As the Battlehawks hope to force the road to St. Louis through St. Louis, they’ll be relying on a backup quarterback in a key late-season game.
Via Fox 2, starter A.J. McCarron is out for Sunday’s game against the D.C. Defenders. He suffered an ankle injury last week against Birmingham. Although he finished the game, he has been rule out for the Week 8 contest.
Brandon Silvers or Manny Wilkins will start in McCarron’s place for the home game.
The 5-2 Battlehawks are tied with the 5-2 Brahmas atop the XFL conference. The Defenders, at 3-4, remain in contention for a postseason berth.
A win by the Battlehawks will clinch a playoff spot. They will have more work to do to secure the top seed over San Antonio, which hosts the 1-6 Arlington Renegades on Sunday.
The UFL championship will be held in St. Louis on June 16. The Battlehawks have drawn more than 30,000 fans for each of their three prior home games. They crossed the 40,000-fan barrier for the home opener.