In a week dominated by the season-ending injury to the 2011 MVP, we saw teams flirting with .500 and striving to get off on the right foot for the second half of the season. And while Texas will now have to go through the same calculus that Philadelphia did about how to handle the loss of their captain and star quarterback, but with only 1 week before the trade deadline, other teams, teams expected to be at the top of the standings this year, are struggling just to keep out of the basement in their divisions. It has certainly been a year of unexpected results and significant upheaval across the league, and it only continued in Week 9. We will bring you the latest news on Joe Flacco’s injury, and all the game results, starting with an overtime thriller in the Southwestern Division.
DENVER GOLD 27 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 24 OVERTIME
Houston was looking to take control in the division, Denver hoping to stay alive, so you knew this one would be a brawl as the Gold and Gamblers faced off at NRG Stadium. Denver came in at 3-5, knowing a loss could well end any hope for a postseason bid, while Houston, at the opposite 5-3 knew a win could propel them to a dominant position in the division and a legitimate chance at a top seed come playoff time. Houston would lead throughout, but a 4th quarter comeback for the ages would propel the game to overtime an din the extra period the Denver Gold would get the win they needed to stay relevant and, hopefully, inspire a strong second half that could move them out of the SW Division basement.
Early on this game looked like it would be controlled by the homestanding Gamblers. Houston got the only points of the first quarter, a Hasselbeck TD toss to Jeremy Kerley, and the Gambler defense had Denver under control, but there were signs that perhaps not everything was going their way. Early runs by DeMarco Murray and Maurice Hicks showed that Houston’s defense could be susceptible to the quick-hitting style of the revised Denver rushing attack. And yet, after a Dan Carpenter field goal put Houston up 10-0, the Gamblers seemed to have things in hand.
But that perception would end quickly when Matt Leinart found Leonard Hankeson, who would end the game with 113 yards in the air, on a huge 3rd down play. After suffering a sack, Leinart was facing 3rd and 18, and most expected a screen or draw play followed by a punt. Instead what they got was a perfect out & up and a throw that hit Hankerson in stride. The Denver receiver danced along the sideline before stepping out 30 yards upfield. That play seemed to put a crack in the damn that had been the Houston defense. The next play, an 18-yard run from DeMarco Murray, gave Denver the confidence they needed. They would score 2 plays later on a 2-yard Hicks run, and at 10-7 were right back in the game.
After holding Houston to a 3-and-out, Denver got the ball back with just under 2 minutes left in the half, and, using all their timeouts and a very timely offsides from the Gamblers, were able to get in range for kicker Greg Zeurlein, who leveled the score just as the first half was ending. The Gold would go in at halftime believing they had the upper hand after a rough first 20 minutes of play.
That belief was challenged in the third quarter, when Houston mixed up their coverages and, while allowing a few more solid runs, clamped down on Matt Leinart. The pinnacle of this was on Denver’s 2nd drive of the half, when early pressure up the middle caused Leinart to make an ill-advised throw to the middle of the field, a throw that LB Kevin Burnett easily intercepted and then, led by a convoy of defenders, took 68 yards for a score. The defensive scores seemed to turn momentum 180 degrees as Houston took a 17-10 lead into the final period.
On a drive that began late in the third quarter and finished with a Shaun Alexander TD run in the 4th, Houston took its largest lead of the day, now up 24-10 and again feeling flush. But Denver was not done. With 5:22 left to play, they went against script, running the ball instead of going for the quick passes. That strategy paid off as both Hicks and Murray, who would combine for 166 yards on the day, would slice and dice the Nickel defense of the Gamblers and without even using any timeouts, the Gold were inside the 5 with more than 2:40 to go. They would get the score on a quick slant route to Hankerson, and just like that the Houston advantage was down to 7.
Denver would, of course, go for the onside kick, but rather than a straight shot bouncing towards one sideline, Greg Zeurlein sent a high pooch kick straight down the middle and over the initial line of Houston blockers. The ball hung in the air long enough for Denver to get men in position for what ended up looking like a rugby scrum as the ball came down. A huge pile ensued, and while we may never know who first had the ball, in the end it was the Gold and LB Will Overstreet who emerged from the bottom of the pile with the ball. Denver was in business with about 2:30 to play and down by 7.
The Gold continued to use the quick run play, mixed with short throws from Leinart to TE Daniel Graham and slot receiver James Hardy, to move the ball deeper and deeper into Houston territory. After a timeout stopped the clock with 15 seconds to go and the ball on the Houston 17, Denver would have no more options but to keep the ball in the air. Leinart hit Golden Tate with a short pass that brought the ball to the 8 yard line, with Tate stepping out of bounds to stop the clock. 10 seconds left, time enough for 2, maybe 3 quick pass attempts. They would need only 1. On the next play, Leinart rolled slightly to the right, pumped towards Hankerson, but then let the ball go underneath to James Hardy, who was slashing across the face of the endzone. Hardy leaned into the endzone and the referee raised his arms to signal a touchdown with 8 seconds left on the clock. Denver had tied the game.
After the kickoff, Houston would take a knee to send the game to overtime. In the extra period, Houston would get the ball first, but after two first downs, the drive stalled, and firmly located in nowhere’s land at the Denver 46, Houston opted to punt the ball back to the Gold. They would not see it again. Denver used their now-prolific rushing assault to slash their way through the Houston defense, setting up Zeurlein for the game winner. With 7:29 left in the extra period, the Denver kicker ended the game with a kick straight down the middle and Denver escaped Houston with a much-needed win and a lease on life as they start the second half now only 1 game below .500.
ORLANDO 13 BALTIMORE 19
Orlando continues to struggle on offense, despite 117 yards from Knowshon Moreno. They scored only 6 points on offense (with a pick-six from Terrance Kiel their only TD) and yet at one point they led 13-0. Baltimore came back with TDs from Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jacob Tamme to upend the Renegades and improve their record to 5-4.
PHILADELPHIA 13 JACKSONVILLE 27
A huge upset as the Bulls hold Philadelphia to only 19 yards rushing and outpace them with 14 points in the final 9 minutes to take the W and move within 1 game of .500. Tim Tebow went 26 of 40 and found Jason Whitten for a TD, while the Bulls D kept the pressure on Matt Gutierrez, sacking the Stars’ QB 6 times and forcing 2 picks, including a pick-six in the 4th quarter to seal the unexpected Bulls’ win.
CHARLOTTE 7 ATLANTA 35
This battle of division rivals turned lopsided early as Atlanta built up a 21-0 lead at the half. Touchdowns came from every side as they got TD runs from Darren McFadden and J. J. Arrington, a TD catch from TE Will Heller and a pick six from venerable corner Charles Woodson. Charlotte got 107 yards from Fred Jackson and Mark Clayton had 97 in the air, but they could not turn yards into points as Atlanta’s defense held yet another opponent below 10 points in the game.
WASHINGTON 20 NEW JERSEY 0
Washington held New Jersey to only 5 first downs and 98 total yards in an absolutely dominant defensive showing. Sam Bradford completed only 8 passes for 64 yards and the run game produced only 34 total yards as Washington rolled, and with the win took over sole possession of first place in the NE Division.
BIRMINGHAM 10 MEMPHIS 12
Memphis gets their second win of the season as they shut down the run game of the Stallions and hold Birmingham without a touchdown until the waning seconds of the game. Neither offense was particularly prolific, but Dan Bailey’s 4 field goals were enough to get Memphis the win in this rivalry game.
NEW ORLEANS 19 ST. LOUIS 27
Taylor Jacobs had a field day, gaining an average of 38.5 yards per catch on his way to 154 yards and a TD in the Skyhawk win. The Skyhawk defense did its part as well, holding New Orleans to only 3 points in the second half after the Breakers led 16-13 at the half. Third quarter TDs from Jordy Nelson and Jacobs helped St. Louis move to 6-3 and hold first place in the Central Division.
OHIO 28 MICHIGAN 14
Ohio, after an 0-5 start, could reach .500 with a win next week. They notched their 4th in a row and yet another division win by heading up to Detroit an doubling up the Panthers. Isaiah Pead and Ryan Jennings combined for 133 yards rushing and Vince young found Javon Walker for a TD that helped Ohio get the W against their rival.
NASHVILLE 10 CHICAGO 24
Chicago got to 24 points the hard way, 8 field goals on 10 drives as Tim Seder set a league record for scoring in a game. Nashville could only muster one kick until the last 30 seconds of the game as Chicago dominated with defense and ball control. Frank Gore was limited due to a sore hamstring, so he only had 7 carries, while Michael Turner toted the rock 28 times in the Chicago win.
TEXAS 47 SEATTLE 5
Absolute domination for the Outlaws, but at a huge price as Joe Flacco went out with a painful groin injury in the 2nd quarter. MRI would later show a full tear, meaning that Texas will have to continue without Flacco for the rest of the season. In his stead, Luke McCown would throw for only 128 yards, but got a lot of help from the run game as both Arian Foster and Aveion Carson both rushed for 2 touchdowns apiece in a blowout win for the visitors.
PITTSBURGH 3 OAKLAND 29
Oakland wins the battle of 4-4 clubs, sending Pittsburgh to under .500 and causing Coach Rivera to make a change for Week 10. The Invaders picked off Cody Picket twice and sacked the Mauler QB 4 times in a dominant defensive performance. Jerious Norwood rushed for 104 and a score and Pierre Garçon again scored as Oakland put themselves in the Pacific hunt at 5-4.
BOSTON 22 ARIZONA 17
Arizona got sloppy, let Boston hang around, and it cost them in the end. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 112 yards and a score and also caught the game winning TD as Boston stunned the Wrangler faithful at University of Phoenix Stadium. David Carr was sacked 6 times, including two each from Jason Babin and Chuckie Nwokorie as the Cannons get a win in what many expected to be a lost season for the soon-to-relocate club.
TAMPA BAY 14 LOS ANGELES 17
The Express win their third in a row and stun the Bandits, thanks again to a stifling defense. Daunte Culpepper struggled to find open receivers all game, while Mark Sanchez relied on Ray Rice’s legs to get first downs. Rice finished the day with 124 yards on 22 carries, but it was a Sanchez to Ronald Johnson TD toss in the 4th that got LA the win and sent Tampa Bay to a disappointing 4-5 record.
LAS VEGAS 37 PORTLAND 20
Las Vegas asserted their claim on the Pacific Crown with a convincing win over Portland in Portland. Jake Plummer excelled, going 29 of 36 for 309 yards and 3 TD tosses. Both Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh scored as the new dynamic duo of the West again show they may be the most dangerous duo in the conference.
Joe Flacco Lost for Year with Groin Tear
It was a play that was hard to watch, and a loss that will be hard for the Texas Outlaws to overcome. Caught around the ankle on a rare scramble, Joe Flacco’s left leg did not follow him forward as he fell to the ground and you could immediately see the pain on his face as he lay on the turf. He was helped to the sideline, but was clearly in a lot of pain. Taken to the locker room, it was clear that the 2011 MVP was out for the game, but even before the clash with Seattle was over, it was reported that the injury was not just a groin pull, but a significant tear. Joe Flacco would be gone not for the game, but for the year.
Texas would go on to easily defeat the Seattle Dragons, getting 4 TDs from their backs and 4 field goals from Rian Lindell to crush Seattle 47-5, but now the future of one of the league’s Summer Bowl favorites would be in doubt. Just as with Philadelphia who lost Kurt Warner in the season’s second week, Texas would need to determine a path forward, and with the trade deadline only a week away, they would have to decide very quickly if they were comfortable with 9-year veteran backup Luke McCown at QB or would they make a move to bring in another option.
McCown started appeared in 3 games in 2011, and looked shaky at best. He last started significant action in 2007 as a member of the St. Louis Skyhawks and threw 7 TDs to 11 picks. And while he almost certainly will get the start in Week 10 over 3rd string QB Dan Orlovsky, there is great concern in Texas that McCown cannot be effective for a 7 game stretch and a possible playoff run. But, with the trade deadline looming, any deal to bring in a possible replacement will need to be completed within the next 4 days, a very compressed timeframe, and one likely to force Texas to overspend and risk their future for a very short-term solution.
Can McCown have a stunning Matt Gutierrez-like rise? Possible, but can the Outlaws take a chance on that or do they have to make a move, recognizing that the rest of the team is primed for a deep playoff run and a possible Summer Bowl appearance? The pressure will be on Coach Landry and the front office to provide the club with a viable answer, and for most observers, McCown may not be that answer.
Tim Seder Kicks 8 for 8 In Chicago Win
It is extremely rare for a special teams player to earn Offensive Player of the week, but when your team wins 24-10, and all 24 points come off of field goals, setting a new league record with an 8 for 8 performance, you deserve to get recognized. Tim Seder bailed out a Chicago offense that time and again moved the ball well between the 20’s but fizzled in the red zone. In a game that saw Chicago score on 8 of 10 possessions (the 10th being a kneel down at the end of regulation), Seder just kept putting 3s on the board, like Reggie Miller against the Knicks, he was just dropping 3’s on every drive.
Seder hit from 47 on the first drive of the game, followed it with kicks of 29, 49, and 35 yards in the first half to give Chicago a 12-3 advantage, then added 3 more in the 3rd quarter as Chicago went up 21-3 on kicks of 43, 18, and 36 yards. Finally in the 4th, Chicago had a drive that did not end with a Seder kick as a fumble cost the Machine possession, but he returned on the next drive, with fans already clued in that an 8th kick would be a record. Seder nailed a 30-yarder, giving Chicago a 21 point lead with time waning and the stadium celebrated as the record was posted on the big board. It was the kind of day every kicker dreams of, and without the pressure of having to make the game winner with no time left, just kicking for points over and over again.
Peyton Manning to Get Start vs. Baltimore
It has been confirmed and the fans in Nashville could not be happier. Peyton Manning has been designated the starter for the Knights’ Week 10 clash at home against Baltimore. Peyton, who has been seeing more and more snaps with the first team since Week 7, has been cleared to play and has been handed the reins of the Knights who come into Week 10 with a 4-5 record but still in the hunt for a division title.
It is a day many thought would not come. Manning’s spinal fusion surgery could have ended his career, but he agreed to sign with the Knights after being released by the NFL Colts. Confident in his ability to play the game once again, Manning spent the past 8 months rehabbing, sticking to every medical protocol, and preparing. He arrives with all the anticipation of a number 1 overall draft pick, viewed as a savior by Nashville fans who have long struggled with a team that was strong on defense, has an outstanding halfback, but always questioned their QB play.
Just how sharp Manning will be on Sunday remains a big question. All reports say that the veteran and 3x NFL Champion has fully absorbed the playbook, and teammates have expressed their respect for the work Manning has brought to practice and the attitude he shows in team meetings. What is known for sure is the impact that Manning’s arrival is having for Nashville at the box office. The Knights expect a crowd of nearly 60,000 on Sunday to welcome the former Tennessee Volunteer to Nashville and to the USFL. The Knights are, of course, hoping that Manning’s arrival sparks the team to a playoff run, a division title, and a shot at an elusive USFL championship.
Express & Glory Finding their Footing
They started a combined 0-11 this season, but now Ohio and Los Angeles have found their groove. The Glory have won 4 in a row after an 0-5 start, and LA has won their last 3 after a horrible 0-6 start to the year. What is even more impressive is that in their streaks both clubs have taken it to division rivals. LA got their first win in Week 7 by defeating Seattle, and then added a win at home against Oakland in Week 8. Ohio has won 4 in a row against Central Division rivals, knocking off Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Chicago, and now Michigan in succession. The Glory now sit at 4-5, only 1 game from .500 and only 2 games out of first place even with a brutal 0-5 start.
For LA the climb is a bit harder. Sitting at 3-6, they are still 3 games out of first, and sitting in 4th place, but this is still a far better place to be than they were in when they decided to trade away Randy Moss. In what is being called a clear case of addition by subtraction, the departure of the talented but very vocal Moss has led to LA changing their dynamic in the locker room and on the field. The offense is still struggling, but the defense has kept them in games and Mark Sanchez, despite all the criticism, has found ways to pull out tight wins, 17-10, 16-10, and 17-14 this week against Tampa Bay.
With 7 games left to play, both the Express and Glory are still in the playoff hunt, and if they can keep their recent success going, they could very well find the story of 2012 changing dramatically from where it had originally seemed to be heading.
Maulers & Bandits Slip Below .500
As uplifting as the recent win streaks for Ohio and LA are, the opposite is true for the Pittsburgh Maulers and Tampa Bay Bandits. The Maulers, who appeared in Summer Bowl 2011 and were considered favorites to return to Summer’s Biggest Party, have now lost 4in a row and find themselves in 4th place in their division. Their offense has completely fizzled, leaving them 24th in scoring and averaging barely 12 points a game in their last 4. QB Cody Pickett is taking a lot of heat and there are rumors that we could see 2nd year TCU product Andy Dalton before too long.
For Tampa Bay the slide has not been quite as dramatic, losing 3 of the last 4, but the result is the same, a 4-5 record and now 3 games behind Atlanta and Charlotte, and in 4th behind Jacksonville, a place they never expected to find themselves. For the Bandits, the issue has been hard to pin down. They are still ranked solidly in both defense and offense, Willis McGahee is leading the league in rushing, but they are watching games slip out of their control. Their loss this week to LA is a perfect example. They allowed the Express to stay in the game, failed to connect on big plays, and eventually lost the lead and the game.
For both clubs there is still time to turn it around, but that time will not last long. Both the Central Division and Southeast Division are extremely competitive, and younger, hungrier teams like St. Louis, Ohio, Charlotte and Atlanta are feeling a shift that could propel them to the top. They are not going to cede ground to the Maulers and Bandits, at least not willingly, so both Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay are going to have to fight tooth and nail for every win and hope they catch some breaks if they expect to return to championship form and to the playoffs.
The Joe Flacco injury was unfortunately only one of several key injuries across the league in Week 9. As with every season, dealing with injuries is an unfortunate reality for every team. Football is a violent game that pushes the body to extremes and features bone-rattling hits each and every week. That will produce injuries, just a part of the game, but one we always hate to see. Here are this week’s newly cited injuries across the USFL.
INJURED RESERVE
Joe Flacco QB TEX Groin
John Keith SS CHA Hip
Heath Miller TE WSH Quad
OUT
Albert Haynesworth DT ORL Wrist 4-6 Weeks
Chris Liwienski G LV Miniscus 1-2 Weeks
Monty Biesel LB TBY Shoulder 1-2 Weeks
Nick Barnett LB HOU Hip 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
Tyrell Johnson FS NSH Concussion
David Bowens DE JAX Arm
Frank Gore HB NSH Foot
Leonard Davis G STL Illness
QUESTIONABLE
Channing Crowder LB POR Hamstring
Richard Sherman CB SEA Toe
D. J. Hackett WR CHA Ankle
Vernon Davis TE HOU Illness
Michigan Unveils 2013 Uniforms
The Michigan Panthers become the first club to unveil their 2013 Adidas redesign, assuming we don’t count the three options released by the new Dallas Roughnecks franchise. As expected, there is no change to the primary logo or to the iconic helmet for a club that innovated the full side wraparound logo back in 1983. There are, however, significant adjustments to the rest of the uniform. The Burgundy, Lake Blue and Champagne colors remain unchanged, but the new uniforms now include dual shoulder stripes and colored sleeves (champagne on the white jerseys).
The new uniforms for the first time, also feature striping along the sidepanels from the underarm to the waist. The thin single stripe, divided into small blocks at the arm, mirror the same pattern on the new white, champagne, and burgundy pant sets. The use of small color blocks, paired with a longer single stripe, mirror the design element added to the team when they created their “Motor City M” secondary logo. The new look also features an angled number design, with the numbers rising from the lower left to upper right. The secondary logo also makes an appearance on the jerseys, added to the back just above the nameplate.
With Michigan mired in a 3-6 season, it seems unlikely we will see the team debut the new look in the playoffs, a practice most teams have used in recent years, but will debut in March of 2013.
City of Boston and Boston College to Bolster Police Presence at Alumni Field
With the now lame-duck Boston Cannons returning for their first home game since the announcement that the club was sold and would move to Dallas in 2013, both Boston College and the City of Boston fear that fans could lash out at the club on Sunday, when the Cannons take on division rival Philadelphia. While single game ticket sales have lagged, another expected result of the franchise sale, the league and Boston College still expect a crowd in excess of 30,000, and the concern is that frustration (and beer) could overflow into potential vandalism and violence on Sunday.
Boston College will have a full contingent of campus security on site, which will be bolstered by an additional 200 Boston PD reinforcements, 4 times the normal number of BPD who would be working security at prior Cannon games. Expect much the same for the remaining home games on the schedule, with particular concern for the club’s final game at Alumni Stadium in Week 14, when they, somewhat ironically, face the Texas Outlaws, a future division and in-state rival for the Dallas Roughnecks.
As we look to Week 10 and our first playoff analysis, we recognize that for a lot of teams, time is beginning to run short. We see this in our Friday game, where the 4-5 Wranglers are on the cusp of .500 and need to string together some wins to challenge for the SW Division. That will not be easy as they head to RFK Stadium to face the team with the best record in the league, the 7-2 Washington Federals.
On Saturday, Ohio hopes to keep their 4-game winning streak going as they head to New Orleans to face the 4-5 Breakers. It will be their first inter-divisional game since the win streak began. New Jersey faces a tough Charlotte squad in Charlotte and Portland and Oakland clash in a battle of 5-4 teams hoping to challenge Las Vegas atop the Pacific Division. We also have Denver, fresh off their win in Houston, staying in the Lone Star state, where they will face Josh McCown in his first start in place of the injured Joe Flacco.
On Sunday we start off with a must-win game for Tampa Bay as they host the 7-2 Atlanta Fire. Atlanta has won 6 in a row, and are looking to knock the Bandits out of the race now, with 6 more weeks to play. Baltimore will travel to Nashville to take on the 4-5 Knights, who could take over 1st place even at .500 in a down year for the Southern Division. Finally, on Sunday night we have the LA Express, winners of 3 in a row, heading to Pittsburgh, where the Maulers have now lost 4 in a row, a battle of teams with very different momentum.
FRIDAY @ 8PM ET ARIZONA (4-5) @ WASHINGTON (7-2) NBC
SAT @ 12PM ET BIRMINGHAM (3-6) @ JACKSONVILLE (4-5) ABC
SAT @ 12PM ET OHIO (4-5) @ NEW ORLEANS (4-5) ABC
SAT @ 12PM ET NEW JERSEY (6-3) @ CHARLOTTE (7-2) FOX
SAT @ 4PM ET PORTLAND (5-4) @ OAKLAND (5-4) ABC
SAT @ 4PM ET DENVER (4-5) @ TEXAS (6-3) FOX
SAT @ 8PM ET SEATTLE (2-7) @ LAS VEGAS (6-3) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12PM ET PHILADELPHIA (6-3) @ BOSTON (3-6) ABC
SUN @ 12PM ET ATLANTA (7-2) @ TAMPA BAY (4-5) FOX
SUN @ 12PM ET ST. LOUIS (6-4) @ MEMPHIS (2-7) FOX
SUN @ 4PM ET ORLANDO (2-7) @ MICHIGAN (3-6) ABC
SUN @ 4PM ET BALTIMORE (5-4) @ NASHVILLE (4-5) ABC
SUN @ 4PM ET CHICAGO (5-4) @ HOUSTON (5-4) FOX
SUN @ 8PM ET LOS ANGELES (3-6) @ PITTSBURGH (4-5) ESPN/EFN
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