by Chris Belcher
Dallas OC Hal Mumme breaks leg on sideline!
The long-time University of Kentucky head coach was taken down on the sideline during last week’s game and suffered a broken leg. But the tough coach got back up and finished calling the game! He called plays for more than two quarters, standing on a broken leg without crutches! However, after seeking medical treatment, Mumme will be coaching from the press box suing this weekend’s game against the New York Guardians. However, some players could learn from the toughness of this old ball coach.
Former NFL 1st-round pick Matt Elam cut.
Elam was drafted as the 32nd overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2013 and started 26 games in his first two seasons. However, the former Florida Gator ran into some legal trouble and was also bitten by the injury bug. The combination of those two things ended the NFL run for Elam. Now, after just four games with the DC Defenders, Elam again finds himself looking for work. This comes as a surprise as Elam led the Defenders with 12 tackles in last week’s loss to the Vipers. What an interesting turn of events for the once highly-valued defensive back.
Key Matchup: St. Louis Battlehawks vs. DC Defenders.
The DC Defenders are looking to get back to their winning ways as they get back to their home stadium to host the #2 ranked team in the league, the St. Louis Battlehawks. Coming off two straight emotional wins where football finally returned to St. Louis, it will be important for the Battlehawks to bring their A game, especially on defense where they rank #1 in the XFL in points allowed per game and in overall TDs allowed. Even though the DC Defenders are struggling, they still took care of business at home, winning their first 2 games of the season there in an impressive manner.
Key Matchup: Tampa Bay Vipers vs. LA Wildcats.
Arguably the two hottest teams in the XFL right now will go at it Sunday night, as the Vipers travel to LA to take on the Wildcats. Judging by their 1-3 record, some wouldn’t consider Tampa Bay to be a threat, but the numbers tell a different story. The Vipers rose 4 spots in the power rankings ahead of Week 5, and it could be a credit to head coach Marc Trestman taking over the playcalling duties. Tampa Bay is #1 in the league in rushing as well as #1 in overall yards per game. Even though LA has a stingy defense, they are prone to giving up yards, so this could play into Tampa Bay’s gameplan, coming off a game where their two running backs topped the 100 yard mark. As for LA, the kicking game hurt them last week, so they have replaced Nick Novak with Giorgio Tavecchio. Some may not think this is key, but the timing between the center, holder and kicker is incredibly important, especially in close games. We will see if the high powered offense led by Josh Johnson, will continue to lead the Wildcats, going up against legendary coach Jerry Glanville and the tough Vipers defense.