to an overtime defeat at the hands of Cologne, leaving head coach MIKE JONES in a frustrated mood as he said: "This was probably the toughest loss of all. In the previous week, we just got our britches beat off. This was the hardest to take because you're so close and still so far away."

On Saturday May 22, Berlin will aim to take a giant step towards World Bowl as they face a Sea Devils team in high spirits following their overtime defeat of Amsterdam in Week 7.

Thunder head coach RICK LANTZ praised his 5-2 squad following their defeat of the Fire last week, saying: "We are a more balanced football team than we were a year ago, even though we don't have a dominant player like Rohan Davey was for us last year. We have not turned the ball over much and our secondary and linebackers have come up with big plays for us."

Hamburg head coach JACK BICKNELL was beaming after his club pulled off a courageous victory over the Admirals, despite throwing six interceptions.

The veteran coach says: "We just weren't going to lose. Obviously we made a bunch of mistakes but we showed we can play hard when things are definitely not going our way. It might not always look pretty, but the effort will always be there with these kids. I judge a team by how important a game is to them and to these players, it's real important."

Week 8 concludes on Monday night with the league-leading Centurions paying a visit to the Admirals at Amsterdam ArenA.

Centurions head coach PETER VAAS, who saw his team defeat Frankfurt inside the final two minutes of overtime last week, says: "If you don't like those last two minutes, you're in the wrong profession. It was absolutely fantastic. You're in a hostile environment where you're not supposed to win and to have that opportunity was absolutely fantastic."

Admirals head coach BART ANDRUS watched his team give up a game-deciding touchdown with 26 seconds remaining in overtime last week. He said: "We are very disappointed – it's tough to lose on the last play of overtime like that but we didn't play very well."

WEEK EIGHT SCHEDULE

SATURDAY MAY 21

Frankfurt Galaxy at Rhein Fire

LTU arena, Düsseldorf, 7:00 p.m.

SUNDAY MAY 22

Berlin Thunder at Hamburg Sea Devils

AOL Arena, Hamburg, 4:00 p.m.

MONDAY MAY 23

Cologne Centurions at Amsterdam Admirals

Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, 8:00 p.m.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK – WEEK 7

OFFENSIVE · AARON BOONE · WR, Berlin

8 receptions for 112 yards and 1 touchdown

DEFENSIVE · SHAWN MAYER · S, Hamburg

7 tackles, Tied NFLEL record with 3 interceptions

SPECIAL TEAMS · JIMMY KIBBLE · K, Cologne

2/2 FG (long 43), including game-winner in OT,

2/2 PATs for 8 points

NATIONAL · CHRISTIAN MOHR · DE, Berlin

5 tackles, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble

Fox kicks off live coverage as Thunder chases Bowl berth

THE countdown to Yello Strom World Bowl XIII begins in earnest this weekend as the FOX TV network in the United States kicks off its coverage of the 2005 NFL Europe League season in Week 8.

And a nationwide television audience in the United States could see the Berlin Thunder take a giant step towards reaching NFL Europe's title game as victory over the Hamburg Sea Devils on Sunday May 22 – coupled with an Amsterdam Admirals loss against the Cologne Centurions on Monday night – would see the defending champions reach their fourth World Bowl in the past five seasons.

Thunder head coach RICK LANTZ will keep his team focused as they face off against the Sea Devils, even though a World Bowl is within touching distance.

He says: "We don't look at other games and we will just take care of our own business. We just want to be in a position to win each game at the end and take each of them one at a time. I don't want to worry about other people to get us in."

FOX will begin with live coverage of the Thunder-Sea Devils clash in Week 8, followed by the Rhein Fire's visit to the Cologne Centurions in Week 9. Their coverage of the regular season concludes on Sunday June 5 as the Centurions visit the Berlin Thunder.

FOX will then provide live coverage of Yello Strom World Bowl XIII on Saturday June 11. FOX has aired every World Bowl since 1996 and three regular season games each year since 1999.

Records of NFLEL teams in FOX network games

Rhein 8-6 (2-3 in World Bowls)

Berlin 6-3 (3-0 in World Bowls)

Frankfurt 5-7 (2-3 in World Bowls)

Amsterdam 2-3 (No World Bowls)

Cologne 1-1 (No World Bowls)

Hamburg 0-0 (No World Bowls)

Speaking ahead of his team's appearance before a nationwide television audience in America, Sea Devils head coach JACK BICKNELL says: "The players look forward to being on national television. It's great for them at this point of the season because it's another opportunity for them to get some exposure on a bigger level."

CURT MENEFEE and former NFL offensive lineman and current FOX NFL analyst BRIAN BALDINGER will call the action in NFL Europe over the next month.

Contenders prepare for thrilling conclusion to 2005 campaign

WITH four teams within one game of each other at the top of the NFL Europe League standings, the final three weeks of the regular season are going to be filled with excitement, as well as a great deal of tension for the players and coaches involved.

And while the Berlin Thunder can clinch a World Bowl berth with victory over the Hamburg Sea Devils and an Amsterdam Admirals loss to the Cologne Centurions, the Week 8 results could also bring about a scenario where the four leading clubs head into the final two weeks of the season sharing 5-3 records.

If that were to happen, it would mark the first time in league history four teams were tied at the top of the standings this late in a season.

Thunder head coach RICK LANTZ says: "If we keep winning one week at a time we'll get there and World Bowl will take care of itself. We are in a three-game playoff. Hopefully, a couple of the teams will lose on the way in and that would give us a little leeway. We will just keep trying to win the game we're playing and if we do that we'll take care of our own business."

Having guided his Cologne Centurions into pole position atop the NFLEL standings with three weeks to play, head coach PETER VAAS says: "World Bowl is a long way away. We're not worried about anybody but Amsterdam right now. Every game in this league is extremely competitive. You can't overstate how tight all the teams are. They are all tough. We have to respect every opponent we play in this league because NFL Europe is way too competitive to think you're going to win each week."

Sea Devils head coach JACK BICKNELL believes his club needs to win out in order to reach the championship game and feels confident they can pull it off, with two out of his team's final three games being played at Hamburg's AOL Arena.

He explains: "Teams sometimes make it to the World Bowl with six wins but in order to have a better shot I think you need to win seven games. Now, if we had lost against the Admirals, I would be saying that six wins is good enough to give you a shot at reaching the World Bowl. Seven is usually enough but who knows how it's going to shape up.

"We have Berlin next week, and we probably should have beaten them, then we go to Amsterdam before we come back home to face Frankfurt in Week 10. I think it is very possible for us to win out and I expect us to win our next three games. We are in good shape to go and play the next three. We are in the right frame of mind and we are very focused – we just have to go out and win. The teams in this league are pretty even. It could just as easily be us in the World Bowl."

Despite losing in overtime to the Sea Devils last weekend, the Admirals still control their own destiny as they face the Centurions for a second time this season on Monday night before taking on Hamburg again in Week 9.

A second win over the Centurions would give Amsterdam a sweep in that series (the Admirals won 37-24 in Week 4) and a seven-point defeat of the Sea Devils would give the Admirals the tiebreaker in that matchup before they take on the Rhein Fire in Week 10.

Admirals head coach BART ANDRUS says: "We have to beat Cologne because we would still control our own destiny and victory would give us the tiebreaker edge over the Centurions. There is a lot of football to be played. Every game at this point of the season is crucial."

Here is a look at how each of the four leading teams will round out the 2005 regular season:

Cologne Centurions (5-2)

Wk 8 at Amsterdam

Wk 9 vs Rhein

Wk 10 at Berlin

(Combined record of opponents: 10-11)

Berlin Thunder (5-2)

Wk 8 at Hamburg

Wk 9 at Frankfurt

Wk 10 vs Cologne

(Combined record of opponents: 11-10)

Hamburg Sea Devils (4-3)

Wk 8 vs Berlin

Wk 9 at Amsterdam

Wk 10 vs Frankfurt

(Combined record of opponents 11-10)

Amsterdam Admirals (4-3)

Wk 8 vs Cologne

Wk 9 vs Hamburg

Wk 10 at Rhein

(Combined record of opponents 10-11)

As the above table shows, the Amsterdam Admirals and Hamburg Sea Devils play two home games apiece in the final three weeks of the season, while Berlin and Cologne will each head on the road twice in the final three games.

Home teams have a record of 16-5 in NFL Europe this season. But before Centurions fans begin to worry, they should know that their team is the only one in the league this spring to win two games away from home.

Thunder grabs record 10th win in a row at Olympic Stadium

BY defeating the Rhein Fire 24-15 on Saturday evening, the Berlin Thunder set a new NFL Europe League record by grabbing their 10th consecutive home win, breaking a tie with the 1995-96 Amsterdam Admirals.

The Thunder have not been beaten on home soil in two years – when they suffered a 23-20 reverse at the hands of the Barcelona Dragons in Week 7 of the 2003 campaign.

Here is a look at Berlin's home results during their record-breaking streak:

Season/Week Opponent Result

2003-Week 10 Frankfurt W 27-14

2004-Week 1 Scotland W 20-14

2004-Week 3 Cologne W 35-31

2004-Week 5 Amsterdam W 33-29

2004-Week 7 Rhein W 33-20

2004-Week 10 Frankfurt W 41-0

2005-Week 1 Frankfurt W 30-7

2005-Week 2 Hamburg W 15-13

2005-Week 5 Amsterdam W 27-16

2005-Week 7 Rhein W 24-15

Thunder head coach RICK LANTZ says: "I am excited about our home record. In this league it is tough to win on the road. Teams have tended to have more success at home. Any time you start to develop dominance at home, other teams think about it, and that helps you to keep it going."

German defensive end CHRISTIAN MOHR, allocated to NFL Europe by the Seattle Seahawks, adds: "The fans here in Berlin are amazing. They really give the team strength and they give us a great advantage. When we are not doing well they continue to support us and that is definitely a plus as a player, to know the fans are behind you no matter what."

NFLEL FACTS: Fire Leaders

Despite being bottom of the standings with a 1-6 record, the Rhein Fire boast league leaders in passing yards, rushing yards and receiving yards. Quarterback SCOTT McBRIEN tops NFLEL with 1,229 yards and 9 touchdowns, running back JOE SMITH leads the way with 649 rushing yards and wide receiver CEDRIC JAMES is the leader in receiving yardage with 483.

NFLEL FACTS: Taking Care

With three weeks of the 2005 regular season remaining, Berlin Thunder QB DAVE RAGONE has thrown 2 interceptions in 178 pass attempts. His interception percentage of 1.1 has him on pace to match the league record set by MIKE QUINN (Rhein Fire, 1998).

Defensive backs come out on top in record-setting contest

DEFENSIVE backs dominated Saturday's meeting between Hamburg and Amsterdam, which saw the quarterbacks from both clubs combine to throw a league record 10 interceptions.

Leading the way was Sea Devils safety SHAWN MAYER (New England Patriots) who tied the single-game record of 3 interceptions set on eight previous occasions.

The NFLEL Defensive Player of the Week said: "Interceptions-wise, it was a great game for me personally. I have some little things to improve on but it was a solid performance and we won."

Admirals defensive backs JEFF SANCHEZ and SCOTT CONNOT each grabbed 2 interceptions. Sanchez scored on a 92-yard interception return.

Also recording interceptions for Amsterdam were cornerback B.J. TUCKER and defensive tackle JEREMY CAUDILL. Cornerback ZACH NORTON had Hamburg's other pick.

Hamburg's quarterbacks threw 6 interceptions – CASEY BRAMLET (4), RYAN DINWIDDIE (2), while Admirals QB KURT KITTNER threw 4 interceptions.

The combined total of 10 interceptions surpassed the old record of 7 set on four previous occasions, most recently when the Scottish Claymores (4) faced the Frankfurt Galaxy (3) on May 26, 1996.

Sea Devils head coach JACK BICKNELL says: "I have never been around a team that threw six interceptions and won. You have to have a lot of belief in yourselves when you play as hard as we did when things are definitely not going your way."

Fans invited to vote for stars of 2005 season at NFLEurope.com

VOTING for the 2005 All-NFL Europe League team got underway this week, with fans being invited to pick their favorite players on NFLEurope.com.

For the fourth year in a row, the fan poll will account for one third of the votes, with one third being made up of votes by a media panel and one third coming from the coaching staffs of the six NFLEL teams.

To vote for the top players from 2005, fans simply log on to NFLEurope.com and fill out the online ballot form.

The All-NFLEL team, along with Offensive and Defensive MVPs and Coach of the Year, will be announced at Yello Strom World Bowl XIII Media Day at LTU arena, Düsseldorf, Germany, on Thursday June 9.

AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS (4-3)Head Coach: Bart Andrus (21-26 in NFLEL)Colours: Orange and blue

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: John Allen (2nd season)

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Darryl Sims (2nd season)

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 55-52

MEDIA CONTACT: Perry Hendriks

Phone: 31-20-465-0550

Fax: 31-20-465-0555

E-mail: hendriksp@admirals.nl

Internet: www.admirals.nl

LAST GAME: Lost 24-30 (OT) at Hamburg (5/14/05)

OFFENSE: 27.7 pts/game; 376 yds/game (rank 1); 167.8 yds rush/game (rank 1); 208.1 yds pass/game (rank 2)

Passing: Kurt Kittner, 974 yds

Rushing: Jonathan Smith, 536 yds

Receiving: Ruvell Martin 23 rec, 429 yds

DEFENSE: 22.6 pts/game; 303.3 yds/game (rank 4); 120 rush yds/game (rank 3); 183.3 pass yds/game (rank 2)

Sacks: Clint Mitchell 3.0

Interceptions: Norman Lejeune, Jeff Sanchez, B.J. Tucker, 3

· THIS WEEK: vs. COLOGNE CENTURIONS ·

Head coach BART ANDRUS will aim to get his team back on track following last weekend's overtime loss in Hamburg. He says: "We didn't play very well offensively and that played a big part in what happened on the field."... QB KURT KITTNER (Chicago Bears) made his third start of the season last week but threw 4 interceptions. Has topped the 200-yard passing mark in each of his three starts (see table) but has also thrown 7 interceptions, and 9 on the season. Discussing his quarterback, Andrus says: "I know Kurt will bounce back. He has had some ups and downs but we have to help him out with a better running attack. We just didn't get the rushing yardage we're used to getting last week."... RB JONATHAN SMITH (Kansas City Chiefs) ranks second in NFLEL in rushing yards (see table). Rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown in last meeting with Cologne... RB JARRETT PAYTON (Tennessee Titans) slipped to fifth in NFLEL in rushing yards (see table) after being held to 35 yards last week. Leads the league with 6 rushing touchdowns after adding a 1-yard TD run at Hamburg. Was held to a season-low 30 yards in last clash with Centurions... WR RUVELL MARTIN (San Diego Chargers) has scored a touchdown in every game this season (see table), including a 50-yarder last week. His 7 consecutive games with a receiving TD ranks second in NFLEL history, alongside Carl Parker (Sacramento 1991) and behind Mario Bailey (10, Frankfurt 1999-2000) ... WR JOHN BOOTH (Kansas City Chiefs) had 2 catches for 24 yards last week and has 14 receptions for 246 yards this season... WR ATAVEUS CASH (New York Giants) caught 4 passes for 37 yards last week and ranks joint-second on the team with 19 receptions... TE MIKE GOMEZ (Buffalo Bills) had a 7-yard catch last week and has 19 receptions for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2005... French TE YOAN SCHNEE has 3 catches this season.... DE JOSH MALLARD (Indianapolis Colts) has 12 tackles and 2 sacks this year... DE OMARI HAND (Jacksonville Jaguars) made 4 tackles last weekend and has 19 tackles and 2 sacks to his name this season... DE CLINT MITCHELL

leads the Admirals with 3 sacks... DT JEREMY CAUDILL recorded 4 tackles and an interception last week... LB DERRICK BALLARD (Chicago Bears) recorded 4 tackles last week, taking his 2005 tally to 20 stops... LB PHIL ARCHER recorded a team-high 9 tackles last week and ranks fourth on the Admirals defense with 27 tackles this term... LB GREG CAROTHERS recorded 9 tackles last week and ranks second on the team with 37 stops... CB JEFF SANCHEZ (Detroit Lions) recorded 2 interceptions for 94 yards and a touchdown last week. Has made 24 tackles this year and leads the Admirals with 3 interceptions and 10 pass defenses... CB B.J. TUCKER (Seattle Seahawks) recorded 3 pass defenses and a team lead-tying third interception last week... S SCOTT CONNOT (Kansas City Chiefs) recorded 8 tackles and 2 interceptions last week. Leads Amsterdam with 42 tackles this year ... S RON ISRAEL (Pittsburgh Steelers) made 4 tackles last week for 31 this season... K CHRIS SNYDER (Houston Texans) ranks second among NFLEL kickers with 56 points. Made 1 of 2 FGs last week.

QB KURT KITTNER (Chicago Bears), GAME-BY-GAME

Att Comp Yds TD Int

Wk 1: vs Rhein 8 4 46 0 0

Wk 2: at Frank 5 2 15 0 1

Wk 3: vs Berlin 10 6 65 0 1

Wk 4: at Col 12 9 158 1 0

Wk 5: at Ber 41 21 283 1 3

Wk 6: vs Fra 32 20 204 3 0

Wk 7: at Ham 32 14 203 1 4

TOTAL 140 76 974 6 9

RB JARRETT PAYTON (Tennessee Titans), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: vs Rhein 8 52 0 2 24 0

Wk 2: at Frank 6 67 1 2 24 0

Wk 3: vs Berlin 15 92 1 1 14 0

Wk 4: at Col 9 30 1 2 21 0

Wk 5: at Ber 15 72 0 1 10 0

Wk 6: vs Fra 9 97 2 2 24 0

Wk 7: at Ham 10 35 1 1 6 0

TOTAL 72 445 6* 11 123 0

* Ties NFLEL lead

RB JONATHAN SMITH (Kansas City Chiefs), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: vs Rhein 16 99 0 0 0 0

Wk 2: at Frank 7 12 0 1 4 0

Wk 3: vs Berlin 17 133 1 1 10 0

Wk 4: at Col 16 72 1 1 10 0

Wk 5: at Ber 12 39 1 1 10 0

Wk 6: vs Fra 19 131 0 2 19 0

Wk 7: at Ham 14 50 0 2 28 0

TOTAL 101 536 3 10 81 0

WR RUVELL MARTIN (San Diego Chargers), GAME-BY-GAME

Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: vs Rhein 5 46 1

Wk 2: at Frank 2 32 1

Wk 3: vs Berlin 4 73 1

Wk 4: at Col 3 92 1

Wk 5: at Ber 5 87 1

Wk 6: vs Fra 2 14 1

Wk 7: at Ham 2 85 1

TOTAL 23 429 7*

* Leads NFLEL

BERLIN THUNDER (5-2)Head Coach: Rick Lantz (14-3 in NFLEL, plus 1-0 in World Bowl)Colours: Black, green and gold

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Don Eck (2nd season)

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Jim Tomsula (2nd season)

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 36-31

MEDIA CONTACT: Maik Matischak

Phone: 49-30-300-644-00

Fax: 49-30-300-644-77

E-mail: maik.matischak@berlin-thunder.de

Internet: www.berlin-thunder.de

LAST GAME: Won 24-15 vs. Rhein (5/14/05)

OFFENSE: 24.3 pts/game; 320.8 yds/game (rank 3); 130 rush yds/game (rank 2); 190.8 pass yds/game (rank 3)

Passing: Dave Ragone, 1,188 yds

Rushing: Cal Murray, 380 yds

Receiving: Aaron Boone 26 rec, Michael Jennings 416 yds

DEFENSE: 19 pts/game; 300.6 yds/game (rank 2); 141.1 rush yds/game (rank 5); 159.4 pass yds/game (rank 1)

Sacks: Christian Mohr, 3.0

Interceptions: Jermaine Mays, 3

· THIS WEEK: at HAMBURG SEA DEVILS ·

Thunder head coach RICK LANTZ has his team on the verge of clinching a berth in World Bowl following a hard-fought victory over the Rhein Fire. He says: "It was a tough contest but we took the ball away three times and they only got one. That was important. It was a really good win for us."... QB DAVE RAGONE (Houston Texans) has started all seven games and leads NFLEL in touchdown passes (see table). Has not thrown an interception in his last four starts. His interception percentage of 1.1 (2 from 178 attempts) would tie a league record set by Mike Quinn (Rhein 1998) if maintained. Lantz says: "Dave Ragone is making very few bad throws and we have not turned the ball over very much."... QB CHRIS FINLEN (New Orleans Saints) failed to complete any of his 3 pass attempts last week... RB CAL MURRAY (San Diego Chargers) leads the team in rushing yards (see table) and scored his first rushing TD of the season. Lantz says: "Cal Murray has got better each week. The way he ran the football today was really important."... RB LITTLE JOHN FLOWERS (New York Jets) jointly leads the league with 6 rushing touchdowns (see table). Rushed for season-high 92 yards last week... WR MICHAEL JENNINGS (New York Giants) did not play last week. Leads the Thunder with 416 yards on 25 receptions this season... WR AARON BOONE (Carolina Panthers) caught a team-high 8 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown vs. Rhein to earn NFLEL Offensive Player of the Week honors. Leads the Thunder with 26 receptions for 363 yards and 3 touchdowns this season... WR TERRENCE STUBBS (New York Jets) has 15 receptions for 149 yards this season... TE JOHN FRIESER (Pittsburgh Steelers) has 6 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown this season... 363-pound T DANTE ELLINGTON caught a 10-yard pass for a first down against the Rhein Fire last week... German DE CHRISTIAN MOHR (Seattle Seahawks) leads the Thunder with 3 sacks this season after adding 5 tackles, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble vs. the Fire to win National Player of the Week honors... DE DARRELL LEE recorded 6 tackles last week, taking his season total to 25 stops... DT CHARLES LEE recorded 4 tackles last week and has 10 in 2005 season... LB RICH

SCANLON (Kansas City Chiefs) recorded 10 tackles and 2 pass defenses last week. Has led the Thunder in tackles in each of the opening seven games of the year and leads the team with 66 tackles... LB MICHAEL BROWN (Atlanta Falcons) recorded 2 tackles, 1 fumble recovery and 3 pass defenses in Week 7. Ranks fourth on the Thunder defense with 27 tackles... CB MICHAEL HARDEN (Seattle Seahawks) knocked down 3 passes last week... CB WILLIE FORD (Indianapolis Colts) recorded 2 tackles last week and jointly leads the Thunder with 7 passes defended... CB JERMAINE MAYS (Indianapolis Colts) recorded 3 tackles last week. Has 3 interceptions for 113 yards and touchdown this season, in addition to 12 tackles... CB JAMES THORNTON ranks second on the Thunder defense with 29 tackles... S ADRIAN MAYES (Arizona Cardinals) recorded 4 tackles and 1 interception last week and ranks third on the Thunder defense with 28 tackles... K KEVIN MILLER (Seattle Seahawks) has hit on 12 of 15 FGs after making a 42-yarder last week. Had a 50-yard effort blocked. Has scored 52 points to rank fourth in NFLEL this season.

QB DAVE RAGONE (Houston Texans), GAME-BY-GAME

Att Comp Yds TD Int

Wk 1: vs Fra 23 16 179 1 0

Wk 2: vs Ham 28 17 168 1 1

Wk 3: at Ams 27 15 186 2 1

Wk 4: at Rhe 28 18 147 2 0

Wk 5: vs Ams 23 14 178 1 0

Wk 6: at Col 23 13 192 1 0

Wk 7: vs Rhe 26 13 138 1 0

TOTAL 178 106 1188 9* 2

* Leads NFLEL

RB CAL MURRAY (San Diego Chargers), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: vs Fra 22 84 0 3 8 0

Wk 2: vs Ham 12 49 0 1 5 1

Wk 3: at Ams 14 78 0 2 33 1

Wk 4: at Rhe 7 32 0 3 8 0

Wk 5: vs Ams 11 43 0 2 34 0

Wk 6: at Col 6 21 0 3 23 0

Wk 7: vs Rhe 13 73 1 0 0 0

TOTAL 85 380 1 14 111 2

RB LITTLE JOHN FLOWERS (NY Jets), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: vs Fra 20 73 2 1 28 0

Wk 2: vs Ham 12 50 0 2 14 0

Wk 3: at Ams 10 62 0 2 11 0

Wk 4: at Rhe 11 29 2 0 0 0

Wk 5: vs Ams 6 11 1 1 14 0

Wk 6: at Col 6 19 0 2 15 0

Wk 7: vs Rhe 12 92 1 2 0 0

TOTAL 77 336 6* 10 82 0

* Ties NFLEL lead

COLOGNE CENTURIONS (5-2)Head Coach: Peter Vaas (28-29 inNFLEL, plus 2-0 in World Bowl)Colours: Black, red and white

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Bob Bicknell (2nd season)

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: David Duggan (2nd season)

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 9-8

MEDIA CONTACT: Karsten Meier

Phone: 49-221-271-430

Fax: 49-221-271-43299

E-mail: Karsten.meier@cologne-centurions.de

Internet: www.cologne-centurions.de

LAST GAME: Won 20-17 (OT) at Frankfurt (5/14/05)

OFFENSE: 20.4 pts/game; 302.9 yds/game (rank 4=); 123.7 rush yds/game (rank 3); 179.1 pass yds/game (rank 5)

Passing: Kevin Thompson, 1,037 yds

Rushing: Kory Chapman, 451 yds

Receiving: Keylon Kincade 24 rec, Jamin Elliott 246 yds

DEFENSE: 20.1 pts/game; 279.6 yds/game (rank 1); 81.3 rush yds/game (rank 1); 198.3 pass yds/game (rank 4)

Sacks: Greg White, 4.0

Interceptions: Lin-J Shell, 2

· THIS WEEK: at AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS ·

Centurions have a share of first-place as they head into a vital game against fellow World Bowl contenders Amsterdam. Head coach PETER VAAS knows the atmosphere will be similar to last week's game in Frankfurt, making for another emotional night. "When you are in a hostile environment where you are not supposed to win, to have that opportunity is fantastic. There were emotional highs and lows; you just can't let the lows get you."... QB KEVIN THOMPSON (Buffalo Bills) has started all seven games this season (see table). Has not thrown TD pass since last game against Admirals in Week 4... QB CHRIS LEWIS (Arizona Cardinals) attempted 1 of 2 passes for 12 yards last week ... RB KORY CHAPMAN (New England Patriots) had his first 100-yard rushing game of the season last week to move up to fourth in the NFLEL rankings in rushing yards and fourth in yards from scrimmage (see table)... RB KEYLON KINCADE (Dallas Cowboys) ranks fifth in the league in offensive yardage and has 3 TDs in last two games. Leads the team in receptions... WR JAMIN ELLIOTT (Chicago Bears) leads the team with 246 receiving yards after gaining 62 on 5 catches last week... WR C.J. JONES (Cleveland Browns) had 1 catch for 4 yards last week and has 10 catches this year ... WR ROMBY BRYANT (Atlanta Falcons) caught 2 passes for 42 yards last week and had 4 for 46 against Amsterdam this year... WR JAMES ADKISSON (Oakland Raiders) caught 1 pass for 23 yards last week and had 3 receptions for 22 yards against the Admirals in Week 4 ... Japanese WR MICHIHIRO OGAWA has 3 receptions for 45 yards this season... German TE WERNER HIPPLER played his 84th career game in NFL Europe last week, three behind the all-time record of former Scottish Claymores wide receiver Scott Couper. Has career receiving figures of 85 for 884 yards (third all-time among national players) and 3 touchdowns... DE GREG WHITE leads team after his fourth sack

of the season last week among 3 tackles... DT BRYAN SAVE (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) recorded 2 sacks last week and has 3.5 for the season... LB BOBBY BROOKS leads the team with 32 tackles after 5 last week and has defended a team-high 8 passes... LB JOE TUIPALA (Washington Redskins) led the team with 8 tackles against Amsterdam this season. Ranks second on team with 30 tackles... CB JAMAINE WINBORNE (Baltimore Ravens) has 3 sacks this season... CB KEVIN HOUSE (Seattle Seahawks) recorded 4 tackles last week and ranks second on the team with 7 passes defended... CB LIN-J SHELL (Philadelphia Eagles) had his – and the team's – second interception of the season last week. Recorded 4 tackles last week and has 23 on the season... S ED CANONICO (Kansas City Chiefs) made 4 tackles last week and ranks third on the club with 27 stops... K JIMMY KIBBLE ranks third in the NFLEL with 53 points, including 13 of 15 FGs. Last week kicked two FGs, including a 37-yard game-winner in overtime, to win Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

QB KEVIN THOMPSON (Buffalo BIlls), GAME-BY-GAME

Att Comp Yds TD Int

Wk 1: vs Ham 25 16 197 2 0

Wk 2: at Rhein 21 9 95 0 0

Wk 3: vs Frank 24 9 118 1 0

Wk 4: vs Ams 36 22 260 2 3

Wk 5: at Ham 2 1 11 0 0

Wk 6: vs Ber 22 11 154 0 0

Wk 7: at Fra 26 16 202 0 2

TOTAL 156 84 1,037 5 5

RB KORY CHAPMAN (New England Patriots), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: vs Ham 6 31 1 1 3 0

Wk 2: at Rhein 17 83 0 0 0 0

Wk 3: vs Frank 13 64 0 2 11 0

Wk 4: vs Ams 9 42 0 1 16 0

Wk 5: at Ham 8 19 0 2 31 0

Wk 6: vs Ber 13 94 1 0 0 0

Wk 7: at Fra 20 118 1 2 24 0

TOTAL 86 451 3 8 85 0

RB KEYLON KINCADE (Dallas Cowboys), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: vs Ham 7 17 0 1 12 0

Wk 2: at Rhein 12 44 0 1 2 0

Wk 3: vs Frank 18 106 1 4 46 1

Wk 4: vs Ams 6 14 0 7 76 0

Wk 5: at Ham 13 29 0 5 38 0

Wk 6: vs Ber 15 42 2 1 -6 0

Wk 7: at Fra 15 44 1 5 47 0

TOTAL 86 296 4 24 215 1

FRANKFURT GALAXY (2-5)Head Coach: Mike Jones (9-8) in NFLEL, plus 0-1 in World Bowl.Colours: Purple, orange, red and white

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Whitey Jordan (1st season)

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Ed O'Neil (2nd season)

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 67-60

MEDIA CONTACT: Joachim Haas

Phone: 49-69-978-2790

Fax: 49-69-978-279099

E-mail: joachim.haas@frankfurt-galaxy.

Internet: www.frankfurt-galaxy.de

LAST GAME: Lost 17-20 (OT) vs Cologne (5/14/05)

OFFENSE: 14.9 pts/game; 252.6 yds/game (rank 6); 102.7 rush yds/game (rank 5); 149.9 pass yds/game (rank 6)

Passing: Kevin Eakin, 620 yds

Rushing: Ahmaad Galloway, 452 yds

Receiving: Jamal Jones, 24 rec, 338 yds

DEFENSE: 26.4 pts/game; 378 yds/game (rank 6); 184.9 rush yds/game (rank 6); 193.1 pass yds/game (rank 3)

Sacks: Derrick Crawford, Seante Williams, 3.0

Interceptions: Lamont Brightful, 4

· THIS WEEK: at RHEIN FIRE ·

Head coach MIKE JONES has to lift his team after a narrow overtime loss against Cologne last week. He says: "It was our toughest loss of all. Our guys came out and played their hearts out and made some great contributions. We had the opportunities to win but let them slip away."... QB AKILI SMITH (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) has not seen action since the Week 5 game against Rhein (see table)... QB KEVIN EAKIN (New York Jets) has started the last three games (see table)... QB B.J. SYMONS (Houston Texans) completed 3 of 6 passes for 28 yards with 1 interception last week... RB AHMAAD GALLOWAY (San Diego Chargers) ranks third in NFLEL in rushing yards (see table)... RB J.R. NIKLOS (Oakland Raiders) was held to 4 yards on 3 carries last week. Scored a 2-yard TD against Rhein in Week 5... WR JAMAL JONES (Green Bay Packers) is the team's leading receiver (see table) but has yet to score a touchdown... WR HUBERT WHITTAKER (Jacksonville Jaguars) has 11 catches for 153 yards this year, including 4 for 44 against Rhein ... WR SAM SIMMONS (Pittsburgh Steelers) caught 5 passes for 41 yards last week... English WR MARVIN ALLEN has 6 receptions for 71 yards on the season after a 16-yard catch last week... TE MARK ANELLI (Atlanta Falcons) was inactive last week. He ranks second on the team with 16 catches ... TE BROCK EDWARDS had 3 catches for 16 yards, including 2 TDs against Rhein in Week 5. Had 1 catch for 5 yards last week... WR AARON HOSACK (Minnesota Vikings) caught 4 passes for 39 yards last week, including a pair of TDs... DE SEANTE WILLIAMS (Green Bay Packers) jointly leads the Galaxy after posting his third sack last week among 5 tackles... DT LOUIS GACHELIN has 2.5 sacks in 2005 after sharing a sack last week and posting 5 tackles... DT AHMAD CHILDRESS (New York Giants) posted 8 tackles last week and his second sack... LB GRANT STEEN (New England Patriots) had 5 tackles last week and ranks second on the team with 43... S MICHAEL GRANT (Cleveland Browns) had a club-high 12 stops last week to rank third on the team with 33 tackles... CB LAMONT

BRIGHTFUL (New York Giants) leads the team and ranks second in the league with 4 interceptions after two picks late in last week's game. Leads team with 11 passes defended... S RAYMOND PERRYMAN (Jacksonville Jaguars) leads the team with 44 tackles after adding 7 last week... K STEVE SCALDAFERRI (Indianapolis Colts) has 25 points this season. Last week he hit from 29 yards but missed a potential game-winner from 33 yards at the end of regulation... P MIKE BARR (Pittsburgh Steelers) averaged 41.2 yards on 6 punts last week.

QB KEVIN EAKIN (New York Jets), GAME-BY-GAME

Att Comp Yds TD Int

Wk 1: at Berlin 10 6 68 0 1

Wk 2: vs Ams 11 8 84 1 0

Wk 3: at Col 13 8 120 1 0

Wk 4: vs Ham 8 5 55 0 0

Wk 5: vs Rhe 11 10 116 1 1

Wk 6: at Ams 17 7 70 0 1

Wk 7: vs Col 23 14 141 2 0

TOTAL 104 54 620 5 3

QB AKILI SMITH (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), GAME-BY-GAME

Att Comp Yds TD Int

Wk 1: at Berlin 11 2 24 0 1

Wk 2: vs Ams 12 9 95 0 0

Wk 3: at Col 7 4 52 0 0

Wk 4: vs Ham 14 9 97 0 2

Wk 5: vs Rhe 11 9 90 1 0

Wk 6: at Ams DNP

Wk 7: vs Col DNP

TOTAL 54 37 402 2 2

RB AHMAAD GALLOWAY (San Diego Chargers), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: at Berlin 9 37 0 0 0 0

Wk 2: vs Ams 33 161 1 1 8 0

Wk 3: at Col 5 13 0 0 0 0

Wk 4: vs Ham 10 24 0 3 10 0

Wk 5: vs Rhe 23 117 0 2 12 0

Wk 6: at Ams 10 21 0 0 0 0

Wk 7: vs Col 18 79 0 1 2 0

TOTAL 108 452 1 7 32 0

WR JAMAL JONES (Green Bay Packers), GAME-BY-GAME

Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: at Berlin 4 38 0

Wk 2: vs ams 5 59 0

Wk 3: at Col 2 44 0

Wk 4: vs Ham 4 77 0

Wk 5: vs Rhe 4 54 0

Wk 6: at Ams 0 0 0

Wk 7: vs Col 5 66 0

TOTAL 24 338 0

HAMBURG SEA DEVILS (4-3)Head Coach: Jack Bicknell (65-62 in NFLEL, 2-5 in post-season)Colours: Dark blue, teal, red

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Vince Martino (1st season)

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Dan Daniel (1st season)

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 4-3

MEDIA CONTACT: Thomas Bothstede

Phone: 49-407-525-590

Fax: 49-407-525-5959

E-mail: pr@hamburg-seadevils.de

Internet: www.hamburg-seadevils.de

LAST GAME: Won 30-24 (OT) vs. Amsterdam (5/14/05)

OFFENSE: 24.1 pts/game; 339 yds/game (rank 2); 88.1 rush yds/game (rank 6); 250.8 pass yds/game (rank 1)

Passing: Casey Bramlet, 1,215 yds

Rushing: Larry Croom, 274 yds

Receiving: Scott McCready 37 rec, 474 yds

DEFENSE: 18.1 pts/game; 301.6 yds/game (rank 3); 82.7 rush yds/game (rank 2); 218.8 pass yds/game (rank 6)

Sacks: Kevin Emanuel, 4.0

Interceptions: Shawn Mayer, 5

· THIS WEEK: vs. BERLIN THUNDER ·

Sea Devils head coach JACK BICKNELL was delighted with his team's overtime defeat of Amsterdam, saying: "I judge a team by how important a game is to them and to these kids it's real important. They just weren't going to lose.".... QB CASEY BRAMLET (Cincinnati Bengals) ranks second in NFL Europe with a passer rating of 75.9 (see table). Threw as many interceptions last week (4) as he had done in the opening six games of the year... QB RYAN DINWIDDIE (Chicago Bears) hit on 12 of 27 passes for 178 yards and 1 touchdown last week but was also intercepted twice. Bicknell says: "We will stick with our normal quarterback rotation and I don't see us making any changes. I am happy with both my quarterbacks and they are great kids."... RB LARRY CROOM (Arizona Cardinals) rushed for 74 yards on 19 carries last week and has 274 rushing yards and 1 touchdown in the season's opening seven games. Added 2 receptions for 22 yards last week... RB ZACK ABRON (Chicago Bears) rushed for 54 yards on 10 carries last week and has 266 rushing yards this season... WR DEREK McCOY (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) caught a 26-yard touchdown pass last week and has 13 receptions for 153 yards and 2 scores this season... WR CHRIS COLLINS (Pittsburgh Steelers) had his second successive 100-yard receiving day last week (see table) and caught a game-tying 2-point conversion pass in the fourth quarter. Ranks second in NFLEL with 28 receptions after catching 17 passes in the past two games... WR TERRANCE METCALF (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) caught 3 passes for 64 yards with a long of 40 last week. Has reeled in 14 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown this season... TE BOBBY BLIZZARD (Atlanta Falcons) leads all NFL Europe League tight ends in receptions (see table) after catching 3 passes for 41 yards last weekend... DE KEVIN EMANUEL (Seattle Seahawks) jointly leads NFL Europe with 4 sacks after adding 1 among 2 tackles last week... DE IVORY McCOY scored Hamburg's winning touchdown last week when he returned a fumble 29

yards to the end zone with 26 seconds remaining in overtime. Added 2 tackles and 1 sack... DE SACHA LANCASTER recorded 2 tackles and forced a fumble on an overtime sack that allowed McCoy to score the game-winning touchdown... LB NICK McNEIL (Green Bay Packers) ranks second on the team with 41 tackles after adding a game-high 9 and 1 sack against Amsterdam last week... LB SHAWN MORGAN (Green Bay Packers) notched 3 tackles last week to take his season tally to 20... CB MARCELL ALLMOND (Jacksonville Jaguars) leads the Sea Devils with 42 tackles after recording 7 tackles and 1 sack against the Admirals. Has 3 interceptions on the season... S SHAWN MAYER (Atlanta Falcons) recorded 7 tackles last week and ranks third on the team with 31 this season. Tied the NFLEL single game record with 3 interceptions for 36 yards and was named NFLEL Defensive Player of the Week... S ERIC CROUCH (Kansas City Chiefs) missed last week's game through injury. Has 20 tackles this season... German S CLAUDIUS OSEI saw his first extensive playing time of 2005 since joining the Sea Devils in Week 5 and recorded 2 tackles and 1 special teams stop... K TODD FRANCE (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) leads NFL Europe with 71 points after seven games. Last week he made 3 of 6 field goals, long 43, and 1 of 1 PAT. Has converted 19 of 25 field goals and 13 of 13 PATs this season. He is on pace to smash the single season records for field goals attempted (27), converted (23) and points scored (85) set by Scott Szeredy of the Barcelona Dragons in 1995... P B.J. SANDER (Green Bay Packers) has averaged 41.4 yards on 19 kicks this season with a long of 65.

QB CASEY BRAMLET (Cincinnati Bengals), GAME-BY-GAME

Att Comp Yds TD Int

Wk 1: at Col 38 24 238 1 0

Wk 2: at Ber 18 13 120 1 1

Wk 3: vs Rhein 20 15 179 1 1

Wk 4: at Fra 25 17 264 1 0

Wk 5: vs Col 17 10 120 0 0

Wk 6: at Rhe 30 16 185 2 2

Wk 7: vs Ams 21 10 109 0 4

TOTAL 169 105* 1215 6 8

WR CHRIS COLLINS (Pittsburgh Steelers), GAME-BY-GAME

Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: at Col 6 45 0

Wk 2: at Ber 1 -2 0

Wk 3: vs Rhein 1 18 0

Wk 4: at Fra 2 17 0

Wk 5: vs Col 1 23 0

Wk 6: at Rhe 6 100 0

Wk 7: vs Ams 11 108 0

TOTAL 28 309 0

TE BOBBY BLIZZARD (Arizona Cardinals), GAME-BY-GAME

Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: at Col 7 88 0

Wk 2: at Ber 4 19 0

Wk 3: vs Rhein 3 19 1

Wk 4: at Fra 3 26 0

Wk 5: vs Col 1 9 0

Wk 6: at Rhe 2 25 0

Wk 7: vs Ams 3 41 0

TOTAL 23 227 1

* Leads NFLEL

RHEIN FIRE (1-6)Head Coach: Pete Kuharchek (22-25 in NFLEL, 0-2 in World Bowls)Colours: Burgundy, black and white

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Scott Milanovich (1st season)

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Adrian White (2nd season)

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORD: 56-51

MEDIA CONTACT: Markus Müller

Phone: 49-211-478-730

Fax: 49-211-478-7329

E-mail: markus.mueller@rhein-fire.de

Internet: www.rhein-fire.de

LAST GAME: Lost 15-24 at Berlin, (5/14/05)

OFFENSE: 19.3 pts/game; 302.8 yds/game (rank 4); 120.6 rush yds/game (rank 3); 182.3 pass yds/game (rank 3)

Passing: Scott McBrien, 1,229 yds

Rushing: Joe Smith, 649 yds

Receiving: Cedric James 27 rec, 483 yds

DEFENSE: 24.8 pts/game; 331.1 yds/game (rank 5); 123 rush yds/game (rank 3); 208.1 pass yds/game (rank 5)

Sacks: Sean Guthrie, 4.0

Interceptions: Four Players, 1

· THIS WEEK: vs. FRANKFURT GALAXY ·

Rhein Fire head coach PETE KUHARCHEK will go in search of a second win of the season as his club faces the Frankfurt Galaxy. Talking about the intense Fire-Galaxy rivalry, he says: "It is like Auburn-Alabama, Florida-Florida State – it is that kind of game. With the situation we're in, this game is even more important for us. A win against Frankfurt would make things feel a whole lot better around here."... QB SCOTT McBRIEN (Green Bay Packers) leads NFL Europe in passing yards, touchdown passes and interceptions thrown (see table). Was intercepted a season-high 3 times in last meeting with Galaxy... RB JOE SMITH (Tennessee Titans) has carried the football more times than any other player in 2005 (see table) and leads the league in rushing yards after gaining a season-best 166 last week. Picked up 152 yards and a TD in last game vs. Frankfurt. Speaking of his success, Smith says: "The offensive line has been doing a great job of blocking but the real key has been the receivers blocking downfield. They have been coming through and making real good plays downfield."... WR CEDRIC JAMES (New England Patriots) leads the league in receiving yardage and ranks third in NFLEL in receptions (see table). Has scored a touchdown in each of the past three games and has only been held without a TD in two contests this season... WR GLENN MARTINEZ (Detroit Lions) caught a 5-yard pass last week and has 18 receptions for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns on the season... WR JERIS McINTYRE (Kansas City Chiefs) caught 3 passes for 39 yards last week and has 17 for 341 on the year... TE JASON RADER had 1 reception for 12 yards last week and has 14 for 129 yards in 2005... DE GREG SCOTT (Cincinnati Bengals) recorded 3 tackles last weekend and has 22 and 2 sacks this season... DE SEAN GUTHRIE leads NFL Europe with 4 quarterback sacks. Added 3 tackles last week to take his season total to 17... DE DEMETRIOS WALKER (Kansas City Chiefs) recorded 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery last week and now has 24 tackles and 2 sacks on the season... DT EDDIE FREEMAN (Carolina Panthers)

recorded 3 tackles and knocked down a pass last week. Has 19 tackles and 2 sacks this season... LB TONY GILBERT (Jacksonville Jaguars), who played in 16 games for the Jaguars in 2004, leads the Fire with 50 tackles after adding a team-high 7 last week... LB EDWARD THOMAS (Oakland Raiders) registered 6 tackles last week and ranks second on the team with 48 takedowns... LB TERRENCE ROBINSON (Seattle Seahawks) has 24 tackles this season after adding 6 to his tally last weekend... CB BLUE ADAMS (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) recorded 5 tackles and knocked down 4 passes last week. Leads the Fire with 12 passes defended this season and has also recorded 29 tackles and 1 interception... CB JONATHAN COX (San Diego Chargers) notched 2 tackles and batted down 2 passes last week, taking his season total to 28 tackles, 1 interception and 10 pass defenses.... German S RICHARD YANCY recorded 3 tackles and knocked down 2 passes last week, for a season total of 30, placing him third among Fire defenders. Leads all national defenders through seven games... S CHRIS DAY (Green Bay Packers) has returned a league-high 29 kickoffs for 626 yards (21.6 average) this season. Recorded 1 tackle last week and ran back 2 kickoffs for 30 yards... K NICHOLAS SETTA (Chicago Bears) converted field goals from 27 and 35 yards last week. Has hit on 9 of 13 field goal attempts and 14 of 14 PATs to rank fifth among NFLEL kickers with 41 points... P TRAVIS DORSCH (Minnesota Vikings) leads NFL Europe with an average of 42.4 yards on 29 punts with a long of 60 yards.

QB SCOTT McBRIEN (Green Bay Packers), GAME-BY-GAME

Att Comp Yds TD Int

Wk 1: at Ams 17 8 89 1 2

Wk 2: vs Col 18 10 141 1 1

Wk 3: at Ham 27 16 325 2 2

Wk 4: vs Ber 22 16 198 1 1

Wk 5: at Fra 22 9 125 1 3

Wk 6: vs Ham 22 13 231 2 0

Wk 7: at Ber 24 7 120 1 1

TOTAL 152 79 1229* 9* 10*

RB JOE SMITH (Tennessee Titans), GAME-BY-GAME

Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: at Ams 14 62 0 0 0 0

Wk 2: vs Col 16 53 0 3 21 0

Wk 3: at Ham 0 0 0 0 0 0

Wk 4: vs Ber 23 120 1 2 6 0

Wk 5: at Fra 28 152 1 1 3 0

Wk 6: vs Ham 31 96 1 0 0 0

Wk 7: at Ber 27 166 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 139* 649* 3 6 30 0

WR CEDRIC JAMES (New England Patriots), GAME-BY-GAME

Rec Yds TD

Wk 1: at Ams 3 28 1

Wk 2: vs Col 5 50 0

Wk 3: at Ham 6 149 1

Wk 4: vs Ber 3 62 0

Wk 5: at Fra 4 52 1

Wk 6: vs Ham 4 78 1

Wk 7: at Ber 2 64 1

TOTAL 27 483* 5

* Leads NFLEL

FRANKFURT GALAXY (2-5)

at RHEIN FIRE (1-6)

LTU arena, Düsseldorf. Saturday May 21, 7:00 p.m.

SERIES NOTES

Overall: Rhein leads 13-8 (Teams tied 1-1 in World Bowls)

At Rhein: Rhein leads 6-4

At Frankfurt: Rhein leads 7-4

Streak: Frankfurt 4

This season: Rhein 20 at Frankfurt 23 (Week 5)

TELEVISION

Germany: LIVE/Premiere Sport 2 (7:00 p.m. CET)

US: LIVE/NFL Network (1:00 p.m. ET)

Play-by-play announcer DERRIN HORTON is joined in the booth by former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins quarterback RAY LUCAS.

COACHES

PETE KUHARCHEK has led the Rhein Fire to a pair of World Bowl appearances during his tenure, losing the title game to Berlin in 2002 and Frankfurt in 2003. Won World Bowls in 1998 and 2000 as defensive coordinator of the Fire. Has lost 10 of his last 11 games in charge of the Fire... MIKE JONES is in his second season in charge of the Galaxy and has a 9-8 record. Won World Bowl rings as an assistant coach with the Rhein Fire in 1998 and 2000. Played wide receiver in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints from 1983-89.

GAME NOTES

The resumption of the most storied rivalry in NFL Europe League history sees the Rhein Fire needing to defeat the Frankfurt Galaxy by more than three points to move above them in the standings... The Fire need to win their final three games to avoid matching the worst record in franchise history (3-7 in 1996 and 2004)... Frankfurt head into the contest with NFL Europe's sixth-ranked offense and sixth-ranked defense... Frankfurt's offensive line has given up a league-low 10 sacks this season... Rhein ranks third in NFL Europe with an average of 4.5 yards per rush... The Fire's average of 5.4 yards per offensive play ranks second in NFL Europe... Rhein is the only team not to score on a return or recovery this season... Frankfurt has only scored 20 points or more on two occasions – in victories over Amsterdam in Week 2 and Rhein in Week 5... Rhein's quarterbacks have completed a league-low 49.7 percent of their passes... Frankfurt is on pace to give up 1,849 rushing yards this season, which would surpass the previous record of 1,544 given up by the 2002 Barcelona Dragons... Despite being ranked sixth in NFL Europe in yards allowed per game (378.0), Frankfurt's defense jointly leads the league with 18 quarterback sacks... Frankfurt is the only team to score on a kickoff return this season (at Cologne in Week 2) and they have held opponents to a league-low 15.1 yards per kickoff return... The Galaxy has converted a league-low 62.5 percent of their field goal attempts this season (5 of 8)... Rhein's defense has come up with 7 turnovers in seven games – the second-lowest figure in NFL Europe this season... Frankfurt has won the last four games between the teams... In the last meeting, QB KEVIN EAKIN (New York Jets) threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to TE BROCK EDWARDS on fourth-and-goal with 16 seconds remaining to give the Galaxy a three-point win at Commerzbank Arena. That score wiped out a 152-yard, 1 touchdown performance by Fire running back JOE SMITH (Tennessee Titans), who was named Offensive Player of the Week.

BERLIN THUNDER (5-2) at

HAMBURG SEA DEVILS (4-3)

AOL Arena, Hamburg. Sunday May 22, 4:00 p.m.

SERIES NOTES

Overall: Berlin leads 1-0

At Berlin: 1-0

At Hamburg: First meeting between teams in Hamburg

Streak: Berlin 1

TELEVISION

US: LIVE/FOX (10:00 a.m. ET)

The FOX network kicks off its coverage of the 2005 NFL Europe League season as former NFL offensive lineman BRIAN BALDINGER joins play-by-play announcer CURT MENEFEE in the broadcast booth.

COACHES

JACK BICKNELL is in his 13th NFLEL season having served as head coach of the Barcelona Dragons (1991-2003), Scottish Claymores (2004) and now the Sea Devils. Has won more games (65) than any other coach in NFLEL history. RICK LANTZ has a regular season record of 14-3 and is the reigning Coach of the Year. Guided Berlin to glory in World Bowl XII last season. Lantz served under Bicknell as a defensive assistant for the Barcelona Dragons in 2003.

GAME NOTES

Hamburg entertains the Berlin Thunder and looks to improve to 4-0 at home this season after becoming the first single expansion team to win its opening three games on home soil... Berlin goes into the game chasing a fourth World Bowl appearance in five years. The Thunder can clinch a World Bowl berth if they defeat the Sea Devils and the Amsterdam Admirals lost to the Cologne Centurions on Monday night... Berlin quarterbacks have thrown a league-low 3 interceptions in 216 pass attempts this season. Hamburg quarterbacks have thrown a league-high 11 interceptions this year, including 6 in 48 pass attempts against the Amsterdam Admirals last week... Hamburg's defense has come up with a league-leading 21 takeaways, leading NFL Europe with 12 interceptions and 9 fumble recoveries. Those takeaways have helped the Sea Devils rank second in NFLEL with a +8 turnover ratio – 21 takeaways to 13 giveaways (11 interceptions, 2 fumbles)... Berlin tops NFL Europe with a +10 turnover ratio – 17 takeaways (11 interceptions, 6 fumbles) to 7 giveaways (3 interceptions, 4 fumbles)... Hamburg leads NFL Europe in pass attempts (277), completions (154) and passing yards (1,756) but have given up a league-high 20 sacks... The Sea Devils hold league lows in rushing attempts (158), rushing yards (617), yards per rush (3.9) and rushing touchdowns (4)... Berlin's quarterbacks have completed an NFLEL-best 57.9 percent of their passes... Hamburg's defense jointly leads NFL Europe with 18 sacks... Berlin's defense has come up with 13 sacks – second-lowest in the league this season... Both teams are averaging 5.2 yards per offensive play to rank joint third in NFLEL... Hamburg have conceded the fewest points in NFL Europe this spring (127), while Berlin ranks second in points scored (170)... In first meeting between teams in Week 2, K KEVIN MILLER (Seattle Seahawks) kicked a game-winning 37-yard field goal with 2:00 remaining to give the Thunder a 15-13 victory. RB CAL MURRAY (San Diego Chargers) scored Berlin's only touchdown of the contest on a 5-yard pass from QB DAVE RAGONE (Houston Texans).

COLOGNE CENTURIONS (5-2)

at AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS (4-3)

Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam. Monday May 23, 8:00 pm

SERIES NOTES

Overall: Amsterdam leads 3-0

At Amsterdam: Amsterdam leads 1-0

At Cologne: Amsterdam leads 2-0

Streak: Amsterdam 3

This season: Amsterdam 37 at Cologne 24 (Week 4)

TELEVISION

US: LIVE/DirecTV (2:00 p.m. ET)

UK: Live/Sky Sports 3 (8:00 p.m. BST)

Play-by-play announcer MIKE GOLDBERG is joined in the booth by former Green Bay Packers and new Minnesota Vikings safety DARREN SHARPER.

COACHES

PETER VAAS is chasing a third appearance in World Bowl after winning back-to-back titles with the Berlin Thunder in 2001-2002. Has 28 career regular season victories to rank fourth all-time among NFLEL coaches. BART ANDRUS is in his fifth season as head coach of the Admirals and has never lost to the Centurions in three attempts. Won a World Bowl ring as offensive coordinator of the Rhein Fire in 2000.

GAME NOTES

Cologne travels to Amsterdam with the league's number one defense ready to go up against an Admirals offensive attack that is the most potent in NFLEL... Despite ranking first in yards conceded (279.6), Cologne's defense will be keen to add to its NFLEL-low 5 turnovers this season (2 interceptions, 3 fumbles)... Amsterdam leads the league in rushing yards per game (167.9), yards per rush (5.6) and rushing touchdowns (10)... The Admirals also lead the league with an average of 6.0 yards per offensive play and rank second with 13.4 yards per pass completion... The Admirals rank second in NFLEL with a 40.0 percent success rate on third down conversions but they will have their work cut out against a Centurions defense which has allowed opponents to be successful on third downs a league-low 23.5 percent of the time... Cologne's defense ranks third in NFLEL with 17 sacks this season... Admirals quarterbacks have thrown a league-high 11 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions this season... Cologne's 4.8 yards per offensive play is the lowest in the NFL Europe League this season through seven weeks of action... Cologne leads NFL Europe with a success rate of 86.7 percent on field goals (13 of 15 attempts)... Cologne's offensive line has given up 18 sacks this season – second-highest in the NFL Europe League... The Admirals have recorded 10 sacks in seven games this season – the lowest number in NFL Europe... In the first meeting between the teams this season, QB KURT KITTNER (Chicago Bears) came off the bench to throw for 158 yards and 1 touchdown in relief of the injured GIBRAN HAMDAN (Seattle Seahawks). RB's JONATHAN SMITH (Kansas City Chiefs) and JARRETT PAYTON (Tennessee Titans) scored rushing touchdowns for the Admirals. Centurions QB KEVIN THOMPSON (Buffalo Bills) threw for 260 yards and 2 touchdowns but was intercepted 3 times by the Admirals defense.

· WEEK SEVEN RECAP ·

Rhein Fire 15, Berlin Thunder 24

(Olympic Stadium, Berlin. Attendance: 16,695)

Joe Smith (Rhe) 166 rushing yards

Aaron Boone (Ber) 8 rec, 112 yards, 1 TD

Little John Flowers (Ber) 92 rushing yards, 1 TD

Amsterdam Admirals 24, Hamburg Sea Devils 30 OT

(AOL Arena, Hamburg. Attendance: 16,415)

Shawn Mayer (Ham) 7 tackles, 3 interceptions

Jeff Sanchez (Ams) 2 interceptions 94 yards, 1 TD

Scott Connot (Ams) 2 interceptions, 18 yards

Cologne Centurions 20, Frankfurt Galaxy 17 OT

(Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt. Attendance: 25,347)

Kory Chapman (Col) 118 rushing yards, 1 TD

Aaron Hosack (Fra) 4 rec, 39 yards, 2 TD

Kevin Thompson (Col) 202 passing yards

National Football League Europa Stories from May 17, 2005

• World Bowl race goes down to the wire - NFLE
• Thunder duo grab Player of Week prizes - Berlin Thunder

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