A six seed makes it to the Conference Title Game, a 1 seed is eliminated, and two players prove just how valuable a franchise quarterback can be. That is the storyline as we enter Conference Championship Week in the USFL. Sixth seeded Atlanta pulls of the divisional upset, taking down a Tampa Bay squad that is just not the same without Daunte Culpepper. Baltimore rolls over rival Philadelphia thanks to another huge game from Big Ben. Michigan dominates the Houston Gamblers to return to their first Conference Title game since 2009, and the Texas Outlaws edge the Arizona Wranglers, thanks in large part to the return of Joe Flacco under center. We will review all 4 divisional matchups, preview a pair of Conference title games that promise at least one first-timer will reach Summer Bowl 2014, and run through the news on front office hires and player retirements in this edition of This Week in the USFL.
ATLANTA FIRE 23 TAMPA BAY BANDITS 20 OVERTIME
The first of three intra-divisional matchups went to extra time to be decided, but in the end the 6th seed again survives and advances. The Fire did it by being persistent, limiting big plays, and pounding the ball with both Steven Jackson and Marcus Lattimore. Tampa Bay and QB Ryan Lindley did enough to get to overtime, but were unable to finish in the extra period.
The game started with both defenses looking solid as the opposing offenses probed and tested them. The only score in the opening quarter was a safety when Kyle Orton was sacked in the endzone by DE Jason Pierre-Paul midway through the period. Tampa was unable to benefit from the ensuing kickoff and the game went into the 2nd quarter with a 2-0 score. The second quarter saw one team start to figure out how to beat the defense as Atlanta put together back-to-back scoring drives. Orton, who would finish the day 21 of 30 for 233 yards, connected with veteran Josh Reed for a short TD to give Atlanta the lead. They would follow that up with a 48-yard field goal from John Bounds to take a 10-2 lead into the half.
The Bandits would regroup at the half. Ryan Lindley, who completed only 8 of 15 passes in the first half would look much better as the Bandits made adjustments. Red Burkhead would get 50 of his 84 yards in the second half as well. Tampa would score 14 points in the third quarter to wrest the lead back from the Fire. The first was a nice catch and run by Santonio Holmes, the game’s only 100-yard receiver. His 68-yard scoring play was the majority of his yards for the day, but in pulling Tampa Bay back to within 2 points, he made it possible for the home team to equalize the score with a two-point PAT. On their next drive, Lindley again found the endzone, this time on a short route to TE Luke Stocker, a play set up by a nice 19-yard run by James Wilder Jr.
Tampa took a 17-10 lead into the final period, but Atlanta again took over, scoring 10 unanswered to take the lead back once again. They added a second Bounds field goal, then, following a fumble by Burkhead, they marched down the field with Orton connecting with Matt Jones to pull out by 3, 20-17 with only 1:49 left on the clock. But, as we all know, when down only 3, having nearly 2 minutes is more than ample time for a team to get the equalizer.
Tampa Bay moved the ball in fits and starts, but they moved it, eventually getting to the 29 yard line, where Nate Kaeding connected on a 47-yard kick to even the score with just over 17 seconds left, and the game was headed to overtime. In the extra period, a costly mistake left Tampa Bay stunned and gave Atlanta the ball in field goal range. The play, a pitch to Burkhead, turned into a scramble for a fumble when Burkhead whiffed on the ball, but thinking it was a forward pass he did not immediately pursue it. Atlanta’s Patrick Willis did, and after a mad dash and a few odd bounces, Willis came away with the ball. The refs called it first down Atlanta, and three plays later, the Fire sent John Bounds out to kick a 30-yarder for the win. He put the ball between the uprights and the Bandits fell to defeat, with only themselves to blame.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS 10 MICHIGAN PANTHERS 33
The Houston Gamblers rolled nothing but lucky 7’s in Oakland, but in Michigan they came up snake-eyes. Michigan dominated the game, outgaining Houston 360-207, holding Carlos Hyde to only 22 yards rushing and allowing only 1 touchdown to the visitors from Texas. On offense Kirk Cousins was humming, completing 22 of 28 and throwing for 2 scores, despite being sacked by the Houston front 7 five times. LeVeon Bell did not reach 100 yards, but his 23 carries for 74 were enough to keep the Houston defense honest, and Cousins did the rest, with Hines Ward his primary target.
Houston started the game well, scoring late in the 1st on a Hasselbeck to Roy Williams TD toss, but it would be their last trip to the endzone in the game. Michigan took over in the 2nd quarter and would go on a 33-3 run, beginning with a short Bell run for the equalizer, and followed by two Matt Prater field goals to send the game to the half at 13-7. Houston got a field goal to pull within 3, but at the start of the 4th quarter the Houston defense started to fail, and Michigan was there to pounce on it.
Michigan would score 20 points in the final 15 minutes, including TDs from Hines Ward, mario Manningham, and Mike Hart as the Panthers simply shut down the Gamblers and took control of the game against a tired Gambler D. Matt Hasselbeck would finish with only 184 yards passing, while Cousins celebrated his first playoff win as the QB of the Panthers.
BALTIMORE BLITZ 45 PHILADELPHIA STARS 24
This was the game most anticipated as the one with greatest potential to be a shootout, and for a half it felt very much like it would be. The score at the half was 17-14 in favor of the Blitz, but it was a pretty even game up until that point. Baltimore had secured two Antonio Gates TDs, but Philadelphia had matched them with scores by Stevie Johnson and Allen Robinson. Only a late Nick Folk field goal separated the two teams.
But the balance in the game started to unravel in the 2nd half. Ben Roethlisberger, who would finish the game only 9 yards short of back-to-back 400-yard games, found Darrius Heyward-Bey from 53 yards out on a back-breaking play that put Baltimore up by 10. They would add to that lead only 1 minute later when Matt Gutierrez made a very bad read, throwing right into coverage only to watch Blitz safety Eric Waddle step right into the path of the ball and return it 36 yards to paydirt. Up 17 at 31-14, Baltimore now controlled the tempo and the tenor of the game.
Philadelphia could muster only a field goal in the third quarter, but before the disastrous quarter ended, Big Ben struck again, hitting Hartline with a 24-yard TD that made the score 38-17 and clearly Baltimore was in control. When the Blitz upped the lead to 28, thanks to a Roscoe Parrish TD catch, Roethlisberger’s 5th TD of the day, the Stars fans started to file out of the stadium. A garbage time TD from Gutierrez to Celek did not change the situation. Both the 1 and 2 seeds in the East were done, and the Summer Bowl would be guaranteed at least one first-timer as 6-seed Atlanta and 4-seed Baltimore would vie for the right to attend their first title game.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS 21 TEXAS OUTLAWS 24
The final game of the weekend would be a lot closer than the prior two, not decided until the final 5 minutes in a back and forth game between two division foes who could anticipate each other’s moves and counter-moves. Joe Flacco would suffer 8 sacks in the game as Arizona relied on pressure, while David Carr similarly saw a lot of pressure from the Outlaws, sacked 5 times. Both teams would have solid run games, but with Frank Gore leading all rushers with 71 yards, this would be a game won by the defenses and the quarterbacks.
Texas controlled the first quarter, going up 10-0 thanks to a Marquise Goodwin TD catch, but the 2nd quarter saw the momentum swing towards the visitors as David Carr connected with Larry Fitzgerald from 32 yards out to pull within 3. The Wranglers would pick off Joe Flacco on the next drive, and that takeaway turned into 7 when Frank Gore took a swing pass from Carr and took it 6-yards to paydirt. But, despite the apparent turn of momentum, Texas did not give the quarter to the Wranglers. They rebounded with a half-ending drive that put them back on top. Flacco found TE Bo Scaife in the waning seconds of the half, and the homestanding Outlaws took a tentative 17-14 lead into the break.
We saw only 2 scores in the second half, one per quarter, as the defenses continued to pressure both quarterbacks and limit both run games. Arizona would score first, retaking the lead at 5:39 in the third. Carr again found Fitzgerald, this time from 15 yards out. That score would create the 21-17 lead which Arizona would take well into the final period. But with 9 minutes left to play, Texas again put together a scoring drive, using 12 plays and aided by a somewhat dubious defensive holding call, the Outlaws marched inside the 10 of Arizona. Flacco then hit Brandon Marshall with a perfect fade route and Texas had the lead a third time, now 24-21 with 5:21 left to play.
Arizona had time, but not success as they got the ball back. They failed on three straight plays, forcing a decision from Coach Tomsula. He opted to punt the ball away, hoping his D could tighten up and get the quick 3-and-out. They came close, getting to a 3rd and 4, but on that fateful play Joe Flacco found Chris Cooley for a 8-yard reception and a first down. That was the end for the Wranglers’ hopes of a championship repeat. Flacco took a knee twice and Texas was on their way to the Western Conference Title Game. Texas would host Michigan with a chance at their first Summer Bowl in their grasp, and in their home stadium.
Flacco’s Return Sparks Outlaws
There was little doubt on Sunday that the return of Joe Flacco to the Texas starting lineup was a huge motivator for the Outlaws and a big factor in their win over the Arizona Wranglers. Flacco, who missed the season’s final two games after suffering an injury in a Week 14 matchup against Memphis, returned to action this week and was a driving force in the Texas victory. We can point to his 320 yards passing or to the three TD passes to Bo Scaife, Brandon Marshall, and Marquise Goodwin as evidence of this, but it was more than that.
What we saw in the Outlaws this week was a team confident in its ability to win the game, sure of itself, and able to overcome early setbacks. That is what a strong leader provides to a team, even when he is not on the field. The Outlaws we saw in Weeks 15 and 16 did not have that. Yes, they were able to get a Week 16 win to stay a half-game over Arizona in the SW Division, despite losing to the Wranglers the week before, but the team simply did not have the swagger that we saw on Sunday as they punched their ticket to a Conference Title Game at home next week. The return of Joe Flacco made the difference in the team’s demeanor, their preparation, and the outcome to the game. If we look at the parallel situation in Tampa Bay, where a very good Bandits team lost their starting QB for the playoffs, we saw a far less confident, less composed, and less effective team, and we saw the Bandits bow out of the playoffs in their opening game. When we talk about a quarterback being a “Franchise Quarterback”, it is exactly what we saw in Texas and did not see in Tampa Bay that defines what that means.
Big Ben Does it Again
In just over a week’s time the league will be handing out its awards, including two that recognize leadership and offensive production. We would be shocked if Ben Roethlisberger did not walk away with one of those awards, either Offensive Player of the Year or, more likely, league MVP. Why? Well the two playoff games the Blitz have won so far this postseason is evidence enough. In the Wild Card matchup against Charlotte, Big Ben threw for 400 yards on only 19 completions, tossing three touchdowns in a close game against a good Monarchs defense. This week, against rival Philadelphia, another team with a Top 5 defense, Roethlisberger came only 9 yards shy of another 400 yard game, and, oh yes, threw for 5 touchdowns as the Blitz erupted for 45 points, taking out the East’s top seed and advancing to the Conference Championship.
Big Ben has been playing out of his mind all season, finishing the regular season as the league leader in passing yards, with 4,751; touchdowns, with 36, and QB Rating, with a score of 118.5. That trifecta often comes with an MVP trophy, and when it also means that a team picked to finish last in the NE Division now sits one game from the Summer Bowl, you better believe it turns heads. Roethlisberger has been a very good quarterback for his entire USFL career, but this year, the first for Head Coach Jim Caldwell (himself likely to garner Coach of the Year honors), Ben’s performance has simply gone to a new level. He has helped make Darrius Heyward-Bey a household name, has all but assured an All-USFL honor for TE Antonio Gates, and has electrified a somewhat jaded and cynical Baltimore fanbase. All this in a year when the owner of the franchise is looking to cash out and sell the team, a sale that now will bring in a significantly higher price thanks to the team’s success. And what is more, it seems like the playoffs are bringing out the best in the 11-year veteran, a fact that likely scares the Atlanta Fire, Baltimore’s opponent next week, as it well should.
Panthers Look Fierce in Blowout Win
It has been a while since we have seen the once-dominant Michigan Panthers looking like a true title contender, but this week’s victory over Houston looked very much like what we had come to expect of Panther teams in the past. In Michigan’s 23-point victory, the Panthers dominated in yardage, time of possession, and third down efficiency. They got contributions from across the roster, from stars like LeVeon Bell and Hines Ward, but also from role players like DE Michael Bennett, CB Drayton Florence, and backup HB Mike Hart.
It has been 5 years since the Panthers last won a playoff game and we have not seen them in a Summer Bowl since their 2008 title, but this year’s team is looking very much like a potential contender. It will be a tough task to go into San Antonio and knock off the Outlaws, but what we are seeing in Michigan’s aggressive defense and balanced offense is a team that can win in a variety of ways and one that will not be intimidated by Texas. The Panthers did not play the Outlaws in the regular season, but did face off against both Denver and Arizona, two quality SW Division teams, beating them in back-to-back weeks in midseason action. And while the competition in the Central Division may not have been at the level of that in the Southwest, this Michigan squad is a dangerous one, as the Gamblers discovered this week. Expect them to give Texas a very good run as they face off with a trip to Atlanta and Summer Bowl 2014 on the line.
Retirement Update
A relatively slow week for retirement announcements across the USFL as we saw only a handful of starters and All-USFL veterans make their curtain calls this week. It began on Monday when Birmingham (and former Philadelphia) cornerback Quentin Jammer held a small press event to announce he was leaving the game after 12 seasons. Jammer, a 4-time All-USFL selection during his time in Philadelphia, came to Birmingham this past offseason, hoping to regain the swagger he had held for so long as a Star. It was an up and down year for him, as he garnered only 2 interceptions and started only 13 of 16 games. He leaves the game with a lifetime total of 32 picks, 1,040 tackles, and 182 games under his belt.
Another Monday announcement came from Houston after their defeat at the hands of the Michigan Panthers. Linebacker James Farrior, after 16 seasons split between the Baltimore Blitz and the Houston Gamblers, announced he had put on the pads and helmet for the last time. Farrior is a 7-time All-USFL honoree, and a very likely Hall of Fame Candidate when his eligibility opens in 2019. He won a title with the Gamblers in his first year in Houston (2010) and has recorded 100 or more tackles in 6 of the past 7 years, finishing his career with 120 this year.
Tuesday saw a press event in Washington D.C., where 12-year starter and 4-time All-USFL safety Ed Reed announced he was leaving the Federals and the game to enter retirement. Reed came to Washington in 2002 out of the University of Miami and became an immediate starter for the club. He would go on to record 562 tackles and 35 interceptions as one of the most feared safeties in the game, Known as a brutal hitter with an instinct for the right angle and the right timing, Ed Reed helped Washington remain a contender in the NE Division for his entire career, though he never won a title with the club.
Finally, on Wednesday, a bit of an unexpected announcement as Charlotte halfback Fred Jackson announced he would not be returning to the USFL for a 12th season. Jackson, who finished 2014 with 1,185 yards and 11 touchdowns, had been a centerpiece of the Monarch lineup since coming to the team in 2010. Before that he had been part of halfback committees in both Michigan and New Orleans. A product of tiny Coe College in Iowa, Jackson had his first 1,000 yard season in his first year in Charlotte, and would follow that with 2 more in 2013 and 2014. He retires at the age of 32, with just over 8,400 yards in his career.
Teams continue to get healthy as the playoffs progress, with two notable exceptions. Baltimore added a key player to their injury list, with safety Adam Archuleta listed as probable. We would be shocked to see Archuleta sit out a game as essential as the Eastern Title Game, especially in front of an adoring home crowd in Baltimore. The other noteworthy additions to the injury report are with the Panthers, where both C Jeff Faine and LB Sean Porter are likely not going to be able to appear in the Western Title Game. Faine has already been ruled out with a neck injury, while Porter, suffering from hamstring pull, is questionable. Other than these new updates, the remaining injured players on all 4 teams either remain on IR or are seeing improved diagnoses after another week of rest.
ATL: DE Chris Kelsay (IR), HB J. J. Arrington (IR), DT Jason Ferguson (P)
BAL: G Andy Alleman (IR), QB Vince Young (IR), G Scott Tercero (D),
SS Adam Archuleta (P)
MGN: CB Dre Kirkpatrick (IR), C Jeff Faine (O), DT Jerrell Worthy (O),
LB Sean Porter (Q)
TEX: G Kyle Long (O)
Bulls Hire Former Patriots & Chiefs GM Scott Pioli
The rebuilding has begun for the Jacksonville Bulls after their disastrous 0-16 season in 2014. The first new hire is made and it is at the GM position where former NFL GM Scott Pioli, who worked both in New England and Kansas City, will take over the reins of the Bulls scouting and player personnel work. Pioli had moderate success with the two NFL squads, helping to build a Patriot squad that while competitive, could never get over the hump to win a playoff game. In Kansas City he had more success, building a Chiefs team that competed in the AFC Championship twice during his tenure.
Pioli’s task now is to find a coach who can bring a new culture to a very downtrodden and dejeced Bulls franchise. He will also be tasked with a major overhaul of the Bulls’ roster, one that may include trying to ship off college superstar but USFL question mark Tim Tebow. It will not be an easy task to build the Bulls up, and certainly won’t be completed in one year, but at least the Bulls have started on the road to recovery after a year they would very much like to forget.
Memphis Keeps it in the Family, hire Buddy Ryan’s Son Rex
For the second time in a decade the Memphis Showboats have tapped the son of a legendary USFL coach to lead their team. Back in the early 2000’s it was Jim Mora Jr, son of Stars’ legend Jim Mora, and current Charlotte Head Man, and now it is Rex Ryan, son of former Showboat coach Buddy Ryan. Rex, often seen as a flamboyant and outspoken coach like his father, comes to the Showboats with a similar reputation as a defensive mastermind. Memphis, while hoping they won’t see some of the sideline and press room antics that cost Buddy his position, are hoping that his son can bring the intensity and aggressiveness of the Buddy Ryan defenses back to a Showboat team that has not exactly been dominant on the defensive side of the ball.
Ryan will be tasked with building a defense in Memphis, but also with developing an offense around QB Eli Manning. And while Ryan will almost certainly want to start adding pieces to the Showboat defense, his first task may be to find a running back. The duo of Darren McFadden and Knile Davis was underwhelming in 2014, with the Showboats finishing the year in the bottom 4 in rushing yards, averaging only 72.6 per game. Knowing the Ryan affinity for slowing games down and limiting offensive possessions, we would expect that a strong run game will be a priority for Ryan and his new club.
Hamilton & McDermott Still Off Limits
Two of the hottest names among coaching candidates remain off limits as Michigan’s Sean McDermott and Baltimore’s Pep Hamilton continue with their squads into the Conference Title Games. Depending on your team’s interest, Hamilton, the OC for the Blitz and McDermott the DC for the revitalized Michigan defense could well be on the top of your list as your club seeks a new head man. Both have built reputations for innovative play calling and a good eye for talent.
Many are crediting Hamilton for the breakout seasons by both Ben Roethlisberger and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, while McDermott is recognized as the primary architect of Michigan’s blitzing defense, despite the presence of another defensive coach as the Head Coach in Michigan, Jim Johnson. While both coaches are certainly targets of a lot of interest, until their clubs exit the postseason, league rules prohibit any team from contacting them to interview for open positions. However, as soon as either club is removed from the playoff hunt, expect the phone to start ringing.
(6) Atlanta Fire (10-6) @ (4) Baltimore Blitz (12-4)
Sunday, July 20 @ 2pm ET
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Blitz -6
While we admire what Atlanta has done to get here, knocking off New Orleans in the Super Dome and Tampa Bay at Raymond James, our bullpen was pretty much unanimous that the party ends here. Baltimore is playing lights out football. Big Ben is looking very much like a league MVP, even if the votes don’t go his way, and the Blitz feel very much like a team of destiny after crushing the Monarchs and the top-seeded Stars in back-to-back games.
So how could Atlanta pull off the upset? Well, first they have to find a way to cool off Big Ben. With 800 yards passing and 8 TDs in the first two playoff games, Roethlisberger is clearly the key to Baltimore’s success. But, shutting him down is no easy task. He is outstanding at extending plays, playing through pressure, and his receivers know it, so they don’ t give up on plays. Atlanta’s D has to be ready to play hard for 5-8 seconds on every play, not the usual 3-4 seconds.
OUR PICK: You get the gist of what we are saying. We think Baltimore takes this one. It was a nice run for Atlanta, but we are loving the product that the Blitz are putting on the field. And we remind everyone that we picked them to finish last and to have 10 or more losses when this season began.
Blitz 31-21.
(2) Michigan Panthers (10-6) @ (1) Texas Outlaws (11-4-1)
Sunday, July 20 @ 7pm ET
The Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Outlaws -3
This one is a lot harder to pick. Michigan also has the feel of a team on a mission, but Texas has been one of the league’s toughest outs all season long. Joe Flacco makes the Outlaws a very tough matchup and Chris Johnson has been coming on in the second half of the season. But, we are also loving what Michigan is doing on defense, where they are just not allowing teams to make use of their primary weapon. What they did this past week to Carlos Hyde and the Gamblers is proof positive that the Panther defense can shut down the best player on your team.
So, do we think Texas can get past that? They have enough weapons to survive a bad game for Marques Colston, their star. They too have a solid defense, though perhaps not a shut down defense. They can run the ball when they want, but they prefer to pass. Can Michigan cope with a balanced offense and a pretty solid, aggressive defense?
OUR PICK: We are going to say “Yes” to that last question. While we are not as confident as we were with our Baltimore pick, we are liking the 2-seeded Panthers to come into San Antonio and escape with a win and a chance to earn a 4th John Bassett Trophy at Summer Bowl 2014. Our pick is Michigan 21-17.
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