2019 USFL Week 19 Recap: Tickets to the Dance Start Going Out.

Seattle is back in the fray again, apparently loving the formula of a rough start and a second half streak. Oakland is fading fast. Baltimore is hanging tough, and both Houston and Michigan are now assured of a ticket to the dance. That, plus a monster game from Birmingham’s Cam Newton, and a tough loss for the LA Express head up our Week 12 news. We will run through all the games and give you the big stories of the week, from Oakland’s offensive woes to Seattle’s third straight season of two-faced football. That plus the 3^rd quarter power rankings as we prepare for the final 4 games of the season for all 28 clubs.

Oakland’s Offensive Woes Beg the Question: Will They Move on from Jimmy G?

It is not just that the Invaders have dropped 3 of their last 4, but the way that this has happened that has Invader Nation frustrated. After a 23-0 drubbing by Arizona in Week 9, the Invaders appeared to have rediscovered their offense when they knocked off Portland 23-14, but the past two weeks have shown us that the Oakland offense has some serious issues. A 20-6 loss in San Diego and this week’s 27-16 home loss to the Stallions have proven that there are serious issues in Oakland, and while their defense is still 1^st in the league in yards allowed, while giving up fewer than 200 yards per game passing, the offense is truly struggling.

The Invaders have dropped to 25^th in points scored, averaging only 15.1 per game, and in each of the 3 main yardage indicators, passing (22^nd), Rushing (27^th) and overall YPG (23^rd) the Invaders are among the 5 worst teams in the league. That reality has fans wondering if Jimmy Garoppolo, the NFL import, is the answer. He has stayed healthy this year, but his overall numbers are worse than in his first USFL season, something we rarely see from a veteran QB, as they usually benefit from the long USFL offseason and find more success in their 2^nd year.

That has not been the case for Garoppolo, who has seen his completion rate drop from 58.5 to 55.4, the QB Rating also drop 2 points, form 72 to 70.2, but worst of all, the touchdown number also drop. Garoppolo, through 12 starts, has only 8 touchdowns. That is not what a team hoping to win their division needs to see. The lack of respect teams have for the Invader passing game means that defenses are creeping up to the line to stuff Christian McCaffrey. The 3^rd year back is still playing well, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, but far too many 3^rd downs are being blown up by opposing defenses, including 3^rd down rushes by McCaffrey, which see an average of only 1.6 yards per carry, far worse than his first or second down averages.

While certainly all the fault is not Garoppolo’s, he is catching most of the blame. To most impartial observers, the Invader receiving corps is best described as Davante Adams and 5 guys who don’t do much. The Invaders need more from TE Zach Ertz, and they need to find options in the 2^nd and 3^rd receiver slots who are better at getting defenders out of position. Neither Taylor Gabriel nor Davone Bess are proving effective in that task, leading Coach Kubiak to offer more snaps to untested players like rookie J. J. Arcega-Whiteside and 2^nd year receiver Javon Wyms, but so far no one has stepped up as a reliable option.

And so, as Oakland drops to 5-7 and their Wild Card hopes feel like they are on life support, there is growing momentum for an overhaul, both on the O-line and in the receiver group, because what we are seeing this year is not effective. The question that everyone is asking, however, is whether or not the QB position should also be part of that retooling. Is Garoppolo capable of improving in his 3^rd year or is Oakland better off cutting the NFL import loose and going in a new direction?

HOUSTON GAMBLERS 25  MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 21

Ever since the Gamblers were relocated to the Southern Division, it has become one of the most entertaining divisions in the game. The 4 Southern teams take this game very seriously, and they all take tailgating just as seriously, so every matchup is a wild show, from the gumbo pots of New Orleans to the brisket in Houston and the pork ribs in Memphis, it is always a good time. That was certainly the case this Sunday, when a night game in Memphis meant a full day of barbecue, beer, and banter before the game even started. The Showboat faithful showed up in droves for the Sunday night affair, more than 51,000, though we saw a fair share of Gambler gear in the crowd as well.

The game they prepped for all day turned out to have been worth the wait as the Gamblers and Showboats combined for 7 lead changes and some late game drama. It all began with the Gambler defense picking off Memphis QB Paxton Lynch on his third pass attempt of the game, a quick takeaway that set Houston up to put the first points on the board. But, Memphis came to play defense as well, and they frustrated Colt McCoy all game long. The Houston QB would finish the day with only 9 completions, though 2 of those would go for scores. When McCoy missed on a 3^rd and 5 throw, Houston settled for a Koo field goal and the first points of the game.

Memphis could not do much on their 2^nd possession, but when Houston took over, they too got a key play from the D and a takeaway. Theirs was a pressure by DE Sam Acho, clipping the arm of Colt McCoy just as he released the pass towards JuJu Smith-Schuster. The contact caused the ball to flutter just enough to allow Memphis CB Jaquan Johnson to undercut Smith-Schuster, snag the ball and race into the endzone for a Memphis TD. The defense had provided Memphis their first points and their first lead. The first quarter ended with Memphis up 7-3.

That lead would not hold for long as Houston’s offense started to make inroads on the Memphis defense with their run game. Carlos Hyde rattled off several big runs in the Gambler’s next 2 drives, and while the first would not lead to points, the second provided the first Houston TD of the day as Hyde took the ball into Memphis territory and Colt McCoy did the rest, hitting Mike Evans on a perfect corner route for a 23-yard TD, retaking the lead. They would add a field goal on their next possession and the visiting Gamblers headed into the half with a 13-7 lead.

Memphis knew it needed to take advantage of the opening possession of the second half. They pulled out all the stops, running a reverse on their first play from scrimmage, and following it 3 plays later with a very nice flea flicker on 1^st and 10. When Houston’s D bit on the handoff to Todd Gurley, the back pitched the ball back to Lynch and the Memphis QB found Robert Woods for a nice 25-yard gain. That got Memphis into Houston territory and 4 plays later it was Lynch to Gurley on a shovel pass. The play worked to perfection and the Showboat back weaved his way through confused defenders and into the endzone to help Memphis once again retake the lead. Lewis Ward’s PAT gave them a 14-13 advantage.

Houston continued to focus on the run, and with Carlos Hyde averaging nearly 7 yards per carry, why do anything else? Hyde touched the ball 4 times on the next drive, including a nice 12-yard reception, and Houston again retook the lead when Younghoe Koo drilled the ball through the uprights from 23 yards out, putting Houston up 16-14.

The back-and-forth of the two offenses continued into the final period. Memphis used short passes to effectively move the ball and avoid the Houston pass rush, with Robert Woods now getting his chance to score, a nice double move found him on the inside of his corner and that gave Paxton Lynch a window. The low throw allowed Woods to go down, scoop the ball, and roll into the endzone for a 21-16 Memphis lead.

But Memphis’s inability to deal with Carlos Hyde cost them dearly in the final period. On Houston’s next drive, Hyde busted a 40-yard run, taking the ball all the way from the Houston 17 to the Memphis 43. And when McCoy faked to Hyde 3 plays later, it gave him a perfect set up to find Smith-Schuster in single coverage. The result was a 30-yard TD throw and once again Houston was in the lead.

Memphis tried to recover on their next possession, but Houston’s defense came up with another big play. Leodis McKelvin got his second pick of the game, giving him a league-best 8 on the season, and Houston took over on their own 30. They likely would have been happy to run the ball to kill the clock, but an early play changed the dynamic of the final minute. Trying to covert a 3^rd and 2 after back-to-back runs by Hyde and backup C. J. Prosise, McCoy dumped the ball off to his star halfback in the flat, but instead of gaining the needed 2 yards and sliding down, Hyde made a move on LB Nate Triplett and was off to the races. By the time safety Jordan Richards pulled Hyde to the turf, he was 45 yards downfield. That play allowed Houston to put a field goal on the board with just over 30 seconds left, leaving Memphis down 4 instead of 1, and that meant they would need a touchdown.

Playing a deep shell, Houston kept all of Lynch’s passes in front of them. So, while Memphis relatively easily moved the ball to the Houston 30, they simply could not get it in the endzone as time ran out, and their final play was an attempted Hail Mary, but one that sailed untouched out of play on the right side of the endzone. Houston had hung on and with the win they expanded their lead in the division to 3 games, locking up a playoff berth and putting themselves in a position to win the divisional crown next week. Memphis is still in good standing at 7-5, but any hopes they had to overtake the Gamblers disappeared with the loss. They will face the Gamblers again in Week 15, but that game may prove a pointless one for both clubs if they can both lock up their playoff situation in the next 2 weeks.

WASHINGTON 10  BALTIMORE 21

The Blitz get their best game yet from Jake Locker and from their defense as they shut down the Federals and improve to 7-5 to retain sole possession of first in the Northeast. Locker connected on 23 of 34 passing and found Brian Hartline and Denarius Moore for TD tosses as the Blitz break past a 7-10 halftime deficit. Add a pick-six from LB Anthony Hitchens and Baltimore proves they can still manufacture wins as they take the rivalry game over Washington.

POTG: Blitz LB Anthony Hitchens: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD

ST. LOUIS 9  SEATTLE 35

The Dragons had their most complete game of the season in a blowout win over the Skyhawks. The Dragon secondary picked off Lamar Jackson 3 times while the offense got 92 yards and 3 touchdowns from the running duo of Moreno and Wendell Smallwood. Mike Wallace also had a solid game, catching 7 for 107 and a score as Seattle looks very ready for yet another late season run to relevance.

POTG: Seattle CB Richard Sherman: 7 Tck, 2 Int

OKLAHOMA 13  ORLANDO 12

An 8-point underdog on the road in Florida, the Oklahoma Outlaws came back from a 9-0 hole to shock the Renegades. Kai Forbath’s 42-yard kick with 28 seconds on the clock was the game winner, but it was the Outlaw defense which not only knocked Russell Wilson out of the game with a vicious sack late in the 2^nd, but also kept the run game to only 67 yards on the day. The win keeps Oklahoma alive at 5-7 and costs Orlando a share of first in the Southeast.

POTG: Recent trade acquisition CB Xavien Howard: 4 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 5 PDef

ARIZONA 31  OHIO 23

Ohio had upset on their minds, but the Wranglers gutted out a win thanks to 189 yards rushing from the combo of KaDeem Carey (114) and Isaiah Crowell (75), with Crowell also adding 2 scoring runs and a receiving TD to be named POTG. It was a good game for the Glory, who found holes in the Arizona defense, but not enough as the Wranglers get the W in the end.

POTG: Wrangler HB Isaiah Crowell: 14 Att, 75 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Rec, 4 Yds, 1 TD

LOS ANGELES 12  PORTLAND 20

A bad loss for the Express as their offense sputters, costing them a shot at 1^st in the Pacific. Portland started former Stallion backup A. J. McCarron and the former Crimson Tide QB struggled, throwing for only 86 yards, but the Portland run game found surprising easy sledding against the usually tough LA defense, with Doug Martin and Travares Cadet combining for 199 yards on the ground. The Express just did not have answers on either side of the ball as Kyler Murray completed 22 of 43 but threw no touchdowns and Reggie Bush rushed for only 54 yards against the Stags.

POTG: Stag HB Doug Martin: 24 Att, 119 Yds, 1 TD

DALLAS 19  LAS VEGAS 34

Las Vegas made a statement as they moved back to .500 with a commanding win over the visiting Roughnecks. Hunt & Hardesty combined for 113 yards and a score, Matt McGloin found TE Richard Quinn for a score, and SS Troy Petty returned a poor Josh Freeman throw, one of 3 picks on the day, for a 34-yard pick-six as the Vipers rolled to victory in this divisional matchup.

POTG: Viper safety Troy Petty: 3 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD

PITTSBURGH 17  NEW JERSEY 26

In a battle of 5-6 clubs hoping to reach .500 and stay alive in the hunt for the NE Division, New Jersey outpaced Pittsburgh 19-3 in the second half to break open the game. Maurice Jones-Drew was held to 72 yards rushing but scored twice as the Generals clawed their way back to a 6-6 record, 1 game behind Baltimore. Pittsburgh again struggled to run the ball and Andy Dalton, pressed to create plays, threw two picks to New Jersey linebackers (Aldon Smith and Rey Maualaga).

POTG: New Jersey DE Aaron Kampman: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 FF

CHICAGO 27  MICHIGAN 24

In their first meeting last week, Chicago took the Panthers to overtime before Michigan got the W, but in the rematch Chicago built up a 20-7 advantage and held on despite two 4^th quarter Panther TDs to earn the W and move themselves back to .500. Despite 121 yards from MVP candidate LeVeon Bell, Chicago withstood the Michigan assault. Sam Bradford was impressive, completing 16 of 21 throws for 247 yards while putting up 4 touchdowns on the Panther defense, including 2 to WR Michael Floyd.

POTG: Chicago QB Sam Bradford: 16/21, 247 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int

ATLANTA 16  JACKSONVILLE 21

A rough game for the Fire as a stoked Bulls team saw a rare opportunity to break what had been a 8-game losing streak. The Bulls got 3 TDs from QB Teddy Bridgewater, with TE Gavin Escobar hauling in 2 while the game’s leading receiver, Mike Williams caught the third, one of 6 catches for 102 yards on the day. The Bulls’ defense held Nick Chubb to 52 yards and held Aaron Murray out of the endzone all game as Jacksonville gets their 3^rd win of the season.

POTG: Bulls’ WR Mike Williams: 6 Rec, 102 Yds, 1 TD

SAN DIEGO 21  NEW ORLEANS 19

A hard-fought game between two solid teams, but in the end Christian Ponder’s 3^rd TD of the game proves to be the game winner as San Diego holds off a late charge from the Breakers to get the W. Ponder hit Nick Toon for 2 scores and then found HB Ryan Williams for what would prove to be the game winner midway through the 3^rd quarter. The Thunder defense also came up big, despite 124 yards from Jordy Nelson, holding the Breakers to 12 points until the last minute of action.

POTG: Thunder QB Christian Ponder: 11/18, 188 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

PHILADELPHIA 7  CHARLOTTE 23

After falling behind 0-7 in the first quarter, Charlotte completely shut down the Philadelphia offense and put up 23 unanswered points to take the win. Matt Gutierrez completed only 10 of 29 throws (34.5%) and Derrick Henry was held to only 46 yards rushing as the Monarch defense shut down and shut out the Stars, whose only points came on a careless Trubisky throw that Sam Shields returned 75 yards for a TD.

POTG: Charlotte LB Rolando McClain: 10 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 PDef, 1 Int

TAMPA BAY 17  DENVER 13

Denver had held the Bandit offense in check for nearly 45 minutes, taking a 13-7 lead into the 4^th quarter, but eventually the defense broke and Dak Prescott found TE Ryan Izzo for the game-winning score with 1:31 left in the game. Josh Allen, who went 20 of 34 for the game, could not produce a final second Hail Mary and the Bandits escaped one of their toughest games of the year.

POTG: Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 23/36, 359 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int

BIRMINGHAM 27  OAKLAND 13

Oakland’s offensive woes were on display in this one, as was QB Cam Newton as Coach Haley decided to stop playing around with Newton’s rushing ability and called nearly as many QB runs as passes. Newton finished the game with 23 pass attempts (completing 11 for 206 yards and a TD) while calling 20 planned QB runs, producing 105 yards and 2 scores for the Stallions. Oakland just did not have an answer. They also did not have an offense, with Jimmy Garoppolo completing 22 of 40 passes but only putting 1 TD run on the board, and that far too late for it to impact the final score.

POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 11/23, 206 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 20 Att, 105 Yds, 2 TD

Haley’s Strange Gambit Pays Off

It was an unexpected strategy, but as Birmingham’s surprising 27-16 win in Oakland showed, doing something unexpected can be a great way to throw an opponent off. So, what did Haley do? He essentially turned QB Cam Newton into a shotgun halfback, calling designed run after designed run. While Newton dropped back to pass the ball 23 times, he took the snap and immediately shifted to a called run play 20 times, an insane number for a quarterback.

Did the strategy work? It seems a resounding “yes” is appropriate as Newton rushed for 105 yards on the day, blowing past not only the ineffectual gains of Ben Tate (12 yards on 8 carries) and Rex Burkhead (14 yards on 4 carries), but also topping Oakland HB Christian McCaffrey’s 90 yards. It also provided Birmingham with 2 rushing touchdowns, both from their QB. Is it a dangerous strategy? Sure. It is exactly the kind of thing that can send a QB to the IR in a hurry, but Newton is not a standard QB. His build and his demeanor are more akin to a bruising tailback than a pocket passer, so maybe this is the way to maximize his value to the team, and maybe to convince the Auburn product to consider resigning with Haley and the Stallions rather than testing the market for QB talent this offseason.

Ohio Has No Answers for 1st to Worst Slide

After their 8^th consecutive loss this week, the Ohio Glory, and Coach Coughlin, did not have much to say for themselves. Coach Coughlin summed it up with a very curt “We are not a very good team right now.” Quarterback Christian Hackenberg repeated the sentiment, saying “We have been in some tight games, like this one, but somehow we are not making the plays that need to be made to win them.”

Both are right. Ohio is not very good, and they are not making enough plays. They currently sit with not only the worst record in the league, but are ranked 20^th or worse in several offensive and defensive categories. They have been keeping games close, evident in their 5 point loss to Pittsburgh, 3-point loss to Dallas, and 7-point loss to Michigan, but they just don’t have the firepower to get over the hump. Giving up nearly 330 yards per game, and nearly 23 points per game while scoring barely 16 on average, well, that is not going to get you the wins you want. And for a team that surprised many by surpassing Michigan last year to take the Central Division title, the bigger surprise has been how far they have fallen in just one year.

Seattle’s 4-Game Win Streak Has Dragon Fans Conflicted

Seattle’s fanbase must feel like they are suffering from whiplash. It seems like every March the team cannot get out of its own way, and every June they are apparently unstoppable. While the Dragons did not start the year 0-5 this season, they did find themselves at 1-5 after 6 weeks, but since then it has been a different story, with Seattle winning 5 of 6 on their way to a 6-6 record and a shot at a Wild Card spot.

Seattle’s current 4-game win streak includes solid victories over Las Vegas, Denver, and St. Louis, and while their next two games will show us a lot (home matches against both LA and San Diego). But for fans, the roller coaster is a tough ride to sit on year after year. By the time the team figures out how to win, fans are already dreaming of early draft picks and calling for Mike Riley’s head. Then they turn it around and the fans have to change gears, hoping against hope that the team can sneak into the playoffs as they did in 2017, and not end up at 8-8 as they did last year. It is hard to build a better team with a mid-round draft pick every year, but that is what happens when your team is good enough to finish strong, but apparently incapable of starting the year with the same focus and effectiveness.

Is Dak Prescott the League MVP?

It may seem an odd question to ask when you have a QB who is leading the league in both passing yards (nearly 400 more than 2^nd place) and touchdowns, and whose team already has 5 more wins this season than all of last year, and yet, it is still a question. Now, in part that may because Michigan’s LeVeon Bell is also putting together a good case with over 1,200 yards in 12 weeks (yes, on pace to finish the year averaging 100 per game), and we still have several QBs with a better QB Rating than Prescott, but those seem petty reasons not to recognize the year the Bandit QB is having.

And when we look at the growth from 2018, this is a year worth recognizing. Prescott’s yardage was also impressive last year, with 2019 looking very much like the young QB’s 2^nd consecutive 4,000-yard season, but with 4 games to play, Prescott has already matched his full season total of 25 TDs from last year, and his current 106.1 QB Rating is lightyears ahead of his 2018 score of 77.7. In other words, the growth is there, the stats are there, and the team impact is certainly there, with the Bandits currently 1^st in the league in both yards per game and passing yards. So, the answer, in short, is yes. Dak Prescott should be the league MVP this season.

Wilson 50/50 to Miss Action with Hip Pointer

After appearing on this week’s Injury Report as “Questionable”, Russell Wilson’s status for this week’s game is pretty much a mystery. The report lists his injury as a hip pointer, and while those can be quite painful, they can also range widely in severity. Coach Rivera has not been very forthcoming either, saying Wilson is a tough player, but not providing any insight into whether he expects his starter to make the trip to Atlanta or to stay behind in Orlando for treatment. He may very well not know, and we may not know until Sunday night, when the Fire host the Renegades. We could very much be looking at a game-time decision, exactly what most gamblers, fantasy players, and fans do not want to hear. Orlando has Tim Tebow as their #2, which could present a whole different set of issues for the Fire defense, but as a passer, Wilson is certainly a more reliable option, so we are just not sure how the Fire, or the fans, should prepare for next Sunday’s matchup.

We have our first two playoff berths locked up as the league’s two 10-2 teams, Houston and Michigan earn the first tickets to postseason football. Both are still waiting on both a division title (Houston with a 3-game lead on Memphis and Michigan up 4 on Chicago with 4 to play), and we expect both will get that checked off their goals next week. They are also each very much the favorites to lock up the 1-seed in their respective conferences, though Michigan’s lead over both Arizona and San Diego is tenuous at a single game. On the other end of the playoff pool, we are looking at .500 as the threshold, with New Jersey, Denver, and Las Vegas all sitting at 6-6 and in Wild Card position, but they will have competition. With another 11 teams all within 1 game of the current playoff position holders, this could be a long and complicated process to lock up those final positions. What we can say is that the three teams currently holding Wild Card spots are the teams who can control their own destiny. If any are able to go 4-0 down the stretch, they are guaranteed a spot.

We also have our first eliminated club as Ohio dropped to 2-10 and is now out of the playoff picture. It has been an absolute nightmare season for the Glory, who were so up last year, when they surpassed Michigan to claim the Central Division crown. It seems every stroke of luck, every close victory or lucky bounce of the ball has turned and now goes against the Glory, sending them to the bottom of the league standings.

A good number of key players will be missing from Week 13 action, very possibly including Orlando QB Russell Wilson, Oklahoma HB Marshawn Lynch, and Las Vegas safety Antrel Rolle. It could be a rough week for the Las Vegas defense as they will also be without LB Blake Martinez, sidelined at least 1 week, perhaps longer, with a groin injury. Similarly, Chicago could be vulnerable with Josh Norman out of the secondary.

OUT

G          Zach Martin          OKL     Achilles          IR

G            Sean Locklear        CHA     Torn ACL          IR

LB          Blake Martinez         LV           Groin                1-2 Weeks

HB         Kenyan Drake         ATL           Toe                  1-2 Weeks

CB         Josh Norman          CHI           Knee               1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

CB         Marcus Williams   MEM      Shoulder

FS          Antrel Rolle             LV            Finger

QUESTIONABLE

SS          Tyran Mathieu         OHI         Concussion

WR        Allen Robinson        STL          Knee

DT          Aaron Donald          PIT           Eye

QB         Russell Wilson         ORL          Hip

HB         Marshawn Lynch     OKL         Concussion

Believe it or Not: Trubisky Not Worst for Picks Among USFL Starters

We know it sounds wrong, but we are here to tell everyone that Mitch Trubisky is not the king of throwing to the wrong team. It may be hard to convince Monarch fans, who have started calling their QB “Pick Trubisky” or “Mitch Trupicksy” out of frustration with the seemingly endless run of poor choices and worse throws. But, and this is the truth, after 12 games this year, Trubisky is not leading the league in picks. He is not second. He is actually not even in the Top (or is it Bottom) Five. You won’t find Mitch Trubisky and his 11 picks until you reach 6^th on the list.

Now, admittedly, the Monarch QB did miss three full games and most of a fourth due to several minor injuries, so his total of 11 picks in what is really only 8 full games is still far from what any owner or any fanbase wants to see. But when it comes to raw numbers, he is not at the top of the list. We actually have a tie for the dubious distinction of most picks so far this season, with both Oklahoma veteran Joe Flacco and St. Louis’s young QB Lamar Jackson both sitting at 16 interceptions apiece. What do the two QBs have in common? Certainly not their style of play, with Flacco a living statue in the pocket and Jackson a scrambler who prefers to take off and run than to finish his progressions. But, what they both have is undermanned WR groups and halfbacks who may be great between the tackles but are not great as safety valves.

After the two co-leaders in the league, we have three other veteran QBs who just are not getting the job done this year, starting with Philadelphia’s Matt Gutierrez with 15 picks, followed closely by Pittsburgh’s Andy Dalton, and Dallas’s Josh Freeman. All three have been very solid QBs in past years but in 2019 we are seeing far too many forced throws, and those tend to go pretty badly. So, if you want to defend Mitch Trubisky against the barbs he often gets on sports radio, at least you can point to a few others who are having an even tougher time, including some very successful QBs.

And, just in case you were wondering, of QBs with enough pass attempts to be counted in our QB rankings (230 attempt minimum after 12 weeks), the passer with the fewest picks on the year is actually a tie between San Diego’s Christian Ponder and Birmingham’s Cam Newton, each with only 4 picks in 12 games. Both are solidly over 300 pass attempts, so those low numbers are no flukes, they are a sign that both QBs are protecting the ball, and while Newton only has 8 TDs for a pretty mediocre 2:1 TD:INT ratio, Ponder’s 20 TDs gives him an absolutely stellar 5:1 ratio. A clear indicator of why the Thunder are looking to land the Pacific title this season, Ponder’s first as the starter for the full year.

Third Quarter Power Rankings

A lot of movement as 3-1 months as well as many 1-3 months have caused teams to climb the ladder or drop down the chute. The Top 2 remain the same, but beyond that there is a lot of movement as some teams found their groove and others watched it all start to spiral. Here is the 3^rd quarter power ranking for you to debate, discuss, and dispute.

1—Houston Gamblers (10-2)         No Change

The Gamblers bounced back from their trap game loss to Atlanta with a solid win against their closest division rival this week. They will face the Showboats one more time, but their main competition is with themselves.

2—Michigan Panthers (10-2)      No Change

After a classic 2-round fight with the Chicago Machine, Michigan is still very much in line to take both the division and the top seed in the West. We could very easily end up with a Summer Bowl that matches up the 2017 champions with the 2018 winners.

3—Arizona Wranglers (9-3)          Up 2

After a rough patch that saw Arizona lose 3 of 4, they have now rattled off 4 straight wins and while the 1 seed may be a tough ask, they certainly have the ability to earn the 2-seed, get a bye and set up for an epic playoff season.

4—Tampa Bay Bandits (8-4)        Up 13

With 4 straight wins, the Bandits have left .500 in the rear view mirror and look to be one of the hottest teams in the, and, even better, the defense has been showing up, allowing 15 or fewer points in their last 3 games. If the defense can hold, and with their top rated offense, this could be a very tough out in the playoffs.

5—San Diego Thunder (9-3)           Down 2

The Thunder have won 6 of their last 7, with only a tough road loss in Houston as their lone blemish. In other words, this is a very good team. We think they have a real shot at winning out and finishing the year at 13-3. The big test will be in the finale, when they host the LA Express, the only Pacific team with a shot to catch them.

6—Memphis Showboats (7-5)    Up 2

The Showboats have won the games they are expected to win, but struggled against both San Diego and Houston. They still have 3 divisional games left, including a rematch with the Gamblers in H-Town, but this feels very much like a team that will need to be happy with a possible 4-seed and a home Wild Card game.

7—Seattle Dragons (6-6)              Up 17

I swear we have seen this movie before. A 1-5 start was followed by a 5-1 streak, and now, with 4 games left, the Dragons are in playoff position and have a real shot at finishing over .500 and securing a Wild Card. They have two tough divisional games the next two weeks (LA this week, then San Diego), but both are at home, so Seattle has a chance to impress.

8—Baltimore Blitz (7-5)           Up 5

We all wrote off the Blitz when Big Ben went down, and while it has not been easy, this squad has won 2 of their last 4 and has held onto sole possession of first place in the Northeast. They will be tested, with matches against Tampa Bay, Michigan and Chicago in the final 4. Can they stay atop the division, or will this division produce a late surge from another contender?

9—Orlando Renegades (7-5)     Down 5

Two straight losses have dampened what had been a lot of excitement. But the Renegades still have a game in Tampa Bay, and if they can win that, they could be right back in the divisional race. We see this club making the postseason, but what will they do when they get there?

10—Chicago Machine (6-6)            Down 4

A 4-game losing streak really hurt the Machine. Even with a win over Michigan this week it looks to be too late for them to have a real shot at the division, but certainly they have a chance to finish strong and make the postseason as a Wild Card. A 3-1 final month seems viable, considering the only team they play with a winning record is Baltimore in the finale.

11—Las Vegas Vipers (6-6)            Up 11

Aside from their trap game against Seattle, Las Vegas has been impressive over the last quarter, winning 4 of 5. They do not face another team with a winning record, so they have a real shot at improving to 9 or even 10 wins. This week’s game against Denver is likely the most important of the bunch because it could factor into any tiebreaker between the Vipers and the Gold.

12—Los Angeles Express (7-5)   Down 5

The Express are struggling to put points on the board, and even with a solid defense, that is a real problem. Now, after being exposed by Portland, will other teams be able to break down that defense? And if they do, can LA put up enough points to finish strong?

13—New Jersey Generals (6-6)    Down 2

New Jersey has won 5 of their last 6, and they have 4 winnable games against fellow 6-6 and some 5-7 clubs, so their destiny is their own. If they can win out, they will be in the postseason.

14—Denver Gold (6-6)                  No Change

The Gold have been up and down, win one, lose one, and that could be trouble as they really need to string several wins together to have a real shot at a Wild Card. The have a huge game in Las Vegas this week, then three non-divisional games, so the key is to win now and get a streak going.

15—New Orleans Breakers (6-6)      Down 5

The defense remains strong, but the offense has been faltering, and that has led to a 2-2 record in the last month. They need much better than that if they hope to leapfrog some teams and get into the postseason. It starts this week with a home game against Memphis, and then a huge trip to Houston the week after. They need to go 2-0 in those tough divisional games to have a real shot.

16—Charlotte Monarchs (5-6-1)       Down 4

The Monarchs won’t catch Tampa Bay, and their best shot may be to try to edge out a current 6-6 team by using that tie to get a half-game up on the pack. But, to do that, they need to win at least 3 of the next 4, and that could be tough with LA coming to town and a trip to New Orleans on the schedule.

17—Oklahoma Outlaws (5-7)       Down 2

After losing 4 of 5, the Outlaws had their backs to the wall and pulled off a nice upset in Orlando. The problem is, they have 4 games left and will likely be an underdog in every single one, starting this week in Oakland, then in Arizona, home to Las Vegas, and a tough finale at Michigan. This is not a road that looks promising for the Outlaws.

18—St. Louis Skyhawks (5-7)       Down 2

The Hawks have lost 3 of the last 4, and another loss should all but end their playoff hopes. They have winnable games this week (Ohio at home) and Week 14 (Denver at home), but then a trip to Michigan will be decisive. They need to go 4-0 and get some help or Ka-Kaw will not be the law and once again the Skyhawks will miss out on the postseason.

19—Birmingham Stallions (5-7)      Up 2

A Herculean effort from Cam Newton finally snapped Birmingham’s losing streak at 6 games, but the damage was done. Now they travel to Houston and a loss pretty much knocks them out of range for even a reasonable path to a Wild Card. With Memphis in Week 14, followed by Seattle and New Jersey, the Stallions have an absolutely brutal final month ahead of them.

20—Philadelphia Stars (5-7)         Down 2

After an 0-5 start, going 5-2 in the middle of the season was certainly a nice surprise, but the Stars still have more questions than answers, and they cannot afford to make any mistakes if they want to reach .500 or have any shot at a Wild Card. The odds are not in their favor.

21—Dallas Roughnecks (5-7)        Up 7

A nice 3-game win streak had Dallas fans feeling hopeful, but this week’s loss to Las Vegas was a tough one. They now head to Arizona for a really tough Week 13 draw, and still have the Express and the Vipers once more on their upcoming schedule. 2-2 would be a very good finish for this club.

22—Pittsburgh Maulers (5-7)      Down 3

The Maulers had 3 losses in the last month, by 2 points (Breakers), then by 2 again (Renegades) and by 9 this week (New Jersey). They have been in games, but they just don’t know how to finish. With Michigan, Baltimore and New Jersey still on the schedule, we think the Maulers will be lucky to reach 8-8, or even 7-9.

23—Portland Stags (4-8)            Up 2

A. J. McCarron became the 4^th Mauler QB to start a game this week. He got the surprise win over LA, but put up fewer than 90 yards passing. With 3 tough division games still on the slate, we think Portland ends up with 10+ losses this year, and hopes that they can finally get a full year from Marcus Mariota in 2020.

24—Oakland Invaders (5-7)        Down 15

Losing 3 of 4 this month, while scoring only 36 points in 4 games (including a 23-0 shut out in Arizona) has left Oakland far from where they thought they would be this season. The offense has real issues, and the defense is just being asked to do too much. The real question right now is whether or not the club needs to build up Jimmy Garoppolo for next year or start looking for another option.

25—Atlanta Fire (4-7-1)           Up 1

The Fire have been better since Aaron Murray returned, but they just could not string together wins, and that means they are likely to have a top 5 draft pick next January. They need to think about weapons outside, and muscle inside, both of which have been noticeably absent this year.

26—Washington Federals (4-8)   Down 6

Fans in D.C. are feeling duped in that the Ryan Nassib they got is not the model they saw in the showroom last year. But the even bigger issue is that this Federals’ defense has been just awful, giving up nearly 350 yards per game and far too many easy plays for big gains. If Coach Bradley survives Black Monday, he will need to address that side of the ball heavily while also figuring out what went wrong with the offense.

27—Jacksonville Bulls (3-9)        No Change

We don’t see a path for Coach Flores to get a 3^rd year, not when Jacksonville has been giving up 28 points per game and lost 8 in a row. They got a win this week against a slumping Atlanta squad, but we don’t see a game on the horizon where they won’t be heavy underdogs. 3-13 is a real possibility.

28—Ohio Glory (2-10)                 Down 5

Not only have the wheels fallen off the bus, but the axel sparked on the ground, causing the gas tank to explode and now it is just one hot mess careening down the road with no steering, no brakes, and no answers. Coach Coughlin has to be embarrassed by how far the Glory fell from 2018 to 2019. He may actually survive the offseason, but only if he can convince ownership that he understands what went wrong and has a plan to fix it. Neither of those seem like something we would say about him at this moment.

Week 13 is set up as a huge playoff impacting week, with 10 of 14 games divisional games that could potentially lead to some major shifts across the entire league. Orlando and San Diego are hoping that their Friday night matchups against division foes Atlanta and Portland help propel them towards the top of the standings and a possible playoff berth. The Fire and Stags are still technically alive, but need to start getting results right now.

Saturday sees four divisional matches on the docket, starting at 4pm when Birmingham visits Houston and Denver heads to Las Vegas. That Gold-Vipers game will be huge as both sit at 6-6 and cannot afford to drop below .500. Then at 7pm it is Memphis and New Orleans, with a Breaker win giving them a share of 2^nd place in the South, while Memphis can take a 2-game lead over New Orleans with a win. The late game comes to us from Dallas, where the playoff hopes of the Roughnecks depend on them getting a home upset over 9-3 Arizona.

Sunday has 4 more divisional games on tap, along with a very nice NE v. SE clash as 7-5 Baltimore hopes to remain atop their division but faces a tough 8-4 Bandit squad that wants to stay atop the Southeast with a win. We also have St. Louis hosting Ohio and Charlotte hosting Jacksonville, with both home teams hoping a win at home helps keep them in the mix. Later it is New Jersey at Philadelphia in a battle of NE Division teams that just cannot seem to escape the black hole of .500 football. Finally, the night game has us in Seattle, where the 6-6 Dragons seem to be doing it again, coming back from a seemingly desperate early season to find themselves in the hunt late. They host the surprising LA Express, who need to add some offensive firepower to their solid defense if they want to avoid another division loss.

Friday @ 7pm ET                Orlando (7-5) @ Atlanta (4-7-1)                     NBC

Friday @ 9:30pm ET            Portland (4-8) @ San Diego (9-3)                    FOX

Saturday @ 12pm ET              Michigan (10-2) @ Pittsburgh (5-7)                ABC

Saturday @ 12pm ET           Washington (4-8) @ Chicago (6-6)                   FOX

Saturday @ 4pm ET               Birmingham (5-7) @ Houston (10-2)              ABC

Saturday @ 4pm ET                Denver (6-6) @ Las Vegas (6-6)                      FOX

Saturday @ 7pm ET            Memphis (7-5) @ New Orleans (6-6)              NBC

Saturday @ 9pm ET             Arizona (9-3) @ Dallas (5-7)                       ESPN/EFN

Sunday @ 12pm ET               Baltimore (7-5) @ Tampa Bay (8-4)                 ABC

Sunday @ 12pm ET              Ohio (2-10) @ St. Louis (5-7)                 FOX Regional

Sunday @ 12pm ET               Jacksonville (3-9) @ Charlotte (5-6-1)      FOX Regional

Sunday @ 4pm ET                     Oklahoma (5-7) @ Oakland (5-7)                  ABC

Sunday @ 4pm ET                    New Jersey (6-6) @ Philadelphia (5-7)            FOX

Sunday @ 8pm ET              Los Angeles (7-5) @ Seattle (6-6-)                 ESPN/EFN