Payton Pardee wished to do proper by his mentor, Wade Phillips.
Serving because the interim head coach for the San Antonio Brahmas (1-3) rather than Phillips, who took a depart of absence, Pardee wore a cowboy hat and boots to the stadium in honor of the longtime defensive guru.
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On the sector, Pardee helped the Brahmas orchestrate an inspiring efficiency, with their protection preserving the DC Defenders out of the tip zone late within the sport to seal a surprising 24-18 victory on the highway at Audi Area.
The win was San Antonio’s first of the season and marked DC’s first loss after being the one remaining undefeated workforce within the UFL heading into Week 4.
Simply added to San Antonio’s roster this week, working again Aidan Robbins completed with two touchdowns. The Brahmas targeted closely on working the soccer, totaling 98 yards on 32 carries. Mathew Sexton additionally had an 83-yard punt return for a landing that gave San Antonio an early lead and large momentum.
“With the path Coach Wade (Phillips) set, this has and all the time might be a player-led program,” Pardee stated. “I’m so happy with the best way our workforce fought, however under no circumstances was this an ideal sport. We nonetheless have loads we are able to clear up.”
San Antonio’s hard-fought win was a part of an general improved offensive output this week, with this newest slate of video games averaging a mixed 40.5 factors per sport. Via the primary three weeks, groups averaged simply 34 per sport.
Elsewhere, the Memphis Showboats (3-1) beat the Michigan Panthers (0-4) on Friday by double digits, 27-9. On Saturday, the Arlington Renegades (3-1) took down the St. Louis Battlehawks (2-2) at dwelling, 30-15, adopted by the Birmingham Stallions (3-1) outlasting the Houston Roughnecks (1-3) on the highway, 23-16.
Right here’s a take a look at different storylines from Week 4:
QB Jalen McClendon stands out in loss for Roughnecks
The 30-year-old McClendon began the common season as Houston’s third-string quarterback however discovered himself thrown into motion in Week 4. When second-string-turned-starter Nolan Henderson suffered a shoulder harm within the first half — and with former starter Anthony Brown relegated to the No. 3 function — McClendon was pressed into service.
Regardless of getting few reps throughout the week and going through the defending champion Stallions, McClendon appeared unfazed and confirmed off a dwell arm, finishing 71% of his passes for 236 yards and working for an 11-yard rating within the win.
McClendon did throw a late interception to Birmingham security JoJo Tillery, because the Stallions held on for his or her third consecutive win.
“I believed he performed very, very nicely,” Houston head coach Curtis Johnson stated. “Once more, with no reps throughout the week towards a workforce like that. … It was a testomony to how he prepares.”
Returning to the sector after lacking final week’s sport because of the start of his second little one, receiver Deon Cain led Birmingham with 143 all-purpose yards, together with a 50-yard landing reception from Matt Corral. Birmingham’s backup, Case Cookus, completed the sport as a result of Corral suffered an obvious hip harm within the fourth quarter. No updates had been supplied on his harm after the sport.
Battlehawks QB Manny Wilkins suffers severe leg harm
On the opening drive of Saturday’s sport, Wilkins suffered a non-contact harm to his proper ankle. The medical workforce got here out onto the sector and put an air forged on the injured leg earlier than carting him off.
Sadly for the Battlehawks, Wilkins fumbled on the play whereas he went down in ache. Arlington defensive finish Chris Odom alertly picked up the unfastened ball and returned it 39 yards for a rating. Odom additionally completed with two sacks on the day, and the Renegades completed with six sacks. With the two-point conversion, the Renegades grabbed an 8-0 lead on their approach to a double-digit victory.
“You simply hate that for these guys which might be right here on this scenario, attempting to indicate movie,” Arlington head coach Bob Stoops stated. “We’ll be praying for him.”
Former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Max Duggan took over for Wilkins. After turning the ball over 4 instances in Week 3, St. Louis coughed it up one other 3 times in Week 4, which the Renegades was 16 factors.
Duggan completed 7-of-18 passing for 78 yards, with no landing passes and two interceptions. He ran for 42 yards and was sacked six instances. “I didn’t play nicely sufficient for us to have an opportunity immediately,” Duggan stated postgame. “I’ve bought to be higher.”
The Battlehawks bought some momentum within the second half when Arlington went for it on fourth-and-1 from their very own 29-yard line and RB Kalen Ballage was stuffed for no achieve. That led to a 53-yard area objective by Rodrigo Blankenship.
Battlehawks linebacker Willie Harvey reduce Arlington’s benefit to 16-15 when he baited QB Luis Perez right into a throw, choosing it off and going 44 yards the opposite method for a landing. Down 22-15 and driving for the game-tying rating, the Renegades had an opportunity late. Nevertheless, Duggan’s go to Gary Jennings Jr. was tipped on the objective line and caught by Ajene Harris, who returned it 101 yards for a landing to seal the victory for the Renegades.
“We’ll determine this factor out, I promise you,” St. Louis head coach Anthony Becht stated. “Adversity is one thing I embrace, and I would like my gamers do the identical.”
Frank Ginda leads Michigan protection in win over Showboats
Led by their protection, the Panthers took care of Memphis at dwelling, with Ginda main his workforce with 13 mixed tackles. Michigan held Memphis to 150 complete yards on offense.
The momentum-changing play for the Panthers was made by defensive again Arnold Tarpley III. Down 14-9 early within the third quarter, the Showboats had been driving and poised to take the lead. Nevertheless, on second-and-3 from Michigan’s 36-yard line, receiver Eli Stove dropped a go from QB E.J. Perry that was behind him. Tarpley made a head-up play to safe the bobbled go for an interception, thwarting the promising drive by the Showboats.
QB Troy Williams began for Memphis, however interim head coach Jim Turner alternated quarterbacks every collection between him and Perry, with the latter ending the sport. Perry completed 8-of-16 for 74 yards.
Stallions’ depth at quarterback pays off
Earlier than the common season began, Birmingham head coach Skip Holtz was happy together with his depth at quarterback, having three gamers who had been starters in spring soccer in Alex McGough, Corral and Cookus.
Seems, Holtz understood the task — add as a lot skilled depth to the quarterback room as potential to offer his workforce an opportunity to defend their title. Now, Holtz and the Stallions could possibly be enjoying the workforce’s third beginning quarterback when the Stallions host the Showboats on Friday on a brief week.
McGough suffered a shoulder harm in Week 2 and was positioned on IR, which implies he should miss at the least 5 weeks, and Corral suffered an obvious hip harm late within the sport over the weekend. The Stallions signed former Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley, who spent coaching camp final 12 months with the NFL‘s New York Jets, final week.
“Case is Case,” Holtz stated about Cookus. “He’s a frontrunner. He’s optimistic. He’s finest buddies with all people. He talks to all people. However I’ll let you know, he’s a really mental soccer participant. He’s very clever.”
Harrison Mevis, Rodrigo Blankenship nonetheless excellent on area objectives
Mevis is 8-for-8 on field-goal makes an attempt with an extended of 53 yards, together with two from at the least 50 yards this season. Blankenship can also be excellent on the season, hitting all 10 makes an attempt with an extended of 56 yards and three kicks from past 50 yards this season.
Others which have carried out nicely embrace Matt McCrane, who’s 12-of-14 with an extended of 53 yards, and Matt Coghlin, who’s 6-of-7 with an extended of 52 yards. Coghlin, who led the league final season with a 94% area objective proportion, solely has one miss on the 12 months to date, which was a blocked area objective.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him at @eric_d_williams.
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