In an all-too-familiar sense, another poor New York team exists. Heading into this Saturday’s matchup, the NY Guardians are last in the XFL in offensive productivity, putting up meager statistics. The Guardians are last in points per game and yards per game over the 3-game spread. They have been contained to just 670 total yards, 139 less yards then the next team, and they have scored just 32 points with a total of 3 touchdowns. Yes, that is right. 3 offensive touchdowns. To compact their woes is an accumulation of penalty yards. The Guardians racked up 86 penalty yards last week against the Battlehawks.
On the other side of the ball, LA is coming off a big blowout win against the DC Defenders. Although their record, like NY’s, is 1-2, they look far more put together. The Wildcats are second in the league in points and third in passing yards per game. An interesting team statistic to mention: the wildcats are dominating the turnover battle, have a +6-turnover ratio in just three games.
Players to Watch:
Nelson Spruce – LA Wildcats WR
Spruce comes into this week 4 matchup second in the XFL in receiving yards. He has consistently performed week to week, posting 103, 78, and 75 yard games. Spruce seems to fair well with the long ball too, reeling in 44 and 45 yard catches in weeks 2 and 3, respectively.
Bunmi Rotimi – NY Guardians DT
Rotimi sits among the top 5 in tackles in the XFL currently. He has 16 tackles over the 3 game stretch, 5 of those tackles being for a loss. Although he’s only obtained one sack, he finds himself in the backfield often and his one sack resulted in a forced fumble.
This Week’s Prediction:
The Guardians and Wildcats matchup this week in NY at Metlife Stadium. NY’s only win came at home week 1 against the Vipers, having suffered road losses the last two weeks. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are coming off a two-game home stretch. The Guardians will need to figure out how to score in order to beat the Wildcats. The Guardians picked up their first 100+ run total last week, a possible sign that their offensive unit may finally be gelling early this season. Against the second worst defense in the XFL currently, this would be the ideal time for some offensive fire power. The Wildcats, however, are again coming off a huge 39-9 victory versus the Defenders. If they can manage to keep their offense hungry, I believe the Wildcats will have a successful week on the road, just as long as their defense can hold back a struggling Guardian attack.
Betting:
This week’s spread is LAW -7 and NYG +7. The over/under is currently sitting at 40. Considering the Wildcats scored 39 points against the statistically better DC defense, and the fact that the Wildcats give up the second most points per game, I feel as if taking the over on this week is a solid bet.
M-FANS 