XFL Week 6 Preview: Defenders Look to Stay Undefeated Against the Roughnecks
Only One Unbeaten Team Remains Halfway Through Season

Defenders Host Roughnecks in the Battle of Best
Thanks to an upset last week, only one unbeaten team is left in the 2023 XFL season: the D.C. Defenders. Unlike Houston, which lost to Seattle last Thursday, D.C. stayed perfect by beating St. Louis.
The win also allowed D.C. to sweep the season series against St. Louis, a team that has only lost to D.C. Now, the Roughnecks get to bounce back by also ending D.C.’s undefeated streak in what should be the featured game of this XFL Week 6 preview.
XFL Week 5 Betting Report: Underdogs Bite Back
The Roughnecks went down but were not the only favorite to do so. In fact, underdogs came back with a vengeance in Week 5.
Favorites dominated Weeks 3 and 4 going 8-0 on the moneyline and 7-1 against the spread (ATS). But this past week, underdogs went 2-2 straight-up and 3-1 ATS. The only favorite to finish Week 5 unscathed were the Defenders who won and covered their two-point spread.
Orlando remained winless but it managed to cover its spread against Las Vegas (+7.5). The two also put up the highest total of the season at 67 points. Despite their records and tough XFL schedule, Orlando’s and Vegas’s games have gone over the total four out of five times each.
As for the Reneges, it edged its Texan counterpart, San Antonio, by two points to finally cover a spread. Arlington was the only team that had failed to do so thanks to plenty of narrow victories.
But as an underdog, it edged San Antonio, which fell to 1-4 for the season and is the least of the three Texas-based XFL franchises.
Seattle Sea Dragons vs Orlando Guardians
Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Day/Time: S Streaming: ABC
Winners of three straight, the Sea Dragons are heavily favored to make it four. Seattle visits the winless Guardians as 9.5-point favorites, the widest of the weekend.
Seattle is 1-1 as a visitor while Orlando has not even covered a spread at home. The Guardians lost both home games by a combined score of 46 points. Quarterback Quinten Dormady has taken over for Paxton Lynch and held his own in a shootout with Vegas. He should get the nod again.
St. Louis Battlehawks vs Vegas Vipers
Location: Cashman Field, Las Vegas, NV
Day/Time: Streaming: FX, ESPN+
Vegas finally got its first win and it came at the expense of Orlando. Now, the Vipers go for a second straight as underdogs against St. Louis.
The Battlehawks are a perfect 3-0 when they don’t play the Defenders and they’ve scored the third-most points (110) in the league. The 44.5-point total is the highest of the week thanks to Vegas’s porous defense. The Vipers have allowed the second-most points (134) among the 2023 XFL teams.
San Antonio Brahmas vs Arlington Renegades
Location: Choctaw Stadium, Arlington, TX
Day/Time: Streaming: ABC, ESPN+
An immediate rematch highlights this XFL Week 6 preview. San Antonio heads to Arlington looking to repay the favor, now as three-point dogs.
The Brahmas were fortunate not to lose by more points as the Renegades outplayed them for the most part. They won the possession battle, had more total yards on fewer drives, and committed fewer turnovers.
The 33-point total is this week’s lowest. Four of Arlington’s five games have gone under the total.
Houston Roughnecks vs D.C. Defenders
Location: Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
Day/Time: Streaming: ESPN2
The main event pits the XFL’s two best teams against each other with D.C. slightly favored at 2.5 points. Houston and D.C. lead the XFL outright betting odds as the most likely champions.
They are a combined 9-1 against the spread and tend to have high-scoring games, hence why the total is at 42.5 here. This XFL Week 6 preview features a battle in the running game.
D.C.’s Abram Smith ran roughshod last week as he racked up 218 rushing yards for three touchdowns while Houston has not allowed a team to hit the 100-yard mark on the ground.