XFL 2023 CHAMPIONSHIP

ARLINGTON RENEGADES (5-6) VS DC DEFENDERS (10-1)

AT THE ALAMO DOME IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS

DC’S JOURNEY: The Defenders have been the best team during regular season where they started out of the gates at 6-0. Only loss came at the time to the winless Orlando Guardians, by far the worst team in the league. Since that loss, the Defenders have won 4 straight which includes the North Division Championship two weeks ago against the Sea Dragons. The Defenders have swept great teams – beating St. Louis twice and Seattle three times this season.

RENEGADES JOURNEY: The Renegades as a team have not won consecutive games all season long. The Renegades pretty much backed into the playoffs with a loss or such a bad division they were gifted the second spot in the South division. When it comes to playoffs, anything can happen as the Renegades knocked out the Houston Roughnecks who they lost twice to during the season, including the last regular season game. The Renegades have played better after they traded the Vegas Vipers for quarterback Luis Perez. Perez two weeks ago versus the Roughnecks had three touchdown passes in that South Championship game.

HEAD TO HEAD

In week 9 of regular season, both the Defenders and Renegades squared off. The Defenders built a nice lead, but Renegades came back in the second half and erased a 17-point deficit to send the game into overtime. Then in the OT, the Defenders would prevail in the XFL Hockey shoot-out with the win. Final: Defenders 28-26 Renegades.

JOURNEY MEN OF THE SPRING LEAGUES PAST AT THE QUARTERBACK POSITION

Both starting quarterbacks in this XFL Championship have been playing the Spring Fling for the last few years. Luis Perez of the Renegades has played in the American Alliance Football League that folded up before they completed regular season. Perez played in the XFL reboot league that got shut down due to the pandemic in 2020. Last year, Perez was in the USFL. Ta’amu debuted in the XFL reboot league in 2020. Last year, Ta’amu played in the USFL.

Jordan Ta’amu for the Defenders this season was third in the XFL with 1,894 passing yards and touchdown passes which he had 14 of them. Luis Perez was 4th in the league in passing yards with 1,636 and threw 7 touchdown passes combined playing with the Vipers and Renegades this season. The Renegades averaged about 13 points per game before Perez. With Perez, the Renegades averaged 19.8 points per game.

Edge: DC

THE RUNNING GAME SMITH VS SMITH

DC: The Defenders led the league in rushing and rushing touchdowns this season. Abraham Smith was by far the best running back in the entire XFL. Smith racked up 791 yards on the ground with 7 rushing touchdowns.

ARLINGTON: De’Veon Smith, running back for the Renegades, has a knack for finding the end zone. He had 7 rushing touchdowns which was tied with Abraham Smith from the Defenders for the most in the XFL. De’Veon was 4th in the league in rushing yards.

Edge: DC

PLAY MAKERS

DC: Chris Blair and Lucky Johnson gives the Defenders two of the best receivers in the XFL. Both receivers have over 500 receiving yards. Jackson had 5 touchdown catches while Blair had three.

ARLINGTON: The Renegades have the best tight end in the XFL in Sal Cannella with 42 grabs for 415 yards. Which are not Travis Kelce numbers. Tyler Vaughns is the top Renegade receiver. He had one touchdown catch with 31 grabs for 301 yards.

Edge: DC

DEFENSE

DC: The Defenders defense can put pressure on the quarterback. The Defenders have former NFL head coach Gregg Williams who created Bounty gate when he was a defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints back when they won their first ever Superbowl. The Defenders defense is second overall in sacks with 29. The Defenders defense had the most pick sixes in the league. Defensive back Michael Joseph is a master at taking away the ball and finding the end zone for a defensive score.

ARLINGTON: The Renegades defense is not too shabby either. They have a defensive back in Joe Powell who’s a ball hawk as he had 4 interceptions during the regular season. The Renegades in the beginning of the season had the defense scored more points than the offense. The Renegades defense compiled up 19 total sacks for the season.

Edge: DC

THE PICK

The Defenders’ record and roster compared to the Renegades is off the charts. Only advantage I can see the Renegades having is their head, Bob Stoops, has more stripes than Defenders head coach Reggie Barlow. Barlow is not a rookie head coach as he has coached at the Collegiate level like Stoops who has accomplished a lot at that level. The Defenders play hard for Barlow, and he has some solid pieces on that coaching staff of his. I thought the Defenders defense was a little overrated as this unit was giving up a ton of points in the second half of regular season. Two weeks ago, that Defenders defense just teed off on one of the top-notch offenses in the league, the Sea Dragons.

The Renegades went 1-2 during regular season with Luis Perez behind center. They won a big playoff game with him behind center as well. The Defenders defense can rattle Perez and force him to make mistakes which he has done. Perez is a guy that is very streaky as he can be up and down in the first quarter. The Defenders had seven all pro players compared to only one for the Renegades. The better team in the Defenders. The Renegades track record shows they can’t win two games in a row. Last time I checked, the Renegades won their last game. The Defenders have so many ways to beat you. The Renegades have to play a perfect game to beat the Defenders. The Defenders can win close games. Just in case this game is close, the Defenders know how to step on their opponent’s throat. I bet against the beer snake last week. I will not go against that sudsy reptile once again. The beer snake will travel well.

OUR PICK: THE BEER SNAKE (DEFENDERS)