2020 USFL Week 12 Recap: Atlanta Among Elites.
- USFL LIVES
- 9 hours ago
- 26 min read
Week 12 was a week of haves and have-nots, with blowout victories up and down the schedule, and only 1 team that was more than a 3-point underdog pulling out a victory. That team was Jacksonville, who we may need to start taking seriously after they downed Washington 10-3. The rest of the games saw favorite cleaning up, including a 31-point Bandits victory over New Jersey, Atlanta beating New England by 33, the Breakers cruising past Birmingham by 35, Houston topping San Antonio by 21, and LA absolutely steaming past in-state rival San Diego 32-0. Not a week for parity it seems. We will run through all the games, look at the 2021 Draft one more time, and get you up to date on all the happenings across the league as we prepare for Week 13.
OBJ Wants Out After Generals Crushed by Bandits
His stats are certainly there, nearly 600 catches and 8,000 yards in 6+ seasons, accolades as well, with 3 All-USFL appearances, but victories, well, those have been tough to come by for Odell Beckham Jr. and the lack of meaningful playoff performances or chances to win a title have apparently worn on the talented receiver. OBJ let off some steam after New Jersey’s humiliating 34-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Bandits. He reminded reporters in the post-game press conference that only 2 years ago the Bandits had the worst record in the league and now they were sitting at 13-0 and looking very much like a potential Summer Bowl favorite.
OBJ contrasted this with the Generals’ organization, a club certainly not in the dregs of the league, having made the playoffs each of the past 4 years, but one which has yet to appear in a Summer Bowl during the receiver’s 6-year tenure in East Rutherford. OBJ seemed adamant that he wants to play for a team that has a real chance at a title. Claiming he is not motivated by dollars or social media followers, but by winning, he questioned the commitment of the franchise to do what it takes to shift from “good enough” to great.
While it is never a good thing to disparage your own team, and while OBJ was careful not to name any names, it is clear that he is looking to find a new home, and if that means burning a few bridges to make that happen, he seems ready to do so. We cannot say we disagree with him either. New Jersey has been just “good enough” for a while, settling for Wild Cards, stuck near 9-7, and never really a threat to the better teams in the conference. They have seemed to settle on a pattern of solid, but not dominant play, a defense that is good enough most weeks, but certainly not overwhelming (ranked 21st in PPG allowed and 24th in yards allowed this year, a noticeable downturn from past seasons), and, particularly at QB, they just do not have the kind of playmaker that can turn a loss into a win. Nick Foles, while certainly capable as a game manager, is not striking fear into opposing defenses.
So, what happens now? Beckham has 1 year left on his current contract, which means that he is not getting much choice in what happens. He could try to convince ownership that he is primed to garner maximum value on the trade market, a pretty tenable position considering that without a deal New Jersey would only see him on the roster for one more year before free agency, when they gain nothing from his departure. There are certainly plenty of teams that would be interested in OBJ, so it may well make sense for the Generals to look for a deal this offseason, or, and this might be thinking a bit outside of the box, they could take his complaints to heart, realize that they need to improve around their star receiver (and a few others) and actually upgrade at key positions so that they can be a competitor for a title instead of a team that gets into the postseason only to drop their first game and go home. Something for the Generals to consider.
PITTSBURGH MAULERS 17 CHICAGO MACHINE 16
A good ol’ slobberknocker between two of the best teams in the Central Division, that is what we got on Saturday night when the Maulers took on the Machine. Both teams entered the game at 8-3, solidly in the hunt behind 9-2 Michigan. Chicago had the tiebreaker advantage thanks to a 6-0 division record, with Pittsburgh at 3-2. They also had scored more points this season and allowed fewer than the Maulers. But those are the kind of stats that might influence the lines in Vegas, but don’t always translate to what happens when two teams square off on the field.
When they did square off, what we got was a classic war of attrition with both defenses allowing some yardage, but few points, and both teams struggling to outmaneuver each other in a battle of field position and scarce opportunities. Both teams finished with just over 100 yards rushing, both around 350 yards of offense, and both with strong defensive stops, but in the end, it was a question of how each team dealt with red zone defense that decided this game. Pittsburgh went 1 for 2 on red zone TDs, while Chicago went 1 for 3. That, plus one big play were all it took for the Maulers to defy the numbers and claim victory, pushing them ahead of Chicago in the standings and in the playoff race.
The game started well for the Maulers, with Pittsburgh’s initial drive producing 7 points. They got a lucky break on a 3rd and 3 when Chicago DE Jason Pierre-Paul was called for offsides trying to guess the snap count. That penalty kept their drive alive, and after a nice toss to HB Sony Michel for 16 yards, they were in the red zone. They capitalized with Andy Dalton finding Brian Quick for a 12-yard TD to take the first lead of the game.
Chicago moved the ball well on their first drive as well, but they got bogged down in the red zone, failing to move the ball past the 13 yard line and forced to settle for 3 after Sam Bradford missed on a throw to Tyler Eifert on 3rd down. This would be a theme repeated later in the game. But, as the first quarter ended, it was the Maulers up 7-3. That lead would disappear in the 2nd quarter when Chicago again slowly and deliberately moved the ball down the field. This time it was Pittsburgh making a huge mistake, when a failed 3rd down throw from Bradford was wiped out by a roughing the passer call on Mauler DE Shaquile Riddick, whose right arm slammed into Bradford’s helmet as the big DE tried to deflect Bradford’s throw.
That penalty kept Chicago on offense and 7 plays later they found their way to the endzone, with HB Marion Mack trampling a safety on his way in for a 6-yard TD run. Chicago took the lead 10-7. Only 3 minutes later Pittsburgh got a break and took advantage of it. Cornerback Josh Norman had to come out after a collision with a teammate on a 1st down run by Michel. His replacement, Robert Anderson, misread the coverage, let Adam Thielen by, believing he had safety help, but safety Micah Hyde was chasing down TE Rob Gronkowski, meaning that Thielen was essentially all alone down the left sideline. Dalton caught him with a deep ball and Thielen took it the rest of the way for a 46-yard touchdown, the only play over 25 yards in the game.
Now up 14-10, Pittsburgh added a field goal late in the quarter to take a 17-10 lead into the break. In a game that seemed destined to lead to a final score in the high 20’s if not the 30’s, both teams had found success on offense in the first half. That would change dramatically in the second half. Both defenses made adjustments, Pittsburgh adding more pressure through some calculated blitzes, Chicago using shallow zones and 2 deep safeties to force Andy Dalton to dump the ball off short on key third downs. After going a combined 8 of 11 on third down in the first half, the two offenses would only muster 1 more first down the rest of the way, going 1 of 12 as the defenses stiffened and the spate of scoring came to an almost complete halt.
Chicago mustered only a long field goal (48 yards) in the 3rd quarter, cutting Pittsburgh’s lead to 4, but they needed more. Early in the 4th, a fumble by Cam Akers gave Chicago a perfect opportunity to get more, giving them the ball at the Pittsburgh 31. They pushed the ball into the red zone, got as far as the 5-yard line, but failed on a 3rd and goal throw to Michael Floyd. Coach Smith used a time out to consider options, go for it on 4th and goal from the 5 or kick the 3 and try again later in the quarter. Smith opted for 3 certain points, and he got them, but the chance to add more later simply never came. Pittsburgh played a game-shortening strategy, pinning Chicago deep on their next two possessions and limiting the Machine Offense to short gains on both drives. When Chicago was forced to punt the ball back to the Maulers with 3:31 left to play, the hope was they would get one last chance at getting the ball into field goal range.
The Maulers never gave them that chance. They earned two first downs thanks to the running of Sony Michel and Cam Akers (the two combined for 107 yards on the day), with Andy Dalton throwing only 1 pass, a nice 8-yard gain on play action, in the series. Chicago used up their timeouts, and when Akers dove into the line on a vital 4th and 1 from the Chicago 49, the game was done. Pittsburgh could run down the clock without anything more than a Dalton kneel and the Maulers would move to 2nd place at 9-3. It was not the prettiest game, but for fans who love good defense, the 2nd half of this one was a classic.
NEW JERSEY 3 TAMPA BAY 34
New Jersey touted this as a “Stand Up Game”, but it was the Bandits who sat the Generals right back down, dominating from kickoff to the final whistle. With the Generals trying to pressure Dak Prescott all day, it was Dalvin Cook who helped lead the way, rushing for 110 yards and a score. Prescott had his moments, including a 21-yard TD to Dez Bryant, but it was the Bandit D that owned the day, starting with a Jalen Ramsey pick-six only 5 seconds into the game and continuing throughout as the Bandits simply shut down every General drive.
POTG: Bandit CB Jalen Ramsey: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
SAN DIEGO 0 LOS ANGELES 32
Another very lopsided affair on Friday night as the Express crushed their in-state rival, limiting San Diego to only 124 passing yards and slowly building up the score over all 4 quarters to land a dominant 32-0 final score. Kyler Murray went 16 of 25 for 201 yards and 2 scores, but all kudos to the Express defense, who limited San Diego to 217 total yards and only 1 trip across the Express 40 (a missed field goal).
POTG: LA Corner Stephon Gilmore: 5 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 Int
NEW ORLEANS 48 BIRMINGHAM 13
Friday was a night for blowouts as New Orleans completed the 3-game domination event with a 35-point win over division rival Birmingham. The Breaker D kept Cam Newton under wraps, though the QB did throw for 244 and 2 scores, he had only 1 yard rushing. Meanwhile Geno Smith threw for 319 and 4 TDs, only to be relieved by Pat White in the 4th quarter, with White adding 2 more TDs before the game was over. Six different receivers caught scoring throws on the night for the Breakers as they move to 9-3 atop the division.
POTG: Breaker QB Geno Smith: 19/24, 319 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int
SAN ANTONIO 10 HOUSTON 31
The Gamblers were happy to have expansion San Antonio on the docket. The game got Colt McCoy back in rhythm, throwing for 332 yards and 2 scores while HB Carlos Hyde added 2 more in a dominant win by the Gamblers. Easton Stick struggled against the Gambler defense, throwing a costly red zone pick early and never finding a solid rhythm. Mike Evans was the star for Houston, with 131 yards and 2 scores.
POTG: Houston WR Mike Evans: 6 Rec, 131 Yds, 2 TD
LAS VEGAS 9 ARIZONA 30
The blowouts just kept coming on Saturday as Arizona also made short work of their opponent, division rival Las Vegas. Matt McGloin returned to action for the Vipers but got a rude welcome as Calais Campbell and the Wranglers pressured him relentlessly, including 5 sacks, 2 from Campbell who is back in the race for the league sack title again. Ka’Deem Carey had 2 TDs and combined with Crowell for 159 yards rushing as Arizona cruised.
POTG: Wrangler DE Calais Campbell: 5 Tck, 2 Sck
OKLAHOMA 9 DALLAS 20
Our first close game, but in the end Dallas pulled away as they proved more capable of putting the ball in the endzone than the Outlaws. A pair of rushing touchdowns, one each from Perine and Sims, were enough to give the Roughnecks their 7th win and put them 2 games over .500. The defense sacked Mason Rudolph (back under center for the Outlaws) 7 times and held Justice Hill to only 27 yards rushing.
POTG: Dallas DE Connor Barwin: 4 Tck, 3 Sck, 2 FF
NEW ENGLAND 14 ATLANTA 47
The Fire easily dispatched expansion New England, with Atlanta building up a 24-7 lead at the half thanks to TDs from O. J. Howard, Nick Chubb, and a pick-six from Earl Thomas. O. J. Howard added a second TD after the break, and was joined by A. J. Green and Kenyan Drake as Atlanta cruised to their 10th victory and a playoff berth.
POTG: Fire HB Nick Chubb: 24 Att, 121 Yds, 1 TD, 2 Rec, 16 Yds
WASHINGTON 3 JACKSONVILLE 10
The Bulls continue to impress on defense, holding Washington to a lone field goal and only 64 yards rushing. The Bulls’ offense struggled as well, with Teddy Bridgewater sacked 8 times by an aggressive Washington front seven, but a lone TD toss on a blown coverage allowed the Bulls to get the win and move to 6-6, very much alive in the playoff hunt. Tajae Sharpe went 80 yards on the lone explosive play of the game in a fluke play that ended the scoring as both teams did nothing in the 2nd half.
POTG: Bulls’ LB Alex Anzelone: 4 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 FF, 1 PDef
ST. LOUIS 15 MICHIGAN 38
Michigan was ready for Lamar Jackson as a rusher, using a safety to shadow the St. Louis QB. That, paired with a 4-TD day from Panther QB Kirk Cousins made short work of the Skyhawks. Michigan was outgained on the ground as Eddie Lacy returned to action with 106 yards rushing while the St. Louis D keyed on LeVeon Bell, holding him to only 67 yards, but that left Cousins largely unbothered, and he picked apart the St. Louis secondary, finding 4 different receivers for scores.
POTG: Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 24/28, 290 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int
SEATTLE 41 OAKLAND 33
What looks like a shootout in the final score was not quite that close as Seattle built up a 21-3 lead, then 35-17 before late Oakland scores made the game look a bit closer. Brett Hundley threw for 322 and 3 scores, while Tom Brady went 25 of 42 for 290 and 4 scores as he tried to lead the Invaders back. The Dragons move to 6-6 and stay alive in the playoff hunt, while Oakland loses their share of 1st in the Pacific and drops a game back at 7-5.
POTG: Seattle CB Jaire Alexander: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
PORTLAND 31 DENVER 34
Another tough loss for Portland as Denver found their offensive groove and built up a 34-16 lead, holding on as Portland tried to mount a comeback. Philip Lindsay rushed for 104 and 3 TDs, but also caught 2 passes for 63 yards. Denver also got a ripping 108-yard kickoff return from Kevin White in one of the plays of the week as they move to 5-7 on the season.
POTG: Gold HB Phillip Lindsay: 25 Att, 104 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Rec, 63 Yds.
PHILADELPHIA 17 CHARLOTTE 21
Kyle Boller gets Charlotte their 2nd win in 3 weeks, finding Brandon Pettigrew for the game winner with 41 seconds left to play. Charlotte also got help on defense as Tre Boston returned a Ryan Lindley pick 43 yards for a score.
POTG: Charlotte FS Tre Boston: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
BALTIMORE 6 ORLANDO 30
Real concerns in Baltimore as the Blitz dropped another one and now sit at 6-6 with 4 weeks left. Jake Locker threw two picks and completed only 16 of 31 passing as Orlando got pressure even as they recorded only 1 sack. Russell Wilson threw for only 199 yards but that included TD tosses to Brashad Perriman and Knile Davis, enough to win their 6th on the year and improve to the same record as the Blitz.
POTG: Orlando FS Jemea Thomas: 2 PDef, 2 Int
OHIO 21 MEMPHIS 48
After a first quarter that saw both teams find the endzone on their first 2 possessions, the Memphis defense tightened up, holding Ohio to 7 points the rest of the way. The offense kept rolling, with 4 more touchdown drives over the final 3 quarters. And all this with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. The fan favorite threw for 271 and a career best 6 touchdowns as Memphis rolled.
POTG: Memphis QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 28/38, 271 Yds, 6 TD, 1 Int
Fitz-Magic in Effect for Memphis
With Paxton Lynch nursing a pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder, Coach Ryan made the call on Wednesday that veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick would get the start against the Ohio Glory. Little could Ryan have known that in making that call he would be unleashing a nightmare scenario on the Glory. The Harvard grad and former General, Stag, and Machine QB had not thrown a pass in a regular season game since his last year in Chicago in 2018. That meant that aside from some meaningless and very vanilla footage from 2019 preseason games, there was no film for Ohio to study. They also had no idea how Fitzpatrick’s entrance into the game would alter the Memphis gameplan. In other words, they had no idea what to expect or how to defend against a Fitzpatrick-led Showboat offense.
That lack of familiarity paid off for Fitzpatrick and the Showboats. The journeyman QB had himself a day, finding open receivers all over the field, connecting with Devin Funchess 7 times for 94 yards, Robert Woods 6 times for 65, and TE Dallas Goedert 5 times for 37. He also hit each for a TD, along with 1 more to HB Jacob Hester and 2 touchdowns to slot man Jamison Crowder. Add those up and you have a 6-TD day, the first of his career for Fitzpatrick. It was absolute chaos out there. When Ohio tried to use pressure, Fitzpatrick found his safety valve. When they used soft zones, he picked them apart, and when they left a key receiver in one-on-one, he went deep. It was a thing of beauty for fans of the Showboats, or fans of Fitzpatrick from his long career both in the NFL and USFL. He finished the day with 271 yards on 28 of 38, but with those 6 TDs this was about as perfect a day as any QB could hope for, and, as we have gotten used to seeing from time to time, a clear touch of Fitz-Magic.
Lindsay’s Big Day for Denver
After losing 6 of their last 7, and with a switch at OC along the way, the Denver Gold needed a spark to get their offense back on track. They got it this week from halfback Phillip Lindsay. The 3rd year back, now clearly the lead in the Denver backfield after the Gold traded away DeMarco Murray, had his best game of the year, putting together a combined 167 yards from scrimmage and scoring 3 times in the Gold’s 34-31 upset over Portland.
Lindsay was the focal point of the entire Denver offense this week, carrying the ball 25 times and targeted 5 more in the passing game. He averaged 4.2 YPC in the game, broke off a really nice 23-yard rumbling run, and put the ball in the endzone from 4 yards out, then 15, then 7, all in the first half as Denver built up a 28-13 halftime lead and then survived a late comeback by the Stags. Denver was helped by a dazzling 108-yard kickoff return late in the 2nd quarter, but it was Lindsay’s ability to move the chains and produce short and very makeable 3rd downs that was the key to Denver’s 34-point output. Can Denver keep momentum going with Lindsay as their offensive focus? It seems the best course for them to take as they are still trying to get more out of the passing game. It certainly should be their strategy this week, when they face the worst rush defense in the league, San Diego’s 30th ranked squad giving up over 123 yards per game.
Jacksonville’s D has them at .500
The Bulls finished last season at 4-12, picking first in the USFL Draft, and, to be honest, few expected much more from them this season. They were pretty much universally picked to finish last in the Southeastern Division, but teams don’t stay static year to year and while the Bulls still have a lot of the issues that critics pointed out in camp, they have shown at least one area of significant growth, the defense.
That defense is the primary reason that Jacksonville now sits at 6-6, already 2 games ahead of last year’s final tally, and why they have moved up to 3rd place behind the unbeaten Bandits and 10-2 Atlanta Fire. With those two teams getting a lot of press this year, you might not have even noticed that the Bulls are playing some pretty solid defense and winning some tough games. The past three weeks they have knocked off New Jersey, Orlando, and Washington, even sweeping the series with the Renegades. And the defense? They are not leading the lead in any of the major categories, but they are more than holding their own. So far this year they have held 5 teams to 20 or fewer points, including limiting Washington to only 3 this week.
The rejuvenated Bulls defense is led by an unexpectedly strong pass rush, with the combo of Robert Ayers and Barkevious Mingo combining for 20 sacks this year (Ayers slightly ahead in the count with 11 to Mingo’s 9). They have also gotten solid pass rush help from their LB group, with Sean Lee and Alex Anzelone adding 5 sacks to the team’s total. The Bulls also have 2 players with 3 picks apiece (CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie and FS Matt Elam), and as we see almost every year, MLB Sean Lee is among the league leaders with 93 tackles. The overall impact has been that Jacksonville has been in nearly every game this year, with a pair of tight losses and some very solid wins. Can this defense lead them over .500 for the first time since 2007? They need only 1 more win to avoid a 10th consecutive 10-loss season, and 3 wins in their final 4 games would get them above .500. With New England up this week, then slumping Baltimore and Charlotte clubs after that, they have a real shot.
Campbell Ties Sweat, Seeking 12 Straight Title
Rumors of Calais Campbell’s decline appear to have been premature. There was a point in the season’s first half when the perennial Sack Champion was 5 or more sacks behind the leader, his replacement in Orlando, Montez Sweat. But as the season has worn on, Sweat’s lead has shrunk, his productivity dipping, while Campbell has come on like a man possessed. The Arizona DE and 11-time Sack Leader in the USFL missed 2 games early in the season and had only 5 sacks as of Week 7, but in the 5 weeks since he has racked up a stunning 11 sacks and now stands even with Sweat atop the league leaderboard with 16 QB takedowns. Anyone who doubts he can not only keep pace with the Orlando edge rusher but surpass him has simply not been paying attention to football over the past decade. Odds are now back on Campbell to win the title again, an even dozen years of dominance.
Stars talk to Spurrier
Don’t look now, but the Ol’ Ball Coach may not be out to pasture quite yet. Rumors have Steve Spurrier, the two-time head coach of the Tampa Bay Bandits meeting with the Philadelphia Stars, who let Jim Harbaugh go after a brutal 0-6 start to the year. Philadelphia, now 1-11 on the season, is not saying whether they met with Spurrier as a consultant, a possible GM, or to bring him back to the sideline, but, of course, scuttlebutt in the City of Brotherly Love is all about the man who brought the Bandits a title way back in 1983 and who many credit with building the Bandit team that won it all again in 2011, returning to the sidelines to resurrect a Stars team that is about as low now as they have ever been in their franchise history. Of course, what is almost comical about this is that there are fans calling for Jim Mora Sr to return, or even his son, Jim Mora Jr, apparently more obsessed with team history than with the current day.
Spurrier, who turned 75 this year, has not led a team since the 2015 season at the University of South Carolina. Few seriously expect he will come back to do so now, and particularly not a franchise with which he has had no prior history. We tend to agree with those who believe Spurrier came to Philadelphia to help guide ownership on a sound path when it comes to rebuilding and finding a coach who can handle what is likely to be a difficult, multi-year project. That just seems so much more likely to anyone who is not either a Stars fanatic or a Spurrier follower.
One more team locks in a playoff spot as 10-2 Atlanta is assured no worse than a Wild Card. They join the two unbeatens as 2020 playoff teams, while 5 more teams drop out of contention, with 3-9 Ohio joining 2-10 Birmingham, Las Vegas, San Diego, and expansion San Antonio in the pool that already included 1-win Philadelphia and St. Louis. Look for more clinching next week as 10-2 Michighan and three 9-3 clubs (New Orleans, Memphis, and Pittsburgh) can lock up spots with wins and a bit of help.
OUT
CB Devin McCourty BIR Back IR
OG Vlad Ducasse CHI Leg IR
C Philip Blake MEM Hip IR
DE Nick Fairley HOU Neck 6-8 Weeks
LB Jordan Hicks JAX Groin 6-8 Weeks
DT Marcel Dareus TBY Hernia 1-2 Weeks
DT Danny Shelton CHA Ribs 1-2 Weeks
OG Cole Madison POR Arm 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
LB Melvin ingram DAL Concussion
FS Robert Sands PIT Hand
TE C. J. Uzomah BAL Neck
DT Albert Haynesworth ATL Thigh
OT Levi Brown TBY Thigh
QUESTIONABLE
QB Paxton Lynch MEM Pinched Nerve
DT B. J. Raji NJ Hip
COVID-19 INACTIVES
ARZ CB Jeremy Harris
ATL CB Darius Slay
DAL LB Melvin Ingram
DAL SS Dezmen Southward 2nd Week
HOU CB Siran Neal
MEM DE Chase Winovich
NJ CB Isaac Yiadom
OHI LB Daniel Ellerbe
PIT FS Robert Sands
SD DT Damon Harrison
Very Early Draft Preview: Offense
Two weeks ago we picked our Top 10 Defenders in the 2021 Draft Pool. This week we return with what may well be the focus of the draft, the top offensive stars coming out this year. We have 3 QBs expected to be Top 10 talents, a pair of solid backs, 3 quality receivers and a pair of topflight linemen to choose from. So, what will the story be for these 10 blue chippers? How will the USFL approach them? How will the league fare against the NFL in trying to sign them? That will all be decided this January, but for now, here are the players that all you fans of the Stars, Skyhawks, Gunslingers, and all the non-playoff teams can start obsessing with.
QB Trevor Lawrence (Clemson)
The consensus top pick in the 2021 draft, Lawrence has been a star since he took the field for the Tigers back in 2018. In 2 seasons he has amassed a 25-1 record and led Clemson to two consecutive national title games. He lost to LSU and Joe Burrow last year, but he comes back for his junior year, and what almost everyone expects to be his final year, ready to take the Tigers to a third title game. Expect a major feeding frenzy between the two pro leagues to try to get Lawrence into their camps.
QB Zach Wilson (BYU)
Another 3-year starter, Wilson’s stats at BYU are not as gaudy as Lawrence’s at Clemson, but he has more than held his own, throwing 23 TDs to 12 picks in his first two years in Provo. A mobile QB with good arm talent, the key with Wilson will be transitioning to the pro style and playing against top level competition every week.
QB Justin Fields (Ohio State)
The level of competition he faces in college is not something anyone knocks Ohio State’s Justin Fields on. After transferring from Georgia to Ohio State, Fields lit up the game, going 13-1 as a starter and led the Buckeyes to a Big 10 title and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl. He returns in 2020 with hopes for a national title. A very athletic, elusive QB, he is ideal for a team that wants to emulate the kind of spread offense that we see expanding into the pros in both leagues.
HB Najee Harris (Alabama)
You rarely go wrong with a running back from the Crimson Tide. Whether it is Mark Ingram, Eddie Lacy, Shaun Alexander, Bobby Humphrey, or Derrick Henry, Alabama just has a knack for churning out game-changing backs. Harris looks like yet another beast coming out of Tuscaloosa and should be slotted in as a bell cow back from day one.
HB Travis Etienne (Clemson)
Rivaling Harris the past 2 years has been Clemson’s Etienne. Seen as a more versatile back, with better receiving skills, Etienne went over 1,600 yards in both 2018 and 2019, and we expect another huge year out of him as Clemson again looks like a potential title contender. After that, he will almost certainly be a target of the Jacksonville Bulls, who would have his exclusive rights in the T-Draft and who need exactly the kind of skills he brings to the game.
WR Ja’Marr Chase (LSU)
What Alabama has been to running backs, LSU seems to be for receivers. The immediate success of Justin Jefferson with the Breakers has teams all across the USFL (and the NFL) excited about Chase as well. With New Orleans likely to either trade his rights in the T-Draft or to let him slide into the Open Draft, we could see a WR being a key focal point of the offseason trading block.
WRs Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith (Alabama)
Alabama is back with not one WR, but two. It is not so much a question of whether both will be early draft picks, but which will go first. The Stallions are unlikely to pursue both, and with Henry Ruggs already well-established as their future top target, we could even envision a situation where the Stallions trade away both to teams in the West just to be assured that neither ends up with a division rival. Of course the NFL could also come calling, as we always keep in the back of our minds.
OT Penei Sewell (Oregon)
The best pure passblocker to come out at LT in several years, and an almost surefire rookie starter, Sewell is the kind of tackle you build your line around. He is athletic enough to work the run in any system, zone or man blocking, and he is without a doubt a gifted pass protector, able to handle both bull rushers and speed guys on the edge. If you are a team with a less-than-agile QB, Sewell should be high on your wish list.
OG Alijah Vera-Tucker (USC)
Guard tends to be an undervalued position in the draft, but after the success of Quenton Nelson, excelling in Oakland, we would not be surprised to see Vera-Tucker as a Top 10 pick, which means that the LA Express may well be interested. The USC product might not displace Mitch Morse on the LA line but we could replace LG Logan Stenberg from the get-go, assuming, of course that LA both selects the former Trojan and signs him away from the fall league.
Several 2016 NFL Draftees Likely to be Free Agents Come January
Speaking of the draft, it is time as well to consider the reality that the NFL’s rigid rookie deal structure means that we are looking at several 2016 draftees who either must be extended for a 5th season or cut loose as free agents. Over the past several years the USFL has found some real gems among the list of 4-year vets who are not extended for a 5th year. So, what possible diamonds in the free agency rough could be available this year? Well, some pretty interesting prospects indeed.
QB Carson Wentz (Eagles)
The Eagles seem to be souring on the former NDSU star, despite the fact that he has a huge arm. He is not as mobile as many teams want in a QB, and he has had some issues with turnovers, but there is so much natural ability there that it is hard to believe that Philadelphia would simply give up on him, and yet, the rumors are out there that they are looking elsewhere.
HB Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
Jerry Jones has a problem. He has a lot of talent, and they all want to get paid. Will the salary cap crunch lead to a big-name back getting let loose to find a new home? Seems almost sacrilegious to see the Cowboys let Elliott walk, and yet weirder things have happened out of JerryWorld.
WR Laquon Treadwell (Vikings)
Treadwell has just not been able to catch on in Minnesota. They tried him inside, then outside, but they just don’t seem to know what to do with him. That may be enough for them to consider him something of a bust, which in USFL terms means a reclamation project.
WR Sterling Shephard (Giants)
Shephard has not looked bad for New York, but their QB situation is such a mess that they just have not been able to do much with him. We think they want to keep him around for year five, but they have a lot of needs, needs that will take up cap space.
OT Laremy Tunsil (Dolphins)
Tunsil started strong his rookie year, had some injury issues, and has now been splitting time at LT, so we think there is a reason not to pay him a balloon deal for a 5th year. That could bode well for USFL teams that are looking for a young, athletic tackle.
DE DeForest Buckner (49ers)
Buckner has been up and down in San Francisco. After a 12-sack season in 2018 few would think that he would be at risk, but he has not returned to that form since, and barring a strong rebound in 2020, we think there is a chance that the 49ers cut Buckner loose and look to land a DE out of this year’s draft class.
DT Kenny Clark (Green Bay)
Clark had a very solid 2019, racking up 62 tackles and 6 sacks. But Green Bay is in cap trouble, and those 5th year extensions are cap killers. They almost certainly don’t want to lose Clark at DT, but they may not have many options if they want to keep the rest of their team intact (and pay Aaron Rodgers what he is asking).
San Diego Boosts the Blue with New Look
It would not be an exaggeration to say that 2020 has been a “Year of the Blues” for the San Diego Thunder. Instead of competing for a Division Title and another attempt to prove they belong among the league’s elites, the Thunder have completely imploded, sitting now at 2-10, eliminated from the playoffs and likely to earn a Top 5 draft pick. So, with that the backdrop, it seems almost ironic that the newly released 2021 Under Armour uniform set for the Thunder features blue in a stronger way than ever before.
The Thunder retain their affection for ombre effects, color shifting between blue and white on the new home jersey numbers and from their trademark electric green to sky blue on the white jerseys. And if that were all, we likely would not have pointed out the use of blue to replace gold among their color palette, but when you add in the sky blue (don’t call them “powder” or the NFL gets mad) on the cuffs of their sleves, or in their pant stripes, or even their socks. Oh, and then there is the navy blue pant set, meant to be worn with the white jerseys. That is a lot of blue for a team that used to be predominantly green and yellow.
You can see the old color scheme in their throwback look, one that goes all the way back to 1988, when the club first debuted in Portland. Back is the old thunderbolt & cloud helmet logo, the original lime or electric green jersey, and the heavier use of Navy. With both their current uniforms and the classic look using a white helmet, we knew that San Diego would pull out something special for their other alternate, and they did exactly what everyone thought they might. They went ombre on the helmet. Yup, a sky blue to electric green ombre effect with color shifting from base to crown, paired with a white facemask. As if that was not enough of the motif, the jerseys do the exact same, but in reverse, with the shoulders and sleeves now sky blue and shifting to green across the chest and back. The numbers here use a navy blue shadow to stand out as they feature their own “reverse” ombre, with white bases transitioning to electric green at the top of each numeral. It is a look that only the Thunder could pull off.
A very light week for divisional matchups in Week 13, as only 4 of 15 games pits divisional rivals against each other. One of those four games is Friday night where the 6-6 New Jersey Generals face the 5-7 Washington Federals. A Generals win pushes Washington 2 games behind the division lead, while a win by the Federals pulls them even with New Jersey but still 1 game under .500.
The best matchup on Saturday is not a divisional game, but pits two of the league’s 9-3 clubs against each other. Memphis faces Pittsburgh in the 9pm ESPN/EFN game and the winner almost certainly locks up a playoff spot. Another biggie on Saturday is Dallas and Portland facing off at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix. Dallas can move 3 games over .500 with a win while Portland hopes to stave off a major collapse and get back over .500 by defeating the Roughnecks.
Sunday features two divisional games with Tampa Bay facing Charlotte and Baltimore taking on Philadelphia. The Blitz need to right their ship and they have a good chance against the Stars. A win means they retain at least a share of first place in the NE Division, and, with a bit of help from Washington, they could have sole possession of first. The other big game is in Las Vegas, where the 7-5 Oakland Invaders face a huge test as they play “host” to the unbeaten Arizona Wranglers. Can the Invaders’ D rise to the challenge and shut down the Wranglers, playing without Victor Cruz, or will Arizona get past this game and continue unblemished?
FRIDAY
8pm ET Washington (5-7) @ New Jersey (6-6) Orlando NBC
8pm ET Las Vegas (2-10) @ Seattle (6-6) Las Vegas ABC
9pm ET Birmingham (2-10) @ Michigan (10-2) TDECU ESPN/EFN
SATURDAY
1pm ET Houston (7-5) @ Ohio (3-9) NRG ABC
4pm ET Dallas (7-5) @ Portland (6-6) Glendale FOX
4pm ET Denver (5-7) @ San Diego (2-10) Las Vegas ABC
8pm ET Jacksonville (6-6) @ New England (4-8) Gainesville NBC
8pm ET Orlando (6-6) @ Atlanta (10-4) Tampa FOX
9pm ET Memphis (9-3) @ Pittsburgh (9-3) Rice ESPN/EFN
SUNDAY
1pm ET New Orleans (9-3) @ St. Louis (1-10) NRG FOX
4pm ET Oklahoma (5-7) @ Los Angeles (8-4) Glendale ABC
4pm ET Arizona (12-0) @ Oakland (7-5) Las Vegas FOX
8pm ET Tampa Bay (12-0) @ Charlotte (4-8) Orlando ABC
8pm ET Philadelphia (1-11) @ Baltimore (6-6) Tampa FOX
9pm ET San Antonio (2-10) @ Chicago (8-4) TDECU ESPN/EFN
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