The D.C. Defenders attempt to remain undefeated when they host the Houston Roughnecks on Monday in a showdown between division leaders as Week 6 of the 2023 XFL season comes to a close. D.C. (5-0), which owns a 1 ½-game lead over both Seattle and St. Louis in the North, is coming off a 28-20 road victory against the Battlehawks. The Roughnecks (4-1), who were 5-0 in 2020 before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dropped a 21-14 decision at Seattle last week for their first loss of the year.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Audi Field. D.C. is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Defenders vs. Roughnecks odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 42. Before locking in any Roughnecks vs. Defenders picks of XFL predictions of your own, you need to see what NFL expert R.J. White has to say.
White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, returning more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed with an incredible 107-80-6 run on his last 193 ATS and total NFL picks during the 2022 NFL season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.
White has crushed not only the NFL but also the XFL during its abbreviated 2020 season, going 16-4 on XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, he has locked in on Defenders vs. Roughnecks and released a confident against-the-spread pick that is available only at SportsLine. Here are the XFL lines and trends for Roughnecks vs. Defenders:
- Defenders vs. Roughnecks spread: D.C. -2.5
- Defenders vs. Roughnecks over/under: 42 points
- Defenders vs. Roughnecks money line: D.C. -150, Houston +126
- DC: The Defenders are averaging a league-best 174 rushing yards
- HOU: The Roughnecks were kept off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter last week
- Defenders vs. Roughnecks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Defenders can cover
D.C. does the majority of its offensive damage on the ground as it leads the XFL in rushing with 870 yards. The Defenders also are first in the league in touchdown runs with 11 -- nearly twice as many as Houston and Orlando, who are tied for second with six apiece. Backup quarterback D'Eriq King has rushed for a league-high five TDs, including a decisive 10-yarder in the fourth quarter at St. Louis last week.
Abram Smith is right behind King with four scoring runs as he doubled his season total with a pair against the Battlehawks. The 24-year-old finished with 218 yards in the contest after running for a 62-yard TD in the second quarter and a 70-yarder in the third. Smith is first in the XFL with 432 rushing yards while signal-caller Jordan Ta'amu, who led the USFL in passing yards (2,014) and TD tosses (14) in 2022, ranks fifth with 208 along with a pair of touchdown runs.
Why the Roughnecks can cover
Houston was first in the XFL after five weeks with 18 offensive touchdowns, including 12 through the air. Quarterback Brandon Silvers entered Week 6 tied for second with 11 scoring tosses and ranked third with 1,189 passing yards. The Roughnecks are last in the league in rushing (408 yards) but were tied for second with six TD runs through five games.
On the other side of the ball, Houston has allowed a league-low 76 points (only 24 in the second half) and ranked first after five weeks with 19 sacks and eight interceptions. Despite missing one game, linebacker Trent Harris tops the XFL with six sacks while defensive lineman Tim Ward is right behind him with five. Cornerback Ajene Harris is tied with D.C.'s Joseph for league lead with four interceptions while former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Sean Davis has made three.
How to make Defenders vs. Roughnecks picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Under the total, he has discovered a crucial X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's sharing it only at SportsLine.
Who wins Defenders vs. Roughnecks? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Roughnecks vs. Defenders spread you should jump on -- all from the top pro football expert who brought in more than $1,800 last season in the NFL -- and find out.
