USFL LIVES

Sep 17, 202331 min read

2009 USFL Week 7 Recap: Midseason Report

Before we get to this week's THIS IS THE USFL entry, a quick website update. A new poll has been added to help decide the fate of the city of Dallas as a USFL market. The Cotton Bowl is hosting the Texas Outlaws for 2009 due to construction at the Alamodome, and it has been going very well. So, should Dallas get fast tracked to get a team? Should the league consider expansion? Or should an ownership develop that would buy and relocated a troubled USFL franchise from another city? Maybe you think 2 teams in Texas is enough and Dallas should be content with the Cowboys.

You can vote in the poll (easily found on the header bar) and leave a comment with what you think would be best for Dallas and its football-loving fans, or what would be best for the league. No promises on how I take this, but your input could certainly help guide my thoughts on the city and its USFL future. The poll will be open through the 2009 USFL playoffs.

In this shortened season, week 7 represents the midway point, and at the midpoint of the year, what do we know? We know that there are several teams well on their way to a 10-or-more win season, and several who are struggling to find any wins at all. We know we can count on Chicago’s defense to show up, Orlando’s to pressure the QB, and Houston’s to keep them in every game. We know that Ohio, Michigan, and Boston can put up points, and we know that New Jersey, Atlanta, and St. Louis have not yet found a way to generate offense at all. We know that Deuce McCallister will find his way to 100 yards, that Chad Johnson is impossible to shut down, and that Denver is a tough out at home. But there is still a lot to learn, and a lot which has not been figured out yet. At the midway point of the year we have 9 teams sitting at either 4-3 or 3-4, none of whom have made their case strongly enough that they are to be considered contenders, and half of whom are likely to miss out even on the extended 14-team playoff. What is left to be determined is quite a bit, actually, and we will try to make sense of it here, at This Week in the USFL

BOSTON CANNONS 34 PHILADELPHIA STARS 28 OVERTIME

The Northeast Division has given us some of the best games of the year, and this week was no exception as the Boston Cannons and Philadelphia Stars clashed at Lincoln Financial Field. Boston would have a strong 21-point run in the first half, and would use that to keep the Stars at arm’s length most of the game, but Philadelphia is a tenacious club and slowly they crept their way back, eventually tying the game and sending it to overtime.

It was a game that saw both teams lean heavily on their passing games, with both Drew Bledsoe and Kurt Warner going over 400 yards passing. Steve Smith came close to 200 yards receiving with 197 yards and 2 scores, while Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson also went over 100 in a game where neither team could establish the run early and both quickly turned to a pass-happy strategy.

Philadelphia was the first to score, with Warner connecting with Smith on a 60-yard scoring strike only 1:30 into the game. Boston responded with a toss from Bledsoe to Johnson that equalized the score, and then followed that up 6 minutes later with Bledsoe connecting with Joe Jurevicius to give Boston it’s first lead. Midway through the 2nd quarter Bledsoe and the Boston aerial attack would strike again, with Chad Johnson getting his 2nd TD of the day to put Boston up 21-7, but Philadelphia, now down 14, was not out of options, and they finished the first half with a 71-yard drive that culminated with Michael Robinson plunging in from the 1. Robinson would have only 11 yards rushing on the day, but two of his 12 carries would be scoring runs.

Up by 7 at the half, Boston received the opening kickoff for the 2nd half and needed fewer than 4 minutes to again boost the difference to 14 points. Bledsoe found his newest target, slot receiver Percy Harvin from the 24-yard line on an out & up and Boston was again up by two scores. But,once again, Philadelphia was game, and they would close out the 3rd with another long drive, again with Michael Robinson diving in from the 1, this time following a defensive pass interference call on a pass to Terrell Owens that put the ball one yard out.

The 4th quarter saw both teams struggle to move the ball early, with both clubs turning up the pressure. There were 14 sacks in the game, 7 for each starting QB, and both were sacked 3 times each in the final period. The one-dimensional attack of both clubs led to more opportunities for QB pressure and a lack of focus on the run game by the defensive fronts of both clubs. Robert Mathis would garner both of his 2 sacks of the less-than-agile Bledsoe in the final period, while Boston used blitz schemes to bring pressure on Warnerm with sacks from London Fletcher and Chris Claiborne in the period. Despite the pressure, down only 7 at this point, Philadelphia managed to find the equalizer when Warner hit Steve Smith for a 25-yard scoring strike on a corner route, putting up the equalizer with 3 minutes left to play. That tied up the game, but left Boston with time to potentially get the game winner in the final moments.

It would be on the Stars’ defense to find an answer for the Cannons or risk losing in the final seconds. The key play was a 3rd and 7 on the Cannon 44-yard line. Bledsoe threw for Jurevicius, but FS Anthony Dorsett reached across Jurevicius’s body, and with the ball a bit behind the receiver, Dorsett was able to get his hand in to break up the pass. Coach Fox, concerned that a failed 4th down effort would give Philadelphia a short field and time to get a game winner at the buzzer, opted to punt and pinned the Stars back at their own 11-yard line. With 1:21 left to play, the Stars played it conservatively, running the ball and sending the game to overtime. They would not see the ball again.

Boston won the toss, and this time they did not find themselves with a tough 4th down decision. They did not even have a tough 3rd down decision as the team moved the ball down the field quickly, thanks largely to a 36-yard connection to Percy Harvin. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Stars added 15 more yards, and before the Philly faithful could complain that beer sales had ended, the Cannons were in the red zone. It would take them only 3 plays from there to punch in the game winner, a Rashard Mendenhall TD run from the 1, and Boston came away with their 4th win, putting them over .500. Both Boston and Philadelphia now stood at 4-3, solidly in the Wild Card race and still hoping to be able to catch up to the frontrunners in this very tight division, Baltimore and Washington.

LOS ANGELES 3 PORTLAND 17

The Friday night game was a bit of a snoozer as LA simply could not get anything going. Portland held the Express to 225 total yards as Maurice Jones-Drew was largely ineffective on the ground and rookie QB Mark Sanchez completed 16 of 29 but for only 156 yards. The Stags got an early TD from Roddy White, and that was all they needed, though a second White TD in the 4th put the game away for them, it was never truly in doubt.

NEW JERSEY 14 WASHINGTON 30

Ryan Fitzpatrick threw 3 picks, including one to Sheldon Brown which was returned for a score, as Washington clamped down on the offensively challenged Generals. TDs from Deuce McCallister and Mike Williams, along with the pick-6 were more than the Generals could overcome on a hot afternoon in Washington.

MICHIGAN 40 PITTSBURGH 20

The Maulers came into this game as one of the league’s hottest teams, but a bad 4th quarter that saw them give up 3 scores to the Panthers put them in a 28-13 hole that they could not recover from. Laverneus Coles added to his league leading receiving TD total with 2 in the game, and Hines Ward and Justin Fargas added 2 more as Michigan pulled away in the 2nd and then matched Pittsburgh from there on out to take the win and move into a tie for first place in the Central.

OHIO 38 ST. LOUIS 6

The Skyhawks were roundly booed by their home fans, some in paper-bags, as they again showed no ability at all to generate offense. That was not an issue for Ohio as they broke open a 14-6 halftime score with 24 unanswered points in the second half. HB Kenny Smith rushed for 3 scores as the Glory rested Eddie George for most of the second half. Rookie Josh Freeman got his first start for St. Louis, going 20 of 40 for 272, but the Skyhawks could only muster two first half field goals in another rough loss.

NASHVILLE 30 ARIZONA 7

The Knights improved their record to 6-1 as two 1st quarter scores from Frank Gore helped them overpower the Wranglers. David Carr looked off the entire game, completing only 14 of 41 passing, while Gore’s 148 yards meant that Jay Cutler did not need to do much to improve Nashville to 6-1 at the midway point of the season.

MEMPHIS 27 TEXAS 24

Mike McMahon was back under center and the Showboats got their first win of the season as they edged the Texas Outlaws in Dallas. McMahon hit Lee Evans and Sidney Rice with scoring tosses and a Cadillac Williams 4th quarter TD gave the Boats a 27-16 lead that Texas could not overcome in the final minutes. With Brett Favre possibly returning to action in Week 2, the 1-6 Showboats may yet prove to be an effective spoiler in the second half of the season.

OAKLAND 27 SEATTLE 24

Thoughts that Seattle might pull off another amazing rally as they did after an 0-4 start last year have now dimmed, as they drop to 1-6 with a home loss to the 6-1 Invaders. It was 24-7 Seattle early in the 3rd when Jeramy Stevens scored on a 60-yard TD toss from Leftwich, but Joey Harrington rallied the Invaders who would score the final 20 points of the game to take the win, helped by an Eric Wright pick-six and 4 total turnovers by the Dragons.

CHARLOTTE 10 ORLANDO 30

The Renegades forced 3 Charlotte turnovers, including a Lito Sheppard pick-six, as Orlando equalized their record with the upstart Monarchs. Knowshon Moreno had his first 100-yard game against the usually tough Monarch run defense, and receivers Mike Jenkins and Justin McCaerins combined for 152 yards as Orlando rolled into a tie for first place in the Southeast.

ATLANTA 6 CHICAGO 23

Kyle Orton was a sitting duck, sacked 5 times by Chicago, as the Machine rolled over Atlanta at home. Brady Quinn went 23 of 29 for 300 yards and 2 scores, both to Donald Driver, while the Chicago defense limited the Fire to only 1 of 11 on third down and a total of 181 yards for the day.

JACKSONVILLE 3 TAMPA BAY 30

The Bandits may be this year’s comeback team, making a case that they can still turn things around with an impressive win against in-state rivals Jacksonville. Daunte Culpepper had his best game of the year, throwing for 3 scores, while Willis McGahee kept the Bulls defense honest with 77 rushing yards. Two picks of Jake Delhomme and a solid game against the run gave Bandit fans hope that their 3-4 record could quickly turn into a winning position by season’s end.

BALTIMORE 35 LAS VEGAS 17

The Thunder drop to 3-4 as Baltimore continues their strong claim as the Beast of the East, winning their 6th game in 7 attempts. Tory Holt came away with 2 scores and Big Ben also hit Darrius Heyward-Bey with another as the Blitz rolled the usually staunch Thunder defense, helped significantly by 3 Jake Plummer interceptions.

BIRMINGHAM 12 HOUSTON 17

The Stallions gave Houston a run for their money, but a late Kevin Faulk TD helped the homestanding Gamblers eke out the low-scoring win to move to 5-2. Luke McCown got the start for Houston and struggled a bit, throwing 2 picks, but, thanks largely to a strong game from HB Shaun Alexander, the Gamblers held off the Stallions to stay atop the Southwest Division.

NEW ORLEANS 7 DENVER 24

Denver got back on the winning track with a solid three-phases victory over a tough Breaker squad. Matt Leinart had a solid game after looking rusty last week, completing 21 of 30 passes for 243 yards and 3 scores. Peerless Price caught 8 balls for 134 to lead all receivers, but Keary Colbert also stepped up in his first game as the #2 receiver, scoring a TD on his first catch of the night as Denver takes the Sunday night game to move to 4-3 on the year.

Five Teams to Watch in the Second Half

As we look ahead to the second half of the season, we know from experience that some teams that have fared pretty well could slow down, while others who may have struggled early could be on their way up. The standings as they are today are almost certainly not how they will end up after another 7 weeks. So, who do we see rising? We picked 5 teams that seem poised for a stronger second half and a potential rise up the standings.

Texas: Sitting at 2-5 it may seem hard to hold out much hope that Texas could match some of the preseason darkhorse predictions, but this is a team that is in the Top 10 in both scoring defense and yards allowed. They just need to find more on offense to pull out some games. T. J. Duckett is under 500 yards, which seems low for him. If he can get back on track, and if the young receivers for the Outlaws can find ways to get open for Joe Flacco, we could see Texas start to make waves in the Southwest. Does that mean they catch either Denver or Houston, not likely, but they could certainly play spoiler with games against both down the stretch.

Chicago: Yes, at 5-2, Chicago is hardly a mid-range club, but with so much attention being paid to Michigan and Pittsburgh this year, they have largely been off the radar. But the Machine have won 4 in a row, and are tied for first with the Maulers and Panthers. A solid second half could easily see them take over the division. Brady Quinn has been quietly improving at QB, and the defense is still one of the league’s best (3rd in scoring at 14.9 ppg). Don’t be surprised if this club can go 6-1 or even 7-0 in the second half.

Portland: The Stags have been something of an enigma this year. They have lost some games badly, but have played well, particularly against division foes. With wins over Las Vegas, Seattle, and LA, the Stags are actually 3-1 in division and at 3-4 sit in 2nd place in the Pacific. We don’t think they will catch up with Oakland, but in what appears to be a pretty weak Pacific Division they could find themselves in a Wild Card hunt if they could be just a bit more consistent and find a way to win some non-division games.

Boston: The Cannons have been inconsistent all season, and a very bad loss to New Jersey in Week 6 is baffling, but they have also shown us the ability to rise up when necessary, defeating both Orlando and Michigan with a combination of fast-strike offense and solid defense. The key to a successful second half may be relying on Bledsoe less and Mendenhall more. The more balanced the Boston offense, the better off their QB and his aging knees will be. Yes, they have dangerous receivers in Johnson, Jurevicious and Rookie of the Year candidate Percy Harvin, but the line is not good enough to just chuck the ball 40 times a game. If they can feed the ball to Mendenhall, they can keep the defenses honest and keep Bledsoe upright, which would bode well for them in a very tough NE Division.

Tampa Bay: The Bandits have won their last two games and what is most encouraging is that both the defense that took them to 14-2 last year and the Culpepper-led offense, seem to be finding what works for them in 2009. Willis McGahee is taking on a bigger role in the offense, and the defense is beginning to make the plays these past 2 weeks that we did not see earlier. They relied heavily on takeaways last year, and those have not been coming at the same pace, but their wins over Atlanta and Jacksonville, while potentially suspicious, do show signs of hope that this club could turn their 3-4 record into a much better final tally.

Five Players Who Could Bust Out

As we look ahead to the season’s second half, there are teams that we expect to make a run, but there are also players who we anticipate having a bigger impact. Looking across the league, teams are shifting their strategies and some younger players could see more snaps. We chose 5 players who we think could have an impact in the season’s second act.

DE Derrick Harvey (TBY) After a pretty horrible 1-4 start, the Bandits seem to be turning a corner, winning their last two, and the defense has been a big part of that. Second year DE Derrick Harvey could be a key piece in the Bandit’s attempt to come back and make a late playoff run. Harvey had a strong rookie year, with 10 sacks as Tampa Bay surprised the league and finished 14-2, but this year started slowly, with no sacks in his first 5 games. He recorded his first in Week 6, and has been more aggressive in the past 3 weeks, with the Bandits shifting to more 4-man front, freeing up Harvey and veteran Orpheus Roye with more single assignment blocking to face. If the Bandits want to improve on a disappointing 20th ranking in points allowed, finding ways to allow Roye and Harvey to reach the QB will be a big piece of that plan.

WR Jerome Pathon (NOR). Starting the year as the 3rd receiver for Eli Manning, Jerome Pathon has seen his role grow in recent weeks. He still trails Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet with 31 receptions to their respective 63 and 46, but he has seen more snaps, and when thrown to has produced, with a team best 13.1 yards per reception. In Week 6 against Birmingham, he had his first 100-yard game, producing 119 yards and 2 scores, and we expect Manning will start to target Pathon more for deep balls as the Breakers push for a playoff spot.

DE Fred Perry (CHA). Julius Peppers has been one of the stories of Charlotte’s defensive surge this year. He leads the club with 9 sacks, but he is beginning to see a lot of double teams, which means that Perry is not, giving the 2nd year player a shot to come at the QB with only one man to beat. Perry had 9 sacks last year, so we know he is capable of winning those battles against the right end. He has 3 this year, but could easily double that or better in the second half of the year as teams try to protect their QB’s blind side from Peppers.

QB Josh Freeman (STL). There is really nowhere to go but up for the Skyhawks, who have been averaging only 13 points a game (26th in the league) and have yet to win a game. Coach Williams was hesitant to put his rookie QB in the game, but an injury to Jeff Blake made the call for him. Blake is expected to be out at least another month, so Freeman has every chance to impress and take the job from him. Already, in 2 games of action, Freeman has gained over 553 yards, more than half of what Blake did in 5 games. And while Freeman has yet to win a game or throw a TD, he also has not thrown any picks in his 2 games, better than Blake can say after leading the league with over 20 picks last year. It will not be easy for the rookie, with Denver, Pittsburgh, LA and Michigan up in the next month, but if he can eke out even one win in that span, the transition may be official and the job may be his.

HB Knowshon Moreno (ORL): Another rookie, and one who has struggled so far, but Moreno logged his first 100-yard game this week against Charlotte, which is a good sign that he and the Orlando coaching staff have not given up after a rough start to the year. As the game slows down for Moreno, he will begin to see lanes more easily, and his physical talent is certainly there. We don’t expect Moreno to suddenly turn out a massive rookie campaign as some have done, but if he can produce enough to take pressure off of QB Drew Brees, Orlando may actually improve their 24th ranked run offense and get some balance, which might help them down the stretch.

Oakland has to be concerned as they are now down two of their top receivers. With Plaxico Burress out for the year, the Invaders lost Hank Basket this week to an ankle injury that could keep him out 4-6 weeks. That leaves them with Greg Jennings, DeSean Jackson and not much else. They did trade for Pierre Garçon, which seems a smart move now, so expect Garçon to become the new #2, with Jackson retaining his slot role.

In Texas the concern is at guard, where Leonard Davis is out at least 6 weeks after suffering a broken jaw. Davis will have his jaw wired shut, setting him up for the always nasty liquid diet for at least 3 weeks, but doctors do not want him to push a return due to the location of the break and the potential for a reinjury.

In Michigan, x-rays revealed that Mario Manningham’s injury was not a mere concussion, but that he actually had a skull fracture, meaning he will be out at least 4 weeks. Manningham had seen limited action this year, serving as the swing receiver when Ward and Coles needed a breather. That role will now be taken on by Kevin Kasper.

New Jersey HB Ray Rice is expected to miss at least 2 weeks as he heals a hairline fracture in his right arm. The injury does not require a cast, but Rice is in a sling at least for a week, meaning that recent trade acquisition R. J. Redmond will now see time along with James Jackson in the General backfield.

Finally, Houston could be without their fine young wideout Roy Williams for a 2-3 weeks as Williams is dealing with a turf toe injury. The team is listing him as out for Week 8, but, as we all know, turf toe is one of those injuries that can linger if not treated with care.

Midseason Report: What does each team need?

With 7 weeks down and 7 to go, every team in the league is assessing where they stand and where they want to be by Week 14. And in that assessment, there is always a discussion of what is working and what is not, changes to depth charts, young players getting a shot to contribute, and even the occasional trade or pick up to try to find an answer. As we look at all 28 USFL clubs, we see gaps that every team must also be concerned about. As we look ahead, we offer our advice on the hole that each club needs to fill to find success, starting at 0-7 St. Louis and moving to the league leaders.

ST. LOUIS (0-7): Can we say they need a new GM? Since coming into the league in 2006, the Skyhawks have simply not made good personnel decisions. They hope they have found a QB in Freeman, but their run game is still a shambles and their 28th ranked defense (yardage) is not exactly making life easy for anyone. Honestly, the best option for the Skyhawks and Coach Williams, is to revamp the front office and upgrade the roster from top to bottom.

JACKSONVILLE (1-6): There are lots of issues in Jacksonville, but the one that stands out most readily is on defense, where the Bulls are just not making the stops they need to get off the field. The D-Line is doing alright, with 10 sacks between David Bowens and Tom Burke, but when your team leader in interceptions is LB Lavar Arrington with 1, you have secondary issues. The Bulls rebuilt their safety position by signing Mike Brown and Eric Weddle, but the two don’t seem to be clicking as a team yet, and corners Dereck Combs and Corey Graham are just not making plays on the ball. Our one suggestion for Jacksonville is to make some deals to improve at corner.

MEMPHIS (1-6): It is too obvious to say “Get Favre Back”, and we do expect him back under center in the next couple of weeks, but Memphis’s problems extend far beyond QB play in his absence. He was 0-2 after all in his 2 starts before the injury. The Showboats are dead last in scoring defense, allowing a devastating 29.6 points per game, including 42 in week 5 to a not-very-scary Bulls offense. It would appear that Marcellus Wiley is just not the player he was back in Denver. The 34-year old Wiley has only 4 sacks in 7 games, and is just not making the impact Memphis needs. Maybe the answer is to give Quentin Moses more snaps, or perhaps the Showboats need to plan for a DE signing in the offseason, because without QB pressure, this defense just does not work.

SEATTLE (1-6): For the second year in a row the Dragons started the year 0-4, and this time around it does not look like a turnaround is happening. There are two issues that stand out, the first being the decline of Corey Dillon as Seattle is averaging only 78 yards per game rushing. More disturbing is that their defense is giving up nearly 116 yards per game to opposing backs. Jamie Winborn and Eddie Mason are not proving to be effective in the MLB position and too many times are being blocked off the play by pulling guards. That needs to change if Seattle hopes to turn their year around even just to reach 4-5 wins this year.

ATLANTA (1-6): Getting any kind of run game on track will be a huge help, but what Atlanta also needs is a true #1 receiver. Josh Reed is best suited as a #2, and while Marcus Robinson has come on in Reed’s absence, neither is truly a threat to most defenses, which is why TE Will Heller currently leads the team with 31 receptions. The Fire need to make a deal to bring a true #1 to town, but that seems unlikely midseason.

TEXAS (2-5): If there is one thing the 25th ranked offense of the Outlaws needs, it is a strategy to keep T. J. Duckett engaged in games. Duckett is averaging a solid 4 yards per carry, but is not getting the volume of carries he is used to. We know that Texas wants to be more balanced with Joe Flacco given opportunities to stretch the field, but if Duckett is not given 20-25 carries a game, Texas is failing to take advantage of their best offensive weapon.

ARIZONA (2-5): David Carr may just not be the answer for the post-Plummer Wranglers. The NFL import has just not looked comfortable, and after struggling in New York with the Giants, the reality may be that he is just not a quality starter despite his college success. Arizona has two outstanding receivers in Santana Moss and Larry Fitzgerald, so if Carr is only averaging 179 yards per game passing, that has to be on him.

NEW JERSEY (2-5): One number says it all, 27 yards per game. That is the production of the New Jersey run game. The team that brought us Herschel Walker and Curtis Enis is now absolutely woeful in the run game. Ray Rice (now injured) is struggling to do anything. Kerry Joseph leads the team with only 116 total rushing yards. They have already made a move in trading for R. J. Redmond, so there is hope, but if the problem is their line, which it very well appears to be, that will take at least 1 very productive offseason to fix.

BIRMINGHAM (2-5): We have started to see signs of life from the Stallions, as their defense has kept them in games and helped them win back-to-back outings against Memphis and Charlotte. What they lack is the ability to make big plays on offense. Kyle Boller has been effective (8:4 in TD:INT) but the Stallions just cannot break the big play. As much as Joe Horn has given to the Stallions over the years, he is no longer a true deep ball target, and we just don’t see another option for the deep ball on the field, which means teams stack the box, stuff the run, and force the Stallions to go on long sustained drives. They need a home run hitter badly.

LOS ANGELES (3-4): The Express are training up a rookie QB in Mark Sanchez, and he has had some very good games, but the problem seems to be that he is not getting the balance on offense needed to keep defenses honest. Maurice Jones-Drew is averaging only 3 yards per carry, and the passing game is far too focused on Keyshawn Johnson. LA could truly use a solid #2 receiver, and maybe some help on the interior of the line to help out Sanchez.

TAMPA BAY (3-4): With wins in their last 2 games, Tampa Bay has hopes that they have turned the corner, but if they want to do even more they may have to address the WR position. Chris Doering had a career season last year, but he is getting double covered this year because teams don’t fear Karl Williams on the other side. If the Bandits could land a #2 from one of the receiver-deep teams like Boston or Ohio, they could pose a real threat in the second half.

LAS VEGAS (3-4): We are not sure why, but the Jake Plummer signing has not had the impact Thunder fans expected. The club is 23rd in scoring and, shockingly, only 13th in rushing. The hope was that Plummer would force teams to respect the pass and that would give Marshawn Lynch more room to run. He was expected to be among the league leaders, and while his 470 yards is not horrible, it is also not dominant. Our key for Las Vegas is to find more ways to get the ball in the air to Hill, Hatchette, and Troy Williamson. Too many sacks, scrambles, and dump offs means defenses are not forced to respect the deep ball or the threat of the pass on early downs.

PORTLAND (3-4): The Stags are showing growth on offense, with the 6th best passing attack in the league, but they struggle to find balance. We don’t think their biggest need is a player, but an attitude. This is a team that should be using their success through the air to set up the run, but they are still too predictable in their use of Jonathan Stewart. More draws, more quick hitters, and more spread formations would make life easier for Stewart, produce more 3rd and short situations, and help balance the Stag offense.

BOSTON (4-3): No complaints about the Cannon offense, to be sure, but their defense is 27th in yards allowed mostly due to the worst-rated pass defense in the league. That is stunning when we see Jason Babin among the league leaders in sacks, but what we also see is a secondary that is not intimidating anyone. Safeties Shane Welton and Jerome Woods are just not in the right position often enough, and teams are taking advantage of some pretty loose zones. Finding a trading partner to send a safety with a bit more aggressiveness to the Cannons would be a good more at this point in their season.

DENVER (4-3): Yes, having Matt Leinart go down for a couple of weeks did not help, but even with Leinart under center, the big issue for Denver continues to be a lack of explosiveness. Peerless Price is a great possession guy, but he is not going to take the top off a defense. Keary Colbert feels very much like a second route-guy and not a speed guy either. Denver needs a receiver who puts fear in the safeties that he will get behind them and Leinart will go over the top. Without that, it is very possible to contain this Gold offense.

PHILADELPHIA (4-3): The Stars are a pretty solid team, but that may not be enough to land a playoff spot come Week 14. They could use some more stopping power on defense, but their #1 priority has to be to reinvigorate a run game that was huge for them last year. Steve Slaton and Michael Robinson have produced at times, but are not consistent enough this year to sustain drives. Of the two, Slaton is having the better year (4.2 YPC vs. 2.9) so it may be time to drop the rotation and use Slaton as a true lead back.

OHIO (4-3): Just as we saw with Boston, Ohio is all offense and a very shaky defense. They give up nearly 270 yards passing a game, and unlike the Cannons, they do not have a stud at DE making teams pay for going to the air. While Carl Powell and Vonnie Holliday are solid at the position, neither one truly intimidates offensive coordinators. You don’t have to plan against them, and Ohio really does not have the kind of linebackers where blitzing a lot will be productive. A speedy edge rusher, even an unpolished one, might be enough for Ohio to make more stops and force teams to adjust their passing schemes.

CHARLOTTE (5-2): While a 5-2 start means that there are no complaints about where Charlotte is situated at the present, recent losses, particularly the one to Birmingham, show that you cannot win with defense alone. Charlotte averages only 197.7 yards per game through the air, so the pressure is squarely on Chris Weinke to do more. His 5:7 TD:INT rate is not what you want to see for a team fighting to win the division. He needs to start finding ways to get the ball into the hands of Hackett and Stevie Johnson a bit deeper down the field, instead of relying on short passes with yards after the catch.

CHICAGO (5-2): The Machine may have already made the move we would recommend. They needed a #2 receiver, and their deal with Denver to bring Anquon Boldin to town may be just the remedy for them. In his first game in Chicago, Boldin had 4 receptions for 88 yards, which bodes well for Chicago. Pair that with more touches for Michael Turner, and the Machine could be a tough out the rest of the way.

PITTSBURGH (5-2): The Maulers are a surprise at 5-2, but when you have the #7 offense and a Top 10 passing defense, you should expect to win a lot of games. However, their 40-20 loss this week to Michigan showed us that they still have work to do. The Mauler D is very effective on 3rd and long, but their run defense struggles against bigger backs, which is an issue. They have a pretty young LB group, and could really use a thumper at either MLB or Strong Side LB. More snaps for rookie Brian Cushing could be the answer there, but he has been slow to catch on to the complex schemes of the defense, so perhaps simplification is the key.

ORLANDO (5-2): It has been all about Calais Campbell and the defense this year, but if Orlando wants to get anywhere in the postseason, they need to improve on that 24th ranked rushing game. Moreno is the key, and, as we already reported, he has seen some improvement, but providing him with more opportunities on downs where the defense is not 100% thinking run first would be a good strategy.

HOUSTON (5-2): The Gamblers are a pretty balanced team, hovering between 12th-9th in many statistical areas. We love that they have embraced the run game (3rd in the league), but they now need to embrace more play action passing for Matt Hasselbeck. That could be tough with Roy Williams expected to miss at least a couple of games due to injury, but what may help is getting Kevin Faulk on the field more often. He is an outstanding receiver and could be fit into the slot to keep Shaun Alexander in the backfield as well.

MICHIGAN (5-2): Brian Griese is lighting it up for the defending champs, but unlike last year the run game has just not been as reliable. Michigan continues to rotate Justin Fargas with Leon Washington, but maybe the time is now to work Mike Hart into the mix a bit more. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry in very limited action, and seems a better short-yardage back than either of the men ahead of him on the depth chart.

WASHINGTON (6-1): Hard to critique a 6-1 club, especially one with the#1 rushing offense in the league, but if Washington wants to overtake Baltimore and have a shot at the #1 seed in the East, they need to be good in every phase of the game. Right now their main issue is pass defense, and the main concern has to be the inconsistent play of their #2 corner, Brandon Flowers. Flowers has been burnt more often than the Feds can be comfortable with, so they might want to see if there is an option to trade for a corner who might be more consistent in single man coverage.

NASHVILLE (6-1): The Knights are clearly riding their defense hard this year. #1 in scoring, yards allowed, and rushing D, this is a dominant squad, but the offense has to do more to help them out. Jay Cutler’s group has the 27th rated passing attack, and the simple fact is that the conservative, 2-TE formations and reliance on Frank Gore are going to keep scores low, which has worked so far, but means that Nashville cannot afford to have any defensive gaffs or off days.

OAKLAND (6-1): Wide receiver is the crisis point right now, which sounds weird to say for a 6-1 team, but with Burress gone for the year and now with Basket also hurt, it falls on Greg Jennings and newly-arrived Pierre Garçon to keep Oakland’s passing game humming. If teams can put 8 or 9 in the box, even Ricky Williams would struggle to find rushing lanes, but if Oakland can keep defenses honest, then the offense can continue to make life difficult for opposing teams.

BALTIMORE (6-1): Currently sitting in the #1 position in the East, Baltimore has a lot going right. The offense is averaging 25 points per game, the defense is keeping teams under 20, so what could they do better? Honestly, their pass rush is not what you would expect from a team this good. Jared Allen leads the Blitz with only 4 sacks, and they are relying on the blitz far too much for comfort. With teams like Boston and Philadelphia able to put up big yards in the air, it is essential that Baltimore find a way to get pressure with just 4 players, keeping 7 back in coverage.

So there you have it, the 1 key thing (player, adjustment, or emphasis) that each team needs to make another step forward or to change direction. How many will find those missing pieces or make the shift that is needed? We have 7 weeks to find out.

Best of the USFL: Offensive Tackle

Our presentation of the Best of the USFL continues in Week 7 with the offensive tackle, often seen as the key to pass protection and the most highly sought-after member of the offensive line. As with most line positions, this is a bit tougher to gauge than most positions because there simply is not the same quantity of measurable stats to go on. We can look at sacks allowed, but that often has to do more with the offensive style of each team and the propensity for the QB to hold onto the ball. Pancakes are an iffy stat to begin with and really does not say much about quality, only strength. So, we go with our gut and the commentary of coaches who watch film on these guys each week and analyze tendencies. Based on those somewhat subjective criteria, here is our list of the Top 5 Tackles in the USFL today.

1) Jonathan Ogden (LA)

Generally considered the best all-around left tackle in the game. He is nearing the end of his career, but is still garnering a lot of respect and a lot of attention from defensive ends.

2) Matt Light (OAK)

After 4 years in New Jersey, Matt Light has moved coasts and is now the key protector for Joey Harrington in Oakland. At 29, he still has many good years ahead of him.

3) Levi Brown (TBY)

In only his 3rd year in the league, Levi Brown is one of the youngest players to make our list, but his talent is undeniable, keeping Daunte Culpepper upright and ready to toss deep balls for the Bandits.

4) Matt Stinchcomb (WSH)

It came down to two NE Division rivals, and the slight edge for #4 went to Stinchcomb, the former Arizona Wrangler who has flourished in DC with Kordell Stewart and Deuce McCallister behind him.

5) Flozell Adams (PHI)

The other big time talent a the position in the division. Adams is a road grater and a monster of a man; just what Kurt Warner needs to stay in the pocket.

Honorable mention has to go to the best brother tandem in the league Wayne (CHA) and Mike Gandy (MEM), as well as to New Orleans’s LT Mark Tauscher (NOR), and the other half of the best tackle duo in the game, Oakland’s right tackle, Anthony Clement.

No divisional games in Week 8, but that does not mean that it is a week without intrigue. Some of the bigger games include Chicago @ LA, Ohio @ Portland, Baltimore @ Charlotte, and the Sunday Night finale, Michigan @ Oakland.

FRIDAY @ 8pm Washington (6-1) @ Memphis (1-6) NBC

SATURDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (4-3) @ Birmingham (2-5) ABC

SATURDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (2-5) @ Orlando (5-2) FOX

SATURDAY @ 12pm New Orleans (4-3) @ Atlanta (1-6) FOX

SATURDAY @ 4pm Chicago (5-2) @ Los Angeles (3-4) ABC

SATURDAY @ 4pm Ohio (4-3) @ Portland (3-4) FOX

SATURDAY @ 8pm Nashville (6-1) @ Tampa Bay (3-4) ESPN

SUNDAY @ 12pm Boston (4-3) @ Jacksonville (1-6) ABC

SUNDAY @ 12pm Baltimore (6-1) @ Charlotte (5-2) FOX

SUNDAY @ 4pm St. Louis (0-7) @ Denver (4-3) ABC

SUNDAY @ 4pm Pittsburgh (5-2) @ Arizona (2-5) ABC

SUNDAY @ 4pm Houston (5-2) @ Seattle (1-6) FOX

SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (2-5) @ Las Vegas (3-4) FOX

SUNDAY @ 8pm Michigan (5-2) @ Oakland (6-1) ESPN

2009 USFL Week 7 Recap: Midseason Report

BOSTON CANNONS 34 PHILADELPHIA STARS 28 OVERTIME

Top 5 Stories of the Season’s First Half

Five Teams to Watch in the Second Half

Five Players Who Could Bust Out

Midseason Report: What does each team need?

Best of the USFL: Offensive Tackle

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