A huge week for the USFL as teams fight for playoff spots while the league’s 24 ownership groups approve a plan to return USFL football to St. Louis and Atlanta in 2006 and to add two more teams in 2008 to bring the league to 28 franchises. Great news for football fans in the Peach City and Gateway to the West, and potentially good news for fans in many non-USFL cities as their cities could put in bids for a 2008 franchise. But, more on that later. Let’s start by looking at a week that locked up 3 playoff spots but left a lot of confusion out west and a lot of disappointment in Bean Town, as the strong first season of the Cannons came to a crashing conclusion. We start in Birmingham, where the Stallions tried to lock up a playoff spot by beating the 11-1 Washington Federals.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS 24 BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 16
It was a big game for Birmingham, and it showed as they scratched and clawed at Washington all game long. The game never got out of 1-score range, and Birmingham showed a few things, but Washington got the points they needed to retain their position as the top team in the East. The Federals defense also kept up their reputation, sacking Brett Favre 4 times and picking him off twice to preserve a win. Birmingham had some success running the ball (84 yards for Shaun Alexander) but they simply could not get the big plays that so often power their offensive production. Meanwhile, Washington was happy to play a conservative, time-killing, dink and dunk offense, with Kordell Stewart giving his backs plenty of touches, and completing 21 of 27 throws on the day.
Birmingham started off well, building up a 6-0 lead after one quarter on two Mike Hollis kicks. In the second, Washington turned up the heat a bit with Deuce McCallister’s first of 2 touchdowns to open their scoring and take the lead. Birmingham got their first (and only) TD of the day thanks to the defense, as they retook the lead on an ill-advised pass from Stewart, one of three picks on the day for the Washington QB. This one was returned for a score by Birmingham’s Marcus Wimberly, but that would be the only time that Washington would let the Stallions into the end zone.
Washington recovered and with Deuce McCallister’s 2nd touchdown, just before the half, they entered the break with a 14-13 lead on the homestanding Stallions. They added to that lead in the 3rd when Cedrick Tillman scored from 2 yards out on a quick slant. Birmingham was down 8, but could only muster a field goal to pull within 5. When Washington responded with their own kick to bring the lead back up to 8 at 24-16, Birmingham needed to do what they could not all day, score a touchdown.
The Stallions had two drives in the 4th quarter, sandwiched around a time-killing possession by Washington. The first ended with a penalty changing a 4th and 1 into a 4th and 11 and forcing a punt. The final drive ended with Brett Favre having to dump down to his TE on 4th and 10, and the defense swarming Walter Reeves well short of the line to gain.
And so, Washington remains atop the East. Birmingham is still in playoff position at 7-6, but a loss next week against Nashville could spell disaster for the Stallions. They play at home again, so there is a good chance for the Stallions to pull out the win and get themselves into the post-season, but they will need to learn from this week’s disappointment.
PHI 17 MEM 10
A truly bad week for the Memphis Showboats as not only do they lose at home to a Stars team that had nothing but pride on the line, but you also lose your All-USFL starting QB as Heath Shuler goes down in the 2nd quarter. With the loss, Memphis now falls to 6-7 and will need to win next week and get help if they want to get into the playoffs, and it looks like they will have to win with Bill Musgrave under center. Not what the Showboats wanted to get out of this weekend at all.
NJ 37 NSH 26
Nashville’s playoff chances take a huge hit as they cannot slow down the New Jersey Generals’ offense. Brady and company racked up 451 yards of offense, including 367 and 3 TDs from Brady to move to 9-4 and lock up a playoff spot. New Jersey had 3 receivers go over 100 yards as Nashville just could not get the job done. Donald Hayes had 122 and 2 scores, TE Anthony Becht had 116 and a score, and Terry Glenn, on only 3 catches, had 112. A bad day for the Knights’ D, and potentially a playoff costing loss.
BAL 30 NOR 38
In his first start for the Blitz, Ryan Leaf looked pretty darned good, almost pulling off the upset and throwing for 276 and 4 touchdowns. New Orleans looked very nervous but got a Ricky Williams touchdown and a David Green field goal to pull the game out in the 4th. The Breakers now look to the playoffs, while Baltimore looks at their QB situation and wonders what next Spring will look like.
JAX 20 HOU 17
A tight one, but Jacksonville gets the final 3 points of the game and locks up the Southeast division. Their win, plus the Boston loss gives the Bulls the guaranteed #3 seed and a home playoff game. For Houston, a decent game from Matt Hasselbeck (2 TDs, 77.8% completion), but the Faulk/Anderson halfback combo still struggled.
BOS 0 TEX 41
So close to a playoff game, a lot of the old Atlanta Fire showed up for the Cannons this week. Basically the wheels fell off the bus as they ran into a motivated Texas club, hoping to avoid their usual late season swoon. The Outlaws dominated every phase, limiting Boston to only 180 total yards in a game that Tiki Barber missed due to injury. CB Jimmy Hitchcock dominated Drew Bledsoe, snagging 3 of Texas’s 4 picks of Bledsoe, but also running back 2 of them for scores. Just a horrible week for Bledsoe and Boston as the loss eliminates them from the franchises first potential playoff appearance.
PIT 10 LA 27
The Express wanted to prove they were a championship caliber team by beating a very good Pittsburgh squad at home, and the message was sent loud and clear. Cade McNown threw for 3 touchdowns, while the LA defense sacked Charlie Batch 4 times. It was 10-10 late into the 3rd, but LA scored the last 17 points to get a big confidence boost as the playoffs approach.
CHI 21 SEA 12
Home field was not enough as Seattle played without Byron Leftwich and facing that tough Chicago defense. The Machine built an 18-12 halftime lead and shut out Seattle after making halftime adjustments. Seattle is still in Win-and-In position in the West, while the win clinches a playoff spot for the Machine. The Machine got great games from both starting wideouts, with both Conway and recent arrival Donald Driver showing up with 100 yard games.
MGN 19 POR 30
The Panthers were game, taking the lead twice in the game, but eventually fell to the Thunder in Portland as Spergon Wynn was sacked 5 times by the Thunder. Akili Smith did it all for Portland, rushing for 95 yards and going 22 of 27 in the air against the Michigan defense. With extra security in place, the Thunder finished their home season as large crowds chanted some unflattering things about owner Phil Ruffin. Believe it or not, a win next week and some help and Portland could be in the playoffs. It’s a bit of a longshot, as the tiebreakers have to fall just right, but there is a chance.
OHI 31 OAK 13
Ohio went up 24-6 at the half and by the end of the third backup Koy Detmer was seeing action as the Glory moved to 11-2 on the year. Joey Galloway added 2 more touchdowns and 67 yards to his league leading total. For Oakland, Rashaan Salaam continued to struggle, gaining only 17 yards on 9 carries. Some tough decisions ahead for Coach Green in Oakland as the team seems to need a major talent infusion across the board.
ORL 20 DEN 30
The Renegades got a solid game from Sedrick Irvin and hung on in this one longer than Denver had hoped, but in the end the Gold did what they had to do to get the W. Robert Holcombe rushed for 2 scores and 86 yards as Denver played the game-slowing run game all day. Not the prettiest game for either side, but a win that helps Denver move closer to home field advantage.
TBY 13 ARZ 36
Things cannot be looking good for Coach Seifert in Tampa as it feels very much like the Bandits have just given up. Ken Dorsey got the start for Tampa, and struggled to get the ball into his receivers’ hands. Arizona, for their part, still relies too much on Jake Plummer, but he comes through with 4 TD passes and 366 yards in the air. At least he did not run as much and put his health at risk in a meaningless game.
Breaking Out in 2003
With just two weeks left in the season, we thought that it would be as good a time as any to take a look at the spring and summer we have had and point out the players that made a name for themselves this year. So, we got together the bullpen and started talking about break out players this year. We decided pretty quickly that we should not lump in first year players like Byron Leftwich, Willis McGahee, and Anquon Boldin. They will all certainly be recognized as rookies. Our focus was on veterans who stepped up their game, got the chance they were waiting for and made the most of it. So, here, for your debating pleasure, are our 8 Break Out Players of 2003:
Laverneus Coles, KR/PR, Michigan Panthers
True, the Panthers have had a horrible season, truly horrible, but the one bright spot has been the decision to add special teams duties to Laverneus Coles’s receiving duties. In his first year as a punt returner, Coles is averaging 7.6 YPR, which is pretty solid. What is more, in his second year as a kick returner his average has gone up 5 yards per return and his total yards up from 492 to 944. Yes, part of that is that everyone scores on Michigan, so he has gotten more return opportunities, but a big part of it is also that he has found his groove as a return specialist, a role he needs to keep next year, regardless of who is coaching the Panthers.
Shaun Alexander, HB, Birmingham Stallions
This is less about Alexander’s talent than Birmingham’s offensive strategy. Alexander has been the lead back in Birmingham since 2001, but only this year is he getting the snaps, the carries, and the support from the O-line to truly do some damage. He sits at 877 yards on 220 carries with 2 weeks left, so a 1,000 yard season seems very viable. Now all the Stallions need to do is to get Alexander into the passing game as well. He has only 6 receptions this year, which seems criminal.
Bubba Franks, TE, New Orleans Breakers
Always a solid receiver, Franks just never got the ball sent his way. His best year between 200 and 2002 was 73 targets and 46 catches in 2001. This year he has 92 targets and 62 catches. His yards per catch are up to 11.6 and he has 720 yards receiving, more than 300 yards more than his previous best. He is not in a category with an elite like Adrian Cooper, but Franks is a solid option for Trent Dilfer and the Breaker offense.
Anthony Weaver, DE, Chicago
Weaver had a solid rookie year in 2002, 24 tackles, 3 for a loss, and 10 sacks. Not bad. But he grew in both talent and know-how this year and it showed in his stats. He is currently tied for 3rd in the league with 16 sacks, has 35 tackles, including 12 for a loss, that is a big number. Weaver is very likely to make his first All-USFL list with numbers like that, and he is a big reason Chicago’s defense is one of the league’s best.
Deuce McCallister, HB, Washington Federals
With the trade of Reuben Droughns to Portland this offseason, you had a feeling that the Feds would lean heavily on McCallister in his 3rd year. After getting 149 carries as a rookie and 123 last year in combo with Droughns, McCallister has blown those numbers away with 251 attempts this year and is well on his way to a 1,000 yard season, his first, with 978 yards and two games left to play. McCallister is the engine for the Washington offense, and the threat of his runs makes life that much easier for Kordell Stewart.
Roosevelt Colvin, LB, Oakland Invaders
After an injury cost him 8 games last year, Colvin returned to Oakland and immediately became their best linebacker. This year he broke the 100 tackle mark for the first time in his career, added 13 tackles for loss, and two picks. The Oakland defense is a bit of a shambles, but they have a building block to start with in Colvin.
Az-Zahir Hakim, WR, New Orleans Breakers
After years as the slot receiver, the departure of Raynard Brown gave Hakim a chance to move up the depth chart and find himself on the field a lot more in 2003. The result? His targets increased from the mid 30’s to 120 this year. His catches from 23 in 2000 (fewer in 2001 and 2002 due to injury) to 85 this year, and Hakeem has already racked up 1,214 yards and 8 TD’s blowing away his past totals. It seems New Orleans has found themselves a top flight receiver and he was right there the whole time. Paired with Bubba Franks, it is easy to see why New Orleans has had the strong season they have.
Ed Reed, FS, Washington Federals
We all saw Ed Reed’s talent last year as a rookie. He started 14 games, had 2 sacks and 3 picks. But what we have seen this year is a maturity well beyond most sophomore players. His numbers are up across the board (tackles, sacks, picks, passes defended, etc.), but what is more amazing is that he became a leader on a defense that already had great character and great talent. As much as Deuce McCallister stepped up for the offense, Ed Reed stepped up for the league’s best defense. He will be a force in this league for quite a while if he plays like he did this year.
Boston’s poor showing this week in Texas means that the Eastern Conference has their 6 playoff teams. Due to tiebreakers even a Boston win next week to reach 8-6 and losses by either of the 8-5 teams is not enough for the Cannons to make their first playoff run. Stil, a very good year by Fire/Cannons standards. So the 6 teams in the Eastern Conference playoffs will be divisional winners Washington, Ohio and Jacksonville and Wild Cards New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and Chicago. There is still some positioning to be decided, as Washington clinches the top seed with a win in Week 14, while a loss would open the door for Ohio to snag the seed, having been the only team to beat the Feds so far this year. Jacksonville is locked into the #3 seed, and will host the lowest seeded Wild Card. How the 3 Wild Card teams will rank will come down to next week’s action. The #4 seed is New Jersey’s to lose, and would come with a home game.
In the West it is much shakier. We still only have 3 teams confirmed: Denver, LA, and New Orleans. All three are locked in as Division Winners. Denver locks up the top seed with a win in Week 14. A loss would open up the door for New Orleans to take the seed. LA cannot win it as they lost to Denver earlier this year. We also have 3 Wild Card spots, but 6 teams in the running. The three at 7-6 control their own destiny. Wins by Birmingham, Seattle, or Texas and they punch their tickets. If one or more of these three lose, then the door could be open for Nashville, Memphis, or Portland to steal a spot. The tiebreakers are very complex, both within divisional standings and between divisions, so for now let’s just say that the three 7-6 teams are in Win & In situations.
Some significant bad news as we head towards the playoffs. Several starters are likely out in key Week 14 games, including New Jersey CB Mike Rumph, who is out for the year after tearing his MCL. He hopes to be back in time for training camp, but doctors say at least 16 week (4 months) will be needed, so the timeline is tight. Seattle is hoping David Boston can return if they make a playoff run, but he is still listed as doubtful, as is center Dominic Raiola for the Bulls, and, most importantly, QB Heath Shuler for the Showboats. Shuler suffered a concussion in this week’s game, and he is still being evaluated. If he cannot go, that significantly hurts Memphis’s chances of making the postseason as they need a win and some help this week to squeak in. Better news in Pittsburgh where a scary injury to DE Kyle Vanden Bosch has been determined to only be a sprain. He is now listed as probable for the big game this week. Finally, Byron Leftwich has been cleared to play this week, so Seattle will have their chance to lock up a Wild Card with their star rookie on the field.
LEAGUE OWNERS APROVE TWO STAGE EXPANSION PLAN
As expected, the Owners’ Meeting this week produced an immediate result, approval by a 21-2-1 vote to approve the proposal for a two-stage expansion in 2006 and 2008. Only Jacksonville and Las Vegas opposed and Los Angeles abstaining (Due to the owner rep being called away on a family emergency, knowing the vote was already in favor of expansion). Jacksonville objected to Atlanta being given special attention, largely due to their ability to draw fans from Georgia if there is no Atlanta franchise. Las Vegas voted against, largely as a gesture towards Portland, because no carve-out was made to ensure that Portland would recover a franchise with the departure of the Thunder to Las Vegas.
The plan means that the USFL will now work to ensure that viable ownership groups are identified for both St. Louis and Atlanta. We already know of an Atlanta group, headed by Cox Cable founder Jim Kennedy and featuring USFL Hall of Famer Herschel Walker, that looks very promising and which has already publicly committed to bringing the Atlanta Fire back to life, hopefully a more productive and winning life. For St. Louis the search is now on. We know the city is prepared to provide a USFL club a much more advantageous stadium deal than the Knights ever received. It seems losing the Knights to Nashville opened a lot of eyes in St. Louis and a lot of money was lost, so the city and the stadium authority seem very keen to help the USFL fill the hole left behind. Failing to attract the Memphis Showboats, St. Louis now falls on plan B, a new ownership group and a new team.
On a side note, as a friendly amendment opposed by none of the owners, the Nashville Knights received confirmation that any new St. Louis team would develop a new identity and that the Knights’ identity is indeed the sole property of the Nashville ownership group.
So, with this vote the USFL commits to growth first to 26 teams in 2006 and then to 28 in 2008 (there is a symmetry in those numbers, isn’t there. The expectation is that the new Atlanta franchise will move into the Southeast Division, with Boston transplanted in 2006 to the Northeast, a more logical location for the team. St. Louis could join either the Southern Division with other Mississippi River cities like Memphis and New Orleans, but owners in Chicago and Michigan would like to see the new team added to the Central Division to boost regional Midwestern rivalries. The question of divisional alignment will be settled in the next Owners’ meeting, with the expectation that St. Louis will be the 13th team in the Western Conference, whether that is as part of the Southern Division or, as some owners prefer, as part of the Central, with the Central moving west and sending the Southern Division to the Eastern Conference. More on this later to be sure.
New Look In New Orleans
The Breakers, still in the process of setting up a sale of the controlling interest in the team, worked with Reebok to develop a new look for a new period of team history. The look, which the Breakers can wear as soon as two weeks from now in the playoffs if they wish, features a brand new logo, new helmet design, and new uniforms.
Fans of the current stylized wave design may be taken aback by the update. The new logo features a large cresting wave, complete with white foam, a far more “realistic” wave than the competing teal, ocean blue, and grey wave shapes that comprise the current look. The new wave will crest further back on the helmet, and we will see teal and grey as highlight colors for the darker “ocean” color wave. With the new logo we also have a new font for the team name as well as a new secondary logo.
The secondary logo makes use of the common New Orleans abbreviation “NOLA” (New Orleans, Louisiana), with a 4-letter monogram in which the O is represented by the team logo of the cresting wave and seagull. This secondary logo will appear on the new uniform as the chest wordmark for the club. The uniform features the same familiar combination of a teal jersey and either silver or white pants with a 3-color pant stripe undulating like swells on the water’s surface. The jersey no longer features offset color sleeves, returning to the original 3-stripe patter used in early USFL seasons. A thick ocean (ocean is what the Breakers call their deep, almost navy teal color) with two thinner stripes above it. The numbers remain double-piped with silver and navy on both the white and teal jerseys. The seagull motif is continued with a lone gull above the sleeve stripes on both jerseys.
The helmet is the biggest adjustment, and while some fans may prefer the old look, it is a bit dated, so this new wave retains the basic premise of a wrap-around logo with a surging wave, but is rendered in a more realistic and dynamic style. Here is a look at the full design sheet for those of you who are uniform nerds like us.
Week 14 and a lot to play for. Let’s run down the games starting with those that are play-in games, then positioning games, and finally, games with little to no playoff implications.
Nashville (6-7) @ Birmingham (7-6): The only game that could be a true pre-playoff playoff game. Nashville must win to have any shot at a Wild Card, but a loss by Birmingham could cost them a Wild Card. So, for both clubs a win is essential.
New Orleans (9-4) @ Memphis (6-7): The Showboats need a win and some help to get in, but New Orleans could still claim the #1 seed with a win, so they will not be resting any players. This one could be an intense game.
Texas (7-6) @ Denver (10-3): Texas wants to win to lock up a Wild Card. Denver wants to win to ensure they have the top seed and home field throughout the Western Conference playoffs. So, we have a formula for a tough game. Hard to win in Denver, but the Outlaws cannot afford to lose, not with 3 other teams at 6-7 hoping to jump into their spot.
Seattle (7-6) @ Oakland (2-11): The Dragons appear to have easiest path to a Wild Card with the 2-win Invaders on the schedule. A win in Oakland and Seattle claims the #4 seed and a home playoff game.
Portland (6-7) @ Los Angeles (9-4): Just like last season, Portland could find themselves in the playoffs if they can win on the season’s final day. They need quite a bit of help as they are not well set up in tiebreakers. LA may choose to rest some starters as they do not have a chance at home field advantage thanks to an earlier loss to Denver, but will they?
Washington (12-1) @ New Jersey (9-4): Washington needs a win to lock up the #1 seed and home field advantage, but New Jersey risks losing a home playoff game if they lose, so this is likely to be a hard fought game for both clubs.
Ohio (11-2) @ Chicago (8-5): Both teams are in, but if Ohio wants that top seed, they need the win. Chicago has a long shot chance at a home playoff game with a win, but they need all the pieces to fall into place for that.
Pittsburgh (8-5) @ Michigan (0-13): It is Michigan’s last chance to get a win this season in what has been a truly disastrous campaign, but, with a shot at a home Wild Card game, don’t expect Pittsburgh to rest any starters or go easy on the Panthers.
Tampa Bay (4-9) @ Jacksonville (8-5): The Bulls are locked into the #3 slot, so expect them to protect some key players by resting them. Tampa Bay may also play some younger players or rest some starters in a game that has no impact on their season.
Houston (4-9) @ Arizona (5-8): Nothing on the line here. Expect some younger players to see action just so coaches can see what they have.
Philadelphia (4-9) @ Baltimore (5-8): Another game between teams that are already thinking about the draft. The biggest question here is whether or not Lindy Infante will survive Black Monday. After 11 seasons at the helm, we think it is very likely that this will be his last game with the Blitz.
Orlando (2-11) @ Boston (7-6): Could have been a big game for Boston, but the loss last week knocked them out. Expect Drew Bledsoe to rest, while Tiki Barber is definitely out with his recent injury.