Playoff Races Comes Down to the Last Week
San Antonio's Defense Saves Commanders' Playoff Lives
April 25, 2021
San Antonio, TX - It may have been the worst offensive game of San Antonio's Head Coach Kris Richards' career. Or maybe it was the best defensive game the Commanders have played. Either way, it was a win.
RB Kenneth Farrow scored on a 3-yard touchdown dive off a fumbled snap in the first quarter en route to an 7-3 win Saturday night against the St. Louis Stallions. In the waning minutes of the game, the Stallions had the ball and was driving down the field. But a game-sealing interception by Commanders DB Derron Smith at the Commanders' 11-yard line gave San Antonio the win.
Tebow threw for 155 yards with two interceptions, who kept their playoff hopes alive. St. Louis has been on the losing end of several close losses.
“Defensively, I think we are one of the better teams in the league. In the second half, they were unbelievable,” Richard said. “Offensively, we were good in the beginning of the game … and then played terrible the rest of the way. Of all the games we’ve played, that was probably the worst offensive game we’ve played all year.”
San Antonio’s defense pitched a shutout until Stallions K Kai Forbath converted a 29-yard field goal with 10:45 left in the game. That included Forbath’s first missed field goal in the third quarter after Stallions' longest drive of the game. The win keeps the Commanders’ fledgling playoff hopes alive, moving them one game behind Dallas for the No. 4 spot in the West.
“I think it means that we are technically still alive in the playoff race,” Tebow said. “If some things happen, we can still get in at 7-5. “So it’s huge.”
The two teams combined for just 110 total yards in the first quarter, and St. Louis out-gained the Commanders, 264 yards to 245. Both teams totaled six turnovers, so maybe it was fitting that the game essentially ended when DB Smith went up and intercepted QB Paxton Lynch as the Stallions threatened the game-winning drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
“I’ve been coaching a long time, and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that,” St. Louis Head Coach John Fox said. “They’re a good team. But I’m a little upset coming up those steps. I’m upset at the opportunities that we had that we failed to make. I’m upset at missing a field goal from the 5-yard line. Defensively, I thought we battled them pretty good. Keeping them to 8 points means we should win that game. … What I watched out there kind of makes me angry.”
Make no mistake, the Commanders’ defense won the game — and Tebow knows it. From LB Mason Foster’s nine tackles to DL Da'Quan Bower’s tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries, the Commanders matched St. Louis' offensive ineptitude with a defensive showcase for the ages.
“They’re the best defense in the league,” Tebow said. “We’ve known that this whole year. Our offense has not been able to put up as many points or yards as we want, but our defense has kept us in so many games. When it’s all said and done, they are the reasons we have success. We’ve got to make plays, we drove the ball right down their throat for two drives, and I threw a pick and fumbled it. It would’ve been 16 points right there. I have to take it upon myself to play better.”
Commanders - 7 Stallions - 3
(5-5)SA: QB Tim Tebow - 21/32 155 yards, 2 INTs, RB Kenneth Farrow - 33 carries, 100 yards, 1 TD, WR MeKale McKay - 4 catches, 32 yards
(3-7)STL: QB Paxton Lynch - 22/47 210 yards, 2 INTs, RB Christine Michael - 14 carries, 54 yards, WR Kevin White - 8 catches, 79 yards
Fleet - 42 Conquerors - 20
(7-3)SD: QB Colin Kaepernick - 12/22 177 yards, 3 TDs, RB Kapri Bibbs - 17 carries, 104 yards, 1 TD, RB Kalen Ballage - 16 carries, 89 yards, 2 TDs, WR Martavis Bryant - 5 catches, 70 yards, 2 TDs, WR Braxton Miller - 3 catches, 43 yards, 1 TD
(4-6)LV: QB Ryan Mallett - 17/35 235 yards, 2 TDs, RB Isaiah Crowell - 14 carries, 59 yards, WR Corey Coleman - 6 catches, 152 yards, 2 TDs
Alphas - 30 Vipers - 20
(4-6)CHI: QB JT Barrett - 7/13 104 yards, RB Jacques Patrick - 24 carries, 213 yards, 2 TDs, RB De'Veon Smith - 15 carries, 86 yards, 1 TD, WR Antonio Callaway - 5 catches, 75 yards
(3-7)MEX: QB Brock Osweiler - 12/24 149 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Jeremy Hill - 24 carries, 122 yards, WR Josh Doctson - 3 catches, 43 yards, 2 TDs
Renegades - 34 Roughnecks - 38
(7-3)DAL: QB Landry Jones - 14/23 273 yards, 3 TDs, Cameron Artis-Payne - 20 carries, 140 yards, RB Lance Dunbar - 7 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD, WR Brice Butler - 6 catches, 105 yards, WR Jazz Ferguson - 4 catches, 92 yards, TE Donald Parham - 2 catches, 36 yards, 2 TDs
(7-3)HOU: QB PJ Walker - 18/25 303 yards, 4 TDs, RB Karlos Williams - 16 carries, 105 yards, RB D'Onta Foreman - 20 carries, 92 yards, 1 TD, WR Cam Phillips - 6 catches, 164 yards, 2 TDs, WR DaMarkus Lodge - 5 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD, WR Sammie Coates - 3 catches, 38 yards, 1 TD
Valor - 3 Guardians - 27
(0-10)DC: QB Dalton Sturm - 9/27 162 yards, 2 INTs, RB Lorenzo Taliaferro - 29 carries, 130 yards, WR Rashod Ross - 3 catches, 67 yards
(6-4)NY: QB Josh Freeman - 21/35 189 yards, 2 TDs, RB Orleans Darkwa - 27 carries, 114 yards, 1 TD, WR Brandon Burks - 5 catches, 63 yards, WR Charone Peake - 4 catches, 39 yards, 1 TD
Express - 23 Brigade - 13
(8-2)MEM: QB Trey Lance - 14/20 230 yards, 1 TD, RB Zac Stacy - 26 carries, 120 yards, 1 TD, WR Shaq Evans - 6 catches, 127 yards, WR Brandon Gibson - 4 catches, 52 yards
(6-4)BAL: QB Brett Hundley - 19/31 219 yards, RB CJ Anderson - 20 carries, 119 yards, 1 TD, WR Paul Richardson - 6 catches, 74 yards
*Iron - 19 Defenders - 7
(9-1)BIRM: QB Tahj Boyd - 14/24 111 yards, 1 INT, RB Trent Richardson - 19 carries, 162 yards, 1 TD, WR Robert Foster - 4 catches, 46 yards, WR L'Damian Washington - 5 catches, 34 yards
(0-10)ATL: QB Cardale Jones - 17/32 242 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Corey Clement - 17 carries, 66 yards, WR Justice Liggins - 2 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD, WR Justin Hardy - 5 catches, 57 yards
*Birmingham starting QB Trevor Lawrence misses game to attend NFL Draft
Storm - 21 Apollos - 44
(3-7)TB: QB Blake Bortles - 18/30 199 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Alex Collins - 16 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD, WR Kelvin Benjamin - 4 catches, 61 yards, 2 TD, WR Rashad Greene - 5 catches, 53 yards
(8-2)ORL: QB Garrett Gilbert - 22/31 276 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, RB Akeem Hunt - 14 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD, RB Antonio Andrews - 14 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD, WR Charles Johnson - 4 catches, 76 yards, 1 TD, WR Donte Moncrief - 4 catches, 69 yards, WR Jalin Marshall - 4 catches, 55 yards, 1 TD
Soul - 10 Blues - 12
(2-8)PHIL: QB Cody Kessler - 13/21 139 yards, 1 TD, RB Alfred Blue - 19 carries, 62 yards, WR DeAnthony Thomas - 7 catches, 77 yards
(6-4)MIA: QB EJ Manuel - 21/29 223 yards, 1 TD, RB Denard Robinson - 16 carries, 117 yards, RB Montee Ball - 13 carries, 52 yards, WR Leonard Hankerson - 8 catches, 81 yards, WR Malachi Jones - 4 catches, 48 yards, 1 TD
Wildcats - 27 Dragons - 17
(8-2)LA: QB Josh Johnson - 17/26 251 yards, 2 TDs, RB Spencer Ware - 17 carries, 77 yards, RB Branden Oliver - 10 carries, 101 yards, WR DaVaris Daniels - 6 catches, 64 yards, 1 TD, WR Nelson Spruce - 2 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD
(4-6)SEA: QB Geno Smith - 18/25 176 yards, 1 TD, RB CJ Prosise - 15 carries, 113 yards, 1 TD, RB Thomas Rawls - 13 carries, 119 yards, WR Devier Posey - 5 catches, 79 yards, 1 TD
Lawrence and Lance Both Go Top 3 in NFL Draft
April 23, 2021
New York, NY - Birmingham Iron QB Trevor Lawrence and Memphis Express QB Trey Lance went #1 and #3 in the 2021 NFL Draft on Thursday. The Jacksonville Jaguars made QB Lawrence the #1 overall selection followed by the New York Jets selecting QB Justin Fields, from Ohio State, at #2 prior to the San Francisco 49ers selecting QB Lance with the #3 overall pick.
Quarterbacks weren't done being selected on Friday night. The Carolina Panthers selected BYU QB Zach Wilson at #8, followed by the New England Patriots selecting Alabama QB Mac Jones at #15 and the Chicago Bears selecting Texas A&M QB Kellen Mond at #20.
The Jacksonville Jaguars offered #1 overall selection QB Trevor Lawrence a bigger signing bonus if he would forego the rest of the Alliance season.
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