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XFL Vegas Vipers

Vegas Vipers Game Notes for Week 8 vs. St. Louis Battlehawks

April 5, 2023 - XFL (XFL)
Vegas Vipers News Release


LEAGUE OF OPPORTUNITY AND EXCITING GAMES

So far this season, the XFL has produced some very competitive football, as 19 of 28 XFL games through seven weeks

have been one-possession games (decided by 9 points or less). Despite the close scores and great endings, the league

is still looking for its first overtime game. Vegas has had three, one-possession losses and one, one-possession victory,

falling at the Arlington Renegades (22-20) in Week 1, against the Seattle Sea Dragons (30-26) in Week 3 and against the

St. Louis Battlehawks in Week 6 (29-6). In Week 5, Vegas defeated Orlando (35-32).

DISSECTING THE LINES

So far this year, the Vegas Vipers are 2-4-1 against the spread, covering against Arlington (ARL -3) in Week 1 despite

losing 22-20. As a favorite, Vegas is 1-2 as they were 3.5 favorites over DC in Week 2, but lost 18-6 in the game and

were also 7.0 favorites against Orlando and won 35-32 but didn't cover the spread. The Vipers lone win as a favorite

came against San Antonio in Week 7, when they were favored by 2.5 points and won 26-12. As a league, favorites are

14-12-2 this season. There have been eight outright upsets against the betting line this season: SEA @ DC in Week 1

(+100 moneyline), STL @ SEA in Week 2 (+135 moneyline), DC @ VGS in Week 2 (+145 moneyline), HOU @ SEA in

Week 5 (+130 moneyline), ARL @ SA in Week 5 (+105 moneyline), SA @ ARL (+130 moneyline) in Week 6, DC @ ORL

in Week 7 (+360 moneyline), which was the largest upset in the XFL this season, and STL @ HOU in Week 7 (+126

moneyline). In the seven games Vegas has played this season, the over has hit five times. The two games in which the

under was the winner: Week 2 against DC where weather played a factor in the game during the second half and Week

7 against San Antonio where only seven total points were scored in the second half. In 28 games this season, the over is

15-12-1. This week against St. Louis, Vegas is a 6.5 point underdog and the over/under line is set at 46.5 (lines according

to Caesar's Sportsbook on Monday, April 3).

2023 SCHEDULE

ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS

VS

VEGAS VIPERS

SATURDAY -¢ APR 8 -¢ 10 AM PT

THE DOME AT AMERICA'S CENTER

ST. LOUIS, MO

GAME EIGHT

Head Coach .........................................................Anthony Becht

XFL Record, Experience...........................5-2 (0.714), 1st Season

Head Coaching Experience ......................5-2 (0.714), 1st Season

Head Coach .......................................................... Rod Woodson

XFL Record, Experience..............................2-5 (0.286), First Year

Career Coaching, Experience ............................................6 years

(Asst coach at Raiders, Bengals and Broncos)

Series Notes:

-¢ This will be the second and final meeting this season between St. Louis and Vegas; St. Louis won the first meeting in

Las Vegas 29-6; prior to that meeting, the two teams have never met in the XFL, as Las Vegas had a franchise in 2001

and St. Louis had a franchise in 2020.

-¢ Head Coaches Rod Woodson and Anthony Becht squared off as players in the NFL three times from 2000 through

2003.

-¢ Vegas defensive back Antonio Phillips hails from St. Louis, Missouri

-¢ Vegas offensive lineman Michael Miller played suited up for five games for the St. Louis Battlehawks during the 2020

XFL season

ESPN BROADCAST - GAME 8

PLAY-BY-PLAY - Lowell Galindo

ANALYST - Sam Acho

SIDELINE ANALYST - Ian Fitzsimmons

SIDELINE REPORTER - Stormy Buonantony

ARLINGTON RENEGADES

AT CHOCTAW STADIUM

Saturday, February 18, 2023

12 PM PT

L, 22-20

D.C. DEFENDERS

AT CASHMAN FIELD

Saturday, February 25, 2023

4 PM PT

L, 18-6

SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS

AT CASHMAN FIELD

Saturday, March 4, 2023

4 PM PT

L, 30-26

D.C. DEFENDERS

AT AUDI FIELD

Sunday, March 12, 2023

4 PM PT

L, 32-18

ORLANDO GUARDIANS

AT CASHMAN FIELD

Saturday, March 18, 2023

7 PM PT

W, 35-32

ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS

AT CASHMAN FIELD

Saturday, March 25, 2023

4 PM PT

L, 29-6

SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS

AT CASHMAN FIELD

Saturday, April 1, 2023

12 PM PT

W, 26-12

ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS

AT THE DOME AT AMERICA'S CENTER

Saturday, April 8, 2023

10 AM PT

HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS

AT TDECU STADIUM

Saturday, April 15, 2023

9:30 AM PT

SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS

AT LUMEN FIELD

Sunday, April 23, 2023

6 PM PT

VIPERS MEDIA SCHEDULE / COMMUNICATIONS STAFF INFO

Tues., Apr. 4 -¢ 3:15 p.m. CT/1:15 p.m. PT -¢ Head Coach Rod Woodson Virtual Availability

Wed., Apr. 5 - Fri., Apr. 7 -¢ Players and Coaches by request

Sat., Apr. 8 -¢ Game vs. St. Louis Battlehawks, 10 a.m. PT. Coaches and players available postgame in person and can accept

questions via Zoom

Director of Team Communications & Media Relations: Sage Sammons -¢ 702.478.0166 -¢ sage.sammons@xfl.com

Communications Coordinator: Sara Advent -¢ sara.advent@xfl.com

2-5 (0-4)

O/U: 46.5

5-2 (2-2)

Line: STL -6.5

VEGAS VIPERS

GAME EIGHT VS. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS

STARTING THE RIGHT WAY

The Vegas Vipers have scored on their first or second offensive possession in five of their seven

games this season. The only games where they didn't score on their either their first or second

possession was against DC in Week 4 and against St. Louis in Week 6. Houston was the only team

this season to score on each of it's first possessions through Week 4, but failed to do so against

Seattle in Week 5 and against St. Louis in Week 7, giving the Roughnecks five opening possession

scores this year. Orlando has also scored on it's opening possession five times this season. DC,

San Antonio and Arlington have each scored on its opening possession three times. Seattle has

scored on their opening possession twice, while St. Louis has done so once.

WEATHER OR NOT AT CASHMAN FIELD!

In the first two games at Cashman Field in Las Vegas this season, the Vegas Vipers have had

multiple opponents to face during each game, their opponent on the field and Mother Nature. In

the home opener against the D.C. Defenders, rain played a factor in the second half as the skies

opened up while each team went into their respective locker rooms at halftime. The rain assisted

the Defender defense as the Vipers were shut out in the second half. During Vegas' second home

game against Seattle, wind played a factor as gusts reached 50 miles per hour in the Las Vegas

Valley.

SCORING SPREE

After scoring 26 total points in the first two games to open the season, the Vegas Vipers matched

that total in a 30-26 loss against the Seattle Sea Dragons. The 56 combined points put up between

the Vipers and Sea Dragons was the first game this season to break the 50-point mark. Later in

Week 3, the St. Louis-DC game surpassed that total, when they scored a combined 62 points. In

Week 5, Vegas scored 35 points against Orlando. It was the second most points scored by one

team to date this season, only behind Houston's 44 points scored in Week 4 at Orlando. The Vipers

and Guardians also combined to score the most points in the XFL this season with 67 in Week 5.

ALL GAMES NATIONALLY TELEVISED

On May 17, 2022, the XFL announced a multi-year broadcast agreement with The Walt Disney

Company and ESPN. This season, all 43 games (40 regular season games, two playoffs, one

championship) will be featured on a combination of ABC, ESPN networks, and FX. All XFL games

will be streamed on ESPN+ and simulcasted in 142 countries around the world. This week's

Vegas game will air on FX with the announcing team of Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Sam Acho

(analyst), Ian Fitzsimmons (sideline analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sideline reporter). The entire

Week 8 schedule is listed below (betting lines as of Monday, April 3 via Caesar's Sportsbook):

Saturday, April 8 - Vegas Vipers @ St. Louis Battlehawks at 10 a.m. PT on ESPN

Line: STL -6.5 | O/U: 46.5

Saturday, April 8 - Arlington Renegades @ Orlando Guardians at 1 p.m. PT on ESPN

Line: PICK | O/U: 42.0

Sunday, April 9 - Houston Roughnecks @ San Antonio Brahmas at 12 p.m. PT on ABC

Line: HOU -4.0 | O/U: 41.0

Sunday, April 9 - DC Defenders @ Seattle Sea Dragons at 7 p.m. PT on ESPN2

Line: SEA -1.0 | O/U: 48.0

YOU BADET'CHA

Vegas Vipers wide receiver Jeff Badet has been one of the most reliable receivers for the team

this season, as he has leads the team in three categories: 30 receptions, 406 yards and five

touchdowns. His touchdowns are tied for the most in the XFL this season, while his yardage ranks

fourth in the league and receptions rank eighth. The former Oklahoma and Kentucky standout's

13.5 yards per reception also ranks second in the league amongst receivers who have caught at

least 28 passes. In Week 1 against Arlington, Badet caught two touchdowns, which were his first

two touchdowns as a professional football player. Against Seattle in Week 3, he had a 56-yard

reception in the third quarter, which at the time was the longest reception in the XFL, but was later

surpassed in the game when Josh Gordon caught a 65-yard touchdown reception and then the

next day when DC's Chris Blair had a 58-yard reception. Against Orlando in Week 5, the Florida

native caught five passes for 80 yards including two touchdowns. Against San Antonio in Week7,

Badet caught two passes for 30 yards, but left the game early due to injury.

VIPERS WITH NFL, XFL EXPERIENCE

The Vegas Vipers have a combined 428 games of NFL experience on their roster. 17 of the Vipers'

51 players (33.3 percent) have played in at least one NFL game. Leading the charge for the

Vipers is Vic Beasley, who has appeared in 88 NFL games (78 for the Atlanta Falcons, five for the

Tennessee Titans and five for the Las Vegas Raiders) and in 2016 led the league with 15.5 sacks.

He also has appeared in five playoff games. Nine Vipers have also seen action in XFL play in 2020,

with a combined 40 games of XFL experience. Three Vegas players (Jeff Badet, Kahlil McKenzie

and Isaiah Williams) have experience in both the NFL and the 2020 version of the XFL.

Vegas Vipers with NFL Experience

No. Name .............................. Games .....Notes

44

Vic Beasley...................... 88 .............78 games with Falcons, 5 games with Titans, 5 games with Raiders;

5 playoff games

15

Rod Smith

55

48 games with Cowboys, 3 games with Raiders, 3 games with

Titans, 1 game with Seahawks; 2 playoff games

19

Geronimo Allison ............. 49 .............46 games with Packers, 3 games with Lions; 5 playoff games

4

Martavis Bryant ............... 44 .............36 games with Steelers, 8 games with Raiders; 4 playoff games

45

Martrell Spaight

37

30 games with Washington, 4 games with Miami, 3 games with

Jacksonville

99

Destiny Vaeao ................. 33 .............33 games with Philadelphia; 1 playoff game

25

Marwin Evans .................. 32 .............32 games with Green Bay; 3 playoff games

3

Brett Hundley .................. 18 .............15 games with Green Bay, 3 games with Arizona

11

P.J. Dawson..................... 16 .............13 games with Cincinnati, 3 games with Seattle; 1 playoff game

26

Maurice Smith ................. 15 .............13 games with Miami, 2 games with Washington

69

Kahlil McKenzie ............... 12 .............7 games with Cincinnati, 5 games with Baltimore

0

Pita Taumoepenu ............ 9 ...............6 games with San Francisco, 4 games with Denver, 1 game with Atlanta

65

Jamil Demby.................... 6 ...............6 games with Los Angeles Rams

86

Brandon Dillon ................. 5 ...............5 games with Minnesota

71

Isaiah Williams ................ 4 ...............4 games with New York Jets

13

Jeff Badet ........................ 3 ...............3 games with Washington

88

Robert Windsor ............... 2 ...............2 games with Indianapolis

Vegas Vipers with 2020 XFL Experience

No. Name .....................................Games (Team)

13

Jeff Badet ...............................5 (Dallas Renegades)

77

Quinterrius Eatmon ................5 (Seattle Dragons)

20 Jawaun Johnson ....................5 (New York Guardians)

2

Jalan McClendon ...................5 (Los Angeles Wildcats)

64

Michael Miller .........................5 (St. Louis Battlehawks)

12

Luis Perez ..............................5 (New York Guardians)

71

Isaiah Williams .......................4 (Tampa Bay Vipers)

80

Sean Price ..............................4 (Dallas Renegades)

69

Kahlil McKenzie ......................2 (Los Angeles Wildcats)

VEGAS VIPERS

GAME EIGHT VS. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS

TALE OF TWO HALVES

Beyond scoring on either the first or second possession this season, Vegas had outscored its

opposition 71-68 in the first half and didn't allow a first half touchdown until Week 3 against Seattle.

The 71 first half points rank as the fifth most opening half points in the XFL this season. In the

second half, it's been a different story for Vegas, as the Vipers have been outscored 107-66 in

seven second halves this season. The 107 points allowed in the second stanzas are the second

most points allowed by any XFL team in the later half this season as Orlando has allowed 109

second half points. Against San Antonio in Week 7, the Vegas defense stood tall, as the Vipers

shut out the Brahmas, marking the first time this season in which they did not allow any second

half points.

RETURN OF THE XFL

The XFL returns to the field in 2023 led by the new ownership group of Dany Garcia, Dwayne

Johnson, and Gerry Cardinale's RedBird Capital Partners. Featuring both new and returning team

names, each market has a dynamic logo and distinct team identity that aligns with its community's

culture and history. Taking the field for the XFL: Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, Houston

Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis

Battlehawks, and Vegas Vipers. The eight XFL teams are split into two divisions: XFL North (D.C.

Defenders, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis Battlehawks, Vegas Vipers) and XFL South (Arlington

Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas). This is the second

time that Las Vegas has boasted an XFL team.

HISTORY OF THE XFL IN VEGAS

In 2001, the XFL began and one of its eight teams was the Las Vegas Outlaws. They played the

season opening game at Sam Boyd Stadium against the New York/New Jersey Hitmen, which

ended up being a 19-0 victory for the Outlaws. The game was televised nationally on NBC less

then one week after the Super Bowl that season. Las Vegas played in the Western Division with

the Los Angeles Xtreme, Memphis Maniax and San Francisco Demons. After the Week 1 victory

for the Outlaws, Las Vegas fell to Los Angeles in Week 3 but bounced back with a win over San

Fransisco in Week 4, giving the team a 3-1 record to start the year. Unfortunately the team dropped

five of their final six games and finished with a 4-6 record. One of the most notable players on the

Outlaws was Rod "He Hate Me" Smart, who would go on to become the first former XFL player to

appear in a Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXXVIII.

CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE

The Vegas Vipers, as every team in the XFL this season, will play 10 regular season games during

the 2023 XFL season. The Vipers will play six games against division foes - Seattle, St. Louis and

D.C. (one home, one road) - and four games against non-division opponents - at Arlington, vs.

Orlando, vs. San Antonio and at Houston. Below are some notes regarding the schedule:

-¢ Vegas kicked off the XFL season at Arlington on February 18

-¢ From Week 2 through Week 7, Vegas will play only one road game (at D.C. during Week 4), the

rest of the games will be at Cashman Field in Las Vegas

-¢ The Vipers will be road warriors to end the season, finishing the 2023 regular season with three

straight road games

HOW THE TEAMS WERE MADE

XFL Draft Week was held from Nov. 15-17 at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The

events began with a live-streamed Quarterback Selection Show and continued with two days of

Draft action, where Head Coaches made selections alongside Directors of Player Personnel. Day

One was broken into four positional groupings featuring 11 rounds of selections for each skill:

Offensive Skill positions (WR, RB, TE, FB), Defensive Backs (CB, Safety, Nickel), Defensive Front

Seven (ILB, Edge, DE, DT), and Offensive Line (LT, LG, C, RG, RT). Day Two featured three

rounds of Specialists selections (kicker, punter, long snapper), followed by open rounds for all

positions. Of the 442 non-quarterbacks selected in the XFL Draft, 285 came with NFL experience

(signed an NFL active roster and/or practice squad contract). The XFL also held a Supplemental

Draft on Jan. 1, 2023, selecting 90 total players over 17 rounds.

PLAYER 54: CHASING THE XFL DREAM

During the season, a nine-part docuseries, Player 54: Chasing The XFL Dream, will air chronicling

different players and teams in the XFL, in partnership with The Walt Disney Company and ESPN.

Directed by Peter Berg, the series follows the creation of the League under new ownership and

highlights the unique stories and development of its players and coaches throughout the entire

season. Player 54 will have its linear debut on Thursday, February 16 at 5pm ET on ESPN2. It will

also air on ABC on Saturday, February 18 at 2pm ET leading into the XFL's opening game between

the Vegas Vipers and Arlington Renegades. Episodes will be available to stream exclusively on

ESPN+ immediately after each debuts on ESPN2. With eight teams, 400 players, 40 coaches,

and a new ownership group, Player 54 is a visual manifestation of the League's motto: where

dreams meet opportunity. The original series takes fans behind the scenes of what it takes to

build a League and its eight teams from the ground-up, showcasing the human stories that exist

within the XFL on and off the field. It is a character-driven look at the inspiring, unconventional,

and even heartbreaking journeys of the players and head coaches whose professional aspirations

are just beginning - or getting a second chance. Filming takes place primarily at the XFL Hub in

Arlington, capturing unprecedented access into the day-to-day lives of the players and coaches -

from the Draft and roster cuts to season kickoff and the Championship - immersing viewers in the

competitive environment as players prove that they deserve a chance to win with the XFL.

UNDER ARMOUR THREADS

Under Armour is the exclusive provider of all on-field uniforms, including jerseys, base layer,

sideline and training apparel, for all XFL teams. The unique home and away sets are designed with

an authentic execution of the individual team identities. The design process was a collaboration

between XFL ownership, marketing, and Under Armour teams. Each jersey features a "Blood,

Sweat, Respect" mantra - a personal message from ownership to players, which is sublimated

on the interior collars of all team uniforms. Additional design details include embroidered team

wordmarks and branding at the base of the neckline, UA's ArmourGrid nameplates with twill

lettering, and all uniforms are branded with XFL, Under Armour, and Project Rock Brahma Bull

patches.

VEGAS VIPERS

GAME EIGHT VS. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS

2023 INJURY REPORT

Monday, February 13

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR

Martavis Bryant (right thigh)

DB

Mister Harriel (left thigh)

LB

Jawaun Johnson (left ankle)

DL

Destiny Vaeao (left leg)

Tuesday, February 14

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR

Martavis Bryant (right thigh)

DB

Mister Harriel (left thigh)

DB

Maurice Smith (abdomen)

DL

Destiny Vaeao (left leg)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

LB

Jawaun Johnson (left ankle)

Wednesday, February 15

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

DB

Maurice Smith (abdomen)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR

Martavis Bryant (right thigh)

DB

Mister Harriel (left thigh)

DL

Robert Windsor (left shoulder)

DL

Destiny Vaeao (left leg)

Thursday, February 16

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

DB - Maurice Smith (abdomen)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

DL - Destiny Vaeao (left leg)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR - Martavis Bryant (right thigh)

DB - Mister Harriel (left thigh)

DL - Robert Windsor (left shoulder)

Friday, February 17

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

DL - Destiny Vaeao (left leg)

Game Status: Questionable

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR - Martavis Bryant (right thigh)

Game Status: Probable

DB - Mister Harriel (left thigh)

Game Status: Probable

DL - Robert Windsor (left shoulder)

Game Status: Probable

Tuesday, February 21

DID NOT PRACTICE

DL/LB - Vic Beasley (concussion protocol)

WR - Martavis Bryant (illness, not football related)

RB - DeAndre Torrey (ankle)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

LB - PJ Dawson (elbow)

WR - Cinque Sweeting (shoulder)

DL - Destiny Vaeao (leg)

OL - Isaiah Williams (knee)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

OL - Larry Williams (ankle)

Tuesday, February 21

DID NOT PRACTICE

DL/LB - Vic Beasley (concussion protocol)

WR - Martavis Bryant (illness)

RB - DeAndre Torrey (ankle)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

LB - PJ Dawson (elbow)

WR - Cinque Sweeting (shoulder)

DL - Destiny Vaeao (leg)

OL - Isaiah Williams (knee)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

OL - Larry Williams (ankle)

Wednesday, February 22

DID NOT PRACTICE

DL/LB - Vic Beasley (Concussion Protocol)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

LB - PJ Dawson (Elbow)

RB - DeAndre Torrey (Ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR - Martavis Bryant (illness, not football related)

WR - Cinque Sweeting (Shoulder)

DL - Destiny Vaeao (Leg)

OL - Isaiah Williams (Knee)

Thursday, February 23

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

DL/LB - Vic Beasley (Concussion Protocol)

Game status: Questionable

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR - Martavis Bryant (illness)

Game Status: Probable

LB - PJ Dawson (Elbow)

Game Status: Probable

WR - Cinque Sweeting (Shoulder)

Game Status: Probable

RB - DeAndre Torrey (Ankle)

Game Status: Probable

DL - Destiny Vaeao (Leg)

Game Status: Probable

OL - Isaiah Williams (Knee)

Game Status: Probable

Tuesday, February 28

DID NOT PRACTICE

DB - Marwin Evans (Concussion Protocol)

DT - Destiny Vaeao (Lower Leg)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

DB - Will Adams (Toe)

LB - Pita Taumoepenu (Ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR - Geronimo Allison (Shoulder)

RB - Rod Smith (Hip)

Wednesday, March 1

DID NOT PRACTICE

Check out the Vegas Vipers Statistics



XFL Stories from April 5, 2023


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