XFL Game of the Week: Houston Roughnecks vs. D.C. Defenders
For the only time this XFL season the words “Are you ready for some football?” can be spoken on a Monday night.
It’s only right that such a matchup should see the top teams in the XFL North and XFL South face each other.
The D.C. Defenders have looked like the best team in the XFL as the only undefeated team through the first five weeks.
In the Defenders’ latest win they saw running back Abram Smith put on an absolute show on the ground.
Against the St. Louis Battlehawks, Smith broke out with 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
It was Smith’s first game with over 100 rushing yards as well as multiple touchdowns.
Smith now leads the XFL in rushing yards with 432 on the season, a stat where he leads the second place holder by over 100 yards.
The Defenders have received steady play at quarterback as well, with Jordan Ta’amu starting every game with 658 passing yards and one touchdown against as many interceptions.
Many of the victories for the Defenders have been close with three out of the five wins coming by one possession.
Prior to week five, the Defenders weren’t the only undefeated team in the league with the Houston Roughnecks having been so up until last week.
The Roughnecks fell in a road contest against the Seattle Sea Dragons 21-14 for their first loss of the year.
Prior to that loss however, the Roughnecks had won every game by nine points or more including two wins against the winless Orlando Guardians.
The Roughnecks have been led by quarterback Brandon Silvers offensively who ranks towards the top in several passing categories.
Silvers is second in the league in passing yards with 1,189 and ties for the league lead with 11 touchdowns alongside A.J McCarron with the Battlehawks.
That yardage has been spread out well amongst the Roughnecks receiving core as three players have over 200 yards.
Jontre Kirklin leads that bunch with 253 receiving yards and four touchdowns added onto that total.
These two offensive powerhouses hold leads in their respective divisions as we pass the halfway point of the season.
The Defenders hold the bigger lead of the two with a two game lead over the second-place Battlehawks and Seattle Sea Dragons who both sit at 3-2 in the XFL North.
As for the Roughnecks in the XFL South, they hold a slimmer one-game lead over the 3-2 Arlington Renegades who hold the second place spot.
With this being the only time these two teams will meet in the regular season, this Monday night matchup could be a preview of what’s to come should things play out the right way come playoff time.
Seeing what we’ve seen from Defenders’ fans so far at home this season, this matchup looks to be an absolute show.
Logan Bourandas is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.
