XFL WEEK DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS PREVIEW & PICKS

BY ADAM GREENE

After 10 weeks of sometimes great, other times terrible, but most of the time pretty OK XFL 3.0 action the postseason is upon us.

One thing we’ve learned in our three-month XFL journey is that an entire playoff overhaul needs to happen this offseason. You have what I feel is the league’s third best team, the St. Louis Battlehawks, missing the postseason after posting a 7-3 record. Not only that, they bring some real heat from their fanbase that, from what I’ve seen, no other XFL team brings. You can’t just change up the rules during the season, but lessons must be learned after leaving a 7-3 team at home and starting the playoffs with a 4-6 squad that’s probably going to waste everyone’s time Saturday afternoon.

But not us. Oh no. We have the odds, lines, totals and futures bets with which to make watching every minute of every one of these games worth our while.

XFL POWER FINAL RANKINGS

1. WASHINGTON DC DEFENDERS (9-1)

Odds to win the XFL Championship: +105

It didn’t come easy, but the Washington DC Defenders will enter the playoffs with a win, albeit a one-point victory over the previously hapless San Antonio Brahmas. Washington has been the team to beat all season and now the target has fallen firmly, and officially, on its back. Last week: No. 1

2. SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS (7-3)

Odds to win the XFL Championship: +275

The Sea Dragons reached all the tie breakers and milestones they needed to punch their ticket to the postseason. They could very well be the only team in the XFL that has a shot of keeping the Washington DC Defenders from hoisting the trophy in two weeks. Last week: No. 3

3. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (7-3)

St. Louis is, at worst, the third best team in the league and plays in front of the best, most invested fanbase. So, it’s not a great thing for this young league that this team, because of their bad playoff seeding rules, will be watching the postseason on their Barcaloungers after a 53-28 win over the Orlando Guardians. Last week: No. 3

4. HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (7-3)

Odds to win the XFL Championship: +180

Houston is the XFL South champions and the fourth best team in the league? It’s hard to argue that and, if the XFL playoffs were set up better, they’d probably get knocked out this week. As it is, they should have a clear path to the championship game. Last week: No. 4

5. ARLINGTON RENEGADES (4-6)

Odds to win the XFL Championship: +1000

The Renegades had the chance to make a real statement in punching their ticket to the playoffs with a big win over the Houston Roughnecks in the season finale. And make a statement they did, not even hitting double digit points and backing into the postseason with a loss and overall losing record. Last week: No. 5

6. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (3-7)

Yes, the Brahmas were garbage all season, but at least they went down swinging in their season finale loss to the Washington DC Defenders. All it did was screw over people who took DC and the points, but you should take the victories, no matter how small. Especially when there are two teams worse than you are. Last week: No. 6

7. LAS VEGAS VIPERS (2-8)

With a chance to play spoiler on the Seattle Sea Dragons’ playoff plans, the Vipers instead acted as soilers of their own bedsheets, managing just nine points in a loss and didn’t score a point in the first 30 minutes of the game. Last week: No.7

8. ORLANDO GUARDIANS (1-9)

It’s official. Thanks to a season ending loss to the far superior St. Louis Battlehawks, the Guardians are, for now, the worst professional football team on the planet. Luckily for them, the Pittsburgh Maulers in the USFL are dying to give them a run for their money. They should play an all loser’s bowl sometime late in the summer. Last week: No. 8

SATURDAY

ARLINGTON RENEGADES AT HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (-6, O/U: 41)

Thanks to the aforementioned poor XFL playoff system, we have a rematch of the season finale XFL South game this week. Last Sunday, the Arlington Renegades barely showed up at all with a playoff spot on the line, losing 25-9 to the XFL South Division champion Houston Roughnecks. The Renegades did not score a point in the entire second half. Luis Perez finished his final regular season game for Arlington going 22 of 36 for 205 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He rushed three times for 20 yards and was sacked twice. Leddie Brown led the team on the ground with 14 carries for 29 yards. Brian Herrien caught five passes for 47 yards. Sal Cannella caught three balls for 41 yards. Darnell Sankey finished with eight tackles. Jamal Carter and Joe Powell got six tackles apiece, with Carter posting a tackle for a loss. Will Hill recorded six tackles. Colin Schooler had four tackles, one sack and two for a loss. Jordan Miller had two tackles and an interception.

While the Roughnecks had already clinched the XFL South a and a bracket spot, it didn’t keep them from punching the Arlington Renegades right in the teeth. The Roughnecks cruised to a 25-9 win in Arlington, setting up a XFL South Division Championship rematch in Houston this Saturday. Cole McDonald put every single pass he threw into a player’s hands, only one of them went to a Renegades defender. McDonald was 10 of 11 for 120 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He rushed eight times for 66 yards and a score. Jeremy Cox led the team with 21 carries for 120 yards and a TD. Justin Smith caught three passes for 51 yards. Tavonn alter caught four passes for 47 yards. Tavante Becket, Caliph Brice, Drew Lewis and Jordan Mosley all recorded six tackles. Beckett added two tackles for a loss and an interception. Brice had a forced fumble. Trevon Mason had four tackles, one sack, two for a loss and a forced fumble.

If the XFL had a sane playoff scenario, Arlington shouldn’t even be here. It’d be the Seattle Sea Dragons at the Roughnecks right here. But, hey, this is what we get. I think the Renegades will put up a better fight, but the final result will be the same. Roughnecks 24, Renegades 16

SUNDAY

SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS AT WASHINGTON DC DEFENDERS (-3, O/U: 49)

Seattle opened Sunday with some milestones they had to reach just to make the playoffs and they were all about tie breakers. After a 28-9 win over the Las Vegas Vipers, they hit them and will play on thanks to a solid passing day from quarterback Ben DiNucci. DiNucci finished his Week 10 26 of 41 for 339 yards, three touchdowns and two picks. He rushed four times for 41 yards. Charlie Taumoepeau finished with four carries for 44 yards. Josh Gordon caught nine passes for 115 yards. Juwan Green had four receptions for 88 yards and a TD. Blake Jackson caught five for 44. Jahcour Pearson had three grabs for 42 yards and a score. Jordan Veasy hauled in two receptions for 25 yards and a TD. Niko Lalos and Daniel Joseph had five tackles apiece and each guy posted a tackle for a loss. Joseph added a sack. Qwynnterrio Cole had one tackle and an interception, because I can’t ever write about the Sea Dragons without typing out that dude’s name.

The Defenders could have rested starters and trotted out a crew of Subway Sandwich Artists last week after they’d already clinched the XFL North and home field advantage in the playoffs. Instead, they played their regular guys most of the way and barely held on against the San Antonio Brahmas, winning 29-28. Jordan Ta’amu was 15 of 22 for 271 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. He led the team on the ground with eight carries for 45 yards and a score. He was not sacked. Abram Smith rushed 10 times for 44 yards. Lucky Jackson caught three passes for 84 yards. Chris Blair caught one 70 yarder. Josh Hammond hauled in four balls for 59 yards. Alex Ellis caught four passes for 25 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, Santos Ramirez finished with 10 tackles. Francis Bernard had eight tackles and two for a loss. Reggie Northrup ended with seven tackles. Isaiah Johnson, Andre Mintze, Joseph Wallace, Travon Fuller all had six tackles. Mintze added half a sack. Wallace had a tackle for a loss.

I legitimately like Seattle’s chances here and if any team has a shot to knock off DC, it’s them. But I’m not ready to pick it. Defenders 26, Sea Dragons 21

Last week

Straight up: 3-1

Against the spread: 2-2

Season

Straight up: 21-19

Against the spread: 17-23

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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