2017 USFL Week 16 Recap: Seattle Celebrated, Ohio Devastated.

King Leo lords over the Charlotte Sideline.

Absolute joy and shock in Seattle as the Dragons, despite an 0-5 start to the season, win 9 of their next 11 and find themselves in the post-season. The opposite feeling in both Columbus and Birmingham. Ohio had the inside track to the Wild Card, but could not hold it as they lose, at home, to the already-eliminated Atlanta Fire, a huge blow that cleared the path for the winner of the Seattle-Los Angeles game to leapfrog them and claim the Wild Card, as Seattle did. In the East, Birmingham did all they could, beating Jacksonville 12-3 to win their 5th in a row, but it was just not enough. With both Baltimore and New Orleans earning wins in Week 16, the 9-7 Stallions will sit at home this postseason. We are going to review all the big games from the final week of the season, preview this week’s Wild Card round, talk about Black Monday and the two coaches who did not survive the day, and also take a look at the final leaderboard for individual stats. A lot to cover, but let’s start with our big story, Week 16 playoff drama.

Playoff Races Make Week 16 Shine

This is what you love about the final weeks of a football season. Even though every game technically counts the same, there is something about the final week or two, when the number of playoff spots left to claim is limited, and there are more teams alive than can finish the season with a berth, that just adds drama, gravitas, and energy to the games. Yes, there are some games where both teams are playing out the string, and there are games where teams already locked into their playoff position protect players from injury by benching their stars, but there are always games where everything is on the line, and those games can be magical.

The 2017 season finale weekend gave us that energy and magic. We had two teams, each sitting at 13-2, each trying to claim home field and the best possible path to a Summer Bowl berth. We also had 7 teams vying for only 4 Wild Card spots, and, eventually, as the weekend played out, we had two teams going head-to-head, the winner earning a berth and the loser going home. That is playoff football, a play-in game. So, yes, we had some drama this weekend, and some tension, and some joy, and a lot of disappointment as well.

Let’s start off with the race for the 1-Seed in the Eastern Conference. The two contenders were playing in the same timeslot, with Houston visiting Tampa Bay and the Philadelphia Stars hosting the Baltimore Blitz. Philadelphia had the tiebreaker in hand, so a win and they would earn the spot, but when we looked at the matchups, it seemed clear that Houston had the advantage there. Tampa Bay had played better of late but were already eliminated from the playoffs and were already saddled with a 10-loss season. Baltimore, on the other hand, had won 5 of their last 6 and were very much looking the part of a contender. The Blitz also knew that their path to the playoffs depended on getting this season finale win on the road. That distinction proved to be essential to the games playing out as they did. Baltimore was hungry, they were focused, and they took it to the Stars, fighting for their playoff lives. Tampa Bay played their starters but the energy was not there. So, while Houston was able to pull away with a 20-7 scoring advantage in the 2nd half, Philadelphia was locked in a real battle, trailing 10-9 at the half and then outpaced 14-8 in the 4th quarter, with Baltimore breaking a 17-17 tie with a late TD that sealed the victory and assured the Blitz that they would be dancing next week as a Wild Card.

For all the drama of the two Eastern powerhouses in action to secure a bye week and home games, the tension was even higher for the other teams vying to get into the playoffs at all. Baltimore would not play until later, but New Orleans could not count on a Philadelphia win. They knew that they needed a victory to be assured of making the postseason. Birmingham needed the Breakers or the Blitz to lose, along with a win of their own, to have a shot, despite having won their last 4 games. Just like Philly and Houston, the Breakers and the Stalions were in the same timeslot and scoreboard watching became the primary obsession when players were not in the game. The Breakers had a challenge on their hands, traveling to Oklahoma, where the Outlaws had yet another sellout at OGE Energy Stadium, and had a shot at finishing the year at 8-8. But New Orleans had a larger mission, and a deeper motivation. By the half, they were up 24-7. Oklahoma would fight back, but the Breakers never lost their lead and locked up the Wild Card with a win.

Meanwhile in Birmingham, the Stallions were watching New Orleans, sensing that Oklahoma would not clear a path for them. They did their part, posting their best defensive outing of the year against Jacksonville, and would earn a 12-3 win. But then it all came down to what happened in Philadelphia. The Stallions and their fans were able to tune into the Blitz-Stars game on ABC the next day, watching agonizingly as the Blitz eliminated them from the playoffs despite their 9-7 record and 5-game season-ending winning streak.

Over in the west, the drama also built over the weekend. It started on Saturday night, when the Denver Gold faced the San Diego Thunder, a win clinching them a Wild Card at 9-6-1. With San Diego already locked into the 3-seed, the Gold faced a Thunder squad without Joe Webb or Chad Johnson on the field. Their defense dominated the game against Christian Ponder, who would throw 3 picks, and a 10-0 lead turned into a 17-7 victory. One Wild Card spot down, only one left to be claimed.

Next up were the Ohio Glory. They were at home, facing an eliminated Atlanta Fire squad that was giving their rookie QB Deshone Kizer his first start. A win and the Sunday night clash between the Dragons and Express would be meaningless. Ohio would earn the 12th and final playoff spot. But after taking a 10-0 lead in the first, Atlanta turned up the pressure. Kizer started to see the game a bit slower, and the Atlanta offense started to make plays. Between the 2nd and 3rd quarters the Fire outpaced the Glory 24-3, taking an 11-point lead into the final period. Ohio was fighting for their playoff lives, but for whatever reason, the Fire were not ceding an inch. Christian Hackenberg forced too many throws, producing 2 second half picks, and Atlanta hung on, taking the game by a final of 27-24. Ohio knew what this meant. With the two other contenders, Seattle and LA, playing each other, their only chance to make the playoffs was the slimmest hope that the two Pacific clubs would end their game in a tie. Disappointment had already set in among Glory fans. By Sunday night, it would be fully realized.

So it came down to the Sunday night game, winner takes the Wild Card, loser stays home. In the one camp you have a very talented, but strangely inconsistent LA Express club, a team playing at home, with everything to gain. On the other, you have the Cinderella story of the season, a Dragons team that began the year at 0-5 and widely considered the worst team in the league. Preseason pundits had focused on the negatives, the long road ahead for 1st year coach Mike Riley. But inside the clubhouse, Riley had focused on each week, and since earning their first win in Week 6, the Dragons had only lost 2 games, sitting at 8-7 after winning 8 of 10 matches. A 9th win and they would pull off the most unlikely run to the postseason since, well, actually, since Seattle won the league title after posting a 6-8 record in the regular season back in 2005. Could the Dragons again defy the odds and put on the glass slipper of a true Cinderella story? Let’s get right to that fateful final game of the regular season, our clear-cut Game of the Week.

SEATTLE DRAGONS 23 LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 15

It was exactly what the league had hoped it would be, a Sunday night showdown in which everything was on the line. The Seattle Dragons and Los Angeles Express facing off in prime time with the winner headed to the playoffs and the loser missing their chance. Both clubs came in at 8-7, and with Ohio’s loss finalized only minutes before kickoff, both teams would have everything to play for. Seattle came in, having won 8 of their last 10, Los Angeles had struggled for consistency, defeating the Philadelphia Stars the week before, but losing to Portland only 3 weeks earlier. Which team would step up to the challenge and punch their ticket to the postseason?

The Express came out strong in the 1st quarter, their defense holding Seattle without a first down on the opening drive and forcing a quick punt. They took over on their own 17 after the punt and methodically “matriculated” the ball down the field as Hank Stram once famously said. It would take the Express 13 plays, 9 of them runs by either Reggie Bush or Paul Perkins, but they put points on the board, with Perkins scoring on a 4-yard run right up the gut. The two backs would be the focal point of the offense, combining for 29 carries on the day, and with success, rushing for a combined 136 yards against Seattle’s defense.

Seattle seemed willing to let LA play a slower, ground-based game, wary of the big play. And while the strategy allowed the Express to pick up yards and earn 19 first downs on the day, it also avoided the quick strike,the momentum shifting play that would get the crowd involved in a big way. Seattle too opted for a more conservative offensive style, designed to hold possession, build first down after first down, and wear down LA’s defense. On their second drive, they followed that plan, avoided penalties, and put together their own long scoring drive, a 12-play, 5 minute drive that ended when Jacoby Brissett hit TE Joe Toler for the equalizer.

This back and forth slow motion style for both teams would continue throughout the game, both defenses keeping the plays in front of them, both offenses content to gain 3 or 4 yards per play, with only the occasional mid-range pass to quickly gain ground, and the occasional holding or false start to disrupt a drive. But, as the game moved from the first quarter through the second and the third, the slow war of attrition started to prove which team was more engaged, more decisive, and more focused. LA would not score again until the final minutes of the fourth quarter, while Seattle managed at least one solid drive in each quarter, slowly building a lead and quieting the LA crowd with each successive score.

The first of Sam Bradford’s two interceptions gave Seattle their second scoring drive, with CB Richard Sherman taking the ball away from LA receiver Nelson Agholor at midfield in the 2nd quarter. With only 50 yards to go, Seattle drove the ball into LA territory and one of the deeper throws of the day, a 28-yard catch and run by Mike Wallace, put the ball on the 1-yard line. From there Joseph Addai plunged in and the Dragons had their first lead. The Seattle defense would protect that lead, forcing Los Angeles into a long 3rd and 13 on their next possession and then disrupting Bradford’s throw to Marqise Lee. Seattle happily ground out the final minute and a half, and went to the half up 7.

In the 3rd quarter, the Express moved the ball well on their first possession, and when it bogged down they sent out Dan Bailey to add 3 points, but his kick doinked off the right upright and the Express came away with nothing on a 6-minute, 11-play drive. After a pair of 3-and-outs, Seattle got the ball with 4:02 left in the 3rd and again found success against the LA defense. The key play on the drive was a 3rd and 7 that saw Jacoby Brissett escape what appeared to be a quick sack, roll away from pressure and find TE Tyler Kroft for a 13-yard gain. Three plays later, Brissett found Jerricho Cotchery for a 17-yard scoring toss and the Dragons now had some breathing room, stretching the lead to 20-7.

LA needed to put points on the board, but once again the Seattle defense came up big. On a 3rd and 8, Bradford hit Willie Snead on a quick slant route, but as he approached the line to gain, Snead tried to stretch the ball out, only to have Dragon strong safety Shaun Shillinger punch the ball out. When the pile cleared, it was Trevor Guyton, the Dragon DT, who stood up with the ball in his hands. 5 plays later, as the 4th quarter began, Seattle added a field goal from Jeffrey Harris to now go up by 16 at 23-7. Los Angeles was in trouble.

The Express started to press. On their next possession, they reached the Seattle 39, but Bradford tried to force a ball downfield on 2nd and 6 and once again Seattle came up with the turnover, a sideline pick from league interception leader Xavien Howard. The Express would get the ball back on a Brandon Oliver fumble 5 plays later, but the setback cost them nearly 3 minutes. Bradford was more conservative on this next possession, and that paid off, giving LA the chance to get back in the game when Bradford hit Brent Celek for a 6-yard TD with 3:04 left to play. The 2-point PAT was good and the lead was down to 8. But time was now against the Express. They needed a touchdown and another 2-point conversion to tie the game. Seattle needed only 1 or 2 first downs to be able to run out the clock and claim their playoff berth.

The Dragons opted not to go into a shell, using the threat of Joseph Addai runs to create easy completions from Brissett to Kroft and Cotchery. They got an initial first down through the air. They then got a play that all but sent the LA crowd to the parking lot, a first down run by Addai that broke through the initial line and went for 17 yards. That play gave Seattle the ball in LA territory and forced the Express to use their last time out. From there it was just three straight run plays, including a successful 3rd and 2 run by Oliver, and Seattle was able to eat up enough clock to end any threat of an LA last second miracle. Brissett took the final play, a kneel down, and the Seattle bench erupted.

The Dragons had done what no team in USFL history had ever done. They had qualified for the playoffs after an 0-5 start. To do so they had won 9 of 11 games, a truly outstanding run, and had won their last 5 divisional games. The team that many had called the least-talented, and most likely to draft first during preseason projections, had outperformed every expectation to become one of the 12 USFL clubs to grant themselves a 17th game. Coach Riley praised his team’s tenacity, willingness to put in the work, and spirit in the post-game presser. Despite everyone’s poor assessment of their talent, Seattle finished the regular season with the league’s 3rd best scoring defense, allowing only 16.9 points per game, and their offense had crept into the top 10, led by Jacoby Brissett’s 3,700 yards passing and two backs, Anderson and Addai, who each rushed for 600 yards. It was on to the playoffs and another divisional game, facing division winner San Diego in the Wild Card round.

PORTLAND 20  WASHINGTON 30

Many fans may say that Washington shot themselves in the foot with this season-ending win, dropping them from the 1st overall draft pick to the 3rd. Players for the Feds don’t see it that way, wanting to go out with a win. They did that with Mike Flynn throwing 3 TDs and the combo of Johnson and Brown racking up 134 yards on the ground. Doug Martin finished his bid for the rushing title with 116 yards, enough to stay in first place among the league’s rushers, a lone bright spot in a very dark year for the Stags.

POTG: Feds’ QB Mike Flynn: 19/34, 200 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int

ORLANDO 16  ST. LOUIS 10

All three St. Louis QBs got into this game, but fans in Orlando were more excited because Tim Tebow got the start for the Renegades. Tebow finished only 11 of 30 for 114 yards, but he did hit Brashad Perriman with a TD toss and ran another in for a 2 TD day. The Skyhawks finished the year with a lot of young players rotating in, a loss that assured them the top pick in January’s open draft. Orlando’s Arthur Moats got the 2 sacks he needed to finish the season in 2nd place, the first 1-2 finish in league history by teammates, and he made it extra special by forming the first duo where both players had at least 20 sacks.

POTG: Orlando DE Arthur Moats: 5 Tck, 2 Scks.

PITTSBURGH 31  CHARLOTTE 24

Charlotte started all their regulars, but also rotated in a lot of bench players over the course of the game. That paired with 3 Andy Dalton to Adam Thielen TDs helped Pittsburgh comeback from a 24-14 deficit to take the win. Adrian Peterson did not play in the game, so Travares Cadet ended up as the game’s leading rusher with17 carries for 69 yards.

POTG: Mauler WR Adam Thielen: 8 Rec, 172 Yds, 3 TD

BIRMINGHAM 12  JACKSONVILLE 3

The Stallions needed a win to have any shot at a Wild Card, and they got it thanks to a monster game form the defense and a Newton to Edelman Td in the 2nd quarter. Birmingham added a safety and a late Garrett Hartley field goal against the very unmotivated Bulls. In the end, it would not be enough for the Stallions as both Baltimore and New Orleans pulled out their games, but it was the 5th consecutive win for Birmingham, something to build on in 2018.

POTG: Stallion DE Derrick Harvey: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty

NEW ORLEANS 31  OKLAHOMA 24

A win and New Orleans was in, but the Outlaws did not make it easy as they pleased the always-supportive home crowd at OGE Energy Stadium with a nice game. In the end, however, 2 TDs form Jordy Nelson and another 2 from halfback David Wilson were enough to get the Breakers the win and the Wild Card berth. Nelson did not get the receiving yards record, but did finish as the top receiver in the league with yet another 100-yard game.

POTG: Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 5 Rec, 116 Yds, 2 TD

LAS VEGAS 28  ARIZONA 34

No David Carr, no Frank Gore, and only 1 half with Larry Fitzgerald in the game, and yet Arizona came back from a 28-18 deficit to upend the Vipers and finish the year at 15-1. Antonio Bryant finished with 140 yards and a TD and Jimmie Graham tied for the league lead with his 14th TD on the season. All this with Ryan Nassib proving he is a solid backup, throwing 3 TD passes as he helped Arizona rally late.

POTG: Wrangler WR Antonio Bryant: 4 Rec, 140 Yds, 1 TD

DENVER 17  SAN DIEGO 7

The Gold got a bit of an assist from the Thunder, who kept Joe Webb and Chad Johnson in sweats for their season finale. That was enough for Denver to pull out to a 17-0 lead and coast to a Wild Card spot. Charles and Murray combined for 121 yards and a TD, Kelvin Benjamin connected on a nice pass from Leinart, and the defense picked off Thunder backup and former NFL QB Christian Ponder 3 times to help secure a home playoff game for the Gold.

POTG: Denver LB Patrick Onwuasor: 9 Tck, 1 Int

BALTIMORE 24  PHILADELPHIA 17

The Blitz had the toughest assignment of any Wild Card hopeful, needing a win in Philadelphia against the 13-2 Stars to qualify. With Birmingham and New Orleans having already won, there was no other path for the Blitz. They did what they needed to, with Big Ben throwing for 371 and 2 TDs and the defense holding Derrick Henry and the Stars to only 17 points. It was no easy task, however, as Philadelphia tied the game at 17 with 7:58 left to play, but Roethlisberger found Jacob Tamme for the winning score with 1:03 left to play and the D held Philly out of the endzone in the final seconds to propel Baltimore to a Wild Card playoff spot.

POTG: Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 24/38, 371 Yds, 2 TD, 0 int

HOUSTON 34  TAMPA BAY 16

Houston was scoreboard watching as they faced the Bandits, building up a 27-9 lead as they watched Baltimore and the Stars go at it. When their game ended first, they watched as the Bandits put the end of the Blitz-Stars game up to see, with a huge celebration as Houston learned that they would be the 1-seed in the east thanks to their victory over the Bandits. Colt McCoy threw for 280 and 2 scores, getting a surprise start in the game, despite his injury.

POTG: Houston HB Carlos Hyde: 21 Att, 88 Yds, 1 TD, 4 Rec, 41 Yds, 1 TD

DALLAS 13  MEMPHIS 3

In a game with nothing on the line and only about 17,000 fans on hand in Memphis, the Roughnecks got the win, thanks to a Manziel TD toss to Daniel Fells and a good defensive outing. Anthony Allen rushed for 92 yards for the Showboats, but little else worked well for Coach Ryan’s offense. Dallas saw Manziel throw for 351 and a score, but returns home with a final record of 6-10, the same as the Showboats.

POTG: Dallas QB Johnny Manziel: 27/36, 351 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int

ATLANTA 27  OHIO 24

In the shocker of the week, the 6-9 Fire came ready to play and took it to the Glory, who had a Wild Card on the line. Atlanta sacked Christian Hackenberg 4 times and picked him off twice, including a pick-six by LB Luke Kuechley, giving “Hack” the dubious honor of being the season’s interception leader. Chris Ivory and Kenyan Drake surprised Ohio and combined for 120 yards rushing, while rookie Deshone Kizer, given the start in the season finale, looked solid, going 18 of 32 for 165 yards, a TD and a pick in his first pro action.

POTG: Atlanta LB Luke Kuechley: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 DefTD

NEW JERSEY 38  OAKLAND 13

The Generals opted to keep Nick Foles in for the finale and he looked ready for playoff football, surviving 4 sacks as he threw for 345 yards and 4 TDs against the Invaders. TE John Carlson had his biggest game of the year, catching 3 of Foles’s 4 TD throws. The defense also played at playoff level, sacking Bob Volek 4 times and picking him off once as well. Christian McCaffrey ended the season only a few yards away from 1,000, but with room to grow next year.

POTG: New Jersey QB Nick Foles: 30/41, 345 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int

CHICAGO 20  MICHIGAN 17

The Panthers did what they could for LeVeon Bell, giving him 22 carries, but Chicago was game, holding Bell under 100 yards. Trevor Siemian still looked shaky for Chicago, throwing 3 picks and getting sacked 5 times by the Panther defense, but in the end Chicago got the win when Siemian hit Aaron Dobson with the winning score with only 57 seconds left in the game.

POTG: Chicago DE Jason Pierre Paul: 2 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty

Blitz Complete their Own Cinderella Story

Seattle may be crowned as this year’s Cinderella story, but let’s not forget that after 9 weeks, the Baltimore Blitz were sitting at 3-6 and looking very much like one of the season’s biggest disappointments. A team that had big names all across the offense and was also expected to boast a Top 10 defense was floundering. But the Blitz would rally. Boosted by 3 straight games against teams in trouble, the eventual 3-13 Federals, the Orlando Renegades struggling without QB Russell Wilson, and the underachieving Pittsburgh Maulers. That 3-game streak, one in which Baltimore outscored their opponents 98-30, turned the corner for Baltimore. They regained their swagger, knocking off New Jersey in Week 13. A stumble against the Maulers in Pittsburgh put them back in their pursuit of a playoff berth, but they rebounded by beating New Orleans before facing the best team in the division, and the current 1-seed, Philadelphia.

That Baltimore was able to walk into Lincoln Financial Field, stand up to the Stars, who had defeated them in Week 6, and punch Philly square in the jaw was the ultimate sign that their confidence was back. Baltimore won 6 of their last 7 to turn 3-6 into 9-7 and disappointment into a Wild Card game. Next up, a rematch with New Jersey, another familiar foe, and one who has no interest in being part of anyone’s Cinderella story.

Tom Coughlin Praises Fire, Takes Blame for Ohio Loss

It was a heartbreaking loss, one that fans simply could not wrap their heads around. Atlanta had nothing to play for. They had all but conceded by taking Aaron Murray out of the game and allowing their untested rookie, Deshone Kizer get the start. Ohio had a simple task, win and they get their first playoff appearance since the final days of their glorious run in the early 2000’s, their first winning season since 2009. So what went wrong?

Coach Coughlin pointed to two things in his post-game presser, the spirit of the Atlanta Fire and his own mistakes. Coughlin took the blame for his team giving up a 10-0 lead and allowing Atlanta to rise up. He praised Coach Arians and the Fire for their spirit and the execution of their gameplan. He did not criticize his own players, something the press and the fans certainly were doing, but stated that in the end he was proud of his team for the season they put in, and while disappointed to finish 8-8 and miss the postseason, he hoped his team would learn and grow from this, coming back stronger in 2018. It was the classy thing to do, but classy is not likely to calm down a very upset and very vocal fan base, a fanbase that got a bit spoiled during the days of Collins, George, and Galloway, but has been paying the price ever since.

Final League Leaders

With the end of the regular season we now can see both the final standings and the final rankings on the individual statistical leaderboards. We did not see a new record set this year, but we did see some amazing performances, and a first, with the Orlando Renegades, despite their troubled season, becoming the first team in league (or pro football) history to have two 20-sack defenders on the same D-line. With 2 sacks this weekend, Arthur Moats joined 29-sack dominator Calais Campbell to form the most devastating D-line duo in the history of pro football. While we are sure that we will hear it from Deacan Jones about the NFL Rams’ Fearsome Foursome, the reality is that sacks were not a stat back then, so officially, what Orlando did with Moats and Campbell this year is a first. The two finished 1 and 2 in sacks, and combined for 49 total sacks, a stunning number.

Others who finished the year atop the standings include almost certain back-to-back MVP winner, David Carr, who topped every single number from his MVP campaign last year to finish first in the league with 4,269 yards passing, 49 touchdowns, and a QB rating of 127.6. Yes, there will be some controversy, since Colt McCoy technically had a higher rating at 127.7, but McCoy’s absence from the final games of the year left him with too few passing attempts to qualify.

The rushing title stayed with Doug Martin in Portland, a nice individual accomplishment for the former Chicago Machine back who came to Portland this year and put up over 1,400 yards. He finished the year 92 yards ahead of 2nd place, New Jersey’s Maurice Jones-Drew, with LeVeon Bell rounding out the top 3 with a very respectable 1,287 yards, but nowhere near the 2,000 he had set as his personal goal for the year.

The receiving title was no mystery at all, with Jordy Nelson’s 1,851 yards more than 200 yards ahead of Adam Thielen’s 1,619. Nelson fell short of the 30-year-old record of 1,959 set by Eric Truvilion in 1986, but there is nothing but praise for his huge numbers in his first year as a Breaker. Thielen also got kudos and almost certainly will be an All-USFL performer with his 112 catches, the league’s best this year.

On defense, it was again Calais Campbell winning the Sack title, now his 9th in a row for the GOAT. What made this year special for him and Renegade fans, was that Arthur Moats finished 2nd with 20 sacks, the first time two players from the same team finished 1-2 and also the first time two players from the same team finished with 20 or more sacks. Seattle’s Xavien Howard led the league with 8 picks, finishing his sophomore campaign as one of the hottest young defensive talents in the league. The title for the league’s best tackler came down to the wire, but Jacksonville’s Sean Lee came away on top with 124 tackles, 2 more than Tampa’s Brian Orakpo, and 6 ahead of DeMeco Ryans of Birmingham.

And finally, the scoring title this year went to Seattle’s Jeffrey Harris, who beat Ohio’s Robbie Gould by 10 points. Harris led the league with 40 field goals and also put through 32 of 35 PATs. Gould was the league’ s most accurate kicker, connecting on 37 of 38 field goal attempts and hitting all 31 of his PAT attempts.

Harrington Makes it Official

The big question in Oakland was answered on Tuesday, when, a day after the team returned from their final game in New Jersey, the Invaders held a press conference and QB Joey Harrington, still using crutches, announced that he had played his last game as a pro quarterback. It is always tough when a QB ends his career on an injury, and with Harrington losing all but the first 4.5 weeks of the season, it was an emotional departure. Harrington was drafted to be the star QB of the Orlando Renegades after an illustrious career at Oregon, but only 4 years into his career, changes in Orlando and struggles with injury sent Harrington packing for Oakland. It would take him 2 more years before he would earn the starting job for the Invaders, but once he did, he was a steady presence on the club for 11 seasons, leading Oakland to the playoffs an astonishing 10 consecutive years (2007-2016), including a 2009 Summer Bowl appearance. 

Oakland's leader is moving on.

Harrington has not announced what is next, though certainly the charismatic former QB will get offers to join broadcasting, either of the USFL or of college ball. He could also choose to go into coaching, or simply sit back and enjoy time with his family. For the Invaders, the press conference sets up their offseason to be a time when quarterback will be on everyone’s mind. Already writing off any chance at making a trade with either California rival to get the rights to USC’s Sam Darnold or UCLA’s Josh Rosen, the options for a rookie signal caller will be limited, but the Invaders could also look to make a deal and bring in a veteran. It will all be up to GM Jo Jo Wooden to pick a path, make a deal, and find a successor. No easy task when you have depended on one star for a decade.

With the drama of Week 16, our last 4 playoff spots were finally locked in and the seeding finalized for the 2017 postseason. Ohio’s loss, paired with wins by Denver and Seattle means that the Gold, and Dragons take the last two Western Spots. Seattle will travel to San Diego to start the playoffs with a familiar divisional foe, as well Las Vegas, as their loss means they have to travel to the Mile High City to face the Gold. Top seeds Arizona and Michigan wait in the wings, resting their players and biding their time.

In the East, Philadelphia’s loss to Baltimore is great news for the Blitz, as they get the 5-seed, but for Philadelphia it means dropping to the 2-seed. Houston takes over as the top seed, with home field and a bye week. With both Baltimore and New Orleans winning this week, Birmingham finishes at 9-7, but misses out on the post-season. So, for the Wild Card round in the East, it will be a battle for the South and a NE Division clash, with New Orleans traveling to Charlotte and the Baltimore Blitz headed up I-95 to face the New Jersey Generals at MetLife Stadium.

Some significant names missing from many of the playoff teams, but few that are new situations. Here are the players who will be out in each of the four Wild Card games.

NOR @ CHA: Both the Breakers and Monarchs will be missing some key defenders in this one, with both LB Rocky McIntosh and DT Everett Dawson listed as Out for New Orleans and Charlotte missing LB Jerod Mayo. The Breakers are also saying that DE Cameron Jordan could be a gametime decision, while Charlotte is doubtful that backup HB Taiwan Jones will be available.

LV @ DEN: For the Vipers, the good news is that DE Matthew Judon is listed as Probable, and is expected to play, as are receivers Arrelious Benn and Tyler Eifert. Denver does not have such positive news, with All-USFL DT Ndamukong Suh ruled out for the game and LB Shaquile Barrett questionable. That could prove a challenge when it comes to stuffing the run and making Las Vegas one dimensional.

BAL @ NJ: The Generals are reporting no injuries, which is such a rarity this late in the year, and cannot be good for Baltimore to see. But, the Blitz are looking at WR Darrius Heyward-Bey and are hopeful he can play, despite being listed as Questionable. DHB’s presence on the field makes a major difference in how New Jersey has to defend the Blitz, so that gametime decision will be huge.

SEA @ SD: We know Seattle is shorthanded, with both TE Dennis Pitta and HB C. J. Anderson out for this one, but they were equally shorthanded this week against LA and others stepped up. For the Thunder, the good news is that QB Joe Webb is now listed as probable, having rested in Week 16, so the full offensive contingent will be there. Not so certain is the status of CB Justin Gilbert. If he is unable to go, that could be good news for Emmanuel Sanders and the Dragon passing game.

Black Monday Strikes in Portland and Jacksonville

It would not be Week 16 without the odd combination of playoff excitement and Black Monday firings. This year two of the coaches expected to be on the hotseat got burned weeks early, with both Sean Payton and Mike Sherman departing “officially” before the end of the regular season. Sherman resigned, allowing Todd Haley a couple of weeks in the regular season to show he could become the permanent replacement, a decision that is by no means set. We expected that the two early changes would mean a smaller Black Monday pool, and we were right.

Two coaches were relieved of their duties on Monday, Portland’s 2nd year coach Pep Hamilton will not be getting a 3rd year for a 3-year plan, having followed up a 4-12 season with an even worse 3-13 result. In Jacksonville, Jack Del Rio finished his third year with the Bulls, but a combined 16-32 record was not going to get him a fourth season. So, we will have 4 teams in the coaching market this offseason, all 4 with major work to be done and the 4 teams with a combined record of 18-46. No easy situations, and no expected quick success stories anticipated. Of course, we said that last year and both Mike Riley and Rick Neuheisel got their clubs to the playoffs in his first year, so anything is possible.

Dallas to Weigh Options, Haley a Candidate

Given 2 weeks to show his style and his connection to the team when Mike Sherman stepped down, Todd Haley will try to make his case to Roughneck management that he is the man for the job. Haley stepped in after serving as the Offensive Coordinator the past 2 years. His first year with the Roughnecks, the club averaged 20.4 points per game and 234.5 yards per game, neither particularly strong numbers. This year, Dallas, with QB Johnny Manziel suspended for 6 games, produced only 18.2 points per game and only 296.8 yards. Haley did have Brandon Wheedon prepared to play when Manziel was required to leave the team, but neither Wheedon or Manziel ever produced truly strong results.

So, what is Haley’s selling point? He is certainly familiar with the roster, what they are and are not good at. He is also well-regarded by the players, meaning there won’t be a rebellion if he gets the job, but is that really enough? With several highly regarded coordinators out there, along with some head coaches who spent 2017 working at the networks as analysts, there are options.  We know Dallas CEO Mark Cuban likes to make a splash. Does he try to snag an NFL coach with a big pedigree? How about taking a shot at a top college figure like a Mike Leach or Dabo Swinney? Haley cannot feel too confident, having gone 1-1 and the Roughnecks only putting up 37 combined points in his two games, and Dallas cannot simply settle for the known commodity without at least kicking the tires on some other options.

Skyhawks “Win” Top Draft Spot

It is an honor no one wants to win, but it is still a heck of a lot better than coming in 2nd or 3rd. St. Louis, by virtue of their loss to Portland, and the Stag’s loss to Washington, “wins” the three way tie at 3-13 and will have the first pick in the 2018 USFL Open Draft. As we know, thanks to the USFL’s territorial draft process, that does not get them unfettered access to the best player available. But it is still an advantage, and a major bit of capital that could be traded if the team does not see a clear top player to go after.

If we look only at players who we know cannot be protected in the T-Draft, the obvious number one is Wyoming QB Josh Allen, but he is considered a project by many who scout the position. Beyond him, the next best “sure bet” options to be available are UTSA Defensive End Marcus Davenport, a nice potential addition for a club that was not exactly “steadfast” on defense this year. The could look at South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst, though the position is hardly a “number one overall” standard. Or they could build up the O-line with Nevada tackle Austin Corbett or UTEP guard Will Hernandez.

However, as we all know, there will be some top names that do slide through the T-Draft. We may even see 1 or 2 of the prospective early round QBs make it through if teams are not willing to trade into another club’s T-Draft to nab them. While we expect a lot of trading this offseason, with as many as 5 potential top tier QBs among the territorial schools as well as players like Penn State HB Saquon Barkley or NC State DE Bradley Chubb potentially being “tradable” selections. So, just who will be there for the Skyhawks at number one, or even if St. Louis holds the pick or deals it themselves to get into the T-draft for a player they covet, a lot is unknown right now, but what we can say is that the Skyhawks are almost, kinda, a little bit “on the clock”.  Here is the full rundown of the first 16 picks of the draft, the non-playoff teams: 

1—ST. LOUIS (3-13)

2—PORTLAND (3-13)

3—WASHINGTON (3-13

4—TAMPA BAY (5-11)

5—PITTSBURGH (5-10-1)

6—OAKLAND (6-10)

7—CHICAGO (6-10)

8—MEMPHIS (6-10)

9—ORLANDO (6-10)

10—DALLAS (6-10)

11—JACKSONVILLE (6-10)

12—ATLANTA (7-9)

13—OKLAHOMA (7-9)

14—LOS ANGELES (8-8)

15—OHIO (8-8)

16—BIRMINGHAM (9-7)

Playoff season is here, and we have 3 of 4 Wild Card Games occurring between division foes, so you know that they are going to be hard-fought games between teams that know each other’s tendencies and love to get under each other’s skin. Here is our look at each of the 4 big games this upcoming weekend.

9-7 NEW ORLEANS (6) @ 10-6 CHARLOTTE (3)

Saturday, July 2 @ 3pm ET

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

Monarchs -3

OUTLOOK: As with many Wild Card games, this one is hard to predict because both clubs have been somewhat inconsistent all season long. The Breakers certainly have more experience, particularly at QB where Drew Brees has plenty of playoff background compared to rookie Monarchs QB Mitch Trubisky. Charlotte has been at their best when Adrian Peterson finds holes to run through and Trubisky can use play action to find open receivers. New Orleans is going to do all they can to put the ball in the hands of Jordy Nelson, hoping to break some big plays against a Charlotte secondary that has had some issues.

OUR PICK: We think veteran leadership will win out. This is Trubisky’s first career playoff game and coming out of UNC he just has not faced this kind of pressure before. That is something you don’t worry about with Drew Brees at the helm of the Breaker offense. We see that as the difference in this one. New Orleans 23-17.

9-7 LAS VEGAS (5) @ 9-6-1 DENVER (4)

Saturday, July 2 @ 7pm ET

Invesco Field, Denver, CO

Gold -4.5

OUTLOOK: Denver’s home field advantage has not been its usual force this year, with the Gold losing three of their last 4 at home (with the 4th being that odd tie game to Pittsburgh). They cannot rely on their fanbase to carry them. They need to produce some points. Las Vegas similarly needs to find a way to outpace their usual 20 points per game, while holding Denver under 20. Eli Manning has been here before, taking an underdog Memphis team to the Summer Bowl last year. But, at the same time, Denver has a ton of veterans who have been in many playoff situations in recent years. So, which experience matters most?

OUR PICK: This one is really tough. Both teams won on the road in their 1-1 split this year, and both games were close, with Denver winning 13-10 in Las Vegas and the Vipers pulling off a 31-23 game in Denver. We don’t think we will see a shootout here, as both clubs are likely to play to shorten the game. So, in the end, which comes out on top? We like Denver’s steady, low drama offense and solid defense by a hair over Las Vegas’s more up and down style. We say it goes to the Gold, 17-16 in a nail biter.

9-7 BALTIMORE (5) @ 10-6 NEW JERSEY (4)

Sunday, July 3 @ 1pm ET

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Generals -2

OUTLOOK: The books in Vegas don’t seem to have much faith in New Jersey. Yes, they are favored, but only by 2 at home, which is the same as being a 4-point underdog on the road. Maybe it is because there is still no sense of whether General QB Nick Foles can take the team on his shoulders. He has played solid football but has not been called on to make huge plays. Against a team like Baltimore, who can put up big plays in a hurry, Foles may have to do more than just manage the game. A lot will depend on whether or not Maurice Jones-Drew can find room to run against what is likely to be a lot of 8-man fronts from the Blitz. That, and New Jersey’s ability to contain the Hartline & Heyward-Bey combo will be huge factors in this game if the Generals want to get the home win.

OUR PICK: We think Baltimore is just the more dangerous team. Yes, New Jersey can run the ball against them, but at any point one missed coverage and you have a Blitz receiver going for a 70-yard score. That kind of explosiveness, and certainly a more seasoned veteran QB in Ben Roethlisberger gives the Blitz a distinct advantage. We think it wins them the game. Our pick is Baltimore, 27-21.

9-7 SEATTLE (6) @ 10-6 SAN DIEGO (3)

Sunday, July 3 @ 5pm ET

Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA

Thunder -6

OUTLOOK: The widest margin in any of the betting lines as Vegas sees San Diego as a 6-point favorite. Joe Webb is expected to be at full strength, Chad Johnson will be in the lineup (unlike in Week 16), and the Thunder defense, will bring all kinds of pressure on Jacoby Brissett. This is Brissett’s first playoff game, and that could be a huge issue for the Dragons. And yet, when we look statistically, Seattle is the better team as far as both points per game and points allowed. They are confident and they have shown they can upend the Thunder, having knocked them off by a pretty sizable 26-3 margin in Week 15.

OUR PICK: We want to pick Seattle, just because we love the parallels to the 6-8 Dragon squad that won it all back in 2005, but even with San Diego stumbling a bit down the stretch, we think that the combination of home-field advantage, the dual threat of Joe Webb outside the pocket, and the veteran presence of Chad Johnson tilts the game towards the home team. We will pick San Diego to end the Cinderella run, Thunder 19-16.