1
2
3
Copyright Š 2017 by XRFL: Xtreme Reality Football League. All Rights Reserved. Used under Authorization.
Published via electronic platform Issue. Issue is a Trademark if Issue Publishing. Do not reprint any photos or stories contained within this publication without the express permission of the periodical author. Follow the XRFL on our website: http://xrfl.wordpress.com and on our Facebook group page. 9 8 7 2 7 1 B
4
We are well underway in the 2018 season and things are heating up. Divisional rivalries like the Browns-Steelers and Giants-Eagles are firing on all cylinders. This is going to be a great year! It will be interesting to see how the rookie class of 2017 fares in the awards process in their inaugural year. Please take a moment to review the new 2018 rules they will be enforced rather strictly. Let’s get down to business!
6 Week 3 Roundup 12 Vikings: Defensively Superior 16 The Jets Youth Movement 18 Power Rankings
20 Team of the Week 22 Raiders Nation Roars to Life 25 Meet Your Opponent 26 Top 5 27 Fantasy Player of the Week
XRFL Commissioner
28 Where you at Bro?
5
6
Written by: Dagan Lightner
XRFL Week 3 Edition Wizards @ Cowboys The week started Thursday night with a shootout in Dallas. Looking at the Orlando Wizards stats you would think they won the game, QB Sam Darnold tossed 318 yards and 3 touch-
7
downs. The defense also sacked Dak Prescott 4 times. But Dak had other plans for the night, lighting it up through the air for 447 yards and 4 touchdowns on his way to NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Cowboys win a thriller 45-42.
Colts @ Dolphins In yet another high scoring affair this week, Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi ran dow the throats of the Colts amassing 249 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 totes. That is 10 yards per carry, INSANE!! Meanwhile TY Hilton grabbed 7 balls for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns, but it was not enough as the Dolphins drop 49 Colts 35.
Jets @ Vikings Harrison Smith and The Vikings defense come up in this one picking off Jets QB Joe Kane 3 times, holding the Jets to just 202 offensive yards. The Jets defense was able to put QB Teddy Bridgewater on his back 4 times, and Marcus Maye took grabbed an interception off him, but it was not enough to make up for a poor offensive showing. Jets fall to 0-3 losing 35-10.
Lions @ Patriots This game was a nail biter until end, neck and neck all the way through. It was sloppy with turnovers, Golden Boy Tom Brady threw 3 interceptions while rookie Mason Rudolph threw 2. They did however both pass for over 300 yards. There wasn’t much room to be found on the ground by either team although 3tds did come on the ground. Lions RB Keith Marshall had 2 and Pats Rb Mike Gillislee had 1 as well. Not every game will be pretty but what matters is the Lions win the close one 34-27.
8
Giants @ Titans Giants Qb Mitch Trubisky's name is all over this game. He only threw for 203 yards but he tossed 4 touchdowns and more importantly had no turnovers. He was also the second leading rusher in the game with 70 yards on the ground. Tight ends made a big impact in the game Giants Evan Engram found the endzone twice as did Titans Delanie Walker. Titans Qb Marcus Mariota was able to find the endzone 3 times through the air but had 2 costly turnovers. Giants win 36-24.
Nighthawks @ Eagles Aaron Rodgers found more receivers in this game they we knew you could actually throw to, So Did Carson Wentz finding 4 players on the Nighthawks to throw 5 interceptions to, OUCH. Earl Thomas took 2 of those interceptions off Wentz, one for a house call. He won AFC defensive player of the week for his efforts. The Eagles get blown out 40-14.
Huskies @ Monarchs Outside the borders in London it was not pretty for the home Monarchs only gaining 188 total yards on offense. People are still wondering how Jared Goff was selected 1st Overall last year and he is now on his 3rd team since. He only managed 142 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions against a strong Huskies defense. His counterpart Kirk Cosuins threw for 308 yards, 2 touchdowns and no turnovers. Huskies win 20-13.
Falcons @ Beats Wild one here, a lot of offense and a lot of turnovers. Falcons Qb Matt Ryan chucked 237 yards 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, one in which was a house call by Olb Kamu
9
Grugier-Hill. Beats Qb Tyrod Taylor had 264 yards 2 td and 1 int. Both teams running backs put up big numbers on the ground. Devonte Freeman rushed for 144 and a td while Joe Mixon ran for 127 and a td. Both put the ball on the ground though Freeman with a fumble and Mixon with 2. They need to clean up the sloppy play as we dig later into the season. Falcons Win 34-27.
Diablos @ Bears Not much to show on offense from either team. The only things that really pop out are Bears tight end Dion Sims grabbing 7 for 117 and 2 touchdowns, but behind him is running back Ameer Abdullah with just 30 yards. Diablos Qb Deshaun Watson on had 4 incompletions but on racked 184 yards. Now lets introduce our NFC Defensive Player of the Week: Tyrone Holmes (who??) put Jimmy G on his back 5 times this week. He is now tied for 3rd most sacks in a game. (who??) Diablos win a close one 17-14.
Oilers @ Desperados Oilers Qb Lamar Jackson had an almost perfect qbr 157.9, his counterpart Cam Newton, not so much at 60.4. Neither running back could get anything going Oilers Rb Doug Martin had 38 yards and Desperados back Jonathan Stewart had 24, though both crossed the goaline once. The Oilers defense was a nightmare for Cam picking him off twice and sacking him 4 times and holding them to a measly 179 offensive yards. Oilers win 24-9.
Chiefs @ Seahawks Plenty of yards to go around plenty of touchdowns to be found. Chifes Qb Patrick Mahomes threw for 4 tds with 299 yards. DangeRUSS threw for 301 but only 1 td. Seahawks rookie running back Nick Chubb had his first 100 yard game finishing with 102 yards on 16 carries and 2 touchdowns. The big story was the scoring on the defensive side. Deshawn Shead
10
picked off Mahomes and returned it 53 yards for a TD. Chiefs DJ White picked Wlison and returned it 94 yards for a td and Justin Houston scooped up a fumble and returned it 39 yards for a td. Chiefs win 42-35.
Jaguars @ Bills In a year where a quarter of nfl teams relocated 2 teams most thought would, stayed put. They played one another this week. Bills rookie Qb (I'm) Tyronne Colombo on passed the ball 10 times completing 5 for 67 yards, ugly. The bills running game more then made up for the lack of passing though Orleans Darkwa had 173 yards and a touchdown and rookie Reggie McmIllon had 97 and a touchdown. Sammy "Sleeves" Bradford had an alright game throwing 273 yards and 2 tds but thre 2 ints to rookie SS Doran McKenzie. Definitely a rookie of the week candidate. In the end Jags prevail 26-20.
Ravens @ Black Knights Back across the pond (Can u believe London now has 2 XRFL teams) the Black Knights defense was swarming Joe Flacco all day long. Joey Bosa sacked him 3 times and Malik Jackson twice. Mlb Perry Riley Jr also picked him off for a td. Otherwise Flacco did alright completing 68% of his passes for 250 yards and 3 tds. Jeremy Maclin caught a 62 yard bomb from him for a TD so it was not all bad. Black Knights running back Melvin Gordon was at his norm today rushing for 108 and a td. Black Knights protect their home winning 31-21.
Broncos @ Raiders Do you like passing? If you do this was the game to watch. Raiders Qb threw 355 yards and 3 tds while Broncos Qb Matt Stafford launched 446 yards 5 touchdows but 2 interceptions. Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas snagged 3 of those touchdowns while rookie tight end Chris Herndon IV gobbled up 112 yards. Oaklands leading receiver was John Brown who brought in 5 for 156 yards and a td. All Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack racked up 3.5 sacks for the raiders while multiple pro bowler Clay Matthews got 2.5 for Denver. Broncos win it 38-31.
11
Rams @ Saints PIMETIME Sunday night. This game was all about defense sack for you sack for you sack for everyone. And then the 4th quarter Rams we just done with that putting up 21 points in the final 7 minutes of the game. Both quarterbacks had decent games, Saints Drew Brees threw for 292 and a touchdown while Bortles threw for 253 and 2. Lance Dunbar did a fantastic job filling in for the injured Todd Gurley, rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown. Rams come out on top 31-16.
Steelers @ Browns Last but clearly not the least seeing as the teams combined for 1,052 yards of offense. Who needs defense. Just one turnover and one sack between these two. Reigning MVP was at it again picking up his first AFC Offensive Player of the week award this year. Prefect 158.3 qbr 377 yards on 14 of 15 passes for 5 tds. Big Ben Roethlisberger also threw for a ton of yards 439 and 5 tds. Seriously though guys who needs defense? Browns Jordan Howard rushed for 106 and a td and Steelers David Johnson went for 102 and a td. The week ends the exact same way it begins with the final score being 45-42 with the Browns squeaking by.
Week 4 Trades •
Black Knights send WR Mike Williams, TE Hunter Henry, DE Melvin Ingram and OLB Jatavis Brown to the Diablos for CB Cordrea Tankersley, OLB Shane Ray, WR DeVante Parker and a 2019 1st rounder
•
Dolphins send a 2019 1st to Steelers in exchange for OLB TJ Watt
•
Diablos trade DT Kenny Clark to Broncos for OLB Shane Ray
•
Cowboys trade 2019 1st rounder to Jets for DT Muhammad Wilkerson and a 2019 4th
•
Falcons trade a 2019 3rd to Steelers for WR Anthony Roach
•
Monarchs trade 2019 3rd to Oilers for Oilers OB Jared Goff
•
Diablos trade 2019 2nd and 4th to Jets for DT Sheldon Richardson Wow what a week of football in the XRFL, Can week 4 be more exciting? Stay Tuned
12
Written by: Mark Sickle
There is an age-old adage in professional football that defense wins championships. One must only look at the Baltimore Ravens from a few seasons ago to see that ringing true. In the Madden, this is especially true. Playing lockdown defense is a must to limit your opponents to as little scoring as possible. This season in the XRFL, playing aggressive defense doesn’t get any better than it does in Minnesota. The Vikings are deadly at defense in 2018. Through the first 4 weeks of the regular season, they have held their opponents to 690 total yards – combined! Teams that have gone up against the marauding defense have only been able to score 37 points – that
13
Rank
Category
Stat
1st
Yards Allowed
690
2nd
Pass Yds Allowed 593
1st
Rush Yds Allowed
67
1st
Points allowed
37
averages out to 12.3 points per game for Minnesota’s adversaries. That’s a HUGE statistic, and one that is very telling for Arnell Ord’s playstyle. By contrast, the Vikings, who currently remain undefeated, have scored an average of 43.5 points per outing. With those kinds of numbers, the Vikings may well be a shoe-in for Super Bowl contention. So, let’s take a brief look at the Vikings defense and their statistical lockdown.
Arnell’s defensive scheme relies heavily on creating pressure and a bend-don’t-break mentality. 2nd Interceptions 11 That pressure begins right up front on the defensive line. The Vikings roster boasts several heavy-hitters along the defensive trench: LE Danielle Hunter, DT Linval Joseph, DT Sharif Floyd, and RE Everson Griffen. Although this band of rock stars is a little on the aging side (apart from Hunter), they pack a massive punch. Hunter is a pure monster, with a block shed of 85. He is topped only by the stalwart Joseph who is strong as an ox (STR 95) and has a block shed of 88! These two guys tear through the line with a fierce attitude. Griffen has recorded 2 sacks, while Joseph and Sharif Floyd each have one. While this group isn’t leading the league in sacks, ranking 24th with 8, they are certainly establishing a no-run zone against opponents. Their potency lies in blowing up the offensive line to allow the linebackers to come in for the tackles in the backfield. 24th
Sacks
8
Probably the single most impressive statistic of the Vikings defense is the sheer
14
lack of opponents’ ability to run on them. To this point in the season, the Vikings have held all their rivals to a grand total of 37 yards rushing! That firmly puts them in the #1 spot in the category of run stop, and it’s not even close – the next ranked team has allowed 104 more yards through 5 weeks! Arnell says his philosophy to locking down the run game of his opponents is exercising a strict gap discipline. Making sure that each player is in the right spot at the right time has worked out well for him, as the Vikings are dominant in this area. Not to mention that the Vikings faced off against at least one good rushing team in the Huskies (HB Carlos Hyde is no slouch). The linebacker corps in the 3-4 scheme takes on a lot of added responsibility. They take on some of those gaps as well. Also, a part of that scheme, linebackers also must cover flats and middle zones in the passing game. It’s a good thing for Arnell that he has a wellrounded roster of linebackers. Holding down the outside linebacker spots are hot topic Anthony Barr and Chad Thomas, a stud rookie out of Miami. On the interior, he has Eric Kendrick and Ben Gedeon (who alternates snaps with Fischer Ghent, another rookie). Barr won NFC Player of the Week in week 2 for his 3 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT performance. Barr, Kendricks and Ghent have the speed (88, 85, 88, respectively) to plug up run gaps but also to make it out into coverage quickly. Ghent has logged a sack
15
and one interception in his first few weeks of XRFL action. Chad Thomas also has a sack and a pick for his young career. The Vikings secondary is a killer one. They are the 2nd ranked team in total interceptions for the league, leading off with FS Harrison Smith (5). Smith’s 5 interceptions lead the league in that category. Pro Bowl corner Xavier Rhodes is also tied in the league for the most pass deflections while in coverage. This secondary plays blanket coverage – so much so that they currently rank second in overall pass yards allowed (with 593). The key to the Viking’s coverage scheme is to allow underneath routes while cracking down on deeper throws. This limits their opponents to shorter yards gained. In fact, the Vikings have limited their rivals to 690 total yards because of this philosophy. Arnell feels that his true strength lies in pass coverage, and he will literally lure the opposing receivers in and then pounce. If the Vikings can maintain this level of defensive superiority, they are likely to have more than a few Pro Bowl appearances in 2018. One thing is certain – while the Vikings defense is literally burning and pillaging opposing offenses, the team continues pulling out wins in the most devastating fashion.
16
Throughout the years the New York Jets have been a moribund franchise without hope, building mostly on free agent acquisitions and draft day blunders. This of course all under Woody Johnson's regime. Well now there is a new era in Jets football and it's members of their past that will usher them into the future. Keyshawn Johnson, the former N.Y. receiver recently joined the teams front office along with former teammates Vinny Testaverde and Curtis Martin who have been given split duty. Woody Johnson was chosen as the outspoken great to be the mouthpiece of the organization in media relations, all while Testaverde and Martin share general manage-
Former Jets great RB Curtis Martin joins the front office along with former QB Vinny Testaverde and WR Keyshawn Johnson.
17
ment duties. This was explained by Johnson in the debut press conference for the trio. " I'm just here to make sure everything goes smoothly and to deal with you media types. Woody has entrusted my boys Vinny and Curtis with the day to day running of the team and I know they're the best men for the job." When asked about the current state of the team Johnson had but one word to describe them,"Explosive." He believes the emphasis on getting the young players reps will ultimately help the team achieve a great deal of growth this season. "From QB Joe Kane to players such as the dual backfield threats King Collins and Fernando Gonzalez everyone will have to play through the growing pains and show improvement." Among these rookies are a promising group of wideouts headed by undrafted Kris Reeves. The 6'1 wide receiver enjoyed an excellent career at small school Florida Atlantic University and looks to continue his development now that the Jets decided to take a gamble on him as being their number one guy this season. While at FAU the receiver racked up over 10,000 yards and 40 tds in his four years at the university. He went undrafted due to an affinity for trouble and the chaos he brings with his unstable attitude. Reeves was arrested his junior year for an altercation on campus with a player from rival Florida International University. Johnson by taking this gamble on Reeves has either propelled the jets into the forefront with such a talented player , or cursed them with his presence. Along with Reeves another undrafted WR is making waves in the jets camp as Christian Green, out of Vanderbilt, has come out strong since the new ownership has come aboard. And will look to carve his name into the teams infrastructure for years to come. Head of media relations Keyshawn Johnson had this to say on draft picks, 2nd rounder Carroll Cheek , 6th rounder Joseph Rayford, and 7th rounder Cameron Munnerlyn. "Talented group of gentlemen and all will be starting immediately in some capacity." Defensively they will be led by their newest stalwart and anchor Dareon Amey. The defensive tackle from Texas A&M was the number 6 pick in last year's draft and will be looked to for leadership on this young and tenacious defense. He will be backed by fellow Continued on Page 15...
18
19
lineman Leonard Williams and now Corner Jamal Adams as the heart and voices of this defensive unit. When asked about his new role Amey was humble. " these guys are great and we will show everyone we aren't the underdog they think we are. We have to go out there every week practice hard, play harder, and execute." Another storyline is the emergence of Rookie SS Sherard Bishop. Bishop was recently thrust into the starting lineup after Jamal Adams moved to corner. This hard hitting safety out of West Virginia has been responsible for over 45 fumbles in his college career reminding us of hard hitters such as Kam Chancellor, Ronnie Lott, and Troy Polamalu. While he has the talent and hit power to flatten rival players can he keep up with the speed and intelligence of the NFL? Only time will tell how this season will go for this extremely youthful squad but as the new owners exclaim at the end of the inaugural presser, "for these Jets the sky is the limit."
20
21
After a less than stellar 2017 season, the New York football Giants are roaring back in 2018 with a passion not seen since their last Super Bowl year. So far this year they have faced off against two hard-to-beat teams in the Oilers and Titans. The Giants lost a grudge match against the Oilers by 10 points, but defeated the Titans by 12. They also faced off in a big-time divisional match against the Wizards and pulled out the win. Though their offense is middle of the road, they currently rank 6th in rushing yards (448) behind HB Duke Johnson and a very fleet-footed QB Mitch Trubiskey. Their defense is also mid-rate, but they have been able to log 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 8 interceptions . The Giants rank 4th in Turnover Differential (+7). Their real test will come in their next 5 games, as they face the Eagles once and the Cowboys twice, as well as two top-tier teams in the Vikings and Desperados.
22
Raiders saw their first home game against the Browns in Oakland. As we all hoped, and now know down here in the bay, the Raiders decided to stay in Oakland and grit it out with their fan base that they have built up over the years. Besides, with great food and weather, the bay is where it's at! The season opener saw the Raiders fall to the Rams. Though the Raiders played well enough to win, they could not keep pace on the scoreboard. Week 1 ended with a loss and question marks Oakland Raiders everywhere. There was no question that @Raiders Week 2 had to be different. The new Raiders owner tweeted a short message at the beginning of the second week @RaiderNation We all we got!. This led to a "great practice for the defense" as told by the head coach Jack
@RaiderNation — We all we got!. #BlackHole
23
Del Rio, but he said his offense was still trying to work John Brown into the system. John 'Smokey' Brown, a promising speed reciver, did not have a single catch in the opener. With Khalil Mack leading a sack-first, ask questions later defense, the Raiders were setup to rush the young Browns QB Kizer as much as possible. We expected BeastMode to carry the weight for the offense. It looked tough, but good on paper. Okay, Sunday football in the bay. You are up at 8am on a Sunday because football starts at ten. You cook breakfast, as the morning fog burns off another cool chilly night. Many tail gate while others catch the first set of games. I know a squad that does both! It was another sunny day in bay at 1:15pm. The nation piles into the stadium. The silver and black jersey comes onto the field and you know, it's on! Raiders get the ball first quater. As we suspected, Lynch gets the ball. Three rushes in, BeastMode goes down with an apparent injury and stays down. The entire stadium went silent. He has to be taken off the field. Lynch is out for five to seven weeks per Raiders sources. On comes the backup Jalen Richard, an undreated free agent in his second year. We thought the coach was going to switch up the game plan but that was not so. The Raiders looked like they were executing their scheme very well againgst the Browns. Richard ran the ball twenty times for a buck seventy-six and one td. Cooper had four receptions for 91 yds and td. John Brown caught just three passes for an impressive 142yds and a td. Patterson also had a td. The offense preformed extremly well againgst a talented Browns D. The man of the hour, Derek Carr, was sacked 5 times and threw the ball 14 times. He did not rush for any yards. Carr passed for 296yds for 3 TD's and completed 12 out of his 14 attempts. Consequently he had a passer rating of 158.3 from that game. I do not know what to make of this. Sure his passer rating is damn near great but he only threw it 14 times. Though numbers do not lie. He was, however, a sitting duck in the pocket all day. Browns DE Myles Garret tore through the line all day and sacked Carr
24
twice. With no turnovers and high time mangement though, Carr and company managed the game well and weathered the storm without Lynch in the line-up..
Now for this Raider D. Someone let the air out the bag for the Raiders. Their defense was just plain flat out there. The Raiders had no tackles for a loss. Kizer had all day to throw. Jack Del Rio was not happy the way the defense played. The Raiders coach said "We were too relaxed, and did not play with enough intensity or aggressiveness. We did play as a whole". Mack and newly acquired Jason Pierre-Paul had just two tackles respectively. Randall and Peppers each had an int. The Raiders did not get a single sack against the Browns. The Raiders Coach said we have the talent, we just need to get it in the right spots. Sounds like the Raiders are making adjustments. Final Score, 27-35 Raiders. We are 1-1. With "Smokey" shaping up to be a promising number two option for Carr, and Richard to be a solid guy in the back. The Raiders are shaping up nice. The D has to keep that fire going though. Broncos come to town next week. They are riding on a 2 win streak and will be a hand full for the silver and black. We here at RaiderNation would not want it any other way! Go Raiders!
25
Kyle Ousley Lives in: Glendale, Arizona Age: 23 Occupation: Student Pastor / Coffee Shop Repairman Been Playing Madden: 19 years
Favorite Team: Bears Favorite NFL memory: I remember watching the super bowl where Devin Hester returned the very first kickoff for a td. I was so hyped cause I knew Rex wasn’t winning that game for us. Haha. My grandpa was the biggest packers fan and every time we talked on the phone he’d try to convert me to the dark side. Hahahaha! Good times man.
Random Thing About Kyle: My uncle used to whoop me (at Madden). He would teach me defensive schemes and how to play. He would always send me home and tell me to practice so we could play each other. I loved madden 25. Just like everybody else. Haha. I thought It was a big upgrade from the previous year and was really excited about that one
26
Steelers Dolphins Browns Giants Nighthawks
Vikings Huskies Oilers Beats Jaguars
27
WEEK
28
The above map shows approximate locations for each team user. This map can be used to help schedule your games against a certain opponent by understanding what time zone they are in.
29
Oshawa, Ontario
30