Week 14 is always high drama, and that certainly was the case this week, with 2 divisions up for grabs and 5 teams fighting for 4 playoff spots in the West. We had a head to head clash in Tampa Bay for the Southeastern Division Title, two games in the Central that would decide which of the 9-3 clubs in the division would take the #1 spot in that razor thin division race, and three clubs fighting over two Wild Card spots as New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Houston all watched the scoreboard to see if they were in or out. All this, plus, the inevitable fallout as two more coaches were let go and 2 more resigned within days of the end of the season. That is a lot to report on, so let’s not waste any time. All our games mattered this week, so here is the rundown of all 12 Games of the Week.
Boston Cannons 24 Tampa Bay Bandits 28
It all came down to this, a head-to-head battle for the Southeast title and a potential #1 seed. The loser dropped to #4 as the top Wild Card. Boston had won the first matchup 34-24, but now they would play in the heat of a Florida midsummer. Both teams were relatively healthy (especially for Week 14) and all the big names were there. And the stars did what stars do. Tiki Barber averaged 4.7 yards a carry on hi sway to 103 for the day. Randy Moss would catch 7 balls for 167 yards and a score, while Chad Ochocinco would catch 5 for 127 and a score as well. The game was tied at 21 after three quarters, with both teams having mixed success slowing down the other’s explosive offense. Drew Bledsoe and the Cannons got the ball all the way to the Tampa Bay 7 yard line, but could not connect on a third and goal play with 4:59 left to play, so coach Fox settled for a field goal and a 3-point lead. That was a mistake.
Tampa Bay got the ball back and Daunte Culpepper led the Bandits down the field, mixing a couple of Willis McGahee runs with short passes to TEs Bradford Banta and Jeremy Shockey. They got help from an offsides call on 3rd and 3, and then connected on a 20 yard pass to Karl Williams to put them on the 2. Boston bit on the run on first down and Culpepper found WR Kevin Johnson, who had only had 2 catches all game, on a corner fade, hitting him perfectly so that he fell out of bounds but his feet stayed in. The Bandits win 28-24, and they are both the Southeast Champ and the top seed in the East, only 1 year removed from a horrific 4-10 season.
Chicago Machine 10 Pittsburgh Maulers 20
The duel between Chicago and Pittsburgh had the potential to determine another division winner, as both were counting on Ohio, without Joey Galloway or Kerry Collins, to struggle with Michigan (also without a star as Drew Brees sat this one out). The winner of this one could leap over Ohio and take the Central division crown.
Chicago got the early lead as their Rookie of the Year candidate, Michael Turner, caught a 4-yard ocoring pass from Ray Lucas. Pittsburgh would answer in the 2nd quarter when Charlie Batch found former Indiana QB-turned-wideout Antwan Randle-El from 9 yards out. Chicago finished the half with a go-ahead field goal, but that would be their final points of the day as Pittsburgh made some adjustments on defense at halftime that shut down the Chicago offense. Staley and Turner, who had gained a combined 62 yards in the first half, would combine for only 26 in the second. The Machine would fail on 3 consecutive third downs to open the second half, and by the time they converted their next 3rd down, the score was already 20-10.
Pittsburgh could have pulled away even further, but for a late pick by Charlie Batch that kept Chicago’s hopes alive, but Ray Lucas could not rally the troops and the Maulers finished the game at 10-4, hoping Michigan could help them claim the division with a win in Columbus.
Michigan Panthers 17 Ohio Glory 19
The Panthers gave Ohio everything they had, but with the division title in range, the Glory rallied around backup QB Chris Redman, and Redman delivered, leading the Glory on two fourth quarter field goal drives to turn a 17-13 deficit into a 19-17 victory. Michigan tried to rally, but could not convert a 4th and 3 as time ran down, giving Ohio the win and the title of Central Division Champions once again. But, unlike in past years when the title came with a bye week, Ohio finished 3rd in the East this year, which means they will have to take on the #6 seed in the first round of the playoffs, likely without Collins or Galloway available.
Birmingham Stallions 16 New Orleans Breakers 30
A win and they were in. That is the situation the Breakers had as they entered the game. They also had Trent Dilfer back under center, a week earlier than predicted, and still somewhat less than 100%, but in this game his best was good enough. Dilfer was helped out by a pick-six of Favre by Randall Gay, and 3 David Green field goals as the Breakers turned a 3-point halftime lead into a 14 point victory. The win clinched them a Wild Card, and gave them a shot at the division if Memphis could knock off Nashville.
Memphis Showboats 21 Nashville Knights 27
Rivalry games can always go sideways, and the Knights were well aware that for a dispirited Showboat squad, a win in the final week against the team that had encroached on their territory would be a big victory for Memphis. The Knights came in focused and simply did not allow the Showboats to build momentum. After Memphis got a TD on their opening drive, Nashville rattled off 24 consecutive points to put the Showboats in a deep hole and force them to be one dimensional. Memphis fought back, but they would never take the lead again, and with the win the Knights clinched not only the Southern Division, but a home playoff game as well.
Denver Gold 20 Houston Gamblers 24
Houston had one shot at making the playoffs. They had a home game against the Gold and they needed help. If either New Orleans or LA lost, they could steal that final playoff spot. The Breakers were in a tough fight with Birmingham when the Houston game began, but the Gamblers could not afford to focus on the scoreboard. They were stunned very early on when Doug Flutie went out with an ankle issue only 8 plays into the game. In came Kris Kershaw, and the underappreciated backup went the rest of the way. Houston got 115 yards from Kevin Faulk and rookie wideout Roy Williams came up big with a late TD to help the Gamblers snag the win away from a Denver team that had started several backups as preparation for the playoffs. Now all they needed was for Seattle to defeat the Express and Houston would be dancing.
Los Angeles Express 24 Seattle Dragons 27
The Express, having seen both New Orleans and Houston win came into this game knowing that only a victory would allow them to play one more week. A loss and they were out of the playoffs at 6-8. Seattle had no desire to help the Express out, playing all their starters and doing their best to get a W and lock up a bye week. By the half Byron Leftwich had connected with both David Boston and O.J. McDuffie to build up a 17-14 lead. They opened the second half with a Corey Dillon TD run, and that 10-point lead would hold them up for the rest of the game. LA slowly fought back, getting as close as 24-17, and then 24-27 with just over a minute left, but when the onside kick did not find Express hands, the Dragons simply ran the clock out on LA’s playoff hopes, and made a lot of friends in south Texas by helping Houston qualify as a Wild Card.
Arizona Wranglers 20 Texas Outlaws 17
The Wranglers had clinched the Southwest Division the week before, but a win in San Antonio and they would lock up the #1 seed, that bye week, and home field in steamy Tempe for the entire Western Playoffs. They got two early TDs from Jake Plummer and spent the second half feeding the ball to Stephen Davis and Dominic Rhodes, with the two racking up 111 combined yards. Texas tried to rally, getting a late Freddie Solomon TD, but three picks of Jeff Lewis kept the home team from pulling the upset. Arizona would be home cooking in the playoffs.
New Jersey Generals 23 Philadelphia Stars 6
General-Star games are always a feisty affair, and this one was no exception. 17 combined penalties marred this game as the Stars tried to take out an entire season’s worth of frustration on New Jersey, but the Generals rose above it. They got 108 yards from HB Curtis Enis and avoided costly turnovers, helping them cruise to a comfortable win in a very uncomfortable environment in Lincoln Financial Field. The win locked up a bye for the boys from Jersey, a much needed rest after a bruising matchup with their biggest rival.
Baltimore Blitz 12 Washington Federals 17
No playoffs on the line, but the winner could at least finish the season at 7-7 and say they did not have a losing season. In a game where neither club would see their starting QB on the field it was Shaun Hill for Washington against Jon Kitna for the Feds. Baltimore pushed the run game, with Ron Dayne finishing the year strong with 122 yards on 18 carries. Washington threw the ball more, with Kitna throwing 2 TD passes. With Baltimore unable to reach the endzone, Martin Grammatica’s kicks fell short as Washington won for pride.
Oakland Invaders 20 Las Vegas Thunder 29
Las Vegas, under interim head coach Cam Cameron, showed they had a little fire left at the end of a long and unpleasant season. Sacking Trent Green 4 times and picking him off once, Las Vegas built up a 29-14 lead and held on to win. Akili Smith was back under center after the injury to Aaron Brooks last week. A free agent at the end of the week. Smith showed some talent and perhaps caught the eye of a team in the market for an athletic dual-threat QB.
Black Monday
The tradition of post-season firings and shakeups continued this year. Actually, it got off to a bit of an early start, as we have seen for several years now, when Joe Vitt was let go as the Head Coach in Las Vegas after a Week 13 shellacking from the Seattle Dragons. After Week 14’s season concluding action, two more coaches were provided with a pink slip as both Chan Gailey in Texas and Jim Mora Jr. in Philadelphia had too many notches in the loss column for ownership’s taste. In Jacksonville, the Bulls let Gunther Cunningham call the shots, so officially his departure is a resignation and not a firing, but it seems pretty obvious the pressure was there. And then, two days later, George O’Leary, longtime coach of the Renegades, with whom he won a title only 3 seasons back, also stepped down.
O’Leary’s situation is an interesting one. The club has been in decline ever since their league title, but it did not appear that ownership was pressing O’Leary to give up command. He stepped down, but in so doing he arranged for his successor. At the same press conference where O’Leary announced that he was stepping away from the game (at least temporarily) it was announced that Renegade defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas, former head coach in Pittsburgh, would assume the mantle for the Renegades. So, Orlando loses a league title coach but has his replacement in house as the club continues to rebuild after another rough season.
The same is not true in Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Texas and Jacksonville, where the search for a new Head Coach, and a new direction begin in earnest. Will this be a year where these USFL clubs jump on a current coordinator right away, perhaps sign an out-of-work former head coach, or will we see a club wait through the 2004 NFL fall season and then sign a coach just as camp opens? Every year is a bit of a crap shoot, so we shall see what happens over the next 5 months. Who’s to say, we may even see one of the men now out of a position get an immediate shot at a new position.
Free Agency
Some real surprises among the free agents whose contracts expired after Week 14. While some of the bigger names still have time to sign as they enter the postseason, there was no shortage of quality players who saw their ties to their current teams dissolve when the final whistle blew on Week 14. Some big names remained unsigned and can now play the field, or even jump to the NFL if the whim strikes.
Among the bigger names now awaiting the official start of Free Agency we find playmakers like Texas WR Carl Pickens, Baltimore WR J.J. Stokes, and Philadelphia’s Bobby Engram. Texas could lose another contributor on offense as HB Brian Westbrook was not re-upped by the week’s end. But perhaps the biggest surprise of all the offensive skill players was Philadelphia QB Brian Griese. Other starters were somewhat expected to be allowed to test the market. Players like Akili Smith, Jeff Garcia, Marques Tuiasosopo or Rick Mirer were expected cap cuts, but Griese started all 14 games for the Stars and was among the Top 10 QBs in the league. We saw that Philadelphia was going to bring in a new Head Coach, and it also appears very likely that they will be looking for a new starter at QB as well.
Other offensive players released included Birmingham center Mike Flanigan, LA fullback Shawn Bryson, Michigan fullback Zach Crockett, guard Tuten Reyes of Washington, and TE Fred Baxter of the Stallions.
On the defensive side, perhaps the biggest departure was that of CB Ryan McNeill from Orlando, though some may argue that LA defensive tackle Norman Hand was a bigger loss. And what about the Panthers, who allowed both Greg Biekert and Ted Johnson go free from their LB corps. That is going to be a very different defensive lineup for Coach LeBeau next year.
Of course, there are 10 teams who have at least one more week to get signatures on contracts, but at this late stage the lure of becoming a free agent could lead several players to reject any late contract talks and take their chances with the free market as soon as the playoffs end. Among the big name players still unsigned, we have to highlight league rushing champion Ahman Green, who simply turned away pitch after pitch from the Knights. Joining Green as a potential free agent are huge talents on the D-Line, as veterans Phil Hansen and Michael Sinclair both remain unsigned. Denver LB Chris Cowart is in this pool, as is CB James Trapp of Chicago, DT Darwin Walker in Chicago, SS JeRod Cherry in Arizona, and SS Sean Lumpkin of the Gold.
Other offensive players to watch as the playoffs continue include WR Andre Rison in Pittsburgh, Robert Ferguson, who had a breakout year with Ohio but could seek a huge free agent contract. What about Duce Staley in Chicago? With Michael Turner cutting into his carries, will he ply the free agent sea? There are more names, of course, like QB Todd Boumann in New Jersey or C Jim Pyne in Chicago, and we expect some to sign before next week or whenever their team departs the playoffs, but any number of these mega-stars could be looking to cash in or cash out of the USFL and head to the fall. We will know soon enough.
Rookie Standouts of 2004
Every year it seems we debate which rookies took their college game to the next level as first year pros. This year we identify 7 players who have turned heads in their first seasons of pro ball, starting on the offensive side.
Only 1 rookie QB became a team starter, Big Ben Roethlisberger in Baltimore took over under center almost immediately and had some big games. He missed some action with minor injuries, but finished the year with 2300 yards passing, 19 TDs to 12 picks, and a rating of 87.7. Not bad for a rookie QB.
Of the halfbacks in the class of 2004, it was Michael Turner, and not top pick Chris Perry, who put up the best numbers. Turner finished with 759 yards (15 more than teammate Duce Staley on 1 additional carry), while Perry, the primary back in Michigan, finished with only 519. Turner also excelled in the passing game, catching 14 balls for 169 yards.
Of the receivers in this past year’s draft, we have to highlight two who made an immediate impact. The first was Larry Fitzgerald, who finds himself on the top seed Wranglers, gearing up for the divisional playoffs. The Pitt prospect finished with 56 catches for 692 yards and 5 TDs, trailing only Santana Moss on the Wranglers. The other is Roy Williams, the Texas product who stayed close to home with the Houston Gamblers. He too will be experiencing his first USFL postseason after finishing the year with 29 catches for 388 yards and 3 scores.
On defense the big hubbub was about Sean Taylor signing with Pittsburgh, where he would finish 4th on the team with 66 tackles. Perhaps a bigger impact was made by Arizona’s top defensive find, LB Karlos Dansby, who finished the year with 58 tackles, 4 sacks and a pick. But the biggest impact was that of Tampa Bay’s rookie LB Jonathan Vilma, who racked up 74 tackles with the Bandits, while also securing 2 sacks, a pick, a safety, and a forced fumble.
Not bad for these new pros. And while others may not have had breakout seasons as rookies, several flashed talent that may blossom in 2005, or even in this year’s playoffs, including QB Eli Manning (New Orleans), DE Jason Babin (Boston), LA defensive end Keneche Udeze, Memphis WR Lee Evans, and New Jersey LB Dontarrious Thomas.
The Ol’ Ball Coach Brings Bandit Ball Back.
With the best record in the league, a revived offensive swagger, and a pretty solid defense to boot, Steve Spurrier’s return to Tampa can only be called a complete triumph. Reminding fans who remember this far back of the 1983 squad that won the league’s first title game, the 2004 Bandits were brash and bold. They made big moves, like signing Daunte Culpepper away from the NFL, and those moves turned this 4-10 team into a 12-2 juggernaut.
We saw a whole new culture forming in Tampa Bay this year, a culture willing to take risks, to go for the big play, and to hold each other accountable game in and game out. Coach Spurrier is a shoe in for Coach of the Year, returning to the team that already won him a spot in the USFL Hall of Fame. He could do even more in this triumphant tour if his Bandits can win the title in his first year. After leaving the USFL for the NFL and then the U. of Florida, Spurrier was never forgotten by Bandit fans, and their love for him helped bring him back to town to once again lead the club he helped design so many years ago. While John Bassett is not here to see how Spurrier has revived the Bandits, minority owner Burt Reynolds has been a vocal supporter of Spurrier, and is often seen at games, with that famous wry smile poking out from behind his big moustache. It is a good time to be a Bandit fan these days, just like the good ol’ days with the Ol’ Ball Coach.
It took 14 weeks, but we now know the 12 teams that will compete in this year’s postseason, and we know who will be clashing with whom as we enter Wild Card Weekend. In the East the 6 teams were already known, but this week we learned that it will indeed be the Tampa Bay Bandits holding home field throughout the playoffs as their impressive 12-2 season leaves them as the conference’s top seed. New Jersey wins the other bye this weekend as the #2 seed. Ohio holds off Pittsburgh, thanks to a tiebreaker, to claim the final Division title and the right to host the #6 seed next week. Meanwhile Boston enters the postseason for the first time in franchise history, sitting at #4 and hosting the Pittsburgh Maulers in next week’s playoffs. Chicago finishes 6th, which means they get a visit to Ohio as their prize, but an Ohio squad that could still be without Kerry Collins or Joey Galloway.
In the West, Arizona wrapped up the top seed with their win over Texas. They will take a week to rest and plan, as will Seattle, the other division winner to earn a bye for the Wild Card weekend. This marks the first time the Dragons have won the division, and now they get to scout out potential foes in the Wild Card round. Playing in this round are the Nashville Knights, winners of the Southern Division. They will be home against the #6 seeded Houston Gamblers. Will they face Doug Flutie or will Kris Kershaw get the start? The other matchup pits two Wild Card teams as the Denver Gold, having rested their starters in Week 14, will now get the New Orleans Breakers, who got Trent Dilfer back under center after only a 1 week hiatus.
In case you were wondering what the sports books in Vegas think of this year’s playoffs, it is easy to see that they believe that the recent Eastern Conference dominance will continue. The East has won 6 of the last 7 titles, and Las Vegas is favoring Eastern teams quite heavily. Here are the odds to win it all this year, with Ohio dropping from a 4-1 frontrunner down to a 7-1 choice after the Collins injury.
Tampa Bay 5-3 Pittsburgh 11-1
Boston 5-2 Denver 14-1
New Jersey 3-1 Chicago 16-1
Arizona 5-1 Nashville 20-1
Ohio 7-1 New Orleans 25-1
Seattle 9-1 Houston 35-1
We look ahead to our 4 Wild Card games and wonder who might just be conspicuous in their absence. Injuries can dramatically change a team’s prospects this time of year. That seems to be the case with our first eastern matchup, in which Chicago is only a 2-point underdog going into Ohio, thanks in large part to the injury report.
CHI: T Marcus Spears (IR), CB James Trapp (Out), LB Tommy Polley (Ques)
QB Jeff George (Prob), FS George Teague (Prob), DT Ted Washington (Prob)
OHI T Jerry Wunsch (IR), QB Kerry Collins (Doubt), WR Joey Galloway (Doubt),
LB Clint Kriewaldt (Doubt), DT Gabe Wilkins (Quest), DE Carl Powell (Prob)
PIT G Rod Milstead (Out), LB Nick Koutavides (Prob)
BOS DE Jason Babin (Out), LB Roman Pfifer (Out), T Jon Stinchcomb (Out),
WR Cedric Wilson (Out), DE Greg Ellis (Doubt)
HOU QB Matt Hasselbeck (IR), TE Ryan Krause (Out)
NSH LB Hunter Hillenmeyer (Out), WR Derrick Mason (Out), DT Kris Jenkins (Doubt)
DEN LB Dat Nguyen (Doubt), LB Alsherwood Singleton (Doubt), HB Rod Smart (Quest)
SS Sean Lumpkin (Quest), QB Eric Wilhelm (Prob)
NOR LB DeWayne Dotson (Out), HB Troy Davis (Out), QB Trent Dilfer (Quest),
CB Ahmed Plummer (Prob)
With the regular season coming to a close and 12 teams already turning to the offseason, it seems a good time to look ahead, even with the playoffs before us, and think about who may find themselves as a buyer in this year’s free agent period, and who may well end up having to trade away or simply release some talent to abide by the USFL’s salary cap. The cap was announced last month as having a more modest increase last year, up from $60M to only $62M, largely due to the reduced financial support that came with a reduction from 16 regular season games to 14. There is talk in the league that in 2006, with expansion up to 26 franchises and 28 on the way in 2008, that the league may well return to its original 16-game schedule, but for 2005 the impact of the league’s finances mean that there are clubs that are already well over the cap limit for next year, clubs that will have to find ways to reduce costs, either by restructuring contracts, or by releasing expensive players. That could be a boon for other clubs that have money to spare.
We reviewed the financial releases of all 24 USFL clubs, and found the top and bottom 8 clubs when it comes to cap room. Not surprisingly, many of the clubs who will go over cap are those currently involved in the postseason, while many who are struggling now find themselves in a good position to acquire talent. Here, in brief, is where each of these 8 buyer and 8 seller clubs lie.
Top 8 Teams with Strong Cap Room
Texas--$13.96M Under the Cap.
The Outlaws have money to burn, helped by Carl Perkins’s free agency status. This could make them one of the biggest buyers in the free agency pool. Pair that with a top draft pick and they could go a long way to rebuilding a competitive roster.
Philadelphia: $13.17M Under the Cap.
The Stars also find themselves with plenty of cap room, largely because Brian Griese’s contract has ended. But since they need both a QB and possibly a starting HB as well, they could spend that surplus quickly.
Denver: $11.52M Under the Cap.
No one is shocked to find the Gold on this list. They have made a killing over the years by producing winning teams with a low roster budget. We are honestly surprised when they actually splurge on a big free agent, which is rare.
Arizona: $10.65M Under the Cap.
This is a good sign for Wrangler fans. They are top seed in the West and they have money to get better next year. They are going to have to work on resigning Jake Plummer, which will cost a bit, but by building through the draft (Moss, Fitzgerald, Dansby) they have avoided the high price of free agents.
Memphis: $9.11M Under the Cap.
Memphis may be on the verge of a rebuild, and that does not usually come cheap. Good thing they have some wiggle room because they need to upgrade their receivers, their halfback position, and a big chunk of the D.
Washington: $8.12M Under the Cap.
Washington has room to make some upgrades, but since they are set at QB, HB, and #1 WR, they could focus on the O-line and still have money to spare.
New Orleans: $4.45M Under the Cap.
They were in much better shape before resigning Trent Dilfer, which still confuses us when we see how much they spent to sign Eli Manning. The good news for New Orleans is that they saved money on the Ricky Williams deal, and could cut him loose to open up even more money.
Michigan: $1.65M Under the Cap.
Michigan likely wishes they had more cap room, and they may get that if they can rework a few more contracts, but this may explain why they are letting two starting LBs go. It will free up room to bring in more young talent.
Eight Teams That Most Need to Cut Cap.
Seattle: $9.48M over the Cap.
Seattle invested in the present, and they will pay in the future. That seems to be the case to be sure, but the future is coming up quickly. They can rework a few contracts to get under the cap, but they are unlikely to be able to sign an big free agents this offseason.
New Jersey: $6.55M Over the Cap
The Generals are hoping that they can free up some space, and they do have some older, more expensive veterans sitting on their bench. That may bring about a bit of a purge as they try to free up space for the rookie class.
Boston: $5.76M Over the Cap.
Boston went all in to sign Chad Ochocinco last year, and that certainly paid off, but now they have to wonder where they are going to find cap room for this year. One possible solution is to rework Drew Bledsoe’s deal. An extension could spread out his cap hit over a couple more seasons.
Chicago: $4.44M Over the Cap.
Chicago will gain some ground when the departure of Duce Staley hits the books, as he was one of their most expensive players, but resigning Curtis Conway and adding Donald Driver from Orlando put them in a bit of a bind for this offseason.
Jacksonville: $3.75M Over the Cap.
The Bulls roster hardly seems to have the quality to merit being over the cap limit, but that is where they are. The Bulls need to rework quite a few contracts for players who just have not lived up to the cost. If they can do that, they will be fine.
Pittsburgh: $2.14M Over the Cap.
Another team who will likely pop under the cap thanks to one big move, allowing Andre Rison to go into free agency. The problem is, if they don’t resign him they benefit with some cap room, but how do they replace him on the field?
Tampa Bay: $2.06M Over the Cap.
Yup, that is mostly Daunte Culpepper money. But how do you judge them harshly for that when you see the results. A decent bit of money management, restructuring, and perpaps 1-2 free agency departures and the Bandits will be back under the limit.
Houston: $1.04M Over the Cap.
Being $1M over the cap is really not much of an issue for a USFL club. They can get back in compliance without too much cutting, and they really don’t have any huge deals to restructure. Assuming that the band-aid that was the Doug Flutie contract does not lead to a 2nd year for the 40-year old, that alone could help Houston get back in the black.
So much to say about these four games. So many stories, so many hopes. Let’s just get to it.
Saturday, June 26 @ 3pm ET
Alumni Stadium, Boston
Two very evenly matched teams record-wise, but two very different teams style-wise. Boston comes in with the league’s top scoring offense, averaging 33.6 PPG, while Pittsburgh lives through ball control and defense, giving up only 20.1 points per game. The Maulers love to run the ball with Terrell Davis and Kenny Bynum, second in the league at 124 yards per game. Boston can run too (110 per game) but it is their passing attack with Bledsoe to Ochocinco that has made them special this year, averaging aleague best 298 yards per game, practically a 300-yard average.
OUR PICK: We like the grit of the Maulers, but we think that Boston is going to be a lot to handle. We pick Boston to take this one 24-17.
Saturday, June 26 @ 7pm ET
Adelphia Stadium, Nashville
The fact that Houston is even here is a bit of a surprise. They average only 18 points per game on offense, and they have been without Matt Hasselbeck for the entire second half of the season. It looks like they might start 40-year old Doug Flutie, picked up only a little over a month ago after a 2-year hiatus. The reason Houston are here is that defense, 4th in the league with 49 sacks. As for Nashville, they are here for one reason, they can run the ball. Ahman Green has yet to resign with the club, and this could be his last game for the Knights, an absolute travesty if Nashville cannot sign him. Green can take over the game, and make life much easier for Todd Collins, because Houston cannot go all out on the pass rush if they have to worry about Green.
OUR PICK: We think Nashville’s strength feeds well into some issues for Houston’s defense. If the Gamblers cannot get a fierce pass rush going, they are far less effective. Do we think Flutie could pull out some magic? Maybe, but we tend to look at who has better odds, without counting on magic, so we are going with the Knights to pull this out, 19-16.
Sunday, June 27 @ 12pm ET
Ohio Stadium, Columbus
This game is all about the quarterbacks. Jeff George is scheduled to make the start, his first since his injury, while Kerry Collins cannot go in this one. That is a huge swing from what we might have expected earlier this season. Without Collins (or Galloway for that matter), the Glory are just not the same team that has consistently frustrated the Chicago Machine. This is Chicago’s chance to rise up, take it to the Glory, and knock their plans to threepeat to the curb. Of course, this assumes that Jeff George is truly ready to go and is not rushing back just to try to beat Ohio.
OUR PICK: We think Ohio is in real trouble in this one. Chicago’s defense can be brutal, and it is an aggression that Ohio QB Chris Redman has just not seen before. It’s only a slight upset because Vegas is also concerned about Ohio, but we will go with the upset and pick Chicago to win this one 20-13.
Sunday, June 27 @ 4pm ET
Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver
Trent Dilfer is able to play, and New Orleans will go with the vet, but going into Denver and snagging a win is not an easy feat. The Gold have one of the best defenses in the league yet again, ranked 4th in scoring and 3rd against the pass. They also know how to control the clock, third in the league with 115.8 yards per game on the ground and a short passing game that keeps the ball in their hands. New Orleans is without Ricky Williams (suspended) and Troy Davis (injured), so they are relying on Olandis Gary, Troy Hambrick, and Amos Zeroue to split carries. Averaging barely 80 yards per game on the ground, this will be up to Trent Dilfer to pull out with big plays in the passing game.
OUR PICK: We are just not sure how prepared Dilfer will be for the Denver defense, their pass rush, or the conditions at altitude. It is just so much easier for Denver to prepare for what New Orleans can do than for the Breakers to prepare for Denver, so we give the nod to the Gold, 24-18.