The distance between Birmingham and Memphis is 245 miles.
The distance between those cities’ United Football League teams seems much greater – five games into the circuit’s inaugural season, anyway.
Entering Saturday’s rivalry rematch at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, the Birmingham Stallions are 5-0 (3-0, USFL Conference) while the Memphis Showboats are 1-4 (1-2). The Stallions defeated the ‘Boats 33-14 on April 13 at Protective Stadium.
A Birmingham win – coupled with a St. Louis victory over Houston later in the day – would secure a postseason berth for Skip Holtz’s crew.
“Memphis is a team we’ve already played, and it always gets a little bit tricky playing the same team twice,” Holtz said. “I think they’re a team that’s evolving. They are schematically really starting to figure out who they are. They’re scoring a lot so far.
“They’re creating a lot of yards, and what they’re doing offensively creates a number of big plays. I think they pose a different challenge this week than they did three weeks ago when we played them, and so we’ve just got to focus on us.”
The Showboats basically need to run the table to have any chance of playing past Week 10.
Memphis coach John DeFilippo isn’t looking at it that way, though.
“We take ‘em one at a time,” DeFillipo said. “It’s a game at home in the division … that’s the way we look at it. I’m never a fan of looking too far ahead because pro football has a way of knocking you on your butt.”
The Showboats are coming off a 35-18 loss to Michigan, the team’s fourth setback in a row.
With starting quarterback Case Cookus injured, Troy Williams got the call in Week 5 and threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns.
Daewood Davis was his main target, snagging six receptions for 101 yards and a score.
Cookus will be back in the No. 1 spot on Saturday but regardless of who is behind center, they’ll need time to throw against a Birmingham team that can often make that task rather difficult.
“We have to protect the passer … that’s the No. 1 thing we have to do,” DeFillipo said. “They won the battle of the line of scrimmage on both sides (in the first meeting), and that’s gonna be the key to the game. That’s the key to any game, usually, but it’s especially the key to this one.”
The Stallions continue to set the standard in the UFL, leading the way in several statistical categories.
They average a league-best 367.4 yards per game in total offense, and are No. 1 in all-purpose yards (512.2 per game), rushing yards per game (157), rushing yards per attempt (4.9), yards per catch (14.6), first downs (105), field goals (14), punt return average (12.5) sacks (18) and time of possession (165:40).
Both Adrian Martinez and Matt Corral have put up numbers impressive enough to show why they’ve split time as QB1. But from a purely statistical standpoint, Martinez – who’ll start on Saturday – has an edge. Martinez has amassed 302 rushing yards (best in the UFL) and a touchdown and 603 passing yards and three aerial TDs.
Corral counters with 494 passing yards and two touchdowns and 99 yards on the ground.
“Adrian and Matt both are doing an excellent job,” Holtz said. “In coaching the quarterbacks, all I’m trying to do is get them to play in the system in a way to be efficient.”
Ricky Person Jr. is second to Martinez in rushing with 180 yards and five touchdowns and C.J. Marable has racked up 175 yards and reached the end zone once.
Deon Cain and Jace Sternberger have both eclipsed the 200-yard mark in receiving yards. Cain has 297 and a touchdown and Sternberger is good for 201 and two TDs.
Kyahva Tezino has been a force on defense, managing 21 solo tackles and 35 in all.
“He was one of the leading tacklers in the league a year ago (playing for the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL),” Holtz said. “We played against him. He’s a great player, he’s a competitor, he’s a leader, he’s physical, he’s tough. He can run and he’s got a great nose for the ball. I can’t say enough positive things about him.
“And I think the old adage that you don’t want to play against them, so you’ve got to try and find a way to play with them, applies to Kyahva.”
Lorenzo Burns has been in on 24 tackles, Mark Gilbert, 21, and Demarquis Gates, 20.
Carlos Davis leads the league in sacks with six for 38 yards on losses.
JoJo Tillery will miss the game due to a left hamstring injury suffered in last weekend’s 32-9 victory over Houston.
Saturday’s showdown is set for 11 a.m. with ABC providing TV coverage.
“We’ve got to make sure that we keep tightening things up and keep getting better as a football team as far as execution,” Holtz said. “We’re really excited about getting into another division game this week after having the opportunity to win last week against Houston.”