Week one did not go according to plan for the Birmingham Stallions.
Anytime the defending champions open the season against a team that had a losing record last year, they’re expected to win. That’s not what happened here.
The D.C. Defenders executed their game plan to perfection en route to an 11–18 win.
It wasn’t a great start to the Stallions’ season, but it’s not all bad.
With a few adjustments, they have a real shot at rebounding in week two. Here are four things the Stallions need to improve on to return to their winning ways.
QB Play
Alex McGough didn’t look like a former MVP in week one.
Some rust was to be expected because he played WR last season. That doesn’t excuse this rough stat line:
- 10–23
- 89 yards
- 1 TD
- 1 INT
The one bright spot about McGough’s day was his running. He added 84 yards on the ground, and would have had more if not for a couple of ill-timed penalties.
Room for improvement
There are two big reasons for optimism when it comes to the QB position.
- McGough was away from the QB position while he tried to make it as a WR in the NFL.
- Ricky Person Jr. only had 6 carries against the Defenders. He ran the ball well in the limited opportunities. The passing game will open up much more if the Stallions establish the run.
Back up QB Matt Corral is the wild card here. Coach Holtz was noncommital when asked at the post-game press conference if we might see Corral in week 2.
Several other UFL teams have tried a 2 QB system, could that be something the Stallions consider?
Offensive Line
8 Sacks allowed with a total of 38 yards rushing by RBs is not what you want from your offensive line.
It’s easy to be down on the line after a performance like that, but things should get better.
Let’s not forget that Greg Williams has long been one of the most respected defensive coordinators around. He’s known for bringing the pressure, especially on big downs. He had the Defenders defense ready and firing on all cylinders.
Room for improvement
One interesting thing to note is how Coach Williams dialed up a majority of his 3rd down pressures.
The announcers kept talking about him “bringing the heat,” but in reality, he was almost exclusively sending 4 rushers on third downs. Most of the sacks were the result of the offensive line not properly picking up the stunts.
That’s mostly a communication and assignment issue. I’m not saying that’s a good issue to have, but it’s fixable. The Stallions have a short week of practice since they played Sunday and will play Friday.
“We get Monday off, Tuesday and Wednesday we practice, Thursday we travel, and Friday we play.” Coach Holtz
The short week means less practice time. Less practice time makes meetings and film more important. Thankfully, communication and assignments are easy things to improve through meetings.
Hopefully that will lead to much better offensive line play this week.
Defense
The Stallions’ defense wasn’t bad in week one. They managed to keep the team in the game while the offense struggled.
The Defenders ran an uptempo offense, which is designed to wear their opponents down. That strategy didn’t work against the Stallions’ defense.
They gave up plenty of yards, but they managed to keep the Defenders out of the endzone for the most part.
The defensive line was particularly impressive batting down Jordan Ta’amu’s passes with regularity.
Room for improvement
The defense may have played well, but there is always room for improvement.
They need to execute better on third down to get off the field. The good news is that they stopped the Defenders four out of the five times they were in scoring range. The bad news is that 4 field goals is still a lot of scoring.
They need to force more punts if they want to get back on track.
Special Teams
Special teams is the one phase of the game where the Stallions arguably won.
Harrison Mevis connected on his only field goal attempt from 53 yards out.
Deon Cain averaged 31.4 yards per kickoff return, which helped with starting field position.
Room for improvement
While the special teams units were solid, they didn’t produce any game-changing plays.
Special teams plays offer opportunities for big plays. When a team is struggling, one or two big plays on special teams can completely turn the tide for your team.
The Stallions will need a big special teams play or two if they want to get back to their winning ways.
Next Game
Next Game: April 04, 7:00 PM CDT
Location: Ford Field, Detroit
Opponent: Michigan Panthers (1–0)
5 Comments
by Ken Granito
The line can play as good as they want. If they call for design runs 14 times and passes 37 times you will lose against a defense that is good against the pass. Skip Holtz did not coach to win this game. It’s not the line’s fault.
by Greyson Alman
That’s a great point! I thought Ricky Person ran the ball well. He didn’t get many chances, but he broke some tackles and got extra yards. Hopefully he’s a bigger part of the game plan on Friday.
by Ken Granito
to avoid Skip from ever doing this again you should say how the Defenders saddled up and rode the Stallions. Giddy up Stallion. The way McGough was on the turf he looked like a fallen horse in one of those early war movies. Sorry all, many Stallions were hurt in Sunday’s contest.
by Lonnie
Play Matt Corral!
by Greyson Alman
You’re not the only one calling for Corral. It will be interesting to see what Coach Holtz does.