Battlehawks QB A.J. McCarron dodges Vegas DB Adam Sparks during Saturday’s XFL football game at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. (Photo courtesy: XFL)
| XFL FOOTBALL 2023 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis (4-2) | 0 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 29 |
| Vegas (1-4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
LAS VEGAS, NV — The St. Louis Battlehawks got back on the winning track, Saturday evening, with a dominant performance on both offense and defense that led to a 29-6 road win over the Vegas Vipers.
St. Louis outgained Vegas 328 yards to 280, forced two turnovers, while not giving up any of its own, and sacked the Vipers quarterback three times, while only allowing one sack of their own.
Quarterback A.J. McCarron led the Battlehawks by delivering an efficient performance from under center. The former University of Alabama standout completed 23-of-29 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns.
McCarron leads the XFL with 14 touchdown passes this season.
Receiver Darrius Shepherd was McCarron’s favorite target on Saturday. He caught a game-high seven passses for 79 yards and two touchdowns as well.
Defensively, cornerback Nate Meadors had a big day. He led St. Louis with eight tackles and was credited with two passes defensed. Linebacker Carson Wells had four tackles, with two of them being quarterback sacks.
The victory allowed the Battlehawks to remain in a second-place with the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL North Division. Both clubs are 4-2 on the year, with St. Louis owning a slight tie-breaker due to its victory over Seattle back in Week 2.
Next week, the Battlehawks will play their final road game of the regular season, when they’ll travel to Texas to take on the Houston Roughnecks. The Roughnecks are also 4-2, and are in first place in the XFL South.
The matchup between St. Louis and Houston will be played on Sunday, April 2, at Houston’s TDECU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., with the contest set to be televised live on ESPN.
Scoring Summary
| 2ND QUARTER | STL | VGS | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 14:57 – TD – Gary Jennings 4 yd pass from AJ McCarron (AJ McCarron Pass to Darrius Shepherd for Two-Point Conversion) | 8 | 0 |
| 2:25 – FG – Donny Hageman 40 yd field goal | 11 | 0 |
| 0:34 – TD – Darrius Shepherd 30 yd pass from AJ McCarron (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed) | 17 | 0 |
| 3RD QUARTER | STL | VGS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:32 – TD – Kareem Walker 1 yd Run (One-Point Run Conversion Failed) | 23 | 0 |
| 4TH QUARTER | STL | VGS | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 7:05 – TD – John Lovett 17 yd pass from Brett Hundley (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed) | 23 | 6 |
| 3:06 – TD – Darrius Shepherd 6 yd pass from AJ McCarron (One-Point Run Conversion Failed) | 29 | 6 |
| St. Louis Battlehawks Upcoming XFL Football Schedule |
| Sun., April 2 — at Houston Roughnecks — 1 pm (ESPN) |
| Sat., April 8 — vs. Vegas Vipers — 12 pm (ESPN) |
| Sun., April 16 — vs. Seattle Sea Dragons — 2 pm (ESPN) |
| Sat., April 22 — vs. Orlando Guardians — 11 am (ESPN) |
| All Battlehawks home games will be played at The Dome at America’s Center. |