The story of high impact injuries continued in Week 9 as both Los Angeles and Ohio lose star wideouts for the rest of the season. Joey Galloway and Keyshawn Johnson see their seasons come to an end as both suffer significant injuries this week. We also saw a pretty big upset in New Orleans as the Showboats actually look competent on the field for the first time in a long time. Chicago gets a huge win at home against the Bandits, Boston, playing without Drew Bledsoe struggles in New Jersey, and Michigan gets a big home win against the Renegades. We start with the game of the week, a surprisingly close affair that leads to an upset in New Orleans.
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 27 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 24
A true shocker in New Orleans as the 1-7 Showboats stun the Super Dome crowd with two scores in the final minute to completely crush the Breaker’s hopes of climbing back over .500 and claiming a share of the division lead. The game was expected to be something of a cakewalk for the Breakers but Memphis came in fired up and walked away with their 2nd W of the season.
Memphis found issues with the New Orleans defense all day long, beginning in the first quarter when Heath Shuler was able to connect on 5 consecutive passes to move the Showboats inside the Breaker 10-yard line. HB Tony Carter did the rest, following his FB around the edge and into the endzone from 7 yards out to give Memphis a 7-0 early lead.
New Orleans would counter with a 13-play drive, ending with Troy Davis also scooting his way into the endzone as New Orleans evened the score early in the 2nd quarter. But the Breakers simply could not find success pressuring Shuler as other teams had. They would only sack him once on the day, and Shuler would finish with a very solid 30 of 45 for 288 yards. Late in the 2nd, he led Memphis into field goal range and Jeff Hall gave the visitors a 10-7 halftime lead.
Fans were feeling anxious about the seeming lack of urgency of the Breakers as they struggled to pull away from the Showboats, something most in town expected would happen early in the game. Trailing at the half, New Orleans got things rolling right away in the 3rd quarter as a 34 yard kick return by Corey Barlow set them up in good field position. They marched to the Memphis 18, but when a 3rd and 3 play came up short, they had to settle for a 34-yard David Green kick to tie the score at 10.
Just 42 seconds later Memphis again took the lead. Shuler found Oronde Gadsden on a crossing route, and the speedy back was able to elude the initial tackle and scramble 54 yards for a quick strike touchdown to once again give Memphis the advantage, 17-10. New Orleans would make their move as the 4th quarter began, driving down the field methodically against the ‘Boats’ defense and again tying the game, this time with a 1-yard Olandis Gary TD run. When the defense picked off Heath Shuler’s first pass on the ensuing drive, New Orleans had their chance to finally take the lead. Dilfer led the Breakers down the field in short order, and with 3:39 left to play the home team finally crept out ahead as Dilfer hit Josh Reed for the go-ahead score.
It would now be Memphis’s job to battle for the tying score. The Showboats were up to the task, moving into a no-huddle strategy and moving to the ball quickly. With 47 seconds to play Shuler found Alvis Whitted on a crossing route and Whitted crossed the plain to bring Memphis even with the Breakers. The expectation was that both teams were now looking for overtime, and as Memphis lined up to kick the ball back to New Orleans there was no sign that an onside kick was on. The ‘Boats fooled the Breakers and when Jeff Hall topped the ball, sending it spinning and bouncing to his left, the Breakers were unprepared and Memphis pounced on the ball. They had 41 seconds to get the ball into field goal range and steal the win, and they did just that, with Shuler finding Adrian Cooper for 10 yards and then Erron Kinney for another 6. The Showboats spiked the ball to stop the clock, then connected on an out route to rookie Lee Evans to get the ball into field goal range. Out came Jeff Hall, and, much to the dismay of the Breaker faithful, the Memphis kicker connected from 41 yards out as the clock ran down to zeroes. The Showboats had their second win of the year, and New Orleans would now drop to 4-5.
TBY 20 CHI 22
Chicago came into this week with a plan: pressure, pressure, pressure. It was a solid plan as Chicago kept Daunte Culpepper unsettled all game. Sacked 8 times and picked off twice, the Tampa signal caller was unable to hit big plays to Randy Moss. Meanwhile Duce Staley had his first 100-yard game of the year, and with 50 yards from Michael Turner and another 27 from Charles Rogers, Chicago ran to a season’s best 181. The result was a close win, but another win for the Machine.
BOS 14 NJ 21
New Jersey took advantage of Drew Bledsoe’s absence, coming after Jim Miller and holding Tiki Barber just under 100 yards (94 on the day), while Tom Brady had no issues with the Boston defense, completing a whopping 19 of 22 on the day (86.4%) and connecting with Terry Glenn and FB Deion Dyer for two TD passes. Boston struggled with Miller at the helm, converting only 2 third downs all game.
JAX 18 BAL 20
The Blitz win their third in a row as Tom Coughlin’s discipline is paying off. The Blitz D limited the Bulls to only 35 yards rushing and caused Jacksonville to fail on two separate two-point conversion attempts to barely edge the Bulls. Baltimore was outgained 328-269, but two Bulls turnovers helped them eke out the win.
PIT 29 PHI 24
The Maulers struggled with a fired up Philadelphia squad, but got their run game going late to pull out a win. Terrell Davis rushed for 143 and Kenny Bynum spelled him for 60 more as the Maulers kept pounding away at the inside of the Stars’ D-line until they wore down the resistance. Nate Burleson also had a good game for Pittsburgh, catching 5 passes for 88 yards and both Charlie Batch TD tosses.
ARZ 19 HOU 10
Arizona’s defense was able to contain Kris Kershaw and the Gamblers, but the Wranglers struggled to find the end zone against Houston’s solid D, so it was Rob Bironas to the rescue with 4 field goals to help the Wranglers edge Houston. Rookie Tatum Bell had his best game of the year for the Gamblers, racking up 61 yards on 12 carries, but Houston simply could not sustain drives and could only muster 10 points.
OHI 31 WSH 13
Kerry Collins looked to be in top form, and was helped out by 99 yards from Eddie George as Ohio turned a 10-10 tie at the half into a blowout. Collins threw for 423 yards and 4 scores. Both Joey Galloway and Troy Brown finished the game over 100 yards receiving as the Glory found plenty of holes in Washington’s defense. The game did not go all Ohio’s way, as Joey Galloway left the game late with what was later discovered to be a season-ending injury.
DEN 28 TEX 16
Denver doesn’t get much press, but they get their 6th win in San Antonio as they get a whopping 202 yards rushing against a worn down Outlaw D. Robert Holcombe rushed 16 times for 105 yards and Rod Smart put up 93 more on 18 carries as the Gold dominated on the ground.
OAK 17 SEA 28
The Invaders drop their second in a row after the midway point as Seattle scored on a pick six and a Leftwich to McDuffie TD in the final period to pull away from Oakland. The Invaders held Corey Dillon to only 38 yards rushing, but gave up 3 TD passes to Byron Leftwich as they drop to 4-5.
ORL 12 MGN 15
Michigan gets win #4 and are in the playoff hunt after winning a tough battle with the Renegades. Chris Perry and Ladell Betts split carries, but the key to the game was a late Brees TD toss to wideout Charles Rogers. Jeff Blake completed 67.5% of his throws, but could not rally the Renegades late, picked off in the final seconds of the game.
BIR 9 NSH 19
Nashville did everything but steal Birmingham’s wallet as they just dominated defensively in this one. The Stallions had only 182 total yards, including a truly sad 19 yards rushing on the day as they simply had no answers at all. Ahman Green was held to 81 yards, but carried the ball a painful 36 times. They might want to find someone to share that load, as that cannot be good for his body.
LA 20 LV 13
Rob Johnson gets his first start since 2001 and he comes away with a win as the Express go into Sam Boyd Stadium and leave victorious. Johnson connected with Tory Holt for a score and the Express defense limited Aaron Brooks to only 39.1% completion rate 918 of 46) as the Thunder just could not get receivers open. But it was not a clean win, as, just like Ohio, LA saw a top player go down in the final minutes as Keyshawn Johnson could be lost for the rest of the year.
Galloway Lost for Season
Ohio’s bid to threepeat took a huge blow this week as All-USFL wideout Joey Galloway suffered season-ending injury in the 4th quarter of Ohio’s big win over Washington. The speedy receiver crashed into the wall after making an effort to haul in a deep ball and jammed his shoulder into the barrier, just below the edge of the padding. A broken collarbone and a chip in his shoulder joint are the result. He was placed on the IR on Monday and the Glory started trying to figure out how to replace perhaps the most irreplaceable piece of their passing game. Troy Brown is likely to move into the #1 slot, which leaves Ohio to decide between Reche Caldwell and Tyree Davis as options for the flanker spot. With questions already about the effectiveness of the passing game after the departure of Chad Ochocinco, the loss of Galloway will really highlight the issues as teams are far less likely to fear the deep ball with Brown and Caldwell in the lineup. That could also impact Eddie George as teams may move away from the 2-deep safety look they had typically used against Galloway.
Keyshawn KO’ed
Joey Galloway was not the only big time receiver to get sent to IR this week as Keyshawn Johnson suffered a ruptured Achilles in the final minutes of the game against Las Vegas. The former USC star hobbled and hopped his way to the sideline after blocking for DeShaun Foster on a late game timekilling play. Team doctors confirmed the diagnosis on Monday and Johnson was placed on IR along with QB Quincy Carter. The Express got the W, but now are beginning to look a bit like a M.A.S.H. unit. If things keep going this way, Rob Johnson may want to put on a dress and declare a Section 8 to get out of town.
OK, M.A.S.H. jokes aside, Johnson will be missed, but LA does have a deeper pool of receivers than Ohio. Tory Holt is still a top quality player and the Express will likely move Bernard Berrian, the rookie, of the Practice Squad, while moving either Dez White or Kahlil Hill into the starting roll opposite Holt. White seems the more likely candidate as his route running skills are good for short and medium routes. It means he is less likely to occupy the slot, which could give Berrian a chance to get into games as a potential slot receiver. Another option is for LA to use more 2 tight end lineups with Brandon Manumaleuna joining L. J. Smith on the field.
Should Pittsburgh Be Concerned About Terrell Davis
For the third time this season the Maulers had to remove HB Terrell Davis from action for a period of the game due to ongoing migraine headaches. This time it was in the first half, and Davis was able to return later in the action, but last week he missed a good portion of the 4th quarter, something you do not want in a tight game. There is no clear connection between the migraines and Pittsburgh’s heavy use of Davis in their offense. Migraine conditions are something Davis has dealt with for several years, but this season the presence of migraine attacks during games seems to be escalating. With all the other issues that running backs deal with, from knees to ankles, to the ever present risk of concussions as they lower the head to take on tacklers, adding a migraine condition to the list is not something any back would want. Davis insists that the migraines are something he is learning to manage, but we have to wonder if this could impact him at the worst time, in a game the Maulers need to win and need his help to win. Coach Bicknell has Kenny Bynum backing up Davis, and Bynum is certainly capable, but capable may be a pale comparison with the greatness of Davis come that crucial moment in playoff football. Something to monitor to be sure.
We have our first playoff standings of the year, and, of course, it is way too early to see anyone clinching, but there is one thing that seems very obvious as we look over the standings. The East seems to have a clearer pool of top quality teams than the West. Whereas the Western Conference has only 3 teams out of 12 with winning records (Denver, Nashville, and Arizona), the East has 8 of 12. That means we could see several Eastern teams out of the playoff picture with better records than division champions in the West. Right now Seattle leads the Pacific Division at 4-5, and Nashville is only barely over .500 at 5-4 in the Southern Division.
Only the Southwest, with 6-3 Denver and 6-3 Arizona seems to have teams that are consistently winning. That is fewer than we have just in the Central Division, where Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Ohio all have at least 6 wins. Add in tough division battles between Boston and Tampa Bay in the Southeast and New Jersey and Washington in the East, and we could be looking at Eastern domination once again. The Eastern Conference, thanks to Ohio (twice) and Orlando (2001) have won the past three title games and have the top 3 favorites for this year in Boston, Tampa Bay and Ohio (who are currently in 3rd in their own division). Add in the Maulers, Machine, and Generals and you have 6 legitimate Summer Bowl hopes. That is impressive.
The two major injuries to top tier receivers was the big story this week, and a third, Birmingham’s Marcus Robinson, should also be included in the mix, as he too will miss up to 8 weeks, potentially ending his season after suffering a PCL injury. Washington took a bit of a hit as 2nd year safety Ed Reed could miss 2-3 weeks with a broken finger. Chicago will also be without one of their defensive stars as Brian Urlacher is dealing with turf toe and could miss a week or two.
New Jersey has added QB Tom Brady to the injury list due to a wrist injury on his non-throwing hand. He is listed as doubtful for this week, as is Nashville wideout Bert Emmanuel with a wrist injury of his own. Texas DE Dimitrius Underwood is questionable, as is Memphis CB Terrance Shaw and LA DE Jevon Kearse.
As we round the corner into the second half of the season, teams start to get serious about signing their players in the final year of contracts, concerned that some of their top players could opt to test the free agent waters and leave gaping needs on the roster. Each year we see several top tier players change teams, and a lot of solid talent overall, and that can mean both USFL to USFL moves and USFL to NFL defections as well. Before we get too deeply engaged in the playoff push, we thought it would be a good idea to highlight the top players on each squad who could be looking for a new opportunity by holding out on a contract and entering free agency. Here, for each club, are the three players that we feel the team can least afford to lose, our Top 3 Free Agents to Resign Now.
The Arizona defense has been a surprise this year (2nd in the league in PPG allowed) so you know the Wranglers do not want to see three of its best players leave town. SS Je’Rod Cherry, CB Jimmy Williams, and DE Chike Okeafor have to be prime targets for new contracts before week 14 comes around.
In Baltimore the concern is that two of the Blitz’s primary weapons could look elsewhere. HB Ron Dayne and WR Rob Moore will have to decide if they like the direction that Tom Coughlin is taking the team. Recent wins might help Coughlin make his case. The biggest defensive defection could be LB Mike Maslowski, who could be a prime target for defensive hungry teams.
It took Shaun Alexander several years in Birmingham before he was given a true shot at being a bell cow back. Would he now take that title with him to a new home? In part that decision may depend on what happens to LT Richmond Webb. If Webb departs, that could spur Alexander to do the same. And if Birmingham needs to drain the checking account to hold these two, what does that mean for someone like CB Torey James?
Boston’s Robert Ferguson has had a breakout season, and now he may cash in, either from the Cannons or by going out into free agency. Boston also has to worry about their O-line as both C Bubba Miller and RT Maurice Williams are on the last year of their contracts.
In Chicago the name of the game is defense, so the Machine are sure to throw some money at FS George Teague, and more importantly at breakout star DE Anthony Weaver. Does that flow of cash mean that it is more likely that an offensive player like WR Donald Driver are left unsigned?
Denver too has a lot of defensive talent potentially on the move this year, as not only is DE Marcellus Wiley and SS Sean Lumpkin in their final year, but so too is All-USFL free safety Jamel Williams. Williams has to be the top priority for the Gold, but what does that mean for Wiley and Lumpkin?
Houston still has not found much success with offensive production (20th in PPG) but that does not mean that they are eager to watch WR Antonio Freeman or HB Kevin Faulk test the free agent pool. What is intriguing is if signing these two will trump the fact that Matt Hasselbeck is also a free agent as of Week 14. Will Houston resign Hasselbeck or value other picks and the ability to potentially land a young QB?
There should be no way that Jacksonville lets LB Mike Vrabel leave. He has become both a team captain and a virtual lock for All-USFL status this year. Signing Vrabel will mean that the Bulls could be forced to give up on either CB Antoine Winfield or LB Allen Aldridge, both outstanding players for the Bulls’ defense.
We fully expect the Thunder to undergo a major rebuilding in 2005, but will they allow talented, but underperforming DE Hugh Douglas to depart? And what about LT Kenyatta Walker, one of the few players on the Thunder roster likely to get some All-USFL votes. Finally, the Thunder also have to decide whether to retain or let WR Matthew Hatchette enter free agency.
The Express are dealing mostly with mid-range players whose contracts are expiring, but there are a few players they do not want to lose. One of those is HB DeShaun Foster, who has been looking solid over the past year or so. Another player they will want to resign is RT Kenyatta Jones. And, if we had to guess at one other player high on the LA wishlist for an extended contract, it would have to be DT Norman Hand, who just turned 30 and is one of the most consistent defenders on the roster.
Tight End Adrian Cooper is a sure fire Hall of Fame candidate, but at 33 is he past his prime? Would Memphis honestly let him go if they think he is? Letting Cooper go might provide Memphis enough cap room to resign other key players who are not so long in the tooth, players like LT Anthony Clement and SS Reggie Tongue.
The Panthers are in Year 1 of a retooling. That often means allowing some veterans go as they shoot for a faster and younger team. Three players who may fall prey to that mindset include LB Ted Johnson (31), FB Zach Crockett (32) and LB Greg Liekert (34). Expect one, perhaps two, of these players to be allowed to walk as Michigan seeks youth.
Nashville could be in a real pinch this offseason. They have three undeniable stars whose contracts are ending, and we are not sure they have enough cap room to sign even 2 of them, much less all three. HB Ahman Green, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and WR Bert Emmanuel are all huge players for the Knights, but they are going ot demand equally huge deals, and that is something the Knights likely cannot afford.
If DE Phil Hansen plans to come back for 2005 (He is 33 after all), we cannot imagine New Jersey would ever let him go. But, we also think they need to spend some cash to resign WR Terry Glenn. Those two alone could bring the Generals right up to the cap limit. So, a player just slightly less valuable, such as DE Shaun Ellis, could be let loose.
What to do with HB Ricky Williams? That is the big question for the Breakers. We fully expect they will try to sign their other big name players, names like LB Lamar Lathon and DE Clyde Simmons, but do the Breakers take the risk on Williams after a full season on suspension for a 2nd failed midseason drug test? Will they let Williams become someone elses’s problem and focus on defense? This will be a situation to watch for sure.
It is rare that a lineman is considered the best player on a roster, but that may well be the situation for center Jeff Saturday in Oakland. The Invaders cannot let Saturday get away, especially not with an immobile Trent Green at QB. Another key lineman, guard Brendon Stai, should be another key resigning. Oh, and QB Trent Green’s contract is also up this summer, so once again the Invaders have issues at QB and may have to look elsewhere for their 2005 starter.
After a rough free agent loss last year when Ochocinco left for Boston, this offseason looks far more favorable for the glory. The top-rated players who could jump ship are RT Jerry Wunsch, DE Cedric Harden, and LB Brendon Ayanbedejo. None of these players is irreplaceable, and Ohio does have cap room if they do want to resign all three.
The Renegades have some tough decisions to make, mostly thinking about what exactly they want their defense to look like. They have several starters who could be free agents, including LBs Robb Morris and Zach Thomas. They also have to decide if they are going to resign HB Sedrick Irvin, who has yet to truly break out as a true starter.
The Stars are clearly spending this year trying to decide if Brian Griese really is their QB of the future. His contract is up this year, as is backup David Garrard’s. But is Griese providing Philly with enough to really make a case to remain under center? The third player to consider is LB Mike Crawford, who, at 31, should still have several good years left in him.
Two of Pittsburgh’s biggest stars, WR Andre Rison and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch remain unsigned for 2005, but so too is LT Zach Wiegert. With salary cap issues in Pittsburgh, the Maulers may not be able to sign two of these three unless others on the squad agree to reconfigure their contracts to free up more cap room.
Seattle has a better cap situation and would be foolish to allow either Corey Dillon or LB Godfrey Miles go. Both are so central to their respective squads that you have to do whatever you can to resign both. That may mean having to let HB Brian Mitchell go, despite his obvious talent.
None of the big offensive stars for Tampa Bay are up for a new contract, but the Bandits cannot say that about their 9th rated defense. They are looking at players like DT Sean Gilbert, SS LeRoy Butler, and DE John Copeland as quality starters that they cannot truly afford to lose.
Texas is another club that could be ready to blow up the roster and start from scratch after a pretty miserable 2004. Veteran WR Carl Pickens, at 34-years old, is a prime target to go unsigned and allowed to play the free agent game. Others who may be headed out of town include free safety Mike Prior and LB Tarek Salah. If youth is the move for the Outlaws, they may not be alone in seeking a new football home.
Deion Branch is having an outstanding season, leading the league in receptions and 2nd in yards after 9 games. Washington absolutely has to resign Branch with those numbers. That may mean losing out on retaining another key offensive starter, LT Matt Stinchcomb. Beyond these two the pool dips a bit in quality, which is a good thing for the Feds, who do not have a ton of cap space. The one player who could be cut loose is actually one of the least expensive, kicker Doug Pelfrey. You would hope the Feds could find room to sign such a pivotal player, but kickers rarely get that kind of respect.
So there you have it. We did limit ourselves to only 3 key players per team, and there are certainly many other very solid players who could find themselves looking for work in 5 weeks. Such is the game of football and the nature of pro player contracts. In the age of a salary cap and free agency some players will greatly benefit from the freedom of movement, and some may find themselves to be victims of a salary cap.
Hard to believe we are already at Week 10, but there you have it. The final 5 weeks of the season begin with a full slate of interconference games as East meets West. Among the best matchups of the week we have the 7-2 Bandits visiting the 6-3 Gold. Can the Mile High advantage for the Gold hold up against Bandit Ball? Boston will be in Houston for a big test, though Drew Bledsoe is expected back after being out due to injury, so Boston is hoping for a big day from him, but Houston’s pass rush is no joke, and Bledsoe is not exactly fleet of foot. LA has a big game, now with Rob Johnson at QB, if they want to stay in the playoff hunt. Ohio comes to town, but with Joey Galloway out of action, so will that help the Express slow down the Glory offense? In Oakland, a big test for the Invaders, who have lost 2 in a row, as they face the white hot Pittsburgh Maulers. Chicago will be in Las Vegas, hoping a win against a struggling Thunder squad helps them keep pace in the very competitive Central Division.
An intriguing game in Seattle as the 4-5 Dragons face the 4-5 Panthers. Michigan has been finding ways to win, but Seattle will be keen to reach .500 at home in a division where 7-7 could win the title. In other games, Jacksonville is at Texas, hoping to move to 6-4 with a win against the 1-8 Outlaws. Orlando will be in Arizona, where the Wranglers could move into sole possession of first place with a Denver loss. New Jersey will face a tough Breaker defense in the Super Dome this weekend, and could do so without Tom Brady, who is listed as doubtful for this week. Baltimore, winners of 3 in a row, are in Nashville and hoping to make it 4. Washington is hoping to rebound from this week’s loss as they head to Memphis to face the 2-7 Showboats. Finally, Philadelphia and Birmingham meet in a battle of 3-win clubs, and we may see something we have not seen in a long time, someone other than Brett Favre at quarterback. Favre was involved in some unsanctioned “extracurricular” fun this week and Coach Franchione has threatened to bench him for the game for various team policy violations. Will he actually go through with it or will we see the familiar #4 on the field as usual?
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