Two weeks ago, the Offenburg Miners faced the Esslingen Racoons at home. Both teams were familiar with each other from the previous season, after which Esslingen, as the third-place team, had also been promoted to the Landesliga. Despite heavy rain until shortly before the game began, the sun emerged right at kickoff, providing perfect football weather.

The Miners were significantly better staffed than the Racoons, who barely met the minimum number of 22 players. This lack of personnel was evident early in the game: the Swabians had numerous coordination problems in their offense and several botched snaps, which led to them being repeatedly driven back by Offenburg's strong defense.

The Miners' offense, on the other hand, quickly found their rhythm and scored a touchdown in their second drive. However, the kick for the extra point by Marcel Isenmann, who had successfully converted all PATs so far this season, was unsuccessful, making the score 6:0.

Following an interception by safety Yannick Herelle, the offense promptly returned in good field position. Running back Mitch Nentwich was able to push the ball into the end zone from the 1-yard line. The attempt for a two-point conversion was again unsuccessful, extending the Miners' lead to 12:0.

Just before halftime, the Miners missed a 25-yard field goal. A notable return by the Esslingen team was fortunately stopped in the middle of the field.

In the second half, the Miners' defense continued its dominant performance. The Racoons were forced to rely more on passing, providing the Miners numerous opportunities for quarterback sacks. The Racoons' quarterback was brought down six times, underscoring the strong performance of the defensive line.

The Miners' offense continued to show promise but was not consistent enough to score further. An interception in the red zone and other missed opportunities prevented a larger lead. The Racoons managed to advance deep into Miners' territory several times but were unable to score any points.

In the end, the Miners were able to kneel out the clock and secure a clear victory, which, given their field position advantages, could have been more decisive. A particular highlight was the first game of the season in which the Miners' defense did not allow any points. With four wins out of six games, Offenburg now surprisingly, but pleasingly, holds third place in the standings.

Last week, the Miners faced a tough away game against the league-leading Tübingen Red Knights, who hold a perfect 5-0 record. The Miners were defeated 24-0, while the Racoons had a week off to rest and regroup.

This week, the Miners will travel to Esslingen for a crucial away game against the Racoons on Sunday, July 7th. This match is critical for both teams: the Miners are looking to regain their position in third place, while the Racoons are still striving to find their rhythm and climb up the standings.

Head Coach Pierre Magra emphasized the importance of this game, stating, "This upcoming game, like all the next games, is the next step to achieving our primary goal this year, which is establishing our team in this league. Our players and our staff are preparing for each next game like a championship game, and I am very proud of this. Let’s go Miners!"