2021 USFL Week 15 Recap: Live Another Day

Things got very interesting this week, races tightened, and two more teams joined the 2021 postseason as Denver and Chicago posted big wins. The Machine made life interesting for the Generals, shutting them down and giving Philadelphia a legitimate shot at reclaiming the NE Division. Tampa Bay won a thrilling shootout with the Houston Gamblers to lock up the 1-seed in the East, while Michigan made it 4 in a row, severely wounding Ohio’s playoff chances while giving themselves real hope that the Central Division is not a done deal for Chicago. It was a week of big QB games, including a Geno Smith sighting for the Breakers, and a week of heartbreak as 2 more teams had their last hopes of a Wild Card removed. We will, of course, give you all the details, taking a look at all of the big results from the week, and we will also update you on the big news out of New York, as the USFL looks at revamping its draft system. All this, plus a look at 3 coaches hoping to get another shot as the hiring season approaches. All right here on This Week in the USFL.

Mills Now 2-0 and Oakland Controls Their Destiny

It was certainly questioned in the moment, Oakland Coach Gary Kubiak’s decision to shutter 5-time champion Tom Brady and give untested rookie Davis Mills the final 4 starts of the season, but after 2 wins and Oakland now very much in control of their own playoff path, Kubiak is looking like a man with a plan. After helping the Invaders defeat Las Vegas last week, Mills stepped up again as Oakland came back from a 21-10 deficit to beat their division and in-state rivals 22-20. This time, with an 11-point deficit in the 4^th quarter, the game was certainly much more in Mills’s hands, and with two late touchdown tosses, Mills proved he could lead Oakland to success.

Now, we don’t want to overreact. After all, neither Las Vegas nor San Diego are among the league’s best squads, and in those two career-starting games, we saw two pretty mediocre defenses, which may well be part of the reason Kubiak made the switch after Week 13, with Oakland at 7-7, and did not wait until the tougher games in Weeks 16 (@ Oklahoma) and 17 (Seattle). Clearly the season finale will be the biggest challenge for Mills and for the Invaders as they try to lock up a Wild Card. But, now up 2 more games, sitting at 8-6 and in the 6^th playoff slot, the choice to start Mills seems to be paying dividends and producing results. A win this week over Oklahoma, with the right combination of other results, could actually clinch a playoff spot for the Invaders, something that felt like it was slipping away prior to the switch.

So, how is Mills comparing to his veteran mentor? Well, in what is admittedly only a 2 game sample, Mills has a higher QB Rating (112.5 to 91.6), is completing more passes (71.4% to 69.7%) and is averaging 235 yards per game, to Tom Brady’s 220. Those are all very good numbers for any quarterback, much less a mid-round rookie (according to the draft “experts”) in his first two appearances. Oakland wanted to see if Mills could be the future, with Brady ready to retire, and these early samples of what he can do seem to point to a very positive upside for the former Stanford QB. It is still early, but with a 2-0 record under his belt, and some pretty nice stats to back it up, along with his first 4^th quarter comeback secured, the future for Oakland and Davis Mills seems bright.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS 27  TAMPA BAY BANDITS 34

When we saw this one on the schedule, we all hoped it could live up to the hype. Two of the league’s most prolific offenses, two quarterbacks at the top of their game, two wide receiver groups that can put fear into any DC, and two backs who can run through, around, and past defenders. This had all the hallmarks of a classic Sunday night shootout. So, did it live up to our lofty expectations?

With a combined 627 yards passing, seven passing touchdowns, and 3 second half lead changes, including two big shifts in the 4^th quarter, the answer is a resounding yes. ESPN’s Sunday night broadcast saw Colt McCoy throw for 361 yards and 3 scores, while Dak Prescott, with lower yardage, only 266 yards, managed to throw 4 touchdown passes. Even more amazing, he racked up those 266 yards and 4 touchdowns on only 10 completions, going 10 of 16 on the day.

It was a game of big plays, not long methodical drives, as both teams tested the limits of the opposing defenses, using their vertical passing game to great effect as they ran up and down the field. Just look at this ridiculous stat: Tampa Bay scored 34 points with only 5 first downs in the game and only 2 of 10 third down conversions. They bombed Houston from range, rather than marching down the field with precision. Houston fared better in the mid- and short-range passing, so they certainly looked like the statistical winner, with 105 more yards, 11 more first downs, and a far better 6 of 15 on third down, but in the end, it was the big play Bandits who pulled out the one-score win.

The Bandits started their aerial assault in the first quarter, when, on their second possession, Dak Prescott found TE Jordan Cameron covered by a linebacker. Cameron easily outpaced the coverage, and by the time the safeties reacted, it was too late. Cameron covered 54 yards and put Tampa Bay up 7-0. Early in the 2^nd quarter they would add 3 more after a long completion to Dez Bryant, was followed by struggles in the red zone. Harrison Butker added the field goal and the Bandits had a 10-0 lead with 12:58 left in the half.

Houston would respond, moving the ball efficiently from their own 20 deep into Bandit territory. McCoy was happy to take what the Bandit D would give him, connecting with 3 different receivers on the drive before finding a 4^th with Denzel Mims’s 1^st catch of the game and 4^th touchdown of the season. Houston was back within 3, and even a late Butker field goal would not make it a 2-score game at the half.

Coming out of the break, Houston got the ball first, and would get their first lead of the day as they marched the ball 68 yards on only 6 plays, with Mike Evans bringing in a 46-yard TD on a beautiful slant-go route that had the Bandit secondary pointing fingers after the blown coverage. Up 14-13, Houston contained the Bandits on their next possession, forcing a punt after a failed 3^rd and 8 play. They would again drive deep into Bandit territory, stalling out at the Bandit 16 before Younghoe Koo connected on his first field goal of the day. Houston now held a 4-point lead, 17-13, but pretty much everyone at Raymond James Stadium as well as the 4.7 million TV viewers knew that this game was far from over.

With 2:54 left in the 3^rd, Tampa got the ball back on a touchback, and by 1:04 they would have the lead back. Dak Prescott found 3^rd year receiver Deebo Samuel for a 44-yards strike on 2^nd and 8, then connected with Ryan Grant 2 plays later to retake the lead 20-17. It was a drive that took less than 2 minutes, a foreshadowing of what was to come later in the game. Houston took over late in the 3^rd and began a drive of their own that would extend well into the final period. After a debatable offensive pass-interference call stymied their progress, Houston settled for a 45-yard Koo field goal, and we were back to a tie game.

The Bandits had no desire to slow things down, an din only 1:57 seconds again put a touchdown on the board. Prescott found Dez Bryant for a 48-yard strike, and then went right back to him 2 plays later for a 29-yard TD that put the Bandits up 7. Houston then had their turn, eating up over 5 minutes on their way to the endzone, with McCoy finding Gerald Everett with 1:53 left on the clock to tie the score at 27 and once again throw the gauntlet down, with the Bandits given a shot, with altogether too much time left, to avoid overtime.

The Bandits did not need the full 1:53 of game time. They had struck quickly all game, and they were about to do it again. In 4 plays and only 1:19 seconds they had taken the lead and returned the pressure back to Houston. Once again it was Dez Bryant, this time from 33 yards out and despite double coverage from Houston CB Leodis McKelvin and safety Budda Baker. Prescott’s throw perfectly split the two defenders and Bryant timed his jump perfectly to bring the ball down and crash into the endzone with both defenders falling over him. Bryant immediately popped back up, showing the crowd the ball before slamming it to the turf as his teammates swarmed him.

Houston was now against the wall, down 7 with only 34 seconds to play, they would need to drive 78 yards after the fair catch, and that did not look promising. But, with Colt McCoy under center, the game certainly was not over. On 1^st and 10 he found JuJu Smith-Schuster for 15 yards. Two plays later it was Mike Evans for 11, but then things got uglier for the visitors. On 1^st and10 from their own 46, McCoy wanted to try a deep shot, but Bandit DE Pernell McPhee got to him before he could set up the throw, producing the 4^th sack of McCoy in the game. Now 2^nd and 16, McCoy found Tony Moeaki along the sideline for a quick 6 yards and a step out of bounds to save time. Third and 10 brought more pressure from Tampa Bay and McCoy was forced to swing the ball out to Josh Reynolds for a gain of only 6. Reynolds did manage to get out of bounds with 15 seconds left to play, but it was 4^th and 4 for the Gamblers.

Coach Trestman decided against playing a shallow zone, opting instead to trust his DBs and send pressure with man coverage behind it. There was a moment when it looked like this would backfire as Denzel Mims appeared to be open over the middle, but McCoy missed him, looking towards Mike Evans as Mims found himself with the advantage. By the time McCoy shifted his focus, DT Marcell Dareus has busted through the middle of the line, throwing his weight against McCoy and forcing the Houston QB to essentially eat the ball, unable to even get a flailing throw off. The Bandits took over on downs, and after one kneel, they celebrated a hard-earned win, and their destiny as the Eastern Conference’s 1 seed. Houston would return home now 2 games behind division-leading Birmingham, with only 2 left to play.

BALTIMORE 20  PITTSBURGH 6

The Blitz handed Pittsburgh a 3^rd consecutive loss, keeping their own playoff hopes alive at 8-6 while sending the Maulers back to .500 at 7-7. Baltimore held the Maulers to only 24 yards rushing and allowed only 3 third down conversions all game, dominating action with a solid run game and a short passing attack from Jake Locker. Locker hit both Brian Hartline and C. J. Uzomah for scores as they pulled away from the slumping Maulers, their defense led by veteran end Calais Campbell, whose 2 sacks put him second only to Montez Sweat in the USFL rankings.

POTG: Baltimore DE Calais Campbell: 8 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF

LOS ANGELES 13  ATLANTA 15

A week after their big home win against the Dragons, LA proved too distracted and too depleted as they fell to the Fire. In a pretty slow-paced affair, the two battled to an 8-6 Atlanta advantage after 3 quarters, the only difference in the score a 1^st quarter safety. But, when Pat White found Vance McDonald for a TD early in the 4^th, it put the offensively challenged Express down by 9, and that was too much for them to overcome.

POTG: Fire DE Mario Edwards, 6 Tck, 3 Sck

MICHIGAN 30  OHIO 14

The Panthers stay hot, winning their 4^th in a row in impressive style by holding OHIO QB Justin Fields to only 3 yards rushing while picking him off twice as a passer. LeVeon Bell returned to full strength, evident in his 113 yards and 5.1 YPC average. Kirk Cousins hit 10 different receivers, but still managed to get the ball to Cody Latimer 6 times for 112 yards and a score. The Panthers led 20-0 at the half and coasted home with a 16-point victory over the Glory.

POTG: Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 22 Att, 113 Yds, 1 TD

MEMPHIS 9  PHILADELPHIA 13

A defensive slugfest in Memphis as the Stars and Showboats struggled to put points on the board all game. The Stars actually started fast, with Carson Wentz hitting Quincy Enunwa for the game’s only TD on the opening drive of the day, but after that neither team would find success on offense, with the rest of the game limited to field goals. Surprisingly, despite the defensive domination, the game saw no turnovers, just a lot of 3-and-outs and 13 combined punts.

POTG: Philadelphia LB John Bostic: 7 Tck, 1 TFL, 2 PDef

OKLAHOMA 28  ST. LOUIS 7

The Outlaws snap a 4-game losing streak by balancing their offense. Yes, Nick Toon had 155 yards and a TD through the air, but Oklahoma also ran the ball well, with a combined 130 yards rushing from Lacy, Dallas, Burkhead and QB Jalen Hurts. Tyrod Taylor struggled in this one, completing only 11 of 27 for 165 yards. The win causes Oklahoma to leap over St. Louis in the overall standings, which could well cost them a draft position or two.

POTG: Outlaw WR Nick Toon: 7 Rec, 155 Yds, 1 TD

JACKSONVILLE 17  SEATTLE 30

Seattle rebounds from their first loss in 11 weeks by throttling the Bulls, limiting Jacksonville to only 4 first downs, though Trevor Lawrence did manage two big-play touchdown tosses. Seattle was slow and steady, getting an early TD off a Josh Allen fumble return TD, then adding scores from Amari Cooper and Greg Jones as they pulled away in the 2^nd half.

POTG: Seattle LB Josh Allen: 11 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Def TD

CHICAGO 23  NEW JERSEY 9

New Jersey drops a 2^nd game in a row, leaving them locked up with Philadelphia atop the NE Division, while Chicago stays 1 game up on surging Michigan with the win. The Machine dominated on defense, limiting New Jersey to only 42 yards rushing. Daniel Carlson put up 3field goals, and Chicago got a Bradford to Snead TD and a rare carry from FB Jakob Johnson for a goal line score as they lock up a playoff berth with the road win.

POTG: Chicago CB Josh Norman: 9 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR

ORLANDO 24  CHARLOTTE 22

The winless Monarchs put a serious scare into the Renegades but could not finish it out. Down 24-16 late, the Monarchs put together a scoring drive in the final two minutes, with Kyle Boller hitting Brandon Pettigrew with a potential game-tying score. But Charlotte needed the 2-point try, and they could not get it as Kyle Boller was sacked on the attempt by league sack leader Montez Sweat.  That play was the highlight, but statistically it was Russell Wilson’s day, throwing for 3 scores and completing nearly 2/3 of his passes.

POTG: Orlando DE Montez Sweat: 8 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF

SAN ANTONIO 28  BIRMINGHAM 35

Tim Tebow wins a 3^rd start in 3 tries as he holds off a very game Gunslinger squad. Tebow went 18 of 34 for 297 yards and 4 touchdowns as he held off Joe Flacco and San Antonio. He got help from the run game in the form of 72 yards from rookie Najee Harris, but also rushed for 40 yards himself as Birmingham moves to 10-4 on the season.

POTG: Stallion rookie WR Devonta Smith: 5 Rec, 139 Yds, 2 TD

NEW ORLEANS 45  DALLAS 13

The Breakers got Geno Smith back from injury and the veteran QB played angry, throwing for 236 yards and 3 scores as the Breakers stun the Dallas Roughnecks at the Cotton Bowl. Justin Herbert was picked off 3 times by a vastly more engaged Breaker D than we have seen all season. Add in 154 yards from the combo of Myles Gaskin and DeMarco Murray and a 4-0 turnover margin for New Orleans and you end up with a blowout.

POTG: Breaker QB Geno Smith: 11/17, 236 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

DENVER 31  PORTLAND 16

Denver’s passing game and QB Josh Allen got healthy against an overmatched Portland secondary, with Allen throwing for 344 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Gold’s romp over the Stags. Golden Tate finished with 129 yards and a score, while Darnell Mooney brought in two scores for the Gold. Throw in a solid run game from Lindsay and Wilson (96 yards combined) and the Gold pull away for the win and a playoff berth.

POTG: Gold QB Josh Allen: 17/22, 344 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int

OAKLAND 22  SAN DIEGO 21

It certainly was not easy, but rookie Davis Mills moves to 2-0 with the 1-point victory in San Diego. Mills had a strong outing, going 20 for 27 for 191 yards and all 3 Oakland TDs, but the defense seemed mystified by unheralded Thunder back Demetric Felton. The rookie back rushed 17 times for 115 yards and a score, almost singlehandedly keeping the 3-win Thunder in this game. Oakland needed 2 fourth quarter TDs to get the win, but Mills found both Austin Hooper and Christian McCaffrey when it mattered most and got the W to stay very much alive in the playoff picture, now fully controlling their own destiny.

POTG: Invader QB Davis Mills: 20/27, 191 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

Prescott & McCoy Put on a Show of Star Power

We have already walked through the recap of the brilliant Bandits-Gamblers game, but we thought one more point needed to be highlighted, that we witnessed two quarterbacks at the pinnacle of their abilities. Colt McCoy’s 361-yard, 3-TD, 0-Int performance moved him into the top 5 in our QB rankings, which feels surprising considering the Gambler QB has over 4,500 yards and 31 touchdowns. We may need to look at the QBR system to try to figure out why his numbers don’t put him higher than a 100.7 rating. Meanwhile, Dak Prescott put up some ridiculous numbers in Tampa Bay’s vertical attack, throwing for an average of 16.6 yards per attempt, not per completion, per attempt. He completed only 10 of 16 passes, which means that every completed pass averaged 26.6 yards, an absolutely insane number, oh and 4 of his 10 completions were touchdowns, let that sink in.

Prescott threw touchdowns of 56 yards (Cameron, 1^st Q), 7 yards (Grant, 3^rd Q), 29 yards (Bryant, 4^th Q) and the game winner, a 33-yard TD to Bryant with only 34 seconds left to play. He also had a 48-yarder to Bryant that was not a score and a 44-yarder to Deebo Samuel, also not a score. In 10 completions he hit 7 different receivers. Crazy numbers for a QB who is not going to win MVP and very likely won’t be eligible to be listed on the QB Rankings. That fact, that because of games missed to injuries, Prescott does not currently qualify for the official QB Rankings due to insufficient pass attempts on the season (a shifting total required based on the current number of games played). Here is the thing, if Prescott were eligible (he fell 13 attempts short), Dak Prescott, with 3,331 yards, a 30:9 TD:INT ratio and a 63% completion rate, would be at the top of the board, pulling down a 131 QBR, miles ahead of Josh Allen’s 112.3.

He has 2 games to get within the minimum, but will need to put up a lot more attempts than his 17 in this week’s game to do so. Every week the minimum requirement increases by 20 attempts, so Dak will need to average 27 or more attempts over the next two weeks to reach the minimum needed, and when we look at his average each week, it has reached 24 attempts only 5 times all season. Not that he cannot do it, but with the Bandits in all likelihood resting him in Week 17, we think he will miss the total needed and miss what would be a passing stat title. But while that is a blemish on the USFL for their evaluation system, the reality is that Dak Prescott is one QB that no one wants to have to gameplan to stop this postseason, a lesson evident in his outdueling of Colt McCoy in this week’s Game of the Week.

Allen Wills Gold to Playoff Spot with 4-TD Day

Portland just did not have an answer. That was the takeaway from Josh Allen’s 344-yard, 4-TD day in the Rose City this week. Allen was on his game, completing 77.3% of his attempts (17 of 22), despite taking some shots from the Portland front 7 (5 sacks). His success, paired with a solid defensive gameplan from Coach Hufnagel, has done what few foresaw this season, placed the Gold in the 2021 postseason. The Gold locked up no worse than a Wild Card with 2 games left, and while they are being pursued by a rising Arizona Wrangler squad, the success that Coach Hufnagel, his QB, and his team have had this year is already creating believers in the physically gifted Wyoming product.

It may not be easy, but we have to recall what was said about Allen when he came out of Wyoming, a player who was too raw, had too many accuracy issues, and barely found his way into Division 1 football at all after getting no offers out of high school. Allen, who famously sent tapes to programs across the country while playing at the Juco level, was seen as a major risk by both NFL and USFL stats. The story they told was that accuracy was the 6’5” QB’s weakness, and that accuracy was the one skillset that rarely improved even with pro coaching and focus. Well, let’s see here. After spending his entire rookie year on the bench, but also working with QB specialist Jordan Palmer, Allen started his career with a 63.4% completion rate, a solid 10 points higher than his best year at Wyoming. He finished that year with a 103.1 QBR and 29 touchdowns. The next year his % increased to 66%. This year, his third as the starter, he has dipped to 60.5% but that is largely due to his increase in the use of the deep ball and his willingness to play “hero ball” when needed. He currently sits on his highest QB Rating ever, 112.3, leading the league among eligible passers (see our comments on Dak Prescott above), he has 32 touchdowns with 2 games left to play, and he has the Gold in the postseason for the second time in 3 years. Not too bad for a small town kid with a wildly inaccurate arm and no discipline.

Winston Gets the Win, with Help from His Friends

Jameis Winston keeps the streak of QB changes alive, following Davis Mills, Tim Tebow, and Tyrod Taylor in the recent run of backup QBs stepping in and getting a win in their first outing as the starter. Winston was named the starter for the final 3 games of the season after the Steamrollers were eliminated from playoff contention, part of a plan to look at the 2022 QB race ahead of schedule and possibly simplify the decision process for Coach Fox in time to make a contract decision on 13-game starter Ryan Tannehill. So, what did we learn about Winston in his first USFL start?

To start, we learned that he still has some issues with decision making. While his 26 of 39 outing, a 66.7% completion rate, was solid, as was his 7.5 yard per attempt average, the two picks thrown in the game still have to worry John Fox. Both were forced balls, both on 3^rd down, and both led to Washington scores. For a QB essentially drummed out of the NFL after a 30-interception season, throwing those two avoidable picks in his first game in New England has to be a red flag. But, that said, Winston did bounce back, going 6 for 7 in the 4^th quarter and putting up the game-winning score on a nice throw to DeVante Parker. The other factor that was obvious was that Winston’s teammates, particularly his offensive team, supported him and trusted him. That was obvious in how they rallied with him after each pick, but also in how they showed up for him on the field. T. J. Yeldon in particular had a huge game, rushing for 151 yards against a front 7 that had to respect Winston’s arm. His receivers almost routinely made outstanding catches, including a jump Ball by Will Fuller that ended up as the ESPN play of the day for its sheer athleticism.

So, it was not a perfect performance, and Coach Fox is going to want to dissuade Winston from forcing balls to covered receivers, but overall, Jameis Winston did what he was asked. He kept the ball moving down the field (26 first downs for the Steamrollers, a team record) and pulled out a game that many thought was easily going to go Washington’s way. He will have 2 more starts to make his case in what is clearly a 3-game audition.

Breakers Get Geno Back, Play Spoilers Against Dallas

We don’t think it was so much that New Orleans got Geno Smith back against the Roughnecks, but that they seemed to get back the 2020 version of Geno Smith, the Geno Smith that threw for 37 TDs and only 7 picks, finishing 2020 with a 126.9 QB Rating. That is a Geno Smith they have not seen much of this season. Smith has not had a good year under center, not only missing 5 games due to injury, but looking flat in the 8 starts he did have. Well, he did not look flat in this start, throwing for 236 yards and 3 scores as the Breakers absolutely dismantled the Dallas defense. He was certainly helped by an unexpectedly capable run game, but the fact of the matter was that Smith was in the zone, making plays with his feet and with his arm, reading the field well, and avoiding miscues. The result? A dominant 32-point win over a team that still had playoff aspirations. The Breakers’ season may be a major disappointment for the fans in the Crescent City, but Smith’s return, and return in force, may be a good sign that 2021 could be a “blip season” and not a sign of long term issues.

Start the Clock, Charlotte Locks Up 1st Draft Pick

Send out the scouts, bring in the data, start building the board, the Charlotte Monarchs are guaranteed the first pick in the USFL Draft, and they certainly need to get it right. With their hard-fought, but still futile, effort against Orlando, Charlotte dropped to 0-14 and appear ripe for a winless season. That 14^th loss made it official; the Monarchs would be drafting first come January. It is not an honor any team wants, but it is a reality that having the first pick can produce some real improvement, just look at what Philadelphia has done this year.

Of course, the difference between a team that uses a horrible season as a springboard for future success and one that simply wallows in the basement is how the team responds to their predicament. Charlotte will have the first pick, but is also almost certain to have both a new GM and a new head coach when that pick arrives. We already know that Vance Joseph is running out the string and will be let go on Black Monday (he technically has already been let go, just not on immediate terms), and we fully anticipate a much broader house-cleaning is on the way as soon as the Monarchs wrap up this truly miserable season.

And here is the other thing. Having the first pick in the Open Draft is not a cure-all. It has not been in the history of the USFL. First of all you will have a ton of talent taken off the board in the Territorial Draft, and then, even if your ideal candidate is available, and even if you select him, you still have to outduel the NFL to get the player signed. Many a USFL 1^st pick has played in the fall instead of going to the worst team in the spring, a reality that Charlotte will have to be prepared to face. They need to bring in a team that can not only evaluate talent, but persuade talent that Charlotte is where they want to be. So, yes, the Monarchs are on the clock, and will have their pick of the players who escape the T-Draft, but they are in no way ensured of making that pick work for them.

We add two more teams, both in the West, to our playoff pool, which now sits at 4 teams. Denver and Chicago, both with statement wins this week, join the Bandits and Dragons as 2021 playoff teams. Both hold a 1-game lead over rivals Arizona and Michigan for the division, and both are sitting at 10-4 with visions of a bye week in their minds. Currently, Denver holds the tiebreaker if they finish tied with Chicago at the end of the season, but with 2 weeks left, the 2-seed on the line and division rivals nipping at their heels, both likely will have to win out to have a shot at that 2-seed and the bye they both covet.

New Jersey’s loss this week made the NE Division a tighter race, with the Generals now tied with Philadelphia at 9-5, and also dropped New Jersey to the 3^rd position, with Birmingham now able to control their destiny and take a shot at the coveted bye week. If the Stallions can extend their win streak from 4 games to 6, they would wrap up the 2-spot and the week of rest.

Finally, we also saw the list of eliminated teams grow to 10, which means we have 20 teams fighting for 12 spots, or, more accurately, 16 teams fighting for 8 spots, since 4 are already claimed. Right now, 8-6 is the minimum record for a playoff spot, but does not guarantee one, as Atlanta and Baltimore are on the outside looking in despite an 8-6 mark. With 4 teams in the West at 7-7, all of them need help to get into the mix, while Oakland now controls their own destiny after 2 Davis Mills wins out of the gate have the Invaders at 8-6 and sitting in the 6-spot.

With many teams eliminated from contention, we are seeing even short-term injuries now putting players on IR, as is the case with Oklahoma’s Ben Richards or Washington’s Cedric Ogbuehi. Among playoff teams, losses like WR John Brown for Seattle are far more impactful. And, even more intriguing are the players who will be game-time decisions, with none more interesting than Coach Marvin Lewis’s situation with QB Kyler Murray. The 7-7 Express are still alive in the Wild Card hunt, one game behind 6^th seed Oakland, but Murray’s health is an issue, with the QB having suffered a concussion in this week’s loss in Atlanta. Will Coach Lewis protect Murray by going with Matt Gutierrez in his first start for the Express, or will he hope to see good progress and a clear bill of health on Sunday, when the Express face 4-10 Jacksonville?

OUT

DT          Ego Ferguson            ORL       Groin                   IR

WR         John Brown                    SEA        Hamstring                IR

CB          Benjamin Richards        OKL       Shoulder                 IR

WR         Brian Quick                   PIT         MCL                        IR

LB           Preston Brown              TBY        Hernia                      1-2 Weeks

WR         K. J. Hill                      CHA      Toe                         1-2 Weeks

WR         Laviska Shenault            SD          Foot                          1-2 Weeks

OT          Rashawn Slater               PIT         Covid Protocol         1 Week

DOUBTFUL

G            Nick Easton                 NE          Concussion

OT          Justin Pugh                MEM     Concussion

CB          Dre Kirkpatrick                MGN     Elbow

QUESTIONABLE

QB         Kyler Murray                LA          Concussion

LB           Kwon Alexander          NOR      Eye infection

LB           Jamie Collins             NE          Toe

DE          Jerry Hughes                ARZ       Hand

USFL Competition Committee Mulls Changes to Draft for 2023

It appears that the T-Draft critics may well be getting their way, at least in part, as the USFL announced this week that they were giving serious consideration to a proposal to merge the T-Draft and Open Draft into a single event, similar to the NFL Draft. Currently, USFL teams each have 3, and occasionally more, protected schools, from whom they can get exclusive draft rights to 3 players. This system has helped teams bring in local talent for nearly 40 years (with a short period of suspension of the system before it was later restored). The list of USFL stars who came out of the T-Draft is quite extensive, from Arizona State QB Jake Plummer heading to the Wranglers, Memphis landing Tennessee DE Reggie White, and Birmingham constantly stocking their roster with Alabama backs, to 2021 rookies like Cal & Oakland QB Davis Mills, Clemson and Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence, and Penn State and Philadelphia LB Micah Hyde.

But for every team that lives through the Territorial Draft, there is another who feels they get the short end of the deal, teams like Portland, San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver, New Jersey, and Boston who simply don’t have consistent powerhouse programs in their region. The league tried to assist with this by allowing teams 1 non-regional college and by implementing the option to add a 4^th school if there were fewer than 6 players with at least a 6^th round draft grade in their standard 3-school allotment, but that too has not been enough to prevent criticism of the system.

So, what is the USFL proposing in its stead? Essentially an embedding of the T-Draft within the Open Draft. The proposal under consideration would remove the separate T-Draft process, while also removing the protection of players by teams. In its place there would be an expansion of the Open Draft to 8 rounds with a minimum requirement that 2 of the players chosen by any team would have to originate from a protected school. The proposal would also limit teams to 2 FBS schools, with only 1 required to be within 250 miles of the team’s home city. Essentially, this would mean that a team like New Jersey might have to choose between Syracuse and Rutgers, but could then have Kansas State, Wisconsin, or Ole Miss as its 2^nd team, while another, like LA, would likely jump on USC as its first school, but would not be limited to California for its second.

For purists and fans of the T-Draft, this feels very unwelcome. Not only does it reduce the potential for their favorite USFL team to have a strong presence of local talent, but it also forces those teams to risk losing out on top tier local talent in the Open Draft and being forced to use mid-round picks to meet the requirement for 2 players to originate from protected schools. For opponents of the current system, it is about leveling the playing field. No longer would the top talent from Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Michigan, or Ohio State be under the exclusive control of 1 USFL team. It would certainly increase the value of the Open Draft, and of early 1^st round picks, as teams could snap up the star QB or pro-ready DE from Clemson well before Jacksonville got a shot. There is something to be said about that level of parity, but for many the T-Draft has been a boon, not only for their teams, but for the local identities of most USFL clubs.

The proposal will go to the league’s Competition Committee for review, and would not be implemented for 2022, but a positive report out of that committee could mean that the 2023 draft would look very different for the USFL’s 30 franchises.

Harbaugh, Turner, & Coughlin Hoping for a Return

With several USFL coaching positions expected to open up in the next 2 weeks, there is no shortage of coaching talent hoping they will get a call. And while we often talk about the up-and-coming coordinator, or the NFL coach cut loose this fall who gets a gig in January to join spring football, the truth is that there are some pretty talented coaches either sitting a year out or having taken a temporary position after losing their positions. This year, perhaps more than in recent memory, there are more formerly successful USFL coaches available for the team that is looking for someone with a serious USFL pedigree.

John Harbaugh led the Philadelphia Stars for 16 years (2005-2020), racking up 148 wins, 11 playoff appearances and 2 trips to the Summer Bowl in his long tenure. We were honestly surprised that he was not snatched up after he parted ways with the Stars midway through their 2020 campaign. He has not taken on another job since then, though he did have some conversations with NFL teams this Spring. Don’t be surprised if someone jumps at the chance to land a coach with his resume.

Norv Turner’s tenure in New Jersey was neither as long or as successful as Harbaugh’s in Philly, but the offensive minded coach is still considered a strong option and a very viable candidate. Turner spent 7 seasons with the Generals, producing 4 playoff teams and 2 Division Winners in that time. He was a huge factor in the late career domination of HB Maurice Jones-Drew and also proved to be a bit of a QB development guru, two example of his offensive bona fides that may well attract interest this offseason.

Finally, Tom Coughlin was known as the ultimate disciplinarian. His famous rules about arriving ahead of meeting times, about locker room order, and on-field precision were both respected and reviled by players. In 9 seasons with Baltimore and 5 more with Ohio, Coughlin was known for tenacious defenses and smashmouth offenses, though he certainly was not against some gunslinging by his QBs. Coughlin’s style will not be for everyone, and he has yet to produce a league champion, so there is some doubt about whether or not the rigidity and high expectations he brings to his locker room actually produce players motivated to win, but for those who respect the kind of teams he has put together, having Coughlin as an option could be very attractive.

Ohio Glory Reveal 2022 Designs

Our penultimate Under Armour design made its way from the cutting floor to the team showcase this week, with the Ohio Glory revealing their look for 2022 and beyond. As we have come to expect from Ohio, the new look is not a large deviation from past years, with only a few new wrinkles to it. Ohio did not alter their primary logo, though they did tweak their bold-font wordmark, retaining the central image of the star and circle. They did, however, approve a few new features, including the first helmet stripe (of sorts) in team history.

After 25 years of a blue shell with white facemask, Ohio added a string of 5-pointed stars along the center strip of the helmet. There are 17 stars in total, a pretty obvious reference to Ohio as the 17^th state to join the union. Beyond that detail, the helmet is very much the same as in recent years, as is the rest of their primary uniform. The Glory retain a predominantly flag blue uniform, with curved block letters with red trim and a shoulder yoke intersected by red and white stripes. On the home uniform the yoke is only noticeable due to thin white piping that extends from the collar to the cuff, while on the white uniform, the retention of the blue yoke is far more obvious.

The pant sets follow a recent trend of angled horizontal stripes on the sides, rather than the traditional waist-to-knee vertical striping. In Ohio’s case a red-white-red stripe pattern is linked to a blue color block above them, with another 5-pointed star within the blue field. All in all, a very traditional look for a very traditional team, complete with all the patriotic trimmings.

So, did you expect the alternate look for the Glory would deviate from that theme? While the alternate look is certainly a divergence from the Glory’s traditionally blue-dominant design, it is not hard to see that the spirit of the team was retained. The “4^th of July” Alternate features an all-white look, with a lot of red and only a few flashes of blue. The white helmet uses the team’s secondary logo, the “Banner” design that features the state outline of Ohio with a patriotic banner draped across it. It also features the same line of stars, now in blue, and a new feature, red and white striping across the bottom third of the helmet shell, curved to resemble a waving American flag.

The jersey and pants are also white, retaining the same basic features as the primary looks, but with far more red and blue limited to only the number piping, a thin piping line at the base of the yoke, and a pair of stars over each sleeve’s red stripes. White socks with two red stripes complete the look, one that is clearly tied to Ohio’s strong patriotic symbolism, while deviating quite a bit from their primaries. And yes, there is also a throwback look, with Ohio bringing back not only the more traditional jerseys and pants, but the original eagle logo on the team’s blue helmet.

With only 2 weeks left and 8 playoff spots (along with 4 division titles) up for grabs, there are few games this week that don’t hold some form of playoff impact. Both interdivisional games on Friday night will have an impact on the playoff picture, with 12-2 Tampa Bay standing in the way of 8-6 Baltimore’s hopes to rise back into the mix. The Blitz cannot afford a loss, while Tampa Bay has already locked up the 1-seed and could be a bit less motivated than usual in the final 2 games of the season. The ESPN game features two teams at 9-5, both needing a win if they want to land a division title. New Jersey comes off a bad loss to Chicago, the same Chicago club that Michigan is chasing, one game back but holding the tiebreaker (division record) if they can even their record with the Machine’s. This is, for all intents and purposes, a playoff game already.

Saturday features four division games and two interdivision games, with some real impact within them. The best of the Saturday games includes Dallas @ Memphis at noon, with both teams on the verge of elimination if they cannot get the W this week. NBC’s 8pm start has Atlanta @ Orlando in a Southeastern battle for 2^nd place in the division and a Wild Card berth. The ESPN game, also at 8, features a Western Conference showdown as the Seattle Dragons, sitting pretty in the 1-seed, but still not guaranteed home field, need a win, but so too do the Arizona Wranglers, sitting at 9-5 and trailing rival Denver by only one game. Expect this one to have some intensity to it.

Sunday is a bit more low key, but still some games that will impact the playoff scene. Can Ohio knock off Jameis Winston and New England to stay alive? A drop to 7-8 would make a playoff appearance nearly impossible. Fox will broadcast the Philadelphia-Birmingham game, a possible battle of division winners, with the Stars needing a win to pass by the Generals if New Jersey falls to Michigan. Houston has to be worried about their game in New Orleans after the version of Geno Smith who played this week, and Chicago cannot take Washington lightly, even with their mediocre performance this week. A stumble by the Machine and Michigan could leapfrog them for the division title after being all the way down to 4^th place a month ago. Some important games, some very hard-fought battles, that is what awaits us in Week 16.

FRI @ 8pm ET          Tampa Bay (12-2) @ Baltimore (8-6)                        NBC

FRI @ 8pm ET         New Jersey (9-5) @ Michigan (9-5)                         ESPN/EFN

SAT @ 12pm ET      Dallas (7-7) @ Memphis (6-8)                                   ABC

SAT @ 12pm ET      Pittsburgh (7-7) @ St. Louis (4-10)                        FOX

SAT @ 4pm ET        San Diego (3-11) @ Portland (4-10)                      ABC

SAT @ 4pm ET        Denver (10-4) @ Las Vegas (5-9)                            FOX

SAT @ 8pm ET        Atlanta (8-6) @ Orlando (9-5)                                 NBC

SAT @ 8pm ET        Arizona (9-5) @ Seattle (11-3)                                  ESPN/EFN

SUN @ 12pm ET    New England (5-9) @ Ohio (7-7)                              ABC Regional

SUN @ 12pm ET     Charlotte (0-14) @ San Antonio (5-9)                    ABC Regional

SUN @ 12pm ET      Philadelphia (9-5) @ Birmingham (10-4)             FOX

SUN @ 4pm ET      Houston (8-6) @ New Orleans (5-9)                     ABC 

SUN @ 4pm ET      Jacksonville (4-10) @ Los Angeles (7-7)               FOX Regional

SUN @ 4pm ET       Oakland (8-6) @ Oklahoma (5-9)                            FOX Regional

SUN @ 8pm ET        Washington (6-8) @ Chicago (10-4)                       ESPN/EFN