Tag: Tampa Bay Vipers

Ravens sign former XFL long snapper Nick Moore

The Baltimore Ravens made their first signing of an XFL player, bringing in Tampa Bay Vipers long snapper Nick Moore

When we looked at which XFL players the Baltimore Ravens could be interested in, we never put a long snapper on the list. Yet, that’s exactly who the Ravens are bringing in, signing former Tampa Bay Vipers long snapper Nick Moore, according to ESPN’s Field Yates and The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec.

While most fans think about early free-agent signings as big names and immediate starters, this certainly isn’t the case. In reality, this is likely just Baltimore filling out their roster and bringing in a little competition to keep things fresh. The Ravens have had Morgan Cox as their long snapper for the last 10 years as a crucial part of what the players call “the wolfpack” — punter Sam Koch, kicker Justin Tucker and Cox.

Moore is Baltimore’s first XFL signing. With the league initially suspending play and then stopping the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, XFL players are able to sign with NFL teams. It also marks a connection to the Ravens in a different way as Moore’s coach with the Vipers was former Baltimore offensive coordinator Marc Trestman.

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XFL suspends season amid COVID-19 outbreak

The XFL now joins the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the NCAA in halting activities in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

The inaugural season for the revived XFL will be cut short as the new league announced on Thursday afternoon they will not be playing the rest of their regular-season games due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The XFL may be done for the year, but they are not alone when it comes to other leagues postponing activities. The NBA and NHL both announced they are suspending their seasons as well, with the MLB delaying the start of their season for at least two weeks, and the NCAA entirely canceling their beloved March Madness tournament.

With the end of the XFL comes the conclusion of the Seattle Dragons 2020 campaign as well. The Dragons were still slated to play their Week 6 game on Saturday versus the Los Angeles Wildcats, albeit in front of an empty stadium due to Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s limitations on crowd sizes of 250 people or more.

The Dragons remained competitive throughout the year, but ultimately came up short and will finish their opening campaign at 1-4, with their lone win coming from a 17-9 victory over the Tampa Bay Vipers – who are similarly 1-4.

Despite the Dragons sharing the XFL’s basement with the Vipers, they enjoyed considerable fan support from the Seattle faithful. Seattle once more proved it was a city in love with football, hungry for more even after a successful season from the Seahawks.

Should the XFL survive such a major setback and resume play in 2021, there is little doubt the Dragons will still have a solid fan-base to return to.

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Watch: Wildcats’ big guy Boogie Roberts scoops and scores a touchdown

Boogie Roberts of the LA Wildcats rumbled 23 yards for a TD at 289 pounds against the Tampa Bay Vipers.

The LA Wildcats had an historic comeback — okay it is the XFL, everything is new and historic — Sunday against the Tampa Bay Vipers.

LA trailed 24-6 before going on a 35-3 run en route to a 41-34 victory. One of the highlights of the rally was 6-foot-2, 289-pound Boogie Roberts rumbling 23 yards after picking up a Taylor Cornelius fumble.

Here goes:

Roberts’ “dash” made it 39-27 and the two-point PAT turned it into a 14-point game.

Roberts played college ball at San Jose State.

XFL midterm report card grades for all 8 teams

The XFL is halfway through its season and the Houston Roughnecks are way ahead of the rest of the teams.

The XFL has reached the midpoint of its season. One team stands above all: the Houston Roughnecks. How does everyone grade out?

Dallas Renegades

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

One of the disappointments. There were high hopes when Bob Stoops was named coach of the Renegades. He brought the ultimate winning pedigree from Oklahoma. Dallas has struggled on offense and it has been dampened by injuries to quarterback Landry Jones, expected to be a huge asset. At 2-3, the Renegades need to find their stride in the second half of the season or they won’t qualify for the playoffs. Grade: C-minus

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Watch: Josh Johnson throws pair of quick TD passes for LA WIldcats

Josh Johnson found De’Quan Hampton for a touchdown in the second quarter Sunday.

De’Quan Hampton saw “the opportunity to dog somebody” when the 6-foot-3 tight end from USC was matched up on a 5-foot-11 DB for the Tampa Bay Vipers.

Josh Johnson took advantage of the matchup for the LA Wildcats and found Hampton, who leaped over … for a touchdown to bring the Wildcats back into their home game against the Vipers Sunday in California.

Johnson didn’t waste any time on the Wildcats’ next drive. He found Penn State’s Blacknall Saeed with a long pass.

Johnson connected with another tight end, Brandon Barnes, for the score that made it 24-20 heading toward halftime.

 

Watch: Vipers’ Taylor Cornelius delivers some Mahomes magic

Taylor Cornelius found Jalen Tolliver in the back of the end zone for a Tampa Bay Vipers’ touchdown.

The Tampa Bay Vipers have found life with Taylor Cornelius at quarterback. In the second quarter Sunday against the LA Wildcats on the road, Cornelius delivered some Patrick Mahomes-type magic and found Jalen Tolliver in the back of the end zone.

Watch this dart from the 6-foot-6, 233-pound former Oklahoma State QB:

Another angle:

Tolliver, who played at Arkansas-Monticello, was quick to say who the score was for:

Nick Holley does a Billy ‘White Shoes’ Johnson dance after score

P.J. Walker hooked up with Nick Holley for a touchdown in the first half of the Roughnecks’ game with the Vipers.

The Houston Roughnecks found themselves in an unfamiliar position Saturday … trailing.

The Tampa Bay Vipers came into the game 1-3 but jumped to a 14-0 lead. Then, P.J. Walker decided to rev up the Roughnecks, finding Nick Holley for a 50-yard strike on third-and-one.

Holley got a big block from Cam Phillips.

Holley is one of the better stories in the XFL. He has come back from three torn ACLs and a broken back to continue to pursue his dream of playing football.

Tampa Bay Vipers at Los Angeles Wildcats odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Tampa Bay Vipers at Los Angeles Wildcats sports betting odds and lines, with XFL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Los Angeles Wildcats (1-3) host the Tampa Bay Vipers (1-3) Sunday of Week 5 in the XFL at Dignity Health Sports Park. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN. Below, we break down the Vipers-Wildcats Week 5 matchup, with XFL betting picks and tips.

Vipers at Wildcats: XFL Week 5 preview, betting trends and notes

  • The Wildcats and Vipers rank sixth and seventh, respectively, among the futures odds for the XFL Championship April 26. Los Angles is +1200, while Tampa Bay is +2000.
  • Tamp Bay shut out the DC Defenders 25-0 last week at home. Los Angeles lost 17-14 on the road against the New York Guardians. The Wildcats beat the Defenders 39-9 in LA the week prior.
  • Wildcats QB Josh Johnson ranks third in the XFL with 788 passing yards. Vipers RBs DeVeon Smith and Jacques Patrick rank first and third, respectively, in rushing yards.
  • Vipers QB Quinton Flowers has requested a trade, citing his timeshare under center with Taylor Cornelius and Aaron Murray. Flowers, who has taken the least snaps of the three, has completed 8 of 15 pass attempts for 106 yards and no touchdowns against one interception.

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!

Vipers at Wildcats: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Wildcats 32, Vipers 24

Moneyline (?)

Both teams stumble into Week 5 at or near the bottom of their respective divisions. The WILDCATS (-121) get the nod in what’s projected as the tightest game of the week. They’re 1-1 at home and have a touchdown differential of plus-2 on the season, while the Vipers (+100) are 0-2 on the road and minus-2 in touchdown differential. Home teams are 11-5 straight up through four weeks of XFL play.

The Wildcats are much more stable at the quarterback position, while the Vipers are left with a disgruntled Flowers, Murray and Cornelius.

Against the Spread (?)

Get the better value on the WILDCATS (-1.5, -110) by backing them to win by a minimum of 2 points. There hasn’t been a game decided by fewer than 3 points in the XFL. Los Angeles has scored five more touchdowns than Tampa Bay, while allowing just one more score.

Over/Under (?)

Back the OVER 40.5 (+100) at even money. The Wildcats are just two weeks removed from a 39-point outburst on their home field. The Vipers have put up 52 points over the last two weeks after being held to a total of 12 points in their first two games.

Want action on this game? 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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Updated XFL Championship Odds: Roughnecks, Battlehawks pulling away

Assessing the 2020 XFL Championship odds through the inaugural season’s first four weeks. Can anyone catch the Houston Roughnecks?

The XFL is four weeks of games into its inaugural season and the Houston Roughnecks and St. Louis Battlehawks have emerged as heavy favorites as division leaders. We look at the 2020 XFL Championship odds with contenders pulling away entering the mid-point of the season.

2020 XFL Championship Odds

Odds via BetMGM, last updated March 4 at 1:40 p.m. ET.

TEAM PRESEASON ODDS UPDATED ODDS
Houston Roughnecks +750 +175
St. Louis Battlehawks +1000 +250
Dallas Renegades +250 +600
DC Defenders +750 +700
New York Guardians +350 +800
Los Angeles Wildcats +450 +1200
Tampa Bay Vipers +550 +2000
Seattle Dragons +1200 +3300

2020 XFL Championship Odds: Risers

Houston Roughnecks

The Roughnecks are the only remaining undefeated team through four games, winning twice at home and twice on the road. Their plus-five touchdown differential and 16 TDs scored also lead the league.

QB Phillip Walker leads the XFL with 987 passing yards, Cam Phillips leads with 333 receiving yards and Deatrick Nichols leads with three interceptions. Three of their four wins have come by at least 7 points.

St. Louis Battlehawks

The Battlehawks’ odds have dropped to 1/4 of what they were in the preseason. They sit atop the XFL East at 3-1 and are undefeated at home at 2-0. The defense leads the league with only seven touchdowns allowed.

QB Jordan Ta’amu ranks second to Houston’s Walker with 876 passing yards, while RB Matt Jones is second with 244 rushing yards. Their only loss was a 28-24 setback at the Roughnecks in Week 2, and only Houston has scored more than 16 points against St. Louis.

2020 XFL Championship Odds: Fallers

Los Angeles Wildcats

The Wildcats entered the season with the third-best championship odds and are now one of the three teams buried at the bottom with odds worse than 10-1 to win the championship.

They’re 1-1 at home and 0-2 on the road, but they have a touchdown differential of plus-2, thanks to a 39-9 home rout of the Defenders in Week 3. They fell right back to Earth in Week 4, however, with a 17-14 road loss at the New York Guardians.

Tampa Bay Vipers

The Vipers entered the year with hope led by former Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman. They’ve started the season 0-2 on the road and have a minus-2 touchdown differential.

They may have started a turnaround in Week 4 with a 25-0 home win over the Defenders, a club with a pattern of helping opposing teams turn things around, apparently.

Seattle Dragons

Things have only grown worse for the Dragons, who started the year with the worst XFL Championship odds. Their touchdown differential is just minus-1 – they haven’t lost by more than 12 points.

They’re unlikely to win it at all, but they’re much closer to being in the middle of the pack and represent a reasonable long-shot value.

Want action on the XFL? 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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DC Defenders at Tampa Bay Vipers odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Sunday’s DC Defenders at Tampa Bay Vipers XFL matchup, with XFL betting odds, picks and best bets

The DC Defenders (2-1) take on the Tampa Bay Vipers (0-3) Sunday during the XFL’s Week 4. Kickoff for this game is set for 7 p.m. E.T. Below, we break down the Guardians-Defenders Week 4 matchup, with XFL betting picks and tips.

Defenders at Vipers: Week 4 preview, betting trends and notes

  • The Defenders had their worst performance of the season in Week 3 as they allowed 39 points on defense. They allowed 334 yards on defense, giving up six yards per play.
  • Defenders QB Cardale Jones had the worst game of his professional career, throwing four interceptions and zero touchdowns. He completed just 13 of 26 passes for 103 after back-to-back stellar performances to open the season.
  • The Vipers continue to struggle on defense, as they allowed 417 total yards in Week 3. While their offense is coming along, it’s the defense that has held them back from gaining their first win of the season.

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!

Defenders at Vipers: Key injuries

Defenders:

  • DE Tavaris Barnes (thigh) questionable
  • DC Elijah Campbell (abdomen) questionable
  • TE Donnie Ernsberger (shoulder) probable
  • RB Jhurell Pressley (shoulder) probable

Vipers:

  • QB Quinton Flowers (personal) doubtful
  • WR S.J. Green (knee) questionable
  • TE Nick Truesdell (knee) doubtful
  • CB Jalen Collins (ankle) probable
  • OT Martez Ivey (knee) probable
  • QB Aaron Murray (foot) probable
  • DT Ricky Walker (ankle) probable

Defenders at Vipers: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Defenders 24, Vipers 20

Moneyline (?)

The DEFENDERS (-189) are slight road favorites over the Vipers (+155) on Sunday; the line is moving, as it was just -139 late Saturday. While these two teams might be closer than their records indicate, there is still a ton of value to be had on DC. Expect this to be a close game, but for the Defenders to win Sunday.

Against the Spread (?)

The Defenders (-4, -110) are more than a field goal favorite over the winless Vipers Sunday evening. This line also moved 1.5 points overnight. Considering how much better the Defenders’ offense has been this season, the original line didn’t quite make sense and it may continue to move leading into kickoff. The Vipers just aren’t consistent enough on either side of the football and are the inferior team. If the line drops closer to three, it’s worth a small-unit wager for the Defenders.

Over/Under (?)

The total for this Week 4 XFL matchup is set at 44.5, which still feels a bit high considering the inconsistencies of the Vipers’ quarterback situation. While the Defenders could certainly score 30 or more points, they will need to do the heavy lifting for this over to hit. Instead, take the UNDER (-115) in Tampa Bay Sunday evening.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @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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