XFL Week 10: Will Sea Dragons or Battlehawks be last piece of playoff puzzle?

We're at the end of the regular season of the XFL and Week 10 brought exciting matchups from both the North and the South divisions as we gear up for the playoffs next week.

The Arlington Renegades have clinched the final playoff spot in the South division after the San Antonio Brahmas lost to the D.C. Defenders on Saturday.

The North division and the St. Louis Battlehawks are still awaiting the results of the matchup between the Vegas Vipers and the Seattle Sea Dragons to determine who will face the Houston Roughnecks next weekend.

If the Sea Dragons lose, the Battlehawks will clinch the playoffs. But if they win, the tiebreaker will be determined by the combined rank of points for and points against between the Battlehawks and the Sea Dragons.

All highlights from Week 10 are below.

Jump to:
Recaps | Best Plays
Tweets | Quotes

This weekend's games

St. Louis Battlehawks 53, Orlando Guardians 28

The Battlehawks left no doubt in their dominant win over the Guardians after scoring 53 points, the most in an XFL game this season.

They were led by quarterback AJ McCarron who had a season-high 420 yards and six touchdown passes. Wide receiver Hakeem Butler had two touchdowns and 164 receiving yards, most in a game this season.

Guardians' quarterback Quinten Dormandy had 188 yards and threw for two touchdowns, but his offense was held scoreless in the third quarter allowing the Battlehawks to break away with the lead.

D.C. Defenders 29 San Antonio Brahmas 28

The Brahmas are eliminated from the postseason after a disappointing one-point loss to the Defenders.

D.C. started off strong, leading going into the half 19-11. But the Brahmas began to make a comeback in the fourth quarter taking their first and only lead with 5:16 left in the game. Running back Jacques Patrick had a two-yard run into the endzone and quarterback Jack Coan threw a pass to receiver Jonathan Hilliman for an extra two-points putting San Antonio ahead 28-22.

But the Defenders reclaimed that lead with under three minutes left in the game when quarterback Jordan Ta'amu ran in for a four-yard touchdown and the extra point.

Down by 1 point with 32 seconds left in the game, Brahmas kicker John Parker Romo attempted a 53-yard field goal which ended up being no good. The Defenders eliminated the Bahamas from the postseason, improved their record to 9-1 and will face either the Battlehawks or the Sea Dragons in the North division Championship next weekend which they will host in D.C.

Houston Roughnecks 25, Arlington Renegades 9

The Roughnecks finish the regular season 6-0 in the South division after defeating the Renegades 25-9.

The Renegades scored three field goals in the first half but were held scoreless throughout the rest of the game by Houston who extended their lead in the second half with two field goals and a pick-six from linebacker Tavante Beckett.

Roughnecks running back Jeremy Cox had one rushing touchdown and a season-high 120 rushing yards, the most for a Roughnecks player this season.

Despite the loss, the Renegades have clinched second place in the South division because of the Brahmas loss on Saturday. They will face the Roughnecks once again next weekend in the South division Championship hosted by Houston.

Best plays

Gotcha!

Guardians punter Mac Brown passes to Jordan Thomas, who goes 84 yards for a touchdown.

Can't touch me

Chris Blair hauls in a 70-yard Reception

Gimmie that!

Tavante Beckett picks off Luis Perez and returns it 45 yards for a touchdown.

Top tweets

*queue the Family Feud music*

Hakeem Butler now leads the XFL in touchdown receptions

Name the XFL's leader in touchdown receptions 🤔 pic.twitter.com/dktv2rEE5B

— St. Louis Battlehawks (@XFLBattlehawks) April 22, 2023

Horns Down

D.C. Defenders have no mercy

Horns forward? Nah. 🤘⬇️#DefendDC | @_got11reasons pic.twitter.com/42waeX66iu

— D.C. Defenders (@XFLDefenders) April 22, 2023

Denim on denim on denim

Caleb Vander Esch with the denim drip

Caleb Vander Esch w/ the all denim fit 💧 pic.twitter.com/7jkMprA0yY

— Arlington Renegades (@XFLRenegades) April 23, 2023

Quotes

"We got a really good team"

Coach Anthony Becht has much love for his team

— St. Louis Battlehawks (@XFLBattlehawks) April 23, 2023

"I think we're going to win the whole thing"

Jordan Ta'amu feels confident about the postseason

"I think we're going to win the whole thing."@JTaamu10 | @XFLDefenders #XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/vnp0V46oLG

— XFL (@XFL2023) April 22, 2023

"SIUUUUUUU"

Cole McDonald or Cristiano Ronaldo?

Cole McDonald hit the Siuuuu after this TD for the @XFLRoughnecks 👀 pic.twitter.com/FASrY1xgc9

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 23, 2023