1997 Week 2 Recap: Run to Daylight.

The USFL decided that it needed to rectify its reputation as a pass-first league. At least that is what it looked like this week as nearly every game featured a 100-yard rusher, including some unexpected totals from backs like Blair Thomas, Kantroy Barber, Charlie Garner, and Kenny Bynum. Guess all that nickel defense was too tempting to run against and this week fans got to see how effective a mixed attack can be.

Rumors of the Houston Gamblers’ demise may be premature. Yes, they lost to the Pittsburgh Maulers at home, but they showed that there is still a lot of fight in this squad, battling to take the lead in the 4th, before Pittsburgh sent the game to overtime and an eventual win, and they did it despite losing their starting QB in the 3rd quarter.

Chuck Hartlieb was having a decent game, completing 14 of 28 passes for 190 yards and a TD to Antonio Freeman before a big hit left him dazed and forced the Gamblers to bring in Perry Klien in relief. Klien would go 6 for 11 and himself toss a key TD, a short crossing route to Brett Perriman to take a 23-16 lead with 3:14 left in the game.

Pittsburgh though had 3:12 to come back, and they did just that, with Robbie Bosco hitting Louis Lipps for a game winner with just under a minute left to play. Pittsburgh tied the game on Septien’s PAT, and the two clubs went to overtime. It was a big day for understudies, as Klien took over for Hartlieb while Dorsey Levins took over for Mike Rozier, who suffered through an ankle sprain for over a quarter, gaining only 2.4 yards per carry before Coach Thomas benched him and went with Dorsey Levins, who had greater success, a 5.2 YPC average.

In overtime it was Levins who put Pittsburgh in position to win, catching Houston’s D off guard on a 3rd and 6, Levins took the delayed handoff and rumbled 23 yards, placing the Maulers well within Septien’s range. The veteran kicker would connect from only 27 yards out and when Houston failed to convert on their next drive the game was over. But it was a game that reminded fans around the league that just because the QB position was a bit unsettled, there were still talented players on the Houston roster.

PHI 31 CHI 27

Another cracker of a game with both teams looking to be at midseason form as they went back and forth in Soldier Field. Charlie Garner had Offensive POTW stats, rushing for 139 yards and 2 scores while also leading the Stars in receiving with 7 catches and a 3rd TD through the air. Chicago got 2 scores from Rickey Watters and Wendell Davis looked dangerous, catching 8 balls for 118 yards and a score in a losing cause.

BAL 27 MGN 30

These Atlantic v. Central battles were electric all weekend. Michigan needed a last second field goal to down the Blitz and move to 2-0. They got 114 yards from Tyrone Wheatley to power them to a hard-earned win. For Baltimore the key was 3 Miller TD passes, two to Bill Brooks and one to Rob Moore as the Blitz and Panthers gave us what felt more like a playoff game than a week 2 clash.

WSH 17 NOR 16

This clash of divisions just keeps giving, this time with the Federals scoring the road win thanks to a Stewart to Schroeder TD with 1:16 left to steal the win away from Coach Ditka and the Breakers. Barry Word was the key for the Feds, rushing for 115 while Kordell Stewart struggled (3 picks on the day) before hitting on the key play for the Washington win.

OHI 20 STL 10

Not as close as the other battles, but the Ohio upset of St. Louis was still one to watch. Eddie George finally got into gear, rushing for 70 yards on 16 carries, and Jeff Hostetler hit Joey Galloway (Who else?) for 2 scores to lead the Glory over the Knights.

NJ 6 TEX 42

OK, they can’t all be gems. New Jersey looks like a team that is simply not up to snuff as the Outlaws run away with this one. How bad was it? Well, Tony Sacca got into the game and even he got a TD, connecting with TE John Henry Mills. We are two games into the season and the only points the Generals have put up have come off the foot of Adam Vinatieri. That does not bode well for Coach Knox, who is likely wishing he had hung up the towel when he left Seattle and the NFL.

JAX 38 ARZ 9

Jake Plummer experienced some serious growing pains against the Bulls. Yes, he threw for 304 yards, mostly in garbage time, but his two early picks helped set up Bulls scores. Chris Chandler had a field day against the Wranglers’ secondary, finding Terrell Owens for 3 scores, all in the first half. Kenny Bynum had a surprising day as well, rushing for 155 yards on only 13 carries as he subbed for a dinged up Natrone Means.

BIR 17 DEN 20

Denver moves to 2-0 with a big home win over the Stallions. The Gold sacked Brett Favre 5 times and Rashaan Salaam galloped for 133 on a weekend when running backs started to assert themselves across the league. Add in TD’s from Brunell to both Mark Carrier and Willie Gillespie and the Gold held on to stay undefeated.

TBY 28 LA 23

Tampa Bay struggled with a very game Express club. Up 28-17 after 3, the final quarter belonged to LA, but the Express fell just short when a 4th and 3 pass in the final seconds failed to find a receiver. Jeff Garcia finished the day with 268 yards and 3 TDs, while Troy Aikman also threw for 3 scores. Tampa was hindered by an early injury to Errict Rhett, though James Stewart’s 61 yards rushing certainly helped Tampa hold on for the W.

ORL 34 OAK 10

Orlando continued the theme of quality run games as backup Kantroy Barber maximized his touches with 105 yards on only 7 carries, the best of which was a 50-yarder. He also scored on a 25-yard run as he produced big plays all day against an Invader D still trying to find itself.

MEM 32 POR 17

The Showboat defense showed it was ready for a western swing with 5 sacks of Jack Trudeau and 2 picks to add insult to injury. Heath Shuler added 302 yards passing as Portland just could not get things going and found themselves down 15 at the half. Kevin Shea’s 5 field goals were enough for Memphis to put away the Thunder.

ATL 38 SEA 17

Atlanta may be on to something as they head up to Seattle and have one of their best offensive outings ever. Cliff Stoudt went 23 of 30 and hit on 3 TD’s, and Blair Thomas, the forgotten man in Atlanta, rushed for 110 and 2 scores. Rookie Tiki Barber added another 86 yards rushing as Seattle simply could not make tackles. At the half, down 24-7, Coach Widenhofer pulled an ineffective Timm Rosenbach and again we saw some sparks from 2nd year QB Jon Kitna.

OLD DOGS, MEET NEW TRICKS: Who says these guys are over the hill? Both Robbie Bosco and Cliff Stoudt are off to phenomenal starts this year. Currently 2nd and 4th in passing yards after 2 weeks, the old men of the Maulers and Atlanta Fire respectively are showing they still have some gas in the tanks. Both vets are working with new coaches barely older than they are, and both are taking advantage of unsettled QB situations to show that they still have some magic in them. Stoudt currently sits at 3rd in QB Rating and has over 580 yards passing with 5 TDs to only 1 pick. Bosco’s numbers are a bit more modest, with 607 yards passing and 3 TDs, but has yet to throw a pick in Pittsburgh’s short to mid-range passing game.

AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THINGS: If you are wondering which club might be in the market for a new QB, look no further than the Generals. Neither Tommy Maddox nor Rob Johnson seem to be getting the job done for New Jersey. Johnson has a sad 52.4 QBR and has thrown 2 picks with no TDs in limited action. Maddox does not fare much better, with a QBR of only 66.1 and a 1-0 TD to INT ratio. So, if you are Peyton Manning over at Tennessee, or Ryan Leaf at the Paloose, do either of you think you want to head to the Generals next year? Sure, NY Market is attractive, but the cupboard seems bare in East Rutherford as the Generals are a solid 0-2 only because they haven’t played 3 games yet.

RUN TO DAYLIGHT: We mentioned that this week was a cornucopia of quality running, and no one benefitted more than Philadelphia’s Charlie Garner. Garner, who was not even in the top 12 after 1 week, jumped up to 2nd with 209 yards after 2 weeks, trailing only Denver’s Rashaan Salaam in the league rushing race. Do we expect Garner to stay on pace all year? No, not really, but if the Stars can turn Garner back into a 1,000 yard rusher, they could be a force. Garner rushed for over 1,200 yards in 1995, but slipped all the way to just over 650 last year. They need him to be back on track if they want to balance that offense.

GOING DEEP: Last year it was Joey Galloway of Ohio who caught everyone’s eye with some astonishing early season numbers. This year that honor seems to be going to Jacksonville’s 2nd year receiver, Terrell Owens. Owens leads the league with 246 yards through the air, and added 3 scores this week just to emphasize that he was on his game. Playing opposite Brian Blades, Owens does not draw a lot of double coverage but teams may have to risk it as he is burning the opposition when faced with single man coverage. He is a bit, strong receiver able to muscle his way to balls, go up and “high point” them, or just outreach his defenders. That, particularly with a smooth route runner like Blades opposite him, is a tough combo for any defense to handle.

It was a scary moment in New Orleans when newly acquired CB James Hasty of the Breakers suffered a head-to-head collision and crumpled to the ground. After several minutes motionless, and as the training staffs prepared the back board and brought out the cart, it was near silent in the Super Dome. It took 2 hours to get a report back from the hospital. Hasty had swelling on the brain and a crack in his skull, but after medical treatment was believed to be out of any danger, had movement in his extremities, and it seems the worst is over. Hasty will miss the rest of the season and may opt to retire after this very frightening injury, but by all accounts he should recover over time.

Other, thankfully less dramatic, injuries include a broken collarbone for Ohio tackle Joe Valerio, a broken arm for Denver wideout Mark Carrier, a sprained ankle for Texas HB Rodney Thomas, a broken finger for Memphis CB Derrick Cudrup and a concussion that took New Jersey starting QB out of the game but should not affect his ability to return next week, assuming Coach Knox leans that way.

Antonio Freeman, the speedy young receiver for the Gamblers, could miss a game or two with a rib injury, and Tampa has said that Errict Rhett will be a gametime decision after bowing out this week.

Not since the vote to either stay a spring league or move to a fall schedule back in 1984 has there been an issue as contentious as the current debate over the USFL schedule. On the hand you have several owners, including those on the league’s special scheduling task force, who stand strongly behind the idea of reducing the schedule to 14 games, realigning the league into 6 divisions, and creating greater space during the two NFL-USFL transfer windows to allow clubs to acquire talent. On the other you have a subset of owners who view the loss of 2 games, particularly one home game, and the potential reduction of television revenue, as economic suicide. Well, perhaps not suicide, but certainly a move that will force some reduction in the labor costs.

That potential has a lot of people worried, especially leadership with in the players’ union, the USFLPA, which has said that any reduction of the schedule has to come with no adjustment to contracted salaries, and who seem prepared to demand a new collective bargaining agreement if the owners vote to adjust the season schedule. This is the hornet’s nest the owners find themselves in as they prepare to meet next week. Potential clashes with the TV networks, potential labor conflicts, and potential division within their own ranks. And yet, at the same time, it is clear that the current transfer-window system which limits signing of both players and staff across the USFL and the NFL is also an untenable situation.

Both leagues suffer from the timing of the windows, overlapping with one league’s postseason and with the other’s camp and preseason. With the two league seasons practically crossing over each other (USFL March to August, NFL September to February) there is just not room for the two leagues to comfortably engage in the type of peaceful inter-league transfer of personnel that the current agreement hoped to set up. Something is going to have to give. In an ideal world, both leagues would be able to adjust their schedules to create more space, but there are just not enough weeks in the year to accommodate 16-game schedules, month long preseason camps, and 3-5 weeks of playoffs for both leagues.

One solution being put forward by Michigan’s Abe Taubman, would essentially dissolve the transfer window concept and allow players and coaches to be signed to “futures” contracts, so that a player would be committed to their current club through the remainder of a season and then, when that contract ended, would be able to jump to the rival league. That was what we saw in the first few seasons of the league, but it was rife with abuses and there was a sense that players who had committed to changing leagues and teams were more likely to give less than 100% on their old contract for a team they knew they were leaving. How would a new “open signing” model avoid that potentiality?

Several owners, led primarily by Chicago’s Bill Wirtz, believe the better option is to take a short-term hit on TV contracts, to reduce the season and expand the transfer windows, confident that the league could both reduce player contracts by 1/8th (cutting 2 games equates to a 1/8th cut in games) and rebound with strong TV contracts by expanding opportunities to the networks not currently engaged in league broadcasts, CBS and NBC. That too seems a very risky gamble, as both the players and the current USFL networks are likely to balk at such a calculated move.

There appear to be no perfect solutions here, and a lot will boil down to what kind of pain the USFL wants. Does it want labor strife and some tough conversations with the networks, or is it willing to risk the sort of wild west free agency that caused salaries to skyrocket and both rosters and coaching staffs to be in a constant state of tea-leaf reading, the state of affairs during the immediate post-lawsuit USFL. We should have some answers next week when the owners meet, with this as the sole topic of discussion. Regardless of the outcome, expect there to be some cracks in the usual lockstep style of the ownership group, and some possible long-term ramifications.

Week Three brings us a full slate of divisional games, and while these are early season games, we all know that teams cannot afford to take their division foes lightly. A win here is like 2 wins in any other matchup. The most intriguing game in the Atlantic has to be 2-0 Pittsburgh visiting 1-1 Baltimore. Can the Maulers put a serious dent in the Blitz’s hopes to repeat as division champs? In other Atlantic showdowns, Philly is in New Jersey to revive that rivalry, and Ohio hosts the Washington Federals, both hoping to move to 2-1.

In the South we have a battle of unbeatens as in-state rivals Tampa Bay and Jacksonville square off in the Gator Bowl. Memphis and Birmingham also have quite a heated rivalry and with both at 1-1, this should be a battle. Finally, Atlanta, hot off their best offensive game in 3 years get to play host to the Orlando Renegades.

Our favorite Central Division matchup has 2-0 Michigan hosting the Chicago Machine. Can the Panthers put their stamp on the division with a home win? Texas is wondering the same thing as they come into their home match against the Breakers at 2-0. Meanwhile, Houston and St. Louis are both surprisingly 0-2, and neither wants to lose a 3rd straight to start the season.

And finally, in the Pacific, we have 4 teams stuck at 0-2. One of them will certainly get their first win as 0-2 Arizona is at 0-2 Seattle. Denver is in LA to take on the winless Express, while Oakland will try to get their first win of the year as they visit the Portland Thunder.