XFL DC Defenders celebrate the first touchdown of #4 Abram Smith against the St. Louis Battlehawks, March 18, 2023. (ESPN)
With the absence of fellow back Ryquell Armstead against the St. Louis Battlehawks, Abram Smith knew that the D.C. Defenders ground success would rely heavily on himself, and let’s just say he didn’t disappoint. The former Baylor running back ran for 218 yards and broke the XFL record for longest rushing touchdown with his 70-yard score during the third quarter.
Altogether, Smith finished with a hat trick in the Defenders’ 28-20 victory over the Battlehawks for their fifth win in a row. The first pick in the XFL Skill Position Draft proved his worth on each of his 23 carries, which averaged 9.5 yards a pop. His two other touchdowns came on 62 & five-yard runs.
Red zone specialist D’Eriq King had the only other Defenders touchdown on a 10-yard scramble early in the fourth quarter, which proved to be the difference maker. Jordan Ta’amu – his quarterback complement – added 113 total yards, but as I said, Smith did most of the damage offensively.
Defenders defense
The Battlehawks offense shot themselves in the foot time & time again with countless unforced penalties on the night. Going against a top XFL defense in the Defenders, these definitely weren’t ideal, but they still had their chances.
After conceding a 50-yard touchdown to Battlehawks receiver Steven Mitchell Jr. that made the score 28-20 late in the contest, Michael Joseph got his redemption. On the following make-or-break defensive drive, the JUCO product made the game-sealing interception on A.J. McCarron’s pass intended for Mitchell – his XFL-leading fourth pick of the season.
The only other D.C. takeaway came amidst the first half, where Andre Mintze’s strip-sack on McCarron allowed safety Montae Nicholson to recover for the Defenders. Overall, Nicholson impressed with five tackles in his first game after being picked up last week. Safety Cameron Lewis also had to step up after starter Kentrell Brice went down with an injury early. Lewis finished with three tackles, including a sack. MMA fighter & field general Reggie Northrup once again led the Defenders in tackles with nine.
Battlehawks blunders
Although he threw for 236 yards, McCarron struggled as he missed on multiple passes to open receivers. Even one of the touchdowns he threw didn’t necessarily hit the target, as former five-star recruit had to bobble it before coming down with it:
To make matters worse, McCarron was sacked four times for a net loss of 24 yards. Brian Hill rushed for 79 yards on 14 carries. However, he couldn’t do much more as his team played from behind for most of the game.
On the defensive end, the Battlehawks forced zero turnovers and got pounded on the ground (as previously mentioned). The ten penalties against the Battlehawks didn’t make it any better.
The only real bright spot (other than the crowd) for the Battlehawks was kick returner Darrius Shepherd who took three kickoffs for 155 yards, including an 80-yard return on the first play of the second half. Shepherd also made his impact through the air with three receptions for 30 yards. His teammate Hakeem Butler had a good showing with nine catches and 86 yards, but obviously wasn’t enough.
What’s next?
For the Defenders, the win means they sweep the season series against the Battlehawks and remain undefeated at 5-0. Meanwhile, the Battlehawks drop to 3-2 with the loss and will attempt to bounce back next week against the 1-4 Vegas Vipers on the road.
