Tag: Lance Dunbar

XFL Week 4: Renegades fall to Roughnecks, 27-20, Parham shines again

Landry Jones goes down late in the fourth quarter, as the Renegades comeback attempt falls just short against Roughnecks, 27-20.

In the inaugural Texas Throwdown, the Dallas Renegades fell 27-20 to the Houston Roughnecks. The hard-fought contest stung even more for Dallas, who lost QB Landry Jones due to a knee injury during the Renegades’ final drive. Philip Nelson came on in relief and managed to reach the Houston three-yard line, but the Renegades fifth turnover of the game sunk their hopes.

The Renegades’ record evened to 2-2, while Houston remains the lone undefeated team (4-0) in the XFL.

Game Recap

Dallas overcame three first-quarter interceptions thrown by Jones to nearly come back against the league’s top team. The Renegades defense limited Houston QB P.J. Walker to just 239 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. WR Cam Phillips, coming off back-to-back XFL Star of the Week awards, caught just a single pass for nine yards.

Down 15-0 early in the second quarter, Dallas was able to take advantage of a short field and Roughnecks miscue to get back into the game. Jones connected with his top target, TE Donald Parham for a 12-yard touchdown.

It seemed as if Parham might’ve fumbled the ball before cross the goal line, but the play stood, and Parham tacked on the two-point conversion as well. Dallas also managed to chip a field goal, and trailed only 15-11 at the half.

The Renegades were in a familiar spot in the second half, looking to mount a comeback. Trailing 21-11, Dallas responded to a Roughnecks touchdown with a nine-play, 76 yard TD drive of their own. RB Lance Dunbar, who led the team in rushing yards with 48, snuck into the end zone from a yard out to strike back. Jones then hit Flynn Nagel for the three pointer to make it 21-20.

That was unfortunately as close as Dallas got, however. Early in the fourth quarter, Jones was strip-sacked by Roughnecks LB Edmund Robinson, who recovered the ball and returned it for a Houston touchdown, bringing the game to its final score.

It was a game that went from bad to worse Jones, who’s status is now uncertain after the injury that forced him out of the game.

In three starts this season, Jones has thrown five touchdowns vs seven interceptions, but the Renegades are 2-1 in his starts. His availability will certainly be a factor in how Bob Stoops makes decisions with the season nearing its halfway mark.

Odds and Ends

  • The rivalry-week burns were spicy in the lead-up to the first game between Houston and the Renegades. The two teams won’t meet again until the Texas Throwdown in Week 9.

  • Kyler Murray, the former number one overall pick out of Oklahoma was spotted on the Renegades sideline, supporting Stoops.

  • Dallas was playing its first game without pass rusher Hau’oli Kikaha, who abruptly retired from the XFL following the Renegades’ Week 3 victory. A former second round pick of the New Orleans Saints, Kikaha was one of Dallas’s most active defenders early in the season.It’s been a tumultuous professional career for the the talented Kikaha, but a farewell post on Instagram hinted this may not be the end of the road.

Other Week 4 results

New York Guardians 17 – Los Angeles Wildcats 14

St. Louis Battlehawks 23 – Seattle Dragons 16

Tampa Bay Vipers 25 – DC Defenders 0

Week 5 schedule

Saturday, March 7th

Seattle Dragons (1-3) @ Houston Roughnecks (4-0) | 2pm ET, ABC

New York Guardians (2-2) @ Dallas Renegades (2-2) | 5pm ET, FOX

Sunday, March 8th

St. Louis Battlehawks (3-1) @DC Defenders (2-2) | 3pm ET, FS1

Tampa Bay Vipers (1-3) @ Los Angeles Wildcats (1-3) | 9pm ET, ESPN

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6 XFL offensive players the Cardinals could consider

The new version of the XFL is here – and there are a few offensive players the Cardinals could consider for the back of their roster.

In the first-ever XFL game this year, the broadcasting team made the comment that a lot of players were the ones that would fall somewhere between players No. 40-53 on NFL rosters. And that seems to be the case for many of those playing in the new XFL – they’re putting tape out there to potentially find a way to an NFL roster.

So who on the offensive side of the ball should Arizona consider inviting to their camp and maybe even consider signing? Here are six possibilities:

Houston Roughnecks QB P.J. Walker

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The smaller Walker would seem to be a good fit as a backup quarterback in the system like Arizona’s. He has the arm strength and agility as shown in his team’s first game, a 37-17 win over the LA Wildcats.

Walker finished as the second leading rusher as well as throwing for 272 yards and four touchdowns, including a beautiful 50-yard strike.

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