Vipers Topped by Late Seattle TD
March 5, 2023 - XFL (XFL) News Release
On a blustery day at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, the Vegas Vipers dropped their third straight contest to open the XFL season, falling 30-26 to the Seattle Sea Dragons. For the third straight week, Vegas scored the first in the game. The Vipers forced a turnover on Seattle's first possession and then jumped out to a lead when Brett Hundley connected with Jeff Badet for a 12-yard score. The team led 6-0 following a failed conversion. Toward the end of the first quarter, the Sea Dragons answered with a score of their own when Ben DiNucci connected with Blake Jackson for a 26-yard score. The teams were deadlocked 6-6 at the end of the opening stanza.
After trading field goals in the second quarter, the two teams went into halftime tied 9-9. For the third straight week, Vegas held a lead in the second half when Hundley rushed in from six yards out and he followed that up with a two-point conversion pass to Martavis Bryant, giving Vegas a 17-9 lead. Vegas extended its lead to double digits after Bailey Giffen connected from 47 yards out, giving the Vipers a 20-9 lead. With just over a minute left in the quarter, Seattle cut into the lead when DiNucci found Josh Gordon for a 16-yard score, and after three quarters Vegas led 20-15.
The teams traded possessions to start the fourth quarter, that was until Seattle hit a 32-yard field goal to cut the lead to two points. Vegas extended its lead to 26-18 after Hundley found John Lovett for a 50-yard score with 6:45 left in the game. The Sea Dragons answered just over three minutes when DiNuccui and Juwan Green connected for a 22-yard score. Seattle's defense forced Vegas to punt and after two completed passes for gains of five yards and three yards, respectively, the Sea Dragons faced a third and two from their own 35-yard line. DiNucci then aired it out, connecting with Gordon for a 65- yard strike, giving Seattle their first lead of the day with one minute left in the game. Vegas worked its way to the Sea Dragon's 40-yard line but ran out of time and fell 30-26
Hundley, who earned his first start of the season for the Vipers, finished the game 13-of-28 for 224 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team with 66 yards on the ground on eight attempts and scored a touchdown. Hundley's primary target through the air was Jeff Badet, who had four receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. Rod Smith chipped in with 41 yards on 10 attempts on the ground.
The Vipers return to action next Sunday as the team will travel to Washington D.C. to face the DC Defenders on Sunday, March 12.
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