A week that saw a lot of roster maneuvers and demonstrated the value of the QB position as both Chicago and Houston made moves to shore up the position, Las Vegas and Orlando, after suffering another loss each, announce that they will be going in another direction, and Ryan Leaf talks himself out of a job. All this plus two teams make moves to solidify their chances for a possible playoff run, and one of the league’s two undefeated teams falls at home. We start there, with the Machine, playing with a backup QB, use every tool they have to slow down the Boston Cannons.
CHICAGO MACHINE 22 BOSTON CANNONS 20
A monster day on defense, including 9 points cored by the defenders, help Chicago pull off a major upset against the previously unbeaten Cannons. Chicago came in an 11-point underdog, largely due to the loss of Jeff George and the first ever career start for Ray Lucas as factors. They left with their 5th victory and retain a one-game lead on the Ohio Glory with the win. Boston, having been averaging over 40 points per game, simply could not get through or around the Chicago pressure. The Cannons converted only 2 of 10 third down plays all year, and while they had some explosive moments, they also turned the ball over to Chicago in ways that hurt the team.
Chicago’s defensive fortitude was evident from the game’s first drive, when Brian Urlacher stepped in front of a pass intended for Boston TE Stephen Alexander and ran it back to put Chicago up 7-0. It was the first of several mistakes by the Cannons on the day, with much of the issue being an inability for their line to provide Bledsoe to hit on deep routes. Chicago got to Bledsoe often, sacking the MVP candidate five times, including two from DT Darwin Walker. Bledsoe was hit on almost every play when he dropped back as Chicago was relentless with blitzes and disguised coverages.
On their second possession, Boston managed to move the ball much better, using Tiki Barber as a counter to the Chicago blitz, and when Mike Cloud plunged into the endzone from the 2-yard line, Boston evened the score. As the first quarter ended, Chicago moved into field goal range and ended the quarter with a 47-yard Tim Seder kick.
Chicago held Boston scoreless in the second quarter, limiting the Cannons to only 54 yards in the period, while also adding another score to move the lead to 17-7 at the break. The score came at the end of a 15-play drive, conducted mostly on the ground with alternating carries from Duce Staley and Michael Turner. Staley would get the scoring run and Chicago would confidently go into the locker rooms up 10.
The third quarter would see Boston get back in it in a style we have become accustomed to, a 68-yard bomb to Chad Ochocinco on a beautiful play fake to Barber. It would be the only play over 30 yards all day for the Cannons, and that proved to be an issue as long drives were nearly impossible to put together. The game stayed 17-14 well into the final period, when a muffed punt left Ohio with the ball on their own 3 yard line. They made the predictably safe call and handed off to Tike Barber in the endzone, but the line missed a block and Chicago LB Tommy Polley, coming on a run blitz, was in the backfield just as Barber got the ball. Dropped immediately, it was a safety, and Chicago moved up by 5, a safety that would prove to be essential to their victory.
Boston recovered, and on their next drive, took the lead for the first time all day. They were patient and moved the ball in small chunks, leading to a Tiki Barber TD that gave them a slim 20-19 lead with 1:42 left to play. It would be up to backup QB Ray Lucas to get Chicago into field goal range, or at least that was the expectation. Lucas had completed only 17 of 32 passes, mostly dump passes to backs and his TE, so the thought of a long game winning drive with less than 2 minutes left seemed a big ask.
But, that ask never got made as Chicago kick returner Dante Hall found a seem and avoided contact with any Boston tacklers until he was into Chicago territory. He would be tackled at the 22 yard line of Boston. Lucas would hand off three times to drain some clock, and, with the ball now back at the 26, Chicago would line up to win with a walk-off field goal. Tim Seder connected and Chicago celebrated as the score gave the 2-point victory to the visitors.
MGN 23 JAX 22
Drew Brees and the Panthers fell behind 22-3 and then mounted an impressive comeback as they went to the no-huddle for most of the fourth quarter. Brees connected with three different receivers on short TD passes in a span of 11 minutes to shock the Bulls in Jacksonville and take their 2nd win of the season. Hines Ward would lead all receivers with 108 yards, as Brees used 9 different receivers in the game.
PHI 20 ORL 17
The Stars edge the Renegades to move to 3-3 with Amani Toomer playing a big role, catching 8 balls for 107 and a TD. A late Larry Johnson TD reception, a rarity for the big man, was the deciding score in a game that saw Coach O’Leary pull Joey Harrington late in the game and give former NFL QB Jeff Blake the offense.
WSH 23 TBY 25
A huge confidence booster for the Bandits as they beat the always-tough Federals and move to 6-0 despite converting on only 2 of 12 third downs. Deion Branch had a big game for the Feds, with 121 yards, but the defense could not stifle the Bandits’ new offense, with Duante Culpepper connecting with Randy Moss for a score and the defense added a score thanks to Chidi Iwoma’s pick six. Tampa, thanks to Boston’s loss, now takes over sole possession of first in the Southeast, and is the final unbeaten club after a 4-10 season in 2003.
BAL 7 OHI 36
Ben Roethlisberger got the start and struggled, throwing two picks as Ohio dominated. Kerry Collins threw for 284 and 3 scores, and Eddie George rushed 22 times for 105 as the Glory looked very much like a defending champion. The game was not exactly an exciting affair, but the post-game hysterics from Ryan Leaf were more than enough excitement. Tom Coughlin being who he is did not waste any time rectifying the situation, as we will explore in this week’s league stories.
NJ 22 PIT 24
A fun matchup of two very solid teams as the Maulers edge the Generals at Heinz Field. Charlie Batch had a good game despite pressure from the NJ line, completing 16 of 21 passes and tossing two TDs. New Jersey was led by Curtis Enis’s 128 yards rushing, but fell short in the end. CB Patrick Surtain had a big day as a tackler for Pittsburgh, racking up 12 tackles as well as a pick.
LV 13 OAK 23
Akili Smith may have played the ball right out of his hands with a 2-pick day as the Thunder fall again. The Thunder offense struggled all day, and while Oakland was not exactly electric, they were capable of putting up enough points to even their schedule at 3-3 with the win. The score would have been worse, but kicker Joe Nedney missed a couple of makeable kicks for the Invaders.
SEA 23 LA 36
Don’t count the Express out yet, as Cade McNown and the LA offense showed they have some spirit in them. McNown throws for 379 against a normally solid Seattle secondary, connecting with three different receivers on scoring tosses. Keyshawn looked every bit the part of NFL All-Star, catching 5 balls for 148 yards and a score. David Boston also had a big game for Seattle, with 144 yards, but it was not enough as the Express kept a step ahead of Seattle all game.
HOU 10 DEN 17
The Gamblers struggle with Kris Kershaw at QB, as Eric Wilhelm gets a second win for the Gold. Rod Smart was the star in this one, carrying the ball 17 times for 109 yards. Robert Holcombe added another 64 yards and another score for Denver, while Houston struggled all around on offense, almost certainly leading to the move Houston made on Monday (see below).
TEX 17 ARZ 35
The Wranglers looked like potential division champs as they took care of business at home, forcing 3 fumbles (two recovered by Arizona), and holding Texas to only 59 yards rushing. Stephen Davis helped Arizona control the game with 84 yards rushing and wideout Tim Dwight returned from injury to score his first TD of the season as Arizona had this game well in hand.
NSH 28 MEM 16 (Played in Oxford, MS)
Another home-away-from-home game and another loss for Coach Mora and the Showboats. Heath Shuler continued to struggle and the defense could not contain Ahman Green, who scored twice for the Knights. Nashville dominated on third down, converting 11 of 17 over the course of the day. In a chippy game between two in-state rivals, 16 penalties were called, including 5 different unsportsmanlike conduct calls.
NOR 20 BIR 17 OVERTIME
Credit the Breaker defense for bending without breaking as Birmingham outgained New Orleans 418-253, but could not get a 3rd TD to take the win, failing on a 4th and goal on two separate occasions. It was a strategy to go for 7 that backfired as the game went to overtime and New Orleans stole the win with a David Green kick. Both Joe Horn and Lawrence Dawsey went over 100 yards again for the Stallions, but red zone issues proved the undoing of the Stallions.
Houston Gambles on 40 Year Old Doug Flutie
After one week without QB Matt Hasselbeck, and with few options available in free agency, the Houston Gamblers are rolling the dice and taking a shot on former Panther and General QB Doug Flutie. Flutie, who retired from the Panthers after the arrival of Drew Brees in 2002, has come out of retirement to show he can still play the game. He will get his shot for sure with the Gamblers, who are looking for an option after losing Hasselbeck for the season. While it is unlikely that we will see Flutie on the field next week as the Gamblers face the Invaders in Oakland, but could be ready to go in 2 weeks against Ohio, and when Houston returns home to NRG Stadium in Week 9 against the division-rival Wranglers.
What does Flutie offer the Generals? Not quite the elusive scrambler he once was, Flutie mostly brings a sense of the game and an understanding of offenses. He has talent around him in Antonio Freeman, Koren Robinson and rookie Roy Williams, so there are weapons for him to work with. The big mystery is what Flutie has left in the tank. As short term solutions go for Houston, Flutie is a very interesting option, one that almost certainly lasts only this season, but it is also an option that brings with it a lot of questions.
Chicago Trades for Banks
The Chicago Machine, despite a quality win this week against the Boston Cannons in Boston, felt more was needed as they look at possibly being without Jeff George until the playoffs. Unlike Houston they did not reach in the free agent field but opted for a player who could stick with the team for the foreseeable future. The Machine made a deal with Arizona to bring former NFL starter Tony Banks to the Windy City. The Machine sent Arizona a 2nd round pick this year and a 3rd rounder next year to bring the former Ram and Raven.
As with Flutie in Houston, Banks will likely serve as the backup this week, but since he has been in football shape and working with the Wranglers this year, he could see some action. We expect that Chicago is looking at their Week 9 matchup with Tampa Bay as the one where they want Banks ready to go, but they have two more tough games before that, homestanding against both Pittsburgh and the Wranglers. Could Banks get his first start against his old team?
Two More Trades as Team Position Themselves
The Chicago-Arizona trade was not the only significant one this week as both the Stars and Bulls made moves to try to bolster some issues on their roster, finding trading partners in Texas and Memphis, two clubs that may already be looking to the future.
Texas, having good depth in the secondary, was willing to let one of their top corners go to Philly. The Stars sent a 2nd rounder and TE Roland Williams to Texas to get Quentin Jammer, a very good man coverage corner who should immediately have an impact on the Stars’ defense. Texas adds an early round draft pick and has depth at corner to deal with the loss of Jammer.
The second move was a deal between Memphis and Jacksonville as the Showboats send FS Joe King to the Bulls. King, a former starter, had been demoted to second string in Memphis as Tebucky Jones outplayed King. But King is still considered a quality safety, and with issues in Jacksonville, the Bulls wanted an upgrade at the position. They swap safeties, sending backup FS Brian Young out to Memphis along with a 3rd round pick. The move provides Jacksonville with a potential starter, and helps Memphis with cap room, moving out a high salary backup and replacing him with a more affordable option. For the Bulls, who have more room under the cap, it adds a quality player to the starting lineup of the secondary.
QB Changes As Potential Does Not Turn to Results
That may sound harsh, but that is a pretty realistic explanation of why both Orlando and Las Vegas have announced a change at QB after rough 1-5 starts to the year. Both Akili Smith and Joey Harrington have struggled this season and both clubs have been criticized heavily for a lack of improvement for both QBs over the past few seasons.
Harrington, in his 3rd season, is leading the league with 10 picks in his first 6 games. He currently holds a 60.9 QB Rating, down from 82.6 last season and 90.4 in a promising rookie season. His completion rate has also dropped from 66.5% in 2001 to 62.4% last season and down again to 60.2% in the first games of this season. Harrington will be sat this week as Orlando Head Coach George O’Leary opts to go with former Jet and Bengal Jeff Blake at QB in Week 7’s game at in-state rival Jacksonville.
Las Vegas likewise has seen enough of Akili Smith this season to make a swap. Smith has had moments, but is completing less than 60 percent of his throws and has a QBR of only 76.1. After three season with a rating over 90, this is a major decline for the 6 year vet. Smith’s benching may be more of an exploration of what backup Aaron Brooks might be able to offer. Brooks, a former starter for Atlanta, did not start a game in 2 seasons in New Orleans before coming to Las Vegas this year. Expect Coach Vitt to put Brooks in a very similar offense to that run by Akili Smith, as the two are known for effective outside the pocket throws. Brooks as a starter in Atlanta had his best season in 2000, where he started 10 games, threw 12 touchdowns to 11 picks, finishing the year with a sub par 60.8 QBR, Far below numbers Smith has put up since then.
Leaf Talks Himself Out of a Job
Ryan Leaf picked a fight with the wrong man this week. Unhappy with his benching for rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger, Leaf went public with criticisms of the switch, stating on local television that he believes that if he is not the starter in Baltimore he should be traded to a team that will give him the offense. That kind of self-centered attitude has followed Leaf wherever he has been, but he has never had a coach quite like Tom Coughlin before. With his statements on Monday, Leaf was called into Coughlin’s office on Tuesday. To say his talks with Coughlin did not go well might be an understatement as by the end of the day his contract was cancelled and Leaf was on the waiver wire.
Coughlin unceremoniously cut the former Invader and Outlaw, making him a free agent, while also signing former Panther backup Spergon Wynn to back up Roethlisberger and 3rd year QB Shaun Hill. Baltimore also has young Iowa State QB Seneca Wallace on their practice squad. On Wednesday Leaf cleared waivers, unclaimed by any of the 23 other USFL clubs, a sign that the firebrand QB may find it hard to get that starting gig that he seems to feel he deserves. Without another major injury to a starter, we just don’t see a market for a player who has now talked his way out of three different jobs in the league.
While we did not have the marquee QB injuries of last week, that does not mean this was a good week across the league for player wellness. The season seems to be seeing an uptick in significant injuries as we saw several more players added to IR and done for the year. Among those whose seasons are done we have Michigan CB Dexter Wynn (hip), Philly Free safety Marlon McCree (shoulder), Oakland LB Dan Morgan (quad), Jacksonville DE Byrant McNeal (ACL), and Boston made it official, putting Greg Ellis on IR after his injury last week. We also had several players who were not placed on IR even with a 6-8 week recovery period as teams hope they would be available for a playoff run, including Houston TE Ryan Krause (PCL), Denver SS Sean Lumpkin (Wrist), and Washington C Matt Johnson (Hernia).
Of those looking at 1-2 weeks or listed as Doubtful for Week 7 we find Denver TE David LaFleur, Birmingham HB Shaun Alexander, Texas WR Ike Hilliard, Seattle LB Godfrey Miles, Las Vegas G Scott Conover, Denver CB Jamar Fletcher, Houston WR David Patten, and Seattle FB Chris Massey. And if you noticed Denver and Seattle mentioned multiple times you are right. Both western clubs are among the leaders in the number of players on their injury report, meaning we will see some practice squad players, and potentially some Free Agents picked up this week in action over the next couple of weeks.
Finishing with positive news, we do expect these players to return to action this week, starting in Denver, where QB Mark Brunell returns after missing 3 games. Jacksonville expects the return of WR Javon Walker. Thunder LB Lewis Bush and Chicago DT Ted Washington are game-time decisions. Richmond Webb returns to action after missing last week with an ankle issue. Pittsburgh is expecting DT Russel Maryland back in their starting lineup, as does Arizona with CB Asante Samuel and Tampa Bay with SS LeRoy Butler. Finally, Keyshawn Johnson, who tweaked an ankle late in last week’s game is expected to be back in action this week.
Thinking About the Class of 2003
We decided that rather than prematurely judge the draft class of 2004 after only 6 weeks, this actually might be a good time to look back at the class of 2003 and see which players have already made a name for themselves. Looking at each of the 24 teams, who has emerged from last year’s rookie class as a player making an impact for their club in their sophomore year? Who has not yet shown the value that teams anticipated. Let’s look at the 2003 draft story for each club as we approach 1.5 years of service.
ARIZONA GRADE: A
The Wranglers went for defensive help with their top picks last year and seem to have hit with both. LB Lance Briggs has been a steady starter for Arizona and currently sits 3rd on the team with 31 tackles. Asante Samuel, the speedy CB has played mostly at nickel, but has had some time as a starter as well, looking like he has the potential to potentially overtake Jimmy Williams for the position opposite Philippi Sparks.
BALTIMORE GRADE: C
A year and a half in and we have barely seen any of Baltimore’s Class of 2003 make it on the field. Guard Eric Steinbach has been a swing player on the O-line, Seneca Wallace still sits on the practice squad, E.J. Henderson has not yet cracked the starting lineup at LB. Honestly the only bright spot has been late round pick Antonio Gates, who was named the starter at TE this offseason, and has 23 receptions over his first 5 games, which is decent. If your only starter is a late round pick, that cannot be considered a good draft class.
BIRMINGHAM GRADE: D
If Baltimore’s class is a C, then Birmingham’s, at least as of right now, has to be a D, maybe an F. Not a single starter has come out of the class, and that includes big UGA DT Johnathan Sullivan. WR Kassim Osgood has made a few plays on special teams, but that is basically it for a draft class short on impact so far.
BOSTON GRADE: B
If the measure of a good draft class is that the players get on the field, then Boston did OK. OT John Stinchcomb, DT Ty Warren, and CB Leigh Bodden have all seen considerable action. Is that enough to give them an A? No. Not until we see more impact from these starters. Stinchcomb has had some struggles, but seems to be the most advanced of the 2003 rookie class. Ty Warren is getting plenty of snaps, but in his rookie year had only 4 sacks. He has 2 already this year, so there is hope for progress, which is why we see a solid B here.
CHICAGO GRADE: C-
Machine fans were excited to sign WR Brandon Lloyd, but so far his early career has not had anywhere near the impact they were hoping for. Lloyd is stuck behind Donald Driver and Curtis Conway on the depth chart, and the big receiver is not well-suited as a slot man, so he sees the field only when one of the starters takes a breather. The result? Well, Lloyd currently has only 6 catches on the season, following a rookie year where he had a grand total of 115 yards receiving. Fans expected more, and yet, Lloyd is also the only member of the class to get regular action, which is even worse for the Machine.
DENVER GRADE: B+
The Gold had what appeared to be a solid defensive draft in 2003, landing DE Chris Kelsay, LB Kawika Mitchell, and CB Terrence McGee, and the good news for the Gold is that all 3 have been solid contributors. Kelsay rotates in with Ryan Denney at RE and has 3 sacks already this season, after recording only 1 in all of 2003. Kawika Mitchell is a full time starter, and is 5th on the team with 28 tackles, while leading the team with 6 tackles for loss this year, and McGee is a regular contributor at CB, though it should be noted that he has yet to snag his first career pick. All in all a very solid draft class.
HOUSTON GRADE: B
The Gamblers found contributors in the draft, including kicker Kris Brown, guard Kris Dielman, and CB Sammy Davis. Their best find was LB Nick Barnett, who had a strong rookie year with 77 tackles. Brown was among league leaders in scoring last year, which is always good to see for a young kicker. The one player who has not truly shown up yet is WR Bethel Johnson, who is limited to special teams right now.
JACKSONVILLE GRADE: A+
The Bulls got immediate results with WR Anquon Boldin, who outpaced even Terrell Owens last year, racking up an impressive total of 88 receptions for 1,242 yards and 6 TDs. A contender for Rookie of the Year, Boldin was the star of the rookie class, but the Bulls also feel they got a steal with HB Fred Jackson, who gained 519 yards and scored 8 times backing up Antowain Smith. Great numbers for a backup to be sure. Add in some quality from LB Alonzo Jackson and DE Briant McNeal and you have one of the best draft classes after 20 games of their pro careers.
LAS VEGAS GRADE: F
The Thunder front office has to be taking heat for their 2003 draft class. After 20 games we have barely seen a peep out of any of the bigger signings, including DE Michael Haynes, a top choice and an expensive signing. Haynes has not had a single start yet and has only appeared in 10 games, not what you want in a 1st round pick. HB Onterrio Smith and DT Nick Eason have also been disappointing to say the least.
LOS ANGELES GRADE: A
The Express draft may on the surface appear like Troy Polamalu and more Troy Polamalu. But, while we admit that the USC safety has been an impact player for the Express, we should not overlook how quickly TE L.J. Smith moved into the starting lineup and became a favorite target of QB Cade McNown. Smith finished 2003 with 26 receptions for 504 yards, including 8 touchdowns, as he became a prime red zone target for the Express offense. CB Ricky Manning has also had an impact, particularly as a kick returner, where he had 20 returns for 492 yards last season. Three very good players in one draft is A-grade for us.
MEMPHIS GRADE: F
The Showboats did not receive high grades for their low key draft last year, with most o fhte attention on WR Kelley Washington from Tennessee, and it seems that was appropriate. Washington had minimal impact in his rookie season and has yet to make a single catch in 2004. That is not good for such a big name signing. The Showboats drafted 3 receivers in 2003 and not one of them has a catch this year. That is an F in our book.
MICHIGAN GRADE: C+
The Panthers only signed 6 of their picks in 2003, which is problematic, but of those signed we do see that center Jeff Faine is getting significant snaps, TE Bennie Joppru has also been a regular, and WR Charles Rogers has seen some action as well. Our biggest quip is with Rogers, a big name receiver out of Michigan State who did not put up 1st round numbers last season. Rogers has only 6 receptions after 6 games this season, after putting up a moderate year in 2003 with 47 receptions for 518 yards for the winless Panthers. We need to see more to give this class more than a C+.
NASHVILLE GRADE: B
While DE Osi Umenyiura was the biggest name in the Knights’ 2003 draft, it may well be that LB Hunter Hillenmeyer is the best player taken. The MLB has 39 tackles, 3rd on the team, for a revitalized LB corps. That is not to say that Umenyiura has been a bust. He started all 14 games last season and had 4 sacks and 34 tackles, which are solid numbers, but this year, paired with KGB on the opposite side, the duo is hoping to become more of a force. Add in some flashes from DT Anthony Adams and you have a pretty decent first 20 games from this draft class.
NEW JERSEY GRADE: B+
The Generals did not have a “big name” draft, but what they got were contributions at several positions, including Andre Woolfork at CB and kick returner, 3 touchdowns in limited action from WR David Tyree, and good depth with guard David Diehl and safety Gerome Sapp. It is not a blockbuster draft, but the kind of across the board improvement for a roster that can be just as important.
NEW ORLEANS GRADE: F
The Breakers signed only 5 players from their picks last year, and so far we are not seeing any of them making a big contribution. Even top pick, guard Ben Sobieski, has seen limited time on the field. Basically the Breakers have not yet seen any benefit from the class, and that is an F in our book.
OAKLAND GRADE: B
The Invaders’ draft is a tough one to grade, in part because one of the most promising young players in it, DE Robert Mathis, was already traded away to bring in help at LB. Justin Fargas, the HB out of USC, was the starter from Day 1 in Oakland, but averaged only 3.7 YPC his first year, on his way to 605 yards. This year he is sharing carries with Rashaan Salaam, a role that seems more appropriate, but is again averaging below 4.0 YPC (3.4 to be exact). LB Tully Banta-Cain has seen a good amount of action and OT Kwame Harris is a regular rotation player, so we have to say that the class has been solid but not a gamechanger for the Invaders.
OHIO GRADE: A-
FS Mike Doss was the star of the 2003 draft for the Glory. The Ohio State product racked up 42 tackles, 2 sacks, and 4 picks as a defensive gem in last year’s rookie class. HB Musa Smith has been solid, though his opportunities have been limited behind Eddie George. He has had 37 touches this year with a very solid 4.3 yards per carry and 3 TDs, actually 1 ahead of George, so not too shabby. That said, this draft is all about Doss, and so far, that has worked out well for Ohio.
ORLANDO GRADE: C+
The Renegades got two starters out of the 2003 draft class, DT Ian Scott and C Dan Koppen. Neither is going to rack up big stats, but both are in the game, so points for that. WR Doug Gabriel so far has been underwhelming, and with their 1st round pick traded away there just is not much more to the draft. Points for finding contributors, but Orlando needs more in future drafts as they rebuild a roster that is not showing a lot of gamebreaking ability.
PHILADELPHIA GRADE: C
The jury is still out on Larry Johnson, the centerpiece player of Philly’s 2003 draft. With the departure of Stephen Davis, the job is Johnson’s to win, but he is averaging a paltry 2.7 yards per carry so far this season, which will not hold off NFL castoff Ki-Jana Carter for long. TE Dallas Clark has been getting more and more action in his 2nd year and has 15 receptions and a TD in 6 games. DT Jimmy Kennedy has seen less action than the Stars had hoped and seems to struggle to handle the power of USFL guards, which is not a good sign. All in all not what Philly had hoped for, at least not yet.
PITTSBURGH GRADE: C+
This year is likely the one where we will better determine the value of the Mauler draft. WR Nate Burleson took some time to get into games but was starting opposite Andre Rison by season’ end last year. This season he already has 40 targets, catching 27 for 280 yards and 2 scores. TE Jason Whitten is also seeing more action this year but sits behind Alge Crumpler so don’t expect big numbers. The big issue for Pittsburgh is the disappointing 20 games put in by top pick, DE Jerome McDougle. The big man from Miami got his first sack 2 weeks ago but has yet to officially get his first start. He was expected to be an impact player but is being outplayed by veteran Bob Kuberski, which is not what Pittsburgh hoped to get from him.
SEATTLE GRADE: A+
You knew this was coming. How could it not with the amazing year put in by QB Byron Leftwich as a rookie. The Marshall product led Seattle into the postseason and deserved all the accolades he received. He was not alone in his contributions either. CB Marcus Truffant was a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, and LB Piso Tinoisamoa was also a regular contributor to an improved Dragon defense. Add in TE Visanthe Shiancoe, who has taken on the role of blocking TE, and you have the best draft in the league by far.
TAMPA BAY GRADE: A
Another team who found one break out star and a bunch of contributors in last year’s draft. Tampa landed a major gamebreaker in HB Willis McGahee, who reminds many of past Bandit stars like Gary Anderson and Errict Rhett. They also got good play from safety Byron Scott, punter Mike Scifres, and TE George Wrightster. Ken Dorsey, the U of Miami QB has also filled a role, though that role is one that keeps him off the field, which is fine with Tampa Bay. A very good draft from beginning to end.
TEXAS GRADE: C-
Texas had hoped for more. That is the simplest way to put it. DT Cory Redding got 7 starts last year, and had 2 sacks, but has not been able to help free up the DE’s to the degree Texas had schemed for. Guard Derrick Dockery is not yet a full-time starter, though he has seen some action, and QB Chris Simms has not been a challenger for Jeff Lewis’s job, though that may be something we should not expect so early in his career. Underwhelming is the word we think of when we look at the draft, and that makes it a C-.
WASHINGTON GRADE: D
Center Mike Mabry, a 6th round pick from UCF, has seen some action and looked pretty good filling in, and if that is the line we lead with, you can see that there is not much to say about the Federal draft. WR Bryant Johnson from Penn State was the big name signing for the Feds and what has it produced? How about 22 receptions his rookie year, and 9 so far this season. He has shown the ability to go up and get contested balls, leading to 2 career TDs so far, but he is not getting open on routes often enough to be a consistent target for Kordell Stewart. And that is all we have from this draft to talk about for the Feds, not what you want to be able to say about any team.
Week 7, the halfway point in the season, and we have Eastern Conference divisional matchups to spice up the week’s action. The top game of the week has to be the Southeastern matchup between the 6-0 Bandits and the 5-1 Boston Cannons. This could have easily been a matchup of unbeatens, but Chicago’s upset of Boston does not take away the absolute sizzle of this matchup. Expect the ball to be in the air a lot in this game as both teams have built their records largely on explosive passing attacks.
Among the other top games this week is a clash of 3-3 clubs as one of the league’s oldest rivalries, Philadelphia and New Jersey, is renewed at the Meadowlands. In the Central Division we also have a really important matchup as Pittsburgh (4-2) travels to Chicago (5-1) with a chance to pull right back into first place with a road win. Ohio, also at 4-2, could also jump into the fray if Pittsburgh can pull off the win against Ray Lucas and the Machine. They face the Panthers in Michigan, another rivalry game, though one that has been a bit lopsided of late. The other divisional games include Washington at Baltimore and Orlando at Jacksonville.
Out West, the best matchup has Seattle (3-3) heading down to Nashville to face the Knights (also 3-3). Both clubs are thick in the hunt in tight divisions as Seattle is tied with Oakland for first, while Nashville shares first place with the Breakers. New Orleans is at home this week and will face a new QB in Aaron Brooks as the Thunder try to jump start their offense. Oakland is also at home, where they will almost certainly face Kris Kershaw when they take on the Gamblers. Also on the docket we have the Wranglers on the road in Memphis, Denver visiting Birmingham, and Texas taking on the Express out in LA.