2018 USFL Week 12 Recap: Close and Yet Far

It was a week with just about everything. We had some upsets, like St. Louis over Michigan or LA over Philadelphia. We had some amazing divisional clashes, like Seattle upending Portland, New Orleans outlasting Memphis, Birmingham stunning Houston, and our game of the week, which saw Baltimore upend the Washington Federals. We also had some frontrunners acting like frontrunners, with Arizona demolishing Las Vegas and Pittsburgh stifling San Diego. We had big games from defenses, from quarterbacks, and from run games across the league. But what we had more than anything was drama, as games went down to the wire, and teams stayed alive in a playoff hunt that is looking like one that will need all 16 weeks to come to a conclusion. We now have a “Pack of 6-6”, with 8 teams (6 in the West) all sitting at the .500 mark. Add in the 6-5-1 Generals in the East and you have 9 teams all eyeing 3 playoff spots (4 at the most if we include 7-5 Michigan). Even 5-7 St. Louis and Birmingham may now still be in the mix as we head into the final month of the season. We will break it all down for you, share the Week 12 Power Rankings, and give you five players to watch over the season's final month. All coming up, so don’t go anywhere.

Eight Teams at 6-6 have 4-game Season to Define Their Year

They were dubbed the “Pack of 6-6” by ESPN commentator Joey Galloway, and it is a name that sticks. Eight clubs (nine with 6-5-1 New Jersey), all stuck at .500, all fighting for their Wild Card lives with one month left. Any team that can finish strong, maybe 3-1, and certainly 4-0, can lay claim to a playoff berth. Clubs that continue their streak of inconsistent play and finish 2-2 could well be on the outside looking in. It is a cluster of mid-level play that almost certainly guarantees us a lot of drama and a lot of hard-fought games down the stretch, exactly the kind of parity that both the USFL and the NFL dreams of, because it means butts in seats and eyes on screens over the final month.

So, who looks to be in the best position of these 9 mid-table teams? Well, if you are looking for the hottest teams in the pack, that would be Seattle, yes Seattle doing it again, and possibly San Diego, as the Pacific gets interesting. Seattle has won 3 in a row, and once again appear to be a strong finisher, having won 6 of their last 7. If only they could win some games in March they could actually compete for a division title. San Diego, who many expected to win the Pacific Division, also started off poorly, klosing their 1st 4 games, but have now won 4 of their last 5, with only this week’s tough road matchup in Pittsburgh as a blemish on their late run. Believe it or not, with Oakland only 2 games up and having lost 2 of their last 3, both the Dragons and Thunder believe they are still very much in a race for the division title, not just a possible Wild Card.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have the Portland Stags, who have lost 4 of their last 6, including this week’s home loss to Cascade Clash rival Seattle. They still have games against the Thunder and the Invaders, so their season is still very much in the mix as they look for Marcus Mariota to return to action perhaps as soon as this upcoming weekend.

Orlando has lost 3 of 4, dropping from 5-3 down to 6-6, and have struggled to find rhythm on either side of the ball in this past month. They are still only 1 game behind Atlanta for 2nd place in the division, and they have 2 nice games lined up against the division’s sad sacks, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville, in the next 2 weeks, so they feel they can still make a run.

New Jersey sits a half-game up on the pack, thanks to their tie with Arizona back in Week 3, but a recent run of brutal games (losses at Pittsburgh, home to Houston and New Orleans, and this week’s win in Oakland) have pulled them back to the pack. They have 3 straight division games on the docket (@ WSH, v. PIT, and v. PHI) and a 3-0 run in those games could vault the Generals right back into the mix, but they have to find more on offense than they have shown in recent weeks. The return of Nick Foles under center could not come at a better time for this squad.

Chicago, Oklahoma, Denver, and Washington are the other clubs in the mix, all four having alternated wins and losses for most of the season. All four need to find some consistency, some rhythm, and some mojo if they want to go on a late run and find themselves in Week 17 action as a Wild Card. Of the 4, the one with the best shot seems to be Chicago, who face 2-10 LA this week and 4-8 Las Vegas the week after. They will have a huge season ender in Denver, with both teams possibly still in the hunt.

Denver has perhaps the toughest road, with four very tough games on the schedule: @ Memphis, v. Houston, then at the very plucky Skyhawks, and the road finale at Chicago. We like Oklahoma’s chances, since they play 3 other teams in this mix, visiting Seattle this week, before finishing home to Birmingham, at Arizona, and a big Week 16 game against another 6-6 club, with Portland visiting OGE Energy Stadium in the finale.

Finally, there is Washington. Every time we think they have turned a corner they slip up, as we saw this week in Baltimore. They have a tough final month, with New Jersey in town this week, then a trip to Philly, before hosting LA and Pittsburgh to close out the season. They may well hope that Pittsburgh wraps up the division and a bye before Week 16, so they play against some backups, but the Maulers may well be locked in a division race as well, so don’t count on a win there. It should be a Week 16 classic.

So, the long version of saying, this final month is going to be a war of attrition, and that to get a playoff spot, maybe even a divisional title in some cases, this “Pack of 6-6” is going to have to fight each and every week, because 10-6 is very likely a playoff record, while 8-8, and maybe even 9-7 is no guarantee of a postseason trip this year.  Should be fun for us, brutal for all 8 head coaches and their teams, but a lot of fun for us.

WASHINGTON FEDERALS 33  BALTIMORE BLITZ 34

This week’s Federals-Blitz game is a perfect example of why we love rivalries. By all rights this should have been a one-sided affair in favor of the visiting Federals. Baltimore had lost 4 of their last 5 and were essentially out of any playoff contention. Washington sat at 6-5 and were in the thick of a playoff hunt, still clinging to hopes of a division title but certainly in play for a Wild Card. They had beaten this same Blitz team back in Week 6, but since that game the two teams had seemed headed in different directions. But, this is a rivalry game, and as they say, throw the records out because this game was sure to be personal.

So, when Washington built up a 30-14 advantage early in the 3rd, this could have easily turned into a route for the ascending Federals, but you don’t let your rivals do that to you, so the Blitz fought, and fought their way all the way back, taking a lead early in the 4th only to see Washington retake it later in the period, requiring a last minute score to once again regain the advantage. That is what rivalry games get you, dogged determination and surprising results. In the end the Blitz willed themselves to victory, outgaining Washington by nearly 200 yards (489-292) and exposing the Federal defense in a way few have the past month. They got a huge game from, who else, Ben Roethlisberger, putting up the ball 37 times, throwing for 406 yards, and adding 3 touchdowns to his season total. In the end, the ability of the Blitz to move the ball proved the downfall of the favored Federals, and put quite a dent in their hopes for a division title.

The game started with both defenses playing close zones, not giving up much, but also not exposing any issues. Washington would have the first successful drive, a 9-play quick-moving drive that saw David Garrard connect on two key 3rd down plays before Joique Bell took the ball to the corner of the endzone to give Washington the early lead. They would add to that lead as the 2nd quarter began, with Adam Vinatieri boosting the advantage to 10. But, Baltimore was still in the game, and after their own solid drive, one that saw Big Ben connect with Brian Hartline for 35 yards, only to have Anthony Dixon punch the ball in, it was a very manageable 10-7 deficit for the Blitz.

Washington was held to another field goal on their next drive, giving Baltimore the chance to take their first lead of the day, which they did when Big Ben hit Brian Hartline on an in-cutting route for the score. With 1:15 left in the half it was the homestanding Blitz up 14-13. Washington would use some quick strikes from Garrard to Tyreek Hill and Brandon LaFell to get in range for Vinatieri, and with time running out in the first half, Washington retook the lead 16-14 in what looked to be a classic back and forth game.

The Federals started with the ball in the 3rd, and wasted no time expanding on their slim lead. After finding Kellen Davis for 12 yards on 3rd and 7, and then getting a nice 14-yard run from Anthony Allen, the Federals found 7 points in the form of a Garrard to Keenan Allen touchdown toss. With Vinatieri’s kick, the lead was now 9, 23-14. Baltimore tried to respond, but Washington, which had 6 sacks on the day, got to Big Ben on 3rd and 6, with CB Brandon Boykin coming in on a corner blitz. Untouched, Boykin nearly stripped the ball from Roethlisberger, and while he could possibly have recovered, he fell to the ground to avoid the turnover as others crashed in on him. That forced a Blitz punt, and that punt led to the biggest play of the day for Washington. Tyreek Hill, who has been seeing more and more time on offensive snaps, continues to excel in the return game, and on this occasion returned the William Levy punt 68 yards, weaving and spinning out of tackles before finally being bumped out of bounds at the Baltimore 4. That return set up Washington to expand the lead to 16 with a score. On his second carry of the short possession, Allen plunged up the middle, between the center and the right guard, and found paydirt. Washington now led 30-14 with about 20 minutes of game time to play.

It was here where some in the stands started to grumble. Once again the Blitz had allowed a big play to put the game out of range. Or at least that is what some were thinking aloud. But that was not the sentiment on the Blitz sideline. Balitmore returned to the field, pushed the ball down the field, and pulled the score back within 2 touchdowns with a Josh Lambo 45-yarder. Still, down 13 with just over a quarter to play was not particularly motivating. Baltimore would need a big play. They would get one just as the third quarter was closing.

The Blitz defense allowed Washington to reach their own 41, but stopped the Feds on a 3rd and 2 when Allen was stuffed behind the line of scrimmage by the combo of DT Angelo Blackson and DE Olivier Vernon. Washington punted, and Lachlan Edwards put the ball at the Baltimore 7. After a 1-yard run by Kerwynn Williams on 1st down, Baltimore faked the ball to Williams, and Big Ben found time in the pocket. Washington had only sent 4, and the Baltimore line had accounted for them. By the time Roethlisberger let loos the ball, the defenders were in full panic mode, the original play having broken down and several players having added additional moves. The ball did not go to one of the speedy receivers Washington had double covered, but to receiving tight end C. J. Ozumah. The third year end was wide open on a seam route, and when the safety misjudged his jump, the receiver was able to escape the ankle tackle. He got some help from Darius Heyward-Bey, who held the corner away from the rumbling tight end, and in what seemed a 20-minute play (Ozumah is a solid receiver, but hardly the fastest in a 100-yard dash), Baltimore had a 92-yard touchdown on a play that exposed Washington’s secondary. They had so feared the wide outs, that they simply had not adequately defended over the middle and Ozumah had made them pay.

Down only 30-24 after the score. The Blitz could feel the tide turning, and their fans were letting them know that they believed in their team. As the fourth quarter began, the Baltimore defense again stymied the Federals and the Blitz again took over, now with a chance to take the lead. The score would not come so quickly, taking nearly 4 minutes for the Blitz to get into the red zone, but it came sure enough, with Roethlisberger hitting Heyward-Bey for his 3rd TD pass of the day, a 15-yarder that, with the kick, gave Baltimore a surprising 31-30 lead with 12:23 left to play.

The ensuing 12 minutes of action could not go fast enough for the Blitz, They would hold the lead, however, only for the next 7. With just over 4 minutes to play, Washington made their way into range for Vinatieri again and the veteran kicker connected on a 39-yarder to give Washington the lead back, a tenuous 33-31 lead, but still the advantage was theirs. Baltimore would need one more drive.

The Blitz offense took the field, and after a nasty sack that saw Big Ben spun to the ground on 1st and 10, the Blitz recovered and Roethlisberger would not be brought down again. Short passes to Harry Douglas and HB Kerwynn Williams got Baltimore out of the hole and earned them a first down. A strike to Hartline got them another, and then a throw to Heyward-Bey. In no hurry to score and give Washington the ball back, Baltimore did not rush their plays, they continued to huddle, and they ate clock as they moved the ball into range for Josh Lambo. On a 3rd and 5 from the Washington 29, they opted not to extend the drive longer, but to run up the middle, setting Lambo up for a makeable if somewhat risky 46-yarder. They let the clock tick down as long as they could before calling a timeout, Washington having already expended all of theirs, and sent Lambo out with 39 ticks on the clock.

Lambo’s kick was true, the Blitz took a 34-33 lead with just over half a minute left, and with no timeouts, Washington would need some huge chunks of yardage to get back in range for Vinatieri. They would not get them. What they got instead was a false start on 1st and 10 from their 20, creating a 1st and 15. They would not recover from that, with Garrard trying to hit Allen, and then LaFell, but with no success. Their final play was a desperate heave that did not find a target. Baltimore, with little to play for but pride, had done what any good rival does, they had spoiled the day for their nemesis, delayed any playoff celebration for the Federals and pulled out a win that for most of the game had not seemed to be in the offing. A rivalry game is a beautiful thing.

SAN DIEGO 7  PITTSBURGH 13

Week 12 got off to a defensive-minded start as both the Thunder and Mauler D’s came to play on Friday Night. Pittsburgh knocked Christian Ponder out of the game late in the 1st quarter, and that all but ended any offensive threat from the Thunder all game. What started as a 7-7 game in the first quarter did not see any more scoring until two 4th quarter field goals from Pittsburgh in a game that likely did not thrill the Friday Night bar crowd, but certainly helped Pittsburgh shore up its lead in the NE Division.

POTG: Mauler DE Dwight Freeney: 5 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF

SEATTLE 23  PORTLAND 10

The late game Friday Night offered more fireworks, largely thanks to an explosive performance from Dragon HB Knowshon Moreno, averaging 7.3 YPC on his way to 160 on the night. Moreno helped Seattle gain 380 total yards on the night, while Portland’s run game, with Ben Tate sidelined with a gimpy ankle, could muster only 19 total yards, putting all the pressure on rookie Kyle Lauletta. The result? A comfortable win for the Dragons and a return to .500 as the 6-6- Dragons now find themselves in a cluster of teams hoping for a Wild Card spot.

POTG: Dragon HB Knowshon Moreno: 22 Att, 160 Yds, 1 TD

CHICAGO 13  ORLANDO 9

Chicago entered the “Pack of 6-6” with their Saturday win, and sent Orlando into the pack as well, as the Machine D dominated the Renegades, holding the Orlando offense to only 261 total yards and limiting them to only 3 field goals on the day. Chicago’s offense was hardly anything to write home about, but one lone Michael Floyd TD was enough to tilt the game towards the visitors and help the Machine reach .500 once again.

POTG: Machine LB Manti Te’o: 5 Tck, 2 Sck

HOUSTON 26  BIRMINGHAM 27

The Stallions do it again. After knocking off Memphis in Week 8, Birmingham takes another bite out of a division leader, stunning Houston with 13 unanswered points to end the game and steal a 1-point victory at home. The Stallions picked off Colt McCoy three times, including a drive-killing 4th quarter pick that kept the Stallions within 2 points, allowing Boswell’s final minute kick to be the decider.

POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 17/34, 311 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

NEW JERSEY 24  OAKLAND 13

The Generals keep their playoff hopes alive, thanks to a stout defense that included a pick-six from LB Matt Milano and a run-stuffing front 7 that held Christian McCaffrey to only 60 yards on the ground. Maurice Jones-Drew also came up big for New Jersey, rushing for 100 yards and a score, but also leading the team in receiving on the day.

POTG: New Jersey LB Matt Milano: 2 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Int, 1 Def TD

OHIO 31  OKLAHOMA 24

This was a fun one, with both teams throwing everything they had at each other. Joe Flacco threw for 378 yards and 3 scores, Ohio’s Christian Hackenberg therw for 279 but connected with Eric Weems for 2 scores, including the game winner with 45 seconds left on the clock as it was a true “last team with the ball wins” scenario. Ohio got a bit lucky in this one, fumbling the ball 3 times but recovering each one, while Oklahoma had 2 turnovers.

POTG: Ohio DT Marcell Dareus: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR

DALLAS 13  DENVER 26

A good win for Denver brings them to .500 and keeps them on pace with the “Pack of 6-6” as they limit Dallas to 3 of 16 on third down, spoiling Josh Freeman’s debut as the Roughneck QB. Freeman would go 20 of 38 for 173 yards and a TD, but was sacked 6 times by the Gold, including 2 from Von Miller, who also forced 2 fumbles in the game.

POTG: Denver WR Golden Tate: 6 Rec, 103 Yds, 1 TD

LAS VEGAS 24  ARIZONA 40

Down 27-0 at the half, the Vipers finally showed some life in the 2nd half to at least look respectable, but this was Arizona domination from the get go. Their first points came on a Chester Rogers 51-yard punt return touchdown, but that just opened the floodgates. Antonio Bryant had two first half TDs, and Arizona cruised to victory in this one.

POTG: Wrangler FS Nate Allen: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1FR

MEMPHIS 19  NEW ORLEANS 30

A huge showdown in the South produces a huge win for the Breakers, helping them pull into a 3-way tie atop the division with 4 games left to play. Leonard Fournette was the key to this game, rushing for 120 yards and 2 scores, while the Breaker D held Todd Gurley to 72 yards and no scores. It was 30-6 until the final minutes of the game, when Memphis scored, got the onside kick, and scored again, but still fell 11 points short of the homestanding Breakers.

POTG: Breaker HB Leonard Fournette: 18 Att, 120 Yds, 2 TD

ATLANTA 36  JACKSONVILLE 20

Atlanta does what they needed to do, knocking off the Bulls to improve to 7-5, staying only 1 game back of division-leading Charlotte. Kicker John Bounds had 5 field goals for the Fire, who also got 2 TDs from rookie Nick Chubb and a pick-six to outpace Jacksonville. The Bulls used all 3 QBs in this game, with Robert Griffin lost for the year to injury (see below), and Teddy Bridgewater going 23/41 but throwing 2 picks. C. J. Beathard got the mop up duty late, but it was all Atlanta throughout.

POTG: Atlanta CB Darius Slay: 3 Tck, 2 Int, 1 DefTD

TAMPA BAY 13  CHARLOTTE 28

With the Fire coming on strong, Charlotte could not hiccup against the Bandits, and they did not, getting TDs from Brandon Pettigrew (2), Isaiah McKenzie, and Taiwan Jones to outpace the anemic Bandits. Mitch Trubisky again avoided turnovers, throwing 3 TDs with no picks, and the Monarch defense held Tampa Bay to only 1 TD on the day despite 5 red zone trips.

POTG: Charlotte QB Mitch Trubisky: 22/32, 214 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

PHILADELPHIA 6  LOS ANGELES 27

An ugly loss for the Stars, one that may well knock them out of any realistic playoff shot. The Stars could do nothing right on the day, rushing the ball for only 72 yards with Derrick Henry still sidelined, and giving up 131 yards to Reggie Bush for his best game of the season. It was a flat performance for the Stars on every side of the ball, and while the Express did not exactly look like they had turned a corner, they certainly played the cleaner and better game in this one.

POTG: LA tailback Reggie Bush: 17 Att, 131 Yds, 1 TD

MICHIGAN 21  ST. LOUIS 24 

A stunner in St. Louis as once again Lamar Jackson looked very much like the future of the franchise, throwing for 3 scores on the day. He got help in this one, with Eddie Lacy and Bobby Rainey combining for 164 rushing yards, and the defense knocking Kirk Cousins out of the game with an apparent concussion early in the 4th. Taylor Heinecke put a TD on the board, but it was not enough as St. Louis held on for the 3-point win.

POTG: Skyhawk QB Lamar Jackson: 21/35, 162 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

Big Ben Refuses to Concede Season

Yes, the Baltimore Blitz are sitting 5 games under .500, and yes, their playoff hopes are on serious life support, 3 games behind Atlanta for the final playoff berth, but don’t tell Big Ben Roethlisberger that the Blitz are done. As he showed this week in upsetting the Washington Federals with a 406-yard day that included a final drive to put the game winner on the board, Big Ben does not believe in anything being over until the whistle blows.

The 2014 MVP and 5-time All-USFL Qb is not ready to give up on the season, on his teammates, or on trying for another title. At 34, Roethlisberger still has a few seasons in him, though we have to admit that 2018 has been his worst statistical year in a long time, the first time he has dipped under a QBR of 90 since 2012, as his current 83.6 rating is the worst of his long and distinguished career. He still has yet to reach 20 TDs on the season, something that has barely been a blip in a run of 30+ TD seasons. But, while he and the Blitz have hardly looked iike the 2014 league title team, Big Ben is still plugging, still getting up for big games, and still hopeful for the future.

“We have some great talent on this team, and some young guys who are only going to get better.” Said Roethlisberger in the post-game presser. “We are not eliminated yet, so we keep playing each play, each game, with winning on our minds” he followed. And yet, despite his optimistic take, rumors around the league are that Baltimore head coach Jim Caldwell may not be long in his position. Despite winning the league title, the first in Blitz history, back in 2014, the fact is that the Blitz have been slipping since then. Well, slipping by Blitz standards. Caldwell has gotten the Blitz to the postseason each of the past 4 seasons, and while 2018 does not look promising, it seems odd that his name is being listed as one on the hot seat with 4 straight playoff appearances and a league title to his name.

But, despite the determination of their QB, this has been a rough year in Baltimore, slipping from 3rd place and a Wild Card at 9-7 last year to a likely losing season and last place finish this year. The offense has not been the force it once was, ranked 9th in total yards, and 22nd in rushing, and the defense has just not been good. They are 22nd in the league, giving up over 23 points per game, and have had more than their share of disastrous outings. And yet, despite all this, their QB can still put up games like we saw against Washington, can still inspire hope for the club, and can still look ahead with optimism to the future of the Blitz.

Moreno Makes Impact Against Stags

It has been an up-and-down first season for Knowshon Moreno in Seattle. After signing as a free agent, leaving Orlando after 9 frustrating seasons, Moreno hoped to have an instant impact in the PNW, but he has only seen sporadic success. A Week 4 game that saw him gain 142 yards, was one week after a 20-yard outing and was followed by 7 games where he failed to reach 80 yards. Last week was absolutely one to forget, as Moreno had only 18 yards on 16 attempts against Baltimore, but this week he left that behind and absolutely exploded against Portland.

It seems Moreno knows how big the games against the Stags are. Both his 142-yard game in Week 4 and his 160-yard outburst this week were against the Dragon’s main rivals. Now, the question will be if Moreno can show some staying power as Seattle makes a late playoff push with games upcoming against teams not from Portland. If he can crank out a few more 100-yard games, the Dragons may just have a shot at once again turning an 0-5 start into an improbable playoff run.

Fournette Powers Breakers to Huge Week 12 Win

Leonard Fournette’s first 100-yard game of the season could not have come at a better time for the Breakers. New Orleans needed every one of his 120 yards and his 2 TDs as they upended Memphis and reclaimed a share of the Southern Division lead, a lead they lost with back-to-back losses to the Gamblers and Showboats in Weeks 9 and 10. Fournette’s 2nd season has not been quite the explosion the Breakers hoped for, but he is on pace to improve on his rookie numbers. With a month left to play, he is within 20 yards of his 2017 rushing total, already has twice as many touchdowns, and has added more in the passing game this year. Breaker fans are still not pleased with his 3.3 YPC average, and an average of only 58 yards per game, but this week’s game against the Showboats, and Rex Ryan’s normally sound run defense, has to be a sign that Breaker fans are eager to see. With upcoming games against some shaky run defenses (especially the next two weeks with Las Vegas and Dallas on the docket), Fournette could be set up to finish strong, possibly reach 1,000 yards, and be a major factor come playoff season.

Stallions Survive with Another Southern Upset Win

No one is saying the Stallions are ready to take over the Southern Division, far from it, but this group seems to have no fear of the “Big Boys” atop the division standings. After upsetting Memphis several weeks back, the Stallions did it again, eking out a win over 9-2 Houston thanks to a 13-0 run over the game’s final quarter and a half. The game winner did not come until the final minute of action, a Chris Boswell chip shot field goal with only 42 seonds left to play, but the game had been dominated in the 4th quarter by the Stallion defense, something we are not used to saying about this club and that defense.

It helped that Cam Newton was on target in the game, connecting for 3 scores and not turning the ball over. It also helped that Colt McCoy got a bit careless with the ball, producing a bad pick in the final period. But, what we saw from Birmingham this week was a willingness to fight for every inch, something that has not always been there. They are staying in games, just look at their last few losses, a 5-points to Atlanta, 8 in Denver, only 6 in Houston, and only 2 to Memphis the week before that. An optimist would say they are close to being a good team. A pessimist might point out that we have been saying that for the entire Henry Ellard tenure, with 7-9, 8-8, 6-10, and 9-7 seasons all showing promise, but never delivering. Do we say the same thing this year? Based on this week’s win over a very good Houston team, we again see the potential, but what many are wondering is if Birmingham might need a change at the top to turn potential into production.

Ohio Has Season-Defining Opportunity in Week 13

After back-to-back 8-8 seasons, the Ohio Glory are seeing the hump and feel like they are on the verge of getting over it. They sit at 8-4, almost a guarantee that they can finish 2018 with a winning record. They are also a game up on the defending league champion in the division, able to control their own destiny and possibly claim the division as their own for the first time since 2007. And they very full well know that their upcoming game this week is the key to the entire thing.

Ohio will host the Michigan Panthers in a game that could define their season and their path forward. Fans recognize this, with ticket sales this week surging, quite possibly forcing the Glory to take some of the tarps off Ohio Stadium and send their capacity over 60,000 for the first time in a long time. The players know it too, as everyone from QB Christian Hackenberg to LB Daniel Ellerbe have highlighted this game as a must-win if Ohio wants to take the next step. A win over their division rivals all but ensures a division title for the Glory, a 2-game lead with only 3 to play. It also has such symbolism, knocking off both the reigning league champion and a club that has bedeviled them for the better part of a decade. There are games you circle on your schedule before the season even starts, but rarely do they turn out having the impact you hope they will. That is not the case for this Michigan-Ohio game, which could well mark a change of fates for both clubs, a revival of faith in the Ohio Glory, or a restatement of dominance by the Panthers.

Griffin Lost for Season with Torn MCL

Just one week after a dominant game against Tampa Bay that saw Robert Griffin throw and run for nearly 400 yards and 3 touchdowns, we again see the downside of the dual-threat QB, as once again, and for the 4th time in 4 years, we see Griffin sustain a major injury. This time it is the MCL joint in his right knee, another leg injury for a rushing QB. Once again Griffin will miss significant time, and this time not because his coach wanted to test out his NFL import, Teddy Bridgewater, but because Griffin simply cannot play his style of game without putting his body at risk.

This week’s injury was another case of the rushing QB taking a hit to the knee during a tackle. Very different from last year’s injury, but still in the same vein of a scramble turning into a melee and another knee injury. With many fans already calling for 1st year head coach Brian Flores to go another direction at the position, another leg injury just pours fuel to the fire, that while Griffin can have amazing outings like his game vs. the Bandits, the long term prognosis is more disappointment and more lost time and not more wins for the Bulls.

Foles & Manning Could Return in Week 13

As we place Robert Griffin on season-ending IR, we anticipate 2 starting QBs, possibly 3, returning this week. Both New Jersey’s Nick Foles, and Las Vegas’s Eli Manning have been cleared to play and neither appeared on today’s injury list, so there is a good chance that both will be in action when the Generals head to D.C. to face the Federals in a key NE Division showdown, and that Manning will reclaim the starting job from Jeff Tuel when Las Vegas hosts the New Orleans Breakers, one of Manning’s former clubs.

The third QB who could be back this week is in Portland, where Marcus Mariota is listed as questionable but has taken snaps with the first team during practice. Mariota, who was knocked out of action back in Week 7, suffering a broken jaw after a vicious hit, has been able to practice, and participate in non-contact drills for the better part of a month, staying active with the team, but this is the first week he has been cleared to take hits in practice, a sign he could jump into action against the Maulers. And after two consecutive losses dropped Portland to 6-6, the Stags could certainly use their QB back. Rookie Kyle Lauletta has been up-and-down in his starts, while Mariota was putting up the best numbers of his short career before the injury. His return, if possible this week, could be just the spark the Stags need in the final month of play. So, keep an eye out for Mariota, along with Foles and Manning in Week 13 action.

Twelve weeks in and still no one has their division wrapped up. Who is closest? Well, Arizona is sitting on a 3.5 game advantage over both Oklahoma and Denver, so a win this week will lock them in to yet another SW Division title. Oakland is up two games on the Thunder and Dragons, so Week 14 may be the earliest they can lock down the division. Pittsburgh is up 1.5 games on New Jersey, with Washington still very much in the mix. Charlotte and Ohio have only 1 game leads, with big games coming up, and, of course, we have that stunning 3-way tie at 9-3 in the South, which is going to take a while before anyone can claim the division outright.

The Wild Card chase is equally messy as our Big Story outlined. Don’t expect much clarity there, except that the 2 Southern teams that don’t win the division could still lock up a playoff spot as soon as this week with all games going the right way. On the bottom of the standings we added Jacksonville to the Bandits and Express as eliminated clubs, which should not surprise when you have 10 losses on your resume with 4 more to play. We could see some others join them this week, including Dallas (3-9) and Baltimore (4-8), depending how the week’s games play out.

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Outside of the already-reported injury to RGIII, the big hit this week may be for Houston, who may be without their best cover corner until the playoffs, and perhaps not even then. Leodis McKelvin broke his collarbone in the loss to Birmingham and the minimal window for him to be out is 4 weeks, so that means the Wild Card weekend is a best case scenario. Of course, Houston would love to earn a bye through to the Divisional round, but will have to do that without McKelvin.

OUT

WR        Pharoh Cooper       ATL         Broken Wrist               IR

SS           Chuck Clark           STL         Torn Hamstring              IR

CB         Leodis McKelvin      HOU     Broken Collarbone         IR

QB         Robert Griffin III       JAX         Torn MCL                        IR

CB        Tra’Davious White   NOR      Dislocated Knee             4-6 Weeks

CB        Kevin Johnson      ORL       Torn Quad                      2-4 Weeks

CB         Artie Burns            DEN      Torn Hamstring              2-4 Weeks

HB           Ben Tate                 POR      Neck                               1-2 Weeks

QUESTIONABLE

DE          Quentin Groves              PIT         Hamstring        

DT          Re’Shede Heggeman      OKL       Hand

DE        Jordan Willis                     OKL       Concussion

WR        Chris Givens                    SD          Hamstring

OG       Deuce Lutui                      STL         Concussion

CB          Taron Johnson                POR      Concussion

WR          Darius Heyward-Bey        BAL        Concussion

Five Players to Watch in Season’s Final Weeks

Four games left, all 12 playoff spots still to be claimed, and a cluster of teams all hovering around .500 and hoping to make a move. So, who could be the players that help determine the final push of the season? We put that question to our bullpen and they came up with 5 players we need to watch over the season’s home stretch. Strong runs by these five could well be the key to the entire season for their clubs. Sure, we could have named more, and it is certainly possible that someone else will be the impact player of the final weeks, but these are the five we think could determine if their teams sink or swim, play their way into the postseason or drop below .500 and out of playoff contention.

Ohio QB Christian Hackenberg

This should be no surprise. Ohio is sitting at 8-4 and controls their own destiny. They are 4-1 in games “Hack” starts and finishes, and only 4-3 in games he has missed. With their QB fully back to form the past two weeks, Ohio has scored 32 and 31 in the two games, and now they face Michigan with a game that could all but lock them up as 2018 Central Division Champs. They need their starter to have himself a game against a very solid Michigan defense. If they can do that, then the remaining 3 games could pave the way to Ohio making themselves very dangerous come playoff time.

Seattle HB Knowshon Moreno

We spoke about Moreno above, but he appears again in this category. Seattle needs to keep the pressure off their QB, especially if they start to fluctuate between McGloin and Brissett (coming off injury soon). If they can produce on the ground, it may not matter which QB they use. The run game also helps their defense stay off the field, and that helps them control the pace of the game, two things they need to do if they are really going to make a late run once again.

San Diego WR Marques Colston

Colston has clicked with Christian Ponder, evident in his 139-yard outing this week, and his run of good games with Ponder under center. If he can be the weapon we are used to seeing over his long career, the Thunder can chart a course to the postseason. They need the deep ball threat to keep teams from crowding Ryan Williams at the line, if Colston can provide that, this offense can be a real threat in the season’s final month.

New Jersey LB Aldon Smith

The Generals need to win with defense, especially if Nick Foles needs time to regain his form after his injury. That means pressuring the QB, which has been a 3-man job this season, with Vic Beasley, Aaron Kampman, and Aldon Smith all sitting at 7 sacks apiece. As important as the two DEs are, we think it is Aldon Smith who is the key. If he can continue to be a threat on the blitz, while also being a factor against the run (65 tackles, including a team-best 15 tackles for loss) then New Jersey can rebound from their slump without Foles and make a late run at the Maulers.

Denver DE Von Miller

Outside of Orlando, there is no one better at getting to the QB, but even with 15 sacks in the season’s first 12 games, more is needed from Denver’s best defender. Sure, we could look for more out of others like Justice Cole, Amobi Okoye, or the LB group, but the reality is that Denver’s D goes as Miller goes, and if they want to escape .500 and steal away a playoff spot, they need Miller to be at his best each and every week down this homestretch. That may mean 2-3 sacks a game and a presence against the run.

Third Quarter Power Rankings

Here we are, Week 12, the three-quarter mark, and time again to assess our teams and where we think they stand. Of course what really matters is the playoff standings and divisional races, but this gives us a chance to tell you how we think these teams stack up, from the best of the best, to the best we not speak of this. So, here, with very little ado at all, is our ranking of the USFL's 28 clubs after 12 weeks.

1—ARIZONA (9-2-1)

The league’s best offense (395.7 YPG) paired with the 4th stingiest scoring defense (16.7 PPG) makes Arizona our pick as the best club in the game right now.

2—NEW ORLEANS (9-3)

The Breakers bounced back from a 2-game losing streak to Houston and Memphis, by knocking off the Generals and the Showboats, showing us that they are still focused on the prize and still a very tough out.

3—PITTSBURGH (8-4)

We are leapfrogging Pittsburgh over several 9-3 clubs, because they have taken on 3 winning teams in the past month and beaten them all. They stumbled at Philly, but rivalry games are always traps. The Mauler D in particular, first in the league by allowing only 280.9 YPG, is coming on strong down the stretch.

4—HOUSTON (9-3)

The Gamblers had won 5 in a row before this week’s 1-point loss to Birmingham. So, why do we have them 4th instead of 1st or 2nd? The Offense is still the league’s best at putting points on the board, but the defense has slipped over the past month, and that has to be a concern as we head towards the playoffs.

5—MEMPHIS (9-3)

Fifth overall, but third in their own division. That may upset Showboat fans, but that is how most of the country still sees the South breaking down. The Boats are only 14th in scoring and 8th in scoring defense, so the stats seem to support our thought that they are a challenger in their own division.

6—OHIO (8-4)

With Hackenberg back under center, the Glory have won their last 2, making it 6 of the last 7. They now stand alone in first place in the Central and their defense is one of the league’s best against the pass, all good signs that the Glory are headed back to the postseason for the first time in a decade.

7—CHARLOTTE (8-4)

Despite struggling to stop the run (27th in the league), the Monarchs are keeping teams below 20 points per game, and that has helped them win 4 of their last 5, including big wins over both of their closest division rivals, Orlando and Atlanta.

8—OAKLAND (8-4)

The Invaders have lost 2 of their last 3, and the only win in between those two was a pretty miserable 6-0 win over the LA Express. The offense is relying very heavily on Ryan Williams as Jimmy Garoppolo is still not showing us what we saw from him in the NFL. He is sitting on a 70.9 QB Rating, and has a 1:1 TD-INT ratio (7:7), which is not what you want from the QB of a potential division winner.

9—ATLANTA (7-5)

The Fire have won 3 in a row, jumping from 4-5 up to 7-5 and climbing their way up our power rankings. They have put up 24 or more points in each of those wins, but with all 3 opponents currently under .500 (Tampa, Birmingham, Jacksonville) there is still some doubt whether this sudden rise is actually a mirage.

10—MICHIGAN (7-5)

The defending league champions are struggling to put games away, losing late to St. Louis this week being a prime example. They have lost their grip on the division and now face a must-win situation at Ohio this week or it is very likely only a Wild Card chase in the season’s final weeks. That surprises us and should alarm Coach McDermott.

11—NEW JERSEY (6-5-1)

A month ago, New Jersey was looking solid at 5-2-1, but three losses in their last 4 games has been rough. Admitedly, those games were against 3 very good teams (PIT, HOU, NOR), but you have to win those games if you want to win the division, and right now New Jersey is trailing the Maulers by 1.5 games, which means they need to turn it up if they want a shot.

12—SEATTLE (6-6)

Don’t ask us why the Dragons are crap in March and dynamite in June. Maybe it’s the weather? We just don’t know, but for the second year in a row, Seattle is winning the season’s second half and making a run at the playoffs after a brutal start. It’s a mystery, but it is also an unavoidable reality right now.

13—SAN DIEGO (6-6)

San Diego is also trying to pull their own Summer Surge, as they went from 0-4 to 6-6 by figuring out their offense. If Oakland does not watch out, they may well be facing a challenge on two fronts, from the PNW and from SoCal.

14—CHICAGO (6-6)

Somewhat forgotten in the Ohio-Michigan feud is that Chicago has put together some nice wins, beating both Ohio and Orlando in recent weeks. Unfortunately, they also sandwiched in a couple of tough losses, so they are still just one of many teams fighting for a possible Wild Card berth.

15—DENVER (6-6)

The Gold are simply much tougher at home than on the road, and they are just way too inconsistent. With Memphis and Houston next up for them, they could be out of the mix unless they can pull an upset, maybe 2. If they do falter, will we see Josh Allen in a Week 16 road trip to St. Louis? They finish at home with Chicago in Week 16, and we fully expect them to give Matt Leinart a curtain call in that one.

16—WASHINGTON (6-6)

Anthony Allen is coming on, which we love to see, and David Garrard is pulling games out of thin air, but the Feds are struggling on defense, giving up nearly 27 points per game, and that does not bode well with New Jersey, Philly, and Pittsburgh still on the schedule.

17—BIRMINGHAM (5-7)

The Stallions and Cam Newton are doing it again. Playing just well enough to win a few surprising games (like this week vs. Houston), but then having real stinkers too (like Week 10 @ Denver), which means another 8-8 year may again happen. Will ownership keep Henry Ellard around for more 8-8 season? Or will a change be needed to get over the hump in a very tough Southern Division?

18—ORLANDO (6-6)

Yes, we hear you all on the message boards and phonelines. Yes, we agree that Orlando has had perhaps the most dominant player in a generation in Calais Campbell and yet they cannot seem to put it all together around him. We don’t have an answer for that. He deserves better, to be sure. But we don’t know if that can happen unless he demands a trade, which he has not shown any interest in doing.

19—OKLAHOMA (6-6)

So the smashmouth approach has not worked, the Outlaws put the ball back in Joe Flacco’s hands, but without Colston on the squad, the deep ball is just not there the same way. So, what do we get? The 17th best offense on a team with the 18th best defense. In other words, mediocrity and inconsistency. There is talent on this team, but it is not producing wins the way it should.

20—ST. LOUIS (5-7)

There may not be a hotter player in the league than rookie QB Lamar Jackson. He is the most exciting thing to happen in the Gateway City since the Worlds Fair back in 1904. OK, that is clearly an exaggeration. Ozzie Newsome is looking at me angrily just for saying it. Let’s just say that Skyhawk fans have Jackson Fever, and it is catching all over the county as the young QB is lighting up the league in a way that just makes us want to watch.

21—PORTLAND (6-6)

Marcus Mariota should return from injury in Week 13, and not a moment too soon. The Stags need to find the flow they had going early in the season or they could easily drop and stay below .500. Now, with Ben Tate possibly missing some action, it could be a tough run, not to mention that their final 4 games form one of the toughest months in the league (@ Pittsburgh, San Diego, @ Oakland, @ Oklahoma). That is a tough way to finish the year for a 6-6 team.

22—PHILADELPHIA (5-7)

After a surprising win over Pittsburgh in Week 10, we thought Philly could make a run, but losing badly to Orlando (41-14) and then the absolute stinker this week (losing 27-6 to LA, yes, LA!!!!) shows us that the Stars are done. Yes, Derrick Henry could return soon, but do you even risk him in a season that has been a major disappointment?

23—BALTIMORE (4-8)

We love that Big Ben still has a passion for the game, evident in this week’s upset of Washington, but the best the Blitz can hope for is to be a spoiler as they face San Diego, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta in the final month. Winning any of those games will be a feather in their cap, but the cap itself still fits poorly.

24—LAS VEGAS (4-8)

Eli Manning is set to return from injury this week, and many expect the final month of games to be more of a goodbye tour than a tour de force. The season finale against Dallas may be a send-off game for Manning, who made a lot of fans in his final 2 seasons in Las Vegas, even if he struggled to help the Vipers ascend in the SW Division.

25—DALLAS (3-9)

With 3 wins after 12 weeks, the focus in Dallas is in seeing what new QB Josh Freeman can bring to the club in the final month. Expect a rebuild this offseason, with Freeman viewed as the new focal point. What this means for suspended QB Johnny Manziel is unclear, but it does seem certain that he is not holding the starting gig even if the club keeps him on the roster this offseason.

26—JACKSONVILLE (2-10)

Robert Griffin III is the human roller coaster ride. He raised the spirits of Bulls fans with huge performances, including the big win over the Bandits last week, but then you get the downside of his game, as he is now lost for the final month with a knee injury. Just what the Bulls do looking forward is a huge mystery, but we do expect some turnover in the front office as the team tries to give Brian Flores more in his 2nd year than he had this year.

27—LOS ANGELES (2-10)

The Express finally got a win for Interim Head Coach Emmitt Thomas, but we still think the future of the Express is one of complete overhaul. They can still play spoiler, but only if the players have motivation to do so. We think many of them are playing not to get hurt and looking for a way out this offseason. A sad state for any team.

28—TAMPA BAY (1-11)

So, here is the question. With Jacksonville and LA getting recent wins to leave Tampa as the only 1-win club, how hard do you fight over the final month? Do you want to possibly lose the 1st overall pick in the draft, even in a draft system where the NFL often steals your pick out from under you? We think Tampa would love to knock off Jacksonville in the rematch in 3 weeks, and there is no love lost for Orlando, their opponent this week, but at this point perhaps the thing to do is play some younger players and see what you can build on (well, what the new coaches the team will likely have will build on).

Week 13 kicks off with what could be a real battle in the NE Division as the Generals and Federals are both battling for a possible Wild Card, both hoping they might get hot and catch Pittsburgh for the division, and both dreading that a loss could make their quest for postseason action nearly impossible to achieve. We also have a very interesting inter-divisional clash out west when the Pacific and Southwest division leaders face off in Glendale. Can Arizona hold onto their top seed in the conference or will Jimmy G and the Invaders pull them back to the pack?

Saturday has its fair share of the pack of 6-6 in action, with a huge one in Seattle that sees the Outlaws and the Dragons both trying to reach that 7th win and stay alive in the Wild Card race. We also have Orlando hoping for a road win in the Florida Derby against Tampa Bay and San Diego hoping for some home cooking against the Baltimore Blitz. But perhaps the biggest game of the day is in Columbus, where the Ohio Glory hold a 1-game lead over the defending league champion Panthers. If the Glory can get the home win, they would all but wrap up the Central Division, but if Michigan can win in the heart of Buckeye country, well, then we have a race down to the wire in the Central.

Sunday gives us more 6-6 squads in action with Portland in a tough cross-country matchup at Pittsburgh. Denver has a tough road game as well, heading to Memphis to take on the 9-3 Showboats. Chicago has perhaps the best scenario, playing at home against the 2-10 Express. Memphis sits in a 3 way tie with New Orleans, who are in Vegas to play the Vipers, and Houston, who travel to Philly to face the Stars. Expect those three to all do their best to get the W and put pressure on the other two in what has been a wild battle for the Southern Division title.

Friday @ 6pm ET          New Jersey (6-5-1) @ Washington (6-6)       NBC

Friday @ 8pm ET           Oakland (8-4) @ Arizona (9-2-1)                    FOX

Saturday @ 12pm ET    Charlotte (8-4) @ Jacksonville (2-10)              ABC

Saturday @ 12pm ET       Atlanta (7-5) @ St. Louis (5-7)                       FOX

Saturday @ 4pm ET       Michigan (7-5) @ Ohio (8-4)                         ABC

Saturday @ 4pm ET         Oklahoma (6-6) @ Seattle (6-6)                      FOX

Saturday @ 7pm ET       Orlando (6-6) @ Tampa Bay (1-11)              NBC

Saturday @ 9pm ET         Baltimore (4-8) @ San Diego (6-6)                    ESPN/EFN

Sunday @ 12pm ET          Dallas (3-9) @ Birmingham (5-7)                       ABC Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET          Portland (6-6) @ Pittsburgh (8-4)                       ABC Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET          Denver (6-6) @ Memphis (9-3)                          FOX

Sunday @ 4pm ET            New Orleans (9-3) @ Las Vegas (4-8)               ABC

Sunday @ 4pm ET            Los Angeles (2-10) @ Chicago (6-6)                FOX

Sunday @ 8pm ET            Houston (9-3) @ Philadelphia (5-7)                   ESPN/EFN