2007 NFL Europa - Season Begins this Weekend - Bodog Lines and Odds

On Saturday, April 14th, NFL Europa will kick off its 17th season. Originally known as the World League (1991-1996), it also went by the name of NFL Europe from 1997 to 2006. The 2007 season will launch the first year that it will be known as NFL Europa.

It’s no secret that the NFL has used this league to get extra playing time for potential stars, as well as try to branch out into the international market. This has only been partially successful. While players such as Kurt Warner and John Kitna have emerged from the shadows of NFL Europe, the league itself has hardly taken Europe by storm. In many ways, it’s had as much difficulty catching on as soccer has in the United States (and frankly, soccer is more popular in America than football is abroad).

In fact, the NFL owners came very close to shutting its doors last year. Luckily for fans of the game, this didn’t end up being the case. But you never know when it might be put to another vote.

The 6 teams in the league play a 10 game season, with the two best teams battling each other in the World Bowl. Who will in it all in 2007? Let’s take a look.

The Amsterdam Admirals will welcome back star receiver Skyler Fulton, who led the league in 2006 with 53 receptions, 992 yards, and 7 touchdowns. They’ll also have running back Jonathan Smith and linebacker Derrick Ballard. The Admirals finished last season with a record of 7-3 (best in the league) but lost the World Bowl to the Frankfurt Galaxy.

The Berlin Thunder will be led by German safety Oliver Flemming who had 31 tackles and 2 forced fumbles last year. After a dismal 2-7-1 record in 2006, the Thunder are looking to rebound in a big way.

The Cologne Centurions will have the luxury of putting talented players like cornerback Kevin House and safety Kevin Curtis on the field. Curtis is coming off a great year where he intercepted 4 passes, recorded 42 tackles, and defended 10 passes. The Centurions finished with a record of 4-6, and you can bet that they’re not satisfied with those results.

The Frankfurt Galaxy won the World Bowl in 2006 and finished with an excellent 7-3 record. Their quarterback due of J.T. O’Sullivan and Kevin Eakin will be returning. They’ll have the luxury of targeting WR Aaron Hosack, who earned All-NFLE honors in 2006. Linebacker Matt Sinclair will also be back, having registered 49 tackles and 3 sacks in 2006.

The Hamburg Sea Devils will have QB Casey Bramlet back in action, and he’ll be joining forced with British wideout Scott McCready, who ranks second all-time in NFL Europa with 182 receptions and 2,079 yards. The Sea Devils finished last season with an underwhelming 3-6-1 record.
The Rhein Fire finished with 6 wins and 4 losses in their 2006 campaign, and they’ll once again be led by tough German guard Peter Heyer, a veteran footballer who has played with both the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams. They’ll also have All-NFLE defensive end Derrick Strong back in the fold after recording 25 tackles and 5 sacks in 2006.

For all you NFL Europa fans, you’ll be happy to know that Bodog will be accepting wagers on all the games. While the odds haven’t been posted yet, you can view the Week 1 match-ups here.

And just in case you’re too lazy to click on the link, here they are:

Cologne Centurions vs. Hamburg Sea Devils

Berlin Thunder vs. Rhein Fire

Amsterdam Admirals vs. Frankfurt Galaxy (a rematch of World Bowl XIV)

So be sure and load up on popcorn, soda, beer, and anything else you might need to host a kickass NFL Europa watching party. It’s an entirely new year, and literally anything can happen. And who knows, you just might be watching the next Kurt Warner on the field.

2007 NFL Europa - Season Begins this Weekend - Bodog Lines and Odds