World Bowl IX
Encyclopedia
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
that didn't have the year that it was played in the title. It was the 2001 edition of NFL Europe's championship game. The site was the Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam ArenA
Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events...
in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. On June 30, 2001, the 6-4 Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
took on the 8-2 Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
. 32,116 fans witnessed Berlin's very first World Bowl title, as they pulled off an upset over the Dragons, with a final score of 24-17. Thunder QB Jonathan Quinn
Jonathan Quinn
Jonathan Ryan Quinn is a former American football quarterback in the NFL. He was originally selected with the 25th pick of the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Middle Tennessee State University by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears...
earned MVP honors with his performance (25/38 for 308 Yards with 3 Touchdowns and 2 Interceptions).
Background
Prior to this World Bowl, the Dragons swept the regular season series against the Thunder (21-14 on the road and 55-35 at home).Game summary
After both teams failed to score on either of their respective opening drives, the Thunder struck first with Scott BentleyScott Bentley
Scott L. Bentley is a former American football kicker in the National Football League. He played parts of four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Washington Redskins. He was also a member of the 2001 World Bowl Champion Berlin Thunder of NFL...
getting four points on a 53-yard field goal. Near the end of the quarter, the Dragons got on the board as Jesus Angoy kicked a 20-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Dragons got the lead for the first time of the game with Angoy kicking a 29-yard field goal on Barcelona's opening drive of the second quarter. On their next possession, the Dragons got the ball at their own 19-yard line. Despite an impressive drive, consisting of 12 plays and covering 65 yards, the Thunder defense made the Dragons kick a 33-yard field goal instead. Nearing the end of the half, Jonathan Quinn and the Thunder responded with a 4-play, 67-yard drive that ended with a 46-yard pass to Dwaune Jones
Dwaune Jones
Dwaune Jones is a retired American football wide receiver. While Jones has never played in a regular season NFL game, he has spent time in training camp with the Cleveland Browns, the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Texans. He caught two long touchdown passes in World Bowl IX for the eventual...
. Howeve, the two-point conversion pass to Ahmad Merritt
Ahmad Merritt
Ahmad Rashad Merritt is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2000...
was overthrown and no good. So, the score at halftime was 10-9, in favor of the Thunder. In the only score of the third quarter, the Dragons used their second drive of the half to cover 74 yards on just 4 plays and cap it off with a 58-yard pass from Dragons QB Jarious Jackson
Jarious Jackson
Jarious K. Jackson is an American and Canadian football quarterback who is currently playing for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.-High school:...
to Tony Simmons. Afterwards, Jackson managed to complete a two-point conversion by passing to Trevor Insley
Trevor Insley
Trevor Insley is a former American football wide receiver. He played in the NCAA for the University of Nevada from 1996-99. He holds the NCAA Division I-A records for career receiving yards , most 200 yard receiving games , most 100 yard receiving games , and is ranked third in career receptions...
. Trailing 17-10 going into the fourth quarter, Berlin needed to get a least a touchdown with a successful PAT in order to [at least] tie. The Thunder would manage to get a 7-play, 68-yard drive and end it with a 17-yard pass to Merritt (making up for the missed two-point). After Axel Kruse
Axel Kruse
Axel Kruse is a former German football and American football player.Kruse was born in Wolgast, East Germany and played for several Bundesliga football clubs. After retiring from soccer, he played American football as a placekicker for NFL Europe’s team Berlin Thunder from 1999–2003.-References:...
nailed the extra point, the score was tied 17-17. On their next possession, the Thunder would use the opportunity to strike, as Quinn threw the game-winning 53-yard TD pass to Jones. After Kruse nailed the extra point, Berlin would hold off the following Dragon drive and win their very first World Bowl title in franchise history.
Scoring summary
- BER - Scott BentleyScott BentleyScott L. Bentley is a former American football kicker in the National Football League. He played parts of four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Washington Redskins. He was also a member of the 2001 World Bowl Champion Berlin Thunder of NFL...
53 yd FG 9:32 1st (BER 4-0) - BAR - Jesus AngoyJesus AngoyJesús Mariano Angoy Gil is a retired Spanish association football goalkeeper, who also played as a placekicker in American football....
20 yd FG 14:10 1st (BER 4-3) - BAR - Jesus Angoy 29 yd FG 3:39 2nd (BAR 6-4)
- BAR - Jesus Angoy 33 yd FG 12:30 2nd (BAR 9-4)
- BER - Dwaune JonesDwaune JonesDwaune Jones is a retired American football wide receiver. While Jones has never played in a regular season NFL game, he has spent time in training camp with the Cleveland Browns, the Seattle Seahawks and the Houston Texans. He caught two long touchdown passes in World Bowl IX for the eventual...
46 yd TD pass from Jonathan QuinnJonathan QuinnJonathan Ryan Quinn is a former American football quarterback in the NFL. He was originally selected with the 25th pick of the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Middle Tennessee State University by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears...
(conversion failed) 13:57 2nd (BER 10-9) - BAR - Tony Simmons 58 yd TD pass from Jarious JacksonJarious JacksonJarious K. Jackson is an American and Canadian football quarterback who is currently playing for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.-High school:...
(Trevor InsleyTrevor InsleyTrevor Insley is a former American football wide receiver. He played in the NCAA for the University of Nevada from 1996-99. He holds the NCAA Division I-A records for career receiving yards , most 200 yard receiving games , most 100 yard receiving games , and is ranked third in career receptions...
2-pt conversion pass from Jarious Jackson) 6:52 3rd (BAR 17-10) - BER - Ahmad MerrittAhmad MerrittAhmad Rashad Merritt is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2000...
17 yd TD pass from Jonathan Quinn (Bentley kick) 5:13 4th (17-17) - BER - Dwaune Jones 53 yd TD pass from Jonathan Quinn (Bentley kick) 10:52 4th (BER 24-17)