St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback AJ McCarron passes the football past Memphis Showboats defensive lineman John Atkins - Dilip Vishwanat/UFL/Getty Images
Over the weekend, the St. Louis BattleHawks improved their record to 3-1 defeating the Memphis Showboats, 32-17. St. Louis will remain first in the XFL Conference in the 2024 UFL. They are currently on a win streak, this being the third win in a row. Here is a look at what happened in the game, and what is next for both of these teams.
How’d the BattleHawks get the Win?
For the most part, it is safe to say that the St. Louis BattleHawks controlled the game. The Showboats did get the lead at one point in the first quarter, but St. Louis took it right back not long after. Although they may have taken the lead back, Memphis did move well down the field when they scored the touchdown. This may have been their best drive of the game, capitalizing off of a strong kick return. This made it seem as though it would be a close game until the end.
The first half was messy with a couple of turnovers by both teams. Before halftime, AJ McCarron threw an interception, giving the Showboats the chance to tie up the game with a field goal. Showboats quarterback, Case Cookus also threw an interception in this game. While the Showboats did tie the game with 1:16 to go in the half, the tie did not last long. When St. Louis got the ball back, McCarron had a big pass downfield, helping the team get into field goal range. The BattleHawks took the lead 20-17 with 21 seconds left in the half. That was the score heading into halftime when the Showboats let the clock run down.
The second half began sloppy. There were numerous chances for St. Louis to turn over the ball, but they could not recover the ball, which was fortunate for the Showboats. Still, the Showboats will need to work on ball security, though both teams struggled with that throughout the game. Early in the second half, Memphis quarterback, Case Cookus had to exit the game after injuring his arm. Troy Williams entered the game completing four passes out of nine attempts for 37 yards, according to Fox Sports. The status of Cookus is unknown at this moment.
In the fourth quarter, the BattleHawks sealed the game by scoring two more touchdowns and playing strong defense. The St. Louis BattleHawks now have a 3-1 record while the Memphis Showboats are 1-3. Moving forward, St. Louis will need to fix how often they are giving up unnecessary penalties. This could have cost them the game, and they must be careful to avoid unnecessary penalties. The Showboats will need to hope their offensive line improves, as no matter which quarterback is in the pocket, they are under constant pressure.
MVP of the Game
While the St. Louis defense should be highlighted for the pressure they put on the Showboats, BattleHawks running back Jacob Saylors is MVP for sealing the game. Saylors rushed the ball 15 for 103 yards, according to Fox Sports. In the fourth quarter, while running down the clock, Saylors rushed the ball for 57 yards. Last weekend, the D.C. Defenders came back and won a game due to the fourth down conversion taking the place of the onside kick. Saylors ensured that this would not happen to the BattleHawks. This led to a passing touchdown to Pearson, another player that must be highlighted. Pearson had ten receptions, being targeted ten times, for 70 yards and one touchdown, according to Fox Sports. The offense has a good thing going and can continue to win, especially with the fan atmosphere in St. Louis.
What’s Next?
The St. Louis BattleHawks will face the D.C. Defenders on Sunday, April 28th at 12 P.M. Eastern.
The Memphis Showboats will face the Michigan Panthers on Sunday, April 28th at 3 P.M. Eastern.
