ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jeff Brohm threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns Saturday night as Orlando closed in on a playoff berth, remaining the only unbeaten team in the XFL with a 27-15 victory over Las Vegas.
The Rage (6-0) took the lead for good on Brohm’s 16-yard TD pass to Kevin Swayne. The reception capped a seven-minute drive Orlando launched after Paul McCallum’s third field goal put the Outlaws (3-3) ahead 15-14 with 11:29 to go.
Brohm completed 13 of 20 passes to help Orlando, the league’s highest-scoring team at just over 25 per game, put up the highest point total of the season against Las Vegas, which had only allowed 39 in its first five games.
Ryan Clement completed 20 of 30 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown for the Outlaws. But his fumble, which rolled into his end zone when he was sacked by Andre Purvis, was recovered by Orlando’s Sedric Clark for a late touchdown that ended any chance for a Las Vegas comeback.
The Rage, which will play three of its last four regular-season games on the road, entered the weekend with a chance to clinch one of two playoff spots in the Eastern Division. Orlando needs a victory, coupled with losses by Chicago and New York/New Jersey.
Attendance at the Florida Citrus Bowl was announced as 24,677, giving the Rage an average of 27,044 for four home games.
Clement returned to Las Vegas’ lineup for the first time since being sidelined with a separated shoulder in the second week of the season. The Outlaws went 1-2 without him, managing to retain a share of the best of the record in the Western Division.
Ben Snell’s 4-yard touchdown reception gave Las Vegas a 6-0 lead and McCallum’s 41-yard field goal, set up by Yo Murphy’s 69-yard kickoff return, put the Outlaws ahead 9-7 midway through the second quarter.
Brohm, meanwhile, started despite missing most of Orlando’s previous game against Memphis because of a slight concussion. He threw a 7-yard TD pass to Lawrence Hart in the second quarter and the Rage took a 14-9 halftime lead on Brian Shay’s 11-yard scoring run.
McCallum kicked a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter and added a 22-yarder to give the Outlaws their 15-14 lead.
Summary
Outlaws-Rage Stats
Las Vegas 6 3 3 3--15
Orlando 0 14 0 13--27
First Quarter
LV--Snell 4 pass from Clement (run failed), 8:22.
Second Quarter
ORL--Hart 7 pass from Brohm (D. Clark run), 10:33.
LV--FG McCallum 41, 7:39.
ORL--Shay 11 run (Burks pass from Brohm), 4:42.
Third Quarter
LV--FG McCallum 42, 2:44.
Fourth Quarter
LV--FG McCallum 22, 11:29.
ORL--Swayne 16 pass from Brohm (D. Clark pass from Brohm), 4:52.
ORL--S. Clark recovered Clement fumble in end zone (run failed), 1:35.
A--24,677.
LV Orl
First downs 12 17
Rushes-yards 16-60 31-76
Passing 135 207
Comp-Att-Int 20-30-1 13-20-0
Return Yards 168 149
Punts-Avg. 4-44 5-43
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-1
Penalties-Yards 7-58 8-77
Time of Possession 27:51 32:09
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Las Vegas, Smart 15-61, Clement 1-(minus 1). Orlando, D.Clark 10-34, Shay 7-30, Black 10-12, Brohm 4-0.
PASSING--Las Vegas, Clement 20-30-1-152. Orlando, Brohm 13-20-0-235.
RECEIVING--Las Vegas, Smart 8-48, Murphy 5-60, Furrey 2-14, Brady 1-17, Jenkins 1-6, Snell 1-4, Chukwuma 1-3.
Orlando, Swayne 4-92, Burks 3-80, Bailey 3-28, Hart 2-21, Black 1-14.
