A wild week to be a fan in the USFL. From the drama of “Win & In” games to constant scoreboard watching, the 2007 season came down to a wild, action packed conclusion. Four playoff spots were on the line with simultaneous games impacting each other and teams’ fates rising and falling with practically every score of every game. Yes, there were some teams resting starters, and yes, some teams clearly were just trying to get to the offseason, but with so many clubs trying to determine either their playoff fate or their seeding, there was a lot happening this week. We start it off with what ended up being a very real pre-playoff playoff game as Oakland and Denver battled with only the winner likely to make the postseason.
OAKLAND 17 DENVER 15
The scenario was pretty clear for the Denver Gold, win this game and you win the Southwest Division and set up a Wild Card playoff game at Invesco Field the following week. For Oakland, they would need a win to have any chance at a Wild Card, but would also need either LA or Las Vegas to lose to be ensured a spot. So, while Denver had to concentrate on the field Dennis Green had to remind his players to focus on the game and not the scoreboard, because if Oakland could not take care of business, the scores in other games did not matter.
Oakland got off to a good start, dominating the opening quarter of the game. They started the game with a 5-minute drive, moving the ball in fits and starts, but still moving the ball. Helped by 2 Denver penalties, Oakland drove the ball into the red zone and Ricky Williams did the rest. On three straight carries he took the ball from the 17 to the 14, then to the 10, and then into the endzone on a bruising run that included a push in the back from his fullback to get him over the line and in for six. Oakland was on the board first. They would hold Denver on the Gold’s first possession, and 3 minutes later Joe Nedney would put the Invaders up by 10 with a 46-yarder that would have been good from 56.
Denver rebounded in the second quarter, scoring on two consecutive drives, but both off the foot of Mason Crosby. Matt Leinart was struggling to find his outside receivers against Oakland’s zone coverages, forced to look inside or for short crossing patterns. Thanks to a couple of good runs form Curtis Benson, the Gold managed to get in field goal range on both occasions, and fortunately the defense started to find some solutions for Oakland’s attack, and that allowed Denver to go into the half down only 4, 10-6.
The third quarter belonged to Ricky Williams. Oakland’s main man rushed the ball 12 times in the quarter, half of his 24 carries on the day, and gained 70 of his 127 yards in the quarter as well. Oakland seemed content to play a slow-paced game as long as they could keep getting first downs, and while they only scored on one drive, Williams from 5-yards out, they managed to possess the ball for 9 of the quarter’s 15 mnutes. A missed 48-yarder from Nedney could have given them a 14-point lead but coming out of the third up 11 was certainly not a bad position for the Invaders.
Denver had 15 minutes to save their season, and they clearly knew it. On defense the Gold tightened their run defense up and prevented Williams from taking over the game down the stretch. On offense, they went for a change, a surprise move by Coach Jauron, as he benched Matt Leinart and put in Derreck Anderson. The results were immediate. Anderson got the Gold into field goal range by hitting Anquon Boldin and Peerless Price with back to back out routes that had eluded Leinart all game. Denver got back within 8 with the Crosby kick, his third of the game, but they would need a touchdown and a 2-point PAT to tie the game up.
Oakland would help Denver’s cause. Following the Gold score the Invaders, feeling pressure to expand the lead once again, took a risk on a 1st and 10 and Joey Harrington paid the price. Faking the ball to Williams, he sent a deep ball out towards Plaxico Burress, but the route was undercut by CB Tory James, who barely got both feet in bounds to bring in the pick. It was just the break the Gold needed. Set up at the Oakland 47, they had only half a field to go to try to even up the game.
Anderson would connect with Kassim Osgood on his next pass, gaining 16 on a simple slant route. Runs by Benson (who finished the game with 77 yards on 14 carries) got them closer, then a connection with Peerless price on a 3rd and 3 brought them to the 7-yard line. Anderson then connected with Anquon Boldin on what began as a slant, but was quickly turned back outside, leaving the Invader corner out of position. Boldin brought in the ball and Denver was down by only 2.
As the 2-minute break hit, the Gold huddled along the sideline to hear the offensive call for the PAT. The Invaders did the same with Coach Green on their sideline. Anderson is not a very mobile QB, so the threat of the bootleg run-pass option was not really on the table. It would likely be a shotgun formation play with an attempt at a rub or pick on one of the outside receivers. That was the theory put forward by the Oakland coaches. They called it correctly, and reminded the DB’s of the importance of switching off on receivers if they saw that kind of movement.
Denver called exactly what Oakland anticipated, and when the corner and safety swapped duties instead of running into each other, it spelled doom for the initial play call. Anderson tried to connect with Osgood on his outbreaking route, but corner Alphonso Hodge did not rub off when crossing with safety Pearson Prioleau, he switched to Osgood, and when the ball got to the diminutive receiver, Hodge was right there to knock it away.
Down 2 after the failed PAT, Denver had no choice but to go with the onside kick. Recovered by Oakland’s Joel Dreesen, it would mean that the Gold, with exactly 2 minutes to play, would need to stop the Invaders and hope to get the ball back with enough time to maneuver into field goal range for Mason Crosby. They would not get that chance. Ricky Williams drove a dagger into the hearts of the nearly 55,000 Gold faithful at Invesco Field, when, on a 2nd and 8 he found a gap in the left side, broke a tackle and plunged ahead for 9 yards. It was enough to allow the Invaders to kneel down on their next 2 snaps and take home the win.
But while Denver could look up at the scores shown on the Jumbotron and see that Houston was handily beating Texas, a result that killed all hopes of a Gold playoff spot, the Invaders looked up to the screen and could only see that Las Vegas and Tampa Bay were knotted up at 17 and headed to overtime. They would have to wait to see if they would be dancing next week.
TEXAS 8 HOUSTON 41
Houston had indeed made short work of the Texas Outlaws, hopeful that Oakland could do their part to bump the Gamblers into the SW Division title. Leading 24-8 at the half, the Gambler players spent a good deal of the second half watching and commenting on the Oakland-Denver score. Matt Hasselbeck had thrown 2 touchdowns, and Kevin Faulk was on his way to a 97-yard, 2 score day as well as the Gamblers routed their in-state rivals, who, having started Dan Orlovsky in place of the injured Jeff George, had barely put up a fight. Houston’s ticket was punched when Denver failed on the 2-pointer and the onside kick. The Gamblers would be champions of the Southwest Division and would host a Wild Card game at NRG Stadium next week.
LAS VEGAS 17 TAMPA BAY 20
Oakland’s chance to make the playoffs now hinged on Las Vegas. The Thunder began the day in the 6th position, and a win would lock up their Wild Card hopes. But Tampa Bay played them tough all day. Koy Detmer got the start as the team was still concerned about Culpepper’s health. Detmer hit Karl Williams for an early score and the Bandits got another score from Willis McGahee, and took a 17-3 lead into the half. Las Vegas rallied beind Marshawn Lynch’s 90 yards and got two touchdowns in the second half to even the score and send the game into overtime. But, in the final period, the Las Vegas offense could not get on the board, and when Dorsey hit Roscoe Parrish with a 25-yard strike, it placed the Bandits in range for kicker Nate Kaeding, and the Bandit kicker drove a stake into the heart of Thunder faithful, connecting on a 34-yard field goal to win the game and knock the Thunder out of the playoffs. Nate Kaeding became a hero to Invader fans as his kick propelled the Invaders to the playoffs for the 2nd time in 3 years.
LOS ANGELES 13 CHICAGO 24
The final Wild Card spot in the West was LA’s to own. A win and they were unchallenged for the #5 seed, but a loss meant that they would need Las Vegas to lose as well. Holding tie breakers over all the other 7-6 clubs, they could lose and still get in as long as Las Vegas finished 7-7. As they played against the Chicago Machine, who still had hopes for the Central Division title, it became clear that Chicago would win the game. The Machine rattled off 21 quick points to take a commanding lead, led by rookie Brady Quinn’s 21 of 24 passing day. Los Angeles tried to rally, but never got within 1 score of the Machine, so their fate rested with the Thunder. They too became huge fans of Nate Kaeding, because Tampa’s overtime victory meant that LA were through as the 5 seed despite the loss in their finale. For Chicago, their hopes of stealing away the Central crown would depend on Ohio’s score.
OHIO 30 ARIZONA 7
The Ohio Glory did not oblige Chicago. Facing a 2-11 Wrangler squad, the Glory took care of business early and coasted to a comfortable 23-point win and the Central Division title. A pick six of Plummer and touchdowns from Stephen Alexander and Eddie George were more than enough to give Ohio the title and the first round bye as the 2 seed in the West. Chicago would have to settle for the #4 seed and a home Wild Card game.
PHILADELPHIA 10 BALTIMORE 33
Baltimore was another team that needed to watch the scoreboard, as they would need a win and a Jacksonville loss to make the postseason at 7-6-1. Playing a Philadelphia squad that kept Kurt Warner under center but rested league rushing leader Ahman Green and top wideout Steve Smith, they would get the W they needed. Ron Dayne would run for 111 and 2 scores and Chris Crocker would run back a Warner pick to help Baltimore do their part. But they too had to watch the scoreboard to see if Nashville would help them out by knocking out the Bulls.
NASHVILLE 13 JACKSONVILLE 33
Baltimore’s hopes were quickly dashed as the Bulls took command at home of a Nashville squad that already had their Wild Card spot in hand. With Rick Mirer given the start instead of the still-recovering Jay Cutler, the Knights just did not have a lot of punch in them. The decision to rest Frank Gore made the result all but inevitable. Jacksonville rolled to a 20-point win behind 104 yards from Antowain Smith and 3 TD tosses from Jake Delhomme. The Bulls, and not the Blitz would be in the playoffs as Jacksonville jumped up to the 5 seed, sending Nashville to a Wild Card matchup with Orlando in Round 1.
BIRMINGHAM 13 ORLANDO 37
Don’t look now, but the Orlando Renegades may just be the best team in the league. After losing their first 4 games, Orlando has gone 9-1 since, winning 7 in a row after knocking off the Birmingham Stallions by 24 points. Drew Brees threw for only 149 yards in this one before being pulled for Matt Cassel, but his 3 touchdowns made it clear that Orlando had the game won. Sedrick Irvin rushed for 118 and Justin McCaerins racked up 105 in the air as Birmingham, who started Anthony Wright at QB, were clearly overmatched. Orlando would now host the Knights in next week’s Wild Card round.
ST. LOUIS 17 MICHIGAN 48
With the results coming in from other games, it became clear by the 4th quarter that Michigan’s slim chances for a Wild Card had been dashed already, but the Panthers played like their season was on the line. They absolutely mauled a Skyhawk squad that has not played a competitive game in weeks. Brian Griese threw for 4 scores and 356 yards against a spent Skyhawk D, but it was to no avail as the Panthers finish the year 8-6, but out of contention on tie breakers.
BOSTON 9 NEW JERSEY 10
Boston rested Drew Bledsoe and Chad Ochocinco, and with Tiki Barber out with an injury, the Cannons simply were not themselves as they finished out the year with a lackluster performance against the Generals. Kevin Kolb, in his third start for New Jersey, logged his third win, but looked mediocre in doing so, tossing two picks and completing 14 of 23 on the day. A third quarter James Jackson run would be the game winner as both teams seemed to take it a bit easy in the 4th as the season wrapped up for the Generals and Boston tried to avoid any further injuries going into their bye week.
NEW ORLEANS 0 ATLANTA 33
In a game that could only impact draft order, Atlanta had no issues with a Breaker team that has simply given up this year. Mike Nolan will have a chance to rebuild next year, but a lot is going to have to change for the Breakers to return to winning form. For Atlanta, a 6-8 finish is only 1 game off of last year’s amazing Wild Card run as an expansion club, so it is back to the drawing board for Coach Gruden and the Fire.
WASHINGTON 14 PITTSBURGH 23
Finally, the Maulers take this matchup of underwhelming squads to finish the year with a win and a 6-8 record. Washington falls to 4-10, their second consecutive 4-10 season after a long run without a losing year. Deuce McCallister finished strong, with 113 yards and a TD as Washington’s lone bright spot, and Pittsburgh saw good things in mid-season acquisition DeShaun Foster, who finished with 92 yards and a score.
Playoff Matchups Set
We have our playoff matchups and seeds after fourteen long and arduous weeks of action. As we knew going into the week Boston, Memphis, and Seattle would get a bye and much-desired rest. Ohio, after their win this week, would join them as the #2 seed in the West. The third place division winners would be Orlando in the East and Houston in the West. They will both host the #6 seeds, Nashville and Oakland. The other Wild Card games will feature Jacksonville visiting the Philadelphia Stars and the LA Express headed to Chicago to face the Machine. We will preview the 4 Wild Card games a bit later on, but let’s take a quick look at all 12 playoff teams now, exploring their strengths and weaknesses.
SEATTLE (13-1, West #1 Seed)
To say that Seattle has been dominant this year seems obvious. You don’t come 1 game away from a perfect season without being solid in every phase. Sporting a balanced offense that finished the season as the #2 scoring offense and #2 yardage offense in the league certainly helps. Adding in at Top 10 rush defense and scoring defense means you are likely to win a lot of games. If Seattle has a weakness it may be that David Boston dominates as a receiver. Now, that does not sound weak, but the issue is that there is no solid #2 option for Byron Leftwich. Jeramy Stephens is the #2 target at TE. With Darnerien McCants out with injury, the #2 wideout is Reggie Brown, who had 10 receptions on the year. That could be an issue if Seattle faces a team that is capable of doubling up Boston and containing HB Corey Dillon.
BOSTON (11-3, East #1 Seed)
Boston would likely be a clear cut favorite to come out of the east, except for one problem, they are limping into the playoffs without the key to their offense, Tiki Barber, on the field. While there is some speculation that Barber could be back by the Divisional Playoff, when Boston hosts their first game, but even if he is, he is likely to be well under 100% that soon. So this Boston team needs a plan B if they want to look like the team that went 11-3 in the tough NE Division. With the 14th ranked defense, it may all fall on Drew Bledsoe and Chad Ochocinco to get them to the next round, when Barber could be more of a factor.
OHIO (11-3, West #2 Seed)
The Glory are again looking like a major contender. They have a Top 5 offense and a Top 10 defense, exactly the combo that helped them win back to back titles in 2002 and 2003. They are a bit older now, which means that neither Galloway or George are quite as explosive, but they are still a very dangerous team. If they have a weakness, it is their run defense, which has proven vulnerable to dynamic backs. That could be an issue if they find themselves facing Michael Turner, Maurice Jones-Drew, or Ricky Williams, but those teams would have to deal with Ohio’s offense as well, so they still should be favored in any Divisional round matchup.
MEMPHIS (10-4, East #2 Seed)
The arrival of Brett Favre in Memphis has turned a mediocre squad into one of the most dangerous teams in the playoff picture. While statistically they rank between 10th and 15th in a lot of categories, thy do boast an explosive offense and a ball hawking defense. Their receiving corps is not well known, but it is effective, with Ferguson, Martin, and Lee Evans providing Favre with solid targets. Cadillac Williams is not an elite back, but used correctly he can be effective. The Defense is a bit more concerning, but if they can generate turnovers, which they did 23 times this year, they can be very dangerous indeed.
ORLANDO (9-5, East #3 Seed)
We said it earlier. Orlando, on a 9-1 tear, is playing like the best team in the league right now. Drew Brees has picked up Emmitt Thomas’s offense and is a master conductor of the symphony. The talent around him does not have a lot of star power, but they are getting the job done. Sedrick Irvin has quietly racked up 1,207 yards on the ground, Justin McCaerins finished the regular season with over 1,000 yards receiving and he is only the #2 receiver behind Michael Jenkins. The defense ranks 6th in yards allowed and is particularly tough against the run. Orlando could make a deep run. Their main weakness is on pass defense, where pressure is the key to their success. If they cannot get to the opposing QB, their secondary is vulnerable.
HOUSTON (8-6, West #3 Seed)
By the skin of their teeth. That is the only way to describe how the Gamblers won the Southwest Division. Basically a missed 2-point conversion by Denver got them in. So what do we say about Houston? Well, Matt Hasselbeck is dangerous at QB, and he has solid receivers in Ike Hilliard, Koren Robinson and the TE combo of Vernon Davis and Dan Campbell. The run game is still a bit of an albatross for them, and the defense, while ranked in the Top 10 is not dominant, but do not ignore league sack leader Kavika Pittman or you will be in a world of hurt.
CHICAGO (10-4, West #4 Seed)
The Machine look like another team that can compete with the big boys. Despite being led by a rookie at QB, Chicago boasted the 8th best scoring offense. Brady Quinn’s numbers were not “jump off the page” but they, along with Michael Turner at HB, did enough to build leads and then turn things over to the Machine’s nasty D. Brian Urlacher and Anthony Weaver lead a hard-hitting, in your face defense, but they are not alone. While Weaver finished with 15 sacks, his opposite, Israel Rayborn, had another 11, and there are plenty of hard hitters all across the starting 11. The weakness for the Machine seems to be pass coverage, as teams that can protect their QB’s can find success going against the 2-deep zones Chicago loves to employ.
PHILADELPHIA (9-5, East #4 Seed)
The Stars can look fabulous one week and mediocre the next. The key seems to be their 3rd rated run game. When Ahman Green is running downhill (which is most weeks), they are tough to beat. Kurt Warner is a master at play action and his accuracy, when given time, is the best in the league. But, if you can pressure Warner and limit Green, the Stars are vulnerable. Their defense is also solid, but has given up some big games to some of the league’s better backs. This is a team that could make a run all the way to the Summer Bowl, or fall in the Wild Card round.
JACKSONVILLE (8-6, East #5 Seed)
With a 1,200 yard rusher in Antowain Smith, and a 3,500 yard passer in Jake Delhomme, the Bulls finished the year as the #1 offense in yardage and the #3 offense in scoring. That should scare folks. With Donald Hayes coming on this year to be a true #2 to Rashaun Woods, the Bulls have the balance on offense that they have lacked in the past. Their biggest issue is on defense, where they rank 14th against the pass and 19th against the run. So, expect a shootout and hope you can get just enough stops or just enough turnovers and you can take out the Bulls. Fail to do that and they can run you out of town.
LOS ANGELES (8-6, West #5 Seed)
The Express are a very hard team to figure. They have the 23rd run game in the league (Why again did they trade away DeShaun Foster?) and Seneca Wallace is not going to light you up. Their defense is solid, but they will give up yards. If the game is in the teens or twenties, LA can be right there, but if you can get your offense going against their pass rush, you can outpace them and get the W.
OAKLAND (8-6, West #6 Seed)
It took some Week 14 drama to get Oakland into the postseason, but now that they are here, can they do some damage? Honestly, that all seems to depend on one man, Ricky Williams. The Invaders have the #1 rushing offense in the league, averaging 145 yards a game, and most of that is Williams, who rushed for 1,419 this season. If you can contain Williams you can beat Oakland, it just seems to be that simple. But who can contain Williams for 4 quarters? That is the hard part.
NASHVILLE (7-6-1, East #6 Seed)
The Knights sit between 10th and 20th in basically every category, very appropriate for a team that is 1 tie game away from a .500 record. What do they do well? They run the ball with Frank Gore. Plain and simple. Shorten the game. Keep pressure off of Jay Cutler (who is expected back from injury this week) and have their defense on the field as little as possible. The defense is not horrible, but they do have a propensity to give up big plays, and in the playoffs that is not a trait you want in a defense.
Draft Order of First 16 Picks Set
With the regular season over, we have our draft order set, at least through the first 16 picks. The league also announced today that Charlotte had won the coin toss and will have the #1 pick in the first round (and all odd rounds thereafter) while Portland would pick third (and then first in even rounds). So, as we look at the first round of the draft, who needs what and who is going to be looking for immediate improvement.
1. CHARLOTTE: At this point, with zero players on the roster, Charlotte needs everything. We won’t know what their draft looks like until after free agency and the Expansion Draft, but if they are going just on talent, the best prospect may be Michigan tackle Jake Long, assuming the Panthers don’t select him in the T-Draft.
2. NEW ORLEANS: Mike Nolan returns in 2008, but will Eli Manning? That is the $10,000,000 question. If Manning is given another year to develop, then the Breakers are likely to look for a HB here, but if not, they could take a shot on Delaware’s Joe Flacco here.
3. PORTLAND: Like Charlotte, we have no idea what the need will be by Draft Day because we have no idea what talent will be on the roster by then. Again looking at talent alone, we could see Portland go defense with DE Chris Long or Vernon Gholston here.
4. ST. LOUIS: The Skyhawks have not started well as an expansion club, 4-24 in two seasons. They are not set at QB or HB, but their defense also needs a lot of help. We could see them trade down to get more picks, as they did last year, but if they don’t, they could certainly go for some defensive muscle at #3.
5. ARIZONA: Just pick a back. Seriously. How long can one team go without realizing they need a dominant running back? If they can get Darren McFadden out of Arkansas, they absolutely should.
6. WASHINGTON: Losing Kordell Stewart for the year clearly had a negative impact on the Feds’ chances, but the defense also struggled, so adding an impact player, particularly on the D-Line could be paramount. How about DT Glenn Dorsey from LSU?
7. TEXAS: A lot will depend on if Jeff George is done, as many indicators seem to be signalling. IF that is the case then making a run at either Joe Flacco or BC’s Matt Ryan may be the order of the day.
8. TAMPA BAY: This is a team with a lot of talent but horrible results this year. If Daunte Culpepper is back in form next year, the #1 order of business will be protection, so a player like Jake Long or Boise State’s Ryan Clady may be the way to go.
9. BIRMINGHAM: It seems clear that whoever the new coach is, he will be under orders to find a better option at QB. Jason Campbell has just not shown enough and the Stallions cannot feel good about going into the year with Anthony Wright as the starter. Will Birmingham trade up to try to get Flacco or Ryan, or will they settle on a 3rd option like Brian Brohm of Louisville?
10. PITTSBURGH: The Maulers have some good pieces. QB and HB seem settled, and Coach Rivera has put a lot into the defense in the past 2 drafts, so what is needed? Either a gamebreaking receiver or some line help for the Maulers seems right. How about a tackle?
11. NEW JERSEY: Kevin Kolb did not look like the next Favre, but he did enough to win all three starts, so if that is enough to impress Coach Romell he can focus on improving the New Jersey defense. A quality speed linebacker would be a huge help. We like Jerod Mayo out of Tennessee if he is available.
12. ATLANTA: Terrell Davis seems ageless, but he clearly isn’t, so getting a handcuff back to help reduce his workload would be a good move here. How about a speedy back like Matt Forte out of Tulane to create a Thunder & Lightning combo?
13. DENVER: The Gold may not be ready for prime time, but they have a pretty solid roster top to bottom. Who they lose in the Expansion Draft may likely determine what they do here.
14. LAS VEGAS: Jerry Glanville needs to start paying attention to the offense. His D is solid, but the production of Steve “Air” McNair has been underwhelming. It seems clear that McNair has hit the wall and a new QB should be a top priority, even if it is one who sits to start the year.
15. BALTIMORE: QB is not the issue in Baltimore. They are solid there, but man, oh, man do they need to upgrade the receiving corps. When Eddie Kennison is your #1 you have issues. They drafted Ted Ginn Jr. last year, so maybe pair him with a tall, 50/50 ball type of receiver to diversify the offense. How about Michigan State’s Devin Thomas?
16. MICHIGAN: The Brian Griese Revival was a huge hit for the Panthers, but their run game is still pretty sad. They can solve that in this draft, which has several solid “big backs” to choose from: McFadden, Illinois’ Rashard Mendenhall, or Oregon’s Jonathan Stewart could all play that role and take some pressure off the passing game.
Looking at the upcoming Wild Card matchups, injuries could play a major factor for several teams. Whether some key players are ready to return or others are dealing with new issues, no team is without some injury news, but some are going to be cobbling together plans more than others.
NASHVILLE v. ORLANDO
Jay Cutler will be back, and that is great news for the Knights, but his main protector, Jason Fabini, is out, and that could negate the benefit of having QB1 back in action. For Orlando the only new issue is HB Najeh Davenport, who is questionable for this one.
JACKSONVILLE @ PHILADELPHIA
The Bulls are one of the healthiest teams in the postseason field, but their one definite “Out” is a big one, TE Jason Whitten. As for Philly, they will be without LB Quintin Caver, TE Roland Williams, and RT Todd Wade. So, what we have here is two teams without their #1 TE, so expect a lot of three receiver sets.
OAKLAND @ HOUSTON
The Gamblers wish that Roy Williams was available, but he is not. What may be more problematic when facing the Invaders is that CB Ronde Barber is likely a gametime decision. For Oakland, 3rd WR Kevin Dyson is out and LT Kwame Harris as well. Expect a lot of 2-back, 2 WR sets, maybe even some 2-TE sets to try to focus the offense on Ricky Williams and protect Joey Harrington.
LOS ANGELES @ CHICAGO
The issue for LA is at linebacker, where both Akin Ayodele and Lofa Tatupu will miss this one. That is tough when you are facing a team like Chicago that wants to pound Michael Turner in the middle. For Chicago, FB Alan Ricard will be a game time decision, so if he cannot go, expect them to use more 1-back than usual.
BLACK MONDAY
As Black Monday’s go, this one was surprisingly calm. Several coaches who we felt were very much on the precipice were spared while coordinators took the brunt of the damage. That is not to say that all 26 USFL coaches survived. We had lost Art Shell at midseason in St. Louis, and it was clear that Rob Ryan would not get the permanent position when he went winless on the year. So we knew that position would be open.
Dennis Franchione was the other big story, as he had Birmingham competitive, despite poor QB play, until the final 3 weeks of the year. But, in Birmingham a late season fade is not the way to keep a job, and Franchione became the lone Black Monday fatality. Birmingham let the former Bama head man go on Monday and will now begin the search for another coach, one who is either a QB guru or is willing to cut bait and look for a new option.
With Franchione being the only firing, that means that New Orleans was true to their word in retaining Mike Nolan, and, even more surprisingly, Arizona decided to give Jim Fassel one more year. Yes, Greg Landry was let go as the OC of the Wranglers, and after this season’s numbers, that seems entirely appropriate. They also cut loose their DC, so it will be a whole new coaching squad for the Wranglers, with the exception of the head man.
Also safe this year were Baltimore’s Tom Coughlin, saved by a late 4-game win streak that took them to 7-6-1 on the year and left them one tiebreaker from the playoffs. Ron Rivera in Pittsburgh also did enough in a 6-8 year to give him one more year of good graces for the Maulers, but 2008 will likely be hugely important for both men.
And that brings us to the idea of coaches going into 2008 who are already on the hotseat. If things do not turn around fast, it could be a bloodbath next year. We count no fewer than 9 USFL coaches who are likely in their last year of “wait and see” before a decision will be made. Some will certainly see improvement next year, maybe even playoff football, but some will certainly end up on the downside of the season and that will likely cost them their positions.
Our list of 9 Hot Seat coaches begins with Jim Fassel. Another disaster like 2007 and there is no way Arizona keeps him on. He was saved by an earlier playoff year, but two straight bad seasons will not bode well. Mike Nolan is in a similar situation. 2006 was so unexpectedly good that the Breakers were unwilling to give up on Nolan after a bad 2007, but next year will be the tiebreaker to determine which year was the fluke and which was the true direction of the team.
For others it is a matter of “too little happening”. They are not in freefall, but they are also not getting the results that ownership hopes for. We have 7 coaches in this boat. Tom Coughlin in Baltimore has got to get to the playoffs. 7-7 or 6-8 finishes are fine at first, but not long term. Jerry Glanville and Dick LeBeau have to also take a next step and show they can be true contenders in their divisions. Ron Rivera, Norv Turner, and Sean Payton also need to show that they are building towards something. You simply cannot have a 5 or 6 year plan in the USFL. Three may be the most to show that the team is headed in the right direction.
So, this year’s coaching vacancies are limited to two--St. Louis and Birmingham—but don’t expect such a smooth ride in 2008 unless things change dramatically.
LEAGUE LEADERS
With the conclusion of the regular season, it is time to honor the various league statistical leaders, many of whom, as you would expect, will continue playing in the postseason. Here is a quick rundown of the season’s champs in each of the major statistical categories.
Passing Yards: Brian Griese’s comeback year finishes with him over 200 yards ahead of Brett Favre with 3,782 yards, tops in the league.
Passing TDs: Griese again takes the title with a surprising 34 TD passes. If Michigan were as good in other phases as they were in the passing game, they might be in the playoffs instead of watching from home.
Passer Rating: The trifecta for Griese as his 131.2 rating just tops Byron Leftwich at 127.5.
Rushing Yards: We thought all season that this was T.J. Duckett’s title run, but a huge second half catapulted Ricky Williams to the title with 1,419 yards. Duckett actually finishes third behind Williams and Washington’s Deuce McCallister.
Receiving Yards: No shock here as David Boston’s 1,436 was 200 yards better than the next contender, St. Louis’s lone weapon, Taylor Jacobs. Boston has led this category most of the year for the 13-1 Dragons.
Receptions: Matthew Hatchette (LV) and Taylor Jacobs (STL) tie at 89 receptions each. Both averaged fewer than 15 yards per reception, meaning that they were solid underneath but had trouble getting deep, a theory attested to by their lack of TD production as the two combined for only 7 TDs on the season.
Points: Chicago’s Tim Seder led all kickers with 123 points, bolstered by a defense that gave the Machine a lot of short fields, and an offense that put up plenty of scores but also allowed Seder plenty of FG opportunities.
Sacks: Houston’s Kavika Pittman spent most of the season 1-2 sacks ahead of Pittsburgh’s Kyle Vanden Bosch, and that is how it ended. Pittman finishes with 20 sacks while both Vanden Bosch and Birmingham’s Mike Rucker finish with 17.
Tackles: Brian Urlacher of Chicago battled all comers for this title, racking up 133 tackles for Chicago’s powerful defense. His sack and interception numbers were down from past years, but his dominance in the run game was still as strong as ever.
Interceptions: LA Express corner Renaldo Hill wins the title with 7 picks this season, just barely edging the 6 picks from Boston’s Tyrone Poole. LA hopes that Hill will make Brady Quinn his next victim in the Wild Card game.
PERFECTION: The 2002 Ohio Glory
We wrap up our look back at the first 25 years of USFL football with a celebration of one of the most amazing seasons in pro football history, the Ohio Glory’s 17-0 perfect season. In the first year of the USFL’s shift from 16 to 14 games, there was an expectation that the shorter season would produce earlier playoff fights and more parity, and overall it does seem to have had that effect, but that did not take into account the idea of a team running the table.
Ohio had been a pretty good team for a few seasons prior to 2002, moving from 8-8 in 1999 to 10-6 in 2000 and 11-5 in 2001. They were clearly a team finding their way from good to great, but the jump they took in 2002 was absolutely unprecedented. And while we tend to focus on the offense led by Kerry Collins, with both Joey Galloway and Chad Ochocinco wide and Eddie George in the backfield, the biggest difference between the 2002 Glory and the 2001 squad that won 11 games was on defense.
The Glory actually scored fewer points in 2002 than they did in either 2001 or 2003, but their defense went from an average of 29.1 points allowed per game down to a much more respectable 21.2. That difference, an 8-point dip, was enough to make the difference between a team that could win every week to one that did. And yet, as much as we can point to the defense as the key, we all remember that offense.
Kerry Collins won the trifecta that year, leading the league in passing yards (4,361), touchdowns (39), and rating (136.6). Joey Galloway led the league with 1,393 receiving yards, and yet the team was not just a pass happy scheme. Eddie George would finish the season third in the league with 1,115 yards rushing. This was a team that could score from anywhere, as evidenced by the fact that George would rack up 11 touchdowns rushing and another 6 in the air. Galloway finished with 13 TDs and his opposite number, Chad Ochocinco would add another 10 and tight end Stephen Alexander would contribute 4 more. With an offense like this, allowing only 21 points per game meant that they won most games by 10 or more points all season long.
They did have a few scares. In Week 14, on the road in Nashville, they had to eke out a 24-22 win in the game’s final minutes. In Week 8 against Houston the Gambler defense held Ohio to only 23 points, but they still pulled out a 3-point win. The following week, Washington’s always tough defense almost got the better of them, but Ohio prevailed 20-18. And, of course, there was the constant skirmishes with the Chicago Machine. Both regular season matches were decided by a field goal, with identical 27-24 results. When the two met in the divisional playoff, Chicago was again intent on playing spoiler, and for most of the game they did seem to have the upper hand. But, a late surge from the Glory helped them pull out a 30-28 victory and move on to the Eastern Conference Final.
In the Conference Title Game, Ohio faced a foe they had met only 4 weeks earlier, the New Jersey Generals. The generals were a solid team, but they were no match for what Ohio was putting together. Ohio won pulling away, 28-17 and moved on to Summer Bowl 2002 with a 16-0 record. They would face incredible scrutiny that week, with every member of the press peppering the players and Coach Luginbill with questions about destiny. Members of the 1972 Dolphins were interviewed and attempted to brush aside the Glory by stating that the USFL was not the NFL. Every football and sports show in the country was obsessed with developing the perfect strategy the Memphis Showboats could use to knock off the unbeaten Glory. After all, the Miami Dolphins had managed to upend the seemingly unstoppable 1985 Bears. No other team had come as close to perfection since 1972, so surely something would trip up the Glory.
No such luck for Memphis. Despite scoring first, by the half it was 21-14 Ohio, and the second half would entirely belong to the Glory as they scored all 17 points in the half to walk away with a 38-14 victory, the largest margin of victory in Summer Bowl history. Scores from Chad Ochocinco (Actually Johnson in 2002), Robert Ferguson, and Joey Galloway gave Kerry Collins, the game MVP, 5 touchdown passes to go with his 410 yards passing. The defense also played its part, with LB Glenn Cadrez both picking off Heath Shuler and forcing a key fumble. Ohio would outgain the Showboats 498 to 302 and would be crowned not only league champion, but the greatest team in USFL history.
That honor was seconded when the Glory repeated as champion in 2003, the only team to do so, but eventually some of the pieces would move on. Ochocinco joined Boston, Ferguson would leave for Memphis, defenders would also find new homes or retire from the game. Nothing out of the ordinary, of course. But, as of today, with Ohio sitting as the Central Division Champions once again, the core is still there. Al Luginbill at the helm. Kerry Collins behind the wheel. Eddie George and Joey Galloway providing the thrust, and, as the Glory hope, a defense that is good enough to allow Ohio to overpower their foes. 2007 has been a good year for the Glory, but no year can compare to the greatest season in USFL history, the 2002 Ohio Glory.
Steve Young: What Could Have Been?
We move from a story of football royalty, to a story of perseverance, the story of quarterback Steve Young. Most casual fans of the sport know Young from his time in San Francisco, where he replaced Joe Montana, eventually winning a Super Bowl. Some may be aware that he had a pretty long history in the USFL as well, signing out of BYU with the upstart league in time for the 1984 season, just as the league was debating a possible move to the fall. Young would sign with the LA Express, seen as a Hollywood-styled star in the making. The Golden Boy who would make LA a premier franchise just as Herschel Walker had done for the New Jersey Generals. The hope was for a can’t miss experience in the stadium, a draw that would make the fickle LA sportsfans flock to see the Express instead of focusing all their attention on the LA Raiders of the NFL.
What LA got was a very solid player, but a player stuck on some pretty mediocre teams, often running for his life, not for glory. Steve Young was signed to be the next Montana or Marino, but became more of an Archie Manning figure, the best player on a team that was not as good as he was. He would play for the Express from 1984 through the 1989 season, 5 years of futility and frustration. The Express would be competitive in Young’s first two years, going 9-7 in 1984 and 11-5 in 1985, but they were never good enough to contend, losing to the much more talented Michigan Panthers in 1984 and to the Chicago Blitz in 1985. From there it just went south. The team dipped to 6-10 in 1986 and while they would slowly improve over the next 2 years, Young would get beaten up along the way. Young would have individual honors, named All-USFL three times, but it was the law of diminishing returns as the team floundered at the box office and on the field.
In the offseason of 1989 Young would get his exit ramp from a bad situation. The NFL came calling and Young took the chance to jump to the fall and the 49ers. He would need to cancel significant portions of his personal services contract with the Express, giving up on more than 70% of the original $40 million contract, but he would have a new start in the NFL. That would work out for him, though it too would not be easy. He spent several years backing up the legendary Joe Montana before he would become the starter, but once there he thrived, setting a league record for QB Rating and helping San Francisco win Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. Young would play a total of 10 seasons in the NFL and earn significant accolades along the way. His USFL history would always be a part of his story, but he would enter the Hall of Fame not as a USFL player but as an NFL player.
Steve Young’s story is, of course, not unique, and not entirely a negative for the USFL. Young had originally been drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. Had the USFL not been there to help him escape one of the NFL’s worst franchises, his first 6 years of pro football could have been considerably worse. As with so many players, the USFL gave Steve Young leverage, the power to parlay his talents into a better situation for his pro career, and, certainly in Young’s case, the chance to greatly increase his personal finances. We all have seen the numbers. Player salaries have increased exponentially since the forming of the USFL, free agency has become a reality, and the power of players to determine their own future has never been stronger. The USFL cannot offer a fairy tale story for all its players, sometimes you just don’t get a chance to hold aloft the championship trophy, but what it has meant for all players is greater autonomy, greater options, and for many, greater opportunity. And that is a pretty good legacy after 25 years.
Here we go, playoff football. Eight teams and four games on tap. Let’s take a look and our best guess for each.
Saturday, June 30 @ 3pm
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Philadelphia – 4
An interesting matchup between the #1 offense in the league in the Bulls (376.7 Yards Per Game) and one of the stingiest defenses in the Stars (293.1 YPG Allowed). Philadelphia will be tested by a Bulls offense that runs the ball well but can also beat you through the air. When Philadelphia has the ball, they bring the #3 rush offense in the league, averaging nearly 138 yards per game. Most of that is Ahman Green doing what has mad him a three-time league rushing leader. Kurt Warner has not been as prolific this year as in years past, throwing for 1,591 yards, but he did miss 5 games this year, so his per game average of 199 is actually stronger than his totals would indicate.
OUR PICK: The Stars have been the better team all year long, but they could run into a very dangerous opponent in Jacksonville. That said, we still have to favor the home team, who have experience and veteran leadership, but it will be close. Stars 24 Bulls 22
Saturday, June 30 @ 7pm
NRG Stadium, Houston
Houston -1
This may be the toughest game of the four to pick. Both clubs have been up and down all year, but there is one factor we should take into account. Ricky Williams has had a monster second half. Since Week 8 he has averaged 135 yards per game, a dominant run of games that helped him come out of nowhere to win the league’s rushing title. Houston has won4 of the last 5 to take the SW Division title, but they have been inconsistent on offense. They have both the 9th ranked scoring offense and the 9th ranked scoring defense, so they can be good on either side of the ball, but can they put both halves together?
OUR PICK: We are going to go with the upset here, the only one we are picking. We just think that a dominant run game will help Oakland keep Umenyiura and Pittman off of Joey Harrington, and that should help Oakland outpace the Gamblers. Invaders 23 Gamblers 18.
Sunday, July 1 @ 3pm
Soldier Field, Chicago
Chicago -6
Chicago is a pretty heavy favorite in this one. They sport a solid defense that allows only 16.9 points per game, and their offense has found a rhythm with Michael Turner as the centerpiece and rookie Brady Quinn distributing the ball in the passing game. But Quinn is where we wonder if Chicago could be hurt. LA’s defense is also solid, allowing only 17.7 points per game, and they can get to the QB, with the DE combo of Kearse and Udeze combining for 19 sacks this year. Missing two starting linebackers is, of course, a concern for LA, and it is not as if they have a savvy veteran at QB either, with Seneca Wallace in his first year as a starter. While Wallace has not lit the world on fire, he has done well protecting the ball. He has thrown 23 touchdowns this year with only 4 picks, a better ratio than Quinn’s 22-9.
OUR PICK: We are trying to make a case for LA in our heads, but just based on what we have seen on the field each week, we have to lean towards the Machine. They are aggressive and relentless on defense, and that should produce problems for an LA offense that has sputtered at times. Our pick is Machine 20 Express 16.
Sunday, July 1 @ 7pm
Citrus Bowl Stadium, Orlando
Orlando -5
If there is one team no one wants to face this postseason, it is the Renegades. Orlando has rattled off 7 straight wins after a 2-5 first half to the season. In that streak they have a 28-21 win over the Knights, so we have some direct evidence of how they will play them. That was the game where Jay Cutler was knocked out, so perhaps there is a bit of a revenge factor for the Nashville QB as he returns to action this week in the same stadium and facing the same team. Perhaps a full game with Cutler at the helm will produce a different result, perhaps it will not.
OUR PICK: We like Orlando to go far, possibly all the way to Arizona and Summer Bowl 2007, so we are going to pick them here over a Knights team that lost their final 2 games to end the year. ‘Gades 31 Knights 26.
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