Guardians vs Battlehawks Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
St. Louis Battling for Final Playoff Spot
We are entering the home stretch of the XFL regular season, followed by a three-game postseason. The biggest story in XFL news is the tight playoff race between the St. Louis Battlehawks and Seattle Sea Dragons. The Battlehawks (6-3) hope to secure their postseason spot against the Orlando Guardians (1-8) on Saturday.
The sportsbook favors St. Louis by nine points. However, the Battlehawks are 0-2 against the spread (ATS) in the last two games, and the Guardians are 3-1-1 ATS over the last five. Will Orlando pull off the upset, ending St. Louis’ playoff hopes?
Guardians Look to Pound the Rock
Orlando is out of playoff contention at 1-8 but will be looking to play spoiler, as it could ruin the Battlehawks’ postseason aspirations. Orlando comes off a 25-23 loss against the San Antonio Brahmas. After taking a 14-3 lead in the second quarter, the Guardians collapsed, outscored 22-9 to end the game.
The secondary was horrendous, allowing over 300 passing yards against one of the league’s worst quarterbacks, Jack Coan. This makes Orlando a tough pick in online gambling, as the Battlehawks are led by MVP candidate A.J. McCarron.
The Guardians’ path to victory likely lies on the ground. St. Louis ranks last in allowed rushing yards per game, and Orlando is third in rushing yards per game. Running back Devin Darrington also comes off an excellent game, with 133 rushing yards on 8.3 yards per carry.
.@d_dking34 punches it in for 6!
Guardians leads 14-3 😤 pic.twitter.com/7uHfQMrSwy
— Orlando Guardians (@XFLGuardians) April 15, 2023
Battlehawks Fate Up to Tiebreaker?
Following a 30-12 loss against the Sea Dragons, the Battlehawks have put themselves in a tough spot. Making the postseason could come down to a complicated tiebreaker. If St. Louis wins against the Guardians and the Sea Dragons lose, the Hawks are in. If both teams lose, the Battlehawks would have a better divisional record. If both win, St. Louis would need to pass Seattle in points scored in divisional games, which the Sea Dragons lead by 19 points.
The regular-season finale will be labeled as a must-win for the Battlehawks. However, winning does not necessarily mean they are in. If both teams win, St. Louis is unlikely to pass Seattle in points scored in divisional games. Week 9’s loss could ruin the Hawks’ title hopes, which are at +500 according in Las Vegas XFL odds.
In Week 9, St. Louis’ defense had one of its worst performances, allowing 371 yards. Quarterback McCarron also had perhaps his worst outing yet, with two interceptions and averaging 5.8 yards per attempt. Orlando ranks second-to-last in allowed passing yards per game. McCarron should rebound with a strong performance, but will it be enough to cover the XFL lines’ large point spread?
Guardians vs Battlehawks Head-to-Head
Orlando and St. Louis have not met this season, but the Battlehawks defeated the Guardians 29-9 in 2020.
Guardians vs Battlehawks Game Information
- Game: Guardians vs Battlehawks
- Date/Time: Saturday, April 22 12:00 pm ET
- Location: The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, MO
- Guardians vs Battlehawks Live Stream: fubo.TV
Guardians vs Battlehawks Game Weather Conditions
The weather will not be a problem in the Battlehawks’ domed stadium.
Guardians vs Battlehawks Betting Lines
Guardians vs Battlehawks Picks and Prediction
- Predicted Score: Battlehawks 27, Guardians 17
Worth Betting ATS?
The spread for this game could be one of the most difficult sport bets of the week. Orlando’s rushing attack should find success, making it a close game. However, the Guardians’ secondary has struggled, and St. Louis has one of the XFL’s best passing attacks. Ultimately, I’m leaning toward the Battlehawks in my XFL picks with postseason stakes on the line. However, this could easily go either way.
Worth Betting on the Totals?
This feels like a much safer bet compared to the point spread. It features the largest projected total of the week at 48. The Battlehawks allow 19.3 points per game and have allowed 20 points once over the last four games. Plus, Orlando’s quarterback Quinten Dormady struggled in last week’s loss. Take the under, as the Guardians will not score enough.
The Orlando Guardians are listed at 300 in our Vegas XFL lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Guardians, you have a chance to win $300. The ST Louis Battlehaeks are -360, offering a chance to win $28 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Orlando Guardians a 25.00% chance to win, with ST Louis Battlehawks at 78.26%
