By Michael Heilman

Week 5 of the XFL season concluded with two games when the St. Louis BattleHawks headed to Audi Field to face the DC Defenders, and the night game featured the Tampa Bay Vipers against the Los Angeles Wildcats.

St. Louis BattleHawks 6, DC Defenders 15

Cardale Jones started the game for the Defenders for only a couple of series. He threw an interception in his second series of the game to BattleHawks safety Kenny Robinson that was intended for Jhurell Pressley. The BattleHawks took a 3-0 lead with 3:11 to play in the first quarter on a 35-yard field goal by Taylor Russolino. Then the Defenders made a quarterback change bringing in backup Tyree Jackson to start the Defenders third possession of the game. DC marched down the field and scored when Tyree Jackson threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Khari Lee with fifty-seven seconds left in the first quarter. The Defenders attempted a one-point convert, and it was no good. The Defenders led 6-3 as the first quarter ended.

The second quarter had both teams equally battling to make yards, but with 9:53 left in the second quarter, the BattleHawks tied the game 6-6 when Taylor Russolino would kick for a 40-yard field goal. Both offenses could not get much going for the rest of the second quarter, and the game stayed tied 6-6 going into halftime.

On the first possession in the second half, the DC Defenders regained a 9-6 lead on a 52-yard field goal by Ty Rausa. The BattleHawks attempted to tie the game again, but Taylor Russolino missed a 38-yard field goal with 6:46 left in the third quarter. On the next possession for DC, the Defenders marched down to the BattleHawks 33-yard line before settling for a 50-yard field goal try from Ty Rausa with 3:25 left in the third quarter for a 12-6 lead. DC remained in the lead 12-6 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Defenders made a crucial blocked punt on fourth down at the BattleHawks 36-yard line. This led to the Defenders to put the game away with 3:33 left in the fourth quarter on a Ty Rausa 22-yard field goal for a 15-6 lead. The Defenders defense made one more stop on fourth and one. After that, the offense came on to the field to take a knee to end the game and a two-game losing streak 15-6 over the St. Louis BattleHawks.

DC Defenders quarterback Tyree Jackson, who came in for Cardale Jones, finished the afternoon 9 of 14 for 39-yards and one touchdown. Running back Jhurell Pressley had a big game with 15 carries for 107-yards. Backup running back Donnel Pumphrey had 15 carries for 37-yards. Tight end Khari Lee led the team in receiving with three receptions for 14-yards and one touchdown. The Defenders defense recorded four sacks and a forced fumble.

St. Louis BattleHawks quarterback Jordan Ta’amu finished the afternoon 15 of 25 for 174-yards, no touchdown, and no interceptions. Running backs Matt Jones and Christine Michael combined for 25 carries for 139-yards and wide receiver L’Damian Washington led the team in receiving with five receptions for 114-yards. The BattleHawks defense recorded one sack, and one interception both by safety Kenny Robinson.

The DC Defenders will host the Dallas Renegades next Sunday at Audi Field for a 4 pm kickoff on FS1, and the St. Louis BattleHawks will head to Tampa, FL, to take on the Vipers at 5 pm on FS2.

Tampa Bay Vipers 34, Los Angeles Wildcats 41

On the first play of the game, Tampa Bay Vipers defensive back Robert Priester intercepted a pass from Los Angeles Wildcats quarterback Josh Johnson that was intended for wide receiver Saeed Blacknall. The Vipers offense used it to their advantage and was able to get three points on a 26-yard goal from Andrew Franks to go up 3-0 with 12:16 left in the first quarter.

On the next possession for the Vipers running back, Jacques Patrick rushed for a one-yard touchdown to extend the Vipers lead 9-0 with 5:33 left in the first quarter. The Vipers converted the one-point play to make it 10-0.

Los Angeles turned the ball over for the second time as center Patrick Vahe fumbled and was recovered by Vipers defensive lineman Shane Bowman. The Vipers added another touchdown on a one-yard run from quarterback Taylor Cornelius for a 16-0 lead with 14:00 minutes left in the second quarter. The Vipers converted another one-point play to make it a 17-0 lead.

The Wildcats started to claw their way back into the game with 10:21 left in the second quarter on a one-yard rushing touchdown by DuJuan Harris for a 17-6 Vipers lead. The Wildcats attempted a two-point convert that wasn’t successful; it kept the game at 17-6.

Tampa Bay was able to get those six points back when Taylor Cornelius connected with Jalen Tolliver for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 6:28 left in the second quarter that extended the lead to 23-6. The Vipers converted another one-point play to make it a 24-6 lead.

Los Angeles kept fighting, and on the next set of downs, the Wildcats cut the Viper lead 24-12 on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Josh Johnson to De’Quan Hampton with 1:50 left in the second quarter. The Wildcats got the two-point conversion to trail by only ten points 24-14.

With thirty-eight seconds left in the second quarter, the Wildcats crept closer to the Vipers as Josh Johnson connected to tight end Brandon Barnes for an eight-yard touchdown pass to trail 24-20. The Wildcats did not get the two-point play, and the Vipers held on to a 24-20 lead at halftime.

Los Angeles would take their first lead of the game with 1:48 left in the third quarter as Josh Johnson threw his third touchdown of the game, this time on an eleven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tre McBride for a 26-24 lead. The Wildcats got the one-point play to make it 27-24. The Vipers had had no answers at that point in the game.

Early in the fourth quarter, Wildcats quarterback Josh Johnson threw his fourth touchdown of the game, connecting on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Saeed Blacknall to extend the lead 33-24. Los Angeles did not succeed on the one-point attempt to remain 33-24 with 14:00 left in the fourth quarter.

The Vipers kept digging away at the Wildcats lead when Andrew Franks kicked a 25-yard field goal to cut the Los Angeles lead by six 33-27 with 9:21 left in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, on the next Vipers drive, Tampa Bay gave the ball back to the Wildcats when Taylor Cornelius attempted to throw a pass. Instead, Wildcats defensive lineman Cedric Reed knocked the ball out, and defensive lineman Boogie Roberts scooped up the ball and scored on a 23-yard touchdown run for a 39-27 lead. The Wildcats went for two-points and got it to go up by fourteen points 41-27 with 5:32 left in the fourth quarter.

Just as the Wildcats had built themselves a cushion, the Vipers came slithering back when Taylor Cornelius threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Reece Horn and cut the Wildcats lead 41-33. The Vipers converted the one-point play to trail by a touchdown 41-34 with 3:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Vipers were staging a comeback late into the fourth quarter; however, the Wildcats spoiled the party when Taylor Cornelius threw an interception by Jack Tocho to get their second win of the season in a 41-34 win.

Los Angeles quarterback Josh Johnson had himself a game going 20 of 36 for 288-yards, four touchdowns, one interception, and led the Wildcats in rushing for 19-yards. Running back DuJuan Harris finished the night with nine carries for seven yards and one rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Jordan Smallwood led the team in receiving yards with four receptions for 86-yards. Tre McBride, Saeed Blacknall, Brandon Barnes, and De’Quan Hampton combined with eleven receptions for 153-yards and four touchdowns. The Wildcats defense had one sack, two interceptions, and one forced fumble recovery.

Tampa Bay Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius finished the night 22 of 34 for 300-yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and one rushing touchdown. Running back Jacques Patrick had seven carries for 23-yards and one rushing touchdown. Wide receivers Jalen Tolliver and Reece Horn combined for thirteen receptions for 185-yards and two touchdowns. The Vipers defense had no sacks and one interception.

The Vipers will return home next Saturday against St. Louis BattleHawks at 5 pm on FS2 while the Wildcats host the Seattle Dragons next Sunday at 7 pm on ESPN 2