XFL Championship Game: Live Blog

A live blog of the XFL Championship game with the DC Defenders versus the Arlington Renegades.

First Quarter

Renegades

• Injury Alert - Defenders Reed on the game's first play.
• 2 first downs by Vander Esch.  First down Arlington.
• Smith sweep to the right for 14 yards.
• Gregg Williams is sending pressure on Perez as he loses the football.
• Smith, no gain.
• Perez beat the blitz for a 41-yard touchdown to Sal Cannela.  This looks like the Houston game a few weeks ago.  Arlington's interior had early collapses, but Perez saw the pressure and delivered a strike to Cannela.
• Perez, 4-4 passing on the opening drive.
• 2-pt conversion fails.

Score:  Arlington 6, DC 0; 10:58 

Defenders

• A 3-and-out for the Defenders.
• Arlington is stacked at the 12-yard line after Powell lets the punt get behind him.

Renegades: Possession 2

• First down Smith on the ground.
• Williams allows his defense to get burned again.   
• First down Renegades.
• Defenders' defensive back Brice injured.
• Reed OUT for the remainder of the game with an Achilles injury.
• Arlington is on the move again inside of the Defenders territory.
• 3rd and 12:  Perez to Payton for 13 yards.  First down.   Stoops and Long have put in a another great gameplan that Perez is executing well.
• 3rd and 2:  Bryant came into the game at quarterback.  Renegades let too much clock to elapse.  TIMEOUT.
• Arlington isn't letting up on the Defenders.   DC has 3 starters out of the game.   Barlow and Williams have to stop the bleeding.  I watched in Houston how Arlington went up on the Roughnecks and they could not find any rhythm to lose at home in the South Division Championship.
• 3rd and 2:  Quarterback keeper up the gut.  1st and Goal.
• Bryant scores a touchdown.  Flag against the Renegades.  Play negated.
• Still 1st and goal from the 14-yard line.
• Another loss for DC.  Michael Joseph is OUT.
• TOUCHDOWN ARLINGTON!!!  29 seconds on the clock
• Ty Vaughns catches a bullet from Perez!
• 2-pt conversion is good.

Score:  Arlington 14, DC 0; 29 seconds

"We're executing the plays they're calling," Perez said on the sideline interview.

Defenders: Possession 2

• Abram Smith has no gain.  
• No. 40 defense and No. 88 offense = offsetting penalties.
• 2nd down and 10: 

FIRST QUARTER SCORE:  ARLINGTON RENEGADES 14, DC DEFENDERS 0

2ND QUARTER

DC Defenders: Possession 2

• Fred Kaiss, HBCU offensive coordinator has to settle down his offense.
• The offensive line isn't getting a push on Arlington.
• Ta'amu runs for the first down.
• Smith missed a wide-open cutback to his left.
• Arlington TIMEOUT
• INT in the endzone.   
• The Renegades turn away the Defenders with a redzone turnover.

Arlington: Possession 3

• The Defenders are out of sorts.  If Arlington scores again, it will be difficult for Reggie Barlow's team.
• The Renegades are now 5.5 pt favorite by Vegas!
• Perez is on fire.
• Brown rushes for six yards.  The DC defense is tired.
• Huge drop by Smith.  He could have walked into the endzone for the Renegades.  
• DC has to hold.  
• 4th down.  A better job by the DC secondary.

Score: Arlington 17, DC 0; 4:54

Defenders: Possession 3

• DC needs a score before halftime with under 5 minutes left.
• Smith runs for a 1st down.
• Ta'amu misses after Barnes pressures him behind the line of scrimmage.
• T.J.  Barnes will be getting NFL calls this week.
• A photographer was accidently hit by a DC Defender.   Praying he's okay.  DC medical staff is looking at him.  TIMEOUT on the field.
• The offense is moving the football down the field, but they must stay focused.  DC has to score.
• The photographer is receiving more medical attention.  The cart came out.  Now a stretcher.  He'll probably be transported to a nearby hospital.
• 2nd and 6: Smith runs for 5.
• 3 and 1 : Smith for 3 yards
• 1st and Goal: Smith stopped short.
• Abram Smith scores the DC touchdown.
• Pooka Williams is short on the 2-pt conversion.

Score: Arlington 17, DC 6; 32 seconds- Q2

"We just needed the ball," Abram Smith said.

A huge mistake by the DC kicker.  Arlington has the football at the 45-yard line.

Arlington: Possession 4

• Flag - No. 77 false start
• Incredible catch by Vaughns at the 33-yard line.
• YouTube phenom Destroying catches the 

Arlington's kicker Russolino bombs a kick through the uprights to go up by 14.

"They're 5 for 6 on 3rd down...3rd down is critical.  We must have field position to help our offense," Gregg Williams, DC Defensive Coordinator

HALFTIME SCORE:  Arlington 20, DC 6

3rd QUARTER

Abram Smith touchdown!

Ta'amu misfired on the extra point attempt.

Score: Arlington 20, DC 12

SCORING ALERT

• Ta'amu finds Hammonds for a touchdown!  The 2 pt conversion by Abram Smith.  He tosses the football at a Renegades player and gets ejected from the game!  A major loss!!!!  
• Ejection reversed.

Score: Arlington 26, DC 20

Defenders kicker makes a mistake.  Arlington gets the football at the 45 and immediately scores a touchdown!  WOW!

Score: Arlington 32, DC 20.  

DC keeps shooting themselves in the foot!  Look like they have another defensive back injured.  

Defenders Possession

Ta'amu intercepted by the linebacker!  The Renegades are in position to pad their lead.

Arlington is 10 of 12 on 3rd downs.  It's difficult to lose a football game with stats like that in any league.