A huge upset in the Meadowlands, a nailbiter in Columbus, a defensive slugfest in Philly, and an absolute blowout in Detroit. All part of an action-packed Week 2 that saw all 28 USFL clubs playing inter-divisional games. We start in Columbus, where the Glory and Dragons fought tooth and nail for a win in Ohio Stadium. We will cover all 14 games and take a special look at the injury to Brett Favre that could keep him out of action well into midseason. All this and our look at the top five cornerbacks in the USFL right now, part of a new series on the Best of the USFL.
SEATTLE DRAGONS 19 OHIO GLORY 20
If you want an example of how the league’s player lockout has led to the defenses being a bit more advanced than the offenses, this Friday’s game between the Dragons and the Glory may be as good an example as you will find. In Seattle and Ohio you have two of the most talented offensive rosters in the league, each with All-USFL quarterbacks and 1,000 yard rushing halfbacks, and yet this game could not reach the over-under of 40 points that Vegas had set.
Now, that does not mean it was not a very entertaining game for the NBC viewers on Friday, but it was not the shootout that fans expected when they saw this matchup on the schedule. The game ended with no 300-yard passer no 100-yard receiver, and Corey Dillon was the only true standout statistically, barely cusping over 100 yards, with his 102 yard performance. Eddie George was held to only 41 yards on 19 carries, a 2.2 average, but would end the game as the player with the most important single play.
While the game was not an offensive showcase, we did have scoring in each of the 4 quarters, with Seattle kicking off the game with an opening drive that produced 3 points. Ohio was slower to get started, unable to move the ball on their first possession, but scoring on their second. After a holding penalty pushed them into a 3rd and 17 on their first possession, the Glory got a break. Byron Leftwich had a ball tipped at the line and that provided a perfect tip drill for rookie LB James Laurinaitis, who made his first career pick and placed the Glory on the Seattle side of the field. Six plays later a quick slant form the 4 put the ball into free agent acquisition Javon Walker’s hands, and put 6 points on the board.
But that short drive off a turnover was the only successful drive for Ohio in the first half. With Eddie George struggling to find room to run, and with Seattle’s defense pressuring Collins, Ohio was stymied for most of the half. Collins would be sacked 3 times in the 2nd quarter, producing one pick and 3 failed third down plays. Seattle would take advantage, addeing 10 points in the period, another Dave Rayner field goal and a short TD toss from Leftwich to Dwayne Jarrett as the visitors took a 13-7 lead into the half.
Coach Luginbill made some changes in the second half, cutting back on the 3-receiver sets to provide a 2nd TE to help with pass protection, and that seemed to help, at least on the one drive that produced points in the 3rd, a solid 71-yard, 12-play march that finished with Collins finding TE Stephen Alexander for a go-ahead score. 14-13 after 45 minutes of play.
In the 4th, Seattle would take that lead back as Nate Burleson, who appears to be developing into the clear #2 receiver that Seattle has long lacked, took a short hook pass from Leftwich, turned the corner, and sprinted to the endzone for a 28-yard touchdown. Seattle was back on top 19-14, and would go for two to make it a 7 point lead. They failed when TE Tyler Eckler dropped the quick out pass, meaning that they would try to hold to a tenous 5-point lead.
Ohio got the ball at the 8-minute mark and started moving the ball methodically once again. Their strategy to leave a 2nd TE in as a blocker meant that we saw less of Javon Walker, and that either rookie Brandon Pettigrew or veteran Stephen Alexander would have to stay in on each play instead of making use of their receiving talent, but the strategy had offset a Seattle pass rush that had garnered 4 sacks in the opening 3 periods. It was a good plan, but not a flawless one.
On a 2nd and 4, Seattle countered the plan with an all out blitz, and before he could find a receiver, Kerry Collins went down a fifth time, wrapped up by FS Paris Lenon. That produced a 3rd and 9, and with the Glory more or less in range for kicker Josh Brown, Ohio was not going to risk falling further back. They called a quick screen to Eddie George just to try to get a bit closer for their kicker, but got a lot more. Seattle blitzed again, and the screen caught them out of position. George caught the ball with two blockers out in front and only 2 defenders between himself and the endzone. His blockers took care of the corner, and a straightarm forced safety John Keith to the ground, allowing George to slide along the sideline and in for 6. Ohio also opted to go for 2, and also failed in the attempt, leaving them up 20-19 with 5 minutes left to play.
Seattle would not be able to take advantage of those final 5 minutes, their final drive ending with a failed 4th and 8 pass and Ohio breathing a sigh of relief as they assumed the victory position. The battle of move and counter-move had gone their way as they made the right changes to offset Seattle’s defensive strategy and got one call perfectly right, leading to the winning score. Ohio moves to 2-0 with the win, and Seattle drops to 0-2 in a result that feels eerily similar to the kind of games that put them in an 0-4 hole last season.
JACKSONVILLE 21 BALTIMORE 31
The Blitz continue to impress as Ben Roethlisberger throws for 3 scores, two to Tory Holt. Baltimore built up a 17-0 lead in the first half and then traded scores with the Bulls in the second half to take the game by 10 points. James Farrior led the D with 13 tackles and a sack as the Blitz remain unbeaten and the Bulls drop to 0-2.
ORLANDO 13 BOSTON 20
The Cannons get into the win column as they take the home opener against the Renegades. Drew Bledsoe threw for 311 yards and Percy Harvin scored again as Boston got the only score of the final period to break a 13-13 tie. Bledsoe performed well despite suffering 8 sacks in the game, 4 from sophomore sensation Calais Campbell, who was all but unblockable in this game.
TAMPA BAY 6 NEW JERSEY 26
Have we had the upset of the year already? New Jersey shut down the Tampa Bay offense, leading many to question if Daunte Culpepper should have gotten the start after injuring his throwing hand last week. Ryan Fitzpatrick went 17 of 23 and backup HB Kerry Joseph busted loose for 81 yards on only 8 carries as the Generals stun the Bandits.
DENVER 27 ST. LOUIS 10
The Gold move to 2-0 with a dominant win over St. Louis, but Matt Leinart was unable to finish the game. In relief, Derrick Anderson threw 2 TD passes. Jeff Blake suffered another pick, this one a pick-six from Jamel Williams, as St. Louis struggled, and home fans called for Josh Freeman to get into the game. Denver dominated, posting 37:48 in time of possession and outgaining the Skyhawks 422-158 in a game not as close as the score would indicate.
LOS ANGELES 24 TEXAS 14
Mark Sanchez gets his first pro win as the Express get 100 yards from Maurice Jones-Drew and 2 scores from his NFL import understudy, Maurice Morris, as the Maurices take care of business in Dallas. The game, played in front of nearly 50,000 in the Cotton Bowl, was only 7-6 LA through 3 quarters, but after falling behind 14-7, LA scored the final 17 points of the game to take the win.
MEMPHIS 10 WASHINGTON 38
Brett Favre is knocked out of the game early with a potentially significant injury and Mike McMahon can do nothing against Washington’s defense as the Feds rack up 8 sacks on the day. Meanwhile, Deuce McCallister rushes for 96 yards and 2 scores and Kordell Stewart runs one in himself as Washington dominates a hobbled Memphis team.
ATLANTA 7 NASHVILLE 21
Kyle Orton struggles against the Knights D as Terrell Suggs gets a sack, forced fumble, recovery, a pick, and 9 tackles in a master class of defensive aggression. Frank Gore contributed 126 yards on the ground and Jay Cutler completed 18 of 27 with two TDs as Nashville broke a 7-7 halftime score with the only points of the second half to pull away.
CHARLOTTE 29 NEW ORLEANS 5
Is Charlotte for real? Their defense sure seemed to be as they picked off Eli Manning twice and limited Matt Forte to only 24 yards rushing. Chris Weinke threw for a score and Robert Edwards rushed for 107 and a TD as the Monarchs did not look like the 2-year-old franchise in this game, winning easily over a very flat Breakers squad.
BIRMINGHAM 9 PHILADELPHIA 14
The Stallion defense played inspired ball, picking off Kurt Warner twice, but the offense could not complement their efforts, with no run game at all and Kyle Boller unable to rally the Stallions late. Steve Slaton and Michael Robinson combined for 122 yards, but Philly could not put this game away until the final seconds.
OAKLAND 20 CHICAGO 31
A good one at Soldier Field, where the Machine built up a 14-point lead at the half and then kept pace with every Invader attempt to come back. Brady Quinn threw for 2 scores and Michael Turner had his first 100-yard game of the year, rushing for 106. Without Ricky Wiliams on the field, Joey Harrington threw for 322 yards, but could not turn those yards into enough points to take the game.
PORTLAND 7 MICHIGAN 41
The defending champs were scary good in their home opener, destroying the Stags thanks to 471 yards of offense. Justin Fargas rushed for 133 and Brian Griese threw for 242 and 3 scores before the starters were removed from the game late. By the time Portland got on the board, they were down by 28, and it just never got better from there.
ARIZONA 16 PITTSBURGH 34
The Maulers and QB Cody Pickett had a very strong outing in their 2nd home game to open the season. Pickett went 21 of 32 for 261 yards and a score, while backup HB Kenny Watson scored twice on only 3 carries, one of them a spectacular 18-yard run through and over defenders. David Carr was picked off twice by the Maulers and Pittsburgh DE Kyle Vanden Bosch got a rare TD on a fumble recovery to power the Maulers.
LAS VEGAS 23 HOUSTON 30
Sunday’s nightcap saw Houston edge Las Vegas thanks to a 3-TD, 101-yard performance by Ike Hilliard. Shaun Alexander added 75 on the ground and Houston’s defense held Marshawn Lynch to only 53 yards on the day as the Gamblers even their record at 1-1.
Updating the Brett Favre Injury
Brett Favre, the league’s Iron Man at QB, lasted only 3 drives in the Showboats’ loss to Washington. Late in the first quarter a sack by Greg Spires, the third on Favre in less than a quarter, sent the veteran QB to the sideline holding his right hand. He would not return to the game, and on Monday we received the news that he would not return to start the next game. This marks the first time in nearly 15 years that Favre will miss a start.
The diagnosis came back as a fracture in his wrist and forearm, a break that would require at least 2-3 weeks to heal, and possibly longer before Favre would be able to throw at 100%. It could be a month or longer before Favre is on the field again, a development which profoundly impacts the two-time defending Eastern Conference Champion. Mike McMahon subbed in for Favre in the Week 2 game and will likely be the starter for Week 3, when the Boats host the Breakers. With McMahon and rookie Keith Null as the only quarterbacks on the roster, expect Memphis to shop around for another viable option as they try to deal with a 4-6 week period without their All-USFL, MVP quarterback.
Too Legit or Too Lucky?
So what is the verdict on the surprising 2-0 starts for the Charlotte Monarchs and Nashville Knights? Are these two teams, both predicted to have losing records this year, legitimate contenders or is their quick start the result of luck.
Charlotte has been impressive in its wins over Atlanta and New Orleans, particularly on defense, as the team currently ranks as the #1 scoring and yardage defense in the league. They have allowed only 12 total points in their first two games and are allowing under 30 yards per game rushing. Despite this, folks are not jumping on the bandwagon just yet. With teams underprepared for the season due to the shortened training camp and preseason, defenses have, in general, had an advantage, and there is a belief that as we hit weeks 3-5 teams will start to gel on offense. But when we look at Charlotte, we see a formula that can work. The Monarchs are 2nd in the league, averaging 131 yards rushing, so their defense is on the field less, which keeps them fresh and able to be aggressive for the full game. We also see that Julius Peppers has been able to get to the QB, making it tough for opposing teams on third down particularly, whilethe LB group led by Jerod Mayo, with rookie Rey Maualaga and Scott Fujita, has been very effective against the run. That is a pretty good formula. One likely to be tested by a frustrated Tampa Bay Bandits team in Week 3.
As for Nashville, the addition of Terrell Suggs has also helped boost their defensive strength, though we should also highlight the outstandin play of CB Chidi Iwoma and SS LaRon Landry as the Knights have staked their claim as the 2nd best scoring defense In the league, allowing only 13 points in the season’s first two weeks. Suggs has 3 sacks on the season and is forcing teams to pull team blocks away from defensive ends Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and Gary Stills. Hunter Hillenmeyer is focused on the run and leads the team with 13 tackles, but also has 2 sacks as the Knights are using more blitz packages.
On offense, the Knights are also finding success on the ground, with Frank Gore averaging 100 yards per game over the first two weeks. That has made life easier for Jay Cutler, and the 4th year QB (playing in a contract year) is responding, with 436 yards, 4 TDs and no picks yet this season.
It seems in both the case of the Knights and the Monarchs that a combination of a game-shortening offense based on the run and a pressure defense is succeeding in limiting opponent scoring opportunities. Whether or not these two clubs’ early successes are the result of a very sound plan of attack or benefit from a lack of cohesion on opposing offenses will be born out as we get deeper into the season, but with a struggling Bandits squad and a shaky Stallions team as the next opponents for these two clubs, we could see 3-0 for both, which would certainly help build some momentum for the rest of the season.
How Long to Wait on Freeman?
It did not take long for fans in St. Louis to start calling for rookie Josh Freeman to get into games. With an 0-2 start and the Skyhawks currently ranked dead last in passing yards, local sports radio has been nothing but a flood of calls for Coach Williams to put the K-State rookie into action. St. Louis is averaging only 165 yards per game through the air with Jeff Blake at the helm, and while Blake’s 2 picks so far are hardly out of the norm for many USFL QB’s, memories of last year’s 22-interception season have not filled fans with hope that better things are ahead for Blake.
So far, Coach Williams has remained steadfast that Blake is the starter, but with a high value QB waiting in the wings, one the Skyhawks spent considerable resources to sign, the pressure may start to mount to make the switch. An 0-4 start, for example, could be all it takes, as St. Louis ownership is already concerned that the euphoria of the club’s 2006 inaugural season is fading, and ticket sales are down. A fourth straight 10-loss season, paired with the current economic crisis, will certainly make the Skyhawks a tougher ticket to sell, and that has ownership worried. So, Coach Williams has really two options at this point, find a way to generate more successful outcomes for Blake or make the switch and rely on Freeman’s natural talents to make up for his lack of experience and the club’s overall lack of offensive weapons.
A rough week around the league, and not just in Memphis, where Brett Favre is out at least a month. In Atlanta a scary injury as DE Marcus Howard suffered a ruptured Achilles and will be out for the year. Pittsburgh LB Buster Davis was also placed on IR with a skull fracture, a rare but nasty injury. Michigan will be without LB DeMarcus Ware at least 2-4 weeks after a stress fracture in his foot. New Jersey lost two starters from their secondary in this week’s game, with both Mike Rumph and FS Tony Driver expected to miss at least 2 games.
Denver has listed Matt Leinart as OUT for this week, but the hope is that his sprained knee will see considerable improvement and Leinart might be able to go in Week 4. Jacksonville WR Andre Caldwell could also be out this week with a hyper extended knee. HB Ricky Williams remains out, listed as Doubtful for a 2nd straight week. Denver DE Ryan Denney is also doubtful with a hip issue, while Tampa Bay WR Roscoe Parrish was upgraded to Probable after missing Week 2 with a fracture in his foot. Others who could return to action include Houston CB Justin Knox, Birmingham WR Dedrick Ward, and Boston QB Drew Bledsoe, who suffered an injury to his nose when his helmet was slammed back on his head in a violent hit.
USFL Cuts Prices to Reach Attendance Goals
Reporting in the Sporting News this week revealed that all is not going as planned in the USFL. The combination of resentment among fans for the league lockout and an economy that has produced 10% unemployment rates across the country is having an effect on the league. The league confirmed this week that with 1 month to go before the delayed opening kickoff, season ticket sales across the league were down nearly 12%, and single game sales were down nearly 10% from 2008. The response of most teams, hoping to bolster sales in the final weeks of the extended offseason, was to offer ticket deals, both on flex-packages (packages that provide fans with 3 or 4 games vs. the full season ticket of 7 games) and single game tickets to try to motivate sales. This, combined with the required reduction of season ticket prices since the season would provide only 7 and not 8 home games, meant that while the attendance numbers look like they will come in close to 2008 totals (varying by team), the revenue numbers from ticket sales could see a 10% dip from 2008 to 2009 on a per game basis. Combined with a 1/8th reduction in television revenue caused by the two weeks cut from the schedule, the dip in overall league revenue will be substantial.
We are living through a recession the likes of which we have not seen since the 1930’s, so some decrease in profits is to be expected, but the poor timing of a labor dispute and a reduction in gameday revenue compounds the problems the league is facing both with its overall revenue stream and with several ownership groups, where the financial crisis within banking and real estate has produced real financial concern for the core ownership itself. The league has consistently stated that while the economic situation of the league is still very stable, there are signs that some franchises may need to restructure their financial model as well as their ownership group. In most cases this will be done internally, but we have already seen Birmingham seeking a new principal owner, and reports have both Boston and Las Vegas looking to bring in new owners to diversify their ownership groups.
The financial stability of ownership, paired with the reduction of revenue in 2009, and its potential impact on the salary cap, will almost certainly be topics to be discussed when the owners gather this May. For now, it means that we should anticipate a potentially rough offseason as teams try to tighten their belts, meaning that we may not see some of the free agent signings we have seen in the past, and that the NFL, which seems to be weathering the recession a bit more solidly, may have an advantage as the newly negotiated transfer window system goes into effect this October.
Best of the USFL: Cornerbacks
This week we start a multiple week series looking at the best of the best in the USFL this season. Unlike last year’s Mt. Rushmore, we are now looking at current players only, not that this makes the debates any easier. We will cover a position each week for most of the season as we explore the elite players at each position. At the end we will tally up the best of the best and see which club has cornered the market on top talent. We start this week with Cornerback as our position of choice.
An elite corner is a player who can shut down any team’s primary receiver, assist with outside run coverage, and shut down big plays, even when their assignment does not include the ballcarrier. The following five players represent the absolute best in the USFL in 2009 at doing all of these vital tasks and doing them extremely well.
1. Charles Woodson (ATL): A ten year veteran of the Washington Federals’ defense, Woodson made the move to Atlanta last year and provided the same dominant coverage for the Fire that had made him a regular All-USFL player as a Federal. His 36 career picks are impressive, especially when we consider that he is so rarely thrown at. Even more impressive, 14 of those 36 picks were returned for scores, an incredible 38%.
2. Will Allen (LV): In his 9th season as a member of the Thunder, Will Allen is both hard to throw against and a very hard hitter. Unafraid to take on big running backs in the flat or to chase down the league’s elite receivers, Allen has not only picked off 18 balls, but forced 19 fumbles as well, using a swung free arm to dislodge catches and turn them into takeaways.
3. Ronde Barber (HOU): Like his brother Tiki, this Barber twin came into the league in 1997 with the Atlanta Fire but left for Houston after 3 seasons. With the Gamblers he has become one of the most feared corners in the game and is always matched up against the opposition’s fastest receiver. Tiki may have retired, but after 12 seasons, Ronde seems ready for more this year.
4. Quentin Jammer (PHI): Another savvy veteran, Jammer, in his 8th year in the league, already has 16 picks and 17 forced fumbles. He is more of a zone specialist but can also excel in bump & run coverage. Last year for the stars he had 85 tackles as well, showing he is not afraid to mix it up.
5. Deltha O’Neal (MGN): No younglings in our list, O’Neal enters his 10th season with Michigan as the undisputed #1 corner for the Panthers. Injuries have forced him to miss 14 games over the past two years, but the Panthers are hoping he is able to give his all every week this year as their defensive plans often involve O’Neal being able to take away one of the competition’s best options. O’Neal does not have the interception skills of some of his peers but is one of the best “swatters” in the game, with 79 passes defended in his career.
Not every quality corner could make our top 5, a problem we expect to see with pretty much every position we study. Several other names got votes, so we want to recognize these outstanding defenders as well. Among those very much in the discussion were Patrick Surtain (PIT), Antoine Winfield (LV), Shaun Springs (HOU), Marcus Truffant (SEA) and Nate Clements (NJ). All outstanding players, but not able to crack the Top 5.
The 2009 schedule was designed to offer periodic weeks of nearly full divisional slates, interspersed with weeks with very few to no divisional games. Too early to tell if this is a good plan or not, but what we can say is that Week 3 will be another major clash of divisional rivals early in the season. We have a battle of unbeatens in Baltimore, when the Stars come to town.
We have quite a few “desperation games” where 0-2 teams are facing off against 2-0 teams and trying anything to avoid an 0-3 start, including Seattle, who did this last year, starting 0-4 before rallying. We have Charlotte hoping to stay unbeaten as they face the Bandits in front of what is sure to be a huge crowd at home, and we have some nice 1-1 matchups with the Maulers traveling to Chicago, New Jersey, hot off their upset win this week, going out to Oakland, and Orlando traveling to Atlanta to take on the Fire.
FRIDAY @ 8pm Pittsburgh (1-1) @ Chicago (1-1) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Orlando (1-1) @ Atlanta (0-2) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (0-2) @ Ohio (2-0) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Tampa Bay (1-1) @ Charlotte (2-0) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm St. Louis (0-2) @ Michigan (2-0) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm Portland (0-2) @ Las Vegas (1-1) FOX
SATURDAY @ 8pm Philadelphia (2-0) @ Baltimore (2-0) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm Washington (2-0) @ Boston (1-1) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm Nashville (2-0) @ Birmingham (0-2) FOX
SUNDAY @ 12pm New Orleans (1-1) @ Memphis (0-2) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (0-2) @ Denver (2-0) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm Houston (1-1) @ Arizona (1-1) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm New Jersey (1-1) @ Oakland (1-1) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm Seattle (0-2) @ Los Angeles (1-1) ESPN