Four teams locked in playoff berths this week, all from the Eastern Conference. We also saw a change at the top of the NE Division, where the upstart Baltimore Blitz now control their own destiny, with a chance to take the division for the first time in nearly 2 decades. Charlotte continues to rack up wins, now 7 in a row, and the Arizona Wranglers are beginning to scare some people in the Western Division as they dominate Houston in a huge SW Division game. We will start, as always, with our game of the week, featuring the Monarchs and Renegades, run through the scores, look at a couple of coaches who got the often-problematic “vote of confidence” and reveal the Hall of Fame USFL Class of 2014. All that and a look ahead to Week 14 in the USFL, right here, right now.
CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 24 ORLANDO RENEGADES 21
Seven wins in a row does not just happen. It takes planning, execution, a bit of luck, and a lot of resilience. The Monarchs showed just that in their comeback win over the Orlando Renegades this week. Charlotte had built a 17-3 lead only to watch Orlando run off 17 unanswered points, but they found a way, a dramatic way, to pull out the victory in the final minute, giving them their 7th win in a row and setting them up as a truly dangerous team as we look ahead to the USFL playoffs.
It was billed as a make or break game in Orlando. The Renegades were trailing not only Tampa Bay, but both Atlanta and Charlotte in the division. They were coming off a shocking loss to the Pittsburgh Maulers, breaking their own winning streak after only 3 games. Now they faced a team that was ahead of them in the division, with a chance to get themselves into the thick of the playoff hunt, but the game did not start off looking like one Orlando would use to springboard themselves towards the postseason.
Charlotte dominated the first half, with the return of Brandon Wheedon under center proving to be an immediate benefit as the 3rd year QB found veteran receiver Mark Clayton on the 5th play of the game for a 75-yard catch and run. Clayton had found a gap in the zone, and then used a perfectly timed juke to get past the safety and off to the races. The play stunned the Orlando crowd, who threw their hands up in disbelief. The score put Charlotte up early, and for most of the first quarter the two teams did not find much else to contribute. Orlando needed to wait until their third possession before they got their initial first down conversion. They were clearly dealing with issues in the run game as neither Tim Hightower nor recently acquired Jonathan Starks found any room against Charlotte’s D. But, despite the issues on the ground, Russell Wilson’s elusiveness and ability to find receviers late in plays had gotten them into field goal range. With 12 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, Orlando got on the board and pulled the ‘Gades within 4 at 7-3.
But the rest of the 2nd quarter clearly belonged to the Monarchs. Fred Jackson was running well on his way to a 116-yard day, and that run game kept Calais Campbell from pressuring Wheedon excessively. The Renegades would finish the day with 7 sacks of Wheedon, but 6 of the 7 came in the second half. In the 2nd quarter the Monarchs used play action effectively, with Wheedon connecting again for a score, this time a short pass to D. J. Hackett to expand the lead to 14-3. A late field goal just before the half pushed the advantage to 17-3 and it was looking very much like the Monarchs had this game in hand.
But, as so often happens, the halftime break gave the Renegades a chance to regroup, adjust their schemes and shift momentum. They came out of the half intent on passing the ball on 1st down, mixing in the run primarily through draw plays, and using more 3-receiver sets. That proved effective on the opening drive of the half, a drive which could have produced 7 except for a badly timed holding call that stunted the Renegades’ progress. They again settled for 3, but seemed to have found an answer on offense.
The defense also seemed to have figured out how to address the play action pass. Coach Fox called up more run blitzes, which not only slowed down Jackson but gave Campbell and Haynesworth more options to quickly convert to pass rush when Wheedon held the ball. The strategy worked and Charlotte saw their offensive production grind to a halt in the 3rd. Orlando took advantage of two quick outs on defense and fought their way back into the game, eventually into the lead. The big break for Orlando came when Renegade punter Adam Podlesh pinned the Monarchs back at their 3 yard line. Immediate pressure produced a sack-fumble by Wheedon and when Albert Haynesworth fell on the ball it was 6 points for the renegades, pulling them to within 4 at 17-13 after the PAT.
The score would stay at 17-13 well into the 4th quarter, with both teams struggling on the ground and both defenses finding ways to disrupt their opponents, particularly on 3rd down. Charlotte failed on 3 straight third down attempts, Orlando faired little better, garnering only 1 first down between their defensive TD and the 5-minute mark of the 4th quarter. But their final drive of the quarter was the one they needed. Orlando found some rhythm and produced 3 consecutive first-downs without reaching 3rd down, thanks largely to the short passing game between Wilson and the combination of TE Greg Olsen and WRs Dwayne Harris and Doug Gabriel. They worked their way deep into Monarch territory, and with a short toss from Wilson to Greg Olsen took their first lead of the day with only 53 seconds on the clock. Now up 21-17, the Renegades did not have to worry about defending field goal position, just not giving up the big play.
Denying the big play seems easy on paper. You set up a shell zone, keep the safeties deep, and force the team to dink and dunk their way down the field, hoping the clock would do as much damage to the attack as the defense. In most cases that works quite well, despite the criticism of the prevent defense that so many fans hold. But on this day, it failed, and failed spectacularly. Orlando kicked off to the Monarchs and got a touchback to put the ball on the Charlotte 25. The Monarchs would need to march 75 yards in only 53 seconds.
As it turned out, they would need only 10 of those seconds. With Orlando predictably in a prevent shell, three deep in the secondary, Coach Mora decided not to fool around with quick out routes. He called the kind of play you usually only see with 5-10 seconds left as the first call of the new drive. On first and 10 from their own 25, Charlotte lined up with 3 wide outs and TE Brandon Pettigrew on the field, Taiwan Jones as the lone back, and largely there to chip Campbell on the play. Wheedon took the snap from the shotgun, surveyed the field and quickly found D. J. Hackett about 8 yards deep in the middle of the field. Two safeties converged on Hackett, hoping to bring him down before he could reach the sideline and force Charlotte to use their 2nd timeout. But this is what the play called for, with the safeties geared up to lay a hit on Hackett, the receiver flipped the ball to a passing Pettigrew, a classic hook & ladder play.
The design worked perfectly, the safeties now out of position, Pettigrew had a clear line down the middle of the field. Even better, he had Doug Gabriel falling in behind to pick off the next defender. Gabriel obstructed Shane Welton’s pursuit, frustrating the safety and allowing Pettigrew the space he needed to make a line for the endzone. Seventy-five yards and a game winning score in the final minute of the game thanks to an aggressive play call and a perfectly executed “trick” play. Charlotte had their 7th win in a row, and with it may well have removed a potential threat from the playoff hunt, at least the realistic playoff hunt.
PITTSBURGH 17 BALTIMORE 45
The Blitz responded after a tough 13-9 win over New Jersey with an offensive outburst at home against the Maulers. The Blitz put up the first 28 points on the board before the Maulers managed even a field goal, and led 31-3 at the half. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 346 and 4 scores, with both Darrius Heyward-Bey and Javon Walker going over 100-yards in this one. Even better, the win, paired with a Stars loss, moves Baltimore into 1st place in the NE Division.
POTG: Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 15/17, 346 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int
BIRMINGHAM 13 ATLANTA 44
Another blowout win, this time the Fire taking it to Birmingham in a game the Stallions could not afford to lose. Kyle Orton returned to action and had a solid game, going 17 of 23 for 261 yards. The scoring came from the defense (a fumble return TD and a pick-six) and from the run game, where Lattimore and Jackson combined for 3 touchdowns. The defense held Birmingham to only 47 rushing yards (including Newton) and picked off the Stallion QB twice in the lopsided win.
POTG: Fire FS Earl Thomas: 4 Tck, 1 Def TD, 1 FF, 1 FR
TEXAS 24 NEW ORLEANS 30
A standout win for the Breakers, one that may finally garner them some respect as a legitimate Summer Bowl contender. Drew Brees threw for 2 scores and the Breakers got a third on a Patrick Peterson pick-six, his second this month, but it was the D-line that should get the credit this week as the Breakers sacked Joe Flacco 7 times, including 2 from DT Ricky Jean-Francois and 2 more from DE Cam Jordan. Texas had a shot late, but missed on a Hail Mary from the Breaker 39.
POTG: Breaker CB Patrick Peterson: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
ST. LOUIS 16 CHICAGO 21
Chicago wins the Double Nickle rivalry game thanks to a big day from HB Doug Martin. After falling behind 13-0, Chicago rattled off three consecutive touchdown drives in the 2nd half, with Brady Quinn hitting Dobson, Floyd, and Fasano for scores, but it was Martin’s 134-yard day that made it happen. That, and the fact that the Machine knocked Ricky Stanzi out of the game, and possibly out for the season, forcing rookie Tajh Boyd into action.
POTG: Machine HB Doug Martin: 25 Att, 134 Yds, 0 TD
LOS ANGELES 12 PORTLAND 46
An ugly loss for the Express and an ugly game for Aaron Murray, who was sacked 3 times, hurried constantly, and whose 2 picks helped Portland pull away in what had been a 10-9 game at the half. The Stags scored 38 unanswered points in the second half, including 4 TDs in the final period (one on defense) as they turned a close game to a blowout with 3 Javon Ringer TD runs and a Donte Whitmer pick six.
POTG: Stags HB Javon Ringer: 5 Att, 22 Yds, 3 TDs
TAMPA BAY 28 WASHINGTON 21
The Federals’ disappointing 2014 continues as they give up a 14-0 lead with 28 unanswered points from the Bandits. Daunte Culpepper threw for 390 yards and 3 scores and Vincent Jackson was the main target once again, catching 8 for 161 and two scores as the Bandits lock up a playoff spot with the win and eliminate the Feds at the same time.
POTG: Bandit WR Vincent Jackson: 8 Rec, 161 Yds, 2 TD
ARIZONA 41 HOUSTON 21
It may have come late, but it looks like the defending champion Wranglers are back in form. A huge game from David Carr (391 yards and 5 TDs) and a defensive showing, holding Carlos Hyde to only 43 yards on 26 carries, helps Arizona leapfrog over both Houston and Denver to take second place in the division. Don’t look now, but the Wranglers are looking very dangerous.
POTG: Wrangler QB David Carr: 14/23,391 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int
SEATTLE 20 NEW JERSEY 22
A big upset that throws a wrench into Seattle’s late season surge. New Jersey gets TDs from Delone Carter and Miles Austin and they upend the Dragons in a shocker. Byron Leftwich was sacked hard in the 3rd quarter and never looked quite the same after, while Cadillac Williams was held to only 53 yards by a Generals defense that was not getting much respect. The loss drops Seattle back under .500 and puts a serious crimp in any playoff hopes.
POTG: Generals LB Donterrious Thomas: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
MICHIGAN 33 JACKSONVILLE 20
The Panthers become the latest team to knock off Jacksonville as the D sacks Adrian McPherson 6 times. A 101-yard day from Bulls HB Lamar Miller was not enough as Jacksonville drops to 0-13 and Michigan holds sole possession of first place in the Central at 8-5. A safety and a pick-6 highlight a strong day from the Panther D, while Kirk Cousins throws for 287 and 2 scores.
POTG: Panther CB Deltha O’Neal: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
DALLAS 24 LAS VEGAS 38
The Thunder retained sole possession of first in the Pacific with a nice win in front of a home crowd that actually seemed to support the Thunder, despite their impending move. Jake Plummer threw 3 picks but also put up 4 TDs in a hot-and-cold game, while Chad Johnson made up for the absence of T. J. Houshmandzadeh by catching 5 balls for 117 yards and 3 touchdowns.
POTG: Thunder WR Chad Johnson: 5 Rec, 117 Yds, 3 TD
NASHVILLE 13 MEMPHIS 24
Memphis sweeps the series with Nashville, taking the last of the Tennessee Tussle games (with the Knights moving next year) and claiming victory in the short-lived rivalry. Eli Manning threw for 2 scores, both to TE Jay Finley, and the defense sacked Cody Pickett 5 times on the way to a Showboat victory.
POTG: Memphis DE Mario Williams: 5 Tck, 2 Scks
DENVER 27 OHIO 27 OVERTIME
Another tie involving a SW Division team as neither Ohio nor Denver could get a field goal in overtime to earn the win. Greg Zeurlein for Denver missed from 47 and Ohio’s David Green could not connect from 49 in the waning seconds of the extra period, which meant these two teams go home with a tie score.
POTG: Ohio HB Isaiah Pead: 12 Att, 79 Yds, 2 TD
PHILADELPHIA 20 OAKLAND 26
The weekend concluded with Oakland holding serve at home in a game they absolutely had to have. A 4th quarter touchdown toss by Harrington to Derek Hagan was the difference in this one as both clubs slugged it out for 60 minutes. Reche Caldwell was huge for Philly, catching 6 balls for 134 yards and a score, while Oakland’s Pierre Garçon stepped up with 4 for 82 and a score for Oakland.
POTG: Oakland DE Cliff Avril: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
David Carr Explodes for 5 TDs & 391 Yards
Don’t look now, but the Wranglers appear to be back in championship form, especially on offense. The Wranglers have now won 3 of their last 4, and the offense is more than pulling its weight, as evidenced by David Carr’s huge game this week against a very tough Houston squad. The Wrangler QB put up 391 yards and tossed 5 touchdowns against the Gamblers, only one week after Arizona just humiliated Dallas 51-3. Carr over the past 4 games has thrown 11 touchdowns and no picks, a nasty streak that could spell very good things ahead for the Wranglers. Add to that a solid month for Frank Gore, racking up 365 yards in the past 4 games, and you have a very potent Arizona attack that could spell trouble for Texas and the rest of the Western Conference. The defense is still not quite where they were in 2013, but sitting at number 3 in both scoring and yardage allowed, it is certainly good enough to challenge for a title, especially if Carr and the offense continue to roll. Arizona will face Nashville before a huge showdown with Texas in Week 15, so watch out Western Conference, the champs may well be back in form.
Baltimore Makes a Statement
Arizona is not the only team surging at the right time. Baltimore has won 7 of their last 8, and their blowout win over Pittsburgh this week, paired with Oakland’s win over Philadelphia, now puts the Blitz in the driver’s seat in the NE Division. Baltimore has a huge rematch with the Stars in Week 15, in a game that almost certainly will decide the NE Division title and very possibly whether or not the Blitz (or Stars) can earn a bye in the playoff seedings.
The Blitz are doing it on both sides of the ball, with the league’s top ranked scoring defense, allowing only 14.8 points per game, as well as the 3rd ranked offense, scoring an average of 27.2 points each outing. That combination is a tough one to match as Baltimore continues to prove week in and week out that all the pundits, including our own, were idiots to pick them last in the division.
Ben Roethlisberger remains a viable MVP candidate, Darrius Heyward-Bey continues to shine, now at 1,273 yards for the year, and the defense, led by a ballhawking secondary and a fast, aggressive LB group headed by former NFL Dolphin Jason Taylor, is making waves in the East. The Blitz have not won a division title since 1996, but this year they have momentum and a lot of talent on their side. Can this be the year for the longsuffering Blitz faithful?
New Jersey Ownership Stands By Turner
To say the Generals have been underwhelming this year is pretty fair, perhaps even kind. But, following a surprising win over Seattle, their first since Week 5, Generals ownership has come out to say that first year coach Norv Turner is at no risk of losing his position with the team now at 5-8 on the year. While the team stated that they hope this week is a sign of things to come and that they hope the team can make a push for 8-8 and a .500 finish, they gave Coach Turner the vote of confidence that he would be given time to work with the GM on the club’s roster and to develop a new culture in East Rutherford.
New Jersey was considered by many to be a darkhorse for the NE Division, with many looking back at a 12-4 run in 2012 and expecting that the return of Sam Bradford would rebound the club’s record after a horrific 2013. But, despite starting the year at 4-1, a 7-game losing streak took all the wind out of New Jerey’s sails. The offense has struggled, currently averaging only 19.5 points per game and sitting in the bottom 8 in yards, scoring, passing and rushing. The D has been a bit better, currently 12th in scoring at 20.7 PPG and 16th in yards allowed, but overall this has not been the year that Generals’ fans expected.
Norv Turner took over the team after last year’s 4-12 debacle, and as an “offensive guru” was expected to work with Bradford, back from injury, to revive an attack that was quite solid in 2012. That has not yet manifested, despite the early success of rookie Odell Beckham Jr. and a solid run game with Maurice Jones-Drew. Given a second year to get things to where they need to be to win more games, expect Turner to focus on improving the offensive line, which has been shaky this year, and to perhaps seek another weapon for Sam Bradford to diversify the passing game a bit.
Arians Gets Vote of Confidence
Another coach on the potential hot seat, St. Louis’s Bruce Arians, got his own vote of confidence from ownership this week. Hard to believe that the leader of the 2012 league champion Skyhawks would be in trouble only 2 seasons later, but when you see that the defending champions fell to 8-8 in 2013 and this year are guaranteed a losing season with their 4-9 record, it is understandable that Arians would be feeling some heat. It has been a tough year for the Skyhawks all around, as their defense currently ranks 21st in both scoring and yards allowed, far from the success of their 2012 title run. The offense has not been any better, and that was once seen as the strength of the club.
St. Louis currently ranks 23rd in passing (due in part to the loss of Josh Freeman at QB), 21st in total yards, and only 24th in scoring, far from the dominance they showed only 2 years ago. Of course, this Skyhawk team is not the 2012 squad. With the retirement of Antowain Smith and the departure via free agency of Taylor Jacobs, the offense is just not the same. Josh Freeman has seen his QB Rating dip from 114.3 in his title season to 84.7 last year and 82.6 in an injury shortened 2014.
But, all this said, winning a title, especially a club’s first, has its advantages and for Bruce Arians one of those advantages is a longer leash before ownership starts tugging. The club has confidence in their head coach, though we do expect some changes in the front office and among the coordinators this offseason, and Arians will be given every opportunity to show he can rebound with the club in 2015. At least that is what we are hearing today. If St. Louis continues to struggles and finishes the year at 4-12, that may not be the same story.
St. Louis Turns to Rookie Boyd
The Skyhawks’ final month will be even more challenging than this year has been already. The injury suffered by Ricky Stanzi this week has been confirmed as a torn hamstring, sufficiently damaged as to require surgery and forcing the backup to Josh Freeman to also be placed on the IR list, ending his season. That injury means that Bruce Arians and the Skyhawks will have to roll with rookie QB Tajh Boyd at quarterback the rest of the way. Boyd, who had not taken a single regular season snap until this week’s action, will take over an offense that has struggled, and will have a steep learning curve with Houston, Ohio, and Michigan on the docket for the season’s final 3 weeks, all three being teams in the playoff hunt.
Boyd will be backed up by former Tampa Bay Bandit Rhett Bomar, signed as the emergency QB when Josh Freeman went down, and by 31-year old veteran Seneca Wallace, signed this week. Bomar has not thrown a regular season pass since 2010, and Wallace has not been on a roster since 2012, when he last suited up for Seattle. So, the rookie from Clemson will get his first action as a pro in a less than ideal situation, but he will get to see the field.
A big week for playoff clinching performances in the East as 4 of the 6 slots are wrapped up. Wins by the Bandits and Blitz lock up their playoff berths, while New Orleans goes one better, pairing a win with a Stallion loss to win the Southern Division. Philadelphia, despite losing in Oakland, also nabs a spot with their 10-3 record. With most of the rest of the Eastern Conference now eliminated from contention, Atlanta and Charlotte control their own destinies as the two hold a 2-game lead over Orlando for the remaining Wild Card spots. The ‘Gades have lost 2 in a row and could be eliminated with another loss or wins by their two division rivals.
In the West no spots are locked up yet as there remain 9 clubs in contention for 6 spots. Texas has a 1.5 game lead over a surging Arizona squad in the SW Division. Michigan’s lead over Ohio is now 1.5 games as well, and Las Vegas is 1 game up on the Oakland invaders in the Pacific. Chicago, Portland, LA, St. Louis, and Dallas are out of contention, while Seattle, Ohio, and Oakland all need some help to get back into playoff position.
A rough year for the Skyhawks continues as they place their 2nd QB onto the IR list. For the Stars, they will be without cornerback Bradley Fletcher for the rest of the season, and they also lose Kirk Morrison potentially for the remaining regular season games, though a playoff appearance is possible. Several contenders, including Texas, Tampa Bay, and Las Vegas will be missing key defensive players at least for Week 14. Is that going to open the door for an upset or do they have the depth to survive some short-term injuries at this vital stage of the season? Here is the full Week 14 Injury Report, with all newly-listed players cited.
OUT
QB Ricky Stanzi STL Groin IR
CB Bradley Fletcher PHI Neck IR
FS Tre Boston CHA Shoulder 2-4 Weeks
LB Kirk Morrison PHI Knee 2-4 Weeks
CB Aaron Ross TEX Knee 1-2 Weeks
DT Kawann Short TBY Concussion 1-2 Weeks
DT Kyle Williams LV Concussion 1-2 Weeks
WR Dontrelle Inman BIR Hamstring 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
CB Nate Clements NJ Concussion
TE Michael Egnew STL Hand
QUESTIONABLE
LB Jonathan Goff TBY Concussion
CB DeAngelo Hall POR Neck
USFL ANNOUNCES 2014 HALL OF FAME CLASS
The USFL and the Hall of Fame had some very tough decisions this year to pick only 5 At-Large nominees for the Hall and one Legacy player. While debates will certainly rage about some of the players who did not make it this year, players like Corey Dillon, Drew Bledsoe, and Hugh Douglas, it would be hard to argue that any of the five players selected do not belong enshrined in Canton. Here is your 2014 USFL Hall of Fame Class.
QB Brett Favre (BIR 91-05, MEM 07-09)
There was little doubt that Favre would be a first ballot Hall of Famer. After all, the numbers speak for themselves: 232 consecutive starts, over 67,500 yards passing, 558 TDs, an 11-time All-USFL performer who took two different teams to a title. Favre was also a 4-time Offensive Player of the year, 2-time MVP, and playoff MVP three times. There is absolutely an argument to be made that Brett Favre was the greatest QB in USFL history.
QB Kerry Collins (OHI 98-09)
Not so fast says Kerry Collins. The numbers may not be as gaudy, but the success is absolutely there. Collins played 12 seasons for the Glory, including leading the team to the only undefeated season in USFL history as well as the only repeat championship in league history. His numbers may not be quite as high as Favre’s (49,800 yards passing, 407 TDs, a career QB Rating of 113.6), but the accolades are there: 10-time All-USFL, 3-time league MVP, two titles, a playoff MVP trophy and an OPOTY trophy. Collins is absolutely in the debate and another easy first-ballot choice.
OT Jonathan Ogden (LA 96-09)
Linemen don’t have the stats to fall back on like a QB would, but that is not to say that we do not recognize greatness when we see it and in Ogden we have another of the all-time USFL greats. The big man came to the Express in 1996, their second year of existence as a reborn expansion franchise. He would stay with them for 14 seasons, racking up 200 starts and 9 All-USFL honors. By some estimates he has over 1,500 pancakes as well, a gaudy number for a humble man.
OT Wayne Gandy (BAL 94-04, NSH 05-07, CHA 08-09)
Right there with Ogden is another left tackle that was among the game’s best for over a decade. Wayne Gandy played for 3 teams over his USFL career, a career that spanned 16 seasons. In that time, he had 206 starts and was voted All-USFL six times. Like Ogden, he never won a title, but is still recognized as one of the best of the best among all-time USFL linemen.
DT Pat Williams (ORL 97-08)
The only repeat candidate to make the cut, DT Pat Williams was a mountain of a man on the D-line for the Orlando Renegades, where he was able to line up alongside some of the best edge rushers ever, including fellow Hall of Famer Chris Doleman and surefire future HOF first ballot nominee Calais Campbell. Williams was the block absorber who freed up both edge rushers. He won a title with the ‘Gades in 2001, was chosen as All-USFL five times, and finished his career with 39 sacks and 20 forced fumbles.
WR Louis Lipps (ARZ 84-91, PIT 92-97)
The USFL has had so many game-changing receivers that sometimes it is hard for all of them to get the recognition they deserve. Louis Lipps is absolutely in the category of underappreciated players that deserve more attention. Lipps played 14 seasons, splitting his time between the Wranglers and Maulers. He was a part of Pittsburgh’s high flying 1995 title team, and is still among the all-time career leaders with over 1,000 receptions and over 14,000 yards. He caught 94 TDs in his career, and was voted All-USFL twice, once with each of his clubs. Lipps is a very deserving Legacy Pick for this year’s class.
Las Vegas Update: A Name and a New Division
It is decided. The fans have voted and by an overwhelming majority the pick is the Las Vegas Vipers. That identity won nearly 70% of the votes in the month-long competition, with Posse a distant second. And so, as of August the Nashville Knights will cease to be and the Las Vegas Vipers will take residency in Wynn Arena, the newest stadium in the league and a showplace for the city of Las Vegas.
The team will sport the silver, black, and Deseret blue uniforms announced with the contest, and will begin play in Sin City in March of 2015. Here once again is a look at the logos and uniforms of the league’s newest team.
The other big news this week about Las Vegas’s newest pro sports team came directly from league headquarters. We knew that there would have to be some shuffle of divisions with Nashville moving to Las Vegas and the Thunder relocating to San Diego, and now we know what it is. San Diego will hold onto their position in the Pacific Division, maintaining rivalries as the Thunder with Seattle, Portland, LA and Oakland. The new Las Vegas Vipers will play in the Southwest Division, perhaps making new rivals with Arizona and Denver, their closest divisional foes. The addition of Las Vegas to the division means that someone has to move out, after all, we cannot have a 6-team SW Division and a 3-team Southern Division. So, who is getting bumped?
The Houston Gamblers will join the Southern Division in 2015, splitting up the rivalry with Texas across two different conferences, but potentially building a new one with nearby New Orleans or Memphis. Houston ownership was surprisingly not all that upset to jump divisions and conferences, citing their proximity to the Gulf Coast as a natural reason for the Gamblers to build rivalries with other Southern clubs Birmingham, Memphis, and New Orleans. So, Houston replaces Nashville, Las Vegas replaces Houston, and the Thunder remain just where they were, but now have even more reasons to get riled up about games against LA.
USFL’S GREATEST RIVALRIES: DENVER v. ARIZONA
We have had a lot of news about the Southwest Division today, so it seems only fair that our USFL Rivalry of the week is also a SW Division affair, the longstanding clash of the Gold and the Wranglers. This is another one that dates all the way back to 1983, when Denver and Arizona formed part of the 4-team Western Division. As two founding franchises who have been in the same division with each other for over 30 years, the Gold-Wrangler matchup is one of the rivalries with the most matches over the years, 63 in total, with Denver holding the advantage at 36 wins and only 27 losses to the Wranglers.
The clash has often been one of home field advantage, with both Mile High and Invesco being havens for the Gold, while Sun Devil Stadium and University of Phoenix Stadium have been kinder to the Wranglers. This is also a rivalry that has seen their share of wild weather games, with Denver hosting several “Snow Bowls” against the Wranglers, while Arizona has had more than their share of scorching games against Denver in the desert heat. Always a huge date on the schedule, the games between these two can be nasty, ugly, and sometimes very chippy, but they are always fun and usually meaningful in the standings as well.
Week 14 feels very much like the lull before the storm, with fewer divisional matchups than most weeks, and certainly fewer than in Weeks 15 and 16. But, this is not to say that there are not games that will have a huge impact on the remaining playoff races as well as on seeding for both conferences. We have several teams in games where they will be expected to win over opponents already eliminated from contention, as is the case for Houston on Friday night visiting St. Louis, or others in the weekend like Oakland (@ New Jersey), Texas (v. Memphis), Denver (v. Dallas) or Las Vegas (@ Portland).
Perhaps the most intriguing game of the weekend has Charlotte (9-4) visiting New Orleans (10-3) in a matchup of two teams who have been quietly playing some of the best all-around football all season. Brandon Wheedon returns under center for the Monarchs as they face a tough road matchup. Sunday’s best game looks to be Orlando visiting Michigan, with the Renegades needing to win out and get some help to catch up to division rivals Atlanta and Charlotte. We also like the Baltimore-Seattle matchup, where the upstart Dragons also may need to win out to have a shot at a playoff game.
FRI @ 8pm ET Houston (7-5-1) @ St. Louis (4-9) NBC
SAT @ 12pm ET Oakland (7-6) @ New Jersey (5-8) ABC
SAT @ 12pm ET Ohio (6-6-1) @ Chicago (5-8) FOX
SAT @ 4pm ET Memphis (4-9) @ Texas (9-3-1) ABC
SAT @ 4pm ET Dallas (3-10) @ Denver (7-5-1) FOX
SAT @ 7pm ET Charlotte (9-4) @ New Orleans (10-3) NBC
SAT @ 9pm ET Las Vegas (8-5) @ Portland (4-9) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12pm ET Atlanta (9-4) @ Jacksonville (0-13) ABC Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Tampa Bay (11-2) @ Birmingham (6-7) ABC Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Washington (5-8) @ Pittsburgh (5-8) FOX
SUN @ 4pm ET Orlando (7-6) @ Michigan (8-5) ABC
SUN @ 4pm ET Baltimore (10-3) @ Seattle (6-7) FOX Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Nashville (3-10) @ Arizona (8-5) FOX Regional
SUN @ 8pm ET Los Angeles (4-9) @ Philadelphia (10-3) ESPN/EFN
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