Seattle Sea Dragons vs DC Defenders Odds, Picks & Predictions – XFL North Division Championship
- DC is laying 3 points in the Sea Dragons vs Defenders odds ahead of Sunday’s XFL North Division Championship
- The Defenders were a league-best 9-1, while Seattle closed the season winning seven of eight
- Don’t miss the Sea Dragons vs Defenders odds here, plus betting splits, key trends and picks
No disrespect to Houston or Arlington, but the Seattle versus DC matchup might as well be for the XFL title. These are arguably the two best teams in the league, but instead of playing for championship glory, they’ll meet in the North Division Championship on Sunday.
These two have faced off twice already this season, with both matchups producing epic finishes. Online sportsbooks are expecting another close game this weekend, opening the 9-1 Defenders as short home favorites.
Sea Dragons vs Defenders Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sea Dragons | +3 (-110) | +145 | O 48.5 (-110) |
| DC Defenders | -3 (-110) | -170 | U 48.5 (-110) |
DC is currently laying 3 points in the Sea Dragons vs Defenders odds, in a contest that features a total of 48.5. Kick-off is scheduled for 3 pm ET at Audi Field in Washington, DC, with ESPN and ESPN+ providing the coverage.
If this week marks your first exposure to wagering on minor league football, be sure you check out our comprehensive how to bet the XFL guide before getting started with your Sea Dragons vs Defenders picks.
Odds as of April 28th at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Sea Dragons vs Defenders Betting Splits
As far as the betting market is concerned, Seattle is being undervalued ahead of Sunday’s tilt. The Sea Dragons are garnering 56% of the ATS bets, and those wagers account for 77% of the spread handle.
Seattle could have easily beaten DC in both of their matchups, but ultimately fell just short. The Sea Dragons were tied for the second-best ATS record in the XFL at 6-4, one game behind the Defenders.
Total wise, bettors are banking on a shootout between two of the league’s premier offenses. Over 48.5 is getting 85% of the over/under tickets thus far, and 93% of all money wagered on the total.
Sea Dragons vs Defenders Betting Notes
DC, the favorite in the XFL championship odds, led the league in scoring averaging 29.8 points per game. They scored a league-best 15 rushing touchdowns, and have spent the entire season operating a two-QB system beautifully.
Joradn Ta’amu spends the majority of the time under center, but d’Eriq King earns plenty of snaps as well. Both are dual-threats, with King providing a higher ceiling with his legs. He found the end zone five times, while teammate Abram Smith led the XFL with seven rushing TD. Smith also led the league in rushing, ripping off 21 runs of 10+ yards.
All the feels, all the vibes. 🔥
It’s Division Championship time.#XFL | #GoProHERO11 | #BreatheFire pic.twitter.com/5pGlplbly5— United Football League (@TheUFL) April 28, 2023
Not to be outdone, Seattle is the league’s fourth-highest-scoring team and the top-passing unit. Per the XFL stats, Ben DiNucci led the league with 2,671 passing yards, while three of his receivers ranked inside the top-eight in receptions and yards.
Jahcour Pearson hauled in 60 catches and 670 yards, both XFL-highs, while former NFL star Josh Gordon caught 28 passes for 540 yards. The Sea Dragons also boasted the league’s third-best rushing attack, and the only thing that prevented them from a better record than their 7-3 mark, was turnovers.
Sea Dragons vs Defenders Predictions
Seattle turned the ball over 19 times in 10 games, finishing the regular season with a -9 turnover differential. In spite of their giveaway issues, they still reeled off seven wins in their final eight games after starting the season 0-2.
Each of their first two losses came in the dying seconds, and they were in position to beat DC very late in the fourth quarter in both of their meetings. In Week 1, DiNucci fumbled on the one-yard line versus the Defenders in the final minute, as Seattle was on the verge of scoring the game-winning TD.
Fast forward to Week 8, where the Sea Dragons scored a touchdown against DC in the final minute to pull within one point. Instead of forcing overtime with a single point attempt, Seattle elected to go for two and the victory. They fell short, keeping the Defenders one loss record intact.
That 34-33 DC victory was arguably the game of the season. Both teams would up producing well over 300 yards, with the Sea Dragons holding the advantage in total offense and yards per play.
The fire is raging at just the right time
🔥🐉#XFL2023 | #BreatheFire pic.twitter.com/bOCMgKxfV9— Seattle Sea Dragons (@XFLSeaDragons) April 28, 2023
Seattle has been the more impressive of the two teams over the final eight games, and are in great position to exact revenge on Sunday. Each of their final seven victories have come by at least seven points, and their defense is trending in the right direction.
The Sea Dragons surrendered only 21 points over the final two weeks, and held six of their past seven opponents to 19 points or less. DC, may be the league’s best team record-wise, but their defense sprung plenty of leaks down the stretch.
They yielded at least 26 points in each of their final five games, with those outings accounting for 151 of the 240 points they allowed all season.
Pick: Seattle Sea Dragons +3 (-110)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
