Tampa Bay Vipers: 2020 Season Review
April 8, 2020 - XFL (XFL)
Tampa Bay Vipers News Release
RECORD/RESULTS
1-4 (4th, East)
Home: 1-1
Away: 0-3
vs. East: 1-1
Against The Spread: 2-3
WEEK W/L OPP SCORE ATS OVER/UNDER
1 L at NY 23-3 L U
2 L at SEA 17-9 L U
3 L HOU 34-27 W O
4 W DC 25-0 W U
5 L at LA 41-34 L O
Statement Win
Week 4: Tampa Bay Vipers 25, DC Defenders 0
It should come as no surprise that the win against the Defenders was the statement win for the Vipers, who finished the season 1-4.
The victory couldn't have come at a better time for Tampa Bay. After starting 0-3 -- despite going down to the last drive versus Seattle and Houston -- the Vipers needed to prove they could close out games.
It didn't take long for them to shut the door on D.C. The team came out humming, with Taylor Cornelius leading an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive that culminated poetically with what looked to be the entire offensive line pushing Jacques Patrick into the end zone.
From there, the Vipers never looked back, all-out dominating the Defenders on both sides of the ball and coming away with a 25-0 victory and the second shutout in XFL history.
Breakout Players
RBs De'Veon Smith & Jacques Patrick
The league's No. 1 and No. 3 leading rushers, they established themselves as the XFL's dynamic RB duo, becoming the first backs to rack up 100-plus rushing yards in a single game (Week 4 vs. DC).
Smith (5-foot-11, 220 pounds) pulverized defensive lines, helping the Vipers offense move swiftly and effectively down the field. The wrecking ball ran for a league-leading 365 yards, averaging 73 ground yards per game.
His 122-yard performance in Week 4 set the XFL record for the most single-game rush yards. He also made one of the year's best grabs in Week 3 against the Roughnecks, leaping in the air to bring down and hold onto a Quinton Flowers pass, despite taking a shot that drew a flag for unnecessary roughness.
Patrick rushed for 254 yards and two touchdowns on the season. His touchdown on the opening drive vs. DC delivered what was arguably the year's most emotional moment.
After crossing the goal line, he knelt down and then pointed up to the sky to honor his late father, who had passed away just weeks earlier. He then followed up that performance the next week with another rushing score against the Wildcats.
Week 4: Jacques Patrick scores first pro TD
Defensive backs Anthoula Kelly & Marcelis Branch
It's hard to pick out players to spotlight in Jerry Glanville's notorious run-chase-hit defense, but these two did their best to make their presence known in the secondary.
Kelly proved why he deserves the nickname "Tank." The Fresno State alum was a force in the secondary. His 8 passes defensed led the league, and his 20 solo tackles led the Vipers.
Branch led the team with 33 combo tackles and added a sack for good measure. The former Pittsburgh Steeler claims to have "evil intentions" on the field and routinely showed off those intentions by delivering some of the biggest hits of the season.
BEST MOMENT
Tarvarus McFadden takes an INT to the house
Week 2: Tarvarus McFadden's Pick-6
McFadden picks off a pass, falls down, gets back up, evades multiple opponents, and records the XFL's longest interception return -- with a touchdown to boot.
TEAM STATS
OFFENSE: EFFICIENCY
Category Stat (Rank)
Pts/G 19.6 (3)
Pts/Play 0.263 (8)
Avg Score Margin -3.4 (7)
Yds/G 391.8 (1)
Yds/Play 5.25 (3)
Plays/G 74.6 (1)
Yds/Play 5.25 (3)
Rush Play% 50.4% (3)
Pass Play% 46.1% (6)
PASSING
Category Stat (Rank)
Pass Yds 1195 (4)
Comp% 59.3% (4)
Yards/Pass 6.9 (4)
Pass TD 4 (T7)
Interceptions Thrown 9 (7)
RUSHING
Category Stat (Rank)
Rush Yds 828 (1)
Yards/Rush 4.4 (T3)
Rush TD 6 (1)
EXTRA POINTS
Category Stat
1-pt 6/8 (75%)
2-pt 1/3 (33%)
3-pt --
TOTAL 7/11 (64%)
Notable: The Vipers led the XFL in 1-point success and overall success.
GAME CONTROL
Category Stat (Rank)
Takeaways 5 (7)
Turnovers 11 (7)
TO Margin -6 (7)
3rd Down Conv% 44.6% (2)
4th Down Conv% 46.2% (6)
Red Zone TD% 38.1% (6)
Team Pen Yds 348 (8)
DEFENSE: EFFICIENCY
Category Stat (Rank)
Opp Pts/G 23.0 (6)
Opp Pts/Play 0.464 (8)
Opp Yds/G 258.8 (1)
Opp Yds/Play 5.32 (4)
Opp Plays/Game 48.6 (1)
Opp Rush Yds/G 75.8 (1)
Opp Pass Yds/G 183 (3)
Opp Yards/Rush 3.8 (3)
Opp Yards/Pass 6.54 (4)
DEFENSE: EVENTS
Category Stat (Rank)
Sacks 5 (8)
QB Hits 25 (4)
Interceptions 3 (T7)
Passes Defensed 28 (3)
Fumble Recoveries 2 (T4)
Forced Fumbles 1 (7)
Defensive/Special Teams TDs 1 (T3)
More: TB Team Stats
PLAYER STATS
QUARTERBACKS
Name COMP ATT % YDS AVG TD LG INT ATT YDS AVG TD LG
Taylor Cornelius 78 123 63 858 7 4 38 6 17 114 6.7 3 17
Aaron Murray 16 34 47 231 6.8 0 44 2 -- -- -- -- --
Quinton Flowers 8 15 53 106 7.1 0 37 1 16 78 4.9 1 15
RUNNING BACKS
Name RUSH RUSH YDS AVG RUSH TD LG REC REC YDS AVG REC TD LG
De'Veon Smith 90 365 4.1 0 22 7 36 8.9 0 25
Jacques Patrick 60 254 4.2 2 24 5 21 9.8 0 21
Notable: Smith led the XFL in rushing yards. Patrick finished third.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Name TAR REC REC YDS AVG REC TD LG
Dan Williams 38 23 338 14.7 1 42
Jalen Tolliver 36 21 297 14.1 1 44
Reece Horn 36 27 240 8.9 1 24
Nick Truesdell 15 9 91 10.1 0 27
DeAndre Goolsby 8 5 76 15.2 1 24
Notable: Williams finished second in the XFL in receiving yards. Tolliver finished fourth. Horn, ninth.
KICKER
Name FGM FGA FG% LONG
Andrew Franks 8 11 73 48
DEFENSE: TACKLES
Name TAK AS CMB
Marcelis Branch 19 14 33
Anthoula Kelly 20 3 23
Micah Hannemann 16 7 23
Nikita Whitlock 9 10 19
DEFENSE: SACKS
Name SK YDS QBH TFL
Marcelis Branch 1 2 1 2
Obum Gwacham 1 5 2 1
Reggie Northrup 1 9 1 1
Robert Priester 1 7 1 1
Terrance Plummer 1 4 3 1
DEFENSE: INTERCEPTIONS
Name INT PD
Tarvarus McFadden 2 3
Robert Priester 1 3
PUNTS
Name NO YDS AVG LG
Jake Schum 15 634 42.3 67
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