Facebook Pixel

XFL Week 8 Odds and Picks: St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Vegas Vipers Targets Include Brian Hill, Darrius Shepherd, and Jalan McClendon

If you’re looking for Week 8 XFL St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Vegas Vipers odds, picks, and predictions for this exciting Saturday matchup, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve analyzed each team’s highest-probability game scripts to assess the most likely outcomes, including which players are in line to thrive more than anticipated or fall short of expectations.

Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator
Take control of your favorite team’s salary cap and manage the roster through free agency!

Battlehawks vs. Vipers Week 8 Odds and Betting Lines

The following odds and betting lines for the Battlehawks vs. Vipers are as of the evening of Thursday, April 6, and come from DraftKings Sportsbook. Clearly, they’re subject to change. That said, barring an unforeseen injury to a significant starter, we should assume that these lines will remain largely intact.

  • Point Spread: Battlehawks (-7)
  • Moneyline: Battlehawks (-305), Vipers (+255)
  • Over/Under: 46 (-110)

Battlehawks vs. Vipers Picks and Predictions

Full disclosure as always: I had my worst performance of the season last weekend, going 1-3 on point spreads and moneylines, as well as 2-2 on over/unders. I had been 23-9 on combined point spreads and moneylines since Week 3. No excuses. Week 7 upended my thinking on a lot of these teams, forcing me to challenge long-held assumptions as we near the end of the regular season.

Also full disclosure: I acknowledged last week having no clear sense of how the Roughnecks vs. Battlehawks game would play out. St. Louis was one of my two preseason picks to win the title. Assuredly, I should have remained loyal to them.

Instead, I leaned into a crumbling Houston infrastructure, made worse by sudden doubts about their starting QB and the season-ending injury to their No. 1 WR, Jontre Kirklin. Still, I believed this proud and talented franchise would rise to the occasion at home.

MORE: 100% FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator

Instead, we must acknowledge what seemed evident to me and others back in February — the Battlehawks are for real. They’re an incredible 4-1 on the road, including a 29-6 obliteration of the Vipers in Week 6, when they limited Vegas to 230 total yards. AJ McCarron, Brian Hill, and Darrius Shepherd dominated.

This is St. Louis in a nutshell. Their worst offensive output was in Week 1 when they scored “only” 18 points. But 15 of those points came in the final 90 seconds. As I’ve shared before, it took them nearly an entire game for their offense to gel. Once it did, no one’s been able to stop them.

Vegas has the misfortune of playing in the Battlehawks’ division, staring at a 2-5 record with three games to play. They’re the first team to be mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.

Looking ahead to 2024, the Vipers opted to trade starting QB Luis Perez and (admittedly surprisingly, to me) bench Brett Hundley, electing to move forward instead with Jalan McClendon last weekend.

Amazingly, McClendon led his offense to 26 points. For context, no other team has hung that many points on San Antonio. Not Houston (22). Not St. Louis (18). Not Seattle (15).

McClendon was simply brilliant, throwing for 264 yards and two scores on 8.5 yards per pass attempt. Customary No. 1 WR Jeff Badet took a backseat to frequent tertiary options like Mathew Sexton, Sean Price, and Geronimo Allison.

This is why the point spread for this coming contest is merely seven points. The market believes McClendon is the real deal — or at least, real enough to put up a strong fight against the vaunted Battlehawks.

MORE: 2023 XFL Standings | XFL TV Schedule

But I’m taking a different approach. While the Brahmas enjoy an outstanding defense (usually), their offense is arguably the worst in the XFL. Vegas had the ball for 10 minutes more than San Antonio did. They were able to work the clock and keep the Brahmas’ defense on the field.

The Battlehawks will be a far tougher assignment, and McClendon will have less room for error. A Vipers backfield averaging only 3.5 yards per carry must step up. That’s asking a lot of a 2-5 squad with a defense that’s yielded 29+ points in four of their last five outings.

Essentially, Vegas must play even better than they did last week to keep pace. I don’t see that happening.

  • Recommended Point-Spread Bet: Battlehawks (-7)
  • Recommended Moneyline Bet: Battlehawks (-305)
  • Over/Under: Under 46 (-110)

2026 NFL Mock Draft Simulator

The PFSN Mock Draft Simulator features hundreds of prospects, scouting reports, and free trades -- jump into the mock draft machine and get ready for the 2026 NFL Draft.

2026 NFL Draft Big Board Builder

PFSN’s free NFL Draft Big Board Builder allows you to rank every prospect in the NFL Draft and share it with the world.

2025 NFL Playoff Predictor

PFSN's 2025 NFL Season and Playoff Predictor is a tool that allows you to play out various weekly scenarios to see how the NFL playoff picture changes with each scenario.

NFL Offseason Manager

Do you think you can manage your favorite team’s roster better than the real-life general managers? PFN's Offseason Manager is here to help you prove it.

Bengals Make Major Decision on Trey Hendrickson’s Contract Saga After 4-Time Pro Bowler Skips Minicamp

After missing minicamp, Trey Hendrickson’s contract standoff took a turn. The Bengals have responded, and it could shift the team's defensive future.

‘Got To Earn It’ – Raiders Star Maxx Crosby Sounds Off on Shedeur Sanders’ Position in Intense Browns’ QB1 Battle

Maxx Crosby shares his take on Shedeur Sanders’ quarterback battle with the Cleveland Browns, highlighting the mindset he'll need to succeed.

Patrick Mahomes’ Wife Brittany Honors Chiefs QB on Father’s Day With Heartfelt Tribute: ‘Most Fun Dad Ever’

Brittany shared a Father’s Day post celebrating Patrick Mahomes, their journey from high school sweethearts, and the family they’ve built together.

Travis Hunter Makes Feelings Clear on Graduating Before Starting NFL Journey With Jaguars: ‘It Was a Blessing’

Travis Hunter graduated from Colorado before beginning his NFL journey with the Jaguars, aiming to make history as a dynamic two-way player.
Join the Conversation!