Dallas Renegades open XFL season as favorite
The Dallas Renegades have the lowest odds to win the XFL championship. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)
February 6th, 2020
We have some bad news and some good news to report.
First, the bad news. The Super Bowl and another NFL season is behind us.
The good news? The start of the XFL (2.0) season is this weekend, which means the wait for football to return has gone from eight months down to just one week!
The XFL season begins with a pair of games Saturday, and the Dallas Renegades will open as the favorite to win the championship in the eight-team league.
Odds to win the XFL Championship
| Team | XFL Championship Odds |
|---|
Dallas Renegades | +325 |
New York Guardians | +375 |
Tampa Bay Vipers | +500 |
Los Angeles Wildcats | +550 |
DC Defenders | +600 |
St. Louis BattleHawks | +1000 |
Seattle Dragons | +1100 |
Houston Roughnecks | +1100 |
Former Sooners coach-QB combo leads Renegades
Bob Stoops and Landry Jones will reunite in Dallas this season, and the expectations are high right out of the gate. Perhaps Dallas football fans won't have to wait so long after all for the city's next championship.
Stoops previously coached Jones, who will quarterback the Renegades this season, in college with the Oklahoma Sooners.
Jones was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013 and had five starts with the NFL club between 2013 and 2017. He threw for 1,310 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Landry Jones drove a dump truck for minimum wage after being released by the Steelers. Great story here by @Brendan_Myer13 https://t.co/tj5gkUjaSj
— Chase Williams (@chasepwilliams) February 6, 2020
Jones is currently dealing with a knee injury he suffered during a practice in early January.
He was expected to be out four to six weeks, but he is currently listed as questionable for Dallas’ Week 1 tilt with the St. Louis BattleHawks on Sunday. The Renegades were, as of Thursday, nine-point favorites at home.
Stoops has been out of football for the past few years, after a successful, 18-year stint as Oklahoma's head coach.
XFL rules could make for interesting point totals
The XFL will feature a variety of rules that differ from what we’re used to in the NFL.
There will be a 25-second play clock, two forward passes on one play are allowed (provided the ball doesn’t cross the line of scrimmage on or after the initial pass), and receivers only need to get one foot inbounds to complete a catch.
The point system is also quite different, which could have an impact on point totals. Kicked extra points don't exist in the XFL. Instead offenses have the option of going for one, two, or three extra points by running a play from scrimmage following a touchdown.
XFL’s overtime rule installs winner-take-all football 💪
— ESPN Player (@espnplayer) February 6, 2020
⏳ 2 Days
@xfl2020 | ESPN Player 📺 pic.twitter.com/VlOafpw04D
A one-point try will be from the 2-yard line, a two-point try from the 5-yard line and a three-point try from the 10-yard line.
Coaches bold enough to go for a three-point attempt could turn a touchdown into nine points.
Seattle Dragons, Houston Roughnecks are XFL longshots
Thinking of backing a longshot, with the hope of a big payday?
The Seattle Dragons and Houston Roughnecks have the highest odds to win the championship, at +1100.
The Dragons are road underdogs (+7.5) against the DC Defenders in the XFL season opener. The Roughnecks are a home favorite (-5.5) against the Los Angeles Wildcats to close out Saturday’s double-header.