Vollmer and Werner in NFL action
January 12, 2015
Sebastian Vollmer (above) and Björn Werner: One of these two players will definitely be playing in Super Bowl XLIX, as long as they stay injury free. The two Germans will be up against each other this coming Sunday in the AFC Championship game as Vollmer's New England Patriots take on Werner's Indianapolis Colts. Whoever triumphs will be one step closer to getting their hands on the Vince Lombardi trophy.
It's the fourth time that a German player has got this far in NFL history. Uwe von Schamann twice lost the Super Bowl in 1983 and 1985 with the Miami Dolphins, while Vollmer himself lost in 2012. Now the Pats' offensive tackle is eyeing the prize once again and is hoping for a different outcome.
Before he gets that chance though, the 30-year-old will have to beat the Colts and countryman Björn Werner on Conference Championship Sunday, January 18. The final of the American Football Conference (AFC) promises to be a close game, with both sides boasting strong defenses.
No matter how it ends, the 95th season of the NFL has already been a historical one for Germany. Not only has the sport seen a rise in popularity in Germany, but the country hnow as four representatives in the NFL: Alongside Vollmer and Werner, are Markus Kuhn of the New York Giants and Kasim Edebali of the New Orleans Saints. Kuhn even managed to score the first touchdown by a German in the NFL ever this season.
Werner vs. Vollmer and Brady
To get to this stage, Werner was part of a 24-13 Colts' win against the Denver Broncos. The two-time Super Bowl champions again benefited from an impressive performance from quarterback Andrew Luck. He threw for two touchdowns and 265 yards, ousting his opposite number and predecessor Peyton Manning. The 38-year-old NFL legend left the Colts for the Broncos in 2012, after 14 years of service in Indianapolis. After the loss on Sunday, Manning has not yet said whether he will continue playing.
"My mindset right now is just disappointment after today's game," said Manning, straight after the loss, adding that he "needed to process this game" first, before making any decisions.
The Colts will now have to head to Foxborough, Massachussets, where they will come up against another NFL legend in Tom Brady. The 37-year-old put in a typically commanding performance in his team's 35-31 win against the Baltimore Ravens on the weekend. Throwing three TD passes and running in for a touchdown himself, Brady also broke a few NFL playoff records in the process: Not only has Brady now thrown for the most playoff yards in the league's history (6,791), but he has also now thrown 46 postseason touchdowns - breaking Joe Montana's record.
"It's pretty special," said Brady, who guided his team to three Super Bowl wins in 2002, 2004 and 2005. If he reaches the Super Bowl again, he will be up against either the Seattle Seahawks or the Green Bay Packers, who will battle it out in the NFC Championship game on the same Sunday.
The Super Bowl is set to take place on February 1 in Glendale, Arizona. Here's hoping either Werner or Vollmer will be the first German to lift the trophy.
al/jh (AFP, SID)