Week 6 Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week: QB Bryce Perkins (Michigan Panthers)
Perkins is having a special season this year, and week 6 was no exception. He was efficient through the air, completing 13 of his 18 passes for 188 yards with 2 touchdowns. He proved difficult to tackle as there were 10 missed tackles against him by my coun,t as he often broke tackles and maintained his balance. He rushed 9 times for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive Player of the Week: DE Pita Taumoepenu (St. Louis Battlehawks)
Pita Taumoepenu was an unstoppable force off the edge in St. Louis’ Week 6 battle. He had 4 total tackles, including 2 solo run stops. He was very dangerous in the pass rush as he recorded 2 sacks and, by my count, had 10 additional pressures, including 3 QB hits. (2 of the pressures were unblocked, and 2 were a secondary source of pressure on the play.)
| Pos | Week 6 1st Team | Week 6 2nd Team |
| QB | Bryce Perkins (MI) | Jordan Ta’amu (DC) |
| RB | Toa Taua (MI) | Dae Hunter (ARL) |
| WR | Chris Rowland (DC) | Amari Rodgers (BIR) |
| WR | Justin Smith (SA) | Dee Anderson (MEM) |
| WR | Cade Johnson (BIR) | Deon Cain (BIR) |
| TE | Cole Hikutini (MI) | Gunnar Oakes (MI) |
| LT | Yasir Durant (DC) | Zach Banner (HOU) |
| LG | Jake Burton (MI) | Chuck Filiaga (SA) |
| C | Keaton Sutherland (BIR) | Jack Kramer (HOU) |
| RG | Nash Jenson (MEM) | Liam Fornadel (DC) |
| RT | Samuel Jackson (HOU) | Samuel Jackson (HOU) |
| DE | Pita Taumoepenu (STL) | Willie Taylor III (ARL) |
| DT | Josiah Bronson (MEM) | Niles Scott (DC) |
| DT | Carlos Davis (BIR) | Marvin Wilson (BIR) |
| DE | Bradlee Anae (BIR) | Lonnie Phelps (SA) |
| LB | Tavante Beckett (SA) | Chappelle Russell (BIR) |
| LB | Willie Harvey (STL) | Jordan Williams (SA) |
| LB | Kyahva Tezino (BIR) | Donald Payne (ARL) |
| CB | D.J. Miller Jr. (MI) | Chris Payton-Jones (STL) |
| S | Nate Meadors (STL) | Qwynnterrio Cole (STL) |
| S | Jalen Elliott (SA) | Myles Dorn (ARL) |
| CB | Steven Gilmore (BIR) | Ja’Quan Sheppard (HOU) |
| K | Rodrigo Blankenship (STL) | Harrison Mevis (BIR) |
| P | Brad Wing (SA) | Colby Wadman (BIR) |
| Returner | Isiah Hennie (MEM) | Davion Davis (BIR) |
Offense
QB: Bryce Perkins (Michigan Panthers)
Perkins completed 13 of his 18 passes for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns. He rushed 9 times for 76 yards and a touchdown. By my count, there were 10 missed tackles against him through the game as he frequently broke tackles and demonstrated exceptional balance.
RB: Toa Taua (Michigan Panthers)
Taua rushed 19 times for 94 yards (4.9 average) and a touchdown in Week 6. He had 4 missed tackles forced by my count.
WR: Chris Rowland (D.C. Defenders)
Rowland caught 9 of his 12 targets in Week 6 for 144 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown. He had 1 missed tackle forced on a 12-yard pickup.
WR: Justin Smith (San Antonio Brahmas)
Smith caught 5 of his 8 targets for 108 yards with the longest being for 56.
WR: Cade Johnson (Birmingham Stallions)
Johnson caught 5 of his 6 targets for 61 yards in Week 6.
TE: Cole Hikutini (Michigan Panthers)
Hikutini caught all 3 of his targets for 63 yards and a touchdown last week.
LT: Yasir Durant (D.C. Defenders)
Durant allowed only 1 pressure in Week 6 in a game that saw Ta’amu attempt 36 passes.
LG: Jake Burton (Michigan Panthers)
Burton allowed only 1 pressure in Week 6, which was a secondary form of pressure on the play, and was a part of Michigan’s dominant run game in the win.
C: Keaton Sutherland (Birmingham Stallions)
Sutherland was the only starting center to achieve the feat of not having a single pressure allowed, which I attributed to be his responsibility in Week 6.
RG: Nash Jensen (Memphis Showboats)
Jensen was the only starting right guard I did not attribute to allowing a pressure in Week 6.
RT: Samuel Jackson (Houston Roughnecks)
I attributed 3 pressures to come past Jackson in Week 6, tied for the lowest among starting right tackles, with 1 being a secondary form of pressure.
Defense
DE: Pita Taumoepenu (St. Louis Battlehawks)
Taumoepenu had 4 total tackles in Week 6, including 2 sacks and 2 solo run stops. He was a force in the pass rush with 10 additional pressures (2 of which he was unblocked), including 3 QB hits.
DT: Josiah Bronson (Memphis Showboats)
Bronson had 7 total tackles in Week 6, including a solo run stop, 3 shared run stops, and a shared stop against the pass. Additionally, he had 1 pressure in the pass rush.
DT: Carlos Davis (Birmingham Stallions)
Davis had 3 tackles in Week 6, including a sack and a shared run stop. He had 3 additional pressures generated (1 of which he was unblocked on).
DE: Bradlee Anae (Birmingham Stallions)
Anae had 1 tackle in Week 6, which was a shared run stop. He had 9 total pressures in the pass rush by my count (4 of which were a secondary source of pressure on the play).
LB: Tavante Beckett (San Antonio Brahmas)
Beckett had 9 tackles in Week 6, including a solo run stop and 3 shared run stops. 2 downfield targets came his way, resulting in 2 completions for 12 yards.
LB: Willie Harvey (St. Louis Battlehawks)
Harvey had 8 tackles last week, including 2 stops against the run and 2 against the pass. He had 1 target come his way, resulting in a 2-yard completion.
LB: Kyahva Tezino (Birmingham Stallions)
Tezino had 4 tackles last week, 1 of which was a run stop, 2 against the pass. 2 targets came his way, resulting in 2 completions for a total of -1 yard.
CB: D.J. Miller Jr. (Michigan Panthers)
Miller Jr. had 6 downfield targets come his way in Week 6, resulting in 2 completions for a total of 5 yards. He broke up a pass, and both of his tackles were stops against the pass.
S: Nate Meadors (St. Louis Battlehawks)
Meadors had 2 targets come his way; the first was a completion for -1 yard, the second he broke up. He had 2 tackles in Week 6, including a shared run stop.
S: Jalen Elliott (San Antonio Brahmas)
Elliott had 7 total tackles in Week 6, including a shared run stop and 2 stops against the pass. 2 targets came his way last week, resulting in 1 completion for 4 yards.
CB: Steven Gilmore (Birmingham Stallions)
Gilmore had 3 passes come his way in Week 6, and only the first was a completion for 11 yards. The 2nd was a pass breakup, and the third he intercepted. He had 3 tackles, including 2 solo stops against the pass.
Special Teams
K: Rodrigo Blankenship (St. Louis Battlehawks)
Blankenship made both of his field goals in Week 6, with the longest being from 53 yards.
P: Brad Wing (San Antonio Brahmas)
Wing was the busiest punter in Week 6 as he punted 8 times for an average of 44.6 yards per punt. He had 2 punts inside the 20, which were both beauties, one downed at the 2-yard line and another fair caught at the 7. He had the longest punt at 63 yards.
Returner: Isaiah Hennie (Memphis Showboats)
Hennie returned 2 punts for an average of 22.5 yards per return, with the longest being for 44 yards. By my count, there were 3 total missed tackles on his returns.
