The Renegades vs. Battlehawks matchup will be the featured UFL game on Saturday night. With the Battlehawks laying 5 points as a home favorite and the total sitting at 40.5, what’s the best play on the board tonight?
Renegades vs. Battlehawks Event Information
Arlington Renegades (+5) at St. Louis Battlehawks (-5); o/u 40.5
8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 6, 2024
The Dome at American’s Center, St. Louis, MO
TV: ABC
QB Perez back in action
QB Luis Perez returned right where he left off, as he led the team in passing yards. Against the Stallions he went 19/28 (68%), with 214 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 136.7 QBR, and two carries, for six yards. In 2023, Perez led the Renegades to an XFL Championship winning the MVP of that game as well, putting up a stat line of 288 yards, 3 touchdowns, & 0 interceptions versus D.C. Perez was acquired by Arlington via a midseason trade with the Vegas Vipers last year.
Battlehawks fall on 64-yard field goal
The St. Louis Battlehawks began their 2024 UFL campaign with an 18-16 loss to the Michigan Panthers Saturday with 9,444 fans in attendance at Ford Field in Detroit.
A back-and-forth affair that saw 24 combined points scored in the fourth quarter went to the Panthers after K Jake Bates made a 64-yard field goal attempt with 8 seconds left in the game.
The Battlehawks had taken a 16-15 lead when QB A.J. McCarron connected with Marcell Ateman on 4th-and-goal from the 5 yard line for a touchdown with 54 seconds to play on a drive that began with a 48-yard kick return by WR Darrius Shepherd. McCarron then hit TE Jake Sutherland for a 1-yard completion on the extra-point attempt that nudged the Battlehawks in front by a single point. Ateman also made a 25-yard catch on 4th-and-10 earlier in the drive. He had a team-high 60 receiving yards.
Renegades vs. Battlehawks Prediction
Take Arlington. I backed the Battlehawks last week in their game against the Panthers and then I watched them fall due to the same issues they had a year ago in the XFL. Their offensive line was a problem last season and at least after one game, it appears to be an issue again this year. Having A.J. McCarron under center is a huge benefit for St. Louis, but not if he has to run for his life like he did last week. He made play after play under constant duress and if it weren’t for a 64-yard field goal in the closing seconds, the Battlehawks would have won in Michigan. Still, they were nowhere close to covering as a touchdown-sized favorite.
The Battlehawks’ run defense was also a problem again in Week 1. Their run fits were a significant issue last season, especially as the season wore on. Opponents were able to gash St. Louis’ front seven for big runs and that’s how Michigan took a late lead last week. If their run defense is a problem again tonight at the “Battledome,” then the Batlehawks are in store for another tight game.
Renegades vs. Battlehawks Week 2 UFL Prediction: ARLINGTON RENEGADES +5