Vegas Vipers
After the Vipers loss to the Sea Dragons last week, they became the only team in the XFL North without a win. Although Vegas has been involved in several close matches, they have not managed to come out on top.
The Vipers exude mediocrity, so while they are not in league with the Brahmas and Guardians, they are in over their heads in a competitive North division.
Some of their offensive problems will be solved once they settle in on a signal caller. Luis Perez had a stunning performance in Week 1, shared snaps with Brett Hundley in Week 2, but saw no playing time in Week 3. Hundley’s numbers have been similar to Perez, so while the team has not seen a drastic improvement with him, seeing some consistency in one way or another should help the team overall.
DC Defenders
The Defenders have opened the season with three straight wins; this week, they are at home taking on the Vipers. DC visited Vegas in Week 2 and snuck out of town with an 18-6 win. The Defenders have demonstrated their dominance this season by winning close games, whether high or low-scoring. So while they do not appear to be the juggernaut that Houston is, the Defenders are a fun scrappy squad.
While DC is solid all around, their running game has carried them to this point in the season; three players from the Defenders currently rank among the top seven rushers in the league. They have taken an old school approach and are running the ball down opponents throats.
Their heavy running game is not due to an incompetent passer in Jordan Ta’amu. He has been a tremendous dual threat, as he ranks sixth in the XFL in passing and seventh in rushing. He has a completion percentage of 48 percent. So in a two-minute situation, he is more than capable.
Anticipating Vegas will find some traction this week; they should be able to keep this game close. An upset likely isn’t in their future, but six points is too much for DC to cover. Both teams are capable of scoring over 20 points, but the game is likely to be more defense-oriented, similar to their last meeting. Under is the best bet in this one, but Vegas is also a solid look.
Vegas +6 (-110) Under 41.5 (-110)
