UFL Week 4 Preview: Memphis Showboats (1-2) v.s. St. Louis Battlehawks (2-1)

As week Four of the UFL season begins, the St. Louis Battlehawks get ready to take on the Memphis Showboats in front of the UFL’s premiere fan bases. The Battlehawks who are fresh off their 2nd straight victory, look to sink Memphis who have lost their last Two games.

Line: Battlehawks -7, O/U 45.5

Date/Location: Saturday, April 20, 2024, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri

Kickoff Time: 12:30 pm EST

Weather Forecast: N/A

TV/Streaming: ABC, ESPN+, ESPN Xtra on SiriusXM

Depth Chart:

Notable Injuries:

Pita Taumoepenu: Out/Inactive R Ankle

Austin Faoliu: Out/Inactive L Ankle

Ben DeLuca: Out/Inactive R Knee (Season Ending)

Ja’Marcus Bradley: Out/Inactive R Shoulder

Three Keys to Victory:

Dominating the Pass Rush:

St. Louis will be without Pita Taumoepenu and Austin Faoliu in Week Four and will relay heavily on Travis Feeney and Carson Wells to continue to keep pressure on Case Cookus. The Showboats Offensive Line who took a beating from the Birmingham Stallions are in prime position to rebound from their week 3 performance with the XFL 2023 Defensive Player of the Year out of for the game.

Slowing Down Jay Peezy:

Jachour Pearson is off injured reserve and Active for week 4, and if Memphis didn’t have enough trouble matching up against the Battlehawks, Pearson’s return makes it that much harder. Even if Pearson is on a “snap count” the presence of having Darrius Shepherd, Marcell Ateman, Hakeem Butler, and Blake Jackson along side him on the field will allow for St. Louis to be favored in the passing game.

Three Headed Monster in the Backfield:

St. Louis will activate all Three Running Backs which could allow them to maximize versatility for the team. Coupled with the newfound athleticism of A.J. McCarron, St. Louis could look to challenge the Showboats defense by giving them a heavy dose of “ground and pound” in an effort to open up the passing game.

Final Thoughts:

After sitting down and rewatching both games, in my opinion, I don’t see how Memphis can right the ship against the high-flying offense of the Battlehawks. St. Louis has found a budding star in their Linebacking Corps in Callahan O’Reilly and now has Mike Rose healthy going into this weekend’s matchup.

Despite not having Two All-XFL players on the field this week, the Showboats Offensive Line has underwhelmed tremendously leaving Travis Feeney and Carson Wells as prime candidates for breakout games this week. St. Louis wins this one easily 37 to 18 as the Battlehawks prepare for what could be a preview of the UFL championship in week 5 vs the Birmingham Stallions.