The two #1 seeds prove that they were ranked at the top for a reason, with both Houston and Philadelphia getting the win at home and setting themselves up for a return to the Summer Bowl. Philadelphia relied on their offense to outpace the Nashville Knights, while Houston gave up an early 10-0 deficit to the Maulers but then scored the next 35 points to roll to victory and into the championship game. We will review just how the Stars and Gamblers punched their ticket to Portland, preview the big game, and highlight all the news of the week, including an injury-provoked retirement, some coaching updates, and the results of the 2010 Awards and All-USFL votes. All that, plus two cities receiver the welcome news that they will be hosting the Summer Bowl in the near future.
NASHVILLE KNIGHTS 31 PHILADELPHIA STARS 41
The Philadelphia Stars punched their ticket to the Summer Bowl for the first time since 2000 with an explosion of offensive production, outpacing the Nashville Knights to a 41-31 victory thanks to a 326-yard, 3 TD day from Kurt Warner. Philadelphia never trailed in the game and despite solid performances from Jay Cutler and Frank Gore, the Knights could not catch the stars as Philadelphia kept them at arm’s length for most of the game.
Philadelphia’s offensive outburst began on the first possession, which saw the Stars move the ball 77 yards in 11 plays, capping off their opening drive with a Reche Caldwell TD catch. Nashville would level the score at 7-7 on their first possession, thanks to a Cutler pass to Malcolm Floyd, and the race was on. The Stars, who got contributions from role players all game long, then scored on back-to-back drives to make it 3 in a row, as they first connected on a 49-yard scoring strike to little-used Marshall Newhouse, and followed it up with a Steve Slaton TD run to take a 21-7 lead midway through the second. That double dip provided the buffer that Philadelphia would never relinquish.
The two clubs exchanged field goals and went into the half with the Stars still up 14 at 24-10. Nashville’s defense would struggle to contain Kurt Warner and the Stars’ offense all game, but they did get one big play, one which they hoped would shift the momentum. Kurt Warner threw an ill-advised pass towards Steve Smith on the Stars’ first drive of the second half, and Knights’ cornerback Tyrell Johnson was there to pick it off and return it 61 yards for a score. The small contingent of Knight fans in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field hoped this was a momentum changer, but only 4 minutes later the Stars again spread the lead out to 14 points as Warner recovered and hit Reche Caldwell for a score to make the tally 31-17 after three.
In the 4th quarter, Nashville again pulled closer, this time with Jay Cutler hitting Ahmad Merrit, but two consecutive Star scores, first a field goal, and then, following a pick of Jay Cutler, a second TD run by scatback Darren Sproles, and the Stars were up 41-24. Nashville would pull closer with only 17 seconds left, when Troy Walters caught a score from Cutler, but it was too little and too late. The Stars recovered the onside kick and the hopes of the Knights for a miracle comeback were extinguished.
Philadelphia heads back to the Summer Bowl for the first time in a decade, and can win their first title since 1994. It will be the Stars’ sixth appearance in the Summer Bowl, with the club holding a 3-2 record in the league title game, making them one of 3 clubs, along with Michigan and Houston to have 3 USFL titles to their name. Will they become the first club to win a fourth?
PITTSBURGH MAULERS 10 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 35
It will be a battle of three-time Summer Bowl winners as Houston handled the Pittsburgh Maulers and advanced to their 7th Summer Bowl, and their first since their 1996 victory over Tampa Bay. Houston was dominant against Pittsburgh, winning their 12th consecutive game in convincing fashion to advance to the title game.
The game did not start out looking like an easy win for the Gamblers, as Pittsburgh had the edge in the first quarter, building a 10-point lead on a Kevin Johnson 22-yard TD catch and a Ryan Succop field goal, but that would be the last they would score all game as the Houston defense clamped down on Cody Pickett and the Gambler offense took flight late in the opening quarter. Down 10-0, Houston shook off their sleepy start as Matt Hasselbeck brought the 54,677 at NRG Stadium to their feet with a 73-yard toss and run to Ike Hilliard. The veteran, having his best season in years, shrugged off the tackle from the corner and outpaced the safety to the endzone, showing impressive speed for a 12-year veteran.
That play would awaken both the Houston offense and defense as they gained momentum and never let up. Hilliard proved his value again on the very next drive, catching a 2nd TD from Hasselbeck to take the lead away from the Maulers. Pittsburgh would try to contain Houston, relying on Kenny Watson and the ground game to eat up clock. Watson would finish with 128 yards rushing, but the Maulers would never reach the endzone again. Meanwhile Houston would get touchdowns from Shaun Alexander, Mike Sims-Walker, and TE Vernon Davis to build up their lead over the remaining 40 minutes of action. By the half it was 21-10, and by the end of three, 35-10. The 4th quarter would see Pittsburgh turn the ball over on downs twice and Houston would slow things down with the run game, leading to a total of 98 yards for Alexander and another 53 for scatback Kevin Faulk. By the fiinal possession, it was Luke McCown relieving Matt Hasselbeck, whose 4 TD passes set him up as MVP of the game, a nice preview of the award he would win 3 days later as league MVP.
Houston returns to the Summer Bowl, setting up a clash of dynasties as the Gamblers face the Stars in a battle of 3-time champions. It has been a long time for both clubs, with Houston’s last title coming in 1996 and Philadelphia’s two years earlier in 1994. These are very different teams from the ones that garnered titles in the 80’s and 90’s, but both are built on solid foundations and both have proven that they can win in a variety of ways, either through stingy defense or explosive offense. It should be a beauty of a game between two storied USFL franchises.
Maulers Get 2nd Major Blow as Foster Makes an Announcement
Pittsburgh, only 2 days after bowing out of the playoffs with a 35-10 defeat at the hands of the Houston Gamblers, took another blow to the chin as star halfback DeShaun Foster revealed that his ruptured Achilles was proving to be a problematic recovery, and that in light of the recommendations of his physicians, and his own personal reflection, he would be retiring from the game of football. A teary-eyed Foster made the announcement alongside his family and Coach Rivera from the team offices at Heinz Field.
Foster thanked his teammates, his coaches, and the Mauler faithful in Pittsburgh. He spoke highly of Coach Rivera and of young QB Cody Pickett, and he said goodbye to the game that he has played since he was a boy. Foster’s retirement leaves a huge hole in the Mauler roster, one they will now need to address in the offseason. Kenny Watson has done well in relief, rushing for over 100 yards on several occasions, including the playoff loss this week, but the Maulers are still expected to bring in another back, perhaps for a RB-by-committee structure in 2011.
Foster leaves the game with a total of 7,874 yards and 50 touchdowns in 9 seasons. He began his USFL career in LA, where he got 7 starts his rookie year. He had his first 1,000 yard season in 2004, rushing for 1113 with LA. In 2007 he left the Express for the Maulers, where he had put together back to back 1,000 yard seasons in 2008 and 2009. He was on pace for a third when he ruptured his Achilles against St. Louis in a Week 14 clash. It was his second injury of the season, having missed 4 games in the early weeks of the year. Concerns that the large tendon was not healing as expected, and would limit the flexibility of his ankle, making reaggravation a major concern, was the medical issue on Foster’s mind, but clearly there were other concerns as well which led him to make the difficult decision to step away from the game.
Ohio Down to Two Finalists for Open Coaching Position
News on the coaching front as the front office of the Ohio Glory confirmed rumors this week that they were down to two candidates for their vacant Head Coaching position. Second interviews were scheduled with both candidates, current Baltimore Blitz defensive coordinator Bart Andrus, and former Texas Outlaws head coach Norv Turner. The two men are both respected in USFL circles, but clearly indicate two very different directions. Andrus, known for his blitz schemes and emphasis on run blitzing, will be a defensive-minded coach who will likely make major changes to the way the formerly high-flying Glory approach games. Turner, an offensive gameplanner by trade, will almost certainly focus his attention on reviving what had been for years one of the league’s most feared offensive attacks.
If the choice is Turner, he will likely be starting from scratch as HB Eddie George has announced his retirement, WR Joey Galloway was allowed to enter free agency and may still opt to retire, and 3-time MVP Kerry Collins has yet to be replaced by a viable long-term solution at the offense’s most demanding position. If it is Andrus, he will try to build a defense around a linebacking corps led by James Laurinaitis and Glenn Cadrez. Ohio lacks a true difference maker on the D-line, so expect edge rusher to be a priority, and while SS Jermaine Philips is a solid performer, the secondary will also require attention.
Ohio has the #2 overall pick in the draft, and nearly every analyst expects that the pick will be a quarterback. Jake Locker is everyone’s favorite going into the fall NCAA season, but with Birmingham sitting at #1, and also very much in need of a signal caller, Ohio would be wise to look at alternative options like FSU’s Christian Ponder or Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert. The Glory could, alternatively, make a play for former Jacksonville starter Jake Delhomme, released by the Memphis Showboats this offseason, as a transitional QB option and go for the best edge rusher in the draft, Wisconsin’s J. J. Watt, assuming that Boston, who owns the territorial rights to Badger players, does not jump on him in the T-Draft.
But, we are putting the cart before the horse. First order of business for the Glory is to make a decision and hire a new coach, a decision we expect to be made before Free Agency opens in 2 weeks.
Mornhinweg Gets Vote of Confidence
Despite some very loud voices in the world of sports talk radio, and from the Sun-Times, Chicago Machine ownership has made it clear that Coach Marty Mornhinweg is not going anywhere. Some pretty vocal calls had been made to replace the veteran coach after another playoff defeat once again left Chicago as a perennial bridesmaid. But, with Coach Mornhinweg having successfully taken the Machine to the playoffs for the 9th time in the past 10 years, ownership knew enough to not listen to the loud voices calling for them to relieve the coach of his duties.
Yes, the case has been made that the Machine simply cannot get over the hump, but when that hump has taken you to the postseason regularly, including two trips to the Summer Bowl in the past decade, maybe you should not throw the coach under the bus. There are a lot of teams that would give their right eye to have the record that Chicago has had over the Mornhinweg years, and while it is certainly frustrating for Machine fans to feel that they are never quite good enough to win it all, they have to acknowledge that they have been on the winning side of far more games than a lot of other clubs in the league.
Mornhinweg has 2 more years on his contract, and we expect that decisions will be made as that contract come close to its expiration, but for now at least, the position of head coach in Chicago is not up for reconsideration, and the Chicago Machine, as ownership were quite vehement in stating this week, will be led by Marty Mornhinweg in 2011.
Harbaugh Extended through 2016
Speaking of coaching contracts, we should not let it pass that Coach Jim Harbaugh of Philadelphia, who was considered to be on something of a hotseat following a dip from 13-3 in 2008 to 8-6 in 2009, has won over the Stars’ owners with a strong 2010 season and now a trip to the Summer Bowl. Philadelphia announced this week a contract extension which will keep Harbaugh as the Philly head coach through the 2016 season.
Harbaugh has amassed a 54-33 record in his six years with the organization, taking Philadelphia to the playoffs each of the past 4 years, with 2010 marking his high water mark with a #1 seed in the East and, just this week, a conference title. He hopes to add a John Bassett Trophy to his accomplishments this upcoming weekend, but the Stars’ organization did not wait for that to happen before inking a 5 year extension to his contract. Harbaugh can now go into the Summer Bowl confident that he is well compensated for his efforts for the next 6 years, averaging $3.5 million in salary for his role as chief strategist and motivator for the Stars franchise.
Not much to report on the injury front as Houston remains without any players designated on the weekly injury report and Philadelphia suffered no new setbacks in their game against the Knights. The Stars will again be without tackle Jaimie Thomas for the Summer Bowl, but both tackle Ken Shackleford and LB Ben Leber are listed as probable for the title game. So, a very healthy Summer Bowl this week is on tap.
USFL Award Winners & All-USFL Team Announced
It’s the week leading into Summer Bowl 2010 in Portland, and that always means the annual USFL Award Gala. This year the Award Gala was held on Tuesday in Portland’s exclusive Arlington Club and featured the reveal of this year’s All-USFL Team along with the winners of the league MVP, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year awards. There was suspense in the air this year as two top candidates vied for the coveted League MVP trophy, both of them schedule to play in this Week’s Summer Bowl.
MVP: It came down to the two Summer Bowl quarterbacks for the MVP, and it was, by all accounts a close vote. Kurt Warner of Philadelphia led the league with a 103 QB Rating, and helped guide the Stars to the best record in the East and the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Houston’s Matt Hasselbeck countered with the league lead in both yardage and touchdowns, and became a hot name in league circles as he led the Gamblers to 10 consecutive regular season wins to snatch the #1 seed in the West on the season’s final week. He too now finds himself preparing for a Summer Bowl appearance after two convincing victories over Denver and Pittsburgh in the playoffs. Neither men would appear at the gala as both are deep in pre-game preparations and practices, but a short video by both men was shown during the event. And the winner is… Houston QB Matt Hasselbeck. The 12-year veteran, who has only ever been named to one All-USFL team in the past (2005), now finds himself with the highest annual honor in the league.
Hasselbeck has posted strong seasons before, but this is the first year he has ever crossed the 4,000 yard mark in a season, and was the only player to do so in 2010. He also had career highs for touchdown passes (35), But, perhaps most impressive in this season was his leadership as he guided Houston from a 2-4 start to 10 consecutive wins to finish the year 12-4 and atop the Western Conference. Hasselbeck, in his recorded speech, thanked Coach Wade Phillips, his OC, former USFL QB Jason Garrett, and his teammates, including veteran wideout Ike Hilliard, for their part in his MVP Season. As for Kurt Warner, his night would not be without its own accolades.
Offensive Player of the Year: In a year where the MVP vote was so close, it is not unusual that the 2nd place votegetter walks away with one of the two Player of the Year trophies, and that is exactly what happened this year as Philadelphia Star QB Kurt Warner won his first major annual award, the OPOTY. The Star signal caller finished the year atop the QB Ratings with a 103 score, along with 32 touchdown passes and 3,970 yards passing. He led Philadelphia to the best record in the Eastern Conference and a #1 seed. In his prepared video he too thanked his coach, his teammates, and, in typical Warner form, spoke of his faith and his family.
Defensive Player of the Year went to Washington LB Antonio Pierce. Something of an oddity for the award, which normally goes to the year’s leader in sacks, this year’s award went to an all-around performer. Pierce did not lead any defensive category, but was among league leaders in several, with 127 tackles on the season, along with 7 sacks, a safety, a defensive TD, nine forced fumbles and 4 recoveries. With neither sack leader Calais Campbell or tackle leader Mike Vrabel on playoff teams, it is not a surprise that the voters went for a defensive star who did it all in helping his club lock up a playoff spot. The award is Pierce’s first league-wide award, and this year marks his third appearance on the All-USFL team.
Rookie of the Year: While this season saw several rookies start off strong, it soon boiled down to a competition between the two rookie signal callers who came into the league with high expectations and built-in fan bases. Tim Tebow may have sold more jerseys and had a bigger hoopla, but Sam Bradford produced better numbers and better results for his team, leading New Jersey to within one game of a Wild Card berth and finishing with an 8-8 record on a team that had been one of the league’s worst only a year before. Bradford finished the season with 2,797 yards, 14 TDs and 7 picks, but more importantly, he went from inexperienced rookie to the unquestioned starter and leader of the New Jersey offense in less than one season. Do not be shocked to see Bradford named a team captain in 2011 as he has already garnered the respect of his teammates for his play this year.
Coach of the Year: A tough decision this year as several teams outperformed expectations and made runs to new heights, but, as expected, the award goes to the coach who most perceive as having done more with less, and this year that award goes to the leader of the surprise Southeast Division Champion Atlanta Fire, Tom Ramsey. The former USFL Quarterback finished his second season with the Fire, improving from 6-8 in 2009 to 9-7 in 2010 and a division title as well. Ramsey is praised for his work with Kyle Orton, turning the oft-criticized starter into one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league this season. At the same time he helped Atlanta build on a solid defensive reputation, finishing 6th in the league in both scoring and yards allowed. The #6 was huge for the Fire this year as they finished 6th in the league in all 4 major team categories, adding offensive production and points scored to their two defensive rankings.
The night began with the reveal of the 2010 All-USFL Team, and, with few surprises, perhaps the biggest shock was just how many Orlando Renegades made the team despite the fact that Orlando finished a disappointing 8-8 and out of playoff contention. Orlando landed 6 players on the team, evenly split between offense and defense. No surprise that both DE Calais Campbell and DT Albert Haynesworth made the team. They were joined by interception leader, CB Cortland Finnegan, as well as receptions leader WR Michael Jenkins, TE Greg Olsen, and guard Damien Cook.
Both Summer Bowl teams were also well represented. Philadelphia, in addition to Kurt Warner, saw TE Dallas Clark and WR Steve Smith make the squad, while the No-Stars defense lived up to their name, with no members of the Philly D being selected. Houston saw Matt Hasselbeck joined by WR Ike Hilliard, center Ryan Pontbriand, punter David Sepulveda and two defenders, safety Willie Andrews and free agent arrival James Farrior make the squad. This was Farrior’s fifth All-USFL honor, but first away from the Baltimore Blitz.
The rest of the All-USFL team reads like a who’s who of the season’s top performers and gamechangers. Here is the full roster of the team for 2010:
QB: Hasselbeck, Warner, and Washington’s dual threat, David Garrard.
HB: Baltimore’s Ron Dayne, Texas HB T. J. Duckett, and Portland’s Jonathan Stewart.
FB: Big James Green of Charlotte gets the kudos.
TE: Olsen and Clark, as already highlighted.
WR: In addition to Hilliard, Smith and Jenkins, honors go to Chicago’s Donald Driver and Atlanta’s yardage leader, Josh Reed.
OT: Boston’s Shaun McDougle, Seattle’s Kenyatta Jones, and Oakland’s Matt Light get the honor.
OG: In addition to Cook of Orlando, we find Oakland’s Logan Mankins and Baltimore’s Eric Steinbach.
C: Houston’s Pontbriand is joined by New Jersey’s Casey Weigeman.
DE: Campbell is joined by perennial Chicago sack master Anthony Weaver and Charlotte’s Julius Peppers.
DT: Haynesworth joins Jacksonvilles’s Marcus Stroud and Portland’s Jason Fisk on the team.
LB: A solid group led by Antonio Pierce, James Farrior, and Brian Urlacher, joined by the only rookie on the team, Memphis’s Navorro Bowman, and tackle leader Mike Vrabel.
S: The four safeties this year are Willie Andrews along with now-free agent Troy Polamalu, Baltimore’s Adam Archuleta, and Washington’s Ed Reed.
CB: Four ballhawking corners make the squad, with Cortland Finnegan’s 8 picks leading the group. He is joined by Will Allen of Las Vegas, Mark Jackson of Chicago, and Seattle’s Marcus Trufant.
ST: Joining Sepulveda as the special teams reps is kicker Connor Barth of Nashville. He did not lead the league in scoring but his 34 of 38 field goals was among the best in the league, and finishing 1 point behind Tim Seder was no small task either.
USFL Reveals 2012 & 2013 Summer Bowl Locations
One more reveal night as the USFL shared with all the Gala attendees and with the media the sites for the 2012 and 2013 USFL Summer Bowls. Following this year’s game in Portland and next year’s game at Memphis’s Liberty Bowl Stadium, the league championship will make its first appearance in St. Louis, Missouri. The Dome at America’s Center will be the site in 2012, another new city for the league’s title game and the first non-retractable dome stadium to host the event since the Alamodome hosted in 1997.
The following year, the 2013 Summer Bowl will return to a familiar site as Denver will host the big game for the third time, becoming the first city to have that honor. Denver’s Invesco Field will be the site, the first time the facility has hosted the event after both the league’s inaugural title game in 1983 and the 2nd Denver title game in 1995 were held at Mile High Stadium.
Disappointed by the decision were fans of Boston’s Cannons, who had hoped that their club would get the nod. The game has never been held in Boston, but with Alumni Stadium having a capacity of only 40,000, it was a longshot that the league would put their title game, which regularly draws 55,000 or more, in the BC facility. St. Louis becomes the 2nd recent expansion club to host the Summer Bowl, following this year’s title game in Portland. Charlotte and Atlanta are hoping for an opportunity in the next few years as they too entered the league in the most recent expansion wave.
Summer Bowl Preview
Only one game on the schedule this week but it is a biggie, as the two #1 seeds in the USFL playoffs face off in Summer Bowl 2010. Portland’s Columbia Sportswear Stadium will be the site, but it will be the Philadelphia Stars, representing the Eastern Conference and flying in with a big contingent of fans from the City of Brotherly love, and Houston, Champions of the West, who arrived in the Rose City with an equally impressive party of Texas-sized proportions.
Las Vegas has set up Houston as a 1.5 point favorite, a close margin that shows just how balanced this Summer Bowl could be. We have one team who stormed out to a healthy lead in the NE Division and then stumbled a bit in the final weeks against a team that started slow out of the gate but has now won 12 in a row on their way to the Western Conference title. Philadelphia comes in with the top ranked run defense in the league, allowing only 71.2 yards per game and the #5 scoring defense, giving up an average of 17.2 points per game. Their offense is ranked 3rd in the league in scoring, averaging 23.9 points per game and led by the 2nd rated passing offense (251.3 YPG). For Houston it has been about offense. They rank 2nd in the league in points scored, 25.1 per game, and 1st in yards per game, thanks mostly to Matt Hasselbeck and the league’s 2nd rated passing offense. Their defense finished 13th in scoring, but 9th in yards allowed. Slightly better against the pass than the run, the key for Houston is quick pressure on the QB from edge rushers Kavika Pittman and Osi Umenyiura. They do not blitz often, but when they do, it is often recent acquisition, James Farrior doing the damage.
Let’s take a look, position group by position group, as we break down the matchup this year.
QUARTERBACK: About as close as a competition can get between the league MVP and the Offensive Player of the Year. Warner has more experience with playoff football, having not only participated with the Stars, but having won a Super Bowl in the NFL as well. Hasselbeck has the more talented receiving corps as a whole, but perhaps the most explosive target on the field is Philadelphia’s Steve Smith. We are going to call this one even, because that is what it is. EVEN
RUNNING BACK: Another tight one. Shaun Alexander finished the year with 1,220 yards on 312 carries for a 3.9 YPC average, adding 7 touchdowns. His opposition, Steve Slaton was not far behind, 1,110 yards, a 3.7 YPC average, and 4 TDs on the season. Both teams also have excellent and multitalented 3rd down backs, with Kevin Faulk in Houston and Darren Sproles in Philadelphia. If either one of these smaller receiving backs can have a big day, they could be huge factors in this game. We are going to give the slight edge to Houston in the run game, simply based on a stronger inside game with Alexander than Philly gets with Slaton. ADVANTAGE HOUSTON
RECEIVERS: As we mentioned, there is no more explosive player on the field than Philadelphia WR Steve Smith. Smith finished the year with 97 catches for 1,315 yards and 6 TDs. Philly also has an excellent tight end in Dallas Clark, who had 80 receptions for 862 yards and led the team with 10 receiving TDs. For Houston, the star has been veteran Ike Hilliard, who had 1,231 yards on only 55 receptions, a 22.4 YPC average. He added 9 TDs, but it was not a one-man show in Houston. Roy Williams had 53 catches and 8 TDs, and Mike Sims Walker had 50 receptions and 4 TDs. Vernon Davis did not have the production of Dallas Clark, but he is a dangerous receiver as well. Once again, a close matchup, but we are again going to favor Houston thanks to their depth. ADVANTAGE HOUSTON
OFFENSIVE LINE: Houston has a solid line, perhaps a bit better at run blocking than pass protection, and they are a healthy line. Mike Pearson is the anchor at Left Tackle, while Ryan Pontbriand at center was an All-USFL selection this year. In Philadelphia, injuries have hurt the depth of the line, but center Matt Birk and LG Cooper Carlisle are at the top of their game. Whether it is a system issue, or just better cohesiveness for the Stars, they simply have been more effective than Houston’s line, so we are going to give the edge to the Stars based on their recent history. ADVANTAGE PHILADELPHIA
DEFENSIVE LINE: Few teams can compete with Houston’s Front Three. John McCargo holds down the middle, allowing Osi Umenyiura and Kavika Pittman wreak havoc on offensive lines. Rookie Jerry Hughes, adds depth to a group that will be aggressive in their pursuit of ballcarriers and the high profile QB Kurt Warner. On the other side, Philadelphia will counter with a 4-3 lineup that has Seth Payne and Kendrick Clancy inside, Robert Mathis and Anthony Hargrove on the outside. Not as prolific at the pass rush, this line is designed to hold the run in check, and they excel at that. ADVANTAGE HOUSTON.
LINEBACKERS: While Houston has the advantage at the line, Philadelphia’s 3 linebackers give them an edge. In the middle is Sean Lee, who has been a revelation since arriving as a rookie. On some downs they will swap in Dan Connor as well, to keep Lee fresh for all 4 quarters. On the outside we have Ben Leber, back from injury, and Ryan Nece. A bit of a no-name linebacker group, but highly effective. Expect multitalented backups Rian Wallace and Quinton Caver to also see a lot of snaps as the Stars like to rotate their backers and have fresh legs in the 4th quarter. Houston counters with a 4-linebacker setup, led by James Farrior, the All-USFL signee from Baltimore. He is joined by Keith Brooking and Kevin Burnett, with Burnett and Zak DeOssie on the inside. Unlike Philly, Houston keeps these 4 in the game unless one calls for relief. Overall, Philadelphia is more effective in the use of their linebackers, while Houston very much uses them more in support of their front 3. For that reason, the edge goes to the Stars. ADVANTAGE PHILADELPHIA.
SECONDARY: Houston’s secondary is about as good as you can get in the USFL. When your starting corners are Shaun Springs and veteran Ronde Barber, you are off to a very good start. And while Strong Safety Patrick Chung may be the more well-known name in the league, it was Free Safety Willie Anderson who made All-USFL this year. Philadelphia likes to consider themselves a “No Stars” defense, but if there are any familiar names on the Star defense, they are in the secondary, where Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie are a combo equally as heralded as Houston’s two outside cover men. In the middle, Philadelphia brings Lance Schulters at strong safety and Jairus Byrd at the free safety. In other words, both of these teams have secondaries that can make life difficult on the opposition. We are again going to call this an even balance. EVEN.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Mike Nugent and John Carlton are solid performers at the kicker and punter positions, but the edge has to go to Houston with All-USFL punter David Sepulveda and kicker Dan Carpenter as the better 1-2 combo in the special teams. ADVANTAGE HOUSTON
COACHING Jim Harbaugh’s motivation vs. Wade Phillip’s schemes, which do you prefer? The two coaches are very different leaders, and bring very different skills to the table. Harbaugh believes in solid and well-structured defense and a balanced offense. Wade Phillips likes to see big chunks on offense, counting more on the big play, while using the defense to create turnovers and avoid big plays by the opposition. These are two very solid coaches, but we think we have to give the edge to Phillips, who simply has more experience in these type of high pressure games than Harbaugh. ADVANTAGE PHILADELPHIA
Our overall count is 4-3 Houton, with 2 even categories. That seems to give a slight edge to the Gamblers, but it is close, as every indicator seems to reflect. Vegas may be right to keep this game with a very slim margin for the Gamblers.
USFL Player Picks
We finish off our preview of Summer Bowl 2010 by asking those with the closest seats to the action to make their picks. Five USFL stars were asked their thoughts on the matchup and who they see taking the title this year. There was a bit of bias, as expected, but the results largely match the debates we are having in our own This is the USFL bullpen.
Jake Plummer, QB, Las Vegas Thunder: Both of these quarterbacks are great leaders and really accurate passers. In my mind the key to the game is whether or not either team can get pressure, because putting pressure on a QB can greatly affect the offense’s rhythm. Houston is well-equiped to put on that pressure, because Pittman still has all those skills and Umenyiura can just take over a game when his mind is right. I have to go with the Gamblers because I know just how tough those two edge rushers can be.
Deuce McCallister, HB, Washington Federals: We played the Stars three times this year, and they got us two out of three, including in the playoffs, so I have to go with the Stars. They are just a team that does not hurt themselves. They are especially tough when they can get Slaton rolling early. I know Houston has been on a huge run, but I have to go with the Stars after having to deal with them three times this year.
Hines Ward, WR, Michigan Panthers: I am going with Philadelphia for one reason, Steve Smith. That guy is loud, brash, and able to back it all up. I love players who give it 150% on every play, and that is Steve Smith. He is not the biggest receiver, but he will fight for every catch, and once he has the ball in his hands, he will make you work to tackle him. I love his game, and I am picking him to be the difference in this game for the Stars.
DeMeco Ryans, LB, Birmingham Stallions: The Stars beat us pretty good, so my heart kinda wants to go with Houston, but if I go with them it better be for more than bitterness towards the Stars. Honestly, what I like about Houston is their ability to pressure the QB with their front 3 and maybe one blitzer. I also love what they do in the secondary with those two corners. It will be a tight game, but I am going to pick the Gamblers.
Lofa Tatupu, LB, Los Angeles Express: We didn’t play the Stars this year, and we had a tough game against Houston just as they started to get rolling, but I am going to go with the Stars. I am loving the game Sean Lee is bringing to the Stars, and their secondary does not get the credit they deserve. It is tough to run against them, and that ends up putting a lot of pressure on the QB. I also know Steve Smith pretty well, and he is a difference maker. I am going to go Stars by 3, probably right at the end.
So, there you have it. Our five experts make their picks, and honestly, they are about where we are, with a slight edge going to Philadelphia. Our staff gave the slight edge to Houston, so once again we find ourselves split right down the middle. Our advice, if you are going to bet, bet on the over/under and not the spread. This one is likely to be decided by something wild like a big special teams play, or a bizarre turnover. Other than that it will be close, and we think this could be a very exciting game.
Hope Houston can take it home