Will the Vikings return to form against their toughest opponent yet?
Two games, two losses. Not quite the start the Vikings organization was hoping for, or have grown accustomed to after years of winning in the Norwegian Elite series. After this past bye week, the Vikings are headed to Carlstad to face a familiar foe, Superseriens second place team the Carlstad Crusaders.
What to watch for
Which version of the Vikings will show up to this game? Will it be the Vikings of the second half against the Black Knights, or will it be the much more competitive group we saw keeping the first half of both the first and second game close?
The Vikings offense needs to get back on track scoring, blending a consistent running game with explosive plays through the air. This, however, will be a tall task against a stingy, ballhawking Crusaders defense. The Vikings have to be able to sustain drives without putting themselves in a tough spot. If the offensive line can create running lanes for Vikings rushers this offense will look a lot better than the version that consistently faced third and long situations in their last game.
The Vikings defense made strides against the Black Knights, but will face a very good offense in Carlstad. After two games the Crusaders are ranked as the number 1 offense in the league, boasting a rush attack churning out 186,5 yards/game, a full 40 yards more per game than the next best team. The Vikings defense rank second to last in total defense, with the only team below having played one more game. #1 Will Sewell played an outstanding game against the Black Knights and will need to continue this effort against a very good Crusader offense. This is a matchup that based on the stats does not look great, but the Vikings defense showed a lot of improvement in their second game of the season. Will the trend continue against the Crusaders?
Players to watch
Multiple Crusaders players can be named in this spot, including #31 Filip Enbacker and #32 Elias Rosenkvist who both recorded an interception in their last game. But this spot goes to linebacker #42 Mattias Eriksson, who will be a player to watch closely in this game. Eriksson won Superseriens Linebacker of the Year award, and was the tackle leader in both 2022 and 2023, winning league MVP last year. He also recorded an interception and has proven he can defend both the run and the pass. With the Vikings needing to round back into form offensively, this man will look to create some problems as a solid defensive playmaker.
Can Sewell will this Vikings team to victory? After a standout performance in their last game, he will surely be an exciting player to watch. He has already proven he can do it all defensively, but in what capacity will he be utilized on offense? An explosive playmaker on both sides of the ball, Sewell brings a game built on athleticism and toughness that provides big hits and excitement everytime he steps on the field.
A key player to watch on the Vikings offense is veteran center #51 Trygve Langballe. The leader of the Vikings offensive line will need to set the tone early for an offense needing to get back on track. With the aforementioned linebacker Eriksson on the field, Langballe will have to make sure the entire offensive line works well together to keep QB #12 C.J Fowler upright in the pocket, and give Vikings running backs room to run.
Kick off is scheduled at 17.00. Link to game: live stream. Subscribe and make sure to choose the Oslo Vikings as your favorite team!