By Michael Heilman
Week 4 of the XFL concluded with two games, first, the Texas showdown between the Houston Roughnecks against the Dallas Renegades from Globe Life Park and second the DC Defenders headed to Raymond James Stadium to take on the Tampa Bay Vipers.
Houston Roughnecks 27, Dallas Renegades 20
After the Roughnecks defense, Cody Brown intercepted Landry Jones for the first time the Roughnecks struck first after their second possession of the game with a 37-yard field goal by Sergio Castillo to put Houston up 3-0. The Roughnecks defense intercepted Landry Jones for the second time of the game by Deatrick Nichols. Houston’s offense stalled for the second time and managed to get three more points on the board as Sergio Castillo kicked a 30-yard field goal to extend Houston’s lead 6-0 with 2:27 left in the first quarter.
The Roughnecks defense continued to be a turnover machine as Deatrick Nichols picked off Landry Jones for the second time. Jones has now thrown three interceptions in the first three possessions of the game for Dallas. Phillip Walker made this drive count as Walker completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Nick Holley to extend Houston’s lead 12-0. Walker ran in for a three-point conversion for a 15-0 Roughnecks lead 13:59 left in the second quarter.
Dallas was able to regroup and put a drive together that led to Landry Jones throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donald Parham to cut the lead 15-6. Jones connected to Parham on the two-point conversion to now be only trailing the Roughnecks 15-8 with 11:29 left in the second quarter. Dallas would add three more points with fifty-five seconds left on a 46-yard field goal from Austin MacGinnis to cut Houston’s lead 15-11. Houston attempted a field goal with three seconds left in the second quarter, but Castillo missed it, and the Roughnecks led 15-11 at halftime.
Dallas was able to get a turnover with eleven minutes remaining in the third quarter as Phillip Walker’s pass that was intended for Ryheem Malone was intercepted by Derron Smith. Dallas couldn’t find a way to turn the turnover into points. The next Houston possession turned into a touchdown as Phillip Walker connected to Blake Jackson for 19-yard to go up by ten 21-11 with 5:23 left in the third quarter. Houston attempted a three-point conversion but was unsuccessful.
On the next possession, Dallas marched into the Roughnecks endzone with a one-yard run by running back Lance Dunbar to cut Houston’s lead 21-17 with thirty-seven seconds left in the third quarter. Dallas converted the three-point play as Jones connected to Flynn Nagel to trail Houston by one 21-20.
Dallas stopped Houston’s offensive drive and got the ball back, but the Roughnecks stopped the Renegades offense as Landry Jones ate a sack and lost the football only for Edmond Robinson to return the ball for a 12-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion was no good, and the Roughnecks led 27-20 with 11:37 left in the fourth quarter.
Landry Jones suffered a knee injury late in the game, and Roughnecks defense recovered a fumble to seal the game as the Roughnecks defeated the Dallas Renegades 27-20
Roughnecks quarterback Phillip Walker finished the afternoon 25 of 41 for 239-yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and seventeen rushing yards. James Butler led the Roughnecks in rushing on eleven carries for thirty-nine yards. Wide receivers Blake Jackson and Nick Holley combined for ten receptions for 123-yards and two touchdowns. The Roughnecks defense had one sack and five turnovers.
Dallas quarterback Landry Jones finished the afternoon 25 of 38 for 205-yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. He would leave the game with a knee injury, and Philip Nelson came in going one of three for eleven yards. Lance Dunbar led the Renegades in rushing on nine carries for 48-yards and one rushing touchdown. Flynn Nagel led the team in receiving yards with six receptions for 76-yards. Tight end Donald Parham was second in receiving yards with six receptions for 56-yards and one touchdown. The Renegades defense had one sack and one interception.
Houston will return home next Saturday against the Seattle Dragons at 2 pm on ABC while the Renegades will host the New York Guardians next Saturday at 5 pm on FOX.
Tampa Bay Vipers 25, DC Defenders 0
Tampa Bay was still searching for their first win of the season as they hosted the DC Defenders in the last game of Week 4.
Tampa Bay scored on their first possession of the game when Jacques Patrick rushed for an eight-yard touchdown run to put the Vipers up 6-0. De’Veon Smith made the one-point conversion, and the Vipers were up 7-0 on the Defenders with 8:35 left in the first quarter.
On their second series, the Vipers marched toward the Defenders on a 6:48 drive when Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius connected a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end DeAndre Goolsby to go up 13-0 with 13:36 left in the second quarter. The Vipers defense continued to give Cardale Jones problems throughout this game. With 3:40 left in the second quarter, the Vipers added three more points on an Andrew Franks 40-yard field goal to extend the Vipers lead 16-0. The Vipers were playing good solid football with a 16-0 lead at halftime.
After both Taylor Cornelius and Cardale Jones threw interceptions in the third quarter, the Vipers continued to find ways to score as Cornelius scrambled for a 17-yard rushing touchdown to put the Vipers up 22-0 with 4:36 left in the third quarter. The Defenders had no answers at all in this game.
Andrew Franks would add three more points on the board with a 26-yard field goal and a 25-0 lead 10:17 left in the fourth quarter. The Defenders made a quarterback change with Tyree Jackson coming in for Cardale Jones, but Jackson didn’t provide a spark they needed as the DC Defenders were shutout by the Tampa Bay Vipers 25-0.
The Vipers picked up their first win of the season at 1-3 while the DC Defenders have now lost two straight and are tied for second place with the New York Guardians at 2-2.
Tampa Bay Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius finished the night completing 24 of 31 passes for 211-yards, one touchdown, one interception, and 36 rushing yards while Vipers running back De’Veon Smith led the team in rushing 24 carries for 122 yards. Wide receiver Daniel Williams led the Vipers in receiving with seven receptions on eleven targets for 72-yards. The Vipers defense had two sacks and one interception.
On the other side, this is a night that Cardale Jones would like to forget as he finished the night completing 9 of 22 passes for 72-yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Defenders running back Donnel Pumphrey led the team in rushing and receiving yards with seven carries for thirty-four yards, three receptions for thirty-two yards. The Defenders did not record a sack but managed to get a forced fumble in the game.
The DC Defenders will look to snap their two-game losing streak as they return home next Sunday at Audi Field against the first-place St. Louis BattleHawks at 3 pm on FS1 while the Vipers will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Wildcats next Sunday at 9 pm on ESPN.
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