2019 USFL Week 16 Recap: Seven Playoff Spots Decided in Final Week.

It was one of the wildest Week 16s in recent memory, with 7 playoff spots still up for grabs and nearly half the league still in the hunt. In the end it was a good weekend for the Northeast and a rough one for pretty much everyone else, including the Express, Machine, and Showboats, who all found themselves on the outside looking in. We will recap all the games and their impacts on the playoff picture, take a look ahead at this week’s Wild Card matchups, and, of course, break down the four Black Monday firings as Atlanta, Jacksonville, Charlotte, and Pittsburgh all decide to start fresh. We start off with our Big Story, the wild finish to the year and the success of the Northeast, placing 3 teams into the 2019 USFL Playoffs

Playoff Scramble Sees 3 Northeast Teams in, Memphis, LA, Chicago Out

On Friday the USFL still had 7 playoff spots out of 12 unclaimed, including the NE Division champion and all 6 Wild Cards. They also had 13 teams vying for those spots, meaning that nearly half of those clubs would be very unhappy by Monday. It also meant that tiebreakers would be key as teams locked up with similar records, and that is exactly what happened in both conferences.

Going into the weekend, the Stars, Breakers, Blitz, and Orlando controlled their own destiny, with New Jersey, Memphis and Birmingham needing help. But with the Breakers and Renegades going head to head, we knew one of them would be in trouble. That game was not until Sunday night, so we would know what the stakes were by then. Earlier in the weekend we watched as Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Baltimore all won their matchups, placing all three at 9-7. The Stars locked up the division title thanks to a strong division record of 7-1, compared to the 5-3 mark of the Blitz and 3-5 mark for New Jersey. But at 9-7 all three had a shot at the playoffs, and when Memphis fell, it meant the only challenge would be Orlando, sitting at 8-7. A win by the Renegades would drop New Jersey out.

So by Sunday night it was known, the Breakers were in even with a loss, but with a Breaker win New Jersey would claim the final Wild Card. A loss to Orlando and the Renegades would take that final spot. So, with the Generals all watching nervously, the Breakers held off the Renegades, claiming the 4 seed for themselves (a home game next week) and dropping Orlando to 8-8 and out of the picture. The Generals would be in, along with the Blitz and Stars from the Northeast. The Renegades, Showboats and Stallions were out, leaving a sour aftertaste to their seasons.

All three divisions were locked up in the West before Week 16 play, so what was on the table were the Wild Card berths. At 9-6 Denver was not only in with a win, but would lock up the 4 seed and a home playoff game. Seattle and LA would also be in with wins, while Chicago, Oakland, and Las Vegas would need help. One of them would get it.

Seattle did their part, beating Portland to lock up a spot. Denver did the same, shutting out Atlanta to claim the 4-seed at 10-6. That left only 1 spot left. LA needed to beat division champion San Diego to secure the spot, regardless what happened in other games. Well, as the 44-0 score shows, the Thunder were in no mood to help their in-state rivals out. The humiliating loss knocked the Express out of the playoffs at 8-8 and will certainly go down as a low point in Express history. That meant that the final spot would come down to the Machine, Vipers, and Invaders.

Chicago had the advantage at 8-7, while the other two were stuck a game back at 7-8. But Chicago was facing a Baltimore team that needed a win to reach the postseason, and despite holding the Blitz without a touchdown, Baltimore pulled out the win, 12-10, sending Chicago to 8-8 and needing assistance from the foes of the Invaders and Vipers. Neither opponent came to their aid. Houston rested most of their starters, secure in the 1-seed in the East, allowing Oakland an easier path to 8-8, and the Invaders took it, defeating Houston 21-7. The Vipers likewise got the win they needed, though it was not easy, a tough 27-20 war of attrition with Dallas. With all three clubs, along with LA, all sitting at 8-8, only 1 could get the berth.

That berth went to the Oakland Invaders, who, despite losing badly to San Diego the week before, still had the strongest Conference Record of the four contenders. They stood over LA thanks to a 6-2 division record, far better than the Express’s 2-6 mark. That removed LA from contention. Within the conference the Invaders had gone 7-5, while both the Vipers and the Machine had managed only a 6-6 mark. That 1 game difference gifted the Wild Card and the 6-seed to the Invaders, leaving Chicago and Las Vegas out in the cold (or the heat, it is July after all).

And so we have our 2019 playoff teams set, from the dominant Michigan Panthers at 14-2 to the suspiciously inconsistent Oakland Invaders at 8-8, twelve teams that will play at least one more game this season. We will have more on the playoff matchups and game previews later, but we now take a look at the game that determined the fate of 3 different teams.

ORLANDO RENEGADES 20  NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 27

By Sunday Night, the stakes were well understood. Eleven of the twelve playoff spots were claimed. The Breakers, sitting at 9-6, already knew they were in the post-season, but still needed a win to lock up the 4-seed and get their Wild Card game at the Super Dome instead of on the road. The Orlando Renegades had even more at stake. A win would set them up at 9-7 as well, and would grant them a Wild Card over the New Jersey Generals thanks to a better conference record. But, they also knew that a loss would send them to 8-8 and they would be sitting home next week without a playoff game to prepare for. For both teams, as well as for the Generals, looking on from team facilities in the Meadowlands, the Sunday night game would determine who was in, who was out, and who would play whom next week.

That was the setup when both teams took the field in the Super Dome. The Breakers had played well at home all season, boasting a 5-2 home record (compared to 4-4 on the road), while Orlando had been somewhat solid on the road, winning 3 of 7 games so far this season. Both teams were relatively healthy, well, New Orleans still had those 4 starting defenders on IR, but they had been there since the first 6 weeks of the season and they had still proven capable on defense. Both teams were somewhat familiar with each other, and now it was just about execution.

After a pair of 3-and-outs to open the game, it would be Orlando who had the first meaningful drive of the game. A 22-yard connection between Wilson and Dwayne Bowe had gotten the ball into Breaker territory, and Rashad Jennings did the rest, rushing for 27 yards on only 3 carries, including the last touch of the drive, a 2-yard TD run to the right side. The gauntlet had been laid down by the visitors.

New Orleans would accept the challenge and show Orlando that they too could be dangerous, going on to score 20 unanswered points in the half to take a commanding 13-point lead into the break. It started on their next drive when Geno Smith got the team into range with back to back 1^st down throws for 10+. The drive eventually fizzled, but Caleb Sturgis’s 40-yard kick put the Breakers on the board for the first time. When Russell Wilson was sacked on a 3^rd and 7 on their next possession, one of 6 sacks on the day by the Breakers, it forced a punt and New Orleans once again had the ball.

The Breakers moved the ball well on the drive, needing only 7 plays to get inside the 10. Coby Fleener had two big catches and a scramble by Geno Smith got them to the 5. With 2 rushing plays, both from Leonard Fournette, the Breakers crossed the plane and took the lead. Fournette would prove vital to the Breaker offense, even with only a 3-yard average, because it was off his rushes that Geno Smith found play action success.

Orlando tried to mount a response, but had to settle for a long fieldgoal attempt, and Caleb Sturgis missed from 51 yards out, giving the Breakers the ball in good field position. They would take advantage, moving the ball down the field efficiently before Smith found TE Coby Fleener on a perfect seam route for a 19-yard touchdown. The Breaker lead expanded to 17-3, and would end up at 20-3 by the half.

Orlando regrouped during the break, altered their defensive philosophy to better account for Fleener, and recommitted to the run game. That proved effective for them in the 3^rd quarter, where they took the opening drive for a field goal, and then followed that up with the longest play of the game on their next possession. After having forced a punt which went into the endzone as a touchback, Orlando started with the ball on their own 20. They called a play action fake to Jennings and Russell Wilson found Brashad Perriman in single coverage down the sideline. Wilson’s pass was perfectly placed and Perriman was not going to be caught once he had beaten the corner. He raced 80 yards with the Breaker safeties in pursuit, scoring to pull Orlando to within 3, 20-17, as the 3^rd quarter wound down.

The 4^th quarter was high tension for both clubs, and, of course, for the Generals’ players watching from their team facilities in New Jersey. For most of the quarter the defenses seemed to dominate, forcing 3 consecutive punts from each team’s side of the field. But, with 3:32 left to play, a break in the coverage gave Orlando a shot to tie the game. Wilson found Dwayne Bowe for a 22-yard gain that helped flip the field, and 4 plays later Orlando tied the game on a Caleb Sturgis kick with 1:36 left to play. New Orleans had time to respond, but could they.

The answer was yes, and in quick fashion, as they also set up a play to get their best deep threat into single coverage. They used a rub play from a trips formation to get Jordy Nelson all alone with CB Michael Jackson. Nelson beat the corner and raced for 50 yards to put New Orleans in field goal range. When Leonard Fournette broke the next play for another 17 yards, the Breakers were in range not only to kick the field goal, but to give themselves a 7-point lead and force Orlando into a much tougher final drive. They did not relent, and 2 plays later, with only 48 seconds left, Wilson found Fleener for his 2nd score of the game, a score that would force Orlando to go the full length of the field to tie the score again.

Orlando had 1 time out and only 48 seconds to save their season and earn a playoff berth. A field goal would be no use at all, and the Breakers knew it. They played a shell coverage, allowing Wilson to complete passes inside and short of 10 yards, and then they rallied to make the tackle. Wilson completed his first 3 passes on the drive, but that only got Orlando to their own 44, and cost them 22 of the 48 seconds they had. When Wilson started looking for bigger chunks, he started missing on throws, and on a 3^rd and 14, following Ezekiel Ansah’s 2^nd sack of the game, he would essentially end the game with a poorly chosen pass. Trying to force the ball to Perriman, he instead found FS Keanu Neal, who brought in the forced throw and essentially ended the game with its only turnover.

New Orleans would claim the 4^th seed in the East, setting up a home game against Baltimore in the Wild Card round. New Jersey would earn the 6^th seed at 9-7, while Orlando would go home knowing they had their own destiny in their hands, but falling short. The Renegades would finish the year 8-8 and on the outside of the playoff pool, a tough way to end any season.

PHILADELPHIA 30  MEMPHIS 23

We think it is safe to say that the Stars team that finished the year 9-2 over the final 11 weeks is not the same club that started the year 0-5. Philadelphia capped off an amazing recovery from their start by putting their trust in HB Derrick Henry. That plan paid off as Henry rumbled for 173 yards and 2 scores to help Philadelphia win the Northeast Division. Memphis simply had no answer for the Stars’ run game, which finished with 208 total yards to Memphis’s total of only 78. With the loss, Memphis was knocked out of Wild Card contention at 8-8.

POTG: Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 22 Att, 173 Yds, 2 TD

BALTIMORE 12  CHICAGO 10

Philly’s win meant that Baltimore would not be reclaiming the division lead they had held for most of the year, but a win over Chicago still got them into the mix as a Wild Card. In a game that only saw 1 touchdown, a 1^st quarter Matt Forte run, the Blitz slowly chipped into the Chicago lead, turning 7-0 into 7-9 by the half, and then responding to a 4^th quarter Machine FG with one of their own within the final 2 minutes to claim the win and the playoff spot. Chicago, dropping to 8-8, would be eliminated from a Wild Card on a tiebreaker.

POTG: Blitz LB Anthony Hitchens: 7 Tck, 2 Sck

BIRMINGHAM 10  NEW JERSEY 37

The Generals were also denied a division title by Philly’s win, but they left no doubt that they wanted that Wild Card slot by demolishing the Stallions at home at MetLife. OBJ had a huge game with 2 scores and 150 yards receiving, Nick Foles threw for 3 scores, and the General defense held Cam Newton to only 27 yards rushing as the “Stampede” offense was corralled by the Generals’ active LB group.

POTG: New Jersey WR Odell Beckham Jr: 8 Rec, 150 Yds, 2 TD

TAMPA BAY 10  ARIZONA 39

The Bandits rested many starters, while Arizona, still hoping for the 1-seed in the West, did not. The result was predictable, a strong first half for Arizona, putting up a 22-0 lead and then slowly benching some of their stars for the rest of the game. David Carr finished 11 of 17 for 233 yards and 2 scores, with backup Brandon Allen throwing a TD for security late in the game. Tampa started QB B. J. Daniels, who got no mercy from the Wrangler D, sacked 6 times (2 from league sack champion Calais Campbell) and picked off 3 times, including a pick-six from Wrangler CB Jeremy Lane.

POTG: Wrangler WR DeMarcus Robinson: 5 Rec, 109 Yds, 2 TD

OAKLAND 21  HOUSTON 7

The Invaders get the season finale win they needed against a Houston team that did not put McCoy or Hyde on the field. Landry Jones got the start along with C. J. Prosise, while Oakland had its best game of the year from rookie Bryce Love, sharing carries with Christian McCaffrey. The two combined for 98 yards, with Love scoring twice as Oakland improved to 8-8 and, thanks to their conference record, claimed the West’s final Wild Card.

POTG: Invader HB Bryce Love: 6 Att, 66 Yds, 2 TD

OKLAHOMA 20  MICHIGAN 23

Oklahoma got what they wanted out of Mason Rudolph’s start at QB, a good sign that they can go into 2020 with the young QB at the helm, while Michigan got what they wanted, the win, and a lock as the 1-seed, providing a bye and home field throughout the playoffs. Kirk Cousins played only the 1^st quarter, which helped Oklahoma keep it close, but LeVeon Bell played the entire game, finishing with 83 yards and the league rushing title.

POTG: Panther CB Keivarae Russell: 9 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 PDef

DENVER 16  ATLANTA 0

Denver wanted that 10^th win and the 4-seed (providing a home playoff game next week), while Atlanta wanted to avoid injury. The result was a pretty one-sided game that saw Denver shut out the lifeless Fire. DeShone Kizer again struggled at QB for the Fire, while for Denver the run game was working well against Atlanta’s struggling run defense, gaining a combined 124 yards between Murray (36) and Lindsay (89).

POTG: Denver CB Chidobe Awuzie: 4 Tck, 5 PDef, 1 Int

LAS VEGAS 27  DALLAS 20

The Vipers’ fate was not set when they kicked off, and they played like a team still eager to land a Wild Card spot. Dallas played them tough, but two pick-sixes from Viper CBs in the third quarter gave the Vipers an advantage that they would not surrender in the 4^th quarter. Matt McGloin went 24 of 36 for 200 yards, while the Viper D not only scored twice, but also held Dallas to only 30 yards rushing.

POTG: Viper CB Shaquille Richardson: 6 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD

LOS ANGELES 0  SAN DIEGO 44

This one was ugly from the start, with Kyler Murray throwing a pick-six on his first pass of the game. San Diego just went wild, putting up multiple scores in each quarter. Christian Ponder played for a half, then Joe Webb came in and threw 2 TDs in relief with the game already a 24-0 debacle for the Express. San Diego seems primed for a deep playoff run, and they made their point that they are a contender by obliterating the top-rated LA defense from every possible angle.

POTG: Thunder WR Chris Givens: 3 Rec, 65 Yds, 2 TD

SEATTLE 19  PORTLAND 14

Portland played the Dragons tough, but in the end, thanks to a Brissett to Newhouse TD in the final minute, the Dragons pulled out the win and earned a Wild Card berth, another amazing comeback season after a 1-5 start. Brissett, who remains unsigned for 2020, threw for 223 and 2 scores, while Portland got a surprising 101 yards on 17 carries from Doug Martin.

POTG: Seattle DE Deshon Hall: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF

PITTSBURGH 19  ST. LOUIS 14

In a game that saw little excitement on the field, and even less in the mostly empty stands of The Dome at America’s Center, Pittsburgh improved their final record to 7-9, dropping St. Louis to 6-10. It was a battle of backups, with former Pitt QB Nathan Peterman getting the win after going 22 of 35 for 196 yards, topping St. Louis’s Tyrod Taylor. Eddie Lacy added 75 yards for St. Louis to finish the year second to LeVeon Bell in rushing, while Pittsburgh started Jay Ajayi at HB.

POTG: Mauler DE Shaquile Riddick: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF

OHIO 28  WASHINGTON 12

The Glory finish the year with back-to-back wins as they got the win despite resting Christian Hackenberg. Connor Shaw got the start, threw for 203 yards and 3 TDs along with 3 picks. Ryan Nassib finished an utterly forgettable first year in Washington by throwing 2 picks and proving unable to get the ball into the endzone.

POTG: Ohio QB Connor Shaw: 18/31, 203 Yds, 3 TD, 3 Int

CHARLOTTE 28  JACKSONVILLE 13

In what would prove to be the final game at the helm of each club for both head coaches, the Monarchs get the W thanks to a strong defensive showing against Bulls’ backup Ryan Tannehill. The NFL import completed 24 of 36, but for only 217 yards, with no touchdowns. The highlight of the game was a 55-yard punt return from Charlotte’s Isaiah McKenzie, but there were few fireworks overall in this snoozer of a season finale for both teams.

POTG: Monarch DE Anthony Zettel: 6 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF

Black Monday A Bad Day for Arians, Mora, Flores, and Fangio

With the end of the regular season there are several things we all know to expect. There will be 12 excited fanbases, each expecting their team to overcome the odds and find their way to a league title. There are 18 disappointed fanbases, each now focusing on what went wrong, what their teams need to do in the offseason, and often upset at someone, the owner, the coach, the players, for the team’s failures. And there will be coaches who take the fall for their team’s lack of success. From the 18 non-playoff teams it is almost guaranteed that some teams will move on, relieving their head coach, and often the entire coaching staff, of their duties and starting over. The question is not if it will happen, but for how many teams will it happen.

The answer for 2019 is 4. Four teams have decided to seek a new start, to turn the reins of the team over to someone new and hope for the kind of immediate payback that fans in Tampa Bay are enjoying this year. Within 24 hours of the official end to the 2019 season, four head coaches were let go and 4 positions now open for hiring, in addition to the unfilled position with expansion San Antonio.

JACKSONVILLE (3-13)

We should not be surprised, and I expect many of us are not, that Coach Flores is out after only 2 years. After suffering through a 4-12 season in his first year, the hope had been that Flores, with a full year to enhance the roster, select a QB, and install his own defensive schemes, would be able to break an 8-season run of 10-loss seasons. While Teddy Bridgewater provided some hope this season, that hope did not turn into wins. With Jacksonville slipping back a step to only 3 wins, and the worst record in the league, Flores was the obvious and easiest piece of the puzzle to replace. We doubt he will be the lone departure, though GM Chris Grier is also out, that could be coming very soon since you do not complete 9 years without improving above 6-10 without personnel being a major issue. 

ATLANTA (4-11-1)

The Fire had hoped to compete for the division this year. After a 10-6 finish in 2018, a lot was hoped for. And, sure, losing Aaron Murray for 5 weeks was a huge issue for the Fire, and they did rebound upon his return with 3 wins in 4 games, but the run defense was atrocious all year long, and the team’s 5-game losing streak to end the year was ugly, with what looked very much like club that had given up. That more than anything was likely the reason that ownership in Atlanta was not willing to give Coach Arians a 4th season. They simply needed to do something after a 6-game drop from 10-6 to 4-11-1. Arians is likely not the main issue in Atlanta, but when you are the head coach you get the praise when the team wins, and you pay the price when they do not. 

CHARLOTTE (7-8-1)

Jim Mora Jr. is the only coach the Charlotte Monarchs have ever known. The son of legendary Stars, Invaders and Showboat head coach Jim Mora Sr. got the gig before the expansion Monarchs had a single player on their roster in 2007, ahead of the 2008 expansion season. He molded the team, got them to the playoffs in their 5^th season (2011), and to a Summer Bowl the year after. The Monarchs have made the playoffs in 7 of the last 9 seasons, but with the club falling well short of expectations this year, and with Mora bringing a 1-5 playoff record since that 2012 run to the Summer Bowl, the goal was to prove he could do more with the Monarchs, not less, and this year was a lot less than what most expected. Mora’s tenure with Charlotte ends after 12 seasons, and he leaves with a pretty solid 103-85-2. Will he find another USFL gig? Seems likely, but perhaps not right away, as teams look for younger options and “innovative” offenses.

PITTSBURGH (7-9)

Vic Fangio came to the Maulers in 2014 with a reputation for outstanding defensive game planning. After a rough 5-10-1 season in his first year, he shocked the USFL by bringing Pittsburgh to the lofty heights of 13-3 in his 2^nd year. His 2015 team featured a big-play offense and a ball hawking defense. The problem was, it turned out to be a brightly burning, but short-lived flame. The next season Pittsburgh crashed back to earth, finishing 6-10. Since then, Fangio has been unable to get the team above .500 and has missed the playoffs 4 years in a row. This year’s 7-9 club was again an exercise in missed opportunities. The NE Division was as wide-open as it has been in years, and yet despite the balance across the conference, Pittsburgh could fare no better than 4^th place and a sub-500 record. That was the last chance for Fangio, and now the Maulers will move on, hoping to find the right mix of toughness, leadership, and offensive know-how to end a run of sub-par seasons and return the team to playoff contention again.

San Diego Demolishes LA, sending message to Wranglers & Panthers

If you wanted to get a sense of how the Thunder view this season’s division title and playoff aspirations, you need only look at the way they finished the regular season. They could have rested their starters, content with a division title and a home playoff game next week. But, they knew that with Arizona facing Tampa Bay, there was still a shot that the Thunder could sneak into the 2-spot and get a bye. They also went into their finale with the LA Express upset that very few in the world of USFL punditry were even talking about them as a Summer Bowl contender. Despite an 11-3 record, all the talk has centered around Michigan, Arizona, Houston, and even the upstart Tampa Bay Bandits.

That feeling of disrespect fueled this week’s game against in-state rival Los Angeles. Facing the team with a league-leading defense, and a team that had its own “win & in” aspirations for a playoff spot, San Diego did not come to win the game, they came to destroy. And destroy is exactly what they did. The Thunder’s 44-0 demolition of the LA Express was not just a sign that they are prepared for the post-season, it is a clear message that they deserve to be respected, and perhaps feared, as a very real threat to the popular favorites in the conference and in the league.

Whether or not San Diego can get over the hump, outplay one of the big favorites in the conference, perhaps both of them, on the path to a Summer Bowl, well that we will have to wait and see. The Thunder will be playing next week, a home test against Wild Card Oakland, another familiar foe with some offensive shortcomings. We could be in for another show of power. If San Diego can humble the Invaders, their next game would almost certainly be in Arizona to face the powerhouse Wranglers, representatives of the West in 4 of the past 6 Summer Bowls. A win in Glendale against David Carr, Calais Campbell, and the 13-3 Wranglers will be exactly the kind of respect-earning, fear-inducing win that the Thunder need if they want to be included among the elites in the league.

Bell, Nelson, and Cousins Among Stat Leaders at Season’s End

The 2019 season is done, the stats are in, and we have our league leaders for 2019. Some are expected, some a bit of a surprise, but all deserving of accolades for a very strong year. Here are the season’s best in the major offensive and defensive categories:

PASSING

No “trifecta” this year as Dak Prescott led the league in yardage (4,245) and tied with Kirk Cousins with 30 TDs, while Cousins took the QB Rating title with a score of 107.4, largely influenced by his league best 71.6% completion rate. Taking 2 of 3 major categories, while also turning the 3-13 Bandits into a 10-6 playoff team may well be enough for Prescott to earn the MVP this year, though some may argue that Kirk Cousin’s somewhat quieter season, but a 14-2 season with Michigan, has him in contention.

RUSHING

It has been the LeVeon Bell show all season long, with Bell more or less atop the rushing leader board for the better part of 3 months. He finishes the season with a very nice 1,552 yards and a per carry average of 4.4 YPC. That puts him 197 yards ahead of 2^nd place, St. Louis’s Eddie Lacy, with 1,355 rushing yards. When it comes to rushing TDs, Tampa Bay’s Dalvin Cook edges Houston’s Carlos Hyde, 11 to 10.

RECEIVING

Mike Evans had the lead in receiving yards for a good part of the season, but an injury cost him the final 6 weeks and that allowed others to step up. Jordy Nelson again finds himself as the league leader with 1,461 yards. It is his 2^nd league receiving title, though almost 400 yards less than the 2017 total of 1,851 yards. For receptions, it was Ohio’s Eric Weems, the only receiver to top 3 digits, with exactly 100 receptions on the year, a far cry from the record of 152 held by Michigan’s Jeff Campbell way back in 1998. For TD receptions, look to the 2^nd place finisher in yards, New Jersey’s Odell Beckham Jr. whose penchant for 1-handed grabs made him a fantastic red zone option for QB Nick Foles. OBJ finished with 14 TDs, 2 more than second place finisher Victor Cruz (ARZ)

DEFENSIVE STATS

No shock who won the sack race this year. For the 11^th season in a row it is Calais Campbell, his first title as a Wrangler, but an amazing 11^th in a row for the greatest edge rusher in USFL (dare we say pro football) history. His 23 sacks are amazing, even if it represents his lowest sack total since winning with 22 sacks way back in 2010. Once again he was the only player to top 20 sacks, with both Oakland’s Cliff Avril and Pittsburgh’s Shaquille Riddick finishing up at 18 apiece. As for tackles, the move from Portland to Philadelphia did not diminish Channing Crowder’s talents. He earns his 2^nd tackle title, leading the league with 125 this season. Crowder first won the honor back in 2014 with the Stags, and his win, paired with Kirk Morrison’s win last year, gives Philadelphia the title in back-to-back years with two different MLBs. Finally, Houston’s Leodis McKelvin, who scored a stunning 4 defensive scores this year (all pick-sixes) finishes atop the interception board with 8 picks. That means that for every 2 picks he had this year, he returned 1 for a score, a truly stunning result.

By now you likely have a good sense of the playoff situation, but, just in case it is not clear, here are the matchups as we look ahead to Wild Card Weekend:

Houston is the 1 seed at 11-5, they and the 2-seeded Tampa Bay Bandits (10-6) will have byes next week before taking the field again in the Divisional Round.

Philadelphia, coming back from their 0-5 season start, claims the 3-seed as the NE Division champions thanks to the division record tiebreaker. They will face the 6-seed, which is none other than their archrival, the New Jersey Generals. That should be a fun one, and probably a chippy one as these two teams always seem to get into it when they play.

Finally, the 4-seed goes to the 10-6 New Orleans Breakers. They get to host the 3^rd of the NE Division teams to qualify for the playoffs, the 5^th seeded Baltimore Blitz.

With Michigan, Arizona, and San Diego all winning this weekend, the rankings and seedings do not shift at all. Michigan wins the 1-seed at 14-2, with Arizona claiming the 2 at 13-3. Both will have the bye this week and play at home in the Divisionals.

San Diego sits with the 3-seed at 12-4, which means they will face the 6-seed, a matchup not unfamiliar to the Thunder as they take on the 8-8 Oakland Invaders. San Diego swept the series with the Invaders, with both games played in the final 5 weeks of the year, and with the Thunder dominating, winning by a combined 54-20 in the two matchups.

The other Wild Card game features the 4-seed Denver Gold hosting the 5-seed Seattle Dragons. This one could be very interesting as the two played a very competitive game in Week 10 with Denver getting the W in Seattle by a 24-17 margin.

So, 4 games this weekend, featuring 8 of the 12 playoff squads, the other 4 waiting to hit the field a week later. We will look at each game below in our breakdown of Wild Card weekend on the slate in just a few days.

Four games this weekend and a range of teams dealing with new issues, others with long IR lists, and others still who seem to be quite healthy for this late in the season. Here is the breakdown of the weekend's Wild Card matchups and the injuries that could impact each game.

BAL     QB Ben Roethlisberger (IR), OG Andy Alleman (IR), DT Barry Cofield (IR)

NOR      DT Ricky-Jean Francois (IR), SS Will Harris (IR), DT Justin Ellis (IR),

FS Clyde Adams (IR)

SEA        OT Terron Armstead (IR)

DEN      CB Kris Boyd (IR), OT Ronnie Stanley (OUT), C Stefan Wisniewski (OUT),

FS Jerron McMillian (OUT)

NJ      G Danny Isidora (OUT), LB Akeem Ayers (Q), WR Muhamed Sanu (P),

TE Matt Spaeth (P)

PHI        DE Anthony Hargrove (IR), WR Braxton Berrios (IR), C Corey Linsley (D)

OAK    G Logan Mankins (IR), WR Donte Moncrief (Q)

SD        CB Tye Smith (OUT), SS Duke Williams (Q), DT Dexter Lawrence (Q),

LB Demario Davis (Q)

Draft Order set through pick 18

In an expansion year, the draft is always a bit of an odd structure. We will see a reshuffling of the Territorial Schools once again as the league adds 2 more teams to the mix, and we will see the two expansion teams added to the Open Draft as well. The decision was made that the two expansion clubs, due to their advantages in acquiring players in both free agency (endless cap space) and through the expansion draft, would be given not the first two picks of the draft, but the 5^th and 6^th picks. So, where is the cutoff? Here is the listing through pick 18, as all the non-playoff teams have their slots.

1-Jacksonville 2-Portland 3-Ohio 4-Atlanta 5-New England

6-San Antonio 7-Washington 8-St. Louis 9-Oklahoma 10-Dallas

11-Birmingham 12-Pittsburgh 13-Charlotte 14-Chicago 15-Los Angeles,

16-Memphis 17-Las Vegas 18-Orlando

Regular Season Final Power Rankings

Here we go, the final power rankings of the season, and a preview of how we see the playoff dynamics as the top 12 teams are ranked.

1—Michigan (14-2)

4-0 down the stretch helps move Michigan up to 1^st place as the Summer Bowl favorite.

2—Arizona (13-3)

Up one as well, thanks to a 4-0 final month. A Panthers-Wranglers Conference Title Game would be epic.

3—Houston (11-5)

The Gamblers went 1-3 down the stretch. Is this “Senioritis” for a club that already punched their playoff ticket or a sign of trouble?

4—San Diego (12-4)

The Thunder want to be considered one of the “big boys” and will likely have their shot at Arizona soon enough.

5—Tampa Bay (10-6)

The Bandits have improved on defense and can outscore almost anyone. We think they could be very dangerous, especially if Houston cannot get back in top gear after a slow June.

6—New Orleans (10-6)

The Breakers won their final 4 games to finish as the top Wild Card team in the league.

7—Philadelphia (9-7)

We should not underestimate the Stars. Their 9-2 run is impressive, and they won 7 of 8 divisional games in a division that placed 3 teams in the playoffs.

8—Denver (10-6)

It seems Denver always plays the role of the undervalued contender. They are again in the mix, and again no one is talking about them.

9—New Jersey (9-7)

Nick Foles has quietly put together a very solid season. If MJD can have a good postseason, we could see the Generals surprising some folks.

10—Seattle (9-7)

After falling 1 game short last year, the Dragons are again back in the playoffs despite another weak start (1-5). Last time they were here, they pulled a road upset. Can they do it again?

11—Baltimore (9-7)

Going 2-2 down the stretch is not ideal, but the Blitz are still showing that they are more than just their former starting QB. They have some tricks up their sleeves.

12—Oakland (8-8)

Getting in on a tiebreaker is still getting in. But, with San Diego on their playoff dance card, this could be a short stay.

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13—Las Vegas (8-8)

Coach Neuheisel is building something in the desert, and in Matt McGloin he seems to have found a good hub around which to place more pieces.

14—Memphis (8-8)

A disappointing drop off from the team, but especially from Paxton Lynch, whose 2019 numbers are not matching what we saw last year.

15—Orlando (8-8)

The Renegades had a chance, it was in their hands, but they are just not confident in themselves yet. Give Coach Rivera another year and this could be a team to watch.

16—Chicago (8-8)

Another team that was better, but not quite over the hump yet. Michigan needs to keep an eye on this club, because they are better each year than the last.

17—Los Angeles (8-8)

While Express fans should be happy with a 5-game improvement from 3-13 to 8-8, the fact that the Express were 6-3 at one point and won only 2 more games in their final 7, that has left an unpleasant feeling behind.

18—Charlotte (7-8-1)

The Monarchs have a lot of positive elements in their roster, but they need to figure out how to either get Mitch Trubisky to protect the ball better or how to replace him. That decision will fall on a new coach as Jim Mora Jr is out after building the team from their expansion in 2008.

19—Birmingham (7-9)

Todd Haley thinks he has found something in his new offensive scheme for Cam Newton, but he needs to consider the long term viability of putting his QB at risk so frequently.

20—Pittsburgh (7-9)

Another non-playoff year, and a dip back under .500 was too much for ownership. They will now look for a new head coach, and, very likely, a replacement for likely free agent departure Aaron Donald.

21—Dallas (6-10)

Three more wins than in 2018, but another 10-loss season just the same. Fans in Dallas are coming out of the honeymoon phase with the club and are going to want to see a playoff-caliber team pretty soon.

22—St. Louis (6-10)

Another slight improvement over the prior year (3 wins in 2017, 5 in 2018), but is slow and steady enough?

23—Oklahoma (6-10)

The Outlaws will have a rough offseason ahead of them, very likely losing some of their biggest names either to retirement (Lynch?) or to the new San Antonio Gunslingers.

24—Washington (5-11)

After an encouraging 9-7 record in 2018, the Feds take a step backwards. Fans are hoping they can see the Ryan Nassib from the 2018 Wranglers next year, because he was not on the field this season in Washington.

25—Atlanta (4-11-1)

Coach Arians knew this was a make or break year, and, well, it broke. From 10-6 to 4 wins is not what any team wants to see, especially when you cannot point to any injuries as season-impacting.

26—Ohio (4-12)

Coach Coughlin wins his final 2 games and that seems to have saved him for this year. Ohio won the division last year but looked like a shadow of that team this year. Expect 2020 to begin with Coughlin firmly planted in the hot seat.

27—Portland (4-12)

The Stags are a team that can certainly point to injuries as an issue. They started 4 different QBs this year, including one they traded to get midseason. Hard to win when you don’t know who will be under center week to week.

28—Jacksonville (3-13)

Coach Flores does not survive what is Jacksonville’s 9^th straight 10+ loss season. Seven wins over two seasons will do that. So now the Bulls once again start over.

Baltimore Blitz (9-7) @ New Orleans Breakers (10-6)

Saturday, July 13 @ 3pm ET

Caesar’s Super Dome, New Orleans,LA

Breakers -7

How do we break down this game? Well, the Vegas books seem pretty confident that a mix of solid defense (4^th in PPG allowed) and home field will be enough to give New Orleans the win. We are not so sure. The Blitz have proven to be a very resilient group, particularly after the loss of Big Ben Roethlisberger for the season with a back injury. That injury, and the very real potential that their star QB will never take the field again, has been a huge motivator for the Blitz, who have shown their own defensive mettle, and who can surprise with an offense that still has some playmakers.

OUR PICK: We like the upset here. We think Baltimore is motivated, focused, and that they match up well with the Breakers. A lot will depend on if they can get a run game started to keep the pressure off Jake Locker. If they can, then some single coverage may allow Hartline and Heyward-Bey to get favorable looks and Baltimore to crack that tough Breaker D. We say Baltimore 21-17.

Seattle Dragons (9-7) @ Denver Gold (10-6)

Saturday, July 13 @ 7pm ET

Sports Authority Field @ Mile High, Denver, CO

Gold -5

This one is a tough one to pick. We love what Coach Hufnagel is building in Denver, and in his first full year of action Josh Allen has had some impressive moments. But this will be his first playoff game, and while Seattle has struggled every season with slow starts, they are a team that comes on strong late in the year. Coach Riley has them believing they deserve to be here, and that may extend into believing that they can win in a tough atmosphere (or lack of atmosphere) in Denver.

OUR PICK: We are again going to go with the road underdog. We like Knowshon Moreno to find gaps in Denver’s front line, and that can help Jacoby Brissett avoid pressure from Von Miller. It may well be a close game decided by a field goal, but we think that the 3-year run of late season surges from the Dragons continues in Denver.  Seattle 24-21.

New Jersey Generals (9-7) Philadelphia Stars (9-7)

Sunday, July 14 @ 1pm ET

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Stars -3

We love that this is a playoff matchup. We have two teams that have had to scrape and survive all season long, but also two teams that know each other so well, and honestly do not like each other. The Linc should be packed, and there will be warring factions there as well as on the field. So, what is the difference between these two? We think it all comes down to which HB will be able to do have success. Will it be human bowling ball Maurice Jones Drew? Or will “King” Henry be able to repeat his outstanding Week 16 performance?

OUR PICK: The oddsmakers give Philadelphia a slight edge because of the home field advantage. We give them a slight disadvantage because we have seen how Matt Gutierrez has struggled all season long, throwing 18 picks to only 16 TDs, and while Nick Foles had some bad games, he has been more reliable all season long, throwing for 28 TDs and only 7 picks, a really nice 4:1 ratio. We continue our streak of picking the road underdog with this one too. Our pick is New Jersey 27-25.

Oakland Invaders (8-8) @ San Diego Thunder (12-4)

Sunday, July 14 @ 5pm ET

Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA

Thunder -12

Here is where we break our streak for the underdog. We agree with the Las Vegas book that this is not a close matchup. Just the fact that Coach Kubiak is considering making a QB change for a playoff game, a wild idea, tells us that he has his doubts as well. The Oakland offense has been a major liability all season long (ranked 25^th of 28 teams in scoring). And, yes, the Invaders can play defense, but this Thunder team just dismantled the top defense in the league, Los Angeles, in a 44-0 massacre. We just don’t think this will be close.

OUR PICK: We think this one has the potential to get ugly quickly. Perhaps Oakland’s D can keep it close for a half, but over 60 minutes San Diego’s quality will show itself. We say San Diego 31-17.