XFL Game of the Week: Vegas Vipers vs D.C. Defenders

Story posted February 22, 2023 in CommRadio, Sports by Micheal Bolger

The Xtreme Football League season is officially underway and after an opening weekend of wildness, the XFL is back for another slate of matchups this weekend. While the weekend will be packed with action, Saturday will be the game to watch where the Vegas Vipers take on the D.C. Defenders.

The Vegas Vipers opened its season against the Arlington Renegades on Saturday at 3 p.m. In the season debut, the Vipers shot out to an early 14-3 lead before giving up 19 points in the second half to lose 22-20 to the Renegades.

Starting quarterback Luis Perez completed 22 passes on 36 attempts for 249 yards and three touchdowns. The former undrafted Rams quarterback threw two costly interceptions within the second half of play that led to the Viper's defeat.

Vegas couldn’t establish the running game and gave up on it after running the ball 15 times for 25 yards.

The black and red's defense held its open up until the final quarter of the game. The defense recorded 10 tackles for loss, and three sacks while forcing a turnover before halftime.

While the Vipers were unable to walk away with a win over the weekend, another team decked out in red in the northern division was able to.

The D.C. Defenders won its first game of the season in its home debut. The red and white controlled the momentum for most of the contest after a concerning, sluggish start to the day.

The 22-18 victory over the Seatle Sea Dragons was driven by the ground-and-pound game and Michael Joseph's lockdown defense. The rushing game accounted for 84 offensive yards and two touchdowns while Joseph forced two interceptions including one that he took back for a touchdown.

On Saturday, make sure to follow Jeff Badet wherever he goes because Michael Joseph probably won’t be far behind. Badet had an outstanding game on Saturday where he brought in six receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns, a stat line that will grab the attention of the Defenders coaching staff for sure.

As always, keep an eye on the quarterback matchup for Saturday's game, especially after neither side had an eye-opening performance. Perez put up solid numbers but fell flat in the later stages of the game while Jordan Ta’amu struggled to even get off the ground.

The battle in the trenches will be hard fought all day with the Defender's offensive line not letting one Seattle Sea Dragons defender get by on 26 dropbacks. On the flip side, the Viper's defensive line recorded three sacks and 10 tackles for loss against a solid Arlington offensive front.

The air attack from the Vipers clashing against the rushing and defensive stand from the Defenders will make this one a must-see game. The Vipers and Defenders will face off on Saturday at 7 p.m. in one of Fox’s 15 games that it will cover this season.

Micheal Bolger is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email mpb6233@psu.edu.