Stallions vs Stars Week 5 Predictions, Odds, Picks

• Stallions are 4-0 and HC Skip Holtz’s offense has scored more points (99) than anyone
• Philly’s backup QB Case Cookus is now starting and last week he led the Stars to victory
• Watch Stallions vs Stars live on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET on NBC

Stallions vs Stars Odds

Odds taken from BetMGM. Click on the links below to head to the sportsbook and place your bet.

Stallions vs Stars Pick

The Stallions and Stars in Week 5 should score enough combined to win this Over.

Over 36.5   (-115)

The first game of the USFL’s Week 5 Sunday lineup pits two cross-divisional rivals who both look postseason worthy already, with the undefeated Birmingham Stallions of the South taking on the North’s 2-2 Philadelphia Stars, with the hometown advantage going the Stallions’ way.

Birmingham’s team is 4-0 and so far HC and OC Skip Holtz’s offense has scored more total points (99) than any other USFL franchise, this team is still able to post a Week 4 win over the Tampa Bay Bandits despite having seven players listed as inactive due to a ‘mystery’ illness.

The Stars were saddened to announce that their star QB Bryan Scott suffered a season-ending ACL tear that requires surgery, so now backup Case Cookus has been named the starter and last week he led Philadelphia to a victory over the placekicker-less Michigan Panthers, 26-25.

Here are our best predictions, odds, and picks for Stallions vs Stars – good luck, win big!

Birmingham Stallions vs Philadelphia Stars Predictions

Can the Stallions Continue to Balance their Run and Pass Attacks?

The Stallion’s offense has been slow to start, with most of their productivity seeming to happen in the second half of their four wins, not surprising given that these eight USFL teams have only been practicing together since about March, so these game plans are still all brand new.

Despite that, Birmingham has seemed to balance out their offensive attack between the ground and the air, so far averaging almost 180 passing yards per game while rushing the ball 122 yards each time, a double-threat offense that has generated almost 25 points each outing.

Stallions HC Skip Holtz also serves as the team’s offensive coordinator, and no doubt his decades of college-level coaching experience is paying off, the former 2x C-USA and 2x C-USA East Division Champion has obviously figured out how to get through to these young players.

Can the Stars do Better Against the Run?

Philadelphia’s defense has struggled against the run this season, so far allowing opponents to gain an average of almost 203 yards on the ground per game, too generous a number, especially if the Stars expect to beat the highly favored Stallions rushing attack on Sunday.

The best tackler on the Stars so far this year is inside linebacker Josh Banderas, a Nebraska alum who went undrafted in the NFL in 2017 but spent time in the AAF for the Salt Lake Stallions in 2019, now with 29 total tackles for Philly, with 17 solo takedowns in three games.

Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator is Brad Miller, and he will no doubt be game-planning a scheme for the Stallion’s powerful run game that starts with defensive line coach Brandon Maguire’s bunch including DE Adam Rodriguez who leads the team with 2.5 sacks right now.

Stallions Key Player: (PK) Brendon Aubrey

Leading all USFL placekickers going into Week 5 is Birmingham Stallions PK Brendon Aubrey, so far with a head-turning 31 total points (tied with Gamblers Nick Vogel), the result of making seven of his eight field goal attempts and all ten of the ten extra points he has tried to kick.

Aubrey’s longest field goal this season was a 49-yarder, and he has made almost 90% of his attempts, and what makes those numbers even more impressive is the fact that this season is the first time Brendon has ever played football, with soccer being his primary sport of choice.

The 27-year-old booter is a former Notre Dame soccer star, a 2017 NSCAA Third Team All-American who played in the MLS after being drafted in the first round, but now Aubrey makes a living as the league-leading placekicker of the hometown Birmingham Stallions in the USFL.

Stars Key Player: (QB) Case Cookus

For the first three games, Stars QB Bryan Scott was putting up some impressive stats, completing almost 71% of his passes for 60 completions and 660 yards and 5 TDs with just 2 picks, but now an unfortunate ACL tear and a subsequent surgery have ended his season.

Now backup Case Cookus gets the starting QB job in Philadelphia, a role that the 26-year-old Northern Arizona alum seems instantly comfortable with, the former Jerry Rice Award winner already with one win under his belt as he filled in against the Michigan Panthers in Week 4.

In 2022, Cookus has completed 70% of his 50 attempts for 35 completions that have gone 335 yards for 3 touchdowns with just one interception, a production that will be tested against these hometown Stallions who so far have kept opposing passers to just 165 air yards per game.

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