After stumbling out of the gates in week 1, the Renegades and the Dragons each picked up a much-needed victory last weekend. Now knotted in the West Division at 1-1 apiece, Dallas and Seattle both understand how important Saturday’s contest in Seattle is.

Noah Davis has studied the slate and contributed some early XFL week 3 predictions, but my plan with this post is to zero in on the matchup at CenturyLink Field.

Let’s begin this Renegades vs. Dragons betting preview by taking a peek at some key information.

Renegades vs. Dragons – Key Info

When: Saturday, February 22 nd

Saturday, February 22 What Time: 5:00 pm EST

5:00 pm EST Where: CenturyLink Field – Seattle, WA

CenturyLink Field – Seattle, WA Coverage: FOX

For the second consecutive week, the Dragons will be occupying the 5:00 pm EST time slot on Saturday evening. Also for the second straight week, Seattle is playing at home, and their game will be televised on FOX.

The 29,172 who showed up at CenturyLink Field last Saturday set an early record for the highest attendance at an XFL game, but don’t ink anything in the history books just yet. Look for that number to soar on the 22nd as Bob Stoops and Landry Jones stroll into town.

Speaking of the Renegades’ franchise quarterback, it appears that Landry Jones’ left knee injury is now finally behind him, as he was able to play the entire game in LA.

Renegades vs. Dragons Odds

XFL Team BetOnline Spread Bovada Spread BetNow Spread Renegades (-4.5) -111 (-4.5) -110 (-4.5) -110 Dragons (+4.5) -109 (+4.5) -110 (+4.5) -110

With not a lot of movement thus far across the best sites for XFL betting, there’s not much of an edge to be had. Backing the Dragons at home seems like an enticing option, but the way the Renegades offense got rolling in the second half last Sunday is a reason to pause with concern.

Dallas is supposed to be one of the top teams in the league, while there have always been question marks surrounding Jim Zorn and Seattle. Perhaps that’s why the Dragons clock in at #7 in Noah’s latest installment of XFL weekly power rankings.

Renegades vs. Dragons Prediction

As excited as Bob Stoops was to have Landry Jones back under center, the emergence of Cameron Artis-Payne is what really stood out to me. The 29-year-old former NFL running back reached paydirt twice and amassed 131 yards from scrimmage in a victory over the Wildcats.

Stoops and Jones were always going to orchestrate one of the top air attacks in the XFL, but having a dependable runner in the backfield who can consistently move the chains gives Dallas an added layer on offense. This unit is only going to improve as Landry takes more reps, and that’s a scary sign for the other seven teams in this league.

Meanwhile, Seattle’s offense is still very much a work in progress.

The Dragons didn’t muster up a single point at home last Saturday until Brandon Silvers connected with Keenan Reynolds on a 68-yard touchdown in the third quarter. That single play represented nearly 75% of Silvers’ total passing yards as Austin Proehl was held completely in check all game long (1 catch for -1 yards).

Seattle can run the ball effectively once they build a lead, but playing from behind isn’t exactly their forte. The Renegades garnered some momentum on the road last week with a great second half, and I suspect those positive vibes carry over into Week 3.

Prediction – Renegades 27, Dragons 20

Can the Dragons Win?

The Dragons can absolutely win this game, but it’s going to take a total team effort. Forcing multiple turnovers and frustrating Landry Jones would be a good place to start.

Seattle stifled Taylor Cornelius last Saturday, picking off three passes, yet they still found themselves clawing their way back into the game in the third quarter. Jim Zorn can’t expect to sustain success if Brandon Silvers only completes 7 throws, so more aggressive and creative play-calling appears to be a necessity.

Playing this game in Seattle seems to give the Dragons a legitimate shot at pulling off the upset, but would it really be that big of an upset in the first place?

Dallas scored nine points and lost to the BattleHawks at home in their opener, and they barely slid by a Wildcats team that got thumped by 20 when they played the Roughnecks. It’s still too early to know who’s really good and who’s really bad in the XFL, as the Renegades are one of the teams that the jury is still out on.

So yeah, Seattle could definitely be sitting at 2-1 heading to St. Louis next weekend.

Renegades vs. Dragons Pick

For now, I’m taking the Renegades’ lackluster performance in week 1 (without Landry Jones) and chucking it out the window. I saw enough out of Dallas toward the end of the game in LA to believe that this team is getting ready to hit their stride.

The energy from the home crowd will boost the Dragons’ spirit at the outset, but it’ll just be a matter of time until the squad with superior talent takes over.

Look for Bob Stoops to flex his muscles and push the ball down the field with ease while the Dragons will be fighting tooth and nail for every single yard. Seattle will fight until the end, but they don’t possess enough firepower to keep pace for 60 minutes.