Rage try to clinch first XFL playoff berth

by XFL Press Release
Published on March 7, 2001 under XFL (XFL)

UNDEFEATED ORLANDO LOOKS TO CLINCH FIRST XFL PLAYOFF SPOT THIS WEEKEND

XFL Press Release

East-Leading Rage Host West-Leading Las Vegas Outlaws Saturday;

Orlando May Enter Showdown Without Injured Starting QB Jeff Brohm

STAMFORD, CONN. - The undefeated Orlando Rage will look to clinch the first XFL playoff spot this weekend when they host the West-leading Las Vegas Outlaws on Saturday night at the Citrus Bowl (8:00 p.m. ET on NBC). An Orlando win, coupled with losses by the Chicago Enforcers and New York/New Jersey Hitmen, would guarantee the Rage one of the two playoff spots in the Eastern Division.

Orlando enters the game as the only XFL team to score more than 100 points this season (128) and leads the league with 25.6 points per game; while Las Vegas defense has allowed the least points in the league (39 total for a 7.8 per-game average).

But the Rage (5-0) will probably face the tough defense of the Outlaws (3-2) without the services of starting QB Jeff Brohm. Brohm suffered a slight concussion when he was knocked out of last Sunday's win in Memphis in the first quarter. He was replaced by Brian Kuklick, who proceeded to rack up 207 yards and a TD pass in three quarters of work.

Whoever gets the nod at quarterback, the Outlaws defense will need to worry about a Rage running attack which averages a league-best 132.8 yards per game, despite the fact that RB Derrick Clark's 69 yards last Sunday marked the single-game high by a Rage player. Clark has also scored a rushing touchdown in each of Orlando's five games.

Things will be just as interesting when "He Hate Me" and the Outlaws' offense has the ball. Despite the undefeated record, Orlando's defense is dead last in the XFL, having given up 1,515 yards on the season, nearly 100 yards more than any other XFL team.

Las Vegas RB Rod "He Hate Me" Smart has proven he is more than just a catchy nickname, as he is now third in the XFL in rushing yards on the season with 302, and is averaging 3.8 per carry. Saturday in Orlando is his homecoming, as Smart is a native of nearby Lakeland.

The Outlaws, entrenched in a three-team tie for first place in the Western Division, do have a question at QB, with early-season starter Ryan Clement eager to return from a shoulder injury which has sidelined him since week two. Newcomer Mark Grieb has started the last two games, but threw for only 98 yards and had two interceptions in last Sunday's loss to the Chicago Enforcers at Soldier Field. Coach Jim Criner will make the decision late in the week.

Whoever takes the snaps, Orlando will have to keep an eye on explosive WR Yo Murphy, who caught two touchdowns for Vegas last Sunday in his first game in an Outlaws uniform.

DAY       TIME (ET)   NETWORK    MATCH-UP
Saturday  8:00 p.m.   NBC        Las Vegas Outlaws at Orlando Rage* 
Sunday    4:00 p.m.   TNN        NY/NJ Hitmen at San Francisco Demons 
Sunday    7:00 p.m.   UPN        L.A. Xtreme at Birmingham Thunderbolts 
* NBC will also feature cut-ins of the Chicago Enforcers at Memphis Maniax game

WEEK SIX - WILD WEST ANYBODY'S GAME HALFWAY THROUGH:

As Orlando runs away with the East, the West is a wide-open affair, with three teams tied for the top spot and Memphis nipping at their heels. A look at the XFL standings and match-ups:

EASTERN DIVISION W L PF PA HOME ROAD DIV STREAK Orlando 5 0 128 80 3-0 2-0 3-0 WON 5 Birmingham 2 3 69 106 1-1 1-2 2-1 LOST 2 NY/NJ 1 4 44 78 0-3 1-1 1-2 LOST 1 Chicago 1 4 79 112 1-1 0-3 0-3 WON 1

WESTERN DIVISION W L PF PA HOME ROAD DIV STREAK Las Vegas 3 2 82 39 1-1 2-1 2-1 LOST 1 San Francisco 3 2 90 71 2-1 1-1 2-1 WON 1 Los Angeles 3 2 98 81 1-1 2-1 1-2 WON 1 Memphis 2 3 68 91 0-3 2-0 1-2 LOST 1

WEEK 5 RESULTS

Saturday, March 3rd ------------------------- Los Angeles 22, NY/NJ 7 San Francisco 39, Birmingham 10

Sunday, March 4th ------------------------- Chicago 15, Las Vegas 13 Orlando 21, Memphis 19

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Saturday, March 10th ------------------------- Las Vegas at Orlando 8:00 PM (NBC Primary) Chicago at Memphis 8:00 PM (NBC Bonus coverage)

Sunday, March 11th ------------------------- NY/NJ at San Francisco 4:00 PM (TNN) Los Angeles at Birmingham 7:00 PM (UPN)

(All times are Eastern Standard)

NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY HITMEN NOTES:

OUTLOOK: The New York/ Jersey Hitmen head west to take on the number three ranked offense in the league, the San Francisco Demons. The Hitmen enter this week's contest fresh off a 22-7 thumping by the Los Angeles Xtreme at Giants Stadium.
GAMEPLAN: On offense, the Hitmen improved last week with RB Joe Aska rushing the ball for 93 yards and QB Wally Richardson completing 14 of 22 passes while rushing for 68 yards. In order for the Hitmen to have success against the Demons' top-rated defense, they must continue to use the versatility of Richardson, while establishing a running game with Aska. On defense, the Hitmen's two-deep zone will need to improve if they want to stop QB Pat Barnes and the Demons arsenal of receivers. The Hitmen can't forget the Demons' newly-discovered running game, after RB Juan Johnson rushed for 101 yards last week.
NEWS AND NOTES: QB Wally Richardson is averaging a whopping 11.3 yards per carry and completing 64 percent of his passes, as the Penn State product has brought stability to the quarterback position. He earned team Offensive Player of the Week accolades for the second consecutive week. Running back Joe Aska established a trio of team rushing records against the Xtreme: most yards rushing in a game (93), longest run from scrimmage (42) and highest average yards-per-carry (minimum 10 carries -- 8.5)... Having starting LB Ron "Big Merk" Merkerson back from a concussion will help. Without Merkerson in the lineup last week, NY/NJ surrendered nearly 300 yards passing and its highest point total of the season.
OFF THE FIELD: Hitmen OG David Camacho (Hawthorne), DT Christian Maumalanga (Torrance) and CB Damen Wheeler (Sacramento) all boast roots in the Golden State....TE Marcus Hinton has been in and out of football the past five years. He was originally drafted by the Oakland Raiders 1995, but has been employed outside of football the past couple of years. In 1997, Hinton worked in a sawmill in Wiggins, Mississippi and last year was employed as a substitute teacher in the same town.

CHICAGO ENFORCERS NOTES:

OUTLOOK: The Chicago Enforcers, fresh off its first win of the season, a 15-13 come-from-behind win over Las Vegas, look to improve their record to 2-4 when they travel to Memphis.
GAMEPLAN: Despite being 1-4, the Enforcers are not quite out of the playoff picture yet. The XFL's Offensive Player of the Week Kevin McDougal will start again this weekend, and with his strong, accurate arm, and his ability to scramble, look for Chicago to become more versatile on offense with its short passing game and McDougal on rollouts. RB John Avery will face a tough challenge this week as he faces a Memphis defense that ranks second in the league against the run. On defense, the Enforcers have a tough assignment in containing Memphis' RB Rashaan Salaam, who is averaging 107 yards the past two games.
NEWS AND NOTES: McDougal, making his first start of the season, connected on 17-22 passes for 169 yards in the win over Vegas. Although his longest completion was only 23 yards, McDougal was able to lead the Enforcers on two 80-plus yard scoring drives, including the game-winning 82-yard drive with only 1:59 left in the game... McDougal's 17 completions against Las Vegas went to a total of seven different players. RyanYarborough led the attack with five catches for 37 yards while John Avery had four receptions for 35 yards. Luke Leverson, Aaron Bailey and Tyji Armstrong each had two while Junior Lord and Willy Tate each caught one ball....Something Has to Give: Chicago is 0-3 on the road while the Maniax are 0-3 at home... After allowing 72 (36.0 per game) points and 807 (403.5 per game) total yards in the first two games, Chicago's defense has allowed only four touchdowns, 40 points (13.3 per game) and 643 (214.3 per game) yards in the last three games. ...With his first-ever XFL win on Sunday, Coach Ron Meyer has now posted wins in the NFL, the CFL, NCAA Division I and Division II.
OFF THE FIELD: The Chicago Enforcers are giving away bonus money. That's right, at each Enforcers home game, a lucky Enforcers fan will receive approximately $2,600, equal to a players bonus, every time the club wins a home game. There is a hunt for last week's inaugural winner, as he/she has not claimed the bonus money.

BIRMINGHAM THUNDERBOLTS NOTES:

OUTLOOK: Birmingham must wake up this week after being outscored 69-16 in the past two games. One week after suffering its worst defeat of the season at the hands of the San Francisco Demons, 39-10, Birmingham will seek to defeat its first Western Division team in the Los Angeles Xtreme.
GAMEPLAN: The offense, which has been plagued by slow starts, as a whole has been struggling with dropped passes, penalties and fumbles. Thunderbolts QB Casey Weldon will get the nod this week, but if the offense struggles in front of the home crowd, Coach DiNardo may look to backup QB and hometown boy Jay Barker. Although WR Stepfret Williams continues to lead the league in receiving yards (445) and has set an XFL record with a 95 yard TD reception against the Demons, look for the offense to establish its running game with RB James Bostic. On defense, Birmingham ranks last in the league against the run.
NEWS AND NOTES: Birmingham wide receiver/punt returner Stepfret Williams is the author of two of the XFL's longest scoring plays. Williams' 95-yard punt return for a touchdown at New York/New Jersey is the standard in that category, and his 92-yard touchdown reception from Jay Barker last week at San Fran is the longest scoring pass in XFL history... DB Chris Shelling leads the club in solo stops with 29. Answering to the nickname of "Shocker", Shelling has established himself as the leader of the Birmingham secondary... The first quarter has been unkind to the Thunderbolts this season. Birmingham has been outscored 29-0 in the first period and out-gained 373 yards to 151.
OFF THE FIELD: While the XFL is a single entity, it doesn't preclude team owners from playing in the league. Backup quarterback Jay Barker has part ownership in the Mobile Seagulls; franchise of the National Indoor Professional Football League.... The 2001 XFL season marks the second time tight end Ed Smith has taken a professional tour of duty in Birmingham. In 1990, Smith played third base for the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

ORLANDO RAGE NOTES:

OUTLOOK: After nipping the Memphis Maniax, 21-19, last week at the Liberty Bowl, the Eastern Division leading and undefeated (5-0) Orlando Rage return home to face West-leading Las Vegas.
GAME PLAN: If QB Jeff Brohm is out of action with a slight concussion, look for back up QB Brian Kuklick to pick up where he left off last week in Memphis. Kuklick was 9 of 18 for 207 yards, 81 of them to Wideout Dialleo Burks for a touchdown reception in his three-quarters of play. Orlando will continue to pound away at the Vegas defense with RB's Derrick Clark, Michael Black, and Brian Shay. The Rage running attack is averaging a league-best 132.8 yards per game, despite the fact that RB Derrick Clark's 69 yards last Sunday marked the single-game high by a Rage player. On defense, Orlando must take advantage of Las Vegas' lack of offensive power as the Outlaws rank last in total offense, averaging 16 points a game.
NEWS AND NOTES: With a one-yard run against Memphis, Derrick Clark extended his XFL record for most consecutive games with a running touchdown to five...In 12 "Red Zone" opportunities this year, the Rage have put points on the board on 11 occasions - including nine touchdowns - for a success rate of 90.9%....Since being called for false starts twice in the first game of the season, the Orlando Rage offense has not been called for that infraction since - a period covering four games and 17+ quarters... Orlando's offense has been called for just 9 penalties all season, including 2 false stops, 1 illegal formation, 5 holding penalties, 1 offensive pass interference and 1 personal foul...Kicker Jay Taylor missed a field goal for the first time this season when he was wide right from 42 yards on the last play of the second quarter against Memphis. His streak ends at four... Scott Cloman has won three of the four dashes, but it is interesting to note that Cloman has not been the first to the ball in any of the attempts.
OFF THE FIELD: Rage starting defensive end James Roberson (from Lakeland, Fla.) and Las Vegas Outlaws starting defensive tackle Carl Simpson played side-by-side at Florida State University in 1991 and 1992.

SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS TEAM NOTES:

OUTLOOK: The San Francisco Demons seeks its second win in a row at home as they entertain the Hitmen. The Demons are flying after blowing out the Birmingham Thunderbolts, 39-10, last Saturday.
GAMEPLAN: When QB Mike Pawlawski went down with a neck injury, many wondered how the Demons would react; how would they score points with QB Pat Barnes at the helm, and without a running attack to support him. All those questions were answered last week with QB Pat Barnes led the Demons to its highest scoring output of the season (39 points). Barnes was aided by Demons RB Juan Johnson, who rushed for 101 yards. On offense, the Demons will look to attack the Hitmen secondary, which was picked apart last week by Los Angeles. But the Demons also rushed for a season-high 163 yards last week, while only passing for 100 yards, marking the first game this season in which the Demons passed for less than 200 yards. On defense, the XFL's Defensive Player of the Week Jermaine Miles and his league-leading defense will look to shut out the Hitmen's running game and force QB Wally Richardson to beat them with the pass.
NEWS AND NOTES: Miles was a thorn in Birmingham's side throughout a 39-10 blowout on Saturday night at San Francisco's "Hell Hole," Pac Bell Park. Miles recorded two quarterback sacks and forced a 15-yard loss and fumble on a backward pass from Casey Weldon to James Bostic, which the Demons' converted to points in the first half. Miles sparked the Demons defense, which held the Thunderbolts to just 177 total net yards for the game....QB Pat Barnes accounted for San Francisco's first three touchdowns Saturday night to pace the Demons to the convincing victory....Quarterbacks Mike Pawlawski and Pat Barnes have continued to spread the wealth in the passing game, hitting all 13 receivers available to them during the first five weeks of the season.... Cornerback Kevin Kaesviharn (three interceptions on the season) is one of only seven XFL defensive backs with more than one interception through five games and trails only Las Vegas' Brandon Sanders, who has four picks.
OFF THE FIELD: Facing the Hitmen this week, XFL Defensive Player of Week Jermaine Miles is a native of Brooklyn, New York and was stand out football player at Canarsie High School in Brooklyn.

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS NOTES:

OUTLOOK: After losing 15-13 and allowing 15 unanswered points in the second half to the Chicago Enforcers, the Outlaws look to rebound against the undefeated Orlando Rage.
GAMEPLAN: Although Las Vegas' offense is ranked last in the league, the Outlaws have been getting some offensive firepower as of late. RB "He Hate Me" A.K.A Rod Smart is averaging 105 yards rushing over the past two weeks. With QB Ryan Clement healthy and entering his second full week of practice, he could be ready to start, creating a QB controversy in the Outlaw camp. Head coach Jim Criner has not named his starter, leaving the competition fierce this week in practice. Last week, Mark Grieb completed half of his passes (9 of 18) for 98 yards with two TDs and two picks. The Outlaw defense, ranked second in the league behind the San Francisco Demons, face their toughest offensive opponent. The Rage is averaging 132 yards rushing, a tough challenge for Las Vegas, who pride themselves on stopping the run allowing only 68 yards on the ground.
NEWS AND NOTES: The Outlaws have forced 14 turnovers in five games with just four give-aways to boast the league's top turnover ratio (+10)... RB Rod "He Hate Me" Smart boasts ties from Florida. The Lakeland, Fla., native is reunited this week with his six brothers and sisters that continue to live in the area... WR Yo Murphy immediately made his presence on the Outlaws known against Chicago. With just 52 seconds remaining in the first half, Murphy caught his second TD and third pass of the day, a 7-yard slant that gave the Outlaws its 13-0 halftime lead. With three catches for 38 yards and two TDs on the day, Murphy became the second-leading scorer for Las Vegas (behind K Paul McCallum, who has 18 points) and the first-ever Outlaw to score multiple touchdowns in a game... For the third consecutive week, the Outlaws added a player to their offensive scheme. The Outlaws traded S Toby Wright to the San Francisco Demons for G/T Tony Berti, whose rights had come to San Francisco earlier in the day from the NY/NJ Hitmen.
OFF THE FIELD: Las Vegas Coach Jim Criner spent nine years away from football, running a fishing supply business (Bob Lilly's Trout Shop) in West Yellowstone, Montana. Criner also made a number of videos and served as an instructor on fly fishing - earning a rating as one of the top 25 instructors in the country by the US Fishing Federation.

MEMPHIS MANIAX NOTES:

OUTLOOK: The Western Division's second-place Memphis Maniax look to rebound after a tough 21-19 loss to the Orlando Rage. The Maniax, facing its second Eastern Division opponent in two weeks, look to win its first home game of the season.
GAMEPLAN: Memphis, who slid to second in the league in total offense, has not fallen in the individual statistics category. RB Rashaan Salaam has put together impressive back-to-back rushing games carrying the ball last week 20 times for 89 yards, one week after a 122-yard effort. In the passing game, Maniax QB Jim Druckenmiller has found a star in WR Kevin Prentiss, who caught seven of his 16 passes, propelling Prentiss to third in the league in receptions (25). On defense, containing RB John Avery and Offensive Player of Week QB Kevin McDougal gives the Maniax their best shot at winning this game. If it comes down to the kicking game, Memphis likes its chances with Jeff Hall, who is 8 of 11 on the year and has scored 24 of the Maniax' 68 points.
NEWS AND NOTES: The visiting Enforcers bring three former Ole Miss stars back to the Mid-South for Saturday's game vs. the Maniax. RB John Avery, second only to the Maniax' Rashaan Salaam in rushing yards, leads the Enforcers' offensive attack. Tight end Tyji Armstrong, a six-year NFL veteran, and WR Roell Preston also are former Rebels who played their college football just down the road in Oxford.... Memphis has had difficulty scoring in the second half of games this season and has yet to register a touchdown in the final 30 minutes of the first five games. In the five second halves, the Maniax were limited to one field goal at Birmingham, no points vs. Las Vegas and San Francisco, a field goal at Los Angeles and a field goal vs. Orlando ... Despite the lack of second-half scoring, the Maniax remain the second-best offense in the XFL with an average of 305 yards per game.
OFF THE FIELD: Newly acquired offensive lineman Isaac Davis was a standout lineman at the University of Arkansas. To show thanks and appreciation for those who helped him along the way, the Malvern, Ark. native has established a scholarship fund at Malvern High School for two minority students each year for $1,000.

LOS ANGELES XTREME NOTES:

OUTLOOK: The Xtreme will bring its aerial attack south this weekend to face the Eastern Division's second-place team, the Birmingham Thunderbolts. The Xtreme enter this game after knocking off the New York/New Jersey Hitmen, 22-7, last week in Giants Stadium.
GAMEPLAN: In a dominant and impressive performance against the Hitmen by Xtreme QB Tommy Maddox, the Xtreme offense appears to be back on track. Look for Maddox to go to WR Jermaine Copeland, who leads the league in receptions with 35, and WR Darnell McDonald, who is tied for first in touchdown receptions (4), often during this contest. But, if the Xtreme get its running game going, it has a chance at success against the Bolts' defense, as Birmingham ranks last in the league in rush defense. On defense, look for the LA secondary, which features CB Terry Billups, to play a lot of zone against a Birmingham receiving corps which is led by Stepfret Williams, who leads the league in receiving yards, and is second in the league in receptions (30) behind Copeland.
NEWS AND NOTES: Xtreme quarterback Tommy Maddox completed 23 of 37 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns at Giants Stadium last week. Maddox now leads the XFL in touchdown passes (8) and passing yards (1,149)... For the first time in three weeks, the Xtreme will not face a defense ranked overall in the top three in the XFL...Wideouts Jermaine Copeland and Darnell McDonald rank as the most productive receiving duo in the league, combining for 55receptions for 654 yards and six touchdowns. Cope and DMAC are also responsible for six of the Xtreme's eight touchdown receptions...The Xtreme rank second in the league in sacks with 19 and second in the league in defensive takeaways with 11...Last week against the Hitmen, K Jose Cortez made 3 of 4 field goal attempts, extending his consecutive field goals made streak to eight (an XFL record) before missing from 45 yards before the end of the first half....Saturday vs. the Hitmen, Donnell Day was the Xtreme's Scrambler for the second straight week., but lost the scramble for the first time to the Hitmen's Donnie Caldwell. According to Day, Caldwell appeared to leave when the official said "Set!"
OFF THE FIELD: Xtreme starting center Jonathan Himebauch will be featured in the April issue of GEAR Magazine discussing his experience as an XFL player. The feature will hit newsstands in two weeks.

INJURY REPORT

BIRMINGHAM THUNDERBOLTS: OUT: C Justin Burroughs (Back), DE Kendrick Burton (Back), DT Eric Kerley (Tricep), WR Damon Gourdine (Fibula). QUESTIONABLE: C Matt Hogg (Concussion), TE Nicky Savoie (Shoulder), C Ryan Thomassie (Shoulder).

CHICAGO ENFORCERS: OUT: LB Casey Dailey (Knee), G Paul Janus (Hand). DOUBTFUL: OL Chris Perez (Ankle and Knee). QUESTIONABLE: WR Luke Leverson (Concussion). PROBABLE: RB John Avery (Quad), DE Jason Chorak (Ankle), DB Quincy Coleman (Toe), LB Chike Egbuniwe (Shoulder), G Bryan LaBelle (Shoulder), G Rob Murphy (Knee), T Tony Ramirez (Knee).

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS: OUT: C David Diaz-Infante (Knee). QUESTIONABLE: OL Jon Blackman (Knee), DE Kelvin Kinney (Ankle), DT Ty Parten (Back). PROBABLE: S Chris Bayne (Concussion), DT Adriano Belli (Bicep), TE Rickey Brady (Thumb), QB Ryan Clement (Shoulder), LB Kurt Gouveia (Groin), DE Michael Mason (Knee), S Brandon Sanders (Hip), DE Michael Mason (Knee).

LOS ANGELES XTREME: QUESTIONABLE: DT Curtis Eason (Quad), WR Larry Ryans (Hamstring). PROBABLE: G Chris Brymer (Hand), T Jerry Crafts (Neck), TE Frank Leatherwood (Finger), RB Ken Oxendine (Ankle), S Ricky Parker (Wrist), LB Shawn Stuckey (Shoulder).

MEMPHIS MANIAX: OUT: WR Kevin Prentiss (Knee). QUESTIONABLE: OL Jesse James (Hamstring). PROBABLE: QB Marcus Crandell (Foot), WR Keith Crawford (Hamstring), WR Charles Jordan (Calf), FB Roosevelt Potts (Foot), LB Patrick Sapp (Finger), C Earl Scott (Back).

NY/NJ HITMEN: DOUBTFUL: LB Tyrell Peters (Groin). QUESTIONABLE: WR Anthony DiCosmo (Bicep), LB Haven Fields (Neck), RB Dino Philyaw (Foot), LB Bernard Russ (Leg), G Troy Stark (Knee). PROBABLE: LB Michael Barber (Wrist), CB Butler B' ynot'e (Concussion), G David Camacho (Knee), LB Ben Hanks (Knee), LB Ron Merkerson (Concussion).

ORLANDO RAGE: DOUBTFUL: QB Jeff Brohm (Neck). QUESTIONABLE: DT Ben Huff (Shoulder), TE Terrance Huston (Neck), S Hassan Shamsid-Deen (Shoulder). PROBABLE: DL Bill Duff (Ankle), T Dan Goodspeed (Finger), OL Garin Patrick (Finger).

SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS: OUT: WR James Hundon (Neck). DOUBTFUL: DE Jomo Cousins (Rib), C Curtice Mcfarlane (Knee), QB Mike Pawlawski (Neck). QUESTIONABLE: RB Juan Johnson (Ankle). PROBABLE: WR Travis Moore (Quad), CB Terrell Sutton (Hamstring).

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Rage try to clinch first XFL playoff berth - OSC Original by XFL Press Release

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