Battlehawks Slow Defenders to Win 16-10
The DC Defenders got out to a hot start against the St. Louis Battlehawks. However, they could not maintain their momentum as the Battlehawks shut out the Defenders over the final three quarters to win 16-10. St. Louis fans turned out in droves for the Battlehawks opener, and their team delivered a come-from-behind win to start their season off on the right foot.
DC jumped out to an early 10-3 lead thanks to a four-point field goal by Matt McCrane and extended it to a 10-3 lead with a Deon Jackson touchdown. For the remainder of the game, it would be all St. Louis. DC only had one drive the remainder of the game cross into St. Louis territory. Four Defenders’ drives also finished with zero or negative yards. and only had one drive last for longer than three plays.
The Battlehawks shook off the initial DC onslaught and countered with methodical drives that got them into scoring position and capitalized with three field goals and one touchdown. The Battlehawks defense was the star of the show, though, as they held the Defenders to 153 total yards and forced two turnovers as well.
Defenders Struggle in Game One
For the defending champions, the DC Defenders looked out of sorts and like they weren’t one of the teams with the most cohesion from 2025 to 2026. Returning their starting quarterback, much of their coaching staff, and several key starters, the Defenders were an early pick to dominate the 2026 UFL season. Their defense performed well, but the offense was abysmal outside of their first two drives.
Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu showcased the down side of his game. When he is on, he is one of the most electric players in spring football. With a cannon of an arm, physicality, and athleticism, Ta’amu can take a game over and make the big plays needed to win. However, he can also struggle to find open receivers, force throws, and cost his team games. He was putrid in this one, completing 9/16 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions. He also only added 16 yards on the ground. Ta’amu has to turn this around if the Defenders are going to have a successful 2026 campaign.
Outside of Ta’amu, the Defenders did not have many bright spots. Abram Smith barely touched the field, finishing with one rush for 0 yards. Running back Deon Jackson had 18 total touches, including one catch, for 57 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jackson built off a solid 2025 UFL season and should continue to feature heavily in the Defenders’ offense.
In the passing game, DC did not have any standouts. Seth Williams was average as he caught three of four targets for 51 yards. A majority of those yards came on a single 23-yard completion. Ty Scott was heavily targeted with seven throws coming his way, but he only caught two of them for 35 yards. No other player received multiple targets. Keke Coutee was largely kept in check, and DC is going to be searching for answers during the week as they prepare for Week Two.
Battlehawks Do Enough to Win
St. Louis was not setting the world on fire offensively, but they did enough to win, and their offense was productive down the stretch. Brandon Silvers was his usual self. He’s good enough to keep your offense on schedule and can make a few throws when he needs to, but he is not going to run an offensive juggernaut. He threw for 198 yards, one touchdown, and finished 16/28 through the air. He played clean, got the ball to his playmakers, and did his one eleventh.
Heading into 2026, many people thought that Hakeem Butler would be at the center of this St. Louis passing offense, but he was a surprise inactive. Under first-time head coach Ricky Proehl, the Battlehawks spread the ball around with Steven McBride getting five targets but catching none of them. Garry Jennings led the team in yardage on the strength of a 64-yard reception, and running back Kevon Latulas caught three balls for 61 yards to go with 23 yards on 10 carries. Latulas was a surprise spark for the Battlehawks and should be a player to watch if he is going to remain heavily involved in a 50/50 split with Jarveon Howard. Howard finished with 11 carries for 45 yards and four catches for 24 yards. Howard and Latulas both featured heavily in the offense, and both are fantasy-relevant moving forward.
Tight end Tyler Neville caught his only target for a ten-yard touchdown, and it will be interesting to see if he can carve out a larger target share moving forward. Frank Darby and Jahcour Pearson were both targeted four times, and Blake Jackson was targeted three times, but they only turned those into five total catches for 40 yards. Pearson and Jackson have been successful spring ball players in the past and could be buy-low candidates.
What’s Next
DC heads to Columbus next week to take on the Aviators. The Defenders will need to figure out something offensively to generate more points. Their defense does not appear to be a concern right now, but Ta’amu and company have to find a spark offensively.
St. Louis also heads on the road next week to take on the 1-0 Dallas Renegades. Dallas put up electric numbers through the air in Week 1, so the Battlehawks’ defense will need to show up in a big way. Oh, and Brandon Silvers will need to have the game of his life if the Renegades light it up again in Week Two.