UFL-The Renegades Triumph Over the Battlehawks 36-22

In an afternoon filled with thrilling upsets, the Arlington Renegades finally proved what they’ve been saying all season – that this team is far better than their record.

UFL-The Renegades Triumph Over the Battlehawks 36-22

High Stakes

Ahead of today’s game, the stakes for the 6-2 St. Louis Battlehawks were high since they were trying to secure home-field advantage ahead of the playoffs. A win against the Renegades and a loss by the San Antonio Brahmas to the Birmingham Stallions on Saturday would guarantee first place in the XFL division. But with the post-season picture already decided, in a game with little to gain, the Renegades managed to put it all together and hold off the playoff-bound St. Louis Battlehawks to claim a 36-22 victory.

The Renegades Have An Abundance Of Talent

Despite entering Saturday’s game with a league-worst record of 1-7, the Renegades are among the UFL’s most talented teams. The MVP from last season’s XFL Championship team, Luis Perez leads the league in virtually every passing statistic by a wide margin. In addition to Perez, the team has a tandem of outstanding receivers in the top ten combining for 11 touchdowns and more than 1,100 receiving yards between them. De’Veon Smith, their lead running back, is one of the best in the league with 317 yards on 80 carries and three touchdowns. It has been hard to reconcile how a team with this much talent continues to wind up on the losing side, week after week, often by just a single score.  

On Saturday afternoon, Perez continued to demonstrate why he is good enough to ascend to the ranks of the NFL elite, passing 24/36 for 259 yards and three touchdowns. It’s worth noting that with one game remaining in the regular season, Perez is already over 2,000 passing yards with 15 touchdowns to his credit.

Tight end Sal Cannella (five receptions for 70 yards) and wide receiver, Isaiah Winstead (four receptions for 64 yards) each scored a touchdown along with Seth Green who had three catches for 38 yards. Running backs Devin Darrington and De’Veon Smith handled the ground game and contributed another 81 yards on 18 carries between them.

Outstanding Defense 

But on a day when the Renegades needed to put it all together to claim the victory, the defense stepped up to the challenge. Donald Payne led a relentless defensive attack with eight tackles. Marquel Lee and Jamal Carter each had six tackles. Cornerback Miles Dorn snagged an interception of St. Louis quarterback Manny Wilkens and forced a fumble. Fellow corner Steven Jones, Jr. had another interception and broke up a pass. Joe Powell contributed two tackles and also intercepted Wilkins.

The Battlehawks Came Up Short 

Although the Battlehawks were playing without their star quarterback A.J. McCarron for the second week in a row, Manny Wilkins played well enough in place of McCarron to have oddsmakers favor the Battlehawks’ by more than a three-point margin. Wilkins has great mobility and contributed 51 yards rushing on 10 carries with two touchdowns. In addition to his ability to run the ball, Wilkins had a solid passing game throwing 18/32 for 179 yards and another touchdown. But the constant pressure from the Renegades’ defense proved his undoing. Wilkens succumbed and threw three interceptions.

Darrius Shepherd led the team in receiving with five catches for 47 yards. Running back Jacob Saylors was once again outstanding and had another 100-yard day. In addition to an 11-yard receiving touchdown, Saylors had four carries for 104 yards. His longest rush was a stunning 38-yard gain.

With a healthy A.J. McCarron back, the Battlehawks will end their regular season at home next week when they host the San Antonio Brahmas. The Renegades will end the regular season on the road when they take on the D.C. Defenders at Audi Field. Check your local listings for details.