Todd Kutter 
FEBRUARY 23, 2023: The St, Louis Battlehawks against the Seattle Sea Dragons at Lumen Field on February 23rd, 2023 in Seattle, WA. (© Maddy Grassy/XFL)
The Playoff picture in the North Division could get very interesting with a Seattle win over St. Louis. Which, if the Sea Dragons pull off the upset, would net both teams a 6-3 record heading into the XFL’s last week of the regular season.
Seattle’s five-game win streak came to a skid last week when they lost to the DC Defenders. A very exciting contest to say the least. With less than a minute in regulation, the Sea Dragons brought the game to within one point and then failed to convert on what would have been a go-ahead two-point conversion. The ensuing fourth and fifteen attempt was broken up, giving DC the ball back and the win.
All the analysis in the world doesn’t foreshadow exactly what actually happens on game day. But let’s have a little fun and take a look at some key roles in a head-to-head matchup.
Offense
Both Seattle and St. Louis come into this game with very comparable overall stats. Total points through the 1st 8 games are a differential of only one point with Seattle having the edge at 185 to 184. Seattle’s win-loss record in away games is 3 -1 while St. Louis’s record at home is also 3-1.
At the helm of each team, Seattle has the advantage with battle-tested Ben DiNucci, volatile while also high-powered. Through eight games DiNucci has a few league-leading stats. Though some, are not worth bragging about, he has thrown for 2,072 yards, on 195 competitions and 96 first downs. With that, came 10 interceptions and 5 fumbles. All resulting in an 87.2 passer rating. DiNucci’s most targeted receiving arsenal of Jahcour Pearson, Josh Gordon, Juwan Green, and Jordan Veasy have a combined 1,816 yards.
St. Louis however has brought Manny Wilkins off the inactive list to helm their offense. Though untested as of yet in the XFL, Wilkins has a receiving arsenal of his own. With Hakeem Butler, Darrius Shepherd, Austin Proehl, Brian Hill, and Marcell Ateman with a combined 1,372 yards, thus far.
The running game Statistically and seemingly has St. Louis with the advantage. Their tried and true running back Brian Hill has a 4.9 Yards per carry, totaling 405 yards from 83 attempts.
With Seattle having Morgan Ellison and Brenden Knox on injured reserve, they bring Philip Lindsay, fresh off free agency, debuting last week against DC. Along with T.J. Hammonds, 96 yards off 17 carries and a 5.6 ypc average, and Darius Bradwell, 67 yards off 28 carries and a 2.4 ypc average for their run game. Let us all not forget about Ben DiNucci’s dual-threat ability with 226 total rushing yards off of 42 carries garnering a 5.4 ypc average.
Defense
On the defensive side of the ball, Saint Louis has a slight statistical advantage.
| Battlehawks | Sea Dragons | |
| Total Tackles | 357 | 330 |
| Fumble’s Recovered | 10 | 4 |
| Interceptions | 7 | 3 |
| Sacks | 13 | 16 |
| Tackles for Loss | 41 | 37 |
All in all this match-up should prove to be an edge-of-your-seat finale to week nine in the XFL! With the Battlehawks fans loading up the stadium, maybe 40+ thousand strong, this is going to be a loud spectacle not to be missed.
Add your score predictions in the comments.
