PLAYER OF THE WEEK: A tough call between NFL Import Gardner Minshew, making his debut with the Vipers and throwing for 3 scores to upend the Breakers, or rookie Trevor Lawrence, going for over 400 yards in a huge upset over Birmingham. We think we have to go with the bigger upset, and besides it is Lawrence's first 400-yard game (Bulls fans home for many more) and with 3 TDs he was the key to the big road win for the Bulls, only their 2nd win on the season. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Still too early for clinching, though we are right on the cusp for the Bandits, and for the Monarchs, who are likely officially out as of next week, even with a win.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: While Lamar Jackson certainly shone in yet another St. Louis defeat, we are giving the POTW to a player who came up huge to get his team a W they desperately needed. Dre Kirkpatrick, Michigan's All-USFL corner played like a champion, picking off two Sam Bradford passes and defending 5 more as the Panthers held off Chicago to stay very much in the Central Division race. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Nothing decided yet, with all teams still looking at 6 more games to go. Tampa Bay looks poised to lock up a playoff spot first, while Charlotte, sitting at 0-9, is most likely the first team we will see elminated in the next couple of weeks.

Week 10 saw the trade deadline come and go with a flurry of late deals as teams try to prepare for a playoff run. It also saw a major upset as the San Antonio Gunslingers shocked the Houston Gamblers. Week 10 was also the debut of the “new look” Oklahoma Outlaws, and it was a good one for the newest Outlaw, Eddie Lacy. As we prepare our first Playoff Picture review, we will also look at all the Week 10 scores, discuss the impact of the Matt McGloin injury for the Vipers, and take a look at 5 coaches who have a lot to prove over the season’s final 6 weeks. All that, but we start with a very active trade deadline, our Big Story for the week.   Buying & Selling at Trade Deadline After last week’s huge 3-team deal, we had a feeling that the Week 10 Trade Deadline would not go out without a bang, and we were right. The Memorial Day Weekend added an extra day to the deadline, shifting it from Monday to Tuesday, and that helped at least 2 deals get pen to paper and filings in to the league office for some 11 th  hour swaps. Was there a pattern to the deals? Absolutely. In each case we saw a team engaged in a playoff hunt, some on the fringe, some pretty well placed right now, working to address a gap or to improve a particular aspect of their squad by pulling in a high priced player from a team likely out of the playoff picture (if only realistically and not mathematically). In several cases, it was a high-priced player in a contract year who was shipped off, freeing up cap space for the seller while providing an option for the buyer to jettison the player after the season or resign them to a new deal. For the players, it is a chance to prove their worth and get that new deal with a new team, or, if the fit is not good, to walk after the season concludes. So, who made the deals and how do we think it will impact the remainder of the season? Here is our breakdown of the 4 big deals completed between last Wednesday and this Tuesday.   DENVER ADDS HB DEPTH A lot has gone well for the Denver Gold offense this year, but the run game has not been what Coach Hufnagel wants to see, with Phillip Lindsay averaging only 2.9 YPC and the team as a whole sitting 26 th  in the league rankings. The Gold would love to get a bit more out of their run game to take pressure off their young QB, Josh Allen. So, they went searching for a complementary back to Lindsay, and they found one in San Diego, where the emergence of Charles Smith has meant that veteran David Wilson was seeing fewer and fewer touches. San Diego agreed to a deal that would send Wilson to Denver in exchange for CB Jaylon Johnson and a 4 th  round pick in the 2022 Open Draft. Wilson is in a contract year and having just turned 30 will have a chance to prove his worth in Denver’s attack as the Gold seek a possible SW Division title. San Diego gets some depth at corner and adds a pick as they try to rebuild around HB Charles Sims and one of their two “Christians” at QB (Ponder & Hackenberg).   EXPRESS STAY FOCUSED ON DEFENSE Apparently, being ranked 4 th  in scoring defense and 3 rd  in yards allowed is not good enough for the Express, who opted to double down on the defensive side of the ball rather than try to fix their 29 th  rated offense. They certainly got themselves a gamer this week in a deal with Jacksonville. Veteran cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie heads to LA to finish out his 13 th  USFL season. Rogers-Cromartie, also in a contract year, will join a secondary that already features another savvy veteran and All-USFL corner in Stephon Gilmore, as well as safeties Lonnie Ballentine and Rahim Moore. The move certainly makes LA’s pass defense, already a Top 10 squad, all the more difficult to gameplan against, but does little to address the offensive issues that have plagued the Express. Jacksonville, for their part, picks up 2 third round selections, one each in 2022 and 2023 as they give DRC a chance to play for a title with the Express. Panthers Give Cousins Another Option Michigan, concerned with a precipitous drop off in offensive production this season, and still in a search for a viable option opposite Cody Latimer found themselves a good one in former Charlotte Monarch receiver Justin Blackmon . Blackmon, Charlotte’s lead receiver this year, has been grumbling of late in Charlotte. He now gets a chance to play for the Panthers and for a possible playoff spot, something not possible with the winless Monarchs. The 9-year veteran who started his career in Boston, joined Ohio for 4 seasons, and then moved on to Charlotte in 2018, had 3 consecutive 1,000 yards seasons with the Monarchs. He has 602 yards so far this year, and now heads to Michigan for the final 2 years of his contract.   The Panthers get themselves a bona fide deep threat in Blackmon, and in return send WR Calvin Ridley and a 2 nd  round choice in the 2022 Draft to the Monarchs. Ridley never really synched with the Panther offense, with only 23 receptions in 2020. In Charlotte, expect him to start off as a swing receiver, with Marques Colston and Austin Proehl the likely starters. Ridley could swap snaps with slot receiver Tandon Doss, or could sub for either outside receiver. Meanwhile, expect Blackmon to line up opposite Cody Latimer from the get go, providing more of a deep threat in the Panther attack. Michigan will shift Donovan Peoples-Jones to a swing position, splitting time with Kevin Kraft in the slot, but also backing up both Latimer and Blackmon outside.   SEATTLE ADDS VETERAN EDGE RUSHER Without a doubt the biggest deal of the final week saw the Federals part with DE Chris Long , sending the 13-year veteran to the Seattle Dragons for a two 3 rd  round picks (2022 and 2023). Long, another player in a contract year at the age of 33, has been highly productive for the Federals, recording 14 or more sacks each of the past 5 seasons. He has 8 already this year, and now he joins a Seattle defense that is already ranked in the Top 10 in all 4 major defensive categories (points, total yards, passing, and rushing). Seattle leads the Pacific Division with a 7-2 record and is clearly focused on a Summer Bowl this year. Adding a proven pass rusher opposite Deshon Hall gives Seattle an important upgrade at a key position down the stretch. With one of the best secondaries in the game (Corners Richard Sherman, Chidobe Awuzie and Jaire Alexander, with safeties Taylor Rapp and Terrell Edmunds), and a LB group headed up by Khalil Mack, Josh Allen and Calvin Pace, the Dragons now add a veteran edge rusher. Expect Seattle to use the combination of Long and Mack to assail one side of an offense’s line, as Mack alternates sides to match down and distance. This could be a very effective two-pronged attack.   As for Washington, the departure of Long was anticipated this offseason. By moving him now, they get compensation that would have been lost in free agency, adding mid-round picks to their draft plans for the next 2 years. The departure of long means that Bradley Chubb will be the primary focus of the Federal pass rush, with Jalen Jelks moving from swing end to starting right end. Expect Washington to complement Chubb’s pass rush with blitzes from OLB Patrick Queen, MLB Tremaine Edwards, and safety Kenny Vaccaro.   So, Seattle addresses the pass rush, LA adds to an already strong D, Michigan boosts their aerial attack, and Denver their run game. Four teams hoping to make a splash in the postseason, and hoping that a late season acquisition can put them over the top. As for Jacksonville, Charlotte, Washington, and San Diego, their sights are clearly on building for the future, freeing up cap space, and reducing the pressure to resign older veterans, picking up draft capital along the way. It is the buyer-seller market of the Trade Deadline, and we will see the results over the next 6 weeks and into the offseason.   CHICAGO MACHINE 13  MICHIGAN PANTHERS 19 It was billed as a Central Division showdown, a battle between the Michigan Panthers, winners of the division 4 of the past 5 years, and the Chicago Machine, a 7-1 team that appeared ready to dethrone the champions. With Michigan already 3 games behind Chicago at 4-4, and sitting all the way down the standings in 4 th  place, this was a “must win” situation if the Panthers wanted any chance at the division. For Chicago, it was a chance to knock Michigan below .500 and out of the division race, one that had been more complicated than most expected, with the rise of Pittsburgh and Ohio as contenders.   Played in front of 51,048 in Ford Field, this was also a classic rivalry game, with the Midwest’s two preeminent USFL clubs facing off again. It would be two highly respected defenses, each trying to shut down the primary weapons of their opposition. Michigan HB LeVeon Bell would be the focus for the Machine defenders, while Michigan’s defense would attempt to disrupt Sam Bradford of the Machine. Both defenses would find some success, with Chicago actually finding more of an advantage against the Michigan passing game, sacking Kirk Cousins 6 times on the day, while Michigan absolutely crushed Chicago’s run game, with the Machine attempting only 8 rushes all game.   Michigan won this game thanks to absolute clock domination, holding possession for a remarkable 43 minutes as Chicago went 0 for 6 on third down, and managed only 31 offensive plays on the day, eking out only 6 first downs all game long. Michigan, for their part, ran 69 offensive plays, each one milking the play clock as far as it would go. They more than tripled Chicago’s first down production, racking up 24 on the day, but for all that dominance, they could never truly pull away from the Machine, leaving them vulnerable to even a single big play in what would be a 6-point victory.   In a game that saw only 2 touchdown drives, both coming off turnovers, it was a war of attrition, with teams swapping field position throughout the game. Michigan used their run game, bolstered by the acquisition of fullback Khari Blasingame, to grind out first downs and get themselves in position for kicker Chase McLaughlin, who finished the game accounting for 13 of the Panther’s 19 points. LeVeon Bell would carry the ball 25 times, clawing out 109 yards, while backup Alexander Mattison fared even better, averaging 7.3 yards per carry for 51 yards.   Chicago would abandon the run early on, relying on Sam Bradford for pretty much all their offensive production. Their one TD came after the only true break-away play of the game, a 78-yard catch and run by Chase Claypool, only 1 of 2 receptions on the day for Bradford’s favorite target. It would be TE Tyler Eifert who would lead all Chicago receivers with 5 catches. The one-dimensional offense proved problematic for Chicago, with Bradford picked off twice, including in the final minute of action to preserve the Michigan win. Chicago’s attack was off the entire game, with Bradford only completing 13 of 23 passing, and failing on each 3 rd  down attempt the team faced.   It could not be called an exciting game, with few offensive fireworks, though it certainly was a tense one, with Michigan building a 16-3 lead only to give up the big play to Claypool and a 3 rd  quarter touchdown that pulled Chicago within 6. In the 4 th  quarter Michigan extended the lead to 9 points with Chase McLaughlin’s 4 th  field goal of the day, only for Chicago to respond with Daniel Carlson’s 2 nd  on the day. The Machine were again within 6 and they got the ball back with 3:31 left to play, but would need to drive 83 yards for a touchdown if they wanted to complete the comeback.   After getting a quick first down on a Bradford to Kearse 16-yard throw, the Chicago drive, and the drama of the game, quickly came to an end as Bradford, pressured by LB Sean Porter, tried to hit Claypool on a comeback route, only to have Michigan CB Dre Kirkpatrick, who had already defended 5 passes and picked off a 6 th , come up with a 2 nd  pick on the day, snatching the ball away from Claypool before stepping out of bounds. Michigan ground out a pair of first downs and could have added a 5 th  McLaughlin field goal to extend the lead, but opted to take a knee and end the game with a 6-point victory.   It was a game dominated by Michigan’s lines, the offensive line helping to grind out 167 yards on the ground and keep the game clock rolling, the defensive line limiting Chicago to a ridiculous 8 total yards rushing (admittedly on only 8 attempts) and pressuring Bradford into only 13 of 23 passing. It was also a game dominated by CB Dre Kirkpatrick, who all but shut down Chase Claypool, allowing 1 reception in man coverage against the Chicago wideout. The lone strike to Claypool came off a stacked receiver group in which Kirkpatrick was forced to cover Michael Floyd and leaving Claypool on safety Jabril Peppers. Michigan got the win they needed, drawing them within 2 games of Chicago at 5-4, while Chicago got a bit of a wake-up call. They would need to play better if they were to hold onto the division, one that had 3 other legitimate contenders in the mix.   OKLAHOMA 37  DALLAS 13 The new-look Outlaws were impressive, as was HB Eddie Lacy, who rushed for 116 yards and a TD in his Oklahoma debut. The Outlaws outgained Dallas 413-241, thanks to offensive balance. Jalen Hurts threw for 239 and 2 scores but also scrambled for another 51 yards and a score as Oklahoma rolled. And no concerns about the loss of Pacman Jones from the secondary, as the Outlaws picked off Justin Herbert 3 times. Dallas’s lone TD came on a pick six by Patrick Peterson as the offense struggled to establish anything on the day. POTG:  Outlaw QB Jalen Hurts: 18/27, 239 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int, 11 Att, 51 Yds, 1 TD   NEW ENGLAND 13   MEMPHIS 23 New England’s new HB combo (Hill and Yeldon) combined for only 62 yards rushing, while Ryan Tannehill completed 23 of 44 for 235 as the Steamrollers fell to the Showboats in a pretty lackluster performance for both teams. Memphis got the advantage late, thanks to 3 straight scoring drives, with Robert Woods giving them a 17-13 advantage, built up with two Lewis Ward field goals in the 4 th . POTG:  Memphis LB NaVorro Bowman: 10 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   PHILADELPHIA 24  CHARLOTTE 19 The homestanding Monarchs, in front of barely 21,000 in Charlotte, played the Stars tough, holding a 19-17 lead until the final 69 seconds of action. Philadelphia QB Carson Wentz, who had been picked twice in the game, found K. J. Hamler for a game-saving touchdown to conclude a 2-minute drill to avoid the embarrassing loss to a winless Charlotte club. The Monarchs held Derrick Henry to only 63 yards rushing and forced 3 turnovers on a sloppy day for the Stars. POTG:  Philadelphia CB Dwayne Gratz: 3 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 Int   PITTSBURGH 21  OHIO 6 The Mauler D shut down and nearly shut out the Glory, limiting Justin Fields to negative rushing yards and only 178 yards passing with 2 picks and 3 sacks. That was all Andy Dalton needed, finding rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown and veteran Albert Wilson for scores, with Sony Michel adding a third on a 15-yard dash as the Maulers dominated their division rivals to take over 2 nd  place in the Central. POTG:  Mauler LB Brian Cushing: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   ST. LOUIS 21   SEATTLE 34 Lamar Jackson had himself a game, but it was not enough against the streaking Seattle Dragons. Jackson rushed for 148 and 2 scores, threw for another 137 and another score, and single-handedly kept St. Louis alive, but in the end the Dragon offense had too many opportunities, with Brett Hundley throwing for 3 scores and Knowshon Moreno rushing for a 4 th  along with 109 yards on the day. Seattle wins a 7 th  in a row to hold the lead in the Pacific, while St. Louis drops to 2-7. POTG:  Seattle LB Khalil Mack: 7 Tck, 2 Sck   BIRMINGHAM 21  NEW ORLEANS 10 Serious concern about the Breakers after another poor offensive showing. The Breakers were held to only 232 yards of offense, committed 2 turnovers, and failed on both 4 th  down attempts as Birmingham improved to 6-3 on the season with a balanced game. New acquisition Pacman Jones had 5 pass defenses, but the shining star was rookie LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who finished the game with his first USFL interception, a pick-six to celebrate his new role and his new team. POTG:  Birmingham LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah: 6 Tck, 1 FF, 1 PDef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ORLANDO 40   ATLANTA 17 The Fire drop their third in a row as Orlando dominates, putting up the final 16 points of the game and outpacing the Fire from the opening gun. Brashad Perriman had 2 TDs on top of 140 yards receiving, while Montez Sweat picked up 2 more sacks as the Atlanta O-line struggled all day. The Renegades got within 7 in the 3 rd  on a Murray to Green TD, but Orlando put the game away with 4 consecutive scoring drives. POTG:  Orlando WR Brashad Perriman: 7 Rec, 140 Yds, 2 TD   TAMPA BAY 43  JACKSONVILLE 6 No trap game here as Tampa Bay takes care of business. Dak Prescott went 17 of 27 for 287 yards and 3 scores to power the Bandits. Ryan Grant went over 100, while Dez Bryant had 2 scoring catches in the Bandit romp. The defense picked off rookie Trevor Lawrence 3 times and sacked him 4 more in a long day for the rookie QB. POTG:  Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 17/27, 287 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   HOUSTON 15   SAN ANTONIO 31 The biggest shock of the week as the homestanding Gunslingers took it to the visiting Gamblers. Joe Flacco was in vintage form, throwing for 324 yards and 2 TDs, while the defense held the Gambler attack in check all game with a combination of shallow zones and LB blitzes. The Gunslingers controlled the ball and the clock, finishing with over 36 minutes of possession and a very impressive 16-point divisional win. POTG:  Gunslinger QB Joe Flacco: 28/38, 324 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   OAKLAND 24  PORTLAND 17 Portland was game, with Mariota to Josh Gordon tying the game at 17 late in the 3 rd , but they could not get over the hump, with Tom Brady finding Zach Ertz for the game winner. Brady was efficient all game, completing 22 of 31 for 236 and 3 scores, while Christian McCaffrey averaged 5.1 yards per carry for 71 total yards. Portland, playing without Doug Martin, split carries between Tavares Cadet and Javontae Williams, but only managed 23 total rushing yards against the Oakland D. POTG:  Invader TE Zach Ertz: 4 Rec, 38 Yds, 2 TD   LOS ANGELES 30  LAS VEGAS 17 Coach Lewis had to be happy with his offense on this day, with Paul Perkins busting out for 136 yards rushing and Kyler Murray throwing for 237 and 3 scores with no turnovers. A safety late in the game proved to be more than just 2 points for LA as Matt McGloin left the field with what was later determined to be a fracture in his clavicle, a shoulder injury that will cost him the remainder of the season. With the result, both teams now sit at 4-5 on the year. POTG:  Express HB Paul Perkins: 17 Att, 136 Yds   Birmingham Gets DPOTW Debut from Owusu-Koramoah It took only 1 weeks for the 3-way trade between New England, Birmingham, and the Oklahoma Outlaws to pay dividends, and in the case of Birmingham, impressive ones. Rookie LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had only 3 days of practice with the Stallions, but was given the start against New Orleans. Playing on raw talent and instinct, the young linebacker made an immediate impression. JOK, as announcers and teammates have already gotten used to calling him, came out of the gate with his new teams with a Defensive Player of the Week performance, recording 6 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pick six in his first action as a starter.   The big play for JOK came in the 3 rd  quarter, with New Orleans backed up inside their own 10. Geno Smith simply did not account for the speed of the rookie LB, trying to squeeze a pass to his favorite target, TE Coby Fleener. Owusu-Koramoah easily undercut the route, snatched the ball out of the air, then pushed his way (with some help from the pile) the 7 yards to paydirt. The pick-six in JOK’s first game gave Birmingham a 14-7 lead and would prove to be the game winner for the Stallions. Not a bad first impression for the young Notre Dame grad. The kind of first impression that has to make New England fans question why JOK was not a starter for them over the season’s first 9 weeks.   Lacy Impresses in First Game as Outlaw A second former Steamroller also balled out in his debut with his new team. HB Eddie Lacy had only his 2 nd  100-yard day of the season after a short week of practice in Oklahoma. Lacy rushed the ball 23 times for 116 yards for the Outlaws, helping Oklahoma earn a key divisional win over Dallas. He also scored on a goal line plunge in the 1 st  quarter, only his 3 rd TD of the season. The 116 yards in his opening game as an Outlaw represents a full ¼ of all his yards this year and serves as a notice that he is ready to be a huge part of the Outlaw attack moving forward. With 34 yards in his first 5 attempts of the game, Lacy’s presence also impacted the passing game, with defenders forced to respect the run, Jalen Hurts had more time in the pocket, able to complete 18 of 27 passes. He also took advantage through several called option plays, rushing 11 times for 51 yards and a score thanks to the threat of the pitch out to Lacy. All in all a very strong outing and a very interesting twist in what could be a down-to-the-wire SW Division race.   McGloin Lost for Season, Minshew to Take the Reins One of the teams in the mix in the Southwest will have to move ahead with Plan B after losing their starting QB to injury this week. Las Vegas QB Matt McGloin was battling the LA defense all game, when he suffered a safety to LA end Deatrich Wise Jr. late in the 4 th  quarter. McGloin tried to wriggle out of the tackle when he was hit by LB Keith Rivers and driven to the ground. The awkward landing on his throwing shoulder produced instant gasps and winces of pain for the Viper QB. As the Vipers kicked the ball back to LA, McGloin was helped to the locker room. It would later be revealed that he had suffered a fracture to his right clavicle, an injury which would require immobilization and time to heal, shuttering McGloin for the rest of the season.   Las Vegas had signed NFL gunslinger Gardner Minshew in the offseason. The former Jacksonville Jaguar came into the game, threw 1 pass for 4 yards, and was chased out of bounds on a scramble in his second attempt. LA would go on to score again, and the game was well out of hand for the stunned Vipers, losing their first home game of the season. As Las Vegas, now 4-5 and tied for 3 rd in the division with both Oklahoma and Dallas, looks to the final 7 games of the year, they will move forward with the mullet-wearing Minshew as their QB. Behind him is veteran backup Jeff Tuel and practice squad QB Colby Lowell.   Minshew had built a bit of a cult following in the NFL, as much for his flamboyant personality (and hairstyle) as for his play in Jacksonville. He now inherits a team that is still very much alive for a possible playoff spot. He will have a 2-headed rushing attack of Kareem Hunt and Matt Jones, and a receiving corps of Dobson, Bateman, and newly acquired John Ross, to help him guide the Viper offense. He also will benefit from a pretty solid defense, ranked 9 th against the pass and led by DE Matthew Judon and LB Blake Martinez.   Bell X-Rays Negative, Questionable for Week 11 Panther fans got their prayers answered when the results of an MRI came back negative. With LeVeon Bell taken from the field on a cart late in the Panther victory over Chicago, fans and teammates feared the worst. The ankle injury suffered by Bell during an awkward juke-turned-tackle, could have been a season-ender. The news, reported early on Saturday, produced a state-wide sigh of relief. No fractures, no ligament damage, just a significant sprain. Bell is listed as questionable for this week’s game in Arizona, and could be a game time decision, a far better outcome than many feared when Bell went down Friday night. The added down time between the Friday game and this week’s Sunday Night matchup could benefit Bell and the Panthers, allowing for an extra 2 days of healing and testing out of the ankle. If Bell cannot go, Michigan will start Alexander Mattison in his place, with Karlos Williams the backup and likely 3 rd down option.   Week 10 and we start to assess where teams are. Obviously no one Is locked in yet, though Tampa bay is certainly the closest to having their ticket punched. Even 0-9 Charlotte is not out of the running with 7 weeks of action left. So, what do we have? We have teams looking very good right now, a group that includes the Bandits, Generals, and Stars in the East and the Machine and Dragons in the West. We have a huge cluster of teams with 6, 5, or 4 wins, so we expect the Wild Card races to be tight all the way until the season ends. But we do think we will start to see some of the teams at the bottom of the standings get that dreaded “-e” next to their names in the coming weeks, starting with the Monarchs and Bulls unless their fortunes turn quickly. The McGloin injury is the only IR-impacting injury of the week, but that certainly does not mean that all the other teams are injury free. It is getting late enough in the season that we are seeing more and more players placed on the Doubtful and Questionable lists with injuries that are day to day. That includes LeVeon Bell’s ankle, as well as safety Will Harris of Washington, LB Jabril Cox of Memphis, and New England MLB Jamie Collins. The one avoidable absence is that of Tampa Bay WR Ryan Grant, who apparently slept through team meetings on Tuesday, causing Coach Trestman to threaten sitting the veteran and placing him on the injury list for “team violations”.   OUT QB         Matt McGloin             LV           Shoulder                   IR FS           Adrian Amos                WSH     Foot                         6-8 Weeks HB          Javonte Williams         POR      Arm                         4-6 Weeks DT          Isaiah Loudermilk       ORL       Covid Protocol        1 Week SS           Budda Baker                 HOU     Covid Protocol         1 Week   DOUBTFUL SS           Will Harris                    WSH     Ribs LB           Jabril Cox                      MEM     Concussion SS           Marqueston Huff            OAK      Concussion G            Taylor Moton               SAN       Hand C             Robert Vega                  ARZ       Shoulder CB          Darnay Holmes               SEA        Finger   QUESTIONABLE LB           Jamie Collins             NE          Ribs DE          Matthew Judon             LV           MCL Strain DT          Josh Boyd                      SEA        Migraines WR         Ryan Grant                    TBY        Team Rule Violations DT          Kendall Reyes                  MEM     Thigh HB         LeVeon Bell                      MGN     Ankle OT          James Hurst                    PIT         Hamstring   Ten Players Using 2021 to Set Up a Huge Deal for 2022 & Beyond As we look across the league there is not a team that does not have at least 1 superstar player in a contract year. Some are pretty happy where they are, some are already grumbling about their situation, and some are seeing dollar signs in their eyes as they head into contract negotiations. We know from history that many will sign extensions or get new deals with their current teams, but we also know that several will hold off on a deal, hit the free agent waters and see if they cannot get a payday this offseason. So, as we look around the league, here are 10 players who are well-positioned to leverage a strong 2021 into a very lucrative deal, either with their current club or on to greener pastures in free agency. Here are our 10 Players Expecting to Get Paid.   QB Cam Newton (BIR) Newton is having what may prove to be an MVP year, and with the Stallions actually playing well as a team, there is no better time for their QB to get a top dollar deal. There is no way the Stallions would let Newton walk, not after what he has done this year, so they had better be ready to bust open the vault because he is not going to be a cheap resigning.   HB Christian McCaffrey (OAK) After his first 1,000-yard season in 2020, McCaffrey is on pace to repeat the feat, and could even surpass 1,200 yards rushing this year. One of the league’s premier dual threat backs, we could see McCaffrey look for a deal in free agency. Oakland will likely be going through a QB transition with Brady expected to retire this offseason, and that may be motivation enough for McCaffrey to look for a club that will both pay him and give him a role in a more established offensive system.   HB Nick Chubb (ATL) Chubb was a huge part of Atlanta’s rapid rise last year, rushing for 1,205 yards and 8 touchdowns. He is on pace to do the same this year, and Atlanta would be wise to try to resign their star back for the future. There is a lot to like in Atlanta, and Chubb certainly seems happy staying in Georgia, where his college fame paired with his role with the Fire gives him plenty of endorsement clout, but the Fire are a bit cap-constrained and also need to sign QB Aaron Murray along with several linemen. There may well be bigger dollars out there if Chubb waits for free agency.   WR Devin Funchess (MEM) After a breakout season in 2020 which saw Funchess catch 102 passes for over 1,500 yards and 10 TDs, he has not lived up to the hype in 2021. He is barely on pace for 1,000 yards, will likely fall short of the 100-receptoin mark, and has only 1 TD on the season. That is not good for a player who was hoping to cash in after last year’s success. We suspect Funchess will sign a short deal (1-2 years) in Memphis, hoping to rebound in time to get more in his next deal.   WR Odell Beckham Jr. (NJ) OBJ was pretty loudly complaining early in the season, but with New Jersey now on a 6-game win streak and QB Nick Foles clearly targeting him early and often each week, we think the fiery receiver might well be happy to stand pat and sign on again with the Generals. That said, if he does hold out for free agency, he will almost certainly get himself a top dollar deal. Receivers with his skill set are a rare breed, and there is no shortage of teams willing to pay diva prices to get diva numbers. We think OBJ will keep his mouth shut as the season winds down, so as not to rule out New Jersey for 2022, but we would not be shocked at all if he waited for Free Agency and then went to the highest bidder.   C Mike Pouncey (CHA) The best lineman currently unsigned for 2022, and on a team that looks like it is years away from contention, we think Pouncey uses this year to find himself a better option, a chance to move to a club contending for a title. It won’t be about huge dollars, it never is for an interior lineman, but Pouncey will certainly get a pay raise and a chance to contend if he enters the market.   LB Myles Jack (SD) Another standout player on a pretty lackluster team, Jack’s rookie deal ends this year and we think he will certainly hit the market in hopes of finding a new home and a chance to compete for a title. Now, we know Jack loves Coach LeBeau, so if LeBeau is confirmed for 2022, there is a chance that the athletic linebacker stays put. If the Thunder let LeBeau go, which is possible for what is currently a 3-win team, then we think Jack is going as well.   CB Joe Haden (ARZ) One of the best corners in the game, and one having a DPOTY type of season, we think Haden will get paid this offseason. We also think his preference would be to stay with Coach Tomsula and a team that has been a contender for over half a decade. Those rings feel awfully good and there are few teams that could offer him as many future opportunities to earn more than Arizona. That said, Arizona has several players they want to retain, including WR Victor Cruz, OT Mitchell Van Dyck, HB Isaiah Crowell, and FS Nate Allen, but if Haden is not top of their list, they are fools.   CB Dee Milliner (ORL) If Haden does not enter the free agent pool, then we think Dee Milliner is more likely to do so. Milliner would be the top corner available if Haden stays put, and that means a major payday after a pretty modest rookie deal ends this August. Milliner also has a possible coaching change at Orlando (as we will outline below), so a lot could depend on what the Renegades do at the top. If they look to retool, he could look to take the exit ramp. If Coach Moss stays, he might stay as well.   SS Budda Baker (HOU) Hard to believe Houston would let Baker leave, but with Carlos Hyde, Leodis McKelvin, LB Ramik Wilson, and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster also coming up on contract years, we are just not sure that the All-USFL safety can be their top priority. We cannot imagine they would let any of the others go, but in all honestly, they do not have the funds to keep them all, so who is the odd man out? It won’t be Hyde, unlikely to be McKelvin either, so is it Baker? If it is, he will have no shortage of suitors come free agency.     Five USFL Coaches Who Need Results Now As we head into the “home stretch” of the season, there are no shortage of teams battling for possible playoff positions, but there are also several teams trying to show that they are building towards future success, and that includes coaches trying to show that they are turning their teams around, creating something that has not fully formed yet, and worthy of another season to get the team headed in the right direction. As we look across the USFL, there are certainly some hot seats where the coach’s future with the team will depend on their clubs showing something in the second half of the year. There is also one coach who is under no pressure to keep his job, but who likely feels the need to do something special in his final year at the helm. We picked 5 coaches who we think are feeling a need to impress in the season’s second half, many with a need to preserve their positions, and one hoping to put an exclamation point on their legacy.   Vance Joseph (CHA) No surprise that the head coach of an 0-9 team would be on the chopping block if his team cannot show some signs of life this year. Coach Joseph could already be a dead man walking (figuratively, of course) as recent trades seem to indicate that the Monarchs are already building for the future, seeking draft capital while shipping off solid players like WR Justin Blackmon and FB Khari Blasingame. So, what can Joseph do in the final 7 games of the season to potentially be a part of the rebuild instead of a castoff after only 2 years at the helm? Well, a win or two is certainly a bare minimum.   An 0-16 season seems very possible for these Monarchs and that is certainly a job-killer for their coach. Charlotte has some potentially winnable games on the horizon, including this week in Washington, a Week 12 home game against the spiraling Breakers, a Week 14 trip to Jacksonville, and two season-enders against expansion San Antonio and the San Diego Thunder. In fact, their final 7 games feature only 2 teams at or above .500 at this point (LA in Week 13 and Orlando in Week 15). If the Monarchs can show some spirit and pull out 2 or 3 games, Joseph may just get a 3 rd year to show development. If not, well, change is likely coming.   Winston Moss (JAX) The Bulls went out on a limb, trading away a very solid QB in Teddy Bridgewater and going all in on rookie Trevor Lawrence. That move has certainly had some upside, with Lawrence showing flashes, including a current QB Rating of 90.8 and a 16:8 (2:1) TD:INT ratio. The problem is that the early success of Lawrence as a pro QB has not translated into wins. Jacksonville sits at 1-8 after 9 games, with their sole win coming against the winless Monarchs. They will get a rematch with Charlotte in Week 14, but the rest of their schedule does not look favorable, with a trip to 6-3 Birmingham this week and upcoming games against Memphis, Seattle, LA,and Orlando, wins could be tough to find.   So, what is Winston Moss’s best argument for a 3 rd season? A couple of upset wins would certainly help, as would going 2-0 in their remaining divisional games (Charlotte and Orlando, both at home). What would likely help even more is an improvement in the league’s 28 th rated run game. Rumors have the Bulls looking to give rookie Chubba Hubbard more of a role in their 3-headed attack, along with Singletary and Hardesty. Hubbard is a bigger back, more capable of grinding out yards, but he also has the ability to make a tackler miss, so we may see more of him in early downs as Jacksonville tries to take some pressure off their rookie QB. The other thing ownership will certainly be looking for is more pressure from a front 7 that has simply not gotten to the QB often enough to disrupt opposing offenses. Moss is a former defensive coordinator, and one known for pressure, so the lack of QB sacks and hurries is a clear area of concern. Moss’s best chance at getting a 3 rd year may be just as much about proving his defensive qualifications as it is winning late season games. He will be challenged to do that this week as the Bulls face one of the league’s most dynamic QBs in Birmingham’s Cam Newton.   Matt LaFleur (POR) Considered an offensive “guru’, Matt LaFleur has struggled to get consistent performance from his offense in Portland. Sitting at 2-7, the Stags have put up some good games from a yardage standpoint, and their rankings are not horrible: 7 th  in passing yards and 12 th in total yards, but they are 26 th  in scoring. The run game which used to be the bread and butter of the Stags has just not produced nearly enough this year. Rookie Javonte Williams was supposed to inject more energy into the run game, but is averaging only 3.5 yards per carry and now may be lost for the year after suffering a shoulder injury against Oakland.   Portland’s defense is adequate, not particularly oppressive, but certainly stiff enough to help the Stags win games, but LaFleur’s offense needs to show more if he wants to return for a 7 th  season. He got Portland to the playoffs last year at 9-7, and many expected Portland to be a possible contender for the division, so a 2-7 record is a huge disappointment. We think LaFleur needs to start shoing something, even if it is only getting some wins against some of the weaker teams on their schedule. Portland has both games against San Diego yet to play, with their trip to Southern California this week and a rematch in Week 16. The bad news for LaFleur is that every other game on their schedule is against a team with a winning record (Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Denver, and LA). They will need to pull some major upsets to avoid a 10-loss season. We think LaFleur needs to get at least 4 more wins. If he goes 6-10 by winning 4 of his final 7, we think he stays. If not, well, there will certainly be some OC positions out there in 2022.   Ron Rivera (ORL) The Renegades are 5-4 after 9 weeks, and could certainly still be in the mix for a Wild Card. That is the good news. The bad news is that Rivera has two 8-8 seasons under his belt in Orlando and another will feel very much like a stagnating team. So, pretty simple, he needs at least 4 more wins this year, reaching 9-7, and certainly a playoff berth would be a very welcome addition. That seems very possible, with games coming up against both 0-9 Charlotte and 1-8 Jacksonville, as well as expansion New England and slumping New Orleans. That could be 4 wins right there, though certainly an upset win over Tampa Bay, Atlanta or LA would also be very welcome. We think there is a very good chance that Rivera gets himself a 4 th  season, but the Renegades cannot languish at 8-8 again for that to happen.   Wade Phillips (HOU) Don’t get us wrong. There is absolutely no one calling for Wade Phillips to step down or lose his job. After all, this is the man who has taken Houston to the postseason each of the past 7 years, including 3 Summer Bowl appearances and a title in 2018. He is a 2-time Summer Bowl Champion, a future Hall of Fame coach, and the longest tenured coach in the league, coming to Houston, where his father was a legend in the NFL, in 2001. No, the reason we added Wade Phillips to this list is that there is widespread expectation that he will retire after this year, and he will want to go out with a bang.   Houston is currently 6-3 and tied atop the Southern Division with upstart Birmingham. Phillips would like nothing better than to win the South once again, and to make a deep playoff run, challenging Tampa Bay for a trip to yet another Summer Bowl. That is the only pressure on Phillips, putting a cherry on top of his amazing career sundae. He certainly has a team capable of doing just that, with Colt McCoy firmly in the MVP conversation, a deep and talented offense, currently ranked 1 st  overall in yards per game and 4 th  in scoring, and a defense that has moments (but honestly needs more of them). The upset loss to San Antonio this week is a head scratcher, but with several upcoming games in which Houston should be a prohibitive favorite (@ New England, Memphis and New Orleans, and home to Oklahoma, and Las Vegas) this is certainly a team that can reach 11 or 12 wins. It starts this week with a home game against a very tough Atlanta team, and the Gamblers already have their Week15 trip to Tampa Bay circled as a game of major importance. Can Phillips rally the Gamblers one last time? That is the goal, and it is one shared by every player who loves and respects their head coach. Hard to believe it is Week 11 already. It seems only yesterday that the season was kicking off. Well, the 11 th  week of the season is here, and it is the last of the bye weeks, with only San Antonio and Memphis left to wrap up the byes and get back to 15-game weekends. That means we are nearly there this week, with 14 games on the schedule, with only the NBC Saturday Night Game on hiatus. It is also a heavy divisional week, with 8 division games on tap. So, let’s get to it.   Friday opens with a pair of intriguing matchups. On NBC it will be an Eastern Conference clash of contenders as 5-4 Atlanta heads down to 6-3 Houston in a battle of teams with Summer Bowl aspiriations. Meanwhile on ESPN and EFN, it is a huge Southeast clash as Orlando heads to Tampa Bay with upset on their minds. A win by the Renegades would keep them very much alive in the playoff race, while a win by the Bandits largely removes Orlando from divisional consideration.   Saturday features 3 divisional games, with Philly headed up to Foxboro to take on the Steamrollers at noon, Portland heading down the coast to San Diego at 4pm and a really nice nightcap as the two Pacific Division frontrunners meet at Lumen Field. 6-3 Oakland can grab a share of first with a road win, while Seattle could solidify their hold on the division by holding off the Invaders.   Sunday offers 4 more divisional clashes, including a 12pm clash on FOX between Baltimore and New Jersey. This could be the best chance the Blitz have to get back in the divisional title race, but New Jersey has won 6 in a row and are very much invested in making it 7. Then at 4pm we have a pair of divisional clashes that could produce fireworks. Jalen Hurts and his new run game with Eddie Lacy head up to altitude to face the Denver Gold and QB Josh Allen. Chicago is also in division, coming off the tough loss in Michigan they head just a bit south to face the Ohio Glory in Columbus. If Ohio can use home field to get this game, they will greatly improve their odds at a possible division title in a very hard-fought 4-team race in the Central.   We cap it all off at 8pm on ESPN and EFN with a battle of former champions and 5-4 squads that cannot afford to drop too many more games. Michigan, hot off their big homestand against Chicago, heads out to Arizona, where the Wranglers are in unfamiliar territory, looking up at another team above them in the Southwest. A loss, paired with a Denver win, would put them 2 games behind the Gold, a situation they certainly want to avoid at all costs. Should be a great game and a real battle in the week’s final game.   FRI @ 8pm ET          Atlanta (5-4) @ Houston (6-3)                             NBC FRI @ 8pm ET         Orlando (5-4) @ Tampa Bay (8-1)                           ESPN/EFN   SAT @ 12pm ET     Philadelphia (7-2) @ New England (2-7)           ABC SAT @ 12pm ET       Jacksonville (1-8) @ Birmingham (6-3)                 FOX SAT @ 4pm ET        New Orleans (3-6) @ Las Vegas (4-5)                    ABC SAT @ 4pm ET        Portland (2-7) @ San Diego (3-6)                           FOX SAT @ 8pm ET        Oakland (6-3) @ Seattle (7-2)                                  ESPN/EFN   SUN @ 12pm ET      Charlotte (0-9) @ Washington (3-6)                       ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET      St. Louis (2-7) @ Pittsburgh (6-3)                          ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET     Baltimore (5-4) @ New Jersey (6-3)                      FOX SUN @ 4pm ET      Oklahoma (4-5) @ Denver (6-3)                             ABC SUN @ 4pm ET        Chicago (7-2) @ Ohio (5-4)                                       FOX Regional SUN @ 4pm ET       Dallas (4-5) @ Los Angeles (4-5)                              FOX Regional SUN @ 8pm ET        Michigan (5-4) @ Arizona (5-4)                                 ESPN/EFN

A return to normalcy? Is that what Week 9 brought us, with Chicago and Tampa Bay easily rebounding from Week 8 upsets, with surging New Jesey and Seattle moving their win totals to 6 in a row, and with big games from big names, primarily Seattle HB Knowshon Moreno, Birmingham QB Cam Newton, and Arizona QB David Carr. After some topsy-turvy weeks, Week 9 felt more like what we expected this season. Sure, we had a couple of upsets (Washington over Ohio and Memphis over New Orleans), but neither were truly shocking when we look at how the teams have been playing. So, a week that helps us feel like order is restored, at least on the field. This was also a week that saw one of the biggest mid-season trades we have seen in a while, with former USFL and NFL All-Stars swapping teams mid-year, with 3 clubs trying to address issues and improve their 2 nd half fortunes. We will start with the 3-way deal as our Big Story, recap the entire week of action, and take a look at what could be an action-packed Memorial Day weekend as 24 teams are in action, and we creep up on Tuesday’s Trade Deadline. It’s all coming up right here, right now.   Outlaws, Steamrollers & Stallions Swing Surprising 3-Way Deal With the trade deadline only a few days away (Tuesday at noon), we saw one big, and very unexpected deal, as the Oklahoma Outlaws used their bye week to focus on the trading block, to bring Birmingham and New England to the table, and pull off a huge 3-way deal that could well prove helpful to all three.  It all began with the Outlaws, disturbed by their 30 th  ranked rushing offense, producing only 44.8 yards per game. That was not sitting well with Coach Stoops, or with the front office, so they got on the phones, looking to see if a deal could be cut to bring a quality back to OKC in time to perhaps allow Oklahoma to get into a very tight Southwestern Division race. With Jalen Hurts looking like a possible MVP candidate in only his first full season as the starter, Oklahoma wanted to support their budding star and provide some balance to an offense that was very much overdependent on their sophomore QB.   The Outlaws reached out to multiple teams, hoping to find one who felt their running back duo would work better as a single-back structure. There were calls made to Atlanta, Chicago, Jacksonville, and New Orleans, but no bites. But, on a whim, Oklahoma reached out to the New England Steamrollers. The Rollers had spent a fortune bringing former Skyhawk HB Eddie Lacy in this offseason, only to see the back struggling behind a somewhat makeshift line in Foxboro. With QB Ryan Tannehill not progressing as Coach Fox would like, the offense was far too dependent on Lacy, and defenses knew it. Coach Stoops struck a nerve with the Steamrollers. They had sunk money into Lacy, but what they needed was another option at QB. That was not going to be Jalen Hurts, that was for sure, but perhaps Mason Rudolph would provide New England with a reason to move Lacy.   No deal, Rudolph, while a solid backup, was not exactly the kind of name that Steamroller GM Kyle Smith could sell to his coach or to the fans as a good deal for Lacy. Nope, if Oklahoma wanted to deal, they would have to find a better option, someone the Steamrollers could bring in as a potential starter, immediate competition for Tannehill. Oklahoma hit the phones, and he found the QB he wanted, another recent signing, much like Lacy in New England. That player was former NFL All-Pro Jameis Winston. Winston had been brought to Birmingham as insurance if Cam Newton struggled, but the Stallion QB had flourished in 2021, himself now an MVP candidate as he led the Stallion offensive resurgence. But what did Birmingham want? Defensive help, that was the key for Coach Haley. The Stallion defense had been porous all season, one of the reasons Birmingham had traded for FS David McCarter only a week earlier. McCarter was a start, but the Stallions wanted more. They would be open to trading Winston if they felt they could upgrade on defense.   The three GMs got on a conference call that apparently went back and forth for over 3 hours, each team pausing to debate value, to determine what was possible and what was a non-starter. But, by 8pm on Wednesday a deal was cut. Six players, two draft picks, a 3-way swap of talent with 1 player from each team going to each of the other teams, and a pair of 3 rd  round picks helping New England feel validated in giving up their starting halfback.   Oklahoma would get the big back they coveted, receiving Eddie Lacy from the Steamrollers, and absorbing the full cost of his 2021 Free Agency deal, the deal New England had touted only months earlier. They would also pick up a second option at the HB position, Birmingham’s Rex Burkhead, a solid blocker and outstanding 3 rd  down option whose place in the Stallion RB room had been diminished with the drafting of Najee Harris. Two backs to bolster the Oklahoma corral.  Those additions made Justice Hill expendable. The former OK State back who had rushed for 482 yards in 2020 would be headed to New England, where he will cycle with former Stallion T. J. Yeldon in the Steamroller backfield. But getting a warm body to replace Lacy was just a side dish to the main course, bringing in a legitimate challenger to Ryan Tannehill. That would come in the form of Stallion import Jameis Winston. The former starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had yet to take a regular season snap after signing with the team in February. But, in 5 years with the Buccaneers, the UCF product had thrown for nearly 20,000 yards and over 100 touchdowns. Sure, he had some issues with picks, including an infamous 30-interceptoin season in 2020, but he was a pure gunslinger, the kind that USFL fans loved to have hurling up long bombs.   So, a surefire lead back for the Outlaw attack, taking pressure off Jalen Hurts and making the Outlaws a far more balanced offense. A potential superstar QB for the Steamrollers, one who, if he could pick up the playbook quickly, could help New England make the case for season ticket holders to stay on board for 2022. But what about the Stallions? They were the only one of the three that was already in a solid playoff position, only 1 game behind Houston in a Southern Division race that felt very good about. How did they benefit?   Many might say that the Stallions benefited most from the deal. Not only did they give up a disgruntled former lead back in Burkhead, but they freed up a ton of money at the QB position, one still staffed by a potential MVP candidate in Newton, and with a very viable and fan-friendly backup in Tim Tebow. But they also added two potential impact players on defense. The first was New England rookie LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. JOK was a player Birmingham had high on their draft board, a 2-year starter out of Notre Dame who New England had selected with their first round pick, a pick they acquired from Birmingham in trade. Now Birmingham would get their player of choice after all. In his rookie year, JOK had already started to make plays on the field for New England, but he was stuck behind Junior Galette on the depth chart. In Birmingham he would move immediately to a starting role, taking the weakside role while Reggie Ragland moved inside.   But even bigger moves were in the minds of Stallion’s GM Ryan Cowden. Cowden wanted a corner, but not any corner, a true shut down corner. He wanted Pacman Jones, the extroverted, sometimes distracting, All-USFL corner form the Outlaws. The push for Jones was credited as the reason for the length of the negotiation, with Cowden unwilling to back down from his desire for the veteran. Jones, already in his 11 th  USFL season, would be an immediate boost to the Stallions, while Oklahoma had already moved in another direction, landing Xavien Howard in free agency in 2019 and securing Isaiah Oliver from LA in free agency this year. Surely, they could let Jones go for what could be the final few years of his career.   It was a heated back and forth, and in the end, Birmingham had to throw in Burkhead to sweeten the pot, but they got their man. Adam “Pacman” Jones would be a Stallion. In the course of 3 weeks, Birmingham had added an All-USFL corner, a first round draft pick at LB and a new starting free safety. They had added 3 potential impact players to a defense that certainly needed the help, giving up only a backup QB and a disgruntled former lead back who now was a role player for them. By all accounts, the Stallions got themselves a very good deal. Oklahoma too has to be happy with what they now have on board, a starting HB with five 1,000-yard seasons under his belt and a penchant for grinding out those tough 3 rd  and short plays. They also landed a talented back who could bolster their 3 rd  down options and who could help protect Jalen Hurts as a shotgun chipper. So, two teams very happy. What about New England?   The Steamrollers are the team with the biggest question mark in the deal. Yes, they now have a talented QB on their squad, one who almost certainly could usurp Ryan Tannehill by season’s end, but Winston is also a QB with a lot of questions. He essentially ran himself out of Tampa Bay with his 30-pick season, and while he also had some eye-popping games in the NFL, fans may well struggle to accept that he was worth giving up a former All-USFL halfback and a first round choice at linebacker. The Steamrollers were concerned about the impact of the deal on their 2021 season, but they also valued what might be possible in 2022, and that is why they fought long and hard to get some draft capital in the deal. The eventual deal got them that as well, with both Oklahoma and Birmingham chipping in a 3 rd  round pick in the 2022 draft to get the deal done. That “add on” means the Steamrollers will have 3 picks in the round, which almost certainly will be used to move up, possibly giving them a 2 nd pick late in the 1 st  or early in the 2 nd  round, all needed for a team trying to build a competitive roster 2 years after expansion.   The final question for Coach Fox and the Steamroller offense is just what their run game would now become. New England will very likely rotate Justice Hill in with T. J. Yeldon, creating more of a backfield by committee, but there is little doubt that In the short term the New England attack is going to recess, which is scary to say for a team that is currently dead last in points per game at only 11.5 on average. The Steamrollers very much feel like a team trying to reinvent themselves in only their 2 nd  year of existence. The move to sign Lacy was seen as a step forward, but now it seems that Coach Fox is spinning his wheels, trying anything to make change for change’s sake. So, what is the plan? Let’s assume that Winston pans out and the Steamrollers can go into 2022 with a solid QB position, perhaps even a dynamic one that could help them do more on offense. They will need to address the run game once again. Do they have a plan there? The 2022 HB Draft Class has a few intriguing names, including Iowa State’s Breece Hall, Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker, and Georgia’s James Cook, but New England certainly does not have a bead on any of those rookies. In our eyes, the Steamrollers are putting a lot of faith into Fox and his desire for a QB who can deliver. They have the biggest risk of failure of the three involved in this deal, and you know that the newly activated New England fanbase will notice if Lacy and JOK prove to be big bonuses for their new teams while the Steamrollers likely run out the string in 2021 with a QB battle as their top story.   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 24   DENVER GOLD 17 There is nothing quite like a rivalry game to bring out the best in teams. And while Denver-Houston is no longer a divisional rivalry, with the Gamblers relocating from the Southwest to the South, there is still a lot of bad blood between these two from the decades of Southwest Division clashes. So, what we got at Empower Field was a back-and-forth battle between two teams that have been going at it since 1984.   This iteration of the longstanding battle was a balanced affair, with both offenses and defenses having their moments as the score swung first to Houston, then to Denver, before Houston climbed back in the 4 th  quarter to claim the win. We saw good QB play, with Colt McCoy throwing for 3 scores while Josh Allen threw for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns. We saw two receivers at the top of their games, as Mike Evans caught 6 for 111 and a score while Golden Tate brought in 6 of 9 targets for 137 and a pair of scores. We also saw outstanding defense, from Houston’s Emmanuel Ogbah rushing Allen to Artie Burns picking off McCoy to end a drive. There was a little of everything in this one.   The game started with Denver taking the ball but failing to convert on a 3 rd and 8 after an initial first down. On Houston’s first possession, McCoy found Evans for a 33-yarder, then came back to JuJu Smith=Schuster, putting the first points on the board with a 25-yard strike to the younger of his two main receivers. Houston took a 7-0 lead into the 2 nd  quarter, but it was Denver who controlled the next 15 minutes, first putting 3 on the board with a 47-yard Zeurlein kick, and then taking the lead with a 14-play drive that finished with Josh Allen finding Golden Tate for the score with 1:57 left to play. Houston got the ball before the half and had Younghoe Koo in position for a 46-yarder, but the swirling winds in Denver helped push the ball to the right and Houston had to settle for a 10-7 deficit at the half.   With neither team able to establish much on the ground (Hyde went 14 for 51 while Phillip Lindsay struggled to only 25 yards on the day) it was up to the two quarterbacks. In the third quarter it was Allen who got the better of the defense, connecting with Darnell Mooney for 20 before finding Tate once again, this time from 27 yards out, for the veteran receiver’s 2 nd  TD on the day. Denver held a 10-point lead as the 4 th  quarter began, but the 4 th  would prove to be all about Houston on both sides of the ball.   The final period began with Colt McCoy leading a 9-play TD drive, hitting Denzel Mims on 2 nd  and goal from the 7 to pull the Gamblers back within 3. The defense next made their play as Ogbah and DT Ed Oliver closed in on Allen, who forced a poor throw in the middle, a throw picked off by FS Marcus Epps. That mistake would immediately lead to points as Houston got into position and Koo hit on a 38-yarder to level the score at 17 with 8:22 left to play. Time for either team to get a shot at the win.   Denver received the kick and moved the ball well, but a holding call on 3 rd and 3 turned it into a 3 rd  and 13. Josh Allen tried to connect with TE T. J. Hockenson, but the pass was broken up by Houston LB Eric Wilson. The Gold punted the ball back to the Gamblers with 5:17 left to play. Houston would start their drive cautiously, a short pass to TE Tony Moeaki, followed by a Hyde rush for 3 to gain their first new set of downs on the drive. McCoy then found Gerald Everett for 17, Smith-Schuster for another 11, and then the backbreaker, a 33-yard slant-go route by Mike Evans allowed McCoy to throw a perfect breadbasket lob that Evans brought in and strode into the endzone for 6.   Down 24-17 with just under 2 minutes to play, there was still time for Allen and the Gold to even the score and take the game to overtime. They took the kickoff at the 24 after a solid return by returner Terrance Williams. On first and 10, Allen found Tate for the 6 th  time in the game, a medium route that produced 14 yards thanks to Tate’s yards after catch. But that would be the last completion on the drive. On 1 st  and 10 Allen missed Mooney on an out. 2 nd  down saw Allen under pressure, sacked by Ed Oliver on an attempted scramble. Third and 12 was a deep shot to Tate, but he was double covered. That left 4 th  and 12 and Houston called up a blitz. The blitzers did not get to Allen, but they did force an early throw, one that sailed over the head of Hockenson, turning the ball over to the Gamblers, who would run out the clock for their 6 th  victory of the year, sending Denver to 6-3 with the loss.   NEW ORLEANS 9  MEMPHIS 18 J. J. Watt and the Memphis defense apparently have had enough criticism and decided to show us they are capable of dominating a game. The Showboats offense was all but absent (racking up only 142 yards of total offense), but with Geno Smith picked off twice, sacked 5 times, including a safety from Watt, and limited to only 2 of 12 on 3 rd  down, the Boats still earned the W. The only TD of the game was a Todd Gurley run in the 1 st  quarter, otherwise a day for kickers and for the Showboat D. POTG:  Memphis DE J. J. Watt: 7 Tck, 1 TFL, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty   SAN ANTONIO 10  BALTIMORE 19 The Gunslingers played Baltimore tough but just could not muster enough offense to overcome a 16-7 deficit. San Antonio’s D held Josh Jacobs to only 2.6 YPC but he still managed 74 yards and helped put Baltimore in position for 4 field goals. Jake Locker hit Michael Pittman for the Blitz’s only touchdown, while Joe Flacco’s 1 st  quarter TD to Julius Thomas was the high point for the Gunslinger offense in this defensive matchup. POTG:  Baltimore LB Anthony Hitchens: 7 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 PDef   LAS VEGAS 34  BIRMINGHAM 37 A shootout in Protective Stadium saw the two clubs combine for over 1,000 yards of offense (Birmingham 533, Las Vegas 468). Cam Newton proved that Justin Fields is not the only dual threat QB in the league, rushing for 118 yards and 3 scores while throwing for 385 and a TD, but Las Vegas simply would not go away. Down 37-20 in the 4 th , Matt McGloin connected with Kenny Galloday and Kareem Hunt for late scores, but it was just not enough as Birmingham held on to win a thriller. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 14/24, 385 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 10 Att, 118 Yds, 3 TD   NEW ENGLAND 10   CHICAGO 37 Chicago rebounded from their first loss of the season by taking care of business in front of a sellout crowd at Soldier Field. The defense held Eddie Lacy to 32 yards rushing while holding New England without a TD until late in garbage time. Sam Bradford had a day himself, completing 15 of 22 and throwing 3 touchdowns before taking a rest in the 4 th  as Mike Kafka came in. Chicago went up 14-0 on TDs from Maron Mack and TE Druham Smythe and never looked back, building up a 37-3 lead by the time the backups were swapped in early in the 4 th . POTG:  Chicago LB Kevin Minter: 11 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 PDef   PORTLAND 17   ST. LOUIS 37 A truly poor showing for the Stags as 1-win St. Louis dominated at home. Lamar Jackson threw for 3 scores and ran for another as the Skyhawks had their most complete game of the year. The defense picked off Marcus Mariota twice, held rookie Javontae Williams to only 22 yards rushing, and helped set up short fields for the offense all day. Deionte Johnson caught 4 for 120 and a score for the Skyhawks, who improved to 2-6 with the win. POTG:  Skyhawk QB Lamar Jackson: 13/27, 277 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Int, 15 Att, 47 Yds, 1 TD   PHILADELPHIA 24  NEW JERSEY 34 The Generals doubled up their advantage on rival Philadelphia, knocking off the Stars for the 2 nd  time in 4 weeks. Nick Foles showed up big, throwing for 338 yards and 3 scores against the Stars defense, while Carter and Pollard combined for 151 yards on the ground. Philadelphia relied heavily on Derrick Henry, rushing for 93 yards, but as they fell behind in the 2 nd half, Carson Wentz could not rally the Stars as the Jersey D held him to 8 of 19 in the 2 nd  half. POTG:  Generals’ QB Nick Foles: 23/35, 338 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   ARIZONA 41  DALLAS 28 A 14-14 game at the half, David Carr took over in the 2 nd  half, putting up TD passes to Tonyan, Aiyuk, and Cruz on his way to 371 yards and 5 total TDs. The highlight was a 98-yard TD toss to Brandon Aiyuk from deep in his own endzone as Carr took advantage of the Dallas secondary all game long. Justin Herbert tried to rally the Roughnecks, throwing for 384 and 3 scores, but it was not enough as Arizona took the important divisional matchup to move above .500 at 5-4. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 20/34, 371 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int   OHIO 11   WASHINGTON 26 The Federals followed their upset of Atlanta with an equally impressive home victory over a very good Ohio squad. Having seen what Justin Fields did last week, the Feds stayed in nickel defense all game, using safety Rafael Bush and LB Joe Giles-Harris as spies on Fields, and sending DE Bradley Chubb after the Ohio QB like a guided missile. The strategy paid off, with the Ohio QB rushing 12 times for negative 6 yards, a stunning turnaround. Despite throwing 3 picks in the game, Jacoby Brissett got the W thanks to TD runs from Travis Etienne and Darrynton Evans. POTG:  Federal DE Bradley Chubb: 9 Tck, 6 TFL, 1 Sck   LOS ANGELES 3   PITTSBURGH 17 Kyler Murray is at risk of losing his job after going 8 of 25 against the Maulers, suffering 6 sacks and throwing for only 124 yards. The Mauler D dominated the game, holding the Express to a lone field goal, and shutting them out for the final 3 quarters of action. LA finished with only 184 total yards and 6 first downs in one of the worst offensive performances in recent memory. The Mauler offense was not exactly electrifying, but with TDs from Adam Thielen and Sony Michel they had more than enough in this one to improve to 5-3 on the year. POTG:  Mauler DE Vic Beasley: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   SAN DIEGO 13  OAKLAND 20 This was a good one, a California Derby that was tight throughout as both clubs slugged at each other for 60 minutes. A Luke Wilson TD from Ponder in the 3 rd gave San Diego a 13-10 lead, but Oakland scored the final 10 points in the game, and held of San Diego late, holding the Thunder on 4 th  and 8 on their final possession to preserve the win. DaVante Adams had a very strong game for the Invaders, catching 8 of 12 targets for 101 yards and a 2 nd quarter TD as Oakland improves to 5-3. POTG:  Invader WR DaVante Adams: 8 Rec, 101 Yds, 1 TD   SEATTLE 31  MICHIGAN 17 Michigan’s losing streak grows to 4 games, including 3 at home as the Dragons shut out the Panthers in the 2 nd  half, turning a 24-17 halftime lead into a 14-point victory. Knowshon Moreno was the better of the two backs, outgaining LeVeon Bell 146-66 and providing 3 of the Dragons’ 4 touchdowns on the day. TE Kyle Rudolph went over 100 yards on 5 receptions, and the Seattle defense sacked Kirk Cousins 4 times, producing a pick and a fumble from the Michigan QB as Michigan drops to 4-4 after their initial 4-0 start to the year. POTG:  Seatle HB Knowshon Moreno: 21 Att, 146 Yds, 3 TD   Moreno’s Big Day Powers Dragons to 1st in Pacific 2007. That was the last time the Seattle Dragons stood atop the Pacific Division as division champs. Nine weeks into the 2021 season and Seattle is in a very unfamiliar spot, looking down on the other 4 clubs in their division. With a 6-2 record, Seattle holds a 1-game lead over Oakland, and 3 games up on last year’s champions, the 3-5 LA Express. So, what has given the Dragons the advantage this year? Defense and a tailback with a lot to prove.   Seattle’s D is currently among the Top 5 in both yards and rushing yards allowed. They sit 6 th  in the league, allowing 16.4 points per game, but their best number is their rushing offense, where they are second only to the surprising New Jersey Generals. Seattle, with 1,001 yards as a team and a very solid 4.6 YPC is among the best in the USFL at using the ground game to their advantage. And at the center of that is their lead back, Knowshon Moreno. Moreno’s 756 yards place him 2 nd  in the league rushing rankings, behind only Baltimore’s Josh Jacobs, but his 4.1 YPC average is the best in the USFL at the midpoint of the season. The former Orlando Renegade is once again looking to be better this year than the year before. This has been a trend for Moreno since he arrived in the Pacific Northwest. After gaining 760 yards in his final year in Orlando, he began his time with the Dragons by barely missing out on a 1,000-yard season, gaining 931 yards in 13 games in 2018. The next year he played 14 games, rushing for 1,188 yards. In 2020 he topped that, healthy for all 16 games, he helped lead Seattle to the playoffs at 10-6 with 1,240 yards and a career-best 12 touchdowns. So far in 2021, he appears ready to do even more. He is on pace for a 1,500-yard season, and his Dragons are sitting at 6-2 after 8 games, hoping not only for a return to postseason action, but their first division crown in 14 years.   Generals Win Streak Reaches 6 Games No team is hotter right now than the New Jersey Generals, winners of 6 in a row, and coming of a sweep of their archrival, Philadelphia, a sweep that now gives them a definitive tiebreaker should the two finish the regular season tied atop the Northeast. The Generals’ success is not what most of us saw coming this offseason, or what we saw in the season’s opening weeks, when New Jersey was demolished by Baltimore 24-7 in the opener and then lost at home to New Orleans. And on the road in San Antonio. Sitting at 0-3, and having already made a change at QB, things did not look good for the Generals. What was worse, their newly anointed starter, Teddy Bridgewater, lasted all of 5 quarters before being lost for the season. Replacing Nick Foles for the start in Week 3, Bridgewater threw 2 picks as New Jersey lost to the expansion Gunslingers. His next game would be worse, a back injury that would cost him the season.   Back the Generals turned to QB Nick Foles, who had started the two opening weeks, struggling with 5 picks to only 2 TDs in the first two losses of the year. But something had changed, a focus, or a turn of luck perhaps, because Foles came into the Week 4 game against St. Louis and rallied the Generals to their first win. They would go on to beat the Steamrollers the next week, and then the real surprise. New Jersey went to Philadelphia to face the unbeaten Stars, and they shocked everyone, blowing out the Stars 47-9 as Delone Carter and Tony Pollard combined for 154 yards and 2 scores. The next week it was another takedown of New England, this time in the Meadowlands, a 26-3 demolition. In week 8 they headed to Tampa Bay to face yet another unbeaten team, the 6-1 Bandits. But by now, the team’s confidence was fueling something special.   New Jersey dominated Tampa Bay as they had the Stars. They would win by 14, with the run game again leading the way, Pollard and Carter combining for 156 yards in this one. This week it was Philadelphia again and once more it was New Jersey proving they were a team to be reckoned with, defeating Philadelphia 34-24. The Generals now have a real shot at taking back the Northeast Division, a division they last won in 2018. They are doing it in much the same way Seattle is leading the Pacific, a solid team defense and a run game that is surprising many and forcing teams to adjust their expectations.   Hurts Wants Individual Accolades to Turn to Wins With the Outlaws engaging in a major trade this week, a trade designed to provide a solid run game to their offense, it seems Coach Stoops is not content to muddle along, even with a QB playing about as well as any in the league. And that sits just fine with that QB, sophomore starter Jalen Hurts. The former Alabama signal caller who spent his last season just down the road in Norman saw himself raised to the top position in this week’s midseason QB Ratings. He currently ranks 6 th  in passing yards, 2 nd  in TDs to Josh Allen, and has the league’s best QB rating among eligible candidates, sitting at 117.4. But for Hurts, this does not matter much when his Outlaw team is mired at 3-4, looking up at 3 teams ahead of them in the standings.   “I am happy to be seen as a good player,” said the 2 nd  year QB, “but that only really matters if the team is winning.” Hurts cited his rapport with receivers Nick Toon and Mark Andrews as big reasons for his 2021 success. He lamented the loss of DeDe Westbrook to injury but praised the contributions of Justin Hunter and newly arrived target Allen Lazard, acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh. As for the latest trade, the one that now brings halfbacks Eddie Lacy and Rex Burkhead to the Outlaws, Hurts seemed over the moon. “I love that our team is not satisfied, that we want to do and be more, because that is exactly how I feel.” Hurts declared when asked about the deal. The Outlaws had the week off for their bye and could come out Week 10 against Dallas with a very different look. That could be vital as they face the Roughnecks and Denver Gold in back-to-back divisional games to start the second half of their season.   A rough week, with higher numbers than we have seen in the past month, and two more IR additions, as several teams are now looking a bit depleted, including Dallas, who loses three players for Week 9, including one gone of for up to 2 months an another for up to a month. Throw in some pretty lengthy lists of players who are either doubtful or questionable this week, including Portland HB Doug Martin and LA edge rusher Nick Bosa, and you have a week that few GMs want to see.   OUT OT      Christian Darrisaw   NOR      Torn ACL               IR CB          Benjamin Richards  OKL       Neck                       IR WR         Chad Williams         DAL       Broken Arm              6-8 Weeks CB          Scott Whitmore       DAL       Groin tear                4-6 Weeks CB          Nate Hairston         WSH     Shoulder                  4-6 Weeks WR         Doug Baldwin         NE          Torn Quad             4-6 Weeks SS           Budda Baker            HOU     ACL Strain                1-2 Weeks C             Keith Ismael           DAL       Hamstring                 1-2 Weeks OT          David Tremblay       DEN      Thigh                     1-2 Weeks LB           Jamie Collins          NE          Ribs                           1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL SS           Caden Sterns            ARZ       Shoulder DT          Dontari Poe                   MGN     Migraines SS           Damar Hamlin             PIT         Concussion HB         Doug Martin                   POR      Shoulder G            Conner McGovern         STL         Patella DE          Nick Bosa                         LA          Concussion   QUESTIONABLE FB          Reggie Gilliam                 ATL         Finger G            Dan Feeney                     BAL        Hamstring OT          James Hurst                  PIT         Hamstring FS           Derek Jordan                 NE          Concussion     Preseason Picks Revised We tell you every year not to “bet the ranch” on any of our preseason picks, and we hope you did not this year, because while we got some things right (Tampa Bay staying elite, for example), we did not see a lot of what has happened this year as possible. Did you really see Philadelphia as a 6-2 team at the midway point? Ohio as competing for the Central? Memphis collapsing? We don’t think you did. So, let’s revisit our preseason picks and see what we think might need to be adjusted.   NORTHEAST Preseason Picks: We picked Baltimore as the cream of a pretty weak crop. Revisions: The Blitz have not been as dominant as we expected, with both Philadelphia and New Jersey surprising us with their defensive quality and their ability to avoid self-inflicted wounds. We think that the Blitz can still claim the division, but only if they can get a bit more going on offense. If not, we think it is New Jersey, with Philadelphia and Baltimore possibly claiming Wild Cards.   SOUTHEAST Preseason Picks: We had this as a 2-team race between Tampa Bay and Atlanta, with Orlando possibly making some noise. Revisions: This is perhaps the division that has stuck most closely to our preseason outlook. Tampa Bay looks dominant; Atlanta has potential and is in position to finish 2 nd . Orlando is clearly the 3 rd  best team but may not be good enough to reach the postseason, while Jacksonville and winless Charlotte are very likely headed towards another long offseason.   SOUTH Preseason Picks: We saw the South as a very balanced and competitive division, expecting a 3-way battle between Houston, Memphis, and New Orleans. Revisions: While we did cite Birmingham as a possible interloper in the mix, we did not think they would be as impressive as they have been this year. Most of that is Cam being Cam, but the defense is coming along, and the team continues to add pieces to improve it. With Memphis seemingly in utter freefall and New Orleans looking very vulnerable, we could well see a 2-team race between the Gamblers and the upstart Stallions. Both could, and should, make the postseason.   CENTRAL Preseason Picks: We liked Chicago and Pittsburgh as contenders, with Michigan still very much in the mix, and that is the case today. Revisions: What we did not see is a rapidly improving Ohio Glory squad joining the fray. That is 4 teams fighting for perhaps only 2 playoff spots. After 8 weeks, what is perhaps most surprising is that of the 4, Michigan appears to be in the most trouble. We could easily see them finish 4 th  in a division they have dominated in recent years.   SOUTHWEST Preseason Picks: We said this division was ripe for the picking, looking at Dallas and Oklahoma as possible contenders to dethrone the Wranglers. Revisions: We got it right that the division would be far more competitive. Right now, we have 4 teams at or above .500 all 5 teams still very much alive in the hunt. The surprise was that we thought Denver would be trailing behind and it turns out they are the frontrunners. This one is far too early to call, with even 3-5 Oklahoma still potentially in the mix. Las Vegas is better than expected, Arizona has not been the same on defense, and Denver has shown some issues, so keep your eyes on this one, it could go down to the wire.   PACIFIC Preseason Picks: We had bought into LA as a new power in the West and we liked what Portland was putting together, with Seattle always in the mix. Revisions: Seattle is very much in the mix, but both Portland and LA have been major disappointments. We think Oakland is doing better than expected, but we think Seattle certainly has the upper hand, with a cluster of teams possibly already in Wild Card mode. Of the 4 remaining, we think Oakland, and then perhaps LA have a realistic shot to finish in the playoff mix, but only if both can find more offensive firepower to go with their shut down defenses.   SUMMER BOWL PICK Our original pick was for the Bandits to repeat as champions by holding off Justin Herbert and the Dallas Roughnecks. We still very much like Tampa Bay in the East, though it won’t be the cakewalk that some thought this offseason. In the West, we would like to revise a bit, as we now feel like Dallas has not put all the pieces together, whereas Chicago very much has. So, our new pick is for Tampa Bay, with a healthy Dak Prescott back under center, to repeat, but to deal with a very tough Chicago Machine defense in Summer Bowl 2021.     Award Races Revised Our divisional picks were not the only ones to fall far from reality as the season has progressed. We made our picks for the 2021 Award Winners largely based on 2020 results, and those have not held as the new season got underway. Some players are dealing with injuries, others are simply not producing at the same level, while some new faces have certainly made an impact this year. We are still several weeks from any real sense of where things will fall, but we think it makes sense to reevaluate where the races stand right now, so here are our modified picks for each of the league’s 5 major awards.   MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Preseason Picks: QB Dak Prescott (TBY), QB David Carr (ARZ), QB Justin Herbert (DAL) Current Picks: QB Cam Newton (BIR), QB Josh Allen (DEN), QB Jalen Hurts (OKL)   If there has been one emerging theme to the 2021 season it is that a new generation of QBs, particularly dual threat QBs, is coming into shape. At the midpoint of the season, we are looking at three such QBs as potential MVPS, with the veteran Cam Newton taking center stage right now, but followed closely by Denver’s Josh Allen and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. All three are among the league leaders in yards, TDs and QB rating, and while one of the preseason picks could rise up, we think we could be looking at a new MVP QB in 2021, perhaps even a full changing of the guard.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Preseason Picks: HB LeVeon Bell (MGN), WR Jordy Nelson (NOR), HB Todd Gurley (MEM) Current Picks: HB Knowshon Moreno (SEA), WR Golden Tate (DEN), HB Dalvin Cook (TBY)   Michigan’s Bell seemed a pretty solid pick going into the year, but the Panthers’ offensive issues have hindered Bell’s effectiveness, while others like Cook, Moreno, and Tate have risen up, buoyed by strong all around offensive performances by their clubs. We see Moreno as the frontrunner right now, but both of the others listed could certainly surge as their teams push for the playoffs.   DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Preseason picks: DE Calais Campbell (BAL), DE Montez Sweat (ORL), DE Bud DuPree (ARZ) Current picks: DE J. J. Watt (MEM), CB Aqib Talib (NJ), CB Joe Haden (ARZ)   Let’s not count out Calais Campbell quite yet. He is in range to catch up to Watt in sacks, and Baltimore certainly needs him to have a strong 2 nd  half. Watt may be hindered by Memphis’s overall performance, as it is rare to see a DPOTY on a non-playoff team. That may well be exactly what pushes Talib into the forefront, as the best defensive player on a pretty good New Jersey defense.   ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Preseason picks: QB Trevor Lawrence (JAX), HB Najee Harris (BIR), HB Travis Etienne (WSH) Current picks: QB Justin Fields (OHI), QB Trevor Lawrence (JAX), HB Travis Etienne (WSH)   We are not sure if we just were not sold on Fields or on Ohio as a team in our preseason picks, but after the games he has put up, and with Ohio currently 2 games over .500, we think Fields is the frontrunner right now. He has already set some single game records, and we could see him challenge for the all-time season record for rushing yards by a QB. If he hits that mark, and if Ohio gets into the postseason in his rookie campaign, then we think Fields is a runaway winner here.   COACH OF THE YEAR Preseason picks: Skip Holtz (PIT), Kliff Kingsbury (DAL), Jay Gruden (OHI) Current picks: Dan Quinn (PHI), Jay Gruden (OHI), Lovie Smith (CHI)   In our season preview, we said COTY might well be a first-year coach but then offered 2 returning coaches as front runners. After 8 games, we feel that there is an almost certainty that a first-year coach will walk away with the award, with Philadelphia’s Dan Quinn and Ohio’s Jay Gruden looking very promising. If either can win their division or even get to 10 wins and a playoff berth, with the years they had in 2020, that would certainly be worthy of the award. If both falter in the second half, we think Lovie Smith deserves some attention for what he has built in Chicago.   Five Players to Watch in 2nd Half For most teams we are 8 games into a 16-game schedule, some are already 9 games in with a bye coming up shortly. So, we largely know who the impact players are and who has it all working. So, for our look at the 2 nd  half of the season, we wanted to highlight 5 players who could see a dramatic uptick in their use, value, and production in the season’s 2 nd  half. These are players who have not yet made a splash but will almost certainly be called on to do so over the final 9 weeks of action.   QB Blake Bortles (MEM) Far be it from us to call for a QB change, especially with the year Paxton Lynch put in last year, but we feel the rumblings in Memphis as the Showboats are struggling on offense and in the win-loss column. Just compare the numbers from last year to this year. After 8 games, Lynch now has a completion % 7 points lower than in 2021, he is more than halfway towards the 2021 total of 10 picks, with 6 already, but nowhere near halfway to last year’s 27 touchdowns, with only 8 on the year. Will Coach Ryan go to the NFL import to gain a spark? Maybe not this week, but if the Showboats drop to 4-6 or 4-7, we think Bortles will be called upon.   HB T. J. Yeldon (NE) With the Steamrollers taking the deal to acquire Jameis Winston and a pair of draft picks, Eddie Lacy is gone, and that means that former Stallion T. J. Yeldon is the most likely to be asked to pick up the slack. Yes, he will almost certainly split carries with newly acquired Justice Hill and with short-yardage specialist Robert Foster, but this is a chance for Yeldon, who has not been a lead back in the USFL since 2017 in Birmingham; to prove he still has some fire in the belly.   WR Nick Toon (OKL) The Outlaws added two backs to their offense this week, which is sure to alter their offensive scheme moving forward, and with Westbrook lost for the season, the player who could benefit from a shift to more play action, and more single coverage, is certainly Toon. The 9-year veteran has already seen his targets increase after the Westbook injury, but now we expect those targets to be more productive and more advantageous. Toon is already on pace for a career best in receptions and touchdowns, and we think that if Oklahoma finds the success running that they hope for, he could benefit even more and have a monster 2 nd  half. LB Tremaine Edwards (WSH) Washington’s often-criticized defense has started to show some signs of improvement, holding Ohio to only 11 points this week and limiting Justin Fields at the same time. If they can continue to improve on 3 rd down, Edwards could finally start to get some recognition for the quality of his game. He is on pace for a third consecutive 100-tackle season, and already has 2 sacks on the year, so a career best is very possible there as well. Of course, the key is whether the Federals can build some consistency and make big plays when called upon.   CB A. J. Bouye (ARZ) With Joe Haden a potential DPOTY candidate, leading the league with 6 picks in only 8 games, it is easy to understand why the former Stag and Mauler, A. J. Bouye, might not be getting the attention he deserves. But Bouye is seeing a lot of throws as teams try to avoid Haden, and he is making QBs pay as well. The veteran corner has 3 picks and 8 pass defenses already. He is also 3 rd  on the Wranglers with 40 tackles in 8 weeks and could see even more attention if teams continue to avoid throwing in Haden’s direction.   The last of the large bye weeks, with only 2 teams left on break after Week 10, we will have another 12-game weekend in the USFL. This week, the league has 2 games set for Friday night and both are divisional matchups you won’t want to miss. On NBC we have a huge one to determine the Central Division as 7-1 Chicago can all but remove 4-4 Michigan as a threat with a win, but going into Ford Field is no easy task, even for the talented Machine. On ESPN and EFN it will be a Southwest showdown as the retooled Oklahoma Outlaws look to debut their new run game and HB Eddie Lacy against rival Dallas. The Roughnecks may not have any new faces, but they are hoping to use home field to spoil the debut for the new Outlaws.   Saturday also features a pair of high-stakes divisional matchups, with Pittsburgh heading to Ohio in a battle of 5-3 teams at 4pm on ABC. That will be followed by ESPN’s night game, where Birmingham heads down to New Orleans hoping to improve to 6-3 and help take the Breakers out of the mix in the South. On Sunday, we have 4 divisional games, featuring 4 of the 5 Southeaster teams facing off after their bye weeks. It will be 4-4 Orlando heading up to Atlanta to face the 5-4 Fire, while Jacksonville, fresh off their first win of the season and with an extra week to prepare, faces a huge challenge in the form of the visiting Tampa Bay Bandits. Also on tap Sunday, we have Houston traveling to San Antonio in a Lonestar affair in the South, while Oakland heads up the coast to Portland, where the 2-6 Stags are reeling after their loss to St. Louis this week. We wrap it all up with a matchup of two teams that could be in the same division, but aren’t, when LA travels across the desert to take on the Las Vegas Vipers, still unbeaten at home. Las Vegas is sitting at 4-4 at the midway point and they are hoping that their new arrival, WR John Ross, can help them overcome that nasty Express defense.                   FRI @ 8pm ET      Chicago (7-1) @ Michigan (4-4)                   NBC FRI @ 8pm ET       Oklahoma (3-5) @ Dallas (4-4)                           ESPN/EFN   SAT @ 12pm ET     New England (2-6) @ Memphis (4-5)              ABC SAT @ 12pm ET      Philadelphia (6-2) @ Charlotte (0-8)                 FOX SAT @ 4pm ET        Pittsburgh (5-3) @ Ohio (5-3)                           ABC SAT @ 4pm ET        St. Louis (2-6) @ Seattle (6-2)                           FOX SAT @ 8pm ET       Birmingham (5-3) @ New Orleans (3-5)           ESPN/EFN   SUN @ 12pm ET      Orlando (4-4) @ Atlanta (5-3)                           ABC SUN @ 12pm ET      Tampa Bay (7-1) @ Jacksonville (1-7)                FOX SUN @ 4pm ET       Houston (6-2) @ San Antonio (3-6)                  ABC SUN @ 4pm ET       Oakland (5-3) @ Portland (2-6)                          FOX SUN @ 8pm ET     Los Angeles (3-5) @ Las Vegas (4-4)                ESPN/EFN   BYES: Arizona, Baltimore, Denver, New Jersey, San Diego, Washington

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Not one to be outdone by a rookie, Cam Newton reminded everyone just how dangerous his legs were this week. The numbers may not have been as eye-popping as Justin Field's Week 8 explosion, but the results were just as impressive for the Stallions as they moved to 5-3 on they year. Newton, who is certainly a more adept passer, threw for 385 yards, impressive in itself, but then scrambled and ran for another 118, with 4 total TDs on the day (1 passing, 3 rushing) as the Stallions continued their strong 2021 campaign.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Justin Fields is our POTW, and a well-earned one as the Ohio QB set a new single game rushing record for a QB. Fields ran the ball only 11 times, but gained 243 yards on those 11 carries, including touchdown runs of 2, 62, 67 and 82 yards. The Skyhawk defense time and again completely lost track of the Glory QB as he weaved his way through the line and into open field. Fields's 4 rushing TDs was also a new USFL record for a QB, giving him and the Glory a day that will live on in the annals of USFL history.

Week 8 of the 2021 season gave us two of the biggest headlines of any week in recent league history. First, we saw both of the league’s unbeatens fall on the same week, both at home, as Pittsburgh and New Jersey stunned the previously unblemished Chicago Machine and Tampa Bay Bandits. But, as huge as that was, we also got one of the most incredible single game performances anyone has ever witnessed, with Ohio Glory QB Justin Fields sending a warning shot to the entire league that he had arrived as a successor to the USFL bloodline of scrambling QBs. Fields will be our Big Story of the week, but we will be sure to highlight how the Generals and Maulers surprised their hosts to remove the last unbeaten records from the USFL standings. We will also update our Power Rankings with a new list after 8 weeks of action, and take a look ahead to our Midseason Report, now in Week 9 of the 17-week season. Stay tuned, this is not a week you want to miss.   Rookie Racks Up Records in Rivalry Romp! Forget the Rookie of the Year debate, Ohio QB Justin Fields may have just inserted himself in the MVP conversation. The former Buckeye, who chose to remain in Columbus with the Ohio Glory, had a game that made us all stand up and take notice. This week in St. Louis, Fields broke not one, but two records for a USFL quarterback, all part of a 45-31 win that has Ohio sitting at 5-2 and looking like one of the rags-to-riches stories of the season.   Fields, whose passing numbers have been solid but uninspiring (1,215 yards, 5 TDs and 6 picks in 8 games), has been impressing with his legs. A scrambler by nature, Fields put his full skillset on display against the Skyhawks, going 13 of 21 passing but breaking two USFL records in one game by rushing the ball for 243 yards and scoring 4 rushing touchdowns. And he did both on only 11 carries. It was an absolute clinic on how to use the QB as a big play weapon, a strategy that new Glory coach Jay Gruden has embraced ever since signing the Buckeye QB in the 2021 Territorial Draft. Ohio was already looking good after a first quarter that saw them take a 14-0 lead on an Isaiah Pead 1-yard run and a Fields TD pass to newly acquired WR Dontrelle Inman. On their first two drives, Fields had largely played the role of a pocket passer, handing the ball off to Pead and Trey Sermon, using play action, and connecting with Inman for the score on a 1 st  and 10 from the 11. But on the third Ohio possession, opening the 2 nd  quarter, Fields got his first chance to show off his legs, and he brought the house down. It was a 1 st  and 10 from their own 33 after a St. Louis punt, the call was an option call, with Fields given the task of gauging edge rusher A. J. Epenesa’s break and opting to either hand the ball to Pead for an inside run or keeping it and heading outside. Epenesa broke towards Pead, Fields kept the ball, and found the corner unencumbered by defenders. Fields was 10 yards downfield before the Skyhawks secondary got close at all. He used a shoulder fake to disengage the initial tackle attempt, then turned on the burners, outpacing the safety on his way to a 67-yard touchdown run that was both a combination of his own skills and some pretty poor containment by St. Louis.   Chalking that one up to a poor defensive scheme, the game plan stayed largely as we saw in the first quarter. Up 21-0, Ohio got a bit more conservative after another defensive stop, using short passes and their halfbacks to drive down the field once again, with Fields getting his 2 nd  touchdown on a QB sneak from the 2. Now up 28-0, it seemed more likely that Fields would get to rest in the 2 nd  half rather than be risked as a ball carrier. But, when St. Louis finally responded, with Lamar Jackson hitting Deionte Jackson for a long TD throw, Coach Gruden opted to let Fields continue to run the ball.   With the Glory up 28-7 at the 2-minute warning, Gruden called another option run, and once again the St. Louis defense overplayed the handoff to Pead. This time Skyhawk LB Cody Glenn stayed in position, but a nice juke from Fields caused him to whiff completely on the tackle. When confronted by safety Tyree Gillespie, Fields used a straight arm and a ¼ spin to bypass the tackle once again, and at that point he was off to the races for a 2 nd  time. The 62-yard run would be his 3 rd  touchdown of the day, and would give Ohio a very convincing 35-7 lead with less than 2 minutes to play in the half. Fields took a well-deserved rest on the bench while the Ohio defense took the field for what we all expected was the final possession of the half.   St. Louis put up a field goal to make the score 35-10 with just under 30 seconds to go, forcing the Ohio offense back on the field for a potential kneel down to go to half. But, sometimes a kneel is not a kneel. After taking the ball at their own 13 after a poor kickoff return, Fields handed the ball to Pead on 1 st and 10, only for the handoff to go awry. The ball popped out of Pead’s breadbasket, was picked up by Fields, who instinctively headed towards the sideline. With the entire St. Louis defense still confused and believing Pead had the ball, Fields quickly realized he had a clear path down the sideline. Even the cameramen were fooled, losing sight of Fields for a second as he turned the corner and had a clear path down the field. The Ohio QB took full advantage of the defensive confusion, racing untouched 87 yards for a league record 4 th QB rushing TD in the game, heck, in the half.   It was a half of football unlike any the USFL has ever seen, with three QB touchdown runs of over 60 yards and a total of 228 rushing yards by the QB in a single half. Both were league records. In a league that had seen Doug Flutie, Jake Plummer, and Cam Newton, no quarterback had ever rushed for 200 yards in a game, much less in a half. Justin Fields had done that and more, putting 28 points on the board all by himself (not to mention the early TD pass which made it 35 of the team’s 42 halftime points.)   Fields would come out for the first drive of the 2 nd  half, producing a field goal after adding another 15 yards rushing on his total, but, with Ohio now up 45-10, it would be his last action on the day, with former starter Christian Hackenberg given most of the 2 nd  half to mop up. In less than 40 minutes of game action, the rookie QB of the Glory had almost single handedly destroyed a division rival, had set two USFL records, and had provided enough highlights for a whole season. What was more, he had sent out a clear warning to the rest of the league. The Ohio Glory, known for nearly 2 decades as a conservative team, living on defense, the run game and a solid pocket passer ever since the iconic early 2000’s seasons with Kerry Collins at the helm, were no more. This was a new, wide open, dangerously unpredictable Ohio Glory squad, and they had a QB at the helm who could not only beat a defense but make them look foolish as well. This is not your Dad’s Ohio Glory.   WASHINGTON FEDERALS 33  ATLANTA FIRE 27  OVERTIME With both Chicago and Tampa Bay going down to defeat this week, and with Justin Fields’ record setting game, how is a battle between 1-6 Washington and 5-2 Atlanta our game of the week? Well, while our GOTW process does take into account factors like playoff impact, surprise factor, and rivalry energy, the key to being a GOTW has always been the drama of the game itself. Fantastic finishes, amazing comebacks, back and forth shootouts, and overtime thrillers tend to get the nod, even if the two teams involved don’t produce a marquee matchup on their own, and even if the game was not one of the week’s hyped-up affairs. And that is certainly the case for this game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where the Fire were expected to have a pretty easy time of their matchup against the 1-win Federals.   Yes, Washington played well in their 14-17 loss in Philly, and the QB swap from Nassib to Brissett was giving Federal fans some optimism, but this was not viewed by many as a must-see game. Atlanta, at 5-2, coming off a tough loss to the unbeaten Bandits, were expected to play angry and rebound with a pretty decisive win over the undermanned Federals. But, as is so often the case in pro football, heart and a good gameplan can make any expected results look completely unjustified. The Federals came into this game hungry, the Fire perhaps a bit overconfident, and perhaps eagerly looking forward to their upcoming Week 9 bye.   The first quarter of the game largely held up the narrative that Atlanta was going to storm through the Feds on their way to 6-2 and their bye. In the opening period, the Fire defense held Washington to only 1 first down on 2 possessions, while the offense found the endzone twice, including a big play that got the fans to their feet. Up 7-0 after an opening drive that covered 77 yards in 11 plays and finished with a fade route from Murray to A. J. Green, the Fire quickly got the ball back again after holding Washington on 3 rd  and 11. After an initial first down on short O. J. Howard 2 nd  and 7 reception, Atlanta lined up at their own 42. The call was a simple “counter tre”, a play that had been in every USFL playbook since the early 80’s. But, this time the blocking was perfect, the linebackers out of position, and the back more than capable of getting through arm tackles from the secondary. Nick Chubb went untouched through the line, easily evaded the linebacker, and then just leveled CB Richard Crawford, using a devastating stiff arm to avoid the tackle. He was in the open, racing 58 yards for a score, with only a late diving tackle attempt from Kenny Vaccaro complicating his final 10 yard dash to the score. It was an electric run, sending the 42,218 in “the Benz” to their feet, feeling very good about their Fire on the day. The Fire, it seemed, were poised for a big win over a pretty lackluster Washington Federals squad.   Fortunately for the Federals, neither Head Coach Kevin Gilbride, nor newly-anointed starter Jacoby Brissett, were quite ready to cede the game. Both were seen on the sideline riling up the players as the Fire kicked the ball off to Washington. A nice return by Kavontae Turpin put the ball on the Washington 39, and Brissett took to the field ready to finally get the Washington offense moving. Brissett did just that, completing his first 3 passes on the drive, and helping the Feds push the ball into the red zone. After a zone run from rookie Travis Etienne got the ball to the 5. Brissett missed on a throw to TE Kellen Winslow, but then found the elusive Turpin on an in-cutting route for the first Washington points on the day.   The Feds were back in play, down only 7. But they would soon suffer a potential spirit-killer. Atlanta again hit on a big play against the error prone DC defense. This time it was Murray to A. J. Green for a 49-yard TD toss as an out-and-up completely took CB Prince Amukamara out of the play and allowed the speedy Fire receiver a clear path down the sideline. Back down 14, Washington took over with 1:02 left to play. Again, Brissett was effective, helped by a very nice draw play by Etienne, which picked up 22 on a 2 nd  and 6 and got the ball into range for kicker Adam Vinatieri. With seconds left to play in the half, Vinatieri connected and Washington went into the half down 11, 21-10. Not an auspicious first half, but one that would keep the Federals alive and believing they could pull the game out.   That feeling was reinforced when the Federals offense found real success with their run game on the opening drive of the 2 nd  half. Etienne rushed 4 times for 31 yards and backup Darrynton Evans added 11 more on 3 carries, helping Washington get deep into Atlanta territory. A tipped ball at the line on 3 rd  and 4 forced Coach Gilbride to go for 3 and Vinatieri pulled Washington to 21-13 with his second field goal.   That field goal would prove to be the only points of the 3 rd  quarter. Washington’s oft-critiqued defense played a very solid quarter, sacking Aaron Murray to end one drive, and picking off the Fire QB for a second stop. Unfortunately, Washington could not capitalize on the takeaway, but after getting the ball back after a short Atlanta drive sputtered out, the Feds suddenly made this game a lot less comfortable for Atlanta. Using short passes to Jarvis Landry, Keenan Allen, and Kellen Winslow Jr, and with a pair of solid Etienne runs mixed in, Washington quickly moved the ball inside the Atlanta 10. A swing pass to Darrynton Evans looked like a score, but upon review the ball was placed inside the 1-yard line. On the next play, Etienne plunged in for the score, and Washington was a 2-point PAT from equalizing things at 21. Brissett rolled out on the conversion, pump faked the trailing defender into a bad jump for the tip, then scooted behind him and into the endzone for the score equalizer. With only 17 seconds gone in the 4 th  quarter, we had a new game, all tied up at 21, and the Fire fans were noticeably concerned.   The nerves both on the stands and on the Atlanta bench were not helped much by the ensuing drive, ending in a John Bounds field goal. Nerves were put on edge soon after when Vinatieri again leveled the score. Washington had never led in the game, but they were keeping pace with every Atlanta move, and the Fire were not finding anything easy. When an apparent TD pass from Murray to Kelvin Benjamin was overturned by replay (Benjamin’s foot had landed on the white line, out of bounds), Atlanta again had to settle for 3, now holding a 27-24 lead with 1:02 left to play.   Fire confidence, the bravado they had shown early in the game, was shattered. Washington’s sense of possibility was very much alive, and it showed as Brisett found Tyreek Hill on a 27-yard strike for a huge momentum-enhancing first play on their next possession. The big play to Hill started as only a 7-yard pass, but the elusive speedster simply made people miss as he raced across the 50 and into Fire territory before being shoved out of bounds. The Feds were looking at ending the game with another big play, but the Fire held, limiting Washington to one more first down before Washington was forced to settle for a game-tying field goal, the 3 rd  game-tying score in the quarter for Brissett and the Feds. The game would go to overtime with Washington certainly feeling they had a real chance to claim a win against all expectations.   The toss went to the Fire and Atlanta chose to take the ball. They would rely on Nick Chubb on the drive, with the back building onto his 100-yard game by rushing the ball 5 times for 37 yards on the Atlanta drive. He would finish the day with 151 yards, his best outing of the season, but on this drive, it came down to a 3 rd  and 11 after a false start. Atlanta was in the fringes of field goal range for Bounds, sitting on the Washington 36, so if a 1 st down conversion was not possible, even gaining 5 yards would help the Fire cause. But, what Atlanta got was the worst possible situation. Aaron Murray struggled to find a receiver on the 3 rd  down play, and with Joe Giles-Harris bearing down on the Atlanta QB, Murray opted to force a ball towards TE O. J. Howard, rather than throw it away. Washington safety Rafael Bush not only kept the ball from Howard, but snatched it out of the air on the bounce, ending the Atlanta drive without a field goal attempt.   The fans in Atlanta were crushed, the sideline clearly upset, but the Fire defense stepped up, holding Washington without a first down and forcing a quick punt after Luke Kuechley rushed Brissett on 3 rd  and 5 and forced an incompletion. Atlanta got a second chance but they too struggled to move the ball, missing on a 3 rd  and 7 after picking up only 1 first down. Washington got the ball back at their own 17, but with only 1:22 left in overtime to avoid the tie.   While the game’s announcers, ABC’s Joe Tessitore and Matt Leinart, debated whether Washington would settle for a tie, killing the clock rather than giving Atlanta another chance with the ball, Coach Gilbride was intent on getting into range for Adam Vinatieri. He would need only 1 play to do it. The call was for a pair of out routes by Keenan Allen and Jarvis Landry, with Turpin and Hill inside, crossing the zone. The call produced exactly what Gilbride hoped for, single coverage inside. Nickel corner Desmond King was on Hill, and it took almost no time at all for Hil to get the advantage with his speed. Brissett saw Hill coming open over the middle, hit his speedy receiver with a frozen rope of a pass and Hill was off to the races. It would be 57 yards later before a lucky swipe of the ankle by safety Baccari Rambo avoided the touchdown and sending Hill tumbling to the turf.   Washington was in range for Vinatieri, and were content to run the ball 3 times before going for the game winning kick. But, when Travis Etienne broke through the line and got the ball down to the Atlanta 10 with 27 seconds still on the clock, Coach Brissett opted to give it one shot for a touchdown before bringing out Vinatieri. He called an option for Brissett, who bootlegged left, drew in the defenders and lobbed a quick pass over them to Turpin for the 5-yard TD and the game. With the 6-point margin, Atlanta would not be given another possession, the game was over and the Feds had pulled off a major upset.   It was a gritty win from a team few had much hope for, the kind of win that could help Gilbride build something within the Federals. It was the kind of win that gave Federal fans hope, while leaving Atlanta Fire faithful disturbed and disappointed. Atlanta would go into their bye on a very sour note, while Washington would return home uplifted and ready to host the Ohio Glory next week with a bit of confidence in them.   ARIZONA 20  NEW ORLEANS 36 The Wrangler defense continues to struggle as New Orleans scores on 8 of 11 possessions to take a double digit win over the visitors from Arizona. HB DeMarco Murray rushed for 105 yards while Geno Smith threw for 199 and 2 scores against Arizona. Add in 5 Randy Bullock field goals and you get a solid win for the Breakers, who improve to 3-4, while sending Arizona to .500 at 4-4. Both QBs came out of this one bruised, with Smith sacked 5 times and David Carr 7. POTG:  Breaker LB Kwon Alexander: 4 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 PDef, 1 Int   PITTSBURGH 16  CHICAGO 7 Chicago falls at home, suffering their first loss of the season as the Mauler defense holds the Machine to a lone TD despite 416 yards of total offense. Six sacks and 3 picks of Sam Bradford tell the story as Pittsburgh gave up yards but made big plays when they needed to. Chicago had a shot, down only 6 in the 4 th , but Bradford’s 3 rd  pick of the day, this one to Mauler CB Rasul Douglas, set up the Maulers for a late fieldgoal that gave them a 2-score lead, and the eventual W. POTG:  Mauler CB Rasul Douglas: 9 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int   SAN DIEGO 13   ORLANDO 28 Orlando claws their way back to .500 thanks to solid outings from Wilson and Carson. Russell Wilson threw for 220 and 3 scores, 2 to TE David Njoku, while Carson rushed for 72 and a score. The Orlando D also came up big when needed, picking off Christian Ponder in the 4 th  and forcing 2 fumbles on the day. Down 21-13 in the 4 th , it was a David Wilson fumble that gave the ball back to Orlando in Thunder territory, and Chris Carson punched it in from the 3 to give Orlando a 15-point lead. POTG:  Renegade CB Dee Milliner: 8 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   OHIO 45  ST. LOUIS 31 An absolute showpiece for Ohio QB Justin Fields, who ran the ball 11 times for 243 yards and 4 TDs. Fields was simply uncontainable in this game, with 3 TD runs of over 60 yards, a 4 th  in the redzone, and a TD pass to new Glory WR Dontrelle Inman. It was a record setting day for Fields (most rushing yards by a QB and most rushing TDs by a QB in a single game) and an embarrassment for the reeling St. Louis defense. POTG:  Ohio QB Justin Fields: 13/21, 164 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 11 Att, 243 Yds, 4 TD   MEMPHIS 10   OKLAHOMA 28 The Showboat offense continues to struggle in 2021, held to only 10 points despite 410 yards of offense. Oklahoma, meanwhile, improved to 3-5 thanks largely to Jalen Hurts’s 334 yards and 2 TD tosses. Mark Andrews reeled in 54 for 138, while both Nick Toon and Justin Hunter scored for the Outlaws as they pulled away from the Showboats with 28 unanswered points. POTG:  Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts: 12/18, 334 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   NEW JERSEY 30   TAMPA BAY 16 New Jersey silences the critics with one of the biggest upsets of the year, dominating the unbeaten Tampa Bay Bandits. Coach Saleh pressured Bandit backup B. J. Daniels all game, producing 2 picks and disrupting the Bandit Ball passing game. Meanwhile, much maligned QB Nick Foles was solid, going 19 of 28 for 199 yards and 2 TDs without a pick. The General run game also proved potent, with Tony Pollard going for 94 yards on 16 carries and Delone Carter adding 62 and a TD on 10 touches. POTG:  New Jersey CB Aqib Talib: 5 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 Int, 1 FF, 1 FR   JACKSONVILLE 38  CHARLOTTE 20 The battle of 0-7 clubs was a sparsely-attended game, but a good one for the Bulls, who had their most complete game of the year. Rookie Trevor Lawrence went 21 of 30 for 177 yards and 3 TDs, while the defense picked off Jimmy Garoppolo 4 times. The Bulls scored 17 in the 2 nd  to take a 10-point lead and never trailed after that. LB Sean Lee got POTG, thanks to 2 of Garoppolo’s 4 picks. POTG:  Bulls’ LB Sean Lee: 7 Tck, 3 PDef, 2 Int   BIRMINGHAM 21   SAN ANTONIO 37 The Gunslingers held Cam Newton to only 6 yards rushing, using SS Walt Harris as a spy all game long. That, combined with 2 picks of the MVP candidate helped the Gunslingers contain the Birmingham offense. Meanwhile, veteran QB Joe Flacco found plenty of open receivers in the Stallion secondary, completing 27 of 35 passing for 348 yards and 3 TDs. Add in a combined 156 yards rushing from Gordon (69) and Procise (87) and you get a 3 rd  win on the season for the 2 nd  year San Antonio squad. POTG:  Gunslinger HB C. J. Prosise: 15 Att, 87 Yds, 2 Td, 1 Rec, 11 Yds   DENVER 14  MICHIGAN 9 The Denver defense has not gotten much attention this year, not with all of the offensive fireworks being put up by the Gold, but when they found themselves in a dogfight, it was the Gold defense that stepped up. Michigan reached the red zone only 3 times in this game and each time had to settle for a field goal. Denver stopped the Panther offense three times, including a goal line stand, as Michigan could not put 7 on the board. After Josh Allen found Golden Tate for the go-ahead score in the 3 rd , Michigan would have 4 possessions and not reach even the Denver 30 on any. POTG:  Denver DE Odafe Oweh: 4 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 FF   BALTIMORE 16   HOUSTON 23 Despite a very solid day from Carlos Hyde (114 Yds rushing, 67 and a TD receiving), it would be Houston’s defense that would get them the win over Baltimore. Tied at 16 late in the 4 th , LB Ramik Wilson tipped a Jake Locker pass, caught it, and ran it back 51 yards for what would prove to be the deciding score. It was the lone turnover for either team, but it was about as big a play as any this season. In a game that saw Colt McCoy harassed (7 sacks and only 9 of 24), it was Hyde and the defense that stepped up and got Houston their 5 th win in 7 games. POTG:  Houston LB Ramik Wilson: 6 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 int, 1 Def TD   Generals & Maulers Knock Off the Last Unbeatens in Double Dip Upset Weekend With both the Machine and Bandits playing at home in Week 8, and against teams lingering around .500, there was little expectation of an upset this week, much less for both unbeatens to taste defeat in the same weekend. Chicago was a 9-point favorite over the visiting Pittsburgh Maulers, while Tampa Bay was given an 11-point advantage by the Vegas books, but apparently no one told the Maulers and Generals that they were not supposed to try. So, how did they do it? Different strategies, but both games were highlighted by surprisingly ineffective offense from the favorites, timely plays from the visitors, and a solid game plan to contain each unbeaten team’s biggest advantages.  For the Maulers, the key was to absorb pressure and avoid mistakes, while also finding a way to force Chicago into turnovers. They did both exceptionally well, finishing the game with a 4-0 turnover advantage as they picked off Sam Bradford 3 times and forced a fumble as well. It was Pittsburgh, not Chicago that produced constant pressure. While the Mauler offense limited itself to 2-3 receivers on a play, using “max protect” schemes, even on 3 rd  and long, to avoid costly QB sacks or poor decisions on tight throws, the Machine struggled to adjust to the variety of stunts and blitzes presented by the Mauler D. Sam Bradford was under constant pressure, taking 6 sacks on the day. Despite throwing for 345 yards, the pressure clearly impacted Bradford, with Rasul Douglas snagging a pick and Mauler safety Robert Sands getting 2 on the day. Those turnovers would lead to the only Mauler TD of the day, Dalton finding Brian Quick on a 13-yard strike, as well as the game’s final points, an Andrew Franks field goal in the 4 th . Chicago only scored on 1 of 10 drives, with 4 of them ending with a turnover and 4 more ending with a punt from the Chicago side of the field. The Machine would outgain Pittsburgh 416-266, but the patient Maulers took advantage when field position was on their side or when their D gave them a short field, while Chicago struggled to get out of their own way.  In Tampa Bay, it was a surprisingly similar story, with the Generals also winning the turnover battle 3-0, thanks to 2 B. J. Daniels picks and a fumble from TE Jordan Cameron. However, unlike the Mauler-Machine game, what we saw from New Jersey was a very capable offense, one which rushed the ball for 161 yards against the Bandits. Tony Pollard, getting more carries than we have seen all season, rushed the ball 16 times for 94 yards, just barely missing out on his first 100-yard game. Delone Carter, who crossed 100 yards 2 weeks ago when New Jersey took out another unbeaten in Philadelphia, finished with only 10 carries, but added 62 yards with an impressive 6.2 YPC average. With Nick Foles looking sharp, hitting on 19 of 28 passes, including TD throws to both Muhamed Sanu and TE Jonnu Smith, it was the New Jersey offense that looked like the juggernaut, not the Bandits.   Admittedly, with Dak Prescott out to injury, there was some expectation that the Bandit offense might not be at its peak ability, but with Daniels having put up 307 yards and 4 TDs earlier this year in a Week 3 demolition of Charlotte, Bandit fans still had high hopes that their squad could handle the Generals. But this New Jersey team has been on a tear ever since Teddy Bridgewater’s season-ending injury forced the team to return to Nick Foles under center. Since that move, the Generals have now won 5 in a row, including their upset over unbeaten Philadelphia in Week 6, a 47-9 demolition that Tampa might have wanted to take into account. Now at 5-3, New Jersey is looking very much like a dangerous contender in the Northeast.   Both the Machine and the Bandits are still seen as elite clubs this year, and we certainly would not want to be in the shoes of New England or Jacksonville, the next clubs set to face Chicago (this week) and Tampa Bay (week 10, after their bye), but this week, both of the unblemished clubs got knocked down. It was a blow which could prove to be a good thing as the two look at the weeks ahead and the tough climb to a Summer Bowl. The defeats certainly will give their coaches plenty to focus on as they prepare for the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, both Pittsburgh and New Jersey need to use the unexpected victories as a way to focus on the road ahead as well, because, with both squarely in the playoff hunt, finding lightning in a bottle, and being able to replicate that success are two very different things.   Michigan Drops 3rd in a Row as Offense Sputters Things are getting a little tense up in Detroit as the Michigan Panthers drop their third straight this week. After dropping their first game of the year at home to Pittsburgh in Week 5, then being dismantled by the then-unbeaten Chicago Machine in Week 6, Michigan hoped to use their bye week to refocus and get back in the form that helped them start the year 4-0, but this week’s 14-9 loss to the Denver Gold, a second home loss in 3 games, has to have folks in the Panther organization worried.   With the Panthers scoring 10 points against Chicago and then only 9 points against Denver, the focus of the anxiety is squarely on the offense. Seven games into the year and the numbers are not looking good. Kirk Cousins has solid numbers, but hardly strong ones, with 1,753 yards and 10 TDs. Over the past 2 weeks, however, we should note he has not thrown for over 230 yards and has no touchdowns in those losses. Even more troubling, LeVeon Bell is also seeing his numbers dip. After back-to-back 100-yard outings against Baltimore and Pittsburgh, the past two games have seen him rush for 83 and 57. And while folks will certainly give Chicago’s defense its due against Bell in Week 6, gaining only 57 yards against Denver feels like a sign of something bigger.   The Panthers offense is currently ranked 18 th  in scoring at 21.4 PPG. While its yardage averages are certainly better, those too reflect early season success and have been declining in recent weeks. So, what is the solution? Well, this week’s trade may be part of the plan (see below for the details), but the real question is if OC Ken Dorsey is doing enough to threaten defenses. The joke, and there is, of course, a joke, is that Dorsey is stuck in a 3-play cycle of Bell-Bell-Out Route. The tendency to run on first down is certainly a reality, with Michigan last in the league in 1 st  down pass percentage at only 27%. And with those runs not producing bigger gains, the 2 nd  and 3 rd down calls are often dictated by distance, not by choice, so Michigan is becoming predictable. Dorsey will certainly be under pressure to use more 3-wide options, as well as to engage his backs into the passing game as more than a dump off. If the Panthers, now sitting in 3 rd  place behind both Chicago and the surprising Ohio Glory, are going to make a serious push for the division title, they will need a lot more innovation from Dorsey and a lot more production from their main weapons.   Rising & Falling at Midseason With the USFL’s new 17-week season, our midseason point has shifted to Week 9, but that won’t stop us from doing some midseason analysis after 8 weeks. Looking across the league standings, it is pretty clear who has gotten hot and who is cooling off. The question is if the fortunes of these teams are now headed in a clear path forward or will we possibly see momentum again take a swing.   Strong Positive Momentum New Jersey Generals (5-3) The Generals have won 5 straight after an 0-3 start, and that 5-game streak includes big upset wins in both Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, knocking off two of the league’s unbeatens. The Generals now boast the league’s 2 nd  best scoring defense, allowing only 13.9 points per game, and their run game has been a huge surprise, currently 4 th  in the league at 111.4 yards per game, with Delone Carter and Tony Pollard now in a very nice duo format. They could still use more from Nick Foles, back under center after the injury to Teddy Bridgewater, but what they have gotten these past 5 weeks is a clean streak, with no picks thrown since Foles returned under center. Even with modest passing numbers, a pick-free QB is still a very nice thing to have.   Seattle Dragons (5-2) Another 5-game win streak and another team doing it with their defense and the run game. Seattle I sonly 20 th  in passing but they are putting up over 100 per game on the ground and they are holding teams to only 63.9 YPG rushing and only 16.3 points per game. Knowshon Moreno is on track for another 1,200 yard season, with an impressive 4.8 yards per carry after 7 games. The defense, led by edge LB Khalil Mack, is stuffing the run, and forcing takeaways, with 17 in 7 games for a +8 turnover margin.   Positive Momentum Houston Gamblers (5-2) Winners of their last 3, including two big divisional games against New Orleans and Birmingham, the Gamblers are doing it with the league’s best offense (yardage), putting up 425.4 YPG, with Colt Mcoy averaging a league-best 331.9 per game through the air. They Gamblers have some concerns on defense, but they clearly are leading with that passing offense as they try to regain their spot atop the Southern Division standings.   Pittsburgh Maulers (4-3) The Maulers have found their strengths after a 1-3 start, pulling their way back over .500 thanks to a 3-game streak that saw them knock off 3 pretty solid clubs in Michigan, Arizona, and this week’s removal of Chicago from the ranks of the unbeaten. Statistically there is not much to crow about (29 th  in rushing, 30 th  in rush defense, 23 rd in total defense), but hidden within the numbers is a pretty stingy pass defense and a league-best turnover margin of +15. Pittsburgh has committed only 6 turnovers, but have forced 21 in their first 7 games, a pretty impressive 3 per game.   Denver Gold (6-2) A 2-game slump seemed to derail the Gold, but they found their footing again, winning their last 3, all on the road, as they had a successful swing east by knocking off the Breakers, Showboats and Panthers. They are doing it largely with their passing attack, led by MVP candidate Josh Allen, and with a defense that is giving up the fewest rush yards of any USFL club, only 54 per game.   TRENDING THE WRONG WAY Michigan Panthers (4-3) Losers of 3 in a row, we have already established some of the issues in Detroit (see above), as the offense simply is not putting points on the board. They are still within range of the Chicago Machine, but will also have Ohio to contend with, as they face the Glory twice in the season’s second half.   Memphis Showboats (3-5) The ‘Boats have also lost 2 in a row, turning 3-3 concern into a 3-5 midseason panic. The offense is not clicking, currently 25 th in scoring, 20 th  in total yards, and 23 rd  in passing, but what is more concerning is that the Rex Ryan defense which was the engine for their 2020 success, has apparently gone beyond its warranty and is falling apart. Memphis currently ranks 24 th , allowing 373.8 yards per game, and is giving up 25 points per game. Not the formula for a 2nd half surge.   Birmingham Stallions (4-3) Another team that has dropped their last 2, both in division. Stallion Nation might have understood being beaten in Houston by a solid Gambler squad, but going to San Antonio after their bye and losing by 16 to the Gunslingers? That one is troubling. Troubling but not surprising when you realize that the Stallion defense is among the most porous in the league, dead last in total yards (426 per game) and passing yards allowed (346.4 per game). When you are practically giving up 350 per game through the air, you are going to struggle, even against teams you expect to beat.   Oakland Invaders (4-3) The Invaders followed a 4-game win streak with two losses in which they failed to score 10 points. They were absolutely demolished by the Bandits, 33-9 in Week 6 and this past week they just did not impress at all as they lost at home to an LA Express team that did not even score a TD, falling 9-7. Statistically the Invaders are middle of the pack across the board, with scores ranging from 11 th  in the league to 20 th . Does that mean that they are balanced or that they are pretty mediocre at everything? They had a bye this week to figure that out, before returning to action in Week 9, when they will start a 3-game divisional run (home to San Diego, then on the road in Portland and Seattle) that could determine their identity this year.   Winless Monarchs Lose Murray to Achilles Injury To say that first year head coach Vance Joseph’s season is not going as planned might be the understatement of the year. Joseph’s Monarchs currently sit at 0-8 on the season, with an average loss of more than 14 points. They are in the bottom third of the league in nearly every offensive and defensive category we record, have a new QB who fans are already calling to be replaced in Oakland retread Jimmy Garoppolo, and now one of their more popular, and, quite frankly, more talented players, is lost for the season. Tailback Latavius Murray, who has been with the team since coming over in free agency back in 2019 from division rival Orlando, has a ruptured Achilles and will be out for at least the rest of the year. We say “at least” because recovery from an Achilles injury for a back who is already 32 years old may well be more than any reasonable person should ask.   Murray was having a pretty rough year to begin with, averaging only 3.4 yards per carry behind Charlotte’s questionable O-line. It would be his lowest per carry average in a 9-year career that saw him regularly above 4.0, and his pace was not one that would have him return to 1,000-yard status, as he had attained his first year with the Monarchs. Instead of pursuing a second 1,000-yard season, Murray now will spend the next few months in physical therapy after surgery next week. As for Charlotte, they have already apparently opted to build towards the future, with Joseph likely to engage in a very significant roster turnover, one which has already begun with a trade this week (see below). What this means for the rest of 2021 is very likely that Monarch fans will be struggling just as much with the year as Murray is with his Achilles tendon, a long year for a team without much to look forward to as the next 3 months play out.   The Murray injury was only one of three new IR additions, with Washington suffering the other two after both OT Cedric Ogbuehi (MCL) and safety Adrian Amos (Foot) were forced out of the game in the Federals’ upset of Atlanta.   OUT HB      Latavius Murray     CHA      Ruptured Achilles       IR OT          Cedric Ogbuehi    WSH     MCL Tear                    IR FS           Adrian Amos            WSH     Broken Foot                     IR LB           Reuben Foster       BIR         Leg Fracture                    4-6 Weeks LB           Jabril Cox               MEM     Covid Protocol                 1 Week   DOUBTFUL OG         Dan Feeney           BAL        Hamstring   QUESTIONABLE DE          Kwity Paye             MGN     Concussion HB         Charles Sims            SD          Deep Thigh Bruise FS           Derek Jordan           NE          Back     Four Trades in Last 24 Hours Show Teams Seeking Answers With just about 10 days until the USFL Trade Deadline, teams are getting active. We saw four trades just in the past 24 hours, each featuring teams in the middle of the pack, hoping to make one move that helps push them towards a playoff run. The focus was clear, improve areas of weakness, particularly on offense, to help teams compete in what feels like a very balanced season, one in which we currently have 18 of the league’s 30 teams sitting between 3-5 wins, meaning that we have a huge middle-of-the-pack cluster, one where teams feel they have a shot at either a division title or a Wild Card if they can just put the right pieces together. So, what did the 4 trades we saw over the past day do? Let’s break them down.   Michigan Seeks Offensive Help Riding a 3-game losing streak and now 2 full games behind Chicago, the Michigan Panthers made a move to try to get LeVeon Bell and their run game, the engine of their offense, back on track. The Panthers parted with WR K. J. Hill, practice squad fullback Ben Mason, and a 5 th round pick to acquire veteran FB Khari Blasingame and WR Mac Hollins from the winless Charlotte Monarchs.   Hollins is a solid possession receiver, and could prove useful in the red zone, but the key to the deal was Blasingame, the 2020 All-USFL Team fullback. A brutal lead blocker as well as a very viable receiver, Blasingame followed up a strong 2019 rookie campaign with an All-USFL season in 2020. There is no doubt Michigan felt they needed an upgrade at fullback, and we could now see far more frequent use of 2-back formations and a heavier dose of Bell as the Panthers try to rebound from a bad month offensively and regain their swagger as they chase Chicago in the division.   Vegas Seeks More Weapons, New Orleans More Stopping Power The Las Vegas Vipers and New Orleans Breakers have made what each hopes is a key deal for them, swapping 4 players and 2 draft picks in hopes of improving areas of weakness. For the Breakers, the issue was the secondary, which has struggled, particularly on third down. For Las Vegas, it is about finding a more explosive option on offense. With the combo of Aaron Dobson and Rashod Bateman struggling to spread defenses, the Vipers acquire speedy slot receiver John Ross from the Breakers, who had signed Ross from the NFL but had also largely in a swing role behind Nelson, Jefferson, and Lockett. Ross will start for the Vipers, taking over the slot role from Darius Slayton. Expect a rotation with Slayton and Kenny Golloday as Las Vegas seeks to employ more spread formations, which makes sense as a means of creating space as well for HB Kareem Hunt.   In return for Ross, Las Vegas sent veteran starting strong safety Eric Berry to the Breakers. Berry had seen more snaps going to rookie Zayne Anderson, who now will take over as the full time starter. Berry, an 11-year veteran of the Vipers, now heads to the Breakers, where he will step in for Terrance Brooks almost immediately. The move should help New Orleans’s pass defense, with Berry representing a significant upgrade. The versatile safety can play back in coverage or come to the line to impact the run game, a fact testified to by his 569 career tackles. The move comes after New Orleans has seen their passing defense decline in effectiveness this season, one of several issues leading to their current 3-4 record as well as the 4-game losing streak that prompted a roster review. In addition to the two bigger name players, Las Vegas sent kick returner Quintez Cephus and a 5 th  round pick to New Orleans, while the Breakers sent backup safety Kevin Hickey and the Breakers’ 4 th rounder this offseason.   Express Part Ways with Agholor to Acquire Speed The LA Express and Orlando Renegades swapped receivers in a 5-player deal which shakes up both rosters. For the Express the declining role of WR Nelson Agholor made the 6-year veteran expendable. Once considered the prime receiver for Kyler Murray, Agholor’s issues with drops and his struggles creating space with defenders led to him seeing his role reduced in 2020, where he started only 8 games, and again this year, where he had only 18 receptions in the Express’s first 7 games. He heads to Orlando, along with HB Boston Scott , and LB Scott Wilson. The Renegades part with a starting receiver of their own in speedster Jeremy Maclin , as well as linebacker Anfernee Jennings, for their part of the deal.   The move is an interesting one for Orlando, who likely don’t see Agholor as a starter, in fact, it appears that the ‘Gades will promote 3 rd  year receiver Hunter Renfrew to the starting position opposite Brashad Perriman. Renfrew has become a favorite for QB Russell Wilson and has demonstrated good mid-range quickness and an ability to find space in zone coverage. Agholor will likely serve as a red zone target and a swing receiver behind Perriman, Renfrew, and slot specialist Braxton Berrios. For Orlando, the key addition appears to be HB Boston Scott, who will step in behind NFL import Chris Carson. Scott has been effective as a 3 rd  down receiver as well as a relief back for Paul Perkins in LA, and we anticipate seeing him take on that role in Orlando.   As for the two linebackers included in the deal, both are likely to be swing players, backing up the starters across the LB groups of each club. Scott Wilson had yet to appear on defense, with only some special teams appearances for LA after coming to the team as a 6 th  round pick last year. Anfernee Jennings, also a 2 nd  year player, appeared in 10 games for the Renegades last year, making 6 tackles. This year he had been limited to special teams for the Renegades, but could see some snaps for LA as a backup to both Aaron Wallace inside or strong side LB Yannick Ngakue.   San Diego Sets up QB Competition with Hackenberg Deal In what is perhaps the most intriguing of the deals this week, Ohio shipped former starter Christian Hackenberg , along with wideout Marques Valdes-Scantling , to San Diego, receiving a 4 th  rounder and former NFL QB E. J. Manuel in return. Ohio had been shopping around Hackenberg for several weeks, following the initial success of rookie Justin Fields as their new starter. The two have radically different styles, which explains why Ohio opted for E. J. Manuel as a part of the deal, a quarterback who could more readily slip into an offense designed for Fields.   For San Diego, growing concerns about starter Christian Ponder are almost certainly the cause for the mid-season acquisition of Hackenberg. Following a solid pair of seasons in 2018 and 2019, seasons that helped lead San Diego to the USFL playoffs, the 5 th  year QB slumped significantly in 2020, struggling with picks and inaccuracy as San Diego’s fortunes as a team declined precipitously. Ponder’s QB Rating dropped from a career high of 104.9 in 2018 to a very solid 96.9 in 2019, but then collapsed, hitting 77.6 last season. His 2021 campaign has been equally troubling, with his completion percentage dropping to 57.3%, with 6 picks in his first 6 games, and with his per game yardage dropping to 180.3, among the worst among USFL starters.   Coach Lebeau clearly seems to want to either motivate Ponder by bringing in a true competitor at the position, or to move from Ponder to Hackenberg if improvement is not seen. Hackenberg was the starter in Ohio from 2016-2020, and in that time he had some solid years, throwing for 3,000 yards in both 2017 and 2019. He struggled in 2020, throwing 19 interceptions to only 13 touchdowns in a very rough 2020 campaign. The skeptics among us wonder if having two accuracy-troubled quarterbacks competing is truly a solution, but it seems clear that by opening a QB competition, LeBeau is hoping one of the two will rise to the occasion.   Not to be lost in this equation is the seeming “add on” of WR Marques Valdes-Scantling. A straight line speedster, MVS has had flashes in both LA and Ohio, but never stepped fully into a regular role, appearing for rarely more than a handful of snaps in LA his rookie and sophomore seasons, before getting a slightly larger role last year in Ohio. He finished 2020 with 19 receptions for 185 yards and 2 TDs and so far in 2021 has 13 receptions for 163 yards this year. In San Diego, the former Express receiver will get a chance to prove himself. San Diego has been moving away from Arrelious Benn due to serious criticisms about his ability to find space and create distance from defenders. Of Christian Ponder’s 6 interceptions this year, 4 have been passes intended for Benn and many have pointed out that Benn has been simply unable to create the space needed for Ponder to safely get him the ball. These concerns have led to Coach LeBeau shifting speedster Kadarius Toney from the slot, giving him more snaps in Benn’s split end role. Laviska Shenault has taken on more of the slot role in this structure, but we expect to see Valdes-Scantling also see significant snaps as an outside option opposite possession receiver Ronald Johnson.   With little over one week left in the trade window, we doubt we have seen the last of the moves, and we are left to wonder if we will see more starters (like safety Eric Berry) or more QBs (like Hackenberg) making moves across the league as teams gear up for what could be a very densely packed playoff peloton.    Week 8 Power Rankings Eight weeks in, and while some teams have only completed 7 games thanks to the new bye system, it is still time for our second assessment of the power of each club. And while the past few weeks have seen several of the top contenders take a fall, including our two last unbeatens knocked out this week, we still see a pretty stable grouping at the top of our ranking. The middle is where it gets very messy and where we think we will hear the most debate among fans. After all, how do we decide which 4-3 or 3-4 team is truly ready to make a move upwards and who is headed down the ladder?   1—Tampa Bay (7-1) No longer unbeaten, but expecting Prescott back, which we think keeps them at the 1 spot. Mid-season MVP:  HB Dalvin Cook is perhaps the league’s best dual threat back, with 643 yards rushing, 444 receiving, and 6 combined TDs.   2—Chicago (6-1) The defense is legit, but the offense has had some struggles. Mid-season MVP:  CB Josh Norman has become a true shut-down corner for Chicago, and is still one of the best tacklers among league DBs.   3—Philadelphia (6-1) The Stars rebounded nicely to their 1 loss and are ready for a rematch this week. Mid-season MVP:  Yes, Derrick Henry is the centerpiece, but it is the success of Carson Wentz (11:5 TD:INT and a 93.5 QB rating) that is the difference for the Star offense this year.   4—Seattle (5-2) The Dragons have won 5 in a row and boast on of the league’s best run defenses. Mid-season MVP:  Averaging 4.8 YPC, Knowshon Moreno is keeping the Dragons’ offense in short, makable third down situations.   5—Denver (6-2) Other than a 2-game hiccup, this Gold squad has been racking up yards and points. Mid-season MVP:  No surprise, league MVP candidate Josh Allen, with 2,583 yards, 22 TDs, and a 121.7 QB rating is the key to the Gold’s success.   6—New Jersey (5-3) Generals’ fans will not be happy with this placement, especially since NJ knocked off two unbeatens this year: Philly and Tampa Bay. Mid-season MVP:  Two defenders stand out for New Jersey, MLB Matt Milano (52 Tck) and CB Aqib Talib (45 Tck, 2 Int).   7—Houston (5-2) Colt McCoy has this offense humming, best in the league at 425 yards per game. Mid-season MVP:  No reason to go away from McCoy, who has 2,323 yards, a 98.3 rating, and a14:6 TD:INT ratio.   8--Ohio (5-2) Justin Fields is both the leading passer and leading rusher for the surprising Glory. Mid-season MVP:  His passing stats are not impressive, but Justin Fields is a scary runner from the gun, and he has his team believing at 5-2.   9—Pittsburgh (4-3) From 1-3 to 4-3, thanks to impressive wins over Michigan, Arizona, and Chicago. Mid-season MVP:  The Maulers are winning with team defense, and have no statistical outliers, but the clear leader of that D is MLB Brian Orakpo, who is making the calls and rallying the D when needed.   10—Dallas (4-3) The Roughnecks have 2 key games next, Arizona and Oklahoma, both at home. Mid-season MVP:  A tough call between the team’ s sack leader, Connor Barwin (9) and their best DB, Patrick Peterson (3 picks), but we like that Peterson is also good in the run game, with 42 tackles to Barwin’s 22.   11—Atlanta (5-3) 4-0 in the first quarter turned to 1-3 in the second. Their bye could not come at a better time. Mid-season MVP:  Has to be A. J. Green, who has 9 receiving TDs, 800 yards receiving, and 57 receptions, all team bests.    12—Las Vegas (4-3) Defense and a surprisingly effective run game have the Vipers in the mix. Mid-season MVP:  The first of 2 HB duos we will highlight in this list, the combo of Hunt and Jones has produced 889 yards rushing and 7 TDs, with Hunt averaging 5.2 per carry and Jones a very nice 4.4 as well.   13—Arizona (4-4) The 25 th -ranked defense is far from what we have seen during the dynasty years. Mid-season MVP:  WR DeMarcus Robinson. Cruz may lead the team in yards, but with 36 receptions, 8 for TDs, Robinson is leading both categories for the Wranglers.   14—Baltimore (4-4) Who are the real Blitz? They rank 1 st  in yards allowed and give up only 176 per game against the pass, but still have lost 4 of their last 6. Mid-season MVP:  The good news is that Josh Jacobs currently leads the league with 711 yards rushing, the bad? He has only 1 rushing TD after 8 games.    15—Oakland (4-3) Scoring 9 and 7 in their past 2 games has to be a major concern for the Invaders. Mid-season MVP:  TE Zach Ertz leads the team with 552 receiving yards, and is one of 3 receivers with 4 TDs.   16—Birmingham (4-3) Cam Newton is an MVP candidate, but where is Najee Harris or the defense? Mid-season MVP:  No team is more of a 1-man show than the Stallions, and that man, no surprises, is Cam Newton, with 20 combined passing & rushing TDs.    17—Orlando (4-4) A nice win against the Thunder has Orlando back at .500 midway through their schedule. Mid-season MVP:  The only consistently excellent Renegade is the obvious choice, DE Montez Sweat (13 sacks).    18—Michigan (4-3) Losing 3 in a row is bad, losing 2 of 3 at home is even worse. Mid-season MVP:  We expect Dre Kirkpatrick to lead the Panthers in picks (3), but it is not a good sign that he also leads them with 45 tackles.    19—Los Angeles (3-4) 3 rd in scoring defense but 29 th  in scoring offense is not a combo that will get you a title. Mid-season MVP:  DT Chris Jones leads all at his position with 7 sacks, and he is so good against the run as well, a clear DPOTY candidate.    20—New Orleans (3-4) A much-needed win this week keeps them alive with 2 divisional games up next. Still time to get in the race. Mid-season MVP:  TE Coby Fleener, with 485 yards and 7 TDs has been bailing out both Geno and Tajh Boyd this year.    21—San Diego (3-5) Orlando exposed issues on both sides of the ball for the Thunder, most notably the league’s worst passing offense. Mid-season MVP: No shocker, it is Charles Sims, with 642 yards and 6 rushing TDs, on pace for 1,200 and double digit TDs.    22—San Antonio (3-5) A very nice divisional win over Birmingham, but they have a tough road ahead. Mid-season MVP: We are giving this to the 2-headed HB C.J.-Melvin Procise-Gordon, who have combined for 870 yards and 6 TDs for the Gunslingers.    23—Oklahoma (3-5) A tough road to .500 with trips to Dallas and Denver up after the bye. Mid-season MVP: There are lots of issues in OKC, but 2 nd  year QB Jalen Hurts (2,307 Yds, 19:5 TD:INT ratio) is not one of them.    24—Memphis (3-5) Showboat fans want to know where the 2020 Memphis squad went. This ain’t it. Mid-season MVP:  NFL Import J. J. Watt (13 sacks) has been amazing, but where is the rest of the Rex Reed defense this year?   25—Washington (2-6) A gutsy win in Atlanta, now they need to build on that moving forward. Mid-season MVP:  Rookie HB Travis Etienne (134-509-7) is a legit ROTY candidate on a 2-win team.   26—Portland (2-5) When your only 2 wins are against Jacksonville and Charlotte, you may just be a bottom feeder. Mid-season MVP:  LB Nico Johnson (42 Tck, 3 Sck, 1 Int) is doing a lot of everything. Is that a good thing or a bad sign for the rest of the D?    27—Jacksonville (1-7) Get their first W of the season, but next up is Tampa Bay. Mid-season MVP:  WR Tee Higgins (44-627-7) is Trevor Lawrence’s best weapon and could be All-USFL this year.   28—New England (2-5) Ryan Tannehill is struggling and Eddie Lacy is underperforming for the Rollers. Mid-season MVP:  DT Aaron Donald (45 Tck, 5 Sacks) needs a real edge threat to truly be successful, because he is doing it on his own right now.    29—St. Louis (1-6) Any defense that gives up nearly 250 yards rushing to a QB is in deep trouble. Mid-season MVP:  WR Deionte Johnson (29-505-5) has been the only consistent performer on an offense that has just not found itself.   30—Charlotte (0-8) Murray injured, Garoppolo ineffective, the defense giving up 31.8 PPG. Portrait of a winless club. Mid-season MVP:  LB Rolando McClain (58 Tackles) is the only defender earning his pay this year.   Six teams are on their byes in Week 9, representing the entire Southeast Division, along with Oklahoma, since an even number is needed. So, what will the other 24 teams provide us? How about an Ol’ Muddy River Classic as the Breakers head up the Mississippi to face the Memphis Showboats? With both teams currently under .500, this could be a big step for the winner in their hopes to get back in the hunt in a very muddled and muddy division.   Saturday has 6 games, with the return of an NBC night game, and it will be a good one, with the Stars traveling to New Jersey. The Generals knocked Philly from their unbeaten status and have won 5 in a row. Will they double up on their rivals or will Philadelphia get revenge and rebuild a 2-game lead in the division? The ESPN/EFN game will also be a nice divisional clash, with Arizona traveling to Dallas in a battle of 4-win Southwestern Teams fighting for playoff possibilities.   No regional games with only 10 teams in action on Sunday. We do have some good ones though, with LA heading to Pittsburgh, Houston visiting an old foe in Denver, and San Diego headed up to Oakland, with dreams of .500 or better still in their heads. We finish the week with Seattle, winners of 5 straight, heading into Detroit to face the Michigan Panthers.   FRI @ 8pm ET        New Orleans (3-4) @ Memphis (3-5)              NBC   SAT @ 12pm ET      San Antonio (3-5) @ Baltimore (4-4)                ABC SAT @ 12pm ET       Las Vegas (4-3) @ Birmingham (4-3)                 FOX SAT @ 4pm ET        New England (2-5) @ Chicago (6-1)                 ABC SAT @ 4pm ET         Portland (2-5) @ St. Louis (1-6)                         FOX SAT @ 8pm ET         Philadelphia (6-1) @ New Jersey (5-3)             NBC SAT @ 8pm ET         Arizona (4-4) @ Dallas (4-3)                               ESPN/EFN   SUN @ 12pm ET     Ohio (5-2) @ Washington (2-6)                        ABC SUN @ 12pm ET      Los Angeles (3-4) @ Pittsburgh (4-3)                 FOX SUN @ 4pm ET        Houston (5-2) @ Denver (6-2)                            ABC SUN @ 4pm ET       San Diego (3-5) @ Oakland (4-3)                      FOX SUN @ 8pm ET       Seattle (5-2) @ Michigan (4-3)                           ESPN/EFN   BYES: Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Oklahoma, Orlando, Tampa Bay

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Charles Sims has been one of the biggest breakout players of 2021, and his huge game against the Oklahoma Outlaws helped San Diego get their 3rd win of the year. Sims carried the ball 29 times, racking up 144 yards, and putting the ball into the endzone three times as the Thunder improve to 3-4 and are now only 1 game below .500

While Week 6 offered hope to the underdogs, Week 7 felt very much like a time when teams flexed their muscles, and the favorites came out fired up. Lopsided wins by Tampa Bay over Atlanta, New Jersey over New England, Denver over Memphis, Baltimore over Jacksonville and Arizona over Las Vegas very much felt like teams trying to claim their status as frontrunners and favorites. We had a few close calls as well, and one defensive slugfest that ended without either team reaching double digits on the scoreboard. As always, we will run down all the scores, take a look at the performances of the week, and prepare you for Week 8 action, with 8 more teams taking their bye week for another 11-game schedule. But we kick it off with an early peak at the MVP race, with 6 candidates looking like contenders as we approach the mid-point of the season (now solidly in Week 9).   Handicapping the MVP Race as We Approach Midseason With 8 games in the book and the statistical leaderboards feeling somewhat static, we are ready to start looking ahead to the league’s big awards, and we very well may have some shakeup this year, as new players emerge and some of the anticipated frontrunners have struggled, including Dak Prescott, now looking like he will miss games a second time this year, and LeVeon Bell now sitting in 5 th  position in the rushing leaderboard. So, who is stepping up and who might well get some MVP votes come July and August? Here is our look at 6 potential contenders.   QB Josh Allen (DEN)     Right now, the odds-on favorite, having taken a huge step in his 4 th  pro season. Allen has the Gold atop the Southwest Division and has them ranked 2 nd  in passing and in scoring at 33.1 points per game. His individual stats are no less impressive, with 2,285 passing yards, 20 TDs and a 121.7 QB Rating after 8 weeks. He is completing a solid 62.8% of his throws, is averaging nearly 330 yards per game and has a QB Rating 20 points above his prior career best. Most importantly, he is leading a Denver team that many undervalued in the preseason (including our team) to big wins and dominant performances.   QB Cam Newton (BIR)  Birmingham is another team that has exceeded expectations, sitting at 4-2 with a share of 1 st  place in the South, and Cam Newton has certainly been a catalyst for that improvement. Not only has the 11-year vet been outperforming past years, with a career best 107.1 QB Rating after 8 games, but he is proving to be tough to stop. Overplay his rushing (236 yards and 3 TDs) and he will kill you from the pocket. Allow him to scramble and you risk a huge gainer. His passing stats (1,606 Yds, 14 TDs) are not in the stratosphere with some more traditional passers, but it is his impact on defensive game plans that is making the difference for the Stallions.  HB Dalvin Cook (TBY)    Our first of three non-QBs to be considered, we are looking at Cook, not Prescott, as the centerpiece of the 2021 Bandits, who still have yet to taste defeat. A true dual threat, Cook has racked up 596 yards rushing, putting him in the Top 5 in the league, while also catching 14 balls for 333 yards, a stunning 23.8 yards per catch, a top tier number for a wideout, much less a back. Throw in his combined 6 touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 passing) and we have to look at Cook as a possible MVP candidate, especially if he can keep up these numbers with Prescott out of commission.  QB Colt McCoy (HOU) Our third QB to consider has been in this pool before. Colt McCoy has yet to win an MVP, and there is some sentiment that if he can be a league leader this year and the Gamblers rebound to win the division after an off year in 2020, well, that may well get McCoy some points for career stats in addition to his 2021 numbers. Those 2021 stats are looking very good on their own, with 2,161 yards, 13 TDs to only 6 picks, and a very solid 105.4 QBR.   HB Derrick Henry (PHI) The Stars have had a magical run so far, going 6-1 in their first 7 games, and while many are praising the choice of Carson Wentz to come in at QB, we all know who is at the heart of the Stars offense. “King” Henry is the current league leader in rushing with 645 yards, on pace for more than 1,200 yet again. He has 5 total TDs on the year, and there is no doubt that his value to the Stars is irreplaceable.  WR Dez Bryant (TBY) One more MVP candidate from the league’s best offense. Dez Bryant is having himself a career year, and even with B. J. Daniels subbing for Prescott over 2 games (and likely another 2 coming up), Bryant has remained a constant threat. He has 32 receptions in his first 7 games, and with that has 706 yards, an average over 100 per game, which would put him above 1,600 for the year. Throw in 8 TDs (a pace to possibly attain 20 by season’s end) and with 2 different QBs, you have to acknowledge his value to the Bandit offense.   If we were picking right now, our money would be on Josh Allen, but so much lays ahead, and the number of wins and losses for each team will certainly be a huge factor moving forward. The candidate who helps his team reach a Division title, or even a first seed, could get a huge advantage, though we still think that QBs have an edge, as always.   SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS 31   DALLAS ROUGHNECKS 42 The San Antonio Gunslingers are only in their 2 nd  year in the league after the city got an expansion replacement for the departed Outlaws. So it is a bit early to say they have a clear rivalry with anyone. But, while the natural rival should be division opponent Houston, it seems San Antonio is more than game to build a grudge with the league’s other in-state team, the Dallas Roughnecks.   San Antonio came into their game in Dallas with all the focus and energy of a long-time rival, and that made this week’s game with the Roughnecks all that much more entertaining and all that much closer. Despite an eventual 11 point win by the homestanding Roughnecks, this was a tight game until the final minutes, and San Antonio certainly acquitted themselves admirably. The Gunslingers outgained Dallas 373-318, and were much more proficient on the ground, outrushing the Roughnecks 140-87, thanks in large part to 97 yards from NFL import Melvin Gordon. Both teams managed a defensive score, but it was San Antonio’s difficulty containing the Dallas offense that ended up costing them the game in the final 2 minutes.   The game started very well for the visitors as San Antonio stopped Dallas on the opening drive of the game, took over with the ball on their own 17 and drove it down the field before settling on an Evan McPherson field goal. They again stopped Dallas on the Roughnecks’ 2 nd  possession, and this time, with the ball in their hands, they took it all the way for 7, with Joe Flacco finding veteran wideout Marquise Goodwin for a 6-yard TD to build a 10-0 lead late in the 1 st  quarter.   But, Dallas was undeterred by their early struggles, hitting San Antonio’s questionable defense with a big play early in their 3 rd  possession. After moving the ball to the San Antonio 47, where they faced a 2 nd  and 2, Dallas used play action to perfection, with Justin Herbert drawing in the defense with a nice fake before finding 2020 breakout star Sammy Watkins on a 47-yard throw, catch, and run for 7. Watkins used a double move to escape the corner and the safety was late in covering, which allowed Watkins to catch the ball, angle away from safety coverage and outpace the defenders to the endzone.   Dallas had cut the lead to 3, but were still struggling with San Antonio’s offensive balance. Using a mix of Gordon runs and short passes from Flacco to Noah Fant and Jaelen Reagor, the Gunslingers moved the ball quickly down the field. Inside the red zone, Gordan took a couple of downs to rest, so it was C. J. Procise who got the call and the score on a 6-yard off-tackle run to bolster the Gunslinger advantage to 10. Down 17-7, Dallas again turned to their offense, and again they found success with the deep ball, this time a 40-yard completion to Tim Wright put them deep inside Gunslinger territory. Five plays later it was HB Duke Johnson, who has been getting more touches than Samaje Perine the past few games. Johnson dove over the scrum and into the endzone to pull Dallas back to a 3-point deficit with 6 and change left in the half.   Dallas’s defense held on the next drive, but a nice punt by Gunslinger specialist Matt Haak, placed the ball at the Dallas 4. A penalty for illegal motion on 1 st down pushed the ball back to the 2, and the 1 st  down run by Samaje Perine was stuffed, at first looking like a safety before being ruled down at the 1-foot line. Very much looking for the safety on 2 nd  down, San Antonio blitzed three to create a 7-man rush. That rush got to Herbert, producing a fumble which DE Demarcus Lawrence fell on to give San Antonio the defensive TD and once again a 9-point advantage. The missed PAT kept it from being a double-digit advantage, but while Dallas would hold the Gunslingers after the free kick, the Roughnecks still went into the break down two scores, 23-14.   The third quarter very much felt like a reset as the Roughnecks not only shut down the Gunslingers but forced turnovers on every single San Antonio possession. Yes, you heard that right. 4 turnover in one quarter, including 3 lost fumbles and a Flacco interception. It was a nightmare quarter for San Antonio as they simply could not hold onto the ball. Dallas, however, only managed to add 14 points despite 4 possessions going their way in the half. They first added a score on defense as the Flacco pick was returned 30 yards for a score on the quarter’s 1 st  possession. That turned into a feeding frenzy as Dallas forced 3 fumbles in the period, one leading to a 20-yard Herbert to Courtland Sutton TD toss. The swing gave Dallas a 5-point advantage, one many thought should have been more.   San Antonio had survived one of the worst quarters a team could have, and came into the 4 th  down only 5. Unfortunately, they would add 2 more turnovers in the 4 th  for a nasty game total of 6 on the day. The first cam on their next possession, increasing the total to 5 drives in a row. The Gunslinger D held Dallas once again and the fumble ended up not costing San Antonio more points. The offense came out again and the focus was clearly on ball control and avoiding a 6 th  turnover. This drive was mistake free, and after 9 plays, San Antonio was in scoring range. Flacco found Goodwin with a nice pass down to the 3, and after a Gordon run failed to produce a score, it was Flacco to LaFell to once again give the Gunslingers the advantage. They led 31-28 with only 4:40 left to play, but they were not done helping Dallas earn a win.   The Roughnecks did it on their own with their next possession, with Herbert leading the Dallas offense down the field briskly, they were closing in on both the 2-minute warning and the red zone when Herbert saw Tim Wright gain a step on his defender. The Dallas QB put up a perfect pass as Wright glided down the sideline, the veteran catching the ball just as he crossed into the endzone, putting Dallas back on top, 35-31 just as the 2-minute warning was called.   The Dallas score left San Antonio with 2 minutes to score a TD and win the game. A field goal would be no help, down 4. Flacco and the offense took the field, prepping for a 2-minute drill. The veteran QB connected on his first pass, a 13-yarder to TE Noah Fant. Then caught Dallas with a Gordon draw that gained 16. But on their next first down, the mistake that all Gunslinger fans had to be dreading showed up. The 6 th  Dallas takeaway was a clean pick of Flacco. The San Antonio QB simply underestimated Patrick Peterson’s recovery speed, threw the ball with too much air under it, and Peterson not only caught up to LaFell, but pulled the ball away from the Gunslinger receiver for his 2 nd pick.   That turnover clearly broke the Gunslinger spirit, evident as Dallas not only ate some clock, but made very nice gains with their run game in the final drive. Intent on killing the clock, Dallas fed the ball to Johnson and Perine, and on a 2 nd and 8 from the Gunslinger 30, Duke Johnson did more than eat time, he ate up yards, rushing 30 yards before falling backwards into the endzone. It appeared that Johnson tried to stop himself, but instead of sliding, he tried to come to a halt on the 1, but his momentum forced him backwards, into the endzone, producing another TD and Dallas’s eventual 9-point victory.   For San Antonio this game had to feel like a victory lost. The Gunslingers had played so well for a half, only to have 6 second-half turnovers destroy any chance at victory. Dallas, recognizing that they had gotten lucky on a couple of those miscues, also took to heart the idea that playing aggressively could lead to opportunities and taking advantage of those opportunities was often the difference between winning and losing. A valuable lesson for both teams was the final result of this back-and-forth affair.   TAMPA BAY 30  ATLANTA 12 The Fire saw this game as a chance to prove they were a true contender, but after putting up only 4 field goals and giving up 415 yards on defense, it seems that the Fire only showed us that Tampa Bay will be a tough team to knock off as they defend their title. The win was a costly one, however, for the Bandits, as QB Dak Prescott had to leave the game after suffering a hyper-extended knee. That injury could keep Prescott out for 2-3 weeks. But as we have seen before, B. J. Daniels can step in and succeed, evident by his 5 of 7 outing, producing a TD to Jordan Cameron to lock up the W. POTG : Bandit HB Dalvin Cook: 21 Att, 96 Yds, 1 TD, 2 Rec, 35 Yds, 1 TD   NEW ENGLAND 3  NEW JERSEY 26 It was all New Jersey as the Generals won their 4 th  in a row to move over .500. Nick Foles continues to silence the critics by winning games, though this one was all about the New Jersey defense. The Generals’ D held New England to only 83 yards rushing and kept the Steamrollers from rolling into the endzone as the Generals put up 17 to start the game and never trailed. POTG:  New Jersey FS Shamarko Thomas: 4 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int, 1 FF   SEATTLE 30  ORLANDO 24 The Renegades held a 24-20 lead after 3, but Seattle got a Hundley to Newhouse TD at the 9-minute mark of the 4 th , added a field goal later, and shut out Orlando in the final period to take the road win as they take a strong hold over the Pacific Division. Russell Wilson continued to struggle, throwing 4 picks in the game. For Seattle, it was Knowshon Moreno with a big game, rushing for 132 yards on 23 carries. POTG:  Seattle LB Josh Allen: 9 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 PDef, 1 Int   LOS ANGELES 9  OAKLAND 7 Two of the league’s best defenses came to play and that meant a very low scoring but hard-hitting game in Oakland. The Express managed only 3 field goals, but that was enough as Oakland’s 2 nd  quarter TD (Brady to Adams) was the only time the Invaders put anything on the board. Despite the solid defensive game by Oakland, LA receiver Hollywood Brown racked up 111 yards while Paul Perkins ground out 79 yards. POTG:  Express CB Jamar Taylor: 7 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int   CHARLOTTE 13   PORTLAND 23 The Monarchs drop to 0-7 as Portland finally earns their 2 nd  win. The homestanding Stags got 77 yards from rookie HB Javontae Williams and Mariota found both Josh Gordon and Williams for TD catches. Jimmy Garoppolo found 9 different receivers on the day, but simply did not turn those plays into points, with their first TD coming in garbage time, with Portland up 17. POTG:  Portland QB Marcus Mariota: 24/30, 206 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   DENVER 38  MEMPHIS 6 Staying in the South after last week’s victory over the Breakers paid off for Denver, who dominated this game, outgaining Memphis 413-244, and on the scoreboard, with a 28-0 run in the second half to blow this game wide open. Josh Allen went 16 of 20 for 300 yards and 2 scores, both to Kevin White, who more than subbed for a dinged-up Goldent Tate. Lindsay and former Breaker Fournette also put points on the board as the Gold offense rolled. Meanwhile, Paxton Lynch threw 3 picks as nothing went right for the Showboat offense. POTG:  Gold WR Kevin White: 8 Rec, 152 Yds, 2 TD   BALTIMORE 34  JACKSONVILLE 13 Like the Monarchs, the Bulls also drop to 0-7 as Baltimore sacked rookie Trevor Lawrence 6 times (2 from Campbell) and picked the rattled Bulls QB three times as well. The Baltimore offense took advantage, adding 21 points off the three takeaways, with Michael Pittman Jr. scoring twice and Josh Jacobs diving in for a 3 rd . Jacobs finished with 85 yards on the ground, and another 24 through the air. POTG:  Blitz WR Michael Pittman Jr: 5 Rec, 114 Yds, 2 TD   OKLAHOMA 24   SAN DIEGO 41 Jalen Hurts survived 5 sacks to throw for 348 and 3 TDs, but it was not enough as the Oklahoma defense simply had no answers. San Diego HB Charles Sims rushed the ball 29 times for 144 yards and 3 TDs, with backup David Wilson adding 55 and a score as well. Throw in a Ponder to Nauta TD toss and the Thunder score their 3 rd win as Oklahoma drops to a surprising 2-5. POTG:  Thunder HB Charles Sims: 29 Att,144 Yds, 3 TD   LAS VEGAS 21  ARIZONA 45 The Wranglers get right back into the SW Division race by knocking off Las Vegas in State Farm Stadium. Ka’Deem Carey had 90 yards and a score, Crowell another 79 with a TD as Arizona racked up 170 yards rushing. Vegas ran the ball well also, with Matt Jones rushing for 100 yards and Hunt adding another 62, but when it came to turning yards into points, the Wranglers had the formula and the Vipers did not. POTG:  Wrangler CB A. J. Bouye: 10 Tck, 2 Pdef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   WASHINGTON 14   PHILADELPHIA 17 Jacoby Brissett got the start for the Feds and looked pretty good too, throwing for 287 and a TD, but with Travis Etienne limited to only 30 yards on 13 carries, Washington could not eke out a win. Carson Wentz hit Randall Cobb for a TD, Marcus Lattimore nabbed a 3 rd , and Eddie Pineiro put the game winning 3 points on the board as Philadelphia rebounds from their first loss of the season, moving their record to 6-1. POTG:  Stars’ WR Randall Cobb: 6 Rec, 91 Yds, 1 TD   Who is Charles Sims? That is the question being asked all across the USFL as the San Diego Thunder have found themselves one of the breakout stars of 2021. The 27-year-old former Mauler and Roughneck is making a huge impression, with 558 yards and 6 TDs already this season. He currently ranks 6 th  in the league, just outside of our leaderboard but ahead of some pretty familiar names, names like Christian McCaffrey, Todd Gurley, Carlos Hyde, and Nick Chubb. But just who is Sims and why is he having himself a belated break out in the USFL this year?   Sims was a solid back in college, splitting his NCAA career between the University of Houston (2009-12) and West Virginia (2013) before coming out in the 2014 draft. He was selected by the Maulers using a Territorial pick, and Pittsburgh outbid the NFL Buccaneers, who selected Sims in the 3 rd  round of their draft. His first year with the Maulers was hardly anything to get excited about, appearing in only 2 games and finishing the season with 1 carry for 3 yards. Yes, that is right, 1 carry.   His 2 nd  year he had only 10 carries, spending most of the year on the practice squad. His first major action was in 2016 when the Maulers, suffering some injuries in the RB room, had Sims active for 5 games, in which he had 43 carries for 172 yards. That offseason, his rookie contract expiring, Sims signed on with the Dallas Roughnecks. In Dallas, Sims saw his touches increase, with 90 in 2019 and 153 in 2020. The Thunder saw something in Sims when he became available this offseason, signing the 7-year veteran to a 3-year deal and setting up a HB competition with David Wilson and two late round rookies (Demetric Felton and David Wilson). Many expected San Diego to go after one of the NFL free agent backs in the February transfer window, but they opted to stand pat, naming Sims the starter just before their regular season opener.   Sims has become the unquestioned lead back for the Thunder, with 139 carries in just the first 7 games, a solid 105 touches more than David Wilson. Averaging 4 yards per carry with 6 TDs this season, Sims has surprised everyone with his solid play, everyone except Dick LeBeau it appears. After a slow opening game (34 yards on 19 carries), Sims exploded against Ohio, rushing for 116 and scoring 3 times (2x rushing, 1 on a swing pass). The following week he topped 100 again, gaining 102 against Seattle. This week he once again crossed the century mark, with another huge game, rushing for 144 and 3 scores against Oklahoma. San Diego sits at 3-4, only 1 game below .500 and only 2 games behind division-leading Denver. With a pair of very winnable games (@ Orlando & @ Oakland) before the break, we could be looking at San Diego (along with Philly) as a rags to riches story this year, and a huge part of that is the back who finally got his shot and is making the most of it.   What can Monarchs & Bulls Do to Improve This Year? It feels very much like Jacksonville has done something to anger the football gods. Maybe they insulted a gypsy woman or made a poorly worded wish on a monkey claw. Why do we say this? Well, the main reason is that they have had so many games where they did enough to win and yet came up just short. That includes a 3-point loss at home to Portland, followed by a 2-point margin against Atlanta, another 2-point loss in New England, and a 1-pointer in Orlando. That is 4 straight games lost by a total of 8 points. The last two weeks have seemed to indicate that their will has been broken, losing by 26 in Atlanta and this week by 21 to Baltimore at home.  So, what could Jacksonville do to turn things around and get a break? Well, it might help that they play Charlotte this week, perhaps the only team in the league with more issues than they have. They then get a bye before starting the 2 nd  half of their season. So, 3 weeks to try to find solutions. And we think they have some solutions that are obtainable. The first is to work on a trade to add some pop to the run game. Devin Singletary is a solid grinder, averaging 4.2 yards per carry, but he has only 1 run in 75 attempts that went over 15 yards. Montario Hardesty has fallen out of favor, so it is time for Jacksonville to look for a real change-of-pace back. That may mean giving rookie Chubba Hubbard more snaps, or it may mean seeking a trade.   The second move we think the Bulls need to make is to put in more 4-3 schemes. They have been running mostly 3-4 all season, and while we know that Coach Moss likes the nimbler 3-4, his LB group just does not have the speed or depth to make it work, especially on early downs. Putting a rotation of Beau Allen and Jimmy Staten in next to Montravious Adams to form a 4-man front would allow Jacksonville to have 3 solid LBs in the game (Lee, Anzelone, and Hicks, and allow them to spread wider so that they can cover the outside and let the D-Line worry about inside runs. The secondary could still be an issue, but if they can force more teams into longer 3 rd  downs, they may just get the D off the field sooner and avoid those close defeats.  In Charlotte, the main issues are too multiple to solve with one big deal. They are averaging only 77 yards per game rushing, despite having 2 backs who have had success in the past. Their line is likely the issue there, and with Jimmy Garoppolo’s erratic passing as well, as the new Charlotte QB is taking a lot of heat in the pocket. But perhaps more troubling is the Monarch defense, which is giving up 30.9 PPG, good enough for 29 th position in a 30-team league. What is worse is that the Monarchs appear to be as inept against the pass (23 rd ) as they are against the run (21 st ). So, what could be done this year to help that situation?   First thing is to try to get some help up front. Rookie Peni Sewell is looking like a keeper, and center Mike Pouncey is an All-USFL player, but the other three positions, including both guards, are not getting the job done. It may not be possible to find 3 new players in mid-season trades, but even 1 interior lineman could help this team be more productive. As for the defense, the 4-man line seems pretty talented, led by DE Chandler Jones and the interior duo of Poona Ford and Leki Fotu, but the linebacker group is not getting the stops that they need to end drives. Rolando McClain is among the league’s best tacklers, evident in his current ranking on the leaderboard, but neither Germaine Pratt nor Randy Gregory is really athletic enough to either cover backs and tight ends or to get to a well-designed exterior run. So, at least 1 outside linebacker would be a big add.   Can any of our recommendations help the Bulls or Monarchs suddenly change their fortunes? Unlikely, but even a few wins over the second half of the season could be a starting point towards growth and improvement for 2022.   Oakland’s Slump Helps Seattle Take Over the Pacific The Invaders were looking like a team in command after 5 weeks, sitting at 4-1 and touting one of the league’s best defenses, but a humbling 33-9 loss in Tampa Bay seems to have shattered the team’s confidence. They followed that game up with this week’s 9-7 loss at home to the LA Express, a game that set back offensive football 10 years. While statistically the Invaders still look very solid, in the Top 10 in points allowed, yards allowed, and rushing yards, while their offense is no worse than 18 th  in any category, this does not look like a team ready to reclaim the division lead.   The good news for Oakland is that they have a bye to interrupt their losing streak. Following the break, they will run a Pacific Division gauntlet that very well could determine their fate, hosting San Diego in Week 9 before road games in Portland and Seattle. That three game stretch will be essential to their hopes for a playoff return or even a division title. With Tom Brady now 45 years old, and his protégé already in the wings in rookie Davis Mills, this year is pivotal. It will either be a swan song for the 5-time USFL and NFL Champion QB or the start of a rebuild, and that all could be determined by the 3-game divisional stretch that Oakland will prepare for this week.   4 Teams over 500 in Southwest Creates a Logjam Perhaps the hardest division to figure this year is the Southwest. We called it before the season, that Arizona may well take a step back towards the rest of the pack, but while we imagined Dallas as the primary rival, some very strong early season results have both Las Vegas and Denver looking very much like potential contenders. The Southwest is currently the only division with 4 of 5 teams sitting above .500. Only 2-5 Oklahoma trails the cluster of 4-3 teams (Arizona, Dallas, and Las Vegas) with Denver still a game up at 5-2.   So, what is fueling the early season success of the Southwestern clubs? It depends who you are looking at. Denver is in 1 st  thanks primarily to a giant leap in production from Josh Allen and the passing game. Allen’s offense is 2 nd in the league in passing, averaging nearly 335 yards per game, with the Gold QB already accounting for 20 TDs. In Arizona, the defense is struggling, ranked 23 rd in points allowed, but offensive balance, which includes a run game averaging over 100 yards per game and David Carr averaging 302 yards per game through the air, is keeping Arizona in games. Winning 3 of 4 divisional games has also helped the Wranglers, who now sit in 2 nd  place.   Third place Dallas is 6 th  in scoring and a solid 11 th  against the run. Their own run game needs some help, but Justin Herbert is helping to keep the Roughnecks in games. The Roughnecks have a bye this week, but return with 4 divisional games in 5 weeks, facing Arizona and Oklahoma at home before a road trip to Las Vegas in Week 12 and a trip to Denver in Week 13. Finally, there are the Vipers, who are a surprise 4-2 thanks in large part to a sweep of Oklahoma. Las Vegas boasts the league’s 3 rd  best defense in yards allowed, mostly due to a lock down pass coverage scheme that has them 2 nd in the league, allowing only 214 yards per game. If they can keep their division foes from finding success in through the air, they could well prove to be a contender. For now it is a logjam with no clear favorite, and we expect to watch all season as the standings switch from one to another until we finally settle on a champion.   Prescott to miss NJ Game, Hopes to Return After Bye This has not been the season that Dak Prescott imagined after winning back-to-back MVP awards. Yes, the Bandits remain unbeaten at 7-0, but for the second time this season Prescott is going to be missing action due to injury. His first was a dislocated big toe on his plant foot, costing him half of Week 2 and all of week 3. Now he is facing a hyper-extended knee which took him out of this week’s victory over Atlanta and will almost certainly cost him the New Jersey game this week. Fortunately, the Bandits have a bye in Week 9, meaning that Tampa Bay’s MVP QB could be back in action for back-to-back in-state division games. The Bandits head to Jacksonville in Week 10, then host Orlando in Week 11. With it looking like Prescott will essentially miss 3-4 games this year, a third straight MVP may be out of the question, but the bigger issue for Prescott and the Bandits is their quest to win the league title back-to-back for only the 2nd time in league history. If Prescott can stay healthy it seems the Bandits have everything else they need to make a serious run at that goal.   Another week without an IR addition has to be good news, but that does not mean that we did not have some issues which will keep some key players, like Viper DE Matthew Judon and Bandit QB Dak Prescott, from the field, potentially for multiple weeks. Others, like Viper WR Rashod Bateman and Steamroller HB Eddie Lacy, could take good advantage of the bye week to avoid missing action. Looks like the Bye Week system could actually help some teams this year.   OUT OT          David Tremblay     DEN      Broken Leg                 4-6 Weeks DE          Matthew Judon       LV           Torn MCL                        2-4 Weeks OT          Gary Gilliam           BAL        Broken Nose                 1-2 Weeks QB         Dak Prescott            TBY        Knee                                1-2 Weeks OT          Jack Conklin            SD          Covid Protocol               1 Week   DOUBTFUL LB           Dont’a Hightower  OKL       Concussion                       G            Chance Warmack    DAL       Knee WR         Rashod Bateman     LV           Hamstring CB          Dale Luong              POR      Toe   QUESTIONABLE HB         Eddie Lacy              NE          Foot WR         Cody Latimer         MGN     Shoulder G            Eric Herman            ORL       Concussion   Chicago Embraces Machine with 2 Upcoming Games Sold Out The Chicago Machine are having themselves a year. First, they take a risk and completely overhaul their look, moving from maroon & grey as the dominant colors to a brighter, more energetic sky blue and scarlet. The new look, complete with a lot of Chicago flag references, is a huge hit, with Chicagoans embracing the look and selling out stores to acquire new gear. Then, leading into the 2021 season, the Machine get offseason help, signing 9 of 10 draft picks and landing one of the best defenders available in free agency, safety Xavier Woods. And now, here they are, sitting at 6-0, having knocked off the Michigan Panthers ahead of their bye. They are looking at a very healthy 2-game lead over the Panthers (and others) in the division, and they are boasting one of the best defenses in the league.   So, it should come as no surprise that fans are jumping on the Machine bandwagon and doing so by buying tickets. The Machine announced this week that their next two home games, Week 8 against the Maulers and Week 9 against New England, are both sold out. That means potential crowds of over 60,000 to see the Machine play, a truly amazing turnaround from recent seasons, when Chicago has been happy to get 30,000 on hand for late season games. A playoff run in 2020 certainly helped, and this year’s outstanding start is another big piece of the puzzle as Chicagoans love to get behind a winner. With the Bears coming off two consecutive 8-8 years, having a team looking like a potential contender, and one that has embraced the city it calls home, seems to be what the doctor ordered, making the Machine a hot ticket.   Charlotte Fans Showing Dissatisfaction by Staying Home On the other end of the fanbase spectrum, things are not going well for the Charlotte Monarchs. After back-to-back losing seasons, now sitting at a miserable 0-7, and with a QB situation that is not making anyone happy, the Monarchs are seeing fans protest their lack of competitiveness with their feet. The Monarchs last played at home in Week 5, and while attendance of 30,474 is not horrible, there were easily 10,000 Bandit fans who made the trip up the coast to root on the unbeaten division leaders and defending champs. Charlotte had absolutely no home field advantage, and by the end of the 37-10 whooping, most of the fans still at Bank of America Stadium were decked out in red and black, not purple and gold.   Now turn the clock forward to the Monarchs’ upcoming home tilt against Jacksonville, a fellow 0-7 squad. It appears that neither Monarch Nation nor Bulls fans are all that eager to watch a battle of winless clubs, as there have only been 4,982 single game tickets sold for this matchup. Pair that with Charlotte’s reduced season-ticket base of only 18,200 and you may well see fewer than 20,000 on hand in Bank of America season for this game, a number that would be a new low for the Monarch organization.   So, what can Charlotte do to turn this around? Well, the obvious answer is to win games. The next best thing would be to make some moves that bring known talent to the team. Fans were happy to see interception-prone Mitch Trubisky traded away, but obtaining Jimmy Garoppolo was hardly the swap they wanted. There had been hope that Charlotte would find a way to wrestle away Jacksonville’s rights to Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, but when the Bulls locked in on Lawrence, that dream quickly faded for the Monarch faithful. So, what options do they have? It is not as if an All-USFL quarterback is going to be cut loose or traded, certainly not midseason and very likely not in the offseason either. The draft in 2022 is not looking like one that will produce top tier QBs, so while Charlotte is on pace for a very early draft pick, they are unlikely to find a Heisman winning QB or a potential fan favorite early in the draft. Their best bet may be a trade, but if that is a trade to get a QB that fans can rally behind, it is likely to cost the Monarchs dearly. It’s a bad situation all around, and we are not sure there is a quick fix here.   Wranglers Update Their Look for 2022 Is the the end of an era, or simply a retooling for a bright future? That is the question as many Arizona Wrangler fans consider what the future holds. Well, this week the Wranglers and Under Armour gave fans a look at what the future will be, revealing the revised look for a team that has represented the Western Conference in 5 of the past 7 Summer Bowls, bringing home 3 trophies. The Wranglers unveiled their 2022 uniform sets, including a retro look and a new alternate that will have Arizona wearing a helmet other than their familiar copper dome for the first time.   The new primaries are up first, and they certainly build on a history of looks for the Wranglers, complete with the familiar metallic copper helmet, now paired with a royal blue facemask. The new look retains the red jersey and copper pants (complete with the familiar flame pattern), but adds a bit more Southwest styling, with ombre effect numbers and sleeve cuffs with a multicolor swatch at the center. Both the white and red jerseys feature these elements, along with a 3-color collar, and the secondary blue “Brand W” logo on each sleeve. The numbers evoke flames as well, blending from copper orange to sun gold on the red jerseys and from deep red to copper orange on the whites. These sets will be worn with both copper and blue pant sets.   The alternates include a 1983 throwback, the first season for the club and the only season in which blue was the dominant color for the team. The 1983 throwbacks include a blue jersey with sun gold numbers, copper pants with a single blue stripe, and a series of red and yellow sleeve stripes. The team’s original branding iron logo will appear on the helmet for a truly authentic throwback look. The other alternate look, dubbed “Iron & Copper” is also a blue-dominant look, with a deep royal blue helmet, pant set, and blue-dominant jerseys. This will be the first time the Wranglers will wear a helmet other than their usual metallic copper. The blue helmet features a logo in metallic copper, combining the outline of the state with the simplified “W” primary. The pants do not have striping but do have the same logo on each hip. The jerseys follow the styling of the primaries, but use blue heavily, with copper as the secondary color. Both the team’s deep scarlet red and sun gold are completely absent from this look.   The Wranglers are hopeful that they will get to debut at least one set of the 2022 uniforms this summer as part of a playoff run. But for most fans, the transition to a new look in 2022 could also mean a transition for the team, as many wonder if the sun is setting on the roster that took Arizona to dominance in the 2010’s and a new age is ready to be built. Week 8 is another heavy bye-week schedule, with 8 teams, including 4 from the Pacific Division, getting their week of rest. That leaves 22 teams and 11 games to be played. We kick the week off with an interconference matchup of 2020 playoff teams as Arizona heads to New Orleans to face the Breakers. The Wranglers have fought their way back over .500 while New Orleans has continued to struggle and sits at 2-4, needing some wins in this part of the season to avoid an early exit from playoff contention.   Saturday brings us two divisional matchups in the Central, with all 4 teams coming off their byes. Pittsburgh heads into Chicago hoping for an upset that will put them above .500, while in St. Louis, the Skyhawks are hoping the bye week gave them time to fix some major issues before facing 4-2 Ohio this week. We also have some interesting interdivisional and interconference matchups, including a battle of 3-4 teams hoping to get back to .500 as San Diego heads across the country to face Orlando. In the other big game, the nightcap on ESPN and EFN, we have a resurgent New Jersey squad facing the juggernaut Bandits in Tampa Bay.   Sunday will feature two more divisional games with Birmingham traveling to San Antonio while we get a battle of winless clubs in Charlotte, as the Bulls and Monarchs try their best not to become the league’s only 0-8 club. In the 4pm slot we have a nice battle of 4-2 clubs as Denver heads to Michigan to face the Panthers, while the weekend’s final game will bring 4-3 Baltimore down to Houston to face the 4-2 Gamblers. Will the extra week of prep help Houston get the win at home or is Baltimore ready to roll the dice and score a road upset?   FRI @ 8pm ET        Arizona (4-3) @ New Orleans (2-4)         NBC   SAT @ 12pm ET      Pittsburgh (3-3) @ Chicago (6-0)              ABC SAT @ 12pm ET      San Diego (3-4) @ Orlando (3-4)              FOX SAT @ 4pm ET        Ohio (4-2) @ St. Louis (1-5)                       ABC SAT @ 4pm ET         Memphis (3-4) @ Oklahoma (2-5)            FOX SAT @ 8pm ET       New Jersey (4-3) @ Tampa Bay (7-0)       ESPN/EFN   SUN @ 12pm ET     Washington (1-6) @ Atlanta (5-2)              ABC SUN @ 12pm ET      Jacksonville (0-7) @ Charlotte (0-7)          FOX SUN @ 4pm ET        Birmingham (4-2) @ San Antonio (2-5)    ABC SUN @ 4pm ET       Denver (5-2) @ Michigan (4-2)                 FOX SUN @ 8pm ET      Baltimore (4-3) @ Houston (4-2)               ESPN/EFN   BYE: Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New England, Oakland, Philadelphia, Portland, and Seattle.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Two backs played a huge role in Week 6 action, with Todd Gurley putting 2 scores and 178 yards on the board against San Antonio, but we are giving the nod to another back. Las Vegas's Kareem Hunt surprised everyone, including the Oklahoma Outlaws, with 165 yards and 2 TDs as the Vipers upset the Outlaws in OKC to move to 4-2 and securing recognition as a First Half Surprise Team with the divisional win. Averaging nearly 10 yards per carry, Hunt simply ran around and past the Oklahoma defense in his best game ever as a member of the Vipers.

Six weeks into the new season and just when we think we know what to expect we get a week of upsets to throw our perception of the league into question. Six favorites fell to defeat this week, including a stunning blowout of the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Stars. Los Angeles, Arizona, Dallas, and New Orleans also fell to underdogs in Week 6 action. We also saw Chicago stay unbeaten by defeating the Panthers at Ford Field. All in all a very topsy turvy week. We will break it all down, highlight the two trades from the past week that have opened up the trading block, and take a look ahead at the first bye weeks in USFL history. All that, but first we have to break down the week’s rash of upsets, our Big Story of the week.   Upsets Abound in Wild Week 6 Action You have to feel bad this week for the inveterate gamblers, the guys who play the odds, parlay games, and expect to come out on top. Why? Because this week may have given us some long shot winners, but most who put money on the games probably came out pretty badly. Seven upsets of note, including two big home favorites, fell to the underdog this week. Not what anyone who is laying multiple bets wants to see.   The biggest shocker of the week had to be New Jersey’s dismantling of the unbeaten Philadelphia Stars. The Generals, who have now won 3 in a row, went down the highway to the Linc and just demolished the 5-0 Stars. They outgained them 472-240, outrushed them 165-49, and outscored them 47-9 in one of the worst losses in Philadelphia Star history. When Delone Carter more than doubles Derrick Henry’s production (101 yards to 46) and the combination of Beckham and Sanu rack up 229 yards, you know something very wrong happened to the home favorite. But with only 1 turnover and only 3 penalties for the Stars, it may take a while for Coach Quinn to figure out just what went wrong.   The other home favorite to choke in front of their fans was New Orleans, who at least kept it close. The Breakers had a 31-28 lead over Josh Allen and the Denver Gold, but could not hold it, with Allen connecting with Darnell Mooney for the game winner. At least New Orleans can look at Denver’s 4-2 mark and say they lost to a good team, but the problem is that at 3-3, they are losing to too many teams. Denver, on the other hand, snaps a 2-game losing streak in style, with Allentossing 3 TDs and the defense picking off Geno Smith twice.   Each of the other upsets were home dogs who decided to bite instead of barking. St. Louis was 0-5 before they headed into Foxboro and doubled up the Steamrollers 20-10. Three New England turnovers certainly helped the Skyhawks’ cause, as did the return, even if only for half a game, of Lamar Jackson, taken out as a precautionary move after a rough first half that saw him take too many hits to an already-injured shoulder and neck.   In Los Angeles, our Game of the Week, San Diego used a balanced attack and a lot of QB pressure to edge the Express with a late field goal, while in Pittsburgh, the Maulers were a 5-point underdog to the Wranglers, but pulled out the win even with Andy Dalton knocked out early. Five sacks for the Mauler D, paired with 3 Arizona Wranglers offset a 402-yard output for the visitors and helped Pittsburgh score the upset to move to 3-3 on the year.   In Chicago, Michigan was a 2-point favorite despite the Machine being 5-0 to Michigan’s 4-1 record. That lack of respect for the home team helped fire up the Machine, who shut out Michigan in the second half, turning a 14-10 advantage into a dominant 27-10 victory. And our last outing saw Ohio, a 4-point home underdog to the Dallas Roughnecks, also take offense to the lack of respect for their 3-2 record. In a defensive slugfest, the Glory held Dallas out of the endzone until the final 3 minutes of the game, taking a 13-3 lead before the visitors made it close with a late TD. What is even more interesting is that Ohio won without their offense ever reaching paydirt, their lone touchdown coming on a pick-six from veteran safety LaRon Landry.   So, a weekend that tightened the standings, left us with only 2 remaining unbeatens (Tampa Bay and Chicago), and only 2 winless clubs (Jacksonville and Charlotte in the very bipolar Southeast Division). It was a week that proved the adage about Any Given Sunday, but one that also proved that football is a tough sport to predict, and perhaps a dangerous one to bet the deed to the ranch on.                   LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 17   SAN DIEGO THUNDER 20 One of our celebrated upsets this week, and one that does not bode well for the 2020 Division Champs as LA now find themselves one game out of the basement at 2-4, sharing the same record with the San Diego Thunder after 6 weeks and 2 games back of both the Dragons and Invaders who sit at 4-2.   San Diego, who had lost 3 in a row, all three by double digits, kept the game close and found an answer at the end to upend the Express, while LA missed opportunities to put the game away, and just let their foe stay in the game for far too long, long enough for it to bite them. It was a game that started slowly, with neither team able to do much for nearly 20 minutes of game time, but once it got started, it provided plenty of drama. It was also a game with a lot of balance, from total yards (308 for LA, 310 for San Diego), passing and rushing yards (211 and 97 for LA, 205 and 105 for San Diego), penalties (5 for LA, 4 for San Diego), and on the scoreboard, where we saw ties at 10 and 17 before a winner emerged.   LA was the first to put points on the board, with a Murray to Brown TD on their 4 th possession. It was the first time either team crossed midfield after a first quarter that saw both teams limited to two 3-and-outs and 1 short drive each. On their 4 th  drive, LA finally saw the run game start to produce results, with Paul Perkins breaking a 17-yard run before Murray found Brown. Perkins would finish with 90 yards on 14 carries to lead all rushers, but the combo of Sims and David Wilson would produce more overall yards for the Thunder.   San Diego responded to LA’s first score by putting together back-to-back scoring drives. The first saw Ponder connect with Ronald Johnson on a 36-yard pass to get San Diego into field goal range. When the drive fizzled, Caleb Sturgis, the former Breaker, put the ball between the uprights and San Diego was on the board. They would get the ball back only 5 plays later, when a 3 rd down toss from Murray was tipped at the line by DT Dexter Lawrence, with CB Damontae Kazee snapping the ball out of the air for the game’s only turnover. The pick gave San Diego the ball on the LA 41, and in 7 plays they made LA pay, with Ponder hitting Ronald Johnson for a go-ahead score. The game would go to the 3 rd  with San Diego holding that modest 10-7 lead. The only points of the third quarter came on a Dan Bailey field goal, but it was hardly a quarter without drama. On their first possession of the half, LA got stuffed on a 3 rd  and 1 deep in their own territory when DE Jonathan Newsome stood up Paul Perkins and drove him backwards in a bone-crunching hit. On their next possession, LA moved the ball well but had to settle for 3 when San Diego held them on three consecutive plays from inside the 10. After getting as close as the 2, the Express got called for a false start, putting them at the 7 for a 3 rd  and goal, and on that 3 rd down Kyler Murray was flushed from the pocket and had to throw the ball away, much to the delight of the Thunder fans.   LA settled for the field goal to tie the score, and that is how the 4 th quarter began, with the game knotted up. But LA would get a chance to retake the lead on their next possession. Following a poor punt by San Diego kicker Jesse Slade, LA got the ball at their own 44 and proceeded to drive the ball the remaining 56 yards. This time, when confronted with a goal-to-go situation, the Express did not flinch. On three consecutive plays, Paul Perkins gained, 4, 4, and 2 yards, the third run putting him in the endzone and giving LA a 17-10 advantage with 10:31 left to play.   But this was a game where San Diego saw a legitimate chance to earn a W. They took over on their own 20 after the LA kick and marched their way right down the field on 9 plays to equalize the score. The Thunder drive included two big third down conversions, the first an 18-yard completion to Arrelious Benn on a 3 rd  and 12, and the second a 36-yard completion to Ronald Johnson that took the ball to the LA 3 yard line. With LA expecting San Diego to go for a mid-range pass to convert on a 3 rd  and 6, Johnson used a double move to fake out the corner and QB Christian Ponder laid up a perfect pass to the sideline to convert and drive the ball inside the 5. From there it was Ponder to TE Luke Wilson for 6, and a PAT brought us to 17-17 with only 5:15 left to play.   LA moved the ball well on the initial plays of the next drive, but on back-to-back plays they lost yardage once in Thunder territory. The first was a run by Ty Montgomery that lost 3 yards, and the second was a sack of Murray by rookie DE Chris Rumph that forced a tough decision from Express coach Marvin Lewis. The veteran coach opted to trust his kicker and set up for a 54-yarder instead of punting the ball deep. Bailey’s kick sliced wide left, and the Thunder were in business close to midfield with 2:44 left to play.   The Thunder fed the ball to Wilson and Sims, eating up clock while also moving the ball into Express territory. Christian Ponder used play action to get the ball into range for Sturgis, finding TE Luke Wilson for his 4 th  reception on the day. Then, after a pair of Sims runs, San Diego also failed on 3 rd down, setting up a 51-yard attempt for Caleb Sturgis. With the clock stopped at 13 seconds, just before a delay of game call, Coach LeBeau sent Sturgis out, and the 8-year veteran put it through the uprights from the 41 yard line to give San Diego the upset win and their first in April.   ARIZONA 21  PITTSBURGH 33 The Maulers climb back to .500 thanks to a nice relief appearance from QB Nathan Peterman. The former Pitt Panther was thrust into the game in the 2 nd quarter when Andy Dalton suffered an ankle injury. Peterman would throw for 207 yards and 2 scores, including the game winner to Brian Quick in the 4 th . He got a lot of help from his defense, which sacked David Carr 5 times and picked off the former MVP twice in the upset win. Former Mauler Victor Cruz hauled in 4 for 89 and a TD, but it was his old team that got the last laugh with the home victory. POTG:  Mauler CB Rasul Douglas: 7 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int   BIRMINGHAM 14   HOUSTON 30 The Houston D was ready for Cam Newton, limiting him to only 2 yards rushing and 203 in the air. It was a team effort, with no player recording more than 5 tackles, but multiple players getting some tackles for loss with a swarming, aggressive gameplan. Meanwhile, the Gambler offense built up a 13-0 lead and never trailed, with TDs coming from Carlos Hyde, Gerald Everett, and Denzel Mims. The Gambler home win gives them a share of first with the Stallions at 4-2. POTG:  Gambler HB Carlos Hyde: 16 Att, 47 Yds, 2 TD, 4 Rec, 118 Yds   SAN ANTONIO 14   MEMPHIS 27 Memphis gets themselves into the Southern Division mix with a nice home win over the Gunslingers. Todd Gurley had himself a field day against the Gunslinger D, averaging 12.4 yards per rush as he totaled 173 yards on only 14 attempts. His 37-yard TD run gave Memphis a 17-7 lead at the half and he added a 2 nd in the 3 rd  to put the game solidly in Memphis’s hands. C. J. Procise had a great first half for the Gunslingers, with 87 yards in the half, but was used sparingly in the 2 nd  half as San Antonio turned to the pass after falling behind by 17 points. He finished with 110 yards and a TD on the day. POTG:  Showboat HB Todd Gurley: 14 Att, 173 Yds, 2 TD   DALLAS 10 OHIO 13 Ohio improved to 4-2 with a mild upset over the visiting Dallas Roughnecks. The star of the game was Glory safety LaRon Landry, whose pick-six was the lone TD on the day for the home team. The entire D played lights out throughout, limiting Dallas to only 3 points until the final minutes of action. Despite 3 receivers going over 100 yards in this game (Ohio’s Terry McLaurin with 118, and Dallas’s Courtland Sutton, 114, and Sammy Watkins, 108), neither team managed a passing touchdown. POTG:  Ohio FS LaRon Landry: 1 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   DENVER 35  NEW ORLEANS 31 The Gold and the Breakers got into a shootout, but it was Josh Allen, with his 3 rd TD on the day, who got the win. Allen was sacked 5 times, threw two picks, but late in the game led an 83-yard drive and finished with a TD to Darnell Mooney to get the road win and move to 4-2 on the year. New Orleans had a shot late, but were thwarted when Gold safety Marqui Christian wrestled the ball out of the hands of TE Coby Fleener in the game’s final minute for the win-clinching pick. POTG:  Denver CB Bryce Hall: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   PORTLAND 20   SEATTLE 28 One of the better Cascade Clash matchups in recent years as the Dragons sweep the back-to-back series thanks to 117 yards and 2 TDs from Knowshon Moreno. Brett Hundley also found Kyle Rudolph and Marshall Newhouse with scoring tosses as the Dragons built up a 28-13 lead in the 4 th . Alate Brandin Cooks TD made it closer, but still too far as the Seattle D locked up the game with Taron Johnson picking off Marcus Mariota in the endzone on Portland’s final drive. POTG:  Seattle HB Knowshon Moreno: 18 Att, 117 Yds, 2 TD   BALTIMORE 30  WASHINGTON 10 The Blitz returned to .500 with a thorough dismantling of the Federals. Ryan Nassib completed only 19 of 42 passing, leading to a post-game switch for the Feds going into Week 7. For Baltimore, Jake Locker had a mixed game, throwing 2 picks but also hitting Brian Hartline and Michael Pittman Jr. with scoring throws. Th Blitz gave up the first 10 points of the game, but then turned up the pressure, putting up the next 30 points unanswered, including a Brandon Jenkins pick-six of Nassib that put the game out of range. POTG:  Blitz WR Brian Hartline: 7 Rec, 96 Yds, 1 TD   MICHIGAN 10   CHICAGO 27 The Machine got the statement win they were hoping for, dominating the 2 nd half to turn a 14-10 lead into a 17-point victory. Hill and Mack each scored on the day, combining for 90 yards rushing, while Sam Bradford found TE Druham Smythe for a TD as Chicago gifted themselves a 2-game division lead and a key tiebreaker over the Panthers. Michigan’s LeVeon Bell rushed for 83 and caught 5 for 31 more, but it was not enough as the Panthers were held scoreless in the 2 nd half. POTG:  Chicago CB Josh Norman: 11 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   ST. LOUIS 20  NEW ENGLAND 10 The Skyhawks score their first W of the season, thanks in large part to a defense that forced 3 takeaways and held the Steamrollers out of the endzone on 3 red zone drives. A pick-six and a 1-yard TD run from Lamar Jackson helped the Skyhawk cause as they gave up yards (150 rushing, 363 overall) but turned away the Steamrollers when they got down close. POTG:  Skyhawk LB Cody Glenn: 7 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   CHARLOTTE 24   ORLANDO 30  OVERTIME The Monarchs played this one tough but fall to 0-6 when Russell Wilson finds Jeremy Maclin for a 50-yard scoring strike in overtime. The dramatic TD was Wilson’s 2 nd on the day as Orlando also got a strong game from HB Chris Carson, who rushed for 101 and 2 scores. Charlotte stayed in it with 3 TDs between Nyheim Hines and Latavius Murray. In overtime Charlotte went 3-and-out before the Renegades connected on their game winning play, a tough loss for a team with a lot of them this year. POTG:  Orlando HB Chris Carson: 19 Att, 101 Yds, 2 TD   JACKSONVILLE 15   ATLANTA 41 The Bulls join Charlotte as the last two winless clubs as they fall hard in Atlanta. Aaron Murray went 26 of 34 for 282 yards and 3 scores (all to A. J. Green) as the Fire dominated from the start. Add in TDs from both Nick Chubb and Kenyan Drake and this one got ugly early and stayed that way. Trevor Lawrence was sacked 5 times and roughed up by the Fire front 7 while Murray had little trouble connecting with his receivers and making big plays on 3 rd down. POTG:  Fire WR A. J. Green: 9 Rec, 88 Yds, 3 TD   NEW JERSEY 47  PHILADELPHIA 9 An absolute stunner as the Generals take it to the Stars, causing many to wonder if Philadelphia was a paper lion. New Jersey had a 100-yard rusher in Delone Carter, a 135-yard day from Odell Beckham Jr., and scored on 9 of 11 possessions as the Stars looked far more like their 2020 record of 3-13 than like a 5-0 division leader. The defense in particular is going to need a hard looking to afte this one, but no accolades for a lifeless offense either as Philadelphia simply does not come out focused or fired up against a team they should always be up to play. POTG:  New Jersey HB Delone Carter: 22 Att, 101 Yds, 1 TD   LAS VEGAS 33  OKLAHOMA 14 Another good outing from the Vipers puts them at 4-2 after 6 weeks as they run over and through the Outlaws in OKC. Kareem Hunt had a POTW game, racking up 165 yards and 2 scores on only 17 carries. Throw in another 65 from Matt Jones and this was a ground game that simply overran the Oklahoma defense. We even got a Gardner Minshew sighting as starter Matt McGloin went 18 of 21 before being rested in the 4 th  quarter. POTG:  Viper HB Kareem Hunt: 17 Att, 165 Yds, 2 TD   OAKLAND 9   TAMPA BAY 33 The Bandits remain unbeaten and unrivaled among offensive attacks as Dak Prescott throws for 329 and 3 scores against the Invader defense. With TDs to Jordan Cameron, Dez Bryant, and Deebo Samuel, as well as a 20-yard Matt Breida TD run, the Bandits showed the league just how tough it is going to be to slow down the 2020 Champs. POTG:  Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 13/24, 329 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   Stars Fall Hard to Rival Generals Don’t ask us what happened in Philadelphia this week. We were all ready to get on the Stars bandwagon after their 5-0 start, but their outing this week against archrival New Jersey felt a lot more like the 2020 sad sack Stars than this year’s hot-out-of-the-gate group. So, what do we see as we analyze this surprising result?   Well, first off, the Generals held Derrick Henry in check, limiting him to only 2.4 yards per carry. That removed most of the misdirection of Carson Wentz’s play-action game. Secondly, the secondary of Talib, Robinson, Hill, and Thomas simply did not give the Star receivers any room. There were contested throws throughout the game, and when a Star receiver brought in the ball, there just was not room for yards after the catch.   That combination produced 15 third downs, with an average of nearly 8 yards per play for a conversion. It was a brilliant defensive game plan and a well-executed one that limited Philadelphia to 2 field goals, all the while the New Jersey offense just put on a clinic with a performance that is likely to keep Nick Foles from hearing many boo birds when the Generals return to the Meadowlands to face New England this week.   Bandits Stun Invaders to Reach 6-0 Tampa Bay got another statement win this week, taking the Pacific-leading Invaders to task and proving they have an offense that few can contain. Bandit Ball produced 452 yards of offense, including 329 through the air and 123 on the ground. As good as Oakland’s defense has been playing this year, they seemed entirely out of their depth in this one. And while Dez Bryant had the biggest numbers (3 for 132 and a TD) the Bandits kept the D guessing, tossing the ball to Cameron, Samuel, Grant, Cook and even FB Roger Gregory.   After taking a 7-3 advantage into the 2 nd quarter, Oakland simply could do nothing more. Tampa Bay outscored them 30-2, with the only Oakland points coming on a flubbed shotgun snap that sent Dak Prescott into the endzone. Meanwhile the Bandits got TDs from Bryant, Cameron, Samuel, and Matt Breida to turn a close game into a blowout, and yet another example of just how deadly Bandit Ball can be.   Chicago Claiming Central at 6-0 With a 2-game lead over both Michigan and upstart Ohio, the Chicago Machine have to be feeling pretty good right about now. Dressed in their brand new sky blue, white and red unis it does feel like a whole new team. Their defense is allowing 12.8 points per game, their offense is doubling that with nearly 25 per outing, and they are doing it with balance.   Sam Bradford is having one of his best starts ever, completing over 70% of his throws and averaging nearly 300 yards per game. The two-headed HB combo of Jeremy Hill and Maron Mack has produced 7 touchdowns and nearly 600 yards rushing over the first six weeks, and Chicago is even diversifying their passing game, with 4 receivers over 20 receptions, including 2 tight ends. Chase Claypool is having a breakout sophomore campaign and Tyler Eifert is looking like a potential All-USFL tight end. All this, plus a defense that is solid at all 3 levels. No wonder Chicago is unbeaten and looking very much like a Summer Bowl favorite.   Feds to Start Brissett in Week 7 The start of the 2021 season has not been as bright for the Washington Federals. In a Northeast Division that seems a bit topsy turvy, Washington has been squarely in the basement, now sitting at 1-5 and having lost both divisional games on their early schedule. That includes a 33-20 loss to the Stars, the team they will face again this week. Well, enough seems to have been enough for Head Coach Kevin Gilbride. Despite there being issues on both offense and defense, Gilbride went for the obvious first option to “create a spark”. He named a new starter at QB for Week 7.   We cannot say we are surprised. When the Feds traded for former Dragon QB Jacoby Brissett, we all knew that we were likely to see a season-long QB controversy and competition. With a 1-5 start, even with Ryan Nassib not playing particularly poorly, something had to change. So Brissett will get his first start as the Federal QB. The hope, of course, is that he can find ways to get the ball to a pretty solid receiver group of Keenan Allen, Tyreek Hill, and Jarvis Landry. With Rob Housler expected out for at least a month, expect Washington to use a lot of 3-receiver sets, which could suit the more-agile Brissett well. But, when it comes to the new Federal QB, it feels like a question of when he will get hurt, not if he gets hurt.   Maulers send Lazard to Oklahoma Ahead of Week 6 Two trades over the past week remind us that we are reaching the “fish or cut bait” part of the schedule, when teams make deals to either make a push at midseason or to start looking at 2022. The Outlaws, sitting at 2-3, and having place DeDe Westbrook on IR, were looking for WR help prior to Week 6’s games. Pittsburgh, sitting at 2-3, but also sitting on a pretty deep receiver group, decided to oblige the Outlaws. The Maulers sent wideout Alan Lazard off to OK City and snagged 2 draft picks for their efforts, a 5 and a 7 in this year’s draft.   Pittsburgh, which had dropped Lazard to a 4 th option after lucking upon an impressive rookie in USC’s Amon-Ra St. Brown in the draft, felt that the veteran wideout was not going to be a big loss, and adding draft capital was a priority. Lazard, who had only 19 receptions in 2020, after a 47-reception, 427-yard 2019, was happy to move to a team that could use him. And Oklahoma wasted no time in putting Lazard into action. The wideout, who had only 2 days with the team prior to this week’s game, had 20 snaps with the first team against Las Vegas, though he did only see 2 targets and 1 reception. Expect that workload to increase as Lazard splits time with unheralded Donte Moncrief opposite Nick Toon in the Outlaw attack.   Ohio Seeks Speed, Birmingham Stopping Power in 3 Player Trade The second big deal came after this week’s action, as Tuesday we got news of a 3-player deal that would see Birmingham send WR Dontrelle Inman off to Ohio in exchange for safety David McCarter, WR Cobi Hamilton and a 5 th  round pick. For Ohio the need was obvious. Putting a more athletic (and faster) option opposite Terry McLaurin makes the Ohio attack that much more dangerous, giving rookie Justin Fields two outstanding deep ball receives as well as a nice inside and underneath option in Curtis Samuel. For Birmingham, this deal was all about their secondary. The Stallions had been playing strong safety Darnell Savage at the free safety position, and it was clear that he was not well suited for it. In McCarter, Birmingham brings in a solid option who is a natural free safety. We expect to see a lot of McCarter when the Stallions face off against San Antonio in 2 weeks. With a bye in Week 7, Birmingham has the advantage of getting McCarter up to speed for 2 weeks before he takes the field. For Ohio, a similar situation, as they too have a bye this week before facing 1-5 St. Louis in St. Louis in Week 8.   A very light week for new injury declarations, which is what everyone wants to see. No new Injury Reserve listings and several key players returning to action this week, including Dallas HB Samaje Perine, New Jersey TE Jonnu Smith, Chicago DT Eddie Coleman, and Arizona safety Nate Allen.   OUT CB          Nate Hairston         WSH   Broken Jaw              4-6 Weeks FS           Julian Blackmon     LV           Covid Protocol        1 Week   DOUBTFUL WR         Cody Latimer           MGN     Dislocated Shoulder     FS           Micah Hyde             BAL        Collarbone DE          Yetur Gross-Matos   NJ           Ribs DE          Taylor Hart                DAL       Miniscus WR         Allen Robinson       STL         Concussion HB         Nyheim Hines          CHA      Hamstring   QUESTIONABLE G            Brandon Brooks      OHI       Migraines DE          Montez Sweat         ORL       Concussion WR         Golden Tate            DEN      Back OT          Jonah Williams       SD          Scratched Cornea   Five Players Whose 2021 Has Not Started as Planned We pretty regularly report on the breakout stars of a new season, but for every player whose year is producing surprising success there are others from whom much was expected but whose production has not lived up to the preseason hype. We are not talking about players who have dealt with injuries which have limited their time, but those players who have had every opportunity to make hay, but are somehow stuck in neutral, or in some cases reverse. Here are five names who had a lot of attention in the preseason but who have simply not been living up to our expectations for them.   QB Russell Wilson (ORL) After a pair of very solid seasons, many looked at Wilson and expected even more in 2021, but the numbers (and the wins) have just not been there. Wilson is a solid 10 points below his 2020 QB Rating, and with 8 TDs to 11 picks, he is upside down on one of the most important stats for a passer. His receiving group is solid (Perriman, Maclin and Njoku), but the line has been an issue. But even with that being a concern, the real issue is Wilson’s choices as he reads the field, a mental issue which Wilson absolutely needs to address.   HB Phillip Lindsay (DEN) Last season the Gold opted to trade away DeMarco Murray, putting their full confidence in Phillip Lindsay to be the lead back in Denver. After 6 games, that is looking like it might have been premature. Lindsay has struggled to take on the mantle, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry. He is averaging just over 60 yards per game, which is not a number that will scare a defensive coordinator. With Leonard Fournette only averaging 2.5 yards on his carries, it seems clear Lindsay will remain the starter, but Denver needs to find a way to get him more yards before defenders are on him.   WR Nelson Agholor (LA) Once a primary target in LA, Agholor has seen his production steadily drop since 2018. He finished that year with 62 catches and 662 yards, both career highs. Each year since his numbers have been smaller, with only 28 catches last year (though he did miss several games to injury). In 2021, he has been active for all 6 games but has only 17 catches for 182 yards in 6 weeks. As he loses more and more snaps to Marqise Lee, it seems Coach Lewis is just not feeling that Agholor can get it done.   DE Sam Acho (MEM) 2020 was a career year for Acho, who finished with 7 sacks and 65 tackles. 2020 is not going to top that. Six games in and Acho has yet to record a sack, he has only 3 sacks, and more often than not we are seeing Coach Ryan take him off the field in key pass rush situations, replaced by Chase Winovich. Yes, the arrival of J. J. Watt was going to disrupt the 2020 D-Line rotation, but Acho is more and more the odd man out among the 4 ends on the roster.   LB Vontez Burfict (OKL) Last year Burfict had 55 tackles in only 11 games during an injury-shortened season. He also had 4 forced fumbles and 5 sacks. So far in 2020, Burfict has yet to record a sack or a forced fumble and is averaging fewer than 2 tackles per game. With Odell Thurman coming over from Michigan, and the development of Ken Muray and Ronnie Perkins, it feels like Burfict, and all the drama he tends to bring with him, is no longer being tolerated or highlighted.   Bye Weeks Begin in USFL Week 7 It’s a whole new world for the USFL as the impact of their new 17-week, 1-bye schedule starts to take shape this week. We will have bye week teams from Week 7 through 11, shaking up the weekly schedule and giving teams a chance to heal, to refocus, and to add some wrinkles before they hit the season’s home stretch. So, how do the byes work out? Here is our guide to each of the bye weeks.   Week 7:  The entire Central Division, plus 3 Southern teams. A big bye week with 8 teams off on their break, including Birmingham, New Orleans, Houston, and the entire Central Division. That means 2 weeks for St. Louis and Ohio to prepare for a Week 8 meeting and 2 weeks for Chicago and Pittsburgh to prepare for their clash in Soldier Field. The 3 Southern teams will all be out of division when they come back into action.   Week 8:  Another 8-team bye week, but this time there is no real rhyme or reason to the combination, with 2 Southwestern teams (Dallas & Las Vegas), 4 Pacific Teams ( Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle) and 2 Northeastern teams (New England, Philadelphia) getting their byes. Of the 8 teams getting the bye this week, only one, the Oakland Invaders will get a divisional opponent, hosting the San Diego Thunder, who don’t get their bye until Week 10.   Week 9:  Back to a divisional day of rest, with all 5 Southeastern teams getting a bye in Week 9, along with 1 more, the Oklahoma Outlaws. So, the Southeast will all take a break together, and in Week 10, when they hit the field again we will see Tampa Bay at Jacksonville and Orlando at Atlanta. Charlotte is the odd man out, as they will get 2 weeks to prepare for a visit from the Philadelphia Stars.   Week 10:  Six teams will rest in Week 11, representing 3 divisions and including Arizona, Baltimore, Denver, New Jersey, San Diego, and Washington. At least for these 6, they will have a very clear “home stretch” coming ahead in Weeks 11-17.   Week 11:  The two who drew the short straw and must wait for Week 11 before they get their week off, Memphis and San Antonio, the last two Southern squads. Will a late bye be a curse or a blessing? We won’t know until Week 12 and beyond.   Our first reduced schedule, with only 11 games on tap and the entire Central Division (along with Birmingham, Houston, and New Orleans) on their bye. So, what does that do to our TV schedule? Well, ESPN & EFN lose a Friday night game. NBC loses their Saturday night game, and both ABC and Fox remove regional coverage from Sunday to have only national games at the 12pm and 4pm slots.   So, what is on tap this week? Some really huge matchups, actually. It does not get much bigger than our Friday Night Lights game on NBC, when 6-0 Tampa Bay heads to 5-1 Atlanta for a battle at the top of the Southern Division. If Atlanta wants to be seen as a real challenger to the defending league champs, this is their best chance to prove it.   On Saturday, the best game looks to be 4-2 Seattle heading across the country to play Orlando at Camping World Stadium. The Renegades are 3-3 and really have not shown us much. They face a very tough Dragon squad who want to retain their spot atop the Pacific. Then, on Sunday, we have some more interdivisional fun when Denver heads to Memphis to face the Showboats. The Gold opted to stay in the region all week after knocking off New Orleans, practicing up in Shreveport at Louisiana Tech. They now head into Memphis hoping to get another win on their Southern swing.   Another good one on Sunday has 4-2 Las Vegas still looking for respect, heading to Glendale to face the Arizona Wranglers. Arizona dropped to 3-3 this week, and you know they want nothing more than to reassert themselves as the favorite in a very tight Southwest Division. Expect that one to get heated, and not just because the Wranglers plan to open the roof at State Farm Arena for the first time this season.   FRI @ 8pm ET         Tampa Bay (6-0) @ Atlanta (5-1)                      NBC   SAT @ 12pm ET       New England (2-4) @ New Jersey (3-3)          ABC SAT @ 12pm ET       Seattle (4-2) @ Orlando (3-3)                             FOX SAT @ 4pm ET         Los Angeles (2-4) @ Oakland (4-2)                   ABC SAT @ 4pm ET        Charlotte (0-6) @ Portland (1-5)                     FOX SAT @ 8pm ET         San Antonio (2-4) @ Dallas (3-3)                      EFN/ESPN    SUN @ 12pm ET     Denver (4-2) @ Memphis (3-3)                         ABC SUN @ 12pm ET      Baltimore (3-3) @ Jacksonville (0-6)                  FOX SUN @ 4pm ET        Oklahoma (2-4) @ San Diego (2-4)                  ABC SUN @ 4pm ET        Las Vegas (4-2) @ Arizona (3-3)                         FOX SUN @ 8pm ET       Washington (1-5) @ Philadelphia (5-1)            ESPN/EFN   BYES: Birmingham, Chicago, Houston, Michigan, New Orleans, Ohio, Pittsburgh, and St.Louis

Another week of nail biters across the USFL as 9 of 15 games were settled by a single score, including our Game of the Week between the Skyhawks and Machine. It was also a week when we saw one of our unbeatens fall on the road and several teams that started the year slowly regain their footing and return to .500 for the year. We will, of course, run through all 15 USFL games this week, preview the week ahead, and take a look at the injuries that could impact the games ahead. We also have the return of a fan favorite as New Jersey addresses a need, and we take a look at 6 players who may be on the trading block this year as we hit prime trade territory. All that, but first, our Story of the Week, the statement game put up by Houston QB Colt McCoy.   McCoy Silences the Murmurs Against New Orleans When Houston QB Colt McCoy opened the year with a 494-yard, 4-TD game, we commented on how a rough 2020 had folks questioning his future, asking whether the 31-year-old had lost some zip on the ball, or had hit “the cliff” for QBs. McCoy followed up that huge game with some more modest outings (for Houston’s standards), with 220 yards and 1 TD in Week 2 and 281 Yds with no TDs in Week 3. Even a Week 4 game with 325 yards was not enough, as McCoy threw 2 picks and only 1 TD. Once again, the whispers about McCoy’s output started up again. Well, this week should quiet those voices for a while.   McCoy’s outing against New Orleans, a perennial rival of the Gamblers, was the kind of outing that the Houston QB can hang his hat on to dispel the rumors of a decline. McCoy completed 22 of 33 passes, averaging over 12.2 Yards per Attempt, and connecting for 404 yards and 5 touchdowns. It was a master class in QB efficiency and deadly accuracy. After falling behind New Orleans 14-0 on two early Geno Smith to Coby Fleener scores, McCoy took over. He hit Mike Evans on a 20-yard strike to get the Gamblers on the scoreboard. Early in the 2 nd he orchestrated an 82-yard drive that produced a second TD (Carlos Hyde run), then proceeded to put points on the board in 5 consecutive drives, starting with a 32-yard dagger to TE Gerald Everett, followed by a 2 nd  Mike Evans TD, a short TD toss to his other TE, Tony Moeaki, and a third Evans TD early in the 4 th  quarter. The Breakers simply did not have an answer as McCoy hit on big play after big play, with Evans getting the 3 scores, but JuJu Smith-Schuster actually outgaining Evans 138-104. Everett, Moeaki, Carlos Hyde also had big days as McCoy spread the ball to 8 different receivers. Throw in 89 yards form Hyde on the ground and you ended the game with the Gamblers putting up 494 yards of offense and 45 points against a pretty solid Breaker defense, well, solid most weeks.  McCoy was all smiles after a big game this week. McCoy has been very dismissive of the questions about 2020 and his prospects for 2021. With the win over New Orleans, he has the Gamblers at 3-2, sitting 1 game behind 4-1 Birmingham, who they will face next week, and that means that they are right where they need to be for a run at the division title. After finishing a disappointing 3 rd , behind both the Breakers and Showboats, last year, even with a Wild Card Game victory, Houston felt more was possible. And now, with Wade Phillips hinting that this may be his last season at the helm of the Gamblers after 20 years as their Head Coach, the pressure is certainly on for McCoy and the team to make this a year to remember. Well, with two 400-yard games already this year, and with a 3:1 TD:INT ratio and a QB Rating over 100, McCoy is certainly doing his part to make it a good year for his coach, his teammates and for Gambler Nation.   ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 27  CHICAGO MACHINE 30 Few expected the Chicago Machine, 4-0 and looking like a defensive juggernaut, to have much difficulty with the St. Louis Skyhawks, including Chicago themselves. After all, the Skyhawks were sitting at 0-4, had not scored more than 10 points in their past two games, had one of the worst rush defenses in the league, and were averaging barely 15 points per game. Going up against a Machine defense that was allowing 10 points per game, and fewer than 275 yards per game in total offense, even Las Vegas had this as a double-digit win for the sky-and-red clad Machine. But rivalries can be a whole different thing, and St. Louis certainly had some motivation to take it to the Machine.   And so, what we got was a strong game from the Skyhawks, and a bit of a scare for the unbeaten Machine. St. Louis would hold a 27-19 lead with only 3:44 left, but Chicago would show us just why they were unbeaten and a Summer Bowl favorite, scoring 10 points in just over 1 minute’s time to take the win, keeping themselves unblemished and the Skyhawks winless. It was a scare for the Machine, but also a validation that they were not just a defensive power, but a well-rounded team that could face adversity and prevail. The game started tentatively, with both defenses faring well in the opening minutes of the game. The fans, many still making their way to their seats at Soldier Field, saw 4 consecutive 3-and-outs by the two offenses before Chicago finally converted a 3 rd  down and started to move the ball. Chicago’s 3 rd drive would prove to be a scoring drive, as Marion Mack, who finished the day as the game’s lead rusher, had two nice runs on the drive. Sam Bradford started to find receivers, including sophomore star Chase Claypool, who he found for a short TD catch on a quick slant to put the first points on the board. But then, things started to go significantly against the predicted script.   St. Louis took over with 3 minutes left in the quarter and held the ball for the next 8 minutes, driving the ball slowly but steadily down the field on their way to a Deionte Johnson TD. With Lamar Jackson out due to a deep thigh bruise suffered in Week 4, Tyrod Taylor was under center and the lack of familiarity with his game seemed to give Chicago some problems as Taylor moved out of the pocket, but with an intention to throw, not run, a distinct difference from Jackson’s game.   What was even more surprising was that St. Louis’s defense was playing well, holding Chicago to short runs on first down, something they had struggled with in their previous 4 games. After forcing the Machine’s 3 rd  punt of the first half, St. Louis again put up points, this time a Zane Gonzalez field goal. By the time the two teams headed into the locker rooms, it was St. Louis up 10-7 and looking more confident than they had all season.   Chicago came out of the break intent on breaking that confidence. They put together a quick-strike drive that went 68 yards in only 7 plays before Bradford hit on his second TD throw of the game, a crossing route to Michael Floyd that retook the lead for the homestanding Machine. Bradford and the Machine would rack up yards in this game, outpacing St. Louis 496-287, but they just could not shake the Skyhawks. After retaking the lead 14-10, Chicago watched as Tyrod Taylor again moved the ball well, this time aided by a huge mistake on 3 rd and 4 by the Machine. Taylor used a hard count and got overeager DE Charles Harris to jump, giving the Skyhawks an easy 1 st  Down on the encroachment call. 4 plays later it was Taylor to Jerome Felton for another score and another lead change.   Chicago would equalize the score on a Carlson field goal as the 3 rd  quarter wound down, but going into the final period knotted up at 17 was not the plan for anyone in Soldier Field that day, no one except perhaps St. Louis head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who was pumping up his team during the TV timeout between quarters. That exaltation seemed to lift the Skyhawks, who opened the final period with their third TD drive of the game, a very nicely orchestrated 10-play drive that took the team 64 yards from their own 36 to the endzone once again, with Taylor hitting on a 3 rd  TD for the game, this time to veteran Allen Robinson from 15 yards out.   When that drive was followed by a Chicago punt after only 5 plays, the fans in Soldier Field started to get antsy, wondering what was happening to their unbeaten Machine club. The good news for Chicago was that Marquette King’s punt was a beauty, backing the Skyhawks to their own 7 yard line. A false start moved them even further back, and on 2 nd  and 13, the Machine D finally got to Taylor. DT Arik Armstead took advantage of the St. Louis guard sliding out to deal with a blitzing Manti Te’o, swam past the center and caught Tyrod Taylor just as he drew back to throw. Taylor managed to hold onto the ball, but it was a safety, drawing Chicago back to 24-19 and giving them the free kick.   But all was not turning Chicago’s way, not yet at least. On their first play after the free kick, normally reliable back Jeremy Hill got hit on his way through the line, and the ball popped out, dribbling forwards and eventually jumped on by St. Louis safety Tyree Gillespie for the first (and only) turnover of the game. St. Louis took advantage, driving into field goal range and wiping out the safety’s 2 points with a Zane Gonzalez field goal to give St. Louis an 8-point lead at 27-19 with 3:44 left to play. This was a position Chicago had not been in all year.   The Machine took the ball at their own 23 after a short return from Willie Snead. Sam Bradford went to work in a no huddle, 2-minute look despite there being nearly 4 minutes on the clock. Hill recovered from his fumble to give Chicago a nice 12-yard run on the opening play, followed by strikes from Bradford to Claypool and HB Marion Mack. Within 6 plays and only 1:22 off the clock, they had the ball inside the 20. A defensive PI call against St. Louis prevented a touchdown but gave Chicago the ball at the 1. From there Bradford found Tyler Eifert and the game was a 2-point affair. Bradford went back to Eifert on the 2-point PAT try, and when the talented TE brought in the low pass, the score was tied. This quick strike equalizer seemed to suck all the air and all the confidence out of the Skyhawks. Chicago kicked the ball deep instead of attempting the onside kick, likely expecting to go to overtime tied at 27. But, after using timeouts after 1 st  and 2 nd  down runs by James Conner produced only 1 yard, the Machine prepared for St. Louis to throw on 3 rd and 9. They did, and a nicely timed swat from SS Jordan Poyer, a converted corner, produced a 4 th  down with over 50 seconds still on the clock, Chicago shifted gears, hoping to get one last score in regulation to end the game without extra time.   They got some help in that attempt as the kick coverage team was cited when gunner Roderick Teamer did not catch that Snead had made the fair catch signal at the 32, giving Chicago 15 yards to the 47 and putting them that much closer to a possible Daniel Carlson game winning kick. With 44 seconds and 1 time out left, Chicago geared up to move the ball into Carlson’s range. A quick out to Floyd got them 8 yards, a dump down to FB Jakob Johnson got them a first down and 5 more yards. After a Bradford miss on another out route, the Machine QB connected on a nice rub route, finding Claypool over the middle, and, even more damaging, the Machine Receiver was able to work his way to the sideline, going out at the St. Louis 39 with 23 seconds left.   Bradford missed on his next throw, but on 2 nd  and 10, the Machine hit on a draw play to Mack, moving the ball to the St. Louis 33 and using their last time out to stop the clock. On 3 rd  down, Chicago went for a deep out to Floyd, but the receiver was unable to bring down the high throw. They sent out Carlson to attempt the 50-yarder, and the Chicago kicker, who was 2 of 4 on kicks over 50 yards on the season, lined up for a potential game winner. After a St. Louis timeout, Carlson reset himself and drilled the ball right down the middle to give Chicago the win.   Certainly, a crushing defeat for a St. Louis team that had put everything into this game, and certainly a satisfying win for the still-unbeaten Machine, this one was a game that had drama, surprises, and some late game heroics, just what we all want in a Game of the Week. So, Chicago now gets ready to face archrival Michigan next week in what could be a very important mid-season game, while St. Louis has to regroup, remotivate themselves, and get ready to fly to Boston to face the New England Steamrollers in Week 6.     NEW JERSEY 27   NEW ENGLAND 10 Fans in the Tri-State Area may not be overjoyed with Nick Foles as their QB, but he has produced back-to-back wins for the Generals as they knock off the Steamrollers in Foxboro. In the classic NY-BOS rivalry, Foles went 21 of 27 and opened scoring by hitting Muhamed Sanu for a 27-yard TD in the 2 nd quarter. Sanu finished as the team’s leading receiver with 77 yards on the day, while Delone Carter added 60 more, and 2 scores, on the ground. The New Jersey D also came up big, forcing 2 takeaways and holding New England to only 2 scores in 10 drives. POTG:  New Jersey CB Aqib Talib: 5 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 Int   ATLANTA 32  OAKLAND 35 The first of several really close, back and forth games, this one saw Oakland turn a 24-21 deficit into a 35-24 lead with two scoring drives in the 4 th , the first saw Brady hit Jerrel Jernigan for the go ahead score, and then he followed it up with a 33-yard pitch & catch to Zach Ertz for the eventual game winner. Atlanta got a late O. J. Howard TD, Aaron Murray’s 3 rd TD pass (along with 3 picks), but it was too little for Atlanta to avoid their first loss on the season. POTG:  Invader QB Tom Brady: 26/28, 269 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   TAMPA BAY 37  CHARLOTTE 10 The Monarchs drop to 0-5 after their offense was outgained 412-296 as Tampa Bay scored on 7 of 9 possessions on the day, including 2 Dez Bryant TD catches and a Dalvin Cook TD run to go with his 124 yards rushing. Jimmy G was booed after throwing his 2 nd  pick of the day as fans have quickly turned against the former Invader QB and with Monarch management as well. POTG:  Bandit HB Dalvin Cook: 17 Att, 124 Yds, 7.3 YPC, 1 TD   BALTIMORE 7   PHILADELPHIA 20 The Blitz have now lost 3 in a row after a 2-0 start, and Philadelphia is looking very much like a real threat as they move to 5-0. It was the Derrick Henry show at the Linc this week, with the big back rushing for 151 yards on only 17 carries, a very healthy 8.9 YPC average. He also scored the first two TDs of the game, a pair of power runs for 36 and 25 yards that took Baltimore out of the game. The Stars’ improved D sacked Jake Locker only twice but pressured him all game, leading to 2 picks and multiple missed throws. CB Amani Oruwarije had both picks for Philly, along with 5 passes defended. POTG:  Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 17 Att, 151 Yds, 8.9 YPC, 2 TD   DENVER 24   OKLAHOMA 27 Denver drops their 2 nd  in a row as Josh Allen is picked twice and sacked 4 times by the Outlaw D. Jalen Hurts also saw a lot of pressure, sacked 5 times with two picks as well, but with the game tied at 24, he had a game winning drive, moving the Outlaws into position for Kai Forbath to win it on a long 56-yarder at the whistle. Pacman Jones contributed a pick-six on a deep ball over the middle that Allen should not have attempted, while Denver got TDs from Phillip Lindsay and T. J. Hockenson. POTG:  Oklahoma TE Mark Andrews: 6 Rec, 63 Yds, 1 TD   NEW ORLEANS 31   HOUSTON 45 As we chronicled earlier, Colt McCoy had himself a day against the Breakers, throwing for 5 TDs. Geno Smith tried to keep up with 4 of his own, but Houston pulled away in the 2 nd  half and never looked back. Mike Evans (5-104-3TD) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (4-138) both went over 100 yards and Carlos Hyde had 85 rushing and 34 receiving as the Gamblers move back over .500 while pushing the Breakers to 2-3 on the year. POTG:  Gambler QB Colt McCoy: 22/33, 404 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int   SEATTLE 16   PORTLAND 13 Both the Dragons and Stags struggled to convert on 3 rd  down and points were scarce in this Cascade Clash. Mariota hit Brandin Cooks for a short TD toss in the first half, but the PAT was no good. Down 7 in the 4 th , Doug Martin evened the score with a 3-yard TD run, but a final drive from Brett Hundley and the Dragons got them the game winning field goal, another long one, as Jeffrey Harris connected from 57 yards out to give Seattle the win. POTG:  Seattle CB Richard Sherman: 9 Tck, 1 Int   JACKSONVILLE 20   ORLANDO 21 Close once again, but again no cigar for Jacksonville as Orlando wins the game on a Brashad Perriman TD catch in the 3 rd  quarter. A scoreless 4 th proved frustrating as Trevor Lawrence and the Bulls’ offense fizzled late. Russell Wilson survived 3 picks by the Bulls to get the win, finishing the game with 358 yards and 3 touchdowns as Orlando gets their 2 nd  win and the Bulls drop to 0-5. POTG:  Orlando WR Brashad Perriman: 9 Rec, 166 Yds, 2 TD   BIRMINGHAM 28  WASHINGTON 21 The Stallions are another team beginning to earn some respect as they move to 4-1 with a solid win over the Federals. Cam Newton was again a major weapon, throwing for 177 and 2 scores while rushing for 94 yards and a TD in this one. With Najee Harris nursing a hamstring strain, Ben Tate got most of the carries and finished with 83 yards and a TD as well. Washington got TDs from Tyreek Hill and Kellen Winslow Jr but could not respond after a 4 th  quarter Newton-Edelman TD gave Birmingham a 7-point lead. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 14/21, 177 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int, 6 Att, 94 Yds, 1 TD   MEMPHIS 31  SAN ANTONIO 28 The Showboats earn their second win, but it was not easy as San Antonio held a 28-24 lead on a Marquise Goodwin TD with only 5 minutes left to play. But 5 minutes is an eternity in the USFL and the Showboats found a way back, led by NFL import Blake Bortles for the final three quarters, after Lynch cracked his throwing hand on a lineman’s helmet in the 1 st . Bortles hit Jamison Crowder for the winning score with 1:24 left on the clock, his 3 rd TD throw of the game. Flacco and the Gunslingers could not respond, and Memphis moved to 2-3 with the win. POTG:  Memphis QB Blake Bortles: 17/21, 207 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   PITTSBURGH 29   MICHIGAN 26 The Maulers rise up and stun the Panthers in Ford Field, outpacing Michigan 13-3 in the final period to turn a 23-16 deficit into an upset win. Pittsburgh got a 4 th quarter gift when safety Kyzir White slipped and fell while covering Rob Gronkowsi, leading the big TE to a 58-yard TD with 8 minutes left in the game. That gave Pittsburgh a 3-point lead, which Michigan equaled on their next drive, but the Maulers had time to get into position, and in line with other games this week, their kicker, Andrew Franks, connected on a long field goal (51 yards) to seal the upset win for Pittsburgh, knocking Michigan from the ranks of the unbeaten. POTG:  Mauler TE Rob Gronkowski: 6 Rec, 145 Yds, 1 TD   DALLAS 24  ARIZONA 33 Arizona’s 0-2 start is all but forgotten after a third straight win, especially when that win knocks Dallas to 3-2 and raises Arizona to that same record. David Carr threw 2 TDs, and the defense sacked Justin Herbert 5 times, with Jerry Hughes securing a sack-fumble-touchdown in the first minute of game action to set the tone for the day. Herbert threw 3 TDs, but Dallas could not put points on the board in the 4 th , while Arizona used 3 Elliott Parson field goals to turn a 24-24 tie into a 9-point win. POTG:  Wrangler DE Bud DuPree: 6 Tck, 3 Sck   SAN DIEGO 3   LOS ANGELES 23 The Express D held San Diego to only 202 total yards, and only 41 on the ground as they dominated the line of scrimmage. The offense relied on the run game with Perkins (78) and Montgomery (33) combining for 111 yards. Kyler Murray’s 1 st quarter TD to Hollywood Brown proved to be the only points needed, but the Express added 16 more for good measure. POTG:  Express WR Hollywood Brown: 4 Rec, 56 Yds, 1 TD   OHIO 7   LAS VEGAS 15 The Vipers remain perfect at home, knocking off a 3-1 Ohio squad at Wynn Arena. The Viper D held Ohio to only 9 first downa and 3 of 10 on third down. On offense, Aaron Dobson caught 8 for 116 and the combo of Matt Jones and Kareem Hunt combined for 95 yards and the game’s only TD. Justin Fields struggled all game, throwing 3 picks and rushing the ball 9 times for only negative 1 yards as Las Vegas implemented an effective spy system to contain the Glory rookie. POTG:  Viper WR Aaron Dobson: 8 Rec, 116 Yds   Henry Blasts Blitz The Stars did not ask much of NFL import QB Carson Wentz in their win over Baltimore. The lanky QB threw for only 119 yards. The offense instead rested their attack on the broad shoulders of HB Derrick Henry, and “King Henry” replied with 151 yards and 2 scores. His day included both a 36-yard bowling-ball run through the Baltimore pins, and an equally devastating 25-yarder later in the game.   Henry now leads all USFL rushers with 532 yards, averaging 106 per game. His YPC improved thanks to this game, jumping well above the “Mendoza line” of 4.0 YPC to a nice 4.3 per carry. But, what has to worry Philly fans a bit is that Henry, with 125 carries, is averaging 25 per game, a number that could lead to fatigue and decline later in the year. For now, however, they will gladly take his big offensive output and the team’s 5-0 record as they now sit 3 game ahead of the cluster of competitors in the division.   Bortles Blindsides Gunslingers With Paxton Lynch going out of the game early, thanks to a follow-through motion that sent his throwing hand directly into the helmet of his own right tackle, Gunslinger fans in Alamo Stadium may have thought their club had an improved chance to go over .500, but they did not account for backup, and recent NFL import, Blake Bortles. After being somewhat unceremoniously drummed out of Jacksonville by Jaguar fans and ownership, Bortles arrived in Memphis happy to take a 2 nd string gig, and to learn the new system behind the clear starter, Lynch. Called into action 5 weeks into the season, it is clear the former Jaguar has something to contribute. Bortles finished his first USFL action with a pretty nice stat line: 17 of 21 passing, a very healthy 81% completion rate, with 207 yards, and, most importantly, 3 touchdowns with no picks. Bortles even responded late, when the Gunslingers took a 28-24 lead in the 4 th . He wasted no time, went 3 of 4 passing on the final drive and found Jamison Crowder in the endzone for the slot receiver’s 2 nd  TD on the day. Memphis earned their 2 nd win, and while Paxton Lynch is expected to be back for Week 6, it seems clear that the Showboats can feel good about their backup situation.   Oakland Getting it Done with D & Takeaways No mystery about how Oakland has made it to 4-1 this season. It is all about that defense. Up until this week, the Invaders have been a true shut down defense, allowing 10, 7, 17, and 14 points in their first four games. This week they were faced with a very dangerous Atlanta offense, and while they did give up an uncharacteristic 32 points, they also forced 3 turnovers, another trademark of the 2020 Invader squad.   In this game, it was the secondary, with SS Marquestan Huff snagging two poor throws by Aaron Murray and CB Jaylen Watkins nabbing the third. But this was not a one game anomaly. Oakland leads the league with 13 takeaways in 5 games, including a league best 9 picks. The Invader D also sits 6 th  in the league with 18 sacks on the year, led by Michael Bennett’s 6 QB captures. Yes, there have been some offensive highlights for Oakland, whether from 5 Time Pro Champion QB (2 USFL, 3 NFL) Tom Brady, or dual threat tailback Christian McCaffrey, but it seems pretty clear that the squad that is getting this team in a position to win week in and week out is that D.   Hughes & DuPree Rough Up the Roughnecks The POTG this week for Arizona’s 33-24 win over division rival Dallas came down to two players, both edge rushers, as Bud DuPree, the current USFL league leader with 10 sacks on the year, reached that plateau with 3 in the game. Meanwhile, Jerry Hughes, the veteran replacement for the departed Calais Campbell, had the play of the game, not only sacking Justin Herbert on his 2 nd  pass attempt of the game, but stripping the ball, picking it up, and rolling his way into the endzone for a very early defensive TD.   It was a big game all around for the Wrangler D, as newly acquired CB A. J. Bouye got his first pick as a Wrangler, and the LB group of Malik Jefferson, A. J. Klien, and Scooby Wright held the Roughnecks to only 48 yards on 19 attempts. The Wranglers also held Arizona without a 3 rd  down conversion all game (0 for 9). Arizona is now 3-2, having fully recovered from a rough 0-2 start, and the defense is a big reason why they seem to be on the rebound and now share a portion of 1 st  place in the Southwest with 3-2 Denver, Las, Vegas, and Dallas.   Outlaws Lose Westbrook to Achilles Injury A big loss for Oklahoma in their win over Denver as WR DeDe Westbrook is lost for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon midway through the game. Westbrook, who has 16 receptions, 298 yards and 2 scores on the season, left the game after crumpling to the ground mid-route in a non-contact injury. He was helped to the sideline by 2 teammates, but then carted to the locker room. With Westbrook out, Nick Toon assumed the Flanker position, with slot receiver Justin Hunter sliding into Toon’s position and Donte Moncrief and K. J. Osborn also getting rotational snaps.   The Oklahoma passing game has been an early success story, with QB Jalen Hurts throwing for 1,398 yards and earning the 2 nd  slot in the current QB rankings, but without Westbrook, the Outlaws certainly lose some of their field-stretching ability. The veteran wideout averaged 14.9 YPC in his career and was at 18.6 this year before the injury. Don’t be surprised if Oklahoma looks for a trade that might bring a speed receiver to a squad that was very heavily relying on TE Mark Andrews this week, when Westbrook went out.   Generals Sign Familiar Name at QB With former Bull Teddy Bridgewater out for the year after a Week 4 injury, New Jersey needed help. They had their starter in Nick Foles, but the thought was that Brett Rypien was not going to be enough as a backup. So, who do you call when you need a veteran presence and a steady hand at the helm should Foles go down? How about a player who has 13 years of USFL experience with 4 different teams? A player your own team first signed out of college, and who has over 140 career touchdowns and a lifetime QB Rating over 85.  Fitz-Magic is back in the USFL and back in NJ. That’s right, folks, he is back. Fitz-magic returns to the team that first signed him to a USFL deal after a few years as an NFL backup. Fitzie is a General again, back for a 14 th  year at age 38. The veteran QB, who has served as a starter for the Generals, Stags, Machine, and who somewhat reluctantly retired after 3 years as a backup in Memphis, is back in the league, with an eager smile and a wealth of QB know-how. Will the Generals give him a chance to start once again? Or is Fitzpatrick in place as an emergency option only? We won’t know right away as the 16-year pro veteran was initially placed on the Generals’ practice squad, a common action for this type of signing. We suspect he will soon switch places with Brett Rypien, but will a poor Foles outing mean that Fitz-magic will come onto the field in Generals red and royal once again? Plenty of fans in New Jersey hope so.   A pretty light week for major injuries, outside of the Westbrook IR situation, as we see a few COVID cases and an oddly specific rash of injuries to free safeties across the league, but largely short-term, low impact injuries compared to the spate of IR placements in Weeks 3 and 4.   OUT WR      DeDe Westbrook    OKL       Ruptured Achilles            IR FS           Derek Jordan         NE          Back                                  2-4 Weeks G            Brandon Brooks    OHI       Shoulder                           1-2 Weeks FS           Micah Hyde             BAL        Covid Protocol                 1 Week C             Tyler Biadasz           OAK      Covid Protocol                  1 Week   DOUBTFUL FS           Robert Sands         PIT         Wrist FS           Michael Carter        SAN       Concussion HB         Samaje Perine        DAL       Pinched Nerve   QUESTIONABLE WR         Mike Evans             HOU     Concussion DT          Derrick Nnadi          SD          Hand   Six Potential Mid-Season Trade Candidates As we prepare for Week 6 of the season, we recognize that we are now entering the sweet spot for teams to make deals and move players. Typically, we see the greatest number of midseason trades following weeks 6, 7 and 8, with a small surge just before the Week 10 deadline as well. So, as we look around the league, there are players who may well be on the block, made available by their current teams either due to a desperate need elsewhere on the roster or a reduced role for the player on their current team. It is not quite early enough to see teams giving up on the 2021 season and selling off players for future considerations, but we are at a point where we can see which players may be expendable thanks to a reduction in their workload, the presence of a rising talent at their position, or a simple reconsideration of priorities. Here are six such players who we see as possible mid-season movers who could be part of a deal in the next 2-4 weeks.   Birmingham HB Rex Burkhead A former starter and a very solid 3 rd  down option, Burkhead has fallen out of favor in Birmingham, and with the arrival of rookie Najee Harris, despite his slow start, there seems not to be much of a role for Burkhead in Birmingham. After 5 weeks, Burkhead, who has seen his carries steadily on the decline since 2017, has only 6 rushing attempts for 16 yards. A solid receiver out of the backfield, we could see the 8-year veteran being a good fit for a team with more of a power back offense, one needing a good blocker and receiver for those third and long situations.   Jacksonville HB Montario Hardesty Another back who has seemingly been displaced this season, Hardesty has seen his load reduced as Jacksonville gives Devin Singletary a larger role as the lead back. Hardesty has only 16 attempts in the first 5 games of the year, compared to 62 for Singletary. In his 12 th season and at age 31, Hardesty is in a contract year, and may find it difficult to get a new deal, but as a midseason replacement or a potential backup, we could see Hardesty finding a new home as part of a multiplayer swap.   New Jersey WR Odell Beckham Jr. Without a doubt the biggest talent on this list, OBJ has already made it clear that he is not happy with the Generals, that he feels undervalued, despite having 33 receptions this season. He also cannot be pleased by the QB issues in New Jersey. At 31 he still likely has one good contract left in him, and he is in a contract year, so if New Jersey is feeling like they need to build towards the future, we could certainly see them trading away their top receiver as a way to get something for him, because all indications are that Beckham will walk come free agency this August.   New England WR Doug Baldwin Baldwin, a 34-year-old, 10-year vet, had his first and only 1,000-yard season in 2020 with the expansion Steamrollers. But this year, with Zay Jones and Davante Parker getting more snaps and more targets, Baldwin is looking very much like a veteran being put out to pasture. With only 12 receptions on 33 targets, it seems that Ryan Tannehill and the Steamroller offense, is certainly looking elsewhere this season. Baldwin ranks 4 th on the team in receptions, behind both speedy young wideouts and TE Dennis Pitta. We think the time is now if New England wants to move Baldwin, as he certainly has skills that many teams could use, particularly in a possession receiver role.   Portland DE Dion Jordan While not entirely accurate to call Dion Jordan a draft bust, the 8-year veteran of the Stags has never truly met the potential we all saw when he was an Oregon Duck. He came out with 10 sacks his rookie year, but has never met that total in the years since. With 5 games down in 2021 he has only 1 sack, largely displaced from the starting gig by Bruce Irvin, with whom he rotates downs, Jordan is looking very much like a player who could be moved as a way to open more opportunities for Irvin and rookie Randy Champion, an undrafted rookie out of Valdosta State who has shown some flashes.   Seattle SS Taylor Rapp Another very talented player who may just be the victim of a numbers game. Rapp has shown us some real skill, primarily in nickel and dime formations, and we think there certainly will be a market for a talented safety who already has 18 tackles and a sack in limited snaps. The issue is that it seems very unlikely that Rapp will get many opportunities to play a larger role as he sits behind potential All-USFL candidate Terrell Edmunds. Edmunds is on the ascent and is getting a lot of attention after a strong 2020 campaign, and that could make Rapp expendable, especially if a deal is possible to bring Seattle some help at DE, where they look noticeably short staffed.   Orlando Reveals Uni Update for 2022 The final 6 clubs to receive branding and uniform “refreshes” from Under Armour are on deck, and we got our first of the six revealed this week in Orlando. The Renegades, along with Arizona, Las Vegas, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tampa Bay, are expected to be the final revamps for Under Armour as they wrap up their 5-year deal to provide uniforms and fan gear to the USFL. This week, the Renegades, coming off a 1-point win over rival Jacksonville, felt the time was right to build some enthusiasm for their club by revealing a look that they hope will be on the field in the 2021 playoffs, but which will certainly be on display in 2022, the USFL’s 40 th  season. The New Raging Renegades "R" monogram. The new look follows up on the club’s major branding revision back in 2017, when fans chose a shark-themed design over options which included a wild hog and a mammoth as possible replacements as the team looked to remove its tomahawk-themed look. With the new UA look, the new blacktip shark logo remains unchanged from the original design, but the team did reveal a new package of secondary logos, with the monogram “O” updated, the static shark fin replaced with a segment of the primary logo featuring the black-tipped fin of the primary shark logo. Also added was a stylized “R” monogram featuring sharp angles. This logo will play a prominent role in the team’s alternate look but does not appear on the primary uniforms.   The primaries retain the team’s ocean blue as the principle color, but introduce a new feature, a yoke and sleeve treatment that provides more black to the home uniform and increases the presence of blue in the road whites. The shoulder and sleeve yoke runs from the collar to mid-sleeve, where it shifts to a second color, separated by the same shark fin theme as the secondary “O” monogram. On the home blues, the shift is from a black collar and yoke to a short white segment at the sleeve cuff. On the road whites (often used at home in midsummer), the jersey has a blue yoke, transitioning to a black cuff. The pants feature a similar motif, with the white set featuring a thick black stripe, the “O” monogram at the hip, and a short blue segment at the beltline. The same pattern is repeated in blue and white on the team’s black pant set.   The team also released two alternates. The throwback alternate was a topic of much speculation since the team recently opted to remove all tomahawk imagery from their identity after legal actions taken by several Florida-based Native American nations. The compromise look revealed by Under Armour is unlikely to make those fans who wish to see the tomahawk restored very happy. The uniforms return to the 1987 look, complete with old school jersey and pant striping in blue and silver, but the helmet does not return the tomahawk logo. What it does instead is bring back the script “Renegades” in red and the small blue “Orlando” in block font, just as on the original look, but without the accompanying image of the tomahawk. The overall look feels very incomplete and certainly not as engaging as the original. The use of the original red script, without any other red present in the look, seems out of place, and we are sure there will be many who think that the entire concept is illogical without the original imagery. As for the “new” alternate, which Under Armour had dubbed the “Blacktip Alt”, the focus certainly is the inclusion of black as a team color. In a true “unitard” look, the team will wear black from helmet to socks, a color swap that retains most of the elements of the new primaries. The helmet, instead of featuring the leaping shark logo, will feature the new Renegade “R” logo in metallic silver with black and ocean blue piping. The helmet features a striping similar to the primary, in blue with a silver rear bumper. The jerseys have silver and blue yokes and the same angular font numbers as the primaries, while the pant set, still in black, features silver and white striping and the team’s “O” monogram logo. We are not exactly certain when the Renegades, who often play in very hot and sunny conditions, will bring out the all-black look, but based on USFL gameday conditions, we might recommend some road games in domes, maybe when they visit Atlanta, St. Louis, Houston, or San Antonio, rather then their home stadium in Florida.   Week six is an interesting mix of divisional and inter-divisional games, starting with two competing games on Friday night. NBC will air the 3-2 Wranglers against the 2-3 Maulers, hot off their upset in Michigan. Meanwhile, on ESPN and EFN it will be a Southern showdown as the surprising Birmingham Stallions, sitting at 4-2, head down to NRG Stadium to face the Houston Gamblers. It will be Newton vs. McCoy in a game that could come down to the team that holds the ball last.   Saturday is something of a showcase of 3-2 and 2-3 teams as these clubs try to either reach or avoid .500 as their 6-week record. The noon window features San Antonio and Memphis in another Southern Division game, the winner moving up to .500 at 3-3. It also has 3-2 Dallas at 3-2 Ohio in a battle of teams hoping to put some space between themselves and that .500 record. At 4pm Denver will try to break their 2-game losing streak as they head down to low altitude, high humidity New Orleans to face the 2-3 Breakers. FOX has a Cascade clash (the first of two back-to-back games between these two) as Seattle hosts the Stags.   The Saturday night game on NBC may be the Game of the Week as unbeaten Chicago plays host to archrival Michigan, surprising vulnerable at 4-2. A win by Chicago will be an unmistakable shot across the bow of Michigan’s division dominance these past few years. We follow up that game with a Sunday lineup that features a classic rivalry between New Jersey and unbeaten Philadelphia, a Southwest Showdown between 3-2 Las Vegas and 2-3 Oklahoma, and a California Derby as struggling San Diego (1-4) tries to get the edge on a surprising 2-3 LA Express squad. Oh, and we should also mention a huge game on ESPN and the ESPN Football Network as the unbeaten and largely unphased Tampa Bay Bandits take on the 4-1 Oakland Invaders, with a defense that could actually test Bandit Ball for once. Not a bad week of action at all, so set your calendars and get your hot wings ready.   FRI @ 8pm ET       Arizona (3-2) @ Pittsburgh (2-3)                         NBC FRI @ 8pm ET        Birmingham (4-1) @ Houston (3-2)                   ESPN/EFN   SAT @ 12pm ET      San Antonio (2-3) @ Memphis (2-3)                 ABC SAT @ 12pm ET       Dallas (3-2) @ Ohio (3-2)                                    FOX SAT @ 4pm ET         Denver (3-2) @ New Orleans (2-3)                    ABC SAT @ 4pm ET        Portland (1-4) @ Seattle (3-2)                           FOX SAT @ 8pm ET         Baltimore (2-3) @ Washington (1-4)               ESPN/EFN SAT @ 8pm ET        Michigan (4-1) @ Chicago (5-0)                NBC   SUN @ 12pm ET     St. Louis (0-5) @ New England (2-3)                ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET      Charlotte (0-5) @ Orlando (2-3)                        ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET      Jacksonville (0-5) @ Atlanta (4-1)                    FOX SUN @ 4pm ET        New Jersey (2-3) @ Philadelphia (5-0)             ABC SUN @ 4pm ET        Las Vegas (3-2) @ Oklahoma (2-3)                   FOX Regional SUN @ 4pm ET        Los Angeles (2-3) @ San Diego (1-4)                FOX Regional SUN @ 8pm ET      Oakland (4-1) @ Tampa Bay (5-0)                      ESPN/EFN