Week 2 Game Notes
Published on February 21, 2023 under XFL (XFL)
St. Louis Battlehawks News Release
SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS VS ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS
THURSDAY - FEB 23 - 8PM CT
FX
LUMEN FIELD
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
GAME TWO
Head Coach: Jim Haslett
XFL Record (0-1)
Career Record (64-64)
Head Coaching Experience: 8th season
Head Coach: Anthony Becht
XFL Record (1-0)
Career Record (1-0)
Head Coaching Experience: 1st season
SERIES NOTES
This is the second meeting between St. Louis and Seattle in the XFL. The Battlehawks and then-Seattle Dragons met February 29, 2020, at the Dome at America's Center. St. Louis held on to win, 23-16, with a season-high 392 net yards of offense. It was the Battlehawks' third and final win of the 2020 campaign.
BATTLEHAWKS AT SEATTLE
THUR FEB 23 AT 8 PM CT ON FX
Lowell Galindo, Play-by-Play
Sam Acho, Booth Analyst
Ian Fitzsimmons, Field Analyst
Taylor McGregor, Reporter
LIFE ON THE ROAD
The St. Louis Battlehawks will keep their bags packed as the team enters the second of three consecutive road games to begin the 2023 season before the home opener on Sunday, March 12 at the Dome at America's Center.
That is their longest road trip of the season, and the Battlehawks are the only XFL team to start the season with more than one game on the road. They will complete the trip with a stop in Washington D.C. to take on the D.C.
Defenders on Sunday, March 5 at noon CT on FX.
FAMILIAR FACES
- Battlehawks Head Coach Anthony Becht played for the St. Louis Rams in 2008.
- Offensive Coordinator Bruce Gradkowski (2008), Defensive Line Coach La'Roi Glover (2006-08), Running Backs Coach Art Valero (2008-09), Wide Receivers Coach Ricky Proehl (1998-2002), Director of Player Personnel Dave Boller (2004-07) and Vice President of Team Business and Event Operations Brandon Williams (2007) were also part of the St. Louis Rams organization.
- Running Back Brian Hill graduated from Belleville West High School.
- Wide Receiver Darrius Shepherd (Blue Springs) and Defensive Lineman Freedom Akinmoladun (Grandview) are both from western Missouri.
GAME TWO VS. SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS
New rules include an extra possession option in the fourth quarter only, teams may now attempt to retain possession by converting a 4th-and-15 play from their own 25-yard line.
Teams can utilize an onside kick at any point in the game, but must notify the referee they plan to do so.
The play clock has been increased from 25 to 35 seconds, and each team will have three timeouts to use each half rather than the two at their disposal in 2020.
The XFL is also introducing a first of its kind, centralized 'command center' for instant replay review and officiating led by Dean Blandino, Vice President of Officiating and Playing Rules Innovation. The fully cloud-based instant replay program offers live integration during replay reviews and oversight of officiating discrepancies during all 43 XFL games.
KARDIAC KAWS
The Battlehawks compiled more than half of their total offensive yards within the final three minutes of Sunday's win at San Antonio, producing 131 yards and 15 points to turn a 15-3 deficit into an 18-15 lead.
QB A.J. McCarron was 11-for-14 with 133 yards in the fourth quarter, connecting with six different receivers. He found WR Hakeem Butler three times for 32 yards, including an 18- yard pass for the Battlehawks' first touchdown of the season with 1:25 left in the final quarter.
WR Marcell Ateman also hauled in a pair of passes for 45 yards combined, including a 33-yard reception with 1:36 left in the game.
EMERALD CITY CONNECTIONS
Several members of the Battlehawks grew up in the Seattle area, played at a nearby university or spent time with the city's NFL franchise.
DT Taniela Tupou was born in Marysville, WA, played at Washington collegiately and signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. He also played for the Seattle Sea Wolves of Major League Rugby in 2020.
LB Lakiem Williams is a Tacoma, WA, native who also signed with the Seahawks, spending time on their practice squad from 2021-22.
LB Travis Feeney, meanwhile, attended Washington from 2012- 15, recording 125 tackles in 38 career games for the Huskies before being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
WR Gary Jennings was selected by the Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, while running backs coach Art Valero was an offensive line coach for Seattle in 2010.
WR Austin Proehl played for the Seattle Dragons during the 2020 XFL season and caught the first touchdown in XFL history on Feb. 8, 2020, a 31-19 home loss to the D.C. Defenders.
WE MEET AGAIN
St. Louis Battlehawks Head Coach Anthony Becht and Seattle Sea Dragons Head Coach Jim Haslett were both part of the 2008 St. Louis Rams squad. Becht played tight end for the Rams while Haslett took over as the interim head coach four games into the season.
Becht also faced off against the Haslett-led New Orleans Saints three times during his playing career. He caught two passes for 34 yards in a 2001 Week 8 matchup in New Orleans while playing for the New York Jets. Becht then faced Haslett's Saints twice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2005. Becht's teams won all three contests.
RULES, RULES, RULES
The XFL brings back several popular, unique rules from the 2020 season while also implementing new, innovative rules for the 2023 season.
Rules such as tiered extra points and double forward passes will return, as well as the kickoffs in which teams line up five yards apart. The kickoff rule led to fewer injuries and a 92 percent return rate in 2020.
TRANSACTIONS
DATE POS.PLAYER/COACH TRANSACTION
Feb.20 SAF Jonathan Alexander Signed
Feb.20 DC Tim Harris Waived
Feb.13 QB Manny Wilkins Signed
Feb.9 OT Kai Absheer Waived
Feb.9 SAF Jonathan Alexander Waived
Feb.9 RB Leddie Brown Waived
Feb.9 SAF Phil Campbell III Waived
Feb.9 WR Donteea Dye Waived
Feb.9 OT Bryce Foxworth Waived
Feb.9 CB Allie Green Waived
Feb.9 CB Quenton Meeks Waived
Feb.9 SAF Obi Melifonwu Waived
Feb.9 DB Jordan Miller Waived
Feb.9 LB Marvin Moody Waived
Feb.9 WR Nyquan Murray Waived
Feb.9 TE Jevoni Robinson Waived
Feb.9 LB Drew Singleton Waived
Feb.9 DT Shakir Soto Waived
Feb.9 WR Caleb Vander Esch Waived
Feb.9 CB Kishawn Walker Waived
Feb.6 QB Ryan Willis Waived
Feb.4 TE Jevoni Robinson Signed
Feb.2 DB Evan Fields Waived
Feb.2 DB Bryce Watts Waived
Feb.2 DB Jordan Miller Signed
Jan.30 OT Jay Williams Waived
Jan.30 SAF Obi Melifonwu Signed
Jan.29 DC Lavert Hill Signed
Jan.28 DC Tim Harris Signed
Jan.28 OL Eric Magwood Signed
Jan.27 DT Seth Walter Waived
Jan.23 RB Abdul Adams Waived
Jan.21 RB Darius Bradwell Waived
Jan.21 OG Tison Gray Waived
Jan.21 CB Tareke Lewis Waived
Jan.21 WR Bryce Nunnelly Waived
Jan.21 CB Jakoby Pappillion Waived
Jan.16 CB Nate Meadors Signed
Jan.10 OL Mike Panasiuk Signed
TOTAL NUMBER: 40
ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS BY THE NUMBERS
29,554 St. Louis fans set an XFL single game attendance record as they packed the Dome at America's Center
25 Height, in feet, taller the Arch (630 ft) is than the Space Needle (605 ft) in Seattle
42 Different colleges and universities the Battlehawks' 51-player roster claim as their alma mater
2,084 Miles between the Dome at America's Center and Lumen Field
206 Combined games of NFL experience on the Battlehawks' 51-player roster
8 Different receivers who caught at least one pass in Week 1 at San Antonio
LB Travis Feeney strip-sacked San Antonio Brahmas QB Jack Coan with 11:10 remaining in the second quarter of the Battlehawks' 18-15 victory Sunday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Feeney recovered the fumble and returned it 32 yards to put St. Louis in position for its first score of the 2023 season. K Donny Hageman connected on a 32-yard field goal attempt to conclude the scoring drive and tie the game at three points apiece.
USEFUL INNOVATIONS
The Battlehawks utilized two of the rules that are unique to the XFL to aide their comeback victory Sunday at San Antonio.
QB A.J. McCarron connected with WR Austin Proehl from the 10-yard line for a three-point conversion that brought St.
Louis to within three points of the Brahmas, 15-12.
McCarron and Proehl teamed up again with the 4th-and-15 extra possession option on the next play. McCarron hit Proehl for a 22-yard gain to begin the Battlehawks' six-play, 75-yard drive that ended with the game-winning touchdown on a 14- yard pass from McCarron to Proehl.
PROEHL-IFIC
With his father, Ricky, on the sideline as the team's wide receivers coach, WR Austin Proehl led the Battlehawks receiving corps with 49 yards on four catches, including the game-winning touchdown on a 14-yard catch with 16 seconds left in the game.
Proehl was indispensable on the final two drives with two catches for 36 yards as the Battlehawks made their comeback.
On the drive prior to his touchdown catch, Proehl caught a 10-yard pass from QB A.J. McCarron for a three-point conversion. He then made a 22-yard reception on a 4th-and-15 extra possession attempt that kick-started the game-winning drive.
Proehl was also involved on special teams with a 10-yard punt return in the second quarter.
The Battlehawks may be on the road, but St. Louis fans can still gather to celebrate on gamedays at official watch party locations:
Westport Social 910 W Port Plaza Dr, St. Louis, MO 63146
Ballpark Village 601 Clark Ave, St. Louis, MO 63102 Syberg's
Eight locations throughout the St. Louis area
TAKE IT AWAY
The Battlehawks defense put its stamp on Sunday's game at San Antonio early and often, including a turnover to get the offense back on the field in each of the first two quarters.
DB Nate Meadors ended San Antonio's first drive with an interception of QB Jack Coan. LB Travis Feeney then strip-sacked Coan on the Brahmas' opening drive of the second quarter. He recovered the fumble and returned it 32 yards to the San Antonio 27-yard line. The Battlehawks tied the game, 3-3, on the ensuing drive with a 32-yard field goal by K Donny Hageman.
On the offensive side, the Battlehawks were the only team that did not turn the ball over at least once across the four games on the opening weekend of the 2023 XFL season.
HOME SWEET DOME
The Battlehawks will hold their five home games at The Dome at America's Center. The Dome was constructed in 1995 and hosted NFL games from 1995-2015. A multi-purpose facility that has hosted a wide variety of events in its nearly three decades, The Dome also hosted the Battlehawks during the 2020 season.
The team went 2-0 in its two home games that season.
TRANSACTIONS
The Battlehawks waived DB Tim Harris on Monday and signed SAF Jonathan Alexander. Alexander, nicknamed "The Big Ape", was the Battlehawks' 18th selection in the 2022 XFL Draft.
He spent training camp with the squad before being waived Feb. 9.
XFL Stories from February 21, 2023
- Week 2 Game Notes - St. Louis Battlehawks
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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