Far too early to write anyone off
Three weeks into the inaugural AFLE season, the standings are starting to take shape. But while some voices are already writing certain teams off, that conversation is happening far too early. In both conferences, the race is wide open and several teams have everything they need to make a serious push for the playoffs.
South/East Conference
Vienna Vikings and Panthers Wroclaw sit at the top of the South/East at 3-0 and 2-1 respectively, but the two teams below them are far from done.
Berlin Thunder: give Sullivan time and he delivers
At 2-1 the Thunder are already in a solid position, but there is clearly more to come. What the opening three weeks have shown is simple: when the offensive line gives Jakeb Sullivan time, he produces at an elite level. He leads the entire league in passing yards and touchdowns and is proving he belongs among the best quarterbacks in AFLE. The area to improve is the running game. The offensive line needs to open rushing lanes more consistently to give the Thunder offense another dimension. When that clicking comes, Berlin will be very difficult to stop.
Firenze Red Lions: do not sleep on them
The Red Lions sit at 0-2 and are the team most people are already dismissing. That may turn out to be a costly assumption for future opponents. Firenze have talented players across the roster and the team is finding itself week by week. The areas to fix are clear: prevent big plays from happening against their defense and improve their tackling overall. If those two things come together, their games will be significantly closer and the upset potential is absolutely there. Cinelli had a genuine breakout game in Week 3 and at just 20 years old, he is absolutely a player to keep a close eye on going forward.
North/West Conference
The North/West is even more open. Three teams sit at 1-1 and the London Warriors, despite their 0-3 record, are far from out of it.
Rhein Fire: the talent speaks for itself
Rhein Fire at 1-1 are a team that raised eyebrows in both directions over their first two games. Against the London Warriors they looked extremely comfortable, controlled the game from start to finish and showed exactly why so many people consider them one of the genuine title contenders in the North/West. The game against the Vienna Vikings was a different story, one that exposed some clear weaknesses and left questions that need answering. But the talent in this roster is not in doubt. Players like Kenji Bahar, Harlan Kwofie, Kaylon Geiger and Marius Kensy make this a squad built to compete at the highest level. Rhein Fire fans do not need to panic. What they do need to see is the team putting it all together consistently and delivering on the potential that is clearly there. When they do, they will be very hard to stop.
Alpine Rams: the talent is there, now fix the discipline
The Rams are trending in the right direction after a strong Week 3 on the road. Kevin Kaya has been one of the most exciting players in the league and the team is growing with each game. The challenge going forward is discipline. Too often the Rams are making life harder for themselves through penalties and self-inflicted mistakes. If they can clean that up and put themselves in better positions, this team has genuine playoff potential.
Paris Lights: defense leads the way and the offense is about to get stronger
At 1-1 the Lights have been quietly one of the more impressive defensive teams in the league. Canadian quarterback Evan Hillock has shown real quality, but the offense was limited in their last game with only one American receiver available. In the coming weeks Hillock should have two American receivers as targets again, which will give the Paris offense a very different look. Combined with a defense that has already shown it can disrupt opposing offenses, the Lights are a team to watch.
London Warriors: the most upside of anyone
Yes, the Warriors are 0-3. And yes, some have already started writing them off. London went toe to toe with the Alpine Rams in a game that could have gone either way, and they have done so while playing with a fraction of the import players most teams have relied on. Their I-Import, E-Import and two defensive A-Import spots all remain open, meaning the Warriors have more room to strengthen their squad across the roster than virtually anyone else in the league. Add the homegrown talent already in place and London becomes a fascinating team as the season progresses. Writing them off at 0-3 with 13 weeks to go and import slots still available would be a serious mistake.
The standings after three weeks tell part of the story. They do not tell all of it. With 13 games still to play in both conferences, the teams lower in the table have more than enough time to make their move.
