Just when you thought we could not come up with a weirder interpretation of a "road movie" we throw Pee Wee Herman at you. But, while the character is certainly an oddball, the story has a classic road movie quest at its heart. Pee Wee's long trek to the Alamo in search of is bicycle includes truckers (Large Marge), musical numbers (Tequila), biker gangs, and mayhem. So basically Easy Rider 2, right?
Week had its share of surprises, but the dominant theme was that home field advantage is still a thing. It did not work for all 14 home teams, but we did see 10 of 14 home teams take a W, including some significant underdogs. That included Orlando shocking the New Orleans Breakers and Texas getting a big win over the favored Michigan Panthers. We also saw Las Vegas run their home record to 4-0 while Portland proved once again that they cannot win on the road as both teams have only won at home all season long. And, of course, we also watched as Arizona came into Tampa Bay and handed the Bandits one of the worst beat downs they have ever suffered. So, while home field can help quite a bit, it cannot overcome every issue a team has. We will run through all the games of the week, and also provide you with our pick for each team’s midseason MVP, but first, we need to talk about the QB position. We have already seen several teams make a swap at QB, and this week we added another to the list, along with a club likely going back to their original Week 1 starter. It’s all about leadership and composure, and some teams have it in spades while others simply do not.
QB Chaos Reins in the USFL
That is the only way to describe what we are witnessing this year as the Tampa Bay Bandits become the 5th team to voluntarily replace their Week 1 starter with a new QB. Then we add teams in who have been forced by injury to do the same, and we have a few more where the position has come into question. In other words, if your team does not have one of the league’s top signal callers, you may be suffering from QB Chaos.
The news this week was out of Tampa Bay, where a humiliating 43-0 defeat at the hands of the Arizona Wranglers has forced Coach Mike Shula to do what fans have been calling for over the past month, bench Mark Sanchez. The former LA Express starter has just been a disaster with the Bandits since coming over in trade from LA late this offseason, when the Bandits failed to sign top draft pick Jameis Winston. Sanchez currently sits 34th in the league in QB rating, which means there are 6 backups in addition to all 27 other starters who have had better success than him. It still puts him ahead of Brady Quinn, Troy Smith, Eli Manning, and Tim Tebow, but it is not a good number for a supposed solid starting QB. He has 6 TD passes in 9 games and 12 picks, also not what you want from your starter. And so, Shula this week announced that Pat White, who arrived with the team in trade with Oakland only 2 weeks ago, will be the starter for the Week 10 game in Texas this Sunday.
Sanchez was not the only QB to get word that they would be benched this week. Coach Schiano in Chicago pulled rookie Trevor Siemian midway through Chicago’s loss in Baltimore, returning Brady Quinn to the starting job, a position he is expected to retain next week. Quinn is the first ousted starter to return to action, but he may not be the last. Of the 4 previously benched quarterbacks, including Quinn, we could very possibly see 2 back in action if their replacements cannot start getting more done on the field. Only Brock Osweiler in Ohio has put up decent numbers, throwing for 8 TD and only 4 picks and holding an 84.5 QB Rating, well above that of season starter Troy Smith. The other two, Jacksonville’s Robert Griffin III (currently injured) and Los Angeles’s Tim Tebow have struggled in replacing Adrian McPherson and Aaron Murray.
We should also note that Sanchez’s benching may not be the last. In addition to Chicago now flip-flopping, poor QB play has been cited as a major issue in San Diego, where Joe Webb is struggling with 6 TDs and 7 picks. Memphis cannot be happy with what appears to be a regression for QB Eli Manning, who has 8 TDs but 12 picks, and whose QB Rating is a dismal 64.8. Could we see Matt McGloin get another shot to start? Dallas’s Johnny Manziel is also struggling in his 2nd year, underwater with 9 picks to 8 TDs, but at least his rating is in the 80’s (81.3). Finally, while Kyle Orton will sit out Week 10 with an injury (pinched nerve), he risks being outperformed by understudy Brad Gradkowski. With a 76.4 QB Rating and a 1:1 TD:Int Ratio (10 to 10), Orton is not safe, even with the contract extension signed in the offseason.
In other words, there are a lot of teams who are not feeling like they are getting quality starts out of their QBs. Compare that to teams like Pittsburgh, Michigan, or Orlando, where younger QBs Andy Dalton, Kirk Cousins, and Russell Wilson, seem to be rising to their best selves this season. That is certainly the case with the first two, but even Wilson’s erratic play has stabilized quite a bit. And then there is Portland, where “transitional” QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has played well enough to keep the Stags’ star rookie QB on the bench. Marcus Mariota has yet to take a single snap in regular season play, despite a major investment by the Stags to sign him.
The USFL has been a QB-driven league since the early years of Kelly, Flutie, Young, and Doug Williams, but this year we are seeing just how dramatic the gap between quality QB play and uncertain QB play can be. Tampa Bay is just the most recent team to determine that their supposed starter for the year is just not doing enough, not playing winning football, and attempts to find an alternative are being sought in earnest.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS 38 OHIO GLORY 36
We got a barnburner of a game, but it was not a game where we expected a lot of fireworks. We all looked at Federals-Glory and thought this game would end up in the teens as each club has had issues putting points up, but not this week. We saw a combined 74 points between these two clubs and the only thing that kept it from heading to overtime was a failed 2-point PAT.
David Garrard had his best game of the year and with Deuce McCallister looking good with 114 yards on the ground, Washington thought they had this one. It was 31-10 Federals after three quarters, but got some breaks and came back huge with 26 points in the 4th to make this one razor thin. What 5 Federals turnovers, including 3 in the final period helped Ohio stay in the game and have a shot to send it to overtime.
The game actually started off pretty slow, with only 1 score in the first quarter, a Garrard to Kellen Davis 3-yard TD toss. In the second we saw both teams start to have success, with each scoring 10 points. Washington got another short TD to Davis, Ohio got a Brock Osweiler 29-yarder to Justin Blackmon and at the half it was 17-10 Federals on top.
The third quarter was dominated by the Federals, who got an early Deuce McCallister TD and then finished up the quarter with a Jacob Hester 9-yard run. Ohio’s Osweiler went 1 of 9 in the quarter, helping Washington take control of the game, but Osweiler and the Glory would get hot late. It began on defense, where CB Chimdi Chekwa snagged his second pick of the day, this one run back 30 yards for a Glory TD. That TD sparked Ohio. It pulled them to within 2 scores at 31-20, which would be cut to 31-23 after another David Green field goal for Ohio.
But, just as Ohio started to feel the comeback, Washington hit on a couple of long passes and with an 11-yard strike to Kelvin Benjamin, the Federals bumped the lead back up 38-23. Ohio would need to hurry. With only 3:23 left in the game they would go to the hurry up offense. That technique worked as they moved back within 1 score with a Steve Smith TD with 1:50 left on the clock. But with only 2 time outs Washington could attempt to run out the clock. They ran the ball on first down, but attempted a swing pass out to Hester. The back, instead of catching the ball, tipped it up into the air, and there to nab it was Chekwa for his 3rd pick of the day, giving Ohio a shot with 1:02 left to play at the Washington 29.
It would take only 4 plays for Ohio to get the TD they needed, another short TD toss to the league’s leading receiver, Steve Smith. But, they needed 2 more to get the game to overtime. Osweiler lined up in the shotgun with Rashard Jennings to his right and 3 receivers to the left. It would be a classic rub play, but when Blackmon crossed the other two receivers, Bradley Fletcher followed him, avoiding the other two receivers. The pass was a little behind Blackmon and Fletcher got a hand in to break it up. The Glory would remain down by 2 and a failed onside kick would mean that Washington would, and did kill the clock. A big win for the Federals, a bad loss for the Glory, and a game that did not at all follow the script we all predicted.
NEW ORLEANS 10 ORLANDO 38
The Renegades are hard to figure. Last week they lose to Jacksonville. This week they utterly dominate a very good New Orleans team. Orlando got off to a great start thanks to a Dee Milliner pick-six in the 2nd quarter. They led 17-0 at the half and while New Orleans improved in the 2nd half, it was not nearly enough.
POTG: Orlando HB Latavius Murray: 22 Att, 93 Yds, 2 TD
ST. LOUIS 10 PITTSBURGH 45
Ricky Stanzi struggled, and Andy Dalton flourished as the Maulers ran away with this one, taking a 21-3 halftime lead and not letting up on the gas in the 2nd half. Dalton finished with 3 TDs, with Jimmie Graham adding 2 more to his league leading total. Eddie Lacy had 108 for St. Louis, but it was not enough as Stanzi only completed 19 of 43 throws.
POTG: Mauler WR Victor Cruz: 4 Rec, 102 Yds, 1 TD
CHICAGO 6 BALTIMORE 38
The Machine looked utterly overwhelmed against Baltimore, with Coach Schiano reversing course and going with Quinn in the 2nd half. Blitz HB Kerwynn Williams had 109 yards rushing on only 12 attempts and Darrius Heyward-Bey impressed with 135. Chicago got very little from their run game, with only 61 yards combined from Forte and Martin as they drop to 0-9.
POTG: Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 15/21, 317 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int
ATLANTA 22 DENVER 30
The Fire challenged Denver, but the Gold held on to get a needed home win. James and Murray had a lot of success, each going over 90 yards rushing and rookie Kevin White scored on a 32-yard bomb as Denver moved back to 4-5, hoping to hit .500 next week. Kyle Orton was hurt in the game and we saw both Brad Gradkowski and Kellen Clemons in the game for Atlanta. Orton could miss several weeks, so now Atlanta needs to pick his replacement.
POTG: Gold HB DeMarco Murray: 13 Att, 94 Yds, 1 TD
MICHIGAN 17 TEXAS 38
Texas needed this one to avoid dropping below .500 and they played very much like the conference champions from last year, with Joe Flacco throwing for 4 scores despite only garnering 195 yards passing. Brandon Marshall snagged 2 scoring passes and the Texas defense stymied Michigan despite 102 yards from league leader LeVeon Bell.
POTG: Texas QB Joe Flacco: 14/25, 195 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int
ARIZONA 45 TAMPA BAY 0
“Pathetic”, that is the word Coach Mike Shula used to describe his Bandits’ performance at home against Arizona. Outgained 466 to 183 and utterly dominated on both sides of the ball, it was as bad a loss as any in Bandit history. Frank Gore rushed for 110, and backup QB Nick Foles, playing for the injured David Carr, threw for 270 and 2 scores as the Wranglers win a laugher.
POTG: Arizona FS Nate Allen: 1 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def Td
PORTLAND 10 SEATTLE 20
The Stags remain winless on the road as Seattle takes the home win and leaves both teams at 5-4 on the year. Byron Leftwich completed scoring tosses to TE Dennis Pitta and WR Emmanuel Sanders as the Dragons doubled up the Stags. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 251 but tossed 2 picks in an up and down game.
POTG: Dragon QB Byron Leftwich: 14/24, 209 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int.
JACKSONVILLE 10 CHARLOTTE 27
The Monarch win streak reaches 5 games as Brandon Wheedon completes 73% of his throws, including 3 TDs and Darren McFadden rushes for 118 against the Bulls defense. Adrian McPherson again got the start for the injured Robert Griffin III, but was largely ineffective despite completing 25 of 45 passing.
POTG: Charlotte CB Derech Cox: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 2 FF, 1 FR
NEW JERSEY 34 BIRMINGHAM 20
The Generals impress in Birmingham as A. J. McCarron struggles against their improved defense. Sam Bradford found both Odell Beckham Jr. and Doug Baldwin fo r2nd half TD tosses as the Generals improve to 5-4 and send Birmingham under .500.
POTG: Generals QB Sam Bradford: 19/28, 254 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int
MEMPHIS 19 PHILADELPHIA 23
The Stars got the 2nd half of the season off to a solid start with their 2nd win of the year. Stacy and Washington combined for 144 yards rushing and Matt Gutierrez found TE Cameron Brate for the game-winning touchdown as Philly built up a 23-10 lead and then hung on despite a 102-yard kik return from Memphis’s Antwaun Molden.
POTG: Stars DE Muhammed Wilkerson: 7 Tck, 2 Sck
DALLAS 13 LAS VEGAS 14
The Vipers remain perfect at home, edging the Roughnecks in a war of attrition at Wynn Arena. LeGarrett Blount scored both Vegas touchdowns and rushed for 44 yards on only 7 carries to be the player of the game. Dallas outgained the Vipers, but could not get the ball into the endzone when they got to the redzone, settling for 2 field goals.
POTG: Viper HB LeGarrett Blount: 7 Att, 44 Yds, 2 TD
SAN DIEGO 8 LOS ANGELES 16
Marshawn Lynch looked disinterested as his Thunder sleepwalked through a bad offensive performance. Tim Tebow did not look great, but he got a third win for LA in 4 starts by allowing the run game of Shonn Greene and LaRon McClain to wear down a tired Thunder defense. LA rushed for 138 and controlled the clock, with a 38-22 minute advantage. Joe Webb struggled again for San Diego and Lynch rushed for only 34 yards on 15 carries. Not exactly making the case for a high profile trade.
POTG: LA cornerback Tracy Porter: 4 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR
HOUSTON 31 OAKLAND 16
The Gamblers, seeing New Orleans lose earlier, left nothing to chance, blowing the game open early and holding Oakland at arm’s length all game. Matt Hasselbeck threw for all 4 Houston TDs, including two to TE Vernon Davis, while the Houston D picked off Joey Harrington twice and held Ryan Williams to only 52 yards rushing in a convincing victory. Oakland has now lost 2 in a row, and fans might be worried that they are fading again, as they did in 2014.
POTG: Gambler QB Matt Hasselbeck: 12/16, 219 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int
Baltimore, Charlotte, and Arizona Streaking
Just take a look at the USFL standings and it is easy to see who the hottest teams in the league are. You have Baltimore now winners of 6 in a row, and both Arizona and Charlotte sitting on 5-game streaks. Not surprisingly, all three of these teams now lead their divisions. The leads are slim, but each currently occupies first place. Baltimore is in first thanks to tiebreakers in the NE Division as Pittsburgh, also at 7-2, has 3 less divisional games under their belts. Charlotte has a 1-game lead on the Orlando Renegades, and would win the tiebreakers currently if that lead vanished. Arizona has the biggest gap, 2 games over Texas, with Denver, Dallas, and Las Vegas all at 4-3, 3 games back.
Charlotte and Arizona are doing it with defense, sitting at 2nd and 1st in the league for fewest points allowed (Charlotte at 16 per game, Arizona at only 14.7). Baltimore, on the other hand, is all about offense, leading the league at 34.2 points per game. All three had some stumbles early, but have been unbeatable for the past month and then some. So, which could face trouble first as we head into the final 7 weeks of the year? Well, Charlotte will have a gut check as they face the 8-1 Houston Gamblers this week. The game is at home, but Houston will be a true test of the Monarchs’ defense. Baltimore will have a big test in Week 11 when they host the Pittsburgh Maulers, a team that has also proven to be an offensive dynamo this year, but with a higher ranked defense as well. Finally, Arizona has a big road challenge this week, heading to Michigan to take on the 7-2 Panthers. All three are looking to prove themselves, though at this point with the win streaks they have had, they really have shown us plenty already.
Dallas, San Diego, and Birmingham Sliding
On the opposite side of the coin we find the Roughnecks, Thunder, and Stallions. Dallas has now lost 4 in a row after a very solid 4-1 start. That includes three divisional losses (@ Texas, home to Denver, and at Las Vegas this week). San Diego has also dropped 4 in a row and now sit at only 2-7, far from the divisional leaders we anticipated. Their last 4 losses include 2 to the offensively-challenged Express. Of course, sitting at 10.8 points per game and with their star halfback demanding a trade, the Thunder are far from adequate on offense either. Finally, Birmingham, once 4-2, have now dropped 3 straight, though all 3 have been out of division. They face San Diego at home this week and could hope to use that game to rebound before heading to New Orleans the next week. For Dallas, a road game in Chicago could serve the same purpose, as they gear up for a challenging run which will have them play Arizona twice in 3 weeks, with Las Vegas sandwiched between them. For all three teams, a bad run over the next few weeks will all but eliminate them from playoff contention. So the time to improve and get some W’s is now.
Kyle Orton latest USFL QB Injured
We mentioned Orton’s injury in our QB Chaos story, but right now the situation is very much in flux. The injury was listed in this week’s report as a pinched nerve. That typically is an injury that can sort itself out in just a week or so of treatment, so we could see Atlanta’s recently re-signed QB back in action in a Week 11 game at Charlotte. Orton and the entire Atlanta offense has been struggling, averaging only 17 points per game, but unless Brad Gradkowski can show a lot more spark for the Fire’s offense this week against that tough Orlando front 3, we expect Orton to be back as soon as he is healthy. His contract is too pricey, and his prior success too recent (2014 playoff run) to expect Coach Ramsey to make a permanent change.
Chad Johnson to Miss a Month or Longer for Thunder
Dick LeBeau and the San Diego Thunder are not having the season they anticipated, and now, in addition to Marshawn Lynch’s very vocal complaints, the offense will be without its best receiver as Chad Johnson will miss at least 2 weeks and possibly quite longer with a partially torn quad muscle. Johnson, who had gone 4 seasons without a missed game, will be out as the Thunder head to Birmingham this week and will be out for the “Homecoming” game in Las Vegas in Week 11. That leaves Nick Toon as the team’s top receiver, with Danny Amendola and Legedu Naanee as the other potential starters in the receiver group. That feels like a big hit to us for the Thunder offense, which is already pretty anemic this season. It will be a tough couple of weeks for Joe Webb, who is already hearing the calls from fans to bench him and test out either Kevin Kolb or Case Keenum as the new starter.
Five Players Who Could Be Dealt This Week
There are three days left until the Week 10 trade deadline goes into effect. Do we expect any last second trades? Well, history tells us that we should see some movement in the final days, but there is no way to know where, who, or what players. As we look across the league, we certainly see some teams potentially willing to sell of players to acquire draft picks, usually teams that are just not in the race anymore. We also see plenty of teams who are playoff contenders but may feel that they are missing a piece. So, the situation is ripe for a deal if two teams can agree on a fair swap. That is usually where the issue is. As we looked across the league, we tried to identify players who may potentially be moving by the weekend. We came up with 5 potential trade recipients. Will they move, will they stay put. No way to know, but these are the 5 we think will garner last second attention.
HB Marshawn Lynch (SD)
Lynch has asked to be traded, has made it clear he wants out, but has also struggled this year. Many may feel he has hit the RB cliff at age 31. He has only 293 yards this year, averaging under 3 yards per game, so this may be a tough sell for a lot of teams. That said, the price could be cheap, because Lynch is on the last year of his deal and will be leaving San Diego regardless, so the Thunder could be motivated to get something for him.
TE Dustin Keller (TBY)
The arrival of Greg Olsen has largely limited Keller to run formations, which is not his strength. If the Bandits can find a contender who wants to upgrade at TE, we could see Keller go.
WR Robert Woods (LA)
Woods was seen as a prototype “possession receiver” coming out of USC, but he just has not done much with the Express. He had 57 receptions last year, but is on pace for fewer than 50 this year, having largely been bumped out of the number 2 slot by rookie Nelson Aholor. If a team feels they can better use his talents, we could see Woods moved, particularly to a club that may be down a receiver due to injury (looking at you Chicago and San Diego).
DE David Bowens (JAX)
The 34-year old Bowens is part of a 3-man rotation with 2nd year player Barkevious Mingo and veteran Robert Ayers. We could see Jacksonville opt to go with the two younger players and try to get good value for Bowens. The same could be true for DT Brandon Bunkley (32), or for CB Charles Godfrey (30).
DE Tamba Hali (CHI)
The Machine have been rotating Hali and Victor Abiami opposite of Jason Pierre-Paul, and while Hali has more sacks, Abiami is younger and is better against the run. We could see Chicago holding a major “yard sale” of players over 30 if they truly are in the midst of an overhaul, which their 0-9 record should indicate that they are.
OUT
CB Nathan Vasher TEX PCL Tear IR
G Chris Kemoeatu OAK Wrist IR
C Nick Leckey PIT Neck 4-6 Weeks
CB Keenan Lewis PIT Wrist 2-4 Weeks
C Zach Williams TBY Arm 2-4 Weeks
QB Kyle Orton ATL Nerve 1-2 Weeks
DE Mario Williams MEM Shoulder 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
LB Alec Ogletree WSH Collarbone
OT Tayo Fabuluje OHI Illness
TE Dion Simms MGN Neck
HB Knowshon Moreno ORL Groin
QUESTIONABLE
C Ethan Albright NJ Finger
G Robert Myers BIR Wrist
WR Brian Quick POR Concussion
WR Larry Fitzgerald ARZ Foot
TE Brandon Pettigrew CHA Knee
DT Dontari Po MEM Migraines
DE Anthony Hargrove PHI Concussion
First Half MVPs for Each Team
We had our midseason review last week, but we wanted to go back one more time and talk about the players on each team who are providing hope, leading a resurgence, or guiding the team to playoff destiny. Here is our evaluation of each team’s first half MVP.
ARIZONA: HB Frank Gore
It has been a team effort in Glendale, but the one thing everyone has seen is that Frank Gore is in good form this year, especially for a 34-year old back. He is back over 4 yards per carry and is on pace for another 1,000-yard season, helping Arizona weather the rough seas of the SW Division and the loss of David Carr.
ATLANTA: LB Luke Kuechley
Not a lot has gone right for Atlanta this year, but you cannot fault Kuechley, who has been having a career year. He has a shot at his first 100-tackle season with the Fire, and is the undisputed leader of the defense. Now, if the rest of the defenders could just play to his level, they might have something.
BALTIMORE: QB Ben Roethlisberger
Over 3,000 yards, 26 TDs and a QB Rating above 140, yes, this one was an easy pick as Big Ben is not only the MVP for the Blitz but has a real shot at being MVP for the league.
BIRMINGHAM: QB Cam Newton
Newton still catches a lot of flack from fans for his erratic play, but let’s be honest, without him, this club would have nothing going. He had his QB Rating over 100 for the first time this year before his injury, and with a 12:3 TD:INT ratio he is well on his way to his best season ever, not to mention that his 209 yards rushing put him 2nd on the team behind rookie T. J. Yeldon.
CHARLOTTE: LB Rolando McClain
With 77 tackles already, McClain is making a case for DPOTY and is a big reason the Monarchs have won 5 in a row. He is all over the field and is proving effective on all 3 downs and in any situation. If Charlotte make a deep run this year, McClain is sure to be one of the reasons why.
CHICAGO: LB Brian Urlacher
There is so little that can be said for an 0-9 club. What we can say is that while he is not the dominant force he once was, Brian Urlacher can still bring the hurt. Currently 2nd in the league with 74 tackles, Urlacher is the one bright star in a pretty murky roster.
DALLAS: CB Brandon Carr
The Dallas defense helped them to that strong 4-1 start, and while the past 4 games have been rough, the main issues seem to be on offense. Carr has been solid in the defensive backfield, producing 3 picks and 14 pass defenses for a club that needs all the stops it can get on defense.
DENVER: WR Michael Crabtree
Denver may not be a big play team, but Crabtree is the closest thing they have to a gamebreaker. The wideout is only averaging 12 yards per catch, but with 85 targets and 50 catches for over 600 yards, he is the clear focal point for the Gold’s offense.
HOUSTON: QB Matt Hasselbeck
No surprise here. Hasselbeck is having a career year and putting up MVP numbers. He has a legitimate shot at 50 TDs this season and has thrown scoring tosses to 8 different Gambler players.
JACKSONVILLE: MLB Sean Lee
The Bulls’ biggest improvement from 2014 to 2015 has been on defense, where they are currently a pretty solid 16th in yards allowed this season. The key to the new defense is free agent acquisition Sean Lee, who took over the MLB slot and is calling the defensive plays for coach Del Rio.
LAS VEGAS: HB LeGarrett Blount
Blount may be trailing Montario Hardesty in carries (114 to 93) and yards (455 to 381), but the big guy’s value is seen on third down and at the endzone. Blount leads the team with 5 rushing touchdowns and has been all but unstoppable on 3rd and 2 or less. He has 11 converted third downs in 13 tries. That is about the best stat any Viper player has this year.
LOS ANGELES: LB Clay Matthews
Another club with a decent defense and a just horrible offense. LA is 8th in points allowed and 2nd in yards per game. The key, as with so many clubs, is their defensive captain and MLB. In that role Clay Matthews has held together this defense even as he watches the offense flounder week in and week out.
MEMPHIS: FS Calvin Pryor
Memphis’s improved defense includes a more aggressive focus on takeaways and no one has been more successful in forcing turnovers than Pryor. He is a league leader with 5 picks so far this year, but also has 2 forced fumbles as he works to dispossess receivers of the ball. He could be the lone All-USFL selection for the Showboats this year.
MICHIGAN: HB LeVeon Bell
As good as the Panther D has been this year, we cannot look past the league leading rusher, LeVeon Bell as the MVP for Michigan. He is on pace for 1,500 yards or more, leads the league in carries, and is helping keep pressure off of QB Kirk Cousins. His ability to keep drives going has helped keep the defense rested and shortened games.
NEW JERSEY: LB Rey Maualaga
He leads the team with 66 tackles and has proven to be effective as a blitzer as well, with 5 sacks this season. He is about as good a run stuffing OLB as you will find, and is helping the Generals stay in the hunt with his passion for the game.
NEW ORLEANS: WR Kenny Britt
Yes, Early Doucet is still the number one receiver, with more catches and yards, but Kenny Britt has become the big play receiver, forcing teams to juggle their coverages and allowing Doucet to get more single coverage looks. Britt is averaging 18.9 yards per catch and has 6 receiving TDs to lead the team. His presence opens up the field for Doucet, Fleener, and Donnie Avery.
OAKLAND: DE Cliff Avril
The Invaders are atop the Pacific Division because of their Top 5 scoring defense, and Cliff Avril’s dual role as a pass rusher and a run stopper is a big reason why. In combo with Justin Smith, Avril’s 11 sacks have made Oakland one of the toughest teams to go deep on.
OHIO: WR Steve Smith
No doubt in our mind that Smith is both the best player on the Glory roster but also the spiritual leader of the team, encouraging younger players, getting in the face of those who are not pulling their weight. He is coaching as much as he is playing with this up and down squad.
ORLANDO: DE Calais Campbell
While the Renegades would love to see more potential candidates here, they cannot be upset at Campbell for being utterly dominant. He has 17 sacks in 9 games and is also leading the team in tackles, unheard of for an edge rusher.
PHILADELPHIA: WR Stevie Johnson
In a bad year, you look for the player who is giving it his all each week, and on the stars that player is WR Stevie Johnson. His numbers are not astounding, 42 catches for 517 yards, but his effort is on display. Yes, he is a bit of a diva and a loudmouth, but he is backing it up each game.
PITTSBURGH: QB Andy Dalton
If we had a category for Most Improved player, Dalton would be running away with it this year. He is on pace to crush his personal bests in yards, touchdowns, and rating, and could well be the league MVP if Pittsburgh can stay hot.
PORTLAND: LB Nico Johnson
The Stags are over .500 and it is largely due to their defense. We honestly could have picked any of the 3 staring linebackers as their stats are so close. We chose Johnson over Crowder because last year it seemed like Crowder, the 2014 tackle leader, was all on his own, but Johnson has picked it up this year, as has Kiko Alonso, creating a much more dynamic LB group for the Stags.
SAN DIEGO: SS Coy Wire
The veteran safety is only 1 tackle behind LB A. J. Hawk for the team lead, has 3 picks, and continues to be one of the best at his position. This year is not going as fans of the Thunder expected, sitting at 2-7, but Wire is about as solid a player as they have right now.
SEATTLE: WR Mike Wallace
Nate Burleson has more catches, but for yards and scores this year has been about Mike Wallace. His emergence after a couple of pretty nondescript seasons, is one of the reasons the Dragons are making a run at the Pacific Division and why their passing game is helping them compete every week.
ST. LOUIS: LB Aldon Smith
The 8th ranked defense (yardage) of the Skyhawks is largely the product of Aldon Smith’s intensity. He leads the team with 66 tackles, but also leads them in sacks with 7. Throw in his hitting, his pressures on backs and the QB, and Smith is proving himself to be a disruptive force for St. Louis.
TAMPA BAY: FS Antrell Rolle
The Bandit D has been bad this year, a huge step back from a solid 2014, but don’t put that on Rolle. His 5 picks is tied for the league lead, and he also has been active in the run defense with 33 tackles.
TEXAS: WR Marques Colston
As much as folks like to praise Joe Flacco, we have to give the highlight to Colston this year. He is on pace for 1,500 yards or more and is nearly uncoverable unless you throw 3 guys on him.
WASHINGTON: TE Kellen Davis
Second on the team in catches and leading them in receiving TDs, the big TE has become David Garrard’s escape hatch, his security blanket, his go-to. With issues on the O-line, Garrard is often dodging defenders and when that starts happening it is Davis he looks to for help.
Ohio Governor John Kasick Moves Ahead with Canton Plans
It appears that the Eastern Ohio Recovery Plan (EORP) may well have some momentum in the Ohio State plan, and with that, so too are plans for a new stadium in Canton, Ohio, seen as a possible home for the Ohio Glory. Governor Kasich’s ambitious plan to develop communities in Eastern Ohio, including Akron, Canton, Youngstown, and Massillon among others, calls for major infrastructure spending in the economically depressed corridor that runs from outer Cleveland exurbs down I-77 to the border with West Virginia. Financed largely through increased hotel, gasoline, and restaurant taxes across the state, the EORP still faces some tough hurdles, but early word is that it may have the votes it needs, and particularly the support of enough of the region’s representatives, to move to the state senate.
The plan, in addition to some targeted road, bridge, and airport upgrades, also calls for creation of 3 large “economic growth zones”, one of which includes Canton, home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and calls for additional funding, through a combination of bonds and statewide allocations, to create a 53,000 seat stadium in Canton. The state would fund construction of the facility, but as part of the larger plan, two state universities would be required to relocate their football programs to the location in 2018, Kent State and Youngstown State. Efforts would also be made to have both the Ohio Glory and The University of Akron also sign on as tenants.
Ownership of the Glory have welcomed the possibility of a new “right-sized” facility, despite the fact that it would mean leaving their current Columbus hub and moving closer to competing markets in Cleveland (NFL) and Pittsburgh (NFL and USFL). The Glory have long struggled with their status as a 2nd tier tenant at Ohio Stadium, a stadium with a capacity of over 102,000, which makes even well-attended Glory games seam half empty. A series of deals between the Glory, the state, and the Ohio State University, have improved the revenue stream over the past 2 decades, but Ohio still remains one of the lower end generators of game day revenue in the league, largely due to a lack of control over parking, concessions and luxury suite revenue. The new stadium in Canton, were it constructed as proposed, would give the Glory a far more significant role as the lone professional franchise to utilize the stadium, and exclusive use of the stadium, as the prime tenant, between March and July, without the Ohio State spring practices and July camps impinging on their use of the facility.
It was a proposal that seemed a pipe dream when announced by Governor Kasich during his reelection campaign, but as we have progressed into his second term, there is growing momentum to “rescue” eastern Ohio from its Rust Belt past and current decay, to enliven the region with new spending, construction, economic zones, and quite possibly its own USFL football team as a rallying point.
Adidas Reveals Retro Look for Ohio Glory
We stay with the Ohio Glory for our final story, as Adidas this week presented the designs for the 2016 Glory uniforms and branding. This is the third of 4 anticipated updates, with Charlotte and Denver having revealed their looks earlier this season. As with the other two designs, the Ohio look does not deviate much from the historical designs of the club with Reebok and Nike. In fact, you might even call the 2016 look a throwback to their earliest designs.
The look features the same flag blue helmet with the screaming eagle logo we have seen since its redesign several years back. The same design appears on the sleeves of both jerseys, while the secondary logo (state outline with banner) appears on the hip of the two pant sets (blue and white). The new jerseys are significantly simplified, with the blue jersey having white numerals with no outline, and thick red, white, red striping at the cuff, a look very reminiscent of the New York Giants in many ways. The white jersey uses the same pattern on blue sleeves, with blue numbers also without an outline. This new simplified look is repeated on the pants where thick vertical stripes run up ¾ of the thigh before cutting at an angle to reveal the secondary logo on each hip. The socks will be a simple red block or blue block with no additional striping. A very toned-down, minimalist look for the Glory, but one which also evokes their early days and their championship seasons from 2002-2003.
Week 10 features another diminished slate of divisional games, only 4 once again, but there are still some very good matchups to tune in for. We are particularly intrigued by two matchups of Pacific clubs headed to the Southern Division for inter-conference play. 5-4 Portland will be in New Orleans, where the Breakers are hoping to bounce back after a bit of a stinker in Orlando. Oakland, losers of 2 in a row, head to Memphis, hoping to right themselves against the Showboats. Both of those games are early on Saturday.
Later that same day, we have Denver at Las Vegas in a key game for both 4-5 clubs as they try to reach .500. The Saturday nightcap on ESPN/EFN is a good one as well, with Arizona headed to Michigan. The Wranglers have won 6 in a row, but heading into Ford Field will be a tough 7th win.
On Sunday we start off with Houston visiting Charlotte in a national game on ABC. We also have an interesting regional coverage game on Fox as 6-3 St. Louis heads to 5-4 New Jersey with Ricky Stanzi still subbing for the injured Josh Freeman. The later games include LA at Seattle in a Pacific Division clash, and Orlando headed to Atlanta in a SE Division game to finish off the weekend.
Friday @ 8pm ET San Diego (2-7) @ Birmingham (4-5) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Oakland (6-3) @ Memphis (4-5) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Portland (5-4) @ New Orleans (7-2) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm ET Baltimore (7-2) @ Ohio (3-6) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm ET Denver (4-5) @ Las Vegas (4-5) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm ET Philadelphia (2-7) @ Pittsburgh (7-2) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm ET Arizona (7-2) @ Michigan ( 7-2) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm ET Houston (8-1) @ Charlotte (6-3) ABC
Sunday @ 12pm ET Washington (3-6) @ Jacksonville (2-7) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET St. Louis (6-3) @ New Jersey (5-4) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Dallas (4-5) @ Chicago (0-9) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Los Angeles (3-6) @ Seattle (5-4) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Tampa Bay (2-7) @ Texas (5-4) FOX
Sunday @ 8pm ET Orlando (5-4) @ Atlanta (3-6) ESPN/EFN
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