Week three brought us some shootouts, some close calls, a rare shutout, and a couple of upsets that make us scratch our heads. Are we ready to get on the bandwagon with Boston and Tampa Bay after 3-0 starts. Are we concerned about Memphis and Ohio? And are the Thunder proving to be a bad bet for Las Vegas? All this plus an odd contrast as Ricky Williams has a big game on Sunday only to have his appeal denied, ending his season Monday. Things are certainly heating up across the league as 2004 is proving to be a hard season to get a grasp on.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS 27 NEW JERSEY GENERALS 23
We start in the Meadowlands, where the matchup of the Bulls and Generals proved to be one of the week’s best games. New Jersey looked strong early but a furious comeback by the Bulls saw them sore the final 24 points of the game to stun the New Jersey faithful.
The game could not have started stronger for the homestanding Generals as they scored on a pick-six from Brian Dawkins on the opening drive for the Bulls. Jake Delhomme simply did not see Dawkins and the safety easily stepped in front of Javon Walker to steal the ball, leaving a clear path to the endzone 45 yards away. The Generals doubled their advantage the first time Tom Brady and the offense got the ball, a quick 6-play drive that ended with Brady finding Terry Glenn for 6.
The second quarter saw New Jersey expand the lead to 17 on a Ryan Longwell field goal before the Bulls got their first points of the game, a short Kris Brown kick. New Jersey responded with a 2nd Longwell kick to end the half, and at the break it was a 17-point lead for the home team, 20-3. New Jersey had racked dup 82 yards rushing in the first half, most coming from Curtis Enis, who would finish the day with 94 yards and a 5.9 average. Jacksonville, in contrast had gotten only 22 yards rushing as Antowain Smith found few holes in the General defense.
But halftime is a time for adjustments, and Jacksonville made a few important ones. First they changed up their defensive scheme, bringing the safeties up to defend the run more frequently in the 2nd half. On offense, they backed off the 2-back formations and went to more 3-receiver sets, allowing them to find receivers covered not by Deion Sanders and Mike Rumph, but by safeties or the nickel back.
The biggest change, however, was one of emotion. Following another New Jersey field goal, making the score 23-3, Jacksonville again looked flat, punting after only 1 first down gained on their first possession. But that all changed when Tom Brady tried to fit a ball in to his favorite receiver, Terry Glenn, only to have CB Antoine Winfield, a new member of the Bulls after playing for the NFL Bills, step in front of the pass and race it back for 6. The bang-bang play seemed to spark the Bulls, who would shut down Brady and the General offense for the rest of the half, and would start to show signs of offensive capacity.
Jacksonville would score on two consecutive drives, first a long Kris Brown field goal, and then a rare Edgar Bennett score as the fullback took a swing pass from Delhomme and rumbled to pay dirt. New Jersey still held a 23-20 lead with 2:17 left, but the air had left the stadium and the fans were visibly nervous as Jacksonville took over just outside of the two minute warning. As it turned out they were right to be nervous. The Bulls were feeling fully capable of scoring and New Jersey seemed deflated. It took Jacksonville 9 plays to upend the game, helped by a defensive holding call and an offsides that gave Delhomme a free play, one in which he connected for 21 yards with TE Jeb Putzier. Now inside the red zone, Jacksonville took two shots at the end zone, missing first on a pass to Boldin, but hitting on the second attempt, as Delhomme found Javon Walker for the game winner with only 26 seconds left on the clock.
The 27-23 final moved both teams to 2-1 on the season, but left very different tastes in the mouths of Coach Parcells and Coach Cunningham. New Jersey had 3-0 in their sights but one momentum shift and some 2nd half struggles and it flew out the window. Jacksonville showed grit and came back to win a game that seemed out of reach. Two very different results that could impact the fortunes of both teams.
LA 29 OAK 31
A shocker out on the West Coast as Dennis Green and the Invaders upended the Express thanks to 132 yards rushing from the combo of Salaam (70) and Fargas (67) as well as a defensive stand in the 4th quarter that sealed the game. It took a goalline stop on 4th and goal, but the Invaders celebrated a win over their rival thanks to a big stop by the defense, something we have not said about the Invaders in quite a while.
ARZ 17 DEN 24
The annual battle between the Wranglers and Gold goes to Denver this time around as Denver outlasted Arizona after knocking Jake Plummer out of the game with a possible concussion. Stephen Davis rushed for 114 yards as Coach Fassel continues to try to establish a run game in Arizona, but with Plummer out, the Wrangler offense fizzles in the 2nd half, allowing Denver to come back from a 17-7 deficit with two 2nd half Brunell TD tosses to claim the W.
SEA 36 LV 10
Staying out west, the home opener for the Las Vegas Thunder did not go as planned as the Dragons were in no mood to celebrate the relocation of their former regional rival. Three different running backs scored for the Dragons and the defense allowed Las Vegas only 129 yards passing on the day. Seattle built up a 24-7 lead over 3 quarters and we got to see Jeff Garcia in green and gold as they rested Byron Leftwich in the blowout win.
TEX 20 HOU 6
The Outlaws get their first win as it was Texas’s defense that shone brighter in NRG Stadium. Matt Hasselbeck was held under 200 yards and sacked 4 times, while Jeff Lewis went 24 of 34 for 220 and 2 scores. T.J. Duckett also busted off a couple of big runs on his way to 106 yards on the day as Texas held Houston to only 2 field goals in their in-state rivalry game.
BIR 16 MEM 0 Played in Little Rock.
Concerns about both Birmingham’s and Memphis’s offenses were not dispelled on this day as neither team looked capable of sustaining drives. In a game held in Little Rock due to Memphis's ongoing stadium construction, the two clubs both struggled to impress 37,200 who came out to watch them. A shut out is rare in the USFL, but the Memphis offense looked lost, gaining a grand total of 211 yards on the day. Heath Shuler was sacked 4 times, threw 2 picks, and completed only 12 of 26 attempts as Birmingham held them outside of the red zone for the full 60 minutes. A troubling start for sure for Coach Mora and the Showboats.
NOR 37 NSH 24
The 0-2 Breakers desperately needed a W and that meant upsetting the 2-0 Knights, which is exactly what they did. Ricky Williams rushed for 113 yards in what would end up being his last action of the season, while Trent Dilfer threw three scoring tosses as New Orleans figured out the Nashville defense and held off the Knights to claim their first win of the season.
OHI 28 PHI 41
A shocker in the Linc, as the Stars found big play after big play against the Ohio defense and stunned the Glory. Helped by a Mike Crawford pick-six and 3 TD runs from 2nd year back Larry Johnson, the Stars went step for step with the Glory offense, sacking Kerry Collins 5 times in a frustrating day for the 3-time MVP. Eddie George racked up nearly 200 yards, but the inability of the Glory defense to hold down the Stars was the downfall of the now 1-2 defending champs.
PIT 20 WSH 30
The Federals defended home turf with two picks of Charlie Batch and 112 yards rushing from Deuce McCallister. The Feds also got a big game from their top receiver as Deion Branch found room for 9 receptions and 136 yards, including a 2nd quarter TD that gave the home team a 24-6 lead at the break. The Maulers fought back, but Washington was able to retain the lead throughout and take the W.
TBY 35 MGN 28
Two teams with resurgent and redesigned offenses squared off in Ford Field, and Tampa Bay came out on top thanks to a pick-six (one of several this week) and a late Jeremy Shockey TD. Michigan’s Drew Brees, threw the ball 50 times on the day, completing 27 and surviving 5 sacks from the Tampa defense. But Shockey was the star of the day, catching 4 balls for 160 yards, thanks to a 75-yarder and a 33-yard score.
ORL 17 CHI 16
A week after knocking off the Glory, Chicago suffered a hangover game as they simply did not put away the 0-2 Renegades. Orlando hung around all day, and a late TD from Harrington to TE Ricky Dudley proved to be enough to topple the Machine. The Machine offense seemed out of synch all day, with Week 2’s hero, Michael Turner, averaging only 1.3 yards per carry on 15 attempts. Duce Staley did not fare much better, adding only 54 yards on 16 carries. Well below the combined 152 yards put up by Sedrick Irvin and R. J. Redmond.
BOS 48 BAL 31
Boston again scored over 40, but Baltimore hung in over 3 quarters before the Cannons pulled away. With the Baltimore D shutting down Chad Ochocinco (3 catches on the day), it fell on Tiki Barber (19 carries for 136 and 2 scores) and a surprising 6-catch, 104 yard day from TE James Whalen, but Boston still moved on to a 3-0 start.
What Is Wrong with the Showboats?
That is the question being asked all over the Mid-South. The Showboats had a disappointing 6-8 season last year after appearing in the Summer Bowl the year before, and now they not only start the year 0-3, but have a combined 18 points over their first three games. A humiliating home shutout to arch rival Birmingham has fans scrambling to point fingers, and a lot of those fingers are pointing at the Showboats’ offense.
Coach Mora has defended the team, but even he has to admit that averaging 6 points a game is not getting the job done. But how has this happened to a team that at one point not all that long ago was known for its prolific passing game? Attrition seems to be the common answer. Over the past two seasons, the Showboats have seen some of their biggest weapons depart in free agency. First it was Garrison Hearst, then Joe Horn left for Birmingham. So now the offense is relying on Justin McCaerins as its #1 receiver, has little behind him in the receiving corps, and has not found success on the ground with former Wrangler Dorsey Levins as the lead back. Simply put, the offense does not have weapons for former MVP Heath Shuler to utilize. You cannot base your entire offense on TE Adrian Cooper, who is also now over 30 and finding it tougher to break free against zones designed to rein him in.
There are no easy answers for Coach Mora and the Showboat front office. Expect some moves before the Week 10 trade deadline, but the team may need to look in a different direction come the offseason as a few bad years of free agency and poor drafts for offense have left the cupboard pretty bare.
Concerns in Columbus
The situation for the Ohio Glory is not quite as grim as for Memphis. They still have a lot of offensive firepower, and while they also suffered a 2-game losing streak last year before righting the ship and winning their 2nd title, things feel different this year. First off you have a defense that currently rates 22nd in points allowed, giving up nearly 30 per game. That is a concern to be sure, but what is perhaps more concerning is the fact that in their opening 3 games the Glory have yet to score 30 points, much less the 40 or more that was so common over the past 2 years.
A lot of armchair pundits are pointing at the loss of Chad Ochocinco as the reason. It does not help that the Boston Cannons, Ochocinco’s landing place, are looking more like the Glory than Ohio is. What is real is that teams are finding it easier to focus coverage on Joey Galloway and force Collins to hold the ball longer waiting for others to find space. Stephen Alexander is the top receiver for the Glory so far this year, and while Alexander is a fine tight end, the fact that he is leading the club with only 175 receiving yards is a bad sign that the offense is not where it needs to be. Do we believe the run of the Glory is over? No. This is still a very dangerous team, but what may have closed is the dominance we have seen over the past two seasons. The Glory may find themselves back in the thick of things come playoff time, but they will certainly have to fight a bit harder to keep winning. The dominant offense is not there and the defense is proving vulnerable as well.
On the Upside
After 3 games I think we have to say that the Bandits are feeling like a team reborn. The offense is averaging 31.7 points a game, second only to Boston’s offensive explosion. The defense is also Top 10 in scoring and is allowing under 80 yards a game rushing. I think we all expected Coach Spurrier to bring change to Tampa Bay, but their 3-0 start is faster and more profound change than we thought likely.
It does not hurt that the front office went big and brought in a verifiable superstar in QB Duante Culpepper. The NFL Vikings’ loss is certainly the gain for the Bandits. Spurrier has also reimagined the defense, putting more trust in TE Jeremy Shockey, who leads the club with 244 yards receiving. Coverage being forced to respect Shockey is also creating more deep ball opportunities for Randy Moss and former General Kevin Johnson, both of whom are averaging over 20 yards a reception.
On defense the revelation has been the pass rush, which does not have new talent, but a new scheme that has produced good results for Santana Dotson and John Copeland. The Bandits are blitzing less, dropping more defenders into coverage and trusting that their front 4 can get the job done. The results have been very good so far, with their first three opponents averaging 19 points per game, nearly 12 points fewer than the offense produces.
It is far too early to appoint Coach Spurrier the Coach of the Year, but it certainly helps to have a coach who is already in the Hall of Fame at the helm. The Bandits are responding to the new philosophy and the love of Bandit Ball feels like it is back in full force on the Gulf Coast.
Williams sidelined by the League
On Monday HB Ricky Williams received the news that most expected but which he and the rest of the Breakers were dreading: his suspension was upheld and effective immediately. That means that New Orleans loses their lead rusher for the rest of the season. Williams’s second suspension for use of marijuana leave the Breakers in a rough position. Backup Troy Davis sat out this week due to a pinched nerve, and while he is expected to be able to play in Week 4, he is hardly a 20-carry a game back. That leaves New Orleans with Troy Hambrick as their next best option. They signed former Renegade and General Amos Zeroue off the street, but Zeroue has not carried the ball since week 5 of 2002, so do not expect him to be the focus of the Breakers’ run game. A move may need to be made to acquire a viable back, and that could be a tough sell for teams across the league who rarely have spare halfbacks to offer up.
And for Williams, this suspension could not be worse. This was a contract year for the former Texas Longhorn. He had put up strong games the first three weeks of the year, averaging nearly 80 yards per game and going over 100 yards in both Week 2 and 3. Now he has to sit out the rest of the season, and the risk is very real that New Orleans will opt not to resign the talented, but problematic back. There is a very real chance that Ricky Williams has played his last game in New Orleans.
Sometimes the injury list and how you read it depends on your situation. This week we saw no players placed on IR, which is a very good thing, but quite a few teams saw players go down with injuries that could cost them 1-4 weeks, which, if the season is at a pivotal juncture for them, could be a very bad thing. Nashville and Oakland potentially lost two players each for the next 1-4 weeks, which, considering their current status as 2-1 teams, could be a factor for the next few games. Nashville will be without CB Otis Smith (Doubtful) this week as well as WR Dereck Mason (Questionable). Oakland will not have Henri Crockett (Q) or LB Roosevelt Colvin (Q) for at least a week as well. Short term issues but losing two starting LB’s in the same week is a concern to be sure.
Others with longer recovery needed include Jacksonville CB Antoine Winfield (2-4 weeks, wrist), Philadelphia WR Steve Smith (2-4, arm), Houston rookie WR Roy Williams (2-4, foot), LA tackle Kenyatta Jones (1-2 weeks, back), and Arizona could be without both QB Jake Plummer (Probable-shoulder) and wideout Tim Dwight (Q, wrist). And finally, Memphis, who can ill afford any injuries, will miss LT Mike Gandy, doubtful with what appears to be turf toe, a rare injury for a lineman.
Best HOF Class Ever?
The USFL revealed this week the 12 players who have been named semifinalists for the Class of 2004 and this may well be the greatest first year class of all time. That is bad news for players in their 2nd or 3rd year of eligibility, whose odds greatly dropped of making the Hall. Of the 12 players named as semi-finalists, only 3 are returnees for a 2nd or 3rd go. Nine of 12 slots were taken by first year eligible players, which also means that even if all 5 slots were to go to first year nominees, 4 would not make the cut. Looking at the list, we simply don’t see how any of the 2nd or 3rd year nominees will supplant one of the top 5 first year nominees. Here are the 12 players named, in the order we think they have of making the hall, from nearly guaranteed to the longest odds.
1. QB Jim Kelly (Houston Gamblers 1984-1996*):
Many were surprised that Kelly did not appear on the HOF nominee list until this year, Kelly among them, but some inconsistencies with his official retirement paperwork mean that the All-USFL QB who left the field in 1996 officially did not qualify as a 1996 retiree, but as a 1999 candidate, a delay that was not taken well by the 3-time league champion. But, this year he is finally eligible and he is an absolute shoe-in as a first ballot Hall of Famer. In addition to leading one of the most prolific offenses in league history, and taking the Gamblers to the top of the mountain in 1988, 1992 and 1996. Over his 13-season career, Kelly was named All-USFL 10 times and was the original 3x MVP, long before Kerry Collins repeated the feat. Kelly sits 3rd in league history in passing yards, behind only Brett Favre and Doug Flutie, is 2nd with 412 touchdowns, and has more rings than Flutie and Favre combined. This is a no brainer.
2. DE Reggie White (Memphis Showboats 1984-1999):
White is another easy first ballot candidate. A 12 time All-USFL winner, and the only defensive player ever named season MVP (1990), White began his career when the USFL was still a risky proposition, but he came to the expansion Showboats, won Defensive Rookie of the Year and set himself up as one of the league’s biggest stars. White set the early record at the time of his retirement with a devastating 259 career sacks (since surpassed by Phil Hansen), but for all his accolades as a defensive superstar, White is best known for his qualities as a man, his faith, and his community engagement. He will be enshrined this year. You can bet on it.
3. HB Robert Drummond (Portland Thunder, 1989-1999):
Coming into the league just as the league reached its status as a big league, Drummond was part of the second wave of big name backs, and one of the best. Drummond is currently 4th all time in rushing yards, trailing only HOF backs Rozier, Walker, and Bryant. His 12,824 yards in 11 seasons means he average more than 1,000 yards per year. He never won a title out in Portland, but was named Offensive Player of the Year in both 1995 and 1997 and was named to 4 All-USFL teams. His best season was in 1997, when he rushed for 1,710 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 18 touchdowns in 1995 remains tied (with Errict Rhett’s 2000 season) as the record for a halfback. Drummond feels like a third automatic first ballot candidate to us.
4. TE Keith Jackson (Memphis 1988-1993, Denver 1994-1999):
One of the premier tight ends for over a decade, Jackson had two careers that most dream of, one each with Memphis and Denver. Jackson retired with 1,063 receptions for 8,542 yards and 49 touchdowns, all marks which are astronomical for the Tight End position. Named All-USFL four times, Jackson appeared in two Summer Bowls, one with each of his clubs, but came out on the losing side both times. Last year we saw the first TE to enter the Hall in Shannon Sharpe. This year we could well see the 2nd.
5. WR Cris Carter (Portland 1990-1993, Philadelphia 1994-1999):
A 4-time All-USFL receiver, Carter will always be known for his toe-touching sideline catches and his ability to find the endzone. “All he does is catch touchdowns” was meant at first as a dig, but became a credo for the charismatic Carter. He won a title with the Stars in 1994, his first year with the club. His best season from a numbers standpoint was his last, 1999, when he caught 125 balls for 1,374 yards. He topped 1,000 yards 8 times in his 10 seasons, and was over 100 receptions 8 times as well. A prolific receiver who never was seen as a speed merchant, but is considered to have the best body control of any receiver the league has ever seen. Is that 5 first-ballot entrants? Really?
6. LB Dino Hackett (Pittsburgh 1986-1991, New Jersey 1992-1999):
Another two-team, two-career superstar, Dino Hackett came into the league as the Defensive Rookie of the Year with Pittsburgh in 1986. He would later win Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 with the Generals. Hacket was the consummate “thumper”, a linebacker known for his omnipresence around the ball and his ability to force the ball out, causing 33 fumbles in his career. He retired in 1999 with 966 tackles, 41 sacks, and 9 picks. Hackett was named a team captain 7 times, and while he never won a title with either the Maulers or Generals, he is a very worthy candidate for the Hall, but very well may have to wait a year to get the call.
7. OT Emory Yates (Birmingham 1985-1996, Philadelphia 1997-1999):
We have seen a run on offensive linemen these past two seaosns, but despite Yates’ strong career, it feels difficult to imagine he gets in with this year’s grouping of superstars. A stalwart at LT for the Birmingham Stallions for nearly a decade, Yates was the proverbial “brick wall” protecting Cliff Stoudt and Brett Favre from harm. In a career that spanned 15 years, Yates is cited as having given up a sack only 28 times, fewer than 2 per season. He started 217 of his 222 games in the league and won a title in 1993 with the Stallions. We see Yates as a Hall of Famer, but we also think he may have to wait until 2005 to see that made reality.
8. Chris Dishman (Philadelphia 1988-1990, Birmingham 1992-1999):
A donut career, starting with Philadelphia, with a 1-year hiatus as he dipped his toe into the NFL before returning to the spring with Birmingham in 1992, Chris Dishman was an athletic, often gruff, always effective cornerback for over a decade of USFL action. Dishman won a title with the Stallions in ’93 and was named All-USFL twice, both with Birmingham. He retired with 819 tackles and 38 career picks. We like Chris, but we do not see it happening this year.
9. TE Ben Coates (Tampa Bay Bandits 1991-1999):
A very solid blocker and receiver for the Bandits over 10 seasons, but in a year where Keith Jackson is on the ballot, it will be hard for Coates to make headway. The big man in the middle for Tampa Bay retired with 505 receptions, 6,934 yards, and 57 career touchdowns, including a stunning 1998 championship season when Coates caught 17 touchdowns from QB Troy Aikman. A 3-time All-USFL selection over his 10 year career, Coates is deserving of consideration, but we think he will fall short this round.
10. DE Charles Haley (Washington 1986-1992, Arizona 1993-1997):
With 162 sacks to his name, Haley was certainly feared as a player, but in his 3rd year of eligibility the odds look stacked against the former Federal and Wrangler. It does not help Haley’s case that he was opposite Dexter Manley for most of his career. Seen as the “other guy” in those fierce Federal defenses may hurt Haley, who proved he could do it as the top guy in his final years in Arizona. Haley was a 4 time All-USFL selection and won a title in 1990 with the Feds, but he may not be wearing a gold jacket in October based on this year’s tough nominee pool.
11. QB Cliff Stoudt (Birmingham 1984-1994, Atlanta 1995-1997):
Stoudt feels like the Ken Stabler of the USFL. A wildly popular player, especially in the South, who does not have the stats of others but keeps getting nominated by writers and fans alike. Stoudt is not in Kelly’s league, and even trails other eligible players like Chuck Long and Jack Trudeau statistically, but he is seen as an early pioneer of the NFL player willing to take a chance on the USFL, and he did the tough thing and stepped back, serving as mentor to a young Brett Favre, a gesture that won him a ring in 1993, but from the bench.
12. HC Ted Marchibroda (Pittsburgh Maulers 1988-1996):
Another really likable guy and a great offensive mind, Marchibroda led the Maulers from obscurity to a title in 1995. Retired from coaching officially in 1997, Ted remains a regular consultant for teams across the league (maybe Jim Mora should bring him in in Memphis) and will always be a revered figure in Mauler lore, but it seems his window may be closing as a HOF candidate.
Week 4 is full of Inter-Conference Clashes worth tuning in for. One of the best is a cross-country trek for Tampa Bay, as they travel about as far as they can in the league and visit the Dragons in Seattle. Boston makes an equally lengthy trip as they head out to Los Angeles to face Cade McNown and the Express. That game could reach 100 total points if the winds are moderate. Surprising Oakland will have a tough test as they host the Bulls, while Orlando, fresh off their first win of the season is in Las Vegas, where the Thunder have yet to crack the win column.
Philadelphia could move to 3-1 if they can put up points against that tough Houston defense in NRG Stadium. New Jersey will be tested as well as they head out to Denver to face the Gold. Baltimore is in Tempe, where the Wranglers are hoping to reach .500 with a win. Pittsburgh travels to New Orleans and will face the Breakers, who will start a new era without Ricky Williams behind QB Trent Dilfer. Ohio tries to get back on track, but faces the tough defense of the Knights in Nashville. Memphis is at home, where a riled-up fan base may not take well to an 0-4 start. They face the Panthers, who are hoping to reach .500 with a win. Finally, Chicago has to regroup after their surprising loss to the Renegades as they travel to Birmingham to face the Stallions.