Memphis at Arlington: Renegades Roll Over Stumbling Showboats for Emphatic First Win, Stoops' 200th
After seven weeks of play, the reigning XFL champion Arlington Renegades finally have a win in the UFL.
Arlington (1-6) never trailed against the visiting Showboats (1-6), riding a dominant offensive performance and four takeaways from the defense to a 47-23 victory and handing Memphis its sixth-straight loss.
Renegades quarterback Luis Perez went 27-of-32 for 296 yards and a trio of touchdowns, all of which are season highs, and backup Lindsey Scott Jr. added a touchdown pass to Sal Canella that capped an 11-play opening drive. Canella caught another in the fourth from Perez, who connected with J.P. Payton for the other two.
Luis Perez with a DIME to JaVonta Payton 🎯
— United Football League (@TheUFL) May 11, 2024
The @XFLRenegades add on ANOTHER TD 🤠 pic.twitter.com/jewybP2Eu3
The 47 points were the most scored by any team this season — besting the St. Louis Battlehawks’ 45 against the D.C. Defenders in Week 5 — and the victory marked the 200th of head coach Bob Stoops’ career.
Now, three things that went very right for the Renegades this time.
Cannella’s Big Day
Arlington got Canella involved in a big way, and it paid off. Averaging under four receptions per outing entering Week 7, he hauled in nine passes to match Tyler Vaughns’s mark against D.C. for the most by a Renegades receiver in a game so far, and he did it on just nine targets. Additionally, his 72 receiving yards doubled his per-game average, and his two touchdown receptions matched his previous season total.
De’Veon Smith Got it Done
Smith has seen plenty of usage in 2024, hitting his Week 7 total of 14 touches on two previous occasions, including against Michigan last week. This was by far his most productive performance though. His 101 rushing yards eclipsed his season average of 29.7 per game and his previous high of 63, thanks largely to the 46-yard run that set up his second touchdown of the day. That touchdown tripled his season total, by the way.
TRICKERY FOR TWO
— United Football League (@TheUFL) May 11, 2024
De'Veon Smith is doing it all out there for the @XFLRenegades 💪 pic.twitter.com/MCypp3Kiav
On top of his two scores, Smith threw a two-point pass and picked up four first downs for Arlington.
They made their opponent pay for their mistakes…
…and not the other way around. The Renegades have snatched multiple defeats from the jaws of victory already — I wonder at what point Arlington fans finally exhaled during this one! — but they managed to stay out of their own way and on top of Memphis until the end in Week 7.
Gone were the costly, drive-extending penalties by the defense. Instead, they put up a season-high four takeaways, with Donald Payne and Vic Beasley forcing fumbles and Tenny Adewusi and Joe Powell picking off Troy Williams and Case Cookus, respectively.
PICKED OFF
— Arlington Renegades (@XFLRenegades) May 11, 2024
Tenny Adewusi said that ball is MINE 🙌😏 pic.twitter.com/rOrz5LKx4p
Just as importantly, Perez and company capitalized, scoring 16 points off those turnovers. Arlington’s offense hadn’t put up points after a takeaway since Taylor Russolino hit a field goal in the first quarter of Week 1.
The Renegades will try to get a new streak going in Week 8 when they travel to San Antonio. Meanwhile, Memphis will try to end its six-game skid at Michigan.
You can find Kacy Sager on X (Twitter) at @THESagerbomb.
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