The XFL playoff picture is becoming much clearer after week 8.

The Defenders rebound and mount a Sea Dragon on their wall. Two overtime thrillers which resemble a hockey shootout overtime. How is AJ McCarron for week 9? The Guardians are back to Guardian-like as we have another week of the XFL power rankings to get through. I do hope you enjoy.

#8. ORLANDO GUARDIANS (1-7) DROPPED TWO SPOTS FROM LAST WEEK

The Guardians are back to their normal spot at the bottom of the barrel of the XFL power rankings. How does a team that beats the number one Defenders lay such a clunker the following week against not a very good Renegade team? TURNOVERS!!! Five of them.

Did Guardians quarterback Quentin Dormady forget to make his weekly payment with the devil? Dormady plays the game of his entire life versus the Defenders & then gift wraps a victory for the Renegades last week. It’s a shame too if Dormady cut half of those mistakes last week, Orlando would have won that game.

#7. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (2-6) SAME SPOT LAST WEEK

When the kicker is the offensive force on your team, you have major problems.

John Parker Romo’s leg did his job hitting a 49 yard field goal with one second left on the clock to send the game into overtime last weekend versus the Roughnecks. Romo also hit a 41 yard field goal earlier in the contest. It was a game the Brahmas needed to keep alive for the second playoff spot in the division. In the second OT of the weekend, the Roughnecks sweep the two game series and with the Renegades winning, the Brahmas season is on life support.

With two weeks remaining in regular season, it’s time to call it and pull the plug on Hines Ward and his Brahmas team. The San Antonio fans can come by the Alamo dome and watch offenses score points in the XFL Championship by two other teams if they forgot how it’s done.

#6. ARLINGTON RENEGADES (4-4) MOVED UP TWO SPOTS FROM LAST WEEK

I don’t think it was the presence of Luis Perez starting for his new team that broke the Renegades losing streak. You can say the Renegades defense had something to do with it forcing 5 turnovers.

De’Vante Bausby’s 48 yard fumble recovery return for a touchdown was the third defensive score for the Renegades defense this season. That ties the Defenders defense for most in the XFL. The Renegades only scored 18 points which one was a defensive score. Perez played the part of any other Renegade quarterbacks with a dormant offense, but he did not make any mistakes like other Arlington QB’s. You could say Guardians quarterback Quentin Dormady gift wrapped this victory for the Renegades. Maybe Dormady threw the game as he was accused of selling his play book to the enemy. The conspiracy theories are even in the XFL.

#5. VEGAS VIPERS (2-6) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Vipers took the Battlehawks to the first ever overtime game in the XFL this season. The Vipers were snake bitten by a St. Louis Battlehawk fake punt that led to a 64 yard touchdown earlier in the game. Could that play have been the difference for the Vipers in winning the game in regulation if they prevented that special team mishap?

The Vipers even knocked out the Battlehawks star quarterback, AJ McCarron. Jalan McClendon in his second start of the year did not make any mistakes but did not have a huge game only throwing for 159 yards with one touchdown pass. The overtime in the XFL is compared to a shootout in hockey. You have to convert extra point conversions best out of 3. Overtime did not roll snake eyes for the Vipers.

#4. HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (5-3) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Houston realized they had to play the second half of the season. Maybe the Roughnecks were content on winning the first half of the season like in the XFL reboot of 2020 when they only played half of the season. Roughnecks broke a three game losing streak after starting off perfect 4-0. The Roughnecks had their starting quarterback Brandon Silvers back behind center as he missed last week. The Roughnecks only scored 17 points and needed overtime to beat the Brahmas. The Roughnecks needed defense to win this game as the big fellow Trevon Mason defensive line was able to intercept a Brahma pass that set up a Houston score.

Houston was able to win the shoot out hockey overtime in the XFL and with the win, clinch a playoff spot and now they can eyeball the division title this weekend.

#3. SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS (5-3) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Like the blink of your eye, the Sea Dragons winning streak comes to an end losing another close contest to the Defenders. The Sea Dragons could be in trouble as St. Louis won last week and moved to 6-2. The Defenders improved to 7-1 with the win and the sweep over the Sea Dragons. Only two spots in the division make the playoffs and Seattle is now outside the box looking in with two weeks left.

Seattle is in must win mode versus the Battlehawks this weekend. In the shootout versus the Defenders, Ben DiNucci becomes the first quarterback in the XFL this season to pass for over 2,000 yards.

#2. DC DEFENDERS (7-1) MOVED UP ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Defenders have swept the Sea Dragons and the BattleHawks this season as they own a set of tie breakers versus two key division rivals. The Defenders bounce back quickly after being upset by the hapless Guardian team from last week winning a shoot out versus the Sea Dragons. Jordan Ta’amu threw 4 touchdown passes as he came up big versus a Sea Dragon defense that plays big in big moments. Ta’amu now has ten touchdown passes this season with only one interception which is very impressive.

Ta’amu is playing his best football as the team is on the verge of the post-season. What about the Defenders defense? Any concern the last two weeks that Greg Williams’ unit has giving up over 30 points per game. Williams may have resort back to his old play book from New Orleans and bring back bounty gate the last two weeks of the season.

#1. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (6-2) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The concern in St. Louis is on the health of their starting quarterback, AJ McCarron, who left last week’s game with an injury. This week the Battlehawks have a big game versus the Sea Dragons which could decide the playoff spot in the division. The Defenders would have the tiebreakers over both the Battlehawks and Sea Dragons as each team were swept by DC. It took a fake punt by the Battlehawks to help send the game into overtime versus the Vipers last week. It was the first overtime game of the season in the XFL which had two of them in one weekend.

Can back up quarterback Nick “the Dick” Tiano save the Battlehawks if McCarron is out this weekend and beyond?

Tiano helped the Battlehawks prevail in overtime over the Vipers at home. Tiano’s numbers are no foot long as he went 19-34 for 194 yards with one touchdown pass and two interceptions. McCarron is the Battlehawks best choice if they want to make the post season and win.