|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Stayin' alive Enforcers remain in XFL postseason picture
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Kevin McDougal returned from a neck injury and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Willy Tate with 1:41 to play to give the Chicago Enforcers a 23-18 victory against the New York-New Jersey Hitmen on Saturday night in the XFL. McDougal also threw touchdown passes of 9 and 16 yards to Luke Leverson and linebacker Jamie Beasley preserved the Enforcers' fourth win in five games by intercepting a pass at the goal line with two seconds to play. Chicago (4-5) can claim the second playoff berth in the Eastern Division by beating Orlando (8-1) at home next Sunday. The Hitmen (3-6) will make the playoffs if they win at Birmingham (2-7) and Orlando beats the Enforcers. Chicago did its best to give the game away, turning the ball over three times in the second half, highlighted by Joey Eloms 76-yard interception return that gave New York-New Jersey an 18-16 lead early in the third quarter. That lead looked like it would stand until halfback Joe Aska fumbled at the New York-New Jersey 43 with 2:34 to play and Quincy Colemen recovered. A pass interference against Eloms on the next play moved the ball to the 22. McDougal, who sprained his neck being hit after throwing a third-quarter interception deep in Hitmen territory and missed two series, then found Tate all alone on the right sideline for a touchdown. Corte McGuffey, who made his first start for the injured Wally Richardson, drove the Hitmen to the Chicago 5 on the last possession. He hit Kirby Dar on a 15-yard pass and Anthony DiCosmo for 30. However, a holding penalty and an illegal forward pass set up a fourth-and-goal from the 20, and Beasley picked off the pass. New York-New Jersey jumped to an 8-0 first-quarter lead when McDougal was called for a safety for grounding in the end zone and Aska scored on a 15-yard run. McDougal, who was 13 of 24 for 193, cut the lead to 8-6 with a 9-yard TD pass to Leverson. Chicago took a 9-8 lead on an 18-yard field goal by Andy Crosland. Leo Araguz gave New Jersey an 11-9 lead with a 28-yard field goal with 58 seconds left in the first half, but McDougal drove the Enforcers 75 yards in seven plays, with McDougal and Leverson combining on a 16-yard TD with six seconds left in the half. Chicago had a fourth-and-4 at the New Jersey 30 when Eloms picked off McDougal on the right sideline and went all the way for a touchdown. Johnson finished with 103 yards rushing on 16 carries, but he also had a fumble at the Hitmen 2 in the fourth quarter.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
