Injuries cropped up as a big story in Week 10 as Las Vegas lost their QB, Jacksonville lost their best pass rusher, and New Orleans lost a key part of their run game. The other big story was the trade deadline, and we saw a few big names find new homes right at the wire. Of course, on field action was also a huge part of the week, from San Diego’s statement win at home to Washington and Memphis also making it clear that they were teams to take seriously. Texas sent Charlotte to a 4th straight loss while Chicago got the win they needed to tighten up the Central with rival Michigan. All this, plus we saw two quarterbacks go completely wild this week, with Robert Griffin III setting league records for rushing by a quarterback and Joe Webb right behind him. We will break down all the games, and also take a look at the trades that wrapped up the trading window for the year. Stay put, it is all coming at you right now.
We thought it might be a busy Trade Deadline and we were right. Five big moves made within 24 hours as the trade window shut on Friday, including one move we did not see coming but which could be huge down the stretch. Let’s get right to it with the five moves that may well impact the final month and a half of action.
Philadelphia added a weapon for QB Matt Gutierrez following the Stevie Johnson injury. The Stars agreed to send a 6th rounder and backup receiver Lavelle Hawkins to the Ohio Glory for slot receiver Randall Cobb. Cobb could split time inside and on the flank as he incorporates into Philadelphia’s run-first offense. For Ohio, Cobb was expendable as he was already showing he had little intention of resigning with the club as his contract expires this fall. He will now have 6 weeks to impress the Stars as he seeks to sign a multi-year deal.
A rare in-division trade, and it was exactly what we thought as Seattle agreed to send 32-year old DE C. J. Mosely to the San Diego Thunder. The deal also included 2 receivers as Seattle obtained receiver and return specialist Legedu Nanee and San Diego gets slot receiver David Clowney. Seattle also lands a 6th round pick from the Thunder. Expect San Diego to have Mosely come in on passing downs as he replaces injured starter Adewale Ogunleye.
Las Vegas, still hoping to get into the Western Conference playoff hunt, shored up their secondary and helped Tampa Bay clear some cap room. The Vipers send a 3rd rounder to Tampa Bay for Free Safety Antrel Rolle. Rolle will turn 33 this year and has one more year on his deal. He could look for an extension from the Vipers as they look to add more takeaway skills to their defense.
Another deal for Seattle as they seem ready to move on from former All-USFL QB Byron Leftwich. With Jacoby Brissett now starting, Seattle added a veteran backup in Memphis’s Matt McGloin. This almost certainly indicates that the Dragons expect to let Leftwich go in free agency this year and move ahead with the rookie Brissett, now with McGloin as the backup. Memphis, for their part, gets a 4th round pick in the draft, with Eli Manning also possibly headed to free agency and rookie Paxton Lynch potentially taking over in 2017.
And now the surprise move. We felt confident that St. Louis would try to add more cap room, but we thought that they would move disgruntled WR Jordy Nelson as the obvious choice. They did not. Instead they made a deal with the New Jersey Generals that sends one of the best young linebackers in the league to the Generals. OLB Aldon Smith will be the newest member of New Jersey’s D, adding a lot of talent and a lot of big hits to their roster. New Jersey, in return, sends the Skyhawks their 2nd round pick this year and a 3rd rounder in 2018.
The deal makes all kinds of sense for New Jersey. With Rey Maualaga on IR, the Generals have been shuttling in linebackers on the weak side, and now they get one of the best run-stuffing, ball-pursuing, and QB terrorizing options at the position, can bring Maualaga back on the strong side next year, and can use Smith in a late playoff run. For St. Louis, losing one of their marquee defenders is big, but by sending Smith to New Jersey, they free up over $3M in cap space next year, space they may need if they are thinking of a full rebuild of the roster. It was a move that no one saw coming, but one that could potentially make a lot of sense for both clubs.
And so the trade window closes and now teams have few options outside of a pretty thin free agent pool if they need to deal with injuries down the home stretch. Here is where roster depth will start to play a real factor in the final push for playoff positions across the league.
OAKLAND INVADERS 22 SAN DIEGO THUNDER 25
The first of two battles between the team most picked to win the division and the upstart team that currently leads the Pacific. Playing at home, San Diego had something to prove, but it was not a given that they would take out the Invaders. This one was nip and tuck all the way, but in the end, it was the homestanding Thunder that picked up the win and, in so doing, built up a 2 game lead on the division.
Joe Webb was the start of the game, doing his best impression of Robert Griffin III with 2 long rushing TDs along with a TD pass. For Oakland the goal was to run the ball better, and they did, with Donald Brown and Knile Davis combining for 123 yards, but Joe Webb had what he needed late to get the win for the Thunder and send 48,302 San Diegans home happy.
The game began with Oakland going 3 and out as Shantee Orr tackled Pierre Garçon short of the first down on a key 3rd and 7 toss. San Diego then marched down the field, highlighting former Invader Ryan Williams, who was eager to get some revenge on the team that let him walk in free agency. The drive was progressing well, when Joe Webb took the game into his hands, or rather, his feet. He bootlegged on a 2nd and 2, and he had plenty of running room, dashing 41 yards for a TD.
Oakland wrote the Webb play off as a fluke and got back to business on offense after a nice 31-yard kick return gave them the ball at their own 39. Joey Harrington was sharp in his 2nd drive, hitting both Richard Rodgers and Davante Adams with big 2nd down completions to avoid a tough 3rd down. In just over 5 minutes, the Invaders were knocking on the door and backup HB Tyler Ervin got the call, plunging into the endzone from the 3-yard line to put Oakland within 1. But, when Roberto Aguayo doinked the PAT, Oakland had to settle for a 7-6 deficit.
The second half saw both defenses play well. Oakland picked off Joe Webb on an errant throw, but failed on 3rd down and were forced to kick a field goal. San Diego responded with their own field goal drive, sending the game to the half with a 10-9 lead for the home team.
When San Diego came out for the second half, they saw Oakland in a similar defense to Joe Webb’s earlier TD, and on a 1st and 10 they called the same play. It worked just as well, this time with Webb getting a nice block from WR Nick Toon to free him for a longer 65-yard scoring run. The play electrified the large San Diego crowd and gave the Thunder a nice 8-point lead at 17-9.
They would get their chance to take the lead on the first drive of the 4th quarter, another nice march down the field, led by a 28-yard pitch play to Knile Davis, who avoided the initial tackle, spun out of a second and took the ball into San Diego Territory. A nice run by Donald Brown, and a short pitch and catch from Harrington to TE Richard Rodgers set up the ball at the San Diego 15. From there, Harrington used a screen to Ervin to give the back his second score of the game. This time Aguayo connected on the PAT and Oakland had its first lead at 22-17.
A five point lead is a dangerous position. You don’t fear the field goal, but you know that one mistake puts you behind once again. With over 9 minutes left, Oakland’s position was hardly ideal. San Diego had the crowd behind them and had confused Oakland twice with bootleg runs. That option forced the Invaders to overplay when Joe Webb sprinted to the left, particularly since it was Ryan Williams with the ball. A 14-yard run and a first down started off the drive right for San Diego. Webb would then hit Kevin Everett over the middle for 11, followed by a 9-yard Williams run and a short completion to Chad Johnson, who would have only 2 catches on the day. Slowly but surely, San Diego moved the ball into Oakland territory. When Webb went for it all on a deep ball to Johnson, he did not connect, but the flag came out, defensive pass interference, putting the ball on the 5.
After a Williams run for 2 yards, Webb used the threat of the run to freeze the linebackers and found TE Luke Willson free in the endzone for the lead. The Thunder went for 2, and got it on a scramble by Webb to the corner pylon. Up 25-22 with 1:01 left, San Diego had to defend against the touchdown, but also against a game-tying field goal. The defense did its job on the first account, but with 4 seconds left Oakland had a shot to equalize the score. It required a 52-yard kick from rookie Roberto Aguayo, who had already missed from 53 earlier in the game.
The snap was a bit high, the holder brought it down, but Aguayo was out of rhythm and the kick did not stand a chance. It fell both short and off to the left, giving San Diego their statement win and sending Oakland into a 5-5 tie with Los Angeles in 2nd place.
WASHINGTON 17 BALTIMORE 13
A big win for the Federals as they try to gain some respect, moving into first place in the NE Division by beating the Blitz in Baltimore. Washington’s front 7 got to Ben Roethlisberger 6 times, including 2 sacks from DE Matthias Kiawanuka. David Garrard connected with HB Deuce McCallister for one TD toss and Kelvin Benjamin for the game winner. With Darrius Heyward-Bey unable to go, Baltimore did not have a 100-yard receiver as Washington held their vaunted deep ball attack in check.
POTG: Federals’ QB David Garrard: 20/28, 245 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int
MEMPHIS 41 NEW JERSEY 27
Another statement win as Memphis went into East Rutherford and blew up the New Jersey defense. Todd Gurley rushed for 143 and a score, while Anthony Allen added two more short TD runs as the Showboats spoiled Maurice Jones-Drew’s return to action. MJD had a great game, rushing for 133, but it was not enough as Memphis scored on 6 of 9 possessions and also added a pick six to blow past the Generals.
POTG: Showboat HB Todd Gurley: 21 Att, 143 Yds, 1 TD, 4 Rec, 25 Yds
TEXAS 28 CHARLOTTE 21
Charlotte’s third straight loss drops them out of the playoff picture and puts them a game behind surging Orlando. Texas scored on three straight possessions in the 3rd and 4th quarter to break ahead of the Monarchs 28-14, and held on from there. Brandon Wheedon had 3 touchdowns, but it was offset by 4 picks as the Monarchs simply gave Texas too many gifts to come back.
POTG: Texas LB Chad Greenway: 10 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Int
MICHIGAN 17 CHICAGO 24
Chicago got the win they needed, evening their record at 5-5 and pulling Michigan within 1 game in the Central Division. It took them 59 minutes and 29 seconds, but they got the lead on a Fitzpatrick to Kenny Stills TD toss with 31 seconds left to play. Chicago’s D was masterful in containing LeVeon Bell, holding the league leader to only 1.7 yards per carry and daring Michigan to pass. Cousins was knocked out of the game early in the 3rd, and with Taylor Heinecke in at QB the Panthers were unable to respond to the late Chicago TD.
POTG: Machine QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 21/28, 251 Yds, 2 TD
BIRMINGHAM 21 SEATTLE 24
With two new coordinators in place, along with Consulting Asst. Coach Wisenhunt, the Stallions looked better on offense, with Cam Newton throwing for 3 scores and T. J. Yeldon rushing for 128 on the day, but now the defense was the issue as Seattle, one of the league’s worst offenses, found their stride. Rookie QB Jacoby Brissett threw for 228 and 3 scores. Joseph Addai added 86 on the ground as Seattle won their second in a row with Brissett at the helm.
POTG: QB Jacoby Brissett, 25/39, 228 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
NEW ORLEANS 29 PITTSBURGH 7
The Breakers’ defense was too much for a Mauler squad that just has not had the same offensive swagger this year. Andy Dalton threw three picks as New Orleans pressured him all game. One of the came late as Pittsburgh was trying for a face-saving late score only to have Patrick Peterson snatch the ball in the endzone and return it 100-yards for a backbreaking score. The win was New Orleans’s 6th in a row as they make a run at Houston in the South.
POTG: Breaker CB Randall Gay: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 FF, 1 FR
LAS VEGAS 17 OHIO 20
A tough loss for a Vipers squad that had eyes on a late playoff run. Ohio surprised both the Vipers and all of us by starting rookie Christian Hackenberg over Brock Osweiler. The play worked, with Hackenberg throwing for 2 scores, including the game winner to HB Rashad Jennings. Of course, the bigger issue for Las Vegas is the loss of Cody Pickett, who suffered a season-ending injury. Jeff Tuel finished out the game and may well finish out the year for the Vipers.
POTG: Ohio QB Christian Hackenberg: 25/40, 245 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int
ATLANTA 19 JACKSONVILLE 40
The Bulls leaned into the QB run this week and Robert Griffin III had a record-setting day. The Bulls’ QB rushed for 217 yards and 4 touchdowns as an overwhelmed Atlanta defense had no plan on how to defend the dual threat QB. With Kyle Orton out, Atlanta was already weakened, but touchdown runs of 43, 55, and 98 yards by Griffin just destroyed any hopes Atlanta had in this game.
POTG: Bulls’ QB Robert Griffin III: 12/23, 95 Yds, 0 TD, 13 Att, 217 Yds, 4 TD
PHILADELPHIA 27 ORLANDO 52
The Renegades and QB Russell Wilson were on fire against the Stars this week, racking up 417 yards of offense, most of it on the arm of Wilson, who went 21 of 27 for 331 yards and 4 scores. Wilson spread the ball around with no receiver going over 100 yards but 3 different receivers scoring and 4 going over 50 yards. Matt Gutierrez was picked off 3 times and sacked 5 more as Orlando’s aggressive defense kept the Stars at arm’s length all game.
POTG: Renegades’ QB Russell Wilson: 21/27, 331 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
PORTLAND 20 LOS ANGELES 27
The Express improve to 5-5 thanks to a solid defensive outing and 2 Sam Bradford TD passes. LA sacked Marcus Mariota 5 times and, despite both Brian Quick and Alshon Jeffery going over 100 yards, they kept Portland out of the endzone. On offense, Bradford connected with Roddy White and new weapon Demaryius Thomas for scores. Reggie Bush added 80 yards rushing and LA held Portland to only 3 points in the second half as they pulled ahead after a 17-17 halftime deadlock.
POTG: Express DE Antwan Odom: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
ST. LOUIS 9 ARIZONA 27
Arizona built up a 17-3 halftime lead and never looked back, containing the St. Louis offense all game long. The Skyhawks converted only 2 of 15 third downs and Josh Freeman threw two picks as Arizona used defensive discipline to hold them at bay. With Jim Sorgi at QB the Wranglers still managed to put up 27, with Sorgi connecting with David Tyree 5 times for 115 yards and a score. Frank Gore added a TD on a screen pass and CB Mike Mickens had the coup de grace, with a 41-yard pick-six to move the Wranglers to 9-1 on the year.
POTG: Wrangler WR David Tyree: 5 Rec, 115 Yds, 1 TD
TAMPA BAY 10 HOUSTON 41
After a tough first half that saw Houston up only 10-3, the Gamblers turned up the pressure in the 2nd half and pulled away with a big fourth quarter. Matt Hasselbeck was back in action and looked good, throwing for 3 TDs. Carlos Hyde added 81 yards and a score and the defense held Tampa Bay to 4 of 17 on third down as they moved to 8-2 on the season.
POTG: Houston CB Leodis McKelvin: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF
DALLAS 30 DENVER 7
A brutal game for the Gold as they outgain Dallas 321-206 but commit 5 turnovers. Matt Leinart was picked off twice and three more fumbles gave Dallas too many opportunities to mess up. They got a pick six on the opening drive of the game and when Johnny Manziel went out with an injury, Landry Jones came in and threw 2 fourth quarter touchdowns to put the game out of reach. It was self-inflicted damage for a sloppy Denver club playing at home.
POTG: Dallas CB Billy Jones: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF
Las Vegas Loses Cody Pickett to PCL Injury
It was a rough week to be a Las Vegas Vipers fan. They went into the weekend with a shot at .500 and a good position in the race for the Pacific Division, they leave the weekend at 4-6, out of playoff position, three games behind San Diego, the team that used to call the city home, and they also lose their quarterback, having one of the best seasons of his career, to a knee injury that forces him onto injured reserve.
The play came early in the second quarter, Cody Pickett scrambling to avoid a sack. He would throw the ball away, but not before taking a hit from Ohio linebacker Justin Durant. Durant would fall at the knees of the Viper QB and right away you knew something was wrong. Pickett was able to stand, but when he tried to walk to the sideline, his right knee gave out on him. A teammate helped him to the bench, and then the cart took him into the locker room. It would be Monday morning before the MRI could confirm what most feared, a significant injury, one with damage to the posterior cruciate ligament, meaning that the stability in Pickett’s knee would be severely impacted. Pickett could get surgery, which is the way it will go, and that would allow him full use of the knee, but not for the next 2 months at the least. That meant injured reserve, and that is where Pickett finds himself with 6 weeks left in the season and the Vipers still in striking range for a possible Wild Card.
The Vipers will move ahead with Jeff Tuel as the starter. Curtis Painter moves up to the number two position and undrafted free agent Ron McLendon from Cal State Northridge moves from the practice squad to the 3rd position. With the trade deadline now passed, Las Vegas has to either stand pat or take a shot with a possible free agent. Right now, the most likely free agent options are either former Ohio Glory starter Vince Young, released by Baltimore after an injury cut short his comeback as a backup, or 35-year-old journeyman Josh McNown. So, to say that there is not a lot of enthusiasm about the options is perhaps accurate. For now it looks like Jeff Tuel will take over, and Las Vegas will try to rework their offense around the run game an short passes to protect Tuel.
Robert Griffin Runs for 200+, Keeps Bulls in Contention
It was not your typical quarterback performance, not by a longshot, but it was effective. Jacksonville leaned into Robert Griffin’s natural running ability and designed a game plan to take advantage of Atlanta’s 25th ranked run defense. Call it the QB option, but what we saw on Sunday was more akin to the wishbone or single wing than a modern pro offense. Yes, Griffin did have some standard shotgun passes or play action from under center, but more often than not he was in the pistol formation with Cadillac Williams to his side. He would hand off to Williams, keep the ball and run with Williams blocking, or use the bootleg, faking to his back and taking the ball the other way.
Whatever you may think of the unorthodox system, it certainly worked against Atlanta. Griffin set league records for rush yards in a game by a quarterback, rushing for a stunning 217 yards, well past the record set 2 years ago by Cam Newton. He also rushed for a record 4 touchdowns, something no quarterback has ever accomplished, well, not since the early days of the NFL when the quarterback was also a halfback in most formations. Griffin threw for only 95 yards on 12 completions, but with 13 rushes he not only had a POTW performance, but helped Jacksonville win going away against a division foe. Will this new strategy work against the likes of Charlotte or Orlando? That remains to be seen, but with the success this week, you can bet that next week’s foe, the Memphis Showboats, are working overtime to find ways to offset the QB run game.
Wilson Leads Orlando to Sole Possession of First in SE Division
While Jacksonville and Robert Griffin were winning with a unique and somewhat unorthodox QB strategy, Russell Wilson was doing it in a far more conventional way. Orlando put up 52 points on the Philadelphia Stars largely due to the efficiency of Wilson’s game in the pocket. He had a few scrambles of note, finishing with 37 yards and a rushing touchdown, but from within the pocket he went 21 of 27 for 331 yards and 4 passing touchdowns.
But it was more than fantasy owners that were happy with Wilson’s game. The Renegades have been hoping to see their QB take the next step towards being among the league elites. This game may well have been the coming out party for Wilson. In his 5th season in the league, Wilson is having his best numbers to date. He is on pace for a 4,000 yard season, averaging 212 yards per game, and with a 17:8 TD:INT ratio he may well see his highest TD total and lowest pick total in the same year. His 86.8 QB rating may not yet have him among the league’s best, but Wilson is bringing better decision making and better game management to the Orlando offense, and that has brought with it a 7-3 record and sole possession of first place in the division, which is certainly all the fans and his coach can ask for.
Washington Blitzes Baltimore & Big Ben for Big Win
The Federals were not expected to be among the contenders for the NE Division this year. All the preseason pundits were looking at Baltimore and Pittsburgh. They were not getting much respect around the league even at 6-3, with wins over many sub-500 teams (Atlanta, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, and Ohio), but with a win in Baltimore against the surging blitz this week may well have helped them gain the respect they believe they deserve. With New Jersey losing this week, Washington now sits alone at the top of the Northeast Division. And they are doing it without a clear dominance in any part of their game.
Washington is largely middle of the pack when we look at their numbers. They are14th in points per game (21.4), 10th in points allowed (20.8 per game), 9th in passing, 18th in rushing, and only 20th in yards allowed, but they are winning games through tenacity and discipline. They don’t make many mistakes, not big ones at least, and they are one of the least penalized teams in the league.
They have kept David Garrard largely untouched in the pocket, and they are still getting monster numbers when needed from 35-year-old Deuce McCallister. McCallister is averaging 3.9 yards per carry and has nearly 800 yards rushing with 6 games left to play. They are also spreading the ball around, with 5 different receivers over 20 receptions on the year, led by TE Kellen Davis with 46 catches and 558 yards. Brandon LaFell (40 for 426) and Kelvin Benjamin (39 for 697) have been consistent, and even McCallister is getting into the passing game with 32 receptions. Washington may not be the team making the headlines, or filling the highlight reels with insane plays, but they are winning games and outperforming expectations, just as Coach Sean Payton promised this offseason.
Ohio Starts Hackenberg & Earns a W
It was a surprise, to the Las Vegas Vipers, the announcers, and even the fans in Ohio Stadium, but the decision by coach Tom Coughlin to pull Brock Osweiler and give rookie Christian Hackenberg the start turned out to be a good one. It was not the former Nittany Lion’s first start of the season. That came in Week 4 when Osweiler had to miss action with an injury, but this was his first start while Osweiler remained an option.
Coach Coughlin made the call on gameday, having worked with both QBs all week long. Likely an unpolular choice with Osweiler, who had gone 1-3 since returning to action in week 6, the decision helped spark Ohio to a home victory against Las Vegas. Now, many might argue that it was the injury to Cody Pickett, the Viper QB, and not Hackenberg, that produced the win, but we have to acknowledge that the rookie had a solid outing as well. Hackenberg completed 62.5% of his throws (25 of 40) and tossed two touchdowns in the game, including the 4th quarter throw to Rashad Jennings that would go for 52 yards and a score. Yes, most of Hackenberg’s throws were underneath, averaging 6.1 yards per completion, but he played within himself, did not turn the ball over, and looked poised as Las Vegas tried to confuse him with pre-snap adjustments along the defense. Coach Coughlin has already announced that his rookie QB would be under center in Week 11 when Ohio travels to Denver to face the Gold in a battle of 4-6 clubs hoping to stay relevant in the Wild Card chase.
As we look at the first playoff standings of the season, it is clear that we may be waiting a while before we start to see postseason berths coming off the board. Arizona is a likely early candidate, already 4 games up on 7th place Los Angeles (9-1 vs. 5-5), while 8-2 Houston may well need time to pull away from 7th place Charlotte, only 2 games back at 8-4, despite a 3-game losing streak. We are also seeing most divisions pretty tight, at least as 2-team races after 10 weeks. Houston has only a 1 game lead on both Memphis and New Orleans, with the Breakers riding an impressive 6-game win streak. Orlando is a single game ahead of Charlotte, though the two teams seem to be headed in very different directions at present. Washington gained a 1-game lead on New Jersey with this week’s results, but the Generals, along with both Philly and Baltimore, are still very much in the hunt.
Out west, Arizona, despite an excellent 9-1 mark, are only 1 game up on the Texas Outlaws, who have survived a road-trip season and sit at 8-2. San Diego has builtup a 2-game lead on both Oakland and surprising Los Angeles. Michigan has had some stumbles and now sits at 6-4, only 1 game up on a much-improved Chicago team. So, the message right now is don’t expect too much news in the next couple of weeks. Some of these divisions could well come down to Week 15 or 16 matchups to finally be decided.
Jacksonville may have had a good week results-wise, but the loss of Barkevious Mingo could be a big hit for the defense. Mingo broke his fibula in a pileup after a fumble. He could theoretically be back in time for a playoff run, so the fact that Jacksonville placed him on IR tells us they don’t see that as a realistic option moving forward. New Orleans also took a hit with HB David Wilson now out with 4 broken ribs. That will put more pressure on Jeremy Hill to be the bell cow back for the Breakers.
OUT
DE Barkevious Mingo JAX Broken Leg IR
QB Cody Pickett LV Torn PCL IR
HB David Wilson NOR Ribs IR
WR Brashad Perriman ORL Neck 2-4 Weeks
DT Brian Price MGN Hamstring 1-2 Weeks
OT Joe Haeg SEA Collarbone 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
SS Darrian Thompson POR Concussion
LB Ahmad Brooks LV Tendinitis
G Amini Silatulo SEA Hand
G Kyke DeVan HOU Wrist
QUESTIONABLE
QB Kyle Orton ATL Shoulder
OT Willie Colon HOU Hand
QB Kirk Cousins MGN Concussion
CB Jalil Brown OHI Hip
WR Leonard Hankerson DEN Broken Nose
DT Aaron Donald PIT Elbow
USFL Agrees to Expand Friday Night Football with ABC/FOX Deal
The deal is done and the USFL will alter its weekly schedule in 2017 with 2 games on both Friday and Saturday nights. The success of the Saturday Night Doubleheader, with one game starting at 7pm eatern (NBC) and the other at 9pm often from the West (ESPN/EFN), has led to an expanded Friday night offering. The USFL and three of its television partners have come to an agreement to shift one of the Sunday afternoon games to Friday night, adding a second game to the weekend evening lineup and removing two regional games in the mix.
The move, which will grant FOX and ABC 8 games apiece in the Friday Night slot, will also see NBC bump its Friday Night Lights to the 9pm ET slot. Allowing the peacock network to air a West Coast game on Fridays and an Eastern game at the 7pm slot on Saturday. No games change hands between the networks, but what this move means is that at the 4pm slot on Sundays there will be only 1 game on both ABC and FOX, removing the regional coverage from one of the two Sunday afternoon slots.
Fans of the USFL will now have 14 nationally covered games each week, with the only two regionally broadcast games now occurring on Sundays at noon. The weekend will kick off with an ABC/FOX game at 7pm on Friday night, followed by an NBC game at 9pm. Saturday will bring the same lineup of 4 nationally televised games, 2 at noon and 2 at 4pm, and the same NBC 7pm game and ESPN/EFN 9pm ET game. Sunday will now feature alternating weeks of regional coverage on either FOX or ABC, with the other hosting a nationally broadcast noon game. At 4pm, both ABC and FOX will have a national broadcast game, and the weekend will end, as it has for nearly a decade, with ESPN and the ESPN Football Network simulcasting the last USFL game of the week.
Wranglers Reveal 2017 Look
Two new Adidas looks for 2017 were revealed this week, to go with the new Orlando branding. Arizona was the first to reveal their updated look and it has a clear callback to the early years of the franchise. The emphasis on red and blue, and the simpler jerseys are a clear reference to the 1984 look. The one big adjustment is that the Wranglers, for the first time in team history, are going to shift from a blue facemask on the helmets to a red one. Of course the copper helmet and flame-adorned pants remain, it would be a crime to get rid of either.
Bandits Back to Basics with 2017 Adidas Redesign
Another team that is going back to where they began are the Tampa Bay Bandits. Their new look is another minimalist look, returning to a grey helmet with grey facemask, traditional 5-stripe look on the helmet and pants, and a minimal use of sleeve striping at the cuff. Looks like many teams are recognizing that with shorter sleeves in use, the presence of elaborate sleeve striping, as with shoulder stripes, is less effective than a more rudimentary sleeve cap and possibly a logo on the sleeve itself. The one interesting novelty to the new Bandit uniforms is in the jersey numbers. For the first time in team history Tampa Bay will go with red letters and a black outline instead of their traditional black lettering with red outline.
Week 11 gets off to a bang when the SE Division leading Orlando Renegades travel out to Arizona to face the Wranglers in a very strong Friday night game. On Saturday we get 4 divisional games, with Portland @ Oakland and Seattle @ San Diego in the Pacific, followed by night games of Washington @ New Jersey and New Orleans at Houston. That last one is going to be a doozy as both clubs have a lot wrapped up in this matchup.
Sunday brings us some games between contenders and teams on the cusp, starting off with Memphis visiting a 4-6 Jacksonville squad that still has playoff hopes. Texas is at Las Vegas, where the Vipers are hoping to stay in the hunt despite losing Cody Pickett for the year. Ohio visits Denver in a battle of 4-6 teams that cannot afford an out-of-division loss right now. We then see Michigan visit LA and we close out the week with a bit of a Disappointment Bowl as Pittsburgh and St. Louis hope to lick their wounds a bit with a night game victory.
Friday @ 8pm ET Orlando (7-3) @ Arizona (9-1) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Dallas (3-7) @ Atlanta (2-8) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Baltimore (5-5) @ Chicago (5-5) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm ET Portland (3-7) @ Oakland (5-5) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm ET Seattle (3-7) @ San Diego (7-3) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm ET Washington (7-3) @ New Jersey (6-4) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm ET New Orleans (7-3) @ Houston (8-2) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm ET Philadelphia (5-5) @ Tampa Bay (2-8) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET Memphis (7-3) @ Jacksonville (4-6) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET Birmingham (3-7) @ Charlotte (6-4) FOX
Sunday @ 4pm ET Texas (8-2) @ Las Vegas (4-6) ABC
Sunday @ 4pm ET Ohio (4-6) @ Denver (4-6) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Michigan (6-4) @ Los Angeles (5-5) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 8pm ET Pittsburgh (3-7) @ St. Louis (2-8) ESPN/EFN
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