It’s gonna be a Coast-to-Coast Showdown between two of the league’s Original 12, when the Generals take on the Express in a Summer Bowl that few saw coming. New Jersey was the #1 seed in the East, so it should be no surprise that they took care of business and rolled at home to take the Eastern Title and return to the Summer Bowl for a possible 2nd title in 3 years. For LA, the expectations were a little lower, but after knocking off Ohio, and with Houston’s road upset of Arizona, it meant that the title game for the West would be played in front of a friendly Express crowd. Cade McNown and the Express did what they needed to do to make hay against the Houston defense, and the LA defense did its part as well as the Express make their first appearance in a Summer Bowl in 24 USFL seasons. We will preview an intriguing Summer Bowl, but first let’s look at how these two clubs got there, review the latest news from around the league, and then dive into the matchup of the Generals and Express for Summer Bowl 2006.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS 14 NEW JERSEY GENERALS 27
The New Jersey Generals, the #1 seed in the East, saw the chance to return to a 2nd Summer Bowl in 3 years and grabbed for the brass ring. New Jersey scored 14 in the first quarter to take an early lead and never trailed as they kept Jacksonville at arm’s length on their way to the conference title. New Jersey would milk the early lead, control the ball for nearly 36 minutes and never let Jacksonville get fully back into contention.
It began on the first New Jersey drive, after a conservative first possession by the Bulls led to an early punt. New Jersey responded aggressively, throwing the ball on 5 of 6 plays, and finishing the drive with Tom Brady hitting #1 receiver Terry Glenn from 33 yards out to put the first points on the board. On Jacksonville’s next possession, it was New Jersey’s defense that stepped up, with CB Mike Rumph picking off Jake Delhomme and returning the ball into Bulls territory. Only 6 plays later Curtis Enis would burrow his way into the line to score from 1 yard out. New Jersey had a 14-0 lead and the Bulls would never recover.
Jacksonville would get on the board in the first half, thanks to a Delhomme to Woods 62-yard bomb, but that play felt more like an anomaly than a change of momentum. When New Jersey got a Ryan Longwell kick at the end of the first half, they went into the locker room confident in their ability to protect their 10-point lead. The third quarter belonged to the Generals, scoring 10 unanswered to swell the lead to 20 points. Curtis Enis got his second score of the game, and the Generals used both Enis and James Jackson to grind out long, time consuming possessions, only occasionally looking to connect with Glenn or T. J. Houshmandzadeh.
The Bulls would score in the 4th period, a garbage time TD from Javon Walker, but the die was cast. Deion Sanders had already picked off Delhomme for a second turnover, and New Jersey had milked the clock throughout the half. Now the Generals were headed back to the Summer Bowl in nearby Philadelphia. They would likely be significant favorites against either Western club, and with plenty of experience from the 2004 squad still on hand, the position of favorite seems very much appropriate.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS 17 LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 20
A much tighter game in LA as the Gamblers and Express battled in a close game throughout. It was a game that saw Cade McNown have to leave after striking his thumb on Kavika Pittman’s helmet early in the 2nd quarter. Backup Seneca Wallace would have to go the rest of the way, after barely taking a snap all season. The former Iowa State Cyclone, struggled, but did enough in the end to get LA the win.
Houston got 375 yards from Matt Hasselbeck, with Antonio Freeman going over 100 yards, while both Dan Campbell and Roy Williams went over 85, but none of these three receivers were able to find the endzone, and with their leading rusher, Tatum Bell, totaling only 36 yards on the ground, Houston struggled to put points on the scoreboard. Add to this 4 Houston turnovers and even with some shaky QB play, LA was able to pull this one out.
The Gamblers did score first in this game, a short 2nd quarter drive after a shanked LA punt, and Hasselbeck found Drew Bennett for the first points of this contest. LA responded only 1:30 later, with Cade McNown hitting Tory Holt from 26 yards out to even the score. After a Houston 3-and-out, McCown struck again, connecting with FB Manuel White from the 4 yard line to go up 14-7. After Houston’s next drive was cut short by a Bell fumble, LA moved the ball into the red zone, when on a 3rd and 5 throw, McNown was hit by Pittman just as he released the ball, his hand awkwardly striking off of Pittmann’s helmet. He would go immediately to the bench and kicker Steve Christie would come out to kick LA into a 10-point lead at 17-7.
McNown would not return, heading into the locker room. Houston finished out the half with the ball, but a missed 48-yard field goal as time ran out meant that LA maintained their 17-7 lead into the half. The third quarter was a slow one, with Houston struggling to complete drives (one more fumble, a missed field goal, and then finally a connected kick), and by the start of the 4th it was LA up by 7 at 17-10.
The Express had shown nothing in the third, with Seneca Wallace only asked to throw the ball 5 times, completing none of them, and the run game moderately more successful, but unable to get LA back in scoring position. Houston was hanging around, and with LA’s offense handcuffed, they felt that the game could be theirs. This feeling certainly was present in the stadium after Houston’s best drive of the day, an 11-play, penalty assisted 73-yard drive, finished with Tatum Bell scoring the equalizer with just over 7 minutes left to play. LA would need to do something, because they could not win this game on defense alone.
On the next possession, the Express did what had to be done. Runs by Foster and Jones-Drew helped set up Seneca Wallace for his first completed pass, a 26-yard play action shot to Tory Holt that put LA into scoring range. A couple more runs, and a scramble by Wallace and LA was well within range for Steve Christie. On 4th and 4, Christie put LA back on top 20-17, but with nearly 5 minutes left in the game, the Gamblers were far from out of it.
Houston would get the ball on their own 17, and with 4:47 on the clock, they felt no need to run a no huddle, high speed offense. Hasselbeck connected with Freeman, then Williams, on back to back plays. A short 3-yard run by Mike Anderson, and it was 2nd and 7 on their own 44. Hasselbeck would again connect, this time with TE Vernon Davis. The rookie turned a 5-yard reception into an 11-yard play and Houston was in LA territory with 2:21 left to play. Hasselbeck would look for his rookie TE again on 1st and 10 from the Houston 45. Davis caught the ball over the middle, but as he turned to head up field, Troy Polamalu and CB Reynaldo Hill converged on the big TE. Hill’s arm caught the tip of the ball just as Davis was trying to reposition it, and the ball flew out of his hands. The ball rolled backwards, jumped on by Tatum Bell, but squirted out. A pile up ensued, and when it was all sorted, LA DT Van Tuinei was credited with the recovery.
Wade Phillips would throw the red flag, trying to make the case that Davis never had possession, so it was an incomplete pass and not a fumble. The review was pretty conclusive, Davis had cleanly caught the ball, taken two steps, turned, and redirected his momentum when he was hit by Polamalu and Hill. It was a fumble, and LA would have the ball, first and 10 with 2:11 left on the clock. The clock stopped after the LA first down play, a 2-yard Foster run, and again after 2nd down, when Foster again gained 2 yards. But Houston was now out of timeouts. LA had a third and 6 with 1:50 on the clock. The Express lined up in the shotgun, hoping to trick Houston into thinking pass, but it was a draw from the start. Maurice Jones-Drew would gain only 3 yards, leaving LA with a 4th and 3. But with no time outs Houston could not do anything but watch as LA let the clock drain down, calling a timeout with 1 second on the play clock. They would punt the ball away, and Houston simply would not have time to get into field goal range. Hasselbeck would try to connect deep with Williams, but would not connect, and on a 3rd and 10, the clock ran out on Houston’s hopes.
The LA Express, in their 24th season in the league, would make their first appearance in a Summer Bowl. They got even more good news when it was announced that there was no fracture in Cade McNown’s thumb, and that the QB should be ready to go as the starter in one week’s time.
So we have a cross-country matchup, a game that repeats one of the first USFL games ever, with the Generals taking on the Express, though this game would be played in Philly, not LA, and it would be for a league title. The Generals would open up as a 6.5 point favorite, but the line has steadily crept downwards and now sits somewhere between 4 and 4.5 points. Expect a heavily red-clad crowd in Philadelphia, as New Jersey and New York fans are buying up any seats they can get on the secondary market. LA will have to generate their own energy in a stadium that will lean heavily towards the Generals.
All-USFL & Award Winners
As has become tradition in the USFL, the week leading into the Summer Bowl is a busy time, and one of the most anticipated stories is the release of that season’s All-USFL team and the annual Award Banquet. We will start with the men who make up this year’s All League team, and then talk about the major awards handed out last night in Philadelphia.
2006 ALL-USFL TEAM
QB: Jake Plummer (ARZ), Kerry Collins (OHI), Drew Bledsoe (BOS)
No surprises here as these three all battled for the MVP award this season.
HB: Tiki Barber (BOS), Eddie George (OHI), Frank Gore (NSH)
Gore is perhaps the biggest surprise here despite finishing 2nd in yards. Many thought T.J. Duckett would get the nod after his best season yet.
FB: Justin Green (BOS)
As if leading the way for Tiki Barber’s league rushing title was not enough, Green also led all fullbacks with 336 all-purpose yards and 4 touchdowns.
TE: Jeramy Stevens (SEA), Jeremy Shockey (TBY)
Apparently it is all in the name, as two Jeremy/Jeramy winners this year.
WR: Chad Ochocinco (BOS), Joey Galloway (OHI), Randy Moss (TBY), Hines Ward (MGN), Taylor Jacobs (STL)
Always a tough category, with lots of potential snubs, like receptions leader Robert Ferguson (MEM), or New Orleans’s main man, Cedric Tillman.
G: Vince Manuwai (SEA), Jaime Nails (BOS), Tuten Reyes (NJ)
Three true road-graters for Corey Dillon, Tiki Barber, and Curtis Enis to follow.
T: Wayne Gandy (NSH), Jonathan Ogden (LA), Kyle Kosier (ARZ)
Kosier is the newby along with two of the most-respected LT’s in the league.
C: Jeff Saturday (OAK), Jim Newberry (NJ)
Oakland may have struggled this year, but Saturday was a rock in the middle.
DE: Kavika Pittmann (HOU), Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (NSH), Kyle Vanden Bosch (PIT)
Pittmann and KGB are no brainers. Kyle Vanden Bosch earned it on a bad team, beating out several other high-sack guys.
DT: Joe Salave’a (OAK), Pat Williams (ORL), Norman Hand (LV)
Rare to see three non-playoff teams represented, but there is no denying the talent of these three in the pivot position.
LB: Antonio Pierce (WSH), Brian Urlacher (CHI), Lofa Tatupu (LA), Al Wilson (ORL),
Joey Porter (LV), Karlos Dansby (ARZ)
Nice to see Joey Porter finally get the recognition he deserves. Pierce proves to be one of the best immediate impact NFL transfers in recent years.
CB: Jimmy Williams (ARZ), James Trapp (BIR), Sheldon Brown (NSH), Terrell Buckley (JAX)
Odd to see so many Knights on the All-USFL defense when their D as a whole did not live up to expectations.
SS: Troy Polamalu (LA), Sheldon Williams (Houston)
A big hitter and a ball hawk, two very different Strong Safeties.
FS: Ernie Brown (JAX), Mike Doss (OHI)
An undervalued position, but these two made their presence felt each week.
K: Ryan Longwell (NJ)
You lead the league in scoring, you should get this award.
P: Craig Jarrett (LV)
It is not a good thing that Las Vegas punted about 27% more than any other team in the league, but I guess that helped Jarrett get so good at it.
A solid team, with, as usual, a lot of players who thought they might make it finding themselves just outside the list. We generally agree with the roster, but wish there was room for Na’il Diggs in Atlanta, Antonio Freeman from Houston, or Jake Delhomme (JAX), who had his best year ever, finishing 4th in QB Rating and first in Completion Percentage. But, there are only so many spots to go around.
Now, how about those league-wide awards. Never any controversy there, right?
Most Valuable Player: Jake Plummer, QB, Arizona
We always knew it would come down to the top 3 performers at QB this year. You had Collins, the top-rated QB once again, Bledsoe, who finished 2nd in yards and QB Rating, and Plummer, who led the league in both yards and touchdowns, but finished 3rd in QBR. In the end, it may have been the Week 14 victory by Arizona over Ohio that settled it. Jake Plummer was victorious in that game, and in a close vote for the MVP. Collins finished a close second, and Bledsoe somewhat further back in 3rd. The MVP award will be Plummer’s second, having won the title in 2000 back when he often gained as much running as passing. That is no longer his style of play, but the effectiveness is still there, as is the gunslinging mentality.
Offensive Player of the Year: Tiki Barber, HB-Boston
With the QB’s fighting it out for MVP, the Offensive Player of the Year award became a bit of a landslide. Tiki Barber not only won his first league rushing title, but became the first player in recent memory to lead the league in all four major rushing stats: Carries, Yards, TDs and Yards Per Carry. The sweep is a rare feat, and one that all but assured the 10-year vet of his first major award since earning Rookie of the Year in 1997.
Defensive Player of the Year: Kavika Pittman, DE-Houston
Another tight race, with votes split in several different directions, but again a strong final week produced a winner. Kavika Pittman put up 3 sacks in the season finale, a feat which not only won him the league sack title, but also the Defensive POTY award. The last time Pittmann won the sack title he was beaten out for DPOTY by LB Mike Vrabel. This time around the title went to the dynamic edge rusher for the Gamblers.
Rookie of the Year: SPLIT: Matt Leinart, QB-Denver and A.J. Hawk, LB-Las Vegas
For the first time in the award’s history, the voting was unresolved, After 3 ballots, the top two candidates had tied three times, and the league decided that it made more sense for the two to share the award than to force a fourth vote and hope that one of the entrenched voters would flip. And so, this year’s ROTY will be split between Offensive ROTY Matt Leinart of Denver and Defensive ROTY, Las Vegas LB A. J. Hawk. Both had outstanding years, so it seems fitting for both to earn the award. Leinart finished the year with 3,414 yards passing and a 19-7 TD-INT ratio. Hawk’s season ended with 96 tackles, 4 sacks, a safety and a forced fumble. Both accomplishments worthy of recognition.
Coach of the Year: Mike Nolan, New Orleans
There were several really strong candidates this year, but when several teams faded down the stretch, and one continued to defy the odds, the vote became clearer. New Orleans HC Mike Nolan not only guided the Breakers through one of the most turbulent and heartbreaking offseasons in football history, but one of the most unusual and challenging seasons as well. That the Breakers not only survived the year, but thrived, winning the Southern Division while playing their home games at 4 different sites, is a testament to the culture Nolan has built within this team. They may still be searching for the first title in the team’s 24-year history, but this year’s Breakers team will always have a special place in league history, and hopefully a bright future when they return to the Big Easy next March for what is sure to be a celebration like few others.
Maulers Acquire a QB
It began last week with the big trade between Chicago and Texas, and now we have our second QB trade of the very early offseason. Seattle has agreed to terms with the Pittsburgh Maulers to send backup QB Cody Pickett to the Maulers, presumably to be the new starter in the Steel City. Pickett, who had developed something of a cult following after successfully subbing for Byron Leftwich both last year and this, has a total of 5 USFL starts, but in those 5 starts had thrown 9 TDs and no picks, giving him a very early QB Rating of 120.2.
In return for sending Pittsburgh the young QB, Seattle receives some LB help in veteran Eddie Mason, and a 3rd round pick in this year’s draft. Pickett receives a chance to make a name for himself as a starter for Coach Ron Rivera. This almost certainly means that Pittsburgh will not work to resign Charlie Batch, which is not exactly unexpected after the QB was benched by Rivera in favor of rookie Brad Gradkowski. The Maulers appear to be in the midst of a major overhaul, as this move, and a possible move being rumored (see below) seem to indicate. For Seattle, Byron Leftwich is the clearcut starter for the Dragons, but does this mean that Tee Martin, who has languished at the QB3 spot for several years now, will move up to #2, or will the Dragons make a move to bring in another option at the position. We know they will carry 3 QB’s, USFL practice squad policy all but ensures that each team will have 3 on the roster, but who that QB is remains a wide open question.
Atlanta Expresses Interest in Davis
We mentioned that Pittsburgh is in overhaul mode, and, as we reported last week, that may well include one of their most iconic players, HB Terrell Davis. Davis has asked to be traded, and if the rumors are true, that may be only days away. There has been a lot of hubbub among USFL circles that Atlanta is gearing up to make a very lucrative deal with Pittsburgh to bring Davis back home to Georgia. Atlanta has both picks and cap room, so a big deal could easily be within their capacity.
Just what Pittsburgh would want for the 31-year-old Davis, a 5-time All-USFL honoree, and one of the most recognizable members of the squad, is very much unknown. There are a lot of needs in Pittsburgh, but Coach Rivera seems predominantly interested in building up a top flight defense as the ticket to Mauler success. Atlanta had the #1 ranked defense in the league in their inaugural campaign (that still boggles the mind), and they have depth at several positions, so they could offer a pick/player mix to sign Davis away from the Maulers. We suspect Pittsburgh might prefer picks to players, but with the right name in the mix, we could see a player being a piece of the puzzle for both teams. We will report if and when anything official comes to fruition, but for now it appears that it comes down to the Fire and the Maulers and simply settling on a price that suits both clubs.
As we look ahead at the Summer Bowl, we see that this week’s championship games did produce some potentially impactful injuries. New Jersey has downgraded DT John Thornton from questionable to out, a move that leaves them somewhat thin at the key run-stuffing position. They also will have to go in this game without center Jeff Newberry, who rolled an ankle against Jacksonville. That means that either backup Chris Lueneberg will be stepping in or that New Jersey will move guard Chad Ward into the position and then start Jesse James, the 11-year vet, into the right guard position.
For LA, the biggest impact from this past week is the loss of corner Terrence McGee. McGee is listed as questionable for the game, but all sources we have spoken to say the odds are not good that he will play. That leaves the nickel slot in the hands of 2nd year player Derrick Johnson. DE Keneche Udeze also went out late in the Houston game, but he is expected back and is listed as probable after suffering a knee strain in the game this past weekend. And, just as a reminder, others who are out this week are New Jersey WR Brandon Stokely and LT Orlando Brown, as well as LA guard Alan Faneca.
Parcells Coy About Future
It seems NY sports radio has heard rumors about Bill Parcells hanging up his play sheet after this season and they are not letting it go with the Big Tuna. In the post-championship presser, Parcells was asked about his plans beyond the Summer Bowl by three different local reporters, and each time he seemed both annoyed and flabbergasted as he repeated the same line about football being a one week at a time sport, and that he had no time to look past next week’s title game.
Going out on top may well be attractive to Parcells, who already coached the Giants and the Jets, and has one title on his mantle with the Generals. Adding a second may just be the perfect cherry on the sundae for Parcells, or it may inspire him to keep going. Only he knows for sure what he sees as his future with the team. What we do know is that were Parcells to step down, the ownership of the Generals would not have to look far to find a replacement. Both of Parcells’s coordinators are considered top candidates for a head coaching position, both Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennell and his young, inventive OC, Sean Payton, have had their names come up often when discussing coaching vacancies in the league. We know already that both Memphis and Washington are interested in speaking with one or both of the coordinators, but now must wait at least another week. Were Parcells to name one as his heir apparent, even if he were not to step away after this season, that would almost assure the Generals of retaining that coach for the next year. As for the other, we don’t think remaining a coordinator in New Jersey will be a long-term plan for either Crennell or Payton. We should remember as well that with both QB Tom Brady and WR Terry Glenn currently unsigned for next year, the last thing the Generals need is a coaching change as they try to get both to sign and potentially give up a major payday from either another USFL team, or, more likely, from the circling sharks of the NFL.
Details of 2008 Season Include Possible Monday Night Game
With the 2007 USFL season schedule all but set, the league is now taking a look at 2008, with the expansion to 28 clubs and a 14th game each week, and openly wondering if it is not time for a Monday Night game. With both NBC and ESPN pushing hard to add an extra game to the evening schedule instead of another Saturday or Sunday afternoon game, it seems the time may be right for the USFL to add a 4th night of football to the spring and summer schedule. Currently NBC has only 1 game per week, the Friday Night Lights game each week, while ESPN holds the rights to their Saturday Night Special and Sunday Night Football broadcasts. ABC and FOX seem content with the remaining 10 games over both weekend afternoons, so it comes down to which network will provide the incentive to push for a Monday Night game.
The league seems open to the idea, though it also produces some scheduling issues, just as the Friday Night game does. The league would like to avoid a Monday to Saturday turnaround, which means that they would likely place any MNF participants in Sunday games the week after, similar, though almost reversed from the current policy to place all Friday night participants in the Saturday game the week prior, again to try to avoid short weeks. If we had to bet on the results of this, we would 100% say that MNF is coming to the USFL in 2008, and we would place the odds on NBC acquiring a 2nd game rather than holding with one per week while ESPN added a 4th. However, that does not mean necessarily that NBC would capture both Monday and Friday. We could easily see ESPN and NBC agreeing to a swap to allow for back to back nights, Friday and Saturday for NBC and Sunday/Monday for ESPN for example. Too early to tell, but at the very least it seems we can all potentially anticipate not only a 14th game each week, and not only a return to a 16-game season, but the addition of a 4th day of football each week. No one is going to complain about that.
League Debuts 25th Season Patch
The 2007 season will mark the USFL’s 25th since arriving on the sports scene with a bang in 1983. To commemorate the occasion all 26 teams will wear a 25th Season patch on their jerseys. As with the 2002 season, when the league marked their 20th anniversary, the patches will again come in two varieties, a leaguewide USFL patch and a team-specific version for those clubs which were among the original 12 to start play in 1983.
The leaguewide patch features the league’s “U” logo in the center, set above the number 25, with the years 1983 and 2007 on either side in a banner, and a red rondel with “United States Football League” enclosed within it, all done in the league’s classic red, white and blue. For the team-specific design, the “U” is raised to the top of the logo and the team’s original 1983 logo is placed at the center of the rondel. Both league and team apparel with the logo will also be available at the USFL online store and at stadiums across the league next March.
SUMMER BOWL PREVIEW
Summer Bowl 2006, with the Los Angeles Express and the New Jersey Generals facing off for the season title. Will this be the first title in 24 seasons for the Express, or will the Generals win their third, and the second in the past three years? Who are the players to watch? What are the storylines to follow? We have it all here, and we start with the players who may not be the most recognizable names, but who could come up big in this one, our...
Top 5 Under The Radar Players
5) New Jersey LB Bobby Howard: With a linebacking corps that includes playmakers like Donterrius Thomas and James Harrison, it is easy to overlook the third member of the squad, but Bobby Howard can be a factor in any defensive scheme. Howard finished the season with 60 tackles, ony 23 behind team leader Thomas, and the 8-year veteran is always around the ball. He may not have the speed of Thomas or the ferocity of Harrison, but the Express should not overlook the impact he can have both in pass coverage and as a runstopper.
4) Los Angeles TE L. J. Smith: Admitedly, Smith is not exactly an unknown quantity for LA’s offense. He did finish third on the team in receptions behind Keyshawn Johnson and Tory Holt, but when you have those two on the outside, it can be easy to forget the middle. Smith and Brandon Manumaleauna are often lined up in a 2-receiver-2 TE-1 back formation for LA, and Smith is clearly a danger in the red zone. What folks tend not to notice is that he is also a solid runblocker, and often acts more as a fullback than a pure tight end. That flexibility could allow LA mix things up against New Jersey’s linebackers, forcing them to commit in one direction and then hitting them with a surprise or misdirection.
3) New Jersey TE Patrick Hape: If I asked you who was New Jersey’s third leading receiver, you might guess T.J. Houshmanzadeh, which would make sense, he is on the field almost every play, and after Terry Glenn and Anthony Becht, you would expect Tom Brady to throw to T.J., but the actual answer is Hape. New Jersey is another team that likes to use a flexible 1 back formation, often with dual tight ends. It allows them to use the power run game with Enis, or to catch a team overcommitted and go for play action. Hape did not score a TD all season, but his 32 receptions were still important for the Generals, and he could be a significant factor against an LA defense that often overreacts to ball fakes.
2) Los Angeles FS Darrel Bing: With all eyes on Troy Polamalu, it is easy to forget that the rookie free safety for the Express has had a heck of a season. Bing is used in a multitude of ways, though most often he is playing center field so that Polamalu can creep up to the line. And yet, Bing has 2 sacks as well as 57 tackles on the year. His choices, particularly if he is being asked to assist Carlos Rogers with coverage on Terry Glenn, could be the difference between Glenn having a modest day or a field day.
1) New Jersey HB James Jackson: While not exactly a “thunder and lightning” duo, the combo of Enis and Jackson is effective because when Enis needs a breather, New Jersey can bring in a player who is only slightly less effective inside, and yet provides a bit more speed on the outside. It is that subtle difference in pace that can fool defenders, providing some big plays for the backup rusher. Jackson had 114 fewer carries than Enis this year, just about a 40% share of all carries, but he proved to be as effective as the Penn State product when called on. We fully expect LA to focus a lot of attention on Enis, but if they do not adjust their expectations when Jackson is in the game, they could get burnt.
So, we have looked at some potential sleepers who could impact this game quite a bit, but what do we see as the keys to this game, a game between two teams with a lot of similarities?
KEYS TO VICTORY
3) Whose Ground Game Can Grind Out First Downs?
We know to expect that the ground game will be essential for New Jersey’s success. Only Boston, with Tiki Barber, ran for more yards this season than the Generals. But the truth is that LA alo relies on their run game, but in a very different way. The express rushed, as a team, for about 700 yards less than New Jersey, but their goal is not to pound the ball down your throat like the Generals, it is to force you into 6 or 7 man fronts, to limit double coverage on their receivers, so that they can spring Holt or Johnson deep, maybe catch Smith over the middle for a quick chunk on an early down. Foster and Jones-Drew may have combined for fewer yards than Curtis Enis on his own, but what they both did was set up the defense so that Cade McNown could find receivers in single coverage. If LA can establish that strategy early on, it could produce a good game for McNown and the LA offense. On the flip side, if LA cannot find a way to derail New Jersey’s run game, they will not spend much time with their offense on the field. Give New Jersey a strong time of possession advantage and you are unlikely to come out on top.
2) Who Can Stay Clean?
When you have a relatively evenly matched game, and we would call this one despite the initial Las Vegas line favoring New Jersey, the key is often which team can avoid two game killers, penalties and turnovers. Both the Generals and Express have been pretty good at avoiding unforced errors. New Jersey is 3rd in the league with only 10 turnovers all year, and LA is not far behind at 12. Penalties is the other factor that can kill drives or provide a spark to the opponent’s offense. LA has a distinct advantage here. With only 63 penalties called against the Express all year, they are among the league’s cleanest teams, while New Jersey ranked considerably worse, with a particular penchant for holding calls on both sides of the ball. That could be something that impedes their success, especially if the officials are feeling like they want to call a tight game.
1) Who Can Win on Third Down?
This is the one area where we think New Jersey could have a distinct advantage. LA is a big play team, looking for the 50-yard TD strike more than the 80-yard drive. While New Jersey had a very respectable 36% conversion rate on 3rd down (nearly 65% when it was third and less than 3), the LA Express converted only 45 of 170 attempts, only 26%, and their 3rd and moderate (4 yards or less) rate was only slightly better at 33.3% (20 of 60). Add to this the fact that of their 170 third downs, only 60 were shorter distances and you can see that LA depends heavily on avoiding third down, getting big chunks of yards, and making big plays. If New Jersey can limit those big plays and force LA to actually extend drives 3-4 yards at a time, the game could easily swing in the Generals’ favor.
THE PROS PICK SUMMER BOWL 2006
OK, We know who to watch, and what to watch for, time for some picks. But, since we have proven over the years to be all but useless as prognosticators for both seasons and playoff results altogether, we thought we would turn the job over to some folks who know these two teams well. So we selected 4 players from across the league to get their impressions, beginning with this year’s Rushing Champ, Tiki Barber.
Tiki Barber, HB-Boston:
Look, we played New Jersey three times this year, and they swept us, so you know there is no love here, but there is a lot of respect. They play hard every down and you have to earn what you get against them (Barber did run for 100 yards in all three losses). They are not flashy on offense, but they are very effective at grinding you down over time and then surprising you with a quick shot to Terry Glenn. On defense the thing is that they just hit hard, on every play. They have Deion out there on corner, so you can kiss your #1 receiver goodbye for the day, but when Thomas and Harrison hit you, you know you have been hit. I have watched a lot of LA games on tape, just because I like to keep up on Keyshawn, a good friend, but I think I have to go with the Generals here.
David Boston, WR-Seattle:
We did not play New Jersey this year, but LA edged us twice, and I honestly still cannot tell you how we lost those games (24-19 in Week 3 and 20-18 in Week 12). Yes, they have a great receiver combo with Tory and Keyshawn, and their defense can be tough as well, especially with Troy (Polamalu) hunting after anyone who comes across the middle, but I am still a bit surprised that they made it past Ohio. That was a real shock to me. I have to say that my head sides with the Generals here, just because Tom Brady is so calm in the pocket, but my heart says that LA will find a way, just like they found a way against us this year.
Kyle Vanden Bosch, DE-PIT:
Weird you are asking me. We didn’t play either team this year, so maybe I am supposed to be neutral on this? Well, I can tell you that I would not look forward to playing either of these quarterbacks. Neither one is really elusive, they both tend to sit in the pocket, but they are still tough to deal with. Brady is just cool as a cucumber. You can get to him, but the ball is likely not going to be in his hands when you do. Cade is a bit more of a gunslinger. He will hold onto that ball and hope something opens up late, and he is certainly going to take more deep shots on you if you cannot pressure him. But, when I look at the two defenses, I think Keneche (Udeze) and Jevon (Kearse) have a bit more explosiveness and could give Brady some trouble. So, sticking with my edge guys, I am going to pick the Express.
Matt Hasselbeck, QB-HOU:
There are such good players, real pros on both sides of this game. So for me it is about the coaches. It is amazing what Hue Jackson has been able to do in his first year in LA. I am a bit surprised he did not win Coach of the Year, though I understand why they gave it to Nolan down in New Orleans. But, how can I go against Bill Parcells? The man has done it with 3 different teams. He knows how to get the best out of his players, and you are not going to throw anything at him that he does not know how to handle. I like the Generals because I think that Parcells will have them in the right mindset, and will have a gameplan that minimizes some of LA’s strengths.
So, there you have it, by a 3-1 margin the vote goes to New Jersey. Will these players prove to be proficient prognosticators, or will they struggle like we so often do to make the right call? We shall see soon enough as Summer Bowl 2006 is only 2 days away. We will see you on Monday for the recap of the big game, and our play by play breakdown of how the game was won.