Week 11 turned out to be a strong week for road underdogs as six managed to beat the odds and take away a win. While there were not a lot of major upsets, with Atlanta’s win over Orlando the biggest surprise, it was a week when home favorites like Tampa Bay, Nashville, Washington and Pittsburgh could not get the job done, tightening up the playoff race and proving that home field advantage is only worth so much. We start our review, however, not with a road upset, but with a home team, desperate to stay relevant in a very tough division, takes out the division leader to once again find themselves back in the playoff mix.
BALTIMORE BLITZ 20 PHILADELPHIA STARS 24
The Stars, mired at 5-5, came into their home matchup with the Blitz as 5-point underdogs, despite the game being played at Lincoln Financial Field. They emerged a 4-point victor and back in the hunt in a tightening NE Division. Philadelphia, which had lost 3 of their last 4 games, including defeats to sub-500 Atlanta and Birmingham squads, was seen as a team headed the wrong direction, but against the Blitz they pulled out all the stops and found a way to send Baltimore to their 2nd straight defeat, pulling themselves within 2 games of the division leader at the same time. And they did it by essentially imitating their opponent on both sides of the ball.
Philadelphia used a consistent power run game, paired with short passes on offense to wear down the Blitz, while the Stars defense stuck with a 4-man rush and a mix of 2-deep and 1-deep zones to keep Ben Roethlisberger guessing. They did not get much pressure, though three sacks is not a bad day, but they limited the big play, with the longest Blitz passing play going for 12 yards. Meanwhile, Kurt Warner focused on converting third downs, keeping in front of the yard markers, and completing passes. He would finish 24 of 29 for 242 and 3 scores in one of his better performances this year.
The two teams started off the game with good defensive stands, but on Philadelphia’s 2nd drive, they got a break, the first of what would be 9 Baltimore penalties, turned a 3rd and 15 into an automatic first down. That penalty kept the drive going, and 4 plays later Warner would find Steve Smith for the game’s opening score. It would be the only score until the 2-minute warning of the first half, with both defenses playing well and limiting the offensive capacities of their opponents.
Late in the second quarter, Philadelphia would find the formula to get back in scoring range, relying on the run game with Steve Slaton leading the way. A 2nd and 2 turned into a 30-yard run for the West Virginia product, placing the ball just outside the red zone at the Blitz 21. On the very next play, Warner faked the ball to Slaton and found Terrell Owens in single coverage for his second TD toss of the day. With only 1:46 left in the half, it looked like the homestanding Stars would take a 2-score lead into the break.
That image was shot when Doug Gabriel, on the ensuing kickoff, found a perfect wedge to run behind, broke out to the left and took the ball all the way for an apparent touchdown. A review challenge (automatic for scoring plays) found that Gabriel had, in his efforts to walk the tightrope down the sideline, stepped out of bounds just with the edge of his left foot at the 2-yard line. One play later, Roethlisberger hit Jacob Tamme for Baltimore’s first score, and the Stars went into the locker room only up 7.
Baltimore would carry the momentum of Gabriel’s 98-yard kick return into the second half, coming out of the gate with a 57-yard drive that ended with a Martin Grammatica field goal, and then going one step better with a 71-yard drive that featured a Ron Dayne TD drive. It was Dayne’s best drive of the day, gaining 33 of his 105 yards on just this one possession. From a 14-0 lead, Philadelphia now found themselves down 17-14.
The Stars rallied and in a drive that started in the final seconds of the third quarter and bled into the 4th, Philadelphia again returned to Steve Slaton and Michael Robinson to move the ball. Paired with some short slants and hook routes to Owens, Smith, and TE Dallas Clark, the Stars drove all the way to the 1-yard line, but on a 3rd and goal, could not punch the ball in. Coach Harbaugh called it conservatively and sent out Mike Nugent for a chipshot field goal to tie the game, eschewing the option to try again on 4th down.
Two drives later, Baltimore would regain the lead, again off the foot of Martin Grammatica. With 2:36 left to play Baltimore was again on top, 20-17. Philadelphia, however, had some swagger left. They took the kickoff and gave the ball to Warner to move down to field goal range. He did better than that, moving crisply in a no-huddle offense with mid-range passes to Smith and Brent Celek, a nice out route to Reche Caldwell, and then a big 2nd and 3 play to Owens to get the ball well inside Nugent’s range with 1:22 still on the clock. Plenty of time for the Stars to go for the win, not the tie.
A draw play to Slaton garnered 7 yards, then a quick toss to Clark for a first down and the 2nd of Philly’s 3 time outs. After being forced to throw the ball away on 1st down, Warner responded with a strike to Steve Smith, his 6th catch of the day. Smith spun out of the initial tackle, but quickly dove out of bounds when the safety threatened to tackle him. With the ball now at the 2-yard line and the stadium crowd in full voice, Warner went back to Smith, and the diminutive receiver was ready, catching the quick outside toss at the 1 and diving for the pylon. The Stars retook the lead 24-20 with 1:15 left to spare.
Baltimore would get their shot, but would need a touchdown. They took the touchback on the kickoff and started at the 25. Roethlisberger was forced to dump the ball short to Antonio Pittman on first down, then found Antonio Gates on 2nd down to move the ball to the 37. But that is where the Stars dug in. On first down they again found pressure on Roethlisberger, and this time big DT Kendrick Clancy got a mitt on the ball as Roethlisberger tried to hit Tory Holt, tipping the ball up in the air and down to the turf. On 2nd down, Roethlisberger was again forced to dump the ball off, this time to Jacob Tamme for only a gain of 3. Using their last time out, they set up for 3rd and 7. Roethlisberger stayed in the pocket, despite good pressure from the Stars’ 4-man rush, tossing the ball towards Darrius Heyward-Bey, but it was off target and DHB could not go up and catch the high throw. 4th and 7 and desperation time. Again Roethlisberger looked towards Heyward-Bey, but this time Quentin Jammer was ready to jump the route, getting an arm in between the receiver and the ball and sending the ball to the turf.
The Stars had held off the division leader and kept their playoff hopes very much alive. With a loss by the Federals as well this week, it meant that 4 teams (Baltimore, Washington, Boston, and Philadelphia) were now all within 2 games of each other, with all 4 over .500 and all 4 in the group of 7 teams that sat in playoff position.
DENVER 13 NASHVILLE 12
Both defenses came to play in this one as Denver escapes Music City with a 1-point win. It was the ability of the Gold to run the ball with Javon Ringer (54 yards) and Mewelde Moore (72 yards) that made the difference as the Knights just could not get Frank Gore (19 carries, 59 yards) untracked.
ATLANTA 13 ORLANDO 7
Another defensive struggle and a huge upset as the Fire knock off the Renegades in Orlando. The Fire focused on pass protection, keeping in extra blockers and limiting Calais Campbell to 1 sack. That may be the formula going forward, though it certainly helped that Atlanta’s defense held Knowshon Moreno to only 24 yards rushing. It certainly helped that Drew Brees missed the game, as Matt Cassell was not able to rally the Renegades.
CHARLOTTE 24 TAMPA BAY 13
The Monarchs win a game they had to have, getting a big day from FS Chris Crocker (2 sacks) and a 2-TD, 97-yard effort from HB Robert Edwards. Charlotte also contained the Bandits by containing McGahee, limiting him to 2.4 yards per carry on the day.
OHIO 24 NEW JERSEY 10
Eddie George scored twice and Randy Moss had a good game with 118 yards receiving as Ohio got the win they wanted on the road and moved to 6-5. Ryan Fitzpatrick spent much of the day scrambling, finishing the game with 16 official “rush attempts”, most of which started as pass plays but quickly deteriorated.
LAS VEGAS 13 PORTLAND 17
A slobberknocker between two 5-5 clubs that goes to the home team. Las Vegas had a 13-0 lead, but the defense faded in the second half. A. J. Feeley connected with both Visanthe Shiancoe and Jabari Holloway in the second half as the Thunder upended Las Vegas and moved to 6-5.
MICHIGAN 34 ST. LOUIS 17
The Panthers took care of business in St. Louis, with Brian Griese throwing for 346 yards and 3 scores. Both Fargas and Washington also got 6 apiece as Michigan rolled. Coach Williams got feisty after the game as he was asked about his job security, but who wouldn’t?
LOS ANGELES 29 SEATTLE 34
Is this really happening again? Seattle wins their 4th in a row and find themselves in the Wild Card hunt in the West by moving to 5-6. LA led 23-13 just before the half, but a 97-yard kickoff return from Reggie Brown pulled Seattle within 3 and turned the momentum. A third quarter TD from Leftwich to Burleson got them the lead and another to Jeramy Stevens secured the win for the surging Dragons.
OAKLAND 38 JACKSONVILLE 31
The tough West Coast-East Coast flight seemed to sap Oakland early, but they charged back thanks to 4 TDs from Joey Harrington. Harrington threw 2 to his HB, Ricky Williams, while also connecting with Greg Jennings and Pierre Garçon to pull ahead and get the W.
ARIZONA 10 MEMPHIS 20
The Showboats finally get back in the win column as Brett Favre throws for 305 yards. Lee Evans was his big target with 131 yards receiving, while Robert Ferguson caught 6 balls for 91 yards. For Arizona, Coach Tomsula gave Colt Brennan the start in a surprise gameday announcement. The youngster went19 for 36, was sacked twice and threw 1 TD and 1 pick in his first official start.
BOSTON 41 WASHINGTON 31
A shootout all the way, Boston outlasted and outpaced the Federals thanks to 123 yards from Chad Johnson and a whopping 185 yards on the ground from Rashard Mendenhall. Washington countered with 3 TDs from Kordell Stewart and 120 yards receiving for Deion Branch, but there was just not enough in the Federals arsenal when the D could not contain Bledsoe and the Cannons.
HOUSTON 7 NEW ORLEANS 16
New Orleans needed this one as it moves them to 6-5 and puts them in range of Nashville in the South. Eli Manning got the game winner, a late TD to TE Chris Cooley to get the home win and quiet the boo birds who had been calling him out for 3 quarters. Houston was held to only 72 yards rushing without Shaun Alexander and could only muster one Tatum Bell TD as they drop to 6-5.
TEXAS 21 BIRMINGHAM 13
A solid game from WR Brandon Marshall (6 receptions for 104 yards and a score) help Texas improve to 4-7. T. J. Duckett added 83 yards and a score as Texas sacks Kyle Boller 5 times. The Stallion QB was called on a lot, with 57 pass attempts, but he could not rally the Stallions in this one.
CHICAGO 19 PITTSBURGH 17
The Machine claw their way up the ladder with a road win against a tough Mauler club. Cody Pickett had the better day throwing the ball, but Brady Quinn got the W in the end thanks to a late Maurice Clarett TD run. Quinn finished with only 147 yards to Pickett’s 327, but the Machine D kept Quinn in the game and the offense got the job done when they needed to to pull up to 7-4.
Arizona starts Colt Brennan over Carr
In a surprising gametime decision this week Coach Jim Tomsula of the Wranglers pulled his NFL import QB, David Carr, and gave the ball to 2nd year QB Colt Brennan. The former Rainbow Warrior from Hawaii had been on the bench all season behind the 7-year NFL veteran, but clearly Tomsula was concerned that Carr may not be the answer in a 3-7 USFL season. Brennan had his issues, tossing a pick and completing only 19 of 36 passes, but he also had some moments, including a 50-yard deep ball to Santana Moss and a very nicely thrown 38-yard completion to Larry Fitzgerald.
It seems clear that the QB situation is now a competition as the Wranglers look to improve in 2010. Coach Tomsula is likely to give Brennan more opportunities to prove himself in the final weeks of the season. Under Carr the Wrangler passing game has sputtered, ranked 27th with an average of only 183 yards per game. The Club is averaging only 17 points per game and while Carr is not the sole reason for their struggles, it seems clear that Brennan will be given a shot to show he can do better.
As for Carr, who signed a 3-year deal to leave the NFL and come to the desert, this cannot be a good sign. However, as has been pointed out in the local press on numerous occasions, it is not uncommon at all to see NFL imports struggling in their first year in the USFL. The physical strain of playing a full 16-week NFL season and then jumping right into a spring USFL season has often led to wear and tear, both physically and mentally, on NFL players and QBs are certainly not immune from this. So, we expect to see more of Brennan down the stretch, and fully anticipate an open QB competition in camp next spring, after Carr has had a chance to recover from back to back seasons. We may not have seen his best this year, so there is a chance he will be in better shape to compete next year, when the Wranglers as a whole are hoping to put out a better product on the field.
Brees Out with Tendinitis
Orlando’s loss at home to Atlanta had a lot of causes, and we should certainly give kudos to Coach Ramsey for finding a way to contain Calais Campbell to only 1 sack, but for most the game only turned Atlanta’s way because of the absence of Drew Brees. Brees started to complain of tightness in his throwing arm, particularly the elbow, on Monday, after Orlando’s victory over Memphis. By mid-week he was appearing on the injury list, and by game time he was a scratch.
Matt Cassel got the start, and despite completing 21 of 31 passes in the game, he was unable to rally the ‘Gades to a win. He got no help from Knowshon Moreno as Atlanta’s front seven limited the UGA back to 1.8 yards per carry and a grand total of 24 yards for the day. Orlando is still in fine shape, with a 2 game lead over Charlotte and only 3 to play. They could clinch the division with a win over Portland this week and an upset win by Jacksonville over the Hornets, but more importantly, we expect to see Brees back under center for the Renegades as they gear up for what many hope is a Summer Bowl run.
Glanville goes ballistic at Plummer
Things have not gone as planned for the Thunder this year. The arrival of Jake Plummer from the Wranglers in a blockbuster offseason trade was supposed to be a turning point, the key piece of the puzzle that would finally allow the Thunder offense to match the results that the defense has had for years. But, once again, the Thunder have been a one-sided team, with a Top 3 defense and a bottom 5 defense. Dropping to 5-6 with their loss to Portland this week, Jerry Glanville had apparently had enough. Famous for his sideline blowups, the diminutive head coach got into it on the sideline with his star offseason acquisition, visibly laying into Plummer after missed an open receiver on a key 3rd down play.
It was a clear moment of frustration for a coach who is hearing the boobirds and the calls for a change from local fans. And yet, he is not entirely wrong. Plummer was viewed as an offensive savior this offseason, expected to bring MVP-caliber play to the Thunder offense. But the truth is, we have seen declining production from Plummer for the past couple of years. After a very strong 2006, in which he threw 33 touchdowns and only 4 picks, his numbers have steadily declined. His QB Rating went from 120.9 in that 2006 season to 94.3 in 2007, 78.8 in 2008, and now 76.2 in his first year in Las Vegas. Most blamed the decline in Arizona to poor coaching and poor protection, but coming to Las Vegas has not improved either it would seem, and Plummer is beginning to look very much like Joe Namath in his last year in LA, or Ron Jaworski with the Dolphins. Las Vegas was hoping for a Joe Montana-Chiefs situation but may have ended up with more of a Johnny Unitas in San Diego result.
That said, Glanville will almost certainly catch heat himself from Las Vegas fans and local sports radio. His blow ups rarely produce better results, and his lack of offensive imagination has been an issue with every team he has coached. If Las Vegas again fail to reach the playoffs, even after investing so much to win the Plummer Fire Sale in the offseason, it could mean more than sideline histrionics, it could mean that Glanville is headed down the road at season’s end.
Seattle doing it again?
Could it really be happening again? Could Seattle again be recovering from an early season debacle to claw their way back into contention? Last year the Dragons started 0-4, but went 10-2 after that to finish the year solidly in the playoff picture. This season, with another 0-4 start, leading to a 1-6 record at the midway point, and only a 14-game season, the general consensus was that it was not going to happen again. But, this is the team that won a championship in a 6-8 season, and now, after 4 consecutive wins, the Dragons sit 1-game under .500 and find themselves only 1 game out of a Wild Card position. They could do it again if they can win 2-3 more down the stretch.
Seattle can get back to .500 with a win against the struggling Las Vegas Thunder this week. They will then face two more teams floating around.500 to close out the year, with a home game against Ohio in Week 13, and a season finale in Tampa Bay against a Bandits team that is in a very similar situation at 5-6. If there is one thing we can say for this club, and Coach Marvin Lewis, it is that they never count themselves out. Once again they seem to be trying to pull off an unlikely 2nd season within the same year, and if they can, they could very well be a dangerous opponent to face in the playoffs, as we learned in their 2005 championship run.
We have our first eliminations and our first tickets officially punched to the postseason. As expected, losses by St. Louis and Jacksonville have condemned the Skyhawks and Bulls to an early elimination from playoff contention. Sitting at 1-9 with only 3 weeks left this is not a surprise at all. Memphis, which got a W this week, was also eliminated thanks to an 0-8 conference record, making even a late run to 5-9 a pointless endeavor.
On the other side of the standings, two Western teams have locked up their spots in the postseason. Michigan, by virtue of an 8-1 conference record, is assured no worse than a Wild Card, though they hope to fend off Chicago and Pittsburgh, both 1 game back, to win the Central. Oakland has won their division, the first team to do so, thanks to a 5-0 division record. Portland can still catch them with 9 wins (assuming a Stag 3-game win streak paired with Oakland going 0-3 down the stretch) but with 2 division losses already, they cannot win the tiebreaker, thus guaranteeing the Invaders the Pacific Crown.
Both Michigan and Oakland sit at 9-2, with Michigan having the edge for the top seed thanks to their conference record and a week 8 victory over the Invaders, but with 3 games left, a loss by the Panthers will upend that calculus and provide Oakland with an opportunity.
in the East, things remain quite a bit more muddled, with only 2 games separating current #1 seed Baltimore (8-3) from 8th place New Orleans (6-5). And with no division leader in the conference seeing more than a 2-game lead, we may need to wait a while to determine division winners and playoff spots in the conference.
A tough week for some teams trying to stay alive in the playoff hunt. Several contenders took big injury hits this week, starting with Los Angeles, who not only had to put DT Daryl Gardner on IR with a back injury but also expect to miss Mark Sanchez for 1-2 weeks with a shoulder injury. Nashville will be without guard Jeb Terry for the rest of the year after his hip injury was determined to be a fracture to the pelvic bone. Pittsburgh has placed WR Kevin Johnson on IR after he fractured his tibia, while Tampa bay will be without LB Zeke Moreno for the rest of the regular season, with a possible playoff return if they can qualify.
Birmingham today confirmed that Mike Rucker will miss at least the next 2 games with turf toe, while Seattle is expected to be without OT Chad Clifton for the next 2 weeks as he deals with an ankle injury. Washington has listed LB Antonio Pierce as doubtful for this week due to a sprained knee, while Portland will be without CB DeAngelo Hall (neck). Philadelphia has CB Antonio Cromartie listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. Finally, a sigh of relief from Renegade Nation as Drew Brees was back at practice this week and is listed as probable for the game against Portland.
The Class of 2010
Three weeks left in the regular season which means some teams are already looking at the offseason and trying to see if there may be any help coming in the draft. As teams strategize about signings, free agency, the NFL window and the College Draft, there is a lot to factor into a GM’s work. We thought a good place to start would be with the College Draft Class of 2010. We may not know all the juniors who might come out this year, but based on what we know right now, we can assess the top players at each position and see where they could garner some interest in January when the USFL and NFL start making their picks. We will start with the defense and then look at the offense’s best talent to see just who may be on the radar of each USFL club’s scouting team. We will list the top 3 players at each position, indicating if they would be protectable in the Territorial Draft Pool, and then see where the best fits may be.
SAFETY: Eric Berry, Tennessee (NSH), Earl Thomas, Texas (TEX), and T. J. Ward of Oregon (POR). All three could be picks in the T-Draft. Of the three, Texas certainly should have an interest in Earl Thomas while we could see Portland or Nashville passing for positions of greater need.
CORNER: Joe Haden of Florida (JAX), Kareem Jackson of Alabama (BIR), and Devin McCourty of Rutgers (NJ). We could easily see each of these players being protected as all are in the territorial pools of clubs that certainly need to shore up their defenses. Don’t expect any of the three to make it to the open draft unclaimed.
LINEBACKER: Rolando McClain of Alabama (BIR), Sean Weatherspon of Mizzou (STL), and Sean Lee of Penn State (PHI). The Stars are not likely in the market for a linebacker, but both St. Louis and Birmingham could certainly be interested in these top flight linebackers.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska (DEN), Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma (NJ), and Dan Williams of Tennessee (NSH). The Gold should absolutely protect and throw the bank at Suh to try to land him in the Mile High City. New Jersey could opt for McCoy as well, though they went for B.J. Raji last year, so maybe they look for other positions. Nashville has two solid DTs already in Peria James and Shaun Rogers, so we think Williams might head to the open draft.
DEFENSIVE END: Brandon Graham of Michigan (MGN), Jason Pierre-Paul of USF (TBY), and Jerry Hughes of TCU (Houston). Of these three, the best fit is JPP with the Bandits, who could certainly use a polished edge rusher to help that defense.
CENTER: Maurkice Pouncey of Florida (JAX) and J. D. Walton of Baylor (TEX) seem like the best options in this year’s group. Jacksonville could go for Pouncey, but it depends on what a new regime is looking for (Sorry, Gunther, we don’t expect you to be with the Bulls in January, not after this season’s collapse.)
GUARD: Mike Iupati of Idaho, Jon Asamoah of Illinois (CHI), and Mike Johnson of Alabama (BIR). The top guard in the draft is unprotected, so that means a frenzy in the open draft if guard is a need. Birmingham has a lot of needs so we are not sure if guard will merit one of only 3 T-Draft protected slots. Chicago could certainly go for Asamoah, who would fit in well with their run-first strategy.
TACKLE: Trent Williams of OU (NJ), Russell Okung of Oklahoma State, and Bryan Bulaga of Iowa (STL). The Skyhawks need to build a run game and Bulaga would make a lot of sense for them to help in that cause. Guard is a potential area for New Jersey as well, so Trent Williams could be tempting. Okung will be in the open draft since no team has OK State as a protected school.
TIGHT END: Jermaine Gresham of OU (NJ), Rob Gronkowski of Arizona (ARZ), and Tony Moeaki of Iowa (STL). We just don’t think New Jersey or St. Louis can prioritize tight end in this year’s draft, so we expect Gresham and Moeaki to be available. Gronkowski may be another story, as Arizona is set at WR and HB, we think, so a TE is a smart move, and Gronkowski offers some very intriguing skill sets.
WIDE RECEIVER: Demaryius Thomas of Georgia Tech (ATL), Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State, and Aurelious Benn of Illinois (CHI) are at the top of our list, but it is a pretty good group. Chicago will have to decide if they prefer Benn or Notre Dame’s Golden Tate. We think they will protect one of the two to bring in a new #2 receiver. Atlanta would be foolish to pass up a chance to bring in a potential #1 receiver in Thomas. The need is so obvious.
HALFBACK: C. J. Spiller of Clemson (JAX), Jahvid Best of Cal (OAK), and Dexter McCluster of Ole Miss (NSH) are our top 3 backs. With Ricky Williams in Oakland and Frank Gore in Nashville, we think that means that Best and McCluster go to the open market, but Jacksonville should look long and hard at Spiller as an option to add some life to a pretty mundane run game.
QUARTERBACK: Sam Bradford of Oklahoma (NJ), Tim Tebow of Florida (JAX), and Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame (CHI) are our top 3 QBs, with Colt McCoy of Texas also in the mix. New Jersey has to be licking their chops at the possibility of signing Bradford. It will not be cheap, as the NFL will also want to put a bid in, but New Jersey is an attractive market to be sure. The big question for us is whether or not Jacksonville will go for the fan favorite and instant ticket seller in Tim Tebow. They have Jake Delhomme solidly in the starting role, so that could produce more issues than answers, but the temptation is great, to be sure. Clausen is not likely to go to Chicago, who signed Brady Quinn only a few years ago, filling their Notre Dame QB quota for a while.
Some real talent to be sure in the upcoming draft, and some tough calls for teams that have only 3 T-Draft picks to protect. Do they go for the big-money, big name player, or do they use those picks on depth and positions of need? It is way too early to tell right now. We have to get through free agency, the NFL-USFL transfer window, and the wave of retirements that can change priorities for teams pretty quickly. It is way too early to know anything, but the perfect time to speculate wildly.
Best of the USFL: Interior Linemen
Another tough position to gauge, both Center and Guard, as stats are just not abundant for most line play positions. While some focus is paid to the ability of guards and centers to pull and contribute to counter and trap run plays, protecting the QB remains the primary facet of their work.
C Jeff Saturday (OAK): Two very different players listed as the best centers in the league this year. The first is a 12-year veteran for the Invaders, a player with 2 All-USFL nominations and generally considered the most physically and mentally complete player at the position.
C Matt Birk (PHI): Our second selection is in his first year in the USFL after transferring from the NFL this year. Birk came to Philly with a very solid NFL career in his rear view, and he has proven his worth as he has helped the Stars protect Kurt Warner and produce a solid run game at the same time.
G Steve Hutchinson (TBY): A 9 year veteran for the Bandits, “Hutch” is one of the best pulling guards in the league and the only guard to win a Player of the Week award in the past 10 years. In 9 years, Hutchinson has averaged fewer than 5 sacks allowed per year, one of the best totals for any consistent starter at the position.
G Leonard Davis (TEX): Our second guard in this list is a man mountain for the Outlaws. Not as mobile as Hutchinson, but nearly impossible to move off the line also. Davis is also in his 9th pro season with Texas, and tops Hutch with only 30 sacks allowed over 9 years of action.
G Ruben Brown (OAK): The elderstatesman of our list, Brown is in his 14th season in the USFL, much of it spent in Philadelphia before he moved to the West Coast with Oakland in 2007. Another impossible to move inside presence, Brown is known for his ability to move defensive tackles at will, a real asset when you want to establish the run for a big back like Ricky Williams.
Others who merit mention and consideration include guards Alan Faneca (LA), Chris Naole (HOU), and Logan Mankins (OAK), along with centers Shaun O’Hara (STL), and Mike Flanagan (DEN). Yes, you read that right, both Oakland’s left and right guards are listed within our small group of the elite players on the interior line, a fact that clearly helps explain the ability of the Invaders to run a consistently strong interior rushing strategy.
Three weeks left in the season, lots of playoff spots left to claim, and 5 of 6 divisions still up for grabs, so what can Week 12 tell us? Well, with 12 divisoinal games, this week will absolutely be a difference maker for many teams. Let’s Break it down.
FRIDAY @ 8pm Memphis ( 2-9) @ New Orleans (6-5) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Tampa Bay (5-6) @ Atlanta (4-7) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (6-5) @ Pittsburgh (7-4) FOX
SATURDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (1-10) @ Charlotte (6-5) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm Denver (7-4) @ Texas (4-7) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm Oakland (9-2) @ Los Angeles (4-7) FOX
SATURDAY @ 8pm Seattle (5-6) @ Las Vegas (5-6) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm Ohio (6-5) @ Michigan (9-2) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (3-8) @ Boston (7-4) FOX
SUNDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (4-7) @ Nashville (7-4) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm St. Louis (1-10) @ Chicago (7-4) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm Orlando (8-3) @ Portland (6-5) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm Arizona (3-8) @ Houston (6-5) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm Washington (8-3) @ Baltimore (8-3) ESPN
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