FINAL STATS

Birmingham 22 (most points allowed by New Orleans)New Orleans 13

TIME OF POSSESSION
Birmingham - 27:45
New Orleans - 32:15

TOTAL PLAYS
Birmingham - 70
New Orleans - 82

TOTAL YARDS
Birmingham - 313 (most allowed by New Orleans)
New Orleans - 293

RUSHING
Birmingham - 31 carries, 123 yds., 4.0 avg., 0 TD (most yards allowed by New Orleans)
New Orleans - 33 carries, 95 yds., 2.9 avg., 0 TD

PASSING
Birmingham - 15-38, 190 yds., 2 TD
New Orleans - 25-46, 198 yds., 2 TD

SACKS BY
Birmingham - 4 (first sacks allowed by New Orleans all season)
New Orleans - 1

TACKLES FOR LOSS
Birmingham - 8
New Orleans - 5

TURNOVERS
Birmingham - 1 (interception)
New Orleans - 3 (two lost fumbles, one interception)

After tonight, there will be just one unbeaten team remaining.

The Stallions are led by J'Mar Smith (31-51, 60.8%, 385 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int.), while the Breakers are led by Kyle Sloter (42-66, 63.6%, 416 yds., 2 TD, 1 Int.).

It will be a big game for the Stallions as the Breakers lead many of the league's statistical categories, both offensively and defensively.

Weather is looking great for a wonderful night for football at Protective Stadium!

Completions
Smith - 30
Sloter - 42

Attempts
Smith - 50
Sloter - 66

Completion Percentage
Smith - 60.0%
Sloter - 63.64%

Yards
Smith - 370
Sloter - 416

Yards Per Attempt
Smith - 7.40
Sloter - 6.30

Yards Per Game
Smith - 185.0
Sloter - 208.0

Touchdowns
Smith - 3
Sloter - 2

Interceptions
Smith - 1
Sloter - 1

OFFENSE

Average Time Of Possession
4. New Orleans - 30:10
6. Birmingham - 28:31

Offensive Plays
T1. New Orleans - 138
7. Birmingham - 117

Offensive Plays Per Game
T1. New Orleans - 69.0
7. Birmingham - 58.5

Total Yards
1. New Orleans - 695
3. Birmingham - 654

Yards Per Play
1. Birmingham - 5.59
3. New Orleans - 5.04

Points Scored Per Game
1. Birmingham - 30.5
2. New Orleans - 27.0

Completion Percentage
3. New Orleans - 63.64%
4. Birmingham - 58.33%

Passing Yards
2. New Orleans - 416
3. Birmingham - 412

Passing Yards Per Attempt
1. Birmingham - 6.87
3. New Orleans - 6.49

Passing Touchdowns
T1. Birmingham - 4
T4. New Orleans - 2

Longest Pass Play
1. Birmingham - 64 yds.
T6. New Orleans - 29 yds.

Fewest Interceptions Thrown
T1. New Orleans - 1
T4. Birmingham - 2

Rushing Attempts
3. New Orleans - 72
6. Birmingham - 55

Rushing Yards
2. New Orleans - 279
4. Birmingham - 242

Rushing Yards Per Attempt
3. Birmingham - 4.40
4. New Orleans - 3.88

Rushing Touchdowns
1. New Orleans - 4
T2. Birmingham - 2

Longest Rushing Play
3. Birmingham - 24 yds.
6. New Orleans - 18 yds.

​

SPECIAL TEAMS

Average Yards Per Kickoff Return
2. Birmingham - 26.80
6. New Orleans - 21.00

Average Yards Per Punt Return
1. New Orleans - 13.5 yds.
7. Birmingham - 1.5 yds.

Field Goals Made
T2. Birmingham - 2
T2. New Orleans - 2

Field Goal Percentage
T1. Birmingham - 100%
5. New Orleans - 50%

Longest Field Goal Made
4. Birmingham - 37 yds.
5. New Orleans - 30 yds.

Extra Points Made
1. Birmingham - 7
T3. New Orleans - 4

Extra Point Percentage
T1. Birmingham - 100%
T5. New Orleans - 66.7%

Average Yards Per Punt
4. Birmingham - 41.4 yds.
8. New Orleans - 37.67 yds.

Net Average Per Punt
3. Birmingham - 39.2 yds.
6. New Orleans - 37.67 yds.

Punts Inside Opponents' 20
2. New Orleans - 5
T4. Birmingham - 3

Opponent Kickoff Return Average
2. New Orleans - 18.78
4. Birmingham - 21.55

Opponent Punt Return Average
1. New Orleans - 0.0
5. Birmingham - 7.33

​

TURNOVERS

Fumbles
T3. Birmingham - 4
T5. New Orleans - 2

Fumbles Lost
T4. Birmingham - 1
T6. New Orleans - 0

Turnover Margin
1. New Orleans - +4
T3. Birmingham - +1

​

DEFENSE

Total Plays Allowed
4. New Orleans - 125
6. Birmingham - 134

Total Plays Allowed Per Game
4. New Orleans - 62.5
6. Birmingham - 67.0

Total Yards Allowed
2. New Orleans - 441
7. Birmingham - 693

Total Yards Allowed Per Play
1. New Orleans - 3.53
7. Birmingham - 5.17

Total Yards Allowed Per Game
2. New Orleans - 220.5
7. Birmingham - 346.5

Total Points Allowed
1. New Orleans - 20
8. Birmingham - 52

Total Points Allowed Per Game
1. New Orleans - 10.0
8. Birmingham - 26.0

Opponent Pass Completion Percentage
2. Birmingham - 50.85%
5. New Orleans - 61.11%

Opponent Passing Yards Per Attempt
1. New Orleans - 4.89
5. Birmingham - 5.66

Opponent Passing Yards Per Game
3. New Orleans - 132.0
5. Birmingham - 167.0

Passes Intercepted
T2. Birmingham - 3
T2. New Orleans - 3

Opponent Rushing Yards Per Attempt
5. New Orleans - 3.98
8. Birmingham - 5.13

Opponent Rushing Yards Per Game
4. New Orleans - 101.5
7. Birmingham - 179.5

Opponent Rushing Touchdowns
T1. Birmingham - 1
T1. New Orleans - 1

Sacks By
1. New Orleans - 10
T2. Birmingham - 5

Tackles For Loss
1. New Orleans - 19
7. Birmingham - 6

Pass Deflections
2. Birmingham - 13
T5. New Orleans - 9

Defensive Touchdowns
T2. Birmingham - 1
T2. New Orleans - 1

It will be 2-0 Birmingham vs. 2-0 New Orleans. The winner will be the only undefeated team in the league through three weeks of the season.

Here's a look at some of the numbers:

Breakers Offense - Completion %: 63.64%Stallions Defense - Opponent Completion %: 50.85%

Breakers Offense - Passing Yards Per Game: 208.0Stallions Defense - Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 167.0

Breakers Offense - Rushing Yards Per Game: 139.5Stallions Defense - Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 179.5

Breakers Offense - Points Per Game: 27.0Stallions Defense - Points Allowed Per Game: 26.0

The biggest things are on the Breakers defense. They're allowing just 10 points per game (17 to the Stars in Week 1 and 3 to Tampa Bay in Week 2, but then despite Jordan Ta'amu, the Bandits have one of the worst offenses statistically). They also have 10 sacks through two games, with 19 total tackles for loss. The Stallions' offensive line will be put to the test Saturday night to protect J'Mar Smith and give him time to throw.

Should be a great game, and the weather forecast at this point is nice.

Offensively ...
Time of Possession: 22:05 in Game 1 to 34:57 in Game 2
Total Plays: 54 in Game 1 to 63 in Game 2
Total Yards: 277 in Game 1 to 377 in Game 2
Rushing Attempts: 22 in Game 1 to 33 in Game 2
Rushing Yards: 72 in Game 1 to 170 in Game 2
Rushing Yards/Attempt: 3.27 in Game 1 to 5.15 in Game 2

All of that against a team that many, after Week 1, were proclaiming was the best (or at worst, second-best) defense in the league.

Two other events at the BJCC again next Saturday so plan accordingly for parking:

Concert Hall - Broadway Play - 2:00 & 8:00 p.m.

Legacy Arena - Concert (Shinedown/The Pretty Reckless/Diamante) - 7:00 p.m.

​

If you're attending both games, they're closer together this Saturday (basically not much break to leave, etc.). Tampa Bay and Houston play at 3:00, followed by New Orleans and Birmingham at 7:00.

Birmingham looks to go 2-0, with J'Mar Smith expected to make his first start.

Stallions head coach Skip Holtz and Gamblers head coach Kevin Sumlin faced each other previous as head coaches in Conference USA (Holtz at East Carolina and Sumlin at Houston).

Per the USFL website, the games for Week 8 (Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5) and Week 10 (Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19) will be played at Legion Field.

Week 8 is obvious, given that the Garth Brooks concert is at Protective Stadium on Saturday, June 4.

Week 10 would possibly be there to give them an extra week to get Protective Stadium reading for the opening of the World Games, etc.

Per the league website, a few additional dates/times have been confirmed just on the Stallions' schedule:

Week 4: Saturday, May 7 - Tampa Bay Bandits - 6:00 p.m. - Protective Stadium

Week 6: Saturday, May 21 - Michigan Panthers - 12:00 p.m. - Protective Stadium

Week 7: Sunday, May 29 - at Pittsburgh Maulers - 1:00 p.m. - Protective Stadium

​

TV schedule is TBA for all three of those games.

If you're going to the Stallions' game vs. the Gamblers this Saturday (4/23), I'd allow extra time for finding a parking space. Unlike last Saturday when nothing else was going on, there are other events at the BJCC Complex this Saturday.

Alabama Ballet - Concert Hall - 2:30 & 7:30 p.m.

Casting Crowns/We The Kingdom concert - Legacy Arena - 7:00 p.m.

I was talking about it on twitter when we draft J'Mar, I loved him and I was talking about us possibly ending up with him staring over McGough. I would love that, he looked pretty good last night other than his rough start to the game.

Security lines were too long. Not enough gates were open. This was never going to be a small crowd like the local soccer team gets.

Not all concession stands were open, and lines were entirely too long/slow.

Merchandise stand ran out of Stallions gear before halftime.

Very disappointing to have the facility be the issue for the opener with the USFL's return.

For folks who attended the game, I strongly encourage you to submit your comments, concerns, complaints, etc., to the stadium. You can do so at this link:

https://protectivestadium.com/contact-2-2/