FSM Essential Preview: Vipers Vs Battlehawks - Week 8

Photo Credit: TQ/Franchise Sports Media

Vipers vs Battlehawks – Week 8

Vegas Vipers (2-5) | St. Louis Battlehawks (5-2)

In a Week 8 XFL matchup, the Vegas Vipers travel to the “Show Me State” Saturday to take on the St. Louis Battlehawks, with both teams looking for a solid finish to the year.

The Vipers vs Battlehawks preview.

Vipers vs Brahmas Jalan McClendon — *Photo Credit: TQ/Franchise Sports Media*

Week 8 of the XFL season will feature the Vegas Vipers against the St. Louis Battlehawks to kick off the XFL weekend. The Vipers come off their best performance of the season with a 26-12 win over the San Antonio Brahmas. St. Louis is riding a two-game winning streak, and both games were won by at least nine points. Will Vegas upset the Battlehawks on the road in front of 38,000-plus fans?

After an 0-4 start, Vegas is 2-1 over the last three weeks. The offense has totaled at least 26 points in two of the last three games.

Ahead of Week 7, Vegas made the interesting decision to trade quarterback Luis Perez to the Arlington Renegades. Brett Hundley did not seem like a reliable option, as he struggled in past games. The Vipers went with someone that no one expected, Jalan McClendon. He had only four professional pass attempts before Week 7, which came with the Los Angeles Wildcats in the 2020 season.

Vipers vs Battlehawks Pita Taumoepenu & D.J. Calhoun — *Photo Credit: TQ/Franchise Sports Media*

It seems like Vegas made the correct decision. McClendon had 264 passing yards, and two touchdowns fueled the victory. Most importantly, he was efficient and avoided turnovers. The Vipers are out of the playoff race, but they could play spoiler against some of the XFL title contenders, like the Battlehawks, this week.

The Battlehawks have won back-to-back games by an average margin of 16 points. St. Louis is an excellent online gambling option to win it all, especially after comfortably beating the Houston Roughnecks. Quarterback A.J. McCarron has headlined XFL news since a pair of dramatic wins to open the season. The former Alabama quarterback has continued to shine. It’s safe to say the Battlehawks have the best quarterback in the league.

McCarron ranks second in the XFL with 1,544 passing yards. His 105.2 passer rating leads the league, and he only has four interceptions. For comparison, the Seattle Sea Dragons’ Ben DiNucci, who leads in passing yards, has a league-high nine interceptions.

The Vipers vs Battlehawks looks to be a high-scoring game.

Injury Report

Who is hurt for the Vipers vs Battlehawks game?

Out

WR – Jeff Badet (Thigh)

Probable

LB – Martrell Spaight (Shoulder)

DL – Robert Windsor (Shoulder)

WR – Quinterrius Eatmon (Illness)

WR – Cinque Sweeting (Ankle)

RB – Rod Smith (Knee)

DB – Adam Sparks (Elbow)

WR – Geronimo Allison (Back)

TE – Travis Koontz (Knee)

OL – Jovan Letuli (Heel)

LB – Max Roberts (Concussion)

DB – Antonio Phillips (Back)

Questionable

OL – Mike Miller (Abdomen)

Franchise Sports Media is getting you ready for Vipers vs Battlehawks before kick-off.

XFL Playoff Scenarios:

The XFL have some playoff scenarios taking place.

With only three weeks remaining in the XFL regular season, the playoff picture is starting to take shape. The top two teams from each division will advance to the playoffs, and as it stands, the North and South divisions each have their own tight races. This weekend’s set of games can really decide these playoff races. Here, we break down what needs to happen for each team to make the playoffs.

North Division:

D.C. Defenders (6-1): The Defenders currently hold the top spot in the North Division, and with two wins in their remaining three games, they will clinch first place. The Battlehawks and Sea Dragons are right on their tails. D.C. owns the tiebreaker with the Battlehawks. A win against the Sea Dragons this weekend will also secure the tiebreaker and a playoff spot.
St. Louis Battlehawks (5-2): The Battlehawks are in a solid position to make the playoffs, currently sitting in second place in the division. Their season really comes down to a week nine matchup against the Sea Dragons. They need to win this weekend against the Vipers to stay in the hunt. A loss, with a Seattle win this weekend, could spell trouble for the Ka-Kaw Nation.
Seattle Sea Dragons (5-2): The Sea Dragons are tied with the Battlehawks for second place but need some help to advance. They need to win their remaining games and have the Battlehawks lose at least one game, or they need to win two games and have the Battlehawks lose all three remaining games. Their season really comes down to a week nine matchup against the Battlehawks.
Vegas Vipers (2-5): The Vipers are out of playoff contention, even if they win all their remaining games. The Sea Dragons and Battlehawks face each other in week 9, giving one of those teams six wins.

South Division:

Houston Roughnecks (4-3): The Roughnecks currently lead the South Division and can clinch a playoff berth by winning two of their remaining three games. They can also secure a spot if the Arlington Renegades lose one game and the San Antonio Brahmas lose two.
Arlington Renegades (3-4): The Renegades are in second place in the division and can make the playoffs by winning all their remaining games and having the Roughnecks lose at least one game. They can also advance if they win two games and the Brahmas lose at least one game.
San Antonio Brahmas (2-5): The Brahmas need to win all their remaining games and hope for a combination of losses by the Renegades and Roughnecks to make the playoffs. Their best scenario is winning out and having the Renegades lose all their remaining games while the Roughnecks lose at least two.
Orlando Guardians (1-6): The Guardians are still alive. If the Roughnecks lose their next three games, they still own the tie-breaker. Orlando’s battle is with Arlington and San Antonio. They must beat both teams over the next two weeks to stay in the hunt, starting with this weekend’s must-win game against the Renegades.

With just a few weeks left in the regular season, the XFL playoff race is heating up. Keep an eye on these scenarios as the games unfold, and prepare for an exciting finish to the season.

You and your family should watch the Vipers vs Battlehawks on Saturday.

The Vegas Vipers take on the St. Louis Battlehawks on Saturday. The kick-off is at 10 am, and the game can be seen on ESPN.

-Joe Arrigo – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Joe on Twitter & Instagram at @JoeArrigoFSM

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Joe Arrigo

Joe Arrigo is the co-founder and VP of Franchise Sports Media. Joe has been in media since 2004 when he became the morning host on KKUU and mid-days co-host on KXPS in Pam Springs. After his time in Palm Springs, Joe became the operations manager when he built, programmed, and was on-air for KQCM. He has also had stints on-air in various markets, including Fresno. Joe became the producer and co-host for The Beast 980 (KFWB), a sports talk station in Los Angeles, before moving to Vegas in 2015. In 2019 he founded Franchise Sports Media with TQ.

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