Vipers hope last week’s win the start of a strong finish

The Vipers hope they have found some rhythm even though it’s too late to show off their dance moves in the postseason.

They may have needed to lose their music to do it.

Coach Rod Woodson cut off the music at practice last week after a 1-5 start to the season, and he was pleased with the response.

“They practiced a lot better,” Woodson said after last week’s win. “They were a lot crisper. I told them the music is false energy. You get the energy from inside yourself. They did that through the week and they did it in the game. I told them the challenge was to play with more effort, passion and energy than the opponent and they’ll win the rest of the games. It’s one week at a time, but we were 1-0 (last week).”

The immediate returns were positive. The Vipers scored a 26-12 win over San Antonio in the home finale last week that generated some good vibes even though the Vipers are the only team to have been mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

With their playoff hopes dashed, they will look to ride the momentum of their second win of the season into a 10 a.m. road game against the Battlehawks in St. Louis on Saturday.

It’s the first of three straight away games to close the season. Woodson hopes the formula his staff found last week will lead to success down the stretch.

The first part of the equation is quarterback Jalan McClendon, who made his first start and was the most effective of the three players who have been used at the position.

Woodson could not have been more thrilled with what he saw from the well-traveled prospect who has waited his turn not only this season, but throughout his college career and several alternative pro league stops.

“He’s been busting his butt, all the way through college, wanting an opportunity,” Woodson said. “I think everyone saw all the talent. He’s big. He’s fast. He’s strong. He can throw the football down the field or run over people. The NFL is looking for guys like that. Hopefully he keeps progressing in the right manner and believing what he sees.”

The second part of the winning formula was a bounceback performance by the Vipers who struggled coming into last week’s game and got off to a slow start only to absolutely take over the game.

“We simplified a lot and man, they played fast,” Woodson said. “We at times as coaches have to get out of the way of players and keep it really simple. We did it after that first drive.”

St. Louis (5-2) has won two straight games, including a 29-6 win over the Vipers at Cashman Field on March 25. A.J. McCarron threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns in the win, Luis Perez threw two interceptions early in the second half and was pulled from the game and then traded away several days later. Brett Hundley got the call in relief of Perez, but it was McClendon who was named the starter after the trade.

McClendon was a backup at North Carolina State and Baylor in his college career. He has spent training camp time with the Ravens and Commanders before stints with the 2020 incarnation of the XFL and some indoor football.

Woodson believes he has a potential future in the NFL, which is part of Woodson’s belief in the mission of the XFL.

“The Jalan McClendons of the world need a league like this to show their talents,” he said. “I’m hoping (the league) is here to stay.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.