2022 USFL Week 15 Recap: A Tale of 2 Conferences

A huge week for the Western Conference as 5 of the 6 playoff spots are now claimed and only 2 teams remain in competition for the final spot. And, as fate would have it, those two teams, Oakland and Las Vegas, face off this week. In the East, not nearly as much was resolved as the Bandits remain the only team with a guaranteed postseason spot. In both the Northeast and the South we have teams tied atop the division, both looking good for a playoff spot, but none of the 4 locked in yet. We will break down all the playoff ramifications of Week 15 in our Big Story for the week, review all the games, look ahead to what could be a pivotal Week 16, and reveal the final two players on our 40 Greatest list. All this, plus a spectacular Game of the Week between the Machine and the Skyhawks in a Central Division classic.

Week 15 Puts Playoff Picture into Focus

Let’s start off our report on Week 15 by saying what has been decided this week. We now know that the Arizona Wranglers have captured the Southwestern Division title, sitting at 11-3 with the 2^nd place Vipers all the way back at 7-7. We also know that in the East, the 2-time defending league champion Bandits have wrapped up the 1 seed, holding a 3-game lead over the Renegades in their own division as well as the leaders of the South, with 4 games up on the Northeast co-leaders. We also now know five of the six Western Conference playoff teams, with Seattle, St. Louis, and LA all locking up playoff spots with 2 games left on the schedule. So, what is unknown. Well, let’s break it down.

The final spot will either be the Oakland Invaders (currently 8-6) or the Las Vegas Vipers (7-7). The two face off this week at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and the winner will assume the 6^th playoff position with 1 week left to play. If that winner is Oakland, they lock up the spot and Las Vegas is done. If the Vipers win, then it will come down to Week 17, and the Vipers would need to avoid a loss at home to the Outlaws to be able to claim a surprising Wild Card spot.

The other unanswered questions in the West are all tied to division titles. Arizona has theirs wrapped up, but neither Chicago nor Seattle can say the same. This week’s huge game between the Machine and the Skyhawks means that Chicago needs one more win to lock up the division. That win would guarantee no worst than to tie the Skyhawks atop the Central and Chicago would hold the advantage thanks to their division record. St. Louis needs the Machine to lose their last two and for their club to win out to steal away the division from the Machine.

In the Pacific, Seattle has won 4 in a row, they hold a 1-game advantage over LA, but their 5-3 division record does not guarantee them a tiebreaker. If LA can beat Portland this week, they would have a 6-2 division record, which means Seattle cannot win the division if the Express can get even with them in overall record. Seattle’s best path forward is to win out, with games at Houston and home to Birmingham to finish out the year. For LA it is also about winning out, but hoping that Seattle stumbles, producing the tie atop the division, a tie LA can win.

The last thing we know for sure is that Chicago, Arizona, and St. Louis are all guaranteed at least one home game in the postseason. All three, along with Seattle, are in the mix for the byes given to the 1 and 2 seeds, but those three can finish no worse than 4^th in the seeding, which means all three will face their playoff foe at home, we just don’t know if it will be in the Wild Card Round or the Divisionals. 

Aside from Tampa Bay locking up the Southeast Division and the 1 seed, there is not a lot settled here. If we start with the Northeast, we have New Jersey and New England tied atop the division at 8-6. The two play this week and the winner will have control over their own destiny with 1 game to play, as well as the upper hand on a division title. If the winner is New Jersey, they lock up the division because they would have a 6-1 division record while New England’s would drop to 3-4. If New England can get the win at home this week, they would only need to beat Baltimore in Week 17 to lock up the division. And, since they are still in the mix as well, the Baltimore Blitz do still have a path to the division title, but it is a tough one. They need to beat Dallas this week, hope New England defeats the Generals, then defeat New England in Week 17 and have New Jersey lose at home to Philadelphia. Not exactly an easy path to a title by any measure.

In the Southeast, Birmingham is currently in position to win the division, but it is precarious. If they drop one of their last two games, either this week in San Diego or in a Week 17 clash with Seattle, the Gunslingers could get a game ahead, the only scenario where the Gunslingers get the division due to Birmingham’s sweep of San Antonio this year. But San Antonio is not the only issue. If Memphis goes 2-0 (both division games) and the Stallions drop a game, then Memphis can claim the title. The Showboats swept the Stallions and a win over San Antonio in Week 17 would mean they split the series with the Gunslingers, so if Memphis ends up tied atop the division with either or both clubs, they win the tiebreaker with a 6-2 division record.

Basically, whether we are talking about division titles or even Orlando’s shot at a Wild Card at 9-5 or New Orleans’s chances at 7-7. The answer is any team that can go 2-0 over the next two weeks is in the playoffs. Any team that goes 0-2 is almost certainly out, and 1-1 is not a guarantee of anything. It is a bit more complicated for the Breakers since they need others to lose for a possible 9-7 record to get them in, but for nearly everyone else, a playoff spot comes with 2 wins and disappears with 2 losses.

So, yes, it’s a bit of a cluster, and we may not know 2 of the 3 division titles until Week 17 is concluded, but that just means that more teams are in the mix, more are playing meaningful football right now, and more games will have meaning. That is good for us and good for the USFL.

CHICAGO MACHINE 28  ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 33

We have had this one circled on our calendars for weeks. Chicago, atop the Central Division for the entire season, starting the year with 9 wins and holding the best record in the league at 12-1. St. Louis, the upstart, coming on strong with 5 consecutive wins and only 2 games back at 10-3. The league’s best defense against one of its best offenses. Lamar Jackson offering a dual threat against a front seven designed to remove options. Throw in the traditional rivalry between the two Midwestern cities, and you have all the makings of a classic, and that is exactly what we got.

The game could also be seen as a clash of styles, the traditional structure of Chicago’s attack, a pure pocket passer in Sam Bradford, a run game designed to create short 3^rd downs to gain, and receivers who can take the ball deep or find holes in the underneath zone, facing the new spread offense, RPO, big play style with a mobile quarterback, multiple receiver packages and a run game designed as a complement, not a focal point. Would it be old school or new trend? This game would give us a look at a clash of philosophies, not just a clash of two contenders.

That clash of styles became apparent from the opening minutes as St. Louis wasted no time showing just what the spread offense and RPO could do. After a short 3-and-out from Chicago on the opening possession, St. Louis put 7 on the board in only 4 plays, and with a classic RPO play getting the job done. After a nice throw from Lamar Jackson to Deionte Johnson put the ball on the Chicago 47, Lamar Jackson called his own number on a run-pass option, and it proved the absolute correct call. With LB Manti Te’o taking the bite and crashing inside, Jackson was free to scamper to the outside, a clear lane into the secondary. A move placed on the corner and pure speed was enough to break him out and into the endzone for the 47-yard TD run that opened scoring and got the partisan crowd of 55,606 at The Dome on their feet.

It would be the start of a 21-point first quarter for the Skyhawks. As Chicago struggled to get their more traditional offense going against an underrated Skyhawk defense, St. Louis kept making plays. On their 2^nd possession it was HB James Conner again benefiting from the RPO as he rushed off tackle and broke into the secondary for a 16-yard score. Only 2 minutes later, after a Bradford pick that would be the lone turnover of the game, Jackson found Deionte Johnson for the Skyhawks’ third TD in the quarter and the fans were in full voice, loving every moment of their quick start. Chicago needed to react, and quickly, or this game could get out of hand and out of reach.

The Machine took over with 4:12 left in the first and put together a 7-minute drive that lulled the crowd back down and built back up the division leader’s confidence. It was a methodical 15-play drive that saw 3 different backs carry the ball for the Machine and saw Sam Bradford finally start to connect with his talented receivers. A connection with Odell Beckham Jr. converted a key 3^rd down at midfield, and then, after a false start turned a 3^rd and goal from the 6 to 3^rd and goal from the 11, Bradford stood strong in the pocket, taking the hit after he released the ball, finding Chase Claypool in the endzone for the score.

That drive seemed to awaken Chicago’s pride. They would give up a St. Louis field goal on the Skyhawks’ next possession, but it would be the only score St. Louis would have until the 4^th quarter. The defense would stiffen, giving up a couple of nice plays, but not a full drive. The shut down would give the offense a chance to get Chicago back in the game. The Machine offense would do just that, thanks in large part to the connection between Bradford and All-USFL receiver Odell Beckham Jr. The two would connect for a 15-yard touchdown just before the half to pull Chicago back within 10 at 24-14, and then again midway through the 3^rd to pull the Machine within 3. The change of momentum and the sense that Chicago was very much in the game would quiet the St. Louis crowd, stunned at the change of fortune after what was a dominant first quarter.

As the 4^th quarter began, St. Louis was again forced to punt after a failed 3^rd down conversion, but the ensuing punt would turn out to be a godsend for the struggling Skyhawks. Punter Robbie Capps hit a perfect coffin corner kick, traveling 51 yards and bouncing at the 2 before a sideways spin out of bounds. Chicago would be backed up to their own goalline, giving St. Louis’s aggressive front seven a chance to make a play and change momentum once again. That energy-shifting play would come on Chicago’s first offensive play on the possession. With the offensive line concerned about A. J. Epenesa, the line shifted their blocks to the left side, hoping HB Marion Mack could help out the right tackle while the left guard and tackle took on Epenesa. The strategy failed as LB Micah McFadden took on the tackle with his blitz and end Charles Harris blew past Mack to lay out Sam Bradford on the ill-timed pass attempt. The safety not only gave St. Louis their first points since their 2^nd quarter field goal but shifted the energy in the dome.

Receiving the free kick after the safety, St. Louis was re-energized. It would take St. Louis only 5 plays to put the ball in the endzone for a 4^th time, the first touchdown since their dynamic first quarter run. On the short 58-yard drive, Lamar Jackson connected twice with TE Will Dissley, escaped the Chicago rush to scramble for 11 on a key 3^rd and 7, and then found WR David Nelson for a 16-yard TD on a perfect fade route. The pair of scores boosted St. Louis’s lead from 3 to 12 points, forcing Chicago to score twice to capture its first lead of the game.

The Machine would have to switch to a hurry up offense with 6 minutes to play. It was an unfamiliar position for Chicago, used to playing with a lead and using their defense to close out games. The offense shifted to a no-huddle style, and found success, but primarily through short passes and draws up the middle. The Machine drive would produce 7, but it would take over 4 minutes and 12 plays to do so, leaving them with only 1:33 on the clock after Marion Mack plunged into the endzone to reduce the St. Louis lead to 5.

Chicago would need an onside kick recovery and a much quicker 2^nd drive to capture the lead and the game. Daniel Carlson gave them the first requirement, clipping the ball perfectly off the tee and sending it careening towards the left sideline, with that classic 3^rd bounce going high in the air. That bounce allowed WR Willie Snead IV the time needed to race into the ball’s path and bat it backwards, where TE Tyler Eifert was ready to snatch it and fall to the ground. The volleyball-like “set” was beautifully executed, giving the small Chicago contingent in the SW corner of the dome a reason to jump to their feet and giving the ball to the Machine offense on their own 48, only 52 yards away from a come-from-behind victory and the division title.

The Machine had 1:23 to work with, but only 1 timeout. A field goal would do them no good, and St. Louis knew it. They would stay in the no-huddle, relying on Bradford’s experience to call audibles at the line. They came to the field in an 11 formation, so called for its use of one back (rookie Rachaad White), one tight end (Eifert), and 3 outside receivers (OBJ, Claypool, and Snead. The opening play was a quick hitter to Snead on an inside slant. The play produced an immediate first down on the St. Louis 40 and a quick spike to stop the clock. The 2^nd play was a miss on an out route to Beckham, but Bradford went right back to his favorite target on 2^nd and 10 and found Beckham this time for a gain of 12 and another first down. The Machine still had over a minute of clock left and now had the ball on the St. Louis 28.

But St. Louis had gotten close to Bradford on the last 2 throws, pressuring him into the initial incompletion and closing in on the 2^nd down throw. On 1^st and 10 from the 28 they would finally get home. It would not be Epenesa, but backup safety and dime coverage specialist Roderick Teamer, blitzing out of his position opposite Snead and finding Bradford before the QB could release the ball. The sack produced a 2^nd and 16 on the 34, but it also burnt off nearly 20 seconds before Bradford could snap the ball again.

Bradford found Claypool for 8 yards on the play, but that left 3^rd and 8 and the clock still ticking. He would need not only a play to reach the first down but one that would get the ball out of play to stop the clock. But Bradford was a veteran who had seen more than his share of pressure moments. He called the right play against the shallow zones St. Louis set up, a clearing route that sent Beckham and Snead to the inside, creating space for Eifert underneath. His tight end brought in the pass and headed for the sideline, crossing out of bounds just past the first down marker before getting hit by LB Trey Hendrickson. The late hit would draw a penalty, moving the ball half the distance to the endzone and giving Chicago a first and 10 at the 8 with 27 second and a time out still in play for Chicago.

St. Louis was facing a 1^st and goal with enough time for Chicago to run all 4 downs if they needed them. The tension in the stadium was palpable. The Sunday night EFN crew of former USFL QB Steve Young and play-by-play specialist Dave Fleming were building up the energy for the TV audience as everyone in the stadium recognized that regardless of the result of the next 27 seconds, this game was going to have one hell of an ending.

First and goal from the 8, Bradford looks for OBJ, but his favorite target is blanketed. He dumps the ball off to White, but he rookie does not get his head turned around in time and cannot bring in the ball.

Second and goal from the 8. Expecting a shallow zone, Bradford goes for the fade route to Claypool. The receiver stretches for the ball, brings it down, but his first foot down touches the line and as he crashes to the turf, the ball comes out, incomplete.

Third and goal from the 8. Bradford is flushed from the pocket by Epenesa, but just as the breakout defensives star gets to the knees of Bradford, he releases the ball and finds WR Jameson Williams along the sideline. Williamson gets a foot down, before stepping out, the ball now on the 2 with 1 play left and 7 seconds to decide the game.

Fourth and goal from the 2. As the announcers comment that Chicago essentially is set up exactly where they would be for a 2-point PAT, with Steve Young highlighting that the entire PAT playbook, typically 10-12 different plays, is now available, including draws, misdirection runs, and a wide range of short passing concepts. Chicago lines up initially with Beckham and Snead to the left, Claypool and Eifert to the right and White next to Bradford in the shotgun. Before the snap, Claypool shifts left to form a classic bunch formation, almost certainly setting up a rub route to free Beckham underneath the two interior receivers. St. Louis adjusts their coverage, the defenders calling out to switch coverage rather than cross each other in the inevitable cluster. When the ball is snapped, the play develops as expected, with Beckham crossing underneath Snead and Claypool, while Eifert crosses from the other side. White stays in to help block Epenesa, giving Bradford time, but the St. Louis defenders are ready, they don’t crash into each other or the various receivers, they trade off coverage, ensuring that Beckham’s crossing route is covered. Bradford looks OBJ’s direction, then quickly redirects towards Eifert. The tight end has a step on LB Micah McFadden, but pressure is closing in on Bradford. The Chicago QB lets the ball go towards Eifert, but just as he is finishing his release, DT Geno Atkins clips his arm, causing the ball to skew to the left and lower than Bradford wanted. Eifert is unable to reach the low throw before it hits the turf. Play over, drive over, game over.

St. Louis thought they had the game in hand early, watched as their lead slipped away, took advantage of a key defensive play and composed themselves, and then, when it came down to the wire, the Skyhawk defense, which for so many years had been not only sub-par, not only bad, but comically bad, came up huge, holding Chicago out of the endzone and winning the game. St. Louis not only knocked off the Machine, but did so with a balance of offensive fireworks and defensive grit. This was not the Skyhawk team that fans had started to give up on over the past decade. This was a new, gutsy, and very talented Skyhawk team, a message they sent loud and clear to the nation on the Sunday night broadcast, and, perhaps more importantly, a message they sent to the Chicago Machine. Chicago would head home still 1 game up on the division, but very much aware that neither the division nor a trip to the Summer Bowl would come easy.

SAN ANTONIO 24  NEW ORLEANS 28

The Breakers were on the brink of playoff elimination, down 10 to the Gunslingers as they entered the 4^th quarter, but Geno Smith pulled them away from the edge with touchdown tosses to Dawson Knox and DeMarco Murray in a 14-point 4^th, to get the win and keep their chances for a Wild Card alive. San Antonio takes the L despite 122 yards from Brandon LaFell and a combined 127 yards from Mostert and Gordon.

POTG: Breaker QB Geno Smith: 17/33, 265 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int

SEATTLE 40  DALLAS 18

Dallas is out after a bad home loss to a Dragon team peaking at the right time. It was 19-0 at the half with Seattle scoring on all 5 first half possessions (a Cooper TD and 4 Harris field goals). It did not get much better for Dallas in the 2^nd half, with Seattle adding 3 TDs in the 4^th to put this one well out of range for a comeback. All 3 Dragon backs scored on the day as Seattle moves to 10-4 and locks up a playoff spot.

POTG: Seattle WR Amari Cooper: 6 Rec, 124 Yds, 1 TD

OHIO 20  ORLANDO 36

Ohio’s losing streak hits 4 games and this one also knocks them out of any playoff possibility as Orlando delivers the death blow. Russell Wilson threw for 2 scores, Tarik Cohen rushed for another 2 and the defense shut down Justin Fields, holding the Ohio QB to 190 yards passing and -6 on the ground. Throw in a pair of Montez Sweat sacks, one for a safety, and it was all Orlando.

POTG: Orlando DE Montez Sweat: 9 Tck, 4 TFL, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty

JACKSONVILLE 14  TAMPA BAY 33

Brian Burns is going to haunt Trevor Lawrence’s dreams after sacking the Jacksonville QB 7, yes, 7 times. Only a portion of 11 sacks given up by a clearly overwhelmed line. Lawrence also threw 3 picks in one of the ugliest outings of his career. For the Bandit offense, Ryan Grant had 2 scores, and both Cook and Breida rushed for a TD in this lopsided affair.

POTG: Bandit DE Brian Burns: 8 Tck, 7 Sck

LOS ANGELES 30  SAN DIEGO 20

The Express continue to show better offensive capability with Andy Dalton at the helm, but also got a pick-six from the D, part of a 17-0 run in the 4^th quarter to turn a potential upset into a victory. The loss eliminated San Diego from the postseason while locking in a spot for the Express. In the win, Dalton threw for 208 yards while the combo of Perkins and Montgomery added 122 on the ground.

POTG: Express CB Jamar Taylor: 5 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int

PHILADELPHIA 16  DENVER 23

The Gold put up 23 unanswered to race ahead of the Stars and secure another home win. Josh Allen threw for 332 and 2 scores, the defense held Derrick Henry to 68 yards and limited Carson Wentz to 192 yards passing as the two eliminated clubs battled for pride at Empower Field.

POTG: Denver QB Josh Allen: 15/25, 332 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int

BALTIMORE13  MEMPHIS 17

A good win for the Showboats, a bad loss for the Blitz as Memphis improves to 8-6 while Baltimore drops to 7-7 and a game behind the leaders in the NE Division. Baltimore had a 13-3 halftime lead, but it was all Memphis in the 2^nd half, with touchdowns from Luke Stocker and David Williams proving to be the difference. Baltimore had a shot late, but Jake Locker missed on a crucial 4^th and 8 throw and the Showboats held on to get the win and move into the 6^th playoff spot.

POTG: Memphis QB Blake Bortles: 17/31, 184 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int

HOUSTON 28  BIRMINGHAM 12

Tim Tebow looked rusty, completing only 18 of 44 passing as Houston got back on their feet thanks to Carlos Hyde’s 3-TD day. Hyde returned to action, rushed for 82 and the three scores and took pressure off Kellen Clemons, who would go 9 of 16 for 200 yards and a score on the day. The loss was not a death blow for the Stallions’ division title hopes as San Antonio also lost, but now Memphis is back in the mix at 8-6 as well.

POTG: Houston HB Carlos Hyde: 27 Att, 82 Yds, 3 TD

WASHINGTON 7  NEW JERSEY 27

The Generals played like a team that knew how big this game was for them, outgaining Washington 411-282, and putting up 27 unanswered after Washington’s initial score. The Defense held Washington out of scoring range for more than 3 full quarters, while the offense got TDs from Jonnu Smith, Tony Pollard, and Kyren Williams to move New Jersey to 8-6 and keep hold of the division lead thanks to a tiebreaker over New England.

POTG: General HB Tony Pollard: 22 Att, 99 Yds, 1 TD

NEW ENGLAND 29  ATLANTA 9

The Steamrollers kept pace with New Jersey, winning their 3^rd in a row to move to 8-6 by knocking off Atlanta at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Ryan Tannehill threw for 231 and 2 scores while the defense held Atlanta to 2 of 12 on third down and limited Kyler Murray to only 161 yards passing. It was tight at the half, 10-9 New England, but the Rollers started the 2^nd half with a safety against Murray and never looked back.

POTG: SS Jaiquawn Jarrett: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty

PITTSBURGH 7  CHARLOTTE 14

The Monarchs double their 2021 win total with their 6^th coming against the Maulers at Bank of America Stadium. The Monarch D sacked Kenny Pickett 7 times and held Pittsburgh to only 48 yards rushing on the day. Pittsburgh’s D was solid once again, but the offense just could not get anything going and that gave Charlotte all they needed to get win number six.

POTG: Charlotte HB Phillip Linday: 20 Att, 74 Yds, 1 TD

PORTLAND 14  OAKLAND 21

The Invaders let up on the gas a bit too soon, building a 21-0 lead after 3 quarters but then playing a bit too lax as Portland tried to roar back. Marcus Marriota had 2 touchdowns in the 4^th, but there was no success on an onside kick after the second, saving Oakland from a possible humiliating end. Christian McCaffrey was the star on offense for the Invaders, rushing for 107 yards and catching 5 Davis Mills passes for 44 more and a TD.

POTG: Oakland HB Christian McCaffrey: 19 Att, 107 Yds, 5 Rec, 44 Yds, 1 TD

LAS VEGAS 14  MICHIGAN 13

Don’t look now, but Las Vegas is in contention for a Wild Card, only 1 game behind the Invaders. The Vipers won their 3^rd in a row thanks to touchdowns from Matt Jones and Ricky Seals-Jones and a defense that held Michigan to 192 yards passing and only a lone LeVeon Bell TD. Blake Martinez looks fully recovered from the injury that had him out for more than half the season, recording 8 tackles and a sack on the day.

POTG: Viper TE Ricky Seals-Jones: 3 Rec, 63 Yds, 1 TD

OKLAHOMA 0  ARIZONA 42

No team is in better postseason form than the Wranglers, which they proved with an utter dismantling of the Oklahoma Outlaws. Ryan Nassib threw for 326, including a pair of touchdowns to slot receiver Tyler Lockett, the run game produced 116 yards to Oklahoma’s 6, yes, 6 total yards rushing. And, as if we had to say it, the defense was stifling, absolutely deleting Oklahoma’s run game, holding Jalen Hurts to -2 yards on the ground, and recording 2 picks and 6 sacks. Looks like the Wranglers are ready for some playoff football.

POTG: Wrangler QB Ryan Nassib: 14/18, 326 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int

Brian Burns Balls Out

The two-time defending USFL champs are known for one thing, their big play “Bandit Ball” offense, but DE Brian Burns reminded us all this week that the Bandits are also a Top 5 defense, capable of shutting down opponents just as readily as they can roll the scoreboard. He did so not only by dominating an overmatched and clearly unprepared Jacksonville offensive line, but by setting a new USFL record in the process. The Bandits punished Bulls’ QB Trevor Lawrence, with 9 hurries, 12 hits, and 11, yes, 11 sacks. But what was more impressive than those horrific numbers was the league record set by Tampa’s lead edge rusher, Brian Burns. Burns recorded 7 of those 11 sacks of Lawrence, snapping the prior record held by none other than league legend and the man at the top of our 40 Greatest Players list, Calais Campbell (Set against Tampa Bay back in 2014). 

Burns did it with speed, with power, and with a truly devastating swim move that had Bulls’ LT Taylor Lewan looking like an undrafted rookie instead of a 1^st round pick and 8-year veteran. Even with help from TE Eric Ebron, FB Zach Line, or HB Chubba Hubbard, the left side of the Jacksonville line was simply unable to address the pressure from Burns. The Bandits had 4 sacks in the first quarter, 2 in the 2^nd, 3 in the third, and finished with 2 more in the final minutes of the game, with Burns recording 4 of his 7 sacks in the second half, with Tampa Bay protecting a ludicrous 30-0 lead. It was a dominant performance from the Bandits on both sides of the ball, but nowhere more than on the left side of the line, where Brian Burns not only dominated the Bulls but lept over J. J. Watt, A. J. Epenesa and Montez Sweat, three far-more celebrated edge rushers, taking a dominant 3-sack lead over the field for the 2022 sack title, and almost guaranteeing himself a return to All-USFL status (2020 was his first).

Smith Keeps Breakers on Playoff Life Support

In week 14 New Orleans knocked off a weakened Houston Gambler squad to end a 4-game losing streak and climb back to 6-7. This week they faced potential elimination as they traveled to San Antonio to take on the 9-4 Gunslingers. A loss and they would drop to 6-8 and be out of any Wild Card hopes. Coach Lathon made that reality clear in the pre-game preparations, and Geno Smith gave us a classic Lee Corso “Not So Fast, My Friend” performance to stave off elimination and pull the Breakers up to .500, still very much alive in the USFL Eastern Division playoff hunt.

With New Orleans trailing the homestanding Gunslingers 24-14 as the game entered the 4^th quarter, Smith could be seen bucking up the offense, exhorting them to give it their all, and rallying the troops. When he was on the field, he was impeccable, going 7 of 8 in his final 2 drives, the first producing a 7-yard TD toss to Dawson Knox, the second, in the game’s final minutes, producing the game winning score, a perfectly executed screen to DeMarco Murray which was apparently an audible called by Smith after assessing the defense. Coach Lathon gave Smith full credit in the post-game interview. Stating that the original call was for a pair of out routes to try to get inside the 10. Smith recognized the outside leverage being taken by the corners and the safeties leaning for a drop back, and he made the switch, shifting TE Dawson Knox to the wide side to help block for Murray, and setting up the screen play that would win the game.

Now, at 7-7, New Orleans has 2 games to make a run, both played in the very friendly atmosphere of the Super Dome. They will likely need help to get there, but if they can knock off Charlotte this week, they could face a “Win & In” situation with the Memphis Showboats in Week 17. If they do find themselves there, they can point to this week’s game and Geno Smith’s leadership as the reason they have a shot at all.

Ohio Losing Streak Turns to Elimination

The other side of the Week 16 emotional roller coaster has to be the feeling the Ohio Glory are living right now. They went into their road trip to Orlando knowing that a loss would push them to 6-8, two games under .500 and almost certain playoff elimination. After being 6-4, it would mean losing their 4^th consecutive game and turning a feel-good season into a major disappointment. Their season and their playoff hopes rode on this one game. And yet, by all accounts they came out flat, giving up an early touchdown, a safety, and slowly falling into a 12-3 hole, a hole that grew to 29-6 at its worst point. The Glory defense gave up too many 3^rd down conversions, too many yards, and too many 2^nd chances. The offense failed to produce, with Justin Fields losing 6 yards on his combined 11 runs and throwing for only 190 yards. It was a poor showing in every phase of the game, a clearly dominant performance by the 9-5 Renegades, and a sour end to what began as a season of hope for the Glory.

Ohio will go into the offseason with a lot of questions. They clearly have a playmaker at QB, but rookie Kenneth Walker Jr. looked tired all season, unable to reach the potential he showed at Michigan State, but perhaps capable of more when he has a full offseason to recover instead of the shortened hiatus between his NCAA career and his USFL debut. The Glory clearly need to find more weapons for Fields, with Terry McLaurin constantly struggling through double coverage. They also need to improve on a defense that faded down the stretch. But, with 2 games left, the Glory can still try to leverage some good feelings. Even though they are out of the post-season picture, snapping the losing streak and reaching .500 at 8-8 have to be the new goals for the club.

Oakland & Las Vegas Make it 3 in a Row

The USFL has set us up with an unlikely but very exciting Week 16 situation: two teams on winning streaks, very much alive as they seek a single playoff spot left available, and playing head-to-head in what very much feels like an early playoff game. Oakland comes into the game having earned three much-needed wins against Memphis, LA, and Portland. They now sit at 8-6, occupying the final Wild Card spot and in full control of their own destiny, something very much in doubt back in Week 12, when a loss to the Dragons at home had them at 5-6. Their opponent, the Las Vegas Vipers were written off far earlier. They started the season 0-4 and were 1-5 after 5 weeks when Head Coach Greg Landry made the tough call. He benched 2021 and week 1 starter Matt McGloin and went with the more dynamic but riskier option in QB Gardner Minshew. That move paid off, with Las Vegas winning 6 of their next 8 games, including their current 3-game win streak, including a huge home upset over the Arizona Wranglers. They sit at 7-7, only 1 game behind Oakland.

The two teams, both on 3-game win streaks, will face off at Levi’s Stadium this Sunday, with the winner either clinching that last Western Conference playoff spot (Oakland), or in position to lock it up in Week 17 (Las Vegas). Amazing what a few wins strung back-to-back can do for a team. Both of these teams are feeling good, and focused on a game that could mean everything to them and their fans.

Allgeier’s Hamstring a Concern for Arizona

The Wranglers were more than impressive this week, absolutely demolishing the Oklahoma Outlaws 42-0, but it was not all good news for the Southwestern Division Champions. Their star rookie, halfback Tyler Allgeier had just scored his 9^th touchdown of the season, took the ball on a routine pitch out on a 1^st and 10, but immediately fell to the ground, clutching his thigh. He would not return to the game, out with a possible partial tear of his hamstring. Allgeier, who had not only become a key feature of the Wranglers’ 2-headed rushing attack, adding 572 yards and 9 touchdowns to Ka’Deem Carey’s 868 yards and 7 scores, but was the preferred short-yardage option for the Wranglers. Peyton Barber, who had only 19 touches all season, would come in and perform well, but with the Wranglers looking ahead to a playoff run and still in the hunt for the 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, could be without a key weapon.

Monday’s series of imaging showed no tears, a sigh of relief for the Wranglers, but a severe strain that needed rest. So, with 2 games left that could determine just what the post-season would look like for the Wranglers, Coach Tomsula announced yesterday that Allgeier’s regular season would be shuttered for the final two weeks. The hope being that with a potential bye week in hand, the rest would give Allgeier 3 full weeks to recover and get his hammie back to form for a divisional playoff game. The Wranglers face Ohio this week and finish with Michigan, two inter-divisional games where the Wranglers should be heavy favorites, and two games that could lock in that much-wanted bye. Arizona will go into both games as heavy favorites, which may just allow them to lose the talents of their star rookie and still come out on top when the regular season wraps up.

Having run through the scenarios for all the teams heading into Week 16 in our Big Story this week, we thought we would just use this space to offer our condolences to the 13 teams who are absolutely and mathematically eliminated from the 2022 playoffs. new to that group this week are Charlotte, Houston, Washington, San Diego and Ohio. They join Oklahoma, Denver, Pittsburgh, Portland, Michigan, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Jacksonville in that sad club.

So, what are these teams fighting for? Pride mostly, perhaps positioning, or just trying to avoid a 10-loss season. Too late on that front for the Stars, Fire, bulls, Maulers, Stags, and Panthers, but for the others, getting to 8-8 or 7-9 is still possible. And if we look at the USFL Draft, the Panthers are essentially 1 loss away from locking up the 1^st overall pick, something no one expected. Portland, Atlanta, and Jacksonville would be looking at potential picks 2-4, assuming all three stay at 3 wins for the year. Right now it would be Jacksonville sitting in the 2-spot, followed by Portland and then Atlanta.

Some key players will be out of some very important games, especially in New Orleans, where the Breakers need to win out to have any shot at a Wild Card, but will do so without both WR Jordy Nelson and FB Curtis Nelson. Las Vegas will be without edge rusher Brooks Reed for their huge game against Oakland and, if they make the playoffs, possibly for their entire playoff run as well. Birmingham, in a very tight race for the Southern title, will be without Raekwon McMillian down the stretch, and LA could be more vulnerable in the secondary with Stephon Gilmore expected to miss the final 2 games of the regular season.

OUT

DE          Brooks Reed             LV           Back           IR

FB          Curtis Nelson           NOR      MCL         4-6 Weeks

LB           Raekwon McMilian        BIR         Hernia         2-4 Weeks

DT          DeVante Wyatt                 ATL         Ankle             2-4 Weeks

OT          Greg Robinson                BIR         Neck             1-2 Weeks

WR         Jordy Nelson                NOR      Wrist             1-2 Weeks

CB          Stephon Gilmore            LA          Hip                  1-2 Weeks

DOUBTFUL

FB          Rod Benjamin          SAN       Knee

G            Michael Dunn               NOR      Concussion

QUESTIONABLE

TE           Jeff Heuerman           TBY        Knee

HB         Trey Sermon                OHI       Concussion

SS           Nick Scott                 PHI        Neck

DT          Beau Allen                    JAX         Back

Stoops Stepping Down after 4 Years in OKC

We have our first coaching change of the season as Coach Bob Stoops announced on Tuesday that he will play out the season but will resign from the team after their Week 16 matchup in Las Vegas. Stoops, a legend at Oklahoma University, was a hugely popular choice to take over the Outlaws when they relocated from San Antonio to Oklahoma City, but since taking over the team, he has struggled to get them over the hump and into contention in the Southwest Division. His first season (2019) saw the Outlaws go 6-10. They faced a bit of a rebuild after the 2020 Expansion allowed the new San Antonio Gunslingers to claim several veteran players, including QB Joe Flacco, but Stoops was able to rebuild and improve the Outlaws to 8-8 in his second year. In 2021 rookie QB Jalen Hurts arrived and there was a lot of hype as to what the OU quarterback and the OU ball coach could do together. But, after a 6-10 campaign in 2021, the Outaws again struggled for consistency this year, sitting at 5-8-1 and out of playoff contention after 15 weeks.

Stoops did not provide much to the gathered media, using the standard tropes of spending more time with his family, thanking the team for the opportunity, and acknowledging the effort and spirit of his players. His foray into pro football was, overall, a forgettable one. His arrival certainly brought energy to a new fanbase that was already feeling pretty good about getting a USFL team for the first time since their 1-year experiment in Tulsa in 1987, but the Outlaws simply could not make waves in a very competitive division. Stoops will almost certainly get a fair amount of applause in his final home game this week, a tough matchup against the Denver Gold, and he will be on the sideline in Week 17’s road trip to Las Vegas, but the Outlaws will now be entering the coaching search mode, hoping to find a new leader who can bring the club’s first playoff run to the city and the state.

McDermott Not Taking the Fall in Michigan

More coaching news out of Michigan, and in a move that is a surprise to no one, Panther ownership stood firmly behind Head Coach Sean McDermott. While expressing deep disappointment for a season that has Michigan sitting at 2-11, far from the playoff aspirations that opened the season, team president Jim Popp stated that he felt the team was more talented than their record displayed, and was going to be able to bounce back in 2023. He expressed full confidence in Coach McDermott, who had overseen 8 consecutive playoff seasons, including a league title in 2017. “One bad year does not define a man or a team.” Said Popp as he stated that he fully expected McDermott to be a Panther through the end of his contract in 2025 if not longer.

Yes, we have all heard the “vote of confidence” speech before, but this time we are willing to believe that this is not the first step before a firing. McDermott has done amazing work in Michigan, with 2 Summer Bowl appearances, a league title, and an overall record of 111-79, nothing to sneeze at. The Panthers certainly have issues, and we expect some major movement on the roster, both sides of the ball, but, as their team president said, no one season defines a team or a man, so we believe the Panthers this time around. Expect McDermott to be at the helm in 2023, though you should also expect some new faces up and down the roster, and, very likely a new pair of coordinators up in the booth.

40 Greatest Players in 40 USFL Seasons: Our Top 2

Here we go, the top two players in USFL history. Did you guess them from the get go? Are you surprised?  We had some debates, some lobbying for one of the other Top 5 players, but in the end, the choices were unassailable, two of the absolute greatest players in USFL history, the pinnacle for their positions, both players with league records that may never be topped, two icons of the game, and two superstars of spring football.

2) WR Eric Truvillion ( 1983-1995)

Quite simply the greatest offensive weapon the USFL has ever seen. The 13-year veteran of the Tampa Bay Bandits, from their first game through the 1995 season, Truvillion is not only a 12-time All-USFL player, or the 1995 OPOTY. He is not only a major player in the 1983 league title that made the Bandits an immediate hit in the Sunshine State, he is a league record holder who has put up numbers no one may ever top. 

Eric Truvillion’s 174 career touchdown receptions remains the gold standard more than 20 years after he retired from the game. Despite the great success of Joey Galloway, Chad Johnson, Lawrence Dawsey, and Randy Moss, no one has been able to surpass Truvillion. And that is only one stat. How about the season records? Truvillion’s 25 touchdown receptions in 1985 is still the league record, a number only 1 player has ever even approached (Ernest Givens with 23 in 1992). No receiver has even topped 20 in the past 30 years. And that one is not the most impressive. Take a look at the greatest receiving seasons in USFL history. You will see Truvillion not only atop the list, but occupying the 1, 2, and 3 slots. All three have him over 1,900 yards, tantalizingly close to that mythical 2,000-yard mark. His 1986 season with 1,959 yards is amazing enough, but when you add in 1,944 yards the year prior and 1,932 yards in 1992, you have perhaps the most stunning offensive statistic in the entire USFL recordbook. There have been lots of amazing receivers in the spring league, but no one comes close to what we saw from Eric Truvillion, a true GOAT in the USFL history books.

1)  DE Calais Campbell (2008-Present)

You had to know, you just had to, that if Eric Truvillion was in the 2^nd position, ahead of Kerry Collins and Herschel Walker, that there was only 1 name capable of being the USFL GOAT. The fact that you can still buy a ticket to a USFL game and watch Calais Campbell play is just an amazing bonus for today’s fans. 

The Sack Sensation in Orlando.

When the Orlando Renegades drafted and signed Campbell out of “The U” in 2008, the hope was that they could help to address the huge departure of legendary edge rusher Chris Doleman. What they got was so much more than that. In his first year he had a solid start, a 12-sack season for a rookie, but he became a star in his 2^nd year. As a sophomore Campbell became the first player in USFL history to record 30 sacks, destroying Phil Hansen’s league record of 28 sacks by racking up 34 that year. He would go on to top 30 sacks 4 times in his career, taking over the top 4 spots on the all-time greatest seasons for a pass rusher. Of course, he now also owns the 6^th spot and the 8^th, allowing room for only 3 other names on the entire Top 10 of USFl pass rushing seasons.

That dominance is amazing to us, but it is not even his most astonishing accomplishment. There are two that we would rate higher. The first is his ability to not only dominate in the passing game but be perhaps one of the best tackling DE’s of all time as well. Calais Campbell not only has 14 seasons of 20 or more sacks (he just landed his 20^th for 2022 this week), but he, not once, but twice, finished a season with 100 tackles. That is a linebacker number, not an edge rusher number. He did it first in 2015, then again in 2018. In all he has 8 seasons where he recorded 80 or more tackles. Let’s compare that to some other greats, shall we?

Phil Hansen, 2^nd in career sacks, never topped 80 tackles in a season. Kavika Pittman (3^rd in career sacks) none, and only 1 season over 70. Reggie White, the Minister of Defense? None. Chris Doleman, the man Orlando was hoping to replace with Campbell, not a single season with more than 62 tackles. And Campbell had 2 years over 100. Sheer insanity!! 

Campbell as a Wrangler

Last, but certainly not least, is the record for career sacks. Calais Campbell did not squeak by Phil Hansens’ league record of 289 sacks, itself an incredible number when you consider that the NFL record holder is Bruce Smith with only 200. Well, Campbell left both Smith and Hansen in the dust, recording 380 sacks over his career, a career that is not over yet. That means he has 91 more sacks than the prior record holder. The Renegades brought him in to try to fill the gap that Chris Doleman left, and he already has more than 100 more sacks than Doleman.

We don’t know if this season, Calais Campbell’s 15^th, will be his last or if he will give it another go in 2023, but what we do know is that we are witnessing a career that may never be equaled. With Orlando, then Arizona, and now the Baltimore Blitz, Calais Campbell has been the very best the USFL has to offer and one of the all-time greats. And for the USFL he is the greatest player of all time, the GOAT of spring football.

So many meaningful games this week, so many permutations and calculations of playoff impact, draft order, and the like. So, which games do you not want to miss? Here is our pick of the games that absolutely have to be caught this weekend.

We start off on Saturday with a Breakers-Showboats clash that will mean almost certain disaster for the loser. New Orleans’s only shot at the postseason is to go 2-0 and get some help, but they face a Memphis squad that still has a real shot not only at a Wild Card but at the division title if they can go 2-0 to end the year.

On Sunday, New Jersey faces New England in a game that very well could decide the Northeast Division. The winner is poised to claim the crown, the loser could fall not only to a Wild Card, but potentially out of the playoffs altogether. The other big Sunday game is in Las Vegas, where the Invaders can lock up a Wild Card with a win and the Vipers can stave off elimination and give themselves a real shot in Week 17 if they can hold court at home.

But you all know what the Game of the Week is primed to be. It’s 12-2 Tampa Bay visiting 12-2 Chicago in what looks very much like a Summer Bowl preview. It’s the two best teams in the league going head-to-head. The concern, of course, is that Tampa Bay is already locked into the 1 seed in the East, so do they play a vanilla game, not wanting to show their hand to the Machine? Or do they go for the win, perhaps to capture a mental edge over the likely Western Conference 1 seed? Chicago has no room for error, not with St. Louis hot on their heels, so we know we will get all they have, but the Bandits could go a lot of different ways in this one.

Fri. 7pm ET         Seattle (10-4) @ Houston (6-8)                          NBC

Fri. 7pm ET       Washington (5-8-1) @ Philadelphia (4-10)       ESPN/EFN

Sat. 12pm ET     Baltimore (7-7) @ Dallas (6-8)                           ABC

Sat. 12pm ET     Arizona (11-3) @ Ohio (6-8)                              FOX

Sat. 4pm ET      Portland (3-11) @ Los Angeles (9-5)               ABC

Sat. 4pm ET       Birmingham (9-5) @ San Diego (6-8)                FOX

Sat. 8pm ET      New Orleans (7-7) @ Memphis (8-6)              NBC

Sat. 8pm ET       Tampa Bay (12-2) @ Chicago (12-2)                 ESPN/EFN

Sun 12pm ET   Jacksonville (3-11) @ Atlanta (3-11)                ABC Regional

Sun 12pm ET     Charlotte (6-8) @ San Antonio (9-5)                  ABC Regional

Sun 12pm ET   New Jersey (8-6) @ New England (8-6)          FOX

Sun 4pm ET       St. Louis (11-3) @ Orlando (9-5)                      ABC

Sun 4pm ET      Denver (5-9) @ Oklahoma (5-8-1)                    FOX Regional

Sun 4pm ET       Oakland (8-6) @ Las Vegas (7-7)                      FOX Regional

Sun 8pm ET      Pittsburgh (4-10) @ Michigan (2-12)                  EFN