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The XFL is back for Week 2 after a successful first week of action. The football was a mixed bag, but there was enough decent play that it should draw back a solid crowd for Week 2. New football leagues draw solid ratings the first weekend, but how fans respond the next week is a more telling sign of any short term success.
The second week of XFL action features the 1-0 teams all facing off and the 0-1 teams all facing off. The weekend opens with the 1-0 DC Defenders hosting the 1-0 New York Guardians at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The game kicks off at 2:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC. If you are not in front of a television, you can stream the game via the ESPN Sports App).
The Defenders won their opener 31-19 over the Seattle Dragons. Cardale Jones was the team’s primary offensive playmaker, throwing for 235 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another 28 yards. The defense forced a critical turnover late to secure the win.
The Guardians thumped the Tampa Bay Vipers 23-3 in their opener. Tampa Bay was the lone road favorite, but they could not get their offense going with quarterback Aaron Murray, and ended up the lowest scoring team of Week 1. Matt McGloin was not great in his XFL debut, but he did enough with 182 yards and a touchdown.
The matchup features the second highest point spread of the weekend, with DC favored by a touchdown, and the point total is set at 46.5. DC will likely welcome back starting wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins, while New York could end up without center Ian Silberman and right guard Garrett Brumfield.
New York Guardians (1-0) at DC Defenders (1-0)
Game time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC
Live Stream: (ESPN Sports App)
Date: Saturday, February 15th
Announcers: Steve Levy, Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill, Dianna Russini
Location: Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
Odds: Defenders -6.5
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