The season comes to an end for the XFL as the Arlington Renegades face off against the DC Defenders for the XFL Championship. It is time to continue our XFL odds series with a Renegades-Defenders XFL Championship prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The inaugural season of the latest rendition of the XFL is coming to a close, as the XFL heads to the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Arlington Renegades entered the postseason as the second seed in the XFL South. They were just 4-6 on the season but edged out the Brahmas for the last spot in the playoffs.
After opening the season with a win over the Vipers, the Renegades fell to the eventual XFL South regular-season champion Roughnecks in week two. They took a one-point win over Orlando in week three before dropping back to .500 in week four. After eight weeks they were 4-4. They dropped the last two games of the regular season though, first against the Defenders and then the Roughnecks. They would get their revenge on the Roughnecks though. In the playoffs, Arlington raced out to a 14-point lead and dominated the game to make the finals.
While Arlington floated around the .500 mark all year, DC was dominant. They were wire-to-wire leaders in their division and lost just one game in the entire season. They even had a chance to win that game late, but missed a long field goal. In their playoff game, they were as dominant as ever. After going down 3-0 early, they scored nine points before the end of the first quarter to take the lead. Seattle came back and tied it before the end of the half, but the second half belonged to the Defenders. They scored three straight touchdowns and would end up winning by 14.
Now the two squads face again in a rematch of week nine. The Defenders took that one 28-26, but a lot more is on the line this time.
Here are the Renegades-Defenders XFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Renegades-Defenders Odds
Arlington Renegades: +6.5 (-110)
Washington DC Defenders: -6.5 (-110)
Over: 48 (-115)
Under: 48 (-105)
How To Watch Renegades vs. Defenders
TV: ABC
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Renegades Could Cover The Spread
The Renegades are led by Luis Perez at quarterback. This season, Perez has passed for 1,626 yards and nine touchdowns. After missing the loss to Seattle, he had a fairly average performance against Orlando and then picked it up down the stretch. In the regular season finale against Houston, he threw for 205 yards but did throw a costly interception. In the playoffs, he picked it up, throwing for 289 years and three scores to lead his team to a win. Further, in week nine against this defender’s defense, he was amazing. He threw for 335 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
It was one of his best performances of the year, as he had four passes go for over 20 yards. For the Renegades, Perez needs to limit turnovers. The Defenders are one of the best in the league at creating them, and Perez is turnover prone, so limiting them will be key.
Perez did all his work without the help of a star wide receiver. His biggest target was tight end Sal Cannella, who had 42 receptions for 415 yards on the year. His best game of the season was against the Defender when he went for 92 yards on seven catches. The top receiver on the team was Tyler Vaughns. Vaughns was not amazing throughout the year but did catch 31 balls for 302 yards. In his game against the Defenders, he went for 63 yards, catching six of the seven balls thrown his way.
Ultimately, the Renegades need to step up on defense. The Defenders have a great passing attack led by Jordan Ta’amu, and the leagues leading rusher. Last time out, the Renegades’ defense stepped up. They held Houston to a season-low 11 points. If they can do that again, they will have a chance in this one.
Why The Defenders Could Cover The Spread
The Defenders led the XFL in rushing this year, with 1,408 yards. The attack was led by Abram Smith, who went for a league-leading 741 yards on the season. Last time against Arlington, he has his worst game of the year. Amith rushed ten times for just 27 yards and had a fumble. For the Defenders to win this game, they need Smith to be better. Not only does he not allow defenses to cheat on the pass, but he is also valuable in controlling the clock and slowing down the game. The Defenders have a defense that has some holes in it and can allow big plays, so getting a lead and holding it with Smith will be key.
The other major player is Jordan Ta’amu. Ta’amu was a threat through the air and on the ground. Rushing this year, Ta’amu went for 298 yards and three scored. In the air, he was the third leading passer in the XFL with 1.894 yards and 14 touchdowns. Their last time out against Arlington was not his best. He only passed for 188 yards but did throw two touchdowns while throwing an interception. He was limited on the ground though, with just a 14-yard scramble and a two-yard run on the day.
Michael Joseph may be the biggest player in this game. Joseph picked off four passes this year and has a lockdown corner. Last time out against Arlington, he had five tackles including one for a loss. He has not had an interception since week five though, as defenses have shied away from him. If he can get his hands on one in this game, it will turn the tide and the Defenders will win.
Final Renegades-Defenders Prediction & Pick
The Defenders need to just control the ball. If they limit turnovers, the holes in their secondary outside of Joseph will not be exposed. If they do not, Perez will throw on them all day. The biggest key will be the turnover battle. If the Defenders win that, they will easily win this game. If not, it will be a close one. Expect that later. While the Defenders will bring a championship to DC, seven points is just too much.
Final Renegades-Defenders Prediction & Pick: Renegades +6.5 (-110)
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Courtesy : https://clutchpoints.com/xfl-championship-odds-renegades-vs-defenders-prediction-pick-how-to-watch-5-13-2023
