We are still trying to make sense of this season. Portland and Charlotte were expected to be at or near the bottom of their divisions and both are sitting at the top of the standings. LA was expected to compete for the Pacific again but sit winless and now have jettisoned perhaps their most famous player due to his frequent media rants. Philadelphia was supposed to be hobbled by the injury to Kurt Warner, as was Baltimore with Ron Dayne out, and yet both sit at 4-1 and are looking very much like contenders. It has been an unusual year, and we all are still waiting just to see if Peyton Manning will show up to end the year as well. This has been a weird one, but a fun one, and we are only 5 weeks in. Let’s get right to it and see how we make sense out of the fifth week of this season.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS 28 PHILADELPHIA STARS 31
A classic showdown of two clubs who just don’t like each other very much and who always seem to be in the mix in the Northeast Division. Both entered the game 3-1 and both had reason to be optimistic about this game. Washington was coming off a defensive gem, holding Denver to only 3 points. Philadelphia had just knocked off the unbeaten Texas Outlaws and were looking like a team on the mission.
The game started with a bang as Washington went 71 yards in 8 plays and put the first points on the board with their opening drive. David Garrard hit Deion Branch with a perfect corner route to break the Star defense and put 7 on the board. It would be the only score of the first quarter, one dominated by Washington’s D and running game. Deuce McCallister would be pivotal in the Federals last drive of the quarter, one that crossed into the 2nd and took more than 7 minutes to reach its conclusion, a 5-yard scamper by Rod Smart. In that drive, McCallister carried the ball 6 times for 25 yards. He would finish the day with an even 100 yards on 18 carries, a 5.6 YPC average.
Philadelphia, now down 14, was loathe to give up on the run game, but what they did was salt their running attack with more screens and quick passes to mix things up. The plan worked and at the 5-minute mark of the half they put up their first points on a 1-yard plunge by Leon Washington. But, the first half clearly belonged to the Federals, who built their way to a 21-7 lead at the break by once again putting together chunk plays to get deep into Stars’ territory. It was a drive that ended with Rod Smart again plunging in from short yardage, and with little time left, the Stars were forced to go into the break down 14 once again.
Philadelphia knew they needed to do something to open the 2nd half strong or the game could get away from them. They put together a quick, 79 yard drive, connecting on 3 long passes as Washington played the run. The first was a 24 yarder to TE Brent Celek, followed by a swing pass to Steve Slaton before Matt Gutierrez hit Stevie Johnson with a deep shot, a 29-yarder for the score. With 11:29 left in the 3rd, Philadelphia was back to a 7-point game. They would stop Washington on the next drive, but a tipped ball would lead to a costly pick on their next possession, setting up the Feds with a short field to put more points on the board. Washington did just that, as Rod Smart scored his 3rd TD on the day, a hat trick that no one saw coming from the sparsely used back. He would have only 6 carries on the day, but 3 were inside the 5-yard line and all three went for scores.
As the 4th quarter began, the Stars were down 14 for a third time and it was not looking promising. They would score short field goal on their first possession, but would need to rely on the defense to try to get back on the board. The Star defense came through as needed, with, you guessed it, Quentin Jammer again making the play. It was not a pick this week, unlike the past two weeks that saw him return interceptions for scores. This time it was a simple strip of WR Darnerian McCants, causing the ball to pop out and right there for Jammer to recover. That quick turnaround let Philadelphia get right back on offense.
The Stars would not waste the takeaway. Only 4 plays later, Gutierrez would thread the needle on a very nice throw that found Reche Caldwell behind the safety. Caldwell strode into the endzone and suddenly Philadelphia was down only 5 points, 28-23 after a failed 2-point play. The Stars had more than 10 minutes left to try to get one more score and steal a win in a game where they had trailed since the opening drive.
Washington needed a big play. Too much time left to be worried about the clock, their strategy was to put more points on the board and make it a 2-score game. But that pressure caused David Garrard to make a bad decision on a 2nd and 12, forcing a ball towards TE Kellen Davis. Safety Jarius Byrd of the Stars read it all the way and had an easy pick. Philadelphia now had all the momentum, cashing in on two consecutive turnovers. They would milk the clock on their drive, taking 12 plays to get into the endzone. They would get there on Stevie Johnson’s 2nd TD of the game, a 1-yard quick slant that put Philadelphia up 31-28. They again tried for two and again failed, but now had their first lead of the game.
Philadelphia would not squander that lead. The defense clamped down on the Federals and after failing to convert a 4th and 6, the Stars were able to take a knee and celebrate a huge divisional win.
NASHVILLE 22 BOSTON 30
The Cannons finally got their first win of the season, a result that has Nashville fans worried despite a solid day from Quincy Carter. Jake Locker went 24 of 33 and threw 2 TDs for Boston, who built up a 27-0 lead at the half before letting up on the gas. Carter helped spur a comeback in the second half, but the concerns about both the Knights’ defense and their lack of consistent offense are heightened by this loss to the previously winless Cannons.
MICHIGAN 38 OHIO 16
In the battle of 0-4 clubs something had to give, and that something was Ohio’s defense. Brian Griese threw for 3 scores and the anemic Michigan run game managed to rack up 119 yards against an Ohio defense that was just not ready for prime time. Vince Young struggled as well, completing only 15 of 37 attempts while suffering 6 sacks on the day. Hines Ward had himself a week for Michigan, catching 6 balls for 142 yards and 2 of Griese’s 3 TD tosses.
ATLANTA 34 BIRMINGHAM 24
The “Border War” between Alabama and Georgia went to the Fire in this one as HB Ladell Betts had a big game with 114 yards rushing. Kyle Orton also threw for 288 yards and 2 scores as Atlanta improved to 2-3. This game, with Dontrell Inman catching only 1 of 5 targets (he has 10 receptions in more than 80 targets this year) is likely the reason the Stallions pulled the trigger on a big trade we will discuss later.
HOUSTON 24 PORTLAND 27
Portland got back to winning ways despite 2 Ike Hilliard touchdowns in the 4th quarter, holding off the Gamblers for win number 4. Jonathan Stewart rushed for 94 yards and a score and Ryan Fitzpatrick went 26 of 41 for 273 on the day for the Stags. The game was 27-9 late, but Houston got two scores in the final 5 minutes to make it look closer than it had been all day.
JACKSONVILLE 20 SEATTLE 31
Seattle pulled away in the 2nd half to win their 2nd game of the year in this battle of 1-3 clubs. Nate Burleson was the star on offense for the Dragons, catching 7 of 10 targets for 143 yards. On defense, the key contributor was DE Travis Laboy, who forced a sack-fumble in the 4th quarter to end a Houston drive that could have pulled them within 1 score.
TEXAS 37 ARIZONA 8
With David Carr sacked a painful 11 times by the ferocious Outlaw defense, the Wrangler just could not sustain drives. Four different Outlaw defenders had multiple sacks, including Reynaldo Wynn, who is now only 2 sacks behind Calais Campbell. On offense, the game was put in the hands of NFL impot Arian Foster and the big back came through with 103 yards and a TD on 22 carries.
BALTIMORE 20 ORLANDO 15
Eli Manning was held to only 27 of 48 passing while Ben Roethlisberger was an efficient 14 of 19 as Baltimore controlled the clock, took an early 14-6 lead, and got a Tory Holt TD reception to pull away. Anthony Dixon rushed for 182 yards and the Baltimore defense held Orlando to only 5 field goals on the day as the Blitz improve to 4-1 and keep pace at the top of the NE Division.
MEMPHIS 9 NEW ORLEANS 42
Memphis suffered both insult and injury as they were absolutely manhandled by the New Orleans Breakers. Ryan Mallett suffered an injury midway through the 3rd quarter after suffering 2 picks and 4 sacks. Matt Cassel came in and will likely start the next 1-2 weeks (assuming he does not win the position outright). Drew Brees only threw 15 passes, but completed 11, with 4 going for scores before being subbed out for Kyle Boller. Matt Forte also crossed the 100-yard mark for the first time all season as the Breakers asserted their dominance early and often.
PITTSBURGH 26 ST. LOUIS 24
While they could not pull off the home upset, the Skyhawks certainly sent a message that the gap between Pittsburgh and St. Louis was not much. Despite only 26 yards from Antowain Smith, St. Louis stayed in range all game, thanks largely to 2 TDs from Taylor Jacobs. But, in the end, Pittsburgh edged the Skyhawks on TDs from Ronnie Brown, Vincent Jackson and Kevin Johnson to move to 4-1.
NEW JERSEY 28 DENVER 13
The Generals moved to 4-1 as well after a thorough dismantling of the Denver Gold. Denver’s run game could only muster 41 total yards (prompting a trade we will discuss later), while New Jersey got 75 yards form Maurice Jones-Drew and TDs from Both Michael Crabtree and Doug Baldwin on their way to a 15-point road victory that keeps them tied at the top of the NE Division with Philly and Baltimore.
CHICAGO 24 LOS ANGELES 20
The Express again fell, dropping to 0-5, and this time Randy Moss’s postgame tirade led to immediate action as the star receiver was traded by Monday afternoon. Moss only had 4 catches for 31 yards while Keyshawn Johnson had 147 through the air. It was not enough however as Chicago got 115 yards rushing from Turner and rookie Doug Martin and the defense held LA without a touchdown in the second half.
CHARLOTTE 27 LAS VEGAS 20
We thought this game would be a test for the Monarchs and it was. Las Vegas kept the unbeaten Monarchs on the ropes, but Jake Delhomme came up big with a TD toss to D. J. Hackett (his 2nd of the game) to take the win on the road. Delhomme was helped by his run game, which saw Fred Jackson and Taiwan Jones combine for 132 yards on the day. Marshawn Lynch sat out the game after an injury in practice, and Cedric Benson struggled to fill his shoes as Las Vegas falls to 3-2.
OAKLAND 14 TAMPA BAY 31
The Invaders had no answer for Willis McGahee as the Bandit back scampered for 132 yards and a score, averaging 5.5 YPC. Throw in TD passes to Luke Stocker and David Tyree and you have a comfortable win for the Bandits. Greg Jennings was the lone bright spot for Oakland, catching 8 balls for 124 yards, but it was not enough as Oakland falls to 2-3.
LA Sends Unhappy Moss to Birmingham
Loose lips may sink ships, but in the case of Randy Moss a big mouth got him an airline ticket to Birmingham and a chance to play for a potential division contender. The LA Express, trying to free up cap space, obtain some draft picks, and remove a vocal problem shipped Moss off to the Stallions for two 3rd round picks (2013 and 2014) and young receiver Jerrel Jerrigan. This means Birmingham may now have the loudest and brashest WR combo in league history with Moss joining Terrell Owens as the two presumed starters. Good luck to Cam Newton getting a word in edgewise with those two on the field.
Moss had been very vocal about his displeasure with both LA Head Coach Gregg Williams’s gameplans and with QB Mark Sanchez’s decision making in the pocket. He now joins a team with a decidedly offensive-minded coach in Mike Shanahan, and a QB who is not afraid to throw up the deep 50/50 balls that Moss feeds on in Cam Newton. The trade does put Birmingham close to a cap issue, so they will need to do some restructuring to stay within legal limits, but with an offense that now features Newton, Owens, Moss and HB Joseph Addai, the Stallions are hoping to make a run at New Orleans for the Southern Division title.
For Los Angeles, while no one in the organization will say that the 0-5 club is already writing off this season, the handwriting is on the wall. Rather than obtain immediate help for the league’s worst offense, the Express pick up a young receiver who will need some development and two future draft picks. It seems pretty obvious that the Express may be accepting the fact that their expectation to win the division is now in serious trouble, that the team may need to be reimagined, and possibly that Coach Williams may not be the one to do it. LA currently ranks 27th in scoring and dead last in yardage. They have the 2nd worst run game in the league and one of the worst passing attacks. And, while last year they could rely on the defense to help bail them out, this season that Williams-led defense is sitting at 20th in the league, not nearly good enough to pull LA into the win column.
Denver & Ohio Trade to Address Issues
A second trade this week as disappointing losses by both Denver and Ohio lead them to make a move to try to address glaring issues. For Denver it was the league’s worst rushing attack, averaging barely 60 yards per game with Javon Ringer and Maurice Hicks splitting carries. For Ohio it is the 27th defense in yardage, particularly glaring against the run, where they give up nearly 140 yards per game. So, the two opted to make a move now in hopes of salvaging something out of the season.
The 0-5 Glory will send HB DeMarco Murray and backup DT Alex McGee to Denver and receive in return Denver DT Tommy Harris. Harris will likely be an immediate starter for the Glory, who hope he can help shore up the inside of the line and improve their ability to stop the interior run. Murray, who had become somewhat expendable thanks to the solid play of rookie Isaiah Pead, will now head to the Gold, where he is likely to move into rotation with Ringer and Hicks, but will have a shot to make his case that he should be a lead back.
Denver is sitting at 2-3, in a 3-way tie with Arizona and Houston as all 3 chase the 4-1 Texas Outlaws. Ohio is winless at 0-5, having just lost the battle of winless 0-4 clubs to Michigan. Both are hoping that this shake up will provide a spark and will help them improve on obvious weaknesses.
Charlotte’s Coutu On Blistering Pace
Don’t look now, but the longstanding record of 182 points in one season, held by Tim Mazzetti since 1990 is, for the first time in years looking vulnerable. Charlotte’s Brandon Coutu is only 5 games into the season and is already sitting on 72 points, on pace for over 200 in the year. The Monarch kicker has 19 converted kicks already this year, 6 more than the closest competitor, and Charlotte is also scoring touchdowns, providing Coutu with ample chances to add points one at a time.
In 1990, Hall of Fame kicker Tim Mazzetti set a personal best and a league record at the time with 53 field goal attempts and 44 conversions. With 19 converted kicks already, Coutu could reach that number with 3-4 games left in the season. A lot depends on the Charlotte offense, of course, but given that the Monarchs are 5-0 and are currently averaging nearly 33 points per game, the odds are looking pretty good so far that Coutu will have a shot at reaching a record few thought would ever be challenged. Considering that currently 2nd place in the season scoring record book goes to David Trout back in 1987, with 157 points, Coutu’s early season numbers are certainly pointing him towards a lofty goal.
Does Mallett Injury Delay or Hasten the Inevitable?
When Memphis signed Matt Cassel away from the USFL Champion Bandits, the hope was that the 9-year-veteran backup could push Ryan Mallett and help with the 2nd year QB’s development. After subbing for an injured Daunte Culpepper in the Summer Bowl and leading the Bandits to victory, Cassel was seen as a story of interest, but not really a challenge to the starting job. But, with Memphis now sitting at 1-4, Mallett struggling with a 64.4 QB Rating and only 4 TDs in 5 games, calls for Cassel to get a shot were getting louder.
In this week’s games fans could be heard yelling for Cassel, particularly after a bad Mallett pass seemed to be intended directly for the New Orleans defender, his second pick in the game. But, while Coach Childress did not seem eager to make a switch, fate stepped in to make it for him. On a 2nd and 7 Mallett dropped back and was immediately hit by DE Cameron Jordan, fumbling the ball and heading to the sideline clearly bothered by his shoulder. Cassel would come in to finish the debacle of a game against New Orleans and later that day Mallett would be seen with a sling on his throwing arm. X-rays had revealed that it was a collarbone injury, a fracture without displacement, that would likely now keep Mallett out for at least 2 weeks.
So, Matt Cassel is the starter, at least for the upcoming games against Boston and Chicago the next two weeks. If he can show something, however, he could very well keep the job. Childress did not draft Ryan Mallett, so the commitment to the former Arkansas QB is not as strong as it normally would be for a top draft pick. Add to that the fact that Memphis was a contender in trying to land Peyton Manning in the offseason and we can imagine a scenario where Cassel looks good in the upcoming games and gets to keep the job. It won’t be easy for Cassel, particularly as starting HB Cadillac Williams was also lost in the game, suffering a hip injury that will require surgery and will cost Williams the rest of the season. That means that Cassel goes from leading a topflight offense in the Summer Bowl to a team whose run game will be in the hands of 2nd year mid-round pick Anthony Allen, and whose receiving corps is led by a 33-year old Robert Ferguson, who has certainly lost a step the past few years. Expect Cassel to rely heavily on TE Jim Kliensasser for support, his roommate and new best friend on the field. He can also look to speedster Lee Evans and slot receiver Sidney Rice, but the trek from 1-4 and 29th in scoring to a starting job for the long haul will be a tough one.
A very good week, all things considered, with no new players added to injured reserve and a lot of players coming back to action after missing a game or more. Here is the list of the new injuries from this week, with Ryan Mallett’s making the most news, but Jason Williams suffering the more serious injury with his fracture in the upper arm.
OUT
Jason Williams LB MEM Arm 4-6 Weeks
Sean Mahan G NSH Biceps 2-4 Weeks
Aldon Smith LB STL Wrist 1-2 Weeks
DeMeco Ryans LB BIR Neck 1-2 Weeks
Ryan Mallett QB MEM Collarbone 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
Sean Lee LB PHI Concussion
Marshawn Lynch HB LV Ribs
USFL Celebrates 30 Seasons with Top 5 All-Time Seasons Lists
The USFL rolled out some water cooler conversation starters this week, looking back over the 29 prior seasons and trying to define the best seasons of all times in a variety of categories. The focus this week was on the running backs, with the league revealing the 5 best seasons for yards, carries, and touchdowns. The debate is then opened, which season for which back was the best ever? Here are are the contenders:
1983—Herschel Walker (NJ)
The opening season of the USFL saw the most touted player on the field do exactly as the league hoped, setting a rushing record that still stands today. Walker’s 1,767 yards has been challenged over the past 29 seasons but never matched. That year Walker also set a record for rush attempts, with 396, that would not be surprassed until Michael Turner hit 400 with his 402 carry season in 2008. Walker also had 15 touchdowns that season, good enough for 7th on the all time list, but oddly only 2nd in 1983, with Birmingham back Cornelius Quarles crossing the endzone 17 times in the league’s first season.
1984—Joe Cribbs (BIR)
One season after Walker’s incredible debut, it was another first-year player who took the rushing crown. Joe Cribbs came within 2 yards of Walker’s record with 1,765 yards. He also was within 1 TD of Walker’s mark, with 14 scores that year, and, yes, he is also among the top 10 with 369 carries, good enough to tie for 8th all time.
1992—Mike Rozier (PIT)
The Maulers’ all time rushing leader had his best year in 1992, finishing with 1,743 yards on 372 carries, both top 10 numbers. Rozier also appears on the top yardage seasons a second time in 1986, when he rushed for 1,692. In fact all three of these backs, Rozier, Cribbs, and Walker both appear twice on the top 10 list for rushing yards, leaving only 4 spots for other backs.
1995—Robert Drummond (POR)
If you are looking for scoring, this is the season for you. Drummond racked up 18 rushing TD’s, a mark that Errict Rhett would match in 2000, but which no back has yet beaten. Drummond also finished with a league best 1,623 yards. He too would appear on our top 10 list for yardage with an even better yardage total in 1997, 1,710 yards.
Before you pick your favorite, we do want to acknowledge whether these four great seasons produced results for the teams, not just the backs. Well, in 1983 the Generals finished the regular season at 7-9, despite Walker’s impressive numbers. In 1984 Joe Cribbs had more success, taking Birmngham all the way to the League Championship Game (as it was called pre-1990) but the club fell to the Panthers in the final.
In 1992, Rozier’s Maulers also made it all the way to the Summer Bowl, where they too came up one game short, losing out to the Houston Gamblers 34-28. Finally, the 1995 Portland Thunder, bolstered by Robert Drummond’s strong season, finished in a tie with Arizona atop the Pacific Division, they would defeat the Denver Gold in the Wild Card round, but fell to the eventual champions, once again the Gamblers, in the divisional round. So, no titles in these impressive rushing seasons, perhaps a testament to the pass-happy nature of the USFL.
League’s Biggest Surprises After 5 Weeks
Every USFL season brings its share of surprises, whether teams that rise or fall unexpectedly or players who break onto the scene suddenly. We are only 5 weeks into the 2012 USFL season, but there are certainly plenty of those stories in place already this year. We went through all the suggestions from our bullpen and picked 5 stories that have surprised us and may continue to shape the 2012 season moving forward. Here are our Top 5 Surprises of 2012.
5—Kyle Orton’s Numbers
We are not saying that in past years Kyle Orton has been a bad quarterback. Far from it. He has had three solid seasons with Atlanta since coming over from Chicago in 2009, reaching 3,000 yards each year, but he generally is not in the conversation of the USFL’s elite quarterbacks. But this season he seems to have found another gear. So far, less than 1/3 through the season and Orton is already at 1,456 yards, a pace that will put him not only above 3,000 for the year, but over 4,500, a number he has never come close to imagining. He is also already at 11 TDs for the year, which is on pace to be over 30 for the first time in his career. Simply put, Orton is lighting it up for the Fire this year. His current 97.9 QB Rating is the best of his career, and could find him creeping into the Top 5 very soon.
The arrival of Matt Jones, the journeyman wideout who is on his 5th team in as many years, has been a surprising boost to Orton. Jones currently sits 2nd behind only veteran Josh Reed with 21 catches and 264 yards. Jones has taken over the #2 spot from Demaryius Thomas, which means that the Fire have 3 solid outside receivers along with TE’s Will heller and Matt Schobel, and, lest we forget, they still have Tedd Ginn Jr. in the slot when they go to 3-4 wide. What does this mean for Atlanta and Orton, that there are options, and Orton is taking advantage of them.
4—Moss Gone and LA 0-5
There were mixed opinions on the LA Express this offseason, after a year in which they won the Pacific Division, won their Wild Card game and advanced to the Divisoinals. But no one was predicting the type of collapse we have witnessed so far. Not only is the team 0-5 and looking like a club without a path forwards, but the collapse produced such a firestorm around WR Randy Moss and his public criticism of both his coach and his QB that the club opted to cut him loose, trading him to Birmingham way under his potential market value. So, what does LA do now? Do they hold a fire sale and try to rebuild from the ground up? Do they build with the key pieces they have right now and hope to improve over the season? And do they reconsider whether Mark Sanchez is the right man to lead the offense?
LA is currently 27th in scoring and dead last in yardage. For his part, Sanchez is sitting with a 55.6 QB rating, about as bad as any starter in the league. He has a negative TD:INT ratio of 4:5, and he is only completing 55% of his passes. Now, that is not all on him. The line has not been much help, in pass protection or run blocking. Eric Pears has struggled after moving from RT to LT, and rookie Matt Kalil has been slow to pick up the schemes. Many are also criticizing right guard Brett Williams, who has already given up 4 sacks this year, mostly by misreading his assignment on blitzes.
The Express have only played 2 division games so far, so there is still time to claw back into a pretty mediocre division, but the next 3 weeks will be essential, as LA hosts Portland, travels to Seattle, and then hosts Oakland. If they cannot pull out a win or two in that 3-game stretch, we may well see a fire sale in LA.
3—Portland Atop the Pacific
We stay in the Pacific for our third surprise of the season, the Portland Stags. The Stags were picked by most to finish dead last in the division, but they are sitting at 4-1 after 5 weeks and have a defense that is getting the job done. They are averaging only 14.6 points against them, good enough for 2nd in the league, and they seem to be equally stingy against the pass and the run. They have held Las Vegas, Seattle, Orlando, and LA under 20 points, and won the one game where they did not do that, beating Houston this week 27-24.
What is perhaps most surprising is that they are doing this without being particularly good at pressuring the passer. LB Channing Crowder leads the team with only 3 sacks and DE Eddie Freeman, signed away from St. Louis in the offseason, is only at 2 for the year. What they are doing is keeping teams in third-and-long situations and then clamping down on the receivers. They are also shortening games thanks to the rushing of Jonathan Stewart. Stewart is only averaging 3.9 yards per carry, but with 119 carries in 5 games, he is doing enough to keep that clock moving and enough to sit at 2nd in the league with 470 yards.
Can Portland keep this up all year? History tells us that “no name” teams, and particularly teams who have neither an elite QB nor an elite pass rush tend to be paper lions, falling apart as the season stretches out. But, for now, don’t tell Portlanders that. They want to enjoy the ride.
2—Matt Gutierrez’s Success
You knew that this had to be on our list, right? When Kurt Warner went down in Week 2, no one, and we mean no one, thought that the Stars would continue to win games, to knock off the best teams they faced like Texas in Week 4 and Washington in Week 5. But, here we are.
Backup Matt Gutierrez is not Kurt Warner, that is clear, but he is having a Kurt Warner miracle season. He is 3-1 in his 3 starts, and has been able to avoid mistakes that cost his team opportunities. His numbers are not huge, barely 230 yards per game, and he is only completing 59% of his passes, but what he is doing is keeping an even keel on this ship. He is relying on the defense, on the run game, and on the skill of his receivers, particularly the short- and mid-range game of Stevie Johnson to keep those chains moving.
We don’t think Gutierrez will ever crack the Passer Ratings list, but he could well be considered for the MVP award if the Stars can keep pulling out games. We know it is a team effort, but with everyone expecting a collapse when Warner went out, we have to consider that what Gutierrez has provided has been pretty darned valuable.
1—Charlotte Undefeated
Our clear top surprise, because even with a 9-7 record last year, there was more expectation of a dip for the Monarchs than a sudden rise to the top of the league. But, here we stand five weeks in and Charlotte is among the elites in several categories. The Monarchs are first in the league in scoring and are among the league’s best in every major defensive category. Jake Delhomme is playing as well as he ever has, including his solid seasons in Orlando. He currently boasts a 103 QB rating and is completing 73% of his throws. D. J. Hackett has come on fast this year, but he is not alone. He, Derrick Mason, and TE Brandon Pettigrew are all looking like career seasons are on the way.
The Defense is somehow more aggressive after the retirement of Julius Peppers than in the years he was in Charlotte. They have4 players with multiple sacks, including team leader Rey Maualaga (4) and Rolando McClain is becoming a real nuisance with 33 tackles, 3 forced fumbles and a pick in 5 games.
In some ways the Monarchs are much like Portland, a bit of a no-name squad, perhaps playing over their heads, and certainly over our expectations, but what we have seen from this team is that Coach Mora has them playing good fundamental football. They block well, they tackle, they don’t beat themselves. That is a pretty nice formula to stick with as the season starts to heat up.
Week Six kicks off with a Central Division clash between two bitter rivals, the Michigan Panthers and the Chicago Machine. Michigan is hoping their win last week over Ohio will turn their season around, while Chicago aims to keep pace with the Maulers and Skyhawks.
On Saturday, we have a national broadcast of the Tampa Bay-Jacksonville Florida Derby game, and an interesting Texas Tussle game between the Gamblers and Outlaws. If Houston wants to be a contender this year they will have to find a way past the 4-1 Outlaws. Saturday also has a regional game worth catching if you can as New Orleans and New Jersey have both gotten off to solid starts. They will battle at the Meadowlands at 12pm.
On Sunday the game we are focused on is the nightcap with Philly surprising many at 4-1 headed to another surprising 4-1 club, the Baltimore Blitz. Both teams suffered major injuries early in the year with Week One sending Ron Dayne to the IR and Week 2 sending Kurt Warner there. But both teams have outperformed expectations after these injuries, setting up a really intriguing matchup.
FRIDAY @ 8PM ET MICHIGAN (1-4) @ CHICAGO (3-2) NBC
SAT @ 12PM ET TAMPA BAY (3-2) @ JACKSONVILLE (1-4) ABC
SAT @ 12PM ET NEW ORLEANS (3-2) @ NEW JERSEY (4-1) FOX
SAT @ 12PM ET BIRMINGHAM (2-3) @ WASHINGTON (3-2) FOX
SAT @ 4PM ET OHIO (0-5) @ PITTSBURGH (4-1) ABC
SAT @ 4PM ET HOUSTON (2-3) @ TEXAS (4-1) FOX
SAT @ 8PM ET OAKLAND (2-3) @ SEATTLE (2-3) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12PM ET MEMPHIS (1-4) @ BOSTON (1-4) ABC
SUN @ 12PM ET ORLANDO (2-3) @ ATLANTA (2-3) ABC
SUN @ 12PM ET CHARLOTTE (5-0) @ NASHVILLE (2-3) FOX
SUN @ 4PM ET ARIZONA (2-3) @ DENVER (2-3) ABC
SUN @ 4PM ET PORTLAND (4-1) @ LOS ANGELES (0-5) FOX
SUN @ 4PM ET LAS VEGAS (3-2) @ ST. LOUIS (3-2) FOX
SUN @ 8PM ET PHILADELPHIA (4-1) @ BALTIMORE (4-1) ESPN/EFN
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