It will be the Breakers and the Wranglers facing off in Los Angeles for Summer Bowl 2015. That is the news out of this week as New Orleans survives a clash with the Pittsburgh Maulers and Arizona absolutely dominates over the Portland Stags in the two Conference Title Games. The Breakers will be returning to the Summer Bowl for only the 2nd time in their 33rd season history, and the first time since 2003, still seeking their first league title. In their way will be the 2013 league champions, as Arizona returns to the title game for the 2nd time in 3 years, very much still presenting an intimidating defense and a dual threat offense. We will break down how each team punched their ticket to LA, sorting through the lessons of the two Conference Championship Games and then preview the big game at Farmers Insurance Field. Along the way, we have an update on the Chicago coaching situation, news out of Denver, and some league news, but we start in New Orleans with the Maulers and the Breakers.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS 10 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 24
The Breaker defense has been one of the underreported stories of the USFL playoffs this year, but for a second straight week the “Riptide Defense” has done its job, shutting down the opposition and giving the W to the homestanding Breakers. In the Divisional Round the Renegades did not provide much of a challenge, but this was the Pittsburgh Maulers, led by OPOTY Andy Dalton, with their outstanding young receivers coming to town. It did not matter. The Breakers held Pittsburgh to only 10 points, just 33 yards rushing, and held Dalton below 300 yards with only 1 touchdown. They pressured him, they confused him with disguised coverages, and they just flat won on the line of scrimmage.
The star of the day for the Riptide D was DE Cameron Jordan. He was disruptive from the very first snap until the final whistle. He finished the day with 2 sacks and a forced fumble, but his presence was certainly more than those numbers. But it was not a one-man job. This was a true team effort, with 5 different players recording 4 tackles or more, with two forced fumbles created and a third down defense that limited Pittsburgh to only 3 conversions in 13 attempts.
While the defense was making life hard for the Maulers, the New Orleans offense, led by QB Drew Brees, was finding holes in the Pittsburgh D. Brees would finish the day with 321 yards passing, completing an impressive 30 of 42 attempts and connecting with both Early Doucet and Donnie Avery on scoring throws. Jeremy Hill would also have a big day, rushing for 92 yards on 19 carries, a very healthy 4.8 YPC average. He would also contribute a rushing touchdown to the Breaker cause.
The game began tentatively, with Pittsburgh going 3-and-out on their opening drive, while New Orleans managed a lone first down before being forced to punt as well. On the Maulers’ second drive, they had a bit of better luck, getting a first down on an offsides call and then another on a nice 31-yard connection from Dalton to Victor Cruz, but they could get no further and were forced to settle for an Andrew Franks field goal to put the first points on the board.
New Orleans responded to the Mauler score with a drive of their own, a six-minute, 12-play drive that led to Jeremy Hill’s 1-yard plunge on 3rd and goal. Drew Brees went 5 of 7 on the drive, finding Kenny Britt for a key third down completion and relying on Hill to keep the defense honest. The score would stay at 7-3 for 3 more drives before the Breakers again broke through, this time on a big play. Brees used a pump fake and Donnie Avery a double move to freeze the corner, and that was all he needed as the Breaker QB hit the speedy Avery with a perfect deep ball, leading to a 52-yard touchdown. The game would go to the half with New Orleans up 14-3 and with Pittsburgh only having managed 4 first downs in the entire half.
The Maulers came out at the half intent on putting points on the board, but at every turn there was a Breaker defender. Linebackers Kevin Minter and Rocky McIntosh kept Marcus Lattimore in check as the Breakers stayed in nickel coverage most of the game. The Mauler back would only rush the ball 10 times, and only picking up 2.4 yards per carry. After an initial first down on a Dalton to Thielen connection, the Maulers again failed on 3rd down and their opening drive of the half failed to produce a scoring opportunity. New Orleans would soon put them even further behind.
The Breakers took over on their own 31 after a short punt and wasted no time moving downfield. A 16-yard run by Hill was followed by an 18-yard connection to rookie Tyler Lockett. Within 5 plays the Breakers were inside the 5-yard line, and from there it took only 2 plays before Drew Brees connected with Early Doucet to extend the Breaker lead to 18 points. Up 21-3, the Breaker D could focus on pass rush and keeping the Mauler receivers short of first down yardage. That strategy would prove effective the rest of the way.
The Maulers would get their first and only touchdown late in the 4th on a Dalton to Cruz pass, but with only 6 minutes left to play, they still trailed by 11. A Caleb Sturgis field goal on the next possession for New Orleans bumped the difference to 14 with only 2 minutes left, and that was basically all she wrote. The Breakers had spoiled the Cinderella story of the Maulers and had written a new chapter in their own rich playoff history, one still lacking the final prize, a league title. They would be heading to LA as the Eastern Conference Champions, a team on a mission to bring home their first Bassett Trophy in the club’s 33-year history.
PORTLAND STAGS 0 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 41
Standing in New Orleans’s path will be the 2013 league champions and one of the best defenses in the game, as the Arizona Wranglers emphatically placed down their marker for the league title, destroying Portland to reach their 2nd Summer Bowl in three years. This was as one-sided a title game as we have seen in the league’s history, with Arizona’s defense holding Portland to a total of 240 yards and picking off Stags’ QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 5 times. It was pure and utter domination.
Before we spend most of the article talking about the scary Wrangler defense, we should acknowledge that the offense did their part too. The combo of Gore and Carey combined for 96 yards, David Carr threw for 209 and 2 scores, and both Antonio Bryant and David Tyree went over 100 yards on the day, with 3 touchdowns between them. But we also recognize that they played on a lot of short fields thanks to 6 turnovers produced by the defense, and that the game would have been won by Arizona even if the Wrangler offense had been shut out, thanks to a pick six from CB Mike Mickens.
To say the Wrangler defense was the best squad on the field would be a no brainer. Allowing only 1.6 YPC on rush attempts, only 5.6 per pass completion and those five nasty picks, that was utter domination, and it started early. While there was no scoring in the first quarter, and only a 3-0 Arizona lead at the half, two Fitzpatrick picks were the clear highlights of the opening half. Both were seemingly unforced errors, but upon review, we can see that both were actually well-disguised defenses that confused Fitzpatrick, despite his Harvard education, and caused him to force the ball into dangerous areas of the field. LB Karlos Dansby got the first pick of the day, stepping in front of Stag TE Jordan Cameron. Later in the half, it would be safety Troy Polamalu taking the ball away from Brian Quick. Both picks were around midfield, with the Polamalu pick leading to the game’s first score, an Elliott Parson field goal, giving Arizona the 3-0 advantage at the half.
The low-scoring first half did not prepare us for a 3rd quarter that would see Arizona score 4 times and build up an impenetrable 27-0 lead. The second half started with Arizona taking the kickoff and, after only 4 plays, adding 7 to the scoreboard. The biggest offensive play of the day came on the 4th play of the half when David Carr used a play fake to Gore to then find Bryant streaking down the sideline. A perfect ball to Bryant led to a 53-yard score and Arizona was up 10-0. Still room and time for Portland to come back, except that they had to get past that defense.
The Stags could not. For the third time in the game Ryan Fitzpatrick misread the defense, and this time it was pure disaster. He threw to Alshon Jeffery, but Jeffery cut outside instead of inside and instead of finding his receiver, Fitzpatrick found Arizona cornerback Mike Mickens. Mickens had a clear path down the sideline and scored to put Arizona up 17-0. It would only get worse from there.
Arizona would force a 3-and-out, nearly picking Fitzpatrick off again on 3rd down, but would get the ball back and in only 5 plays would add 7 more as Carr connected with Bryant again, this time from 10 yards out to make it 24-0. At this point the game was well in the control of the Wranglers, and over the next 24 minutes of action it would just prove more and more out of reach for the Stags. A fumble by Javon Ringer, another 2 picks from Fitzpatrick, and this game was well out of hand. Backup QB Nick Foles came in for Carr midway through the 4th with the Wranglers having added yet another score on a Ka’Deem Carey 21-yard run. Foles would add one last humiliation to the Stags, finding David Tyree with a 1-yard TD toss on 3rd and goal midway through the 4th.
The Wranglers had dominated from the opening kickoff, a week after knocking off division rival Texas they had destroyed the 2 seed and were now setting their sights on the New Orleans Breakers. Did they peak a game too early or is this a dominant club on its way to a 2nd league title in 3 years? We will find out next week when the Wranglers face the Breakers in a battle of two very formidable defenses and two solid, but perhaps nervous offenses.
Nightmare Game for Fitzpatrick Could Influence Stags’ Offseason Plan
It was a season to remember and a final game to forget for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. In a year when Fitzie was expected to hand the torch to rookie Marcus Mariota, Fitzpatrick’s outstanding play kept the highly touted rookie on the bench all season, but the Harvard QB’s final game has shifted the narrative, and quite possibly shifted the course of the offseason for the Stags.
Fitzpatrick looked utterly overwhelmed against the Wranglers. After a 16-game regular season in which he threw only 9 picks to 21 touchdowns, this one game saw the QB toss five picks to the Wranglers’ defense. And these were not tipped balls or butter fingered receivers at blame, these were each balls thrown, either under duress or just poorly, which went right into the hands of Wrangler defenders. It was a game that could redefine how teams view the 6-year veteran after what was undoubtedly his best season as a pro.
Fitzpatrick’s final regular season numbers were very solid: 3,369 yards, 21 TDs, and a QB Rating of 93.6, all personal bests. He had kept Mariota on the bench all season long despite obvious pressure to see the Oregon star on the field. But now, the question may well be if this one game is enough to push Portland to move Fitzpatrick and start anew with Mariota at the helm. The truth is that there are certainly teams interested, though the price for a trade may well have lost some of its value after this week’s game. It is one thing to bring in a veteran QB who comes off a good season, but to make a deal for a QB who had a game as bad as the one Fitzpatrick had this week, well that may not be the slam dunk that most GMs would hope for. Still, with so many teams in such dire straights at the QB position, there will likely be a market for Fitzpatrick if the Stags are, in fact, hoping to move to Mariota in 2016.
New Orleans’s “Riptide” Defense Gets Results, Not Hype.
We expect to talk about defense when the Wranglers or Panthers take the field, but the Breakers’ squad has largely avoided the hype, until now. After holding Orlando to 7 points, the Breakers’ “Riptide Defense” limited explosive Pittsburgh to only 10 points, something no team had done all year. Until the Championship, the Maulers had scored 20 or more points in every single game except one, a 20-17 loss in Memphis that still feels like a glitch in the matrix.
So how did New Orleans do it? They are not the most statistically impressive team in the league, though their 4th ranked scoring defense had held 11 of their 17 prior opponents to 20 or fewer points, averaging only 17.5 PPG allowed over the entire year. The key to the Breaker defense seems to be three levels of defense working as one. They get pressure on the QB without many blitzes, with the front four of Ty Warren and Cameron Jordan outside and Ricky Jean-Francois and Ra’Shon Harris inside accounting for the top 3 sack spots on the roster and a total of 26 QB captures. Behind them, the linebacker trio of Kwon Alexander (99 tackles), Rocky McIntosh (88) and Kevin Minter (84) are excellent at containing backs, limiting yards after contact, and pretty solid in flat and short route coverage. Screens in particular just do not work well against this group. Then, behind them, a secondary led by Patrick Peterson and Randall Gay outside are tenacious in coverage. Peterson, the team leader with 6 picks, is a master of bump and run man coverage, while Gay (4 picks) is solid in both zone and man coverage. Behind them, safeties Mike Doss and Brandon Taylor have been sweeping up loose balls and interior receivers.
The result of this team effort is a defense that has taken a huge step up in the postseason and now has the Breakers in the Summer Bowl looking to earn the team’s and the city’s first USFL title. As much as fans talk about the efficiency of Drew Brees on offense, it is this very good, but very underappreciated defense that has New Orleans heading to LA for a shot at the title.
Last Minute Signings Take 2 Big Name Backs off the Market
We tend to think of the end of the regular season as the end of the resigning period for players at the end of their contracts, but the fact is that all teams can continue to work with agents to get a deal done until the Tuesday after the Summer Bowl, when the free agent pool is locked in, allowing teams to start negotiating with players across the league the very next day. It does not happen often, but there are players who come to terms with their teams in the interim between the end of regular season action and the start of true free agency. Typically, we don’t see this as players are often looking to maximize their value in the open market, but it can happen, and this week it happened with two star running backs.
There was little doubt that Frank Gore would actually be leaving the Wranglers for another team, not at 34 years old and not when he is on a team that is competing for a 2nd league title. The question was whether or not the former Miami Hurricane and former USFL league MVP would be retiring if he got another ring from this year’s Wranglers. Well, put that thought out of your head. This week the Wranglers announced that Gore had agreed to a 2-year extension, boosting his annual salary over $4M to stay with the Wranglers, potentially until he hits his 36th birthday in 2017.
The other big re-signing was more of a surprise in that most anticipated that Reggie Bush, underused and undervalued with the LA Express, would seek to either find a new squad or to return to the NFL. Bush, who topped 1,000 yards in 2014 with the Express, dipped back to only 633 this year on a deeply disappointing Express squad. Many suspected he would be looking to upgrade his position and his paycheck in free agency, but the former USC back has opted to take a 3-year deal with the Express to remain in LA and perhaps start all over with a new QB and a new OC for the 3rd time in 3 years.
So, with these two players now resigned, the clear number one back in the pool of available talent is Oakland’s Ryan Williams. Williams is expected to seek a new home after complaining about sharing carries with Donald Brown, the NFL import that the Invaders brought in. Expect Williams to seek a location where he can be a clear number one. One possible landing spot is just down the coast in San Diego, where Marshawn Lynch was traded away mid-season. Another could be Atlanta, where the sudden retirement of Steven Jackson leaves an obvious need in the Fire’s offensive roster.
Sean Taylor Calls it a Career
By far the biggest name retirement this week is Mauler SS Sean Taylor. The 11-year veteran of the Maulers had told local media that retirement was a consideration, but one he wished to keep to himself and his family until after the season had ended. With the Maulers advancing to the Conference Title Game in the East, news on Taylor’s status had been delayed, but this Tuesday he made the announcement that many had anticipated, stepping away from the game after 11 seasons. Taylor retires with a solid record of accomplishment, often on pretty shaky Mauler teams. He finished this season with 59 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 picks.
Others joining Taylor in retirement this week include Texas CB Nathan Vasher, Orlando LB Tommy Polley, Oakland CB Deon Grant, and Baltimore WR Roscoe Parrish.
Both Arizona and New Orleans suffered an injury on their defenses in the Conference Finals, with the Wranglers seeing safety Nate Allen leave the field with an ankle injury while New Orleans cornerback Randall Gay suffered what was diagnosed as a hip pointer. Both could potentially play this week, though Randall Gay’s injury has placed him as “doubtful” for the game. That could be a big hit for the Breakers, as Gay would most likely be matched up against Antonio Bryant, with Patrick Peterson almost certainly drawing duty on Larry Fitzgerald.
ARZ: DE Adam Carriker (Q), FS Nate Allen (P)
NOR: G Evan Mathis (OUT), CB Randall Gay (D)
Alamodome Insurer Seeks to Deny Coverage
The report has come out and it is not good for the owners of the Texas Outlaws or for the city of San Antonio. Chubb INA, the primary insurer for the Alamodome is citing substandard workmanship and materials used in the recent renovations of the facility to deny large portions of the claim towards its repair following the recent tornado damage and subsequent partial demolition. This points a direct finger at the stadium authority and members of the city board that approved and sourced the renovation project, as well as several contractors and subcontractors.
The assertion that significant elements of the damage produced by the Memorial Day Weekend tornado were the direct result of shoddy work, substandard materials, and poor design by the low bidding engineering firm mean two things are almost certain, that lengthy legal cases are about to begin, delaying any potential final demolition and reconstruction of the facility, and that the cost of the project is likely to skyrocket as legal expenses will now need to be factored in. In addition to what is now almost guaranteed to be a delayed timeline and a higher expenditure, the denial of support from Chubb INA could well lead to significant internal shakeups and possibly investigations of the stadium authority itself, which again, could balloon both costs and delays in any reconstruction project.
All this to say that the situation surrounding the Texas Outlaws has gotten a whole lot more complex, and a whole lot more costly. Any hopes that the Alamodome would be ready for the 2017 season now seem very dim, and the expectation that the full cost of reconstruction for the facility would be supported by insurance and the city is looking very dubious. This puts significant obstacles in the way of club viability for the Outlaws and for their ownership group, led by Red McCombs and William Tatham. Both Tatham and McCombs are expected to be meeting with the USFL Commissioner and the strategic planning team at the league’s New York headquarters next week, and it should be expected that the long term viability of the Outlaws, their stadium insecurity and related financial stressors will be a major portion of that discussion.
While the 2016 season seems to be sorted out, with stadium deals in place for 3 different venues, extension of the team’s “traveling home” status will be a contentious issue, as will any requests that the league financially support the team. That last topic, one which had originally been considered almost a slam dunk, now could be far more problematic, particularly if the Outlaws are in any way associated with decisions related to the claims by Chubb that the renovation of the dome was mismanaged and violated construction and safety standards. If that is the case, even in an ancillary connection to the team, it could produce major resistance towards league support for the Outlaws.
League Honors & All-USFL Team
Last nights’ USFL Honors Banquet, held in the Dolby Theatre in LA, home to the Oscars ceremony, were more star-studded than in most years, with appearances by noted celebrities and football fans Will Ferrell, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Martin Short, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Snoop Dog, and Reese Witherspoon. But despite the Hollywood glitz added to the affair, the stars of the night remained the best of the USFL, players named to the league’s annual All-USFL team and the five major award winners. Here is the rundown of each of the night’s big awards, followed by your 2015 All USFL team.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
We have a back-to-back winner in the MVP category as Baltimore Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger edged out up-and-coming QB star Andy Dalton to win his second MVP trophy. Roethlisberger, who led the league in passing yards (5,524), QB Rating (135.2) and who tied Matt Hasselbeck for the league lead with 49 touchdown passes, received 3 more ballots than 2nd place finisher Andy Dalton. This marks the first time a player has won the title in back to back years since Kerry Collins won the award during the Ohio Glory’s back-to-back title runs in 2002 and 2003. Roethlisberger led the Blitz to both the NE Division title and the overall one seed in the Eastern Playoffs, and did so without the support of a 1,000 yard rusher. His 5,524 yards passing is the second highest total in league history, trailing only Troy Aikman’s 1998 total of 5,675. His 49 touchdowns and 135.2 rating also place among the top 10 all time (TDs = tied for 5th, Rating = 6th all time.)
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mauler fans may not have gotten the MVP award for their star quarterback, but they can be happy that Andy Dalton was recognized for his outstanding season with the Offensive Player of the Year award, beating out Michigan HB LeVeon Bell and Texas WR Marques Colston for the honor. Dalton finished 2015 with 5,131 yards, 47 touchdowns and a QB Rating of 129.8 as he led Pittsburgh from a 5-11 season in 2014 to 13-3 in 2015, a 7 game improvement. But for a tiebreaker based on points scored, the Maulers could have taken the division title. Dalton put together by far his best season as a pro, assisted by a solid young receiver group that included Adam Thielen (1,691 yards), Victor Cruz (930 yards in only 12 games), and league receiving TD leader, TE Jimmie Graham (1,236 yards and 19 touchdowns).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
After several years of “Campbell Fatigue” leading to other defenders beating out the Orlando DE for the title, this year Calais Campbell returns to the official status as the best defensive player of the year. Three factors played into the landslide victory for Campbell. First was his domination over all other edge rushers, recording 27 sacks when the next highest total was 19 (Cliff Avril of Oakland). The second factor is that for the first time since Campbell started racking up huge numbers, his team supported him by winning 9 games and making the playoffs as a Wild Card.
In past years voters have been able to deny Campbell the title due to his club’s sub .500 record, but that was not a factor in this year’s voting. But, perhaps most importantly, and most astonishingly, it was the tackle stat and not the sack total that put Campbell over the edge. This year, with exactly 100 tackles on the season, Calais Campbell became the first DE in USFL history to crack the 100-tackle mark. Typically reserved either for a middle linebacker or a drop down strong safety, 100 tackles from any D-lineman is almost unheard of, but Campbell achieved this by not only focusing on the pass rush, but by playing across the line and aggressively taking on blockers to get to running backs both behind and across the line of scrimmage. That total, for a player who still led the league in sacks with nearly 2 per game, is truly an awesome display of dominance and well-deserved of the DPOTY honor.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
In what was a very strong year for rookies across the board, Birmingham WR Amari Cooper beat out competition from across the league, primarily Houston LB Ramik Wilson, Memphis HB Todd Gurley, and LA wideout Nelson Agholor to take home the prize. Cooper won 22 of the 28 possible first place votes to win handily after putting up a 72 reception, 1,163 yard, 9 touchdown season for a Birmingham club that played the last month without their starting QB, Cam Newton. Cooper and former Alabama teammate and fellow rookie star T. J. Yeldon formed the core of a new offense in Birmingham and helped the Stallions complete an 8-8 season, with high hopes for even better results next year.
COACH OF THE YEAR
This one was not particularly close. While many have praised the work done this year by Portland’s Pep Hamilton, St. Louis’s Bruce Arians, or New Orleans’s Lamar Lathon, it was clear that what Vic Fangio did in his second year with the Pittsburgh Maulers blew them all away. Improving from 5-11 to 13-3, an 8-game swing, and putting together both a Top 10 offense and defense, well that is impressive. The Maulers began the season as a Cinderella pick, but finished the year as one of the most potent and dangerous teams in the league, a club that was not surprising anyone, but was coming out week in and week out and dominating on the field. No surprise then that Fangio received all 28 of the first place votes for this year’s Coach of the Year title.
ALL USFL TEAM
Here is the 2015 All-USFL team, along with our picks, when appropriate, for the player who just missed the cut and likely feels a bit snubbed this week. We won’t argue the merits of those named, but it is always tough to limit the roster of the team and that means some very deserving players were left out.
QUARTERBACK
Ben Roethlisberger (BAL), Andy Dalton (PIT), Matt Hasselbeck (HOU)
SNUB: Texas QB Joe Flacco. No way we can deny that the three QBs named were not worthy, but Flacco once again was a master this year, but finishing 4th in yards, TDs and rating means that there is not a spot in the top 3 for you.
HALFBACK
LeVeon Bell (MGN), Deuce McCallister (WSH), Carlos Hyde (HOU)
SNUB: Joseph Addai (SEA): Addai actually had more rushing yards than Hyde, by 9 yards, but it was Hyde’s role in the Houston passing game that gave him the edge, that and a playoff appearance for Houston seems to justify why Hyde would be taken over Addai, who would have been a contender for Comeback Player after his move to Seattle, but that is not an official award the USFL offers.
FULLBACK
Quinn Johnson (BAL)
SNUB: Arizona’s LeRon McClain. We get it. Johnson had more TDs (5, all receiving) and more touches than McClain, playing a big part in the Baltimore passing game as a safety valve, but for pure run blocking, there is no denying that McClain is a huge reason that Frank Gore is still a 1,000 yard rusher at age 34.
TIGHT END
Jimmie Graham (PIT), Dennis Pitta (SEA)
SNUB: Vernon Davis (HOU), Antonio Gates (BAL): The pick of Graham was a no brainer, with 19 touchdowns and 1,236 yards, but we are absolutely flummoxed that Dennis Pitta, a very good tight end, beat out both Davis and Gates. Pitta had more receptions than either (as did several others), but both Davis and Gates had more yards, by 200 or more, and more touchdowns. Is this a case of the voters not wanting to overload the All-USFL team with players from the same 3-4 teams? It seems that may have been a factor, but both Davis and Gates have reason to complain this year.
WIDE RECEIVER
Marques Colston (TEX), Darrius Heyward-Bey (BAL), Adam Thielen (PIT), Mike Evans (HOU), Brandon Marshall (TEX)
SNUB: Steve Smith (OHIO), D. J. Hackett (CHA): The big issue on this list is that both Colston and Marshall, from the same team, made the list. Yes, Marshall had an impressive year with 1,149 yards and 12 touchdowns, but he was still well behind others like D. J. Hackett (CHA), Brian Hartline (BAL), and Antonio Bryant (ARZ) in yardage, while also not finishing in the Top 10 in receptions. Steve Smith, the league’s reception leader with 114, and Hackett, who was second with 110 receptions and as many TDs as Marshall both have good arguments with his selection.
TACKLE
Jeff Otah (PIT), Brandon Scherff (ARZ), Brian Bulaga (STL)
SNUB: Roger Saffold (TEX): We expect that a lot of casual viewers are surprised to see rookie LT Brandon Scherff on the list, but with a league leading 138 pancake blocks and a strong year as both a pass blocker and protector for David Carr, we absolutely think he should be on this list. This is a case where there were 4-5 worthy candidates, with Saffold being among them, and only 3 spots to give.
GUARD
Jon Asamoah (HOU), Duke Robinson (BAL), Chance Warmack (ARZ)
SNUB: Steve Sciulo (PIT): Another case of too many good choices and not enough slots. Sciulo was a beast for Pittsburgh all year, but the more established candidates got the votes.
CENTER
Mike Pouncey (CHA), Jeff Faine (MGN)
SNUB: Austin King (BAL): Too many Blitz nominees? Is that the issue. We cannot say that Faine or Pouncey don’t deserve to be here, but King also deserves recognition for his work this year on one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.
DEFENSIVE END
Calais Campbell (ORL), Jared Allen (PIT), Cliff Avril (OAK)
SNUB: Von Miller (DEN): This is a classic “first season” scenario. USFL voters do not want to admit that sometimes an NFL import can dominate, ubt with 18 sacks on the year (2 more than Jared Allen), there is no denying that Miller was one of the best edge rushers in the league. Of course, it also does not help that despite Miller’s presence Denver went 7-9.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Albert Haynesworth (ORL), Sean Ellis (OAK), Tommy Harris (OHI)
SNUB: Shaun Rogers (LV): No denying that Haynesworth, Ellis, and Harris all played at an elite level this year, but Rogers had more tackles than 2 of the 3 and is perhaps more effective against the run than two as well. The problem Rogers has is that he is not going to ever put up big sack numbers, and without a strong edge rush outside in Las Vegas, his numbers just don’t match up to DTs who do have a topflight edge rusher lined up next to them.
LINEBACKER
Brian Urlacher (CHI), Kevin Minter (NOR), Karlos Dansby (ARZ), Khalil Mack (SEA), Paul Posluszny (PIT), Rolando McClain (CHA)
SNUB: Clay Matthews (LA): Matthews finished the year with 121 tackles, second only to Urlacher, and also had 2 sacks and 3 forced fumbles, but when you play for a 11-loss team, well, it is just hard to get credit for your work. LA had a very high functioning defense, but their offensive incompetence cost them games and that cost Matthews votes.
CORNERBACK
Derech Cox (CHA), Dunta Robinson (PIT), Richard Sherman (SEA), Dre Kirkpatrick (MGN)
SNUB: Patrick Peterson (NOR): Peterson finished 2nd in the league with 6 picks, and had 82 tackles as well, so we have no idea how he did not make this team. Richard Sherman, with only 3 picks is ahead of him likely on the grounds of Sherman’s 107 tackles, but cornerbacks only get to 100 tackles one way, by giving up receptions, so we are not sure why the voters value this so much.
SAFETY
Brian Taylor (NOR), Corey Chavous (MGN), Mike Doss (NOR), Will Allen (DAL)
SNUB: Troy Polamalu (ARZ): We get it, Polamalu’s dominance does not show up in stats, because no one wants to throw toward him, run toward him, or take the hits he dishes out. But there has to be a way to recognize that Polamalu is the most impactful, dominant, and intimidating safety in the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Elliot Parson (ARZ), P Shane Lechler (ARZ)
SNUB: Kai Forbath (TEX): What do we award with kickers? The most points? That is often due more to the team’s offensive success than the kicker’s ability. The longest kick? That can be a one kick fluke. How about accuracy? That seems a good measure, and in that case Forbath’s 93.3% conversion rate on field goals and 54 of 55 on extra points should give him the nod, but how do we go against the season Parson put up with 33 field goals. Forbath had more points, but Parson had more big kicks, and that is a factor too.
Summer Bowl 2015 Preview
Here we are, two teams left, one game to play, a title on the line. This one looks like it could be a slugfest with two of the league’s best defenses making it all the way to the title game. But it is also a matchup of two offenses that have star power and the capability to ruin defensive game plans. We have veteran leaders on both clubs, young stars hoping to break out, and no shortage of All-USFL players in this matchup. We also have two teams that have often flirted with glory but rarely found it. Arizona got their first title two years ago, New Orleans, despite making 21 playoff appearances in the league’s 33 year history, has yet to lift aloft the John Bassett Trophy.
In this matchup we have a former player for the Breakers now on the sideline as their head coach, bringing them to the brink of a title that had eluded him as a player. We have a veteran halfback hoping to go down as one of the league’s best with a 2nd title. We have a former MVP in Drew Brees, who has yet to put a ring on his finger, and we have a defensive squad in Arizona that wants to be remembered alongside the 1985 NFL Chicago Bears or the 1997 Washington Federals as one of the elite squads of all time.
Who has the advantage in this matchup? Well, the oddsmakers are clearly favoring Arizona on both experience and defensive stopping power, but are they underestimating the Breakers? We break down the game across the various statistical categories and we see a more balanced picture. Here is our assessment of the game.
QUARTERBACK: New Orleans—Drew Brees
We give the edge here to the former MVP. Brees and Carr were neck and neck all season, both hanging around a 97 QB Rating. Brees had more touchdowns, more yards, and a better completion percentage, but Carr hit on more deep balls and generally played in a more vertical attack. In a title game, we have to go with accuracy and quick release over the deep ball, so we give the edge to Brees and the Breakers.
RUNNING BACK: Arizona--Frank Gore
A pretty easy win for Gore over Jeremy Hill, on experience, on production, and on sheer force of will. We like what New Orleans has done with Hill, but it cannot compare to how the Wranglers use FB LeRon McClain and their interior line to allow Gore to hit the line at full speed and make one move to gain yards. New Orleans has more depth with David Wilson and Mike Tolbert, but the potential impact of the run game is just stronger with the Wranglers.
RECEIVERS: Arizona—Fitzgerald, Bryant, Graham
Both Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant topped 1,000 yards this year, and each had 7 touchdowns. When we add in the 553 yards and 5 TDs from TE Daniel Graham, that is a pretty solid 3-man starting group. New Orleans counters with Early Doucet (1,107 yards, 5 TDs), Kenny Britt (828 & 8 TDs) and Coby Fleener (424 and1 TD), while also throwing the ball often to slot receivers Donnie Avery and Tyler Lockett. But, all in all, the threat of the deep ball and the effectiveness in YAC has to go to the Wranglers.
OFFENSIVE LINE—Arizona
Another win for the Wranglers. With All-USFL selections Chance Warmack and Brandon Scherff, there is no doubt that the Wranglers have talent in the line, and this talent allows them to run a vertical offense with a strong run game. New Orleans has some talent on the line too, particularly in center Chris Spencer and LT Nat Dorsey, but they are not as dominant at the point of attack. Drew Brees is a quick release, short to medium range QB, so the offense helps that line quite a bit, but if you want to know which line can dominate a defense, Arizona is better positioned.
DEFENSIVE LINE: New Orleans—Ty Warren, Ricky Jean-Francois, Cameron Jordan
Both clubs use a 3-4 alignment, but New Orleans relies less on blitzing linebackers to bring pressure thanks to the ability of Francois to occupy blocks and the dual outside threats of Jordan and Warren. That means more 8-man coverages and more freedom for LBs Kevin Minter, rocky McIntosh and Kwon Alexander to make plays in the run game and in coverage. Arizona may have the more aggressive defense, but for sheer muscle up front, we give the edge to the Breakers.
LINEBACKERS: New Orleans--Kevin Minter, Christian Jones, Kwon Alexander, Rocky Mcintosh
This may be a very big shock for some folks, but when we look across all 4 linebackers, we like the combo in New Orleans better than the combo for Arizona. There is no doubt that Wrangler LB Karlos Dansby is the single best linebacker on the field for both teams, and he can single-handedly ruin an offensive gameplan, but alongside him, we just don’t see A. J. Klien, Orlando Huff, and Demorrio Williams as a stronger group than the 4 players New Orleans will have on the field: Minter, Christian Jones, Kwon Alexander, and Rocky McIntosh
SECONDARY: Arizona--Joe Haden, Mike Mickens, Brandon Flowers, Troy Polamalu, Nate Allen
Here is where the Wrangler defense truly shines. You have Polamalu playing more often as a 5th linebacker than a true deep safety, making life tough on backs, tight ends, and slot receivers. You have Joe Haden simply shutting down every team’s top receiver, and then you have Brandon Flowers, Mike Mickens, and FS Nate Allen ballhawking and making big plays. The Wranglers’ secondary can shut you down, force the turnover, and then run it back for six, and they have, repeatedly. New Orleans has talent, including one of the best corners in the game in Patrick Peterson, and both Mike Doss and Brandon Taylor were All-USFL at safety this year, but if you want sheer gamechanging play out of a secondary, we have to give it to Arizona.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Arizona--Elliot Parson, Shane Lechler
When both your kicker and your punter are the All-USFL team members this year, you pretty much know you have the better options. Elliot Parson has been outstanding all season, 2nd in scoring and hitting on 33 of 36 field goals. Shane Lechler, the punter, can both boom the ball 60 yards or place it in the coffin corner better than anyone. Clear advantage to the Wranglers.
COACHING: Arizona—Jim Tomsula
This one is tough. We love the passion and drive of Lamar Lathon. He gets his players ready to give 110% on every play. They will be fired up, but for gameplanning, clock and time out management, and especially defensive-minded football, Tomsula is the better tactician and game manager. He also has more experience, and has led this club to a title only 2 years ago. That gives Arizona a big edge. There will be no “happy to be hear” attitude on this Wrangler squad.
OUR PICK
You see where we are going here. We think the game will be closer than the Las Vegas spread, so if you are a betting man you take the Breakers, but if you just want to know who will win, our pick is Arizona. We think the run game will force New Orleans to pull their safeties up, and that means that David Carr will have his chances to hit either Bryant or Fitzgerald deep. We think that the Wrangler defense will stifle the run, forcing Drew Brees to take on this secondary with a one-dimensional offense, and that does not play to the Breakers’ favor. We think it will be a field-goal game, but we also give the advantage there to the Wranglers. Our pick is Wranglers 20, Breakers 16.
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