By RJ “The Bullish Brahma” Reid
Introduction
In Week 6 of the United Football League (UFL), the San Antonio Brahmas (4-1) travel to the nation’s capital for the first time when they take on the DC Defenders (2-3) in Washington, DC. Here’s what you need to know:
When?
Sunday, May 5, 2024 @ 3:00pm CT.
Where?
Audi Field, Washington, DC.
Gameday Weather
Tailgaters, beware, for the weather may not be so accommodating to your plans. The weather reports indicates that it will be 70 degrees, cloudy with 9 mile per hour winds and an 88% chance of rain. Please plan accordingly, for you are probably going to be soaked.
History
The series is tied 1-1.
Keys to Victory
-Quinten Dormady needs to regain his accuracy. In his first game of the season against the Michigan Panthers, Dormady looked comfortable and on target, but last week against Arlington, he threw three interceptions and was off target on several other throws. This cannot happen again against teams of higher caliber. The Defenders have the worst defense in the league, and San Antonio has been moving the ball very effectively the entire season and this is another excellent opportunity for the Brahmas to continue their offensive juggernaut performance.
-The run game was finally dominate as they stampeded the Renegades as they nearly had two running backs run for 100 yards each. The Defenders are towards the bottom in rush defense, giving up an average of 95 yards per game. Given the performance the Brahmas had last week, if they can continue this, it will bode well for them. It will enable them to wear down the Defender’s defense at the end of the game and demoralize the Defenders as they see their season end yard by yard.
-The Brahmas defense has been a stalwart all season. Their red zone defense has been nearly impossible to score upon and they are second in the league in sacks. The Defenders are seventh in the UFL in total offense and the Brahmas could wreak havoc against DC. This combination of DC’s struggles on offense, and San Antonio’s dominance on defense spells trouble for the Defenders. If San Antonio can keep Jordan Ta’amu off balance and pressure him into making throws earlier than he wants to, this game could look very similar to the Brahmas dominate victory over the Defenders in Week 1.
Predictions
Let’s look at how my predictions from last week fared:
Luis Perez will NOT throw for a touchdown.
Incorrect. He did throw for one touchdown.
The Brahmas will NOT allow a first down in the first quarter.
Incorrect. The Renegades had a first down on their first series of the game.
The Brahms will have a 100+ yard rushing performance from one of their running backs.
Incorrect. John Lovett had 95 yards.
Jontre Kirkland will have at least 100 yards of receiving.
Incorrect. He had 43 yards of receiving.
Week 5 results: 0-4. That was an “udder” disaster.
Overall results: 5-16.
And now my predictions for this week. I hope I won’t “steer” you wrong:
-Quinten Dormady will throw for at least 250 yards, 2 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
-John Lovitt will have 80+ yards rushing.
-The Brahmas will record at least 5 sacks.
-The Defenders will not score a red zone touchdown.
Final Thoughts
The DC Defenders are on the brink of having their season come to an end. They are 2-3 on the season, and having lost to both Saint Louis and San Antonio, they are even further back in the standings as both those teams have the tiebreaker. The Brahmas, on the other hand, have a chance to essentially secure a playoff spot if they can sweep the season series against the Defenders. The Defenders are coming off a beatdown by the Battlehawks and their first defeat at Audi Field in franchise history. The Defenders seem to be struggling this season and are clearly not the Defenders from last year. Their only wins are against two of the worst teams in the league, in Arlington and Houston. This game could be another trap game for the Brahmas, like the game against the Renegades was. The Brahmas cannot overlook the Defenders as they are looking for revenge, not only against the Brahmas, but looking to get back to defending their home turf. San Antonio has the playoffs insight are with a victory over DC, they will be one step closer to the postseason.