2014 USFL Week 6 Recap: Stallions Edge Wranglers with 21-Point 4th Quarter.

A big week for blowouts as we saw 5 games with a 14-point or larger margin, including some lopsided divisional games with statement victories by Philadelphia, Houston, and New Orleans.  But it was also a good week for some drama, as we saw in Birmingham’s comeback win over Arizona, Denver’s battle in Seattle, and Tampa Bay’s tight victory over rival Orlando.  Quarterback play is key, as it always seems to be, with some teams getting outstanding performances from their stars and others struggling either with inconsistency or with backups who just are not stepping up.   So, in other words, a pretty standard week for the “more fun league”, as we head towards midseason.   We will recap all the action,  talk about a couple of trades as teams try to remedy their issues, and give you our assessment of the 2014 season theories that have some life and those that are just blowing smoke.  All that plus two teams reveal their looks for 2015, including the once-leaked and now confirmed San Diego Thunder design.   All right here, so don’t go anywhere.

ARIZONA WRANGLERS 34   BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 37

This was not a game we had circled on our calendars, but the  Birmingham Stallions sure did.  For them, a game against the defending league champions was a benchmark for their season, a chance to show that they could beat an elite team, even if Arizona was only 3-2 this year.  For them it was a chance to prove to themselves that they were a contender.  For Arizona it may well have been a trap game, coming off their defeat of Texas to pull within 1 game of first place, and could also have found the Wranglers looking ahead to a Week 8 matchup against the now 5-1 Houston Gamblers.  So, two teams with very different levels of focus.

What the game showed us was twofold, first that a Birmingham offense that has struggled for much of the year, could rise to the occasion, and second, that Arizona’s defense still has not returned to their outstanding 2013 form.  Both offenses put up huge numbers this week, as Arizona racked up a whopping 473 yards of total offense, with 432 coming off the arm of David Carr, while Birmingham had a more moderate 333 yards, but showed resilience with 2 scores in the final period, a wild 4th quarter.

The game started very much in favor of the Wranglers.  After each team had a 3-and-out on their first possession, Arizona found success on their second with a 67-yard drive that culminated in an 18-yard TD toss from Carr to Fitzgerald.  This would be the start to a career game for the Wrangler wideout, finishing with 5 catches for 161  yards, and making him one of three receivers for Arizona to go over 100 yards on this most prolific passing day.  Gronkowski would add 105 and Bryant, who is coming into his own as the number two receiver, would add 111. 

Arizona would get the ball back quickly and add a field goal before Birmingham started to show signs of offensive life.  As the 1st quarter wound down, the Stallions put together a solid drive, helped by a couple of nice runs from Marion Barber, starting in place of Joseph Addai, and Barber would finish off the drive with the 3-yard TD score. 10-7 Arizona after one quarter.

Birmingham would equalize the score on their next drive, with Garrett Hartley kicking a 33-yarder to even things up, but late in the quarter, the Wranglers would again find their way deep into Stallion territory, This time it was more balanced, with Frank Gore and Ka’Deem Carey both breaking off 10+ yard runs before Gore scored on a goalline push.  Gore would finish the game with 107 yards, and a 4.9 YPC average, one of his better games this year.  Carey would also look dangerous, averaging 7.2 yards on 5 carries. 

Down 17-10 at the half, Birmingham was still very much in the game, though they were struggling to contain the Wrangler offense.  That struggle continued, when Arizona took their first drive of the second half down the field again and Carey juked past a defender to score on a 12-yard touchdown run, putting Arizona up 24-10. 

This could have been a breaking point for the Stallions, but proved to be a moment for QB Cam Newton.  Newton has not been running as much as in past years, but with his receviers covered on a 2nd and 6, and with the line creating a gap in the pocket right in front of him, Newton took off.  What followed was a brilliant 64-yard TD run that saw the former Auburn QB stiff arm one defender and fake out another on his way to the endzone.  The run electrified the Birmingham crowd of nearly 53,000, and helped put the Stallions back in range of Arizona, now down only 7.  What was to come was a 4th quarter that would see 31 points put up on the board and a wild swing as Birmingham would score 21 points in only 7 minutes.

It began early in the quarter with another long Arizona drive, one that included a 46-yard pass to Bryant, stalling in the red zone and producing another Parson field goal.  Birmingham was down 10 with 13 minutes to go, but they too put up a long drive, and in only 3:33, they were back again, scoring on a Newton to Inman pass to pull within 3. Arizona would need to keep passing as they had all day to keep ahead of a determined Stallion team.

That need to keep passing will eventually lead to a mistake, and that mistake came only 18 seconds later, when David Carr missed on a throw to Gronk, putting the ball behind him and in perfect position for LB DeMeco Ryans, Birmingham’s best defender to snatch it and return it 32 yards for the go ahead touchdown.  It was a stunning moment, a huge game-shifter, and another crowd pleaser.  Birmingham would have their first lead of the game with only 9:48 left to play. 

Arizona got the ball back, and now passing was truly a requirement.  They mixed the passes up with Gore runs, and moved the ball well, but the drive bogged down at the 31, and again they brought Elliot Parson out to add 3 points, but this time their kicker could not come through and the ball sailed to the left of the goalpost.  Birmingham would have the ball back at the 38.  They would use that field position to again strike at the seemingly tired Wrangler defense.  An 8-yard run by Danny Woodhead, a 9-yarder from Barber, short passes to Holloway and Edelman, and a nice scramble for 10 by Newton would bring the ball into the redzone. Once there, Birmingham was determined to boost their lead to 10, forcing Arizona to score twice.  With the ball at the 6, the Stallions called for an option play with Newton, rolling him out to his right with 2 receivers crossing the endzone.  He could run or throw, depending on the defense’s reaction.  Arizona feared Newton’s running ability and that left room for the QB to find Chris Chambers in the endzone.  The Stallions now lead by 10, 37-27 with only 3:33 left to go.

Arizona would race on their next drive, giving up on the run entirely and hitting receivers all over the field.  It was an impressive drive, and one that went far too quickly for Birmingham’s liking.  They would use only 1:13 on the drive before Carr found Domenic Hixon for the score.  That left them 2:01 to play and they would be down only 3.  Would they onside kick this or send the ball deep?  Coach Tomsula decided to trust his defense, shaky as it had been on that day, and sent the ball deep, hoping to get better field position after a Birmingham punt.   Problem was, in order for them to punt, you had to stop their offense.

The Stallions, seeing that Arizona was overloading the box, played that to their advantage.  A screen to Woodhead garnered 11 yards on first down, forcing Arizona to use their last time out.  A Barber run on 1st gained 2 and killed 37 seconds, a designed Newton roll-out on 2nd down gained another 5 and killed 38 seconds.  Third and 3 and a first down would give Birmingham the game.  The Stallions put the ball in Barber’s hands again, and the back did what you have a big back to do, he carried defenders past the line to gain and into a new first down.  One kneel down later and the Stallions had their victory.  Arizona would drop to 3-3, Birmingham would rise to 3-3, which, in the Southern Division was good enough for 2nd place and only 1 game back of New Orleans.  For Arizona, 3-3 put them 2 games back of the division leaders and a game back of 3rd place Denver. 

TAMPA BAY 31   ORLANDO 24

In a game the Renegades really felt they needed to have, they just came up short as once again Tampa Bay mounts a huge comeback.  Down 24-14 at the end of 3, the Bandits get 4th quarter touchdowns from Jahvid Best and Luke Stocker, then add a late Nate Kaeding field goal to steal this one out from under Orlando, despite a huge 5-sack game from Calais Campbell.  Jahvid Best was insane in this game, rushing for 77 yards and catching 2 touchdown passes from Culpepper.

POTG: Orlando DE Calais Campbell: 7 Tck, 5 Sck, 1 FF

PITTSBURGH 13   PHILADELPHIA 34

The Stars move to 5-1 with a complementary game from all angles, limiting Pittsburgh to 239 total yards while racking up 448 themselves.  Matt Gutierrez threw for 307 and 2 scores.  Steve Slaton rushed for 105 and a TD and the defense limited the Mauler run game to only 74 total yards.  It was a pretty thorough victory by the favorites to win the division.

POTG: Stars QB Matt Gutierrez: 24/31, 307 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int

DALLAS 7   HOUSTON 30

Houston cruises to victory with a balanced attack that saw Matt Hasselbeck throw for only 131, Carlos Hyde rush for only 74 yards, and Mike Evans only have 3 catches.  But, with the big 3 somewhat limited, we saw Ben Tate run for 2 scores and Mike Sims-Walker score as well.  Add to that a nice defensive game that had Johnny Manziel picked off twice and held Rashard Mendenhall to 55 yards on the ground and you get a 23-point margin of victory. 

POTG: Houston HB Ben Tate: 12 Att, 44 Yds, 2 TD

NASHVILLE 7   TEXAS 47

Cody Pickett’s first start of the season is not an easy one as he gets no help from his run game or his defense.  Joe Flacco again goes off for 404 yards and 4 TDs in a dominant performance.  Felix Jones and Chris Johnson show signs of life for the run game, with the two combining for 168 yards and 2 TDs, with Hasselbeck adding TD tosses to Colston, Shipley, and Chris Cooley (2).  And we have to point out Colston’s day, because it was insane. He had only 6 catches but racked up 238 yards with those 6 balls, averaging nearly 40 yards per catch. 

POTG: Outlaws WR Marques Colston: 6 Rec, 238 Yds, 1 TD

BALTIMORE 35   WASHINGTON 24

The Blitz come down to DC and get a win that has Federal fans worried.  Baltimore improves to 4-2 and the Feds drop to 2-4 as Ben Roethlisberger throws for 297 and 3 TDs. Add another nice game for Anthony Dixon (75 Yds, 2 TD) and this Blitz team may finally start to get some respect. David Garrard threw 3 picks in the game, which now has some calling for Joe Webb to get the ball instead.

POTG: Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 21/24, 297 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int.

LOS ANGELES 7   LAS VEGAS 16

Las Vegas may not be getting the love in their last season in Sin City, but they are winning those home games anyway.  In a game that has LA fans wondering when Andy Reid’s offensive genius will kick in, the Express are held to 240 total yards, and gain a paltry 40 yards on the ground.  Kevin Kolb wins again in relief of Jake Plummer (expected back next week, and Marshawn Lynch rushes for 120 and a TD in a solid game for the Thunder on both sides of the ball.

POTG: Thunder HB Marshawn Lynch: 27 Att, 120 Yds, 1 TD.

MEMPHIS 3   NEW ORLEANS 34

Ryan Mallett proves no more effective than Matt Cassel had been as Memphis struggles to only 225 total yards against that Breaker defense. Former Federals LB Antonio Pierce goes off for the Breakers with 2 forced fumbles, a pick, and a TD on his pick-six. Quite a day for the future Hall of Famer.  Drew Brees returned to action with 179 yards and 3 touchdowns as New Orleans rolls.

POTG: Breaker LB Antonio Pierce: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 2 FF, 1 FR

NEW JERSEY 10   ATLANTA 16

Atlanta finds an answer for New Jersey’s offense, limiting the Generals to only 8 first downs, 2 of 13 on third down, and 218 total yards.  The key, it seems, is to catch them when Maurice Jones-Drew is injured.  The run game produced only 39 total yards for the Generals, and Atlanta still stayed in a nickel as their base formation.  In a game when neither offense showed much, the Fire got enough short drives to feed kicker John Bounds or 3 field goals and the win.

POTG: Atlanta SS DaJuan Morgan: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR.

CHARLOTTE 17   MICHIGAN 23

The Panthers get win number 2, stay within 1 game of first in the clustered Central Division and have the Monarch faithful worried as Charlotte again struggles to pull out a game. A 2-0 turnover advantage and a nice 111-yard, 1-TD game from LeVeon Bell help Michigan eke out the win over the Monarchs. D. J. Hackett was the one bright spot for Charlotte, catching 11 balls for 121 yards, but it was not enough for them to overcome the Panthers.

POTG: Michigan HB LeVeon Bell: 28 Att, 111 Yds, 1 TD.

JACKSONVILLE 5   ST. LOUIS 16

St. Louis gets a share of first place as they lull Jacksonville to sleep.  Tim Tebow did not throw a pick for a change, but he still could not produce any offense for the moribund Bulls.  It was not a great game for the St. Louis offense either, but they had enough with one Freeman to Jordy Nelson TD pass to take the win.

POTG: Skyhawk DE Olivier Vernon: 4 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR.

PORTLAND 21   CHICAGO 13

The Stags are getting some believers as they travel into Chi-Town and upend the Machine. Jonathan Stewart was the key, rushing the ball for 87 yards on 23 attempts and adding another 42 through the air for the Stags. Second year DE Dion Jordan sacked Brady Quinn twice, including on the final drive, to preserve the win, and the D held Doug Martin to only 21 yards in an impressive display of team defense.

POTG: Stag HB Jonathan Stewart: 23 Att, 87 Yds, 1TD, 6 Rec, 42 Yds.

OHIO 7   OAKLAND 30

Chris Weinke had a rough outing against the Oakland defense, completing only 12 of 27 passes and tossing a late pick-six.  Joey Harrington survived 6 sacks to throw for 229 and a TD, while Ryan Williams added 74 yards on the ground for the Invaders. Oakland scored the final 23 points of the game after a 7-7 tie in the first quarter as they roll to 4-2.

POTG: Invader CB Eric Wright: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.

DENVER 24   SEATTLE 17

Denver gets the tough road win thanks to a late Daniel Graham TD catch as the Gold move to 4-2 and keep with the Outlaws and Gamblers. In a balanced game it was the small things that gave Denver the win, including an interception from LB Shawne Merriman, and a nice 21-yard run by HB LeMichael James to keep a drive alive on a 3rd and 14 draw play.

POTG: Gold LB Shawne Merriman: 5 Tck, 1 PD, 1 Int.

Colston, Campbell, and Pierce Have Ridiculous Days

Man, if what you love about football are big players having big games, this was the week for you. Marques Colston set a league record for passing yards in a game, in a league known for huge numbers in the passing game. Calais Campbell looked like the Kool-Aid Man smashing through the wall of Tampa Bay’s line, and Antonio Pierce, the ageless wonder at MLB, showed all of New Orleans why he is still the best player on the field when the Breaker D is out there.

Let’s start with Colston, because we are still trying to figure out how he did this.  The man had only 6 catches, but with those 6 he racked up 238 yards of offense. That is an average of over 39 yards per catch. It included his 34-yard TD, a 74-yarder that could have been another if not for a very late bump out of bounds, a 43-yarder, a 51-yarder, and two very ordinary catches for the remaining 31 yards.  You almost have to feel pity for Nashville’s Duane Starks and Willie Middlebrooks, the corners who traded off being burnt like a Swede on holiday in the tropics.  A league record and a truly stunning outing from one of the best receivers in the game.

As for Calais Campbell, we all know he is the best DE playing pro ball right now.  His numbers are off the charts year in and year out, so when we say he had a career day this week, and against the division leader, that is huge.  How about 5 sacks in one game?  Not since Derrick Thomas of the KC Chiefs in the NFL have we seen a day like this for an edge rusher. There was just nothing Tampa’s Jason Carpenter could do at LT.  The Bandits tried adding Luke Stocker on chip blocks, but Stocker is not a great blocking TE. They even had Jahvid Best and Rex Burkhead try to get in on it, but they were just run over by the big man.  At the end of the day Tampa would win the game, but ask Daunte Culpepper what he remembers of the game and you know it will be the vision of Campbell coming through time and again like a rhino on rampage.

Not to be outdone, Breaker LB Antonio Pierce also put on a clinic, showing the diversity of skills that make him a sure fire hall of famer once he retires.  Against a pretty shaky Memphis offense, and a perhaps even shakier Ryan Mallett at QB, Pierce was everywhere.  He had 8 tackles, which for him is about on par, but those included two times where he stripped the ballcarrier of the ball, and one time when that strip was followed by a recovery as well.  Oh, and as if that were not enough, he also stared down a pass from Mallett to his TE, stepped in front of the ball, picked it off, and on the way to the endzone shrugged off the Memphis QB to score a pick-six. It was a brilliant game all around for Pierce, and would have garnered him POTW on any other week. 

Chicago Bolsters Secondary with Trade for Safety Help

The Machine, concerned about their 17th ranked pass defense, made a move this week to bolster their secondary, dealing with the very team that defeated them on Sunday.  Safety T. J. Ward will now relocate to Chicago, where he is expected to quickly work his way into the starting defense, while Chicago sends a 3rd round pick in the 2015 draft to Portland in return. It is a chance to start for Ward, who has played well in relief but was locked behind NFL import Donte Whitmer in the depth chart.  For Chicago it is about adding some stopping power and improving their coverage against slot receivers and tight ends, a problem all season long. 

Ohio Trades for A Weapon on Offense

The Ohio Glory, concerned about a significant dip in the performance of QB Chris Weinke and some struggles putting points on the board, made a deal this week with Dallas to acquire wideout Justin Blackmon. Blackmon, who started off his career very strong as a rookie, has tailed off and found himself sitting behind Hank Basket and Tim Wright on the depth chart.  The OK State star will get a new lease on life in Ohio, where he is expected to quickly become the number two receiver behind Steve Smith, a position formerly held by Arrelious Benn.

Chicago sent a 2nd round pick to Dallas, along with backup receiver Sean Morey, to acquire Blackmon. Dallas also tossed in a 5th rounder to balance the trade.  Blackmon had a big rookie season in 2012, catching 111 passes for 1,305 yards, but had fallen out of favor due to a combination of drops and locker room blowups.  This season he was demoted to the second string and has had only 10 catches in the Roughnecks’ first 6 games.  With Steve Smith as his mentor in Ohio he may not learn to keep quiet (not Smith’s strong suit either) but he will certainly learn a thing or two about focusing on the ball.                

For Real or Forget It

We have reached the part of the season where trends are emerging, tendencies are being discussed, and surprises early on could be fading.  So, we asked ourselves, which ideas being tossed around the fan-world are legit and which are likely not going to pan out.  We divided some of the hot topics of the day into 2 categories: For Real—we see this as a very real trend that could last the entire season or Forget It—this is an illusion or false premise and will not hold up over time.  Here is our list of the current topics under discussion and whether we see them as potentially valid or likely invalid, For Real or Forget It.

Las Vegas is a Contender for the Pacific Title

After last year’s drop from a 6-2 start to a 1-7 finish, it is hard to fully get on board with the Thunder as a serious contender.  Will this year’s chaos also grind away at the Thunder and leave them spent by midseason, unable to finish the year strong?  Or will they learn from last year’s collapse and stay united all summer?  That is the big question.  Their 4-2 start is great, but that is no guarantee that the Thunder will keep up their winning ways through the dog days of June and July, when the temperatures, and the pressure to win, will rise higher and higher.  We are skeptical, but we also recognize that this team has a lot of talent, and that Coach LeBeau is a very different coach than June Jones.  We are optimistic that perhaps this year Las Vegas can keep the momentum going and go out on a bang in their final season in Sin City.  Our vote:  FOR REAL

Memphis Can Come Back When Eli Does

That is the hope all Memphians have, that the team which has been just awful without Eli Manning can somehow turn the switch back on, revive their offense, and start winning games.  Is that realistic?  Is that likely?  We have trouble believing it.  This is a team with a pretty mediocre defense, a somewhat hit-or-miss run game, and some weaknesses on the offensive line. Yes, we think having Eli back under center will be a definite upgrade from either Matt Cassel or Ryan Mallett, neither of which have won a game yet, but is that enough to take a 1-5 team and somehow make them relevant?  We don’t buy it. 

Our vote: FORGET IT.

David Garrard Could be Benched

With Washington dropping to 2-4, and Garrard uncharacteristically throwing the ball to the wrong team, voices are cropping up with Joe Webb on their minds.   Webb did so well last year, leading Washington to the playoffs after Garrard was sidelined with a season-ending injury.  Why not take a chance, change things up, and see if you can’t spark something.  We understand that Coach Payton likes Garrard, but if the job is not getting done, then it is time to bring in another pretty solid QB to see if the dynamic can be changed. Our vote: FOR REAL.

Kevin Kolb is Better than Plummer

I know, it seems insane on the surface.  On the one hand you have Jake Plummer, career starter, with over 57,000 passing yards, 7 All-USFL nods, and 2 MVPs, and on the other you have a journeyman backup with a lifetime QB Rating of only 72, and no accolades whatsoever.  So, why the debate?  Well, in his two starts this year, Kolb has thrown for over 650 yards, 2 scores and no touchdowns.  The Thunder, rather than fade as other teams have without their starting QB, have thrived, defeating both Chicago and LA in back-to-back weeks.

And yet, it is not as if Plummer is having a bad year or has fallen off the “aged out” cliff. His numbers are also quite solid, with 1,488 yards passing in 4 games, an 11:5 TD:INT ratio, and a QB rating very solidly in the 90’s.  So, does Las Vegas have a better shot at sustained success with a transition to Kolb?  Are you kidding?  No.  Plummer is a proven winner, an proven star, and a very capable starter even at 37. Kolb has benefitted from solid defense and a return to giving the rock to Marshawn Lynch.  Just stop with this already. Our vote: FORGET IT, SERIOUSLY!!!

The State of Texas Could Sweep All 5 League Awards

OK, this one is a bit farfetched.  Yes, Joe Flacco is certainly a candidate for MVP, perhaps the league favorite right now.  And we fully expect either Carlos Hyde or Mike Evans to win Rookie of the Year, at least they are both in the running.  If Houston can somehow win the division, we could see Wade Phillips recognized for getting over the hump this year.  That is at least conceivable.  The problem comes with OPOTY and DPOTY.  Certainly, with a 238-yard game this week Marques Colston is putting his name in the hat for OPOTY, and if he were to help lead Texas to a division title, maybe even a 1 seed, we could imagine it.  But we are having trouble seeing a defender on either the Outlaws or Gamblers (not to mention Dallas’s pretty bad D) that could step up and nab the DPOTY award.  There are certainly players we like on both defenses, but are they dominant as individual contributors?  We just don’t see it happening.  Our vote: FORGET IT.

St. Louis is Your Future Central Champion

Right now the Central Division is looking pretty even and pretty mediocre, with St. Louis, Chicago, and Ohio all sitting at 3-3 and Michigan only a game back at 2-4.  This could be a division with a 9-7 or even 8-8 champion, though we think at least 1 team will make a run at 10 wins.  So, is St. Louis the best of the bunch?  That is really hard to say.  They have more experience than the others, but Chicago was still last year’s champ, and they are making moves to improve mid-season.  Ohio has some firepower, even with Chris Weinke taking a step back from last year’s impressive numbers, and they too just made a move to improve their squad.  And, most telling, St. Louis is not showing the offensive formula that worked so well in 2012.  Eddie Lacy is good, but he is not getting the carries that Antowain Smith had.  The passing game is certainly not quite as dynamic without Taylor Jacobs, and Josh Freeman seems more hesitant after a pretty rough 2013.  So, do we think St. Louis will win the division?  It is way too soon, possible, but way too soon to know.  We could see any of the 3-3 teams making a run if they got their mix right on both sides of the ball. Our Vote:  WHO KNOWS?

A bit of a rough week for offenses around the league, as three teams will be without key contributors.  Orlando takes the biggest hit with WR Michael Jenkins placed on IR and out for the year with a broken fibula in his right leg.  Philadelphia will also be without its number one receiver, though perhaps for only 2-4 weeks as Stevie Johnson suffered a hairline fracture in one of the bones of his foot, a painful but relatively quick-healing injury.  For Birmingham the problem is at halfback, where Joseph Addai will be out again, expected to be at least 2 weeks, with a hamstring partial tear.  Alongside these offensive players we should note that LA, having just traded away Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, will now be out their other season-starting cornerback as Marcus Truffant will miss up to 8 weeks with an abdominal tear. This leaves LA with neither of their starting cornerbacks from the season’s first week.

OUT

WR         Michael Jenkins                 ORL       Broken Leg         IR

CB          Marcus Truffant             LA          Abdomen           6-8 Weeks

WR         Stevie Johnson               PHI        Foot                      2-4 Weeks

DT          Khedrick Gholston         CHI        Back                     2-4 Weeks

LB           Kyle Van Noy                LV           Leg                        2-4 Weeks

HB         Joseph Addai             BIR         Hamstring         1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

LB           Buster Davis           PIT         Concussion

CB          Brandon Carr             DAL       Neck

QUESTIONABLE

TE           Ben Hartsook           ATL         Hip

FS           Earl Thomas             ATL         Toe

WR         Javon Walker            BAL        Concussion

DT          Peria James              NSH      Concussion

Is Coach Reid Souring on Mark Sanchez?

The question of whether or not the former USC quarterback is the right fit for Coach Andy Reid’s offense is being asked a lot as the Express drop to 1-5 and currently sit in the bottom 5 teams in passing, total yards, and points scored.  Sanchez is absolutely struggling.  His QB rating this season has dropped to 61.9, one of the worst in the league and the worst of his career.  He has a 1:2 TD:INT ratio (3 to 6) an dis completing only 53,8% of his passes.  Now, part of this has already been blamed on the retirement of Keyshawn Johnson, but that cannot be allowed to stand as a season-long excuse for poor play.  Far too often Sanchez is simply missing his receivers, including connecting on only 23 of 48 passes in the direction of Robert Woods, only 21 of 41 to rookie Marqise Lee, and only 32 of 56 to their supposed top receiver, Roddy White.  The Express recently traded with Jacksonville to land an All-USFL tight end in Jason Whitten, but is that enough of a change to revive a pretty moribund Express passing attack?  And if it is not, what other options are out their for Coach Reid?

The truth is that there are not likely to be any silver bullets this year.  It seems unlikely that Reid will pull Sanchez for either veteran backup Brody Croyle or Georgia rookie Aaron Murray, though if LA is an early elimination from playoff contention, we may see Murray getting a shot to prove himself in the season’s final weeks.  The more likely scenario is that Reid will test out Murray, and if he struggles, the Express will look for a possible offseason solution.  Could that mean potential draftees Jameis Winston of FSU or Marcus Mariota of Oregon?  Both QBs will be possible T-Draft selections, and we could certainly see Tampa Bay having interest in Winston while Portland most likely will want to take a hard look at Mariota in the draft pool.  So what does that leave?  Possibly a disgruntled veteran looking for a change of scenery.

Of the players currently in their last year of current contracts, the QBs who stand out are Kyle Orton (ATL), Matt Leinart (DEN), Jake Plummer (LV), Cody Pickett (NSH), Chris Weinke (OHI), Byron Leftwich (SEA), and Daunte Culpepper (TBY).  We expect that both Plummer and Culpepper are more likely to sign a 1-year deal to stay put or to retire than to start over with a new team.  We know that Chris Weinke and Matt Leinart are quite happy with their current situations, so that leaves Kyle Orton, Cody Pickett, and Byron Leftwich. Honestly, we don’t see a lot of options there. 

There could be an NFL option after the fall league’s 2014 season, when some younger players come off their rookie contracts, players like Jimmy Clausen, Christian Ponder, and Blaine Gabbert, but are any of those some-time starters likely to be unsigned by January and a potential improvement over Sanchez?  So what are the options?  Honestly, a trade may be the best option for the Express.  We have no idea who would be interested, but with a pretty shallow rookie pool and a not very engaging free agent pool, the pathways to LA making a move from Sanchez to a new option may well be Murray surprising us or a trade, likely a very costly trade.

New Jersey reveals 2015 Uniform Update

The Generals become the first team to reveal their Adidas updated uniforms for next season, unveiling the new look with a prese event at MetLife stadium.  While the team did introduce a new wordmark, returning to block lettering after several years using a signature-style script, the rest of the look will be very familiar to fans of the club.  The team retains their somewhat minimalist look, with stripeless jerseys sporting large TV numbers on the sleeve, white and red pant sets with a wide stripe flanked by two thin Brigadier Blue stripes, and the now iconic stripeless red helmet with white facemask.  So what is new with the look?

Well, first off, the Generals return their revolutionary-war inspired secondary logo to the uniform, now placed above the rear nameplate on the jersey instead of as a chest patch. The NJ monogram logo will appear on the pants at each hip, and the new wordmark will adorn the chest of each jersey.  The numbers are returning to a traditional block font reminiscent of the league’s first seasons, and the Generals are adding a blue sock set to go with their red pants.  So, very much a return to tradition, a minor tweak to the main look, but very much a look that fans and rivals will instantly recognize as the Generals.

Thunder Confirms San Diego Design Leak

Following the leaked image from an Adidas design team member, the USFL, Adidas, and the Thunder have opted to go public with the new look for the soon-to-be relocated Thunder.  The San Diego Thunder will retain much from the look which began in Portland and transferred (somewhat briefly) to Las Vegas.  That look includes the use of Thunder Green (a sort of electric lime green) as the dominant color for the jerseys (and one pant set).  The major difference in the look is the boosting of the team’s use of Sky Blue, largely replacing Yellow as a secondary color.  This is evident on both jerseys, where the sleeves’ ombre effect, formerly green to yellow color shifting, now shifts from green to blue.  The same is true of the numbers on the white jerseys and even the outlining or background color of the primary logo.

The San Diego Thunder also confirmed that the new secondary logo monogram is official, including the SD letters and a cloud in white and sky blue which calls back to the team’s first logo used in the late 80’s and into the early 1990’s. The team will retain both a white and a green pants set, with both using an ombre effect in the center stripe, surrounded by two thick Navy blue stripes.  Yellow will still be used in the color scheme as well, as piping for stripes and numbers, and as part of the secondary and primary logos.

The league hopes to ramp up merchandise sales along with season ticket sales starting in July. For now, the design and only a few prototype uniforms have been released. 

USFL's Best Rivalries: Number 10: The Rust Belt Rumble

This may be one of the better examples of a lopsided rivalry, where one team feels a lot more animosity towards the other than vice versa.  The record between the Ohio Glory and the Pittsburgh Maulers is not exactly balanced, with Ohio having won 27 of 36 meetings, a whopping 75% of the team’s encounters.  So, with such a lopsided series of results, what makes this a rivalry?  Well, three things really. Firstly, the tradition of rivalries between western PA and eastern Ohio. Sure, Columbus is not exactly Youngstown, but with the Glory being the only team in the Buckeye State, and with natural rivalry between the states thanks to Penn State’s addition to the Big 10, there was some natural regional animosity there. 

Secondly, there is a bit of nastiness in the games between these two that has added fuel to the fire.  Whether it is accusations of dirty play, headhunting, or just tough trench wars, the games between these two always seem to have an element of nastiness to them that we don’t always see in other rivalries. 

Finally, there is a bit of jealousy on the part of the Maulers, let’s be honest. Coming into the league 11 years before the Glory, Pittsburgh had tried to build a fanbase in Ohio, particularly among the eastern cities of Youngstown, Akron, Canton, etc. so the arrival of the Glory in 1995 was not a welcome one for the Mauler organization.  Some fans stayed loyal, others broke for the Glory, and that created something of a no-man’s land along the eastern part of the state.  That is where you see the rivalry really at its best, even  more than in either Pittsburgh or Columbus.  If Governor Kasich of Ohio has his way and is able to relocate the Glory to a new stadium and football-centered complex in Canton, that deep split among the fans could get even more intense.

This week could be a huge one in the trajectory of this season.  We have 8 divisional games out of 14 again this week, including some major rivalries and some battles that could determine if teams are truly in the playoff hunt or are just posing as potential contenders.  Add to that the desperation of some of the 2-win, even 1-win teams, and this could be a lot of fun.

We start on Friday with a California classic, the Invaders at the Express. Coach Reid has to get a win here or the Express could be looking at a major overhaul this offseason.  On Saturday we have 2 major NE Division clashes as Baltimore visits Pittsburgh and Washington has their rematch against New Jersey.  We also have a great matchup in the SW Division with Texas heading to Denver for the ESPN Saturday Night Football headliner.

On Sunday we start off the day with a must win game for both the Showboats and Knights as they revive the Tennessee Tussle, with both clubs sitting at 1-5.  We have an interesting contrast of styles as Las Vegas visits Tampa Bay, and we have another cross-country jaunt as the Stars head out to Portland, where the Stags have been better than expected.  Also on Sunday, divisional matchups between Michigan and St. Louis and Dallas at Arizona. It all caps off with the Stallions headed to Houston.

FRI @ 8pm ET           Oakland (4-2) @ Los Angeles (1-5)                NBC

SAT @ 12pm ET     Baltimore (4-2) @ Pittsburgh (2-4)                 ABC

SAT @ 12pm ET      Washington (2-4) @ New Jersey (4-2)             FOX

SAT @ 4pm ET       Orlando (3-3) @ Chicago (3-3)                        ABC

SAT @ 4pm ET        Seattle (3-3) @ Ohio (3-3)                               FOX

SAT @ 7pm ET        Atlanta (4-2) @ Charlotte (2-4)                      NBC

SAT @ 9pm ET     Texas (5-1) @ Denver (4-2)                                  ESPN/EFN

SUN @ 12pm ET      New Orleans (4-2) @ Jacksonville (0-6)            ABC Regional

SUN @ 12pm ET     Memphis (1-5) @ Nashville (1-5)                     ABC  Regional

SUN @ 12pm ET     Las Vegas (4-2) @ Tampa Bay (5-1)                  FOX

SUN @ 4pm ET       Philadelphia (5-1) @ Portland (3-3)                 ABC

SUN @ 4pm ET       Michigan (2-4) @ St. Louis (3-3)                         FOX Regional

SUN @ 4pm ET        Dallas (1-5) @ Arizona (3-3)                             FOX  Regional

SUN @ 8pm ET      Birmingham (3-3) @ Houston (5-1)               ESPN/EFN