Week 4 Preview: DC Defenders at Tampa Bay Vipers
March 1, 2020 - XFL (XFL) News Release
Week 4: DC Defenders at Tampa Bay Vipers
DC Defenders (2-1)
@ Tampa Bay Vipers (0-3)
Sunday, March 1, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla,)
TEAM INFO
DC: 0-1 Road | TB: 0-1 Home
Streak: DC L1 | TB L3
TEAM STATS
OFFENSE
DC TB
Pass Yds/G 264.3 209.3
Rush Yds/G 125.3 140.0
Yards Gained per Play 6.2 4.8
Pts Scored/G 18.0 13.0
DEFENSE
DC TB
Sacks/G 1.3 1.0
Interceptions/G 1.3 0.3
Fumble Rec/G 0.7 0.0
Def/ST TD 3 1
Pts Allowed/G 19.3 24.7
QB Hits/G 2.5 4.3
EXTRA POINTS
DC TB
1-pt 1-for-5 1-for-1
2-pt 0-for-1 1-for-2
3-pt 0-for-2 --
TOTAL 1-for-8 2-for-3
CONTROL
DC TB
Takeaways/G 3 0.3
Turnovers/G 0.5 2.3
3rd Down% 46% 50%
TD +/- -1 -5
After a 39-9 road loss at the Los Angeles Wildcats in Week 3, QB Cardale Jones and the DC Defenders look to rebound at the Tampa Bay Vipers.
PLAYER STATS
Quarterbacks
PLAYER CMP ATT PCT YDS LG TD INT RT RUSH ATT RUSH YDS AVG LG TD
Cardale Jones, DC 52 89 58 602 40 4 5 70.5 15 61 4.1 14 0
Taylor Cornelius, TB 31 59 53 310 45 1 3 52.2 4 2 0.5 2 1
Running backs
PLAYER ATT YDS AVG LG TD TAR REC YDS AVG LG TD
Donnel Pumphrey, DC 24 97 4 23 0 11 6 36 6 17 0
De'Veon Smith, TB 42 174 4.1 13 0 8 4 56 14 25 0
Receivers
PLAYER TAR REC YDS AVG LG TD ATT YDS AVG LG TD
Rashad Ross, DC 13 7 164 23.4 40 1 1 -1 -1 -1 0
Eli Rogers, DC 20 14 137 9.8 27 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dan Williams, TB 20 11 180 16.4 42 1 0 0 0 0 0
Jalen Tolliver, TB 25 13 157 12.1 44 0 2 12 6 7 0
NEED TO KNOW
DEFENDERS
A dud in LA leaves the Defenders thirsting for a bounce-back, with QB Cardale Jones at the top of that list. The XFL's highest-graded QB through two weeks threw four INTs in the blowout loss.
RB Nick Brossette, normally third on the depth chart, took advantage of his first extended playing time with 75 yards, highlighted by a 38-yard scoring run. If RB Jhurell Pressley (shoulder) is unable to go, Brossette could see more action alongside RB Donnel Pumphrey.
VIPERS
It's close to do-or-die time for the Vipers. Tampa Bay does have a reason for optimism after giving undefeated Houston a run for its money last week.
Opening Day starter QB Aaron Murray, back at practice this week after missing two games with a foot issue, is expected to back up QB Taylor Cornelius if active, with Quinton Flowers leaving the team for personal reasons.
TE Nick Truesdell (knee) hasn't practiced as of Thursday morning after missing Week 3.
The Vipers do employ a stout running game, averaging 140 yards per game behind RBs De'Veon Smith (174 yards) and Jacques Patrick (123), the league's third- and fifth-leading rushers, respectively.
-- Art Garcia, XFL.com
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