Brahmas Leverage Orlando Errors for 30-12 Victory
by David Dean
February 28, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
Orlando Guardians
Orlando - Under a cloud-free sky and temperature in the mid-80s that contrasted sharply with the stormy, cold weather of earlier XFL week 2 games in Seattle and Las Vegas, the Orlando Guardians hosted the San Antonio Brahmas, with both teams seeking their first win of the 2023 season. The announced crowd of 12,011 for the home opener was treated to a raucous atmosphere and early offensive success for both teams, but in the end, 13 Guardian penalties and the Brahmas' ability to extend drives on their own left the hometown fans leaving disappointed in the final 30-12 result.
San Antonio received the kickoff, and Brahmas' starting quarterback Jack Coan looked sharp early, connecting with tight end Alize Mack on drive-extending crossing pattern on fourth down, and a 10-yard bullet in the middle to wide receiver TJ Vasher. San Antonio's offense under Coan looked efficient and precise, a sharp contrast from the slow-starting offenses and dominant defenses that have characterized the XFL's early season play.
Orlando's defense proved strong against the run, but their secondary and d-line looked overmatched on several pass plays. The Brahmas' nine-play drive culminated in a touchdown as excellent protection gave Coan time to put a pass where only tight end Deon Yelder could catch it. The two-point conversion attempt was dropped by Tolliver, and the score remained 6-0 in San Antonio's favor.
After the kickoff, Guardians' starting quarterback Paxton Lynch hit wide receiver Eli Rodgers for a 32-yard gain on their first offensive play of the game. After a holding penalty wiped out a long run, and a short pass for no gain, running back Jah-Maine Martin ripped off a 38-yard run off tackle, giving Orlando a first down at the Brahmas' 13-yard line. Following two short runs, a breakdown in San Antonio's secondary made Eli Rodgers an easy target in the left corner for a Lynch touchdown scoring throw. The Guardians went for a one-point conversion from the two, but the run attempt up the middle by Martin was unsuccessful. With just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter of play the score was knotted at 6-6.
The Brahmas began their second offensive position from their 25. San Antonio's offense continued the rash of first quarter penalties as a personal foul by offensive lineman Roubbens Joseph well after the throw wiped out a nice completion on a crossing pattern and left the offense facing a first and 22. Orlando's defense experienced the first of several missed turnover opportunities as a catch by Vasher was knocked out, but the Guardians failed to recover the ball. The defense held the Brahmas to a three-yard completion on third down forcing a punt, with Orlando's Rodgers getting the edge for a 14-yard return to their 41 yard line.
Yet the Guardians' offense was unable to capitalize on the good field position. After a dropped pass by wide receiver Andrew Jamiel and a run by Martin for no gain, Lynch's third down pass sailed incomplete after Jamiel fell down on his final cut. San Antonio had their own nice return on Derece Roberson's weaving 18-yard scamper that brought the ball to the Brahmas' 28 yard line.
Following a first down run that lost a yard, the first quarter ended with another Coan completion, this time to Roberson for 12 yards to move the sticks.
Orlando's run defense again asserted itself, stringing out a Jacques Patrick run to the sideline for a loss of two yards. On third-and-12, Coan overthrew Roberson streaking down the sideline, probably saving Roberson from a nasty hit as the safety was well-positioned to deliver a blow had the throw been on target.
After a 38-yard punt, an illegal motion penalty on Orlando wiped out a five-yard completion on first down. Offsetting penalties then nullified a Lynch scramble for a first down. The string of penalties grew to three plays as half the Orlando offensive line moved early. When a delayed run up the middle by Taylor for five failed to get a first down, the Guardians punted to the San Antonio 34.
San Antonio could manage just a three-and-out, so Orlando took over at its 25 and continued the XFL Week 2 trend of swapping out quarterbacks, with Deondre Francois taking over for Lynch. After a couple of runs by Kelvin Taylor and one by Francois earned a first down, a hands to the face penalty on the Brahmas gave Orlando a first on their own 37. A nice seal block opened a lane for Taylor to pick up 11 yards, but a loss of three on a Francois to Taylor completion that followed a five yard penalty on Latimer and an incompletion forced a Guardians' punt.
Taking over on their 23-yard line with 3:25 left in the half, the Guardians run defense swarmed San Antonio's Kalen Ballage for a five-yard loss. Alize Mack made an acrobatic catch on a heavily contested pass and turned up the sideline, eventually going out of bounds at the Brahmas' 37 and gaining 19 yards. A short completion from Coan to Tolliver brought the game to the two-minute warning.
Another completion from Coan to Roberson moved the ball to near midfield. Following a Yelder drop and an incompletion aimed at Mack, Orlando drew another penalty, this time for five yards. On the ensuing second-and-five, Coan overshot Roberson streaking up the sideline. Coan was forced out of the pocket on third down and threw the ball away, but a late hit on Coan out of bounds by Maponga extended the drive.
The Brahmas quickly turned that error to their advantage, hitting a quick 10-yard pass from Coan to Roberson. Orlando nearly, but not quite, made its own magic, as a Guardians defensive back couldn't haul in what would have been a certain pick six. Coan bounced back immediately and hit Mack for a 19-yard completion for a touchdown with 1:01 left in the half, and Vasher used every inch of his 6'6" frame catching a one-point conversion in the left corner of the endzone, making the score 13-6.
After the kickoff, Orlando used a balanced approach to move the ball to the Brahmas' 38. Orlando kicker Jose Borregles' 55-yard field goal attempt fell just short of the crossbar, however, and a kneel down by Coan to burn the final second ended a first half marred by ten penalties, eight committed by the hometown Guardians.
As the second half began, Orlando's offense could not gain any traction, handing the ball back to the Brahmas quickly after a three and out. After a 46-yard punt and 11-yard return by Fred Brown, San Antonio took over on their own 25. Coan hit Roberson for a six-yard completion, and the Guardians' defense handed San Antonio a first down on an offsides penalty.
Coan showed good mobility on an 11-yard first down run. After four straight runs, including a 13-yard gain by Coan, the quarterback hit Tolliver on a nice back-shoulder throw at the pilon for a touchdown. A one-point conversion completion to Yelder at the back of the endzone pushed the Brahmas' lead to 14, at 20-6 with 8:50 left in the third.
Beginning their drive at the 30, on first down Lynch threw well behind Payton on a play where Lynch probably could have gained a first down with his legs. Lynch's woes continued as he then badly missed Payton again on second down, eliciting a few boos from the home crowd. The situation went from bad to worse for Orlando as a third down sack preceded by a blocked punt, recovered by the Brahmas at the Guardians' eight.
After a Coan completion to Mack that was initially called as a touchdown was placed at the half yard line following video review, Jonathan Hillman scored both the touchdown and the one-point conversion on a pair of one-yard runs. With 6:42 remaining in the third quarter, an ineffectual offense, and trailing by 27-6, the game looked increasingly to be slipping away from the Guardians.
A holding penalty on the kickoff did nothing to change the momentum, forcing Orlando to begin its drive on its own 10-yard line. With Francois returning to the game, the Guardians looked to catch a break on an unnecessary pass interference penalty on the Brahmas' Ryan Lewis. The offense couldn't take advantage of the gift, however,and three plays later Orlando looked to be about to hand the ball back to the Brahmas.
San Antonio handed the home team another gift after a brutal roughing the punter penalty gave the Guardians' drive new life. Francois turned what would have been a six-yard loss into a four-yard gain, escaping two tackle attempts, before a false start penalty pushed them back five yards. Francois showed his arm strength with an arching pass into the endzone that drew a pass interference penalty, giving the Guardians first and goal from the two and bringing the crowd back into the game. Orlando's second false start penalty pushed the ball back to the seven, and the third quarter expired after two pass attempts from Francois to Cody Latimer, the first a three-yard completion and the second a dropped ball.
After the teams switched ends of the field, Latimer drew another pass interference penalty on a come-backer in the left corner of the endzone, but San Antonio Head Coach Hines Ward successfully challenged the call, resulting in fourth and goal from the four. Martin bulled his way into the endzone on a run to the pilon, but a holding penalty moved the ball back to the 14. Resuming a drive rife with penalties, San Antonio again was flagged for pass interference, handing the Guardians first and goal from the one. Following a Martin run that lost 3 yards, Latimer dove into the endzone for a four-yard, touchdown-scoring completion, stoking comeback hopes. The two-point conversion pass attempt was broken up at the one-yard line, resulting in a 27-12 San Antonio lead with 12:45 remaining in the game.
The Guardians again nearly caught a break as Fred Brown muffed the kickoff, but he was able to recover the ball, and the Brahmas offense took over at their 22-yard line. Orlando's defense applied a strong pass rush pressure up the middle, forcing Coan to throw the ball away and giving Orlando the three-and-out they desperately needed.
Three plays later, Orlando decided to roll the dice on fourth-and-ten with just under ten minutes to go. Francois' desperation pass sailed on him, but was intercepted by the Brahmas' Ranthony Texada and returned to the Orlando 16-yard line. San Antonio dialed up its running game to bleed the clock, calling four rushes in a row. Even a sack that cost the Brahmas 13 yards couldn't prevent them from scoring, as Parker Romo extended the lead to 30-12 with a 40-yard field goal with 4:40 to go in the game.
While the 18-point lead still technically constituted a two-score game, Orlando's offense couldn't find the spark it needed to make it a contest. Following the two-minute warning, Francois' pass on fourth and seven from their own 39 fell incomplete, handing the ball to San Antonio and sending the remaining fans streaming to the exits.
The Brahmas picked up their first win of the season, and Head Coach Hines Ward entered the postgame press briefing carrying a game ball and sporting an ear-to-ear smile as the sounds of a boisterous celebration filtered out of the San Antonio locker room. Guardians head coach Terrell Buckley expressed dismay over his team's penalties and frustration with what he called a, "What did I do?" attitude some of his players showed him.
Ward and team will travel to 2-0 Houston for a Sunday evening Texas tussle in week three. The Guardians also travel to Texas, facing the 1-1 Arlington Renegades Sunday afternoon, still looking for their first victory of the season.
XFL Stories from February 28, 2023
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- Coan, London and Hageman Named OurSports Central XFL Players of the Week - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- Coan, London and Hageman Named OurSports Central XFL Players of the Week - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
- Brahmas Leverage Orlando Errors for 30-12 Victory - OSC Original by David Dean
- Brahmas Leverage Orlando Errors for 30-12 Victory - OSC Original by David Dean
- Brahmas Leverage Orlando Errors for 30-12 Victory - OSC Original by David Dean
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
