2018 USFL Week 10 Recap: 500 or Bust

Week 10 was a good week for several 4-5 teams as Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and San Diego all found a way to win and reclaim .500. It was also a good week for the Memphis Showboats, proving they were truly an elite team this week with a last second, and we mean that literally, victory over New Orleans. Add Lamar Jackson to those happy with this week’s outcomes as the St. Louis Skyhawks pulled off what may be the upset of the year so far, knocking off the Arizona Wranglers in front of a newly engaged St. Louis crowd. Oh, and we should also add that it was a good week for San Antonio football fans, as their 2020 expansion club revealed their nickname and logo. We will break it all down for you, and also talk about a big announcement from Matt Leinart, a look at coaches feeling some heat, and an early survey of some players who may well be hitting the free agent market in just over 6 weeks. Stay tuned, this is a big week, and there is a lot to talk about.

San Antonio Launches Team Identity, Gets Immediate Pushback

For many fans of the Texas Outlaws, the sale and relocation of the club to Oklahoma City was something of a double betrayal. Not only had one of the club’s minority owners taken the easy way out, leaving the city with the club in the wake of tragedy, the tornadoes that ravaged the city and destroyed the Alamodome, but in a deal that the USFL accepted, despite the protestations of San Antonio fans, the club was allowed to take the team identity with them, returning the Outlaws to Oklahoma and leaving San Antonio, and team co-owner Red McCombs with little more than a promise of a new team and a color scheme (as McCombs kept the green, blue, silver and black when Oklahoma returned to black and red.)

Well, the frustration of the San Antonio faithful was replaced with excitement this week as McCombs, along with his new co-owner, Trevor Rees-Jones, revealed that San Antonio could return to its football history as well, announcing the rebirth of the city’s original USFL franchise, the San Antonio Gunslingers. The original Gunslingers were an underfunded, underwhelming team that lasted 1 season before the league forced a merger with the Oklahoma Outlaws and the Texas Outlaws were born. But, despite the somewhat comedic and short-lived history of the Gunslingers name, the fans in San Antonio still kept that club in their hearts as the first attempt since the WFL of 1975, to bring pro ball to the Alamo City.

The new Gunslingers have an updated logo, far less cartoonish than the original design (created by a local political cartoonist), but retaining much of the original’s look, with Kelly green and royal blue back as the dominant colors, with secondary features in silver and black. The new logo features a straight on look at the Gunslinger preparing for a quick draw. He sports a black hat with blue highlights and a green hat band, a pair of blue jeans with twin holsters, a green vest, green gun belt and silver lone-star buckle. The figure’s face is obscured, but the pose is unmistakable as the moment before shots are fired. The figure stands in front of a silver circle, much as the original had, though this circle is embellished with three diamonds and several round “rivets”. It is a modern take on the club’s original look, as is the Western font that spells out the team’s name below the logo.

The club has not revealed the team uniforms yet, though we expect those will appear soon enough. But, if the logo is any indication, and if the club continues to try to bridge the 1987 Gunslingers with the Outlaws who followed them, then we can expect a Kelly green helmet, royal blue jersey and silver pants, a look that will certainly make many Outlaw fans in San Antonio, Austin, and much of central Texas, very happy indeed.

Despite the very positive reception the reveal got from local media and many former Outlaw fans, the identity did not get universal praise. There was a small contingent, some very vocal on social media, who believed the celebration of violence, guns, and lawlessness was not appropriate in the wake of so many mass shootings in the nation over the past decade. The team was quick to dispel those concerns, focusing on the western heritage of the city and the state, the football lineage of the name, and the emphasis on Texas and San Antonio welcoming the Kelly and Blue back to the USFL. Most fans seemed to agree, and when the SAGunslingers.com website went live the next day, merch was already available and it was already recording a wave of orders. It will still be a year before seat licenses (and subsequently season tickets) will go on sale, but in the return of the Gunslingers it seems that McCombs, Rees-Jones, and San Antonio USFL have hit the right notes of nostalgia, Texas bravado, and local pride. So, beware USFL fans, because come 2020, the Gunslingers are back in town and this town ain’t big enough for the two of us (as it seems every good Gunslinger is want to say.)

NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 17  MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 18

Another week in the Southern Division and another dynamite game, though this week’s battle between the Breakers and the Showboats was not the offensive showcase we saw when New Orleans faced Houston, it was still a highly entertaining and high drama game. This one was more of a defensive war of attrition, but with the winning score coming with just 1 tick left on the clock, there certainly was high drama at the end.

The week started with a 3-way tie atop the division, with Memphis, Houston, and New Orleans all looking very tough at 7-2. With the ‘Boats and Breakers facing off at the Liberty Bowl, it was guaranteed that someone would be falling a game back of the division leader, but it was not known who that would be. The Vegas books had New Orleans as a 2-point favorite, despite being the road team, likely because there are still doubters out there who think the Showboats’ success is a mirage, but this game may well dispel the last of those thoughts.

It was a game that saw some big performances, despite the low score. At the top of the list was Memphis wideout Robert Woods, who was targeted 13 times, brought in 10 of those tosses, and racked up 136 yards to lead all receivers. Not far behind was the usual suspect for the Breakers, WR Jordy Nelson, with 7 catches for 119 yards and 2 TDs. We should also mention the outstanding play of Both QBs, neither of whom threw a pick in this game. Drew Brees went 19 for 29, throwing for 248 yards and 2 scores, while Paxton Lynch more than held his own, going 28 of 38, for 296 and 2 scores as well. Lynch did this despite suffering 6 sacks at the hands of the Breaker D, including 2 from NFL import Ezekiel Ansah. Memphis did not get to Brees quite as often, but still managed to hold New Orleans out of the end zone for the final 25 minutes of game time, something few teams can boast.

The game began, as these division clashes often do, with both teams testing the opposing defenses out. Neither team scored in the opening period as the defenses proved to be stout and ready for what the OCs were throwing at them early. It would not be until 3:19 was left in the 2nd quarter that we got the first score of the day, and it was a score that no defense could have prevented. Drew Brees threw a perfect pass over the leaping corner. Jordy Nelson first tipped it with one hand and then brought it in before falling to the turf just across the goal line, an absolutely perfect pitch and catch for a 27-yard strike that gave the Breakers the early lead.

That score motivated the Showboats, who managed to get in range for Lewis Ward, who put up a 46-yarder to get Memphis on the board. And that is how the game went to the half, with the visitors up 7-3, but clearly with a lot left to play for in the second half. That second half started with Memphis kicking off to the visiting Breakers. The kickoff was short, with Tyler Lockett taking the ball at the 15. It would be his only kick return on the day (all the others being touchbacks) and we see why, after Lockett added 24 yards to the Breaker field position, allowing New Orleans to start the drive at the 39-yard line. From there, Drew Brees marched the squad down the field, getting only minimal help from the run game (Fournette averaged 3.4 yards per carry on the day, better than Todd Gurley’s 1.2 YPC, but still not enough to sustain the offense.) It would mostly be Brees who produced successful plays, first an 18-yard toss to Kenny Britt, and then Nelson’s 2nd TD of the day, another beautiful toss, though this time Nelson was clearly past the defense and clear. The score put New Orleans up 14-3, forcing Memphis to largely abandon the run for the remainder of the game.

The Showboats apparently were OK with becoming more one-dimensional, as Paxton Lynch had 21 of his 38 attempts in the 2nd half. On his first drive after the Breaker score, he responded with a TD of his own. It came at the end of a 14-play drive that saw New Orleans earn a 1st and goal at the 1-yard line. Just one play into that series of downs, Lynch found TE Dallas Goedert, a dark horse candidate for Rookie of the Year, for the score. The 2-point PAT would fail, but the Breakers would still be within range of the lead, down only 5 at 14-9.

Just as the fourth quarter began, the Breakers added 3 points, extending their lead to 8 points. A 40-yard kick from Caleb Sturgis put them up 17-9, but, unknown to the Breakers at the time, it would be their final points of the day. Almost exactly 15 minutes left, plenty of time for Memphis to turn the tables and win the day, but they would need absolutely every second of those 15 minutes to do it.

After trading short drives for nearly 8 minutes of the quarter, Memphis got the ball a 2nd time in the period with 7:01 left to play. They dinked and dunked their way down the field, with Lynch connecting with Goedert, Mark Clayton, and Cobi Hamilton, but on a 3rd and 3, an inside screen to Gurley was blown up by Breaker DT Ricky Jean-Francois and Memphis had to settle for a second Lewis Ward FG, this time a boomer, from 51 yards out. Memphis was back on the board but still trailed 17-12 with just 3:28 left to play.

The Showboats needed a stop and a touchdown to steal this game away from the Breakers. With nearly 40,000 Showboat fans cheering them on (another 9,000 fans were clearly in the Breaker’s camp), the Showboat D took the field and got down to business. After stuffing Fournette for no gain on 1st and 10, Memphis forced Brees to scramble on 2nd down, bringing him down only 1 yard past the line of scrimmage, setting up 3rd and 9 on the New Orleans 21. Coach Ryan, never shy about blitzing, sent the house on third down. LB Jarvis Jones appeared to have a bead on Drew Brees, but the diminutive QB slipped out from under the shot, and rolled to his right, but there he found DE Sam Acho, and was forced to throw the ball wide and short of Tyler Lockett. The Breakers would have to punt with only 47 seconds taken off the clock.

Memphis would get the ball on their own 39 with 2:47 left to play, one time out, and 61 yards needed to get the TD that would give them the win. They ended up using 2:46 of that time. Paxton Lynch would go 4 of 6 on the drive, connecting with Gurley on a beautiful 14-yard screen pass, Dallas Goedert with a nice outside cut, and Robert Woods with a pair of comeback routes, including a 9-yard completion on a 3rd and 8 that saved the drive for the Showboats. With 9 seconds on the clock, Memphis had 1st and goal on the 8. They would have 2, maybe 3 shots at the endzone before time ran out, and with no time outs remaining, their only chance was to go for the endzone on every play.

First down saw them waste just a little too much time before Lynch was forced to throw the ball out of the endzone to stop the clock. No one had gotten open against New Orleans’s tight zone. It was 2nd and goal, with only 4 seconds left and the crowd at Liberty Bowl Stadium went silent, hoping against hope that Lynch could fare better on what was almost certainly the last play of the game.

Lynch took the 2nd down snap from the shotgun, Gurley lined up next to him, Goedert out wide with Woods on the left, Clayton and Hamilton on the right. The defense set up to double team the big rookie TE, knowing he was Lynch’s favorite target, but when Goedert took a straight line up the field, it left space underneath. Hamilton crossed at about the 3-yard line, and Lynch found him streaking between the hashmarks. With the center of the field cleared out by Goedert, Hamilton was able to catch the ball in stride and slip into the endzone untouched. Memphis, with 1 second left on the clock, took a 2-point lead. That lead would stand as again the 2-point try was no good, but when Ward squib kicked the ball towards the New Orleans up men, they had no choice but to field the kick, and after a pair of awkward laterals, the game came to an end when LB Kwon Alexander was forced to scoop the ball up with his knee on the ground. A touch from the oncoming Showboats and the play was whistled dead.

Memphis, an underdog in their own stadium, would take the win and move into first place in the division. New Orleans, having gone from 7-1 to 7-3 after back-to-back losses to the Gamblers and Showboats, would slip into 3rd place, a game behind both division foes. It was a heck of a game, perhaps without the constant offensive fireworks of last week’s GOTW, but certainly with plenty of late game drama and edge-of-your-seat tension. Fun stuff to be sure.

PITTSBURGH 14  PHILADELPHIA 23

A huge win for the Stars, who could have slipped 2 games under .500, and a big disappointment for the Maulers, who could have stayed alone atop the NE Division. It was Philadelphia’s defense that gave this one to the Stars, with two of their offensive stars, HB Derrick Henry and QB Matt Gutierrez sidelined for the game. The Stars sacked Andy Dalton 6 times and held the combo of Sony Michel, Marcus Lattimore, and Jay Ajayi to only 41 combined rushing yards in a win that puts Philly within 1 game of the division lead.

POTG: Stars SS Glover Quinn: 2 Tck, 2 Sck, 3 PDef

OAKLAND 23  SAN DIEGO 35

Another huge win by a 4-5 club that needed it as backup QB Christian Ponder and former Outlaw Marques Colston helped the Thunder win their 3rd in a row to reach .500 and pull Oakland back down to the pack. Ponder threw for 310 yards and 4 TDs, while Colston reminded us what a threat he can be, catching 5 balls for 164 yards, an eye-popping 32.8 YPC. Christian McCaffrey had his first 100-yard game of the season, but it was not enough as San Diego went on a 28-0 run between the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 4th quarters to take the W.

POTG: Thunder backup QB Christian Ponder: 17/26, 310 Yds, 4 TD, 2 Int

CHARLOTTE 33  ORLANDO 15

The Monarchs consolidated their hold on the Southeastern Division by taking down their closest rival on the road. Mitch Trubisky went 21 of 30, with 3 touchdowns and Adrian Peterson added 117 yards as the Monarchs outpaced the Renegades, despite yet another multiple sack day from Calais Campbell. The Monarch D also came up big, holding Russell Wilson to only a 45.7% competion rate and limiting the run game to 63 total yards.

POTG: Monarch QB Mitch Trubisky: 21/30, 174 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int

ARIZONA 24  ST. LOUIS 31

The upset of the season, and one of its best games, as the Skyhawks seem to have new life with Lamar Jackson under center. Jackson went 17 of 26 for 173 and 3 TDs, connecting with Eddie Lacy as a receiver (2 TD catches) and the Skyhawk defense bent but did not break, giving up 382 yards to Ryan Nassib but also landing on 5 sacks and holding Arizona to only 2 touchdowns on 4 red zone trips, while also scoring a vital TD in the 3rd as Sean O’Connor returned a pick 63-yards to stun the Wranglers.

POTG: Skyhawk FR Sean O’Connor: 5 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD

BIRMINGHAM 18  DENVER 26

Two 4-5 clubs entered the game, only one could emerge at .500, and it was the homestanding Gold as a 21-0 run helped Denver build a 16-point lead byt the end of the 3rd. Demarco Murray rushed for 108 and the Gold got scores from Tate, Murray, and Lindsay on their way to the 8-point win. Cam Newton threw the ball well, but was a bit gimpy following 1st quarter safety, hindering his ability to contribute to the run game.

POTG: Gold CB Chidobe Auzie: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 PDef

BALTIMORE 13  PORTLAND 34

The Stag run game found plenty of success, as did the pass rush as Portland stifled the Blitz attack and held possession for nearly 36 minutes to move to 6-4 and playoff position. HBs Ben Tate and Travares Cadet combined for 138 yards and 2 scores, making life easier for rookie QB Kyle Lauletta, getting his 2nd start, and this time lasting the entire game. The Portland D sacked Big Ben 4 times, held the run game to only 50 total yards, and produced 3 takeaways to keep Baltimore under pressure all game.

POTG: Stag LB Nico Johnson: 11 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 PDef

HOUSTON 21  NEW JERSEY 10

Backup QB Ricky Stanzi struggled (17 of 41 with 8 sacks and a pick) while the Gamblers played a patient game of taking what the General D gave them, moving to 8-2 and the top spot in the Eastern Conference with the W. It was not an offensive showcase from the Gamblers, but they also did not make many mistakes on their way to the 11-point win. For General fans, the hope is that Nick Foles will return next week, because Stanzi was a sitting duck for the Houston pass rush.

POTG: Houston QB Colt McCoy: 13/23, 260 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int

OHIO 7  CHICAGO 16

Chicago joins the group of 4-5 teams that got the big win needed to return to .500. The Machine picked off Christian Hackenberg twice, including a very nice pick-six from CB Jordan Poyer, to upend the Glory in a defensive battle. Ohio would outgain the Machine (315-223), but that defensive score, combined with Chicago holding Ohio to 4 of 16 on 3rd and 4th downs helped Chicago hold the Glory to a single score on the day.

POTG: Machine CB Jordan Poyer: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 2 PDef

TAMPA BAY 13  ATLANTA 24

Dak Prescott blew up on the sideline as his efforts were for naught once again. The Tampa QB spent most of the game scrambling for his life, while Aaron Murray, also under pressure (6 sacks) managed to throw for 2 scores. HB Nick Chubb was the focal point of the Atlanta offense, rushing for 99 yards and a score. The Fire defense allowed 101 yards to Dalvin Cook, but kept pressure on Prescott all game as Atlanta pulled away in the 2nd half.

POTG: Atlanta HB Nick Chubb: 16 Att, 99 Yds, 1 TD

JACKSONVILLE 7  WASHINGTON 34

It was all Federals in this one as they firmly place themselves in the hunt for the NE Division with the win. Anthony Allen had only 61 yards rushing but scored three times in the Feder’ls' victory. The defense picked off RG3 twice and landed 4 sacks, while limiting Griffin to -6 yards rushing, all but imploding the Bulls’ gameplan. Garrard left the game late in the 3rd, but by then it was well in hand for Mike Flynn to mop up.

POTG: Washington LB Tremaine Edwards: 2 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF

MICHIGAN 17  DALLAS 3

In what is likely his final start for the Roughnecks this year, Brandon Wheedon was sacked 4 times, threw 2 picks, and could not get Dallas into the endzone in a game dominated by the Panther defense. Dallas converted only 2 of 17 3rd or 4th down plays, and turned the ball over 3 times in the defeat. For Michigan, LeVeon Bell rushed for 109 as the Panthers were happy to control the ball and the clock to earn their 6th win and retake a share of 1st in the Central.

POTG: Michigan LB Phillip Dillard: 4 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int

OKLAHOMA 24  LAS VEGAS 31

Las Vegas gets a big win at home to stay alive in the SW Division. The Vipers got a big game from Kareem Hunt (68 yards and 3 TDs) as the back still awaits a verdict from the league on his possible suspension. For Oklahoma Joe Flacco threw for 293 yards and 2 scores, despite being sacked 5 times as Oklahoma opened up the passing game some more, but it was not enough as Las Vegas survived a 2-0 turnover deficit to build a 31-14 lead and then held on in the 4th.

POTG: Viper HB Kareem Hunt: 16 Att, 68 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Rec, 16 Yds

LOS ANGELES 24  SEATTLE 27

The Express offense showed some life but again fell short as Seattle got the only score of the final period to take the W at home. After falling behind 20-7 in the first half, Los Angeles dominated the 3rd quarter, putting up 17 points, to take a 24-27 lead, but fell flat in the 4th. Seattle added a late Marshall Newhouse TD to take the W. Newhouse had 3 TDs on the day, becoming Matt McGloin’s favorite red zone target throughout the game.

POTG: Portland QB Matt McGloin: 29/39, 256 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int

Philly D Shines vs. Maulers

After a rough month of action that saw Philadelphia drop 3 of 4 games, the Stars had had enough. The defense in particular was not happy after losses in Pittsburgh, Washington and Baltimore, all bad division games to lose. So, with the club returning home, the Stars defense decided to take a stand, and stand they did. With both QB Matt Gutierrez and HB Derrick Henry out of action this week, the defensive squad knew they would need to hold the Maulers down to have any shot at a victory. And while Pittsburgh would outgain Philadelphia, they would not outscore them. The Stars defense shut down the Pittsburgh run game, limiting the Maulers to a total of only 40 yards on the ground, they would harass Andy Dalton, sacking him 6 times and hitting him plenty more, and they would force Pittsburgh to battle for every yard.

The Maulers actually led 14-13 in the game but put together no offense at all in the 4th quarter, while the Stars scored on 3 drives to pull ahead and earn the victory. The frustrating final quarter for Dalton and the Mauler offense was obvious to all who watched, as was the teamwork and spirit of Philly’s D, a group that simply had had enough of losing in the division, and was not about to drop another game, not at home, and not to their rivals from the Western side of the state.

San Diego, Chicago & Denver Not Dead Yet

Sitting at 4-5, it is easy to see a team give up hope and slowly fall from the playoff hunt. But that was not the case this week for several 4-win clubs. The Thunder had been fighting back from a 2-5 start for several weeks, knocking off LA and Denver before this week’s huge matchup against the Invaders. Their win over Oakland not only pulled them back to .500 but brought Oakland back to the pack as well.

For Chicago, the key was staying close enough to Michigan to have a shot at a late run. With Ohio also proving a tough out, their challenge was even tougher, but after knocking off St. Louis 2 weeks ago, the win over Ohio this weekend, helped Chicago not only pull within a game of both the Glory and the Panthers, but improve their division record to a solid 4-1, several games up on both of the division foes ahead of them in the standings.

Finally, Denver, who started the season strong at 3-0, then lost 5 of 6, were up against the wall. Another loss would put them at 4-6, two games under .500, stuck in 4th place, and 3 games behind division-leading Arizona. Problem was that their Week 10 foe, Birmingham, was also 4-6, and very much in a similar state of desperation. Denver would battle with the Stallions for 4 quarters, but in the end they emerged victorious, and with a loss by the Wranglers and the Outlaws, Denver’s 5-5 record now had them tied for 2nd and only 2 games back of the lead in the Southwest.

With 6 weeks left in the season, all three of these teams are still very much in the mix. Even a 4-2 finish could set them up well, so it is almost as if they start the season over at 5-5, with every game to come a must win.

“Upset of the Year” or A New Age in St. Louis?

Just how should we interpret St. Louis’s surprising 31-24 victory over the visiting Wranglers. Was this a fluke, a trap game that Arizona simply assumed they would win, a major upset, or a sign that St. Louis was turning the page on the past few disappointing seasons and gearing up to reassert themselves? For many fans, that last option is the one they are choosing. With a new rookie QB looking very much like the steal of the draft, Skyhawk fans are getting excited about the future, and the present, for this team. Chants of “Ka-Kaw” and “Battle, Hawks!” reigned down on Arizona throughout the game, a volume and intensity we have not heard in the Gateway City in a long time. Will enthusiasm and a newfound optimism be enough for a club with serious defensive issues, maybe not, but that spirit is certainly providing the players with newfound energy, and with Lamar Jackson seemingly oblivious to the fact that as a rookie he is expected to need time to build success, the Skyhawks are feeling ready to fly right now.

Leinart Makes Swan Song Season Official

It had been suspected for some time, seemed even more likely when Denver traded up to pick Wyoming QB Josh Allen in the 2018 Open Draft, but now is official. The 2018 season will be the final go around for QB Matt Leinart. 2018 represents Leinart’s 13 season after coming out of USC and becoming a member of the Gold. He has been the starter in Denver since that first season in 2006, and he has had success in that role, leading Denver to the playoffs in 7 of his 12 seasons to date. The big prize of a league title has eluded him, with a 2-7 record in postseason play, but despite unmet goals, Leinart’s career has been more than solid, it has been a model of consistency. The 2018 season has Leinart (so far at least) above a 90.0 QB Rating for the 7th time in his career. He is on pace for over 20 touchdowns for the 6th time, and he is still very much in the hunt for a playoff berth, especially after this week’s home win over Birmingham.

So, it was a bit of odd timing, perhaps, when the former Trojan QB made it public that he had informed Coach Hufnagel and the front office back in the offseason of his expectation to retire after the 2018 campaign. With Denver choosing a 1st round QB in the draft, many suspected that after a short mentoring and adjustment period, Josh Allen would be given the keys to the offense, and that Leinart might well be on his way out, but many wondered if this would mean retirement or a possible free agent option for their QB of 12 years. We now know that it was the former and that the Gold’s season finale at Invesco Field against Chicago could very likely be the final game for Leinart as the Gold QB.

With Leinart’s intentions made public, many now wonder if he will be alone in his announcement, or if his retirement might be the start of a generational shift. After all, the 34-year-old Leinart is a solid 5 years younger than New Orleans’s Drew Brees, 3 years the junior of Las Vegas’s Eli Manning, and still younger than others like David Garrard, Ryan Fitzpatrick, David Carr, and Ben Roethlisberger (though only by 8 months in Big Ben’s case.) Could Leinart be the tip of the iceberg for a wave of quarterback announcements. Fans across the league hope not, because, while Denver made plans by signing Josh Allen and giving him a year to learn under Leinart, the same cannot be said for clubs like Las Vegas, Washington, Chicago, or New Orleans. Arizona appears to have gotten lucky with Ryan Nassib’s play this year, and Baltimore seems to like the prospect of Jake Locker taking over for Big Ben someday, but none of the clubs have an indisputable protégé on the roster right now, making Coach Hufnagel look pretty smart for taking a shot at Allen, though we have yet to see how the athletic former Cowpoke will turn out as a pro.  For now, we enjoy what we have left of Matt Leinart’s season and hope for the best for him and the Gold.

Kingsbury to Start Freeman in Saturday Night Prime Time Game

Our big story last week was the trade that sent former league MVP Josh Freeman from St. Louis to Dallas. And while Freeman’s replacement, Lamar Jackson, continues to shine for the Skyhawks, the former MVP watched as Dallas could do almost nothing this past week in a 17-3 smothering by the Michigan Panthers. Well, this week it seems that Freeman will get his shot at doing something about it. Coach Kliff Kingsbury has announced that after only 9 days in Dallas, Josh Freeman will suit up as the starter for the Roughnecks when they take on Arizona this week at the Cotton Bowl. Expect a warm welcome for the former Skyhawk as Dallas fans are ready to move on after another lost season with former Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel in trouble with the league for alcohol. After Manziel’s 2nd major suspension, this time for the entire season, it is widely expected that Dallas may cut Manziel loose this offseason, moving on with a former MVP and league champion as their new QB. Well, if that is the case, it all begins this week, with Josh Freeman leading the Roughneck offense onto the field against both a division rival and one of the best defenses in the league.

With no teams clinched, or likely to clinch this early, we thought we would do something different this week, and just take a quick look around all 6 divisions to see what we see. So, rather than just tell you that there are no clinching scenarios to be had in Week 11, here is our look at the state of each of the USFL’s six division races.

NORTHEAST: Losses by Pittsburgh and New Jersey have made this division race a tight one, with two 6-win teams (the Maulers and Federals) closely pursued by two 5-win clubs in New Jersey and Philly. Only Baltimore seems to be out of the picture. Some big games are coming up in this division race, with New Jersey at Washington in Week 13, the Feds at Philly in Week 14, Pittsburgh at New Jersey that same week, the Generals facing the Stars in Week 15 and Pittsburgh heading to Washington in the season finale.

SOUTHEAST: Charlotte may just be pulling away after they struggled with Atlanta and Orlando in the first half of the season. The Monarchs now hold a 2-game lead over both the Renegades and Fire, with Orlando having lost 2 in a row while Charlotte has won their last 3. If either the Fire or ‘Gades are going to catch the Monarchs, they are going to need help as 3 of 4 games between the Monarchs and their pursuers have been played, with Charlotte going 2-0 over Orlando and winning the Week 8 matchup with Atlanta. The Fire have one last shot at Charlotte in Week 15, but will need to pick up a game on the Monarchs before then if that game is going to have an impact on the race.

SOUTHERN: This has to be our favorite race. We have the Gamblers and Showboats now at 8-2, with New Orleans, once a game up at 7-1, now a game back at 7-3. The Gamblers will face Memphis one more time in the season finale, and that game could be a huge factor for all 3 teams. Memphis may be in the best position of all 3 teams to control their own destiny, as they also face off against the Breakers in Week 12, after having beaten them by 2 points this week.

CENTRAL: This is a season for close division races, and the Central is also in that mix, as all 4 teams are within 2 games of each other, with Ohio and Michigan atop the division at 6-4, Chicago a game back after their win over the Glory, and St. Louis apparently still in the mix as Lamar Jackson has helped them win 3 of 4, to sneak into the fight at 4-6. Michigan remains the favorite and can help themselves with upcoming games in St. Louis (Week 12) and Ohio (Week 13) and a final divisional home game against the Machine in Week 15.

SOUTHWEST: This division is still Arizona’s to lose, with the Wranglers still 2.5 games up on both Oklahoma and Denver. With a 4-1 division record, the Wranglers have a nice tiebreaker, though a tie seems unlikely with Arizona’s tie keeping them a half game off from their closest competitors. The battle may well be for 2nd place, making Denver’s trip to Oklahoma this week perhaps the most pivotal game of the season for both clubs.

PACIFIC: At one point it seemed like Oakland would run away with the division, but the picture is getting a bit murkier with San Diego coming on strong and Portland proving they are very much in contention. After San Diego’s win over the Invaders this week, Oakland’s lead over Portland is only 1 game, and San Diego is only a game back from that. Believe it or not, at 4-6, even Seattle still has hopes that they can find a way into the postseason. Oakland still has the best position at 7-3, and with 2 games against a putrid LA Express team, they can strengthen that lead before facing Portland in Week 16.

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A somewhat lighter week across the league’s injury lists, though certainly the loss of any player at this key part of the season is going to be an issue for a club, and when you lose two players, like we see with Michigan this week. WR Jerrel Jernigan will be missed, as will SS Jabril Peppers, though Peppers could be back as early as Week 12. For Washington, the loss of guard Taylor Moton could be a major blow to their offense, as he is one of the better pulling guards in the game. Certainly, Anthony Allen will notice his absence.

OUT

G          Taylor Moton            WSH           Back               IR

CB         Brandon Carr          DAL              ACL               IR

HB           T. J. Yeldon               TBY               PCL                 4-6 Weeks

WR          Jerrel Jernigan        MGN            Leg                4-6 Weeks

OT         Julian Davenport     MEM            ACL                  4-6 Weeks

CB           Kevin Johnson         ORL                 Quad               4-6 Weeks

TE        Brent Celek              LA                   Arm                 2-4 Weeks

SS         Jabril Peppers         MGN              Turf Toe            1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

CB           Isaac Yiadom           NJ                  Migraines

DE           Victor Abiami          CHI                Back

WR          Dontrelle Inman      BIR                   Hamstring

QUESTIONABLE

G             Logan Mankins      OAK              MCL

LB            Chad Greenway     OKL                 Eye

DE           Adrian Clayborn      STL                Thigh Bruise

DE           Arthur Moats          ORL               Wrist

Which USFL Coaches Are Feeling the Heat?

By Week 10 of any USFL season, it is pretty clear who may be feeling the heat of a possible coaching change. We may not be able to predict all the moves that will take place between now and Black Monday, but we can certainly see the writing on the wall for several coaches. With Andy Reid already stepping down in LA, we have our first coaching change already in place, but that does not mean we are anywhere near done with teams trying to find a new direction. Here, after 10 weeks, is our look at 6 coaches likely feeling things getting a bit toasty as they try to salvage not only the rest of the season, but their potential job for 2019.

LA Express Interim HC Emmitt Thomas

Whenever your title has the word “Interim” in front of it, you know you are simply auditioning for a chance. The problem for Thomas is that Andy Reid left in large part because even he could not find answers on offense for this team, and defensive-minded Emmitt Thomas is having no better luck. Since taking over the team after Week 6, the Express have dropped 4 in a row, and apparently the defense has gotten worse without Thomas focused exclusively there. The odds that LA decides to stick with Thomas for 2019 seem pretty slim.

Jacksonville HC Brian Flores

Flores was brought in this year to turn around a Jacksonville team that had a solid defense but no continuity on offense. The result after 10 games, the defense is worse and the offense is no better. The Bulls are not only 27th in the league in scoring, but 26th in scoring defense, a combination that produces an average margin of defeat of over 12 points. Yes, Flores is in his first year, and has not had a chance to craft the team the way he would like, but if Jacksonville cannot show something in the next 6 weeks, he may not get a second chance.

Tampa Bay HC June Jones

Another 1-9 club down the road from Jacksonville as the Bandits are also struggling on both sides of the ball. They do have the league’s 3rd best passing attack, but with little in the run game and the league’s absolute worst defense (29.8 PPGA and 374.3 YPGA), things are looking very shaky for Coach Jones. After a 5-11 season last year, Jones may not be able to afford dropping to 1-3 wins in his second year.

Birmingham HC Henry Ellard

We had Ellard on this list midway through last season, but a nice finish got Birmingham to 9-7 and gave Ellard another season to continue the upward trajectory. The problem with that is with higher expectations there is more room to fall. Sitting at 4-6, Birmingham needs to get back to .500 or Ellard could wear out his welcome, even with a club where he has a lot of history.

Baltimore HC Jim Caldwell

After winning a league title in his first season with the Blitz, and then going 13-3 his second season, the Blitz seem to be slipping, and many are wondering if Caldwell’s early success was not all his doing, but the carryover from his predecessor. After back to back 9-7 seasons, both with playoff trips, the hope was that Baltimore would bounce back to 10+ wins. What we are seeing instead is a Blitz team that cannot seem to get out of its own way, dropping to 3-7 after 10 weeks and looking like a possible 10-loss season. That may not be enough to cost Caldwell his position, but it does put him on the hot seat going into 2019.

Oklahoma HC Greg Landry

Why are we putting the coach of a 5-5 team, one in 2nd place in its division, on the hot seat? In part due to expectations, in part due to what appears to be a failed experiment with smashmouth football. Oklahoma shifted its offensive scheme mid-season in 2017, with some success. But the 2018 season seems to be proving that the Outlaws are just not getting results with the strategy, forcing Landry to put more on QB Joe Flacco the past couple of weeks. We are still trying to figure out how Marshawn Lynch is averaging only 3.6 YPC in a power run scheme. He has had his best games of the season the past two weeks, when Flacco was doing more passing and the team had more 3-receiver sets. With 6 weeks left, Oklahoma and Landry have a chance to prove they can adapt and get wins even if Lynch struggles.

Top 15 Players Likely to Hit Free Agency in August

It is always tough to determine, even this late in the season, which players in contract years will sign a new deal and which will enter the free agent market. So many deals are done in the final weeks of the season, and even in the postseason, and yet, sometimes there are signs. Either a player is vocal about wanting a bigger role on the team, or there is clearly a falling out with the coaches, in other cases it seems clear the team may go in a new direction, or there is just a feeling that a player can make a windfall by testing out the market. Whatever the indicators, our bullpen has put together a very early, very speculative list of who we believe the biggest names to hit free agency will be. So, with a warning that we could well be wrong on any one of these, here is our list of 15 potential high value free agents this offseason.

QB Robert Griffin III (JAX)

Despite the struggles of Teddy Bridgewater, and the very real possibility that there will be a new coaching staff in Jacksonville in 2019, we just don’t see the Bulls bringing Griffin back. He has had some exciting outings over his 3+ years with the Bulls, but the team has also gone 17-41 during Griffin’s run, which is not a record most QBs can survive.

HB C. J. Anderson (SEA)

The Dragons clearly see Anderson as a short yardage back, preferring to use Knowshon Moreno as their primary, which does not sit well with the 5-year vet. Anderson’s contract is up this year and we fully expect him to try to find a scenario where he is at least splitting carries instead of being relegated to specific short-yardage situations.

HB Knile Davis (OAK)

Davis came to the Invaders with the expectation that he would be a 3rd down weapon and see between 150-200 carries a season. However, with the arrival of Christian McCaffrey, Davis’s role has been reduced as the Invaders like to keep CMC in on passing downs (and who could blame them?). Davis is now a man without a role on this Invader team, and likely will finish the season with 100 or fewer touches. There are other locations where he certainly would have a bigger role, including a traditional 3rd Down Back role, so we think he hits the market to find one of those teams.

HB Anthony Dixon (BAL)

With Kerwynn Williams clearly taking on a larger role for Baltimore, and with turning 31, it just does not feel like resigning the 8-year veteran is a high priority for the Blitz. Dixon will likely have to take on a limited role, perhaps as a backup rather than in a running back duo, but having averaged over 4 yards per carry the past 3 seasons, we do think he will find a spot somewhere, unless he decides to retire.

WR Aaron Dobson (CHI)

This would be a blow to the Machine for sure, but Dobson is a top tier receiver, and will garner top tier money if Chicago cannot free up the funds to sign him in the next few weeks. We are quite sure Dobson’s agent prefers for him to test the waters, especially if the rumors are true that Ryan Fitzpatrick will not be resigned. That throws the QB situation in Chicago up in the air, something no receiver wants, and Dobson, in a contract year, has the ability to bail if he thinks the situation will not be in his favor.

WR Victor Cruz (PIT)

No QB change in Pittsburgh, but Cruz has been vocally upset about his diminished role this year. Adam Thielen is the clear number one for Dalton, and with more passes going to the TE’s and to slot receiver Ted Ginn, Cruz is feeling ignored. He has only 337 yards so far this season and only 2 TDs, just about half what Thielen is seeing. There will be teams in free agency that can offer Cruz a larger role, and we think he will seek them out.

DT Star Lotulelei (DAL)

We move to defense, and while Dallas certainly wants to sign one of their biggest defensive contributors, there are plenty of voices telling Lotulelei that he would be better off, both financially and with more options to win a title, if he goes elsewhere. With a coaching change very possible, and with a market for Star’s talents, we think he holds out and takes a deal to move on.

DE Mario Williams (MEM)

Williams does not get a lot of attention nationally, not since going to Memphis and playing on some pretty shaky teams, but Rex Ryan loves him, and why not, he has had over 10 sacks every season with the Showboats (He has 9 right now, with 6 weeks to play). We expect the Showboats to do what they can to extend Williams, but we also know that they have some cap issues, so a deal may be tough to find and Williams could easily garner Top 5 DE money on a 2-3 year deal if he moves on.

LB Shawne Merriman (WSH)

This year we see several really good linebackers in contract years, and there is some speculation that the Federals will try to add youth at the position, meaning that they may well be fine with cutting loose the 13-year veteran and going for a younger, faster player. Assuming Merriman does not go the retirement route, we think he will certainly find a nice 1-2 year deal with someone.

LB Brian Orakpo (TBY)

An All-USFL talent (2017 first team), Orakpo has all the leverage in his dealings with Tampa Bay. The team is pretty horrible. Orakpo is almost a 1-man show on defense, and the club could see a major overhaul with both the GM and head coach June Jones looking very shaky right now. All of that points to Orakpo holding off on any extension and getting a lot of attention on the market, and we mean “highest paid LB in the league” kind of attention.

LB Aldon Smith (NJ)

If you are a team looking for outside pursuit, effective blitzing, and a winning attitude, you have to be salivating over the fact that New Jersey has not been able to resign Aldon Smith yet. If he hits the market, there will be no shortage of teams throwing bags of cash at the 7-year vet. Smith could reach 10 sacks this year, along with 70-80 tackles, he is only 28, and he is a disruptor. Those are all things that GM’s get very excited about.

LB Clay Matthews (LA)

The Express are a sinking ship, a team in need of a major overhaul, with an interim coach, a truly underwhelming offense, and a lot of question marks. None of that is what a 9-year vet, turning 30, wants as he looks at what may be his last contract. Matthews deserves better after being one of the best players on the up-and-down Express franchise his entire career. Yes, he is an LA guy, played at USC, but he has to think practically at this phase of his career, and pretty much everyone agrees that moving on would be in his best interest.

LB Jerod Mayo (CHA)

Mayo is a 33-year old, 10-year vet, who may just be having his best season yet. That game against Atlanta gave him some nice spotlight, something he has not really received playing alongside Rolando McClain and in a somewhat ignored market like Charlotte. We know that McClain loves Coach Mora, and the Monarchs have a solid squad around him and McClain, so maybe he stays, but if he waits until free agency, he could get an offer that only a fool would turn down, either from a rival USFL team or a chance to jump to the NFL.

CB Pacman Jones (OKL)

With his rookie deal expiring, and with a very nice resume to shop around, we think Jones will certainly hit the market. He is a bit of a showboat and there are certainly larger markets and more media opportunities in places other than Oklahoma City. The Outlaws will do what they can to resign the Pacman, but we think he is going to try to find his way to a major media market on one of the coasts and try to cash in on his pretty good play by adding some pretty big media deals.

CB Joe Haden (ARZ)

One of the last holdouts from Arizona’s championship defenses of recent years, Haden has maintained his status as one of the elite corners in the league despite major turnover on the Wrangler roster. So, does Arizona lose him now, or does Haden see that he has it pretty good, with an outstanding team, great coaching staff, and a new defense that seems to be almost as good as the one that garnered him two championship rings. If the Wranglers can free up some cap space, they could, and we think, should, make Haden the highest paid DB in the league. He has certainly earned it.

Week 11 is officially the “home stretch”, and that means almost every game has heightened importance. That is certainly true for all 4 teams in action on Friday night as each comes into the weekend on the fringe of the playoff race at either 5-5 or 4-6. We start the evening in Atlanta, where the Fire are now 2 games behind Charlotte, while Birmingham is just praying for a bit of a miracle to allow them to be the 4th team from the South to garner a playoff spot. Then it is off to OKC, where two 5-5 clubs from the Southwest meet, both desperate to make a run. Denver is in town and we think the loser of this game may well have to come to grips that they are not really in the hunt.

Saturday brings us some really nice interdivisional showdowns in the early slot, with 4 teams currently in playoff position facing off. New Jersey is in New Orleans on ABC while Pittsburgh heads to Charlotte on Fox. Then, at 4pm, we have another 5-5 showdown with Chicago and San Diego facing off at Qualcomm. The winner of this one could be in a good position to control their own destiny in the Wild Card race or even dream of a division title. We have one more 5-5 game at 7pm when Orlando heads to Philadelphia. Both divisions are up for grabs, so this game is almost like a mini playoff game.

Sunday is not quite as action packed. Unless you really care who gets the number one pick in the draft, you might want to tune out the Jacksonville-Tampa Bay game, because these are two pretty bad teams playing pretty unwatchable football. A much better option is the national noon game on FOX, where the 6-4 Stags head to Michigan to play the 6-4 Panthers. With both the Pacific and the Central races tightening up, this could be a huge game for both teams. We are intrigued as well by the 4pm game between Washington and Arizona. The Feds still have a lot of folks doubting them, and after a surprising loss in St. Louis, the Wranglers have some questions to answer as well.

Friday @ 6pm ET       Birmingham (4-6) @ Atlanta (5-5)               NBC

Friday @ 8pm ET             Denver (5-5) @ Oklahoma (5-5)                    FOX

Saturday @ 12pm ET       New Jersey (5-4-1) @ New Orleans (7-3)      ABC

Saturday @ 12pm ET       Pittsburgh (6-4) @ Charlotte (7-3)                    FOX

Saturday @ 4pm ET         Chicago (5-5) @ San Diego (5-5)                     ABC

Saturday @ 4pm ET         Memphis (8-2) @ Las Vegas (4-6)                      FOX

Saturday @ 7pm ET         Orlando (5-5) @ Philadelphia (5-5)                  NBC

Saturday @ 9pm ET       Arizona (7-2-1) @ Dallas (3-7)                         ESPN/EFN

Sunday @ 12pm ET        St. Louis (4-6) @ Ohio (6-4)                              ABC Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET        Jacksonville (1-9) @ Tampa Bay (1-9)               ABC Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET       Portland (6-4) @ Michigan (6-4)                      FOX

Sunday @ 4pm ET           Los Angeles (1-9) @ Oakland (7-3)                    ABC

Sunday @ 4pm ET            Washington (6-4) @ Houston (8-2)                    FOX

Sunday @ 8pm ET            Seattle (4-6) @ Baltimore (3-7)                        ESPN/EFN