A rough week for last year's division winners, especially in the East, as four of six 2003 Division winners, The best of the games saw Chicago finally get over the hump and knock off the Ohio Glory with a win in Columbus. Washington also fell to their top challenger as the Generals went into RFK and edged the Federals, and Jacksonville fell victim to Coach Spurrier's reinvented Bandits. Out West, New Orleans continued to struggle, falling to the Dragons despite another 100-yard game from embattled HB Ricky Williams. LA and Denver got big wins, so it was not a total wash for the former division winners, but with 4 of 6 losing, this past week was a sign that 2004 could be a wide open race across the league.
CHICAGO MACHINE 26 OHIO GLORY 20
It has been a rough couple of seasons for Chicago when they face the Ohio Glory. Regardless of their success against the rest of the league, the Glory found a way to knock them off, leading to 5 consecutive wins against their division foes. In Ohio’s undefeated 2002 seaoson, Chicago gave them two of their toughest fights, but still could not get over the hump. That reality was in the minds of every one of the Machine players who made the trip to Columbus for an early season matchup with their division rivals.
The Machine came into the game convinced they had the talent to beat the Glory, and they started the game showing just how focused they were to knocking off the 1-0 Glory. Chicago took the opening kickoff and in 7 plays stormed down the field and put points on the board, a 2-yard Duce Staley Run to take a 7-0 lead as fans still streamed into the stadium. The Machine defense would also start out strongly, stuffing Eddie George on a 3rd and 2 to force a 3-and-out. But Chicago as well was unable to move the ball on their 2nd drive. But, after 5 Ohio plays, the Glory would again have to punt, and on their third drive, Chicago unleashed a new weapon, rookie HB Michael Turner. Turner rushed the ball 3 times on the drive, gaining 19 yards, and scoring on a 6-yard TD run to put Chicago up 14-0. Turner would prove to be a valuable weapon for Chicago as he rushed the ball 17 times, averaged 5.2 yards per carry and forced Ohio to respect the run game of the Machine.
The Glory would finally get started as the 2nd quarter wound down, using a 2-minute drill to move the ball into the red zone before Collins hit WR Troy Brown with a fade route for six points. John Carney slipped on the PAT and it sailed right, giving Chicago a 14-6 lead at the half. The Machine would hold that lead in what appeared to be a scoreless third quarter. Neither team moved the ball well, but as the quarter was winding down, a well-placed punt by Chicago put the ball at the 3-yard line. On what appeared to be an attempt to run a counter to George, QB Kerry Collins got his foot caught under the foot of his guard, and fell to the ground, touched by Chicago DT Darwin Walker, it was a safety, and after 3 Chicago had a 10-poiont lead, 16-6.
The Chicago lead would increase as Ohio punted the ball away after the safety and Chicago, despite struggling to move into the red zone, still managed a 42 yard Tim Seder field goal, to go up by 13 with 13:17 left to play. Ohio would show signs of life on their next drive as a sense of urgency took over the Glory. They moved the ball down field over 10 plays, with Collins hitting TE Stephen Alexander from 28-yards out to close the gap to 6 at 19-13. Alexander would be key to Ohio’s comeback attempt, and would finish the day with 119 yards receiving as Chicago limited Joey Galloway to only 1 catch on the day.
Now up only 6, Chicago was at risk of seeing their lead disappear with one Ohio drive. Having felt that pain many times over the past 2 years, Chicago knew that their best chance to get the win was to stay aggressive. They did just that, with the Machine offense mixing Staley and Turner runs with completions to Jim Kleinsasser and Curtis Conway as Chicago both ate clock and moved the ball deep into Ohio territory. On a 2nd and 2, the Machine opted to go for the win, and Jeff George found Conway on a corner route that caught Ohio out of position. The Machine bumped their lead back up to 13 and with only 3:26 left, Ohio would need help to get back in this one.
Ohio found answers in their next drive, moving the ball quickly and decisively as they went from their own 17 all the way down the field and scored on a Collins to Derek Brown pass with 1:28 left to play, but with no time outs left, they would need the onside kick to have any chance. The Machine put in their hands team, and when Carney pooched the ball it was SS Coy Wire who fell on it for Chicago. Two victory formation plays later, the Machine had beaten the Glory for the first time in 3 years and, in so doing, the Machine took hold of a share of first place, a game up on their perennial rivals.
BAL 31 PHI 34
Ben Roethlisberger’s first start was solid, producing 3 TDs, and Ron Dayne rushed for 203 yards in an impressive display against the Stars’ defense, but it was not enough as Larry Johnson had 2 TDs and the Stars got a pick 6 early to help upend the Blitz and take the win in a an exciting back and forth game.
NJ 24 WSH 21
Touchdowns from Curtis Enis and Olandis Gary helped New Jersey edge the Washington Federals in RFK. As with the Blitz and Stars, the big numbers came from the losing team as Kordell Stewart threw for 2 scores while also running for 114 yards, including a 55-yard TD run, but the Federals fell short as New Jersey forced 3 turnovers to take the W.
TBY 27 JAX 19
A big home win for the Bandits as they move to 2-0 and knock off last year’s division champion. Duante Culpepper went 15 of 28 for 247 and 2 scores, and Willis McGahee rushed for 94 yards to help pace the Bandits offense, but it was their defense that came up big, limiting the Bulls rushing attack to only 92 total yards and picking off Jake Delhomme to seal the win in the final minute of the game.
ARZ 26 BIR 13
The Wranglers rebounded from an opening day loss with a solid game on both sides of the ball. Jake Plummer stayed in the pocket and completed 82% of his passes (27 of 33) for 327 and touchdown tosses to rookie Larry Fitzgerald and slot receiver Bobby Wade as Arizona doubled up the Stallions.
SEA 31 NOR 16
The Dragons got a big road win and pushed the Breakers to 0-2 as Byron Leftwich threw for 309 yards and 3 touchdowns on the day. David Boston had a strong game, with 102 yards and a score on only 5 catches. Trent Dilfer threw 2 TDs but his 3 picks helped Seattle to some quick points, with 21 of their 31 points coming off 4 Breaker turnovers. Ricky Williams did play, rushing for 105 on 26 carries as his case with the league is being appealed.
DEN 23 MEM 9 (Played @ U. Mississippi)
Memphis's series of home-away-from home games did not start off well as they had another bad week for the Memphis offense playing in Oxford, MS as the Liberty Bowl continues with renovations. Denver limited the Showboats to only 275 total yards. The Denver run game also had a strong day with Smart and Holcombe combining for 143 yards on the ground. Add in two touchdown tosses, both to Denver tight ends, and you have a convincing win for the Gold.
MGN 14 PIT 27
Pittsburgh got 1st quarter scores from Davis and WR Nate Burleson and never looked back as they kept the Panthers at arm’s length all afternoon. Davis was the workhorse, rushing 29 times for 155 yards, while Michigan quickly abandoned the run and tried to come back in the air. Hines Ward caught 10 balls for 131 and a score, but it just was not enough.
BOS 48 ORL 15
Another clinic put on by the Cannon offense as Drew Bledsoe went 13 of 18 for 222 and 3 scores. Tiki Barber got involved in the passing game, catching 3 balls for 56 yards and 2 scores as Boston showed a style of play that very much reminded many of the Glory. Four picks by Orlando’s Joey Harrington did not help and earned the 3rd year QB a rating of 29.3 for the game.
HOU 15 LA 35
DeShaun Foster found plenty of holes in Houston’s D, rushing for 152 on 22 carries as the Express blew past the Gamblers. Cade McNown also had a strong game, throwing for 4 scores, including 2 to Tory Holt, highlighted by a 98 yard pass on a 2nd and 10 from their own 2 yard line. It was 28-0 at the half and LA just went into cruise control for the remaining 30 minutes to earn the W.
LAS 3 NSH 27
Nashville’s rebuilt defense seems to be proving effective as they held the Thunder to only 227 total yards. Ahman Green rushed for 129 and 2 scores for the Knights but it was the defense that impressed the most, with KGB landing his first sack of the season and LB Kevin Hardy picking off Akili Smith to seal the win.
TEX 14 OAK 31
Both Trent Green and Rashaan Salaam had very solid games in the Oakland home opener, with Salaam going over 100 yards for the first time since his suspension. The former Denver Gold back rushed 24 times for 114 yards and a score. Green added 249 passing and touchdown tosses to Plaxico Burress and Dante Stallworth in a 3-phase win for the Invaders.
SLOW STARTS IN THE SOUTH
With three of four Southern Division teams starting the season 0-2, fans in Dixie are getting anxious. Both Memphis and Birmingham fans have to be concerned about the lack of offensive production by their clubs. The Showboats have scored only 18 points in two games, while Birmingham has a slightly better 29. With Nashville now 2-0, the rest of the division, including Conference Champion New Orleans, will need to get things turned around fast.
On the opposite side of the spectrum we have the Central Division ,where Pittsburgh and Chicago are both off to strong 2-0 starts, and no team in the division is 0-2. Chicago’s win this week over the Glory was particularly important as Ohio had been dominant over the Machine over the past 3 seasons. An early season win by the Machine could set the tone for a much closer divisional race this year. And as if that were not trouble enough for the Ohio Glory, Pittsburgh is also looking very strong, scoring 51 points in their first 2 games while giving up only 24. Even Michigan has looked improved, though their loss this week to the Maulers was a bit one-sided.
Williams Appeal Still Ongoing
We were concerned last week that the league could slap Ricky Williams with a full season suspension, and that did come down as the verdict on Friday, but an immediate appeal was entered to league officials and so we now find ourselves waiting again to see if and when a decision will come. It has been verified that once again the issue with Williams is another failed drug test for marijuana, but as a second offense the league’s CBA with the union clearly allows for the possibility of a season-long ban. We are not sure what defense Williams is mounting in his appeal, and it may well be that we won’t get a decision before this week’s upcoming game against Nashville, a vital divisional clash, but we do expect a verdict within the next few days.
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
The Boston Cannons are off to a blazing start, 2-0 and leading the league with 89 points scored in two games. How are they doing it? Well, to all observers Coach Bicknell is simply mimicking the formula that has worked so well for the Ohio Glory. It does not hurt that the Cannons’ new star wideout was with Ohio the past two years and can help the offense with the schemes that have been so effective in Columbus. The formula is really not that complex: establish an inside/outside run game, then use that to free up receivers in a combination of deep and intermediate patterns, always with the back available as a dump down option. Tiki Barber is a solid receiver out of the backfield, as is Eddie George, and clearly Chad Ochocinco is every bit the #1 receiver Boston hoped he would be.
Boston will be tested over the next few weeks as they face tough defenses in Baltimore (this week), followed by a trip to LA and then off to Jacksonville, but what we have seen this year has been impressive, and it is a formula we know can work and work well.
QBs Scramble to Survive
That is the feel in the league this year as pass rush has become the key to pretty much every defense. We have seen sacks rise across the league, and we now have 20 different players with 2 sacks apiece. In some cases it is through the blitz as linebackers like Allen Aldridge (JAX), Chris Claiborne (BOS), Dexter Coakley (ORL), and Zach Thomas (ORL as well), are in the cluster of 2-sack leaders. We even have several strong safeties with 2 sacks apiece, including Troy Polamalu (LA) and Chris Carter (HOU). Good news for defensive coordinators, but bad for QBs to be sure. Only 2 weeks in and Chicago already has 13 sacks on the board, holding the league lead by 2 sacks over Baltimore. And with sacks come fumbles. New Jersey has already forced 7 in their first two games, as well as defensive scores. Both Boston and New Jersey have multiple defensive scores in the season’s opening weeks. A bad sign for offensive linemen, who might want to work on their coordination of blocking as teams are going to keep pressuring as long as it provides results and wins.
A rough week on the injury front as the 2004 seasons is proving to be a particularly troubling one from the injury standpoint. We had our first two players placed on IR as both Pittsburgh guard Rod Milstead and Philly SS Marlon McCree suffered season-ending injuries. Jacksonville had a second defensive player who could miss 12 or more weeks as DE Bryant McNeal suffered an ACL injury that will require a lot of rehab for the big man.
Tampa Bay took a big hit as guard Steve Hutchinson could miss as much as 2 months after suffering a shoulder injury. In Las Vegas, veteran LB Lewis Bush is also expected to miss 6-8 weeks after he broke his wrist, falling awkwardly on the arm. Memphis will also miss a key defender, losing DE Dameaion Jeffries to bulging disc. Houston lost two key players for at least a month this week as rookie WR Roy Williams suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and 2nd year LB Nick Barnett suffered a shoulder injury that could require a month or more before he can resume action. Tackle also seems to be a rough position in the USFL as we saw 3 leave the field with an injury, though none is expected to miss more than a game or two. Among those out next week we have Orlando’s Kyle Turley, Seattle’s Lomas Brown, and Pittsburgh’s Kyle Stringer.
Among those to keep an eye on as Questionable to play, we have HB Corey Dillon of Seattle, HB Troy Davis in New Orleans, and WR’s Donald Hayes (NJ) and Cedrick Tillman (WSH). QB Charlie Batch and Ryan Leaf are two signal callers who could be out this week. Leaf was upgraded to “Questionable” while Batch is listed as “Probable” for Week 3.
We are two weeks away from the Spring Owners Meeting of the league and there are several topics on tap this year. First and foremost, of course, is the proposed set of TV deals under consideration for 2005-2010. Once again we have ABC/ESPN, Fox, and NBC all on tap, looking to retain their roles as the broadcasters of the league. With no bid incoming from CBS, we do not expect a shift in coverage, with NBC sticking with its Friday Night game, ABC and FOX splitting the Saturday and Sunday afternoon games, and ESPN remaining the broadcaster for both Saturday Night Football and Sunday Night Football. The only real drama here is that of just how money is to be involved in the three contracts, and what, if any,pressure will the three network partners put on the USFL in regards to their 14-week season vs the past years of 16 weeks, and the potential expansion sites.
All three broadcast partners would almost certainly prefer a return to a 16-week season, reducing gaps between USFL and NFL coverage. It is also clear that all three, while happy to see St. Louis and Atlanta returning to the league, would also love to see the 2008 expansion move the league into new (and preferably larger) markets. While Neilson reporting has shown that with teams in Houston and San Antonio, viewership in Dallas has been solid despite no team in the city, and a similar situation seems to exist in Miami, with many fans there already following one of Florida’s three clubs. So, which markets are lagging? The Upper Midwest is a concern, with only Chicago and Michigan in the area. We expect that a club that would draw fans from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the plains would be beneficial. The other area that could expand USFL numbers nationwide is if the team had a club in the Carolinas and/or Tidewater region. There are reports that both Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham have interested groups, but these have not yet produced a clear frontrunner for a Carolina-based franchise.
The topic of the 2008 expansion is not on the table for the owners yet, as they have to focus on the 2006 proposals first. Expect some preliminary discussions of both St. Louis and Atlanta in this spring’s meetings. The latest rumor regarding Atlanta is that the group headed up by Jim Kennedy of Cox Media has an initial agreement in the works with the Georgia Dome. Having a stadium deal in place would be a huge step forward for Atlanta, and having it be the NFL Falcons’ home, a climate-controlled stadium, could be a big deal if a Summer Bowl hosting opportunity is on the table. After several very hot, very humid Summer Bowls in the South, having a dome would certainly be a plus.
As for St. Louis, we know the stadium is there, and the city and stadium authority is ready to deal, the question is who is going to step up to form an ownership group. There have been conversations with both David Steward, CEO of World Wide Technologies and with Johnny Morris, CEO and founder of the Bass Pro sporting goods store chain. We have been unable to obtain any information as to the seriousness of either bid, or if there is a possibility of a joint proposal. As of right now, the USFL has been mum on any talks, and proposals are not due until September, so we may not know much until then.
Finally, the USFL is expected to look at two significant rule change proposals coming from the Competition Committee. The first would potentially remove the PAT from the game, leading to a system with a 1-point play from the 2 yard line and a 2-point play now moved to the 5 yard line. It appears that the near 100% PAT rate is simply viewed as boring and that a movement to plays from scrimmage are seen as more dramatic. Will this get the votes it needs? Hard to say, but any change of this level tends to require time and consideration to get votes. The second rule is less likely to be controversial as it would benefit owners. The competition committee is hoping to adjust the rules around QB play and roster spots, essentially maxing out the active QB list at 2 and setting up a situation where each team’s 3rd QB would be considered a practice squad player, who would dress and be eligible as an emergency QB, but would only get paid based on the active player rate in their contract in games where they were called into action as an emergency 3rd QB. What this basically does is has a 3rd QB available if needed, but paid at the much lower rate that practice squad players make. While owners may love this idea, expect some pushback from the USFLPA, especially as it hears from players like Koy Detmer, Shaun Hill, Elvis Grbac, and other 3rd stringers who would be looking at a potential major pay cut. The concern that could be raised is one of competitiveness, because if the NFL does not have a similar practice, the USFL could see themselves losing backup QB’s to the fall league, not an insignificant concern.
Week Three puts the Western Conference into their first divisional games of the season. The big game among the 12 Western clubs has to be the showdown of the New Orleans Breakers (0-2) and the Knights (2-0) in Nashville. The Breakers did not expect to be winless after 2 weeks, and with Ricky Williams possibly playing his last game of the season, to lose here to the undefeated Knights would put a huge damper on the Breakers’ chances to return to the Summer Bowl. In other Southern action, both Birmingham and Memphis cannot afford a 3rd straight loss to open the year. Both clubs have been looking far less explosive than anticipated, but they both need to come out strong this week.
In the Southwest, we have an always-entertaining Wrangler-Gold matchup at Invesco Field, and a Battle of Texas in Houston as the Outlaws visit the 1-2 Gamblers. Out on the Coast, it is the first ever game for the Thunder at Sam Boyd, and with only 30,000 seats available, expect a full house as Las Vegas hosts the Seattle Dragons. In the other matchup the LA Express head up to Oakland to face Dennis Green and the new look Invaders.
In the East, we have some good inter-divisional matchups, headlined by Pittsburgh putting their 2-0 record up against the Washington Federals at RFK. There are several 2-0 teams hoping to make it 3-0 this week. Boston takes their early success to Baltimore to face the Blitz and rookie Ben Roethlisberger. New Jersey hosts the Jacksonville Bulls in a 2003 playoff replay. Chicago gets the 0-2 Orlando Renegades at Soldier Field, and the Steve Spurrier-led Bandits visit the Michigan Panthers. The only game not involving a 2-0 club is Ohio visiting Philadelphia, where the Glory hope to rediscover their offensive rhythm after a tough loss to Chicago this week.
Excellent update!!!