2020 USFL Week 5 Recap: Blowout Bonanza
- USFL LIVES
- Oct 1
- 23 min read
Week 5 was not the week for nail biters. For whatever reason this was a week dominated by double-digit wins from the Gulf Coast to the Valley of the Sun. Among the lopsided results was a 33-7 Machine mauling of the Maulers, Seattle handing the Thunder even more pain with a 37-10 win, Oakland beating Dallas by 22, and Portland making a statement by scoring a 21-point win over the LA Express and their previously solid defense. The only game this week that did not have a double-digit margin was a surprisingly close game between the expansion Gunslingers and the defending Eastern Conference champion Gamblers. We will break down all the week’s action, preview a potential season-defining game between two teams with rookie QBs on the bench, and take a look at 5 breakout players who could help your USFL fantasy team. All that, plus our thoughts on three coaches who could be on the verge of a mid-season ouster. It’s all right here, right now, so let’s get to it.
Week 6 Roughneck-Outlaw Game Could Be QB Bowl 2020
We don’t normally see our big story looking forward instead of looking at the week that just passed, but we have a unique situation brewing for Week 6 as the Roughnecks face off against the Outlaws. Both teams spent some serious draft capital to draft and then sign two of the top QBs in this past January’s draft, and with both clubs sitting at 2-3, the loser of this weeks’ divisional matchup could well be ready to pull the trigger and start their high-profile rookie in Week 7.
Dallas has had mixed results with Josh Freeman at the helm this season. They had solid wins over Seattle and Portland in back-to-back games, and in those two games Freeman threw for over 500 yards. But in their three losses, he has struggled, completing only 18 of 41 against Las Vegas and barely hitting .500 by completing 21 of 42 this past week against Oakland. His season totals are not exactly the stuff of legends, a 50.5% completion rate, 4 TDs to 3 picks, and an average of 240 yards per game. So, if Dallas struggles in Week 6 against Oklahoma, is that enough to see Justin Herbert take the field? Herbert already cost the Roughnecks some draft picks in a deal with the Stags, and his contract has him earning nearly $1.5M per year more than Freeman, so how long does he watch and learn and when does he learn by doing? This week’s game could determine that.
Meanwhile, in OKC, fans are already foaming at the mouth to see former Alabama and OU quarterback Jalen Hurts take over for a largely ineffective Mason Rudolph. Rudolph, himself a product of the Sooner State (OK State to be exact), had a strong opening week, throwing for 318 yards and 2 scores in a Week One win over the Dragons, but has been sliding since then, throwing 5 picks in 3 weeks and earning weekly evaluations of C and C+ each of the past 4 weeks. And while fans of the Outlaws are not witnessing the team’s struggles firsthand, what they have seen is enough for them to be clamoring for Hurts to get a shot. If Oklahoma comes out of Week 6 at 2-4 it seems almost inevitable that Coach Stoops turns to the former Sooner as a way to spark the offense.
Will either move happen in Week 7? We don’t know. It may well depend as much on how each current starter plays, even more than the final score. If the two end up in a 41-38 shootout, we could see both teams stick with their current starters, but if there is a 14-10 offensive stinker the opposite could happen, and we could see two new starters the next week. Fans of both clubs are antsy, but fans often have an unrealistic idea of what a rookie QB can accomplish in their first season. Our best guess is that the winner of this week’s game is likely to hold his job, the loser may well be replaced ahead of the midway point of the season.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 28 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 41
In a week that had only 1 game end with a winning margin of 7 or fewer points (Houston v. San Antonio), it was hard to find a GOTW because there simply were not many close finishes or dramatic comebacks. So, in a week of wide margins we opted to go with the game that had the most entertainment value, some huge performances, and which highlighted a key divisional rivalry, and that game was the shootout between the Stallions and the Breakers, held at the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium on Friday Night.
USFL fans who tuned into the 9pm start on NBC got their money worth as the two Southern teams combined for nearly 900 yards on the day. For the Breakers, as we have seen all year, it was the passing game that did most of the damage, with Geno Smith completing 18 of 27 throws for 396 yards and 5 touchdowns. Coby Fleener and Jordy Nelson both topped 100 yards receiving while rookie Justin Jefferson had a 2-TD performance. For Birmingham, again as many anticipated, it was all about Cam Newton. Newton threw for 364 yards, with 3 TDs and no picks, but it was his legs again that almost stole the show, with Newton rushing for 113 yards on only 6 carries. That included a typical Newton scramble-turned-long-TD, a 78-yard master class in how to use size to defeat speed in the open field.
There were 21 combined points scored in the first quarter of this one, 24 in the 2nd, only 7 in the third, but then 17 more in the 4th as the Breakers built up a nice buffer in the 2nd half to take the win by 13 points. Smith in particular started fast, connecting on two 1st quarter TD passes, hitting HB Myles Gaskin for a 24-yard strike on their opening drive, and then answering Birmingham’s equalizer (a Henry Ruggs TD catch) with a quick strike drive that saw Smith connect with TE Coby Fleener to go back on top with a 21-yard strike.
The second quarter kept up the furious pace, first with Smith finding Jordy Nelson to push their advantage to 21-7, but Birmingham got the play of the night as Newton rolled right, quickly gave up on the routes, and started a 78-yard odyssey down the field. Juking away from one tackle, straight arming the cornerback, and then muscling past the safety, Newton was a runaway train heading down the field for the score. The problem, of course, is that you cannot count on this kind of play, and Birmingham was unable to hit that groove again.
The Stallions did get an equalizer, however, when the threat of the run forced New Orleans’s linebacker to creep to the line, which allowed Newton to lob a pass over them and into the waiting arms of TE Hunter Henry, who took the ball the rest of the way for a 29-yard TD to create a 21-21 tie with 1:40 left in the half. New Orleans used that time to regain the lead with a Caleb Sturgis field goal, but at the half, they knew they were in for a dogfight against these Stallions.
The third quarter saw both defenses focus on shutting down the top weapons of their opponents, and largely that strategy worked. But, a Rex Burkhead fumble gave New Orleans a shot to take the lead back, gaining possession of the ball at the Birmingham 29. It would take 7 plays, but when Geno Smith found rookie Justin Jefferson for a 3-yard TD, the Breakers were back on top. They would retain that advantage into the 4th and would build on it. A 24-21 advantage at the half was 10 points at the end of the 3rd, thanks to the Jefferson TD, and by the 4-minute mark of the 4th they had added another Sturgis field goal and a 2nd TD to Jefferson, this one from 24 yards out. Up 41-21, they had pulled away, contained Newton, and held a solid 20-point lead. Even a late TD toss from Newton did not really alter the result. New Orleans still led by 13 and was able to end the game with a successful 3rd and 3 run by Leonard Fournette, allowing the Breakers to pull out the Victory Formation for 3 plays and salt the game away. Birmingham dropped to 1-4 despite the big numbers put up by their star QB, while the Breakers moved to 5-0 thanks to their passing game and some good defensive stops along the way.
NEW JERSEY 10 ORLANDO 27
Amazing how one play can change the tenor of a game. Down 10-0 in the 2nd quarter, New Jersey was driving and appeared to have a TD in the making when Nick Foles saw Odell Beckham Jr. in the endzone, but Orlando safety D. J. Swearinger saw it too. He broke on the ball, tipped it away from OBJ, hauled it in, and then raced 101 yards down the sideline for a score to break the will of the Generals. Orlando’s 17-0 lead led to a 17-point win with New Jersey never getting closer than 10 points.
POTG: Orlando FS D. J. Swearinger: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
ARIZONA 27 DENVER 19
David Carr had himself a pretty nice day, completing 14 of 21 for 263 yards and 4 TDs. Three of those went to TE Max Williams, as the Gold blanketed Vincent Cruz to keep him to only 46 yards on the day. But with Williams in man coverage against a linebacker, Carr found him 4 times for 115 yards and 3 of those were TDs of 38, 24, and 21 yards in his best day as a pro.
POTG: Wrangler TE Maxx Williams: 4 Rec, 115 Yds, 3 TD
WASHINGTON 6 CHARLOTTE 23
Charlotte focused on shutting down the Federal run game, and man, did they. The Feds had 24 carries for 23 yards and that just made them one dimensional and too easy to defend. Meanwhile, Latavious Murray and Nyheim Hines combined for 101 on the ground, with Hines scoring on a 6-yard run, and, oh, by the way, a 108-yard kickoff return, a new league record. Hines took the ball from about as far back as you could in the endzone, but saw a crease and took it out, racing all the way for the score.
POTG: HB Nyheim Hines: 12 Att, 47 Yds, 1 TD, 2KR, 125 Yds, 1 TD
NEW ENGLAND 17 TAMPA BAY 38
The Steamrollers looked good for about 25 minutes, taking a 14-7 lead early in the 2nd, but a 17-0 scoring run by the Bandits in the 2nd gave them a 10-point lead at 24-14 and that was all she wrote for New England. In a big day for tight ends, Jordan Cameron had 147 yards on 5 receptions. Dez Bryant also came up big against the Steamrollers, catching 4 for 110 and 2 touchdowns on the day.
POTG: Tampa QB Dak Prescott: 17/22, 332 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int
HOUSTON 27 SAN ANTONIO 20
Another solid game from expansion San Antonio, but the Gamblers were just a touch too good, with scores from JuJu Smith-Schuster, Gerald Everett, and an unfortunate pick-six thrown by Joe Flacco. San Antonio put ups some yards, with Flacco connecting on a TD with Marquise Goodwin and Marshawn Lynch scored on a 1-yard plunge as well.
POTG: Houston HB Carlos Hyde: 20 Att, 123 Yds.
CHICAGO 33 PITTSBURGH 7
The Machine showed they were not ready to accept Pittsburgh as the top contender to the Panthers in the division, putting a beat down on the Maulers, including 5 sacks of Andy Dalton and a pick that set up a key TD to make it a 24-7 lead after 3 quarters. The Chicago offense also found its feet, with Sam Bradford Connecting with rookie Chase Claypool and veteran Michael Floyd for a pair of touchdowns.
POTG: Chicago rookie WR Chase Claypool: 4 Rec, 101 Yds, 1 TD
LAS VEGAS 6 OKLAHOMA 23
With fans calling for rookie Jalen Hurts to get his shot, Oklahoma QB Mason Rudolph tried to quiet them with a nice game, 21 of 33 for 211 yards, 2 TDs and no picks, as Oklahoma built up a 17-0 lead on the struggling Vipers. In a game that saw one 44-yard run by Outlaw fullback Tom Bohanan make him the unlikely lead rusher for the game, the Vipers simply had nothing. Matt Jones, acquired from the Bulls this week, played only 14 snaps, taking 6 carries for 24 yards, but it was not enough for the Vipers.
POTG: Oklahoma LB Vontez Burfict: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 FF, 1 FR
LOS ANGELES 17 PORTLAND 38
Are the Stags for real? They sure looked like a team to be worried about in this one, with A. J. McCarron stepping in for an ill Marcus Mariota (flu, not Covid) and throwing for 3 scores with no picks despite being sacked 5 times by the Express. LA’s offense continued to struggle, though new acquisition, WR Eric Weems led all Express players with 6 receptions. Portland’s defense limited Reggie Bush to only 28 yards on the day, while backup Tavares Cadet, in for the Covid-restricted Doug Martin, did his friend proud, scoring twice for the upstart Stags.
POTG: Portland QB A. J. McCarron: 13/23, 211 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
BALTIMORE 24 JACKSONVILLE 10
Josh Jacobs finally found his mojo, averaging 7.2 YPC on his way to 129 yards and a TD as the Blitz outpaced the Bulls. Jake Locker also threw TDs, hitting TE C. J. Uzomah and backup WR Quez Watkins for another as the Blitz join Washington and New Jersey atop the NE Division. New HB Montario Hardesty was dressed but all 16 carries in the game went to Devin Singletary, who finished with a solid 90-day outing.
POTG: Baltimore HB Josh Jacobs: 18 Att, 129 Yds, 1 TD
PHILADELPHIA 28 ATLANTA 45
Derrick Henry put the Stars on his shoulders, but even his 132-yard, 2-TD game was not enough as the Philadelphia defense melted like a block of Philly cream cheese on a hot summer day. Atlanta scored touchdowns on 6 of 9 offensive possessions in the game as the Stars simply had no answers. A. J. Green is loving his return to Georgia, catching 2 TD passes for the Fire as Atlanta moves to 4-1 and sends the sad sack Stars to 0-5 for the 2nd year in a row.
POTG: Atlanta QB Aaron Murray: 23/34, 313 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
MICHIGAN 14 ST. LOUIS 3
The Skyhawks tried something new, using run blitz after run blitz, with both safeties playing close to the line. The tactic worked in one sense, holding 4-time USFL rushing leader LeVeon Bell to only 19 yards on 21 carries, but Kirk Cousins still managed to find Cody Latimer and Donavan Peoples-Jones for scores. Had the Skyhawks been able to mount any offense at all, they could have made this interesting, but they managed only a single field goal on the day.
POTG: Michigan WR Cody Latimer: 10 Rec, 154 Yds, 1 TD
MEMPHIS 26 OHIO 14
Two second half scores for Ohio made this one look closer than it was. Memphis jumped on the Glory early, creating a 23-0 halftime score with TD catches by Jacob Hester and 2020 breakout player Devin Funchess. The Glory showed some backbone, fighting back late, but it was not enough as they drop to 1-4 on the year, while Memphis sits now at 4-1, only 1 game behind the unbeaten Breakers.
POTG: Memphis WR Devin Funchess: 8 Rec, 123 Yds, 1 TD
SAN DIEGO 10 SEATTLE 37
Now at 2-3, the Dragons are off to their best start in the past 5 years, and they send San Diego spiraling even deeper as the Thunder just don’t seem to have any answers. It does not help that Christian Ponder was knocked out of the game, with Case Keenum unable to put any points on the board as Seattle went on a 20-0 second half scoring run to pull away. Knowshon Moreno had a huge day for the Dragons, averaging 8.4 YPC on his way to 160 yards for the game. He, Gus Edwards, and Wendell Smallwood all scored rushing touchdowns as the Dragon ground game was dominant, putting up a combined 268 yards on the Thunder.
POTG: Dragon HB Knowshon Moreno: 19 Att, 160 Yds, 1 TD
DALLAS 7 OAKLAND 29
The Invaders’ D dominated the Roughnecks, limiting Dallas to only 3 first half first downs, and helping Oakland build up a 29-0 lead that was not challenged until the final 2 minutes of action, with backups in. The Roughnecks could not run the ball (Perine with 58 yards), and three turnovers killed early Dallas drives as Oakland put up 5 field goals in their first 6 possessions before Tom Brady hit Jerrell Jernigan for the team’s first touchdown. On a trick play that saw both Brady and Garoppolo on the field at the same time, the former Oakland starter threw another touchdown to Jernigan, an embarrassing end to a long day for the Roughnecks.
POTG: Oakland LB Shaq Barrett: 3 Tck, 2 FF, 1 FR
Five Breakout Players Making Fantasy Players Look Like Geniuses
It happens every year, players who have not shown much in the past suddenly get their shot, turn up the volume and show us something special. These breakout players either find themselves in a new role, benefit from a new coaching philosophy, or just mature to become more than anticipated, and for those fantasy owners who saw it coming, they end up with a gold mine when most players are adding kickers or defenses. 2020 has already provided more than a fair share of surprising player break outs, and these five are at the top of our list of players making the most of a new season and a chance to become more.
HB Kerwynn Williams (NEN)
Expansion clubs often produce new stars because they add players who did not get a shot with their former teams, were left unprotected, and now have a shot to prove themselves. That was certainly the case for HB Kerwynn Williams. The former Baltimore Blitz back has had some solid years, rushing for 500 or more yards for 4 consecutive seasons, but in New England he has become the lead back, ahead of former Machine star Matt Forte. Already, after 5 games, he has over 350 yards, on pace a possible 1,000-yard season. He has only 1 rushing touchdown to date, which is a bit of a concern, but as the Steamrollers gel over the season, he should see more chances to score.
HB Nyheim Hines (CHA)
No shocker that the 3rd year back for the Monarchs is one of our breakout stars. He is on pace to double his 2019 carries, is 1 rushing TD away from his entire 2019 total and is getting more touches and more targets than veteran HB Latavius Murray. Oh, and did we mention he also returns kicks? He already returned 1 for a TD this year, and is averaging an impressive 33.1 yards per return. Keep an eye on Hines, he could be a 10-12 TD guy this season.
WR Devin Funchess (MEM)
Robert Woods may still be at the top of the Showboat depth chart, but in his 5th year it appears that Devin Funchess is finally getting a chance to shine. Despite having 17 fewer targets than Woods, Funchess has only 6 fewer catches and has more yards and 5 TDs to Woods’s 3. He has become a favorite target for Paxton Lynch and his ability to find gaps in zones is impressing Coach Ryan. With Funchess now a viable target, the Showboat passing game is more versatile, a pivotal reason they now rank in the Top 10 in passing yards and are sitting at 4-1.
WR Taylor Gabriel (OAK)
Ask most football fans who the top receiver for the Invaders is and the knee-jerk reaction will be Davante Adams. If we say no, he is not, many might say it is HB Christian McCaffrey, but that too would be wrong. With 1 more target, 6 more catches, and 31 more yards than Adams, it is Taylor Gabriel. The 6th year receiver is having a very strong start to the year with 237 yards and 2 touchdowns. With teams doubling Adams, Tom Brady is looking Gabriel’s way, and it seems that getting a new QB was just the boost this receiver needed.
TE Julius Thomas (SAN)
Another expansion team boost is in place for Thomas, who is already more than halfway to his 2019 season totals for receptions and yards and already has 2 more touchdowns than last year. Now, this would not be the first time Thomas has had a hot year. In 2018 he caught 11 touchdowns, but this year he is seeing more targets, making more catches and doing a lot more than being a red-zone target. His 12.9 YPC average is also best of any receiver on the Gunslingers, which means that Joe Flacco sees him as a viable mid-range target, not just a safety valve.
Ryans Breaks Arm, Could Miss a Month
The first of three injury updates, Tampa Bay LB DeMeco Ryans is likely to miss a month, perhaps more, as he recovers from a fracture to his Humerus after a nasty collision with a sideline bench after racing out of bounds awkwardly. Ryans, the defensive captain and radio-contact for the Bandit D, is expected to be in a soft cast for at least 3 weeks, and with his absence, Tampa Bay will be without their defensive signal caller and main motivator. For the 5-0 Bandits, losing this defensive stalwart could have a huge impact on the league’s 6th rated scoring defense.
Lacy Could Miss 4-6 Weeks for Struggling Skyhawks
As nasty as DeMeco Ryan’s absence will be for Tampa Bay, we cannot imagine a player whose absence will hurt their team more than Eddie Lacy from the St. Louis Skyhawks. It is not bad enough that the Skyhawks are staring 0-5 in the face, are struggling on both sides of the ball (29th in scoring, 29th in yards allowed, and not above 26th in any major category), but now they lose a player who accounts for nearly 35% of their offensive production. Lacy came off the field doubled over after a twisting fall to the turf. The diagnosis was a torn abdominal wall, which is both a very painful injury to suffer and a hard one to recover from. The estimate has Lacy missing as much as 6-8 weeks with the injury. That means that it will be untested 2nd year back David Montgomery who will have to take up the slack, and for a team that has yet to find a way to win, a loss like Lacy’s is an even bigger team morale deflation.
Denver Hit Again, Rookie Hall Tears MCL
Just a week after losing LB Shaq Thompson, Denver gets hit with another starting defender going down for an extended period. Rookie CB Bryce Hall, who won a starting job with an outstanding camp, could miss the remainder of the regular season with an MCL injury suffered as a non-contact injury. Hall was having a strong rookie campaign, with 24 tackles, 7 passes defended and a pick in his first 4 ½ weeks. Denver will have to decide if they can afford to keep 2 players on the active roster despite both being expected to miss 2 months or more, or if they have to move one to IR even if it means that they won’t be available should the Gold return to the playoffs. It is either that or play with a 51-man roster for the next 8-12 weeks.
We have already mentioned three of the bigger stories of the week from the injury list. The other big story comes from the COVID-19 protocols, where we are now seeing some key starters missing action. This week’s list is highlighted by San Diego QB Christian Ponder, a big loss for the Thunder. We should also note that WR Ryan Grant of the Bandits will be out for a second week, as will Birmingham LB Reggie Ragland and Philadelphia DE Malik Jackson.
OUT
CB Bryce Hall DEN MCL 8-12 Weeks
HB Eddie Lacy STL Abdominal 4-6 Weeks
CB Sean Smith PIT Neck 4-6 Weeks
LB DeMeco Ryans TBY Arm 2-4 Weeks
LB Jelani Jenkins HOU Arm 2-4 Weeks
OT Jonah Williams BIR ACL 1-2 Weeks
LB Greg Lloyd Jr. OKL Concussion 1-2 Weeks
FB John Cabinda LA Wrist 1-2 Weeks
SS Chuck Clark STL Wrist 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
OT Rees Odhiambo LA Hamstring
G Brandon Brooks NE Ankle
TE Julius Thomas SAN Finger
QB Russell Wilson ORL Hamstring
DT Tyson Alualu OAK Turf Toe
QUESTIONABLE
CB Darnay Holmes SEA Hernia
LB Sean Spence ORL Hand
CB Tye Smith SD Finger
COVID-19 INACTIVES
BIR LB Reggie Ragland 2nd Week
DEN SS Sammie Moore
MGN CB KeiVarae Russell
NEN C Erik McCoy
NJ DE Yetur Gross-Matos
OAK OT D. J. Fluker 2nd Week
OHI C Cameron Erving
PHI DE Malik Jackson 2nd Week
SD QB Christian Ponder
TBY WR Ryan Grant 2nd Week
TBY CB Ken Webster
Three Coaches at Risk of Mid-Season Pink Slips
Yes, we are only 5 weeks into the 2020 season, but already there are three coaches who are looking shaky enough to imagine a quick hook midway through the year unless things turn around quickly. St. Louis is 0-6 and after three consecutive 10-loss seasons, time could be running out on Frank Reich. Tom Coughlin has a pedigree as a hard-nosed coach, but the have followed up a 4-12 season with a 1-5 start, which does not point towards Coughlin getting a new deal this winter, if he can hang on until then. And then there is Jim Harbaugh. One of the longest tenured coaches in the league, Harbaugh is in his 16th season with the club, but after turning an 0-5 start last year into a 9-7 finish and a surprising division title, the Stars again have started at 0-5, and Harbaugh may need to pull off another miracle comeback if he wants to be at the helm in 2021. Let’s take a closer look at the issues for each of these well-known USFL coaches.
Frank Reich (STL): 14-40 in 3 full USFL seasons and a 1-4 start to 2021.
The former NFL and USFL quarterback has simply not found success in St. Louis. A slow steady improvement from 3 wins in 2017 to 5 in 2018 and 6 in 2019 does not impress most fans, who don’t want to wait another 4-5 years before the club hits 10 wins. What is worse, everyone from scouts to GMs to TV pundits are questioning what exactly Reich is doing with Lamar Jackson. After a stellar intro to the league in the latter stages of 2018, Jackson’s prodigious talents as a runner and as a deep ball passer have just not found an avenue to shine in Reich’s controlled offense. Everyone wants him to cut Jackson loose, but he seems adamant about turning the Louisville product into a pocket passer, despite all indications that Jackson could succeed if given an offense that allows him to use his talents. Unless Reich’s offense finds some rhythm quickly, we think it is Reich, and not Jackson, who could be on the way out.
Tom Coughlin (OHI): 31-38 in 4 seasons plus 5 games in 2020
After a surprising division title in 2018 a lot was expected of Coughlin’s Ohio Glory, but the team dropped all the way from 1st to last in the Central last year, and a 1-4 start this year are not giving fans much hope that Coughlin has what it takes to get the club back to the top of the division. Rumors of dissent within the clubhouse, largely due to the high-discipline, low-rapport nature of Coughlin’s coaching style, are pretty widespread. Add to this a defense which is mired among the bottom 10 in the league in most categories, despite Coughlin’s defensive pedigree, shows signs that the plan is not getting buy in. is that enough for the usually conservative Ohio owners to make a risky mid-year change?
Jim Harbaugh (PHI): 146-91 in 15 full seasons and 5 weeks in Philly
Harbaugh pulled off an amazing feat last year, turning an 0-5 start into a 9-2 finish and earning a division title in 2019. But with another 0-5 start already on the books this year, and with fans questioning whether Harbaugh is blind to the serious issues with his preferred QB, there is a growing feeling that a change may be needed. The Stars have expansion San Antonio and then 1-4 Charlotte on the schedule. Going 2-0 in that short stretch could help Harbaugh’s case, but if the Stars get to the midway point with only 1 win, that could be all she wrote for both the Stars’ head coach and their QB.
League Owners to Meet (Online) for Schedule Discussion
With news coming in from both the CDC and the state Departments of Public Health in Florida, Texas, and Arizona coming in, the USFL has called for an all-league virtual meeting for next Monday. The hope, of course, is that both Texas and Arizona will allow indoor football, allowing the USFL to add some afternoon games to their Saturday and Sunday schedules. The league also is likely wanting to get an early sense of where teams stand on the idea of allowing limited-capacity attendance at games and potentially adding additional sites to their bubble system. We know that Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Atlanta ownership are all pushing for the league to either add new hub sites to their cities or to expand game sites to allow greater flexibility in the schedule, and the possibility of controlled capacity games not only in Florida, Texas and Arizona, but in the three adjoining states represented by the Breaker, Viper, and Fire ownership groups.
The meeting, as expected, will be conducted entirely via online video conferencing, with most owners not only not traveling to New York, but many not even retaining their residences in their franchise’s home cities. We know several owners are based now at their summer homes, some in the Rockies, others up north in Maine and Michigan, but few in the dense urban spaces where their teams call home. From wherever they are, the owners will log in, get in on the call, and share their take on how the USFL can move ahead with this very unique, financially troubling, and certainly compromised season. When we get a report out of the meeting, we will be sure to fill you in on all the developments.
Portland Reveals New Look for 2021
After a big win over the LA Express, the Stags and their fans are feeling a bit optimistic about their chances, even as the team spends the season far from the rainy northern woods of Oregon, based in Flagstaff, AZ (at least it is wooded, unlike Tucson or Phoenix). With hopes that this year’s Stag team can make a run at a playoff spot, the franchise, along with Under Armour, has become the second to unveil their new look for 2021, possibly to be seen on the field in 2020 if the Stags do snag a coveted postseason invite.
The look unveiled through a series of online videos is one that absolutely looks and feels like the Stags. Yes, the number font is new and there is a new wordmark, but we will still get the deep brown shoulders split by a pair of antlers on both primary jerseys. We still get a healthy dose of blaze orange with the home jersey and away pants, and we still have the wraparound antler helmet decals.
If you want novelty, you need to hold out until the Stags go to their alternates. As a club that has only been in the league for 12 seasons, it is not surprising that their retro look does not really look all that different from their current look, though it is nice that they brought back the brown helmet from their early years for the look. The alternate that has us more excited is not a true throwback, but more of a fauxback, a retro look that gives us a peak at what the Stags might have looked like had they been there from the start in 1983 when the USFL first kicked off.
The ”Pacific Gold” look removes all orange from the uniform (as many teams have done with one of their primary colors) and gives us an old-school uniform with Northwester stripes, a freestanding logo on the side of the helmet and a very traditional look all around. The look features the same brown lid as the official throwback, but instead of wraparound antlers, this helmet features the “White Stag” alternate logo on either side of a helmet that has a 3-color center stripe (white, brown, gold) and a gold facemask. The same striping pattern is found on the gold pants and on both the brown home jersey and white away jersey. It is a look that feels very much at home in classic pre-high-def footage of the early seasons of the USFL. Our hope, of course, is that they pull out these beauties when playing actual 1983 clubs like Oakland, LA, and Denver, creating a throwback vs. fauxback matchup that will have the look and feel of mid-eighties USFL action.
Week Six is the heaviest divisional week we have seen so far this season, with 12 of 15 games featuring divisional and rival matchups. It kicks off with a triple header of divisional games on Friday, with New Jersey and Baltimore, both sharing 1st place in the NE Conference, kicking off at 8pm, with Memphis and Houston in a key Southern matchup at 9pm and the SoCal Derby with LA facing off against San Diego at 11pm ET.
Saturday features 5 divisional games, with Charlotte v. Atlanta and Philadelphia v. New England at 8pm, San Antonio facing Birmingham and St. Louis looking for their first win against rival Chicago at 9pm, and finishing off with Arizona taking on Las Vegas, while the lone non-divisional game features two 3-2 teams as Denver meets Portland from U. of Arizona Stadium in Tucson.
Sunday is the lightest day for divisional games with 4 of 6 games staying in division. At 8pm it is Orlando v. Jacksonville from the U. of Florida campus. At 9pm Ohio battles Michigan at Rice Stadium, and at 11pm we have a Red River game with Dallas taking on Oklahoma, while Oakland battles Seattle at State Farm Stadium. Squeezed in between we have the Feds and Bandits meeting in Orlando and Pittsburgh with a tough matchup against the unbeaten New Orleans Breakers.
FRIDAY
8pm ET New Jersey (3-2) @ Baltimore (3-2) Orlando ESPN/EFN
9pm ET Memphis (4-1) @ Houston (3-2) NRG NBC
11pm ET Los Angeles (3-2) @ San Diego (1-4) Glendale FOX
SATURDAY
8pm ET Charlotte (2-3) @ Atlanta (4-1) Tampa NBC
8pm ET Philadelphia (0-5) @ New England (1-4) Gainesville ABC
9pm ET San Antonio (1-4) @ Birmingham (1-4) Rice ABC
9pm ET St. Louis (0-5) @ Chicago (3-2) TDECU FOX
11pm ET Arizona (5-0) @ Las Vegas (1-4) Tempe ABC
11pm ET Denver (3-2) @ Portland (3-2) Tucson FOX
SUNDAY
8pm ET Orlando (3-2) @ Jacksonville (1-4) Gainesville ABC
8pm ET Tampa Bay (5-0) @ Washington (3-2) Orlando FOX
9pm ET Pittsburgh (3-2) @ New Orleans (5-0) NRG ESPN/EFN
9pm ET Ohio (1-4) @ Michigan (4-1) Rice ABC
11pm ET Dallas (2-3) @ Oklahoma (2-3) Tucson ABC
11pm ET Oakland (3-2) @ Seattle (2-3) Glendale FOX
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