A look at the standings and you may think that the world has turned upside down. Nashville, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis all sit dead last in their divisions at 0-3. Ohio (2-1), Birmingham, and Arizona sit atop their divisions, with the latter 2 joining Philadelphia and Las Vegas at 3-0. It is a mixed up crazy season so far in the USFL. As we review the week, we will look at how this came to be, see how the Generals faired without Sam Bradford, and report on the owners’ meeting and the fate of the Las Vegas Thunder. All this plus a look at the last wave of NFL transfers to be added to USFL rosters, all right here this week in the USFL.
CHICAGO MACHINE 30 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 33
We will be honest. This was not the game we thought we would be highlighting this week, but NBC got themselves a real humdinger on Friday Night and it ended up being our showcase game. Chicago and Houston, both showing a bit more offensive diversity and a bit more aggressive style than we expected as both tried to finish Week 3 at 2-1. What is perhaps even more surprising is that somehow Chicago managed to stay in this game despite what has to be one of Brady Quinn’s worst outings, throwing 6, yes, 6, interceptions in the game, including a pick-6 to Chris Canty to end the 3rd quarter.
In a game that Houston led from the very first drive, Chicago just would not go away. The Machine got 72 yards from 2nd year back Doug Martin and 288 yards passing from Brady Quinn and somehow managed to stick close despite Quinn’s six turnovers. For Houston, with Michael Turner out for the matchup against his former club, it was Cedric Cobbs who got the start, and the “short yardage” back proved he could do more than that with 94 yards on 32 carries. Not a great per-carry average, but he slogged his way through the game and added 2 touchdowns as well.
Houston started the game strong, with Matt Hasselbeck going 3 for 3 on the opening drive and connecting with Ike Hilliard for the game’s opening score. Chicago responded only 2 minutes later with a Vontae Leach TD run to even the score at 7. Houston then drove the ball again, and as the quarter started to wind down, we saw Cobb score the first of his 2 TDs, a 3-yard off-tackle grinding run that got him barely over the line.
In the 2nd Houston looked like it might pull away. Already up 13-7 after the last TD and missed PAT, the Gamblers got the ball back and in only 8 plays were back in the endzone, this time Cobbs from 11 yards. When they added a field goal (following a Quinn interception), it was 23-7 and it looked very much like the homestanding Gamblers had control. But Chicago just would not go away. They rallied in the final minutes of the half, and when Anthony Fasano caught a scoring throw from Quinn, they went into the half down 9 at 23-14.
That 9-point margin turned to 2 after the first drive of the 2nd half as Chicago again avoided mistakes and Quinn hit Emmanuel Sanders with his first USFL touchdown. Houston would add 3 more on the next possession, but after a Shaun Springs pick at the goalline had the ball placed on the 2, Chicago got the upper hand as Mante Te’o sacked Matt Hasselbeck in the endzone for a safety. Down 26-23 at this point, Chicago took the free kick, but once again Quinn misfired, and this time it was a bad one. He tossed the ball behind Aaron Dobson and Chris Canty was there not only to snag the errant pass, but to race it all the way for a pick-six. That gave Houston a better cushion at 33-23. They would need it.
Chicago would have 2 major offensive drives in the 4th quarter, but both would be thwarted by Houston takeaways. The first lasted 8 plays and got into the redzone before nickel back Justin Knox picked Austin Pettis’s pocket, stealing the ball away as the two fell to the ground. On their next possession, Chicago again moved the ball well, but again a Quinn interception ended the drive, this time FS Willie Andrews dove for a tipped ball and came up with the pick. The play was challenged but was upheld as yet another Quinn interception.
As Houston tried to control the ball and the clock, they too got into the interception funk, though it was Hasselbeck’s only one of the game. It was a pretty costly one as Haselbeck’s pass sailed on him and fell right into the hands of CB Captain Munnerlyn, who returned it 62 yards for a score, a score that brought Chicago within 3 points. Unfortunately for the Machine, time was not with them. After failing to get a first down on their next drive, they punted the ball away. By the time they got it back they had burned all 3 of their timeouts and Houston had left them only 37 seconds. Chicago tried, but was unable to get into field goal range for Jason Myers. Stuck at their own 48 on the final play of the game, they did not send him out to try a 69-yard attempt but went for a Hail Mary instead. The ball barely reached the 15-yard line and was easily swatted to the ground. Chicago fell to 1-2 and Houston escaped a tough game, despite all their defensive success, with a win and a 2-1 record after 3 weeks.
TEXAS 10 ATLANTA 17
The Outlaws fall for the first time and the Fire get their first win as a tough defensive stand helps Atlanta edge Texas at the Georgia Dome. The Fire D held Texas to only 1 converted third down, sacking Joe Flacco a painful 6 times on the day. It was a close battle, tied at 10 until the final 2 minutes, when Kyle Orton found Demaryius Thomas for the game winning score and Atlanta’s first W of the season.
PITTSBURGH 24 ORLANDO 34
The Renegades were impressive, particularly on offense, as they earned their 2nd win in 3 weeks, this time a home victory over visiting Pittsburgh. Both Knowshon Moreno and rookie Latavius Murray scored as Moreno rushed for 102 on the day. Pittsburgh’s Kenny Watson also rushed for 100+ yards, but with 2 picks Quincy Carter struggled against the Renegade defense. Russell Wilson again looked solid, tossing 2 touchdowns and completing 70.6% of his passes (24 of 34) in the Orlando victory.
NASHVILLE 20 LAS VEGAS 33
Win number three for the surprisingly focused Las Vegas Thunder as the newly-ownerless franchise continues to impress between the white lines. The defense again was the story, as they produced 3 turnovers, boosting their league lead. Jake Plummer also had himself a good game, throwing for 325 and 3 scores with no picks on the day. With Marshawn Lynch expected back in Week 4, we may have to just expect Las Vegas to get even better as they regain their running attack.
SEATTLE 10 DENVER 27
The Gold get their first win of the year thanks to a little home cooking and two TD tosses from Leinart to Golden Tate. The Gold were outgained by Seattle, but were effective in the red zone, allowing only 2 scores and 10 points in 4 trips into the 20. LeMichael James had himself a good game for the Gold, splitting carries with DeMarco Murray but rushing for 76 yards on the day, but it was the Leinart-Tate connection that pushed Denver to 1-2 and dropped Seattle to the same record.
WASHINGTON 26 ST. LOUIS 16
The Feds send St. Louis to a very unexpected and unwelcome 0-3 start with a defensive performance that shocked the home Skyhawk crowd. St. Louis was limited to only 27 yards rushing and Josh Freeman was knocked from the game in the 3rd quarter in a frustrating game for Skyhawk fans. Add in both a rushing and a receiving TD from McCallister and Washington pulls away for a 10 point win.
OAKLAND 27 PORTLAND 14
Oakland tops .500 with a solid win over a division foe, using TDs from Jennings, Joique Bell, and a Joe Odom pick-six to rattle the Stags. Portland was driving to tie the game when Odom picked off Ryan Fitzpatrick, shifting the momentum solidly to the visitors. Oakland would use Ryan Williams’s 118 yards to control the clock in the second half and the Stags would never get within 10 points as they drop their second game of the year.
BIRMINGHAM 16 BALTIMORE 15
Three weeks in and the Stallions have yet to lose a game. This time it was the defense that carried the day, limiting Baltimore to 216 total yards while Cam Newton, with a 1-yard TD plunge and a 16 of 29 pasisng day did enough to help his club edge the Blitz on a 4th quarter field goal. The Stallions are quickly becoming the story of the season as they surprise the pundits and Las Vegas and just keep winning.
MEMPHIS 27 NEW ORLEANS 16
The Express and QB Eli Manning find their swagger and earn their first win on the road against a sloppy Breaker squad. Manning completed 25 of 43 passes, including 2 TD tosses and no picks as the Showboats racked up a surprising 426 yards against the Breaker defense. They used a 3-back rotation of McFadden (47 yards), Allen (56 yards), and rookie Knile Davis (51 yards) to bamboozle the Breakers and keep the defense guessing. Is this a strategy we will see more of? Memphis fans hope so.
NEW JERSEY 8 PHILADELPHIA 26
The Generals struggled without Sam Bradford as stand-in Bryan Hoyer completed only 12 of 37 passes against a Philadelphia defense that was in no mood to coddle the backup QB. Meanwhile, Steve Slaton and Leon Washington combined for a whopping 184 yards rushing as Philadelphia easily took this edition of the Stars-Generals rivalry, moving to 3-0 in the process.
MICHIGAN 14 LOS ANGELES 16
The Express finally showed some defensive backbone, not only holding Michigan to only 2 scores, but breaking up a final scoring play to preserve the win in the process. Michigan had a shot as time ran out, but Dominique Rogers-Cromartie made a huge play, disrupting what appeared to be a sure game winning TD to Hines Ward as time ran out. The Express get their first win of the year and show some danger to offenses by sacking Kirk Cousins 6 times in the game. Lofa Tatupu secured 2 of the 6 to take the lead in the sack race after 3 weeks, a rare thing for a linebacker.
OHIO 24 DALLAS 16
The crowd came out for the Roughnecks, but this time it was not enough as Ohio used 126 yards from HB Rashard Jennings (and another 64 from Pead) to outlast and outmuscle the homestanding Dallas club. After a 17-16 first half, it was scoreless well into the 4th when Chris Weinke found Steve Smith, his new best friend, for the score that secured the win for Ohio. Don’t look now but the Glory find themselves in first place in the Central.
JACKSONVILLE 0 ARIZONA 24
We told you the Arizona defense was good, but we did not expect them to be this good. They not only shut out the Bulls but held Jacksonville without a first down in the entire second half in a dominant performance. Huge games from CB’s Joe Haden and Brandon Flowers highlighted a stifling defensive performance by the Wranglers. The offense helped out as well, with Frank Gore again going over 100 yards and David Carr throwing for 2 scores.
TAMPA BAY 19 CHARLOTTE 28
Is it time to panic in Tampa Bay, where the Bandits drop to 0-3 after another tough loss. Charlotte got 4, yes, 4 touchdowns from Fred Jackson, a nice pairing with his 137 yards rushing as Tampa’s defense had no answers at all for the veteran back. Add in two Bandit turnovers, including a Jerrod Mayo pick of Daunte Culpepper in the endzone and you have another rough week for Mike Shula and the Bandits.
Skyhawks, Bandits, & Knights Mired at 0-3
It is stories like this that give preseason prognosticators a bad name and an ulcer. Three teams favored to be in the hunt for not only a division title, but possibly a Summer Bowl appearance have all started the season 0-3, and are in danger of completing the first month of the 2013 campaign without a win. So, just what is the issue with the Knights, Bandits, and most shockingly, the Skyhawks?
Nashville: Two things are being discussed as the primary concerns in Nashville. The first is the fact that their usually-stellar defense is looking old and slow. They are currently ranked 25th in the league, allowing 26.7 points per game, including their 33-20 loss to Las Vegas this week. The second is the complete lack of offensive continuity. Not only has Peyton Manning seemed a shadow of his former self, certainly lacking in the power his arm used to have, but also not making reads that many expect should be second nature to him, but the run game, trying to rebuild with Ray Rice taking on Frank Gore’s role, has been pathetic, barely reaching 70 yards per game. Rice, who is always talked about as a player whose potential has never been fully met, has only 179 yards in 3 games, just slightly under 60 yards per game. That is a far cry from the production fans got used to watching Frank Gore run for the Knights.
Tampa Bay: The Bandits had a couple of close losses, dropping by 5 to Orlando in the opener and then by 4 to the Stallions, but this week’s 28-19 dismantling by the Monarchs has really caused concern. The Bandits currently sit dead last in scoring defense, allowing 29.7 points per game. They don’t look too good against either the run or the pass, sitting near the bottom in both categories as well. That means teams are playing to their strengths, running if that is their best option, or going to the air if they wish. It means Tampa is unable to dictate what the opposing offense can and cannot do. The Bandit offense is still doing quite well, with Willis McGahee averaging 100 yards rushing per game and Vincent Jackson looking like the perfect fit, but if they cannot improve their defense, it may not help to have some good offensive weapons.
St. Louis: We have talked about the Skyhawks before, but after another loss, this time to Washington, and this time where they did not reach 20 points, there is reason to be nervous that St. Louis will not be able to defend their league title with a playoff run. The offense has been solid, though the run game is not quite there yet with rookie Eddie Lacy at the helm. The passing game remains one of the league’s best, but this is once again a story where defensive woes make good offense not good enough. Not quite as bad statistically as the Bandits, St. Louis is still not looking solid, ranked 27th in scoring defense (28.0 PPG allowed) and in the bottom 8 in the league in every other major category. If Coach Arians cannot get more from his defensive team, he may well find himself struggling to reach .500, much less a playoff berth.
Arizona Shut Out A Scary Scene
As good as the Wrangler defense has been over the early wins against Denver and Oakland, no one anticipated that they would completely shut down and shut out the Jacksonville Bulls. Maybe the Bulls were jetlagged, maybe they left their playbooks at home. Whatever it was, they were simply ineffective all across the board against the Wranglers on Sunday.
Outgained 419-234, with only 36 yards rushing combine between Spiller and Lamar Miller, Jacksonville only crossed the 50 twice, and both times their drives stalled before they reached the 40. They did not even attempt a field goal in the game, much less threaten the red zone. Tim Tebow, who dropped back to pass 50 times in the game, averaged only 4 yards per completion. Miller averaged 2.6 yards per carry and Spiller an even worse 1.6. And what is stunning about this is that we are not seeing Arizona using a superstar cast on defense. Yes, they have some solid players like Karlos Dansby (5 tackles, 1 for loss), Lance Briggs (7 tackles), Adam Carriker (3 tackles, 1 sack) and Joe Haden (7 tackles, 5 passes defended and 1 pick) but this is not a team made up of household names. It seems that Coach Tomsula, who was brought in as a defensive-minded guy, may have finally put together the exact combination of talents who can turn his defensive schemes into a legitimate force in the league. Arizona will be tested as they have Orlando and then Texas coming up, but this defense looks like it is playing as a unit, playing fast, and hitting hard. So watch out, USFL, the Wranglers could be in this for the long haul.
Birmingham Pulls Out a Nail Biter for 3-0 Start
The other surprise 3-0 club is doing it in a different way. Birmingham has upended Nashville, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore but has not won a game by more than 4 points. They are hanging in games, playing smart at the end of games, and getting timely plays when needed from their 3rd year QB, Cam Newton. While many figured it would be the passing game that got Birmingham some wins, based mostly on the combo of Randy Moss and Terrell Owens out wide, we don’t think that many thought they could go it alone, but they largely have. Birmingham is near the bottom of the league in rushing with only 55.3 yards per game. Danny Woodhead is actually the leading rusher with 81 total yards, ahead of starter Joseph Addai (72) and big back Marion Barber (1 carry for 9 yards). And it is not that Cam Newton is really the team’s lead rusher. He has scrambled far less, and officially now has 16 carries for negative 2 yards. It is just that they are not trying to run the ball. Woodhead, with 25 carries is the leader in that category too. Meanwhile Newton has thrown the ball 89 times for nearly 800 yards and 7 touchdowns.
The Stallions defense is much improved, and currently ranks 9th in yards allowed, but somehow, despite a seemingly one-dimensional offense and a solid, but not spectacular defense, they are keeping scores low, staying right there with their opponents and finding a way to win. We will see how that fares this week with New Orleans coming to town, and then a huge game against 3-0 Philadelphia in Week 5, but for now, the fans in the Magic City are feeling the love and getting behind their Stallions.
Freeman & Leftwich Sidelined in Losses
Scary moments for fans of the Skyhawks and Dragons as both Josh Freeman and Byron Leftwich had to leave this week’s games due to injury. But, fortunately for both clubs and both fanbases, neither player has an injury as serious as that of Sam Bradford. Freeman is expected to miss a game, possibly two, with a wrist injury, but there were no fractures and no displacement, just a sprain, which is very good news. For Leftwich, the diagnosis was a broken finger, but it is on his non-throwing hand and can be splinted and the index finger in question can be taped to his ring finger to allow for the hand to be used. Leftwich is listed as questionable, while Freeman is out this week. That means we will be seeing John David Booty under center for the Skyhawks and if Leftwich cannot go, then it will be 2nd year player Ryan Lindley starting for the Bandits.
While there was relatively good news on the QB injuries in St. Louis and Tampa Bay, not every injury was as manageable and not every player as lucky. Here is the rundown of the new additions to the league injury list:
OUT
SS Lance Schulters LA Neck 8-12 Weeks
OG Chester Pitts TEX Wrist 8-12 Weeks
LB Brian Cushing PIT Quad 4-6 Weeks
QB Josh Freeman STL Wrist 1-2 Weeks
TE Vernon Davis HOU Hip 1-2 Weeks
CB Patrick Peterson NOR Knee 1-2 Weeks
OT Erik Pears LA Elbow 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
OT Wade Smith ARZ Wrist
CB Nate Clements NJ Concussion
OT Jared Gaither PIT Personal
LB Karlos Dansby ARZ Abdomen
DE Ryan Denney DEN Thigh
CB Drayton Florence MGN Wrist
TE Brandon Pettigrew CHA Finger
QUESTIONABLE
OG Aaron Sears WSH Back
DT Stephen Paea POR Concussion
C Nick Hardwick JAX Toe
DE Erasmus James LV Concussion
QB Byron Leftwich SEA Finger
LB Angelo Crowell BAL Neck
Owners Vote for League Takeover of Thunder, Will Seek Ownership Options
Huge, but not unexpected, news out of the league meetings this past week as the league has taken over the ownership responsibilities of the Las Vegas Thunder from Phil Ruffin and the Thunder investment group. Ruffin and company are still technically the owners, until such time as a sale can be completed, but all operations will now run through a team set up by the league office in New York. Expect Team President Reggie McKenzie will retain his position, as will Director of Football Operations A. J. Smith, but all organizational and financial processes will now operate out of New York.
The league has also put together an ad hoc search committee to locate potential ownership groups for the franchise. It took some work to determine how the transition would be handled, but eventually an agreement was reached between the league and the Ruffin group, one that guarantees the sale will provide no less than a 15% gain on the initial purchase price paid for the Thunder when Ruffin took over the team and relocated them from Portland to Las Vegas. That is a low return on investment for a franchise, but considering the financial issue surrounding Ruffin and company, it is considered a positive outcome for Ruffin’s group.
While there is some speculation that an ownership group from within the USFL may opt to put their hat in the ring, due to Las Vegas’s attractiveness as a market and the already initiated stadium project in place, the league’s ownership search committee, headed by Denver co-owner Charles Monfort and including 3 other owners as well as league officials and legal representatives, is still expected to look at both existing USFL investment groups and potential local ownership. The process is expected to take between 6-10 months before official bids will be taken, so we may well be talking about this process and the direction of the Thunder well into the offseason.
Jackson, Freeney, Dorsey, & Clady Finally Cleared to Play
As we prepare for Week 4 of the USFL season, the final wave of NFL transfers is finally ready to take the field as several players who had been held out so far have now been moved to the active roster for their respective clubs. The final wave includes Atlanta HB Steven Jackson, Arizona DT Glenn Dorsey, Pittsburgh DE Dwight Freeney and offensive tackles Ryan Clady for Chicago and Sebastian Vollmer for Philadelphia. While Steven Jackson may be the player that most fans are focusing on, especially in Atlanta, where the Fire just earned their first win of the season, the one that folks should be looking at may well be Glenn Dorsey joining the already scary Arizona defense. Expect to see Dorsey splitting snaps in a rotation with Monsanto Pope and Josh Shaw in the middle of Arizona’s 4-3 alignment. Just how many snaps he will get this first week is unknown, but we don’t expect it will take long for Dorsey to be on the field for most downs.
In Atlanta, Jackson is expected to step into the starting role, pushing rookie Marcus Lattimore, who averaged just over 55 yards per game in the first three weeks, to drop to the 2nd position while J. J. Arrington may see the field mostly on third downs. Jackson, who rushed for 1,045 yards in the NFL this past fall, but may see a reduced load to avoid the burnout and physical risks of playing back to back seasons. Atlanta faces Nashville on the road this week, so we will see just how much action Jackson sees.
Both Ryan Clady in Chicago and Sebastian Vollmer in Philly are expected to see significant snaps this week, with Clady, formerly a left tackle, likely to see snaps at both RT and LT for the Machine, while Vollmer is slated to take over for Ken Shackleford at RT, allowing Shackleford to sub all across the line, as a tackle or center.
The one quarter mark is up in Week 4 and it is a week with significant divisional play as 8 of the league’s 14 games will feature divisional rivals facing off. It begins on Friday Night where the surprising Birmingham Stallions are hosting the 1-2 New Orleans Breakers. If the Breakers want to be a factor in the divisional hunt, they need to ensure that they don’t fall 3 games back of Birmingham after only 4 weeks.
Saturday starts off with a Northeast clash as Philadelphia visits Baltimore. The Stars are unbeaten, while the Blitz sit at 1-2 and, just like New Orleans, do not want to fall 3 games back this early in the season. At 4pm we have a Pacific clash with LA headed to Portland. Both clubs are 1-2 so a win means reaching .500 at the one quarter mark. Saturday night’s doubleheader includes a Central Division clash on NBC, with Chciago and Michigan resuming their Great Lakes Rumble. Both sit at 1-2 and would like to even their records. The late game has unbeaten Las Vegas visiting Oakland in what should be an early season battle for bragging rights in the division.
On Sunday we open with Washington at New Jersey, a game that may have lost a bit of luster with Sam Bradford out of action, but which is essential for the Generals if they want to show that the season is not lost. At 4pm we have a nice rivalry in the SW Division, with Denver visiting Texas in San Antonio. The Gold got their first win this week and showed some offensive spark in doing so. They will need that as they try to keep pace with Joe Flacco and the Outlaws. We end the weekend with a Florida Derby as Jacksonville and Tampa Bay battle at Raymond James. The Bandits cannot afford to drop to 0-4, but Jacksonville wants to rebound strong after an embarrassing shutout in Arizona.
Friday @ 8pm NEW ORLEANS (1-2) @ BIRMINGHAM (3-0) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm PHILADELPHIA (3-0) @ BALTIMORE (1-2) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm ATLANTA (1-2) @ NASHVILLE (0-3) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm LOS ANGELES (1-2) @ PORTLAND (1-2) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm HOUSTON (2-1) @ SEATTLE (1-2) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm CHICAGO (1-2) @ MICHIGAN (1-2) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm LAS VEGAS (3-0) @ OAKLAND (2-1) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm WASHINGTON (2-1) @ NEW JERSEY (2-1) ABC
Sunday @ 12pm ARIZONA (3-0) @ ORLANDO (2-1) FOX
Sunday @ 12pm CHARLOTTE (2-1) @ MEMPHIS (1-2) FOX
Sunday @ 4pm ST. LOUIS (0-3) @ DALLAS (2-1) ABC
Sunday @ 4pm OHIO (2-1) @ PITTSBURGH (1-2) ABC
Sunday @ 4pm DENVER (1-2) @ TEXAS (2-1) FOX
Sunday @ 8pm JACKSONVILLE (1-2) @ TAMPA BAY (0-3) ESPN/EFN
FYI- According to the 2023-24 Nielsen rankings Las Vegas is the 40th ranked TV market in the U.S. Nashville is ranked 26, Memphis is ranked 50th. Meanwhile Boston (New England) market is ranked 8th.
Realistically the USFL could not last for that long by placing most of its teams in small markets.