Search this site

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jalen Watkins packed an entire season of big plays into one game. The Oakland cornerback had himself a day, picking off 4 Kyler Murray passes in what was a nightmare game for the young QB but a career day for the 6th year corner. Watkins, playing the nickel for most of the game, had more picks in one game than in any season in his career. Add on the fact that one of those picks turned into a pick-six and this is certainly a day that Watkins will cherish for a long time. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Week 10 is too early to have any teams locked in, but that does not mean that there are not some on the fringe of clinching. The two obvious choices are the two unbeatens, Arizona and Tampa Bay, both of whom are within 1-2 weeks of locking in a well-earned playoff spot. It is also too soon for clubs to be eliminated, so even 1-9 San Antonio, Philadelphia, and St. Louis still have hope. It may be a delusional "lottery ticket" hope, but the math says it is still possible.

As our Big Story this week will elaborate, Week 10 was a good one for the underdogs, we saw San Diego, Jacksonville, Charlotte, and New England all defy the odds and the oddsmakers by scoring surprising victories against teams with winning records. It was also a week for QB news as Kyle Boller gets a win in his first start at QB, Joe Flacco goes down to injury, which meant we got an Easton Stick sighting, and in Philadelphia another loss means we are going to see Ryan Lindley under center for the 1-9 Stars. We will start our report with our story on some big upsets this week, run through all the weeks action and begin our very early look at the 2021 draft by scouting 10 top defensive prospects. It all begins with our Big Story.   Underdog Uprising There is a reason the Las Vegas books stay in business and rarely struggle to post a profit. Betting on football is a tough business, and weeks like this one are proof positive. Putting aside the games where the spread was not covered, games like Tampa Bay’s 7 point win over Philadelphia (a 10-point underdog) or Atlanta’s 3-point shootout win over Washington (a 5-point underdog) and we still have some hugely unexpected results, including what may be the first truly solid game the San Diego Thunder have put together all year. This week alone we had the Thunder, a 9-point underdog against 6-3 Portland, run up 42 points and a 15-point victory. Then you had Jacksonville, a 5-point underdog against New Jersey take a 3-point victory. Charlotte, starting journeyman Kyle Boller, went into their match against Baltimore as an 8-point underdog and ended up winning by 10, and the expansion New England Steamrollers had perhaps the most shocking result, absolutely dominating the Orlando Renegades to the tune of 23-6. It was a week of upsets, and every one was different. Here are the keys to each game.   San Diego’s Upset of the Portland Stags Outgained 484-282, how did the Thunder manage to beat the Stags, and beat them handily? The key was efficiency on offense, that and generating 3 turnovers. Christian Ponder completed 25 passes but averaged only 5.7 yards per pass, but when they were in scoring range, he did not falter, throwing 5 touchdowns, all of them in the red zone. His first was a 1-yarder, then his longest at 17 yards to Luke Wilson, then 4, 9, and 6. No huge bombs, just efficient, ball control offense against a defense that just was not playing well in this one.   Jacksonville Ekes Out a Win over New Jersey The Bulls’ D has been much improved of late, and in this one they struggled a bit, giving up 317 total yards, but for the first time in a long time the offense helped them out, with Teddy Bridgewater carrying the offense on his back to the tune of 406 of the team’s 444 total yards. Bridgewater averaged over 11 yards per attempt, hitting on several big plays, including a 60-yard TD to halfback Devin Singletary, a 42-yard toss to Tee Higgins that set up a Singletary TD run, and a 53-yard catch and run from Tajae Sharpe. It was all about busted coverages and Bridgewater keeping the play alive until his receivers got open. That is what undid the Generals’ plans for a victory.   Charlotte Played Controlled Football For the Monarchs it was about not hurting themselves, as Charlotte had no turnovers, only 2 penalties, and just kept plugging along, keeping the pressure on the Baltimore Blitz all game. After an initial field goal in the 1 st  quarter, the Blitz did not score again until late in the 4 th , watching as bit by bit Charlotte went from 3-0 down to 3-3, 6-3, 9-3, then 16-3 on a Boller to Blasingame TD pass, then 19-3, and then 26-3 with only 5:47 left. Slowly putting points up while the defense kept Jake Locker and Josh Jacobs in check all game long.   New England Uses Front 7 To Great Effect The Steamrollers had perhaps the biggest surprise performance of the week as they not only rolled for 411 yards, their best offensive output all year, but held the Renegades to only 243, with the run game only gaining 90 yards (Montgomery leading with 44 yards) and sacking Russell Wilson 4 times. It was the most complete game Coach Fox’s squad put together all season. Ryan Tannehill completed 24 of 39, Kerwynn Williams rushed for 92 yards, and 7 different receivers touched the ball as the Steamrollers got a nice midseason win to move to 3 on the year.   Very different paths, different strengths, but equal results, big upset wins for some teams that needed something positive this season. For the Blitz, Generals, Renegades, and Stags, these losses hurt, but for the victors, it is a sweet taste of success in what have been some bitter seasons so far.                 WASHINGTON FEDERALS 34   ATLANTA FIRE 37 A true shootout in Orlando as the Atlanta Fire and the Washington Federals combined for 800 yards of offense and 71 combined points. What is even wilder is that in the first and 3 rd  quarter there were only 6 points, a field goal each, while in the 2 nd  we saw 35 points scored and in the 4 th  another 30. It was a game of wild and quick strikes as both QBs put up some big numbers. Ryan Nassib had his best outing as a member of the Federals, completing 35 of 45 passing, racking up 350 yards and 4 TDs, while on the other side, Aaron Murray threw for 282, but got a lot of help from his run game, as Nick Chubb and Kenyan Drake combined for 92 yards.   Tyreek Hill would be the game’s lead receiver with133 yards and 2 touchdowns, while for Atlanta it was NFL import A. J. Green with 123 and a TD for the Fire. And it was a game with some big defensive plays, including a pick-six from Earl Thomas of Atlanta, while the Federals saw Prince Amukamara rack up 5 passes defended and a pick, while Chris Long got 2 sacks and forced a fumble. The game started slowly, as we cited, with the only points of the first quarter coming off of the foot of Atlanta’s John Bounds, but the cautious and slow pace of the first quarter proved deceptive as the floodgates opened in the 2 nd . Atlanta started it off, going up 10 with a 7-play drive finished off by an 11-yard TD run from Kenyan Drake. Only 5 plays later, Washington was on the board when Ryan Nassib found Jarvis Landry on a beautiful out & up route, breaking free from the corner and scoring from 42 yards out. Atlanta countered with another quick drive, this one 9 plays in only 4 minutes and finished with a 3-yard Nick Chubb counter play.   Just 18 seconds later, Atlanta made it 24-7 when Earl Thomas picked off Ryan Nassib and ran the pick back 33 yards to boost the lead to 17. Was the route on? Not quite, as Washington responded with a nice 2-minute drill, with Nassib hitting Keenan Allen with just seconds left to pull back to 10 at 24-14. In the 3 rd , Washington would drop it down to a 7-point lead with a Vinatieri field goal, another deceptively slow quarter, but the 4th would once again turn up the heat.   The final quarter opened with Vinatieri hitting from 39 yards out to pull Washington to within 3, but once again Atlanta tried to pull out again. They added 3 points on their next drive, and after holding Washington to a 3-and-out, Aaron Murray hit on his biggest play of the game, a 48-yard touchdown toss on a 3 rd  and 11 that gave Atlanta another big lead at 34-20. But Washington would not go away, and with only 5:09 to play, they went hurry up, with a huge play on their 3 rd  play of the drive, Tyreek Hill catching the ball 11 yards down the field and then simply running away from defenders for a 62-yard TD pass.   The Federals opted to kick the ball deep, and it paid off as they forced a 3-and-out. Washington kept up the pace and in only 1:07 they put the ball back in the endzone, with Nassib finding Hill again, this time from 13 yards out, a score that tied the game at 34, much to the disbelief of the Fire. But, Atlanta still had 1:21 and all they needed was a field goal. Aaron Murray would lead the Fire on a drive to avoid overtime, and with a pair of nice throws, the first a 20-yarder to Kelvin Benjamin, and then a 16-yard inside toss to O. J. Howard, they were in range. With 1 time out left, they positioned the ball with a draw to Chubb, and then sent out John Bounds. Bounds put the ball through with just a few ticks left on the clock and Atlanta escaped with a hard fought win in a very tough battle with a Federals team that simply did not give up at any point.   PHILADELPHIA 17   TAMPA BAY 24 The Bandits struggled on offense against a Philadelphia defense that seemed to have their number, but after falling behind 10-7 in the first quarter, they got TDs from Prescott to both Dez Bryant and Jordan Cameron to take a 14-point lead. Despite giving up 329 total yards to the Stars, the Bandits held their lead and held on to win the game in what was a much tougher affair than many had anticipated. POTG:  Bandit DE Brian Burns: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   LOS ANGELES 7   OAKLAND 26 Kyler Murray had a nightmare game against the Invader D, throwing 5 picks, 4 of them to nickel corner Jaylen Watkins, who had never had more than 3 picks in an entire season before this game. He not only picked off Murray 4 times but returned one for a touchdown as the Invader defense absolutely dominated the Express and Murray. Despite only gaining 176 total yards on offense, the Invaders earned 19-point victory over their in-state rival, leaving both teams at 6-4 after 10 weeks. POTG:  Invader CB Jaylen Watkins: 1 Tck, 4 Int, 1 DefTD   MEMPHIS 31  CHICAGO 7 While no one player could be singled out for the Machine, they too suffered a nightmare loss. In their case it was the inability to stop the Memphis passing game, notably with 2 key defenders out due to injury & Covid protocols. Paxton Lynch threw for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns. Meanwhile Rex Ryan’s defense held Chicago to only 77 yards rushing and one lone score on the day. The win propels Memphis to 7-3, dropping Chicago to that same record. POTG:  Memphis QB Paxton Lynch: 21/33, 294 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Int   NEW ORLEANS 10   MICHIGAN 24 Michigan sacked Geno Smith 4 times, picked him off once, and held him to only 12 of 26 as the Panther D asserted itself in this key inter-conference game. On offense, LeVeon Bell was held below 100 yards, but his 98 rushing yards, paired with 48 in the air helped Michigan get the 14-point win. Kirk Cousins also connected for 3 TDs, including two to his favorite target, Cody Latimer, as Michigan moves to 8-2, the 2 nd  best record in the West behind only unbeaten Arizona. POTG:  Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 24/34, 239 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   DENVER 24  LAS VEGAS 22 New OC Ken Dorsey had Josh Allen going deeper sooner and it paid off with 3 touchdowns, including a 39-yard scoring throw to Kevin White and a 33-yarder to Golden Tate. With Matt McGloin knocked out of the game late in the 1 st quarter, backup Jeff Tuel almost brought the Vipers back, but a failed 2-point conversion preserved the win for the Gold, who snap a 5-game losing streak. POTG : Denver LB Justin Houston: 7 Tck, 1 Sck   PORTLAND 27   SAN DIEGO 42 The first of our stunners for the week as San Diego takes out 2 months of frustration on a seemingly unprepared Portland defense. Christian Ponder completed 25 of 34 and threw for 5 TDs in a shocking offensive explosion from the Thunder. Both Ronald Johnson and TE Luke Wilson scored twice, Marques Colston added another, and LB Myles Jack contributed an 8-yard fumble recovery TD as the basement-dwelling Thunder stun the Stags, dropping them into a 3-way tie atop the Pacific at 6-4. POTG:  Viper LB Myles Jack: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Def, TD, 1 FF, 1 FR   NEW JERSEY 26   JACKSONVILLE 29 Not quite as shocking, considering New Jersey’s up and down season, but still an upset as Jacksonville, a 7-point underdog, came back late to steal a win. New Jersey had built up a 26-19 lead on touchdown tosses from Foles to OBJ and Muhammed Sanu, but in the final 2:42 of the game, Jacksonville tied the score on a Bridgewater to Singletary TD pass, held New Jersey to a 3-and-out, and with less than 1 minute left got the ball in range for Rodrigo Blankenship to win the game on the final play, a walk off field goal for Jacksonville’s 4 th win on the year. POTG:  Bulls’ QB Teddy Bridgewater: 20/36, 406 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   BALTIMORE 16   CHARLOTTE 26 Kyle Boller gets an upset victory in his first start, replacing Mitch Trubisky. Boller went 19 of 29 for 181 yards and 1 score, but it was enough to set up 4 Stephen Earl field goals. The game was actually not as close as the score indicates, with Charlotte building up a 26-3 lead midway through the 4 th before giving up a pair of late scores. The Monarch D held Baltimore’s Josh Jacobs to only 59 yards rushing and put pressure on Jake Locker all game long in the upset. POTG:  Charlotte FS Tre Boston: 2 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   BIRMINGHAM 27  PITTSBURGH 30 The Maulers barely escaped this battle of Steel Cities as Birmingham got a monster day from Cam Newton once again, but this time entirely in the air, as Newton threw for 445 yards and 4 TDs. The Maulers kept pace, with TDs from Cam Akers, Brian Quick, and Sony Michel in a back and forth game that nearly went to overtime. Chris Boswell lined up for a 52-yard field goal as time was running out, but a false start pushed Birmingham out of his range and forced Cam Newton to try for a Hail Mary. He completed a long pass to Dontrelle Inman, but the attempt at the lateral failed, causing a fumble that Pittsburgh recovered to end the game in a wild finish. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 26/40, 445 Yds, 4 Td, 2 Int   HOUSTON 20   ST. LOUIS 0 No upset alert in this one as the Gamblers were ready for Lamar Jackson’s new RPO options. Jackson attempted 11 rushing plays and ended up with -3 yards in total as the Gamblers used a nickel safety to spy him. The Gamblers kept 5 DBs on the field the entire game, not fearing the St. Louis ground attack. And while it was a shaky game form Colt McCoy (12 of 21 for only 194), the Gamblers did enough to earn the win, thanks mostly to their defense. POTG:  Houston LB Tim Crowder: 8 Tck, 3 TFL, 1 Sck   OKLAHOMA 3   SEATTLE 21 Another outstanding game from Brett Hundley has Seattle at .500 as they win the battle of 4-5 clubs. Hundley completed 22 of 30 passing and threw for 2 scores, while Knowshon Moreno added a 3 rd  on the ground and the Dragon D completely shut down the Oklahoma offense, limiting Jalen Hurts to 9 of 18 throwing and allowing only 3 conversions in 14 third down attempts. The Dragon D sacked Hurts 4 times and used a lot of blanket zones to confuse the rookie in his first USFL start. POTG:  Seattle DE Jerry Hughes: 2 Tck, 2 Sck   ARIZONA 16  DALLAS 13 One mistake is all it took for Arizona to earn a hard-fought win in a surprisingly defensive matchup against Justin Herbert and the Dallas Roughnecks. Both offenses struggled in this one, but with 2:58 left to play, Dallas held a 13-9 advantage over the surprisingly contained Arizona offense. But, trying to add to their lead, Dallas had Hebert passing late, and he tried to force a ball into Sammy Watkins, only for Arizona DB Jeremy Lane to undercut the route and scamper 38 yards for the pick-six that would give the Wranglers a 3-point win and retain their unblemished record at 10-0. A tough lesson for the rookie QB to be sure. POTG:  Arizona CB Jeremy Lane: 6 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   NEW ENGLAND 23  ORLANDO 6 Our final stunner of the weekend as New England held Orlando to only 243 total yards, forcing 3 takeaways and allowing only 2 of 12 on third down to upset the heavily favored Renegades. Kerwynn Williams rushed for 92 yards and Ryan Tannehill found both Dennis Pitta and Jack Doyle for TDs, but it was the Steamroller D that surprised the Renegades and secured a 3 rd  win for the expansion New England squad. POTG:  Steamroller DE Mario Addison: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 FF, 1 FR   SAN ANTONIO 21   OHIO 24  OVERTIME A surprisingly good game between two division basement dwellers as Ohio and San Antonio went back and forth for 60 minutes before deciding the game in overtime. Joe Flacco went down in the first quarter, hit hard after hitting Marquise Goodwin on a 7-yard TD strike. In came Easton Stick for his first action. The untested QB went 15 of 28 and helped San Antonio even the game at 21 in the final minute, but in overtime it was Ohio that got the chance to end the game on a long Robbie Gould FG attempt and their kicker came through with the 48-yard attempt. For Ohio the star was 3 rd  year receiver Curtis Samuel, who caught 7 balls for 171 yards, including a 71-yard TD in the 3 rd quarter. Christian Hackenberg also found Terry McLaurin for a 33-yard scoring toss as he finished with 313 yards and 2 scores on the day. POTG:  Ohio WR Curtis Samuel: 7 Rec, 171 Yds, 1 TD   Watkins Makes History with 4 Picks in 1 Game You will be forgiven if the name Jaylen Watkins is not one you immediately recognize. The 6-year veteran who played 2 seasons in Jacksonville and three in Oklahoma had only 3 career picks in his first five seasons despite getting significant time at nickel and as a starter. He had some good numbers in other areas, but just was not a big playmaker. Now in his first season with the Oakland Invaders, he was solidly entrenched in the nickel spot, but had only seen limited action, but after this week everyone in the Bay Area and anyone who loves football learned his name.   Watkins came out of nowhere to become Kyler Murray’s worst nightmare. Lined up at various times opposite slot receiver Marqise Lee, tight end Jason Whitten, or taking on Reggie Bush out of the backfield, Watkins made play after play, almost as if he knew what Murray was thinking before Murray did. Watkins picked off Murray 4 times, and we are not talking about tip drill catches, we are talking straight up picks, stepping in front of Bush on one play, wrestling the ball away from Lee on another, and just swooping in before Whitten could react to snag a ball and return it 27 yards for the game-clinching score. Watkins was just a constant nuisance and perhaps Oakland’s primary weapon in the game. Of their 26 points, Watkins accounted for 6 through his interception return, but also accounted for 10 more as the Invaders got a TD and a field goal following Watkins picks. So, instead of a 10-7 score, Watkins helped Oakland walk away with 26 points and a much easier win. Not bad for a player who had a career total of only 3 picks in 5 years.   Newton & Bridgewater Go Big in Week 10 While the results were not the same, Teddy Bridgewater, in Jacksonville’s upset victory over New Jersey, and Cam Newton, in a tough 27-30 loss to the Pittsburgh Maulers, both had themselves dominant performances. Newton did what Cam so often seems to do (often to no avail as the Stallion D gives up too many easy scores), putting the offense on his shoulders and trying to play Superman. Against Pittsburgh he did not attempt a single called run play, but threw the ball 40 times for 445 yards, single-handedly keeping Birmingham in the game against the now 8-2 Maulers. With rookie Henry Ruggs out, it was Robbie Anderson catching 7 for 132 and a score, TE Hunter Henry catching 2 Newton TD tosses, and Dontrell Inman catching 4 for 96 yards as Newton stayed in the pocket and just torched the Mauler secondary all game long. A bit of a different story for the Bulls, who most consider to have one of the weakest receiver groups in the league. Against the Generals, who turned up the pressure, sacking Bridgewater 4 times, the Bulls’ QB completed only 20 of 33 passing, but those 20 went for 406 yards as Teddy B. threw to 9 different receivers, including a season best 5 catches for TE Gavin Escobar. Halfback Devin Singletary came up big with his 5 catches, turning short throws into long gainersin including a 60-yard TD scamper that boosted him to 129 total yards. Rookie Tee Higgins had 4 for 81 yards, and QB-turned-TE Taysom Hill had a couple of nice grabs too. But what was most eye-catching in the game was that almost every time New Jersey looked to be lining up for another sack, Bridgewater made someone miss and then found a man open to turn a lost down into a solid gainer. The Bulls have a lot of issues, but Bridgewater has proven he can play well at the position, putting up a 90.4 QB rating last year (with 22 TDs) and this hear he has increased his yards per game and is again proving he can be a very effective passer. We knew Newton could play, and with 2,900 yards and 24 TDs already this season he is absolutely not the reason the Stallions are mired at 2-8. If they could just play any semblance of defense, or run the ball at all with their backs, they could finally stop wasting his talents, but for now it is another season of amazing individual performances and team losses.   Boller gets W for Monarchs in Upset QB Kyle Boller had not started a game since 2017 in St. Louis, and had not been a regular, named starter since his last year in Birmingham back in 2010, but the 15-year veteran got the call this week, with Coach Vance Joseph looking for anything to spark the dormant Charlotte offense, and while Boller’s numbers were nothing that would blow anyone away (19 of 29 for 181 yards, 1 TD, and 0 picks), he did for Charlotte what Mitch Trubisky had not been able to do in the past month, get a win. The upset win over Baltimore not only broke the Monarchs’ 4 game losing streak, but in scoring 26 points, the Monarch offense had their highest point total since a 34-31 Week 4 loss to Jacksonville.   Boller will remain under center this week when Charlotte faces a very tough challenge in division rival Atlanta, and while he is clearly a “placekeeper” QB, the real mystery is what the Monarchs will do in 2021. Many fans want them to go all out to try to land Clemson star QB Trevor Lawrence, but the rights to Lawrence belong to the Jacksonville Bulls and odds are they do not want to trade those rights to any team in their division, so Charlotte may have to look elsewhere if they want to add a new arm to their offense next season. For now, the arm in question is Kyle Boller, who hopes to write a nice bookend season into his career as a USFL starter.   Last Second Deal Sends Alexander to Seattle Talk about a last second deal. The Trade Deadline was due to hit at 5pm ET on Friday and a 4:47 a deal was called into New York, a deal sending Stars’ cornerback Jaire Alexander out to Seattle (Well, to Arizona, literally, but you get the idea). Seattle went back and forth with the Stars for the better part of a week, not wanting to give up too much, but eventually settled on a 3 rd round draft pick in 2021 and a 5 th  in 2022. The move helps Seattle deal with season-ending injury to Desmond Truffant, as the 5-5 Dragons hope to make yet another late season run to the playoffs. For Philadelphia, the move means their secondary is weakened just a bit more, but that they have 2 additional draft picks to start a rebuild under their new head coach (when one is chosen). The Stars adjusted to the move in time for their game against Tampa Bay by calling up 21-year old Russel Galvin from the practice squad. Seattle did not start Alexander against Oklahoma, but we should expect to see him sharing time with Darnay Holmes at nickel and possibly opposite Richard Sherman in early downs as well.   Stars to Start Lindley Philadelphia made another move this week, with interim Head Coach Don Smith finally making the move that Philly fans have been crying for since early in 2019, opting to bench QB Matt Gutierrez. The new starter will be former Invader Ryan Lindley, brought over in trade just a few weeks ago. Lindley, who had only 2 starts in 2018 and none in 2019, will get his chance to make an impression on the Stars’ organization this week, when Philadelphia takes on New England. Philadelphia, sitting at 1-9, is clearly looking to make some major changes for 2021, and it seems ownership wanted to see if they had anything in Lindley. The San Diego State product, drafted out of college by the Tampa Bay Bandits back in 2012, has never had more than 7 starts in any season, and really only had that many in 2017 because of an injury to Invader QB Joey Harrington. Over his 8 USFL seasons, he has thrown for 16 TDs and 13 picks, completed 64.6% of his passes and has a career QB Rating of 82.9, which, in all honesty, is pretty solid for a career backup, and certainly higher than Matt Gutierrez’s current 2020 rating as well as his 71.1 rating for 2019. Is Lindley a long-term solution? Not likely. He will have at least a few weeks, however, to lock himself onto the roster for the next year or two, and, who knows, if he outperforms expectations maybe he even gets a shot to compete for the position in 2021. Stranger things have happened.   Flacco to Miss 2-3 Weeks with Back Injury Our last QB story this week is not the kind anyone wants to see, a QB getting knocked out of a game and out of play for at least a pair of weeks. It could have been worse, but the injury to Gunslingers’ QB Joe Flacco looked awfully nasty, with him needing help from 2 players to reach the sideline. The good news was that there was no damage to Flacco’s spine, but the bad news is that the muscular damage will take some time to heal, meaning Flacco will miss between 2-4 weeks in recovery. That leaves the offense of the 1-9 expansion Gunslingers to untested 2019 rookie Easton Stick. Stick was drafted by the Michigan Panthers after a solid pair of seasons at North Dakota State, where he took over when NFL QB Carson Wentz left for the pros. He now takes over the expansion San Antonio offense, with career backup Chad Kelly backing him up. Expect San Antonio to rely a bit more on their HB duo of 36-year-old Marshawn Lynch and former Gambler C. J. Prosise as they try to take pressure off the young QB. The Lynch-Prosise combo has already proven to be a solid option, with the two combining for 1,071 yards already this year (Lynch at 599 and Prosise at 472). Easton will also have some targets to look to, including team receiving leader Brandon LaFell, TE Julius Thomas, and speedster Marquise Goodwin. It’s a chance to show something, safe in the knowledge that the job will belong to Joe Flacco as soon as the veteran is healthy and can return to action.   Way too soon for anyone to be clinching a playoff spot, though certainly the unbeaten Wranglers and Bandits are sitting pretty atop their respective conferences. Looking at the playoff standings with 6 weeks left in the season, they each have large leads over the 2 nd  best record in their conference, with Atlanta at 8-2 in the East and Michigan and Pittsburgh also at 8-2 in the West. Right now 6 wins is the requirement to make the cut, though that does not help LA, who loses the tiebreaker with Oakland at 6-4 each. Still plenty of time for the 5-5 teams to make a run, and don’t count out teams with 4 wins, which right now includes an improving Jacksonville squad as well as both Denver and Oklahoma in the SW Division. Plenty of games yet to be played and plenty of changing likely to come to this list as we move into the season’s final 6 weeks. Two quarterbacks will be out in Week 11, San Antonio’s Joe Flacco, who we reported on just now, and Las Vegas’s Matt McGloin, who suffered a concussion in the Viper game against Denver. We are fortunate that we have no new IR addittions and very few new injuries, though the Covid-19 list this week is quite long and features a few key players that will be missed, including, for a 2 nd week, New Orleans’ WR Justin Jefferson and Baltimore TE C. j. Uzomah.   OUT OT     Isaiah Wynn       ORL        Collarbone           2-4 Weeks QB         Joe Flacco          SAN       Back                     1-2 Weeks LB           Tremaine Edwards     WSH    Elbow                      1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL QB         Matt McGloin                  LV           Concussion DE          Bud Dupree                    ARZ         Turf Toe   QUESTIONABLE C             Max Tuerk                     LA         Pinched Nerve WR         Stevie Johnson             STL          Hamstring SS           Eric Berry                       LV             Ankle LB           Pat Angerer                   HOU       Hip   COVID-19 INACTIVES BAL        LB           Jarvis Jones BAL        TE           C. J. Uzomah             2 nd Week DEN      SS           Marqui Christian JAX         OG       Chadwick Hodges          2 nd  Week MGN     FB          Adam Griffith NOR      WR         Justin Jefferson         2 nd Week OHI       OG         Brandon Brooks SEA        OT          Terron Armstead             2 nd  Week TBY        SS           Derwin James                    USFL Looks To Move Summer Bowl to Las Vegas News out of New York, and exactly the news that folks in Charlotte did not want to hear. With the North Carolina state legislature dragging their heels on efforts to bring fans back to stadiums during the Covid-19 pandemic, the USFL has clearly looked for other options for Summer Bowl 2020. The easiest option is to return to the site of SB19, which is Las Vegas’s Wynn Arena. This week the USFL announced that if Nevada produces a limited capacity option for attendance at the game, they will relocate the Summer Bowl from Charlotte to Las Vegas.   The move makes a lot of sense. Having hosted the event with a full stadium last year, the infrastructure in Las Vegas is tested and the league can be confident that their championship game will be well-supported. There were questions in Charlotte all spring, and now, with issues of capacity as well as a non-hub location requiring a lot of potential new arrangements, Las Vegas seems a good option. All that is missing is the possibility of adding fans to the mix. As we reported last week, Texas and Florida have already approved plans for 25% capacity, and now, with casinos suffering and the entire Las Vegas economy in rough shape, the prospect of a major event like the Summer Bowl, even if fan attendance is capped at 25% capacity, is a very enticing option for the city and the state. If they can get a deal done, the USFL has basically offered them a chance to restart their local economy. For Charlotte it is a bad deal all around, but for the league and for Las Vegas it could be the perfect compromise.   Top Draft Candidates: Defense In what is a very strong offensive draft pool, there are still some prospects on the defensive side who have USFL scouts very interested. As these players prepare for what could be a very odd final season of college ball, perhaps as bizarre as the empty-stadium USFL games have been this summer, there are plenty of eyes on each of them, scouts looking for a touch of magic, a hint of possibility, or a sign that there is something special in their potential. We may be several months away from the USFL and NFL drafts, but with a shortened 2020-2021 USFL offseason anticipated, scouting will be a very intense process this year and finding players with both talent and drive will be a key to success next year. So, who are the 10 players getting the most hype as we prepare for the 2020 college season? Here are the names we are hearing a lot about this summer.   DE Payton Turner (Houston) A 3-year starter for the Cougars, Turner has proven he can play the run and also be an effective pass rusher. He has a nice combo of size (6’6”, 35” arm length) and speed (4.31 shuttle), he projects as either an edge rusher in a 4-3, or possibly an OLB in a 3-4. The Gamblers will have the option to draft him with a territorial pick.   DE Gregory Rousseau (Miami) Rousseau lost the 2018 season to an injury, started 2019 as a backup, but took over as the startermidway through the year for the Hurricanes. He recorded an impressive 15.5 sacks in that comeback season, 2 nd in the nation. If he can repeat that kind of performance in his final year, he could be the top DE taken.   DE Odafe Oweh (Penn State) At only 257 last year at Penn State, Oweh may need to add some bulk this year if he wants to project as a hand-on-the-ground DE, but he could also project as a strong side linebacker for a 3-4 team. In 2019 he played in all 13 games for the Nittany Lions, recording 5 sacks. Scouts like his combination of power moves and speed shifts, but he is something of a tweener right now.   DE Kwity Paye (Michigan) Bigger and stockier than the other edge men expected to come out this year, Paye is more of a bull rusher and a run stuffer than a speed guy. He is not slow, not by any stretch, having clocked a 4.52 in the 40, but his biggest asset is his tenacity and drive on the ball.   LB Micah Parsons (Penn State) A disruptive force at Penn State, Parsons could well be the first defensive player off the board in the NFL draft, and we don’t think he even makes it to the open draft in the USFL, because the Stars need a player with his aggressiveness and ability to make plays. We think they start wooing him early and often to try to land the Nittany Lion linebacker, but that will depend on who their new coach is as of October.   LB Zaven Collins (Tulsa) Unprotected by any team in the T-Draft, Collins could be a very early USFL pick in their Open Draft. At Tulsa, Collins had 97 tackles for the Golden Hurricanes in 2019, and is expected to be the focal point of their defense in 2020 as well. We see Collins as an outside backer in the USFL simply because of his speed and range.   LB Jamin Davis (Kentucky) A big hitter and a solid coverage linebacker, that is the story on Davis, who only saw action in 8 games last year. He steps into a full-time position for 2020 and a lot will be expected of him. If he can prove that he can hold up over the full season, he too could be a prospect for both leagues.   CB Jaycee Horn (South Carolina) The 6', 205 lb corner from the Gamecocks is a 3-year starter with good ball skills and the height to compete for 50/50 throws. He is not the fastest corner coming out this year, but with three seasons under his belt in Columbia, he is the most seasoned. CB Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) The son of a former NFL star, who also coached him in high school, Surtain has been a playmaker at Alabama, where he started 12 games as a true freshman. Since then he has only improved, and now, with 1 year left, he is seen by many as the best man coverage corner in the draft. CB Caleb Farley (Va Tech) Of the corners in this year's draft, Farley may have the best hands, which is not surprising for a player who arrived at Virginia Tech as a wideout. He was injured (ACL) in 2017 and when he came back he was converted to the defense, where he made All-ACC in 2019 with 4 interceptions and 20 tackles. He is expected to improve on those numbers this year ahead of the draft.    Eight division games and some nice inter-divisional matchups await us in Week 11. We start with a battle for 1 st  place in the Northeast as Baltimore and New Jersey battle in Orlando. Also on the docket on Friday we have the 6-4 Gamblers trying to catch up to Memphis at 7-3 as the two face off in a Southern Division clash.   Saturday has Michigan taking on Ohio, Jacksonville potentially getting in the mix as they face Orlando, and Birmingham vs. San Antonio in the South, but the biggest game may be the battle of 5-5 squads at State Farm Stadium when the Dragons and Roughnecks both clash with a winning record going to the victor.   Sunday has some intriguing inter-divisional games, including 4-6 Denver vs. 6-4 Los Angeles, 4-6 Oklahoma taking on 6-4 Portland, and, the week’s finale, with 7-3 New Orleans facing 8-2 Pittsburgh from TDECU Park in Houston.   FRIDAY 8pm ET                Baltimore (6-4) @ New Jersey (5-5)           Orlando          NBC 8pm ET                Arizona (10-0) @ San Diego (2-8)                  Las Vegas         ABC 9pm ET                Houston (6-4) @ Memphis (7-3)                    TDECU                 ESPN/EFN   SATURDAY 1pm ET                Michigan (8-2) @ Ohio (3-7)                        NRG                      ABC 4pm ET                Dallas (5-5) @ Seattle (5-5)                             Glendale            FOX 4pm ET                Las Vegas (2-8) @ Oakland (6-4)                    Las Vegas           ABC 8pm ET                Jacksonville (4-6) @ Orlando (5-5)                  Gainesville        NBC 8pm ET                Washington (5-5) @ Tampa Bay (10-0)         Tampa                    FOX 9pm ET                Birmingham (2-8) @ San Antonio (1-9)          Rice                      ESPN/EFN   SUNDAY 1pm ET                Chicago (7-3) @ St. Louis (1-9)                      NRG                      FOX 4pm ET                Denver (4-6) @ Los Angeles (6-4)                 Glendale            ABC 4pm ET                Oklahoma (4-6) @ Portland (6-4)                   Las Vegas           FOX 8pm ET                New England (3-7) @ Philadelphia (1-9)         Orlando               ABC 8pm ET                Atlanta (8-2) @ Charlotte (3-7)                       Tampa                  FOX 9pm ET                New Orleans (7-3) @ Pittsburgh (8-2)          TDECU                 ESPN/EFN

We kick off the 2 nd  half of the season with some huge games to recap and some big performances, not the least of which was Justin Herbert’s 4-TD game against Oakland. Herbert is now 3-0 in his first three starts and has Roughneck Nation ready to roll. We also saw big wins from the Panthers, Breakers, Stags, Fire, and Machine as they took control early in their games and cruised to victory. Things were not so easy for Arizona or for Washington as the two avoided a big upset. We also had some overtime results, which are always fun to catch. We will break down all the action and take a look at Jalen Hurts’ first action in Oklahoma as well as Herbert’s big day. It’s all happening right here on “This Week in the USFL”.   Herbert Improves to 3-0 with Best Game Yet Put Justin Herbert on stage, because this man knows how to make an entrance. In his three starts for the Dallas Roughnecks, the former Oregon signal caller has not only gone 3-0, but has emerged as the breakout star of the season and possibly a late-blooming ROTY favorite. What is more, he seems to get better with each game, something that has to worry Southwest Division rivals as they watch him grow into the pro game.   Herbert’s first outing was somewhat pedestrian, though he did get the Renegades a win over division foe Denver: 21 of 30 for only 192 yards and no TDs. In his 2 nd start, this time against San Diego, he improved to 249 yards and got his first TD. This week, against the favored Oakland Invaders, he had his best outing yet, completing 19 of 29 passes for 317 yards and 4 touchdowns. It was a thing of beauty, watching Herbert move within the pocket, sprint out of danger, and still find receivers downfield. He seems to have built a real rapport, particularly with NFL castoff Sammy Watkins, who 20 receptions in only 3 games with Herbert at QB, including two 100-yard games.  It is all smiles for the Roughneck's rookie QB. Coach Kingsbury is not shy about praising his young QB, stating that Herbert “sees like a veteran, reacts like a pro, and makes plays like a future first team All-USFL player, and he has only been in three games so far.”  Herbert’s success is certainly good news for Kingsbury, who struggled to 3-13 in his first season in Dallas, improved to 6-10 last year, and now is eyeing a possible playoff spot after a 2-4 start. His young QB is helping the Roughnecks reimagine who they are and what they are capable of. We are seeing this in other aspects of the game as well, with the Dallas defense now less concerned about holding leads and shortening games, they are playing more aggressively, and that has helped them keep both San Diego and Oakland below 14 points the past two weeks. The run game is still hit or miss, but Dallas is feeling like they can win games that otherwise would have gotten away from them in the past, and that confidence in themselves is about the most valuable thing a QB can bring to a team.   We will see how big the Herbert Effect is over the next 4 weeks as the Roughnecks have a huge test this week, facing off against the unbeaten Arizona Wranglers. They follow that up with a very feisty Seattle team, then rival Oklahoma, and finally a tough outing against another upstart team, the Portland Stags. While we cannot expect Dallas to go 4-0 in that run of games, folks in Big D are feeling like a 3-1 run could be more than enough to put them into playoff contention with 3 winable games left to round out the schedule. They are buying into Herbert’s early career success, and buying up jerseys with his number 10 on them as well. Looks like the Roughnecks have themselves a star, and one who is producing both wins and excitement in a city long dominated by the NFL Cowboys.   NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS 20   BALTIMORE BLITZ 22 The New England Steamrollers may have only 2 wins in their inaugural season, but Coach Fox’s team has proven to be a tough out each and every week, something the Blitz discovered this week as they were nearly sent to overtime to get the win. New England got 2 TDs from HB Kerwynn Williams, the former Blitz player taken by New England in the expansion draft, and the defense picked off Jake Locker twice to keep it close. In the end it came down to a 2-point conversion and a skin of their teeth escape for the NE Division leaders.   The Steamrollers came out of the gate with a scripted first drive that took advantage of Baltimore’s defensive aggressiveness, using misdirection to force Baltimore to slow down their pursuit. They dinked and dunked their way down the field before Williams got his first big play of the game, taking a pitch to the strong side, spinning out of the initial tackle, and scrambling 26 yards to paydirt to give the expansion Steamrollers a 7-0 lead. That lead would hold into the 2 nd  quarter as Jake Locker struggled to get started for Baltimore, completing only 2 passes in 8 attempts in the opening period.   In the 2 nd  quarter, on their third drive, Baltimore finally found some continuity, first thanks to a 13-yard run by Josh Jacobs, followed by a nice pass from Locker to Eli Rogers for 16 that got them a key 3 rd  down conversion, one of only 2 the Blitz would make on the day as New England stuffed them on 10 of 12 attempts. But, with this one in hand, the Blitz drive continued and Locker paid Rogers back with a red zone strike, a 14-yard fade route that evened the score at 7.   But, tenacious as always, New England responded with a 2 nd  scoring drive. Again it was Williams putting the ball in the endzone, this time from 5 yards out, as the tailback reveled in playing the team that left him unprotected in the expansion draft. Baltimore would add two field goals to finish out the half, but went into the break trailing 14-13 to the expansion Steamrollers. They would come out n the 2 nd  half hoping to establish themselves as the better team, but their opening drive ended with a pick of Jake Locker as SS Jaiquawn Jarrett stepped in front of a ball intended for rookie Michael Pittman Jr.   New England could not capitalize on the takeaway, with Ryan Tannehill turning the ball right back to Baltimore 4 plays later, one of 3 picks the former NFL quarterback would throw in a rough 2 nd  half. Baltimore would also fail to score after the takeaway, but on their next possession, after a 3-and-out produced by the defense, they would take a slow and steady approach, moving the ball down the field without once facing a 3 rd  down, and, after a pass interference call in the endzone on a play that took away a TD from TE C. J. Uzomah, they had the ball at the 1. The Blitz faked the dive play and with Jake Locker rolling to his right, he found Michael Pittman Jr. for a 1-yard TD toss to take their first lead of the day. They went for 2 to produce a 7-point lead, but failed in the effort, producing a 19-14 advantage.   The 3 rd  quarter ended with that same score, but just as the 4 th quarter began, Baltimore was again in scoring range. A nice play by New England LB Junior Galette prevented Baltimore from converting on 3 rd  and 5, and they were forced to settle for a 25-yard chip shot from kicker Josh Lambo to take a 22-14 lead. That still left New England within 1 score, and the Steamrollers proceeded to push towards an equalizer throughout the quarter.   On their first drive after Baltimore’s field goal, they got into range for kicker Brett Maher, but, with Maher having already missed on 2 attempts (a 51 yarder and a 48-yarder) they opted to go for a 4 th  and 2 from the Baltimore 33 rather than attempt another long kick. Ryan Tannehill wanted to hit Dennis Pitta with a short out route, but LB Brandon Jenkins was there, crashing into Pitta just as the ball arrived. Coach Fox pushed for a DPI call, but the refs saw nothing wrong with the contact. Replay showed that Jenkins’ timing was perfect, hitting Pitta just as the ball arrived. The ball went back to the Blitz.   New England would get the ball back with 3:37 left on the clock, following a missed 48-yard kick by Josh Lambo. Still down 8, a single drive could equalize the score and send the game to overtime. Starting with the ball on their own 38, the Steamrollers mixed a draw to Matt Forte with several short passes to get into Baltimore territory. On a 1 st  and 10 from the Baltimore 36, Tannehill hit his longest pass of the day, and the only reception for former Machine wideout Will Fuller. Fuller got lost in the zone coverage and was wide open along the sideline for 29 yards, putting the ball at the 7 before getting knocked out of bounds. With 1:46 left on the clock, the Steamrollers had time to put the ball in the endzone without worrying about the clock. They would need only 1 play to do so. Ryan Tannehill found Zay Jones along the back of the endzone, floated the ball perfectly over the linebacker and pulled New England to within a conversion at 22-20. It would all come down to a 2-point try from the 2 yard line.   The play call was for Tannehill to fake the ball to Williams, who had already scored twice on the day, to roll to his right and find either TE Dennis Pitta at the front of the endzone or WR Zay Jones behind him. But the call was an instant disaster as Baltimore DE Da’Quan Bowers eluded the block of the right tackle and was in Tannehill’s face before either receiver had broken out of the cluster of defenders in the middle of the field. Tannehill desperately launched the ball towards the back corner of the endzone, but Jones could not reach it and the 2-point try failed, retaining Baltimore’s lead at 2 points.   New England attempted the onside kick, but it was comfortably recovered by Baltimore’s Troymaine Pope. The Blitz only needed to secure on first down to burn New England’s last time out and kneel down for the win. They ran Josh Jacobs on both first and second down, and with a nice second effort, Jacobs’s second carry went for 6 and gave the Blitz the 1 st  down they needed. Two kneels later the Blitz let out a collective sigh of relief, moving to 5-4 and escaping a very tough match with a very tenacious expansion club.   WASHINGTON 20  PHILADELPHIA 19 Philadelphia was putting the Federals to the test on Friday, playing well on defense and building up a 9-point lead through three quarters, but the Federals put the pieces together in the final period, scoring 10 unanswered to capture a 1-point win. The game was not decided until the final minute, as the Feds, down 6, marched down field, with Nassib hitting Keenan Allen to tie the game and Adam Vinatieri’s extra point giving Washington the W with only 22 seconds left to play. POTG:  Washington QB Ryan Nassib: 33/43, 330 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int   DENVER 20   ARIZONA 26 Denver also proved they were not going to roll over for a higher-ranked team, battling with the Wranglers every step of the way. With Lindsay and Ward combining for 122 yards and Josh Allen completing 19 of 24 throws, Denver made it tough on the Wranglers, but in the end Arizona did just enough to break a 20-20 deadlock, putting up 2 late field goals to claim victory. Denver’s D held David Carr to only 187 yards passing, but the combo of Carey and Crowell picked up the slack with 121 yards on the ground to help Arizona stay unbeaten. POTG:  Wrangler HB Ka’Deem Carey: 15 Att, 94 Yds, 1 TD   MICHIGAN 35  HOUSTON 10 The Houston offense struggled to break down that tough Panther D while the Gambler D simply had no answers for LeVeon Bell, who added 59 yards receiving to his 101-yard, 2-TD performance on the ground. Michigan scored the first 21 points of the game and never felt threatened by the Panthers as they cruise to a 7 th victory on the season. Bell was the driving force, but Kirk Cousins also came up big, throwing for 3 scores while completing 19 of 20 passing, a stunning 95% of his throws. POTG:  LeVeon Bell: 18 Att, 101 Yds, 2 TD, 4 Rec, 59 Yds   SAN ANTONIO 10   NEW ORLEANS 34 With San Antonio locking down the combo of Nelson and Jefferson, QB Geno Smith had to look elsewhere, and he did just that, with Tyler Lockett racking up 125 yards and a TD, Reuben Randle, returning from injury for 63 yards on 4 catches and Coby Fleener again proving to be a tough target to hold down. It was not the passing game we are used to from the Breakers, but it was equally as effective, proving just how deep their receiver room is. POTG:  Breaker WR Tyler Lockett: 4 Rec, 125 Yds, 1 TD   OKLAHOMA 17  LAS VEGAS 7 Mason Rudolph got the start, but injured his ankle, leading to the first regular season snaps for rookie Jalen Hurts. Hurts would go 4 of 11 for 97 yards, but was sacked 3 times. Rudolph had the lone passing TD in the game, connecting with DeDe Westbrook in the first, but Hurts led the Outlaws to their 2 nd score, a DeeJay Dallas TD run to build up a 14-0 lead. Las Vegas got back 7 on a Kareem Hunt run, but were largely ineffective on offense all game as Oklahoma improves to 4-5. POTG:  Oklahoma HB Justice Hill: 12 Att, 89 Yds   SEATTLE 27  SAN DIEGO 21  OVERTIME San Diego finally showed they could run the ball, with Ryan Williams going for 148 yards and 2 TDs, but it was not enough as Brett Hundley made his case to remain the starter in Seattle by throwing for 286 yards and 4 touchdowns to pull the Dragons within 1 game of .500. TE Kyle Rudolph caught two of those TD tosses, including the game winner in overtime as Seattle sent the Thunder to 1-8 on the year. POTG:  Seattle QB Brett Hundley: 25/49, 286 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   CHARLOTTE 17   NEW JERSEY 23  OVERTIME The Monarchs put up quite a fight as well, using a Nyheim Hines TD in the 4 th to send the game to overtime, but in the extra period Maurice Jones-Drew scored his second TD of the day, a walk-off game winner. Nick Foles did start but struggled to 28 of 43, relying on MJD to help keep the offense moving. In a game where both teams seemed to want to shorten the action with their run games, we ended up in overtime before a winner was decided. POTG:  Generals’ LB Rey Maualaga: 10 Tck, 2 TFL   TAMPA BAY 23  ORLANDO 10 Orlando put up the first points of the game, but that was followed by a 20-0 run by the Bandits and, down 20-3 at the half, the Renegades never recovered. The Orlando D did a great job on Dak Prescott, holding the Bandit QB to only 182 yards passing with one lone TD, but the Bandit D was equally as stingy, picking off Russell Wilson 4 different times, including twice in the red zone as the Bandits stay unbeaten and knock Orlando back to 5-4 in the Southeast. POTG:  Bandit CB Xavier Woods: 3 Tck, 2 PDef, 2 Int   MEMPHIS 37  BIRMINGHAM 20 Birmingham scored on all 3 first quarter possessions to take a 17-7 lead, but Memphis put up 20 unanswered to reclaim the lead and never relinquished it after that. A pick-six from Memphis CB Rashaan Gaulden sealed the win late as Memphis outscored Birmingham 37-3 in the final 3 quarters, picking off Cam Newton 3 times and holding him without a rushing TD despite 61 yards rushing. POTG:  Memphis QB Paxton Lynch: 26/34, 294 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   ST. LOUIS 17   PITTSBURGH 24 Interim HC Dave Borgonzi did what St. Louis fans have clamored for all season, he let Lamar play with his feet, and it paid off, with Lamar Jackson rushing for 90 yards on only 10 attempts. The strategy worked, helping St. Louis stay in a game when their passing game was just not working (136 yards in the air) and David Montgomery was churning out only 3.2 yards per carry. But, in the end it was not enough as Pittsburgh started spying Jackson with safety Tyvon Branch in the 2 nd  half, and got a late Dalton to Thielen TD to take the win and retain a share of 1 st  place in the Central Division. POTG:  Mauler WR Adam Thielen: 5 Rec, 112 Yds, 2 TD   OAKLAND 13   DALLAS 33 As we reported in our Big Story, it was a Coming Out party for Justin Herbert as he shredded the vaunted Oakland defense for 317 yards and 4 touchdowns, helping Dallas move over .500 and winning his 3 rd  game in 3 attempts. Herebert got help from WRs Sammy Watkins and Tim Wright who did a great job of coming back to their QB when he was flushed from the pocket, giving him targets when he needed them most. The Dallas defense also looked very focused, holding Christian McCaffrey to only 52 yards rushing and blanketing receivers, forcing Tom Brady into an uncharacteristic 14 of 31 passing. POTG: Roughneck QB Justin Herbert: 19/29, 317 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   PORTLAND 30  LOS ANGELES 12 The Stags get the sweep of LA, helping them step into a 1 st  place tie in the Pacific. They did it with defense this time as LA did a much better job of containing Marcus Mariota and the Stag passing game. Kyler Murray completed only 45.5% of his throws (15 of 33) against the Stag zones, while Reggie Bush was held to only 66 yards rushing. The Stag offense was well balanced, with scores from WR Brandin Cooks, and both Doug Martin and Taravares Cadet on the ground as Portland moves to 6-3. Marcus Mariota survived 8 sacks, avoided turnovers and got our POTG for his tenacity and his 94.4% completion rate against intense pressure. POTG:  Stag QB Marcus Mariota: 17/18, 210 Yds, 1 Td, 0 Int.   JACKSONVILLE 16   ATLANTA 36 The Atlanta Fire offense just keeps making believers out of us all, with Aaron Murray going 31 of 43 for 267 yards and 4 TDs against the Bulls. Nick Chubb and Kenyan Drake combined for 125 on the ground, with Chubb also nabbing one of Murray’s 4 TD tosses. The Bulls struggled to get any ground game going, with Devin Singletary managing just 16 yards on 9 carries. That put all the pressure on Teddy Bridgewater, who threw for 242 and both Bull touchdowns, but it was far too little against the Fire’s offensive output. POTG:  Fire QB Aaron Murray: 31/43, 267 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   OHIO 10   CHICAGO 41 Chicago continues to impress on both sides of the ball. Ohio put up the first 3 points of the game, but that was followed by 21 unanswered from the Machine, who simply just cranking out scores. Both teams were similar in total yardage, 323 for Ohio, 332 for Chicago, but while Ohio struggled to turn drives into scores, Chicago had no such difficulty, scoring on 7 of 9 possessions to blow out their division rival. POTG:  Chicago HB Jeremy Hill: 9 Att, 94 Yds, 2 TD   Three Way Trade Moves 3 Players, 4 Picks Another week, another big trade as teams try to address issues, improve key aspects of their teams, and make a push towards the playoffs. This week it is a 3-way trade that has our attention as the Generals and Stallions both try to address some defensive woes while San Diego gets some help for their failing run game. All in all we see three starters now with new addresses (across 3 different hubs) and 4 picks shuffled among the three teams. Here is how the deal breaks down:   New Jersey The Generals move CB Devin McCourty to Birmingham to help the undermanned secondary of the Stallions, while they also provide two sixth-round picks to the San Diego Thunder, one this year and one next year. In return, they acquire a 4 th  round pick from the Stallions and a much needed boost to their pass rush in the form of Thunder DE Kony Ealy. The 6-year vet will slot in on the right side, opposite Vic Beasley, and allowing rookie Yetur Gross-Matos to recover from injury and take on the swing DE position.   Birmingham As cited above, the Stallions pick up much needed DB help by landing Devin McCourty from New Jersey. They also add a 5 th round pick from the Thunder to help replace the 4 they sent to New Jersey. Their contribution to the player swap is RT Jonah Williams, who was splitting time with Greg Robinson and now will slot into the starting lineup for San Diego. McCourty will immediately be paired with starter Dwayne Gratz, and could well be lined up against each opposing team’s best receiver, having proven himself in several seasons with New Jersey.   San Diego The Thunder needed help on the O-line and they think they have found it in Stallion RT Jonah Williams. The big bulldozer of a tackle will line up next to Spencer Long, producing what the Thunder hope is a great caravan behind which their backs can find room to run. They give up a lot in DE Kony Ealy, which means that they will now be rotating both Takkarist McKinley and Sen’Drick Marks into the RE position opposite Jonathan Newsome. But, with one of the league’s worst run games, and scoring only 11.9 points per game, the Thunder felt they simply had to make a deal to improve the line and give their offense a chance at balance.   Jalen Hurts Sees First Action in Outlaw Win over Vipers Outlaw fans have been wondering when they might see Jalen Hurts, and while they were hoping he would get a start, they got their wish thanks to injury this week. When Rudolph turned an ankle, leading to what has now been diagnosed as a stress fracture (1-2 weeks of recovery), it brought Hurts to the field. In his 2 nd possession, Hurts demonstrated what he can bring to the Outlaws, escaping pressure from Las Vegas DE Matthew Judon, scrambling to the sideline and connecting with TE Mark Andrewsfor an 11-yard gain. He would help Oklahoma take a 14-0 lead by driving the Outlaws into the red zone and setting up a DeeJay Dallas TD run. The rest of the game, Coach Stoops asked little of Hurts, who finished the game with only 11 pass attempts, completing 5.   But, now, with Rudolph sidelined for at least the next 2 weeks, fans of the Outlaws will get their chance to see if Hurts can provide the same kind of offensive production that they saw in his one year at OU. The young QB will be getting plenty of reps with the starters this week as Oklahoma prepares to take on Seattle in a battle of 4-5 clubs hoping to reach .500. Expect Coach Stoops to pull some bootlegs and misdirection plays out for Hurts, who is a more mobile option than Rudolph, but also expect Stoops to test out Hurts’s ability to read defenses and deliver balls from the pocket. Consider this a 2-3 week try-out for Hurts as the Outlaws look at their 2 young QBs and decide if either is a clear franchise option for the next half decade or longer.   Hundley Says Seattle Job is His, Puts up 400 on San Diego When Brett Hundley was signed as a free agent, having been let go by the New Jersey Generals, he was signed by Seattle on a flier, a potential backup for Jacoby Brissett and a player who could run a similar offense to their established starter. But in the two years since then, Brissett has had trouble staying healthy, missing 2 games in 2019 and now out for the season this year. With a chance to start, Hundley has taken it upon himself to use this time to prove that he should be the man in Seattle. In 8 starts this season, he has thrown for over 2,200 yards, has a 3:1 TD:INT ratio (12 scores to 3 picks) and has helped Seattle stay in the hunt with a 4-5 record. It has not always been pretty, but Hundley has produced some good results, particularly the past three weeks, when the former General has thrown for 329, 433, and 286 yards with 8 TDs, including 4 this week against the Thunder.   Coach Riley has been non-committal about his QB situation after this year, but Hundley is clearly taking that to mean that the job is open for competition, and he is using the games this year to make his case. Hundley and recent Chicago acquisition Trevor Siemian both have 2 years left on their deal, while Brissett has 3 remaining. That could favor Hundley as Brissett’s contract is favorable for a possible trade, and with his season-ending injury, the Dragons could decide that the time for change is now, but, of course, that all depends on Hundley’s ability to prove his worth. So far he is making a good case, and if he can deliver enough wins for another playoff run, well, he could well be sitting pretty atop the depth chart by next March.   Monarchs to Start Boller in Week 9 One QB not getting glowing reviews has been Mitch Trubisky of Charlotte. His stats have not been horrible, with an 89.1 QB Rating, and he has gotten his propensity to throw the ball to the wrong team largely under wraps, throwing 6 picks in 9 games this year, but he is also not producing wins or strong offensive output either. The Monarchs currently rank 16 th  in the league at 21 points per game, but they also have the 29 th  ranked passing attack, one of only 3 teams averaging fewer than 200 yards per game. Add to this a 4-game losing streak that has Charlotte sitting at 2-7 and in which the club has not scored above 21 points once and you can see what the issue is.   This offseason the Monarchs acquired longtime backup and 15-year veteran Kyle Boller from the St. Louis Skyhawks, and this week Coach Joseph has decided to see if they may have gotten a steal in the deal. He announced this Tuesday that Boller will get the start as the Monarchs try to avoid a 5 th  consecutive loss as they face the Baltimore Blitz this week. Boller will be given the keys to the car and Coach Joseph wants to see if the veteran can drive it with more efficiency than Trubisky has.   This is a move the fans likely will celebrate, having turned on their starter over the past few interception-plagued seasons. For every eye-opening play that Trubisky has made, there have been equal or perhaps more head scratching decisions, not only leading to the Charlotte QB being the league leader in picks over the past 3 seasons, but also contributing to a slide from 10 wins in 2017 to 9 in 2018 and a 7-8-1 result last year. For many, the QB position has been the primary culprit for the Monarch decline, and while Kyle Boller is hardly making anyone excited about the position, the switch alone indicates that Coach Joseph is open to other alternatives. Some are already saying the move is part of a larger strategy to secure a true franchise option in the draft, with many Monarch fans salivating over the possibility of Charlotte obtaining the rights to Clemson star Trevor Lawrence, who plays just across the state line. For now, however, it is the veteran backup Boller who will get a chance to show us something.   Ruggs to miss 4-6 Weeks with Groin Injury A tough way to potentially end a very promising rookie season, that is what Birmingham WR Henry Ruggs now faces. Ruggs went down awkwardly in the Stallions’ loss to Memphis, grabbing at his posterior. What was first thought to be a hamstring injury was quickly re-diagnosed as a partial tear of the abductor in his groin. That is both a painful injury and a tough one to rehab, which now puts Ruggs on a 4-6 week recovery timeline, but one that could easily cost him the rest of the regular season.   Ruggs, who was 10 th  in the league in receiving yards with 759 yards in 9 games, was well on his way towards a 1,000-yard rookie year. He was also among a short list of players already under consideration for the Rookie of the Year Award, joining Justin Jefferson (more than 100 yards behind him) and QB Justin Herbert. He now could miss the remainder of his first season, not only hurting his ability to grow as an option in the Birmingham offense, but to further develop his rapport with Cam Newton, who had already expressed his respect for the young receiver. It is a tough break for the Stallion offense as well, which had already turned Ruggs into the primary target for Newton. With Ruggs out of the lineup, it will be Dontrelle Inman stepping into the lead receiver role, with NFL import Robbie Anderson likely taking over the 2 nd  position. That is not bad depth, but Anderson is not going to scare corners the way Ruggs has this year, so it is certainly going to require a change of strategy for a Stallion club that is still struggling to win games. Ruggs is not on the IR at present, but we expect that the Stallions will make a call within the next month as they look at his recovery and their own record down the stretch. If they do not see enough improvement in either, his year could be over as a protective action to help him be at his best in 2021. A tough way to end the year for a very promising young talent in the USFL.   We knew the run of light injury weeks would have to come to an end, and while there were no players added to IR this week, we have 10 who are likely to miss at least 1-2 weeks, with some potentially out for the year, including Henry Ruggs, who we discussed earlier, and Oakland CB Brandon Boykin. Pittsburgh will be without Rob Gronkowski, who lasted all of 1 game as a Mauler before getting injured, and several USFL defenses will be without their big hitters as we have several major contributors listed as doubtful this week. Add to this a Covid list that includes standout rookie WR Justin Jefferson and a heck of a lot of interior linemen, and we could have some very odd results in Week 9.   OUT CB          Brandon Boykin        OAK      Broken Leg           6-8 Weeks WR         Henry Ruggs                 BIR         Groin Tear              4-6 Weeks FS           D. J. Swearinger              ORL       Ribs                          4-6 Weeks LB           Shaquille Leonard          CHI        Ankle                       4-6 Weeks FS           Nate Allen                     ARZ       Biceps                     2-4 Weeks LB           Daniel Ellerbe                  OHI       Broken Jaw             1-2 Weeks OT          Levi Brown                       TBY        Thigh Bruise            1-2 Weeks TE           Rob Gronkowski             PIT         Miniscus                   1-2 Weeks WR         Stevie Johnson               STL         Hamstring                1-2 Weeks FS           Jalen Mills                        LA          Hip                           1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB           Manti Te’o                CHI        Thigh Bruise                      DT          Damon Harrison             SD          Stress Fracture LB           DeMeco Ryans                TBY        Arm DE          Bud DuPree                    ARZ       Turf Toe   QUESTIONABLE DT          Cortez Broughton           DEN      Quad DE          Neal Beasley                    HOU     Turf Toe C             Matt Tenant                      BAL        Finger TE           Travis Kelce                     PHI        Hamstring LB           Travis Goethel                 NEN      Hamstring DE          Nick Bosa                         LA          Hand   COVID-19 INACTIVES BAL        TE           C. J. Uzomah     CHA      G            Jonathan Cooper            2 nd Week HOU     G            Jon Asomoah              2 nd  Week JAX         G            Chadwick Hodges JAX         G            Dakota Dozier NEN      HB         T. J. Yeldon                       2 nd  Week NOR      FS           Clyde Adams NOR      WR         Justin Jefferson OHI       C             Cameron Erving PIT         CB          Sean Smith                       2 nd  Week SEA        OT          Terron Armstead   Florida & Texas to Allow 25% Capacity. Will Arizona & Nevada Follow? Prospects are looking up for a USFL playoff run with actual fans in the seats as the state legislatures in both Florida and Texas have approved plans to allow fans in the stands, in both cases at 25% of capacity. The move was largely a nod to the importance of college football in each state, with significant lobbying by schools such as Florida State, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, and the University of Florida, but the vote to allow low-capacity attendance also benefits pro sports, including NFL clubs like Dallas, Miami, and Houston, but also the USFL bubbles in both Houston and various Florida cities.   The Decision means that the USFL could set up playoff matchups in both states with fans able to attend. While the capacity of each stadium will be limited to no more than 25% of available seats, that is enough to change the dynamic of the games in each location. This is great news for fans in the two states, though it seems unlikely that many fans of distant teams like the Michigan Panthers, Baltimore Blitz, or Chicago Machine would be able to make the trip to either Texas or Florid to attend their team’s games. The league is also hoping that the decisions in two of their 4 hub locations will influence the other two states in question, Arizona and Nevada, to allow similar capacity in their facilities, allowing for all USFL playoff games to be played in front of at least 10,000 fans in each stadium. Arizona may be the better option, as they would have open-air stadia as well as State Farm Stadium’s domed option, which may mean we see playoff games at 11pm if domes are a concern. But for now, we can expect that there will be tickets sold for the USFL playoffs, at least in two of the three hub locations.   Day Games Provide Huge Boost to Ratings The USFL’s move to offering day games at NRG Stadium, State Farm Stadium, and Wynn Arena has already paid off for the league. The domed facilities have now been in use for 2 weeks and over those 2 weeks we have seen TV ratings rise nearly 25%, with the afternoon games coming in just under the 8pm kickoffs for total viewership, easily surpassing the results when games from Arizona were held at 11pm eastern time. Comparing, for example, this week’s matchup between Portland and Los Angeles, held at 4pm ET from Las Vegas with the same matchup held at 11pm ET in Week 5, the viewership rose by nearly 850,000 viewers, earning a 2.2 Neilson score, well ahead of the 1.1 score in Week 5. Similar results are being seen across the league, making both the USFL and their broadcast partners much happier campers as we enter the 2 nd  half of the season.   LeBeau Going Nowhere Say Thunder Owners Despite a collapse from 12-4 record and division title in 2019 to 1-8 this year, Coach Dick LeBeau is in no danger of being outsted at the end of 2020. That is the word from the ownership of the San Diego Thunder. Citing LeBeau’s record of success both in Michigan and with the Thunder, leading the relocated club to 4 consecutive playoff appearances, team representatives informed local media that LeBeau’s position with the club was secure. The former Panther coach has 2 more years left on his contract with San Diego, and it seems apparent that ownership is not putting the failures of the 2020 campaign solely on their head coach. Expect some changes, including possible adjustments to the scouting and personnel team as well as some position coaches, but for now it seems that the team is willing to offer 2020 as a Mulligan to their very successful head coach.   Hufnagel Cuts OC Dickenson, Promotes Dorsey. In Denver, a 5-game losing streak has had an impact on the team and a change has been made. Coach Hufnagel announced this week that his OC Dave Dickenson, who came with him from the CFL, has been relieved of duties. Citing concerns about the team’s red zone performance, lack of big play capacity, and struggles with the passing game in general, Coach Hufnagel let long time friend Dickenson go, promoting QB Coach Ken Dorsey to the OC position. Dorsey, who played 6 seasons in the USFL, splitting time with Tampa Bay, Memphis, and Portland after a distinguished career at the University of Miami, becomes the OC after 11 years serving as a QB Coach for 2 USFL clubs.   Dorsey’s task is to both improve offensive efficiency, but also to develop Josh Allen into an effective passer. Allen, who has had some accuracy issues in his first 2 seasons, and who tends to rely heavily on his ability to escape the pocket and run for yards, has tended to force some throws and make some poor choices when pressured, and it will be on Dorsey to turn that risky play into more effective and strategic decisions. Dorsey will also look to revive a run game that now is without former starter DeMarco Murray, traded recently to the Breakers. He will rely on Philip Lindsay as a 3-down back, and will look to establish the threat of the QB run as an alternative, providing more tough decisions by defenders. Will the change be enough to stall a losing streak that has dropped Denver below .500 and into 4 th  place in the SW Division? Only time will tell, but for Dorsey, the move from position coach to OC is a big one, and a chance to show that his USFL background has him well-positioned to design an offensive scheme that aligns with the talent on his roster.   Week 9 is another heavily inter-divisional week, with only 4 divisional matchups on the slate, but that does not mean we don’t have some really interesting matchups. Friday gives us a battle of serious playoff contenders when the Memphis Showboats take on the Chicago Machine on ESPN and the ESPN Football Network. We also have a matchup with major playoff implications from Las Vegas, where the LA Express take on the Oakland Invaders.   On Saturday we kick things off with a biggie at 1pm as New Orleans and Michigan, both 7-2, battle at NRG Stadium in Houston, a premier matchup in the early slot. With a lot of teams under .500 in action on Saturday, that early game is the clear “must see” game of the day. Though, to be fair, an upset is always possible, so don’t sleep on some of the other games.   Then on Sunday we have a few more even matchups, with 4-5 Oklahoma, led now by rookie Jalen Hurts, face off against the Seattle Dragons. Both clubs are at 4-5 and a win is vital as they seek to push towards a playoff spot. We also have Justin Herbert, who is 3-0 as a starter for Dallas, heading into the toughest game of the season so far, as the Roughnecks must take on the 9-0 Arizona Wranglers. The other game we have circled is between the Washington Federals and the Atlanta Fire. Both are outperforming expectations, but it will be a tough test for Washington as they face one of the hottest offenses in the game.   FRIDAY 8pm ET         Philadelphia (1-8) @ Tampa Bay (9-0)        Tampa            NBC 8pm ET           Los Angeles (6-3) @ Oakland (5-4)             Las Vegas       FOX 9pm ET           Memphis (6-3) @ Chicago (7-2)                    TDECU           ESPN/EFN   SATURDAY 1pm ET         New Orleans (7-2) @ Michigan (7-2)              NRG                ABC 4pm ET          Denver (3-6) @ Las Vegas (2-7)                       Glendale         FOX 4pm ET         Portland (6-3) @ San Diego (1-8)                    Las Vegas       ABC 8pm ET           New Jersey (5-4) @ Jacksonville (3-6)             Gainesville     NBC 8pm ET          Baltimore (6-3) @ Charlotte (2-7)                   Tampa             ABC 9pm ET          Birmingham (2-7) @ Pittsburgh (7-2)               Rice                 ESPN/EFN   SUNDAY 1pm ET       Houston (5-4) @ St. Louis (1-8)                       NRG             FOX 4pm ET          Oklahoma (4-5) @ Seattle (4-5)                        Glendale         ABC 4pm ET          Arizona (9-0) @ Dallas (5-4)                               Las Vegas      FOX 8pm ET            Washington (5-4) @ Atlanta (7-2)                    Orlando         ABC 8pm ET           New England (2-7) @ Orlando (5-4)              Tampa            FOX 9pm ET           San Antonio (1-8) @ Ohio (2-7)                         TDECU           ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Rookie QB Justin Herbert is winning a lot of friends in Dallas as he wins his 3rd straight to start his career. This one was special as the Roughneck QB carried the squad as the run game faltered. Herbert completed 19 of 29 for 31 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Roughnecks took care of business against a tough Oakland defense.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: As impressive as Tampa Bay's 52-6 obliteration of Charlotte was, led by Dak Prescott's 4-TD day, we have to give this one to Seattle QB Brett Hundley. Hundley started the season on the bench, but has played well since the injury to Jacoby Brissett. This week, when his team needed a lift, he led them to a big win over the slumping Denver Gold. His day included going 30 for 38 throwing the ball, racking up 433 yards for a career best, and putting 3 TDs on the board, including the game winner.

Welcome to the Midseason Report for a season unlike any others. With all 30 USFL teams living in hotels, restricted by social distancing requirements, and playing every game to empty stadiums, it has been a surreal season, and yet, football is being played, and games are proving to be as dramatic as ever (even when the networks don’t pump in fake crowd noise). We reach the midway point of the season with 2 unbeatens, 2 coaches already let go, and changes to the schedule helping all of us catch more action, whether on network broadcasts or the highly successful streaming format. Fans are finding community online, and teams are finding ways to adapt and succeed.   In this midseason report we will break down all of Week 8’s games, give you our Stories of the Season So Far, provide the 2 nd  Power Rankings review, and highlight each team’s top rookie. It’s all right here, and it kicks off with our BIG STORY, our Mid-Season QB Grades for all 30 teams. Who has a franchise guy in place, who is still searching, and who needs help.   USFL Quarterback Play Defines Success In the NFL they say that defense wins titles, and that the run game determines who can win in December or January, but the USFL is a different beast, playing its foul weather games in March (so, this year not at all) and putting a premium on the passing game as the defining trait of USFL football. Yes, the rules in place help the QBs and their receivers, and the league has always put a priority on signing top draft picks in offensive skill positions, but the key to USFL success has always been the play of the QB. So, which teams have their franchise player in place? Who has hope that they may have a guy who can get it done? And who is still searching for that special mix of leadership, decision-making, and arm talent? Here is our breakdown of where every team stands. We have placed all teams into one of 5 situations, depending on their current QB situation and the prospects for the next 5-years.   WE’VE GOT OUR GUY Dak Prescott-TBY The defending MVP and a clear favorite for back-to-back honors. Prescott has developed into one of the most dangerous QBs in the game and a player the Bandits have built a very dangerous offense around.   Cam Newton-BIR The Stallions have 99 problems but a QB ain’t one. Perhaps the most physically gifted QB in the league, Newton can kill you with his arm or his legs. He has the occasional unfocused game, but more often than not, if the Stallions win it is because Newton put on the cape and played Superman.   Colt McCoy-HOU McCoy has led Houston to 3 straight Summer Bowls and has been the trigger man on one of the best fast-strike offenses in football since taking over for Matt Hasselbeck. At only 31, McCoy should be the Gamblers’ field general for at least the next 5 years.   Kirk Cousins-MGN Cousins is never going to wow you with his deep ball, but he will complete passes, gain first downs, and keep defenses honest, which is enough when you have the best run game in the league. The only concern is that he does sometimes disappear in the biggest games (like in the 2019 Divisional Playoff).   Geno Smith-NOR The Breakers went hard after LSU QB Joe Burrow, but with what we have seen from Smith this year, they may well be happy they lost out to the NFL Dolphins. Smith has the Breaker passing game looking very dangerous, and he is still a young QB.   Russell Wilson-ORL Wilson is like a miniature version of Newton. He can run the ball when needed, makes good reads, and can play hero ball when called upon. Orlando needs to build more around him, but they feel they have their guy in the former Wisconsin Badger.   Paxton Lynch-MEM Last year was not good for Lynch, but he has rebounded well, putting up numbers much more like his strong 2018 campaign. Like Cousins, he is not a hero-ball kind of QB, but he is outstanding in play action and can beat you if given a clean pocket. Memphis is looking good at QB for the next few years with Lynch in house.   GOOD FOR NOW, BUT FOR HOW LONG?   David Carr-ARZ The 2-time MVP is one of the elite passers in the game, but for how much longer? Carr turns 37 this year and it may be time for Arizona to start planning for the post-Carr era.   Sam Bradford-CHI Bradfor had his first 100 QBR season last year, a 20-point improvement from 2018, and this year he is on pace to repeat. The Machine are happy they landed the former Express signal caller, but at 33, Bradford has taken a lot of hits and a lot of abuse during his career in New Jersey, LA and now Chicago.   Tom Brady-OAK You cannot do much better than Brady for leadership and decision making. His numbers are not what they used to be, but the leadership is there, but at 44, we just cannot imagine number 12 playing more than 1-2 more years at the most, even in the shape he is in, which is amazing.   Joe Flacco-SAN At 33, Flacco is not the oldest QB (not by a mile with Brady in the league), but no player has taken more sacks than Flacco, and his lack of mobility is an issue, especially on an expansion team with a somewhat shaky line in front of him. Could he be the Gunslingers’ QB in 2025? It just does not seem likely if he keeps taking these hits.   TOO SOON TO TELL Justin Herbert-DAL Two games does not make a career, but Roughneck fans are loving what they have seen so far. It is everything you expect from a top tier rookie QB, so the folks in Dallas could be very happy for a long time to come if Herbert’s early success is any indicator of his potential.   Josh Allen-DEN We have seen some huge plays from Allen, whose physical gifts are impressive, but he has to improve his accuracy and avoid the costly turnovers that have hurt the Gold early in his career.   Kyler Murray-LA Murray’s escapability is impressive, but he also tends to make some decisions out of panic rather than poise. LA needs to provide more inventiveness on offense to maximize his upside, but the talent is visible.   Ryan Tannehill-NEN It is so tough to evaluate how good Tannehill can be with the expansion roster of the Steamrollers. He has had some moments, and looks the part, but he is forcing too many throws and tends to hold the ball a bit longer than is advisable.   Mason Rudolph/Jalen Hurts-OKL The fact that we are listing both Rudolph and Hurts tells you all you need to know. Fans want to see the former OU quarterback get a shot, but Rudolph has occasional games where he seems to be the real deal, so Coach Stoops has not pulled the trigger on Hurts yet. Does Oklahoma have two good options, two mysteries, or just a mess? It is too soon to tell.   Lamar Jackson-STL The general theory is that Jackson can be a dynamic double-threat, somewhere in the vein of Newton, Wilson, or Jake Plummer, which is saying a lot, but the Skyhawks have both mismanaged his talents and provided him with little to work with. Will a new coach bring out the best in Jackson or is he destined to be considered a bust because of mismanagement of his potential?   NOT BAD, BUT CAN HE CARRY US? Aaron Murray-ATL The Fire QB is having a career year, improving his QB rating considerably in the first 8 games of the season. The arrival of A. J. Green is certainly a reason for, that, but so too may be the use of a system that suits Murray’s style. We could see Murray jump into our “Elite” category if he can prove that this is not just a short-term improvement.   Jake Locker-BAL With 13 TDs to only 6 picks, Locker may not be Ben Roethlisberger, but he is proving he can get the job done for the Blitz. But until we see him take command of the team and earn them a playoff win, there will still be questions as to whether or not he is a true franchise player.   Teddy Bridgewater-JAX The Bulls are hardly an offensive juggernaut, but Bridgewater has shown us that he is more than talented enough to be successful, if only the Bulls would provide him with some weapons. We think they are happy with him as their guy for the foreseeable future, but they need to add some playmakers if he is ever going to turn talent into wins.   Matt McGloin-LV After a very strong first season in the desert, Matt McGloin has had a pretty noticeable regression in year two. His stats are not horrible (12:9 TD:INT ratio, 70.7% completions) but he is not getting the job done on 3 rd  down and not putting points on the board. But, a lot of that may be the ability of defenses to just ignore the run game entirely.   Nick Foles-NJ When Foles is healthy, he can be effective.  But he has missed a lot of games, and he is struggling to make plays when he returns. His 66.2 rating this year is nearly 40 points lower than in 2019, and that has to make General fans worry. A fragile QB may well be a tentative QB and uncertainty is not what you want from your team’s offensive leader.   Andy Dalton-PIT Dalton had an MVP season in 2015, putting up huge numbers, but fell hard after that year. In 2020 his numbers may not be as impressive as 5 seasons ago, but he is avoiding mistakes, not trying to be the hero, just getting the job done and helping Pittsburgh win. Unless a superstar falls in their laps in the T-Draft, we don’t see the Maulers moving on from Dalton.   Marcus Mariota-POR The former Oregon Duck is in the middle of what could be a late-breaking career season. With 11 TDs to only 4 picks, Mariota is looking better than ever. But, injuries are still a major concern. Mariota has already missed time this season after missing 13 games last year, and 5 the year before. But, if A. J. McCarron continues to play well in relief, we could see Portland stick with the duo as a 1-2 combo for quite a while.   Christian Ponder-SD After a 23-TD, 3,800 yard season in 2019, the 2020 version of Christian Ponder has been a huge drop off. Ponder has missed time, but when he has been in he has simply not been making plays. His QB Rating was 104.9 in 2018, 96.9 last year, but only 76.2 this season. That cannot all be about changing talent around him. Thunder fans worry that Ponder is not the player they thought, and that has led to concern that they need to look for help at the position.   HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO Mitch Trubisky-CHA While 6 picks to 11 TDs this season is hardly the worst in the league, fans simply have no faith that Trubisky can get the job done. Statistically this has been his best year, but it may be too little, too late, and since it has not translated into wins, we expect that Charlotte will try to move on, which means that Trubisky could be moving on in the offseason.   Christian Hackenberg-OHI The Glory’s 2018 Division Title feels 100 years ago and the team’s 29 th  ranked scoring offense feels very much like an indictment of Hackenberg’s development. In his 5 years as the starter in Ohio, Hackenberg has yet to top 90.0 in QB rating, which means that he may not be a bad QB but he is not going to be an elite one. Ohio needs more from the position, and if they end up with a new coach in 2021 (which feels more than likely right now), well, that is as good a time as any to make a change at QB too.   Matt Gutierrez-PHI The fans have turned against the longstanding Stars’ QB, the coach who defended him is now gone, and ownership seems ready to blow up the entire roster, which likely starts at the QB position. We could see Ryan Lindley starting soon if the Stars keep losing and Gutierrez keeps struggling, but we certainly believe that the 2021 starter is not currently on the Stars’ roster.   Jacoby Brissett/Brett Hundley-SEA Nowhere is the “If you have 2 QBs, you have no QB” cliché more prevalent than in Seattle. Jacoby Brissett had a very solid 2019 campaign, but was lost for the year in the season opener, the second time in 3 years he suffered a season-ending injury in the season’s first month. In stepped Brett Hundley, and the former General castoff has looked decent, throwing for 1,979 yards with a 2:1 TD:INT ratio (8:4). Hundley is completing 70% of his passes, but what is noticeable is that he is a mid-range passer at best. He is not going to deliver the deep ball, and that feels like Seattle is playing with a major USFL weapon missing from the arsenal.   Ryan Nassib-WSH “It was the system”. That is what Federals Nation is saying about Nassib’s incredible 2018 performance in Arizona, a performance that got him the Washington starting job and a very lucrative contract. But, what have we seen since? A 117.9 QB Rating dipped to 84.8 in Nassib’s first year in D.C., and now sits at 70.9, which is a number you just don’t associate with a multi-million dollar salary and a franchise tag. The Feds are sitting at .500, but unless Nassib turns it back on “Arizona style” over the final 8 weeks of the season, we could see Washington try to deal him and the 2 years left on his deal, to another club and try to retool.   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 27   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 24  OVERTIME Another good one out of the Southern Division as the Breakers and Showboats head to overtime to settle the battle of 5-2 teams. With sole possession of first place on the line in this one, both teams came in fired up. New Orleans, losers of two straight, feeling a lot of pressure to turn the offense back to overdrive. Memphis, who lost to the Gamblers 2 weeks ago, feeling pressure as well to assert themselves as a serious contender in perhaps the league’s best division. This one would be a battle for 60 minutes and beyond.   The first half of this one belonged to the Breakers, who not only outscored Memphis 17-3, but outgained them 202-124. But the second half would see Memphis storm back, finding their run game as Todd Gurley gained 79 of his 104 yards in the second half. In a game with no turnovers, it would be penalties in the second half that would help Memphis gain some momentum and send the game to overtime, an overtime period that would go nearly the full 15 minutes before a winner was decided,   The game started fast, with New Orleans marching down the field on the opening drive, carving up the Memphis secondary but also getting a pair of solid runs from Myles Gaskin, forced into the starting role as the Breakers had traded away Leonard Fournette only 48 hours earlier, with Denver HB DeMarco Murray not yet ready to step in. Gaskin had a 9 and a 17-yard run on the drive, helping set up the Breakers in the red zone, where Geno Smith found rookie Justin Jefferson for the opening score of the game.   But while the Breakers’ offense was finding immediate success with their gameplan, the same could not be said for Memphis. The Showboats managed only 2 first downs and a lone field goal in the first quarter, and while they had more success in the 2 nd  quarter a missed kick from Lewis Ward left Memphis with only 3 points at the half. New Orleans added a 2nd touchdown midway through the 2nd quarter as Geno Smith found his other favorite target, Jordy Nelson, for a 15-yard strike as the Breakers looked to be in control at the half.   But, adjustments are a part of the game, and just as New Orleans came out hot at the start of the game, a refocused Memphis offense came out with a new plan to start the second half. Switching to more 2-TE formations, the Showboat run game finally started to make some hay. It was Gurley helping the Showboats get inside the 10, and while he took a respite, backup Jacob Hester finished the job, plowing into the endzone from 3-yards out to get Memphis within one score at 17-10 early in the 3 rd  quarter.   Memphis responded with a drive of their own, and once again Myles Gaskin had a big role to play. Stuffed on the ground by Memphis’s front 7, he took on a role as a receiver, and when Geno Smith found him on a well-designed screen from the Showboat 23, Gaskin wove behind his blockers, eventually darting towards the center of the field and into the endzone to regain a 14-point lead for the Breakers, now up 24-10.   But Memphis would not go away, and their new focus on the run game helped Paxton Lynch avoid that tough Breaker pass rush. With time waning in the 3 rd quarter, the ability to pull up the linebackers with a run fake produced Memphis’s longest play of the game, a deep shot to Devin Funchess that fell right to the speeding receiver, producing a 48-yard touchdown. As the final period began, New Orleans held a tenuous 7-point lead. With Memphis feeling good about their run defense, they used the nickel for most of the quarter, stifling the Breaker deep threats and forcing Geno Smith to be patient. The strategy worked to perfection, holding New Orleans without a score in the final 15, while the Showboat offense found the equalizer, a Todd Gurley 1-yard TD run with 3:16 left to play.   The Breakers were unable to get into range for Caleb Sturgis and both teams begrudgingly settled for overtime. In the extra period, both teams battled to get into field goal range, and both found that to be a tough task. New Orleans had what appeared to be a game-clinching deep ball that would have put the ball at the Memphis 7 yard line called back for illegal motion. That kept Memphis in it, but they simply could not get close enough for Lewis Ward. With 2:22 left to play, the Breakers got one last chance to get into field goal range, and a huge 3 rd  and 11 play to Coby Fleener helped them get there. The pass took New Orleans to the Memphis 41. From there a 7-yard Garner run, and a short throw to Dawson Knox that ended up going for 13 put the Breakers confidently in scoring range. On a 3 rd  and 3, they opted to send Caleb Sturgis out onto the field. Sturgis put the ball straight down the middle and this Southern Classic was over, with Memphis again falling just short in a key divisional game and the Breakers taking over 1 st  place of the division.   NEW JERSEY 20  WASHINGTON 18 The Generals recovered from their Week 7 beatdown at the hands of Tampa Bay, putting together a solid game against division rival Washington and leveling both their record and the Federals’ at 4-4 in the process. What is perhaps more impressive is that they did most of their damage with Ricky Stanzi, not Nick Foles at the helm. Foles was knocked out of the game midway through the 2 nd quarter and Stanzi guided New Jersey to17 of their 20 points, including a TD toss to Odell Beckham Jr. POTG:  General WR Odell Beckham Jr.: 6 Rec, 117 Yds, 1 TD   ARIZONA 24  PORTLAND 14 The Wranglers shut down Portland’s offense in the first half, building up a 17-0 advantage over the game’s first 30 minutes. The Stags eventually found some space to operate, but by then it was too late. DE Calais Campbell, apparently miffed that we commented on his lack of multiple-sack games, took out his annoyance on Marcus Mariota, sacking the Stags’ QB 3 times on the day. POTG:  Wrangler DE Calais Campbell: 4 Tck, 3 Sck   HOUSTON 39  BIRMINGHAM 21 The Gamblers limited Cam Newton to only 37 yards rushing and the offense compensated for the absence of Carlos Hyde by having rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire and 3 rd  stringer Traveon Williams carry the ball a combined 32 times for 79 yards. Colt McCoy threw for 351 and 3 scores, outdueling Newton, who had 3 scores as well but also threw a pick-six to Kenny Vaccaro. POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy: 22/30, 351 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Int   DALLAS 20  SAN DIEGO 10 Justin Herbert is 2-0 as a starter for the Roughnecks as Dallas doubled up the spiraling San Diego Thunder. Even the return of Christian Ponder could not help the Thunder offense as they were limited to 158 passing yards and committed 3 turnovers. Herbert and the Roughnecks took advantage, putting up 17 of their 20 points after turnovers. Herbert found Sammy Watkins for a TD, one of 9 receptions for the former NFL receiver, who finished the day with 128 yards. POTG:  Dallas WR Sammy Watkins: 9 Rec, 128 Yds, 1 TD   DENVER 26  SEATTLE 31 Denver loses their 4 th  in a row as Seattle QB Brett Hundley throws for 433 yards and 3 scores to earn this week’s POTW. Hundley targeted former Stallion Amari Cooper 16 times, with the top target bringing in 10 for 151 yards and a score. TE Kyle Rudolph and WR Marshall Newhouse also caught TD passes from the Dragon QB. Devern mounted a late comeback, but a missed 2-point conversion meant they had to go for a TD late and the Hail Mary just did not connect. POTG:  Seattle QB Brett Hundley: 30/38, 433 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 17   ORLANDO 27 A huge win for the Renegades as they crawl right into the SE Division race, now only a game behind Atlanta, though still 3 games behind the unbeaten Tampa Bay Bandits. The ‘Gades rushed for 176 yards, including 32 yards from QB Russell Wilson. Wilson also threw for 171 and 2 scores, but the big star of the day was the Orlando defense, which held Aaron Murray to only 190 yards and 1 TD, with A. J. Green targeted 10 times but only able to come up with 4 receptions for 48 yards as CB Dee Milliner locked him down all game. POTG:  Orlando CB Dee Milliner: 7 Tck, 6 PDef, 1 Int   CHARLOTTE 6  TAMPA BAY 52 The Bandits top 50 points for a second consecutive week, absolutely demolishing the Monarchs. Dak Prescott threw for 361 yards with 4 touchdowns, including 3 to his favorite target, NFL import Dez Bryant. The Bandit D also came up big, sacking Mitch Trubisky 6 times and forcing 2 picks as well. The Bandit D also held Charlotte without a 3 rd  down conversion all game, 0 for 11. POTG:  Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 13/18, 361 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   PITTSBURGH 18  OHIO 15  OVERTIME The Maulers struggled a bit, but still picked up their 6 th  win, thanks to an Andrew Franks field goal in overtime. Ohio put up quite a fight, sacking Andy Dalton 4 times, holding the Mauler run game to only 76 yards and putting up a game-tying field goal in the final 2 minutes of regulation, but their offensive woes kept them from putting the game away in overtime, making room for Pittsburgh to get the winning kick. POTG:  Mauler DE Shaquile Riddick: 3 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 FF   ST. LOUIS 41  SAN ANTONIO 34 There is something about that first game after a coaching change. Philadelphia got a win the week after Jim Harbaugh’s departure, and the Skyhawks followed suit in Dave Borgonzi’s first game in the interim position. It was quite a shootout between these two as Joe Flacco threw for 4 TDs while the Skyhawks found a run game, with Bobby Rainey scoring twice and gaining 72 yards on 14 carries while David Montgomery added another 55. San Antonio led 34-27 with 7:08 left, but the Skyhawks uncharacteristically rallied late, getting an equalizer on a 22-yard strike form Lamar Jackson to Deionte Johnson and the game winner with 39 seconds left in the game, thanks to a Bobby Rainey TD run. POTG:  Skyhawk HB Bobby Rainey: 14 Att, 72 Yds, 2 TD   LAS VEGAS 17  LOS ANGELES 29 The Express move to 6-2 thanks to another solid defensive performance, holding Las Vegas to 4 of 15 on third down and limiting their run game to only 33 total yards. Kyler Murray went 17 of 24 for 208 yards and a TD to Jason Whitten while Reggie Bush also contributed a TD run and Marquise Lee contributed with an 80-yard punt return TD for the Express. POTG:  Express CB Stephon Gilmore: 7 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 FF, 1 FR   OKLAHOMA 6   OAKLAND 16 The Invaders avoid dropping to .500 by shutting down the Oklahoma run game (only 26 total yards) and containing WR DeDe Westbrook. It was not a pretty game, but it was largely error free for the Invaders, who had no turnovers and no penalties in the game. Oklahoma simply could not get much done, finishing with only 248 yards on offense. POTG:  Invader LB Shaq Barrett: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   NEW ENGLAND 2   JACKSONVILLE 17 The Jacksonville D pitched a shutout, with the only Steamroller points coming on a holding call against a Bulls’ lineman in the endzone for the safety. The Bulls’ D also put 7 points on the board with CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie’s 80-yard interception return. Both teams ran the ball effectively, with Williams and Forte gaining a combined 97 yards for New England, while Jacksonville got 9100 even from their combo of Singletary and Hardesty. But, with neither QB able to secure 200 yards or more, this was a low scoring affair. POTG:  Bulls’ CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   BALTIMORE 27  PHILADELPHIA 24 The Stars played their division rivals tough, holding a 24-20 advantage midway through the 4 th  quarter, but a 2-minute drill by Jake Locker produced a 27-yard TD toss to rookie Michael Pittman Jr. and that gave the win to the Blitz, who now sit alone atop the NE Division at 5-3 while Philadelphia drops to 1-7 at the midway point of the year. Locker threw for 307 and 2 scores in the game, despite the absence of Brian Hartline. Eli Rogers stepped up with 85 yards on 5 receptions and Michael Pittman added 73 as well. POTG:  Blitz QB Jake Locker: 21/36, 307 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   MICHIGAN 0   CHICAGO 27 We need to start talking about Chicago’s defense more. A week after holding New Orleans to 6 points, they shut out the Panthers. Michigan still seemed shaken by last week’s injury to Calvin Ridley, and simply were not in synch as Chicago held them without a score for the first time in over a decade. Sam Bradford was not flashy for Chicago, but he put up 269 yards and threw TDs to both TE Tyler Eifert and rookie WR Chase Claypool in the dominant win, a win that creates a 3-way tie atop the division with Chicago, Michigan, and Pittsburgh now all 6-2 on the year. POTG:  Chicago LB Manti Te’o: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   Ten Big Stories of 2020 at the Midpoint of the Season So much has happened this season, this unique, bizarre, and yet well-appreciated season. We combed through everything we have seen over the season’s first two months and came up with 10 stories that define the 2020 season at its midway point.   Chicago’s Defensive Muscle The Chicago Machine have impressed this season, not only with their 6-2 start, but with a defense that is among the best in the league and reminiscent of some great Chicago defensive squads of the past, in both the USFL and NFL. They currently lead the league by allowing only 268.8 yards of total offense per game, including a leaguewide low of only 47.9 yards per game on the ground. They are 2 nd  in the league in scoring defense as well, allowing only 14.9 points per game, a number greatly aided by the past two games in which they held the Breakers’ powerful pass game to only 6 points and then shut out the Michigan Panthers.   What is most amazing about the Machine defense is that they are doing it at every level. The D-line has produced 18 sacks, led by Jason Pierre-Paul’s 7 QB captures. The linebacker group, which was thought to be a strength, has certainly proven that out, with Kevin Minter, Manti Te’o and Courtney Upshaw combining for 92 tackles and 13 TFL, leading the way in run defense, but the true revelation has been the secondary. Cornerback Josh Norman currently leads the team with 47 tackles, while also producing 11 passes defended and 2 picks. He is joined by Jordan Poyer, who has 32 tackles along with a pick and 7 passes defended. The safeties, Lano Hill and Micah Hyde have been huge as well. This is team defense at its best and it has propelled Chicago into discussions of Summer Bowl favorites.   San Diego’s Sputtering Offense While it has all been good news in Chicago, much the opposite has been the case for the 1-7 San Diego Thunder. Expected by many to lead the Pacific Division and take another crack at a Conference Title, the Thunder have been absolutely abysmal on both sides of the ball this year. Their run game dropped from Top 10 form last year to 24 th  in the league, putting out only 73.5 yards per game. Their passing game is only marginally better, ranked 19 th  in the league, and that has helped them claim the title of the lowest scoring team in the USFL, averaging a paltry 10.8 points per game. The Thunder have been held to 10 or fewer points 5 times in 8 weeks, and there does not appear to be much help on the way.   With the trade deadline only 2 weeks away, San Diego has to give serious thought as to whether Ryan Williams still has it in him to be a lead rusher. He is averaging 3.9 yards per carry, which is solid, but is still only averaging just over 50 yards per game on the ground, not enough to keep defenses honest. Behind him are only scatback Taiwan Jones and 3 rd stringer Travis Homer. The passing game should improve if Christian Ponder can stay healthy, but the Thunder need more options than Marques Colston, who, at 35, has clearly lost the once legendary speed that made him a coverage nightmare. Ronald Johnson and Chris Givens have just not given Ponder enough to work with. Barring a miraculous turnaround, this could turn out to be San Diego’s worst season since relocating from Las Vegas.   Memphis Finds Balance Memphis is sitting at 5-3 and very much in the hunt in the Southern Division, and while we tend to praise the defense put together by Head Coach Rex Ryan, the secret to the Showboats’ success this year may well be on offense. Memphis currently ranks 2 nd  in rushing at 114.4 YPG and 7 th  in passing at 261.5 YPG, and it is that balance which is making them a tough team to defend. Paxton Lynch is bouncing back nicely after a somewhat shaky 2019 campaign. His current 103.5 QB Rating is significantly better than even in 2018 when he led the Showboats to the playoffs. He has 16 TDs to only 6 picks, a career best ratio by far, and he finally has a trio of weapons who can all turn a catch into a score in reliable possession receiver Robert Woods, receiving tight end Dallas Goedert, and breakout star of 2020, Devin Funchess, who leads the team with 781 yards. Put that together with Todd Gurley’s 671 yards rushing, and a fabulous 4.5 YPC average, and you have a very tough team to gameplan against.   Star & Skyhawk Shakeouts When you have two coaches fired before the season reaches its midpoint, well, that is a story to follow. With both Philadelphia and St. Louis reacting to horrific starts (0-6 for Philly, 0-7 for St. Louis) by firing their head coaches, there is now pressure on both clubs to prove that they can improve with a change of leadership. Both the Stars and Skyhawks won in their first games with an interim coach, but the rest of the season will show whether a change at the top is sufficient or if a lot more has to be addressed for these two clubs to be successful.   Surprising Stags It seems every year there is one team that no one expects much of but who prove us wrong. Last year it was Tampa Bay, going from 3-13 in 2018 to 10-6 and a division crown in 2019. This year that surprise club is the Portland Stags. At 5-3, the Stags have already won more games than in their entire 4-12 campaign in 2019. What is more, they are doing it with an offensive firepower no one saw coming. Even with Marcus Mariota missing 2 games, the Stags are in the Top 5 in scoring and passing yards, and are averaging over 28 points per outing, including impressive wins in the division, like a 38-17 drubbing of the Express and a 44-17 route of the Oakland Invaders. They still have a tough road ahead, but this is a Stags team that is gaining momentum and excitement in the Rose City.   Atlanta is on Fire It may seem odd to praise the Fire in a week when they lost a divisional game, but since it was only their 2 nd  loss of the season, and since that season has included 4 games where they have scored over 30 points (3 over 40), we are still pretty impressed by what we are seeing out of the Peach State. The Fire are solid on defense (upper half of the league in every category) but where they have excelled is turning field position into points. The Fire are only 10 th  in total yards, but 2 nd  in scoring and that is because their red zone efficiency has been outstanding. In 38 red zone appearances, they have 29 touchdowns and 7 field goals, meaning that they have come away with points on 36 of 38 possessions inside the red zone, and scored a touchdown on 76% of their red zone drives. That is a stat that will win you a lot of games.   Breakers’ WR Duo Impresses The New Orleans Breakers lead the league with 2,746 yards passing, more than 300 yards more than 2 nd  place Tampa Bay (who we have been praising for their offense). They have 20 passing touchdowns, and have perhaps the best 3-player receiver group in the league. No wonder they are 6-2 and sit atop the South. They have the league leader in receiving yards, Jordy Nelson, who is averaging 127 yards per game and a ridiculous 31.8 yards per reception. They have the #3 tight end in receiving yards, Coby Fleener, who trails only Tampa Bay’s Jordan Cameron and Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews, with 524 yards, on pace for 1,000 again. And they have rookie sensation Justin Jefferson, who is currently 16 th  in the league with 623 yards, on pace for 1,200, and averaging 24 yards per catch. Yes, the Breaker run game has been a disaster, something they hope to turn around with the acquisition of DeMarco Murray, but this passing game has been one of the highlights of the season so far.   Banditball in Full Effect Banditball is back in Tampa Bay, defined by a high-flying offense and a no-holds-barred defense. The Bandits trail only New Orleans in passing yards, but have 3 more TD passes, with 23 over 8 weeks, nearly 3 per game. Dak Prescott has only thrown 3 interceptions and is finding deep options regularly. Both Dez Bryant and TE Jordan Cameron are on pace for more than 1,200 yards, and Ryan Grant, despite missing time to Covid-19, could still surpass 1,000 yards, oh, and they, unlike New Orleans, have a run game as well, with Dalvin Cook on pace for 1,000 yards and getting nice support from NFL import Matt Breida, who is averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Then you throw in the defense, a group allowing the fewest points in the league, 14.1 per game, and also leading the league in pass defense, and, well, you have to say that the Bandits, and Bandit Ball, is looking like a favorite to land in the Summer Bowl.   Covid-19 Remain Season’s Defining Feature For all the great action on the field, the outstanding performances, and the big plays, we all know that the big story this year is the global pandemic of Covid-19. Just the fact that we are having a USFL season at all feels somewhat miraculous. The league had to delay the season two months to get a plan in place, we have every game played in a hub/bubble format, in empty stadiums, and we have a massive testing program in place, but so far, despite the hiccups, and there have been many, there has not been a single game cancelled or postponed, and no team has been forced to forfeit because of a widespread infection within the team. For all the annoyance of having games at 11pm (which has thankfully been solved), or listening to absolutely no roar of the crowd, or having your best player sidelined for 1-2 weeks after testing positive, the season is happening, the league is surviving, TV ratings have improved, and the game action has been as good as ever. Yes, it is weird, and we all want fans back in the stands and teams playing at home as soon as possible, but we have to celebrate the wins right now, and one of the big wins of this summer is that the USFL has been able to mount a season, one we can all enjoy while staying safe.   Denver Deals DeMarco to Desperate Breaker Squad Midseason deals tend to fall into one of two categories: teams trying to add the one piece that can put them into playoff position and teams giving up on a season and trying to build for the future. The deal we saw between the Gold and the Breakers feels a bit like the former, but with a hint of the latter. It is just bizarre to see a team trade away their leading rusher, but to see two teams swap their leading rushers, that is a rarity indeed.   Denver had an interesting situation. They had two backs who were looking very solid, Murray with 473 yards and a very solid 4.1 YPC average and Philip Lindsay with just under 400 yards but a nice 5.0 YPC average. Both were productive, both seemed satisfied with playing in a HB-by-Committee situation, but when New Orleans came calling, Denver clearly felt that one of the two would be expendable. The Breakers were desperate to upgrade a run game that was among the league’s worst. With one of the league’s most explosive passing games and a 5-0 start, fans were not clamoring for change, but back-to-back losses showed everyone that you could play pass defense all game and the Breakers could not make you pay with their run game. So, they went searching for an option, and they found one in Denver.   So, Denver agrees to send their lead rusher, DeMarco Murray, to the Breakers in exchange for the Breakers’ disappointing draft choice Leonard Fournette and a 2 nd round pick in 2021. The expectation is that the pick, and not the player, was the key for Denver. For New Orleans, they land a 29-year-old halfback who is certainly an instant upgrade at the position but may well be a short-term solution as he gets close to that nasty 30-year-old cliff. Denver gets a nice draft pick and could decide to use Fournette in a very specific role (short yardage) while Lindsay becomes a true 3-down back, used in the passing game as well as in first and second downs.   It is a trade we rarely see, two starting HBs swapped midseason, and there may be a bit of “this is not our year” thinking for Denver, but this feels like a move that makes sense for both clubs. Denver believes they will be fine with Lindsay taking on a heavier load while New Orleans now believes they can threaten teams with the run if defenses stick to the strategy of using the nickel as their primary defense against that Breaker passing game. Both players watched Week 8 action from the sideline, but we expect to see Murray starting in Week 9, with Fournette seeing spot action for Denver.   Maulers Trade for Gronk Ahead of Week 8 Now this is a trade that makes all kinds of sense. Pittsburgh is in a 3-way tie atop the Central Division, has found success on defense and has potential on offense with a balanced attack, but Andy Dalton lacked a true safety valve. We like Anthony Hill as a blocker, and he can catch the ball, but he is not going to be a weapon teams plan to stop. Enter the St. Louis Skyhawks, a team that needed 8 weeks to find a win and which is now going to be rebuilding around Lamar Jackson. To do that they need draft picks and cap space, and that means losing a good player to get both.   So, a deal is cut, even within the division, as St. Louis sends TE Rob Gronkowski to the Maulers in trade for two draft picks, TE Will Dissley, and some major cap relief. Gronkowski is a true weapon, a receiving TE who can draw safeties away from Pittsburgh’s outside receivers. He may be a step slower than in recent years, but he still has great hands and the ability to block out defenders, exactly the kind of weapon Andy Dalton lacked in the Mauler attack.  And while Lamar Jackson is likely not happy to lose Gronk this year, his departure signals St. Louis’s desire to rebuild, to add more talent on both offense and defense, and to do that they need picks and cap space, and this deal gets them both. They will add a 4 th  rounder in 2021 and a conditional pick in 2022 as well.   Our analysis is that this move certainly helps Pittsburgh this year. It gives Dalton another weapon, and makes it tougher for teams to play the run when the Maulers are in 2-TE formations. For St. Louis, a 1-7 start and with an interim head coach, what works for 2021 is clearly not the priority. They will move ahead with Dissley and James Casey likely splitting snaps at TE, neither a major receiving threat, but they will move on to 2021 with hopes for a big offseason makeover.   A second consecutive light week for new IR placements, with only one coming from New Jersey this week, and for longer-term issues, with the rest of the injuries falling into the 1-2 Week, Doubtful or Questionable category. That is a trend we always welcome.   OUT OT          Donald Stephenson   NJ           Broken Leg        IR DT          Damon Harrison             SD          Foot                     1-2 Weeks LB           Manti Te’o                     CHI        Thigh Bruise            1-2 Weeks FS           Clyde Adams                 NOR      Neck                         1-2 Weeks SS           Eric Berry                        LV           Ankle                        1-2 Weeks LB           Darryl Sharpton           ORL       Hand                        1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB           DeMeco Ryans                TBY        Arm DE          Neal Beasley                    HOU     Turf Toe DT          Cortez Broughton           DEN      Thigh Bruise   QUESTIONABLE QB         Nick Foles                  NJ           Tendinitis   COVID-19 INACTIVES CHA      G            Jonathan Cooper            CHA      CB          Ronald Darby HOU     G            Jon Asomoah NEN      HB         T. J. Yeldon PHI        OT          Matt Kalil             2 nd  Week PHI        LB           Jake Ryan PIT         CB    Sean Smith                             MIDSEASON POWER RANKINGS We are at the halfway point of the season and so it is time to evaluate where all 30 teams stand. We have a clear Top 2, but after that it gets pretty messy, with clusters at 6-2, 5-3, 4-4, and 3-5 before we get down to the teams at the bottom of the rankings. For each club, we will give our 1-sentence evaluation of their situation and also take a look at their best performer from the Draft Class of 2020.   1—TAMPA BAY BANDITS (8-0) Not much needs to be said when your team has the top scoring offense (33.1 PPG) and the top scoring defense (14.1 PPG) as well.   TOP ROOKIE: CB Noah Igbinoghene has started to see some action in nickel and dime situations and has 4 Pass Defenses in limited action.   2—ARIZONA WRANGLERS (8-0) Third in scoring (28.9) and 2 nd  in scoring defense (15.2 PPG) is a formula to keep Arizona unbeaten and just behind the Bandits in our power ranking. TOP ROOKIE: WR Brandon Aiyuk is making contributions on special teams and in the red zone, with 3 TDs among his 10 receptions so far this year.   3—CHICAGO MACHINE (6-2) Back-to-back impressive games by the D and Chicago now moves to the 2 nd  spot, allowing only 14.9 points per game. Their offense is also, somewhat surprisingly, in the Top 10 in both yards and points. TOP ROOKIE: An easy choice with Chase Claypool, the 2 nd  leading receiver on the Machine, racking up 31 receptions, 408 yards and 4 TDs so far this season.   4—PITTSBURGH MAULERS (6-2) The Maulers are not blowing anyone out, but impressive wins over the Breakers and Gamblers help propel them to the 4-spot. TOP ROOKIE: While Cam Akers is getting some attention, it is LG Jonah Jackson, who is having the biggest impact. He is proving to be an excellent run blocker and that has helped the Maulers create space for both Akers and Sony Michel.   5—ATLANTA FIRE (6-2) A tough loss to Orlando breaks the Fire’s 3-game win streak, but this is still a team putting up a ton of points (30.5 per game) and their D is improving. TOP ROOKIE: Another outstanding rookie wideout, Gabe Davis has 4 TDs and 252 yards in his first 8 games.   6—NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (6-2) The Breakers had a rough 2-game span, including a blow-out loss to Chicago, but they got a nice divisional win over Memphis this week to reach 6-2. TOP ROOKIE: Could it be anyone but Justin Jefferson? No. With 624 yards, 4 TDs, and a 24 YPC average, Jefferson is among the ROTY candidates we are keeping an eye on.   7—LOS ANGELES EXPRESS (6-2) The Express still don’t scare anyone on offense (only 18.1 PPG) but their D is legit, holding teams to only 61 yards per game on the ground and only 15.6 points per game. TOP ROOKIE: OT Austin Jackson has taken over at RT, has had some ups and downs in pass protection but is a nasty blocker in the run game.   8—MICHIGAN PANTHERS (6-2) The injury to Ridley is still clearly affecting this team. Just no other way to explain their 27-0 loss to Chicago. If they can get refocused, there is too much talent on this team to end up outside the playoff picture. TOP ROOKIE: With LBs Josh Uche and Casey Toohill stuck in special teams duty, the clear choice is WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, whose role will only increase with the loss of Calvin Ridley to a season (possibly career) ending injury.   9—MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (5-3) Paxton Lynch has rediscovered his touch on the ball, leading the league in completion percentage and helping Memphis develop one of the league’s most-balanced offenses. TOP ROOKIE: No one has busted out but the Showboats have gotten some early results from 3 defenders, DE Darrell Taylor, DT Brawian Roy, and CB Dee Alford.   10—HOUSTON GAMBLERS (5-3) After so many playoff runs, and so many trips to the Summer Bowl, are the Gamblers now showing signs of fatigue? They just don’t seem as dominant as they have been in recent years. TOP ROOKIE: You might expect it would be HB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but honestly, we are seeing more out of WR Denzel Mims, who already has 3 TDs in very limited action.   11—PORTLAND STAGS (5-3) One of the surprise stories of the year, the Stags are getting results with a pass-first philosophy, even with a defense that is in the bottom third of the league in nearly all categories. TOP ROOKIE: Fullback Mac Knapp was a late round draft pick, but he has been playing like a true-blue chipper, blowing up linebackers to help Doug Martin and Travares Cadet find room to run. He also has shown good hands in nabbing 21 passes for 210 yards and a TD in his first 8 pro games.   12—ORLANDO RENEGADES (5-3) A big win over Atlanta this week and a clear difference when Russell Wilson is healthy. The Renegades could be a tough out if they can work their way into a playoff spot. TOP ROOKIE: With no rookie starters, the Renegades have gotten the most out of DT Javon Kinlaw, who has 1 tackle fewer than starter Ego Ferguson.   13—BALTIMORE BLITZ (5-3) The only team with a record over .500 in a surprisingly weak Northeast Division, Baltimore has the 2 nd  rated defense in terms of yards, as well as a Top 3 pass defense, and that can get you far in the USFL. TOP ROOKIE: With the departure of Darius Heyward-Bay and the injury to Brian Hartline, both rookie wideouts are getting plenty of snaps, so we want to recognize both Michael Pittman Jr. (32 Rec, 413 Yds, 3 TD) and Quez Watkins (16 Rec, 152 Yds, 1 TD).   14—OAKLAND INVADERS (5-3) Tom Brady may not be producing MVP numbers, but his leadership and experience is showing up in the way Oakland toughs out wins. Other than a bad performance against Portland, the Invaders have won 4 of their last 5. TOP ROOKIE: DT Jordan Elliott is splitting time with veteran Tyson Alualu and getting results, with 13 tackles and 2 sacks so far this year.   15—DALLAS ROUGHNECKS (4-4) Justin Herbert is 2-0 since taking over the starting gig, but the Dallas schedule gets a lot tougher over the next few weeks, with Oakland this week, then unbeaten Arizona. TOP ROOKIE: All of the DFW Area is falling in love with Justin Herbert, who is 2-0 as a starter, but we also want to recognize rookie LG Robert Hunt, who has started all 8 games and has helped Dallas crank out 101 yards rushing per game, 10 th  in the league and a solid 22 yards more per week than in 2019.   16—NEW JERSEY GENERALS (4-4) The Generals don’t seem to be able to keep Nick Foles healthy, and the higher the percentage of Ricky Stanzi games, the lower the chances of a playoff run for New Jersey. TOP ROOKIE: All eyes were on DT Yetur Gross-Matos coming out of the draft, but it has been unheralded SS Kyle Dugger who has impressed the Generals’ coaching staff the most. In 8 weeks, he has replaced veteran Jonathan Cyprien as the starter and has 31 tackles and 4 Passes Defended.   17—WASHINGTON FEDERALS (4-4) Federals fans are still trying to figure out why their version of Ryan Nassib looks so pedestrian. The Feds are improving on defense, but their offense is still only 27 th  in total yards and dead last in rushing. TOP ROOKIE: With HB Darrynton Evans struggling (a 2.0 YPC average in 102 attempts), the honor has to go to LB Patrick Queen, currently 6 th on the team with 32 tackles. He also has a sack and 5 tackles for loss playing on the weak side.   18—DENVER GOLD (3-5) Once 3-1, the Gold have now lost 4 in a row. They just are not putting enough points on the board (15.4 per game) which has caused their defense to tire. Injuries to Bryce Hall and Shaq Thompson have certainly not helped. TOP ROOKIE: CB Bryce Hall was looking like a star in the making until a season ending injury put him on the IR, a tough break for an early season standout.   19—SEATTLE DRAGONS (3-5) With 3 first half wins, another late season surge could again produce a Wild Card for Seattle, but they are just so erratic on both sides of the ball it is hard to get behind that possibility. TOP ROOKIE: Seattle has had some strong rookie outings, including FS Grant Delpit and LB Kamal Martin, but the best of the bunch has been OT Ezra Cleveland, who has swung between LT and RT as needed and has yet to give up a sack in over 150 snaps.   20—OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS (3-5) The Outlaws dropped their last 2 and now sit 2 games under .500. If they lose another, we could see Jalen Hurts get his shot. Their next 2 games are huge, facing off against 2-6 Las Vegas and 3-5 Seattle. TOP ROOKIE: We know fans want to see Jalen Hurts get a chance, but they should be celebrating just how good former Miami Hurrican DeeJay Dallas has been, leading the team in rushing yards despite having fewer carries than starter Justice Hill. We think DeeJay could be starting for the Outlaws by season’s end if he can just improve his pass blocking.   21—JACKSONVILLE BULLS (3-5) After looking absolutely moribund their first 3 weeks, the Bulls’ offense has picked up a bit over the last 5, though it is the defense that got them their last 2 wins, 10-3 over Orlando (without Wilson) and 17-2 over expansion New England. TOP ROOKIE: Rookie WR Tee Higgins has been a huge hit in Jacksonville, with 522 yards on 33 receptions to lead the club, Higgins should be in the ROTY running with his production for a club without many other weapons.   22—BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (2-6) 29 th  in pass defense, 27 th  in total defense (yardage), and dead last in scoring defense (28.4 PPG), it is no surprise why Birmingham has only 2 wins, and both of those were basically Cam Newton carrying the team over the finish line. TOP ROOKIE: The rookie WR group is just stacked all across the league, but the current frontrunner for ROTY has to be Stallion wideout Henry Ruggs, with 34 receptions, 759 yards (a 22.3 YPC average) and 8 touchdowns. He has become Cam Newton’s favorite teammate for sure.   23—CHARLOTTE MONARCHS (2-6) Averaging only 186 yards passing per game and having lost 4 of their last 5, the time may be now for Charlotte to end the Mitch Trubisky experiment and try someone else under center. But is Kyle Boller really going to fare much better? TOP ROOKIE: Not a lot has gone right for the 2-6 Monarchs this year, but with 28 tackles and 2 sacks, rookie DT Leki Fotu has been a bright spot in a tough first half to the season.   24—LAS VEGAS VIPERS (2-6) The Vipers cannot stop the pass, and with one of the league’s worst run games, they cannot shorten games by controlling the clock either. That is a combo that is sure to produce losses, and that is what we have seen. TOP ROOKIE: Fans of the Vipers have been very critical of their past few drafts, but FS Julian Blackmon has proven to be a solid pick, with 25 tackles, 3 takeaways (1 int, 2 FF) and some highlight reel hits to his credentials so far.   25—OHIO GLORY (2-6) You are not going to win a lot of games when you score 13 points per game. Ohio has a solid defense, capable of keeping teams in the teens, but they have shown absolutely no ability to make big plays and that has caused them to lose a lot of low scoring games. TOP ROOKIE: Both LB Malik Harrison and CB Damon Arnette have seen quite a bit of action this year, and while neither has huge numbers, they both have also not been liabilities on a team with a lot of liabilities.   26—NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS (2-6) No one knew what to expect from this expansion club in their first year. What we are seeing is that they can run the ball (Kerwynn Williams is on pace for 1,000 yards) and they play pretty good pass defense. Now, if they could get a bit more explosive in the passing game, they could muster a few more wins this year. TOP ROOKIE: We expect a lot of rookies to see the field with an expansion team, and that has been the case, but none has had a steady starting job except for OT Matt Peart. The UConn product has started at RT for all 8 games, helping New England produce the 5 th  best run game in the league.   27—PHILADELPHIA STARS (1-7) Harbaugh is gone after 15+ seasons, the team seems ripe for a complete overhaul. Keep Derrick Henry and swap pretty much everything else out. TOP ROOKIE: As happy as Star fans have been with WR K. J. Hamler, they are still upset he is the team’s leading receiver with 37 receptions and 455 yards, mostly because that means that Randall Cobb and the rest of the veterans have not been performing. We cannot say that we blame them.   28—SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS (1-7) Going with veterans on offense seems to have not worked the way owner Red McCombs wanted. Joe Flacco is getting sacked like potatoes, and while Marshawn Lynch is doing pretty well for a back in his mid-30’s, that is not enough to win games in this league. TOP ROOKIE: With only 13 receptions, many are saying that TCU wideout Jaelen Reagor has been a disappointment. We think he just has not gotten the snaps to make a bigger impact behind LaFell, Goodwin, and McKenzie.   29—ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS (1-7) A week after firing Frank Reich, the Skyhawks get their first win, but don’t expect too many more from a team averaging only 15.1 points per game while giving up nearly 26. TOP ROOKIE: Iowa rookie Tristan Wirfs started the first 3 games at LT, but struggled to protect Lamar Jackson’s blind side, so he was swapped to RT and that has been a much better fit for him.   30—SAN DIEGO THUNDER (1-7) Absolute and total collapse. That is the only way to describe what has happened in San Diego this year. After 4 consecutive playoff seasons, the Thunder are looking like a team that has hit a wall, dropped off a cliff, and needs a total reboot. TOP ROOKIE: As you might expect of a 1-win team, the 2020 rookie class has not had any difference makers emerge yet. WR Laviska Shenault has 11 receptions but has been unable to get more than 10 snaps per game for a passing attack that has struggled.   We kick off the second half of the season with a Friday night lineup that features a make-or-break game for the Denver Gold as they take on the unbeaten Arizona Wranglers. Dropping to 3-6 would be a disaster for the Gold, but they face a rival that has been playing as well as anyone in the league all season long. The 9pm start is also a really intriguing matchup as the 6-2 Panthers face the 5-3 Gamblers at TDECU Stadium.   Saturday’s slate is almost entirely divisional games in this division heavy weekend. The best of the matchups features the league’s other unbeaten squad as the 8-0 Tampa Bay Bandits face the Orlando Renegades in a Florida Derby. We also get Memphis v. Birmingham, a rivalry that this time will miss a lot of its charm as the pre-game tailgating is not on the agenda for a game with no tickets sold.   Sunday we get 5 more divisional games including the Portland Stags taking on division-leading Los Angeles at Wynn Arena. The Stags can get right back into the thick of the division race with a win in this one, while LA can try to put some space between themselves and the rest of the division with a win. The rest of the games on Sunday are potential trap games with 6-win Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Chicago facing off against St. Louis, Jacksonville, and Ohio. Is there an upset on the table in one of these games?   FRIDAY 8pm ET    Washington (4-4) @ Philadelphia (1-7)        Orlando           NBC 8pm ET    Denver (3-5) @ Arizona (8-0)                     Glendale         ABC/FOX 9pm ET   Michigan (6-2) @ Houston (5-3)                       TDECU            ESPN/EFN   SATURDAY 1pm ET   San Antonio (1-7) @ New Orleans (6-2)           NRG               ABC 4pm ET    Oklahoma (3-5) @ Las Vegas (2-6)                   Glendale        FOX 4pm ET    Seattle (3-5) @ San Diego (1-7)                         Las Vegas         ABC 8pm ET    Charlotte (2-6) @ New Jersey (4-4)                   Gainesville       NBC 8pm ET    Tampa Bay (8-0) @ Orlando (5-3)                     Tampa           ABC/FOX 9pm ET   Memphis (5-3) @ Birmingham (2-6)                 Rice                 ESPN/EFN   SUNDAY 1pm ET   St. Louis (1-7) @ Pittsburgh (6-2)                     NRG                 FOX 4pm ET   Oakland (5-3) @ Dallas (4-4)                            Glendale         ABC 4pm ET    Portland (5-3) @ Los Angeles (6-2)                  Las Vegas       FOX 8pm ET    Jacksonville (3-5) @ Atlanta (6-2)                      Orlando          ABC 8pm ET    New England (2-6) @ Baltimore (5-3)               Tampa             FOX 9pm ET   Ohio (2-6) @ Chicago (6-2)                           TDECU             ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Dak Prescott had one of those games that we see only in the USFL. He completed 12 passes in the entire game, but 6 of them were touchdowns, and with an average of 28 yards per completion, it was all about the longball. How is this for a 6-TD Day? Touchdown throws of 1 yard, 17 yards, then 40, 46, 56, and 75. Those are some wild numbers, but that is the USFL, where the long ball is still very much in vogue.

What did Week 7 showcase? How about two unbeaten teams looking very unbeatable? Or the debut of a highly anticipated rookie QB, getting his first W in his first start? Or maybe it is the surprising Portland Stags, looking far better than most anticipated? And, for the second week in a row, how about a team calling it quits on their head coach? Another week, another head coach fired mid-season. We will break down all the big games, including Tampa Bay’s absolute demolition of the New Jersey Generals, our Big Story this week, and we will take a look at Dallas’s big win over the Denver Gold. We will also preview the return of afternoon games as the league prepares to unveil a more viewer friendly schedule in Week 8. Stay right there, we will bring it all to you.   Prescott Impresses as Bandits Hit 7-0 with General Collapse When this game was circled on the schedule it was believed to be a clash of two potential contenders, the Generals, expected to challenge for the NE Division, and the Bandits, defending SE Division champs, but what we got instead were two teams headed in very different directions and one quarterback putting his name solidly in the running to win back-to-back MVP awards.   Dak Prescott was center stage when the Bandits took on the Generals in the week’s opening game. He took charge of that stage and left everyone begging for more. Prescott only attempted 25 passes, completing a mere 12 throws, but in those 12 completions he amassed 337 yards, a 28.1 average per completion. That is ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as six, count them, six touchdowns. Bryant opened up almost humbly, connecting with Dak Prescott on a goalline 1-yard throw in the 1 st  quarter. In the second he opened things up, finding HB Dalvin Cook unguarded on the sideline for a 47-yard score. But things really heated up in the 2 nd  half, when, on back-to-back possessions, Prescott blew the roof off the place (figuratively, as Camping World Stadium has no roof) with a 75-yard bomb to Ryan Grant and then followed that with a second TD to Dez Bryant. With 4 TDs and a 38-24 lead, was Prescott done? Nope, he added a pair of TDs, one 56 yards and one of 40, both to TE Jordan Cameron, who just kept getting open as the Generals frantically tried to stop the bleeding from Bryant and Grant.   Cameron would actually end up as the lead receiver on the night, catching 4 balls for 135 yards (a nasty 33.8 YPC), while Bryant and Grant both were held under 100 yards. But there was little solace in that for New Jersey as they watched Tampa Bay pull away to finish with a 31-point victory, a humiliation for New Jersey. The Bandits now sit at 7-0, looking very much like the dominant team in the Eastern Conference, particularly with New Orleans now losing 2 in a row, Houston dropping to 4-3, and no one stepping up in the Northeast. They still have Atlanta nipping at their heels at 6-1, and those two will meet in Week 15 in what could be a monster of a game, but right now, no one seems ready to handle Tampa Bay’s newfound combination of offensive explosiveness and defensive fortitude. The Bandits have the 2 nd  rated scoring offense and the 2 nd  rated scoring defense, creating a margin of victory of over 15 points per game (30.4-15.3). They lead the league in pass defense while also putting up nearly 290 yards passing each outing.   What may be worse for anyone trying to catch them is that the Bandits have 9 games left and will face 6 opponents that currently reside below .500, including two games against 2-5 Charlotte and matches against the 1-6 Stars and 2-5 expansion Steamrollers. Good luck catching the Bandits for the top seed with that schedule ahead of them. As the fans in all the online watch parties are fond of saying “Bandit Ball is Back!!!”.   DENVER GOLD 21 DALLAS ROUGHNECKS 24 While it is not a good idea to judge any rookie by their first pro game, we tend to do that, and especially with quarterbacks. It isn’t fair, and so often it does not show us what the player is capable of, or how he will turn out 1, 2, or 3 years later. But when a rookie signal caller looks mature, feels pressure well, and seems ready to take on the pace of the pro game in their first outing, we cannot help but think it is a good sign of things to come.   That is exactly the feeling that Justin Herbert gave us in his first start for the Dallas Roughnecks. It was not always pretty, evident in Denver building up a 21-5 lead early in the 3 rd  quarter, but Herbert remained unrattled, rallied his club to a 17-point run, and got the W. It was a gutsy performance that certainly played well for the Roughneck Nation but also impressed us. The final numbers were very solid, with Herbert going 21 of 30 for 192 yards. He did not throw a touchdown or a pick, but his arm put Dallas in position to score on a pair of short yardage runs by Samaje Perine and Charles Sims. And with the game tied at 21, it was Herbert’s arm, more specifically a perfect looping ball over the defender and into the arms of Courtland Sutton, that put the Roughnecks in position to win the game in the final minutes.   In a game that may well feature two of the future stars of the 2020’s in the USFL, Herbert watched as Denver’s Josh Allen put two scores on the board on the final drive of the first half and the opening drive of the second half, a classic “double dip”. Allen first found Michael Crabtree for a TD that put them up 14-5 as the first half wound down, then took the second half kickoff, going 4 for 4 on the drive, and finding TE T. J. Hockenson to boost the lead to 21-5 as the third quarter began. But from there, Denver would be held scoreless. Herbert would shake off his first half nerves, almost as if he turned to Allen and said “hold my beer” while he amped up the volume on his performance. After a modest 5 of 12 in the first half, Herbert would go 16 of 18 in the second half, helping Dallas bounce back from a slow start and providing the spark for them to take the win and move to 3-4 at the 7-week mark.   Herbert and the Roughnecks face San Diego next week, and with the Thunder spiraling the drain on this season, it could be a perfect situation for the young Roughneck QB to settle into the league, get his legs under him, and take command of the offense. Dallas and Denver both now sit at 3-4, a pretty distant 4 games behind unbeaten Arizona, but within range to fight for a Wild Card. They will face each other again in Week 14, and we could again see a very nice matchup of two young QBs who could be the face of their franchises for the next decade, facing each other twice a year for the foreseeable future.   TAMPA BAY 55 NEW JERSEY 24 It was a bad day to be a defensive coach for the Generals as the Bandits ran through the New Jersey D like a combine through wheat. Dak Prescott had himself a day, throwing for 337 yards on only 12 completions. That included TDs of 17, 40, 47, 56, and 75 yards. It was as if the Generals had never heard of keeping safeties back. Prescott finished with 6 scoring tosses, including 2 each to Dez Bryant and TE Cameron Jordan and one apiece to Ryan Grant and HB Dalvin Cook. The 7-0 Bandits are playing like a team on a mission, while the Generals fall under .500 in a division that is looking wide open right now. POTG:  Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 12/25, 337 Yds, 6 TD, 1 Int   NEW ORLEANS 6   CHICAGO 33 Is there trouble in New Orleans after the Breakers drop their 2 nd  in a row after a 5-0 start? While their loss to Pittsburgh was a squeaker, the Machine left no doubt in this one, limiting the Breakers to only 2 field goals and 193 total yards. Check this stat out. New Orleans ran the ball only 12 times and gained negative 4 total yards, yup, that’s right a game total of -4 rushing yards. And, yes, that is a league record for futility. POTG:  Chicago DE Jason Pierre-Paul: 4 Tck, 3 TFL, 1 Sck   SEATTLE 16 LOS ANGELES 27 The Express get a halfway decent offense game and score a division win. Kyler Murray threw for 2 scores, the run game added a third, and the defense did the rest as they sacked Seattle QB Brett Hundley 5 times, picked him off once, and held the Dragons to 1 TD on the day. Newly acquired WR Eric Weems continues to grow into the Express offense, leading the team with 10 targets, 6 catches, and 87 yards. POTG : Express DT Chris Jones: 9 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   ORLANDO 31 BALTIMORE 21 Russell Wilson returns to action and helps the ‘Gades land a much-needed win. Wilson went 19 of 30 for 256 and found both Brashad Perriman and David Njoku for scores as Orlando upset Baltimore, tightening up the NE Division just a bit more. Wilson also ran for 58 yards and a TD as he pulled off his best Cam Newton impression. Jake Locker struggled quite a bit more, throwing 2 picks and suffering 4 sacks, including 2 from Orlando’s newest sack specialist, Montez Sweat. POTG : Orlando QB Russell Wilson: 19/30, 256 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int, 11 Att, 58 Yds, 1 TD   ATLANTA 21 NEW ENGLAND 10 The Steamroller D did about as good a job against Atlanta’s high-powered offense as anyone, but it was not good enough as the New England offense could muster only 1 TD on the day. Aaron Murray found both Gabe Davis and A. J. Green, both new teammates this year, for scores and the combo of Nick Chubb and Kenyan Drake combined for 104 yards and a TD as the Fire move to an impressive 6-1, chasing the unbeaten Bandits in the SE Division. POTG:  Fire WR A. J. Green: 6 Rec, 121 Yds, 1 TD   BIRMINGHAM 13 OHIO 15 If we asked you before this week which team had the capacity to totally shut down the Cam Newton Show, we don’t think you would have picked the Ohio Glory. And yet, here we are. Now it was not an entire shutdown. Ohio did allow the Birmingham QB to throw for 330 yards, but he had 14 rush attempts (5 scrambles and 9 planned runs) and gained… -5 yards. Yup, they spied him, double spied him, did everything to keep him in the pocket, and the strategy worked. A missed 2-point conversion helped hold the Stallions to 13 points, but it was Ohio’s defense that proved it could be done. POTG:  Glory DE Robert Quinn: 5 Tck, 4 TFL, 1 Sck   MEMPHIS 24 ST. LOUIS 9 Another bad day for the Skyhawk offense turned into a very bad day for head coach Frank Reich, as no touchdowns and a drop to 0-7 sends us a second coach firing already this season. St. Louis moved the ball, gaining 303 total yards, but settled for only 3 field goals as Coach Ryan’s defense shut them down every time they sniffed the red zone. On offense, Memphis got 100 yards from both Robert Woods and Devin Funchess, Todd Gurley ran for 94 and a TD, and the Showboats moved to 5-2 with the win. POTG:  Memphis WR Devin Funchess: 5 Rec, 128 Yds   OKLAHOMA 13 ARIZONA 38 The Wranglers remind us that they too are unbeaten, lest we get too excited about Tampa Bay. They ran through, around, and over the Oklahoma Outlaws to the tune of 356 yards of offense, and they did it with balance. Isaiah Crowell topped the century mark, rushing for 102 on 12 carries, while David Carr threw for 144 with 3 TDs as the Wranglers made short work of their SW Division foe. Oh, and guess who is back to full strength, our POTG, with a strip-sack-TD. POTG:  Wrangler DE Calais Campbell: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Def TD, 1 FR   JACKSONVILLE 31 WASHINGTON 34   OVERTIME A really fun game that saw Washington come back from a 14-point 4 th quarter deficit to tie the game, take it to overtime, and win it. A rough way for a good day to end for QB Teddy Bridgewater, who threw for 334 yards and 4 TDs only to watch the defense falter late. Ryan Nassib threw both his TD passes in the 4 th , finding both Tyreek Hill and Jarvis Landry to send the game to overtime. The Bulls had a shot to avoid overtime, but an Alec Ogletree sack of Bridgewater with 7 seconds to go forced the Bulls to attempt a 61-yard field goal, which was just too far for Rodrigo Blankenship. POTG:  Feds’ LB Alec Ogletree: 8 Tck, 3 TFL, 1 Sck   CHARLOTTE 21 PHILADELPHIA 24 OVERTIME The Stars responded in Don Smith’s first game as interim head coach. Smith focused on the run game and Derrick Henry produced for him, rushing for 124 yards. Despite 3 picks of Matt Gutierrez, the Stars hung in throughout the game, taking it to overtime on a late Travis Kelce TD and then winning it with an Eddie Pineiro field goal to earn their first W of the season. Mitch Trubisky threw 2 TDs to Justin Blackmon but also threw a costly pick late in the game that killed any chance of ending the affair in regulation. POTG:  Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 26 Att, 124 Yds   HOUSTON 17 PITTSBURGH 23 The Maulers come up with another solid upset as they move to 5-2 and send the defending Conference Champions down to 4-3. Again, it was a tight game and again the Maulers stuck around and pulled it out in the end. The big play in this one was a Rasul Douglas pick-six of Colt McCoy, a rarity over the past few years for the Houston QB. Andy Dalton added a 6-yard TD pass to Albert Wilson and the defense did the rest, sacking Colt McCoy 7 times as Pittsburgh brought pressure from every angle. POTG:  Mauler CB Rasul Douglas: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   SAN ANTONIO 9 MICHIGAN 34 The Gunslingers have struggled to put up points all season and that got no easier as they faced Michigan’s defense. Despite Marshawn Lynch’s first 100-yard game for the club, San Antonio could only muster 3 field goals, and that was not going to be enough against LeVeon bell and the Panthers. Bell finished with 123 yards and 2 scores while Kirk Cousins connected with both Cody Latimer and Martellus Bennett in a comfortable win for the Central Division leaders. POTG:  Michigan HB LeVeon Bell: 24 Att, 123 Yds, 2 TD   PORTLAND 44 OAKLAND 17 The Portland Stags are stamping their name on this season with another strong offensive performance as they dominated the Oakland Invaders. The Stags built up a 27-3 lead at the half thanks to two Brandin Cooks TDs and a pick-six from Rudy Ford. After that it was all about pressuring Tom Brady, who was picked off 2 more times. A. J. McCarron finished up the game for Mariota and Portland cruised their way to 5-2. POTG: Portland WR Brandin Cooks: 5 Rec, 188 Yds, 2 TD   SAN DIEGO 17 LAS VEGAS 27 On the opposite end of the ledger, San Diego, who many picked to repeat as division champs, slumped their way to 1-6 with Case Keenum, again in as Christian Ponder recovers from the Covid virus, threw three picks. Ryan Williams could muster only 10 yards on the ground, and the Thunder defense struggled to contain the combo of Matt Jones and Kareem Hunt, who combined for 22 carries and 129 yards, with Jones scoring for the Vipers. POTG:  Viper LB Blake Martinez: 10 Tck, 1 FF Reich Second Coach to Go in 2 Weeks Two weeks ago, we wrote about 3 coaches whose positions were very much in danger and who could potentially be gone before the season was tidied up. Even we did not think the reaction would be as swift as it was, with two of the three now on the unemployment line. Last week it was Philadelphia’s Jim Harbaugh, let go after a blow out loss to expansion New England. This week it is St. Louis’s Frank Reich, let go after the Skyhawks again failed to reach 20 points in a game, the 7 th  game in 7 tries where they have been held below that baseline target.   The Skyhawks scored only 9 points on three field goals this week in a bad 24-9 loss to Memphis. They currently rank 29 th  in scoring at 11.9 points per game, 26 th  in yards per game at 287 per outing, and are in the bottom five in both passing and rushing. All this despite the obvious talents of QB Lamar Jackson. Jackson himself has been expressing frustration with the team’s offensive production. Fans have been putting the blame solidly on Reich, who seemed to be trying to mold Jackson more after the immobile Joe Flacco than the more appropriate Jake Plummer or Cam Newton. Jackson is his own player, but the style of play Reich instituted for the Skyhawks clearly did not mesh well with his talents.   Add to this a sense that the team just was not motivated by Reich, coming out flat in several games, and barely competing in some bad losses, including this week’s matchup against the Showboats. And so, after 7 weeks, and a pair of 10-loss seasons prior, Reich was shown the door. St. Louis has named defensive coordinator Dave Borgonzi as the interim head coach, but with a defense that has been equally shaky, we don’t see much chance that Borgonzi can turn things around and hold onto the job. St. Louis is now the only winless team after a Week 7 win by the Stars. Maybe they will get a first week victory for their new coach as the Stars did, but we don’t expect much more from them. There is every chance that the Skyhawks will finish below both expansion teams in the rankings and could get them the 1 st  overall pick. That sad legacy may be what Frank Reich takes with him as he leaves the franchise. After so many heroics as a player, the former Buffalo Bill and St. Louis Knight was unable to bring any miracles to the Skyhawks and now leaves a team in an 0-7 hole.   How are the Stags Doing it? With possible competition from the Atlanta Fire, the Portland Stags are perhaps the surprise story of the 2020 USFL season. Portland came from a 4-12 season in 2019, did very little in the offseason, apart from signing NFL receiver Josh Gordon (who has only 7 receptions in 7 weeks), and somehow have put the pieces together, surprising many with their 5-2 start. After earning some early wins against struggling clubs in Oklahoma and Seattle, they made a splash with a 38-point deconstruction of the LA Express defense, producing a 21-point victory. They followed that up with an 11-point victory over Denver and this week’s 44-17 demolition of the Oakland Invaders. But how are they doing it?   The first thing we have to acknowledge is that the 2020 Stags are finally embracing the USFL as a passing league. After years of trying to ride their run game to victories, often with only spotty success, the Stags have shifted the focus of their offense. Balance is out, run-first is out, and they are letting Marcus Mariota be the focal point of their offense. The Stags average only 66 yards per game rushing, even with a solid back in Doug Martin leading the charge. Compare that to their 292.6 YPG average in the passing game. It is a major philosophical change for Head Coach Matt LaFleur and is largely the influence of his new OC, Luke Getsy, who has apparently found something in Mariota that LaFleur just did not believe was there.   We should recognize that Mariota has responded amazingly to the confidence shown in him this year, completing 63.8% of his passes, looking to deeper routes more often, and making good decisions with the ball. But we also need to acknowledge that former Stallion A. J. McCarron has also played well, starting 2 games for Mariota and performing with equal confidence. The Portland receiver group has also stepped up, with Brandin Cooks having a career season, already over 600 yards (646) and with 6 TDs, he is on pace for a 1,300-yard season. Alshon Jeffery is not far behind, with 540 yards and 5 scores. We could be looking at a duo with over 2,500 yards and 20 TDs between them by season’s end. If you want to know how Portland is doing it, look no further than the newly focused, newly inspired, and newly empowered passing game of LaFleur and Getsy.   Are the Breakers Broken? There was no panic when the Breakers lost a tough matchup against a very feisty Pittsburgh Mauler team. After all, a 24-17 game and a let down after a 5-0 start is nothing to panic about. But what we saw from the Breakers this week in a very rough 33-6 beatdown by the Chicago Machine was enough to worry Breaker fans. The passing game which had carried the Breakers to their 5-0 domination was held to only 197 yards and no touchdowns. The outside combo of Nelson and Jefferson held to only 3 catches on 9 targets. And, as rough as that sounds, when your run game produces a league record for futility with a grand total of -4 yards on the day, you might need to panic a bit.   The Breakers still share first place in the division, even with Memphis and a game up on Houston, but these last two weeks have proven that their offense can be contained, even shut down, if we go by what Chicago did. With a huge game against the Showboats this week, you know Memphis Head Coach Rex Ryan is scouring over the Chicago footage as he game plans against the Breakers. What was it that the Machine did to throw the Breakers off their game? Is it repeatable? The answer seems to be pressure from the D-Line, with Jason Pierre-Paul (the game’s POTG), Victor Abiami, and Ifeadi Odenigbo largely taking responsibility for the pass rush, with only occasional early down blitzes from Manti Te’o or Courtney Upshaw. Chicago dropped 7, occasionally 8, into coverage, and that seemed to frustrate Geno Smith. That is not exactly the style that Rex Ryan likes for his defense, but he may well learn from Chicago and rely on DE’s Chase Winovich and Sam Acho, along with DT Dan Williams to put pressure on. If it works, then we will see that formula used by every team the Breakers face over the season’s second half.   Campbell “Not Done Yet”, but is Streak Over? No one is saying that Calais Campbell has hit the wall, at least not in his presence. But while Campbell had himself a very nice game this week with 3 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery for a TD, he has yet to secure more than 1 sack in any game this year. That fact, combined with his missing 2 weeks to injury, put him well behind the pace on the sack leaderboard. Yes, he has 1 sack in every start, which would easily put him over 10 for the year, but after 7 weeks he not only trails Orlando’s Montez Sweat by 7 sacks, but is currently 2 nd  on his own team, with Bud Dupree taking over as Calais was injured and holding on with 6 sacks in 7 games. With 9 weeks left to play, do we think Campbell will finish outside of the Top 5 or 6 in sacks? No. We think he can still reach 15 or 16 sacks, which typically would put him near the top of the standings. But could he fail to win the Sack Title for the first time since 2008, an amazing run but one that could end with 11 seasons. Still perhaps the greatest record in pro football history, but a sign that Campbell is no spring chicken anymore and that all good things eventually come to an end.   Sobering Injury Sends Calvin Ridley to IR It was a valiant attempt at a highlight reel catch, but the consequences of the daring attempt were severe, and now a rising star in the league could be facing a lost season and a very long and difficult recovery. On a third down play midway through Michigan’s 34-9 demolition of San Antonio, receiver Calvin Ridley went all out to make a tough catch, soaring up in the air in an attempt to bring down a high throw from Kirk Cousins, hoping to make the spectacular catch and convert a 3 rd  and 13. Ridley went up, tipped the ball at its apex and attempted to bring it in with his other hand. But at the same time, Gunslinger’s safety David Bruton came in for the tackle, crashing into Ridley’s legs, which were chest-high on the San Antonio defender. The momentum of Bruton’s hit spun Ridley in the air, sending him feet over head. When Ridley hit the ground, it was head first, right on the crown of his helmet. And just like the illegal hit that will cause a targeting penalty in college ball, the blow to the crown, caused Ridley’s head and neck to bend back. With the full weight of his body above him, that torque was intense, and Ridley’s body crumpled to the ground awkwardly.   Both teams sent their medical crews out onto the field immediately. Bruton, the man who undercut Ridley, was sickened, dropping to the ground in tears after seeing that Ridley was not moving. The Michigan receiver was put on a backboard, his helmet still on but his neck in a firm brace. The cart wheeled him off, with no signs from the moment he hit the ground until he left down the tunnel that he could move his hands or feet. The chilling moment in the game left both teams shaken. The silence in the stadium, already quiet due to the Covid restrictions that left only a handful of grounds crew, television personnel, and the two teams as the lone witnesses, was palpable. FOX went to commercial 4 times over the course of nearly 15 minutes as the game suffered a long pause, the announcers also audibly shaken by the incident.   It would not be until 2pm on Monday that we heard from the physicians at the Texas Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest hospital systems and an ideal location for Ridley to get emergency care. Ridley had suffered a significant neck injury, with two cracked vertebrae, a nick to the spinal cord, and significant inflammation that was cutting off the brain’s signals to the muscles. Doctors believed that with stabilization, including 2 rods inserted into the neck to secure the spine, that a recovery would be possible, that Ridley, who regained feeling in his extremities overnight, would also regain motion. They were not as certain about his ability to ever return to the game. His vertebrae would be reinforced for now, but their eventual healing could require fusing the bones and would forever be more fragile. For now, the good news was that feeling had returned and the medical team had high hopes that movement would also be restored, but for a young player who was just beginning to get noticed as a key part of the Michigan offense, his future as a football player is very much in doubt, and his teammates, friends, and family are now more concerned about his health than his career.   A horrible week across the USFL for injuries. We already outlined the horrible injury suffered by Calvin Ridley of the Panthers, but he was hardly alone in suffering major injury this week. Seattle CB Desmond Truffant will miss the rest of the season after what appears to be a complete hamstring tear with roll up of the muscle. LA will lose RG Logan Stenberg after receiving word that surgery would be needed to repair his hip socket. Baltimore will miss their lead receiver, Brian Hartline, for at least a month as he suffered major ligament damage at the joint of his thigh and hip. Philadelphia’s Randall Cobb will also miss at least a month after a partial tear of his oblique muscle in the abdomen. A bad week all around, even with reduced COVID-19 numbers this week.   OUT CB          Desmond Truffant    SEA        Torn Hamstring         IR WR         Calvin Ridley            MGN     Spine Injury                      IR G            Logan Stenberg     LA          Hip                                 IR WR         Brian Hartline          BAL        Leg                                 4-6 Weeks DE          Kareem Martin        ORL       Groin                             4-6 Weeks FS           Nate Allen               ARZ       Biceps                         4-6 Weeks WR         Randall Cobb          PHI        Abdomen                        4-6 Weeks DE          Neal Beasley           HOU     Turf Toe                     1-2 Weeks LB           Jamie Collins          NEN      Pinched Nerve            1-2 Weeks OT          Jonah Williams       BIR         ACL Strain                    1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL DT          Tim Settle              WSH     Thigh Bruise LB           Jelani Jenkins          HOU     Elbow DE          Tyrone Crawford      POR      Knee   QUESTIONABLE LB           Aldon Smith            NJ           Knee OT          Marcus Gilbert       NOR      Foot OG         Chance Warmack    DAL       Hip HB         Paul Perkins              LA       Knee   COVID-19 INACTIVES CHI        C             Harlan Couch HOU     HB         Carlos Hyde OAK      SS           Marquestan Huff OKL       LB           Greg Lloyd Jr.         2 nd Week PHI        OT          Matt Kalil SAN       DE          Da’Shawn Hand   2 nd  Week STL         LB           Cody Glenn            2 nd Week WSH     DE          Bradley Chubb First Week of Weekend Afternoon Games on Tap As we approach Week 8 of the USFL season, we are preparing for the return of weekend afternoon football. Both Arizona State’s Sun Devil Stadium and Tucson’s University of Arizona stadiums are now offline, and we will have no more 11pm starts on the East Coast. What we will have are games at both 1pm (from Houston’s NRG Stadium), at 4pm, and at 8pm on Fridays, with all Pacific and Southwest Division games now rescheduled to either State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ or the Wynn Arena in Las Vegas. The new schedule (listed below in our preview of the week) will allow for two 8pm starts and a 9pm kickoff on Friday Nights and a 1pm start, two 4pm games, and a mix of 8pm and 9pm starts on Saturday and Sunday. The hope, of course, is that the removal of the late-night games for most of the country will greatly impact viewership, producing happier TV networks and happier fans. The next step, according to league sources, is to seek approval for partial capacity stadium use. After 7 weeks of games being played in the eerie silence of an empty stadium, that approval will be forthcoming for teams to start allowing lower-capacity attendance at games. This is not a unique request from the USFL, with both college and NFL football scheduled to begin in late August and early September, there is a definite push to allow stadiums to set partial capacity limits and sell seats that still allow for social distancing between parties. The hope for the USFL is that Florida, Texas, Arizona, and now Nevada, will allow somewhere between 20% and 30% capacity. With support of other professional leagues, including Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and the NFL, the hope is that safety guidelines can be developed to allow some fan presence at games, as even a modest 10,000 in a football stadium will help alter the feel of the game, removing the uncomfortable feel of teams playing in empty facilities.   Denver Gold Unveil 2021 Update & Alternate Look Stuck in a 3-game losing streak, the Denver Gold needed to do something to build a bit of enthusiasm for the club. No better time to reveal their new looks for 2021, a chance to highlight future prospects in a season that started strong but has taken a negative turn. The Gold held a virtual press conference and fan event to reveal their new Under Armour looks for 2021, a look they hope to bring to the field in the 2020 playoffs if they can turn around their losing streak.   The primary looks for the Gold stick to the tried-and-true formulas from the club’s history, featuring their standard black helmet with gold stripe, a black home jersey with gold shoulder striping, and a white road jersey with gold shoulders and black sleeves. The jerseys will now feature gold numbers with a bevel effect, evoking the look of a gold bar. Both jerseys also feature two-tone gold as part of their collar and the team’s 1983 logo as a chest patch. The primaries offer Denver either a white pant set with three stripes in black-gold-black or a black set with a single gold stripe.   The throwback look features the 1983 founding franchise look, including the original gold star logo, a brighter athletic gold (yellow) color, and twin stripes on the jerseys. This set includes the team’s inaugural yellow pant set. Finally, the team revealed what it is calling its “Golden Boys” alternate, which, for the first time in team history, will feature a gold helmet. The look starts with a metallic gold helmet with white facemask. The helmet will sport one of the team’s alternate logos, depicting 3 mountains with a gold heart and the wordmark beneath it. The helmet will be paired with a gold jersey featuring black numbers. The jersey has black sleeve caps and a triangle pattern on the sleeves in the club’s lighter gold, creating something of a shimmer effect. The triangle motif, tied to altitude measures used in cartography, is also present on the white pant set, with the triangles growing lighter as they move from the knee to the hip. The alternate look also includes two-tone gold socks with a thin black top stripe.   Saturday and Sunday afternoon games return as the USFL updates their schedule, adds Las Vegas’s Wynn Arena as a venue, and closes up the domes at NRG and State Farm Stadium. That means football from 1pm Eastern through midnight on both Saturday and Sunday. We get our first games from Sin City on Friday night when the Wranglers take on the Portland Stags from Las Vegas. That is a really interesting matchup with the juggernaut Wranglers facing a surprising 5-2 Stags team. The other two Friday games are nice divisional battles, with New Jersey hoping to get back to .500 as they face the 4-3 Federals. The new late game, starting at only 9pm, features a key Southern Division battle as the Breakers, who have lost 2 in a row, take on the Memphis Showboats.   Saturday features 3 afternoon games and 4 divisional matchups. We are back to afternoon football with the Gamblers and Stallions kicking off at 1pm ET from NRG Stadium. At 4pm we have two interdivisional matchups from the Arizona-Las Vegas bubble, with Dallas facing San Diego and Denver battling Seattle. Then back to night games with Atlanta and Orlando facing off in Gainesville, the Bandits hoping to finish the first half of the season unbeaten as they take on Charlotte, and the Maulers renewing their longstanding rivalry with Ohio in the 9pm start from Rice Stadium.   Sunday has 3 more day games, with St. Louis and San Antonio meeting at NRG Stadium, Las Vegas and LA squaring off at State Farm Stadium at 4pm and the Outlaws meeting Oakland at Wynn Arena. The night games include a beauty as the Michigan Panthers take on the Chicago Machine in a vital Central Division clash at TDECU Stadium in Houston.   FRIDAY 8pm ET      New Jersey (3-4) @ Washington (4-3)         Orlando          ESPN/EFN 8 pm ET         Arizona (7-0) @ Portland (5-2)                       Las Vegas        NBC 9pm ET            New Orleans (5-2) @ Memphis (5-2)              TDECU             ABC   SATURDAY 1pm ET         Houston (4-3) @ Birmingham (2-5)                   NRG                ABC 4pm ET         Dallas (3-4) @ San Diego (1-6)                           Las Vegas        ABC 4pm ET          Denver (3-4) @ Seattle (2-5)                              Glendale         FOX 8pm ET          Atlanta (6-1) @ Orlando (4-3)                            Gainesville     NBC 8pm ET            Charlotte (2-5) @ Tampa Bay (7-0)                     Tampa             ABC 9pm ET           Pittsburgh (5-2) @ Ohio (2-5)                            Rice                FOX   SUNDAY 1pm ET          St. Louis (0-7) @ San Antonio (1-6)                 NRG               FOX 4pm ET            Las Vegas (2-5) @ Los Angeles (5-2)                Glendale         ABC 4pm ET           Oklahoma (3-4) @ Oakland (4-3)                      Las Vegas       FOX 8pm ET           New England (2-5) @ Jacksonville (2-5)           Tampa             ABC 8pm ET           Baltimore (4-3) @ Philadelphia (1-6)                Orlando           FOX 9pm ET          Michigan (6-1) @ Chicago (5-2)                       TDECU            ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: As great as LeVeon Bell's 160 yards from scrimmage with 3 TDs was this week, we have to give the POTW to Birmingham's Cam Newton. Newton single-handedly accounted for 461 yards of offense in the Stallions' win over San Antonio. He threw for 351 and rushed for another 110 on only 10 carries. When Newton is hot, he is absolutely unstoppable. The problem for the 2-4 Stallions is that he does tend to run hot & cold.

It’s the end of an era in the City of Brotherly Love as a bad loss by the Stars to expansion New England spells the end of the Jim Harbaugh Stars, with Philly sacking the 15-year coach. That is our big story, but we will also bring you up to speed on all this week’s games, including a thriller in the South between the Showboats and Gamblers, and the upset that knocks the Breakers from the ranks of the unbeatens, leaving only Arizona and Tampa Bay unblemished. All this, plus news from the USFL owners’ virtual meeting and a look at what may be the best rookie class for receivers in league history. We start it off in Philadelphia, with the news of the firing of Coach Harbaugh as Philadelphia drops to 0-6 with a bad loss to the Steamrollers.   Harbaugh Axed After 0-6 Start Fifteen years, 146 wins, a .591 winning percentage, 11 playoff appearances, and two trips to the Summer Bowl. That is what Philadelphia parted ways with when they announced that Jim Harbaugh had been relieved of his duties. But that is what can happen when you start the season 0-5 for the second consecutive year and then proceed to put forward a low-energy, low-effort performance and get beaten by 18 points by an expansion team. The Stars were simply not going to continue down this road, a change needed to be made and that change was at the top, letting Jim Harbaugh go six weeks into his 16 th  season.   Now, had Harbaugh brought the Stars a title, perhaps he would have gotten yet another chance to turn things around, but years of playoff frustration paired with yet another rough start to the year and a truly bad loss this week was more than ownership could tolerate. So, they let Harbaugh go, promoted his DC, Don Smith, to the interim position, and promised a lot more changes to come. That could mean that we see recently obtained QB Ryan Lindley under center. It could mean more coaches are let go when the season ends, or that the club will undergo what may be a very much needed roster overhaul this offseason.   As we look over the 2020 Stars, we see sloppy play, a lack of focus and intensity, and, yes, a need to upgrade all across the roster. That Philadelphia was able to pull 9 wins and a division title out of this club in 2019 may actually mean that Jim Harbaugh was not the problem. The team has needs that are just not being addressed, which to us feels more like a GM issue. That said, the coach is the man responsible for getting the most out of his players, and that was just not happening this year. So, where do we see the Stars needing to improve most. Here are 5 areas of immediate concern.   QUARTERBACK You would not expect any QB with 804 yards and only 4 TDs in 4 starts to be locked into the starting job, and even with a solid track record behind him, it is clear that Matt Gutierrez is not the same player as he was in past seasons. The last 2 years in particular have seen a precipitous decline in production. Gutierrez’s arm lacks the zip it once had, and his decision making has not improved enough to help him compensate. But, P. J. Walker was not showing us any ability to take over in the 2 starts he got this year, throwing for 5 picks and racking up a pretty miserable 65.5 QB Rating. So, while we expect to see Ryan Lindley get some starts this year, it seems clear that Philadelphia needs to upgrade the position this offseason. Expect them to be among several teams in the rookie QB hunt, and it is a good class. If the Stars finish with the worst record in the league (which feels viable), they would have a clean shot at one possible prospect North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, but they could also work some deals to pursue several others who look like T-Draft protectees to us, like Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, BYU’s Zach Wilson, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, or Alabama’s Mac Jones.   WIDE RECEIVER Rookie K. J. Hamler leads the Stars with 46 targets and 29 receptions. That tells us that Randall Cobb, in addition to injury issues, is just not a clear number one receiver. It might make sense for him to return to the slot and have the Stars sign a proven veteran to line up opposite Hamler. Depth should also be addressed this offseason. If not for Travis Kelce, we don’t think the Stars would be able to put together any passing game at all, and that is not all on the QB.   DEFENSIVE LINE Yes, injury to Jonathan Babineaux hurt, as has losing Malik Jackson to Covid restrictions for 2 weeks, but even beyond that this is just not a front four that can get the job done without requiring blitz assistance. Both the DT and edge positions need upgrades if the Stars want to stifle the run and put pressure on the QB. They are currently giving up too much in the run and allowing QBs far too much time in the passing game, and that all has to do with a lack of playmakers on the D-line.   CORNERBACK The Stars’ linebackers are passable (an upgrade would not hurt), but their corners are clearly sub-par. Jaire Alexander is still learning the USFL game and needs time, so thrusting him into the 1 slot was clearly a mistake, and behind him there just is not much there. We think safeties Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Nick Scott are workable, but again, an upgrade would not hurt, but corner is the clear need, as was evident by the strong performance New England’s Doug Baldwin put up this week.   GENERAL MANAGER Let’s face it, this is likely the cause of many of Philadelphia’s troubles. Other than landing Derrick Henry in the 2016 draft, the Stars have found little of value in the draft. They seemingly ignored needs, including at QB, and played it safe. This is a team that needs to be aggressive if they want to compete for a title, and with so many needs, they cannot build slowly through the draft, they need to land some key free agents, make a trade or two, and also draft well. We think there will be a new GM in the organization by August, perhaps sooner, and that may well be the biggest move of any. For now we just have to see what Don Smith can do with the players he has on the roster, but that has to change, and quickly, for 2021.   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 24  HOUSTON GAMBLERS 30  OVERTIME The Gamblers and the Showboats, two division rivals, one used to commanding the division after claiming 3 division titles, the other always the outside, the up and comer who never arrives. That is the story of this renewed rivalry. When Houston returned to the South in 2015, they brought with them the swagger of a 4-time league champion, and they added their 5 th  only 2 years ago. Memphis has not had that kind of track record, having won two titles, but not having won a playoff game since 2016.   The two would face off in Houston’s home field, NRG Stadium, and while the stands were empty, the home cooking was still very much in effect for the Gamblers. Memphis had been camping out at a hotel in a student residence on the campus of Texas A&M since early May, far from home, but the Showboats came into this one with a 1-game advantage, sitting at 4-1 to Houston’s 3-2 mark. They had won their last 4, including divisional games against San Antonio and Birmingham, and Rex Ryan’s defense was looking solid, but what was even better, they had gotten Todd Gurley on track and their feature back was helping the Showboats stay balanced on offense.   That balance would be tested against Houston’s D, and Rex Ryan’s pressure defense would also get tested in a game that showcased both teams. Memphis would get a huge game from their star halfback, with Todd Gurley rushing for 145 yards on only 19 carries, and while Gurley would not find the endzone, his runs made it easier for Paxton Lynch and the former Memphis Tiger came through with 3 TD tosses. For Houston, Colt McCoy would have an up and down day, but would end the game with a strong 4 th  quarter and an even stronger overtime performance, finishing the day with 386 yards passing, 3 TDs and 2 picks. In a game that looked like it was Memphis’s through 3 quarters, Houston did not give up and by the final whistle, a walk-off TD to end the game, it was the Gamblers once again on top.   Memphis started the game with some swagger, and with a very strong 13-play drive that ended when Paxton Lynch hit Robert Woods from 5 yards out with the game’s opening score. The Memphis defense also played well in the first, limiting Carlos Hyde to only 12 yards on 7 carries in the opening period. Houston would put up two field goals but Memphis held the edge as the teams flipped the field and started the 2 nd . In that quarter, Houston finally found the endzone, with Colt McCoy finding Denzel Mims on a crossing route from the 3 to give Houston its first lead of the game at 13-7. But that lead was short-lived. Memphis roared back, putting together a drive that again ended with Robert Woods bringing down the ball in the endzone. Up 14-13 with 1:52 left in the half, Memphis braced for the Gamblers to try to double up by scoring at the end of the half and then getting the 2 nd  half kickoff.   Rather than stay back and focus on coverage, Rex Ryan, as he so often does, went for pressure, and this time it paid off. Colt McCoy made a bad throw while fading backwards away from the rushers. The ball fluttered and was snagged by Memphis CB Josh Johnson, giving the Showboats the ball at midfield with time to set up a half-ending kick for Lewis Ward. Ward connected from 50 yards out and the Showboats went into the half feeling good and up 17-13.   The visitors would feel even better as the third quarter provided a 2 nd McCoy pick and two stalled Houston drives. Memphis would have only one solid drive in the period, a 10-play, 58-yard affair that ended when Lynch hit slot receiver Jamison Crowder for another short TD toss, giving the Showboats a nice cushion at 24-13 after 3 quarters.   But if there is one thing we know about the Gamblers, it is that their offense can go from 0 to 60 in a heartbeat. They found their swagger in the 4 th quarter, first putting together a nice drive from their own 13, going 87 yards in 15 plays with Anthony Sherman getting a rare reception and forcing his way into the endzone from 4 yards out. Houston went for 2 and McCoy found Mims for a score that put them within 3.   Memphis needed a drive to kill time and to potentially build up their lead again. What they go was a near disaster as Paxton Lynch threw a pick on an attempted screen play, tossing the ball where Gurley should be but where Houston safety Budda Baker had disrupted the play. Baker reacted quickly, keeping the ball from hitting the ground and giving Houston the ball back with 2:02 on the clock.   The Gamblers knew what they needed to do, but hoped to do more, trying to get in the endzone to finish the game in the final minutes. They moved the ball to the red zone, and then within the 10, where Memphis was faced with the Gamblers, first and goal from the 8. On first down, the defense did its job, holding Carlos Hyde to only 1 yard on an outside run. Second down saw McCoy miss Mike Evans in the endzone, creating 3 rd  and goal from the 7. McCoy tried a swing pass to Edwards-Helaire, who appeared to give the Gamblers the lead, only to see the yellow flag on the field. A lineman had gotten out in front of the play and was declared illegally downfield. Houston would now be at the 12, and on 3 rd  and goal from there, the Memphis secondary did not give McCoy any options.   Colt McCoy was forced to throw the ball out of the endzone on 3 rd  down, settled for a short Younghoe Koo field goal to tie the game with 6 seconds left to play, and everyone prepared for overtime. Despite a solid goal-line stand by Memphis, the momentum was still clearly on Houston’s side, having put up the only 10 points of the final period. Memphis had the ball first in overtime, but all that produced was a 3-and-out as Lynch missed on a deep ball to Devin Funchess. Houston would get a shot, and they would take it. After a series of short runs and underneath routes, Houston was on the fringes of Koo’s range at the 34. It would be a 51-yard kick from here. The Gamblers opted not to try to garner 3-5 yards on a 3 rd  and 11 from the 34, instead they faked the ball to Hyde and McCoy took a shot at the endzone. It was a jump ball between Houston’s JuJu Smith-Schuster and Memphis’s Marcus Williams, one of the league’s best corners against one of the best 50/50 receivers.   The two went up for the ball, but despite solid coverage from Williams, Smith-Schuster got both hands on the ball and spun it away from the defender’s reach, crashing to the turf with the game winning score. Houston had taken on the challenge from Memphis and again come out victorious. The Gamblers would now improve to 4-2, sharing the same record with the Showboats, and proving that their off and on start was not a sign that the Gamblers were ready to abdicate their leadership in the South, even if both they and Memphis were still a game behind the Breakers.   NEW JERSEY 7  BALTIMORE 24 It was all Baltimore as the Blitz outgained the Generals 374-169 and limited New Jersey to only 7 first downs. The Blitz defense was all over Maurie Jones-Drew, limiting him to only 1.2 yards per carry, and Nick Foles did not fare much better, throwing for only 143 yards. On offense, the star was Jake Locker, who threw for 318 in the game, including TD tosses to rookie Michael Pittmann Jr., TE C. j. Uzomah, and TE Dion Simms. POTG:  Blitz QB Jake Locker: 26/42, 318 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   LOS ANGELES 12  SAN DIEGO 6 The Express D rebounds from their shocking let down against Portland by simply shutting down any scoring chances from the spiraling San Diego Thunder. In a game that saw all the points come off the toes of the kickers, LA simply got into range for Dan Bailey more often than San Diego did for Jeff Reed. Eric Weems showed he can be a weapon for QB Kyler Murray, catching 4 of 9 targets for 77 yards, while Reggie Bush averaged 4.1 per carry on his way to a 16-carry, 65-yard outing. But this one was all about defense, with LA getting 6 sacks of Thunder backup Case Keenum (Ponder was in Covid protocols). POTG:  LA Linebacker Uchena Nwosu: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   CHARLOTTE 21  ATLANTA 34 A 24-21 Atlanta lead at the half grew as the Fire put up 14 in the second half while holding Charlotte scoreless. Aaron Murray again had a strong game, throwing for 347 and 3 scores, but it was the emergence of Nick Chubb from hibernation in the 2 nd  half, with 73 of his 111 yards coming after the halftime break, that really opened up the game for the Fire. Mitch Trubisky went 20 of 25 without throwing any picks, but he just could not get Charlotte into scoring territory in the second half and that was the difference. POTG:  Fire WR A. J. Green: 10 Rec, 130 Yds, 2 TD   PHILADELPHIA 13   NEW ENGLAND 31 A result so shocking it led to the dismissal of the Stars’ longstanding head coach. No other way to describe it, the Steamrollers rolled in a game that surprised everyone but Coach Fox. Ryan Tannehill threw for 3 scores, Kerwynn Williams and Matt Forte combined for 136 yards, and the New England defense held Derrick Henry to only 43 yards rushing in a game that had all the hallmarks of a team wanting to win facing a team that was running on empty. POTG:  Steamroller QB Ryan Tannehill: 16/24, 177 Yds, 3TD, 1 Int   SAN ANTONIO 12   BIRMINGHAM 33 The league’s other expansion club did not fare as well this week, succumbing to another huge game from who else, Cam Newton. The Stallions’ one-man offense did it again, throwing for 351 (and 2 TDs) while also leading the team in rushing with 110 yards on only 10 carries. Newton was just too much for the Gunslingers as every time they bit on the run fake, he would hit them over the top, with rookie Henry Ruggs often the target. Ruggs finished with 4 receptions for 150 yards, a fabulous 37.5 YPC average. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 16/30, 351 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int, 10 Att, 110 Yds   ST. LOUIS 17   CHICAGO 30 Chicago wins the Battle of I-55 as they build up a 23-0 lead at the half and then coast their way to a 13-point victory. The game started with Chicago SS Lano Hill blitzing Lamar Jackson and recording a safety on the opening drive of the game, then Chicago added TDs from Chase Claypool, Marion Mack, and Jeremy Hill to build up their halftime lead before St. Louis ever got on the board. With no run game whatsoever after Eddie Lacy’s injury, the Skyhawks had only 24 rushing yards to Chicago’s 111. POTG:  Chicago WR Michael Floyd: 6 Rec, 122 Yds   ARIZONA 27  LAS VEGAS 26 The Vipers gave Arizona a serious scare, with new HB Matt Jones combining with Kareem Hunt to rack up 138 combined rushing yards and allowing Matt McGloin to use the play action game for 254 yards and 2 scores. But Arizona hung in all game, with David Carr throwing 3 TD passes and Ka’Deem Carey adding 81 on the ground. Down 23-20 after three, Arizona added a long TD toss to Victor Cruz to take the lead and held Las Vegas to a lone field goal in the final 15 minutes to squeak by their SW Division rivals. POTG:  Wrangler WR Victor Cruz: 3 Rec, 112 Yds, 1 TD   DENVER 27   PORTLAND 38 Portland is staking a claim as the breakout team of the season, putting up 38 on the Denver defense. It was a shootout throughout the game as Josh Allen threw for 338 and 3 TDs but also threw a pair of costly picks. Marcus Mariota had far more modest numbers but completed 12 of 16 and had 3 TDs of his own, all three to Marcus Mariota. At one point Portland led 31-3, but Denver put up 24 points in the 2 nd  half, almost coming back before a Doug Martin TD run slammed the door shut on the comeback. POTG:  Portland WR Alshon Jeffery: 4 Rec, 141 Yds, 3 TD   ORLANDO 3   JACKSONVILLE 10 With Russell Wilson sidelined by an infection, Kyle Lauletta got the start for the Renegades and Jacksonville took advantage. While only recording 3 sacks, the pressure from the Bulls was still very present and Lauletta completed only 47% of his pass attempts. Teddy Bridgewater’s 11 of 19 was just good enough to get the Bulls their 2 nd  win of the year, secured with a TD to QB-turned-TE Taysom Hill. The defense did the rest as Orlando drops to 3-3 after 6 weeks. POTG:  Bulls’ CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie: 7 Tck, 5 PDef   TAMPA BAY 27  WASHINGTON 3 A rough day for Feds’ QB Ryan Nassib, who was sacked 6 times and threw 2 picks on only 112 yards passing. Dack Prescott had much stronger numbers, throwing for 307 with 2 TDs, including an amazing corner-of-the-endzone diving catch by Dez Bryant as Tampa Bay moved to 6-0 on the season. Bryant, TE Jordan Cameron and slot man Deebo Samuel helped Tampa Bay weather the absence of Ryan Grant (Covid protocols) and the Bandit defense came up big, allowing Washington to convert only 2 third downs all night. POTG:  Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 16/24, 307 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   PITTSBURGH 24   NEW ORLEANS 17 A late Dalton to Albert Wilson TD knocks the Breakers from the ranks of the unbeatens. It was a brilliant game all around for the Maulers, who stymied the Breakers TD machine despite giving up 370 yards to Geno Smith and the duo of Nelson and Jefferson. Between the 20’s the Breakers moved the ball well, but they had 2 red zone turnovers and missed on 2 field goals, and that was enough for the Maulers to get the upset. POTG:  Mauler LB Brian Orakpo: 5 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   OHIO 7   MICHIGAN 35 Not exactly the Wolverines and Buckeyes as the Panthers simply manhandled Tom Coughlin’s Ohio Glory. This one got ugly early with the Panthers scoring on their first three possessions. Ohio had some highlights, but far too few as it was LeVeon Bell’s 160-yard, 3-TD rushing and receiving performance that dominated the day. Cody Latimer also had a good day, catching 8 for 113 and a TD, while the Panther defense held Ohio to only 2 successful third down conversions, forced 2 turnovers, and helped the Panthers stay atop the Central at 5-1. POTG:  Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 23 Att, 145 Yds, 2 TD, 3 Rec, 15 Yds, 1 TD   DALLAS 14   OKLAHOMA 36 Mason Rudolph came out the clear victor in the “QB Bowl” as he faced off against Josh Freeman with both having high-priced rookies nipping at their heels. Rudolph finished the game 22 of 29 for 217 yards, throwing 3 TDs while Josh Freeman threw 3 picks in what could be his final start before Justin Herbert gets a shot. TE Mark Andrews was Rudolph’s favorite target, catching 9 of 9 targets for 70 yards and 2 scores as the Outlaws improve to 3-3. POTG:  Outlaw QB Mason Rudolph: 22/29, 217 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   OAKLAND 13  SEATTLE 3 Brett Hundley got clocked early on an illegal hit, but that forced Brad Gradkowski into the game for Seattle, and, well, that did not go great. Gradkowski threw 2 picks and was sacked 3 times, while Seattle stumbled to only 1 field goal in the game. Oakland did not look great on offense either, but Tom brady did connect with Jerrel Jernigan for the game’s lone TD and that was enough to help the Invaders move to 4-2 on the season. POTG:  Oakland DE Vinny Curry: 8 Tck, 1 Sck 1 FF, 1 FR   Maulers Get Statement Win at Breakers’ Expense Sometimes a team can have success but not gain respect until they put up a big game against a top opponent to earn the attention of the nation. After a 3-2 start, Pittsburgh felt they were not getting the respect they felt their club deserved. That may not be a problem any longer after a huge win over the unbeaten New Orleans Breakers. In this week’s game, the Maulers played complementary football and proved they could pull out the tough one with a late score to claim victory.   On defense they did what few have proven able to to, declaw the Breaker attack. Yes, they allowed plenty of yards, with Geno Smith throwing for 370 yards, yet another 300-yard effort, but they held the run game under 60 total yards and they avoided giving up the big scoring play, holding Smith to only one big play. They limited the Breakers to only 17 points, a season low, and well below their 30+ point average. On offense, they showed excellent balance, with Cam Akers and Sony Michel combining for 106 yards while Andy Dalton went 18 of 28 for 190 yards. They even caught New Orleans with a trick play, freeing up Brian Quick for a rare rushing TD on a nicely executed reverse.   The Maulers are still a game behind 5-1 Michigan, but they are right there with Chicago as the most likely challengers to the Panthers’ supremacy in the division. They don’t have a lot of big-name playmakers, but they are a tough nut to crack, playing with few penalties, few self-inflicted wounds, and few big defensive blunders. That may not make them the most exciting team to watch, but it does make them a tough out every week. They will get a chance to jump up to 5-2, a very nice position to be in, if they can get yet another upset win over a Southern Division favorite as they take on the Houston Gamblers this weekend.   Newton Sizzles Against San Antonio It may not be entirely fair to tout a players stats run up against an expansion team, but we saw one expansion club earn their 2 nd  win this week, and San Antonio, while still stuck at 1 win, has been in nearly every game they have played, so the outing put together by Cam Newton is still impressive, even if it was against a first year club. Todd Haley is getting the dual-threat machine cranked up again, giving Newton 9 designed runs in the game, which along with one well-timed scramble, helped Newton rack up 110 yards rushing. What helps those run plays is Newton’s comfort in the pocket and throwing on the run. He did a bit of both this week, completing 16 of 30, including a few key 3 rd down plays, on his way to a 351-yard, 2-TD performance that included a 40-yard TD toss to Henry Ruggs as well as another long completion to his new rookie target, a 49-yarder that set up a Ben Tate TD run.   With Newton it is all about his focus, with the QB often following up a strong game like this one with a dud. Todd Haley’s job is to keep his QB mentally in the game, to get the best out of him each week, and that is what could help Birmingham improve on their current 2-3 record and make a real run at the playoffs, something Stallion fans have been waiting to see from their club for some time.   Atlanta’s Offense Continues to Impress You cannot average over 35 points per game, score 40 in 3 of the season’s first 5 weeks, and not expect to turn some heads. The fact that no one saw this coming is just more proof that what is happening in Atlanta under rookie head coach Jaime Elizondo is something special. Elizondo, who helped build last season’s breakaway offense in Tampa Bay, seems to have taken the formula with him to rival Atlanta. The Bandits, now without Elizondo’s play calling, have slipped a bit, averaging 26.3 points per game, still among the league’s best, but Atlanta has jumped from near the bottom of the production numbers last year to become the top scoring offense in the league after 6 weeks.   Aaron Murray is having himself a season, making all the UGA Bulldog fans happy with 14 touchdowns and over 1.500 yards in the first 6 games, well on pace to set personal bests in nearly every passing stat. He is clearly benefitting from one of the best offseason moves of any team, the signing of temperamental but talented NFL import A. J. Green. Green has 415 yards and 7 touchdowns in his first 6 USFL games, numbers that impress, but even moreso when you realize that his number 2, Kelvin Benjamin, actually has more catches and yards, meaning that the Fire passing game has options. TE O. J. Howard is also contributing with 24 receptions over 6 games, while rookie Gabe Davis has had some nice plays in limited action as well.   The run game is also benefitting from Atlanta’s more aggressive stance, with Nick Chubb rebounding from a slow 2019. He has 463 yards and 5 TDs in his first 6 games of the year, a pace that could easily put him over 1,000 for the year and could see him rack up double digit scores. The Fire are playing for chunk plays, making defenses second guess what is coming next, and keeping themselves from the difficult third-and-long situations that plagued them so much last year. Coach Elizondo’s creative design and play calling is turning Atlanta into a team worth watching and one that fans of high-flying football can get behind.   Without Wilson, Renegades Stumble It was a surprise on gameday, Russell Wilson standing on the sidelines in training gear, with a wrap on his throwing hand. Apparently what had begun as a laceration on his palm became infected over the week and on gameday the doctors told Coach Rivera that they advised against having Wilson play, and that if he did he would need to wear heavy gauze and a glove on his throwing hand. In pre-game warmups, Wilson simply could not grasp the ball, and that led Coach Rivera to have to bench his starter and go with former Portland Stag Kyle Lauletta. Without more than a handful of snaps over the week’s practices, Lauletta was clearly not prepared for game action, and it showed. The backup faltered, missing on 7 of 8 third down throws, leading to a total of only 2 conversions on 17 third down attempts. The run game could not compensate, with neither Knile Davis nor Ty Montgomery able to find much room against Jacksonville’s front 7, and the Renegades were held to only a lone field goal in a tough Florida Derby loss.   Wilson should be back in action this week, after a run of antibiotics and some TLC to his throwing hand. With the Renegades sitting at 3-3 in a division that has unbeaten Tampa Bay and 5-1 Atlanta looking very tough, there is no room for error. The ‘Gades need a healthy Wilson to lead their offense and they need to avoid more surprises on their roster as they prepare for a stretch of games that starts this week with a tough Baltimore Blitz squad before back-to-back divisional backbreakers against the Fire and Bandits. If the Renegades falter in this 3-game run, their season could be over very early, but if they can pull off some upsets, they could be right back in the mix.   Roughnecks Make Expected Move at QB It did not take long after Dallas’s 36-14 defeat at the hands of rival Oklahoma before Coach Kingsbury made the move that fans had been hoping to see, announcing on Monday that Justin Herbert would be the Week 7 starter. The T-Draft selection from Oregon who Dallas traded to obtain will start his first USFL game against the Denver Gold in a vital divisional game for the 2-4 Roughnecks. The hope, of course, is that Herbert has learned quite a bit from the sideline over the season’s first month and a half and is ready to hit the ground running. The former Oregon Duck has a ton of talent, can clearly make all the throws, but now we will see if he is seeing the game as comfortably fast or uncomfortably too fast.   The goal, of course, will be for Dallas to make Herbert’s first start as easy as possible. Expect a somewhat limited playbook, a focus on getting Samaje Perine and the run game going, and to provide lots of safety valve options between the backs, and tight ends. The hope is that Herbert will start strong, stay under center, and flourish over the course of the season. What Dallas wants to avoid is a flip-flopping between their rookie star and their veteran former MVP.   Houston will be in the market for a QB after backup Landry Jones tore his ACL and was placed on IR. The injury occurred after a blocked field goal, with Jones serving as holder and then racing to get to the ball. Houston will have Bryce Petty behind Colt McCoy this weekend but expect them to look to find a more experienced backup in the market. For Atlanta, following Jeremiah Poutasi’s leg injury, the plan is to stick with 4 guards on the roster, replacing Poutasi on the active roster with OT Colton McKivitz from the practice squad. Beyond these two injuries, it was a light week on the injury front, with fewer new Covid Protocol cases as well.  OUT QB         Landry Jones               HOU     Torn ACL             IR G            Jeremiah Poutasi           ATL         Broken Leg         IR DE          Dante Fowler                   HOU     Eye                            1-2 Weeks LB           Jamie Collins                   NEN      Pinched Nerve       1-2 Weeks DE          Tyrone Crawford             POR      Torn Miniscus          1-2 Weeks    DOUBTFUL SS           Chuck Clark                STL         Wrist OT          Marcus Gilbert                NOR      Foot    QUESTIONABLE WR         Steve Breaston                PHI        Toe WR         Justin Blackmon             CHA      Hamstring WR         Courtland Sutton           DAL       Concussion    COVID-19 INACTIVES ATL         CB          Darius Slay DEN      SS           Sammie Moore      2nd Week LA          CB          Isaiah Oliver     NEN      DE          Mario Addison                  OKL       LB           Greg Lloyd Jr.                     SAN       DE          Da’Shawn Hand              SD          QB         Christian Ponder    2nd Week STL         LB           Cody Glenn   Rookie Roundup: Best WR Class Ever? One of the stories emerging out of the early weeks of the 2020 USFL season is that we may be looking at one of the best draft classes in years, at least at one position, the wide receiver spot. While the USFL might have had mixed results in its draft competition with the NFL across the entire spectrum of talent available, in the case of the wide receiver group it appears the spring league has struck gold. Early results have shown that this is a talented and driven group of young receivers, and across the league they are adding excitement and helping their clubs even as they learn the pro game. In a good year you may get 3-4 breakout players across all the offensive positions, but a quick look at the 2020 receiver class and we are seeing some major stars in the making all over the place.   WR Henry Ruggs (BIR) At the head of the pack, at least for now, is Birmingham wideout Henry Ruggs. The former Alabama star, chosen along with his NFL-bound teammate Jerry Jeudy in the Stallion’s territorial draft, leads the team with 27 receptions, 590 yards, and 6 TDs. Expand that out over a full season and we are easily looking at a 1300-1400-yard season with double digit touchdowns. Ruggs’s presence is a big reason we are seeing Cam Newton hitting the 300-yard mark consistently.   WR Justin Jefferson (NOR) No one made a bigger initial splash in the league than the Breakers’ newest threat. Paired with Jordy Nelson, Justin Jefferson is putting up big numbers and making big plays. With 21 receptions for 538 yards, the former LSU Bayou Bengal and another T-Draft success is averaging nearly 26 yards per catch. If you want to know why failed NY Jet QB Geno Smith is a candidate for a possible USFL MVP award this year, it is the addition of Jefferson to a receiver group that already included one of the league’s best deep threats in Nelson and its best receiving tight end in Coby Fleener.   WR Tee Higgins (JAX) Not a lot has gone right for the Bulls this year, but rookie Tee Higgins is certainly one bright spot. And if you are beginning to see a theme, yes, Higgins too is a T-Draft selection. The Clemson product leads the Bulls with 29 receptions for 403 yards and 2 TDs. While Mike Williams works the underneath routes, it is Higgins’s deep ball ability that has fans excited in Jacksonville.   WR Michael Pittman Jr (BAL) With the retirement of Darius Heyward-Bey, the Blitz were very much in need of a player who could challenge defenses and take pressure off of Brian Hartline. In Pittman they may have found what they need. The former USC Trojan, and our first WR catch from the Open Draft, has shown burst and a knack for creating space against single coverage. He has 23 catches, 265 yards and 2 scores for the Blitz. His development is helping to force defenses to avoid over-compensating for Hartline and also making C. J. Uzomah a bigger threat inside.   WR Chase Claypool (CHI) We are back to the T-Draft, where Notre Damer Chase Claypool was chosen by the Chicago Machine. The rookie started the year behind Kenny Golloday on the depth chart, but with mentoring from veteran Michael Floyd, we are seeing him take on more and more snaps, earning the start in Week 5. He is currently 3 rd  on the team with 21 catches, behind only Floyd and TE Tyler Eifert. His 14 YPC average is best among Machine receivers, and he has also added 3 TDs.   WR Brandon Aiyuk (ARZ) The Arizona Wranglers already had a dynamic WR duo in Victor Cruz and DeMarcus Robinson, but what the ASU grad (and T-Draft pick) Aiyuk has done is give them an inside target, Pair him opposite TE Maxx Williams and the safeties of opposing defenses are in for a long day. While Aiyuk only has 10 receptions over the season’s first 6 weeks, 3 of those have been red zone touchdowns. Expect to see Aiyuk used often on slants, crossing patterns and some in-and-out routes, especially on 3 rd  down and in scoring range.   WR Gabe Davis (ATL) While NFL import A. J. Green has rightfully been getting most of the attention as part of the Fire’s offensive upgrade, UCF product and 2 nd  round draft selection Gabe Davis has also been a pleasant surprise. The former Golden Knight has 14 receptions, 3 touchdowns and 209 yards largely playing in the slot or as a 3 rd  receiver in spread formations (Coach Elizondo’s preference even on early downs.) Davis has 3 touchdowns in his 14 receptions and is on pace for 600 yards this year, pretty good for a third option behind Green and Kelvin Benjamin.   WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (MGN) The former Wolverine was Michigan’s final T-Draft pick and considered a developmental option, but despite largely getting on the field as either Cody Latimer or Calvin Ridley take breathers, Peoples-Jones has proven he has some skills to contribute, catching 17 passes from Kirk Cousins, including 2 touchdowns.   WR K. J. Hamler (PHI) The last in a long line of T-Draft picks to step up this season, the Penn State product has been a bright spot in a very dark season so far for the Stars. K. J. leads the team with 29 receptions, due in part to nagging injuries to Week 1 starter Randall Cobb. Hamler’s 368 yards also leads the team. And while QB play has been a huge question for the Stars, they feel they have made the right call in landing the former Nittany Lion.   Owners Move to Add Day Games & Las Vegas Hub The owners have met, the decision has been made, and the return of daytime football is now eminent. Owners of the league’s 30 franchises met this week to discuss television ratings, late night games out of Arizona and the need for options to play day games even in the heat of summer in Florida, Texas, and the Grand Canyon State. With the support of the governors, and subsequently the Public Health offices of all three states, and with additional states and stadium authorities trying to get a piece of the action as well, the league had some options and has come up with an initial plan to amend the 2020 schedule to produce far fewer 11pm ET starts and bring summer football back to Saturday and Sunday afternoons.   The plan is twofold. In addition to clearing Houston’s NRG Stadium and Phoenix’s State Farm Stadium for daytime games with the dome closed, the league reviewed the proposals that were made from Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the New Orleans Super Dome, and Las Vegas’s Wynn Arena. The decision was made that the cancellation clauses for contracts made for games to be played in 9 stadiums in their hub states were too prohibitive to cancel deals across all three locations, but that by ending two contracts and swapping out both open-air stadiums in Arizona for the domed and air conditioned comfort of Wynn Arena, the league could reduce their biggest headache, the miserable ratings for the 11pm starts out of Arizona. So, the choice was made. Tucson’s University of Arizona Stadium and Tempe’s Sun Devil Stadium are out, Las Vegas and Wynn Arena are in. The teams based in Tucson (Dallas, Oklahoma, Oakland) will relocate to Henderson, Nevada, and the weekly schedule will switch to all 5 Pacific & Southwest Division games per week split between Las Vegas and Glendale (State Farm Stadium). This removes the dreaded 11pm starts from the schedule each week. Expect to see an 8pm ET (5pm PT) start on Fridays from Las Vegas, with afternoon starts from both Las Vegas and Glendale on Saturdays and Sundays.    With clearance for domed stadium use in 2 of the 3 “bubble” locations, the new schedule will be far more attractive to viewers and to the 4 league networks that broadcast games. The plan, without an East Coast dome in play, will mean that the teams from the Northeast and Southeast Divisions will remain fully nocturnal, but the 8pm starts have not been an issue for ratings, so that seems a fair situation, at least from a revenue standpoint. The new schedule will begin in Week 8, giving the teams 10 days to plan for any adjustments in their training and for the 3 teams from Tucscon to relocate. On Week 8 expect to see 8pm ET starts on Friday Night from both Florida and Las Vegas. Saturday will have 3 day games, a mix of 1pm ET starts and 4pm ET starts, from Houston, Las Vegas and Phoenix, with Sunday offering the same. NBC and ESPN/EFN will retain evening games, while ABC and FOX will split the 1pm and 4pm ET starts between Saturdays and Sundays. With no more 11pm ET kickoffs, the league anticipates as much as a 20% increase in overall viewership, though there is hope that a return to weekend afternoon football will provide even higher returns, at least until the return of NCAA football and competition with the NFL begins in late August and early September. The weekend football viewing schedule will get very crowded just in time for the USFL playoffs.   So, what is on tap in Week 7? Well, after a week that saw 12 of 15 games fought between division rivals, we have the opposite this week, with only 4 division games the entire weekend. That does not mean there are not good matchups however. How about the Bandits taking on a struggling New Jersey club, or the Breakers hoping to bounce back after their first loss of the year but facing a very tough Chicago team. Both of those are on the slate for Friday. On Saturday we have 5-1 Atlanta facing the Steamrollers, who stunned Philadelphia this week. We also have Orlando, who hope to have Russell Wilson back, facing the 4-2 Baltimore Blitz. Saturday also gives us two interesting SW Divisional games with Oklahoma facing Arizona in Tempe while the Denver Gold head to Tucson to face the Dallas Roughnecks, who are likely to offer Justin Herbert his first USFL start.   Sunday has only 1 divisional game, but it is a good one as the surprising Portland Stags (4-2) try to take over sole possession of first place by knocking off the Oakland Invaders (also 4-2). In other action we have Jacksonville at Washington, Charlotte hoping to give interim Stars head coach Don Brown his first career loss, and Houston facing a tenacious Pittsburgh Maulers’ squad.   FRIDAY 8pm ET       Tampa Bay (6-0) @ New Jersey (3-3)      Orlando            ESPN/EFN 9pm ET         New Orleans (5-1) @ Chicago (4-2)        NRG                      NBC 11pm ET         Seattle (2-4) @ Los Angeles (4-2)           Glendale            ABC   SATURDAY 8pm ET        Orlando (3-3) @ Baltimore (4-2)              Tampa                  NBC 8pm ET          Atlanta (5-1) @ New England (2-4)          Gainesville        FOX 9pm ET           Birmingham (2-4) @ Ohio (1-5)                Rice                      ABC 9pm ET           Memphis (4-2) @ St. Louis (0-6)              TDECU                 FOX 11pm ET         Oklahoma (3-3) @ Arizona (6-0)             Tempe                  ABC 11pm ET        Denver (3-3) @ Dallas (2-4)                       Tucson                 FOX   SUNDAY 8pm ET          Jacksonville (2-4) @ Washington (3-3)  Orlando               ABC 8pm ET          Charlotte (2-4) @ Philadelphia (0-6)      Tampa                  FOX 9pm ET         Houston (4-2) @ Pittsburgh (4-2)             NRG                      ESPN/EFN 9pm ET           San Antonio (1-5) @ Michigan (5-1)        TDECU                 FOX 11pm ET         Portland (4-2) @ Oakland (4-2)              Glendale            ABC 11pm ET         San Diego (1-5) @ Las Vegas (1-5)          Tempe                  FOX

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: If we went purely on stats we would have to give the POTW to either Geno Smith or Cam Newton because of their huge numbers. But sometimes the timing and the impact of a player's highlight play(s) can be the difference and that feels very much like what happened with D. J. Swearinger this week. With Orlando leading New Jersey 10-0, the Generals were driving and looked like they had a play that would get them right back into the game, but Swearinger came out of nowhere, tipped the ball away from OBJ, snatched it out of the air, and proceeded to race 101 yards down the field for a play that simply broke the Generals' spirit. Orlando would go on to win by 17, but it was this one play that changed the tenor of the game and got Orlando a much needed win against a tough foe.

Week 5 was not the week for nail biters. For whatever reason this was a week dominated by double-digit wins from the Gulf Coast to the Valley of the Sun. Among the lopsided results was a 33-7 Machine mauling of the Maulers, Seattle handing the Thunder even more pain with a 37-10 win, Oakland beating Dallas by 22, and Portland making a statement by scoring a 21-point win over the LA Express and their previously solid defense. The only game this week that did not have a double-digit margin was a surprisingly close game between the expansion Gunslingers and the defending Eastern Conference champion Gamblers. We will break down all the week’s action, preview a potential season-defining game between two teams with rookie QBs on the bench, and take a look at 5 breakout players who could help your USFL fantasy team. All that, plus our thoughts on three coaches who could be on the verge of a mid-season ouster. It’s all right here, right now, so let’s get to it.   Week 6 Roughneck-Outlaw Game Could Be QB Bowl 2020 We don’t normally see our big story looking forward instead of looking at the week that just passed, but we have a unique situation brewing for Week 6 as the Roughnecks face off against the Outlaws. Both teams spent some serious draft capital to draft and then sign two of the top QBs in this past January’s draft, and with both clubs sitting at 2-3, the loser of this weeks’ divisional matchup could well be ready to pull the trigger and start their high-profile rookie in Week 7.  Dallas has had mixed results with Josh Freeman at the helm this season. They had solid wins over Seattle and Portland in back-to-back games, and in those two games Freeman threw for over 500 yards. But in their three losses, he has struggled, completing only 18 of 41 against Las Vegas and barely hitting .500 by completing 21 of 42 this past week against Oakland. His season totals are not exactly the stuff of legends, a 50.5% completion rate, 4 TDs to 3 picks, and an average of 240 yards per game. So, if Dallas struggles in Week 6 against Oklahoma, is that enough to see Justin Herbert take the field? Herbert already cost the Roughnecks some draft picks in a deal with the Stags, and his contract has him earning nearly $1.5M per year more than Freeman, so how long does he watch and learn and when does he learn by doing? This week’s game could determine that. Meanwhile, in OKC, fans are already foaming at the mouth to see former Alabama and OU quarterback Jalen Hurts take over for a largely ineffective Mason Rudolph. Rudolph, himself a product of the Sooner State (OK State to be exact), had a strong opening week, throwing for 318 yards and 2 scores in a Week One win over the Dragons, but has been sliding since then, throwing 5 picks in 3 weeks and earning weekly evaluations of C and C+ each of the past 4 weeks. And while fans of the Outlaws are not witnessing the team’s struggles firsthand, what they have seen is enough for them to be clamoring for Hurts to get a shot. If Oklahoma comes out of Week 6 at 2-4 it seems almost inevitable that Coach Stoops turns to the former Sooner as a way to spark the offense.   Will either move happen in Week 7? We don’t know. It may well depend as much on how each current starter plays, even more than the final score. If the two end up in a 41-38 shootout, we could see both teams stick with their current starters, but if there is a 14-10 offensive stinker the opposite could happen, and we could see two new starters the next week. Fans of both clubs are antsy, but fans often have an unrealistic idea of what a rookie QB can accomplish in their first season. Our best guess is that the winner of this week’s game is likely to hold his job, the loser may well be replaced ahead of the midway point of the season.   BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 28  NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 41 In a week that had only 1 game end with a winning margin of 7 or fewer points (Houston v. San Antonio), it was hard to find a GOTW because there simply were not many close finishes or dramatic comebacks. So, in a week of wide margins we opted to go with the game that had the most entertainment value, some huge performances, and which highlighted a key divisional rivalry, and that game was the shootout between the Stallions and the Breakers, held at the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium on Friday Night.   USFL fans who tuned into the 9pm start on NBC got their money worth as the two Southern teams combined for nearly 900 yards on the day. For the Breakers, as we have seen all year, it was the passing game that did most of the damage, with Geno Smith completing 18 of 27 throws for 396 yards and 5 touchdowns. Coby Fleener and Jordy Nelson both topped 100 yards receiving while rookie Justin Jefferson had a 2-TD performance. For Birmingham, again as many anticipated, it was all about Cam Newton. Newton threw for 364 yards, with 3 TDs and no picks, but it was his legs again that almost stole the show, with Newton rushing for 113 yards on only 6 carries. That included a typical Newton scramble-turned-long-TD, a 78-yard master class in how to use size to defeat speed in the open field.   There were 21 combined points scored in the first quarter of this one, 24 in the 2 nd , only 7 in the third, but then 17 more in the 4 th  as the Breakers built up a nice buffer in the 2 nd  half to take the win by 13 points. Smith in particular started fast, connecting on two 1 st  quarter TD passes, hitting HB Myles Gaskin for a 24-yard strike on their opening drive, and then answering Birmingham’s equalizer (a Henry Ruggs TD catch) with a quick strike drive that saw Smith connect with TE Coby Fleener to go back on top with a 21-yard strike.   The second quarter kept up the furious pace, first with Smith finding Jordy Nelson to push their advantage to 21-7, but Birmingham got the play of the night as Newton rolled right, quickly gave up on the routes, and started a 78-yard odyssey down the field. Juking away from one tackle, straight arming the cornerback, and then muscling past the safety, Newton was a runaway train heading down the field for the score. The problem, of course, is that you cannot count on this kind of play, and Birmingham was unable to hit that groove again.   The Stallions did get an equalizer, however, when the threat of the run forced New Orleans’s linebacker to creep to the line, which allowed Newton to lob a pass over them and into the waiting arms of TE Hunter Henry, who took the ball the rest of the way for a 29-yard TD to create a 21-21 tie with 1:40 left in the half. New Orleans used that time to regain the lead with a Caleb Sturgis field goal, but at the half, they knew they were in for a dogfight against these Stallions.   The third quarter saw both defenses focus on shutting down the top weapons of their opponents, and largely that strategy worked. But, a Rex Burkhead fumble gave New Orleans a shot to take the lead back, gaining possession of the ball at the Birmingham 29. It would take 7 plays, but when Geno Smith found rookie Justin Jefferson for a 3-yard TD, the Breakers were back on top. They would retain that advantage into the 4 th  and would build on it. A 24-21 advantage at the half was 10 points at the end of the 3 rd , thanks to the Jefferson TD, and by the 4-minute mark of the 4 th  they had added another Sturgis field goal and a 2 nd  TD to Jefferson, this one from 24 yards out. Up 41-21, they had pulled away, contained Newton, and held a solid 20-point lead. Even a late TD toss from Newton did not really alter the result. New Orleans still led by 13 and was able to end the game with a successful 3 rd  and 3 run by Leonard Fournette, allowing the Breakers to pull out the Victory Formation for 3 plays and salt the game away. Birmingham dropped to 1-4 despite the big numbers put up by their star QB, while the Breakers moved to 5-0 thanks to their passing game and some good defensive stops along the way.   NEW JERSEY 10   ORLANDO 27 Amazing how one play can change the tenor of a game. Down 10-0 in the 2 nd quarter, New Jersey was driving and appeared to have a TD in the making when Nick Foles saw Odell Beckham Jr. in the endzone, but Orlando safety D. J. Swearinger saw it too. He broke on the ball, tipped it away from OBJ, hauled it in, and then raced 101 yards down the sideline for a score to break the will of the Generals. Orlando’s 17-0 lead led to a 17-point win with New Jersey never getting closer than 10 points. POTG:  Orlando FS D. J. Swearinger: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ARIZONA 27  DENVER 19 David Carr had himself a pretty nice day, completing 14 of 21 for 263 yards and 4 TDs. Three of those went to TE Max Williams, as the Gold blanketed Vincent Cruz to keep him to only 46 yards on the day. But with Williams in man coverage against a linebacker, Carr found him 4 times for 115 yards and 3 of those were TDs of 38, 24, and 21 yards in his best day as a pro. POTG:  Wrangler TE Maxx Williams: 4 Rec, 115 Yds, 3 TD   WASHINGTON 6   CHARLOTTE 23 Charlotte focused on shutting down the Federal run game, and man, did they. The Feds had 24 carries for 23 yards and that just made them one dimensional and too easy to defend. Meanwhile, Latavious Murray and Nyheim Hines combined for 101 on the ground, with Hines scoring on a 6-yard run, and, oh, by the way, a 108-yard kickoff return, a new league record.  Hines took the ball from about as far back as you could in the endzone, but saw a crease and took it out, racing all the way for the score. POTG:  HB Nyheim Hines: 12 Att, 47 Yds, 1 TD, 2KR, 125 Yds, 1 TD   NEW ENGLAND 17   TAMPA BAY 38 The Steamrollers looked good for about 25 minutes, taking a 14-7 lead early in the 2 nd , but a 17-0 scoring run by the Bandits in the 2 nd gave them a 10-point lead at 24-14 and that was all she wrote for New England. In a big day for tight ends, Jordan Cameron had 147 yards on 5 receptions. Dez Bryant also came up big against the Steamrollers, catching 4 for 110 and 2 touchdowns on the day. POTG: Tampa QB Dak Prescott: 17/22, 332 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   HOUSTON 27  SAN ANTONIO 20 Another solid game from expansion San Antonio, but the Gamblers were just a touch too good, with scores from JuJu Smith-Schuster, Gerald Everett, and an unfortunate pick-six thrown by Joe Flacco. San Antonio put ups some yards, with Flacco connecting on a TD with Marquise Goodwin and Marshawn Lynch scored on a 1-yard plunge as well. POTG:  Houston HB Carlos Hyde: 20 Att, 123 Yds.   CHICAGO 33  PITTSBURGH 7 The Machine showed they were not ready to accept Pittsburgh as the top contender to the Panthers in the division, putting a beat down on the Maulers, including 5 sacks of Andy Dalton and a pick that set up a key TD to make it a 24-7 lead after 3 quarters. The Chicago offense also found its feet, with Sam Bradford Connecting with rookie Chase Claypool and veteran Michael Floyd for a pair of touchdowns. POTG:  Chicago rookie WR Chase Claypool: 4 Rec, 101 Yds, 1 TD   LAS VEGAS 6   OKLAHOMA 23 With fans calling for rookie Jalen Hurts to get his shot, Oklahoma QB Mason Rudolph tried to quiet them with a nice game, 21 of 33 for 211 yards, 2 TDs and no picks, as Oklahoma built up a 17-0 lead on the struggling Vipers. In a game that saw one 44-yard run by Outlaw fullback Tom Bohanan make him the unlikely lead rusher for the game, the Vipers simply had nothing. Matt Jones, acquired from the Bulls this week, played only 14 snaps, taking 6 carries for 24 yards, but it was not enough for the Vipers. POTG:  Oklahoma LB Vontez Burfict: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 FF, 1 FR   LOS ANGELES 17   PORTLAND 38 Are the Stags for real? They sure looked like a team to be worried about in this one, with A. J. McCarron stepping in for an ill Marcus Mariota (flu, not Covid) and throwing for 3 scores with no picks despite being sacked 5 times by the Express. LA’s offense continued to struggle, though new acquisition, WR Eric Weems led all Express players with 6 receptions. Portland’s defense limited Reggie Bush to only 28 yards on the day, while backup Tavares Cadet, in for the Covid-restricted Doug Martin, did his friend proud, scoring twice for the upstart Stags. POTG:  Portland QB A. J. McCarron: 13/23, 211 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   BALTIMORE 24  JACKSONVILLE 10 Josh Jacobs finally found his mojo, averaging 7.2 YPC on his way to 129 yards and a TD as the Blitz outpaced the Bulls. Jake Locker also threw TDs, hitting TE C. J. Uzomah and backup WR Quez Watkins for another as the Blitz join Washington and New Jersey atop the NE Division. New HB Montario Hardesty was dressed but all 16 carries in the game went to Devin Singletary, who finished with a solid 90-day outing. POTG:  Baltimore HB Josh Jacobs: 18 Att, 129 Yds, 1 TD   PHILADELPHIA 28   ATLANTA 45 Derrick Henry put the Stars on his shoulders, but even his 132-yard, 2-TD game was not enough as the Philadelphia defense melted like a block of Philly cream cheese on a hot summer day. Atlanta scored touchdowns on 6 of 9 offensive possessions in the game as the Stars simply had no answers. A. J. Green is loving his return to Georgia, catching 2 TD passes for the Fire as Atlanta moves to 4-1 and sends the sad sack Stars to 0-5 for the 2 nd  year in a row. POTG:  Atlanta QB Aaron Murray: 23/34, 313 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   MICHIGAN 14   ST. LOUIS 3 The Skyhawks tried something new, using run blitz after run blitz, with both safeties playing close to the line. The tactic worked in one sense, holding 4-time USFL rushing leader LeVeon Bell to only 19 yards on 21 carries, but Kirk Cousins still managed to find Cody Latimer and Donavan Peoples-Jones for scores. Had the Skyhawks been able to mount any offense at all, they could have made this interesting, but they managed only a single field goal on the day. POTG:  Michigan WR Cody Latimer: 10 Rec, 154 Yds, 1 TD   MEMPHIS 26   OHIO 14 Two second half scores for Ohio made this one look closer than it was. Memphis jumped on the Glory early, creating a 23-0 halftime score with TD catches by Jacob Hester and 2020 breakout player Devin Funchess. The Glory showed some backbone, fighting back late, but it was not enough as they drop to 1-4 on the year, while Memphis sits now at 4-1, only 1 game behind the unbeaten Breakers. POTG:  Memphis WR Devin Funchess: 8 Rec, 123 Yds, 1 TD   SAN DIEGO 10  SEATTLE 37 Now at 2-3, the Dragons are off to their best start in the past 5 years, and they send San Diego spiraling even deeper as the Thunder just don’t seem to have any answers. It does not help that Christian Ponder was knocked out of the game, with Case Keenum unable to put any points on the board as Seattle went on a 20-0 second half scoring run to pull away. Knowshon Moreno had a huge day for the Dragons, averaging 8.4 YPC on his way to 160 yards for the game. He, Gus Edwards, and Wendell Smallwood all scored rushing touchdowns as the Dragon ground game was dominant, putting up a combined 268 yards on the Thunder. POTG:  Dragon HB Knowshon Moreno: 19 Att, 160 Yds, 1 TD   DALLAS 7   OAKLAND 29 The Invaders’ D dominated the Roughnecks, limiting Dallas to only 3 first half first downs, and helping Oakland build up a 29-0 lead that was not challenged until the final 2 minutes of action, with backups in. The Roughnecks could not run the ball (Perine with 58 yards), and three turnovers killed early Dallas drives as Oakland put up 5 field goals in their first 6 possessions before Tom Brady hit Jerrell Jernigan for the team’s first touchdown. On a trick play that saw both Brady and Garoppolo on the field at the same time, the former Oakland starter threw another touchdown to Jernigan, an embarrassing end to a long day for the Roughnecks. POTG:  Oakland LB Shaq Barrett: 3 Tck, 2 FF, 1 FR   Five Breakout Players Making Fantasy Players Look Like Geniuses It happens every year, players who have not shown much in the past suddenly get their shot, turn up the volume and show us something special. These breakout players either find themselves in a new role, benefit from a new coaching philosophy, or just mature to become more than anticipated, and for those fantasy owners who saw it coming, they end up with a gold mine when most players are adding kickers or defenses. 2020 has already provided more than a fair share of surprising player break outs, and these five are at the top of our list of players making the most of a new season and a chance to become more. HB Kerwynn Williams (NEN) Expansion clubs often produce new stars because they add players who did not get a shot with their former teams, were left unprotected, and now have a shot to prove themselves. That was certainly the case for HB Kerwynn Williams. The former Baltimore Blitz back has had some solid years, rushing for 500 or more yards for 4 consecutive seasons, but in New England he has become the lead back, ahead of former Machine star Matt Forte. Already, after 5 games, he has over 350 yards, on pace a possible 1,000-yard season. He has only 1 rushing touchdown to date, which is a bit of a concern, but as the Steamrollers gel over the season, he should see more chances to score.   HB Nyheim Hines (CHA) No shocker that the 3 rd  year back for the Monarchs is one of our breakout stars. He is on pace to double his 2019 carries, is 1 rushing TD away from his entire 2019 total and is getting more touches and more targets than veteran HB Latavius Murray. Oh, and did we mention he also returns kicks? He already returned 1 for a TD this year, and is averaging an impressive 33.1 yards per return. Keep an eye on Hines, he could be a 10-12 TD guy this season.   WR Devin Funchess (MEM) Robert Woods may still be at the top of the Showboat depth chart, but in his 5 th year it appears that Devin Funchess is finally getting a chance to shine. Despite having 17 fewer targets than Woods, Funchess has only 6 fewer catches and has more yards and 5 TDs to Woods’s 3. He has become a favorite target for Paxton Lynch and his ability to find gaps in zones is impressing Coach Ryan. With Funchess now a viable target, the Showboat passing game is more versatile, a pivotal reason they now rank in the Top 10 in passing yards and are sitting at 4-1.   WR Taylor Gabriel (OAK) Ask most football fans who the top receiver for the Invaders is and the knee-jerk reaction will be Davante Adams. If we say no, he is not, many might say it is HB Christian McCaffrey, but that too would be wrong. With 1 more target, 6 more catches, and 31 more yards than Adams, it is Taylor Gabriel. The 6 th  year receiver is having a very strong start to the year with 237 yards and 2 touchdowns. With teams doubling Adams, Tom Brady is looking Gabriel’s way, and it seems that getting a new QB was just the boost this receiver needed.   TE Julius Thomas (SAN) Another expansion team boost is in place for Thomas, who is already more than halfway to his 2019 season totals for receptions and yards and already has 2 more touchdowns than last year. Now, this would not be the first time Thomas has had a hot year. In 2018 he caught 11 touchdowns, but this year he is seeing more targets, making more catches and doing a lot more than being a red-zone target. His 12.9 YPC average is also best of any receiver on the Gunslingers, which means that Joe Flacco sees him as a viable mid-range target, not just a safety valve.   Ryans Breaks Arm, Could Miss a Month The first of three injury updates, Tampa Bay LB DeMeco Ryans is likely to miss a month, perhaps more, as he recovers from a fracture to his Humerus after a nasty collision with a sideline bench after racing out of bounds awkwardly. Ryans, the defensive captain and radio-contact for the Bandit D, is expected to be in a soft cast for at least 3 weeks, and with his absence, Tampa Bay will be without their defensive signal caller and main motivator. For the 5-0 Bandits, losing this defensive stalwart could have a huge impact on the league’s 6 th rated scoring defense.   Lacy Could Miss 4-6 Weeks for Struggling Skyhawks As nasty as DeMeco Ryan’s absence will be for Tampa Bay, we cannot imagine a player whose absence will hurt their team more than Eddie Lacy from the St. Louis Skyhawks. It is not bad enough that the Skyhawks are staring 0-5 in the face, are struggling on both sides of the ball (29 th  in scoring, 29 th in yards allowed, and not above 26 th  in any major category), but now they lose a player who accounts for nearly 35% of their offensive production. Lacy came off the field doubled over after a twisting fall to the turf. The diagnosis was a torn abdominal wall, which is both a very painful injury to suffer and a hard one to recover from. The estimate has Lacy missing as much as 6-8 weeks with the injury. That means that it will be untested 2 nd year back David Montgomery who will have to take up the slack, and for a team that has yet to find a way to win, a loss like Lacy’s is an even bigger team morale deflation.   Denver Hit Again, Rookie Hall Tears MCL Just a week after losing LB Shaq Thompson, Denver gets hit with another starting defender going down for an extended period. Rookie CB Bryce Hall, who won a starting job with an outstanding camp, could miss the remainder of the regular season with an MCL injury suffered as a non-contact injury. Hall was having a strong rookie campaign, with 24 tackles, 7 passes defended and a pick in his first 4 ½ weeks. Denver will have to decide if they can afford to keep 2 players on the active roster despite both being expected to miss 2 months or more, or if they have to move one to IR even if it means that they won’t be available should the Gold return to the playoffs. It is either that or play with a 51-man roster for the next 8-12 weeks.   We have already mentioned three of the bigger stories of the week from the injury list. The other big story comes from the COVID-19 protocols, where we are now seeing some key starters missing action. This week’s list is highlighted by San Diego QB Christian Ponder, a big loss for the Thunder. We should also note that WR Ryan Grant of the Bandits will be out for a second week, as will Birmingham LB Reggie Ragland and Philadelphia DE Malik Jackson.     OUT CB      Bryce Hall             DEN      MCL                      8-12 Weeks HB         Eddie Lacy             STL         Abdominal         4-6 Weeks CB          Sean Smith             PIT         Neck                     4-6 Weeks LB           DeMeco Ryans       TBY        Arm                       2-4 Weeks LB           Jelani Jenkins         HOU     Arm                       2-4 Weeks OT          Jonah Williams       BIR         ACL                       1-2 Weeks LB           Greg Lloyd Jr.         OKL       Concussion       1-2 Weeks FB          John Cabinda       LA          Wrist                     1-2 Weeks SS           Chuck Clark             STL         Wrist                     1-2 Weeks     DOUBTFUL OT          Rees Odhiambo     LA          Hamstring G            Brandon Brooks     NE          Ankle TE           Julius Thomas       SAN       Finger QB         Russell Wilson         ORL       Hamstring DT          Tyson Alualu          OAK      Turf Toe     QUESTIONABLE CB          Darnay Holmes     SEA        Hernia LB           Sean Spence         ORL       Hand CB          Tye Smith               SD          Finger     COVID-19 INACTIVES BIR         LB           Reggie Ragland     2 nd  Week DEN      SS           Sammie Moore                MGN     CB          KeiVarae Russell NEN      C             Erik McCoy                        NJ           DE          Yetur Gross-Matos OAK      OT          D. J. Fluker           2 nd Week OHI       C             Cameron Erving PHI        DE          Malik Jackson        2 nd Week SD          QB         Christian Ponder TBY        WR         Ryan Grant              2 nd Week TBY        CB          Ken Webster   Three Coaches at Risk of Mid-Season Pink Slips Yes, we are only 5 weeks into the 2020 season, but already there are three coaches who are looking shaky enough to imagine a quick hook midway through the year unless things turn around quickly. St. Louis is 0-6 and after three consecutive 10-loss seasons, time could be running out on Frank Reich. Tom Coughlin has a pedigree as a hard-nosed coach, but the have followed up a 4-12 season with a 1-5 start, which does not point towards Coughlin getting a new deal this winter, if he can hang on until then. And then there is Jim Harbaugh. One of the longest tenured coaches in the league, Harbaugh is in his 16 th  season with the club, but after turning an 0-5 start last year into a 9-7 finish and a surprising division title, the Stars again have started at 0-5, and Harbaugh may need to pull off another miracle comeback if he wants to be at the helm in 2021. Let’s take a closer look at the issues for each of these well-known USFL coaches.   Frank Reich (STL): 14-40 in 3 full USFL seasons and a 1-4 start to 2021. The former NFL and USFL quarterback has simply not found success in St. Louis. A slow steady improvement from 3 wins in 2017 to 5 in 2018 and 6 in 2019 does not impress most fans, who don’t want to wait another 4-5 years before the club hits 10 wins. What is worse, everyone from scouts to GMs to TV pundits are questioning what exactly Reich is doing with Lamar Jackson. After a stellar intro to the league in the latter stages of 2018, Jackson’s prodigious talents as a runner and as a deep ball passer have just not found an avenue to shine in Reich’s controlled offense. Everyone wants him to cut Jackson loose, but he seems adamant about turning the Louisville product into a pocket passer, despite all indications that Jackson could succeed if given an offense that allows him to use his talents. Unless Reich’s offense finds some rhythm quickly, we think it is Reich, and not Jackson, who could be on the way out.   Tom Coughlin (OHI): 31-38 in 4 seasons plus 5 games in 2020 After a surprising division title in 2018 a lot was expected of Coughlin’s Ohio Glory, but the team dropped all the way from 1 st to last in the Central last year, and a 1-4 start this year are not giving fans much hope that Coughlin has what it takes to get the club back to the top of the division. Rumors of dissent within the clubhouse, largely due to the high-discipline, low-rapport nature of Coughlin’s coaching style, are pretty widespread. Add to this a defense which is mired among the bottom 10 in the league in most categories, despite Coughlin’s defensive pedigree, shows signs that the plan is not getting buy in. is that enough for the usually conservative Ohio owners to make a risky mid-year change?   Jim Harbaugh (PHI): 146-91 in 15 full seasons and 5 weeks in Philly Harbaugh pulled off an amazing feat last year, turning an 0-5 start into a 9-2 finish and earning a division title in 2019. But with another 0-5 start already on the books this year, and with fans questioning whether Harbaugh is blind to the serious issues with his preferred QB, there is a growing feeling that a change may be needed. The Stars have expansion San Antonio and then 1-4 Charlotte on the schedule. Going 2-0 in that short stretch could help Harbaugh’s case, but if the Stars get to the midway point with only 1 win, that could be all she wrote for both the Stars’ head coach and their QB.   League Owners to Meet (Online) for Schedule Discussion With news coming in from both the CDC and the state Departments of Public Health in Florida, Texas, and Arizona coming in, the USFL has called for an all-league virtual meeting for next Monday. The hope, of course, is that both Texas and Arizona will allow indoor football, allowing the USFL to add some afternoon games to their Saturday and Sunday schedules. The league also is likely wanting to get an early sense of where teams stand on the idea of allowing limited-capacity attendance at games and potentially adding additional sites to their bubble system. We know that Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Atlanta ownership are all pushing for the league to either add new hub sites to their cities or to expand game sites to allow greater flexibility in the schedule, and the possibility of controlled capacity games not only in Florida, Texas and Arizona, but in the three adjoining states represented by the Breaker, Viper, and Fire ownership groups.   The meeting, as expected, will be conducted entirely via online video conferencing, with most owners not only not traveling to New York, but many not even retaining their residences in their franchise’s home cities. We know several owners are based now at their summer homes, some in the Rockies, others up north in Maine and Michigan, but few in the dense urban spaces where their teams call home. From wherever they are, the owners will log in, get in on the call, and share their take on how the USFL can move ahead with this very unique, financially troubling, and certainly compromised season. When we get a report out of the meeting, we will be sure to fill you in on all the developments.   Portland Reveals New Look for 2021 After a big win over the LA Express, the Stags and their fans are feeling a bit optimistic about their chances, even as the team spends the season far from the rainy northern woods of Oregon, based in Flagstaff, AZ (at least it is wooded, unlike Tucson or Phoenix). With hopes that this year’s Stag team can make a run at a playoff spot, the franchise, along with Under Armour, has become the second to unveil their new look for 2021, possibly to be seen on the field in 2020 if the Stags do snag a coveted postseason invite.   The look unveiled through a series of online videos is one that absolutely looks and feels like the Stags. Yes, the number font is new and there is a new wordmark, but we will still get the deep brown shoulders split by a pair of antlers on both primary jerseys. We still get a healthy dose of blaze orange with the home jersey and away pants, and we still have the wraparound antler helmet decals. If you want novelty, you need to hold out until the Stags go to their alternates. As a club that has only been in the league for 12 seasons, it is not surprising that their retro look does not really look all that different from their current look, though it is nice that they brought back the brown helmet from their early years for the look. The alternate that has us more excited is not a true throwback, but more of a fauxback, a retro look that gives us a peak at what the Stags might have looked like had they been there from the start in 1983 when the USFL first kicked off.   The ”Pacific Gold” look removes all orange from the uniform (as many teams have done with one of their primary colors) and gives us an old-school uniform with Northwester stripes, a freestanding logo on the side of the helmet and a very traditional look all around. The look features the same brown lid as the official throwback, but instead of wraparound antlers, this helmet features the “White Stag” alternate logo on either side of a helmet that has a 3-color center stripe (white, brown, gold) and a gold facemask. The same striping pattern is found on the gold pants and on both the brown home jersey and white away jersey. It is a look that feels very much at home in classic pre-high-def footage of the early seasons of the USFL. Our hope, of course, is that they pull out these beauties when playing actual 1983 clubs like Oakland, LA, and Denver, creating a throwback vs. fauxback matchup that will have the look and feel of mid-eighties USFL action.   Week Six is the heaviest divisional week we have seen so far this season, with 12 of 15 games featuring divisional and rival matchups. It kicks off with a triple header of divisional games on Friday, with New Jersey and Baltimore, both sharing 1 st  place in the NE Conference, kicking off at 8pm, with Memphis and Houston in a key Southern matchup at 9pm and the SoCal Derby with LA facing off against San Diego at 11pm ET.   Saturday features 5 divisional games, with Charlotte v. Atlanta and Philadelphia v. New England at 8pm, San Antonio facing Birmingham and St. Louis looking for their first win against rival Chicago at 9pm, and finishing off with Arizona taking on Las Vegas, while the lone non-divisional game features two 3-2 teams as Denver meets Portland from U. of Arizona Stadium in Tucson.   Sunday is the lightest day for divisional games with 4 of 6 games staying in division. At 8pm it is Orlando v. Jacksonville from the U. of Florida campus. At 9pm Ohio battles Michigan at Rice Stadium, and at 11pm we have a Red River game with Dallas taking on Oklahoma, while Oakland battles Seattle at State Farm Stadium. Squeezed in between we have the Feds and Bandits meeting in Orlando and Pittsburgh with a tough matchup against the unbeaten New Orleans Breakers.   FRIDAY 8pm ET        New Jersey (3-2) @ Baltimore (3-2)       Orlando          ESPN/EFN 9pm ET         Memphis (4-1) @ Houston (3-2)                NRG                 NBC 11pm ET       Los Angeles (3-2) @ San Diego (1-4)        Glendale        FOX   SATURDAY 8pm ET      Charlotte (2-3) @ Atlanta (4-1)                  Tampa             NBC 8pm ET         Philadelphia (0-5) @ New England (1-4)   Gainesville     ABC 9pm ET           San Antonio (1-4) @ Birmingham (1-4)    Rice                ABC 9pm ET          St. Louis (0-5) @ Chicago (3-2)                 TDECU             FOX 11pm ET         Arizona (5-0) @ Las Vegas (1-4)                  Tempe             ABC 11pm ET          Denver (3-2) @ Portland (3-2)                  Tucson            FOX   SUNDAY 8pm ET      Orlando (3-2) @ Jacksonville (1-4)            Gainesville      ABC 8pm ET        Tampa Bay (5-0) @ Washington (3-2)       Orlando          FOX 9pm ET         Pittsburgh (3-2) @ New Orleans (5-0)     NRG                 ESPN/EFN 9pm ET         Ohio (1-4) @ Michigan (4-1)                       Rice                ABC 11pm ET       Dallas (2-3) @ Oklahoma (2-3)                 Tucson             ABC 11pm ET        Oakland (3-2) @ Seattle (2-3)                   Glendale         FOX