A big week for the playoff hunt as our total number of berths awarded jumps from 2 to 5 with the additions of Oakland, Washington, and Chicago. The Machine backed into the playoffs despite a bad loss against the Feds as they benefitted from Ohio’s upset of St. Louis within their division. Oakland got themselves a big win at Texas as they try to position for a bye week, and Arizona, well they just keep going, winning close game after close game on their quest to become the 2nd USFL team to ever finish a regular season unbeaten.
We will cover all the games from an exciting Week 14, beginning with that Oakland-Texas clash, a game that went to extra time to decide a winner, and we will look at the playoff situation as it now stands. We will also highlight an emerging star for the Denver Gold, and ask some tough questions about a couple of QB situations across the league. All right here, right now.
OAKLAND INVADERS 29 TEXAS OUTLAWS 23 OVERTIME
A great game between two Summer Bowl contenders as the Pacific-leading Oakland Invaders headed to San Antonio to face the Texas Outlaws. We got to watch two veteran QBs duke it out, with Joe Flacco throwing for over 380 yards while Joey Harrington went 29 of 48 for 291. Harrington would hit 9 different receivers in the game, while both WR Marques Colston and HB Arian Foster both went over 100 yards receiving for the Outlaws. In the end, it came down to one drive, a game winning, sudden death march to victory for the visiting Invaders, but what a ride it was to get there.
The game started a little slow, as inter-divisional matchups often do. Neither team found much success on their first drives. It took until the 4th possession of the game, Oakland’s first, for the first points to be put up, and those came via a 36-yard Mike Hollis field goal for the Invaders. But that field goal sparked the scoring for the rest of the game. Coming at the 3:14 mark in the first quarter, Oakland took an early lead, but Texas was seemingly inspired by that as Joe Flacco led a quick strike 7-play drive that ate up 66 yards and ended with a beautiful screen to Foster that would go 33 yards to paydirt for the first touchdown of the game. Foster would be frustrated in the run game, earning only 64 yards on the day, but as a receiver, he would have his best USFL outing to date, with 4 receptions, each averaging 32.2 yards.
Oakland responded to Texas’s score in the 2nd quarter as they added another 3 on their next possession. The 19-yard kick from the 2-yard line was a disappointment as an apparent TD catch by Joel Dreesen was ruled out of bounds upon replay, forcing the Invaders to make a decision on 4th and goal from the 2. Coach Green played it conservative and went for 3, cutting the deficit to a lone point.
After breaking up a Joe Flacco pass on 3rd and 7, Oakland would quickly get the ball back again, and on their next drive they would not settle for another field goal. Joey Harrington connected with Pierre Garçon and Jeb Putzier on the drive, and Ryan Williams had one of his best drives of the game, rushing for 33 of his total 75 yards on this one push. The drive was capped off by a perfectly called pitch play to Williams, who found the edge, turned up field and raced for 14 yards to the pylon and six points. Mike Hollis added the PAT and Oakland were up 13-7 with 3:51 left to play in the half.
That was more than enough time for Joe Flacco to work some magic, and for a while he did, moving the Outlaws into scoring range with crisp passes to both Colston and Bo Scaife, but the drive stalled out and on 4th and 4 from the 26, the Outlaws had to settle for 3 and would accept a 13-10 deficit at the half.
Both teams had suffered one turnover in the first half, both fumbles, but in the second half the tide would largely be determined by more turnovers. On their first drive of the half, Oakland would turn the ball over deep in Texas territory when receiver Derek Hagan bobbled a ball, only to have SS Terrance Holt snag it before it hit the ground. The play stymied a very promising Oakland drive and gave Texas the ball and some momentum. The Outlaws turned that momentum into 7 points and a lead when Joe Flacco hit Marques Colston with a 7-yard TD pass 4 minutes later. Texas would shut down Oakland’s offense on their next drive, and finish the third quarter with a second Kai Forbath field goal to take a 20-13 lead into the final period.
It was in the final 15 minutes where two Texas turnovers helped keep Oakland in the game. The first came on a muffed punt, when the Outlaw returner, rookie Marquise Goodwin, misjudged the ball. It bounced off his chest, through his arms, and was recovered by Oakland’s Sean Jones. That muff led directly to the tying score, as only 5 plays later, the Invaders found the endzone on a Ryan Williams 5-yard run for his 2nd TD of the day.
Texas would again retake the lead on a long drive that ate up over 5 minutes of the quarter, but again it was only 3 as the drive stalled on the 21 and Kai Forbath put the Outlaws up 23-20. When, on the ensuing drive, Oakland missed on a 3rd down play that was blown up by Texas LB Jonathan Moulton, the Outlaws got the ball back with 2:44 left to play. Oakland had 2 time outs left, so it was within their ability for the Outlaws to run out the clock if they could earn a first down. After running the ball on both first and second down, Texas gambled a bit on 3rd and 5, using play action against a safety blitz, and rolling Joe Flacco out of the pocket. The Texas QB tried to find TE Bo Scafe for the first down, but found SS Pearson Prioleau instead. Prioleau picked off Flacco on a throw that should never have been made. With over 2:30 left in the game, Oakland got the ball in Texas territory, down by only 3.
But Texas’s defense was not going to give up anything easy. They eschewed the prevent defense and focused on tight man coverage with pressure up the middle. The strategy worked, as best as it could in the situation, forcing Oakland into a bad throw on 3rd down and bringing Hollis out to attempt a game tying 55-yarder. The Oakland kicker was true to form and nailed the long kick, tying the score and sending the game to overtime after a couple of Flacco kneel downs.
In overtime, Texas got the ball first, but again the turnover bug shut them down and gave Oakland a chance to win. While this ball will go down as a second Flacco interception, the fault was really not his. He threw a good ball to Reggie Brown, but when Brown was hit by the safety, the ball popped out and before it could hit the turf, CB Eric Wright of the Invaders had it in his hands. Another bad pick that once again put Oakland in a good position, this time at their own 44.
Joey Harrington would lead Oakland on a drive to win the game. Mixing Williams runs with short passes to 3 different receivers (Keenan Allen, Garçon, and Joel Dreesen), the Invaders got the ball within the 10-yard line. A field goal would win the game for them, but they took one shot at the end zone, and with that shot Harrington found slot receiver Derek Hagan open in the right corner. The little-used Hagan came down with the ball and Oakland came away with an overtime win.
That win clinched a playoff spot for the Invaders, while the loss by Texas locked up the Southwest Division for the unbeaten Arizona Wranglers. It was a bitter pill for the Outlaws to swallow as their own miscues not only caused the game to go to overtime, but gave Oakland the boost they needed in the extra period to secure the win. Texas will finish the year with 3 straight division games, including a huge matchup with Houston in Week 15, and a match with Arizona in the season finale. Will Arizona play their starters to go for a perfect 16-0 or will they rest them ahead of the postseason? An interesting question Texas fans would love to know the answer to. As for Oakland, they also face three straight divisional foes, knowing that only 1 win against LA, Las Vegas, or Portland will secure them the title.
PHILADELPHIA 26 NEW JERSEY 16
A good game from New Jersey’s Muhamed Sanu, who is making a name for himself in what has been a lost season for the Generals. Sanu had 6 catches for 100 yards and a TD, but it was not enough as New Jersey falls by 10. With both Slaton and Stevie Johnson still out, Matt Gutierrez spread the ball to 8 different receivers and connected with rookie HB Zac Stacy for a TD toss. Stacy also had another score on the ground to be the game’s offensive POTG.
TAMPA BAY 12 BALTIMORE 27
Baltimore continues to look like a Wild Card contender while the Bandits drop to 5-8 with another tough loss. Ron Dayne had 113 yards and a score, while Ben Roethlisberger hit NFL import Brian Hartline for another score as the Blitz ground out a win, holding Wills McGahee to only 33 yards rushing and picking off Daunte Culpepper 4 times. Could that be the end of any talk of Culpepper for MVP? Seems like a bad day that could cost him a lot of votes.
CHARLOTTE 27 JACKSONVILLE 24 OVERTIME
The Bulls nearly pulled off the upset, but Charlotte got a last second field goal to send the game to an extra period and then got the winning kick from Brandon Coutu to get the W and keep their hold on first place over Atlanta. Brandon Wheedon got knocked out of the game, so it was Jeff Tuel who led the game tying and game winning drives for a very plucky and determined Monarchs squad. Tim Tebow threw 3 touchdowns for the Bulls but also had 3 picks as his accuracy issues continue to be a major issue for the Bulls.
ST. LOUIS 23 OHIO 24
A huge win for Ohio’s slim playoff hopes and a huge blow for the defending champ as the Glory get two 4th quarter TDs from Chris Weinke to come back from a 23-11 deficit in the final 5 minutes of action. Javon Walker and Arrelious Benn had the game-changing scores as St. Louis’s defense completely collapsed down the stretch. Isaiah Pead also had a huge game, rushing for 128 yards on 22 carries, while Steve Smith added yet another 100-yard day to his OPOTY campaign.
HOUSTON 17 DENVER 45
This battle of 6-6 teams could determine a Wild Card and the homestanding Gold left no doubt how bad they wanted this one. The Gold went on a 28-0 run between the 2nd and 3rd quarters to put Houston far in the rear view mirror. DeMarco Murray was the hero for the Gold, rushing for 144 yards and 4 touchdowns in a huge game for Denver.
NASHVILLE 14 BIRMINGHAM 37
The Stallions tried to put some space between themselves and their challengers in the South, and a complete game on both sides of the ball did it against visiting Nashville. Cam Newton came up huge with his arm (252 yards and a TD) and with his feet (71 yards rushing and 2 more TDs) as the Stallions move to 7-6, but remain tied with New Orleans in the South.
PITTSBURGH 10 MICHIGAN 48
The Maulers had hoped that a late season surge could see them earn a Wild Card, but Michigan played angry and just took it to their former division rivals. Kirk Cousins had one of his best games as a pro, going 23 of 28 for 314 yards and 3 scores as he picked apart a tired-looking Mauler D. The much-maligned Panther D also came to play, picking off Quincy Carter 2 times and limiting Ronnie Brown to only 61 yards rushing.
NEW ORLEANS 34 MEMPHIS 24
The Breakers stay tied with Birmingham in the South, with a big win in Memphis. A good Breaker contingent made the trek to the Liberty Bowl, which appeared to be almost a 50/50 split with Showboat fans. They watched as Eli Manning threw for 284 and a TD to Lee Evans, whose 151 yards made him the lead receiver in the game. Both Darren McFadden and Knile Davis also scored as the Breakers held off Memphis, despite 3 TDs from Drew Brees.
ATLANTA 27 ORLANDO 3
The Fire improved to 7-6, only 1 game behind Charlotte, by knocking off the ‘Gades in Orlando. Steven Jackson and J. J. Arrington combined for a whopping 174 yards and 2 scores as the run game was working for the Fire on this day. Russell Wilson did not have it going on, throwing 3 picks against the Fire defense, all three from 12-year vet Corey Fuller.
LAS VEGAS 14 PORTLAND 17
Jake Plummer was not cleared to play and Ingle Martin was unable to rally the troups, sacked 5 times and picked off twice as Las Vegas’s offense could not get the job done in Portland. Matt McGloin gets another W for the Stags, despite throwing for only 122 and tossing 2 picks. Portland, now 6-7, is still very much a surprise team in the Wild Card hunt, while Las Vegas is now 3 games behind Oakland and could well be dropping from the Wild Card position unless Plummer can return and spark a late run of wins.
DALLAS 17 ARIZONA 21
The Roughnecks played a good game in a tough environment, but in the end a Frank Gore TD gave Arizona the W, keeping them unbeaten through 13 games. Gore finished with 75 yards and a TD, and David Carr threw to 9 different receivers as Arizona again found a way to win once again.
SEATTLE 13 LOS ANGELES 21
The Express improved their playoff standing with a home win against a Seattle team that just does not have any spark left. Mark Sanchez threw for 2 scores and Keyshawn had 123 yards and a score as the Express move to 7-6 and take over 2nd place in the division.
CHICAGO 20 WASHINGTON 41
The absence of Brian Urlacher was definitely noted as Washington rushed for 190 yards against the depleted Machine defense. McCallister had 143 of those 190, and Washington also got 3 TD passes from Joe Webb, who went 18 of 21 on the day in one of Washington’s most impressive outings of the year. Despite the loss, the Machine still clinched a playoff berth and the Central Division thanks to other results this week. Washington also clinched a playoff berth, but remain 1 game behind Philly in the Northeast.
Murray Makes a Statement: I am the Man.
DeMarco Murray is using his third season in the USFL to make the case that he can be an every down option for the Gold. After a rookie year that saw the former Sooner rush for 703 yards, many thought the Gold back would crack 1,000 in 2012 and take on the roll of a bellcow back. But, last year saw Murray fall well short of that mark, as he struggled with injuries and with sharing carries with LeMichael James. This season began much the same way, with James and Murray all but splitting carries evenly. As Denver has made a late push for the playoffs, that balance has decidedly shifted in Murray’s direction. Over the past 4 games we have seen Murray’s touches and his production take off.
Murray has also loved facing the Gamblers In Week 8 he had his best game to date, rushing for 114 yards, and after 73 against Texas and 92 at Tampa Bay, the Gold once again faced Houston and this gave Murray his best chance to date to make his case. The OU back rushed 21 times, a season high, and in those 21 attempts racked up 144 yards and 4 touchdowns. That was a statement not only to the team but to the league that Murray can be a big time weapon for Denver.
With the Gold now in Wild Card position, Murray is likely to continue to see the rock. The Gold finish their year with a game at Las Vegas and then two home games out of division, against Jacksonville and St. Louis, two teams with major defensive issues. Murray has 3 games to gain the needed 228 yards for his first 1,000-yard season. That is an average of just over 70 per game, numbers Murray has proven he can attain when given the carries.
Dre Kirkpatrick a Bright Spot for the Panthers.
To say that Michigan’s 2013 season has been a year of retooling and minimal initial returns would be a nice way of saying that the club has just not been that good. As the offense has tried to develop both Kirk Cousins at QB and rookie LeVeon Bell (both with Hines Ward out for most of the season), the defense has also struggled to find an identity. They are currently dead last in the USFL with only 17 sacks over 13 games. They are giving up over 315 yards per game, and are 27th in the league in run defense, averaging 118 yards per game against the D. However, there has been one bright spot on their somewhat troubled defense, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.
The Alabama product has 10 picks in his first two seasons with Michigan. He is currently the only player on the roster with more than 1 pick this year, raking in 4 after a 6-pick 2012. He is also 3rd on the team with 76 tackles and not only leads the team, but is tied for 5th in the league with 26 passes defended. Michigan needs help on defense, to be sure. Their front 4 is just not able to put pressure on the QB, the linebackers are stretched thin, and Kirkpatrick leads a secondary that is getting a bit old and a bit slow. We loved Deltha O’Neal during his prime, but the injured CB is just not the man he once was. But, despite all the issues in Detroit, the Panthers seem to have found themselves a stud in Kirkpatrick.
Is the Peyton Manning Experiment Over?
That is a question being openly asked about the former Tennessee Vol and 2-time Super Bowl winner in the NFL. Why is it being asked? Well, for starts, Nashville is sitting at 17th in scoring, despite having decent yardage numbers. Secondly, Cody Pickett, who was brought in from Pittsburgh to serve as a reliable backup has sparked a lot of interest. Pickett got a chance to start 2 game when Manning went down with a minor injury and in those two games he amassed 562 yards and 5 TDs, numbers far better than Manning’s averages.
The concern is, of course, that Manning simply lacks both the mobility and the arm strength following his spinal fusion surgery as a Colt. The hope had been that Manning would be able to use his famous vision, poise, and knowledge of the game to offset any physical diminishment since his surgery, and while his leadership is unquestioned, the reality seems to be that physically the former NFL MVP may just not have enough in the tank to be more than a game manager for a Knights team that simply does not have enough other weapons to succeed with a less-than-dynamic QB at the helm.
Of course, no one with the Knights, and even many in the local Nashville media want to say anything negative about a player who spurred not only ticket and jersey sales for the club, but who is an almost certain first-ballot Hall of Famer for the NFL. But the truth is, the Knights may well be better off moving on for 2014, because what they have seen this year is not enough to keep even a legendary QB as the starter.
Is Washington Now Webb’s Team?
Hard to imagine we are saying this after the very strong seasons David Garrard has had in Washington, but Joe Webb is making a very strong case that he may be the future of the Federals at QB. Garrard was the unquestioned starter when the season began, and in the first four games of the year, he was better than good. He put up 860 yards, threw 5 touchdowns, and had a QB Rating of 89.7, all very solid numbers. But when a season-ending injury struck in Week 5, Joe Webb was called on to take on the mantle of the Federal offense.
What has Webb done since then? How about nearly 2,000 yards in 9 starts, a 2:1 TD:INT ratio (16-8), and a QB Rating of 98.1, more than 10 points over Garrard’s number. He has also led Washington to a 7-2 record and kept the Federals right in the thick of the NE Division title hunt. So, what does this mean for the future? Well, Garrard is only 31, so this is not a clean generational handoff to the 26-year old Webb. Both quarterbacks are under contracts through 2016, with Garrard slated to earn $1.2M per year and Webb coming in at $600K per season. So the Feds are under no financial pressure to remove one or the other.
The truth may be that if Washington is open to the idea, there could be a very good market for either QB. They could easily deal one of the two and acquire some amazing quality for either of the signal callers. For now, they move on in 2013 with Webb more than ably handling the QB duties, and they have a very good shot at a deep playoff run, so no thoughts of the offseason yet. But, with so many teams still trying to find an answer at QB, and with Webb having found great success in his shot at starting, there very well could be a lot of interested parties hoping Washington does not want a 2-headed QB room in 2014.
A big week for playoff clinching around the USFL, with three more teams joining the Wranglers and Stars as playoff participants. Chicago, despite a tough loss this week to the Feds, benefitted from St. Louis’s loss to Ohio. That game’s result locks up Chicago as the Central Division Champion. They now trail Oakland by 1 game for a shot at a bye, as neither are likely to catch Arizona for the number one seed.
Oakland, sitting at 10-3, also clinched a playoff spot, and while Las Vegas and LA are both technically in range to catch the Invaders should Oakland lose out and either of the two Pacific rivals win out, the odds are not in their favor. Oakland is guaranteed no less than a Wild Card, but one more win over the next 3 weeks and they will win their first Pacific Title since 2010.
Washington, with their huge win over Chicago, also locked up a Wild Card berth. The Feds, winners of 3 of their last 4, still sit 1 game behind Philadelphia, who they will face in Week 15 with the division on the line, but they are assured no worse than a 4-seed (the top Wild Card seed) thanks to a 3-game lead over all the other Wild Card contenders. That means that no matter the results of the next 3 weeks, the Feds will be playing at home for their first playoff game. Now they want to challenge Philly for the top seed, a bye, and home field advantage for all playoff games.
We also had our first eliminations of the season as both the 3-win clubs and the two 4-win clubs are now all out of the hunt. In the case of 4-win Michigan and New Jersey, the tiebreakers with the 7-win teams are just not in their favor. For 3-win Dallas, Seattle, Memphis and Jacksonville, they are just too far behind the 6th place spots to catch up with only 3 games left. So for these 6 clubs, it is now all about pride.
We continue to see significant contributors lost for the rest of the year as injuries for nearly all teams continue to be a concern. For contenders like Chicago, Oakland, and LA, losingquality players, even for a week or two can be a big hit. Chicago now loses a second key defender right up the middle, with Ellis Wyms joining Urlacher on IR. LA will struggle to put QB pressure on their foes with Keneche Udeze now ruled out for the year after a partial rupture of the Achilles tendon. We also may not see Drew Brees on the field for the Breakers’ key game against Washington as he deals with a strain to the arch of his plant foot.
OUT
DT Ellis Wyms CHI ACL IR
DE Keneche Udeze LA Achilles IR
CB Nnambi Asomugha BAL Leg IR
HB Willis McGahee TBY Shoulder 1-2 Weeks
TE Zack Ertz OAK Neck 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
CB Sam Shields PHI Hernia
CB Ricky Manning ATL Ribs
OT Maurice Williams MEM Concussion
WR Marques Colston TEX Toe
LB Jonathan Vilma TBY Hip
QUESTIONABLE
FB Quinn Johnson BAL Finger
CB Gregory Gray NSH Shoulder
QB Drew Brees NOR Foot
OKC Group Fishing for a Taker.
Is Oklahoma ready for prime time? In 1987 they were considered a poor choice but a necessary stopover for a USFL franchise that could not find a home in San Diego, but now, nearly 30 years later, is the Sooner state, and it’s capital city, ready for major league football? The city has been home to the NBA Thunder since 2008, and efforts to bring both baseball and football to the region have been ongoing ever since, but now, with a stadium already in the works, and some pretty big money invested in a bidding group, Oklahoma is once again hoping they can lure a USFL team to town, and this time as a first choice destination and not a 1-year layover as owners seek a better deal.
If you recall, in 1987 the USFL was all set to expand to San Diego with California investor William Tatham heading up an expansion franchise that expected to play in Jack Murphy Stadium. But, despite claims that the deal was in hand, Tatham was not able to acquire a lease for the San Diego venue. Concerns about the site having 4 tenants (the NFL Chargers, MLB Padres, and SDSU already had long term leases in place) caused the stadium authority to reject every proposal Tatham put forward. That forced Tatham to look for a temporary home for the 1987 season. He considered Honolulu and Indianapolis, but costs (travel for Hawaii and the lease at the recently-constructed Hoosier Dome in Indy) proved prohibitive. Tulsa, Oklahoma offered Tatham a stadium (Skelly Stadium at the U. of Tulsa) and a good bargain.
That experiment ended with the merger of the Outlaws and the poorly-funded San Antonio Gunslingers, and by 1988, Tatham had his team, though in San Antonio and not San Diego. Oklahoma, while garnering decent attendance, was seen as a poor market for the USFL at the time. Fast forward to today, where the success of the NBA Thunder and the growing economy of the state make Oklahoma a much more attractive destination. Add to that a new stadium capable of holding up to 50,000 fans, and without a set tenant, and you have a pretty attractive package. So, what is the plan? Expansion is not on the table at present, but is expected to be an option in the next 5 years. Relocation is always on the table if the deal is right. We know that Nashville is looking for an owner, and the stadium deal at Adelphia is not ideal, so a move of the once Express, then St. Louis Knights, and now Nashville Knights is not out of the question. There are issues in several other markets either with aging stadia or poor lease contracts, so another team could well look at sale as a way to quickly divest from the league and make a killing by selling to a very deep pocketed Oklahoma City investment group.
We all know who the fans in OKC want. They have largely stuck by the Outlaws even with the short-lived connection with Tulsa. Fan groups schedule regular trips to San Antonio and when the team was relocated to Dallas for one year during Alamadome renovation, Tulsa tried very hard to acquire the team for even one year, and Dallas saw a lot of fans crossing the Red River to visit the Outlaws. We don’t foresee the Outlaws making the move, especially with the dome’s recent upgrades, but fans in Oklahoma would love nothing more than to relive their very short wading into the USFL waters, a year that saw Doug Williams and Brian Bosworth excite fans in the Sooner state. So, for now, the investors continue to test the waters, seeking out a deal, while at the same time lobbying the league for an expansion timeline. They are not alone in this. Several other markets are also pushing the same agenda, but the OKC group is one to watch out for if for no other reason than they have the funding and the stadium (or they will by 2016) to make a convincing case.
Is Steve Wynn in the Running for the Thunder?
After the fiasco that has been the Phil Ruffin financial scandal with the Thunder, would the USFL really be willing to get in the mix with another casino developer? Well, when that developer is one of the biggest players in the gaming industry, Steve Wynn of the self-named Wynn hotels, well perhaps they would. Rumors have begun to swirl that Wynn is interested in the Thunder, and particularly in getting a share of the new stadium in Las Vegas that will not only host the USFL club, along with conventions, concerts, and everything from rodeo to monster trucks, but which is also actively pursuing an NFL franchise as well. Wynn is certainly a shrewd player when it comes to land development as well as marketing of entertainment and venues, so a deal that would bring him a pro sports franchise and a pretty significant share of a major venue in Sin City seems exactly the kind of investment he might just bite on.
So the question is whether this is a reality or wishful thinking from many around the USFL? And if it is real, just how detailed and deep will the financial probing go to ensure that Wynn will not present the same type of questions and concerns that have already cost Phil Ruffin his club? Trying to decipher the finances of a casino magnate is no easy task. Even with Wynn’s reputation, he will certainly have some skeletons in the closet, and the question becomes whether or not those are skeletons that the league can live with or ones that would cause them to shy away from making the same mistake twice.
Ten Players Who Could Be In Their Final Year
Three weeks left, and while the attention of the fans is on the playoff hunt, the attention of the front offices across the league is squarely on the rosters. Teams are trying to lock up players before free agency takes effect, determining cap space, and having conversations with seasoned veterans about their plans. And that is where we focus today, the elder statesmen of the league who may be considering whether another offseason of recovery and training is worth it to come back for one more year. We have compiled a list of 10 players over 35 who may well be considering whether or not to give it one more year. We expect some will announce their intention to step away from the game early in preseason, having already made the decision. Others may wait until camp starts, and others will give it another year, confident that they are still competitive and still able to contribute. Here is our list of 10 players to watch, all of whom could be playing their final games in the USFL.
QB Jake Delhomme (CHA)
We have already chronicled Delhomme’s noncommittal statement. After being knocked out of the 2012 playoffs and missing more than half of the 2013 season with a torn ACL, speculation is rampant that Delhomme has taken the field for the last time. Rehab from the ACL is brutal, and with no guarantee that Delhomme could beat out Brandon Wheedon for the starting position, the timing may just be right.
QB Jake Plummer (LV)
This season has been billed as a year for the club to win for Jake, but his recent injury has led to a slip and now the Thunder may not even make the postseason. After 16 years of scrambling, taking hits, and throwing his body into the fray, Plummer has become more injury prone, certainly lost a step or two, and, quite frankly does not seem to be any closer to that elusive league title. Is that enough to cause the plucky QB to call it a career?
HB Rod Smart (LA)
After 13 seasons as an on-again, off-again starter, Smart is slowing down and has been largely removed from this 3rd down back status by the more versatile Reggie Bush. He has only 20 carries for 56 yards this year and seems to be losing out on carries not only to Bush but to rookie LeRon McClain as well. Perhaps he will land a 1-year deal with what would be his 5th USFL club, but more than likely we will see him depart the game this offseason.
WR Peerless Price (DEN)
Many expected Price to retire last year, but he signed a 1-year deal to return to Denver for one more go. Price will be 38 when the 2014 season starts, and while he is still a major factor in the Denver offense, the arrival of Michael Crabtree does give Denver options. We don’t anticipate Price will resign one more time unless there is a real sense that the Gold are on the cusp of something, a sense we are not getting from this squad.
WR Derrick Mason (CHA)
If Delhomme calls it a career, there is a very good chance that WR Derrick Mason will do likewise. Mason has had a good season, most of it with Wheedon at QB. He has 58 catches and 596 yards, 2nd in both categories behind D. J. Hackett, but Mason is also 37-years-old and may not be ready to be part of a rebuilding of the roster if Charlotte sees major changes this offseason.
WR Keyshawn Johnson (LA)
The last of our three receivers and most likely the least prone to a retirement announcement. Keyshawn remains a major weapon for the Express, leading the club with 79 receptions on 143 targets. He is only 33 yards from another 1,000-yard season, but he is 36, and a pretty beat-up 36. If LA can develop a true 2nd option, perhaps through the draft, that may be enough for Keyshawn to decide to stay. Having a good friend in Reggie Bush on the team may be another factor.
DE Chuckie Nwokorie (DAL)
After 8 solid years in Baltimore, Nwokorie left for Boston and now finds himself in Boston. Injuries have cost him several games this year, and being stuck on a team that is clearly rebuilding means that Nwokorie is constantly having to justify his starting position. He has only 1 sack this season, and there is talk that he could be moved to a rotational position if he remains with the team. We think that may just be enough for him to decide that another offseason is too much effort.
LB James Farrior (HOU)
With 103 tackles this year Farrior is showing no signs of slowing down at age 36. The MLB has had over 100 tackles in three of four years in Houston, a revival of a career that was considered winding down back in 2009 when Baltimore let him go. At 36, the wear and tear of so many USFL seasons has to be setting in, but Farrior still has the fire and can obviously still play at a high level. Does that mean that 2014 is still on the table for him?
LB Mike Vrabel (JAX)
Vrabel is once again leading the league in tackles, a sort of one-man-show for the Bulls. But he has been in the league since 1997. At some point his body deserves a break. He has had over 100 tackles in 5 of the past 6 years, and can still command the middle of the field, but he may be another player who does not see team success on the horizon, and that may motivate him to move on to another phase of his career.
LB Kendrell Bell (CHI)
It is 35-year-old Bell, not Brian Urlacher, who is leading the Chicago Machine in tackles this season, and now, with Urlacher out, Bell has shifted over to the MLB position. He certainly still has skills and a lot of experience under his belt. Chicago is having a good year, and if they make a solid playoff run, he may be convinced to stick around to see if they can get over the hump in 2014, but the other very real possibility is that he will see this year as a strong swan song and use it to parlay some local media opportunities.
Atlanta Reveals 2014 Uniform Update
The last of the 2014 uniform updates has been announced, with the Atlanta Fire releasing a new look that will likely make the field in the Wild Card round later this summer. The look is not a major departure from past looks, retaining the same helmet they have worn since returning to the league in 2006, and keeping their orange primary jersey despite rumors that the team was looking at a switch to Navy blue.
The main update is to the jersey, which retains its orange dominance, but which has removed the side panels in favor of a full shoulder yoke. The shoulder & sleeve treatment includes spark gold shoulders and navy sleeves (orange sleeves on the white jersey). The secondary logo appears on each sleeve, and the shoulder yoke is separated from the torso by thick navy blue stripes. This is an expansion of the use of the gold tertiary color. The pants feature a color shifting stripe which begins as fire orange at the hip before transitioning to the spark gold color at the knee.
Adidas had apparently pushed for a switch of the helmet as well, encouraging the team to move to an orange helmet with the secondary logo on either side, but ownership refused to budge, citing the unique design of the wrap around flame logo on the navy helmet as an “iconic” element of the Fire’s look, one that dates back to the first iteration of the team in 1995.
Should Atlanta make the postseason, expect to see them trot out the new uniforms for that game, likely forced to wear the dark set as a road Wild Card team. If they do manage to win the division, overtaking Charlotte, then the white set might be available to them as the home team in the Wild Card or Divisional round.
Week 14 means there are only 3 weeks left for teams to make a push for the playoffs, and that means that nearly every game has playoff implications. We begin the weekend in the Central Division. Chicago has the division won, but are dealing with significant defensive injuries. Not a good time to face a hungry and somewhat desperate St. Louis squad. The Skyhawks all but need to win out to have any shot at the playoffs, and they are likely licking their chops at facing a weakened Machine defense.
On Saturday we start with Charlotte trying to build on their lead in the Southeast. They head to Orlando and hope to gain some ground on the Fire with a win. Philadelphia hosts Pittsburgh for the Keystone Clash, and with only a 1-game lead on the Federals, they need to take care of business against their in-state rivals. Denver and Las Vegas are both at 7-6, and both currently in the Wild Card chase, but the loser could well be on the outside looking in. New Orleans hosts Washington, a tough task if they want to keep pace with the Stallions in the South. Finally, the nightcap game has LA visiting Oakland and hoping they can use the game to springboard them to a Wild Card spot.
On Sunday, we have a few games with clubs not in the hunt any longer, but we also have a key matchup of two contenders in Portland. We know, weird to think of the Stags as a contender, but at 6-7 they are very much still in the hunt as they prepare to face the Birmingham Stallions. The final game of the weekend is a big one for both clubs, with both Baltimore and Atlanta sitting at 7-6, a precarious position. Winning this game gives one team not only an 8-6 record, but a tiebreaker against the other should they end up tied as the Wild Card spots are gobbled up.
Friday @ 8pm St. Louis (6-7) @ Chicago (9-4) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm Charlotte (8-5) @ Orlando (5-8) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm Pittsburgh (5-8) @ Philadelphia (11-2) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm Denver (7-6) @ Las Vegas (7-6) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm Arizona (13-0) @ Houston (6-7) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm Washington (10-3) @ New Orleans (7-6) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm Los Angeles (7-6) @ Oakland (10-3) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm New Jersey (4-9) @ Tampa Bay (5-8) ABC
Sunday @ 12pm Seattle (3-10) @ Nashville (5-8) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 12pm Memphis (3-10) @ Jacksonville (3-10) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 4pm Texas (8-5) @ Dallas (3-10) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm Birmingham (7-6) @ Portland (6-7) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm Ohio (6-7) @ Michigan (4-9) FOX
Sunday @ 8pm Baltimore (7-6) @ Atlanta (7-6) ESPN/EFN