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2015 USFL Week 6 Recap: Houston Lone Unbeaten


Burt Reynolds stars in a movie that uses football to talk about corruption and injustice in the penal system. OK, it also has a lot of laughs, like the QB drilling a particularly violent guard in his privates with several passes, and a player who may have "broke the frickin' neck" of another corrupt guard. It's a Burt Reynolds vehicle, so you know it has lots of swagger, and a lot of fun as well.


And then there was one. The Houston Gamblers escape Week 6 as the league's only unbeaten as New Orleans falls to the Oakland Invaders. Houston got a big win in Tampa Bay to keep their record unblemished. On the other side of the tracks, the Philadelphia Stars remain stunned that their season is going so incredibly counter to predictions. Not only do they drop to 0-6 along with Chicago, but they lose a key weapon on offense in this week's game as well. We will cover all the Week 6 scores, discuss the ups and downs across the league, and one USFL quarterback just got paid in a big way. All that coming up next.


Three Teams Switch QB’s But Results Do Not Impress

We knew we would be seeing two new starters matched up face to face with Andy Reid announcing that Tim Tebow would get the Week 6 start at home after Aaron Murray struggled for 5 weeks.  Chicago head coach Greg Schiano also announced a change, going with rookie Trevor Siemian over Brady Quinn as a way to spark some changes in a lackluster Machine offense.  What we did not anticipate was the game time decision from Bart Andrus to try to end a 3-game slide by replacing Troy Smith with NFL import Brock Osweiler.  So, how did all three new starters fare? 


Osweiler:  We start with Brock Osweiler, who spent 3 seasons in Denver with the NFL Broncos, starting 7 games in 2013 and 5 more in 2014.  In his USFL debut, Osweiler looked a bit rusty, a bit immobile, but with a lively arm and decent vision.  He completed 27 of 46 passing (far too many attempts if you ask us), and managed to connect with both Steve Smith and Justin Blackmon for scores.  It was a pretty solid start for a player that was largely seen as a consolation prize in free agency for the Glory.  He did not get the win, but we expect we will see more of Osweiler as Ohio tries to build a new persona and Coach Andrus tries to keep himself employed in a year that could be pivotal for him.


Tebow: The former Jacksonville Bull got the win, but that is about the best thing we can say about his first performance in the navy and silver of the Express.  He completed 15 of 29 passing, just over the 50% mark.  He got lucky on a TD toss to Shonn Greene, as a missed tackle turned a possible 3-yard loss into a touchdown.  He also threw a pick, trying to fit a ball into Roddy White, he thew into double coverage and found free safety T. J. Ward instead.  The Machine were intent on not allowing Tebow to beat them on the ground, using Manti Te’o as a spy and the strategy worked. Tebow ran 4 times but gained only 2 yards. 


Siemian: A rookie QB from a program that did not have a lot of wins in his tenure, starting for an 0-5 club that has struggled on offense all season.  Do we expect instant success?  No, that would not be fair.  But, what Coach Schiano hoped for was a spark, a sign that better days were ahead.  We don’t think he found it with Siemian this week.  The former Northwestern Wildcat completed 14 of 23 passes (not bad), but most were check downs, so he gained only 136 yards, a very low 5.9 yards per completion.  He found Aaron Dobson only twice, and he threw two balls to the other team. Siemian was understandably a bit nervous, a bit overwhelmed, and a bit shellshocked after 4 sacks.  So, a rough day all around.

 

So, what is next for each of these three?  Well, first off, we fully expect both to be under center in Week 7.  Osweiler will again be on the road, headed to New Jersey, where he may be facing off against another quarterback who did not start the year under center as Charlie Whitehurst could be subbing for a concussed Sam Bradford.  Tim Tebow will be in San Diego as the Express take on their newest in-state rival, the relocated Thunder, and Chicago, with Trevor Siemian starting his second pro game, will be in St. Louis against the rival Skyhawks.  Just how long each may stay as the starter could very well depend on if we see improvement in Week 7 over the results obtained this past week.

 

BALTIMORE BLITZ 34   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 27

Momentum is a fickle thing. You can start strong and then lose all composure.  You can fall behind and then find a spark that drives you to a victory.  This week at Met Life Stadium we saw this fickleness of fate on full display as the Generals built up a 17-0 lead only to watch as Baltimore found their mojo and scored 28 straight points.  New Jersey again tried to fight back, but the damage was done. It seems clear that the Generals are a much better team, especially on defense, than what we saw last year, but the defending champs are looking very much like the teams that challenged for the NE Division and made a run to a title in the playoffs.

 

The game looked very good for New Jersey early on.  They dominated the first quarter and got three scores before Baltimore woke up and started taking command.  New Jersey opened the game with a nice drive, using Chris Ivory as their main back with MJD out for the game.  Ivory helped them get into field goal range and Nick Folk put through a 42-yarder to get the Generals on the board first.  They then used that newfound defense to force a quick exit for the Blitz offense.  Getting the ball back on their own 41 after a nice punt return from Miles Austin, New Jersey quickly found the endzone.  Sam Bradford completed 3 of 4 passes, including a perfect fade route to 2nd year receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to take a 10-0 lead.

 

As the 2nd quarter began, Baltimore still had not been able to figure out the New Jersey zones, and Anthony Dixon was struggling to find space up front. New Jersey would have success against the Blitz run game all day, limiting the combined attack of Dixon and Kerwynn Williams to 18 carries and 44 total yards.  Unable to sustain their drive, Baltimore punted back to New Jersey with the 1st quarter coming to a close.  New Jersey would once again prove to have figured out the Blitz defense.  It took them 13 plays, but once again the Generals put the ball in the endzone, this time with Bradford hitting Delone Carter from 4 yards out.

 

Down 17-0 early in the 2nd quarter, Baltimore needed to make a statement.  Facing a 4th and 2 on their own 48, Coach Caldwell simply would not stomach another punt.  He kept the offense on the field and Big Ben found Antonio Gates for a 5-yard toss to convert.  Only 2 plays later, another tight end helped shift the momentum towards the Blitz.  Big Ben faked the ball to Dixon, turned and found Jacob Tamme wide open in the middle of the field.  The safeties were too concerned about Darrius Heyward-Bey and Brian Hartline out wide, and with Gates occupying the nickel back, Tamme was all by himself in the seam.  Roethlisberger hit him in stride and the Blitz celebrated a 45-yard touchdown toss.

 

That one play alone would not be enough to turn the momentum fully to the Blitz, but the next New Jersey drive provided the other piece of the equation, a loss of momentum for the New Jersey offense.  It happened on a 2nd and 7, when Bradford bobbled the shotgun snap.  He recovered, but by the time he looked downfield, DT Angelo Blackson was on top of him.  Bradford tried to escape, but was wrapped up at the hip.  He fell hard to the turf and his head hit awkwardly.  The hit itself was not the issue, but the blow of helmet to turf clearly rattled the Generals’ QB.  He would be helped off the field and sent directly to the locker room.  Charlie Whitehurst would have to go the rest of the way for New Jersey.

 

Baltimore now had less to fear in a New Jersey offense that was without Bradford and Jones-Drew.  The offense now could be a bit more of a risk taker, and, down by 10, Big Ben started taking command of the game. On their next possession, Baltimore found holes in the Generals’ secondary, taking what they gave him, over the middle and under the deep safeties.  That allowed Baltimore to move the ball down the field, and Roethlisberger found another TD toss to a tight end, this time the primary target, Antonio Gates.  From 17-0, Baltimore was down only 3 at the half at 17-14.

 

That deficit would be wiped out in the 3rd as Baltimore dominated the quarter.  After a pair of unproductive drives by each team, Baltimore once again hit on a big play. This time it was a swing pass to Kerwynn Williams that went 32-yards thanks to excellent blocks from the receivers. That scoring play gave Baltimore the lead.  On the next New Jersey possession, the Generals helped the Baltimore cause, with Delone Carter taking a swing pass but fumbling after a big hit by safety Eric Weddle.  Baltimore recovered just inside the 50, and then again found a mismatch in the secondary. 

 

Roethlisberger on a 2nd and 7, found Darrius Heyward-Bey inexplicably in single coverage out wide.  DHB got a step on the receiver and was gone, 44 yards for a touchdown to expand the Baltimore lead to 10 (Lambo did miss the PAT). 

 

So, as the 4th quarter began, New Jersey found itself down 6.  They needed a lift.  Charlie Whitehurst, who would finish 11 of 16, helped provide one. Whitehurst scrambled on a 3rd and 4 and picked up the first down with a nice 11-yard run.  But the New Jersey drive fizzled, and while Nick Folk was able to add 3 points, it still left the Generals trailing by 7.  The very next play would all but end any chance they had for a comeback.

 

Following a touchback on the kickoff, Baltimore started on the 25, and once again the Generals trusted their corners and over-played the run, leaving only 1 safety back and run-blitzing with their middle linebacker.  Baltimore picked up the blitz and once again Roethlisberger hit Darrius Heyward-Bey.  DHB shook off the corner, and outraced the safety.  It was a 75-yard 1-play drive that broke the back of the Generals.  New Jersey would get a garbage-time score to pull within 7 but, it was far too late and far too little. 

 

With Bradford out and with the Generals’ attempts to disrupt Roethlisberger leaving the corners exposed, New Jersey lost their momentum and then lost the game, pushing Baltimore to 4-2, and dropping themselves to 3-3, now 2 games behind the Maulers and one back of their opponent.

 

MICHIGAN 34   WASHINGTON 21

LeVeon Bell and the Michigan Panthers took care of business on the road, producing a 13-point win at RFK.  Bell rushed for 147 and caught a TD pass while Kirk Cousins threw for 4 scores for the Panthers. Washington was in the game at the half, tied at 14, but Michigan got TDs from Bell and Ginn to pull away, moving them to 5-1 and sending the Feds to 2-4 on the year.

POTG: Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 22 Att, 146 Yds, 2 Rec, 5 Yds, 1 TD

 

HOUSTON 30   TAMPA BAY 6

The Bandits offense was a no-show again as Houston manhandled Tampa Bay in front of only 27,515, a sign that Bandit fans are not impressed with Coach Shula’s team.  Hyde and Tate combined for 153 yards and Matt Hasselbeck had a modest game with 200 yards and 2 scores, but it was more than enough against an anemic Bandit offense that only managed 2 field goals on the day. 

POTG: Gambler HB Carlos Hyde: 20 Att, 74 Yds, 3 Rec, 68 Yds

 

DALLAS 17   TEXAS 35

The Outlaws asserted themselves against the upstart Roughnecks, with Joe Flacco throwing for 356 and 3 scores and the defense limiting Dallas to only 66 yards rushing.  It was10-7 Dallas in the 2nd quarter when Texas began a run of scoring drives that would add 28 points to the scoreboard without answers from the Roughnecks.  By the time Manziel hit Basket with a late TD the game was well out of hand. 

POTG: Outlaw QB Joe Flacco: 17/27, 356 Yds, 1 Int

 

NEW ORLEANS 3   OAKLAND 17

Oakland’s defense played lights-out football and handed New Orleans their first loss of the year in definitive fashion.  The Breakers only managed 61 yards rushing and even a solid 361 from Drew Brees did not produce points as Oakland bent but did not break.  On offense, the Invaders got 102 yards and 2 TDs from Ryan Williams to hold off the formerly unbeaten Breakers and move to 5-1.

POTG: Invader HB Ryan Williams: 18 Att, 102 Yds, 2 TD

 

PHILADELPHIA 13   CHARLOTTE 17

The Stars got Matt Gutierrez back, and Gutierrez put the ball up a lot, going 30 of 40 for 280 yards, but the Stars still struggled to put the ball in the endzone.  Charlotte had little on offense either, though Darren McFadden managed 100 yards rushing.  It was 13-10 Philadelphia until the final minute of the game, when the Monarchs capped off a 7-minute drive with a scoring pass from Wheedon to Greg Sommers to capture the win and move to 3-3, while Philadelphia now stews in the stank of an 0-6 start.

POTG: Monarch FS Tre Boston: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 FF

 

SAN DIEGO 10   SEATTLE 35

Joseph Addai had another big game, rushing for 119 and 2 scores, and the Dragon defense limited the Thunder to only 57 yards rushing despite Marshawn Lynch’s return to action.  The result was a convincing win by the home team, moving Seattle back to .500. 

POTG: Seattle CB Richard Sherman: 10 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR

 

BIRMINGHAM 24   MEMPHIS 13

Cam Newton did not have the big dual threat game this week, but he did not need it as his defense picked off Eli Manning 4 times in an ugly game for the Memphis QB.  The Stallions returned 2 of those picks for scores and got a Newton to Cooper TD, which was more than they needed to get the W in this rivalry game. 

POTG: Stallion CB Antonio Cromartie: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF

 

JACKSONVILLE 10   PITTSBURGH 40

The Maulers were unimpressed by Jacksonville’s Week 5 win and let them know that they were not going to be caught in a trap game.  After an initial Jacksonville TD, it was all Maulers, including a pick-six from SS Sean Taylor, and TD runs from Dalton, Lattimore, and Toby Gerhardt in a blowout win that pushed the Maulers to 5-1 and kept them a game up on Baltimore in the NE Division.

POTG: Mauler SS Sean Taylor: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD

 

DENVER 13   ORLANDO 32

Denver had a strong run game, but lost 2 fumbles, both in the red zone, allowing Orlando to come away with a 19-point victory.  The combo of Murray and James combined for 142 yards, but Moreno and Murray also did well, rushing for 137 and 3 scores, and that was the difference, turning yards into points.

POTG: Orlando DT Albert Haynesworth:  5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF

 

CHICAGO 7   LOS ANGELES 12

Two new QBs and almost no offense between them.  Trevor Siemian went 14 of 23 for only 136 yards for Chicago while Tim Tebow went 15 of 29 for 179 in a game that simply did not impress.  The difference in the game was a 4th quarter swing pass from Tebow to Shonn Greene that gave LA the win in a game that was not so much defensive dominance as offensive incompetence by both teams.

POTG: Express SS DaJuan Morgan: 10 Tck, 1 Sck

 

LAS VEGAS 17   ATLANTA 20

Atlanta rebounds from their embarrassing loss to Jacksonville by edging Las Vegas in the Georgia Dome. J. J. Arrington and Demaryius Thomas had TDs for the Fire, while Hardesty and Denarius Moore scored for the Vipers. The game came down to a late John Bounds field goal that moved Atlanta to 2-4 and snapped their losing streak at 4 games.

POTG: Atlanta WR Demaryius Thomas: 7 Rec, 115 Yds, 1 TD

 

PORTLAND 12   ARIZONA 27

The Stags lose their 2nd of 3 consecutive road games as Ryan Fitzpatrick is picked off twice and Jonathan Stewart is held to only 35 yards rushing (1.8 YPC) by the Arizona front 7. Both Frank Gore and KaDeem Carey score for the Wranglers, and both Fitzgerald and Bryant top 100 yards receiving as Arizona pulls away from the Stags in the second half to earn their 4th win.

POTG: Wrangler WR Antonio Bryant: 3 Rec, 124 Yds, 1 TD

 

OHIO 21   ST. LOUIS 24

The Glory surprise us with a gametime decision to start Brock Osweiler over Troy Smith.  Osweiler goes 27 of 46 for 246 yards and throws for 2 scores with no picks, so he wins the week among the new starters, but it was not enough as Ricky Stanzi, subbing for a concussed (and recently paid) Josh Freeman, going 20 of 32 fo r228 and 2 scores himself.  Add in an Eddie Lacy TD run and a late Rob Bironas score and Osweiler’s debut is spoiled as Ohio drops to 2-4.

POTG: Skyhawk sub QB Ricky Stanzi: 20/32, 228 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int

 

Addai Has Found New Life in Seattle


To say the move to Seattle has been a second life for HB Joseph Addai, or a third after his NFL years, would be a bit of an understatement.  After only 6 games in Seattle, Addai already has more yards rushing this year than in all of 2014 with Birmingham.  He sits at 533, well on pace to blow past 1,000 yards, a number he has not eclipsed in his 4 prior years with the Stallions. He also has 3 TDs in 6 games, more than in either 2013 or 2014. 

 

What is most interesting about this new Joseph Addai, is that he, himself has not changed much.  He is still averaging 4.1 yards per carry as he did last year, but what is different is that Coach Mitchell in Seattle is just handing him the ball more often and in more interesting ways.  More draws, more misdirection, more twin-back sets, it is just a more diverse attack.  That is not lost on Addai, who seems to be smiling more, communicating more, and enjoying life a bit more in the PNW. 

 

Addai currently sits 2nd in the league in rushing, trailing LeVeon Bell by 50 yards, but that is fine with him.  What he wants to see is a Seattle club competing for a playoff spot, something he experienced only once in Birmingham, a quick exit in the first round back in 2013.  The Dragons have a hard path, with Oakland sitting pretty at 5-1 and Portland looking tough at 4-2.  But, if Addai and the Dragons can produce on offense, the path to a playoff berth could be well within the plans for this year for Seattle and for Addai.

 

Coach Schiano Suspends Two After Brawl in Practice


Things just keep getting stranger in Chicago where a loss in LA and a very troubling 0-6 start is clearly getting to the team.  This week in practice we saw that come to fruition as a full-on brawl between two linemen got out of hand, with one, guard Paul Fanaika, actually swinging his helmet at the other, DT Linval Joseph.  The fight occurred in 7-on-7 drills when the two faced off.  Fanaika, apparently upset about a Joseph blow to his facemask, retaliated, and that led to full on fisticuffs, including the very problematic swung helmet.  The blow did not strike, but the damage was done by the incident, with Coach Schiano trying to restore order to his team by making an example of the two starters.

 

Both Joseph and Fanaika will be healthy scratches on the 53-man roster that Chicago takes to St. Louis.  That is two starters gone from a team that needs every advantage it can get. St. Louis will be a tough challenge for the winless Machine even at full strength, but now we see Fanaika and Joseph sitting at home, along with WR Malcolm Floyd, SS Bob Sanders, WR Aaron Dobson, and guard Zach Martin, all out or doubtful to play due to injury. 

 

First Trade of the Season Sends Wilson to Breakers


The New Orleans Breakers, suffering their first loss this week and currently 27th in rushing in the league, averaging only 59.7 yards per game, have apparently decided that this is a weakness they need to address.  Following their 17-3 loss in Oakland, the Breakers went out and found themselves another weapon for the run game.  The Breakers made a deal with Washington to bring Deuce McCallister’s backup, David Wilson, down to the bayou. The Breakers sent a back from their HB group back to Washington in the form of Shane Vereen, as well as a 6th round pick to bring the more elusive Wilson to their squad.  Expect Wilson to get minimal touches this week as Jeremy Hill will remain the starter, but Wilson is a good receiver and should start to see more carries over the next few weeks as New Orleans tries to build a run game to complement Drew Brees and the deep ball passing game.

 

Portland gets Receiver Help in Trade


Another team with a winning record made a move to address an issue.  Portland started the year 4-0, all home victories, before dropping their next 2 games, both on the road.  While the defense and HB Jonathan Stewart have been the focus of the Stags, the passing game needs to improve if they want to continue to compete for the Pacific title.  They made a move to improve that part of their offense this week, bringing a speedy receiver to the squad in the form of Bandit Alshon Jeffery.  The 3rd year vet has had a very limited role in Tampa Bay, catching only 8 balls in 3 years, but he is a speed merchant, tall enough to go up for 50/50 balls, but also able to go deep.  That is something the current roster of receivers, led by Brandin Cooks and Brian Quick has struggled to do.  Cooks is also considered a deep ball receiver, so the question may be whether lack of speed was really the issue or if it is a matter of having receivers who struggle to shake coverage.  Jeffery is likely to rotate with both Quick and Cooks as Portland tries to add some big-play capacity to what has been a pretty conservative attack this year, effective, but conservative.

               

Star-Crossed Season Continues with Kelce Injury


This season is not going at all how the Stars and their fans expected. After winning both the NE Division and the top seed last year, Philadelphia had high hopes for a possible Summer Bowl run in 2015, but nothing has gone as planned. This week’s injury to TE Travis Kelce is just the latest in a long line of bad news for the Stars.  Kelce was diagnosed with a torn quad, an injury that is going to keep him out of the lineup for a minimum of 8 weeks but could cost the entire regular season.  Add that to the Week 1 injury to Matt Gutierrez (now returned to the lineup) and the decision to allow Steve Slaton to seek other opportunities (he left for the NFL) and this year is not at all what anyone in Philadelphia wanted. 

 

The Stars sit at 0-6, all but eliminated from realistic playoff possibilities and seemingly unable to develop any offensive consistency.  The defense, with the departure of Sean Lee in the offseason, has also been a shadow of its 2014 numbers.  The Stars currently rank 27th out of 28 teams in points allowed, giving up over 26 per game, and they are dead last in yards allowed, giving up 376 per game.  There will be no quick answers for Coach Harbaugh and a full roster reset may be in order if the Stars cannot show some improvement in the next few weeks.  It is a surprising collapse, but that sometimes happens to teams, they are strong one year and then with just a few minor changes everything seems to fall apart the next.  We saw that with the 12-4 Generals from 2012 dropping to 4-12 in 2013, and to a lesser degree with the 2012 USFL Champion Skyhawks.  It appears that the sudden cliff has hit the Stars this year, so now we just watch and see what they can salvage from wha must already feel like a lost season.

 

We already highlighted the injury to Travis Kelce.  Unfortunately his was not the only major issue this week as several teams are dealing with potential long term injuries to a starting player.  This includes Chicago, who will be without WR Michael Floyd for the rest of the season.  DT Marcel Darreus  of the Glory will be out a month  or longer with broken ribs.  Washington will also be without LB Alec Ogletree for at least a month after he fractured his collarbone.  While not nearly as serious, the New Jersey Generals are likely to go with Charlie Whitehurst at QB this week as Sam Bradford is still dealing with his concussion and lingering symptoms this week.

 

OUT

WR         Michael Floyd                CHI        Hamstring            IR

TE           Travis Kelce                     PHI        Quad                    8-12 Weeks

FS           David Bruton                JAX         Hamstring              6-8 Weeks

DT          Marcell Dareus           OHI       Ribs                          4-6 Weeks

HB         Andre Williams            DEN      Arm                         4-6 Weeks

LB           Alec Ogletree              WSH     Collarbone             4-6 Weeks

CB          Marcus Truffant           LA          Abdomen               2-4 Weeks

LB           Jonathan Goff              TBY        Eye                          1-2 Weeks

G            Max Jean-Gilles              LV           Knee                      1-2 Weeks

 

DOUBTFUL

C             Nick Hardwick                 JAX         Hamstring

 

QUESTIONABLE

LB           Travis Goethel                 ARZ       Shoulder

CB          Brandon Carr                   DAL       Concussion

QB         Sam Bradford                  NJ           Concussion

  

Checking in on the New Kids in Town

Six weeks into the new season and both the San Diego Thunder and Las Vegas Vipers have now both had 2 home games under their belts.  Both clubs may be struggling a bit on the field, sitting at 2-4, but one thing is certain, they are getting warm welcomes in their new homes.  The Las Vegas Vipers have averaged nearly 54,000 in their two home games and have earned both of their wins on the year in the brand new facility just off the strip.  San Diego has gone 1-1 in their two games at Qualcomm Stadium, but they too have had great success drawing fans, averaging just over 51k per game. 

 

The success of both teams this year is more likely to be measured in fan interest and sales than in on-field accomplishments.  Las Vegas, in particular, was seen as something of a mystery.  Would fans still upset about the Thunder’s departure for San Diego embrace a somewhat hastily-arranged replacement?  The immediate answer seems to be a rousing “Yes”.  In part this may have been helped by allowing the fans in Las Vegas to select an identity for the team, something that was not even considered when the Thunder moved from Portland to Las Vegas back in the early 2000’s.  Doing this helped build community support.  That and a far superior facility in the new Wynn Arena certainly did not hurt.  Thunder fans never got to experience the comfort of a domed stadium, suffering through some brutally hot mid-summer games. 

 

In San Diego, the arrival of the USFL comes at a very tense time in the city’s history, as the plans to complete a new 55,000 facility to be shared with San Diego State University sit in limbo, and as the NFL Chargers remain a potential target for relocation to Las Vegas as owner Alex Spanos and team CEO Dean Spanos (Son of Alex) continue to fume about the SDSU/USFL deal and the lack of progress on either significant improvements to Qualcomm Stadium or a new 65,000+ seat stadium for the city’s longstanding NFL franchise.  Rumors swirl that the Spanos’s are sincerely considering the deal that Las Vegas has offered, as are the Los Angeles Raiders.  The Chargers have been San Diego’s team for nearly 60 years, but the relationship between the Spanos family and the city is very rocky right now, and the arrival of the Thunder, along with a strong first year in ticket sales, is not helping resolve that situation.

 

For now both the Thunder and Vipers are looking like good situations, successful at the box office, and in financial circles even if the two clubs are not consistently winning games right now.

 

Suit Seeks to Force Orlando Logo Change


Apparently things have gone very south in the discussions between the Orlando Renegades and the group known as NPF, Native Peoples of Florida. This past week NPF leadership has openly threatened to file suit against the Renegades, citing the continued use of their tomahawk logo as an infringement of the civil rights of native peoples in Florida.  It seems a far-fetched argument, meant to provide more negative press than any actual legal settlement, but it is exactly the kind of public move that does make USFL officials nervous and puts more public pressure on the Renegades to reach an agreement.  Unlike the cases under consideration related to removing the trademark of the name “Redskins” as a slur (not protected by copyright law), there is no legal case to be had against the team’s tomahawk logo, which is already trademarked appropriately by the club, and no claim has been made that the name “Renegades” is in any way racially offensive. 

 

So, what is the long game for the NPF?  It seems to be more about creating pressure on the club by using public sentiment to sway their position.  While there is certainly a core group of die-hard Renegade fans who want the club to sink in their heels and not budge on the issue, there are certainly many who feel that a compromise that retains the team colors and name while altering the logo to not reflect Native American culture is warranted.  Whether or not taking the club to court, or at least making public claims that this is the intent, will lead to changes in the entrenched camps is yet to be seen, but it is putting the Renegades in the news in a way that is not what the club or the league want to see.

 

Josh Freeman Gets New Contract Making Him 2nd Highest Paid QB


What’s the famous line from “Jerry Maguire”?  Show me the money!!  Well, that is exactly what the St. Louis Skyhawks did this week, resigning their franchise QB to a whopping $78M contract for the next 4 years.  That deal will make Freeman the 2nd highest paid quarterback behind only Ben Roethlisberger, who renewed his deal last season.  Freeman becomes the second big-name QB to sign a new deal this year, following Kirk Cousins in Michigan, whose deal was a bit more modest but still made Cousins a Top 10 QB in salary figures. 

 

St. Louis, having seen the issues that teams like Tampa Bay and San Diego have gone through when losing a franchise quarterback, opted to give the man his money.  Freeman will turn 27 this year and is viewed as just now entering his peak years, despite leading the club to a title 3 years ago.  The new deal locks him in with the club for another 4 years, through the 2019 season.  It is weighted slightly towards this year and next, with more guaranteed money available this year than any future year.  That clause very likely came as a demand from Freeman’s agent, Todd France of Athletes First, who has been pushing for frontloaded guaranteed funds in several recent renegotiations and free agent deals.

 

Cousins also worked with Athletes First, though his agent, Camron Hahn, did not push for nearly the amount of guaranteed money for the Panther QB.  Both quarterbacks are now extended off contracts that had been set to expire this year, leaving 3 big names still unsigned. Cam Newton, David Carr, and Joey Harrington are all in the final year of their deals, and the new Freeman contract must come as very good news indeed as these three signal callers hope to get top dollar in their negotiations.  The other big question is just how all of this might impact players still under contract, players like Texas’s Joe Flacco or New Orleans’s Drew Brees, both of whom might now be considered “underpaid” in their current deals.  Could make for some awkward moments in the front offices of both Texas and the Breakers.


We have a good one to start off Week 7 as the 3-3 Dragons head to Oakland to face the 5-1 Invaders.  Seattle needs to make a statement, both to stay in range of the Invaders, but also to prove they are a legitimate contender.  Dropping below .500 would certainly hurt on both cases.  On Saturday, we are looking at that late afternoon game between Dallas and Michigan as a potential indicator of just how real we should consider Dallas’s rise.  If the 4-2 Roughnecks can go into Ford Field and upset the 5-1 Panthers, well, that would have to be taken seriously. 


That night we also have two great divisional matchups as the Federals, on relevance life support, head to their arch rival’s home, M&T Field in Baltimore to take on the 4-2 Blitz. A loss there and we may just stop talking about the Federals altogether.  Later the same evening, the late game from the West features a great rivalry game between Arizona and Denver.  The Wranglers got the W in Glendale during Week 1 and the Gold would like nothing more than to return the favor at Invesco Field.

 

Sunday also has a few games that you won’t want to miss, including the 5-1 Maulers visiting upstart Memphis at the Liberty Bowl.  We are also intrigued to see what happens as Ohio, now led by Brock Osweiler, takes on another new QB in New Jersey as Charlie Whitehurst is expected to take over as Sam Bradford deals with a concussion.  This could be a game of field goals as both offenses are somewhat erratic.


Finally, the Sunday Night game was booked thinking that the Bandits and Fire could be near the top of the standings by Week 6, but in both cases the season has proven to be a bigger challenge.  Tampa Bay comes in at 1-5 and fans are already turning on new QB Mark Sanchez. Atlanta got a win this week, after being defeated by the Bulls in Week 5, but at 2-4 they are well below where everyone expected them to be at this point in the season.

 

Friday @ 8pm ET             Seattle (3-3) @ Oakland (5-1)                        NBC

 

Saturday @ 12pm ET       Charlotte (3-3) @ Birmingham (4-2)                 ABC

Saturday @ 12pm ET       Philadelphia (0-6) @ New Orleans (5-1)         FOX

Saturday @ 4pm ET         Dallas (4-2) @ Michigan (5-1)                          ABC

Saturday @ 4pm ET         Portland (4-2) @ Houston (6-0)                        FOX      

Saturday @ 7pm ET         Washington (2-4) @ Baltimore (4-2)                NBC

Saturday @ 9pm ET        Arizona (4-2) @ Denver (2-4)                             ESPN/EFN

 

Sunday @ 12pm ET        Ohio (2-4) @ New Jersey (3-3)                          ABC

Sunday @ 12pm ET       Texas (3-3) @ Jacksonville (1-5)                        FOX Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET         Pittsburgh (5-1) @ Memphis (3-3)                      FOX Regional

Sunday @ 4pm ET           Los Angeles (1-5) @ San Diego (2-4)                ABC Regional

Sunday @ 4pm ET          Orlando (4-2) @ Las Vegas (2-4)                        ABC Regional

Sunday @ 4pm ET            Chicago (0-6) @ St. Louis (4-2)                          FOX

Sunday @ 8pm ET            Tampa Bay (1-5) @ Atlanta (2-4)                        ESPN/EFN

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