2018 USFL Conference Championships Recap

It will be the Houston Gamblers vs. the Arizona Wranglers in Summer Bowl 2018. This week’s title games brought us a matchup of two of the league’s best offenses facing off in New Orleans this Saturday. It will be McCoy, Hyde, Evans and Smith-Schuster going up against Nassib, Gore, Fitzgerald and Bryant in what could be one of the best shootouts in Summer Bowl history. We will recap how we got this matchup, reviewing both Conference Title Games, look at the looming free agency period and who is in the best position to spend big, review all the awards from last night’s USFL Gala, and give you the inside scoop on everything from coaching searches to the surprise bid for USFL expansion.  It’s all coming up now, starting with our breakdown of the Free Agency Situation which is now just 8 days from going live. 

Buyers & Sellers as Free Agency Approaches

We are one week from free agency opening up across the USFL, and this offseason, with two emerging QBs, several top tier defenders, and a decent smattering of talent at HB, WR, and on the O-line in the pool, this may be one of the more aggressive free agent markets we have seen in a while. The presence of both Matt McGloin and Ryan Nassib in the pool certainly will create interest, as will defenders like DE’s Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes, and Kony Ealy, LBs Clay Matthews, Brian Orakpo, Channing Crowder, Chase Blackburn and Shawne Merriman, and DBs Patrick Robinson, Dunta Robinson, Baccari Rambo, and Jairus Byrd. So, who has the funds available to make a major run at some position upgrades this offseason? And who may have to be frugal, focus on the draft, and hope to find some gems with lower salary expectations? Here is our list of the 5 most flush teams and the 5 most cash-strapped clubs.

READY TO SPEND BIG

Chicago     $25.1M

The Machine have the largest cap margin of any team, and we pretty much know where much of it will be going as the club tries to find a franchise QB. Expect Chicago to make an early offer to either McGloin or Nassib, hoping to lock up their preferred choice. They are also in the market for help at the defensive tackle position as well as along the O-line. They certainly have funds to make inroads with all of those positions, while also looking to the draft to find a new number one receiver (assuming they are not in love with Michael Floyd in that role.

New Orleans  $20.3M

The Breakers are also in the QB market with the retirement of Drew Brees. Expect them to look at the two free agent QBs as well as some of the top young talent in the draft. They will also want to find a replacement for Ealy at defensive end, and they may be looking at Knile Davis as an option to add some lightning to the Thunder game of Leonard Fournette.

Tampa Bay    $17.8M

Finally we see a team with a lot of need who also has a lot of money to spend. The Bandits need to replace Jerry Hughes, but also need upgrades at several other defensive positions, including DT, CB, and, of course, MLB, with Brian Orakpo also on the way out of town. Add to this a desire to better protect Dak Prescott and to offer him a few weapons and the Bandits could be very busy in the next month.

Philadelphia   $17.5M

The Stars have a chance to upgrade at some key positions, including defensive tackle, safety, corner, and may also be in the market for a speed receiver to help add some life to the offense. Fans would love to see them add an Aaron Dobson or Victor Cruz, but the Stars clearly see defense as a more important focus area.

Arizona     $16.7M

Hard to believe that a team headed to the Summer Bowl could be in such solid position, but the Wranglers are still looking at restocking on defense. They could actually jump up this list in a week’s time if any of their big-name vets decide to retire after this season. Rumors have been swirling about several players, including Frank Gore (35), Larry Fitzgerald (35), and Troy Polamalu (36). If one or more of these All-USFL players were to retire, their position would suddenly become a priority one for the Wranglers, who also are hoping to upgrade at DE.

LOOKING FOR BARGAINS

St. Louis        $6.2M

With barely enough in their cap to sign rookies, the Skyhawks are likely going to have to restructure some deals and let some talent go in order to have any impact in free agency. The good news is that they have their new starting QB on a rookie contract, so they are not in that expensive market. Their main needs are at safety, linebacker, and on the D-line, so they may be able to make a few deals to either add more draft picks or to free up some space to sign a free agent or two.

Orlando       $6.1M

The Renegades are in a similar situation, though they have the disadvantage of needing to replace Latavius Murray, and halfbacks can be pricy. The Renegades could look to the draft for that position, which may make it possible for them to address another need like corner or wideout. Of course, if they do find a trading partner for Calais Campbell, that could bring some contracts their way, or significant draft picks.

Oklahoma     $5.6M

The Outlaws are almost certainly going to want to rework some of their higher-end contracts to find room to sign some talent. They need help on defense, would love to add another running back, and still have a somewhat understaffed WR room. To deal with those needs, expect Oklahoma to reach out to their highest paid players (DT Luis Castillo, HB Marshawn Lynch, QB Joe Flacco, and LB Chad Greenway) to see if a more cap-friendly deal could be struck.

Seattle           $4.5M

The Dragons have at least 2 players on contracts that are clearly inflated for the player’s actual contribution. Sorry, but there is no way that DT Malik McDowell should be making $4.5M per year, and the same is true of LB Edward Church and his $3.5M deal. The Dragons are going to need to rework those two, and several other deals, and perhaps jettison a veteran or two to free up some space. Otherwise their ability to boost the talent on the squad will be very limited.

New Jersey    $3.8M

The Generals are in something of a dire situation. Even with the likely departure of Chase Blackburn, QB Brett Hundley, and WR Miles Austin, they simply need more cap space if they want to fill gaps, improve weapons, and defend their division title. Look for them to rework and extend several contracts to ease the cap situation, but this may be a year where the Generals have to rely on a very good draft and maybe some late free agent signings, after the market cools off in the winter. As much as fans want to see it, we don’t think the Generals have a shot of trading for Calais Campbell, not with their cap situation.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS 41  NEW JERSEY GENERALS 24

“We just got overpowered by a better team.” That is how Generals’ head coach Norv Turner described his impression of the Houston victor at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. We have to agree. New Jersey put the first points on the board, but that opening score was followed by 5 consecutive Houston scores, 4 of them touchdowns, on their next 5 possessions and by the half it was Houston up 31-14.  New Jerey pulled closer, but not close enough to truly challenge the Gamblers in the second half. This one was the Gamblers to lose, and they simply did not lose it.

Three picks from Nick Foles, including a pick-six that formed part of Houston’s 24-point run in the 2nd quarter, forced New Jersey to play from behind, which is just how the Gamblers like it. With touchdowns from Carlos Hyde (2), Mike Evans, and Vernon Davis, along with Jelani Jenkins’s pick-six, there was just too much Houston for the Generals to contain. McCoy finished with a modest 252 passing but combined with 115 and 2 scores on the ground from Hyde, and 3 Houston takeaways, it was more than enough to turn the tide of the game.

The game, played in front of just under 55,000 at MetLife Stadium, turned from a tight battle in the first quarter to a landslide of big plays and scoring from the Gamblers in the 2nd, a quarte that saw a total of 31 points put up, with Houston getting the absolute better of the deal with 24 to New Jersey’s 7 ( a late Zay Jones TD catch). The second half saw far fewer fireworks, but after New Jersey pulled to within 14 at 31-17, a Vernon Davis TD early in the 4th again put the Generals down 21 and signaled the end of a competitive game.

With their victory, Houston will now make their 9th Summer Bowl appearance and will have a chance to earn their 5th title, breaking their tie with Michigan as the franchise with the most league championships. New Jersey, who needed a 3-game win streak to end the season in order to win the Northeast Division, played well to knock off Charlotte and Atlanta, but simply seemed undermanned and unable to match up with the playmakers for the Gamblers. They will now look towards the offseason in hopes of building up more defensive fortitude and offensive explosiveness for next year.

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OAKLAND INVADERS 24  ARIZONA WRANGLERS 27

The Invaders-Wranglers game was more along the lines of what everyone wants from playoff football, a game that is close all the way from start to finish. It was 0-0 after 1 quarter, 3-3 at the half, then 10-13 after three, and decided in the fourth, a quarter that saw more scoring than the rest of the game combined. It appears that both halftime adjustments and the wear of a long game shifted this clash from a defensive standoff to an offensive battle.

What we saw in the first half were two defenses who had a good idea what they were going to be facing. Oakland stayed in some 2 and 3-deep shells, allowing a bit more room for Frank Gore, but ensuring that Fitzgerald and Bryant would not get behind them. Arizona, focused on keeping Christian McCaffrey bottled up, forcing the Invaders to put the ball up in the air more than they wanted. The result was a very defensive-minded half, one which saw the two clubs combine for only 6 points. But, what you don’t see in that number is that both kicks were from within the 10-yard line. Both Oakland’s kick with 13 minutes left in the half and Arizona’s response 11 minutes later, were the result of failed 1st and goal scenarios. In both cases, the defenses stood up, producing incompletions on key 3rd and goal plays, and in both cases Coach Kubiak and Coach Tomsula put 3 on the board instead of trying their luck on a 4th down.

In the second half, that dynamic would change as both teams opened things up a bit more. As the defenses started to tire, more and more plays started to get more than their minimum yardage. That was certainly the case with Ryan Nassib’s 34-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald to open the 3rd. It was only a 7-yard in route, but Fitzgerald slipped a tackle and turned it into six points. Four minutes later, it was Christian McCaffrey showing the ability to break tackles, as he escaped a sideline hit, spun back to the middle of the field and raced for a 27-yard TD to even the score at 10. Arizona would add an Elliott Parson field goal in the quarter, but at 13-10, this was anyone’s game as the 4th quarter opened.

Oakland would strike first, taking their first lead of the game since opening a 3-0 margin in the first half. It would be a long drive, including 2 costly penalties for Arizona, but also including a nice 18-yard completion from Garoppolo to Taylor Gabriel. Knile Davis put the finishing touch on the drive with a 4-yard run. The score gave Oakland a 17-13 lead, but that lead would not last long, just about 50 seconds.

Arizona responded with the play of the game, an 81-yard strike to Fitzgerald for the All-USFL receiver’s 2nd on the day. It was a double move, one of Fitzie’s best tricks, and it left the corner flat-footed as Ryan Nassib lofted the ball up to his favorite target. The score put Arizona back on top once again and got the crowd all the way back into the game. That rush would continue as a tipped ball turned into a pick for Wrangler safety Troy Polamalu. And that safety, 6 plays later, turned into a Frank Gore TD run to give Arizona a very welcome 10 point lead with 6:44 left to play.

Unphased, Oakland went back to work, and while they did put another 7 on the board when Garoppolo hit Davone Bess, Arizona’s D did what it needed to, forcing the Invaders to use nearly 5 minutes before the 9-yard TD pass pulled Oakland back within 3. With only 47 seconds on the clock, Oakland would need a successful onside kick recovery to have any chance at a game-tying field goal. They brought out the hands team, but so did the Wranglers, and when Roberto Aguayo’s kick failed to make the typical 3rd bounce hop into the air, it was easy pickin’s for Carlos Rogers, who fell on the ball and allowed Arizona to take a knee and the W.

The Wranglers now return to the Summer Bowl for the 4th time in the past 6 years. It is a run that cannot be called anything but a dynasty. And, if they can knock off Houston to win their 3rd title in that 6-year span, well, then dynasty will certainly be the word we all use to describe Jim Tomsula’s Wranglers.   

Do Wranglers See 2018 as a “Window Closing” Run?

We mentioned in our breakdown of teams with significant cap room, Arizona is a club that could be on the edge of a major roster turnover. While no one is saying it out loud, there is a sense that this 2018 Summer Bowl run could be the last hurrah for several veteran stars. You have Troy Polamalu at 36-years-old, and both Gore and Fitzgerald only one year behind that. Add to that list QB David Carr at 35, TE Jimmie Graham at 33, and FS Nate Allen at 32, and this is a pretty grizzled group (by pro football standards). We could be looking at a major roster shakeout this offseason, much like what we saw last year when the club lost LB Karlos Dansby, DE Adam Carriker, LB Demorrio Williams, and DT Glenn Dorsey, forcing them to overhaul the defense. Could we be about to witness the same on offense with Fitzgerald, Gore, and possibly Antonio Bryant (Free Agent) and Jimmie Graham? 

Is Carlos Hyde the Key to Summer Bowl 2018?

With so much talent on the Gamblers and Wranglers, it seems hard to believe that one player could be the focal point of the game, and yet, when you look at the matchups, and what happened in the playoff games leading up to the title game, you cannot deny that Hyde’s performance is about as good an indication as you can get as to how the game will go. The Houston halfback has been on fire in the playoffs, starting with a 111-yard performance against Memphis in the Wild Card round. He followed that up with only 87-yards against that tough Breaker run defense, a game Houston won, but the closest of their three playoff encounters. With a major rebound against New Jersey, 115 yards rushing, another 57 receiving, and 2 touchdowns, it seems clear that if Hyde can put up numbers on a defense, the Gamblers offense becomes that much tougher to stop. So, if you are rooting for the Wranglers in this week’s Summer Bowl, the thing you want to look for early is just how the Arizona defense holds up against Hyde in the first few possessions. If they can limit his effectiveness, then the Houston offense may be containable, but if we have learned anything this postseason it is that if Hyde gets hot, the Gamblers can roll.

Generals Fans Wonder Openly if Foles Has What it Takes?

Another big game and another shaky performance. After steady performances against Charlotte and Atlanta, Nick Foles had a rougher outing against the Gamblers, throwing 3 picks, including a pick-six, and struggling with pressure. And when we add up the numbers across all three playoff games, the Generals’ QB has pretty pedestrian numbers: 64 of 107 for 659 yards with 5 TD and 3 picks. They are not horrible, but they also don’t feel like championship QB numbers.

For a Generals team that focuses so much of their offense on Maurice Jones-Drew, the question becomes whether or not they can get more out of Foles in the future, to balance their attack and produce more big plays. Some are saying that this season showed how far Foles could take the Generals, and that it may take a new QB if the club wants to get over the hump, win more than the division and return to the Summer Bowl. Foles is locked up through 2021, so if the Generals do want to go a new direction, they are going to have to either eat a lot of guaranteed money or find a trade partner for their starter.

Kubiak’s Invaders Outperformed Our Expectations but not Theirs.

It was certainly not the way the Invaders wanted this postseason to end, but for a club that many saw dropping below .500 and likely missing the playoffs in Gary Kubiak’s first year at the helm, the Invaders certainly outperformed expectations by making it to the Western Conference Title Game. Eleven wins, a division title, and two playoff victories is nothing to sneeze at, but for many on the Invaders’ squad, the hope was for more.

That is pretty natural, especially with a strong regular season that saw Oakland win 3 of 4 down the stretch to claim the Pacific Division crown. The players saw themselves not only as a playoff team, but as a contender. Losing the way they did to Arizona was something of a wakeup call. They played the Wranglers tight all game, showed they belonged in the title tilt, but could not get the result they wanted. So, what do they do from here? Well, the offseason will provide a chance to address concerns, perhaps upgrade at wideout, left guard, and free safety. They will need to find a replacement for Sedrick Ellis as well, but for a club that many saw taking a step back this year, the feeling should be one of accomplishment, even if the season ended a week earlier than most would have wanted.

No new developments for either team, so it will be a very familiar, and very potent, squad put on the field by both Houston and Arizona in this year’s Summer Bowl. Throw in the comfortable confines of the air-conditioned Super Dome, and this could be a very fast-paced and high-scoring Summer Bowl.

HOU: C Shaq Mason (OUT), CB Leodis McKelvin (OUT)

ARZ: QB David Carr (OUT)

USFL Award Winners & All-USFL Team Revealed

Wednesday’s USFL Gala at the the Steamboat Natchez in New Orleans was full of surprises, from the venue, a very different setting from the usual 5-Star hotel ballroom, to the guests in attendance, including New Orleans “royalty” Harry Connick Jr., Aaron Neville, John Goodman, Sandra Bullock and Archie Manning, and, of course, the award winners themselves. While we would love to run down everything from the sumptuous cajun-inspired meal to the music on hand, we know you are here to learn about the 2018 USFL award winners and All-USFL team, so let’s not delay. Here are your USFL honorees for 2018.

MVP: Drew Brees-QB-Breakers

In a move that certainly pleased everyone from the celebrities on hand to the local waitstaff, the USFL honored New Orleans QB Drew Brees with the big award of the night, the league MVP. It was apparently a pretty close vote between Brees and Houston QB Colt McCoy, but while McCoy won the matchup on the field this week, Brees can take solace in earning his third MVP trophy, with 2018 joining his awards from 2005 and 2007. With Brees having already announced that 2018 was his final season in the league, the 17-year veteran leaves the game on top, recognized as the best player in the spring for a third time, tying Jim Kelly and Kerry Collins with that honor.

OPOTY: LeVeon Bell-HB-Panthers

The Offensive Player of the Year award came down to two names, with LeVeon Bell beating out Mike Evans, wideout of the Gamblers, for the award. Bell, who finished the year with a leaguewide best 1,617 yards, set personal bests with his yardage total and with his outstanding 4.8 YPC average. Since coming into the league in 2013, Bell has never failed to gain at least 1,200 yards, with 2018 being his highest career total yet. The OPOTY award is Bell’s second in 3 years, having won as well in 2016.

DPOTY: Bobby Wagner-LB-Invaders

Wagner takes the trophy for DPOTY in a move that again will anger Orlando Renegade fans, but as has been the trend over the past decade, Calais Campbell, despite his outstanding individual performance, did not win the award in a year when the Renegades finished without a playoff berth. Wagner gets his first win in the category, having led Oakland to the top 5 in points allowed (16.6 per game), yards allowed (295.6 per game) and passing yards allowed (210.4 per game). Wagner personally finished with 102 tackles, his third 100-tackle season in the past 4 years, and also contributed 7 sacks, 2 picks, and five forced fumbles as the leader and captain of the Invader defense.

ROTY: Nick Chubb-HB-Fire

In the widest margin of any of the five major categories in this year’s Awards, Atlanta tailback Nick Chubb “ran” away with the Rookie of the Year award. Chubb not only helped Atlanta win their first SE Division title since 2014, helping to take a 7-9 club in 2017 to a 10-6 record, but also became the first Atlanta back to rush for over 1,000 yards and finish in the Top 10 in the league since Terrell Davis back in 2007.  

COTY: Tom Coughlin-Glory

Another two-man race as Coughlin beat out Oakland’s Gary Kubiak for the honor. Having started 4 different quarterbacks in the season, Coughlin’s Ohio Glory still managed to unseat the defending USFL Champion and claim their first Division Title in over a decade. The 10-6 Glory were among the league’s best clubs against the pass, and allowed only 18.9 points per game, while also finishing in the Top 10 in rushing yards. Coughlin, known as a disciplinarian, molded a team in his image, tenacious, consistent, and, while not the most talented, a club that simply does not make mistakes that cost it games.

Along with the 2018 Award Winners, the All-USFL Team for the season was also honored, with many of the players appearing at the Gala (Wranglers and Gamblers excused due to the demands of the week of preparation for the Summer Bowl). Unsurprisingly, it was the playoff and Summer Bowl favorites that dominated the All-USFL team, though, in something of a surprise, Tampa Bay did quite well also, with 3 players recognized for their individual success. Twenty teams are represented on the roster, with Houston leading all teams with 7 selections, followed by Arizona (5), Oakland (3), and New Orleans, New Jersey, and Tampa Bay with 3 apiece. San Diego and Charlotte were the only playoff teams not to earn a bid, along with non-playoff teams Baltimore, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, and Washington. Here is your 2018 All-USFL Team:

QB:       Drew Brees (NOR), Colt McCoy (HOU), Ryan Nassib (ARZ)

                ALTS: Joe Flacco (OKL), Matt McGloin (SEA)

HB:       LeVeon Bell (MGN), Maurice Jones-Drew (NJ), Carlos Hyde (HOU)

                ALTS: T. Gurley (MEM), R. Williams (SD)

FB:        Mike Boone (OHI)

                ALT: Marcell Reese (ATL)

TE:         Coby Fleener (NOR), Julius Thomas (OKL)

                ALT: Jimmie Graham (ARZ)

WR:      Mike Evans (HOU), Brandin Cooks (POR), Jordy Nelson (NOR)

                Larry Fitzgerald (ARZ), Brashad Perriman (ORL)

                ALTS: Marques Colston (SD), G. Tate (DEN)

OT:        Levi Brown (TBY), Brandon Scherff (ARZ), Ryan Clady (DEN)

                ALT: Cedric Ogbuehi (HOU)

OG:       Chance Warmack (ARZ), Jason Asamoah (HOU), Kevin Zeitler (CHI)

                ALT: Kevin Zeitler (CHI)

C:           Shaq Mason (HOU), Frank Ragnow (TBY)

                ALT: Rudy Niswanger (STL)

DE:        Calais Campbell (ORL), Von Miller (DEN), Michael Bennett (OAK)

                ALT: Mario Williams (MEM)

DT:         Albert Haynesworth (HOU), Chris Jones (LA), Sedrick Ellis (OAK)

                ALT: Aaron Donald (PIT)

LB:        Bobby Wagner (OAK), Kirk Morrison (PHI), Aldon Smith (NJ)

                Dannell Ellerbe (OHI), Brian Orakpo (TBY), A. J. Klien (ARZ)

                ALTS: Manti Te’o (CHI), Sean Lee (JAX)

CB:       Marcus Williams (MEM), Aqib Talib (NJ), Eric Wright (OAK)

                Darius Slay (ATL)

                ALT: Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (JAX)

SS:        Kenny Vaccaro (HOU), Dezmen Southward (DAL)

                ALT: Brandon Taylor (NOR)

FS:         LaRon Landry (OHI), Donte Whitner (SEA)

                ALT: Will Allen (BIR)

K:           Lewis Ward (MEM)

                ALT: Roberto Aguayo (OAK)

P:           Robert Capps (STL)

                ALT: Zoltan Mesko (LA)

A Surprise Expansion Bid from a Surprising City

News this week from New York as a seventh, and quite honestly, unexpected bid has emerged as investment groups and cities vie for the 30th USFL franchise. With six bids already well-established and fully anticipated for the September review of proposals, the new entry, announced this week, adds yet another wrinkle to the upcoming League Expansion Committee meetings this September.

The bid comes in from a group called the Hoosier USFL Football Group, a name that seems very fitting, not only because they seek to bring the league to the Hoosier State, Indiana, but because like their movie namesake, they are a clear underdog in the fight for a USFL franchise. Led by Carl Cook, CEO of the Cook Group, a medical device company founded by his parents. Cook is not alone in his bid, with additional investors including Bruce W. White, owner of White Lodging Services and son of billionaire businessman Dean White (d. 2016). As with most of the other bids, the Hoosier Group also enlisted some well-known Indiana football legends to the group, including former Purdue QB Jim Everett, former Golden Domer and CFL star Rocket Ismail, and former Colts receiver Bill Brooks. 

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Aside from financial backers with pretty deep pockets, this Indianapolis group has an agreement in principle with Lucas Oil Stadium, the 63,000 seat domed facility that is home to the NFL Colts. Indianapolis had not really been on the radar for the league, but it does serve one key function for the USFL, allowing for a straightforward alignment expansion when paired with the already-approved San Antonio Gunslingers. Having the Midwest city added to the USFL lineup would allow San Antonio to join Houston in the USFL Southern Division, while an Indianapolis expansion club would join natural rivals Chicago, St. Louis, Michigan, and Ohio in the Central Division.

While certainly a bit of a late entry into the race for the 30th USFL franchise, there is a lot that Indianapolis has on its side, though there are also some concerns. Some would argue that adding a team so solidly between several existing fanbases would only pull fans from the Panthers, Skyhawks, Machine and Glory, and could see resistance from all four, something we would not anticipate with either the Kansas City or Minnesota bids. Additionally, two major spring sporting events in the area, the annual NCAA basketball tournament (as well as the Big 10 Championship which often has its finals in Indianapolis) and the Indianapolis 500 race could both detract from spring football interest in a city and state known much more for their following of both racing and basketball than football.

But, as with all of the seven known bids, this one has positives and negatives, and certainly will have some pushback and some supporters. We will know more after the September report from the Expansion Committee, which is expected to produce a final list of only 3 bidders which will then go to the full league ownership meeting for a decision on the final choice and the 30th franchise set to join the league for the 2020 season. That meeting is expected to be held in January, during the festivities of the USFL’s Territorial and Open Collegiate Drafts, when all 28 teams and ownership groups will gather in Los Angeles.

USFL Reveals 2020-2021 Summer Bowl Sites

One more bit of league news as the USFL this week announced the venues for the 2020 and 2021 USFL title games. Following Summer Bowl 2018 in New Orleans, and next year’s highly anticipated Summer Bowl 2019 in Las Vegas’s shiny new Wynn Arena, the league will head back east, with the 2020 game now announced to take place in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, with 2021 jumping to the West Coast and Levi’s Stadium, home to the NFL 49ers and USFL Invaders, in Santa Clara, California.  

UPCOMING SUMMER BOWL SITES

2018: Mercedes Benz Super Dome, New Orleans, LA

2019: Wynn Arena, Las Vegas, NV

2020: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

2021: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

These USFL title games will be the first for the league in both venues, and the first league title from either pro football league to be held in Charlotte. Santa Clara held Super Bowl 50 in 2016, and now will hold the Summer’s Biggest Party in 2021. Logos for both Summer Bowls will be expected to be released in 2019, and while fans in both cities are certainly excited for the opportunity to host the league’s title game, all attention right now is on New Orleans and Summer Bowl 2018.

Summer Bowl 2018 pits the four-time league champion Houston Gamblers, back after falling just short last year against Michigan, against a Wrangler squad making their fourth title appearance in the past 6 years and hoping to become a 3-time winner as they return to the big game. Both clubs are experienced, offensively potent, and have some credentials on D too. For most fans, we know what they want. They want to see two of the league’s top offenses trading body blows, big play for big play, like Rocky and Clubber Lang going face to face.

This may not be a game for defensive purists, but it is not as if these two clubs have shoddy defenses. Houston finished 3rd in the league with 65 sacks on the year. Arizona, while not as dominant as in past years, still held teams under 20 points per game, and was solid against the run, despite a major roster overhaul over the offseason. Las Vegas does not think this will be a defensive struggle, setting the over/under at an uncustomary high of 49.5 points. But, we have been surprised before.

As we look at the two teams, it is not hard to figure out who the key players are on each. We picked 4 players for each team who may very well determine how this game plays out.

HOUSTON

HB Carlos Hyde

No surprise here, as we have already laid out the case for Hyde as a pivotal figure in the game. If he can force Arizona to support their run defense with safeties, it means more chances for Colt McCoy to work deep.

TE Vernon Davis

With so much attention owed to wideouts Mike Evans and JuJu Smith-Schuster, we turn to Vernon Davis as the key weapon on the inside. Davis has the potential to have a big game, especially if the Wranglers are also worried about Hyde out of the backfield.

DE Dante Fowler

An underrated pass rusher, Fowler finished 2018 with 14 sacks, his third straight season over 10 for the year. If Houston can get pressure with Fowler, Haynesworth, and Antwan Applewhite, they can use their LB group to support the pass defense and prevent Arizona from getting the single coverage their deep vertical game eats up.

CB Janoris Jenkins

With a pick-six in this week’s win over New Orleans, Jenkins is finally getting some media attention. The 6-year vet is not even the most famous Jenkins on his team (LB Jelani wins that title), but with 4 picks and 24 passes defended this year, he is quickly becoming a player that opposing OCs need to keep an eye on. He could be trouble for Nassib if the Arizona QB does not recognize his speed and ability to break on the ball.

ARIZONA

QB Ryan Nassib

By this point in the season we have sort of lost track of the fact that Nassib was a backup with only 1 start to his name before David Carr went down. This is his first playoff season, much less his first title game. So, while his 38:7 TD:INT ratio should tell us that he can handle the pressure of the big game, history tells us that it is not a sure thing. A title game can be a whole different ballgame.

HB Ka’Deem Carey

As much as we would love to see Frank Gore be the bell cow for Arizona, it seems those days are over. Gore will get carries predominantly on short yardage and inside the red zone. Expect Carey to finish the game with more touches and more opportunities to break a long run. If he can do that, it will force Houston to keep their LBs engaged in the run game, and that means more chances for Nassib to find single coverage outside.

LB A. J. Klien

A first-time All-USFL selection in his 6th season, Klien has become the leader of the Wrangler defense this year, having learned from one of the best in former Wrangler Karlos Dansby. Klien’s game is more focused between the hashmarks, jumping into the fray on inside runs and TE routes, but he will be challenged by Houston’s inside receivers, Hyde, Davis, and slot receiver Josh Reynolds.

CB Joe Haden

The interceptions have not come for Haden this year, with only 3 on the season, but he remains a solid man-coverage corner who is not afraid to play the run, as is evident with his 93 tackles. The key for Haden will be getting support over the top from the safety so that he can bump either Evans or Smith-Schuster at the line and not risk being outpaced as he drops back.

While both teams clearly have talent and depth, we also know that the difference between good and great can come down to the coaching, and a gameplan that takes advantage of weaknesses your opponent may not even know they have. So, what can we expect from these two coaches?

Wade Phillips, Houston: Phillips is a defensive coach who has one of the league’s best offenses to play with, so how does he approach this matchup? Our expectation is that like the team’s namesake, Phillips will gamble quite a bit. That means more 1st down throws from McCoy, more deep throws to Evans and Smith-Schuster, and more blitzes on defense. Houston would love to put pressure on Ryan Nassib, and while that ideally comes from the D-line, we expect Phillips to dial up the blitzes, particularly from LB Ramik Wilson and SS Kenny Vaccaro.

Jim Tomsula, Arizona: While also a defensive-minded coach, Tomsula has shown over the past 5-6 years that he too believes in the power of the deep ball, not only to put points on the board, but to dispirit a defense. Arizona on offense will keep testing the Houston defense to see if they can get man coverage instead of umbrella zones. But, if Houston is disciplined, then it will have to be Nassib finding TE Jimmie Graham or HB Ka’Deem Carey on short routes, taking what the defense will give them. On defense, Arizona has struggled to put pressure on QBs, but they are solid in their zones. That has worked against many QBs across the league, but against Colt McCoy they may just have to find ways to bring Polamalu, Scooby Wright or even CB Mike Mickens on blitzes to throw off McCoy’s timing.

OUR PICK: This is a really tough one. We have the league’s best scoring offense (Arizona) against the leader in yards per game (Houston). We have two defensive coaches whose offenses are certainly the stronger aspect of their team. We could easily see this as a game where the team with possession last wins the game, one of those games where the punter might as well not show up. All that is to say that we think you should take the over if you are the type to bet on games. It also means that we feel we could make arguments for either side to come out on top. It may well come down to how many stops each defense can make, and if either can produce some takeaways.

So, what differentiates the two teams? Honestly, not much. We feel pressure to pick a winner, but our bullpen is pretty divided. Some favor the experience of McCoy over Nassib. Others think that Arizona has great on-field leaders in Gore, Fitzgerald, and Polamalu, and could well take the blows from Houston without flinching. In the end, we took a vote, made sure there was an odd number of voters and came up with a 21-20 vote, but that vote said Arizona, so that is our pick.

We choose Arizona to win their 3rd league title in 6 years, defeating Houston by a score of 41-39 in a game that will be the highest scoring in USFL Championship history.