QB Kyle Callahan threw 4 touchdown passes (Photo: Schellhorn)
In week 6 of the 2013 Austrian Football League (AFL) season the SWARCO Raiders, sister-team of The Oakland Raiders, beat the Prague Black Panthers 42-0 (7-0; 14-0; 21-0; 0-0). It was the Tyroleans sixth win in six contests since the Black Panthers joined the AFL in 2010.
"It was an important step into the right direction. We have seen some great plays by our team. It also was a very good team-effort", said SWARCO Raiders head coach Shuan Fatah.
QB Kyle Callahan completed 19 of 27 passes for 276 yards with 4 touchdowns and one interception. He also had 2 rushes for 31 yards and a score. WR Damaso Tarneller led the team with 6 receptions for 102 yards. RB Andreas Hofbauer had 16 carries for 96 yards. In only his second game of the season RB Jaycen Taylor scored on a 78-yard punt return and had a total of 157 yards and 2 touchdowns on 3 carries, 4 catches and one return. He also caught an interception. The defense pitched a shutout, allowed only 188 total yards and had 4 sacks – two each by LB Fabian Seeber and DL Korbinian Hoffmann.
The Black Panthers won the coin toss, but elected to defer. After the kickoff the SWARCO Raiders started their first drive at the 11. Hofbauer gained 15 yards on the first play from scrimmage. He then had an 8-yard run and added another 8-yarder moments later. A pitch from Callahan to Hofbauer resulted in a first down at the Prague 42. Then Callahan ran for 19 yards. Just after a penalty moved the ball back to the Prague 31 Callahan threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to WR Christian Willi. It was his first touchdown catch of the season. WR/K Clemens Erlsbacher added the PAT to give the SWARCO Raiders a 7-0 lead with 8:02 minutes left in the first.
After a punt on Prague's first series and a missed field goal on the Tyroleans second possession Prague took over at their 27. A run by QB Andrew Shoop resulted in a first down at the 43. After a penalty against Prague WR Stanislav Jankos caught a 17-yarder. Then Jankos caught a pass at the Tyrolean 27. But the drive stalled after Seeber's first sack. WR/K Jakub Wolevsky then missed a 38-yard field goal attempt.
Starting at their 21 Callahan threw a 41-yard pass to Tarneller on the drive's first play. Taylor then added 11 yards on the ground. Later he ran to the 6. A botched handoff resulted in a loss, but moments later Callahan threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to WR Julian Ebner. Erlsbacher added the extra point to give the SWARCO Raiders a 14-0 lead with 7:45 minutes left in the second.
Prague started their next drive at the 25. On second down Hoffmann sacked Shoop for a loss of 4 yards. Two plays later the Black Panthers had to punt. The Tyroleans regained possession at their 45. A pass from Callahan to Tarneller moved the ball to the Prague 43. Later Tarneller caught a 14-yard pass. Hofbauer then ran to the Prague 15. Two plays later Callahan scrambled 12 yards for a touchdown. The PAT was good and the Tyroleans extended their lead to 21-0 with 3:13 minutes left in the second.
Jantos returned the ball on the ensuing kickoff to the Prague 44. On the drive's first play Shoop found Wolevsky for 15 yards. He then threw an 8-yarder to WR Dan Krsak. But once again Seeber sacked Shoop to end a drive. After the punt the Tyroleans started at their 6. They were able to move the ball quickly, but then DB Jan Kabat picked off a pass from Callahan. Prague regained possession at the opposing 43. But Hoffmann's second sack destroyed any hope of a late first half score for the Black Panthers.
They received the kickoff in the third quarter, but had to punt immediately. Taylor caught the ball at the SWARCO Raiders 22 and returned the ball 78 yards for a touchdown. Erlsbacher added the PAT to give the Tyroleans a 28-0 lead with 9:13 minutes left in the third.
The Black Panthers had to punt once again on their next drive, giving the SWARCO Raiders the ball at the Tyroleans 13. Hofbauer opened the series with an 8-yard run. Later Ebner caught the ball at the 49 for a first down. Tarneller then hauled in a 25-yard pass. Then Callahan found Taylor for an 18-yard touchdown pass. K Martin Wetzel added the PAT. With 3:21 minutes left in the third quarter the SWARCO Raiders were up 35-0.
Prague's next possession ended with an unsuccessful fourth-down play, giving the Tyroleans the ball back at their own 48. Callahan started the drive with a 17-yard completion to Erlsbacher. Two plays later he found WR Simon Unterrainer for a 35-yard touchdown pass. Wetzel's extra point extended the SWARCO Raiders lead to 42-0 with 59 seconds left in the third.
After the ensuing kickoff and a short return the Black Panthers started at their own 24. Shoop started with an 11-yard pass to WR Dan Balazovic. RB Ondrej Visek then ran for 11 yards. After a run by Shoop and a penalty against the SWARCO Raiders the Black Panthers had a first down at the opposing 31. A pass from Shoop to Wolevsky moved the chains to the 17. But on the next play Shoop forced the throw into the endzone, where the ball was picked off by Taylor.
Next Saturday the SWARCO Raiders travel to Graz to face the JCL Giants. Kickoff is at 6:00 a.m. PT (3:00 p.m. CET).
