The USFL took its first steps towards the 2004 postseason as four clubs locked up a playoff spot, while four others were officially eliminated. Division battles are coming down to the wire as well as only 1 division has a team 2 games ahead of its competition, with New Jersey now up on Washington. In all others we either find ties or a slim 1-game margin between first and second, or even third. With more divisional games down the stretch, the battles for playoff spots will get heated as will battles for seeding, byes, and division titles. But, before we start looking ahead, let's take a look at what happened in Week 11.
NASHVILLE KNIGHTS 28 TEXAS OUTLAWS 26
You can say a lot of things about the 2-9 Texas Outlaws, but you cannot say that they are quitters. In front of a sparse 21,560 at the Alamo Dome, the Outlaws proved they still have a lot of fight left in them, taking Nashville to the edge but just missing out on a home upset of the Southern Division leaders. For Nashville’s part, they though they had this game wrapped up with 9 minutes left, but Texas fought back and almost sent the game to overtime.
The Knights started strong, and their defense looked good through nearly the entire game, limiting Texas to only 2 third down conversions on 11 attempts, and forcing Jeff Lewis into two picks. But, Todd Collins struggled a bit, only throwing for 122 yards in the game, and when the game came down to the wire Texas got the plays they needed, well, all but one.
The game opened as many expected, with Nashville making an initial stop on Texas’s first drive, and then using good field position to start a methodical drive into Outlaw territory. Ahman Green would cap off the drive with a 1-yard TD run, his first of 2 scores on the day. Texas managed to string together a few first downs on their next possession, thanks to two acrobatic catches, one by Carl Pickens and the other by HB Brian Westbrook. The Outlaws had to settle for a field goal however, and Nashville returned to action. The Knights again drove the ball down the field, with Ahman Green averaging over 5 yards per carry in the first half. As the Knights got inside the 10, Green came out for a breather and backup Leon Johnson got the chance to score a rare TD. He plunged in from 2 yards out and Nashville was up 14-3.
But Texas kept fighting, and although their red zone offense failed them, they did manage to pick up two more field goals to go into the half down only 5 at 14-9. Texas found some success in the air against the Nashville secondary, and also got decent production from T.J. Duckett, who averaged only 3.2 yards per carry, but managed to rack up 74 yards on the day. Not quite Ahman Green’s 107, but still respectable against a tough Knights defense.
The Knights got the 2nd half kickoff and returned to the formula that had worked twice before in the game, a slow, methodical drive, combining Green runs with play action and ending with Ahman Green picking up his second score of the day, this one a 3-yard run on 2nd and goal. Now up 21-9, it would be easy for Texas to give up the ghost, but again they fought their way down the field. Once again, however, the offense sputtered in the red zone and once again it was up to Rian Lindell to put points on the board. Nashville was now up 21-12.
But Texas held on their next drive, sacking Todd Collins on a 3rd and 7 to turn the ball back over to their offense. Problem was that Nashville’s defense was also ready to play. On Jeff Lewis’s 2nd drop back of the drive, he tossed a ball for Carl Pickens, but it was undercut by Rodney Harrison, who then had clear sailing down the field for the pick six. That score should have been the end of it, with Nashville now up by 16, at 28-12, but Texas was not done being a thorn in the side of the Knights.
Jeff Lewis shook off the pick, and led Texas on a 9-play scoring drive, finally finding the endzone with a 12-yard TD pass to Pickens on a nicely run slant & go. Texas converted the 2-point PAT and now was down only 8. They kicked the ball away to Nashville and were able to hold the Knights to only 1 first down before Nashville had to punt the ball back. Texas had the ball, down by 8 with 3:03 left to play.
Again Jeff Lewis eluded the blitzing Knights and found receivers, including a nice 24-yard completion to Kirby Dar Dar on a 3rd and 9. With 1:05 left to play, Lewis found Freddie Solomon and hit him with a perfect back shoulder throw to pull the Outlaws back to 28-26. All they would need was the 2-pointer again. With Nashville preparing for a quick 3-step pass, Texas tried to fake them out with a draw play to Brian Westbrook, but LB Hunter Hillenmeyer was ready for Westbrook, stopping him short of the goal line and keeping Nashville’s 2-point lead intact.
Texas would try the onside kick, but it was recovered by TE Justin Peele, and that was all she wrote. Nashville got to fly home with a very tough 2-point win and the lead in the Southern Division. Texas proved they were still fighting for wins, but again fell short at home. The loss eliminates Texas from any real playoff chance, not that most Outlaw fans still held out hope. The Knights are now only 1 game behind Denver for a potential #1 seed, and are in position to control their own destiny and wrap up a possible bye as either the #1 or #2 seed.
NOR 27 HOU 3
The other big South x Southwest clash this week saw New Orleans completely shut down the Houston Gamblers to claim their 5th win and get back in the playoff hunt. Trent Dilfer returned to action this week and completed a stunning 23 of 26 passes against Houston’s defense. The Breakers’ D was the story of the day, limiting Houston to only 239 total yards. Even a late appearance by Doug Flutie could not get Houston’s offense moving against a smothering Breaker D. Free Safety Idris Basheer was the big defensive hero, with a pick-6, but it was truly a team defense that won the day.
LA 17 DEN 22
The Southwest Division leaders, Denver, nabbed their 7th win, thanks to a defense that limited LA quarterback Rob Johnson to only 12 of 30 passing. Denver’s QB had a much better day, with Mark Brunell going 22 of 32 for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns. Denver was only 2 of 13 on third down, but still mustered enough offense to edge LA, but it was close. The Express held a 17-15 lead at one point in the 4th quarter, but a calm Brunell led Denver to the game-winning score, a 3-yard TD pass to TE Marco Battaglia.
OAK 14 ARZ 33
The final Southwestern matchup this week saw Oakland visiting Arizona, and coming away with their 4th consecutive loss. Stephen Davis stood out in this one, rushing for 121 yards on 21 carries to help Arizona present a two-pronged attack. Jake Plummer only had to run the ball once as his pocket protection held up. He would throw for 315 yards and 3 scores against an overwhelmed Invader secondary.
MEM 10 LV 17
A win for the Thunder as Las Vegas got some help from a pretty raucous home crowd of just under 30,000. Aaron Brooks had his best performance since getting the start over Akili Smith, completing 21 of 37 for 251 yards and also rushing for the winning TD as Las Vegas fought back from a 10-3 deficit to take the win. Heath Shuler continues to struggle to find receivers with any separation, throwing for only 185 yards on the day.
BIR 17 SEA 24
The Pacific Division leaders got a solid 1-2 punch from Corey Dillon (66 yards) and Brian Mitchell (41 yards) and O.J. McDuffie came up huge with 6 catches totaling 140 yards as Birmingham overplayed coverage on David Boston and paid the price. Brett Favre threw for only 184 as he spent most of the day brushing himself off. He was sacked 5 times by the Dragons and hurried most of the rest of the time.
TBY 25 ORL 22
The Bandits did not expect this one to be so tight, but Orlando has been playing better on both sides of the ball lately. It did not help that Daunte Culpepper had to leave the game with a concussion, and Ken Dorsey ended up playing most of the game as backup Kent Graham also was injured. Dorsey struggled a bit at first, but managed to lead Tampa Bay on a game-winning field goal drive after Orlando had tied things up at 22 with 3:32 to play.
NJ 21 BAL 19
Another game decided by a missed 2-point conversion as the Blitz played New Jersey tough all day, and managed a Rob Moore TD just outside of the 2-minute warning, but their 2-point play did not garner results and their onside kick also failed, leaving New Jersey with only 2 minutes to kill to win the game. They got a first down on a strong Curtis Enis run, part of his 96 yards on the day, and that sealed the win for the Northeast Division leaders.
WSH 23 PHI 20
The Feds needed a win to have any hope of gaining ground in the Eastern Conference Wild Card hunt, and they got one, but it was not easy. The Stars had a 17-3 lead at the half, but a pair of short TD runs by QB Kordell Stewart brought Washington back. A Doug Pelfrey field goal as time ran out was the winner for the Feds, who move to 6-5 and keep their playoff hopes alive. Philly drops to 4-7 and is officially eliminated, along with Michigan and Orlando.
JAX 22 BOS 33
The Bulls’s hopes for a third straight playoff appearance are on life support after losing another division game. Boston got 107 yards and a TD from Tiki Barber and Chad Ochocinco put up 127 and 2 scores to pace the Cannons to a convincing victory as they chase Tampa Bay for the division title. Boston will face the Bandits on the final week of the season in what may be a very meaningful final matchup for both clubs.
PIT 7 OHI 34
A bloodbath in Columbus as the Maulers were simply not ready for Ohio’s attack. Troy Brown and Reche Caldwell both scored for the Glory and the combo of Eddie George and Musa Smith produced 161 yards rushing and 2 more scores as Ohio made a statement against the Maulers. The loss means that Ohio and Chicago now leapfrog the Maulers in the standings.
MGN 3 CHI 20
The Machine now hold sole possession of first place in the Central after manhandling the Panthers. Duce Staley had 108 yards and 2 scores as Chicago held possession for over 35 minutes of action. Drew Brees was sacked 5 times and HB Chris Perry was held to only 8 yards on 8 carries as Chicago’s defense, playing without several starters, including MLB Brian Urlacher, proved they are as deep and as devastating as any defense in the league.
Hot Seat Getting Hotter
As we head to the final weeks of the year, we have to acknowledge that there are several coaches who may be fighting for their jobs. We have not heard rumors of any late season firings, so this could be the first season in the past 4 or 5 where no coach loses their job midseason, but that does not mean that Black Monday will be quiet. We see several potential departures after the dust settles from Week 14. Here are our Top 5 Hottest Coaching Seats right now:
George O’Leary/ORLANDO: It is not so much that Orlando ownership would fire the coach who got them the club’s first league title only 2 years ago, but that O’Leary would decide to move on as he sees around him a team that has been hemorrhaging talent, has no apparent answer at QB, and is truly only a shadow of the squad that won it all in 2001. We could see O’Leary stepping down, and getting snapped up pretty quickly elsewhere.
Gunther Cunningham/JACKSONVILLE: If the Bulls can win 3 in a row to go 8-6 and somehow make the playoffs, that might do it, but three straight low playoff seeds and quick playoff exits would not be very impressive. A losing season, a non-playoff year, and finishing third behind Tampa Bay and Boston, could push Bulls ownership to make a change.
Jim Mora Jr./PHILADELPHIA: The Stars have been patient with Mora, likely due to the familial connection with former Stars legend Jim Mora Sr, but that cannot hold forever. With a 3-win 2001, 4-win 2002, and now sitting at 4-7 with 3 weeks to go, only a 3-game winning streak could keep Philly from a third straight losing season. Improving by 1 win per year, or even getting to 6-8 this year, simply does not feel like enough positive movement to keep Mora around.
Joe Vitt/LAS VEGAS: Vitt was supposed to be an inerim fill after the Thunder released Ray Rhodes from his duties, but he pulled the Thunder up to 7-7 in his interim year, so he was given a chance to prove himself. After a 6-8 season last year, the Thunder are currently only 3-8, and having benched Akili Smith, they team seems to lack a clear sense of identity. Neither of those facts bode well for the former Defensive Coordinator to keep his job once the season is done.
Chan Gailey/TEXAS: This is Gailey’s 4th season in San Antonio, and he is already guaranteed another losing season. The Outlaws have not topped 7 wins in any season under Gailey, and this year’s squad is clearly one of the weakest teams in the league. Some of that falls on the GM and the front office for not spending to bring in skill players, but a lot will fall on Gailey, who was expected to innovate on offense and has simply not produced. We see Gailey as the most likely of the coaches to be an immediate dismissal as soon as Week 14’s game is done.
While these 5 are the teams where we see the highest potential for a resignation or firiring, they may not be alone. The Express have been a roller coaster under Galen Hall, up and down from 11 wins to 8, to 13, then 5,then back up to 10, and now sitting at 4-7. The good years have been promising, but the inconsistency year to year has to be maddening for ownership. While somewhat less likely we could also envision scenarios where ownership could move on from Coach Franchione in Birmingham, Coach Phillips in Houston, Coach Mora in Memphis, or Coach Green in Oakland.
Wideouts Making Noise
It has long been a cliché that wide receivers tend to be divas, often playing to the media, self-congratulating, or brandishing the bravado of a bullfighter. Well, that stereotype seems to be playing out with at least two of the league’s top receivers as both Steve Smith in Philly and Plaxico Burress in Oakland have started to make a significant amount of noise about their desire to either get paid or get traded. Neither wideout is in an ideal situation in the offenses where they find themselves, and neither truly has the numbers to compare with a Chad Ochocinco or Randy Moss, but that does not seem to stop them from thinking very highly of their abilities and demanding to be compensated for their talent, even if that talent is not helping either Philly or Oakland win a lot of games.
So what do you do if you are the Stars and Invaders? Do you give up on one of the more talented players on teams that need more offensive explosiveness to begin with? You certainly could fetch a pretty good price for either wideout, but then does that leave your cupboard bare? One of the big issues for both clubs is the lack of depth behind their #1 receivers. Would Philly feel comfortable moving Amani Toomer to the #1 spot? Could Oakland really go forward with Donte Stallworth and Taylor Jacobs as their two primary receivers? There are some talented rookies expected in the 2005 draft, including Braylon Edwards of Michigan, Troy Williamson of South Carolina, and Mike Williams of USC. But there is no guarantee that either club could acquire the rights to these players away from their Territorial Draft owners.
Among potential free agents, there is some real talent. Deion Branch, Andre Rison, and Robert Ferguson are all currently unsigned, but we just don’t expect Washington, Pittsburgh, or Boston to reach Week 14 without inking these top receivers, so that could leave only older veterans like Carl Pickens or young mid-range receivers in the actual free agency pool. Honestly, the best option, if both clubs are game, might be to swap the two receivers, but, of course, that means paying more to get a feisty #1 to replace an equally feisty #1, and that does not seem like such a great idea.
After Week 11 action it seems we underplayed the potential for clinching scenarios as no fewer than 4 clubs clinched a playoff berth this week. Chicago and Tampa Bay are both assured a spot in the postseason as they sit at 9-2 atop the Central and Southeastern Divisions. Washington is currently in 7th place at 6-5, two games behind 6th place Pittsburgh (8-3).
In the West, both Denver and Arizona are locked into postseason play at 7-4, since Oakland sits at #7 with a 4-7 record. However, Oakland and LA, both 4-7 are still only 1 game behind Houston and New Orleans, who both sit at 5-6, occupying 2 Wild Card positions despite their losing records. Nashville and Seattle are the other two division leaders, though their leads are tenuous at 6-5 each.
Eliminated this week were Philadelphia, Michigan, Orlando, and Texas. Las Vegas, Memphis and Birmingham are still mathematically alive despite 3-8 records, as is Jacksonville and Baltimore at 5-6, but a lot of games will have to go their way to avoid elimination in Weeks 12 or 13.
Another pretty light week for significant injuries, with the most impactful being Breakers’ HB Troy Davis (neck) likely out for the rest of the season. Arizona TE Matt Cushing is also out for the remainder of the year with 2 broken ribs. Baltimore center Matt Elliott could miss up to a month with an ankle injury and Ohio LB Clint Kriewaldt is out with a sprained knee, though hopefully only for 2 weeks. Arizona could miss LB Lance Briggs for 1-2 weeks with a pulled hamstring, while Washington LB Michael Barrow is out this week with a shoulder injury. Tampa backup Kent Graham will be out this week, leaving only Ken Dorsey behind Culpepper, who is expected to return, and Michigan has LB Andy Katzenmoyer as Doubtful with a foot injury.
St. Louis Ownership Approved by USFL
We have our St. Louis expansion club as league owners fully supported the joint bid of David Steward and Johnny Morris. Steward will be the CEO of the new St. Louis franchise, and he is being greeted as a hero in the Gateway City after securing the franchise for his native city. The ownership group was approved by a 22-2 vote, with Memphis and Nashville both expressing concern about the dual ownership of Steward and Morris. Apparently the former Knights and the club that threatened to move to St. Louis to replace them are both still feeling a bit uncomfortable with the return of a club to the city, a club that almost certainly will have some fan animosity towards both the Showboats and the Knights.
While nothing is set in stone at this point, Steward did hint that the club has a name in mind, and will be working with Reebok to turn a concept into an identity. Expect more on this soon as the St. Louis group has indicated that they want fan input on their new team. As for team arrangements, the deal is ready to be signed that would allow the new franchise to play their games at The Dome at America’s Center, home of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams and former home of the Knights. It appears that already this new team has a leg up on the Knights when it comes to stadium revenue and a more equitable arrangement with the Rams.
No word yet on practice facilities or a camp site for the unnamed team, and, of course, a priority for the club will be putting in place a front office team and beginning the search for a head coach. With Steward as the first Black CEO and Lead Owner of a USFL franchise, do not be surprised if the new St. Louis franchise makes diversity in the front office a priority. With several outstanding African-American coordinators, and a few former Head Coaches of USFL clubs out there, we would not be shocked to see an African-American coach roaming the St. Louis sidelines in 2006.
Week 12 intensifies the playoff races across the entire league as all 24 clubs are in divisional matchups. Games not to miss this week include:
Washington @ New Jersey: A win for the Generals and they clinch the Northeast Division Title and eliminate the Federals from the playoffs. A Feds win and they are still alive.
Tampa Bay @ Jacksonville: The Bandits can eliminate Jacksonville from playoff contention with a win, but a loss in Alltell Stadium and the Cannons could move into a tie with the Bandits for first.
Ohio @ Chicago: The Glory need this one to knock Chicago out of sole possession of first place and potentially into a 3-way tie at 9-3 with both the Glory and the Maulers. A win by Chicago all but assures them of a division title.
Houston @ Arizona: The Wranglers need to keep winning if they want any chance to upend Denver and take the division, but Houston needs this one to get to .500 and stay in the Wild Card pool.
Seattle @ Oakland: The Dragons have a 2 game lead in the division, so this game is not as vital for them, but Oakland absolutely needs to win if they want any hope of a possible Wild Card.
Other games with potential playoff impact include Las Vegas at LA, with the express hoping to stay alive; Texas at Denver, with the Gold retaining only a tie breaker lead over Arizona; New Orleans @ Memphis, with the Breakers trying to catch Nashville; Nashville @ Birmingham, again with a close Southern Division at hand; Pittsburgh at Michigan, with the Maulers hoping they can catch Chicago; Orlando @ Boston, where the Cannons trail Tampa by 1 game; and Philadelphia @ Baltimore, since the Blitz still have a faint hope at a late Wild Card run.
Basically all 12 games have some playoff ramifications, and that is a rare thing to say by Week 12, so this year’s 3rd to last week could be a really great one.
Congrats to David Steward!