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Inside the XFL

by Fran Stuchbury
Published on April 6, 2023 under XFL (XFL)


Week seven of the XFL featured the largest upset in the XFL this season as the previously winless Orlando Guardians held on to defeat the formerly undefeated D.C. Defenders, 37-36. At the forefront of the Orlando charge was Guardians quarterback Quinten Dormady who passed for 328 yards and scored six total touchdowns, three passing and three rushing. The victory gave Terrell Buckley first win as a head coach.

Dormady's game-winning, 44-yard touchdown went to tight end Cody Latimer.

For Dormady, just being on the roster is a story in itself. The Guardians released him on March 2nd in part because someone in the organization believed he had leaked some of their offensive plays.

The league reinstated him while they investigated, and the allegations against Dormday turned out to be false, apparently a misunderstanding arising from texts between Dormady and a friend in the league.

Dormady has seized the opportunity, leading the offense in two competitive losses and Orlando's first win.

Even at 1-6 the Guardians are still alive for the postseason if they win out and get some help. They hope to build on the momentum when they play at home against the Arlington Renegades on Saturday.

In other XFL action in the North Division, the Seattle Sea Dragons' five-game winning streak that continued with a 24-15 victory over the Dallas Renegades, and the St. Louis Battlehawks defeated the Houston Roughnecks 24-15.

With the the D.C. loss, if the Sea Dragons defeat them at home on Easter Sunday and if the St. Louis Battlehawks defeat the Vegas Vipers at home on Saturday there would be a three-way tie for first place in the North Division at 6-2.

The Vegas Vipers have been eliminated from the post season but still have goals to accomplish. In addition to playing for an NFL opportunity, for every victory they will receive a $1,000 win bonus. Plus with a game at St. Louis this week and at Seattle to end the season they can play the spoiler role in keeping one of those teams out of the postseason.

In the South Division the Houston Roughnecks have skidded to a three-game losing streak, but at 4-3 still have a one-game lead in the South behind the Arlington Renegades at 3-4. The Roughnecks hope to end their losing skid Easter Sunday afternoon against a San Antonio Brahmas team that has had many injuries on its roster especially at the quarterback position,

Jack Coan could get the start with Kurt Benkert placed on the reserve list due to rib injuries, the second San Antonio passer to go down after Reid Sinnett who suffered a broken foot.

XFL Week 7 - Top 5 Plays of the Week

EXTRA POINTS

  • Friday's Seattle Sea Dragons - Arlington Renegades game on FX drew 177,000 viewers. Saturday's San Antonio Brahmas - Vegas Vipers contest on ESPN2 totaled 356,000 viewers and the D.C. Defenders - Orlando Guardians broadcast on ESPN had 365,000 viewers. Sunday's St. Louis Battlehawks - Houston Roughnecks game on ESPN finished with 502,000 viewers.

  • Orlando Guardians quarterback Quinten Dormady, Vegas Vipers outside linebacker Pita Taumoepenu, and Orlando Guardians tight end Cody Latimer were named the OurSports Central XFL Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Unsung Hero of the Week, respectively, for week seven of the XFL season.

  • Home teams went 2-2 and are 15-13 for the the season

  • Teams went four-of-nine on one-point conversion attempts from the two-yard line, seven-of-fifteen on two-point conversions from the five-yard line, and did not attempt a three-point conversion from the 10-yard line.

  • Former NFL Pro Bowl running back Philip Lindsay signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons. Lindsay rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2018 and 2019.

  • The Arlington Renegades signed quarterback Kelly Bryant and placed quarterback Drew Plitt on the reserve list. Bryant played at Clemson and Missouri and competed for the IFL's Bismarck Bucks in 2021 and Zappers in Fan Controlled Football in 2022.

  • The Vegas Vipers released kicker Bailey Giffen and signed kicker Sam Sloman.

  • The Houston Roughnecks signed kicker Austin Jones. Jones played for the United States Football League's New Jersey Generals in 2022.

  • The bright spot for the San Antonio Brahmas has been special teams led by kicker John Parker Romo. You can now add Fred Brown's 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to those efforts. His TD against Vegas was the first kick off return for a touchdown in the XFL this season.

  • St. Louis Battlehawks Donny Hageman connected on the longest field goal of the XFL season from 59 yards.

  • My XFL Best Bet Lock of the Week is the Houston Roughnecks -5 over the San Antonio Brahmas. Regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Roughnecks, Brandon Silvers or Cole McDonald, their offense is way better than the Brahmas offense which has struggled to put points on the board. San Antonio won't be able to keep up with the Houston offense. Look for the Roughnecks three-game losing streak to come to an end with a road victory on Easter.
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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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