2018 USFL Week 3 Recap: MVP Carr to IR

Week three saw yet another major injury story develop as defending 2-time MVP David Carr is lost for the season, our lead story for the week. It was also a week that saw several 0-2 teams secure their first win and avoid the dreaded 0-3 start. Birmingham got their first win by upsetting the Baltimore Blitz at Protective Stadium. The Vipers went into San Diego and knocked off the Thunder, who now surprisingly sit at 0-3 themselves. Washington surprised us all with an offensive explosion that got them past Seattle in a battle of winless teams, again shocking Dragon fans who expected a much better start to the year. And Chicago pulled off a major upset on a cold and windy night at Soldier Field, shutting down LeVeon Bell and the Panthers to snag the first Machine win of the season. We will recap all the games, all the stories, but we begin with the moment that could change the entire season for the Arizona Wranglers, one moment that has huge lasting impact.

Carr Lost for the Year as QB Carnage Continues

They say football is a game of inches, but it is also a game of moments, and one moment can alter a drive, a game, and an entire season. The Arizona Wranglers may have just become the latest team to discover just what a moment can mean for a football team, as it was one moment, one play gone awry, one painful instant that may have cost them the 2-time MVP for the year.

The play in particular was nothing astounding, a 3rd and 4 from the New Jersey 33. Convert it and the Wranglers could take advantage of the blocked punt that put them on the Generals’ side of the field. Miss it and they likely trot out the field goal team. The call was a simple one, an attempt to flood the zone with outside-breaking routes on 3 levels, with either Larry Fitzgerald or TE Jimmie Graham as the most likely targets. But, on this play, RT Shaun Lauvao expected a chip block from Frank Gore, but Gore had chosen to take on a blitzing Chase Blackburn, and that left Lauvao on his own with DE Aaron Kampman.  Kampman used a swim move to get past Lauvao, caught David Carr around the waste, and spun him to the ground. The problem was that in that spin, his right foot was atop Carr’s, which meant that Carr’s leg could not spin fully as his body was brought to the turf.

You could hear the pop of the hip joint on the replay. While it did not look like a particularly hard hit, the odd torque created by the spin combined with Carr’s foot being pinned, forced the hip joint to pop out of its hold, and caused tearing to the tendons that keep the ball in the socket. The end result, which would not be known until imaging that evening, was that Carr’s hip had not only dislocated, but a chip had come off of the femur in the process, along with significant tendon and ligament damage to the hip. Carr would not be able to return in the game, and for the remainder of the season.

The 2-time MVP was placed on IR on Monday. He released a brief statement to the press, thanking fans for their concern and wishing his team the best in his absence. Surgery to remove the bone chip, clean up some cartilage damage, and reconstruct the hip was conducted on Wednesday. It will be at least a month before Carr can even attend games and sit in a seat, and no less than 4 months before he can even consider throwing a ball, or doing any workouts beyond the prescribed and highly monitored PT that will accompany his recovery.  All this the result of one moment.

For Coach Tomsula and the Wranglers, the 2018 season will continue without pause. The Wranglers were buoyed by the strong performance of 3rd year backup Ryan Nassib, who entered the game in New Jersey and mounted a comeback that put up 21 points, all on long pass plays very reminiscent of Carr. In the end, neither the Wranglers nor the Generals could score in overtime and the game ended in a tie, but that has to be considered a win for Arizona, playing without their starter and with a backup who has only appeared in mop-up duty and one Week 16 “rest the starters” game in his 2 years with the team.

Nassib went 22 of 39 for 367 in the comeback attempt in New Jersey, and that has given the Wranglers confidence that he can handle the job moving forward. After all, he has been with the team since coming to Arizona in the 2015 draft out of Syracuse, and he is as familiar as any QB in the country outside of David Carr with the system. The Wranglers did make a move to add some depth, signing veteran backup Brooks Bollinger as the QB3 behind Nassib and 24-year-old Tom Savage. But, for the foreseeable future, the Wranglers, already considered to be suffering from a depleted defense after an offseason of departures, will now be led by Ryan Nassib, casting even more doubt on their ability to dominate the SW Division as they have over the past 4 years. Amazing what a single moment can do.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS 31  NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 34

 It is about as big a game as you can expect in the season’s first month. Two unbeaten division opponents facing off in an early season showdown for first place. Ever since the Houston Gamblers were transferred to the Southern Division in 2015 it has been the Gamblers and the Breakers battling for surpremacy. The Gamblers have won the division the past two years, but New Orleans has been right there, battling them every step of the way. So you know that when the schedule came out these two both had this Week 3 showdown circled on their calendars.

Just as we had hoped, this one proved to be an action-packed, momentum shifting game that kept us all riveted for 3 hours. The two teams did it in different ways, but despite the stylistic differences, this was a nip and tuck battle throughout. Statistically the two ended up looking somewhat similar, with Houston putting up 346 yards to New Orleans’s 356, with less than 1 minute separating the time of possession, and with an even count of one turnover apiece. But those statistics don’t tell the whole story, because this was a game that swung back and forth all day.

It did not always look like it would be a close game. The first half was dominated by the homestanding Breakers, putting up a 24-7 lead by the break. It began with New Orleans’s first drive, a 12-play steady march down the field that concluded with 3rd down back C. J. Spiller getting a pitch to the wide side and finding a crease to score from 5 yards out. Houston struggled to keep their first quarter possessions moving, and soon New Orleans had the ball a 2nd time, and again a nice, slow and steady drive yielded 7 points. This time, on the first play of the second quarter, Drew Brees hit his favorite redzone target, Coby Fleener with a short TD and the Breaker lead was extended to 14-0.

That lead would expand again only 6 minutes later when a bad punt from Houston gave New Orleans the ball on their own 47. Drew Brees moved the Breakers down the field efficiently, which was what we saw all day in what would be a 20 of 28, 243-yard outing for the veteran QB. In only 7 plays and in less than 2 minutes Brees boosted the Breaker advantage to 21-0 with a nice over-the-middle pass to Tyler Lockett for the third New Orleans score of the half.

But, Houston being a quality team, the Gamblers did not give up, down 3 scores. They responded by putting together their first scoring drive, a quick strike drive that saw Colt McCoy hit Mike Evans for a 40-yard gain, then find HB Carlos Hyde, who would finish as the game’s leading receiver, for the score, a screen play from 10 yards out that found its blocking and enabled the multi-talented Hyde to find the endzone. New Orleans would add 3 points to make the score 24-7 at the half, but Houston would take momentum from their drive and would turn the tables on New Orleans in the second half.

Houston’s momentum did not show up initially in the 2nd half, as the Breakers took the opening kickoff and in only 4 plays built their lead up to a seemingly insurmountable 31-7. The key play was a seam route that saw Fleener get open along the left hashmarks and rumble 56 yards for a score, helped by a nice block by WR Jordy Nelson on backup safety Shalom Luani, in for the injured Budda Baker. The half-opening quick strike drive should have dashed any hopes Houston had of a second half comeback, but the Gamblers apparently did not take the hint.

Houston came right back with a touchdown drive of their own, an 11-play march that was capped off by a Carlos Hyde TD run for his second score of the day. Still down 17 points, Houston needed a big play and a quick strike to get back in the game, and they got both from CB Leodis McKelvin. McKelvin read the route to Kenny Britt perfectly, timed his break and snatched Drew Brees’s throw in full stride. From there it was 55 yards down the sideline for an untouched pick-six. Houston was back in action, now down only 10 at 31-21 with 20 minutes of game time still to play.

The Breakers appeared to be buckling, and Houston felt they had all the steam now and would be able to make up the difference as the game transitioned to the 4th quarter. On their next offensive possession, Houston drove the ball effectively, McCoy hitting Vernon Davis and rookie Austin Sefarin-Jenkins on consecutive plays to get the ball inside the 25. But, SS Brandon Taylor’s second sack of the day, a beautifully-timed blitz between the RG and RT send McCoy to the ground on 3rd down, and the Gamblers had to settle for a field goal. Still, that score put them within 1 drive of tying the game, possibly even going ahead. For New Orleans, the once confident Breakers were now looking decidedly nervous.

The Breakers opted to slow things down on their next possession, and they found success with both Leonard Fournette and C. J. Spiller finding holes in the Houston defense. Fournette had his longest run of the game, an 11-yard rumble, on the first play of the drive, then Spiller bettered it with a 13-yard scamper only 3 plays later. The Breakers continued to move the ball, and the drive continued to eat time. By the time Houston put a stop to the drive, the ball was on the 6 yard line, with New Orleans having failed on a 3rd and goal throw to Fleener. New Orleans would bring out Caleb Sturgis for 3 pointss, but, more importantly, they had eaten up over 8 minutes on the clock. When Sturgis put the Breakers back up by 10, Houston was back to needing 2 scores but now had only 1:43 to achieve it.

The Gamblers did not waste any time on the ensuing possession. McCoy hit Carlos Hyde on another effective screen pass, this time gaining 13 yards on the first play from scrimmage of the drive. The second play was even better, with New Orleans blitzing, JuJu Smith Schuster was left in single coverage and McCoy found him on a hook & go, with the 2nd year receiver racing 51 yards before finally being knocked out of bounds. Only 2 plays later McCoy found Hyde for the back’s third score of the game, a 19-yard strike that once again brought Houston back to within 1 score, down 31-34.

With 1:05 left on the clock and only 1 timeout left, Houston would have to go for the onside kick. They lined up and the kick looked like it could cause New Orleans some trouble, but with both Tyler Lockett and C. J. Spiller on the side of the field where the kick was bouncing, the Breakers had some good hands available, and it would be Lockett who would snatch the ball out of the air and immediately fall to the ground. With only 1 timeout available, Houston simply could not stop the Breakers from running out the clock. A sigh of relief emerged from a very tense Breaker crowd in the Super Dome as the final seconds rolled off the clock and the two teams congratulated each other. The Breakers, who had looked so dominant early, had survived a major shift in momentum and a very potent comeback from the Gamblers. New Orleans would remain unbeaten, but Houston would know that they almost had the comeback against their new division rival, and that they would have a chance to avenge the loss in Week 9, when the Breakers would make the trip to NRG Stadium for the rematch.

Arizona 21  New Jersey 21  Overtime

Our first overtime game of the season and our first tie as the Generals and Wranglers fail to score in overtime and end the game locked up at 21 apiece. New Jersey came out strong, putting up the first two scores to take a 14-0 lead on TDs from MJD and Nick Foles to John Carlson, but they simply could not shut down the Arizona deep ball, even after what could be a season ending injury to David Carr. Backup Ryan Nassib cme in and hit on 3 long pass plays, all for scores, as he found Larry Fitzgerald for a 57-yard TD, then Antonio Bryant from 33 yards out, and finally Jimmie Graham with a 27-yarder. But New Jersey got a late TD when Nick Foles found Jones-Drew on a circle route and MJD took it in for 7 to tie the game with 1:03 left. Neither team could get into scoring range in overtime, so this one ends all knotted up.

POTG: Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald: 7 Rec, 171 Yds, 1 TD

Jacksonville 20  Atlanta 27

The Fire built up a 24-6 lead, but two late Jacksonville scores made it close in the end. Aaron Murray threw TDs to both Roy Williams and Dorial Green-Beckham, and rookie Nick Chubb had his best game to date, rushing for 75 yards and a score as Atlanta held a 24-6 lead early in the 3rd, but a Robert Griffin TD toss to TE Taysom Hill brought them closer, and a late score to Reuben Randle had them within 7, but the Fire recovered the onside kick and successfully bled the clock to hold on for a 7-point win.

POTG: Fire QB Aaron Murray: 20/30, 178 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int

Seattle 34  Washington 41

A pure and simple shootout in D.C. as neither defense had any answers. Washington put up 390 yards, including 130 on the ground, while Seattle had 312 yards passing and 401 total yards in a wild game. David Garrard went 26 of 38, with 2 scores, but also threw 3 picks, which helped Seattle stay in this one. Matt McGloin went 25 for 35 for 312 yards as he took over for Jacoby Brissett, connecting for 3 TDs and 1 pick. For the Feds, Anthony Allen and Joique Bell combined for 124 yards rushing, with Allen scoring on the ground and through the air in his best game as a Federal.

POTG: Feds’ HB Joique Bell: 4 Att, 63 Yds, 2 TD.

Oklahoma 19  Memphis 21

In a game that came down to a failed 2-point play, Memphis raced out to a 21-3 lead with TDs from Cordarelle Patterson, Toddy Gurley, and Robert Woods, but Oklahoma scored 16 points in a furious 4th quarter comeback. A late TD to DeDe Westbrook put the Outlaws down 2 with 1:11 to play. But on the conversion attempt, Memphis CB Patrick Robinson swatted the ball out of the hands of Marquise Goodwin, preserving the win for the Showboats.

POTG: Memphis QB Paxton Lynch: 27/33, 224 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int

Oakland 32  Ohio 13

In a battle of new QB’s Brock Osweiler failed the test, throwing 4 picks, while Oakland let the run game dominate, with Jimmy Garoppolo going only 7 of 18 on the day for a measley 38 yards. But with Christian McCaffrey (102) and Knile Davis (51) combining for over 150 yards, Oakland still had more than enough to defeat the mistake-riddled Glory. FS Jahleel Addae had 2 picks and Cliff Avril had two sacks as Oakland’s defense made life tough for Osweiler all game long.

POTG: Oakland DE Cliff Avril: 2 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty

Baltimore 6  Birmingham 16

Amari Cooper caught 7 for 111 and A. J. McCarron scored the only TD of the game on a 15-yard toss to Julian Edelman in the 4th quarter to give Birmingham their first win. Baltimore moved the ball but simply could not get into the endzone. In a game that saw 5 field goals and only 1 TD, it was the Birmingham defense that earned the win for the home team.

POTG: Stallion CB Ladarius Webb: 6 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int

Las Vegas 38  San Diego 27

The Thunder fall to 0-3 despite an impressive 11 reception, 146 yard game from Marques Colston. The Thunder D struggled all game, with Las Vegas putting up 408 total yards, and Eli Manning tossing 3 touchdowns for the Vipers. Denarius Moore led the Vipers with 101 yards receiving on 7 catches and HB Montario Hardesty ran for 84, but it was NFL import Kareem Hunt that stole the show for the Vipers with two hip shaking scores.

POTG: Viper DE Mario Addison; 4 Tck, 2 Sck, 2 FF, 1 FR

Charlotte 13  Tampa Bay 44

Bandit fans got themselves a dream game from the Tampa Bay offense as the Bandits could do no wrong against a shorthanded Charlotte defense. With Chandler Jones and Rolando McClain both out, Charlotte struggled to slow down the Bandit attack. Dez Bryant caught 5 for 114 and 2 scores and HB Dalvin Cook rushed for 152 yards and a score as the Bandits rolled in this one. Dak Prescott finished with 3 TDs on only 9 completions as the Bandit run game racked up 231 yards against the defending division champs.

POTG: Bandit HB Dalvin Cook: 14 Att, 152 Yds, 1 TD

Orlando 38  St. Louis 10

Calais Campbell and the Orlando defense dominated for 4 quarters, but was still only up 14-10 after 3 quarters, but an explosion of offense in the final period gave the Renegades a comfortable win when it was done. Tim Tebow had a TD run and hit Jeremy Maclin for another score in the final 15 minutes, with Latavius Murray scoring his second TD on the day, on his way to a 132-yard performance as Orlando took over in the final period and turned a close game into a blowout.

POTG: Orlando DE Calais Campbell: 9 Tck, 5 Sck

Portland 19  Philadelphia 34

Philadelphia put up 21 points in the first quarter thanks to 2 long TD tosses from Matt Gutierrez to Randall Cobb and James Hardy, and a Malik Jackson fumble return, and from there it was just a steady dose of Derrick Henry as the Stars kept Portland at arm’s length for the remaining 3 quarters. Marcus Mariota threw for 369 in the comeback attempt, but just could not muster enough points, and the Stars added more points on a Gutierrez to Kelce TD as they move to 2-1 on the year.

POTG: Philadelphia DE Malik Jackson: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Def TD, 1 FF, 1 FR

Denver 20  Dallas 7

Johnny Manziel was picked twice, sacked 4 times, and Denver dominated on the ground as the Gold move to 3-0. Rookie Phillip Lindsay is becoming a real weapon for the Gold, rushing for 95 yards on only 14 carries. Denver, despite going 0 for 9 on third down, slowly built a 20-0 lead before a late touchdown finally put Dallas on the board in garbage time in a game totally dominated by the visitors.

POTG: Denver HB Phillip Lindsay: 14 Att, 95 Yds.

Pittsburgh 16  Los Angeles 7

It is exactly this kind of inconsistency that drives Express fans crazy. They score 44 against St. Louis last week, looking like an offensive juggernaut, then come home and lay an egg against the Maulers. After a 200-yard game last week, Reggie Bush could only muster 34 yards on 18 carries this week, a 1.9 YPC average. Meanwhile, Sony Michel has his first 100-yard game as a pro, rushing for 118 on only 13 touches. Andy Dalton ran in a TD, and the Maulers added 3 field goals and that would be all they needed against a Los Angeles offense that simply could not get out of its own way.

POTG: Mauler HB Sony Michel: 13 Att, 118 Yds

Michigan 7  Chicago 13

A shocker on a frigid evening in Chicago as the Machine upset the Panthers, thanks in part to gametime temperatures in the high 20’s and a wind that chilled to the bone. LeVeon Bell was held in check by a surprisingly sturdy Chicago front seven, gaining only 21 yards on 13 attempts. Chicago fared quite a bit better with Matt Forte and Jeremy Hill combining for 97 yards rushing and the only Chicago TD of the game. Aaron Dobson added 98 yards receiving as Chicago held off the Panthers and got their first win of the season.

POTG: Chicago CB Josh Norman: 7 Tck, 2 PDef

Manziel Greeted After Game with Summons & Suspension

To say that Sunday did not go the way that Johnny Manziel would have liked is a bit of an understatement. Denver dominated the game at Cotton Bowl Stadium, building a 20-0 lead and only allowing a Dallas score in the last 30 seconds of action. While Manziel’s numbers looked solid (32 of 48 for 272 yards), an early interception from Denver’s DaJuan Morgan set up the first Gold score, and later in the game, a tipped ball at the line turned into a pick from MLB Patrick Onwuasor, setting up another 3-points for the Gold. Manziel was also sacked 4 times, including one bad sack that left the QB on the turf for a few beats before being helped up. So, the game itself was not good.

What awaited Manziel after the game was worse. As he left the stadium, Manziel was met by two members of Dallas’s finest as well as two sheriffs from Oklahoma County, home to OK City. The four presented Manziel with a summons to appear before a judge in Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Charges had been filed against the Dallas Roughneck quarterback for his actions both within and outside of the OK City hotel where the team had stayed ahead of their Week 2 clash with the Outlaws. Manziel appeared in court on Wednesday, making his initial plea and setting a court date for early September. Of course, this will cost him a day of practice, but it will also inevitably bring with it a league investigation, one already underway after the initial incident, and, quite possibly a second suspension in as many years.

Manziel did not speak to the press after the summons were issued, and his agent declined to comment.  His attorney did state that Mr. Manziel was going to seek a deal that would allow for probationary status, and that he anticipated that the QB would not be headed to trial, with plenty of time between now and September for a deal to be brokered with the DA in Oklahoma City. The charges are all misdemeanors, so such a deal would not be out of the ordinary. However, just how the league reacts to a second significant alcohol-related incident is another issue. After a DUI arrest last offseason, Manziel faced a 6-game suspension from weeks 4-10 in 2017. A second violation, even if the charges are reduced or a plea allows for only financial restitution, could lead to a season-long suspension as well as potential requirements for reinstatement. So, the bad Sunday for Manziel could very soon be a much longer bad spell.

Murray, Cook, Nassib, and Mariota Surprise with Big Numbers

Week Three was a good week for players who we don’t usually see atop the weekly leaderboard, as several surprise performances highlighted the weekend. We have already outlined the strong performance put up by Arizona backup QB Ryan Nassib, throwing for over 300 yards and 3 scores to help Arizona salvage a tie against the Generals. But Nassib was not the only unheralded player to have a good day this weekend.

Orlando back Latavius Murray, who has had a few good outings, but who also was pretty well-adjusted to sharing duties with Knowshon Moreno over the past few years, made a case this week that he is a legitimate starter, rushing for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns against St. Louis. With Russell Wilson out and Tim Tebow at QB, the Renegades focused on the run game, and gave Murray every chance to show his stuff. He did just that, averaging a whopping 13.2 yards per carry, helped by a pair of long runs, including TD runs of 16 and 22 yards and a 40-yarder that set up a Jeremy Maclin TD catch. Murray still split carries in the game, with Rashad Jennings also getting touches, but it was clear that on first and second down, the Renegades were happy to have Murray lined up behind Tebow.

In Tampa Bay it was less a surprise player than a surprise outing for 2nd year back Dalvin Cook. Cook, who missed 7 games last year to injury, is trying to show that he was worth the draft capital used to land him with the Bandits. More performances like this week’s 14 carry, 152-yard outing will certainly send that message loud and clear. While we acknowledge that St. Louis’s defense is notably one of the league’s worst, especially against the run, what Cook did, including a 50-ard run to daylight and an elusive, spin & juke-filled 22-yard TD, was impressive.

Finally, while the final score in Philadelphia is not what Coach LaFleur wanted from his Portland Stags, he had to be pleased with the day put in by QB Marcus Mariota. The 3rd year starter had one of the most prolific games of his career against a very stout Star defense. Mariota finished the game 30 of 43 passing, amassing 369 yards, with 2 touchdowns and one pick. It may not have been enough to get Portland the win on the road, but Mariota showed poise in the pocket and threw some very nice balls to receivers who were not always particularly open. One pass in particular, an inside-breaking corner route to Brandin Cooks, saw Mariota loop the ball over the linebacker and catch Cooks in stride before he reached the safety. The play went for 31 yards, the longest of the day, but was just one of several nice throws by the Stag QB.

Others stepping up in Week 3 include Mauler rookie HB Sony Michel, with his first 100-yard game of the season; Oklahoma TE Julius Thomas with a 5-catch, 71-yard day; and Washington 3rd down back Joique Bell, whose 2 touchdown, 63-yard rushing effort helped the Feds get their first win of the season.

A Look at the Rookies Starting Strong

Speaking of players who are stepping up, we are three weeks into the season and it is time to see which rookies are impressing us in the early season. Some players need time to adjust to the speed of the pro game, to learn a new system, and to find a place in the gameplan, but these seven rookies seem to be fast learners and have already started to pay dividends for their new teams.

HB Phillip Lindsay (DEN)

Expected to mostly spell DeMarco Murray in Denver’s 1-back system, Lindsay is proving he has lead back potential. He currently leads the Gold with 210 yards rushing to Murray’s 155, and his 4.4 YPC average is a nice plus for the Gold. Lindsay has yet to score his first rushing TD, but is proving to be an asset for a run game that depends on consistent positive yardage.

HB Sony Michel (PIT)

With his first 100-yard game this week, Sony Michel is quickly stepping into the roll as the bell cow back for the Maulers. He leads fellow backfield mates Marcus Lattimore and Jay Ajayi with 36 touches to their combined 30, and his 5.8 YPC average, bolstered by a strong Week 3, is among the league’s best.

HB Nick Chubb (ATL)

Michel’s running back mate at Georgia, Nick Chubb, is also finding success in the early part of the USFL season. Chubb’s 3.6 yards per carry is not quite as formidable of that of Michel, but he is leading all rookie backs with 53 touches and has helped Atlanta start off strong, with a 2-1 record, despite sharing carries with Kenyan Drake and Chris Ivory in the run-heavy Fire attack.

WR Courtland Sutton (DAL)

Sutton has made a nice start for himself, and has built a good rapport with QB Johnny Manziel in Dallas. With 26 targets, he has been the top target for Manziel, helped in part by this week’s injury to NFL Import Sammy Watkins. He sits at 12 catches, tied for second with TE Ben Watson, and his 90 yards and 1 touchdown are all signs that he is definitely part of the offensive plan for the Roughnecks.

TE Dallas Goedert (MEM)

Despite splitting snaps with veteran Luke Stocker, Goedert is showing signs that he can be a productive player for the Showboats. He is currently 4th on the team in targets, but third in catches with 10. Still awaiting his first touchdown, we are seeing Goedert not only in 2-TE formations, but as a lone TE in some formations. The true key will be to watch and see if the rookie starts being added to the team’s 3rd down packages. For now, Luke Stocker still occupies that role.

SS Derwin James (TBY)

We move to defense, and no rookie defender has had a better start than Tampa Bay safety Derwin James. The hard-hitting safety already has 10 tackles and 2 picks to his name. One of those was a pick-six against Orlando in Week 2, a beautiful 66-yard return that showed off his elusiveness as a ballcarrier, a skill we don’t often see from a safety.

LB Harold Landry (DEN)

Denver gets a second rookie on our list, as Landry, a 2nd round pick out of Boston College, has not just broken into the starting 11 on defense, serving as the weakside LB in Denver’s 4-3 alignment, but is also making plays. Landry is second to MLB Patrick Onwuasor with 18 tackles, has his first NFL sack, and 3 tackles for loss already this season. The former BC Eagle is showing off his range in pursuit of backs and is also included in blitz packages.

A bad week for the Wranglers, certainly, but they were not alone in dealing with some significant injuries and some key players being ruled out of action for the upcoming week or longer. Here is the full breakdown of the week's new injury report additions.

OUT

QB David Carr ARZ Hip IR

WR Tim Wright DAL PCL Tear IR

C Robert Vega PHI Arm 6-8 Weeks

FB Jason Cabinda STL Foot 1-2 Weeks

LB Johnathan Casillas DAL Nose 1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

HB Matt Forte CHI Toe

DE Adrian Clayborn STL Back

DT Haloti Ngata SD Concussion

G Sean Locklear CHA Knee

LB Nate Irving LV Concussion

LB Myles Jack SD Ankle

WR Sammy Watkins DAL Concussion

OT David Tremblay ORL Arm

QUESTIONABLE

WR Robert Woods MEM Hamstring

TE Crockett Gilmore STL Eye

LB Anthony Walker JR WSH Neck

DE Brooks Reed ARZ Thigh

USFL & Hall of Fame Announce Class of 2018 Semi-Finalists

We have the 2020 USFL Class for the Hall of Fame and it is a very diverse bunch. While some may be upset that no movement has been made on former New Jersey DE Phil Hanson’s eligibility, there are certainly many worthy players in this year’s list, including some we think will be easy first ballot choices. Let’s start with the two returning candidates before breaking down a very deep 8-man first year class for 2018’s 5-spot final roster of enshrinees.

QB Brian Griese (2nd Year)

The former quarterback of both the Dragons and Panthers, Griese makes his return for a second year. With over 38,000 career passing yards and 262 touchdowns, the statistics for Griese are solid, as should be his leadership of the Panthers in their 2008 Championship run. Add to this the fact that Griese was named OPOTY twice in his career and we are still somewhat surprised he did not get nominated in his first year. We think he is a sure fire entrant in his second year of eligibility.

HB Antowain Smith (2nd Year)

Smith is a tougher case. Yes, he had a brilliant final season in St. Louis, helping to spur the Skyhawks to a title in 2012. He also has strong overall career numbers, with over 15,000 rushing yards and 136 career touchdowns. But here is the thing. Other than that magical 2012 season, Smith was not considered an elite back for most of his career. A good back, certainly, but not someone you would immediately name when listing off the best players in the game. Is that impression enough to keep him out in his 2nd attempt? With such a strong 1st year group, it well could be.

WR Randy Moss (1st Year)

If Randy Moss is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, then we do not know what one is or who would qualify. Moss’s numbers are staggering: 1,033 receptions, nearly 20,000 yards (19,841) and 144 career touchdowns. Those are HOF numbers, but even those numbers do not fully explain what Moss brought to the game. It was the athleticism, the ability to win contested balls, and to just pull away from defenders in the open field. The very fact that we still call a player being outjumped for a ball being “Mossed” should tell us that this player is among the very best the game has ever seen. An easy vote.

HB Willis McGahee (1st Year)

Moss’s teammate for several years in Tampa Bay, McGahee also has a strong case for the Hall. He played 10 years in Tampa Bay, including a title-winning 2011 season. He racked up over 12,000 yards rushing, 97 TDs, and was the 2012 Offensive Player of the year. The potential issue is that while these are very strong numbers, they don’t blow Antowain Smith out of the water, so how do you put McGahee in now, with Smith still waiting?

FS Tebucky Jones (1st Year)

Safety is a hard position to measure with statistics. The numbers just don’t pop the way they might for a WR, CB, or DE. But, when you ask players who were in the USFL from 1998-2013, they will certainly tell you that Jones was an elite player and one of the toughest players to scheme against. The former Memphis Showboat was named to 4 All-USFL teams, won two titles in Memphis, and racked up 36 picks, 4 defensive TDs, and nearly 700 tackles essentially playing center field. We think Jones should be a first-ballot entrant, but again, safety is a tough position to gauge.

HB Ron Dayne (1st Year)

If Smith and McGahee want to see the Hall this year, they may have to get through Ron Dayne to do it. A lifelong Baltimore Blitz star, Dayne retired in 2013 after 14 seasons bowling over defenders and turning simple run calls into dynamic runaway train footage. The former Wisconsin Badger retired after the 2013 season with 15,791 yards rushing, another 3,500 receiving, and 125 combined touchdowns. His 4.2 YPC average does not describe the kind of impact he had on defenders, both physically and psychologically, when he would simply run them over. We love Dayne’s game and we love his chances to be a first year nominee.

QB Jake Delhomme (1st Year)

What to do with a QB who had several solid years, including 2 All-USFL years, but who was never able to bring a title to his teams. Delhomme played with Philadelphia, (97-00), Jacksonville (01-09), Memphis (2010) and Charlotte (2011-13), and put up over 37,000 yards passing, but may not have the team accolades or record of consistent winning to make the hall, at least not in his first year and not with Brian Griese still among the nominees.

WR Peerless Price (1st Year)

How can a 3-time All-USFL performer, a player with over 1,200 catches and nearly 15,000 yards be boring? We are not sure, but somehow Price has simply never been a hyped-up player. Part of that comes from playing in Denver, where offensive highlights have never been the bread and butter of the Gold, but even within a drive-sustaining, low-risk offense, Price made some plays that deserved our attention. His numbers are certainly Hall-worthy, but we are not sure that in this class there is space for a player who just never made fans ooh and ah.

CB Chris Canty (1st Year)

Canty could be a tough sell to voters this year. He was an outstanding player for Michigan (along with a few years in New Orleans and Houston), but even with 1,143 tackles and 42 picks, it may be tough for Canty to be seen as a truly elite cornerback. He was voted All-USFL only once, and, much like Peerless Price, was never a media hound. He just came to work every day, did his job, and helped Michigan win a title (2008). We hope that is enough for Canty to make the Hall, but perhaps not in his first year.

HC Jim Johnson (1st year)

Our final nominee for 2018 never played a down on the field, but his coaching prowess makes him a strong candidate for first year nomination. Jim Johnson came to the USFL as a defensive guru, a designer of exotic blitzes and brutal run-stuffing schemes. He brought those talents to the expansion St. Louis Knights in 1995 as the club’s first head coach. He would go on to coach the Knights, both in St. Louis and in Nashville, for 19 seasons. In that time he amassed a record of 157-119-2 and helped the franchise make 12 playoff appearances, including a trip to the Summer Bowl in the club’s 3rd year of existence. So, what is the downside? You guessed it. Johnson never won a title. His teams were always tough, had defenses that could shut down the best player on any team, but he often lacked offensive imagination and the Knights simply could not get over the hump in most playoff years. That led to Johnson’s playoff coaching record being a troubling 5-12. That record, paired with his lack of a ring, could tarnish what otherwise was a very meritorious career with the Knights.

So, if we had to pick 5 names from this group of 10, who would we go with? We think Moss and Jones are shoe-ins. After that, we think there is a good argument for Brian Griese, Ron Dayne, and Antowain Smith, but we also think that there are voters who will reward Jim Johnson for his contributions to the game and for his character as one of the league’s most respected and respectful head coaches. So, two likely locks and 4 others fighting for 3 spots this year. Add to this group a Legacy selection, and we will have our Class of 2018.

ESPN to Add USFL Legends to Broadcast Teams

This Week ESPN announced two changes to their broadcast teams for both ESPN and EFN games starting in Week 8 of this season. The Network announced that they will be adding former USFL wideout and Class of 2017 Hall of Famer Joey Galloway to the Saturday Night ESPN broadcast and will have former USFL Head Coach Baltimore safety Adam Archuleta joining the EFN crew for their Sunday night games. These two will join former Denver Gold head coach Dick Jauron, who joined the studio team for the pre-game both nights. The booths will be a bit crowded starting in Week 8, with the mid-season additions joining, not replacing the current crews. So, as of midseason, here is your ESPN broadcast team:

                USFL Tonight Studio Show: Louis Riddick (Host) with Steve Young, Todd McShay,

Brian Griese, Randy Moss and Dick Jauron

                USFL on ESPN Saturday Night Crew: Jim Nantz, Troy Aikman, Joey Galloway

                USFL on EFN Saturday Night Crew: Ian Eagle, Ronde Barber, Doug Flutie

                USFL on ESPN Sunday Night Crew: Chris Myers, Craig James, Lee Corso

                USFL on EFN Sunday Night Crew: Mike Tirico, Chris Collinsworth, Adam Archuleta,

Week Four lines up with some great early season clashes, starting with NBC’s Friday Night Lights, where the Panthers and Monarchs face off in Charlotte. Both teams come off surprising road losses and both want to finish the week 3-1. The nightcap is a must-win for Seattle as they face Cascade Clash rivals Portland at home. Dropping to 0-4, while not absolutely unresolvable (as Seattle showed us last year) is not what anyone in the Dragon organization wants.

Saturday kicks off with a divisional game between Orlando and Jacksonville, with the Bulls also looking to avoid a nasty 0-4 start. We also have a great non-divisional Western clash between LA and Las Vegas, with both hoping to reach .500 with a win. Saturday Night gives us a great early season SW Division clash with the 2-1 Outlaws traveling to Denver to play the 3-0 Gold, one of the league’s most impressive teams early in the season.

Then on Sunday it is New Jersey at Baltimore in a nice Northeastern showdown. At 4pm, it is a battle for Texas with Dallas headed to Houston to play the Gamblers. We expect Johnny Manziel to start, but will that be enough against the defending Conference Champs? We wrap it all up with two of the best teams in the league going head to head as Philadelphia heads down to the Big Easy to face the undefeated Breakers. A good week to get your friends together and settle in for some USFL football.

Friday @ 6pm ET             Michigan (2-1) @ Charlotte (2-1)             NBC

Friday @ 8pm ET           Portland (2-1) @ Seattle (0-3)                    ABC

Saturday @ 12pm ET   Orlando (2-1) @ Jacksonville (0-3)          ABC

Saturday @ 12pm ET     Chicago (1-2) @ Atlanta (2-1)                    FOX

Saturday @ 4pm ET       Los Angeles (1-2) @ Las Vegas (1-2)         ABC

Saturday @ 4pm ET     Ohio (1-2) @ St. Louis (1-2)                      FOX

Saturday @ 7pm ET     Oklahoma (2-1) @ Denver (3-0)              NBC     

Saturday @ 9pm ET       Arizona (1-1-1) @ Oakland (3-0)               ESPN/EFN

Sunday @ 12pm ET      New Jersey (1-1-1) @ Baltimore (1-2)       ABC

Sunday @ 12pm ET        Pittsburgh (2-1) @ Memphis (2-1)             FOX Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET        Tampa Bay (1-2) @ Birmingham (1-2)      FOX Regional

Sunday @ 4pm ET         Dallas (1-2) @ Houston (2-1)                      ABC

Sunday @ 4pm ET          Washington (1-2) @ San Diego (0-3)        FOX

Sunday @ 8pm ET          Philadelphia (2-1) @ New Orleans (3-0)  ESPN/EFN