We all said it was coming, that for a team to go unbeaten even in a 14-game season was nearly impossible, and for two to achieve the feat in the same season was practically unthinkable. The weekly pressure can be too much and the opposition too tough. Well, one of our two unbeatens discovered just how tough it can be to run the table as Memphis fell at home to the Washington Federals. Ohio had an easier time this week, but needs to be on the lookout as now all the pressure fall on them. In a week with a lot of close, competitive games, we start with the clear game of the week, Washington knocking off the Showboats.
There is a reason why an undefeated season in pro football is such a rare occurrence. Unlike college where tough games can be balanced out with some cupcakes, in pro ball every week is a challenge. Add to that the pressure and attention that comes with being unbeaten, especially in the final weeks of the season, and you can see why we have only seen it once in the modern NFL and not at all in the first 19 seasons of USFL play. We started the week with two unbeaten teams, but end it with one, as Memphis struggled against the vaunted Washington pass rush. They were unable to fully unleash their high flying offense, and in the end Washington was able to make the plays to drop Memphis from the unbeatens. The key was that Washington D, as Heath Shuler was held to only 188 yards passing and the leading receiver for the Showboats had only 3 receptions. We even saw Bill Musgrave in the game as Shuler was knocked out late in the game on one of 7 sacks recorded by the Federals in the game.
The game started well for Memphis as they scored on their opening drive, a 2 yard run by FB Larry Centers seven minutes into the game. Washington responded with what has become something of a trend this year, Kordell Stewart on a planned QB run. Washington executed a perfect naked bootleg, and when the Memphis defenders bit and pursued Steven Davis it left Stewart in the clear for a 57-yard touchdown run. The two would trade scores most of the game, but not at the pace we are used to seeing Memphis operate. By the half, after additional scores from Yatil Green (WSH) and Tony Carter (MEM), the score was 17-10 Federals. What the scoreboard did not show was that Heath Shuler was taking a beating. Only 3 official sacks in the first half, but the Tennessee product was hit countless times, seemingly every time he dropped back.
Memphis seemed capable of trading scores with Washington, as they retook the lead, 21-17, after a long drive ended with Garrison Hearst dashing into the endzone from the six yard line. But, Kordell Stewart quickly got Washington back on top, finding a gap in the defense as Memphis played man coverage, backs turned to the elusive QB. Stewart ran the gap and again found paydirt, a 13-yard TD.
As the fourth quarter began, Washington expanded the lead to 27-21 on a Doug Pelfrey field goal, but most in the Liberty Bowl felt confident that Shuler could lead them back. But, on a 2nd and 7, Shuler rolled right on a bootleg, but right into a blitzing Ed Reed, who took down the Showboat QB with authority. Shuler was slow to get up and looked a bit wobbly. He was taken out of the game for 3rd down, tried to return on the next drive, but missed on 2 straight passes, seemingly having issues with his focus, so Coach Mora pulled him. That change meant that Memphis had little chance to rebound and overcome the 6-point Washington lead.
Coach Mora made it clear in the postgame press conference that the decision was his. Shuler wanted to play but Mora felt it was more important to protect his QB and have him healthy for a playoff run, more important than striving to stay unbeaten. Memphis fell to the Federals, but in his strategy Mora chose the long game. There is no benefit of winning today if it means risking a title run later on. Pulling Shuler may have cost them this game, or maybe it did not, but if Shuler is able to start next week, as has been indicated, the bigger goal for the Showboats is still very much intact.
OHI 34 LA 17
There were some who felt that LA was in as good a position to upset Ohio as Washington had been with the Showboats, but even after taking a 14-7 lead after 1 quarter, LA was unable to hold. Ohio scored twice in the 2nd to take the lead at 21-14 and never looked back. They got 109 yards from Eddie George and 3 TDs from Kerry Collins and LA, who were forced to play Quincy Carter at QB after McCown pulled up with what appeared to be a groin injury after a scramble, and that hampered any attempt by LA to keep pace with Ohio’s explosive offense.
BAL 17 NSH 34
The Knights reached .500 thanks to a 3rd straight win as they doubled up the score on Baltimore despite being outgained 427-309. The key were the turnovers, 4 for the Blitz, none for the Knights. Jeff Garcia threw three picks as DeShea Townsend had a career game. The 5th year CB had 2 picks, running both back for scores in a game basically decided by those two big plays.
NJ 28 NOR 24
New Jersey took one step closer to a division title as they eked past New Orleans on the road. Tom Brady went 14 of 20 and threw for 2 TDs to help the Generals get the W. The defense also played a big role, sacking Trent Dilfer 5 times and limiting the Breakers to only 2 of 12 on third down. Both clubs now sit at 6-4 and remain in solid playoff contention.
JAX 24 TEX 34
Another good matchup of playoff contenders saw Texas hold off the Jacksonville Bulls, thanks in part to Ryan Leaf’s first 4-TD day as an Outlaw. Leaf completed 21 of 30 passes for only 197 yards, and he did throw 2 picks, but his 4 scoring plays were the difference for the Outlaws. Jacksonville got 125 yards and a score from Kenny Bynum as well as 132 through the air for WR Terrell Owens, but it was not enough in the end to get the W.
ORL 21 ARZ 14
With Jacksonville losing on Saturday, the Renegades knew they could take over 1st place on a tiebreaker with a win in Arizona on Sunday afternoon. It was not easy, but the ‘Gades did what was needed, building up a 19-7 lead and following up a Plummer to Dwight score in the 4th with a safety to boost their lead to 7, a lead they did not relinquish. Gus Frerotte got the start for Orlando, but relied heavily on the D to secure the win.
TBY 20 DEN 21
Any hopes the Bandits had at a late Wild Card run might have been crushed as they watched a 20-12 lead disappear in the 4th. Denver added 9 points in the final period, including a last minute TD from Brunell to Greg Clark to steal a win at home. Denver is still alive at 4-6, while Tampa, at 3-7, may be done.
PHI 10 BIR 23
The Stallions are back to .500 thanks to a solid defensive performance against the Will Furrer-led Stars. Shaun Alexander rushed for 88 yards and Marcus Robinson scored twice for the Stallions as they outpaced the struggling Stars.
ATL 6 HOU 40
With Drew Bledsoe out, the Fire reverted to their early season sad play, failing to score a TD and getting dominated by the Houston D-line. Mark Bulger spent a good part of the game on the ground looking up at Kavika Pittman and company. Meanwhile, Matt Hasselbeck completed 20 of 33 for 246 and 3 touchdowns as Houston cruised to the win and kept a share of first place in the Southwest Division.
PIT 20 OAK 27
The Invaders continue to impress, winning their 4th in a row to reach an unexpected 5-5 and first place in the Pacific Division despite losing Marques Tuiasosopo to injury. Jon Kitna came in midway through the 2nd quarter and helped lead Oakland to 20 points, including a TD pass to Plaxico Burress and a Rodney Thomas TD run. Pittsburgh were in the game the whole way, but a late fumble from TE Jay Riemersma doomed them to the 7-point loss.
CHI 20 POR 24
The upset of the week (other than Memphis losing, right?) was in Portland, where the Thunder stunned the Machine. Akili Smith had one of his best outings of the year, throwing for 307 yards and 3 scores against the best D in the league. Matthew Hatchette shone in this one, catching 6 balls for 123 and 2 scores as Portland stunned the visitors and stayed alive in the Wild Card hunt at 4-6.
MGN 31 SEA 21
Michigan had one of their best offensive games against an injury-riddled Seattle defense. T.J. Duckett rushed 24 times for 111 and 2 scores, and the Panthers also got a late scoop & score TD from Andy Katzenmoyer that was later called an interception because the ball never hit the ground, bouncing off the chest of a prone receiver into Katzenmoyer’s hands.
OAKLAND ON THE RISE
Don’t look now, but after rattling off 4 straight wins, the Oakland Invaders are legitimate playoff contenders and stand alone atop the Pacific Division at 5-5. In a season that saw Oakland start the year 1-5, it is a shocking turnaround that has them back at .500 and leading their division. This is a team that has gone 4-12 each of the past 3 seasons and now they have a very legitimate chance at hosting a playoff game. How are they doing it?
The answer, much to the surprise to many of us, is defense. One of the worst defenses in the league the past 4 seasons has turned into one of the best, seemingly overnight. What changed? Two things seem to have sparked the shift. First, after their Week 3 loss, a 41-13 drubbing by the LA Express, Head Coach Gunther Cunningham stepped in and opted to take over gameday defensive playcalling from his defensive coordinator. That shift showed immediate results as Oakland scored a huge upset of Jacksonville the next week, holding the Bulls to only 6 points in the game. One week later a trade was made to bring safety Pearson Prioleau to the Bay Area. He was immediately placed in the starting positoin at strong safety and again results were seen. After a loss to Denver 26-6 in Week 5, Oakland has not allowed more than 20 points in any game. And it is not that they have been beating up on bad teams. In addition to knocking off Jacksonville, the Invaders have defeated (in their 4 game streak) the Gamblers, Generals, and Dragons.
Oakland will not face another team that currently has a winning record, and that could spell not only a division title for the long-downtrodden Invaders, but possibly a top 2 seed and a bye, if you can believe it. Oakland faces 4-6 Arizona, 4-6 Seattle (at home), 3-7 LA, and 4-6 Portland to finish out the season. Now, we have to recognize that both Seattle and Portland sit at 4-6, only 1 game back, so they may prove tough competition and certainly are motivated to knock Oakland out of 1st place. But, let’s not go there right now, let’s just revel in the fact that the Invaders have been one of this season’s most pleasant surprises.
BREAKING OUT
Let’s keep the positivity flowing by looking at 5 breakout players or squads for this year. Oakland’s newfound defensive fortitude is certainly one big story, but there are others that deserve our attention.
Matt Hasselbeck (QB-HOU): The former BC quarterback has stepped up over the last 2 seasons really, but is getting noticed this year because he has the Gamblers playing very solid football. After a rough first year as a starter in the league, Hasselbeck has continued to improve over the past 2 seasons. He currently has a 96.6 QB rating, just outside the top 5, and has 18 touchdowns to only 6 picks. He is on pace for a 3,000 yard season for the second year in a row, and most importantly, he has Houston believing they can win their division and do some realy damage in the postseason. He has found a real connection with wideouts Antonio Freeman and Koren Robinson, and has maximized the ball skills of HB Kevin Faulk as well. Hasselbeck is no gunslinger like Favre or Shuler, but he is proving to be just what Houston needed.
Kenny Bynum is finding success as the bell cow in Jacksonville. After 4 seasons sitting behind other backs, Bynum has been given the lead role for the Bulls and he is leaping into the roll. Bynum has spent the past 3 seasons sharing time with Sedrick Irvin, and despite always having a YPC over 4.0, he simply did not get the attention he deserves. But the coaching staff in Jacksonville certainly noticed, and when Irvin was traded away it was clear that they trusted Bynum to carry the load at halfback. He has done just that, already with career highs in carries with 203 and a career high of 812 yards after only 10 games. As Jacksonville has improved to a true division contender, we have given a lot of credit to the defense, but it has been Bynum’s ability to grind down opposition defenses and kill clock at the end of the game that has made a lot of those defensive numbers possible.
David Boston had big shoes to fill when Eric Metcalf retired. Seattle had long been able to use Boston mostly as a deep threat, living with single coverage as teams tried to defend against Metcalf, but this year, now as the clear #1 in Seattle, Boston has stepped up. He is on pace to set personal bests in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He is averaging 81 yards per game and leading the club with 9 receiving scores, all this despite now being the one drawing double coverage. Yes, it helps that teams often key on Corey Dillon and the run game, but with only O.J. McDuffie even over 20 catches as a wideout, the passing game has gone through Boston and TE Jeramy Stevens all year. Boston has more TDs than all other receivers combined, a stat that Seattle would like to fix, but for now David Boston is stepping up.
The Federals pass rush. Yes, we know, saying the Feds have a tough defensive front seems redundant, and not exactly news, but we want to emphasize just how good this defense has been when it comes to rushing the passer. Ask anyone around football who is leading the USFL in sacks and they are likely to say Houston, after all, the Gamblers have the dynamic duo of Pittman and Sinclair, but they would b ewrong. Washington has a full 12 sacks more than the Gamblers this season (48 to 36), and lead the league by 8 sacks over Chicago. How do they do it? Well, it helps to have one of the best penetrating defensive tackles in the game in Jerome Brown. Brown’s 10 sacks are far and away the most by a DT in the game this year. But it is not just Brown. DE Tony Brackens has grown into his role as an edge rusher and is among league leaders with 12 sacks. His opposite, Bobby Hamilton, has a respectable 6 sacks as well, and then you add in the blitzes that the Feds have added to their repertoire and you get a deadly combo. Both Michael Barrow (4 sacks) and Dwayne Rudd (also 4 sacks) have gotten into the act, and even rookie FS Ed Reed has become a blitzer as he has proven to be a great addition as not only a run-stuffing safety, but a force in blitz schemes. All in all, the Feds are proving that rumors of their defense losing a step are clearly wrong. This is a team no QB wants to face, as we saw this week.
The Chicago run defense. Yes, the USFL is a passing league, but the passing game often relies on a solid balance to free up receivers and close out games. Chicago is winning in large part because they keep games close and shut down the run. The Machine have allowed only 674 yards in 10 games (that’s an average under 70 yards a game), and that has kept them close in pretty much every game. The key to the Chicago run defense is their LB corps, led by MLB Brian Urlacher. Urlacher has been near the top of the tackle leaders all season, roving the field to take down ballcarriers who try to go off-tackle or out wide. But he is not alone. Paired with the athletic Tommy Polley and a rotation of Keith Brooking and Carlos Emmons in Coach Mornhinweg’s 4-3, the Machine have made it difficult for any back to get the better of them.
NOT SO MUCH GOOD
If we are going to celebrate 5 breakout players/squads, we also should look to our disappointments this year. Here are five nominees for the most disappointing turnout after high preseason expectations.
Trent Green (QB, TBY): Tampa Bay’s 2nd season with Trent Green has not produced what all in the Gulf Coast had hoped for. Yes, Green is 4th in the league with 2,637 yards passing, but a QB Rating of only 89.8 and a completion rate of only 52.2 are not getting the job done for the Bandits. Add in the propensity for Green to take sacks by holding onto the ball too long and you have a talented QB who is simply not playing intuitive ball. He is trying to not lose, not playing to win, and it is showing.
Sedrick Irvin (HB, ORL): Orlando thought they had landed a gem in Irvin, let go by Jacksonville after three pretty solid years, but it seems the Bulls had a reason to let the big back go. Irvin’s highest YPC average in the league was last year in Jacksonville and it barely hit 4.0. This year with Orlando he is down to 3.4 yards per carry and his 629 yards are not likely to lead to a 1,000 yard season. Add in the fact that on runs from inside the 5 he has only crossed the endline twice. That is 2 TDs from 17 runs. Not what you want to see from a back known as a bruiser and a bulldozer.
Jeff Garcia (QB, BAL): When the only QB in the league who has thrown at least 100 passes and ranks below you in passing, is clearly a backup who only saw action due to injury, you know your starting QB is not playing well. That is the case with Baltimore’s Jeff Garcia. Only Mark Bulger has a worse QBR than his 64.2. Garcia has thrown only 3 TDs all year, compared to 12 picks. And while we admit that Bill Schroeder, Rob Moore, and Darneriaen McCants are not exactly the most explosive receiver group, a lot of the blame is on Garcia himself. He is not seeing the field well, throwing into coverages, or giving up on receivers before their window even hits. Simply put, he is playing more like a backup thrown into action unprepared than like a season-opening starter. With only Billy Joe Tolliver and Shaun Hill behind him, Garcia is likely to run out the year at QB, but we fully expect Baltimore to look for new options in the offseason.
The entire Philadelphia defense: No need to pick out individuals here. The whole squad has been ugly to watch. The Stars are last in the league in points allowed at nearly 27 PPG on average. They are 2nd in yards allowed, and last in rush defense as well, giving up nearly 130 yards per game on the ground. Add to this the fact that they are tied for last in the league with only 3 picks as a team this season, and you can see why they are on this list. We expected more from Jim Mora Jr’s defense, as I am sure fans did too. Just last season, when they won the Atlantic Division at 9-7, they were not in the bottom 10 in any defensive categories.
Yes, there have been a couple of injuries over the course of the year, but they have no one on IR. But this is a defense that lost zero players in the offseason, zero. They retain the same roster as last year, and even added some talent in rookie SS Takne Williams and LB Ryan Nece, and yet they are just getting run all over the field. Regan Upshaw needs help on the D-line as Derrick Burgess and Seth Payne are just not getting it done, and when the 3-man line in a 3-4 cannot hold up it puts a ton of pressure on the linebackers. Philly’s LB corps of George Koonce, Mike Crawford, Sam Rogers, and Quinton Caver is just not talented enough to pick up the slack. Looks like Coach Mora is going to need to spend some of Myles Tanenbaum’s money to get some new blood into this squad.
The Breaker’s pass rush: We stick with defense one more time, this time for a team that has a lot going for it, and yet, the pass rush is just not there for the Breakers. They traded for Clyde Simmons, and he has 7 sacks in a short season in the Big Easy, but as a team the Breakers are just not getting it done. The next highest sack total is for Jim Wahler, the DT, with only 3. Chidi Ahanotu has not fared well after switching over to the right side, and swing end Michael McCrary has been almost invisible on the field. New Orleans does not want to blitz, relying on LBs like Lamar Lathon and DeWayne Dotson to be in coverage, but if they want to put pressure on passers, especially come playoff time, they may have to start blitzing more because Simmons is not enough to consistently rush passes or get drive-killing sacks.
With their 10th win, Ohio becomes the first club to lock up a playoff spot. Technically they have not yet won the Central Division, but they are 4 games up on Chicago so either 1 win or 1 Chicago loss and the title is theirs. Memphis is also essentially 1 win away as they have a 3-game lead on New Orleans, but also hold the tie-breakers. If they can rebound this week after suffering their first loss, they will clinch the Southern Division.
Currently the 4 other division leaders are Orlando (Southeast), New Jersey (Northeast), Texas (Southwest) and Oakland (Pacific), but in each case the division leader is either tied with another club or only 1 game up, so it may be several weeks before we know who else wins their division. A lot of clustering between 6-4, 5-5, and 4-6 means we may not know the Wild Card situation until Week 14 either. Right now Washington and Nashville have the final 2 spots, both at 5-5, but they have a ton of teams right behind them, and tiebreakers can shift as teams change their conference, or divisional records in the season’s final weeks. This could be a rough year for those of us who have to figure out how ties are broken.
A bad week for injuries across the USFL, with several players who will be unavailable for the final push and for any playoff games. Among the big hits we find Arizona WR Santana Moss, placed on IR with a quad tear. Orlando will be without LB Anthony Jordan after he broke his fibia in a nasty pileup. Chicago will be down a top corner as R.W. McQuarters suffered a ruptured disc, and Michigan placed CB Deltha O’Neill on IR with a hip injury.
Texas will have to make a playoff run without receiver and return man Kirby Dar Dar, who has an elbow injury that will cost him at least 4 weeks. Philadelphia’s best receiver, 2nd year player Steve Smith, is done with a back issue, and Oakland will likely finish the season with Jon Kitna at QB, as starter Marques Tuiasosopo is out with a ruptured bicep in his throwing arm. With only a 1 game lead over Denver and Arizona, that could be huge.
Other injuries include LA defensive tackle Cletidus Hunt (1-2 weeks with a bicep as well), LA QB Cade McNown (likely only 1 week with a groin injury), Jacksonville WR Brian Stablein (doubtful, hip), Atlanta HB Tiki Barber (Doubtful, finger), and Tampa Bay guard Steve Hutchinson (Questionable after a concussion suffered this week.)
Some significant news out of the NYC USFL league offices this week as we got an update on future Summer Bowl sites as well as the official announcement of the Hall of Fame Class of 2002. Let’s start there.
HOF Class of 2022 Announced
Five more USFL greats have been selected to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, and we have history as the first offensive lineman is taken, a wait that for many was too long in coming. The five players entering the hall this year are all outstanding in their own ways, some are record-holders, some vital pieces of championship squads, but all of them the best at what they do.
Mike Rozier (HB) enters the Hall as the only unanimous first-ballot vote getter in this year’s class. Not surprising when we consider his career with the Maulers. Rozier was a force, and enters the Hall as one of the greats at the position.
Thurman Thomas (HB) helped redefine the halfback position as a three-skill position, with blocking and pass receiving as much a part of his game as running between the tackles. He won 3 titles with the Houston Gamblers and was one of the most feared receivers out ot the backfield in the game, thanks in large part to Houston’s wide open Run & Shoot offense.
Howard Ballard (T) was another huge piece of the Run & Shoot for the Gamblers, protecting QB Jim Kelly’s blindside and pulling on both run plays and the system’s countless screens. Ballard is the first offensive lineman to make the hall, but we expect to see more in upcoming years to be sure.
Dexter Manley (DE) led one of the most feared pass rushing combos in pro football history. Manley was relentless in his pursuit of the QB, and helped Washington to build a reputation that lives on to this day as one of the best defenses in pro football.
Brian Bosworth (LB) came into the league with a lot of hype, leaving Oklahoma to join the local Outlaws. In his rookie year he led the league in tackles (a bright star on a pretty bad Oklahoma Outlaws roster). He was always among the league leaders in tackles, and prominent in highlight reels as well, due to his extravagan style and love of the camera.
Five players who helped define the early 90’s in the USFL, and who all richly deserve their place in Canton. But for every player inducted, there is one who came close but has not made the cut, at least this year. Among those who were close but did not make the final five we have Portland tackle Bruce Armstrong, Wideouts Louis Lipps and Bill Brooks, QBs Cliff Stoudt and Chuck Long, and Manley’s teammate in DC, Charles Haley. There is, of course, next year, but once again we expect a stacked list of newly eligible candidates as we get the pool of players who left the game after the 1998 season.
SUMMER BOWL NEWS
The second bit of news coming out of New York was an update on upcoming Summer Bowls. As expected, Orlando, the 2002 league champion, has been granted a Summer Bowl for the Citrus Bowl. Orlando will host the 2004 Summer Bowl, and we all hope the humidity of Florida in late July or early August will not be an issue. Following Orlando, we will see two new stadiums on display as Houston hosts the 2005 edition of the league championship game in their newly-opened retractable roof domed stadium, while in 2006 it will be Philadelphia’s new stadium, built in partnership with the NFL Eagles, which will host the title game. Finally, we were gifted the first look at the logo for Seattle’s 2003 Summer Bowl, the first to be held in that city. Logos for both the 2002 Pittsburgh-hosted game and the 2003 Seattle game can be seen below.
We have our first clinched playoff spot. Will Week 11 bring more? It seems likely as we will see divisional battles across the Eastern Conference and inter-divisional matchups in the West. New Jersey hopes to take command of the Northeast and a win on the road in Baltimore would be a big step in that direction. Washington is just a game behind and they visit 2-8 Philadelphia with plans to stay right in the hunt. In the Southeast we have two 6-4 teams atop the division and both facing 3-win foes as Jacksonville heads up the road to Atlanta while Orlando hosts the Tampa Bay Bandits for an in-state rivalry game. Ohio remains unbeaten and face a local rival as they host the Pittsburgh Maulers at Ohio Stadium. Chicago, now 4 games back of the Glory at 6-4, are hosting Michigan and now have their sights set on a top Wild Card seed, which would give them at least their first game at home.
Of the Western inter-divisional games, the most intriguing may well be the 5-5 Invaders visiting the 4-6 Wranglers. Both teams are riding the cusp of the playoff bubble, so a win for either would be huge. The same could be said for 5-5 Nashville, who have ridden a nice win streak to get back in the hunt. They will visit Texas, who sit at 6-3-1, tied with Houston atop the Southwestern Division. Houston has a tough matchup but will get some home cooking when they host the New Orleans Breakers. Memphis, having just suffered their first loss, will visit Portland, who are another cusp team at 4-6. In Seatle, two more teams that cannot afford to lose as Birmingham visits the Dragons. And finally, out at Mile High, two of the seasons’ bigger disappointments meet as the LA Express at 3-7 face off against the 4-6 Gold.