A wild week to be sure as we are still sorting out who may have found a winning formula, who may have slipped from last year, and who may be a surprise in 2016. We had some upsets this week, at least based on expectations, including Philadelphia over Washington, Denver knocking off Michigan at Ford Field, New Jersey pummeling Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, and Memphis absolutely dominating the Oakland Invaders in Oakland. We also saw Jacksonville’s defense come up big again and we saw Ohio stun the Texas Outlaws, all results we would not have picked a week ago. So, lots to talk about, some reassessement perhaps needed, and an update on the situation for the Outlaws beyond the field. All that is coming right up, starting with our game of the week.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS 33 LAS VEGAS VIPERS 31
One of the big question marks for the Las Vegas Vipers this offseason is whether or not they had confidence in Cody Pickett as their starter for 2016. Pickett had a rough year in 2015, scoring a QBR of only 73.1, his lowest in his long career, and with 15 picks, there were many calling for the Vipers to look a different direction. Las Vegas management felt better about their QB than many fans did and opted to address other areas of need. Well, if this week’s game against Arizona and their dominant defense was any indication, they may have made the right call.
Pickett found plenty of space for his receivers and time in the pocket, despite suffering 4 sacks, to rack up 319 yards and 3 touchdowns against a Wrangler team that had utterly dominated their first two foes this year. The result was a very tight game that thrilled the 47,278 on hand at the Wynn Arena. Ultimately, a late TD from Larry Fitzgerald, his 2nd on the day, helped Arizona remain unblemished at 3-0, but the Vipers showed a lot in defeat as they gave the Wranglers a serious run for their money.
It did not look like that would be the case in the first quarter, a period in which Arizona dominated on both sides of the ball, starting the game off with a safety as LB Travis Goethel tackled Viper HB Montario Hardesty in the endzone for the first points of the game. The Wrangler offense then added 7 more as their next possession produced a 37-yard TD toss from Carr to Antonio Bryant. A field goal on their next drive gave them a 12-0 lead after one.
The Wranglers would seem to take total control only 4 minutes later, when their first drive of the 2nd quarter saw another 37-yard strike, this time to Fitzgerald. Now up 19-0, it seemed the Wranglers were in for another cakewalk game, but Las Vegas was not giving up yet. With their first possession of the 2nd quarter, Las Vegas started to find chinks in the defensive armor of the visiting Wranglers. Cody Pickett completed two key 3rd down throws, on his way to a 9 of 16 day on third downs. Brandon Oliver then broke 3 tackles on his way to the endzone and the first points of the day for Las Vegas.
By the half, both teams had scored once again, Arizona with a Frank Gore TD run and Las Vegas with another solid drive, ending with Pickett finding TE Tyler Eifert to finish the half down 12 at 26-14. They would cut into that lead over the next 20 minutes, first with a third quarter field goal, and then with Pickett finding Doug Baldwin, the former New Jersey General, with a 5-yard strike to pull within 2 points at 25-24. In the second half, the Viper defense had also found its legs, limiting Frank Gore to 6 carries for only 12 yards and picking off David Carr along the way.
But Arizona is a team that knows how to put teams away, and that is what they did on the first play of their next drive. After a solid kick return brought the ball out to the 26 yard line, David Carr and the Wrangler offense took a shot and found a connection. Carr hit Larry Fitzgerald on a perfect double move route, giving the wideout a solid 2-3 steps on the corner and making for an easy catch and run, a 74-yard touchdown on a 1-play, 11 second drive. That score put Arizona up 9, and that 2 score lead would hold, despite Las Vegas’s offensive successes.
With 2:33 left in the game, the Vipers again cut into the lead, Pickett finding Doug Baldwin a second time, but the Vipers kicked the ball deep and needed a quick stop to get it back in time to try a game-winning field goal. They would not get that chance. Arizona converted on a 3rd and 2, thanks to a 3-yard Ronnie Hillman run, and that allowed them to burn the remaining clock and take a final knee for the win. It was a valiant effort by the Vipers, a team many picked to be the worst in the league this year, and a game that showcased what Cody Pickett could do with a solid gameplan. But, in the end, Arizona is a complete team and one that does not panic, so getting the W was anticipated and ended up being the final result.
ORLANDO 24 ATLANTA 16
In a game that saw both teams score on pick-sixes, it was Olrando’s Deion Bush and his 53-yard returned pick that saved the day for the Renegades. Both Russell Wilson and Brad Gradkowski (starting for Kyle Orton after an injury in practice) struggled as the defenses were keyed in on the passing game for both teams. Both run games also struggled, though 21 yards from Wilson on scrambles helped Orlando pull off the road win, but up only 17-16 in the final minutes, it was the pick-six from Bush that gave Orlando their 2nd win of the season.
POTG: Orlando CB Deion Bush: 2 Tck, 2 Pass Def, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
BIRMINGHAM 3 NEW ORLEANS 21
The Breaker’s title game defense showed up again, limiting T. J. Yeldon to only 11 yards rushing and keeping Newton in the pocket all game. Throw in three Drew Brees TD passes and this game was a pretty comfortable win for the home team. Jeremy Hill went over 100 yards with a 112-yard performance, while Kenny Britt, Early Doucet, and HB David Wilson all caught Brees TD tosses.
POTG: Breaker QB Drew Brees: 21/33, 245 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int
PHILADELPHIA 31 WASHINGTON 9
The Stars get 101 yards from rookie Derrick Henry and a huge 3-TD game from Matt Gutierrez as they simply dismantled the Washington Federals. The defense picked off David Garrard twice and held Deuce McCallister to only 49 yards rushing, but it was their balanced offense that impressed us about the Stars this week.
POTG: Stars QB Matt Gutierrez: 21/30, 235 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
SEATTLE 10 PORTLAND 16
The Stags win the Cascade Clash of 0-2 teams, earning their first win with two 4th quarter field goals from Mason Crosby on a blustery and cold day in the Rose City. Byron Leftwich connected with Emmanuel Sanders for 102 yards and a TD, but it was not enough as the Dragons simply could not get into scoring position in the final period. Marcus Mariota went 17 of 29 for only 125 yards but helped put the Stags in position for the winning kicks.
POTG: Stags WR Brandon Cooks: 7 Rec, 79 Yds
DENVER 20 MICHIGAN 17
Denver knocks the Panthers from the unbeatens with a solid game on both sides of the ball. DeMarco Murray and NFL import Jamaal Charles combined for 88 yards rushing and a TD, while the defense held Kirk Cousins to only 17 of 30 and 179 yards passing. Von Miller added a sack, but it was a full team effort as Denver gets the road W.
POTG: Gold LB Shaquille Barrett: 5 Tck, 1 Pass Def, 1 Int
NEW JERSEY 31 PITTSBURGH 10
The Generals’ pass rush led to a long afternoon for Andy Dalton. New Jersey got 6 sacks on the Mauler QB and held Pittsburgh to only 4 of 13 on third down in a pretty convincing win. On offense, Brett Hundley looked very much like a good option at QB, throwing for 309 yards and 3 scores as the Generals stunned the Mauler crowd. Vic Beasley stayed hot as well, with 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 5 tackles for loss against the Mauler run game.
POTG: New Jersey DE Vic Beasley: 8 Tck, 5 TFL, 2 Sck, 3 FF, 1 FR.
SAN DIEGO 16 LOS ANGELES 14
A defensive struggle for both clubs as neither team could get their run games going. Reggie Bush was held to 12 yards on 17 carries while Ryan Williams gained only 28 yards on 21 carries. Kicker Jeff Reed was the main man for the Thunder. The game could have ended as a tie, but a 2-point conversion on a late Bradford to Lee TD was incomplete and San Diego held on for the 2-point win.
POTG: Thunder DT Haloti Ngata: 7 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Sck
BALTIMORE 21 TAMPA BAY 24
Another rough day for Big Ben as Roethlisberger was sacked 6 times and left the game after 3 quarters. Jake Locker did not fare much better, though he did contribute 2 touchdowns late. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay got solid efforts from their run game, with Rex Burkhead gaining 72 yards on 13 carries. Add in a Prescott to Greg Olsen TD and the Bandits send Baltimore to a rough 0-3 start to the year.
POTG: Tampa Bay LB Devon Kennard: 4 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF
CHICAGO 24 ST. LOUIS 30 OVERTIME
St. Louis needed a late C. J. Usomah TD to even the score and send the game to overtime, but in the extra period they kept momentum, with Eric Weems catching the game winning score on the first overtime possession, ending the game without Chicago touching the ball in the extra period. Josh Freeman threw for 4 scores, while Chicago got 125 yards and 2 TD runs from Doug Martin.
POTG: Skyhawks QB Josh Freeman: 29/44, 333 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
JACKSONVILLE 16 DALLAS 11
Another nice game from the Bulls’ defense as they hold Dallas to 254 total yards and only 63 yards rushing. Cadillac Williams outdid that with 74 yards on 13 carries, but it was the defense that won the game for Jacksonville, with their only TD coming on a David Bruton interception return for a score.
POTG: Bulls safety David Bruton: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 DefTD
MEMPHIS 24 OAKLAND 7
A shocker in Oakland as Rex Ryan’s rebuilt Memphis defense held the Invaders to only 34 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the combo of Anthony Allen and Tavares Cadet, with Todd Gurley out, did more than their share, combining for 97 yards and a score. Eli Manning also found Robert Woods for a TD, but it was the Memphis D that outperformed all expectations to move the Showboats to 2-1.
POTG: Memphis safety Calvin Pryor: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
OHIO 31 TEXAS 20
Another upset this week as the Glory surprised the Outlaws with Brock Osweiler going 19 of 30 and throwing 3 TD passes. Add in 112 yards from Isaiah Pead, and a defense that sacked Joe Flacco 7 times and you have an Ohio upset road win. Texas rallied in the 4th quarter but it was too little, too late as Ohio held them to only 10 points and they fell well short of a complete comeback.
POTG: Ohio HB Isaiah Pead: 20 Att, 112 Yds, 1 Rec, 5 Yds, 1 TD
HOUSTON 41 CHARLOTTE 30
The Gamblers built up a 24-7 lead in the first half and held on from there as once again Colt McCoyplayed well, throwing for 307 yards and 2 TDs with Hasselbeck out. Both Roy Williams and Mike Evans went over 100 yards as the Gamblers looked solid in moving to 3-0. Charlotte struggled to run the ball, and despite having two 100-yard receivers themselves (Hackett & Nicks), they could not keep pace with Houston.
POTG: Houston WR Mike Evans: 4 Rec, 159 Yds, 1 TD
Baltimore Mystified by 0-3 Start
The call-in shows on Baltimore sports radio have been ablaze with theories about Baltimore’s 0-3 start, and now, with Ben Roethlisberger possibly out for Week 4 after taking an elbow to the jaw, there is real panic setting in that the Blitz could be quickly falling out of contention to repeat as division champions. An 0-4 start is not out of the question and it is very rare that any team that starts that poorly can recover in time to win a Wild Card, much less one of the league’s tougher divisions.
So, what is the issue with Baltimore? Why has a 13-3 club fallen to 0-3 just a year later? Many are pointing fingers at the club’s 26th ranked scoring defense, and the decision to let Robert Quinn walk in free agency. But despite the loss of Quinn, Baltimore still boasts the 4th rated pass defense. It is against the run where they seem to be struggling, giving up an average of 128 yards per game, 3rd worst in the league. They gave up only 98 this week to Tampa Bay, but in Week 2 they got torched by QB Robert Griffin III, who ran for 163 yards and 2 scores, including a 56 yard run and a 74-yard TD. In week one the damage was done by New Jersey’s Maurice Jones-Drew. Run defense is clearly a part of the problem, but is it the full story?
Add into the mix the fact that Big Ben has completed only 40.8% of his passes, that Darius Heyward-Bey is far behind his typical numbers after 3 weeks, and the surprising stat that star TE Antonio Gates has only 5 catches over 3 weeks and there are some questions about Jim Caldwell’s offense as well. Is hope fading? No. This is a solid roster and there is still time for Baltimore to get back in the mix, but with Jake Locker expected to start this week, the pressure is certainly on to avoid an 0-4 start as the Blitz visit Memphis before a big Week 5 matchup against the surging Philly Stars.
Wranglers Winning a New Way
We focused on Arizona’s tenacity in their close win over Las Vegas, but in all three victories, including blowout wins over both Dallas and Denver, Arizona has shown us something we have not seen in their recent Division-Winning seasons, an explosive offense. The Arizona offense has always had talent, particularly in the form of tailback Frank Gore, but what we are seeing this year is Coach Tomsula turning loose a deep ball vertical game that seems perfectly suited to wideouts Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant. Arizona leads the league with 335 passing yards per game, with David Carr currently leading all passers with 993 yards and 12 passing touchdowns.
So, what has helped boost confidence in the Arizona passing game? The biggest change seems to be the presence of former Mauler Jimmie Graham in the middle. Teams are forced to defend the 2015 TD leader, a solid receiver who can make safeties pay if they give him too much space. That has meant more zone coverage and more one-on-one with corners and the speedy Arizona wideouts. After 3 weeks, that formula has not worked for defenses, with Larry Fitzgerald leading the league with 458 yards in only 3 games. Antonio Bryant is looking good as well with 251 and 3 touchdowns already. Graham’s own numbers have not been that dynamic, only 6 catches for 86 yards and no scores yet, but his presence is clearly influencing defenses and giving Coach Tomsula more options to hit deep balls to his wideouts.
Add that capacity on offense to a Wrangler defense that is still one of the league’s most intimidating, and it is no surprise that the Wranglers are one of only 2 unbeaten teams left in the USFL after 3 weeks.
Buchanon Makes Early Push for DPOTY
Philip Buchanon has been around for a while, coming into the league in 2002 with Tampa Bay. In his 15th season with the Bandits however, he seems a man on a mission. After recording only 1 pick in both 2014 and 2015, Buchanon now leads the league with 4 picks in his first 3 games this year. Now, part of that may be due to his ability to shift coverages with rookie Jalen Ramsey opposite him, but that does not explain his 2016 success. Buchanon has always been a bit of a ball hawk, so perhaps it is the two years with only 1 pick that should be viewed as the anomaly. After all, he recorded 7 picks in 2009 and has had 4 or more on 5 occasions, but to nab 4 in only 3 games seems to indicate either a newfound confidence to play the ball rather than the man, or a new scheme in Tampa Bay that frees Buchanon up. Either way, Buchanon has put his name in the conversation about Defensive Player of the Year, early, we realize, but a strong start to be sure.
Roethlisberger Questionable for Week 4 with Jaw Fracture
As we highlighted above, it has been a rough start to the year for the Baltimore Blitz, and for their MVP QB, Ben Roethlisberger, but the emotional pain of an 0-3 start also turned to real physical pain this week when Ben took a hard elbow to the chin, leading to a fracture that is expected to keep him out at least one week.
The elbow was that of Bandit DE Tank Carridine, who delivered the blow just as Big Ben was releasing a pass late in the 3rd quarter. Carridine was cited for unnecessary roughness, but Roethlisberger was taken out, visibly spitting some blood and massaging his jawline. He would go back to the locker room, and an x-ray would reveal a hairline fracture in the jaw. The injury won’t require anything drastic like wiring his mouth shut, but it will almost certainly keep him out of Week 4’s matchup in Memphis. He is listed as questionable at the moment, but we are hearing that Jake Locker is taking nearly all the snaps in practice, so expect Coach Caldwell to keep Ben out, in hopes that he will be ready to go in the Stars’ big Week 5 matchup at home against the Philadelphia Stars.
An rare kicker injury as New Orleans’s Caleb Sturgis fractured his collarbone trying to tackle a kick returner, showing why you generally don’t want the kicker to be the guy responsible for saving a touchdown. We also see Orlando now dealing with two significant injuries, including a ruptured Achilles for tackle James Carpenter. We will likely see 3 starting QBs out of action this week as well, with Roethlisberger, Kyle Orton, and Brock Osweiler likely to miss action. Rookie Christian Hackenberg could very well get his first pro start as Ohio heads to Philadelphia this weekend.
OUT
OT James Carpenter ORL Achilles IR
WR Brashard Perriman ORL Neck IR
K Caleb Sturgis NOR Collarbone 1-2 Weeks
DE Lamar Houston SD Concussion 1-2 Weeks
WR Nate Burleson SEA Hand 1-2 Weeks
G Sean Locklear CHA Back 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
C Zach Williams TBY Shoulder
CB Desmond Truffant SEA Concussion
WR Michael Crabtree DEN Eye
LB Kiko Alonso POR Broken Nose
QUESTIONABLE
QB Ben Roethlisberger BAL Jaw
HB Ka’Deem Carey ARZ Wrist
OT Greg Robinson BIR Knee
DE C. J. Mosely SEA Concussion
QB Kyle Orton ATL Finger
QB Brock Osweiler OHI Toe
League Brokers Deal for Sale of Outlaws
Citing a tough situation in San Antonio, ongoing doubt about a timeline for stadium reconstruction, and the viability of the franchise in the short term, league owners approved this week a compromise agreement between the OKC Football Group, led by George Frazier and Clay Bennett, and Texas Outlaws majority owner Red McCombs. The deal will permit McCombs to sell his majority share to the OKC Group, relocating the franchise to Oklahoma City for the 2017 season, while giving McCombs an inside track to bringing a franchise back to San Antonio when a stadium is available.
There are still details to be ironed out, including the contentious issue of team records and history, as well as the Outlaws identity, but the league and both parties agreed that a series of meetings with a third-party mediator would be used to determine the final details. What is certain is that the current season, an odd road-warrior season for the Outlaws in which they are playing games in San Marcos, Ft. Worth, and Houston, will be the last for the franchise in the Lone Star state until a new facility is built in San Antonio. William Tatham, who began the Outlaws franchise in Tulsa back in 1987 before merging it with fellow 1987 expansion club, the San Antonio Gunslingers, will remain a minority partner, and will have a role to play, likely that of COO to Clay Bennett’s CEO position. He will retain a 47% share of the franchise, with OKC Football Group holding 51% and the remaining 2% owned by a small collection of local investors, including former player Brian Bosworth.
Expect Bosworth, an OU graduate and a member of the club’s first season in Oklahoma, to become one of the faces of the franchise as the club relocates back to the Sooner State. The team will not be returning to the University of Tulsa, where they played their 1987 games, but to a brand-new facility in the south side of Oklahoma City, OGE Energy Stadium. Expect ticket sales to start as soon as July, with the conclusion of the 2016 season.
What this means for the Texas Outlaws this season will remain to be seen. The announcement of relocation could well cause a drop in ticket sales at all three venues, though the promise of a return to San Antonio either through relocation of another franchise or expansion upon completion of an Alamodome rebuild could help retain interest in the club. The timeline for that return will depend heavily on the city of San Antonio, on Red McCombs, expected to head up the rebuild project on behalf of the USFL, and on the results of the current legal action in which both the city and the Alamodome Stadium Authority are trying to force more financial compensation from Chubb, the insurer for the facility, while Chubb is asserting that shoddy construction during a 2010 refurbishment directly led to the extensive damage produced during Memorial Day Weekend tornadoes in the region.
The immediate news is that the Outlaws are in their last season in Texas, that the club will play in Oklahoma City starting in 2017. Whether they will play as the Outlaws or a new identity, whether they will take the franchise’s history with them or will start new, and just when San Antonio will get both a stadium and a return of the USFL is still very much in question. Texas is now playing a swan song season across the state of Texas, with hopes that a team, perhaps the Outlaws, perhaps a new franchise (in identity and history) will be back, we just don’t know when.
League Stadium Update
With stadium issues at the core of the Texas to Oklahoma relocation, and with hopes that a newly reconstructed Alamodome will see USFL football return to San Antonio, the topic of stadium viability has become one many fan bases are discussing across the league. We thought it would be a good time to do a roundup of some recent news related to stadium deals, construction, and petitions. So here are the 4 most relevant stadium-related stories of the past few months.
Washington’s New Dual Use Stadium Gets a Name
Perhaps the least “eventful” of the stadium news over the past month, but the new dual use stadium in the Buzzard Point neighborhood of D.C. has its name officially released. The future home of both the USFL Federals and the MLS club D.C. United will be called Audi Field. The new facility, scheduled to open officially in February of next year, in time for both clubs’ 2017 home openers, will seat 51,500 fans in what has been described as a European-styled box formation, one that very much resembles Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, with its broad awnings protecting most of the seats from early spring weather or summer sun.
The new stadium was financed with funds from the USFL, the Federals, MLS, DC United, and the District of Columbia itself, motivated by a desire to avoid yet more franchises moving to suburban Maryland as the NFL Redskins had in the late 1990’s. The facility, now sponsored by the Audi automotive group, has already been cited for its amenities, location on several metra lines and community outreach within DC and the Buzzard Point neighborhood. It is scheduled to open in February with a gala event, then host the Federals for its first regular season sports event.
Fire & Falcons Partner with Atlanta to Get a New Dome Built
Another partnership could be bringing a new stadium to Atlanta. It may seem odd for the city to be considering a new domed facility with the Georgia Dome only 24 years old, but 24 years is an eternity in pro sports, and both the Falcons and the Fire are hoping to get approval for a new facility in the next few weeks. The proposal is to put a retractable roof stadium in the heart of the city, only blocks from the Georgia Dome, with the plan to host the Falcons, the Fire, and the MLS Atlanta United club for more than 30 total home sporting events year year.
The proposal will once again see the Fire as secondary tenants, with the Falcon’s and Atlanta United sharing a common owner, AMB Group, both leading the funding and partnering with the state of Georgia on the proposal. The USFL Fire will have their role to play, of course, but will once again find themselves in a secondary position, which is never ideal, but has worked so far with the Georgia Dome.
Skyhawks Push for Open Air Facility
Another club looking at their 20-year old facility and hoping to make a change is in St. Louis, where hopes for an MLS expansion franchise bring discussion of constructing a dual use facility similar to the newly-dubbed Audi Field in DC. St. Louis is still home to 2 pro football franchises, despite some talk from NFL Rams owner Sam Kroenke seeking to potentially relocate. That threat, combined with the possibility of an MLS franchise may actually prove beneficial to the Skyhawks, who would be unable to get much support for a new facility without additional sports ventures on board.
Expect to hear more about a St. Louis open air stadium over the upcoming months as Major League Soccer considers expansion and as both the Rams and the Skyhawks lobby both city and state officials to try to make the case that the Dome at America’s Center is reaching its expiration date as a viable facility for major league sporting events. A tough case to make for a city that has other financial issues, but one that may actually benefit from Mr. Kroenke’s musings on relocation.
LA Struggles to Fill Farmers Insurance Field
Finally, in Los Angeles, the issue is not so much the stadium itself, as Farmers Insurance Field, which just last August hosted the USFL Summer Bowl, is still very much an “up to date” facility with several enviable amenities, but with the franchises that call it home. Sale of season tickets for both the LA Express and the newly relocated NFL Chargers have been well below desired numbers. Both leagues are concerned by the apparent lack of fan culture in Los Angeles. The Express have, as we know, not provided a lot of highlights and motivating reasons for fans to buy in over their somewhat nondescript existence. Even the arrival of Sam Bradford at QB for the club this year has not excited their pretty jaded fanbase.
The Chargers are suffering from culture shock as well, as fans of the now-departed Raiders are simply not prepared to shift allegiances to what had been one of their most hated rivals. And while the Raiders are looking at very strong season ticket sales for their inaugural season in Las Vegas, many being purchased by Los Angelinos who are willing to make the trip across the desert to reach the Wynn Arena, what we are not seeing is San Diegans willing to forgive their club’s short jaunt up north to LA.
Community surveys and ticket sales seem to indicate that while many San Diegans have been more than happy to jump ship from the Chargers to the USFL Thunder, often with a spiteful wave goodbye to the NFL, Raider fans remain loyal to their club and are willing to make the drive to see the black and silver in Las Vegas. Neither the Express nor the Chargers seem to be benefitting much from their presence in Los Angeles, or from Raider fans shifting allegiances, something both had counted on as part of their strategy for this year.
Only 5 divisional games this week, headlined by an intriguing matchup in the NE Division with New Jersey heading to Washington. But we also have some really interesting inter-divisional games. It kicks off in Memphis on Friday when the Blitz try to get their first win, but face a Memphis club that looked really good this past week in Oakland. Saturday features a nice Central Division matchup as Michigan heads to St. Louis. We are also watching 3-0 Houston as they host the LA Express.
On Sunday, the big game was supposed to be Charlotte at New Orleans, but we are thinking that Ohio and Philadelphia, both 2-1, could prove to be a must-watch game. Two winless teams are in action as well, with 0-3 Seattle in Birmingham and 0-3 Las Vegas hosting the Denver Gold in another divisional game. The weekend finishes up with Pittsburgh at Texas in a matchup of two of the league’s elite quarterbacks.
Friday @ 8pm ET Baltimore (0-3) @ Memphis (2-1) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm ET Arizona (3-0) @ Atlanta (1-2) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm ET New Jersey (2-1) @ Washington (2-1) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm ET Chicago (1-2) @ Oakland (2-1) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm ET Los Angeles (1-2) @ Houston (3-0) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm ET Jacksonville (2-1) @ Tampa Bay (1-2) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm ET Michigan (2-1) @ St. Louis (1-2) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm ET Seattle (0-3) @ Birmingham (1-2) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET Ohio (2-1) @ Philadelphia (2-1) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET Charlotte (2-1) @ New Orleans (1-2) FOX
Sunday @ 4pm ET Orlando (2-1) @ Dallas (1-2) ABC
Sunday @ 4pm ET Denver (2-1) @ Las Vegas (0-3) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET San Diego (2-1) @ Portland (1-2) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 8pm ET Pittsburgh (1-2) @ Texas (2-1) ESPN/EFN
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