The 2023 Arlington Renegades had a losing record entering the XFL playoffs and are now headed to the XFL Championship game. Some have had difficulty understanding how a team with a losing record can be in the championship game, while the 7-3 Battlehawks did not make playoffs. Here is a look at how the 2023 Arlington Renegades made it to the XFL Championship game.
2023 Arlington Renegades
2023 Arlington Renegades vs. Orlando Guardians – Preston Mack/XFL
The Losing Record
To answer the most common question, here is why the Renegades made playoffs with a 4-6 record. The XFL is divided into two divisions, with four teams in each. The North has the 9-1 DC Defenders, 7-3 Seattle Dragosns, 7-3 St. Louis Battlehawks, and the 2-8 Las Vegas Vipers. The North was clearly more competitive than the South. The South division has the 7-3 Houston Roughnecks, 4-6 Arlington Renegades, 3-7 San Antonio Brahmas, and the 1-9 Orlando Guardians.
With the 2023 Arlington Renegades coming in second, even with the poor record, they were able to make it into the playoffs. The frustration from Battlehawks’ fans is justified, but hopefully, as the league continues to grow, this situation will not happen again.
The Regular Season
The Renegades have had their fair share of issues this season. Their first win of the year was not until week three when they beat the Guardians. The team took a while to figure out which quarterback they wanted to be the starter. In the first two weeks, the Renegades started Drew Plitt, but in week three, they started Kyle Sloter. In week six, the team played both quarterbacks.
The 2023 Arlington Renegades ended up releasing Sloter and went back to Plitt, while also giving Luis Perez some snaps. Perez ended up finishing the season as the Renegades’ starting quarterback. It never made the biggest difference, as Arlington only ended up winning four games, but they are now in the Championship game and that is what matters now.
Arlington Renegades quarterback Drew Plitt – Raymond Carlin III/USA TODAY Sports
The Division Championships
Going into the Division Championship, the Houston Roughnecks were the clear favorites, while the Renegades had nothing to lose. Arlington ended up winning the game 26-11. Perhaps it was that the Roughnecks underestimated the Renegades, but Arlington had themselves a game.
Perez was the starting quarterback and had 19 completions out of 27 attempts for 289 yards and three touchdowns, according to the XFL. Running back De’Veon Smith had himself a game as well. Smith rushed the ball 24 times for 94 yards. Wide receiver JaVonta Payton also had a strong performance, with five receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Their defense also held its own, limiting the Roughnecks’ quarterback, Cole McDonald, to nine competitions out of 25 attempts for 82 yards and one interception, according to the XFL. Houston also put in Brandon Silvers, who was only able to complete three passes out of six attempts for 22 yards. While people may be upset the Renegades made playoffs with a losing record, they were still able to defeat a strong team and beat them well.
Arlington Renegades – Rebecca Slezak/The Dallas Morning News
A Brief Look into the XFL Championship Game
The DC Defenders are no joke. The Defenders went 9-1 and were the top team in the league. The 2023 Arlington Renegades did play the Defenders once this season. DC won the game 28-26, making it a closer game than some expected. There was a solid chance that Arlington could have won the game. The Defenders are the favorites and deserve to be, but they cannot count out the Renegades.
The 2023 Arlington Renegades have already demonstrated that regular season records do not mean anything once playoffs begin. The Defenders have a strong defense, but if the Renegades’ offense plays how they did against the Roughnecks, this game could be closer than expected.
The XFL Championship game will take place Saturday, May 13th, at 8 PM Eastern. Be sure to watch to see if the 4-6 Renegades can defeat the 9-1 Defenders.
