BattleHawks Given Second-Best Odds to Win XFL Championship After 3-1 Start
- The St. Louis BattleHawks are sportsbooks’ second betting choice to win the 2020 XFL Championship at odds of +300 after Week 4
- The BattleHawks lost their only game 28-24 on the road at Houston against the XFL championship favorite Roughnecks. Can St. Louis beat Houston in a potential title rematch?
- All of the odds, picks and future book lines are analyzed in the story below
The St. Louis BattleHawks can make a case that they’re the best-loved team in the new XFL. They might also be able to make the case that they’re the best team in the XFL.
At 3-1, the BattleHawks are East Division leaders. Only the West Division-leading Houston Roughnecks (4-0) own a better record.
St. Louis is currently sportsbooks’ second betting choice in the 2020 XFL Championship odds.
Sportsboks list the BattleHawks at odds of +300.
2020 XFL Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Houston Roughnecks | +180 |
| St Louis BattleHawks | +300 |
| DC Defenders | +425 |
| Dallas Renegades | +550 |
| New York Guardians | +1000 |
| Los Angeles Wildcats | +1200 |
| Tampa Bay Vipers | +1800 |
| Seattle Dragons | +3000 |
Odds taken Mar. 3
The Roughnecks remain the +180 chalk.
BattleHawks Battling to Top of XFL
Back in mid-November, when the XFL was still more notion than reality, the BattleHawks were at average odds of +1000 to be XFL champions. For the most part since that time, it just keeps getting better.
They were down to +783 by the season-opening weekend. St. Louis dipped to +600 following a Week 1 win at Dallas.
There was a slight blip following the 28-24 Week 2 setback at Houston. But consecutive home-field wins over New York and Seattle moved the BattleHawks to top spot in the East and their current odds.
Balanced Attack Paces BattleHawks
No other XFL team can boast of the balanced offense that St. Louis is displaying. Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu is second in the league in passing yardage (876). Running back Matt Jones is second in the league in rushing yardage (244). Double threat Ta’amu is fifth overall in rushing with 186 yards gained on the ground.
You cannot even DREAM up a more perfect throw.
Jordan Ta'amu is absolutely on one right now.
📺 @XFLonFOX
🖥 https://t.co/wQjfC0NgP7 pic.twitter.com/UYxnBPhWDI— XFL (@XFL2022) March 1, 2020
Defensively, linebacker Dexter McColl is third in the XFL with 30 tackles. Defensive end Andrew Ankrah is tied for second in the league with two QB sacks.
The St. Louis defense allowed 28 points in the loss at Houston, and 34 combined in the team’s three other games.
They’re Kakawesome
No XFL team has infiltrated its community and developed a solid fanbase like the BattleHawks have achieved. St. Louis is bitter with Rams owner Stan Kroenke for moving his NFL team back to Los Angeles.
There were 29,554 at The Dome at America’s Center when the BattleHawks played their home opener against the Guardians. Another 27,527 were there for last week’s game against the Dragons.
The BattleHawks faithful already have created a unifying cry of supports for the team – KaKaw. They chant it when the BattleHawks take the field. They shout it when the team does something special.
The Houston-St. Louis Week 2 contest pulled better TV ratings than a game featuring the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.
As St. Louis sports columnist Benjamin Hochman put it, the atmosphere surrounding this team is kakawesome.
Ultimately, St. Louis Must Win at Houston
St. Louis faces a road game this week against divisional rivals the DC Defenders. DC was +190 favorites to win the league two weeks ago. Consecutive road losses dropped the Defenders to 2-2. A BattleHawks win this week virtually locks them into first in the East.
The XFL has already awarded the league’s initial championship game to Houston’s TDECU Stadium. If the form charts hold, St. Louis would have to beat the Roughnecks in their own stadium to earn the title.
The BattleHawks tried that once and came close. Houston remains the team to beat. But St. Louis is closing the gap.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
