New season, new beginnings. Twenty Four USFL clubs all hoping to get off on the right foot and show their mettle. Twelve winners, twelve losers, and a lot to dissect. This is the nature of the game. It is a struggle to prove yourself, to triumph, to overcome obstacles and find the path to victory. A new season, a new chance to strive, to struggle, and to survive, all in pursuit of the glimmering prize, recognition as the best in the game.
GENERALS 17 DRAGONS 14 OVERTIME
The season kicked off on a misty Friday Night in Seattle with the league champion Generals taking on the Pacific Division Champion Dragons at the newly-named Qwest Field. Terry Glen put on a show but the Dragons had enough to stay in this game as it went to overtime before a winner was decided. New Jersey played ball control all game, racking up 41:26 of possession, but Seattle got enough big plays to keep the pressure on.
It began with two quick 3-and-outs as both offenses struggled to find early rhythm after only 1 preseason game each. Seattle would start to put things together on their second drive, and came away with a field goal. New Jersey responded with a drive of their own, relying heavily on the legs of Curtis Enis and James Jackson. The two would combine for 41 carries on the day. After getting inside the 10, Tom Brady faked a handoff to Enis and found Terry Glenn streaking to the corner for the first TD of the day.
That score would hold until the very conclusion of the first half, when Seattle again settled for 3, a 37-yard field goal from the 20 after David Boston could not haul in an endzone toss on 3rd and 7. Initially ruled a TD, replay showed that Boston’s right foot was on the white chalk, out of bounds. In the second half, with Seattle getting the ball first, the Dragons got their TD, as Byron Leftwich found TE Jeramy Stevens open in the endzone. Stevens would split time with Ken Dilger at TE and the two would combine for 4 catches and 43 yards on the day. After a 2-point conversion, it was 14-7 Seattle, but New Jersey had more in the tank.
The Generals responded to the Seattle score with a scoring drive of their own, marching the ball down the field on 12 plays before Brady caught Glenn in single coverage and made Seattle pay. A 25-yard TD pass was the result and the game was tied at 14. This score would hold through the end of regulation as both defense shut down opposing drives before they could reach field goal range. In overtime it looked like much the same, and many were wondering if the first game of the season would end with a tie, but a key defensive PI call led to New Jersey entering Seattle territory with just over 4 minutes left in the extra period. Tom Brady then hit Patrick Hape with a big 18 yard completion to get into field goal range,and after two ball-placement inside runs by Enis, out came Ryan Longwell, who put the ball between the uprights and gave New Jersey the win on opening night.
STARS 16 THUNDER 13
It was a rough start to the USFL season in Las Vegas as high winds not only made gameplay “challenging”, but also forced the Thunder to block off their temporary seating, much to the dismay of fans who had purchased tickets to the game. Refunds were issued, but a lot of folks were not happy. On the field it was a tough day to pass the ball, with both Kurt Warner and Aaron Brooks held under 200 yards as the winds simply made it tough to do anything other than underneath routes. Philadelphia built a 16-0 lead, and while Vegas fought back with two late TD’s, It was too little too late.
BLITZ 26 INVADERS 20 OVERTIME
A better day weather wise in Oakland, but a tough loss for the Invaders as Ben Roethlisberger found Eddie Kennison for a last minute TD, then a 2-point conversion, to tie the game, only to go on and hit Daniel Graham with a 75-yard TD toss on the first play of overtime to stun an Oakland crowd that had an 8-point Invader lead only moments before.
FEDERALS 15 EXPRESS 13
The Federals’ defense came to play, as they held LA to only 208 total yards and sacked Cade McNown 7 times. LA also showed some defensive fortitude, sacking Kordell Stewart 5 times and limiting Deuce McCallister to 65 yards on 23 carries. Still, that was far better than DeShaun Foster’s 25-yard total.
CANNONS 21 GAMBLERS 14
Houston was horrible on the ground, gaining only 16 yards to Boston’s 146, but Matt Hasselbeck’s 2-TD, 280-yard day kept them in this one. Antonio Freeman had 10 catches for 142 and a score to help Houston, but Chad Ochocinco’s 2 scores were too much for the homestanding Gamblers.
BANDITS 24 GOLD 20
A great game under the lights in Denver as an unusually warm Colorado March day made the Bandits feel right at home. Randy Moss had 106 yards and a TD, as Daunte Culpepper connected on 3 scoring tosses to ruin the home opener for the Gold. Rookie Cedrick Benson struggled to adjust, rushing for only 3 yards on 10 carries before Denver started handing the ball more to Rod “He Hate Me” Smart.
BULLS 13 OUTLAWS 9
The dome may have been warm and cozy on a cold rainy day in San Antonio, but the same could not be said for either team’s offenses, both of which looked out of synch and unprepared. The lone TD of the day was from Delhomme to newly acquired WR Donald Hayes, as neither team showed much in this snoozer of a season opener.
MACHINE 41 KNIGHTS 10
Chicago rolled and Nashville has to be worried as they could do nothing in this game. The game would have been closer but for two pick sixes, one each from Brian Urlacher and R.W. McQuarters as Todd Collins got careless trying to come back form a 21-3 deficit and only made matters worse.
RENEGADES 13 WRANGLERS 24
Jake Plummer threw 3 TD passes as the ‘Gades limited Duce Staley to only 43 yards rushing in his Wrangler debut. Jeff Blake threw 2 picks and no scores as the Renegades struggled to pass the ball. Fifteen penalties between the two clubs made it clear that this was opening week and a few bugs were still being worked out by both teams.
PANTHERS 19 BREAKERS 14
The new look LB corps of the Panthers was ready to go, which is more than we can say for the entire Breaker offense, despite Eli Manning going 20 for 32. Manning would throw two TDs, including a beautifully placed ball on a 15-yarder to Bobby Engram, but it was not enough as Michigan scored the final 10 points of the game to take the win.
GLORY 23 STALLIONS 9
Jason Campbell’s debut did not go as planned as an early hit knocked him out of the game and likely the next 2-3. Eric Zeier stepped in and, well, it has been a while since Zeier led a team and it showed. Kerry Collins also was knocked out of the game, in his case what appears to be a minor concussion, but Chris Redman was able to keep the Ohio offense rolling and they pulled away late.
MAULERS 16 SHOWBOATS 10
It was cold but calm in Memphis, but that did not help the Showboats. Terrell Davis rushed for 74 and rookie Vincent Jackson had 4 catches for 42 yards in his debut as Pittsburgh got the road win. Cadillac Williams averaged only 2.4 yards per carry for Memphis, whose big star for the day was 2nd year receiver Lee Evans with 7 catches for 121 yards, including a 30 yard TD catch on an end of half Hail Mary.
Home Field Disadvantage
Never let it be said that home field is an overwhelming advantage in football. This opening week of the USFL shows that there may well be no such thing. Twelve games and only 1 home team, the Wranglers, managed to hold court. It is the first time that 11 of 12 games have ever gone to the visitors, but that is what we got. And this was not due to a lack of enthusiasm. Week 1 attendance averaged 38,344 across the entire league, and that included only 30,000 in Las Vegas due to their stadium's limited capacity. It just did not seem to be enough for the home teams to get wins in Week 1.
First Impressions
With so many new faces across the league, opening weekend took on a special sense of discovery. Whether it is rookies in their first pro action, USFL veterans in new cities, or NFL transfers beginning their first foray into Spring football, there were a lot of players making first impressions. Let’s see how they did.
PASSERS: The big arrivals this offseason were on display this week. Kurt Warner got his first win as the new leader of the Philadelphia Stars. His numbers were not great (20 of 30 for 197 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int), but he got the W, which was cause to celebrate for Philly fans. Jason Campbell, the only rookie QB to start this week, had a rougher day, suffering through a rough first half (4 of 18 for 32 yards) before being knocked out of the game with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder that could keep him out for the next game or two. Eli Manning is not new to the Panthers, but this game marked his official ascent to the starting role, after being given the start after the preseason. He went 20 for 32 and threw 2 TD’s but the Breakers still lost the game.
RUSHERS: The first game of their pro career is often a rough one for rookie halfbacks, and that was certainly the case this week. Frank Gore had the best debut, rushing for 43 yards, but still, with 19 carries, that is only a 2.3 YPC. Cadillac Williams did not fare any better for Memphis, rushing 15 times for only 36 yards, but both can still be glad they were not Cedric Benson. Ten carries and only 3 yards for the Texas product as Denver struggled to open holes for the big back. Sure, with only 1 preseason game before the start of action, Benson and the other rookies will need time to adjust, so we won’t judge too quickly.
Looking briefly at the veterans on new teams, Ahman Green did just as expected for the Stars, rushing for 71 yards on 22 carries. Ricky Williams did not look very rusty in his debut for Coach Green and the Invaders, gaining 58 yards on 14 carries, and Duce Staley got plenty of carries (23) but had issues producing yards (only 23).
RECEIVERS: Bobby Engram had the best debut of the transplanted receivers, the former Star was Eli Manning’s favorite target with 5 receptions for 84 yards and a TD. Rookie Mark Clayton had the best debut of the Class of 2005 receivers, catching 6 balls from Tom Brady, and amassing 74 yards in his pro debut. J.J. Stokes was a hit in Denver, catching 5 passesfor 69 yards, while Denver’s new TE, Lonnie Johnson, did even better, with 9 receptions for 63 yards and a TD. Jacksonville turned to former General Donald Hayes for their game-winning TD. Hayes caught 5 passes from Jake Delhomme, for 53 yards and the score. Finally, Robert Ferguson had a decent start, despite issues in Memphis with the offense in general, catching 4 passes for 49 yards.
DEFENSE: Rookie Lofa Tatupu made an instant impression on LA fans, garnering 10 tackles for the Express in his first pro game. Kirk Morrison made himself right at home in Memphis with 8 tackles, and Nashville rookie CB started strong with 7 tackles. Among vets with new teams, Kendrell Bell was impressive in his first start for the Gold, with 9 tackles and a sack for the Gold. Kevin Hardy, returning from a very short retirement with the Wranglers, started strong with 7 tackles and a sack in his desert debut. CB Deshea Townsend had a good start in Ohio as well, scoring 8 tackles and just missing on a pass that would have gone for 6 had he been able to haul it in.
HEAD COACHES: Five new head coaches in the league this year, Philadelphia’s Jim Harbaugh and Jacksonville’s Brad Childress begin their new jobs with a valuable W, while John Mackovic (TEX), Emmitt Thomas (ORL) and Jerry Glanville (LV) met defeat in the opener, though in every case the games were close, with Texas losing by 4, Las Vegas by 3, and Orlando staying within 7 until the final quarter.
Ohio Fans Get a Scare, Birmingham Fans Unhappier
With both Kerry Collins and Jason Campbell getting knocked out of the openers this week, the question of QB protection and depth at the position quickly became a major topic of discussion this week. Last year Ohio looked like a solid contender until injury to Collins left them vulnerable to a playoff defeat. For Birmingham the pseudo-retirement of Brett Favre meant they were forced to go a new direction, and that direction was to start rookie Jason Campbell only 2 months after he played his last game for Auburn. The good news for Ohio is that the head shot that sent Collins to the bench in week 1 is not expected to impact his ability to start in Week 2. For Birmingham, the situation is not as rosey. Jason Campbell’s shoulder, while not evincing a fracture, is a significant enough concern that he is definitely out for Week 2, and could miss Week 3 as well. That has most Stallion fans apoplectic, since it has been a while since their starting QB has missed a game. Brett Favre was an ironman, starting every single regular season game for over 12 years, until he was benched for disciplinary reasons last season. That is extremely rare in the USFL or any pro league, and perhaps Stallion fans forgot what it means to rely on your backup, but that is what they will need to do for at least the next week.
When Campbell went down, it was Eric Zeier who Coach Franchione called on. The former Crimson Tide head coach has not stated if Zeier will get the start this week after going 10 of 21 for only 98 yards in relief this past week. Of course, with very few reps in practice, we cannot judge Zeier’s capabilities by this one emergency situation, but Franchione will have to decide between the former UGA Bulldog and another longstanding backup, Danny Kanell. Don’t expect an announcement before Sunday’s kickoff against Memphis, as keeping the Showboats in the dark certainly helps Birmingham.
While the talk about QB’s going down was popular talk on sports radio and the 24 hour networks, more serious injuries were also part of Week 1’s action. The worst of the results of the week were for New Jersey and Michigan, both of whom lost a starter for up to 3 months. For New Jersey it was wideout Jerome Pathon, who suffered a torn hamstring in a non-contact injury. Michigan will be without CB Deltha O’Neil thanks to a fractured hip which occurred in a brutal collision with his own safety.
Others who could miss a game or two, and fortunately those are the only other significant injuries, are Tampa DT Dorsett Davis (knee), Memphis center J. P. Machado (knee), and Arizona tackle Matt Anderle. DE Greg Ellis is listed as doubtful by Boston, as is WR Anquon Boldin in Jacksonville. Sedrick Irvin left the field last Sunday with a dislocated finger but is expected to play this week, as is Texas DE Justin Smith, who had cramping, but should be good to go.
Ka-Kaw!!
St. Louis’s new pro football team has a name as the USFL and the ownership group in the Gateway City revealed two important aspects of the club’s identity. The team will be known as the St. Louis Skyhawks, a reference to both the city’s aeronautical history, dating back to Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis, and the native red-tailed hawks which are common to the region and hold spiritual significance to several midwestern Native populations. The team’s colors will depart significantly from those of the city’s former USFL team, or from the Rams or Cardinals of the NFL. The new Skyhawks will wear uniforms that combine a deep navy blue with a brighter royal blue, and a metallic silver. The name and colors were revealed on Wednesday at a local press conference that was paired with a contest to select the team’s official logo. The Skyhawks are giving fans the final say in their look by letting them choose from three logo options.
The first option resembles an air-force wing command patch, with a depiction of three jets crossing the sky, but also flying through the famous St. Louis Gateway Arch. The entire design is framed within a triangle, which team officials stated represented the three principles they will have at the core of their franchise: effort, preparation, and perseverance. When presented on a helmet, we see the logo on either side, a multiple silver, white and navy stripe on a royal blue shell with navy facemask. The shell and mask option is the same for all three logo options.
The second option is considerably different, with a football-shaped shield flanked by two outspread wings. The main features of the logo will be white, silver and navy, and, as depicted on the accompanying helmet mock up, the wings will be the primary feature of the team’s helmet if this logo is chosen. Much like the Phliadelphia Eagles, or the wrap around designs of the New Orleans Breakers, the wings will emerge from the facemask and take over most of the front 2/3 of the helmet on either side.
Finally, the third option morphs the symbolism of the fighter squadron with that of the red-tailed hawk, as the Arch & contrail feature of the first option is paired with an aggressive hawk head to form a combined logo. This final option is also predominantly navy, silver and white, though it does have royal blue elements. The helmet mockup features a large version of the logo on either side of the helmet.
Fans will be able to join in on the voting both in St. Louis, through the St. Louis Dispatch’s website, and nationally through the league website. Voting will take place through week 5, with results reported leaguewide following the Week 6 slate of games. St. Louis is slated to begin play at The Dome in 2006 and will be filling their roster, along with the new Atlanta Fire, in a December 2005 expansion draft, pulling players from across the 24 current USFL teams.
VOTE BY CLICKNG ON THE LINK IN OUR MAIN NAVIGATION BAR AND VISITING THE SKYHAWKS LOGO POLL BEFORE WEEK 6.
New Orleans Owner Search Stymied
It has been more than a year since New Orleans Breakers’ principal owner, Joseph Canizaro, announced his intention to sell off a significant share of his ownership of the Breakers. While it is understood that secondary owner and league founder David Dixon is expected to purchase about 10% of the team’s interest, moving himself into the position of majority owner, the remaining share of Canizaro’s portion of the team was up for sale. The problem is that Canizaro is having difficulty identifying local investors to sign on for a minority share. This is in some ways not surprising. There are several factors which inhibit interest in the team. The first is the minority share itself. Canizaro is selling off a significant investment in the club, but one which will still place any new owner into the position of a second fiddle to David Dixon, something that may well be deterring some of the more, shall we say self-satisfied candidates from stepping forward. It is rare that you would find an investor who would be willing to pay the price Canizaro is asking, nearly $150 million, and not want significant control of his investment.
The second factor which may be hurting Canizaro’s efforts is the 2006 and 2008 expansion already underway in the USFL. The ability to start a franchise from scratch, to develop a new market, and to, again, have greater influence over the direction of the team, is a major draw for multimillionaire investors. With 5 significant investment groups already forming around a cadre of deep pocketed investors, there is a natural depletion of the pool of potential buyers for the Breakers.
Finally, Canizaro has been insistent that he wants an investor with strong New Orleans ties, so as to avoid any chance of the Breakers undergoing what we have seen happen in Portland, where an investment group which originally seemed like savior’s for the Rose City’s football franchise, shifted quickly and within 2 years relocated the franchise out of the city. The Breakers have become an establishment, beloved in the Crescent City and Canizaro wants no part of a deal that could jeopardize that relationship between team and city. Essentially he wants there to be no chance that he ends up the villain in the story after having built up so much trust and support in the community.
And so, the Breakers continue to seek out investors, continue to beat the bushes to see if the perfect match of funds and foundation in the city can be found to keep the Breakers a profitable venture as well as a foundational element of the New Orleans Sports scene.
Week two ushers in one of our favorite weeks in the USFL, a fully divisional week, where a win essentially serves as two wins because it helps the victor and sends a division rival down a notch at the same time. Looking over the schedule, it is hard to say that any of the games are not vital. For 1-0 teams, the chance to go 2-0 is highly prized, while for the 0-1 teams, avoiding an 0-2 hole is equally essential. So, here, simply in the order of their schedule are the 12 important games in the USFL this week.
FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (NBC)
Denver @ Arizona (9pm ET): The Southwest Showdown is always a great clash, but with both teams again expected to compete for the division title, this one will help determine the shape of the season for the two rivals.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON (FOX/ABC)
Washington @ Philadelphia (12pm ET): Can Kurt Warner survive a meeting with Washington’s aggressive defense? This is a game that could go a long way to determining which of these two teams will challenge New Jersey in the Northeast.
Tampa Bay @ Orlando (12pm ET): An in-state rivalry with the two teams separated by less than 100 miles. Orlando will need all it can muster to defend against the Bandit Ball offense in this one.
Michigan @ Chicago (4pm ET): The Heartland Classic as the Panthers visit the Machine in Chicago. Michigan had a strong defensive showing in Week 1, but they now face one of the league’s perennial defensive powerhouses in a game where snow and wind could be a factor.
Los Angeles @ Las Vegas (4pm ET): The Thunder are hoping that they can use their full capacity (after a wind-impacted week 1) as the visiting Express always bring a crowd to the desert for this divisional clash.
SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (ESPN)
New Orleans @ Nashville (9pm ET): A late night honky tonk kind of game between two Southern foes as the Breakers and Knights clash in Music City. Both teams struggled in Week 1, but this game could turn things around for one of them.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOOTBALL (FOX/ESPN)
New Jersey @ Baltimore (12pm ET): The Blitz get their first shot at the league champs in an intriguing duel of different QB styles, the poised patience of Tom Brady vs. the gunslinger style of Ben Roethlisberger.
Jacksonville @ Boston(12pm ET): The Cannons try to move to 2-0 with a home game against the division rival Bulls, but Jacksonville can make a statement by moving to 2-0 themselves with a big road win in Beantown.
Memphis @ Birmingham (4pm ET): Two teams that may not be at their best right now, but a rivalry that is always entertaining.
Seattle @Oakland (4pm ET): Both Seattle and Oakland stumbled out of the gate, and both want to avoid an 0-2 start in a division that does not yet have a win.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (ESPN)
Pittsburgh @ Ohio: The toughest division in the league is the star of SNF as the Maulers and Glory both come into this one at 1-0. Can the Mauler D find a way to slow down the Glory and that high flying O?
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