Renegades Beat Roughnecks to Reach 2023 XFL Championship as Fans Praise HC Bob Stoops
Apr 30, 2023
ARLINGTON, TX - MARCH 31: Arlington Renegades offensive lineman Mike Horton spikes the football after a touchdown during the game between the Arlington Renegades and the Seattle Seadragons on March 31, 2023 at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In one of the most stunning upsets of the season, the Arlington Renegades are moving on to the XFL Championship Game.
The Renegades took down the Houston Roughnecks, the top-seeded team in the South Division, 26-11 on Saturday.
Not only did the Renegades enter the postseason as the only team with a losing record at 4-6, but Roughnecks also dominated them in their two meetings during the regular season.
The two teams met last week for the final game of the regular season, and Houston blew out its in-state rivals, 25-9.
But it's extremely hard to beat a team three times in a year, which the Renegades only confirmed Saturday.
Led by legendary college coach Bob Stoops, Arlington had players all over the roster make a huge impact in the win, but none more than the duo of quarterback Luis Perez and receiver JaVonta Payton.
Perez threw for a game-high 289 yards to go along with three touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 19 of his 27 passes. Payton was benefactor of a handful of those passes, finishing with 121 yards and two scores.
Stoops' defense came up big as well, holding an explosive Houston offense to only 11 points. It was previously held to under 20 points only three times during the regular season.
Twitter was singing Stoops' praises following the win.
Although nobody expected this to happen, you can't take away from the ABSOLUTE CLINIC that Bob Stoops' squad put on in all three phases tonight.#ARLvsHOU | #XFL2023
3rd game vs. each other and we're seeing why Bob Stoops is a great football coach. The organization—what a nice rebound and effort to make the playoffs, win against a SB winning coach today and play for the #XFL Championship.
They don’t call him Big Game Bob for nothing! Congrats to my guy Coach Stoops and our hometown @XFLRenegades on the South Division Championship!!!! pic.twitter.com/Q9lev8HT6u
The Renegades winning the championship in the revamped league's first season would be an incredible storyline considering how far they've come.
They're set to face the winner of Sunday's game between the DC Defenders and Seattle Sea Dragons, both of whom have been the best teams in the XFL for much of the year.
XFL 2023 Results: Week 6 Scores and Best Twitter Reaction from Monday
Kristopher Knox
Mar 28, 2023
Defenders QB Jordan Ta'amu
Fans missing football on Monday nights were in for a treat this week. The XFL capped Week 6 with a pivotal showdown between the D.C. Defenders and the Houston Roughnecks.
Houston entered the week with a 4-1 record and the top spot in the XFL South. The Defenders entered as the league's lone undefeated team and atop the XFL North standings. This highly anticipated matchup was a fitting way to finish the week and ramp up the playoff race.
On Saturday, the Seattle Sea Dragons defeated the Orlando Guardians 26-19, while the St. Louis Battlehawks bested the Vegas Vipers 29-6. The San Antonio Brahmas beat the Arlington Renegades 15-9 on Sunday.
Defenders 37, Roughnecks 26
The visiting Roughnecks got the ball first, but neither team grasped the early momentum, instead trading punts to open the game. However, Houston got into the end zone on its second possession.
A methodical drive that featured some tough running by Max Borghi and some precision passion by Brandon Silvers was capped by Borghi's four-yard touchdown run. Silvers' point-after pass to Cedric Byrd was complete, giving the Roughnecks an 8-0 lead.
DC goes down 8-0.
Unfamiliar territory for DC, lets see how the offense responds..#XFL
The Defenders responded quickly, moving into Houston after a late-hit penalty and a 36-yard strike from Jordan Ta'amu to Lucky Jackson. However, D.C.'s drive stalled in the red zone, and the Defenders settled for a 34-yard Matt McCrane field goal.
Houston's 7-3 lead held into the second quarter, but the Defenders moved into the red zone yet again and chewed nearly seven minutes off the clock. This time, though, McCrane's 37-yard attempt sailed just a bit right.
From not going forward to a missed 37-yard field goal that's a killer for D.C. Defenders 😡😡😡😡😡
The D.C. defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing drive, and a strong punt return by Jequez Ezzard set the Defenders up at their 44-yard line.
The Defenders then engineered a 10-play drive, this time cashing in with a one-yard touchdown run by Abram Smith. The two-point try was unsuccessful, but D.C. Still claimed a 9-8 lead.
D.C. also seemed to have all the momentum inside the two-minute warning. Silvers was called for intentional grounding on the first play of Houston's drive. On the second, Santos Ramirez read Silvers, picked off the pass and returned it for the score.
The @XFLDefenders continue to make big-time defensive plays. Santos Ramirez with the pick six, and just like that it's a 17-8 ball game!
The second two-point play was good, and the Defenders were rolling. Not only had they scored 17 unanswered points, but back-to-back sacks essentially ended Houston's next drive and the half.
— Zach is a cursed sports fan? (@zachh312) March 28, 2023
D.C. got the ball to open the second half and immediately gained ground with a huge 36-yard completion from Ta'amu to Jackson.
The Defenders moved into the red zone and got multiple opportunities to push the ball in due to defensive penalties. One of them, a late hit by Renegades defensive lineman Jack Heflin, resulted in an ejection.
D.C. added to its lead with a one-yard touchdown pass from Ta'amu to Alex Ellis.
A three-and-out by Houston gave D.C. an opportunity to extend its lead late in the third quarter. The Defenders' drive was aided by one of the most bizarre personal fouls we've seen this season.
Roughnecks defensive back Ajene Harris was flagged for squirting the line judge with a water bottle. Fans on social media were less than thrilled that there was no replay of the infraction.
How are you gonna have an ejection for a low blow and an unsportsmanlike for squirting a ref with a water bottle AND NOT SHOW A REPLAY OF EITHER!? #XFL
That was only one of three accepted penalties on the drive, but Houston did hold the Defenders to a field goal. D.C. had a 26-8 lead, but that's only a two-possession game in the XFL.
Houston began closing the gap quickly. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Cole McDonald hit a wide-open Deontay Burnett for an 85-yard touchdown.
The Renegades went for a three-point attempt following the touchdown, but it was unsuccessful, so D.C. carried a 12-point lead into the final frame. The Defenders added to their lead thanks to another great drive highlighted by a 30-yard Smith run and a 30-yard touchdown grab by Jackson.
Houston responded with a strong drive that was capped by another Borghi touchdown run. Again, the two-point try was unsuccessful, leaving D.C. with a two-score lead that McCrane then extended to 17 points lead with a booming 50-yard field goal on the ensuing drive.
McDonald stayed in at quarterback for the Roughnecks on their next drive and completed several clutch passes to get Houston into D.C. territory. He then ripped off a 12-yard run to move it inside the 10.
Houston had the ball at the 2-yard line at the two-minute warning. It cut the deficit to 11 points just inside the break and went for the 4th-and-15 attempt—the XFL's alternative to an onside kick—but it was unsuccessful.
D.C. got the ball back and was able to close the game out.
Ta'amu finished 19-of-31 for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Smith led all runners with 95 yards, while Jackson led all players with 136 receiving yards to go with a score. McDonald (8-of-11 for 194 yards and a touchdown) didn't do enough to get the win, but he provided Houston with a spark and may have forced himself into the starting conversation.
Fans on social media seemed to enjoy Monday night's game, a strong performance by the Defenders and, yes, the D.C. beer snake.
Ajene Harris from the Houston Roughnecks just pulled a Randy Moss and squirted a ref with a water bottle. I love the XFL
idk how you can watch the XFL and not enjoy it. hear the coordinators call plays. every flag interaction with refs. decent to really good football. hopefully it’s around for awhile.
One of the greatest things to come out of the XFL is the beer snake.
And I have no real idea why.
— Sean R. Frazier, Author (@TheCleftonTwain) March 28, 2023
The Roughnecks will next host the Battlehawks, while the Defenders will visit the winless Guardians. The Renegades will host the Sea Dragons on Friday to kick off Week 7. That game is slated for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff on FX and ESPN+.
XFL 2023 Results: Week 4 Scores and Best Twitter Reaction from Saturday
Mar 12, 2023
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: Houston Roughnecks quarterback Brandon Silvers(12) passes the ball during the XFL football game between the Houston Roughnecks and the Orlando Guardians on March 11, 2023 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL.(Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 4 XFL action kicked off Saturday, and the Houston Roughnecks continued their blazing-hot start to the season as they remained undefeated following a 44-16 win over the lowly Orlando Guardians.
It really wasn't much of a contest from the start as Houston jumped out to an early 20-point lead in the first quarter and never let its foot off the gas, sending Orlando to a league-worst 0-4.
Brandon Silvers was once again the catalyst for an explosive Roughnecks' offense as he threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Travell Harris caught two of those two touchdowns on three receptions for 83 yards.
Meanwhile, Orlando struggled to get anything going offensively.
It got to the point where the Roughnecks and head coach Wade Phillips went deep into their playbook in what was one of the most entertaining offensive performances of any team so far this season.
Twitter couldn't help but enjoy the show.
The Houston roughnecks led by coach Wade Phillips, aren’t playing any games with the Orlando Guardians.
The best moment of the night came late in the first quarter when the Roughnecks scored on a 49-yard double pass from receiver Jontre Kirklin to fellow receiver Deontay Burnett, which made it 20-0.
The play immediately became a fan favorite and is an early contender for the XFL's best play of the season.
— Darius Smith (MEME KING WARIUS) 🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇦 (@dpas2009) March 12, 2023
The Houston Roughnecks asserting their dominance early! 20-0 in the 1st quarter! The first double forward pass this season goes for a 49 yard bomb! #XFL
Houston has been cruising so far this season, dominating most of the teams that it has faced off against.
Next week's game will be an interesting challenge, however, as the Roughnecks will travel to Seattle to take on the Sea Dragons, who have a high-powered offense of their own led by Ben DiNucci and Josh Gordon.
