One quarter of the season down and we have some surprising situations across the league. We have 3 unbeaten teams and they are all in the same division. That should lead to some real battles as more divisional games get played. We have two surprise division leaders in 3-1 Los Angeles and 3-1 Memphis. We have real concern in Portland, where the transition to Akili Smith at QB has been anything but smooth, and in Chicago, where the miss on Donovan McNabb means Chicago is struggling to get production from the QB position. We could also say that 1-3 starts in Philly, Washington, Oakland, and Arizona are raising some eyebrows, but there are still 12 weeks left to play, so plenty of time for slow starters to get the wheels moving. Looking at the Week 4 games, we have some really interesting outcomes, so let’s get to the games.
For the second week in a row the New Orleans Breakers pushed a game to overtime, but this week they could not come out on top as they fell to the Houston Gamblers, keeping the home squad unbeaten this season. It was a game that started slow and built to a dramatic finish. Houston and New Orleans struggled to move the ball in the first half, with both clubs having their share of unforced errors, costly penalties and missed opportunities. Houston’s defense focused on containing Ricky Williams and in the first half they were highly successful, holding him to only 7 carries and 17 yards. New Orleans allowed Faulk and Levins some room on the ground, but pressured Chuck Hartlieb on every passing down, producing 3 first half sacks and a costly pick that ended a Houston drive in field goal territory. Houston would go into the half with a slim 3-0 lead on a long Lindsey field goal early in the 2nd quarter.
The halftime adjustments for both clubs seemed to pick up the offensive production, with New Orleans finding their first success as they turned the ball over to Jamie Martin and used Williams mostly as a play action decoy. Martin responded, going 5 for 6 on the Breaker’s opening drive in the half, a drive that ended with the QB finding Isaac Byrd for a short 4-yard TD pass to put the Breakers on top. Houston responded with their own drive, highlighted by a 20-yard draw play to rookie Kevin Faulk on 3rd and 6. They had to settle for another Lindsey fieldgoal, trailing 7-6 after 3 quarters.
Houston’s best drive came early in the 4th, when the Gamblers strung together a screen to Levins, a nice gainer to Derrick Mason, and finally a 9-yard TD toss to Antonio Freeman. They would get the 2-point conversion on a well-designed FB fake and toss out to Faulk, a rookie who has been building a repertoire in the Houston offense as a reliable outside threat and 3rd down back. Houston leads 14-7. Setting up the drama of a late drive by the Breakers.
After failed drives by both clubs, New Orleans got the ball back with just over 3:30 left to play. Abandoning the pretense of the run, Martin connected with Raynard Brown twice, mixed in with a short toss to Eric Pegram and another to TE David Lafleur. The drive got help from a deep ball pass interference call against Houston CB Allen Rossum. Two plays later Martin found Horace Copeland open in the endzone and with the PAT the Breakers sent the game to overtime.
In overtime, the Houston pass rush shut down New Orleans on their first possession, with both Kavika Pittman and Michael Sinclair earning sacks on a short 5 play drive. The sack was Sinclair’s third of the day, pushing him into the league lead with 8 sacks in only 4 games. Houston got the ball back at their own 27, and 5 plays later set up Lindsey for a makeable, but not automatic, 49-yarder. Lindsey connected well and the ball went right down the middle, giving the homestanding Gamblers the win, their 4th in 4 games, and sending New Orleans to the buses at 1-3.
TEX 19 CHI 7
Texas kept pace with Houston thanks to a win under bad conditions in Chicago. A windy day mixed with rain and sleet made this a tough game for all involved, including a brave 17,202 who came out to Soldier Field despite the weather and the pretty horrible play of the 0-4 Machine this season. Texas got TDs from Jeff Query and Reggie Cobb as both teams largely kept to the ground. Chicago got a combined 100 yards out of Duce Staley, Ricky Watters and Mario Bates, limiting Jeff Garcia’s role, but still struggled to produce much, gaining only 219 total yards on the day. After the game, Coach Mornihnweg would not commit to Garcia for Week 5, meaning that we may see Alex Van Pelt back under center.
STL 38 MGN 17
It was a battle of unbeatens in Pontiac when the St. Louis Knights squared off against the Michigan Panthers. But, after an initial field goal for the home team, St. Louis would rattle off 31 unanswered points over the next 3 quarters, putting the game away as the 4th quarter began. Ahman Green was the star of the day for the Knights, rushing for 115 yards and 2 scores, though backup Chris Howard also found success, rushing for 60 yards and a score as well. Michigan struggled with St. Louis’s pressure D all day, with Flutie throwing 2 picks and Tyrone Wheatley limited to only 20 yards rushing as the Panthers fell to their division rival by 21 points in the end.
POR 9 LA 21
On the other end of the spectrum from the 4-0 clubs we have the Portland Thunder who are clearly in a rebuilding year with rookie Akili Smith at QB. Smith had a pretty solid day in LA, throwing for 320 yards, but he also threw two costly drive-killing picks, while fellow rookie Cade McNown again playd a conservative game, protecting the ball and letting his run game dictate the flow of the action. LA got scores from both Antowain Smith and Michael Pittman to outpace the Thunder, moving their record to a surprising 3-1 early in the season, one win better than their entire 1998 campaign.
ARZ 20 SEA 19
The Wranglers finally got a notch in the win column, upending Seattle in Seattle on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The Wranglers sacked Seattle QB Jon Kitna a whopping 8 times on a sloppy field at Husky Stadium, and Tim Lester showed up big in the muck, rushing for 91 yards, including a 53-yard TD run that included several defenders hydroplaning right past the runner. Jake Plummer struggled in the rain, throwing 3 picks, but the Wranglers held on and got the 1-point win thanks to a questionable decision by Coach Tiller to go for 2 and the win instead of kicking the ball and heading to overtime.
DEN 28 OAK 14
The Gold seem to have found their stride, doubling up the Oakland Invaders thanks to an aggressive pass rush and a solid 2-TD day from Rashaan Salaam. It was not flashy, but Denver was solid on both sides of the ball, corralling the Oakland run game and harassing 2nd year QB Ryan Leaf with 5 sacks. Keith Jackson came up big for Denver, catching 8 balls for 63 yards and a score as well.
NJ 26 JAX 20
The best game in the East this week came in Jacksonville, where the Bulls played the Generals tough. The defenses kept finding answers in the second half, with both clubs only able to produce field goals after the half. New Jersey got 4 to Jacksonville’s 1 and that was the difference as Coach Schottenheimer got his club to 3-1 thanks in large part to a defense that picked off Chris Chandler 3 times and limited Natrone Means to only 56 yards rushing. Curtis Enis looked solid, gaining 81 yards on only 12 carries as he split time with Lamont Warren due to a nagging hip pointer.
BAL 39 BIR 27
Baltimore kept pace with New Jersey pulling off the always difficult road win in Birmingham. An early sack of Brett Favre helped turn the game as the plucky QB had to leave the game with pain in the elbow of his throwing arm. MRI’s did not reveal any lasting damage and Favre should start next week, but Danny Kannell struggled in his stead, connecting on only 10 of 32 passes. Meanwhile, Trent Green completed 79% of his throws, mostly short tosses, but got support from the big back duo of Derrick Fenner and Mike Cloud, both of whom ran in scores to help the Blitz stay atop the Atlantic and move the Stallions to 2-2 after their fast 2-0 start.
PIT 27 MEM 17
The Maulers snuck up on Memphis in this one, perhaps a trap game as the Showboats looked ahead to a Week 5 matchup against Michigan. The Showboats seemed unprepared for a heavy dose of Terrell Davis, which seems surprising when it seems clear he is the key to Pittsburgh’s offense. Davis rushed for 157 yards, including a bruising 47 yard burst that set the tone for the game on Pittsburgh’s first drive. Charlie Batch benefited from the success of the run game, using play action to throw for 3 TD’s, all to top receiver Andre Rison. The Showboats seemed shocked by the energy of their opponent and were never able to match it. They drop to 3-1, which still leaves them atop the Southern Division, but certainly less secure in that position.
PHI 17 TBY 33
Tampa Bay joins Memphis atop the South with a solid win over an overmatched Philadelphia Stars club. It was 27-3 until the 4th quarter as Troy Aikman picked apart the Star defense to the tune of 351 yards and 3 TDs. Randy Moss was held to only 2 catches, but that created room for Robert Brooks and Chris Doering to have big days. Add in 136 yards on only 5 catches for big TE Ben Coates and you have a pretty easy win for the homestanding Bandits.
WSH 15 ORL 29
The Renegades evened their record at 2-2 with a nice win against the Federals in a rowdy Citrus Bowl. A crowd of just under 50,000 saw the Renegades get 4 TDs from Scott Mitchell (despite 3 picks on the day) and watched as their defense limited Barry Word to only 45 yards rushing, putting pressure on Kordell Stewart to carry the day. The combination of solid defense and time-killing offense by Orlando allowed them to come back from a 15-14 deficit and score the game’s final 15 points to take the win at home.
OHI 16 ATL 24
The Fire got their first win of the year at the expense of the visiting Ohio Glory. Tiki Barber contributed 2 TD’s and the defense limited Eddie George to only 45 yards rushing as the Fire contained Ohio’s offense and avoided turnovers to keep the game in range all day. A late Lake Dawson TD from Jeff George gave them an 11-point lead and limited Ohio’s options. The loss drops Ohio to 2-2 in a very tight Atlantic Division.
QB IS KEY
If you want to quickly gauge the success or failure of clubs in the USFL, all you really need to do is look at the QBR. The top 5 QBs (Collins, Aikman, Stouffer, Shuler, Brunell) have a win-loss record of 16-4, with Denver’s 2-2 record being the only non-division leader. Conversely the lowest QB Ratings among starters with at least 100 pass attempts belong to Akili Smith (0-4 Portland), Jeff Garcia (0-4 Chicago) and Jeff George (1-3 Atlanta). Yes, there are certainly other factors that explain the disparity between these clubs, and yes, the 4th worst QBR belongs to the QB of 4-0 Houston (Chuck Hartlieb) but perhaps that is the exception that proves the rule. The key to the USFL has always been the passing game, and that seems to be the case this season to be sure.
So what do the teams at the bottom of the standings do? Well, in Chicago we may see a change as there is certainly no deep connection to Garcia that keeps him in the starting lineup. In Portland the future is in Smith’s hands, but the club needs to do more to support the young signalcaller. The biggest issue might be in Atlanta, where highly touted Jeff George was signed in hopes of providing the Fire not only with a veteran NFL presence at the position, but a potential face of the franchise. He struggled in his first USFL season, but that is not unusual for players coming over from the NFL without an offseason to recover and heal. But 4 games into 1999 and we see a largely immobile QB with a strong arm but issues with decision making. He has 2 TDs to 4 picks in his first 4 games this season, and there are already voices in the Atlanta metro area calling for former Georgia QB Eric Zeier to get back under center. Coach Lewis does not seem ready to make that call yet, but if Atlanta continues to struggle in the passing game it may have to happen.
AND WHAT OF THE RUN?
It is an old cliché that the run game, paired with defense, was the key to victory. That may have been the case in the NFL, but it has never really panned out in the USFL. Yes, the league has had their share of great backs, but when you look at who has produced championships it has always seemed more tied to the passing game (and again defense) that does it. There are exceptions of course, such as Washington’s use of Barry Word 2 years ago. but when you look at the top rushers over the league’s first 15 seasons, you see that New Jersey did not win titles during Herschel Walker’s most dominant years, Portland has not turned Robert Drummond’s success into championship trophies, and Birmingham did not sniff a title during Joe Cribbs’ illustrious career. Titles have gone to Bobby Hebert, Jim Kelly, Troy Aikman, and Brett Favre in their best years, and that seems to be the path needed to get there more and more each year. When you look at the current rushing leaders you don’t always see frontrunners. Pittsburgh is 1-3 despite Terrell Davis’s league leading 354 yards rushing. Portland is 0-4 and Atlanta 1-3 despite having Drummond and Barber in the Top 5. Only St. Louis’s Ahman Green pairs a top 5 rushing season with a winning club, and we all know that most folks point squarely at the St. Louis defense for that. So, while HB is always a big name position in pro football, more and more the USFL is proving that the key to winning in this league is a dynamic passing game, and that a rusher, while a nice weapon in the arsenal, is not going to move you forward all by himself.
Some tough losses this week around the league, led by Pittsburgh guard Rod Milstead with a hip injury that may extend well beyond the season. Milstead seemed to almost fold in half during a rushing play with Davis and had to be carted off with what we now know to be a significant fracture to the hip joint that could impact his entire future career.
New Orleans also took a big hit with CB Walt Harris going down with a fracture in his tibia that could take the rest of the year to heal. St. Louis got some bad news with a knee injury to center John Jackson, one which could cost him as much as 2 months of action. In Atlanta the concern is for safety Charles Mincey, who could also miss 6-8 weeks. Tampa Bay will be without their dynamic wideout Randy Moss after he broke a finger in the game this week. Washington’s defense will likely feel the absence of DE Tony Brackens for the next 1-2 weeks as he is doubtful with a painful groin injury. And in Portland more bad news as C Jeff Uhlenake will likely miss action with a fractured cheekbone.
We are taking some time to investigate the issue of paid v. donated tickets in the USFL and the impact on both club and shared revenue, and we hope to have a report soon, but in the meantime we wanted to offer something to our fans, so here is a topic that always leads to debate across the league:
What are the best rivalries in the USFL?
This is not an issue that will be answered definitively, since almost every fan base believes their club’s rivalry is the fiercest, and because rivalries adjust over time as clubs improve or fall behind, shifting the dynamics. Some rivalries are natural by-products of geography, some are built on controversy, and some on frequent playoff clashes. We have a little of all three in the rivalries we have selected. Here are our Top 5 USFL Rivalries for you to consider.
5) Birmingham & Memphis: The prime rule of real estate applies here. Location, Location, Location. With two diehard fanbases located within a comfortable drive of each other, and with natural rivalries having developed between the states and regions thanks to the SEC, this is a fierce rivalry between two clubs that like to take on the mantle of representing football in the South. It is not uncommon for there to be a visiting contingent of 15,000 or more fans at the rival’s home stadium each time these two division foes meet. While this rivalry has rarely produced playoff matchups, it is always a fun time (and a great tailgate feast) when these two meet.
4) Houston & Texas: Regional rivalries do dominate our list, but this one has added drama thanks to one man, Texas coach Jack Pardee. Famously the first coach of the expansion Gamblers in 1984, Pardee helped build a team that would go on to become one of the most storied in the league, though most of its success came when Ray Willsey took the helm. He bolted for the NFL, leaving the Gamblers somewhat sore, and then returned to the USFL not only with another club, but with the other club in the state. The two clubs, separated by less than 200 miles of I-10, would naturally develop a regional rivalry, but the bitterness over the Pardee departure from Houston has added extra bile to the games played in both the Astro Dome and the Alamodome.
3. Houston & Philadelphia: Our first non-divisional rivalry. This one is about bragging rights. Both Houston and Philadelphia like to picture themselves as the historical masters of the USFL, with both having won 3 titles over the league’s first 14 years. Philadelphia was the first to get their title in 1985 and they got their second ring at Houston’s expense, beating the Gamblers in the 1987 title game. Houston would earn their first title the next year and would then add a 2nd in 1992. Many expected the Gamblers to reach their 3rd title first, but they struggled, losing the 1993 and 1995 Summer Bowls to Eastern foes. It was Philly who snagged a third title first, thanks to a swarming defense and a career year for QB Chuck Long. The Stars added title #3 in 1994, inspiring a Houston revival that led to the Gamblers snagging their third 2 years later in 1996. The two clubs do not square off very often, but their fans tend to spend a lot of time calling the other overrated while defending their preferred 3-time champion.
2) New Jersey & Philadelphia: This one is an obvious one. Jersey and Philly, two fan bases known for passion and a certain love-to-hate-you ethos. We see it in the NFL with the Giants and Eagles, and that passion carried over to the USFL with the Stars and Generals. First it was all about the Walker-Bryant debate, then about championships (advantage Philly), and you throw in some controversial calls in big games, and some bitterness about everything from draft choices to quality of cheesesteak and you have a natural rivalry between two divisional foes that goes back as far as the American Revolution (the battle between Philly and NYC to be the nation’s capital before DC was ever imagined.) It’s not for the faint of heart as neither stadium can really claim to have a family-friendly zone when these two play, but if you love passion in football, this rivalry will get you what you crave.
Honorable Mentions: Before we reveal what we believe to be the best rivalry at the current time in the USFL, there are a few others that deserve our attention.
First up is the Cascade Curfuffle between the Portland Thunder and the Seattle Dragons. Portland and Seattle like to puff up their chests about many topics, and now with both having USFL clubs, the rivalry lives on the field.
Another worth exploring is the divisional rivalry between Denver and Oakland. Again with carryover from the old AFL/NFL rivalry between the Raiders and Broncos, this rivalry also benefits from the regular battles between these two for the Pacific Division title. Other than a few incursions by Arizona, it has typically been these two fighting it out, and with Oakland still standing as the only Pacific Division club to ever win a league title, there is a bit of gloating and envy involved as well.
Finally, one last honorable mention has to go to the once-vital rivalry between New Orleans and Michigan. This one has faded a bit as the clubs have not been as dominant as they once were, but this at one time was a huge rivalry, stoked in part by having a native Louisianan at the helm of the Panthers during their glory years and by the constant pain of Breaker fans as they were so good but could never get to the title game in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
We could also mention the three-way Florida rivalry, but that three-way split makes it harder for any 2 teams to really dominate the ferocity that we see in other rivalries. But, speaking of Florida, we are now ready to talk about the best rivalry in the USFL, and yes, it involves that state heavily.
1) Tampa Bay & Birmingham: Plenty of rivalries to enjoy in the USFL, but if you want that perfect combination of two good teams with exciting players and big plays, regional animosity, parallels with college football competition, and just a real good time at any game, you have to go with the Bandits and the Stallions. Not only do you have a natural animosity as generations of Florida and Alabama football fans continue to battle for football supremacy at every level from HS to the SEC and now pro ball, but you have also had some of the greatest matchups in the battles between these two. Whether it was the early years of Reaves and Anderson vs. Stout and Cribbs, or the current offensive fireworks of Favre v. Aikman, this is just a fun rivalry that is nothing but serious animus between the diehard fans of both clubs. Unlike Memphis-Birmingham we don’t often see large sections of opposition fans at each home stadium, but that is because tickets are so hard to get when these two get together.
So there you have it. Our opinion on the best rivalries in the league, sure to anger many, and while we would love to hear your take on how Ohio-Pittsburgh has meaning or how Chicago and St. Louis have natural animosity, we stand by these choices. The best way for you to determine if we are right is to pack up the family trickster and get yourself to each of these rivalry games when they fall into the season, or, if you are really lucky, when they clash in postseason play with everything on the line.
Week 5 is a full interconference slate, with Pacific clubs heading east to play the Atlantic Division and Central Division clubs visiting the South. Among the intriguing interconference clashes we have 4-0 Houston in Birmingham, setting up a battle between an aggressive Gambler defense and the Stallions’ passing game. St. Louis is in Orlando in a game that could be a slogfest as rain is predicted for central Florida on Sunday. Texas, the other undefeated, perhaps has the toughest matchup as they also might face the elements in addition to the passing attack of the Tampa Bay Bandits. Tampa will be without Randy Moss, but they still have a wide range of weapons to throw at the Outlaws.
On the other side of the coin, there are some matchups of underperformers that could help define the season for each, whether they rise above their early struggles or fall into a spiral. 0-4 Portland is at 1-3 Philadelphia, with neither able to afford another blow to their record. Likewise, 1-3 Oakland are at 1-3 Pittsburgh, with the prospect of dropping to 1-4 not in the plans for either club. 1-3 Washington has a tough matchup as they host the Denver Gold, while the two clubs atop the Atlantic feel they have good matchups as Baltimore hosts Arizona and New Jersey hosts the Seattle Dragons. The LA Express continue their tour of fellow 1995 expansion clubs with a visit to Ohio, a game that in the preseason few would have highlighted on the schedule, but one which now feels like a potentially solid watch.
Rounding out the schedule for the week we have Michigan at Memphis in a battle of 3-1 clubs hoping to get to an impressive 4-1 start. We have 0-4 Chicago visiting the 1-3 Atlanta Fire in a game that few are likely to tune into, though Atlanta is trying to get a crowd for the game by doing a BOGO on tickets to Bobby Dowd. Finally, the 1-3 Breakers are in Jacksonville to face the 1-3 Bulls. One of these clubs could scratch their way to relevance with a win.