What was scheduled as a huge divisional battle for Week 3 is now a power packed opening week as 24 of 28 teams open league play with divisional games, including huge rivalries like Chicago vs. Michigan, Houston vs. Denver, Nashville vs. Memphis, Orlando vs. Jacksonville, and Philadelphia vs. New Jersey. No time to warm up. No space to get acclimated to a new season. Just throwing teams into the fire from the very first moments. And despite the lack of preparation (a shortened camp and preseason), some of the clubs came out of the gate looking like they were in midseason form already. A lot to talk about after Week 1, so let’s get right to it.
CHICAGO 28 MICHIGAN 29
A wild game at Ford Field that felt more like a Week 14 clash than a season opener. The defending League Champions faced off against their defending Division Champs in a Week 1 clash to remember. Chicago would build up a 12-point lead only to watch it fizzle away in the final minutes of the game as Michigan roared back with 2 late TD’s from Brian Griese to edge the Machine by 1 point.
Chicago’s offense was a bit shaky as the season opened, going 0 for 10 on third down, and accumulating only 202 total yards, despite Brady Quinn going 10 of 14 with 3 TDs. Michigan’s offense was significantly better, particularly in the second half, gaining a total of 457 yards, but struggling to put points on the board until the final minutes of the game. Brian Griese would also throw 3 touchdowns, but had 2 picks, including a pick six to Chicago’s Corey Hall. Fargas and Washington combined for 96 yards, while Chicago struggled to run the ball, with Michael Turner averaging only 2.5 yards per carry. And yet, despite the disparity in yards, the Machine defense made scoring tough for the Panthers and kept them in the game, even building a substantial lead.
The game began slowly, with both teams punting after only 3 plays on their first drives. Chicago fared no better on their 2nd possession, another 3-and-out, but Michigan took a poor punt and used it to get into Chicago territory, ending their drive with a Matt Prater field goal to put the first points of the game up.
That score seemed to awaken the Machine, who would score on their next two possessions. The first drive was a 66-yard slog down the field that ended with Arnold Brown catching a 3-yard TD toss from Brady Quinn. Three minutes later, after a Griese pick, Chicago was back in business, converting on the drive when Quinn hit TE Anthony Fasano for another 7. Chicago took a 14-3 lead as the 2nd quarter was just beginning. Michigan would spend most of the quarter fighting back, first with a nice corner route to Hines Ward that got the Panthers into the endzone for the first time, and then, as time ran out in the half, with another Prater kick, putting them at 14-13 as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
Chicago got the ball first in the second half, and in just 7 plays they had it in the endzone, Quinn hitting Donald Driver with the score that put them up by 8. After another Michigan field goal, the third quarter ended with the Panthers trailing 28-16 despite outgaining Chicago by over 100 yards. As the 4th quarter opened, Brian Griese was picked for a second time as Corey Hall stepped in front of Laverneus Coles, snatched the ball and ran it back 53 yards for a score that put Chicago up by 12.
Rather than sulk, Griese got back to business on the ensuing possession, throwing the ball on 6 of the drive’s 8 plays, concluding with a nice strike to Coles for a 17-yard score at 2:35 left to play. Michigan was down by 5 after the Prater kick and would go for the onside kick. The ploy worked, with the ball bouncing off the hands of WR James Hardy and into the awaiting arms of CB Chris Canty, giving Michigan the ball on their own 48 with 2 minutes to play.
The Panthers did not rush the ball down the field, but focused on first downs, using their timeouts and the sideline to get the ball down to the Chicago 25 with 1:01 left to play. After a draw to Washington produced only 4 yards, the Panthers went no huddle, clustered 3 receivers to the left, and put Griese in the shotgun. The 3-man cluster worked to perfection. Both the safety and the corner for Chicago mistakenly took the quick inside route, leaving Hines Ward with a 2-3 yard lead on the trailing corner who got caught in the wash. That was all the space Griese needed. He lofted the ball to the endzone, catching Ward in stride for the game winner. Michigan took the game and the early advantage in the Central Division on a very memorable opening week in Detroit.
HOUSTON 20 DENVER 23 OVERTIME
An overtime thriller as the Gold hold off the Gamblers in what could be a very pivotal first week game. Denver got early TDs from Mewelde Moore, Peerless Price and a Jamar Fletcher pick six, but a missed PAT by new kicker Graham Gano meant that Houston could tie the game with a field goal at the end of regulation. They did just that after scoring 14 unanswered points in the 2nd half. The Gamblers got the game to overtime, but Gano made up for his earlier PAT miss by kicking home the game winner in overtime.
WASHINGTON 38 SEATTLE 35
One of only two non-divisional games proved to be one of the week’s best as the Federals outlast the Dragons, thanks to a Mike Williams TD catch with just under 1 minute left to play. Both Byron Leftwich (4 TDs) and Kordell Stewart (321 yards and 3 TDs) looked to be fully ready for prime time action. Eddie Kennison also looked sharp, catching 6 balls for 107 yards and 2 scores as the Feds eke out a road win to open the 2009 campaign.
LOS ANGELES 12 LAS VEGAS 20
The debut of Mark Sanchez was a busy one as Las Vegas totally shut down the run, forcing the USC rookie to put the ball up 41 times. Meanwhile, Jake Plummer, in his first game In a Thunder uniform, completed 23 of 38 and tossed his first Las Vegas TD to Matthew Hatchette as the Thunder come out on top in their home opener.
BOSTON 20 BALTIMORE 27
The Blitz take their home opener as well, edging Boston despite a stellar debut by Cannons’ rookie wideout Percy Harvin. Harvin went for 140 yards on only 3 catches, including a 91-yard TD that lit up the stadium. IT was not enough though as Ron Dayne’s 2 TD runs and a Roethlisberger TD toss to FB Quinn Johnson gave the Blitz a 14 point lead that they would not relinquish.
NASHVILLE 25 MEMPHIS 6
A stunner in Memphis as the newly retooled Knights’ defense completely stymied the Showboats, picking off Brett Favre twice and sacking him 6 times. Chidi Iwoma was the star for Nashville, picking off two Favre passes, while Jay Cutler connected with both Derrick Mason and Frank Gore on his way to an opening game win in rival territory.
ORLANDO 24 JACKSONVILLE 17
The Bulls and Renegades played a tight one in Jacksonville, but 14 points in the final period helped Orlando get the road win. Two final period TDs from Drew Brees, one to Greg Olsen and the other to Justin McCaerins, helped lift Orlando to the W. Calais Campbell returned to action for the first time since midseason of 2008 and (what else?) recorded a sack. Rookie HB Knownshon Moreno struggled for Orlando, gaining only 15 yards on 11 carries, but the Renegades found a way to win in the end.
PORTLAND 16 OAKLAND 24
The Stags gave Oakland a bit of a scare, but a late Greg Jennings TD catch helped seal the game for the Invaders. Portland’s pass rush was surprisingly effective, getting to Joey Harrington 5 times, including two sacks form blitzing safety Terreal Bierria as Portland threw the entire playbook at the Invaders. Harrington still managed to toss 3 touchdowns and throw for 326 yards to pace the Invaders.
OHIO 34 PITTSBURGH 21
Ohio got 4 TDs from Kerry Collins and 95 yards on 18 carries from Eddie George as they take their opening game in Pittsburgh. Javon Walker, in his first game for the Glory, scored twice as Ohio put the final 24 points on the board after trailing 21-10 early in the third. Cody Pickett got the start for Pittsgurgh and looked solid, completing 22 of 31 despite being sacked 6 times by an aggressive Glory D.
TAMPA BAY 23 ST. LOUIS 17
Jeff Blake threw for 194 yards and rushed for another 54 as he helped keep St. Louis in this game, but in the end it was too much Willis McGahee, as the Bandit back rushed for 126 yards, taking the lead after Daunte Culpepper was knocked out of the game and Brad Gradkowski came in. The backup would throw for 2 scores, but it was the Tampa Bay running game that won the day for the hobbled Bandits.
NEW ORLEANS 37 BIRMINGHAM 14
Kyle Boller got his first USFL action, and, after 5 sacks, may be regretting his move to the Spring. Eli Manning fared much better, throwing for 222 yards and 2 scores as New Orleans pulled away from the homestanding Stallions. Manning found 8 different targets on the day and the Breaker defense added some points as Randall Gay returned a Boller pick for a score.
PHILADELPHIA 33 NEW JERSEY 13
The Stars opened strong, with Kurt Warner throwing for 3 scores and the Star D holding New Jersey to only 6 points on offense (they did get a TD on a pick-six). Ryan Fitzpatrick got the start and would throw 41 passes, completing 27, but was unable to produce anything but 2 field goals against the Stars’ defense. Terrell Owens made his debut with 4 receptions for 38 yards but 2 scores as well.
CHARLOTTE 12 ATLANTA 7
The Monarchs also open strong on the road, holding Atlanta to a lone score and coming back with a late Robert Edwards run (missed PAT), to take the lead and the win in Atlanta. Kyle Orton struggled and was replaced by David Garrard midway through the game after taking a blow to the head. Chris Weinke completed 23 of 32 passes for the Monarchs and Edwards rushed for 78 yards, though only a 2.9 YPC average.
TEXAS 11 ARIZONA 17
The Jim Tomsula era in Arizona begins with a home win as the Wranglers edge the Texas Outlaws in Glendale. It was not pretty on offense, but NFL Import David Carr did connect with Santana Moss for two scores. The big surprise was the Arizona defense, which limited T. J. Duckett to only 56 yards rushing and neutralized the untested Texas receiving corp.
New QB’s Get Mixed Opening
A lot of new QB’s around the USFL. Some came away with a W, but most struggled to put together a strong game, which is, in part true of all the QB’s this week, entering a new season with a shortened preseason to hone their timing. As we look around the league this week, the new signal callers definitely were an area of focus, so how did they do.
Jake Plummer (LV): 23 of 38 for 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 pick. Plummer did what was asked of him, navigating a new offense, connecting with Matthew Hatchette, and spreading the ball around to 8 different receivers. His best play of the game was a scramble that turned into a short flip to Marshawn Lynch for a 12 yard gain. He got the win and he seemed to enjoy himself doing it. An A- on his first game for the Thunder.
Mark Sanchez (LA): 25 of 41 for 186 yards, 1TD, 1 pick. Sanchez was asked to throw more than Coach Jackson wanted due to the absolute lack of a running game. The game plan certainly did not call for 41 passes on the day. As you might guess from the yardage total, Sanchez spent most of his time either tossing short slants and hooks, or bailing on deep routes and dumping the ball off to a TE orhis back. L. J. Smith was the leading receiver, while Keyshawn had 5 receptions, but the longest for only 11 yards. We are going to give Sanchez a B for the day, though LA will need to balance that offense if he is going to avoid major issues down the road.
David Carr (ARZ): 18 of 35 for 226 yards, 2 TDs, 2 Ints, but, most importantly, a win for the Wranglers as they held off the Texas Outlaws. Carr had a couple of nice connections with Larry Fitzgerald, and two TD tosses to Santana Moss. He avoided a couple of sacks with good pocket presence, but did throw the two picks, though one was more the fault of his receiver, who tipped a catchable ball into the air. We give him a solid B+ on the day.
Kyle Boller (BIR): 24 of 51 for 198 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int, and sacked 5 times. Another case of a failed run game (Felix Jones led Birmingham with 11 carries for only 36 yards) forcing a QB in his first game with the team to throw the ball way too much. While Boller’s numbers were not bad, despite constant pressure from the Breakers, what the numbers don’t show is the yards to lead to points. Boller had one really nice pass to Joe Horn for an 18-yard TD, but, like Cassel, spent most of the game dumping the ball off short. We give him a C+ because the pressure did not lead to more mistakes and turnovers.
Kyle Orton (ATL): 11 of 15 for 101 yards, no TDs or picks, but knocked out of the game with a hit to the head midway through the game. We only got to see Orton for just under a full half, and while his completion percentage was solid, he never threatened the Monarch defense with a deep ball. His longest toss was a 15-yarder to David Tyree. Mostly he stayed with quick passes. He did convert 2 of 4 third downs, which is far better than David Garrard’s 2 of 7 in the second half. We give him a C, because we just did not see enough to know if he is going to be able to generate more offense.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (NJ): 27 of 41 for 217 yards, 0 Tds, 1 Int, 5 sacks. Of all the new starters, Fitzpatrick had the least to work with and Philadelphia’s D was not welcoming him with anything other than constant pressure. He scrambledquite a bit, running the ball 8 times in addition to taking 5 sacks. Considering that, he actually did very well to complete as many passes as he did. Hefound 8 different receivers, with Mark Clayton his favorite (7 catches on 9 targets). His best play was a 3rd down where he escaped the rush, found Santonio Holmes and made the first down. He will need to do more of that to help New Jersey get on the scoreboard more often. We will give him a C as well, simply because the points did not come against a very tough defense.
We should note that neither Josh Freeman (St. Louis) nor Pat White (Pittsburgh) started this week, with both Pickett and Blake getting the starts. The only time either were on the field was as a holder for the kicking game.
Rookies Make First Impression
So we saw how Mark Sanchez started off, and the other rookie QBs did not see the field, so who did impress us in their first action as a rookie. Well, the obvious answer is WR Percy Harvin of the Cannons, who started his career with a 140 yard game in Baltimore. Harvin looked very dangerous, turning short routes into long runs after the catch. He also turned in the play of the week, a 91-yard touchdown that was more of a 17-yard pass with an impressive post-catch run. Harvin put the league on notice. Once the ball hits his hands, he is capable of taking it all the way. Boston fans may have a new favorite on the Cannons’ roster.
The other big name receiver taken in the early rounds of the draft, Baltimore’s Darrius Heyward-Bey, did not have the huge numbers of Harvin, but put in a very respectable 4-catch, 54 yard effort in his first pro game. His best play of the day was a 16-yard reception that was firs tipped with one hand and then brought in.
Brandon Pettigrew, the star TE signed by Ohio, had a quiet day, though he did get 20 snaps in his first game. He had one catch, but it was a nice one, going for 41 yards. It was his only target, but it was a big play for the Glory.
Among running backs, it was a pretty disappointing first day. Knowshon Moreno was the only starter, and his 11-carry, 15-yard day was underwhelming to say the least. Moreno was the only rookie to get a snap, with Birmingham’s Andre Brown, Denver’s Javon Ringer, Las Vegas’s Rashad Jennings, and Memphis’s Shonn Greene all failing to get a single carry in Week 1 action.
Defenders fared a bit better, with Charlotte’s Rey Maualaga leading the way. The USC product led Charlotte with 10 tackles, including 2 for a loss as the Monarchs limited Atlanta to 7 points. Another big opening day was had by Ohio State product James Laurinaitis, who suited up for the Glory and finished the game with an impressive 12 tackles. Arizona’s Larry English landed his first sack along with 2 tackles. Houston safety Patrick Chung also registered his first sack on a blitz of Matt Leinart while also recording 5 tackles and a forced fumble. New Orleans DT Ricky Jean-Francois had only 1 tackle, but it was a sack of Kyle Orton in their game against the Stallions. Clay Matthews got the start for LA and recorded 3 tackles against the Thunder, while the third of the USC linebackers who all signed with the USFL, Brian Cushing, recorded 4 tackles in the Mauler’s game with Ohio.
Suggs & Haynesworth Impress in First Games
You won’t spot it in the boxscore, but both Terrell Suggs (Nashville) and Albert Haynesworth (Orlando) made an impression this week. Suggs, arriving after 6 seasons in the NFL had 4 tackles on the day. Haynesworth had 3 in his first game in the USFL after 7 NFL seasons, but both players were far bigger than their stats, often drawing double, if not triple blocks, freeing up others to stuff the run or pressure the QB. It seemed clear in both games that the offensive coordinators of both Memphis and Jacksonville respectively went into the game with an intention to know where the two NFL imports were and to neutralize them.
Of course, in their respect for these two players, they spread their defense thin elsewhere, as we saw with big games from Sean Rogers and Hunter Hillenmeyer for the Knights and Barrett Rudd, Calais Campbell, and Kenny Smith for Orlando. Both the Renegades and the Knights held their opponents well below their usual offensive totals, with Memphis only scoring a paltry 6 points and Brett Favre feeling the heat all game long. If defenses continue to focus on Suggs and Haynesworth, we could expect some big numbers from other Knight and Renegade defenders, and more strong performances overall from the defenses, good news for fans of both clubs.
Culpepper, Fitzpatrick, and Cutler, Down but Not Out
Three quarterbacks were knocked out of action at some point in this weekend’s games, but the good news is that all three are expected to be back in action next week. Of the trio of Cutler, Fitzpatrick, and Culpepper, only the Bandit QB appeared on the injury report, still dealing with the blow that dislocated his index finger, while Fitzpatrick (ankle) and Cutler (concussion) have both been cleared to play in Week 2. Scary for their teams at the moment, although two of three clubs still won their games, but always good when the players can bounce right back.
A few players this week will not be bouncing immediately back from injuries suffered in Week One. While not the most severe injury, Ricky Williams’s hip issue, believed to be a pointer or nerve pinch, will cost him Week 2’s game, and possibly longer. The worst injury of the week is that of CB Willie Middlebrooks of Nashville, who is expected to be out at least 2 months, perhaps longer, with a partial ACL tear. Across the state, Memphis LB Patrick Willis had a scary moment with a blow to the back. No fractures in his vertebrae, but the swelling is a concern and Willis is expected to need to be in a modified form of traction at least one month to allow the back to heal without the strain of torque created by movement. That puts him on a minimum of 6 weeks before he could return to the field.
Others expected to miss time include Atlanta TE Matt Schobel (2-4 weeks, hamstring), New Orleans LB Calvin Pace (1-2 weeks, elbow), Portland guard Marcus McFadden (1-2 weeks, hip), Bulls’ wideout Andre Caldwell (1-2 weeks, knee), and Bandits WR Roscoe Parrish (Doubtful with a foot injury).
Dallas prepares for first USFL Game in Week Two
As we gear up for Week 2 in the USFL, a delayed Week 2, the city of Dallas and the Cotton Bowl gears up for its first ever weekend of USFL action. The venerable Dallas stadium has not hosted a professional football stadium since Texas Stadium was completed in 1971. It has, of course, been host to the eponymous bowl game as well as playing host to the Southern Methodist Mustangs for many years, but next Saturday’s game between the LA Express and the Texas Outlaws will be the first in the stadium since the Cowboys left almost 40 years ago.
The stadium and the city seem ready, with more than 48,000 tickets sold to this game. Fans who had bought tickets to the originally planned season opener, a Week 1 Saturday clash with Washington were given new tickets for this revised season opener, which, when combined with the 17,000 season tickets sold and those who had already bought tickets for their game with the Express creates a nice opening weekend crowd. Expect to see some celebrities on hand as well as the Outlaws are making a spectacle of their game in Dallas. In addition to the usual Outlaw faithful, you can expect to see recognizable faces such as those of singer Willie Nelson, actor Woody Harrelson, American Idol star Kelly Clarkson, Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban, and, of course, star of the show “Dallas”, J. R. Ewing himself, actor Larry Hagman. It should be quite an event. The Outlaws have even hired locally-based performing artists Addison Road to perform at halftime. Should be an event this Saturday, and the game will be one of the nationwide broadcasts this weekend, on Fox at 4pm Eastern.
Fallout of Lockout Pointed Squarely at Commissioner
Only 18 months into his tenure as the Commissioner of the USFL, Don Garber is coming under heat from several owners, unhappy with his handling of the CBA negotiations as well as the lockout which resulted from the delay in reaching an agreement. Not only has the new CBA been deemed a win for the union, but the lengthy process and the subsequent winter lockout forced the league to cancel 2 preseason games as well as two regular season matchups, cutting into league revenue and forcing renegotiation of the various TV and sponsorship contracts in place, and all during one of the worst recessions in U. S. history.
A letter signed by 9 of the league’s owner, and spearheaded by Michigan owner A. Alfred Taubman, lays the responsibility for both the union-friendly contract and the lost revenue from the lockout squarely on Garber’s head. Taubman and his 8 associates call for Garber to resign, and while that is unlikely, there is very much a possibility that in the Summer league meetings, the group of disgruntled owners could force a vote of no confidence, which could relieve the embattled commissioner of his duties. Taubman will need to garner 16 votes of the 28 owners to meet the no confidence threshold, but with 9 owners already signing on to this initial salvo against Garber, it is very possible that he could find 7 more who, feeling the pinch of the recession, the anger of fans, and the very real possibility of significantly reduced revenue in the current season, might sign on for Taubman’s movement to oust Garber from the position.
Week Two is the exact opposite of our opening week, with all 28 USFL clubs playing outside their division. That does not mean we won’t have any good matchups, as teams try to define their trajectories early. National broadcasts are in bold. If there were any divisional games, they would be in blue, but there are none on the schedule in Week 2.
FRIDAY @ 8pm Seattle (0-1) @ Ohio (1-0) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (0-1) @ Baltimore (1-0) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Orlando (1-0) @ Boston (1-0) FOX
SATURDAY @ 12pm Tampa Bay (1-0) @ New Jersey (0-1) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm Denver (1-0) @ St. Louis (0-1) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm Los Angeles (0-1) @ Texas (0-1) FOX
SATURDAY @ 8pm Memphis (0-1) @ Washington (1-0) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm Atlanta (0-1) @ Nashville (1-0) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (1-0) @ New Orleans (1-0) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (0-1) @ Philadelphia (1-0) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm Oakland (1-0) @ Chicago (0-1) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm Portland (0-1) @ Michigan (1-0) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm Arizona (1-0) @ Pittsburgh (0-1) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm Las Vegas (1-0) @ Houston (0-1) ESPN
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