Week 5 Preview: Tampa Bay Vipers at Los Angeles Wildcats
A pair of 1-3 squads will clash on the West Coast.
TAMPA BAY VIPERS (1-3)
@ LOS ANGELES WILDCATS (1-3)
- Sunday, March 8, at 9 p.m. ET (Watch on ESPN)
- Watch & Listen info for every game
- Dignity Health Sports Park (Carson, Calif.) -- Get Tickets
- Going to the game? Here's your guide.
- This is the XFL Show preview
Week 5: SEA-HOU | NY-DAL | STL-DC
TEAM INFO
- TB 4th in East, LA T-3rd in West
- Rosters: TB | LA
- Depth Chart: TB | LA
- Week 5 Injury Report
- TB 0-2 Road | LA 1-1 Home
- Streak: TB W1 | LA L1
Betting lines
TEAM STATS
OFFENSE
CATEGORY | TAMPA BAY | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Pts Scored/G | 16.0 (6) | 22.0 (3) |
| Yds/G | 381.3 (1) | 306.5 (5) |
| Rush Yds/G | 171.5 (1) | 62.0 (8) |
| Pass Yds/G | 209.8 (4) | 244.5 (1) |
| Yards Gained/Play | 3.3 (T-6) | 4.4 (2) |
DEFENSE
CATEGORY | TAMPA BAY | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Pts Allowed/G | 18.5 (4) | 22.0 (T-7) |
| Yds Allowed/G | 237.3 (1) | 324.8 (5) |
| Rush Yds/G | 80.5 (1) | 131.5 (8) |
| Pass Yds/G | 156.8 (1) | 193.3 (4) |
| Sacks | 5 (7) | 10 (2) |
| Interceptions | 2 (T-7) | 7 (2) |
| Fumble Recoveries | 0 (T-7) | 2 (T-3) |
| QB Hits | 20 (4) | 17 (T-5) |
| Def/ST TD | 1 | 0 |
EXTRA POINTS
CATEGORY | TAMPA BAY | LA |
|---|---|---|
| 1-pt | 2-for-4 | 1-for-5 |
| 2-pt | 1-for-3 | 3-for-6 |
| 3-pt | -- | 1-for-1 |
| TOTAL | 3-for-7 | 5-for-12 |
GAME CONTROL/EFFICIENCY
CATEGORY | TAMPA BAY | LA |
|---|---|---|
| TD +/- | -2 | 2 |
| Turnover Margin | -6 (7) | +3 (2) |
| Takeaways | 2 | 9 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 6 |
| 3rd Down% | 47% (2) | 32% (T-6) |
| 4th Down% | 42% (6) | 38% (7) |
| Red Zone TD% | 33% (7) | 58% (3) |
In Week 4, both Jacques Patrick (29) and teammate De'Veon Smith (XFL's rushing leader) became the first XFL RBs to top 100 yards in a single game.
PLAYER STATS
QUARTERBACKS
PLAYER | CM | ATT | % | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | INT | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Cornelius, TB | 56 | 89 | 63 | 558 | 6.3 | 2 | 38 | 4 | 10 | 69 | 6.9 | 2 | 17 |
| Josh Johnson, LA | 61 | 99 | 62 | 788 | 8 | 7 | 45 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 1.4 | 0 | 7 |
RUNNING BACKS
PLAYER | ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | TD | LG | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De'Veon Smith, TB | 66 | 296 | 4.5 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 67 | 0 | 25 | 11.2 |
| Martez Carter, LA | 11 | 34 | 3.1 | 2 | 20 | 3 | 41 | 1 | 18 | 13.7 |
RECEIVERS
PLAYER | REC | YDS | TD | LG | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Williams, TB | 18 | 252 | 1 | 42 | 14 |
| Jalen Tolliver, TB | 17 | 202 | 0 | 44 | 11.9 |
| Nelson Spruce, LA | 20 | 256 | 2 | 45 | 12.8 |
| Tre McBride, LA | 13 | 236 | 3 | 44 | 18.2 |
NEED TO KNOW
VIPERS
The last team to notch a win did so in impressive fashion. The Vipers set XFL highs in total offense (477 yards), rushing yards (266), while limiting DC to season lows in total offense (107) and passing yards (61) in the 25-0 shutout.
RBs De’Veon Smith and Jacques Patrick became to first two players to crack 100 yards rushing in a game this season, and they both did it against DC in Week 4.
Moving the ball against Jerry Glanville’s top-ranked defense hasn’t been easy. Tampa Bay paces the league in fewest yards (237.3), passing yards (156.8) and rushing yards (80.5) allowed per game. The Vipers have yielded only six trips into the red zone this season: DC and St. Louis have the next-fewest at 11.
Marc Trestman said earlier this week that Tampa Bay will start QB Taylor Cornelius again, with Aaron Murray serving as backup. Quinton Flowers has returned to the club but has also requested a trade.
WILDCATS
QB Josh Johnson looks better with each passing game, going 25-for-40 for a season-high 325 yards and two touchdowns last week at New York. He did throw his first pick (against 7 TDs) in the second half, as a late push fell short.
In that close defeat, two missed field goals by K Nick Novak hurt. Novak has been placed on injured reserve, and LA has signed Giorgio Tavecchio.
WR Tre McBride has eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark in two straight games, totaling 236 on 13 catches and three scores.
Maybe the cross-country trip will work out for Wildcats this week. XFL teams that traveled from one coast to the other, as the Vipers are doing, are 0-4 this season.
-- Art Garcia, XFL.com