Eric Williams
NFL Reporter
Payton Pardee wanted to do right by his mentor, Wade Phillips.
Serving as the interim head coach for the San Antonio Brahmas (1-3) in place of Phillips, who took a leave 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 field, Pardee helped the Brahmas orchestrate an inspiring performance, with their defense keeping the DC Defenders out of the end zone late in the game to seal a stunning 24-18 victory on the road at Audi Field.
The win was San Antonio’s first of the season and marked DC’s first loss after being the only remaining undefeated team in the UFL heading into Week 4.
Just added to San Antonio’s roster this week, running back Aidan Robbins finished with two touchdowns. The Brahmas focused heavily on running the football, totaling 98 yards on 32 carries. Mathew Sexton also had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave San Antonio an early lead and huge momentum.
“With the direction Coach Wade (Phillips) set, this has and always will be a player-led program,” Pardee said. “I’m so proud of the way our team fought, but by no means was this a perfect game. We still have plenty we can clean up.”
San Antonio’s hard-fought win was part of an overall improved offensive output this week, with this latest slate of games averaging a combined 40.5 points per game. Through the first three weeks, teams averaged just 34 per game.
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 home, 30-15, followed by the Birmingham Stallions (3-1) outlasting the Houston Roughnecks (1-3) on the road, 23-16.
Here’s a look at other storylines from Week 4:
QB Jalen McClendon stands out in loss for Roughnecks
The 30-year-old McClendon started the regular season as Houston’s third-string quarterback but found himself thrown into action in Week 4. When second-string-turned-starter Nolan Henderson suffered a shoulder injury in the first half — and with former starter Anthony Brown relegated to the No. 3 role — McClendon was pressed into service.
Despite getting few reps during the week and facing the defending champion Stallions, McClendon appeared unfazed and showed off a live arm, completing 71% of his passes for 236 yards and running for an 11-yard score in the win.
McClendon did throw a late interception to Birmingham safety JoJo Tillery, as the Stallions held on for their third consecutive win.
“I thought he played very, very well,” Houston head coach Curtis Johnson said. “Again, with no reps during the week against a team like that. … It was a testament to how he prepares.”
Returning to the field after missing last week’s game due to the birth of his second child, receiver Deon Cain led Birmingham with 143 all-purpose yards, including a 50-yard touchdown reception from Matt Corral. Birmingham’s backup, Case Cookus, finished the game because Corral suffered an apparent hip injury in the fourth quarter. No updates were provided on his injury after the game.
Battlehawks QB Manny Wilkins suffers serious leg injury
On the opening drive of Saturday’s game, Wilkins suffered a non-contact injury to his right ankle. The medical team came out onto the field and put an air cast on the injured leg before carting him off.
Unfortunately for the Battlehawks, Wilkins fumbled on the play while he went down in pain. Arlington defensive end Chris Odom alertly picked up the loose ball and returned it 39 yards for a score. Odom also finished with two sacks on the day, and the Renegades finished with six sacks. With the two-point conversion, the Renegades grabbed an 8-0 lead on their way to a double-digit victory.
“You just hate that for these guys that are here in this situation, trying to show film,” Arlington head coach Bob Stoops said. “We’ll be praying for him.”
Former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Max Duggan took over for Wilkins. After turning the ball over four times in Week 3, St. Louis coughed it up another three times in Week 4, which the Renegades turned into 16 points.
Duggan finished 7-of-18 passing for 78 yards, with no touchdown passes and two interceptions. He ran for 42 yards and was sacked six times. “I didn’t play well enough for us to have a chance today,” Duggan said postgame. “I’ve got to be better.”
The Battlehawks got some momentum in the second half when Arlington went for it on fourth-and-1 from their own 29-yard line and RB Kalen Ballage was stuffed for no gain. That led to a 53-yard field goal by Rodrigo Blankenship.
Battlehawks linebacker Willie Harvey cut Arlington’s advantage to 16-15 when he baited QB Luis Perez into a throw, picking it off and going 44 yards the other way for a touchdown. Down 22-15 and driving for the game-tying score, the Renegades had a chance late. However, Duggan’s pass to Gary Jennings Jr. was tipped at the goal line and caught by Ajene Harris, who returned it 101 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory for the Renegades.
“We’ll figure this thing out, I promise you,” St. Louis head coach Anthony Becht said. “Adversity is something I embrace, and I want my players do the same.”
Frank Ginda leads Michigan defense in win over Showboats
Led by their defense, the Panthers took care of Memphis at home, with Ginda leading his team with 13 combined tackles. Michigan held Memphis to 150 total yards on offense.
The momentum-changing play for the Panthers was made by defensive back Arnold Tarpley III. Down 14-9 early in the third quarter, the Showboats were driving and poised to take the lead. However, on second-and-3 from Michigan’s 36-yard line, receiver Eli Stove dropped a pass from QB E.J. Perry that was behind him. Tarpley made a head-up play to secure the bobbled pass for an interception, thwarting the promising drive by the Showboats.
QB Troy Williams started for Memphis, but interim head coach Jim Turner alternated quarterbacks each series between him and Perry, with the latter finishing the game. Perry finished 8-of-16 for 74 yards.
Stallions’ depth at quarterback pays off
Before the regular season started, Birmingham head coach Skip Holtz was pleased with his depth at quarterback, having three players who had been starters in spring football in Alex McGough, Corral and Cookus.
Turns out, Holtz understood the assignment — add as much experienced depth to the quarterback room as possible to give his team a chance to defend their title. Now, Holtz and the Stallions could be playing the team’s third starting quarterback when the Stallions host the Showboats on Friday on a short week.
McGough suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 and was placed on IR, which means he must miss at least five weeks, and Corral suffered an apparent hip injury late in the game over the weekend. The Stallions signed former Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley, who spent training camp last year with the NFL’s New York Jets, last week.
“Case is Case,” Holtz said about Cookus. “He’s a leader. He’s positive. He’s best friends with everybody. He talks to everybody. But I will tell you, he’s a very intellectual football player. He’s very intelligent.”
Harrison Mevis, Rodrigo Blankenship still perfect on field goals
Mevis is 8-for-8 on field-goal attempts with a long of 53 yards, including two from at least 50 yards this season. Blankenship is also perfect on the season, hitting all 10 attempts with a long of 56 yards and three kicks from beyond 50 yards this season.
Others that have performed well include Matt McCrane, who’s 12-of-14 with a long of 53 yards, and Matt Coghlin, who’s 6-of-7 with a long of 52 yards. Coghlin, who led the league last season with a 94% field goal percentage, only has one miss on the year thus far, which was a blocked field goal.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him at @eric_d_williams.
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