Divisional Weekend in the USFL is always one of the most exciting of the year. Good teams taking on good teams with everything on the line. It does not get much better than that. And what did we get on this Divisional Weekend? We got strong defensive performances, big plays, and results leading to a couple of very intriguing matchups next week as we get the Eastern Conference Final that everyone was hoping for, and we get a Western Conference Final that is somewhat unexpected but very intriguing as a matchup of styles and strengths. All this, plus the first coaching hire of the offseason, and one of the greatest players at his position becomes a free agent this week.
Jacksonville Bulls 13 Ohio Glory 23
The Bulls came into this game knowing that they would need to slow down the pace and control the ball to have any chance against the high-flying offense of the Glory. They hoped that the bye week, as it can do, might lead to some rust in the Ohio offense, and that seems to have come through, but even when a plan comes to fruition, sometimes it is just not enough, and that is what happened to the Bulls this week, as they did slow down the game, but could not produce enough offense themselves to overcome the favored Glory.
The Bulls did several things they set out to. They controlled the ball 34:36 to 25:24. They outrushed Ohio 147 to 97, thanks in large part to a 2-headed combo of Kenny Bynum (76 yards) and Antowain Smith (65 yards), and they were strong on third downs, holding Ohio to only 2 of 10 on the day. And yet, with quick strike scores to both Chad Ochocinco and Joey Galloway, the Glory had enough to earn a 10-point win. The truth is, this is about as well as Jacksonville could have played, but it was not enough.
The Bulls had the game tied at 13-13 late into the 3rd quarter, but one bad play, one missed coverage and Collins found Galloway deep to take a 20-13 lead. In a game where Ochocinco and Galloway were held to only 5 catches between them, the Bulls did their job, but when two of those 5 are touchdown tosses, it is not enough. The fact is that in most measurable ways, Jacksonville won the battles, but in the end Ohio won the war with a few high quality high impact plays. It was not the typical Glory victory by any means, but it was still a victory.
So now Ohio goes on the road, heading to the Conference Championship, still very much focused on their goal to become the first USFL team in the 20 year history of the league to repeat as champions.
Seattle Dragons 21 Denver Gold 24
We had a feeling this would be a close one, and that proved itself true. It was close in some ways, and yet, Denver scored first and never trailed in this game. They held the Dragons at arm’s length throughout and limited the effectiveness of Byron Leftwich by controlling the clock for just over 35 minutes. In a game with no turnovers, this one was just a war of attrition, and Denver held the high ground.
After a scoreless first quarter that saw both clubs try to establish the run and both punters keep busy, the Gold broke the seal on scoring in the 2nd with a short Brunell to Battaglia TD pass. It was the culmination of a 6-minute drive that was highlighted by an 18-yard Robert Holcombe run that resembled a pinball bouncing off the round bumpers of a vintage pinball machine. Seattle would respond with two field goals in the half, and the close game went to the break at 7-6.
In the third quarter, Holcombe reached the end zone on another pounding run and Denver took an 8-point lead into the final period. They would expand that lead to 21-6 thanks to a Brunell to Peerless Price TD toss. Price would finish the day as the offensive POTG, thanks to 9 catches for 91 yards and this pivotal score. But Seattle was not done. They responded well, with Leftwich guiding them down the field and Corey Dillon, who struggled all day to find room, found enough for a 1-yard TD plunge. Back in the game at 21-13, Seattle hunkered down and tried to keep Denver from adding to their lead. They did enough to keep the Gold out of the end zone, but Denver did add a Jeff Wilkens field goal to make the score 10, and force Seattle to pick up the pace.
The Dragons got a break late in the 4th when Denver safety Sean Lumpkin clipped his heel with his other foot, fell to the ground, and left Ken Dilger uncovered. The result was a touchdown for Dilger and, with the successful 2-point play, Seattle was now within 3, but with only 1:51 left, their options were few. The Dragons tried for the onside kick, but failed when Denver HB Rod Smart fell on the ball and rolled out of bounds. The Gold needed only 1 first down to end the game, and they got it on three consecutive run plays. Denver would move on to host the Western Conference Championship next week, Seattle would return home having already surpassed any expectations for the year.
Chicago Machine 6 Washington Federals 21
Washington left no doubt that they were the best defense in the league this week, and they also sent a message to Ohio that they could score when they needed to as well. The Federals put up two quick touchdowns in the first quarter, both strikes to Cedric Tillman, to stun the highly-regarded Chicago defense, and to set themselves up with a defensible 14-point lead, a lead Chicago never challenged.
In a game that saw neither team able to run the ball against the other, the difference was a very solid 17 of 21 performance from Kordell Stewart. Stewart threw 3 touchdowns, including a 4th quarter strike to Bryant Johnson that put the game well out of reach for Chicago. Meanwhile, Jeff George struggled against the coverages of the Federals. Washington did not get as much pressure as they would like, sacking George only once, but they got enough to force 2 interceptions and limit Chicago’s effectiveness on offense all game.
The Federals built up the early lead and then turned to the defense and said, keep this lead intact. While the Machine did manage to muster two field goals, it never seemed that the Federals were threatened. Chicago’s deepest foray into Washington territory was the 27 yard line, and their only big play was a 34-yard completion to Donald Driver that was followed on the next play by a Jeff George interception.
With the win, Washington sets up the matchup we all wanted to see, a rematch of the Glory-Federals game from week 11 that gave the Feds their only loss of the year. Can the Glory do it again and move on to the Summer Bowl with a chance to repeat, or can Washington avenge the loss and head to Seattle for Summer Bowl ’03 as a prohibitive favorite against the Western Conference?
New Orleans Breakers 34 Los Angeles Express 17
In the only upset of the week, the Breakers’ offense simply proved too much for the LA Express, putting up 421 yards of total offense, including 135 on the ground. Los Angeles struggled to keep pace, with Cade McNown completing only 13 of 33 passes, the offense going 0-2 on fourth down plays and giving away the ball twice on turnovers.
The game was close through the first half, with both clubs getting early touchdowns. For New Orleans, backup Troy Hambrick scampered to an 11-yard TD to open scoring in the game, but this was quickly followed by a 46-yard TD pass from McNown to Tory Holt. The Breakers went into the half up 3 after they got a Dilfer to Beach TD but suffered a blocked kick on the PAT.
The second half saw a very different story, as New Orleans scored twice to expand their lead to 27-10 and create an air of desperation among the Express. It began with a drive that saw Ricky Williams and Troy Davis gash the Express defense for 54 yards on a 67 yard drive, ending with Williams going untouched into the end zone from a yard out. They followed this up with the longest play of the day, a 55-yard catch and run from Kevin Dyson that increased the lead to 17 points.
LA would get a second Tory Holt TD to draw closer, but when Troy Davis ran in from 8 yards out early in the 4th, restoring the 17 point lead, the Express simply could not overcome. New Orleans slowed down the pace of the game, played solid defense on third down, and cut short LA drives in the final minutes. The win earns New Orleans its first trip to a Conference Finals since their heyday back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, 1992 to be exact. They now face the daunting task of going on the road again, but this time to the thin air of Mile High Denver.
Baltimore Gets Their Man
The Baltimore Blitz had a feeling, a feeling that if they hesitated, the man they wanted to be their next head coach would get snapped up by another team. It was a logical intuition as both Baltimore and Michigan had brought former Jaguars’ head coach Tom Coughlin in for extended interviews. Coughlin, who helped build the Jaguars from expansion club to Super Bowl contender in record time, was the type of disciplinarian and by-the-books guy that both clubs needed to whip their often sloppy play into shape. So, recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Blitz put a very strong offer on the table from the onset, made it clear to Coughlin that he was their choice, and got the deal done.
The signing was announced on Tuesday, just one day before Coughlin was scheduled to fly back to Detroit to meet for a second time with the Panthers. The Blitz announced the signing and immediately got to work with arrangements for their coach to meet team leaders. The challenge for Coughlin will be twofold, first to change the culture of a Blitz team that has always been good enough to be close to the playoffs or to qualify, but never good enough to make a serious run at a title. The second will be to solve the situation at quarterback. Having released Jeff Garcia, the frontrunner to start this year is clearly Ryan Leaf, the two-time exile from other USFL clubs. Leaf is a man (or perhaps a man-child) in need of a firm hand, and Coughlin has a reputation as a no-nonsense kind of coach. Will that lead to Leaf becoming a reliable starter, or will it lead to chaos and disruption? And is Baltimore ready with a Plan B if it all falls apart? Fans certainly see the prospect of a strong QB class in this year’s draft as the perfect way to buttress the position should Leaf flame out, but with several key areas of need, does the GM and management see it as a priority? The decision on QB, along with many other personnel decisions, will be early work for Coughlin as he enters the fray as the new coach of the Blitz.
Michigan A Step Too Slow
It was no surprise that the Panthers were also seriously in the running for Tom Coughlin, and they have to feel undercut by the signing a day before Coughlin was to visit Detroit again for what likely would have been an offer from the Panthers. The former Jaguar Head Coach was not the only candidate brought in, but he appeared to be the expected frontrunner to take over a Panther squad that often seemed to play recklessly and without discipline under Mike Martz. With Baltimore signing their targeted coach, the Panthers now have to look elsewhere.
The rumors around the Panthers organization is that they love the defensive know-how of former Bengals and Steelers defensive coordinator (and short-lived Bengals Head Coach) Dick LeBeau, but they worry about the failures of LeBeau in Cincinnati when given the chance to be the main man. It is so hard to tell what led to the short tenure of LeBeau in Cincinnati, because the Bengals organization is notoriously poorly run from the owners’ box and talent on the field was just not there during his tenure. If Michigan thinks that LeBeau can succeed not only with the Panther defense, but as the leader of the entire club, we could see an announcement soon. If not, then they have to start looking further afield for candidates.
Retirements Follow Wild Card Defeats
As we see each year, the week after each team’s final game is often when players decide to announce that they have played their last. We saw this with the 12 non-playoff teams last week, with big names like Broderick Thomas and John Randall hanging up the cleats. With 4 clubs bowing out of the playoffs after the Wild Card round, we saw the same this week, and we will likely see the same next week, now that 4 more clubs are packing up for the offseason. This week’s departures are not as dramatic as the prior week’s but they still will impact each club. New Jersey is going to once again address their offensive line as guard Will Shields has ended his career after 11 seasons split between the Bandits and Generals. Baltimore, not a playoff team, but one that has already seen a key defensive player depart, saw another go as LB Tracy Scroggins announced his intention to leave the team after 5 seasons in Baltimore. Scoggins came into the league in 1992 with Washington and came over to Baltimore in 1999, racking up 110 tackles in his first year there. He landed 91 this season and has been a key contributor. One wonders if Coach Coughlin will try to convince him to give it one more year before he files his paperwork with the league.
Another lineman, from another non-playoff team, also announced this week as guard Chris Thome of Philadelphia declared his intention to fill out the retirement agreement with the league. Thome, a veteran of 13 seasons with Birmingham, Washington, and the Stars started 11 of 14 games for Philadelphia this year. And finally, Jeff Query, longtime receiver in Texas also announced his retirement from football. The 35-year old receiver began his career in Memphis as a rookie in 1989, played with the Showboats through 1997, then signed with Tampa Bay on a one year deal in 1998, just in time to win a ring with the Bandits. He became a free agent at the end of the year and was signed by Texas, where he would play the final 6 years of his 15-year career. His first year in Texas was his best year in the league, when injuries led Query to become the starting receiver for 13 weeks of the 16-week season. He responded with 97 receptions for 1,238 yards and 7 touchdowns, numbers never seen before or after from the lanky receiver. In 2003, Query did not receive a single start and ended the year without no catches on only 9 targets.
One Name Dominates Newest Free Agent Group
As with retirements, the defeat of four clubs (Birmingham, New Jersey, Texas, and Pittsburgh) during the Wild Card round means that more players without contracts officially become free agents. The name we were all waiting on to see if a last minute deal has, indeed, become a free agent. Deion Sanders, perhaps the best cover cornerback to play in either the USFL or NFL did not agree to a new deal with Birmingham, and is now a free agent. There is no doubt that “Prime Time” will be among the most coveted and well-paid signings of the offseason, but now the question becomes whether or not the USFL retains Sanders as an outspoken ambassador for the league or if he makes his return to the NFL. Those of us who root for the USFL are hoping he can find a new spring season home.
Others who will also receive a lot of interest from both leagues include Stallion FB Mike Alstott, DE Renaldo Turnbull (coming off injury), tackle Melvin Hayes and DE Cedric Scott. From New Jersey, the biggest potential loss is OT Leon Searcy. Others who now become free agents include WR Kevin Johnson, LB Adalius Smith, CB Otis Smith, and TE Jamie Asher.
For Pittsburgh the hope was to resign both TE Jay Riemersma and QB Jeff Black (a recent NFL acquisition) but with Charlie Batch firmly entrenched as the starter, Blake has opted to enter the market. Riemersma also has not resigned and joins other Maulers, including SS Sam Shade, punter Tom Rouen, FS Corey Hall, and CB Bobby Taylor as free agents. Finally, Texas, in addition to losing Jeff Query to free agency, will also possible lose center John Burch, FB Robert Hooker, HB Kevin Barlow, CB DeShea Townsend, and free safety Scott Shields. Townsend is clearly viewed as the biggest potential loss, but, with Deion Sanders on the market, that loss could be quickly forgotten if the Outlaws can attract the All-NFL, All-USFL corner to come to San Antonio next.
While Ohio and Denver enter the Conference title games with no new injuries, the same cannot be said for either Washington or New Orleans, both of whom could be without their top receivers after both Deion Branch and Az-Zahir Hakim were injured in this week’s games. Branch, who suffered an injury earlier in the season, is listed as doubtful after apparently aggravating the injury in this week’s Wild Card game. Hakim is listed as out, as he had to be helped from the field after an apparent ankle injury. Testing later discovered that it was not an ankle issue at all but a stress fracture in two different bones in his heel and arch of the right foot. This is a big blow to both offenses as both Branch and Hakim are seen as keys to the passing game of both clubs.
Branch will likely be replaced by Bryant Johnson, as he was during the regular season. Hakim’s slot will be taken over by Kevin Dyson, with Jake Reed likely becoming the primary passing target for Trent Dilfer. We have not seen the Breaker offense without Hakim all year, but we expect that this will put even greater emphasis on the run game of Williams and Troy Davis, as well as a more prominent role for TE Bubba Franks, coming off a career season with the Breakers.
Championship Week means so much around the USFL, but one of the biggest items of the week is always the announcement of the league award winners and All-USFL team. This year was not a year for surprises as most of the award winners were pretty clear, but there was a bit of a surprise in at least one award.
MVP: A no brainer as Kerry Collins wins again. With a record QB Rating, nearly 4,700 yards passing, and a whopping 52 touchdowns in 14 games, Collins was the run-away choice for a third year in a row.
Offensive Player of the Year: Eddie George joins Collins as a repeat winner as he earns his second consecutive OPOTY award thanks to a combined 1,835 yards (1,033 rushing) and 12 touchdowns on the season. This race was at least a bit closer with Byron Leftwich, Jake Plummer, and fellow Ohio teammate Joey Galloway also getting some first place votes.
Defensive Player of the Year: With Phil Hansen and Mike Rucker tied atop the sack leaderboard, room existed for a third player to jump up and take away the title as the two Defensive Ends split the votes of those who favor that position. That is exactly what happened as Pittsburgh cornerback Patrick Surtain was announced as this year’s DPOTY. Surtain certainly made his case on the field, racking up 91 tackles at the corner position, finishing tied for the league lead with 5 interceptions , but also adding 8 forced fumbles, 4 recoveries, and 2 defensive touchdowns to an impressive season total.
Rookie of the Year: Despite strong freshman performances from players like Willis McGahee, Anquon Boldin, Mike Doss and Patrick Truffant, this was a pretty obvious choice. Seattle’s rookie sensation, QB Byron Leftwich ran away with all 24 first place votes. Leftwich finished the year as the only QB outside of MVP Kerry Collins, to surpass 4,000 yards passing. He also finished second in passing TDs with 36, and ended the year third in the league behind only Collins and Tom Brady, with a 115.4 QB Rating. As first year QB performances go, this is the best one we have seen since Brett Favre’s first season with the Stallions.
Coach of the Year: After a very disappointing 7-7 season in 2002, Coach Paul Hackett rebounded with a nearly perfect 13-1 season in 2003. That accomplishment earned him the honor of Coach of the Year, the second time he has won the award. Hackett molded the Federals defense into the league’s best, despite being considered an offensive-minded coach. His offense, featured one of the season’s break out stars in HB Deuce McCallister, and his club now finds itself in the Eastern Conference Title Game, playing at home against the defending league Champion Ohio Glory.
All-USFL Team
The league actually announced two All-USFL teams this year. We have the 2003 All-USFL Team and the added bonus of the 20th Anniversary All-Time All-USFL Team, a bonus as season 21 saw the league look back on its first two decades. Let’s start with this year’s honors and then take a look at the 2-decade team.
2003 ALL USFL TEAM
QB: K. Collins (OHI), J. Plummer (ARZ), B. Leftwich (SEA)
HB: A. Green (NSH), E. George (OHI), T. Davis (PIT)
FB: A. Cowley (POR)
TE: A. Cooper (MEM), K. Dilger (SEA)
WR: J. Galloway (OHI), P. Price (DEN), S. Moss (ARZ), C. Ochocinco (OHI), A. Rison PIT)
OT: J. Wunsch (OHI), A. Clement (MEM), M. Light (NJ)
OG: S. Page (CHI), A. Faneca (LA), J. Nails (BOS)
C: B. Meester (HOU), G. Huntington (CHI)
DE: P. Hansen (NJ), M. Rucker (BIR), K. Pitmann (HOU)
DT: M. Reager (DEN), J. Randall (BAL)
LB: M. l.ewis (LA), D. DuBose (PIT), L. Lathon (NOR), J. Porter (POR),
J. Farrior (BAL), G. Miles (SEA)
CB: P. Surtain (PIT), D. Sanders (BIR), Q. Jammer (TEX), J. Fletcher (DEN)
SS: B. Blades (ARZ), L. Milloy (BIR),
FS: E. Reed (WSH), M. Doss (OHI)
K: D. Pelfrey (WSH)
P: C. Jarrett (POR)
No real shocks here. Ohio dominated offensive categories and even got a defender into the mix with rookie safety Mike Doss being recognized for an outstanding first year. We also saw rookie Byron Leftwich make the grade in his first year. Two retirees finished on top as both Bennie Blades and John Randall were named to the team. The biggest debates were at WR and DE, where Az-Zahir Hakim, Regan Upshaw and Anthony Weaver were also certainly worthy of a potential spot. But, all in all, a solid representation of the best of the best from the past season.
USFL 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY ALL-TIME ALL-USFL TEAM
QB Jim Kelly, Brett Favre
HB: Mike Rozier (HOF), Herschel Walker (HOF), Kelvin Bryant (HOF)
FB: Mike Alstott
TE: Keith Jackson, Mike Shaw
WR: Trumaine Johnson (HOF), Eric Truvillion (HOF),
Henry Ellard (HOF), Lawrence Dawsey
OT: Richmond Webb, Howard Ballard (HOF), Bruce Armstrong (HOF)
OG: Gary Zimmerman (HOF), Duval Love
C: William Copley, Mike Baab (HOF)
DE: Reggie White, Chris Doleman, Phil Hansen
DT: Jerome Brown, John Randall, Rollin Putzier
LB: Kurt Gouveia, Broderick Thomas, Chris Spielman,
Kevin Greene, Brian Bosworth (HOF)
CB: Bruce Pickens, Donnell Woolford, Eric Allen
S: Bennie Blades, Carnell Lake, Martin Bayless
K: Tim Mazzetti (HOF)
P: Chris Mohr
An interesting mix of 1st Generation USFL stars like Kelly, Reggie White, and Heschel Walker, more recent players like Bosworth, Gouveia, and Keith Jackson, and current players like Brett Favre, Lawrence Dawsey, Bennie Blades and Phil Hansen. The only complaints we are hearing, other than fans just being homers for their guys, are the reduction of slots for guard, center, and safety between this list and the typical annual list. Funny that no one has complained (at least not loudly) about the list having only 2 quarterback slots instead of the standard three. I guess fans of Kerry Collins have other things to focus on right now.
Summer Bowl 2004 Logo Revealed
Another tradition of Conference Championship Week is the reveal of the next year’s Summer Bowl Logo. We got that this week as the Summer Bowl will return for the first time to the city where it first acquired that name, Orlando. After several years of “USFL Championship Games”, the moniker “Summer Bowl” was officially adopted in 1990 and Orlando was the first host city. The Summer Bowl returns to the Citrus Bowl this year, where it will be played beginning at 8pm, its latest start ever, to try to avoid the afternoon heat of central Florida in July.
The logo depicts a football helmet as the sun, with the very summery color combination of bright yellow, orange, and magenta, colors used originally in the 1990 Orlando Summer Bowl and returning now for 2004. While some may wonder why the logo would depict the sun as its central feature when the game will be deliberately placed at dusk and at night to avoid summer sun, it has clearly become tradition that images of summer and the sun are central to the Summer Bowl logo, differentiating the title game from the NFL’s Super Bowl, played in the dead of winter.
Four teams left, all fighting for a chance to travel to Seattle and Summer Bowl 2004. We have the defending champion Ohio Glory, hoping to make history by becoming the first ever repeat champion, the 13-1 Washington Federals, one win away from a perfect season, the Denver Gold, hoping to reclaim glory after a fall from grace in 2002, and the New Orleans Breakers, trying to go further than any Breakers’ team ever has. Sixty minutes stand between each of these teams and a ticket to the Summer Bowl. So who do we see packing their bags for the Pacific Northwest? Who has what it takes to win when the pressure is on? Here is our look at the 2003 Conference Championships of the USFL.
Sunday, July 14 @ 1pm on ABC
RFK Stadium, Washington, DC
This is the game that we have been waiting for all season. Back in Week 11 the 8-2 Glory ended Washington’s hopes for a perfect season with a big win in RFK. They now return to the same place to face the same team. Will this be a story of redemption for the Federals, or will Ohio again upend the Federals and stake a claim on the Summer Bowl and recognition as the league’s next dynasty? Will the offensive firepower of Collins, George, Galloway and Ochocinco be too much for Washington, or will a the defensive might of Brackens, Barrow, Rudd, and Woodson shut down the Glory?
It truly is strength against strength as the league’s #1 scoring defense takes on the #1 scoring offense. We have seen these kinds of matchups before in the USFL and the truth is that neither side has a consistent history of victory. We have seen offenses like Houston’s Run & Shoot dominate and we have seen defenses like Philadelphia’s “Lights Out” defense take over a game. The consensus here is that if the game is in the 20’s or lower, that certainly favors Washington, but if it turns into a track meet, the Glory will win out. Key players of the game are often not the first ones you think of. In our minds the two key players are on the opposite side of the ball, Washington’s offense and Ohio’s defense. Can Kordell Stewart an Deuce McCallister maintain offense and burn time off the clock? Can Ohio’s Vonnie Holliday and La’Roi Glover control the line of scrimmage and get the Federal offense off the field? The ability of each club’s weaker half to hold up their end of the bargain will determine which club’s tempo, style, and strength will win out.
OUR PICK: This one is as close to a tossup as we could imagine. We could easily develop a clear rationale for either side to take the win. So, we say this with a grain of salt and just a pinch of intuition. Ohio won the earlier matchup because they were able to get on the board early. We see Coach Luginbill finding ways to confuse the Federals defense early in the game once again. We are going to go with the Glory to find themselves back in the Summer Bowl. Ohio 29-23.
Sunday, July 14 @ 5pm on FOX
Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
So what to make of this matchup? What we have here are two very good teams that have largely avoided the spotlight all season long. Denver’s record is the equal of Ohio’s but no one seems to talk about them. New Orleans won perhaps the toughest and most even division in the league, the South, and was able to win on the road to get here. But winning in Denver can be a whole different game than going to LA and getting a victory. Home field advantage is real when it is over 5,000 feet above sea level. Add to that a riled up fanbase in Denver, and a team that rarely hurts themselves and you have a tough hill to climb.
The Breakers have talent on both sides of the ball. If they can get their run game going, it opens up the passing game for Trent Dilfer. They can rush the passer with the combination of DE’s Michael McCrary and Clyde Simmons, and Lamar Lathon is going to be focused fully on the run game of the Gold. With Az-Zahir out of commission for the game, the offense will have to get creative. They need a big game from Ricky Williams and Troy Davis, and they need to get TE Bubba Franks involved as well.
For Denver, the offense depends largely on the ability to mix up the run and the pass with Rod Smart and Robert Holcombe sharing carries. Peerless Price has become a top flight receiver this year, but you know he will be getting double coverage, so who else steps up? Will it be TE Marco Battaglia or slot receiver Kassim Osgood? The Denver defense is about bending but never breaking, forcing teams to build up long drives without mistakes. They do not get great pass rush, even though Marcellus Wiley has had some impact this season with 11 sacks. The secondary has one star in FS Jamel Williams (5 picks this season) but plays well as a unit. With Dat Nguyen a potential scratch for the game, a lot of pressure will be on the linebackers in action, Marvcus Patton, Deshone Myles and Chris Cowart.
OUR PICK: We have seen better teams than the Breakers head up to Mile High and just wilt. The altitude issue is real, but so is the ability of the Gold to wear teams down. We see that happening this time and we see Denver returning to their 4th Summer Bowl in 5 years, their own claim on dynasty status. Our pick is Denver in a low scoring game, 17-13.