Another scrappy, nail-biting victory on Saturday. The intensity and nerves were off the charts. The noise and energy level in The Dome was unmatched. The home-field advantage for the St. Louis Battlehawks is REAL.
Thanks to 118 yards and one touchdown from Running Back Jacob Saylors, two rushing touchdowns from Quarterback Max Duggan, a crucial 49-yard field goal by Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, and a defense that caused three turnovers and scored one touchdown, the Battlehawks got the job done once again for their fourth straight win.
Let’s talk about what happens moving forward. To recap:
- The St. Louis Battlehawks have clinched a playoff spot
- The XFL Conference Championship game on June 8th (game time to be determined) will be played at The Dome in St. Louis
- The outcome of the final two games at home against the San Antonio Brahmas and on the road against the DC Defenders will have no impact on the playoff scenario for the Battlehawks.
How does Coach Anthony Becht approach these last two games? If you play your starters, you risk fatigue and injury. If you sit your starters, you risk them getting rusty and losing momentum. Plus, the last thing the Battlehawks want is a two-game losing streak leading into the playoffs.
It is my turn to play "armchair coach" and offer my recommendations:
- May 23rd vs. San Antonio: Play the starters. Give the hometown crowd one more big regular season send-off. And let’s be honest, with Duggan’s below-average completion percentage and Wide Receiver Hakeem Butler’s inconsistent production, the Battlehawks offense has A LOT of improvements to make. If the Battlehawks are fortunate enough to earn a large lead in the second half, pull the starters. In this ideal scenario, the backups would then have the honor of playing in front of their own fans. And wouldn’t it be fun to see what backup Quarterback Trae Self can do?
- May 30th vs. DC: Play the starters, but only for the first quarter. After that, let them rest and remain healthy. This gives the second and third string players a chance to get valuable game experience. You never know who might get injured in the playoffs, and the team must have that “next man up” mentality. The Battlehawks will square off against DC for a third time on June 8th in the playoffs, so it would be unwise to show their hand in this game. Play hard, but play it safe and conservative.
I am certain Coach Becht is thinking through all these scenarios this week. There is one more regular season home game, and I want to see the Battlehawks entering the playoffs with confidence and momentum. One thing I know for sure is that playing a 1-7 Brahmas team with nothing to lose is always scary. They will not lay down for this game. And let’s not forget what the Brahmas did to the Battlehawks last year, ruining their chance to play in the 2024 UFL Championship game, in St. Louis.
See you on Friday night.