Nail-Biter in Houston Ends in Roughnecks Loss to Stallions

 

Written by MAi' Ghen Storm, SFL Writer | Photo credit: Tylan Cornelius, SFL Photographer

HOUSTON, TEXAS – Following their long-awaited first victory, the Roughnecks' return to the Bayou City ended in a concerning setback, as they narrowly lost a hard-fought contest against the Birmingham Stallions 23-16.

The game began with the Roughnecks kicking off to Birmingham, who proceeded to control the ball for an unsettling six minutes. Despite the defense's efforts, the Stallions methodically moved into Houston territory and drew first blood with a 48-yard field goal, making it 3-0. Worryingly, the subsequent possessions for both teams resulted in quick three-and-outs, hinting at potential offensive struggles.

The second quarter brought further cause for concern as the Stallions' WR Davion Davis easily broke through the Roughnecks' defense for a 26-yard touchdown, compounded by a successful two-point conversion, pushing the score to a troubling 11-0. While Houston finally managed to generate some offense, with RB ZaQuandre White scoring a 4-yard touchdown, and adding a successful one-point conversion to make it 11-6, the relief was short-lived. A subsequent 44-yard field goal narrowed the margin to 11-10, but the Stallions quickly responded with a concerning 50-yard touchdown pass, extending their lead to 17-10 heading into halftime.

Despite a glimmer of hope after halftime, with CB Rayshad Williams intercepting a pass in Stallions territory, the Roughnecks' inability to consistently capitalize on opportunities remained a significant worry. QB Jalan McClendon's impressive 46-yard pass to WR T.J. Vasher and his subsequent rushing touchdown, bringing the score to a precarious 17-16, proved to be a fleeting moment of success.

Alarmingly, even after the Stallions gifted the Roughnecks excellent field position with a fumble on the kickoff, recovered by CB Armani Marsh on the Birmingham 25-yard line, the offense faltered and failed to score. This inability to punish the Stallions' mistakes proved costly as Birmingham regained possession and sealed Houston's fate with a late interception and two additional field goals, pushing the final score to a concerning 23-16.

The Roughnecks now face a worrying road trip to San Antonio to play the Brahmas on Sunday, April 27. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN, and one can only hope the team can address these concerning trends before facing another tough opponent.