2025 UFL Season: Week 2 Memphis Showboats at D.C. Defenders Game Preview
The Memphis Showboats are back to full strength as they face the D.C. Defenders on Saturday night in Week 2 of the UFL season.
Memphis enters the game at 0-1 after going down to the wire with the Michigan Panthers before Troy Williams threw a game-sealing interception for a touchdown with the final score being 26-12. The good news is that head coach Ken Whisenhunt returned to the team this week after a one-week absence for personal reasons.
D.C. pulled off a massive upset in Week 1 against the defending UFL champion Birmingham Stallions, 18-11. It was the defense that stole the show with 211 yards allowed and eight sacks to help them win the game.
Last season, the Defenders blew out the Showboats in Memphis 36-21 in the teams’ only meeting.
Game Details
Location: Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
Date and Time: Saturday, April 5 at 8:00 pm EST
Network: ABC
Betting Odds via DraftKings: Defenders -8, O/U 37
Injury Reports
Despite five players on the injury report for Memphis, the good news is that all are expected to play. Defensive tackle Boogie Roberts (left knee) and cornerback Nehemiah Shelton (left flank) were limited for most of the week, but are listed as probable to play.
The Defenders will only have one player listed as out for the game among the six listed. Safety Montae Nicholson is out with a neck injury.
Depth Charts
Memphis will be starting Jaylon Allen at outside linebacker over Izayah Green-May. Despite starting free safety Amir Riep showing as a full go on the injury report with his right knee injury, he is not listed on the depth chart as Keaton Ellis fills in his position. Nate Gilliam will start at right tackle in place of last week’s starter J.D. Direnzo.
The right side of the offensive line for D.C. will look different this week with Johan Branch at right guard and Mason Brooks at right tackle in place of Lamont Gaillard and Jarrid Williams. Starting defensive tackle Dennis Johnson is inactive for the game with Devonnsha Maxwell filling in. Tayler Hawkins is starting in place of the injured Nicholson at free safety. Another note is that Davin Bellamy is active for the first time this season and should get some rotational time at defensive end.
Keys to Showboats Win
Whether it’s EJ Perry or Troy Williams, someone has to run this offense well enough. Williams looked like the better quarterback last week, but with Whisenhunt back calling the shots, it would make for a better performance offensively. So, maintain the balanced attack they hope to be and get the ball in Jonathan Adams’ hands as often as possible.
D.C. threw the ball an unusual amount for having their star running back Abram Smith back, so the Defenders seem to be more of a passing team. The front four of Memphis did a great job with pressure last week and will need to get into Jordan Ta’amu’s face often as the Stallions did.
Keys to Defenders Win
The Defenders must get either Smith or Deon Jackson going in the running game. This was a strength of D.C.’s offense two years ago, but it hasn’t been able to do it since. Ta’amu is not the type of quarterback to throw it 35-40 times a game, so the running game needs to get going sooner.
Eight sacks last week make this week’s defensive strategy easy: do the same. Memphis’ offensive line has not been the greatest in the previous year, and adding Bellamy to the mix makes that defensive line much more dangerous.
Prediction
Whisenhunt's return gives Showboats fans more optimism that the offense will perform better in Week 2, as defensive coordinator Jarren Horton’s unit kept them in last week’s game. Defenders interim head coach Shannon Harris raised some eyebrows as his team performed well against spring football’s best team. There isn’t a reason D.C. hits a speed bump this week against Memphis, but the Showboats should be able to give the Defenders a run with improved offensive play.
