The St. Louis Battlehawks suffered a double-digit disadvantage and scored in the last stages to win for the second week in a row.This time, they trailed the Seattle Sea Dragons by 12 points in Week 2 of this XFL season.
The Battlehawks are now the slight favorites to claim the XFL Championship. With a defensive line that appears to be strong and an offensive unit with plenty of potential, led by former NFL QB A.J. McCarron and including players like Marcell Ateman, Austin Proehl, Gary Jennings, and Hakeem Butler on the receiving end, they may be the most evenly matched XFL squad.
“It’s just fun to come out here and play. I’ve missed playing.”AJ McCarron is taking full advantage of another chance to play football again 👏 @XFL2023 I @XFLBattlehawks https://t.co/vwHa4TeF8O
In Alabama, McCarron was a standout. In 2011 and 2012, he contributed to the Crimson Tide’s consecutive national championship victories. He later played eight seasons as a backup QB in the NFL for the Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, and Cincinnati Bengals.
The player missed all of ’22 after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament with the Atlanta Falcons before the 2021 campaign. Now that he can play in the XFL once more, McCarron can demonstrate that he has made a full recovery from his injury. This year’s XFL quarterback rankings are predicted to have him among the best.
Since we have 2 weeks of LSU Hate 🙂A.J. McCarron and Kevin Norwood coming in clutch to help Alabama beat LSU 🐘🔥 https://t.co/gq62ZZoVM7
Expect McCarron to get along well with Marcell Ateman and Darrius Shepherd, the two wideouts. These three should effectively manage the passing game. For his spell in Las Vegas in 2018 and 2019, Ateman is well remembered. In 18 outings, he totaled 270 yards and one TD.
Shepherd has also worked for an NFL franchise. In 2019 and 2020, he had six catches for 47 yards while playing for the Green Bay Packers.
The Battlehawks‘ pass rush should be among the best in the XFL on defense. Watch for Freedom Akinmoladun and Damion Daniels to apply middle-of-the-field pressure to quarterbacks. Linebacker Mike Rose will serve as the defensive backbone.
In 2022, Rose participated in the Senior Bowl after a successful undergraduate career at Iowa State. The St. Louis Battlehawks should have a strong defense.
The Battlehawks may be the league’s most skilled and reliable team when they play at their optimum.
The St. Louis Battlehawks’ remaining 2023 Schedule
Week 3 – vs. the D.C. Defenders – Sunday, March 5, 12:00 pm CT
Week 4 – vs. the Arlington Renegades – Sunday, March 12, 3:00 pm CT
Week 5 – vs. the D.C. Defenders – Saturday, March 18, 6:00 pm CT
Week 6 – vs. the Vegas Vipers – Sunday, March 25, 6:00 pm CT
Week 7 – vs. the Houston Roughnecks – Saturday, April 1, 2:00 pm CT
Week 8 – vs. the Vegas Vipers – Saturday, April 8, 12:00 pm CT
Week 9 – vs. the Seattle Sea Dragons – Sunday, April 16, 2:00 pm CT
Week 10 – vs. the Orlando Guardians – Saturday, April 22, 11:00 am CT