2021 USFL Week 9 Recap: Midseason Report

A return to normalcy? Is that what Week 9 brought us, with Chicago and Tampa Bay easily rebounding from Week 8 upsets, with surging New Jesey and Seattle moving their win totals to 6 in a row, and with big games from big names, primarily Seattle HB Knowshon Moreno, Birmingham QB Cam Newton, and Arizona QB David Carr. After some topsy-turvy weeks, Week 9 felt more like what we expected this season. Sure, we had a couple of upsets (Washington over Ohio and Memphis over New Orleans), but neither were truly shocking when we look at how the teams have been playing. So, a week that helps us feel like order is restored, at least on the field. This was also a week that saw one of the biggest mid-season trades we have seen in a while, with former USFL and NFL All-Stars swapping teams mid-year, with 3 clubs trying to address issues and improve their 2^nd half fortunes. We will start with the 3-way deal as our Big Story, recap the entire week of action, and take a look at what could be an action-packed Memorial Day weekend as 24 teams are in action, and we creep up on Tuesday’s Trade Deadline. It’s all coming up right here, right now.

Outlaws, Steamrollers & Stallions Swing Surprising 3-Way Deal

With the trade deadline only a few days away (Tuesday at noon), we saw one big, and very unexpected deal, as the Oklahoma Outlaws used their bye week to focus on the trading block, to bring Birmingham and New England to the table, and pull off a huge 3-way deal that could well prove helpful to all three. 

It all began with the Outlaws, disturbed by their 30^th ranked rushing offense, producing only 44.8 yards per game. That was not sitting well with Coach Stoops, or with the front office, so they got on the phones, looking to see if a deal could be cut to bring a quality back to OKC in time to perhaps allow Oklahoma to get into a very tight Southwestern Division race. With Jalen Hurts looking like a possible MVP candidate in only his first full season as the starter, Oklahoma wanted to support their budding star and provide some balance to an offense that was very much overdependent on their sophomore QB.

The Outlaws reached out to multiple teams, hoping to find one who felt their running back duo would work better as a single-back structure. There were calls made to Atlanta, Chicago, Jacksonville, and New Orleans, but no bites. But, on a whim, Oklahoma reached out to the New England Steamrollers. The Rollers had spent a fortune bringing former Skyhawk HB Eddie Lacy in this offseason, only to see the back struggling behind a somewhat makeshift line in Foxboro. With QB Ryan Tannehill not progressing as Coach Fox would like, the offense was far too dependent on Lacy, and defenses knew it. Coach Stoops struck a nerve with the Steamrollers. They had sunk money into Lacy, but what they needed was another option at QB. That was not going to be Jalen Hurts, that was for sure, but perhaps Mason Rudolph would provide New England with a reason to move Lacy.

No deal, Rudolph, while a solid backup, was not exactly the kind of name that Steamroller GM Kyle Smith could sell to his coach or to the fans as a good deal for Lacy. Nope, if Oklahoma wanted to deal, they would have to find a better option, someone the Steamrollers could bring in as a potential starter, immediate competition for Tannehill. Oklahoma hit the phones, and he found the QB he wanted, another recent signing, much like Lacy in New England. That player was former NFL All-Pro Jameis Winston.

Winston had been brought to Birmingham as insurance if Cam Newton struggled, but the Stallion QB had flourished in 2021, himself now an MVP candidate as he led the Stallion offensive resurgence. But what did Birmingham want? Defensive help, that was the key for Coach Haley. The Stallion defense had been porous all season, one of the reasons Birmingham had traded for FS David McCarter only a week earlier. McCarter was a start, but the Stallions wanted more. They would be open to trading Winston if they felt they could upgrade on defense.

The three GMs got on a conference call that apparently went back and forth for over 3 hours, each team pausing to debate value, to determine what was possible and what was a non-starter. But, by 8pm on Wednesday a deal was cut. Six players, two draft picks, a 3-way swap of talent with 1 player from each team going to each of the other teams, and a pair of 3^rd round picks helping New England feel validated in giving up their starting halfback.

Oklahoma would get the big back they coveted, receiving Eddie Lacy from the Steamrollers, and absorbing the full cost of his 2021 Free Agency deal, the deal New England had touted only months earlier. They would also pick up a second option at the HB position, Birmingham’s Rex Burkhead, a solid blocker and outstanding 3^rd down option whose place in the Stallion RB room had been diminished with the drafting of Najee Harris. Two backs to bolster the Oklahoma corral. 

Those additions made Justice Hill expendable. The former OK State back who had rushed for 482 yards in 2020 would be headed to New England, where he will cycle with former Stallion T. J. Yeldon in the Steamroller backfield. But getting a warm body to replace Lacy was just a side dish to the main course, bringing in a legitimate challenger to Ryan Tannehill. That would come in the form of Stallion import Jameis Winston. The former starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had yet to take a regular season snap after signing with the team in February. But, in 5 years with the Buccaneers, the UCF product had thrown for nearly 20,000 yards and over 100 touchdowns. Sure, he had some issues with picks, including an infamous 30-interceptoin season in 2020, but he was a pure gunslinger, the kind that USFL fans loved to have hurling up long bombs.

So, a surefire lead back for the Outlaw attack, taking pressure off Jalen Hurts and making the Outlaws a far more balanced offense. A potential superstar QB for the Steamrollers, one who, if he could pick up the playbook quickly, could help New England make the case for season ticket holders to stay on board for 2022. But what about the Stallions? They were the only one of the three that was already in a solid playoff position, only 1 game behind Houston in a Southern Division race that felt very good about. How did they benefit?

Many might say that the Stallions benefited most from the deal. Not only did they give up a disgruntled former lead back in Burkhead, but they freed up a ton of money at the QB position, one still staffed by a potential MVP candidate in Newton, and with a very viable and fan-friendly backup in Tim Tebow. But they also added two potential impact players on defense. The first was New England rookie LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. JOK was a player Birmingham had high on their draft board, a 2-year starter out of Notre Dame who New England had selected with their first round pick, a pick they acquired from Birmingham in trade. Now Birmingham would get their player of choice after all. In his rookie year, JOK had already started to make plays on the field for New England, but he was stuck behind Junior Galette on the depth chart. In Birmingham he would move immediately to a starting role, taking the weakside role while Reggie Ragland moved inside.

But even bigger moves were in the minds of Stallion’s GM Ryan Cowden. Cowden wanted a corner, but not any corner, a true shut down corner. He wanted Pacman Jones, the extroverted, sometimes distracting, All-USFL corner form the Outlaws. The push for Jones was credited as the reason for the length of the negotiation, with Cowden unwilling to back down from his desire for the veteran. Jones, already in his 11^th USFL season, would be an immediate boost to the Stallions, while Oklahoma had already moved in another direction, landing Xavien Howard in free agency in 2019 and securing Isaiah Oliver from LA in free agency this year. Surely, they could let Jones go for what could be the final few years of his career.

It was a heated back and forth, and in the end, Birmingham had to throw in Burkhead to sweeten the pot, but they got their man. Adam “Pacman” Jones would be a Stallion. In the course of 3 weeks, Birmingham had added an All-USFL corner, a first round draft pick at LB and a new starting free safety. They had added 3 potential impact players to a defense that certainly needed the help, giving up only a backup QB and a disgruntled former lead back who now was a role player for them. By all accounts, the Stallions got themselves a very good deal. Oklahoma too has to be happy with what they now have on board, a starting HB with five 1,000-yard seasons under his belt and a penchant for grinding out those tough 3^rd and short plays. They also landed a talented back who could bolster their 3^rd down options and who could help protect Jalen Hurts as a shotgun chipper. So, two teams very happy. What about New England?

The Steamrollers are the team with the biggest question mark in the deal. Yes, they now have a talented QB on their squad, one who almost certainly could usurp Ryan Tannehill by season’s end, but Winston is also a QB with a lot of questions. He essentially ran himself out of Tampa Bay with his 30-pick season, and while he also had some eye-popping games in the NFL, fans may well struggle to accept that he was worth giving up a former All-USFL halfback and a first round choice at linebacker. The Steamrollers were concerned about the impact of the deal on their 2021 season, but they also valued what might be possible in 2022, and that is why they fought long and hard to get some draft capital in the deal. The eventual deal got them that as well, with both Oklahoma and Birmingham chipping in a 3^rd round pick in the 2022 draft to get the deal done. That “add on” means the Steamrollers will have 3 picks in the round, which almost certainly will be used to move up, possibly giving them a 2^nd pick late in the 1^st or early in the 2^nd round, all needed for a team trying to build a competitive roster 2 years after expansion.

The final question for Coach Fox and the Steamroller offense is just what their run game would now become. New England will very likely rotate Justice Hill in with T. J. Yeldon, creating more of a backfield by committee, but there is little doubt that In the short term the New England attack is going to recess, which is scary to say for a team that is currently dead last in points per game at only 11.5 on average. The Steamrollers very much feel like a team trying to reinvent themselves in only their 2^nd year of existence. The move to sign Lacy was seen as a step forward, but now it seems that Coach Fox is spinning his wheels, trying anything to make change for change’s sake. So, what is the plan?

Let’s assume that Winston pans out and the Steamrollers can go into 2022 with a solid QB position, perhaps even a dynamic one that could help them do more on offense. They will need to address the run game once again. Do they have a plan there? The 2022 HB Draft Class has a few intriguing names, including Iowa State’s Breece Hall, Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker, and Georgia’s James Cook, but New England certainly does not have a bead on any of those rookies. In our eyes, the Steamrollers are putting a lot of faith into Fox and his desire for a QB who can deliver. They have the biggest risk of failure of the three involved in this deal, and you know that the newly activated New England fanbase will notice if Lacy and JOK prove to be big bonuses for their new teams while the Steamrollers likely run out the string in 2021 with a QB battle as their top story.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS 24  DENVER GOLD 17

There is nothing quite like a rivalry game to bring out the best in teams. And while Denver-Houston is no longer a divisional rivalry, with the Gamblers relocating from the Southwest to the South, there is still a lot of bad blood between these two from the decades of Southwest Division clashes. So, what we got at Empower Field was a back-and-forth battle between two teams that have been going at it since 1984.

This iteration of the longstanding battle was a balanced affair, with both offenses and defenses having their moments as the score swung first to Houston, then to Denver, before Houston climbed back in the 4^th quarter to claim the win. We saw good QB play, with Colt McCoy throwing for 3 scores while Josh Allen threw for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns. We saw two receivers at the top of their games, as Mike Evans caught 6 for 111 and a score while Golden Tate brought in 6 of 9 targets for 137 and a pair of scores. We also saw outstanding defense, from Houston’s Emmanuel Ogbah rushing Allen to Artie Burns picking off McCoy to end a drive. There was a little of everything in this one.

The game started with Denver taking the ball but failing to convert on a 3^rd and 8 after an initial first down. On Houston’s first possession, McCoy found Evans for a 33-yarder, then came back to JuJu Smith=Schuster, putting the first points on the board with a 25-yard strike to the younger of his two main receivers. Houston took a 7-0 lead into the 2^nd quarter, but it was Denver who controlled the next 15 minutes, first putting 3 on the board with a 47-yard Zeurlein kick, and then taking the lead with a 14-play drive that finished with Josh Allen finding Golden Tate for the score with 1:57 left to play. Houston got the ball before the half and had Younghoe Koo in position for a 46-yarder, but the swirling winds in Denver helped push the ball to the right and Houston had to settle for a 10-7 deficit at the half.

With neither team able to establish much on the ground (Hyde went 14 for 51 while Phillip Lindsay struggled to only 25 yards on the day) it was up to the two quarterbacks. In the third quarter it was Allen who got the better of the defense, connecting with Darnell Mooney for 20 before finding Tate once again, this time from 27 yards out, for the veteran receiver’s 2^nd TD on the day. Denver held a 10-point lead as the 4^th quarter began, but the 4^th would prove to be all about Houston on both sides of the ball.

The final period began with Colt McCoy leading a 9-play TD drive, hitting Denzel Mims on 2^nd and goal from the 7 to pull the Gamblers back within 3. The defense next made their play as Ogbah and DT Ed Oliver closed in on Allen, who forced a poor throw in the middle, a throw picked off by FS Marcus Epps. That mistake would immediately lead to points as Houston got into position and Koo hit on a 38-yarder to level the score at 17 with 8:22 left to play. Time for either team to get a shot at the win.

Denver received the kick and moved the ball well, but a holding call on 3^rd and 3 turned it into a 3^rd and 13. Josh Allen tried to connect with TE T. J. Hockenson, but the pass was broken up by Houston LB Eric Wilson. The Gold punted the ball back to the Gamblers with 5:17 left to play. Houston would start their drive cautiously, a short pass to TE Tony Moeaki, followed by a Hyde rush for 3 to gain their first new set of downs on the drive. McCoy then found Gerald Everett for 17, Smith-Schuster for another 11, and then the backbreaker, a 33-yard slant-go route by Mike Evans allowed McCoy to throw a perfect breadbasket lob that Evans brought in and strode into the endzone for 6.

Down 24-17 with just under 2 minutes to play, there was still time for Allen and the Gold to even the score and take the game to overtime. They took the kickoff at the 24 after a solid return by returner Terrance Williams. On first and 10, Allen found Tate for the 6^th time in the game, a medium route that produced 14 yards thanks to Tate’s yards after catch. But that would be the last completion on the drive. On 1^st and 10 Allen missed Mooney on an out. 2^nd down saw Allen under pressure, sacked by Ed Oliver on an attempted scramble. Third and 12 was a deep shot to Tate, but he was double covered. That left 4^th and 12 and Houston called up a blitz. The blitzers did not get to Allen, but they did force an early throw, one that sailed over the head of Hockenson, turning the ball over to the Gamblers, who would run out the clock for their 6^th victory of the year, sending Denver to 6-3 with the loss.

NEW ORLEANS 9  MEMPHIS 18

J. J. Watt and the Memphis defense apparently have had enough criticism and decided to show us they are capable of dominating a game. The Showboats offense was all but absent (racking up only 142 yards of total offense), but with Geno Smith picked off twice, sacked 5 times, including a safety from Watt, and limited to only 2 of 12 on 3^rd down, the Boats still earned the W. The only TD of the game was a Todd Gurley run in the 1^st quarter, otherwise a day for kickers and for the Showboat D.

POTG: Memphis DE J. J. Watt: 7 Tck, 1 TFL, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty

SAN ANTONIO 10  BALTIMORE 19

The Gunslingers played Baltimore tough but just could not muster enough offense to overcome a 16-7 deficit. San Antonio’s D held Josh Jacobs to only 2.6 YPC but he still managed 74 yards and helped put Baltimore in position for 4 field goals. Jake Locker hit Michael Pittman for the Blitz’s only touchdown, while Joe Flacco’s 1^st quarter TD to Julius Thomas was the high point for the Gunslinger offense in this defensive matchup.

POTG: Baltimore LB Anthony Hitchens: 7 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 PDef

LAS VEGAS 34  BIRMINGHAM 37

A shootout in Protective Stadium saw the two clubs combine for over 1,000 yards of offense (Birmingham 533, Las Vegas 468). Cam Newton proved that Justin Fields is not the only dual threat QB in the league, rushing for 118 yards and 3 scores while throwing for 385 and a TD, but Las Vegas simply would not go away. Down 37-20 in the 4^th, Matt McGloin connected with Kenny Galloday and Kareem Hunt for late scores, but it was just not enough as Birmingham held on to win a thriller.

POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 14/24, 385 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 10 Att, 118 Yds, 3 TD

NEW ENGLAND 10  CHICAGO 37

Chicago rebounded from their first loss of the season by taking care of business in front of a sellout crowd at Soldier Field. The defense held Eddie Lacy to 32 yards rushing while holding New England without a TD until late in garbage time. Sam Bradford had a day himself, completing 15 of 22 and throwing 3 touchdowns before taking a rest in the 4^th as Mike Kafka came in. Chicago went up 14-0 on TDs from Maron Mack and TE Druham Smythe and never looked back, building up a 37-3 lead by the time the backups were swapped in early in the 4^th.

POTG: Chicago LB Kevin Minter: 11 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 PDef

PORTLAND 17  ST. LOUIS 37

A truly poor showing for the Stags as 1-win St. Louis dominated at home. Lamar Jackson threw for 3 scores and ran for another as the Skyhawks had their most complete game of the year. The defense picked off Marcus Mariota twice, held rookie Javontae Williams to only 22 yards rushing, and helped set up short fields for the offense all day. Deionte Johnson caught 4 for 120 and a score for the Skyhawks, who improved to 2-6 with the win.

POTG: Skyhawk QB Lamar Jackson: 13/27, 277 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Int, 15 Att, 47 Yds, 1 TD

PHILADELPHIA 24  NEW JERSEY 34

The Generals doubled up their advantage on rival Philadelphia, knocking off the Stars for the 2^nd time in 4 weeks. Nick Foles showed up big, throwing for 338 yards and 3 scores against the Stars defense, while Carter and Pollard combined for 151 yards on the ground. Philadelphia relied heavily on Derrick Henry, rushing for 93 yards, but as they fell behind in the 2^nd half, Carson Wentz could not rally the Stars as the Jersey D held him to 8 of 19 in the 2^nd half.

POTG: Generals’ QB Nick Foles: 23/35, 338 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int

ARIZONA 41  DALLAS 28

A 14-14 game at the half, David Carr took over in the 2^nd half, putting up TD passes to Tonyan, Aiyuk, and Cruz on his way to 371 yards and 5 total TDs. The highlight was a 98-yard TD toss to Brandon Aiyuk from deep in his own endzone as Carr took advantage of the Dallas secondary all game long. Justin Herbert tried to rally the Roughnecks, throwing for 384 and 3 scores, but it was not enough as Arizona took the important divisional matchup to move above .500 at 5-4.

POTG: Wrangler QB David Carr: 20/34, 371 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int

OHIO 11  WASHINGTON 26

The Federals followed their upset of Atlanta with an equally impressive home victory over a very good Ohio squad. Having seen what Justin Fields did last week, the Feds stayed in nickel defense all game, using safety Rafael Bush and LB Joe Giles-Harris as spies on Fields, and sending DE Bradley Chubb after the Ohio QB like a guided missile. The strategy paid off, with the Ohio QB rushing 12 times for negative 6 yards, a stunning turnaround. Despite throwing 3 picks in the game, Jacoby Brissett got the W thanks to TD runs from Travis Etienne and Darrynton Evans.

POTG: Federal DE Bradley Chubb: 9 Tck, 6 TFL, 1 Sck

LOS ANGELES 3  PITTSBURGH 17

Kyler Murray is at risk of losing his job after going 8 of 25 against the Maulers, suffering 6 sacks and throwing for only 124 yards. The Mauler D dominated the game, holding the Express to a lone field goal, and shutting them out for the final 3 quarters of action. LA finished with only 184 total yards and 6 first downs in one of the worst offensive performances in recent memory. The Mauler offense was not exactly electrifying, but with TDs from Adam Thielen and Sony Michel they had more than enough in this one to improve to 5-3 on the year.

POTG: Mauler DE Vic Beasley: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF

SAN DIEGO 13  OAKLAND 20

This was a good one, a California Derby that was tight throughout as both clubs slugged at each other for 60 minutes. A Luke Wilson TD from Ponder in the 3^rd gave San Diego a 13-10 lead, but Oakland scored the final 10 points in the game, and held of San Diego late, holding the Thunder on 4^th and 8 on their final possession to preserve the win. DaVante Adams had a very strong game for the Invaders, catching 8 of 12 targets for 101 yards and a 2^nd quarter TD as Oakland improves to 5-3.

POTG: Invader WR DaVante Adams: 8 Rec, 101 Yds, 1 TD

SEATTLE 31  MICHIGAN 17

Michigan’s losing streak grows to 4 games, including 3 at home as the Dragons shut out the Panthers in the 2^nd half, turning a 24-17 halftime lead into a 14-point victory. Knowshon Moreno was the better of the two backs, outgaining LeVeon Bell 146-66 and providing 3 of the Dragons’ 4 touchdowns on the day. TE Kyle Rudolph went over 100 yards on 5 receptions, and the Seattle defense sacked Kirk Cousins 4 times, producing a pick and a fumble from the Michigan QB as Michigan drops to 4-4 after their initial 4-0 start to the year.

POTG: Seatle HB Knowshon Moreno: 21 Att, 146 Yds, 3 TD

Moreno’s Big Day Powers Dragons to 1st in Pacific

2007. That was the last time the Seattle Dragons stood atop the Pacific Division as division champs. Nine weeks into the 2021 season and Seattle is in a very unfamiliar spot, looking down on the other 4 clubs in their division. With a 6-2 record, Seattle holds a 1-game lead over Oakland, and 3 games up on last year’s champions, the 3-5 LA Express. So, what has given the Dragons the advantage this year? Defense and a tailback with a lot to prove.

Seattle’s D is currently among the Top 5 in both yards and rushing yards allowed. They sit 6^th in the league, allowing 16.4 points per game, but their best number is their rushing offense, where they are second only to the surprising New Jersey Generals. Seattle, with 1,001 yards as a team and a very solid 4.6 YPC is among the best in the USFL at using the ground game to their advantage. And at the center of that is their lead back, Knowshon Moreno.

Moreno’s 756 yards place him 2^nd in the league rushing rankings, behind only Baltimore’s Josh Jacobs, but his 4.1 YPC average is the best in the USFL at the midpoint of the season. The former Orlando Renegade is once again looking to be better this year than the year before. This has been a trend for Moreno since he arrived in the Pacific Northwest. After gaining 760 yards in his final year in Orlando, he began his time with the Dragons by barely missing out on a 1,000-yard season, gaining 931 yards in 13 games in 2018. The next year he played 14 games, rushing for 1,188 yards. In 2020 he topped that, healthy for all 16 games, he helped lead Seattle to the playoffs at 10-6 with 1,240 yards and a career-best 12 touchdowns. So far in 2021, he appears ready to do even more. He is on pace for a 1,500-yard season, and his Dragons are sitting at 6-2 after 8 games, hoping not only for a return to postseason action, but their first division crown in 14 years.

Generals Win Streak Reaches 6 Games

No team is hotter right now than the New Jersey Generals, winners of 6 in a row, and coming of a sweep of their archrival, Philadelphia, a sweep that now gives them a definitive tiebreaker should the two finish the regular season tied atop the Northeast. The Generals’ success is not what most of us saw coming this offseason, or what we saw in the season’s opening weeks, when New Jersey was demolished by Baltimore 24-7 in the opener and then lost at home to New Orleans. And on the road in San Antonio. Sitting at 0-3, and having already made a change at QB, things did not look good for the Generals. What was worse, their newly anointed starter, Teddy Bridgewater, lasted all of 5 quarters before being lost for the season. Replacing Nick Foles for the start in Week 3, Bridgewater threw 2 picks as New Jersey lost to the expansion Gunslingers. His next game would be worse, a back injury that would cost him the season.

Back the Generals turned to QB Nick Foles, who had started the two opening weeks, struggling with 5 picks to only 2 TDs in the first two losses of the year. But something had changed, a focus, or a turn of luck perhaps, because Foles came into the Week 4 game against St. Louis and rallied the Generals to their first win. They would go on to beat the Steamrollers the next week, and then the real surprise. New Jersey went to Philadelphia to face the unbeaten Stars, and they shocked everyone, blowing out the Stars 47-9 as Delone Carter and Tony Pollard combined for 154 yards and 2 scores. The next week it was another takedown of New England, this time in the Meadowlands, a 26-3 demolition. In week 8 they headed to Tampa Bay to face yet another unbeaten team, the 6-1 Bandits. But by now, the team’s confidence was fueling something special.

New Jersey dominated Tampa Bay as they had the Stars. They would win by 14, with the run game again leading the way, Pollard and Carter combining for 156 yards in this one. This week it was Philadelphia again and once more it was New Jersey proving they were a team to be reckoned with, defeating Philadelphia 34-24. The Generals now have a real shot at taking back the Northeast Division, a division they last won in 2018. They are doing it in much the same way Seattle is leading the Pacific, a solid team defense and a run game that is surprising many and forcing teams to adjust their expectations.

Hurts Wants Individual Accolades to Turn to Wins

With the Outlaws engaging in a major trade this week, a trade designed to provide a solid run game to their offense, it seems Coach Stoops is not content to muddle along, even with a QB playing about as well as any in the league. And that sits just fine with that QB, sophomore starter Jalen Hurts. The former Alabama signal caller who spent his last season just down the road in Norman saw himself raised to the top position in this week’s midseason QB Ratings. He currently ranks 6^th in passing yards, 2^nd in TDs to Josh Allen, and has the league’s best QB rating among eligible candidates, sitting at 117.4. But for Hurts, this does not matter much when his Outlaw team is mired at 3-4, looking up at 3 teams ahead of them in the standings.

“I am happy to be seen as a good player,” said the 2^nd year QB, “but that only really matters if the team is winning.” Hurts cited his rapport with receivers Nick Toon and Mark Andrews as big reasons for his 2021 success. He lamented the loss of DeDe Westbrook to injury but praised the contributions of Justin Hunter and newly arrived target Allen Lazard, acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh. As for the latest trade, the one that now brings halfbacks Eddie Lacy and Rex Burkhead to the Outlaws, Hurts seemed over the moon. “I love that our team is not satisfied, that we want to do and be more, because that is exactly how I feel.” Hurts declared when asked about the deal. The Outlaws had the week off for their bye and could come out Week 10 against Dallas with a very different look. That could be vital as they face the Roughnecks and Denver Gold in back-to-back divisional games to start the second half of their season.

A rough week, with higher numbers than we have seen in the past month, and two more IR additions, as several teams are now looking a bit depleted, including Dallas, who loses three players for Week 9, including one gone of for up to 2 months an another for up to a month. Throw in some pretty lengthy lists of players who are either doubtful or questionable this week, including Portland HB Doug Martin and LA edge rusher Nick Bosa, and you have a week that few GMs want to see.

OUT

OT      Christian Darrisaw   NOR      Torn ACL               IR

CB          Benjamin Richards  OKL       Neck                       IR

WR         Chad Williams         DAL       Broken Arm              6-8 Weeks

CB          Scott Whitmore       DAL       Groin tear                4-6 Weeks

CB          Nate Hairston         WSH     Shoulder                  4-6 Weeks

WR         Doug Baldwin         NE          Torn Quad             4-6 Weeks

SS           Budda Baker            HOU     ACL Strain                1-2 Weeks

C             Keith Ismael           DAL       Hamstring                 1-2 Weeks

OT          David Tremblay       DEN      Thigh                     1-2 Weeks

LB           Jamie Collins          NE          Ribs                           1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

SS           Caden Sterns            ARZ       Shoulder

DT          Dontari Poe                   MGN     Migraines

SS           Damar Hamlin             PIT         Concussion

HB         Doug Martin                   POR      Shoulder

G            Conner McGovern         STL         Patella

DE          Nick Bosa                         LA          Concussion

QUESTIONABLE

FB          Reggie Gilliam                 ATL         Finger

G            Dan Feeney                     BAL        Hamstring

OT          James Hurst                  PIT         Hamstring

FS           Derek Jordan                 NE          Concussion

Preseason Picks Revised

We tell you every year not to “bet the ranch” on any of our preseason picks, and we hope you did not this year, because while we got some things right (Tampa Bay staying elite, for example), we did not see a lot of what has happened this year as possible. Did you really see Philadelphia as a 6-2 team at the midway point? Ohio as competing for the Central? Memphis collapsing? We don’t think you did. So, let’s revisit our preseason picks and see what we think might need to be adjusted.

NORTHEAST

Preseason Picks: We picked Baltimore as the cream of a pretty weak crop.

Revisions: The Blitz have not been as dominant as we expected, with both Philadelphia and New Jersey surprising us with their defensive quality and their ability to avoid self-inflicted wounds. We think that the Blitz can still claim the division, but only if they can get a bit more going on offense. If not, we think it is New Jersey, with Philadelphia and Baltimore possibly claiming Wild Cards.

SOUTHEAST

Preseason Picks: We had this as a 2-team race between Tampa Bay and Atlanta, with Orlando possibly making some noise.

Revisions: This is perhaps the division that has stuck most closely to our preseason outlook. Tampa Bay looks dominant; Atlanta has potential and is in position to finish 2^nd. Orlando is clearly the 3^rd best team but may not be good enough to reach the postseason, while Jacksonville and winless Charlotte are very likely headed towards another long offseason.

SOUTH

Preseason Picks: We saw the South as a very balanced and competitive division, expecting a 3-way battle between Houston, Memphis, and New Orleans.

Revisions: While we did cite Birmingham as a possible interloper in the mix, we did not think they would be as impressive as they have been this year. Most of that is Cam being Cam, but the defense is coming along, and the team continues to add pieces to improve it. With Memphis seemingly in utter freefall and New Orleans looking very vulnerable, we could well see a 2-team race between the Gamblers and the upstart Stallions. Both could, and should, make the postseason.

CENTRAL

Preseason Picks: We liked Chicago and Pittsburgh as contenders, with Michigan still very much in the mix, and that is the case today.

Revisions: What we did not see is a rapidly improving Ohio Glory squad joining the fray. That is 4 teams fighting for perhaps only 2 playoff spots. After 8 weeks, what is perhaps most surprising is that of the 4, Michigan appears to be in the most trouble. We could easily see them finish 4^th in a division they have dominated in recent years.

SOUTHWEST

Preseason Picks: We said this division was ripe for the picking, looking at Dallas and Oklahoma as possible contenders to dethrone the Wranglers.

Revisions: We got it right that the division would be far more competitive. Right now, we have 4 teams at or above .500 all 5 teams still very much alive in the hunt. The surprise was that we thought Denver would be trailing behind and it turns out they are the frontrunners. This one is far too early to call, with even 3-5 Oklahoma still potentially in the mix. Las Vegas is better than expected, Arizona has not been the same on defense, and Denver has shown some issues, so keep your eyes on this one, it could go down to the wire.

PACIFIC

Preseason Picks: We had bought into LA as a new power in the West and we liked what Portland was putting together, with Seattle always in the mix.

Revisions: Seattle is very much in the mix, but both Portland and LA have been major disappointments. We think Oakland is doing better than expected, but we think Seattle certainly has the upper hand, with a cluster of teams possibly already in Wild Card mode. Of the 4 remaining, we think Oakland, and then perhaps LA have a realistic shot to finish in the playoff mix, but only if both can find more offensive firepower to go with their shut down defenses.

SUMMER BOWL PICK

Our original pick was for the Bandits to repeat as champions by holding off Justin Herbert and the Dallas Roughnecks. We still very much like Tampa Bay in the East, though it won’t be the cakewalk that some thought this offseason. In the West, we would like to revise a bit, as we now feel like Dallas has not put all the pieces together, whereas Chicago very much has. So, our new pick is for Tampa Bay, with a healthy Dak Prescott back under center, to repeat, but to deal with a very tough Chicago Machine defense in Summer Bowl 2021.

Award Races Revised

Our divisional picks were not the only ones to fall far from reality as the season has progressed. We made our picks for the 2021 Award Winners largely based on 2020 results, and those have not held as the new season got underway. Some players are dealing with injuries, others are simply not producing at the same level, while some new faces have certainly made an impact this year. We are still several weeks from any real sense of where things will fall, but we think it makes sense to reevaluate where the races stand right now, so here are our modified picks for each of the league’s 5 major awards.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Preseason Picks: QB Dak Prescott (TBY), QB David Carr (ARZ), QB Justin Herbert (DAL)

Current Picks: QB Cam Newton (BIR), QB Josh Allen (DEN), QB Jalen Hurts (OKL)

If there has been one emerging theme to the 2021 season it is that a new generation of QBs, particularly dual threat QBs, is coming into shape. At the midpoint of the season, we are looking at three such QBs as potential MVPS, with the veteran Cam Newton taking center stage right now, but followed closely by Denver’s Josh Allen and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. All three are among the league leaders in yards, TDs and QB rating, and while one of the preseason picks could rise up, we think we could be looking at a new MVP QB in 2021, perhaps even a full changing of the guard.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Preseason Picks: HB LeVeon Bell (MGN), WR Jordy Nelson (NOR), HB Todd Gurley (MEM)

Current Picks: HB Knowshon Moreno (SEA), WR Golden Tate (DEN), HB Dalvin Cook (TBY)

Michigan’s Bell seemed a pretty solid pick going into the year, but the Panthers’ offensive issues have hindered Bell’s effectiveness, while others like Cook, Moreno, and Tate have risen up, buoyed by strong all around offensive performances by their clubs. We see Moreno as the frontrunner right now, but both of the others listed could certainly surge as their teams push for the playoffs.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Preseason picks: DE Calais Campbell (BAL), DE Montez Sweat (ORL), DE Bud DuPree (ARZ)

Current picks: DE J. J. Watt (MEM), CB Aqib Talib (NJ), CB Joe Haden (ARZ)

Let’s not count out Calais Campbell quite yet. He is in range to catch up to Watt in sacks, and Baltimore certainly needs him to have a strong 2^nd half. Watt may be hindered by Memphis’s overall performance, as it is rare to see a DPOTY on a non-playoff team. That may well be exactly what pushes Talib into the forefront, as the best defensive player on a pretty good New Jersey defense.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Preseason picks: QB Trevor Lawrence (JAX), HB Najee Harris (BIR), HB Travis Etienne (WSH)

Current picks: QB Justin Fields (OHI), QB Trevor Lawrence (JAX), HB Travis Etienne (WSH)

We are not sure if we just were not sold on Fields or on Ohio as a team in our preseason picks, but after the games he has put up, and with Ohio currently 2 games over .500, we think Fields is the frontrunner right now. He has already set some single game records, and we could see him challenge for the all-time season record for rushing yards by a QB. If he hits that mark, and if Ohio gets into the postseason in his rookie campaign, then we think Fields is a runaway winner here.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Preseason picks: Skip Holtz (PIT), Kliff Kingsbury (DAL), Jay Gruden (OHI)

Current picks: Dan Quinn (PHI), Jay Gruden (OHI), Lovie Smith (CHI)

In our season preview, we said COTY might well be a first-year coach but then offered 2 returning coaches as front runners. After 8 games, we feel that there is an almost certainty that a first-year coach will walk away with the award, with Philadelphia’s Dan Quinn and Ohio’s Jay Gruden looking very promising. If either can win their division or even get to 10 wins and a playoff berth, with the years they had in 2020, that would certainly be worthy of the award. If both falter in the second half, we think Lovie Smith deserves some attention for what he has built in Chicago.

Five Players to Watch in 2nd Half

For most teams we are 8 games into a 16-game schedule, some are already 9 games in with a bye coming up shortly. So, we largely know who the impact players are and who has it all working. So, for our look at the 2^nd half of the season, we wanted to highlight 5 players who could see a dramatic uptick in their use, value, and production in the season’s 2^nd half. These are players who have not yet made a splash but will almost certainly be called on to do so over the final 9 weeks of action.

QB Blake Bortles (MEM)

Far be it from us to call for a QB change, especially with the year Paxton Lynch put in last year, but we feel the rumblings in Memphis as the Showboats are struggling on offense and in the win-loss column. Just compare the numbers from last year to this year. After 8 games, Lynch now has a completion % 7 points lower than in 2021, he is more than halfway towards the 2021 total of 10 picks, with 6 already, but nowhere near halfway to last year’s 27 touchdowns, with only 8 on the year. Will Coach Ryan go to the NFL import to gain a spark? Maybe not this week, but if the Showboats drop to 4-6 or 4-7, we think Bortles will be called upon.

HB T. J. Yeldon (NE)

With the Steamrollers taking the deal to acquire Jameis Winston and a pair of draft picks, Eddie Lacy is gone, and that means that former Stallion T. J. Yeldon is the most likely to be asked to pick up the slack. Yes, he will almost certainly split carries with newly acquired Justice Hill and with short-yardage specialist Robert Foster, but this is a chance for Yeldon, who has not been a lead back in the USFL since 2017 in Birmingham; to prove he still has some fire in the belly.

WR Nick Toon (OKL)

The Outlaws added two backs to their offense this week, which is sure to alter their offensive scheme moving forward, and with Westbrook lost for the season, the player who could benefit from a shift to more play action, and more single coverage, is certainly Toon. The 9-year veteran has already seen his targets increase after the Westbook injury, but now we expect those targets to be more productive and more advantageous. Toon is already on pace for a career best in receptions and touchdowns, and we think that if Oklahoma finds the success running that they hope for, he could benefit even more and have a monster 2^nd half.

LB Tremaine Edwards (WSH)

Washington’s often-criticized defense has started to show some signs of improvement, holding Ohio to only 11 points this week and limiting Justin Fields at the same time. If they can continue to improve on 3^rd down, Edwards could finally start to get some recognition for the quality of his game. He is on pace for a third consecutive 100-tackle season, and already has 2 sacks on the year, so a career best is very possible there as well. Of course, the key is whether the Federals can build some consistency and make big plays when called upon.

CB A. J. Bouye (ARZ)

With Joe Haden a potential DPOTY candidate, leading the league with 6 picks in only 8 games, it is easy to understand why the former Stag and Mauler, A. J. Bouye, might not be getting the attention he deserves. But Bouye is seeing a lot of throws as teams try to avoid Haden, and he is making QBs pay as well. The veteran corner has 3 picks and 8 pass defenses already. He is also 3^rd on the Wranglers with 40 tackles in 8 weeks and could see even more attention if teams continue to avoid throwing in Haden’s direction.

The last of the large bye weeks, with only 2 teams left on break after Week 10, we will have another 12-game weekend in the USFL. This week, the league has 2 games set for Friday night and both are divisional matchups you won’t want to miss. On NBC we have a huge one to determine the Central Division as 7-1 Chicago can all but remove 4-4 Michigan as a threat with a win, but going into Ford Field is no easy task, even for the talented Machine. On ESPN and EFN it will be a Southwest showdown as the retooled Oklahoma Outlaws look to debut their new run game and HB Eddie Lacy against rival Dallas. The Roughnecks may not have any new faces, but they are hoping to use home field to spoil the debut for the new Outlaws.

Saturday also features a pair of high-stakes divisional matchups, with Pittsburgh heading to Ohio in a battle of 5-3 teams at 4pm on ABC. That will be followed by ESPN’s night game, where Birmingham heads down to New Orleans hoping to improve to 6-3 and help take the Breakers out of the mix in the South. On Sunday, we have 4 divisional games, featuring 4 of the 5 Southeaster teams facing off after their bye weeks. It will be 4-4 Orlando heading up to Atlanta to face the 5-4 Fire, while Jacksonville, fresh off their first win of the season and with an extra week to prepare, faces a huge challenge in the form of the visiting Tampa Bay Bandits.

Also on tap Sunday, we have Houston traveling to San Antonio in a Lonestar affair in the South, while Oakland heads up the coast to Portland, where the 2-6 Stags are reeling after their loss to St. Louis this week. We wrap it all up with a matchup of two teams that could be in the same division, but aren’t, when LA travels across the desert to take on the Las Vegas Vipers, still unbeaten at home. Las Vegas is sitting at 4-4 at the midway point and they are hoping that their new arrival, WR John Ross, can help them overcome that nasty Express defense.

FRI @ 8pm ET      Chicago (7-1) @ Michigan (4-4)                   NBC

FRI @ 8pm ET       Oklahoma (3-5) @ Dallas (4-4)                           ESPN/EFN

SAT @ 12pm ET     New England (2-6) @ Memphis (4-5)              ABC

SAT @ 12pm ET      Philadelphia (6-2) @ Charlotte (0-8)                 FOX

SAT @ 4pm ET        Pittsburgh (5-3) @ Ohio (5-3)                           ABC

SAT @ 4pm ET        St. Louis (2-6) @ Seattle (6-2)                           FOX

SAT @ 8pm ET       Birmingham (5-3) @ New Orleans (3-5)           ESPN/EFN

SUN @ 12pm ET      Orlando (4-4) @ Atlanta (5-3)                           ABC

SUN @ 12pm ET      Tampa Bay (7-1) @ Jacksonville (1-7)                FOX

SUN @ 4pm ET       Houston (6-2) @ San Antonio (3-6)                  ABC

SUN @ 4pm ET       Oakland (5-3) @ Portland (2-6)                          FOX

SUN @ 8pm ET     Los Angeles (3-5) @ Las Vegas (4-4)                ESPN/EFN

BYES: Arizona, Baltimore, Denver, New Jersey, San Diego, Washington