The 2-0 St. Louis BattleHawks and the 2-0 D.C. Defenders will face off in a contest between undefeated teams. The BattleHawks have squeaked by with two narrow fourth-quarter wins, but they’ll look for something more dominant on Sunday afternoon. The Defenders opened as a 2-point favorite and have been bid up by a full point. Bettors looking for a St. Louis BattleHawks-D.C. Defenders prediction should hit this XFL bet for Week 3 at FanDuel — the book has left some value on the moneyline.
Best St. Louis BattleHawks-D.C. Defenders XFL Bet & Predictions | Week 3
St. Louis BattleHawks (+2.5) vs. D.C. Defenders | Mar. 5, 1 p.m. ET
Despite their undefeated records, neither the BattleHawks nor the Defenders look dominant. The BattleHawks rank third in yards gained per play (4.6), but their defense ranks a league-worst eighth in yards allowed per play (4.9). The Defenders rank sixth in yards per play (4.1) and fourth in yards allowed per play (4.2). One of their two games, last week’s matchup with the Vegas Vipers, featured a heavy rainstorm. The Defenders responded by keeping the ball on the ground and using the triple option.
The Defenders won’t have the benefit of rain derailing their opponents’ offense this week, which may highlight their weakness under center. They’ll play this one in raucous Audi Field, their home stadium, but the forecast calls for clear skies and no precipitation. Their offense, which has run the ball on an XFL-high 62% of plays, may need to turn back to the passing game to keep up with St. Louis. That is unlikely to go well — their only quarterback with more than two passing attempts, Jordan Ta’amu, ranks last among XFL starters in both adjusted net yards per attempt, or ANY/A, (2.98) and passing efficiency (76.3).
The BattleHawks have a massive edge at quarterback. Their starter, A.J. McCarron, ranks second in both ANY/A (5.61) and passing efficiency (131.2). McCarron’s intelligent playstyle has helped St. Louis minimize turnovers — McCarron is yet to lose a fumble or throw an interception. Although he has to play behind a questionable offensive line that has allowed him to take eight sacks, he gets to target two of the XFL’s biggest receivers. Wideouts Marcell Ateman and Hakeem Butler measure 6-foot-5 and boast electric speed — they rank fourth and fifth in yards per catch, respectively.
D.C. has picked up some support because of its defense. Led by former NFL defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Defenders have found some success on that side of the ball. However, they rank an unremarkable third in total sacks (6), fifth in tackles for loss (10) and fourth in takeaways (4). The BattleHawks don’t boast a world-beating defense, but they have produced more takeaways than the Defenders and have proven stingier against the run than the pass.
Although the Defenders burnt me last week, I’m happy to fade them again now that they won’t have the benefit of rainy weather. Their opponents, the BattleHawks, are trading as slightly less than field-goal underdogs against the spread. I don’t think there’s a need to take the points here — just back St. Louis on the moneyline for a half-unit. Williams’ defense could get the best of McCarron on early Sunday afternoon, but he only needs to make a few big plays to outscore a struggling D.C. offense.
Best XFL Bet BattleHawks-Defenders: BattleHawks Moneyline (+135 for 0.5 Unit) at FanDuel
