John Hoyland’s 50 yard field goal as time expired elevated the Houston Gamblers past the Birmingham Stallions 22-20 Sunday night at Shell Energy Stadium. Hoyland’s right foot was toxic all night for Birmingham, and a sweet tasting elixir for Houston. Hoyland accounted for five field goals on the night, saving his last for when the Gamblers needed it most.
The game was a seesaw affair throughout, as both teams struggled in varying ways. For Houston, they emasculated the Birmingham defense with a relentless running game between the twenties throughout the contest but stalled repeatedly inside the red zone and had to rely on Hoyland to bail them out time after time.
Then there was Birmingham, who shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with costly turnovers offensively. Quarterback Matt Corral ran hot and cold, but it was the cold that would prove to be ever so costly for the Stallions.
SCORELESS FIRST QUARTER
On the opening drive of the game, Houston pulverized the Stallions defense with a running game that in no way resembled the anemic effort put on display last week in their season opening loss at Dallas. On the games opening drive, it looked like the Gamblers were going to run the ball through the end zone straight into the tunnel, but Kyahva Tezino ended the Houston threat by forcing a Marcus Yarns fumble at the Birmingham one yard line.
Starting their opening drive of the game deep in their own territory, Corral engineered a drive that would end inside the Houston twenty, having stalled when they failed to convert on a fourth and one, and Birmingham relinquished the ball on downs over to the Gamblers.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSTON IN THE SECOND QUARTER
Twice in the second quarter, the Gamblers sliced into the teeth of the Stallions defense with a sustained rushing attack that Birmingham had no answer for. Still, when things got tough, the Stallions stepped up to keep Houston out of the end zone. On both occasions, Hoyland would connect on two of his five field goals on the night, and the Gamblers led 6-0 in a game that seemed far more lopsided in Houston’s favor.
BIRMINGHAM GRABS LATE FIRST HALF LEAD
Corral, shaking off his first half inconsistency, which had included an interception thrown straight into the hands of Kary Vincent earlier in the quarter, marched Birmingham downfield with a little more than a minute remaining in the first half of play, and the drive was punctuated when he found Jaydon Mickens for a game tying touchdown. After a successful point after try, the Stallions headed into the locker room clinging to a 7-6 lead.
BIRMINGHAM STRIKES FIRST TO TAKE THIRD QUARTER LEAD
Matt Corral started things off for Birmingham the way he finished the first half, hot. The Stallions took the third quarter kickoff and embarked on an impressive seven play, 63-yard drive, which featured a long Anthony McFarland gainer of 21 yards and a 20 yard toss to Justyn Ross before he would ultimately found find Deon Cain in the end zone for a 12 yard touchdown throw. A successful PAT now resulted in a Birmingham lead of 14-6.
ANOTHER PROMISING HOUSTON DRIVE STALLS IN THE RED ZONE
Nolan Henderson had the Houston offense in the red zone again, having found Jontre Kirklin on a nice 24 yard throw, and long gainers by Jalen White and Marcus Yarns had things looking up for the Gamblers, but ultimately the the drive would stall, and Hoyland came on to boot his third field goal of the night. His 26 yarder pulled Houston to within five, 14-9.
Later on in the third quarter, Houston was on the move again. Henderson’s 33 yarder toss to Kirklin would highlight a drive that would also stall, this time inside the Stallions ten yard line. Once again, Hoyland came on and booted a 24 yard field goal, his fourth of the night at that point in the game, and the Gamblers now trailed by only two, 14-12.
FOURTH QUARTER DRAMATICS
Carlton Johnson intercepted a Matt Corral pass at the Birmingham 35 to give the Gamblers the balll in terrific field position, and a pass interference call against the Stallions enabled the Houston offense to finally convert for a touchdown when Jalen White twisted and spun his way into the end zone from three yards out, and with 6:57 remaining in the game Houston retook the lead at 19-14.
On the ensuing kickoff, Corral marched the Stallions straight down the field. He found Justyn Ross for a 14 yard gainer and Mickens for 19 and 12 yards as well, and Birmingham was poised to retake the lead late. A pass interference call would give Birmingham first and goal from the one yard line, and Anthony McFarland’s rushing touchdown put the Stallions back on top 20-19 with 2:02 left remaining in the game The Stallions, needing a successful two point to put them up by 3, failed to convert when Corral threw wide, and the Birmingham lead would remain a precarious one with two minutes remaining and Houston with precious timeouts in their pockets.
HOYLAND DELIVERS WALKOFF HEROICS
The final drive of the game featured a challenged pass interference call by Houston coach Kevin Sumlin. Sumlin, not to be outdone by Stallions coach A.J. McCarron, who earlier challenged a no holding call that was overturned, allowing Birmingham to keep possession of the football, was successful with his challenge as well. That, and a critical fourth and six conversion on a Henderson to Armani Rogers pass, allowed Houston to advance the ball to the Birmingham 33. Allowing the game clock to tick all the way down to two seconds, Houston called timeout to trot Hoyland onto the field for a 50-yard field goal attempt. Birmingham called timeout as well, doing everything they could to distract Hoyland, but with ice in his veins, Hoyland drilled it straight through the uprights in a steady rain to win it 22-20 as time expired.
MCCARRON STOIC IN POST GAME BIRMINGHAM LOCKER ROOM
“Just too many self inflicted wounds,” McCarron would say to the gathered press following the game. “Just bad penalties on our part at critical times. I thought we did a good job of putting some pretty good drives together when we needed it, but you just can’t hurt yourselves, it’s pretty simple.”
BY THE NUMBERS
A crowd of 7,744 was on hand on a chilly, rainy Easter night, and those that were there were treated to a back and forth game, and they were rewarded by seeing their Gamblers win in a classic finish.
Houston punished Birmingham on the ground all night long. The Stallions, normally stingy on rush defense, allowed the Gamblers to almost run at will, piling up 174 yards on the night. Jalen White led all Houston runners with 82 yards.
Birmingham’s Matt Corral, despite throwing for 226 yards and only six incompletions in 27 attempts, had two of them fall into the wrong hands, which figured prominently into the games final outcome.
Houston outgained Birmingham in convincing fashion, putting up 407 total offensive yards to the Stallions 288.
Houston evened their record at 1-1 with the win, and travel to DC to square off against the Defenders on April 12. For Birmingham, the Stallions fall to 1-1 on the season. They travel to St.Louis to challenge the Battlehawks on April 12.