Post by MOnarchsRule on Aug 31, 2009 15:23:01 GMT -5
KANSAS CITY — No matter how it unfolded down on the field Sunday night at Arrowhead, home to the largest crowd in team playoff history, someone was going to get their storybook ending. Only the theme would be different: one of final redemption or ultimate coronation.
So much of the XFL’s Divisional playoff game had boiled down to a story of two men, both representative of their teams. And in the end, it was quarterback Anthony Calvillo and the Kansas City Monarchs, who finally earned the respect they so desperately craved, with a 20-6 win over the Las Vegas Outlaws.
"When we left {the stadium} last year, we had a bad taste in our mouth," said Calvillo immediately after the game. “Watching someone else celebrate on your field hurts. But we finally did it today. I need to wake up, but the great thing about it is it’s finally reality now.”
It was KC’s first playoff win in franchise history. The team capped a remarkable turnaround, from losing seasons in 2004 and 2005 to a XFL-best 11-1 record this year. They are now poised to try and bring Kansas City its first ever football championship and the first championship since the '85 Royals in Major League Baseball.
On the other side was Matt Moore, whose Outlaws have now lost their first playoff road game (other than the X-Bowl) since LV lost at CHI in the 2004 div playoffs. An announced crowd of 66,308 was on hand. By the time kickoff rolled round Sunday evening, after two weeks of relentless dissection by the media, it had become obvious the Monarchs had developed a noticeable chip on their shoulders. It was subtle at first, but undeniable by the weekend.
Kansas City's players were never shy in proclaiming the XFL South Division as the XFL’s strongest, implying Las Vegas had come expecting to beat them down. Coach Donnie Henderson drove the issue into the spotlight on Thursday, after a reporter asked whether the team's playoff futilities bothered them going into Sunday night.
“Look, let’s get this over with,” he growled from the podium. “We’ve got a (censored) game to play, and if we’re going to keep talking about the past like this, this interview is over. . .’’
If it was meant to motivate the team, then mission accomplished. KC's defense carried that fire onto the field, forcing Matt Moore to go 14 of 31 for 139 yards, sacked 4 times and knocked to the deck countless others. Anthony Calvillo didn't play his best either, but he knew what was at stake. Mid rumors of retirement after this season, he knew his legacy rode on the outcome of this game, but he cooled off in the first half, and briefly threatened to unravel.
He never saw the linebacker in coverage when he looked downfield at slot receiver Davone Bess 5 minutes into the first quarter. The pass looked like it was intended for CB Jason David, and it was easily intercepted. Even when KC challenged it, saying he didn't get both feet in-bounds, it was overruled.
Calvillo completed passes to Mike Williams and Devard Darling before a smart coaching decision pushed the Monarchs into the end zone just before the end of the first half.
Off. Co-Ord. Mike Heimerdinger noticed that the D playing off the slot receiver on 3WR sets. So sure enough, he called 5 straight 3WR plays - Darren Chiverinni the recipient for 2 of them. On the last one, a 3 wide screen, he caught the pass, then scampered, untouched, into the end zone to give the hosts a 10-3 lead.
KC’s offense rolled through the regular season, scoring an average of 31.7 points per game, second in the league, with Calvillo throwing 33 touchdown passes. And it led Calvillo to the second most valuable player award finalist of his career. He's also the current one.
However, his success did not translate easily against the Outlaws this day.
Las Vegas forced him into 3 times as many sacks (three) as touchdowns (one). At another time in his career, a setback like this might have deflated AC, sending him to hide under the comforter until the final gun. This was the same man who, two years ago, threw 3 interceptions and lost a fumble in a playoff loss to the Dallas Lonestars.
But in many ways, since Donnie Henderson signed on as KC’s coach last year, Calvillo is a changed man. He now has thrown 64 touchdown passes over the last 2 seasons. But It's been more than that. Having put the stress of his wife's cancer behind him, he was now able to focus on football. Teammates have always noted his success as a leader, and he showed it just before halftime. He pump-faked, looked downfield, rolled to his left when he felt backside pressure and fired a strike to RB LenDale White. First Down - drive continues.
KC led 10-3 at the break, and as every good leader knows sometimes your friends have to have your back and they did, as LenDale White had a career best 133 yards on 24 carries, and Devin Hester took one to the house as the backbreaker. K John Carney added 2 FG's to round out the scoring.
"What a team," Coach Henderson said after the game, "But we still have one more mountain to climb. It's fitting that this year's X-Bowl is the 1 and 2 seeds. This will be one for the ages."
Next Sunday, it's all or nothing.