XFL 2023 Results: Week 9 Scores and Best Twitter Reaction from Sunday

The XFL regular season is nearly at its end. and the postseason picture is shaping up. Week 9 got underway on Saturday, with the Houston Roughnecks and San Antonio Brahmas picking up wins over the Vegas Vipers and Orlando Guardians, respectively.

Houston won 28-21, while San Antonio claimed a 25-23 victory.

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Defenders 28, Renegades 26

The action continued on Sunday afternoon, and plenty of playoff implications were involved. First up was a contest between the D.C. Defenders—who have already locked up a playoff spot—and the Arlington Renegades. At 4-4, Arlington was looking to punch its ticket t the postseason.

With a win, D.C. could clinch home-field advantage in the XFL North.

Arlington got on the board first but was forced to settle for a field goal after being stopped at the goal line twice. D.C. responded with a quick touchdown drive capped by Jordan Ta'amu's nine-yard strike to Jordan Hammond.

The Defenders' two-point try was no good, but D.C. still opened up a three-point lead and showed that its offense was firmly in playoff form.

The Renegades mounted a promising drive after the touchdown, alternating quarterbacks Luis Perez and Kelly Bryant to great effect. However, Taylor Russolino missed on his second field-goal attempt of the afternoon, a 44-yard try.

Arlington called on Bryant as a runner during the drive because standout running back De'Veon Smith was on the sideline with an ankle injury.

Smith did eventually return to the game.

D.C.'s three-point lead held into the second quarter. The Defenders added to it on their next drive.

The series was highlighted by a fantastic over-the-shoulder sideline catch by Brandon Smith and a 14-yard touchdown strike from Ta'amu to Lucky Jackson.

For the second time, D.C.'s two-point try was unsuccessful.

Arlington answered right back with a touchdown drive that featured plenty of receiver Caleb Vander Esch. The South Dakota product had a nine-yard run and a five-yard reception on the drive before catching a 25-yard touchdown pass from Perez.

Like D.C., the Renegades failed to add extra points after the score.

While Arlington seemed to grab a little momentum on its touchdown drive, the Defenders wasted little time in taking it back. D.C. went 77 yards with D'Eriq King at quarterback, finishing the series with another touchdown and giving the ball back to Arlington with less than a minute remaining in the half.

Jackson caught his second touchdown pass of the afternoon, this one from King, and D.C.'s third two-point was successful.

D.C. carried a commanding 20-9 lead into the intermission.

The Defenders got the ball to open the third quarter but went three-and-out. However, they got into the end zone once again on the ensuing series.

Arlington moved into D.C. territory, but Perez was picked off by defensive back D.J. Swearinger. The former NFL standout—who last played for the New Orleans Saints in 2020—was a new addition for the Defenders, having signed a contract on April 5.

On his first big XFL play, Swearinger returned the interception 62 yards for the touchdown.

Arlington appeared to have its own pick-six on D.C.'s next drive, but the return was negated by a low-blocking penalty. Safety Joe Powell didn't get credit for the touchdown, but the Renegades did get the ball at the D.C. 31-yard line just before the end of the third quarter.

The Defenders held a 17-point lead at the start of the final quarter, but Powell's play gave Arlington a scoring opportunity and some life.

Arlington cashed in with a one-yard touchdown run from Smith, but with an unsuccessful two-point play, D.C. still held an 11-point advantage. The Defenders did a nice job of chewing up some clock on their ensuing drive, but King was picked off on Arlington's side of the field, giving the Renegades a chance to trim their deficit.

The Renegades did just that inside the two-minute warning. A defensive penalty gave Arlington another opportunity after a failed 4th-and-goal attempt, and the Renegades got both the touchdown and the two-point conversion.

This set up a 4th-and-15 opportunity—which is the XFL's alternative to an onside kick.
Perez found tight end Sal Cannella at the last second to convert the 4th-and-15, setting up a potentially thrilling finish.

Arlington couldn't convert a first down but used its challenge-anything opportunity on 4th down to argue that there was defensive holding on the play. The challenge was successful, giving Arlington a fresh set of downs and one final opportunity.

The Renegades moved into field-goal range and tied it up with just five seconds remaining. The game then went into overtime, which in the XFL, is a series of alternating two-point attempts in a best-of-three shootout series.

Despite putting together an epic comeback attempt, Arlington fell short. D.C. was the only team to find the end zone during the shootout and managed to escape with the victory and the top seed in the XFL North.

Fans on social media seemed to really enjoy both the action on the field and the lively D.C. home crowd.

D.C. will wrap its season against the Brahmas in a game that means nothing for D.C. The Renegades will be at home against the Roughnecks.

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Sea Dragons 30, Battlehawks 12

Sunday's finale between the St. Louis Battlehawks and Seattle Sea Dragons was just as important to the playoff race as the first. The 6-2 Battlehawks held a one-game lead for the XFL North's second playoff spot and the first head-to-head tiebreaker.

Seattle desperately needed a win to keep its playoff hopes alive. The Sea Dragons got off to a tremendous start, mounting a 74-yard drive that was capped by a T.J. Hammonds touchdown run and a Phillip Lindsay two-point conversion carry

St. Louis responded with a 45-yard field goal from Donald Hageman.

The Sea Dragons appeared to have a second touchdown on their next drive, but a scoring strike from Ben DiNucci was erased by a personal foul penalty. Instead of a score and at least an 11-point lead, Seattle was forced to punt.

Seattle's struggles continued on St. Louis' next drive, as the Sea Dragons' defense was repeatedly gashed by big plays. The Battlehawks finished their drive with a 42-yard touchdown pass from AJ McCarron to Darrius Shepherd.

St. Louis' two-point try was unsuccessful, leaving the Battlehawks with a mere one-point lead.

Seattle found the end zone for the second time with just over three minutes remaining following a gutsy 4th-down call. The Sea Dragons went for it on 4th-and-1, and DiNucci found former NFL star Josh Gordon for a 42-yard completion. DiNucci then found Jordan Veasy for a two-yard touchdown pass on the following play.

Seattle failed to convert the two-point attempt, but the score put the Sea Dragons back on top.

The Sea Dragons got another big play before the intermission, picking off McCarron and returning it near midfield. Seattle couldn't put points on the board before halftime, but it did carry its 14-9 lead into the break.

St. Louis got the ball first after halftime, but it went three-and-out. Seattle was much more successful on its first drive of the second half.

On 3rd-and-15, DiNucci found Jahcour Pearson for a stunning 68-yard touchdown strike. The two-point try was no good, but the Sea Dragons opened up a two-score lead.

The teams traded punts after Seattle's third-quarter score before St. Louis managed to get back on the board. The Battlehawks managed to cut the deficit to eight points after a 54-yard field goal by Hageman.

However, Seattle had the ball and was driving to open the final period. The Sea Dragons appeared to have a field goal, but a false-start penalty forced Dominik Eberle to attempt a second kick, and he was unsuccessful from 52 yards.

St. Louis moved past the 50 on its ensuing drive, but Marcell Ateman was tackled just a bit short on a 4th-and-5 attempt, which gave the ball back to Seattle. Incredibly, the Sea Dragons and Battlehawks then exchanged interceptions on back-to-back plays.

DiNucci was picked off by Lukas Denis, who returned it to the St. Louis 10-yard line. McCarron was picked by Bryce Thompson at the Battlehawks' 17-yard line.

Three plays later, DiNucci scrambled eight yards for what proved to be a game-sealing score.

Lindsay tacked on a one-point run, giving Seattle a 27-12 lead with only four minutes remaining. That proved to be too much for the Battlehawks to overcome. Seattle got the ball back and did enough to run out the clock.

While Sunday's second game didn't feature a finish quite as exciting as the first, fans enjoyed both the game and the Sea Dragons' victory.

St. Louis will finish the regular season at home against the lowly Guardians, while the Sea Dragons will host the Vipers.

Week 10 is slated to begin on Saturday afternoon with the Guardians-Battlehawks matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.