Week 1 is in the books and the performance is well, forgettable. Not only did Gamblers lose, but the game was never close to begin with. From the quarterback carousel to one-on-one mismatches, the Gamblers have some reevaluation to do before they play the Birmingham Stallions next week. 

Let’s break down each quarter and see where things went wrong. 

Quarter 1

The beginning of the game was already foreshadowing how the rest of the performance was going to go. Starting quarterback Nolan Henderson (#15) struggled with accuracy and continuously kept throwing behind his intended targets, one pass ultimately ending up with a pick 6 early on by Steven Jones Jr. (#6). The pressure seemed to get to him and it looked like his confidence was shattered. A little over halfway through the quarter he was already benched for backup quarterback Hunter Dekkers (#8), who was able to get the team on the scoreboard for a field goal. 

The defense’s struggles also showed early. Quinton Newsome (#6) got beat on a deep ball by Tyler Vaughns (#1) for a 59 yard completion. They did show some aggressiveness with a big hit on Seth Green (#87), and a forced fumble. 

Quarter 2

Nolan Henderson (#15) ended up coming back into the game. His first drive back showed some progress as he was able to drive the ball down the field, and it seemed he had calmed down from his struggles from the first quarter. Unfortunately, his accuracy issues ended the drive with another interception, again behind his receiver. Dekkers (#8) came back into the lineup and remained the starter for the rest of the game. 

The defensive struggles continued as more big plays were completed, extending drives and exhausting the team early on. Austin Reed’s (#16) mobility in the pocket was a constant struggle for the front line, allowing him to extend plays and take advantage of running lanes when they became available. The entire backfield blatantly showed that they were unmatched in man coverage and were consistently beaten when it came to one on one matchups. By the end of the half, the Renegades had over 18 minutes of possession time compared to the Gamblers 11 minutes of possession time.

Quarter 3

By this time it seemed as if the offense forgot they had running backs. Consistent pass plays only amplified our weaknesses and inability to move the ball. Though at this time, special teams realized they had to step up and ended up with a kickoff return for a touchdown!

The defense continued to struggle in man coverage. Immediately, you could tell that there were no adjustments made at halftime, and they continued their gameplan from the first half, resulting in the same outcomes. Tyler Vaughn’s (#1) continued to shine and Greg Ward (#84), yes that Greg Ward from the University of Houston, started making impactful plays as well. 

Quarter 4

The hope of a comeback has faded away by this point, and the Renegades were on clean up duty. With 6 minutes left they benched their starters and let their backups get some playing experience. 

Final Score: 36 – 17 Gamblers lose 

Key Takeaways

• Hunter Dekkers did not have a bad game and seems to be our best bet at quarterback. The offensive line struggles and the Renegades continuous scoring clouded his performance.
• Special Teams is a weapon! With two kick returns for a touchdown our offense can lean on their big gains for better field position. 
• Corners and linebackers are a liability in man coverage.
• The defensive front is aggressive and can get after the quarterback and force some big turnovers. However, Austin Reed’s ability to maneuver around in the pocket tired them out early on. 
• The lack of run plays on offense only showed how limited our passing attack is and our quarterbacks inaccuracy troubles.