D.C. Defenders midseason report card: positional breakdown

The D.C. Defenders are the only unbeaten squad left as we enter the second half of the 2023 XFL season. Here is a position-by-position breakdown of how they’ve fared so far:

Quarterbacks: B+

Running the ball has been a staple in the Defenders’ offense, with passing more as a secondary option for them to get down the field. D.C. leads the XFL in carries (188) and rushing yards (870). Starting quarterback Jordan Ta’amu is fourth in the XFL in rushing yards with 208 on 44 carries, the most by any XFL quarterback. His counterpart & red zone specialist, D’Eriq King, leads the XFL in rushing touchdowns with five on 20 attempts for 73 yards. Conversely, the Defenders rank sixth amongst XFL teams in passing yards with 700 on 109 attempts – by far the least in the league. 

Last week, Ta’amu threw for only 90 yards in his team’s 28-20 victory over the St. Louis Battlehawks. In comparison, the ground game racked up 248 yards. That hasn’t been the only case where rushing outdid the air attack for D.C. In week one against the Seattle Sea Dragons, Ta’amu went 8 for 19 passing with just 86 yards and an interception – his only pick of the year. Despite his poor performance, the Defenders still managed to squeak out the win thanks to an outstanding defensive effort. Since the matchup, the passing production for D.C. has continued to be on & off, yet they’ve won five straight. So if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? Well, in this case, probably not.

It’s clear that the undefeated Defenders picked the right quarterbacks for their smashmouth scheme, but overall I think they’ll need to get the passing attack more active as the season enters the ladder stages. Some promise has been shown throughout the season – especially in their week three matchup against the Battlehawks, where Ta’amu threw for 196 yards and one touchdown, but consistency will be key. 

Running backs: A+

The Defenders’ running back core has looked like the best in the XFL through the midway point, and the numbers back it up. As mentioned earlier, the Defenders lead the XFL in rushing yards with 870. For reference, the Sea Dragons – second in rushing yards – only have 466. The Defenders also lead the XFL in yards per carry (4.6), rushing touchdowns (11), and runs for first down percentage (27.1%), amongst other figures.

Abram Smith – the XFL leading rusher – will be a guy to look out for in NFL training camps this summer. The first pick in the XFL Skill Position Draft has continued to prove his worth each & every week as a top asset in the D.C. offense. He demonstrated his workhorse ability last week against the Battlehawks, where he recorded record numbers with his 23 carries for 218 yards and a rushing touchdown hat trick. Former Jacksonville Jaguar Ryquell Armstead, who missed last week due to an injury, has also stood out for the Defenders with 37 carries & 156 yards on the season. 

Wide receivers: C+

As I said, D.C. will need to get its receivers more involved in its offensive approach. Aside from a few big catches made by Lucky Jackson & Chris Blair, not much has stood out from the Defenders’ receiving core. They’re ranked dead last league-wide in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, while their 11.4 yards per grab rank second in the XFL – only behind the Vegas Vipers.

Of their 717 total receiving yards, 250 have come from Jackson, while Blair has produced 203. Former Florida Gator Josh Hammond is in distant third with 91 yards on 14 catches. It goes without saying that they lack depth at the position in part due to preseason injuries to top picks like K.D. Cannon & Jazz Ferguson. 

Tight ends: B

Starter Ethan Wolf has missed the past two weeks for the Defenders due to injury. In his place have been Briley Moore & Alex Ellis – who D.C. acquired via a trade with the Vipers. These guys have been utilized as extra blockers with targets through the air sprinkled in every now & then. 

The absence of Wolf has put a small damper on the Defenders’ passing attack, with Wolf having been the fourth-highest target before his injury. On the season, he had six catches for 49 yards, including a touchdown – which came against the Battlehawks in the same game he went down.

Offensive line: A-

The D.C. offensive line has held its own through more than its fair share of adversity, with injuries & all. Led by interior offensive linemen Liam Fornadel & Mike Maietti (when healthy), it’s allowed the fewest sacks on the season (five) and has created holes for the best rushing attack in the XFL. 

Defensive front seven: A

The D.C. front seven has been a problem for opposing teams on its often-called blitzes, with 16 total sacks (second in the XFL) & countless quarterback pressures on the season. Four of these sacks came last week against the Battlehawks for a net loss of 23 yards – a difference-maker in a game determined by one score.

Edge rushers Andre Mintze & Davin Bellamy have led the charge with 3.5 sacks each, while Jarrell Owens has three on the season. Owens has also been a terrific run-stopper for the Defenders. Fadol Brown has missed three games due to injuries but has been productive off the end when healthy. From the interior, Joe Wallace has clogged up running lanes & brought quarterback pressure with four tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.

The Defenders’ linebackers have continued to look sharp, even with the absence of starting signal-caller Francis Bernard over the past two weeks due to suspension. Enforcer Reggie Northrup leads the Defenders in tackles with 26, while Jamal Brooks & Anthony Hines have put up 17 each. Brooks came down with the game-securing fumble with the Sea Dragons inches from scoring in the final seconds during week one.

Defensive backs: A

Last week, standout corner Michael Joseph came down with the game-sealing interception in the Defenders’ 28-20 win over St. Louis. That wasn’t the only time the D.C. secondary, or even Joseph, stepped up & made a play in a key moment during a game. In week three, safety Kentrell Brice caught a big interception during the dwindling minutes of the contest in an eventual Defenders win – again over the Battlehawks. Earlier in the same game, Joseph got his second pick-six of the season off A.J. McCarron’s misfire. Meanwhile, tackle machines Dejuan Neal & Anthoula Kelly have racked up 24 tackles each, while safety Santos Ramirez has 17.

Special teams: A+

Strong special teams play has only complemented the Defenders across the board. Kicker Matt McCrane has drilled seven of eight field goals attempted, with his longest being from 47 yards. Punter Daniel Whelan has gotten 8 of his 19 punts inside the 20, with his furthest going 61 yards.