Week three of the UFL will wrap up with a struggle among two giants in the XFL conference. The San Antonio Brahmas host the St. Louis Battlehawks, participating in each other for the first time because 7 days just one of the XFL’s 2023 year.
Which crew will keep their acquire streak likely? @XFLBattlehawks vs. @XFLBrahmas Sunday at 3pm ET/2pm CT on @ABCNetwork pic.twitter.com/QjOYKv34Cn
— United Football League (@TheUFL) April 11, 2024
Considering the fact that then, a whole lot has transformed, at minimum for San Antonio. They are a totally new crew, with Wade Phillips at the helm. So significantly, the Brahmas have gained their initially two games. In week two, they put together a exceptional comeback exertion to top rated Memphis. OC A.J. Smith bought them on the right monitor at the last moment, and they scored the go ahead landing with three seconds remaining to perform.
For the Battlehawks, they have been able to make their house debut previous week – location a modern spring soccer report with 40,317 lovers in attendance. It was a magical night time, with a magical wander off winner from kicker Andre Szmyt. St. Louis will now have to arrive down from that large, and target on finding up a significant street get that could force them to 1st location in the XFL Convention.
Let’s get a appear at the essential things ahead of this UFL matchup.
Contents
Quarterback Perform
The San Antonio Brahmas enjoy to throw the football. Chase Garbers tried 40 passes in their earn more than Memphis, and ended up compiling nearly 300 passing yards on the day. When Garbers is hot, he’s a single of the greatest quarterbacks in this league. He can make throws at just about every angle, and has superb touch on the ball.
THE #UFL COMEBACK IS Finish. WOW.
What an unbelievable two series from Chase Garbers to deliver this crew back into it. Are unable to imagine what we just watched. pic.twitter.com/fKlLXMfNCG
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) April 6, 2024
According to PFF, Garbers at present has a 74.3 offensive grade on the period, which is previously mentioned ordinary. His engage in has been fairly inconsistent from quarter to quarter, but these are the rising pains we’d anticipate from a younger quarterback making his initially qualified commences.
We know what to anticipate when it comes to A.J. McCarron. The St. Louis Legend absolutely lit it up on Saturday night, throwing for 248 yards and two touchdowns as the Battlehawks arrived absent with a big-time divisional earn.
BATTLEHAWKS Rating ON THE Really Next Participate in
A.J. McCarron finds Ateman for the guide pic.twitter.com/Tczzm5Eiv9
— United Soccer League (@TheUFL) April 7, 2024
This week, McCarron is heading to have to concentrate on acquiring the ball out of his palms competently. San Antonio’s go rush is 1 of the fiercest in the UFL, executing an great task of having to the quarterback swiftly. This is anything that OC Bruce Gradkowski will have to keep in intellect, no doubt.
Standout Playmakers
Exactly where do we even begin? Both of those of these franchises are stacked with unbelievable expertise. Wanting at the St. Louis Battlehawks, their receivers have been actively playing impressive soccer. Marcell Ateman, in specific, has taken around as the clear WR1 in this offense. He posted 114 receiving yards and two touchdowns on Saturday, completely managing Arlington’s protection from start out to finish.
can validate: @mataeo_durant tends to make rapidly persons seem not rapid pic.twitter.com/5Urppdj1Qx
— St. Louis Battlehawks (@XFLBattlehawks) April 7, 2024
Mataeo Durant was a revelation this 7 days. He was a wholesome scratch in week a person, but finished up leaping into action this 7 days – totaling over 100 rushing yards, together with the operate that established up the video game winning kick. Durant ought to be RB1 heading into this slate of video games.
San Antonio’s offense is electrifying when it’s humming. Marquez Stevenson, Jontre Kirklin, Justin Smith, and Cody Latimer have all manufactured plays when important around the previous two months. Stevenson is separating himself as a person of the leading wideouts in the league, and is bound to go on as this offense generates much better chemistry from week to 7 days.
Touchdown!
Marquez Stevenson finds the endzone and it's a one particular-score video game!
(by means of @TheUFL)pic.twitter.com/GA4xICrAv8
— San Antonio Brahmas (@XFLBrahmas) April 6, 2024
For the Brahmas, can their working backs get heading this 7 days? Anthony McFarland was nowhere to be identified on Saturday. Granted, A.J. Smith talked about that some run performs they had identified as finished up not viewing the light-weight of day owing to penalties. Talking of which, the Brahmas dedicated 14 penalties for about 140 yards. That are not able to take place yet again.
Defensive Matchup
The aforementioned Brahmas move rush will be difficult for St. Louis to gradual down. In just two video games, San Antonio has notched seven sacks, making opposing quarterback life miserable. Tim Ward, Wyatt Ray, Caeveon Patton, Jordan Williams, etcetera. – they have all been acquiring superb seasons.
In the secondary, San Antonio has executed what DC Will Reed phone calls a “bend really do not break” technique. This was evident in week two, wherever they held Memphis to four field ambitions in the red zone. Jordan Mosley has been obtaining an remarkable 12 months so considerably at security, and led the group with ten tackles previous 7 days.
Yet another sack for @PitaTaumoepenu pic.twitter.com/ax2jjujaJj
— St. Louis Battlehawks (@XFLBattlehawks) April 7, 2024
For St. Louis, Pita Taumoepenu has been a substantially needed addition to their front 7. The XFL’s defensive player of the year was on a mission from Arlington, sacking Perez 2 times and racking up 3 TFL’s. Frequently speaking, while, the Battlehawks line has some get the job done to do – their operate defense has not been excellent the very last two weeks.
Throughout the board, the Battlehawks protection is “middle of the pack”. It is a much more robust device than very last calendar year, although, so as the new items keep on to make chemistry with one yet another, all those figures ought to boost.
Exclusive Teams
San Antonio has a big shakeup heading into this sport. Their beginning Kicker, Donald De La Haye Jr. (Deestroying) fractured his neck generating a tackle. This has led to him getting positioned on IR. In transform, Ryan Santoso has signed with the Brahmas. This will be a obstacle for San Antonio, as they have however to endeavor a subject purpose this year – and now, may have to do so with a brand name new piece.
Breaking: The San Antonio Brahmas are signing K Ryan Santoso, for each @CamNizguy.
Santoso has a good deal of NFL encounter, getting used time with the Lions, Titans, Jaguars, and Giants to name a couple of. He'll switch Deestroying who is accomplished for the yr with the @XFLBrahmas. #UFL pic.twitter.com/KHu8kch0NX
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) April 10, 2024
Andre Szmyt is making self-assurance from week to 7 days with the Battlehawks. In the meantime, Sterling Hofrichter and Alex Matheson have been two of the most effective at their respective positions this calendar year, and are generating a case to be on the All-UFL workforce at the conclude of the season.
Coaching Matchup
San Antonio Brahmas | Wade Phillips: Wade has done an amazing occupation of bringing his winning attitude to San Antonio – a staff that desperately desired a change right after what was an underwhelming 2023 year. Phillips has one of the top staffs in the full UFL, and his group is 2-, on track with Houston a yr in the past.
Wade Phillips gave some ideas on this forthcoming match, and his anticipations for San Antonio:
“The fantastic teams are the types that can perform beneath stress, and I assumed we did that very last 7 days. I search at us, and see how we can make improvements to. Then we assess St. Louis and check out to get the matchups we want. Just take gain of folks we feel aren’t potent plenty of on their team. The specialized things with what coverages they run, and what fronts we have to have to operate from them. They’ve got some excellent pass rushers that we have to be informed of. AJ is a excellent quarterback, did definitely nicely past calendar year. And, they have just about the similar team. We’re striving to get almost everything jointly as a workforce correct now, so it’s a very little bit different for us.”
St. Louis Battlehawks | Anthony Becht: Becht, the players coach himself, received St. Louis again on track this week. Something that is apparent in his working day to day operations is that he will just take obligation for problems created by the team. Anthony has extremely higher anticipations for this Battlehawks crew, primarily soon after lacking the playoffs very last year. Which is behind them – and a playoff berth is now in their sights.
Final Feelings
Honestly talking, this is a activity that could go both way. Neither workforce feels like the true “favorite”, with San Antonio’s principal gain being that they will be participating in at home this 7 days.
With Mataeo Durant’s resurgence in Gradkowski’s offense, while, St. Louis could ride that large if these tendencies don’t improve. McFarland has to have a large video game to match Mataeo’s manufacturing.
No matter of the outcome, a person would count on this game to occur down to the wire in San Antonio, the very same way quite considerably each and every UFL match has so considerably. Lovers, seize your popcorn, as this showdown kicks off at 3pm ET on Sunday, aired on ABC.
Comprehensive roster breakdowns: San Antonio, St. Louis
What are your ideas on this future matchup concerning the St. Louis Battlehawks and San Antonio Brahmas? Which UFL players will you be seeing out for? Let us know down in the responses under, or join the conversation on Discord!
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