Highlights, game recap, top players, news

news7g02/19/2023

4 3 minutes read

Highlights, game recap, top players, news

11:31 p.m. ET

ESPN staff

Football season resumes this weekend, when XFL debuted with Saturday’s game between the Vegas Vipers and Arlington Renegades at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This is the third iteration of the XFL, following the 2001 original and the 2020 reboot that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

XFL 2023 quick start: Team Renegades beat Vipers 22-20, recovering from a 14-3 deficit during halftime with 19 straight points before thwarting Vegas’ attempt to convert to 2 points when there are 8 seconds left. The Houston Roughnecks overcame the Orlando Guardians late in the game, scoring four in a row in the first half to overcome an early deficit in a 33-12 win.

Sunday will see St. Louis BattleHawks against San Antonio Brahmas, who is coached by Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward, at 3 p.m. ET. Week 1 ends at 8 p.m. ET in Washington, DC, when the DC Defenders host the Seattle Sea Dragons.

All XFL games will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available on ESPN’s network team (ABC, ESPN and FX).

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LV-ARL | ORL-HOU

Saturday game

Houston’s defense dominated Orlando, as the Roughnecks signed up seven sacks for Guardians quarterbacks Paxton Lynch and Quinten Dormady and overcame an early encounter to set the tone. The Guardians (0-1) scored first when receiver Cody Latimer – who played with Lynch on Dancer broncos — beat a defensive Roughnecks defender for 27-yard touchdown in the first series of the game.

Orlando Guardians scores first TD in review

Paxton Lynch connects with Cody Latimer, who upon review will be rewarded with the Guardian’s first encounter.

But the Roughnecks (1-0) prevailed from there, thanks to four pitches from midfield midfielder Trent Harris and two pitches from full-back Tim Ward. That allowed Houston to score 24 unresolved points, 21 of which came from four consecutive possessions in the first half. Roughnecks full-back Brandon Silvers hit two touchdown passes, a touchdown pass to Jontre Kirklin at 10 yards to score Houston’s first and a 46-yard pass to Deontay Burnett, in which the former player The NFL caught it with one hand and pulled away to make a touchdown.

Deontay Burnett Wins One-Handed TD for Roughnecks

Roughnecks QB Brandon Silvers passed the ball to Deontay Burnett, who made a one-handed grip to make the touch.

Houston running back Max Borghi also hit the ball at 27 yards.

Orlando broke Houston’s scoring record in the fourth quarter with a 51-yard touchdown pass from Dormady to Andrew Jamiel, but a fumbling hit late in the fourth quarter ruined any hopes of a return for the Guardians. when the revenue turned into a 5-yard touchdown run by Houston backup quarterback Cole McDonald.

Silvers took the lead for the Roughnecks, throwing 265 yards and two touchdowns on the 26/42 pass with two interceptions. Burnett had eight catches from 88 yards, while Kirklin had five catches from 66 yards. Lynch led Orlando by 136 yards with a 15/21 pass.

Roughnecks: Want to see us score?

Roughnecks: Want to see us do it again? pic.twitter.com/RbusdhkVR3

– Houston Roughnecks (@XFLRoughnecks) February 19, 2023

After a difficult first half, Renegades scored 12 points in the third half after Vegas’ two first legs to take the lead and continue to lead 1-0. Arlington’s defense dominated the second half, marked by two goals. Defensive save Tomasi Laulile played a key role in the third half with a 22-yard touchdown after a misplaced pass from Vegas midfielder Luis Perez, while full-back De’Vante Bausby scored. in a 4-yard interception for TD in the fourth round. Renegades’ D also took the lead with eight seconds left, as TJ Barnes fired Perez in a potentially game-ending 2-point conversion attempt.

Arlington’s Tomasi Laulile scores six electrics

Arlington’s Tomasi Laulile jumps in front of the receiver, intercepts the pass and returns for a touchdown.

Bausby’s pick came after Vipers (0-1) stopped Renegades in fourth and scored from the first half. Vegas stopped Arlington’s offense outside the bottom area, as Renegades cleared the ball. determined three on-field goals from Taylor Russolino, the third giving Renegades the lead to stay late into the third quarter.

The first half went much better for Vipers, who scored thanks to two touchdown passes from Perez to receiver Jeff Badet to take a 14-3 lead at halftime. Perez beat Badet with a five-yard scoring pass in the first possession of the game, then connected with the former Oklahoma scorer for 39 yards in the second half. Perez also hit a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cinque Sweeting with 14 seconds left. Perez threw 249 yards on the 22/36 pass with three touchdown passes and two interceptions, while Badet had six tackles from 81 yards.