For the second straight week, the Dallas Renegades took care of business in a big way at home as they took down the St. Louis Battlehawks 31-15.
While the yards and points might not have been as much in Week 2 as last week, the Renegades still dominated on offense with over 300 yards and are now the only team in the UFL to have 30 or more points two weeks in a row. The victory put the Renegades at 2-0 on the season and is considered by many as the best team in the league.
There was more to the game than just the offensive dominance, even though it was a big part of the game. Here are five observations about the Renegades in their win over the Battlehawks.
5 Dallas Renegades Observations from Week 2 Victory
Tyler Vaughns is undoubtedly the best wide receiver in the UFL
That's now two weeks in a row that Vaughns has had over 100 receiving yards and at least one touchdown in a game. He finished Week 2's matchup with 11 receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns, putting his season total at 18 receptions for 290 yards and four touchdowns through two games.
Vaughns may not kill defenders with his speed, but he's the best route runner in the league and always finds a way to get open. He's great on the fade routes, where he knows how to exactly position his body so that he can make the catch.
There's never been a receiver in the UFL, XFL, or USFL who has gone for over 1,000 yards in a season. While it still feels like a stretch, Vaughns might have the best shot at doing it at the rate he is going. He might have to be in the conversation for MVP of the UFL.
Austin Reed once again proved he's an NFL quarterback
Speaking of MVP candidates, how about another stellar game for Reed at quarterback? He went for 240 yards and four touchdowns to one interception, with his season totals at 616 yards and seven touchdowns to one interception in two contests.
The arm talent is there as Reed is accurate with where to put those deep balls, and despite the one interception, he is good about keeping it in harm's way. There were a few passes from Austin that were deflected and almost intercepted, but Reed showed his mental toughness by throwing two touchdowns on the next two drives after his interception.
Arguably, Week 1 was a better overall performance for Reed, as he was more accurate with the football, but his play against the Battlehawks was still a work of magic. Unless he has some kind of massive drop off in the next few weeks, UFL fans might never see him on the field again, as he will get calls from every NFL team to play for them in 2026.
Renegades' secondary is just built differently
This Dallas secondary is just on another level right now. The two big stars from this game were Qwynnterrio Cole and Steven Jones Jr. Both combined for five pass deflections, with Cole grabbing an interception and Jones having three pass breakups, including a critical one in the fourth quarter.
That doesn't even include Shaun Wade, who nabbed the game-sealing interception in the fourth quarter, which was the second straight week he got a pick in a game. The Renegades allowed just 186 passing yards and got two interceptions with eight pass deflections as a team.
Good luck to the rest of the league in trying to throw it on the Renegades. This secondary was tough on the Battlehawks' wide receivers, so if they can be slowed down, who knows what else Dallas' unit can do moving forward.
Offensive line for Dallas deserves their respect
An underrated part of this game that wasn't discussed was the offensive line's performance. St. Louis got seven sacks in Week 1 against the DC Defenders, but against Dallas got zero. The running game, while a bit inconsistent, produced some nice runs that opened up, averaging 3.8 yards per carry.
Last year's Renegades offensive line struggled mightily with protecting Luis Perez in the pocket. It's a very different story in 2026, as the new-look line has done a great job of making sure Reed stays upright.
Look for the unit to try to get better with the running game and not lean so much on big runs to carry them. This offensive line will only get better as the season goes on.
Week 2 showed this Renegades team is different from others
The biggest difference in this Renegades team compared to past teams is their ability to take the lead and keep their feet on the opponent's throats. Sure, St. Louis was within one possession at one point in the fourth quarter, but the feeling was different that the Renegades had enough firepower on offense to hold strong.
Reed brings a different kind of confidence to this team, with the flurry of weapons around him, Vaughns, Greg Ward Jr., Drake Stoops, Denzel Mims, and Deontay Burnett all ready to make plays. These are all NFL-caliber receivers who can break loose at any time for a big play. Sure enough, the Renegades responded with Reed hitting Vaughns on a perfect 30-yard fade route for a touchdown to seal the win.
Last year, they started 3-1 and ended up missing the playoffs at 5-5. This 2026 Renegades team is complete with a strong offense and defense. They look ready for a run the city has never seen since they arrived in the DFW area in 2020.