We have reached midseason, and it is a season that has had some huge storylines, from Philadelphia’s rally under Matt Gutierrez to the trade of Randy Moss by the winless Express. We have seen a bit of everything this year. At the midway point we need to reevaluate what we thought would happen this year and compare it to what we have seen so far. We have seen teams like St. Louis, Houston, and Portland put in surprisingly strong starts, while LA, Pittsburgh, Oakland, and Orlando are absolutely not where we expected them to be. We will start off with our recap of Week 8’s action before a team-by-team analysis of the season at the half-way point. And then, as a cherry on top, we have both the 2012 Hall of Fame semifinalist list and news around the Dallas Roughnecks franchise.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS 35 PHILADELPHIA STARS 31
The Stars looked like they had this one, up 14 after three quarters, but Arizona exploded in the final period and rattled off 21 points in the final 10 minutes of game time to shock the Stars and move their record to .500 at midseason. It was a game that saw a little of everything, and a lot of big plays as we saw TDs of 32, 43, 57, and 64 yards. It was a fireworks show as much as a football game.
For a game that would end with 66 points scored, the game certainly did not start out that way. Arizona got the lone score of the first quarter with only 2 minutes left in the period when David Carr found slot receiver Kassim Osgood in a mismatch with a linebacker. Osgood turned upfield and Carr hit him for a 43-yard TD to put points on the board for the first time.
Philadelphia responded by dominating the 2nd period and putting 17 points on the board. They got their first score on a Steve Slaton goal line run at the end of an 11-play drive. They returned 4 minutes later with Matt Gutierrez finding Stevie Johnson for a score from the 12. They capped off a good quarter with a late Mike Nugent field goal and at the break it looked like Philadelphia had the upper hand.
But, as the third quarter opened, Philly could not move the ball, while Arizona took their first possession and drove 81 yards for a score, with HB Steven Ridley gashing the Philadelphia D for a 12-yard TD run, pinballing off a missed tackle and carrying the safety over the line. Philadelphia responded, and with 5:21 left in the third, Gutierrez had his first long pass of the game, a 32-yard TD strike to TE Jermichael Finley on a perfectly executed seam route.
And so, going into the 4th, Philadelphia was on top 24-14, but Arizona had shown they could move the ball, and that is exactly what they did on their first drive, capping off a 9-play 71-yard drive with a TD run from LT to pull within 3. They would then take the lead only 3 minutes later when David Carr found Antonio Bryant behind the defense for a 32-yard scoring toss.
Philadelphia was stunned to find themselves down 28-24, but they rebounded with a drive of their own, and with 3:30 left in the game they hoped they had the game winner when Matt Gutierrez hit on the biggest play of the game, a 64-yard rainbow of a 9-route to Stevie Johnson that put the Stars up 31-28.
But, as we know, 3:30 left in a USFL game means that the lead is in no way safe. With 2 timeouts left and all the motivation in the world, David Carr led the Wrangler offense back onto the field. He would complete 2 short passes, paired with a draw to LT, before finding the game winner. Once again it was a case of the receiver getting behind the defense, something that should just not have been possible during the final minutes of a game. This time it was Larry Fitzgerald and Carr hit him for what would be a 57-yard strike and the game winner. Fitzgerald had shaken the coverage of the corner, and the safety could not get to him in time, waving helplessly at the ball as it dropped into Fitzgerald’s hands. The big receiver easily cruised to the end zone and Arizona got a dramatic road win against the 6-1 Stars to move their record to 4-4 and alert the SW Division that they were not yet out of the hunt.
NASHVILLE 30 BIRMINGHAM 27 OVERTIME
Another contender for GOTW as the Knights and Stallions go to extra time to decide this one and propel one team to a share of first place in the South. Birmingham went up 27-20 with only 1:49 left on a Joseph Addai TD, but Quincy Carter led the Knights back, hitting Denarius Moore with only 34 seconds on the clock to send the game to overtime. It looked like it might go to a tie, but a pass interference call gave Nashville a shot, and Kai Forbath hit the longest kick of the season in the USFL, a 57-yarder for the win and that share of first for the Knights.
ORLANDO 21 CHARLOTTE 34
The Monarchs hit the midway point with the best record in the league, sitting at 7-1 after a 13-point victory at home against the Renegades. Jake Delhomme found Derek Mason for 3 scores and the combination of Fred Jackson and Shonn Greene, back from injury, provided Charlotte with 152 yards rushing as Charlotte asserted themselves with authority against an Orlando squad that has now lost 5 in a row.
BOSTON 16 NEW JERSEY 24
Boston entered the final quarter with a surprising 16-10 lead, but New Jersey wore them down and took advantage of their desperate final drive. Delone Carter gave the Generals a 17-16 lead with 8 minutes left, and in their rush to get back on top, Boston and QB Jake Locker got sloppy. The result was a Nate Clements pick, returned 45-yards for a score and the 8-point win for the 6-2 Generals.
OHIO 27 CHICAGO 21
Make it three in a row for the Glory as they knock off yet another Central Division club, taking advantage of every one of the limited scoring chances Chicago gave them. Ohio was 3 for 3 inside the redzone, with rookie Isaiah Pead scoring twice and Vince young hitting TE Stephan Riley for a third score as the Glory drop Chicago to 4-4 and improve their own record to 3-5 with the club’s third straight division win.
TAMPA BAY 14 LAS VEGAS 35
Jake Plummer had himself a game at home against the Bandits, throwing for 4 TDs and completing 23 of 28 passes as Las Vegas stunned the Bandits with a 35-point scoring streak. Plummer hit 4 different receivers for scores, including a 61-yard strike to T. J. Houshmandzadeh as the Thunder take over first place in the Pacific and leave the defending league champs sitting at .500 at the midway point of the season.
DENVER 21 HOUSTON 24
The Gamblers get a bit of home cooking, and a game winning field goal at regulation to knock off Denver and improve their record to 5-3. Hasselbeck connected with both Ike Hilliard and Roy Wiliams, and short yardage back Cedrick Cobbs added another short TD to his total as Houston did just enough to edge the Gold.
BALTIMORE 12 WASHINGTON 20
A hard-fought defensive battle between two clubs that know each other’s tendencies as well as their own. Washington picked off Big Ben 3 times and got TDs from both McCallister and Smart as they built a 10-point lead that they would not relinquish, although a late deliberate safety did pull Baltimore within 8. The Feds regain a share of first place while Baltimore sits 2 games back at .500.
MEMPHIS 10 JACKSONVILLE 17
The Bulls finally beat someone other than Tampa as they moved to 3-5 and send the Showboats to the worst record in the league, 1-7. Ryan Mallett saw just one series as he works himself back from injury, with Matt Cassel going 21 of 33 on the day. For Jacksonville the run game was working as three backs combined for 119 on the ground. Expect Mallett to be back under center for Week 9, though many fans wish there were a third option.
ATLANTA 20 NEW ORLEANS 0
The Fire’s defense has been on fire of late, and nothing proved that more than the shut out they claimed against a solid Breaker squad. Atlanta held the Breakers to only 8 first downs and only 37 yards rushing, all in the Super Dome. Kyle Orton did not have a good game, throwing 4 picks, but the Fire defense bailed him out time and time again as Atlanta moved to 6-2, right there with Charlotte in the SE Division.
OAKLAND 10 LOS ANGELES 16
The Express gut out a second consecutive win as they shut down the Oakland run game and force 4 Joey Harrington picks, including a Clay Matthews pick-six to open scoring in the game. Ray Rice had a solid 103 yards and Mar Sanchez limited his mistakes, allowing the LA defense to do the rest. Oakland drops to 4-4 thanks to the loss to their rivals.
SEATTLE 24 ST. LOUIS 34
Seattle looked good early but could not keep the Skyhawks out of the end zone late, and it cost them their 6th loss of the year. St. Louis got 2 TDs from Taylor Jacobs and 2 more from Sinorice Moss and Antowain Smith as they came back from a 10-point deficit and turned the tables on the Dragons. Saint Louis now sits alone atop the Central Division at 5-3.
MICHIGAN 7 PORTLAND 6
Torrential rain and a lightning game stoppage marred this game in the PNW as Portland and Michigan slogged out a real mess of a game. Neither team could do much on the rain-soaked grass, but Michigan got just enough to score a 2nd half TD on a short pass from Griese to Kevin Kasper. That lone TD was enough to hold off the Stags and move to 3-5.
TEXAS 30 PITTSBURGH 23
The Sunday night game was a good one as both Texas and Pittsburgh battled to stay over .500 at midseason. Both teams found their offense, though it was turnovers that eventually doomed the Maulers. Texas won the turnover battle 1-4, with 3 Cody Pickett picks, and the Outlaws managed to get 17 of their 30 points off those turnovers, including a Terrance Holt 30-yard pick-six.
Mike Hart Out for Season, Panthers Looking For a Trade
Michigan’s run game has been a topic of fan criticism all year, with the Panthers finishing the first half of the season ranked 26th in the league with only a 65.2 yard-per-game average. That is unlikely to improve with the news that Mike Hart, the former Wolverine, is now out for the year after suffering a season-ending injury in their game in Portland. That leaves Michigan with only Ciatrick Fason and Charles Perry in the HB room. With few real options available through free agency, any attempt the Panthers will have to revive their rushing game will have to involve a trade, but they had better hurry. The trade window closes in 2 weeks.
Questions in Pittsburgh as Maulers Drop 3rd in a Row.
Lots of questions as Pittsburgh drops another game to fall to 4-4. Much more was expected of the Maulers this season and fans are beginning to wonder if Coach Rivera needs to do something dramatic. The questions are across the entire roster, but the two primary concerns seem to be the play of QB Cody Pickett, who is near the bottom of the QB Ratings list with a score of only 77.1, hardly the kind of play fans expected of the 6-year starter. Pickett has thrown only 7 TDs this season and already has 11 picks, only 1 less than he had all of last season.
There are some who are now calling on the Maulers to give 2nd year QB Andy Dalton a shot at the starting position, citing his strong preseason outings. Dalton has yet to take a snap this year after throwing only 25 passes in 2011 in mop up duty. We don’t expect Coach Rivera to hear that talk with Pittsburgh only 1 game behind St. Louis in the division, but if they fall further back, we could see him do something to spark the league’s 21st rated passing offense.
But offense is not the only issue. The defense has been far less consistent than last year’s squad, averaging 19.9 points per game allowed and struggling with miscommunication that has yielded some big plays that have hurt the Maulers. As much as fans want to see the team be more explosive on offense, the expectation is that this defense should be able to hold down the opposition, and that is something they have just not done consistently, especially in their last 2 games, where they gave up 28 to Birmingham and 30 to the Outlaws.
Team Report Cards
We have reached midseason, a good time to reassess our expectations, recalibrate our prognostications, and take stock of where each of the 28 USFL squads find themselves. We have some teams, like Charlotte, Atlanta, and St. Louis who are surprising us in a very positive way, while others, like LA, Pittsburgh, and Orlando, are not where we thought they would be. Is it too late to turn things around? No, but there is not a lot of time to waste as the league preps for its second half. We now take a look at each club, what is working, what is not, and what may be awaiting them as the season runs on. We will also look at the free agent situation as teams try to lock in several players in their contract year, because it is never too early to start looking at rosters with a critical eye.
PHILADELPHIA STARS (6-2)
Preseason Pick: 13-3, 1st in NE
Revised Pick: 11-5, 2nd in NE. We are only docking Philly 1 win due to injuries, but it could be more.
Upside: The Stars suffered a huge loss with Kurt Warner’s injury but have been more than effective in dealing with that setback, proving that this is a complete team and not a one-man show.
Downside: The injuries keep stacking up and that will wear on a team over time. They are not out of the woods by any stretch and in this division there is no room for error.
Player to Watch: With Robert Mathis down, DE Anthony Hargrove is going to have to become the team’s leading edge rusher. The Stars cannot count on the rotation of Barwin and Wilkerson to get the job done unless Hargrove can prove to be a more dynamic pass rusher.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Kurt Warner is in a contract year, but more importantly he is a very possible retirement candidate after a very scary neck/spine injury. From what we have seen of Matt Gutierrez this year, the Stars may just stand pat even if Warner does retire.
Final Thoughts: The Stars are deep, have a range of ways they can beat you, but have to be concerned that teams will start to find weaknesses as the season progresses.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS (6-2)
Preseason Pick: 9-7, 3rd in NE
Revised Pick: 11-5, Tied for 2nd in NE
Upside: The Generals have really put the plan together this year. They are looking formidable, particularly with a run defense that allows barely 60 yards per game. The offense is diverse and the younger receivers, Baldwin, and Crabtree, have stepped up.
Downside: The pass defense is still a concern, ranked 27th in the league and giving up too many big plays. The Generals could absolutely benefit from relying less on the blitz to get pressure.
Player to Watch: TE John Carlson has only 16 receptions in his first 8 USFL games after coming over from the NFL. New Jersey needs to get him more involved in the gameplan, especially in the red zone.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Strong Safety Bob Sanders is one player the Generals do not want to lose. He is a leader on that defense but will demand leadership money.
Final Thoughts: The Generals look very much like a team that is hoping to challenge for the division, instead of one expecting to do so. While we like where they are headed, we are not convinced that they are quite ready to take on the Stars and Federals just yet.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS (6-2)
Preseason Pick: 12-4, 1st in NE
Revised Pick: 12-4, 1st in NE. We still see the Feds as the team to beat, but it will be close.
Upside: Washington is Top 5 in both offense and defense, and, as expected, Deuce McCallister is again putting up OPOTY numbers. They have been a little soft against the pass, but that is only because it is so hard to run against this defense.
Downside: Other than Deion Branch and TE Kellen Davis we have just not seen a receiver step up. It was expected to be Darnerien McCants, but he has yet to score a TD and has only 22 receptions so far. They need more if they want to avoid having Branch smothered on every play. Could Bryant Johnson be the answer, or should Washington bring in Heath Miller for more 2-TE sets?
Player to Watch: Chris Long has been part of a 3-man rotation with Allen Bailey and Kamerion Wemberley, and all 3 have 4 sacks each. But Long has more talent than that and should be a greater force for the Federal pass rush. If he can step up and get on pace for 10-12 sacks, this defense could be championship caliber.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Hard to imagine Washington lets Deuce McCallister walk, even at 31 (32 by the start of the 2013 season), so we think the most likely cap casualty could be LB Antnonio Pierce.
Final Thoughts: We still like the Feds to take the division over an injury-plagued Stars team and a young but ambitious Generals team.
BALTIMORE BLITZ (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 7-9, 4th in NE
Revised Pick: 8-8, 4th in NE
Upside: Baltimore, like Philadelphia, was hit with an early season setback when Ron Dayne went down, but Dayne is now back, they have found a solid 2nd option in Anthony Dixon, and the Blitz have no excuses.
Downside: The Blitz are the very model of an 8-8 team, capable one week of looking like a contender and the next very much a pretender. They have lost 3 straight, and sit at only 1-3 in the division, which does not bode well for them to keep pace with the three teams ahead of them.
Player to Watch: The DE Combo of Robert Quinn and Joe Tafoya have a combined 16 sacks, which is a very good start. Baltimore is 4th in yards allowed, and in order for them to make a run, they need these two edge rushers to do even more. If they can pressure the QB without the need to blitz (ironic, we know), then Baltimore can hang with the big guys.
Possible Impact Free Agent: TE Antonio Gates could get a very big paycheck by leaving the cash-strapped Blitz. That is a development to watch.
Final Thoughts: There is a lot to like about this squad, but they always seem to let down at the wrong time, and they just cannot afford to do that this year in this division.
BOSTON CANNONS (2-6)
Preseason Pick: 4-12, 5th in NE.
Revised Pick: 4-12, 5th in NE. Did we nail this division or what?
Upside: Rookies Justin Blackmon and Luke Kuechley have been everything advertised. Blackmon is on pace for a 100-reception, 1,200-yard rookie season, which is astounding considering how his QB is playing. Kuechley is 3rd on the team in tackles but is quickly becoming a leader for this squad.
Downside: The issue remains Jake Locker. He has flashes, even the occasional strong game, but he is unreliable and still seems lost at times. Boston will have a tough call to make moving forward because you know the new ownership will not want to have their brand-new team in Dallas sitting at 3-5 wins next year.
Player to Watch: LB Chris Claiborne has been one of the revelations of this season. His game has stepped up considerably and he could be a potential All-USFL nominee. Not bead for a team with the 27th ranked scoring defense.
Possible Impact Free Agent: With new ownership it is hard to know what the priorities will be, but resigning HB Rashard Mendenhall seems a no brainer. But with both 26-year-old corners also in a contract year, either Trumaine McBride or Brandon Carr could be gone.
Final Thoughts: Boston has to figure out if they are building with Jake Locker or cutting him loose, because they still feel very much like a team that simply does not have an answer yet.
CHARLOTTE MONARCHS (7-1)
Preseason Pick: 7-9, 4th in SE
Revised Pick: 12-4, 1st in SE. As right as we got the NE Picks, we were way off on the SE Division.
Upside: What has not been upside this year in Charlotte? Their offense is first in the league, something no one foresaw, and their D is 5th, allowing only 17 points per game. They have looked dominant for much of the year, and their lone loss was by 2 points, so they have not yet had a truly bad game.
Downside: Hard to see one in a 7-1 squad, so unless this healthy squad suddenly starts accruing injuries, we see Charlotte as the clear favorite to win the division and possibly that coveted 1 seed.
Player to Watch: HB Fred Jackson is on pace for his best season as a pro, already averaging over 80 yards per game and on pace for 1,200 yards and 12 TDs this year. He is a high energy guy who makes smart reads at the line. Charlotte will ride him as far as they can.
Possible Impact Free Agent: WR D. J. Hackett is having a great year at just the right time. Expect him to test the waters because his value has never been higher.
Final Thoughts: Whatever doubters this team had early on should be gone by now. They still have to face Tampa Bay twice, so it is not over, but they are looking very strong right now.
ATLANTA FIRE (6-2)
Preseason Pick: 8-8, 3rd in SE
Revised Pick: 11-5, 2nd in SE. Could absolutely challenge Charlotte at the top.
Upside: Atlanta has found their strategy, and that strategy is to stifle the opposition’s passing game. They are 1st in the league, allowing only 178 yards per game through the air. In what could be Charles Woodson’s final year, he is showing the league how the CB position needs to be played.
Downside: the offense is improved but still vulnerable to periods of inefficiency. But, when your defense is keeping teams below 10 points as they have in 4 of the past 5 wins, you can get away with that.
Player to Watch: HB Ladell Betts. The big man has had a bit of a renaissance in Atlanta, and now leads the Fire in rushing with 346 yards. His 3.6 YPC average needs to get closer to 4, but he is providing exactly what the Fire wanted, a short yardage battering ram.
Possible Impact Free Agent: We expect CB Charles Woodson to retire, so the next biggest priority has to be HB Darren McFadden, that is if the Fire don’t want to look elsewhere. There could be a big crop of HBs in the NFL free agent pool, so they may opt to go fishing.
Final Thoughts: Atlanta has a huge game with Charlotte next week. Win that and they are right there, sitting atop the division. They need to continue to find the formula to hold opposing offenses below 10 or 14 points, because while they have been solid on offense, they have not proven to be a team that can win in a shootout.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 12-4, 1st in SE
Revised Pick: 10-6, 3rd in SE.
Upside: The Bandit offense continues to be most dangerous when Willis McGahee can be used as a dual threat. That has worked for them, and they should stay as close to that formula as possible if they hope to catch up to Atlanta and Charlotte.
Downside: The Bandits are struggling with pass defense. Jason Pierre-Paul has a decent number of sacks with 5, but he is doing it all by himself. No one else on the team has more than 2. In the secondary Phillip Buchanon has done very well, with 3 picks already, but again, we are not seeing a lot of help out there.
Player to Watch: Santana Holmes was tapped to take over for the retired Chris Doering, but so far the former General has not made a huge impression. As much as collecting 3rd down catches is important, it is more important to turn those short tosses upfield and break some big plays.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Both Willis McGahee and Joey Galloway will be free agents. Galloway is 38, so we think the priority has to be the 30-year-old halfback and then drafting a wideout.
Final Thoughts: The Bandits still have time to find their groove and make waves, but they cannot afford too many more losses if they hope to have a shot at repeating. With two teams ahead of them in the division and 3 clubs in the NE sitting at 6 wins already, the odds of getting a Wild Card while sitting in 3d place in the division are not good.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS (3-5)
Preseason Pick: 4-12, 5th in SE.
Revised Pick: 6-10, 5th in SE
Upside: The Bulls have had some decent games, especially against Tampa Bay, who they swept, but they are still struggling to build an identity, particularly on offense, where they just have not been able to establish a clear strategy. Rookie Lamar Miller has been a highlight however, rushing for 460 yards in the first half. He could make a run at 1,000 if the Bulls will stick with him later into games.
Downside: The Bulls will not have an easy path in the 2nd half of the season. They face 5 more teams who are at or above .500, including a tough matchup with Philly next week.
Player to Watch: We said before the season that this was a make-or-break year for UF hero Tim Tebow. Well, 8 weeks in and we are looking at only 1800 yards passing and a 10:12 TD:INT ratio. Jacksonville needs to show that they can build on his talents, but it seems like they are trying to turn him into Matt Hasselbeck, staying in the pocket, throwing shorter routes, none of that makes sense for Tebow.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Veteran LB Mike Vrabel is likely to sign a 1–2-year deal to finish his career with the Bulls, but FS Eric Weddle is another defender they would like to ink before the market opens.
Final Thoughts: The most important decision Jacksonville needs to make is whether or not they pursue a different QB option in the offseason, so expect them to give Tebow every chance to prove himself over the season’s final 8 weeks.
ORLANDO RENEGADES (2-6)
Preseason Pick: 9-7, 2nd in SE Division
Revised Pick: 5-11, 5th in SE Division
Upside: Outside of Calais Campbell’s consistently high quality play it is hard to find an upside for the Renegades in a 2-6 first half. They have now lost 5 in a row, and only scored more than 15 points once in that span. Fans are quick to turn on Eli Manning, who has only 6 TDs and 1,488 yards in 8 games, but a lot of blame has to go to the play calling and the inability of Michael Jenkins and Justin McCaerins to get themselves open.
Downside: This team is 26th in the league in points scored and an almost equally bad 24th in points allowed. That combination is not at all good, evident by the Renegades’ -10 per game point differential (24.2 allowed, 14.4 scored). Unless they can generate more on offense, they will struggle to stay in games as the season continues.
Player to Watch: As much as folks want to point the finger at Eli, we think it has to be Jenkins who steps up. Of course, it would help if more throws were sent to TE Greg Olsen, who has all but been forgotten so far this season.
Possible Impact Free Agent: After trading for Eli Manning 2 years ago, would Orlando cut bait on their starter? The way this season is going we actually could see that happening, especially since Calais Campbell will demand a king’s ransom to stay in town on what looks like a team headed the wrong direction.
Final Thoughts: We picked Orlando to earn a Wild Card, but that seems far-fetched now. At 2-6, the Renegades have to start looking to the future, and that may mean making some trades to free up more cap space.
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 8-8, 2nd in South
Revised Pick: 9-7, 1st in South
Upside: While a 4-4 split at the end of 8 weeks is not the worst we see in the league, it is also not particularly inspiring. That said, New Orleans does still hold a share of first place, and they have proven to have a pretty solid scoring defense, holding teams to only 18.2 points per game. Now, they just need to find more consistency on offense.
Downside: The Breakers have the worst run offense in the entire league, coming in at 58.5 yards rushing per game. We know the USFL is a passing league, but even by USFL standards, this run game is not getting it done.
Player to Watch: Patrick Peterson’s 3-pick game against Baltimore is exactly the kind of effort that the Breakers need if they are going to hold off both Nashville and Birmingham in the South. The Breakers have also scored 5 defensive touchdowns, which certainly helps them address issues on offense.
Possible Impact Free Agent: CB Randall Gay has matured into a reliable defender, so the Breakers will absolutely want to keep him out of the free agent pool if they can.
Final Thoughts: The South is not a very good division, so even a 4-4 team can make a run and win the division. The problem is that Peyton Manning could be in the mix for Nashville in plenty of time to be ready for the Knights-Breakers series in Weeks 14 and 16.
NASHVILLE KNIGHTS (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 5-11, 3rd in South
Revised Pick: 8-8, 2nd in South
Upside: The Knights have outperformed expectations, largely because Quincy Carter has been more effective than we anticipated. They sit tied atop the division, and they may only be 1-2 weeks away from Peyton Manning taking the reins of the offense. That could be all the push Nashville needs to make a late run and surprise us with their 4th consecutive division title.
Downside: A lot is riding on Manning being a miracle worker. Nashville has not had the usual defensive fortitude we have grown accustomed to with Jim Johnson at the helm. The Knights are giving up 23.1 points per game, placing them in the bottom quartile of all clubs. That is a worrying sign no matter who their QB is.
Player to Watch: It’s the guy we have been watching all year, Peyton Manning. Rumors are that the club is targeting Week 10 at home against Baltimore as the possible debut of Manning back in Tennessee. That game marks the start of a 3-game home streak. Manning could use that block of home games to get himself accustomed to the USFL game while being cheered by the home fans throughout.
Possible Impact Free Agent: WR Robert Meachem is too good and has too many years ahead of him to let him walk. Frank Gore is also up for resigning, but the good news is that Nashville has a nice buffer of cap space and can land both if they structure it well.
Final Thoughts: The Knights hoped that they could still be in the mix when Manning was cleared to play, and it looks very much like they will be. That may be bad news indeed for both Birmingham and New Orleans.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (3-5)
Preseason Pick: 9-7, 1st in South
Revised Pick: 6-10, 3rd in South
Upside: The Stallions now have perhaps the brashest, but one of the best 1-2 punches at WR in the game, with both Terrell Owens and now Randy Moss on the squad. But can they make use of them both in a way that benefits the offense and keeps both men happy?
Downside: Last year we saw signs that the Stallion defense was improving. This year it has backslid in a big way, currently ranked between 25th and 27th in every major defensive category. That puts a lot of pressure on Cam Newton to be Superman, which is more than any QB should be expected to do week in and week out.
Player to Watch: Randy Moss has been in on around 80 snaps per game for the Stallions since coming over from LA, but he has only 14 receptions in 3 games. We want to see that number up closer to 7=8 receptions a game if Moss is going to make the impact that Birmingham needs from him.
Possible Impact Free Agent: The Stallions just traded for Randy Moss, but do they have the cap room to resign him in his contract year. That could be tough.
Final Thoughts: Even at 3-5, Birmingham is still very much in the Southern Division race, but, that said, they have got to find a way to slow teams down if they hope to stay in the hunt, even if that hunt is just to be at .500.
MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (1-7)
Preseason Pick: 3-13, 4th in South
Revised Pick: 3-13, 4th in South
Upside: While it may be hard to see in a 1-win team, Memphis’s defense has not been bad. They rank in the Top 10 in total yards allowed and passing yards allowed. They have 4 players with at least 4 sacks, including NFL import Mario Williams and LB NaVorro Bowman. They need more takeaways to help the offense with shorter fields, but the defense has not been the issue this year.
Downside: Memphis has lost 7 in a row after a Week 1 victory against Nashville, and the obvious reason why is that they have yet to score more than 20 points, dropping to 10 or fewer points in 5 of 8 games. Ryan Mallett is expected back this week, but with Cadillac Williams at least a month away, we just don’t see this offense getting any better in the short run.
Player to Watch: It has to be Mallett. His sophomore season took an early hit with his injury, but he needs to show that he is progressing, or Memphis may be forced to go another direction in 2013.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Linebacker Kirk Morrison has been steady, not outstanding, but steady. Is that enough for Memphis to invest in the 28-year-old MLB?
Final Thoughts: Memphis looks like a team headed for a top 3 draft pick, as even in a weak division they are the weakest link.
ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS (5-3)
Preseason Pick: 10-6, 2nd in Central
Revised Pick: 11-5, 1st in Central
Upside: The Skyhawks were a trendy pick to reach their first post-season, but few picked them to win the division. They have a legitimate shot at doing just that as they have proven their ability to win tight games all season. The offense has taken off this year and while the defense still has some issues with pass coverage, they have been good enough to allow St. Louis to pull out games when needed.
Downside: The loss to Pittsburgh showed that St. Louis was close, but they need to be able to win those games against the toughest opponents to be taken seriously.
Player to Watch: While Taylor Jacobs has gotten a lot of focus for his 9 TDs, the forgotten man in St. Louis is Jordy Nelson. He should not be overlooked. With 520 yards and 5 TDs, Nelson could help St. Louis have two 1,000-yard receivers this season, something we rarely see even in the pass-happy USFL.
Possible Impact Free Agent: HB Antowain Smith looks awfully good for a 35-year-old back, but that mileage has to worry Skyhawk management. They may well let him walk if he does not retire this offseason.
Final Thoughts: St. Louis’s season will likely come down to their final 4 game stretch, all division games, and particularly their matchup with Pittsburgh in Week 13. If they can split the series with the Maulers they could be in great shape to take a division title.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 13-3, 1st in Central
Revised Pick: 10-6, 2nd in Central
Upside: All the pieces are there if Pittsburgh can just get them working together as one unit again. The 3-game losing streak has been a combination of sputtering offense and loose defense. We know the talent is here, it just needs to be refocused and the Maulers can have a much more consistent 2nd half.
Downside: The past 3 games, which include losses to two teams currently at 3-5 overall, has to be worrying for Mauler fans. The club seems to have little offensive rhythm and is giving up far too many big plays. They need their team leaders to shake things up and get more out of this talented team.
Player to Watch: Cody Pickett in particular is key. His QBR has dropped from 98.9 to 77.1 this year, with 11 picks and only 7 TDs. That is not going to do it. If he cannot get back on the same page with the offense soon, Coach Rivera may have to consider giving 2nd year QB Andy Dalton a shot.
Possible Impact Free Agent: SS Sean Taylor is about as valuable to that defense as any player on any team. Pittsburgh had better find cap room to resign him, and while they are at it, throw some money at Vincent Jackson too.
Final Thoughts: The Maulers are too talented to finish the year at .500, right? They have to get back in rhythm and then they can rattle off some wins to get back on top. Don’t they? Confidence seems lacking in a team that many predicted to win it all this year.
CHICAGO MACHINE (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 6-10, 4th in Central
Revised Pick: 8-8, 3rd in Central
Upside: The main area where Chicago is outpacing expectations, apart from wins, is on offense, where both their rushing attack and their passing game are in the Top 10 in the league. Michael Turner is putting up great numbers, with over 600 yards in 8 games, though it would be nice to see him with more than 1 TD this far into the season, and Doug Martin is proving to be a great change up for the Machine.
Downside: The defense needs to be more consistent. They are currently ranked 20th in points allowed, 21st in yards. They seem to almost take plays off, which is a weird thing to see. With 15 sacks between them, Anthony Weaver and Victor Abiani are doing fine, but the entire club has only 2 picks in 8 weeks, and that is a sign that the secondary is struggling to keep tabs on receivers and take advantage of the pressure the line provides.
Player to Watch: We are still waiting for rookie Michael Floyd to have a true breakout game. He has 18 receptions in 8 games, and Chicago needs him to do more because right now Donald Driver and Anthony Fasano seem to be the only reliable options that Brady Quinn has.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Brady Quinn has been the starter in Chicago for 6 years, but there are some calling for the Machine to go a new direction. With a very weak QB Draft Class, they had better think twice before letting Quinn walk.
Final Thoughts: If Chicago can get their defense to produce just a few more takeaways, they could be in the mix for a Wild Card. That and diversifying the passing game a bit would be huge improvements.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS (3-5)
Preseason Pick: 8-8, 3rd in Central
Revised Pick: 5-11, 5th in Central
Upside: Hard to find an upside on a squad that has underperformed all season, but we can say that Hines Ward is still putting in the work and still getting results, with 745 yards and 5 TDs already this year.
Downside: The run game of the panthers is atrocious. Mike Hart, now injured, was leading all backs with a 3.0 YPC average. Ciatrick Fason, who now has to step up, is only at 2.6 YPC. Michigan may have to look for a trade to bring in a more effective back. Either that or hope they can land Michigan State back Leveon Bell in the draft.
Player to Watch: Whoever the Panthers can get to bolster the run game. We don’t think it will be Fason long term. Michigan seems eager to find a trading partner to do something and help this run game, but it may be hard to get anyone with real impact at midseason.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Center Jeff Faine is 32, which means he could easily have 3-5 solid years of topflight play ahead of him. That is a deal you want to get done because veteran leadership on the line is so vital to an offense.
Final Thoughts: Every year there is a team that just drops through the floor of our expectations, and this year that title is between Michigan and Orlando.
OHIO GLORY (3-5)
Preseason Pick: 5-11, 5th in Central
Revised Pick: 7-9, 4th in Central
Upside: The first 5 games were not good, but the Glory have seemed to turn a corner with three consecutive wins, all against divisional opponents. The Glory could be set for a decent second half and are likely to finish outside of the basement, which is a good first step for this young squad.
Downside: While the offense has been the catalyst for Ohio’s improvement, the D still has a way to go. They give up too many big plays in the passing game and are just not consistent enough on 3rd down. They will need to tighten that up if they want to push for .500 this year.
Player to Watch: DT Tommy Harris came over from Denver in trade 3 weeks ago and could be a huge factor down the stretch. As much as we talk about Steve Smith’s influence on the offense, Harris could be a key to getting this defense on track.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Both starting DTs are up for renewaly this year, and we think that 28-year-old Tommy Harris will be a priority over 34-year-old Wendell Bryant because cap space won’t allow the Glory to sign both.
Final Thoughts: Ohio would need to win 5 of 8 to finish at .500. That is plausible, but we think 4-4 is more likely due to the tough schedule ahead for the Glory.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS (5-3)
Preseason Pick: 5-11, 4th in SW Division
Revised Pick: 9-7, 2nd in SW Division
Upside: Houston is clearly outperforming expectations, with big wins already against both Texas and Denver. Their offense looks very solid and the D has had its moments. The key to the season is the balance they are achieving between Shaun Alexander on the ground and Matt Hasselbeck’s solid year in the air.
Downside: The loss of Osi Umenyiura for several weeks and the apparent drop in Kavika Pittman’s production mean that Houston just does not have the pass rush they once did. They will need to start blitzing more to create pressure, but that will leave the secondary potentially exposed.
Player to Watch: CB Shaun Springs. If Houston does move to more blitz packages, Springs, who is almost always matched up with the opponent’s top receiver, will have to become more of a lock down corner.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Both LB James Farrior and DT Kenard Lang are 35, which is old for both positions. Are 1-year deals in the offing here or will Houston let them go?
Final Thoughts: The Gamblers look legit, and with both Denver and Arizona looking like pretenders, it will be between the two Texas clubs to decide this division.
TEXAS OUTLAWS (5-3)
Preseason Pick: 12-4, 1st in Division
Revised Pick: 10-6, 1st in Division
Upside: Joe Flacco may not have MVP numbers, but the passing game is still ranked #1 in the league, and that can get you a long way. The Outlaws, after a rough 1-3 stretch, came back with a big win in Pittsburgh this past week. Their next 3 opponents all have losing records, so this is the time to string together some wins and hopefully overtake the Gamblers.
Downside: While the offense continues to chug along, the defense has not been as good as last year. In particular, the Outlaw’s losses to Philadelphia and Houston showed that they are vulnerable to a balanced attack that forces them out of an all-out pass rush. The key to beating the Outlaws is in establishing the run to force the DE’s to stay home rather than immediately crashing down at the QB.
Player to Watch: HB Arian Foster has had a solid start to his time in the USFL, but Texas will have to find ways to avoid the 2nd half slump many NFL players face as their bodies wear down midway through their second season without a long break to recover from the rigors of NFL and now USFL games.
Possible Impact Free Agent: DE Renaldo Wynn may be the 2nd best DE in the league, and with Calais Campbell likely to get record-setting money, expect Wynn to want to be right there come payday.
Final Thoughts: We are predicting Texas to find a way to leapfrog the Gamblers and win the division. What we are not as sure of is their ability to finish the year strong enough to win a bye or home field advantage with their seeding.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 10-6, 2nd in SW Division
Revised Pick: 8-8, 3rd in SW Division
Upside: The good news, the Wranglers are first in total yards, 2nd in passing and have been very good the past 2 weeks. LT is running well, Larry Fitzgerald is still impossible to cover, and David Carr has stayed healthy, all good signs as Arizona sits 1 game behind both of the Texas clubs.
Downside: This defense has collapsed entirely. They are 28th in the league in scoring allowed. You don’t finish the year with a winning record if your defense is giving up 29.1 points per game. You just don’t.
Player to Watch: Troy Polamalu, not so much for his play but for his leadership. Polamalu has to rally this group much like Steve Smith did with the offense in Ohio. He needs to get more out of his teammates, particularly the fellow DBs, because right now this defense is holding the team back.
Possible Impact Free Agent: David Carr is up for a new contract this year and we think he has done enough to at least get 2-3 years out of the Wranglers. Stability at QB is just too vital to fool around with.
Final Thoughts: Arizona is in range, but do they have enough to keep pace or will a 4-4 start turn into an 8-8 season? We think the latter is more likely unless they can figure out how to keep teams out of the endzone.
DENVER GOLD (3-5)
Preseason Pick: 6-10, 3rd in West
Revised Pick: 6-10, 4th in West
Upside: Denver hopes that the trade for DeMarco Murray gives their run game the boost it needs, however, since arriving in Denver Murray has averaged only 29 yards per game. That has to worry Coach Jauron.
Downside: The Gold just don’t have enough firepower to overcome a mediocre defense and a tendency to fall behind in games. This is not an explosive squad, it rarely is, but that requires that they get an early lead and hold it, which has just not been happening.
Player to Watch: We could say Murray, but with Peerless Price clearly losing a step, the Gold really need Golden Tate to step up and perhaps move into the #1 receiver spot. So far he has not been able to do so, with only 1 TD and only 4 catches per game through 8 weeks.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Denver has over 20 potential free agents this year. None is more important than their two guards, Travis Claridge and Elton Brown. Good news for Denver, they have cap room and guards are not a bank-busting position to sign.
Final Thoughts: We think Denver can match the record we picked preseason, but with Houston’s rebound, that now looks like it could leave them in the SW basement.
LAS VEGAS THUNDER (5-3)
Preseason Pick: 7-9, 4th in Pacific
Revised Pick: 10-6, 1st in Pacific
Upside: Las Vegas has surprised many by not only winning some tough games against Texas and Tampa Bay, but by reversing the decline in their defense. The thunder currently sport the number 1 scoring defense, allowing only 13.6 points per game. They are getting great production from the rotation of Ogunleye, Erasmus James, and Eric Flowers on the edge, with 18 sacks between them, and the LB group of Orr, Hawk, and Porter seems reenergized.
Downside: While there has not been much to criticize overall, the lack of takeaways has been one issue of concern. Las Vegas has a 0-turnover margin, which is fine, but when you realize it is because they have both had 4 turnovers but also only 4 takeaways, you wonder if they need to be more aggressive on defense to help the offense out a bit.
Player to Watch: As much as the fans have embraced Chad Johnson and his 44 catches this spring, the biggest fan of 85 has to be T. J. Houshmandzadeh, who is getting a lot more single coverage, translating into 35 catches and 6 TDs in half a season, both personal bests.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Both outstanding corners, Will Allen and Antoine Winfield are up for new deals. Vegas would love to lock both in for another 3-5 years, but they also have to find Marshawn Lynch his money this year. This could all be possible if, as many suspect, Jake Plummer is in his final season. Freeing up that QB money would make the cap a non-issue for the Thunder.
Final Thoughts: Las Vegas has the pieces in place to remain atop the division, and they could be offering Jake Plummer the chance to go out on top if the rumors of his retirement are true.
PORTLAND STAGS (5-3)
Preseason Pick: 4-12, 5th in Pacific
Revised Pick: 9-7, 3rd in Pacific
Upside: Portland surprised us all with a 5-1 start, but they have dropped their last two and scored only 9 points combined in those two games. Despite the worry that has caused, we should recognize that the Stags are right behind Las Vegas, allowing only 14.9 points per game, second best in the league. Both their run and pass defense are #3 in the league, which could be a sign they are ready to stay in the hunt all season.
Downside: While the defense has remained solid all season, the offense has been up and down. Jonathan Stewart’s early success seems to be fading as his YPC average has dropped to a concerning 3.5 per carry, which is not what you want from a lead back. If they cannot effectively run the ball, that makes Ryan Fitzpatrick’s play action game a lot harder to pull off.
Player to Watch: Despite the success of the Stag defense, free agent DE Eddie Freeman has been largely a no show. He has only 1 sack on the season, which is not what Portland expected when they added him opposite Elvis Dumervil.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Jonathan Stewart’s run at a rushing title could not be coming at a better time. A strong year now means a payday for sure. Now, what to do about Ryan Fitzpatrick?
Final Thoughts: Portland needs to be able to pressure QBs and to have an effective run game to be effective and keep pace with the Thunder. We also think they will be challenged by an experienced Oakland squad down the stretch. Can they keep the surprising season going with that pressure?
OAKLAND INVADERS (4-4)
Preseason Pick: 11-5, 1st in Pacific
Revised Pick: 9-7, 2nd in Pacific
Upside: The Invader defense has been solid all year, and the offense has been opportunistic. It has been a solid combo, but too inconsistent, thus the 4-4 record. The Invaders are at their best in divisional games where they hold a 4-2 record, but they have to avoid slumping when playing outside the division (0-2 so far).
Downside: While the yardage numbers for the Invader offense are solid, they are only averaging 17 points per game. Too many red zone mistakes and too many penalties are keeping this offense from reaching its capacity.
Player to Watch: Pierre Garçon has been showing signs that he is ready to bloom as a big play receiver and Oakland could certainly use that as Greg Jennings, while very solid, is not taking the roof off the defenses. If Garçon can stretch the defense a bit, it will make all other aspects of the Invader attack better.
Possible Impact Free Agent: OT Matt Light, at 31, is coming into the prime of a lineman’s career. Oakland absolutely has to find a way to keep him happy, even if it means giving up on veterans like DE Israel Idonije, or RT Anthony Clement.
Final Thoughts: Our expectation is that Oakland can and will catch up to Portland, even if Las Vegas is able to stay ahead of them. Will that be enough to land them in the playoffs, or do they need to go 6-2 or 7-1 in the second half to make up for a middling first half output?
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS (2-6)
Preseason Pick: 11-5, 2nd in Pacific
Revised Pick: 5-11, 4th in Pacific
Upside: After an 0-6 start the Express have won two in a row, both in division, so there is some hope that they are not as bad as we feared. It may be the rare case of addition by subtraction as the departure of Randy Moss has seemed to improve team coherence. It may already be too late, however.
Downside: The problem all year has been the Express offense. It ranks 27th, averaging only 13.9 points per game, and it is a team effort. Mark Sanchez has a 5:7 TD:INT ratio after 8 games, Ray Rice is only averaging 3.6 YPC in the run game, and now, with Moss gone, the passing game seems limited to Keyshawn and TE L. J. Smith.
Player to Watch: Either Brandon Lloyd or Ronald Johnson needs to step up and become a true number 2. So far, between them there are only 28 catches and barely 200 yards. That is not enough to make LA a competitive team in a passing league.
Possible Impact Free Agent: DT Anthony McFarland has been a mainstay of the LA defense, but at 35 he may just not be able to provide enough to merit a big contract. We think LA will let him test the waters and build with youth. Now, the bigger question. Are they happy with Mark Sanchez as his rookie contract expires?
Final Thoughts: It certainly appears that LA is going to have to manufacture points this year to even think about reaching .500, and we have to say that a playoff push would be a near miracle.
SEATTLE DRAGONS (2-6)
Preseason Pick: 9-7, 3rd in Pacific Division.
Revised Pick: 5-11, 5th in Pacific Division
Upside: Seattle’s lone bright spot this year has been their 7th ranked run defense, but how much of that is due to the fact that teams would rather pass against their shaky pass defense? There is no other team stat where Seattle is in the upper half of the league, so I guess you tout that one bright spot.
Downside: If it were not for Michigan, we would all be talking about how bad the Seattle run offense is. They are averaging a combined 61.4 yards per game and lead back Jahvid Best has a paltry 282 yards in 8 games. Rookie Robet Turbin has not yet shown much, with only 96 yards on 48 carries, a 2.0 YPC average in his first 8 pro games.
Player to Watch: Seattle fans expected Mike Wallace to explode onto the scene as the next David Boston, but so far he has fizzled in rainy Seattle. In 8 games he has only 18 receptions and is averaging barely 12 yards per catch. That is not what Seattle bargained for and they have to hope Wallace can do more in the second half of the year.
Possible Impact Free Agent: Line or Secondary? Seattle has space to sign both DE John Abraham and CB Leodis McKelvin, but they also have a lot of needs, so they may prefer to let one or both go and free up more cap space to build a younger roster for the future.
Final Thoughts: Seattle could be a team in transition. There is talk that Byron Leftwich does not have the arm strength or mobility he once showed off, and the club desperately needs to find a run game, if not this year, for the future.
Revised Predictions
So, in our preseason edition we made our picks and as usual by midseason we are wondering what the heck we were thinking back then. We will say that our Summer Bowl pick of Philadelphia and Texas still seems viable even after Kurt Warner’s season ending injury, but we don’t feel quite as confident now that we see how well Washington, New Jersey, Houston, and Las Vegas are playing. We will stick with the pick, but it does feel like a much more wide-open field now than it appeared to be in the preseason.
As for the award winners, we saw it as a Warner/Flacco race in preseason, and now, we would have to say that the frontrunner may not be a QB at all. How about Deuce McCallister in Washington? If we had to handicap the race as one for best QB, right now the frontrunner is Josh Freeman of St. Louis, someone we never considered before the season started.
McCallister remains a favorite for OPOTY, though Willis McGahee is certainly making a case as well, as is another Skyhawk, HB Antowain Smith. For DPOTY, we cannot imagine sack leader Calais Campbell getting the award if Orlando is mired in last place in the Southeast. That opens it up to other candidates and our favorite right now has to be Texas DE Reynaldo Wynn, who may finish well behind Campbell in sacks, but whose impact is being felt on a much better team.
As for the last of the player awards, Rookie of the Year, right now the best odds are for Boston WR Justin Blackmon, who could be on pace for a 1,200- or 1,300-yard season on a pretty bad Boston team. Behind him, but with a real chance to gain some momentum over the second half are Ohio HB Isaiah Pead, Jacksonville HB Lamar Miller, and St. Louis DE Olivier Vernon, all of whom have had flashes of real potential over the first half of the year.
Five players added to IR as we have entered the stretch of the season when a 2-month injury means that a player is likely done for the year. As reported earlier, Michigan will lose HB Mike Hart for the rest of the seasons and will now scramble to construct some semblance of a run game, a team weakness to begin with. New Jersey will be without DE Shaun Ellis for the remainder of the season, which could be a big blow to a defense that has been much improved this season. Arizona WR Mike Williams suffered an Achilles tendon partial tear that will cost him the rest of his season and means that Antonio Bryant’s role will increase over the season’s second half. Washington will be without TE Heath Miller, so Chase Coffman will now move up to #2 and a 3rd TE will need to be signed. Finally, Seattle will be without G Amini Silatulo, as the back injury he suffered in Week 7 has been designated as at least a 2-month recovery time.
INJURED RESERVE
Mike Williams WR ARZ Achilles
Shaun Ellis DE NJ Hip
Mike Hart HB MGN Back
Amini Silatulo G SEA Back
Heath Miller TE WSH Quad
OUT
Darryl Sharpton LB ORL Wrist 4-6 Weeks
Jimmy Wilkerson DE ORL Hip 1-2 Weeks
Terreal Bierria SS POR Arm 1-2 Weeks
Tyrell Johnson FS NSH Concussion 1-2 Weeks
Andre Neblitt DT TBY Wrist 1-2 Weeks
Jason Williams LB MEM Arm 1-2 Weeks
Richard Sherman CB SEA Toe 1-2 Weeks
QUESTIONABLE
Vernon Davis TE HOU Illness
Troy Williamson WR PHI Tendinitis
Chauncey Davis DE OHI Concussion
2012 Hall of Fame Semi-Finalists Named
It took quite a bit longer than usual for us to get the Hall of Fame list of nominees for 2012, but it is finally here and once again t looks like a year dominated by 1st year nominees, with 7 of the 10 semifinalists being 2007 retirees. As we look over the group of 10, there is one thing we think we can say for sure, this will not be another class dominated by defense. With 4 running backs among the 10 nominees, two of whom may be sure fire 1st ballot Hall of Famers, this is likely to be a class with a lot of offensive firepower. There will be 5 players nominated from this group of 10, and 1 more proposed by the Legacy Committee, which looks at players who began their careers in the early part of the league’s history (nominees must have begun their careers prior to 1992, though that will be adjusted next year to 1995. Here is our look at the 10 nominees, listed in alphabetical order.
HB Tiki Barber (ATL/BOS 1997-2006)
The first player who started their career with the 1995 expansion Fire/Cannons to make a HOF nominee list, Tiki Barber may not have ever won a championship, but he still has plenty of hardware in his trophy case. The former Virginia Cavalier exploded on the scene with Atlanta in their 2nd season of existence. He would rush for 986 yards in his rookie season, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The next year his total would jump to 1,206 yards. Despite playing on 6 consecutive 10-loss teams with the Fire, Barber would still be named an All-USFL player on 4 different occasions. His best season would actually be his 10th and last in the USFL, rushing for 1,514 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2006 and leading the then Boston Cannons to the USFL playoffs. He retired with 2,495 carries for 11,706 yards and 77 TDs, with a career YPC average of 4.7, one of the best we have ever seen in the USFL.
CB Aaron Beasley (OAK 96-05, ATL 06-07)
Aaron Beasley was a 2x All-USFL selection at corner, retiring with 541 tackles, 20 picks, 20 forced fumbles, and 5 career defensive touchdowns. He had a career year in his first season with Atlanta, picking off 4 passes and making 62 tackles. Known for his zone coverage skills, Beasley is another player who spent most of his career on losing teams, as his Oakland squad made only 1 playoff appearance between 1996 and 2004. He heled get Oakland into the postseason in his last year with the team and then moved on to the expansion Atlanta Fire in the 2006 Expansion draft.
DE John Copeland (BIR 93-97, SEA 98, OHI 99-01, TBY 02-06)
The first of our returning nominees, John Copeland missed the cut in last year’s vote, and is hoping for a stronger 2nd vote. Copeland won a league title with Birmingham in his rookie season, and retired 13 years later with 102 career sacks, including 5 seasons in double digits. He played in 208 career games, all starts for the edge rushing DE.
HB Terrell Davis (NOR 95-98, PIT 99-06, ATL 07)
A solid back in New Orleans, Terrell Davis left for Pittsburgh in 1998 and became a superstar in the Mauler’s zone-blocking run game. He would earn 7 career All-USFL nominations and would retire with 14,782 yards rushing on 3,641 career carries. Add to that 104 touchdowns and a 4.1 YPC average and we think Davis is sure to make the Hall, but will he do it in the first ballot?
HB Curtis Enis (NJ 98-07)
Another big back, Curtis Enis came to the New Jersey Generals fresh out of Penn State. He would remain their lead back for a decade, rushing for 10,016 yards on 2,496 attempts, and, unlike both Terrell Davis and Tiki Barber, Enis would retire from the game with championship rings on his hands, two, in fact, as he helped the Tom Brady-led Generals to league titles in both 2004 and 2006, his final season. A big bruiser of a back, Enis averaged 4.1 YPC over his career but somehow accounted for only 52 touchdowns.
WR Terry Glenn (NJ 96-2007)
Coming into the league two years before Enis, Terry Glenn was the primary receiving weapon of the championship Generals teams in 2004 and 2006. He was a 4-time All-USFL selection, and in 2001 was the Offensive Player of the Year, a year in which he had 109 receptions for 1,762 yards and 17 touchdowns. He would retire with 1,096 receptions for 14,612 yards and an even 100 touchdowns.
HB Ahman Green (STL/NSH 96-04, PHI 05-07)
The last of the “four horsemen” halfback nominees, at least alphabetically, Green was certainly not last in honors, receiving All-USFL recognition 7 times in his career. He would lead the USFL in rushing 4 times (2000 and then a 3-year run from 2002-2004). The 2000 season saw him post his best numbers, with over 1,500 yards rushing and 12 TDs. He would retire in 2007 with 12,456 yards rushing and 95 touchdowns.
LB Randall Godfrey (ATL/BOS 96-03, HOU 04-07)
Our second Atlanta Fire/Boston Cannon player as Godfrey joined the Fire in 1996 and stayed with the franchise through their move to Boston before finishing his career in Houston. Godfrey would finish his career with 928 tackles and a whopping 159 of those going for a loss, an impressive 17%. He would also have 42 sacks, and, showing his versatility, would also add 6 picks and 15 forced fumbles to his resume.
LB Kevin Hardy (STL/NSH 96-04, ARZ 05)
In his third year of eligibility, Hardy is hoping the third time is the charm. The long-time Knight was a 3x All-USFL player, and one of the best coverage linebackers of his generation. He initially retired in 2004, but came back for one year on a very lucrative offer from the Arizona Wranglers. He would retire after the 1995 season, having played on 7 playoff teams, appearing in the 1998 Summer Bowl, but without a ring.
CB Aeneas Williams (OAK 91-99, ARZ 00, LA 01-05)
A two time All-USFL selection, Williams made a name for himself as a cornerback who was never afraid to come up and lay a hit on a running back. He won a title with Oakland in his rookie season, but would never find that level of success again as he played for some disappointing Invader, Wrangler, and Express squads. He retired in 2005 with 216 career starts, 1,203 tackles ( a huge number for a cornerback), 45 interceptions and 30, yes, 30 forced fumbles.
Dallas Roughnecks Reveal Uniform Options
One week after the sale of the Boston Cannons to a group of Dallas investors led by media and tech guru Mark Cuban was announced by the USFL, the relocated franchise not only has a new name, but three potential looks for 2012. The Dallas Roughnecks will debut in March of 2013 in their new home at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. Before that fans in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro Area will have their say in what the team looks like as they take the field.
The Roughnecks are offering fans three different versions of their logos and three different uniforms and asking folks in the region to pick their favorite. The logos are the same for all three looks, but obviously impacted by the color schemes selected for each.
All three designs feature the same primary logo, of a hard-hat wearing “roughneck” representing the Texas oil industry. The design features a side profile of the oil-worker with a motion line from front to back. This logo, while used with the team’s block “ROUGHNECKS” wordmark and as the main image for the team, will not appear on any of the helmet variations. The helmets will feature the secondary monogram logo, an upper case D divided by a diagonal line to also form an R. This logo, similar to a branding iron designation, will be depicted differently in each uniform and color scheme, but retains it shape in all three variations.
OPTION 1: The first option features a color scheme of black, “Texas Sky” blue, and fiery red. Much like the NFL Oilers, the Roughnecks will feature the sky blue as their primary color. The helmets are sky blue with the secondary monogram logo on either side in black, with a red “strike” within the diagonal line of the logo. The helmets also feature a thin red line dissecting a thicker black helmet stripe, and an ombre effect from the rear bumper that produces what the team is calling an “oil slick” effect.
A similar effect of shifting colors is featured on the jerseys, which shift from either Texas Sky or white to Black at the yoke. The sleeve cuffs on both jerseys are sky blue. The numbers also feature this ombre “oil slick” effect, with white numbers transition to black at the base on the sky blue jersey or sky blue numbers transitioning to black on the white jersey. The numbers are then outlined in red and once again in black. The pants feature the same thick black stripe (on white or sky blue bases) with a thin red line that ends in a single white star, a Lone Star if you will. The thin red line and single star also appears on the collar of both jerseys.
Option 2 has several of the same features but in this version the colors of the Texas flag are prevalent, with the team going with a dark blue, deep red, and metallic grey or silver look. The helmet is now “wildcat” red with an ombre effect again pushing to what is now a navy “oil slick” at the base. Unlike the first option, this second look does not feature a helmet stripe. The jerseys retain their ombre effect both with the yoke vs. body and in the number font. Again the colors fade into the dark blue, from either red (home) or white (away), and the numbers again feature two outlines, though now they are either navy and silver (red jersey) or white and navy (white jersey). The collar now features both thin red and white stripes, along with the single star for a nod to the Texas flag. The pants feature a wide stripe which also transitions from dark blue to red. There are three pant options in this second option: white, dark blue, or metallic grey. As with option 1, the primary logo (the roughneck profile) is found on the sleeves.
Option 3 is a significant departure from the ombre effects of the first two. This look retains the navy, grey, and athletic gold colors of the Boston Cannons, but adds several new features. The helmets are now deep navy blue, with a “spark” gold facemask. The DR monogram now has a beveled look to make it appear more metallic and three-dimensional. The helmets also have a thick grey stripe which features a metalwork diamond pattern. This diamond pattern reappears in the front and rear numbers on both jerseys.
The jerseys both feature metallic grey yokes and sleeves, ending in navy blue sleeve cuffs. The home jersey is navy blue, with the grey diamond pattern numbers and dual number outlines in navy and gold. The white road jerseys also feature the grey numbers now outlined in navy blue and gold. The collars are both navy blue with the returning motif of the thin central stripe (now in gold) and the single white star. Once again the main logo of the Roughneck is on each sleeve. The team will match these jerseys with three pant sets in white, navy blue, and metallic grey. Each pant set features a traditional stripe set, either in 5 stripes (blue or white sets) or a simpler 3-stripe pattern (on the grey set).
Voters will have until the end of the regular season to select their favorites, and the Dallas Roughnecks will make a special presentation of their new look at halftime of the Western Conference Championship Game.
League Reveals New Division Alignments for 2013
In addition to the uniform vote, the other big question coming out of Dallas this week was an official clarification of how the relocation of Boston to Dallas would impact the league’s six divisions, important since essentially we are looking at a team from the Northeast moving to the Southwest. As expected Dallas will be moved to the Southwest Division to play alongside in-state rivals Texas and Houston as well as the Denver Gold and Arizona Wranglers. But, that leaves the Western Conference with 15 teams and the East with only 13, so a team had to be moved. This week the USFL announced that the team that would make the shift would be Pittsburgh, which will move to the Northeast Division, reducing the Central Division to 4 teams and retaining the 5-team NE Division.
Obviously trading Pittsburgh for Boston means that the already killer NE Division is now even tougher, with a 2011 division champion joining a crowded division of playoff contenders with Washington, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Baltimore. It is a bit of a homecoming as Pittsburgh began its run in the USFL as an Eastern Division club, but it certainly does not make life any easier for the other 4 NE Division squads. For the SW Division teams it means that for the first time they will now be playing an 8-game division series instead of 6 division games. The opposite is now true for the Central Division, which will drop to a 6-game division series, adding 2 more interdivisional games in 2013.
Rumors had looked at Pittsburgh or St. Louis as the most likely clubs to be relocated, since the league had already announced that they would not do as the NFL does and have Dallas geographically misplaced in the NE Division. Many had speculated that St. Louis would move from the Central Division to the Southern Division where they could spark rivalries with fellow Mississippi River cities like Memphis and New Orleans, but in the end the desire to retain the Chicago-St. Louis rivalry was stronger than the desire to maintain Pittsburgh’s rivalry with the Ohio Glory. Of course, this is all expected to be a short-term arrangement with the league fully anticipating an expansion to 30 clubs before 2020.
We kick off the second half of the season with a really interesting SE Division matchup as the two non-Florida teams, who also happen to be the two division leaders, clash at the Georgia Dome. On Saturday, we continue the fun with Denver taking on Houston in a rare early start in Texas, then in the late game we have Pittsburgh at Oakland with the loser dropping below .500. The night game is a good one from the NE Division when the Federals head into MetLife Stadium to take on the Generals, both teams entering at 6-2.
On Sunday We are looking at another division clash in the evening game when first place is on the line between Las Vegas and Portland, with the game played at Columbia Sports Stadium in the Rose City. Earlier in the day Philadelphia will try to keep their roll going as they visit Jacksonville and New Orleans will head up river to St. Louis in an intriguing inter-conference game.
FRIDAY @ 8PM ET Charlotte (7-1) @ Atlanta (6-2) NBC
SAT @ 12PM ET Denver (3-5) @ Houston (5-3) ABC
SAT @ 12PM ET Ohio (3-5) @ Michigan (3-5) ABC
SAT @ 12PM ET Nashville (4-4) @ Chicago (4-4) FOX
SAT @ 4PM ET Pittsburgh (4-4) @ Oakland (4-4) ABC
SAT @ 4PM ET Texas (5-3) @ Seattle (2-6) FOX
SAT @ 8PM ET Washington (6-2) @ New Jersey (6-2) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12PM ET Orlando (2-6) @ Baltimore (4-4) ABC
SUN @ 12PM ET Philadelphia (6-2) @ Jacksonville (3-5) FOX
SUN @ 12PM ET Birmingham (3-5) @ Memphis (1-7) FOX
SUN @ 4PM ET New Orleans (4-4) @ St. Louis (5-3) ABC
SUN @ 4PM ET Boston (2-6) @ Arizona (4-4) ABC
SUN @ 4PM ET Tampa Bay (4-4) @ Los Angeles (2-6) FOX
SUN @ 8PM ET Las Vegas (5-3) @ Portland (5-3) ESPN/EFN