XFL TNF Preview
The first game of week 2 will be a Thursday night matchup between the 1-0 St. Louis Battlehawks visiting the 0-1 Seattle Sea Dragons at Lumen Field. The forecast is going to be low 30s dropping into the 20s during the game. This is an intriguing matchup as the Battlehawks pulled off an improbable comeback only possible within the rules of the XFL. We also have the Sea Dragons who lost in devasting fashion with a 4th quarter meltdown losing on the last play of the game.
St. Louis Battlehawks:
In week one the St. Louis lived up to its name, battling their way to a monumental 4th quarter comeback led by AJ McCarron. The first three quarters for the Battlehawks was a lackluster performance by their offense only accruing 45 yards of total offense. This stat could be analyzed two different ways. Did the San Antonio Brahmas become complacent in its defensive pursuit in the 4th quarter after extending its lead to 12 points or did the Battlehawks find their groove on offense in the 4th quarter? After rewatching the week 1 game, I feel it was a perfect combination of both of these scenarios. Each created the perfect set of circumstances needed for the Battlehawks to end up victorious. Coming into week 2 the Battlehawks will look to establish a more balanced offensive attack with Brian Hill getting more carries. Hill averaged 9.2 YPC (yards per carry) in week one but only on 6 carries. If they are able to establish the running game, the Battlehawks will hopefully cut down on the 5 sacks they gave up last week. This will allow McCarron to get into a rhythm earlier than the 4th quarter this week. The defense for the Battlehawks will need to step up big to give them a chance to win this week. They gave up 324 yards, 24 first downs and 100% 4th down conversion rate to the San Antonio Brahmas. San Antonio has a decent offense but not near the talent of the Sea Dragons.
Seattle Sea Dragons:
The Sea Dragons and the Defenders played the most balanced game of week 1. Meaning there was more of a back and forth rhythm to the game, rather than one team dominating a majority of the time. The Sea Dragons were among the preseason favorites at +450 or +500 ($100 bet to win $450 or $500) to win the XFL Championship depending on the sports book. This week the Sea Dragons will come in hungry looking for a win. It is a huge week for them as far as playoff implications go. With a loss they will be 0-2 in the North, which with only 4 teams will be hard to overcome in the short season. Ben DiNucci put up ridiculous numbers throwing 35/54 for 282 yards and a TD in his debut. He also had three turnovers that in fact cost the Sea Dragons the win so he will be looking to redeem himself. The Sea Dragons have the weapons to put up plenty of points and they will need them to beat the Battlehawks. On the defensive side of the ball the Sea Dragons only allowed 177 total yards of offense against the Defenders and 38.5% third down conversion rate. The only concern I have for the Sea Dragons is their pass rush. They were unable to force any sacks in the game. In each game, QB pressure seemed to be a trend for success so it will be interesting to see what Ron Zook can draw up to make sure he keeps AJ McCarron from getting into his comfort zone.
Predictions: Seattle Sea Dragons -4
It’s a must win game for Seattle. The Battlehawks offense and AJ McCarron looked extremely lackluster for 98% of the game vs. the Brahmas and this is where they fall back down to earth. The St. Louis kicker also didn’t have a great game indoors and now he will have to deal with cold weather in Seattle. The same goes for AJ McCarron who was all over the place and inaccurate except for the final 1:30 of the game.
The total is at 36.5 and is non play for me. I feel the weather may play a bit of a factor in keeping the number too close to call.
XFL Season Record: (2-1-1)