In XFL week 1 action, St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback #10 A.J. McCarron hands off the ball to #23 running back Brian Hill. (Twitter)
In another weekly feature, I’ll rank the top five league MVP candidates, based on weekly and season performance.
1. LB Trent Harris, Roughnecks
2023 season stats: 4 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 tackles for loss
In a week dominated by defense, it’s only right that a defender tops this list. Harris had the most impressive performance, taking an overmatched Orlando offensive line to the woodshed. He collected four of the team’s seven sacks and half of their tackles for loss. Along with Tim Ward, he gives Houston two pass rush threats off the edge for which other teams will need to gameplan. This weekend, he faces an Arlington offensive line that gave up three sacks to Vegas on Saturday.
Joseph helped fuel DC’s second half comeback against Seattle, returning a Ben DiNucci pass to the house in the third quarter. He followed that up with another pick that led to a D’Eriq King rushing touchdown. Without those two plays, the Defenders would be heading to Vegas with an 0-1 record. Joseph also finished second on the team in tackles against the Sea Dragons.
The MVP award in football has become more like the “best quarterback” award so even though there were few standout performances at the position in week one, McCarron’s was likely the best. McCarron’s two touchdown passes came late in the fourth quarter, sandwiched between a 4th-and-15 conversion to Austin Proehl that allowed St. Louis to retain position after one of their scores. Of the starting QBs last weekend, McCarron also had the highest yards per attempt average at 7.3.
The Jeff Badet Revenge Game didn’t exactly go according to plan, as Arlington was able to edge out Vegas. Badet, the former Renegade, showed good chemistry with Luis Perez. He led the team in receptions and yards. Badet’s first TD was on the first drive of the game for the Vipers, while his second came on a 39-yarder. He’ll be challenged by a tough Defenders D this Saturday night.
5. LB Tim Ward, Roughnecks
2023 season stats: 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss
The other half of the duo that gave Orlando nightmares in the opener, Ward didn’t just sack the quarterback; he had two other tackles and one other tackle for loss, both in the run game. It’s one thing for a team to chip or help on an effective pass-rusher; it’s more difficult when a team has two dominant players at that position, something Houston showed in week one.
