Week 11 was headlined by a bizarre incident on the sideline of our game of the week, the bigger story should have been quarterback changes, some forced, some by choice. Yes, watching a head coach punch his OC mid-game was bizarre, and led to an immediate change at the top, but we really should focus on the field and not some weirdness on the sideline. On the field this week Robbie Bosco defeated his former club in his first start as a Pittsburgh Mauler. Seattle went with unheralded rookie Jon Kitna while Atlanta turned back to veteran Cliff Stoudt. LA eked out a win with Jeff Garcia subbing for an injured Brent Pease, while Chicago thrived after Coach Schottenheimer made the switch to Dan McGwire. In a week that saw QB play at its core, the message was clear, no position is more pivotal to a team’s success than their QB.
Michigan ends up with an unprecedented 3rd straight GOTW, and in a game that saw a lot of heroics from the Panthers, particularly QB Doug Flutie, all anyone can talk about is the bizarre situation that unfolded on the Memphis sideline, when, after scoring just at the 2-minute warning to tie the game, Coach Buddy Ryan went ballistic on OC Cam Cameron, first verbally and then with a completely outlandish sideswipe to the head. Cameron looked shocked, players nearby looked shot, and a quick camera shot of Showboats owner William Dunavant in the owner’s box did not bode well for the tenacious and often outrageous Coach Ryan. By 5pm that night, only 2 hours after the game concluded, Ryan was out as Head Coach and Cam Cameron became one of the youngest coaches in the league.
To make matters even more bizarre, it was Ryan’s defense that failed against Michigan all day long, not the Heath Shuler-led offense, which had managed to keep pace until the final minute. That Ryan was upset at Cameron for scoring “too quickly’ in the tight game is an astounding way to admit that his own defense was incapable of preventing a final drive by the Panthers to win the game. That is exactly what happened as a distracted and disoriented Showboat defense could not keep Doug Flutie from perfectly orchestrating a 2-minute drill, hitting Weegie Thomspon with the game-winning touchdown with 17 seconds left to play.
The game had been a back and forth battle between the two offenses all day, with Cameron’s offensive squad relying on Heath Shuler’s arm to rack up 401 yards passing and 3 TDs. Shuler also threw 2 picks, which helped Michigan take the lead on both occasions, once on a Tyrone Wheatley 1 yard run, and once on a Flutie to Butch Rolle TD toss. Flutie would finish the day with 379 yards and 3 scores in a triumphant return to action, while Wheatley would again assert his role on the squad with 16 carries for 131 yards. Memphis’s D, while able to flush Flutie out of the pocket on numerous occasions, was unable to deal with the ramifications of that, as Flutie rushed for 37 yards on scrambles and completed 12 of 15 passes when outside the pocket.
Had it not been for a strong day from Shuler, hitting TE Adrian Cooper 13 times for 128 yards, connecting with Carl Pickens twice for scores, and making good use of rookie Joe Horn for 8 receptions, 98 yards and score, the Showboats might have been blown out. And that is why it is so bizarre that Ryan went after his OC, but that appears to be easier than acknowledging that your pride had to accept that it was your defensive scheme that was failing miserably.
After Shuler hit Carl Pickens for a score to equalize the game at 34 apiece, the first play after the 2-minute warning, Ryan exploded. He began berating Cameron, was held back by one of his assistants, but then let loose with a half-slap, half-punch to the OC’s head. He was immediately separated by several players, including DE Reggie White, who seemed utterly shocked by his coach. Ryan remained distracted and visibly distraught as the Panthers mounted their winning drive, and refused to come out for the post-game interview. Within hours he was out and Owner William Dunavant was on TV apologizing to the league, the Memphis fanbase, and Coach Cameron, even as he announced his promotion to the Head Coach position. Cameron did not make a public statement, and while his ascension is well-deserved based on Memphis’s offensive prowess this season as well as the clear developmental role Cameron has had with QB Heath Shuler, the naming of Cameron as the head coach mid-season, and one of the least experienced head coaches in the league, is a longshot. But, better a longshot than a cheap shot any day.
ARZ 16 PIT 23
Around the rest of the league the story was at QB, with no matchup more anticipated than Arizona’s trip to Pittsburgh, with recently traded Robbie Bosco set to start. Bosco got the start and while his 21 of 32, 259 yard, 2 score, 2 interception game was hardly the thing of legend, it was a strong enough performance to allow Pittsburgh to win despite having to hold league rushing leader Mike Rozier out with a sprained ankle suffered in practice. Dorsey Levins proved very capable in relief, rushing for 99 yards to help balance the Mauler attack.
DEN 38 PHI 14
A huge win for the Gold as they seek respect at 8-3. Denver got 106 yards from Rashaan Salaam against a weakened D-line for the Stars, and Mark Brunell hit on 3 TD passes, including 2 to deep threat Odessa Turner, as the Gold owned the second half, going on a 17-0 scoring run to end the game and put Philadelphia away. Chuck Long was injured in the game and replaced by Eric Kramer for most of the second half, but is expected to return next week.
LA 20 NJ 15
Coach Knox is learning just how hard USFL football can be as his Generals drop another one to a team that on paper simply does not look as good. LA got a late Marcus Allen TD run to survive 3 picks by backup Jeff Garcia (who came in after 1 quarter when Brent Pease took a blow to the head). New Jersey QB Tommy Maddox struggled again, completing only 48% of his passes and throwing a costly interception in the final period as New Jersey just did not have enough offensive support to hold off the Express.
OAK 7 WSH 21
In a game where the final score does not reflect the weirdness of how it got there, Washington scored on 5 field goals and a late TD with missed PAT to reach 21 points as they dominated the Invaders on defense. Oakland converted only 3 of 13 third downs and gained only 46 yards on the ground as the front 7 of the Federals came alive for 5 sacks of Hebert and consistently stuffed Siran Stacy.
POR 7 BAL 22
Portland could not decipher Baltimore’s top-rated defense, falling down 22-0 before a late score got them on the board. Chris Miller hit Brooks and Rob Moore with scores and a safety helped add to Baltimore’s solid win at home. Robert Drummond, who was hoping to catch up to Rozier in rushing, made little ground, rushing for only 22 yards on 14 attempts against the Blitz D.
SEA 20 OHI 30
Rookie Jon Kitna attempted 60 passes for the Dragons as they all but abandoned the run game against Ohio. He completed 39 for 377 yards and 2 TDs while also throwing 2 picks in an up and down performance, his first in pro football. On the other sideline Jeff Hostetler played a more conservative game, completing 19 of 23 for 273 while absorbing 6 sacks as he protected the ball all game long. An Eddie George 25-yard run and yet another 100-yard game from Joey Galloway proved more than enough for Ohio to get the home win and move to 6-5 on the season.
CHI 28 BIR 22
Coach Schottenheimer made the call mid-week to replace ineffective Scott Zolak with Dan McGwire, and the red-headed hurler rewarded him with an Offensive POTW performance, completing 28 of 44 passes for 432 yards and 3 scores to lead the Machine over Birmingham in Legion Field. The Machine D showed signs of their former glory as well, holding Brett Favre to 228 yards and only 1 TD in the Chicago victory.
HOU 27 JAX 17
Houston used a balanced attack, with Thurman Thomas rushing for 115 yards and Jim Kelly throwing for 329 and 2 scores as they upended the Bulls in Jacksonville. Antonio Freeman joined the league leaders in receiving yards with a 118-yard performance and his one-handed grab on what would be a 60-yard TD toss from Kelly was the play of the week as Houston improved to 7-3-1.
NOR 20 TBY 27
The Bandits retained sole possession of first in the Southern Division with a win over a plucky Breaker’s squad. Troy Aikman threw for 295 and 2 scores and the Bandits D frustrated Breaker QB Jamie Martin with a complex mix of zone coverages all game. The big play for the Bandits was a 30-yard pick-six from Chris Crooms as the late score helped them overcome a 20-13 deficit to tie the game. They would win it on a Shannon Baker TD in a game that saw all facets of the Bandits roster contribute.
STL 20 ATL 26
Amazing what some veteran experience can do. Against St. Louis’s tough D, the savvy of Cliff Stoudt, named the starter on the Monday prior, was key to Atlanta pulling off the home upset. Stoudt connected with Terrance Mathis for 102 yards on the day and found 3rd and 4th receivers Sanjay Beach and Glenn Kozlowski for scores as the Fire finally found some offense.
TEX 14 ORL 27
A good home win for the Renegades as Terry Kirby rushed for 2 scores and the Renegades’ D forced 5 Texas turnovers, including 3 fumbles in the same game by backup HB Rodney Thomas. The score would likely have been more in Orlando’s favor, except that they too had issues holding the ball, with Scott Mitchell throwing 2 picks and punt returner Robert Bailey muffing a punt.
COACH RYAN NO MORE: We don’t want to drive this into the ground, but in a season that had Memphis at a respectable 5-5 and within range of a playoff drive, the actions of Coach Ryan are one of the biggest self-destructions we have ever seen. Sure, Coach Ryan has always been a bit of a hothead, and that has served him well as a defensive coordinator, but the combination of a mediocre record as Memphis’s head man, and the insane moment on the sideline this week was clearly enough for ownership to pull the trigger with 5 weeks left in the season. So now the focus turns to Cam Cameron. His title was cited as Head Coach, not interim head coach, but sources around the club make it clear that the next 5 weeks will be something of an extended job interview. Will it take a playoff surge for Cameron to hold off a full-fledged coaching search in the offseason, or will the team rallying behind him be enough? Time will tell, but for now Coach Cameron has the tough task of uniting a team that has very mixed feelings about the departure of Coach Ryan.
ROUGH FIRST YEAR: While Coach Knox in New Jersey is certainly not the only first-year coach with more problems than praise for his squad this year, his position is certainly an interesting one. Considered a candidate for retirement when he left the Rams after the 1994 season, things have not gone well for him with the Generals. It is clear that New Jersey needs an infusion of talent, particularly on offense, where the combo of Rob Johnson and Tommy Maddox has not proven pro-ready and the run game, led by Bam Morris has also been AWOL. With the retirements of Herschel Walker and Lam Jones, and with Doug Flutie’s resurgence in Michigan, the Generals look like a team unprepared to reload and now in need of a full reinvention. Coach Knox, being a fan of veterans over rookies, may look to free agency to find more offensive power, but he also needs to address an offensive line that is getting long in the tooth and a defense that, while the strength of the club, still has some holes to fill. Just how much Coach Knox is willing to play the long game vs. seek quick fixes could tell us a lot about how the Generals approach the offseason, and what should be a top 5 draft position.
GENERALS WEST: The other club that seems to have similar issues is the Jim Mora-led Oakland Invaders. The Invaders clearly need a youth movement on a roster that seems to have held out at least 1 year too long with an aging roster. The defense is the big issue in Oakland, where Bobby Hebert, Henry Ellard and Siran Stacy can still produce. Oakland currently ranks near the bottom in points allowed, and while their rush defense is statistically in the Top 5 at 63 yards allowed per game, this is largely due to the ease with which teams are exploiting their pass defense. The Invaders don’t have a player with more than 5 sacks on the squad, and even quality starters like Aeneas Williams are having trouble covering the holes in the defensive lineup. You know Coach Mora wants to build this defense around the LB corps, as he did in Philly and with the New Orleans Saints, but with all 4 starting LB’s in their 30’s and some, like Ron Rivera and Randy Kirk showing their age and years of battle scars, the Invaders need to bring in young blood, and preferably some speed across the entire LB group.
INJURY REPORT: Injuries are really beginning to become a major concern for some USFL squads as the list of walking wounded keeps growing. Birmingham has 9 players on this week’s injury list, and while many are in the Doubtful-Probable range, several are not. Ernest Givens will likely miss 1-2 weeks with a knee injury, while LB Kevin Greene is dealing with a shoulder concern and both starting DE’s are going to be in limited service next week. Houston will be without 2 corners as both Ashley Ambrose (Questionable) and Mike Adams (IR) are out. Philadelphia is also down 9 players, including losing center John Flannery for the year, Free Safety Tim Hauck likely for the season, TE Marcus Pollard at least 2 weeks, and TE Leon Lett still 2-3 weeks away from returning to practice.
In LA it is not about numbers, as only QB Brent Pease is reported this week, but after x-rays did show a fracture in his radius bone (left arm) he could be out up to a month. Pittsburgh could be without Mike Rozier for another week and Dorsey Levins, while listed as probable, could be limited in snaps as well. Putting the weight of the Mauler run game on Jaime Mueller. In New Orleans, Jamie Martin is listed as probable, but could be a game time decision, while LB Jeff Herrod is likely to miss up to 3 weeks. Not what these teams want as they head down the home stretch.
We prepare for Week 12 with the first possible playoff clinching game on the line. A win by Baltimore and a loss by Philadelphia this week would give the Blitz the Atlantic title. Denver could also potentially clinch if all the cards fell right as their 8-3 record is already 3 games up on Portland. In a season where Denver may be the only Pacific Division club to qualify for the postseason, it would not be surprising if they wrapped up the title this week along with the 1-loss Blitz.
The real battles are in the Southern and Central Divisions. Tampa currently holds a 1 game lead on the South, but both Jacksonville and Birmingham are right there at 6-5. In the Central you have a strong group of clubs who will knock each other off for a chance to qualify. Michigan has the slimmest of division leads, a half game up on Houston, but 7-4 New Orleans and 6-4-1 St. Louis are also right there. Even Texas and Chicago at 5-6 are not out of the running, though a more realistic position might be a shot at a Wild Card.
The 1-10 Arizona Wranglers are the only team officially eliminated, but only mathematical calculations are keeping Atlanta, New Jersey, Seattle and Oakland from being added to the list. The list of improbable events needed for any of these 4 to make the playoffs is too long to outline here. Give it a week and we could see several of these squads slip into the “eliminated” category along with the Wranglers.
As we enter the last 5 weeks of the season, it is time to look at which players on the last year of their contracts have yet to resign. There are some big names who may work the system to see if they can get value on the free agency market or make the jump to the NFL. No name on the list of potential free agents is bigger than that of QB Troy Aikman. The Tampa Bay stalwart is having a solid year, as are the Bandits, but the club and Aikman’s agent have yet to make strides on a new contract, and that has to worry fans in the Tampa Bay area. Another big name that is potentially looking to test the market is halfback Marcus Allen, who has had absolutely no luck at all since coming over from Michigan to the LA Express. We would not be shocked to see Allen take the chance to either switch teams or return to the NFL.
Others to keep an eye on include Generals’ LB Chris Spielman, Birmingham tackle Emory Yates, Houston safety LeRoy Butler, Texas DE John Bosa, and St. Louis WR Rocket Ismail. We could also see Jacksonville part ways with wideout Dokie Williams, and there are rumors that several older players (on big contracts) may be cap cuts, including LB Ron Rivera in Oakland, C Roy Hemphill in Pittsburgh, WR Bruce Hill in Portland and CB Domingo Bryant with the Bulls. And while it is not a high demand, high value position, we expect two of the league’s best fullbacks to be available, with Seattle’s Zach Crockett and Portland’s Mike Cade both potentially hoping to find greener pastures. It is still early, and there is time for these and about 100 other final year contracts to be renewed, extended, or for new deals to be cut, so don’t assume that your team is about to lose one of your favorite players, but with both the NFL and USFL embracing a more open free agent pool, this could be an interesting offseason.
Week 12 will be one that sorts out some playoff situations as once again all 24 clubs are in divisional play for a big weekend ahead. Starting in the Pacific we find Denver hoping to wrap things up as they host the sad sack Wranglers at Mile High. Portland hopes to rebound and reach .500 as they face Seattle in Husky Stadium, while LA and Oakland resume the NoCal-SoCal Classic without much on the line for either club.
In the Central division the big game should be Michigan traveling to New Orleans to face the Breakers, though the Chicago-Houston clash still holds some cache as well. St. Louis and Texas also both need a win to stay relevant in the playoff hunt, with Texas in the weaker position at 5-6 and trailing the Knights for the final playoff spot.
In the South the best matchup is clearly the in-state clash between 7-4 Tampa Bay and 6-5 Jacksonville. Both teams need this win to keep moving towards a clinch scenario. Memphis and Birmingham also meet in a game important to both clubs, while Orlando heads to Atlanta, where Cliff Stoudt’s return under center has some hoping the Fire get restoked.
Finally, in the Atlantic, we want to catch the game between Washington and Philadelphia, as the two clubs seem to be heading opposite directions. Washington has won 3 in a row, while Phllly has been floundering a bit after a strong start to the season. Pittsburgh is hoping to get back to .500 with the visiting Generals in town, while Ohio has a gut check moment as they head to Baltimore to face the Blitz and that devastating defense.
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