Bettors eager for more football action, rejoice. The XFL has three games on this weekend’s card, including one Saturday night contest between the D.C. Defenders and Vegas Vipers. The Defenders scored a narrow Week 1 win but are road underdogs against the Vipers this week. Bettors looking for a D.C. Defenders-Vegas Vipers prediction should hit this XFL bet for Week 2 — the favorites aren’t favored by enough.
Best D.C. Defenders-Vegas Vipers XFL Prediction & Bets | Week 2
D.C. Defenders vs. Vegas Vipers (-3) | Feb. 25, 7:00 p.m. ET
I went into Week 1 with a lot of faith in the D.C. Defenders. I expected Jordan Ta’amu to look more like how he did in the XFL in 2020 than in the USFL in 2022. I also liked a few of the team’s receiving options, especially K.D. Cannon and Chad Hansen. But Ta’amu struggled, Cannon landed on injured reserve and Hansen got cut. While the Defenders stood strong, largely due to Ta’amu and D’Eriq King’s mobility and sharp defensive coaching by Gregg Williams, my priors did not.
The Vegas Vipers are unquestionably the sharper play in Week 2. At Pinnacle, a sharp sportsbook, they sit at -174 on the moneyline. No domestic sportsbook has the Vipers shorter than -170, and most have them at -165. Per VSiN, which indexes bets placed at DraftKings Sportsbook, the Vipers have attracted 63% of the handle against the spread on only 41% of the tickets. Although the Defenders have drawn 78% of the moneyline handle, they have done so on 65% of the tickets. Sharps have stuck to the spread. That said, new users at DraftKings can secure $150 in bonus bets with a winning $5 moneyline wager!
The Defenders did not show much life on offense last week. Of the Defenders’ 22 points, 14 stemmed from two turnovers by Seattle Sea Dragons quarterback Ben DiNucci — one a pick-six, another an interception thrown in Seattle’s own territory. Ta’amu finished last among XFL starters in passing efficiency (69.6) and adjusted net yards per attempt. or ANY/A, with a pathetic 2.16. D.C.’s offense finished last in yards per play (3.3) by over a yard.
Ta’amu’s life won’t get easier in Week 2. He’ll face a defense coached by Chris Dishman, whose USFL New Jersey Generals allowed Ta’amu to complete only 45.9% of his passes for 6.4 yards per attempt (Y/A), one touchdown and three interceptions in 2022. Dishman’s Vipers rank third in the XFL in yards allowed per play (4.5) after one week. They kept Arlington Renegades quarterback Drew Plitt from throwing a touchdown and sacked him three times.
The Defenders got bailed out by their defense last week, but they don’t have much of an edge on that side of the ball. Gregg Williams’ defense almost cost them the game. The unit allowed DiNucci to drive Seattle down to the one-yard line with less than a minute remaining — only for him to fumble on the very next play. The Defenders got lucky in Week 1. They probably won’t get that lucky again, especially if the Vipers bench quarterback Luis Perez for Brett Hundley.
Best XFL Bet Defenders-Vipers: Vipers -3 (-110 for 0.52 Unit) at DraftKings
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