The Los Angeles Lakers have always been big-game hunters when it comes to upgrading their roster, and while they’ve already been linked to big names like Dejounte Murray and Zach LaVine, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin is reporting that they’re also looking for point guard help at a more reasonable price. Two names he reported the Lakers have interest in are Washington Wizards guard Tyus Jones and Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton.
Sexton has thrived since the Jazz inserted him into the starting lineup on Dec. 13. He is averaging nearly 22 points per game as the Jazz have gone on a 15-4 run since then. Of course, as the Lakers saw last season, the Jazz are perfectly willing to break up a successful roster during the season if it fits their long-term goals. If Utah doesn’t view Sexton as a long-term fit and the Lakers are willing to pay the right price, Danny Ainge will likely at least listen. Promising rookie guard Keyonte George may deem Sexton redundant as a long-term fit in Utah.
Jones and the Wizards haven’t been nearly as successful. At 7-32, the Wizards are all but out of the playoff race less than halfway into the season, and as such, all of their veteran players are likely available. That is especially true of Jones, who is on an expiring contract. Though not a pure scorer like Sexton, Jones was one of the NBA’s best backup point guards for years with the Memphis Grizzlies, and would give the Lakers an all-around floor general.
Point guard has been a tricky position for the Lakers this season. They paid D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent this offseason expecting the three of them to serve as their supplementary ball-handlers alongside LeBron James. Vincent has been hurt for most of the campaign, and both Russell and Reaves have been benched at various points this season, though both are currently back in the starting lineup. The Lakers currently rank 22nd in offense and they score 6.2 fewer points per 100 possessions when James sits, so adding offense in some form will be critical.
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The Pacers are making their intentions clear: They’re going for it, and they’re bringing in whomever they feel can help them get to the mountaintop. Two-time All-NBA selection and two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam is headed to Indiana in a three-team deal.
Pacers receive: Pascal Siakam, 2024 second-round pick (via Pelicans) Raptors receive: Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, Kira Lewis Jr., 2024 first-round pick (via Pacers), 2024 first-round pick (lesser of picks from Jazz/Clippers/Rockets/Thunder) and 2026 first-round pick (via Pacers, protected 1-4) Pelicans receive: Cash considerations Siakam, an impending free agent, is expected to work on an extension with Indiana, a key part of what makes him so valuable to his new team. The 29-year-old forward is averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 52.2% from the floor this season.
I like this trade for both major parties involved considering their respective goals. Let’s start with the Pacers, who are taking a big swing and getting a really good player to pair with Tyrese Haliburton. They earned a “B” in Sam Quinn’s trade grades.
Quinn: “The Pacers had two critical needs coming into the trade deadline. The first was simply a natural forward. … The second major need here was a No. 2 scorer. … Siakam obviously checks both boxes, and Indiana is uniquely positioned to maximize him. The Pacers rank seventh in 3-point attempts, 11th in 3-point percentage and second in pace. They have the spacing to mitigate his poor shooting and play so fast that he’ll spend less time off of the ball in half-court settings than he would anywhere else. … He’ll immediately become one of the best defenders on the team.” Toronto, meanwhile, swings its second big trade of the past three weeks after sending OG Anunoby to the Knicks in late December. Combining those moves, the Raptors have acquired two young potential franchise cornerstones (Immanuel Quickley, R.J. Barrett) and significant draft capital. Sam also gave Toronto a “B.”
Quinn: “The 2024 pick they got from Indiana is currently slated to fall somewhere between 17th and 19th, depending on tiebreakers. The pick coming from Oklahoma City is a bit less enticing — currently slated for 27th, and because of the heavy protections on it, it almost certainly won’t get much better. Indiana’s 2026 pick will likely fall somewhere between those two slots. … Fortunately, the Raptors have drafted exceedingly well in that range under Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster. Between 2015 and 2017, they landed Delon Wright at No. 20, Siakam at No. 27 and Anunoby at No. 23.” 😁 Honorable mentions Did a dog peeing on their court inspire the Suns’ comeback against the Kings? Dejounte Murray at the buzzer! Tyus Jones and Collin Sexton are reportedly on the Lakers’ trade radar. Rory McIlroy wants a “Champions League” for golf. Garrett Podell on Aaron Jones is a must-read. This was a great look at Dereck Lively II by Jasmyn Wimbish. South Alabama is expected to promote Major Applewhite to head coach. 😬 Not so honorable mentions Buffalo is bracing for more snow ahead of Chiefs-Bills. The Browns fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and two other assistants. C.J. Gardner-Johnson took shots at Baker Mayfield. Deandre Ayton didn’t play last night because icy roads prevented him from getting to the arena. The SEC reprimanded Nate Oats for pushing Missouri player Aidan Shaw. The ACC reprimanded DJ Horne for flicking the double birds. College basketball! TCU women’s basketball had to forfeit two games due to a lack of players and is holding open tryouts. The ACC and Florida State are at odds. 🏈 Cowboys retain Mike McCarthy as head coach untitled-design-2024-01-18t001829-703.png Getty Images Fool me one time, shame on you. Fool me two times, shame on me. Fool me three times? Well, Jerry Jones will give you one more chance. After three consecutive disappointing playoff exits, Mike McCarthy will return to the Cowboys for the final year of his contract.
After going 6-10 in his first year with Dallas (marred by a Dak Precott injury), McCarthy has reeled off three consecutive 12-5 seasons, and only the Chiefs have a better record over that span. At 62-45 overall, McCarthy has the best record of any coach in franchise history. That’s the good news.
The bad news is each of those last three seasons has ended with a thud, ranging from heartbreaking to humiliating.
Two years ago, the Cowboys fell at home, 23-17, to the 49ers when they failed to get one final play off after calling a Prescott run with no timeouts that made no sense in the first place. Last year, the Cowboys defeated the Buccaneers in the wild-card round (ending Tom Brady’s career) but again fell to the 49ers, this time 19-12. This year, it was the defense’s turn to no-show as the Packers came to Dallas and won, 48-32, a final score that was generous to the hosts considering they trailed by 32. Bryan DeArdo ranked it the Cowboys’ worst loss in their 13 postseason trips since their last Super Bowl, and Jerry Jones called it the “most painful.” Thirteen straight playoff trips without even a conference title game appearance is the longest in NFL history. Is McCarthy the guy to end the Cowboys’ postseason woes? I don’t think McCarthy is a bad coach. I also don’t think he’s a great one. Jared Dubin had McCarthy and staff eighth on his postseason rankings, and that seems about right. The disconnect between regular-season success and postseason failure is hard to explain, but it’s McCarthy’s turn again — probably his last one in Dallas if he fails — to fix it.
🏈 Biggest questions remaining for playoff teams untitled-design-2024-01-18t002513-199.png Getty Images We’re down to eight playoff teams, and it’s an excellent eight. From star quarterbacks in their first postseason (CJ Stroud, Jordan Love) to playoff fixtures (Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen) to everyone in between (maybe-star Brock Purdy, Jared Goff and Baker Mayfield) it’s a really fun group at the game’s most important position … and well beyond that.
We often debate which squad is the best team and how said squad will stack up, and Bryan DeArdo ranked the remaining teams 1-8, in fact.
But what about the questions? The issues that keep coaches and fans up at night? Cody Benjamin tackled the biggest questions for each team left, and there’s a lot on the line for the AFC’s No. 1 seed and its quarterback.
Benjamin: “Baltimore Ravens: Can Lamar get over the hump? — Past playoff games may not directly affect Jackson going into their Divisional Round matchup with Houston, but just like Prescott in Dallas, he’s still got big-stage boxes to check, entering with a 1-3 record as a playoff starter. He’s been more efficient as a passer and decision-maker in Todd Monken’s system, but now it’s time to deliver in a must-win scenario.” I’m a big believer in Baltimore, and Monken’s system that Cody mentioned — and Jackson in it — are huge reasons why. So is the defense. And the special teams. And John Harbaugh. Yeah, it’s a really good team.
🏀 Warriors assistant Dejan Milojevic dies after heart attack untitled-design-2024-01-18t002950-760.png Getty Images Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack. Milojevic had been hospitalized Tuesday night following a medical emergency at a team dinner in Utah. He was 46 years old.
Milojevic had been on the Warriors’ staff since 2021, helping the franchise win the 2022 NBA title. Prior to his time in the NBA, Milojevic coached in his native Serbia — where he coached and mentored a young Nikola Jokic — and in Montenegro. As part of a statement, Steve Kerr said, “In addition to being a terrific basketball coach, Dejan was one of the most positive and beautiful human beings I have ever known, someone who brought joy and light to every single day with his passion and energy.” Adam Silver also released a statement. The Warriors’ game Wednesday against the Jazz was postponed, and games that were played around the league held a pregame moment of silence. Golden State hosts the Mavericks tomorrow.
📺 What we’re watching Thursday 🏀 Bulls at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. on TNT 🏀 No. 14 Virginia Tech at Duke (W), 8 p.m. on ACC Network 🏀 No. 10 LSU at Alabama (W), 9 p.m. on SEC Network 🏀 Grizzlies at Timberwolves, 10 p.m. on TNT
We’ve got another exciting Northwest Division matchup on Thursday’s NBA schedule as the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to tip at 9 p.m. ET at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Utah is 22-20 overall and 15-5 at home, while Oklahoma City is 27-13 overall and 11-8 on the road. It’s been a divisional rivalry that the Thunder have dominated of late, winning and covering the spread in their last four head-to-head matchups with the Jazz.
This season, both teams have been remarkably profitable against the number, with the Thunder going 26-13-1 against the spread and the Jazz going 26-16. For Thursday, Oklahoma City is favored by 3.5 points on the road in the latest Jazz vs. Thunder odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 244 points. Before entering any Thunder vs. Jazz picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Oklahoma City vs. Utah. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Thunder vs. Jazz:
Jazz vs. Thunder spread: Jazz +3.5 Jazz vs. Thunder over/under: 244 points Jazz vs. Thunder money line: Jazz: +132, Thunder: -156 Jazz vs. Thunder picks: See picks at SportsLine What you need to know about the Jazz The Jazz extended their winning streak to six with a 132-105 win over the Pacers on Monday. Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen were among the main playmakers for the Jazz, as the former scored 30 points to go along with five assists, and the latter dropped a double-double on 32 points and 10 rebounds.
Utah has won 12 of its last 14 games entering Thursday night, and Markkanen has been a driving force in that success. He’s averaging 25.0 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting 51.7% from the floor and 42.2% from the 3-point line during that span. See which team to pick here.
What you need to know about the Thunder The Thunder have been a dominant force so far, but they’re in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. They fell 128-117 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday for their second loss in a row. Jalen Williams had a team-high 25 points and seven assists in the loss but Oklahoma City couldn’t stop a torrid shooting night for Los Angeles, which shot 54.0% from the floor and went 20-for-43 from the 3-point line.
Williams is averaging 18.6 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game this season while shooting 45.0% from the 3-point line and 54.8% from the floor. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and rookie Chet Holmgren have helped provide supplemental scoring outside of All-Star guard and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. See which team to pick here.
Key Betting Info The Thunder will be relying on another big game from Gilgeous-Alexander to pull off a win. For the season, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 31 points, 6.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
Some of the betting trends to consider are:
The Jazz are 16-4 against the spread in their last 20 games when at home. The Jazz are 10-3 against the spread in their last 13 games as a home dog. The Thunder are 5-6 against the spread in their last 11 games when the spread was between -5 to -2. How to make Jazz vs. Thunder picks The model has simulated Jazz vs. Thunder 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.We’ve got another exciting Northwest Division matchup on Thursday’s NBA schedule as the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to tip at 9 p.m. ET at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Utah is 22-20 overall and 15-5 at home, while Oklahoma City is 27-13 overall and 11-8 on the road. It’s been a divisional rivalry that the Thunder have dominated of late, winning and covering the spread in their last four head-to-head matchups with the Jazz.
This season, both teams have been remarkably profitable against the number, with the Thunder going 26-13-1 against the spread and the Jazz going 26-16. For Thursday, Oklahoma City is favored by 3.5 points on the road in the latest Jazz vs. Thunder odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 244 points. Before entering any Thunder vs. Jazz picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Oklahoma City vs. Utah. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Thunder vs. Jazz:
Jazz vs. Thunder spread: Jazz +3.5 Jazz vs. Thunder over/under: 244 points Jazz vs. Thunder money line: Jazz: +132, Thunder: -156 Jazz vs. Thunder picks: See picks at SportsLine What you need to know about the Jazz The Jazz extended their winning streak to six with a 132-105 win over the Pacers on Monday. Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen were among the main playmakers for the Jazz, as the former scored 30 points to go along with five assists, and the latter dropped a double-double on 32 points and 10 rebounds.
Utah has won 12 of its last 14 games entering Thursday night, and Markkanen has been a driving force in that success. He’s averaging 25.0 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting 51.7% from the floor and 42.2% from the 3-point line during that span. See which team to pick here.
What you need to know about the Thunder The Thunder have been a dominant force so far, but they’re in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. They fell 128-117 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday for their second loss in a row. Jalen Williams had a team-high 25 points and seven assists in the loss but Oklahoma City couldn’t stop a torrid shooting night for Los Angeles, which shot 54.0% from the floor and went 20-for-43 from the 3-point line.
Williams is averaging 18.6 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game this season while shooting 45.0% from the 3-point line and 54.8% from the floor. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and rookie Chet Holmgren have helped provide supplemental scoring outside of All-Star guard and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. See which team to pick here.
Key Betting Info The Thunder will be relying on another big game from Gilgeous-Alexander to pull off a win. For the season, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 31 points, 6.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
Some of the betting trends to consider are:
The Jazz are 16-4 against the spread in their last 20 games when at home. The Jazz are 10-3 against the spread in their last 13 games as a home dog. The Thunder are 5-6 against the spread in their last 11 games when the spread was between -5 to -2. How to make Jazz vs. Thunder picks The model has simulated Jazz vs. Thunder 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
The United States Football League is returning for its second season this year after an exciting and impressive debut during which the Birmingham Stallions were crowned champions.
Last season, the USFL Draft was primarily used to build the entire league, which is why you saw mainly experienced guys with various professional experiences filter their way to the USFL in season one.
This year, the USFL took a proactive approach with its roster construction and held a College Draft, which essentially is a futures draft of prospects who are in the current 2023 draft class. What makes this unique is that the league is focusing on primarily the players who would be considered Day 3-to-UDFA in the 2023 NFL Draft for this draft.
If a player doesn’t get drafted or ends up getting cut from an NFL roster this season or in the future, they will revert to the roster of the USFL team that selected them.
This year’s inaugural USFL College Draft was 10-rounds long with 80 selections. Let’s see who stood out amongst the newly drafted USFL prospects.
Birmingham Stallions Grade: A Round 1: Kadeem Telfort, OT, UAB Round 2: Quinton Barrow, OT, Grand Valley State Round 3: Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville Round 4: Derius Davis, WR, TCU Round 5: Zeke Vandenburgh, DE, Illinois State Round 6: Colby Sorsdal, OT, William & Mary Round 7: Grant DuBose, WR, Charlotte Round 8: Mark Evans II, OL, Arkansas Pine-Bluff Round 9: BJ Thompson, DE, Stephen F. Austin Round 10: Starling Thomas, DB, UAB The Stallions did a really good job in attacking the small-college prospects, landing really good point of attack players in both OL Colby Sorsdal and Mark Evans II, as well as DE Zeke Vandenburg from Illinois State.
What I liked most QB Malik Cunningham: 6-0 187, Louisville
Landing a true dual-threat like Cunningham just enhances the Stallions offense. Last season, they were markedly better when QB J’Mar Smith took over the job, but he’s still unclear if he is going to return to the league, so the Stallions had to look toward the future with the fleet-footed, deep ball throwing Cunningham. I caught up with him back in January after one of the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl practices.
OT Quinton Barrow: 6-5 322, Grand Valley State
Barrow more than held his own at the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl, and he will give the Stallions a significant presence up front. He is a prospect who is equally as good in pass pro as he is in the run game, and coming out of a system similar to what he’ll see here with the Stallions, the learning curve is much shorter and puts him into the “plug-and-play” territory.
EDGE BJ Thompson: 6-5 238, Stephen F. Austin
Thompson was the talk of East-West Shrine Bowl week because of the tremendous athleticism he possessed. That was practice; in the game, he finished with two QB sacks and a couple of pressures. When I tell you he is equally as athletic going backwards as he is going forward, the Stallions will have themselves a guy who could potentially be defensive player of the year when it is all said and done.
Houston Gamblers Grade: B Round 1: Chase Brice, QB, Appalachian State Round 2: Justin Ford, DB, Montana Round 3: Joseph Fisher, G, Shepherd Round 4: Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State Round 5: Jeffery Johnson, DT, Oklahoma Round 6: Keenan Isaac, DB, Alabama State Round 7: Alex Jensen, OT, South Dakota Round 8: Brady Russell, TE, Colorado Round 9: Jason Taylor II, S, Oklahoma State Round 10: Colby Reeder, LB, Iowa State If you remember last season, the Gamblers, under then head coach Kevin Sumlin, just couldn’t finish games. Mainly because they got worn down toward the backend of contests. Newly hired coach Curtis Johnson wanted to put an emphasis on improving the talent on defense, especially at linebacker with Colby Reeder out of Iowa State, to help eradicate that issue heading into 2023.
What I liked most DB Keenan Issac: 6-2 188, Alabama State
Issac was one of the stars of the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, showcasing the length and athleticism to make things difficult for receivers and quarterbacks as well. Because of the two aforementioned elite traits he has, he’s able to shrink space between he and the football, while also being able to close potentially open windows for the quarterback in the passing game.
DB Justin Ford: 6-0 190, Montana
Ford has really good size and man-to-man skills. This was on display in every game at Montana, where he was matched up against a team’s No. 1 wideout. Also, down at the Hula Bowl, I got an up close and personal look at the matchup skills and athleticism he brings to the table. He’s got the right amount of aggressiveness and patience to make him a top-tier cover guy for the Gamblers.
Memphis Showboats Grade: B+ Round 1: Mason Brooks, OT, Ole Miss Round 2: Isaiah Bolden, CB, Jackson State Round 3: Brevin Allen, DE, Campbell Round 4: Benny Sapp III, DB, Northern Iowa Round 5: Michael Ezeike, TE, UCLA Round 6: Jerome Carvin, OL, Tennessee Round 7: Nehemiah Shelton, CB, San Jose State Round 8: Trea Shropshire, WR, UAB Round 9: Silas Dzansi, OL, Virginia Tech Round 10: Antonio Fletcher, S, Southern Illinois From the looks of it, the Showboats wanted to spotlight athleticism more than anything. That’s evident by the selections of Benny Sapp III, Trea Shropshire and Nehemiah Shelton. Needless to say, there’s an influx of talent and athleticism coming to Memphis in its inaugural season.
What I liked most DE Brevin Allen: 6-3 262, Campbell
Allen had a great week of work at the East-West Shrine Bowl, coming off of a stellar career with the Camels. What is impressive is his heavy hands combined with his ball get off. He gets up on the offensive lineman so quickly and into his chest with those hands, and is able to get significant knockback. Camels coach Mike Minter did a fantastic job with his development.
TE Michael Ezeike: 6-5 245, UCLA
At the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Ezeike was showcasing wide receiver-like skills from the tight end position, so it is no surprise the Showboats snagged a potential matchup nightmare at the position. He spoke with us post-practice about his versatility.The United States Football League is returning for its second season this year after an exciting and impressive debut during which the Birmingham Stallions were crowned champions.
Last season, the USFL Draft was primarily used to build the entire league, which is why you saw mainly experienced guys with various professional experiences filter their way to the USFL in season one.
This year, the USFL took a proactive approach with its roster construction and held a College Draft, which essentially is a futures draft of prospects who are in the current 2023 draft class. What makes this unique is that the league is focusing on primarily the players who would be considered Day 3-to-UDFA in the 2023 NFL Draft for this draft.
If a player doesn’t get drafted or ends up getting cut from an NFL roster this season or in the future, they will revert to the roster of the USFL team that selected them.
This year’s inaugural USFL College Draft was 10-rounds long with 80 selections. Let’s see who stood out amongst the newly drafted USFL prospects.
Birmingham Stallions Grade: A Round 1: Kadeem Telfort, OT, UAB Round 2: Quinton Barrow, OT, Grand Valley State Round 3: Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville Round 4: Derius Davis, WR, TCU Round 5: Zeke Vandenburgh, DE, Illinois State Round 6: Colby Sorsdal, OT, William & Mary Round 7: Grant DuBose, WR, Charlotte Round 8: Mark Evans II, OL, Arkansas Pine-Bluff Round 9: BJ Thompson, DE, Stephen F. Austin Round 10: Starling Thomas, DB, UAB The Stallions did a really good job in attacking the small-college prospects, landing really good point of attack players in both OL Colby Sorsdal and Mark Evans II, as well as DE Zeke Vandenburg from Illinois State.
What I liked most QB Malik Cunningham: 6-0 187, Louisville
Landing a true dual-threat like Cunningham just enhances the Stallions offense. Last season, they were markedly better when QB J’Mar Smith took over the job, but he’s still unclear if he is going to return to the league, so the Stallions had to look toward the future with the fleet-footed, deep ball throwing Cunningham. I caught up with him back in January after one of the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl practices.
OT Quinton Barrow: 6-5 322, Grand Valley State
Barrow more than held his own at the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl, and he will give the Stallions a significant presence up front. He is a prospect who is equally as good in pass pro as he is in the run game, and coming out of a system similar to what he’ll see here with the Stallions, the learning curve is much shorter and puts him into the “plug-and-play” territory.
EDGE BJ Thompson: 6-5 238, Stephen F. Austin
Thompson was the talk of East-West Shrine Bowl week because of the tremendous athleticism he possessed. That was practice; in the game, he finished with two QB sacks and a couple of pressures. When I tell you he is equally as athletic going backwards as he is going forward, the Stallions will have themselves a guy who could potentially be defensive player of the year when it is all said and done.
Houston Gamblers Grade: B Round 1: Chase Brice, QB, Appalachian State Round 2: Justin Ford, DB, Montana Round 3: Joseph Fisher, G, Shepherd Round 4: Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State Round 5: Jeffery Johnson, DT, Oklahoma Round 6: Keenan Isaac, DB, Alabama State Round 7: Alex Jensen, OT, South Dakota Round 8: Brady Russell, TE, Colorado Round 9: Jason Taylor II, S, Oklahoma State Round 10: Colby Reeder, LB, Iowa State If you remember last season, the Gamblers, under then head coach Kevin Sumlin, just couldn’t finish games. Mainly because they got worn down toward the backend of contests. Newly hired coach Curtis Johnson wanted to put an emphasis on improving the talent on defense, especially at linebacker with Colby Reeder out of Iowa State, to help eradicate that issue heading into 2023.
What I liked most DB Keenan Issac: 6-2 188, Alabama State
Issac was one of the stars of the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, showcasing the length and athleticism to make things difficult for receivers and quarterbacks as well. Because of the two aforementioned elite traits he has, he’s able to shrink space between he and the football, while also being able to close potentially open windows for the quarterback in the passing game.
DB Justin Ford: 6-0 190, Montana
Ford has really good size and man-to-man skills. This was on display in every game at Montana, where he was matched up against a team’s No. 1 wideout. Also, down at the Hula Bowl, I got an up close and personal look at the matchup skills and athleticism he brings to the table. He’s got the right amount of aggressiveness and patience to make him a top-tier cover guy for the Gamblers.
Memphis Showboats Grade: B+ Round 1: Mason Brooks, OT, Ole Miss Round 2: Isaiah Bolden, CB, Jackson State Round 3: Brevin Allen, DE, Campbell Round 4: Benny Sapp III, DB, Northern Iowa Round 5: Michael Ezeike, TE, UCLA Round 6: Jerome Carvin, OL, Tennessee Round 7: Nehemiah Shelton, CB, San Jose State Round 8: Trea Shropshire, WR, UAB Round 9: Silas Dzansi, OL, Virginia Tech Round 10: Antonio Fletcher, S, Southern Illinois From the looks of it, the Showboats wanted to spotlight athleticism more than anything. That’s evident by the selections of Benny Sapp III, Trea Shropshire and Nehemiah Shelton. Needless to say, there’s an influx of talent and athleticism coming to Memphis in its inaugural season.
What I liked most DE Brevin Allen: 6-3 262, Campbell
Allen had a great week of work at the East-West Shrine Bowl, coming off of a stellar career with the Camels. What is impressive is his heavy hands combined with his ball get off. He gets up on the offensive lineman so quickly and into his chest with those hands, and is able to get significant knockback. Camels coach Mike Minter did a fantastic job with his development.
TE Michael Ezeike: 6-5 245, UCLA
At the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Ezeike was showcasing wide receiver-like skills from the tight end position, so it is no surprise the Showboats snagged a potential matchup nightmare at the position. He spoke with us post-practice about his versatility.
The USFL will have a new president as it enters Year 2 of its rebrand. Daryl Johnston, a three-time Super Bowl champion during his playing days with the Dallas Cowboys, has been promoted from executive vice president to president.
Johnston, also a longtime analyst for the Fox NFL broadcast booth, takes over for Brian Woods, who stepped down as USFL president in order to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. As vice president, Johnston played an integral role in the USFL becoming the first spring league in nearly 40 years to complete its season in 2022 and return for a second season.
“I think that Year 1 was very successful,” Johnston recently said in an interview with CBS Sports. “I think more of what you’re trying to do is establish a stand-alone league that provides a non-traditional route back to the NFL. … We’re about football, we’re about the why, what motivates the guys, what you are trying to accomplish here and trying to do everything we can from a coaching and from an exposure standpoint to give them an opportunity to continue to chase that dream.”
The league certainly achieved its goal last year of providing its players with NFL opportunities. Over 180 USFL players worked out for NFL teams last season, with 60 players signing NFL contracts. More than 20 players ended up on NFL rosters, with KaVontae Turpin, the USFL MVP last year, earning All-Pro honors with the Cowboys last season.
“The success of your model causes you to reload your workforce 25, 30, 35% every year,” Johnston said.
Fortunately for the USFL, both quarterbacks who played in last year’s league championship game — J’Mar Smith of the Birmingham Stallions and Case Cookus of the Philadelphia Stars — will be back for their respective teams. Mike Abernathy, a veteran safety who spent time last fall with the Packers and Falcons, is back patrolling the secondary for the Houston Gamblers.
After playing each of their regular-season games in Birmingham, the USFL has expanded into four hubs for 2023: Birmingham, Detroit, Canton and Memphis. Two teams will share hubs this season based on their proximity to their home cities.
Johnston is especially excited to have games played this year in Ford Field, which also hosts the Detroit Lions and will host the USFL’s Michigan Panthers and Philadelphia Stars. The is the second time the Panthers have played home games in Detroit. The original Panthers played their home games at the Pontiac Silverdome.
“That’s the last championship in the early go-around with the USFL,” Johnston said of the Panthers. “It was easy to tap into some of that support, some of that passion with the Michigan Panthers. Very excited to see what they do.”
Johnston is also anxious to see if the Pittsburgh Maulers can create a home-field advantage while playing games this season in Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which is less than 100 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The Maulers have also adopted black and gold while matching Pittsburgh’s other pro sports teams.
“It just seemed like a natural fit with Pittsburgh being close by,” Johnston said about stationing the Maulers in Canton. “The change in the color scheme, getting into that traditional gold and black of what all the Pittsburgh teams are, I think was a great move by our people at the USFL.”
The USFL has several rules and regulations that separates itself from the NFL, including the ability to retain possession after a score if the offensive team converts a 4th-and-12 play from their own 25-yard-line. The league is also upping its safety measures by allowing players to wear ProTech helmet covers during practices and games.
“What it does, in eliminating the potential for some concussive and concussive hits, is very impressive from the data and it’s obviously better than a helmet alone,” Johnston said. “We felt that it was necessary from our players.”
The USFL’s second season will kick things off with a double-header on April 15. The Stars will take on the Showboats at 4:30 p.m. ET, and the defending champion Stallions will host the New Jersey Generals at 7:30 p.m. ET.
J’Mar Smith and Case Cookus have three things in common. First, both quarterbacks led their teams to last year’s USFL Championship Game. Second, each suffered an injury in the title game that led to a premature exit: Smith was sidelined just after halftime, then after Cookus left the game with a broken leg, the Birmingham Stallions scored two quick touchdowns to pull off a 33-30 victory over the Philadelphia Stars in what was a highly-entertaining finale.
The third thing Smith and Cookus have in common? They both spoke with CBS Sports ahead of the USFL’s upcoming second season — four decades after the league’s original run from 1984-86. Both interviews are part of our 2023 USFL season preview that includes breakdowns of each team ahead of this weekend’s opening slate of games (check out the full schedule here). Our preview begins with Smith and the defending champion Stallions, whose title defense will begin this Saturday night, April 15, against the the visiting New Jersey Generals in a matchup between two teams that went 9-1 during the 2022 regular season.
After all the league’s regular season games were held in Birmingham last year, three new venues have been added to the mix for 2023: Memphis, Canton and Detroit.
Below we’ll dive into a preview of each team, including the hub they’ll call home, followed by a look at the schedule. For all our USFL coverage, click here.
Birmingham Stallions Last season: 9-1, defending champs, defeated New Orleans and Philadelphia in playoffs Home hub: Birmingham, Alabama (Protective Stadium) Skip Holtz’s team returns about 80% of last year’s championship roster. That includes Smith, who said he is roughly 10-15 pounds lighter than he was last year. Smith attributed the weight loss to extra cardio work and eliminating sweets (especially Gushers) from his diet.
A former baseball player who was drafted by the Padres back in 2015, Smith has taken something out of each chapter of a career that is truly unique. That journey included an offseason spent with the New England Patriots shortly after the team parted with Tom Brady and just prior to them signing Cam Newton.
“We had meetings from 6 a.m. to probably 2 p.m.,” Smith said of his time in New England. “That was the most I’ve ever stared at a computer screen. The thing I am appreciative of is it made me a better football player, understanding football, understanding schemes, the holes of defenses and offenses and how we needed to move the ball.
“I really appreciate Coach Belichick and definitely Coach McDaniels. He made sure everything was his way, the Belichick way and the Patriot way.”
Smith, who said that former Tennessee Titans standout Steve McNair was his favorite quarterback growing up, is hoping the weight loss will allow him to “enjoy the scrambling life a little bit whenever the opportunity comes.” He is also expecting more of a contribution this season from receiver Marlon Williams, who last season finished second in the USFL in touchdown catches and third in receiving yards.
.@jmar_smith to @TheReall__6 for a 41-yard touchdown‼️ #GiddyUp
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/EXuczeeRvg
— Birmingham Stallions (@USFLStallions) July 4, 2022 Going 1-0 each week was the Stallions’ mentality throughout their championship season, and it continues to be their mantra this season. While repeating is one of the hardest things to do in sports, Smith and his teammates are up to the challenge. Taking advantage of each day, Smith said, will go a long way in determining whether or not the Stallions can repeat.
“We have a bullseye on our back,” Smith said. “Every team wants to take down Birmingham. Every team wants a shot at Birmingham. We know what comes with this, so the thing we have to do is go out and execute at a high level in practice so that it can translate to game time.”
Running back Bo Scarbrough and linebacker Scooby Wright are two other key members of Birmingham’s championship team that are back for the 2023 season. Both players scored touchdowns in last year’s championship game win over Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Stars Last season: 6-4, defeated New Jersey in playoffs, lost to Birmingham in championship game Home hub: Detroit (Ford Field) The Stars won four of their last five regular season games before upsetting the Generals in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia had Birmingham on the ropes before Cookus’ injury turned the game’s momentum in the Stallions’ favor.
“Bummer” is the word Cookus used when looking back at the situation. While the injury and subsequent loss hurt, it didn’t take away from the experience of playing in the championship game.
“It was electric,” Cookus said of the atmosphere inside Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium that day. “I talked to a few people and my wife had talked to some people in the stands, and they had traveled from all over to come watch the game. It was so awesome to see. I think there was someone there from Arizona that had watched me in college. Things like that, it’s what makes sports special. And that’s what’s so cool about the USFL is that it’s given an opportunity to a bunch of guys to create those moments.”
.@CaptainCookus10… ARE YOU SERIOUS?!
An incredible play by QB1 keeping this 3rd down play alive to find @Jordan_Suell yet again for a score.
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/jxE25Dp6LN
— Philadelphia Stars (@USFLStars) July 4, 2022 Cookus’ offseason included a successful rehab of his injury. It also included a seven-week stint with the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
“It was something I’ve been working towards, so it was awesome to see some of the hard work I put in, to rehabbing my injury to being picked up and signed to an NFL team,” Cookus said. “Matthew (Stafford) was so nice to me. He took the time to just explain little things here and there to me. Coach McVay, he’s a personality. I think he kind of surprised me with how cool of a guy he really was. Our whole quarterback room was a great room to be in. And then Baker (Mayfield) came along. I didn’t know much about Baker, so being able to get to talk to him and get to know who he is, he was a great guy and I learned a lot from him as well.”
Like Smith, Cookus has used each stop along his football journey as a way to improve himself as a football player. His pro career has included stints with five NFL teams and an additional year in the Canadian Football League. It has also included his time as the Stars’ starting quarterback, a position he does not take for granted.
“Especially with the injury, I felt like I just have to keep working,” he said. “That’s the one great thing about football is you’re never done learning and you’re never done getting better.
“For me, it was really pushing hard this offseason to rehab my ankle and also clean up my football. There’s a lot of stuff that I wanted to work on. It’s great knowing that I’m coming back and returning to a team that I know.”
Cookus’ football achievements include being the 2015 recipient of the Jerry Rice Award, an award given annually to the best freshman player in NCAA Division I. He’s hoping to accomplish the ultimate team goal before his playing career is over.
“Winning a championship is what it’s about,” he said. “Whether it’s USFL, Super Bowl, I think winning a championship in some capacity. It’s a hard thing to do at any level. We were close later year, and we’re going to try to make a run at it this year.”
Cookus will again be aided on offense by running back Matt Coburn II, who scored nine total touchdowns last season while becoming one of the league’s best red zone scoring threats.
New Jersey Generals Last season: 9-1, lost to Philadelphia in the playoffs Home hub: Canton, Ohio (Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium) The Generals lost one of their key players from last year’s team to the NFL in Cowboys All-Pro return specialist KaVontae Turpin. New Jersey does have several other key players from last year’s squad coming back, however, including reigning Offensive Player of the Year Darius Victor. Led by Victor and fellow running back Trey Williams, the Generals averaged a league high 161 yards on the ground in 2022. They’ll look to follow that same recipe for success in 2023.
New Jersey’s defense will again be led by hard-hitting safety Shalom Luani, who is one of the preseason favorites to win USFL Defensive Player of the Year.
New Orleans Breakers Last season: 6-4, lost to Birmingham in the playoffs Home hub: Birmingham, Alabama (Protective Stadium) A playoff team last season, the Breakers have a new coach this season in John DeFilippo, who won a Super Bowl in 2017 as the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach. The Breakers’ defense, which allowed the fewest points in the USFL last season, will continue to be led by defensive tackle Reggie Howard Jr., who was included in last year’s All-USFL defensive team. The defense is also welcoming back linebacker Jerod Fernandez, pass rusher Jordan Brailford and safety Greg Eisworth II.
The Breakers’ offense will be led by wideout Jonnie Dixon III and quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. Dixon led the Breakers in receptions and touchdown catches last season. Bethel-Thompson, 34, comes to New Orleans after winning two Grey Cups with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.
Houston Gamblers Last season: 3-7 Home hub: Memphis, Tennessee (Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium) Houston will be coached this season by Curtis Johnson, a veteran NFL assistant coach who won a Super Bowl with the Saints in 2009. He also had a four-year stint at Tulane’s head coach.
The Gamblers will have two of their top players back from a season ago in running back Mark Thompson and linebacker Beniquez Brown. Thompson’s success last season led to a tryout last winter with the Green Bay Packers. Brown actually started his pro career with the Packers before spending time in the XFL (in 2020) and the now-defunct Alliance of American Football.
Michigan Panthers Last season: 2-8 Home hub: Detroit (Ford Field) The Panthers are one of three teams who will play home games in their hometown. Leading Michigan this season is former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan, who is replacing fellow former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher. On offense, Nolan will likely lean on Reggie Corbin, who was one of the USFL’s top rushers in 2022. A defensive mind, Nolan will work closely with linebacker Frank Ginda, who had a whopping 90 tackles last season. Ginda’s pro career includes time with the NFL’s Dolphins and Saints.
Pittsburgh Maulers Last season: 1-9 Home hub: Canton, Ohio (Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium) Pittsburgh underwent a noticeable makeover this offseason. The team adopted Pittsburgh’s black and gold color scheme while also going through a coaching change. The Maulers will be coached this season by Ray Horton, a longtime NFL coach who has a player won a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys in 1992. He won two more Super Bowls as a member of the Steelers coaching staff in the 2000s.
USFL president Daryl Johnston is hoping that Pittsburgh fans will make the trip to Canton to provide the Maulers with a home field advantage in 2023. The defense is expected to be good, but the jury is out on a Pittsburgh offense after the unit struggled to produce last year.
Memphis Showboats Home hub: Memphis, Tennessee (Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium)
Memphis makes its USFL return after not being part of the league’s reboot last season, replacing the Tampa Bay Bandits. Showboats fans will quickly take notice of wideout Derrick Dillon, who spent time with the Cleveland Browns last summer following a successful campaign with the Bandits. Dillion enjoyed a successful college career at LSU that included catching a touchdown pass from Joe Burrow in the Tigers’ Fiesta Bowl win over USF in January of 2019.
2023 USFL schedule The league kicks off Saturday, April 15, with a 10-week regular season, followed by the playoffs. The top two teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs, with semifinals on June 24-25. The USFL Championship Game will be played in Canton on July 1.
Despite being a two-time Super Bowl champion, a former Super Bowl MVP and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ career receiving leader, it’s safe to say that Hines Ward’s first win as a head coach is up there in his list of career achievements.
Ward earned his first victory as a head coach after his San Antonio Brahmas whitewashed the Orlando Guardians in the XFL’s second week of action. It came a week after Ward’s team suffered a shocking, last minute loss to the St. Louis BattleHawks, who remain undefeated after pulling off a similar comeback in Week 2 in Seattle.
Both teams solidified spots in the top half of our XFL Power Rankings. Neither, however, was able to supplant the teams who continue to command the top two spots on our list. Here’s a look at the Power Rankings ahead of the XFL’s third week.
D.C. Defenders (2-0) Last week: No. 1 For a second straight week, the Defenders won despite a slow start. D.C. trailed Las Vegas 6-0 at halftime before outscoring the Vipers 18-0 in the second half.
A dominant running game and Gregg Williams’ equally dominant defense has been the Defenders’ recipe for success. Led by Abram Smith, the Defenders gashed the Vipers to the tune of 229 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. But like their first game, the Defenders again did not get much in the passing game. Look for D’Eriq King, who scored a touchdown against the Vipers, to get more work under center if Jordan Ta’amu continues to struggle.
We’ll find out more about D.C. this weekend when they take on one of the XFL’s other two unbeaten teams in the St. Louis BattleHawks.
Houston Roughnecks (2-0) Last week: No. 2 No team has been more impressive through two weeks than Houston, which backed up its 21-point win over Orland in Week 1 by defeating a solid Arlington Renegades team.
After a back-and-forth first half, Houston outscored Arlington 12-0 in the second half. Along with getting impeccable play from his defense, Roughnecks coach Wade Phillips received efficient play from quarterback Brandon Silvers, who threw two touchdowns while not turning the ball over. Silvers has taken advantage of arguably the XFL’s best group of pass catches, led by Jontre Kirklin, Ben Putman, Cedric Byrd and Deontay Burnett.
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St. Louis BattleHawks (2-0) Last week: No. 3 St. Louis keeps it spot at No. 3 after pulling off another impressive comeback. For a second straight week, the BattleHawks overcame a 12-point deficit on the road to come away with a win. In both games, St. Louis received strong play by quarterback A.J. McCarron, who has quickly become one the league’s most recognizable players.
Though his numbers don’t jump off a page, McCarron has been clutch in big moments. He has yet to throw an interception while seldom putting his offense in bad spots. Like Silvers, McCarron has a talented receiving crops that includes Hakeem Butler, Austin Proehl and Marcell Ateman. The BattleHawks’ offense also features Mataeo Durant, who spent four months with the Steelers last summer following an impressive college career at Duke.
As good as they’ve been so far, the BattleHawks’ defense would benefit by putting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They didn’t have a sack last week after having two in their season-opener. We’ll see if they can step up this Sunday against the No. 1 Defenders.
San Antonio Brahmas (1-1) Last week: No. 6 Ward’s team had the perfect bounce-back opponent last week in the form of Orlando, which justified its ongoing status as the league’s last-ranked team (more on that later). After a tight first quarter, the Brahmas pulled away by scoring three touchdowns in the second and third quarters. They shut out Orlando during that span before Ranthony Texada’s fourth-quarter pick set up San Antonio’s final score.
The Brahmas’ defense balled out, but their best player may have been quarterback Jack Coan, who on Sunday became the XFL’s first player this season to throw three touchdown passes. Coan also took care of the ball while completing nearly 67% of his passes. The Brahmas’ running game could be better, though, after they averaged 3.4 and 2.5 yards-per-carry during their first two games. Big plays have also largely been missing from San Antonio’s offense through two games.
Arlington Renegades (1-1) Last week: No. 4 The No. 2-ranked team in our Power Rankings prior to Week 1, Arlington continues to move in the wrong direction after failing to hang with Houston this past weekend. Arlington’s defense is good, but it’s clear that it needs more help from its offense in order to succeed.
The Renegades scored their first offensive touchdown of the season on Sunday, but Bob Stoops’ offense continues have issues. They gained just 163 yards against Houston that included a meager 43 yards on 19 carries. Along with not getting much help from his running game, quarterback Drew Plitt was often hung out to dry by his offensive linemen as he was sacked five times.
Seattle Sea Dragons (0-2) Last week: No. 5 Seattle has been the hard luck team of the XFL so far. It lost a hard-fought game to the Defenders in Week 1 before being on the wrong side of McCarron’s most recent comeback last week.
The Sea Dragons have received solid quarterback play from Ben DiNucci, who threw two touchdowns against the BattleHawks. More importantly, DiNucci took care of the ball after committing three costly turnovers in Week 1. Seattle’s offense has found a player in Morgan Ellison, who had four catches against St. Louis while also averaging five yards per carry.
With teams focusing on Josh Gordon (who was targeted just twice last week), DiNucci needs to develop more trust with the rest of his receiving corps in order for Seattle to have more success offensively.
Las Vegas Vipers (0-2) Last week: No. 7 The only thing worse than the Vipers’ offense in Week 2 was the playing conditions on Vegas’ Cashman Field, which was very slick in the rain. Those conditions certainly didn’t help the Vipers’ offense, which had less than 200 yards of total offense. The Vipers, who received nothing from former Steelers wideout Martavis Bryant, are in desperate need of a playmaker.
Las Vegas made an interesting decision last week in replacing Luis Perez with former Packers quarterback Brett Hundley, who went 11 of 18 for 98 yards while failing to direct a scoring drive.
Orlando Guardians (0-2) Last week: 8 Along with losing games, Guardians coach Terrell Buckley appears to be in jeopardy of losing his team. Buckley basically threw his entire team under the bus following the 30-12 loss to San Antonio. Buckley said that he saw players who “are not competing” during Sunday’s game.
As stated here following their Week 1 loss to Houston, the Guardians’ season won’t get turned around until they get better play from quarterbacks Paxton Lynch and Deondre Francois. Until that happens, Orlando needs to lean more on what has been a solid rushing attack, led by Jah-Maine Martin.
Week 2 of the XFL couldn’t live up to Week 1’s excitement. Thursday night’s matchup between the St. Louis Battlehawks and Seattle Sea Dragons was certainly entertaining, but if you missed the other three games, well, you didn’t miss much.
Here are my takeaways through two weeks: One, it’s wild how A.J. McCarron goes from Zach Wilson to Tom Brady in the second half of games, and equally just as wild that his Battlehawks are 2-0. Credit to them for coming up big late two weeks in a row. They are like the XFL’s Minnesota Vikings or something. Two, the D.C. Defenders may actually be the best team in the league. With Gregg Williams’ defense and a solid rushing attack, they are one of three undefeated squads entering Week 3.
If the best XFL team is not the Defenders, then it’s definitely the Houston Roughnecks. Quarterback Brandon Silvers threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns last week in a nine-point win over the Arlington Renegades. You have to love that 75-year-old Wade Phillips is still out there doing his thing. Finally, the Orlando Guardians are absolutely terrible. We’ll talk about them more down below.
After going 4-0 ATS in Week 1, I went 1-3 ATS in Week 2. Let’s see what happens this week.
ATS record: 5-3 Straight up record: 5-3
XFL Favorites ATS: 4-4
All odds are via Caesars Sportsbook
Seattle Sea Dragons (-3) at Vegas Vipers Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (FX/ESPN+)
I guess we have to start with what I believe is the most unpredictable game of the week. The Sea Dragons probably should be 2-0, but they have blown second-half leads in each of their first two games. Believe it or not, the Vipers have blown second-half leads in their first two games as well. Which team will show up in the fourth quarter this week? That’s the question.
The other reason this game feels unpredictable is because the Vipers may be making a quarterback switch. Brett Hundley replaced Luis Perez last week, and he completed 11 of 18 passes for 98 yards. He also rushed five times for 24 yards. Ben DiNucci and the Sea Dragons are the best 0-2 team in the league, so I’m going to lay the points. Would rather not bet this game, though.
The pick: Sea Dragons -3 Projected score: Sea Dragons 15-10
St. Louis Battlehawks at D.C. Defenders (-2.5) Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FX/ESPN+)
I’m a Defenders “fan,” but they surprised me last week. Despite the Week 1 victory, their offensive performance gave me pause. Without that raucous home-field advantage, I wondered how would they fare all the way across the country in Vegas. Well, D.C. was outscored 6-0 in the first half, but then went on an 18-0 run in the final two quarters. Jordan Ta’amu threw for just 93 yards on 23 passing attempts, but the Defenders rushed for a whopping 229 yards and two touchdowns.
The Battlehawks have started the season off with two game-winning drives, but I think the X factor in this week’s matchup is that the Defenders are playing in D.C. Give me the Defenders to remain perfect in a battle of unbeatens.
The pick: Defenders -2.5 Projected score: Defenders 20-15
Orlando Guardians at Arlington Renegades (-8) Sunday, 4 p.m. ET (FX/ESPN+)
My unfortunate mistake last week was trusting the Guardians to cover a spread. They have now lost both games by at least 18 points, and frustrations appear to be mounting. Eight points is clearly the biggest number we’ve seen this year in the XFL, but I’m not brave enough to trust Orlando. Take Arlington everything, and throw that ML in a parlay, too.
Terrell Buckely did not hold back 😳@XFL2023 | @XFLGuardians pic.twitter.com/q3ABgdfONh
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 26, 2023 The pick: Renegades -8 Projected score: Renegades 24-14
San Antonio Brahmas at Houston Roughnecks (-4.5) Sunday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
The Roughnecks have won both of their first two games by at least nine points. We all know they are good, but personally, I’m still trying to get a feel on the Brahmas. In Week 1 vs. the Battlehawks, they had an epic collapse that’s worthy of its own documentary. In Week 2, they blew out the worst team in the league — although they didn’t really take control until the second half. Jack Coan completed 16 of 24 passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns against the lowly Guardians. I think we will learn more about him in this week’s matchup.
I’m going to lean to the favorites here, but I don’t love the number. San Antonio is 1-1 ATS and Houston is 2-0, but I’m probably more comfortable putting the Roughnecks in a ML parlay. (Renegades ML + Roughnecks ML = -120).
The XFL is gearing up for Week 3 of the 2023 season as the calendar turns to March. This week’s slate of games has several compelling storylines that includes one matchup that will likely generate the most interest.
The D.C. Defenders, who have commanded the top spot in each of our XFL Power Rankings this season, are one of three teams who enter the weekend with perfect records. D.C. will put its 2-0 record on the line Sunday against the BattleHawks, who are also 2-0 after winning both of their games after trailing by a dozen points.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the XFL’s first game of the weekend between the Sea Dragons and Vipers, whose combined record is 0-4. The Orlando Guardians, the perennial last-place team in our Power Rankings, have their work cut out for them Sunday against a Renegades team that is looking to avenge last week’s loss to Houston.
Here’s a complete look at this weekend’s games along with our predictions for each contest.
Seattle Sea Dragons (0-2) at Vegas Vipers (0-2) Date: Saturday, March 4 | Time: 7 p.m. ET Location: Cashman Field (Las Vegas) TV: FX, ESPN+ | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Seattle played well enough to win its first two games, but failed to make enough critical plays down the stretch. Conversely, the Vipers were extremely sluggish in last week’s loss to Houston. Despite this, Las Vegas’ defense, as they showed in Week 1, is capable of taking over a game by itself. The Vipers also have some offensive potential in the form of Brett Hundley, who replaced Luis Perez during last Sunday’s loss.
Vegas could be primed for an upset, but until its offense shows it can move the ball consistently, I’m not going to give the Viper the benefit of the doubt. Prediction: Sea Dragons over Vipers
St. Louis BattleHawks (2-0) at D.C. Defenders (2-0) Date: Sunday, March 5 | Time: 1 p.m. ET Location: Audi Field (Washington, D.C.) TV: FX, ESPN+ | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
St. Louis has the league’s best quarterback in A.J. McCarron, who was the main component in both of the BattleHawks’ comeback wins. But the Defenders have a tough defense and a dominant rushing attack, led by former Baylor standout Abram Smith. St. Louis will hang tough, but the Defenders will be 3-0 when all is said and done. Prediction: Defenders over BattleHawks
Orlando Guardians (0-2) at Arlington Renegades (1-1) Date: Sunday, March 5 | Time: 4 p.m. ET Location: Choctaw Stadium (Arlington, Texas) TV: FX, ESPN+ | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Arlington has major issues on offense, but Orlando is a mess from top to bottom, especially at quarterback. This should be a breakout game for Arlington quarterback Drew Plitt, who threw as many touchdowns as interceptions during the season’s first two games. Don’t be surprised if Arlington’s defense scores as many points as its offense in this one. Prediction: Renegades over Guardians
San Antonio Brahmas (1-1) at Houston Roughnecks (2-0) Date: Sunday, March 5 | Time: 8 p.m. ET Location: TDECU Stadium (Houston, Texas) TV: ESPN2/ESPN+ | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Bridesmaids in our most recent Power Rankings, Houston may very well be the league’s best team. It has a tough defense and arguably the league’s best receiving corps. The Brahmas also have a solid defense and quarterback in Jack Coan, who last week became the XFL’s first quarterback to throw three touchdowns in a game. This should be a good contest between two teams that are trending upwards. Prediction: Roughnecks over Brahmas
It was the highest-scoring game of the XFL season so far, a clash of unbeaten teams filled with defensive takeaways, impressive returns and eventually, some fighting. The St. Louis BattleHawks and D.C. Defenders faced off on Sunday and things escalated in the final minutes with three ejections representing both sides.
The back-and-forth game saw the Defenders up 34-28 in the final ticks. The BattleHawks had the opportunity to attempt a fourth-and-15 rather than attempt an onside kick to maintain possession after a fumble recovery they had capitalized on and turned into eight points.
Things then took a turn as players from both sides went after each other, fists flying. Coaches got involved, attempting to bring their players onto the sideline.
The officials announced No. 43 on D.C., linebacker Francis Bernard, No. 73 on D.C., offensive lineman Rod Taylor and No. 23 on St. Louis, running back Brian Hill were all ejected over their participating in the brawl.
Here is a look at what went down:
St. Louis Battlehawks and D.C. Defenders fight at the end of their #XFL game. #KaKaw pic.twitter.com/2mSmVPLVsP
— STL Sports (@Cards_Blues) March 5, 2023 St. Louis quarterback A.J. McCarron was sacked by Dalvin Bellamy on the fourth down attempt for a loss of seven yards, sealing the win for D.C.
On the following play, the Defenders had the ball and it was clear both sides still had high emotions as they continue to spat. The time then ran down and the Defenders were given the win, improving to 3-0. The BattleHawks fell to 2-1.
These two teams had an exciting battle and are set to see each other again in Week 5, on March 18 at 7 p.m. Mark your calendars because if this first matchup is any indication, that game will be a riveting one.
