Monday Night Football was back! And it was the matchup everyone was waiting for. It was the best team in the North vs. the best the team in the South. It was the undefeated bulldozer vs. the offensive juggernaut. It was a game between the two teams with the two best records in the league. It was the D.C. Defenders vs. the Houston Roughnecks. The game was a high scoring affair, which is what everyone expected. But the rest of the game was nothing like we expected. Let’s unfold how this weird game came about.
Let’s start with what has been kind of a sputtering offense as of late. This was an offense that was torching teams through the air. They lead the league in scoring and touchdowns, and they were making it look easy. But these past two games, they look like a totally different team. Jontre Kirklin being out for the season has certainly played a role, but it shouldn’t have hindered the offense this bad. Something else is at play. Is it the play calling? Is it the competition? Is it teams having more film now? It turns out it might be all of these things. But it also might be the quarterback. Yes, Brandon Silvers has looked good for the majority of the season. But these past two games, Silvers has not looked good. And what has hurt more, is he is being pressured and Silvers is not known for being able to use his legs and roll out of the pocket. His stat line, 10/17 for 111 yds and 1 INT just wasn’t getting it done. Brandon Silvers was just not making the throws he needed to, and he kept coming up short in the big moments. But luckily for the Roughnecks, they had another option. Cole McDonald. McDonald went for 8/11 for 194 yds, which was an average of 17.6 yds per attempt, and he threw for 1 TD, which was an 85 yd bomb to Deontay Burnett. That particular play gave the Roughnecks life, and gave Houston a chance to get back into this game. Unfortunately, it was a bit too late. And while McDonald gave Houston’s offense a jolt, they could only do so much.
Because the defense got absolutely torched through the air. It seemed like Houston came in with a game plan to stop the run, which they effectively did in the first half. They held Abram Smith down, and didn’t allow D.C.’s running game to get going at all. But Jordan Ta’amu had other plans. Ta’amu diced up Houston’s secondary for 245 yds and 2 TDs. Up until this point, D.C.’s bread and butter was the running game, behind the 3 headed monster of Jordan Ta’amu, D’Eriq King, and Abram Smith. But they came into this game throwing the ball all over the place. And why not? Houston’s secondary couldn’t stop them. Which then allowed the running game to open up in the second half. The Roughnecks defense could not get off the field. They gave up 37 points to the Defenders, and had no answers for D.C.’s offensive onslaught. Wade Phillips was outcoached by Reggie Barlow here, and you could tell in all facets of the game who the best team in the league was.
D.C. came in proving they can beat you through the air, on the ground, coaching, you name it. The D.C. Defenders put the Houston Roughnecks in a reality check, and left them floundering with more questions than answers. The St. Louis Battlehawks are coming into town this Sunday, and are desperate to keep winning to stay with the Seattle Sea Dragons in the playoff race. Meanwhile, the Roughnecks, who were once the best team in the league, now might not know who is starting at quarterback the next game. They better get it together quick, especially with Luis Perez now as the starting quarterback of the Arlington Renegades. What once looked like it was Houston’s championship to lose, now all of a sudden might not be in their grasp. I still believe Houston can find their groove again, but they are running out of time.
