COLUMN: So many points, yet no playoffs for Battlehawks

St. Louis Battlehawks coach Anthony Becht stood on the podium during his final postgame press conference and fought back tears while trying to deliver his opening statement to the media.

“First off, I want to thank the players," Becht said. "It’s tough to ask your guys to try and keep scoring like that when they’re banged up the way they are. To score 50 or whatever points — that’s a lot. I know it’s great for the fans, it’s great to watch (and) it’s exciting TV. But that’s a lot to ask of your team.”

It goes to show that a lot goes into breaking the single-game XFL scoring record during the Battlehawks' 53-26 regular season concluding win over the last place Orlando Guardians on Saturday, April 22, in St. Louis.

It’s been the theme all season long. As the XFL introduced itself (for the third time) to football fans this spring, the Battlehawks demonstrated all the possibilities. They started the season winning through fourth quarter comebacks. They won a game with their backup quarterback by forcing the first-ever overtime in league history. And in the final game of the season, coming off close win after close win, they were able to score more points than any other team in a given game because it was absolutely necessary.

Winning wasn’t enough to make the playoffs. They had to beat Orlando by a massive margin. Quarterback A.J. McCarron finished the regular season by setting a league record with six touchdown passes while throwing for 420 yards. It got to a point where the fans chanted, "We want 60!" during St. Louis' final offensive drive of the game.

“Hell of show by the guys on offense, really all the way around,” McCarron said. “I’m so proud of the big guys up front for opening holes and giving me time."

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for St. Louis to make the playoffs over the Seattle Sea Dragons, who had the edge in tiebreaker five — best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games. The Battlehawks scored 249 points and allowed 202, ranking second and fourth, respectively, in those races for four total tiebreaker points. After defeating the Vegas Vipers 28-9 on Sunday, the Sea Dragons finished the season with 243 points scored and 177 allowed, ranking fourth and first, respectively, for five total tiebreaker points.

To lose only three games and be the only winning team out of the playoffs is a tough toasted ravioli to swallow but the first full season was still a complete success for the Battlehawks, XFL, and the reputation of St. Louis as a football-supporting city.

“To finish 7-3, we had a great year, and we have a really good team," Becht said. "I want to thank the fans for coming out and supporting them. I know the players really appreciate it, and I’m appreciative, too."

33,034 fans came to pack the Dome for the final game of the season. In each of the five home games for the Battlehawks, the attendance numbers never dropped below 33,000. The only other time an XFL game saw over 20,000 fans in attendance was St. Louis' road game at San Antonio in the first week of the season.

“Nowhere else even came close to what St Louis was able to give us,” Battlehawks linebacker Carson Wells said. “It is a crazy environment. I love playing here.”

The XFL is comprised of players who joined the league looking for an opportunity to play football and came out deserving of a chance to make it in the NFL. One of whom is McCarron, a guy who won three national championships with Alabama, started in a playoff game with the Cincinnati Bengals, and went from missing two NFL seasons due to an ACL injury to finishing the XFL season as the single-season touchdown record holder. He said after Week 2 that he joined the XFL because he wanted to play and have his kids see him on TV, rather than taking another backup QB job in the NFL.

“St. Louis will always be a special place for me," McCarron said. "Coming back from injury, the way they accepted me, it’s been fantastic. I can’t thank these fans enough."

Hakeem Butler was drafted in the fourth round by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 but never got to play due to injury. He emerged as McCarron's top target, catching nine passes for 164 yards with two touchdowns and even two two-point conversion catches against the Guardians. He finished the season leading the league with eight receiving touchdowns and second in receptions (51) and yards (599).

“Since becoming a professional, I have not really had an opportunity to be myself,” Butler said. “This team, these guys they gave me a chance to do that. They put me in a position to win. I’ve had a ton of fun on and off the field.”

Much of the Battlehawks' defense was comprised of players who came from major colleges, but there were a few members of the defensive line who came from small colleges and stood out in front of the largest crowds of their lives. Battlehawks defensive end Erik Hansen, from Upper Iowa, is one of two Battlehawks players coming from Division II programs. He was drafted by the Sea Dragons but later signed with the Battlehawks last month and while the statistics don't show it, he was heavily involved in the pass rush.

"I'm not used to huge crowds," Hansen said. "We had a good fan base at Upper Iowa, but the amount of fans at this stadium is just ridiculous. The noise, all of it, like these fans, is the best I've ever experienced, and it's a blessing to play in this dome. I was with Seattle before this and I'm just so happy that I ended up where I ended up. It's definitely happened for the best for me, and I'm happy here, and this is a great team.”

There will be another XFL season. The Battlehawks will be back. The fans in St. Louis proved that spring football can be viable in the right market.