2021 USFL Week 1 Recap: Football Weather?

A wet, windy, and weather-impacted opening week across the USFL, but despite the odd weather, fans came out to welcome back their spring football fix after a year of empty stadiums and Covid-impacted hub games. From a sell-out in San Antonio to boisterous crowds all across the league, it was a celebratory atmosphere, even if Mother Nature did not always lend a hand. We will break down all the games of the first week of the USFL’s 39^th season, talk a bit about the weather, and give you our first impressions of all 30 clubs. All this, plus an update on the quarterbacks who were forced out of their openers as we kick off Season 39 of the USFL.

Weather Impacts Openers Coast to Coast

It is the eternal question at the start of every USFL season: Will the weather cooperate? Since the very first season of spring football back in 1983 the USFL has been dealing with rough March weather impacting the opening weeks of the season. And, even with the season pushed back, first from the 2^nd week in March to the 3^rd, and this year one more week until the final days of the Month, the answer has typically been “No, the weather will not cooperate.” March is notoriously fickle when it comes to weather patterns, and while delaying the season openers until March 26-28 did produce a weekend without a major snowstorm impacting games, it did not stop the “in like a lion, out like a lamb” from throwing a bit of lion, a bit of lamb, and what might have been a hyena fighting with a warthog at some of the USFL’s opening games.

We had a mix of late winter and early spring weather all over the map this weekend as teams played through rain, wind, sleet, and even a fog game to rival the 1988 NFL “Fog Bowl” between Chicago and Philadelphia in 1988. From a somewhat predictable slog fest in rainy Portland to biting winds and freezing rain in both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and with a ridiculously fogged in game in Santa Clara, home to this year’s Summer Bowl, it was a week where the weather was often as big a story as the play on the field.

It began with the ESPN Friday night game pitting the LA Express against the Portland Stags. An all day soaker had already turned the field at Columbia Sportswear Stadium into a muddy mess, and the rain continued throughout the night. While it was a great marketing opportunity for Columbia Sportswear, whose gear was certainly visible in the stands (along with a lot of Patagonia, REI, and North Face), on the field, the muddy conditions, wet footballs, and soggy footing made the game a messy affair that limited offensive output and kept both teams from showing little more than short passes and inside runs. LA prevailed, largely due to their ability to clog the line on defense and connect on short passes to the tight ends and backs, but neither team can feel good about the product they were able to put on display for the 30,202 who braved the weather to watch the game in the stands.

Move on to Saturday, when games in both Pittsburgh and Baltimore were facing the same nasty conditions, biting winds with gusts between 30 and 40 mph and freezing rain that coated the turf, the ball, and the players with thin layers of ice and slush. Once again footing was treacherous, the ball was slick, and the players pretty miserable on the sidelines and on the field. Surprisingly, between the two games we saw only 3 turnovers (all Nick Foles interceptions by Baltimore offseason acquisition Micah Hyde), though there were 4 fumbles in the 2 games, all recovered by the offensive teams. What we did see quite a bit was conservative playcalling, backs holding the ball with two hands, and a lot of sour faces among the players, coaches, and smaller-than-anticipated crowds on hand as the Maulers and Blitz played their first home games in nearly 18 months.

Sunday brought a different kind of weather-related “fun”. Yes, there was a rainy and muddy situation in Dallas, where the Cotton Bowl drainage system was not able to keep up with a 2^nd day of rain in the area, but the big story was in Oakland, or more accurately, Santa Clara. A thick fog rolled into the south bay on Sunday, unusual for the region, though not for the season. In the kind of pea soup conditions we usually see only further north in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Levi’s Stadium was engulfed in mist and fog for the entire afternoon. Not quite as thick as the famous “Fog Bowl” in the 1988 NFL playoffs in Chicago, but certainly problematic, the fog in the Orlando-Oakland matchup limited camera visibility, but also on-field visibility. The two teams found themselves unable to run their full game plans, limiting their passing to inside routes and a 10-12 yard range. While the field was in better condition than in some of the rainier locations, the visibility issues hampered both teams, producing a game in which the only touchdown came on a pick-six and the 3 field goals that accompanied that lone 7-pointer all required video review to ensure the on-field call was correct.

While the USFL’s delayed start avoided the snowy conditions which had often hampered early season games, particularly in places like Denver, Chicago, Columbus, or the Northeast, Mother Nature reminded the league that there is plenty of March weather, even on the cusp of April, that can deter fan turnout, complicate broadcasts, and profoundly impact on field gameplay. However, even with the rough conditions of some games, the USFL still has to be happy to be back in play in all 30 cities, and certainly they can look forward to some beautiful, sunny days to come as the season moves into spring and summer, with Summer Bowl 2021 scheduled for mid-August rather than the delayed 2020 title game which was not played until October.

OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS 23  ARIZONA WRANGLERS 17

In a game that confirmed our preseason intuition that this could be the year for a changing of the guard in the Southwest, the Oklahoma Outlaws fired a shot across the bow of 6-time defending division champion Arizona. Second year QB Jalen Hurts led the Outlaws against David Carr and the Wranglers, and when Carr was sent to the sideline with a concussion, it was all that Oklahoma needed to turn a 17-14 deficit into a 23-17 victory.

Oklahoma relied heavily on the short passing game, with TE Mark Andrews and possession receiver Nick Toon getting 10 of Jalen Hurts’s 14 pass attempts. The Outlaws had little success running, gaining only 49 yards on the ground, but they kept feeding the ball to Justice Hill and DeeJay Dallas, a strategy that wore down the Arizona front seven. The Wranglers, who outgained Oklahoma 414-261, struggled to move the ball into the redzone, and were unable to mount a 4^th quarter comeback after Oklahoma took a 20-17 lead, with Elliott Parson’s 52-yard kick attempt going wide and keeping Oklahoma in control in the final minutes.

The Outlaws came out of the gate with a balanced attack, and were not afraid to use QB Jalen Hurts as a rusher. Their opening drive benefited from a defensive holding call on a 3^rd and 11, but when they got into range Hurts found Nick Toon for a 16-yard strike to put the first points on the board. Arizona responded well, putting 7 on the board early in the 2^nd quarter on a Ka’Deem Carey goalline plunge. They would add another 3 later in the quarter, but the defense made a huge error and Oklahoma got the biggest play of the game late in the half.

It was a routine 2^nd and 6, but for some reason Arizona overcommitted to Hurts’s fake to HB DeeJay Dallas. The middle of the field was left wide open and the bootlegging Hurts had no trouble hitting Mark Andrews in stride. The big tight end rumbled down the field, picking up a nice block from wideout DeDe Westbrook on his way to a 77-yard touchdown. The play demoralized the Wranglers and the 47,202 in the stands at State Farm Stadium, giving Oklahoma a 14-10 lead going into the locker rooms for the half.

The Wrangler faithful got even more upset early in the 3^rd when QB David Carr was knocked to the ground by Oklahoma LB Dont’a Hightower, causing his head to hit the ground hard. Carr was sidelined the rest of the game as Brock Osweiler took over. Osweiler had some success, throwing for 215 in a half of football, and hitting Brandon Aiyuk on a lead-changing score, but he was unable to secure more points in the 4^th as Oklahoma retook the lead and then held Arizona without another point.

The Outlaws retook the lead, 20-17, within the first minute of the 4^th quarter when Hurts found Westbrook on a nice fade route for a 9-yard TD. Arizona responded with a drive that got them in range for a 52-yard field goal to tie, but Parson’s kick sailed far off course. That would be the Wranglers’ last scoring attempt. Oklahoma added a Kai Forbath field goal with 2:27 left to give them a tenuous 6-point lead, but Brock Osweiler took 2 sacks on back-to-back plays, forcing Arizona to attempt a 4^th and 22 from their own 37. Failing there, Oklahoma was able to salt away the game with a Justice Hill run giving them a first down and using up the last of Arizona’s timeouts.

The Outlaws now share first place in the Southwest with 3 other clubs as everyone but Arizona earned a win this week. The Wranglers find themselves in the basement after 1 week and with their 2-time MVP possibly forced to miss next week’s game as he enters the USFL’s concussion protocol.

JACKSONVILLE 27  TAMPA BAY 47

We got an offensive showcase in Raymond James Stadium as QBs Dak Prescott and Trevor Lawrence combined for 7 touchdown passes as the Bandits jumped out to a 26-0 lead in the first half only for the Bulls to battle back in the second half. Dak Prescott threw for 486 yards and 4 TDs with Dez Bryant, Ryan Grant, and HB Dalvin Cook all going over 100 yards on the day. Trevor Lawrence, despite suffering 7 sacks, including a safety on his first possession, rebounded to complete 25 of 40 for 371 yards and 3 scores in the losing cause.

POTG: Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 17/24, 486 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int

LOS ANGELES 19  PORTLAND 11

A steady rain in Portland helped both defenses, with LA getting the win thanks to two Kyler Murray TD passes. Marcus Mariota was picked twice and sacked 7 times as he tried to navigate the sloppy field and wet footballs. He pulled the game to within 1 score with a late TD to tight end Trey Burton, but LA was able to hold onto the ball and kill the clock in the final 2 minutes.

POTG: LA linebacker Keith Rivers: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 FF

CHICAGO 16  PITTSBURGH 7

A cold, freezing rain and windy conditions in Pittsburgh also kept both the Mauler and Machine offenses from getting much done. Pittsburgh had a 7-0 lead at the half, but when Andy Dalton was knocked out of the game (hamstring), Nathan Peterman could not get anything done in the 2^nd half. Chicago tied the score and took the lead on two Sam Bradford TD passes. A late safety against Peterman helped Chicago take a 9-point lead and wrap up a sloppy win in the opener.

POTG: Chicago DE Jason Pierre-Paul: 3 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty

HOUSTON 42  BIRMINGHAM 25

No weather issues in Birmingham as the Gamblers and Stallions combined for over 900 yards of offense, including 494 through the air for Colt McCoy of Houston. McCoy threw TDs to 4 different receivers as the Gamblers kept the pressure on an overwhelmed Stallion secondary. Cam Newton threw for 327 as rookie Najee Harris struggled to find holes in the run game. Henry Ruggs returned to action after his season-ending 2020 injury, caught 4 balls for 143 and a TD, but it was not enough as Houston scored on 8 of 11 offensive possessions.

POTG: Gambler QB Colt McCoy: 24/34, 494 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int

MEMPHIS 17  LAS VEGAS 18

Coach Landry scores a huge upset victory in his return to the sidelines with his new club. Las Vegas’s defense contained Todd Gurley and the Showboats, while QB Matt McGloin threw for 2 scores, including the game winner with 1:16 left to play, a TD toss to rookie TE Tommy Tremble at the goalline. Memphis DE J. J. Watt recorded his first USFL sack, but the offense struggled despite good protection for Paxton Lynch. Memphis held a 17-6 lead in the 3^rd but the D tired late and Las Vegas came all the way back to take the W.

POTG: Viper QB Matt McGloin: 21/37, 207 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int

NEW JERSEY 7  BALTIMORE 24

The Blitz had more success in the cold, rainy, and windy conditions of their home opener, relying on the legs of Josh Jacobs and a solid game from Jake Locker to outpace the struggling General offense. Jacobs rushed for 93 yards on 22 carries while Locker threw for 3 scores, all to TE C. J. Uzomah, who finished the day with only 25 yards but 3 receiving touchdowns. Calais Campbell had 3 tackles and 2 sacks for his new club, while former Chicago Free Safety Micah Hyde had himself a DPOTW game by picking off Nick Foles 3 times in the windy & wet conditions.

POTG: Blitz safety Micah Hyde: 6 Tck, 3 PDef, 3 Int

ATLANTA 28  CHARLOTTE 18

Jimmy Garoppolo was named the starter on Friday and played well for the Monarchs, completing 39 of 49 attempts for 334 yards and 2 TDs, but it was not enough as the Fire built up a 28-6 lead before giving up two late scores. Aaron Murray hit Kelvin Benjamin and O. J. Howard for scores, Nick Chubb had an impressive 36-yard TD run, and CB Darius Slay returned a kickoff 95 yards for a score as Atlanta starts off the year with a road win in their rivalry match against Charlotte.

POTG: Fire CB Darius Slay: 10 Tck, 1 KR TD

ST. LOUIS 19  OHIO 24

Rookie QB Justin Fields felt right at home in Ohio Stadium, completing 22 of 33 passing and leading the Glory to a win in the home opener. His favorite target was speedy Terry McLaurin (6 catches for 85 yards) and his first career TD goes to TE Jace Sternberger. St.Louis kept it close, down only 21-19 late into the game, but could not get a drive into scoring range in the 4^th as the Ohio defense played solidly in Jay Gruden’s first game at the helm of the club.

POTG: Ohio LB Ryan Shazier: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR

NEW ENGLAND 21  PHILADELPHIA 24

A fun one in Philly as the Stars hold off a late surge from the Steamrollers and win their opener to start the season a lot stronger than their 0-6 start in 2020. Carson Wentz got the start despite being with the team for only 2 weeks. He got a mix of cheers and jeers when he came on the field, but won the tough Philly crowd over with an early TD to K. J. Hamler, a 33-yard rope of a throw. Derrick Henry rushed for 73 yards and a score while new Steamroller Eddie Lacy had 58 yards on 13 carries.

POTG: New England DT Aaron Donald: 13 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck

WASHINGTON 26  MICHIGAN 31

The Feds put a scare into Michigan, with rookie Travis Etienne scoring twice despite only getting 10 carries in his first pro game. While LeVeon Bell rushed for 100 yards on 22 carries, it was QB Kirk Cousins who helped Michigan eke out the hard fought win, completing 30 of 40 and throwing 4 TDs, including 2 to POTG Cody Latimer. Up only 4, it was a Cousins to Peoples-Jones TD throw early in the 4^th that helped the Panthers build up a lead and earn the W.

POTG: Michigan WR Cody Latimer: 11 Rec, 119 Yds, 2 TD

ORLANDO 10  OAKLAND 6

A dense fog swept into Santa Clara on the afternoon of the Invaders’ opening game. The low visibility impaired both clubs as neither could even try to go deep in the difficult conditions. With both teams creeping up to the line, the run games also suffered. The only TD of the game came on defense when Orlando corner Malik Jackson picked off Tom Brady and ran through the fog for a 47-yard return. Beyond that it was 3 first half field goals as the fog thickened. Neither team was able to mount much of an attack in the second half, and, quite frankly, the fans in Santa Clara likely saw very little of what occurred on the field in a bizarre game to open the year.

POTG: Orlando CB Michael Jackson: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD

SAN DIEGO 14  DENVER 28

Denver doubles up the Thunder, thanks to 4 TD passes from Josh Allen, as the Gold open their season with a home victory. Allen threw for 322 despite taking 7 sacks in the game. Newly acquired WR Darnell Mooney had 2 of Allen’s 4 scoring throws and the Gold defense held Christian Ponder to only 161 yards passing as the Gold erased an early San Diego lead and took over in the 4^th quarter, with Allen finding both Mooney and Tavon Austin for scores in the final 9 minutes of action.

POTG: Denver QB Josh Allen: 17/25, 322 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int

NEW ORLEANS 27  SAN ANTONIO 13

Over 64,000 packed the New Alamodome to welcome football back to San Antonio. The Gunslingers got swept up in the excitement, but could not contain the Breakers, falling behind 17-3 before scoring their first TD. With Joe Flacco knocked out early in the 3^rd, it was Easton Stick at the helm for the Gunslingers. For New Orleans it was former Gold HB DeMarco Murray getting off to a good start by rushing for 70 yards and 2 TDs to power New Orleans to the win.

POTG: Breaker HB DeMarco Murray: 22 Att, 70 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Rec, 26 Yds

SEATTLE 11  DALLAS 16

Rain and Wind in Big D kept this game tight and a soggy field at the Cotton Bowl made the run games all but invisible in this one. When Justin Herbert went down with a possible concussion, it was Josh Freeman called into action. The former Skyhawk thew the game winner with 5:24 left to play, finding backup TE Dalton Keene with a 9-yard TD to turn an 11-10 deficit into the 16-11 final score for the Roughnecks. Brett Hundley had put Seattle on top by finding his tight end, Kyle Rudolph, 3 minutes earlier, but could not mount a final drive to get the win, getting picked off at midfield by Jamal Adams to preserve the Dallas victory in the opening week’s final game.

POTG: Dallas Free Safety Jamal Adams: 2 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int

Bandits Keep Rolling on Offense

If anyone was wondering if the Tampa Bay Bandits would suffer a post-championship hangover, this week’s opener against in-state rival Jacksonville wiped out any such thoughts. The Bandits put up 47 points, gaining 567 yards on offense, and QB Dak Prescott led the charge, throwing for 486 yards in the team’s home opener. Over 55,000 were on hand at Raymond James Stadium to welcome the 2020 USFL Champions, and they got a repeat performance of pure Bandit Ball. From a 75-yard catch and run from HB Dalvin Cook, to a 60-yard TD to tight end Jordan Cameron, the Bandits filled the game with 60 minutes of big plays.

Tampa Bay finished the game with three 100-yard receivers (Grant 132, Cook 125, and Bryant 106), facing only 9 third downs all day thanks to their ability to connect on big passing plays consistently. The score was 26-0 by the 13-minute mark of the 2^nd quarter and while Jacksonville put up some fight in the 2^nd half, the Bandits just kept moving along, with Bryant, Matt Breida, and Cameron all scoring to build their point total to an impressive 47 points. It is only one game, but by all accounts, the league champions are still hungry, still dangerous, and still thrilling to watch.

Lawrence Debuts with 3 TDs

Bulls fans may have been a bit nervous after watching Trevor Lawrence go 10 of 15 for only 89 yards in the first half, a half that saw them fall behind 26-3, but what Bulls fans wanted to see from their rookie signal caller, they got in the 2^nd half. Lawrence, admittedly playing against a defense with a big lead to cushion them, went 15 of 25 for 293 yards in the second half, throwing TD passes to Tee Higgins, Taysom Hill and Gavin Escobar. It was too little, too late, but the strong second half showed Bulls fans that they had a QB who would keep fighting and who could make some big throws. The Bulls might want to think about what they can do to help Lawrence out, on defense and with a run game, but at least they know they have a gamer at the most important position on the field.

McCoy Teases 500 Yard Game

After a 2020 season that saw Colt McCoy’s numbers dip compared to recent years, there were some questioning whether the Gambler QB was headed for the production cliff. If Week One’s performance was any indication, that does not appear to be the case. McCoy exploded against an overwhelmed Stallion secondary, averaging nearly 15 yards per attempt as he went 24 of 34 for 494 yards. McCoy had a chance to go over 500, but with a 42-25 lead, Coach Phillips opted to run out the game on the final 5 plays, leading McCoy to fall just short of 500.

McCoy had no trouble finding his big receivers, with Mike Evans catching 5 of 8 targets for 106 yards, while JuJu Smith-Schuster had 4 receptions for 128. Throw in a 48-yard TD to TE Greg Everett, and a 38-yard swing pass to Carlos Hyde and you have the makings of a special stat line. Houston has their home opener next week, hosting the San Antonio Gunslingers, and that may be yet another opportunity for their QB to show the world that he is very much still the same Colt McCoy that took Houston to three consecutive Summer Bowls.

Bell Only 100-Yard Rusher in Week One

There is something about the run game in the USFL. We very rarely see teams start the year with strong performances. Blame it on the often cold, wet, windy, or snowy weather, or on the need for the offensive lines to gel as squads, but we rarely see many 100-yard games during the opening week of the year, and that was certainly the case this year as well.

While several backs, including 93 yards from Josh Jacobs, 90 from Nick Chubb, and 83 from Chicago’s Jeremy Hill, the only 100-yard performance was from the 2-time defending rushing champion, Michigan Panther LeVeon Bell. It was no cakewalk for Bell, who had only 41 yards at the half, but he became the main offensive weapon late and that allowed him to hit the century mark and once again find himself atop the rushing leaderboard.

San Antonio Sells Out for Opener

Let’s step off the field and into the stands for just a moment, a chance to celebrate the return of USFL football to the Alamo City. After a pair of Memorial Day weekend tornadoes partially destroyed the Alamodome, and evidence of substandard construction led to the demolition of the entire facility, the Texas Outlaws had few good options. They got an offer they could not refuse from a group of Oklahoma City investors and by the start of the 2017 season the Outlaws had left Texas and had returned to their original home as the Oklahoma Outlaws. At the time a deal was cut that guaranteed Texas owner Red McCombs an expansion club in 2020. McComb worked tirelessly with state and city officials to get the Alamodome rebuilt, better than ever. But just as the expansion San Antonio Gunslingers were primed to return football to their home city, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the USFL to move all games to a set of hub cities. The Gunslingers would play the entire 2020 season in the home of their rivals, Houston. So, what would happen when they opened the 2021 season in San Antonio, a year delayed?

How about a sellout of the New Alamodome, with 64,108 officially in attendance? The opener included pomp, circumstance, a halftime performance from favorite son of Texas George Strait, an appearance from Governor Abbott, and the debut of the Gunslinger Girls, the cheerleading team that last took the field in 1987, when the original Gunslingers played their lone season in San Antonio. It was a loud, celebratory, and grateful crowd that watched their Gunslingers in action, and while the team on the field could not pull out a win, the city itself and the football fans of San Antonio certainly were winners this weekend.

Several QBs Questionable After Rough Openers

We finish our Week 1 news with the kind of news no one wants to see, injuries. In this case we are speaking specifically of injuries to several starting quarterbacks. Of the 30 starters who took the field on Opening Weekend, 4 saw their games end early: Dallas super sophomore Justin Herbert, Pittsburgh’s Andy Dalton, San Antonio’s Joe Flacco, and Arizona’s David Carr. Of the four, only Dalton’s injury is not designated a concussion. Dalton suffered a strained hamstring in Pittsburgh’s game against Chicago, while Herbert, Flacco, and Carr all received blows to the head.

All 4 quarterbacks are listed as “Questionable” for Week 2 action, which means there is a 50-50 chance that we will enter week 2 with Easton Stick facing the Houston Gamblers, Nate Peterman under center for Pittsburgh at Washington, Josh Freeman taking on the Oklahoma Outlaws, and Brock Osweiler leading Arizona against the Denver Gold. Will all 4 starters be held out? That won’t be known until Friday at the earliest, but there is a chance that we will be entering the season’s 2^nd week with 4 pretty solid (if not better) starters not in action. Not at all what anyone wants to see.

While we reported on the QB injuries, the biggest injury was actually a defender, San Diego linebacker Kyle Van Noy. The veteran inside backer suffered a back injury that forced him to be taken off the field on the cart, a scary moment. He never lost feeling in his legs but had difficulty moving them at first. Physicians at Denver’s UC-Denver Hospital diagnosed a ruptured disk in Van Noy’s mid-back. He will remain in Denver for several more days for stabilization but will then return to southern California for further care and rehab. The injury is listed initially as a 12-16 week injury, but we may soon see San Diego place Van Noy on season-ending IR. Two other players are expected to miss at least a month, with Donte Jackson suffering a broken wrist and WR Chad Beebe tearing the bicep in his left arm while blocking on a run for Dalvin Cook.

OUT

LB       Kyle Van Noy            SD          Ruptured Disk          12-16 Weeks

CB          Donte Jackson       OHI       Broken Wrist            4-6 Weeks

WR         Chad Beebe            TBY        Torn Biceps              4-6 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

WR         J. J. Arcega-Whiteside  OAK      Groin                                   

CB          Jason Verritt                   CHI        Concussion

DT          Taven Bryan                     JAX         Pinched Nerve

WR         Jerrel Jernigan               OAK      Hip

CB          Desmond King               ATL         Concussion

QUESTIONABLE

QB         Justin Herbert        DAL       Concussion

QB         Joe Flacco               SAN       Concussion

QB         David Carr                ARZ       Concussion

QB         Andy Dalton          PIT         Hamstring

DE          Tim Crowder            HOU     Neck

WR         Curtis Samuel          OHI       Shoulder

CB          A. J. Bouye              ARZ       Ankle

WR         Davante Adams      OAK      Toe

First Impressions of All 30 USFL Squads

Football returned around the nation with 15 home openers, and while weather certainly impacted what we saw in several games, our first impressions of all 30 USFL clubs were set by the opening week performances put on the field. So, what do we think we saw in Week One? Here is our team-by-team breakdown of the good, the bad, and the muddy.

ARIZONA

The offense gained 414 yards, even with David Carr only in action for a half, but the Wranglers lacked the killer instinct and it cost them in the end. The D gave up only 2.2 YPC, which is a very good sign, as was Bud DuPree’s 2 sacks and 5 pressures. The key for Arizona may well be the health of David Carr, who already may miss Week 2 after suffering a concussion in the opener.

ATLANTA

A very good first impression from both the offense and the defense in their opener. Nick Chubb averaged 7.2 YPC against Charlotte. If he can stay in rhythm this year, Atlanta once again could have a very difficult offense to defend. Luke Kuechley started the year with 11 tackles, 3 for a loss, another very good indicator that Atlanta is going to be a tough out.

BALTIMORE

The Blitz got immediate benefit from their two big defensive signings, with Micah Hyde picking off New Jersey’s Nick Foles 3 times in the opener while Calais Campbell had himself a 2-sack opener. This Blitz D wants to be aggressive and win the takeaway battle, and they did that to a tee against the Generals.

BIRMINGHAM

A rough opener for rookie Najee Harris (8 Att, 22 Yds) which once again put the onus on Cam Newton. He at least got one good sign in their loss, with Henry Ruggs returning from injury to catch 4 balls for 143 yards, including a 75-yard scoring strike from Newton. The defense has a lot of questions to answer after giving up 567 yards to the Gamblers, and that has to concern Stallion Nation.

CHARLOTTE

The good news is that JimmY G played well, throwing for 334 yards and 2 scores. The bad news is that little else went well for the Monarchs in their home opener. While fans gobbled up the new purple team gear, the Fire gobbled up yards and points against a Monarch D that did not look ready for the regular season to commence.

CHICAGO

So hard to get a bead on either team in the freezing rain at Heinz Field, but what we think we saw was a Chicago defense that will pressure the QB and contain the run. The Machine had 10 tackles for loss in the game, which is a good sign that this is a squad that can penetrate and disrupt plays. Throw in 4 sacks of the 2 Mauler QBs and Coach Smith has to be happy with their Week 1 form.

DALLAS

A tough outing for the offense in the opener, and having Herbert go out with a concussion is not what Coach Kingsbury wants to see, but he found out that he has a very solid backup in Josh Freeman, and he has what appears to be an improved defense, particularly against the run, as Dallas held Knowshon Moreno to only 39 yards in the game.

DENVER

A nice confidence-boosting game for QB Josh Allen, who finished with 322 yards and 4 TDs. Of course, San Diego is not the toughest foe Denver will face this year, and the Gold will need more from their tandem of tailbacks (Lindsay and Fournette), but getting an opening week win is nothing to sneeze at.

HOUSTON

A fast start for the Houston offense as the Gamblers put up 567 yards (including 494 from McCoy and the aerial attack). The core looks strong with McCoy, Hyde, Evans, and Smith-Schuster clearly in form for a new season. The D was outstanding against the run but did allow Cam Newton 327 yards passing, so there is room to improve.

JACKSONVILLE

Yes, the Bulls lost by 20, but they had some positives as well. After a rough first half, rookie Trevor Lawrence completed 15 of 25 passing in the 2^nd half and finished with 371 yards, making some big throws to Tee Higgins and Mike Williams. The D needs to get better, and Jacksonville will need to find a run game, but their superstar rookie QB showed some flashes of what the future might bring.

LAS VEGAS

The Vipers pulled off the upset of the week and, perhaps more surprising, were led by a defense that really struggled in 2020. The Vipers gave up only 267 total yards, holding Paxton Lynch under 200 yards passing. The offense had some bright spots as well, with Kareem Hunt averaging 9.5 yards per carry and rookie WR Rashod Bateman catching 4 of 6 targets on the day.

LOS ANGELES

The weather made offense tough, but LA still managed two TD drives and, as expected, their D was able to shut down the Stags when it mattered. Portland only managed 36 yards rushing, which for them is a nightmare. LA will be home next week, and we will want to see if their offense can show signs of improvement in a game unlikely to be played in a monsoon.

MEMPHIS

A tough loss to open the year, especially because the much-hyped Rex Ryan defense gave up 307 yards to a team not viewed as an explosive group. The Showboats will need more out of the offense to help balance things out, and that starts with Paxton Lynch going deeper with his throws. A 5.3 yard per attempt average is not going to scare many defenses.

MICHIGAN

The offense was impressive, providing the first 100-yard rushing game of the year for LeVeon Bell and a 4-TD day for Kirk Cousins, but this one was closer than expected because the defense showed some areas of weakness. Washington scored on 4 of 5 redzone trips (2 TD, 2 FG) and the Panther D missed a couple of takeaway opportunities, something Coach McDermott surely will want to improve.

NEW ENGLAND

The Steamrollers came close in this one, and they have to be happy with Ryan Tannehill’s game, where he threw for 316 yards and 3 scores without a pick. They need to get more from the run game, and that means Eddie Lacy, but all in all they played a solid game but came up just short.

NEW JERSEY

After throwing 3 picks in the opener, expect Nick Foles to hear some boos when the Generals open their home schedule. If he continues to struggle with his field vision, we think we will see Teddy Bridgewater stepping in soon. It would also not be a bad idea to lean on the run a bit more, especially Tony Pollard, who had only 7 carries but averaged 6.9 yards per touch.

NEW ORLEANS

A bit sloppy (6 penalties for 49 yards), and a bit uneven on offense (3 of 13 on 3^rd down), but the Breaker D helped cover up some of the offenses’ early season struggles. The Breakers have to love seeing DeMarco Murray’s 70 yards and 2 scores, but they want his YPC to be higher than the 3.2 he delivered against San Antonio.

OAKLAND

We can all write the opener off as a weather-impacted non-showing for the Invaders, but even with that, they need to find some answers. Christian McCaffrey is too talented to be averaging 1.7 YPC, even in the fog, heck, especially in the fog. With neither team able to score an offensive TD, we are just not sure if Oakland has a solid D or they just benefitted from the fog-covered field.

OHIO

Nothing like a career-starting win to build confidence, and that is almost certainly the greatest benefit of Ohio’s home opening win over St. Louis. Justin Fields looked confident, completing 67% of his throws and building a rapport with WR Terry McLaurin, another Buckeye-to-Buckeye connection for the Glory.

OKLAHOMA

No team came out of Week 1 feeling better about themselves than the Outlaws. They played well, they got some breaks, and they came back to win against the 6-time division champ. All of that should help them feel good about the direction the team is heading, and the future with Jalen Hurts under center.

ORLANDO

As with Oakland, we are not sure if Orlando can take much away from the fogged-in victory they got against the Invaders. They failed to move the ball, gaining only 115 offensive yards, but benefited from a fluke play (pick-six) to earn the W. They will want to get the ball to Chris Carson with more regularity in Week 2, and hopefully a clear sky will let us learn more about this team.

PHILADELPHIA

A win is a win is a win. And when you only got 3 of them in all of 2020, opening the year with one is a good feeling. Coach Dan Quinn had his squad ready to play and ready to fight for every advantage. Carson Wentz looked good for a QB who only had 2 weeks to learn the offense, and while Derrick Henry struggled to only 2.3 YPC, he was solid on 3^rd and short, which is exactly what the Stars need from him.

PITTSBURGH

A tough loss at home to open the year, and losing Andy Dalton possibly for Week 2 (hamstring) is not what the Maulers wanted out of this first week. They did show some moxie on defense, but need more out of their run game (47 yards on 31 attempts is not getting the job done) and need to get more pressure on the QB if they want to challenge the Machine and Panthers again.

PORTLAND

Blame the rain if you want, or point out how good LA’s defense is, but for a team that wants to run the ball to set up the pass, Portland struggled to do just that. Gaining 36 yards on the day through the run, including only 1 yard from rookie Javontae Williams, has to be a troubling sign for the Stags.

SAN ANTONIO

In a game where they lost Joe Flacco early and then limited Melvin Gordon’s snaps, it is hard to say what we learned about San Antonio this week. We might have learned that they will again struggle against the run and that they need to throw more at the opposing QB if they want to disrupt him.

SAN DIEGO

No team has a roster that produces more “who is that?” responses than San Diego, and the result was a 14-point outing produced through 4 field goals and a safety. That has to be a troubling start for the Thunder, who had only 2 red zone trips and came away with 3 points.

SEATTLE

Brett Hundley threw for 286 yards, but where was Knowshon Moreno (11 touches for 39 yards)? The Dragons live and die from play action and if they cannot get the run game going, we don’t think Hundley alone can carry them. That said, the defense was stout all game long and both Amari Cooper and Marshall Newhouse made some nice catches in traffic.

ST. LOUIS

James Conner produced 65 yards on 15 carries, a healthy 4.3 YPC, which is a good sign that St. Louis has found a replacement for Eddie Lacy. Now they just need to work on making full use of Lamar Jackson, who rushed the ball only twice in the opener. That and they need to figure out how to get off the field on 3^rd down, allowing a 50% conversion rate is not good for anyone.

TAMPA BAY

No notes on the offense, which was a terrifying as what we saw last October in the Summer Bowl. The Bandits looked as potent as ever. The defense got a bit lax after they had a 26-3 lead, but that can be forgiven. Racking up nearly 500 passing yards in the opener will cover up many possible issues, but we just don’t think the Bandits have many.

WASHINGTON

A solid outing against a very tough Michigan team, but still a loss. Washington has to be happy to see the run game produce 2 scores, but they will want more from Etienne and Darrynton Evans as the season goes on. Ryan Nassib got the start, and protected the ball, but big plays remain elusive for the Feds, and that may be enough to see them turn to Jacoby Brissett at some point.

After an opening week that saw 10 of 15 games occurring between divisional rivals, Week 2 brings us only 4 divisional matchups, but that does not mean we won’t have intriguing games on the schedule. We have two good ones on Friday, both interdivisional games as Seattle heads across the country to face the Atlanta Fire and Michigan travels to Los Angeles for the Express’s home opener.

Saturday brings us three divisional games, with New England in Baltimore, San Antonio headed to Houston for a Texas Showdow, and Arizona taking on their archrival, Denver. The Gold start the year with back-to-back home games and can put a 2-game lead on the Wranglers if they can win this Wild West showdown. Also on Saturday we have the surprise of Week 1, the Las Vegas Vipers, taking on a very tough Chicago Machine at Soldier Field. In the South it is Memphis hosting the defending champs as Rex Ryan tries to find a way to slow down Dak Prescott and that Bandit Ball offense.

On Sunday, we start off the day with New Orleans headed up to New Jersey to face the Generals. We also have regional action with Birmingham in Orlando and Oakland visiting Charlotte, both on Fox. At 4pm we have more regional action from San Diego and St. Louis, but the big game is Fox’s national coverage of another Southwest showdown as Dallas and Oklahoma put on their version of the Red River Rivalry. You know the fans in OKC will be up for this one after upsetting Arizona on the road in Week 1. We finish off the week with a battle that used to be a divisional rivalry but now pits Central Division Pittsburgh against Northeast Division Washington, both hoping to earn their first W of the year. (Divisional Games listed below in BLUE)

FRI @ 8pm ET         Seattle (0-1) @ Atlanta (1-0)                              NBC

FRI @ 8pm ET          Michigan (1-0) @ Los Angeles (1-0)                  ESPN/EFN

SAT @ 12pm ET       Portland (0-1) @ Jacksonville (0-1)                ABC

SAT @ 12pm ET     New England (0-1) @ Baltimore (1-0)             FOX

SAT @ 4pm ET        San Antonio (0-1) @ Houston (1-0)                  ABC

SAT @ 4pm ET        Las Vegas (1-0) @ Chicago (1-0)                        FOX

SAT @ 8pm ET         Tampa Bay (1-0) @ Memphis (0-1)                  NBC

SAT @ 8pm ET         Arizona (0-1) @ Denver (1-0)                            ESPN/EFN

SUN @ 12pm ET      New Orleans (1-0) @ New Jersey (0-1)           ABC

SUN @ 12pm ET      Birmingham (0-1) @ Orlando (1-0)                   FOX Regional

SUN @ 12pm ET      Oakland (0-1) @ Charlotte (0-1)                        FOX Regional

SUN @ 4pm ET       Ohio (1-0) @ San Diego (0-1)                           ABC Regional

SUN @ 4pm ET        Philadelphia (1-0) @ St. Louis (0-1)                 ABC Regional

SUN @ 4pm ET       Dallas (1-0) @ Oklahoma (1-0)                        FOX

SUN @ 8pm ET       Pittsburgh (0-1) @ Washington (0-1)                ESPN/EFN