Around the XFL: Week 5 Edition
Following the conclusion of last week's games, the XFL regular season is now halfway over.
So with a playoff picture slowly beginning to take shape, let’s look back at week five of action.
It all started on Thursday with a 21-14 win for the Seattle Sea Dragons over the Houston Roughnecks.
Despite a three-interception game from Sea Dragons quarterback Ben DiNucci which led to 14 points in the fourth quarter for the Roughnecks, Seattle managed to hang on with a late touchdown to help ice the game.
Quarterback Brandon Silvers managed to add on 227 passing yards and a touchdown to help seal the win for Houston.
Following that game, fans would need to wait until Saturday before being treated with a two-game slate.
The earlier game featured the undefeated D.C. Defenders who moved up their record to 5-0 on the season after a 28-20 win against the St. Louis Battlehawks.
A.J McCarron was on the verge of leading a game-winning drive for the Battlehawks but threw an interception on his own 41-yard line.
The Battlehawks struggled to stop Abram Smith who had a staggering 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Going from the only undefeated team in the XFL to its only winless team, the Orlando Guardians dropped to 0-5 on the season while giving the Vegas Vipers their first win following a 35-32 score.
Both quarterbacks were on the top of their game in this high scoring affair with the Guardians’ Quinten Dormady only throwing three incompletions as a part of a day with 256 passing yards and two touchdowns while the Vipers’ Luis Perez threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns.
The week concluded on Sunday with the lowest scoring game of the week as the Arlington Renegades eked out a 12-10 win against the San Antonio Brahmas.
Only six total points were scored in the second half with the Brahams sporting out both Reid Sinnett and Jack Coan under center.
The two threw a combined three interceptions including one from Coan to end the game.
With five weeks left to play, the XFL North still appears to be a one-team race with the Defenders holding a two-game lead over the Battlehawks and Sea Dragons who both sport 3-2 records.
The XFL South looks like the closer race although only two teams are currently involved in that.
Houston holds a 4-1 record to lead the division but the Arlington Renegades sit at 3-2, just one game behind.
Both teams have a multiple game lead over third place San Antonio who still sports just one win while the Guardians look for their first of the year.
Week six is set to kick off on Saturday with a two-game slate and concludes on Monday night in a matchup between the Roughnecks and Defenders in what is scheduled to be the only Monday game in the XFL season.
Logan Bourandas is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.
