Eric Williams
NFL Reporter
Three weeks into the 2025 UFL season and there’s a surprising team that remains undefeated: the DC Defenders.
Led by interim head coach Shannon Harris, the Defenders handled the previously undefeated St. Louis Battlehawks, 27-15, in front of 30,014 onlookers at The Dome at America’s Center to improve to 3-0 on the year.
“By winning three in a row now, we’ve put a huge bull’s eye on our back,” Harris said postgame. “That’s the one thing we have to make sure we understand. Now the job demands more. We can’t afford to take time off or take steps back. Now, it’s going to get harder.”
St. Louis (2-1) will have an opportunity to get even when they face the Defenders on the road in the final regular-season game of the season in Week 10. Also, the UFL announced during halftime of Sunday’s tilt that the league championship will be held in St. Louis for a second straight season, providing some extra motivation for the Battlehawks to find a way to reach the title game for the first time.
[MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League]
In other big news, the defending champion Birmingham Stallions (2-1) defeated the Arlington Renegades (2-1), handing head coach Bob Stoops’ team their first loss of the year in a come-from-behind victory at Protective Stadium.
Here’s a look at other storylines from Week 3:
New defensive coordinator Blake Williams leads Defenders’ four-turnover effort
Longtime NFL defensive coordinator Gregg Williams left his post this week as defensive coordinator for the Defenders to serve in the capacity under former DC head coach Reggie Barlow, who took a job at Tennessee State.
However, the Defenders didn’t suffer any drop off. With his son Blake Williams taking over, the Defenders forced the Battlehawks into four turnovers, holding the top offense in the UFL to 128 total yards and just 15 points. The Defenders have forced a league-best nine turnovers through three games.
“Offensively, we really didn’t have many answers,” St. Louis head coach Anthony Becht. “We had four critical turnovers in the game. You cannot win with one turnover, so we have to be better there. We weren’t able to run the ball as much, so early downs were a challenge for us, to really get into our offense. I could just feel like we were pushing to make something happen.”
Battlehawks QB Manny Wilkins finished 16-of-29 for 147 yards, with one touchdown pass and three interceptions. Running back Jacob Saylors had seven receptions for 91 receiving yards but totaled just eight rushing yards.
Defenders QB Jordan Ta’amu was solid, going 17-of-37 for 243 yards for three touchdowns, including the game-winning score — a 3-yard diving catch by Cornell Powell that was intended for tight end Mason Fairchild but was deflected at the goal line by St. Louis safety Qwynnterrio Cole.
Houston head coach Curtis Johnson replaced an ineffective Anthony Brown in the second half with second-team quarterback Henderson.
The Delaware product went 10-of-11 for 80 yards, including a clutch 6-yard touchdown pass to Emmanuel Butler to lead the Roughnecks (1-2) to an 18-17 comeback win on the road over the Memphis Showboats (0-3).
Houston safety Leon O’Neal Jr. finished with nine combined tackles and returned an interception 30 yards for the winning score with 4:55 left in the third quarter. Roughnecks RB Zaquandre White finished with 94 scrimmage yards.
Memphis QB E.J. Perry threw interceptions on two consecutive possessions in the second half and was replaced by Troy Williams. The Utah product gave the Showboats a chance to win the game late, but Williams’ pass to Kwamie Lassiter on a two-point conversion fell incomplete.
Matt Corral guides Stallions to late-game victory over Renegades
It wasn’t pretty, but the Stallions earned their second win of the season in their home opener, a 10-9 victory over the visiting Renegades.
Starting in place of an injured Alex McGough (shoulder), Corral led the Stallions on the eventual winning scoring drive late in the game. Corral completed a 20-yard pass to Cade Johnson to tie the game with 26 seconds left. He then ran down the middle of Arlington’s defense for the 1-point conversion and winning score.
Birmingham benefited from a false start penalty called after the play by the replay official that negated an interception by Arlington cornerback Steven Jones Jr. on fourth-and-6 from Birmingham’s 34-yard line with 2:09 remaining. With another chance, Corral completed a 12-yard pass to Marlon Williams on fourth-and-11 from Birmingham’s 29-yard line to keep the drive alive.
Corral finished 19-of-41 for 255 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. For Arlington, Luis Perez went 26-of-38 for 208 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Birmingham finished with 10 accepted penalties for 78 yards and two turnovers but still managed to win the game. Standout linebacker DeMarquis Gates led Birmingham with nine combined tackles, including a tackle for loss.
The grandson of former NFL head coach and player Jack Pardee, Payton Pardee made his debut as the offensive coordinator for the Brahmas by replacing A.J. Smith, who resigned this week. With head coach Wade Phillips under the weather, Pardee also handled head coaching decisions on the field.
San Antonio’s offense performed better under Pardee. Specifically, explosive playmaker and star running back Anthony McFarland was more involved in the offense. McFarland finished with 75 scrimmage yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass from QB Kellen Mond. McFarland leads the league with 428 all-purpose yards.
However, it wasn’t enough, as the Brahmas remained winless, falling to the Panthers (2-1) on the road, 26-23.
QB Bryce Perkins led the charge for the Panthers. Replacing an injured Danny Etling, Perkins completed 17 of 23 passes for 193 yards. Running back Jaden Shirden had an explosive 43-yard run for a score.
San Antonio’s kicker, De La Haye, made a career-best 55-yard field goal in the first half but pushed a 53 yarder wide left with three seconds left that would have tied the game.
Devin Ross delivers redemptive performance for Panthers
One of the reasons for Michigan’s success on offense has been their kick returner, Ross, regularly giving them good field position. He finished with 212 kick return yards in Michigan’s win over San Antonio, with a long of 49 yards.
The Colorado product leads the league with 311 kick return yards, averaging just over 31 yards per return. Ross lost a costly fumble on a punt late in the game in a loss to the Stallions last week that led to a field goal for Birmingham, so this past weekend’s performance provided some redemption for Ross.
“I was really proud of Devin and the way he bounced back because I know he felt very responsible for last week’s loss,” Panthers head coach Mike Nolan said. “So, that was a good thing there.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him at @eric_d_williams.
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