It is not every day we have a result that simply shocks everyone, but we had it this week as the winless Pittsburgh Maulers not only defeated the 7-1 Ohio Glory, but beat them handily. Ohio was a 13 point favorite, a huge differential in a pro game, and yet, when all was said and done, Pittsburgh won by 18 points. It is our game of the week in a week when we had so many games worth recognizing, because it is the only game people are talking about.
OHIO 6 PITTSBURGH 24
What just happened? Normally our Game of the Week is a close affair that comes down to the final seconds, but even a 24-6 domination can make GOTW when it is an 0-8 squad knocking off a 7-1 team in a one-sided affair. If anyone had the guts to bet this game for the Maulers, that guy is now ordering an extra steak at Sizzler, because he won big.
We are still not sure just how the Maulers did it. They were outgained by Ohio, despite holding the Glory under 300 total yards (272-255). They did not rely on turnovers to even the odds. There were none in the game. They lost the time of possession battle by a slim margin. They just never let Ohio get comfortable. Blitzing was a big piece of the puzzle, as Coach Rivera unleashed a collection of exotic blitzes against Kerry Collins, particularly on 3rd down. Pittsburgh finished the game with 8 sacks of Collins, including 3 from LB Nate Webster, but also sacks from 5 different D-lineman, including newly arrived former Showboat Damaeion Jefferies.
On offense, Pittsburgh just kept chipping away, riding Terrell Davis’s 5.6 YPC to 134 yards, but also getting 11 carries for Brandon Jacobs. The two backs scored all 3 Pittsburgh TDs as rookie QB Brad Grakowski put the ball in the air only 15 times, completing 7 for a measly 72 passing yards. Somehow the Maulers held Joey Galloway to only 1 catch for 14 yards, and George to only 1 reception also. The leading pass catcher for Ohio was fullback Michael Templeton. Think about that, Ohio’s leading receiver was the fullback! That is unheard of!
For all the misery in Pittsburgh this season, this win is about as shocking as it gets. It has been rumored that Coach Rivera was fielding trade offers for everyone from Davis to DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, and so far has rejected all but the trade that brought Jefferies to town. Will the offers keep getting rebuffed, and can Pittsburgh prove to their coach that they have the right personnel to play his system? That seems to be what this win was about, these players proving they had what it took.
For Ohio, the loss is just a huge question mark on their season. Was Pittsburgh a “trap game”, one they looked past as they prepared to face another foe? Unlikely since their next opponent was not a top contender, but expansion St. Louis. Could it be that we have grossly overestimated the Glory? Perhaps. When we look at their 7-1 start, we see that they split with the Panthers, but every other team they have beaten has had a losing record (Chicago 2x, Texas, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Washington). What does this mean for their final month, when they will face Jacksonville, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Arizona? It could mean that those teams will not be as intimidated as a 7-1 team might expect. It also means that a team like Michigan can still hope to catch up to the Glory in the division. In many ways, this loss in Pittsburgh has to be a confidence-shaker, something no team wants at this phase of the season.
BOSTON 31 PHILADELPHIA 24
A good game at The Linc, but one the Stars could not pull out in the end. Tiki Barber outgained Ahman Green 113-75 and added 2 touchdown runs as Boston outscored Philly 10-3 in the final 15 minutes to take the win in what had been a nip and tuck game all day. The loss drops Philadelphia to 3-5-1, and quite a ways back from Boston and New Jersey’s pace at 7-2.
WASHINGTON 16 NEW JERSEY 19 OVERTIME
In the week’s only overtime action, New Jersey got a 36-yard Ryan Lindell field goal to wrap up a win they thought they had in regulation. Up by 3 with less than a minute left, New Jersey’s defense wilted in the final seconds, allowing Kordell Stewart and the Federals to tie the game up. The Generals played without starting QB Tom Brady (family issue), so Kelly Holcombe got the start and finished with 246 yards, one TD and one pick.
TEXAS 9 BALTIMORE 28
The Outlaw offense continues to struggle, despite 91 yards from T.J. Duckett. For Baltimore, two Eddie Kennison TD’s helped Ben Roethlisberger move the Blitz to 4-5 on the year, 1 game under .500. The star on defense was CB Chris McCallister, who picked off a Trent Dilfer pass and took it to the house for 6. Add in a Ron Dayne 1-yard plunge and you have a pretty handily won game for the Blitz.
ORLANDO 21 JACKSONVILLE 34
The Bulls got 4 TDs from Jake Delhomme and the combo of Antowain Smith and Travis Minor added 106 on the ground as Jacksonville retained its hold on the top spot in the Southeast with the home win. Orlando could not get a run game going with Sedrick Irvin, and that hampered them all day as Jackzonville felt comfortable setting up on defense with only the pass in mind.
TAMPA BAY 34 ATLANTA 17
The Fire were game, and were only down 20-17 after three quarters, but as their defense tired, Culpepper and the Bandit offense took advantage, with Randy Moss and Willis McGahee both scoring in the final 15 minutes to pull well ahead of Atlanta down the stretch. Jeff Lewis’s 5 picks in the game, including a pair of pick-6s from Andra Davis and Bryan Scott certainly did not help the cause for the Fire either.
MEMPHIS 21 NEW ORLEANS 23
Another good crowd in Portland for the Breakers, and another big win as they move to 6-3 on the year. Eli Manning threw for 261 and 2 scores, while Davis and Perry combined for 132 yards on the ground as the Breakers edged the Memphis Showboats and new QB Jon Kitna.
BIRMINGHAM 13 MICHIGAN 10
In what felt more like two troubled offenses rather than two shutdown defenses, the Panthers and Stallions struggled to move the ball or to score in this one. Michigan had the lead at 10-6 until well into the 4th quarter before Jason Campbell found Joe Horn from 9 yards out to put the Stallions on top to stay. Drew Brees was picked off, his 2nd of the day, in the final seconds as Michigan tried to get into field goal range.
ST. LOUIS 13 CHICAGO 16
Another game where offense was in short supply as the Machine managed only 196 total yards, but still came away with a win thanks to St. Louis’s issues with 3rd down, converting only 2 of 13 attempts all game. Michael Turner rushed the ball 27 times but garnered only 88 yards (3.3 per carry) as Chicago tried to limit Jeff George, who would finish the game only 6 of 18 throwing the ball. Luke McCown got the start for St. Louis and managed to complete 15 of 32 passes, but was also sacked 9 times in the game as his tendency to hold the ball was tested.
NASHVILLE 17 LOS ANGELES 20
A tough road game for the Knights as Los Angeles held court with a 3-point win. A McNown to Keyshawn Johnson TD with 4:34 left in regulation gave LA the lead and the win after TD passes to Bert Emmanuel and Derrick Mason had given Nashville the lead in the 3rd quarter. Both Keyshawn and Tory Holt caught TD passes in this one as LA moved to 6-3 and retained a share of first place in the Pacific Division.
OAKLAND 20 ARIZONA 28
The Invaders fell back below .500 with a tough loss in Arizona. The Wranglers stay atop the Southwest Division with the win, powered by 3 Jake Plummer TDs on a day when he attempted only 17 passes all game. Ricky Williams scored both TDs for Oakland, but they could not add a third to send the game to overtime, missing on a 4th down end zone shot in the waning moments.
HOUSTON 10 LAS VEGAS 3
Las Vegas showed their defense was legitimate, but that their offense still had major issues as these two defensive-minded teams played in a snore of a game. Neither team could get much going offensively all day, so a lone TD from Tatum Bell was more than enough for the Gamblers to pull this one out. Kavika Pittman added two sacks to his yearly total while Las Vegas got picks from FS Sean Jones and LB Shawn Barber to stifle the Panther offense as well.
DENVER 22 SEATTLE 17
With Bryon Leftwich sidelined by injury, Cody Pickett got the start, but simply could not do enough against Denver’s defense to get the W. Sacked 8 times, Pickett was under constant fire form blitzing defenders. Meanwhile, Denver’s Matt Leinart had solid protection and relied heavily on WR Peerless Price, who finished the day with 143 yards and a score on 8 receptions. The loss drops Seattle into a tie for 1st place with LA in the Pacific, while Denver stays 1 game back of both Houston and Arizona with the win.
Wranglers win 5th in a row.
No team in the league is on a hotter streak than the Arizona Wranglers. They have won their last five, including two wins over division rival Texas and defeats of pretty good Tampa, Oakland, and LA squads. Next up for them are 2 matchups with arch rival Denver in 3 weeks, first at the Gold and then, two weeks later, in the new Glendale digs. Sandwiched in-between are the Maulers in what should be a winnable road game.
So, how is Arizona doing it? They have the absolute worst defense in the league for yardage, allowing 379 yards per game, but somehow yards are not turning into points, as they are barely allowing 20 per game. The offense, on the other hand, is averaging nearly 25 per game and they are not making mistakes. They have committed only 4 turnovers all year, while collecting 16 takeaways, for a very solid +12 turnover margin. Only Jacksonville’s +15 is any better. Jake Plummer may not have MVP numbers, but his 125.3 QB Rating and 18-2 TD-INT ratio is the best of his career. And while it is unlikely that the Wranglers will produce a 1,000 yard rusher, the combo of Pritchett and Staley has topped 700 total yards, so it is a pretty effective 2-headed snake of a HB combo. Moss and Fitzgerald continue to be dominant receives, each with over 600 yards receiving, but Plummer is also spreading the wealth, with Thabiti Davis, Kevin Everett, Matt Cushing ,and Duce Staley each with multiple receiving TDs. With timely takeaways, few offensive errors, and a defense that is playing much better than last year, the Wranglers are looking like a team on the rebound.
Washington in free fall with 7th consecutive loss after 2-0 start.
What is happening in Washington? The Feds started the year with two promising wins, knocking off Orlando and Philly, but have since lost 7 in a row. Their offense ranks near the bottom in scoring, averaging just under 16 points per game, and the oft-praised Federal D is giving up over 21, bad enough for 19th in the league. Despite a very talented offense, only Deuce McCallister seems to be living up to his usual standards. The injury to Deion Branch has forced Bobby Engram to be the #1 receiver, a role he is not suited to fill. Newly arrived Mike Williams became Newly on IR Mike Williams in one week. And while Antonio Pierce is becoming a force at LB, leading the league in tackles, the fact that he also leads the team in sacks, with only 4, is not a good thing.
Washington’s Paul Hackett stepped away after last year and the Feds promoted Kurt Schottenheimer to the big chair, but after this 7-game spiral, fans are beginning to wonder how to undo that move. Can Hackett return? Will Schottenheimer be back next year? This is a club that won their division in 2005, and now look like one of the league’s worst clubs, all without major changes to the personnel, a reality that does not shine a good light on Schottenheimer to be sure.
Terrell Davis’s Statement Game
In a season that is looking like the worst in a long time for the Maulers, and with rumors of his decline as a lead back, Terrell Davis silenced the critics this week. He took the team on his shoulders and led Pittsburgh to the biggest upset win in several years. Davis is the one Mauler who seems to be better this year than last. He rushed for only 736 yards last year, and is already well over that total with 794 in 9 games in 2006. And he has had a couple of truly outstanding games, like in week 2 when he rushed for 170 against Birmingham, or in week 6 against St. Louis, but this week’s 134 yard, 2 TD performance was the first time that Davis’s efforts led to a win.
With all sorts of talk in Pittsburgh about Coach Rivera hoping to blow up the roster and start fresh in 2007, Davis is the one constant, the best player on a bad team, a 6-time All-USFL selection, an, at 31, a player who still has gas in the tank.
Week 9 means we take our first peek at the Playoff Picture, and while it is too early for teams to have clinched any spots, there clearly are a few who are well-positioned with 5 weeks left in the season. In our current conference standings, we see New Jersey and Ohio as the two top seeds, both sitting at 7-2 and in control of their destiny. LA, Houston, Jacksonville, and the Breakers are all currently leading their divisions as well, though in some cases only due to tie breakers. Right now 5-4 is the cutoff for a playoff spot, and in the West (which saw several sub-500 teams qualify last year) it appears that even 5-4 right now does not guarantee a spot.
The West actually has more teams with winning records right now than the East, which is a clear reversal from last year, though the swapping of the Central and Southern divisions certainly plays into this. Races to watch as we move forward include a neck-and-neck battle between Boston and New Jersey in the Northeast, a similar situation at 6-3 with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville in the Southeast, and a 1-game race between New Orleans and Nashville in the South. In the Central, it is Ohio with the biggest margin in the league, a 2-game advantage over Michigan. LA and Seattle are tied at 6-3 in the Pacific, and the Southwest has the best 3-team race, with Houston and Arizona at 6-3, and Denver only a game back.
Looking at the teams currently out of playoff position, obviously Michigan and Las Vegas, both at 5-4, are right there, but even teams below .500, teams like Baltimore, Nashville, and Oakland, can still get there. With a lot of divisional games left to play, these standings can and will change quite a bit. At the very least what we can say now is that neither conference seems to have a dominant position over the other. That is a positive change after a very weird 2005 race.
A big blow to the Generals as RT Orlando Brown is lost of for the season with a ruptured Achilles. Brown is a big part of the Generals’ run game, so this loss will hurt. Other than Brown’s injury, a pretty light week, with the injury list shrinking from Week 8. A few to note, Oakland guard Brendan Stai could be gone for a month with a ruptured disc, and New Orleans will be without wideout Jerome Pathon for at least a month with a torn MCL. Houston guard Chris Naole will likely only miss one week with a hairline fracture in his arm, while rookie FS Darnell Bing will be out for LA at least a week with a shoulder injury.
Among those looking to return to action this week and listed as Probable, we have Tom Brady, Texas CB Marlon Kerner, Seattle WR David Boston, Memphis LB Kirk Morrison, Chicago LB Brian Urlacher, Thunder DE Hugh Douglas, Washington WR Deion Branch, Orlando C Todd McClure, Arizona LB Lance Briggs, and Baltimore WR Josh Reed.
Rookie Class of 2006 Showing Their Stuff
Last year we had a rookie class dominated by HB Frank Gore. This year it looks like a tougher call to make as to who the best rookie is. We are seeing a lot of players on the field, and a lot of good outings as well. Matt Leinart, the only Week 1 starter out of the bunch, is looking solid with a 98.2 QBR, 12 TDs and a Gold team at 5-4. Brad Gradkowski has gotten some starts in Pittsburgh and just pulled off the upset of the decade. Maurice Jones-Drew has been getting significant snaps in LA, and has 5 TDs on the season. Among the receivers we have Oakland’s Greg Jennings with 44 receptions for 653 yards, Orlando’s Brandon Marshall with 328 yards and 3 scores, Santonio Holmes in Ohio taking on the #2 spot and grabbing 459 yards in his first 9 games, and two top tight ends, with Chicago’s Anthony Fasano with 29 catches, including 2 scores and Houston’s Vernon Davis scoring his first touchdown recently.
But, despite this success, the bigger story may be the defenders in the class of 2006. Looking across the league, we are seeing a lot of rookie defenders on the field and making an impact. We have Thunder LB A.J. Hawk with 59 tackles, 2 sacks and a safety in 9 games. Birmingham LB DeMeco Ryans is no slouch either, with 57 tackles, 1 sack, a pick, and 3 forced fumbles. Free Safety Darnell Bing in LA has 48 tackles and 2 sacks. Looking at the D-linemen, you have DT Tamba Hali disrupting the O-line for the Generals. The big guy already has 4 sacks on the year, while Orlando DE Kamerion Wimberley has one more, with 5 sacks. LB Chad Greenway is leading the Outlaws’ 8th ranked scoring defense with 50 tackles, and Manny Lawson is seeing a lot of field time for Boston. It is a very deep class, we knew that going into the draft, but that is getting proven each week in USFL games across the league.
ESPN Football Network Bulks Up Its Offerings
While the current deals with ABC, ESPN, FOX and NBC do not allow ESPN’s Football Network to show lives games from the USFL schedule, the network co-founded by the league and the cable sports “mothership” has announced two new agreements that will certainly make it a more attractive option for football fans. The first is an agreement with the USFL and its broadcast partners to allow for what they are calling a “Live Feed” highlight show. Essentially, during Saturday and Sunday afternoon games, when there are between 2-4 games going on at the same time, the new network will be able to broadcast “peak in” coverage of all active games. The premise is that they will be able to show any particular game for up to 10 uninterrupted minutes, with an emphasis on closer games and action within the scoring range of each game. It is possible that by watching this as-of-yet unnamed show on a Sunday afternoon, fans can catch all the key scoring moments across the league games during the afternoon, something they have largely only been able to do with text-based live feeds on U.com the USFL’s webpage. Now, instead of refreshing their browser to catch what happened on a key 3rd and 8 late in a game, fans could catch that action on the multi-game highlight show on the EFN. With the rise of fantasy football across the nation, we certainly see the appeal of being able to catch scoring plays, highlights, and stats from across the league instead of one home market or national game with a ticker running under the action.
The second big addition will come this fall, when the ESPN Football Network will begin broadcasting more college games, thanks to new deals with both Conference USA and the Mountain West. While not a deal with the SEC, as the league had originally hoped, this new deal will put a lot of quality games on live TV across the country, not just in regional coverage. Teams like Tulane, Houston, SMU, UCF, East Carolina, and Southern Mississippi will get far more coverage for fans in the South than they have ever seen before, while fans out west can catch action from BYU, TCU, Utah, Air Force, UNLV, San Diego State and other Mountain West clubs. No, it is not Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, or Miami, but this provides the EFN with quality fall football to go along with their coverage of the USFL, and non-game broadcasting such as the wide range of coach’s shows, prediction shows, draft and offseason recap shows, and special features from USFL Films.
All in all, a good step. We are still anticipating the day when EFN will cover live games and hopefully add one of the major college football conferences to their broadcast options, but for now, having a football-only network is still a big deal, and certainly helps make USFL news, players, and personalities available to fans year-round. Nothing wrong with that.
Week 10 and the stakes are getting higher. We have a lot of matchups of clubs with winning records this week, and that usually means that both clubs will bring their A game to the match. Of course, after the upset of Ohio, even teams facing weaker opponents need to stay focused. Among the games not to miss this week we have these beauties:
Philadelphia (3-5-1) @ New Jersey (7-2): The Generals appear to have a clear advantage here, but this is a rivalry game, and you know what they say, throw the records out when these two meet.
Houston (6-3) @ Michigan (5-4): This is a game the Panthers have to have if they want any chance of keeping pace with Ohio, but Houston cannot afford a loss either in a very tight SW Division.
Los Angeles (6-3) @ Las Vegas (5-4): The Thunder can take a huge step forward if they can knock off the Express at Sam Boyd, but the Express have been playing well in all three phases, so this will be a tough matchup for Las Vegas.
Arizona (6-3) @ Denver (5-4): A win and the Gold are right there with Arizona and Houston. A loss and they could be 2 games back of both with only 4 to play. Arizona feels the pressure too, hoping that Houston stumbles in Michigan.
Seattle (6-3) @ Oakland (4-5): The Invaders need to get back to .500 to have any chance at the divisional race. A loss here and they are 3 games behind Seattle.
Jacksonville (6-3) @ New Orleans (6-3): The third of three straight “home” games for the Breakers in Portland, and this is a big one, facing off against the SE Division leaders. For Jacksonville, a loss could drop them behind Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay (6-3) @ Birmingham (5-4): A classic South battle here, even with the two now in different divisions. Tampa has to worry about Jacksonville getting a game up on them, while Birmingham cannot afford to fall to .500 with both Nashville and New Orleans coming on in the South.
Baltimore (4-5) @ Boston (7-2): A divisional battle, and a rematch of Boston’s 34-11 opening day lambasting of the Blitz. Can Baltimore reverse the results as they travel up to Alumni Stadium, or will the Cannons have another field day against the Blitz?
Texas (2-7) @ Atlanta (4-5): The Fire can get back to .500 with a win at home. But they have to be careful not to underestimate a Texas squad that may struggle with offense, but have a top flight D to bring to bear.
Washington (2-7) @ Memphis (2-7): Call this one the Disappointment Bowl, as both of these teams have struggled all season long to earn wins and respect. Both were playoff teams last year, but that must feel like a lifetime ago for the current players.
St. Louis (2-7) @ Ohio (7-2): How will Ohio bounce back from their shocking defeat against the winless Maulers? Will they take out their frustrations on a weaker St. Louis squad, or will the funk continue and provide the Skyhawks with a chance.
Chicago (3-6) @ Pittsburgh (1-8): The Machine need a win to have any hope of a late playoff push, while Pittsburgh, hot off a stunning win, are hoping that this is a pivot point for the franchise moving forward.
Nashville (4-5) @ Orlando (2-6-1): The Knights can get back to .500 with a win, but Orlando is not going to make it easy. Their top defense can keep any game close.