Fifteen weeks down, only one to go and we still don’t know who the top seeds in either conference will be. The injuries to Culpepper and Flacco have complicated the end of the season and given hope to teams like Baltimore, Philly, Michigan, and Arizona. The Wranglers looked good and by knocking off Texas could once again claim the top seed in the West, something no one wants to see outside of the Grand Canyon State. Tampa fell to Dallas in a thriller, and Philadelphia got a win in Baltimore, so the race in the East is as tight as ever. All this, plus we still have 5 of 6 divisions to determine, and 4 of 6 Western playoff spots in what may be the most down-to-the-wire USFL season yet.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS 28 DALLAS ROUGHNECKS 31
This is every Bandit fan’s nightmare. They lose Daunte Culpepper right as the season is winding down, but before they can lock up the top seed in the East. The offense has some struggles, and the defense is overwhelmed, and they cannot win down the stretch, potentially dropping not only out of that top seed, but possibly out of the division title altogether. Tampa Bay’s road trip to Dallas this week brought out the worst fears of Bandit Nation, and with Dallas getting the win, Tampa Bay has already slipped out of the top seed and now find themselves a game behind the Philadelphia Stars.
For Dallas, the feeling was very different. Yes, the Roughnecks are eliminated from the postseason, and have been for a while now, but this game would give them the chance to play spoilers, even if a minor injury to rookie Johnny Manziel meant they would go into the game with Jake Locker under center. This was their Summer Bowl, their shot to knock off a playoff team and build for next year, and they were going to take it.
Dallas started the game on fire, spurred on by a very nice crowd at Cotton Bowl Stadium on a pretty hot day. The Roughnecks started off with a field goal on their first drive, then followed that up with a C. J. Spiller TD run on their next, taking an early 10-0 lead on a Bandit squad that was clearly not yet firing on all cylinders. Tampa would start to show signs of life with their second possession, with Ryan Lindley over the initial nerves and finding targets downfield. He got some help from HB Rex Burkhead, who started the game strong with 10 carries for 51 yards in the first half. At the end of a 67-yard drive, Lindley connected with Santonio Holmes and the combination dropped the Dallas lead to 10-7 as the 1st quarter wound down.
In the 2nd, Tampa Bay would briefly take the lead. Following a shanked punt by Dallas, Tampa Bay got the ball at their own 47, and shortly after were in the red zone. Lindely did well to find Vincent Jackson for what at first appeared to be a score, but was ruled out at the 1-yard line after video review. Rex Burkhead would run the ball in from there on the next play, and Tampa Bay was on top 14-10. But, that lead would not last. Locker and HB Rashard Mendenhall helped lead Dallas right back down the field, with Locker connecting with Ben Watson for a 15-yard play, then Hank Basket for 12, and Mendenhall contributing a 17-yard run as well. The Dallas drive ended with Locker hitting Tim Wright on a crossing route to put the Roughnecks up 17-14. That would remain the score into halftime.
The second half started badly for Tampa Bay, and for their new QB, Ryan Lindley. On his second play of the quarter Lindley threw a ball to where he thought Davone Bess would be, but found Dallas CB Trey McBride instead. McBride returned the ball to the Tampa 21, and from there, 4 plays later, Jake Locker connected with Hank Basket to boost the Roughneck lead to 24-14.
Tampa and Lindley would rebound, putting together a 13-play, 71-yard drive on their next possession, helped by a defensive pass interference call and a lucky bounce on a deflected ball, finding the arms of TE Dustin Keller and not a defender. They would end the drive with another Santonio Holmes TD grab, and would trail at the end of 3 quarters, but only by 24-21.
The teams continued to trade touchdowns in the 4th quarter, making Dallas’s initial 1st quarter field goal the main difference between the two teams. Dallas again scored first, this time a Mendenhall run from the 3 with barely 3 minutes gone in the period. Tampa Bay would once again pull the score down to a 3-point difference as they put another touchdown on the board at the 6-minute mark. This time it was Jackson from Lindley, reducing Dallas’s lead to 31-28. They still had time to get the ball back and try to get a game tying field goal, or even a game-winning touchdown.
The Tampa defense gave up one first down, but then forced a punt on the next set of downs. They would give the Bandits the ball back with 3:10, more than enough time to get three, maybe even seven points on the board. But, while Bandit fans were eager to see the team mount a comeback, they were soon heartbroken when once again it looked like Lindley and his receiver were not on the same page. From all accounts it looked like Lindley expected Holmes to run an in-cutting route, but the veteran receiver, seeing the CB on his inside shoulder, cut to the outside, towards the sideline. Lindley’s ball stayed inside and was easy pickings for Dallas corner Brandon Carr. The 7-year vet knew what to do. He ran to the middle of the field and slid to end the runback. No sense risking a fumble.
Dallas’s offense took over with just under 2:30 left to play. They rushed the ball 3 times, and on 3rd down picked up just enough for a new set of downs. That was the end of Tampa’s hopes. With two kneel downs the game was over, Tampa Bay was now no longer the East’s top seed, and fans had to hope they could somehow find a way to win in Week 16 against Orlando, or potentially face a road trip in the playoffs instead of home cooking.
NEW ORLEANS 16 MEMPHIS 26
The Breakers came out flat after clinching the division and Memphis made them pay. NaVorro Bowman had a big week, including a pick-six, and the Memphis offense did just enough to hold off the Breakers late. The run game for New Orleans, in particular, was a disappointment as 14 carries between Hill and Tolbert were not enough, but neither was 31 total yards rushing. Did the Breakers peak too soon, or is this just a let down after clinching their division and taking the Showboats too lightly?
POTG: Showboat LB NaVorro Bowman: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
ST. LOUIS 13 OHIO 30
Ohio stays alive and can still win the Central with a victory next week if St. Louis rebounds and somehow upsets the Panthers in the finale. Ohio doubled up the Skyhawks and rookie Tajh Boyd, largely by pounding the ball in the run game. Isaiah Pead had a huge game, rushing for 166 on only 18 carries and scoring on a 49-yard run in the 2nd quarter. Steve Smith also had a big day, going over 100 yards again with 103 on 7 catches.
POTG: Ohio HB Isaiah Pead: 18 Att, 166 Yds, 1 TD
JACKSONVILLE 14 CHARLOTTE 37
Charlotte had no difficulty dispensing with the winless Bulls as Fred Jackson and Shonn Greene combined for 100 yards and 3 TDs on the day. The defense also was a problem for Jacksonville, with Adrian McPherson being knocked out of the game in the 3rd quarter. The Win moved Charlotte to 10-5 and, more importantly, to 6-1 in the division. That means that a Monarch win next week paired with a Bandit loss and Charlotte will win the division on a tiebreaker for better division record.
POTG: Monarch DE Jevon Kearse: 1 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR
MICHIGAN 23 LAS VEGAS 28
A good game between two potential playoff dark horses as Las Vegas had a pretty decent home field crowd for a change. The Thunder raced out to an early 14-0 lead and then hung on as Michigan tried in vain to make up ground. Thanks to 107 yards and 2 scores from HB Marshawn Lynch, the Thunder remain in position to possibly take the Pacific Division, while Michigan could still lose the Central if they cannot get a W next week against the Skyhawks.
POTG: Las Vegas HB Marshawn Lynch: 23 Att, 107 Yds, 2 TD
PITTSBURGH 20 OAKLAND 34
The Invaders struggled at first but then put the game away late, thanks to a strong day from Ryan Williams (115 yds & 2 TD) and Bobby Wagner (2 FF). The win means that Oakland holds onto their tiebreaker lead over Las Vegas. A win next week and the Pacific Division is theirs, along with a bye in the playoffs.
POTG: Invader HB Ryan Williams: 30 Att, 115 Yds, 2 TD
ATLANTA 12 ORLANDO 16
Orlando is going down swinging, and they took down Atlanta in the process. Neither team could mount a run game in this one as the Renegades gained only 41 yards on the ground and the Fire only 52. In the end it was a short Tim Hightower plunge that gave the Renegades the lead late and the win. The loss drops Atlanta into a tie with Charlotte for 2nd place, with the two facing off next week.
POTG: Orlando DT Albert Haynesworth: 11 Tck, 3 TFL
ARIZONA 40 TEXAS 31
Kyle Boller was game, throwing 3 TD passes for the Outlaws, but he also threw2 picks, and one of those was returned for 6 in this wild shootout. Arizona lost David Carr to a blow to the head early, so Nick Foles again came in and performed admirably, throwing 2 TDs and keeping the Wrangler offense on the field. Frank Gore added 74 yards and 2 scores and Antonio Bryant had a day with a 41-yard touchdown and 110 total yards as Arizona now sits only ½ game behind the Outlaws and could steal away the SW Division and maybe even the top seed with a win next week and a Texas loss.
POTG: Wrangler WR Antonio Bryant: 3 Rec, 110 Yds, 1 TD
PORTLAND 26 NEW JERSEY 9
The Stags picked off Sam Bradford 3 times and backup HB Javon Ringer went for 106 and a score in his first start of the season as Portland laid some lumber on the Generals. Pressure from Dion Jordan and Tyrone Crawford led to too many Bradford mistakes as the QB seems very insecure in the pocket, sacked 3 times but throwing the ball away far too often as well.
POTG: Stag CB Mike Rumph: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 FF
DENVER 14 NASHVILLE 7
The Gold did not exactly look dominant against the 3-win Knights, but they did enough to get the win, and that is what matters. Matt Leinart connected with Crabtree and Graham for scores, but Golden Tate was his favorite target, catching 7 balls for 107 yards on the day. The defense held Nashville to 255 yards and only 2 of 12 on third down as Nashville and QB Cody Pickett continued to struggle to sustain drives.
POTG: Gold DE Justice Cole: 3 Tck, 2 Sck
BIRMINGHAM 23 WASHINGTON 26
The Federals got the better of the Stallions thanks to 13 unanswered points in the 4th quarter, including a 37-yard TD toss from Joe Webb to Brandon LaFell. Webb got the start as David Garrard dealt with soreness in his throwing shoulder. The backup, who may well be on the trading block, looked pretty good, completing 28 of 41 for 343 yards, 2 TDs and 1 pick. Both teams now sit at 7-8 and can finish the year at .500 with a win in their finales.
POTG: Feds’ WR Brandon LaFell: 8 Rec, 116 Yds, 2TD.
SEATTLE 17 LOS ANGELES 37
Aaron Murray made a case for consideration as the starter in 2015 thanks to a 25 of 34/, 241 yard, 2 TD day against division foe Seattle. The Express also got a rushing TD from Murray, who scrambled for a 3-yard score in the 2nd quarter. The defense did the rest, holding Cadillac Williams to only 55 yards and picking off Byron Leftwich twice.
POTG: Express FS David Young: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int
CHICAGO 16 HOUSTON 34
Houston looked solid in a comfortable home win over the Machine. Mike Evans caught 5 passes, including a 2-yard TD on a perfect fade route, and Carlos Hyde rushed for 98 yards and 2 scores as Houston took care of business. They next head to Denver for a huge game for playoff positioning, with a lot riding on their game and others to determine who is at home in the Wild Card round.
POTG: Houston LB Steve Tulloch: 2 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
PHILADELPHIA 26 BALTIMORE 17
It was billed as the game of the week by ESPN and did not disappoint. Baltimore and Philadelphia battled it out all night, with several small skirmishes along with a lot of hard hitting. Baltimore had an early lead but two Gutierrez to Kelce touchdowns in the 2nd quarter gave Philadelphia the lead for good. Baltimore clawed their way back but could never get ove the hump as Philly added field goals to keep them just out of range despite 147 yards from Darrius Heyward-Bey on the night.
POTG: Philadelphia TE Travis Kelce: 5 Rec, 120 Yds, 2 TD
Arizona Can Still Be Top Seed Again
Early this season we were wondering what was wrong with the defending champs and now we are talking about the very real possibility that they could win the SW Division and quite possibly steal away the top seed in the West. Now, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but the possibility is there. Here is what would need to happen:
First off, Arizona has to defeat Ohio, but it is a home game, so that feels very possible. Then, Texas has to lose in their Week 16 matchup in Birmingham. That also seems possible, especially if the Stallions pressure Kyle Boller, which we expect they will. Those two results alone mean that Arizona, not Texas, is the SW Division Champion at 11-5, with Texas second at 10-5-1. An 11-5 record also means that Arizona is a game up on Michigan and on Oakland, which means they are not only the SW Division Champion, but also the top seed in the West, something that has to be striking fear into anyone who saw what the Wranglers did in the playoffs last season.
After a very shaky start, one that had Arizona at 4-4 after 8 weeks, the Wranglers have been on fire, winning 6 of their last 7 games. An 8th win could very well have them in the driver’s seat for the playoffs, something that seemed very unlikely earlier this season. With blowout wins in several of their recent games and with both the offense and defense looking very potent, no one wants to face this Wrangler club in the postseason, but especially not in Glendale in front of a wild and riled up fanbase. But it very much could happen.
How Ohio and Las Vegas Can Get Into Playoff Mix
For both the Glory and the Thunder, the season has pretty much come down to one week. Either both will have had fast starts melt away (Las Vegas for a 2nd year in a row, or they could rise up and snatch a playoff spot on the final weekend of the year. In both cases, the future is not entirely in their hands.
For Las Vegas it is a little more cut & dry. If they win, they are very likely in the playoffs. Why? Well, because Houston is playing Denver this week. If either team wins, it means the loser is 9-6-1. A win by Las Vegas puts them at 10-6 and would give them that last Wild Card spot. A win and an Oakland loss against the Seattle Dragons, and Las Vegas jumps all the way up to a Divisional Title, and possibly a bye (depending on Michigan’s situation). So, the Thunder have to be happy knowing that their playoff berth is in their hands (assuming the Gamblers and Gold don’t tie their game). With a little help they can go from the 7th seed up as high as the 2nd seed.
As for Ohio, they cannot do it alone. Sitting at 8-6-1, and with no tiebreaker advantage against the loser of the Denver-Houston game, they have one shot and one shot only. They can edge out Michigan for the Central Division if they can upend Arizona in Glendale and, at the same time, the Michigan Panthers are upset at home by the St. Louis Skyhawks. That is not an easy combination to picture, but it is the one combination of results that would provide Ohio with a path to the postseason. Once again, a huge shift could be possible. Ohio is currently in 8th position, but a win over Arizona, a loss by Michigan, and a loss by Oakland at home to Seattle, and Ohio could also leap all the way up to 2nd place and get a bye. That is how volatile the Western Conference is this year.
One Last Chance for Bulls and Nolan
The Jacksonville Bulls have been a disaster all year long. They sit at 0-15, one game away from a winless season. They have given up 445 points in 15 games, more than any other team (by a healthy margin), and their 191 total points scored is also easily the worst in the league (Nashville is next at 217). Coach Mike Nolan’s first year has been an utter disaster. He even went so far as to pull Tim Tebow, a local legend from his days at Florida, to try to win games, and has not been successful.
So, what now with 1 week left? Well, the Bulls are home to Chicago, another team who have disappointed this year, but not nearly to the same degree. They will likely be playing that game in front of a sparce and angry crowd, many with paper bags on their heads, and the chant they will hear across the stadium won’t be “Bulls Hit” but it will sound a lot like that. In other words, they have one game to try to salvage some shred of dignity, or to become a part of history as perhaps the worst team in USFL history.
That reality, that possibility, will almost certainly mean a full and unwavering housecleaning. Nolan, his assistants, the GM and many scouts are very likely gone. We expect many will be gone regardless, but to go 0-16 with a club that has had a lot of pride over the years, well, that is just not going to be a forgivable offense. It has gotten so bad in Jacksonville that fans have started to ask if it is too late for the Bulls, their coaches, owner, everyone to move to Las Vegas and for Nashville’s team to relocate to Jacksonville to start over. That is not happening, but what could and should happen is a total reboot, starting at the top and working its way through every aspect of the team and its roster.
Hard to believe, but we really only had one change to the playoff situation this week. Arizona locked up a berth thanks to a 10-5 record. Beyond that we saw absolutely no teams capture their division, leaving 5 of 6 open (New Orleans being the exception), and we still have 4 open slots in the West, with 6 teams in the mix. As we look over the playoff situation with one week left, here is what we each club involved needs or wants as we enter Week 16.
PHILADELPHIA: Easy, win and you are the NE Division Champion and top seed in the Eastern Conference. Not a bad incentive to motivate the guys.
TAMPA BAY: A win gets them the SE Division title, if paired with a loss by Philly and the Bandits would regain their position as the top seed. But, with concern at QB, a win over Orlando is not at all guaranteed. A loss and they could drop as far as the 5 seed.
NEW ORLEANS: The Breakers have the division title, but really want a bye. Their best shot at one is a win this week and a loss by the Bandits. That would bump them up to the 2nd position. A win and losses by both Philadelphia and Tampa Bay and they could even get home field throughout the playoffs. A loss and they are still the 3 seed as they are right now.
BALTIMORE: The Blitz’s ideal situation is a win and a Stars loss, that gives them the NE Division and a possible bye if both Tampa Bay and New Orleans lose. Conference records are a key tiebreaker and Baltimore trails both so they really want to get a game up on the Breakers and Bandits. A loss and they could drop as far as the 6 seed.
CHARLOTTE: A Win and a Bandit loss and Charlotte is your SE Division champ. If not, then a road Wild Card game seems in the mix.
ATLANTA: The Fire would need a lot of help to steal the SE Division. We see them as a Wild Card, but losses by Charlotte and Baltimore could at least get them a home opener in the Wild Card round.
TEXAS: From a nearly guaranteed division title to now playing for their playoff lives. Texas is only ½ game up on Arizona. If they lose and the Wranglers win, they drop down to the Wild Card round, which is absolutely what they do not want. They need that extra week to get Joe Flacco back. But if Kyle Boller can come through and get them the win against Birmingham (Boller’s former team), then Texas is golden, King of the Western Conference mountain.
OAKLAND: The Invaders have the tiebreaker over Las Vegas, so a win means they win the division and the 2 seed, with its automatic bye. A loss and all bets are off. They could even drop all the way out of the playoff picture if Michigan, Houston, Las Vegas and Ohio all win.
MICHIGAN: A win and the Centra is theirs. A loss and an Ohio win and they are in trouble. Like Oakland, they could drop all the way out. Best to stay positive. A win with Oakland and Las Vegas losses and Michigan is the 2 seed.
ARIZONA: From a 4-4 start to a potential 1 seed in the West. That is quite a late season run. But the situation is basic. Win next week, get help from the Stallions with an upset of Texas and the Western playoffs will run through the desert.
HOUSTON: Win & In. That’s the mantra. The winner of the Gold-Gambler game is assured a spot, the loser is likely out. Harsh but fair.
DENVER: Same story, win & in, lose and you are at great risk of sitting home in 2 weeks.
LAS VEGAS: Best case scenario is a win over Dallas and an Oakland loss. That gives the Thunder the title in their last season in Sin City. A loss and they are almost certainly out of the postseason again.
OHIO: Another pretty simple one. Beat Arizona in Arizona and get help from St. Louis (beating Michigan) and Ohio jumps back to the top of the Central Division, with a shot at a bye if Oakland and Las Vegas both lose. Did we say simple? Beating Arizona in Arizona is anything but simple.
Following several absolutely brutal weeks of injuries to key performers and top stars, we finally get a week with no new IR additions and only a pair of minor injuries (both concussions). This is exactly what the league needed as it prepares for its final week and then the playoffs, some belief that teams will be in good shape and healthy for the postseason. After losing so many big names—Culpepper, Flacco, Stewart, and Kelsay just in the last week, we needed a week like this one.
OUT
SS Michael Mitchell TBY Concussion 1-2 Weeks
LB Nate Irving NSH Concussion 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
CB Dunta Robinson PIT Back
FS Matt Elam JAX Knee
C Chris Spencer NOR Concussion
QUESTIONABLE
DT Ego Ferguson ORL Toe
DE Justin Smith OAK Abdomen
QB Adrian McPherson JAX Shoulder
FS Jairus Byrd PHI Shoulder
Five Coordinators Who Could be Head Coaches by 2015.
As we get closer and closer to the end of the season, we also sidle up to Black Monday, when we expect several positions to open up as Head Coaches who have not produced are let go. And while there are certainly many viable candidates for those newly-vacated positions, we know that a coordinator can rocket up the list with some good years under his belt. So, who are the hot prospects among USFL coordinators? We have picked 5.
Sean McDermott: DC-Michigan
Jim Johnson gets a lot of the credit for the revival of defense in Michigan, but his DC, Sean McDermott is also being recognized as a key acolyte of Johnson’s philosophy and as an excellent defensive playcaller. Will he get a shot to break out on his own after following Johnson from Nashville to Michigan?
Pep Hamilton: OC Baltimore
One year does not a career make, but the explosive gains in Baltimore’s offense make for quite a one-year resume. Yes, Jim Caldwell is the main man, but the offense is Hamilton’s and it has turned Darrius Heyward-Bey from a draft bust into perhaps the breakout player of the game. Big Ben has never looked better, and the Blitz have a run game that does not have a star but still works like clockwork. There are plenty of teams that would love that kind of turnaround with a new coach.
Rick Dennison: OC Houston
Another club with a surprising offensive output, the Houston Gamblers have two rookies looking like MVP candidates and a veteran QB looking as good as he ever has. With Wade Philips clearly on the defensive side, the kudos are going to his OC, Dennison, and deservedly so.
Ernest Givens: OC New Orleans
That’s right, the USFL Hall of Fame WR and former Stallion great is getting a lot of kudos for the work he is doing in New Orleans under Lamar Lathon. Givens is only in his 2nd year as an OC after working his way up as a position coach, but the Breakers are proving to be a dynamic offense under his tutelage, especially the receiver group, with Early Doucet likely an All-USFL selection this year and very solid production from up and comer Kenny Britt.
Chuck Cecil: DC Los Angeles
Why would a defensive coordinator from a 5-10, fifth place Express team be getting looks? One number tells the story, 41 takeaways, the league’s best. Believe it or not Andy Reid’s team is actually in the Top 10 in scoring defense, and they lead the league in takeaways. Cecil is getting a lot of credit for that. The hardnosed former NFL safety is a no-nonsense taskmaster with his defense and there are plenty of teams who need the discipline, grit, and aggressiveness he has fostered in the Express D.
Adidas Announces 4 Teams for 2016 Redesign
As fans have already started snapping up new jerseys from the Generals, Machine, Stags, and the new San Diego and Las Vegas Vipers gear, the league and Adidas are already moving on to their next round of design updates. This week Adidas announced that 4 USFL squads will be getting an update in 2016. As we have seen in past years, some may just be tweaks, retaining much of the current look and all the current logos. Others may see new wordmarks, secondaries, and even occasionally a more dramatic transformation. So, who will the teams be that get a new coat of paint?
Adidas announced that Seattle, Charlotte, Denver and Ohio will be getting updates. This will be the first refresh for the Monarchs since they arrived in the league in 2008. Seattle was last updated in 2010, so there must be some desire within ownership to go in a new direction. Ohio was last updated in 2010 as well, and while we don’t expect them to move away from their updated logo, we do think they may try to recapture some of the magic of the early 2000’s with their refresh. Denver is the final club in the group. They had their last refresh in 2009, so they too have a relatively recent look. That said, the Gold are a team with a long history and a lot of nostalgia. Could we be seeing a return to the starburst logo or will the “Pick-D” remain the primary in the Mile High City.
We will get our answers during the 2015 season, with all looks revealed in time to have playoff teams wear the new look when they take the field, something we won’t see this year as the only newly-redesigned team in playoff position are the Thunder and no one believes that trotting out new San Diego uniforms would be a good idea for the team’s final action as the Las Vegas Thunder.
USFL’s Greatest Rivalries: Memphis v. Birmingham
There is just something about rivalry football in the South. Whether it is Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Georgia, or the Stallions and the Showboats, there is just a different vibe to it. Maybe it is the tailgating, where rival fans can go head to head over some barbecue. Maybe it is the heat and humidity. Or maybe it is just that the South loves its football and loves to get into it with a rival. Whatever the reason, the twice annual duel between Memphis and Birmingham is always a party and always a good game. Even when both teams are not at their best the fans come out in droves and the action on the field is always intense.
The two have been duking it out for Southern Pride ever since Memphis joined the league a year after the Stallions in 1987. They have played each other 64 times, including two Memphis playoff wins. The Showboats trail in the overall 30-34, but with both clubs having won titles, the debate over who is the top dog is a fierce one. The arrival of Brett Favre as a Showboat after winning a title as the Stallion QB only stoked the fires between these two big fanbases. Winning Memphis a second John Bassett trophy in 2007 only made the enmity between the two teams even more heated. Not that it needed any more heat. This is one of the best pro sports atmospheres in the country and a game that every USFL fan should try to attend at least once, even if both squads are not at their best right now.
Let’s get right to each matchup on this specially scheduled Week 16, because there is a lot on the line in a lot of these games.
SAT @ 12pm Philadelphia (12-3) @ Washington (7-8) ABC
A win and the Stars are the top seed in the East. A loss and they could drop to a 4 seed.
SAT @ 12pm Baltimore (11-4) @ Nashville (3-12) FOX Regional
Baltimore needs a win and a Stars loss to take the NE Division and the East’s top seed.
SAT @ 12pm New Jersey (5-10) @ New Orleans (11-4) FOX Regional
New Orleans is locked in and may be one of very few teams to rest their starters.
SAT @ 4pm Seattle (6-9) @ Oakland (9-6) ABC Regional
Oakland wins the Pacific Division with a win against the Dragons.
SAT @4pm Las Vegas (9-6) @ Dallas (4-11) ABC Regional
If Seattle upsets Oakland, the Thunder can finish their run in Vegas as a Division Winner.
SAT @4pm Pittsburgh (5-10) @ Memphis (5-10) FOX
This game has only pride on the line as two 10-loss teams face off.
SAT @ 8pm St. Louis (4-11) @ Michigan (9-6) NBC
Michigan locks up the Central Division and a bye week with a win.
SUN @ 12pm Charlotte (10-5) @ Atlanta (10-5) FOX Regional
The winner of this game has a slim chance to host a Wild Card game instead of being on the road.
SUN @ 12pm Orlando (8-7) @ Tampa Bay (11-4) FOX Regional
The Bandits need to avoid losing and possibly slipping out of a bye or even the Division title.
SUN @ 12pm Chicago (5-10) @ Jacksonville (0-15) ABC
Will the Bulls pull this one out and avoid a winless season?
SUN @ 4pm Portland (6-9) @ Los Angeles (5-10) ABC Regional
Two teams that underperformed now playing for pride in a game that few will attend.
SUN @ 4pm Texas (10-4-1) @ Birmingham (7-8) ABC Regional
The Outlaws need this win to lock up the SW Division and the West’s top seed.
SUN @ 4pm Ohio (8-6-1) @ Arizona (10-5) FOX
If Texas Falters, Arizona has a real shot to repeat as the West’s top seed, which no one else wants.
SUN @ 8pm Houston (9-5-1) @ Denver (9-5-1) ESPN/EFL
A playoff spot could be on the line, depending on what happens with Ohio and Las Vegas. No guarantee that either make the postseason so a win here is vital.
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