Facing each other for the second time in as many weeks, the San Antonio Brahmas avenged a loss seven days prior to the Arlington Renegades with a 15-9 win Sunday afternoon at Choctaw Stadium.
In a matchup featuring two of the top-3 scoring defenses in the XFL, both teams were held under 250 yards as San Antonio handed Arlington its first home loss of the season (2-1).
San Antonio built a 9-0 halftime lead after holding Arlington to just 46 1st-half yards. The Brahmas took a 3-0 advantage on a 28-yard field goal from K Parker Romo at the 1:48 mark of the 1st quarter, and added a defensive touchdown on a strip sack by LB Delontae Scott and 44-yard fumble recovery by LB Jordan Williams (failed extra point try) with 6:34 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
After rushing for only 18 yards in the 1st half, the Renegades clipped off 28 on the ground in their opening possession of the 2nd half to set up a season-long 53-yard field goal by Taylor Russolino – 10 longer than his previous best.
On San Antonio’s second play from scrimmage following Russolino’s field goal, Arlington LB Donald Payne intercepted QB Kurt Benkert – who was just traded from Houston on Thursday. That set up a Renegades’ 16-yard touchdown pass from QB Drew Plitt to WR LuJuan Winningham, who acrobatically stretched back across his body to pull in his team-leading second receiving TD of the season at 8:39 of the 3rd quarter (one-point conversion rush was stopped short).
The teams remained tied into the 4th quarter, when aided by an Arlington 41-yard pass interference penalty, San Antonio re-gained a three-point edge, 12-9, on a 45-yard field goal from Romo with 8:56 to play.
A 48-yard connection through the air by Plitt to WR JaVonta Payton on Arlington’s next possession positioned the Renegades inside San Antonio’s 15-yard line. However, Russolino’s right-footed kick from the right hash sailed right of the goal post from 36 yards which would have re-knotted the game with 4:05 showing.
A 46-yard field goal by Romo with 1:46 left put the Brahmas up six, and an interception with 14 seconds left by S Tenny Adewusi with Arlington driving in San Antonio territory iced the contest.
Plitt replaced starting QB Kyle Sloter (6-for-13, 22 yards) and finished with 163 yards on 10-of-16 attempts. The 48-yard completion in the 4th quarter was the longest by an Arlington quarterback this season.
Arlington will play the Seattle Sea Dragons on March 31 at 6 pm at Chactaw Statium (Arlington).
