Roughnecks vs Defenders Odds, Picks, and Predictions Week 2

Week 2 of the newly formed United Football League finishes with a Sunday afternoon showdown between two teams that took tough losses last week, as the Houston Roughnecks travel to the nation’s capital to take on the DC Defenders. 

The Roughnecks lost their opening game to their former USFL rival at home to Memphis while the Defenders got smoked on the road to a former XFL rival in San Antonio. Which team will bounce back and get their first win in this new league and cover in the UFL odds this week? 

Here are my free betting picks for the Roughnecks vs. Defenders at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, April 7. 

Roughnecks vs Defenders odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings.

Roughnecks vs Defenders predictions

The Roughnecks just could not maintain a drive in their 18-12 loss to the Memphis Showboats last week at home. They were 3 of 8 on third downs and only ran 37 plays in the entire game. They were absolutely smashed in the time of possession battle, losing 39:32-20:28.   

On defense, Houston allowed the Showboats to convert 9 of 15 third downs and completely control time of possession despite only rushing for 32 yards on 19 carries. Penalties were a killer for the Roughnecks, committing 12 penalties for 89 yards. They allowed the Showboats to have five drives of at least 4:54. 

The Defenders were smoked on the road by the San Antonio Brahmas, 27-12. However, that score may be a bit misleading when looking at the game stats. The Defenders almost completely matches the Brahmas in every stat category and forced San Antonio to have to go for it on fourth down four times.  

The big difference was that the Brahmas were able to convert three of their fourth down conversions and converted their drives to touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Defenders were forced to settle for field goals on many of their long drives. The good news is Ty Scott was the leading receiver in the UFL in Week 1 and they can still get Keke Coutee more involved. 

Both teams are going to rely heavily on the passing game to get their offense going in Week 2. The Roughnecks had 75.9% of their offensive yards through the air and the Defenders had 82.4% of their offensive yards in the passing game. This could create a fast-paced game with lots of scoring if the efficiency is there. 

I expect to see more scoring in Week 2 as the teams get more accustomed to each other and the new league. 

My best bet: Over 41 (-110 at BetMGM)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.

Roughnecks vs Defenders same-game parlay

Defenders -5

Over 40.5

+264 at DraftKings

Ultimately this game should just come down to the more talented roster and that belongs to the Defenders. Jordan Ta’amu is one of the better quarterbacks in this league and if they can just get better in the red zone then they will be a force on offense.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Roughnecks vs Defenders spread and Over/Under analysis

• The Roughnecks failed to cover +1 point, losing by six points at home last week
• The Defenders failed to cover -6 points, losing by 15 points on the road last week
• The Roughnecks went Under the total of 40.5 with 30 total points last week
• The Defenders went Under the total of 43.5 with 39 total points last week

Roughnecks vs Defenders game info

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