2002 USFL Week 10 Recap: Big Games & Assigning Blame
- USFL LIVES
- 8 hours ago
- 23 min read
Derrick Henry runs past New England, A. J. Epenesa sacks the Bulls, Mason Rudolph stuns the Showboats, and Daniel Carlson crushes the Panthers. In a week that saw its share of upsets, last-minute scores, and dominant performances, this was also a week of individual accomplishments, including 163 yards from the Stars’ biggest star, and a 5-sack day from one of 2022’s breakout players. It was also a week that led to a purge of coordinators, as struggling teams try to make a change in time to salvage something out of the year. We will lead off with our review of the miniature Black Monday we saw this week, review all 12 of this past weekend’s games, examine the Showboat’s stadium conundrum and add 3 more very well-known names to our list of the 40 Greatest Players in the USFL’s 40 seasons. All that plus a preview of Week 11 just ahead, don’t go anywhere.
Black Monday for Coordinators as 3 Teams Make Moves
While this week’s purge of ineffective coordinators does not exactly have the scope or scale of the annual “Black Monday” ritual in which teams drop their coaches following the final regular season game, for the three teams involved, it was a clear sign that they need to make changes, with the hope, of course, being that a late season surge can keep the head coaches from becoming former head coaches during the annual Black Monday bloodletting.
Three teams, each at the bottom of their divisions and each at serious risk of the dreaded 10-loss season, cut ties with one of their coordinators this week, promoting from within to fill the gap and hopefully spark some improvement for their teams. Two OCs and a DC were let go as the Panthers, Maulers, and Bulls all essentially admitted that at least half of their team was not getting the job done. No surprises about which one either, though all three teams could be headed for bigger changes this offseason if their final record follows the pattern of the season’s first 10 weeks.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS
With the 29th ranked scoring offense and having gone 9 games into the 2022 season without topping 20 points even once, it is no surprise that offensive coordinator Mike Shula takes the hit for the 1-8 Panthers. Deep into an 8-game losing streak, and having put up 13, 11, and 13 points in the three games following their Week 7 bye, the Panthers, who still boast one of the league’s premier backs in LeVeon Bell, let Shula go on Monday, announcing that they were going to promote the running game specialist and HB position coach Kelly Skipper to the OC position. Skipper’s challenge is to turn LeVeon Bell’s production into a viable offense capable of putting points on the board. That will mean working with Kirk Cousins to address the league’s 20th-ranked passing game, and with a receiver group that is underperforming at every position.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS
The Maulers are struggling on both sides of the ball, but with their defense still in the Top 10 in both total yards allowed and rushing yards allowed, the most pressing issue was their offense. The Maulers hold the unfortunate distinction of being 30th out of 30 teams in rushing the ball (52.2 YPG), overall yards per game (252.9) and points per game (13.1), a trifecta that speaks to the struggles of a rookie QB, one who is getting no help at all from an anemic HB group. On Monday, Pittsburgh joined their Central Division rival in sacking their offensive coordinator, letting Larry Kirksey go and promoting offensive line coach, and former short-term Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone to the OC position. Many expect Marrone’s tenure as the OC to be a short one as Pittsburgh is looking very much like a team ready for a major overhaul, not just of the roster, but of the entire coaching staff as well. Only an impressive turnaround from the Mauler offense would likely stave off Marrone’s departure along with several other coaches, including HC Skip Holtz.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS
While Jacksonville’s 26th ranked offense over-promised and underproduced this year, there is no doubt that the 30th ranked defense is a more immediate concern for Coach Vrabel and the 2-7 Bulls. The defense is not only 30th in points allowed, giving up 29.4 points a game, but is also dead last in yardage, the only team in the league to give up over 400 per game (408.8 to be exact). With a run defense ranked 29th in the league and the worst-ranked passing defense, there is just nothing working for the Bulls on defense, an embarrassment for a 1st year head coach who was himself a defensive standout. So it is no surprise that Jacksonville has parted ways with DC Shane Bowen, letting the first year coordinator go and promoting former NFL linebacker and current Bulls LB coach Pepper Johnson to the DC position. Even with the promotion, expect to see a lot of Mike Vrabel’s influence on the defense as he tries to show some growth over the course of the 2022 season.
CHICAGO MACHINE 15 MICHIGAN PANTHERS 13
For the Chicago Machine, the chance to saunter into Ford Field as the unbeaten leaders of the Central Division, and to face a Michigan Panther squad that had lost 7 in a row and held the worst record in the league, well that had to be a partisan fan’s greatest dream. The hope, of course, would be that Chicago would dominate the Panthers as they had at Soldier Field, a 43-17 drubbing of their rivals back in Week 2. For the Panthers, the rematch was a chance to try to salvage some pride in a season that has gone from bad to worse. Holding their own against Chicago, with hopes of an upset win, would at least show that the Panthers had not given up on the season and still had pride in how they performed against their rivals.
If there are pyrrhic victories in pro football, and many would say there are not, then the Panthers may have nabbed one this week. For 59 minutes they held Chicago in check, holding Sam Bradford without a touchdown, forcing 4 punts, 4 field goal attempts, and keeping Chicago below 20 points for the only the 3rd time all season. When they put a touchdown on the board with 1:21 left in regulation to take a slim 1-point lead, they may have even felt that they could come out of this game with a very unexpected victory. That was not to be as Michigan’s uncharacteristically malleable defense gave up a final Chicago drive that led to Daniel Carlson’s game winning kick, but in losing 15-13, the Panthers did avoid the kind of disastrous blowout loss that had befallen them back in Chicago 8 weeks earlier. A Pyrrhic victory if ever there was one.
The Panther strategy was clear from the early moments of the game, play conservative zone defense, making life difficult for Sam Bradford by having 7 defenders in space on nearly every play, pressuring only with their front four. On offense, continue to hand the ball to Bell even when he struggled to make gains, then use play action to try to hit on an occasional deep ball. For Chicago, the plan was to take what the Panthers were willing to give, which in this case meant 119 yards rushing for the duo of Marion Mack and rookie Rachaad White, completing short passes underneath the Panther zones, and stay patient.
Those two strategies produced a game with solid yardage for both teams but few points for either offense. There were only 2 offensive touchdowns in the game, both from the Panthers, as Michigan scored on an Alexander Mattison run in the 2nd , helping them go to the half with a modest 7-6 lead. Chicago’s lone TD on the day would not come from Sam Bradford and the offense, but on a pick-six from Chicago corner Josh Norman. Norman’s 3rd quarter 66-yard pick-six was the lone score of the quarter, giving Chicago the advantage 12-7 thanks to a botched 2-point conversion attempt.
Michigan did not panic after falling behind, continuing to shorten the game and rely on Bell’s legs as the focal point of their offense. It took more than 15 minutes of game time for the Panthers to respond to Chicago’s 3rd quarter score, but when they did it gave them a late lead that well could have put the game to bed. The 4-yard TD from Kirk Cousins to WR Mac Hollins came at the end of a 13-play, 77-yard drive. It gave the Panthers a slim 13-12 lead, with the offense once again failing on the 2-point PAT.
Chicago would get the ball on their own 25 after the kickoff touchback. With only 1 timeout left and needing to get to the Michigan 38 to give kicker Daniel Carlson a fair chance at a 55-yard field goal, they had 1:23 to work with and a sense of purpose, one born out of 8 consecutive wins. The Machine trip down the field was not exactly smooth, interrupted by 2 injuries, a false start, and a defensive holding call, but after 8 plays and 35 yards, there was Daniel Carlson, a bit outside a comfortable range, lining up for a 56-yard attempt. The Machine’s unblemished record was on the line, as well as a lot of pride as Chicago had talked a good game ahead of their rematch with the 1-win Panthers. Now, to save face, their 5th year kicker would have to match his career high and connect from 56 yards out.
The season has taken two very different paths for the Machine and the Panthers. Chicago seems to snag all the breaks, the fortunate bounces, and the moments of sublime fortune. The Panthers quite the opposite, a season filled with gaffs, missed opportunities and self-inflicted wounds. That disparity of fortune would continue in this game, with Daniel Carlson laying into the ball and sending it on a curved trajectory that initially looked to be too far to the right, only to hook back to the left, clearing the right upright and producing a 2-point win for the Machine, their 9th, matched with no losses, while Michigan dropped to 1-8, losing their 8th in a row in a desperate season that no one expected and few could explain.
LOS ANGELES 27 OAKLAND 20
Andy Dalton gets the start for the Express and produces 166 yards and a touchdown before having to sit out the 4th quarter due to a hand injury suffered when he glanced his throwing hand off a helmet. Nick Foles finished the game, throwing a 59-yard TD to Jeremy Maclin, giving LA a 27-13 lead which would prove large enough to protect the W for the visitors. Davis Mills found Davante Adams in the 4th quarter to close the gap, but was unable to add a 2nd as the Invaders fall at home to their in-state rivals.
POTG: Express WR Jeremy Maclin: 3 Rec, 130 Yds, 1 TD
PITTSBURGH 10 TAMPA BAY 44
Tampa Bay scored on their first 4 possessions, building a 24-0 lead that the Maulers would never challenge in this one-sided affair. The Bandits held Pittsburgh’s anemic offense to 8 first downs, 3 of 17 on third down and only 35 rushing yards. The only downside for the Bandits was that Dak Prescott had to be removed from the game after a blow to the head. The upside is that rookie Matt Coral played well, throwing for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Bandits simply dominated the game.
POTG: Bandit DE Brian Burns: 6 Tck, 2 Sck
WASHINGTON 16 CHARLOTTE 27
The Feds struggle again as Coach Daboll and the Monarchs pick up a 3rd win on the season thanks to a 13-0 scoring run in the 4th quarter, sparked by a 36-yard pick-six. Phillip Linday had his best game to date for Charlotte, rushing for 96 yards, while Paxton Lynch hit Austin Proehl for a score as well. Jacoby Brissett and the Federals’ offense had them in range at 16-14 after 3 quarters, but the Monarchs owned the final period and claimed the home victory.
POTG: Charlotte LB Rolando McClain: 14 Tck, 1 PDef
PORTLAND 38 HOUSTON 35
Following the same strategy as last week. Colt McCoy went 9 of 16 for 199 yards and 2 scores while Landry Jones went 5 of 7 for another 93 yards and a score. Houston needed both as their defense struggled and Marcus Mariota went 29 of 38 for 379 yards and 4 scores. When Houston scored with 1:01 left to build a 35-31 lead, the game seemed in hand, but Mariota found Brandin Cooks for a 50-yard strike and with 20 seconds left in the game, he hit Mac Knapp for the game-winner to cap off a major upset for the Stags.
POTG: Stag QB Marcus Mariota: 29/38, 379 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
ATLANTA 3 OHIO 10
An ugly game between two teams that struggled to find offensive coherence. Ohio survived 2 turnovers thanks to their defense while Atlanta simiply could not get much going, failing on 3 different fourth down attempts and limited to a lone field goal. The difference in the game was a single drive late in the 2nd quarter that saw Justin Fields find Curtis Samuel for the game’s only touchdown.
POTG: Ohio DE Datone Jones: 5 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Sck
ORLANDO 23 BIRMINGHAM 35
Josh Gordon caught 6 for 47 yards in his debut for Orlando, but it was not enough as the Birmingham run game (including 79 yards from Cam Newton) put up 3 touchdowns and Newton threw for another. Both Henry Ruggs (105) and TE Hunter Henry (101) went over 100 yards and Najee Harris scored twice as the Stallions improve to 7-2 and send Orlando back under .500 for the season.
POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 8/13, 232 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 12 Att, 79 Yds, 1 TD
NEW ORLEANS 20 SEATTLE 23
A good game between two evenly matched teams, this one looked like it was headed to overtime, but Seattle backup Trevor Siemian, in after Hundley suffered a hyper-extended knee, led the Dragons down the field in the final minute to set up Jeffery Harris for the game winner. Siemian went 8 of 12 in relief, including a key 3rd down toss to Kyle Rudolph that helped set up the winning score.
POTG: Seattle WR Devin Funchess: 6 Rec, 132 Yds, 2 TD
PHILADELPHIA 19 NEW ENGLAND 14
The Steamrollers are not rolling, losing a 2nd consecutive division game, this time at home as Derrick Henry ran wild across Gilette Stadium, gaining 163 yards on 23 carries, two going for scores. Henry had a 21-yard wrecking ball run in the 2nd and added a short goalline run in the fourth as the Stars got the win despite Carson Wentz only throwing 9 passes for 73 yards. Philly was helped by a tentative Ryan Tannehill, who was sacked 5 times and threw 2 picks in a poor showing.
POTG: Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 23 Att, 163 Yds, 2 TD
NEW JERSEY 7 BALTIMORE 24
The Generals outgained the Blitz 328-178 and yet lost badly after giving the ball away 4 times. Baltimore opened up the scoring with Ken Webster’s pick-six, one of three picks from Teddy Bridgewater. With Josh Jacobs out of action, the Blitz only managed 33 yards rushing, but with 2 Jake Locker TD passes, they had more than enough to knock off a Generals team that simply did not have any offensive game on the day.
POTG: Blitz CB Ken Webster: 7 Tck, 4 PDef, 2 Int, 1 DefTD
SAN DIEGO 35 MEMPHIS 24
The Thunder improve to 4-6 with their 3rd win in the past 4 weeks. Mason Rudolph continues to improve, throwing for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns, despite only completing passes to 4 different receivers. Memphis had 24 first downs to San Diego’s 10, but could only produce 2 touchdown drives. Robert Woods caught 13 passes for 145 yards and a TD, but it was not enough as the Thunder pulled away with a late Rudolph to Johnson TD and Memphis could not respond.
POTG: Thunder FS Jordan Fuller: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 DefTD
JACKSONVILLE 20 ST. LOUIS 33
Lamar Jackson looked strong, throwing for 333 yards and 3 scores and rushing the ball 12 times as the Skyhawks improved to 6-3 with a solid home win. Trevor Lawrence survived 7 sacks, 5 from A. J. Epenesa, and had some big numbers, throwing for 323 yards and 2 scores, but the run game was not good at all, with rookie James Cook gaining only 15 yards on the day. James Conner fared much better, going for 89 yards on 18 carries.
POTG: St. Louis DE A. J. Epenesa: 7 Tck, 5 Sck
Is San Diego in the Playoff Picture?
Don’t look now, but in a season that has already seen a QB change, a 1-5 start, and a Week 9 trade for the future, the San Diego Thunder may actually be in the middle of a playoff chase. Since their 1-5 start and their move from Christian Hackenberg to Mason Rudolph, the Thunder have gone 3-1 and sit at 4-6 for the year as they prepare for their bye week. Now, 4-6 is still 2 games under .500, not a record that evokes playoff confidence, but in a Western Division where the 5th and 6th seeds currently sit with only 5 wins, the Thunder are without a doubt in the mix. When you consider that the Thunder now sit only ½ game behind 4-5 Oakland, with only 1 less win than 2nd place Los Angeles, it is not impossible to see how Thunder fans might just rally behind their team and push them to get over the .500 hump and into the Wild Card picture.
The Thunder had an impressive win in Memphis this week, knocking off the 5-3 Showboats by 11 points. They will come out of their bye with 6 games left to play, including 3 division matchups ( at Seattle, LA at home and at Portland to close out the season). Their other 3 foes include the 5-4 Houston Gamblers, likely still without Carlos Hyde, and the up-and-down Denver Gold (4-5). The path won’t be easy, but that there is a path at all for a Thunder team that scored only 3 wins in both 2020 and 2021, there is finally some light between the Thunderclouds.
Mariota Spurs Portland to Road Upset
The season has not gone the way the Stag Army would have wanted, with only 3 wins in 10 games, but there is an argument to be made that this season has been among Marcus Mariota’s best in the USFL. The much-maligned Stag QB has managed to stay relatively healthy, missing only 1 game to injury over the first 10 weeks of the season. He has seen his QB rating rebound from 2021, now over 90, and he is completing almost 68% of his passes. This week’s game, a surprising 38-35 shootout victory over Houston, saw Mariota throw for 379 yards, his highest total in nearly 2 years, and pass for 4 touchdowns. In a season that has disappointed fans and spurred discussion of some major roster changes, Mariota’ performance may be making him immune from the usual “blame the QB” tendencies we see so often in the pro game. Coach Harbaugh seems confident in his signal caller, and that, combined with a couple more strong outings, may remove the QB position from the “urgent need” list this offseason.
Torero!! Epenesa Tames the Bulls
After nearly a decade in which the Skyhawk defense has been more punchline than punishing, the Skyhawks currently boast a Top 5 squad, allowing only 63.1 yards per game rushing and limiting teams to 18.7 points per game. Improvements across the roster are certainly a factor there, but the most obvious sign that this is a very new Skyhawk defense is the emergence of DE A. J. Epenesa. In his 3rd year out of Penn State, Epenesa is on fire, racking up 17 sacks in his first 9 games, a pace that should have him clear the 20-sack threshold by season’s end. Epenesa started the year strong, recording 7 sacks in his first 3 games, but as defenses adjusted, his numbers slowed, only to bounce right back this week against an overmatched Jacksonville Bulls defense. Epenesa was unstoppable in this week’s game, recording 5 of the team’s 7 sacks of Trevor Lawrence. It marks the young end’s highest single game total and could be a sign that the Skyhawks are finding new ways to scheme around Epenesa to give him more options as he seeks the quarterback. With some pretty shaky offensive lines coming up in the next few weeks (Charlotte this week, Michigan in Week13, Portland in 14, and Pittsburgh in 17), there is a lot of hope in St. Louis that they will, for the first time ever, have the league’s sack champion on their roster.
No Trade Deadline Moves as Wrangler Turn Away Carey Deal
We reached the Week 10 Trade Deadline without another major deal, but not for a lack of trying apparently. In the final week of the trading period, the Arizona Wranglers were a popular team, getting more interest calls than a Facebook marketplace post for free puppies. The player at the center of all this interest? Wrangler HB Ka’Deem Carey. It seems that the emergence of rookie Tyler Allgeier, with 442 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns on the year, has folks wondering if veteran Ka’Deem Carey is available for trade. Arizona received serious offers from no fewer than 4 teams, including the Generals, Bulls, Skyhawks, and Maulers. Each wanted to talk about Carey, each making offers of draft picks or receivers, but Arizona was not hearing it. With a solid 1-2 halfback duo and an 8-1 record that has the Wranglers still chasing unbeaten Chicago for the Western Conference’s top seed, the Wranglers had no interest in letting their veteran back go. Despite more than ample offers from several teams, the Wranglers stood pat and prepared for the home stretch of the season, hoping to find their way back to the Summer Bowl.
Hundley to Miss More Games with New Injury
Concern in Seattle as their starting QB, Brett Hundley, has been diagnosed with a hyper-extended knee, an injury likely to keep him off the field for the next 2-3 weeks. This is the second leg injury for Hundley this season, after suffering an ankle injury in Week 4 that cost him 2 weeks of action, it now appears that it is the knee on the same leg, Hundley’s left, which could cost him 2 to 3 more games. What is worse is that Seattle has a 4-game divisional streak on the horizon, one that could decide if the Dragons can defend their 2021 Division Title with a repeat. With a road trip to LA this week, an equally taxing trip to Oakland the following week and then games vs. Portland and San Diego at Lumen Field, the Dragons do not want to be without their starter at this crucial time of the year, but once again it seems that they are going to have to turn to Trevor Siemian once again and at a time of year when your entire goal is to stay healthy as a team and build momentum towards the postseason.
Baltimore’s hopes to claim the NE Division took not one hit this week, but two, as both DT Levi Onwuzurike and halfback Troymaine Pope were placed on IR after suffering nasty muscle and ligament tears this week. Both will be undergoing reparative surgery in the next week and will have long rehabs that could stretch into the offseason training season. Several other players also suffered injuries that could potentially cost them the remaining regular season games, including San Antonio’s veteran safety, Will Harris. On the QB front, Brett Hundley is out this week and likely Week 12 as well, while Andy Dalton will be a game-time decision for the Express after clocking his throwing hand against one of his lineman’s helmets in this week’s first start in LA.
OUT
HB Troymaine Pope BAL ACL Tear IR
DT Levi Onwuzurike BAL Groin Tear IR
CB Damon Arnette OHI Fractured Skull IR
DT Davion Nixon JAX Broken Wrist 6-8 Weeks
SS Will Harris SAN Torn MCL 6-8 Weeks
C Phillip Blake MEM Groin 2-4 Weeks
DE Dee Ford MGN Foot 2-4 Weeks
QB Brett Hundley SEA Knee 1-2 Weeks
CB Isaac Yiadom CHI Knee 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
C Max Tuerk LA Concussion
LB Jarvis Jones BAL Toe
QUESTIONABLE
G Parker Ehinger PIT Ankle
WR Muhamed Sanu NJ Back
G Damien Lewis NOR Knee
QB Andy Dalton LA Finger
Amid Relocation Rumors, Memphis Puts Stadium Initiative to Voters
Things are getting “interesting”, as my Midwestern in-laws would say, in Memphis’s stadium situation. Despite a series of renovations over the past 2 decades, Memphis’s Liberty Bowl Stadium is still one of the oldest facilities in the league, and the one that still offers its lead tenant far less in amenities than most USFL clubs claim as standard. The venerable staple of Memphis sports broke ground in 1963, and has been the home to the showboats for 39 seasons, but it is not a modern professional stadium, even with attempts to refurbish it.
For the better part of 20 years the Showboats have been pushing for a new facility, one with all the tech, concourse space, luxury suites, and team amenities that are found across the league, but unlike so many other USFL teams, Memphis neither shares their stadium with an NFL club or major BCS university, nor has a strong corporate base pushing for a multi-use dome or retractable roof facility. The fact is that the city of Memphis, while not the smallest in total population in the league (Birmingham and post-Katrina New Orleans are smaller) may be the poorest of the USFL cities. Yes, FedEx is a major presence, but compared with many other USFL locations, including newcomers like Oklahoma City and San Diego, Memphis is just not a metropolitan area with either corporate or municipal wealth, and that means that the ability for the city to help fund a huge project like a new stadium facility for its lone tenant is not strong. That is why we have seen the Showboats time and again have to settle for smaller renovation projects, falling further behind other franchises when it comes to revenue potential from their gameday experience.
Once again, Showboat ownership is pushing a ballot initiative to help fund a new facility, backed by a league promise to contribute up to $200M towards a new facility, but once again it looks like a long and hard road to convince local politicians and the public to help fund stadium construction. So, what other options do the Showboats have? Well, there are two cities that are not only willing to consider hosting the Showboats, but are making a push to be taken seriously as a new home for the 39-year old USFL franchise. One is the Showboats’ own state capital, Nashville. Since the departure of the Nashville Knights in 2015, when the club headed west to become the Las Vegas Vipers, Music City has been content to focus their energy on the NFL Tennessee Copperheads and their NHL Predators. But with rapid growth in the Nashville metro area and a push for a new stadium for the Copperheads already in producing dividends, the city and its corporate base are looking to find a 2nd tenant for the proposed dome to be completed in 2027. The USFL and, considering their situation, the Showboats seem a natural target of Nashville’s attention. Fans jilted by the Knights could certainly gain a measure of revenge by capturing their former team’s arch rival and their state’s other USFL franchise. Many Nashvillians are already Memphis fans (though there are solid Stallion and Fire contingents as well) and having a 2nd tenant for the new Nissan Stadium (dome) with the history and monetary impact of the USFL Showboats would be a coup for the state’s burgeoning capital city.
But Nashville is not alone in its interest in acquiring a USFL team. It seems every time there is expansion, as we saw only 2 years ago with the Steamrollers and Gunslingers, there are cities which go unchosen and they often put their efforts into seeking a relocation candidate. Of the markets not chosen in the 2020 expansion process (Indianapolis, Kansas City, Miami and Minnesota), the Twin Cities remains an active lobbyist for USFL recognition. The Twin Cities Football Group remains an active and well-funded endeavor and their interest in the Showboats has been steady over the past 2 years.
So, what does this mean for the Showboats? It means that ownership has the one weapon that has proven most effective in getting cities to push for a new stadium, a serious threat of relocation. Memphis has leverage because there are two cities with two ultra-modern stadiums (one in place, one already approved) begging them to consider a move. That reality makes their case to the city of Memphis, the county, and perhaps the state of Tennessee quite convincing. While Nashville certainly would benefit from the Showboats relocating, it would be a huge hit for the economy and national image of Memphis, a hit that no one in Western Tennessee wants to see, and one that likely also would have a negative impact on the state as a whole, even if the Showboats were to stay in-state. Having one city thriving while another appears to be giving off death rattles is not a good look for any state government, and produces far more trouble than funding a stadium would ever create.
And so, Memphis, once again is making their perennial push for the city to step up and provide them with an equivalent to Birmingham’s Protective Stadium, San Diego’s SnapDragon Stadium, or Oklahoma City’s OG&E Energy Stadium, a modern facility that could provide the Showboats with a potential Summer Bowl venue as well as a more lucrative gameday revenue stream. This time, with two different cities, both larger and far wealthier, wooing the club hard, they may well have the leverage they need, and if they don’t we could be looking at yet another USFL relocation in the next 5 years.
40 Greatest Players in 40 USFL Seasons: 13-11
These final picks before we reach the Top 10 are almost certainly going to be among the most debated. Every one of these players is a bona fide first ballot Hall of Famer (though one had to wait a while to get his due). Every one was a dominant player, a legend of the game, and remains an icon for the fanbases of their teams. We have in picks 13-11 one of the league’s greatest edge rushers, a back who helped define his club’s personality and play for over a decade, and one of the most charismatic and prolific quarterbacks in pro football history. None made our Top 10, and you will likely have something to say about that, but all are true USFL legends.
13) DE Phil Hansen (1991-2004)
A controversial figure in USFL history whose Hall of Fame induction was delayed nearly a decade after a tell-all memoire revealed significant steroid use, Hansen is still undoubtedly one of the most influential and consequential players in USFL history. Hansen came into the league in 1991 with a bang, recording 23 sacks in his first campaign with the New Jersey Generals. The 1991 Rookie of the Year would go on to top 20 sacks for 8 consecutive years, leading the league in sacks 6 times before retiring with 289 career sacks, at the time a seemingly unmatchable total. The 2001 Defensive Player of the Year was named All-USFL 13 times, but when his autobiography confessed to use of steroids, also naming several other prominent USFL and NFL players doing likewise, it derailed what would have been a fast track to Canton, Ohio. With the league now acknowledging a “steroid era” similar to Major League Baseball, we remove any asterisks from Hansen’s career and recognize him as a player who was at the top of the league’s performers for more than a decade and one of the USFL’s all time greats.
12) HB Mike Rozier (1984-1997)
The second Heisman Trophy winner to join the USFL in its early years, following Herschel Walker to the spring, Mike Rozier came to the expansion Pittsburgh Maulers in the league’s second season and the team’s first. Despite Pittsburgh struggling in its early years, without a winning season or playoff appearance until 1991, Rozier became a star for the club and the league from the start. The former Nebraska Cornhusker rushed for 1,550 yards in his rookie campaign and would top 1,000 yards every season until his truncated final year in 1997, amassing a career total of 19,088 yards, a league record for career yards that would stand for over 20 years. Rozier still holds the USFL record with 134 career rushing touchdowns, winning All-USFL accolades 10 times, including a 1992 MVP award to go with his 1984 Rookie of the Year and his 1995 playoff MVP, a year in which Rozier’s 1,475 yards and 17 touchdowns helped the Maulers reach the pinnacle of USFL success, a John Bassett Trophy as league champions.
11) QB Brett Favre (1991-2005, 2007-2009)
Two league titles with two different teams, over 67,000 passing yards, 558 career touchdown pases, 11 All-USFL seasons and a 4-time MVP and Brett Favre cannot crack the Top 10. Think about that for a minute. The legendary gunslinger was a perfect fit for the USFL from the get go. Favre played with the enthusiasm and joy of a kid on a sandlot, frustrating coaches with his improvisation but energizing both his teammates and his thousands of fans with his impromptu decisions and daring on-the-fly choices. Brett Favre remains one of the most talked about players in league history and his placement at 11 will likely be one of the most controversial decisions our team of “experts” made. We will let you decide that. For now, we have him solidly here at 11 as we transition to our Top 10, which likely means that every single name from now on is one you are waiting to see.
The final week of USFL byes brings us our last 12-game schedule as we head into the final 6 weeks of the season and the inevitable playoff push. That push starts now for several teams, including the Oakland Invaders, who, at 4-5, cannot afford to lay down to the unbeaten Chicago Machine. They need to get back to .500 and beyond, but this is a tough win to earn in what should be a really intense Friday night weekend kickoff game.
Saturday has some other teams who need to start stringing wins together, including Memphis, who head to Atlanta for a game they are favored to win but must pull out. New England has slipped behind Baltimore by a half game, so they too are feeling some pressure as they head out to Las Vegas to face the Vipers on Saturday. In Orlando we have a matchup of two teams that are still alive but need to start making a move upwards in the standings, with 5-4 New Orleans facing off against 4-5 Orlando.
Sunday features three interesting divisional games, with 4-5 Denver needing to get back to .500 but facing a very tough 8-1 Arizona squad at Empower Field. Birmingham at 7-2 is looking very good in the Southern Division, while their foe, Houston, needs to find answers on defense after a rough loss this past weekend. Finally, EFN has a really good Sunday Night Special, with the top two teams in the Pacific going head to head at Farmers Insurance Field. Can Seattle, without Brett Hundley, produce points against that nasty LA defense, and can LA, with Andy Dalton possibly out as well, get a much-needed win to earn a share of 1st place? Should be a good one to wrap up Week 11.
Fri. 7pm ET Chicago (9-0 @ Oakland (4-5) NBC
Sat. 12pm ET San Antonio (6-3) @ Jacksonville (2-7) ABC
Sat. 12pm ET Memphis (5-4) @ Atlanta (3-6) FOX
Sat. 4pm ET New England (5-4) @ Las Vegas (3-6) ABC
Sat. 4pm ET Oklahoma (5-3-1) @ Dallas (3-6) FOX
Sat. 8pm ET New Orleans (5-4) @ Orlando (4-5) NBC
Sat. 8pm ET Ohio (5-4) @ Pittsburgh (2-7) ESPN/EFN
Sun 12pm ET St. Louis (6-3) @ Charlotte (3-6) ABC
Sun 12pm ET Michigan (1-8) @ Tampa Bay (7-2) FOX
Sun 4pm ET Birmingham (7-2) @ Houston (5-4) ABC
Sun 4pm ET Arizona (8-1) @ Denver (4-5) FOX
Sun 8pm ET Seattle (6-3) @ Los Angeles (5-4) EFN
Byes: Baltimore, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Washington
Comments