A big week for the Chicago Machine as they get the win in the final seconds in Detroit to take over the Central Division and now control their own destiny as they seek the #1 seed in the West. Philadelphia and Baltimore score big inter-divisional wins, and Arizona sends ripples through the league by officially announcing that 2-time league MVP Jake Plummer is officially on the trading block. A busy week, with more teams seeking to clinch a postseason berth, but lets start with Chicago's come from behind win at Ford Field to oust Michigan from the top spot out West.
CHICAGO MACHINE 21 MICHIGAN PANTHERS 16
For the first time this season the Chicago Machine find themselves sitting atop the Central Division. The 2007 Western Conference champions have done it with a shut down defense, a solid run game, and the surprising success of backup Kyle Orton, defeating the Michigan Panthers to move to 11-2. They are rewarded not only with the ability to control their destiny in the Central Division, but a very real shot at the #1 seed in the West.
They pulled off the win in the biggest game for both teams this season through controlled, measured offense and stifling defense, holding Brian Griese to only 198 yards passing, and relying more heavily on Kyle Orton than we suspect their gameplan anticipated. Michigan, for their part, largely took Michael Turner out of the game, limiting Chicago’s lead back to only 2.4 yards per carry and a total of only 48 yards, but in doing so, they freed up more opportunities for Donald Driver, who finished with an impressive 10 receptions for 140 yards and the game winning score.
For much of the game Michigan looked to have the upper hand, and actually led 16-8 with only 3 minutes left. But something failed in the final minutes of the game as Chicago was able to mount a fierce final quarter comeback. The game began with both defenses holding the upper hand. The only points of the first half came on a 51-yard field goal from Tim Seder after a poor Michigan punt set Chicago up at their 47, requiring only a short drive to get in range for their kicker.
The first TD of the game came at the start of the second, on Michigan’s best drive of the first half. Brian Griese connected with Hines Ward for a 12-yard TD strike, and Michigan took a 7-3 lead. The lead would be cut to 7-6 at the half, but neither team felt they had a handle on how to produce offense. In the third quarter neither would. The only points of the quarter came on defense as Chicago DT Ted Washington managed to stuff a Fargas run from their own 1 yard line. Officials originally ruled that Fargas had made it out of the endzone, but replay showed his knee touch down inside the endzone, giving Chicago a slight lead of 8-7 on the safety.
Michigan would respond with a solid drive on their next possession, with Griese avoiding the rush to hit Laverneus Coles with a 24-yard pass to reach Chicago’s side of the field. This was followed by a 17-yard run by Fargas and an even more devastating 29-yard screen that went for 7. Michigan would stuff Chicago on their next possession and then add 3 points from kicker Matt Prater to take what appeared to be a solid 16-8 lead. But Chicago was about to find their stride, just in time.
The Machine got the ball back with just over 10 minutes left in the game. Trailing by 8, they hoped to even the score with one good drive. They got the drive, but not the equalizer. Kyle Orton connected with Aaron Shea, James Hardy, and Donald Driver before a short swing pass to fullback Alan Ricard got them within 2. They went for the obvious choice, the 2 point PAT, but the play failed, leaving Michigan with a 2 point lead with just 2:55 left in the game. Chicago would have to go for the onside kick.
Tim Seder kicked a perfect 3rd-hop onside attempt, the ball bouncing over the first line of Panther players. It bounced off WR Danny Farmer’s shoulder as the receiver could not adequately judge the ball, and was picked up by SS Sammy Knight of Chicago. The Machine would start the final drive of the game on their own 48. With Brady Quinn gone for the year, the Machine had called on 3rd year backup and Purdue product, Kyle Orton. Orton, who had started only 1 game in his first two years, started the past 4 games, winning the first three, all division victories, including two important victories over the Ohio Glory in three weeks. In this game, the fate of Chicago’s division title hopes relied on Orton’s ability to drive the team into field goal range and do so in a way that did not provide Michigan time to respond. What he did instead was drive a stake into the heart of the Panthers, taking the Machine into the endzone with only 6 seconds left.
The star of the drive was Donald Driver, who caught 3 passes on the final game-winning drive, including the 6-yard strike that gave Chicago the win. But, believe it or not, the biggest play was not an Orton throw, or a Driver catch, it was a simple misdirection run on 3rd and 2. Chicago faced the decisive down at the Michigan 22, and had they failed to make it, they almost certainly would have returned the ball to the Panthers, possibly up 1 on a field goal, but with nearly 1:30 on the clock. HB Reno Mahe was the ballcarrier as Chicago put him in the backfield with Michael Turner. With the defense viewing Turner as the bigger threat, the initial move towards Mahe was viewed as a feint, but it was not. Orton handed the ball to Mahe for his first carry of the day, and, with the linebackers shifting left, Mahe went over the right guard for 3yards and a first down. That first down would lead to the Driver score and the impossible task for Michigan, to come back, down 5, with only 6 seconds left. The Panthers tried the multiple lateral return on the kickoff, but, as usual, it did not get very far.
Chicago had scored twice in the final 3 minutes to not only knock off the Panthers, but to put the season in their hands. With a pretty reasonable final 3 weeks ahead of them (vs. Pittsburgh, vs. Houston, and at Arizona) the Machine controlled their own destiny and could wrap up the top seed with wins in their final games. Michigan would drop from the #1 seed down to #4 as a Wild Card, and unless Chicago stumbled in their final matches, the Panthers could do nothing about it.
DENVER 18 BALTIMORE 21
Big Ben has a big game as Roethlisberger throws for 268 and 3 scores to help Baltimore hold off the Gold and move to 9-4 on the year. Tory Holt, Marty Booker, and Antonio Gates all scored for the Blitz, with Holt leading all receivers with 121 yards on 5 catches.
PHILADELPHIA 12 MEMPHIS 10
The Stars’ defense holds Memphis to only 7 first downs and sacks Brett Favre 7 times in a painful game for Memphis, who have now lost 2 in a row. On offense, the duo of Robinson and Slaton combine for 124 yards rushing on 41 combined carries as Philly dominates on the ground, wearing down the Showboats by game’s end.
NEW ORLEANS 27 LAS VEGAS 7
Las Vegas continues to struggle without Steve McNair, dropping their 2nd in a row, while New Orleans has won two straight and now have an outside shot at a playoff spot. Fred Jackson was the surprise hero for the Breakers, rushing for 106 yards on only 12 carries, while Matt Forte added 122 of his own as New Orleans found serious issues in the Las Vegas run defense.
BOSTON 23 WASHINGTON 27
Boston hoped to jump over .500 with a win, but the Federals are still chasing a the Stars and were in no mood to be generous. Kordell Stewart threw for 1 score and ran for another for the Feds. I twould take a final minute Stewart toss to Kellen Davis to get the W. McCallister added 110 yards on 31 carries, while Rashard Mendenhall for Boston struggled to 75 yards against the Federal defense.
NASHVILLE 21 OAKLAND 28
Oakland continues to win the close ones, sinking Nashville’s hope of building some momentum in the South, by knocking them off by the Bay. Ricky Williams rushed for a score and league leader Jurious Norwood scored his 9th and 10th TDs of the season to help Oakland get the 7-point win.
LOS ANGELES 22 SEATTLE 28
Jeff Garcia had one of his better games just one week before Seneca Wallace is expected back, but the Dragons found a way to win, thanks in part to a Troy Walters 41-yard punt return TD and an Eddie Mason pick-six, as all three phases contributed to the win.
OHIO 20 PITTSBURGH 23
Ohio drops below .500 as their disappointing season continues. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has won 3 in a row, led by the defense in this one. Dameaion Jeffries led the way with 3 sacks as the Maulers got to Collins 7 times on the day. DeSean Foster led the Mauler offense with 114 on the ground. Cody Pickett went 19 of 29 against the Ohio secondary, with two scoring throws to slot receiver Kevin Johnson.
HOUSTON 30 NEW JERSEY 10
The Gamblers had no trouble dispatching the Generals in New Jersey. Kavika Pittman had two sacks of former Gambler QB Kris Kershaw, and the combo of Alexander and Faulk combined for 37 carries to control the game.
ATLANTA 12 TAMPA BAY 20
The Bandits were not at their best offensively, but the defense helped with the day, in part by knocking David Garrard out of the game. Culpepper was also removed from the game in the 3rd quarter, producing a potential concern for the next couple of weeks in Tampa Bay.
PORTLAND 20 ARIZONA 13
The Stags move to 7-6, a great record for an expansion club, by shutting down the hapless Wranglers. James Stewart and Chris Perry combined for 104 yards and Laurent Robinson caught a rare TD for the Stags as Portland tied Atlanta’s record 7-win total from 2 years ago, with a chance to guarantee at least an 8-8 record with a win next week.
ORLANDO 24 JACKSONVILLE 30
Jacksonville put an end to all realistic hopes Orlando had of a postseason run as Matt Cassel got his first start for the Renegades. Cassel played well, connecting on 26 of 40 tosses for 381 yards and 3 scores, but the Orlando defense has been somewhat directionless after losing Calais Campbell to injury, and this week that meant giving up scores to 4 different Bulls as Jacksonville pulls off the home win.
CHARLOTTE 27 BIRMINGHAM 16
In what can only be viewed as a blow to any chance Kent Austin had of returning next year, Charlotte outgained Birmingham by over 100 yards and got 2 TDs from Weinke to Dan Campbell to defeat the Stallions in Legion Field. Charlotte was trailing 16-10 after 3 quarters but scored an unanswered 17 points in the 4th as Birmingham faded in the summer heat.
ST. LOUIS 38 TEXAS 27
The Skyhawks finally turned offensive production into a win as they outpaced the Outlaws with 4 Jeff Blake scores. Blake threw for 3 and ran for a fourth as he increased his rushing total for the year with another 135 yards, including an 86-yard scoring run. Rookie Jordy Nelson caught 2 TDs from the St. Louis QB as Texas simply did not know what to defend against in this one.
Garrard Injured in 1st Game Back
Well, if Jay Gruden hoped someone else would make the QB decision for him, he got his wish. In his first game back as a starter after sitting behind Tyler Thigpen for six weeks, David Garrard lasted just slightly more than three quarters before a season-ending injury. The game was still somewhat in range, though Atlanta trailed 20-9, but Garrard had been unable to command a touchdown drive against the Bandits. On a somewhat mundane 2nd and 7 play, he faked the ball to rookie Darren McFadden but failed to see DE Derrick Harvey had broken free of his block. Harvey blindsided the Atlanta QB, and in so doing had landed on top of him, forcing his knee into an awkward sideways bend. The damage was done, MCL ligaments would be the eventual announcement. Garrard’s 2008 season would be over, perhaps his tenure in Atlanta as well.
Garrard has another season on his contract with the Fire, but many expect that he will be asked either to accept a trade or to prepare to serve as a backup. Atlanta is almost certainly going to make a concerted effort to draft and sign University of Georgia QB Matt Stafford, and if they are successful, Stafford could well be a Week 1 starter. Garrard, who was first signed by Philadelphia in 2002, got his chance when the expansion Fire gave him a start in 2006 and then named him the full time starter for the 2007 season. But Garrard struggled in the role, and this year was benched after the first 6 games, with only 3 TDs and 7 picks to his name. When Tyler Thigpen struggled to do any better, Coach Gruden turned back to Garrard this week, but the move now seems moot as Thigpen will likely resume the starting role with Garrard now done for the year. The future of the ECU product is now very much in doubt as the market for a QB with Garrard’s marginal history is not exactly hopping.
Culpepper to Sit for 1-2 Weeks
Tampa Bay did not come out of the Atlanta game unscathed either. Daunte Culpepper, having an All-USFL season, was also forced to sit out the end of the game after clipping his hand on the helmet of an oncoming rusher. X-rays determined that he had, in fact, fractured the index finger on his throwing hand, an injury that would force him out of next week’s game against Nashville, and possibly another week beyond that. Tampa Bay will likely be cautious in pushing for a return to action for their veteran QB. They have a 2-game lead on the #1 seed in the East, so they can afford to be a bit protective of Culpepper and go with backup Omar Jacobs at QB for a week or two as they face Nashville and Jacksonville. We expect that they will want Culpepper to get some snaps in the season finale so as to avoid a 4-week gap between games as they enter the playoffs almost assuredly in the Divisional Round after a bye week. So, not major concern for Coach Spurrier, but a potential hiccup on what has been a flawless 11-game win streak.
New Orleans Back in the Hunt
Don’t look now, but New Orleans’s win over Las Vegas this week has them thinking about a Wild Card. They sit at 6-7, identical in record to the #6 seeded Nashville Knights, and they finish the year with three straight divisional games, beginning with the 1-11 Stallions before big games, both at home, against Memphis and Nashville. A 3-game sweep would almost certainly propel the Breakers into the playoffs, and very possibly save Coach Mike Nolan’s job.
This possibility did not always look feasible. As recently as Week 11, New Orleans was sitting at 4-7 and looking very much like a team about to be eliminated from playoff contention. But, a win against the moribund New Jersey Generals kept them alive, and the road win in Las Vegas this week has changed the tone and the sense of possibility for the club. While knocking off both Memphis and Nashville will not be easy, even in the comfy confines of the Super Dome, it is not unfathomable either. Eli Manning has been playing very well over the past month, moving steadily up the QB ratings and now sitting at #5 in the league. The running game has also improved as Coach Nolan is splitting more carries between rookie Matt Forte and veteran Fred Jackson, but, perhaps most important, the defense has shownsome stopping power, moving up the rankings in the past 6 weeks to #13, a long way from their early season struggles.
The Breakers are a young team with a young corps, including Forte and a receiver trio none of whom have more than 2 years of experience. The defense is also somewhat untested, rebuilt over recent years with a mix of veteran free agents and developing draftees. Something of a no name group, they are led by DE Corey Sears, LB Brady James, and CB Ahmed Plummer. Whether or not this group, and this team, can complete a strong second half by winning their final 5 games (two in hand, three to come) remains to be seen, but for Breaker fans, just entering these final weeks with a real shot at a playoff spot is a welcome development.
Thunder Drop as Dragons Rise
The other side of the coin from this week’s surprising loss at home against New Orleans is that Las Vegas has fallen from the six playoff spots in the West and now trails Seattle by a game for the final spot. The loss to New Orleans follows a road loss to Nashville that had caused Las Vegas to slip in the standings and in the hunt for a Wild Card. From 7-4 and looking like a shoe-in, the Thunder now need help if they hope to make the postseason for the first time in Jerry Glanville’s 4-year tenure. The losses follow the injury to QB Steve McNair as Tony Banks has been forced into action. While McNair’s numbers in Las Vegas have never been great, they have been enough for the Thunder defense to help the club get some wins under their belt. With Banks, that has not been the case.
McNair is listed as questionable this week, but there is a sense that if he is even at 80% Coach Glanville will take the risk and put him in for a must win game at Texas. The Thunder have a favorable schedule down the stretch, with their game in Texas followed by home matchups against the 1-12 Arizona Wranglers and the expansion Portland Stags. But even a 3-0 run would not guarantee them a Wild Card. They sit a game behind division rival Seattle and SW Division contender Denver. Las Vegas needs one of the two, possibly both, to drop a game to have any chance at a tie-breaker entry to the postseason. Seattle does have tough games ahead at Ohio and home to Oakland, while Denver finishes the year with Arizona, Texas, and a season finale against Houston that likely will determine their division. Las Vegas can have hope for a loss by their opponents, but first they need to ensure that they do not slip up in the final weeks, or once again the Thunder could be out of playoff contention. They have not made the postseason since 2002, a streak they would love to end.
A big week in the playoff race as 4 more teams punch their tickets to the postseason. Chicago’s win over Michigan propels them to first place, but both squads are now locked into a playoff berth. Philadelphia and Oakland join them as we now have 5 of 12 spots filled with 3 weeks of action left. The Machine now hold the top spot at 11-2, but cannot afford a loss as Oakland is right there with them at 11 wins. In the East, Tampa Bay has a 2 game advantage over Philadelphia for the #1 seed, and has won 11 in a row, but if Daunte Culpepper misses 2 weeks, as many fear, the Stars may still have a shot. Memphis, losers of two in a row, now look like the 3rd best potential division champion, which would put them into the Wild Card round of the playoffs, much as Houston expect to be as they trail both the Pacific and Central Division leaders by 2 games as well.
At the bottom of each playoff bracket we battles that could come down to the final week. Nashville is now in a 3-way tie with both Boston and New Orleans at 6-7. If any one of these clubs can finish the year with 3 wins, they could easily snag the final Wild Card. In the West, Denver and Seattle sit at 8-5, with 1 game on both Las Vegas and Portland.
The nature of football means that as the season progresses the likeliness of injury increases, and we are seeing that this week. Atlanta was forced to place 2 more players on IR as both WR Josh Reed (leg) and DT Keyonta Marshall (hip) are done for the year. Likewise, Michigan learned this week that cornerback Donavan Greer is also out for the year with a broken hip. Texas will finish out the season without rookie WR Danny Amendola (shoulder) and LA will be without Daryl Gardener due to a posterior cruciate ligament injury.
As we reported, David Garrard will also be placed on IR to finish out the year for the banged up Atlanta Fire. Others who could be back in Week 15 or 16 include Baltimore tackle Matt Hill, Ohio safety Mike Doss, Ohio center Richie Incognito, Boston linebacker Chris Clairborne, Washington safety Bob Sanders, Memphis LB Hannibal Navies, and Seattle CB Leodis McKelvin.
Expected back this week are Pittsburgh DT Dan Klecko, Jacksonville HB Travis Minor, Washington T Matt Stinchcomb, Arizona WR Domenic Hixon, Texas SS Lawyer Molloy, Ohio CB Deshea Townsend, Memphis SS Coy Wire, Chicago HB Maurice Clarett, and LA end Keneche Udeze.
Wranglers Will Seek Trade Offers for Plummer
After weeks of debate, and several statements by the Arizona Wranglers’ star QB, the club this week did announce that they will field offers for 9-time All-USFL and 2-time USFL MVP Jake Plummer. Do not expect the asking price to be cheap, at least two #1 draft picks or some valuable veteran talent, but the Wrangles, who are already in the midst of a search for a new head coach, are very much planning a near complete roster overhaul, and the biggest piece of that puzzle appears to be a willingness to part with the disgruntled Plummer.
There will be no shortage of suitors, with, by our count, no fewer than 6 clubs aside from Arizona looking to find a solution at QB. New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Los Angeles all have tenuous QB situations, and we might add Las Vegas to that list if rumors of Steve McNair’s potential retirement are legit. Any one of those six clubs would be overjoyed to bring Plummer to town as the new starter, but who has the deeper pockets and the willingness to part with significant draft or personnel capital to do it? That is the big question that we will certainly see play out over the offseason.
Stallions to be Sold, No Further Community Buy In Planned
With both financial concerns and legal complications surrounding the Birmingham Stallions’ principle owner, Marvin Warner Jr., including potential federal charges for Warner’s role in the collapse of the Southern States Bank during the current crisis. Warner, who inherited the Stallions from his father (himself indicted on major financial crimes back in the 80’s) will be forced by the USFL to divest from the Stallions franchise, essentially forcing a sale of the majority share.
Birmingham has a unique arrangement within the USFL, with 44% of the franchise owned by public shareholders, predominantly within Alabama and the Birmingham area as part of a local investment strategy back in the early 90’s. This arrangement forces any new owner to work with a board of investors as part of the management of the club, though the new owner would take on 50.5% of the shares in the club, with the shareholders controlling the majority of outstanding shares along with a few small-time local minority owners.
There is, of course, interest in ownership of the Stallions, and with the unique community shareholder model the risk of purchase and relocation is all but negated, but finding a primary investor with the available resources to make the purchase in the middle of a national recession and credit freeze could be a challenge. While there is no word yet on any interest, there is some hope that Jim Walton, of the Walmart fortune might be interested, as could Jimmy Rane, a coal magnate from the region, or John Menard, of the Menard’s home improvement chain. The question is whether or not there is appeal in purchasing a rebuilding franchise in an aging stadium and in a region of the country that has been hit hard by the burst bubble of real estate and significant banking crises. A bad time to have to sell a team and a tough market to invest in at this time.
Memphis Tweaks Silver Sky
The Memphis Showboats have announced this week a minor change to their identity and uniform as they are tweaking their trademarked “Silver Sky” color. The team, which switched from a crimson and silver look in their first few years, to the unique blue-silver tint in 1990, showed off a new, slightly lighter, slightly more grey-toned version of the color.
The change does not require full approval of the league as it is not considered a significant uniform modification. Both Riddell and Reebok are on board with modifications to the uniform for 2009, with the helmet being the most noticeable adjustment. The new helmet will feature the silver sky tone with a “silver flek” feature that will add a deeper, more metallic tone to the shell. This cannot be replicated on the jersey or pants, but astute fans will notice a slight change in the depth of color and the tone of the blue-silver on both next year.
As we look back at the first 25 seasons of USFL football, this week we look not at teams, but at venues. The USFL has grown and developed into a 5th major league in the United States, and that fact, along with strong partnerships in many shared NFL-USFL cities, has allowed the clubs to either build or renovate their current homes to play in world class facilities, but that was not always the case. This week we look back at some of the past homes of USFL teams, from the awesome to the awful. Here are the 10 most memorable home stadia no longer in use in the USFL.
#10—Nickerson Field (Boston)
When the USFL placed a team in Boston, the hope, of course, was that they would share Foxboro Stadium with the NFL Patriots. When that failed to materialize, the expectation was that a deal could be brokered with Boston College for Alumni Stadium. That also fell through, and so did Harvard Stadium, leaving the first year Boston Breakers with no other choice than tiny Nickerson Field at Boston University. Barely qualifying as a college facility, much less a pro football stadium, Nickerson Field was tiny, with no amenities, poor parking, and, not that they could control it, but truly horrible weather in the spring of 1983. A bad option and one that lasted only 1 season before the Breakers overpaid to move to Harvard.
#9—Alamo Stadium (San Antonio)
When the stadium you move into is primarily used for high school football, even Texas high school football, you are in trouble. Alamo Stadium in San Antonio was bigger than Nickerson field, by about 8,000 seats, we will give it that, but it may have been even in worse condition. Scorching hot for day games, with no shade and little in the way of concessions, it was a poor home for a fall team and an even worse home for a spring-summer league. Thankfully the city was already working on building the Alamodome when the USFL came to San Antonio.
#8—Skully Stadium (Oklahoma)
The plan was never to put a team in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city with all the mass market appeal of Crystal Pepsi. The Outlaws were supposed to play in San Diego, then possibly Honolulu, even Sacramento was considered, but for one season they ended up at Skully Stadium in Tulsa. Even taking the near constant spring rain out of the equation, the home of Tulsa Golden Hurricane football was not a pro football venue, even if the state is a football crazed hotbed.
#7--JFK Veterans Stadium (Philadelphia)
The home to both the Eagles and the 2-time USFL champion Stars, JFK Stadium had all the character of an avocado kitchen set. It was outdated and unpleasant even on the best of days, but, even worse, it was widely known as having the worst turf in all of pro sports. Countless injuries to Eagles, Phillies and Stars resulted from the ridiculous seams and uneven edges in the turf at RFK. No one cried any tears when it was torn down and replaced by Lincoln Financial Field.
#6—Bobby Dodd Stadium (Atlanta)
A fine facility for Georgia Tech and fall football, but whoever thought that playing day games in an outdoor stadium in Atlanta in June and July was a good idea was just plain nuts. Peanuts perhaps? Players often described playing in Atlanta with or against the original Atlanta Fire as playing in a bowl of chowder, that is how muggy it can be in Georgia in the summertime. The Stadium was basic but solid, but the concept was poorly thought out.
#5—LA Coliseum (Los Angeles)
The Coliseum makes sense for the Olympics, and maybe for a Super or Summer Bowl, but as a home to a fledgling football team in a fledgling league its 90,000+ capacity is ridiculous. Even when the LA Express had decent crowds, which was not often in the early years, the place looked empty. There were games there where each fan could basically have their own section, not just seat or row. A historic facility, sure, but a good home for the early years of the Express, absolutely not.
#4—Civic Stadium (Portland)
The first stadium on the list that I can honestly say I have some fondness for. Yes, it proved to be too small for the Portland Thunder by the early 1990’s, and, admittedly, it was built for AAA baseball, so the locker rooms were cramped for a 53-man football team, but the place had charm, and Portlanders built up a really nice homefield advantage there. Columbia Sportswear Stadium is a great new facility, but there is nostalgia for “The Civ”.
#3—Husky Stadium (Seattle)
If you want a college atmosphere for a pro game, Husky Stadium is a pretty good option. Sure, you had major restrictions on alcohol sales, and parking was a bit of a problem, and maybe the Dragons were not happy to have so much purple everywhere when it was not a team color, but as a site for the Dragons’ first decade, Husky Stadium was a fun venue and a great home field.
#2—The Astrodome (Houston)
There are some venues that are just too iconic to hate. Yes, the Astrodome was past its prime by the time the Gamblers and Oilers moved out, but there was still something special about the place, and that may be why Houston has yet to tear it down. The original dome for NFL football, and a very good idea when dealing with Houston heat and humidity in the summer, the Astrodome was a great home for the Run & Shoot and some very good Gambler squads.
#1—The Silverdome (Michigan)
Pontiac, Michigan may not be downtown Detroit, but the Silverdome was a great place to watch a game, especially while others were freezing their buts off in Chicago, New Jersey, Boston, or Pittsburgh in March USFL action. While most northern teams were struggling to get teams to bear with bad early season weather, the Panthers were cruising to two titles in 3 years and calling the comfy, warm, and often packed, Silverdome their home. We like Ford Field plenty, but the Panthers will always be remembered for bringing home a title to Michigan while playing in Pontiac.
Week 14 could be a make or break week for several teams on the bubble. It is put up or shut up time as playoff spots are claimed and the very unwanted “-e” for eliminated gets added to more teams. So, we will take a look at this week with a focus on teams sitting on the bubble.
FRIDAY @ 8PM Atlanta (4-9) @ Jacksonville (5-8) NBC
Both teams are on life support for a Wild Card, trailing Nashville and needing to run the table.
SATURDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (2-11) @ Washington (9-4) ABC
The Feds cannot afford a trap game as they pursue Philadelphia for the Division.
SATURDAY @ 12pm St. Louis (3-10) @ Charlotte (4-9) ABC
The Monarchs would love to get to 5 wins with this one but St. Louis has been surprisingly adept on offense the past few weeks.
SATURDAY @ 12pm Boston (6-7) @ Philadelphia (10-3) FOX
A tough game for Boston to get back to .500, but Philadelphia has proven vulnerable in recent weeks.
SATURDAY @ 4pm Michigan (10-3) @ Portland (7-6) ABC
Can Portland upend Michigan and stay in the heart of a Wild Card hunt, or will the Panthers prey on the Stags?
SATURDAY @ 4pm Arizona (1-12) @ Denver (8-5) FOX
All the buzz is about where Jake Plummer could be next year. Does he show off a bit this week to improve the market?
SATURDAY @ 8pm Memphis (8-5) @ Orlando (5-8) ESPN
The Showboats want this one to lock up the division, Orlando needs it to have any hope at all of a Wild Card.
SUNDAY @ 12pm Tampa Bay (12-1) @ Nashville (6-7) ABC
It feels like half of the Eastern Conference is counting on Tampa Bay to knock off the Knights and open up the Wild Card hunt to other contenders.
SUNDAY @ 12pm New Orleans (6-7) @ Birmingham (1-12) FOX
The Breakers may be scoreboard watching, because a Knights loss and a win for them in B’ham could propel them into 6th place.
SUNDAY @ 12pm Pittsburgh (6-7) @ Chicago (11-2) FOX
If the Maulers want any shot at a Wild Card, they need to pull off a big upset here against Chicago.
SUNDAY @ 4pm Las Vegas (7-6) @ Texas (3-10) ABC
The Thunder need this win, and a couple more, to get back into contention.
SUNDAY @ 4pm Baltimore (9-4) @ Houston (9-4) ABC
An intriguing matchup of two teams eager to improve their position and clinch a playoff spot.
SUNDAY @ 4pm Seattle (8-5) @ Ohio (6-&) FOX
The Glory’s season may be in the balance here. 9 losses is not a playoff formula in the West.
SUNDAY @ 8pm Oakland (11-2) @ Los Angeles (5-8) ESPN
ESPN hoped for a title fight here, what they got was one team cruising and one on its last legs.