XFL DC Defenders

XFL Play of Week: Week 5

Published on March 22, 2023 under XFL (XFL)
DC Defenders News Release


The standout offensive players of the first half of the 2023 XFL season have, for the most part, been quarterbacks and wide receivers.

But in a league where teams have accumulated two-thirds of their total yards through the air, the D.C. Defenders and running back Abram Smith have been the outlier.

Just 11 of the league's first 20 games have featured at least one team with 100 or more total rushing yards. Only D.C. has gained more yards rushing than passing.

The one thing missing for the unbeaten Defenders was a 100-yard game by one of their backs. Through the first four weeks, Seattle's Morgan Ellison was the only XFL back to rush for more than 100 yards in a game, gaining 105 on 17 carries in Week 3 against the Vegas Vipers.

Smith, the No. 1 pick during the skill position portion of the XFL Draft, was the second with his record-setting performance Saturday. The Baylor University graduate rushed the ball 23 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns in D.C.'s 28-20 win at St. Louis.

"They barely had to pass," St. Louis head coach Anthony Becht said. "Why would you pass? The run game was flying around today."

There were more than a few highlights to choose from the Defenders' 248-yard rushing attack but Smith's 70-yard run at the start of the third quarter was something special to watch.

On a second-and-7 play from their own 30, the Defenders lined up on the right hash in a two-tight end set. The tight ends were both on the right side of the offensive line while the two wide receivers were off to the left.

The play call was a simple handoff to the strong side of the offensive line. But by the time Smith took the handoff, a huge hole had opened that Smith was able to attack without being touched by anyone.

It took him 10 yards before one defender came within distance to make a play. But Smith made one soft cut going right to left that left St. Louis safety Chris Cooper in the dust.

From there, it was a track meet and nobody was going to catch Smith. No one was able to lay a finger on him before Smith reached the end zone.

"All the credit to the O-line," Smith said. "The boys up front, they gave me big holes and they left me one-on-one with the safety. As a runner, you got to make that guy miss. For me to be able and have some burners afterwards - I knew I had speed but I didn't know I had that much."

That play wasn't Smith's only long rushing touchdown of the game. In the second quarter, Smith opened the scoring with a 62-yard run.

It came from a much different formation; D.C. was in shotgun with four wide receivers, three bunched on the right side.

But once again the Defenders offensive line opened a hole for Smith to power through, this time slightly to the left side of the line, before he burst into the open field and beat three Battlehawks down the sideline to the end zone.

Smith's 218 yards were more than any other team has rushed for in an entire game this season, and more than a few XFL games this year haven't had that many rushing yards combined among the two teams.

"I was able to get into a groove," Smith said. "Splitting carries, it's fine with me, I just like to get that momentum going and kind of just see what I need to see out there on the field and see the holes that I need to see. Come on the sideline, correct it on the O-line and then just keep going. For me, it's more like a motor type deal. I gotta get that motor going. Then once it gets going, it never stops."

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