2019 USFL Wild Card Weekend Recap

USFL LIVES
3 hours ago
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Wild Card weekend lived up to the hype this year, giving us 4 great games, none finishing with a margin of victory of more than 3 points as every club in the competition came with their A game. Yes, in the end all 4 home team favorites won out, but not without a lot of drama and a few tense moments in each of the four Wild Card games. That means we are set up for a Divisional Round this week that features the 1-2-3-4 seeds in each conference. This week also, as it so often does, brought news of retirements across the league, with a few surprises that may well throw some teams’ offseason priorities a curveball. We will cover all the on-field action, discuss some free agent news, and preview the Divisional playoffs on tap, but we start with the retirement news that impacted several of our non-playoff teams this week.

Retirements Complicate an Already Complex Offseason

It is one thing for teams to recognize their depth issues and potential free agent departures as they plan for the offseason, and some retirements are well-known in advance, but when a player who most believed was a key to the plans for the next year surprises a club with an offseason retirement, it can be pure chaos, forcing teams to reassess priorities, make unplanned deals or shift direction on their plans. Not all the retirement announcements this week were unexpected, but some certainly will impact how their teams treat the offseason.

QB Ben Roethlisberger (BAL)

While nothing had been said publicly, Ben Roethlisberger’s press conference on Tuesday was known by the Blitz well in advance, as was the likelihood that with his 2019 back injury, this would be the result. Big Ben spoke kindly of his club, his teammates, and the city of Baltimore as he said goodbye to the game in front of the assembled local media at the stadium he brought a title to in 2014.

For the Blitz, the question is whether or not they are happy with the season Jake Locker has had in relief of Big Ben. Locker finished the year with a QB Rating of 87.3, which is certainly better than some starters across the league. He threw for 2,435 with 11 TDs and 7 picks, also not poor numbers, but are they franchise numbers? We expect the Blitz will explore options, particularly since their 1-year deal with backup Charlie Whitehurst has expired. The question is whether they bring in a clear competitor for Locker in the starting position, or perhaps back him up with a young QB, someone along the lines of a mid-round rookie draft choice.

HB Rashad Jennings (ORL)

The first of the “surprise” announcements came on Sunday, exactly one week after the season officially ended for the Orlando Renegades with their loss in New Orleans. Jennings, who had led the ‘Gades with 809 yards rushing, was a centerpiece of their offense. But, after 11 punishing seasons with the Thunder, Glory, and Renegades, the back’s body was just not recovering from games the way it had in the past, and citing his health as a priority, Jennings announced that the time had come for him to step away from the game. Orlando used Jennings in a dual backfield with speedster Knile Davis this year. It is expected that they will see to find a big-bodied back to pair with Davis for 2020. One option, for example, could be rookie D. J. Dallas out of Miami, a T-Draft territorial school of the Renegades.

HB Matt Forte (CHI)

Chicago Machine personnel staff knew that Forte was considering retirement, but most fans of the Machine had not been in on that info when Forte made his decision. Forte’s role had been diminishing in recent years, and in 2019 he finished 2^nd to Jeremy Hill with 669 yards to Hill’s 837, despite having more carries over the season. The Machine could entertain making Hill their lead back, rather than splitting carries, but Hill has not had over 250 touches since 2015 with the Breakers. Another option would be to sign or draft a 2^nd back, particularly one who has strong receiving skills, to split carries with Hill in 2020.

WR Roy Williams (ATL)

This one had to be a blow to Atlanta’s player personnel team. Williams was the unquestioned top target for Aaron Murray this season, receiving 145 targets and racking up 1,016 yards and 7 touchdowns. But, at age 36, he clearly had to be considering retirement. Did Atlanta have a plan to replace him if he opted for it, as he now has? Kelvin Benjamin and Dorial Green-Beckham may now compete for the 1-slot, but it seems almost certain that Atlanta has to bring in another option as well. With no clear options in the T-Draft, Atlanta may now be in a position to deal to get another team-s territorial pick, or take their chances with the Open Draft.

WR Mark Clayton (OKL)

Another long-in-the-tooth receiver, Clayton finished his 15^th pro season this year in Oklahoma. His numbers in his lone season with the Outlaws were on par with his time in Memphis before the move, and it seems that the change of scenery, as well as the anticipated roster shuffle for the Outlaws this year, were factors in Clayton’s decision to retire. He leaves the game with over 900 career receptions, over 10,00 yards and 56 career touchdowns. So, what does Oklahoma do? Well, the answer may be right there waiting for them in the territorial draft, with OU’s CeeDee Lamb seen as one of the better receivers expected to come out for the 2020 draft.

Other noteworthy announcements this week include Orlando guard Max Jean-Gilles, Dallas TE Ben Watson, Atlanta’s injury-plagued DT Sione Pouha, Charlotte safety Shaun Schillinger, and Jacksonville’s veteran DT Kedric Gholston.

BALTIMORE BLITZ 17 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 20 OVERTIME

Wild Card weekend kicked off with a good one, an overtime classic from the Super Dome in New Orleans. Both the Breakers and the Blitz came into this game hoping to get their ground game established and take pressure of their QB. Both had success with just that plan, with Leonard Fournette gaining 105 yards on the ground and rookie Josh Jacobs topping it with 113. What we got on Saturday were three quarters of back-and-forth touchdowns, a final period where the defenses dominated, and an overtime settled with a late field goal. In other words, a good game from start to finish.

Baltimore got the ball rolling with a 12-play, 5-minute drive to open up the action. They had scripted their first 15 plays and needed only 12 to find the endzone. Mixing runs from Jacobs, roll outs and short passes from Jake Locker and a very nice TE screen to C. J. Uzomah, Baltimore kept the Breaker defense off balance and finished off the drive with Josh Jacobs diving over the right side from the 1 to put the visiting Blitz on the scoreboard, opening the game with a solid first drive.

It would take New Orleans two possessions before they found an equalizer, but after going 3-and-out, they held Baltimore on the next drive, got the ball back, and the offense got the first big play of the game, a 21-yard completion on 3^rd and 4 as Geno Smith found Kenny Britt after a nice double move. That helped set up the Breakers in scoring position, and 4 plays Smith found slot receiver Tyler Lockett for the equalizer. The game would head into the 2^nd quarter knotted up at 7.

Baltimore would get the only points of the second quarter, a mid-period drive of only 6 plays that saw Josh Jacobs’ longest run of the game, a 17-yard pitch to the wide side. Jake Locker also found Heyward-Bey for a 13-yarder on a nice play action pass and then found Denarius Moore for 7 on a crossing route from the 4. Baltimore took the lead into the break despite a nice final drive from New Orleans, when Caleb Sturgis uncharacteristically shanked a mid-length, 37-yard field goal.

The Breakers would turn the tables in the third, allowing only 33 yards on 3 Baltimore drives, helped by a pick from FS Keanu Neal, who has been coming on in the past month. They also forced a punt after a successful Baltimore 3^rd down call was cancelled out by an illegal formation call. On their lone scoring drive, It was Leonard Fournette finding success on the ground, hitting on a 20-yarder and then a 9 yarder to set up the eventual touchdown, a 1-yard plunge over center.

The Breakers took their first lead of the game after Sturgis hit on his next field goal try, but that lead was short-lived as Baltimore also got in field goal position on their next possession. Josh Lambo hit from only 23 yards out and the game was again tied. It would stay that way through regulation, with neither team able to get in range late. In overtime New Orleans got the ball first, but another missed kick, this time a bit of an ambitious 55-yarder, kept the Blitz active. They had the ball in Breaker territory, but a well-timed sack from Ezekiel Ansah, another late season hero for New Orleans, pushed them out of range for Lambo. They would go for it on 4^th and 14 but turned the ball over to New Orleans when the pass play to Hartline failed to gain all the yardage needed.

The Breakers would need only 3 plays to get into position for Sturgis. Following a short run by Fournette, Smith faked the ball to the big back and found Tyler Lockett for the longest play of the game, a 51-yard catch and run that put the Breakers well in range for their kicker. After using a run to the right to center the ball, New Orleans brought Sturgis onto the field on 2^nd down and the Breaker specialist connected to give New Orleans a hard-fought win and a trip to face their division rival, Houston next week.

SEATTLE DRAGONS 18 DENVER GOLD 21

Saturday’s second game was also a back and forth affair, with the lead changing 4 times before it was settled in the game’s final minute. In a game that may well prove to be a turning point for Denver QB Josh Allen, the 2^nd year player and first year starter connected on 26 of 40 passes for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a dramatic game winner with 9 seconds on the clock.

The game started slowly, as playoff matchups often do. It was not until the 4^th possession of the game that either team crossed midfield. Seattle did so when Jacoby Brissett found John Brown for a 17-yard gain. Denver had left a linebacker on the speedy slot receiver and Brissett saw and took advantage of the mismatch. Three plays later Jeffrey Harris would connect on the kick and Seattle took a 3-0 lead as the 1^st quarter closed.

Denver continued to struggle on offense, with Seattle containing their running attack and the talented combo of Desmond Truffant and Richard Sherman shutting down the outside receivers. But with just 2:27 left to play, Denver shifted gears, with Allen finding TE T. J. Hockenson for the first big play of the game, a 20-yard reception that put Denver inside the Seattle 40. Patrick Lindsay then hit a nice 11-yard scamper and Denver was in business. It would take them 7 plays to get from the 30 to the Seattle 3, but from there, Allen found Kevin White on a rub route and the Gold took the lead with 1:07 left to play in the period.

The Denver lead would be expanded early in the 3^rd as Josh Allen showed off his arm strength after a nice fake to Lindsay. He uncorked a 74-yard TD pass to Golden Tate which easily traveled 60 yards in the air. Tate had gotten behind Truffant thanks to a nicely designed cluster formation which got the corner caught up in the mix of players. With good time for Allen to set and throw, he unleashed a rainbow that helped Denver go up 11, 14-3.

Seattle would respond, helped by a defensive holding call on LB Patrick Onwuasur, and then a big run from Wendell Smallwood, who busted the initial tackle and rumbled 34 yards before being caught from behind. The drive came to an end when Brissett again found slippery inside receiver John Brown, this time for a score. That play cut the lead to 3, 14-11, but only 4 plays later Seattle would once again take the lead.

The advantage-turning play was brought on by the unheralded Dragon pass rush. DE Deshon Hall got around the right side, pressuring Allen almost immediately. The Denver QB tried to roll left and throw back to the right, one of the more difficult throws for a right-handed QB to complete, and it was a throw he instantly regretted. Rather than find his receiver, the throw found Seattle safety Taylor Rapp, who not only brought the ball in but returned it to the endzone for the Seattle lead.

It looked like youth, inexperience, and a bad decision might doom Denver’s chances. For the rest of the third and nearly all of the 4^th, the Gold simply could not get their offense moving. Seattle, content to milk the clock and grind the ball out, was not taking any chances, but they still had to return the ball to Denver with 2:11 left on the clock. It was time for Allen to prove himself. The athletic but inexperienced Gold QB had gone 21 of 35 on the day, which was pretty solid, but that pick-six was still hanging in the air as Allen took the field with 2 minutes and 1 timeout left. What followed was a 5-for-5 passing run that helped the Gold move from their own 21 down the field efficiently. With 17 seconds left on the clock they found themselves on Seattle 13. On the next play, Allen pitched the ball to Lindsay, surprising the Dragons, who were playing a shell defense. The Dragons were able to push the Denver HB out of bounds at the 1, but with 10 seconds left, Allen would have 2 plays from the 1 to get a TD and end the game.

The Wyoming product came to the line with a goalline formation, all 3 TEs in the game along with DeMarco Murray and fullback C. J. Ham. When Allen spun to hand the ball to Murray, the Dragon defense collapsed, discovering too late that Allen still had the ball and that TE Jack Doyle was uncovered. A soft lob into the endzone found Doyle and 57,500 in the stadium erupted as Denver took the win, advancing to the next round to face the top-seeded Panthers.

NEW JERSEY GENERALS 26 PHILADELPHIA STARS 27

Sunday’s games would prove to be as exciting as the Saturday lineup. The highlight on everyone’s calendar for the weekend was a bitter rivalry game between the Generals and the Stars. Philadelphia had beaten out both New Jersey and Baltimore on a tiebreaker to get this game played at Lincoln Financial Field, and they intended to use every home field advantage they could.

The Stars trotted out legends Kelvin Bryant and Jon Fusina before the game to help rile up the Philadelphia crowd, and the rush of adrenaline and fan energy seemed to be of immediate help as Philadelphia dominated the first quarter, taking a 10-0 lead thanks to a 52-yarder from kicker Eddie Pineiro and a 9-play drive that saw Matt Gutierrez connect with Doug Baldwin on a 3^rd and 16 play, with Derrick Henry putting the Stars up 10 with a short TD run, much to the delight of the Stars faithful in the stadium.

New Jersey finally got their offense in gear as the quarter ended, initiating a drive with their 3^rd possession that would run 11 plays and finish with a Foles to Beckham touchdown. Both clubs slugged it out for the rest of the quarter, seeing marginal success with their ground games, but connecting on enough plays in the air for each to put a field goal up before the half. Philadelphia took a slim 13-10 lead into the break and both clubs looked for ways to outmaneuver the other in the second half.

The Stars opened the 2^nd half much as they opened the first, with a touchdown drive that made use of play action and a pair of nice third down conversions before Matt Gutierrez found Doug Baldwin to build up their 10 point lead once again. That lead held for only 4 minutes as New Jersey responded, thanks in large part to a nice 22-yard screen play to MJD. Foles found TE John Carlson from the 10 with 3:48 left in the period to again pull New Jersey to within 3.

The 4^th quarter would see New Jersey take advantage of a tiring Star defense and a poor throw by Matt Gutierrez. On three consecutive drives, one sparked by Marquestan Huff’s pick of Gutierrez, the Generals evened the score at 13, then went up 3, and then 6 as Ka’imi Fairbairn connected from 48, 33, and 27 yards out. Philadelphia had managed to stop New Jersey from scoring a touchdown on any of the three drives, but now found themselves down 6 with only 1:47 to play.

The Stars, and much beleaguered QB Matt Gutierrez, responded with a 7-play drive that used up only 1:15 on the clock. The drive included a 17-yard strike to Quincy Enunwa, a key third down connection to Travis Kelce, and then, with 27 ticks on the clock, a 15-yard post-corner route to Randall Cobb for the equalizer. All the Stars needed was the PAT and they would hold the lead with only seconds left. Eddie Pineiro connected on the kick and the stadium erupted as Philadelphia punched their ticket to the Divisional Round and a trip to Tampa Bay to face the Bandits.

OAKLAND INVADERS 17 SAN DIEGO THUNDER 20

Three very close, down to the wire games in the weekend, but few expected a 4^th as the Oakland Invaders struggled their way to an 8-8 record and the final Wild Card berth. They were headed down the coast to face San Diego, a team that had not only finished the year at 12-4, but won their final 4 games by a combined score of 132-30, including a Week 16 obliteration of LA, 44-0 and a 20-point win over the Invaders only 2 weeks ago.

But, as so often happens as the regular season turns into the postseason, the Invaders upped their game, especially on defense, and gave San Diego a real run for their money. The Invader defense held San Diego to only 1 first down in the entire first quarter, and on their 3^rd possession of the game, put up the first points. They did this with a new quarterback in the game as Coach Kubiak had made the controversial decision to sit the struggling Jimmy Garoppolo for the playoff matchup, starting Ryan Lindley instead. Lindley, who would finish the game with a 15/34, 104 yard, 1 TD performance, struggled as well, but late in the 1^st he connected first with Taylor Gabriel on a 14-yard third down connection, and then hit Davante Adams with a TD throw to open scoring.

San Diego responded in the 2^nd quarter, shutting down the Oakland attack and putting up 10 points to take the lead. They first got on the board with a short field goal after a 3^rd and goal throw from Ponder to Marques Colston was broken up by CB Chris Gamble. On their next possession, Ponder found Colston, this time from 51 yards out, as the Thunder struck quickly on a 4-play drive. The deep ball to Colston put San Diego up by 3 as the two teams went into the locker rooms for halftime.

Coming out of the half, San Diego added another 3 points to take a 6-point lead, but the Invaders again found some magic. This time it was a pick from CB Eric Wright, snatching a ball right out of the hands of Nick Toon, and setting up Oakland at the San Diego 17. On the very next play, Lindley faked the ball to Christian McCaffrey and bootlegged to the left. San Diego’s linebackers overreacted to the fake, leaving no one on the outside to contain Lindley. The Invader QB was at the 4 before the first Thunder DB reached him. Cornerback Damontae Kazee tried to shove Lindley out at the 4, but Lindley leaned into the hit and spun his way into the endzone to put Oakland up 14-13 in the final minutes of the 3^rd quarter.

San Diego seemed stunned by the turn of momentum, and on their next defensive possession they gave up another 3 points after allowing fullback Trey Millard to run for 19 yards on what should have been a short yardage dive. Lindley found Adams for 14 on the next play, and while they could not put a TD on the board, the Invaders jumped to 17-13, forcing San Diego to get a TD to take the game. With more than 10 minutes still in the game, the Thunder offense did not panic. On their first possession after the Invader FG, their drive stalled at the Invader 36 and Jeff Reed tried to connect on a 53-yard kick. The ball sailed right, retaining the 4-point Invader lead. But, the Invaders were not able to do anything on their next possession, going 3-and-out and using up only 1:02 in game time.

San Diego took over with more than 6 minutes still left to play. Christian Ponder would complete 4 of 5 passes on the drive, bringing his game total to 16 of 30 and 297 yards, but most importantly, he connected with DeVante Parker on a 2^nd and 2, using play action to find Parker in man coverage and getting the ball to his receiver in stride. Parker eluded the tackle by the corner and reached the endzone before safety Jaquawn Jarrett could reach him. The score put San Diego up 20-17 with 3:37 left on the clock. It would be up to the Thunder defense to hold that 3-point lead against their in-state rivals.

Oakland had time, and had timeouts to help delay the game’s conclusion, but what they lacked were opportunities to break the Thunder defense. After requiring a 3^rd and 3 run by McCaffrey to earn their initial first down, the plays just did not come. 2 yards on a first down rush attempt. Incomplete to Davone Bess, incomplete again to Adams, leaving a 4^th and 8 from their own 39. Lindley was pressured immediately on the 4^th down play, with A. J. Hawk blitzing from the MLB position. He escaped to the right, tried to find McCaffrey, but the ball was low and outside and San Diego took over possession with 2:02 left and the ball in Oakland territory. The Thunder earned a first down on a Taiwan Jones run, and that allowed Ponder to take a knee twice, burning both the clock and Oakland’s last timeout. The Thunder had been in a closer contest than many expected, but the result was as predicted, with San Diego setting up a Divisional matchup in Arizona next week.

Blitz begin “Renewal” process with Wild Card Departure and Big Ben Retirement

Not the best week in Blitz Nation as the fanbase of Baltimore’s USFL club deals with an early exit from the 2019 postseason and the retirement of their beloved QB all in the span of 4 days. The good news for the Blitz is that they had enough talent to stay in the playoff hunt after losing their former MVP quarterback in Week 7. They have clearly found a talent at halfback in rookie Josh Jacobs, who led all rookies (and a good part of the league) with his 1,132 yards this year. They also have some solid talent on defense, with DE Olivier Vernon, LBs Jarvis Jones and Anthony Hitchens, and CB Jabari Greer, but the team as a whole is clearly going to be entering a new phase with a new leader at QB.

In addition to a vital decision about the QB position, the club is looking at an aging front 5 on the O-line, some needs on defense as well, and some potential losses in both free agency (FS Eric Weddle, WR Denarius Moore, and OG Corey Levin among others) and in the expansion draft. Fans now have to wonder if the team will attempt to overhaul the roster or “reload” on the fly, hoping to remain a playoff contender in 2020.

Allen Shows Grit, Follows Pick-Six with Game Winning Throw

It was a moment that could break a young quarterback in his first playoff action, a pick-six that gave both momentum and the lead in the game to a tough and determined opponent. But, while it took Josh Allen of the Gold some time to shake it off, his game-winning drive, with a TD toss with only 9 seconds left in the game, certainly showed that the unproven Denver QB was not broken by his earlier mistake. He rallied the club, drove the ball down the field with time running out, and put up a perfect TD pass on a nice goalline play action call to win the game for the Gold and remove the bitter taste of the earlier misstep.

Allen was forthcoming in the post-game media room, admitting that he just made a throw he knew he shouldn’t, resulting in the Taylor Rapp pick-six. He also stated that he knew it was on him to move past that moment and do what he could to get the W. A pretty mature response for a player who saw his first pro action this year, his sophomore season in the USFL. Allen’s first season at the helm of the Gold offense was better than most predicted, with the work he did with QB Guru Jason Palmer paying off. The former Wyoming product, who suffered from accuracy issues in college, finished the year with a respecable 63% completion rate, and showed off the arm strength that led Denver to select him in the 2018 draft. Allen threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first season as the starter, and, with the pick-six in his first Wild Card game overcome, he is now ready to take the Gold into an even tougher matchup against a 14-2 Michigan squad which tends to disrupt, disturb, and defeat opposing quarterbacks.

Gutierrez Gets New Deal, then Gets Stars a Wild Card Win

Consider the QB change rumors to be over. Not only did Matt Gutierrez get the Wild Card win this week with a final drive and a late TD pass to Randall Cobb, but yesterday the 8-year starter for the Stars got a new deal, adding 3 more seasons to his contract and all but ensuring that he will be under center in 2020. That was not always a given, even for a QB who has thrown for over 27,000 yards with the club.

Many pointed the finger for Philadelphia’s 0-5 start to the year on Gutierrez’s performance, but while his overall statistics for 2020 were well below the numbers we have seen in past seasons, he also led the club back, going 9-2 in the final 11 games to not only make the playoffs, but win the Northeastern Division. Coach Harbaugh at no point in the year benched Gutierrez, even when the club lost their first five outings. Instead, he defended his QB and the wins started coming.

Now, will the Stars need to have a plan B in 2020, very likely. Neither P. J. Walker nor Trace McSorley seem ready to step in if Gutierrez continues to see his numbers decline, so the Stars need to consider other options for the number 2 position, but for now, at least, it seems that Philadelphia is not moving away from Gutierrez, putting their faith in the QB who led them from the brink of disaster all the way to this week’s Divisional Playoff in Tampa.

Coach Kubiak Stands by Playoff QB Switch

While not an unprecedented move in the annals of pro football, it is certainly not common to see a team switch from the starter who got them to the playoffs to a backup who had little track record during the season, but that is what Coach Gary Kubiak did on Sunday when he tabbed Ryan Lindley, and not Joey Garoppolo to start against the Thunder. Garoppolo had started all 16 regular season games for the Invaders, but, with only a 70.2 QB rating, 11 picks to only 13 touchdowns, and an offense that had failed to score 20 or more points in 11 of 16 games, Kubiak felt a change was needed.

Was it the right call? Well, Ryan Lindley’s 104-yard performance, and the 17 points scored by Oakland in their game at San Diego did not exactly produce a 180 shift in the club’s offensive output. Kubiak defends the decision, stating that the club needed a spark, but we are not so sure that they got what they wanted from the move. What they did get was a very uncertain offseason as they look at the QB position for 2020. Will Garoppolo be challenged by Lindley? Will Oakland try to bring in another option? The Invaders have a top tier defense, so if they can find a path towards putting up just a few more points each week, they could very well be a contender for a Summer Bowl instead of an 8-8, one-and-done Wild Card. Having the QB position uncertain going into the offseason is something most winning teams try to avoid, so we will have to see if Kubiak has an answer, or if this could be a messy situation going into camp next February.

With news out of Michigan that Kirk Cousins is expected to get the start, the biggest injury impact for this week’s Divisional Playoffs may well be the status of CB Tye Smith for the Thunder. Smith had a strong season and was seeing a lot of action as teams tried to avoid throwing at his teammate, Justin Gilbert. If he is unable to go this week, which seems likely, then San Diego will have to backfill the 2^nd CB position, which in turn puts inexperienced players into the nickel and dime slots against a very aggressive Arizona offense. Here is the full rundown of the week’s Injury Report from the 8 remaining playoff contenders:

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

FS Clyde Adams (IR)

HOU: WR Mike Evans (IR), CB Siran Neal (Q), WR Keke Coutee (P)

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

FS Jerron McMillian (Q)

MGN: QB Kirk Cousins (P)

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

G Trevor Canfield (Q)

TBY: CB Ken Webster (IR)

SD: CB Tye Smith (D), SS Duke Williams (Q), DT Dexter Lawrence (P),

LB Demario Davis (P)

ARZ: DT Jason Hargrave (P)

Von Miller Wants a New Deal

Someone in Denver needs to fess up. Who showed Von Miller “Jerry Maguire”? Despite having 2 more years on his 2^nd contract with the Gold, Von Miller is now demanding that the Gold “Show me the money!!!”. Either he saw the Tom Cruise movie recently, or he has been talking with Calais Campbell about the deal that Arizona gave the league’s sack master, because now Miller is demanding some Campbell-sized money.

Miller was all smiles after the Gold's playoff win.

Denver seems unlikely to give Miller anything close to Campbell’s deal, and we are with them on that. Miller has been an outstanding player, to be sure, but over the length of his initial, and then extended, contracts with Denver, he has produced 90 sacks, very solid number that comes to an average of 18 per year. Compare that with Campbell’s 5-year production of 141 sacks, an average of 28.2 sacks per season, an utterly ridiculous number, and you can see why Miller may not get the payday he is demanding. Should Miller be the 2^nd or 3^rd highest paid edge rusher? That’s something we might be able to justify, even if his numbers dropped to only 11 sacks this year, placing him 27^th on the season leader board. Now, that is in part a result of missing 5 games to injury this year, but now we have to talk about Miller’s injuries, and the reality that at age 32 he may see more frequent injuries and lower production over the next year or two.

So, what does Denver do? We think they will make a gesture towards making Miller one of the top salary earners at his position, but the Gold are notoriously stingy at times, so maybe they won’t. Miller has few options since his contract is good through the 2021 season. He can hold out, he can threaten to retire (as Campbell did before his trade to Arizona) or he could push to be released or traded. None of those are potential paths that Denver wants to see, but at the same time, the Gold are not in a position to give Miller what he wants, nor should they do so.

Arians Joins NFL Buccaneers 1 Week After Atlanta Sacking

As of 10 days ago, Bruce Arians was the head coach of the Atlanta Fire. That ended on Black Monday, and it seems the NFL was ready and waiting. NFL teams cannot negotiate with any current USFL coaches except during the two approved transfer windows, but with Arians’ firing he is free to do what he wants, and it seems at least one NFL team has concluded that the issues in Atlanta were not Arians’ doing. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, only a month from their season opener, have hired Arians on as “Assistant Head Coach and Passing Game Specialist”. It is a new position, but one clearly designed to help out Head Coach Dirk Koetter and OC Todd Monken get more out of the Bucs’ offense.

Arians becomes the first of the recently sacked USFL head coaches to find new work. Jim Mora Jr. is rumored to be speaking with ABC about a position on their USFL Gameday show, while both Brian Flores and Vic Fangio are likely to find work as a defensive coordinator either by the next USFL season or if any NFL clubs shift staffing mid-season. And while they wait, four USFL coaching positions remain vacant. New England tabbed former Boston Cannons HC John Fox to take the reins of Boston’s newest team, but San Antonio, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Pittsburgh are still in the exploration and interview phase of the coaching search.

Free Agent Rundown with 20 Teams Done for the Season

With 20 teams now out of playoff contention, we are beginning to see the strengths and weaknesses of the potential USFL Free Agent Pool. Now, some of the players without contracts may still resign with their clubs over the next 20 days, before the moratorium on deals and the new free agent period begins, but we know from history that if someone is unsigned now, the odds that they get a new deal to their liking in the next 3 weeks is somewhat slim. So, just how does the Free Agent pool look? Here is our breakdown by position.

QUARTERBACK Grade: C-

If you are a team looking for a starter, there is only 1 name that even seems marginally viable in this year’s pool, San Diego’s Joe Webb. Webb started for the Thunder for 3 years before being displaced by Christian Ponder. Other than Webb, you are looking at 2^nd string depth with names like Tim Tebow, Tyler Thigpen and Dan LeFevour. Not what QB-hungry teams want to see.

RUNNING BACK Grade: B+

There are some serviceable players in the tailback pool, some who may prove to be legitimate starters for a team in need. Among those we like to get a shot at a starting job include Mauler Marcus Lattimore, Star Zac Stacy, and Reggie Bush’s understudy in LA, Paul Perkins. Others in the pool who should at least get a look include Marion Mack, Jay Ajayi, and longtime Panther Mike Hart.

WIDE RECEIVER Grade: A

Maybe it is the “diva” mentality, but wideout is almost always a position where players think they deserve top dollar and are willing to go the free agency route to get it. This year’s crop of wideouts is headed up by Birmingham’s Amari Cooper, who could well get the money he is hoping for. Behind him, but not by much, are veterans Denarius Moore, Demaryius Thomas, and Dwayne Bowe. Each may only be in the mix for a 1-2 year deal, but they could certainly find a fit like Antonio Bryant did last year, moving from Arizona to Michigan. Others to take a look at include Doug Baldwin, Nick Toon, Kenny Britt, Kenny Stills, Donnie Avery, and, yes, assuming no deal is done soon, possibly Antonio Bryant again.

TIGHT END Grade C-

Only one name comes up as legitimate starting talent, and that is Seattle’s Dennis Pitta. Other than him, you are looking at depth only.

OFFENSIVE LINE Grade: A-

Three names pop to the top of the list as we look over the pool: OG Andy Levitre (MGN), OG Vlad Ducasse (NOR), and OT Matt Kalil (LA). Those are All-USFL quality players who should be up for a big pay raise and a solid contract. Beyond those three, there is also really good depth with players like centers Peter Konz (OAK) and Pat Elflein (TBY), guards Jon Feliciano (MGN), Michael Dunn (LV), and Zach Banner (LA), as well as tackles Jaimie Thomas (PHI), LaAdrian Waddle (OAK) and Joe Haeg (SEA).

DEFENSIVE LINE Grade: A

Yes, Aaron Donald is the undisputed top free agent in the entire pool. His insistence that he is not returning to the Maulers, paired with his skill set, will make him a huge focal point of the offseason. But Donald is not alone in this very talented pool of big men. How about fellow DTs Dontari Po (MEM), Andre Nebbitt (OHI), Terrell Troupe (MGN) or Jerel Worthy (ORL). Then add in ends like San Diego’s Lamarr Houston, Birmingham’s Greg Hardy, New Jersey veteran Aaron Kampman, and 25-year-old DeMarcus Lawrence from Portland. That is a deep and very promising position group for teams looking to beef up the D-Line.

LINEBACKER Grade: C

After last year’s major haul of quality linebackers, this group feels somewhat lacking. There is some talent, solid players like Nick Perry, Carl Ihenacho, Mason Foster, and D’Qwell Jackson, but none of these solid players are game-changing, high impact, immediate improvement signings. So, adding a quality option to your rotation, sure. But if you need immediate impact, you will need to find another way.

CORNERBACK Grade: A

Behind the D-line, this perhaps the best position pool in the market. You have big names like Birmingham’s Antonio Cromartie or Charlotte’s Derech Cox, but you also have really talented, but overlooked players like Jordan Pugh (STL), Brandon Boykin(WSH), Josh Jackson (STL), and Jalil Brown (OHI). There are some real finds here who could help a team build something special in the secondary.

SAFETY Grade: B

Some very good players, but largely on the downward side of their careers, so maybe a 1-2 year deal but not a franchise player here. Among the bigger names in the anticipated pool are Baltimore’s Eric Weddle, Philly’s Glover Quinn, Seattle’s Donte Whitner, Viper Antrel Rolle, and Invader Jaiquawn Jarrett.

SPECIAL TEAMS Grade: C

As we so often see, kickers and punters price themselves out of their current deals. For so many teams it is better to have a solid kicker on a low cost deal than to spend to keep or to sign a quality veteran in a higher tax bracket. The Free Agent pool this year will have several solid options, but will teams pay for the benefit of having a reliable punter/kicker group? If they do, then look for punters Jeff Locke (OKL) and Trevor Daniel (LV) to get some interest, along with veteran kickers David Akers (JAX) and Greg Zeurlein (DEN).

Divisional Weekend is upon us. Four games, and the top 8 seeded teams in the league go into battle for a chance to play in their conference’s Title Game. Only 4 teams will be left after this weekend. How do the 4 matchups look? Well, we have our breakdown right here to help you prepare for what should be another exciting week of USFL football.

Philadelphia Stars (9-7) @ Tampa Bay Bandits (10-6)

Saturday, July 20 @ 3pm ET

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

Bandits -5

We are honestly surprised that the books in Vegas have the Bandits as only a 5-point favorite at home. Maybe it is because they had some close affairs late in the season, but this is an offense that led the league in passing and total yards, finishing 2^nd in the league in scoring. They go up against a Philadelphia defense that struggled against the pass, finishing 15^th in the USFL. The Stars also averaged about 8 points fewer per game than the Bandits all season. Does that mean this game will be a blowout? No, but it certainly favors the homestanding Bandits. Now, if the Stars can get Derrick Henry rolling against Tampa Bay’s defensive front, that could help a lot. The Bandits do have the worst pass defense (in yards allowed) in the league, but that was a by-product of them playing with a lead so frequently. Teams had to pass. So, is it a true weakness, or a sign that they often play from ahead?

OUR PICK: We are done picking the underdogs after going 1-3 last week. The only game we got right was the one favorite we picked, San Diego. So, this week, we take the seeding seriously. We also happen to believe that Tampa Bay is simply a more dangerous team. They have the ability to run the ball with Dalvin Cook, but if you overplay the run, they will kill you with the vertical game. Dak Prescott is on fire this year, and we just don’t see the same game-breaking capacity in Matt Gutierrez, even with his new deal freshly signed. We say Tampa Bay 28-21.

Denver Gold (10-6) @ Michigan Panthers (14-2)

Saturday, July 20 @ 7pm ET

Ford Field, Detroit, MI

Panthers -7

We love the moxie that Josh Allen showed in coming back against Seattle last week, but this game is a whole different level of challenge. The Panthers finished the year 14-2, the best record in the game, and it was not a fluke. The Panthers have the league’s best running back, leading all teams with a 125.8 YPG average on the ground, but they can also beat you through the air, with Kirk Cousins tied for the league lead (with Prescott) with 30 TD passes. The arrival of Antonio Bryant from the Wranglers has forced defenses to play more zone and avoid double covering Cody Latimer, which, in turn, has allowed Latimer to rack up 1,169 yards and 9 TDs, while Bryant had a solid year as well with 722 and 8 scores. Throw in TE Martellus Bennett, and consider that Bell had 47 receptions on top of his 355 carries, and this is a Michigan team that can find your defense’s weaknesses and exploit them. Oh, and we probably should also mention a defense that allows only 16.9 points per game.

OUR PICK: This one feels very much like a minor obstacle for the Panthers before they take on either Arizona or San Diego. Denver is a plucky team, but plucky does not feel like enough in this one. We are going to go with the Panthers: Michigan 24-16

New Orleans Breakers (10-6) @ Houston Gamblers (11-5)

Sunday, July 21 @ 1pm ET

NRG Stadium, Houston, TX

Gamblers -5

We love a divisional matchup in the playoffs. Why? Well, because they tend to showcase teams that both know each other well and don’t like each other much at all. That is certainly the case between these two Southern Division rivals. Ever since the Gamblers shifted from the SW Division to the South, they have been battling with New Orleans for supremacy, and largely winning. But, the Breakers have had their moments, including a surprising 20-13 road win at NRG Stadium only 3 weeks ago. Can the Breakers do it again? Well, a lot will depend on QB Geno Smith and the Breaker offense. In their Week 14 victory, New Orleans got a very solid game from HB Leonard Fournette, and that helped Smith avoid pressure, throwing for 2 scores with no picks. The Breakers also held Carlos Hyde to 52 yards rushing, picked off Colt McCoy 3 times, and frustrated the entire Gambler offense with heavy pressure.

OUR PICK: Sounds like we are picking the Breakers, doesn’t it? Well, no. We think Houston is very aware of what happened in Week 14, and they will be ready to use extra linemen, their fullback, or even TE Tony Moeaki as an extra blocker, giving McCoy a better pocket and the chance to find JuJu Smith-Shuster or Josh Reynolds on deeper routes. In other words, we don’t think what worked 3 weeks ago will find the same success now that things are “playoff serious”. We go with Houston to win a tight one, Gamblers 20-18.

San Diego Thunder (12-4) @ Arizona Wranglers (13-3)

Sunday, July 21 @ 5pm ET

State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Wranglers -4

It is put up or shut up time for the Thunder. They blew through the final weeks of the season, beating Portland 30-0, LA 44-0, and Oakland 34-14, all the while saying they deserve respect, the kind of respect the Wranglers already get from fans and pundits alike. So, here they are, facing the Wranglers, in Arizona, and with a chance to prove once and for all that their earlier bravado can be backed up. Are the Thunder elite? Are they ready to make a Summer Bowl run? They did the easy part, beating an 8-8 Invader squad in Snapdragon Stadium. Can they beat an 13-3 Wrangler team at State Farm Stadium? We are not buying it. This is a Wrangler team that has won their last 8 games, including some crushing blowouts of their own. They lead the league in scoring at 27.6 PPG, are top 5 in yards, passing, and rushing, and they have a Top 5 defense as well. Yes they do give up the occasional big play, but they also make a lot of big plays. Throw in Calais Campbell, fueled by his first legitimate shot at a championship ring, and we think Arizona is not going to be surprised by a solid, but perhaps not quite elite San Diego Thunder Team.

OUR PICK: We go 4-for-4 with picking home favorites. We are going to take the Wranglers to send a message in this game. They are the elite monsters out West, not San Diego. Arizona 31-20.