By Michael Heilman
Week 3 of the XFL season kicked off with two games Saturday as the Houston Roughnecks visited the Tampa Bay Vipers, and the Dallas Renegades traveled to Seattle to take on the Dragons.
Houston Roughnecks 34, Tampa Bay Vipers 27
Tampa Bay got on the board first with a 48-yard field goal from Andrew Franks for a 3-0 Vipers lead. The Roughnecks responded with a Phillip Walker 84-yard touchdown pass to Cam Phillips. The Roughnecks converted a three-point play to make it a 9-3 Roughnecks lead.
The Vipers tied the game in the second quarter on a seven-yard run from quarterback Quinton Flowers. The Vipers converted the one-point play to take a 10-9 lead. Phillip Walker was able to get the Roughnecks lead back on an eight-yard touchdown run to take a 15-10 lead. Houston would extend the lead 18-10 on a 28-yard field goal by Sergio Castillo. Tampa Bay marched down the field to score on a one-yard touchdown run by Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius. The Vipers converted the two-point play to tie the game at eighteen, heading to halftime.
Phillip Walker would break the tie connecting with Cam Phillips for the second time on a 24-yard touchdown pass to put the Roughnecks back in the lead 24-18. Houston converted the two-point play for a 26-18 lead. Tampa Bay slithered back into the game on a Taylor Cornelius 20-yard touchdown pass to Dan Williams now trailing by two 26-24, heading to the fourth quarter.
Andrew Franks would kick his second field goal of the game, this time a 43-yarder to put the Vipers in the lead 27-24. Roughnecks quarterback Phillip Walker would once again connect to Cam Phillips for the third time on a 17-yard touchdown pass to put Houston back up 32-27. Houston would then convert the two-point play to give the Roughnecks a 34-27 win over the Tampa Bay Vipers.
Houston Roughnecks quarterback Phillip Walker finished the afternoon 24 of 36 for 306-yards, three touchdown passes, and a rushing touchdown. Roughnecks running back James Butler led the team in rushing with seven carries for seventy-two yards. Wide receiver Cam Phillips had a day with eight receptions on ten targets for 194-yards and three touchdowns. Houston defense got to the Vipers quarterbacks two times and intercepted Cornelius once.
Tampa Bay Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius went 16 of 31 for 52-yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Vipers backup quarterback Quinton Flowers 4 of 6 for 67-yards and a rushing touchdown. Vipers running back De’Veon Smith led the team in rushing with fifteen carries for forty-nine-yards. Wide receiver Jalen Tolliver led the Vipers in receiving with eight receptions on thirteen targets for 104-yards. Viper wide receiver Dan Williams had two receptions on seven targets for thirty-five yards and one touchdown.
The Houston Roughnecks will head to Globe Life Park next Sunday against the Dallas Renegades at 4 pm on FS1 while the Tampa Bay Vipers will host the DC Defenders next Sunday at 7 pm on ESPN 2.
Dallas Renegades 24, Seattle Dragons 12
Dragons quarterback Brandon Silvers got the Dragons on the board with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Austin Proehl to put Seattle up 6-0. Dallas would tie the game 6-6 with forty-eight seconds left in the first quarter on a Landry Jones 12-yard touchdown pass to Flynn Nagel.
Brandon Silvers was able to get the Dragons back in the lead with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kenneth Farrow to put Seattle up 12-6 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Renegades tied the game again 12-12 as Landry Jones threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donald Parham. The game remained tied 12-12 heading into the fourth quarter.
Dallas took the lead 15-12 in the fourth quarter on an Austin MacGinnis 19-yard field goal. The Renegades extended their lead as Landry Jones connected with a 65-yard touchdown pass once again to Donald Parham to put the Renegades up 21-12. Dallas sealed the game on an Austin MacGinnis 33-yard field goal to give the Dallas Renegades a 24-12 win over the Seattle Dragons.
Renegades quarterback Landry Jones finished the day 30 of 41 for 73-yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Cameron Artis-Payne led the Renegades in rushing with thirteen carries for eighty-yards. Tight end Donald Parham led the Renegades in receiving with five receptions on seven targets for 101-yards and one touchdown. The Renegades defense sacked Brandon Silvers once, intercepting Silvers once, and one forced fumble.
Dragons quarterback Brandon Silvers finished the afternoon 21 of 34 for 204-yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Dragons running back Ja’Quan Gardner led the team in rushing with eight carries for thirty-seven yards. Wide receiver Austin Proehl led the team in receiving yards with six receptions on seven targets for eighty-one yards and one touchdown. The Dragons defense gave the offense plenty of opportunities as they sacked Landry Jones one time, intercepting him twice, with one forced fumble, and one forced fumble recovery.
The Renegades will return home to Globe Life Park in a Texas showdown against the 3-0 Houston Roughnecks next Sunday at 4 pm on FS1 while the Dragons will head to St. Louis to take on the BattleHawks next Saturday at 5 pm on FOX.
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