2017 USFL Week 12 Recap: Wrangling a Playoff Spot

Arizona punches their playoff ticket. Baltimore gets right back in the mix. San Diego stumbles and Houston holds on in Week 12 action. We had some close calls this week, including a very game New Jersey squad taking on the unbeaten Gamblers. Coach Ellard showed Newton a bit of a lesson on humility, and we got a great showdown of teams on the rise as Ohio hosted Denver. Another good week to be a football fan in the USFL. We will cover those stories, look at the coaches feeling the heat, give you our ¾ Power Rankings, and look at each game this past week, but we start with our top story, a major shift of style, with impressive results as the Oklahoma Outlaws switch things up as they visit Seattle.

Outlaws Go Smashmouth in Seattle

It is rare to see a team completely shift their offensive strategy mid-season, but this week in Seattle we may have seen a team do just that. The Oklahoma Outlaws displayed an offensive strategy against Seattle that we have just not seen before from this club, eschewing many of their spread formations and shotgun alignments and moving Joe Flacco under center, with either a fullback or 2 tight ends, and just playing power football, smashmouth football against the Dragons. This may have been a switch brought on by pure necessity. Joe Flacco has been absolutely pummeled this season, with sack numbers that far outstrip any other team in the league. Now, part of that was certainly Flacco himself, but part of it was a scheme that focused on deep ball routes, spread formations, and trying to defend the QB with only 5 linemen. Oklahoma’s O-line has simply not been up to the task, and with Flacco both an immobile QB and waiting on deep routes, the result has been a lot of hits and a lot of sacks on Oklahoma’s former MVP quarterback.

Switch to this week and Coach Landry may have simply had enough. We expect Flacco may have hinted that he too has had enough. So, what did we see on Sunday? We saw Joe Flacco under center, in many cases with both Marshawn Lynch and fullback Roosevelt Nix behind him, or with both Chris Cooley and Julius Thomas in H-Back position or lined up next to the tackle. Unlike in the past, we saw far fewer 3 and 4 receiver sets, we saw more use of the TEs as blockers rather than receivers, and we saw a much better balance between run calls and passing plays. Oklahoma ran 40 run plays while Joe Flacco attempted only 24 passes (22 official attempts, he was still sacked 2 times, which are pass plays but do not count as pass attempts.)

What was the result? First off a resounding 10-point road win over a club that had rattled off 6 consecutive wins. Second, a banner day for Marshawn Lynch, who certainly benefitted from the tighter and heavier formations. Lynch had himself a day, rushing for 181 yards on 27 carries, getting stronger as the game wore on, which has long been his reputation. We also saw Joe Flacco with a much cleaner uniform by game’s end. Yes, he was sacked twice, but that is nothing compared to the regular 6,8, or 10-sack obliterations we have seen in the past. The offense was perhaps not quite as explosive, with the longest pass going only 30 yards (only 1, all others were less than 20), but it was productive, scoring on 5 of 9 posessions. And what may be the best sign for Oklahoma, it was an offense that was sustainable, where the star QB has time in the pocket, has protection, and has the option of relying on one of the best “bruiser backs” in the league. Kudos to Coach Landry for being willing to put ego aside and do what was best for his team. Now we wonder if it was just too late for the Outlaws to make a playoff run. What could have been had Oklahoma started this new style of offense in Week 1?

DENVER GOLD 26 OHIO GLORY 22

A really entertaining game from two teams that are often written off as “boring” and which simply don’t get much press on a national level. Denver and Ohio may not be the flashiest teams in the league, and their star players may not be on the box of Wheaties, but these are two teams that are proving that boring can win games and that team coherence and solid execution can win games. Both the Gold and Glory are looking to return to the playoffs after a bit of a dry spell. For Denver it has been only 2 years, but it has been 7 for the Glory, last seeing postseason action in 2009. Both came into the game over .500 on the season, and both played like teams fighting for a playoff bid.

Denver got the ball rolling on their first possession, a nice 9-play drive that saw Matt Leinart connect with TE Delanie Walker on a nice third down and long play, then saw Jamaal Charles, getting more early game snaps than usual, take the ball for another 13 to get deep into Ohio territory. The drive fizzled and Denver settled for a 30-yard Zeurlein field goal, but it was a very good start for the Gold offense.

After a short Ohio drive, the Glory got a break when Denver return man Kevin White muffed the punt and had to fall on it on his own 2. That gave the Glory a chance to get to Matt Leinart for a safety, and they did just that, with DE Kamerion Wemberley catching Leinart in the endzone to give Ohio 2 points and a short field on the ensuing free kick. Ohio would take advantage of that short field and would turn a 3-2 deficit into a 9-3 advantage when Isaiah Pead took a handoff at the 9 and burst through the line, shrugging off the tackle of LB Randy Gregory and plowing into the endzone for the first touchdown of the game.

Denver would pull back within 3 with a field goal as the first quarter ended, and we were off on a game that saw a lot of hard-nosed football, and a few key plays from both defenses, starting with that first quarter safety. The second quarter saw Ohio’s defense hold Matt Leinart and the Gold offense at bay, allowing only 1 first down in the quarter. Denver’s defense, for their part, bent a bit but never broke, forcing Ohio and Christian Hackenberg to settle for two short Robbie Gould field goals. Ohio went into the half with a 9-point lead, 15-6, but hardly a stranglehold on the game.

The third quarter was the highlight of the game as both teams came out with some strong adjustments on offense that proved effective. However, despite the adjustments, the biggest play of the quarter came from the Denver defense. On a 2nd and 9, Denver called the perfect blitz against a play action play, forcing Hackenberg to put up an ill-advised throw to a player in double coverage. Denver pounced on the mistake, with LB Randy Gregory, perhaps embarrassed by the Pead TD earlier in the game, stepping in front of TE Lee Smith and snagging the errant pass. Gregory, like Pead had done with him, refused to go down, shrugging off a tackle attempt by HB Rashad Jennings and rambling 49 yards to paydirt to pull Denver within 2 at 15-13.

The pick-six stunned the Columbus crowd, but they were soon back on their feet as Ohio mounted a slow, methodical drive, converting 3 consecutive 3rd and short plays by simply dominating the line of scrimmage. Pead was the runner on all three, refusing to go down without gaining the needed yards. With the ball on the Denver 6-yard line, the threat of the inside run proved effective and allowed Christian Hackenberg to bootleg to the left and find Curtis Samuel, the Glory’s rookie slot receiver, on a crossing route to once again boost the lead to 9 points.

But, little did Hackenberg or the Glory know that this would be the final points put on the board by the Ohio offense. Denver would prove their mettle over the final 20 minutes of game time, shutting down Ohio on 4 drives over the rest of the game, while also scoring on 3 of their own possessions. The first of the three Denver scoring drives came at the end of the 3rd quarter, a quickly-paced 8-play drive that took only 2:11 off the clock, but produced a Leinart to Kelvin Benjamin red zone TD pass that again narrowed the gap.

In the 4th quarter it was all about field position, and Denver had the edge throughout. They forced Ohio to start drives on their own 8, 11, and 14 yard lines with good punts and kickoff coverage. They also held Ohio to only 1 first down in the quarter, which meant that the Denver offense got significant field position advantages. They used those advantages to get Greg Zeurlein into position for 3 field goal attempts. One was a 55-yarder that perhaps should not have been attempted, but the other two, kicks of 37 yards and then 18, gave Denver the lead and helped them expand it to 4 points with 2:08 left to play, forcing Ohio to go for a touchdown in their final drive.

That final drive never materialized. A sack of Hackenberg on first down made it 1st and 17, then a false start by Ohio meant it was 1st and 22, and that was an obstacle that proved too big to overcome for an Ohio offense not built for deep throws and big plays. Shot passes to Manningham and Blackmon made it 4th and 7, but on 4th down Denver cornerback Aqib Talib, perhaps the best pure shutdown corner in the league, made sure that Blackmon would not come down with the catch on the out route, and Ohio gave up the ball on downs.

It was a rare prime time show for both clubs, and both showed that they are solid teams, with the ability to play some very disciplined and very effective football, especially on defense, but in the end, Denver moved to 7-4-1, in prime position to compete for a Wild Card, while Ohio dropped to 6-6, still very much alive, but at risk with a .500 record.

NEW ORLEANS 30 MEMPHIS 13

Drew Brees was back in full form and so was the Breaker defense as they held Anthony Allen to only 2.2 yards per carry and sacked Paxton Lynch 4 times, producing 2 turnovers as well. The Breakers built up a 16-3 lead at the half and never looked back, with Drew Brees connecting twice with Jordy Nelson for scores. The Defense also put points on the board late as the only score of the 4th quarter was a fumble recovery & return for six from Tim Williams.

POTG: Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 8 Rec, 173 Yds, 2 TD

JACKSONVILLE 12 MICHIGAN 30

The Panther D held the Bulls to only 4 field goals and pulled away thanks to touchdowns from LeVeon Bell, Mike Hart, and Jerrel Jernigan (back from a minor injury). Jacksonville converted only 2 of 13 third downs and committed 4 turnovers in the lopsided Panther win. LeVeon Bell was contained, rushing for only 59 yards, but his backup, Mike Hart, had a solid day, rushing for 78 yards on only 10 carries, a nice 7.8 YPC average.

POTG: Michigan DE Justin Tuck: 6 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF

PITTSBURGH 13 BALTIMORE 38

The Blitz return to .500 with their 3rd consecutive win as Big Ben and the offense rack up 405 total yards against the Maulers. The run game was working for Baltimore, with Dixon and Williams combining for 146 yards and 2 scores. Big Ben contributed 258 yards passing and a TD as Baltimore rolled the Maulers and found themselves in playoff position after 12 weeks.

POTG: Baltimore WR Darrius Heyward-Bey: 5 Rec, 155 Yds

PHILADELPHIA 34 ATLANTA 31

Don’t be fooled by the final score, it was 34-10 after 3 quarters and Atlanta made it look good late with a pair of late scores against the Star backups. Derrick Henry was a pure monster in this game, rushing for 154 yards and 4 touchdowns basically in 3 quarters. By the time Aaron Murray started connecting on scores, this game was all but over.

POTG: Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 21 Att, 154 Yds, 4 TD

OAKLAND 3 DALLAS 22

Dallas sent Ryan Lindley to the locker room with an injury and brought Bob Volek into the game to be abused by the Roughneck defense. Johnny Manziel still looked a bit rusty, but completed 16 of 26 and threw a TD to Reggie Brown as the Roughnecks improve to 5-7. Oakland has now lost 3 in a row, dropping a game out of playoff position and into 4th place in the division.

POTG: Dallas LB Johnathan Casillas: 2 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR

ARIZONA 26 ST. LOUIS 13

The Wranglers struggled to run the ball, but had no issues in the passing game, even with David Carr knocked out of action early. Ryan Nassib came in and proved that St. Louis had no plan to cover anyone, with both Antonio Bryant and Jimmie Graham going over 100 yards apiece. Throw in a Frank Gore TD and a pretty lackluster day from Blaine Gabbert and you get Arizona moving to 11-1 by doubling up the Skyhawks.

POTG: Wrangler TE Jimmie Graham: 4 Rec, 156 Yds, 1 TD

HOUSTON 16 NEW JERSEY 10

New Jersey played about as good a game as anyone this year against Houston but it still was not enough as the Gamblers added the final 10 points to the scoreboard to take the W. Odell Beckham Jr. had 96 yards on 7 receptions, adding a 29-yard TD from Nick Foles, but later in the game Colt McCoy found his best bud, TE Vernon Davis for a 33-yard score and that was all she wrote for the Generals’ upset bid.

POTG: Gambler TE Vernon Davis: 5 Rec, 90 Yds, 1 TD

SAN DIEGO 10 CHICAGO 25

The Machine pull of the upset as they sack Joe Webb 6 times, pick him off twice, and get 17 fourth quarter points to blow past the favored Thunder. Down 10-9 after 3 quarters, Chicago took the lead on a Fitzpatrick to Fasano TD toss and then got the play they needed from the D, a 27-yard interception return by CB Josh Norman to pull ahead by 12. San Diego could not respond and the Machine finish off their best game of the year for win number four.

POTG: Chicago CB Josh Norman: 8 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD

CHARLOTTE 27 ORLANDO 10

Mitch Trubisky withstood the Orlando pressure, avoided turnovers, and threw for 2 scores as Charlotte sent the Renegades to their 4th consecutive defeat. It was a huge game for veteran HB Adrian Peterson, very much looking fully recovered from his ACL injury as he rushed for 138 yards on only 19 carries. Throw in 2 Hakeem Nicks TDs and Charlotte takes over first place in the SE Division at 7-5.

POTG: Monarch HB Adrian Peterson: 19 Att, 138 Yds

WASHINGTON 10 TAMPA BAY 12

Mike Neu does not fare any better in his first game than Sean Payton had all year long, dropping the road game in Tampa Bay to the Bandits. The one bright spot for Washington was that long-abandoned halfback Donald Brown got an unexpected start and came up big, rushing for 129 yards and a score in a surprising return. Tampa Bay won the game on 4 Harrison Butker field goals, but it was the defense that held the team in the game throughout, frustrating QB Tahj Boyd on third down after third down, allowing only 2 conversions in 12 tries.

POTG: Bandit LB Brian Orakpo: 8 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR

LAS VEGAS 5 BIRMINGHAM 16

An absolute power outage for Las Vegas as they were held to only 51 yards rushing and 201 total yards. Birmingham’s defense just did not give them a shot, allowing only 1 converted third down all game. While the Stallions also struggled on offense, at least they found the endzone, getting the lone TD in the game early on a swing pass from Newton to Yeldon. Not a game for fans of offense, but a welcome win for the Stallions as they stay alive at 5-7.

POTG: Birmingham CB Antonio Cromartie: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int

LOS ANGELES 10 PORTLAND 23

Express fans have to be frustrated with this one as the Express absolutely fell flat against the 1-win Stags. Reggie Bush had 108 yards rushing, but Doug Martin put points on the board with 2 scores. Marcus Mariota looked solid, completing 20 of 29 passes for 244 yards in his best game of the year. The Portland defense also held up well, stopping 10 of 11 third down conversions and 3 of 4 attempts on 4th down.

POTG: Stags’ LB Kiko Alonso: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int

OKLAHOMA 23 SEATTLE 13

Seattle’s win streak ends at 6 games as Oklahoma unveiled a very different offensive strategy, a smashmouth approach that helped protect Joe Flacco (sacked only 2 times) and allowed Marshawn Lynch his best game of the season, and one of the best by any back this year, 27 carries for 181 yards and a score. Seattle was hampered by a gimpy Jacoby Brissett, who left the game on 2 different occasions, splitting snaps with Matt McGloin.

POTG: Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 27 Att, 181 Yds, 1 TD

Henry Declared King of Philly with 4 TD Game

“King” Henry is what fans in Philly are now calling their 2nd year halfback, and quite frankly, with what we saw this week against Atlanta, it seems fitting. Derrick Henry, the Alabama product who electrified Philly fans as a rookie, is looking like a true bell cow back, one of the league’s most dominating backs in his second year. This week against a pretty solid Atlanta run defense, he looked like a man against boys. Henry rushed for 154 yards on 21 carries, a 7.3 yards per carry average that only tells part of the story. Along with the big average came big plays, including a 41-yard TD run that simply embarrassed the Atlanta defenders. It was one of 4 scoring runs for the Stars’ favorite star. He also had a 15-yarder in the first quarter that included a straight arm for the ages, planting Atlanta safety Derron Smith squarely on his ass. Henry blew through arm tackles, even sent Luke Keuchley to the turf on a huge collision and reminded many of old footage of Earl Campbell.

The game marked Henry’s 3rd 100-yard effort of the season, and perhaps his best as he scored all four of Philly’s TDs on the day. Henry is currently 5th in rushing yards for the year, with 886, and while he trails Doug Martin by nearly 200 yards, we are not ruling out a late spurt to get in the mix with Martin, Jones-Drew, and Bell. The Stars are certainly hoping that Henry stays hot as they prepare for a playoff run. He may not have the Philadelphia legendary status of Kelvin Bryant, but “King” Henry is quickly becoming a fan favorite and a major factor for any team that has to face this Stars squad.

Baltimore Back in Business with 3-Game Streak

Sitting at 3-6 after 9 weeks, there were real concerns that Baltimore was at risk of missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2013. But three weeks later, and with an impressive 98-30 scoring differential in those games, fans in Baltimore are back on the bandwagon and liking what they are seeing from their Blitz club. While we should immediately point out that the 3-game win streak has come against a 2-10 Federals team, a 3-8-1 Mauler squad, and an Orlando team that has lost 4 in a row after losing Russell Wilson to injury, we can still appreciate that the Blitz seem to have regained their mojo.

The offense in particular seems to have made an about-face from the lackluster outings that saw them score only 10 points against Seattle, 7 against LA, and 13 against Oakland, their last 3 losses in a 5-game losing streak before the turnaround. Big Ben Roethlisberger, the engine that drives the Blitz offense has certainly turned it around, throwing for 337 yards against Washington and a solid 258 against Pittsburgh. The run game has also started contributing, with Dixon and Williams combining for 102 yards in Washington, 95 against Orlando’s tough run defense, and 147 at home against the Maulers. The defense has also come up big in the past 3 games, shutting out Orlando in Orlando and holding both the Feds and Maulers under 20 points in those two games.

At 6-6 Baltimore is not out of the woods, and they still trail both Philly and New Jersey in the division, but they currently sit in the 6th position in the East and can control their own destiny with a 1-game lead over 5-7 Memphis, Atlanta, Orlando and Birmingham. That is not something we thought we would be saying when they were 3-6 and riding a 5-game losing streak.

Could Jordy Nelson Reach Truvillion’s 1986 Record?

In the preseason a lot of hype was surrounding LeVeon Bell’s desire to make a run at one of the league’s oldest and most revered records, Herschel Walker’s 1983 season rushing total of 1,767 yards. Bell was brash, but now, 12 weeks in, seems far from the attempt. But, quietly and without much bravado, another USFL player is very much on pace to possibly knock off a record few thought would be challenged. New Orleans receiver Jordy Nelson has 1,415 yards receiving after 12 weeks, meaning that he is only 544 yards behind the all-time USFL receiving record of 1,959 yards held by Eric Truvillion. Truvillion set that record back in 1986 and also holds 2nd and third place on the all-time season receiving yards record list with his 1985 and 1992 seasons (1944 and 1932 respectively). Could Nelson, in his first year as a Breaker, actually challenge Truvillion’s hold at the top of the USFL record book?

It won’t be easy, of course, as the needed total would require Nelson to average 136 yards per game over the season’s final 4 weeks, but it is the best run we have seen at the title since Joey Galloway went for 1,834 in 2000. Nelson has been averaging just over 118 yards per game this entire season and already has 7 games where he has topped the needed 136 per game to reach the record. But this means he cannot have a week with a 55-yard performance. He needs to be getting targeted every week, and turning as many 10-yard Brees throws into 30-yard YAC gains. In Brees, of course, he has one of the best and most accurate passers in the game at his disposal. If anyone can lead a throw to allow Nelson to turn 10 into 30, it is Brees. So, the record is there, the QB is there, and Nelson has a shot at history. Not bad for a free agent “testing the waters” and “building a new rapport” with a new team.

Did Coach Ellard Send Newton a Message?

Yeah, we all think he did. After Newton’s post-game meltdown last week, where he challenged Ellard to trade him and questioned the effort level of his teammates, we think Ellard sent him a message, and that message is “no one is above the team”. Birmingham had a solid 13-2 lead on Las Vegas when the 4th quarter began, and the defense, apparently inspired by Newton’s disparaging remarks the prior week, had not let Eli Manning (a bit rusty after injury) do anything with the Viper offense all game. It was time to burn some clock and run the ball down Las Vegas’s throat to shorten the game.

Normally this would call for T. J. Yeldon and Danny Woodhead to get carry after carry, but on 13 occasions in the final 15 minutes, Coach Ellard called a designed run for Newton. This included first down runs, 2nd down and long runs, even one third and long run call. Newton being Newton, he would not audible out of a play designed for him. So what was the result? Newton finished the game with 15 rushes for -1 yards. Yup, he got smoked, time and time again. His longest run in the 3rd quarter was 3 yards and on multiple occasions Las Vegas linemen and linebackers just piled on him as he tried both inside and outside runs.

The Vipers may have been losing the game, but you could see smiles on the faces of LBs Ahmad Brooks and DeAndre Levy as they helped Newton get up after yet another crushing hit. Newton was dead silent after the game. Was he humbled by the beating? By his coach’s clear message that no player wins on his own or is bigger than the team? It seems so, but will this also push Newton to push for a trade even harder? Perhaps, but not likely with Ellard. We think he will wait until the offseason and speak to GMs in suits rather than risk offending a head coach who played the game for over a decade and has no patience for disrespect.

Renegades Surprise Us with Tebow Signing

Coming off a 4th consecutive loss, and 4 in which the team has averaged 10 points per game since losing Russell Wilson, we expected something to change, but what Orlando chose to do was a shocker. There were rumors that they were speaking with true NFL free agent QB Geno Smith, but the name announced as the newest Renegade was not on anyone’s radar, former Florida and Jacksonville Bull QB Tim Tebow.

Tebow played 5 up and down seasons with the Bulls, was traded to LA, where he just did not fit at all, and was released after the 2015 season. He spent the last year briefly on the rosters of the NFL Broncos and Jets, but was unemployed by Week 10 of the NFL season. That means that like Geno Smith, his 6-month window of being unsigned allowed USFL teams to freely negotiate with him outside the NFL-USFL transfer window. Orlando did just that and this week announced that the Florida star was back in the USFL and back in Florida.

Tebow with the Renegades will certainly sell some jerseys, as he still maintains a nice fanbase among Gator fans, but just how quickly he can be brought up to speed and have a chance to see game action, that seems somewhat dubious with only 4 weeks left in the season. Connor Shaw has been ineffective in the 5 games where he has been under center (4 starts and 1 sub-in when Wilson was hurt). Orlando has already stated that this week’s starter will be untested and very wet-behind-the-ears 2nd year QB Brandon Allen. Could they be thinking they can put Tebow in as soon as next week? He is certainly still a very athletic player, but there is something different about being in “football shape”, and what about mentally? The last few years have not been kind to Tebow’s ego and confidence. It seems a risk to us, but this point, with Orlando a game out of a possible Wild Card spot, perhaps risk is what is needed.

Oakland Hit Again as Lindley Joins Harrington on IR

The season just got one notch uglier for the Oakland Invaders. The team is sitting at 5-7, having lost Joey Harrington to a season ending MCL injury back in Week 5. Now they get the news that his replacement. Ryan Lindley is also down for the count after suffering a fracture to the radius on his throwing arm after it crashed into the helmet of an oncoming tackler in this week’s loss to the Dallas Roughnecks. The Invaders finished the game with 3rd stringer Bob Volek under center. Volek, a 9-year veteran, is certainly a sage presence on the sideline, but last started a game in 2010, a full 7 seasons ago.

Volek will be starting this week, as Oakland visits arch-rival Los Angeles down the coast. He will be backed up by Tom Savage, acquired in free agency after being cut by the Maulers. They have added undrafted free agent 2016 rookie QB Joe Callahan of Wesley College to have a 3rd QB, but for the foreseeable future (the remaining 4 weeks) the Invaders are likely to try to run out the year with Volek under center.

The Arizona Wranglers, sitting at 11-1, have clinched a playoff spot this week. They join Houston and Philadelphia as guaranteed postseason participants. As yet only Houston has clinched their division, with Denver still mathematically alive (4 games back) of the Wranglers and New Jersey still alive (4 games back) in the NE Division. Both the Stars and Wranglers can clinch their division this week with a win or with losses by the Generals or Gold.

We are seeing our usual clusters of teams in the battle for the final Wild Card spots as well. In the West, you have 4 teams with 6 wins each, and only 2 spots available. Ohio and LA currently hold the tie-breakers but those can change at any time with different combinations of wins and losses by any of the 4 teams. Seattle and Las Vegas are right there with 6 wins apiece, and 5-7 Oklahoma, Dallas, and Oakland are still in the mix as well. In the East, Baltimore is the lone 6-6 squad and holds the 6th and final spot, but there are 4 clubs at 5-7 who are certainly within striking range should the Blitz stumble. Memphis, Atlanta, Orlando, and Birmingham need to finish strong and hope that Baltimore has issues. While they are technically in range of 7-5 New Jersey, New Orleans, and Charlotte, the odds are against them to make up a 2-game difference and win on tiebreakers with only 4 weeks left.

Finally, we added a 2nd team to the list of clubs eliminated from playoff position. Washington joins Portland in that unhappy club. After Portland’s win this week, the two are tied at 2-14, and both have their two wins in conference, so there is no saying which would get the 1st draft pick at this point. It could go down to a 3rd or even 4th tiebreaker if they both finish the year at 2-14. So, now the question for Stag and Federal fans, do you want to win any of your last 4 games? Generally, the answer is yes, because the Open Draft is such a crap shoot and with the NFL often claiming more than 50% of all early round draft picks, it is not worth taking the hit for “tanking” to get that 1st pick.

OUT

FS Jairus Byrd PHI Hip IR

LB Paul Posluszny PIT Hamstring IR

LB Reuben Foster BIR ACL IR

LB Dannell Ellerbe ATL Neck IR

QB Ryan Lindley OAK Arm IR

TE Kellen Davis WSH Shoulder 2-4 Weeks

SS Tra Battle ATL Wrist 1-2 Weeks

LB Nick Perry STL Arm 1-2 Weeks

HB T. J. Yeldon BIR Concussion 1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

WR Justin Blackmon OHI Jaw

C Peter Konz OAK Concussion

WR Donnie Avery NOR Arm

QUESTIONABLE

QB Andy Dalton PIT Hamstring

HB Christian McCaffrey OAK Concussion

WR Alshon Jeffery POR Tendinitis

DE Matthew Judon LV Foot

Five Head Coaches Feeling the Heat

With only 4 weeks left in the season and Washington providing us the first coach firing of the year, the question now turns to the other coaches on the hotseat, feeling like their opportunities to turn things around, or at least show some hope moving forward, are shrinking with every week. We picked 5 coaches we believe are somewhere on the sliding scale from nervous about 2018 to almost certain Black Monday fodder and reviewed where they are, how they got there and what they need to avoid the axe this August.

Jim Caldwell (BAL)

The Situation: The 5-game losing streak had Caldwell squarely on the hot seat, but they have since won 3 in a row and are actually in playoff position at 6-6. The Blitz also have the league’s top scoring defense and a top 10 offense, so is Caldwell now in the safe zone?

Our Assessment: We are feeling pretty good that Jim Caldwell will stay at the helm of the Blitz. There are 4 games left and even a 2-2 record could get Baltimore a playoff spot. 8-8 is not what fans want, but ownership is likely not going to let Caldwell go unless the Blitz completely tank.

What He Can Do: Get that Wild Card, or at least get 2 wins to finish at 8-8 and we think Caldwell is safe for another offseason.

Lovie Smith (CHI)

The Situation: It is only Smith’s 2nd year with the team and last year was a surprising success at 9-7. This year has not been so kind, with Chicago starting the year a dreadful 1-7. But they have won 3 of their last 4 games, so there is hope that Smith can keep them from a truly embarrassing year.

Our Assessment: A rough 2nd year is not always out of the question as he reworks the roster and tries to make changes to the style of play. We think that unless he goes 0-4 down the stretch, even a 5-11 season will get Smith ano

What He Can Do: Winning 3 games to finish 6-10 would be great, and would give the Machine a nice 6-2 second half. That will go a long way to showing the club that Smith has the club headed somewhere.

Mike Sherman (DAL)

The Situation: We had Sherman on the watch list for possible firing last season. This is his 4th year in Dallas and it has the chance to be his 2nd consecutive 10-loss season. Manziel’s suspension was an unwanted distraction and a blemish on the team, but does Sherman get the blame for that or does it lie with the Roughneck QB?

Our Assessment: Dallas is sitting at 5-7. If they can win 3 of 4 to finish at 8-8, well, then Sherman may have a chance, but if they hit that 10-loss spot at 6-10, we think it is over. No idea what 7-9 would mean.

What He Can Do: Dallas has just not shown any improvement on defense all year, and the Wheedon-Manziel handoff has not gone well, so we think that 8-8 may be the only saving grace for Sherman. If he hits 6-10 or even 7-9, we think they will call it a day and move on.

Henry Ellard (BIR)

The Situation: Ellard can only ride his local celebrity and fan affection so far. He was brought back to the Stallions to turn Cam Newton into a star and the Stallion offense into one of the league’s elite squads. As he comes to the conclusion of his 3rd season at the helm, the offense is one of the league’s worst (27th in yards per game and 26th in passing) and his star QB is demanding a trade.

Our Assessment: Likely on his way out. Ownership would rather keep Newton.

What He Can Do: Unless he can patch things up with his QB, we just don’t see a path forwards, and even that may not be enough.

Pep Hamilton (POR)

The Situation: After a pretty rough 4-12 season to start his tenure at Portland, the hope was that Hamilton would be able to bring rapid development for Marcus Mariota and that Portland would take a nice positive step, maybe to 7-9 or 8-8. They now sit at 2-10 and it looks like this year’s club is less focused and less competitive than last year’s group. That is not good news for their coach.

Our Assessment: We don’t see a path forward for Hamilton. Had Mariota shown signs of growth this season, then maybe a 10-loss year would have been survivable, but Mariota is not looking at all like he is ready to step up, and the Stags have just not been a team that gives their foes much to worry about.

What He Can Do: Start packing, sell the house, get that resume out there for OC positions, or maybe consider a year in the booth doing color commentary. We don’t think Portland will be your home by next March.

Third Quarter USFL Power Rankings

1-HOUSTON (12-0) NO CHANGE

Being number one in scoring and total offense, along with a Top 5 defense is a very good place to be.

2-ARIZONA (11-1) UP 3

David Carr is making a case for back-to-back MVP trophies as Arizona has the top passing offense in the league and is looking like a Summer Bowl favorite in the West.

3-PHILADELPHIA (11-1) DOWN 1

Fourth in points scored and in points allowed gives Philadelphia a great margin of victory of over 8 points per game.

4-MICHIGAN (9-3) DOWN 1

Another team strong on both sides of the ball, averaging over 28 points per game while allowing only 17. Arizona had better not get too cocky.

5-SAN DIEGO (9-3) NO CHANGE

Still not getting the respect a 9-win team usually gets, San Diego won 4 in a row before the weird stinker in Chicago this week.

6-NEW ORLEANS (7-5) UP 2

We are all watching Jordy Nelson’s numbers, but this team is solid in lots of areas beyond their new superstar receiver.

7-DENVER (7-4-1) NO CHANGE

The Gold are not going to wow you, but they can still beat you. It helps that they allow an average of only 70 yards per game rushing.

8-NEW JERSEY (7-5) UP 2

MJD has the Generals over 100 yards per game rushing, and the 2nd rated scoring defense has teams averaging only 16 points when they face the Generals.

9-BALTIMORE (6-6) UP 9

The Blitz get a lot of credit for their 3-game streak. How quickly we forgot the five-game skid that took them from 3-1 to 3-6.

10-CHARLOTTE (7-5) UP 1

We get it. Rookie QB, too many turnovers. There are reasons to be skeptical of the Monarchs, but in a weak SE Division, they could still get a top 3 seed.

11-SEATTLE (6-6) UP 9

The 6-game win streak is over, but and the Dragons play only 1 team with a record below .500 in their final 4 games. Time to prove you are legit.

12-LOS ANGELES (6-6) DOWN 3

The Express have won some surprising games, but also just lost to Portland. Guess that is the life of a 6-6 club.

13-OHIO (6-6) UP 2

With all 4 remaining games against teams at or below .500, the Glory have a chance to make a statement and propel themselves into the postseason for the first time in almost a decade.

14-LAS VEGAS (6-6) UP 9

Big wins against Denver and Oklahoma have them very much alive in the SW Division. They won’t catch the Wranglers but could still find a path to a Wild Card.

15-OKLAHOMA (5-7) DOWN 3

We loved the new offensive plan, but is it too little, too late for the Outlaws in their first season in OKC?

16-ATLANTA (5-7) DOWN 2

Aaron Murray seems to be the key for the Fire. When he plays well, they can beat some solid teams, but when he struggles, there is not much else the Fire can offer.

17-DALLAS (5-7) UP 2

We are still not sure that Coach Sherman made the right call in returning to Manziel at QB. Wheedon had better numbers in his 6-game stint than Manziel has had in any 6 consecutive games.

18-MEMPHIS (5-7) DOWN 1

How does this team beat the Stars, barely lose to Arizona (32-30) and then get crushed by New Jersey and New Orleans? They have no consistency on either side of the ball. That is how.

19-BIRMINGHAM (5-7) DOWN 6

The Cam Newton drama aside, the Stallions are just not good on defense, giving up 343 yards per game, with most of it through the air (264 per game). Hard to win in this league if you struggle in pass coverage.

20-CHICAGO (4-8) UP 7

That was a nice win over San Diego, a week after beating Oakland in Oakland. Maybe Chicago should petition to join the Pacific Division? Three of their 4 wins have come against Pacific foes.

21-JACKSONVILLE (4-8) UP 2

The Bulls keep tempting us with their defense, which has looked dynamic at multiple times this year, but if your offense can only muster 64 yard rushing and 183 in the air each week, you cannot expect to reach or surpass .500. Time to draft for offense.

22-OAKLAND (5-7) DOWN 6

The Invaders have to feel snakebitten this year, losing both Harrington and now Lindley. Coach Green is not in any danger, not with his track record, so the plan for 2018 has to start now.

23-ORLANDO (5-7) DOWN 17

The Renegades were 5-3 and looking like a division title contender before they lost Wilson. Now they look like one of the worst offenses in the league. Nothing Calais Campbell can do about that.

24-TAMPA BAY (4-8) UP 2

This has been a great quarter for the Bandits, who have won 3 of 4 in the past month, including big wins against Charlotte and Atlanta in their division. Dak Prescott has looked like he is beginning to really understand the game and see things slow down.

25-PITTSBURGH (3-8-1) DOWN 4

A nice effort in Denver got them a tie, but otherwise this has been a bad month. Losing by 25 to Baltimore has got to hurt, and the face them again in 2 weeks. Ouch.

26-ST. LOUIS (3-9) DOWN 2

The Skyhawks may be looking to reboot. After seeing how good Jordy Nelson has been in New Orleans, folks are questioning whether former MVP Josh Freeman is still the man. He is injured now, so that will be an offseason question that may not get an answer.

27-PORTLAND (2-10) DOWN 2

Hey, look, you are not in last place any more. Good for you, and good for you to put in the effort to get that win this week against a stunned LA squad. Still may not be enough to keep Pep Hamilton in his corner office.

28-WASHINGTON (2-10) NO CHANGE

Jeff Ireland (GM) is gone. Sean Payton is gone. Washington is looking like a team that has hit rock bottom and now must do some soul-searching to decide who they want to be in 2018 and beyond. That will start with the hiring of a new GM and Head Coach this offseason.

MAULERS UNVEIL SLEEK “STEEL CITY” ALTERNATE’

A week after revealing their new primary looks, Pittsburgh embraces their Steel City identity with an all “steel” look. The limited-use alternate look features a steely grey helmet, not exactly glossy but also not matte. The helmet has a single purple stripe and a simple block letter P on either side. As with the entire look all orange has been removed from the design, creating a purple and silver/grey look that K-State, Furman, and Northwestern should immediately copy.

The jerseys, using the same cut and yoke pattern as the primaries, are steel grey with purple numbers (outlined in white) and a purple yoke which features a special 2-tone purple, steel and white version of the team logo. The pants are also steel grey, with a single purple stripe interrupted at the knee with a small white block. The team’s secondary logo is on the hip, also in just grey, white, and purple. It is sharp, one of my favorite alts to date and a fitting tribute to the steel city without infringing on the NFL Steelers in the least.

Pittsburgh also unveiled their 1984 throwback, an expected move that is still welcomed by throngs of longstanding Mauler fans, especially when you reveal the look with Mike Rozier’s number, a very welcome callback for Mauler fans who will never forget one of their teams greatest legends.

Back to some serious divisional action in Week 13, as it should be this late in the year. Ohio and Chicago kick us off in a game the Glory desperately need if they want to protect their Wild Card hopes. Then at 9pm ET it is the struggling Invaders visiting the inconsistent Express. I would not bet on this game with my own money. No way to know what will happen.

On Saturday we start off with what could be a very ugly game as 11-1 Philly visits 2-10 Washington. Expect no mercy from the Stars in this one. We also have some nice 4pm matchups with Michigan at St. Louis, Dallas @ Oklahoma, both divisional games with some playoff influence. The night games feature two of the league’s best teams in action, 12-0 Houston hosting the Stallions and 9-3 San Diego making a tough trip to the mountains to face the Denver Gold.

On Sunday we kick off with a biggie in the NE Division as 7-win New Jersey heads to 6-6 Baltimore. This could have a huge impact in the Wild Card race. We also have Orlando, struggling to find themselves against a Tampa squad that has won 3 of their last 4. Another bad mismatch at 4pm when the 2-10 Portland Stags head to Arizona to face the 11-1 Wranglers. This may be one that you want to avert young children from watching. Finally, the nightcap on Sunday has a SE Division battle with first place Charlotte hosting the 5-7 Atlanta Fire. If Atlanta wants any shot at the division, or maybe even a playoff spot in general, they need to step up in the Dixieland Dustup.

FRI 7PM ET Ohio (6-6) @ Chicago (4-8) ABC

FRI 9PM ET Oakland (5-7) @ Los Angeles (6-6) ESPN/EFN

SAT 12PM ET Pittsburgh (3-8-1) @ Memphis (5-7) ABC

SAT 12PM ET Philadelphia (11-1) @ Washington (2-10) FOX

SAT 4PM ET Michigan (9-3) @ St. Louis (3-9) ABC

SAT 4PM ET Dallas (5-7) @ Oklahoma (5-7) FOX

SAT 7PM ET Birmingham (5-7) @ Houston (12-0) NBC

SAT 9PM ET San Diego (9-3) @ Denver (7-4-1) ESPN/EFN

SUN 12PM ET New Jersey (7-5) @ Baltimore (6-6) ABC

SUN 12PM ET Orlando (5-7) @ Tampa Bay (4-8) FOX Regional

SUN 12PM ET Jacksonville (4-8) @ New Orleans (7-5) FOX Regional

SUN 4PM ET Seattle (6-6) @ Las Vegas (6-6) ABC

SUN 4PM ET Portland (2-10) @ Arizona (11-1) FOX

SUN 8PM ET Atlanta (5-7) @ Charlotte (7-5) ESPN/EFN