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Fourth quarter update: Silvers threw his second pick six of the contest early in the fourth quarter and missed his chance to bring his team within one score of the defenders because of a fumbled handoff in enemy territory. He finished with 217 passing yards and threw for threw scores in his team’s 31-19 loss. Jones ran clock down the stretch to limit the Dragons’ scoring opportunities. He finished with 291 passing yards and connected on 16 of his 26 attempts. He also rushed for 29 yards.
Third quarter update: DC and Seattle opened things up in the third quarter, as Jones and Silvers both threw touchdown strikes in the first five minutes of the second half. Jones notched a second touchdown hurl in the closing two minutes of the quarter. He didn’t gain any yardage on the ground, but is headed in to the fourth quarter with 222 passing yards. Silvers, on the other hand, has 174 passing yards. The Defenders lead 25-19.
The over/under for the XFL’s first game of the season was set at 51.5 for Saturday’s contest between the DC Defenders and Seattle Dragons, and both sides got off to slow starts. The shortened play clock didn’t create the high-volume scoring many expected, and quarterback play had a big impact on the productivity of both offense. We took a look at how each team’s starter performed in the season opener.
Cardale Jones entered Saturday with high expectations, as he was considered one of the top candidates to become the face of the XFL. The 6’5”, 264-pound signal caller can shake off would-be tacklers, has a strong arm, and can move the chains with his legs. But he struggled to put points on the board early. Jones threw for 90 yards and was 9-of-15 in the air in the first half and didn’t throw for a touchdown. He also tallied 33 yards on the ground before the break.
Brandon Silvers isn’t nearly as big of a name, but threw two touchdown passes in the first half. He completed 11 of his 19 throws in the first half for 96 yards, leading his team to a 13-12 lead ahead of the third quarter.