Week 14 saw some huge performances, tight games, tough losses, and big wins. It saw the first club in the West lock up a playoff spot, to no one’s surprise Texas took that honor, and it saw the Eastern playoff lineup secured, with the final two spots locked up by two Southeastern clubs, Charlotte and Atlanta. It saw a 562-yard passing effort in our overtime GOTW, but it also saw two injuries that could have devastating effects as both Daunte Culpepper and Joe Flacco were unable to finish their games. Tampa Bay received the devastating news that a full MCL tear would mean the end of action for their MVP candidate QB, while Texas got word that their MVP quarterback would likely miss both of the two final games, potentially putting the Outlaws at risk of losing not only the top seed in the West, but the division title that had seemed to be theirs all season long. A lot to cover on this action-packed, and season-altering Week 14, so let’s get right to it.
BALTIMORE BLITZ 41 SEATTLE DRAGONS 35 OVERTIME
One of the great aspects of the final month of the USFL season is that a game that has little history in its matchup of teams, where both teams are not only in different divisions, but different conferences, and where they play each other very rarely, can take on huge implications for the playoffs and bring out playoff-like intensity. That was absolutely the case this weekend when the Baltimore Blitz flew across the country for a rare matchup against the Seattle Dragons. Seattle, a team not expected to do much this year, had played themselves into contention for a playoff spot, thanks in large part to a 3-game winning streak, but needed to maintain momentum to have a chance. Baltimore, a team picked to finish last in its division, had outperformed all expectations and were on the verge of not only winning the division but having a shot at the top seed. For both clubs, a win in this inter-conference matchup was essential if they hoped to fulfill the promise this season had provided, and they played like the game was absolutely do or die.
The game saw the two teams combine for over 1,000 yards, 76 points, and 40 first downs. Both quarterbacks were at their best with Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich combining for over 900 passing yards in an incredible display of aerial innovations. Five different receivers went over 100 yards in the game, including 4 just on the Blitz roster alone. It was, by all accounts, the shootout of the year. And yet it began slowly, as so many games between unfamiliar opponents do.
Both Baltimore and Seattle began the game a bit cautiously, with short drives leading to punts. But, Seattle, on their second drive, found some room in the Blitz’s zone schemes, moved the ball well on first down, creating shorter 2nd and 3rd downs and converted 3 third downs on the drive, leading to the game’s first score as Leftwich found Kevin Kasper from 7-yards out to put Seattle up nearing the end of the quarter.
That first score seemed to open up the game, as Baltimore too started to take more risks. The Blitz, realizing that the run game was struggling on early downs, started to call more first down passes, and finding success in the air, largely gave up on the run, providing Anthony Dixon with only 12 carries on the day, while Ben Roethlisberger would have 45 pass attempts, many of them medium and deep throws. Baltimore’s shift to a pass-first offense had immediate effects as the Blitz scored on their first drive of the 2nd quarter, a 12-yard seam route to Antonio Gates, one of 7 catches the TE would have on the day.
Seattle responded with their own long drive, one that took nearly 7 minutes and regained the lead for the Dragons just before the half. A goalline sprint out led to a 2-yard TD toss from Leftwich to Mike Wallace and the Dragons went into the half up 14-7. So, only 21 total points scored in the first 30 minutes, not at all a harbinger to the 49 points we would see in the 2nd half as both teams went back and forth down the field in what could be seen as a failure of both defenses, or as an intense game of chess with the offenses simply finding more opportunities to strike.
Baltimore began the second half and found the equalizer in the form of a 30-yard strike to the break out star of the season, Darrius Heyward-Bey. It would be one of 9 catches and 2 TDs on the day for DHB, who shared the spotlight with 3 other 100-yard receivers on the Blitz this day (Gates, Walker, and Hartline also went for a century.) Just 3 minutes later, Seattle would again take the lead on a beautiful deep ball to Mike Wallace for his 2nd score on the day, a 54-yard strike that had the crowd on their feet.
But Baltimore did not get to 10-3 by folding when challenged. They responded immediately, with a drive that took only 5 plays (all passes) and concluded with Big Ben finding slot receiver Roscoe Parrish for a 10-yard strike to again even the score. A rare turnover (there were only 2 in the game) by Seattle, a strip-fumble of C. J. Anderson, gave Baltimore the ball back almost immediately, and the Blitz struck again, using a deep ball to Hartline to get the ball to the 7, and then fooling Seattle with a draw play to Dixon that put the ball in the endzone. The 3rd quarter ended with this score, the 4th TD of the period, and the one that put Baltimore up 28-21.
The Blitz would extend that lead early in the 4th, as Seattle pressed and Byron Leftwich made an error in judgement which led to a pick by Baltimore’s Eric Weddle. The second turnover of the game gave Baltimore a chance to go up by 14, and they did just that, with Big Ben connecting with Darrius Heyward-Bey for his second score of the game. It felt very much like the Blitz had stolen all of Seattle’s momentum and energy, but only to the fans and viewers, to the Dragons themselves, this game was far from over.
Seattle rallied, and on their next possession, they halved the Baltimore lead, going on a 10-play drive that ended with Leftwich finding his big TE, Dennis Pitta from 6 yards out to pull within 7. With 8 minutes left, it was a 7point game. Baltimore would try to switch to a bit more of a run game to kill more clock, but this proved a poor choice, as Seattle’s front 7 limited Dixon to only 6 yards on 4 carries, causing the Blitz to have to punt after only garnering one first down on their drive. Seattle got the ball back, with nearly 5 minutes to play still on the clock, and they wasted no time getting back into the action.
Cadillac Williams had his best run of the day, a 17-yarder on the Dragons’ first play, and Seattle used the threat of a protracted 4-minute drill to lure Baltimore into dedicating more attention to the run game, a ploy which eventually led to Seattle’s biggest play of the game, a fake to Williams and a deep ball to Nate Burleson that produced the tying score. Baltimore sent safety Eric Weddle on a blitz to disrupt the run on a 2nd and 2, but Leftwich evaded the initial rush and found Burleson in single coverage. He dropped the ball in perfectly and Burleson did the rest, racing for a 47-yard touchdown that tied the score at 45 with just 1:20 left to go.
Baltimore would have time to get into field goal range to end the game. Big Ben connected on 4 consecutive passes on the Blitz drive, getting the ball down to the Seattle 20 with time to set up a Nick Folk kick. The pressure was on the Baltimore kicker, having missed from 47 and from only 28 earlier in the game, Folk was feeling the yips, so Baltimore tried on 1st down to get him closer, throwing the ball down to the 10, but it was broken up by CB Richard Sherman. On 2nd down and with time winding down, they used a Kerwynn Williams dive play to get the ball centered, and brought out Folk on third and 9 with 11 seconds left on the clock to kick the game winner.
Folks’ yips were real and the ball sliced to the left, just outside the goalposts. Baltimore’s hopes for a last second game-winner were dashed and the shootout would go to overtime. Seattle would get the ball first and Byron Leftwich would lead the Dragons down to the Baltimore 29 in 7 plays, including a brilliant one-handed catch by Burleson on the sideline. But, now it was time for their kicker, Dave Rayner to have his own struggles. The 46-yard attempt sailed far to the right and Seattle gave the ball up to Baltimore on their own 36.
The Blitz would not try another kick. Instead they would push the ball down the field, again a drive with no rush attempts as Big Ben was now over 500 yards passing. Strikes to Walker, Gates, and DHB got them closer and closer, a shot to Hartline looked like it might be the winning score, but the receiver was mugged in the endzone before the ball arrived, producing a pass interference call that placed the ball on the 1 and gave Baltimore the ability to take the win with one successful play from in close.
The Blitz got that play, a dive over the pile by Williams to end the game with a final score of Blitz 41 and Dragons 35. Ben Roethlisberger would be recognized as the POTG with a 33 of 45 day that produced 562 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. Leftwich would finish with 365 yards and 5 scoring tosses in a game we hated to see end, one of the best offensive shows of the year.
HOUSTON 36 ST. LOUIS 14
Tajh Boyd struggled and was even pulled for a portion of the game as Seneca Wallace saw his first action in 2 years, but Houston had this game in hand from the start, and a 26-0 scoring run assured the win fo the Gamblers. Carlos Hyde went over 100 yards again, taking over the league rushing lead, and Matt Hasselbeck hit 8 different receivers on a 23 of 37 passing day.
POTG: Gambler FS Willie Anderson: 1 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 Int, 1 Sfty, 1 FF
OAKLAND 26 NEW JERSEY 16
The Invaders took the cross-country trip and got the W they needed to get back in the hunt for the Pacific title. The Invader D sacked Sam Bradford 5 times and the offense got scoring tosses to Zack Ertz and Pierre Garçon to knock off New Jersey and move back into a tie for first place with the Thunder.
POTG: Invader LB Bobby Wagner: 8 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR
OHIO 31 CHICAGO 14
Ohio stayed alive in the Central Division and the hunt for a playoff spot with a road win in Chicago. Chris Weinke had himself a game, going 23 of 32 for 311 yards and 4 TDs to power the Glory to the W. The Glory defense held Chicago to 2 of 14 on third down and sacked Brady Quinn 6 times on their way to the divisional win.
POTG: Glory QB Chris Weinke: 23/32, 311 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
MEMPHIS 28 TEXAS 45
A costly win for the Outlaws as Joe Flacco went down in the 3rd quarter. Kyle Boller took over and tossed 2 touchdowns to help Texas outpace the Showboats, but now all eyes turn to Boller as he will have to lead the Outlaws for the next two weeks. Chris Johnson had a great game for the Outlaws, rushing for 135 and a score to help Boller keep Memphis at bay.
POTG: Outlaw HB Chris Johnson: 20 Att, 135 Yds, 1 TD
DALLAS 20 DENVER 27
Dallas mounts a late comeback to make it close, but the Gold hold on to win their 8th of the year. Rashad Mendenhall rushed for 108 for the Roughnecks, but Matt Leinart connected with 3 different receivers on scoring tosses to help Denver get the win. Denver wins despite losing both the yardage battle (360-308) and time of possession (32:43-27:17) to the Roughnecks.
POTG: Denver LB Shaquille Barrett: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 FF
CHARLOTTE 12 NEW ORLEANS 23
The Breakers stop the Charlotte win streak at 7 games, thanks to a defense that held the visitors to only 229 total yards and held them without a converted third down all game. On offense, the story was Kenny Britt, who had his first 100-yard game of the season, catching 6 balls for 113 and a touchdown to help power New Orleans to a win and an 11-3 record.
POTG: Breaker WR Kenny Britt: 6 Rec, 113 Yds, 1 TD
LAS VEGAS 6 PORTLAND 35
A bad loss for the Thunder, not just on the field, but in the standings as well, with Oakland’s win producing a tie atop the Pacific Division. Las Vegas could not protect Plummer, who was sacked 6 times and hurried on almost every pass attempt. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a much easier day, sacked only once and able to complete 24 of 29 with 3 TDs to lead Portland to the upset.
POTG: DT Atiyyah Ellison: 4 Tck, 3 Sck, 2 FF, 2 FR
ATLANTA 30 JACKSONVILLE 6
The Fire take care of business against the hapless Bulls, who are now two games away from total ignominy. Jackson and Lattimore combined for 129 yards, but it was WR Josh Reed who had the game of the season, catching 7 balls for 189 yards and a TD against an overmatched and, quite frankly, spiritless Bulls defense.
POTG: Fire WR Josh Reed: 7 Rec, 189 Yds, 1 TD.
TAMPA BAY 20 BIRMINGHAM 24
A truly horrible day for the Bandits and their fans. Not only do they go down to defeat in Birmingham, costing them the top seed in the East at present, but they also lose QB Daunte Culpepper for the rest of the season and the playoffs with a torn MCL. Ryan Lindley will have to take the reins for the Bandits moving forward. Despite the win and a nice 3-TD day from Cam Newton, the Stallions, now 7-7, were eliminated from playoff contention, but may have dealt the Bandits a deadly blow along the way.
POTG: Stallion LB Nate Webster: 5 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF
WASHINGTON 35 PITTSBURGH 17
The Feds and Maulers play for pride and Washington gets a healthy win thanks to 136 yards from the ageless Deuce McCallister. Both David Garrard and Joe Webb saw action in a move that may be designed to stoke the trade value of the Washington backup. Rumors are that Webb could be on the trading block and there is no shortage of teams that would have interest.
POTG: Feds HB Deuce McCallister: 19 Att, 136 Yds
ORLANDO 10 MICHIGAN 20
Orlando drops out of playoff contention while Michigan comes close to locking up the Central Division as they double up the Renegades for win number 9. LeVeon Bell had a good game, and the Panthers limited Orlando to only 2 sacks of Kirk Cousins as Michigan shut down Russell Wilson and the now-anemic Orlando run game.
POTG: Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 19 Att, 114 Yds, 1 TD, 3 Rec, 30 Yds, 1 TD
NASHVILLE 0 ARIZONA 27
Cody Pickett may not be the long term answer for Nashville. The Knight QB struggled and seemed flustered by the Wrangler D, throwing 2 picks and sacked 3 times as the Knights could not mount any type of offense against Arizona. The Wranglers held Nashville to 206 total yards, while getting scores from Antonio Bryant and James Casey. CB Joe Haden added a third on a pick six and the route was on.
POTG: Wrangler corner Joe Haden: 4 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD
LOS ANGELES 6 PHILADELPHIA 26
Aaron Murray continues to struggle for Andy Reid and the Express again fail to mount much offense as Philadelphia dominates with LA garnering only 122 total yards on a sad outing for the Express. Philadelphia was happy to slow down the game, use the run game to control the clock and protect Matt Gutierrez in a game that never felt competitive.
POTG: Philadelphia LB Sean Lee: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty
Culpepper Lost to Injury, Can Bandits Still Compete for a Title?
This is exactly what a team dreads down the stretch. Looking great, locked up a playoff spot, playing for home field advantage, and a relatively meaningless game against a team you expect to beat turns into not only an upset loss but costs you one of your star players. Daunte Culpepper, who was having an MVP candidate season with nearly 3,500 yards and 27 TD passes is lost for the season, including your postseason run.
The devastating play happened early in the game, just as the 2nd quarter was beginning. Culpepper took the snap from under center, looking to his right to try to connect with Vincent Jackson, but the left tackle whiffed on his block of Derreck Harvey, and the big man hit Culpepper full on. As the QB fell to the ground, his leg got caught under the big DE and bent awkwardly. Culpepper knew immediately that something was wrong. He tried to get to his feet but could not. Helped to the sideline by his teammates, he was quickly carted off to the locker room. Later that day an MRI would reveal the issue, a full MCL tear. Culpepper, with a partial tear, could wear a brace and hope to play in a few weeks, but this was a full tear, meaning surgery was required and a long PT recovery leading well into the winter. The potential MVP’s season would be lost for the rest of the season.
The injury means that Tampa Bay, which for most of the year has looked like a clear Summer Bowl favorite, is now going to have to find a way to win without their QB. Ryan Lindley, the 3rd year backup who has appeared in only 6 games (mostly mop-up duty) since coming to the Bandits from San Diego in the 2012 draft will have to step up. Lindley will have help. The Bandit defense has morphed from an afterthought to one of the league’s best, currently ranked 4th in scoring and 7th in yards allowed. Lindley could also get help from the run game, as not only has Rex Burkhead looked strong in the past month, but season starter Jahvid Best is expected back from injury next week.
Tampa Bay will need to adjust their strategy going forward, and while we still expect plays to target Vincent Jackson and Santonio Holmes, we don’t think we will see the same vertical game with Lindley that teams had feared with Culpepper under center. Tampa Bay has Dallas this week, and Orlando the next, and with both those clubs out of the playoff running, their path to the top seed is not as tough as for others, but even with the extra week of rest, the Bandits will need to do some reinventing with Culpepper out of action.
Flacco to Miss Season’s Final 2 Weeks
Another scary moment in another game as Joe Flacco also went down in Texas’s game against the Showboats. Flacco also got rolled onto by a defender, and also hobbled to the sideline, and while the timing of his absence is not good, the verdict that he has a slight fracture in a small bone in his mid-foot is a far better result than what we saw in Culpepper’s case. The verdict is that Flacco should sit out this week’s game, could potentially play in Week 16, though that seems doubtful, but would certainly be ready for a divisional playoff game.
That timeline puts pressure on the Outlaws to take the next two games and secure the top seed in the West. Doing so would mean a bye week in the Wild Card round and a very good chance that their first playoff game will see Flacco up and ready to roll. Loss one or both of the season’s final games and Texas could drop below the Panthers, which would not cost them the bye but could mean they lose homefield advantage. Even worse, if they lose both and the Wranglers win out, then Texas would be a Wild Card team and would very likely have to go into the playoffs with a backup at the helm.
That backup is former Birmingham starter Kyle Boller. Boller started 25 games for Birmingham in 2009 and 2010, but then left for New Orleans, where he only saw action in 5 games over 3 years. He came to Texas this offseason as the backup for Flacco, and now the Cal product is going to be on call for the two final games for Texas, including a huge game against Arizona this week before finishing the season at Birmingham in a game that could decide if the Outlaws need to suit up for Wild Card weekend.
Orlando a Victim of Tie Breakers
They cannot blame anyone but themselves, because while the 7-4 Renegades were right in the mix of the playoff hunt, a 3-game losing streak, including a bad loss to a 5-9 Mauler squad, has wiped Orlando from the Wild Card hunt. The Renegades were official ousted this week when a study of the tie-breakers showed that their poorer divisional record made it impossible even with 2 wins in the final 2 weeks, to overcome Charlotte’s 2-game advantage. If the two were to tie, Orlando would still be out, due to their current 2-4 division record compared to Charlotte’s 5-1 mark. Even with 2 division wins, they finish at 4-4, while Charlotte with 2 losses would still be 5-3 in division, so the tiebreaker stays with the Monarchs.
Orlando faces Atlanta and Tampa Bay over their final two games, and while they can no longer hope for a postseason appearance, they can play spoiler, sending both the Fire and the Bandits to potentially tougher playoff trajectories by knocking off their divisional and regional foes.
Could SW Division Really Put 4 Teams in Postseason?
That seems very possible at present, with Texas currently occupying the conference’s top seed and Arizona, Houston, and Denver all sitting in playoff position. Thanks to the ties that have occurred for the Gamblers and Gold, they sit a half/game up on Las Vegas and a full game up on Ohio for the Wild Card spot. Now, they cannot afford to go 0-2 down the stretch, but if they can win out, we could well see 4 of 5 teams from the same division in the playoffs and all three Wild Cards held by the SW Division.
Of course, Las Vegas, Ohio, and even Seattle are still mathematically alive, and with Oakland sitting at only 8-6, we could see the Invaders drop from the playoff picture even if all three SW teams get in, but right now the best hopes for the Thunder, Dragons, and particularly the Ohio Glory is for each club to finish with a 2-0 streak and hope that one or more of the Southwest teams falters down the stretch. With Arizona headed to Texas this week, and Houston facing Denver at Invesco in Week 16, there is a chance, but as of right now the odds are still in favor of the SW Division being a major player in the Western Conference Playoffs in 3 weeks.
Week 14 locked up the East and finally got us our first ensured spot in the West. We now know that the Eastern Conference playoffs will consist of the Blitz, Bandits, Breakers, Stars, Fire and Monarchs. We don’t know the seeding yet, with 4 teams all sitting at 11-3, but we know which six teams will be vying for a title. As of Week 14, we have Baltimore as the top seed, but they face Philadelphia in a game that could decide both the NE Division and the top seed. Tampa Bay is also 11-3, but now has a lot of questions with Daunte Culpepper’s season shuttered. The Wild Card in all of this are the New Orleans Breakers, winners of 6 in a row, and finishing up their season with a pretty cushy pair of games, at Memphis and then home to the New Jersey Generals. If they can go 2-0, they may just jump over the other division winners and snag an unanticipated 1 seed.
In the West, Texas locked up the first of the conference’s playoff spots with their 10-3-1 record. If they can defeat Arizona this week, a game they will play without Joe Flacco, they would not only lock up the SW Division, but also the top seed in the West. Lose and they could face a serious challenge form both Arizona (for the division) and the Michigan Panthers (for the top seed). The Gamblers, Gold and Invaders currently fill out the Western playoff group, but Oakland is still potentially in trouble with Las Vegas, and even Seattle, on their heels for the Division, while losses by either the Gold or Gamblers could provide a window for the Ohio Glory to get back into position for a Wild Card berth.
The weeks’ results now mean that we have 13 eliminated teams. We also know that Jacksonville, to no one’s surprise, has locked up the 1st overall pick in the 2015 USFL Open Draft. With losses this week Ohio and Seattle could soon be joining the list, but with wins, their chances still remain alive.
A bad week for several playoff contenders as we saw not only Flacco and Culpepper sidelined, but Atlanta will also head into the playoffs without their star edge rusher Chris Kelsay, who went down with a back injury. Add to that the loss of Patrick Robinson for the Gold and this is truly an impactful weekend of injuries across the league. All this and we have not even mentioned Jonathan Stewart now lost for the Stags' final two games and unable to compete for the league rush title after leading the rankings for much of the year, and this was certainly a week to concern the league.
OUT
WR D’Juan Woods CHI Neck IR
DE Chris Kelsay ATL Back IR
QB Daunte Culpepper TBY MCL IR
CB Patrick Robinson DEN Leg IR
CB Devin McCourty NJ Shoulder IR
HB Jonathan Stewart POR Wrist 2-4 Weeks
G Max Jean-Gilles NSH Hip 1-2 Weeks
QB Joe Flacco TEX Foot 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
HB Cedric Benson BAL Shoulder
WR Johnny Knox JAX Concussion
LB DeMeco Ryans BIR Foot
CB Darius Slay ATL Foot
QUESTIONABLE
LB Buster Davis PIT Hip
CB Morris Claiborne WSH Hand
DE Dwight Freeney PIT Toe
QB David Garrard WSH Hamstring
CB Ashton Youboty OHI Back
Las Vegas Sportsbooks Adjust Odds After Culpepper & Flacco Injuries
Never wanting to be caught napping, the various sports books in Vegas were quick to adjust their Summer Bowl odds following the injuries to both Joe Flacco and Daunte Culpepper. Confidence in both Texas and Tampa Bay to hold onto the top seed in each conference withered first, and then the Summer Bowl odds followed. Tampa Bay went from a 4-1 favorite to a drop down to 7-2, falling below all three fellow 11-3 teams. The current odds in nearly every book have New Orleans as the favorite, with Baltimore only slightly behind them and Philadelphia still slightly ahead of the Bandits. Charlotte, despite currently sitting in 6th place, is still favored over Atlanta, but both clubs remain quite a bit behind the cluster of 11-3 clubs.
In the West, Texas had been a 4-1 favorite, but now slips to 6-1, second to Michigan in the rankings. A loss this week to Arizona and we would expect the Wranglers to suddenly make a move and possibly unseat Michigan as the favorite in the west. After, all these are the defending USFL champions and the Wranglers have won 5 of their last six, most in impressive fashion. Of the teams currently not in playoff position, Las Vegas is given the best odds, with many expecting them to overtake Oakland in the season’s final weeks. Ohio is seen as a slim 20-1 to surpass Michigan and claim the Central, while Seattle is seen as a 100-1 shot to take the Pacific at 8-8, largely because they require both Oakland and Las Vegas to lose out in order to avoid elimination.
A Sneak Peak at the Top 10 Prospects for the 2015 Draft
With 13 teams already ousted from playoff contention, and forced to start looking at next year, it may be time to start scouting the 2015 draft. We will likely have a bit of movement in the rankings as the 2014 college season progresses, but for now, we have 10 names on our list as potentially big targets for USFL teams and their player personnel staffs. As always, the T-draft will be huge as nearly all top prospects tend to come from protected schools, but as we have seen time and time again, if need does not align with players in the T-Draft teams are more than willing to either pass on a top prospect in a position of low need, or to trade away their T-Draft selection to another team willing to give up precious Open Draft picks. That said, here are the 10 players we expect will get the most attention in the upcoming college season:
QB Marcus Mariota-OREGON
Territorial pick of the Portland Stags
With Portland clearly unsatisfied with another losing season and with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, we could easily see Mariota being a top target for the Stags. They thought they had a prospect in Penn State QB Matt McGloin, but poor play and a still-mysterious personal issue cost McGloin the starting job and now we think Portland may fixate on Mariota as a local hero who could elevate the 2008 expansion club in what is a weak Pacific Division.
QB Jameis Winston-FLORIDA STATE
Territorial Pick of the Tampa Bay Bandits
We don’t see the Bandits pursuing Winston unless, and this is always possible, Daunte Culpepper were to announce his retirement. Honestly, the injury to Culpepper may actually decrease the chances that he retires after this year. No player wants to go out with the memory of an injury costing him a shot at playoff glory as his final pro experience. If Culpepper returns, which we think is likely, then that means the Bandits may be open to trade offers. The one team that likely should give up on that hope is Jacksonville, who would do well to land a QB like Winston, but with whom the Bandits would never make a deal.
WR Amari Cooper-ALABAMA
Territorial Pick of the Birmingham Stallions
Talk about a perfect fit! The Stallions need weapons for Cam Newton, and the Crimson Tide can provide them. We would be shocked if the Stallions did not use two of their three T-Draft picks on Cooper and on HB T. J. Yeldon. That combo would be absolute dynamite for a Stallion club that has been on the cusp but unable to turn the corner over the past few years, despite Cam Newton’s talent.
OT Brandon Scherff—IOWA
Territorial Pick of the St. Louis Skyhawks.
With Bryan Bulaga firmly locked in at LT, the question becomes whether St. Louis would pursue Scherff to be a RT and if so, would Scherff go to a team that does not want him on the more lucrative and desirable left side. If Scherff sends a message that he expects to be a left tackle in either the NFL or USFL, St. Louis may just address other areas and let the big Hawkeye drift into the Open Draft.
DE Donte Fowler—FLORIDA
Territorial Pick of the Jacksonville Bulls
The Bulls need a lot of help, but DE does not seem like the position of most need. We could easily picture Jacksonville entertaining offers for their T-Draft pick so that they can focus on rebuilding their offense, linebacker group, and secondary. Let’s face it, they need more picks, not one big pick to make themselves relevant again. That may be good news for Fowler, who would likely not be too happy to head to a potentially 0-16 Bulls squad.
HB Todd Gurley—GEORGIA
Territorial Pick of the Atlanta Fire
If the Fire go after Gurley it will be a bit of a luxury pick. With Steven Jackson and Marcus Lattimore already providing Atlanta with a very solid 1-2 punch at halfback, they really don’t need to spend the big money it would take to sign Gurley. We see the Bulldog back as a very likely top overall pick in the Open Draft unless someone jumps in and offers the Fire some solid draft choices to nab him in the T-Draft first.
DE Leonard Williams—USC
Territorial Pick of the LA Express
The Express need help on both sides of the ball, but we think the biggest issue for Andy Reid is that he does not yet have a QB he trusts to run his offense. If he is eager to land a QB, he could try to make a deal with Tampa Bay, one that would allow the Bandits to pursue Williams while LA went after Jameis Winston. That may be a bit of a far-fetched scenario, but we just don’t see LA spending big on a DE when their coach is so focused on his legacy as an offensive mastermind.
HB Melvin Gordon—WISCONSIN
Unprotected in Territorial Draft
The shifting of the T-Draft this year had the surprising effect of leaving Wisconsin as an unclaimed school, which makes Melvin Gordon the absolute top commodity of the known unprotected players. Gordon will possibly be competing with Todd Gurley to be the top pick. Honestly, Jacksonville, who is guaranteed the top pick in the Open Draft, will be happy to land either one, so the scouting this season could be huge for the Bulls.
CB Trae Waynes—MICHIGAN STATE
Territorial Pick of the Michigan Panthers
We could see the Panthers try to land Waynes as a counterpart to Dre Kirkpatrick, especially if Deltha O’Neal decides to retire, but if O’Neal remains in plum & champagne, then we think Waynes becomes a far less enticing target for the Panthers. If he slips into the Open Draft, we can picture quite a few teams that need help in the secondary, so he won’t likely last more than 3-5 picks in.
WR DeVante Parker—LOUISVILLE
Territorial Pick of the Baltimore Blitz
This one could go either way. Either the emergence of Darrius Heyward-Bey this year means that Baltimore sees WR as a low priority position and looks elsewhere, or they want a strong number two opposite DHB and they jump all over the speedy Parker. If he hits the free market, we expect he too will be a top 5, maybe top 8 pick. When you look at who is likely to be drafting early in the first round, it is not hard to find teams that are in need of skilled weapons in the passing game.
USFL Greatest Rivalries: Houston v. Texas
Houston joined the USFL in 1984 as the first Texas-based team. Three years later the short-lived San Antonio Gunslingers were added in the 1987 expansion and a potential rivalry was born. When the Gunslingers merged with the Outlaws and opted to locate in San Antonio as the Texas Outlaws the rivalry flourished, and for 30 years it has been one of the best in the league.
The two have played each other 54 times over the years, with Houston holding a 32-20-2 advantage over their rivals from San Antonio. The Gamblers have also seen significantly more success than the Outlaws, snagging 7 conference titles and 4 league titles since 1988, while Texas has yet to appear in a Summer Bowl in their long and somewhat jinxed history. The Outlaws win the duel this year with a tie and a win over Houston, but the playoffs may be where we see the real test of this rivalry in 2014.
Sadly, the relocation of the Nashville Knights to Las Vegas has forced a tough call from the league and the USFL has opted to realign Houston into the Southern Division for 2015, meaning that the Houston-Texas rivalry may have a bit of a hiatus, with the two clubs only facing off in years when the South’s inter-conference are against the SW Division. That is a huge shift from the twice-a-year pair of games that the two were accustomed to for most of their existence. Hope, of course, is that with either future realignment or expansion the chance will appear to reunite the two Texas squads and reignite one of the league’s oldest and best rivalries.
Week 15 and so much on the line. We still have 5 playoff spots to claim in the West, and 8 teams hoping they can put together the right combination of wins and opponent losses to make it happen. In the East the 6 playoff teams are set, but only 1 division title has been won and we have 4 teams all sitting at 11-3, any one of which could capture the top seed and home field. It starts Friday night, where Nashville hopes to avoid a letdown over a Memphis team that they should beat handily. They are hoping to see the Bandits and Blitz struggle so they can leapfrog them for that top seed.
On Saturday we have one playoff hopeful, Ohio, hoping a home division win gives them a shot at the Central title. Currently in first place, Michigan has a 1.5 game advantage on the Glory, but they face a tough task going into Las Vegas to face the Thunder. If Las Vegas falters, Oakland hopes they can get a game up in the Pacific with a home victory over eliminated Pittsburgh. We also have a huge game in the SW Division, where surging Arizona heads into San Antonio to take on an Outlaws team that will be putting Kyle Boller in at QB for the injured Joe Flacco.
Sunday sees a lot of games with playoff implications. Denver visits Nashville, hoping to lock up a spot with a win. Houston hosts Chicago, also eager for a playoff spot and a possible Texas loss to get back in the mix for the division. Tampa Bay needs to find a way past Dallas without Daunte Culpepper or they risk losing out on the top seed in the East. Philadelphia and Baltimore have a head to head clash that will almost certainly decide the NE Division and could propel the winner to the top seed. So it is a week where you might want to send the family to visit your in-laws, because you will need to stay focused all weekend long.
FRI @ 8pm ET New Orleans (11-3) @ Memphis (4-10) NBC
SAT @ 12pm ET St. Louis (4-10) @ Ohio (7-6-1) ABC
SAT @ 12pm ET Jacksonville (0-14) @ Charlotte (9-5) FOX
SAT @ 4pm ET Michigan (9-5) @ Las Vegas (8-6) ABC
SAT @ 4pm ET Pittsburgh (5-9) @ Oakland (8-6) FOX
SAT @ 7pm ET Atlanta (10-4) @ Orlando (7-7) NBC
SAT @ 9pm ET Arizona (9-5) @ Texas (10-3-1) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12pm ET Portland (5-9) @ New Jersey (5-9) ABC Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Denver (8-5-1) @ Nashville (3-11) ABC Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Birmingham (7-7) @ Washington (6-8) FOX
SUN @ 4pm ET Seattle (7-8) @ Los Angeles (4-10) ABC
SUN @ 4pm ET Chicago (5-9) @ Houston (8-5-1) FOX Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Tampa Bay (11-3) @ Dallas (3-11) FOX Regional
SUN @ 8pm ET Philadelphia (11-3) @ Baltimore (11-3) ESPN/EFN
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