Hungarian Football League - Week 2/3 Power Ranking

Three weeks into the Hungarian Football League season, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of where each team stands. While some contenders are already finding their rhythm, others are still searching for answers.. This week brought dominant performances, surprising improvements, and a few familiar struggles. From special teams disasters to breakout stars, here’s how all seven teams stack up after Week 2.

1st. Diósd Saints: Against the Wolves, the Saints finally showed in the first half what we had been expecting from them before the season. All three units of the team displayed dominant performances.

The star of the game was clearly the import player Jalen Goodman, who returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, then a few drives later intercepted a pass in the end zone. Not long after that, he caught a deep pass as a receiver and finished the same drive with a 20-yard screen reception where he weaved through defenders. And he didn’t stop there—he added another touchdown later in the game.

However, it would be a mistake to only highlight him, as the entire offense truly shined in the first half. QB O’Connor seemed to be much more in sync with his receivers this time, and there were significantly fewer drops than in the first game and his receivers are still spectacular. Pass protection was better, and the run game was more effective. In the second half, the team got comfortable with the 35 points they had put up, and only managed to score again during garbage time. This is definitely something they’ll need to watch out for, as they can’t afford to fall asleep in the second half against tougher opponents.

The defense maintained a steady performance throughout. While they didn’t dominate the first half as much as the offense, they didn’t drop off nearly as much in the second half either. They were able to apply constant pressure on the quarterback, which showed in the many inaccurate passes. However, there were a few deep completions where the secondary was caught out of position, something that can’t happen as the season progresses.

All in all, the 42-21 scoreline accurately reflects the balance of power, and we finally got a sneak peek of what we can expect from this team. Their next game is against the struggling Rangers, where we might witness another bloodbath.

2nd. Budapest Cowbells:

The season started a bit rocky for the Cowbells against the Bulldogs. They were eager to show what they’re capable of. The first few plays were almost exclusively deep pass attempts. QB Everson kept looking for his deep threats to show off his gunslinger arm. But it was clear the rust was still there. The connections just weren’t happening and he even threw an interception. Early on, it looked like the Bulldogs were the better team. But once the nerves settled and they started building drives - and Everson stopped going for only big plays - the points started to come. Everson began distributing the ball well to his excellent receivers. Csumán, Márton, and Tóth each caught a beautiful touchdown. The O-line struggled a bit with blitzes and DL Billy Hatten, but overall, did a decent job.

I really liked the defense. I think the Cowbells might have the most physical and sure-tackling defense in the league. Once they shake off the preseason rust, they may not allow more than 15 points in future games. Every level of the defense did its job confidently and played as a unit.

Their next game is against the Titans, where I expect a confident Cowbells win.

3rd. Győr Sharks:

The game against the Wolves started shakily for the Sharks. They fumbled on the first play, which the Wolves turned into points with a great pass. Two drives later, Brickhandler threw a pick-six, then another interception. The breakthrough came from DB Wallock, who scored a stunning punt return touchdown. That finally woke up the team, and they began playing the way we expected. After giving up 14 points in the first quarter, they didn’t allow any more and scored 40 total.

The offensive line left much to be desired. They struggled with the rush, leading to negative plays and QB hurries. Sometimes the team had to keep two running backs in for pass protection, limiting an already modest receiving corps. Luckily, import WR Nenad had a huge game, stepping up as the primary receiver with multiple long catches and even two touchdowns.

The defense was confident after the first quarter, forcing the Wolves into repeated three-and-outs. The clear defensive star was DB Wallock, who seemingly was everywhere and joined into every tackle with a huge bang. Their blitzes worked well, and they maintained consistent pressure on the QB, forcing errors. They notched interceptions and fumbles, giving the offense more scoring opportunities.They’ll need to keep this form going, as they travel to face the Saints on May 4, a game where they’ll need everything they’ve got.

4th. Budapest Titans:

It was a relatively easy game for the Titans as they faced the hapless Rangers, cruising to a dominant 30–0 victory. They scored touchdowns on their first two drives, relying mainly on the run game, which made sense, as it was working great. RB Novakov rushed for well over 100 yards. The passing game had some inaccuracies, including an interception, but overall, everything they tried seemed to work. The offensive line wasn’t flawless, #75 at tackle got beat several times.

The defense didn’t have a tough job either. The D-line was dominant, constantly in the QB’s face. The coverage worked well too, they allowed under 100 passing yards and recorded two beautiful interceptions by LB Madarász and LB/TE Horváth, the latter of whom returned his for a touchdown.

This was a great chance for the guys to regroup and gain confidence, which they’ll need as they head to face the Cowbells on the 27th. Cowbells are still in early-season form, so the Titans might have a shot. A major concern, however, is that import WR Mike Taylor will be out due to suspension.

5th. Újpest Bulldogs:

The Bulldogs showed improvement compared to their first game. They even managed to lead for quite some time against the strong Cowbells squad. On offense, QB Emhő was still incredible with his legs, and his passes gradually became more accurate. He connected more often with WR Schrieber, and you can tell they grew up playing together as they have a great chemistry between them. WR Bartos also scored his first TD of the season. Although the offensive line still wasn’t perfect, they managed to give Emhő enough time to read the defense and make the right plays.

The defense looked better and more like a cohesive unit. Billy Hatten is still clearly the standout on defense, causing problems even for the Cowbells. But there were other notable individual plays too, like CB Santana’s interception and DL Boros’s safety.

We can’t ignore the importance of the punt coverage and punter Miskolczi. They played a huge role in keeping the Bulldogs in the game until the final moments. Several punts were fielded inside the 10, one even stopping at the 2-yard line.

If the Bulldogs continue to improve like this, and if QB Emhő keeps getting more accurate, along with this stellar special teams play, they’ll soon be ready to move up the power rankings.

6th. Budapst Wolves: We’ve had the rare opportunity to watch the Wolves in action twice since the last power ranking, but unfortunately for them, both games ended in heavy losses. However, there were still moments that showed potential for growth.

On defense, young talents like S Hegedűs stood out, making plays such as a spectacular pick-six against the Sharks and making crucial tackles throughout the games. LB András Hárs also deserves mention for his relentless presence on the field, causing havoc in both games.

That said, the combined 82 points they've allowed clearly shows that the defense is still in the early stages of development. There's a lot of room for improvement before they can become a truly formidable unit.

Offensively, the Wolves struggled even more. The key issue here is inexperience. Their quarterback, still just 18, plays with a lot of heart, but his youth leads to frequent mistakes and inaccurate throws. Despite his courage in standing up to hits and pressure, the offensive line hasn’t improved since the season opener, and he remains under constant duress.

The biggest weakness, though, is the special teams. Against both the Saints and the Sharks, they struggled in this area. The Saints returned a kickoff for a TD, and managed to recover a fumble on the next one. The Sharks, too, benefited from poor punts, allowing them to consistently start with favorable field position.

If the young defense continues to show promise, the offensive line improves in protecting the quarterback, and the special teams can clean up their act, the Wolves might have a shot at a stronger performance against the Bulldogs on May 3. There is definitely room for growth, and the potential is there.

7th. VSD Rangers:

The Rangers' struggles continue. Honestly, I could just list the same issues I mentioned in the previous article: a terrible offensive line and weak quarterback play.

Against the Titans, they were blown out 30-0. In an attempt to change things up, they sent import QB Schoeppe out to play receiver while the backup took over the quarterback duties, but that didn’t make a difference. QB2 Steigervald showed more poise in the collapsing pocket, but it still didn’t lead to any more accurate passes.

On defense, DL Huszár deserves a mention for his relentless effort, as he single-handedly caused the Titans' QB some serious headaches. Unfortunately, aside from him, the defense was nearly nonexistent.

They’ll need to come up with a plan fast, because it looks like we’re heading toward another dismal season, and the toughest opponents are still ahead.

As we head deeper into the season, the picture is slowly becoming clearer. Some teams are starting to find their rhythm, while others still struggle to put the pieces together. But one thing’s for sure, the competition is heating up. With key matchups just around the corner, the next few weeks will be crucial in shaping the playoff race. Buckle up, because anything can still happen.