In a league as unpredictable as the XFL, the Battlehawks look like a good bet as 3-point underdogs. Former NFL quarterback AJ McCarron led them to victory last week, going 18/26 for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Battlehawks showed resilience when they mounted a 15-point comeback in the fourth quarter, making them a strong pick against the spread.
The Seattle Sea Dragons had a rough start to the season, as they were on the wrong side of a comeback against the Defenders. Ben DiNucci completed 21 passes in 40 attempts for 180 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, as well as 2 fumbles, one of which was recovered by the Defenders. The Sea Dragons have struggled on the defensive end, and have had costly turnovers, making the Battlehawks an even more attractive pick.
In terms of where each team finished the game; the Battlehawks are riding a 4th quarter comeback and a ton of momentum. While their first 3 quarters they looked rough, you can tell that it is only a matter of time until AJ and crew are on the same page. On the other side, the Sea Dragons scored quick against the Defenders but they just fell on their faces in the back half of the game.
The totals in these XFL games are still around 36 points. Last week, 3 of the 4 games went over. It is difficult to accurately predict the total because the defenses are so unpredictable; however, with the Battlehawks and Sea Dragons both scoring 18 points in their last game, it is likely that the total will go over this week as well if you prefer taking that option. I will also be taking a sprinkle on the Battlehawks ML in this one as I think they can win this game.
The DC Defenders have some question marks surrounding their offense. Jordan Ta’amu had a disappointing outing with only 86 passing yards and an interception, and D’Eriq King is more of a running quarterback. The Defenders do have a formidable defense, but they’re not playing at home this game. There is also an old saying that says something like “If you have more than 1 starting quarterback you don’t have any quarterbacks” and I think that applies here.
The Vegas Vipers, on the other hand, are coming off of a game where they blew a 14-3 lead to Arlington in Week 1 due to two pick-sixes from Luis Perez. Despite these unfortunate circumstances, Perez is a spring league veteran that is capable of providing a solid performance. The Vipers don’t have a high-powered run game, but they do have a few legitimate wideouts in Jeff Badet, Geronimo Allison, Martavis Bryant, and Cinque Sweeting, who had 64 yards and a touchdown last week. Luis Perez without the turnovers had a great performance and their pass happy offense moved the ball with ease.
Considering that home teams went 3-1 in Week 1 and the Vipers have a more experienced offense, I am backing the Vegas Vipers and I think home-field advantage should not be underestimated. The Vipers have the offensive experience necessary to make this game a winning effort and don’t forget about that defense who had 3 sacks and plenty of QB pressures.
San Antonio Brahmas quarterback Jack Coan (Twitter)
The Brahmas have the tools to come away victorious in this week 2 matchup. Despite their loss in the first game, the Brahmas put together an impressive performance with their rushing attack, managing to rush for 133 yards. They kept AJ McCarron, who I think will be one of the strongest QBs in the league, in check. Well, they kept him in check until the last 2 minutes of the game before giving up the amazing comeback. I think the Brahmas have something to prove in the tune up game against a Guardians team that was just killed last week.
The success of the Brahmas’ rushing attack will hinge on their quarterback Coan. His experience and talent could be a major asset for the Brahmas if he can take care of the ball and manage the offense.
Overall, the San Antonio Brahmas are in a good position to succeed in the upcoming game against the Orlando Guardians. With the Brahmas’ strong rushing attack and the Guardians’ poor defensive performance, the Brahmas have the potential to come away with a win.
Houston Roughnecks Deontay Burnett takes it in for a touchdown. (Twitter)
The Roughnecks were the only team to dismantle their opponent in week 1. Now they did play the Orlando Guardians and time will tell whether or not this Guardians team will win a game this year. That being said the Roughnecks look great winning by 21 points.
Silvers threw for almost 300 yards and 2 TDs as the Wade Phillips defense kept the other team from getting on the scoreboard too often. I expect a similar offensive performance from this Roughnecks team who is facing a Renegades defense that scored two defensive TDs. I don’t see the Roughnecks offense giving away these types of turnovers.
On the other side of the ball the Renegades offensively just did not have it. They failed to score an offensive TD. They were kept in the game by their defense, but one has to wonder if that was skill or was that just a minor collapse by Perez.
Overall, time will tell as these teams get in a groove. I am excited to see if this Roughnecks team is legit or if they just played a bad game. Also can the Renegades score on offense or will they fall apart in the redzone every time? We certainly will find out soon enough, but until then I am rolling with the Roughnecks.
