A challenging week for the teams with the three best records in the league as Boston goes down for the first time all year, playing without Drew Bledsoe, Memphis also falls in a tough rivalry game, and Seattle gets a bit of a scare but now stands as the last unbeaten squad. We also had a midseason coach firing in the Central Division, and a very unexpected trade as the Maulers make LA an offer they couldn’t refuse. All this, plus three overtime games all in Week 8 of the USFL.
OAKLAND 37 BOSTON 31 overtime
We had a feeling that when we talked about the two unbeatens in the USFL last week that we might end up jinxing one or both of them. And while the more obvious cause for Boston’s first loss of the year was the absence of Drew Bledsoe from the starting lineup, we cannot help but feel a bit responsible. The Oakland Invaders played the Cannons tough, as they did last week against Seattle, but this time they would find a way to get the extra score they would need, in overtime, to take the win and knock Boston from the ranks of the unbeaten.
Boston knew they would be without their MVP candidate QB in this one, with Bledsoe nursing a foot injury that made playing under center, dropping back, pivoting and throwing with authority very difficult. Rather than have him hobble through a low-impact inter-conference game, the Cannons opted to sit him this week and give promising backup Adrian McPherson get the start. McPherson did not disappoint, completing 18 of 25 passes for 311 yards and 3 scores, but when Boston needed a bit of magic, the backup could not deliver, which seems what you would expect.
This was a game of swinging momentum from the beginning, with Oakland scoring 13 of the first 16 points in the game, then Boston scoring 28 unanswered, followed by 23 unanswered by the Invaders. Some radical back and forth as neither team could take full control at any point, exactly what you might expect of two quality clubs going head to head.
It would take Oakland only 7 plays a 2:16 to get on the board, marching down the field with yet another scripted series of plays (classic Bill Walsh style from Dennis Green). Rickey Williams would get the score on a 1-yard plunge, just one of his 68 yards rushing on the day. Boston could not respond immediately, going 3-and-out, and Oakland would add another three on the next drive as Joe Nedney connected from 44 yards out. Boston would respond with a field goal of their own, and then Oakland would land a 21 yard field goal after having to settle on 4th and goal.
And here, early in the 2nd quarter, is when momentum shifted. Adrian Mcpherson, who had been only 2 of 7 early on, connected on a big one, a 56-yard bomb to Chad Ochocinco that drew Boston back to within 3 points. Oakland could not reply in kind, and on the final drive of the 2nd quarter Boston milked the clock, used the run game effectively and rookie Tony Hunt got his one 1-yard dive to put the Cannons on top 17-13 going into the break.
Boston would get the ball first in the 3rd quarter, and they immediately capitalized with McPherson hitting Tiki Barber on a 1st down screen that went for 30 yards, and then finding Joe Jurevicious on a fade route for 7 more, to go up 24-13. It all was heading Boston’s way, as a quick pass to Lovell Pinkney was bobbled, caught, and then popped loose by the hit of CB Fred Smoot. The ball was recovered by the Cannons and they again put 7 on the board, again with McPherson hitting Ochocinco. It was 31-13 and it all appeared to be going Boston’s way.
On their next possession, Oakland had to settle for another field goal, but they too would get a break and a momentum swing, as return man Oronde Gadsden would be hit hard by LB Patrick Chukwarah, who would recover the kickoff fumble and give Oakland a short field and an emotional lift. 6 plays later Jerious Norwood would punch the ball in and the Invaders were back in range at 31-23. Eight points were all they needed in the last 9 minutes of the half. But they would need to slow down the Boston offense as well.
They did more than slow them down, they picked off McPherson on a forced throw to Chad Ochocinco. Will Allen snatched the ball away from the double-covered Cannon, and once again Oakland was in business. It would take them only 1 play and a PAT to get even. On first and 10 from the Boston 40, Joey Harrington faked the ball to Ricky Williams, rolled out to the right and saw Plaxico Burress in single coverage. Burress went up high for the 50/50 ball, and came down with it in the end zone to put the Invaders within 2 points. On the vital PAT play, Oakland lined up with 3 wide, but put the ball into Ricky Williams’s hands. The big back did what he usually does, plowed right into LB Roman Phifer, catching him in the chest with a shoulder pad, and knocking him back and to the side as Williams plunged in for the game-tying score. All tied up at 31, but with enough time for a Boston rally.
That rally would not come, as McPherson missed James Whalen low on a 3rd and 5 toss from their own 37. They would punt and Oakland would opt to sit on the ball and take their chances with overtime. It was a good call as Oakland won the coin toss, took the ball first, and led a methodical drive downfield. A touchdown would win it without Boston getting a shot, and they were determined to make that happen. Coach Green mixed up runs by Williams with short passes from Harrington to crossing receivers. Greg Jennings was vital on the drive, catching 2 of his 4 receptions on the day, and on a 1st and 10 from the 12, it was a feint to Jennings that moved the safety and allowed Harrington to connect with Kevin Dyson for the game winner.
A really nice win for an Oakland squad that has really been coming on. A first defeat for the Cannons, but one that fans can write off as a club making due with the backup QB in the game. Bledsoe is expected back in Week 9 and Boston fans will be ready for the Cannons to get back to their winning ways.
NEW JERSEY 13 LOS ANGELES 16 overtime
Friday Night gave us a cross country classic as once again the Generals faced off against the Express. This one would go to overtime as neither team could get into position at the end of regulation to win the game. The Express would get a Steve Christie kick on the opening possession of the extra period and New Jersey’s Ryan Longwell would not get a chance to equalize as the Generals failed on a 4th and 4 on their final drive.
PITTSBURGH 16 ST. LOUIS 5
The Skyhawks outgained the Maulers but could only muster 3 points on offense in a pretty brutal game to watch. Brandon Jacobs rushed for 2 touchdowns, but only 30 yards on the day as the Maulers struggled to get anything going. But, fortunately for them, St. Louis also could not muster any offense in a sloppy, ugly game in the dome.
OHIO 23 WASHINGTON 17 overtime
Washington was able to take Ohio to overtime, but an Eddie George TD in the extra period gave the game to the Glory, who continue to struggle with offensive continuity. Joey Galloway would gain 123 yards on 5 receptions, but Ohio came up short in the red zone on 3 occasions. Washington was led by Deuce McCallister, who rushed for 125 and a score.
DENVER 3 HOUSTON 27
Houston found their defense in this one, as the Gold were held to 206 total yards and lost the ball twice on Matt Leinart interceptions. Houston started off scoring with a defensive TD as Shaun Williams returned one of Leinart’s passes 35 yards for the score. Tatum Bell and Ike Hilliard would produce the other Houston scores as they take this one easily in NRG Stadium.
CHICAGO 27 MICHIGAN 44
Michigan had it all working as they racked up 414 yards of offense against Chicago. Brian Griese would throw for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Panthers, despite struggling to run the ball, picked apart the Machine. Chicago’s Brady Quinn would throw for 3 scores to keep the Machine close for a half, but by the end of the 3rd this was Michigan’s game.
JACKSONVILLE 28 TAMPA BAY 31
A big win for the Bandits, who level both clubs’ records at 4-4 by knocking off the Bulls in front of 55,407 friendly Bandit fans. TE Jeremy Shockey had a huge day, catching 4 ball for 80 yards, with 3 of them going for scores. For Jacksonville, Jake Delhomme threw for 3 scores but also tossed two picks, a rarity for the accurate QB.
ATLANTA 10 BIRMINGHAM 17
Touchdowns from Marion Barber and Shaun Alexander helped the Stallions get the win despite losing Jason Campbell to injury in the first quarter. Backup Alexander Wright would go 12 of 17 in the win, while David Garrard, in his return to action, would throw the ball 51 times, completing 33, but not producing a TD. The Fire pulled to within 7 midway through the 4th quarter but could not get the final score they needed to send the game to overtime.
BALTIMORE 7 PHILADELPHIA 37
Any thoughts that the Stars without Kurt Warner would dry up and blow away were dispelled by their romp over Baltimore. Matt Gutierrez’s 164 yard, 1 TD game was not earth-shaking, but combined with 167 yards on the ground from Ahman Green and Michael Robinson, including 4 TDs between them (3 by Green) were more than enough to blow past an ineffective Baltimore offense.
ORLANDO 23 NEW ORLEANS 17
It looked good early for New Orleans, but the second half belonged to Orlando as Drew Brees connected with both Justin McCaerins and Brandon Marshall on scoring tosses to fuel the comeback win for the visitors.
ARIZONA 17 TEXAS 14
Jake Plummer returned to action, a bit rusty, but effective enough to edge the Outlaws in San Antonio. A Jimmy Williams pick-six of Jeff George certainly helped the cause as the Arizona defense actually looked competitive in this one.
SEATTLE 21 LAS VEGAS 15
The Las Vegas defense certainly put a crimp in Seattle’s game, but a crimp was not enough to secure a win. Byron Leftwich would still connect with David Boston on two scoring throws and Corey Dillon would slog for 90 yards on 25 carries in the win. It was, however, a good game for Marshawn Lynch, who powered his way to 123 yards rushing.
NASHVILLE 21 MEMPHIS 14
The Sunday Night Tennessee Tussle was everything we could have hoped for, a knock-down brawl between two rivals who don’t like each other very much. Brett Favre threw TDs to Sidney Rice and Maurice Smith, but a Jared Allen sack-fumble-recover-TD play sank the Memphis spirits, and a Musa Smith TD run finished them off for good as Nashville moves to a half-game of the Showboats with the win.
Boston & Memphis Fall, Seattle Struggles for 8th Win
As we said in our opening, this was a week where two of the three best records in the league saw defeat. Boston fell to Oakland in an epic overtime game, a loss they can justify as they were forced to play without Drew Bledsoe. Memphis also played in a very tight game, theirs a rivalry matchup with Nashville that was decided by turnovers and third downs. Memphis had two turnovers, Nashville none, and the Knights also converted 33% of their 3rd downs, while the Showboats went only 1 of 13 on the day. Neither loss is a huge concern for either club, though both now find their divisions to be a bit tighter. Memphis’s lead on Nashville is down to ½ game, thanks the Knight’s earlier tie at Baltimore. Boston still has a 1-game lead on the Philly Stars, and is set to play the Stars twice in the final 6 weeks of action. So, for fans of both teams, the pressure will be on to get back to winning ways as fast as possible.
The two losses mean that Seattle is now the team with a target on their backs. Las Vegas gave them a run this week, but the Thunder, while one of the league’s best defenses, struggles on offense. It will not get any easier for the Dragons over the next few weeks as they face Denver, Oakland, Las Vegas again, and then LA. All of those clubs are at or above .500 and all want a piece of the Dragons. Seattle will likely be favored in each of those games, though a road trip to Oakland may prove to be a slight advantage for the Invaders. And while Coach Lewis and the Dragons are saying all the right things, the cliché thing about playing one game at a time, the pressure will continue to mount will each week.
Express Surprise Many with Trade
We did not see this one coming, but sometimes a team just gets made an offer they cannot refuse. That appears to be the case for the Express when Ron Rivera and the Maulers came calling, offering up two early draft picks and a player for HB DeShaun Foster. Foster has been splitting time with 2nd year UCLA grad Maurice Jones-Drew, but with MJD getting more and more carries this season, and with Foster on the last year of his contract, the offer was too good to pass up.
Pittsburgh sends LA a solid runner in former Panther Ladell Betts, as well as a 2nd rounder in 2008’s draft and a 3rd in the 2009 draft. That is a lot to get a halfback, but Pittsburgh was struggling to get big plays from the run game with the combo of Betts and Brandon Jacobs, both big backs with limited elusiveness. With Foster they get a one-cut back who has the ability to make people miss. Foster was a 1,000 yard back in 2004, and was not too keen on splitting carries with Jones-Drew in LA. Now, as a Mauler, he will be the feature back, pulled out of games only on some short yardage plays when Jacobs is a natural choice.
It is a move that clearly indicates that the 4-4 Pittsburgh Maulers feel they have a shot to compete in the Central. With Ohio slipping a bit compared with preseason picks, and Michigan and Chicago both having solid, but mid-range results this year, there is a very wide-open field in the division. If this move helps add more of a run game to the Maulers, it will benefit QB Cody Pickett, and the entire team. Pittsburgh could find themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot, a position which would very much benefit Coach Rivera.
For LA, they move to a scenario where they give MJD every chance to become a true bell cow back, while having Betts available for short yardage and goalline. They also pick up two very useful draft picks for the next two years. A deal too good to pass up.
Griese Signs a Long Term Deal with Panthers
There is one less QB who the NFL could poach this season, as a very strong first half of the season by QB Brian Griese convinced Michigan management to lock up the former backup. Griese, who had been a starter in Seattle and Philadelphia, is having perhaps the best season of his career. His QB Rating currently sits at 122.4, a personal best, and the Panthers have been putting points on the board, especially in division, where they put 55 and 57 up against Ohio, 44 up against Chicago this week, and 37 against St. Louis. They have scored over 30 points in each of the past 4 games, and sit at 5-3, tied with Ohio for 1st, but having already beaten the Glory twice.
Griese will be getting a 4-year deal, and while it is not the highest paid QB deal in the league (that belongs to Favre with the Showboats), it puts him in the Top 6, and by far the most he has made in the USFL. The deal locks him into being a Panther, meaning that Michigan will not have to worry about NFL poaching and will certainly protect Griese as one of the 15 players from the club to be held out of the 2008 Expansion Draft for Portland and Charlotte (The league agreed to move the protected list from 12 to 15 players this offseason). A good deal for the Panthers and welcome recognition for a QB who is feeling vindicated now that he has been given this opportunity with the Panthers to become a starter again.
Arizona Shakes up Backfield & Coaching Staff
To say this season has not gone as planned for the Arizona Wranglers is an understatement. The 1-7 Wranglers have seen their defense collapse, their QB get hurt, and their run game make no gains at all. Something had to give, and that thing was that Jim Fassel needed to shake things up or risk being a victim of Black Monday only 1 year removed from a playoff season. Fassel shook things up this week, focusing on both of his team’s weak spots. He retained OC Greg Landry, but let running backs coach Kirby Wilson go. He also released defensive coordinator Frank Bush from his duties. The run game and the defense have been major letdowns for the Wranglers in this epic collapse of a season.
For both positions, Fassel went with Wrangler alums, promoting linebackers coach and former Wrangler LB Brian Noble to the DC position and signing on another former Wrangler HB James Wilder to be the new Running Backs Coach. Wilder, who played with the Wranglers from 1986-1989 and rushed for 1,065 yards in 1988, will have the responsibility to work with rookies Antonio Pittman and Chris Henry to try to get more out of the duo. Wilder immediately reestablished Pittman as the starter, with Henry moving up the depth chart to 2nd, much to the dismay of veteran Ahmaad Galloway, who is currently the leading rusher for the Wranglers.
Chicago loses LB Tommy Polley for the season with a broken hip and Denver RT Jason Odom is also gone due to a knee injury. In Philadelphia LB Quinton Caver is also out for the year in a week that saw three additions to the IR and several more big injuries.
Not going to IR, but also significant injuries we find New Jersey guard Chad Ward (4-6 weeks, neck), Oakland RT Kwame Harris (4-6 weeks, shoulder), Nashville DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (4-6 weeks, foot), Memphis DE Paul Toviessi (2-4 weeks, abdomen), and St. Louis SS Bobby Myers (1-2 weeks, nerve). Obviously, the KGB injury is a huge concern for the Knights, as KGB was leading the club in sacks. He will be replaced by Parys Hardson, though there is a good chance that Jared Allen will move to LE and Hardson will take over on the right side.
Among those listed as Doubtful or Questionable this week we have NSH corner Reggie Rusk, Birmingham QB Jason Campbell, NJ center Jeremy Newberry, LA corner Carlos Rogers, Arizona WR Santana Moss, Pittsburgh LB Dwayne Rudd, and Boston QB Drew Bledsoe, still dealing with a nagging foot injury and likely to be a gametime decision.
ESPN Football League to get “Enhanced Broadcast” coverage of Saturday Night Football.
While the USFL continues to work with partners to try to enhance options for live feeds on their partner network with ESPN, the EFN or ESPN Football network, an internal deal within ESPN will be bringing live game action to the network for the first time in 2008. The cable sports giant will opt to dual broadcast their Saturday Night USFL games with two different crews on both ESPN and the EFN. ESPN will get the usual team of Craig James and Mike Patrick. The new EFN broadcast will be an “enhanced broadcast” with greater analysis and commentary from the In-Studio team rather than an on-site team. The In-Studio team, consisting of Chris Berman, Trey Wingo, former LA Express QB Steve Young, and longtime Memphis Showboats lineman Jamie Dukes.
The goal is to create an atmosphere during the broadcast of a group of friends watching the game and commenting as events unfold, more of a “you are in a buddy’s home” feel than the standard broadcast. The game itself will be shown on the main screen, with a stat ticker running below the screen, but frequent “cut ins” from the crew, analyzing replays and adding commentary sections during timeouts and breaks. The plan is to pilot this for one year with the Saturday Night games, and, if ratings are solid, to expand to the Sunday Night game as well. It will be a very different broadcast style than a standard in-stadium experience, hoping to maximize on fantasy football fans as well as broadcasts in bars, where the more banter-heavy style might allow for a more dynamic broadcast.
ST. LOUIS'S SHELL SACKED (BY THE SEA SHORE?)
Just as we were ready to “go to press” we received verified reporting that the St. Louis Skyhawks have released head coach Art Shell from his duties, effective immediately. This comes only 2 days before the Skyhawks are set to visit Chicago to face the Machine. Apparently the 1-7 start and dissent on the team itself have convinced ownership that a change is necessary. We do not have a lot of details at this time, however it appears that defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will take on interim duties and will be on the sideline this week against Chicago.
This is Shell’s second stint as a USFL head coach, and his second firing. He was head coach in Arizona from 1997-2003, and now is let go in St. Louis after only 21 games at the helm of the expansion franchise. St. Louis has gone 5-17 in this period. After a 4-10 inaugural season, expectations were there that the team would equal or better that record in their second year, but so far the Skyhawks have found winning difficult, and sit tied for the worst record in the league with New Orleans. Shell’s Skyhawk squads have struggled to score and to stop others from scoring. While the club is mid-range in several other statistical categories, they are 24th in scoring at only 14.4 points per game, and dead last in scoring defense at 28.5 PPG, a combination that creates the worst point differential in the league. Their only win this year was a narrow 23-20 win over Orlando back in Week 3.
Rob Ryan will step in as the Interim Head Coach. Ryan, a defensive specialist, has been with St. Louis since Shell was hired, and previously worked as a position coach with Western Kentucky, Oklahoma State, the NFL Cardinals, and with Shell’s Wranglers in the last 2 seasons of his stint there. There is no word yet as to whether Ryan will be a candidate for the permanent position, though we expect that the club’s performance over the final 6 games of the season will have a large say in that decision.
Pardee, Davis, Kelly and the Run & Shoot
You cannot talk about the early years of the USFL and the eventual dynasty that was the Houston Gamblers from 1987-1996 without talking about the Run & Shoot. During the 10 year period between Houston’s first league Championship Game appearance and their 3rd title in 1996, the Gamblers appeared in the playoffs 9 times, and the league’s title game a stunning 6 times. They were, without a doubt, the dominant team for a decade, and while there were certainly stars across the roster, including a very good defense, the key to the Gamblers began with and continued to be the run & shoot offense.
The style, using 3-4 receivers, rarely seeing a tight end on the field, and using a lot of running out of the spread formation, may have been unconventional, but when the right players were put into place in that system, it was about as dangerous and hard to defend as any offensive scheme ever seen. The brainchild of Houston OC Mouse Davis, the Run & Shoot was implemented in the first year of the Gambler franchise, 1984. Houston would make the playoffs as an expansion team in that 1984 season, averaging over 24 points per game. That average would rise over the Jack Pardee years, even after Davis left Houston for a Head Coach gig in Denver in 1986. During Pardee’s tenure, from 1984 through 1989, the Gamblers would continue to hone the system, and with the arrival of HB Thurman Thomas from Oklahoma State, paired with 1984 acquisition QB Jim Kelly of Miami, the system flourished fully. Houston would ride that dynamic duo, along with wideouts Ricky Sanders, Clarence Verdin and Ernie Jones, to their first championship game in 1987 and their first title in 1989.
When Jack Pardee heard the siren call of the NFL and left after the 1989 season, ownership was keen to bring in a coach who would retain the Run & Shoot, and found one in former Cal head coach Ray Willsey. Willsey, who would focus mostly on improving the Houston defense into one of the league’s best, was more than happy to have a wide-open offense that allowed him to focus on protecting leads and rushing the passer.
From 1990-1996 the Gamblers would win two more titles, knocking of Pittsburgh 34-28 in 1992 and then defeating Tampa Bay in a wild Summer Bowl 1996 that saw the two teams combine for 73 points in a 38-35 Houston win. The Gamblers would also appear in the Summer Bowls of 1993 (losing to Brett Favre’s Stallions) and 1995, where they lost to the Maulers in another shootout, 44-37. Along the way Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas would set records for the club, and in the league. Thomas would establish himself as one of the most dangerous dual threat backs in any pro league, while Kelly would win the league MVP three times, including back to back wins in 1995 and 1996. He would win the Playoff MVP in 88, 92, and 96, and would be named to 10 All-USFL teams.
While later Houston teams would become famous for their defensive might, the success of the Run & Shoot would put the Gamblers on the map, and go on to influence offensive football across both the USFL and NFL. Mouse Davis would bring it to Denver and then the NFL Oilers. Jack Pardee would also become an outspoken proponent of the system, as would several coaches that followed in their footsteps. The style has even been adapted to the college game, where teams now commonly run a variation known as the “Spread” offense. Even conservative teams will now occasionally line up in sets with 4 wideouts, even 5 wideouts and “empty backfields” to exploit coverages. What began in Houston with the USFL Gamblers is now a common feature of most offenses, and in some cases remains the dominant offensive style for teams at many levels of football.
WR Gary Clark: Mr. 100.
In an earlier article we highlighted the 100-reception season put together by Stars receiver Scott Fitzkee. We got a lot of mail after that posting, as many pointed out that while an occasional 100-reception season might be a highlight for several pro receivers, there was really only 1 man synonymous with the feat. That player was Gary Clark, Mr. 100. Clark played for the Jacksonville Bulls from 1984 through 1989, left for the NFL Redskins, and then returned to the USFL to finish his career with the St. Louis Knights, playing 2 years in the Gateway City. And while Clark certainly has a lot to boast about in his two-league career, it is undeniably his run of 100-reception seasons that he is most proud of, and which fans, particularly Bulls’ fans are eager to highlight.
From 1984 with the expansion season Bulls, through 1987, Clark reached the 100-reception milestone not once, but 4 consecutive seasons. And it was not even close in those 4 seasons, with Clark finishing each 16-game season with 137, 120, 126, and 114 receptions. He averaged just over 170 targets per year in those years as well, and it was not as if he was playing in a dink-and-dunk offense. His yardage totals were among the best in the league each year as well, with 1,711 yards in his first season in the league, and over 1,400 yards in each of the four 100-reception seasons. Clark would be named to 4 straight All-USFL teams, after all, how could you keep him off with his production? While he would never win a title, his production helped Jacksonville move from a very respectable 6-10 in their first year as a club to 9 wins in 1985 and 11 in 1988.
Clark, perhaps due to his NFL stint, or the short run of very strong seasons, was passed over for Hall of Fame recognition, but was inducted into the Bulls Ring of Honor in 2000 and is a favorite for reconsideration when the USFL and the Hall of Fame institute a new Early Heroes ballot into the hall voting in 2010. Over 6 seasons in Jacksonville and his final 2 in St. Louis, Clark amassed a total of 813 receptions for 8,883 yards and 60 touchdowns, meaning that in his 8-year USFL career he averaged over 100 receptions per year, 1,100 yards, and 8 TDs per season. Those are numbers most would be elated to have, and numbers we should recognize and celebrate. So, our apology for not writing about Mr. 100 a lot sooner. He was, and is, a true legend of the USFL.
We will be honest, Week 9's matchups are not exactly the stuff of legends. NBC was hoping they would get a great Central rivalry game with St. Louis and Chicago, but the Skyhawks are in a bit of turmoil and we expect a Chicago cakewalk. Their are some solid divisional games, particularly on ESPN this week, with Boston-Philly and Orlando-Jacksonville, but not a lot of excitement for the day games. Nashville-LA is a good potential Saturday game, and Houston v. Las Vegas could also be worth a watch, though do not go into that game expecting a lot of scoring.
FRI @ 8 pm St. Louis (1-7) @ Chicago (4-4) NBC
SAT @ 12pm Tampa Bay (4-4) @ Atlanta (2-6) ABC
SAT @ 12pm Washington (3-5 @ New Jersey (3-5) ABC
SAT @ 12pm Texas (2-6) @ Baltimore (3-4-1) FOX
SAT @ 4pm Nashville (5-2-1) @ Los Angeles (5-3) ABC
SAT @ 4pm Oakland (5-3) @ Arizona (2-6) FOX
SAT @ 8pm Boston (7-1) @ Philadelphia (6-2) ESPN
SUN @ 12pm Birmingham (3-5) @ Michigan (5-3) ABC
SUN @ 12pm Memphis (6-2) @ New Orleans (1-7) FOX
SUN @ 12pm Ohio (5-3) @ Pittsburgh (4-4) FOX
SUN @ 4pm Denver (4-4) @ Seattle (8-0) ABC
SUN @ 4pm Houston (4-4) @ Las Vegas (4-4) FOX
SUN @ 8pm Orlando (3-5) @ Jacksonville (4-4) ESPN
The Houston Gamblers run & shoot offense was like a cash register or a kid on Christmas morning you don't know what under the