By: Mike T-Bell
The Michigan Panthers took on the DC Defenders Sunday as both teams were jockeying for playoff berths. The Panthers went into the game needing a win and a Memphis and Houston loss to secure a position in the USFL Division against the Birmingham Stallions. The DC Defenders were hoping for a win over the Panthers and a loss by the Brahmas to pull into a tie with San Antonio and just one game behind St. Louis as they play them next week. At the time of this writing, the Battlehawks lost to the Stallions and the Showboats lost to the Renegades on Saturday. The Brahmas would pull out a 9 pt comeback in the final 2 minutes to beat the Roughnecks and end their playoff hopes.
The Panthers were without starting QB Danny Etling who had taken over from injured E.J. Perry who started the season as starter. Brian Lewerke out of Michigan State got the starting nod. This was his first game action since starting for the Alphas in The Spring League in 2021. Backup QB Bryce Perkins would also see some game action today. He got a start for the injured Matthew Stafford for the NFL’s LA Rams last season.
The game would start off with an instant challenge to new QB Brian Lewerke as Returner Gavin Holmes muffed the kick and the Panthers had to start from their own 6 yard line. Matthew Colburn II would start off the game hot with a big run of 23 yards and 36 total yards on the drive to get the Panthers within scoring distance. Brian Lewerke would punch it in from 7 yards out to give the Panthers the score and convert a 1 pt try with a catch from Samson Nacua.
Former Chicago Bear and Houston Texan Keke Coutee rushed for a big gain of 28 yards to put the Defenders in scoring range. However, Kicker Matt McCrane would miss from 43 yards out. Backup QB Bryce Perkins would enter the game on the second drive for the Panthers and his first UFL action. He would go perfect on the drive and Wes Hills would put up a score for the Panthers to give them the lead 13-0.
On the very next offensive play for the Defenders, QB Jordan Ta’Amu would throw a pass to WR Ty Scott who would take it 70 yards to Land of the Beer Snake to make the score 13-6 Panthers. Jake Bates would get a chance to answer back as initially he missed a 56 yarder left.
Thanks to an encroachment penalty by the Defenders, Jake Bates would nail a 51 yard FG to put the Panthers up 16-6 in the 2nd quarter.
The Defenders would stop a storming drive by the Panthers on a 4th and short where they easily could have added another Jake Bates FG to the scoreboard. However, it looks like Coach Nolan wanted to show his offense confidence. Ron’Dell Carter would thwart the next drive for the Defenders with his 4th sack of the season. Jake Bates would add a 22 yard FG to his stats to close out the half in favor of the Panthers, 19-6.
The Defenders would open up the 2nd half strong with a drive over to the Panthers side of the field. Both coaches started playing chess when there was a 4th and short from the Panthers 43. Coach Barlow would call a timeout and put in Backup QB Deondre Francois. Coach Nolan would counter with a timeout to set up his defense for a package against the QB run. Coach Barlow however would put Ta’Amu back in and the Defenders could not convert the 4th and short thanks to a tackle by Javin White who stepped up big in place of Frank Ginda today. The Panthers would take advantage of the opportunity and put another Jake Bates FG from 40 yards out on the board to make the score 22-6.
The end of the game can be summed up in one hit as Breeland Speaks had a monster 9 yard sack against Jordan Ta’Amu who went down hard. Coach Barlow would challenge the play for a defensive unnecessary roughness but Dean Blandino from the booth found no foul on the play. Jordan Ta’Amu would not return. Backup QB Deondre Francois would also go down with an injury and star WR Kelvin Harmon would also leave the game. DC had to put in their Emergency QB Jalan McClendon in the game without a communication device in his helmet. He would go 9 for 14 for 73 yards. The Panthers were able to close out the game 22-6 and move to 5-2 on the season. Thanks to a 4th quarter comeback by the Brahmas, the Panthers clinched a playoff berth against the Birmingham Stallions.
Matthew Colburn was the star of the day for the Michigan Panthers. Colburn would end up with 137 yards on 16 carries including a 53 yarder. Samson Nacua would lead the Panthers in receiving with 6 catches for 45 yards. Brian Lewerke had a turnover free day and Bryce Perkins was 11 for 13 for 116 yards and no turnovers.
Siaosi Mariner would go down with a head injury after a nasty personal foul from the Defenders early in the game and would not return.
Official attendance for the game was a stellar 12,222 fans in attendance.
The Panthers travel back home for their final home game of the season against the Memphis Showboats on Saturday May 18th at 4PM EST.
The Defenders will travel to St. Louis on Sunday May 19th at Noon EST to try and keep their playoff hopes alive.