XFL WEEK 7 PREVIEW & PICKS

BY ADAM GREENE

If you think it’s too early for XFL playoff talk, you’re not paying attention. Week 6 saw our first official winning team, the Washington DC Defenders, all but clinch a postseason spot while the Orlando Guardians did everything they could to claim the distinction of being the worst team on the planet a month or so before the USFL kicks off for Year Two. But, overall, the third iteration of the XFL has delivered a consistent and quality product and it’s showing up in the stands with some solid attendance.

But there’s more than just wins and losses at stake here. There’s a chance for us to make some cash in the process and we have the odds, lines and totals with which to make that dream real.

First up, we’ll assess the current power rankings in the league then make our Week 7 XFL picks.

XFL POWER RANKINGS

1. WASHINGTON DC DEFENDERS (6-0)

With an opportunity to finally be revealed as the pretenders to the XFL throne, the Defenders instead unleashed their best offensive performance of the season against the Houston Roughnecks to keep their record perfect. While I’ve not checked the math, it’s almost a certainty that Washington clinched a spot in the postseason. Last week: No. 1

2. SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS (4-2)

Seattle may be the XFL’s best team in overcoming its own mistakes. The offense wasn’t clicking last Friday, with QB Ben DiNucci throwing another pick, but the Sea Dragons still took the win. Which is the mark of a good team. Last week: No. 3

3. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (4-2)

How much was the Battlehawks bounce back performance due to their own team’s performance or the fact they were playing one of the XFL’s worst, the Las Vegas Vipers. St. Louis will get the chance to show us Sunday when they travel to Houston to take on the slumping Roughnecks. Last week: No. 4

4. HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (4-2)

Two weeks ago, the Roughnecks looked like the best team in the XFL. Now, after losing two straight, they’re right in the middle of the pack. Facing the Battlehawks this week, it would be a good time to rediscover that first month of the XFL magic. Last week: No. 2

5. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (2-4)

After losing what was the worst football game played in 2023 two weeks ago, San Antonio won the second worst game of the year last Sunday. It won’t surprise you that it was against the exact same team they faced in Week Five, the Arlington Renegades. Last week: No. 7

6. ARLINGTON RENEGADES (3-3)

The fact that the Renegades are .500 at this point of the season, in spite of their own performances on the field, might be one of the great mysteries of our time. Last week: No. 5

7. LAS VEGAS VIPERS (1-5)

If you thought Vegas might have changed its fortunes after picking up its first win of the season, you were very wrong. No part of their team showed up in a humiliating beat down at the talons of the St. Louis Battlehawks last Saturday. Last week: No. 6

8. ORLANDO GUARDIANS (0-6)

The offense has been more productive over the last couple of weeks, but the results are the same. The Guardians are the worst team in the XFL and, because of that, could be the worst team in professional football. It was a monicker that the USFL’s Michigan Panthers wore last year with much shame, but, to give them their proper respect, Michigan did win two whole games. Orlando has four more tries to do the same, but they now have the inglorious distinction of being the first football team of 2023 to secure a losing record. Last week: No. 8

FRIDAY

SEATTLE SEA DRAGONS AT ARLINGTON RENEGADES (+5, O/U: 38)

Last week the Seattle Sea Dragons kept their hot streak going, knocking off the hapless Orlando Guardians 26-19. Ben DiNucci did not put up his usual passing numbers, but did finish 18 of 35 for 177 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. He was sacked once and led the team with six rushes for 43 yards. Darius Bradwell finished with 12 carries for 32 yards. Blake Jackson caught six passes for 79 yards and a TD. Juwan Green had five grabs for 50 yards and a score. Antione Brooks led the team with 10 tackles, half a sack and one forced fumble. Qwinterrio Cole (a name I’ll apparently have to learn to consistently spell) had six tackles and one for a loss. Chris Payton-Jones had six tackles and Rojestrerman Farris finished with five tackles, one sack and two tackles for a loss.

A week after winning the worst professional football game played in 2023, the Arlington Renegades lost the rematch, falling 15-9 to the San Antonio Brahmas in another game that set the sport of football back a couple of decades at least. Drew Plitt, who is a real person I am told, finished 10 of 16 for 163 yards, a touchdown and an interception at quarterback for Arlington. He was sacked twice and lost a fumble. He replaced an injured Kyle Sloter, who was 5 of 13 for 22 yards before exiting the game. He was sacked once. De’Veon Smith rushed 10 times for 42 yards. He also led the team in receiving with four catches for 49 yards. JaVonta Payton caught two passes for 43 yards.  Donald Payne had 10 tackles, one for a loss and a pick.

Seattle is one of the league’s best teams. Arlington forgets how to play football for entire quarters at a time. This one should not be close. Sea Dragons 36, Renegades 15

SATURDAY

SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS AT LAS VEGAS VIPERS (-3, O/U: 38.5)

For whatever reason, the San Antonio Brahmas decided to show up in their rematch with the Arlington Renegades, somehow wining 15-9 in a game that was still a punishment to watch for all involved. Jawon Pass was, and I want you to prepare yourself, 8 of 14 for 57 yards in the victory.  Yes, I just wrote that. Pass, ironically, added four rushes for 21 yards on the ground. He was sacked twice. Jacques Patrick rushed 15 times for 82 yards. Landen Akers caught two whole passes for 24 yards, again, IN THE WIN. Jordan Williams ended the game with 14 tackles and three for a loss. Delontae Scott had seven tackles, two sacks, two tackles for a loss and one forced fumble.

It was back to losing for the Las Vegas Vipers last week as their hapless offense once again barely showed up in an embarrassing 29-6 loss to the St. Louis Battlehawks. This time, Luis Perez and Brett Hundley split time at quarterback to no avail. Perez finished 14 of 21 for 104 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions while being sacked twice. Hundley was 9 of 18 for 120 yards, one touchdown and no picks. He was also sacked twice. The team was absolutely worthless in the run game, gaining just 43 total yards as a team. John Lovett was the most productive ball carrier, rushing six times for 19 yards. He also led the team in receiving with three catches for 44 yards and the only touchdown Vegas scored. Maurice Smith recorded eight tackles, one sack and one tackle for a loss. CJ Avery had six tackles and two for a loss.

There’s a reason Vegas is favored here and it’s all because they can score points. At least, they could before last week. San Antonio is boring to watch and the sooner they get eliminated from any postseason contention, the better. Vipers 24, Brahmas 15

WASHINGTON DC DEFENDERS AT ORLANDO GUARDIANS (+10, O/U: 45.5)

After weeks of winning games despite the quarterback play of Jordan Ta’amu, the Washington DC Defenders got an elite game out of their signal caller. In a triumphant and impressive 37-26 win over the Houston Roughnecks, Ta’amu was 19 of 31 for 245 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked just once. Abram Smith, a week after the best rushing performance in the XFL’s short history, followed that up with 19 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown. Lucky Jackson was uncoverable, catching five passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Josh Hammond caught five for 65 yards. Francis Bernard ended the game with nine tackles and two for a loss. Dejuan Neal and Michael Joseph had five tackles apiece.

I hope you are sitting down. The Orlando Guardians, who might be the worst team in all of professional football, once again found themselves on the wrong end of the stick in a 26-19 loss to the Seattle Sea Dragons last Saturday. Quinten Dormady went the whole way for Orlando at quarterback and, again, it made no difference. He finished 24 of 44 for 243 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked twice and rushed five times for 43 yards. Devin Darrington carried the ball seven times for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Cody Latimer caught five passes for 59 yards. Charleston Rambo hauled in six passes for 54 yards. Daniel Williams had five grabs for 46 yards. Tye Smith finished with five tackles. Najeem Hosein had four tackles and an interception.

I’ve been flabbergasted by DC’s success all year and have picked against them anytime I could. That’s worked out well for Washington until this week. Facing Orlando, there’s no excuse I can find to pick against the Defenders. I apologize, guys. Defenders 33, Guardians 16

SUNDAY

ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS AT HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (-3, O/U: 44.5)

St. Louis got back on the winning track thanks to a visit to Las Vegas and a match up with the Vipers. The Battlehawks dominated the whole way, winning 29-6 last Saturday night. AJ McCarron was sharp for St. Louis, finishing 23 of 29 for 236 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked three times and rushed for 18 yards. Brian Hill led the team on the ground with 13 carries for 62 yards. Kareem Walker carried the ball four times for 15 yards and scored a TD. Darrius Shepherd caught seven passes for 79 yards and two scores. George Campbell had three grabs for 54 yards. Gary Jennings caught one pass for a four yard touchdown. Nate Meadors led the Battlehawks with nine tackles. LaCale London finished with five tackles, half a sack and one tackle for a loss. Carson Wells had four tackles, 1.5 sacks and one tackle for a loss.

With a chance to reclaim the top spot in the XFL, the Houston Roughnecks stumbled once again, this time falling under an offensive flurry from the Washington DC Defenders, 37-26 last Monday. Houston used two quarterbacks to no avail in the game. Brandon Silvers was 10 of 17 for 111 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. He was sacked twice. Cole McDonald was 8 of 11 for 194 yards, one touchdown and no picks. He also led the team in rushing with six carries for 37 yards and a score. Max Borghi had 11 rushes for 25 yards and two TDs. Deontay Burnett caught four passes for 122 yards and a touchdown. Travell Harris had five grabs for 60 yards. Cedric Byrd also recorded five receptions for 56 yards. Emmanuel Ellerbee finished with 11 tackles and one for a loss. AJ Handy had seven tackles.

After losing two consecutive games, Houston has gone from the best team in the league to a middle dwelling scrub. St. Louis is the wrong team to face in that regard, but the Roughnecks are home and I don’t see them losing three in a row. But, at least this one should be good.  Roughnecks 27, Batltehawks 22

Last week

Straight up: 2-2

Against the spread: 2-2

Season

Straight up: 13-11

Against the spread: 12-12

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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