For the second week in a row a major injury, this one potentially career-ending, was the lead story coming out of the weekend. Yes, there were some good games, and there are some teams turning heads with surprisingly strong starts, but the story of the week was the neck injury suffered by Philadelphia QB Kurt Warner and the potential impact not just for the 2012 season, but for Warner’s career. We will run through that game, the status of Warner, the options available to Philadelphia, and, of course, all the games and highlights for the week. We begin with Philadelphia’s ill-fated game against the Nashville Knights, a team already familiar with neck injuries as they wait out the situation with Peyton Manning.
NASHVILLE KNIGHTS 24 PHILADELPHIA STARS 20
Of the 14 games this week, perhaps this one was not the closest contest, though it did feature a 10-point comeback in the 4th quarter, but, more importantly, it produced a play that could impact the entire course of the season. Early in the 4th quarter, and leading by 10 points, Philadelphia’s Kurt Warner was knocked out of the game after taking a very hard hit on a rare scramble. Complaining of both neck pain and numbness on his right side, Warner was quickly hurried to the locker room and then to a local hospital where it was determined that he had suffered fractures to two vertebrae in his neck, There was some pressure on the spinal cord, but doctors were able to relieve that, restore feeling to the affected limbs, and stabilize the neck. The final diagnosis was the two cracked vertebrae and a requirement for traction and stabilization of the neck which would end Kurt Warner’s season. There is even talk that Warner could potentially be out of football altogether if the neck requires further stabilization, something that will not be known for several weeks.
Following the injury to Peyton Manning of the NFL, this injury to Warner feels very much like a replay of that situation. Both Manning, who was signed by Nashville this offseason, and Warner face a similar recovery timeline, though there has yet to be any talk of a spinal fusion surgery for Warner as Manning has completed.
On the field, the game swung in that moment. From Philadalphia having full control at 20-10, and with Warner having produced both Star TDs on passes to Reche Caldwell, the energy just got sucked out of the Stars’ players and staff. It was apparent that they were deeply impacted by Warner’s injury, and that deflation allowed Nashville to rally in the 4th to take the win.
Philadelphia had looked very good throughout the first 3 quarters, with Warner connecting with Caldwell from 23 yards out to go up 10-3 in the 2nd and then finding his deep ball receiver on a perfect fly route for a 63-yard score in the third to give the Stars their 20-10 lead. But in the 4th, Philadelphia, and backup QB Matt Gutierrez, now very much looking like he will take on the starting position, just could not make plays and convert first downs. On the other side of the ball, the defense was flat, and in two drives Nashville turned the table, first with a Frank Gore 9-yard run that pulled the Knights within 3, and then, n the final minutes of the game, with a 9-play drive that finished with Montario Hardesty scoring the game winning points just before the 2-minute warning.
Philadelphia would get the ball back, but down by 4, and simply not playing in rhythm, it was too much to ask of the Stars. They failed on a 4th and 5 from their own 48 and that allowed Nashville to run out the clock. Coach Johnson offered his support to Coach Harbaugh after the game, and all the Knight players interviewed in the post-game press room were in full solidarity with Kurt Warner, his family and the team. For the second week in a row a team had lost a major star and one of the driving forces in their offense, and this time it might be a permanent departure, something that lends a somber air to the entire week and to the Stars’ season.
ARIZONA 17 TEXAS 44
Don’t look now, but the Southwest Division race may already be over. Texas put a Lone Star whooping on the Arizona Wranglers, scoring on 8 possessions and showing that they were the team to beat perhaps not only in the division, but the conference as well. Joe Flacco completed 14 of 15 passes, throwing for282 yards and 3 scores, despite a vicious pass rush from the Wranglers that got 6 sacks on the day. Texas’s rush was just as nasty, bringing down David Carr 7 times as neither o-line seemed ready for what they saw. Marques Colston won honors this week for his 199 yards receiving, which included a 75-yard TD in the 2nd quarter and several 20+ yard catches. Reynaldo Wynn was also recognized for his 3-sack game against the Wranglers.
NEW JERSEY 25 WASHINGTON 22
A really good one at RFK that saw New Jersey take a 22-14 lead on Leigh Tiffin’s 3rd FG of the game, only for Washington to get a game tying TD from Deion Branch (with the ensuing 2-point conversion). But, Sam Bradford, who finished the day with 321 yards passing, did what he needed to for Tiffin to get a shot at a 4th kick and with 26 seconds left Tiffin nailed a short field goal to give the Generals the win and move them to 1-1 on the year.
JACKSONVILLE 23 CHARLOTTE 26
Another good game between divisional opponents as Jacksonville found a run game with rookie Lamar Miller (108 yards on 18 carries). Charlotte countered with a pick-6 from Asante Samuel and Jake Delhomme connecting with free agent Mark Clayton for the second week in a row. This one was also tied up until the final seconds, when Charlotte’s Brandon Coutu connected from 41 yards out to help Charlotte move to 2-0 on the season.
PORTLAND 31 ORLANDO 9
Portland is proving the pundits wrong with a nice win in Orlando to move to 2-0. The Stags got the ground game going against the Renegades, with Jonathan Stewart rushing for 160 yards. That freed up Ryan Fitzpatrick to use play action, and he did so masterfully, throwing 4 TD passes on the day, including 2 to Roddy White and another to Stewart. Orlando, meanwhile, struggled to get the run game going, and failed on 10 of 15 third down attempts as they drop to 1-1.
TAMPA BAY 34 NEW ORLEANS 13
The Bandits move to 2-0 in their title defense with a pretty comfortable win in New Orleans. It was 31-6 at the half as Tampa Bay got early scores form David Tyree, Willis McGahee, Shane Vereen and Joey Galloway. New Orleans had no answers for the Bandit offense, which racked up 476 yards on the day, including 210 combined yards from scrimmage for Willis McGahee and another 109 in receptions from former General Santonio Holmes.
SEATTLE 19 DENVER 21
Seattle made it close late, but the Gold hung on to win their first of the year, thanks to 2 Matt Leinart TD tosses and a key late stop by the defense. Both Peerless Price and Daniel Graham found paydirt and Denver also got a score on a Maurice Hicks run as they held off a feisty Seattle squad. WR Mike Wallace did not play in the game for Seattle, falling ill with the flu on the day the team flew to Denver.
OAKLAND 27 LOS ANGELES 21
The first California Derby of the year goes to the visiting Invaders, who used 92 yards from HB Ryan Williams and another 71 from Jurious Norwood to run the Express into the ground. Joey Harrington only connected on 14 of 43 passes, but the ground game and the defense kept Oakland in it. LA struggled on third down, and two turnovers domed their comeback attempt as LA now falls to 0-2.
MEMPHIS 17 BALTIMORE 20
Anthony Dixon put in good work subbing for Ron Dayne, rushing for 89 yards on 18 carries, but the key to this game was Ben Roethlisberger connecting on 71% of his passes and finding both Antonio Gates and Donte Do for scores. Memphis took a 17-13 lead midway through the 4th, but Big Ben connected with his new wideout, Do, in the final 2 minutes to move Baltimore to 2-0, atop the NE Division.
BOSTON 21 ATLANTA 27
Boston played a tough game, as backup Adrian McPherson went 18 of 29 with 3 TDs and Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 125, but in the end, Kyle Orton’s third TD toss of the game was too much for the Cannons to overcome. Orton hit Josh Reed, Matt Jones, and TE Will Heller with scores on an efficient day.
BIRMINGHAM 21 ST. LOUIS 36
St. Louis is looking very much like a team on a mission with their second big win of the year. Josh Freeman went 18 of 28 for 319 yards and 3 scores while Antowain Smith added 96 yards and a score as St. Louis pulled away from the Stallions, despite B’Ham QB Cam Newton rushing for 81 yards on the day. Terrell Owens caught 6 fo r114 and a TD from Newton, but it just was not enough as St. Louis pulled away with 10 late points in the 4th quarter.
HOUSTON 3 LAS VEGAS 23
Las Vegas also looked like a team to contend with as their defense completely befuddled the Gamblers. Jake Plummer had a 14-yard TD run to go with his 180 yards passing, but it was the D that was most impressive, holding Shaun Alexander to only 49 yards rushing and limiting Houston to only 2 drives inside the Thunder 40.
OHIO 21 CHICAGO 24
Terrelle Pryor was solid in his sub duty for Vince Young, throwing for 2 scores and 218 yards, but in the end Brady Quinn survived 4 picks to rally the Machine in the end. He got a huge assist from HB Michael Turner, whose 126 yards and 2 scores helped offset the Quinn errors. Ohio falls to 0-2 despite winning the turnover battle 4-0.
PITTSBURGH 27 MICHIGAN 16
The Maulers rebound from a season opening loss as they go into Detroit and get a division win against the Panthers. The Maulers picked off Brian Griese twice and also forced a fumble to take a 3-0 turnover lead. They got TDs from both Watson and Brown as the combo, along with 65 yards from rookie Brandon Boldin, combined for 175 yards rushing.
Kurt Warner Lost for Season
Two weeks into the season and our second major injury to a team’s big star. First it was Ron Dayne in Baltimore and this week Kurt Warner for the Stars. Warner, who had missed the end of the season opener, was the starter this week versus Nashville, but took a huge hit early in the 4th and was visibly shaken as he was helped off the field. It would take 24 hours before we would get a report, and the report was not good, twin fractures in two vertebrae, the combination of the two requiring traction and limited movement for Warner over the course of 2 months, meaning that he is basically out for the year, with the potential to be a career-impacting injury.
By Wednesday, Warner was placed on IR, ending his season. Matt Gutierrez will be the starter, with Austin Davis as his backup. But while Star fans send their well-wishes to their QB and we all hope that the medical staff is able to provide Warner with an option to return to the league in 2013, the Stars organization now looks to a long season with a backup at QB and few other options. Matt Gutierrez, the 28-year-old backup who came in last postseason and won 2 games for the Stars now takes on the mantle as the club’s starter for this year. Just how much this shakes up the Northeast Division remains to be seen, but for fans of the Stars the injury, and the uncertainly certainly cast a shadow of the 2012 season after only 2 weeks of action.
Impressive Start to Year for Portland, St. Louis, and Las Vegas
The power ratings do not look as we expected after 2 weeks, with Las Vegas, Portland, and St.Louis right there with Tampa Bay and Texas to form the Top 5. It has been an impressive start for all three clubs. While Texas leads all teams with 64 points in 2 games, St. Louis, Las Vegas and Portland are all right there as well.
Las Vegas is also doing it with defense, having allowed only 12 total points in their first 2 games. Portland is doing it with their ground game, leading the league with 256 yards rushing in their first two games, while St. Louis trails only the Bandits with 778 total yards over the first two weeks. The Skyhawks have yet to take to the road, and will have a third straight home game this week against Denver, while Las Vegas, after two home games, will visit Oakland in a huge game for the Pacific Division. Portland won on the road this past week in Orlando and returns home for a Cascade Clash with 0-2 Seattle. Impressive starts for all three could be just the boost they need to build confidence as they head into the meat of their schedules. With two of the teams, the Thunder and Stags, in the same division, and with the two set to face off in Las Vegas in 2 weeks, we could be building up to something big in the Pacific. St. Louis has it’s big test in Weeks 4 and5 when they head to Michigan and then face the Maulers at home.
It is early, but all three clubs are giving their fans hope that the somewhat negative predictions during the preseason may be way off base.
Baltimore Acquires Clarett
The Baltimore Blitz, despite a solid game from backup HB Anthony Dixon, made a move this week to shore up the HB group and provide more power in the backfield. The Blitz sent two 2013 draft picks, a 4th and a 6th rounder, to Chicago for HB Maurice Clarett, the kind of big, bruising back that is not represented on the Blitz roster without Ron Dayne.
Clarett is in his 8th season in the league, having played with Chicago his entire career after coming out early from Ohio State. His best year to date has been in 2007, when he had 112 carries for 536 yards. Often used in short yardage and goal-to-go situations in Chicago, Clarett may have a bigger role in Baltimore as the thunder in a Thunder and Lightning combo with Anthony Dixon.
NFL Players Expected to Debut in Week 3
As we have come to expect since the shifting of the NFL-USFL Transfer Window, it is Week 3, sometimes Week 4, when we start to see some of the newer NFL acquisitions make their way to the field. As we look ahead to the third week of the year, we have seen many teams move their NFL signees off the practice squad and onto the active roster, a clear sign that they expect the veteran players to be on the field within a week, two at the latest. So, who should we be watching this week? Here are the 6 players we believe could make the biggest impact if they get on the field this week.
DE Cliff Avril (OAK)—Expect Avril to rotate in with Justin Smith and Israel Idonije. Just how much Avril will see the field may depend on down and distance. He is more of a dual use DE, with more run stopping than pass rush specialization, so we might see him more in early downs.
TE John Carlson (NJ)—We fully expect to see the talented Carlson in for at least 20-30 plays this week, especially on 3rd down and in the red zone, where Sam Bradford may look to the NFL veteran as a sure-handed target.
HB Mike Tolbert (NOR)—While we think the Breakers will limit Tolbert’s carries these first few weeks, at least until he picks up the pass blocking schemes, we do think the bigger back will be on the field on short yardage and goalline situations. After all, that is why they signed him.
WR Mike Wallace (SEA)—Wallace was supposed to start in Week 2, but a stomach flu sidelined the former Steeler. We expect him to jump into the starting lineup in Week 3, and to seek to do that with a splash.
HB Arian Foster (TEX)—Texas has not had much luck with the run game led by Aveion Carson these first two weeks. Carson has only 53 total yards rushing in two games, so do not expect a slow roll out for Arian Foster. We would not be shocked at all to see the back with 20-25 carries in his first game on the active roster.
DE Mario Williams (MEM)—This week, returning home to face New Orleans, we expect a big roll out for Williams. He may not be in all 3 downs, but on third down you can bet the Showboats want him out there terrifying Drew Brees and the Breaker offensive coaches. He is in great shape, seems energized for this second phase of his pro career, and will be very warmly welcomed by the team that made Reggie White a household name.
Kurt Warner’s neck injury is clearly the top story of the week, but, as we see most weeks, it is not the only injury of note. Week 2 saw several other players placed on IR after major injuries as well as a bevvy of shorter-term injury announcements. Here is the rundown.
ADDED TO INJURED RESERVE
Logan Mankins G OAK Bicep
Kurt Warner QB PHI Neck
Austin King C WSH Quad
OUT
Knowshon Moreno HB ORL Shoulder 1-2 Weeks
Derick Harvey DE BIR Foot 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
Matt Birk C PHI Hand
Robert Turbin HB SEA Hand
Dexter Jackson SS BOS Knee
Zach Miller TE OHI Hand
QUESTIONABLE
Richie Incognito C OHI Tendinitis
Kevin Burnett LB HOU Hip
Josh Reed WR ATL Neck
Patrick Chung SS HOU Hand
Joey Porter LB LV Knee
NFL-USFL Transfer Window to Close on Friday
It has been a quiet two weeks on the NFL-USFL transfer window, with only a couple of USFL Players (HB Julius Jones and WR Doug Gabriel) signed by the NFL. This is not unusual, as once the USFL clubs reach the regular season they tend to want their rosters to be locked in, but with the injuries to Ron Dayne, Kurt Warner, and center Austin King of Washington, these last few days of potential signing could actually bring some movement. As we look at the current unsigned NFL free agents, there are possible solutions for all three clubs looking to salvage their seasons despite these major injury hits.
Philadelphia is clearly going to look to Matt Gutierrez as their best option at QB right now, but if they wanted to bring in a potential short-term solution, the NFL free agent pool does offer them a couple of choices. At the top of the list is former 49er Alex Smith. Now, Smith is hoping to catch on as a true starter for an NFL club, so it may be very hard to sign him to a short term deal, with the expectation that Warner would be back next year. But, if the Stars are concerned that Warner will not be back, which is a legitimate concern, they may well opt to plan for the worst and sign a player like Smith to a multi-year deal, essentially moving on from Warner just as the NFL Colts did with Peyton Manning.
If Philadelphia has more confidence that Warner can return in 2013, they will likely only be looking for the best possible option in a 1-year deal to help them salvage the 2012 season if Matt Gutierrez does not prove capable of leading the team successfully. Looking over the NFL free agent pool the best options in that situation include former Bear starter Rex Grossman, former Birmingham Stallion Jason Campbell, and a bit of a wild card, Buccaneer QB Josh Johnson. We could see any of these three signiing a one-year deal in hopes that a good season would give them a shot at a better deal, a long term one, in 2013.
Baltimore is next, having lost Ron Dayne for at least 10 weeks, possibly the year (though they have not placed him on IR). The Blitz have already traded to bring Maurice Clarett over from Chicago, but if they are not satisfied there, they too could be looking for an NFL option. Here the options are not as promising. W esee the best option as former Packer Ryan Grant, but Grant is not really the style of back that Coach Coughlin wants to have as the lead back. Ideally Baltimore would look for a bigger back who can emulate Ron Dayne’s style, particularly inside. Looking over the NFL free agents, which include Tashard Choice, Kahlil Bell, Justin Forsett, and Marcel Reece, honestly, the best of that somewhat uninspiring group would be Forsett. But, based on the pool available, we expect that Baltimore may well stick with their current roster rather than dabble in the NFL free agent pool.
Finally there is Washington, which lost center Austin King to a fully separated quad muscle. The Feds have 12-year veteran Matt Johnson penciled in at center for now, have signed 4-year vet Mike Pollack as well, but may still be looking for someone else. There are three potential targets in the NFL pool, including the Raiders’ Samson Satele, the Packers’ Scott Wells, and OT Marcus McNeill of the Chargers who did play a considerable amount of center in college. If Washington is feeling solid with Johnson at the pivot, they will likely avoid the expense of competing with NFL clubs for one of these three players, but if they are still seeking a solution, we think Satele is the clear option, coming out of a zone-blocking scheme similar to their own, and with a good track record in Seattle.
Beyond these three positions, the biggest names still in the free agent pool (after a flurry of signings within the NFL itself) are all players who have potential but may be leary of jumping mid-season into the USFL. Among them are LB Chase Blckburn of the Giants, WR Jacoby Jones of the Oilers, safety Michel Griffin of the Tennessee Copperheads, and DE Andre Carter of the Patriots. Will we see any of these players join the USFL, or is that move just too problematic this late in the game?
Who is Making a Splash
With many of the NFL transfers beginning to see action in Week 3, we thought we might first visit with the USFL free agents who swapped teams this offseason and see who has had an impact on their team ahead of reporting on the new faces from the NFL. There was no shortage of free agent moves within the USFL this past year and some of those moves appear to already be paying dividends.
Patrick Willis-LB-ATL
Perhaps the biggest name on defense to change teams, Willis went from Memphis to Atlanta and has not skipped a beat. The hard-hitting LB is currently second on the squad with 14 tackles, behind only SS DaJuan Morgan (16), and Willis has already started to show that he will be a leader in the locker room, in the huddle, and in game action.
LaDell Betts-HB-ATL
The other big signing by the Fire has also shown that he can still bring it. Despite having 11 fewer carries than starter Darren McFadden, Betts has more yards (69 to 66) and a better YPC average (4.3 to 2.4), now, this is a bit unfair as Betts typically sees more action late in games than McFadden who faces fresh defenders in the early stages of games, but it is still a very good option for Atlanta to bring in the bruising back to help ground out wins late.
Mark Clayton-WR-CHA
While only 5th on the squad in receptions, Mark Clayton, the former NJ General, is proving to be a reliable red zone target for QB Jake Delhomme. He leads the team with 3TD receptions in the season’s first 2 games. That is not bad at all for a receiver who has only 5 catches. We expect Clayton to continue to build his targets as the season goes along, swapping in for both D. J. Hackett and Derrick Mason.
Chris Canty-CB-HOU
Houston’s newest corner has been an immediate success with 8 tackles, a pick and a defensive touchdown in his first 2 games. It will take a while before fans warm up to him after the long and distinguished career of Ronde Barber, but both coaches and teammates are already on board with the former Panther as a defensive leader.
Marcus Truffant-CB-LA
A similar story for the Express and former Dragon corner Marcus Truffant. The lanky defensive back is 2nd on the team in tackles and has his first pick as a member of the Express. Paired with Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, the Express believe they have a killer 1-2 combo at the position.
Chad Johnson-WR-LV
No surprise that Chad Johnson has been the toast of the town in Las Vegas. His bigger than life personality have been a big hit among Thunder fans. Johnson has not yet caught his first Thunder TD, and has been limited to 8 receptions in 2 games, but he is proving a coverage nightmare for opposing defenses who also have to worry about Marshawn Lynch.
Keary Colbert-WR-MGN
Colbert has been an invisible man in Michigan so far, with only 1 catch on 3 targets. Expected to be the #2 behind Hines Ward, Colbert has struggled picking up the Michigan offense and has been relegated to 4th WR status behind Ward, Manningham, and rookie B. J. Cunningham. That is not what he or others expected when he signed a pretty pricey 3-year deal.
Bradie James-LB-OHI
James has come in and made an impact for the Glory, recording 10 tackles and a sack in his first 2 games. Lined up on the weak side, with Laurinaitis in the middle, James has been effective at shedding blockers and getting to the ballcarrier.
Santonio Holmes-WR-TBY
A year after striking gold with their Joey Galloway signing, the Bandits think they have done it again with Holmes. Brought in to replace the retired Chris Doering, Holmes has been lightning in a bottle, with 10 receptions on 15 targets and a very nice 14.8 YPC average. While Galloway remains the main target in the passing game, and Willis McGahee the X-factor, Holmes has already started to prove he was a quality signing for the Bandits.
Jimmy Williams-CB-WSH
We never doubted that a quality veteran like Williams would fit in with the Feds, and he certainly has. Williams is currently 3rd on the team with 10 tackles and has his first pick as a Federal DB. He has shared #1 duties with Sheldon Brown and has already become a close ally of FS Ed Reed as the two vets have been seen palling around during the week as well as on the field.
So a good start for some of the most celebrated offseason signings and this week we expect to see the NFL imports also take their place on the field with their new teams. As we have seen in past years, the influx of talent can make all the difference, and we expect that by Week 5 or 6 we will have a real sense of just how the offseason moves have affected the fortunes of all 28 USFL squads.
So, what is on tap in Week 3? How about a Florida Derby battle between the Bandits and Renegades on national TV to get things kicked off? That is the matchup on NBC’s Friday Night Lights, and it is one that could produce some fireworks as Calais Campbell goes up against that explosive Banditball offense.
On Saturday, we are looking forward to watching Texas take on Michigan in an interesting inter-divisional showdown, while the Baltimore-Washington nightcap should be a true brawl between two clubs that simply don’t like each other that much. St. Louis, sitting pretty at 2-0, and preparing for a 3rd straight home game, will be tested as the Denver Gold come to town.
On Sunday, we start off early with our first look at Matt Gutierrez under center for the Stars when they take on Atlanta at the Linc. In the 4pm slot we have the Cascade Clash as the 0-2 Seattle Dragons try to right the ship against the surprising Portland Stags, sitting at 2-0. We end the weekend with a great Pacific clash as the 2-0 Las Vegas Thunder head to Oakland to face the Invaders.
FRIDAY @ 8PM ET Tampa Bay (2-0) @ Orlando (1-1) NBC
SAT @ 12PM ET Pittsburgh (1-1) @ Nashville (1-1) ABC
SAT @ 12PM ET New Orleans (0-2) @ Memphis (1-1) ABC
SAT @ 12PM ET Los Angeles (0-2) @ Charlotte (2-0) FOX
SAT @ 4PM ET Texas (2-0) @ Michigan (0-2) ABC
SAT @ 4PM ET Denver (1-1) @ St. Louis (2-0) FOX
SAT @ 8PM ET Baltimore (2-0) @ Washington (1-1) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12PM ET Ohio (0-2) @ Birmingham (1-1) ABC
SUN @ 12PM ET Jacksonville (0-2) @ New Jersey (1-1) FOX
SUN @ 12PM ET Atlanta (1-1) @ Philadelphia (1-1) FOX
SUN @ 4PM ET Arizona (1-1) @ Chicago (1-1) ABC
SUN @ 4PM ET Boston (0-2) @ Houston (1-1) ABC
SUN @ 4PM ET Seattle (0-2) @ Portland (2-0) FOX
SUN @ 8PM ET Las Vegas (2-0) @ Oakland (1-1) ESPN/EFN