2003 USFL WEEK 3 Recap: A Wild Week All Over

It was a week that really needed multiple Games of the Week. We saw a crazy blizzard game in Chicago, an overtime thriller in Washington, another overtime game with the most bizarre ending ever in Houston, a last second game winning score in New Jersey, a Boston uprising, and a shoot out of epic proportions in Columbus. It was a week that had a little of everything, and a lot of good football all around. But, we had to pick just one game, and no game was more thrilling than the battle a rookie QB gave the Ohio Glory.

SEATTLE DRAGONS 41 OHIO GLORY 45

Call it a coming out party for QB Byron Leftwich, a major scare for the defending champs, or just a good old fashioned shootout, but whatever you call it, recognize this as a game that will be seen as one of the year’s best. Over 1,000 yards of combined offense, 10 touchdown passes, and a photo finish that took everything Ohio had to earn their 20th win in a row. In a game that many saw as a potential cakewalk for Ohio, the Seattle Dragons either showed us a major concern for Ohio or a major upside for their future as they stayed with the Glory all day, countering every punch Ohio threw.

Let’s start with the stats. Kerry Collins, on only 15 completions (15 of 22) threw for 356 yards, including a 44-yarder to Galloway, a 50-yarder to TE Stephen Alexander, and a 66-yarder to Chad Johnson, who caught only 3 passes all game, but all 3 were touchdowns. If he does that all season, he can call himself “Ochocinco” all he wants. Collins would throw 6 touchdowns of his 15 completions, and average nearly 17 yards per completion, a stunning number. And it was not all air show, as Eddie George would rush for 122 on 15 carries, an 8.1 YPC average.

For Seattle the ground game was a lot tougher as Corey Dillon and Brian Mitchell would combine for only 53 yards rushing. But, that was more than made up for by Byron Leftwich and the passing game. Leftwich would go 26 of 45 for 504 yards and 4 TDs in a game that may have just made the young man a star. J.J. Stokes had 6 for 118 and 2 scores. David Boston 5 for 125, and TE Ken DIlger caught 4 for 102 and 2 scores as well. Seattle showed that Ohio’s defense could be gashed through the air, a strategy other teams may well try to employ. And yet, despite an epic outing from their first year signal caller, in the end the Glory found a way to win.

Seattle came out strong in the first quarter, scoring on their first two drives (Mitchell a 14-yard run and Stokes a 23-yard TD catch). Ohio countered with a 50-yard strike from Collins to Alexander. In the second quarter the Glory would pull ahead, scoring on 3 straight drives, including TDs to Johnson and Galloway. Ohio got a late field goal to pull within 24-17 at the half. They would even the score on the first drive of the 2nd half as Leftwich found tokes for his 2nd TD of the day.

Ohio would keep the pressure on, with Collins finding “Ochocinco” for his second score of the day to again take the lead. But Seattle was not going anywhere and the 3rd quarter ended with a Jay Feely FG to put the Dragons up by 3. In the 4th they extended that lead as a Collins interception led to a Leftwich to Dilger TD toss to increase the lead to 34-30. Cue Chad Johnson’s third TD and with 8:35 to play Ohio was back up by 3. Four minutes later it was Seattle again taking the lead as Leftwich connected with Dilger for the big TE’s 2nd TD of the day. But, leaving Ohio nearly 5 minutes to come back was too much, and with 1:35 left in the game, Collins got his 6th TD and the game winner, a 20 yard score on a shovel pass to George that fooled the Dragon linebackers and gave Ohio the 44-41 final score.

It was a game no defensive coordinator could love, but for the rest of us it was an instant classic. Ohio moves to 3-0 with their 20th consecutive win (including playoffs), while Seattle falls to 0-3 but with a lot of hope in the future of their offense.

OAK 3 CHI 7

A very different game in Chicago where wind and snow produced nearly impossible conditions for both teams. Neither team cracked 200 yards of offense and only a turnover deep in Oakland’s side of the field enabled the Machine to get a TD on a Duce Staley 5-yard run. That score would hold all game, as Oakland was limited to a field goal on their only red zone drive. Ugly and miserable to be sure as weather in early April threw the Machine and Invaders a curveball.

NSH 22 WSH 25 OT

What many predicted to be a defensive slugfest in DC was largely that, but with enough offense, and enough drama to make it a really good game. The game saw 11 field goals between the two teams as the defenses simply did not allow for drives to finish with 7 points. It was actually 19-19 at the end of regulation, but in overtime Nashville was able to hold the Federals to a field goal on the opening drive of extra time. That allowed the Knights to get the ball as well, and they too kicked a field goal to even the score. With time running out in the final period, Washington got into range to let Doug Pelfrey try a 53-yarder and the veteran kicker came through with the game winner.

DEN 23 BOS 30

Tiki Barber found his stride with 185 yards on 24 carries and the Boston Cannons won their first game in their new stadium, upsetting the 2-0 Denver Gold in the process. Barber’s 2 touchdowns were pivotal and the success of the ground game helped keep pressure off of Drew Bledsoe all game. Denver also found its ground game as Robert Holcombe and Rod Smart combined for 146 yards rushing. Boston moves to 2-1 with the win and the fans at Alumni Stadium went home happy on a blustery Boston afternoon.

BIR 21 NJ 24

Tom Brady returned to action for the Generals as New Jersey got their first win thanks to a solid defensive performance and just enough from their signal caller to get the job done. Shaun Alexander rushed for 100 yards as swirling winds made the passing game a bit of a challenge. Brady connected on two short scoring throws and Curtis Enis added another as the Generals needed every minute to get the win, pulling ahead for good with only 26 seconds left when Neil Rackers beat the wind to hook in a 31-yarder for the W.

HOU 26 TBY 24 OT

Overtime was the order of the day in Tampa Bay, where an early injury to Trent Green forced Kent Graham into action. Graham would be the hero of regulation, scoring with a TD toss to Chris Doering with 1:22 left in the game to even the score and send the game to overtime. But, in the extra period, he would quickly turn to goat as he botched a shotgun snap, then failed to cover the ball, which rolled into the endzone before Travis Prentice fell on it. Problem is, that created a safety, and as it was the first possession of overtime, that score ended the game. A tough loss for an 0-3 Tampa Bay Bandits squad that now is looking at a long stretch without their QB.

MEM 9 BAL 13

A combination of rain, gusting wind, and the Blitz pas srush made for a very long day for Heath Shuler. The Memphis offense, which had been going full throttle in weeks 1-2, came to a screeching halt on a blustery day in Baltimore. Sacked 5 times by the Blitz, and bothered all day by passes that simply did not end up where he aimed them, Shuler struggled to move the Showboats. Baltimore relied more heavily on Ron Dayne and the run game, as they rushed for 135 yards and got a late TD from Jeff Garcia to Bill Schroeder to pull the upset and move to a surprising 2-1 on the year.

NOR 29 PHI 20

Troy Davis had a decent day subbing for the suspended Ricky Williams, and a 21 of 29 passing day for Trent Dilfer, despite the windy weather in Philly, was enough for the Breakers to get the W. The Breaker D had a lot to say about the final result as they held Brian Griese to only 47.2% completions on a 17 of 36 day. New Orleans held the ball for nearly 35 minutes as well as they wore down the Stars’ run defense.

ARZ 41 JAX 17

Jake Plummer returned to form, rushing for 75 yards and a TD and passing for 286 and two more as Arizona simply blew past the Bulls. Plummer connected with 10 different receivers on the day, and added several scripted runs to the gameplan as Jacksonville seemed ill-suited to stop him. The Wrangler D also got into the game early, limiting the run game, and eventually, with a big lead in hand, pressuring Jake Delhomme into several bad throws.

TEX 33 ORL 17

Orlando drops to 0-3 as the Outlaws limited them to only 8 first downs. Joey Harrington was picked off twice, including a 40-yard pick six from Defensive POTW Quentin Jammer. That score put Texas up for good, building a 23-10 lead they would never relinquish. Jeff Lewis looked solid, completing 24 of 31 passes as Ryan Leaf sulked on the sideline, having been chastised by both his coach and the league (to the tune of $20,000) for his outburst in postgame last week.

LA 30 MGN 10

Coach Mike Martz is on the hotseat as Michigan again seems completely unable to mount a viable offense. T.J. Duckett rushed for only 32 yards and Drew Brees spent a good part of the game scrambling for his life against the Express. Meanwhile, Cade McNown threw for 3 scores, including two to his new favorite rookie, TE L..J. Smith.

POR 24 PIT 10

The Thunder move to 2-1 thanks to a pick six, and a strong relief appearance from QB Rick Mirer. With Akili Smith knocked out early with an apparent knee injury (on an ill-advised QB run), Mirer came in, went 22 of 32 and helped Portland upend the previously unbeaten Maulers. The Thunder were able to corrall Terrell Davis, limiting him to only 80 yards, and the wind helped keep Charlie Batch from exploiting Portland’s secondary as the Thunder earned their second win for Coach Marvin Lewis.

Leftwich Winless But Winning Fans Over

The Dragons may be 0-3 in the first three games of QB Byron Leftwich’s pro career, but no one is looking at the young QB as the issue. Leftwich has been growing into his role with each week. After a strong debut with 293 yards passing in week one, Leftwich went for 372 last week and a stunning 504 yards this week. Yes, his week 2 game was very flawed, with 5 picks, but this week he was on target and looking very dangerous, connecting on 4 TD passes with no picks against the defending league champions. There are plenty of problems in Seattle, including one of the league’s worst defenses, but they seem to have found a gem in the former Marshall Thundering Herd QB. Seattle may need to outscore opponents to get wins, but finding a quality starter at QB, especially after all the controversy that trading Brian Griese brought to the team, is a very good step forward for the club.

Salaam Reinstated and Offers Are There

The league made it official this week, Rashaan Salaam is reinstated and cleared to return to action after serving a one year suspension. Salaam has completed drug rehabilitation in a facility in northern California and, in a statement from his agent, states that he is focused on returning to the league and to repairing the damage his past issues with drugs have caused. Expect at least 2-3 teams to take a look at Salaam, though we do not see Denver, who was burnt pretty badly by his post Summer Bowl hijinks, to be one of them. The obvious landing spots include Oakland, Michigan, and Arizona, all teams with dubious run games so far this year.

Top 5 Trades that Need to Happen

Thinking about where HB Rashaan Salaam could end up got us thinking about teams with obvious holes on their roster and who might be a good trade candidate to fill them. Halfback is one of the easiest deficiencies to spot, and Salaam can only be the answer (if he is the answer) for one club, so where could others find a back that could help them? And what other team needs might force a club to look for a midseason trade? We pick our top 5 best options for trades that really need to happen this year.

5) Donald Driver to Arizona: Arizona needs to help Jake Plummer out. Other than Santana Moss, we just don’t see anyone in their WR group that scares defenses. So, the goal for the Wranglers should be to get a quality possession receiver who can run the underneath routes and help Moss get one-man coverage deep. Who is the best option in that role, and a player another team might be willing to let loose for the right price? We think the Wranglers should give Orlando a call about Donald Driver. With a WR group that includes Keenan McCardell, Brandon Stokely, Doug Gabriel, Jabar Gaffney, and Reidel Anthony, Orlando is simply not utilizing Driver the way Arizona could. They have talent to fill in if they trade him, and the Wranglers could help out the Renegades in several possible positions. It seems a clear option for both clubs, so let’s make it happen.

4) Michael Sinclair to Orlando: Orlando is desperate for a pass rusher. With the retirement of Chris Doleman Orlando knew they would struggle to replace his 20+ sacks each year. But they failed to land a big name player in free agency (not that there are many Chris Doleman’s on the open market), and they did not find what they were looking for in the draft either. So, now is the time to spend a little, perhaps give up some significant draft picks, and nab a top DE before the season gets totally away from them. Our pick for who they should target is Michael Sinclair of Houston. Yes, he is a major player in Houston, but, with Kavika Pittman clearly the main guy for the Gamblers, a lucrative trade may give Sinclair the chance to be the big dog in a new setting, and may provide Houston with draft capital it needs to enhance the offensive side of the ball.

3) Shaun Alexander to Michigan: Michigan had high hopes for T.J. Duckett, but so far in his career, we have just not seen it working for them. In his rookie year he averaged under 4 yards a carry and, while he did score 8 times, his longest run of the year was 11 yards. The Panthers need a back with more moves and more speed than Duckett can provide because their spread-formation offense is just not a good option for a big back like Duckett. So, we propose a one-for-one swap with another club looking to improve their run game. Duckett heads to Birmingham, where he can be the type of short-yardage, pounder that balances out the Birmingham passing offense, while Shaun Alexander, who has been grumbling about his lack of carries and opportunities with the Stallions, comes to Michigan, where he can get 20-25 carries a game in a system that is a better fit for him. Both backs are happy, both teams get a running back more suited to their style of play, and no one needs to spend big to get quality.

2) Jeff Blake to Tampa Bay: With the injury to QB Trent Green likely to cost him the season (see below), the Bandits have to decide if they are comfortable with Kent Graham at QB. Our answer is no, they should not feel comfortable. But, where can they get a QB capable of coming in and taking command on short notice? We look around the league and the best option we see is a bit of a longshot. Pittsburgh signed NFL starter Jeff Blake this year to challenge Charlie Batch, but Batch won the job in camp, so Blake is sitting in 2nd position, just ahead of local favorite Alex Van Pelt. Tampa would be wise to inquire about Blake, and could potentially make a deal with the Maulers as Pittsburgh could definitely use some help at linebacker, a position Tampa can afford to trade with depth at the position. Keith McCants, Derek Moore, or Monty Beisel might be tempting enough, packaged with a mid-round draft pick, to pull Blake away from the Maulers.

1) Rod Smart to Oakland: Back to HB. If Oakland cannot land Salaam, they have to do something to strengthen that group. Rookie Justin Fargas is simply not ready to be a bell cow back in Oakland, and Mack Strong is not a 20-carry guy. The Invaders need to find a back who can get the tough yards and take some pressure off of Marques Tuiasosopo. We know Dennis Green loves the passing game, so it had better be a back with good hands too. So, who is the best possible target? We think Oakland should take a shot at swapping for Denver’s Rod Smart. Stuck in rotation with Robert Holcombe, Smart could find new life in Oakland, and Denver could certainly use some draft capital, or perhaps a quality DB like Oakland SS Torrian Gray. Is Smart a future All-USFL back? No. But is he a back who can do what the Invaders need to balance out the offense? We think so.

The headline injury this week has been that of Tampa Bay QB Trent Green, whose torn bicep was confirmed on Monday and will likely cost him the entire season. Tampa Bay now has to decide if they feel comfortable with Kent Graham as their starter for the year, or if they will pursue another option. Green could potentially return in time for a playoff run, but with an 0-3 start, that may not be something Tampa should count on.

Portland also lost their starter as Akili Smith hyper extended his knee on a scramble this week. Smith is expected to miss 1-2 weeks and will be day to day following that period. Expect him to potentially wear a brace on the knee at least for a few weeks following the injury, a reality that would likely reduce his potential threat as a runner.

Others with significant lost playing time due to injuries this week include Jacksonville LT John Runyan (2-4 weeks with a back injury), Washington DE Bobby Hamilton (1-2 weeks, leg), Ohio C Todd McClure (1-2, groin), Pittsburgh CB Bobby Taylor (1-2 collarbone), Oakland’s rookie DE Robert Mathis (1-2, hamstring), and Baltimore TE Daniel Graham (1-2, wrist).

HOF Class of 2003 Semi-Finalists Named

The Pro Football Hall of Fame and the USFL league office in New York have announced this week the 12 semifinalists for 5 potential new entrants in the USFL wing of the Hall of Fame in Canton. After a year that saw two of the league’s most renown halfbacks as well as the first offensive lineman to be inducted, this year’s semifinalist list is a bit more low key, though certainly there are some important players on the list of potential candidates. As we have seen the past few years, the pool is divided between first time candidate and those returning for a 2nd or 3rd year of eligibility. Over the next two months the voters will review the case for each and we should get our five finalists by season’s end. Here for your consideration are the 12 semifinalists, in alphabetical order.

Bruce Armstrong, Offensive Tackle, Portland 1987-1997,

2nd year of eligibility.

Many felt that Armstrong, and not Howard Ballard, should have been the first O-lineman to make the Hall, but Ballard got in last year in a tight vote, largely because his clubs in Houston simply had more team success than Armstrong’s Portland Thunder teams. Armstrong certainly has the credentials to merit entry, having been named an All-USFL player on 4 occasions while locking down the left side of the line for the Thunder.

Mike Baab, Center, Tampa Bay 1984, Philadelphia 1985, New Jersey 1986-1996,

3rd year of eligibility.

Is the third time the charm for the former General pivotman? Baab is generally considered the best center to ever spend the bulk of his career in the spring league, and he did earn two rings, first with Philadelphia in 1985 and then with New Jersey 4 years later. He was also named All-USFL three times.

Henry Ellard, Wide Receiver, Oakland 1984-1998,

1st year of eligibility

A fifteen-season veteran with the Invaders, Ellard was one of the premier receivers in the league during the late 80’s through the mid-90’s. He retired with 1,349 career receptions, 122 career touchdowns, and over 16,000 yards. He was a member of the 1991 Oakland league title team and was named to 4 All-USFL teams. His best season is hard to pin down. He had a career-high 112 receptions way back in 1985, but his yardage record was in 1998, his final season in the league. He hit his TD production high in 1994 with 18 scores that season. And maybe that is the key. This is a player who put up big numbers for well over a decade, including nine 1,000 yard seasons over his 15-year career.

Vaughan Johnson, Linebacker, Jacksonville 1984-1998,

1st year of eligibility

The main man in the middle, that was Vaughan Johnson’s role in Jacksonville for 15 USFL seasons. He retired with 910 career tackles, including 154 for a loss, an additional 60 sacks and 8 picks. Johnson was a consummate run-stuffer and big hitter, but he could also cover backs out of the backfield. Despite a consistent career, Johnson was voted to only two All-USFL clubs and was not on a championship team with Jacksonville.

Louis Lipps, Wide Receiver, Arizona 1984-1991, Pittsburgh 1992-1997,

2nd year of eligibility

Lipps appears for the second year on the semifinalist list. A two-time All-USFL selection, once with each team he played for, and a key piece of Pittsburgh’s 1995 league title team, Lipps retired with 1,065 receptions for 14,332 yards, and 94 career touchdowns. His numbers are all clearly below those of Ellard, so we are not sure this is the year for Lipps, at least not on straight up comparison with the other receiver in the pool.

Ted Marchibroda, Head Coach, Pittsburgh 1988-1996,

3rd year of eligibility.

The Head coach off the Pittsburgh Maulers for 8 seasons, including a magical playoff run that led to the 1995 league tile, Marchibroda is in his third and final year of standard eligibility. If not named to the hall this year he would only be able to be nominated by the Veterans’ Committee, which will begin examining pre-2000 nominees beginning in 2010. Marchibroda remains the only Maulers’ coach with a lifetime winning record, but a head coach with only 1 title is not an easy sell to the committee.

Garland Rivers, Cornerback, Michigan 1987-1998,

1st year of eligibility.

Another 2-time All-USFL selection, Rivers came to Michigan at the end of their run of greatness and played 11 seasons with teams that ranged from underwhelming to very good but not great. He retired with 188 games played (all 188 as a starter), 1,093 tackles and 41 career interceptions. He currently stands 12th all time in picks, which may be a challenge for him. That, combined with playing on some pretty bad Panther defenses could be a major hurdle for a very talented corner.

Shannon Sharpe, Tight End, Birmingham 1990-1998,

1st year of eligibility

Undoubtedly one of the most athletic tight ends the league has ever seen, Sharpe made a career splitting the safeties and creating plays for Brett Fave and the Stallions. He retired with 554 receptions, 6,972 yards, and 58 touchdowns in 9 seasons with Birmingham. Sharpe was named All-USFL 5 times and won a title with the 1993 Stallion club. His main dowfall may be that he has only a 1 year window before both Keith Jackson and Ben Coates join him as HOF eligible. Will he get in this year or have to battle it out with those two additional extraordinary players at the same position?

Cliff Stoudt, Quarterback, Birmingham 1984-1994, Atlanta 1995-1997, 2nd year of eligibility

While certainly a big name in the early years of the league, it is a bit of a surprise to see Stoudt beat out several other returning nominees on this list. With zero All-USFL nods to his record, Stoudt seems a perfectly good local hero, but his stats and accomplishments make him a tough sell to many HOF voters.

Jack Trudeau, Quarterback, Michigan 1986-1993, Portland 1994-1998, 1st year of eligibility

Named to 5 All-USFL teams and a member of the 1986 Panther title winner (though admittedly a rookie sitting behind Bobby Hebert), Jack Trudeau had a very mixed career. Statistically he is very solid, with a lifetime QB Rating of 91.9, more than 42,000 yards passing, and 295 career touchdowns, but the reputation as a choker still haunts the QB. Trudeau never won a title as a starter, and moving from Michigan to Portland, where the team struggled to play consistent ball, did not help. While certainly more accomplished statistically than a QB like Cliff Stoudt, that lack of a title will be an issue for Trudeau.

Frank Winters, Center, Chicago 1987-1998

1st year of eligibility

We can hear the voters now, looking at both Winters and Baab and debating which is more worthy of a place in the Hall. Winters played 11 seasons with the Chicago Machine, and in that time he was certainly one of the best at his position, but was only nominated to the All-USFL one time, and was not a member of a title-winning team. Those are two pretty noticeable areas where Winters does not compare well with Baab. If only one center can get in this year, it may be the 3rd year candidate with a ring on his finger.

Gary Zimmerman, Guard, LA/St.Louis 1984-1997

2nd year of eligibility

Zimmerman lost out to House Ballard to be the first lineman into the hall, but he can still be the first guard named to the HOF, and we think he should be. A stalwart for the Express and Knights over his long career, Zimmerman gave up only 10 sacks in 14 years. Think about that for a second and ask yourself what higher praise a guard could receive. He was named All-USFL only twice, but that seems to have more to do with the issues surrounding his team than with his own play.

Week Four brings us back to the East in division and the West in inter-divisional battles. A lot of good games that will help us sort out the contenders from the pretenders. We start on Friday Night when the Baltimore Blitz, a surprise at 2-1, head to New Jersey to take on the Generals. With Tom Brady back in action, New Jersey is hoping to get back to .500 with a win in front of a big crowd at the Meadowlands. On Saturday we have big games across the country, starting with Boston, another surprise 2-1 starter, at Jacksonville and Chicago @ Michigan. Then the 3:30 slot has Nashville @ Texas. The day caps off with the FOX Saturday Night Showdown as Memphis is in Portland.

On Sunday we kick the day off with Ohio @ Pittsburgh, Philly at unbeaten Washington, and New Orleans at Houston. The late slot sees LA visiting Denver in what should be a good battle. Oakland is also in Arizona and Birmingham makes the long flight out to Seattle. Finally, our Sunday Night ESPN showcase game is a Floriday Derby with the Renegades traveling down the road to take on the Tampa Bay Bandits.