One more team clinches their playoff destiny as Denver gets a big win in St. Louis to lock up at least a Wild Card. Chicago and Orlando officially take their divisions, and the much-coveted bye week that comes with that, while Washington gets clipped at home by the Ohio Glory in the battle of eagle-themed clubs. That loss means the Atlantic title is still up for grabs with 4 teams all within 1 game of the title crown. Houston slips into the mix thanks to a big win and a Portland loss, while Tampa and Memphis both move up to 8-6 but still sit on the outside looking in. Two weeks to go and this is getting serious.
Washington makes their name on defense, Ohio with a high-flying offense, one of them had to give, and what gave, and in a big way, was Washington’s coverage plan for Joey Galloway. With rookie Chad Johnson also posing a threat, the Federals tried to avoid overcommitting to coverage for Galloway and paid dearly. The Ohio State product torched the Federals’ secondary for 214 yards, including a dagger of a 75-yard TD catch as Ohio got more than enough offense and just enough defense to keep Washington from coming back on them, earning a huge divisional win that puts the division title up for grabs with 2 weeks left to play.
The Glory were humming on offense in pretty much every way. Aside from Galloway’s numbers you had Eddie George rushing for 111 and a 5.3 YPC average. You had Chad Johnson with 70 yards and a score, TE Stephen Alexander with 1 score, even backup blocking TE Dereck Brown got in on the action. Kerry Collins completed 21 of 30 throws or 377 and 4 TDs on the day as the Glory took it to the Federals’ vaunted defense.
The inability to contain Ohio meant that Washington had to get a bit outside their game. The Federals did just that, with Kordell Stewart throwing for 256 and 2 scores while the combo of Deuce McCallister and Rueben Droughns only carried the ball a combined 17 times, far below their average of 32 touches. They had success though, thanks in large part to the rookie’s 9.3 YPC average, gaining him 93 yards on only 10 carries. But, when push came to shove, the Ohio defense stepped up and limited Washington to field goals. Iin the 4th quarter, down 28-16, Washington could only chip away with Doug Pelfrey kicking from 38 and 44 yards. That was not enough as the Feds needed a TD to get back on top, but it would not come.
And it wasn’t one player on defense making hay. This was a team effort, with big sacks from LaRoi Glover and Chris Kriewaldt, a forced fumble by John Copeland, and 4 pass deflections for DB Mike Riley, including one on a late third down that forced the Feds to settle for 3 when they needed 7. This was a team victory for the Glory, and a win that moves them to 9-5, only 1 game back of the Federals with 2 to play. They join New Jersey and Baltimore there, and all 3 look very likely to nab a playoff spot, but you know they all want to do one better, knock off the Feds and claim that division title and a bye week.
For their part, Washington is still in control of their own destiny. They face Jacksonville in RFK next week before what could be a huge game at New Jersey to close out the regular season. Win both and they are division winners, lose next week and all kinds of crazy could get out for Week 16. This loss to Ohio, at home, was a big one, but the Feds can still put it together and get where they want to go.
NJ 27 PHI 17
Let’s stay in the Atlantic, where the Generals got a huge win over their arch rival, Philadelphia, coming into Veterans Stadium and pushing Philly right off the Wild Card cliff. With TDs from Olandis Gary, Terry Glenn, and Kevin Johnson, the Generals knocked Philly down to 7-7 and 2 games back of the cluster of Atlantic squads sitting at 9-5. Bobby Hebert was dinged up in this one as Phil Hansen got him twice to boost his sack total to 25, far and away the best in the league.
BAL 34 PIT 20
In the final Atlantic game of the week, Baltimore took care of business to reach 9-5 by knocking off the Maulers in Pittsburgh. Three TDs from Jeff Garcia, including two to Rob Moore (115 yards as well) was enough to defeat the Maulers as Baltimore picked off Charlie Batch twice and sacked him four times in a game where the Mauler offense looked tired and out of sorts.
TBY 28 BIR 21
The Bandits came up big in Birmingham with a division win that gets them one step closer to a playoff spot while also dealing a significant blow to Brett Favre and the Stallions. Chris Doering had a huge week, going for 111 yards and 3 scores as the Stallions tried to contain Randy Moss on the other side. Birmingham had a shot to tie the game but a late Brett Favre pick fell into the hands of Samari Rolle and locked up the game for the Bandits.
ORL 20 JAX 10
The Renegades shut down the Bulls to clinch the division title and a bye in a game dominated by Orlando’s run defense and pass rush. The combo of Kenny Bynum and Sedrick Irvin combined for only 45 yards on the ground, and despite a 131-yard day from Terrell Owens, the Bulls could not turn yards into points as sacks from Dexter Coakley and Brentson Buckner helped turn them away in clutch moments. A 4th quarter TD run from Terry Kirby helped open up a 2-score lead and that was all the ‘Gades needed to take the win and the division.
MEM 35 ATL 17
Memphis got back into the playoff mix by doing what needed to be done in Memphis. Heath Shuler added to his TD total for the year with 4 scoring throws against the Atlanta D, while FB Larry Centers got more involved in the run game, rushing for 41 yards on the day. Atlanta kept it close for a half, largely thanks to Tiki Barber and his 157 yards, 94 in the first half, but eventually they just wore down as Memphis gets the divisional win.
ARZ 37 NOR 17
Arizona took advantage of New Orleans’s major losing streak to put themselves in good playoff standing at 8-6. Jake Plummer threw for 2 scores and ran in 2 more as the Wranglers were able to take advantage of a declining Breaker defense to the tune of 334 yards of offense and 6 scoring drives. Raynard Brown caught 6 for 120 as the Breakers tried to come back, but it was not nearly enough for the struggling squad from the Crescent City, who have now lost 6 in a row and drop to 5-9 on the season after a decent 5-3 start.
DEN 28 STL 21
The Gold move to 9-5 and are within range of LA after a key win on the road against the Knights. The game was not as close as the score indicates as it was 28-7 until late in the 4th when St. Louis used an onside kick to help add 2 late scores. Denver did it without a strong run game as Rashaan Salaam and Rod Smart were limited to a combined 74 yards, though Salaam did punch in 2 scores, both on 2-yard runs. Peerless Price added 2 scores in the air and the Denver defense sacked Todd Collins 5 times to keep St. Louis off balance.
LA 24 TEX 20
The Outlaws put a scare into the Express until a perfect call on a screen led to a Michael Pittman 62-yard touchdown. Pittman, who was a game time decision, ended up outgaining Antowain Smith despite having only 8 carries, but it was the late screen pass that will be remembered as Pittman stiff armed the first defender and then used a back juke to dodge another on his way down the field for the decisive score.
OAK 20 CHI 32
Chicago got the win and clinched the division thanks to the St. Louis loss, but the game also saw Oakland go with their rookie, Marques Tuiasosopo at QB. The rookie had a solid day, completing 21 of 44 throws for 255 yards, one TD and one pick, but the day belonged to Chicago’s Jeff George, who threw for 253 and three touchdowns.
POR 10 HOU 20
The Gamblers leapfrogged Portland and into the 6th playoff position in the West thanks to a solid 23 of 29 passing from Matt Hasselbeck and a defense that picked off Akili Smith twice and limited the Portland run game to only 55 total yards. Both Tyrone Drakeford and Vince Buck nabbed interceptions off of Smith as the Houston pass rush harassed the mobile QB all game.
SEA 28 MGN 27
A pyrrhic victory for Seattle as they upend the Panthers in Michigan but still find themselves outside of playoff position. Brian Griese had a big day against a weakened Michigan secondary, throwing for 401 yards. Mike Hollis kicked 4 field goals and the defense got a safety on a weird path to 28 points. Michigan had a shot late, but a Shayne Graham 58-yard field goal attempt on the game’s final play fell short.
ROOKIE ROUNDUP
Two weeks left in the year and time to look at the 2001 rookie class to see how the picks have panned out. We start with the obvious success stories. Look no further than Ohio wideout Chad Johnson, whose 1,228 yards and 11 touchdowns speak for themselves. When Joey Galloway went out with an injury for several weeks, Johnson stepped up and became a dangerous target, now paired with Galloway the combo is outright deadly to opposing defenses.
In Washington, HB Deuce McCallister has been a revelation as well. Splitting time with Rueben Droughns in the Federal backfield, McCallister has racked up 675 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns, while also adding 242 yards and 3 scores through the air. The Feds love a HB duo strategy, but we could easily see McCallister being designated the starter next season thanks to his production this year.
Michigan QB Drew Brees has struggled at times, dealing with a shaky line and undermanned receiving corps, but all three wins for the Panthers have come thanks in large part to Brees’s ability to improvise. The former Purdue QB has 2,236 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, and looks like a player to build around for the future.
On defense the biggest revelation of the Class of ’01 has been LA defensive end Justin Smith, whose 14 sacks and 44 tackles have helped the Express all but clinch a division title. In Chicago, the Machine defense has been much improved, and LB Tommy Polley has had a huge hand in that. He is all over the field, racking up 70 tackles so far, along with 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 recoveries. Finally, Arizona found a gem in CB Fred Smoot, currently leading the league with 7 interceptions, one for a pick-six. Teams are going to have to stop throwing at him because he is a rookie, and start throwing away from him because he is a very tough corner to beat.
Others who have impressed this season include Portland’s short yardage specialist, HB Correll Buckhalter (473 yards and 4 TD), Houston wideout Koren Robinson (61 catches for 871 yards and 5 TDs), Philly wideout Steve Smith (60 receptions for 780 yards and 5 TDs), Pittsburgh DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (9 sacks), and St. Louis FS Bhawoh Jue (4 picks and 51 tackles).
HANSEN FOR MVP?
Is this the year that someone other than a quarterback can win MVP? With Shuler, Collins, and McNown all making strong cases as the best QB in the game right now, the votes there could easily be split, and if anyone else has the juice to rise above a split QB group, it has to be Hansen. With 25 sacks, Hansen is challenging for Chris Doleman’s record of 29, and unlike past years where the North Dakota product was a single shining light in a dark season for New Jersey, this year the Generals look like real contenders under Coach Parcells.
If New Jersey can lock up a playoff spot, and if Hansen can reach 27, 28 or 29 sacks, he needs to be considered for the award, if only as a final recognition of a dominant career. 2001 already marks the 7th consecutive season, and 8th overall, in which the Generals’ edge rusher has reached 20 sacks. 8 times is simply amazing. This year’s 25 sacks (in 14 games) has him only 1 sack behind his personal best, 26 in 1999, a record we expect he will hit and surpass. Add to this the fact that Hansen has not missed a start in his entire 11-season career, a truly astounding feat in itself, and we think that this sure-shot 1st ballot HOF player deserves a chance to earn the MVP this year.
FREE AGENCY FODDER?
With 2 weeks left in the regular season, there remain a lot of big names whose contracts have not been renewed or who have not resigned. We take a look, position by position at the players who may very well be hot commodities on the free agent market if something does not happen soon:
QB: Mitchell (ORL), Griese (SEA), Zolak (WSH)
HB: Salaam (DEN), Bynum (JAX), Smith (LA), George (OHI)
FB: Crockett (ATL), Neal (MGN)
TE: Cooper (MEM), Johnson (POR)
WR: Ward (ARZ), Mason (HOU), Glenn (NJ), Rison (PIT), Moore (WSH)
T: Webb (BIR), Davis (JAX), Auzene (NOR), Johnson (TBY)
G: Pilgrim (DEN), Fisher (TEX), Connover (WSH)
C: Olin Kreutz (HOU), Jeff Saturday (OAK), Chris Thome (PHI)
DE: Hansen (NJ), Curry (OAK), Copeland (OHI), Holiday (STL)
DT: Rocker (LA), Payne (PHI), Brown (SEA), Putzier (TBY)
LB: Schwantz (MEM), Cowart (MGN), Alberts (NOR), Miles (PIT), DuBose (PIT)
S: Blades (ARZ), Malloy (BAL), Prior (CHI), Glenn (POR), Harrison (STL)
CB: Poole (ATL), Woolford (BAL), Allen (CHI), Figures (ORL), Henderson (TEX)
K/P: Lindell (TEX)
Two more clinched spots as Denver’s win moves them to 9-5 and guarantee’s their spot in postseason play. Arizona also locks up a spot thanks to some conference and divisional tiebreakers. Denver still has an outside shot at the division title but would need 2 LA defeats and 2 wins to overtake the 11-3 Express. Things are a lot tighter in the East where all three 9-5 clubs and all three 8-6 clubs are fighting for 4 spots, and even 7-7 Philadephia can have a say if they go 2-0 down the stretch. The week, more than locking in spots, served to increase the number of teams officially eliminated from contention, a list that now includes Atlanta, Oakland, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Texas, and Jacksonville. Believe it or not, even at 5-9 both Seattle and New Orleans are still mathematically alive.
As we enter the final 2 weeks of the regular season, an injury now can have a huge impact both for playoff positioning and the postseason as well. Memphis, for example, will have to scramble on defense as LB Rahim Abdullah has been placed on IR with a torn bicep. Philadelphia loses SS Larry Wigham, and Orlando has two big injuries as both CB Fernando Bryant and DE Israel Ifeanyi are also now on IR. For St. Louis, LB Darrin smith could miss the entire playoff run with a torn hamstring, while LA will be without CB Wendell Davis at least 2 weeks but possibly more due to a fracture in his lower arm. Chicago SS Anthony Prior will be out at least this week, possibly 2 weeks with a broken arm as well, while Philadelphia will miss WR Bobby Engram for 1-2 weeks with a sprained wrist. Ahman Green is listed as doubtful this week, due to a lower back concern, a huge hit for the Knights, while Memphis WR Joe Horn dislocated his knee in practice, which could cost him a week or more.
Is the USFL about to have a major shockwave? That very well could be what we are looking at as this week the ownership of the Atlanta Fire have indicated that they are looking to divest themselves of the team. It has been rumored that despite the strong revenue-sharing in the league, the Fire have lost sowhere in the realm of $20M over the past 5 seasons. After strong attendance and following in their first years in the league, the lack of quality play, star power, and the issue of summer heat and humidity have kept ticket sales near the bottom of the league and interest in the cramped sports market of Atlanta significantly lower than we have seen in other cities, including other 1995 expansion cities.
With Atlanta’s franchise now in the market, along with Portland and St. Louis, we may be at a moment of some turmoil in the league. We could easily see 2, perhaps all 3 franchises potentially relocating with a year of each other (depending on the timing of the sales). We know that a Boston consortium is one of the favorites for the Portland Thunder franchise, and that the forced sale of the St. Louis Knights by embattled James Orthwein, has yet to find a viable local group to step in and retain the Knights for St. Louis. Now, with Atlanta on the market as well, we could see a major shuffling of franchises, the likes of which we have not seen since 1986 when the Boston Breakers and Chicago Blitz both relocated.
Now, there are some who will say that perhaps this is a move for the better. If, for example, the USFL sees St. Louis, Portland, and Atlanta replaced by Dallas, Boston, and Miami, then the league has actually increased its demographics, with larger cities replacing smaller markets. That could be viewed as a good thing, particularly with the competition for TV dollars at an all time high between the USFL and NFL. But, of course, with the USFL already planning a major shift in its alignment for 2002, moving to a 6-division format, any relocation either this offseason or the next, could be a major disruption, creating the kind of weird divisions that cross logical geographic alignments, much like the NFL where Dallas is in the NFC East, though likely not as bad as the old NFC West that had Atlanta and New Orleans in it.
We don’t want to raise alarm here. After all we know that there is a strong local bid to keep the Thunder in Portland, a bid that includes a potential new stadium for the city. We also know that Atlanta certainly has corporate and individual wealth that could very well be attracted to investing in the USFL and keeping the Fire in the city. So, it is possible that all three franchises could remain exactly where they are, or that perhaps only 1 city would lose its franchise. We also know that the moratorium on expansion talks ends soon, with 2005 being the earliest possible year that the league could expand beyond its current 24 clubs. We also know that there are owners who look at the 32-team NFL and believe that an expansion to 28 clubs might be needed to retain relative parity with the fall league, a key concept when negotiating television contracts for the league.
What we do know is that this is an unprecedented time, when 3 franchises in a highly valued, and profitable league (despite Atlanta’s woes) are up for sale at the same time. It is the best chance for those cities seeking a USFL franchise that we have seen since the 1993 announcement of expansion to 24 clubs, and the most treacherous time for fans of football in St. Louis, Portland, and Atlanta (although we must confess that with 2 of those 3 cities already dual-club cities with both the NFL and USFL, the pressure is not quite the same as when there is only 1 league in town, as in Portland). So, what will come of this? We should know the fate of Portland within a few months, St. Louis and Atlanta may take longer, though certainly the league would like to approve a sale by Orthwein sooner rather than later. What we expect is that this will be a busy offseason, particularly if the league approves a relocation, as they would certainly like to have all the pieces in place in time to make a schedule for the 2002 season with all teams firmly in their stadium contracts.
Week 15 has the West in divisional play, and with so much clustering for Wild Card spots, this could be a big week, and yet, when we look at the schedule there is not a single game in the conference that matches up two teams with winning records. Chicago, having clinched the Central, takes their game on the road to New Orleans, losers of 6 straight. St. Louis is at home with the 3-11 Panthers in town, and Houston, hoping to nab the final Wild Card, is in San Antonio for their in-state rivalry with the Texas Outlaws.
In the Pacific, Portland’s chance to get into the playoffs depends on them getting a win this week at home against the Arizona Wranglers. Denver travels to Oakland in what should be another W for the Gold, and the LA Express are in Seattle to face the Dragons, with a shot at clinching the division on the line.
It’s the South visiting the Atlantic as well this week, and a huge game for the Generals as they host the Orlando Renegades. A win here could get them both a playoff berth and a shot at Washington next week for the Division title. But don’t expect Orlando to play it soft now that they have their division won. They still need that #1 seed to get home field throughout the playoffs. In Baltimore it’s the Blitz against the Showboats in another battle of strong clubs both hoping to lock in a playoff spot. The same in Columbus, where the Ohio Glory will take on the Tampa Bay Bandits in what could be one of the highest scoring games all year. Philadelphia needs help to get back in the playoff mix, but what better opportunity than a home game against the 1-13 Atlanta Fire. Birmingham is in Pittsburgh in the battle of Steel cities, while Jacksonville heads to Washington, where the Feds are hoping they can lock in the division title before facing the Generals next week.