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XFL Arlington Renegades

Renegades Edged in Rematch with San Antonio

March 26, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
Arlington Renegades News Release


Facing each other for the second time in as many weeks, the San Antonio Brahmas avenged a loss seven days prior to the Arlington Renegades with a 15-9 win Sunday afternoon at Choctaw Stadium.

In a matchup featuring two of the top-3 scoring defenses in the XFL, both teams were held under 250 yards as San Antonio handed Arlington its first home loss of the season (2-1).

San Antonio built a 9-0 halftime lead after holding Arlington to just 46 1st-half yards. The Brahmas took a 3-0 advantage on a 28-yard field goal from K Parker Romo at the 1:48 mark of the 1st quarter, and added a defensive touchdown on a strip sack by LB Delontae Scott and 44-yard fumble recovery by LB Jordan Williams (failed extra point try) with 6:34 remaining in the 2nd quarter.

After rushing for only 18 yards in the 1st half, the Renegades clipped off 28 on the ground in their opening possession of the 2nd half to set up a season-long 53-yard field goal by Taylor Russolino - 10 longer than his previous best.

On San Antonio's second play from scrimmage following Russolino's field goal, Arlington LB Donald Payne intercepted QB Kurt Benkert - who was just traded from Houston on Thursday.

That set up a Renegades' 16-yard touchdown pass from QB Drew Plitt to WR LuJuan Winningham, who acrobatically stretched back across his body to pull in his team-leading second receiving TD of the season at 8:39 of the 3rd quarter (one-point conversion rush was stopped short).

The teams remained tied into the 4th quarter, when aided by an Arlington 41-yard pass interference penalty, San Antonio re-gained a three-point edge, 12-9, on a 45-yard field goal from Romo with 8:56 to play.

A 48-yard connection through the air by Plitt to WR JaVonta Payton on Arlington's next possession positioned the Renegades inside San Antonio's 15-yard line. However, Russolino's right-footed kick from the right hash sailed right of the goal post from 36 yards which would have re-knotted the game with 4:05 showing.

A 46-yard field goal by Romo with 1:46 left put the Brahmas up six, and an interception with 14 seconds left by S Tenny Adewusi with Arlington driving in San Antonio territory iced the contest.

Arlington faces a quick turnaround as the Renegades will be right back at Choctaw Stadium on Friday, Mar. 31, against the Seattle Sea Dragons (6 p.m. CT on FX / ESPN+). The Renegades will then head on the road for two-straight matchups before closing out the regular season at home versus the Houston Roughnecks (April 23 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN).

POSTGAME NOTES

- Plitt replaced starting QB Kyle Sloter (6-for-13, 22 yards) and finished with 163 yards on 10-of-16 attempts. The 48-yard completion in the 4th quarter was the longest by an Arlington quarterback this season.

- The Renegades have now forced a turnover in all six games this season, and 48 of their 78 points this year (62 percent) have come off opponent giveaways.

- Arlington posted 249 yards, while holding San Antonio to just 162. The Brahmas came into the game limiting opponents to 15.8 points per game (2nd in the XFL), while the Renegades were 3rd at 17.2.

- The Renegades held San Antonio to just 51 passing yards; Arlington's previous season low for an opponent through the air was 173 at Houston on Feb. 26.

- Russlino is now 8-for-10 on field goal attempts this year.

- All three of Arlington's losses this season have been by six points or less.

- Despite the loss, Arlington remains in 2nd place in the XFL South division, one game ahead of San Antonio with four regular-season contests remaining. The top-2 teams in each division advance to the XFL Semifinals.

- Arlington defeated San Antonio in the Alamodome last Sunday, 12-10.

- The attendance was a season-high 12,368 at Choctaw Stadium.

Check out the Arlington Renegades Statistics



XFL Stories from March 26, 2023


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