The open microphone policy used by the United Football League made clear what appeared evident in the fourth quarter after A.J. McCarron was the victim of a late and low hit.
The Battlehawks quarterback was hobbled to the extent that he could be heard saying on TV that he might have a broken ankle. Then he walked it off on the sideline to the best of his ability.
McCarron was able to finish the game — although hurting to some extent — in a return to his home state of Alabama, but a final drive with under a minute remaining fizzled without a threat in a 30-26 loss to unbeaten Birmingham.
The game included six lead changes, the final one coming with 5:23 left in the game when Kevin Austin Jr. caught Adrian Martinez’s third touchdown pass of the day.
“Adrian Martinez was a problem on third down and with his legs,†Battlehawks coach Anthony Becht said. “We game-planned and schemed and put ourselves in position. I thought we had a good plan, but the kid’s good. The legs are a difference maker, and it’s been evident every week.â€
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The matchup between conference leaders lived up to expectations, but the loss left the Battlehawks at 5-2 and still in a battle in the XFL Conference with a home game next against the D.C. Defenders (3-3 pending a game Sunday). The Stallions are 7-0.
Becht told Birmingham coach Skip Holtz after the game he expects to see the Stallions again. The only possibility would be in the UFL championship game, on June 16 in ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
The ºüÀêÊÓƵ defense was not nearly as stout as it appeared the previous three weeks as Birmingham compiled 349 yards and its offense did not commit a turnover. The winning touchdown came on a simple slant pattern that the Battlehawks struggled to defend the entire game.
“We didn’t play our cleanest game, but we have to make stops,†Becht said. “Third downs crushed us today. It just hurts when the quarterback gets out of the pocket … and he does this crazy move and sucks the wind out of you. And we have to find a way to stop slant routes. It’s like 1,000 knife cuts.â€
The Battlehawks couldn’t have asked for more after a blocked punt with under a minute remaining gave them the ball with 40 seconds left and needing to go 47 yards for a touchdown.
McCarron threw a quick 7-yard pass to Jacob Saylors, who had three touchdowns, then ran 1 yard on his bad ankle and spiked the ball to set up fourth down. His final throw was incomplete, leaving him 19 for 32 passing for 161 yards with a touchdown and interception.
McCarron seemed slowed by the left ankle injury, but the extent was unknown and he did not make an appearance in the postgame news conference. A team official said McCarron would further evaluated.
But Becht knew that the final drive was not the decisive moment.
“I wish we could have made a few more plays early in the game,†he said. “I felt we had a chance (at halftime). We had the lead going into the fourth quarter and ran out of time. Give them credit for stopping us on four plays. We have a lot of weapons. We’ll see them again down the road. We have to correct our mistakes.â€
ºüÀêÊÓƵ was within three points at halftime thanks to a career-long 61-yard field goal by Andrew Szmyt, who had a 38-yarder earlier in the half.
What appeared to be the biggest turning point came when a muffed punt by Birmingham gave the Battlehawks possession at the 11-yard line. Saylors ended up with an 8-yard touchdown catch two plays later to give the Battlehawks a 20-17 lead. It was the first time Birmingham has trailed entering the fourth quarter.
But Martinez, who played in college at Nebraska, was more than the Battlehawks could handle. He threw for 230 yards and three scores and rushed for 60 yards with some key plays.
Birmingham won the USFL championship last season before the league merged with the XFL to form the UFL. The Stallions have continued to dominate in terms of wins and losses, but they found a tough matchup in the Battlehawks.
“Everyone felt there was a reason they were 6-0 and we were 5-1,†Becht said. “That team is good and has not been beaten. One thing Birmingham hadn’t had is adversity, and they fought through it. That’s what good teams do.â€