Hi all. Over the next 3 weeks I will have a combination of travel and major work projects, so I am going to try to shift from an every-other-day timeline to posting new articles every 3 days. I may or may not be able to stick to this, but the overall project is not going anywhere. It is just hard to produce this much content while traveling and while putting in extra hours at work. So, it may not be as frequent as you may be used to, but the 2010 season (and beyond) will keep chugging along.
The second half of the USFL season kicked off with a wild weekend of divisional clashes, close games, defensive stands, big plays, and a fair share of upsets. New Jersey got a W in Nashville. Seattle, looking to, yes, once again, rally in the second half, upset the Las Vegas Thunder, and Tampa Bay got a huge win in Pittsburgh, but we start with the game of the week, when Washington came into Philadelphia with the two northeast rivals locked at 6-2 atop the division.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS 23 PHILADELPHIA STARS 27
You knew Friday night’s game on NBC had the potential to be our Game of the Week, and it absolutely lived up to the billing. You had two 6-2 clubs, tied atop the NE Division going head to head, and while Philly’s top rival is New Jersey, and Washington’s is Baltimore, these two meet twice a year and there is nearly 3 decades of battles in the history of this match up. The Stars held a slim 26-23 advantage all time, but they would add to it with a hard-fought win at home to take over 1st in the division and clear their path to control their own destiny down the stretch.
Both teams had their moments in this one, and it would come down to the final quarter as neither team was ever able to get more than a 1-score lead throughout the evening. Washington got on the scoreboard first with an effective first drive that took 7 minutes and ended with FB Chris Massey bulldozing his way in from the 1.
Philadelphia, also fond of long time-consuming drives, used nearly 8 minutes on their first drive of the second quarter and got the equalizer from their break out player this year, HB Steve Slaton. Washington responded with a field goal, and Philadelphia ended the first half with a reply, a 2-minute drill played to perfection that saw Kurt Warner carve his way through the Federal defense before hitting Steve Smith with a 9-yard TD toss to give the Stars a 14-10 halftime lead.
After the break, Washington had their own quick strike, when David Garrard used play action to free up Deion Branch and then hit the speedy receiver with a perfect deep ball, leading to a 52-yard TD. The crowd was stunned by the defensive gaff, but the Stars quickly recovered and put up a field goal to even the score at 17. The two clubs would battle through their field goal kickers for the next 20 minutes, with Washington getting 2 kicks to the Stars’ one. That left Washington with a 23-20 lead with 9 minutes to play.
Philadelphia would mount a 6-minute drive to take the lead, largely on the legs of their star, Slaton, and newly acquired scat back Darren Sproles. Sproles only had 6 carries on the day, along with some kick returns, but he had 4 in the final drive, including a 48-yarder that broke the drive wide open and gave Philadelphia the ball at the Federal 13. From there, Kurt Warner again found Steve Smith, and the Stars were on top (and very happy to have dealt a future pick to Seattle to acquire Sproles.)
The Star defense would have to defend the next 4:26 to secure the win. Garrard brought the Federals out, and after Deuce McCallister had been held to only 28 yards on 18 carries, it was Rod Smart behind him for the final drive, hoping to confuse Philadelphia with a different style of running. It did not really work out. Smart had a good first run for 19 yards, but his next two runs went for 1 yard and -2 yards, putting Washington in a 3rd and 11 on their side of the field. Garrard tried to find TE Heath Miller, but it was disrupted by rookie MLB Sean Lee, leading to a 4th and 11 to save the game for Washington.
The Feds lined up with 4 receivers and only smart next to Garrard in the shotgun. Smart stayed in as Philadelphia blitzed FS Jarius Byrd. Garrard tried to hit Eddie Kennison on a deep out, but the ball was too far to the outside and Kennison could not make the catch. The ball went back to the homestanding Stars, and with one first down, secured by a short Warner to Celek toss on 2nd and 3, the kneel downs began and the Philly faithful celebrated a very big division win by their Stars.
NEW JERSEY 31 NASHVILLE 28
Saturday started us off with a pretty impressive upset as Sam Bradford and the Generals upset the Southern leaders from Nashville. It was a tight game throughout, despite the early exit of QB Jay Cutler for the Knights. Backup Quincy Carter came in and threw 3 TD passes, but in the end, New Jersey, thanks in part to a Tamba Hali sack-strip-recover-TD, edged the Knights to improve to 4-5 on the season.
NEW ORLEANS 13 BIRMINGHAM 10
The Breakers were in a dogfight of their own in Birmingham and could not scoreboard watch, but when they eked out a 13-10 victory and saw the score from Nashville, the Breakers new they were right back in the hunt for the Southern title. They will need to make fewer mistakes as 8 penalties and 2 Manning interceptions almost cost them the game against the Stallions.
TAMPA BAY 20 PITTSBURGH 10
A big road win for the Bandits as they seek the SE Division title. Daunte Culpepper threw 2 TDs and Willis McGahee added 73 yards on the ground as the Bandits found holes in the Mauler D. Pittsburgh was in it until the 4th, largely due to the effective running of DeShaun Foster, who ended the day with 133 yards in a losing effort.
DENVER 24 ARIZONA 22
Arizona was not ready to cede this game to their rivals, and fought back from a 21-7 deficit, but a late safety on QB Derrick Carr ended the Wrangler’s final drive just as it started. Denver got the kick and was able to kneel down for the W. Denver relied on the run game with Dan LeFevour subbing for an injured Matt Leinart, and that run game came through with Javon Ringer rushing for 112 yards and Maurice Hicks adding another 88, for a 200 yard day.
LAS VEGAS 11 SEATTLE 21
It appears to be happening again as the Dragons win their 3rd of the year and 2nd in a row after a 1-6 start. Seattle limited Marshawn Lynch to only 20 yards rushing, while Best and Betts combined for 105, including two scores by short-yardage specialist Ladell Betts. The Thunder offense could only muster 230 total yards and failed on 2/3 of their third down attempts as Seattle looks to once again have a strong second half to the season.
ORLANDO 14 CHICAGO 31
After falling to Michigan last week, Chicago needed to regain some swagger, and they did that in spades by holding Orlando to only 5 yards rushing. Yup, you read that right, 5 yards total. With new CB Rashaud Bauman and veteran Marlin Jackson combining for 20 tackles, Chicago brought the DBs right up and into the run defense package, and it paid off. Maurice Clarett added 2 short-yardage TDs and Quinn connected with Driver and rookie Golden Tate to crush the Renegades at Soldier Field.
ATLANTA 10 MICHIGAN 9
Atlanta also got a big road win, shutting down Michigan and limiting Shaun Hill to only 41% completions, perhaps sparking the Panthers to make a deal this week. Kyle Orton also struggled, but Atlanta got the game’s lone TD on an Orton to Marcus Robinson toss. The defense did the rest, holding Michigan to 4 of 16 on third down and only 145 yards passing.
CHARLOTTE 13 BOSTON 6
The Monarchs’ defense also showed up big this week as Adrian McPherson attempted 51 passes but completed only 27 and could not find the endzone. Boston was only 3 of 15 on third down, and attempted 5 fourth down conversions, converting 3. Charlotte’s Stevie Johnson continues to shine, scoring the game’s only TD and catching 5 of 6 targets for 70 yards to help Charlotte move to 4-5.
JACKSONVILLE 13 MEMPHIS 21
Memphis kept itself alive, moving to 4-5 with a late rally to defeat the Bulls. Trailing 13-7 after three quarters, QB Jake Delhomme threw the go-ahead score to Sydney Rice and Shonn Greene added a 10-yard TD run to secure the win for the homestanding Showboats. Tim Tebow went 20 of 32 for only 165 yards as Coach Frazier continues to have him dink and dunk. Jacksonville did have one player stand out as Travis Minor rushed for 107 yards on only 12 carries.
HOUSTON 17 OHIO 3
The Gamblers relied on their defense and TE Vernon Davis as they shut down the Ohio Glory for 60 minutes. Davis caught both TDs on the day, including a 75-yarder off a tipped ball that had the entire stadium screaming at the defense. Dereck Anderson, getting the start for Ohio, struggled to only 16 of 44 on the day.
LOS ANGELES 20 ST. LOUIS 12
The LA Express showed signs of life against the perpetually hapless St. Louis Skyhawk defense. Mark Sanchez connected on TDs with both Randy Moss and Keyshawn as LA livedon the big paly, including a 70-yard scramble from the not very nimble Sanchez. St. Louis tried to counter, but just could not connect on the deep ball, as Freeman’s longest pass on the day went for 10 yards.
BALTIMORE 28 TEXAS 10
A surprisingly solid result for the Blitz as they went into San Antonio and shocked the Outlaws both on offense and defense. Ron Dayne blew away T. J. Duckett as the two top rushers went head to head. Dayne finished the day with 118 yards and 3 of Baltimore’s 4 TDs, while Duckett rushed for 73, but also had a costly fumble in the red zone.
OAKLAND 30 PORTLAND 6
The Invader defense continues to lead the club and Bob Volek is proving that Oakland made the right choice in not trading for an emergency QB. Volek led the Invader offense, but it was the D that made themost noise, with both CB Will Allen and SS Pearson Prioleau returning Feeley picks for scores. That 14 points was more than enough for the Invaders, but they added 16 more on a Norwood TD run and 3 Hollis field goals to move to 6-3 and take over sole possession of first in the Pacific.
TRADES HIGHLIGHT WEEK 8-9
The past 10 days have seen a flurry of activity, with 2 big trades prior to Week 8’s games and 3 immediately following. With just 10 more days before the trade window closes, is this the final round or will we see more action in the next week and a half?
We start with a big move made by Atlanta just prior to their game with Michigan. The Fire sent a 3rd round pick and reserve DE Paul Toviessi to Boston to pick up one of the Cannon’s best edge rushers, C. J. Mosely. Mosely, a 6-year vet, would not see action in the game this week, but is expected to be active from now on and could very well serve as the catalyst for the pass rush of Atlanta’s improved defensive front.
The other big move you have already seen pay dividends, as Seattle, happy to work with the duo of Ladell Betts and rookie Jahvid Best, parted ways with longtime kick returner and scat back extraordinaire Darren Sproles. Sproles was sent to Philadelphia for a 4th round pick, which seems like a light price, but Sproles is in the final year of a deal and could opt to retire this season, a perfect match for a team trying to make a run, as the Stars are.
Those two moves occurred prior to this week’s games, but between Monday and Tuesday we have seen 3 more that will almost certainly impact the playoff race down the stretch. The first is Michigan, having seen that Shaun Hill’s strong Week 7 may not be in indication of ongoing success, finally broke down and made a deal to bring a veteran option to town. Michigan sent a 3rd rounder to Atlanta (who just loves dealing these days) to bring Tyler Thigpen to the Motor City. Thigpen has been itching for a chance to prove himself after being pushed into a backup role in Atlanta, and this appears to be that shot. Michigan will roll with Shaun Hill again in Week 9, but after that we may well see Thigpen get a chance to prove that he is ready to start in the USFL, and, with his contract expiring in August, it would be a good time for him to impress us.
New Orleans was next up, making a move to bring a veteran cornerback into town to help out the defense. The Breakers send a 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft, along with bench DB DeAngelo Smith to the St. Louis Skyhawks, for veteran corner Tod McBride. McBride could see action this week as the Breakers are hoping to use his talents to help with Tory Holt when they head to Baltimore in a big game 10 matchup.
Finally, Oakland, having retaken the lead in the Pacific, and relying more and more on their defense, added a nice piece to their LB group, sending OT Kwame Harris and a 6th round pick in 2012 to Ohio to bring in LB Brendon Ayanbedejo. Ayanbedejo is known as a good coverage backer and is strong against the run, something Oakland wants as they look ahead to a possible Week 16 showdown with Marshawn Lynch and the Las Vegas Thunder.
FIRST HALF MVPS
We had our midseason report last week, but it is never too late to recognize players who are excelling, so we thought, one week later, we would revisit each club and talk just a bit about who we think has been the MVP on each squad through the season’s first 8, now 9, games. So, here you go, the most valuable (not always the best) player for each USFL club.
ARIZONA: Larry Fitzgerald is the easy pick here. The Wrangler WR is on pace for a 1,500 yard season, which would be his first over 1,100 in his 6 seasons with the Wranglers. He already has 8 TDs, on pace for 15 or more, and he has clearly helped David Carr a great deal, as the Wrangler QB is now ranked in the Top 5 for QB Rating in the league. We expected great things from Fitzgerald when he came out of college and this year he is delivering.
ATLANTA: As much as the country has been talking about Kyle Orton’s development and the numbers that Josh Reed is putting up, we still see defense as the key to the Fire’s success, and for that reason we are going to say that CB Andre Woolfork and his four picks are the MVP right now for the Fire. Atlanta has the 4th rated pass defense in the league, and Woolfork is a huge reason for it.
BALTIMORE: We could very likely say Ron Dayne every single year, but this year his talent is so obviously on display each week, well on his way to 1,500 yards and currently the rushing yardage leader, that to pick anyone else would just be dishonest. He is the engine that makes everything Baltimore does possible.
BIRMINGHAM: The Stallions are struggling in a lot of areas, but, thanks to Mike Rucker, pass rush is not one of them. Rucker has been a one-man show for so long that we have to ask why Birmingham has not been able to add more around him to help him out. This year there has been some support from fellow DE Quentin Groves, whose 7 sacks trail only Rucker’s 11, but more is needed if Rucker is going to ever see a winning team around him.
BOSTON: The first season of the post-Bledsoe period has not exactly gone as planned. 4-5 is not a horrible record, but Bostonians have been used to better, especially after winning the title last season. So, while there have been issues on both sides of the ball, there is still one player whose contributions to the team cannot be overstated. We know you are all thinking of “85”, Chad Johnson, but no, the real answer is HB Rashard Mendenhall. Johnson’s numbers are not solid at all this year, a result, in part, of the QB struggles for McPherson, but Mendenhall, with 725 yards and 5 TDs, has become the basis for the Boston offense when they needed something they could rely on.
CHARLOTTE: Not a lot of strong candidates on a Monarchs squad that has been underachieving, but we do think that Stevie Johnson is doing about as much as anyone to help Charlotte get back to .500.
CHICAGO: In a weird year where the Machine defense is in the bottom 5 of the USFL, it is all about that offense, and everything this year is running through Donald Driver. Driver currently leads the league in both pass receptions and receiving yards, a rare double-up in the USFL.
DENVER: So many players on this club are stepping up, but we are going to give it to the new arrival, NFL export, strong safety Roy Williams. Williams is 4th on the team with 39 tackles and has 4 sacks as well, allowing Denver to play the kind of pressure defense that Coach Jauron loves.
HOUSTON: Another new arrival, as LB James Farrior has 33 more tackles than the #2 tackler on the squad. It has not been a great year for the Houston defense, but it has been a banner year for Farrior, who is just running all over the field making plays.
JACKSONVILLE: Jason Whitten is a model of consistency on a team that seems to lack that very quality. His 44 receptions lead the team and he is proving to be a lifeline for their rookie QB.
LAS VEGAS: The Run & Shoot has not had the aerial impact that Coach Jones would want, but the run part is going smoothly, thanks mostly to Marshawn Lynch and his ability to break tackles.
LOS ANGELES: Keneche Udeze is having himself a year. He leads the league with 13 sacks and is just disruptive on every down. Now, if only LA could figure out an offensives scheme.
MEMPHIS: Rookie NaVorro Bowman has brought energy and ferocity to this Showboat defense, and they seem to be getting better each week.
MICHIGAN: The Michigan offense may be a shadow of what it was before Brian Griese’s injury, but even with a rotating door at QB, Hines Ward is still among the lead leaders for receiving yards.
NASHVILLE: As much as we love Frank Gore, we are going to give this to thedefense, and that means MLB Hunter Hillenmeyer, who leads the club in tackles with 75, but also has 2 picks, 6 tackles for loss, and a sack.
NEW JERSEY: Rookie QB Sam Bradford has imbued this club with optimism. He has a 3:1 TD:Int ratio and is making believers out of the General offense.
NEW ORLEANS: Cornerback Billy Austin has been a takeaway machine, with 5 picks and a forced fumble already this year. He is only 24, but is already a leader on this defense.
OAKLAND: We are going to have to say it is Bob Volek. The Invaders could have collapsed when Joey Harrington wentdown, but Volek has been a steady hand a the till. Sure, he is not a premier QB, but he is not making mistakes and he is helping this team win in new ways.
OHIO: A lot is going badly for Ohio this year, and it may just be the beginning of a generational shakeup on the roster, but if the Glory can bring in more young players like former Buckeye LB James Laurinaitis, they will be fine. The 2nd year player is a leader on defense and a nasty tackler.
ORLANDO: We all expected Calais Campbell to be the key on defense, so that is too easy. We are going with Justin McCaerins, the #2 receiver whose numbers are just as good as those of Michael Jenkins, allowing Drew Brees (or Matt Cassel) to have options each and every play.
PHILADELPHIA: QB Kurt Warner is a serious USFL MVP candidate, and while this entire team plays complementary football, it begins with the QB and his steady hand. With 20 TDs on the season, Warner is having his best year as a USFL signal caller.
PITTSBURGH: DE Jared Allen has brought the nasty to the Steel City, and it is infectious. This defense is taking on his high motor, no quit attitude.
PORTLAND: With A. J. Feeley struggling, the offense needs Jonathan Stewart to come up big, and, on pace for 1,200 yards rushing, he is answering the call.
SEATTLE: Byron Leftwich is off his game, the run game is not there yet, but David Boston is the Dude, because he just abides. Another 1,200 yard season seems almost inevitable for Boston.
ST. LOUIS: The Skyhawks are not ready to challenge in the USFL this year, but they do know they have a QB. Josh Freeman, with nearly 2,000 yards and a 14:5 TD:INT ratio, is a bright spot in another pretty dark year.
TAMPA BAY: CB Patrick Robinson, in his rookie year, is making some mistakes, but his energy and effort are not going unnoticed. He started week 1 as the #1 corner on the team and he is developing into a good one.
TEXAS: Chad Greenway was not happy with how the defense was playing and his role in it, and in this, a contract year, he is making the case that he is an elite player and deserves to be used in ways that maximize him impact. Coach Landry has heard him, and the result is his best year as a pro.
WASHINGTON: LB Antonio Pierce is doing everything you could ask a player to do. Not only does he lead the team in tackles, and lead them as defensive captain, but he is making plays in the passing game, with 4 sacks and a pick this year, while also racking up 11 tackles for loss against the run.
Portland’s Marquand Manuel joins the growing list of DB’s on injured reserve, out for the year after suffering a groin tear (which just sounds nasty). He will not be expected back until training camp next spring. Arizona DT Monsanto Pope is also placed on IR with a torn abdominal wall, while the Wranglers are also out LB Karlos Dansby for the remainder of the season. St. Louis guard Matt Lehr suffered a hernia in workouts this week and could miss 2-4 weeks, while New Jersey guard Duke Robinson is dealing with a hamstring and could be out 1-2 weeks.
Chicago CB Captain Munnerlyn suffered a non-displaced fracture in his arm and will be out at least 1-2, while Washington DE Chris Long should miss about the same time after an elbow injury in the Philadelphia game. Others who are doubtful for this week include Houston WR Mike Sims-Walker, Texas TE Dan Campbell, Nashville QB Jay Cutler, Baltimore DE Chuckie Nwokorie, Washington TE Kellen Davis, Tampa WR Davone Bess, Arizona WR Pierre Garçon, and Seattle DE Travis LaBoy.
COACHES FEELING SOME HEAT
As we look ahead to the second half of the season, many teams in this year of parity are focused on the playoff race, on moving within their divisions, and with giving their team the best chance to qualify for the postseason. But there are some who are also looking over their shoulders, worried about job security. Failure to meet expectations, or simply failure to put a good product on the field consistently can lead to a quick hook in the USFL. We have seen coaches relieved of duties before a season finishes and others who got 1 year and were let go even before their first full offseason with their teams. Is that likely this year, probably not, but there are several coaches who need to show that they have their teams headed in the right direction by year’s end. Here are the 5 coaches we think are feeling the heat at the midseason point.
Tom Coughlin (BAL): This is Coughlin’s 7th season with the Blitz, and the expectations were high after a 2nd straight playoff year in 2009. If the Blitz, currently 5-4, slip out of contention, we could imagine that the Blitz will seek to go in a new direction. Hovering around .500 year after year is not a good look, and while some of the pressure is on their GM after a pretty shaky offseason, 7 years is a long time to go and not see considerable improvement.
Wade Phillips (HOU): Do we really think that a coach who has taken hi team to the playoffs 8 out of 10 years could be let go? Well, honestly, yes. Houston has been a consistent playoff team, but also a consistent no-show once the postseason begins. They have lost in the Wild Card round each of the past 3 years, and they too have been hovering around the .500 mark for a long time. There are some who just don’t see Wade Phillips as a good postseason coach, a coach who has his team ready to win the must win games. With Texas joining Denver as serious competition in the division, Houston may want more.
Jim Haslett (MEM): We know what you are thinking, the “This is the USFL” staff has gone nuts. This is a coach who won a league title in his first season and returned the Showboats to the Summer Bowl the next year. Yes, both true, and both largely credited to the presence of Brett Favre. A 4-10 season last year was not a good look for Haslett, who some are saying rode the coattails of his predecessor. If Memphis finishes with 10 losses again, it could confirm the idea that Haslett lucked into those two strong years. We don’t think this is highly likely, and the Showboats have shown some signs of being competitive with Nashville and New Orleans, so an 8-8 finish could be very much possible, even a Wild Card berth, both of which would lock in Haslett for at least another year, maybe 2.
Al Luginbill (OHIO): Hear us out. We are not saying that the 2-time league championship winning coach, the man who brought a perfect season to Columbus will be fired. We are saying that after two tough seasons in 2008 and 2009, and what appears to be a deep decline, one which could see the core of his championship squad breaking up, Luginbill may also opt to step away. We certainly don’t see a firing here, but a resignation is not out of the question.
Marvin Lewis (SEA): Yes, another title-winning coach we think is feeling real pressure. The fanbase in Seattle is not happy with the incredible slow starts the past three seasons. Ownership is not happy either. We have to remember that the team that had the miracle run to a title in 2005 was a 6-8 team. That the Dragons are 1-3 in the playoffs since then, and did not recover from their slow start last year. If we see the Dragons once again flounder in the first half only to eke their way back to 7-9 or 8-8 again, that may be enough for ownership to want to do more, and that may well mean seeking another option at the top.
Others who should be at least a bit nervous are 2nd year coaches Jim Tomsula (ARZ), Herm Edwards (NJ), and Mike Shanahan (BIR). Their clubs may not need playoff runs, but they have to show improvement over last season. Even a first year coach like Leslie Frazier in Jacksonville needs to show that their presence is making a positive difference or a nervous owner could pull the plug. Welcome to the world of pro coaching and the need for results.
Invaders Get Stadium Renovation on the Ballot
The Oakland Invaders and Major League Baseball’s Oakland A’s have succeeded in getting a ballot initiative on the books for this November’s municipal and county elections. The initiative aims at raising nearly $200M through a combination of bond sales and temporary property tax increases in order to renovate and upgrade the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Generally viewed as one of the USFL (and MLB) stadia most in need of a facelift, or of implosion and new construction, depending on who you ask, the Coliseum is the type of multi-use open air facility that you just don’t see anymore. It has issues with water management when it rains, structural integrity as a whole, and, quite frankly does not have the amenities a modern stadium needs to maximize revenue for the teams that call it home.
The problem, and we expect you saw this coming, is that the Bay Area market is home to a lot of sports franchises, many of whom are seeking new digs. Even the 49ers across the bay are looking for a new home, despite playing in a football-only stadium that is something of a cathedral to the teams of the 1980’s. Compared to that, how does Oakland, which lost the Raiders to LA 30 years ago, and which has not exactly produced a string of champions, hope to get popular support for a major stadium overhaul? In a region that already has one of the highest tax burdens in the country, can the Invaders and the A’s find a message that convinces local residents of the East Bay to spend the money, public money, their money, to renovate the Coliseum for two teams owned by billionaires? That could be a very tough sell.
Nine of the league’s 14 games are divisional matchups in this week’s action, including Las Vegas’s Friday night clash with the Express in LA, Oakland traveling to Seattle on Saturday night, and the Sunday nightcap of Washington in Boston. But, plenty of daytime action as well with Tampa Bay at Atlanta for 1st place in the Southeast, Houston heading to Denver to face the 1st place Gold, and Pittsburgh taking on Michigan at Ford Field with 1st place in the Central on the line.
FRIDAY @ 8pm ET LAS VEGAS (6-3) @ LOS ANGELES (3-6) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET NEW ORLEANS (5-4) @ BALTIMORE (5-4) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET ORLANDO (4-5) @ NASHVILLE (5-4) FOX
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET TAMPA BAY (5-4) @ ATLANTA (5-4) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm ET PORTLAND (4-5) @ CHICAGO (5-4) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm ET HOUSTON (5-4) @ DENVER (7-2) FOX
SATURDAY @ 8pm ET OAKLAND (6-3) @ SEATTLE (3-6) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET MEMPHIS (4-5) @ PHILADELPHIA (7-2) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET BIRMINGHAM (2-7) @ NEW JERSEY (4-5) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET CHARLOTTE (4-5) @ JACKSONVILLE (3-6) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET PITTSBURGH (6-3) @ MICHIGAN (6-3) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET ARIZONA (3-6) @ TEXAS (5-5) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET OHIO (2-7) @ ST. LOUIS (2-7) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm ET WASHINGTON (6-3) @ BOSTON (4-5) ESPN & EFN