Two weeks left in the USFL season and we have all 6 division winners crowned. That is a rarity. But, the good news for all those fans who love to see late season drama is that we still have 6 playoff spots unclaimed and 12 teams very much alive in the hunt. That guarantees that we will have some drama for the next two weeks. But what about this past week? What did Week 14 bring us? How about Cam Newton being his best self as he ripped through the Orlando defense for two long TD runs? How about David Carr making a serious case to win back-to-back MVP awards with a 4-TD, 400-yard outing against a very good Breakers club? And, just for a surprise factor, how about Philadelphia turning a 20-17 deficit into a 23-20 victory in only 20 seconds? We will cover all this, plus take a sneak peak at the offseason ahead, listing our anticipated Top 20 Free Agents and some players who may well be playing their last games in the next 2 weeks. But, let’s kick it off with another coaching change, this time a resignation, as Dallas moves on from Mike Sherman’s 5-years of futility.
Sherman Steps Down as Roughneck Coach
With only 2 games left in the regular season, Coach Mike Sherman of the Dallas Roughnecks apparently saw the writing on the wall and announced that he would step down, effective immediately, as head coach of the 5-9 Dallas squad. His team had just suffered a tough defeat, blowing a 17-6 lead in the 4th quarter and losing to Denver in overtime. They were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss, ensuring that Sherman’s 5 season stint in Dallas would produce no playoff appearances. There had been hope after an 8-7-1 season in 2015 that Sherman was building something in Big D, but the Roughnecks dropped to 6-10 last year and now had clinched themselves a losing record for 2017 as well.
There had long been suspicion that before the season Sherman was given an ultimatum, qualify for the postseason or step down. Apparently, rather than wait for Black Monday, Sherman took the task upon himself. In his press announcement he thanked the players, thanked the owners for the opportunity, but declared that he had not made good on promises made to the team or the fans when he took the job back in 2013, and it was time for him to help the team move on.
The Roughnecks announced that OC Todd Haley would take on the Interim Head Coach title, and that Haley would be a candidate for the permanent job. Many expected this, due to Haley’s strong relationship with the team’s young, and supposed franchise QB, Johnny Manziel. Haley will have a 2-game interview ahead of him, with Dallas finishing out the string of games with a home game next week against 7-7 Ohio before heading to Memphis to face the 6-8 Showboats in the season finale. Should Haley’s Roughnecks prevail in both games, or even in 1 with a good showing in the other, the expectation is that Mark Cuban and the ownership group is likely to give Haley the job, confident in his ability to both get the most out of, and avoid any future issues with, their star QB.
OAKLAND INVADERS 20 PHILADELPHIA STARS 23
Call It a last gasp surge of effort, call it a trap game, or desperation vs. security, a post-playoff clinching let-down or a game played for pride, but whatever the reason, the flailing Oakland Invaders, playing with their 3rd string QB under center, gave the 12-1 Philadelphia Stars all they could handle on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. In a game that saw Philadelphia as an 11-point favorite in Las Vegas, the Invaders, led by 3rd stringer Bob Volek and practice squad QB Tom Savage, outgained the Stars 383-310, outrushed “King” Henry and the Stars 163-148, won the turnover battle 2-to-1, and held the time of possession as well. But, as tends to be the case with snakebit teams, it was still not enough, as the only advantage that mattered was the one on the scoreboard that moved Philadelphia to13-1 and eliminated Oakland with a 5-9 mark.
Oakland came out fired up, Philadelphia perhaps a bit flat after clinching the NE Division and locking themselves into no worse than the Eastern 2-seed and a bye week in the playoffs. Oakland looked sharp on defense, holding the Stars to a single first down before getting the ball on a punt from the Philly 41. The offense then used a nicely scripted set of plays to move the ball effectively against the Star defense, ending a 9-play drive with Volek hitting Davante Adams for an 11-yard TD to open scoring.
Philadlephia woke up after the scripted Oakland drive, scoring on their next two possessions to take the lead. They got a nice play from WR Randall Cobb on their next possession, spinning out of the initial tackle and turning a 6-yard route into a 30-yard TD. The, on the next drive, Philadelphia moved the ball on the ground, but not with Henry. Whenever Henry was in the game, the Invaders kept 8 players by the line, adding safety Jaiquawn Jarrett to their LB and D-Line groups to bottle up the big man. But when Zac Stacy was in the game, they dropped Jarrett back, and that gave Philadelphia a chance to catch them with some draws. One of those draws worked to perfection, from the Stars’ 25-yard line. The receivers took the safeties deep and TE Travis Kelce provided the key block for Stacy, who bounced the ball outside and ran down the sideline for 7.
Down 7, Oakland responded with a somewhat stilted drive, but did manage to put 3 points on the board with a 32-yard Aguayo kick before the half. At the break, Oakland trailed 14-10 and Philadelphia fans did not seem particularly concerned. That would change in the 3rd quarter. The second half opened with a solid drive that took the ball from Oakland’s 17 into Philadelphia territory, but ended badly for the Invaders as Bob Volek was both picked off and shaken up on the same play, a hit coming from DT Brandon Williams sent the ball up into the air, a perfect tip drill for LB Dan Connor to snatch, while Volek took the shot to his throwing shoulder. He would leave the game and not return. It would be former practice squad QB Tom Savage who would finish out the game.
But, after Philly failed to gain a first down, Oakland got the ball right back, and Savage, going 3 of 5 on the drive, got the Invaders into field goal range, but the field goal was a fake. Punter Matt McBriar took position as the holder, but when he got the ball, he quickly stepped up and found TE Austin Hooper wide open on the right side. The play went for 7 yards, more than enough to meet the 4th and 3 target. Philadelphia was stung by their own assumptions, and 4 players later HB Tyler Ervin, not exactly a household name, stung them again, taking a pitch to the left and diving into the endzone to put Oakland up 17-14. It would be the only score of the quarter as the Invader defense, led by LB Bobby Wagner, made life tough on Stars’ QB Matt Gutierrez and on HB Derrick Henry.
The Stars would equalize the score at 17 early in the 4th, after getting a defensive holding call on a key 3rd down to keep the drive alive. They struggled inside Oakland territory, losing ground on 2 consecutive plays before sending out Mike Nugent to kick from the 22-yard line. The kick knotted up the game, but did not alleviate the tensions felt by Stars fans, who were not at all pleased by the lack of intensity they were seeing from the Stars.
When Oakland drove to within the Philadelphia 5-yard line, the crowd was getting openly disjointed. This is Philly after all, where even Santa Claus cannot escape the often-drunken anger of Philadlephia fans. But the Stars gave them something to cheer about when hope was fading. First, LB Hassan Reddick stuffed Christian McCaffrey for no gain on first and goal. Then a pitch to McCaffrey gained only 1 yard. On third down, Oakland tried a bubble screen to Taylor Gabriel, but it was blown up by CB Cortland Finnegan and Oakland had to settle for the chipshot field goal. That score put them up 3, and with only 1:19 left, they knew that they needed to hold Philadelphia to avoid overtime.
The late score by Oakland put Philadelphia on notice, and Coach Harbaugh huddled up his offense with the plan for the next minute and change. The key was to get into field goal range and get the tie on the board. The Stars would use just 59 seconds to do just that. The drive began with Karlos Williams getting a nice return up to the Philadelphia 34. From there it was on Matt Gutierrez to get the team in range. He connected with Ronald Johnson on the very first play to gain 20 yards. Then a couple of dink plays to his backs and they were in Oakland territory. After another throw got them to the Oakland 33, they failed on both first and 2nd down to make a connection. With only 20 seconds left, Jim Harbaugh did something unexpected, he sent out Mike Nugent to try a 50-yarder rather than trying to gain more yards on 3rd and 10. It mystified the announcers and the fans, but when Nugent put the ball through, there was a clear sign of relief.
It was then that Harbaugh revealed his strategy. He was not going for the tie and overtime, he had scouted Oakland’s special teams and knew that in this situation they would leave in their regular return team, expecting a deep kick and some kneel downs to head into overtime. Harbaugh’s team lined up in a regular kickoff formation, but Mike Nugent topped the ball, sending it spinning down the middle of the field. The linemen in the front row of Oakland’s return team were hesitant to pick up the ball, but gunner Sam Shields was not, he raced to the ball, fell on it and suddenly Philadelphia had a first down in Oakland territory with 17 seconds left on the clock. It was a brilliant coaching decision, one that Dennis Green admitted he had never considered as a possibility until it happened.
Philadelphia came to the line, the ball already on the outskirts of Nugent’s range. They had a time out left, so the entire field was theirs to use. After a quick throw out to the sideline failed to connect with Cobb, Matt Gutierrez found TE Cameron Brate covered by a LB, and connected. Brate quickly went down and Harbaugh called the timeout. The ball was on the Oakland 20, making it a 37-yard kick for Nugent to win the game in regulation, and no pressure, since a miss meant overtime, not a loss. Nugent connected, Philadelphia got their 13th W, and Oakland again felt like the universe was against them. Coach Green admitted that this was a clear case of him being outcoached, that his guys played their guts out on the day, and he let them down. We would tend to agree, though we too were confused and surprised by Harbaugh’s daring moves late in the game.
LOS ANGELES 0 NEW JERSEY 19
An ugly outing for the LA Express and Sam Bradford in particular. Bradford was sacked 5 times and completed only 14 of 39 passes (36%) on a day when LA could only muster 7 first downs. New Jersey did not explode offensively, but they certainly did enough to take the W with Nick Foles hitting Miles Austin for one score and Maurice Jones-Drew finding the endzone for a 2nd.
POTG: Generals’ CB Devin McCourty: 5 Tck, 4 PDef
DENVER 23 DALLAS 17 OVERTIME
The Gold were down 17-3 early in the third quarter but rallied to score the final 20 points in the game and move to 8-5-1. Matt Leinart got 210 of his 340 yards in the final period, finding Kelvin Benjamin and Golden Tate for touchdowns. A Greg Zeurlein field goal tied the game with 15 seconds left in regulation and in the opening possession of overtime, Leinart hit Golden Tate with a 36-yard touchdown throw to complete the comeback.
POTG: Gold QB Matt Leinart: 20/35, 340 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int
BALTIMORE 24 PITTSBURGH 31
Andy Dalton returned to action and dealt Baltimore a nasty surprise, throwing for 3 scores and helping the Maulers knock off the Blitz. The Mauler D also got into the fun, sacking Ben Roethlisberger 9 times, including 2 from Dwight Freeney. Big Ben completed only 42% of his throws under pressure, while Dalton completed 21 of 29 on the day (72.4%)
POTG: Mauler FS Robert Sands: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
OKLAHOMA 20 MICHIGAN 34
Michigan’s run D was more than ready to deal with the new Oklahoma run game. Aided by a 17-0 lead after only 1 quarter, Michigan essentially forced Oklahoma to throw the ball and that allowed them to offset Lynch’s runs and get to Flacco 4 times. Kirk Cousins had no such problems against the Oklahoma defense, throwing for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns.
POTG: Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 22/30, 310 Yds, 4 TD
CHARLOTTE 26 SAN DIEGO 7
San Diego came out flat after locking up their division and Charlotte took advantage of it. The Monarchs built up a 17-0 halftime lead and never looked back. Mitch Trubisky avoided the turnover bug and the Monarch defense keyed on the run game, limiting San Diego to only 25 yards rushing. With little run game to speak of, the pressure was on Joe Webb, and the San Diego QB struggled to find receivers.
POTG: Charlotte CB Zachary Bowman: 4 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 Int
TAMPA BAY 17 JACKSONVILLE 19
The Bulls spoiled Tampa’s 3-game win streak with a late field goal to steal the home win in the Florida Derby. C. J. Beathard got the start and completed 21 of 31, throwing a TD to Mike Williams to help Jacksonville even their record with Tampa’s at 5-9. Dalvin Cook returned to action for Tampa Bay, and had a solid outing with 84 yards on only 16 carries, but it was not enough as Jacksonville gets the W.
POTG: Bulls’ CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 4 PDef, 1 Int
MEMPHIS 16 HOUSTON 20
The Showboats kept it close, and entered the 4th quarter with a slim 16-13 lead, but one mistake cost them the game. Flushed out of the pocket by Ramik Wilson, Memphis QB Paxton Lynch made a poor throw under pressure. The ball was picked by Leodis McKelvin and the speedy corner raced it back for the game-winning points. In his first start, Landry Jones finished 9 of 23 for 121 yards, but it was the defense that got the win for Houston in this matchup.
POTG: Houston CB Leodis McKelvin: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
ORLANDO 16 BIRMINGHAM 27
The Stallions improve their record to .500 and are in the Wild Card hunt, thanks in large part to Cam Newton’s legs. After getting caught for a safety in the 2nd quarter, Newton decided to remind everyone what an effective runner he is during the 3rd. Newton, on back-to-back drives, ran for 73- and 50-yard touchdowns. He finished the day with 151 yards on only 12 carries (a 12.6 YPC average). While he only completed 6 of 18 passes, Newton’s legs proved more than enough to outpace the offensively stifled Renegades.
POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 6/18,56 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 12 Att, 151 Yds, 2 TD
LAS VEGAS 16 OHIO 6
The Vipers improved to 8-6 with a hard fought defensive win in Columbus. Eli Manning had the only TD of the game, an 18-yard connection with Doug Baldwin. The rest was a battle of field position and defensive moves and countermoves. The vipers picked off Christian Hackenberg twice and forced 3 turnovers to help them leapfrog Ohio in the Western Conference playoff standings.
POTG: Viper QB Eli Manning: 24/32, 252 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int
CHICAGO 7 ATLANTA 13
Atlanta stayed alive in the playoff race, moving into 2nd place in the SE Division by limiting Trevor Siemian and the Machine to only 189 total yards of offense. Siemian was given the start after Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention, but struggled in his first start of the season. Aaron Murray completed 24 of 29, but did throw 2 picks, keeping Chicago in the game.
POTG: Atlanta CB Darius Slay: 5 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int
WASHINGTON 3 SEATTLE 33
Seattle returns to .500 with an absolute demolition of the floundering Federals. C. J. Anderson and Joseph Addai combine for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns, and the Dragon defense allowed Washington only 1 trip inside the 30-yard line. The Federal run game returned to its worst form all season, with a grand total of 38 yards and only 17 total carries.
POTG: Seattle DE Travis LaBoy: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF
ST. LOUIS 21 PORTLAND 34
A surprising offensive output for the Stags as they roll up 148 yards rushing (135 from Doug Martin) and score 6 of 9 possessions. Kyle Boller threw for 332 trying to keep St. Louis in the game, but two 4th quarter TDs from Felix Jones helped Portland pull away for good. Both teams now sit at 3-11, and Portland may have actually helped St. Louis improve their draft standing with the Stag win.
POTG: Portland HB Doug Martin: 22 Att, 135 Yds, 1 TD
ARIZONA 41 NEW ORLEANS 14
The Wranglers had New Orleans’s number in this one, with David Carr simply carving up the Breaker defense. Carr finished with 438 yards and 4 touchdowns, including a 57 yarder to Larry Fitzgerald and a 34-yarder to TE Jimmie Graham. It was 14-14 with 2 minutes left to go in the first half, but Arizona then put the hammer down, shutting out New Orleans the rest of the way and scoring 27 unanswered points to turn a close game into a rout.
POTG: Wrangler QB David Carr: 19/31, 438 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
Moreno Frustrated with Renegades, Seems Unlikely to Resign
Knowshon Moreno adds himself to the list of players who seem ready to move on next year. While not as dramatic as Cam Newton’s locker room explosion, the tone and message sent by the Orlando HB during the post-game interview this week left little doubt but that the team’s leading rusher is likely to be playing elsewhere next year. Moreno’s 4-year deal is set to expire in 2 weeks and all the reports out of Orlando have the back and the club very far from an agreement. Moreno sees himself as an elite back and is asking for Frank Gore or LeVeon Bell money. Orlando is looking at a back who has not had a 1,000-yard season since 2015, and would need huge numbers to reach it this year. He is also going to turn 29 in the offseason, and we all know teams are not in love with paying top dollar for backs as they enter their 30’s. The outcome of this difference of perspectives is that it is very likely that Moreno, and his agent, will wait out the Renegades and take a shot at free agency. If he is available, Moreno is likely to be among the top players in the pool, and certainly at halfback.
Harrington Hints at Possible Retirement
It is not looking good for Oakland fans who wanted assurance that their star QB, Joey Harrington, would be back, fully recovered from his injury and ready to roll in 2018. All reports out of Harrington’s camp seem to be pointing towards the 37-year old QB calling it a career and joining the world of golf-playing and gigs on TV as a color commentator. Harrington, who began his career in Orlando in 2002, has been with the Invaders since coming to the team in 2005. He became the starter for Oakland late in the 2006 season and has been at the helm of the Invader offense ever since. The MCL tear this season that cost him all but 5 games is certainly a big factor, but so too is the frustration over having his WR group gutted this past offseason, with both Keenan Allen and TE Richard Rodgers now with other teams. At 37 years old, 38 by the next camp, Harrington is one of the older QBs in the league, with only Drew Brees older than him among active starters. Eli Manning is just a couple of months younger. So, those of you who are big fans of Brees and Manning, well, if Harrington steps away, the doors may stay open. Just sayin’.
Five Teams Almost Certainly in the QB Market
Since we are talking about quarterbacks, and the very real possibility that Oakland is in the market for a franchise QB. We thought we should look at those teams who we see as very likely taking a long hard look at this year’s bumper crop of potential 1st year starters. This is a good year to need a young QB to build a team around. And with most of the potential 1st rounders either not at a T-Draft protected school (Allen & Lauletta) or at schools protected by teams not likely in dire QB straits (Mayfield, Darnold, Jackson, and Rosen), there is a chance for any of these clubs to make a deal to either move into another team’s T-Draft pool or up into the top of the Open Draft. A very intriguing set up for what could be a dynamic offseason. When we look across the league, these are the 5 teams that we expect will be very much players in the feeding frenzy for young, highly-rated QB prospects.
OAKLAND INVADERS
Currently: Likely retirement of Joey Harrington, Ryan Lindley and Bob Volek on the roster.
No doubt that Oakland is already scouting the QB pool heavily. Here is their main problem, of the Top 4 rated rookie QB prospects, two of them, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen, can have their rights held by division rivals (LA and SD respectively). No way are the Express or the Thunder going to hand over the rights to a possible franchise QB to a division rival in distress. That limits Oakland to the other prospects or to making a deal with a team that has a potential trade in mind. Expect Coach Green to be in communication with Oklahoma if he feels that the Outlaws are not interested in Mayfield, because Mayfield fits well into Oakland’s style of play.
JACKSONVILLE BULLS
Currently: The Bulls seem unsettled, not feeling good about Robert Griffin’s health issues or C. J. Beathard’s long term prospects.
We see Jacksonville as a team that could be in position to move up in the Open Draft and take a long look at Wyoming’s Josh Allen. He is athletic, a solid runner like Griffin, but with the frame of a linebacker, certainly able to absorb hits better than Griffin, who fans have started to refer to as Mr. Glass (the popular villain in M. Night Shamalan’s “Unbreakable”. We could also see the Bulls looking to give Beathard a shot and signing a mid-round QB to be there if he flounders. In that case, someone like Western Kentucky’s Mike White, or even local product AlexMcGough out of FIU could be their backup plan.
CHICAGO MACHINE
Currently: They just benched Ryan Fitzpatrick to give Trevor Siemian another look.
We think Chicago wants to love Trevor Siemian, but has he given them enough to go on if they decide that Ryan Fitzpatrick is just not doing it for them. There will be trade value for Fitzie, we know that, but if they don’t see Siemian developing, can they really go into 2018 with him as their lone option? We think Chicago, which could end the year with a Top 10 draft pick, could trade their 1st rounder to Oklahoma, LA, or San Diego to take a shot at Mayfield, Darnold or Rosen. Seems a good option, especially because they would still have Siemian if their selected QB ends up in the NFL instead.
WASHINGTON FEDERALS
Currently: Another team with an injured veteran QB who is past 35-years-old and could be on the way to the golf course.
Yes, David Garrard has played very well for the Feds, but he will be 36 before he next suits up, and he has taken a lot of abuse in recent years, including the ACL injury that sidelined him this year. An ACL is a tough injury to return from, and Garrard could see limited benefit to return, especially if he has no idea who the coaches will be next year, as is the case right now. If we assume Garrard is not back, and a new coach wants to start fresh, well, then it is time to look for a QB. We have no idea what the Feds want in a QB, because we have no idea who their coach will be. So, until we know that, we are assuming every QB in the draft is going to be heavily scouted by Washington.
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS
Currently: Overjoyed with Drew Brees, and even OK with Pat White, but…
So, this is pure speculation. If Drew Brees comes back next year at 39 years old, well he is the starter. The Breakers also like their depth with Pat White and rookie Chad Kelly learning from the master and being asked to emulate Brees’s focus on accuracy. The Breakers may not have QB on their radar, but if Brees does opt to retire before turning 39, would that change? We think it should. When we look at a player like Lamar Jackson, we see so much potential in an offense like that of the Breakers, with a superstar deep threat in Jordy Nelson, a reliable safety valve in Coby Fleener, and a line that can both block and open holes for QB runs. Maybe we are just seeing the potential and getting excited about it, but we think New Orleans would be wise to take a stab a the Louisville prospect.
Four Coordinators Looking at Possible HC Moves in 2018
With two head coaching positions already open, the time is now for USFL coordinators to show their best stuff and get ready to be interviewed. If they want to move on and move up, we think these four coordinators in particular are primed to step into the big chair and take on a head coaching position.
Matt LaFleur, Houston QB Coach & Passing Game Specialist
What LaFleur has done in transitioning from Hasselbeck to McCoy, and the immediate success Colt McCoy has had after spending all those years on the bench is a testament to Matt LaFleur’s skillset. He prepared McCoy for the moment, assessed his skillset and tweaked the Houston attack to match it. Now picture him doing that with one of the premier rookie QB prospects coming out this year. If I am in the market for a new coach and a rookie QB, I had better have LaFleur on my short list of coaching prospects.
Brian Flores, Charlotte Defensive Coordinator
If defense is what my team needs, there may be no better prospect out there than Charlotte’s Brian Flores. The Monarchs don’t get the hype of some other teams, but this is the league’s top-rated run defense and one of the best at taking the ball away. If I am a team that is hemmoraghing points but has a solid OC in place, I would keep that guy right where he is, but replace the head man with a defensive minded coach like Flores (looking at you St.Louis).
Matt Nagy, New Orleans Offensive Coordinator
If my situation is the exact opposite, solid defense, but a hopeless offense, the same strategy can work. Keep your DC in place, replace your head coach with an offensive guru like Nagy. Not a lot of teams have good defenses and losing records (look it up), but there are a couple of potential takers. We could see Nagy headed to Orlando, for example, if they opt to move away from Fox, or maybe Portland, if they trust their 24th ranked defense to improve more easily than their 25th ranked offense.
Jim Fassel, Oklahoma Assistant Head Coach & Special Teams Coordinator
Yes, we know. Not exactly a hot, young turk in the field. Jim Fassel has been around for a long time, and while promoting someone from Special Teams to the HC position is just not done, Fassel is not your typical special teams guy. His role in Oklahoma has changed over the course of the past 2 years. He has a voice in the ear of HC Greg Landry, and many are saying it is his “old school” focus that helped Landry make the switch from a pass-happy offense to a smashmouth style. Fassel has coached before, has led teams before, and while his style is more old school discipline and simpler schemes, if your team has a solid grounding, and particularly a solid HB to build around, he could be a perfect fit to bring order and discipline to a loose team. This could be very effective in a place like Portland (Doug Martin as centerpiece), or St. Louis. Not a great fit in DC or Dallas, the current open positions, but there are places that could do with more of an old-school take on coaching.
Two weeks left to play, and for 12 teams all to play for. Week 14 saw Charlotte and Michigan lock in their divisions, meaning that all 6 division winners are now crowned, but all 6 Wild Card spots remain open. Between that and the fight for the 1 seed in both conferences, there is still a lot to be decided. When we look at the Wild Card races, it is pretty self-explanatory. The 6 teams currently in Wild Card position (New Jersey, New Orleans, Baltimore, Denver, Las Vegas, and Ohio) can stay there by winning their last 2 games. They control their own destinies. 2-0 means they are playing in Week 17. For the others who remain alive (Birmingham, LA, and Seattle at 7-7; Atlanta, Memphis, and Oklahoma at 6-8), they need help. The three 6-8 clubs need to win out and need a lot of help as they each have 4-5 teams ahead of them in the rankings. The 7-7 teams need the right combination of wins and losses among themselves, their 7-7 peers and the teams ahead of them with 8 wins. It gets really complicated, but the basic premise is the same for all 12 of these teams, win 2 games to have a shot. For some it is a guaranteed shot, for others it is all they can do to help themselves, and then rely on fortune for the rest.
With 6 teams locked into playoff spots and 12 more competing for the 6 remaining spots, that means that we have 10 teams now out of the picture, and that is, in fact, the case. This week’s results mean that any team with 9 losses or more under their belts are now eliminated. That adds 5 teams to our pool of non-contenders: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Oakland. For these 5 teams, the only motivation they can now have is a combination of pride and wanting to finish 7-9 instead of earning the dreaded distinction of being a 10-loss team. Not sure that is enough to motivate them to avoid a loss in the next 2 weeks, but it is all that is left.
Several injuries that could complicate the final playoff push. In Philadelphia, the hunt for that 1 seed will have to happen without TE Travis Kelce, expected to miss up to 2 weeks with a neck injury. In New Orleans, the Breaker D will be without LB Rocky McIntosh, at least this week, as he deals with a pinched nerve in his hip. Also a bad week for offensive linemen, with 3 added to IR and several others expected to miss action. That could mean trouble for several USFL quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco, who certainly has been sacked more than enough this year.
OUT
OT Sam Tevi MEM MCL IR
OG Garrett Gilkey DEN Back IR
OT Dennis Kelly OKL Arm 4-6 Weeks
OG Trevor Canfield ATL Biceps 2-4 Weeks
TE Travis Kelce PHI Neck 1-2 Weeks
LB Rocky McIntosh NOR Pinched Nerve 1-2 Weeks
LB Jerod Mayo CHA Abdomen 1-2 Weeks
WR Arrelious Benn LV Turf Toe 1-2 Weeks
WR Marquise Goodwin OKL Arm 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
TE Ben Watson DAL Hamstring
OT Zach Strief ATL Eye
LB Jarrett Johnson JAX Ribs
OT David Bakhtiari DEN Knee
OT Reid Fragel OHI Concussion
QUESTIONABLE
LB Blair Brown DEN Concussion
WR Hank Basket TBY Hand
HB T. J. Yeldon BIR Concussion
QB Joe Webb SD Finger
DE Robert Quinn OHI Neck
Our Projected Top 20 of 2018 USFL Free Agents
Two weeks. That is how long more than half the teams in the USFL have to lock in their players with contract expiration coming up. Sure, there is the USFL playoffs, and teams can continue to negotiate, but once the playoffs start, every agent of every unsigned player is going to be playing hardball, knowing that hitting the open market is likely to produce a better payday and a better commission. So, as we look at the players who have yet to sign extensions or obtain a new deal, we think we can put together a pretty accurate look at just who will be plying the waters of the free agent sea. Here is our look at 20 players we think could be there and could be in high demand when free agency starts in early August.
20 FB Roosevelt Nix (OKL)
Expected to be a cap cut, even with the new emphasis on the inside run game by the Outlaws, Nix is either going to have to take a pay cut or hit the market.
19 TE Tyler Eifert (LV)
A solid receiver who could get a payday if he moves to a team that has more cap room to spare.
18 LB Donterrious Thomas (OAK)
Age, and the possible need for Oakland to find room to land a QB, could be the reason we see Thomas on the market.
17 DT John Jenkins (HOU)
Houston has to make cuts somewhere, and we think Jenkins is solid, but not so irreplaceable that Houston won’t try to find a cheaper option.
16 WR Eric Weems (STL)
So tough to go into a contract year and then lose the season to injury. Weems was becoming a high-value player in St. Louis, and they may well want to welcome him back, but he may also play the market despite the injury concern.
15 HB C. J. Spiller (DAL)
With two rookie backs on the roster, both sucking up pretty big dollars, Spiller, who just never developed into the player we expected, is likely the odd man out.
14 DE Quentin Groves (ARZ)
The Wranglers have to free up cap space to resign several big name players, and we think they will do so by letting Groves go. Not going to get you 15 sacks each year, but he is solid in both run coverage and pass rush.
13 C Matt Tenant (BIR)
The best lineman on an iffy front. Tenant is very good as a pass protector, even against the best interior linemen, but he will lose value simply because Birmingham has not been able to build a good run game.
12 FS Donte Whitner (POR)
A good defender on a bad defense. Rumors have Whitner wanting to move out of the PNW and find a more high-profile market. Yeah, Portland is many things but media hub is not one of them.
11 DE Michael Bennett (MGN)
This would be a tough loss for the Panthers, but we are not sure they have the cash available to give him what he is going to want.
10 HB Anthony Allen (MEM)
Allen has shown us bell cow production for 2 years now. It is time for him to cash in and get his shot to be the true number one for someone.
9 SS Shaun Schillinger (SEA)
Schillinger is not a big name nationally, but coaches around the league see how he plays and what he brings. Leaving Seattle could honestly lead to him doubling his compensation, and you cannot deny a man a chance to do that.
8 CB Brandon Flowers (ARZ)
Another potential cap casualty for Arizona’s stacked defense. This is the challenge of having a dynasty, eventually the pieces start to break up because you cannot pay them all.
7 G Kyle Long (OKL)
Not a high-cost position, but when you are one of the best at the position, you need to test the waters. If Oklahoma cannot get the ink signed by Week 16, we think he finds a nice payday elsewhere.
6 WR Justin Blackmon (OHI)
JB has played well in Ohio, and the team is improving, but he will never get major national attention or the side hustle deals with sponsors in Columbus. That, plus a nice paycheck, are far more likely if he enters the market.
5 FS David Bruton (JAX)
In a year that could see several top safeties seek better deals, Bruton is likely the top prospect and will pull the best deal.
4 OT Willie Colon (HOU)
If I am Colon, I want to be paid as the top LT in the game (a debatable call), and if I am one of the other 3 teams in the Southern Division, I might just pay that to get him away from the Gamblers. All three could use him. That is for sure.
3 HB Knowshon Moreno (ATL)
Knowshon is unhappy in Atlanta, and his production shows it. He is likely looking for his final contract, and a team has to know that production beyond 2-3 more years is not likely, but as a short-term fix for a run game, you could do a lot worse.
2 WR Stevie Johnson (PHI)
The Stars are coming up on a cap catastrophe, and with the rise of Randall Cobb as a target in the Philly passing game, we think they will, begrudgingly, let Johnson test the waters, where you know he will have options.
1 CB Patrick Peterson (NOR)
Not often is a defender the top free agent prospect, but in Patrick Peterson you get what every team wants and needs, a shut down corner who can take away half the field. That is worth a king’s ransom in either league, and you know both the NFL and USFL are salivating at the chance to land Peterson for the next 4-6 years.
Some solid divisional games this week, but you know which game you are not going to miss. It is 13-1 Houston heading to their old division rival 13-1 Arizona in what could very much be a Summer Bowl preview. This is two teams that did not like each other at all when they both played in the SW Division, and now that Houston is located in the Southern Division, the level of animosity is not lowered at all. Neither team wants to lose this one, so expect this to be a playoff atmosphere in prime time on ESPN and EFN Friday night.
Saturday may not have the same intensity, but it does have 4 divisional games, including a tough SW Division “must win” game for the Oklahoma Outlaws, as they head to Denver to face a Gold team that could clinch a playoff spot with a win. We are also intrigued by the Philly-LA matchup as the Express simply cannot afford a loss, even with the 13-1 Stars in town. On Sunday, we have more playoff-impact on tap as Memphis needs a win in Las Vegas to stay alive and Baltimore clashes with New Orleans on Sunday night. Seattle also has a must-win game as they host the San Diego Thunder in a Pacific Division clash that could decide if the Dragons are a true Cinderella story, or if the shoe does not fit.
FRI 7PM ET OHIO (7-7) @ DALLAS (5-9) FOX
FRI 9PM ET HOUSTON (13-1) @ ARIZONA (13-1) ESPN/EFN
SAT 12PM ET NEW JERSEY (8-6) @ PITTSBURGH (4-9-1) ABC
SAT 12PM ET JACKSONVILLE (5-9) @ ATLANTA (6-8) FOX
SAT 4PM ET PORTLAND (3-11) @ OAKLAND (5-9) ABC
SAT 4PM ET PHILADELPHIA (13-1) @ LOS ANGELES (7-7) FOX
SAT 7PM ET MICHIGAN (11-3) @ ORLANDO (5-9) NBC
SAT 9PM ET OKLAHOMA (6-8) @ DENVER (8-5-1) ESPN/EFN
SUN 12PM ET BIRMINGHAM (7-7) @ WASHINGTON (2-11) ABC Regional
SUN 12PM ET ST. LOUIS (3-11) @ CHICAGO (4-10) ABC Regional
SUN 12PM ET TAMPA BAY (5-9) @ CHARLOTTE (9-5) FOX
SUN 4PM ET SAN DIEGO (10-4) @ SEATTLE (7-7) ABC
SUN 4PM ET MEMPHIS (6-8) @ LAS VEGAS (8-6) FOX
SUN 8PM ET NEW ORLEANS (8-6) @ BALTIMORE (7-7) ESPN/EFN
Comments