The second half of the season begins with some shocking results. Not only does Arizona go down to defeat for the first time but are absolutely dominated by the Texas Outlaws in a game that surprised all the pundits. We also had New Jersey pull a major upset at home over the Denver Gold, Atlanta ran roughshod over a Birmingham club that lost their star rookie in the first quarter, and Houston dropped their 7th in a row as their precipitous fall from glory continues to get deeper and deeper. We will cover all of Week 9’s on-field action and take a look at a key trade that Charlotte hopes will help keep their playoff hopes alive. Boston decides that Jake Locker needs to step back after a rough start to his career, and we break down all 6 division races as we enter the playoff push in the USFL.
DENVER GOLD 20 NEW JERSEY GENERALS 24
Sunday’s Fox national broadcast at 12pm was not the most hyped game of the week, but the Generals certainly made it one of the most entertaining, knocking off visiting Denver thanks to a furious 4th quarter comeback that stunned the visiting Gold and provided the Generals with their second consecutive win. Denver came into this one sky high, having won their last 5 games and coming off a convincing win over the Texas Outlaws. But, with Arizona on the slate for Week 10, facing the 1-7 Generals between Texas and Arizona was the perfect set up for a trap game. New Jersey had just won their first game of the season, a 3-point squeeker against Charlotte and were back at the Meadowlands ready to prove they were better than they showed in the first half of the season.
The Week 9 matchup of the Gold and the Generals started off just as many would have expected, with Denver scoring on their opening drive, a Maurice Hicks TD run only 4 minutes into the game. They then went on to add a field goal in their second drive and were starting to feel like the game was in hand. But New Jersey was not going to roll over. They got a big play on a defensive flub for Denver and finished up the first quarter with a dramatic 65-yard pass play that pulled the score to 10-7. Becht was covered by LB Shawne Merriman, which is a bit of a mismatch, and Bradford put the ball over the arms of the defender, allowing Becht to catch the ball in stride on a seam route. When safety Jamel Williams came in to make the tackle 14 yards down field, he did not spot Denver CB Jamar Fletcher also approaching for the hit. The two Denver defenders essentially picked each other off, freeing Becht, with only minimal contact, to run down the field out of range of the rest of the Denver defense. It was an uncharacteristic flub by the Gold defense, but it would not be the last.
The only score of the second period would be a Leigh Tiffin field goal for New Jersey, equalizing the score at the half. New Jersey had effectively contained the Denver offense and even picked off Matt Leinart on a ball that was tipped at the line. They could not score off the turnover, but it did help the Generals keep Denver off the scoreboard in the period. Going into the half, New Jersey was feeling good about where they stood, Denver was feeling the pressure of a heavy favorite not pulling away early.
The third quarter helped to calm the nerves of the few Denver fans who were on hand at Met Life Stadium, Denver started strong with a good defensive stop on New Jersey’s first possession and moved the ball well on their way to a Graham Gano field goal to retake the lead. After another good stop, this one a forced fumble by Merriman on HB Maurice Jones-Drew, recovered by DE Bryce Fisher, Denver was in position to take advantage of the short field and extend their lead. They did just that as Dan LeFevour, playing for the injured Matt Leinart, found Peerless Price for a short TD toss 5 plays later. LeFevour, who would finish 23 of 38 for 240 yards looked good most of the day but would have one poorly thrown ball that would tarnish the outing.
As the third quarter wound down, New Jersey was on the march. They found a rhythm with Sam Bradford connecting with receivers Miles Austin and T. J. Houshmandzadeh on consecutive third down throws to move the chains. The Generals worked the ball down inside the 5, and after Jones-Drew pounded the ball to the 1-yard line, they used a perfect play fake to get the ball to Miles Austin in single coverage. The ball was a bit low, but Austin dove down and scooped the ball out of the air before it hit the turf. On the first play of the final period, New Jersey pulled back to within 3 at 17-20. It would be up to their defense to keep them close enough for a game-winning score.
The Generals defense, criticized all season for giving up leads and allowing teams to run on them late, had some issues with the run again, as Maurice Hicks and Javon Ringer had combined for 95 yards over the first 3 quarters, but in the 4th they would be held to only 20 yards on 10 carries. Without an effective run game, Denver found themselves having to deal with long third down conversions in the final period. With 7:11 left in the quarter, the pressure of a long 3rd and 12 caused LeFevour to force a ball towards James Hardy. Instead of finding his receiver, he found CB Nate Clements, one of New Jersey’s best defensive players. Clements returned the pick 14 yards and set up the Generals with a 1st and 10 at their own 36.
It would take the Generals only one play to make Denver pay. The play was a perfectly executed flea flicker. Bradford handed off to Jones-Drew, who headed to the left, only to pitch the ball back to Bradford. The QB eyed T. J. Houshmandzadeh flying down the left sideline, with 2 steps on the corner and no safety in range. He hit Housh perfectly with a deep ball, and the Generals’ wideout high stepped the final 15 yards into the endzone. New Jersey was up 24-20 with just over 6 minutes left to play. This was where their defense would have to prove the haters wrong.
Denver got the ball back at the 6-minute mark and again tried to force the run game to be effective. It was not a good strategy. They again found themselves with a long 3rd down, this time 3rd and 8. LeFevour could not find a receiver and took his 3rd sack of the game on the play, forcing Denver to send the ball back to New Jersey. The Generals played conservatively on offense, rushing the ball twice before trying to pick up a third down with a screen pass to Jones-Drew. The screen came up a yard short and the Generals were forced to punt. Denver would have one more shot, now with 3:50 left on the clock.
This time around, the run game was not a consideration for the Gold. It would be up to LeFevour to pull out the win, and the Gold needed a TD, down by 4. The drive began with LeFevour scrambling and picking up just 1 yard after initial pressure from New Jersey’s Shaun Ellis. On 2nd down, LeFevour found TE Daniel Graham inside and moved the sticks. Over the next 5 plays, Denver would cross the 50, finding themselves with a 1st and 10 on the New Jersey 42.
On first down, LeFevour would miss on a deep shot to Peerless Price. On second he would use a short screen to Ringer, but the play was blown up by Donterrious Thomas, who brought Ringer down after only a gain of 2 yards. Third and 8 and it was clear Denver was in 4-down mode. LeFevour threw towards Price again, but the ball bounced just in front of the receiver. 4th and 8 and the game on the line for the Gold. Denver went with a 3-reciever, 1 back set with Ringer. LeFevour started in the shotgun, was quickly flushed to his right by Ellis, looked deep but saw no one open and dumped the ball to Ringer, but, clipped in the arm as he threw by a blitzing Scott Fujita, the ball fluttered and dropped before reaching Ringer. Turned over on downs, it was the last that Denver would see the ball.
New Jersey wins their second in a row after a horrific 0-7 start, Denver drops a game they could not afford to drop, now falling 2 games behind Arizona with a huge matchup against the Wranglers the next week. A fun game, and an important step forward for New Jersey and their defense if they are going to recover any sense of pride this season.
OHIO 6 MICHIGAN 24
Another good game for Brian Griese as the Panthers seem to be putting it together. Griese threw for 238 and 2 touchdowns, getting help from his run game as Thomas Jones and Mike Hart combined for 33 carries and 136 yards. Steve Smith returned to action for Ohio, catching 4 balls for 100 yards, but little else came from the Glory offense in this one.
ST. LOUIS 20 PITTSBURGH 27
Despite Josh Freeman getting knocked out of the game, the Skyhawks put a real scare into Pittsburgh. Backup Troy Smith threw for 242 and 2 TDs as St. Louis had both Taylor Jacobs and Jordy Nelson over 100 yards each against a banged-up Mauler secondary. But the Maulers hung in all game and at the end a Pickett to Victor Cruz TD pass gave the homestanding Maulers the W to improve to 8-1 on the year.
BIRMINGHAM 13 ATLANTA 31
Cam Newton had a 75-yard TD run but pulled up gimpy afterwards and had to be replaced by Colt Brennan. Atlanta took advantage, scoring the next 24 points on their way to an easy victory at home. Joseph Addai had 112 yards for the Stallions, but without Newton the offense struggled to get to the red zone. Meanwhile Josh Reed had his best game of the year, catching 8 for 102 yards.
ORLANDO 23 BALTIMORE 16
The Renegades were determined and found what they needed to edge the Blitz with two 4th quarter field goals and a great defensive stand on a key 4th down play. They held Ron Dayne to only 59 yards on the ground, and got TD runs from both Leon Johnson and Knowshon Moreno to take the win and move above .500 again.
BOSTON 6 NASHVILLE 23
Jake Locker avoided throwing more picks, but also could not get anything going for Boston’s offense as Nashville dominated thanks to 2 TDs to Ahmad Merrit. Add in 111 yards from Robert Meachem and you have a pretty solid day for Jay Cutler. After the game, Boston Coach Jim Fox said he would be returning to Adrian McPherson at QB for Week 10.
NEW ORLEANS 9 MEMPHIS 16
The Showboats win 2 in a row as they take care of the winless Breakers. New Orleans led at the half, but a 3rd quarter TD pass from Ryan Mallett to Jim Kliensasser put Memphis up for good. Drew Brees went 24 of 35 for 285 yards but could not convert yards into points as New Orleans continues to struggle on offense.
PHILADELPHIA 28 WASHINGTON 26
A good battle in the NE Division goes to Philadelphia as the Stars hold off backup Joe Webb and the Feds. Webb would throw for 3 scores but fell behind early and just could not fully catch up late in the game. Deion Branch had 2 TDs for Washington, while Philadelphia got scores from 4 different players to get the win.
SEATTLE 24 JACKSONVILLE 6
The Dragons look good in a big road win 3,000 miles from home. Jahvid Best had 2 TD runs and Byron Leftwich welcomed Nate Burleson back from injury with a TD toss. For Jacksonville, no run game at all forced Tim Tebow to throw 59 pass attempts. He completed 25 for 267 yards but was also sacked 4 times and picked once as Seattle rolled.
LAS VEGAS 30 CHARLOTTE 6
No Marshawn, no problem as the Thunder score 20 unanswered points in the second half to roll past the Monarchs in Charlotte. Jake Delhomme is sacked 5 times by that nasty Thunder defense, and LB Shantee Orr took a Delhomme pick to the house as Las Vegas wins big and retains a share of first place.
ARIZONA 7 TEXAS 30
A huge statement game for the Outlaws as they dominate unbeaten Arizona in the Alamodome. Two first quarter TDs from Flacco to Marques Colston set the tone as Texas built up a 27-0 lead and never looked back. Arizona’s only points came on a pick-six as the Texas D completely shut down LaDainian Tomlinson and the Arizona offense. A huge divisional win for a rising Outlaw squad.
LOS ANGELES 34 CHICAGO 13
The Express feeling disrespected by the national media, take out their frustrations against the Machine, going on a 24-point surge after falling behind 7-0 in this one. Two Randy Moss TDs highlight a 298-yard, 3 TD game for Mark Sanchez as LA moves to 6-2 and stays tied for first place in the Pacific.
TAMPA BAY 10 OAKLAND 6
An ugly game in drizzly, wet conditions by the bay as the Bandits escape with a 4-point win against Oakland. Joey Galloway had 108 yards and the game’s only TD as Tampa Bay holds on to win in miserable conditions. The Invaders could not get a run game going and shot themselves in the foot with 11 penalties.
PORTLAND 20 HOUSTON 13
Houston’s misery continues as they drop their 7th in a row. Portland got TDs from Visanthe Shiancoe (later injured in the game) and Andre Davis as the Portland defense completely overwhelms Houston backup Tim Rattay, in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck. Jonathan Stewart also rushes for 110 as Portland moves to 4-5 and in the mass of teams hoping to be in Wild Card position.
Outlaws Roust the Wranglers
Call it a statement game, a letdown, or the eventual evening of results across the league, but the Texas Outlaws sent a shot across the bow of the league with their rout of the Arizona Wranglers. Many had thought that Texas could give Arizona a challenge, and some did predict the upset, but no one saw the result being total domination by the folks from San Antonio. Texas scored the first 27 points of the game begore a late pick-six by Arizona’s Jimmie Williams put Arizona on the board. The Outlaws gained over 450 total yards against the Wrangler defense, including 98 yards rushing for T. J. Duckett, 96 for Marques Colsten, and another 87 from Brandon Marshall. Joe Flacco had a fabulous game, racking up a 119.3 QB Rating on the day while throwing 3 TDs.
Meanwhile, Arizona looked flat from the get-go. David Carr completed only 13 of 30 passes and was sacked 8 times. That total includes a stunning 4 sacks from Texas DE Renaldo Wynn, who Carr will be seeing in his nightmares for weeks to come. LaDainian Tomlinson did not fare much better, averaging only 1.9 yards per carry as Texas consistently used gap blitzes to disrupt the run game. Larry Fitzgerald was held to only 3 catches on the day as Arizona was simply overmatched up front.
The question now is if other teams can mimic Texas’s high pressure, man coverage scheme to slow down Arizona and then find the same defensive weaknesses that Texas exploited. We expect that Coach Tomsula will be using this game as motivation for the Wranglers to play their best in the coming weeks. The Wranglers don’t face Texas again, having played both games to a 1-1 draw, but the lingering impact of this drubbing by the Outlaws could certainly impact them. Week 10 has them facing Denver, another team hot on their heels in the division. Could the Gold repeat the model for victory that Texas provided or will Arizona bounce back with a divisional win to reestablish their position in the division?
Boston Benches Rookie Jake Locker
With a QB rating of only 53.7, and a 3:9 TD:INT ratio, not to mention six consecutive losses, none of which saw Boston score more than 16 points, it is not surprising that Coach Jim Fox is regretting his decision to replace Adrian McPherson with rookie Jake Locker. He reversed that decision after this week’s 23-6 loss at Nashville and will start McPherson against Memphis in Week 10.
It is not the first time that a high-profile rookie QB has struggled with the speed and sophistication of the pro game, but Locker was viewed as the most pro-ready QB in the draft, and one of the best prospects of the past few years. Boston fans are already muttering unflattering comparisons to Ryan Leaf on sports radio. It seems very early to say that, as we have also seen many QBs struggle in their first year only to come on in their careers as the game became easier to read and their understanding of an offense improved.
Sitting at 1-8, Boston is already out of playoff contention, so there is a question of whether or not Coach Fox is removing valuable snaps from a rookie QB who can only grow as he plays more, but concerns that Locker is losing confidence in himself and becoming more rattled each week has Coach Fox offering the rookie a respite, a chance to catch his breath and watch the game develop from the sideline. Certainly, a setback for Locker and the Cannons as a whole, but an understandable position for Fox, who has not dealt with a rookie QB in his entire tenure with the Cannons.
Charlotte Trades for a Halfback
We had a feeling that Charlotte would not stand pat after losing Fred Jackson to IR. After one game where rookie HB Taiwan Jones rushed for only 2.2 yards per carry and the Monarchs got crushed 30-6 by Las Vegas, the club made a move to bring in a possible solution at halfback. The Monarchs made a deal with the Memphis Showboats to bring HB Shonn Greene over to Charlotte. It cost them a 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft, but Greene brings more experience and some good inside running skills to the club. Expect him to get the bulk of the carries with Charlotte this week, but to be removed for passing downs as he will not yet have all the blocking assignments in place yet.
Greene’s came to Memphis as a rookie in 2009, but only saw action in 1 game. In 2010 he became a regular contributor, even starting 3 games when Cadillac Williams was dealing with injury. He would rush for 517 yards and 7 TDs in Memphis, used most frequently as a short-yardage and goal line back. He will have a chance with Charlotte to have a much larger role, at least this year with Jackson sidelines. This is a contract year for Greene, so a good performance could lead to a nice new contract or to added value on the free agent market. Charlotte is, of course, hoping that motivation will help Greene play to his maximum potential and provide the Monarchs with a run game they need to keep pressure off Jake Delhomme.
Divisional Race Roundup
As we look at the Week 9 standings and knowing that we begin our official playoff positioning reviews next week, we can see that there are going to be some tight races this year. Five of six divisions have clusters of teams all fighting for supremacy. As we gear up for the playoff run, here is our look at each of the 6 divisions, from closest to least competitive.
NORTHEAST: Not only is this division close, with 3 teams all within 1 game of the lead but may be the most competitive. Philadelphia currently holds a 1-game lead over Washington and Baltimore but all three teams have looked like very real Summer Bowl contenders this year, so this is a real clash of the titans situation. Each club currently has 1 loss in the division, but we expect that in the weeks to come the battles among these three will only produce more drama and more upheaval in the division.
PACIFIC: The surprise upswing of the LA Express, the injury to Marshawn Lynch, and the resilience of the Seattle Dragons are making the Pacific Division one of the most interesting races in the league. The fact that all 5 clubs are within 2 games of each other means that upsets are not out of the question and any team, even 5th place Portland can make a run to the top over the final 7 weeks of the season. LA and Las Vegas are currently tied atop the division, but LA has a perfect 3-0 division record, giving them the edge. That means they still have 5 division games to go, so the infighting will be key for the Express and the whole division.
SOUTHEAST: Four of five teams are within 2 games of first place Tampa Bay, with only 2-7 Jacksonville sitting this one out. Charlotte has lost 4 in a row and may be fading, but they are still making moves to try to be competitive. Atlanta and Orlando are right there with Tampa Bay, and, most interestingly, Orlando has only played 1 divisional game to date. In a quirk of scheduling, they have 7 divisional games in their final 7 weeks. That is a gauntlet, but also an opportunity as they will play all the contenders twice over the next 2 months.
SOUTHWEST: Texas’s win over the Wranglers suddenly puts this division back in play. Both Texas and Denver are still 2 games behind Arizona, but the task of catching the Wranglers now seems more viable. Arizona plays Denver this week. Another loss and this division could be as close as the NE or Pacific. Houston is well out of the hunt, but 3 teams, all looking very strong, should continue to battle this one out. We should also note that Denver is still unbeaten in the division (only 2-0) with 4 division games left to play.
SOUTHERN: We expected a 2-team race, and we got that, just not the 2 teams we expected. New Orleans’s collapse and Cam Newton’s strong rookie year have made it possible for Birmingham to challenge Nashville in a 2-team race. Right now the Knights hold a 1-game lead, and are still unbeaten (3-0) in division games. Birmingham can narrow that gap with a win over the Knights in Week 14 but have to get past Washington and Pittsburgh first. The Knights also have a tough path ahead, with the Maulers, Bandits and then Birmingham on the schedule in the next month.
CENTRAL: The one division that is just not competitive this year. Pittsburgh has a 4-game lead on the closest challengers (Michigan and Ohio) and could wrap up the division title before June. They are still fighting for a #1 seed in the playoffs and will have to keep pace with Arizona to do so. The chase in the division is for a possible Wild Card spot, but with both the Panthers and Glory at 4-5, they will need to string together some wins in order to get in the mix ahead of teams from other divisions.
Five Under .500
Seven weeks left and while there are certainly teams who look like clear playoff contenders, there are also those on the fringe, sitting outside the current playoff positions but still with potential if they can put the pieces together. Here is our look at 5 teams currently sitting below the .500 mark who, with a bit of focus, a bit of bit of tenacity and a bit of luck can make a run at a postseason position. They may not be at the top of the standings right now, but they do have reasons to be optimistic.
MICHIGAN (4-5, 1-3 in Division): The Panthers actually sit in 2nd place in the Central Division, a full 4 games behind Pittsburgh, but in a possible position to garner a Wild Card if they can keep a hot hand. The Panthers have won their last 3 games, which we take as a good sign, and Brian Griese over that span has thrown for nearly 800 yards with 4 TDs. That is an even better sign that the Panthers may be poised for a strong second half and a possible return to playoff football.
OHIO (4-5, 2-3 in Division): The Glory are by many accounts ahead of schedule. The club is still considered to be in a rebuild mold, but the defense Coach Bart Andrus has put together has come together quickly and is keeping Ohio in most games. Vince Young did not start the season at QB, but now is in the lineup and it is hoped that he can help spark the offense as well. Their loss this week to Michigan kept them from being at 5-4 and they have some tough games ahead, but the Glory are certainly not out of the hunt.
OAKLAND (4-5, 1-2 In Division): The Invaders are not the division power they were 2 years ago, but they still can be a very dangerous team, and with the division as tight as it is a late run is not unimaginable. They need better play out of their 25th ranked offense, because right now the defense is doing all the heavy lifting. That means more consistency from the run game and more big plays out of the passing game.
PORTLAND (4-5, 0-3 in Division): Preseason picks had Portland as a favorite in the division, but after a 3-2 start, a 3-game slide did not do them any favors. They rebounded this week with a win in Houston but will need to show more consistency and more explosiveness if they want to stay a viable playoff team this year. They are about to run a 4-game gauntlet against Pacific Division foes, so these next 4 weeks will all but guarantee their fate.
CHICAGO (3-6, 0-5 in Division): This one is a longshot, we know. After losing 5 straight division games to open the year, Chicago turned things around with a 3-game win streak, but it may just be too little too late. The defense is just not what it once was, and yet, with upcoming games against Michigan, New Orleans, Memphis, Ohio, and St. Louis, the chance for a second surge still exists, but is it far too late to be of much good?
A really bad week across the USFL as we had 4 players added to IR, including a very scary neck injury for Portland center Brad Meester, who collapsed on the field after a brutal head-to-head hit. He had to be taken out on an ambulace with a neck injury. Early reports are positive. He has movement and feeling in all extremities, but it was a very scary moment.
The other three IR placements were not as frightening to watch this weekend but are still significant. Portland will miss veteran TE Visanthe Schianco, who ruptured his Achilles after catching a TD in this weekend’s game. Michigan SS Tyrone Carter left the game with his arm in a sling, and it was determined that his bicep has detached from the bone and that will cost him the season to repair and rehab. Finally, Tampa Bay FS suffered 3 broken ribs in a vicious hit and will be unable to return this season.
While not nearly as significant as the injuries listed above, we have several players expected to miss at least 1-2 weeks after this week’s games. Philadelphia CB Quentin Jammer is out 2-4 weeks with a partially torn hamstring. Memphis wideout Lee Evans is out 1-2 with an elbow injury, while Washington could miss starting center Austin King for 1-2 weeks with an ankle injury. Las Vegas cornerback Antoine Winfield suffered a shoulder injury this week and is expected to be out at least a week. Finally, Mike Pouncy is expected to be out this week with a stinger in his neck.
One last note, QB Cam Newton left the game this week with pain in his neck and is listed as questionable for the big game this weekend against Washington. If he cannot go, then Colt Brennan is expected to get the start.
Trades We Wish Would Happen
With just one week left until the trade deadline, we look around the league and wonder “what if?” There are some clubs who are not going anywhere and are sitting on very talented individuals. Would they be willing to give up a significant start in order to acquire more pieces or some draft capital? There are also some teams who just don’t seem to know how to get the best out of a player. What if they moved that player on and got someone who fits their mold a bit more? We tried to answer these and other roster questions as we looked across the league. In doing so we have come up with 6 trades we wish would happen, both for the teams and the individual players.
1. St. Louis sends WR Taylor Jacobs to Las Vegas.
The Thunder have been beset by WR injuries, and even with Marty Booker expected back, they just don’t have a guy who can take over a game. St. Louis does, but they just don’t seem to ever put enough around him to allow his talent to translate into wins. We don’t expect the Skyhawks would want to give Jacobs up, but he would be a perfect fit for Coach June Jones’s system in Vegas.
2. HB Kenny Watson to the Dragons.
Watson is beginning to look like the odd man out in Pittsburgh, where Ronnie Brown’s emergence has seriously cut into Watson’s carries. Seattle is a club that is struggling to field a consistent run game. Send Watson to Seattle for a pick and maybe LaDell Betts, who runs a similar style to Brown and you could benefit both run games.
3. A. J. Feeley to Boston.
What do we know about Boston? We know that Jake Locker is struggling to pick up the pro game. He needs a mentor, someone who can guide him and get him to see the game better. Feeley is out as the starter in Portland and could be a perfect 1-year solution for Boston, helping the Cannons this year while also providing tutelage to the young and somewhat shaken Locker.
4. FS Tebucky Jones to the Arizona Wranglers.
Jones is having a banner year for Memphis, but he is going nowhere on a 2-win Showboat squad. Arizona is a Summer Bowl contender despite the fact that they are giving up over 250 yards per game passing. Putting Jones on that Arizona roster would provide immediate support and essentially a coach on the field. We expect Memphis would want a lot in return, but if Arizona is all in this year for a title, it may be a deal worth making.
5. DE Jason Babin to the Bandits.
Babin is 2nd in the league in sacks, which makes him very unlikely trade bait, but he is also spinning his wheels with a Boston club that is so focused on offense that they are not doing what they need to for the defense to be effective. Put Babin on a team that has a shot and let him be the disruptor that the Bandit defense sorely needs. Yes, it means giving up quite a bit to Boston to make it happen, but the Bandit defense needs to be more aggressive and Babin could be the answer.
6. New Orleans should trade the #1 pick in the draft away.
Now, this assumes that the Breakers retain that pick by finishing last in the league, which after this week’s loss to Memphis seems like a good bet. The #1 pick is almost always going to be a QB, which is the one position we don’t think the Breakers need to address. A healthy Drew Brees will be just fine in New Orleans. What New Orleans needs are picks, lots of picks, so they can rebuild across the defense, the O-line, and at the HB position. As much as we like Matt Forte, he is not getting the job done. Maye even package him with the top pick to get even more out of a team.
Texas reveals 2012 Uniforms
The second of next year’s Adidas redesigns has been announced, with the very hot Texas Outlaws getting a new look, one they hope they can debut in the 2011 playoffs. Not to worry Texas faithful, unlike Reebok, Adidas is not proposing a new logo for your beloved Outlaws. They are retaining the traditional cowboy over a lone star design, keeping the secondary “action outlaw” logo and are adding s supplemental logo featuring a shield and the Alamo skyline to highlight the club’s San Antonio home.
The main distinction fans will see with the 2011 uniform is in the use of colors. Black will be far less present than in past years, with the new Texas look particularly emphasizing the Kelly Green and Royal Blue combo. This is particularly evident in the new striping, which plays upon a consistent 4-stripe pattern, with four equal width stripes, with the two outer stripes the same color—white on colored backgrounds, blue on a white background, and then two distinct stripes on the inside. On the Green helmet this produces parallel blue and green stripes within the white outer stripes, a pattern which is also found on the blue and green pant sets and on both jerseys.
We have this pattern on both jerseys because Texas is one of several teams that has moved to having colored sleeves on their white jerseys. In the case of the Outlaws it is a blue sleeve, allowing for the same stripe pattern as on the home blue jerseys. The new wordmark is on the front of each jersey, the secondary logo on each sleeve as well, and a wide block font with some western flourishes is in green with a blue drop shadow on the white look and white with green shadow on the blue jersey.
The entire look is very much in keeping with the aesthetics that the club inherited from the San Antonio Gunslingers back in 1988. While some fans have called for the club to develop a blue alternate helmet, or even an all-black look, the Outlaws have consistently been a team with a green helmet and blue jersey, balancing the two colors. While the three pant sets would allow the club to provide an all-blue look, the team has said that it plans to wear the blue pants primarily with the white jersey, the white pants with the blue jersey, and the green pants with either jersey for special games.
We are still awaiting the reveals for New Orleans, fresh off their vote on team colors, and the Washington Federals, with rumors of a modified eagle logo already being spread around DC.
Week 10 brings us a slate of action that could go a long way to determining which clubs are truly in the hunt for a playoff spot and which may be fading fast. Saturday brings us Nashville (6-3) visiting Charlotte. A loss by the Monarchs here and they could quickly fade from the SE Division race. Michigan is also sitting at 4-5 and they host the 3-6 Chicago Machine. Neither team can afford a loss at this point. On Sunday, Ohio has a shot to revive playoff hopes but will need to pull the upset as the visiting Maulers (8-1) are heavily favored. Birmingham sits at 5-4 and have a chance to prove their legitimacy as they host the Washington Federals. Portland (4-5) needs a win over visiting LA (6-3) to get back in the chase, but the Express are hoping to put their stamp on the division with a win on the road. Late on Sunday we have two good battles of 5-4 and 4-5 clubs, with Seattle visiting Oakland at 4pm and then Atlanta hosting Orlando at 8pm on the ESPN Football Network.
It all kicks off on Friday with an in-state rivalry game as the Texas Tussle resumes in Houston, with a spiraling Gambler team, losers of 7 in a row, hosting the hot Texas Outlaws. Another match with huge implications is 6-3 Denver visiting 8-1 Arizona on Saturday. On Sunday the early game between 6-3 Baltimore and 7-2 Philadelphia will also be huge.
FRIDAY @ 8pm ET Texas (6-3) @ Houston (2-7) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Boston (1-8) @ Memphis (2-7) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Nashville (6-3) @ Charlotte (4-5) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm ET New Jersey (2-7) @ New Orleans (0-9) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Chicago (3-6) @ Michigan (4-5) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Denver (6-3) @ Arizona (8-1) FOX
SATURDAY @ 8pm ET Jacksonville (2-7) @ Tampa Bay (6-3) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Baltimore (6-3) @ Philadelphia (7-2) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Pittsburgh (8-1) @ Ohio (4-5) FOX
SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Washington (6-3) @ Birmingham (5-4) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET St. Louis (3-6) @ Las Vegas (6-3) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Los Angeles (6-3) @ Portland (4-5) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Seattle (5-4) @ Oakland (4-5) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm ET Atlanta (5-4) @ Orlando (5-4) EFN