Huge games across the league as we saw division foes square off in San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Seattle. The Monarchs and Dragons remain hot, the Glory and Invaders seem to be fading, and in St. Louis, Jake Plummer threw his name into the ring for MVP consideration, not only getting a big win for the Thunder to put them in 1st place in the Pacific in their swan song season in the desert, but also putting up 5 touchdowns in an impressive display. We will recap all the games, outline which teams are now playing only for pride, explore the coaching ranks of the USFL and update you on some changes to the league’s famous Territorial Draft system. All this is coming up, so don’t go anywhere.
HOUSTON GAMBLERS 27 TEXAS OUTLAWS 27 OVERTIME
A huge game in the SW Division that neither team wanted to lose, and neither did. We have our first tie of the season and it could not have come in a bigger game. Houston came into this game two games behind the Outlaws. A win would have propelled them within 1, and loss would have all but ended any chance at a division title. For Texas, the win would have put them 3 games up on the pack and all but assured not only a division but very likely the top seed and homefield throughout the playoffs. So, what happens when we have two evenly-matched teams and both refuse to lose? We get a tie game in San Antonio.
We had a bit of everything in this game. Joe Flacco again went over 300 yards, Chris Johnson supplied balance with a solid day on the ground, but Houston got huge games from both of their rookies, already becoming legends in the Texas-Houston rivalry. Carlos Hyde would tote the rock 31 times, racking up 167 yards, while Mike Evans emerged as the game’s lead receiver, with 8 catches for 131 yards and a score. The defenses had their moments as well, particularly Houston’s which held Texas to 1 of 12 on third down and helped Houston finish the game with a 44-30 minute time of possession advantage.
It was a game of swinging momentum from the onset. The first quarter belonged to Houston, with the 2nd and 3rd owned by the Outlaws before a back and forth 4th quarter ended the game in a tie, a deadlock that would not be resolved with an extra 15 minutes of play. The game began with back to back 3-and-outs before Houston found their rhythm, completing an 11-play drive with an 18-yard strike from Matt Hasselbeck to Mike Sims-Walker. Texas could not find a response and in the waning moments of the quarter, Houston doubled their advantage when Carlos Hyde burst through the line and juked a linebacker out of position on his way to a 36-yard TD run. Houston was looking good after 15 minutes, up 14-0 on the homestanding Outlaws.
But, despite the slow start, Texas stuck to their gameplan and in the 2nd quarter that tenacity paid off as the Outlaws began what would be a 24-point scoring streak. It began with Chris Johnson, now clearly the lead back for the Outlaws, scoring from the 1 yard line to get the Outlaws on the board. Houston was now stymied and it was Texas putting together a long drive, this one only 9 plays before Joe Flacco caught Houston in man coverage and found Marquise Goodwin for a 34-yard strike to even the score before the half.
All tied up a 14 at the break, both teams came out in the 3rd with eyes on capturing the lead. Houston got yardage on their first drive, but a missed 38-yard kick by Dan Carpenter meant that the drive would not produce a lead for the Gamblers. Texas would fare better on their next drive, going 81 yards down the field on 18 plays before a 3rd and goal run from the 1 by Terrance West resulted in 7 points. The 3rd quarter ended with the Outlaws up 21-14.
Texas would quickly add to that lead with a Kai Forbath field goal at the 13:16 mark of the fourth quarter, but that 10 point deficit sparked the Gamblers to go big, and they did just that with Hasselbeck hitting Mike Evans on a beauty of a 1-handed catch that would produce a 54-yard touchdown. Down only 3, the Houston D stepped up and sacked Joe Flacco to end Texas’s next drive. Within 3 minutes the Gamblers would tie the score with Dan Carpenter hitting from 47.
With just over 3 minutes left, Texas went into their 4-minute offense, trying to both kill the clock and get in range for Kai Forbath. They were more successful at the latter goal as Forbath came on and put Texas back up, but with 1:35 left on the clock, they had left Houston plenty of time to equalize.
That is exactly what the Gamblers did. They took the kickoff, and used short and medium-range passes to get into range for Dan Carpenter. They had a shot to win the game, with Hasselbeck hitting Evans on another perfect strike that put the ball on the Texas 5-yard line. With time running out, Hasselbeck tried to hit Vernon Davis on 1st and goal, but the ball sailed on him. On 2nd down they tried to fool the Outlaws with a draw to Ben Tate, but the play went nowhere and Houston was forced to use their final timeout. Rather than risk a 3rd down play with little time left, Dan Carpenter came on and put the ball between the uprights to tie the game with just 3 ticks left on the clock. This game was going to overtime.
In the extra period, both clubs struggled to make plays against tight zone coverages. Hasselbeck was sacked by Reynaldo Wynn to end their first possession. Flacco missed on a 3rd and 9 throw to Colston on Texas’s first. With time ticking away, both clubs largely abandoned the run, save for one nice 11-yard play to Hyde. The closest either got to a field goal was Texas reaching the Houston 41, but they were not willing to try a 58-yarder, choosing to punt instead. By the final minute, Houston with possession of the ball, a deep shot to Sims-Walker failed, and the Gamblers decided to take the tie as a better option than giving the ball back to Texas. On 2nd and 3rd down they ran the ball, killing the clock and finishing the game up as a 27-27 tie. Not satisfying for either team but not devastating for either as well. The real winners here? Denver and Arizona, who now stand only ½ game behind the Gamblers and 2 ½ behind Texas in a very tight, very fun to follow SW Division.
WASHINGTON 20 PHILADELPHIA 28
The Federals raced out to a 17-0 lead in this one, thanks in part to an 86-yard pick-six from LB Daniel Ellerbe, but it was not to last. An explosive third quarter for the Stars put 21 points on the board and gave the Stars the lead. The capper for the Stars was their own pick-six, this one from Terrell Suggs, who not only tipped the ball into the air at the line, but snagged the ball out of the air and ran it back 27 yards for the go ahead score. A third pick-six in the game, this one from Stars DB Jairus Byrd capped the scoring and gave Philly the W.
POTG: Stars LB Terrell Suggs: 9 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.
NEW ORLEANS 35 NASHVILLE 24
Nashville had the game tied in the 3rd, but New Orleans pulled away with a strong 4th quarter as Drew Brees hit Joel Dreesen for the go-ahead TD only to have Cody Pickett make a huge mistake on the last minute drive, a poorly thrown ball that was picked and returned for 6 by Breaker CB Patrick Peterson. Pickett had been doing very well, throwing for 384 yards and 3 scores, but this late mistake gave New Orleans their 4th consecutive win.
POTG: Breaker CB Patrick Peterson: 6 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
MEMPHIS 10 TAMPA BAY 14
The Showboats were game, holding Culpepper without a TD pass and limiting Rex Burkhead to only 29 yards rushing, but it was still not enough as the Bandit HB added a late 1-yard TD run to an earlier goalline dive to put the Bandits ahead early in the 4th quarter. Memphis could not mount a comeback and the Bandits hold on to the top seed in the east.
POTG: Bandit LB Devon Kennard: 5 Tck, 1 Sck
BIRMINGHAM 21 DENVER 17
The Stallions needed this one and they played the game with a playoff intensity. Cam Newton used his legs as much as his arm, rushing fo r94 yards, including a 53-yard TD run, while throwing for only 102 on the day. The Stallion D was the other big star, picking off Matt Leinart 3 times to help preserve the road win and move the Stallions to .500 with 4 weeks left. They got the win despite a 9-catch, 133-yard game from Denver speed receiver Michael Crabtree.
POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 13/27, 102 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 7 Att, 94 Yds, 1 TD
CHICAGO 15 LOS ANGELES 14
Aaron Murray struggled against the Machine defense in his second start and Chicago got just enough from their offense, including Doug Martin’s first 100-yard game in weeks, to pull out the 1-point win despite never reaching the endzone. It was not a pretty win for the Machine, but it was a win, while LA drops to 4-8 and is on the edge of playoff elimination.
POTG: Machine HB Doug Martin: 23 Att, 102 Yds, 0 TD
NEW JERSEY 9 BALTIMORE 13
The Blitz’s offense seems to have lost its rhythm, but still had just enough to defeat the lackluster Generals. Anthony Dixon rushes for 131 and Ben Roethlisberger’s lone TD to Javon Walker was enough for the Blitz as New Jersey was held to 255 yards of total offense and only 23 minutes of possession.
POTG: Blitz LB Jason Taylor: 12 Tck, 1 Sck
PORTLAND 17 SEATTLE 35
Seattle’s late season surge continues with their third win in a row, this one at the expense of Cascade rival Portland. Byron Leftwich had a big game with 364 yards and 3 TDs on the day. Portland’s Ryan Fitzpatrick was knocked out in the 2nd quarter and surprisingly it was Kellen Moore and not Matt McGloin that filled in. Both TE Dennis Pitta and WR Mike Wallace went over 100 yards for the Dragons, with Pitta adding 2 scores as Seattle rolls.
GOTW: Dragon QB Byron Leftwich: 31/42, 364 Yds, 3 Td, 1 Int
ORLANDO 7 PITTSBURGH 21
A let-down game for the Renegades as Pittsburgh gets 4th quarter TDs from Tavon Austin and Ronnie Brown to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 21-7 win. Orlando was held to only 203 total yards and Knowshon Moreno got only 6 touches as he was gimpy throughout the game. No huge offensive numbers for either team as the two combined to go 7 of 28 on third down in this defensive battle.
POTG: Mauler DE Dwight Freeney: 3 Tck, 2 Sack, 2 FF, 2 FR
JACKSONVILLE 14 ATLANTA 17
The Bulls bench Tim Tebow and almost get a W for their efforts. Adrian McPherson goes 17 of 33 for 222 yards and 2 scores, connecting often with WR Rashaun Woods (7 for 157 and a score) as the Bulls stun Atlanta, but in the end the Fire find a way, adding a late Steven Jackson TD run to avoid the major upset. Brad Gradkowski started for the injured Orton and went 21 of 31 for 214 yards and a score in this tighter-than-expected game.
POTG: Fire SS DaJuan Morgan: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
OHIO 21 CHARLOTTE 24
Ohio could have snagged a share of first with Michigan, but they ran into a buzzsaw as Charlotte won their 6th in a row with the 3-point win. Jeff Tuel threw for 2 scores and D. J. Hackett caught 4 for 125 and a TD as the Monarchs edged a very game Glory squad. Ohio was led by 94 yards from Justin Blackmon and a D that recorded 6 sacks in the game, but they just could not get the late FG they needed to send the game to overtime.
POTG: Charlotte CB Asante Samuel: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
LAS VEGAS 45 ST. LOUIS 21
Jake Plummer went off against the suspect St. Louis secondary and put himself in the MVP hunt with a 5-TD game as Las Vegas exploded to score on 6 of 8 possessions. It was 21-0 after one quarter and the Thunder showed St. Louis no compassion the rest of the way. Chad Johnson had his best game of the year with 126 yards and 2 scores. Everett, Owen Daniels, and Marshawn Lynch also caught Plummer TDs as the Thunder take over first place in the Pacific Division.
POTG: Thunder QB Jake Plummer: 16/22, 364 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int
ARIZONA 51 DALLAS 3
Dallas’s growing confidence was shattered as the Wranglers went off on the divisional foe, with Gore and Carey combining for156 yards on the ground, David Carr throwing for 3 scores, and the defense picking off Johnny Manziel 4 times, including a pick-6 from Nate Allen in an absolute shellacking that sent the Dallas crowd of over 52,000 home very disillusioned.
POTG: Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald: 5 Rec, 105 Yds, 2 TD
OAKLAND 10 MICHIGAN 13
The Invaders lose their third in a row, dropping behind Las Vegas in the Pacific as Michigan rebounds and moves to 7-5 atop the Central. The homestanding Panthers struggled on offense but got a huge game from their defense, holding the Invaders to only 192 yards passing and shutting them down on 5 consecutive drives in the 2nd half.
POTG: Panther DE Justin Tuck: 4 Tck, 2 Sck
Plummer Back In MVP Talks
How is this for a week. Jake Plummer not only puts his team in first place in the Pacific with a big road win against the Skyhawks, but also tosses 5 TDs in the game, showcasing his moxy and his deadly accuracy with the deep ball. Oh, and by the way, that performance leapt him over 3 other players to now hold the best QB Rating of any starter, sitting at 120.3. Throw that league leading rating in with Plummer’s 23 TDs (only 2 behind Joe Flacco) and 3,027 yards, and you have yourself a very possible MVP candidate.
Add to this mix the chaos produced by the Thunder’s eminent move to San Diego, the weirdness of playing home games in front of angry Las Vegans and very often more visiting fans than home fans, and you have a pretty monumental feat. The fact that Las Vegas is sitting atop the Pacific, now a game ahead of 6-6 Oakland is something of a minor miracle, and for many the miracle maker is the 17-year veteran of both the Wranglers and the Thunder. Plummer, a 2x MVP already (2000 and 2006) is looking to garner a third but is still also looking for his first championship ring. With Las Vegas now 2.5 games behind Texas for the Western Conference’s top seed, this may be the best chance at a title for Plummer since he led Arizona to the Summer Bowl in 2004. If last year was defined by the Thunder’s second half collapse, turning 6-2 into 7-9, this year may be defined by Plummer willing his team to success against all odds.
Oakland drops Third in a Row
If excitement in Las Vegas is peaking, then concern in Oakland must be coming to a head after the Invaders drop their third in a row, dropping to 6-6 and now a game back of the Thunder in the division. Oakland was the prohibitive favorite to win the Pacific, and now there are questions on all sides as the team struggles to find a rhythm. The Invaders, once riding high atop the division at 6-3, hae now lost consecutive games to Seattle, Arizona, and Michigan. In that span they have not been able to top 17 points in any game, and there are concerns that the offense that was so important to their early success is faltering.
QB Joey Harrington’s stats over the past three weeks, following a Week 8 debacle with 4 picks, are not looking great. He has thrown 3 more picks an no touchdowns over the course of the losing streak. He has also not been able to top 200 yards in any of those games. What is to blame for the sudden decline in productivity? It is hard to say. The Invaders are not particularly injury-riddled, wth the only offensive player out the past few weeks being center Russell Bodine. The run game has continued to look solid, with Ryan Williams rushing for 86 yards in Week 11 and 69 this week, both around his regular pace. So, all eyes are on the passing game, where Harrington has no lack of weapons. He has 2nd year receiver Keenan Allen, still on pace for a 1,000-yard season. He has Pierre Garçon also on pace, with 862 yards already, and he has Richard Rodgers, a very solid rookie TE who has 50 catches on the year. So, what is the issue? That is the question Oakland hopes to answer, and quickly, as they face Philadelphia in a game that could easily put them under .500 in a season where 10+ wins were the minimum expectation.
Monarchs, Dragons, Panthers Among League’s Hottest
Back on the positive side of the standings, we have to recognize three teams that are getting hot at the right time. Charlotte has been hot for a while now, winners of 6 in a row after a 2-4 start. They have not been blowing opponents out, but have been consistent with solid games against teams like Baltimore and Ohio helping them stay right in the hunt for a playoff spot. They have two more huge divisional games left, with Orlando on the docket this week and a season-ender against Atlanta, a fellow 8-win club.
Seattle was predicted by many to bring up the rear in the Pacific, but they now find themselves tied with Oakland for 2nd place at 6-6 and looking the more dangerous club after Oakland, Las Vegas and Portland in three straight divisional games. They now head off to New Jersey where they can make it 4 in a row, and have two big divisional games left, games that could determine if Seattle gets the edge on a fading Oakland squad and can surprise many with a playoff appearance. The Dragons will face LA in Week 15 before what could be a “play in” game against the Invaders in Week 16.
Finally, there is Michigan, winners of 6 of their last 7 games, turning a 1-4 start into a 7-5 position and sole possession of first place in the Central Division. Following their 34-0 drubbing of Chicago, Michigan returned home and edged Oakland by 3 to go two games over .500. They have 3 out-of-divisoin games up next, with 0-12 Jacksonville on the agenda for this week, followed by a home game against Orlando, a trip out to Las Vegas, and a season-ending matchup against 4-8 St. Louis. This is a Michigan team that has surprised us with the 6th ranked scoring defense and with an offense that is able to win on the ground with LeVeon Bell or through the air with Kirk Cousins connecting with Hines Ward. Only 1 of three teams impressing us down the stretch and possibly finding their legs in time to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Orlando Loses Moreno for Home Stretch
It is one of the nastiest injuries in the game, a ruptured Achilles tendon, and when it happens to your lead back, one who was hoping to build on 3 straight 1,000-yard seasons, and help Orlando make a playoff run, it is a big hit. Moreno tore the tendon in the game against Pittsburgh, a blow that was a big reason Orlando fell in the 4th quarter, unable to muster a run game with Tim Hightower taking over. By Monday, the physicians had identified the issue and had scheduled a procedure to reattach the severed tendon. Moreno will be on crutches for at least 2 months, wiping out any chance that he could make a playoff appearance even if Orlando were able to qualify.
With Moreno sidelined, Orlando will go into the final 4 weeks of the season with Tim Hightower as the starter and newly-acquired Joique Bell as the third down and relief option. Orlando sits at 7-5, a game back of the 6th place playoff spot, and is 4th in the SE Division behind 10-2 Tampa Bay as well as 8-4 Charlotte and Atlanta. Their path forward to a playoff spot will require they outpace one if not both of their divisional rivals. They will have a chance to influence this standings for certain as three of their final four games are home to Charlotte (Wk 13), home to Atlanta (Wk 15) and a season finale to in-state rival Tampa Bay, but they will need to make this tough run of games (along with a game in Michigan, no easy win at all) without their primary threat on the ground.
Twelve weeks down, four left to play and we still do not have a single team locked in for a playoff spot. With the widest gap between a current playoff position team and the 7th seed only 3 games, we are at least 1 week away from a club being able to breathe easy with a playoff berth in hand. Texas, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia can all lock up spots with wins this week. New Orleans and Baltimore can get there with some help as well, but for now, there is still everything to play for in all five camps.
On the other side of the playoff rankings, there has been more movement, with the number of eliminated teams growing from one (Jacksonville) to 6, with Nashville, Memphis, Dallas, Portland, and New Jersey joining the Bulls as clubs now officially out of contention. Expect this to also be the group that has the highest heat on their coaching staff, with 4-8 clubs Chicago, LA, and St. Louis also feeling some heat.
The division races remain close, with Tampa Bay and Texas enjoying a 2-game buffer over their closest rivals, Philadelphia, Michigan, and Las Vegas only 1 game up on their division rivals. Then there is New Orleans, looking good at 9-3, having won their last 4 games, and sitting on a 3-game lead over 6-6 Birmingham. A win by the Breakers or a loss by the Stallions at this point and the race is over.
A tough break for the Michigan Panthers, who have been so hot of late, as they lose their top cornerback to a groin injury. Dre Kirkpatrick was placed on IR this week, meaning that even if Michigan does qualify for the postseason, Kirkpatrick will not be available. Dallas also lost a corner to injury with Jason David placed on IR after suffering a partial ACL tear. Perhaps the biggest hit was in Orlando, as already reported, where HB Knowshon Moreno saw his season end with a ruptured Achilles. Here are all the new injury listings from the week as we prepare for Week 13.
OUT
CB Dre Kirkpatrick MGN Groin IR
CB Jason David DAL ACL IR
HB Knowshon Moreno ORL Achilles IR
WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh LV Wrist 1-2 Weeks
CB DeAngelo Hall POR Concussion 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
LB Tavares Gooden BAL Hamstring
LB Cameron Wake WSH Shoulder
G Mackenzie Bernadeau LV Hamstring
CB Mike Mickens ARZ Concussion
QUESTIONABLE
TE Kellen Winslow II LV Jaw
DT Atiyyah Ellison POR Patella
LB Barrett Rudd ORL Concussion
USFL Updates Territorial Draft With 2 Teams Relocating
The shift of the Las Vegas Thunder to San Diego and the recent announcement that the Nashville Knights will take over in Las Vegas has caused a major ripple in the allotment of Territorial Draft selections. With both clubs adjusting their three protected schools to match their new location, ripples ran through the league, as other teams also adjusted. The league this week announced the new alignment of protected schools, at least for 2015, and shockingly two pretty big schools are now among the unprotected, Wisconsin and the Tennessee Volunteers. Though we expect Memphis will try to land UT as a school for 2016, they are unprotected this year. Here is the full roster of T-Draft schools for each team in 2015.
ARIZONA: Arizona, Arizona State, New Mexico
ATLANTA: Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State
BALTIMORE: Maryland, Louisville, Wake Forest
BIRMINGHAM: Alabama, Auburn, UAB
CHARLOTTE: North Carolina, NC State, Eastern Carolina
CHICAGO: Notre Dame, Illinois, Northwestern
DALLAS: Oklahoma, Baylor, Texas Christian
DENVER: Colorado, Colorado State, Nebraska
HOUSTON: Texas A&M, Houston, Rice
JACKSONVILLE: Florida, Clemson, Georgia Southern
LAS VEGAS: UNLV, BYU, Utah
LOS ANGELES: USC, Fresno State, Oklahoma State
MEMPHIS: Arkansas, Ole Miss, Memphis
MICHIGAN: Michigan, Michigan State, Central Michigan
NEW JERSEY: Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College
NEW ORLEANS: LSU, Tulane, Southern Mississippi
OAKLAND: Cal, Stanford, San Jose State
OHIO: Ohio State, Kentucky, Cincinnati
ORLANDO: Miami, Central Florida, South Carolina
PHILADELPHIA: Penn State, Temple, Buffalo
PITTSBURGH: Pitt, West Virginia, Marshall
PORTLAND: Oregon, Oregon State, Montana
SAN DIEGO: UCLA, San Diego State, Hawaii
SEATTLE: Washington, Washington State, Boise State
ST. LOUIS: Missouri, Iowa, Iowa State
TAMPA BAY: Florida State, Southern Florida, Mississippi State
TEXAS: Texas, Texas Tech, UTEP
WASHINGTON: Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke
Major Unprotected Universities: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Purdue, Kansas, Kansas State, Vanderbilt, Wyoming, Army, Navy, Air Force.
Ranking the USFL Coaches
As we enter the final quarter of the season, it is a time when we know that some coaches are feeling the heat. For others it is all about solidifying another playoff season, while for yet a third group there is the battle to make a case that their club is on the right path. As we look across the league, we see coaches in a variety of positions, some quite secure and others very much on the edge. We have classified all 28 current head coaches into one of four categories: Untouchable, On Solid Ground, Too Soon to Tell, and Feeling the Heat. Each group has its own unique position, and while coaches move from group to group over time, this is a snapshot of where we are right at this moment.
UNTOUCHABLE
We have placed 8 coaches in this category, more than ¼ of all the league’s head men. Some are here because of past success, others because their current squads are doing well enough to have the coaches in high esteem. In both cases these coaches are not going anywhere soon. They are solidly at the top of their game and in a position to take a lot of risks. Who is in this group?
The list is pretty easy to determine:
Philadelphia’s Jim Harbaugh, Texas’s Greg Landry, Oakland’s Dennis Green, Denver’s Dick Jauron, Houston’s Wade Philips, New Orleans’s Lamar Lathon, Charlotte’s Jim Mora Jr., and Tampa Bay’s Mike Shula.
ON SOLID GROUND
These are coaches who seem to have their teams headed in the right direction. They may not yet have a title, though some do, but they have the respect of the franchise, its fans and the owner, and that means that they can survive a bad season without too much worry about their position. They are not untouchable, so a couple of bad years strung together could be an issue, but for now they feel pretty good about where they are. Some have had very recent success, some are relatively new but with enough of a resume to avoid quick hooks form their owners, others are just seen as moving the team towards future succss.
These coaches are:
Arizona’s Jim Tomsula, Atlanta’s Tom Ramsey, Las Vegas’s Dick LeBeau, Michigan’s Jim Johnson, Orlando’s Jim Fox, Portland’s Marty Mornhinweg, St. Louis’s Bruce Arians, and Washington’s Sean Payton.
TOO SOON TO TELL
This is a group that needs to prove itself. They are typically in their first year or two of service, have just started putting their stamp on a team, and will be given time to make changes, even if the team is not at its best this year. Some were brought in to reboot a team, others to get them to the next level, and all likely have at least 3 seasons to show growth before their position would be in danger, but it is just too soon to tell if they are the right fit or not.
These coaches include:
Baltimore’s Jim Caldwell, Dallas’s Mike Sherman, Nashville’s Greg Roman, New Jersey’s Norv Turner, Pittsburgh’s Vic Fangio, and Seattle’s Stump Mitchell.
FEELING THE HEAT
These are the coaches who are looking over their shoulders. They may have had a shot, two shots, and now are worried that they have not been able to make their case. Their clubs are either floundering or just not showing the kind of growth that ownership expects. If we have a big Black Friday, it is very possibly these names that we will be discussing as casualties of the end of season house cleaning. Who is in this group?
These folks for sure:
Birmingham’s Mike Shanahan, Chicago’s Greg Schiano, Memphis’s Brad Childress, Ohio’s Bart Andrus, and, after only 1 season, but a winless one to date, Jacksonville’s Mike Nolan.
GREATEST USFL RIVALS: LOS ANGELES v. OAKLAND
The California Derby is one of the league’s first rivalries, dating back to the 1983 inaugural season, though there was a three year hiatus as the original LA Express moved to St. Louis in 1992, only to be replaced by Express 2.0 in 1995. With the first Express keeping the team records as they moved to St. Louis (then Nashville, now Las Vegas) the league recognizes only the Derby records from the new Express as part of the official rivalry numbers, but fans tend to look all the way back to the early years of the two cities facing off in the USFL Pacific Division.
It is, of course, a natural rivalry, SoCal vs. NorCal, Giants v. Dodgers, Rams v. 49ers, and, beginning in 1983, Express v. Invaders. Much like the Federals-Blitz rivalry, the California Derby is something of a Big Brother-Little Brother matchup, with Oakland having had the better of the rivalry since the early days. While LA have certainly had their years, Oakland has overall had more success as a franchise. In the official records, the Invaders hold a 21-17 advantage in the matchup, which is closer than most would anticipate. Oakland also has its two Summer Bowl appearances and the 1991 league title to LA’s one appearance and no titles.
This year the series was split, with LA edging out the Invaders in Week seven 25-23, while Oakland won the rematch at home 27-24. In fact, most years, regardless of record, the two seem to play to a 1-1 stalemate. They have met only once in the playoffs, a 31-18 Invaders win last year, when the 13-3 Division Champs bested the 9-7 Wild Card Express club. And while typical laid back Californians may not have the overt animosity that we see in some other regional rivalries, turnout and support for both clubs is always at a peak when the California Derby rolls around.
We have to say that Week 13 likely looked a lot better in the preseason schedule planning than it does now, knowing what we know. Not a lot of top-of-the-standings clashes, but we do have some important games as teams try to work their way into the playoff mix. Pittsburgh starts us off with a trip to Baltimore, where the Maulers all but have to win out to make the postseason while Baltimore is looking to be in good shape and remains only 1 game behind Philadelphia.
On Saturday, the intriguing games include Birmingham at Atlanta, a regional rivalry that could determine if the Stallions are a potential late surging playoff team or if Atlanta will lock in a spot. Texas is in New Orleans in one of the few games between teams at the top of the standings. It is an interconference game that could be a preview of Summer Bowl 2014. We also have a good game in the SW Division as Arizona hopes to leapfrog Houston with a win at NRG Stadium, while the Gamblers hope to make some ground up on Texas if the Breakers can beat the Outlaws earlier in the day.
Sunday brings us Charlotte vs. Orlando in the SE Division and Denver @ Ohio in a playoff-impacting inter-divisional game, but our biggie for the day is Oakland hosting the Philadelphia Stars. If the Invaders have any hope of recouping their season and winning the Pacific Division as so many predicted, they will have to knock off a very tough Stars team.
FRI @ 8pm ET Pittsburgh (5-7) @ Baltimore (9-3) NBC
SAT @ 12pm ET Birmingham (6-6) @ Atlanta (8-4) ABC
SAT @ 12pm ET Texas (9-2-1) @ New Orleans (9-3) FOX
SAT @ 4pm ET St. Louis (4-8) @ Chicago (4-8) ABC
SAT @ 4pm ET Los Angeles (4-8) @ Portland (3-9) FOX
SAT @ 7pm ET Tampa Bay (10-2) @ Washington (5-7) NBC
SAT @ 9pm ET Arizona (7-5) @ Houston (7-4-1) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12pm ET Charlotte (8-4) @ Orlando (7-5) ABC
SUN @ 12pm ET Seattle (6-6) @ New Jersey (4-8) FOX Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Michigan (7-5) @ Jacksonville (0-12) FOX Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Dallas (3-9) @ Las Vegas (7-5) ABC Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Nashville (3-9) @ Memphis (3-9) ABC Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Denver (7-5) @ Ohio (6-6) FOX
SUN @ 8pm ET Philadelphia (10-2) @ Oakland (6-6) ESPN/EFN
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