The Birmingham Stallions stopped the host Michigan Panthers on downs 14 yards from the end zone in the final seconds to preserve a 20-13 victory Sunday in Detroit.
The Panthers had driven from their 27-yard line to the Stallions 17 with 41 seconds remaining in regulation. Quarterback E.J. Perry was sacked, threw an incompletion, scrambled for eight yards and was sacked by Taco Charlton (three sacks) on fourth and 7 at the Birmingham 14 with 15 seconds left.
Birmingham’s Chris Blewitt kicked field goals of 34, 30, 38 and 20 yards. Ricky Person Jr. scored the Stallions’ only touchdown on a 1-yard run, with Kevin Austin Jr. catching the two-point conversion.
Quarterback Adrian Martinez led the team with 88 yards passing (8 of 15) and 65 rushing (eight attempts).
Perry was 20 of 33 for 203 yards, including a 76-yard TD pass to Marcus Simms and one interception. Jake Bates booted field goals of 62 and 52 yards.
Defenders 23, Roughnecks 18
Jordan Ta’amu passed for 212 yards and the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter as host D.C. defeated Houston.
Ta’amu found Ty Scott for a 17-yard touchdown with 6:04 to play, and then connected with Alex Ellis on the 2-point conversion to account for the final margin.
His first-half touchdown pass also gave his team the lead, when he tossed a 21-yarder to Briley Moore-McKinney to go up 12-9 late in the second quarter.
Houston’s final drive came up short, with the Roughnecks only mustering 13 yards in four plays.
The Roughnecks had gained the early advantage when Corn Elder intercepted Ta’amu at his own 2-yard line and returned the pick for a 98-yard defensive touchdown and a 6-0 lead.
The Defenders knotted it up on Darius Hagans’ 1-yard TD run.
Houston’s Reid Sinnett and Keke Chism connected on a 34-yard touchdown to go up 18-12 in the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
