From Press Row: DC Defenders vs. New York Guardians

DC Defenders
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 8: A fan dressed as a DC Defender outside the stadium on February 8, 2020 at Audi Field in Washington, DC. (Photo by Al Drago/XFL)

The DC Defenders came up with two turnovers on the way to a 31-19 win against the Seattle Dragons. If this go as planned, the Defenders week two match-up against the New York Guardians will be a tougher test. In preparation for that test, the Defenders made a major move. They traded away defensive game changer Brandon Sylve for defensive end Anthony Johnson out of Los Angeles. On a short week, Johnson will look to add to an already impressive defensive unit throughout today’s game.

First Quarter: DC Defenders – 6 vs. New York Guardians – 0

Coming in to today’s game, Cardale Jones was expected to put up big numbers and that is exactly what he has done. Through one quarter of play, he’s been at his best with an 80% completion rate, 80 yards through the air and 14 yards on the ground. With that being said, the Defenders need to be careful of repeating what happened last week. While it’s great to utilize Jones’ mobility, Pep Hamilton and company cannot rely on their quarterback being their leading rusher through three quarters again.

Second Quarter: DC Defenders – 12 vs. New York Guardians – 0

The Defenders have wasted no timing getting things going on offense in week two. After striking first with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Cardale Jones, the Defenders start off the second quarter with a field goal. If the Defenders are able to put together another stop on defense, they can really put the pressure on a Matt McGloin passing attack that has been lackluster through the first five quarters of the season.

This is looking ugly early on. After starting out the game going 3-7 for 17 yards, Matt McGloin threw the first interception of the game. Making matters worse, the Defenders took the pick back to middle field, which will put a strain on the Guardians pass defense. Look for Jones to take this offense down into the end zone and make it a 15-0 game.

It took some time, but the Defenders were able to put three more points on the board. Conventional wisdom would suggest that relying heavily on your defense to produce scoring opportunities is not a wise move. However, conventional wisdom also notes that you shouldn’t fix something that isn’t broken.

Third Quarter: DC Defenders – 18 vs. New York Guardians – 0

Matt McGloin is showing us exactly why he is not playing the NFL and his offensive line isn’t doing him any favors. This time around, his second interception didn’t just result in a loss of a possession; it also resulted in a touch down. Through seven quarters of football, the Defenders defense has put up 18 points.

Fourth Quarter: DC Defenders – 27 vs. New York Guardians – 0

The New York Guardians trash is the DC Defenders treasure. Matt McGloin has only managed a modest 44 yards on eight completions. Not to mention, his team has only put up 62 rushing yards. Simply put, they can’t get anything going. Making matters worse, they are 1-8 on third down which has allowed Cardale Jones to play on a short field for most of the game.

Run it up! Run it up! Run it up! The Defenders are well in control of this game. They’ll need the momentum heading into week three as they head out on the road for the first time this season.

 

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