In week 7 of the 2012 Austrian Football League (AFL) season, the SWARCO Raiders, sister-team of The Oakland Raiders, beat the Prague Panthers convincingly by a score of 52-14 (14-0; 15-7; 23-0; 0-7).
"We player a good game, just the way I hoped we would", said SWARCO Raiders Head Coach Shuan Fatah. "Even our second unit, which saw a lot of action in the second half, looked good. I'm proud of our team".
QB Kyle Callahan completed 13 of 21 passes for 188 yards with 3 touchdowns. He also rushed 10 times for 57 yards and a score. RB Florian Grein had 3 runs for 17 yards and a touchdown as well as 2 catches for 24 yards and a score. RB Andreas Hofbauer carried the ball 2 times for 46 yards and a touchdown. Backup QB Adrian Platzgummer had 5 rushes for 41 yards and a touchdown. WR Clemens Erlsbacher caught 3 balls for 47 yards. The Tyrolean defense forced four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble).
After winning the coin toss the Panthers elected to receive and started their first possession at their own 34. A sack from LB Mario Rinner on QB Justin Walz forced the Panthers to punt after three plays, giving the SWARCO Raiders the ball at their own 25. Callahan started the drive with a 14-yard pass to Erlsbacher and a 6-yarder to WR Julian Ebner. Later he rushed for 16 yards. He then completed an 11-yard pass to Grein and a 16-yard pass to Erlsbacher. After a pitch by Callahan, Grein rushed into the endzone from 8 yards out. Erlsbacher added the PAT to give the SWARCO Raiders a 7-0 lead with 7:37 minutes left in the first.
Moments later the Tyroleans scored again. Prague started their second drive at their own 25. On third down LB Christoph Schilcher intercepted Walz at the Panthers 31. Callahan found Erlsbacher for 17 yards on first down, then scored on a 14-yard touchdown run. After the PAT the Tyroleans were up 14-0 with 6:21 minutes left in the first.
On the ensuing kickoff DB Arno Andreas forced RB Amos Allen to fumble the ball. Hofbauer recovered the fumble at Prague's 31. But the home-site couldn't convert the turnover into points, having to punt for the first time. Erlsbacher's punt was downed at the Panthers' 3. Prague had to punt, too and the next SWARCO Raiders possession ended with a missed 52-yard field goal try.
Prague then took over at their own 34. DL Max Pichler sacked Walz on the drive's first play, but a penalty against the Tyroleans kept the drive alive. Later Rinner had another sack. Yet again a ppenalty gave the Panthers a fresh set of downs. These mistakes led to the Panthers first touchdown when Walz found WR Jan Stiegler for a 12-yard strike in the endzone. The PAT cut the SWARCO Raiders lead to 14-7 with 4:30 minutes left in the second.
The fans at Tivoli Stadium didn't have to wait long for an answer. DB Enrico Martini returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards into the endzone, but a flag took the points off the board. At least the Tyroleans had the ball at Prague's 16. Callahan opened the drive with an 8-yard run. And after a false start penalty he threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Grein. Faking the extra point Callahan pitched the ball to Erlsbacher, who scored on the two-point conversion to give the SWARCO Raiders a 22-7 lead with 3:27 minutes left in the first half.
Prague started their next drive at their own 13. A penalty and the aggressive SWARCO Raiders defense forced a three-and-out. After a short punt the Tyroleans regained possession at the opposing 30. On the drive's very first play Callahan threw a perfect 30-yard touchdown strike to WR Christian Willi. The PAT was good, giving the SWARCO Raiders a 29-7 lead with 1:29 minutes left in the second.
Prague tried to answer, but with a few second left on the clock LB Florian Hueter picked off a pass from Walz at his own 4-yard line.
The second half started with a 35-yard kickoff return to the Tyroleans 48 by S John Clements. Two runs by Callahan gave the SWARCO Raiders a first down. WR Andreas Pröller then caught a 16-yard pass at the Panthers 25. Later Callahan threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to WR Damaso Tarneller. Erlsbacher added the extra point to extend the SWARCO Raiders lead to 36-7 with 8:24 minutes left in the third.
The Panthers started their first drive of the second half at their own 20. After allowing a first down the SWARCO Raiders defense forced a turnover on downs, when Walz' fourth-down pass fell incomplete. The Tyroleans took over at the opposing 34 with Platzgummer now in at quarterback. After a false start penalty the 16-year old signal caller handed the ball to Hofbauer, who ran to his right to avoid some defenders and then raced down the sideline for a 39-yard touchdown. The PAT gave the SWARCO Raiders a 43-7 lead with 6:00 minutes left in the third.
The Panthers started their second possession of the second half at their own 14. Penalties and a ferocious defense forced Prague back. Instead of punting out of their own endzone the punter just kneeled down for a safety. The Tyroleans now led 45-7 with 3:26 minutes left in the third.
Clements returned the ball on the free kick to the Tyroleans 33. Two rushes by Platzgummer gained 39 yards. Later he threw a 24-yard pass to RB Lukas Miribung, who ran to the Prague 6. Seconds later Platzgummer scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. K Christian Kellner added the PAT to give his team a 52-7 lead with ten seconds left in the third.
Starting at their own 31 runs by Allen and Walz as well as a 28-yard pass from Walz to WR Jan Dundacek fueled the Panthers offense to new life. At the end of the drive Walz threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Jakub Wolesky with 6:11 minutes left in the fourth. The PAT cut the SWARCO Raiders lead to 52-14.
The Tyroleans punted on their next possession, giving Prague the ball back at their own 13. On the Panthers second play from scrimmage DB Patrick Pilger intercepted a pass by backup QB Stanislav Tomanek at the Panthers 40.
On Saturday, May 12 the SWARCO Raiders travel to Graz to face the JCL Giants. Kickoff at UPC-Arena is at 8:30 a.m. PT (5:30 p.m. CET).
