(Photo courtesy of the Pro Football Newsroom).
In week 9, we saw a sight to behold. The DC Defenders suffered a defeat against the Houston Roughnecks. Despite having a clear playoff picture, there is still room for excitement and upsets, so make sure to keep up with The Forkball’s coverage. We cover every game every week here. Week 9 was the week of blowouts, a cutthroat competition that is turning into a rivalry, and the upset we will be covering. Now, let’s cover that upset below!
Let The Magic Begin
We have a league leader demonstrating their talent to kick off the game. Cornell Powell is currently on top in the touchdown reception category. The former Seattle Seahawk WR ran his way into a 44-yard touchdown. The DC Defenders were first on the scoreboard with a six-point lead.
Their dreams of two bonus points were squashed unceremoniously at the goal line when Roughnecks Marvin Moody intercepted the ball and ran all the way to Houston’s end zone, making it a 6-2 game. What a roller coaster for both fan bases. The up-and-down energy continued on when the Houston Roughnecks QB Jalan McClendon ate the grass in a rare sack. From there, the DC Defenders preyed on Houston’s weakness with a field goal, leaving the score 9-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Half-N-Half
Two minutes into the second quarter, we see the most important member of the Houston Roughnecks roster—their kicker, Chris Blewitt. Once again, Blewitt didn’t blow it, and the Roughnecks put the first points on the board for the quarter with the score of 9-5. If it’s unclear, the dead space between the plays that are highlighted are pointless drives, literally and figuratively.
Halfway through the second quarter, one of the plays with the most potential ended up being trash. A red-zone fumble by the Defenders was shameful. Houston recovering the ball and wasting their ensuing drive was possibly even worse. To attempt to avoid a fanbase-wide shunning, the Roughnecks redeemed themselves with a touchdown in the last minute of the first half. The score is sitting at 11-9, and both teams head into halftime to do some Hail Mary’s to atone for the first two quarters.
The Big Squeeze
Houston must have been more contrite because they entered the third quarter in style. McClendon didn’t want to eat the turf again and managed to stay upright for a TD that secured the lead for the Roughnecks. The score is now 17-9.
The final nail in the coffin for any team’s failures is a kicker that can’t make every kick, every time. They carry the team and have to always be on point. DC Defenders kicker Matt McCrane didn’t rise to the occasion, missing a field goal. For shame.
In Roughneck fashion, Houston left no prisoners in the final minutes of the third quarter with a beautiful touchdown. Lorenzo Lingard, resident running back, ran that ball in like it was easy. Despite having a shoe in for the playoffs, the Defenders were pantsed by the lower-ranking underdog Houston Roughnecks, with the score sitting at 24-9 at the end of the third quarter.
Fumble Fingers
No team should be able to make multiple fumbles in one game and win. DC fumbled the ball again, and Houston wasted their recovery drive again. The Defenders did utilize their next drive with a TD, but the points fell a little flat, all things considered.
Houston felt a little left out when it came to fumbles, so they decided to have their own in the final minutes of the game. This gave the Defenders an opportunity to actually utilize the fumble, making a TD in the final five seconds of the game. A failed three-point bonus attempt left the score at 24-21, with the Houston Roughnecks taking the win.
Final Thoughts
In a week full of blowouts, this game stood out. And not just because there were three Mr. Fumble Fingers showing their prowess in one game. Houston put the work in to both make and maintain a lead despite the talent of the DC Defenders. This was a close game that left fans on their toes in all four quarters. Both teams will likely carry that competitive energy into week 10, which begins on May 30th.
One of the more exciting aspects of the game was an appearance from Terrell Owens, who shouted out his mentee Javon Antonia. As a former Pelican State resident, this author feels like Antonio needs a little help to overcome coming from a place like LaPlace, Louisiana. We appreciate former NFL talent showing an interest in players and the league. The UFL is making a mark in the spring league market, which is not easy. Make sure to continue following this promising league here at The Forkball.
