2001 USFL Week 2 Recap: The Hit Heard Round the League

While there were 12 games played this week in the USFL, the Monday morning water cooler talk was only about one, the New Jersey-Baltimore game, and all about the situation surrounding Troy Aikman. It was a disturbing scene to watch, and news since Sunday has not looked good either. We will break it down, what we know about Aikman’s prognosis, and what it means for the Generals, and perhaps the league, but first we have games to report on, with the Generals’ defeat of the Blitz clearly this week’s game of the week, even beyond the injury report.

It is the game everyone is talking about. Only 3 plays into the game, linebacker Tracy Scroggins of Baltimore came in on a blitz, blew past the block of HB Olandis Gary and caught Troy Aikman just as he was winding back to throw. The linebacker drove Aikman to the ground, and then immediately began calling for the trainers. Aikman would lay on the turf unconscious for a solid 5 minutes before the cart was brought out. Surrounded by team doctors and training staff, they placed Aikman on a back board and carted him directly to the locker room and then a local hospital. Fans, both in the stadium and watching on TV feared the worst, a neck injury. And while that, fortunately was not the situation, the eventual diagnosis of a severe concussion could be equally as devastating. Loss of consciousness with a concussion is never good, and for Aikman it was the 2nd significant concussion in 2 weeks, the QB having been cleared to play this week after suffering a milder head injury in last week’s game.

This week’s significant injury marks the 7th concussion for Aikman in the past 3 years. That is truly problematic, as many doctors in the field of neuroscience believe that brain trauma has a cumulative effect. While team officials have not made any definitive statement about Aikman’s future as the QB of the Generals, a lot of talk this week around the league, and among the USFL weekly shows on ESPN and FOX has been about the potential for this latest injury to force Aikman into retirement, a blow not only for him, of course, but for the Generals, a club being rebuilt around Aikman as the face of the franchise.

With Aikman taken to the sideline, the game paused for over 15 minutes before the two teams took the field again. Young and untested former Michigan Wolverine QB Tom Brady took the helm for the Generals, and availed himself quite well, completing 21 of 30 passes for 288 yards and a TD toss to Terry Glenn. The Generals’ D also came up big, limiting Jeff Garcia to only 196 in the air and holding the entire Blitz ground game to only 57 yards on the day. Ron Dayne averaged only 2 yards per carry as New Jersey’s rebuilt linebacker corps of Gene Atkins, Bobby Howard, Dwayne Rudd, and Bobby Houston used well-designed run blitzes to limit his ability to make a first cut and often got a hit in behind the line of scrimmage.

Baltimore came in an 8-point favorite, but the shock of the Aikman injury, and the rallying effect it clearly had on the Generals, meant it would be a tough day for the Blitz. Coach Parcells, speaking to reporters after the game, applauded his team for rallying around Brady and around their fallen comrade to get the win on the road. The Generals are now 2-0 and stand alone atop the Atlantic Division, but they are now also at the center of a major question about the safety of the game, the impact of brain injuries on pro football, and a very real potential career-ending scenario for their star QB. We will have more on the QB situation for New Jersey later, but for now we just want to take a moment to acknowledge just how dangerous this game is, and to wish the best to Troy and his family as there will certainly be difficult days and tough decisions ahead.

WSH 20 PIT 30

A bit of a shocker as the Maulers solve the puzzle of Washington’s defense and put up 30 to get the home win. Terrell Davis started hot, scoring 2 TDs in the 1st quarter to set the tone. He would finish with 109 on the day, and the Maulers would get 101 through the air from Andre Rison to mix things up. The Mauler D also stepped up, limiting the Fed’s run game to 101 total yards on 33 carries (Split between Droughns and McCallister) in a game that was not really as close as the final score.

OHI 42 PHI 32

A huge road divisional win for the Glory, who were without star wideout Joey Galloway (expected to miss up to a month). Rookie Chad Johnson came up huge, catching 5 balls for 123 and 2 touchdowns, but it was Philly’s inability to slow down Eddie George that really doomed them. George rushe for 190 yards and put up 2 scores of his own as the Glory were simply unstoppable on offense, racking up 580 total yards and keeping the Stars at arm’s length all game long.

ATL 21 BIR 35

Birmingham started the day with a pick-6 and never looked back, though Atlanta did at least see some production on offense as QB Mark Bulger rebounded from the early error to throw for 251 and Tiki Barber was able to rush for 149 and a score. The surprise star for Birmingham was HB Charlie Rogers who rushed for 163 on only 14 carries. Lawrence Dawsey added 97 and 2 scores for the Stallions as they win by 14.

JAX 10 MEM 38

The Bulls looked out of synch all day, thanks largely to Memphis’s blitz schemes, as Chris Chandler threw for only 187. Heath Shuler had a much better day, completing 19 of 24 for 323 and 4 scores as the Showboats rolled at home. Joe Horn caught 6 for 97 and 2 scores and Garrison Hearst added 90 yards on 16 carries for the Showboats.

ORL 23 TBY 16

Despite giving up 103 yards and a score to league leader Randy Moss, the Renegades managed to contain the Bandits, limiting them to only the 1 TD. Orlando’s offense struggled throughout the game, with Mitchell throwing for only 198 and dealing with 6 sacks from an aggressive Tampa pass rush, but a late TD on a screen from Mitchell to Zeroue was enough to hold off the Bandits and take the road win.

CHI 23 ARZ 21

Arizona once again failed to mount any sort of coordinated rushing attack aside from one long Jake Plummer bootleg, and Chicago did a good job of containing the 2000 MVP on their way to a road win in Tempe. Jeff George had one of his best games in the league, completing 29 of 38 for 342 and a key TD to Michael Ricks to help the Machine get the W.

HOU 21 DEN 24

Houston put a scare into Denver, with Matt Hasselbeck throwing 3 TDs on the day, but 171 yards and 2 scores from Denver’s big back, Rashaan Salaam, was enough to secure the win for the defending league champions. Denver held the ball for nearly 35 minutes thanks to the ground game, but Houston found ways to keep it close thanks to good games from Antonio Freeman and TE Terry Hardy.

MGN 5 LA 41

Things are looking bad for the Panthers, who have scored a combined 11 points in their first 2 games. This one got ugly quickly as a 7-5 deficit ballooned with LA scoring 21 in the 2nd quarter and going on to score the final 34 points of the game. Fans in Michigan are very likely to be calling for rookie Drew Brees after Doug Flutie threw for only 85 yards in this debacle. LA got 122 on the ground from Michael Pittman and wideout Tory Holt again led all receives with 97 yards and 2 TDs for the Express.

NOR 24 OAK 22

The Invaders came to play at home and New Orleans seems to have serious issues with their run defense as Rodney Thomas rushed for 185 in the game. The Breakers answered with 159 from Ricky Williams, but it took a late Lin Elliott field goal to secure the win as New Orleans struggled all day to maintain drives.

STL 41 POR 38

Something is wrong with St. Louis’s highly-regarded defense. For the second week in a row the Knights ended up in a shootout with a club that is not known for offensive fireworks. Portland put up 419 yards of offense against the St. Louis D, including 102 yards rushing for Napoleon Kaufmann and big games from both Matthew Hatchette and TE Lonnie Johnson. But, in the end, St. Louis found a way to pull the game out, thanks in part to a late TD from Darnay Scott and 2 TDs from backup HB George Layne.

TEX 20 SEA 27

Seattle moves to 2-0 thanks to Corey Dillon’s 179 yard day as the revival of the run game in the USFL continues. Brian Griese threw for only 142 in the victory, though he did connect with big TE Ken Dilger twice for scores. Texas actually held a 20-10 lad at the half, but was unable to make good adjustments at the half and Seattle would score the game’s final 17 points.

We are not going to rehash all the potential impacts of the Aikman injury, though it should be stated that the team initially listed Aikman as out for Week 3, with the expectation that a longer absence from the roster, including a potential retirement, are very much on the table. And while Aikman is not the first player to deal with significant concussion-related concerns, his injury, and the unsettling visual images it produced, are likely to have widesweeping impacts across the league.

And yet, Troy was not the only player to suffer a significant injury in this most violent of team sports. We saw several players with season-impacting injuries again this week. Houston and Pittsburgh both saw big blows to their defenses this week, as DE Michael Sinclair and LB Godfrey Miles are both likely out for the rest of the year with significant injuries. For Sinclair it is an ankle injury, an ugly one for those who saw the play happen (fortunately the network was quick to halt any replays). Sinclair will need surgery on the ankle and while there is an outside chance he could return in as little as 10 weeks, the more likely scenario is that Houston will place him on the IR. For Miles in Pittsburgh, the IR seems inevitable as he suffered a hip injury that in all likelihood will require lengthy time away from any significant movement, followed by a lengthy recovery time with physical therapy. The injury did not look like much on the field, but Miles was unable to get up after the play and had to be carted off. X-rays showed a compound fracture, which in a hip is a tough injury to isolate.

Others who may miss several weeks include Denver guard Evan Pilgrim (back), Texas FB Robert Booker (hip), Birmingham FS Marcus Wimberly (ACL), Houston TE Dan Campbell (MCL), St. Louis DE Vonnie Holiday (Wrist) and Pittsburgh DE Bob Kuberski (knee). Doubtful for this week but expected back within 2 weeks are Portland LB Mark Simoneau (knee), Atlanta wideout Terrance Mathis (pinched nerve), Atlanta LB Mo Lewis (hamstring), Oakland kicker Joe Nedney (toe), New Orleans LB Trev Alberts, and St. Louis QB Todd Collins (finger).

The Aftermath

As much as the focus this week has been on Troy Aikman’s well being, and quite possibly on the decision he will have to make about his future in the game of football, the reality is that Coach Parcells and the Generals have to move forward. We know that it will likely be several weeks before Aikman would be cleared to play. The team, the league, and his own personal physicians are going to want to verify just what the impact of the back-to-back concussions, paired with prior brain injuries, could mean for Troy’s future.

In the meantime, New Jersey has to have a solution at QB. They did not go into the season with a deep QB room, having traded both starter Jeff Lewis and veteran backup Eric Zeier away in the preseason. They had 2nd year player Tom Brady, the late round pick from Michigan, set up as the 2nd QB behind Aikman, perhaps anticipating that the former Bandit would have a lot of wisdom to pass on to the young QB. Behind Brady they have only Todd Boumann, another late round pick from the 1997 draft from the football powerhouse that is St. Cloud State. So what should the Generals do? What options are really out there for them, for this year, but also potentially for the future should Aikman step away from the game. We looked at all the available free agents, potential signings, and trade options, and we came up with our 5 best case scenarios should Aikman be out for several more weeks and/or should he be lost for good.

Short Term Stasis: Stick it out with Brady & Boumann. Financially this is the easiest path. The Generals will, of course, need to sign an emergency 3rd QB, a John Walsh or Dave Brown, just to hold a clipboard. This plan makes sense only if Aikman’s people and the physicians lean into the idea of a 3-5 week absence and a return to the Generals ready to go. Brady played well in relief this week, getting the road win at Baltimore, but he is hardly a known quantity or a highly-regarded arm talent. Anything beyond a few weeks and the Generals ought to consider another option.

The Veteran Free Agent: This may be the next best option, spend a bit more and bring in a veteran from a very limited free agent pool. There are three names that come to mind and when we consider the kind of players Coach Parcells likes, it may really only be one. Currently unsigned by both USFL and NFL clubs (including the mandatory 6-month free agency span for an NFL player to be free to sign outside of the Transfer Window) we have former Bandit and Thunder starter Kerwin Bell, perennial “bridge” QB Timm Rosenbach, and former New Orleans starter and NFL cap victim Jamie Martin.

Of the three, Martin seems the QB most likely to fit the mold of a Parcells offense, but having been released by his NFL club back in September of last year, and unsigned even as a midseason replacement by any NFL teams, we have to wonder if Martin’s head is in the game. Rosenbach last played in Portland as an emergency backup in Portland, but his last significant action was way back in 1998, when he started 3 games for the Atlanta Fire. Kerwin Bell last saw game action in 1998, as a backup to Aikman. If Martin is in the right head space, he seems the best option here, but none of these players seems ready to come in and lead New Jersey where they hope to go this season.

Look to the North: It is not possible for the Generals to sign any current NFL free agents since the transfer window is shut, but they could reach into the CFL to find a QB on short notice. The cash-strapped CFL could provide not only a free agent option, but we could see a club willing to part with a top tier CFL starter if the price from the Generals were sufficient. Looking at the CFL rosters, the best option for the Generals might be to take a shot at snatching Henry Burris, the athletic starter from the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Burris is in his 3rd year in Canada, is healthy, and has a lot of talent, but does he really fit the mold of a Parcells offense? Not really, he is in many ways like Jeff Lewis, the player Parcells shipped to Texas in favor of a true pocket passer. Among pocket passers in the CFL the top candidate would be Danny McManus, a 10-year veteran currently with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The jump from the CFL to the USFL is a big one, and we have not seen many make the transition successfully, but these may be desperate times in East Rutherford and in a CFL signal caller they would get a player fit and ready to play.

Trade for a Potential Long Term Solution: If there is a sense that Aikman may step away, which is very plausible, the Generals may look to make a deal to bring in a young QB with potential. There are not a lot of teams willing to part ways with a high-ceiling young QB, but there are always a couple who could be persuaded. Among those with potential, the Generals could reach out to Memphis, to inquire about former Gold QB Bill Musgrave. Memphis is solidly with Heath Shuler, so the right price could pry Musgrave away. A similar situation exists with St. Louis, where former General Rob Johnson could be obtained perhaps without a huge ransom.

But if New Jersey is seriously seeking a long-term solution, there is one situation that might be tailor made for them. Ryan Leaf is a wild card. He is very talented, has the capacity to be a franchise QB, but has made a lot of enemies in Oakland. His play has slipped since a stellar 1st year with the Invaders, and along the decline he has been outspoken in his critiques of teammates, the coaches, and even the front office. Would Oakland be willing to part with the hotheaded 1st round pick? If the Generals were serious to offer some quality draft capital, including but not limited to a 1st rounder next year, that might help Oakland divest themselves of a talented, but controversial player, and would bring New Jersey a talented new QB. Bill Parcells is the type of coach who could be effective in managing Leaf’s outspoken nature, and his more controlled offense could be just what Leaf needs to rebound from a rough season in 2000.

Trade for a Bridge QB and Draft for the Future: We actually see this as the most likely path. New Jersey could trade for an older veteran and then look at the 2002 draft for a long-term solution at the position. The 2002 Draft has several strong candidates, including Fresno State’s David Carr, Oregon’s Joey Harrington, and Tulane’s Patrick Ramsey. Of the three, Carr seems the best-suited to run a Parcells offense. But who do you sing in the interim?

We have one clear frontrunner, a New Jersey fan favorite who has fallen out of favor with his current team. You know him, you love him, the diminutive dynamite…Doug Flutie. Flutie is currently starting for the Michigan Panthers, but their future is clearly in the hands of rookie QB Drew Brees. If New Jersey could make a deal for Flutie, it would give Michigan the perfect reason to promote Brees over the legendary QB, and give New Jersey instant credibility with their fans, who never stopped loving Flutie even after he was let go. Sure, Flutie’s style is not exactly what Parcells prefers, and he is clearly a step or two slower than he was the last time he slipped on the red Generals jersey, but he is a proven commodity, and a perfect bridge as the Generals try to cope with the potential loss of Aikman for this season if not permanently.

Now, we need to say that all of these ideas are pure conjecture, and that a lot will depend on just what the doctors and Troy Aikman himself decides, but if the Generals do need a long-term solution we are sold on the potential for a Flutie return and a 2002 rookie who may get a year or two with Flutie as a mentor. Make it happen, Generals.

Trouble a Mile Up?

Another story which has not been touched on much this week due to all the attention paid to New Jersey, but there is potential concerns that Denver Gold HB Rashaan Salaam may find himself suspended by the league. Salaam failed a random drug test this week, and this is not the first time. Pair this with stories coming out of the Denver Post about late night escapades and, possibly, some legal entanglements emerging from his post-championship celebrations, and Salaam could be a concern for the Gold.

Salaam has been the unquestioned centerpieces of the Gold’s offense these past 5 years, averaging nearly 1,200 yards per season since his sophomore season. Were he to run afowl of the USFL’s somewhat lenient drug policies (certainly more lenient than the NFL’s), it could mean a substantial penalty. If there are legal issues as well, that would only make things worse. We expect news on the failed drug test within the week, and if an appeal attempt fails, Salaam could see sanctions imposed as soon as Week 4. If that happens, and if suspension is a possibility, Denver will have to develop a 2-back system, something they have not typically preferred. Their two other active backs, Ricky Whittle and Rod Smart, are near polar opposites of each other, with Whittle being the between-the-tackles grinder, while Smart is more of a jitterbug, good outside, good in the passing game, but not exactly a pounder up the middle. We will continue to monitor this situation and will certainly report should the league or the team come down on Salaam in the next few days.

Another Rookie Wideout To Watch

Last week it was Santana Moss taking the league by storm in his first game. This week that mantle was picked up by Ohio wideout Chad Johnson. With Joey Galloway expected to miss a month or more due to injury, the expectation was that Ohio would lean heavily on the run game with Eddie George, and they certainly got a great game from George this week (190 yards and 2 scores on the ground), but they also asked the rookie wideout from Oregon State to step into the starting lineup, and Johnson did more than that, he stepped into the spotlight.

Johnson caught 5 balls for 123 yards and 2 scores in Sunday’s huge road win at Philadelphia. It was a performance that won him the Rookie Performer of the Week, but he may have done even more with his personality than with his performance. While the celebration after his first career TD was pretty stoic, basic high-fives and hugs with teammates, his second TD celebration was the kind of show that makes the highlight reels, a spontaneous (we think) dance routine that got everyone’s attention, including a Stars defender who tried to break it up only to get embarrassed in the effort. Johnson’s exhuberance rallied the Glory bench and his play on the field backed it up. Look out Columbus, it looks like you might have found a good one, and a player not afraid of the limelight either.

Week three flips the script from Week 2, with the Western Conference now jumping into divisional play while the 12 Eastern clubs play interdivisional games (Atlantic visiting the Southern clubs). Looking at the key divisional battles, the one we don’t want to miss is Chicago at Houston. Both clubs, big disappointments in 2000, are trying to prove to themselves and to their fans that they are on the right track. Both come into the game at 1-1, but only 1 can leave with a winning record. In the Pacific, it may be desperation time already for the Arizona Wranglers, losers of their first two games, both at home. They now head to Denver to face the Gold, who rebounded from a Week 1 loss with a good home win this week. We have the California Derby with LA traveling to Oakland and hoping to reach 3-0, and we have the Cascade Clash once again, with Seattle hosting the Portland Thunder. The other games in the Central feature 2-0 St. Louis traveling to winless Texas and the Michigan Panthers, still waiting to score their first TD of the season, facing off against a New Orleans defense that has been a shadow of their 2000 form.

In the Eastern Conference, we are intrigued by the game between New Jersey and Birmingham. Both clubs are 2-0, but the story will be how Tom Brady, in his first pro start, and the entire Generals team will perform after a very tough, very unsettling week. Memphis also has a good matchup as they host the Philadelphia Stars in what should be a very engaging game. Other games on the docket include Jacksonville hosting Ohio, Washington traveling to Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, fresh off their big win against Washington, headed to Orlando to face the 2-0 Renegades, and Baltimore facing the Fire in Atlanta.