2020 USFL Week 15 Recap: Bandits Take SE Title
- USFL LIVES
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Tampa Bay locked up the SE Division crown and the 1-seed with a far more defensive-minded victory over Atlanta than most expected. The Houston Gamblers wrapped up the Eastern Conference playoff pool, locking in their spot with a big win over Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Blitz also secured the NE Division crown with their win over rival Washington, and now we are down to only 2 playoff spots left (with 5 Western Conference teams still in the mix) and one division title to be claimed, with the Showboats and Breakers in a quasi-playoff game in their finale. This week also saw Arizona go down to defeat for the third week in a row, raising real questions about their viability as a Summer Bowl contender with David Carr sidelined. We will break down all the Week 15 happenings, preview the big games of the season’s final week, look at which teams are likely to rest key players (for those of you headed to your USFL fantasy league championships this week) and take a look at 5 teams who need a major cultural overhaul as we break down the issues with the “Futile Five” franchises in the USFL. It's all coming up, and kicking off with our Big Story, the race for the final 2 playoff spots in the West.
Eastern Playoff Teams Set, West with 2 Spots Left to Decide
Week 15 got us one step closer to knowing who the 12 USFL playoff teams will be. We saw the last of the Eastern spots claimed and we are down to only 2 Wild Card bids left in the West. So, what does the playoff situation look like with 1 game left? Who is in control of their own destiny? And who is still alive on the fringes?
Well, the easy thing to say is that we already know 10 of 12 teams that will be suiting up after Week 16: Tampa Bay, Michigan, Arizona, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Baltimore and Houston are all guaranteed a playoff spot, with Houston and LA locking up their spots this past weekend. We also know five of the six division winners, with only the Southern Division still in play this week. We have two teams that control their own destiny as they try to lock up one of the two remaining Wild Card spots out west, as Dallas and Seattle are both in with a win. Portland needs one of those two to lose and for them to get a win against an Arizona team that has lost 3 in a row since losing David Carr to injury. And then you have 8-7 Portland and 8-7 Oakland, both on life support, and both needing multiple losses by teams ahead of them to have any chance of sneaking in at 9-7.
In the East, all 6 spots are settled, but one big item is still on the table. Memphis leads New Orleans by 1 game, but with a perfect division record (7-0 right now), the Breakers could jump up, even their record with the Showboats, and claim the division, the 2 seed, and the bye that comes with it. And, wouldn’t you know, it is Memphis vs. New Orleans this week in what is an early playoff game, with the winner earning that bye and the loser likely in a tough Wild Card matchup with the 12-3 Atlanta Fire.
For teams already locked into position, it may well be time to rest their starters and prepare for the postseason. In the East, nothing that happens this week will remove Tampa Bay from the 1 seed or Baltimore from the 3. In the West, LA is locked into the 3-seed and Chicago into the 4. That means both will be hosting a Wild Card game, though they don’t yet know who their foe will be. Michigan can still potentially lose the 1-seed with a loss and a Wrangler win, and while Wrangler wins have been harder to come by, don’t expect the Panthers to assume they are safe this week. Houston is locked into the 6 seed, which means they likely will rest their starters and start game planning for a matchup against the Baltimore Blitz in 2 weeks.
Of course, all of this comes with two unique aspects to the season this year. First is the fact that home field means little since no team is playing in their home city or with their home fans dominating the stands. Even Tampa Bay and Arizona, for the sake of parity, will be forced to play games in Orlando, Las Vegas, or Houston to avoid an unfair advantage compared to other “home” teams who do not have the option to actually return to their cities. The second change will be that we will have fans in the stands as of the Wild Card games. Expect capacity to range between 17,000 and 19,000 fans per stadium, which won’t look like a full house, but will allow for more atmosphere and more passion than we have seen all season long.
One week left to go, 2 slots up for grabs, one division to be decided by a head-to-head battle, and 9 teams still playing for something this week. Time to put up or shut up across the USFL.
ATLANTA FIRE 14 TAMPA BAY BANDITS 24
This was it, the game of the week and the deciding game in the battle for the Southeast Division title and a bye week as the 1 seed in the East. Tampa Bay came in 13-1, a game up on Atlanta, but a win by the Fire would give them the advantage in the division race with 1 game left to play. It was also a matchup of two of the best offenses in the game this season. Tampa Bay came in 2nd in yards per game and 3rd in scoring. Atlanta was 1st in scoring at 32 points per game and 5th in total yards. So we all expected a shootout. What we got showed just how dangerous Tampa Bay could be as they proved they had defensive mettle to go along with offensive firepower.
Both the Fire and the Bandits would put up some yardage, with Tampa Bay outgaining Atlanta 419 to 339, but the Bandits succeeded in two key areas, third down stops (forcing 4th down on 12 of 14 attempts) and tightening up the D before Atlanta could get in scoring range, allowing only 3 trips into the red zone all game. And that began with the opening drive, where Atlanta took the kickoff and got stymied at their own 48 when they failed on 3rd and 3, with the Bandit D sniffing out the inside run and stuffing Nick Chubb for no gain. Chubb would average only 3 yards per carry all game, a far cry from his season average.
Tampa also showed early that they were very much a threat on offense. They took the punt from Atlanta at the 20 and in 5 plays they were at their own 43 when Dak Prescott found the first of several big plays, a straight up fly route to Ryan Grant that would go 57 yards for the game’s first score. Atlanta had gotten caught with 1 safety deep and Baccari Rambo simply could not get over to the wide side fast enough to stop the blazing Grant after he made the catch.
Down 7-0 early in the first quarter, Atlanta needed a response and they got a pretty good one in the form of a 7-minute, 16-play drive that saw Aaron Murray complete 5 of 7 passing before hitting Kelvin Benjamin from 2 yards out to even the score. While Tampa Bay went big, Atlanta proved they could be patient and take what the Bandit defense gave them. The problem would be that as the game progressed the Bandit D would give them less and less.
Most of the second quarter was occupied by the two teams moving the ball well and then stumbling just outside of field goal range. We got 3 straight punts before the Bandits broke the stalemate and put together a nice drive, thanks in part to a 25-yard run from tailback Dalvin Cook that put the ball on the fringe of the red zone. From there Prescott went back to Grant, his star target on the day with Atlanta shifting coverage to Dez Bryant all game. Grant again came up with the big play, cutting inside just at the right moment to nab the ball from Prescott and then cruising in for his 2nd score of the day. Tampa Bay would take that 14-7 lead into the half.
The third quarter saw Atlanta even up the game, with the lone score of the quarter coming when Aaron Murray found Gabe Davis in the back of the endzone for 7. Other than that one drive, a 9-play possession, both teams again traded short drives and punts. Three quarters down and it was anyone’s game, knotted up at 14, but the 4th quarter would belong to the Bandits. In the final period, the Bandit defense allowed only 1 first down and caused Atlanta to go 0-for-4 on third down and 0-2 on fourth down. It was a solid performance that proved Tampa Bay was capable of more than simply outscoring opponents. Of course, they did that too, putting up 10 points in the final period. Dak Prescott hit Ryan Grant with a third TD toss 5 minutes into the final period, this time from only 6 yards out. Grant would finish the day with only 3 receptions, but every single one was a touchdown, quite an accomplishment. The fourth also saw Tampa Bay find success on the ground, with the combo of Cook and Breida gaining 61 of their 108 yards in the final 15 minutes. The Bandits controlled the ball, the clock, and the scoreboard down the stretch as Aaron Murray simply could not convert on third down, going 0 for 3 passing and sacked on a 4th drive.
The result of the combined Bandit scoring (10 points) and the defensive wall they put up was that the 13-1 Bandits surged to 14-1 and sent Atlanta 2 games back with 1 to play, meaning the division and the 1-seed was theirs. The Fire would have to settle for being a Wild Card teams with one of the most impressive win-loss records in Wild Card history, sitting at 12-3 after 14 weeks.
BALTIMORE 26 WASHINGTON 20
The Blitz lock up the NE Division by knocking off their archrival. With Nassib out, it was Tajh Boyd getting the start for the Feds. It did not look good for 3 quarters as the Blitz put up a 26-6 lead, but in garbage time Boyd got some points on the board for the Federals. Too little and too late to scare the Blitz, however. Brian Hartline had a nice game for Baltimore, with 113 yards and a TD.
POTG: Blitz QB Jake Locker: 25/41, 300 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int
PORTLAND 6 SEATTLE 17
The Dragons blitzed and stunted their way to victory, sacking A.J. McCarron 6 times. Both teams struggled on 3rd down, but Seattle just had better luck sustaining drives with Brett Hundley finding Marshall Newhouse for a score and then Gus Edwards plunging into the endzone in the 4th to put the game away. Khalil Mack was the POTG with his big defensive day against McCarron and the Stags.
POTG: Seattle LB Khalil Mack: 5 Tck, 3 Sck, 2 PDef, 1 Int
CHICAGO 20 NEW ORLEANS 10
Geno Smith had the Breakers up 7, but then was knocked out of the game, and that gave the edge to the Machine. Josh Norman picked off Pat White and returned it for a 48-yard TD and Bradford found Claypool for a score as the Machine get the W and move to 11-4. New Orleans expects Smith back next week, but may rest him in a game that has only minimal importance for them.
POTG: Machine CB Josh Norman: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
PITTSBURGH 13 HOUSTON 31
With Andy Dalton out once again due to Covid, the Maulers drop a third in a row, with Houston taking advantage of his absence and Colt McCoy looking good as he throws 4 TDs on the day. TE Gerald Everett has his best game in 2 months, catching 3 for 92 yards, including a 75-yard TD, his 2nd of the day.
POTG: Houston QB Colt McCoy: 12/21, 251 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
DALLAS 34 LAS VEGAS 23
The Roughnecks move into Wild Card position with a nice win as Sammy Watkins catches 5 for 183. Justin Herbert throws for 324 and 4 TDs as he continues to impress. For Las Vegas, Kareem Hunt had his best game of the season, rushing for 144 yards, but it was not enough as Matt McGloin tossed three interceptions and the offense moved the ball but just did not turn yards into points.
POTG: Dallas WR Sammy Watkins: 5 Rec, 183 Yds, 1 TD
OAKLAND 6 SAN DIEGO 13
A very bad loss for the Invaders as they could not take advantage of one of the worst defenses in the league. Simply nothing worked for Oakland as Tom Brady threw for only 142 and the offense managed only 10 first downs all game, due largely to a 2 of 16 record on 3rd and 4th downs. The lone TD of the day came from Thunder FB Derrick Coleman on a 1-yard plunge. Oakland now needs a ton of help to sneak into the Wild Card.
POTG: San Diego DE Jonathan Newsome: 6 Tck, 1 Sck
CHARLOTTE 14 JACKSONVILLE 34
The Bulls went with 3rd stringer Cardale Jones after a couple of rough outings for Ben DiNucci. In doing so they may have found themselves a new number two. Jones had himself a game, throwing for 367 and 3 touchdowns and looking very much like he was still at Ohio State and facing Akron or Kent State. Kyle Boller fails to get his 4th straight win, but played solidly. But this game belonged to the Bulls’ offense, with both Tee Higgins and Mike Williams going over 100 yards and scoring on the day.
POTG: Bulls’ QB Cardale Jones: 20/31, 367 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
NEW JERSEY 16 NEW ENGLAND 22
The Steamrollers just wanted this one more, and they played like a team happy to be playing. The Steamroller D held New Jersey to 3 of 12 on third and fourth down. New Jersey was sleepwalking a bit, already eliminated from the playoffs by the Baltimore and Houston wins. We did see Maurice Jones-Drew trying hard as he rushed for 173, but it was not enough as the Generals fell flat.
POTG: New England SS Jaiquawn Jarrett: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 PDef, 1 FR
MICHIGAN 23 SAN ANTONIO 6
The Panthers cruise to their 13th win of the year, with LeVeon Bell rushing for 81 yards and 2 scores and the defense holding San Antonio to only 210 total yards and only 94 through the air. Kirk Cousins went 19 of 27 for 222 but threw no touchdowns in a pretty quiet afternoon for the Panthers.
POTG: Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 27 Att, 81 Yds, 2 TD
OHIO 13 BIRMINGHAM 31
Cam Newton has himself a good Cam Newton Day, passing for 326 and 2 scores and running for 64 and another. Stallion fans have to wonder why they don’t see this every week, but part of the answer is that not every foe has a tired and outmatched defense as Ohio does. The Glory started Connor Shaw again, and while he did not turn the ball over, he also did not make many plays.
POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 17/30, 326 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int, 7 Att, 64 Yds, 1 TD
DENVER 14 OKLAHOMA 31
Josh Allen suffered a scary injury, with his ankle folding under him, though it appears to be only a strain, but he left the game and that gave Oklahoma a big edge. Their other advantage is that rookie QB Jalen Hurts appears to be a keeper, throwing for 282 yards and 4 TDs in this SW Division clash. Dede Westbrook caught 4 for 122 and 2 scores and the combo of Dallas and Hill ran for 119 yards as the Outlaws are still fighting to get to .500.
POTG: Outlaw QB Jalen Hurts: 15/27, 282 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
ARIZONA 20 LOS ANGELES 30
You have to be worried if you are a Wrangler fan. Three games without David Carr, three losses, and now the Wranglers are just hoping that the bye week will give them time to figure out how to get their offense back on track. LA sacked Brandon Allen 4 times before Coach Tomsula took him out and tested out Tom Savage. It did not get better with Savage under center. Meanwhile, Reggie Bush rushed for 76 and Kyler Murray threw 3 TDs against an overtaxed Wrangler defense.
POTG: Express CB Jamar Taylor: 7 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 FF, 1 FR
PHILADELPHIA 14 ORLANDO 26
Matt Gutierrez was back under center for the Stars after the injury to Lindley, but he did not win back any fans with a 178-yard day. Russell Wilson had a better day, going 31 for 39 with 2 TDs and 290 yards passing. Orlando controlled the clock, holding possession for 38:31 of the 60 minutes. Expect both teams to rest some starters in their finales as there is just not a whole lot of benefit of risking them.
POTG: Orlando QB Russell Wilson: 31/39, 290 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int
ST. LOUIS 9 MEMPHIS 19
The Showboats struggled on offense, but did enough to get the W as they move to 12-3 and retain the lead in the Southern Division. They still need to beat New Orleans next week, as the Breakers are unblemished in division games, which means a tie would go to New Orleans. As for St. Louis, they are clearly protecting Jackson with their play calls in a lost season. Expect big roster upheaval this offseason.
POTG: Memphis kicker Lewis Ward: 4 of 5 Field Goals.
Bandits win the SE Division with Defense
It was the game of the week, a matchup to decide the Southeastern Division and a matchup of two of the most dynamic offenses in the league this year, so, of course, it came down to defense. While both teams moved the ball quite effectively, with each gaining over 100 yards on the ground and finding success in the air, what decided this game was defense, particularly Tampa Bay’s 3rd down defense.
The Bandits kept Atlanta in 3rd and long consistently, which is a huge reason they went 2 of 14 on third down conversions, averaging nearly 8 yards per attempt. And while Aaron Murray went 25 of 35 on the day, his 3rd down numbers were a more modest 4 of 8, with 2 other 3rd downs ended with a sack, as Tampa Bay recorded 5 on the day, with 2 of them drive enders. It is exactly what past Bandit teams have lacked, a defense that could step up if the offense was not firing on all cylinders. That is not the case this year, with Jalen Ramsey among the league leaders in picks, Burns and McPhee closing in on 30 sacks this year, and DeMeco Ryans doing what he always has done, stuffing the run and patrolling the middle of the field. It is a good sign for a 14-1 Bandits team that already knows that they are the top dog in the conference.
QB Illness & Injury a Late Season Story
When the story is written of the 2020 USFL season, Covid will, of course, be a major part of the narrative, but so will late season QB issues. Whether it is the Wranglers unbeaten with David Carr and winless without him, or Portland’s surprising season hitting a major rough patch after losing Marcus Mariota for the year, or even just Pittsburgh playing without Andy Dalton over a tough 3-game span late in the season, a span that may well cost them a playoff spot (they are still alive but now need help to get there.)
It is not a new story. We all know how valuable a franchise QB is for any football team, but what we have seen this year is how late-season injury (or illness) can turn promise into problems, or momentum into misfortune. Arizona will be in the postseason, but will they be anything like the juggernaut they appeared to be a month ago. Both Pittsburgh and Portland now have their playoff aspirations very much up in the air.
Several Teams Announce Plans to Rest Key Starters in Week 16
With so many of the playoff spots already locked in, and with several teams playing out the string, it could be a “Celebration of the Depth Chart” this week. We know we will see the starters in games tied to the two remaining Wild Card matchups as well as in the pivotal Memphis-New Orleans game. We also have heard directly from Coach Jim Tomsula that he will play his starters, trying to get one more W before his playoff bye because going into the postseason with 4 consecutive losses would not be a confidence builder. So, as we look towards the final week of the season, and as some of you plan for your fantasy league championships in Week 16, here is who you may want to take a look at with each of the 30 USFL teams.
ARIZONA All starters will play, so maybe start that Wrangler DST group against
Portland.
ATLANTA OUT: Aaron Murray, Nick Chubb, A. J. Green, Albert Haynesworth, Luke
Kuechley
IN: DeShone Kizer, Kenyan Drake, Dorial Green-Thompson, Walter McBee, Zavier Gooden.
BALTIMORE OUT: Jake Locker, Josh Jacobs, C. J. Uzomah, Olivier Vernon
IN: Nate Sudfeld, Troymaine Pope, Dion Simms, Jonathan Massaquai
BIRMINGHAM OUT: Cam Newton, Hunter Henry IN: Tim Tebow, Eric Ebron
CHARLOTTE OUT: Justin Blackmon, Chandler Jones, Rolando McClain
IN: Tandon Doss, Isaac Rochell, Jaylon Smith
CHICAGO OUT: Sam Bradford, Michael Floyd, Arik Armstead, Jason Pierre-Paul,
Josh Norman
IN: Mike Kafka, Jermaine Kearse, Eddie Goldman, Trevor Guyton,
Robert Anderson
DALLAS All starters expected to play
DENVER OUT: Josh Allen (IR), Golden Tate IN: Kyle Orton, Michael Crabtree
HOUSTON OUT: Colt McCoy, Carlos Hyde, Mike Evans, Dante Fowler,
Leodis McKelvin
IN: Kellen Clemons, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Josh Reynolds,
Emmanuel Ogbah, Siran Neal
JACKSONVILLE OUT: Tee Higgins, Barkevious Mingo, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie
IN: Equanimeous St. Brown, Deatrich Wise Jr., A. J. Terrell
LAS VEGAS: OUT: Kareem Hunt, Matthew Judon, Blake Martinez
IN: Matt Jones, Malik Jackson, Nick Perry
LOS ANGELES: OUT: Kyler Murray, Reggie Bush, Eric Weems, Jason Whitten,
Stephon Gilmore
IN: Brock Osweiler, Paul Perkins, Nelson Aholor, Jacob Hollister,
Isaac Oliver
MEMPHIS: All starters expected to play.
MICHIGAN: All starters expected to play.
NEW ORLEANS: All starters expected to play.
NEW ENGLAND: All starters expected to play.
NEW JERSEY: OUT: Nick Foles, Odell Beckham Jr, Vic Beasley, Aldon Smith, Aqib Talib
IN: Brett Rypien, Kenny Stills, Alton Robinson, Doug Hogue,
Isaac Yiadom
OAKLAND: All starters expected to play.
OHIO: OUT: Robert Quinn, Ryan Shazier, Tyran Matthieu
IN: Datone Jones, Steven Daniels, Ryan Neal
OKLAHOMA: OUT: Mark Andrews, Luis Castillo, Xavien Howard
IN: Ben Braunecker, Re’Shede Heggeman, Bradley Fletcher
ORLANDO OUT: Russell Wilson, Knile Davis, Brashad Perriman, Dee Milliner
IN: Kyle Lauletta, Kerrith White, Hunter Renfrew, Kevin Johnson
PHILADELPHIA OUT: Travis Kelce
IN: Cameron Brate
PITTSBURGH All starters expected to play.
PORTLAND All starters expected to play.
SAN ANTONIO OUT: Joe Flacco, Brandon LaFell, Jordan Pugh
IN: Chad Kelly, Marquise Goodwin, Duke Shelley
SAN DIEGO OUT: Christian Ponder, Ryan Williams
IN: Case Keenum, Travis Homer
SEATTLE All starters expected to play.
ST. LOUIS OUT: Lamar Jackson, Eddie Lacy, Stevie Johnson, Sheldon Richardson
IN: Tyrod Taylor, David Montgomery, David Nelson, Stephen Paea
TAMPA BAY OUT: Dak Prescott, Dalvin Cook, Dez Bryant, Marcell Dareus,
DeMeco Ryans
IN: B. J. Daniels, Matt Breida, Deebo Samuel, Bryan Cowart,
Devon Kennard
WASHINGTON OUT: Jahvid Best, Keenan Allen, Chris Long
IN: Darrynton Evans, Jalen Saunders, Michael Johnson
One week left, two playoff spots still unclaimed, and not a lot else expected to change as we enter into the final week. Expect to see quite a few backups getting game action this week as there is not as much final week drama as we have seen in recent years. We have 10 playoff spots locked in and 5 teams still alive. Let’s break down where each conference stands, starting with the East, where there is very little left to be decided.
Tampa Bay Bandits (14-1): The Bandits have the 1 seed and a bye locked up. Expect them to rest their starters against Jacksonville this week.
Memphis Showboats (12-3): The Memphis Showboats have a meaningful game left to play. They face New Orleans this week in their finale. The winner of that game claims the Southern Division crown and the bye as the 2 seed. If Memphis wins, then they have a 2-game advantage over New Orleans, but if the Breakers win, they get the title thanks to a perfect 8-0 record against Southern Division foes.
Baltimore Blitz (9-6): The Blitz finish the year with a game against Atlanta, but they are already locked into the 3 seed and will likely rest some starters to prepare for the Wild Card round the next week.
Atlanta Fire (12-3): Atlanta needs to win to ensure that they, and not the 2nd place team in the South, gets the 4 seed and a chance to “host” their Wild Card game. Honestly, that holds less weight than ever since the games will not be played in the host cities regardless of results, but there are still a few minor perks to being designated the home team, so we would not be shocked to see the Fire keep their staters in the game.
New Orleans Breakers (11-4): For New Orleans the stakes are high in the final week. A win over Memphis and they jump from the 5 seed all the way to the 2, which means they get a bye and at least one “home” game. Lose and they are likely stuck facing the Atlanta Fire in with Wild Card round, a very tough matchup.
Houston Gamblers (9-6): Locked into the 6 seed, Houston will almost certainly rest their stars as they prepare to face the Baltimore Blitz in a 3-6 matchup in 2 weeks.
Michigan Panthers (13-2): The Panthers are feeling very good in the 1 spot, thanks in part to a better conference record than Arizona. They are expected to start their regulars, but we may see only a few drives from Bell, Cousins, and Latimer before they are replaced.
Arizona Wranglers (12-3): Once securely in the top spot, Arizona has lost 3 in a row, and while the analytics say they should rest some starters, Coach Tomsula wants this club to get a W under their belt before they take the Wild Card week off. They need to prove to themselves that they can win games without Carr at QB, so we think they will keep everyone in against Portland.
Los Angeles Express (10-5): The Express lock up the Pacific with a win. A loss could cost them the division and the marginal advantage of being the home team in the Wild Card round. They face a Las Vegas team that has nothing to play for, so if they get a comfortable lead, they may pull some starters to rest them for the Wild Card round.
Chicago Machine (11-4): Locked into the Wild Card and the 4 slot, the Machine have little to play for this week and we expect to see a lot of roster changes as they rest starters and prepare to “host” their Wild Card matchup. They will also be doing a lot of scoreboard watching to see just who that matchup will be.
Dallas Roughnecks (9-6): A win and they are the 5 seed, but a loss could cost them a playoff spot. The face San Diego, who just dealt the Invaders a big blow, and we don’t think they will take them lightly. Expect to see a lot of Justin Herbert and Sammy Watkins in this one.
Seattle Dragons (9-6): Like Dallas, the Dragons control their own fate. A win against the 6-9 Denver Gold and Seattle locks up the last Wild Card spot. They too know that a loss could kill their playoff hopes, so expect them to come out with purpose and expect to see all the starters for 60 minutes.
Pittsburgh Maulers (9-6): Right now the Maulers are the 3rd team at 9-6, on the outside looking in. They need to defeat rival Ohio to have any shot and then hope that either the Dragons or Roughnecks stumble in their finales. Still, compared to the two 8-7 teams, they at least have a shot without resorting to tie breakers.
Portland Stags (8-7): The Stags cannot be happy that Arizona has something to play for. They not only need to figure out how to get past Arizona, but also need significant help, in the form of losses by 2 of the 3 teams at 9-6 right now. If that sounds like a lot to ask, well, it is.
Oakland Invaders (8-7): That loss this week to San Diego is a killer. It was the one thing the Invaders could not afford. Now, not only do they need to defeat a pretty feisty Oklahoma team, but they need pretty much everyone ahead of them to lose. That means Portland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Dallas. Long odds to be sure.
While many of the players who show up on our injured list likely would have sat out Week 16 regardless of health, you never want to see players go down with an injury at any point in the season. The good news is that even the players on IR this week are all looking at injuries that should be fully healed by the end of November, so no impact on their pre-2021 training. As for playoff teams, we see that New Orleans could be without CB Donte Jackson, LA is hoping to have WR Marqise Lee back in time for the Divisional Round if they can get past their Wild Card matchup, and Arizona expects to have Corey Levin back for their first playoff game as well.
OUT
OT Greg Robinson BIR Torn Quad IR
QB Easton Stick SAN ACL IR
DE Tyrone Crawford POR Hamstring IR
QB Josh Allen DEN Ankle IR
WR Marqise Lee LA Knee 2-4 Weeks
CB Donte Jackson NOR Back 2-4 Weeks
OG Corey Levin ARZ Foot 1-2 Weeks
DT Eddie Goldman CHI Arm 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
OT Demar Dotson MGN Wrist
WR A. J. Green ATL Shoulder
QUESTIONABLE
SS Duke Williams DAL Tendinitis
WR Mike Evans HOU Thigh Bruise
SS Kenny Vaccaro HOU Pinched Nerve
COVID-19 INACTIVES
CHA HB Laverne Rollins
MEM CB Marcus Williams
NOR LB Tim Williams
OAK DE Michael Bennett
OAK OG Quenton Nelson
SD WR Ronald Johnson
STL CB Vontae Davis
STL LB Roquon Smith 2nd Week
The Futile Five: Teams Who Need to Change their Culture
We talk a lot about dynasties in the world of sports, focusing on the teams that always seem to be on top, always in play for a championship. The 5-10 year runs that define a decade and the teams that just never seem to go too long without finding a way to the top. But what about the opposite situation? What about the teams that just can never seem to put it all together. For every NY Yankees team there is a Chicago Cubs, the Lakers are countered by the Clippers, the Cowboys, Steelers, and 49ers by the Lions, Browns, and Bengals. The USFL is no different. We often discuss the dynasties of the 1990’s Gamblers, or the early 2000’s Glory, the Stars and Bandits, and lately the Panthers and Wranglers, who are in the mix every year, at least for a span of several years, and who seem to find a way to stay on top for longer than the finances of the USFL seem to allow.
But who are the sad sacks of the USFL? Who are the teams that never seem to get the breaks, find the franchise QB, or turn good into great? We have picked 5 teams who might fit that bill. Five clubs with varying levels of past success but all with major issues. Sure, some have made it to the Summer Bowl, maybe even won a title, but that is an aberration, and exception to the rule. For these clubs, suffering, disappointment and let-downs are the norm. This is our Futile Five.
Jacksonville Bulls
List of Failings: No titles in 37 seasons. 10 losses or more in the past 9 seasons. No playoff appearance since 2007.
Little argument that the Bulls have been a snakebitten team for nearly their entire existence. As they close in on 40 seasons, they still have yet to appear in a Summer Bowl, and for many fans, they have never even been close. The Bulls have not made the playoffs in over a decade, have had 10 or more losses more often than they have reached .500, and every year it seems a different team leaps over them, from basement to penthouse, as Tampa Bay did last year (on their way to this year’s dominance) and as Atlanta has this year.
Their greatest stars have rarely even met the standards for the Hall of Fame. Are you enthused by Chris Chandler as your All-Time QB? Antowain Smith or George Adams as your HB? And while both Brian Blades and Gary Clark were good players, no one mistakes them for the best of all time. So, the Bulls sit atop our list for all the reasons you would think a club would. Sorry Duval County, you deserve better.
San Diego Thunder
List of Failings: No titles in 34 seasons. 1 appearance in Conference Title Game since 1997. Third different city since 2000.
We list the Thunder as our 2nd most futile team in the USFL. This is a club that has been in the league since the late 1980’s and, like the Bulls, have yet to win a title. They have at least appeared in a Summer Bowl, losing to the Federals back in 1997, which ,by the way, was two cities ago, back when the team was in Portland. The Thunder are perhaps more famous for financial malfeasance than on-field performance. They struggled in Portland, unable to turn a profit despite a pretty rabid fanbase. They relocated to Las Vegas, playing in a barely passable outdoor stadium, often in ludicrous heat, and then were forced to be sold when their ownership was found responsible for major financial malpractice. So now they are in San Diego, where they seemed to have turned things around, making the playoffs for 4-straight years, but in classic futile franchise style, their hopes were dashed this year as the floor fell out beneath them, plunging them back to playoff irrelevance.
Dallas Roughnecks
List of Failings: No playoff appearance since 2009 League Title in Boston. 8 seasons with 10 or more losses in last decade, Relocated twice since 2000.
Fans are excited about the Roughnecks this year, and they can lock in their first playoff since moving from Boston with a win next week. But we would warn Roughneck fans not to get too excited. The once Atlanta Fire, then Boston Cannons, and now Dallas Roughnecks, have had a few moments, including a league title 12 seasons ago, but consistent quality has not been the name of the game for this franchise. After struggling both on the field and at the box office in Atlanta, the team relocated to Boston, spending several years in constant frustrating impasse with Boston College, never able to get the stadium improvements needed to truly be a financially viable franchise. And so they moved again, a 2nd relocation in less than 2 decades. Now, in Dallas, they have built a fanbase, but little on-field success. That seems to be changing with their exciting rookie QB, Justin Herbert, but as we have seen so many times, a good season does not always foretell a solid run of good years. Be cautious in your enthusiasm Roughneck Nation.
Birmingham Stallions
List of Failings: One playoff appearance since 2003. No playoff wins since 1999. 13 losing seasons since 2000.
What was once a proud franchise, led by superstars like Joe Cribbs, Cliff Stoudt, Brett Favre, and Ernest Givens is now a shadow of its own past. The Stallions of the 80’s and 90’s were solid. Sure, they only won a single title, their 1993 title with Favre at the helm, but they were always in the mix, building up a great rivalry with Memphis and a diehard fan base. But the new millennium has not been kind to the Stallions. As we cited above, they have only had one playoff appearance and no wins since 2003. They have one of the most talented and athletic QBs in the game today but still seem to always find a way to stumble to 10 or more losses, as they have this year. They have gone after HB after HB and yet somehow seem to miss all the obviously talented ones out of their own T-Draft school, Alabama. Stallion fans still show up in droves, at least when fans are allowed to show up, but there is a tone of resigned pessimism instead of expectations of greatness.
St.Louis Skyhawks
List of Failings: 2 winning seasons in 16 year existence, 10 losses or more in 6 of last 7 years.
Some may be surprised that we have put St. Louis on this list, but that may be the lingering memory of one amazing season. 2012 saw the Skyhawks truly fly. Their QB, Josh Freeman, won the MVP, their veteran HB, Antowain Smith, won the rushing title, and their club took home a title. But when you look at the Skyhawks as a franchise, since their arrival as an expansion team in 2006, what you see is a whole heck of a lot of bad football, with one short run of quality. The year before and after their title run they were 8-8, go a year out in either direction and they were 5-11 (2010) or 4-12 (2014). They were the definition of a flash in the pan. And since 2012, what do we see? How about 5 seasons with 10, 11, 12, or13 losses and only 1 with a winning record. St. Louis already has 13 losses this year, and could hit a new low if they lose a 14th. So, yes, we think it is fair to say that the Skyhawks are one of the Futile Five, and a team deeply in need of a transfusion of winning culture.
Seattle Releases 2021 Look, Hopes to Wear them in 2 Weeks
Hot in pursuit of a playoff spot, the Seattle Dragons this week revealed a new look they hope to debut on the field in 2 weeks, rather than 8 months, and it is a look that fans immediately embraced. Gone is the white helmet and wrap around logo and back in vogue is the return to deep forest green and gold. The new look reduces the role of red in the team’s design, focusing primarily on green with a significant use of yellow as the secondary color.
The look begins with a new logo, the 4th dragon design the team has used since coming into the league in 1995. The new design has a green dragon with gold underbelly, red “fins” and a burst of red flame emerging from its mouth. The design also features a flared “tail” that helps the dragon design form the letter “S” for Seattle. This new logo, outlined in black and yellow, now occupies the satin finished green helmet.
The jerseys are simpler than in recent years, but we retain the “Gothic” font for the numbers, with the top of each numeral coming to a point much like a gothic arch. There is a minimal use of red in the jerseys, only seen in the Under Armour logo, the very tip of the collar, and a few logo elements. Both the home greens and the road whites feature a shoulder yoke coming to a point at the sleeve cuff, but on the greens, it is barely noticeable, with only the yellow piping showing us the shape of the yoke. Both jerseys also feature the new primary logo, which means that the secondary “S” design does not appear on the uniform. What does appear is a Chinese symbol, the symbol for “Dragon”, which appears above the nameplate on both jerseys, a nice nod to Seattle’s prominent Asian community.
As with all the Under Armour releases, the Dragons also revealed two alternate looks. The first, of course, is the throwback, taking the look back to 1995, with the green helmet, original yellow dragon logo, and “Spanish Flag” striping of red-yellow-red (so named by fans, not the team). With the forest green helmet used for the primaries and the throwback, that meant Seattle could do something new with their other alternate look, and they did just that, leaning into the city’s nickname as the “Emerald City” by releasing an alternate that uses 3 tones of green, none of them the familiar forest. The helmet is a pale, almost metallic silvery green, paired with a deep midnight green facemask. The third color is a brighter lime or electric green, used primarily in piping and in the logo. Both white and dark jerseys retain the same yoke as the primary, but with the midnight green outlined in the electric highlight color, while the body of the home jersey is the same silvery grey of the helmet. Midnight green pants will be worn with both jerseys as the Dragons embrace the “emerald” nature of their home. Seattle hopes to debut their new primary uniform in 2 weeks, if they can get the W in week 16 and punch their ticket to the postseason.
Seattle's design is based on a mesh of the 2020 XFL and 2023 XFL designs, with a nudge from a design by jackkmart on Sportslogos.net
Down to the final week of USFL regular season action, and with one division title and two Wild Card spots still up for grabs, there are quite a few games that will have an impact in the playoff picture this week. It will be a bit different from most Week 16 lineups in that the limitations of the USFL’s Hub System means that we won’t see games paired up with each other at the same time to avoid gaming the system. For example, the 5 teams still alive in the Western Conference Wild Card scenarios are not all playing at once, we have Portland playing on Friday Night, Seattle and Dallas both at 4pm on Saturday, Pittsburgh at 1pm on Sunday, and Oakland at 4. That could well lead to the Stags having to wait to see if they are in, even with a win, or both Pittsburgh and Oakland knowing they are out even before they suit up on Sunday.
It will be an odd one, to be sure, but we at least have one game that we know has immediate impact. The Memphis-New Orleans showdown on Saturday night is a battle for the Southern Division Title, and with it, a by week for the playoffs. The Showboats are a game up, but would lose the tiebreaker to New Orleans if they cannot pull out this game. Expect both teams to be in full playoff mode for this one.
FRIDAY
8pm ET New Jersey (7-7-1) @ Philadelphia (1-14) Orlando NBC
No playoff implications
8pm ET Portland (8-7) @ Arizona (12-3) Las Vegas ABC
Arizona earns 1 seed with win + Michigan Loss.
Portland earns Wild Card with win + 2 losses from Seattle, Dallas, and Pittsburgh.
9pm ET Birmingham (3-12) @ Houston (9-6) TDECU ESPN/EFN
No playoff implications.
SATURDAY
1pm ET San Antonio (2-13) @ St. Louis (2-13) NRG ABC
No playoff implications.
4pm ET Seattle (9-6) @ Denver (6-9) Glendale FOX
Seattle earns Wild Card with win. Division Title with win + LA Loss.
4pm ET San Diego (3-12) @ Dallas (9-6) Las Vegas ABC
Dallas earns Wild Card with a win.
8pm ET Jacksonville (7-8) @ Tampa Bay (14-1) Gainesville NBC
No playoff implications.
8pm ET Baltimore (9-6) @ Atlanta (12-3) Tampa FOX
Atlanta earns 4-seed with win or New Orleans loss.
9pm ET Memphis (12-3) @ New Orleans (11-4) Rice ESPN/EFN
Winner is division champion and earns a bye week.
SUNDAY
1pm ET Ohio (3-12) @ Pittsburgh (9-6) NRG FOX
Pittsburgh earns a Wild Card with win + Dallas or Seattle loss.
4pm ET Los Angeles (10-5) @ Las Vegas (3-12) Glendale ABC
No playoff implications.
4pm ET Oakland (8-7) @ Oklahoma (7-8) Las Vegas FOX
Oakland needs a win and multiple losses from Dallas, Seattle,
Pittsburgh & Portland to earn a Wild Card.
8pm ET New England (6-9) @ Washington (5-9-1) Orlando ABC
No playoff implications.
8pm ET Charlotte (6-9) @ Orlando (7-8) Tampa FOX
No playoff implications.
9pm ET Chicago (11-4) @ Michigan (13-2) TDECU ESPN/EFN
Michigan earns 1-seed with win.
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