Audi Field in Washington, D.C., was the site of Sunday’s XFL battle between a pair of unbeaten teams, the D.C. Defenders and St. Louis Battlehawks.
The game didn’t disappoint.
In addition to the highest-scoring game of the XFL’s young season, we saw a fight, and somewhere, XFL founder Vince McMahon smiled. Yet, through it all, the Defenders held on to beat the Battlehawks, 34-28, and improve to 3-0 on the season.
The Defenders jumped on the scoreboard early as quarterback Jordan Ta’amu found tight Ethan Wolf for a seven-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The pair also successfully converted the two-point conversion, giving D.C. an early 8-0.
The Defenders struck again when cornerback Michael Joseph picked off his third pass of the season and took it to the house to extend D.C.’s lead to 14-0. It was Joseph’s third interception of the season.
Michael Joseph is RIDICULOUS. He picks off AJ McCarron, and takes it to the house to put DC up 14-0.
Joseph now has three interceptions on the @XFL2023 season, returning two for a score. This guy is an absolute ballhawk. #XFLpic.twitter.com/auavBz1r7g
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) March 5, 2023
St. Louis quarterback A.J. McCarron rebounded, leading the Battlehawks on a 73-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Brian Hill to trim the lead to 14-8.
McCarron led another long St. Louis drive, capping it off with a touchdown pass to Hakeem Butler.
The two teams went back and forth in the second half before the Defenders took a 34-28 lead late in the fourth quarter, and things broke down. The Battlehawks, facing a fourth-and-15, saw their hopes evaporate when McCarron was sacked, effectively ending the game with 16 seconds remaining, and this happened:
HOLY CRAP. HUGE FIGHT AT THE END OF THE XFL GAME‼️ pic.twitter.com/9GoZgYkwLZ
— MattBeGreat (@mattbegreatyt) March 5, 2023
The scuffle led to three players being ejected — two for D.C. and one for St. Louis.
Here’s another view:
St. Louis Battlehawks and D.C. Defenders fight at the end of their #XFL game. #KaKaw pic.twitter.com/2mSmVPLVsP
— STL Sports (@Cards_Blues) March 5, 2023
These two teams meet again in 13 days from St. Louis.
Ta’amu completed 11 of 20 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a touchdown.
McCarron had another excellent performance in defeat, passing for 262 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Defenders are 2-0 from Audi Field this season and remain undefeated in their home venue since 2020. D.C. hosts the Vegas Vipers next week in a rematch from Week 2; the Defenders won 18-6.