HOUSTON — Football after the Super Bowl? Who knew it could exist? WWE owner Vince McMahon did. With his 2020 reboot of XFL, fans can now get their football fix after the first week of February!
On Saturday, two of the eight newly-formed teams of the XFL, The LA Wildcats and the Houston Defenders, took the football field to battle it out. Each team gave it their all, which led to an action-packed, exciting, and fun-filled season opener.
PJ Walker, former star quarterback from Temple University, had the most impressive game of any player. After winning the starting quarterback position over former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Connor Cook, Walker dominated the field throwing 272 passing yards for four touchdowns and one two-point conversion.
LA Wildcats quarterback Charles Kanoff started the game solid completing four of seven passing attempts for 47 yards and scoring on a five-yard run to put his team up 8-6 before the 2nd quarter.
That lead didn’t last though, as the Wildcats went downhill after the half, eventually losing to the Roughnecks 17-37. Some blame the loss on the absence of Wildcats starting quarterback Josh Johnson who was sidelined due to a thigh injury.
With all of the recent hoopla surrounding the XFL reboot, fans weren’t quite sure what to expect when tuning in for the first time. Would it be the “flashy” and “trashy” XFL of the early 2000s that was more “sports entertainment” than “football” or would it be professional NFL style play?
Those questions were answered quickly and expectations were exceeded. The game consisted of familiar NFL style football with a few twists, that made the game faster and more exciting to watch.
Instead of the extra point field goal kick, players had the opportunity to run the ball for one, two, or three extra points. This allowed more of a chance for either team to come from behind faster and the Roughnecks lead never felt safe until the clock ran out.
Another popular change, the double forward pass allowed players to throw the ball twice, producing more action on the field.
There were also more modern changes in the actual production of the game. Team uniforms were brighter and more colorful than NFL and the football itself had two large stars on it. Field graphics explained plays better, so fans new to football could tune in and understand the game faster. New production elements brought fans closer to the game than they have ever been before with the NFL. LA Wildcats quarterback Kanoff wore a microphone on the field the entire game and you could hear every decision he made. Coaches were showcased calling plays like “880 prop divide special” to the players from the playbook.
The review booth was also featured and fans could see as well as hear the play reviews happening in real-time. These small differences made the game more fun to watch and gave the fans the feeling of being on the sidelines with their team.
All in all, the season opener between the LA Wildcats and the Houston Roughnecks should be considered a success. The players played at a high level and showed passion for the game they love, the fans’ energy was hyped, and a fresher, brighter and faster game was played – and it was all done “For the Love of Football.”
Written by Deborah Whitcas
