DC DEFENDERS WEEK 7 RECAP:
DESTINY DENIED

With the Defenders beating the Stallions last week, a win over the Michigan Panthers would allow the DC Defenders to control their own destiny heading into the playoffs and potentially the XFL conference championship game.

Instead, once again, the offense landed face forward and was stagnant. This was also the first home game of the year I wasn’t able to attend thanks to a flat tire…. So, that added some insult to injury personally for me.

Watching the game from home was frustrating. Not because I wasn’t there there, but because of the play. This was by far the most frustrated I’ve been all year as a Defenders reporter. Let’s get into the recap:

Michigan is undefeated this season when they score in the first quarter, and the Panthers did just that on their first drive.
7-0 Panthers out of the gate. The Panthers scored again on their second drive, as RB West Hills found the end zone on a 1-
yard touchdown resulting in a 13-0 Panthers lead.

The Defenders weren't about to go down without some type of fight, and they punched back with a haymaker, courtesy of Ty Scott’s 70-yard touchdown that closed the gap. 13 to 6 Panthers at this point. 

Michigan’s Kicker Jake Bates, the best player in the UFL (yes, a kicker is that good), shined fo The Panthers last week, knocking in four field goals — including a 60-yarder and the game- winner.  He kept his hot streak going with three straight field goals to extend Michigan's lead in the second half and ultimately seal the win for The Panthers.

The Michigan Panthers(5-2) came out on top — Matthew Colburn II had 137 rushing yards to spur its win — and remained in second place in the USFL standings behind the undefeated Birmingham Stallions.

 

On the other side, the DC defenders (3-4) came up short and remain behind both the St. Louis BattleHawks (5-2) and the San Antonio Brahmas (4-2) in the XFL standings.

 

The Panthers came into this game on the third string starting quarterback due to injury unfortunately, The Defenders would match their fate by having two of our quarterbacks go down in this game.

This was a must win for The Defenders, and unfortunately our destiny has been denied.