Breaking down P.J. Walker, Jordan Ta’amu performances in Week 2 of the XFL

Fourth quarter update: Houston held off St. Louis late, winning 28-24 behind another solid game from Walker. He threw for 170 yards and three touchdowns, with wide receiver Cam Phillips catching all three scores. On the other side, Jordan Ta’amu threw for 284 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Third quarter update: The BattleHawks showed signs of life after the half. Ta’amu remained efficient in the air and threw for his second touchdown of the night. He also ran for a score in the final two minutes of the third quarter. He ‘s 19-of-22 for 165 yards and has totaled 32 rushing yards heading into the fourth quarter. Walker had a slower third quarter and is headed into the final frame 17-of-26 passing with 152 yards and two scores. Houston was held scoreless but leads St. Louis 21-18.

Halftime update: Ta’amu threw his first interception of the year in the second quarter, and Houston ran it back to St. Louis’ goal line before punching in an easy score on the ground. He kept hitting his mark and was 5-of-7 passing, but only totaled 29 yards. He entered the break with 96 passing yards and 10 rushing yards. Walker threw a second touchdown pass to Phillips toward the end of the half and was 13-of-21 for 122 yards at the break. He also showcased excellent mobility in the pocket and totaled 13 rushing yards. Houston leads 21-6.

The St. Louis BattleHawks and Houston Roughnecks are both looking to stay undefeated following the final game of the XFL’s Week 2 on Sunday. These teams have two different playing styles, as the BattleHawks run to set up the pass while the Roughnecks have a pass-heavy offense. St. Louis’ Jordan Ta’amu might not throw the ball a ton, but has shown efficiency when he does thrown the ball. He’s also looked like the league’s most dangerous scrambling signal caller so far. Houston’s P.J. Walker, on the other hand, looks poised to lead the league in passing attempts and yards if he keeps up last week’s volume.

Walker was only 3-of-6 for 19 yards in his first drive but was able to lead Houston to a 3-0 lead via field goal. He came back stronger on his second drive by going 3-of-3 for 53 yards and capping it off with an impressive sidearm touchdown throw to Cam Phillips. Walker failed to reach the end zone on a rushing attempt after the score but sent his team into the second quarter leading 9-6. He ended the quarter with 87 passing yards.

Ta’amu showcased a little bit of everything during his first drive. He was a perfect 3-of-3 for 59 yards and connected with Matt Jones on a 27-yard pass for the first touchdown of the game. Ta’amu also scrambled for seven yards after he slipped on a broken play. His second drive ended quickly with a three and out. He didn’t amass more ground yardage but entered the break 5-of-5 passing for 67 yards.