2020 USFL Week 1 Recap: A Season Unlike Any Other Kicks Off

Yes, it was weird. Games with empty stands, some eerily quiet, others enhanced by FOX and ESPN computer generated crowd noise. All night games and all from three bubble-site locations, but at the end of the day it was football, and it was great to have it back. Week 1 produced some surprises, like an opening game victory for expansion New England, a blowout win by the Atlanta Fire, and snoozer of a game between the Bulls and Generals, but we also saw some anticipated outcomes. Arizona, Houston, Tampa Bay and Michigan all came out on top, with the Gamblers and Wranglers looking impressive again. We also saw some new faces contributing to their teams on opening weekend. We will run through all the Week 1 scores, discuss a season-ending injury to one of the league’s 30 starting QBs, and take a look at the QB Battle in Oklahoma, but we begin with the oddity that was COVID-impacted football in Arizona, Florida, and Texas.

2020 Season Kicks Off & So Do Covid Protocols

We have football back in America, but certainly a very different experience to what we are used to. For fans of the gridiron this was a bit of a surreal week as season-ticket holders were forced to catch their favorite teams on television or through livestreamed games on their Wi-Fi devices. What they saw were their teams, who usually would be surrounded by tens of thousands of adoring fans, playing in empty stadiums, a surreal look that made even rivalry games look like offseason scrimmages. We also got our first look at the difference between NBC and ABC broadcasts in which the silence of empty stadiums was at times deafening, versus the ESPN and FOX broadcasts where the two networks used tape of prior games to create computer amplified background crowd noise. Finally, it was the first week of a season where the COVID-19 virus, and the protocols to protect both players and public, impacted team rosters. As we look at the odd nature of this week’s opening games, let’s explore three features of the week that will just be something we need to adapt to.

Television Broadcast Reactions

As we mentioned, the 2020 season was one where the experience of watching games was definitely impacted by both the new USFL schedule and the decision of the 4 networks to either enhance the game with artificial crowd noise or to forego that artificial addition and produce games with only the ambient noise of empty stadia. Here is what we thought of the broadcasts. See if you agree.

Night games work on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday was rough.

We absolutely get this. While even members of our own staff on the East Coast were unable to stay up for all the action from Arizona, it was clear that the league, more than ever is going to have regional appeal, with West Coasters able to absorb more USFL action than the hard working folks along the Atlantic seaboard who cannot stay up until 2am to catch a Phoenix-Tucson bubble game on Sunday night. And while we certainly agree with the league that having teams play in any of the 3 states selected (Florida, Texas, and Arizona) in the middle of the day in July or August is unworkable, adjusting to having games and game results going well into the wee hours of the morning three nights a week is going to be very tough for viewership, and no piece of cake for fantasy leagues around the nation as well. Expect a lot of early morning lineup checking and a lot of traffic on the various sports websites as fans catch up to late night scores and highlights.

As for the debate over pumped-in crowd noise (pumped in on television, not in stadiums), the jury is still out. Our bullpen was split. Some really enjoyed the access to the cadence and audibles of the quarterbacks that were far more accessible in the nearly silent stadiums. We certainly heard more pops during big hits, more grunts and groans, more taunts and reactions, even a fair share of words the networks might not want being broadcast. I would say that both ABC and NBC may need to delay game broadcasts just long enough to bleep out some of the language heard during Week One’s broadcasts. There was an “insider perspective” element to the quieter games, but there was also an eeriness to the quiet pop of the pads and sounds of lone whistles and coaching calls.

On the other hand, the ESPN and FOX games had a bit of an artificial quality to them. While we got to hear a low murmur of past USFL games throughout most of the broadcasts on both networks, the two broadcasters were unable to effectively imitate the highs and lows of a true crowd. There was not the swell of sound when the “home” team had a big play or captured momentum. There was even a comical moment in the Tampa Bay-Philadelphia game where the crowd sound used when the Stars missed a key field goal sounded celebratory only for the sound tech to try to add in a sad groan far too late after the call was made. So, some fine-tuning to the audio is certainly still needed.

Surprising Success of USFL Nationwide Package and its Use

One feature of the Week One broadcast plan that certainly is not up for debate is the success of the USFL Nationwide Plan. The plan had more than 20 million subscribers by gameday on Friday and initial numbers seem to indicate a very interesting use pattern. There was, as expected, a good tune-in for out-of-market games across the league during the Saturday and Sunday broadcasts when both FOX and ABC had regional games in all markets, but what was perhaps an unexpected boon of the streaming and recording service was the amount of replay used.

It seems safe to say that for many fans, the idea of catching out-of-market games, particularly the late-night games from Arizona, the next day was extremely common. Initial viewership numbers seem to indicate that for many fans, the idea of a Saturday or Sunday afternoon without football was too much to ask, as fans caught parts of games on Friday and then replayed the action, often tuning to a different “unwatched” game the following afternoon.

There even seems to be evidence that fans even started their “taped” games at familiar times, with replay viewership peaking at both 1pm and 4pm ET. So, it seems the routine of catching USFL action at certain times over the weekend stood up even when the games themselves were played the night before.

Finally, a nice advantage we are seeing people hyping online is that they can use the replay to watch games in about 2/3 the time, skimming over everything from halftime to commercials, and even kickoffs and punts to shorten game time. We may well be seeing the birth of a new viewing model for USFL action as fans decide between the thrill of live broadcast at night and the convenience of shorter, “at will” viewing the next day. The only question the numbers don’t tell us is how many fans spent Saturday or Sunday morning demanding that their friends and family don’t talk about the game because they have not watched it yet.

Covid Positive Players

The other huge adjustment for Week One was the reality that even without preseason games to produce early injuries, there were players missing from action as the league’s COVID testing policy kicked in and several players were forced to miss the opener due to the infection, even some who have yet to evince any symptoms. The good news for the league is that we saw only 9 players from the more than 1,500 on league rosters who tested positive and were unable to retest with a negative result before the weekend’s games. The full list is below, but certainly some of the absent players were clearly missed as Arizona lost their starting tight end, Robert Tonyan, Birmingham was without their slot receiver Julian Edelman, and the San Antonio Gunslingers were unable to suit up their anticipated sack leader in DE DeMarcus Lawrence. As we will report in our Injury Update for Week 2, the other factor to consider is that while many players may clear the protocols in only 1 week, it seems as if we will see many more who have to miss a 2^nd week due to delays in symptom improvement and the ability to test “clean” (essentially non-contagious) ahead of the 2^nd game’s deadline. For Week One, here are the 9 players who missed action, with an update on Week 2 coming later in our report:

ARZ       TE           Robert Tonyan

ATL         DE          Tyquann Lewis

BIR         WR         Julian Edelman

DEN      DT          Sharrif Floyd

LA          DE          Duwayne Smoot

MEM     QB         Ryan Fitzpatrick

MGN     QB         Tyler Thigpen

POR      TE           Chris Gragg

SAN       DE          DeMarcus Lawrence

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ORLANDO RENEGADES 24  NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS 27  OVERTIME

We had a feeling that the unique nature of the 2020 season might produce some unexpected results, but we don’t think too many people had “expansion team wins debut game” on their 2020 bingo cards, especially not with the Steamrollers facing off against a pretty solid Renegades team in Florida. But we also said that the two 2020 expansion teams may have had the best pool of talent of any expansion clubs since the league’s 1984 second season additions. Between a large free agent pool, a significant NFL pool this February, the expansion draft, and more time for players to absorb the playbook due to the season delay, the stars had seemingly aligned for both the Steamrollers and the Gunslingers to be able to outperform most prior expansion clubs. Yet, despite that, the overtime win by the newest Boston-based USFL team was still a shocker.

When we look at the stats, this is a fair win, not a bit of luck, from the Steamrollers. New England outgained Orlando 435-288, largely on the strong outing from former NFL quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a surprisingly effective run game led by former Blitz back Kerwynn Williams. It also did not hurt that the Renegades’ starting QB, Russell Wilson, had to leave the game late in the first quarter after suffering an ankle injury. But, with Wilson sidelined, the Renegades still put up 21 points in the 2^nd quarter to hold the halftime lead, but would add only 3 more in the second half. New England steadily put points on the board, leading to a 24-24 tie at the end of regulation and a shot for an ovetime win.

The game began very slowly, with both clubs just getting adjusted to real action and the odd setting of an empty Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. Aside from a few league staff, some security personnel and the two teams on each sideline, the stadium was empty, the silence deafening, and the atmosphere a bit unnerving, as it was at all the games across the league. While fans at home had computer-generated crowd noise pumped in to add a bit of ambience to the game, those in the stadium essentially played with only the shouts of their own teams heard on the field. Both teams were tentative at first, each mounting a short drive to open the game. On Orlando’s second round, a misstep by Orlando’s center caused Russell Wilson to get his foot caught beneath the big lineman’s back-step, and after falling to the ground, Wilson had to be helped to the sideline. After starting the game 0 for 5 throwing, his day would be done. Kyle Lauletta, the former Portland Stag, would have to go the rest of the way.

The injury led to a quick 3-and-out and the ball returned to the Steamrollers. New England responded with a solid drive, with Ryan Tannehill finding HB Matt Forte for a 15-yard screen play before hitting TE Dennis Pitta for the first score of the game and the first in franchise history. Orlando, with Lauletta under center, replied with a 62-yard drive that produced the equalizer on a Braxton Berrios 10-yard scoring play. Only 3 plays later a Ryan Tannehill gift gave Orlando the lead. The former Miami Dolphin misread the coverage and threw a pass intended for Doug Baldwin, but happily accepted by Orlando corner Michael Jackson, who high-stepped his way into the endzone for a 27-yard pick-six.

Now down 7, New England and Tannehill replied with a solid drive once again, this time taking advantage of the run game with both Matt Forte and Kerwynn Williams both breaking off a big run (13 and 16 yards respectively) before Tannehill hit Zay Jones on a short slant route to produce their 2^nd TD and again even up the score with 2:36 left in the half. Orlando responded with a 2-minute drill that proved very effective as New England could not produce pressure on Lauletta. The former Stag QB completed 3 of 6 passes on the drive, finding Orlando wideout Brashad Perriman for the late TD to help Orlando take a hard-earned 7-point lead into the half, the score 21-14.

The second half would see both defenses step up, with New England finally finding some pressure in their pass rush, including the first sack in team history, a big 7-yard takedown by Mario Addison on 2^nd and 7 that produced a 3^rd and long. Orlando also had their moments on defense, with 2^nd year DE Montez Sweat producing his 1^st sack of the season. New England would get the only points of the quarter, a mid-range field goal from Brett Maher, but after three they still trailed 21-17.

Orlando increased their lead to 7 on their opening drive of the 4^th quarter, getting deep into New England territory before settling for a Billy Cundiff field goal to take the 24-17 lead. That drive turned out to be pivotal, and, in particular, the 3^rd and goal pass from Lauletta to Jeremy Maclin, broken up by New England’s Sam Shields. That stop in the red zone kept the Orlando lead from increasing beyond 1 score. Down 7, New England needed only 1 touchdown drive to equalize the score.

The Steamrollers would get that drive late in the quarter, marching 74 yards in 10 plays, including Kerwynn William’s longest run of the game, a 23-yard backbreaker of a play on 3^rd and 3 from the Steamroller 31. The drive also included Tannehill connecting with 4 different receivers on the drive, including both former Dragon Dennis Pitta and former Gold TE Jack Doyle. They would get the equalizer on a 12-yard fade route to former Machine wideout Will Fuller.  Fuller tapped his 2^nd foot down just before falling out of the endzone, a play that required 3 minutes of video review before the score was confirmed. But, tied at 24, the Steamrollers were poised to have their first game become their first overtime game.

New England almost gave up the game on Orlando’s final possession when it appeared that Kyle Lauletta had connected with Brashad Perriman on a 37-yard pass that would put them in field goal range, but a yellow flag behind the play signaled a hold on Renegade right tackle Cameron Fleming, and the play came back. Orlando would not get that shot at a late game winning kick, and the two teams prepared for overtime. New England won the toss and would start the extra time with the ball. They moved the ball well, but came up short when Brett Maher’s 46-yard field goal attempt veered to the right. Had they scored it would have forced Orlando to equalize or score a TD to win on their next possession. Good thing that was not the situation, because Orlando went 3-and-out on their first drive. That was followed by a short 5-play drive by New England that ended with a failed 3^rd and 7 throw from Tannehill to Zay Jones. Orlando got a second chance to end the game, and after a nice connection from Lauletta to Jeremy Maclin, it looked like they might claim the win, but another sack of Lauletta, this time from Steamroller Tashan Bower, pushed Orlando out of field goal range and the Renegades were forced to punt. With 3:13 left to play, the Steamrollers would have one last chance to claim a win in their opening game, or finish with the rare USFL tie.

The Steamrollers moved to a 2-minute offense, playing without huddles and without changing personnel, a strategy designed to take advantage of a tired Orlando defense. The gambit paid off as Ryan Tannehill was able to connect with Zay Jones and Will Fuller on back-to-back first down plays to move the ball across the 50. After a nice draw play by Williams and a short completion to Dennis Pitta, the Steamrollers were within range for kicker Brett Maher. They moved just a few yards closer on a pair of run plays, and on 3^rd and 6 from the Orlando 24 they sent out Brett Maher to earn them a win in their first game as a franchise. Maher’s kick was dead center and plenty long enough and the Steamrollers celebrated a very nice opening win for the franchise.

CHARLOTTE 17  BALTIMORE 23 OVERTIME

The other overtime game saw Charlotte erase a 17-7 deficit in the 4^th quarter only to fall in overtime as Baltimore put together a 13-play scoring drive to open the extra period, ending the game on a Locker to Uzomah TD pass without giving the Monarchs a chance to touch the ball. The game winner was Jake Locker’s 3^rd TD toss on the day as the former backup took the helm and proved the Blitz right in trusting in him. Locker finished as the POTG for his 2020 debut.

POTG: Blitz QB Jake Locker: 24/34, 225 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

OHIO 0  HOUSTON 29

An ugly start to the year for the Ohio Glory as they are shut out by the defending Eastern Conference champions. The glory mustered only 209 total yards, with Isaiah Pead held to 39 yards rushing and Christian Hackenburg held to 17 of 34 with 4 sacks and a pick. Houston relied heavily on the run, with Carlos Hyde carrying the ball 21 times for 71 yards and a score while rookie Clyde Edwards Helaire added 23 yards on 10 touches. Mike Evans had the big plays, catching 5 for 191 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown catch as Houston shut out and put away the Glory.

POTG: Houston WR Mike Evans: 5 Rec, 191 Yds, 1 TD

DALLAS 14  ARIZONA 35

The League Champion Wranglers came out of the gate in midseason form, with David Carr throwing for 291 and 2 scores, the combo of Carey and Crowell accounting for 128 yards on the ground, and the defense sacking Dallas QB Josh Freeman 6 times. The Wranglers balance on offense (291 passing, 128 rushing) and defensive pressure (holding Dallas to 2 of 11 on 3^rd down) was just too much for the Roughnecks, who kept to their word by playing Freeman all game instead of giving him the hook in favor of rookie Justin Herbert.

POTG: Wrangler FS Nate Allen: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR

JACKSONVILLE 6  NEW JERSEY 9

Someone might want to tell the Generals and Bulls that the season has begun. Both offensescame out pretty listless in a game that produced few fireworks. The two teams combined for only 118 yards rushing, with Maurice Jones-Drew getting 69 of those. New Jersey got to the red zone 3 times but had to settle for Ka’imi Fairbairn kicks all three times. Jacksonville got the game’s lone TD on a short Matt Jones run, but missed on the PAT, keeping them 3 points down, with the game ending at 9-6.

POTG: New Jersey LB Aldon Smith: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF

MICHIGAN 28  BIRMINGHAM 25

We got a good one at TDECU Stadium as the Stallions erased a 21-10 deficit in the 4^th quarter to take a 4-point lead only to watch Kirk Cousins connect with TE Martellus Bennett for the game winner late in the final period. Bennett was a major weapon for Cousins, catching 4 for 124 as the Stallions locked down LeVeon Bell (20 carries for 64 yards). Meanwhile, Cam Newton largely stayed in the pocket, shadowed by Panther LB Sean Porter. From there he threw for 340 yards and 3 scores, but with Kirk Cousins connecting on 4 TD passes, including 2 to Bennett, it proved too much for the Stallions.

POTG: Michigan TE Martellus Bennett: 5 Rec, 124 Yds, 2 TD

PITTSBURGH 28  MEMPHIS 9

The Maulers were outgained 365-218 but produced 3 key takeaways to hold down the Showboats and claim a big opening week win. Three rushing touchdowns, including a game opener from rookie Cam Akers helped power the Maulers to the win while Paxton Lynch struggled to find his receivers, throwing 3 picks on the day, including 2 to Mauler CB Tre Herndon, who also recorded a forced fumble (recovered by Memphis) on a punt return.

POTG: Mauler CB Tre Herndon: 9 Tck, 2 Int, 1 FF

LAS VEGAS 12  DENVER 15

A low scoring game, with no touchdowns through 3 quarters, the divisional matchup was 8-3 after 3, thanks in part to Terrell Troupe forcing a hold in the endzone that gave Denver 2 points. But, in the 4^th Las Vegas started to find some offensive success, scoring on a McGloin to Benn TD toss. The play, with a failed 2-point PAT to follow, gave the Vipers a 9-8 lead. After a Matt Gay field goal made it 12-8 with only 2:49 left to play, Vegas was looking good, but backup Kyle Orton, who came in after Allen appeared to suffer a shoulder injury, hit on a huge play to give Denver the win. Orton found WR Kevin White completely uncovered in a blown Viper coverage and the two connected on a 62-yard TD in the game’s final minute to stun the Vipers and give Denver a fantastic finish.

POTG: Gold WR Golden Tate: 7 Rec, 122 Yds

OAKLAND 20  LOS ANGELES 22

Tom Brady’s return to the USFL was a fun one as the Invaders and Express renewed the California Derby, though they did so from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe Arizona. Brady went 27 of 41 with 2 TDs and 2 picks as he tried to rally the Invaders from a 15-10 and 22-13 deficit in the 4^th quarter. LA’s offense struggled in the red zone, but the defense gave the Express 9 of their 22 points, combining a Chris Jones safety with a pick-six from LB Keith Rivers, just enough to hold off the Invader comeback.

POTG: Express DT Chris Jones: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty

TAMPA BAY 21  PHILADELPHIA 19

Another good game as Philadelphia came back from 21-10 down, but just could not connect on a final second field goal attempt from 54 yards out. Eddie Pineiro went 4 of 6 kicking, but the buzzer-beater kick sailed wide to the left, giving the Bandits a 2-point win and a sigh of relief. Dak Prescott accounted for all 3 Bandit scores, connecting with Ryan Grant twice and Deebo Samuel for his third TD of the game. Neither team had much success on the ground as the defenses won the day in the run game, but the Bandits found the big play with Grant catching a 39-yard and a 72-yard score on his only two receptions on the day.

POTG: Bandit WR Ryan Grant: 2 Rec, 111 Yds, 2 TD

ATLANTA 45  WASHINGTON 6

An unexpected scoring explosion as Aaron Murray threw for 3 scores, both Nick Chubb and Kenyon Drake scored on the ground, and Luke Kuechley put an exclamation point on his POTW game with a pick-six. It was utter domination by a Fire team that may have found something with the import of former Bengal A. J. Green. The NFL import had 5 receptions and 2 TDs in his USFL debut as Atlanta won this one in a rout.

POTG: Fire LB Luke Kuechley: 8 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD

ST. LOUIS 16  NEW ORLEANS 33

Speaking of debuts, the Breakers cannot be more over the moon about their rookie WR Justin Jefferson. The LSU product had only 2 catches, but they accounted for 124 yards as Jefferson proved he was a major deep ball threat. Combined with Jordy Nelson’s 141 yards on 3 receptions, the Breakers had more than enough big plays to hold off the Skyhawks. Geno Smith looked smooth, connecting on 10 of 19 passes, but averaging 18 yards per completion as he found Nelson, Fleener, and Jefferson for big plays.

POTG: Breakers LB Jerome Baker: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty

CHICAGO 21  SAN ANTONIO 10

The Gunslingers could not replicate the opening day success of New England, falling to a Machine club that showed some serious defensive might. Chicago outgained San Antonio 380-193 on the day, with Sam Bradford throwing for 250 yards and the new combo of Jeremy Hill and Marion Mack combining for 111 yards and 2 scores on the ground. The Gunslingers struggled to run the ball and that made it easier for Chicago to focus on pressuring Joe Flacco. Marshawn Lynch had only 7 carries as he split time with former Gambler C. J. Prosise.

POTG: Chicago HB Jeremy Hill: 20 Att, 61 Yds, 2 TD

SAN DIEGO 16  PORTLAND 10   OVERTIME

A mistake-filled opening game for the two Pacific Division clubs as they combined for 12 penalties and 3 turnovers. The game was sloppy but close throughout, with San Diego needing a 4^th quarter TD from Luke Wilson to even the score at 10 and send the game to overtime. Portland could not score on their opening possession of the extra period, but San Diego found their way to the endzone, with a Taiwan Jones run sealing the win for the 2019 division champs.

POTG: Stags LB David Hawthorne: 14 Tck, 1 FF

SEATTLE 13  OKLAHOMA 14

The Outlaws garnered the 1-point win thanks to a last-minute TD toss from Rudolph to DeDe Westbrook. Despite losing QB Jacoby Brissett, perhaps for the season, in the first quarter, Seattle hung tough, with Brett Hundley going 15 of 22 for 188 yards and a TD toss to the Dragons’ big free agent signing, Amari Cooper. Rudolph also had a nice debut in his first game as the new starter for Oklahoma, going 30 of 38 for 318 yards and 2 scores.

POTG: Outlaw QB Mason Rudolph: 30/38, 318 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int.

Week 1 Overreactions

We are one week into a long 16-week campaign unlike any in USFL history, so it is wrong for us to make any proclamations after watching each team play their first game (without a preseason game as warmup) in the league’s hub & bubble system? Of course it is, but we are going to do it anyway. Here are some fun overreactions we are hearing across the nation, mostly from fans just excited to have games to discuss and to overanalyze. Here are some of our favorites from across the massive USFL mediasphere.

Ryan Nassib is not a USFL starter.

This is largely a hangover from a poor first season in Washington, but after a devastating 45-6 opening week destruction by the Atlanta Fire, one in which Nasib threw 4 picks, we can understand the frustration. The high-priced free agent had such a brilliant year with Arizona in 2018 and has just not lived up to the hype in his time with the Feds, but as bad as the opener was, it is far too soon to write off their QB quite yet.

Cam Newton is ready to be MVP.

We are not saying he cannot be, and his opening game performance (17 of 30, 340 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int) was certainly a solid game, even if Coach Haley was not able to unleash Newton’s running ability against a Michigan defense that spied him on almost every down, we are not quite ready to say he is a frontrunner. We do love how well tuned-in he seems to be with rookie WR Henry Ruggs, and we love the use of 2 tight ends as a regular formation (especially when those two are Hunter Henry and Eric Ebron), but Birmingham is now 0-1, and they will need to be well over .500 if their QB is going to get MVP votes, just the nature of the position.

The USFL ROTY will be a wide receiver.

This one we are on board with. It was not a particularly strong HB class, with Pittsburgh’s Cam Akers the most likely candidate to even come close to 1,000 yards this year, but it was a very good WR group and we have already been impressed with the opening games put up by the 3 most likely contenders. Ruggs had 124 yards and a TD in Week One. Justin Jefferson in New Orleans proved to be a huge deep ball threat, gaining 124 yards as well, but on only 2 receptions, and Philadelphia’s K. J. Hamler was the top target for Matt Gutierrez, catching 5 balls for 62 yards. All strong starts from a very good WR group.  But, if Justin Herbert gets called on in Dallas early enough this season, he too could be in the hunt, after all a QB always gets a bit more attention than his receivers.

The Maulers will win the USFL Central Division.

We love the enthusiasm Mauler fans had after their solid opening win over Memphis (28-9), and we do think they will be strong on defense this year. They also may have a better rushing attack with rookies Cam Akers and Rico Dowdle backing up Sony Michel, but are we ready to say they win the division? No, that seems very premature. Sorry, Mauler Nation, but the Panthers won 14 games last year and still have all their major pieces in place. Chicago is also a very solid club, with some nice upgrades, including a pretty good rookie WR in Chase Claypool. The Maulers looked good in Week 1, but let’s see what happens when they open divisional play with the Panthers this week before we get too excited.

Josh Allen is regressing in his 2^nd year as the starter.

What is going on with Denver fans?  Josh Allen opens the year with a win over Las Vegas, and while he did not play MVP football (15 of 24 for 169 with no TD or INT) it is not as if he stunk the place up. Yes, he had a bad fumble because he carried the ball like a loaf of bread on a scramble, and yes, he missed a couple of open receivers downfield, but this is opening week, and Allen is still learning. He had ups and downs last year, he will have them this year. Let’s not write him off, especially not after an opening week win.

LeVeon Bell has peaked.

Another very overstated reaction to a slow first week. Bell only rushed for 64 yards on 20 carries in the opener, but that was against frequent 8- and 9-man fronts put up by the Stallions. Birmingham played well and they stacked the line against the run, something many teams are likely to do unless Kirk Cousins can make them pay for it. Bell will be fine. He is only 28, so it is too early to talk about him hitting the wall. Now, we will say that Michigan may want to use Alexander Mattison a bit more, because Bell should not be getting 90% of the carries, it is just not good long term. If they can get Mattison in the game, they can keep Bell fresh, and that means that they can get the kind of production from the 4-Time USFL rushing champion that they and their fans want to see.

Calais Campbell is passing the torch.

This may actually be the case. In Bud Dupree, Arizona has a great protégé for Campbell to mentor. He is 34-years-old, and he might just be slowing down a bit. He had only 1 tackle and 1 sack in the opener, and while it is clear that the Roughnecks were shifting their line to double-team him, that is likely to be the case in every game. If Campbell wants to take DuPree under his wing and pass on his vast skillset to the younger DE, we could easily envision a situation where DuPree and not Campbell leads the team (and the league?) in sacks, if not this year, by 2021.

New England will go undefeated.

We love having Boston fans engaged in the USFL again. They have such a unique delusion about them. We love that they have fully bought into the Steamrollers, that they are excited even if they won’t see their new team playing at Foxboro until 2021, and that they are behind their team’s Week 1 win with full-throated support, but this is just silly. It was a great win, and the Steamrollers could be more competitive than most expansion clubs, but let’s not live in a fantasy world. Only 1 team in league history has ever gone undefeated, and it was not an expansion team. One game at a time, Boston. Live in reality.  

Brissett Lost for Season with Broken Hip

It was an ugly injury, with Oklahoma LB Greg Lloyd Jr taking hold of a scrambling Jacoby Brissett’s ankle and Brissett’s body twisting as he fell to the ground. There was an audible pop and the look of pain on Brissett’s face was not a pretty thing. Brissett was taken out of the stadium on the cart only 7 minutes into the opener, and 5 hours later we would get the diagnosis, a dislocation of the femur with damage done to the hip joint. This would be a season-ending injury on opening day for the Seattle starting QB.

Brett Hundley came in and played well in relief, but now Seattle has some decisions to make. Do they reach out to another USFL club to find another option at quarterback, or do they ride the former New Jersey General for the rest of the season. At present only Hundley and veteran backup Brad Gradkowski are on the roster. Seattle has over $7M in cap space, so they could afford to go after a potential contributor instead of pulling in a young 3^rd stringer. Of course, the one team that has a QB on the trading block is Oakland, a division rival unlikely to send either Jimmy G or Ryan Findley to their rivals from the north. That may mean that Seattle has few options to find someone other than Hundley to lead the team. In a season when many teams are carrying 4 QBs thanks to the expanded practice squads, there just are not a lot of options out there.

Kuechley Helps Power Atlanta to Huge Opening Win

It was perhaps the most surprising score of the week, with Atlanta demolishing the Federals 45-6, and while a lot of kudos have to go to the revamped Fire offense, the video shows the story of a linebacker on a seek and destroy mission. Luke Kuechley, coming off a disappointing 75 tackle, 1 sack season in 2019, started off 2020 with a clear plan to do more and be more for the Fire. That drive led to a dominant performance in the opener. Kuechley finished the game with 8 tackles, 2 picks, and his pick-six interception return, but that only tells half the story. Used frequently in both run blitzes and straight up QB pressures, the Fire essentially used the presence of Albert Haynesworth in the middle to provide cover for Kuechley, who came into the backfield on either side of the big man and made a mockery of Washington’s blocking schemes. It was a brilliant tactical move to use the two in combination, but what was clear was that the plan worked primarily because of the ferocity and speed of Kuechley’s blitzes. This week the Fire will face off against Baltimore, who have a bit more cohesion up front, so we will see if the plan changes, but if Kuechley can keep up the passion and power of his gameplay from this week, it could be a long tough game for Jake Locker and the Blitz.

Rudolph Gets His Shot & Makes the Most of It

When the San Antonio Gunslingers pulled the trigger on signing Joe Flacco away from the Outlaws, many in OKC expected their club to go after a QB to compete with backup Mason Rudolph. They did just that in the Territorial Draft, signing former Crimson Tide and Sooner QB Jason Hurts to be start a competition with Rudolph. The OK State product entered camp back in February as the starter, but a full QB competition was expected. The season delay and split camp pushed Coach Stoops to stick with the player who knew his system from 2019 and this week that decision seemed to pay off.

Rudolph had a very solid debut as the Week One starter for Oklahoma, throwing for 318 yards on 30 of 38 passing and finding DeDe Westbrook for the game winning score in the 4^th. Rudolph looked poised in the pocket, demonstrated a strong arm and a good rapport with Westbrook, Nick Toon, and TE Mark Andrews. He connected on 22 of 25 targets to those three receivers and seemed very comfortable in the pocket despite constant pressure from Seattle’s front 7, including multiple blitz packages incorporating LBs Josh Allen and Khalil Mack into the rush scheme. With Hurts behind him, the Cowpoke-Sooner rivalry of the two QBs seems to have evolved into an early friendship between the two QBs who Outlaw fans expected to battle for snaps all camp long and all season as well.

Rookie First Impressions

Week One action welcomed over 200 first-time pros to the league, and while many did not see action this week, there certainly were some early contributors as the rookie class of 2020 took to the field. Here are 7 players who got the start in Week One and showed us a hint of what is to come.

Cam Akers (HB-PIT)

The Maulers had two rookie backs in uniform for Week One, but it was former Seminole Cam Akers who got the longer look, splitting carries equally with veteran Sony Michel. With 10 carries, Akers rushed for 29 yards and earned his first USFL touchdown in the Mauler victory over Memphis.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (HB-HOU)

Houston’s first-round pick was expected to spell Carlos Hyde as the Gamblers took on Ohio but ended up playing most of the 4^th quarter as Houston shut down and shut out the Glory. The LSU rookie had 8 of his 10 carries in the final period, gaining 23 yards and earning his first pro touchdown as well.

DeeJay Dallas (HB-OKL)

In a tough game against a very stalwart Seattle defense, Dallas ended up leading all Seattle rushers with only 20 yards on the ground. His 3.3 YPC average was the best of all 3 Oklahoma backs, with starter Justice Hill gaining only 4 yards on 12 carries as Seattle sold out to stop the run and force QB Mason Rudolph to beat them.

Justin Jefferson (WR-NOR)

One of two USFL rookie wideouts to start their careers with over 100 yards receiving, what makes Justin Jefferson’s debut so fascinating is that he accomplished it with only 2 receptions. Jefferson was targeted by Geno Smith only twice, catching both targets and combining them for a 62-yard average. He had a 74-yard catch that at first glance appeared to be a touchdown before video review showed him stepping out at the 2, and added a second catch for 52 yards, proving that he could be a very dangerous deep ball receiver.

Henry Ruggs (WR-BIR)

Alabama rookie Henry Ruggs led the Stallions in receiving in their tight game with Michigan, catching 6 of 9 targets for 124 yards and a touchdown in his pro debut. With his Crimson Tide teammate Jerry Jeudy not getting on the field until the NFL season kicks off this fall, Ruggs launched the first salvo in the battle of former Nick Saban products to prove who would develop into the better pro.

K. J. Hamler (WR-PHI)

Philadelphia had the third of the early round receivers coming to the USFL with Penn State’s K. J. Hamler joining the Stars after a career at nearby Penn State. The Nittany Lion was the most targeted of the three, having 10 balls headed his way in the opener. Hamler came down with 5 of those, gaining 62 yards and helping Philadelphia stay right in the game with Tampa Bay.

Bryce Hall (CB-DEN)

While there were defensive rookies all across the league who made their debut on opening weekend, Denver corner Bryce Hall clearly had the best day of any of them. Hall finished the Denver-Las Vegas matchup with 7 tackles and his first USFL interception, a drive-killer that helped Denver hold off the Vipers and claim their first win of the year.

Here we go, our first COVID-impacted injury list. As you saw in the opening article of our report, there were nine players who were required to miss the season opener due to positive tests and/or symptomatic COVID infections. What we see now is that the ability for many of the infected players to return to action after only 1 week may not be as many as the league had hoped. Of the 9 who sat out in Week 1, 6 will also be required to sit out a 2^nd week after their symptoms persisted into the testing period for Week 2.

We add several more players to the Week 2 COVID inactive list, including the first starting QB to be required to sit out at least a week as Portland’s Marcus Mariota tested positive this week. And while this is certainly not as problematic as the long-duration injuries suffered by both Seattle QB Jacoby Brissett and San Diego guard Antonio Garcia, the reality of regular player sit-outs due to the COVID-19 virus is a reality that will test team rosters and put a lot on the GMs who have to try to anticipate short-term roster depletion on a regular basis. All this with the usual issues of injury within the game of football will be a test all season long.

OUT

QB      Jacoby Brissett      SEA        Broken Hip           IR

OT          Antonio Garcia        SD          Achilles                 8-12 Weeks

C             Tyler Biadasz            OAK      ACL Strain               2-4 Weeks

SS          Jaiquawn Jarrett      NEN      Neck                        1-2 Weeks

DE          Tim Crowder            HOU     Eye                           1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

LB           Vontez Burfict        OKL       Hand                                   

OT          Jawaan taylor          JAX         Hamstring

QUESTIONABLE

DE          Calais Campbell      ARZ       Neck

HB         Latavius Murray       CHA      Patella Tendonitis

G             Vlad Ducasse          CHI        Hyperextended Knee

QB         Tyler Thigpen           MGN     Broken Finger

COVID-19 INACTIVE

ATL         HB         Kenyan Drake

ATL         DE          Tyquann Lewis              2^nd Week

BIR         WR         Julian Edelman             2^nd Week

DEN      DT          Sharrif Floyd                    2^nd Week

JAX         DT          Beau Allen                        

LA          DE          Duwayne Smoot             2^nd Week

MGN     QB         Tyler Thigpen               2^nd Week

OHI       FB          Mike Boone

POR      QB         Marcus Mariota              

POR      TE           Chris Gragg               2^nd Week

STL         LB           Trey Hendrickson

SDG      WR         Marques Colston

WSH     DT          Quinnen Williams

TV Ratings Take Huge Hit but Streaming a Success

This had to be a known and expected reality for the league. Moving all their games to 8pm local starts in the three hub locations meant that the USFL would have more regional games than ever, more late starts than ever, and fewer viewers, and that is what we are seeing. The USFL drew well with their 8pm ET starts, and the 9pm games were adequate (with a significant mid-game drop in viewership, particularly on Sunday), but the 11pm ET starts from Arizona were well below the norm for the league, particularly compared to the league’s typical viewership on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. This had to be known, but the numbers released after Week 1 clearly show that this will be a tough year for the league’s viewership as well as for the four broadcasters who are engaged in the all-nocturnal schedule for 2020.

However, at least two networks, FOX and ABC, may be significantly more willing to tolerate the lower broadcast ratings than ESPN and NBC. Why? The livestreaming and replay features of their USFL Nationwide package, arranged between the two networks as a way to address the abundance of games forced into regional coverage due to the all-night-game format, has proven a huge moneymaker and a huge boon for viewership. Over 20 million subscribers joined in the weeks and days leading up to the USFL openers, and viewership on the streaming service has been better than expected, nearly 50% higher than original estimates. The two networks involved in the package are seeing viewers tuning in live, but more fascinating is that they are seeing huge numbers on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons as fans catch up on the prior night’s games during more traditional hours.

It seems that USFL fans want to catch a lot of action, they are just not excited about staying up until Midnight, 1am or later to do so. That means that while NBC and ESPN are going to struggle for viewers when their weekly offering starts at 9 or 11 pm, ABC and FOX are going to make up for their late games by having the replay option the next day. Expect ESPN/EFN (owned by the same conglomerate as ABC) to try to horn in on the streaming platform, and we would not be surprised if NBC tried to get in on the action as well. Either that or you can expect them to push the other networks for more 8pm games to offset the losses encountered with the later games.

Invaders, Bandits, and Vipers Find Audience with Hosted Watch Parties

A side story on TV viewership is the niche that it seems a few teams have found with large-scale online “watch parties” organized by the franchises themselves. The Invaders, Bandits, and Vipers were the first teams to set up such groups ahead of this weekend’s games, using online platforms like Twitch, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams to create large “fan rooms” that could hold up to 50 fans at a time. The fan groups could watch the games online through links with the network broadcast or streaming and connect with each other through chat spaces and break-out rooms within the larger group events. Yes, there was some moderation needed as the occasional chat-stream got salty, but overall, the experience was praised by fans, able to watch the games and still interact across the platforms. Expect more teams to add these fanbase outreach viewings as a way to keep fans engaged through this all-remote schedule of games. Building electronic communities may be a trend we see across businesses and entertainment media across many industries as more and more people have been instructed to work from home, to avoid mass gatherings, and to minimize public exposure to the COVID-19 virus. If the USFL can be out front on electronic “meet ups”, it can be a tool that will help the league weather the storm of a season without fans in the stands.

Monarchs Lobby NC Legislature to Allow Summer Bowl

We are only at Opening Week for the 2020 season, but one franchise, and one city, are already deeply concerned about the USFL’s planned virtual season. Charlotte and the Charlotte Monarchs had been preparing to host Summer Bowl 2020 ever since they were chosen as the host back in 2018. Now they are frantically lobbying the league and the state to allow for the Summer Bowl to retain its home in the Queen City, and to push for some form of fan attendance at the game. The Monarchs are working with local government to try to convince the USFL not to relocate the title game to one of the three hub regions, to delay a decision and give time for the CDC and the nation to adjust to the current pandemic and find solutions that would allow for public events once again, as well as a location outside of Florida, Texas, or Arizona for the league’s title game.

Many within North Carolina’s statehouse are in favor of the league retaining Charlotte as the host for the showcase event, but there are concerns and serious misgivings about trying to develop a plan for a filled Bank of America Stadium on October 4^th. There is still so much in doubt about how to combat the pandemic, much less how to avoid further infections, illness, and potential fatalities, if a state or city wanted to host an event that would likely draw 60,000 or more to the same venue. Even with an outdoor stadium, that concentration of people seems to pose a potential “mega-spread” situation that no government wants to get behind at this point.

For now, the case being made is for a delay, for retention of Charlotte as the host through July, possibly August, before a final decision is made. The hope, of course, is that more will be known about COVID-19, information that could make the event viable for state and city officials, as well as for the league, even if it means a reduced capacity in the 74,000-seat arena. The campaign is one of delay, hoping that a delayed decision to relocate the USFL’s championship game will provide the time needed to determine a safe and successful plan to have a live event, with spectators in the Monarchs’ back yard.

Chicago’s Rhapsody in Blue

The fans have spoken, and their message was unambiguous; they want their Chicago Machine to switch things up. The Chicago Machine & Under Armour “Design the Machine” voting is done and by a huge margin the look chosen by Chicago fans is a very different, very city-friendly “City Blue” option. The final vote had the City Blue look receiving more than both of the other two options, a red-dominant look and a classic maroon look, combined. With nearly 250,000 votes coming in over the extended online voting poll, City Blue racked up over 170,000 votes while the second-place maroon and third place red look combined garnered just under 68,000 votes, a pretty clear message from the fans to the team.

And, as promised, the Machine, and their Chicago-based ownership, J.B. and Thomas Pritzker, sided with fans, announcing the new look for the Machine at a press conference in front of Soldier Field this week. The Machine will wear a look that many say reminds them of the NFL Houston Oilers, but which also clearly pays homage to the easily recognizable Chicago city flag, complete with its white and blue stripes and six-pointed red stars. The new look was revealed for the first time this week, and while the team itself is camped out in Houston for the season as part of the league’s hub city “bubble” plan to combat COVID spread, team owners and a limited number of the media were on hand out the outdoor unveiling.

Announcing the new look, with the designs on display on a series of mannequins outside Soldier Field, the Pritzkers revealed the four looks that will take the field in 2021. They also revealed that regardless of the results of this year’s season, the look will not be seen until the Machine return home to play the 2021 season (something we all anticipate, and hope will be the case), with J. B. Pritzker announcing that the club will not wear the new uniforms if they qualify for the 2020 playoffs because, in his words, “This look deserves a Chicago welcome, in front of our great Chicago fans.”

The full look entails 4 different designs, as we have come to expect from Under Armour. The primary uniforms feature a white helmet with the new minimalistic “Clockwork C” logo in sky blue with a red star at the center and center striping meant to evoke the city flag, with thin maroon stripes outside thicker red, white, and blue striping. The ubiquitous Chicago star appears at the base. The road jersey is white with a sky-blue collar, sleeve stripes that parallel those on the helmet and sky-blue numbers outlined in white and red with a subtle maroon drop shadow. The sky-blue home jerseys follow the same pattern, with white numbers outlined in red with the maroon drop shadow. The team will alternate a white and a blue pant set, with an all-white look available for hot summer games, while an all-sky kit is also an option. Both pant sets again repeat the flag-inspired striping from the helmet and jersey sleeves, and each once again feature the six-pointed star on the hip. The look is capped off with red socks that have thin white, sky, and maroon striping.

With USFL teams able to utilize a 2^nd helmet shell, and with all teams receiving a throwback look, it is no surprise that the 2^nd helmet will be the team’s traditional maroon color with a maroon facemask. The throwback goes all the way back to the team’s origin, the 1987 look, complete with maroon pants, and the cog-inspired “M” monogram in dark metallic grey on the helmet. The “Maroonificent Mile” alternate blends the two eras, replicating the features of the new Under Armour design but emphasizing maroon as the dominant color. In this alternate look the “flag” striping combines sky blue and white, the jersey numbers are sky blue with maroon and white outlines, and the set offers a maroon pant set to be worn both with the white jersey and the dark maroon top.

So, a very different Chicago Machine begins in 2021. No more complaints from Michigan fans of the Machine riding their design coattails, and a unique design in a league that also has light blue in the designs of Las Vegas, Oakland, Dallas and San Diego. This is a look that screams “Chicago” so loudly, you almost expect Roxy Hart or Al Capone to show up.

Week Two and we prepare for another week of silent games, fake crowd noises, delayed viewing, and late nights as the unique COVID-impacted schedule of games is back. We kick the week off with a major NE Division rivalry as the Generals and Stars battle in Orlando. An hour later another rivalry kicks off as New Orleans and Houston battle at Rice University’s vast but empty stadium. And a good nightcap starting at 11pm Eastern when the Thunder get a rematch with Arizona after last year’s playoff disaster.

Saturday has 3 divisional games with Washington and New England meeting at Raymond James, Orlando on the road to Gainesville to face the Monarchs, and expansion San Antonio hoping for their first win as a franchise as the face Memphis. Sunday’s big games include a SE Division showdown as the Bandits and Bulls stay in state, playing in Gainesville. Atlanta takes on Baltimore in a battle of Week 1 victors, and Tom Brady and the Invaders take on Las Vegas from steamy Sun Devil Stadium.

FRIDAY

8pm ET      Philadelphia @ New Jersey     Camping World Stadium     NBC

9pm ET      New Orleans @ Houston        Rice Stadium                 ABC

11pm ET      San Diego @ Arizona             U. of Arizona Stadium     ESPN/EFN

SATURDAY

8pm ET        Washington @ New England   Raymond James Stadium       ABC

8pm ET       Orlando @ Charlotte              Ben Hill Griffin Stadium           FOX

9pm ET       San Antonio @ Memphis     TDECU Stadium                       NBC

9pm ET        Pittsburgh @ Michigan        NRG Stadium                           FOX

11pm ET      Seattle @ Dallas                  State Farm Stadium                ABC

11pm ET     Los Angeles @ Denver        Sun Devil Stadium                  FOX

SUNDAY

8pm ET        Tampa Bay @ Jacksonville    Ben Hill Griffin Stadium       FOX

8pm ET        Atlanta @ Baltimore       Camping World Stadium     ABC

9pm ET           St. Louis @ Ohio              Rice Stadium                           FOX

9pm ET        Chicago @ Birmingham      NRG Stadium                       ABC

11pm ET       Oakland @ Las Vegas       Sun Devil Stadium      ESPN/EFN

11pm ET      Portland @ Oklahoma    U. of Arizona Stadium             ABC