2008 USFL Week 4 Recap: Surprise, Surprise.

If the season were a single football game, we would now be wrapping up the first quarter and flipping sides of the field. Four games down in a 16-game season tells us that teams should be in form by now, and while we may still get some late bloomers, we are getting a sense of who is looking solid, who may be rising, and who is not meeting expectations. There are certainly some surprises across the league, some positive (Memphis, Portland, and Atlanta at 3-1) and some disappointing (Seattle at 0-4, San Diego and Baltimore at 1-3), and we have seen some players step into new roles, particularly with the rash of QB injuries the first quarter has produced. Whether it is Ryan Nassib in Arizona or Marcus Mariota in Portland, there have been some players impressing us with quick starts. We will break down the first quarter of the league, looking at this past week’s games, ranking all 28 teams, and looking at players making a name for themselves in the early part of the season, but we start with a player who once again finds himself in hot water with the league as Johnny Manziel faces a stiff suspension for the 2nd year in a row.

The USFL suspends QB Johnny Manziel for the rest of the 2018 Season

It was not a surprise, well, not for anyone outside of the DFW region. This Wednesday the league offices in NYC announced the penalty for a 2nd alcohol related legal issue for Roughneck QB Johnny Manziel. The former A&M star would again be suspended, this time for the remainder of the season, potentially totaling 12 games. Manziel and his representation will, of course, appeal, but the league is expected to rule as early as Monday on the appeal, and that means that even with a 1-week reprieve, we could see Manziel miss 11 games this season.

For the Roughnecks, this is about as bad a turn of events as their season could get. Despite missing Manziel for 6 games last year, Dallas had not done anything to alter its 3-man depth chart at the QB position, meaning that if the suspension is upheld, it will likely be former Charlotte Monarch Brandon Wheedon who will be thrust into action for the lion’s share of the season. Wheedon started 7 games last year for the Roughnecks, and while his performance was better than expected (a 72.2% completion rate, a 6:3 TD:Int ratio and a QBR of 92.5) it was also clear that Dallas simplified the offense for Wheedon, focusing on the run and trying to make Wheedon’s reads as basic as possible. Why? Well, when you consider that in his last 2 seasons in Charlotte, Wheedon had twice led the league in picks, with 42 over the 2-year span, it seems obvious that Coach Landry did not trust his backup to have complex reads.

But, with a new coaching staff led by former Texas Tech HC Kliff Kingsbury, this was supposed to be a year when the Dallas offense would be opened up. They had signed former NFL and Clemson star Sammy Watkins, had brought in Austin Pettis from Chicago, and had signed SMU speed burner Courtland Sutton to provide Manziel with a more wide-open offensive scheme. Will Kingsbury give Wheedon a chance to play that style of offense, or will we see Dallas again confined to a more traditional pro style. We may not learn that this week, as Manziel is likely going to get the start when Dallas takes on Las Vegas in front of their home fans, but if the suspension holds, which many expect it will, then Week 6 in Arizona we will get our answer and Roughneck fans can decide if the 2018 season will be another disappointment or a possible revelation.

PITTSBURGH MAULERS 20  MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 24

It certainly was not a high-profile game. The Maulers and the Showboats on regional FOX coverage, seen by only about 10 of the top 30 markets in the country on Sunday, but that does not mean it was not a great game to watch. Both clubs came into the game at 2-1 and the winner would be a surprising 3-1 at the ¼ mark of the season. Fans in Memphis came out on a lovely April Sunday to root on their Showboats, with nearly 48,000 in attendance. A small contingent of Mauler fans were found in the far East corner of the stadium, but otherwise it was a sea of scarlet and silver sky blue.

The two teams came in with very different plans, Pittsburgh hoping to spread the defense with a lot of 3- and 4-receiver sets, creating gaps for rookie Sony Michel and Marcus Lattimore to exploit. Memphis lining up in a lot of I-formation, hoping to spring Todd Gurley loose. Both defenses saw this coming and both were ready, with Michel only able to average 1.9 yards per carry on the day, while Gurley did only slightly better at 2.3. The game would come down to the two quarterbacks, Andy Dalton and Paxton Lynch.

This was not the most finely tuned game, with the two clubs combining for 13 penalties for over 100 yards, but it was a very entertaining matchup of two teams both hoping that early season success was a sign of more to come. The game started slowly, as so many do, but on their second possession, Pittsburgh found some success, mostly thanks to Andy Dalton connecting with his outside receivers Adam Thielen and Victor Cruz. The early drive success forced Memphis to spread their safeties out wider, so when Dalton got into the red zone, it was TE Anthony Hill and slot receiver Ted Ginn Jr who began to find space within the hashmarks. The drive ended on a quick inside route to Ginn, who took the quick pass to the house to give Pittsburgh the early lead.

But Memphis also found some answers in their second drive, a drive that started with a holding call to create a 1st and 20 but quickly turned around as Paxton Lynch found Mark Clayton after a double move, a play that racked up 36 yards, wiping out the penalty and getting a huge roar from the crowd. Only 4 plays later, Todd Gurley found room on the right side of the line and plunged into the end zone with the equalizer.

Memphis would take their first lead only 3 minutes later, when, after a 3-and-out by the defense, Lynch hit Dallas Goedert over the middle with a pass that took the ball into Pittsburgh territory. Aided by an unnecessary roughness call on the next play, Memphis found themselves in striking range, but a well-timed blitz brought confusion to the Memphis line and allowed Pittsburgh DE Dwight Freeney to find Lynch 8 yards deep in the pocket. The Showboats settled for a field goal, but had the lead at 10-7.

The two teams traded quick possessions before the Maulers again found a rhythm on offense. This time it was sparked by a 3rd and 3 run by Jay Ajayi out of the shotgun. The draw play worked to perfection and Ajayi gained 11 yards and a first down. Two plays later, Andy Dalton found Adam Thielen along the sideline for 30 yards, and the Maulers were in business. Marcus Lattimore got the ball down to the 2 on a nice toss sweep, and from there Dalton used a good run fake to Michel to freeze the linebackers and find TE Jerrell Adams wide open in the endzone. Pittsburgh was again on top, and that 14-10 score would carry over to the half.

The third quarter saw little success for either offense, with the only points coming on an Andrew Franks field goal for the visitors. The kick made it a 17-10 advantage as the game entered the final period. Memphis would have their best drive of the game to open the quarter, putting together 13 plays and using nearly 6 minutes before Gurley added a 2nd TD run to equalize the score at 17. When they held Pittsburgh on 3rd and 8, they were in perfect position to take the lead, starting off on their own 41-yard line after a mediocre punt by the Maulers. But, while the Memphis fans felt like they thought the game was turning their way, Strong safety Tyvon Branch of Pittsburgh had other ideas. After a dump-down pass to Gurley gained 6 yards, the back tried to fight for another yard only to have Branch swat the ball out of his hands and onto the turf. LB Tahir Whitehead recovered the ball and Pittsburgh took over with newfound momentum.

The Maulers would drive the ball down to the Memphis 15, all the while eating clock and grinding out first downs. The drive fizzled when a pass from Dalton to Cruz on 3rd and 4 was broken up in the endzone by Patrick Peterson, but the Maulers were well within Andrew Franks’s range, and the Pittsburgh kicker gave them a 3-point lead with only 1:38 left to play.  Of course, the problem is that 1:38 can be an eternity when the opposing team has all their time outs, as Memphis had.

The expectation from everyone in the Liberty Bowl was that Memphis would drive methodically towards field goal range, and the first few plays of the drive seemed to support that perception. Paxton Lynch scrambled for 6 yards, then found Goedert over the middle for 6 more. After a time out, the Showboats again found some room over the middle, with Robert Woods having his only catch of the game, a 15-yarder that started out as a 5-yard slant. But, with the ball at the 40 and the Showboats using their 2nd time out. Coach Ryan pulled out something a little different. Once again, he had Lynch in the shotgun with Woods and Marshall to one side, Clayton and Goedert spread wide on the other. When the play started, it seemed clear that Marshall was headed inside, while Woods set up an out route, but when the safety bit on the inside move, Marshall turned and made a bee line for the corner, a move that put the safety out of position and gave Marshall a clear line to the endzone. Paxton Lynch, sitting in a very nice pocket despite a blitzing Shaquille Riddick, found Marshall along the right sideline and the big receiver cruised into the endzone without being touched.

Memphis had scored the game winner with 38 seconds still on the clock, and while Pittsburgh tried valiantly to move the ball in the little time they had left, they needed a TD but simply could not find a way to get that done. The final play was a bit of a half-hearted Hail Mary that saw the ball swatted to the ground at the 5. Memphis would be 3-1, a very surprising start for a club picked by most to bring up the rear in the South, while Pittsburgh would drop to 2-2, but well in range in a very slow-starting NE Division.

Michigan 28  Charlotte 13

With Mitch Trubisky knocked out of the game early, a 14-10 halftime advantage for the Panthers turned into a pretty comfortable win. LeVeon Bell rushed for exactly 100 yards on 18 carries (a nice 5.6 YPC average) and Kirk Cousins threw for 309 and 3 TDs as the Panthers move to 3-1 with the road win over Charlotte. The one big positive for the Monarchs was the ageless Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 106 on only 14 touches, a 7.6 YPC average that topped even Bell’s numbers.

POTG: Panther QB Kirk Cousins: 27/41, 309 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int

Portland 23  Seattle 20

The Stags are a surprising 3-1 after knocking off the equally surprising 0-4 Dragons. Marcus Mariota continued with his much-improved play, putting up a very nice game against Seattle’s secondary. Mariota completed 19 of 24 passing for 293 yards and a beautiful 75-yard TD toss to former Dragon Emmanuel Sanders. Both Sanders and Brandin Cooks went over 100 yards in the game. Seattle’s offense also found some inroads, with Knowshon Moreno racking up his first 100-yard game as a Dragon and with backup Matt McGloin going 25 of 35 for 236 and a TD as well. But, in the end, and we mean the very end, a short field goal by Portland’s Dan Carpenter with 14 seconds left was the game winner for the visiting Stags.

POTG: Portland QB Marcus Mariota: 19/24, 293 Yds, 1 TD, 0 int

Orlando 17  Jacksonville 21

Our first upset of the week as Jacksonville edged Orlando thanks in part to Tim Tebow being knocked around by the Bulls. Tebow threw two picks and was knocked out of the game on an ill-conceived QB run. Meanwhile, Robert Griffin III mostly stayed in the pocket, completing 20 of 38 throws for 198 yards and 2 TDs. Mike Williams had a good game as well , catching 8 balls for 102 yards and a score for the underdog Bulls.

POTG: Bulls’ CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 3 PDef, 1 Int

Chicago 18  Atlanta 21

The Fire got a very strong performance from Aaron Murray, completing 17 of 22 against Chicago and throwing 3 touchdowns along the way. Roy Williams caught 6 for 111 and a TD, while Nick Chubb averaged 4.8 yards per carry on his way to 87 yards for the Fire. Chicago hung close, thanks in large part to Ryan Fitzpatrick’s elusiveness, though the former Harvard QB did get sacked 5 times by the aggressive Fire defense. A TD and 2-point conversion got Chicago within 3 points, but they could not stop Atlanta from running out the clock late and took another tough loss.

POTG: Atlanta WR Roy Williams: 6 Rec, 111 Yds, 1 TD

Los Angeles 20  Las Vegas 23

Another tight game in the Wynn Arena as Las Vegas needed a 33-yard kick with 22 seconds left in the game to avoid overtime. With both teams struggling to run the ball, it came down to Manning vs. Bradford, with Eli throwing for 314 yards but also tossing 3 picks, while Bradford threw for 274 and 2 scores. But, despite the Manning miscues, Las Vegas put 13 points up in the 4th quarter, including a really nice 14-yard Kareem Hunt TD run to take the W and move to 2-2 after 4 games.

POTG: Las Vegas WR Denarius Moore: 12 Rec, 113 Yds

Ohio 35  St. Louis 21

It was Ohio’s turn to take advantage of St. Louis’s absolutely horrid defense, and so they did, putting up 28 points in the first half and finishing the game with 177 yards rushing, led by former General Delone Carter’s 93 yards on only 8 carries. Carter had TD runs of 26 and 2 yards as well, with Isaiah Pead adding 85 yards as Ohio just ran over the Skyhawks. The Ohio D also played a part, sacking Josh Freeman 5 times and holding Eddie Lacy to only 2.5 yards per carry as Ohio took this one on the road.

POTG: Ohio HB Delone Carter: 8 Att, 93 Yds, 2 TD

Oklahoma 35  Denver 30

A huge road win for the Outlaws as they got into a shooting match with Denver at Invesco Field. With TD passes to Julius Thomas (2) and Percy Harvin, it was 21-0 Oklahoma before the last of the Gold fans had even entered the stadium. Denver fought back, with Matt Leinart throwing 3 TDs and DeMarco Murray adding a late TD, but it was not enough as Flacco finished with 4 TDs, split evenly between Julius Thomas and Percy Harvin.

POTG: Outlaw QB Joe Flacco: 18/28, 252 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int

Arizona 23  Oakland 3

A rough outing for new Invader QB Jimmy Garoppolo as Arizona held him to 183 yards passing while also keeping the run game to only 68 total yards. In a very good game on both sides of the ball for Arizona, Ryan Nassib went 14 of 23 for 218 yards and 2 scores, but the run game also came up big, with Gore and Carey combining for 163 yards rushing. It was Oakland’s first loss of the season and a win that puts Arizona at 2-1-1 and right in the thick of an exciting SW Division race.

POTG: Arizona DT Grady Jarrett: 7 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR

New Jersey 28  Baltimore 24

The Generals got 2 TDs each from Maurice Jones-Drew and QB Nick Foles as they slip past the Blitz, sending Baltimore to a 1-3 start. Nick Foles threw for 274 on the day, completing 19 of 23 passes and finding both OBJ and Zay Jones for scores. Jones-Drew added 87 yards rushing, which included two 1-yard TD plunges. Baltimore had a chance for a late score, but on 3rd and 3 from the New Jersey 22, LB Matt Milano got to Big Ben, stripping the ball away and ending the Blitz threat.

POTG: New Jersey LB Matt Milano: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF

Tampa Bay 16  Birmingham 36

Turnovers and penalties doomed the Bandits as they outgained Birmingham 435-223 but just kept shooting themselves in the foot. The errors included a Will Allen pick-six and 2 additional drive-ending picks from Dak Prescott. Meanwhile, Birmingham just kept plugging, adding TDs from TE Hunter Henry and HB T. J. Yeldon to pull away from the sloppy Bandits.

POTG: Birmingham FS Will Allen: 4 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 Int, 1 DefTD

Dallas 15  Houston 22

With a possible suspension looming, Johnny Manziel struggled, sacked 5 times in the game, but so too did the Dallas run game, with Samaje Perine leading all Roughneck rushers with only 28 yards. For Houston it was a combo of Carlos Hyde (91 Yds rushing) and Mike Evans (102 Yards) as the Gamblers scored only 1 TD but added 5 Koo field goals to take the W.

POTG: Houston DE Dante Fowler: 3 Tck, 2 Sck

Washington 10  San Diego 27

The Thunder finally earn their first win, thanks to 149 yards from HB Ryan Williams, and a 39-yard TD run from QB Joe Webb. Webb also threw for 161 yards and a score, finding TE Luke Wilson early in the 4th to take a commanding 27-3 lead over the struggling Federals.

POTG: San Diego HB Ryan Williams: 21 Att, 149 Yds

Philadelphia 10  New Orleans 27

Another big game win for the Breakers as the defense sacked Matt Gutierrez 7 times and inflicted a lot of hurt on the Star offense. Drew Brees was also on target, completing 17 of 29 passing and throwing TDs to TE Coby Fleener, quickly becoming his favorite target, and to speedster Kenny Britt. Throw in a C. J. Spiller TD run, and two costly Star turnovers and you have New Orleans sitting pretty as the league’s only 4-0 team.

POTG: Breaker DE C. J. Ah You: 1 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR

USFL First Quarter Award Winners

A quarter of the way through the schedule and a good time to assess who is making an impression early on in the 2018 campaign. So, we look at the league’s five big awards and give some hints of who may have the early edge in each.

MVP: The MVP race looks like it will start off in New Orleans, where the Breakers are unbeaten, and their former 2-time MVP is looking like a possible 3-time winner. Drew Brees leads the league with a 125.1 QB Rating, and is playing some very efficient ball, with 4 TDs and not one pick in the opening month. Hot on his heels are two other QBs, one anticipated, one a bit of a surprise. Kirk Cousins of Michigan currently leads the league with 9 TD passes (tied with Matt Leinart and Aaron Murray, both surprised to be there), while another unexpected contender is emerging in Portland.

Yes, you heard that right, Portland. The 3-1 Stags have seen some of the best of Marcus Mariota this year, with the former Oregon Duck throwing for over 1,100 yards in the season’s first 4 weeks. He is completing nearly 70% of his throws (69.4) and seems to have really developed a rapport with speed receiver Brandin Cooks.  He is still a decided underdog to both Brees and Cousins, but fans in Portland are just happy he is in the conversation, because they have been waiting for his game to mature since he took over 2 years ago.

OPOTY: If the MVP is going to be a QB, then we are going to focus on HB and WR for our early season OPOTY candidates, and there is no shortage of candidates after the season’s first month. Among the backs we have league yardage leader and perennial OPOTY candidate LeVeon Bell of Michigan (415 yards and 3 TDs), but don’t count out New Jersey’s Maurice Jones-Drew, a bit behind at 388 yards but with 5 rushing TDs already. We also think that Carlos Hyde, sitting at 298 rushing yards, but also a solid receiver with 6 combined TDs this year, is going to be in the mix.

Among receivers, there are several surprising candidates, including Orlando’s Brashard Perriman (24 catches for 385 yards and 3 scores) and Las Vegas’s Denarius Moore (a league best 32 receptions, with 382 yards and a single TD), but our favorite of the bunch is league yardage leader Mike Evans, sitting pretty with 429 yards in only 4 games, the only receiver averaging over 100 per game.

DPOTY: Is there really any doubt who we are going to push for. Calais Campbell already has a 5-sack lead on his closest competition, and after 4 weeks is both the league’s leading sack artist and the leading tackler in the USFL, an incredible double dip if we have ever seen one. Honestly, barring injury, which we would never wish on Orlando’s main man, we think this one is all but wrapped up already. We like the season being had by Philadelphia LB Kirk Morrison, but this feels like another Campbell coronation.

ROTY: Rookie of the year is always very tough to gauge this early, simply because players are just getting used to the game. History tells us that a few of the players who stand out early will fade down the stretch, while others, who may be getting limited chances in the early weeks of the season, will come on strong down the stretch. With that said, we still think that we need to give some kudos to at least one early success story, and that is Tampa Bay safety Derwin James. James has provided some early highlights, including a Week 2 pick six that is still one of the plays of the season. The rookie has 2 picks and has also proven to be a nasty hitter when given a shot at the ballcarrier. If James is not your cup of tea, then it likely will come down to one of the backs, with Nick Chubb (Atlanta) and Sony Michel (Pittsburgh) the two top contenders form among the rookie class of offensive “skill” players.

COTY: Finally, we come to Coach of the Year, and right now all we can say is that there are three 3-1 teams that no one thought would be here. Whichever can hold momentum and surprise us with a playoff, or even division run, could walk away with this award. Right now, based mostly on how unlikely their early success has been, we would put Portland’s Matt LaFleur in first position, followed by Memphis’s Rex Ryan, and rounded out with former St. Louis coach Bruce Arians, putting together some good results with Atlanta.

Vintage Flacco Helps Outlaws Outshine Gold

While we have enjoyed Oklahoma’s dedication to a smashmouth approach, mostly because we love watching Marshawn Lynch go “Beast Mode” over tacklers, this week gave us a bit of a flashback to a time when the Outlaws were all about the deep ball and QB Joe Flacco was full on gunslinging across the USFL. Yes, his 252-yard total is more in line with the more recent power game of the Oklahoma Outlaws, his 4 touchdowns felt very much like the good ole’ days in San Antonio. Flacco was feeling secure in the pocket, something we have not said much in the past couple of years, and it showed, with the Outlaw QB connecting on several deep shots, including 2 TDs to slot receiver Percy Harvin.

What is clear is that this new Oklahoma offense is not a one man show. Flacco threw to 8 different receivers, with TE Julius Thomas leading all players with 5 receptions. But, with DeDe Westbrook getting 9 targets and Marquise Goodwin another 8, there were plenty of deep shots to go around. Marshawn Lynch still got 23 carries, but with the Gold bringing their safeties up to the line, it was a great chance for Joe Flacco to remind us of his former “mad bomber” days in the Alamodome.

Pick Sixes Set the Tone in Week 4

Whether it was Pacman Jones for the Outlaws, Will Allen for the Stallions, or Ohio’s LaRon Landry, some of the best moments of this week came via the pick-six. This has already been a good year for defensive scores, particularly off of the passing game, with 11 different players returning turnovers for scores (9 of them pick-sixes). This week we saw three that influenced the momentum of their games, but none more so than LaRon Landry’s late game spirit-killer in St. Louis.

Down only 7, St. Louis was in position to tie the score and possibly send the game to overtime, a big plus for a club that has been blown out in most of their games. Down 28-21 with just over 5 minutes left to play, the Skyhawks were looking to score on a 3rd consecutive drive, having been down 21 at the half. The momentum seemed to be on their side, but an overly ambitious throw by Josh Freeman did not find the intended receiver, instead finding the waiting arms of Landry, who grabbed the ball away and raced towards the St. Louis endzone. With a nice block from NFL import Tyran Matthieu, Landry high-stepped into the endzone, putting Ohio up 14 and breaking the late game spirit of the 1-3 Skyhawks. It was a moment the Ohio fans who made the trip to the Gateway City celebrated late into the night, and one that once again sunk the hopes of a very dazed and disappointed Skyhawk crowd.

Five Break Out Players of the First Quarter

The first four games of the year have produced surprises on many fronts, from unexpected early season success to rising stars making a name for themselves. We picked five players this week who we see as first quarter break out stars, players who were little known or from whom little was expected, but who have showed us what they can do with a strong 4-game showcase.

WR Brandin Cooks-POR

The first of two Stags we want to highlight from Portland’s surprising 3-1 start. Cooks is in his 5th year with Portland, and he has had some good numbers in the past, with 1,000 yard seasons the past 2 years, but he could be ready to break out in a big way if Marcus Mariota’s production continues to outpace expectations. Cooks already has 27 receptions and 389 yards, which project out to a 100-reception, 1,200 yard season. The missing piece? Scoring plays. Cooks is still waiting for his first TD of the year.

HB Ben Tate-POR

Even before the season-ending injury to 2017 league rushing leader Doug Martin, Tate was impressing us with some big plays and consistency when called on. He had 83 yards in a backup role in Week 1, and then, with Martin going down, he exploded in Week 2 with a stunning 181-yard, 3 TD outing against the Federals. With defenses now keying on the bruising back, his numbers have dipped the past two weeks, but he is still among the league leaders, currently trailing only All-USFL backs LeVeon Bell and Maurice Jones-Drew with 372 yards rushing. His very solid 4.3 YPC average gives Portland hope that they can weather the loss of Martin and still have one of the league’s best run games.

WR Dwayne Bowe-ORL

You generally don’t expect a player in his 12th season to become a break out player, but that is what we are seeing with Dwayne Bowe in Orlando. Bowe is on pace for a 1,000 season, which would be his first in a career filled with 300-yard seasons. He already has 17 catches and 310 yards, well ahead of his usual pace. He has moved from his usual backup role to a starting position opposite Brashard Perriman, and his success in the season’s first 4 weeks are helping Orlando fans forget the retirement of Michael Jenkins.

DE Matthew Judon-LV

Long projected to be a major factor in the Viper defense, Judon seems to be coming into his own in his 3rd season. In both 2016 and 2017 Judon finished the year with 6 sacks, promising but not game-changing numbers. He already has 5 this year, and his speed has really begun to show as he has adjusted his pre-snap stance and his first move. The result is a much more dynamic first step and a quicker flash past the tackle on his way to the QB. His 5 sacks still put him 4 behind the pace of Calais Campbell, but it has been nearly a decade now where every other DE in the league just wants to reach that 2nd position.

QB Ryan Nassib-ARZ

In two starts for the Wranglers, Nassib has gone from relative unknown to a major factor in the Wrangler game plan. With only 62 pass attempts this season, the 3rd year backup does not yet qualify for the QB Rankings, but were he to qualify, he would trail only Drew Brees and his former teammate David Carr at the top of the rankings. He has a 5:1 TD to INT ratio after 2 starts, with nearly 600 yards in those games. This is a best-case scenario for any team, for their back up to step in and play at almost the same level as the starter, something a lot of teams wish they could say but few can.

After several pretty brutal weeks across the injury report, a relatively light one for Week 5’s action. Memphis places TE Luke Stocker on IR, bumping rookie Dallas Goedert into the top spot and bringing Alan Cross up from the practice squad. Other than that, mostly short-term concerns, with several players potentially making limited appearances this week.

OUT

TE          Luke Stocker                  MEM     PCL       IR

CB          Prince Amukamara       WSH     Foot      1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

G              Herman Johnson            OKL       Back

CB          Isaac Yiadom                   NJ           Wrist

DE           Dee Ford                   MGN     Hernia

G            Max Jean-Gilles              ORL       Wrist

DT          Damon Harrison             LV           Ankle

CB        Joe Haden                      ARZ       Groin

QUESTIONABLE

WR          Randall Cobb             PHI        Concussion

LB         Nico Johnson            POR      Hamstring

DE           Brooks  Reid            ARZ       Thigh

OT           Jah Reid                        LA          Hip

First Quarter Power Rankings

Four games in and what do we think? Well, we are down to one unbeaten, and we have no winless teams. So, perhaps this is a season to be defined by parity or is it just that there are too many teams both in the realm of the very good and in the realm of the pretty troubled. We, of course, kick off our list with the last of the unbeatens, the impressive Breaker squad that has beaten Houston and Philadelphia on their way to 4-0, and we wrap up trying to guess which 1-3 club is truly the bottom of the barrel right now.

1—New Orleans (4-0)

When you are the lone unbeaten after a month of play, and that record includes wins over Houston and Philly, you absolutely need to be in first position.

2—Michigan (3-1)

A surprising loss to the 1-3 Machine in Chicago is the only blemish on the Panthers’ title defense run so far.

3—Houston (3-1)

One could argue that the Gamblers should be in 2nd place, since their only loss so far was a 3-point squeaker to the unbeaten Breakers.

4—Oklahoma (3-1)

The Outlaws have been impressive, winning all 3 of their division games to date, including a tough road game in Denver this week.

5—Atlanta (3-1)

The Fire are doing it with defense and with a much-improved Aaron Murray. That said, they have yet to win a game against a team with a winning record, so there is some skepticism here.

6—Denver (3-1)

A great start for the Gold, with wins over Arizona, Las Vegas and Dallas. They actually play 6 division games in the first 5 weeks, with Arizona and Las Vegas back on the schedule before they finally play an out-of-division game in Week 7.

7— New Jersey (2-1-1)

The Week 1 loss to Memphis feels like early season jitters as the Generals have looked very complete in their wins over Baltimore and Birmigham. A huge game this week against the Stars could tell us a lot.

8— Oakland (3-1)

The Invaders jumped out to a 3-0 record but struggled this week. With 3-1 Portland and 3-1 Michigan next up, we will get a quick sign of just how ready Jimmy Garoppolo is to jump in this year.

9— Arizona (2-1-1)

The loss of David Carr is huge, but Ryan Nassib has been playing well, giving Arizona hope that this season will still be one with a lot of prospects for the club.

10—Memphis (3-1)

Their season opening win against New Jersey was an eye-opener. Wins over Oklahoma and Pittsburgh have helped build some belief in Memphis. They will face Birmingham twice in 3 weeks coming up soon (Weeks 6 and 8) and that rivalry could prove whether these Showboats are for real.

11—Portland (3-1)

Before you get too excited, Stag Nation, just look at the records of the 3 teams you have beaten. LA is 1-3, Washington, also 1-3, and Seattle is now 0-4. You have Oakland this week, let’s see if you can prove yourself to be a truly deserving team at this point in the year.

12—Philadelphia (2-2)

Two tough losses (Baltimore and New Orleans) and two big wins over bad teams (Seattle and, we still insist, Portland). The Stars need to rise up to the level of their opposition, and with New Jersey and Pittsburgh up next, the time is now.

13—Las Vegas (2-2)

After starting 0-2, the Vipers have had good back-to-back games and look like they have found their groove. They (and we) are still expecting the other shoe to drop in Kareem Hunt’s situation, but for now he is proving he can contribute to this team.

14—Charlotte (2-2)

The Monarchs’ 2-0 start feels a long time back after two bad losses (44-13 to Tampa Bay and 28-13 to Michigan). They cannot afford to fall back into the mix in the division, so the next two weeks, at Ohio and home to Jacksonville, will be huge.

15—Ohio (2-2)

A .500 record after 4 games is fine, but when you have beaten two 1-3 clubs and lost to two 3-1 clubs, it is hard to know if you are for real as a playoff contender.

16—Orlando (2-2)

Another season, another Russell Wilson injury, though the Renegades are hoping he can be back this week. With a three-game stretch of Atlanta, Houston, and Atlanta again, the Renegades need all the help they can get.

17—Birmingham (2-2)

The Stallions, like Las Vegas, have forgotten their 0-2 start and have added two nice wins the past two weeks. They too will be looking at the 3-week, 2-game series with Memphis as a key to their season.

18—Pittsburgh (2-2)

The spread offense has really not produced the way Mauler fans had hoped, but the defense is playing better than many expected. They Maulers need to grind out wins, which means getting more from the offense, but also giving the D time to breathe.

19—San Diego (1-3)

It took 4 weeks for the Thunder to look competent. So why are we putting them atop all the other 1-3 teams? Because we look up and down the roster and think they should not be here at all.

20—Baltimore (1-3)

After knocking off Philly in Philly for their opening game, spirits were high in Baltimore, but they have not held up and have now dropped 3 in a row. Looking ahead, a series of LA, Washington, and Pittsburgh could help heal that pain.

21—Chicago (1-3)

This has been a rough month, with Chicago losing to 3 different 1-loss teams. How they pulled off the win over Michigan is still a head scratcher, but this week the Machine finally face a team with a losing record. In fact, in their next 10 games they do not face any team that is better than 2-2 right now. Could Chicago climb up this list?

22—Los Angeles (1-3)

Other than one big game against the sad sack Skyhawk D, the Express have not impressed on offense. 14, 7, and 20 points is not what makes for a winning record, even if the defense is solid (which this year is still not certain.)

23—Dallas (1-3)

They have lost Tim Wright to injury, Sammy Watkins is also banged up, and at any moment the league office could decide that Johnny Manziel’s season is done. Not a great time to be a Roughneck fan, to be sure.

24—Tampa Bay (1-3)

A huge blowout win over Charlotte, but three losses by 14, 18, and 20 points. That sounds like a team that has potential but has not put the pieces together yet. With Memphis ,New Jersey, and New Orleans on deck, things don’t get easier for the Bandits.

25—Jacksonville (1-3)

After an 0-3 start, the Bulls got into the Win column this week over Orlando. They have more work to do, of course, but facing a 1-3 Chicago team on the road this week could tell us a lot about the desire in this team to do better.

26—Washington (1-3)

The Feds got a nice win in a shootout with Seattle, but they have struggled in all 3 other games to generate offense. Facing the 4-0 Breakers and that solid Breaker defense this week does not feel like a moment when the Federal offense can turn it around.

27—St. Louis (1-3)

When your defense averages 34 points given up each game, you are not going to win very often. The St. Louis defense is also giving up a ludicrous 175.5 rushing yards per game. That is historically bad after 4 games. So, who is coming up on the schedule? How about LeVeon Bell this week, then Matt Forte, then possibly Kareem Hunt. Yikes!!

28—Seattle (0-4)

Haven’t we seen this movie before? Last year Seattle started 0-5 and then went 9-2 the rest of the season to join the playoff field. That is a once in a lifetime recovery. Not something we think the Dragons can or will do again, especially with Jacoby Brissett still expected to miss 4-6 weeks more.

New Jersey Generals Petition the USFL & Hall of Fame on Behalf of Phil Hansen

We had a feeling this would happen after the league’s all-time sack leader was once again left off the Hall of Fame ballot. The New Jersey Generals have officially petitioned the league to force Hansen’s name onto the ballot in 2019. A 13-time All-USFL player, the 1991 ROTY and the 2001 DPOTY, Hansen not only holds the league record with 289 career sacks, but was the unquestioned best player at his position for much of his career. He retired in 2004, which would have made him eligible for the Hall back in 2009, but his controversial biography, one in which he not only admitted to steroid and HGH use, but insisted that use was widespread in the league in the 1990’s produced a huge backlash, and essentially blacklisted the former General.

But, after over a decade, New Jersey is making the case that nearly all of the claims made by Hansen have been proven accurate in the time since his 2006 book came out. With other players having made the Hall in that time, they argue that the league is trying to silence the messenger rather than deal with the situation. Hansen is certainly deserving based on his body of work, and the argument that his admitted use of steroids and hormones disqualifies him is absurd when we understand that others who were perhaps less vocal or even less honest about their use of the now-banned substances were not penalized, while one of the league’s all-time greats is paying a disproportionate price for blowing the whistle and being honest about his own career.

Dallas Reveals New Uniforms for 2019

This week, perhaps trying to take some attention off the looming suspension of QB Johnny Manziel, the Dallas Roughnecks, and league partner Under Armour, revealed a new look for the club, one they hope to debut on the field in the 2018 playoffs, but which will be the look for all of 2019. While the team is retaining their 2015 logos and wordmark, there are still quite a few changes afoot in Big D.

We start at the helmet, where the “oil slick” ombre effect is gone, leaving behind a sky-blue helmet with two thick black stripes surrounding a thin red pinstripe. The parallel with the club’s DR monogram, itself with a red pinstripe, is quite clear, and yet, that logo is no longer going to appear on the helmet. In its place is “Roddy Roughneck”, the gruff lineman shown in profile. The DR monogram is still a big part of the uniform, appearing on each sleeve, but no longer the helmet design.

The rest of the uniform also gives up the oil slick look in favor of crisp lines and use of red as a contrast color. This can be seen on the shoulder and sleeve yoke, divided at the seam with an angled swath of bright red. The thin red line motif also returns to several places, including the collar, the pant stripes, and, particularly with the home blue jerseys, in the center of both the primary and shoulder numbers. On the white road jerseys’, the black primary numbers have a sky-blue insert, but the shoulder numbers, back on a black background, retain the red pinstripe.

The club also revealed one alternate look, not opting to remember their time in Atlanta or Boston with a throwback to another nickname, city, or color scheme. The new alternate, dubbed the “Black Gold” alt, is an all-black look, head to toe. It includes a black helmet divided only by a thin red pinstripe, and featuring the original helmet logo, the DR monogram, depicted in sky blue and white. The jersey is all black, with no offset yoke. It features white numbers with a thin blue pinstripe, red shoulder stripes, and the secondary monogram logo again on the sleeves. The pants are also all black, with the lone red pinstripe topped by a Lone Star.

The 4th revealed look is not truly an alternate, it is simply another combination of the primary designs, with the white jersey paired with the white pant set instead of the sky-blue pair shown in the primary design. This is a look you can expect to see when the Roughnecks get stuck with a day game late in the summer and temperatures in the Cotton Bowl soar.

You know we at This Week in the USFL love a good rivalry game, and it does not get much better than when the Stars and Generals face off. With Both clubs sitting at 2 wins, this NBC Friday Night Lights game will be for first place in the NE as the 2nd quarter of the season starts. Later that same night we have two teams that hoped for much better starts as the two Pacific playoff teams from a year ago try to shake off a combined 1-7 start. One-win San Diego hopes they can keep Seattle winless as they head up to Lumen Field to take on the Dragons.

On Saturday, we have two great Southwestern clashes, both at night, as our 7pm NBC kickoff features the 3-1 Gamblers facing off against the 3-1 Outlaws in front of what we expect to be yet another very rowdy sellout crowd at OGE Energy Field in Oklahoma City. Then, at 9pm Eastern, we head out to the desert as the Arizona Wranglers, playing without David Carr, face a very tough, and very determined rival in the Denver Gold. Denver comes into this one at 3-1 and would love nothing more than to give Arizona their 2nd loss.

We wrap it all up on Sunday, with a pair of really interesting divisional games and a Sunday Night Special that has two 2-2 teams each hoping to get their mojo headed in the right direction. We start off at noon with the FOX national game, featuring a Southeastern clash between the 3-1 Atlanta Fire and the 2-2 Orlando Renegades. At 4pm we turn our attention to the Pacific Northwest, where we have a clash of 3-1 clubs in the Pacific. Oakland suffered a tough loss this past weekend, but they are still hoping they can prove that Portland’s strong start is more mirage than muscle. Finally, when Charlotte and Ohio clash, someone is going to top .500 and someone is going to drop below the line. Neither is eager to have to catch up in their own divisions, so this one could be a slobberknocker.

Friday @ 6pm ET             New Jersey (2-1-1) @ Philadelphia (2-2)       NBC

Friday @ 8pm ET             San Diego (1-3) @ Seattle (0-4)                      FOX

Saturday @ 12pm ET       New Orleans (4-0) @ Washington (1-3)            ABC

Saturday @ 12pm ET       Memphis (3-1) @ Tampa Bay (1-3)                  FOX

Saturday @ 4pm ET       St. Louis (1-3) @ Michigan (3-1)                     ABC

Saturday @ 4pm ET         Jacksonville (1-3) @ Chicago (1-3)                FOX

Saturday @ 7pm ET       Houston (3-1) @ Oklahoma (3-1)                       NBC     

Saturday @ 9pm ET       Denver (3-1) @ Arizona (2-1-1)                   ESPN/EFN

Sunday @ 12pm ET          Birmingham (2-2) @ Pittsburgh (2-2)             ABC Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET          Los Angeles (1-3) @ Baltimore (1-3)               ABC Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET        Atlanta (3-1) @ Orlando (2-2)                      FOX

Sunday @ 4pm ET           Las Vegas (2-2) @ Dallas (1-3)                         ABC

Sunday @ 4pm ET           Oakland (3-1) @ Portland (3-1)                     FOX

Sunday @ 8pm ET            Charlotte (2-2) @ Ohio (2-2)                            ESPN/EFN