Tag: seattle dragons

WATCH: The big plays in first XFL game as DC downs Seattle

The DC Defenders broke open a close game in the second half to down the Seattle Dragons as the new XFL kicked off.

The XFL kicked off its reincarnation Saturday as Seattle journeyed across the country to face the DC Defenders.

The home team won the game, 31-19. covering the 9.5-point spread. That would not have happened if Seattle let a field goal stand in the second half that would have made it 31-22. A running-into-the-kicker penalty gave the Dragons a first down and took the points off the board.  However, they fumbled later in the drive and DC recovered. So, if you are counting your bucks or wagering, the field goal that came off the board cost Seattle bettors a cover and anyone who had the under survived the 51.5 number when the score remained 31-19.

This incarnation of the league showed promise and had some solid innovations and plenty of sideline conversation.

In the end, Seattle is 0-1 and DC is 1-0. That means Jim Zorn, who once coached Washington in the NFL, hasn’t had a win in the nation’s capital since Nov. 15, 2009.

A thumbs-up from someone no dog in the game. Nice!

A blocked punt shows the DC Defenders’ special teams are in fine form.

Rausa from 55

Trickeration! Double reverse leads to Cardale Jones TD pass.

Austin Proehl caught his second TD pass for the Dragons after the Defenders’ trick play.

Fourth-and-6 and the Defenders are back on top as Cardale Jones is on-target with Rashad Ross.

The Defenders break it open with a 69-yard Pick Six for a 31-19 lead.

 

WATCH: DC Defenders use trickeration for XFL touchdown against Seattle

DC Defenders coach Pep Hamilton pulled out a trick play and it worked for the DC Defenders in the XFL opener.

The defenses were ahead of the offenses in the first half of the XFL game between the Seattle Dragons and DC Defenders Saturday in the nation’s capital.

Then, Pep Hamilton went into his bag of tricks and came up with a double reverse for a score.

“We saw the look that we wanted and our players executed,” Hamilton told ABC’s Tom Luginbill after the play that led to DC taking a 19-13 lead in the third quarter. “It is good to see that we are showing some resilence.

The XFL’s sideline interviews make for great TV, except for when players drop F-bombs

It didn’t take long for the XFL’s sideline interviews to go sideways.

The XFL made a strong impression in its opening game on Saturday between the Seattle Dragons and DC Defenders, and fans are raving on social media over the league’s new kickoff system, and the in-game access to players and coaches. Conversations between the head coach and quarterback will be regularly broadcast on XFL games, and sideline reporters are free to roam the sidelines and interview players just moments after they make an impact play (or costly mistake) on the field.

In the first half alone on Saturday, the in game interviews delivered a few great moments. Seconds after missing a field goal, Defenders kicker Ty Rausa had to stand in front of a camera and explain what went wrong.

 

It didn’t take long, though, for profanity to make it past the censors, though. Immediately after being involved in an on-field dispute that produced an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Seattle’s Dillon Day was asked what happened on the field and couldn’t stop himself from dropping an F-bomb.

(Warning: Video contains profanity)

Oops!

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Watch the Seattle Dragons score the XFL’s first touchdown

Brandon Silvers threw a strike up the middle for the league’s first touchdown in its season opener.

It’s official. After years of waiting for its return, the XFL is finally back in action.

The Seattle Dragons scored the first touchdown in season opener against the D.C. Defenders. After driving 67 yards up the field, Quarterback Brandon Silvers hit Austin Proehl on his way into the endzone for a 14-yard score.

It wasn’t an easy throw, either. Proehl was caught in between two defenders on his way into the endzone. Silvers had to put the ball on the money up the middle to score the league’s first touchdown. Take a look.

On the next play, Silvers wasn’t so good. He threw an interception on the team’s extra point attempt.

Still, great first touchdown. XFL football is BYKE, baby.

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WATCH: Seattle Dragons score first touchdown in XFL season

Former North Carolina WR Austin Proehl caught a pass from Brandon Silvers to put Seattle’s XFL team on the board.

The DC Defenders got on the board first with a field goal Saturday as the XFL kicked off its season. The Seattle Dragons came right back, however, driving down the field for a touchdown.

Brandon Silvers found former North Carolina wide receiver Austin Proehl for the score.

Proehl was a seventh-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2018, No. 255 overall. He is the son of former NFL receiver Ricky Proehl. Ricky played college football at Wake Forest and played in the NFL from 1990 to 2006 for the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts.

Austin Proehl gave credit to his dad for the route, saying he had been running it since the “Greatest Show on Turf” days.

The TD was set up by a pass from Silvers to Dontez Byrd.

The PAT failed.

 

 

Football fans react to the XFL’s kickoff rules

Some fans are calling for the NFL to steal the XFL’s kickoff setup.

The 2020 XFL season kicked off on Saturday in Washington D.C., and the first play of the game looked a little strange for NFL fans. The XFL has made several rule changes in an attempt to make the game safer and more exciting, and the kickoff setup is radically different from what you’re used to seeing in the NFL and college football.

In the XFL, the kicker is the only player on the kicking team on his own half of the field, as the rest of his teammates are lined up at the opposing 35-yard line. The receiving team’s blockers are lined up just five yards away, and only the kicker and returner are allowed to move before the ball is caught (or is on the ground for more than three seconds). Once the returner has possession, every other player is allowed to move. The standard NFL practice of kicking for a touchbacks have also been discouraged, as any kickoffs that go through the endzone will move out to the 35-yard line.

The XFL kickoff scheme both reduces the number of violent collisions on the most dangerous play in football, while also ensuring that kickoff should have a return.

The kickoff looked strange at first glance, but fans already seem to prefer the XFL’s system to the NFL’s setup.

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Five Former Notre Dame Players Kick Off XFL This Weekend

When it does kickoff this weekend there will be five former Notre Dame players with roster spots across the eight team league for Fighting Irish fans to follow.

Ladies and gentlemen: “THIS IS THE XFL!”

To quote Vince McMahon now twenty or so years ago, but this “new and improved” version of the XFL doesn’t appear to be quite as extreme as the original product was a couple of decades ago.

When it does kickoff this weekend there will be five former Notre Dame players with roster spots across the eight team league for Fighting Irish fans to follow.

First a long snapper:

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Seattle Dragons at D.C. Defenders XFL odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Seattle Dragons at D.C. Defenders sports betting odds and lines, with Week 1 XFL betting picks, tips and bets.

The Seattle Dragons (0-0) and D.C. Defenders (0-0) begin their 2020 campaigns in the relaunched XFL Saturday at 2 p.m. ET, squaring off at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. We analyze the Dragons-Defenders Week 1 odds and lines, with XFL betting advice and tips around this matchup, the first game of the league’s opening weekend.

Dragons at Defenders: XFL Week 1 preview, betting trends and notes

  • The Dragons are led by coach Jim Zorn, who was once the head coach of the Washington Redskins. While an experienced coach, his quarterback Brandon Silvers doesn’t offer much in the way of confidence.
  • D.C. is led by a coach-quarterback tandem with NFL experience. Pep Hamilton worked as an assistant for five NFL teams, most recently with the Cleveland Browns, while quarterback Cardale Jones is a big-arm QB who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2016 draft.
  • DT Will Sutton and WR Keenan Reynolds are the most recognizable names on Seattle’s roster, which is short on ex-NFL talent.
  • The Defenders are loaded with former NFL players. S Matt Elam, QB Tyree Jackson, LB Scooby Wright and RB Donnel Pumphrey lead the charge behind Jones.
  • The Defenders have the fourth-best odds (+600) to win the XFL 2020 Championship. The Dragons have the longest odds at +1100.

Get some action on this XFL matchup or other games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets; visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Dragons at Defenders: Key injuries

Dragons

  • OT Isaiah Battle (ankle) out
  • TE Cam Clear (undisclosed) out
  • S Tyson Graham (hand) out
  • WR Kasen Williams (quad) out
  • WR Alonzo Moore (hip) questionable

Defenders

  • WR DeAndre Thompkins (foot) out
  • LB Scooby Wright (knee) out
  • S Shamarko Thomas (thigh) questionable
  • DE Tavaris Barnes (arm) probable
  • S Matt Elam (thigh) probable
  • G Dorian Johnson (shoulder) probable
  • DB Bradley Sylve (thigh) probable

Dragons at Defenders: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Defenders 27, Dragons 15

Moneyline (?)

Betting the moneyline in the first XFL game ever is risky, given the unknowns about both teams and the league as a whole. Yes, the Defenders have more NFL-caliber players on their roster, but that’s not the only determining factor in a good team.

The Defenders’ moneyline is -358, which comes with very little reward for the risk you’d have to make to win any significant amount of money. You could put down a small wager on the Dragons (+280) to hedge your bet if you’re betting on the spread, too, but I’d probably PASS on both.

Against the Spread (?)

On paper – which is all we have to go off of right now – the Defenders look like a much better team. We have no idea what we’re going to get from Silvers at QB for the Dragons, and even though Jones is a question mark, too, we at least saw him against top competition at Ohio State and briefly in the NFL.

All told, the Defenders are 7.5-point favorites, which is the second-largest spread of the weekend. D.C.’s defense has enough NFL-caliber talent that it should be able to keep the Dragons in check. Plus, having a proven player like Pumphrey at RB will help D.C.’s offense.

Take the DEFENDERS -7.5 (-121).

Over/Under (?)

With the revamped rules in the XFL, there should be more scoring. There are different point-after-touchdown options, and with a shorter play clock, the pace should be higher. That doesn’t mean the offenses will be productive, though.

With an Over/Under of 49.5, I’d be inclined to take the UNDER 49.5 (-110), just because the Dragons don’t have much proven talent on offense and there are still questions about Jones as the Defenders’ QB.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @camdasilva and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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A handful of ex-Jets are preparing for their XFL debuts

The Jets Wire takes a look at every former Jets player in the XFL and which are the five most notable players.

With the NFL season coming to a close, the revamped XFL is starting this weekend.

There are several former Jets involved in this new league, which has eight teams with rosters consisting of 52 players each. Not many players have extensive ties to Gang Green, nor did they have long stays in New York.

Here is a complete list of every former Jets player in the XFL:

Alex Balducci, Brandon Barnes, T.J. Barnes, William Campbell, Jeremy Clark, Stacy Coley, Kony Ealy, Obum Gwacham, De’Angelo Henderson, Darius James, Anthony Johnson, Taiwan Jones, Tre McBride, Robert Nelson, Nick Novak, Santos Ramirez, David Rivers, Edmond Robinson, Jalen Saunders, Jake Schum, Jacquies Smith, Shamarko Thomas, Jon Toth and DeAngelo Yancey

With that said, let’s take a look at the five most notable ex-Jets in the XFL.

DE Kony Ealy: Houston Renegades

(Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports)

The Jets claimed Kony Ealy off waivers from the Patriots in 2017 after New England traded a second-round pick to Carolina for his services.

In 15 games played for Gang Green, Ealy recorded 11 total tackles, one sack, nine passes defended and an interception. He left the Jets in free agency for the Cowboys but was cut before the season. Ealy spent time with Oakland before landing in the XFL.

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Seattle Dragons 2020 XFL odds and season preview

Previewing the Seattle Dragons’ chances of winning the 2020 XFL Championship, with a roster breakdown and look at projected starters.

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The Seattle Dragons will open the 2020 XFL season Saturday against the DC Defenders with a 2 p.m. ET kickoff. Below, we’ll preview the Dragons’ 2020 season, with a look at their roster and 2020 XFL Championship odds.

Head coach and general manager Jim Zorn is joined by offensive coordinator Mike Riley and defensive coordinator Clayton Lopez to lead the team in its inaugural season. All three have NFL experience as they team up in the first season of the XFL.

Seattle Dragons 2020 XFL Championship odds

Odds via BetMGM, last updated February 5 at 10:30 a.m.

Outright Winner: +1200

The Dragons open the season with the longest odds of the eight teams in the XFL at +1200 to win the 2020 league championship. This means a $10 XFL futures bet on the Dragons would return a profit of $120 if they were to win the championship game April 26.

The next highest odds belong to the St. Louis Battlehawks at +1000. The Dallas Renegades open the inaugural season of the XFL as +250 favorites.

Also See: XFL 2020 Championship Odds

Seattle Dragons 2020 roster

QB: Brandon Silvers, B.J. Daniels

RB: Kenneth Farrow, Trey Williams, Ja’Quan Gardner

WR: Kasen Williams, John Santiago, Sergio Bailey, Austin Proehl, Alonzo Moore, Dontez Byrd, Keenan Reynolds

TE: Colin Jeter, Ben Johnson, Cam Clear, Evan Rodriguez, Connor Hemlett

OL: C Dillon Day, G Cyril Richardson, G William Campbel, C Kirk Barron, G Venzell Boulware, OT Michael Dunn, OT Qunterrius Eatmon, OT Isaiah Battle, LS Noah Borden

DL: DE Praise Martin-Oguike, DE Marcel Frazier, DT Anthony Moten, DE Stansly Maponga, DE Anthony Johnson, DE Durrant Miles, DT Will Sutton, DT Pasoni Tasini, DE Jacquies Smith, DT Jordan Thompson

LB: Kyle Queiro, Nick Temple, Nyles Morgan, Steven Johnson

CB: Mahmmed Seisay, Marko Myers, Steve Williams, Johnathan Alston, Channing Stribling, Jeremy Clark

S: Tyson Graham, Jordan Martin, Godwin Igebuike, Santos Ramirez

P: Brock Miller

Keep your football betting action going by placing a legal sports bet on XFL games at BetMGM. Bet now!

Seattle Dragons 2020 projected offensive starters

QB: Brandon Silver

RB: Kenneth Farrow

WR1: Keenan Reynolds

WR2: Kasen Williams

TE: Cam Clear

Want action on the 2020 XFL Championship? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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