2022 USFL Week 13 Recap: Throw the Records Out...

The theme of Week 13 was without a doubt the intensity of rivalry games. Even when the two teams in question were on two different ends of the success spectrum in 2022 we still got an intense game with a lot of passion and a competitive result. We had some classic rivalry games like the Turnpike Classic between the Generals and Stars, our Game of the Week, and the Beltway Brawl, between the Blitz and Federals. We had some regional rivalries that have had some history to them, like the “Piedmont War” between Charlotte and Atlanta, or the two as-of-yet nameless Central Division rivalry games between Michigan and St. Louis, and between Ohio and Chicago. We even had two new rivalries, just starting to ramp up in intensity, the “Red River Rivalry” between Dallas and Oklahoma, or the “Desert Duel” between Arizona and Las Vegas. All in all we saw 8 different higher-intensity matchups this week, some with surprising results, but all 8 with great effort and great energy. We will focus on those games, but, as always, will bring you all the news of the week, including an injury that seems to be the nail in the coffin for a club that is nowhere near meeting expectations for the season. All that, plus two absolute legends of the USFL are added to our Top 40 players, and we have the 2022 Hall of Fame class, with even more legends of the game being honored.

Houston Hobbled Again as Landry Jones Latest to Fall

Fans in SE Texas may want to hire a shaman to cleanse NRG Stadium and smudge some sage around Houston Gambler facilities, because this year is beginning to feel like someone put a voodoo curse on the city’s favorite team. The Gamblers have lost 5 of their last 6, still have Carlos Hyde on the injury list, have Colt McCoy on IR, and now appear to have lost their 2nd string QB to a season-ending injury as well. If that is not the sign of an evil eye curse, then what is?

Landry Jones, getting his first start after the loss of Colt McCoy to a fractured tibia, survived the entire game, but was clearly limping through the entire 4th quarter. His drop back was affected, his ability to deliver the ball or adjust to pressure, and while Ted Cottrell did not bring in Kellen Clemons, to the surprise of the game’s announcers, it was clear that Jones was struggling. It was not until Monday morning that we found out why, Late in the 3rd quarter Jones suffered a partial tear in the quad muscle of his right thigh. While no one can speculate whether it began as a strain and became a tear with Jones continuing to play, what is now known is that the tear is significant and will require surgery. That surgery, scheduled for this weekend, means that Jones will be joining McCoy on the injured reserve, leaving Houston with only their 3rd string QB, Kellen Clemons, and recently signed journeyman Jeff Driskel at QB.

It also, by any assessment, means the end of any hopes for a rebound for the struggling Gamblers. Houston, which had been the favorite to win the division during the preseason, now sits at 5-7, sharing the basement of the division with the New Orleans Breakers. Down to a 3rd string QB and with no solid word on when Carlos Hyde will be able to return, the prospects seem very good that the Gamblers will finish the year in 5th place in the division. They have 4 games left, including a matchup with the Breakers this week, with the winner crawling out of the basement. They then face the 9-3 Stallions in Birmingham, host the 8-4 Dragons, and finish the year in Washington to face the Federals. It should be expected that the Gamblers will be the underdog in each of those games, and with 4 consecutive losses already, it would be no shock to see them finish the year at 5-11. That is a long way from where the Gamblers, and Gambler Nation, expected this team to finish in 2022. Call it a curse, a whammy, a series of unfortunate injuries, or just bad luck, the 2022 Gamblers are not getting the season they planned for, and Coach Cotrell’s first year at the helm is not the introduction to the top job that any coach wants.

TAMPA BAY BANDITS 35 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 32 OVERTIME

With so many great divisional rivalry games this week, it may seem a bit odd that our chosen GOTW is not a battle of long-time rivals. Not to say that these two teams do not have a long history, since it was the Boston Breakers visiting Tampa Bay for the first game in Bandit history back in 1983, but the two have not exactly been an annual grudge match, facing each other only 20 times in 40 years of USFL football. Being in different divisions, and even different conferences for a short stint, will do that. But, even two teams not very familiar with each other can still put together a great game, and that is exactly what happened in this matchup of two of the league’s most dangerous offenses.

The Friday night game on ESPN pitted two of the league’s best receiver groups as Breakers Jordy Nelson, Justin Jefferson, Coby Fleener and Dawson Knox hosted Bandits Dez Bryant, Ryan Grant, Jordan Cameron, and Deebo Samuel. With those kinds of targets, it is no surprise that the two passing games put up a combined 817 passing yards, and that both QBs finished the week 2nd and 3rd in the league in passing yards (both trailing only Cam Newton). Dak Prescott finished 23 of 29 for 392 yards and 3 touchdowns. His rival, Geno Smith of New Orleans, went 18 of 30 for 425 yards and 3 scores of his own. The game saw a 32-yard strike, a 55-yarder, and, to top them all, a 75-yarder. Yet, with all the fireworks and an ever-changing scoreboard, this game would not be decided in regulation, a late field goal sent it to overtime, where a winner was finally decided.

Believe it or not, this game, which saw the two teams combine for 67 total points, started with a scoreless first quarter, though not one without drama. After a slow initial start, New Orleans was driving late in the quarter, but a deep shot to Jordy Nelson found the hands of Jalen Ramsey instead, producing the first turnover of the game and a kickstart to what would become a scoring festival. Tampa Bay took the turnover, drove 64 yards in 7 plays and capped off their drive with a short Prescott to Bryant TD to open scoring in the game.

New Orleans would need only 55 seconds to respond. After getting the ball at their own 19 after the kickoff, they ran DeMarco Murray into the Bandit line twice, producing a 3rd and 4 on the 25. Rather than throw the ball underneath to Fleener on the 3rd down play, Smith pumped, then turned to the sideline and found Justin Jefferson behind the Bandit coverage. Smith connected with the speedy receiver and Jefferson was off to the races, 75 yards downfield for the equalizer. The two offenses were off and running.

The 2nd quarter would not see another TD, but the Bandits managed to put up 3 more field goals, thanks in part to a second Geno Smith turnover, this time a tipped ball at the line that was brought in for a 2nd pick. That allowed the Bandits to take a 9-point lead into the half at 16-7, but there was no doubt in the stadium that the lead would not hold. When the Breakers received the 2nd half kickoff, they wasted no time getting the ball into Bandit territory. A 38-yard completion from Smith to Fleener, paired with a nice run from Murray got them down to the Tampa Bay 10, but they would advance no further and were forced to settle for a Bullock field goal to drop the Bandit lead to 6.

After forcing a punt with an Ezekiel Ansah sack of Prescott on 3rd and 7, the Breakers got the ball back and again made short work of the Bandit defense. New Orleans marched 66 yards in 11 plays, using Murray frequently (he would finish with 93 yards on the day) and giving him the honor of returning the lead to the Breakers with a TD run from short range. The PAT made it 17-16 Breakers, but with 1:39 left in the quarter, the scoring was not finished.

It would take only 2 plays for the Bandits to reclaim the lead. After a very nice kickoff return from HB Matt Breida, put the ball on the Bandit 40, they got 5 yards from Dalvin Cook on 1st down and then went for it all, with Ryan Grant beating CB Xavier Crawford with a double move before hauling in the Prescott deep ball, producing a 55-yard touchdown that had Tampa Bay on top once again. The 2-point try failed, so the Bandits led 22-17 when the quarter wound down and the teams switched sides.

Again, the quick strike would be the story, with New Orleans needing only 2:25 to move the ball 80 yards and into the endzone once again. Geno Smith would go only 2 for 5 on the drive, but the two both mattered, the first a 49-yard swing pass to Murray, and the second an 18-yard touchdown throw to TE Coby Fleener. The Breaker 2-pointer was good, giving New Orleans a 25-22 lead with 12:35 remaining in the game.

That Breaker score inspired the club, who shut down Tampa Bay for a rare 3-and-out on the Bandits’ next possession. Now, with the full voice of the Super Dome crowd behind them, the Breakers again made short work of the Bandit defensive backfield, with Smith connecting with Dawson Knox, Fleener, and Jordy Nelson on the drive. The Nelson catch was a deep post pattern that initially was ruled down at the 1, but when replay showed that the talented Breaker receiver “surfed” across the body of his tackler before going to the turf in the endzone, the ref raised his arms and the TD was called. The Breakers had a 10-point lead, 32-22, with 9:47 left to play.

But you don’t win back-to-back titles by letting close games slip away, and the Bandits were not giving up on this game. They opened their next drive with 3 consecutive Prescott completions, moving the ball from their own 20 to the Breaker 49. Five plays later, they had cut the Breaker lead to 3, with Prescott finding TE Jordan Cameron for a red zone touchdown to make the score 32-29. With 4:29 left on the clock, they needed a stop on defense.

The Bandits would get exactly what they wanted when, on a simple 1st and 10 run from their own 33, the Breakers nearly gave the ball away. On an outside run, DE Brian Burns caught the left arm of DeMarco Murray, popping the ball out around the hashmark. Players scrambled to recover it but a misstep by LB Devon Kennard caused him to boot the ball towards the sideline, it bounced off a Breaker player and out of bounds. The play was a loss of 7, but not a turnover. New Orleans would have 2 more plays to kill some clock, but after a 3rd and 11 run went for only 2 yards, they had to punt the ball back to the Bandits with 1:17 left on the clock.

Dak Prescott and the Bandits knew that to score a winning TD would be tough, with no timeouts and 66 yards to go, but getting the ball in range for Harrison Butker was possible. They used the sideline, forcing the Breaker defenders to play outside, then Prescott found Murray over the middle for a 17-yard gain that had them in field goal range. After spiking the ball, Tampa Bay advanced it with two quick throws to the sideline, giving Butker a very makeable 37-yard attempt to tie the game as time expired. Butker’s kick was good and the Bandits prepared for overtime.

The extra period would produce 3 drives, the first by both teams stymied by dropped passes, both makeable but not easy catches on third down. When Tampa Bay got the ball back for a 2nd time, they focused on making 3rd down as easy as possible. On their game-winning drive, they faced third and 3, third and 1, and 3rd and 4, with the first two made, and the final one producing an inside run to place the ball for Butker to come out again. The Bandit kicker had a straight shot at the goalposts and put the ball through to extend Tampa Bay’s win streak to 6 games and send New Orleans 2 games below .500. For neutral observers it was a fun game to watch, full of big plays and big moments. For the Bandits it was a test, and one they passed by fighting until the last minute and never doubting their ability to pull the game out. That is the type of mental toughness that helped Tampa Bay win 2 titles, and helped to set them up for a run at a 3rd.

NEW JERSEY 37 PHILADELPHIA 35

We love a good rivalry game, and this one was a beaut. We had Carson Wentz throwing for 4 scores, Victor Cruz and Muhamed Sanu both over 100 yards, with Teddy B. throwing for 398, and we had a game that was not decided until the clock struck double zeroes. It was a back-and-forth affair that saw each team score at least once in every quarter. New Jersey went ahead early in the 3rd and held their lead, but it was never easy as every time they put up points, Philadelphia replied, The final difference between the two teams was a 1st quarter safety when Yetur Gross-Matos sacked Wentz in the Philly endzone. Without that score, this would have been overtime.

POTG: Generals’ QB Teddy Bridgewater: 24/38, 398 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int

BALTIMORE 24 WASHINGTON 34

Another NE Division clash of longstanding rivals as the Feds knock Baltimore out of first with a big win at home. Washington got 97 yards and a TD from Travis Etienne, 3 Keenan Allen TD receptions, and 2 picks of Jake Locker to pull this one out despite 113 yards from Josh Jacobs. Allen, in particular, was deadly in this game, nabbing 3 touchdowns all from within the 10-yard line. The lose ties Baltimore with the Generals, who take over 1st on a tiebreaker, while Washington pulls within 1 game of .500.

POTG: Feds’ WR Keenan Allen: 6 Rec, 61 Yds, 3 TD

ORLANDO 24 PITTSBURGH 21

The Renegades thought they had this one won, leading 24-3 at the half, but a furious 2nd half from the Maulers almost pulled them all the way back. They got a Pickett to Gronkowski TD with 2:18 to go, held Orlando and got the ball back with 39 seconds, but just could not get in range for Brandon Aubrey. The star for Orlando was, MLB Clay Matthews, who finished with 10 tackles in the game, including a huge one on Pittsburgh’s final drive, preventing the Maulers from reaching field goal range.

POTG: Renegade MLB Clay Matthews: 10 Tck, 1 TFL

HOUSTON 3 LOS ANGELES 10

Landry Jones made it through the game but was clearly not 100%, diagnosed post-game with a season-ending tear to his left quad. Hobbled, he went 10 of 20, and got little help from his run game as Houston put up only 47 yards rushing. The Gamblers blitzed Andy Dalton relentlessly, producing 9 sacks, but Dalton’s 4th quarter TD toss to Hollywood Brown proved enough to win the game for the Express, who now step up to an 8-4 mark.

POTG: LA wideout Hollywood Brown: 4 Rec, 92 Yds, 1 TD

MEMPHIS 17 OAKLAND 20

Down 17-14 at the half, Oakland’s D stepped up in the 2nd half, shutting out the Showboats. The offense did just enough to get the W, with two Roberto Aguayo field goals to pull out the home win and return Oakland to .500. Bryce Love was the star for the Invader offense, still subbing for Christian McCaffrey, Love rushed for 123 on 24 carries.

POTG: Oakland HB Bryce Love: 24 Att, 123 Yds

DALLAS 35 OKLAHOMA 28

Jalen Hurts did all he could, rushing for 105 and 2 TDs and throwing for 229 and 2 more, but it proved again to be too little as Justin Herbert threw for 5 scores, connecting with WR Courtland Sutton for 3 as Dallas improves their record to 6-6 with a solid road win in the division. The Roughnecks were helped by 3 Oklahoma turnovers and 5 penalties as they came back from a 21-7 deficit and took the win with 1:04 to play on Sutton’s 3rd TD catch.

POTG: Dallas WR Courtland Sutton: 9 Rec, 77 Yds, 3 TD

ARIZONA 23 LAS VEGAS 30

A stunning upset at Wynn Arena as Gardner Minshew went 27 of 32, throwing for 3 scores to help Las Vegas shock the Wranglers. The Viper D sacked Ryan Nassib 6 times, held Ka’Deem Carey and Tyler Allgeier to a combined 47 yards rushing, and limited the Wranglers to only 8 first downs on the day in a surprising, but very welcome defensive gem at home.

POTG: Viper QB Gardner Minshew: 27/32, 243 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

BIRMINGHAM 35 SAN ANTONIO 28

A classic USFL shootout that turned into a showcase for Birmingham QB Cam Newton. Newton threw for 326 yards and a score, rushed for 128 more, with 3 rushing TDs, and held off a very game Gunslinger squad who saw Raheem Mostert rush for 143 yards on the day. The score was 28-28 in the 4th, with San Antonio looking to go ahead, when Joe Flacco was picked off in the red zone, producing a 14-point swing as Cam Newton burned the San Antonio defense for his third rushing TD of the day, the game winner.

POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 11/15, 326 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 9 Att, 128 Yds, 3 TD

JACKSONVILLE 14 NEW ENGLAND 31

The Steamrollers got the win they needed, halting their losing streak at 4 games and returning to .500 by thrashing the Jacksonville Bulls. T. J. Yeldon rushed for 2 scores, Doug Baldwin had one through the air, and Junior Galette returned a Trevor Lawrence pick for a score as New England came together and got their first win in a month.

POTG: Steamroller DE Tashawn Bower: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 3 Sck

ATLANTA 27 CHARLOTTE 33 OVERTIME

We got overtime in Charlotte as the Monarchs got a late field goal to tie the game and send it to extra time, where Calvin Ridley caught the game winner from Paxton Lynch. Lynch went 32 of 43 for 255 yards and 3 Charlotte scores as the Monarchs get their 5th win of the season. Kyler Murray, in defeat, had his best game since coming over from LA, throwing for 315 yards, with 3 TDs, but it was just not enough as Charlotte gets the overtime victory at home.

POTG: Charlotte HB Phillip Lindsay: 24 Att, 114 Yds, 3 Rec, 13 Yds, 1 TD

DENVER 17 SAN DIEGO 20

Denver seems to live to get close and just barely lose this year, as they drop to 4-8 after another tough loss. This one was all San Diego in the 1st 3 quarters, building up a 20-3 lead before Josh Allen hit on two 4th quarter touchdowns to make it a contest. Allen continues to get beat up behind a porous line, sacked 7 times in this one. San Diego gets their 4th win in a row and is in serious contention for a playoff spot at 6-6.

POTG: San Diego HB Charles Sims: 19 Att, 82 Yds, 1 TD, 2 Rec, 63 Yds

PORTLAND 29 SEATTLE 34

The Dragons and the Stags put together a really entertaining game at Lumen Field, and in the end the homestanding Dragons pulled out the win with three 4th quarter TDs, including a Quandre Diggs 34-yard pick six. Portland had built up a 23-13 lead over three quarters, thanks to 108 yards from Javonte Willams, but the pick-six, paired TD runs from Moreno and Smallwood, reversed the script and got Seattle the win.

POTG: Seattle HB Knowshon Moreno: 22 Att, 67 Yds, 2 TD

ST. LOUIS 37 MICHIGAN 27

Lamar Jackson rushed for 210 yards, including a 61-yard TD in the first and another long TD scramble in the 2nd quarter. Michigan was still in it, however, down only 24-20 after three quarters, but after St. Louis added 2 field goals to expand the lead to 30-20, Kirk Cousins pressed, and that led to a pick-six for Deionte Thompson, putting the game away for the Skyhawks.

POTG: St. Louis QB Lamar Jackson: 10/21, 173 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 20 Att, 210 Yds, 2 TD

CHICAGO 20 OHIO 17

A late field Fields-to-Mitchell TD got Ohio within 3 in the final 2 minutes, but the Glory could not recover the onside kick and Chicago held on to win their 10th and become the first team to clinch a playoff berth. Ohio’s run game was a disaster in this one, with the Chicago D holding them to only 13 yards total. The defense contained Fields, who rushed for only 8 yards and completely shut down Kenneth Walker, who averaged only 0.8 YPC on the day.

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

Newton, Jackson, & Hurts Showing Off in Week 13

If you were still on the fence between a traditional view of the QB position as a pocket passer who leaves the running up to the halfbacks or a new style of play that asks the quarterback position to option between the run and the pass, well, this weekend in the USFL may have just closed down the debate. Performances from some of the league’s best dual-threat quarterbacks made about as convincing a case for the Run-Pass Option as could be made, and while there is always room for a pure passer, it seems undeniable that the QB of the future will be one capable of extending plays, escaping the pocket, and even more importantly, using the run as a legitimate weapon.

Using the run as a primary tool of his arsenal is certainly nothing new to Birmingham quarterback Cam Newton. The former Auburn star has been at this for a while, rushing for over 500 yards in 5 of the past 7 seasons, but this year Coach Haley seems to have Newton more comfortable than ever with choosing to use his legs. With 11 rushing touchdowns and a 5.2 YPC average, Newton ranks among the best rushers in the game, but he is also using the threat of the run to open up the passing game, with no better example than this week’s win over division rival San Antonio. Newton shares POTW honors this week because he was both an incredibly devastating runner, rushing the ball 9 times for 128 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 75-yard monstrosity of a run that proved to be the game winner, while also proving that he could have a deft and dangerous touch passing the ball, throwing for 326 yards against a pretty solid San Antonio defense. Those kinds of numbers are hard to deny when it comes time to look at MVP votes or the value of a running quarterback.

But Newton was not alone this week as a model for how to utilize the dual threat QB. Coach Brian Schottenheimer has Lamar Jackson using the RPO style of offense in ways his predecessors in St. Louis failed to accomplish. The new philosophy and the maturation of Jackson were also evident this week when the Skyhawks took on Michigan. While Jackson is not quite as savvy in the passing game as Newton, with more modest numbers this week (10 of 21 for 173 yards and 1 TD), as a rusher he is proving he can make plays from anywhere on the field, rushing the ball 20 times for 210 yards, including 2 touchdown runs, one of 61-yards. And when needed, he can get the ball down the field as well, evident in a pair of deep balls that included a 62-yard touchdown toss.

The focus on the dual threat QB does not end with these two examples. Oklahoma feels they have found their future in OU and Alabama product Jalen Hurts. After rushing for only 4 yards in his rookie campaign, and a modest 225 last year, Coach Stoops has joined in on the RPO wave, evident in Hurts’s 2022 numbers, his 590 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns so far this season showing the change of philosophy. This week was another showcase of Hurts’s skills, though once again Oklahoma failed to back up their QB and fell to Dallas 38-35. Hurts went 19 of 31 for 229 yards and 2 TDs as a passer, but it was his 105 yards and 2 touchdowns as a rusher that got the Outlaw faithful excited and helped keep the Outlaws in this game.

While the USFL has always produced dual-threat quarterbacks, from Doug Flutie, Reggie Collier and Walt Lewis in the early years through Jake Plummer and now Newton, Jackson, Hurts, and others, there has been no era where the dual threat was as threatening. The RPO Offense is here, and if this week’s results are any indication, it is not going away any time soon.

Big Numbers from Unexpected Sources

The huge offensive numbers put up by RPO quarterbacks were not the only big numbers this week. Over 15 games the defenses were definitely on their back heels all week as the USFL turned outright offensive in this week’s actions. And what is more fascinating is that it was not always the usual suspects, the league leaders or superstar players who had huge games. This was a week for the undervalued and unheralded to step up and make huge contributions, and there were many.

Let’s start with 100-yard rushers. How about 123 yards on 24 carries from Christian McCaffrey’s stand in, Bryce Love. Love’s contribution was a huge factor in Oakland’s 20-17 victory over visiting Memphis. With McCaffrey nearing a return, the Invaders are now feeling like they have a 1-2 punch that could help them make a run at a playoff spot. Up the coast in Portland 2nd year back Javonte Williams went for 108 and 2 touchdowns, helping the Stags put a scare into the Seattle Dragons, that is until a 21-point 4th quarter gave Seattle the win. Williams has been improving slowly over his first two years, but is now beginning to show signs that he could be a true lead back in this league. In San Antonio it was backup Raheem Mostert, a true speedster who has had limited opportunities this year behind Melvin Gordon, who stepped up with a huge game, rushing for 143 yards after Gordon tweaked his ankle. It is Mostert’s best game by far, and one that may well force Coach Landry to consider giving the speedy back more opportunities. Finally, Charlotte is finding in former Denver Gold back Phillip Lindsay, just the kind of effort and production they were hoping for, with the 5th year back putting up 114 yards and helping the Monarchs upend Atlanta to move to 5-7. Since coming to Charlotte in Week 7, Lindsay has rushed for 520 yards, averaging nearly 90 yards per game, a far cry from his early season results with the Gold. This week’s performance marked his first 100-yard game of the season and his first as a Monarch.

But it was not all about backs this week, this is the USFL after all, and that means we also got some surprisingly strong receiving games from the wideouts and a few tight ends as well, and not exclusively the big name receivers we all expect to put up 100 yards per outing. In Jacksonville, NFL import Christian Kirk recorded his first 100-yard outing of the season, bringing in 4 passes for 112 yards. New Jersey got a huge game from Victor Cruz, who had been struggling in recent weeks with a low point being a 2 reception, 15 yard game against New England. Against the Stars this week the numbers were far better, 5 receptions for 141 yards and a long TD catch and run to help the Generals get the W in a 37-35 shootout. And in Tampa Bay, with Ryan Grant a bit dinged up, it was TE Cameron Jordan coming through in a big way. The Bandit receiver brought in 5 Prescott passes for 134 yards and a score, including a 49-yarder and a 33-yarder along with his red zone score.

It was a week of big scores, high octane offense, and some surprisingly big performances across the league, the kind of week that reaffirms the USFL as a wide open game where at any time a player can get hot, make plays, and rack up big numbers, the kind of game fans love.

Congratulations to the Chicago Machine, the first USFL team to clinch a playoff spot in 2022. The Machine are not done yet, with both the division title and the 1 seed still in play, but they sit at 11-1 and are in the catbird seat in the west, hoping to make the Western Conference playoffs run through Soldier Field. And while a playoff road game in the Windy City is perhaps not as intimidating in June or July as it would be for NFL teams showing up in January, it will be no easy task to get past the Machine in their own stadium if they can win the 1 seed.

Tampa Bay sits at 10-2 after their exciting overtime win in New Orleans, but they are only 3 games up on the 5th, 6th, and 7th seeded teams, which means that they will need a win and some help next week to wrap up their playoff bid, and, if they can get an Orlando loss, possibly a division title as well. Arizona is also in a position to possibly wrap up the division this weekend, if they can get a win over Washington, and get some help from Chicago, who host Dallas, they too can lock up a division crown in Week 14. For others it will not come this week, with Seatle and LA both locked up at 8-4, new Jersey and Baltimore even at 7-5, and Birmingham holding only a 1-game advantage over upstart San Antonio, with Memphis still in the mix as well.

As for the lower end of the standings, we saw two more teams officially eliminated from contention this week. Both Philadelphia and Atlanta could reach 7 wins with a 4-game win streak, but even in 2 of the 3 current 7-5 teams lost all 4 games, the tiebreakers would still break in favor of any one of them (Memphis, Orlando or Baltimore), which means that the Stars and Fire are mathematically eliminated even if they did reach 7-9 and form a cluster with current 7-win teams. So, we now have 4 teams out, 1 in, and 25 still in play with 4 games left on the schedule.

Houston will be without not only QB Landry Jones, but DT Nick Fairley for the foreseeable future. And while not nearly as severe, Chicago has to be worried about this week’s game, with 3 starting defenders likely sidelined, CB Josh Norman with a shoulder injury, LB Kevin Minter with a nerve issue in his neck, and DE Ifeadi Odenigbo with a concussion. That is three starters from the league’s best defense, meaning that this is a week when Chicago may be vulnerable. One last injury to highlight, Tampa Bay is not going to put center Frank Ragnow on IR, but he is not likely to return until at least the 2nd round of the playoffs, so clearly the Bandits are hoping they are well on their way to another Summer Bowl and will be having their center rejoin them deep in the playoffs.

OUT

QB Landry Jones HOU Torn Quad IR

DT Levi Onwuzurike BAL Groin Tear IR

WR Geronimo Allison MEM Back IR

DT Nick Fairley HOU Broken Wrist IR

C Frank Ragnow TBY Stress Fracture 4-6 Weeks

CB Josh Norman CHI Shoulder 1-2 Weeks

LB Kevin Minter CHI Neck 1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

DT Quinnen Williams WSH Back

G Connor McGovern BAL Ribs

DE Ifeadi Odenigbo CHI Concussion

DT Vincent Taylor OKL Wrist

CB Rashaan Gaulden HOU Concussion

LB Bobby Wagner OAK Knee

QUESTIONABLE

WR Golden Tate DEN Miniscus

WR Austin Proehl CHA Knee

DE Vinny Curry OAK Concussion

FS Tyree Gillespie STL Scratched cornea

DT Raekwon Davis POR Tendinitis

Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Announced

The expanded Hall of Fame Class, in recognition of the USFL’s 40th season gives us not 6 new inductees, but 8, including the new Contributor category and a long overdue introduction of a special teamer to the Hall. The Class of 2025 includes 2 wideouts, one in his first year of eligibility, two pass rushers, two offensive lineman, only the 2nd league owner to join the hall, and the first USFL punter to make the Hall. It is a group that spans the full length of USFL history, from the league’s first season to the retiree class of 2017. It is also a group that may produce one of the most engaging enshrinement speeches ever, as Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, ever the showman, is sure to entertain as he takes his place in Canton. Here, along with the exhuberant 85 is the class of 2022, the 28th USFL Hall of Fame Class in the USFL’s 40th Season.

WR Chad Johnson (OHIO 2000-02, BOS 2003-11, LV/SD 2012-17)

The only 1st Year nominee to the Hall this year, Chad Johnson played 17 seasons, for 3 teams, with 2 different names (who could forget his ‘Chad Ochocinco” phase). He was more than an outstanding player, he was a phenomenon, known as much for his off-field and on-field antics as for his outstanding play. The record books demonstrate his skill--1,128 catches, 21,047 yards, 157 touchdowns, and 12 All-USFL appearances--they only tell half the story. Yes, Johnson retired as a Top 5 receiver in yardage (2nd only to Joey Galloway) and TDs (3rd behind Galloway and Truvillion), what we remember most is the extreme extrovert, the stunts and gimmicks, and the sheer joy of how he played the game.

Who can forget the time he gave CPR to the football after a score? Or the time he donned a sombrero and sarape after another? How about the famous River Dance jig after his 3rd touchdown on an opening weekend on St. Patrick’s Day? Or, late in his career, when he scored once again, walked to the sideline and donned a Hall of Fame jacket, as if to say “this is already mine”. Well, now it is, officially.

C Jeff Faine (MGN 2003-16)

Perhaps the exact opposite of “Ochocinco” in personality, Jeff Faine was the ultimate team player, never wanting to take credit for the success of his line or his team, Faine played 14 seasons with the Michigan Panthers, locking down the pivot on the O-line and helping the Panthers make 8 playoff appearances, 3 division titles and a league championship in 2008. Faine enters the Hall in his 2nd year of eligibility, becoming only the 3rd center to don the yellow jacket from the USFL’s 40 seasons. Faine joins Mike Baab and Jeff Saturday in the Hall, representing the Panthers as their 13th Hall of Famer, standing proudly along Panther legends like Anthony Carter, John Corker, Bobby Hebert, and Hines Ward.

DE Reynaldo Wynn (NJ 2008, TEX/OKL 2009-16)

Ask Wynn what drove his insatiable hunger on the field and he will tell you that it was the trade from New Jersey to Texas after only 1 season in the pros. Wynn felt that the Generals had given up on him despite an 11-sack rookie year. The reality is more complex than that, but the result was a motivated, some would say angry, Reynaldo Wynn playing 8 seasons with the Outlaws, racking up double digit sacks every season, and becoming perhaps the best dual-use edge rusher of his generation. Wynn’s 9-season career means he is not going to be among the all-time greats in sack totals, but his average of 15.2 sacks per season is impressive, and when you consider how he played the run as well, with every 1 of 5 tackles he made being a Tackle For Loss, and you can understand why the one-time General, and lifelong Outlaw has made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his 2nd year of eligibility.

DE Justin Smith (LA 2001-04, TEX 2005, OAK 2006-15)

Another edge rusher, undervalued by fans, but not by his coaches and not by opposing tackles, Justin Smith racked up 208 sacks, 609 tackles, 128 TFL, and 34 forced fumbles in his 14-year career. Smith played for 3 teams, but had his best years in Oakland, where he had a run of 9 consecutive 10-sack seasons, including his career peak of 22 in 2012. Smith was named All-USFL in his rookie campaign in LA, after racking up 14 sacks for the Express, and would win the honor twice with the Invaders. Smith waited 3 years to hear his name called and his spot in Canton assured, but he now joins a murderer’s row of edge rushers that stretch all the way back to the Class of 1995, the Hall’s first USFL Class, and sack specialist Junior Ah-You.

WR Donald Driver (ORL 1999-2002, CHI 2003-12, NFL 2013-2015)

Never the loudest player on the field, or the flashiest, but always a threat and always a target who would find his way open, Donald Driver enters the Hall in his 4th year of eligibility. Ranked 7th all-time with 1,186 receptions, Driver had 14,165 yards receiving and 88 touchdowns for the Renegades and Chicago Machine before finishing his career in the NFL. Driver was only recognized for All-USFL honors twice, but he shares with many Hall of Famers a championship ring, having won a title in 2001 with Orlando.

G Duval Love (JAX 1985-98): Legacy

The first of two legacy selections in the expanded 40th Year Class, Duval Love should not have had to wait this long to be recognized. But, when you play for a team that has a history of struggles and no league championship in 38 seasons, it is possible to be overlooked unfairly. Love certainly falls into that category. A devastating run blocker and one of the best pass protectors to ever don a USFL jersey, Duval Love was a 4-time All USFL player at guard and now becomes only the 2nd full-time offensive guard after Gary Zimmerman to make the Hall from the USFL.

P Sean Landeta (PHI 1983-91): Legacy

We had a feeling that the legacy committee would realize that having absolutely no punters in the Hall was a bad look. They used their additional pick this year to remedy that situation, adding the obvious choice to become the first punter to join the Hall and the second across both pro leagues behind former Raider Ray Guy. Sean Landeta actually could be a dual-league selection, playing 10 USFL seasons (beginning with the league’s founding in 1983) and another 14 in the NFL with 8 different teams. But despite his NFL wanderings, Landeta will always be remembered as a member of the Philadelphia Stars and their 1985 and 1987 title teams.

Myles Tannenbaum (PHI 1983-2010): Contributor

We cannot mention the Philadelphia Stars without recognizing the career of Stars’ owner Myles Tannenbaum. An early believer not only in the USFL, but in the City of Philadelphia as a community that would embrace the USFL, Tannenbaum was right on both accounts. His early Stars teams were among the early success stories of the USFL, not only on the field, but in the box office and the public perception game. His first Stars team, filled with former Penn Staters and an undervalued HB out of North Carolina, went 12-4. Two years later, that team, and Kelvin Bryant, would win their first league title. They would appear in the title game in both of the next 2 years, winning a 2nd title in 1987. In 1994 they would earn their 3rd and by the time he stepped away from team leadership in 2010, they would make 2 more Summer Bowls.

Tannenbaum was an influential leader in the debate about a spring vs. fall schedule, in the NFL suit that helped buoy the league in the 1980’s, and in the eventual expansion of the USFL’s profile to become the nation’s 2nd most successful sports league, proving that the country’s love of football as a year-round sport. With the league’s new Contributor category, there is no doubt that the selection of Tannenbaum to become the 2nd owner enshrined as a USFL giant, behind only Bandit owner John Bassett, is a well-earned honor.

Top 40 Players in USFL’s 40 Seasons: 5-6

We are getting close to the end of our 40 Greatest ranking, with only 2 more weeks to go after today. So it is a bit obvious to say that this week’s new entrants are legendary players. Everyone in the Top 10 is a household name and a highly decorated USFL star. What we can say is that both of our new reveals today are the greatest at their position in USFL history, two defenders who terrorized opponents for well over a decade, and both Hall of Famers with no shortage of records and recognition.

6) LB Brian Urlacher (2000-2016)

The all-time leading tackler in USFL history, with 1,904 tackles in 17 seasons, Brian Urlacher was a college safety who bulked up and became the epitome of a USFL middle linebacker. Able to stuff the run but also hold his own in coverage against speedy inside receivers and box-out tight ends, Urlacher never came off the field. He started 242 of 244 games on the roster for the Chicago Machine, averaging 112 tackles per season, had 36 sacks, 18 picks, and 51 forced fumbles. But perhaps the biggest impact of Urlacher was in the evolution of the MLB position because it was Urlacher’s versatility and ability to stay with receivers that made 2-deep safety man-under coverage a staple in USFL defenses.

A 10-time All-USFL player who won Defensive Player of the Year 3 times in a 4-year span (2005, 2007, and 2008), while also leading the league in tackles five times in the 2000’s, Urlacher holds the career record, but was never able to hold aloft the John Bassett Trophy, his Machine teams appearing in two Summer Bowls during his tenure, but losing out to upstart Seattle and the Memphis Showboats in those two title games. Despite the lack of team titles, there is no doubt that Urlacher represents the very best of the USFL, a fearless player who was a natural team leader, an outstanding player, and a legendary figure in his franchise’s rich history.

5) DT Jerome Brown (1987-2002)

Known lovingly as “Big Jerome”, “Big J”, and “The Big Man” by Federals players and fans, Jerome Brown was known by other names among opposing teams and their offensive line coaches. Names like “game wrecker”, “human wrecking ball”, and “TNT at the NT” all seem appropriate. A 12-time All-USFL performer for the Washington Federals, Jerome Brown was the centerpiece of some of the best defenses ever to take a USFL field. At defensive tackle, Brown could shut down even the best run games, closed down the middle of the field, and force double and triple teams, making life easier for edge rushers who benefitted from his interior dominance.

With Brown, like most interior D-linemen, most of the numbers don’t scream at you. 767 tackles, 80 for a loss, those are solid but not eye popping. But how about this one, 119 sacks from the interior line. That is not normal. That is barely human. Brown was a disruptive force inside and a huge reason for the success of the Federals teams of the 90’s including title runs in both 1990 and 1997. For both seasons, Brown was a force to reckon with, and a leader who helped his defensive teammates become a dominant squad. Brown sadly passed far too early, succumbing to injuries from an automobile accident only 2 years after his retirement in 2002. A legend on the field, and a legendary figure of the USFL, Brown is very deservedly the highest ranked DT on our list, and one of the 5 greatest players in USFL history.

Four games left, no time for missteps, mistakes, or missed opportunities. Nearly every game will be a high-pressure game, nearly every matchup a chance for someone to move towards post-season football, or a chance to fall out of the race, but, hey, no pressure. It is also a weekend with a lot of games that look like mismatches, which means a chance for a truly shocking result if an underdog can put the pieces together in just the right combination to pull off a huge upset.

It starts on Friday night, when Atlanta hosts the 10-2 Tampa Bay Bandits and 1-11 Michigan, already well outside the playoff race, has the Ohio Glory visiting. Can either hard-luck team find the right formula to surprise everyone and upset their division rival?

Saturday has more of the same with Orlando heading to Charlotte, where the Monarchs are amazingly still in the mix after showing steady improvement this season. We also have San Diego, a surprising 6-6, hoping to take another step towards national recognition by knocking off Seattle in Seattle. We have Philadelphia headed to Baltimore in a NE Division clash, and we have Oakland in LA for what could be a very high stakes edition of the California Derby.

Sunday has 3 divisional games (San Antonio @ Memphis, New Orleans @ Houston, and Denver @ Las Vegas), but perhaps the most intriguing game is in Chicago, where the Machine, having locked up the first USFL playoff spot, have to worry about a letdown as a 6-6 Dallas team comes to town. The Roughnecks are right in the mix with fellow 6-6 clubs in the West, with very possibly only 1 Wild Card spot available for the team that can close out the season with the strongest showing. So, Week 14 is a week where we look for the upset, but we also look at those Wild Card spots and just who is in form to claim one.

Fri. 7pm ET Tampa Bay (10-2) @ Atlanta (3-9) NBC

Fri. 7pm ET Ohio (6-6) @ Michigan (1-11) ESPN/EFN

Sat. 12pm ET New Jersey (7-5) @ Jacksonville (2-10) ABC

Sat. 12pm ET Orlando (7-5) @ Charlotte (5-7) FOX

Sat. 4pm ET Washington (5-6-1) @ Arizona (9-3) ABC

Sat. 4pm ET San Diego (6-6) @ Seattle (8-4) FOX

Sat. 8pm ET Philadelphia (3-9) @ Baltimore (7-5) NBC

Sat. 8pm ET Oakland (6-6) @ Los Angeles (8-4) ESPN/EFN

Sun 12pm ET Birmingham (9-3) @ New England (6-6) ABC Regional

Sun 12pm ET Oklahoma (5-6-1) @ Pittsburgh (3-9) ABC Regional

Sun 12pm ET San Antonio (8-4) @ Memphis (7-5) FOX

Sun 4pm ET Dallas (6-6) @ Chicago (11-1) ABC

Sun 4pm ET St. Louis (9-3) @ Portland (3-9) FOX Regional

Sun 4pm ET New Orleans (5-7) @ Houston (5-7) FOX Regional

Sun 8pm ET Denver (4-8) @ Las Vegas (5-7) EFN