A fun week of USFL action with several close games, a couple of upsets, and some huge performances. We are beginning to see some trends develop, a couple concerning and others enticing. We are also seeing some performances that surprise us, whether it is veteran stars seemingly out of synch or newcomers showing their abilities early. That is a lot of the fun of the early season, seeing what unexpected surprises await us and how our preseason expectations can be turned upside down by new faces making an immediate impact. Join us as we take a look at all 14 games from this past weekend, preview the week to come, and give you all the updates on news from around the league, including the possible beginning of the end of Tebow-mania in Jacksonville and worries about the 2013 league MVP. We start with a rivalry as big as Texas, the Gamblers and the Outlaws facing off for the first time this season in our Game of the Week.
TEXAS OUTLAWS 26 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 24
We had a feeling this would be a good one, and we were right. A rivalry game, and two unbeatens going head-to-head, it rarely gets better than that. And yes, we realize that unbeaten in Week 3 is not quite the same as in Week 10, for example, but it still indicates that we have two teams who are feeling good about themselves, and about their chances, and that often leads to coaches taking more chances and counting on their players to make plays. And that is what we saw in this game.
This was a game with a lot of big performances, including another 100-yard day from rookie tailback Carlos Hyde, the first signs that halfback Chris Johnson still had some breakaway ability, rushing for 41 yards on only 4 carries (none longer than 13 yards), and a break out performance from a player who barely had a catch before this season, with WR Jordan Shipley notching the first score of the game with a 77-yard strike, and then adding three more catches for a total of 136 yards on the day.
Shipley, whose biggest play of his career came earlier this year with a 100-yard kick return for a score, is being worked more into the offense, and that became evident when Texas got possession after a Houston 3-and-out to start the game. On their very first play, Texas used play action to Felix Jones and Shipley was in man coverage. Flacco found him in stride and in just 9 seconds the Outlaws were on the board, a 77-yard scoring strike. It looks like the Outlaws may have found themselves a breakout player.
Houston responded, using their next drive to go 13 plays and show off one of their breakout performers, rookie Carlos Hyde. Hyde, who would finish the day with 30 carries for 101 yards, added another touchdown to his season with an 11-yard run to put Houston on the board at the end of their long drive. Houston would double their score and take the lead on their next possession, crossing from the 1st to the 2nd quarter before adding 7 with a Hasselbeck scoring toss to TE Vernon Davis. Four minutes later they would add three more to take a 17-7 lead. The Gamblers looked to be in control.
Despite trailing by 10, Texas did not panic, and took advantage of a Houston miscue to shift momentum. On a 2nd and 8, Matt Hasselbeck attempted a screen to backup HB Ben Tate. Tate was not ready for the ball when it came to him. It bounced off his shoulder, straight up, and was easy picking for LB Jonathan Moulton. Hard to blame Hasselbeck for the pick, but it was an interception that got the small but loud Texas contingent at NRG Stadium on their feet.
The Outlaws would use that turnover, deep in Houston territory, to spark what would become a 19-0 scoring streak. It began with the ensuing drive, which lasted only 5 plays before Kai Forbath added 3 points to pull Texas within 7 going into the half. The Outlaws would take the opening kick for the second half and use that drive to tie the game. Eleven plays, nine of them passes, and Texas evened the score as Flacco found Brandon Marshall from 7 yards out. It would be the only score of the quarter as both Houston and Texas got bogged down in their ensuing possessions.
Texas would get another positive play from their defense to open the 4th. After a solid Locke punt put the ball at the 3, Houston took a 1-yard loss on first down, and on second down, guard Kevin DeVan was called for holding in the endzone, the resulting safety gave Texas the lead at 16-14. They would not score on their ensuing possession but were again able to pin Houston deep in their end. The Gamblers managed to move the ball out of the shadow of their endzone but could not get past midfield. Texas again had possession and would add a score that would force Houston out of their run-first mentality and play catchup.
The drive took only 3:27 to complete, 7 plays, including a long completion to Shipley once again, and a nice 13-yard run by Johnson. It would end with rookie Terrance West getting a rare carry at the goalline, and diving over the pile to score, putting Texas up 9 points with 2:07 to play. Houston, held scoreless since the 9 minute mark of the 2nd quarter, would now need two scores in just over 2 minutes. The Gamblers would drive the ball into Texas territory, but in doing so burnt off a lot of time. As the announcers questioned whether or not it would be prudent to kick the field goal first and then try the onside kick with more time left, Coach Phillips stayed on course to get the touchdown.
Houston would get that touchdown, with Hasselbeck connecting with Vernon Davis a second time, but it came with only 32 seconds on the clock. An onsides kick and a very quick possession to get into field goal range would now be needed. Coach Landry put his hands team on the field, and had Shipley back deep, just in case the Gamblers did kick deep. They didn’t. The onside kick took the desired high hop, but when WR Mike Sims-Walker first touched it, seeking the quick recovery, he was not yet 10 yards down field, so the Gamblers were called for the penalty and had to rekick from five yards deeper. On the rekick, Texas safety Terrance Holt fell on the ball, and the Outlaws were able to take a knee to end the game and escape Houston with a win. Texas would move to 3-0 and Houston would suffer a tough loss to their biggest rival.
LAS VEGAS 27 OAKLAND 41
A shootout by the Bay that was close through most of 3 quarters before the homestanding Invaders went on a 17-0 run that put them ahead for good. Both Joey Harrington and Jake Plummer went off, but Plummer’s 4 picks were a huge factor in Oakland’s late surge. Plummer would throw for 425 yards and 2 scores, but 3 second half picks led to 17 points for the Invaders, helping them build a 31-20 lead that Las Vegas could not surpass.
POTG: Oakland QB Joey Harrington: 27/32, 366 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int.
NASHVILLE 10 TAMPA BAY 34
Both offense and defense came up big for the Bandits at home, despite Daunte Culpepper missing the game due to shoulder stiffness after a collision in Friday’s practice. B. J. Daniels got the start and threw for 192 and 2 scores before he got dinged up, bringing in Ryan Lindley, who threw for 155, both with no turnovers. Both Vincent Jackson and Santonio Holmes went over 100 yards as the Nashville D simply had no answers, and their offense could only muster 18 yards rushing with Hardesty and Oliver.
POTG: Tampa WR Vincent Jackson: 7 Rec, 170 Yds.
MICHIGAN 20 ATLANTA 36
A big first half gave Atlanta a 27-7 advantage at the break, and they held on to down the Panthers at the Georgia Dome. Steven Jackson and Marcus Lattimore combined for 27 carries and 149 yards rushing to power the Fire. Michigan got 107 from LeVeon Bell, but struggled in the passing game, with Kirk Cousins throwing for only 167 despite trailing most of the game. Cousins threw only 1 pick, but it was a big one, a pick-six to LB Luke Kuechley that put them down 21-7.
POTG: Atlanta LB Luke Kuechley: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.
ST. LOUIS 21 PORTLAND 38
Josh Freeman got his first start of the season after a bad flu kept him out of Weeks 1-2, but he did not look fully himself, and neither did the Skyhawks in general. Portland came out strong, with Matt McGloin throwing for 2 scores and the run game of Stewart (84 yds) and Blount (25), added 3 scores as Portland pulled away to earn their first win in the battle of winless clubs. St. Louis now drops to 0-3 and have questions on both sides of the ball.
POTG: Portland HB Jonathan Stewart: 26 Att, 84 Yds, 2 TD, 8 Rec, 29 Yds.
PITTSBURGH 17 SEATTLE 20
A hard-fought game in the rain between the Dragons and Maulers. Pittsburgh’s Dalton threw for 319 yards but could not muster a late drive to overtake the Dragons. Cadillac Williams was the key for the Dragons, rushing for 100 even and adding the game winner midway through the final period. The Dragon D focused on the run, limiting Ronnie Brown to only 9 carries before a hamstring took him out of the game. Backup Toby Gerhardt averaged only 2.6 yards per carry in his first major action in the USFL.
POTG: Seattle CB Desmond Truffant: 7 Tck, 1 Blocked Punt.
WASHINGTON 16 BALTIMORE 14
Both defenses bent but would not break in this slobberknocker of a game. Deuce McCallister powered the Feds with 142 yards on 23 carries, while Anthony Dixon rushed for 90 yards on 15 carries for Baltimore. The star of the game was CB Jimmy Williams of Washington, who picked off Big Ben not once, not twice, but three times in the game. Roethlisberger finished with 4 picks on the day, including on the final play of the game, a Hail Mary that produced Williams’s third of the day.
POTG: Washington CB Jimmy Williams: 2 Tck, 3 Int.
BIRMINGHAM 30 MEMPHIS 10
Memphis fans were despondent as they watched Matt Cassel miss on 17 of his 30 pass attempts. Birmingham was able to fill the box against the run, unthreatened by Cassel, and pulled ahead early, thanks to a 20 of 29, 252-yard game for Cam Newton. Memphis went 0 for 10 on third down, and simply did not threaten, their only TD coming late in the game when the outcome was already well-established.
POTG: Birmingham DT Brandon Williams: 3 Tck, 3 Sck, 1 FF.
PHILADELPHIA 30 ORLANDO 14
The Stars got Matt Gutierrez back, and their QB provided stability, while HB Steve Slaton provided 114 yards and 2 scores to power Philadelphia to the road win. Russel Wilson was removed fro the game early after suffering a blow to the head. In his absence, rookie Connor Shaw went 14 of 21 for 115 yards and a TD, but it was not enough for Orlando to keep pace with the Stars.
POTG: Philadelphia HB Steve Slaton: 21 Att, 114 Yds, 2 TD
LOS ANGELES 35 NEW JERSEY 14
A stunned crowd in the Meadowlands watched as Reggie Bush combined 89 rush yards with 39 receiving and 2 scores and LA manhandled the favored Generals. Sam Bradford was picked off 3 times on a rough day for the Generals’ passing game. All in all, the Generals committed 6 turnovers in a sloppy performance that saw 3 picks and 3 fumbles end New Jersey drives.
POTG: LA linebacker Keith Rivers: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.
JACKSONVILLE 12 OHIO 33
Jacksonville falls to 0-3 with another sloppy performance from Tim Tebow, throwing 4 picks to the Ohio defense. Chris Weinke was much more effective with the ball, throwing for 3 scores and no interceptions, all 3 scores going to his favorite target, Steve Smith. Free Safety Jim Leonhard came up big one week after we pointed him out as a player to watch, picking off 2 Tebow throws and returning one for six points, his first career pick-six.
POTG: Ohio safety Jim Leonhard: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD.
CHARLOTTE 17 CHICAGO 27
Chicago rebounded from their shocker of a loss last week, building a 27-3 lead over Charlotte before the 2nd string gave up two late scores. Brady Quinn had a solid day, going 15 of 20 with 2 scores and no picks, but it was the run game of Doug Martin that had the Charlotte defense turned around all game. Martin finished with 166 yards rushing as he spun, juked, and plowed through the Charlotte defenders.
POTG: Chicago HB Doug Martin: 24 Att, 166 Yds, 2 TDs.
DENVER 28 DALLAS 21
Dallas is proving a tough opponent, but Denver found a way late , thanks to two Golden Tate TDs in the final quarter. Johnny Manziel was greeted by a huge ovation in his first home start, and responded with a 21 of 26, 2 TD game, despite throwing for only 180 yards. Where Dallas struggled was on run defense, with Denver’s DeMarco Murray slashing them for 130 yards and 2 scores and backup LeMichael James adding another 81 to give Denver a whopping 218 on the ground. That run game freed up the play action pass, which is how Leinart found Tate on both TDs, both within the 10-yard line.
POTG: Denver HB DeMarco Murray: 21 Att, 130 Yds, 2 TD.
ARIZONA 7 NEW ORLEANS 27
A rough day for the Wrangler offense as New Orleans showed off their defensive abilities at home. David Carr was sacked 5 times by the Breakers and Frank Gore rushed for only 45 yards on 17 carries as the Breakers won a statement game. Both Mike Tolbert and Jeremy Hill had 17 carries apiece as the Breakers used a ground and pound strategy against the Wrangler D. Tolbert finished with 96 yards and a score, Hill added 43 and a TD of his own in the Breaker win.
POTG: Breaker DE Ty Warren: 8 Tck, 2 Sck.
Should Wranglers be Worried About Frank Gore?
In a week that produced a lot of “Should” questions, one of the biggest is if Arizona should be worried that Frank Gore, at age 33, has hit the HB cliff. After toting the rock a career high 380 times in the Wranglers’ 2013 title winning season, Gore has not looked like the same back in 2014. The 2013 MVP has rushed for 66, 26, and 45 yards in three games this season. With Gore struggling to make the kind of key runs and convert first downs the Wrangler offense has struggled in both the 16-13 loss to Denver and this week’s loss in New Orleans. In their 40-6 explosion against Seattle, Gore was almost an afterthought, rushing for only 26 yards.
It is not uncommon to see running backs transition quickly from effective and dangerous to plodding and ineffective. Arizona fans are certainly hoping that is not the case with Gore, but many are calling for Coach Tomsula to spell the 33-year-old back with rookie Ka’Deem Carey or 3-year vet Stevan Ridley, both to improve the run game with more diversity, but also to allow Gore to rest more and be more productive with his carries. Whether or not the slow start represents an age-related decline in Gore’s physicality or just a need for the back to play a different role in the gameplan, what is clear is that the Arizona offense is not exactly what we saw in last year’s championship run and Coach Tomsula is going to need to adapt if he hopes to repeat.
Should Jacksonville Bench Tebow?
This question was all over Florida sports-talk radio this week after the former Gator threw 4 picks against Ohio. Tebow, who has been a bit pick-prone his entire career, is now sitting on a 1:6 TD:INT ratio, a number that rarely accompanies a “franchise” starter. This follows three straight years of 15 or more picks (19 in 2011, 20 in 2012, and 15 in 2013). While Tebow’s yardage numbers as well as number of attempts has been near the top of the league, it is the constant threat of interception that has Tebow sitting at a mediocre career QB Rating of 75.3.
The problem, of course, is that for many Bulls fans, the majority of whom are also Florida Gator diehards, the blame cannot be put on Tebow. For them the charismatic QB cannot be the target of their disappointment or anger. They had originally put the blame on a lack of targets for their QB, then on Coach Leslie Frazier’s offense, and now, despite Jacksonville bringing in an offensive-minded coach in Mike Nolan, and having added weapons like WRs Jeremy Kerley, Andre Caldwell and Sinorice Moss and NFL TE Kellen Winslow II in the offseason, the fans are still trying to explain away Tebow’s accuracy issues as the result of some other team failing.
The question now is if Coach Nolan will tolerate the gaffs and turnovers due to the pressure within the team and community to raise up Tebow, or if he will look for another option. For this year he may not have many options as neither Josh McCown nor Chase Daniel seem likely to supplant Tebow as the starter. And with Tebow recently getting an extension through 2016, he may also be a hard player to move in the offseason as well. So, what are Nolan and the Bulls to do? Do they pull the QB? Change his offensive reads? Try to push the ball more to Lamar Miller and a largely ineffective run game? Not a good position for the new head coach to be sure.
Should St. Louis Panic?
Another good question after the Skyhawks dropped to 0-3. Now, in part we can look at this and say that the two games with Ricky Stanzi at the helm likely don’t reflect the quality of the team as a whole. And while it is concerning that the defense gave up 49 points in those two games, the bigger concern has to be that with Josh Freeman back under center, the Skyhawks not only failed to look any better on offense, but also gave up 38 points to a pretty shaky Portland offense.
There were problems we expected coming into this season. Trying to replace their top WR, Taylor Jacobs, off to the NFL, was one of them. The fact that after three weeks, Eric Weems is the leading receiver for the Skyhawks should be a concern. There were also concerns about the defense, and we are seeing those manifest, both in the team’s rankings (26th in points allowed, 26th in rushing yards allowed, and 23rd in total yards allowed), what may be more concerning is that St. Louis is dead last in QB pressures and in sacks, with a total of 4. That lack of pressure has made it easier for teams to sustain drives, convert on third down, and score more.
While it may be too early for a full-on panic attack in St. Louis, the signs are there that this Skyhawk club may be more like the team that struggled to an 8-8 finish in 2013 than the team that rocketed to a league title only a year earlier.
Should Texas Be Cocky?
Here too we would advise caution. Yes, at 3-0 and having just beaten their arch-rival, the 2-0, now 2-1, Houston Gamblers, things are looking up in San Antonio. Add to this the fact that the Arizona Wranglers now sit at 1-2, a full 2 games back, and you can understand why fans of the Outlaws might be feeling a bit of bravado right now. However, when we look at the numbers, there should be some concerns around the Outlaw camp.
The Outlaws have the 3rd ranked scoring offense, averaging 25.7 points per game, but it is all dependent on Joe Flacco and the passing game. Flacco is averaging 313 yards a game (2nd best in the league), but the run game is dead last, with only 35.7 yards per game. The Outlaws are hoping to see Chris Johnson build on his early struggles, but so far, with only 52 yards in 2 games of limited snaps, he is not looking much like the player who rushed for 2,000 in the NFL.
Another potential concern is a defense that is ranked 21st in the league in points allowed (23 per game), despite being 6th overall in yardage. That discrepancy is a tricky one. While you certainly want to see your defense limiting offensive production in terms of yardage, giving up 23 points per game is not usually what we would consider a top tier defense, and even with the strong production of the passing game, that could be a sign of future issues.
So, if you are an Outlaw fan, be happy for the quick start, but hope to see some progress in both the run game and the scoring defense. If Texas can get those two areas within the top half of the league, they could be a very tough team to deal with. If they cannot, then they are vulnerable.
Should Las Vegas Trade Chad Johnson?
Our last “Should” question is about Chad Johnson. His numbers are outstanding, his on-field skill undeniable, but he is, without a doubt, a major distraction for a team that has more than their share of distractions already. Despite a very strong 303 yards in 3 games (you can figure out the average for yourself), and despite Las Vegas having the top yardage offense (391 YPG) and the top passing offense (335.7 YPG), they still sit at only 1-2 on the year, having lost both road games so far this season.
Now, we would be the first to point out that a lot of the blame for this falls on their 27th ranked scoring defense, giving up nearly 32 points per game and allowing over 420 yards per outing as well. And we certainly see that Plummer to Johnson (and others) has been very successful while Marshawn Lynch’s run game has not (averaging just over 50 yards per game), we still cannot help but feel that the constant berating of his club, their owners, and the play calling by Johnson is a problem. Johnson has always had a larger-than-life personality, and in many cases, it has seemed to help him, but the current situation in Las Vegas feels very much like one that can only lead to resentment, dissent in the locker room, and an eventual collision of wills. This can be avoided, but it will take ownership and Coach LeBeau to decide that the production on the field is not worth the production happening off the field.
A bad week on the injury front as we see our longest injury report of the year, including two newly shuttered players added to IR and gone for the year. Atlanta will be without their 3rd down back, J. J. Arrington after a nasty injury that resulted in a full break of the tibia on his left leg. In St. Louis, safety Dominique Barber had to be carted off the field with what was determined to be a fracture in his pelvic bone, a tough injury to recover from even on a long-term time frame. Others likely to miss major action include 2nd year guard Chance Warmack in Arizona, Birmingham’s lead rusher Joseph Addai could be out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring tear, and former Wolverine, Jacksonville tackle Taylor Lewan will now miss a major portion of his rookie year after suffering a neck injury that is expected to require at least a 4-week recovery period.
OUT
HB J. J. Arrington ATL Broken Leg IR
FS Dominique Barber STL Broken Hip IR
G Chance Warmack ARZ ACL 6-8 Weeks
HB Joseph Addai BIR Hamstring 4-6 Weeks
OT Taylor Lewan JAX Neck 4-6 Weeks
WR Robert Meachem NSH Hand 1-2 Weeks
FB Justin Green CHA Hamstring 1-2 Weeks
DE Jevon Kearse CHA Hamstring 1-2 Weeks
G Kyle DeVan HOU Pinched nerve 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
DE Jarius Wynn BIR Hernia
FS Tyrell Johnson NSH Wrist
TE Anthony Hill CHI Knee
CB Devin McCourty NJ Concussion
C Chris Spencer NOR Ankle
DT Clifton Ryan MGN Concussion
TE Greg Olsen ORL Neck
QUESTIONABLE
DT Ricky Jean-Francois NOR Flu
G Mitch Petrus OHI Miniscus
SS Shane Welton CHA Pinched nerve
WR Johnny Knox JAX Shoulder
FS Nate Allen ARZ Eye
Surprise Starts Both Good & Bad
As we look around the league, we notice that several players who were being counted on as key figures in their team’s success have struggled to get up to speed, while others who many thought would have only a bit part have emerged as potential break out players. We have selected 5 of each to highlight this year’s fast and slow starts.
Fast Start: HB Rashard Mendenhall, DAL
While we certainly felt that Mendenhall would again toy with another 1,000-yard season in 2014, what we have seen in Dallas’s first three games is a back who looks like he could contend for the rushing title this year. Coach Sherman’s emphasis on the run as a way to ease Johnny Manziel into his starting role is certainly a factor, but when you put up nearly 270 yards (90 per game) in the first three weeks, it is noticed.
Slow Start: HB Frank Gore, ARZ
We already discussed the concerns about Gore’s production above, but it bears repeating that the 2nd year Wrangler and 9th year pro is off to one of his slowest starts ever. His per carry average is a shockingly low 2.6 yards per attempt. He is averaging only 50 yards per game, and there is real concern that this is not just a slow start but the new normal. When last year’s MVP is currently ranked 23rd in rushing yards, you wonder if perhaps he was overused last year.
Fast Start: TE Kevin Everett, LV
We are not exactly sure what has happened the last 2 weeks, but it seems that either Coach LeBeau, or QB Jake Plummer suddenly discovered they have a quality receiving tight end on the roster. After a pedestrian 2 catches for 6 yards in Week 1, Everett has exploded over the past 2 weeks, racking up 146 yards and a TD in Week 2 and then repeating that effort with 146 yards and a score against Oakland this weekend. With defenders having to account for Las Vegas’s two outstanding outside targets, Everett is often in single coverage with either a safety or a linebacker, and that makes him a choice target. I guess the question now is why it has taken everyone so long to see him there.
Slow Start: TE Coby Fleener, NOR
For a receiver who turned a 51-catch, 520-yard rookie season into a 61-catch, 740-yard sophomore season, the expectation was high that Fleener would be a central part of the Breaker offense in 2014. So, what have we seen so far this season? How about one target, one catch, and 10 yards. That is a bit insane on the surface. We cannot blame Fleener, since it seems clear that Brees is not looking his way, but the question is why? Is he not getting open? Is Coach Lathon pushing the ball downfield? The stats seem to indicate that something else is happening. Yes, New Orleans uses a lot of 3-receiver sets, but what is even odder is that both backups, Joel Dreesen (obtained from Oakland) and Shawn Nelson both have more targets and more catches. It seems that either team is focusing on Fleener and taking him out of plays, or something has caused either Lathon, Brees, or both to sour on the Stanford product.
Fast Start: WR Jordan Shipley, TEX
Who? What? Where did he come from? That is what you hear when people see Jordan Shipley listed 5th among all receivers in yardage. The 5th year receiver went his first 2 seasons without ever getting a single target, then had only 3 in 2012 and 1 in 2013. He was honestly seen as more of a return man than anything, but after a season opening kick return for touchdown, it seems Coach Landry has decided he needs to put the ball into Shipley’s hands more often. Shipley had 4 receptions in that first week and has added 7 more since then. His 4-reception, 136-yard, 1 TD game this week was by far his biggest production day to date. In a Texas offense that also includes Marques Colston, Brandon Marshall, and Marquise Goodwin as outside receivers, it seems the Outlaws have found a diamond in the rough. It just took them 4 years to find him.
Slow Start: WR Jeremy Kerley, JAX
Kerley was brought to the Bulls to be their designated slot man. That was the role he had taken on for the Houston Gamblers, where he had 77 targets and 36 receptions last year. Our expectation was that Coach Nolan, and the Bulls were going to try to use Kerley to break man coverage against the outside receivers and to free up Jason Whitten in single coverage. Well, with only 2 targets ad 1 catch so far this year, that appears to not be the case. Whitten is doing fine, second on the team with 14 receptions, but Kerley has barely seen the field. Another free agent signing, Sinorice Moss, has had 16 more targets as a slot receiver than Kerley, leading many to believe that Kerley could be sent to the practice squad or let go unless he can prove himself.
Fast Start: DE Cliff Avril, OAK
With 5 sacks in only 3 games, Avril is on pace to surpass 25 sacks this season, far surpassing his personal best in 2013 of 18 sacks. Now, as a player who had that many sacks last year, we likely should have seen a potential fast start coming, but we were also looking at his teammate Justin Smith, who finished last year with double digit sacks, but the truth is that Avril outpaced Smith last year and is on a tear to open 2014 as well.
Slow Start: DE Barkevious Mingo, JAX
Not that we want to pile on the negatives for the 0-3 Bulls, after already questioning QB Tim Tebow’s production and the use of Kerley as a receiver, but Mingo came into last year as the expected Jacksonville answer to Calais Campbell (perhaps too much to ask). He had a strong rookie season, finishing with 10 sacks, but after 3 weeks in 2014 he has a grand total of 2 tackles and 1 sack. That is not the production expected of a top draft pick, especially not one with Mingo’s credentials.
Fast Start: LB Brian Cushing, PIT
Cushing has been a solid player for the Maulers since they drafted him out of USC and has had two outstanding seasons in 2011 and 2012 with 115 and 119 tackles in those two years, but after an injury-shortened 2013, there were questions about his return to action this year. Those now seem unwarranted as Cushing has racked up 26 tackles and 2 sacks in just the first three games of the year, well on pace for personal bests in both categories. It seems that the arrival of Paul Posluszny and the shift from MLB to strongside OLB has been a very positive one for the former Trojan.
Slow Start: LB Wali Rainier, STL
It seems that Wali Rainier’s career may be on the edge after he was demoted this week, replaced as a starter by Brandon Siler. After recording four straight 100-tackle seasons for St. Louis between 2007-2010, Rainier’s numbers have dipped each of the past 3 seasons and this year, with only 5 tackles in the first three games and some clear evidence that he may not have the quickness needed any longer, Coach Arians made the call and promoted Siler over Rainier for Week 4. That may not just be a slow start, that may sadly be the sign that the 15-year vet should consider the next phase of his life.
USFL Reveals 2015-2017 Summer Bowl Sites
We are three weeks along the “Road to Atlanta” for Summer Bowl 2014, but now excitement will build in 3 other cities as they found out this week that they too will be hosting a Summer Bowl in the next few years. No surprise that the league retained its rotation across the league’s six divisions. Following a SW Summer Bowl in Denver last year and this year’s SE Division hosting of the game, it moves to the Pacific Division as Los Angeles will host the league’s title game for the 3rd time, the second in Carson’s Farmers Insurance Field.
Following the West Coast swing, the Summer Bowl will head back East, to the Meadowlands, as New Jersey will play host in Met Life Stadium in 2016. This will be the NY Tri-State Area’s third Summer Bowl, but the first in the new stadium that plays host to the Giants, Jets, and Generals.
And, after two coastal jaunts, the Summer Bowl will hit the heartland in the summer of 2017 as the Michigan Panthers and Ford Field play host to the event. This will be the first USFL title game in Michigan since 1989 and the first at Ford Field.
The league announced the three sites during ESPN’s weekly USFL Prime Time pregame show on Sunday. During the announcement, no logos for the upcoming games were presented, though league officials have said that the LA’15 logo will be revealed in the coming weeks. For now these cities will begin preparations for the week-long celebration and the biggest game of the summer while the 28 USFL franchises are still striving to reach Atlanta and Summer Bowl ’14.
Rivalry Countdown: Number 13: The War on 94.
As with so many of our top rivalries, our 13th choice, dubbed The War on 94 after the highway that connects the two midwestern cities, is a divisional rivalry, where the bad blood gets fueled twice a year. Many may think that the Central Division does not spur the hottest rivalries. The cities have too many sports teams to centralize a single 2-team pair as a diehard rivalry, or the two teams are rarely good at the same time. All of this is true to a point.
Chicago and Michigan have a rivalry based largely on trying to out-position each other within the division. With Ohio, St. Louis and Pittsburgh also all finding success during different periods, the battles between the Machine and the Panthers have often been battles for a Wild Card, occasionally for a division title, but rarely for league dominance. It is also true that the Chicago-Detroit duality is most heated when both cities have a strong team, best seen in the rivalries between the Bears and Lions, Blackhawks and Redwings or Bulls and Pistons. The same is true in the USFL. Chicagoans are just as likely to list St. Louis as their top rival as Michiganders might point to the Ohio Glory. A lot depends on when they are playing each other and how each team is faring in that season.
What we can say about this rivalry is that when it is on, it is on in a big way. The rivalry has been an even one over the decades since the Windy City got a 2nd team in 1987. Following the sale and relocation of the Chicago Blitz, the league quickly acted to put a team back in the 3rd largest market in the nation, and with that the Machine-Panther rivalry could begin to bear fruit. Since 1987, when both teams began in the Central Division, they have played 48 times, and despite the Panthers holding a 3-0 edge in league titles over the Machine, it is Chicago who holds the slight advantage in their rivalry. The Machine have won 24 regular season matchups to Michigan’s 23, and in their two playoff matches, each has won one, with Michigan victorious in 2008 while Chicago won the first meeting in the 1994 Divisionals.
The two will renew their rivalry again next week in Soldier Field, with Chicago sitting at 2-1 and Michigan at 1-2. They will meet for a second time in Week 11.
Seven divisional matchups highlight the Week 4 schedule. We have battles in every division including Ohio v. St. Louis and Chicago v. Michigan in the Central. Every division has at least one divisional game, with New Jersey visiting Pittsburgh in the NE Division, Orlando at Charlotte in the Southeast, Birmingham and Nashville, both hoping to return to .500, clashing in the South, Dallas visiting the unbeaten Texas Outlaws in the SW Division, and a Cascade Clash as Seattle heads to Portland on Saturday.
But, despite the nice divisional clashes, there are a few other games that we would classify as “must catch” games, including a battle of 2-1 clubs on Friday night as Atlanta heads up the coast to face the Stars in Philadelphia. Saturday’s Oakland-Denver and Tampa Bay-New Orleans games also feature matchups of 2-1 clubs, with one headed to 3-1 in each. Sunda also has an intriguing matchup in LA as the Gamblers come to town. Finally, we are intrigued to see what the scene will be in Las Vegas. The Thunder report sales of nearly 28,000 even before the same day walk up sales, but we are suspicious that there is a major contingent of Federal fans who are making the trip out to Vegas to watch their squad. It may also be the case that the 50% off discounted tickets for military personnel was an effective marketing tool for Las Vegas. We will see on Sunday when the two face each other at Sam Boyd Stadium.
FRI @ 8pm ET Atlanta (2-1) @ Philadelphia (2-1) NBC
SAT @ 12pm ET Ohio (2-1) @ St. Louis (0-3) ABC
SAT @ 12pm ET Birmingham (1-2) @ Nashville (1-2) FOX
SAT @ 4pm ET Oakland (2-1) @ Denver (2-1) ABC
SAT @ 4pm ET Memphis (1-2) @ Arizona (1-2) FOX
SAT @ 7pm ET Tampa Bay (2-1) @ New Orleans (2-1) NBC
SAT @ 9pm ET Seattle (2-1) @ Portland (1-2) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12pm ET Baltimore (2-1) @ Jacksonville (0-3) ABC Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET New Jersey (2-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-2) ABC Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Orlando (2-1) @ Charlotte (1-2) FOX
SUN @ 4pm ET Dallas (1-2) @ Texas (3-0) ABC
SUN @ 4pm ET Washington (2-1) @ Las Vegas (1-2) FOX Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Houston (2-1) @ Los Angeles (1-2) FOX Regional
SUN @ 8pm ET Chicago (2-1) @ Michigan (1-2) ESPN/EFN
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