2003 Week 6 Recap: Portland to Lose the Thunder

In a week where the biggest news occurred at the USFL Owners Meeting in New York, the on-field action seemed secondary, but that did not mean that the games were not engaging. Quarterback play remained a major theme as several starters were out of commission. The Pittsburgh Maulers, LA Express, and Denver Gold continued their surprising success, while both Ohio and Memphis sought to reassert themselves. Washington won the battle of defensive titans while both Michigan and Orlando both fell to 0-6. And while the headlines revolved around the Thunder and their future, a lot of teams are focused on the present.

NEW JERSEY GENERALS 30 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 31

Every time we seem ready to write off the Arizona Wranglers, Jake Plummer puts the team on his back and wills them to victory. That is certainly the storyline out of this week’s comeback win in Tempe as New Jersey backup Todd Boumann had the Generals up by 9 with 5:10 to play only to watch as Plummer and the Wranglers pulled off a stunning 10-point swing in the final moments of the game to earn only their second victory of the season.

It was a classic Jake Plummer game, where the gunslinging dual-threat QB threw three picks, including the game-opening pick-six to linebacker James Harrison of New Jersey, but redeemed himself with 3 touchdown passes as well as 110 yards rushing, including a 60 yard TD run. It was ugly at times, and once again Plummer seemed to get absolutely no help from his running backs as Coach Art Still has simple never been able to develop a solid rushing attack outside of his quarterback’s impromptu ballcarrying.

The game began about as badly as a game can for Arizona. On only the 2nd play from scrimmage Plummer missed on a throw to halfback Stanley Pritchett, causing the back to tip the ball straight up. James Harrison snatched the ball out of the air and easily jogged the 21 yards to the endzone for the game’s first score. New Jersey would add two more touchdowns in the first quarter to build up a 21-0 lead, adding first a Boumann to Terry Glenn 37-yard scoring toss, and then a 1-yard Curtis Enis plunge to take an imposing lead after only 15 minutes.

Arizona would start to fight their way back in the 2nd, as Boumann also started to make mistakes. He would throw 3 picks on the day as well as Plummer, and his first gave Arizona a short field to play with. Plummer would connect with TE O.J. Santiago for the Wranglers’ first score as a result of that takeaway. After a Generals field goal on the next drive, Arizona would finish the half with a Plummer to Santana Moss scoring tows with only 1:02 on the clock to pull the Wranglers back to within 10 at 24-14 going into the break.

It was 27-14 midway through the third when Plummer would have his biggest play of the game, another of his patented bootleg runs that simply caught New Jersey by surprise. With B.J. Askew out in front as lead blocker, Plummer raced down the sideline, avoided the tackle of Jason Sehorn and scored to pull Arizona within 1 score at 27-21. And here we probably should mention the defensive effort of the Wranglers. Led by Broderick Thomas and CB Philippi Sparks, the Wranglers had held New Jersey out of the end zone since the first quarter and they would do so for the remainder of the game. Sparks would record 2 picks and the defense would hold Curtis Enis to only 26 yards rushing beyond the first quarter.

The defensive stands kept Arizona in range. New Jersey would add a third field goal to open the final period, boosting the lead to 9 points, but Arizona would quickly wipe away that advantage. With just under 3 minutes to play, Plummer would connect on his third TD pass of the game, this time to TE Matt Cushing. The Wranglers would go for the onside kick and find success as CB Asante Samuel would end up with the ball after a wild scramble between both teams. New Jersey would challenge the play, arguing that Samuel’s foot was out of bounds, but the replay showed he had possession first, and the ball would go back to Arizona, now down only 2 points.

The Wranglers completed the comeback, taking their first lead of the game with only 56 seconds left to play when kicker Rob Bironas connected on a 31-yard field goal. New Jersey was unable to mount a final drive and the Wranglers took home an improbable win, but exactly the kind of wins that fans had gotten used to during the Plummer era.

The win is not one that will quell the growing discomfort with Coach Still and the inconsistency of the 2-4 Wranglers. Fans, complaining that Plummer’s talent is being wasted on a team that never seems to build around him or provide him with offensive balance, are becoming impatient with what seems like a persistent mediocrity as Arizona simply fails to perform to the level of their overburdened QB each season. For New Jersey, the question of whether or not they can win without Tom Brady seems to be the primary issue, as Boumann struggled with the Wrangler defense and the run game was unable to compensate. Terry Glenn’s early TD was his lone reception on the day as Boumann consistently felt pressure to take the dump down pass to the back or tight end. Brady could miss another week and General fans are concerned that they are falling further and further behind Washington, who have yet to lose a game.

PIT 27 NSH 23

While fans in New Jersey and Arizona are getting anxious, the Pittsburgh faithful have to be ecstatic about their club’s performance to date. Not only have the Maulers knocked off Ohio, but their 5-1 start is an unexpected sign that this team may have turned a corner. This week it was a dual of top running backs as both Ahman Green of Nashville and Pittsburgh’s Terrell Davis showed their stuff. Green gained slightly more yards (127 to 116), but Davis had the last laugh as Pittsburgh scored the final 13 points of the game to take the win on the road.

CHI 17 MEM 23

Memphis returned to .500 and sent Chicago to 3-3 as well with a home win this week. It took 4 Jeff Hall field goals and a late Adrian Cooper touchdown, but the Showboats were able to hold off Chicago and take the win. Dorsey Levins rushed the ball 22 times for the Showboats, scoring the eventual game winner as Memphis held off a late Chicago surge to earn the win.

OHI 41 NOR 24

After two consecutive losses the Ohio Glory reasserted themselves by knocking off one of the league’s two unbeaten squads in their home. New Orleans’s defense was tested all day as Kerry Collins went to the air early and often, throwing for 416 yards and 5 touchdowns as Ohio flexed their muscles against the previously unbeaten Breakers. Three Trent Dilfer picks helped the Glory rack up some short fields and quick scores as Joey Galloway scored 3 times on his way to a 137 yard day.

WSH 19 HOU 9

The Federals outdueled the Gamblers in a battle of two of the league’s best defenses. An early Deuce McCallister TD was the key as Washington built up a 19-3 lead and battered Houston QB’s all game, leading to all 3 Houston QB’s seeing playing time over the course of the game. Kris Kershaw would eventually add a late Houston TD, but it was too little too late for the Gamblers, who fall to 3-3 with the home loss while Washington stands as the league’s only unbeaten at 6-0.

PHI 18 TEX 24

Down the road in San Antonio, the Texans overcame an early deficit to outlast the Philadelphia Stars and return to .500. Jeff Lewis threw 3 TD passes in the game and afterwards Ryan Leaf openly commented on his desire to be traded, no real surprise there. For Philadelphia, Steve Smith caught 6 balls for 89 yards and a score, but dropped a potential game-tying score with 1:03 left, forcing Philly to kick attempt a 4th and 11 pass play that did not succeed and clinched the win for the homestanding Outlaws.

BOS 22 OAK 19

Boston survived the cross-country road trip and moved their record to 4-2 as Drew Bledsoe went 30 for 36 and threw 3 touchdowns for the Cannons. Oakland contained Tiki Barber (45 yards on 22 carries), but could not generate a run game of their own, a likely reason why we saw a big-name signing on Monday (see below). Boston relied on Bledsoe, and he, in turn, relied on possession receiver Joe Jurevicious, who caught 2 touchdown passes on the day to give Boston the 3 point win.

TBY 21 POR 14

Kent Graham got the W for the Bandits on their cross-country road game as Tampa Bay upset the Portland Thunder on a week that simply did not go at all well for fans in Oregon. Randy Moss caught 6 balls for 97 yards and a score, and rookie Willis McGahee ran for two scores as Tampa Bay outpaced the distracted Thunder.

JAX 12 LA 20

The Express moved their division-leading record to 5-1 with a home win against a tired Jacksonville squad and backup QB Josh McCown. The young QB would complete only 23 of 45 passes, while LA’s backup QB, Quincy Carter, would fare a bit better despite only a 12 for 27 day. Tight End L.J. Smith, who only appears to catch TDs, did it again, helping LA build up a 20-6 lead with another score. The Express defense did the rest.

ORL 14 SEA 42

Byron Leftwich continues to impress as the Dragons laid out the winless Orlando Renegades at home. The rookie QB thrw for 298 yards and all 6 Seattle touchdowns, connecting with David Boston for 3 scores and J.J. Stokes for 2 more on his way to a team record. Corey Dillon also got in on the act, rushing for 105 and a 5.5 YPC average against the overwhelmed Renegade defense.

BAL 6 DEN 16

Denver improved its record to 5-1 thanks to a stellar defensive performance against the Blitz. Rod Smart and Robert Holcombe combined for 117 yards and 2 scores to help the Gold retain first place in the Southwestern Division. It was 16-0 through three quarters before a late Ron Dayne TD (with missed 2-point conversion) got Baltimore on the scoreboard, but it was not enough as Denver held on to win the low scoring affair.

Roster Moves Highlight Midseason

The question of Rashaan Salaam’s future was answered this week and we also saw three significant trades as clubs start to make moves to bolster their rosters, while some of the league’s weaker squads make swaps to add draft capital.

The Oakland Invaders ended the mystery around the future of former Denver Gold All-USFL halfback Rashaan Salaam, holding a press conference on Monday to announce that they had signed the back to their practice squad and had hopes of activating the former league rushing leader within the next couple of weeks. Salaam, who just returned from a one year suspension following significant drug charges, di not appear at the presser led by Head Coach Dennis Green, but is reported to be in Oakland, working out with the team. Oakland has one of the worst run games in the league, and rookie Justin Fargas has simply been unable to establish himself as the team’s lead back, so the signing is a logical one, if somewhat risky from a public sentiment standing. Dennis Green is known as a coach who will work to rehabilitate players and as a “player’s coach” could be a good fit for Salaam, who is hoping that this second chance can turn into a story of redemption.

The Salaam signing was just the first of several moves which show that the midseason ritual of roster turnover and trades ahead of the Week 10 deadline is under way. We saw three significant trades this week, each a case of a team in the playoff hunt adding talent from one of the league’s weaker teams while sending draft capital to a club likely to seek major roster help in the draft.

The first move was made by Chicago, who sent the 3rd round pick they acquired from Philly last year as well as backup tackle Wade Smith to the Orlando Renegades for underused wideout Donald Driver. Driver is expected to lineup opposite Chicago’s #1 receiver, Curtis Conway as soon as this week, providing Jeff George with a reliable and dangerous second option. Chicago which spent all of last season chasing the unbeaten Ohio Glory, is seeking to compete not only with the defending league champion but also the surprising 5-1 Pittsburgh Maulers in the Central Division.

Houston looked to enhance their already formidable defense, sending two picks (a 3rd and a 5th) to winless Michigan to acquire LB Sam Cowart. Cowart is expected to work his way into the rotation in Houston’s 4-3 defense and to provide some run-stuffing power to help Houston continue to win low scoring battles in the Southwest Division, where the Gamblers are chasing the Denver Gold.

Michigan immediately turned around and proposed a second trade, sending the 3rd rounder obtained from Houston to Philadelphia, along with 2nd string TE Roland Williams to Philadelphia for two players. Philly sends the Panthers halfback Ladell Betts and guard Benji Olson in return. Betts had fallen out of favor as the backup to Stephen Davis with the emergence of rookie Larry Johnson from Penn State. For Michigan, the arrival of both Betts and Olson is a sign that Mike Martz may actually be trying to address the sad state of the Panther’s run game. It may be too little for Martz, who is rumored to be on the brink of losing his job, but perhaps these additions can help the Panthers prepare for a better 2004 campaign.

Washington’s Winning Formula

With the Ohio Glory taking out New Orleans this week, we are down to only one unbeaten in the league, the Washington Federals. So how have the Federals done it this season, a year when many predicted they might take a step back? The answer, as it always seems to be for Washington, is defense. The Federals have both the #1 scoring defense, allowing barely under 12 points per game, and the top pass defense, the only one in the league averaging below 200 yards a game allowed. The offense, while boasting a top 10 run game with 112 yards per game, is not exactly lighting foes up as Ohio and Memphis did last year. In fact, the Federals have only scored 30 or more points once all season. They have been winning because opponents, thinking the loss of Jerome Brown would hamper the Federals’ defense, have simply been unable to devise a scheme to get the advantage.

Washington has held four of their 6 opponents under 10 points, not allowing a touchdown in 3 games of six played. What has made them hard to gameplan for is that the focus of the defense is not one player. The Feds are playing strong team defense, with contributions across the roster. Eleven different players, led by DE Tony Brackens (3), have recorded sacks, and while Michael Barrow leads all defenders with 52 tackles, the Federals have 8 different starters who have 20 or more tackles on the season. The secondary has been solid in backing up the pass rush, with CB’s Michael Booker and Charles Woodson combining for 5 picks on the year, and the Federals have been able to work a field position game that allows their offense to score points without a particularly strong ability to put together long drives.

It may not be the most exciting style of play, but the Federals have found a formula that has them at 6-0 and well ahead of the competition in the Northeast Division. Do we see them going unbeaten as Ohio did last year? No, that seems unrealistic, but this is a team that could easily win the division and potentially take home the top seed in the East, and no one wants to face that defense at home in the playoffs.

Boston Success Angers Atlantans

After suffering through bad season after bad season with the Fire, fans in Atlanta are not at all pleased that the club seems to have turned a corner after having relocated to Boston. The Cannons are 4-2 and in first place in the Southeast after six weeks, and it has Atlantans none too pleased. The Cannons are doing it in a way that seems completely foreign to fans of the former Fire, with defense. Boston currently has a top 10 rating in scoring defense, yards allowed, and pass defense, something unheard of in their years in Atlanta. Tiki Barber has always been great for the franchise, but this year he is leading the league in rushing by a pretty large margin. The LB corps, which has been solid for years, finally seems to be getting help from other aspects of the defense, allowing them to roam the field, deliver big hits, and force turnovers. Chris Claiborne, in his 4th season, has flourished in Boston, and London Fletcher has become a true leader as defensive captain. The two Tyrones (Legette and Poole) are locking down receivers and the pass rush has been successful enough to pressure opposing QB’s and force errors.

Things are looking good in Boston and the fans at Alumni Stadium are eating it up, selling out the first 4 games on the schedule this Spring. Meanwhile, as Atlanta awaits a decision from the league on expansion, efforts are underway to put together a strong expansion bid, and perhaps the first African-American led ownership group in the league. A broad coalition of investors and resources in the city has been gathered, and there is even a grassroots effort to ensure that not only does Atlanta get a team back, but that the name of the Fire, with all team records, remain the property of the city and any new franchise, much as we saw in Cleveland when the NFL Browns moved to Baltimore. It seems odd to see such fervor for the identity of the Fire when the club itself had such a poor showing and mediocre attendance, but it seems the departure of the franchise has sparked a more significant reaction than their 8 years in Atlanta seem to merit. Good for them, we guess. Now we just have to wait and see if the newfound passion for USFL football translates into the city recouping the Fire or a team in general.

Underrated and Underused

With the trading block beginning to see some action, we thought it would be a good time to look across the league at some of the players who are highly talented but perhaps not being used to their full potential. Underappreciated players can often kickstart their careers with a trade to a team or a system that better suits them, and their lack of production with their current team can also provide good incentive for clubs to accept a trade offer in hopes of connecting with players who better match their offensive or defensive schemes. As we looked across the league, these are the five players we felt were not reaching their potential in their current settings. Will one or more of them receive a new home over the next month? Well, if this week is any indication, there are plenty of teams hoping that the right midseason swap can help propel them upwards, so the odds are good that at least one of these hidden gems might find themselves changing locker rooms before too long.

5) Plaxico Burress, WR, Oakland

Dennis Green inherited a lot of issues in Oakland. The run game was one, and it seems they are hoping that the signing of Rashaan Salaam will help there, but the passing game has also been a major issue. We think Coach Green is likely to make a QB move in the near future, as Marques Tuiasosopo is just not panning out the way he may have hoped. After trying for Carson Palmer in the 2003 draft, another shot at a big armed QB seems inevitable. In the meantime, Plaxico Burress is simply not being maximized. Burress is a bit receiver, capable of going up for contested balls and has the potential to be a big time player with the right support. He should be getting numbers similar to Jacksonville’s Terrell Owens, a similar player in many ways, but in Oakland that is just not happening. We don’t see Coach Green giving Burress away, but unless the Invaders can find a QB who can make use of his skills, we worry that Plaxico Burress will never reach his full potential.

4) Jevon Kearse, DE, Jacksonville

We have no idea how Jevon Kearse is not among the league leaders in sacks. The man is a freak of nature and seems to have all the skills in the world, and yet, teams are simply not finding it difficult to gameplan to slow him down. This is largely the fault of Coach Cunningham, who is simply not creating enough schemes to free up Kearse and not providing enough of a threat from other directions to make it difficult for opposing offenses to double team the speedy edge rusher. The result is that Kears has only 4 sacks this season. It is not a horrible number but when we look at his abilities, we wonder how he is not right there with Kavike Pittman, Phil Hansen and Mike Rucker atop the leaderboard.

3) Joey Porter, LB, Portland

Another defender who should be a league leader and just does not seem to be getting the opportunities. Maybe Coach Vitt is still feeling out the skillset of Porter, but it seems obvious to us that he should be used more as a blitzer and less frequently in coverages. Porter’s strength is his speed and ability to deliver big hits. We see that in the run game all the time, but it is not being used to create QB pressure nearly often enough. We know that Coach Vitt prefers to send only a 4-man rush, but when you have a player like Porter, you should be using his talents to disrupt blocking schemes, not covering tight ends.

2) Shaun Alexander, HB, Birmingham

Ever since the departure of Joe Cribbs from the Birmingham backfield, Stallion fans have been waiting for the next big back. First it was Stephen Davis, then Dorsey Levins, now Shaun Alexander, and he looks like the best of the bunch and yet the Stallions never seem to maximize the run game. They have become so dependent on Brett Favre that they seem incapable of shifting gears and becoming a run-first team. Honestly, we could say that they are wasting Favre’s talents as well by not balancing out their offense, but clearly the player who deserves better is Alexander. This is a guy who could be up at the top of the rushing leaderboard in the right system and with enough carries. Put him in Pittsburgh or Nashville and he could be going for 1,500 yards or more, but in Birmingham he simply is not given the touches or the support around him to be an elite back. That seems a real waste.

1) Drew Brees, QB, Michigan

We all saw what Brees did at Purdue, and when he was picked by the Panthers, we thought we might have a natural transition from Flutie to a similarly diminutive but very talented QB. What we have gotten instead is a smaller QB who spends all game running for his life. Coach Martz and the personnel team in Michigan have not done enough to prioritize the O-line, and that shows up not only in the paltry run game the Panthers have, but in Brees’s constant scrambling and panicked throws. Brees is a QB who could be completing 75% of his throws if he had protection. He should be connecting with a pretty good stable of receivers in Hines Ward, Laverneus Coles, and rookie Charles Rogers, making big plays and using play action to get wide open looks. Instead, he has no run game to rely on, and he spends most of his day outside of the pocket. That may have been OK when Doug Flutie was making magic with his legs, but that is not Brees’s game, and Michigan is suffering because they have a talent at QB, but they are not giving him what he needs to be successful. The comparison right now is less to Flutie and more to Archie Manning during his frustrating career with the hapless New Orleans Saints.

A good week for most teams with no season-ending injuries reported. That does not mean that there are no injuries to concern clubs, but all are shorter term. The most serious injury is a broken jaw suffered by Tampa Bay center Trey Teague, who could miss as many as 4-6 weeks. Two top receivers will miss at least one week, potentially more as both New Jersey’s Terry Glenn (knee) and Philly’s Steve Smith (ankle) are out this week. Chicago will play the next 1-2 weeks without their defensive captain as Brian Urlacher suffered a hernia during practice this week and will need time to recover.

Among those listed as doubtful or questionable for this week we find Arizona DT Jason Peter (Ribs), Houston WR Koren Robinson (hamstring) and several QBs who remain game time decisions, including LA’s Cade McNown (Ribs), Jake Delhomme (Foot), Drew Brees (Foot), and Tom Brady (Shoulder).

USFL Approves Sale & Relocation of Portland Thunder

The news Portlanders have been dreading has come. On Tuesday the USFL owners approved the sale of the Portland Thunder to Phil Ruffin and a new ownership group that is comprised almost entirely of Las Vegas developers and casino owners. The sale comes with the expectation that the club will relocate to Sin City for the 2004 season. While some within the league remained concerned about the potential issues surrounding the presence of legalized gambling in the state of Nevada, the simple truth was that alternatives simply did not come forward to purchase the majority share of the Thunder and keep them in Portland.

Phil Ruffin was adamant that he would not sell his share of the team, meaning that a full transfer of the team to an entirely new ownership group was unlikely (thus ruling out the Dallas-Fort Worth group which had made overtures to the league). Ruffin will remain the President of the Thunder, despite the team taking on new ownership that will control a greater share of the team than Ruffin currently holds.

Plans are already underway to prepare UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium to host the Thunder next season, with a potential expansion from its current 30,000 seat capacity up to 38,000 or higher through use of temporary seating and additional endzone capacity. The move will not impact divisional alignment, with the newly relocated Thunder remaining in the Pacific Division. The move leaves Portland wondering what happened and whether or not they can ever recover a USFL presence. Just one week after the leak of a potential 2-stage expansion plan which favors St. Louis and Atlanta recovering their franchises (or replacement franchises to be more accurate), fans in Portland have to wonder if a similar option will exist for them as well.

Two years ago, when the ownership group headed by Phil Ruffin and former Worldcom CEO Bernard Ebbers, was approved for the city, not only did it bring a sigh of relief to Thunder fans in Portland, but the city had already begun plans to potentially construct a new 50,000 seat stadium on the eastern side of the city as a permanent home to the Thunder. Now those plans are very much scuttled, and the city is looking at returning to pre-1988 status where the NBA is the only sport in town.

Without a viable stadium in the works in Portland, and with the league voting on potential expansion this week, time is fleeting for the city of Portland to figure out a plan if they wish to recoup a USFL franchise. Their best option may well be to begin stadium construction even without a team in place, in hopes of putting together a viable expansion bid for the anticipated 2008 league growth to 28 teams. It seems unlikely that the league would grant a St. Louis/Atlanta styled deal for Portland when Civic Stadium is the lone option for a club, an option which significantly restricts financial viability for a franchise due to its limited capacity.

There has been no word yet from Ruffin regarding the identity of the team, though, with Portland gear consistently among league leaders due primarily to its unique color scheme, it would be surprising for the club to trash their current identity, one which travels well, is unique in its look, and sells well. We would anticipate that the Las Vegas Thunder will be the result of the relocation, rather than developing an entirely new persona.

Owners Unsettled on Expansion & Alignment

Hurry up and wait seems to be the theme of the expansion decision in the USFL owners meeting this week. While the owners moved quickly on the issue of the Thunder, they seemed unprepared to make a decision on potential expansion, sending the report back to the finance committee for additional data projections. It seems that several owners are either unsatisfied with the concept of a 2-tier expansion, or concerned that promoting St. Louis and Atlanta to an early expansion will lead to continued chaos around other cities as ownership groups might seek a quicker remedy by enticing a current franchise to relocate rather than wait for a 2008 or 2009 expansion opportunity. Add to this the fact that the Thunder decision now creates a new market that is angry about losing their own club and will endeavor to reobtain a franchise, basically a new St. Louis in Portland, and you have a lot of concerns about stability.

Originally the 2-tier proposal, granting teams to St. Louis and Atlanta, was seen as a way to calm the potential for additional relocations, but several owners seem to feel that it may actually enhance the chances that owners will opt for the big buyout and relocate their teams prior to 2008 if the right deal from a city like Dallas or Miami comes along. The league, if concerned about this, could act to limit the ability of teams to sell during this period, or simply deny relocation, but that requires a willingness to fight the legal battles to enforce such positions, legal battles that they are likely to lose and which will cause significant internal strife within the league. At the same time no one wants to see a free-for-all of cities battling to either retain or obtain a franchise, as good as that might be for any particular owner. We are already seeing the fallout of this in Atlanta and St. Louis, and now Memphis is using St. Louis as a bargaining chip, holding city officials hostage and angering one of the league’s best fanbases at the same time.

So what happens now? Well, the Finance Committee will try to provide the desired data and projections in time for this summer’s league meeting, as a vote at that time seems imperative if the league is going to potentially seek to expand in time for the 2006 season, as originally proposed. Memphis will continue to speak with officials in St. Louis, Portland will have to reassess what they want to do to attract or obtain a USFL franchise, and the league will prepare for a 2004 season with a club now in Las Vegas, and all the issues that creates.

Week 7 is the halfway point of the season and this year we have something of an odd phenomenon. After spending Week 6 in interconference play, we shuffle the deck a bit for a 2nd consecutive week of West v. East to end up the first half of the season. It is make or break time for several clubs who sit at 2-4 and need a win to get back to contention. Among the desperate squads we find Birmingham, who head to Jacksonville to face the 4-2 Bulls. Arizona got a big win last week at home, but now travel to Michigan, where the Panthers are hoping to avoid going 0-7 in the first half. Tampa Bay also won last week and now host Nashville with a chance to get to 3-4. It’s a battle of 2-4 clubs, with only one able to claw back into contention as Seattle, fresh off their big win over Orlando, travels to Philadelphia. Baltimore is the final 2-4 club, and they are at home against a 1-win Oakland squad that may have a QB controversy brewing.

The unbeaten Federals are back home, but face a very feisty Portland club. LA is 5-1 but heads across the country to face the Generals, who need a win to stay in the hunt in the Northeast. 5-1 New Orleans will try to recover from their first loss of the year as they head to Orlando to face the winless Renegades. Denver is a surprising 5-1, but they face a tough foe this week as they travel to Chicago to take on the Machine. Memphis is in Boston in an intriguing matchup, and Houston visits the 5-1 Pittsburgh Maulers in a good matchup. Finally, the Ohio Glory hope to regain their swagger at home as they face the 3-3 Texas Outlaws.