Two teams from the North Division face off as the Las Vegas Vipers visit the St. Louis Battlehawks. It's time to continue our XFL odds series with a Vipers-Battlehawks prediction, pick, and how-to watch.
The Vipers come into this match-up 2-5 on the season but did just defeat San Antonio in their last outing. That was their best performance of the season, and now the Vipers have won two of their last three after starting 0-4. The one loss in their last three games came at the hands of the Battlehawks in Vegas. Now they travel to St. Louis looking to avenge that game. The Battlehawks come in 5-2 on the season, losing two weeks ago to the DC Defenders, but winning two straight. Led by AJ McCarron, they look to win against the Vipers for the second time in three weeks.
Here are the Vipers-Battlehawks XFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Vipers-Battlehawks Odds
Las Vegas Vipers: +7 (-110)
St. Louis Battlehawks: -7 (-110)
Over: 46.5 (-110)
Under: 46.5 (-110)
How To Watch Vipers vs. Battlehawks
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 1:00 PM ET/ 10:00 AM PT
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Vipers Could Cover The Spread
In spring league football, history shows that next season is not always a guarantee. With the Vipers out of the playoff race, there is still something to play for. First, they can play spoilers to the Battlehawks. Second, the players on the individual level have the opportunity to show NFL teams they belong in the league. Starting on the defensive end, the Vipers' defense needs to repeat what they did against San Antonio. San Antonio quarterbacks threw for just 211 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. It was the first interception of the year for Deontay Anderson, and only the third for the team on the season.
The Vipers also shut down the run game. The Brahmas managed just 30 yards on the ground on 16 attempts. They also fumbled the ball twice, losing both of them. The Vipers now sit third in the XFL in Fumble recoveries and are tied for second in forced fumbles. They have recovered all seven fumbles they have forced on the season. They need to continue to force those, especially considering they are the worse in the XFL in getting interceptions.
The Vipers also made an interesting trade Luis Perez had started four games for the Vipers, throwing for 901 yards and eight touchdowns in his five appearances. Turnovers were an issue for Perez, and the Vipers looked elsewhere. Brett Hundley then got playing time, but he struggled. Enter Jalan McClendon, who threw for 264 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions against the Brahmas. In the last outing against the Battlehawks, Vipers quarterbacks threw two interceptions, so McClendon taking care of the ball should be a good sign.
If the pass defense can play as they did against San Antonio, and McClendon takes care of the ball, the Vipers will cover in this game.
Why The Battlehawks Could Cover The Spread
The formula for the Battlehawks is simple, repeat what they did in Vegas last time. Firstly, AJ McCarron needs to do exactly what he did. He is 2nd in the XFL in passing yards so far this year. In the last game against the Vipers, McCarron went 23/29 for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Those three are part of his XFL-leading 17 touchdowns on the season. He also took care of the ball. With players with over 150 pass attempts on the season, only Jordan Ta'amu has fewer interceptions than McCarron.
The running game was solid as well. Brian Hill had another 62 yards in the game, and he is second in the XFL in rushing. With 370 yards on the ground this year, Hill only trails Abram Smith in the XFL in that department. Hill is also averaging 5.1 yards per carry this year, which is second-best among the top ten rushers in the XFL.
Finally, Lavert Hill has two interceptions in the game. That makes him tied for fourth in the XFL in interceptions on the season. Joining him at two of the year is Nate Meadors. The Battlehawks are third in the XFL in interceptions on the year and best in the XFL in fumble recoveries. If the Battlehawks cause a few turnovers this game could get ugly quickly. Considering the Battlehawks are third in the XFL in scoring, the Vipers cannot afford to turn the ball over.
Final Vipers-Battlehawks Prediction & Pick
The last game between these two resulted in a 29-6 win for the Battlehawks. St. Louis completely dominated the game. The Vipers have made a change at quarterback, but this is their third QB this year. The Vipers could not slow down AJ McCarron and are one of the worst in the XFL against the pass. They will get an early lead and then coast in this one.
Final Vipers-Battlehawks Prediction & Pick: Battlehawks -7 (-110) and Under 46.5 (-110)
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