Houston Roughnecks fall to late San Antonio Brahmas rally

The Houston Roughnecks forced four turnovers and received four field goals from JJ Molson, but it wasn’t enough to beat the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday at Rice Stadium.

The Brahmas won 15-12 thanks to a 51-yard field goal by Ryan Santoso as time expired. San Antonio scored 12 points in the final three minutes to knock out Houston.

The Roughnecks fell to 1-6 with their third straight loss and Houston was eliminated from the playoffs by Michigan’s victory on Sunday. San Antonio improved to 5-2, tying St. Louis for first place in the United Football League’s XFL Conference.

“Our team fought, we have a lot of courage,” Brahmas coach Wade Phillips said. “This team has shown it all year. We win at Memphis by going 4th and 12 and scoring in that game. We had to finish this match at the end. Big plays on defense, special teams getting the ball out just as we were tying the game. It was a fun game to watch, a tough game to coach and play because it’s always very close, but our guys found a way to win.

Houston led 12-3 in the fourth quarter and looked poised to defeat its second in-state rival, including a 17-9 victory on April 21 against the Arlington Renegades.

Roughnecks coach CJ Johnson credited the defense, especially in the red zone, but the result was disappointing.

“They’re just a heck of a football team,” Johnson said. “Their defense played wonderfully. The offensive was never able to get going. We knew we had to run the ball, take some time. We answered. Our biggest problem now is too many unforced errors, especially with our offensive line. And when we get in the red zone, we have to score touchdowns.

The Roughnecks were clearly outplayed for most of the first half, but still went into the break 3-3. San Antonio had a 178-62 edge in yards before Houston drove 45 yards on its final drive to set up Molson’s 48-yard field goal.

Quinten Dormady and the Brahmas made things look easy at times on their first three drives, including a 25-yard reception by Landen Akers and a 20-yard catch by Cody Latimer.

But Reuben Foster forced a fumble from a leaping John Lovett, recovered by Glen Logan at the Houston 4.

The Brahmas’ second drive was almost a repeat, as receptions by Jontre Kirklin and Marquez Stevenson and a 16-yard run by Morgan Ellison moved them to the Houston 18.

San Antonio attempted a reverse on third down, but Corn Elder forced a Stevenson fumble and Donald Rutledge Jr. recovered to avoid a field goal again.

The Brahmas scored on their third drive, with a 29-yard catch by Akers giving them another opportunity. Marvin Moody’s breakup on third down kept San Antonio out of the end zone, but Santoso’s 26-yard field goal broke the scoreless game with 11:51 left in the half.

Houston found some success on its fourth possession and connected for a deep ball on its fifth. Jarrett Guarantano found Justin Hall open over the middle, with Hall absorbing a shot to complete a 41-yard catch. Molson’s basket followed.

The defense was successful for Houston early in the second half, as Chris Odom’s sack forced a fumble recovery by Ethan Westbrooks at the Houston 25.

Guarantano’s diving dive on third down helped give the Roughnecks their first lead of the game on Molson’s 31-yard field goal.

Molson was just warming up. Shortly after a sack by Odom helped end the Brahmas’ next drive, Molson kicked a 62-yard field goal just over the crossbar to give Houston a 9-3 lead with 2 :39 to play in the third.

Molson added his fourth with 12:36 to play, a 21-yard kick set up by a Colby Richardson interception and a 36-yard run by Mark Thompson.

A former UCLA star who played in the NFL and CFL, Molson made 12 of 13 field goals this season, including a 55-yarder.

“Throughout the year, he’s been one of our best players,” Johnson said. “He is very precise, he can go far. He’s a guy I can just say ‘can you do it?’ ‘ and he says ‘yeah, I can do it.’ This guy is fantastic. I can’t believe he’s still in this league.

The Brahmas stayed in the game on defense, with six sacks and 185 yards allowed.

Safety Jordan Mosley had a game-high 10 tackles and a share of a sack. Linebacker Tavante Beckett, a member of last year’s XFL Roughnecks, finished with nine tackles, two for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Wyatt Ray, Caeveon Patton, Prince Emili and Delontae Scott were each fired.

“When you have a D-line like we do and you play linebacker, it’s easy,” Beckett said. “The whole first quarter, I didn’t get a tackle. The stunts work, the pressure works, we do our job. Sometimes you don’t even get to the linebackers because your D line is so good.

San Antonio responded to the 12-3 deficit with an 18-play, 67-yard drive with Kevin Hogan at quarterback. Hogan completed 5 of 7, including two first pitches to Kirklin.

Lovett converted a 4th-and-1 on the Brahmas’ touchdown run and then scored on a 1-yard run, one play after Hogan’s fourth down was ruled short but erased due to a personal foul.

The Brahmas attempted a three-point conversion, unique to the UFL, and tied the game with 2:24 remaining on Latimer’s 10-yard catch.

Houston fumbled on the ensuing kick return, setting up San Antonio’s decisive drive. Reggie Roberson Jr.’s fumble was forced by cornerback Bryce Thompson, one of the few Brahmas who changed roles due to injuries.

“At the end, all of our defensive backs came out, so we had our safety in the corner,” Phillips said. “But the guys did it.”

San Antonio bounced back from last week’s 18-12 loss to DC, which lost 22-9 to Michigan on Sunday to fall to 3-4 and give the Brahmas a two-game lead over the Defenders for a playoff spot playoffs. The Panthers improved to 5-2, sitting in second place behind undefeated Birmingham.

The Roughnecks close out their schedule against three USFL Conference opponents, starting Saturday in Birmingham. Their home finale will be against Michigan on May 26 at Rice Stadium.