Renegades Upset Defenders to Win 2023 XFL Championship as Fans Want Luis Perez in NFL
May 14, 2023
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 13 : Luis Perez #12 of the Arlington Renegades looks to make a pass against DC Defenders during the first half of XFL Championship game at the Alamodome on May 13 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
The first XFL champion since 2001 has been crowned, and to say it was an upset would be the biggest understatement of the season.
WE ARE CHAMPIONSSS
— Arlington Renegades (@XFLRenegades) May 14, 2023
The Arlington Renegades, who snuck into the playoffs at 4-6, took down the mighty DC Defenders 35-26 at the Alamodome, and quarterback Luis Perez was at the receiving end of much of the praise.
The Texas A&M Commerce alum went 26-of-36 for 288 yards and three touchdowns in the effort, cementing a solid turnaround since being traded to the Renegades from the Vegas Vipers earlier this season.
Other significant performers for the Renegades include Leddie Brown, who scored two total touchdowns and had 75 all-purpose yards. Tyler Vaughns and Sal Cannella had the other two receiving touchdowns and finished with 83 and 71 yards, respectively.
The Defenders had a lackluster performance from quarterback Jordan Ta'amu, who was 16-of-30 for 245 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Abram Smith had an effective day on the ground, rushing for 90 yards and scoring two touchdowns, while Josh Hammond had 127 yards and two touchdowns in the receiving game.
Still, it was Perez who had all of the headlines. He may be one of the most recognizable names in the recent spring football trend, making an impact in the AAF, XFL and USFL.
The win gives the Renegades a 6-6 record on the season and adds another piece of hardware to head coach Bob Stoops' legendary cabinet.
The Defenders finish the season with a 10-2 record, being the only team in the league to record double-digit wins this season.
2023 XFL Championship Game: Renegades vs. Defenders Preview, Prediction
May 1, 2023
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: Defenders safety D.J. Swearinger (36) runs back a 3rd quarter interception for a touchdown during the DC Defenders defeat of the Arlington Renegades 28-26 in XFL football on April 16, 2023 at Audi Field in Washington, DC. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
A wildly entertaining inaugural season of the revamped XFL is finally drawing to a close, and all that's left is to crown a champion.
Following the division championship games that took place over the weekend, the Arlington Renegades are set to face off against the D.C. Defenders for the title.
It's one of the most unlikely title game matchups you'll see in any sport.
The Renegades were the only team to enter the postseason with a losing record at 4-6 but finished second in the South Division. They had the upset of the season as they took down the Houston Roughnecks—a team that beat them twice during the regular season—26-11 on Saturday to advance to the final.
Meanwhile, D.C. has been the wire-to-wire best team in the XFL, losing just one game in the regular season and dominating a talented Seattle Sea Dragons team in the North Division Championship.
With the title game two weeks away, here's a quick preview of what to look for when the two teams face off.
Preview:
The key for Arlington and head coach Bob Stoops will be its defense, which managed to hold Houston to just a season-low 11 points in Saturday's win.
But it'll have its hands full against a dominant D.C. rushing attack spearheaded by Abram Smith. Smith led the XFL in rushing yards with 741, helping the Defenders rush for a league-best 1,408 yards.
D.C. also has a strong passing game led by quarterback Jordan Ta'amu, who had 1,894 yards in the regular season, the third-most in the XFL. He does a great job of taking care of the ball, as he has just three interceptions.
It's the least of any signal caller with at least 200 pass attempts.
Another obvious key for the Renegades is the play of quarterback Luis Perez, who was excellent against the Roughnecks, throwing for 289 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
Perez has been a bit turnover prone with seven interceptions, third-most in the league. So, it'll take another flawless performance if the Renegades have any shot of beating D.C.
As great as Arlington's upset was, the Defenders just have too many weapons and too much talent not to finish off their phenomenal season with a title.
Prediction: Defenders 34, Renegades 17
The XFL Championship will take place May 13 at 8 p.m. ET at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Defenders vs. Renegades Set for XFL Championship as Fans Shame Josh Gordon in Loss
Apr 30, 2023
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 16: Arlington's Leddie Brown, (26) left, is upended by Defenders safety D.J. Swearinger (36) during the DC Defenders defeat of the Arlington Renegades 28-26 in XFL football on April 16, 2023 at Audi Field in Washington, DC. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The XFL Championship is set, with one team that was expected to make the finals and another that's making a surprise appearance.
The D.C. Defenders, fresh off a 9-1 regular season that solidified them as the team to beat, cruised to a 37-21 victory over the Seattle Sea Dragons in the North Division Championship Game on Sunday to earn a shot at the title against an Arlington Renegades team that finished 4-6 in the regular season.
A dominant second half offset a 9-9 halftime score, as Jordan Ta'amu led the charge with 258 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Briley Moore-McKinney led all Defenders receivers with 80 yards on four catches, while Lucky Jackson and Ethan Wolf each brought in a touchdown. Abram Smith and Cam'Ron Harris scored a combined three rushing touchdowns, with the former leading the ground game with 48 yards on 23 carries.
The Seattle Sea Dragons performance was a disappointment following a two-game winning streak to make the postseason. Ben DiNucci recorded 295 yards and three touchdowns, but the running game picked up just 13 yards. Juwan Green and Jahcour Pearson hauled in three total touchdowns and had 89 and 56 yards, respectively.
Josh Gordon made four catches for 23 yards, which was second lowest among Seattle receivers who recorded a reception. This frustrated supporters on Twitter.
Seadragons do this every gamereee. Force feed Josh Gordon on the first series then forget about him all game
Meanwhile, the Arlington Renegades showed just how tough it is to beat a team three times in a season on Saturday. Following losses in Weeks 2 and 10 to the Houston Roughnecks, the Renegades rode a strong first half offensively and held the Roughnecks at bay in the second half to win 26-11 and advance to the league championship.
Luis Perez was surgical breaking down the Roughnecks defense, throwing for 289 yards and three touchdowns and completing 19-of-27 passes. De'Veon Smith led the team in rushing with 94 yards on 24 carries, while JaVonta Payton caught two touchdowns and had 121 yards, while Brandon Arconado caught the other one.
The championship game appears to be a mismatch, with the league-leading Defenders facing a Renegades team that finished under .500. Still, Arlington's performance in the South Division Championship shows that anything can happen in the postseason.
The two teams met in Week 9, with the Defenders securing a narrow 28-26 overtime victory. The XFL Championship is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on May 13 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
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+.
