XFL Arlington Renegades

Renegades Flex Defensive Muscle to Hold off Vipers

Published on February 19, 2023 under XFL (XFL)
Arlington Renegades News Release


The Arlington Renegades opened the 2023 XFL season with a dramatic 22-20 win over the Vegas Vipers on Saturday at Choctaw Stadium.

The Vipers started off the game with a 12-play, 69-yard possession that resulted in a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Luis Perez to wide receiver Jeff Badet. The Renegades ended their first possession with a 38-yard field goal conversion by Taylor Russolino, and it would be his first of many on the day. The next scoring drive wouldn't come until late in the second quarter, when Perez threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Badet and converted on the two-point attempt, giving the Vipers a 14-3 lead. Right before the end of the first half, Renegades quarterback Drew Plitt threw an interception to Vipers linebacker C.J. Avery. The Vipers would head into the locker room after a 49-yard missed field goal by Bailey Giffen.

The Renegades came out strong to start the second half with a 22-yard interception for a touchdown by defensive lineman Tomasi Laulile, but would fail on the two-point attempt.

On the very next possession Vipers running back John Lovett would fumble the ball on an 8-yard run, which was recovered by Renegades defensive back Jamal Carter. The Renegades could only capitalize with a 32-yard field goal by Russolino, keeping the game still within reach at 14-12. The Vipers second half woes continued when they turned the ball over on downs after a fake punt attempt inside their own zone. Russolino would give the Renegades the first lead of the day, 15-14, on a 25-yard field. That would be his third made field goal on the day.

The Renegades chewed up much of the fourth quarter with a 9:50, 16-play, 58-yard drive but failed to score on a fourth and goal attempt when Plitt was sacked for a 2-yard loss by defensive lineman LaRon Stokes. Three plays later, the Vipers would turn the ball over for the third time of the game, on another interception thrown by Perez. Which was returned for a touchdown by defensive back, De'Vante Bausby and extended the Renegades lead to 22-14.

With only 58 seconds left in the game and down by 8, the Vipers would worry the Renegades on an impressive last-minute drive. Perez began the possession with a 30- yard pass to wide receiver Cinque Sweeting. Perez continued the drive on the very next play with a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Martavis Bryant, setting up the Vipers inside the Renegades 20-yard line. After Perez threw two, back-to-back incompletions he found Sweeting on a touchdown pass to set up for a game deciding two-point conversion. The Vipers failed to tie the game, giving the Renegades their first win of the season.

The Renegades will travel to Houston next week to take on the Roughnecks on Sunday, February 26.

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