With the UFL regular season entering its final stretch, Week 9 brings a slate loaded with playoff implications and several intriguing betting angles. Here are the three best bets ahead of this weekend's slate of games.
Orlando Storm vs. DC Defenders: Storm -2.5, -120
Orlando has looked like the most complete team in the league over the past month, and the timing of this matchup could not be worse for DC. The Defenders are suddenly dealing with major uncertainty at quarterback after Jordan Ta'amu suffered a season-ending injury last week, meaning they'll have to rely on either Spencer Sanders or the recently acquired Jason Bean to get the job done. Neither option inspires much confidence against a Storm defense that has been trending in the right direction of late.
The biggest strength for the Storm has been their play on offense, as quarterback Jack Plummer has emerged as an MVP candidate following Austin Reed's struggles and Ta'amu's season-ending injury. The Storm already clinched a playoff berth in Week 8, and now they'll try to take another step toward earning the best record in the regular season behind Plummer's impressive play. For what it's worth, Plummer completed 24 of 36 passes for 238 yards in Week 8. He leads the UFL in passing yards (1,710) and is third in passing touchdowns with 12.
With home-field advantage still in play, expect Orlando to stay aggressive on offense. But since the Defenders lack the game-changing presence of Ta'amu, the Storm should be able to win this game rather comfortably.
Birmingham Stallions vs. Columbus Aviators: Stallions -1.5, -121
The Stallions are getting hot at the perfect time, as they enter Week 9 with their playoff hopes very much alive and on the heels of a three-game winning streak. The addition of Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback has fueled the team's three-game winning run, and his ability to stretch the field vertically has done wonders for the offense. The Stallions also know what it means to defeat the Aviators, as they won 14-3 in Week 8, a game where the weather played a major role.
The Stallions should continue to rely on star wideout Jaydon Mickens, who remains one of the league's premier big-play threats, while veterans Justyn Ross and Deon Cain continue to create matchup problems downfield. Sure, Columbus still possesses a solid defense and capable rushing attack, but they simply won't have enough to overcome the Stallions' red-hot offense. With a playoff berth now within reach, the Stallions appear to be peaking at exactly the right time. Trust them to get the win here.
St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Houston Gamblers: Battlehawks -3, -121
Houston pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the season last week by defeating St. Louis on the road, but asking the Gamblers to duplicate that performance feels ambitious. The Battlehawks outgained Houston by more than 150 total yards in that meeting, with turnovers and special teams miscues ultimately deciding the outcome. They were the better team despite that Week 8 loss, so expecting a bounce-back performance here isn't a crazy outcome.
If we add the fact that the Battlehawks are fighting for a playoff berth in the final two weeks of the regular season, it's reasonable to expect the veteran players from St. Louis to step up here. Granted, quarterback Luis Perez struggled in the red zone during the loss, as he completed 26 of 47 passes for 308 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in Week 8, yet the Battlehawks still moved the ball effectively through the air thanks to playmakers Steven McBride and Tyler Neville. Neville will miss the rest of the season due to an undisclosed injury, but St. Louis signed a more-than-capable replacement in Sal Cannella.
Houston deserves credit for its resilience, particularly after quarterback Hunter Dekkers delivered one of his better performances of the year in Week 8 -- he completed 15 of 22 passes for 155 yards while tossing two touchdowns and an interception. Still, the Battlehawks remain the more complete team defensively, and they should win this game to stay firmly in the postseason picture.
