The COVID-19 pandemic has struck the country hard. Former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones has a public service announcement for you.
Cardale Jones’ college career had an awfully unique arc to it. He got thrust into the spotlight only because two quarterbacks in front of him went down with injury. First Braxton Miller in the preseason, then J.T. Barrett against Michigan late in the 2014 year.
But you know the story well. Confetti fell after every game that year once Jones got a chance to show what he can do. He led the Buckeyes to a win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, then again with two-straight wins in the first-ever College Football Playoff to hoist the national championship trophy.
Now, he’s back, battling the coronavirus. He has a message for Ohioans and Buckeye fans everywhere as a public service announcement. Watch as he reminds you to wash your hands, practice social distancing, and stay in if you are sick.
Ohio State quarterbacks have starred in college. However, they have found a rougher time when stepping up to the NFL.
Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Washington gleefully selected Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Haskins had a rough rookie season as did the team. Different schools are known for producing pro players at certain positions. For the longest time, Penn State was Linebacker U. No one, however, would consider Ohio State as QB U.
Kenny Robinson made a spectacular interception of a Cardale Jones pass in the first quarter for the BattleHawks.
Kenny Robinson is taking a unique route to the NFL Draft. The former West Virginia DB is playing in the XFL for the St. Louis BattleHawks despite being draft-eligible for the 2020 selection process.
He made his second pick of the season Sunday against the DC Defenders and it was spectacular.
Robinson got his hands under the ill-advised pass from Cardale Jones and created the turnover.
Young man Kenny Robinson with his second interception of the season and it was a BEAUTY
Will the Dallas Renegades be able to keep Bob Stoops from going under .500 after five games in the XFL?
The XFL reaches its midpoint with the Houston Roughnecks looking to remain perfect. The Tampa Bay Vipers face the LA Wildcats on the West Coast, as 1-3 teams look to avoid falling out of playoff hope.
Cam Phillips will resurface
Bob Levey/Getty Images
The Houston Roughnecks went to 4-0 with their Texas Throwdown victory over the Dallas Renegades. They catch the Seattle Dragons in Texas this week. Jim Zorn’s Dragons are 1-3 and feel like they are headed for oblivion. The one hope is BJ Daniels, who stepped in and provided a spark at QB. The odd part of the Houston victory last week was the lack of production from Cam Phillips, who was dominant in the first three weeks. Phillips had a lone catch for nine yards. Look for him to reconnect with P.J. Walker and fill up the stats sheet.
Recap of former Buffalo Bills players in the XFL from Week 4 of action.
After not really being an impact player for the St. Louis Battlehawks early in this XFL season, former Bills preseason standout receiver Brandon Reilly had his best game-to-date this past weekend.
Reilly was second on his team with two catches for 25 yards, while also notching one carry for three yards last week. Prior to that, he hadn’t been featured on their offense. In Week 4, he followed that up with three catches for 46 yards on five targets. He had one nice grab along the sidelines, too:
Throwin Samoan ➡️ Tip Toein'@brandonreilly87 takes it to the next level! 👀
Reilly’s efforts helped his team top the Seattle Dragons 23-16. In that outing, another former Bills receiver, Austin Proehl, had a down game with one catch for one yard on five targets. Proehl has proven to be up-and-down in the XFL.
On the positive side for Seattle, former Bills tight end Evan Rodriguez only had one catch for the second-straight week. This time it went for a 10-yard touchdown, though.
In other wideout down-swing news, the league’s best wideout through three weeks was Cam Phillips and for the first time in a Houston Roughnecks game, he was relatively ineffective. On three targets, Phillips only had one catch for nine yards. He’s already a two-time XFL Player of the Week, but he did enter the game with an ankle injury. His team stayed undefeated with a win over the Dallas Renegades, 27-20.
In some of the most disappointing XFL news from Week 4, the DC Defenders and former Bill Cardale Jones were bad once again. After starting the year as a potential MVP candidate, they’ve lost their past two games and were shutout 25-0 this week against the Tampa Bay Vipers. Rashad Ross, who had a cup of tea with the Bills, had three catches for 18 yards but Jones didn’t complete many passes. He was 9-for-22 passing for 72 yards with an interception. Defensively, Sharmarko Thomas had three tackles for the Defenders while linebacker AJ Tarpley added another six.
Former Ohio State standout and current DC Defenders starting quarterback Cardale Jones struggled in another brutal loss to the Vipers.
Former Ohio State standout and current DC Defenders starting quarterback Cardale Jones struggled in another brutal loss. This time the Defenders were defeated by the Tampa Bay Vipers, pushing the team to 2-2.
Jones could be removed from the starting role after throwing five interceptions in the last two weeks.
Overall, 12-gauge misfired to the tune of 9-for-22 and watched his Defenders lose 25-0. This was worrisome as Jones was again replaced in the fourth quarterback by backup quarterback Tyree Jackson.
After a few failed stints in the NFL after catching lightning in a bottle at Ohio State, Jones has failed to transition his skill set to the sport’s next level. However, Jones knows the opportunity to succeed was there against the Vipers.
“This one sucks because it’s more [about] missed opportunities than what your opponent was doing. But they still stayed true to themselves,” Jones said according to the Washington Post’s Jake Russell.
Jones is still a great option in the XFL, but he’ll have to clean up the turnovers. If there’s anything coaches hate, it’s unnecessary turnovers, and Jones has been a turnover party machine over the last few weeks.
Let’s hope he improves in Week 5. The Defenders will take on the St. Louis Battlehawks next Sunday.
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Former Buffalo Bills player roundup recap of from the XFL’s Week 3.
In our Week 2 XFL recap of former Buffalo Bills players, we had Cam Phillips and Cardale Jones lead the way. Both were big stories again in Week 3, but they’re trending in different directions now.
Phillips is currently the Jerry Rice of the XFL. Yes, the former Bill is probably the best receiver the league is seeing and he’s going to get calls for NFL training camps after the season. Jones is still one of the better quarterbacks the XFL has, but he came back down to earth after two big games.
Here’s your full breakdown of former Bills players from the XFL’s third week of action:
Feb 22, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; Houston Roughnecks wide receiver Cam Phillips. Credit: Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports
Phillips is leading the XFL in receiving yards after three weeks, averaging more than 100 yards per game. He has 324. Nelson Spruce of the LA Wildcats has 256, good for second in the league, so Phillips has a sizable edge.
In Week 3, Phillips once again… yes, once again, scored three times. He scored three times once already this season, so he has more three-touchdown games than non-three score games this season. That’s impressive.
His eight catches on 10 targets for 194 yards and three scores helped the Houston Roughnecks hang onto their undefeated record. They topped the Tampa Bay Vipers, 34-27.
The Roughnecks are the lone undefeated team left because Jones’ DC Defenders lost and lost big. The Wildcats topped them 39-9 and Jones was not good. On 26 pass attempts, Jones only completed half of his passes for 103 yards. He also had a whopping four interceptions.
Not only was it the Defenders’ first loss of the season, it was the first time Jones lost a football game since high school after his brief Ohio State and non-existent NFL career, to this point.
While Jones struggled for the Defenders, another former Bill semi-stood out as tight end Khari Lee was his leading receiver with three catches for 38 yards. Along with Jones, his struggles transferred over to Malachi Dupre, as the wideout who had one catch in Week 2, was held without a target in Week 3. Defensively, safety Shamarko Thomas had two tackles for the Defenders as well.
DC Defenders quarterback Cardale Jones. Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Out in Seattle with the Dragons, another former Bill wide receiver had a good game, a bounce-back one of sorts. Austin Proehl scored the first touchdown in the XFL’s season in Week 1 then was quiet in Week 2. This past weekend he led his team with six catches for 81 yards with a touchdown. That brought him to 168 yards on the season, making him the No. 5 target in the league, in terms of receiving yards.
In addition to Proehl, former Bills tight end Evan Rodriguez had one catch for Seattle as well in their 24-12 loss to the Dallas Renegades.
Wrapping things up in St. Louis with the Battlehawks, they topped the New York Guardians 29-9. Former Bills wide receiver Brandon Reilly finally made an impact on a game in St. Louis’ first home game. Reilly was second on his team with two catches for 25 yards, while also notching one carry for three yards.
Previewing Sunday’s DC Defenders at Los Angeles Wildcats sports betting odds and lines, with XFL Week 3 betting picks, tips and bets.
The DC Defenders (2-0) visit the winless Los Angeles Wildcats (0-2) Sunday of Week 3 in the XFL. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. E.T. on FS1. Below, we breakdown the Defenders-Wildcats Week 3 matchup, with XFL betting picks and tips.
Defenders vs. Wildcats: Week 3 preview, betting trends and notes
In their Week 2 win, the Defenders allowed just 137 net yards on defense and gave up only five total first downs.
Defenders QB Cardale Jones continued his hot streak in Week 2, throwing for 264 yards and two touchdowns against the New York Guardians.
The Wildcats offense took a step in the right direction in Week 2 as QB Josh Johnson threw for 185 yards and two TDs against the Dallas Renegades.
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Defenders vs. Wildcats: Key injuries
Defenders
DE Tavaris Barnes (thigh) questionable
WR Malachi Dupre (shoulder) questionable
LB A.J. Tarpley (hand) probable
DT Kalani Vakameialo (ankle) probable
LB Scooby Wright (knee) probable
Wildcats
LB Willie Mays (neck) out
QB Chad Kanoff (shoulder) out
C Kahlil McKenzie (ankle) out
DB Harlan Miller (thigh) out
TE Brandon Barnes (knee) probable
WR Saeed Blacknall (thigh) probable
DB Jaylen Dunlap (thigh) questionable
RB Elijah Hood (ankle) probable
QB Josh Johnson (thigh) questionable
WR Tre McBride (thigh) questionable
DB Jerome Couplin (ankle) probable
RB DuJuan Harris (ankle) probable
LB Will Smith (shoulder) probable
DB Jack Tocho (hip) probable
Defenders vs. Wildcats: Odds, betting lines and prediction
The Defenders (-358) are big road favorites, but it’s a too much chalk to risk. Every $3.58 wagered on the Defenders ML only profits $1 if they win. The Wildcats (+275) at least offer a 2.75-to-1 payoff, but I don’t see them pulling off the upset. Heading into the third week of the XFL season, the Defenders are the favorite to win the championship. They have one of the better quarterbacks in the league in Jones, along with a top-ranked defense. Vs. a Wildcats team that is still struggling to stop anyone on defense, look for the Defenders to improve to 3-0.
The DEFENDERS (-8.5, -110) are the play here – even as more-than-a-touchdown favorite. With a dominant defense, the Defenders can shut down just about any level of quarterback the XFL has to offer. Add on the fact that the Wildcats have a lengthy injury report heading into this game, and it’s tough to envision many ways they can keep up. Turnovers will obviously play a role, but look for the Defenders to cover this 8.5-point spread.
OVER 44 (-110) is worth backing. After a few weeks of bigger point spreads, oddsmakers have lowered the spreads dramatically in Week 3. However, the Defenders offense should feast against the worst defense in the XFL, and that should allow the Over to hit in Los Angeles.
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Former Buffalo Bills Cardale Jones, Cam Phillips, shine in Week 2 of XFL action.
DC Defenders quarterback Cardale Jones. Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The XFL has already started off better than the AAF as the league is still in existence after its second week of games. The league also saw an increase in attendance in Week 2 as well, so some good signs early.
In regard to former Buffalo Bills players lacing it up in the new league, former quarterback Cardale Jones and wide receiver Cam Phillips were the two former Buffalo connections that shined in Week 2.
After a strong opening week, Jones, starting quarterback for the DC Defenders, had another big week in his team’s 27-0 shutout of the New York Guardians. Jones was 23-for-37 passing for 276 yards with two scores and an interception. Jones added another 14 yards rushing on the ground. His highlight play was actually a first down gain after Jones fumbled the ball:
Jones has a few former Bills players on offense with them, but neither of them stood out. Tight end Khari Lee caught a touchdown pass on a trick play from Jones in Week 1, but only had one catch in Week 2. Wideout Malachi Dupre had two targets and one catch for 12 yards in Week 2.
Our second former Bills start of the Week 2 of XFL action was Houston Roughnecks reciever Cam Phillips. On 10 total targets, Phillips had eight catches for 63 yards. Three of those catches ended up for touchdowns.
One of Phillips’ scores came via a Pat Mahomes-like pass from quarterback PJ Walker. He tossed it sidearm but got the job done and Phillips held on:
While Phillips shined, another former Bills wideout actually went in the opposite direction this recent week. Former Bill Austin Prohel scored the first ever XFL touchdown last week for the Seattle Dragons. This week he laid a big of an egg. On four targets, Prohel only had one catch for a loss of one yard.
Behind the leadership and playmaking ability of former Ohio State QB Cardale Jones, the D.C. Defenders might be the team to beat in the XFL.
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Just two games into the XFL season, the D.C. Defenders, led by former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones look like one of the teams to beat. The former Buckeye gunslinger with the big arm might not quite be MVP worthy despite way too early chants calling for him to be, but he’s been awfully close.
Jones has passed for almost 300 yards in both games separately, has shown a flair for the dramatic, and has even had a few rushing yards and successful trick plays thrown in for good measure. Heck, he’s even made a busted and chaotic fumble look spectacular.
Here’s what USA TODAY’s Lorenzo Reyes says about the Defenders’ play behind 12-gauge.
“Cardale Jones has been pretty solid,” said Reyes. “I don’t think he’s necessarily done what we’ve expected him to do, because he came in out of Ohio State and went to the NFL, and everyone knew about his big arm, the big presence, but he’s been able to throw short to intermediate routes. He’s been quite efficient, and he has the Defenders really just moving the chains and a big reason why, don’t sleep on the DC offensive line. They have allowed just one sack in two games. Which, for a league that has struggled with its offensive line play, that’s saying something.”
It’s obviously still very early in the season, but it’s not hard to see the Defenders have what it takes to compete for a title. If they do, Jones, his big arm, and wide smile will have a lot to do with it.
