The Vikings come out of the bye week refreshed and ready to take on their next opponent. After winning their first ever game in the Swedish Superseries, the Vikings are currently qualified for the playoffs! Their next game features an opponent with an identical 1-4 record in the Limhamn Griffins.
The Griffins lone win came against the Örebro Black Knights, a team the Vikings have yet to beat. The Griffins clearly have some qualities as a team that can make it difficult for the Vikings to pull off their second win of the season. On defense, they have played marginally better, having allowed fewer points and total yards than the Vikings this season. The one defensive category the Vikings have clearly been better in is turnovers. The Vikings have produced 6 total turnovers, 5 fumble recoveries and one interception, while the Griffins have forced 3 total turnovers, 1 fumble recovery and 2 interceptions.
On offense, the Vikings have been the better of the two teams, even with a game where they scored only 6 points. The Vikings have scored roughly 9 points more per game than the Griffins. If the Vikings win the turnover battle and produce well on the offensive side of the ball, they should be able to secure their second win of the season and maintain their spot in the playoffs.
Players to watch
Running Back #8 Rune Nilssen has stepped up his game in recent weeks. Against the Predators he accounted for nearly a third of the Vikings total offensive production in terms of yards, while averaging a solid 4.6 yards per carry. Can his performance carry over to the game against the Griffins?
The Vikings have struggled most against the pass on defense, and one player to look out for in this game could be Griffins leading receiver, #4 Olof Nilsson. In five games, Nilsson has a statline of 35 receptions for 410 yards with 3 touchdowns. In comparison, the Griffins second best receiver, #17 Alfred Jennfors, has put up 13
receptions, 161 yards, and 1 touchdown. Nilsson is clearly a man to watch as he lines up against the Vikings defense.
For the Vikings defense, one player has stepped up his game and has produced nicely every time he’s on the field – #47 Ryan Hatch. He logged 4 solo tackles against the Predators, as well as against the Crusaders. What kind of production will we see from Hatch against the Griffins?
The Vikings will travel to Malmö to face off against the Griffins on their home turf, Hästhagens IP. Tune in on the stream to watch the Vikings go after their second straight win. The link to the stream can be found here: https://www.swe3play.se/video/s-superserien-herr-limhamn-griffins-oslo-vikings-w4hco