Ferrod Gardner #6 of the DC Defenders celebrates after recovering a fumble during the third quarter against the Houston Roughnecks at Audi Field on April 07, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/UFL/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 7, 2024) – Jordan Ta’amu’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Ty Scott with 6:04 left in the game lifted the D.C. Defenders to a 23-18 victory over the Houston Roughnecks in D.C.’s home opener Saturday afternoon at Audi Field.
The Defenders (1-1) remain undefeated at home over the past two seasons, running the home winning streak to 10 games.
Houston (0-2) had an opportunity to win in the final moments after a 25-yard punt return gave the Roughnecks possession at the D.C. 27-yard line with 1:34 remaining. But a pair of false start penalties short-circuited the possession. On fourth-and-1 from the D.C. 24-yard line Houston quarterback Reid Sinnett was incomplete in the end zone, allowing D.C. to hold on.
Houston took an early 6-0 lead when defensive back Corn Elder returned an interception off a deflection 98 yards for a score. It tied for the longest interception return in spring football history, matching a 98-yard touchdown return by the Birmingham Bolts in the 2001 version of the XFL.
D.C. answered near the end of the first quarter with a Darius Hagans 1-yard score. The Defenders grabbed their first lead of the game with under a minute left in the half. Trailing 9-6, Ta’amu found tight end Briley Moore-McKinney for a 21-yard scoring strike. Houston’s J.J. Molson added his second field goal of the half on the final play before the intermission to make it 12-12 at the break.
Houston quarterback Reid Sinnett put the Roughnecks back on top 18-12 five minutes into the third quarter when he found Keke Chism for a 34-yard touchdown pass. The Defenders pulled within three on a 43-yard Matthew McCrane field goal two minutes into the fourth quarter, setting the scene for the Ta’amu-Scott connection that proved to be the difference.
Ta’amu was 16-of-32 passing for 212 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Five different Defenders pulled in at least two receptions, led by Chris Rowland with a pair receptions for 55 yards. Cam’Ron Harris led the Defenders’ rushing attack with 34 yards on nine carries.
Michael Joseph led the D.C. defensive effort with a team-high five tackles, while Anthony Hines III added a pair of tackles for loss.
Reid Sinnett finished 19-of-30 for 221 yards and one TD to pace the Houston offense. T.J. Pledger rushed for a game-high 47 yards on 11 carries.
The Defenders are back in action Saturday at the Arlington Renegades in a rematch of last season’s XFL Championship Game. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET, with the game set to be broadcast on ESPN.
D.C. Defenders Postgame Notes
The Defenders remain undefeated at home (10-0) dating back to XFL 2.0 in 2020
QB Jordan Ta’amu recorded his second-best performance of the season passing for 212 yards going 16-for-32.
Darius Hagans recorded his first touchdown of the season in the first half
Jordan Ta’amu’s 46-yard pass in the second quarter to Chris Roland recorded as the longest pass he has thrown this season, and Roland’s longest reception caught.
TE Briley Moore recorded his first touchdown of the season to close out the first half which brought the Defenders within 3.
WR Keke Coutee caught a game high for a total of 40 yards on three receptions. His longest was for 18 yards, which also marked a game high.
The Defenders continue to out possess opponents keeping the ball for an average of over 30 minutes in a game. Today they kept the ball for 30:55.
