This weekend proved to be a tale of two very different days. On Saturday both 6 seeds won on the road, knocking the 3rd seeded division champions out of the playoffs at home. On Sunday the 4th seeded home teams both defeated the visiting 5th seeds. It was a week that saw three of four games end within a single score, and on which creates 3 of 4 Divisional games as divisional battles. In other words, it was what playoff football should be, unpredictable, high stakes, well-played football. Let’s jump right into the game recaps in the order they happened. We will then preview the 4 Divisional Round games, when the 1 and 2 seeds get their chance to shine, and we will look at both recent retirement announcements and the players from 20 teams that will, in all likelihood, be hitting the free agency pool on the Monday following Summer Bowl 2014.
ATLANTA FIRE 20 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 17
It was a good win for the Atlanta Fire, a bad loss for a New Orleans Breakers squad that had high hopes of a return to the Conference Finals, or even more. The Breakers came into the game feeling that this was their year. They had cruised to a 12-4 record, easily won the Southern Division and would host this game in front of nearly 54,000 boisterous Breaker fans at the Super Dome, but a rough start and a third quarter injury to Drew Brees combined to sink the high hopes that New Orleans had brought to the game.
Atlanta was, to use a bit of a pun, on fire early in this matchup. They owned the first quarter, hitting New Orleans with three consecutive scoring drives, with a Vance McDonald TD reception sandwiched by two John Bounds field goals. New Orleans was down 13 before they managed to cross midfield for the first time. They would rebound with a strong 2nd quarter, with Jeremy Hill rushing for a TD and a late Sturgis field goal pulling them to within 3 at the half, but that is as close as they would get.
The injury to Drew Brees in the third stunted the momentum for New Orleans, and Kyle Orton, who had himself a very good game (20 of 28 for 253 and 2 scores), found Demaryius Thomas from 13 yards out to boost the Fire lead to 10, a lead they held for most of the final period until a late Quincy Carter toss to Kenny Britt brought New Orleans back within 3. But the Breakers would not get another shot. Orton and HB Marcus Lattimore connected on a third down screen that gave Atlanta the downs it needed to end the game on a kneel down and the 6th seed Atlanta Fire would move on to the Divisional Round.
POTG: Fire WR Josh Reed: 4 Rec, 132 Yds
HOUSTON GAMBLERS 23 OAKLAND INVADERS 14
Houston was a popular pick to upend the homestanding Pacific Division champs, so it was not a huge surprise that the Gamblers came back from a 14-10 halftime deficit to score 13 unanswered points in the second half and take out the Oakland Invaders. The Gamblers did so with a stingy defense that limited Ryan Williams to only 0.8 yards per carry (18 yards on 23 touches). The Houston offense, while not explosive, was consistent. Oakland put a lot of energy into shutting down Carlos Hyde, and they largely did, save for one nice 17-yard TD run. But in doing so, they allowed Matt Hasselbeck to find 9 different receivers and complete 71.4% of his throws on his way to a 294-yard day.
Early on the game felt like one Oakland had in their hands. They built up a 14-3 lead on TDs from Donald Brown and Keenan Allen, but a late first half response from Houston in the form of a Hasselbeck to Williams TD toss turned the momentum. Oakland would not score again, while Houston would take the lead on the 3rd quarter Hyde run and then add two 4th quarter Dan Carpenter kicks to build up their own 9-point lead. Down two scores and with no run game to speak of, Oakland simply did not have the options needed to come back on Houston. In two Saturday games two division champions and 3-seeds were out and both 6 seeds were on their way to the Divisional Round.
POTG: Houston QB Matt Hasselbeck: 30/42, 294 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int
CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 24 BALTIMORE BLITZ 31
The story of the weekend set up by Saturday’s upsets did not carry through to Sunday, where both home favorites held serve. It was not easy for either, as is evident in the close game between the Monarchs and the Blitz. While Baltimore led most of the way, they could never pull out beyond Charlotte’s reach as the Monarchs tied the game 3 times before the Blitz finally put up the game winning points.
It was a game that pushed both QBs over 300 yards passing, with neither run game able to do much against the opposing D. Brandon Wheedon would finish the game 21 of 34 for 322 yards, but it was Big Ben with the upper hand against the Monarch defense, throwing for an even 400 on a day that saw him hit on several big plays, including a 62-yarder to Antonio Gates, a 47-yarder to Javon Walker, and a 43-yarder to Darrius Heyward-Bey. Both DHB and Gates would finish over 100 yards on the day, and Walke was only 7 yards shy as Baltimore found all sorts of time for Roethlisberger, and the big guy came through play after play.
Baltimore led 17-14 at the half in a back-and-forth game. They would build a 10-point lead on a Walker TD catch. Charlotte fought back in the 3rd with a TD from Wheedon to TE Luke Wilson and a Brandon Coutu field goal, but in the 4th, Baltimore took the lead for good when Roethlisberger hit DHB for a short 3-yard TD with just 1:05 to play. The late score did not leave Wheedon and the Monarchs time to equalize and the Blitz D got them the ball back when Wheedon tried to hit D. J. Hackett in double coverage. Baltimore would move on to the Divisional Round.
POTG: Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 19/22, 400 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int.
DENVER GOLD 20 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 25
The weekend’s final game was a rivalry game, a divisional battle, and a game of chess between two foes who know each other very well. For a good part of the game it looked like Denver would cash in and sweep all 3 against Arizona this year, but the Wranglers came back strong after falling behind by 10 in the 3rd and scored the final 15 points to take the victory in front of a rabid home crowd.
Denver, playing without DeMarco Murray, depended on Matt Leinart and on the defense. Leinart was up and down, but the D was the story of the first half, holding Arizona to only 101 total yards and keeping the Wranglers out of the endzone for the first 29 minutes and 21 seconds. Down 13-3, following a Michael Crabtree TD and 2 Greg Zeurlein field goals, Arizona finally started to look alive in the 2-minute drill. They moved the ball well despite Frank Gore going out of the game early. Kadeem Carey would finish the game with 61 yards rushing, but on this half-ending drive, it was Larry Fitzgerald stepping up, making the TD grab in the final minute to pull Arizona within 3.
Denver would open the second half with a strong drive, expanding the lead back up to 10 with a LeMichael James TD run at the 6-minute mark of the third. But from that moment on, Arizona turned up the intensity and the pressure as they slowly marched back. They would pick off Matt Leinart twice in the final 19 clock minutes of the game. On offense they did not panic, settling for field goals on their next 3 drives to pull within 20-19. But with only 2:22 left on the clock, they got the ball back still down 1.
Arizona calmly moved the ball down the field, Carr hitting Carey, Antonio Bryant, and Larry Fitzgerald on short passes to get into Denver territory. They then hit the big play that had eluded them all day. TE Rob Gronkowski, set to become a free agent at the end of they year (barring a last second agreement), split the two safeties, hauled in a perfect arcing ball from Carr, and took it to the house for a 41-yard touchdown that won the game for the Wranglers. It was not easy, but Arizona would move on to the next round and a rematch with another divisional foe, the Texas Outlaws.
POTG: Wrangler TE Rob Gronkowski: 4 rec, 118 Yds, 1 TD
Flacco to Start vs. Arizona
It is the news that Texas fans had hoped to hear. In missing the final two weeks of regular season action, and with the extra bye week to rest and recover, QB Joe Flacco has had the time needed to heal and was cleared to practice in full this week, meaning that it will be Flacco under center for the Outlaws when they face Arizona in the Alamodome this upcoming Sunday.
While Flacco’s presence certainly does not ensure a win, after all Arizona won against Flacco back in Week 5, it certainly helps Texas feel confident in their offense going into the game. Flacco finished the season 2nd in passing yards, behind only Ben Roethlisberger, third in TDs (Big Ben & Drew Brees), and fifth in QB Rating. While Kyle Boller certainly helped the team out with their Week 16 win, having the main man back in the lineup on Sunday has to make Texas fans feel good about their chances.
Jake Plummer Makes it Official
It was rumored last week, and it became official yesterday as Jake Plummer, standing in the Media Room at Sam Boyd Stadium, announced his retirement from the game. A teary Plummer thanked the fans from both Las Vegas and Arizona who had supported him over the years. He thanked several coaches who helped guide him, and he thanked his teammates. He lamented the fact that he was never able to bring a title to one of his clubs, a pain that was clearly evident in his face.
Plummer retires with over 59,000 passing yards, 405 career touchdowns (not even including his 65 rushing touchdowns) and a lifetime QB Rating of 92.6. Many expect that he may become the first QB to be nominated to the Hall of Fame in his first ballot without having won a title. A premier rushing QB in his early days, Plummer evolved into a strong pocket passer who always remained at least a little dangerous when flushed outside. He retires after 17 seasons in the USFL and 253 starts in his career.
Other Retirements to Report
While Jake Plummer’s announcement was certainly the most-attended presser of the week, Plummer was certainly not alone in announcing his retirement. As we have come to expect during the USFL playoffs, several other veteran players have publicly declared their intention to step away form the game and formally declare retirement with the league office. Here is a quick list of the players who have said goodbye to the league and the game over the past 2 weeks.
Charlotte OT Sean Bubin
Chicago DE Anthony Weaver
Dallas WR Cedrick Wilson
Denver LB Hannibal Navies
Jacksonville LB Mike Vrabel
LA Safety Lance Schulters
Memphis OT Maurice Williams
New Jersey OT Orlando Brown
Ohio FB Mike Karney
Orlando CB Lito Sheppard
Pittsburgh K Shayne Graham
LV/SD CB Tyrone Bell
St. Louis TE Jeramy Stevens and LB Wali Rainier
An impressive group, including elite players like Vrabel, Weaver, and Bubin. They will be tough to replace. We anticipate even more announcements as we move towards Summer Bowl 2014. And as we wait for those announcements, speculation continues to grow about whether we will get an announcement from Tampa Bay QB Daunte Culpepper.
USFL’s Pre-Set Playoff Format Sets Up Divisional Games
Unlike the NFL which matches teams from the Wild Card round with Division Champs based on their seeding, the USFL prefers to preset brackets, which has, and once again will, set up games where the 1 seed is not always facing the lowest seed. That is the situation this year as the Arizona Wranglers, and not the 6-seed Houston Gamblers, will head to Texas to face the Outlaws, while the lower seeded Gamblers head to Michigan to face the Panthers. The same is true in the East, where the 6-seed Fire defeated New Orleans and now head to Tampa Bay to face the 2 seeded Bandits, while the 4-seed, the Baltimore Blitz, get a rendezvous with their divisional rival, Philadelphia.
It is a different philosophy, but when it produces great matchups, particularly divisional matchups like Arizona-Texas and Baltimore-Philadelphia, no one is complaining. No one that is except folks who would much rather see their top-seeded home team face off against the weakest opponent possible. For the rest of us, the USFL system works when it produces great matchups like the ones we will see next week.
As we look ahead to the four divisional games, once again injuries might have a say in the outcomes of each playoff game.
Atlanta survived the absence of Chris Kelsay against the Breakers. Can Tampa do the same without their starting QB. A lot of pressure on Ryan Lindley to keep a great season going. But Culpepper is not the only important player who could potentially miss the game. Guard Steve Hutchinson is listed as probably, but is still nursing an ankle injury, while for Atlanta, both Darius Slay and Jason Ferguson have been upgraded to Probably for the outing.
ATL: DE Chris Kelsay (IR), HB J. J. Arrington (IR), CB Darius Slay (P), DT Jason Ferguson (P)
TBY: QB Daunte Culpepper (IR), SS Michael Mitchell (O), DT Terrell McClain (D), G Steve Hutchinson (P)
In the only non-divisional matchup this weekend, the Panthers are looking quite healthy as they prepare for the Gamblers. They would ideally like to have both Kirkpatrick and Porter available, but they have been playing without both for several weeks and seem to have found workarounds for both players’ absences. As for Houston, all of their injured players continue to improve, and each was raised a level on the injury report, with Burgess the most likely of the three to take the field.
HOU: FS Willie Andrews (Q), DE Antwan Applewhite (P), DE Derrick Burgess (P)
MGN: CB Dre Kirkpatrick (IR), LB Sean Porter (Q)
Both the Blitz and the Stars have injuries that could certainly impact the game. Adam Archuleta left the game early against Charlotte but is listed as probable. Philadelphia has significant concern about their O-line with Matt Birk now placed on IR and tackle Jaimie Thomas listed as out for the game. That will impact both Steve Slaton’s blocking as well as protection for Matt Gutierrez.
BAL: G Andy Alleman (IR), QB Vince Young (IR), G Scott Tercero (O), SS Adam Archuleta (P)
PHI: C Matt Birk (IR), CB Bradley Fletcher (O), OT Jaimie Thomas (O), FS Jairus Byrd (P)
The final game of the weekend could well be the one between the two healthiest teams in the postseason. Arizona has two players listed, but Wade Smith is expected to play. Texas has three as well, but we know that both Aaron Ross and Joe Flacco are fully expected to play on Sunday. So, this should be a game where pre-existing injuries are no excuse if things don’t go right.
ARZ: C Blake Schlueter (O), OT Wade Smith (P)
TEX: G Kyle Long (IR), CB Aaron Ross (P), QB Joe Flacco (P)
Stallions Hope to Interview Givens
In a shock to no one, Birmingham has asked for permission to speak with New Orleans OC Ernest Givens. The Hall of Fame receiver, who played 15 seasons in Birmingham, caught on with lamar Lathon’s Breakers and quickly moved from a position coach to the offensive coordinator position in 2013. This was only his second year at the helm of the Breaker offense, but the upgrade in output by the Breakers impressed many across the country, and certainly this did not go unnoticed by the Stallions.
With New Orleans falling to Atlanta this week, Givens is now free to meet with franchises interested in him, though with 2 more years on his contract in New Orleans, the Stallions did need to get permission. New Orleans granted it, but required that any offer Birmingham made would have a chance for a counter from the Breakers. It is unlikely that New Orleans could match a Head Coach deal for a coordinator contract, but this is a division rival, so the Breakers certainly don’t want to make it easy for Givens to leave.
Memphis meets with Cecil & Ryan
The Showboats also jumped on the chance to get started on their coaching search, setting up meetings with both Chuck Cecil, the Express’s Defensive Coordinator, and with former New York Jets’ Head Coach Rex Ryan, son of former Showboat head coach Buddy Ryan. Were the Showboats to select Ryan as their new coach it would be the second time that the franchise landed on the son of a former USFL coach for their HC position, having already experimented with current Charlotte Head Coach Jim Mora Jr. back in the early 2000’s.
Ryan was let go by the Jets after a disappointing 2013 season that saw the Super Bowl contenders (on paper) stumble to an 8-8 record and miss the playoffs. Ryan had had a good run with the Jets, but was never able to get them back to the Super Bowl. He, like his father, is known for an aggressive defense, but has been criticized for his lack of imagination and progress at the QB position. With a veteran like Eli Manning in Memphis, that would not be as big an issue as it had been in New York.
Chuck Cecil would be coming over from an LA team that had barely more success this year than did Memphis, but with a defense that led the league in takeaways. That would be a big focus for the Showboats if Cecil came over to the Mid-South. Memphis’s defenses have been anything but dominating the past few seasons and it seems clear that the Showboats see the need for their new HC to be a defensive specialist, which would be the case for both Ryan and Cecil.
Free Agent Ranks Swell
Two weeks into the postseason and we have yet to talk about the free agent pool that will open up on the Monday after the Summer Bowl. With 20 teams now out of the playoffs (16 after Week 16, and another 4 eliminated this week), the potential pool of talent in the free agent ranks is looking pretty solid, with only 8 teams still alive in the league’s playoffs. Here is our look at the 20 teams already eliminated and the players of most interest from each.
BIRMINGHAM: HB Joseph Addai, DE Quentin Groves, LB D’onte Curry, G Herman Johnson, DT Nick Eason
CHARLOTTE: HB Fred Jackson, OT Tyson Clabo, DE Kemerion Wemberley, HB Shonn Greene, QB Jeff Tuel
CHICAGO: DT Ellis Wyms, OT Xavier Fulton, CB Marlin Jackson, TE Anthony Hill
DALLAS: K Stephen Haushka, G Luis Vasquez, WR Ryan Whalen, P. Frank Whalen, LB Manny Lawson, TE Robert Royal, LB Clint Simtim
DENVER: SS Roy Williams, TE Daniel Graham, G Matt Slauson, DE Bryce Fisher
JACKSONVILLE: SS Mike Brown, WR Johnny Knox, HB Lamar Miller, SS Atari Bigby, QB Josh McCown, WR Rashaun Woods
LAS VEGAS/SAN DIEGO: CB Josh Sewell, WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh, DT Linval Joseph
LOS ANGELES: LB Will Overstreet, WR Ronald Johnson, K Damon Duvall, DT Gabe Watson, WR Jerrel Jernigan,, FS Nick Collins
MEMPHIS: WR Greg Jennings, WR Lee Evans, QB Matt Cassell
NASHVILLE/LAS VEGAS: WR Robert Meachem, FB Sean Smith, FS Stevie Brown
NEW JERSEY: DT Ian Scott, LB Donterrious Thomas, G Paul Zakauskas, HB Tatum Bell, QB Bryan Hoyer, OG Sean Mahan
OAKLAND: LB Keith Bullock, SS Pearson Prioleau, LB Joe Odom, WR Tiquan Underwood, C Eric Olsen
OHIO: WR Arrelious Benn, QB Chris Weinke, TE Lee Smith, CB Corey Webster
ORLANDO: WR Doug Gabriel, CB Cortland Finnegan, TE Greg Olsen, WR Dwayne Harris, G Ben Hamilton, WR Roberto Wallace
PITTSBURGH: DT Dan Klecko, G Chester Adams, DE Jerome McDougle
PORTLAND: LB Mark Simoneau, G Mike Iupati, WR Koren Robinson, G Paul McQuistan, LB Jonathan Casillas
SEATTLE: HB Cadillac Williams, DT Amobi Okoye, FS Corey Hall, WR Dwayne Jarrett, WR Kevin Kasper, OT Kenyatta Jones, TE Bennie Joppru
ST. LOUIS: DT Brandon Mbane, HB William Bethea, LB Brandon Short
WASHINGTON: CB Sheldon Brown, SS Gibril Wilson, FS Ed Reed
We have 4 games this week, two with the 6 seeds facing the 2 seed and two with the 4 seed headed off to face the 1 seed. Three of four are divisional matchups, which always adds another level of complexity to the planning, as well as a higher level of animosity on the field. Let’s break down the 4 games and see who we think is headed to the USFL Conference Finals.
(6) Atlanta Fire (10-6) @ (2) Tampa Bay Bandits (12-4)
Saturday, July 12 @ 3pm ET
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Bandits -2
The Fire split their series with the Bandits, with both games happening before Daunte Culpepper’s injury. After upsetting New Orleans last week, the Fire seem primed to spoil Tampa Bay’s playoff party. Atlanta has a team that can do it too, with a Top 10 offense as well as a Top 10 defense, including one of the best run stopping front 7’s in the game.
Tampa, playing with Ryan Lindley at QB, are sure to want to get the run going, Jahvid Best and Rex Burkhead are a 1-2 punch that can do some damage, so expect Atlanta to play a lot of 1-back safety with DaJuan Morgan spending quite a bit of time near the line, daring Lindley to put the ball up. How well the Bandit QB can locate Vincent Jackson will be a big piece of this game.
OUR PICK: We know that without Culpepper, the Bandits are just not the same team, but this is a Bandits squad that has one of the best pass defenses in the league, so the challenge for Kyle Orton is just as daunting as that of Lindley. We like the deeper roster that Tampa Bay has on hand. Our pick is a narrow Bandit victory: Bandits 18-17.
(6) Houston Gamblers (9-6-1) @ (2) Michigan Panthers (10-6)
Saturday, July 12 @ 8pm ET
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Panthers -4
Houston has been a solid club all year, but not the most consistent. Michigan, after starting the year at 1-4, have jumped all over their opponents, winning 9 of their final 11. Their defense came alive, and now sits as the 3rd best in the league in scoring, allowing only 17.6 points per game. Houston will need a big game from their two rookie stars, Carlos Hyde and Mike Evans, to overcome the Panther D.
Houston will also need a good defensive game. The Panthers are not the most explosive offense around, but they are balanced, able to pound the ball on the ground with LeVeon Bell or go up top with Hines Ward. They lack alternative targets in the passing game, but Ward is the kind of receiver who will find ways to beat double coverage.
OUR PICK: We are going with the hotter team here, and that is the Panthers. They looked really solid late, and that defense is an underrated squad. Michigan 21-13.
(4) Baltimore Blitz (12-4) @ (1) Philadelphia Stars (13-3)
Sunday, July 13 @ 1pm ET
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Stars -3
Ooh, this will be a good one. These two know each other so well, and they tend to match up well also. They split their regular season series, with both clubs winning on the road. That has to make Baltimore feel good about heading to Philadelphia, but playoff football is a whole different animal. The Blitz have the top rated offense in the league and they are also the best in the league in holding down the opposition scoring. That is a nasty combination.
But don’t sleep on the 13-3 Stars. Their stats don’t look quite as impressive as the Blitz’s, but you don’t get to 13 wins without a deep and talented roster. Philadelphia can beat you in multiple ways, either with a tough ground game and a “slow the tempo” philosophy, or by going for the big play with Stevie Johnson and Travis Kelce.
OUR PICK: We like the Stars here. They have so much playoff experience and they can attack you in so many ways that it is really hard to prepare for them. The Blitz could be the right team to match up with them, but we still think Philadelphia has the edge here. Stars 28-26.
(4) Arizona Wranglers (11-5) @ (1) Texas Outlaws (11-4-1)
Sunday, July 13 @ 6pm ET
The Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Outlaws -2
Another killer matchup as two more division foes go head to head. Joe Flacco will be back, so that bodes well for Texas, but Arizona is playing about as well as anyone right now. They beat the Outlaws 3 weeks ago by a count of 43-31, but that was with Kyle Boller at QB for Texas. When the two met in Week 5 it was Texas on top 22-17.
Our best guess is that the team that can set up a run game will be the one that can win this one. Frank Gore should be good to go after missing nearly all of the Denver game. Texas has had some good outings from Chris Johnson, the NFL import as well, though they tend to be more pass happy than just about any other team in the league. If either team can show balance, it will make it just that much harder for the defenses to keep pace.
OUR PICK: We are going with the hot hand, and a team that has Summer Bowl experience, so we are picking the slight underdog. Sorry, Texas, our pick is Arizona by a score of 24-20.
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