XFL playoff races headed down to wire

by XFL Press Release
Published on March 28, 2001 under XFL (XFL)

XFL Press Release

EAST CHAMPION RAGE AND WEST-LEADING XTREME ARE IN;
SIX TEAMS BATTLING FOR FINAL TWO PLAYOFF SPOTS

STAMFORD, CONN. - The XFL's inaugural post-season technically will not begin until April 14, but the playoffs for all practical purposes begin this weekend as all eight teams are still alive in the hunt to play in the "The Million Dollar Game".

While Eastern Division champion Orlando and Western Division leader Los Angeles have clinched playoff berths, the six other XFL teams are in contention for the final two post-season spots.

Every single one of the XFL's eight teams has major implications hanging in the balance with this weekend's games. Below is a look at the possible scenarios of each of the four games this weekend.

WESTERN DIVISION - WEEK NINE AND TEN BREAKDOWN

NOTE: Los Angeles has already clinched playoff spot, following is the race for the division title and the second playoff spot.

WEEK NINE SCENARIO ONE: LA over MEM and SF over LV

RESULT: LA wins division, SF clinches playoffs, MEM and LV eliminated

WEEK NINE SCENARIO TWO: LA over MEM, LV over SF

RESULT: LA wins division, LV clinches playoffs, SF and MEM eliminated

WEEK NINE SCENARIO THREE: MEM over LA and SF over LV

RESULT: LA & SF clinch playoffs, div. title settled week 10, LV & MEM eliminated

WEEK TEN: Winner of SF/LA wins division, loser is second seed.

WEEK TEN SCENARIO FOUR: MEM over LA, LV over SF

RESULT: LA clinches division title, SF eliminated. Second seed up for grabs in week 10.

WEEK TEN: If LV beats MEM they earn playoffs. If MEM beats LV, tie-breaker goes to net points in division games. Prior to final two weeks, Vegas is +17, Memphis is -32.

TEAM BREAKDOWNS:

LOS ANGELES: Already clinched playoff spot. One more win clinches division, or a loss this weekend and a LV win over SF also clinches division.

SAN FRANCISCO: Beat Vegas and clinch a playoff spot, lose and eliminated. Could win division with two wins and two LA losses (they meet in week 10).

LAS VEGAS: Can not win division. Lose to SF and eliminated. Two wins clinches playoffs. If beat SF and lose to MEM, would go to net points in division games with Memphis. Vegas currently leads +17 to -32.

MEMPHIS: Only way to qualify is with two wins, LV beating SF in week nine, and in the process making up 49-point differential behind Vegas in net points within divisional games.

EASTERN DIVISION - WEEK NINE AND TEN BREAKDOWN

NOTE: Orlando has already clinched division, following is the race for second.

WEEK NINE SCENARIO ONE: CHI over NY and ORL over BIRM

RESULT: BIRM eliminated. A CHI win or a NY loss in Week 10 would clinch playoffs for Chicago. If CHI loses and NY wins in week 10, would go to net points in division tie-breaker: currently NY -5 and CHI -15.

WEEK NINE SCENARIO TWO: CHI over NY and BIRM over ORL

RESULT: All teams alive going into Week 10, setting up following scenarios:

WEEK TEN: IF Chicago wins, they clinch playoffs.
IF Chicago loses and BIRM beats NY, Birm clinches playoffs.
IF Chicago loses and NY beats BIRM, CHI and NY go to net points in division tie-breaker: currently NY -5 and CHI -15.

WEEK NINE SCENARIO THREE: NY over CHI and ORL over BIRM

RESULT: NY clinches playoffs.

WEEK TEN SCENARIO FOUR: NY over CHI and BIRM over ORL

RESULT: CHI eliminated. Sets up Week 10 NY/BIRM game where winner is in.

TEAM BREAKDOWNS:

CHICAGO: Controls its own destiny - win both games and clinch playoffs. Lose this weekend to NY and eliminated. Win this weekend and lose next weekend, could qualify, will need help.

NY/NJ: --Win over Chicago clinches playoffs if ORL beats BIRM.
--Win over Chicago and BIRM over ORL sets up week 10 vs. BIRM where winner earns playoff spot.
--Lose both games and eliminated.
--Lose to Chicago and beat BIRM in Week 10, need ORL to beat CHI to force net points in division tie-breaker: currently NY -5 and CHI -15.

BIRM: Must win both games and have Chicago lose once to qualify.

BIRMINGHAM THUNDERBOLTS NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: The Bolts, losers of its last five contests yet still not mathematically out of the playoff race, return home to Legion Field to take on the Rage. The Bolts were shut out for the first time this season when they lost 13-0 to the Chicago Enforcers. If the Bolts lose this week, they will be eliminated.
• GAMEPLAN: Coach Gerry DiNardo is concerned about his offense that has not scored a touchdown in 10 quarters and he does not want too much pressure being put on the defense. This week, the offense will be without QB Jay Barker, who was knocked out of the Chicago game with a concussion. Coach DiNardo has named backup QB Graham Leigh the starter, with Mark Washington backing him up. Last week, Leigh threw for 102 yards and three interceptions in a relief role. Look for Leigh to continue to throw to WR Stepfret Williams, who caught nine passes for 152 yards against Chicago. In the running game, the Bolts will need a big day from RB James Bostic. to take the load off Leigh and the passing attack. On defense, the Bolts boast the number two ranked pass defense in the league and its rush defense will be led by LB James Willis, who leads the league in tackles with 59.
• NEWS AND NOTES: In Barker's absence Graham Leigh will be calling signals against one of his former coaches. Leigh played for Orlando coach Galen Hall and the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe... Neither Birmingham nor Orlando will play Saturday's game with the quarterback that was under center Feb. 24. Both Birmingham's Casey Weldon and Orlando's Jeff Brohm are out for the season after suffering right shoulder injuries....WR Stepfret Williams set individual and team highs at Chicago last week, hauling in nine passes for 152 yards. Williams continues to lead the XFL with 743 yards receiving and is second in the league with 45 catches.... DE Charles Preston owns the team lead with six tackles for loss, followed closely by outside linebacker Keith Franklin with four. Preston and Franklin have combined to make 45% of the Bolts stops behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in 31 yards in losses.
• OFF THE FIELD: Backup quarterback Graham Leigh's father is assistant director of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

CHICAGO ENFORCERS NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: Winners of two straight and three out of four, the Enforcers look to take sole possession of second place in the Eastern Division, after shutting out the Birmingham Bolts, 13-0, at Soldier Field.
• GAMEPLAN: The Enforcers will be eyeing the hamstring of this week's XFL's Offensive Player of the Week winner RB John Avery after he pulled the muscle in the final minute of the Enforcers' win over the Bolts. If Avery is able to play, look for Chicago to give the Hitmen a heavy dose of the star RB, who carried the ball 20 times for an XFL-record 180 yards last week. If Avery is out, LeShon Johnson, who is tied for first in the league with six rushing touchdowns, will get the start. Johnson would be spelled by RB Charles Wiley. Look for QB Kevin McDougal to spread the ball around more to his wideouts Junior Lord, Luke Leverson and Aaron Bailey, who combined for 129 yards against Birmingham. On defense, Chicago will be led by XFL Defensive Player of the Week winner DB Corey Ivy, who had two picks last week. The defense must take advantage of the Hitmen's lackluster running game and pressure the QB.
• NEWS AND NOTES: Since quarterback Kevin McDougal was inserted into the starting lineup, the Enforcers are 3-1.... McDougal connected with six different receivers against the Bolts....Linebacker Jamie Baisley has been the Enforcers' most consistent defensive player this season. On the year, the Glencoe, Ill. native and Loyola Academy graduate is tied for fifth in tackles in the XFL (45)..... Cornerback Ray Austin is second in the XFL in tackles with 50. He led the Enforcers with a team-best 10 tackles versus Birmingham.
• OFF THE FIELD: The battle for NCAA Tournament pool bragging rights will be resolved this weekend between Enforcers cheerleader Mylinda and new Texas Tech head basketball coach Bobby Knight. Mylinda and coach Knight have both chosen 35 teams correctly, as tracked by the Chicago Sun Times. However, Knight's final four picks have all been eliminated while Mylinda has one final four team remaining, Duke. If Duke wins one game, Mylinda wins the contest, if Duke loses, they will have tied.

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: Vegas, who is tied for second place in the West with San Francisco, hosts the division foe with playoff implications on the line. The Outlaws defeated the Demons in week four at Pac Bell Park, 16-9.
• GAMEPLAN: On defense, the "Dealers of Doom" want to focus on its pass rush to get to Demons QB Mike Pawlawski. The defense will also have its hands full with the unexpected performance of Demon RB Kelvin Anderson, who rushed for 80 yards last week. This may play into the Outlaws favor, as they are only allowing 61 yards on the ground. On offense, QB Ryan Clement, who did not play in the first meeting, will establish the run with Rod "He Hate Me" Smart. In their first meeting, Smart began to come into his own when he rushed for 92 yards. In the passing game, Clement will have an array of passing targets to throw downfield to with WR Yo Murphy, TE Rickey Brady and WR Eric Guliford. Murphy and Guliford did not play in the first contest.
• NEWS AND NOTES: QB Ryan Clement threw for three TDs for the second game in a row as the Vegas offense set season highs in points (26), total TDs (4), first downs (17), passing first downs (10), average yards per play (5.4), and passing yards (190) against the Xtreme... RB Rod Smart ran for the longest TD in Outlaw history, a 21-yard scamper... The Outlaws' defense allowed season-highs in points (35), TDs (4), passing TDs (4), first downs (20), passing first downs (13), third-down conversions (6), and total offense (304) against the potent Los Angeles attack... In Las Vegas' four wins this season, the Dealers of Doom have created 13 turnovers, converting those picks and fumbles into 4 TDs. In the team's four losses, the Outlaws have managed just three takeaways.... Once again, the Outlaws face a former teammate, as former Las Vegas S Toby Wright was traded to San Francisco back on March 5 in exchange for OL Tony Berti.
• OFF THE FIELD: S Brandon Sanders, is co-owner of a Southern California record label, Break Bread Records. Sanders operates the business with his brother and expects a flurry of CDs to be released this summer.

LOS ANGELES XTREME NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: The LA Xtreme, who clinched a playoff spot in the West by defeating the Las Vegas Outlaws, 35-26, at the LA Coliseum, will travel to Memphis with the hopes of clinching the Western Division title. The Xtreme can also clinch the Western Division title if the Demons lose to the Outlaws.
• GAMEPLAN: The Xtreme is looking for revenge from the team who last beat them at home. The Xtreme hope to avenge the loss with the arm of QB Tommy Maddox, who tossed four touchdowns on the Outlaws number one ranked defense last week. The Xtreme game plan has not and will not change this week in Memphis. Look for Maddox with 1,867 passing yards to throw often to WR Jeremaine Copeland, who continues to lead the league in receptions (52) and Darnell McDonald , who leads the league with eight touchdowns. LA's running game is led by RB Saladin McCullough, who has been a pleasant surprise. On defense, LA is second is takeways and will look to cause turnovers in Memphis' passing attack and force the Maniax to run with Brent Moss or Rashaan Salaam.
• NEWS AND NOTES: The Xtreme's loss to the Maniax in Week Four has turned into a rallying point for Xtreme. Since that 18-12 defeat in the pouring rain, the Xtreme have won four straight.... WR's Jeremaine Copeland and Darnell McDonald combine for the most lethal 1-2 receiving punch in the XFL. The top two leading receivers on the team have combined for 12 of the Xtreme's 17 touchdown catches.... Tommy Maddox has thrown at least one touchdown pass in his last five games....LBs Shawn Stuckey and Juan Long each had a message on the back of their jerseys for the Outlaws Rod Smart a.k.a "He Hate Me." Stuckey and Long each had "Still Hate He" and "Still Hate He2" as nicknames on the back of each of their jerseys....K Jose Cortez has now made a remarkable 15 of his last 16 field goal attempts after missing 3 of his first 4 to start the season. Cortez leads the league in field goals made and accuracy hitting on 17 of his 21 attempts (81%). Cortez is also 7 for 8 from 40 yards and beyond.
• OFF THE FIELD: Xtreme CB Clifton Abraham runs a non profit organization called "Poor Soldiers," whose mission is "to serve the poor, oppressed and the unfortunate."

MEMPHIS MANIAX NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: Looking to improve on 1-3 records in both home and divisional games, the Maniax host the West-leading Xtreme in their final regular-season home game. Memphis handed LA its second loss of the season, 18-12, when they last met in week four in a downpour at the LA Coliseum.
• GAMEPLAN: With Memphis RB Rashaan Salaam still questionable with a bruised shoulder, QB Jim Druckenmiller has been forced to throw the ball more the past two games. Look for that trend to continue against LA if Salaam is unable to play and back up Brent Moss starts. Since Salaam has been out, Druckenmiller has had success throwing to WR's Charles Jordan and Darryl Hobbs, who has caught 22 balls while filling in nicely for injured wideout Kevin Prentiss. On defense, the Maniax are anchored by DE Shante Carver and LB Richard Hogans. If DE Shante Carver and the Maniax defense can put pressure on QB Tommy Maddox and force the Xtreme into running the ball, the Maniax have a shot at winning the game, as LA is only averaging 65 yards per game on the ground.
• NEWS AND NOTES: For the sixth time in the last eight weeks, the Maniax face a team that is coming off of a victory... The Maniax are the only team in the league to average more than 300 yards of offense per game (311)....QB Jim Druckenmiller last week returned to San Francisco where he began his pro career as a No. 1 draft choice of the 49ers and completed 14 of 30 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Demons.... Despite playing less than a half vs. Chicago and missing the NY/NJ and San Francisco games, RB Rashaan Salaam remains near the top of the XFL rushing stats ... He is second to Chicago's John Avery in total rushing yards (Avery 733, Salaam 528),.... The Maniax have outscored their opponents, 95-66, in the first half this year but have been outscored, 85-29, in the second half ... In the third quarter of the first eight games, Memphis has been outscored 48-6....
• OFF THE FIELD: Sunday is fan appreciation day at Memorial Stadium. If the Maniax win their game against LA, one lucky season ticket holder will win a players bonus of $2,500.

NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY HITMEN NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: The Hitmen play host to the Enforcers at Giants Stadium after losing to the first-place Orlando Rage, 17-12, last week at the Citrus Bowl. Both teams are tied for second place in the Eastern Division and in the hunt for the final playoff spot. This game marks the second time New York/Jersey and Chicago have met, with the Hitmen winning the first meeting in rain-soaked Chicago, 13-0.
• GAMEPLAN: With QB Wally Richardson questionable with a sprained knee, Coach Tillman has not named his starting QB for this week. He wants QBs Charles Puleri, who was benched in week three, and Corte McGuffey, who has not seen action since week one, to battle it out in practice this week. Depending on Richardson's progress, he may take some snaps in practice later in the week. The Hitmen have been struggling the past few weeks running the ball, but hit a low when QB Wally Richardson led the team in rushing against the Rage with just 15 yards. Look for the Hitmen offense to open up its playbook even more this week with the playoffs on the line. Whoever starts at QB for New York/Jersey may look to go deep down field to wideouts Zola Davis and Kirby Dar-Dar against Chicago's eighth-ranked pass defense. The Hitmen want to halt the Enforcers running game (John Avery is doubtful) and force Chicago into a passing game, against which New York is ranked number one in the XFL.
• NEWS AND NOTES: Wally Richardson has thrown touchdown passes in four of the five games he started and has a streak of four consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass...LB Ron Merkerson's 43-yard fumble recovery TD represented the Hitmen's first-ever defensive points.... The three interceptions against Orlando are a new team record.... The Hitmen have intercepted passes in seven of the eight games they have played..... S Brad Trout was again the leader of a Hitmen defense that held the high-scoring Orlando Rage offense to 17 points. Known as a big hitter, the free safety recorded a game-high eight tackles (all solo).
• OFF THE FIELD: Hitmen DE Dwayne Sabb owns a Subway franchise, which is located in a bus station in Brockton, MA.

ORLANDO RAGE NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: The Eastern Division Champion Orlando Rage (7-1) travel to Legion Field to face the Birmingham Thunderbolts after nipping division rivals New York/Jersey, 17-12, to complete an unblemished home record (5-0) at the Citrus Bowl.
• GAMEPLAN: Going into the final two games of the season, Coach Galen Hall is a bit concerned about the Rage's running attack heading into the playoffs. After playing some of the better defenses in the league the past two weeks, the Rage will attempt to get the running game going on Birmingham's last-ranked rush defense with RBs Brian Shay, Derrick Clark, and Michael Black. Coach Hall is pleased with the performance of QB Brian Kuklick and if necessary, plans for Kuklick to use his arm strength to throw to big targets Kevin Swayne and Dialleo Burks, who attained 133 yards last week in a dual effort. On defense, the goal is to confuse first-time QB Graham Leigh and not allow him to have a good day throwing to star WRs Stepfret Williams and Quincy Jackson. The Rage want to force the Bolts into a ground game.
• NEWS AND NOTES: This week's game marks the second of two regular season games between the Rage and Birmingham Thunderbolts. Orlando thoroughly dominated the first meeting, 30-6, as the Rage jumped out to a 17-0 lead at the half and cruised to the victory. Orlando's defense had a shutout going until the 1:54 mark of the 4th quarter when Quincy Jackson hauled in a 36-yard scoring pass from Casey Weldon to prevent the whitewashing....After struggling in the first three weeks on extra point attempts (2 for 11, 18%, last in XFL), the Orlando Rage has emerged as one of the better team's in the league on extra point efficiency. The Rage have converted eight of their last 14 attempts (57%) and now rank 3rd in the league in extra point efficiency at 40%
• OFF THE FIELD: DL Bill Duff attended a professional wrestling school called the "Monster Factory." Bill appeared on several cards along the East Coast, where he wrestled under the name "The Urban Legend."

SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS TEAM NOTES:

• OUTLOOK: The San Francisco Demons travel to Sam Boyd Stadium with the playoffs on the line after keeping its post-season hopes alive by defeating the Memphis Maniax, 21-12, at Pac Bell.
• GAMEPLAN: The Demons defense, led by DE's Eric England (five sacks), Jermaine Miles (four sacks) and LB James Williams (38 tackles) will look to put the clamps down on Vegas' Rod "He Hate Me" Smart, who rushed for 92 yards the last time the teams met. The Demons are cautious of the fact that Vegas' QB Ryan Clement did not play in the first game and were beaten by QB Mark Grieb, who was later released by the Outlaws. Look for the Demons to put a strong rush on Clement and force him into making mistakes down field against the Demons' third-ranked pass defense. On offense, the Demons are happy with the play of RB Kelvin Anderson, who is averaging 75 yards over the past two games. Look for the Demons to get Anderson going early to try and loosen up the Outlaws number-one rush defense and take chances with QB Mike Pawlawski throwing to targets Jimmy Cunningham (44 receptions), Brian Roberson (356 receiving yards), and Travis Moore.
• NEWS AND NOTES: Travis Moore enjoyed his best game in the XFL last week, hauling down six passes for 56 yards, half of his 2001 total....Four members of San Francisco's offensive line have started all eight games this season. But the veterans of the trenches posted a first for the Demons' 2001 season, as Memphis' outstanding defense was not able to sack quarterback Mike Pawlawski .... S Toby Wright earned a promotion to the starting lineup last week with his hard-hitting play at Chicago the week before. He finished with three tackles against Memphis after a seven-stop performance the week before in his San Francisco debut.....The Demons pushed their season average above the 35,000 mark with an announced crowd of 35,109 for the finale. The raucous crowd for the regular-season finale boosted San Francisco's final total to 35,004 per game for five home games
• OFF THE FIELD: DE Eric England is a poet from Houston, TX with aspirations of one day having his poetry published.

INJURY REPORT

BIRMINGHAM THUNDERBOLTS: OUT: QB Jay Barker (Concussion). QUESTIONABLE: OL Michael Lies (Finger), DE Quinton Reese (Hamstring). PROBABLE: RB James Bostic (Ankle), OL Matt Hogg (Shoulder), WR Quincy Jackson (Knee), QB Graham Leigh (Concussion).

CHICAGO ENFORCERS: DOUBTFUL: RB John Avery (Hamstring), DE Jason Chorak (Ankle). QUESTIONABLE: WR Aaron Bailey (Elbow and Ankle), DE Casey Dailey (Knee), DE Sterling Palmer (Elbow). PROBABLE: CB Ray Austin (Ankle and Shoulder), LB Jamie Baisley (Calf), S Kerry Cooks (Ankle), G Paul Janus (Hand), WR Luke Leverson (Ribs), WR Junior Lord (Finger), G Rob Murphy (Knee), OT Christopher Perez (Knee/Ankle), T Tony Ramirez (Knee), TE Willy Tate (Hamstring).

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS: QUESTIONABLE: C David Diaz-Infante (Knee), TE Keith Jennings (Back), G Mark Nori (Knee).

LOS ANGELES XTREME: QUESTIONABLE: CB Terry Billups (Hamstring). PROBABLE: G Chris Brymer (Knee), T Jerry Crafts (Elbow), LB Rico Mack (Ankle), WR Darnell McDonald (Hamstring), RB Ken Oxendine (Achilles), C Jose Portilla (Knee), LB Shawn Stuckey (Clavicle).

MEMPHIS MANIAX: DOUBTFUL: RB Rashaan Salaam (Shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: RB Brent Moss (Groin), T Mike Sheldon (Neck). PROBABLE: WR Jahine Arnold (Neck), NG D.J. Cooper (Knee), WR Charles Jordan (Knee), DB Jackie Kellogg (Shoulder), LB Cornell Menafee (Shoulder), C Glenn Roundtree (Knees), DB Marcus Wimberly (Neck).

NY/NJ HITMEN: OUT: G David Camacho (Knee). QUESTIONABLE: WR Fred Brock (Ankle), QB Wally Richardson (Knee). PROBABLE: DT Christian Maumalanga (Ankle).

ORLANDO RAGE: DOUBTFUL: LB Jimmy Clements (Ankle), TE Lawrence Hart (Hip), TE Terrance Huston (Cervical), RB Brian Shay (Knee). QUESTIONABLE: S Hassan Shamsid-Deen (Shoulder), OG Jason Gamble (Ankle). PROBABLE: RB Michael Black (Ankle), LB James Burgess (Neck and Shoulder), LB Sedric Clark (Wrist).

SAN FRANCISCO DEMONS: OUT: RB Juan Johnson (Knee). DOUBTFUL: DE Jomo Cousins (Ankle and Knee), LB Dave Thomas (Ankle). QUESTIONABLE: OT Scott Adams (Back), FS Terrance Joseph (Ankle), LB Sam Manuel (Groin), CB Terrell Sutton (Hamstring). PROBABLE: CB Dwayne Harper (Back), DT LB Craig Powell (Ankle).

XFL Stories from March 28, 2001

• XFL playoff races headed down to wire - OSC Original by XFL Press Release

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