The XFL kicked off for the first time this past weekend and the games did not disappoint. The league proved that it is a legitimate placeholder for the NFL while the NFL is in its off-season. The league will continue to grow as the weeks continue and the players in the league will continue to get better too. These players are looking for a shot at the NFL and that will make for some competitive games this season. This was even the case in the first week. Here are the top five performances from XFL week one.
XFL Week One Top Offensive Performances:
1. P.J. Walker, Quarterback, Houston Roughnecks:
The Houston Roughnecks had an impressive performance in their first game of the XFL season. Quarterback P.J. Walker had an impressive showing with 272 passing yards and four touchdowns. He also had a 103.8 passer rating and 26 additional yards rushing. He only had one turnover late in the game and led his team to a commanding win over Los Angeles in week one. Walker established himself as one of the premier quarterbacks in the XFL. He has also established his Roughnecks squad as a top team in the new league. Walker will look to continue his success next week against St. Louis who was also victorious in week one.
2. Austin Proehl, Wide Receiver, Seattle Dragons:
The Dragons had a rough week defensively which led to their defeat against the Defenders. However, their bright spot was their offense led by Proehl in the passing attack. Proehl had five receptions for 88 yards and scored two touchdowns for his team. Proehl was the only receiver on his team to eclipse 40 receiving yards in week one. Proehl’s time in the NFL was short. However, consistent performances like this could allow him another chance in the NFL.
3. Nelson Spruce, Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Wildcats:
Spruce is another receiver who had a big day despite his team losing in week one. Spruce clearly had the respect of his team with his 15 targets in this game between two quarterbacks. He caught 11 of those targets for 103 yards in the Wildcats’ 20-point loss to the Houston Roughnecks. Spruce had 35 percent of his team’s target share in week one and the next highest percentage was Jordan Smallwood with 16 percent. Spruce should continue to see large amounts of targets throughout this XFL season.
4. Daniel Williams, Wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Vipers:
Daniel Williams is the third wide receiver on this list and like the others, his team fell short of victory in week one. Williams’ Vipers team struggled outside of his own performance in week one. The Vipers failed to score more than three points in their XFL debut. He had six receptions for 123 yards in his debut performance. Williams is the current XFL leader in receiving yards after week one. Williams established himself as a big-play receiver for the Vipers who will continue to look his way as they try to get their first touchdown in franchise history next week.
5. Cardale Jones, Quarterback, D.C. Defenders:
The final top performance of week one is Cardale Jones. Jones had a lot of hype surrounding him heading into the debut of the XFL. He and his D.C. Defenders squad lived up to that hype in week one putting up 31 points in a 12-point victory of the Seattle Dragons. Jones posted a 116.7 passer rating with 235 passing yards and two touchdowns. Also, Jones added 28 rushing yards to his day and finished week one with a victory. Jones established himself in the top tier of quarterbacks in the XFL so far and should continue to play well going forward.
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