Week two and the early season storylines are beginning to form. Heath Shuler and the Memphis offense are proving the doubters wrong even in defeat. Ohio has now won 19 in a row. Pittsburgh, LA, and Denver are looking like early surprise contenders. Early concern in Orlando and Arizona, where back to back losses are not the start either club wanted, and New Jersey struggles without Tom Brady. All this plus some weird stories of what we are calling “Diva” behavior around the league. Let’s kick it off with our Game of the Week, which sees Houston’s defense hold off the Texas Outlaws and an “interesting” post-game comment.
TEXAS OUTLAWS 17 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 20
A good game in NRG Stadium as the Outlaws get the win to move to 2-0 while the Outlaws drop to 0-2 and may have an issue in the locker room. While the game itself was a fun one, with both clubs showing some defensive prowess, the post-game was where the real fun began when “backup” QB Ryan Leaf went off on Coach Chan Gailey for selecting Jeff Lewis for his 2nd straight start. “I am the starter for this team. I would have won this game. That is just the truth. I know coach (Gailey) is feeling heat not to play me, but he needs to do what is best for the guys on this club, and I think it is pretty obvious I should be starting", said an irate Ryan Leaf in the locker room post game. He was immediately confronted by two teammates, who he attempted to brush off, but the damage was done. We may be looking at a split locker room in Texas, as the Outlaws are still clearly reeling from their late season collapse last year and may now be mired in a QB controversy in which one of the two potential team leaders is pretty vocal about his displeasure. Jeff Lewis would not comment on Ryan Leaf’s outburst, but it is well-known that the two barely speak with each other, and reports out of Texas seem to indicate a split loyalty among the offensive players.
Not a good scene for the 0-2 Outlaws, but how did they get there? The blame really cannot be placed on Lewis, who had a decent game, completing 20 of 37 for 202 yards and a score with no picks. Texas also got 107 yards from HB Brian Westbrook, who was the biggest part of the Outlaw arsenal this week. Texas was able to move the ball on several drives but a 4 of 14 conversion rate on 3rd down and 7 team penalties did not help in a close game.
For their part Houston also played well, with Matt Hasselbeck throwing for 2 scores and the HB duo of Faulk and Anderson accounting for 131 yards on the ground. Houston led throughout, starting the scoring with a Kevin Faulk run in the first. Texas equalized with Brian Westbrook’s sizzling 28-yard TD run in the 2nd. Houston would regain the lead on a 16-yard Antonio Freeman TD catch (the PAT was missed) and after a Lindell FG for Texas, the Gamblers and Outlaws went into the break with a 13-10 Gambler advantage.
Houston got the only score of the 3rd quarter when Dan Campbell got free on a seam route and Matt Hasselbeck found him for a 28-yard scoring toss. Houston would then rely on their defense as the Outlaws were stymied on 3 straight drives before finally getting back on the board with 5:23 left in the game, Carl Pickens catching Jeff Lewis’s lone TD toss of the day. Texas kicked the ball back to Houston and the Gamblers were able to make a couple of key first downs, not punting the ball back to their in-state rivals until there were only 28 seconds left in the game.
Houston looks very much like the club that used a high-pressure defense and a conservative, but low-risk offense to march to the Western Conference Title Game last year. Texas looks very much like a club still deeply wounded by yet another late season swoon that dropped them from a division title all the way to being outside of the playoffs looking in. And now, if the division we seen in the locker room and the disruptive outbursts of Ryan Leaf are any indication, the Outlaws may be in for a long contentious season.
BAL 13 OHI 31
While the result on the field was much better for Ohio than Texas, the locker room strangeness was equally weird as WR Chad Johnson (2 catches for 31 yards and a score) also got into a heated moment with a reporter in the post-game, insisting that the reporter call him “Chad Ochocinco” (a play on the Spanish for his number 8-5) on multiple occasions. A bit of weirdness to be sure, but not a distraction from a comfortable win that saw Joey Galloway haul in 6 passes for 160 and 2 scores and the defense rattle Baltimore’s Jeff Garcia (2 picks, 3 sacks, and a costly late game fumble) to secure the win.
MEM 24 BIR 30
An early season shootout in Birmingham as Brett Favre and Heath Shuler made both clubs’ defenses look woefully unprepared. The two combined for nearly 800 yards passing and 6 touchdowns as Birmingham built up a 30-17 lead and then held on as a furious Memphis comeback fell just short on the final play of the game, a Hail Mary that nearly ended up in Tydus Wynan’s hands before falling to the turf. Joe Horn and Lawrence Dawsey combined for 211 yards and 2 scores for Birmingham, while Justin McCaerins solidified his role as Heath Shuler’s new #1 WR with 6 receptions. Adrian Cooper also had another standout game, catching 2 of Shuler’s 3 TD passes, while rookie Kelley Washington added 88 yards and the 3rd TD for Memphis.
NJ 6 PIT 39
Someone get Bill Grammatica a beer. The Pittsburgh kicker contributed 6 field goals and leads all kickers after 2 weeks as Pittsburgh took care of business against a punchless Todd Boumann-led Generals squad. Terrell Davis added 127 yards on the ground to power the Mauler offense, and the Defense sacked Boumann 4 times on the way to a convincing win.
PHI 27 ORL 14
Orlando protected Joey Harrington and started Mark Bulger, which did not go well, with Bulger sacked 5 times as Philly built up a 27-0 lead after 3 quarters. Stephen Davis rushed for 110 and scored twice as Brian Griese got his first W as a member of the Stars. Griese completed 18 of 25 throws for a modest 185 yards, but also avoided the Orlando pass rush and protected the ball. DT Seth Payne was the defensive star for Philadelphia, earning POTG honors for his defensive run-stuffing, and a sack-fumble in the 4th that helped seal the win.
OAK 14 LA 35
The Express continued their strong start with a convincing home win against in-state rival Oakland. LA’s defense sacked Marques Tuiasosopo 4 times, including a safety on the game’s opening drive, and the offense got 135 rushing yards from the combo of DeShaun Foster (80) and Antowain Smith (55) to power the win. Rookie Justin Fargas continued to struggle as the Oakland starter, gaining only 38 yards on 11 carries and was replaced for most of the second half by Mack Strong.
DEN 25 ARZ 17
Denver toughed out a key divisional road win in Tempe thanks to the right foot of Jeff Wilkens, who kicked 6 field goals to go along with one lone Robert Holcombe TD run as Denver used their defense to upend the Wranglers. Marcellus Wiley did his best Leslie O’Neill impersonation, adding 2 more sacks, two of 6 the Gold got against Jake Plummer as they held him to -6 yards rushing and garnered 6 sacks on the day.
SEA 14 POR 20
The Thunder win the Cascade Clash thanks in part to a Mark Simoneau pick-six of Seattle’s rookie QB Byron Leftwich. The defensive gem was the highlight of a pretty sloppy game in the rain of the Pacific Northwest. It was also a game marred by protests as fans held signs calling for the league to protect their team from relocation and no fewer than 3 fans rushed the field. Portland gets the win, but news this week did make them feel any better about retaining their team.
NOR 44 NSH 22
A huge game for HB Ricky Williams is overshadowed by news on Monday as the halfback was found in violation of the league’s drug policy and suspended for 4 games. Williams rushed for 122 and also caught 4 balls, with 2 total TDs to power a rare offensive explosion for the Breakers, but on Monday the league announced that Williams had failed a random drug test and would be suspended for the next 4 games. This was the second time Williams failed a drug test as in the 2001-2002 offseason he also tested positive for marijuana and was issued a warning (typical for offseason testing).
MGN 17 JAX 29
Jacksonville completely shut down the Michigan run game (12 yards for T.J. Duckett) and the offense did just enough to get a home win for the Bulls. Anquon Boldin again led all receivers as the Panthers held Terrell Owens without a catch for the first time since his rookie year. Kenny Bynum and unheralded rookie HB Fred Jackson combined for 101 yards rushing for the Bulls.
CHI 27 BOS 9
Chicago bounced back from their opening loss to Ohio by ruining the home debut of the Boston Cannons. Boston was held to only 3 field goals as the Chicago defense dominated on a cold but snow-free day in Bean Town. Duce Staley rushed for 91 yards and 2 scores to lead the Machine offense. Boston could not get Tiki Barber on track (after a big Week 1), as the star of the Cannon offense rushed 22 times for only 35 yards, a paltry 1.6 YPC average.
WSH 34 TBY 3
Washington’s defense is looking very scary and answering questions about how they would fare in the post-Jerome Brown era. They have yet to give up a TD this season as they hold Tampa Bay to only 3 points and utterly dominate the line of scrimmage. Deion Branch was Washington’s offensive star, catching both of Kordell Stewart’s TD passes. We even got to see some Scott Zolak action as the veteran backup finished up the game for the dominant Federals.
DISCIPLINE A CONCERN?
While there were plenty of on-field highlights this week, the big story seems to be the erratic, unwanted, or self-indulgent behavior of several players this week. In some cases, like that of Texas’s Ryan Leaf, the behavior is nothing new, but also quite detrimental to the team. In others, like the drug suspension of Ricky Williams, the bad choices of the player now impact the entire team. And in other cases, like Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson, the diva-like behavior is more comical than anything else. But what appears to be the common thread is that the league that was born with a goal of being more fun than the No Fun League (NFL) is dealing with some egos run amok.
It is no surprise to anyone that former #1 pick Ryan Leaf is among the players being called selfish or self-absorbed. Leaf has had these issues before, in fact, they are one of the main reasons that Oakland decided to move on. In his first year with the Outlaws we saw glimpses of this, but Leaf was given the primary starting job and that seemed to calm the ego issues down. This year, with Chan Gailey naming Jeff Lewis to start the first two games of the season Leaf’s me-first attitude seems to have resurfaced and he is now an active concern for the club.
Several years back, when then-Breaker HC Mike Ditka leveraged an entire draft to sign Ricky Williams, there were rumors of marijuana use. Those rumors persisted, and we did see Williams get a league warning a year ago when he tested positive for marijuana in off-season random testing. But now, with a second positive test, and this time during the season, the sanctions are much more severe. The Breakers are now looking at 4 games with Troy Davis as their main back. That is not what Coach Nolan wants for his team. And, to make matters worse, a 3rd positive would cost Williams an entire season, something the Breakers absolutely want to avoid at all costs.
Finally, there is the weirdness that is Chad Johnson. Fresh off an unbeaten league title season, the success that Johnson has seen with Ohio seems to have given him some weird ideas of how to celebrate. Perhaps he is just trying to get a bit more attention in a crowded sky of stars for Ohio. Johnson has always been something of a prima donna, even at Oregon State (not an easy place to acquire press attention). Now, with Joey Galloway seen as the golden boy in Columbus, Johnson seems to be trying to gain a bit more limelight. The name change, along with some inventive TD celebrations, seem to be getting Johnson the attention he craves, but is it detrimental to the team?
And, no roundup of weird player behavior would be complete without mentioning suspended HB Rashaan Salaam. After an absolutely bizarre incident 2 years ago in Denver, Salaam is a free agent, due to have his suspension expire as he is prepared to meet with league officials this week. Will a team take a shot on a very talented player, but one who has had issues with both drugs and criminal assault. Salaam got off without any jail time after the incident in 2000, but the fear is there that he is one bad decision away from major legal action as well as a potential lifetime ban from the league. We know the Gold have already stated that they are not interested in resigning the former Colorado Buffalo and club rushing leader. So who might be? Well, just look at the teams struggling to get a run game going. Oakland seems a potential target as rookie Justin Fargas has struggled. Tampa Bay is having trouble getting their rookie, Willis McGahee, rolling as well, and then there is Michigan, which has only 85 rushing yards after 2 weeks, with 2nd year HB T.J. Duckett being criticized for a lack of vision. Could one of these three clubs be willing to take a chance on Salaam? We may know within 1-2 weeks if the league does as expected and lifts the suspension, freeing up the HB to sign with any USFL (or NFL) club.
Department of Defense
We entered the season convinced that Washington’s defense would take a step back after the retirement of Jerome Brown, but the Feds have given up all of 6 points in their first 2 games as the defense has been utterly dominant. Now, we have to confess that they played most of their Week 1 game against the Generals with Tom Brady in the locker room, and this week’s foe, Tampa Bay, has not exactly been lighting it up either, but let’s give credit where it is due.
The secondary in DC has been a no-fly zone, with CB’s Charles Woodson and Michael Booker making life miserable for opposing QB’s. Add to this a LB corps that has blitzed far more this year than we saw in the past 2-3 seasons. Michael Barrow, Dwane Rudd, and Al Wilson are all over the field, mixing up coverage and blitzes and keeping offensive lines guessing. And what about the DT position? Well, while a rotation of Jim Flanigan, Roderick Coleman, Reggie Rogers, and Kris Jenkins is certainly less intimidating than having Jerome Brown over the center, the 4-3 that Washington is employing is working, and the middle of the line is holding their own, allowin Greg Spires and Tony Brackens to get some one-on-one blocks. Combined with the timely blitzes being called up by Coach Hackett and his DC, Romeo Crenell, the line is doing just fine. Just look at the rushing totals as evidence. In Week 1 the Feds held Curtis Enis to only 45 yards on 13 carries, and this week against Tampa Bay, McGahee gained only 45 despite Tampa consistently feeding him the ball (26 carries, a 1.7 YPC average). So, for all you Feds fans who were worried that the club’s dominant D was a thing of the past, this has been a resounding “not so fast” in the first two weeks of action.
Week two was a bad one around the league as we saw several starters who suffered significant injuries. Philadelphia may have gotten the W, but it was at a cost as starting center Steve McKinney could be lost for the season with a broken leg. In Chicago it is RT Marcus Spears who could be done for the year after what appears to be a complete tear of the hamstring on his right leg. Michigan has reported that FS Mike Prior could miss as much as 3 months after suffering a neck injury that required that he leave the field on a back board.
Both Chicago and Philly are looking at multiple absences, as the Stars are also going to be without LB Sam Rogers for at least 4-6 weeks with a broken jaw after a nasty collision. Chicago’s veteran SS Anthony Prior could also miss 4-6 weeks due to a back injury that thankfully does not appear to be one capable of permanent damage. Others expected to be out at least 1-2 weeks include Ohio center Todd McClure, Texas guard Jorge Diaz, Jacksonille LB Keith Newman, Birmingham CB Torey James, and NJ TE Anthony Becht.
New Coaches Seek To Change Dynamics
We briefly looked at the 4 new head coaches in last week’s report. The news this week is that two of the four new team leaders got their first wins. The most impressive was that of Birmingham’s Dennis Franchione, as the Stallions’ offense began to gel and Birmingham won in a shootout against the red hot Memphis Showboats. Franchione has altered the Birmingham offense significantly, opening up the passing game by leaning heavily on 3 and 4 receiver sets. This is great news for the receiving corps, led by Lawrence Dawsey and new acquisition Joe Horn, but not as great for the TE group or for fullback Mike Alstott, who is just not seeing the field as often.
While not the famous Run & Shoot of Jack Pardee and Mouse Davis, the new Birmingham offense is clearly a pass-first concept, trying to make use of the Stallions’ deep receiver group. What this means for Shaun Alexander and the run game remains to be seen. So far, after 2 games, Alexander has 39 carries, so his touches are not significantly down, but he is averaging only 2.7 yards per carry as he finds himself often without a FB or a TE on the field to help take on linebackers and give him a gap to run through. That seems counterintuitive, but if the goal is to focus on the pass, that may be the reality for Alexander.
In Portland, Coach Vitt got his first win of the year against rivals Seattle. We had a sense of what his offense and defense would look like after last year’s interim games. His is a more traditional power-pro style offense, but what is weird is that he too is not running the ball as much as we might expect, especially in the bad weather of the Pacific Northwest this time of year. Looking at the stats, it is Akili Smith, running out of the QB position, who is leading all ballcarriers for the Thunder. Smith has 25 rushing attempts to only 8 for new acquisition Reuben Droughns. Now, part of that is scrambles on pass plays, and the offense has certainly leaned on the passing game as well, but we wonder why bring in a back like Droughns if you are not going to give him the ball?
In Seattle, the struggles of a rookie QB are just going to be part of the story this year. Looking at what Marvin Lewis has brought in as far as schemes, we see first off a shift to a 3-4 hybrid system, placing a lot of emphasis on the athleticism of DE’s John Abraham and DT Gilbert Brown. The defense allows a lot of freedom to the LB corps and that does seem to be benefitting Takeo Spikes and Godfrey Miles, who are both starting off the season looking very strong. On offense, Lewis is playing things a bit conservatively, which is understandable with rookie Byron Leftwich at the helm. Feed the ball to Corey Dillon and use play action. So far that has not produced a W, and Leftwich has 6 picks in his first 2 games, but a big part of that is just the speed of the pro game.
Finally, in Oakland, Dennis Green is also struggling to develop his passing game. Marques Tuiasosopo has not looked sharp, but the bigger issue is that the run game has been simply non-existent. Green went with rookie Justin Fargas over veteran Mack Strong, but so far neither is looking like the answer, with both backs averaging fewer than 3 yards per carry. On defense, Green’s strategy is a 3-3-5 look, with a focus on the passing game and zone coverage. Having only 6 lineman and backers on the field has led to some issues stopping the run, but has led to Roosevelt Colvin being among league leaders in sacks as he often deals with the HB as well as the TE in coverage. Green is known for his offenses, and that seems to be where the main issues lie right now. Can he get more from Tuiasosopo, and if not, will Jon Kitna get a shot to reclaim the starting position?
2004 Reebok Roster Announced
Reebok, as they often do at the beginning of each season, announced this week the 3 clubs who are on the docket for a new look in 2004, and this year there is a bit of a surprise. Texas and New Orleans are two of the three, and both clubs have gone several years without an update, but the third club is Houston, which only switched to their current look a couple of years ago. That said, sales of the new look Houston jerseys have not been great, and many complain that the look is simply not one that fans like, heavy on side panels and shoulder yoke color blocks. Just what Reebok will do to update a look that is not very old will be interesting to see.
Texas has hinted that their look may include a new primary logo, replacing the “Outlaw Jim” logo that has been on the helmet since the team began play in 1988. The Outlaws logo has been criticized because the blue star that sits behind the outlaw’s head does bear a striking resemblance to a certain “America’s Team” logo from up the road in Dallas.
As for New Orleans, who have had the same iconic helmet design since their inception in Boston in 1983, albeit with a color shift away from bright blue towards teal after the move to the Big Easy, the question is whether a new look will be a tweak or a total reimagining of the cresting wave motif that has been a signature part of the Breaker look for 20 years. Honestly, the simplistic wave pattern of the helmet, while very innovative in 1983, does feel a bit dated in 2003. Could a new wave be on the way?
Inter-conference play is on the docket for Week 3 of the USFL season as it is a battle of the cardinal directions with the Southeast hosting the Southwest, the Central hosting the Pacific, and the Northeast hosting the South. Among the most intriguing matchups we have a defensive showdown as Washington hosts the visiting Nashville Knights. Boston gets a 2nd chance at a first impression at Alumni Stadium as they host the 2-0 Denver Gold. Texas and Orlando face off at the Citrus Bowl in a battle of 0-2 teams that do not want to be 0-3.
The Portland Thunder are in Pittsburgh to face the 2-0 Maulers. Chicago hosts Oakland and Michigan hosts LA as both Cali clubs may get a taste of foul weather. Ohio will go for 20 in a row as they host the 0-2 Seattle Dragons. Houston is in Tampa Bay, hoping to get to 3-0 as well. The Breakers begin their 4-game run without Ricky Williams in Philadelphia. Baltimore hosts Memphis and that powerful offense. New Jersey could see Tom Brady back under center as they host the Birmingham Stallions, and Jacksonville will look to move to 3-0 as they face off against an 0-2 Arizona club that cannot afford to start the year 0-3.
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