Post by MGB01 on Jun 12, 2020 21:47:31 GMT -5
For all the marbles:
Orlando (15-2) at Kansas City (17-0)
Sun 6/14 3:30 ABC
49 days after they last met, it will be the Rage, who haven't lost since that game, trying to stop the Monarchs from the ultimate historical repeat. The Rage were in the first, the Monarchs were in the last, so #XFL20 could only end this way.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: The Rage comfortably defeated the Stallions for their first playoff win since 2006, while the Monarchs actually were down 7-0 three plays into the game yet took the Demons to the woodshed anyway--which makes Orlando's job tougher.
LESS MENACING? WISHFUL THINKING: The big news of the week is Monarchs edge rusher Karter Schult is out with an ankle injury. Of course it would be more of a relief for the Rage if it were Geno Atkins, since he's the one that draws the double-teams, that was out. But as deep as Orlando's defensive line is, the Monarchs have a deeper array of pass rushers--Deatrich Wise had ten sacks and he didn't even start half the year. The Rage made legit improvements up front this season--trading for Zach Banner, Jamarco Jones getting healthy--going from final four to top two, but will face a huge test on Sunday to take the next step.
ON THE MOVE: Even without Schult the Monarchs' pass rush is just as ferocious, so Brad Kaaya will be moving a lot more than usual. This is where the Rage can make hay, as the Monarchs had trouble defending screens this year. Dion Lewis and Samaje Perine combined for 65 catches and 11 touchdowns, the most productive RB duo in the league at catching passes, that said, Brian Hill caught 46 passes and averaged 11 yards per catch and he was totally non-existent last week. Will Kaaya be able to attack Kansas City's other perceived weakness in the way that Kyle Lauletta couldn't, their corners? It is worth noting however, that the Monarchs were in their first few games without Bashaud Breeland (they outright released him two weeks later) and, save for a big play to Allen Hurns late in the first half that set up Orlando's only touchdown, it wasn't really an issue--Deebo Samuel had six catches for 73 yards, but it was a quiet 6-73. The loss of Ryan Griffin, his tight end who always seemed to have one big catch a game, makes things more difficult.
NO RUSH: The run game for Orlando wasn't there in the first meeting as Lewis, who probably would have had his first 1000-yard season had he played in the Rage' regular-season finale, rushed for just 20 yards on 12 carries. While even the Monarchs have been prone to inconsistency at times on defense the April 26 game was easily their finest hour, as while the "big three" of Atkins, Wise, and Schult all sacked Kaaya, it was their complete shutdown of the run game that made the difference.
UNSTOPPABLE: For some teams, getting in the mid to upper 20s would be a banner offensive day, for the Monarchs the three games they scored 24 and back-to-back 27s were their lowest-scoring games of the season as they got 30 in their other 14 games (including last week). Case Keenum, discarded in San Antonio--that really aged well--with the dreaded game manager tag, has three straight seasons of 70% accuracy since coming north, and whether it's Devonta Freeman or David Montgomery, who led the league in rushing as a rookie, they have someone that can tote the rock. Best symbol of their offensive dominance? Tress Way has punted just 55 times in the last two seasons combined--three punters topped that just this year. So from that the Orlando gameplan would be merely to keep the Monarchs offense off the field.
FREQUENT ROTATION: That won't be it, the defense--particularly the front seven--will have to roll up their sleeves and go to work. Much has been made of Kris Richard's defensive rotation, well this would be a good time for them to counter the Monarchs' offensive potency by constantly switching things up on defense. It worked to a degree seven weeks ago although Keenum still had a 300-yard game and Tyreek Hill went off with eight catches for 144 yards. Kwon Alexander, the middle linebacker who's most familiar with the way Nagy and the Monarchs do things, will be the one constant although he does come off the field when Orlando goes with five on the line.
BAG OF TRICKS: If Richard has any more tricks in his arsenal Sunday is a good day to use them. In the first game against the Monarchs he successfully ran a fake punt with fullback Alec Ingold. Unfortunately for the Rage they ended up punting anyway. Also unfortunately for them the Monarchs can play that game if they desire as well, they had one with backup safety Kenny Robinson.
EDGE OF 50: Should the Monarchs complete the back-to-back wire-to-wire, then Matt Nagy will going for his 50th win in the 2021 season opener--and in that case it'll specifically be the kickoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on Feb 13, 2021, in his 53rd game--the first of which was actually a loss in San Antonio in the 2018 opener. But, as he'll be first to remind you, 50 doesn't happen (on that day anyway) without getting 49 on Sunday.
GOING FOR MORE GOLD: DE Willie Jefferson and OT Stanley Bryant were teammates on the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders last year, now seven months later they aim to add an X-Bowl to their resumes. Anthony Calvillo, who won a pair of X-Bowls for the Monarchs, the first two in franchise history, knows a bit about that, but he went nine years between the Grey Cup and his first of two X-Bowl wins. For Bryant, his first stint in the XFL was frustrating as he had three different stops before heading north in 2012, and his return was looking equally so as he was benched this season for penalty problems but has played much better since getting his job back. Jefferson has alternated starts with Wise and now will start opposite him after a 4.5 sack-season.
FINALLY: It might seem like decades ago, but Kony Ealy was an upcoming star, with three sacks an interception and a forced fumble for the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl L (which is what his team took despite his exploits). But as quickly as it happened, it vanished, and a series of injuries later here he is in the X-Bowl. He wasn't able to contribute much because of a shoulder injury but with Schult being inactive Ealy is a go. Ealy isn't even the only Panther who is gunning for an X-Bowl championship with the Monarchs, as Kelvin Benjamin, his former draft-classmate (who was on injured reserve that year), caught on with the Monarchs last year and was a big part of their (first?) run to history.year
PREDICTION: The Rage have been a great story this year, and overall how Richard has made them into beasts of the East after some pretty lean years following their last playoff appearance in 2015. But if the Monarchs are firing on all cylinders it's nearly impossible to stop them, plus a muggy mid-June Sunday won't help. It won't be for a lack of effort, but the Monarchs simply have too much and the Rage can't win a track meet. Thus the Monarchs bring Kansas City their second professional championship in just over four months. Prediction: Kansas City 41 Orlando 30.
Orlando (15-2) at Kansas City (17-0)
Sun 6/14 3:30 ABC
49 days after they last met, it will be the Rage, who haven't lost since that game, trying to stop the Monarchs from the ultimate historical repeat. The Rage were in the first, the Monarchs were in the last, so #XFL20 could only end this way.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: The Rage comfortably defeated the Stallions for their first playoff win since 2006, while the Monarchs actually were down 7-0 three plays into the game yet took the Demons to the woodshed anyway--which makes Orlando's job tougher.
LESS MENACING? WISHFUL THINKING: The big news of the week is Monarchs edge rusher Karter Schult is out with an ankle injury. Of course it would be more of a relief for the Rage if it were Geno Atkins, since he's the one that draws the double-teams, that was out. But as deep as Orlando's defensive line is, the Monarchs have a deeper array of pass rushers--Deatrich Wise had ten sacks and he didn't even start half the year. The Rage made legit improvements up front this season--trading for Zach Banner, Jamarco Jones getting healthy--going from final four to top two, but will face a huge test on Sunday to take the next step.
ON THE MOVE: Even without Schult the Monarchs' pass rush is just as ferocious, so Brad Kaaya will be moving a lot more than usual. This is where the Rage can make hay, as the Monarchs had trouble defending screens this year. Dion Lewis and Samaje Perine combined for 65 catches and 11 touchdowns, the most productive RB duo in the league at catching passes, that said, Brian Hill caught 46 passes and averaged 11 yards per catch and he was totally non-existent last week. Will Kaaya be able to attack Kansas City's other perceived weakness in the way that Kyle Lauletta couldn't, their corners? It is worth noting however, that the Monarchs were in their first few games without Bashaud Breeland (they outright released him two weeks later) and, save for a big play to Allen Hurns late in the first half that set up Orlando's only touchdown, it wasn't really an issue--Deebo Samuel had six catches for 73 yards, but it was a quiet 6-73. The loss of Ryan Griffin, his tight end who always seemed to have one big catch a game, makes things more difficult.
NO RUSH: The run game for Orlando wasn't there in the first meeting as Lewis, who probably would have had his first 1000-yard season had he played in the Rage' regular-season finale, rushed for just 20 yards on 12 carries. While even the Monarchs have been prone to inconsistency at times on defense the April 26 game was easily their finest hour, as while the "big three" of Atkins, Wise, and Schult all sacked Kaaya, it was their complete shutdown of the run game that made the difference.
UNSTOPPABLE: For some teams, getting in the mid to upper 20s would be a banner offensive day, for the Monarchs the three games they scored 24 and back-to-back 27s were their lowest-scoring games of the season as they got 30 in their other 14 games (including last week). Case Keenum, discarded in San Antonio--that really aged well--with the dreaded game manager tag, has three straight seasons of 70% accuracy since coming north, and whether it's Devonta Freeman or David Montgomery, who led the league in rushing as a rookie, they have someone that can tote the rock. Best symbol of their offensive dominance? Tress Way has punted just 55 times in the last two seasons combined--three punters topped that just this year. So from that the Orlando gameplan would be merely to keep the Monarchs offense off the field.
FREQUENT ROTATION: That won't be it, the defense--particularly the front seven--will have to roll up their sleeves and go to work. Much has been made of Kris Richard's defensive rotation, well this would be a good time for them to counter the Monarchs' offensive potency by constantly switching things up on defense. It worked to a degree seven weeks ago although Keenum still had a 300-yard game and Tyreek Hill went off with eight catches for 144 yards. Kwon Alexander, the middle linebacker who's most familiar with the way Nagy and the Monarchs do things, will be the one constant although he does come off the field when Orlando goes with five on the line.
BAG OF TRICKS: If Richard has any more tricks in his arsenal Sunday is a good day to use them. In the first game against the Monarchs he successfully ran a fake punt with fullback Alec Ingold. Unfortunately for the Rage they ended up punting anyway. Also unfortunately for them the Monarchs can play that game if they desire as well, they had one with backup safety Kenny Robinson.
EDGE OF 50: Should the Monarchs complete the back-to-back wire-to-wire, then Matt Nagy will going for his 50th win in the 2021 season opener--and in that case it'll specifically be the kickoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on Feb 13, 2021, in his 53rd game--the first of which was actually a loss in San Antonio in the 2018 opener. But, as he'll be first to remind you, 50 doesn't happen (on that day anyway) without getting 49 on Sunday.
GOING FOR MORE GOLD: DE Willie Jefferson and OT Stanley Bryant were teammates on the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders last year, now seven months later they aim to add an X-Bowl to their resumes. Anthony Calvillo, who won a pair of X-Bowls for the Monarchs, the first two in franchise history, knows a bit about that, but he went nine years between the Grey Cup and his first of two X-Bowl wins. For Bryant, his first stint in the XFL was frustrating as he had three different stops before heading north in 2012, and his return was looking equally so as he was benched this season for penalty problems but has played much better since getting his job back. Jefferson has alternated starts with Wise and now will start opposite him after a 4.5 sack-season.
FINALLY: It might seem like decades ago, but Kony Ealy was an upcoming star, with three sacks an interception and a forced fumble for the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl L (which is what his team took despite his exploits). But as quickly as it happened, it vanished, and a series of injuries later here he is in the X-Bowl. He wasn't able to contribute much because of a shoulder injury but with Schult being inactive Ealy is a go. Ealy isn't even the only Panther who is gunning for an X-Bowl championship with the Monarchs, as Kelvin Benjamin, his former draft-classmate (who was on injured reserve that year), caught on with the Monarchs last year and was a big part of their (first?) run to history.year
PREDICTION: The Rage have been a great story this year, and overall how Richard has made them into beasts of the East after some pretty lean years following their last playoff appearance in 2015. But if the Monarchs are firing on all cylinders it's nearly impossible to stop them, plus a muggy mid-June Sunday won't help. It won't be for a lack of effort, but the Monarchs simply have too much and the Rage can't win a track meet. Thus the Monarchs bring Kansas City their second professional championship in just over four months. Prediction: Kansas City 41 Orlando 30.