Is this the year of the Cinderella story? With so many Cinderellas I am afraid we are going to run out of pumpkins. We have a Cinderella team in the St. Louis Skyhawks making their first ever playoff appearance and racing all the way to the top seed in the West. We have the Cinderella story of Matt Gutierrez leading the Philadelphia Stars to the Eastern Conference Finals. And now we have the Cinderella story of rookie QB Brandon Wheedon called into action for the first time in the Eastern Division playoffs and helping Charlotte to upset the Atlanta Fire in Atlanta. The Fairy Godmothers must be working overtime this year.
Join us as we recap all the action from this week’s 4 divisional playoff games, including the Charlotte upset of Atlanta, and strong performances from Philly, St. Louie, and Las Vegie (Hmm, that last one does not work.) We will also look into the quick hire of former Boston coach John Fox, the new free agents joining the open market, and the retirement announcements of two pretty much sure fire Hall of Fame players. It’s all here along with our preview of the Conference Title Games.
CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 16 ATLANTA FIRE 12
Defense wins titles. That is the old cliché, and while the USFL has not always proven that to be true, the matchup between Charlotte and Atlanta certainly bore it out as the Charlotte Monarchs held Atlanta out of the end zone for 60 minutes and escaped a hostile Georgia Dome with a 4-point victory and a ticket to next week’s Eastern Conference Final. The Monarchs used a staunch red zone defense and a run game led by Fred Jackson to win a war of attrition against rival Atlanta. Despite only going 1 of 11 on third down, and rookie Brandon Wheedon throwing for only 102 yards, the Monarchs had the ability to limit Atlanta to only 4 Josh Scobee field goals and that was good enough to take the W, survive and advance.
Wheedon avoided mistakes all game, throwing short to Derrick Mason and D. J. Hackett (9 receptions for 71 yards combined) when called on, but mostly managing the clock and the run game as Charlotte started the game with a scripted 11-play drive for a TD and then simply held Atlanta at arm’s length for the rest of the game. Atlanta would outgain the Monarchs 318-230, and Kyle Orton threw for 246, but he was also sacked 6 times and threw a costly red zone pick that preserved the Monarch lead in the 3rd quarter.
Despite all their success on defense, Atlanta had pulled within 1 point at 13-12 early in the 4th, but a sustained drive when they needed one allowed the Monarchs to put league scoring champ Brandon Coutu in position for a 41-yard field goal midway through the period and that 4-point lead meant that a fifth Fire field goal would not be enough. Charlotte got strong games from LB Jerod Mayo (8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pick), LB Rolando McClain (8 tackles, 1 sack), and their entire secondary as they just did not allow Atlanta to turn field position into points. They now head into the Eastern Title Game with the potential that starter Jake Delhomme could return to action.
TEXAS OUTLAWS 10 LAS VEGAS THUNDER 15
With the game delayed 2 hours due to heat, the 7pm local kickoff was still a scorcher at Sam Boyd Stadium, with kickoff temps in the high 80s’s, though the temperature continued to drop throughout the game. The pressure from the Thunder defense never let up however, as Vegas held Texas to only 74 yards rushing and a miserable 1 of 9 on third down. And while the Thunder offense was not exactly dynamic, limited to only 5 Jeff Reed field goals, it was enough to get Las Vegas its first playoff win since relocating from Portland.
The Thunder were relentless in their pressure scheme, sending blitzes against both the run and the pass and producing 6 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. DE Akin Ogunleye recorded two sacks of Luke McCown but was joined by 4 others in pressuring and frustrating the Texas QB. Meanwhile, on offense, the Thunder relied on Marshawn Lynch, who would finish the game with 130 yards rushing on 20 carries, a very healthy 6.5 YPC average. The game could have been a broader victory for Las Vegas, but Texas also was able to get pressure on Thunder QB Jake Plummer, producing 2 picks which kept Texas in the game. The lone TD of the game came in the 3rd quarter when a communication error on defense left WR Marques Colston uncovered for a 24-yard TD. Other than that one botched play the Thunder defense was truly lights out, and they will need to keep up that intensity next week as they hit the road to face the top seed St. Louis and their league-leading offense for a shot at Summer Bowl 2012.
OAKLAND INVADERS 13 ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 34
The Skyhawks punched their ticket to the Conference Finals in dramatic style, dominating the Oakland Invaders in front of nearly 62,000 enthusiastic “Hawkheads” inside the dome. The familiar “Ka-Kaw” cries of the Skyhawk faithful were frequent and loud as St. Louis turned a 10-0 deficit early in the 2nd quarter into a 31-13 lead by the end of three quarters. Josh Freeman hit Taylor Jacobs on all three of his TD passes as the likely league MVP went 14 of 26 for 394 yards against an Oakland defense that simply could not defend the entire field. Oakland tried a high-pressure strategy against Freeman, which did produce 6 sacks, but also gave up some huge plays, including a 78-yard TD in the final seconds of the first half, turning a 13-7 advantage into a 14-13 deficit for the Invaders just as the teams headed to the locker room.
Oakland would never recover. St. Louis scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter, including a pick-six from CB Vontae Davis and Jacobs’s 3rd TD reception of the game. The All-USFL receiver would only catch 5 balls on the day, but 3 would go for scores. Jordy Nelson, the 2nd receiver for the Skyhawks, also topped the century mark with 4 receptions for 148 yards as the deep ball worked for St. Louis all game long.
Oakland began the game well, scoring on a Greg Jennings TD early in the 2nd after holding St. Louis scoreless in the opening period, but the 78-yard bomb at the end of the half deflated the Invaders, who would not score again as St. Louis put together a 27-point unanswered scoring string. St. Louis now moves on to the Conference Championships against Las Vegas, once again in the Dome at America’s Center, which is also home to the Summer Bowl, giving the Skyhawks a real chance to make history as the first USFL club to win a title in their home stadium. No other USFL Champion has matched up their title run with their home stadium being the host of the Summer Bowl, but St. Louis has a path to do just that.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS 13 PHILADELPHIA STARS 37
We expected a dogfight in this one. What we got was a whoomping. The Stars proved once again why they are one of the most complete teams in the USFL by putting a three phase beatdown on a very good New Jersey club. The Stars aggressively pressured Sam Bradford and by the middle of the second quarter they had taken the Generals’ young QB out of action with a concussion on a hard hit of his head to the turf at Lincoln Financial Field. At that time, it was already 23-3 Stars, but losing Bradford all but ended any chance the Generals had of a comeback.
As rough as Philadelphia’s defense was on the Generals, producing 6 tackles (2 of Bradford, 4 of Hoyer) and holding Maurice Jones-Drew to only 26 yards, the offense of the Stars was even more impressive. New Jersey focused on shutting down Steve Slaton with 8 and 9 men in the box, the hope being that they could pressure Matt Gutierrez into making mistakes. The former backup turned All-USFL QB did throw one pick, but he also thew for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns, proving the Generals’ strategy highly ineffective. Stevie Johnson was the main target for Gutierrez, and he made the Generals pay with 121 yards on only 6 catches. The touchdowns from Gutierrez went to Caldwell, Fells, and Andre Davis, but the drives belonged to Johnson, who seemed unstoppable on third down, converting time and again.
Philadelphia now moves on to host the underdog 6-seed Charlotte Monarchs in next week’s Conference title game. Even with Jake Delhomme back, which is still only a 50/50 proposition, the Stars will be a huge test for a Monarchs team that has already played 2 road games in these playoffs. Philadelphia is gunning for a 4th league title, and their first since the early 1990’s. They have firepower, a solid defense, and one of the best stories of the year in Matt Gutierrez.
Delhomme Could Be Game Time Decision
The word out of Charlotte’s front office is that Jake Delhomme’s ankle is progressing nicely but that any decision on who will start this week will come from Coach Mora and will likely come only after pre-game warmups. Both Delhomme and Wheedon have been taking snaps in practice, with Delhomme wearing a brace on his ankle which clearly limits mobility in practice. That could be tricky either way as neither QB will see as many snaps in the week’s practice sessions as a starter normally would. Meanwhile, Philadelphia is not exactly planning for two very different styles as both Delhomme and Wheedon will play a traditional drop-back pocket style. The threat of a scrambler is just not there with either option.
While Charlotte fans are certainly hoping that Delhomme, by far the most experienced QB in the game this week, is able to start, it is still no guarantee that his experience would be able to overcome what Philadelphia can throw at him. The bigger issue may well be how Charlotte’s defense handles the Star offense led by Matt Gutierrez and Steve Slaton.
Home Teams Open as Heavy Favorites in Conference Title Games
Not surprising when we have the two top seeds playing at home in the Conference Title Games, but the Las Vegas books are just not buying that Charlotte or Las Vegas can knock off the homestanding favorites. In both games we have proficient offenses going against teams built on defense, and as we have seen time and again in the USFL, offense often wins out in the more explosive of the two major pro football leagues in the USA. Of course, that rule is meant to be broken, but at least from the oddsmakers’ perspective, it is always better to lean towards the rule rather than the exception.
We asked the folks at Caesars’ book specifically about the Monarchs, where there is a lot of uncertainty due to Jake Delhomme’s injury and were told that while the QB situation is certainly a factor, the general belief that Philadelphia is a superior team has a greater impact. Currently the line is -9 for the Stars. According to our source at Caesar’s, the line would likely be closer to -6 with Delhomme assured to start but would not get much closer for the Monarchs simply because there is so much betting that would lean to Philly anyway.
We will see if the books are right in their defense of the offensive squad and top seeds once the games are played this week.
Orlando Jumps on John Fox to Restore Renegade Hopes
Well, that did not take long. John Fox needed only 9 days from his dismissal by the Cannons-now-Roughnecks to find a new gig. The 2009 Summer Bowl Champion coach was quickly approached and wooed by the Orlando Renegades, signing a 4-year deal even before the Divisional playoff games kicked off this week. Fox, whose tenure in Boston included 4 playoff seasons, a league title and 5 winning seasons in 9 years, will now take over an Orlando club that was expected to be a playoff contender this year, but fell to a dismal 3-13 record.
In Boston, Fox spent most of his career with QB Drew Bledsoe powering an explosive offense and a defense built with a bend-but-don’t break strategy. In Orlando he will inherit a team that struggled on offense with QB Eli Manning at the helm, but which has one of the league’s most dangerous defensive players in DE Calais Campbell. Expect Fox to bring with him a plan for a more balanced offense, something that may be good news for HB Knowshon Moreno, and a defense that will try to play from a lead, which again could suit Campbell very well. Orlando will have an early draft pick (2nd overall in the Open Draft) and could make a play for some solid talent in the Territorial Draft, including South Carolina safety D. J. Swearinger, UCF halfback Latavious Murray, and Gamecock DE Devin Taylor. We also expect Fox and the Renegades to be active in Free Agency as they try to add pieces to match Fox’s preferred schemes.
With the Fox hiring, there remain 4 open coaching positions in the USFL: Los Angeles, Seattle, Baltimore, and Dallas.
Mitchell Still Frontrunner for Dragon Job
Seattle interviewed St. Louis OC Stump Mitchell during the Skyhawks’s bye week and were apparently impressed with what they learned, but, with St. Louis still very much involved in playoff football, the Dragons will be using the next few weeks to explore other options. They brought in former Breakers’ head coach Mike Nolan this week, and are expected to interview two more candidates, including former Memphis head man Jim Haslett and Arizona OC Greg Landry. The belief is that Mitchell remains the frontrunner, but there is no guarantee he will opt to join the Dragons or that Seatle won’t be impressed with one of the other candidates.
Joey Galloway Announces Retirement, Will Join ESPN Team
As many expected, Joey Galloway has announced this week that his long and illustrious USFL career has come to an end. Galloway is stepping away from the field, but not the game as he announced that he would be joining ESPN’s USFL team for 2013, taking on an initial role as a game analyst with the studio team on USFL PrimeTime and the twice weekly USFL halftime and postgame reports.
Galloway, who played 16 years as a member of the Ohio Glory before finishing his career in Tampa Bay, is one of the most decorated receivers in the rich history of the USFL. An 11-time All-USFL selection and 1996 USFL Offensive Player of the Year, Galloway retires as the league’s all-time yardage leader with 22,825 receiving yards, nearly 3,000 more than the great Eric Truvillion. He also leaves the game as 2nd all-time in receiving touchdowns with 158 career scores, and as the 3rd all-time receiver in catches with 1,195.
Galloway came to Ohio in the Territorial Draft, staying in Columbus after an All-American career with the Ohio State Buckeyes. As a rookie he caught 87 passes for the expansion Glory, gaining 845 yards as a rookie. He would explode in his 2nd season to catch 104 balls for 1,825 yards in his sophomore season and largely not look back after that. During the amazing run from 2000-2003 in Ohio, Galloway was nearly unstoppable, averaging nearly 1,800 yards and 14 touchdowns per season, including 18 in the 2003 title defense for the Glory, the only team to ever win back-to-back USFL titles.
After 16 seasons in Ohio, a changing of the guard gave Galloway a chance to find a new home and he chose the Tampa Bay Bandits and QB Daunte Culpepper. Galloway immediately established a rapport with the Bandit QB, catching 96 balls for over 1,200 yards in his first year with the Bandits, a year that also brought a league title to Tampa Bay, Galloway’s third as a player. This year he had 104 catches for nearly 1,500 yards and was among the league leaders in both categories. He leaves the game as one of the legends of the game and of the league.
Charles Woodson Says Goodbye to the ATL and the USFL
A second legend of the USFL also steps away from the game this year as Cornerback Charles Woodson announced this week that the playoff loss to Charlotte would be his last game as a member of the Atlanta Fire and as a professional football player. Woodson, the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner out of Michigan, played 14 seasons in the USFL, beginning his career as the top draft pick of the Washington Federals. He would play 10 seasons in Washington, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998 and earning All-USFL accolades six times. He retires with nearly 1,300 tackles (1,275) and 53 interceptions, numbers good enough to be 2nd in USFL history, behind Donnell Woolford in picks. Woodson also holds the league record with 899 career interception return yards and has a whopping 15 defensive touchdowns, 14 on interception returns and one fumble return. As with Galloway, Woodson will almost certainly be a first ballot Hall of Famer when he is eligible in the Class of 2017. And, in case you are wondering what post-career plans Woodson has, he has already signed on to be a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Michigan, where he will seek a degree in Sports Management while working with the DBs for the Wolverines.
Only 4 teams remaining, and while each team is dealing with the usual late season bumps and bruises, all eyes are on Charlotte and QB Jake Delhomme ahead of this week’s Conference Title Game in Philadelphia. Here once more is the rundown of each club’s injuries and the potential impact for the games this week.
CHA: FB Justin Green (IR), SS John Keith (IR), LB A. J. Nicholson (OUT),
QB Jake Delhomme (D)
PHI: DE Robert Mathis (IR), SS Darren Sharper (IR), OT Anthony Castonzo (Q),
OT Ken Shackleford (P)
No new injuries for Charlotte, but it does not appear that Delhomme may not be able to go, which puts a lot on the defense and the run game to help protect rookie Brandon Wheedon against the Stars. For Philadelphia, OT Ken Shackleford should be back, which is good news since Anthony Castonzo is likely out.
LV: LB Joey Porter (P)
STL: WR Eric Weems (OUT), G Paul Zakauskas (Q), CB Jordan Pugh (P)
Two pretty healthy teams in our 1 v. 2 matchup this week. Joey Porter may be held back except on 3rd down, but that is still pretty solid for the Thunder. CB Jordan Pugh should be good to go for St. Louis.
Free Agent Pool Expands with 8 More Roster Additions
The USFL free agent pool continues to grow as more teams are removed from playoff contention. For these later additions there remain just over two weeks before the players become true free agents, still time for some players to re-up with their current teams if they so choose before the marketplace officially opens, and yet, as we know from past years, most will wait and look at the interest shown by other franchises, whether within the USFL or the NFL before signing. Here are the players currently without a contract from the 8 playoff teams now eliminated.
ATLANTA: HB Darren McFadden, TE Will Heller, FS Tra Battle, K Josh Scobee
DENVER: FS Jamel Williams, CB Tory James, HB Maurice Hicks, G Elton Brown,
WR James Hardy, CB David Terrell
NEW JERSEY: SS Bob Sanders, C Casey Wiegemann, OT Leander Jordan,
FS Scott Shields, LB Scott Fujita, LB Napoleon Harris, G Duke Robinson,
FS Tony Driver, WR Travis Wilson
NEW ORLEANS: LB Hannibal Navies, OT Joseph Bragg, G Mike Briesel
OAKLAND: DE Israel Idonije, OT Anthony Clement, WR Hank Basket,
G Cameron Stephenson, HB Jerious Norwood, DE Kalimba Edwards
PORTLAND: FB Ovie Mughelli, DE Elvis Dumervil, HB Michael Bush,
DT Kedrick Gholston, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, HB Derrick Blaylock
TEXAS: P Hunter Smith, G Derrick Dockery, K Rian Lindell, FS Darcel McBath,
HB Aveion Carson
WASHINGTON: LB Antonio Pierce, C Austin King, LB Cameron Wake,
FB Chris Massey, HB Rod Smart, C Matt Johnson
Santa Clara Stadium Deal Locked & Loaded
It is official, both the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL and the Oakland Invaders of the USFL will have a new home, beginning in the Fall of 2014. The two teams and the city of Santa Clara, CA have locked in plans for construction of a new 68,000 seat stadium in the South Bay. The facility will boast 174 executive suites and have a natural grass surface. Located 32 miles south of the Oakland Coliseum and 37 miles south of Candlestick Park, the stadium will nonetheless be home to two franchises which will retain their original city names as both Oakland and San Francisco will be the monikers of their respective teams.
The deal ends speculation of a more dramatic relocation for both franchises, with the Invaders having long been rumored to be a potential target for investment groups from as far away as San Diego, Dallas, and Miami. The Invaders will retain their training facilities in Oakland, but now will call Santa Clara home on gameday, beginning with the Spring 2015 season. The cost to the team is estimated at $250M, with an equal share also to be contributed by the NFL 49ers, and another $700M to be financed publicly through a series of bonds issued by the city, county, and state of California. Fans should expect to see seat licenses required for season tickets, a trend which upsets many but which has become commonplace among franchises in both professional football and baseball. Concerns over parking and traffic flow have caused the city of Santa Clara to make arrangements with both the NFL not to schedule any weeknight games (Monday or Thursday) at the stadium until both traffic flow alterations and parking amelioration could be settled, but the Invaders, with all USFL games played on Friday nights or over the weekend days, was not similarly tasked. The new stadium will seek a corporate naming rights arrangement, to be decided by the end of 2013.
Will Vikings' New Stadium Push Twin City USFL Option?
Another new stadium is in the works as the city of Minneapolis has agreed with the NFL Vikings to construct a new domed facility to house the city’s pro football franchise. Of course, as has come to be expected, there is immediate interest in providing the facility with a second tenant. Minnesota, and particularly the Twin Cities, has been a market long of interest to the USFL, having been listed as one of the potential expansion sites as early as 1987, but to date no serious efforts have existed to bring a franchise to the city. That is likely to change as the Twin Cities looks at a new $1.3B facility and the USFL explores potential expansion within the next decade.
As we have seen in other locations, namely Dallas, San Diego, Miami, and now Oklahoma City, all it takes is for a dedicated investment group to form and provide the financial backing for new cities to become serious players in USFL franchise politics. Nashville, now being sued for their use of leverage, is one example of a franchise using the lure of potential relocation as a means of acquiring a better situation in their home city, while the fate of the Boston Cannons demonstrates that with the right pitch a franchise may indeed uproot itself and seek a new home.
As of yet there has been no recognized investment group out of the Twin Cities to make a serious pitch for either USFL expansion or the sale and relocation of a current franchise. However, as we have already seen with the cities named earlier, the process to incorporate a group and begin discussions with the league or with individual franchises does not require extensive time and with the city itself, and possibly NFL ownership within the Vikings, interested in exploring the option of a shared venue for both fall and spring football, we may very well see the Twin Cities join the list of suitors for either an upcoming expansion opportunity or for a current franchise, displeased with its stadium lease or its capacity to bring in localized revenue, to pick up shop and find a new home in a shiny new facility.
As has tended to be the norm in the USFL, both top seeds advance out of the Divisional Round and will host the Conference Title Games this week. In the East we have a deceptive 1 v. 6 matchup, with an 11-5 Charlotte team hardly the usual cannon fodder of a low seed, while in the West we have a classic 1 v 2 as Las Vegas brings their top-rated defense up against the high-flying Skyhawks. Two very different games, and 4 very interesting stories as we prepare for two teams to emerge victorious and set up Summer Bowl 2012.
EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
6-Charlotte Monarchs (11-5) @ 1-Philadelphia Stars (12-4)
Sunday, July 24 @ 4pm ET
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Stars -9
No surprise that Philadelphia is a heavy favorite in this one. With Jake Delhomme’s status expected to be a game-time decision, the uncertainty surrounding Charlotte is very real, whereas the Stars proved this week that they are playing at peak levels in all phases of the game. We could have a very unanticipated matchup of Wheedon and Gutierrez in this title game, but of the two, it is clear that league QB Rating leader Matt Gutierrez is in a far better head space, having performed so well through the entire USFL season. If, as some rumors have it, Kurt Warner may step away from the game after his neck injury, Philly seems primed to keep their roll going with Gutierrez. We like the pluck of the Monarhcs, demonstrated with tough wins in road wins in both New Orleans and Atlanta, but this feels like a bridge too far for the Monarchs. Our pick is Philadelphia big, Stars by two scores, 27-13.
WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
2-Las Vegas Thunder (11-5) @ 1-St. Louis Skyhawks (13-3)
Sunday, July 24 @ 8pm ET
The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, MO
Skyhawks -6
A classic matchup of the unstoppable force and the immovable object. St. Louis’s high-powered offense will face off against Las Vegas’s top-ranked defense. June Jones may be known for his offensive style, but it is the defense of DC and son of USFL Hall of Famer Sam Mills, Sam Mills III, which is making the Thunder a bona fide contender. The Thunder will be challenged by a Skyhawk offense, led by OC Stump Mitchell which is equally as proficient in the run game as the passing game. Head Coach Bruce Arians has built a club based on a nearly impenetrable offensive line, likely to have 3, possibly 4 All-USFL linemen on it. That will be a huge challenge for the Thunder’s blitz and stunt schemes, but if there is any team which can disrupt the Skyhawks, it is likely to be the Thunder. We like Las Vegas’s chances here. Yes, it may require Jake Plummer playing like his 28-year-old self, and it may be a tough road, but something about the way this Thunder defense plays ball has us thinking they can do this. We are going with the upset here, Las Vegas edges the Skyhawks in St. Louis. Thunder 18-17.
Rooting for Plummer to get his ring