XFL Division Championship Recap: Upset Special

The only other time that fans of the XFL saw actual playoff games was the first year all the way back in 2001. My memories of the original XFL are fading, but among the few things I do recall is the playoff format. Similar to today's league, there were eight teams total, and four of them qualified for the playoffs. It was the top two teams in each division (East and West at that time) qualifying, but in 2001, the semifinal games pitted the first place team in one division against the second place team in the opposite division, with the winners facing off in the championship game--which was known as "The Million Dollar Game," as $1 million was one of the prizes for winning the championship.

2020 saw no playoffs because the season ended up canceled after the halfway point due to the incoming and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If I recall, I think the 2001 format would have remained, but regarding this year, the format sees the top two teams in each division qualifying, but the semifinal games are Division Championships. I did say this before; I am hopeful that any and all continued success for the XFL leads to expansion, which could result in additional playoff teams and a format similar to the Canadian Football League.

But that's down the line. Let's talk about this year's XFL Playoffs.

The playoffs kicked off in Houston, Texas, as the Houston Roughnecks hosted the Arlington Renegades in the South Division Championship. We all know the story regarding the Roughnecks; they entered the 2023 campaign as the heavy championship favorites, due to the fact that they hadn't lost a game in their existence. When they finally lost, it began a skid that saw them in danger of actually losing first place in the division, but they did end up finishing 7-3 and staying on top of the South. The Renegades were an up-and-down team all year. Wins were definitely hard to come by, and the South declined so much that it reached a point where Arlington's playoff stability was only caused by the San Antonio Brahmas and the Orlando Guardians being worse.

Unsurprisingly, the Roughnecks swept the season series against the Renegades, but as they say in the NFL, "It's hard to beat a team three times." That ended up being true even in the XFL. The Roughnecks had a devil of a time with their foes, down 6-0 after one, and Arlington ended up putting 17 points on Houston in the 2nd quarter. They led 23-8 at the half! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Houston couldn't comeback at all. The offense stalled on both sides, but it didn't matter.

The 4-6 Arlington Renegades defeated the heavyweight Houston Roughnecks, 26-11, to capture the South Division Championship. This was a stunning upset, and that is an absolute understatement. The vibe I'm getting is from 2007, as we all remember the New York Giants upsetting the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys in that year's Divisional Playoff; a Cowboys team who beat the Giants twice in the regular season. It's funny that I mention that. The head coach of the Cowboys that year? None other than Wade Phillips, the current head coach of the Houston Roughnecks. I know Phillips has a Super Bowl ring as a defensive coordinator with the Broncos, but as head coach, he seems to be cursed, as is the city of Houston in pro football.

Next up was the North Division Championship between the DC Defenders and the Seattle Sea Dragons, taking place in Washington, D.C. one day after the South game. The Defenders and Roughnecks were neck-and-neck for the top dog spot in the league, but once Houston fell off, DC took that mantle and never looked back. The Defenders went 9-1 this season, with their one loss, ironically, being against the Orlando Guardians, which served as Orlando's lone win of the season! As for the Sea Dragons, they went on a big tear after starting 0-2, resulting in a 7-3 finish after winning seven of their last eight games. The Dragons were in a back and forth battle for second place with the St. Louis BattleHawks, but Seattle managed to nab the position via tiebreaker.

For those who were looking for another upset, well, we wouldn't get that. Though the teams were close in the first half, the Defenders simply tore the Dragons apart in the second half, outscoring them 28-12 in the final two quarters.

The Defenders defeated the Sea Dragons, 37-21, to capture the XFL's North Division Championship, and it was followed by head coach Reggie Barlow receiving the championship trophy from Dany Garcia. DC's win continued their strong season; overall, this was DC's tenth win of the season! As for the Sea Dragons, they have nothing to be ashamed of. This was an amazing season for Seattle, and especially for their quarterback, Ben DiNucci. I still remember seeing DiNucci out there as an emergency starter for the Cowboys. Honestly, he did all right, but you know how talking heads are--they tend to see third-string quarterbacks as nobodies. DiNucci's first season in the XFL? It was also all right; all he did was lead the league in passing yards. No big deal.

And I just need to rub this in, because it needs to be rubbed in. I said this before: see what happens when you have a DC team who doesn't have toxicity, never had a toxic, arrogant prick owner, and never had a racist name that ignorant fans actually defend? Yes, Dan Snyder's no longer the owner of the Commanders, but still.

So the XFL Championship is all set, and it's a big one. The DC Defenders and the Arlington Renegades will face off for all the marbles. A five game difference in record between the two clubs, but anything is possible. The XFL Championship (the first since 2001) will take place in San Antonio on May 13, and will air on ABC.

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