The top four seeds in this year’s playoffs began their postseason run with home games this week, and while home field and solid rosters proved enough in the East for both the #1 and #2 seeds to advance, the same was not the case in the West, where both #1 seed Arizona and #2 seed Ohio both saw their playoff runs end at one game as Houston and LA both pulled off upset wins on the road. As we look back at the Divisional Round, we start in the East, where both the Bulls and Generals prevailed, setting up a matchup of the Northeast and Southeast Champions next week in Giants Stadium. We will then take a look at how LA and Houston pulled off the upsets on their way to an unexpected Western Conference Finale in LA next weekend.
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 23 JACKSONVILLE BULLS 31
A hard-fought game that saw both teams have their moments as the Breakers came back east to face the Bulls in front of nearly 57,000 fans at Alltel Stadium. In the end, the difference was seen in the run game, where Jacksonville was able to use the talents of Antowain Smith and Travis Minor to drain time and opportunity away from the Breakers. Smith and Minor would combine for 163 yards, with Smith scoring twice. For New Orleans the run game just was not there, with Troy Davis gaining only 24 yards on the day, and Chris Perry carrying the ball only 4 times for 2 yards. In a game that saw a lot of balance, that difference was the key to Jacksonville’s success.
The first half saw a give and take battle, with New Orleans scoring on three field goals, while Jacksonville had the only TD of the half, an 11-yard toss from Delhomme to Rashaun Woods early in the 2nd. The Bulls would take a 10-9 lead into the half, but it was clear this game was nowhere near done. It would be the third quarter that would be the deciding minutes of the game as Jacksonville had the only score of the period, a 1-yard run by FB Madison Hedgecock, but it was the end of the half that won the game for the Bulls. With New Orleans driving into Bulls territory, CB Terrell Buckley made the play of the game, stripping Cedric Tillman of the ball after what appeared to be a first down catch inside the red zone. Buckley got his arm between the ball and Tillman’s arm, and the ball popped out, recovered, and returned 33 yards by Buckley before he was forced out of bounds.
That takeaway led to an Antowain Smith TD that made the score 24-9. While New Orleans would score twice in the final period to make the score closer, it would prove not to be enough, as Jacksonville kept the Breakers at arm’s length, adding another Smith run with just over 2 minutes to go to win by 8 in front of a very happy Bulls’ crowd. Next up for the Bulls, a tough assignment, knock off the #1 seed Generals in their own house.
BOSTON CANNONS 28
NEW JERSEY GENERALS 31
New Jersey punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Championship by facing off and defeating a new division rival, the Boston Cannons, for the third time this season. After knocking off the Cannons in the final week of the regular season to claim the top seed, New Jersey and Boston would face off once again, and once again, the Generals would do just enough to edge their rivals from New England.
And while we could say that Brady, Enis, and Glenn all had very strong games, this was not a game won by one player, but by team effort on both sides of the ball. Brady would throw for 283 yards and 3 scores, Enis would rush 19 times for 99 yards, and Glenn would catch a game high 5 balls for 197 yards, but it was a game won by the defense, the special teams, and the offense of the Generals all doing their part.
New Jersey took an early lead on a Brady to Glenn TD toss on their first drive, only two and a half minutes into the game, but after Boston replied with a Tiki Barber TD run, New Jersey started to pull away. A touchdown from little used Deon Dyer, followed by a Longwell field goal, and it was 17-7 New Jersey at the half. The only score of the 3rd quarter was a Bledsoe to Bob Slowikowski TD toss, 17-14 after three, but this would not remain a low-scoring game. The two teams would combine for 27 points in a wild final period that saw the two clubs combine to score on 5 straight possession (FG Generals, Mike Cloud TD for Boston, Becht TD catch for NJ, Tiki Barber TD catch for Boston, and finally a Longwell field goal for the Generals).
It was 28-28 after the Barber TD catch, just as the 2-minute warning was sounded. That score would give Tom Brady and the Generals the time they needed to set up Longwell, which is exactly what they did, marching into Boston territory and calling their last time out to set up their league-leading kicker. Longwell drove the ball home, and New Jersey survived a tough test against Boston to advance, one game away from Summer Bowl 2006.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS 21 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 10
Things did not go as smoothly out West, where both top seeds struggled coming out of the bye, with both losing to their Wild Card opponent. For the Wranglers, that opponent was a familiar one, division rival Houston. The Gamblers had defeated the Wranglers both times they faced off in the regular season, including a Week 13 game that would end Arizona’s 8-game win streak. Both games had been close affairs, with Houston winning by only 4 two weeks ago. this game would not have that drama.
Arizona would start strong, picking up the only points of the first quarter on a Plummer to Moss scoring toss, but that would be the last time they reached paydirt in the game. Houston would find their way to the end zone three times over the next 3 quarters. The offense would contribute two of those scores, a Vernon Davis TD catch and a Tatum Bell run. The defense would provide the final score as a desperate Jake Plummer threw one right into the gut of Houston CB Ronde Barber, who ran it back 66 yards to turn a modest 14-10 lead into a decisive 21-10 difference.
The MVP of the game was Houston WR Roy Williams, who finished the day with 6 catches for 112 yards, while on defense, Houston’s Mr. Everything, Kavika Pittmann, would have himself a day as well, grabbing 2 sacks and several disruptive plays for the Gambler D. The Wranglers would try to keep Pittmann off of Jake Plummer by using the run game more than they normally do, and that worked to a degree. Pritchett and Staley did combine for 171 yards on the ground, keeping Arizona relevant through the game, but it did not slow down the Houston pass rush, with Pittmann and company getting to Plummer 6 times on the day.
The win propels the Wild Card Gamblers into the Conference Championship, and while at game time Houston might have expected to be heading off to face the Ohio Glory, that would prove not to be the case.
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 35 OHIO GLORY 13
After a very strong showing against Michigan, the LA Express came into this game flush with confidence. Ohio, having spent the off week preparing and expecting a win, came out somewhat flat, and somewhat shocked by the success the Express were having on defense. The most shocking aspect of this game was the play of the LA defense, and in particular the secondary. LA would get three picks of Collins, his first 3-interception game in nearly 2 years. Led by rookie FS Darnell Bing, the Express simply kept finding the ball in their hands. LA did not record a lot of sacks, but it was clear that the Express were pressuring Collins, forcing some unwise throws, and then capitalizing on the short fields.
Cade McNown would outshine Collins, throwing for 3 scores, though he was certainly aided by a strong rushing duo of Foster and Jones-Drew, whose combined 138 yards outpaced that of Eddie George. Add in 2 Tory Holt TDs’ and a 139 yard, 1 TD day for Keyshawn Johnson, and you can understand how silent the Ohio crowd became in the second half, when LA pulled out to a 28-10 lead. The game never swung back in Ohio’s favor. Collins simply could not make enough plays to overcome the deficit, and when the final whistle sounded, the Express had not only pulled off the upset, but had done it in an impressive manner.
The Express beat the odds as the #3 seed and now get the reward, a home game for the Western Conference Championship as the Express will host the Gamblers next weekend.
Bledsoe Vows a Return for 2007
Following the loss to New Jersey, the third this season, Boston QB Drew Bledsoe quickly squelched any talk about him seeking to retire this offseason, stating that he fully plans to be back under center for the Cannons in 2007. “We have unfinished business and I want to be there when we finish it” said the veteran QB when asked about his plans for next year. This has to come as a huge relief to Cannon fans, who were concerned about comments made by Bledsoe earlier in the season that clearly seemed to indicate that retirement was on the table. It would appear that the exit from the playoffs at the hand of the Generals was motivational for Bledsoe, as we expect it is for many Cannon players. After leading the Northeast Division for the better part of the season, a loss to New Jersey in the final week of the regular season dropped Boston to 4th seed, and now, another close loss to the same team knocks them out of the playoffs. We could see how that would galvanize the team.
That said, Boston would be wise to start looking for a future replacement for Bledsoe. In a few brief appearances, Syracuse alum Adrian McPherson has looked good, so perhaps he is the plan, but we would not be shocked if Boston went after a mid-round QB project in hopes of having 1-2 years with Bledsoe at the helm before making a switch. This is all speculation, of course, but as we have seen in many cases throughout league history, failure to plan for a QB’s eventual departure can quickly lead a team to a very rough few years.
Heath Shuler Announces Retirement
It is the announcement that fans in Memphis and around the league have been dreading, as former MVP and Tennessee sports icon Heath Shuler has announced that he is retiring from the game. Shuler who was severely injured in a car accident only 1 game into the 2006 season, has been speculation all season long. His injuries were significant, and there was no guarantee that he would ever be able to play again. And while he has made few public appearances, reports out of Memphis have been positive, but there is a difference between positive results after surgery and recovery and a return to football. It seems clear now that Shuler, while healing well, simply does not believe that a return to the Showboats is in his best interest.
The resignation of head coach Jim Mora Sr. may have played a part in the decision, beyond any physical limitations he may be feeling. The fact of the matter is that Shuler, after 13 seasons, all with the Showboats, had little left to prove in the game, and a lot of life after football to focus on. The former Tennessee Volunteer made the announcement through team channels, stating great respect for the organization that signed him out of college and which he helped to guide to 7 playoff appearances, two Summer Bowls, and the 1999 league title, as well as for Coach Mora, who was his coach for the final 9 of his 13 seasons with the Showboats.
Shuler will retire as the all-time leader for Memphis in Pass Attempts, Completions, QB Rating, Yards, and Touchdowns, nearly every QB record worth measuring. A six-time All-USFL selection, the 1999 MVP and Playoff MVP, and almost certainly a top Hall of Fame Candidate, Shuler will always be known for his leadership on the field and in the community. Born and raised in North Carolina, Shuler first came to the state of Tennessee as a highly recruited QB at the University of Tennessee. He was selected by Memphis in the 1994 Territorial Draft, and would play his entire career with the Showboats.
So now Memphis has to strategize a path forward, always a tough moment for a franchise, but after a year in which the team tried out 3 different quarterbacks, finished with only 3 wins, and now lost the legendary coach who took them to their only league title, the challenge is substantial. Fans, of course, want to see a big name come to Memphis, and we all know that that name is Peyton Manning, but with Manning well-compensated and under long-term contract with the NFL Colts, with whom he has won two titles, it seems unlikely that this particular Vol QB will make his way back to the Volunteer State. Others are hoping that the Showboats get the chance to sign LSU quarterback Jamarcus Russell. Russell’s rights could be protected by the Breakers, but with Eli Manning already in New Orleans, it seems very possible that Russell could be available in the open draft, where the Showboats currently hold the 2nd pick, sitting just behind another QB-needy team, the Pittsburgh Maulers. Will Memphis have a shot at Russel? Or will they look elsewhere for a quarterback to return them to greatness? It is a big question following a big retirement.
Early Retirement Announcements
While Heath Shuler’s retirement rightfully drew a lot of attention across USFL and Sports media, he was certainly not alone in declaring his intention to file the league’s official retirement declaration. As we see each year, a good number of players, ranging from All-USFL stars to journeymen and role players on each team’s roster, make the same decision, to step back from the game and begin a new phase in their lives.
This year’s list of early offseason retirees certainly does not lack for star power, as several of the league’s best are saying the time is right to step away. Among those who will be hardest for their teams to replace we have wideouts Bert Emmanuel of Nashville and Cedric Tillman of New Orleans, both leading their team in receptions this year. J.J. Stokes also announced he would seek retirement after 12 seasons played with 6 different USFL franchises.
Stokes is not the lone Denver Gold member to call it a career. In addition to the wideout, Denver will need to find itself a new kicker and punter as both Jeff Wilkens and Todd Sauerbrun announced they would retire after long careers kicking at altitude. Finally, Denver guard Chris Dishman is also hanging up his helmet for the last time. Other names that fans will recognize include Orlando LB Dexter Coakley, Ohio kicker John Carney, Birmingham QB Erik Zeier and center Tom Nalen, Baltimore center Tom Devlin, and Atlanta fullback Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala. We wish these players, and many others who will not receive headline attention a smooth transition to life after the game and a rewarding life filled with memories of their time in the USFL.
Outlaws Go for O With Norv Turner Hiring
Changing gears, we have our first of the three Head Coach positions filled, as the Texas Outlaws once again stay within the state to fill a vacancy. This time, instead of going after someone with UT connections, the Outlaws have reached across the state and across leagues to sign a member of the Dallas Cowboy staff.
Norv Turner, offensive coordinator for the ‘Boys, will be the newest head man in San Antonio. Turner comes to San Antonio with a strong résumé of success in both offensive playcalling and quarterback development. Development is not likely the priority for Texas, who recently traded with Chicago to acquire veteran signal caller Jeff George, but developing a consistent offense around HB T.J. Duckett and George seems like a good priority for a club that has regularly found itself near the bottom of offensive rankings.
Latest Free Agent Releases
And, of course, it would not be another week of the USFL post-season without more teams dropping from the contenders, and with that, more free agents joining the pool that will be available in just 18 days. Among those players released from their contracts with their team’s defeat this week are Arizona center Gene McGuire and halfback Jonathan Wells; Boston DT Wendall Bryant, center Austin King, and DE Greg Ellis. New Orleans sees guard Terrance Metcalf, WR Andre King, and LB Donnie Edwards all joining the free agent pool. For Ohio, the list of new free agents includes DT LaRoi Glover, guard Cooper Carlisle, Halfbck Musa Smith, and guard John Nesbit.
Free Agency will officially open on the Wednesday following the Summer Bowl, with the NFL-USFL window opening only 9 days later.
Looking at the two conference games, we have some pretty healthy teams out there competing. Jacksonville has only one player who is listed as Questionable or worse, while New Jersey has two players out (Stokely and Brown), but these are not new injuries. Tamba Hali is listed as probable, and we expect him to play, so a pretty clean bill of health for both squads.
In the Western final, the biggest question is Express DE Keneche Udeze, a big part of their 1-2 punch at the edge with Jevon Kearse. He is listed as Doubtful, but could still see the field. Jonathan Ogden, who missed the divisional game is a game time decision. For Houston, the lineup looks pretty clean, so again, not an injury-riddled game. Looks like both championships will be about lining up each team and having them play their best, all with a trip to Summer Bowl 2006 in Philly on the line.
TV Ratings & Attendance Numbers for 2006 Regular Season
The numbers are out, and it was a good year for the USFL in basically every measurement the league values. The addition of two teams in Atlanta and St. Louis was sure to increase total attendance, but what was more impressive was that league attendance averages were also up by nearly 4,500 attendees per game across the board. Yes, having large stadia in St. Louis and Atlanta certainly helped, but we also saw significant attendance boosts in places like Houston, Los Angeles, Michigan, and Seattle. The boosts in several cities were enough to offset the displacement of the New Orleans Breakers, and the natural decline in attendance of some clubs who had sub-par years.
The league leaders were not surprising, though normally we would see New Orleans among them, and they were not able to do so with their traveling road show. The Top 5 in 2006 were Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Denver, New Jersey, and Ohio, with Birmingham, Seattle, and St. Louis not far behind. Bringing up the rear, largely due to poor performance on the field, were Pittsburgh, Washington, Las Vegas, Boston, and Texas. The Thunder and Cannons did well as a percentage of seats sold, but their smaller stadia are an issue, while Texas, Washington, and Pittsburgh all saw significant dips from last year, due largely to poor late-season crowds once their records dipped well below .500.
The second major metric used by the league is, of course, TV ratings, and again, adding two more markets and one more game per week seemed to be a boon there as well. There were small but significant increases in viewership across all four networks (ABC, FOX, NBC and ESPN), with the largest gain coming from ESPN, which saw its Saturday and Sunday Night showcase games dominate viewership in the evening timeslot. The highest rated game of the season, to no one’s surprise, was the Ohio-Arizona showdown in Week 14, followed closely by the Boston-New Jersey game the same week. Week 12’s game between Atlanta and Jacksonville, a bit of a surprise in that neither team are considered big market or high value teams for TV purposes.
This news, on both fronts, demonstrates the ongoing upward trajectory in USFL marketability, market saturation, and fan enthusiasm. A recent Gallup poll had the USFL rated third in the nation behind only the NFL and NBA in popularity, ahead of MLB and college football among self-identifying sports fans. What was even more impressive is that the same poll seemed to indicate a greater level of satisfaction with the USFL product than with any other league, including the NFL, which still suffers from a bit of fan frustration with their slowness to modify rules, a sense that they overprotect their players (producing too many penalty calls) and a belief that USFL games tend to be more competitive. This has certainly been the case with Summer Bowl results vs. Super Bowl results. In the past dozen years, we have had 4 championships decided by more than a touchdown, and one of those was Ohio’s 2002 perfect season, which produced the highest TV rating ever for a USFL broadcast, Summer Bowl 2002.
It is all good news for a league that once had to sue the NFL just to remain afloat. While the financial strength of the USFL is still lagging behind that of the older, larger NFL, the league is doing very well in the metrics that matter, and owners who stuck through the rough early years are seeing major return on investment with their franchises and as leaders in their communities.
Eight playoff games down, only 3 left to play. This week we have the Conference Title Games to decide which two clubs will represent their conferences in Summer Bowl 2006. While we don’t have the drama of a Cinderella #6 seed in the mix as we did last year, we do have two very intriguing games.
Sunday, July 9 @ 1pm ET
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
It comes full circle as the Bulls and Generals meet for the second time this season. The two squared of fin the same stadium to open the season way back in March. New Jersey won that game 17-10 thanks to a Brady to Becht touchdown that started New Jersey’s run to the top seed in the conference. A lot has happened since then, yet these two teams have been very consistent all season long.
We know what to expect from this game. Both Jacksonville and New Jersey will look to establish the run with their bell cow backs, Curtis Enis and Antowain Smith. They will look to break big plays through play action, New Jersey hoping to hit Terry Glenn in single coverage, while Jacksonville will split throws between Anquan Boldin and Rashaun Woods, whichever is found to be in single coverage as well. Both defenses will try to pressure the QB while also using timely blitzes to throw off the run game of their opponent. We see the edge in that fight with Jacksonville, thanks to the outstanding run coverage provided by Lavar Arrington and Mike Vrabel. New Jersey’s LB corps, led by Donterrious Thomas and James Harrison is more inclined to go for the big hit and the takeaway than the wrap up tackle, so they will occasionally miss the mark and give up a big play.
Where New Jersey excels is in the ability to finish games strong. Tom Brady has proven to be one of the best 4th quarter, if not the best 2-minute quarterbacks in the game. It has become almost cliché to expect Brady to find a way down the field in the final minutes of a game, particularly when the Generals are trailing. If the game is close, we think we have to favor New Jersey to pull it out. But, if Jacksonville can build up a lead, the Generals have not shown the explosiveness to overcome deficits of more than 7 in the past.
OUR PICK: We like the Generals here for two reasons, the first is the home crowd and the energy they will bring to the game, the second is Brady and his ability to stay calm under pressure and rise to the occasion when New Jersey needs something special. It also helps that this is very much the same General squad that won it all back in 2004, so the experience is there, the confidence is there as well. Generals 24-21 is our pick.
Sunday, July 9 @ 5pm ET
Farmers Insurance Field, Carson, CA
Most pundits had either Ohio or Arizona in this game, many had both, so to have the three and four seeds is a bit of a surprise, but both have been impressive in knocking off the two top-rated teams in the Conference. We all know how Houston does it, defensive fortitude, and offensive tenacity. They will rarely outscore an opponent outright, often wearing them down over the course of the game. For LA the winning formula has been tougher to figure out. They seem somewhat middle-of-the-pack in many ways, and yet one aspect of the team or another seems to rise up as needed to help provide the win. Their demolition of Ohio was one of the most unexpected results of the year, far more so than Houston’s smothering of the Wranglers.
So what do we see as the keys to the game? For Houston it is the ability to score early. That defense is at its best when it does not feel the pressure to do it all. If Houston can get an early lead, it relaxes the defense and that is when they are at their best, when they can play full speed, attack without worry about letting up a score that the offense cannot overcome. For LA the issue is one of maximizing opportunities. Houston will certainly stuff some drives, and Kavika Pittmann has to be licking his chops at the prospect of facing a somewhat stationary Cade McNown, so if LA wants to impress the home crowd and punch their ticket to the franchise’s first ever Summer Bowl, they need to weather the defensive setbacks, prioritize keeping in makable third downs, and, when in scoring range, come up with 7 instead of 3, or 3 instead of 0.
OUR PICK: As impressed as we were with LA against the Glory, we think that Houston poses a very different problem, a problem for LA’s offensive line, with or without dinged up Jonathan Ogden, and a problem for Coach Jackson, to keep LA focused and on track when the bad plays happen. We think the calculus is just a bit simpler for the Gamblers, and we like their chances. Houston 20-16.
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