A football movie for all of us who like to think of ourselves as members of the player personnel teams, criticizing our favorite team's free agency strategy, draft, and roster decisions. Draft Day tells the story of an embattled GM wheeling and dealing on draft day. Sure, it's the Cleveland Browns, and should have been the LA Express instead, but it's still a pretty good movie.
Dallas gets a huge win over their in-state rival. Orlando pulls within a game of Charlotte by knocking off the Monarchs. Chicago stuns the Skyhawks. And Portland sets themselves up for a Wild Card berth with another home win. It was a week of action that saw several top teams assert themselves, but which also saw teams in the middle of the pack vying for playoff position. The Panthers, Invaders, and Skyhawks all locked up playoff berths, St. Louis even with the loss, and the Charlotte Monarchs also backed their way into a playoff spot despite their loss to Orlando.
It was a week that also saw two big injuries for teams that are still in the Wild Card mix as both Russel Wilson and Cam Newton are lost for the remainder of the season. We will break down all the news of the week, both on the field and across the league. We start with our story of the week as one of the longest standing coaching positions may be about to shift. Denver’s Dick Jauron is apparently not happy with how Gold management has been stocking the roster and with the lack of voice given the veteran of 18 seasons. We will explore the very real possibility that Jauron could walk away from the Gold, review the week’s games, and preview what could be a pivotal Week 15 slate of games.
Free Agent Coach?
It is one of the most rare occurrences in pro sports, for a longstanding coach, one with a winning record and a league title, to potentially become available on the open market. Teams typically lock their winning coaches up well before there is any risk of their contract expiring, but Coach Dick Jauron, who has been at the front of the Denver Gold for nearly 2 decades, is looking at only 2 weeks before his deal with the Gold expires, and from what is being reported, there may be interest in both sides moving on.
Now, this is no 3rd year coach who has not turned the corner with his team. This is a coach with 18 seasons of play with the Gold. In that time Coach Jauron has an overall record of 177-143 with 13 playoff seasons and a league title. That said, it has been over 14 years since the Gold made a Summer Bowl, with the 1999-2001 run of three consecutive appearances far enough back that many Gold fans don’t remember those glory years. But we are also talking about a coach that has had his team at or above 10 wins in the past 2 seasons. The Gold won’t reach 10 wins this year, not with a 6-8 record right now, but they are still in playoff contention. So what is the issue?
On Jauron’s side it is a question of control. For all his success over the years the Gold have not offered Jauron the option to take on a GM role in addition to his coaching duties. He has always had to work with a separate personnel office, and, many would argue, with an ownership group that is always looking for success but rarely spending the kind of cap money needed to ensure it. Yes, they have made some big signings in recent years, highlighted by the cross-town signing of Von Miller this offseason, but Denver year in and year out is among the teams at the lower end of the salary pool. That has bothered Jauron for a long time but it has still been a manageable situation. Perhaps that is changing as Jauron closes in on 2 decades with the team. Or perhaps the deal put on the table by the Gold for Jauron’s services is equally frugal, which cannot sit well with a coach of his caliber.
On the side of Gold management, this may simply be a matter of seeking to go in a new direction. For all the success that Jauron has brought to the club over his 18 seasons, the Gold have not won a division title since 2001, and have made a lot of early exits from the playoffs. That has been a concern over the years, and sometimes, as may be the case now, a team just feels like it needs to do something different. Is the Gold’s lowball offer to Jauron just a gesture so that the team can save face while also sending a message that the time may have come for Jauron to move on?
The Gold and Dick Jauron have been a steady pairing since 1998, but the time may be approaching when the two will go their separate ways. There is no doubt that if Dick Jauron wants to keep coaching (in the USFL or even jumping to the NFL) he will have little trouble securing a position. As for Denver, it will be interesting to see if they allow Jauron to walk just what the deal they will make with a new coach could look like. Will they stick to their reputation as one of the league’s stingiest franchises, or will they offer a new coach more than they had offered to their longstanding coach to stay?
WASHINGTON FEDERALS 18 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 21 OVERTIME
Sometimes a game’s score can be deceiving. When we see 21-18 in overtime, we should be intrigued, because overtime means that New Orleans did not score 3 touchdowns to reach 21. At some point the game was tied. This game got to that score the hard way, with 2 safeties, 7 field goals and only 2 touchdowns. It was a game that saw both clubs struggle to reach the endzone while both moved the ball pretty well.
In what turned out to be a pretty even matchup, despite the records, Washington outgained New Orleans 362-328, with 20 first downs to the Breakers’ 14. We saw both run games working, with the Feds rushing for 106 yards on 35 team carries and New Orleans get 167 yards, thanks in part to an effective combo of Jeremy Hill and David Wilson, the former Federal. We also saw both QBs, David Garrard and backup Quincy Carter for New Orleans, make plays to keep drives alive, but struggle to get the ball in the endzone.
The game started with both clubs playing well on defense. Three straight three-and-outs opened the game before the Breakers finally busted out for an extended drive. In the Breakers’ second drive, Hill had his longest run of the day, a 13-yarder, and Quicny Carter hit Kenny Britt for a key 3rd down conversion before hitting Demetrius Byrd for the first, and only TD, of the day for the Breakers. New Orleans would score a 3rd straight 3-and-out against a struggling Federals offense and by the 12-minute mark of the 2nd they would up their lead to 10 with a 43-yard Caleb Sturgis field goal.
Washington finally responded, putting together a 9-play drive that finished with Adam Vinatieri connecting from only 31 yards out. It would be a story we would see all game long, both teams moving the ball into range but failing to connect on endzone strikes and forced to settle for three points. Washington would do just that on their next drive as well, settling for a 45-yard kick from Vinatieri when Garrard could not connect with Kelvin Benjamin on a deep shot.
New Orleans would add three more to their total just before the half, but it looked like it could have been more. With the ball on the Washington 6-yard line, Quincy Carter missed on a shot to Donny Avery and then was forced out of the pocket and scrambled for no gain on 3rd down. With only 13 seconds left, Caleb Sturgis put 3 more on the board and New Orleans went into the half with a 13-6 lead.
Washington would even the score with their lone TD of the day on their first possession, and their best drive, of the second half. Garrard hit Brandon LaFell with a 17-yard completion and then found Kelvin Benjamin from the 15-yard line for the 6-pointer. The third would end with both teams knotted up at 13 points and neither offense looking particularly in rhythm.
The final period began with Breaker HB Doug Wilson breaking out for a 29-yard run on 2nd and 7. The drive would fizzle however, and once again Caleb Sturgis would be called out to put points on the board, giving New Orleans a 16-13 lead. They would add to it on Washington’s next possession. Federals returner Jalen Saunders would muff the ball in the endzone and try to take it out, but would be tripped up at the 5, giving the Feds horrible field position. After a McCallister run was stuffed at the line, Garrard backed up to pass on 2nd and 11. Breaker rookie LB Kwon Alexander blitzed on the play and had a shot at Garrard when guard Chad Ward all but tackled him with a grab of his shirt. The refs called holding on the play and with it occurring in the endzone that produced a safety and 2 more points for the Breakers.
New Orleans could not capitalize on the safety kickoff drive and were forced to punt to the Feds. Washington then got a big play as Garrard connected with Kelvin Benjamin for the longest play of the day, a 46-yard catch and run. But, as had been the case all game, Washington could not capitalize on their field position and after 2 penalties on 3 plays they were forced to punt the ball to the Breakers. Punter Sam Koch placed a perfect coffin corner kick out of bounds at the Breaker 3, and now Washington would have their shot at a safety.
That is exactly what they got when Mathias Kiawanuka caught Jeremy Hilli in the backfield on 1st and 10. The call was sent to video review but the call of a safety was upheld when video showed that Hills’ knee touched down in the endzone before the ball was stretched over the line. With the score now 18-15, the Feds needed only a field goal to send the game to overtime. It would take them until the final 20 seconds of the game, but the Federals were able to move the ball into position for Adam Vinatieri, and the veteran kicker put the ball between the goalposts to bring the game to an 18-18 tie and send the action into overtime.
Washington won the toss and took possession to start the extra period, but they could not cross midfield and were forced to punt, allowing New Orleans the ability to end the game with only a field goal. That was well on point for this game, and that was exactly what happened after a combination of short passes to Doucet and Lockett were paired with a good pair of runs by Wilson. New Orleans slowly moved the ball into position for Sturgis to win the game with a 37-yard attempt. But, not everything is so easy in the USFL.
The attempted field goal went south quickly when the snap was off target and punter Matt Allen was unable to wrangle it and bring it down for Sturgis. But, just as Washington’s sideline erupted, the yellow flag came out. The Federals had jumped the snap, the incursion having affected the snap. A neutral zone infraction was called and Sturgis would get another attempt, now from 32 yards out. This time the snap was perfect and the kick sailed through, giving New Orleans their 11th win of the season and sending Washington down to 6-8 after 14 weeks, still alive in the Wild Card hunt, but on life support.
Ohio 3 Michigan 23
Michigan dominates the Glory despite losing Kirk Cousins early in the game. Taylor Heinecke came in and pretty much did a Cousins impression for 3 quarters, completing 18 of 23 passes for 154 yards and 2 TDs. LeVeon Bell was also key to the Michigan win as he carried the rock 24 times for 139. We should also acknowledge the Panther defense, which held Ohio to 283 total yards and only 3 points on the day.
POTG: Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 24 Att, 139 Yds
Pittsburgh 21 Philadelphia 14
Andy Dalton had a modest day yardage-wise, with only 196 passing yards, but his 3 TDs, including two to Adam Thielen, were enough to deliver the W in Philly. The Stars’ run game was just not happening against the Mauler front 7, with Leon Washington leading all Star backs with only 19 yards on the ground. Linebackers Paul Poszuzsny, Buster Davis, and Brian Cushing were at and behind the line all day, combining for 8 Tackles for Loss.
POTG: Mauler LB Buster Davis: 7 Tck, 5 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 FF
Arizona 27 Las Vegas 10
The Vipers break their Home/Away duality, but not in the way they wanted, losing their first home game of the season as Division Champ Arizona got 2 TD from David Carr and another from Kadeem Carey to outpace the punchless Viper offense. Arizona played solid team defense all game, limiting the Vipers run game to only 57 total yards.
POTG: Wrangler OT Brandon Scherff: 11 Pancakes
St. Louis 17 Chicago 18
Chicago deals their rivals a huge blow with this upset win. Doug Martin was the star for Chicago, with 111 yards on only 12 carries. The defense also did their part, sacking Ricky Stanzi 3 times and holding Eddie Lacy to only 1.6 yards per carry on the day. Brian Urlacher recorded a safety, and Chicago stunned the Skyhawks in a game that most thought would be a St. Louis blowout.
POTG: Machine HB Doug Martin: 12 Att, 111 Yds, 1 TD
Los Angeles 19 Oakland 21
The Invaders built a 21-7 lead but LA chipped away over the final 25 minutes of play to make the game a bit too close for comfort for the Pacific Division leaders. Aaron Murray got the start for LA, and after a rough 1st half showed signs of life in the 2nd half, The Express got within 2 on a Murray to Whitten TD with 1:45 to play, but the failed 2-point PAT helped Oakland avoid overtime.
POTG: Invader QB Joey Harrington: 16/29, 211 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int
Seattle 17 Houston 41
The Gamblers were close to unstoppable on offense, with 5 TD drives in their first 8 possessions. Carlos Hyde rushed for 3 scores, despite gaining only 75 yards on 20 carries. Mike Evans went 4 for 116, and the Houston defense sacked Byron Leftwich 5 times, also forcing 2 picks in a dominant performance.
POTG: Houston LB Ramik Wilson: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
Baltimore 38 Atlanta 19
Ben Roethlisberger has another dominant game, throwing for 364 yards on only 19 attempts, oh, and 5 of his 17 completions were for scores as Big Ben connected with 9 different receivers on the day. Heyward-Bey, Gates, Hartline, and Quinn Johnson all received TD tosses from Roethlisberger as Atlanta simply had no answers. The run game also worked for the Blitz, with Dixon and Williams combining for 133 yardson 25 carries.
POTG: Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 17/19, 364 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int
New Jersey 20 Tampa Bay 17
With Sam Bradford back in action, New Jersey stayed alive in the East with another big day from their run game. Maurice Jones-Drew averaged 7.1 yards per carry on his way to a 163-yard day. Bradford added a TD to MJD as well. Pat White was sacked 5 times by the Generals’ D, led by 2 from Aaron Kampman.
POTG: Generals’ HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 23 Att, 163 Yds, 1 TD, 3 Rec, 49 Yds, 1 TD
Memphis 31 Jacksonville 9
A balanced attack and a solid defensive outing helped Memphis put away the Bulls in Jacksonville. The Bulls could not find the endzone and only managed 9 first downs and 141 total yards as the Memphis defense dominated. LBs Jarvis Jones and NaVorro Bowman combined for 15 tackles and2 takeaways to help Memphis garner their 5th win of the season.
POTG: Showboat LB Jarvis Jones: 10 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
Birmingham 20 Portland 27
The Stags stay perfect at home, scoring on their final two drives to come back against a very game Stallion squad. Mason Crosby tied the game at 1:31 with a short field goal, then helped Portland pull off the regular time win with a perfectly executed onside kick. Three plays later QB Marcus Mariota (getting his first start for an injured Fitzpatrick), found Brian Quick on a beautiful deep ball for a 65-yard game winning TD. Not a bad first game for the former Oregon Duck.
POTG: Portland CB Cedric Griffin: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
Denver 10 San Diego 22
A bad loss for Denver and any hope they had for a playoff spot. San Diego kicker Jeff Reed went 5 of 6 on field goals, including a 52 and a 49 yarder to help the Thunder pull off the upset victory. Neither team moved the ball well once on the opposition’s side of the field, but Reed’s right foot was all the ammunition San Diego needed as Denver was held to only 9 first downs and 190 total yards by a Thunder D that was not seen as a threat pre-game.
POTG: Thunder DE Lamar Houston: 6 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR
Texas 16 Dallas 43
Joe Flacco went out early, victim of yet another sack, and that was all she wrote for the Outlaws. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 148 on only 9 carries and Johnny Manziel threw for 301 and 2 TDs as Dallas rolled over a lackluster Outlaw squad. The Roughneck D got 3 sacks apiece against both Flacco and Boller, with DE Larry English leading the way, and the Roughnecks find themselves only 1 game under .500 and still alive in the Wild Card hunt.
POTG: Dallas HB Rashard Mendenhall: 9 Att, 158 Yds
Charlotte 13 Orlando 30
A big game to tighten up the SE Division as Orlando takes down division-leading Charlotte, moving within 1 game of the Monarchs. Russell Wilson survived 2 picks and found Jeremy Maclin for a score, while Knowshon Moreno scored as well in the Orlando victory. Trailing 13-7 at the half, Orlando scored the final 23 points of the game, utterly dominating the 2nd half as they picked off Brandon Wheedon 3 times.
POTG: Renegade CB Dee Milliner: 11 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int
Orlando Loses Russell Wilson to Injury
As tough situation for a team on the fringe of playoff position as Russell Wilson is ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a shoulder injury in this week’s victory over Charlotte. Wilson left the game midway through the 2nd quarter with his left arm (non-throwing arm) hanging somewhat limply. Wilson went immediately to the locker room. Initial thoughts were that he might have suffered a dislocation of the shoulder joint, but it was revealed by team officials later that day that the initial diagnosis was complicated after x-rays showed both a fracture to the humerus and an apparent chip of the shoulder ball joint free floating in the joint.
Wilson will require surgery to remove the chip, and likely will need several months to regain full motion in the shoulder joint. This is a big blow for a team that is currently 7-7 and sits in the 6th position in the Eastern playoff race. Connor Shaw, the 2nd year QB out of South Carolina, came in for Wilson to finish the game with Atlanta, going 7 of 8 for 47 yards and a TD. It is expected that Shaw will fill in for Wilson moving forward, with 4-year veteran Terrelle Pryor taking on the number 2 spot and Orlando expected to sign a player to their practice squad as a third option.
Shaw, a 3-year starter for the Gamecocks, had appeared in 4 games and had 1 start for Wilson as a rookie. In his limited action he has a total of 356 yards passing, but also a 4:0 TD:Int ratio. But, subbing into games due to injury or mopping up at the end of a game is very different from starting for a team in a playoff hunt. While Coach Fox has expressed confidence in Shaw’s ability to pick up the offense and find success, the Renegades cannot afford a long learning curve. They need Shaw to be successful immediately. The ‘Gades have two games left, home to Tampa Bay this week and then on the road at Washington. They control their own destiny and a 2-0 mark would assure them a playoff spot, but any slips and they could be supplanted by one of several teams currently at 6-8.
Cam Newton Injures Hip, Placed on IR
One of the 6-8 Wild Card contenders in the East is also going to be without their starter for the next 2 weeks as Birmingham announced that their superstar QB Cam Newton suffered a hip injury in the team’s loss to Portland. An MRI revealed significant damage to Newton’s hip following a rough out-of-bounds tackle late in the game against the Stags. Newton, who is known for his dual threat of running the ball as well as passing, will need further analysis to determine if a surgery is needed to repair the damaged him. While the full extent of the injury is unknown, what has been made certain is that Newton’s season is over, which could very well mark the end for the Stallions as well.
Newton will be replaced by former Alabama QB A. J. McCarron for the 2nd time this season. McCarron got 3 starts between Weeks 8-10 when Newton was down with an unrelated injury. Now it is McCarron who will have to lead the Stallions if they can gain ground on the Orlando Renegades and earn a Wild Card spot. McCarron played solidly in his earlier 3 starts, throwing 6 TDs to only 2 picks, but the Stallions lost all three matches before Cam Newton’s return in Week 11 got them a win in New Orleans.
Behind McCarron, the Stallions have Colt Brennan, a 7-year backup, and Cole Mullen, a free agent rookie signee from the Citadel. Birmingham is currently in the 10th position, losing out on tie breakers to 3 other 6-8 clubs and 1 game behind Orlando for the 6th playoff spot. They will face the Dragons in Seattle this week before finishing the year at home against rival Memphis. If Orlando should stumble, Birmingham would likely need 2 wins and help from other 6-8 teams in order to qualify for a postseason berth. A loss this week could eliminate the Stallions altogether. Not an easy position for a backup to face.
Portland & Texas Need 1 More Win to Lock Up Playoff Spots
On the positive side of the playoff table we find the Portland Stags and the Texas Outlaws. Portland has won 3 of their last 4, including their first road victory of the year in LA. They will need to keep that up as they finish the year off with two road games, at Ohio and a season finale at Oakland which could be a vital game for both teams. As the current 5-seed, the Stags control their own destiny, and a 2-0 final run would place them in the postseason regardless of other results. Even going 1-1 might suffice as they currently have a 1.5 game lead over 7th place Dallas.
Texas is in a similar situation, sitting at 8-6 with 6-7-1 Dallas a game and a half back, and the trio of Denver, Las Vegas, and Seattle another half game back at 6-8. Essentially one more win will be enough for the Outlaws to lock up a spot in the postseason tournament. However, with a trip to Las Vegas next and then a season finale against the 11-3 Arizona Wranglers, the road ahead will not be easy for the Outlaws. After a bad loss this week to Dallas, one in which Joe Flacco had to be removed from action after yet another sack, the Outlaws cannot assume that they have a clear path ahead of them. It is anything but assured.
Could Houston Have ROTY Again?
Last year the Rookie of the Year award came down to two Houston stars, HB Carlos Hyde and WR Mike Evans. Well, it seems that the Gamblers’ personnel team has done it again with this year’s breakout star, linebacker Ramik Wilson. Wilson is only 5 tackles away from 100 for the year while also leading the team with 4 picks, including one this week that he returned for 6 points. But the path to a ROTY will not be easy for this player who seems to have had no issues shifting from the college game at Georgia to his pro debut.
Offensive players tend to have an easier path to the league’s major awards, and there are two contenders in this year’s rookie crop who would make for tough competition for Wilson, with both not only competing for attention, but also competing in the same division as the Gamblers. Amari Cooper, Birmingham’s acrobatic and speedy receiver, has 64 receptions for 981 yards and 9 TDs. He is almost assured of hitting 1,000 yards and could finish the year with double-digit touchdowns. In Memphis, HB Todd Gurley arrived in the league with a lot of hype and has started to make plays as the season has progressed. He sits at 824 yards, within range to top 1,000. He has only 4 total touchdowns, which could be a knock against him, and Memphis is certainly not in the solid playoff position that Houston holds, but Gurley is still a player to watch.
We would still put the odds on Amari Cooper to take the title, but with Cam Newton out for the remainder of the season, there is a gap where Ramik Wilson can make a move, especially if he can have more impressive outings like this week’s ROTW outing against Seattle.
Four more playoff spots are locked up this week, two by teams that took a loss on the week. Michigan and Oakland both earned wins to move to 10-4 and lock in playoff spots. Charlotte and St. Louis both lost this week, but due to other results around the league, the two have backed into a playoff spot as well. That means that there are 3 spots left to be claimed. Portland and Texas are each 1 win away from locking up a spot, with both sitting at 8-6 and the closest Western Conference playoff hopeful being Dallas at 6-7-1. In the East, Orlando is in the 6 slot at 7-7. After defeating Charlotte, they are only 1 game out of first place in the SE Division, but they are also only 1 game up on a pack of 4 teams sitting at 6-8. With Russell Wilson now out of action, could New Jersey, Washington, Atlanta, or Birmingham rise up and overtake the Renegades for the final playoff spot in the East?
A bad week for IR and season ending injuries as the USFL loses two dynamic QBs (Wilson and Newton). Birmingham also loses a key piece of their defense, with LB Ernie Simms now ruled out for the remainder of the season. Texas will be without CB Nathan Vasher down the stretch as well, though they hope he could return for a possible Wild Card game. St. Louis will be without CB Vontae Davis, and likely will not have WR Erik Decker available this week either. They are in the playoff field, and both players are expected to be back in time for the postseason, but if they want to chase down Michigan for the Central Division title, they may need to do so without these two key pieces.
OUT
QB Russell Wilson ORL Shoulder IR
QB Cam Newton BIR Hip IR
DT Kawann Short TBY Neck IR
LB Ernie Simms BIR MCL IR
CB Nathan Vasher TEX PCL IR
LB Pat Angerer HOU Groin 1-2 Weeks
WR Leonard Hankerson DEN Pinched Nerve 1-2 Weeks
CB Vontae Davis STL Jaw 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
OT Levi Brown TBY Concussion
WR Reuben Randle JAX Concussion
TE Tyler Kroft SEA Hamstring
LB Greg Lloyd Jr PHI Hand
WR Erik Decker STL Hip
QUESTIONABLE
WR Muhamed Sanu NJ Eye
G Jahri Evans MEM Concussion
CB Shaquille Richardson NOR Finger
LB James Laurinaitis OHI Patella
Outlaws Fear Alamodome a Total Loss
With a second section of the Alamodome roof collapsing this past week, and with additional deterioration of the structural supports on the west side of the facility, it appears very much that the entire facility will be a loss, requiring a full rebuild of the Alamodome and not a partial reconstruction. That does not bode well for the Texas Outlaws, who have already started making plans for 2016 at alternative facilities. This latest setback could well extend the team’s gameday issues well into 2017 if not 2018.
That reality is a tough one for San Antonians, especially Outlaw fans, to stomach. It may be an impossible situation for team owner Red McCombs to handle as well. Estimates for just this year already look to account for the team suffering major losses in revenue. A season on the road, whether in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Marcos or elsewhere, would certainly put a strain on the franchise, even with USFL support, but a 2-3 year relocation could be catastrophic.
On top of this concern, there is increasing attention brought to the stadium upgrades which took place in 2011-2012, with some stating that shoddy workmanship and cutting corners in the redesign of the Dome’s interior structure could be partially to blame for the level of structural instability the building faces and the degree of destruction produced by the Category 4 tornado which struck the facility. If those accusations lead to an actual investigation of the design schematics and construction process for the remodel, there is a very real chance that the underwriting insurers for the facility will balk at making full restitution for the rebuild, if one is approved by the city.
If there were issues which limited insurance coverage for the facility, that would put the cost of a rebuild fully on the city, something not likely to go over well with voters and a very real danger that could delay reconstruction or even scuttle the plans, all at the expense of the facility’s primary tenant, the USFL Outlaws. It seems almost certain that the insurers will fully explore any potential issues with the rebuild, and negotiations with the city of San Antonio are not likely to begin until they have fully explored this possibility. In the meantime, plans will have to be made to demolish the entire structure as it is unsafe at present and poses a liability risk the longer the remaining sections remain standing. All this to say that the saga of the Alamodome and the future of the Outlaws is just now beginning to come into view, and it is not a view that owner Red McCombs or the fans of the Outlaws are feeling particularly good about.
Smith Says He Will Not Re-sign with Glory
He has been a team leader for the Glory for the past several years, but in what has become another disappointing season in Columbus, it seems Steve Smith is no longer enamored with his role and the team’s prospects and he feels it is time to go. Smith has been one of the league’s leading receivers, both in Philly and in Ohio, for a decade, and until this year he was also one of the loudest cheerleaders for the franchise, but this has been a trying season in Columbus, and it seems that what Smith is seeing from the Glory management is not filling him with team spirit. Whether the current QB situation is at the heart of the problem, or the Glory’s lack of midseason moves, when they were still viable for a playoff spot, but something has Smith feeling disrespected and unheard in the organization, and that has pushed him to look for alternatives.
Smith is a free agent after this season, and it now seems pretty evident that he will not be open to offers from the Glory, not unless he sees other positive steps. So that means that a third team may now be able to acquire one of the game’s most dynamic playmakers and one of the best route runners in the league. Smith won’t be alone in the free agent pool, but he is certain to be at the top of a lot of planning boards as teams look to add talent this fall.
Five More Potential High Impact Free Agents
As we look across the league at other potential “high value” free agents, six names come to the forefront. Steve Smith is certainly at the top of the list, but as we look at other players who seem ready to move on, and whose contracts expire in just 2-6 weeks, we see some real difference makers.
DE Robert Quinn (BAL)
The 25-year old Quinn is an up and coming edge rusher who could easily have another 10 years of quality play in him. In his 5 seasons with Baltimore he has racked up 40 sacks, and while he has only cracked 10 sacks once in his early career, that is partly due to his role within the Baltimore defense. On another team we could quite easily imagine Quinn becoming a 12-16 sack monster. That will make him a very hot commodity in free agency and a very expensive resigning for the Blitz if they don’t want to lose him.
LB Kevin Burnett (HOU)
At age 31, Kevin Burnett still has some good football left in him, but cap restrictions and some contracts that just have to be extended have Houston considering Burnett as possibly expendable. Both injuries and LB rotation have limited Burnett’s production in the past 5 seaosns, following a strong 2010 campaign when he finished with 103 tackles. We could easily envision several teams making offers to bring Burnett in to add more “thump” to their linebacker group. Houston has other priorities it must address, so Burnett is very likely to be available.
CB Marcus Truffant (LA)
After a long career in Seattle, it was believed that Truffant would finish up in LA, but his contract expires this year, Truffant’s 13th season, and it appears that LA is going to let the veteran CB test the waters. Truffant has 32 career picks (2 so far this year) and can still do a very solid job with topflight receivers, so we would not be surprised to see him find a new home on perhaps a 1-2 year deal.
QB Brady Quinn (CHI)
A 9-year veteran and 9-year starter at QB does not come around every year, but it seems clear that Chicago is going to make some big changes this offseason, and that very likely means not resigning Quinn, who has now been benched twice this season. This is a QB who has over 24,000 yards passing in the USFL, a TD:INT ratio of 155:94, and a career rating of 88.3. Yes, he has not topped 80 in QBR in 2 years and his TD-INT numbers were upside down in his last full season, but there are still plenty of teams with worse numbers across the league, and Quinn is considered a good team player, a benefit in the locker room, so we think there will be a market for the former Golden Domer.
HB Ryan Williams (OAK)
Other than Steve Smith, we see Williams as the most dynamic player likely available in August. Williams has been sharing carries with Donald Brown in Oakland, a situation he has no taste for, as he has said at various points in the season. He leads the Invaders with 946 yards rushing, but Donald Brown has cut into his carries, and with 779 yards and 5 more TDs than Williams, it does appear that the Invaders trust Brown more in the redzone. The combo has been strong in Oakland, but for Williams the desire is there to be a true lead back and bell cow for a team. Oakland, happy with both backs, may just opt to stick with their NFL import and let Williams go, because promising him a much higher snap count does not appear to be something that ownership or Coach Green are likely to do.
Two weeks left, both filled with meaningful games, tough divisional matchups, and playoff implications. We kick off Week 15 with a big one. Baltimore is in Pittsburgh with the NE Division on the line. A win and the Maulers take the title, a loss and Baltimore leapfrogs them with 1 week to go. It is the difference between a possible 1 seed and a Wild Card slot.
Saturday we move to the Central, where Michigan has a 1-game lead on St. Louis, with a chance to go into The Dome and put away the division. St. Louis, like Baltimore, needs a win to stay in the running. On Sunday we have a big inter-divisional game with 11-3 New Orleans traveling to 8-6 Charlotte. The Monarchs have Orlando trailing by only 1 game, while New Orleans cannot afford a loss if they want to overtake Houston in the South. Orlando hosts Tampa Bay with a shot at taking a share of the division. It is a week for teams to make their move.
Friday @ 8pm ET Baltimore (11-3) @ Pittsburgh (12-2) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Houston (11-3) @ Memphis (5-9) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Michigan (10-4) @ St. Louis (9-5) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm ET Portland (8-6) @ Ohio (4-10) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm ET Oakland (10-4) @ San Diego (5-9) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm ET Washington (6-8) @ Philadelphia (5-9) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm ET Atlanta (6-8) @ Arizona (11-3) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm ET New Orleans (11-3) @ Charlotte (8-6) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET New Jersey (6-8) @ Chicago (2-11-1) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET Tampa Bay (3-11) @ Orlando (7-7) FOX
Sunday @ 4pm ET Birmingham (6-8) @Seattle (6-8) ABC
Sunday @ 4pm ET Dallas (6-7-1) @ Los Angeles (4-10) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Jacksonville (3-11) @ Denver (6-8) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 8pm ET Texas (8-6) @ Las Vegas (6-8) ESPN/EFN
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