The Playoff picture is staying tight as division leaders fall in Week 11. Arizona (and 2nd place Texas) both suffer defeats, as does NE Division leader Washington. Houston makes a statement against New Orleans, but Memphis makes one right back. Michigan drops to 6-5, now with both Chicago and Ohio in the mix for the Central. No such worries for Orlando, who benefit from Charlotte’s 4-game slide. It is looking like a year that will draw out until the final week with no team ready to claim a playoff spot yet. That is music to the ears of the league and not unwelcome in places like Columbus, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and LA, where playoff hopes are still very much alive. We will run through all the scores, but first, the ups and downs of the running QB was certainly the story this week as Robert Griffin III suffered a nasty injury only 1 week after rushing for over 200 yards. That is our lead story for the week, a week that saw several QBs forced to leave games.
The Risk of the Running QB Becomes Evident for Bulls
Two weeks in the life of the Jacksonville Bulls has revealed the full range of experiences available when you lean into the running QB as an offensive scheme. In Week 9 we saw the massive upside, with Robert Griffin III rushing for over 200 yards, accounting for 4 touchdowns, and completely overwhelming the Atlanta defense. This week it took less than one quarter for the equally massive downside to become apparent, with Memphis’s defense keyed in on Griffin, the quarterback took a massive hit and was out of the game with a fracture in his fibula that could potentially cost him a month or more, all but squelching any faint playoff hopes the Bulls had. It is the very picture of why some teams embrace the dual threat QB model and others try their hardest to keep their signal callers in the pocket and out of the run game.
Jacksonville had fully embraced Griffin as a dual threat option, far more than other teams like Orlando (Russell Wilson) or even Birmingham (Cam Newton). The stats for the Bulls bear this out. Griffin is the team’s leading rusher with 557 yards, nearly 100 more than halfback Cadillac Williams. He also has 9 rushing touchdowns, 6 more than 2nd place Matt Jones (Williams does not have any as of yet) and 3 more than Griffin has passing the ball (only 6 in 11 games). Griffin has yet to top 200 yards passing in any game this year and currently sits with a 67.6 QB Rating as a passer, topping only the recently-benched Byron Leftwich as the 2nd worst rating among regular starters.
And yet, despite the clear deficiencies as a passer, Griffin’s position as the starter was not in doubt, not with days like the one he had in Week 9 as a possibility. In a league where we have seen Joe Webb and Russell Wilson also put up 100-yard games both scrambling and through planned QB runs, Robert Griffin had become the poster child for a new generation of athletic quarterbacks who were more likely to run than to go deep into their passing progressions. And when the offense is designed to provide running plays to the quarterback, the impact can be dramatic.
But, as we saw this week, and as we have seen in the past with athletic QBs like Jake Plummer or Doug Flutie back in the day, the ability for a quarterback to make plays with his feet has one major drawback, injury. It is one thing to have a halfback go down to injury. The hope is always that there is a solid backup. We all recognize that the position of tailback is one that tends to have a short shelf life and a high injury risk. But the QB is not only an athlete on the field, he is the team’s leader, the offense’s focal point, and, in most cases, the on-field coach who directs, motivates, and guides the team on every play. Losing your starting QB to injury can tank an entire season, and so, putting that player regularly at risk to take the kind of hits that running backs endure is a huge risk for a club, as Jacksonville has learned. It is the reason why we see so many coaches try to turn athletic college QBs into pocket passers. It may also be the reason that when you look at championship history you see far more traditional quarterbacks with titles and rings than scramblers or dual-threat players.
The Bulls now sit at 4-7, alive for a Wild Card but only barely. What is more, they will now have to adjust their offense on the fly, accounting for the far-less mobile options available to them for the rest of the year, veteran Adrian McPherson or 2nd year developmental player Chase Daniel. An offense built around Griffin using run-pass options, bootlegs, and scrambling out of danger will now have to morph into a traditional run game with a pocket passer. While that shift may actually get Cadillac Williams his first touchdown of the year, it is unlikely to produce the kind of results in the win column that will help Jacksonville fight for a Wild Card. It was a risk the Bulls were willing to take with Griffin, and they rolled snake eyes this week, putting the rest of 2016 in question.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS 29 LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 30
From the start this has been a “make or break” year for Coach Andy Reid and the LA Express. Reid was brought in to lead the Express back in 2013, one of the highest visibility coaching hires in club history. Off of his great success in the NFL with the Eagles, Reid was seen as an offensive innovator, the kind of coach who could finally add some punch to a largely lifeless Mark-Sanchez-led offense. In his first 3 years, the first two with Sanchez, Reid’s teams were among the worst offensive units in the league. The Express dropped from 9-7 to 6-10 and then 4-12. There was talk that the veteran coach could have been let go last year, but ownership gave him one more year, and a shiny new QB in former General Sam Bradford, with one clear charge. Turn this offense around.
The season did not start off well, losing to Chicago 21-19. LA then exploded for a 40-0 win over Portland, but quickly slipped back to offensive struggles, failing to reach even 20 points in 4 of their next 5 games. Ownership made a deal to bring a true deep threat to the receiving corps in former Fire speedster Demaryius Thomas, and Reid reemphasized the importance of balance by providing Reggie Bush with more carries. Signs slowly started to appear that the moves were working, a 22-20 win against Charlotte. 27 points against Portland, and an overall record of 5-5 after 10 weeks, but there remained plenty of doubters. Coach Reid and the Express circled this game against Central Division leading Michigan as a chance to prove that they were both a legitimate playoff contender and a team that could put points on the board.
The Express proved both with a narrow 30-29 victory over the Panthers. It was a game that saw Los Angeles put up 369 yards of offense, including 298 through the air as Sam Bradford had perhaps his best game since coming over from New Jersey. Despite losing the time of possession battle by nearly 10 minutes, the Express outgained the Panthers and, more importantly, outscored them. It was not a slam dunk, after all, at one point in the early 4th quarter, they were trailing 29-17, but with two late scores, one coming with only 1 tick left on the game clock, the Express roared back and took the W over Michigan, possibly a turning point game for the franchise.
As Coach Reid has tried to do in previous weeks, the Express came out of the gate trying to establish the run. Michigan expected this, and Reggie Bush’s numbers throughout the game would not be great, but Bush did put the first points on the board, a 5-yard run at the end of a 64-yard drive. Bradford had gone 4 for 4 on the drive and LA had appeared to find a solution to the Panthers’ early defensive wins. Michigan, playing without Kirk Cousins, had struggled to find its own offense in the first quarter, but got into rhythm in the 2nd. Taylor Heinecke started finding receivers underneath and Michigan got on the board with a touchdown to Cody Latimer, himself just back from injury. An LA field goal gave the Express the lead again, but when Michigan got a 2nd touchdown, this time from B. J. Cunningham, you could feel the tension among the LA fans. Would this be the beginning of another missed opportunity game? Would Michigan start to pull away?
Those doubts were quelled when LA responded immediately, a rapid fire drive of only 7 plays, ending with Sam Bradford hitting Roddy White on a 22-yard strike. The Express were not going to concede the game, and had some answers on offense. They would go into the half tied up with Michigan after the Panthers put a 42-yard field goal on the board in the half’s waning seconds, but that was more than the Express had scored in one half since their early season blowout of the Stags. Perhaps they could keep pace with the Heinecke-led Panthers.
The third quarter was a disheartening one for Express fans as their club failed to score and suffered two bad gaffs on offense. First was a safety as a high snap rolled into the endzone, forcing Sam Bradford to fall on it for the safety. On the next drive, Bradford overthrew Demaryius Thomas on an incutting route and FS Kenny Philips was there for the Panthers to pick it off. 4 plays later, Matt Prater extended the Michigan lead to 22-17. Still, only a 5 point lead, and a full quarter to go.
When Michigan got a 3rd touchdown from Taylor Heinecke to open the 4th quarter, we started to see some LA fans headed out, trying to get ahead of the traffic. Down 29-17, it looked very much like another stumble for the Express against top opponents. But, the Express proved us wrong. On their next possession Bradford was crisp and accurate, connecting on 3 key plays to move the ball down the field in short order. He hit Thomas with a 23-yard out & up route, found Jason Whitten over the middle for 17 more, and then Nelson Agholor for 29, on a play that looked like a TD, but for a slight misstep by Aghalor that put his foot out of bounds at the three. One play later, Bradford faked the ball to rookie Paul Perkins and caught Demaryius Thomas on a shallow crossing route. Touchdown LA, and the gap was cut to 5 points, 29-24.
With 4:10 left to play, Los Angeles needed the ball back. Their defense, which has been the strength of the team for several years, came up big, forcing a punt after 5 plays, thanks in large part to a nice defensive swat away by CB Jamar Taylor of a ball headed to Latimer. LA would get the ball back at their own 27 with 2:47 left to play. While some fans had left the stadium earlier, those that remained got louder as Bradford and the offense took the field. On his first play of the new drive, Bradford found Roddy White for 14 yards and a first down. That play was quickly followed by a nice toss in traffic to Marqise Lee, a 2nd and 4 run of 7 by Perkins, and another first-down-gaining throw to Jason Whitten. It would take 2 timeouts and nearly the full time for LA to reach the red zone, but with 17 seconds left, they were sitting at the 12 with a first and ten.
When Sam Bradford took a sack on 1st and 10, the crowd erupted in disbelief. LA was forced to use their last timeout to stop the clock. On their next play, Bradford used a hard count and managed to draw an over-eager Justin Tuck into an offsides position. Five yards closer, it was now 2nd and 8 from the 10. Bradford took the snap out of the shotgun, was forced to elude Tuck and the passrush, and by the time he had thrown the ball out of the endzone there were only 5 seconds left.
Third and 8 from the 10, with 5 seconds on the clock. Edge of your seat time for everyone still in their seats at Farmers Insurance Field. Bradford again lined up in the shotgun, with Agholor and White to the left, Thomas and Whitten to the right. Bush went into motion out to the right and the ball was snapped. Bush immediately drew the linebacker out to the flat, Whitten went straight up the field, drawing the safety to his seam route, and Roddy White angled to the right pylon, taking inside position on the corner. Bradford took advantage of the single coverage on his veteran possession receiver, threw the ball low and outside, and White snatched it from about knee high, falling into the endzone for the winning score with 1 second left on the clock.
LA would go for 2 to make it a 3-point game, but failed on the attempt. A dribbling squib kick would ensure that Michigan would not get a miracle return, and the clock rolled to all zeroes. It was the narrowest of victories, in the narrowest of timeframes, but it was evidence that this Express squad could put points on the board, could muster a late comeback, and very well could be a playoff team come Week 16.
ORLANDO 30 ARIZONA 20
A huge win for the Renegades as they take advantage of David Carr still not at 100% and get a win in Glendale. The story of the game was Calais Campbell, who pursued Carr like a man possessed, landing 6 sacks on the day and just disrupting every part of the Arizona offense. Russell Wilson got into the recent QB scrambling action with 115 yards and a TD on the ground to go along with 191 and another in the air. Arizona had 100-yard games from both Fitzgerald and Jimmie Graham, but it was not enough as Orlando built up a 27-14 lead and never let Arizona get closer than 10 points.
POTG: Orlando DE Calais Campbell: 10 Tck, 6 Sck
DALLAS 17 ATLANTA 31
Three picks of Johnny Manziel and a surprising 4 TD game from Brad Gradkowski helped Atlanta snap their losing streak and get win number 3. Gradkowski, again making a case to start for the Fire, went 19 of 26 for 189 and connected with both matt Jones and rookie Pharaoh Cooper for 2 scores each. Four Dallas turnovers halted drives that could have made the game closer as Dallas simply gave up too many opportunities.
POTG: Atlanta FS Earl Thomas: 7 Tck, 2 Int
BALTIMORE 28 CHICAGO 17
The Blitz got back over .500 and sent Chicago to 5-6 with a solid game on both sides of the ball. Big Ben threw for 357 and added 2 TDs despite being sacked 5 times. Anthony Dixon had 2 scores, and both Darrius Heyward-Bey and Brian Hartline went over 130 yards receiving on the day. Chicago got 108 from Doug Martin and avoided turnovers, but just were not able to get enough points on the board against the Blitz.
POTG: Blitz DE Jason Taylor: 8 Tck, 1 Sck
PORTLAND 10 OAKLAND 21
Oakland rebounded from their loss in San Diego by taking care of business at home. Bobby Wagner was dominant on defense and Donald Brown scored twice as Oakland won the game despite 3 turnovers to none by Portland. Marcus Mariota was unable to turn those takeaways into points and that proved the difference in this one.
POTG: Oakland LB Bobby Wagner: 10 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
SEATTLE 10 SAN DIEGO 17
Seattle played the Thunder tough, with Joseph Addai rushing for 74 yards and a score and the defense frustrating the Thunder all game long. But, midway through the fourth, the Thunder put together a 14-play drive that ended with a Lamar Miller TD run and that proved the game winner. Joe Webb had only 170 yards passing and tried to run but had minimal success after last week’s explosion. Former Dragon had a big game in his first action for San Diego, winning POTG in the match against his former team.
POTG: San Diego DE C. J. Mosely: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sack
WASHINGTON 17 NEW JERSEY 28
The Generals even their record with Washington at 7-4 with a big home win. Odell Beckham Jr. was the star of the game with 167 yards and 2 scores for the Generals. Washington’s Deuce McCallister was held to only 24 yards rushing and new General LB Aldon Smith had 6 tackles and 2 Tackles for Loss in his first game for New Jersey.
POTG: Generals’ wideout Odell Beckham Jr: 6 Rec, 167 Yds, 2 TD
NEW ORLEANS 7 HOUSTON 35
Houston was not hearing it as Breaker Fans made the case for their club to take a share of first place. The Gamblers dominated on both sides of the ball, outgaining New Orleans 338-256 and holding the ball for nearly 38 minutes. Carlos Hyde and Ben Tate combined for 144 yards, with Tate averaging 9.3 yards on 7 carries and putting the ball in the endzone twice.
POTG: Houston DE Tim Crowder: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR
PHILADELPHIA 17 TAMPA BAY 16
The Stars also gained ground on Washington with a win, but it was not easy as the Bandit defense looked uncharacteristically stiff against Philly. Derrick Henry was held to only 54 yards rushing and it took a late Marshall Newhouse TD reception from Gutierrez to pull out the win against a very game Bandits squad.
POTG: Philadelphia QB Matt Gutierrez: 17/28, 214 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int
MEMPHIS 41 JACKSONVILLE 3
If Jacksonville had playoff aspirations, the beat down they took from Memphis may have just disavowed them of that dream. The whole game went south for Jacksonville on the 3rd play of the game, when they tried a Griffin bootleg only to have their QB go down with a leg injury later determined to be a partial fracture that could cost Griffin up to a month of action. From there it was just pure domination by the Showboats, with Eli Manning throwing for 3 scores and Paxton Lynch seeing action in the 2nd half.
POTG: Memphis HB Anthony Allen: 17 Att, 72 Yds, 2 TD
BIRMINGHAM 37 CHARLOTTE 9
Charlotte’s losing streak grows to 4 games as they looked utterly hapless against a 3-win Stallion club. Cam Newton threw TDs in the 2nd quarter alone, finishing the game with 4 total. Amari Cooper just blew through the Monarch D for 143 yards and 2 scores, with Dontrell Inman not far behind with 127 and a score. Brandon Wheedon again gained a lot of critics by throwing 3 more picks, while NFL import Adrian Peterson struggled for only 21 yards on 14 carries.
POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 11/17, 316 Yds, 4 TD
TEXAS 17 LAS VEGAS 20 OVERTIME
A nice win for the embattled Vipers and their new starter Jeff Tuel. Tuel would go 31 of 58 as Vegas ignored calls to focus on the run and let Tuel throw the ball. With TDs to Tyler Eifert and Devante Parker, Tuel helped Vegas complete a 10-point comeback in the 4th quarter, tie the game, and then win it in overtime. Joe Flacco’s absence in the 2nd half after suffering and injury to his throwing hand at the start of the 3rd was also a factor, but this was a big win for Las Vegas regardless of the reason.
POTG: Las Vegas SS Eric Berry: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
OHIO 18 DENVER 6
What is wrong in Denver? That is the question Gold fans are asking as they look lifeless against Ohio. The Glory move to 5-6 with the win, and may well have found their QB in Christian Hackenberg. The Penn State product went 15 of 24 for 113 yards, but that was enough against a Denver offense that could not get out of their own way. Three turnovers stunted any comeback attempt by the Gold and sent them to 4-7.
POTG: Ohio kicker David Green: 6 of 6 on field goals for all the Ohio points.
PITTSBURGH 20 ST. LOUIS 15
The “Disappointment Bowl” as it was dubbed, went to the Maulers, thanks to 2 TDs from Andy Dalton and a pick six from FS Robert Sands. St. Louis went through all 3 QBs on the roster, with Josh Freeman spraining his wrist on a poorly executed slide early in the third. Ricky Stanzi came in, threw 10 passes and then took a blow to the head, forcing St. Louis to finish the game with Tajh Boyd at QB.
POTG: Mauler safety Robert Sands: 4 Tck, 1 Pass Def, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
Campbell Running Away with Sack Race after 6-Sack Dominance in Arizona
We will admit it. Our preseason pick of Von Miller to end up on top of the Sack Leaderboard was not only misguided, it may have made Calais Campbell angry, which is not something we or any left tackle in the league wants to see. Campbell is having perhaps the best year of what is a sure fire 1st ballot Hall of Fame career. With the exclamation point on his year being this week’s insane 6-sack day against a stunned Arizona line and a not-100% David Carr, Campbell made it very clear that no one, not Vic Beasley, and not Von Miller, who now sits in 2nd place with 13 sacks on the year, is going to match the master.
Well on his way to an 8th consecutive sack title, Campbell now sits at a stunning 26 sacks after 11 weeks, giving him 5 weeks to try to match his league record 34 sacks (from back in 2009). Campbell has not had fewer than 20 sacks since his rookie season back in 2008. Since then we have seen a steady and striking consistency. It seems that no matter what offenses scheme against Campbell, it is doomed to fail. Add to this the fact that Campbell has improved his play against the run, becoming the first defensive end in league history to both lead his team in tackles and reach 100 tackles in a season (both last year in another DPOTY performance), Campbell is well past being called the best defensive player in the league and is now pushing names like Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White as the greatest defensive player in pro football history. No more doubts from us. No more predictions that another player will surpass him. Until he retires, we are ready to keep calling the sack total race a non-competitive event as long as Campbell is suited up.
Nelson Says He Wants a New Home
Another week, another loss for St. Louis, and another moment of drama as star wideout Jordy Nelson, frustrated and underutilized once again, made it known that he would not be returning to St. Louis after the season. Fed up with a lack of targets and a lack of success this season, Nelson made it clear that he was on the last few weeks of his deal with the Skyhawks and that while he remained a fan of head coach Bruce Arians, he did not believe it was in his best interest to remain with the team.
Considered a likely trade candidate up through the Week 10 deadline, there had been rumors that both Philadelphia and Portland had reached out to the Skyhawks about Nelson. Now, in Week 11, a trade is not an option, and the 3-time 1,000-yard receiver would wait out the last weeks of his current contract and seek a new home in free agency. Nelson has 54 receptions and 760 yards after 11 weeks, which are still very solid numbers, but it seems he does not feel appreciated for what he brings to the team, and with only 3 touchdowns, his production as a deep threat is certainly not what it once was. Accustomed to averaging over 20 yards per reception, Nelson saw that number drop to 16.3 last season and now sits at only 14.1. For a player with his speed and deep ball skills, that does seem a waste, and with questions about the future of Arians and the offense, in the midst of a 2-win season, Nelson seems ready to move on, perhaps the first brick removed from a club that may be looking at a full tear down and rebuild for 2017.
Wheedon Leads League in Passing Yards, But Could be Benched
There is talent in Brandon Wheedon’s arm, that cannot be denied. After all, with 3,086 yards passing this season, Wheedon leads even MVP candidate David Carr and sits atop the leaderboard for yardage. The problem is, as some have put it, the $1M arm is attached to what may be a $2 brain. That is harsh, but that is what many are saying with Wheedon leading the league in interceptions, with 20 on the year in only 11 games.
This is not a new problem for the Charlotte QB. A quick look at the past few years shows a propensity for throwing the ball to the other team. Wheedon led the league in picks last year with 19 over 15 starts. This year he is on pace to shatter that number, with a real shot at 30 picks by season’s end. And, when your team has dropped 4 in a row, falling from 1st place in the division to a non-playoff position at 6-5, the issue of ball insecurity becomes a huge factor. So, is Wheedon, the league passing yardage leader, at real risk of being benched for the home stretch of what began as a very strong season?
Well, that depends on how desperate the Monarchs become. A loss this week to 4-7 Jacksonville could well force Coach Mora’s hand. He has to do something to turn the story of this season around. Falling to 6-6 would be a nightmare, and the most obvious issue is with Wheedon and the constant stream of picks that seem to be unavoidable. But here is where the problem lies. Behind Wheedon on the depth chart are Tyler Thigpen and T. J. Yates. Thigpen has started 1 game since 2010 while Yates has yet to throw a regular season pass. Do you really want to turn the ball over to either one with a playoff drive on the line? Perhaps there just is not an answer, at least not this year.
Take a peak at the draft pool for 2017 and you see what Charlotte fans are already pointing out. There, in prime position at a T-Draft protected school, may be the answer. Ready to suit up for his final year at UNC is a quarterback that has pro scouts making comparisons to Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith or a young Byron Leftwich. Tarheel QB Mitch Trubisky is being seen as a possible 1st round pick in both the USFL and the NFL, and this even before he completes his career with a senior season many expect to be his best yet. And there he is, potentially protected by Charlotte with no USFL competition for the pick. Listen to the call-in shows across the region and you will hear Trubisky’s name early and often. Even Wheedon fans are saying that the Monarchs would be fools not to take a shot at the Tarheel QB. So, whether or not Coach Mora decides to keep Wheedon under center this year, interceptions and all, the future may already be written, and it may not be a future with Wheedon as the starter in Charlotte.
Flacco Doubtful for Week 12
After a glancing blow on an lineman’s helmet caused Joe Flacco to come off the field with his hand looking much worse for wear, the All-USFL QB of the Texas Outlaws is now listed as doubtful for this week’s game in Arizona, a must win if the Outlaws hope to catch the Wranglers and claim the SW Division title. Coach Landry has not yet ruled out Flacco, but reports out of San Antonio have stated that Flacco is wearing a splint on two fingers and that Kyle Boller is taking the first team snaps, with Flacco largely watching on the sideline.
The 8-3 Outlaws may well be going into the biggest game of their season without their leader and the engine that drives the offense. So, what are their options. We expect that they will lean even more on Marshawn Lynch, already sitting 2nd behind only LeVeon Bell with 853 yards rushing in the season’s first 11 games. Arizona’s defense is solid against the run, though they have given up a couple of big games this year, so the Outlaws will need something in the passing game as well. With Flacco out, the deep balls to Colston and Marquise Goodwin may be fewer and harder to complete. Boller is a decent game manager, but the deep ball is not his forte. Expect more mid-range throws to Justin Hunter and a bigger role for TE Chris Cooley as Texas tries to deal with the Wrangler coverages and avoid that pass rush. All in all, a much tougher task for Texas with Flacco sidelined.
Cruz Out 1-2 Weeks with Hand Injury
Pittsburgh’s offense has been a shadow of its 2015 outburst this year, and that has been in part due to injuries. Add one more to what has already been a challenging season as team leading receiver Victor Cruz is likely out at least 2 weeks with an injury to his right hand. Cruz, who is second only to Larry Fitzgerald with 1,119 yards, a whopping 33.9 yard per catch average, is ruled out this week and could also miss a Week 13 matchup against Atlanta. In a year that has seen Andy Dalton dealing with lingering shoulder issues, saw Adam Thielen miss 5 games with a dislocated knee, and in which the offense has simply not performed anywhere near their 2015 numbers, Cruz’s injury is just one more stumbling block in a major drop off season for the club. Picked by many to win the NE Division and compete for a Summer Bowl, Pittsburgh is sitting at 4-7 and struggling to explain what has gone wrong.
The Mauler offense is not among the league’s worst, not by a longshot. They sit at 11th in scoring and 9th in yards, but it has not been the type of explosive, big-play offense we saw last season. The run game has struggled, currently 19th at 80.9 yards per game, and while Andy Dalton has thrown for over 2,600 yards, he is not even close to his 2015 pace. Add to that several games where they Maulers simply did not seem in synch, games like Week 10’s 29-7 debacle in New Orleans, and the last thing the club needs is for their big play receiver to miss action. But, that is just the kind of season the Maulers seem to be enduring.
Eleven weeks in and no locked up berths yet. We do have our first eliminated team as Tampa Bay gets that unfortunate first this year. Currently no team in the east with fewer than 7 wins is in playoff position, with 3 teams sitting at 6-5 and hoping to find a path into the mix. Houston, with one more win, could lock up a playoff berth in the East, likely the first to do so even with Memphis and New Orleans still in the mix. In the West, Arizona also needs only 1 more win to lock themselves into the postseason, though they also have a tight race with a huge game against 2nd place Texas this week. In the West, we have 2 teams currently in position at 6-5, both from the Pacific Division (Oakland and LA), but there are three more teams at 5-6 who are hoping to overtake them and earn a spot, including last year’s worst overall club, Chicago, and a resurgent Ohio Glory squad. Las Vegas joins those three on the outside hoping to get in.
We could also see several eliminations in Week 12, particularly among the many 3-win teams, though also with 2-win St. Louis. So, potentially the end of any chances for Seattle, Portland, St. Louis and Atlanta as we get within 4 games of the season finale.
We have already outlined the injuries to Robert Griffin III, Joe Flacco, and Victor Cruz. Those are only 3 of 16 players added to the injury list across the league this week. We may also see Kirk Cousins and Josh Freeman sit out Week 11, and Jacksonville is currently debating placing guard Dakota Dozier on IR as well.
OUT
G Dakota Dozier JAX MCL 6-8 Weeks
C Wesley Johnson LV Quad 4-6 Weeks
QB Robert Griffin III JAX Fibula 2-4 Weeks
WR Victor Cruz PIT Hand 1-2 Weeks
WR Dwayne Jarrett BAL Jaw 1-2 Weeks
LB Brandon Jenkins BAL Hip 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
LB Travis Goethel ARZ Tendinitis
QB Joe Flacco TEX Hand
LB D’Qwell Jackson WSH Foot
DT Brian Price MGN Hamstring
QUESTIONABLE
SS Dezmen Southward DAL Knee
QB Josh Freeman STL Wrist
QB Kirk Cousins MGN Concussion
WR Keenan Allen OAK Ankle
WR Alshon Jefferey POR Finger
SS Tra Battle ATL Shoulder
Oklahoma Outlaws On Pace for 30,000 Season Ticket Deposits
While the situation surrounding the Outlaws has plenty of detractors, particularly in and around San Antonio, there is no doubt that the club is going to receive a warm welcome in its new Oklahoma City home. According to the OKC Football Group, the seat reservation system which is having fans purchase seat licenses to reserve 2017 season ticket options is seeing strong interest and the club expects that they will sell out on their initial release of 30,000 season ticket slots. With the new OGE Energy Stadium preparing for its first season in the USFL, the Outlaws are likely to expand their season ticket pool as high as 40,000, leaving roughly 18,000 seats for individual game tickets. This outpouring of support is similar to what we saw in Dallas when the Boston Cannons first relocated, with strong buy in from the community and strong attendance expected. It is a strong indicator that expansion will also find willing fanbases in various locations (though we expect San Antonio will be one of 2 teams added as soon as a date for expansion is set).
The Outlaws have yet to reveal their 2017 branding, but vintage Oklahoma Outlaw gear has made a huge comeback, with several stores selling the old logo merchandise. The Outlaws are expected to embrace the legacy of their 1-year Outlaw identity from 1987, and have already signed on former OU and Outlaw star Brian Bosworth to be the face of the season ticket campaign. Bosworth has been touring the region, and has been an enthusiastic spokesperson for the new team, a team that is hoping to capture the full fervor of the state’s college football fandom.
Season tickets will officially go on sale in November, but with the seat licenses getting snapped up, expect Oklahoma to be among the league leaders in season ticket purchases. The Outlaws are expected to release their new logos, colors, and identity any day now, so keep your eyes peeled for that reveal as well.
With 2016 On Field Success, Express Hope to Expand Ownership
The LA Express are hoping that their on-field success will provide just the spark needed to attract potential minority owners to the franchise. The club has been working with the NFL and the newly relocated LA Chargers to develop a long-term lease agreement amenable to all parties for Farmers Insurance Field and is hoping to expand their finances as well by bringing on new ownership to enhance the reserves available to the club as they work in one of the more expensive locations in the league.
While no names have been officially released, it is believed that the club has been courting Jim Jannard, founder of the Oakley sunglasses company as well as Red Digital Cameras, producers of some of the film industry’s preferred digital equipment. Jannard is a frequent attendee at Express games, and his estimated $850M net worth would be a welcome addition to the Express ownership group. The Express have had financial obstacles due to the higher tax burden and workers compensation requirements in California, paired with a long history of attendance concerns in LA. Unlike the USFL franchise in Oakland, and the newly-relocated club in San Diego, the Express have struggled at the ticket office ever since their initial foray into LA sports back in 1983. This second Express franchise, a member of the 1995 expansion class, has had better luck than their predecessor, but still remains one of the clubs most frequently in the bottom 8 of USFL franchises despite Farmers Insurance Field having a 62,000 seat capacity and some of the league’s best amenities. Drawing new ownership, while not solving the attendance issues, will help build the financial base for the franchise, something all teams seak to do.
League Will Not Add Bye Weeks for 2017, But Discussion with Union Continues
While the 2017 league schedule will not be revealed until October, there is schedule news out of the New York league offices as it was announced this week that a move to a 17-week, bye week system will not be incorporated for the 2017 season. The league continues to explore the option of adding a week to the season and providing each club with a one-week bye during the heart of the summer season. The success of the NFL’s bye week schedule to provide recouperation time and mid-season respite for its teams seems to be driving this exploration of the theme. The USFLPA, representing the 1,600+ active players, is very much in favor of providing each team with a mid-year break, though just how the league would schedule byes is still very much up for debate.
Expect this topic to continue to be one discussed at league meetings over the next year, as the union, the owners, and the clubs all have their preferences for what the USFL schedule looks like and what a bye system might entail. We do know that after their experimentation with season “series” (closely scheduled 2-game rematches between divisional foes) the USFL has recognized the issues and the very profound public pushback against the scheduling quirk, and we are likely to see a 2017 schedule that splits most season series between the first half of the season and the season’s final 4-5 weeks, as we had seen in past years.
Summer Bowl 2018 Logo Revealed
We have our first news about Summer Bowl 2018 after the league announced that the game would be held in New Orleans, with 2019 scheduled for Las Vegas. The league this week revealed the logo for the 2018 title game, a design that incorporates a Mardi Gras vibe with images of the city’s famed French Quarter. The main logo depicts the St. Louis Cathedral, cultural heart of the city, as well as the statue of Andrew Jackson which stands in the square that bears his name. The dual image of these French Quarter icons is framed by a shield shape that roughly approximates the shape of a football, but with the upper section dissolving into green, gold, and purple confetti. The league’s “U” logo is at the base of the shield. The descriptor “Summer Bowl 2018” occupies a horizontal space across the shield, with twin footballs on either side. The combination of Mardi Gras colors, celebratory confetti, and the familiar French Quarter symbols are designed to evoke the celebratory nature of the Summer Bowl, even with the game occurring a full 6 months after the city’s annual Mardi Gras celebration.
The Summer Bowl returns to New Orleans for the first time since 1993, a memorable game that saw Brett Favre and Birmingham upset the defending champion Houston Gamblers 38-36. New Orleans follows this year’s game in New Jersey (the third game in the Meadowlands) and the 2017 Summer Bowl, which will be the first hosted by the city of Detroit (though the Pontiac Silverdome did host the game in 1989, before the title “Summer Bowl” was made official.)
Some really fun matchups in Week 12 including the renewal of the Philadelphia-New Jersey rivalry. Both clubs are thick in the playoff hunt in the East, so this one will be an intense one to start the week off right. On Saturday we have some interesting inter-divisional matchups, including Chicago @ Pittsburgh, Baltimore @ Ohio and two that could really be playoff disrupters as we have a clash of 7-4 clubs when Washington heads to New Orleans to face the Breakers and when San Diego heads to Houston with the 1-seed in the West up for grabs.
On Sunday we open with some divisional matchups, St. Louis @ Michigan, Atlanta @ Tampa Bay, Charlotte @ Jacksonville, and Seattle @ Los Angeles. The best game of the day could be the nightcap, where the Denver Gold are against the wall and need a win, but they have a tough task as they head down to Orlando to face a very motivated and impressive Orlando squad.
Friday @ 8pm ET Philadelphia (6-5) @ New Jersey (7-4) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Chicago (5-6) @ Pittsburgh (4-7) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Portland (3-8) @ Memphis (8-3) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm ET San Diego (8-3) @ Houston (9-2) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm ET Baltimore (6-5) @ Ohio (5-6) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm ET Washington (7-4) @ New Orleans (7-4) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm ET Texas (8-3) @ Arizona (9-2) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm ET St. Louis (2-9) @ Michigan (6-5) ABC
Sunday @ 12pm ET Atlanta (3-8) @ Tampa Bay (2-9) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET Charlotte (6-5) @ Jacksonville (4-7) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Seattle (3-8) @ Los Angeles (6-5) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Birmingham (4-7) @ Oakland (6-5) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET Las Vegas (5-6) @ Dallas (3-8) FOX
Sunday @ 8pm ET Denver (4-7) @ Orlando (8-3) ESPN/EFN
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