The St. Louis Battlehawks (5-2) can secure their spot in the XFL Conference championship game with a win this Sunday when they host the DC Defenders (3-4) at The Dome at America’s Center.

Fresh off a heartbreaking 30-26 loss to Birmingham last week in a game dubbed the “Game of the Year,” the Battlehawks know they controled their own playoff destiny. A victory over the Defenders will be enough to clinch no worse than the #2 seed.

St. Louis has been led by the outstanding play of quarterback AJ McCarron. The former Alabama star has thrown for 1,467 yards and 14 touchdowns against just 3 interceptions. His clutch play and moxie in big moments has the Battlehawks squarely in the championship hunt.

But McCarron’s status is up in the air after suffering an ankle injury late against the Stallions. He’s been receiving treatment all week with the hope of suiting up in this potential playoff-clincher.

The running back duo of Jacob Saylors and VanDarius Cowan has taken some pressure off McCarron. Saylors is coming off a historic 3-touchdown performance that saw him become the first Battlehawk with multiple rushing scores in a game.

Defensively, St. Louis always seems to make a big play when needed, forcing 9 turnovers so far. Safety Qwynntario Cole leads the hard-hitting unit with 52 tackles.

As for DC, inconsistency has been the name of the game as they’ve alternated wins and losses over the past five weeks. When healthy, quarterback Jordan Ta’amu has been a difference-maker thanks to his mobility and downfield passing ability.

The Defenders have also seen wide receiver Kelvin Harmon emerge as Ta’amu’s go-to target, hauling in 8 catches for 101 yards and the game-winner against San Antonio last week.

This matchup could come down to whether McCarron is able to go at anywhere close to 100%. The Battlehawks have been a different team with him under center, going 5-1 in games he’s started and finished.

A raucous home crowd at The Dome will be there to spur them on toward a playoff berth. But the scrappy Defenders have plenty of incentive to play spoiler themselves as they continue chasing a postseason bid.

Playoff intensity is sure to be on full display in St. Louis with so much on the line for the Battlehawks. Punching their ticket is well within reach with a win. Copy

MK

now this one please HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS VS BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS

Saturday, May 18 | 8:00 PM ET | Birmingham, AL | Protective Stadium | ESPN2 | ESPN Xtra on SiriusXM include the fact that the stallions are trying to stay undefeted

Here’s a preview for the Houston Roughnecks vs. Birmingham Stallions matchup, with the Stallions looking to stay undefeated:

Title: Stallions Look to Remain Perfect Against Struggling Roughnecks

The undefeated Birmingham Stallions (7-0) will put their perfect record on the line Saturday night when they host the Houston Roughnecks (1-6) at Protective Stadium.

For Skip Holtz’s Stallions, it’s a chance to inch one step closer to running the table in the regular season. After last week’s dramatic 30-26 win over St. Louis in the “Game of the Year,” Birmingham has now won 14 straight games dating back to last season’s championship run.

Quarterback Adrian Martinez has been the catalyst, emerging as a frontrunner for UFL MVP honors. The dual-threat star has accounted for 1,462 total yards and 13 touchdowns so far. His ability to hurt defenses through the air and on the ground makes the Stallions incredibly tough to stop.

Martinez has an array of weapons at his disposal, from receivers Kevin Austin Jr., Marlon Williams and Deon Cain to running backs C.J. Marable and Ricky Person Jr. The offensive line has also paved the way for a punishing rushing attack.

But Birmingham’s calling card has been its swarming, aggressive defense. The unit is allowing just 16.7 points per game and has already forced 10 turnovers. Linebacker Darius Harris leads the way with 42 tackles.

Houston, meanwhile, is simply playing out the string after last week’s heartbreaking 15-12 loss to San Antonio eliminated them from playoff contention. The Roughnecks appeared in control, leading 12-3 late in the fourth quarter before an epic collapse.

Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and receiver Justin Hall have developed a nice connection through the air for Houston’s offense. But the running game has remained stagnant, which has put too much pressure on the passing attack.

Defensively, the Roughnecks have struggled to get off the field on third down and get consistent pressure on the quarterback. Those issues could prove catastrophic against the high-powered Stallions.

With a treacherous closing stretch ahead that includes matchups against San Antonio and St. Louis, Birmingham cannot afford to overlook the reeling Roughnecks. Staying locked in and taking care of business will be key to securing home-field advantage for the postseason.

For Houston, avoiding the indignity of an embarrassing blowout defeat must be the priority. An inspired effort is needed to show the resiliency to keep fighting despite the fading playoff hopes.

The Stallions have their eyes set on bigger goals – namely, completing an undefeated regular season and securing the United Softball League’s first championship. Don’t expect any letdown from the league’s best team in this one.