San Antonio Brahmas vs. DC Defenders | Week 7 Preview

The DC Defenders (4-2) will be hunting for redemption this week, as they head south to San Antonio to visit the San Antonio Brahmas (1-5) at the Alamodome.

The Brahmas handed DC their first loss earlier this season at Audi Field in Week 4, which also gave San Antonio their first, and only win up to this point of the season.

Last week, the Defenders suffered their second loss of the season against Michigan in blowout fashion, falling 38-14 on the road.

Meanwhile, the Brahmas are coming off one of their worst performances of the season, losing to Birmingham 26-3 this past Sunday.

With both teams looking to flip the script from last week, let’s dive deeper into how this XFL-conference matchup might shake out.

Quarterback Play

The Defenders are led by QB Jordan Ta’amu in his third season with DC, as he currently leads the UFL in passing yards (1,472) and touchdowns (11) entering Week 7. Ta’amu’s play over the final four regular season games will play an enormous factor into the team’s overall success, as he’s already seen minor inconsistencies with his completion percentage this season. While many were hoping for the same 2023 one-two punch from the backfield-duo of Jordan Ta’amu and Abram Smith, the rushing attack has not had much success. In turn, it puts more emphasis on the passing game, which allows defenses to read pass-first, thus causing more incompletions for Ta’amu and the receivers.

Last time against San Antonio, Ta’amu played one of his best games of the season, finishing 19/31 for 299 passing yards and two total touchdowns. He also had his best rushing game of the season, finishing with 71 yards on ten attempts. We’ll have to see if the offense is able to convert more red-zone opportunities this time around.

For San Antonio, they will be starting a different QB from the last meeting, as Kevin Hogan has supplanted Kellen Mond for the starting job. In Hogan’s first start last week, he finished 17/26 for 179 passing yards and an interception. The rushing attack was unable to get anything going all game, as the team finished with only 24 total rushing yards.

Standout Playmakers

WR Chris Rowland: Rowland was a spotlight player heading into last week’s game, and for good reason. The UFL’s top slot option finished a career day last week with nine receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown. Rowland will continue to be an offensive focal point, especially with the loss of Ty Scott. It would be malpractice from the NFL if they did not sign Rowland this offseason.

WR Braylon Sanders: Sanders had his best game of the season last time these teams faced off, as he reeled in three receptions for 87 yards. While it’s taken some time, Ta’amu and Sanders are beginning to hit their stride as a QB-WR duo heading into an important part of the season. Expect the all-around playmaker to remain a key cog in Fred Kaiss’ offense.

WR Marquez Stevenson: While it hasn’t been a banner year for the former Buffalo Bills draft pick, Stevenson remains a viable weapon for Payton Pardee’s offense, especially considering the loss of Jacob Harris this week. Stevenson is a quick threat who mainly operates from the slot, but can be used in multiple ways (similar to Chris Rowland).

RB Aidan Robbins: Robbins’ only true success of the season came against DC in Week 4, when Robbins scored two critical touchdowns in the red-zone to separate the two teams. Robbins should see an expanded role this week, as Anthony McFarland has been ruled out against DC.

Depth Chart

Final Thoughts

This is ultimately a crucial game for both teams this week, as San Antonio looks to stay alive in the XFL-conference playoffs race, and DC aims to remain in the top-two clinching positions. This feels like a “get-right” game for the Defenders, especially after they were disappointed in their performance against San Antonio earlier this season.

The action kicks off at 8pm ET on Friday night, on FOX.

Full Roster Breakdowns: San Antonio, DC

What are your thoughts on this upcoming matchup between the DC Defenders and San Antonio Brahmas? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!