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Monarchs management has escaped the rainly London climate for warmer weather and will post a full, if abbreviated, offseason report in the near future.

London looks to strengthen the team, after a brief two year playoff run came to an end in 2034.

Retirements:
WR Seth Rollins - Rollins calls it a career after spending the last four seasons with London. A highly sought after waiver wire claim in 2031, Rollins never fully flourished in his time with the Monarchs. Rollins finishes his London career with 141 catches for 1161 yards and 9 TDs.

WLB Ric Flair - Another Kayfabe draftee who finishes his Moguls career in the Royal Blue and Gold. Flair was signed as a backup LB prior to the 2034 season, and had a decent final campaign, tallying 38 tackles and an INT in 10 starts for London.

Coaching changes:
Monarchs management had not planned on making any coaching changes this offseason, but real life forced their hand. Former backfield coach Michael Sweeney was offered a promotion to defensive coordinator by the Kayfabe, leading London to look for a new running backs coach for the first time since 2032. They seem to have found a prime replacement in former Arizona secondary coach William Berg. Emphasizing pass catching, breaking tackles and open field running, Berg should continue to strengthen RB Archie Daniels, the main cog of the Monarchs offense, who is looking to bounce back from an injury plagued 2034 season.

Free agents:
The Monarchs throw around some big contracts to fill holes on the roster.

LT James Murrill - The top priority this offseason was to get an elite pass blocker to protect QB Matthew Avila, and hopefully the former Terror lineman fits the bill. While extremely slow, he has excellent burst off the line and supreme strength, along with top notch run and pass blocking technique.

WR Sam Quint - A longtime trade target while on the Thrashers, Monarchs management agreed to spend big to add the field stretching free agent to the roster. With the retirement of Seth Rollins, adding quality receivers to the squad was a necessity.

LDE Minh Rawls - The most expensive free agent addition, Rawls comes to London after spending his first four years with the Dildozers. Rawls has solid speed and acceleration, and is going to be tasked with improving London's pass rush and provide some long term defensive line depth behind RDEs Todd Martinez and John Cutter, who may be nearing the end of their time with the Monarchs.

MLB Dale Song - The former Argonaut was signed to fill the same role as the recently retired LB Ric Flair last offseason. While the overall skills of the veteran LB appear to be in decline after training camp, if he can provide some depth to London's strong linebacking corps, then his short two year contract will have been a solid investment.

2035 draft:
Monarchs management does some wheeling and dealing to pick up quality building blocks:

1-17 RG Tim Simpson (+7/+1 now 46/88) - Drafted as a center, London's top offensive line prospect fell into their laps at pick 17. Simpson has much better skills for an exterior lineman, with a complete mix of speed and strength. Simpson is not expected to begin this season as a starter while he continues to develop his perfect blocking techniques, but could be the elite o lineman that management has been fruitlessly searching for for the last few seasons.

1-18 WR Jon Horton (+9/+0 now 41/76) - A prime target when the initial draft pool was released, London assumed the speedy receiver would be long gone by the time their draft picks came around. When he was still available, management contacted the always trade happy Boston Teabag Party and acquired pick #18 and pick 5-1 in exchange for their 2034 third and fourth round picks, and a 2035 first round pick. While an extremely high price to pay, Horton's exceptional speed was too enticing to let him fall to another team. After training camp he appears to need some time to develop his pass catching skills, but should eventually move his way up the Monarchs receiving depth chart.

2-18 QB Preston Jones (+4/-5 now 35/68) - Someone call the constable - shots fired in the direction of QB Matthew Avila! London management turned their eye to the future with Avila's well detailed problem getting sacked, but may have miscalculated. He has decent speed and a strong arm, but a drop in potential pass accuracy in training camp means the rookie will be buried on the depth chart for the time being. Jones is not expected to see the field in either the 2035 pre or regular season.

5-17 DT Kevin "Roly Poly" O'Brien (+4/+1 now 38/64) After trading away Boston's 5-1 pick to Chicago for a 2036 fourth round pick, the Monarchs finally make another selection. A decent combination of speed and strength, O'Brien will most likely play on special teams, but could see some additional playing time due to his solid pass rushing skills.

6-18 WR Sean Foster (+10/+3 now 41/71) The biggest surprise in training camp, the tall receiver will most likely serve as a kick returner. Nearing the cap of his receiving skills, Foster does have a good chance of making the final roster with a good preseason showing.

7-17 WLB Daryl Sheryl (+13/-3 now 54/63) Another big pop in training camp, Sheryl will have to show a lot to join London's excellent group of linebackers. While possessing average speed and coverage skills, Sheryl is an exceptional tackler which could make him a special teams contributor.

Rookie free agent FB Manuel Solt (+11/+6 now 35/63) The undrafted rookie may have been aided by the guidance of new backfield coach William Berg. While possessing decent speed and good receiving skills out of the backfield, Solt is an average to below average blocker and is a long shot to make the final roster.

As always, Monarchs management will continue to review the waiver wire in hopes of finding more players to help achieve the goal of reclaiming the AFC South Division crown!

The Monarchs finish the preseason at 3-1 for the third straight year, but injuries will test the roster depth.

- London gets off to a fast start in the preseason opener against the Tasmania Devils. The Monarchs score twice inside the first five minutes of the game, as RB Alvin Dillon breaks off a 63 yard TD run, followed by a 95 yard TD reception by RB Archie Daniels and London cruises to a 20-10 victory.

- The Monarchs' annual preseason loss to Chicago is on tap in week two, but London puts up more of a fight before finally falling 20-10. After leading 10-3 at halftime thanks to a 13 yard TD run by WR Jeff Davis, the backup defenders can't slow down Chicago's second string QB Kevin Stover who leads a pair of second half scoring drives including a 1 yard pass to WR Ronald Greene and 6 yard run by WR John Cochrane. With only 44 yards of second half offense in the loss, London's coaching staff has more work to do.

- London returns to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to welcome the Kleinmachow OrangeCrush in week three. After a game opening TD drive capped by QB Matthew Avila finding Jeff Davis from 16 yards out, the OrangeCrush's quick strike offense wastes no time striking back with a one play 75 yard bomb from QB Drew Lock to speedy WR Lawrence Best. After chewing up nearly seven minutes to regain the lead on a field goal, the Monarchs again fall behind in a flash as RB Derrick Henry breaks off a 63 yard TD run. As the teams trade TDs in the second quarter, Kleinmachow heads to the locker room up 21-16. However, flipping the script from week two's poor showing, London's backup defense prevents backup QB Albert Black from completing a single pass (0-16). The shutdown defense allows London to regroup as QB Edwin Johnson hits TE George Payne for a 7 yard score, and WR Jeff Davis finds the end zone for the second time in the contest on a 5 yard scamper in the final two minutes to pull out a 29-21 win.

- London visits the rebranded Arizona Thundercocks to complete their preseason schedule. In a fairly uneven performance, London pulls out an unimpressive 24-6 victory. Backup QB Edwin Johnson continues his poor preseason, throwing four interceptions in the second quarter, two by WLB Ronald Bennett. Arizona is unable to capitalize from the turnovers, leading just 6-3 at halftime. London finally pulls ahead for good on some unconventional scores late in the third quarter. Backup C David Bond, drafted as a tight end, scores his third career TD on a 7 yard toss from Johnson. On the next Arizona possession, London's short handed secondary enlists the help of WR Michael Woodmansee, who picks off a David Livengood pass and returns it 23 yards for a score. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Johnson finds first round rookie WR Jon Horton for a 74 yard TD reception to cap the scoring.

Preseason cuts:
A few expensive cuts to get down to the 53 man final roster:
RB Randy Bainter - his declining speed and the emergence of Jeff Davis as an adequate depth running back made management decide to release the veteran, who scored 14 touchdowns in three seasons with London.
FB Manuel Solt - despite a few flashes in the preseason, the undrafted rookie didn't show enough consistency to prove he could be part of the Monarch's long term plans.
WR Shawn Ingrassia - after being claimed off waivers in 2033, Ingrassia rarely saw the field and never caught a regular season pass for London. With the offseason signing of Sam Quint from Arkansas, and the rookie WR duo of Jon Horton and Sean Foster, the Monarchs' overstuffed receiver room needed to be trimmed down.
LG Paul Berardelli - a third round draft pick in 2034, Berardelli never truly developed as a much needed pass blocker and was asked to turn in his playbook.
RT Nathan Parker - another high draft pick washout for London. A second round pick in 2032, Parker was on the final year of his rookie contract, while never starting a contest for the Monarchs.
WLB Daryl Sheryl - a casualty of London's depth at linebacker, the rookie wasn't able to stand out enough to coaches to remain on the roster. While appearing in all four preseason contests and recording an interception against Tasmania, Sheryl's Moguls career will not continue with the Monarchs.

Both of London's lines need a little TLC heading into the regular season opener at Wilmington. Backup LT Charles Moriarty suffered a serious ankle injury against Arizona which will keep him out of action for an extended period. London's defensive line depth will be even more tested, as heralded free agent LDE Minh Rawls recovers from a hand injury, second year DT Roland Lakes suffered a serious arm injury against the OrangeCrush, and veteran RDE John Cutter deals with knee and neck injuries that will sideline him for some time. With an eye on the waiver wire as other teams make their final cuts, the Monarchs may bring in reinforcements to begin 2035.

Quarterly report:
Record: 2-2 overall record: 2-2

The Monarchs play down and up depending on the competition.

- London made an appearance at Wilmington's Apple iStadium in week 1 - that's the only positive to take from the season opener. The Argonauts absolutely destroyed the Monarchs 35-3, in a game that is not as close as the score would indicate. Wilmington RB Travis Helms took the first play from scrimmage 75 yards for a score, in an omen of the day's poor performance. Helms finishes with 199 yards rushing, and adds a pair of TD receptions for 235 yards of total offense. Wilmington's pass rush records an astounding 11 sacks on the day, including 4 by RDE Jonathon Bardin with a safety and 3 by DT John Keller. Nothing positive to report as the Argonauts hold the ball for more than 37 minutes and rush for an amazing 313 yards.

- The Battle of the Bridges is renewed in week two, as London travels to take on the Pennsauken Del Fuego Phoenix in New Jersey. Pennsuaken was licking their wounds as well after getting shellacked 51-0 by the Thrashers in week one. The Monarchs don't appear especially sharp, but come back from an early deficit to win 24-15. QB Matthew Avila recovers from his week one beating with an efficient afternoon, tossing three TD passes, including rookie WR Jon Horton's first career score, and passes to RB Archie Daniels and WR William Ortiz.

- The Monarchs open their home schedule in week three with another divisional game, hosting the Roswell Invaders in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The home fans are treated to a defensive battle, as the Monarchs overcome WR Mose Massey's two TD catches to notch a 15-14 victory on struggling kicker Brandon Shah's 48 yard game winner with just over a minute remaining. WR William Ortiz scores for the second straight game, but QB Matthew Avila exits briefly after being injured while suffering one of his four sacks on the afternoon.

- The Monarchs hosts another of the AFC's top teams in week four as the Real Kayfabe invade London. Late arriving fans miss London's first possession, as RB Archie Daniels fumbles the first play of the game. The Kayfabe capitalizes on the turnover with a 4 yard TD run by RB Dennis Helms. A pair of TD passes by QB Raymond Reyes put the Kayfabe up 21-0 early in the second quarter, appearing on their way to a blowout victory. However, the Monarchs begin scratching their way back with a pair of long TD passes of 67 and 64 yards to WR William Ortiz just before halftime. Another TD pass from Matthew Avila to Archie Daniels in the third quarter draws London closer, but the Monarchs ultimately fall 27-21. The teams combine for seven INTs in the game, including two each by Monarchs CB Frank Ball and Kayfabe CB Lloyd Meeks, who also forced and recovered Daniels' game opening fumble. William Ortiz continues to be the bright spot of London's reconfigured offense, finishing with four catches for 144 yards and the two scores in the loss.

London and Roswell remain tied for the AFC South division lead, but with a -28 point differential so far the Monarchs need to correct their defensive struggles if they have any chance to make a mark against the top teams in the conference as the 2035 season continues.

Quarterly report:
Record: 3-1 overall record: 5-3

The Monarchs offense begins to pick up some momentum at the halfway point of 2035.

- London begins the second portion of the season with their first game against the Independence Pirates since week 1 2032. QB Matthew Avila threw for 361 yards and 2 TDs in his regular season debut for London that game, and is efficient again leading the Monarchs to a 24-12 victory. Avila completes 23-30 passes for 277 yards, along with 3 TD passes, as London's switch to a more pass heavy offense appears to continue paying dividends. WR William Ortiz matches his career high with his fifth TD of the young season, an 85 yard strike in the second quarter, as well as a 25 yard score by speedy rookie WR Jon Horton, and a 3 yard score by veteran WR John Woodmansee. Despite allowing 118 yards rushing to RB Roland Emery and WR Enrique Henson's 100 yards receiving and a 4th quarter touchdown, London is never seriously threatened and sends the fans home happy.

- Those same fans return to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in week six for a home game against the Oakland Panthers. Avila's connection to Ortiz continues to be strong, as the quarterback finds him for a 73 yard TD to open the scoring, setting a new career high. However, Oakland's offense begins taking over, thanks to a 1 yard TD pass from James Sanmiguel to Donald Barton, and two short TD runs of 3 yards by RB Carl Harris and 1 yard by RB Adam Gomez. The Monarchs continue trying to mount a comeback in the third quarter, with Avila again finding Ortiz for a one yard score cutting the lead to 21-16. The two teams battle to a standoff, before the opportunistic Panthers defense slams the door in the final 75 seconds. Pinned back at their 16 yard line, Avila's third down pass is intercepted by SS Kenneth Leming and returned 24 yards for a score to ice the game. With the game out of reach, Avila tries playing for pride and pays the price, as he fumbles the ball after suffering his seventh sack of the day, the second by veteran LDE Luis Bridges, who scoops up the ball and returns it 3 yards for the final scoring in a 35-16 Monarchs loss.

- London hits the road for a rainy showdown against the Battle Creek Barbarians in week 7. After spotting the Barbarians a 10-0 lead on Edward Murray's 3 yard TD pass to Donald Liles and a 53 yard Angelo Nazario field goal, the Monarchs ground game takes over. On the first play of the ensuing possession RB Archie Daniels breaks a tackle and records London's longest rush of the season for a 75 yard score. Three field goals from kicker Brandon Shah, who was rumored to be at risk of getting cut after some early season struggles, make up the remainder of London's scoring in a 16-10 win. The Monarchs finish the day with 214 yards rushing, making up for QB Matthew Avila's subpar performance as he completes less than 50% of his passes in the victory.

- London's week eight opponent, the Pennsauken Del Fuego Phoenix, make big headlines prior to the game, pulling off a pair of blockbuster trades. The Phoenix add RB Clint Walter from the Shadow Dancers, and WR Antonio Harris from the Terror, surrendering seven total draft picks in the two deals including a highly valuable 2036 first round pick to Terre Haute. Pennsauken had reportedly been content to rebuild through the draft, but these trades seemingly put an end to that plan.

On the field, The Battle of the Bridges gets renewed in London. The Monarchs may not be familiar with all the players on the opposing sideline, but it doesn't stop them from cruising to a 24-3 victory. WR/RB Jeff Davis scores his first TD of the year on a 23 yard run in the second quarter, and who else but WR William Ortiz scores again, his eighth TD in eight games, from 11 yards out, on a quiet 3-16 afternoon. London's rookie WR Jon Horton continues to show why the team traded a first round pick to acquire the rights to draft him, scoring a 50 yard TD in the third quarter, his third on the year. Clint Walter puts in a heavy workload, gaining 85 yards rushing along with 10 yards on five catches in his Pennsauken debut, but Antonio Harris is mostly a non factor with only 7 yards on a pair of receptions. The Monarchs have now won five straight from the Del Fuego Phoenix, continuing their longest win streak in the rivalry that informally began in 2031.

The Monarchs hit the halfway point of the season tied with the Roswell Invaders for the AFC South divison lead with identical 5-3 records, with London holding the tiebreaker thanks to their 15-14 win in week three. With a slightly easier remaining schedule than Roswell, all signs point to their rematch in New Mexico in week 16 to decide the division crown. Injuries to their top three DTs against the Panthers led the Monarchs to add veteran Phillip Calderon for depth, but with the trade deadline now passed, London will have to stand pat with the current roster as they make a playoff push.

Quarterly report:
Record: 4-0 overall record: 9-3

London's defense begins stepping up and setting the tone.

- The Monarchs travel to Kleinmachnow in week 9 for another matchup against the OrangeCrush. London controls the pace of the game, limiting the OrangeCrush to only 227 yards of total offense on the afternoon. QB Matthew Avila continues his quality season, passing for 287 yards and 3 TDs, finding WR William Ortiz for his 9th TD on the year on a 6-93 receiving line, as well as RB Archie Daniels for a 44 yard TD reception. Kleinmachnow's offense did find one bright spot, as (fading?) superstar WR Jerry Jeudy breaks a tackle en route to a 62 yard score near the end of the 4th quarter. However, Jeudy's late fireworks aren't enough, as the Monarchs hold on for their third straight victory by a 24-19 score.

- The Monarchs return to London in week 10 for a divisional showdown against a team that always gives them trouble, the Wisconsin Frozen Tundra SnowSharks. A back and forth first half ends with the score tied at 10, thanks to short TD passes to London TE George Payne and Wisconsin RB Napoleon Shealy. However, London begins gaining control in the third quarter, thanks to a 5 yard TD pass to rookie WR Jon Horton, his fourth on the year, and a 55 yard bomb to WR William Ortiz for his 10th TD of the season. SnowSharks WR Steven Monn picks up 164 yards on just seven receptions, but can't find the end zone as London cruises to a 27-13 win.

- Week 11 features a showdown of London vs. London, as the Ravens invade Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Coming off a 63-16 shellacking vs. the Dildozers in week 10, the Ravens defense gives the Monarchs all they can handle on the day. Ravens QB Barry Lopez stakes the team to a 13-3 halftime lead on a 1 yard TD pass to WR Stuart Grizzle and 8 yard score to FB John Mitchell, one of his 10 receptions in the game. The Monarchs begin mounting a comeback in the second half, as RB Archie Daniels scores his second rushing TD of the season from 12 yards out, before exiting with a neck injury that currently still has him sidelined. WR Jon Horton continues to prove he's comfortable with Moguls level competition, as he snags a 35 yard TD early in the fourth quarter for his second straight game with a score. However, a missed PAT allows the Ravens to once again tie the score at 16 on a 41 yard field goal just after the two minute warning. The Monarchs get one more chance for the victory, and march down the field for on an impressive nine play drive, capped off by WR Michael Woodmansee's 12 yard TD reception with just over :30 left in regulation. The Ravens refuse to give up until the final gun, as a long pass to RB George Maxwell gets them inside the Monarch 30. Another pass gets the Ravens to the Monarchs 15 yard line with just six seconds remaining, but Lopez's final pass of the game to RB Ken Walker ends with a game saving open field tackle by LB Dale Song at the Monarchs 7 yard line as time expires in a thrilling 23-16 win. The Monarchs notch their fifth straight win, their longest streak since closing the 2032 season with five straight victories.

- London closes out their 2035 home schedule in week 12 by welcoming the Irvine Anteaters. Once again, a close game at halftime turns more lopsided in the second half, as the Monarchs hold Irvine scoreless in the second half and cruise to a 35-10 victory. WR/RB Jeff Davis steps up to lead a three pronged rushing attack in place of the injured Archie Daniels. Davis runs for 60 yards and scores a pair of rushing TDs, and lead RB Alvin Dillon chips in 78 yards and a late 4 yard score. 2033 South Brisbane first round RB Ethan Feliciano, signed for depth after Daniels injury, continues to impress in limited playing time, chipping in 53 yards on the ground, and may have a chance to continue his Moguls career with the Monarchs, as part of London's second 200+ yard rushing game of the season. LDE LaVar Ball collects a pair of sacks for the first multisack game of his career, his third straight game with a sack overall. The Tough Blokes defense puts up one of their top games of the season, picking off Anteater QB Eric Dunlap three times, as well as forcing a fumble. London's sixth straight win, all while allowing less than 20 points per game, keeps them one game ahead of the Roswell Invaders for the AFC South division lead heading into the final quarter of the season.

Following the Monarchs' week 12 win, Head Coach David Kirby was awarded with a six year contract extension to continue leading the squad. After a rocky first year going 3-12-1 in 2031, Kirby has flourished as London continues bringing in more quality players. Kirby has gone 37-23 in the last three plus seasons, including a pair of playoff appearances. With the Monarchs hitting the road for the remainder of the regular season, Kirby has the team primed to finish the year strong and return to the playoffs in a tough AFC.

Quarterly report:
Record: 3-1 overall record: 12-4

The Monarchs hit the road and return to the playoffs.

- With London's 2035 home schedule completed, the team heads to Wisconsin to begin the final month of the season taking on the SnowSharks. Despite entering the game with a 2-10 record while the Monarchs have won six straight, Wisconsin holds their own in the first half, forcing two turnovers and battling to a 3-3 tie at the break. The Monarchs finally break through in the third quarter, as QB Matthew Avila finds TE George Payne for a two yard touchdown pass. Payne's second straight game with a TD catch, his third of the season, is the only touchdown of the game as London's offense controls the ball for more than 38 minutes and hangs on for a 16-6 victory. London's seventh straight win marks the second longest streak in franchise history, topped only by a ten game winning streak during the 2022 season when the team captured a Super Bowl championship in Indianapolis.

- Week 14 marks a key conference battle, as the Monarchs head to Arkansas to take on the Thrashers. However, London is no match for the dominant Thrashers on this day, as Arkansas rolls to an easy 37-16 victory. The Thrashers ground game is in complete control all game, as they break off multiple long runs all afternoon. The three headed rushing attack of Henri Boudreax, Theodore Donald Kerabatsos and Ignatius Infernus account for 283 yards rushing, moving the ball at will all game. Boudreaux finishes with 116 yards rushing, Infernus chips in 80, and Kerabatsos proves he's in his element in Moguls football, collecting 87 yards rushing and a pair of scores, including a broken tackle 73 yard scamper. Veteran Arkansas QB John Spartan tosses a pair of TDs to TE John W. Creasy, while WR Alan "Dutch" Schaefer proves he still has plenty to offer with an 8-101 receiving line. London's lone highlight comes via an 84 yard TD reception by WR William Ortiz in the second quarter, but otherwise the Monarchs don't put up much of a fight as their seven game winning streak comes to an end. Coupled with Roswell's 37-13 win over the Oakland Panthers, London suddenly finds themselves tied with the Invaders for the AFC South lead with matching 10-4 records.

- Looking to regroup after the poor showing against the Thrashers, London heads to Boston to take on the Teabag Party. Perhaps the coaching staff tore into the team during their travel week, as the Monarchs come out on fire, recording three first quarter touchdowns. RB Alvin Dillon opens the scoring with a ten yard TD run, and an interception by CB Greg Craddock on Boston's second play from scrimmage gives the Monarchs a short field to work with. WR William Ortiz takes advantage, collecting an 8 yard TD catch, his 13th of the season as part of a 7-110 receiving day, his fifth 100+ yard receiving game of the season. QB Matthew Avila finds FB Christopher Clark for a short TD in the first quarter, and RB Archie Daniels in the third, and the Teabag Party is held under 180 yards of total offense and less than twenty minutes time of possession in London's 27-7 win. Keeping their eye on the scoreboard, the Monarchs cheer as the Invaders drop their contest against the Thrashers19-12, giving London their second AFC South Division title in three seasons.

- With the division now decided, the Monarchs and Invaders still have things to play for in week 16 in New Mexico. The Invaders have a chance to make the playoffs as a wild card depending on the outcome of the showdown between the Terror and the Ravens, while the Monarchs could sneak into the second seed with a win and a loss by the Dildozers vs. the Argonauts. With so much riding on the game, neither team comes out with much urgency, with both squads throwing and missing badly all game long. London carries a 12-0 lead late into the third quarter, thanks to four field goals by K Brandon Shah. Roswell's kicking game adds a pair of scores by K Douglas Mendiola, but timely interception by SLB Jason Long inside the London 35 yard line gives the Invaders life. Roswell QB David Montoya tosses a seven yard TD pass to rookie FB Joseph Fox with under six minutes to play, one of Montoya's incredible 67 pass attempts in the game, suddenly giving the Invaders a 13-12 lead. Playing for pride and playoff positioning, the Monarchs refuse to give up, marching down the field for their longest drive of the day, capping a 75 yard drive with a 7 yard TD pass from QB Matthew Avila to RB Archie Daniels with three minutes to play. A successful two point conversion gives the Monarchs a 20-13 lead, and Roswell's final drive ends with a fourth down stop at the London 39 yard line. The Monarchs' win, coupled with Terre Haute's 17-3 win over the Ravens, knocks the Invaders out of playoff contention.

The Monarchs will have to settle for the second best record in franchise history, as they go 9-1 in their final ten games and finish the year at 12-4. However, the Dildozers destroy the Argonauts 49-6 in their season finale, handing them the #2 seed in the AFC playoffs. Playoff fever is taking over London, as the Monarchs will host the Ravens in the wild card round. The Monarchs come from behind win over the Ravens in week 11 could be a preview of a strong playoff battle, while star WR William Ortiz is listed as questionable for the game, after suffering a neck injury in the win over Roswell. Stay tuned for an update at the end of the Monarchs 2035 playoff run!

The Monarchs swing through London before fumbling away a chance at a major playoff upset.

- The Monarchs return to the playoffs for the first time since 2033 with a showdown against their crosstown rivals, the London Ravens. After a come from behind 23-16 victory at home against the Ravens in week 11, most fans were expecting another tight battle in the playoffs, which never fully comes to fruition. The Monarchs strike first on a 5 yard pass from QB Matthew Avila to WR Jeff Davis in the first quarter, and a 1 yard pass to FB Roosevelt Logan in the second to go up 14-0. However, Ravens QB Barry Lopez finds WR Norman Priestly just before halftime for a 26 yard score, and London trails London just 14-7. While the teams trade field goals in the third quarter, the Monarchs begin pulling away in the fourth. The first play after another Ravens field goal cuts the lead to 17-13, Avila finds rookie WR Jon Horton for a 65 yard completion down to the Ravens five yard line. The Ravens defense holds strong for five plays before RB Ethan Feliciano is finally able to punch in a one yard TD run. The Tough Blokes defense begins stepping up as LDE LaVar Ball records a pair of fourth quarter sacks, and former Raven WLB Robert Williams picks off Lopez deep in London territory. In some foreshadowing, backup RB Alvin Dillon immediately fumbles the ball back the Ravens, who turn the ball over on downs. Jeff Davis records his second TD of the afternoon with a 2 yard TD run just after the two minute warning, providing the final points of the Monarchs convincing 34-13 victory. Despite being listed as questionable for the game with a neck injury, star WR William Ortiz shines, posting a 7-136 receiving line as the near capacity crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium sends the Monarchs onto the divisional round against the Brawndo Corp. Dildozers.

- London faces off against the defending AFC Champion Dildozers in New York, who ended the Monarchs last playoff run with a 16-3 win in the 2033 divisional round. The Dildozers controlled that game easily, but London tries to prove they can stand toe to toe with the offensive juggernaut this time around. Multiple punts by P Jerrod Shepherd pin their opponents deep in their own territory for most of the game, while the Monarchs use an efficient ball control offense to keep the high powered Dildozers offense on the sidelines. The Monarchs are able to gain a 10-3 lead thanks to a 4 yard TD pass from QB Matthew Avila to WR Jon Horton in the first quarter, but once again a score near halftime threatens to turn the tide of the game. With one minute remaining before the break, Avila has a pass picked off by former Monarch CB Jason Skelley, who returns the interception 41 yards for a touchdown knotting the score at 10-10. London regains its composure, and the keep away offense continues doing its job leading to a pair of field goals by K Brandon Shah making the score 16-10 early in the 4th quarter. The vaunted Brawndo passing attack finally comes to life when MVP candidate QB David Bare finds WR James Brandt for a breakaway 62 yard score. The Monarchs catch a break when a missed PAT prevents the Dildozers from taking the lead, tying the score at 16-16. After the teams trade punts, a Monarchs drive for a possible go ahead score goes awry with five minutes to play, when Avila fumbles at the Dildozer 36 following a sack by pass rushing phenom RDE Dwayne Elizondo Macho Camacho, his second sack of the game. London's defense is able to force the Dildozers to punt after another three and out, but Brawndo rookie MLB Dennis Neuhaus forces London RB Alvin Dillon's second straight playoff game with a fumble at the Monarch 16 (recovered by Macho Camacho), giving the Dildozers prime field position. Brawndo is able to take advantage as Bare tosses a seven yard score to WR Samuel Graham with three minutes to play to allow the Dildozers to escape with a hard fought 23-16 victory. Brawndo is unable to secure their third straight Moguls Super Bowl appearance, as they drop the conference championship game in overtime 23-20 to the Real Kayfabe.

While a magical regular season comes to a disappointing end with a turnover plagued playoff loss, Monarchs fans have reason for encouragement. While Avila once again lead the league in being sacked, his 36 drops were tied for his lowest total in a London uniform, and half of that total came in just two contests against the Argonauts (11 sacks week 1) and Panthers (7 sacks week 6). A switch to a more pass heavy attack appears to being paying dividends, with WR William Ortiz fully blossoming into the big catch receiver management envisioned when they drafted him #6 overall in 2032. Ortiz demolished all his career best receiving stats in 2035, and rookie WR Jon Horton looks to be another long ball receiver, tying for second on the team in TD receptions (5). The Monarchs defense will likely have a new look in 2036, as the team continues lacking a strong pass rush (LDE LaVar Ball - 5 sacks), and fewer turnovers left the team outside the top seven in the league in turnover margin for the first time since 2030 (17 INTs, 4 fumble recoveries). While MLB Bryon Cleveland suffered a serious ankle injury in the divisional round loss to the Dildozers, he should be recovered to help the Monarchs defend their AFC South crown in 2036.

Team MVPs:
Offense: WR William Ortiz 66 receptions 1143 yards (8th in league) 13 TDs (4th in league)

Defense: MLB Bryon Cleveland 87 tackles 18 passes defended 3 INTs