Yes, it was weird. Games with empty stands, some eerily quiet, others enhanced by FOX and ESPN computer generated crowd noise. All night games and all from three bubble-site locations, but at the end of the day it was football, and it was great to have it back. Week 1 produced some surprises, like an opening game victory for expansion New England, a blowout win by the Atlanta Fire, and snoozer of a game between the Bulls and Generals, but we also saw some anticipated outcomes. Arizona, Houston, Tampa Bay and Michigan all came out on top, with the Gamblers and Wranglers looking impressive again. We also saw some new faces contributing to their teams on opening weekend. We will run through all the Week 1 scores, discuss a season-ending injury to one of the league’s 30 starting QBs, and take a look at the QB Battle in Oklahoma, but we begin with the oddity that was COVID-impacted football in Arizona, Florida, and Texas.   2020 Season Kicks Off & So Do Covid Protocols We have football back in America, but certainly a very different experience to what we are used to. For fans of the gridiron this was a bit of a surreal week as season-ticket holders were forced to catch their favorite teams on television or through livestreamed games on their Wi-Fi devices. What they saw were their teams, who usually would be surrounded by tens of thousands of adoring fans, playing in empty stadiums, a surreal look that made even rivalry games look like offseason scrimmages. We also got our first look at the difference between NBC and ABC broadcasts in which the silence of empty stadiums was at times deafening, versus the ESPN and FOX broadcasts where the two networks used tape of prior games to create computer amplified background crowd noise. Finally, it was the first week of a season where the COVID-19 virus, and the protocols to protect both players and public, impacted team rosters. As we look at the odd nature of this week’s opening games, let’s explore three features of the week that will just be something we need to adapt to.   Television Broadcast Reactions As we mentioned, the 2020 season was one where the experience of watching games was definitely impacted by both the new USFL schedule and the decision of the 4 networks to either enhance the game with artificial crowd noise or to forego that artificial addition and produce games with only the ambient noise of empty stadia. Here is what we thought of the broadcasts. See if you agree.   Night games work on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday was rough. We absolutely get this. While even members of our own staff on the East Coast were unable to stay up for all the action from Arizona, it was clear that the league, more than ever is going to have regional appeal, with West Coasters able to absorb more USFL action than the hard working folks along the Atlantic seaboard who cannot stay up until 2am to catch a Phoenix-Tucson bubble game on Sunday night. And while we certainly agree with the league that having teams play in any of the 3 states selected (Florida, Texas, and Arizona) in the middle of the day in July or August is unworkable, adjusting to having games and game results going well into the wee hours of the morning three nights a week is going to be very tough for viewership, and no piece of cake for fantasy leagues around the nation as well. Expect a lot of early morning lineup checking and a lot of traffic on the various sports websites as fans catch up to late night scores and highlights.   As for the debate over pumped-in crowd noise (pumped in on television, not in stadiums), the jury is still out. Our bullpen was split. Some really enjoyed the access to the cadence and audibles of the quarterbacks that were far more accessible in the nearly silent stadiums. We certainly heard more pops during big hits, more grunts and groans, more taunts and reactions, even a fair share of words the networks might not want being broadcast. I would say that both ABC and NBC may need to delay game broadcasts just long enough to bleep out some of the language heard during Week One’s broadcasts. There was an “insider perspective” element to the quieter games, but there was also an eeriness to the quiet pop of the pads and sounds of lone whistles and coaching calls.   On the other hand, the ESPN and FOX games had a bit of an artificial quality to them. While we got to hear a low murmur of past USFL games throughout most of the broadcasts on both networks, the two broadcasters were unable to effectively imitate the highs and lows of a true crowd. There was not the swell of sound when the “home” team had a big play or captured momentum. There was even a comical moment in the Tampa Bay-Philadelphia game where the crowd sound used when the Stars missed a key field goal sounded celebratory only for the sound tech to try to add in a sad groan far too late after the call was made. So, some fine-tuning to the audio is certainly still needed.   Surprising Success of USFL Nationwide Package and its Use One feature of the Week One broadcast plan that certainly is not up for debate is the success of the USFL Nationwide Plan. The plan had more than 20 million subscribers by gameday on Friday and initial numbers seem to indicate a very interesting use pattern. There was, as expected, a good tune-in for out-of-market games across the league during the Saturday and Sunday broadcasts when both FOX and ABC had regional games in all markets, but what was perhaps an unexpected boon of the streaming and recording service was the amount of replay used.   It seems safe to say that for many fans, the idea of catching out-of-market games, particularly the late-night games from Arizona, the next day was extremely common. Initial viewership numbers seem to indicate that for many fans, the idea of a Saturday or Sunday afternoon without football was too much to ask, as fans caught parts of games on Friday and then replayed the action, often tuning to a different “unwatched” game the following afternoon. There even seems to be evidence that fans even started their “taped” games at familiar times, with replay viewership peaking at both 1pm and 4pm ET. So, it seems the routine of catching USFL action at certain times over the weekend stood up even when the games themselves were played the night before. Finally, a nice advantage we are seeing people hyping online is that they can use the replay to watch games in about 2/3 the time, skimming over everything from halftime to commercials, and even kickoffs and punts to shorten game time. We may well be seeing the birth of a new viewing model for USFL action as fans decide between the thrill of live broadcast at night and the convenience of shorter, “at will” viewing the next day. The only question the numbers don’t tell us is how many fans spent Saturday or Sunday morning demanding that their friends and family don’t talk about the game because they have not watched it yet.   Covid Positive Players The other huge adjustment for Week One was the reality that even without preseason games to produce early injuries, there were players missing from action as the league’s COVID testing policy kicked in and several players were forced to miss the opener due to the infection, even some who have yet to evince any symptoms. The good news for the league is that we saw only 9 players from the more than 1,500 on league rosters who tested positive and were unable to retest with a negative result before the weekend’s games. The full list is below, but certainly some of the absent players were clearly missed as Arizona lost their starting tight end, Robert Tonyan, Birmingham was without their slot receiver Julian Edelman, and the San Antonio Gunslingers were unable to suit up their anticipated sack leader in DE DeMarcus Lawrence. As we will report in our Injury Update for Week 2, the other factor to consider is that while many players may clear the protocols in only 1 week, it seems as if we will see many more who have to miss a 2 nd  week due to delays in symptom improvement and the ability to test “clean” (essentially non-contagious) ahead of the 2 nd  game’s deadline. For Week One, here are the 9 players who missed action, with an update on Week 2 coming later in our report:   ARZ       TE           Robert Tonyan ATL         DE          Tyquann Lewis BIR         WR         Julian Edelman DEN      DT          Sharrif Floyd LA          DE          Duwayne Smoot MEM     QB         Ryan Fitzpatrick MGN     QB         Tyler Thigpen POR      TE           Chris Gragg SAN       DE          DeMarcus Lawrence   ORLANDO RENEGADES 24  NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS 27  OVERTIME We had a feeling that the unique nature of the 2020 season might produce some unexpected results, but we don’t think too many people had “expansion team wins debut game” on their 2020 bingo cards, especially not with the Steamrollers facing off against a pretty solid Renegades team in Florida. But we also said that the two 2020 expansion teams may have had the best pool of talent of any expansion clubs since the league’s 1984 second season additions. Between a large free agent pool, a significant NFL pool this February, the expansion draft, and more time for players to absorb the playbook due to the season delay, the stars had seemingly aligned for both the Steamrollers and the Gunslingers to be able to outperform most prior expansion clubs. Yet, despite that, the overtime win by the newest Boston-based USFL team was still a shocker.   When we look at the stats, this is a fair win, not a bit of luck, from the Steamrollers. New England outgained Orlando 435-288, largely on the strong outing from former NFL quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a surprisingly effective run game led by former Blitz back Kerwynn Williams. It also did not hurt that the Renegades’ starting QB, Russell Wilson, had to leave the game late in the first quarter after suffering an ankle injury. But, with Wilson sidelined, the Renegades still put up 21 points in the 2 nd  quarter to hold the halftime lead, but would add only 3 more in the second half. New England steadily put points on the board, leading to a 24-24 tie at the end of regulation and a shot for an ovetime win.   The game began very slowly, with both clubs just getting adjusted to real action and the odd setting of an empty Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. Aside from a few league staff, some security personnel and the two teams on each sideline, the stadium was empty, the silence deafening, and the atmosphere a bit unnerving, as it was at all the games across the league. While fans at home had computer-generated crowd noise pumped in to add a bit of ambience to the game, those in the stadium essentially played with only the shouts of their own teams heard on the field. Both teams were tentative at first, each mounting a short drive to open the game. On Orlando’s second round, a misstep by Orlando’s center caused Russell Wilson to get his foot caught beneath the big lineman’s back-step, and after falling to the ground, Wilson had to be helped to the sideline. After starting the game 0 for 5 throwing, his day would be done. Kyle Lauletta, the former Portland Stag, would have to go the rest of the way.   The injury led to a quick 3-and-out and the ball returned to the Steamrollers. New England responded with a solid drive, with Ryan Tannehill finding HB Matt Forte for a 15-yard screen play before hitting TE Dennis Pitta for the first score of the game and the first in franchise history. Orlando, with Lauletta under center, replied with a 62-yard drive that produced the equalizer on a Braxton Berrios 10-yard scoring play. Only 3 plays later a Ryan Tannehill gift gave Orlando the lead. The former Miami Dolphin misread the coverage and threw a pass intended for Doug Baldwin, but happily accepted by Orlando corner Michael Jackson, who high-stepped his way into the endzone for a 27-yard pick-six.   Now down 7, New England and Tannehill replied with a solid drive once again, this time taking advantage of the run game with both Matt Forte and Kerwynn Williams both breaking off a big run (13 and 16 yards respectively) before Tannehill hit Zay Jones on a short slant route to produce their 2 nd  TD and again even up the score with 2:36 left in the half. Orlando responded with a 2-minute drill that proved very effective as New England could not produce pressure on Lauletta. The former Stag QB completed 3 of 6 passes on the drive, finding Orlando wideout Brashad Perriman for the late TD to help Orlando take a hard-earned 7-point lead into the half, the score 21-14.   The second half would see both defenses step up, with New England finally finding some pressure in their pass rush, including the first sack in team history, a big 7-yard takedown by Mario Addison on 2 nd  and 7 that produced a 3 rd and long. Orlando also had their moments on defense, with 2 nd  year DE Montez Sweat producing his 1 st  sack of the season. New England would get the only points of the quarter, a mid-range field goal from Brett Maher, but after three they still trailed 21-17.   Orlando increased their lead to 7 on their opening drive of the 4 th  quarter, getting deep into New England territory before settling for a Billy Cundiff field goal to take the 24-17 lead. That drive turned out to be pivotal, and, in particular, the 3 rd  and goal pass from Lauletta to Jeremy Maclin, broken up by New England’s Sam Shields. That stop in the red zone kept the Orlando lead from increasing beyond 1 score. Down 7, New England needed only 1 touchdown drive to equalize the score.   The Steamrollers would get that drive late in the quarter, marching 74 yards in 10 plays, including Kerwynn William’s longest run of the game, a 23-yard backbreaker of a play on 3 rd  and 3 from the Steamroller 31. The drive also included Tannehill connecting with 4 different receivers on the drive, including both former Dragon Dennis Pitta and former Gold TE Jack Doyle. They would get the equalizer on a 12-yard fade route to former Machine wideout Will Fuller.  Fuller tapped his 2 nd  foot down just before falling out of the endzone, a play that required 3 minutes of video review before the score was confirmed. But, tied at 24, the Steamrollers were poised to have their first game become their first overtime game.   New England almost gave up the game on Orlando’s final possession when it appeared that Kyle Lauletta had connected with Brashad Perriman on a 37-yard pass that would put them in field goal range, but a yellow flag behind the play signaled a hold on Renegade right tackle Cameron Fleming, and the play came back. Orlando would not get that shot at a late game winning kick, and the two teams prepared for overtime. New England won the toss and would start the extra time with the ball. They moved the ball well, but came up short when Brett Maher’s 46-yard field goal attempt veered to the right. Had they scored it would have forced Orlando to equalize or score a TD to win on their next possession. Good thing that was not the situation, because Orlando went 3-and-out on their first drive. That was followed by a short 5-play drive by New England that ended with a failed 3 rd and 7 throw from Tannehill to Zay Jones. Orlando got a second chance to end the game, and after a nice connection from Lauletta to Jeremy Maclin, it looked like they might claim the win, but another sack of Lauletta, this time from Steamroller Tashan Bower, pushed Orlando out of field goal range and the Renegades were forced to punt. With 3:13 left to play, the Steamrollers would have one last chance to claim a win in their opening game, or finish with the rare USFL tie.   The Steamrollers moved to a 2-minute offense, playing without huddles and without changing personnel, a strategy designed to take advantage of a tired Orlando defense. The gambit paid off as Ryan Tannehill was able to connect with Zay Jones and Will Fuller on back-to-back first down plays to move the ball across the 50. After a nice draw play by Williams and a short completion to Dennis Pitta, the Steamrollers were within range for kicker Brett Maher. They moved just a few yards closer on a pair of run plays, and on 3 rd  and 6 from the Orlando 24 they sent out Brett Maher to earn them a win in their first game as a franchise. Maher’s kick was dead center and plenty long enough and the Steamrollers celebrated a very nice opening win for the franchise.   CHARLOTTE 17   BALTIMORE 23 OVERTIME The other overtime game saw Charlotte erase a 17-7 deficit in the 4 th quarter only to fall in overtime as Baltimore put together a 13-play scoring drive to open the extra period, ending the game on a Locker to Uzomah TD pass without giving the Monarchs a chance to touch the ball. The game winner was Jake Locker’s 3 rd  TD toss on the day as the former backup took the helm and proved the Blitz right in trusting in him. Locker finished as the POTG for his 2020 debut. POTG:  Blitz QB Jake Locker: 24/34, 225 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   OHIO 0   HOUSTON 29 An ugly start to the year for the Ohio Glory as they are shut out by the defending Eastern Conference champions. The glory mustered only 209 total yards, with Isaiah Pead held to 39 yards rushing and Christian Hackenburg held to 17 of 34 with 4 sacks and a pick. Houston relied heavily on the run, with Carlos Hyde carrying the ball 21 times for 71 yards and a score while rookie Clyde Edwards Helaire added 23 yards on 10 touches. Mike Evans had the big plays, catching 5 for 191 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown catch as Houston shut out and put away the Glory. POTG:  Houston WR Mike Evans: 5 Rec, 191 Yds, 1 TD   DALLAS 14   ARIZONA 35 The League Champion Wranglers came out of the gate in midseason form, with David Carr throwing for 291 and 2 scores, the combo of Carey and Crowell accounting for 128 yards on the ground, and the defense sacking Dallas QB Josh Freeman 6 times. The Wranglers balance on offense (291 passing, 128 rushing) and defensive pressure (holding Dallas to 2 of 11 on 3 rd  down) was just too much for the Roughnecks, who kept to their word by playing Freeman all game instead of giving him the hook in favor of rookie Justin Herbert. POTG:  Wrangler FS Nate Allen: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   JACKSONVILLE 6   NEW JERSEY 9 Someone might want to tell the Generals and Bulls that the season has begun. Both offensescame out pretty listless in a game that produced few fireworks. The two teams combined for only 118 yards rushing, with Maurice Jones-Drew getting 69 of those. New Jersey got to the red zone 3 times but had to settle for Ka’imi Fairbairn kicks all three times. Jacksonville got the game’s lone TD on a short Matt Jones run, but missed on the PAT, keeping them 3 points down, with the game ending at 9-6. POTG:  New Jersey LB Aldon Smith: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   MICHIGAN 28  BIRMINGHAM 25 We got a good one at TDECU Stadium as the Stallions erased a 21-10 deficit in the 4 th  quarter to take a 4-point lead only to watch Kirk Cousins connect with TE Martellus Bennett for the game winner late in the final period. Bennett was a major weapon for Cousins, catching 4 for 124 as the Stallions locked down LeVeon Bell (20 carries for 64 yards). Meanwhile, Cam Newton largely stayed in the pocket, shadowed by Panther LB Sean Porter. From there he threw for 340 yards and 3 scores, but with Kirk Cousins connecting on 4 TD passes, including 2 to Bennett, it proved too much for the Stallions. POTG:  Michigan TE Martellus Bennett: 5 Rec, 124 Yds, 2 TD   PITTSBURGH 28   MEMPHIS 9 The Maulers were outgained 365-218 but produced 3 key takeaways to hold down the Showboats and claim a big opening week win. Three rushing touchdowns, including a game opener from rookie Cam Akers helped power the Maulers to the win while Paxton Lynch struggled to find his receivers, throwing 3 picks on the day, including 2 to Mauler CB Tre Herndon, who also recorded a forced fumble (recovered by Memphis) on a punt return. POTG:  Mauler CB Tre Herndon: 9 Tck, 2 Int, 1 FF   LAS VEGAS 12   DENVER 15 A low scoring game, with no touchdowns through 3 quarters, the divisional matchup was 8-3 after 3, thanks in part to Terrell Troupe forcing a hold in the endzone that gave Denver 2 points. But, in the 4 th  Las Vegas started to find some offensive success, scoring on a McGloin to Benn TD toss. The play, with a failed 2-point PAT to follow, gave the Vipers a 9-8 lead. After a Matt Gay field goal made it 12-8 with only 2:49 left to play, Vegas was looking good, but backup Kyle Orton, who came in after Allen appeared to suffer a shoulder injury, hit on a huge play to give Denver the win. Orton found WR Kevin White completely uncovered in a blown Viper coverage and the two connected on a 62-yard TD in the game’s final minute to stun the Vipers and give Denver a fantastic finish. POTG : Gold WR Golden Tate: 7 Rec, 122 Yds   OAKLAND 20   LOS ANGELES 22 Tom Brady’s return to the USFL was a fun one as the Invaders and Express renewed the California Derby, though they did so from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe Arizona. Brady went 27 of 41 with 2 TDs and 2 picks as he tried to rally the Invaders from a 15-10 and 22-13 deficit in the 4 th  quarter. LA’s offense struggled in the red zone, but the defense gave the Express 9 of their 22 points, combining a Chris Jones safety with a pick-six from LB Keith Rivers, just enough to hold off the Invader comeback. POTG:  Express DT Chris Jones: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   TAMPA BAY 21  PHILADELPHIA 19 Another good game as Philadelphia came back from 21-10 down, but just could not connect on a final second field goal attempt from 54 yards out. Eddie Pineiro went 4 of 6 kicking, but the buzzer-beater kick sailed wide to the left, giving the Bandits a 2-point win and a sigh of relief. Dak Prescott accounted for all 3 Bandit scores, connecting with Ryan Grant twice and Deebo Samuel for his third TD of the game. Neither team had much success on the ground as the defenses won the day in the run game, but the Bandits found the big play with Grant catching a 39-yard and a 72-yard score on his only two receptions on the day. POTG:  Bandit WR Ryan Grant: 2 Rec, 111 Yds, 2 TD   ATLANTA 45  WASHINGTON 6 An unexpected scoring explosion as Aaron Murray threw for 3 scores, both Nick Chubb and Kenyon Drake scored on the ground, and Luke Kuechley put an exclamation point on his POTW game with a pick-six. It was utter domination by a Fire team that may have found something with the import of former Bengal A. J. Green. The NFL import had 5 receptions and 2 TDs in his USFL debut as Atlanta won this one in a rout. POTG:  Fire LB Luke Kuechley: 8 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   ST. LOUIS 16   NEW ORLEANS 33 Speaking of debuts, the Breakers cannot be more over the moon about their rookie WR Justin Jefferson. The LSU product had only 2 catches, but they accounted for 124 yards as Jefferson proved he was a major deep ball threat. Combined with Jordy Nelson’s 141 yards on 3 receptions, the Breakers had more than enough big plays to hold off the Skyhawks. Geno Smith looked smooth, connecting on 10 of 19 passes, but averaging 18 yards per completion as he found Nelson, Fleener, and Jefferson for big plays. POTG:  Breakers LB Jerome Baker: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   CHICAGO 21  SAN ANTONIO 10 The Gunslingers could not replicate the opening day success of New England, falling to a Machine club that showed some serious defensive might. Chicago outgained San Antonio 380-193 on the day, with Sam Bradford throwing for 250 yards and the new combo of Jeremy Hill and Marion Mack combining for 111 yards and 2 scores on the ground. The Gunslingers struggled to run the ball and that made it easier for Chicago to focus on pressuring Joe Flacco. Marshawn Lynch had only 7 carries as he split time with former Gambler C. J. Prosise. POTG:  Chicago HB Jeremy Hill: 20 Att, 61 Yds, 2 TD   SAN DIEGO 16  PORTLAND 10   OVERTIME A mistake-filled opening game for the two Pacific Division clubs as they combined for 12 penalties and 3 turnovers. The game was sloppy but close throughout, with San Diego needing a 4 th  quarter TD from Luke Wilson to even the score at 10 and send the game to overtime. Portland could not score on their opening possession of the extra period, but San Diego found their way to the endzone, with a Taiwan Jones run sealing the win for the 2019 division champs. POTG:  Stags LB David Hawthorne: 14 Tck, 1 FF   SEATTLE 13   OKLAHOMA 14 The Outlaws garnered the 1-point win thanks to a last-minute TD toss from Rudolph to DeDe Westbrook. Despite losing QB Jacoby Brissett, perhaps for the season, in the first quarter, Seattle hung tough, with Brett Hundley going 15 of 22 for 188 yards and a TD toss to the Dragons’ big free agent signing, Amari Cooper. Rudolph also had a nice debut in his first game as the new starter for Oklahoma, going 30 of 38 for 318 yards and 2 scores. POTG:  Outlaw QB Mason Rudolph: 30/38, 318 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int.   Week 1 Overreactions We are one week into a long 16-week campaign unlike any in USFL history, so it is wrong for us to make any proclamations after watching each team play their first game (without a preseason game as warmup) in the league’s hub & bubble system? Of course it is, but we are going to do it anyway. Here are some fun overreactions we are hearing across the nation, mostly from fans just excited to have games to discuss and to overanalyze. Here are some of our favorites from across the massive USFL mediasphere.   Ryan Nassib is not a USFL starter. This is largely a hangover from a poor first season in Washington, but after a devastating 45-6 opening week destruction by the Atlanta Fire, one in which Nasib threw 4 picks, we can understand the frustration. The high-priced free agent had such a brilliant year with Arizona in 2018 and has just not lived up to the hype in his time with the Feds, but as bad as the opener was, it is far too soon to write off their QB quite yet.   Cam Newton is ready to be MVP. We are not saying he cannot be, and his opening game performance (17 of 30, 340 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int) was certainly a solid game, even if Coach Haley was not able to unleash Newton’s running ability against a Michigan defense that spied him on almost every down, we are not quite ready to say he is a frontrunner. We do love how well tuned-in he seems to be with rookie WR Henry Ruggs, and we love the use of 2 tight ends as a regular formation (especially when those two are Hunter Henry and Eric Ebron), but Birmingham is now 0-1, and they will need to be well over .500 if their QB is going to get MVP votes, just the nature of the position.   The USFL ROTY will be a wide receiver. This one we are on board with. It was not a particularly strong HB class, with Pittsburgh’s Cam Akers the most likely candidate to even come close to 1,000 yards this year, but it was a very good WR group and we have already been impressed with the opening games put up by the 3 most likely contenders. Ruggs had 124 yards and a TD in Week One. Justin Jefferson in New Orleans proved to be a huge deep ball threat, gaining 124 yards as well, but on only 2 receptions, and Philadelphia’s K. J. Hamler was the top target for Matt Gutierrez, catching 5 balls for 62 yards. All strong starts from a very good WR group.  But, if Justin Herbert gets called on in Dallas early enough this season, he too could be in the hunt, after all a QB always gets a bit more attention than his receivers.   The Maulers will win the USFL Central Division. We love the enthusiasm Mauler fans had after their solid opening win over Memphis (28-9), and we do think they will be strong on defense this year. They also may have a better rushing attack with rookies Cam Akers and Rico Dowdle backing up Sony Michel, but are we ready to say they win the division? No, that seems very premature. Sorry, Mauler Nation, but the Panthers won 14 games last year and still have all their major pieces in place. Chicago is also a very solid club, with some nice upgrades, including a pretty good rookie WR in Chase Claypool. The Maulers looked good in Week 1, but let’s see what happens when they open divisional play with the Panthers this week before we get too excited.   Josh Allen is regressing in his 2 nd  year as the starter. What is going on with Denver fans?  Josh Allen opens the year with a win over Las Vegas, and while he did not play MVP football (15 of 24 for 169 with no TD or INT) it is not as if he stunk the place up. Yes, he had a bad fumble because he carried the ball like a loaf of bread on a scramble, and yes, he missed a couple of open receivers downfield, but this is opening week, and Allen is still learning. He had ups and downs last year, he will have them this year. Let’s not write him off, especially not after an opening week win.   LeVeon Bell has peaked. Another very overstated reaction to a slow first week. Bell only rushed for 64 yards on 20 carries in the opener, but that was against frequent 8- and 9-man fronts put up by the Stallions. Birmingham played well and they stacked the line against the run, something many teams are likely to do unless Kirk Cousins can make them pay for it. Bell will be fine. He is only 28, so it is too early to talk about him hitting the wall. Now, we will say that Michigan may want to use Alexander Mattison a bit more, because Bell should not be getting 90% of the carries, it is just not good long term. If they can get Mattison in the game, they can keep Bell fresh, and that means that they can get the kind of production from the 4-Time USFL rushing champion that they and their fans want to see.   Calais Campbell is passing the torch. This may actually be the case. In Bud Dupree, Arizona has a great protégé for Campbell to mentor. He is 34-years-old, and he might just be slowing down a bit. He had only 1 tackle and 1 sack in the opener, and while it is clear that the Roughnecks were shifting their line to double-team him, that is likely to be the case in every game. If Campbell wants to take DuPree under his wing and pass on his vast skillset to the younger DE, we could easily envision a situation where DuPree and not Campbell leads the team (and the league?) in sacks, if not this year, by 2021.   New England will go undefeated. We love having Boston fans engaged in the USFL again. They have such a unique delusion about them. We love that they have fully bought into the Steamrollers, that they are excited even if they won’t see their new team playing at Foxboro until 2021, and that they are behind their team’s Week 1 win with full-throated support, but this is just silly. It was a great win, and the Steamrollers could be more competitive than most expansion clubs, but let’s not live in a fantasy world. Only 1 team in league history has ever gone undefeated, and it was not an expansion team. One game at a time, Boston. Live in reality.       Brissett Lost for Season with Broken Hip It was an ugly injury, with Oklahoma LB Greg Lloyd Jr taking hold of a scrambling Jacoby Brissett’s ankle and Brissett’s body twisting as he fell to the ground. There was an audible pop and the look of pain on Brissett’s face was not a pretty thing. Brissett was taken out of the stadium on the cart only 7 minutes into the opener, and 5 hours later we would get the diagnosis, a dislocation of the femur with damage done to the hip joint. This would be a season-ending injury on opening day for the Seattle starting QB.   Brett Hundley came in and played well in relief, but now Seattle has some decisions to make. Do they reach out to another USFL club to find another option at quarterback, or do they ride the former New Jersey General for the rest of the season. At present only Hundley and veteran backup Brad Gradkowski are on the roster. Seattle has over $7M in cap space, so they could afford to go after a potential contributor instead of pulling in a young 3 rd  stringer. Of course, the one team that has a QB on the trading block is Oakland, a division rival unlikely to send either Jimmy G or Ryan Findley to their rivals from the north. That may mean that Seattle has few options to find someone other than Hundley to lead the team. In a season when many teams are carrying 4 QBs thanks to the expanded practice squads, there just are not a lot of options out there.   Kuechley Helps Power Atlanta to Huge Opening Win It was perhaps the most surprising score of the week, with Atlanta demolishing the Federals 45-6, and while a lot of kudos have to go to the revamped Fire offense, the video shows the story of a linebacker on a seek and destroy mission. Luke Kuechley, coming off a disappointing 75 tackle, 1 sack season in 2019, started off 2020 with a clear plan to do more and be more for the Fire. That drive led to a dominant performance in the opener. Kuechley finished the game with 8 tackles, 2 picks, and his pick-six interception return, but that only tells half the story. Used frequently in both run blitzes and straight up QB pressures, the Fire essentially used the presence of Albert Haynesworth in the middle to provide cover for Kuechley, who came into the backfield on either side of the big man and made a mockery of Washington’s blocking schemes. It was a brilliant tactical move to use the two in combination, but what was clear was that the plan worked primarily because of the ferocity and speed of Kuechley’s blitzes. This week the Fire will face off against Baltimore, who have a bit more cohesion up front, so we will see if the plan changes, but if Kuechley can keep up the passion and power of his gameplay from this week, it could be a long tough game for Jake Locker and the Blitz.   Rudolph Gets His Shot & Makes the Most of It When the San Antonio Gunslingers pulled the trigger on signing Joe Flacco away from the Outlaws, many in OKC expected their club to go after a QB to compete with backup Mason Rudolph. They did just that in the Territorial Draft, signing former Crimson Tide and Sooner QB Jason Hurts to be start a competition with Rudolph. The OK State product entered camp back in February as the starter, but a full QB competition was expected. The season delay and split camp pushed Coach Stoops to stick with the player who knew his system from 2019 and this week that decision seemed to pay off.   Rudolph had a very solid debut as the Week One starter for Oklahoma, throwing for 318 yards on 30 of 38 passing and finding DeDe Westbrook for the game winning score in the 4 th . Rudolph looked poised in the pocket, demonstrated a strong arm and a good rapport with Westbrook, Nick Toon, and TE Mark Andrews. He connected on 22 of 25 targets to those three receivers and seemed very comfortable in the pocket despite constant pressure from Seattle’s front 7, including multiple blitz packages incorporating LBs Josh Allen and Khalil Mack into the rush scheme. With Hurts behind him, the Cowpoke-Sooner rivalry of the two QBs seems to have evolved into an early friendship between the two QBs who Outlaw fans expected to battle for snaps all camp long and all season as well.   Rookie First Impressions Week One action welcomed over 200 first-time pros to the league, and while many did not see action this week, there certainly were some early contributors as the rookie class of 2020 took to the field. Here are 7 players who got the start in Week One and showed us a hint of what is to come.   Cam Akers (HB-PIT) The Maulers had two rookie backs in uniform for Week One, but it was former Seminole Cam Akers who got the longer look, splitting carries equally with veteran Sony Michel. With 10 carries, Akers rushed for 29 yards and earned his first USFL touchdown in the Mauler victory over Memphis.   Clyde Edwards-Helaire (HB-HOU) Houston’s first-round pick was expected to spell Carlos Hyde as the Gamblers took on Ohio but ended up playing most of the 4 th  quarter as Houston shut down and shut out the Glory. The LSU rookie had 8 of his 10 carries in the final period, gaining 23 yards and earning his first pro touchdown as well.   DeeJay Dallas (HB-OKL) In a tough game against a very stalwart Seattle defense, Dallas ended up leading all Seattle rushers with only 20 yards on the ground. His 3.3 YPC average was the best of all 3 Oklahoma backs, with starter Justice Hill gaining only 4 yards on 12 carries as Seattle sold out to stop the run and force QB Mason Rudolph to beat them.   Justin Jefferson (WR-NOR) One of two USFL rookie wideouts to start their careers with over 100 yards receiving, what makes Justin Jefferson’s debut so fascinating is that he accomplished it with only 2 receptions. Jefferson was targeted by Geno Smith only twice, catching both targets and combining them for a 62-yard average. He had a 74-yard catch that at first glance appeared to be a touchdown before video review showed him stepping out at the 2, and added a second catch for 52 yards, proving that he could be a very dangerous deep ball receiver.   Henry Ruggs (WR-BIR) Alabama rookie Henry Ruggs led the Stallions in receiving in their tight game with Michigan, catching 6 of 9 targets for 124 yards and a touchdown in his pro debut. With his Crimson Tide teammate Jerry Jeudy not getting on the field until the NFL season kicks off this fall, Ruggs launched the first salvo in the battle of former Nick Saban products to prove who would develop into the better pro.   K. J. Hamler (WR-PHI) Philadelphia had the third of the early round receivers coming to the USFL with Penn State’s K. J. Hamler joining the Stars after a career at nearby Penn State. The Nittany Lion was the most targeted of the three, having 10 balls headed his way in the opener. Hamler came down with 5 of those, gaining 62 yards and helping Philadelphia stay right in the game with Tampa Bay.   Bryce Hall (CB-DEN) While there were defensive rookies all across the league who made their debut on opening weekend, Denver corner Bryce Hall clearly had the best day of any of them. Hall finished the Denver-Las Vegas matchup with 7 tackles and his first USFL interception, a drive-killer that helped Denver hold off the Vipers and claim their first win of the year.    Here we go, our first COVID-impacted injury list. As you saw in the opening article of our report, there were nine players who were required to miss the season opener due to positive tests and/or symptomatic COVID infections. What we see now is that the ability for many of the infected players to return to action after only 1 week may not be as many as the league had hoped. Of the 9 who sat out in Week 1, 6 will also be required to sit out a 2 nd  week after their symptoms persisted into the testing period for Week 2. We add several more players to the Week 2 COVID inactive list, including the first starting QB to be required to sit out at least a week as Portland’s Marcus Mariota tested positive this week. And while this is certainly not as problematic as the long-duration injuries suffered by both Seattle QB Jacoby Brissett and San Diego guard Antonio Garcia, the reality of regular player sit-outs due to the COVID-19 virus is a reality that will test team rosters and put a lot on the GMs who have to try to anticipate short-term roster depletion on a regular basis. All this with the usual issues of injury within the game of football will be a test all season long.   OUT QB      Jacoby Brissett      SEA        Broken Hip           IR OT          Antonio Garcia        SD          Achilles                 8-12 Weeks C             Tyler Biadasz            OAK      ACL Strain               2-4 Weeks SS          Jaiquawn Jarrett      NEN      Neck                        1-2 Weeks DE          Tim Crowder            HOU     Eye                           1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB           Vontez Burfict        OKL       Hand                                    OT          Jawaan taylor          JAX         Hamstring   QUESTIONABLE DE          Calais Campbell      ARZ       Neck HB         Latavius Murray       CHA      Patella Tendonitis G             Vlad Ducasse          CHI        Hyperextended Knee QB         Tyler Thigpen           MGN     Broken Finger   COVID-19 INACTIVE ATL         HB         Kenyan Drake ATL         DE          Tyquann Lewis              2 nd  Week BIR         WR         Julian Edelman             2 nd  Week DEN      DT          Sharrif Floyd                    2 nd Week JAX         DT          Beau Allen                         LA          DE          Duwayne Smoot             2 nd  Week MGN     QB         Tyler Thigpen               2 nd Week OHI       FB          Mike Boone POR      QB         Marcus Mariota               POR      TE           Chris Gragg               2 nd Week STL         LB           Trey Hendrickson SDG      WR         Marques Colston WSH     DT          Quinnen Williams   TV Ratings Take Huge Hit but Streaming a Success This had to be a known and expected reality for the league. Moving all their games to 8pm local starts in the three hub locations meant that the USFL would have more regional games than ever, more late starts than ever, and fewer viewers, and that is what we are seeing. The USFL drew well with their 8pm ET starts, and the 9pm games were adequate (with a significant mid-game drop in viewership, particularly on Sunday), but the 11pm ET starts from Arizona were well below the norm for the league, particularly compared to the league’s typical viewership on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. This had to be known, but the numbers released after Week 1 clearly show that this will be a tough year for the league’s viewership as well as for the four broadcasters who are engaged in the all-nocturnal schedule for 2020.   However, at least two networks, FOX and ABC, may be significantly more willing to tolerate the lower broadcast ratings than ESPN and NBC. Why? The livestreaming and replay features of their USFL Nationwide package, arranged between the two networks as a way to address the abundance of games forced into regional coverage due to the all-night-game format, has proven a huge moneymaker and a huge boon for viewership. Over 20 million subscribers joined in the weeks and days leading up to the USFL openers, and viewership on the streaming service has been better than expected, nearly 50% higher than original estimates. The two networks involved in the package are seeing viewers tuning in live, but more fascinating is that they are seeing huge numbers on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons as fans catch up on the prior night’s games during more traditional hours.   It seems that USFL fans want to catch a lot of action, they are just not excited about staying up until Midnight, 1am or later to do so. That means that while NBC and ESPN are going to struggle for viewers when their weekly offering starts at 9 or 11 pm, ABC and FOX are going to make up for their late games by having the replay option the next day. Expect ESPN/EFN (owned by the same conglomerate as ABC) to try to horn in on the streaming platform, and we would not be surprised if NBC tried to get in on the action as well. Either that or you can expect them to push the other networks for more 8pm games to offset the losses encountered with the later games.   Invaders, Bandits, and Vipers Find Audience with Hosted Watch Parties A side story on TV viewership is the niche that it seems a few teams have found with large-scale online “watch parties” organized by the franchises themselves. The Invaders, Bandits, and Vipers were the first teams to set up such groups ahead of this weekend’s games, using online platforms like Twitch, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams to create large “fan rooms” that could hold up to 50 fans at a time. The fan groups could watch the games online through links with the network broadcast or streaming and connect with each other through chat spaces and break-out rooms within the larger group events. Yes, there was some moderation needed as the occasional chat-stream got salty, but overall, the experience was praised by fans, able to watch the games and still interact across the platforms. Expect more teams to add these fanbase outreach viewings as a way to keep fans engaged through this all-remote schedule of games. Building electronic communities may be a trend we see across businesses and entertainment media across many industries as more and more people have been instructed to work from home, to avoid mass gatherings, and to minimize public exposure to the COVID-19 virus. If the USFL can be out front on electronic “meet ups”, it can be a tool that will help the league weather the storm of a season without fans in the stands.   Monarchs Lobby NC Legislature to Allow Summer Bowl We are only at Opening Week for the 2020 season, but one franchise, and one city, are already deeply concerned about the USFL’s planned virtual season. Charlotte and the Charlotte Monarchs had been preparing to host Summer Bowl 2020 ever since they were chosen as the host back in 2018. Now they are frantically lobbying the league and the state to allow for the Summer Bowl to retain its home in the Queen City, and to push for some form of fan attendance at the game. The Monarchs are working with local government to try to convince the USFL not to relocate the title game to one of the three hub regions, to delay a decision and give time for the CDC and the nation to adjust to the current pandemic and find solutions that would allow for public events once again, as well as a location outside of Florida, Texas, or Arizona for the league’s title game.   Many within North Carolina’s statehouse are in favor of the league retaining Charlotte as the host for the showcase event, but there are concerns and serious misgivings about trying to develop a plan for a filled Bank of America Stadium on October 4 th . There is still so much in doubt about how to combat the pandemic, much less how to avoid further infections, illness, and potential fatalities, if a state or city wanted to host an event that would likely draw 60,000 or more to the same venue. Even with an outdoor stadium, that concentration of people seems to pose a potential “mega-spread” situation that no government wants to get behind at this point.   For now, the case being made is for a delay, for retention of Charlotte as the host through July, possibly August, before a final decision is made. The hope, of course, is that more will be known about COVID-19, information that could make the event viable for state and city officials, as well as for the league, even if it means a reduced capacity in the 74,000-seat arena. The campaign is one of delay, hoping that a delayed decision to relocate the USFL’s championship game will provide the time needed to determine a safe and successful plan to have a live event, with spectators in the Monarchs’ back yard.   Chicago’s Rhapsody in Blue The fans have spoken, and their message was unambiguous; they want their Chicago Machine to switch things up. The Chicago Machine & Under Armour “Design the Machine” voting is done and by a huge margin the look chosen by Chicago fans is a very different, very city-friendly “City Blue” option. The final vote had the City Blue look receiving more than both of the other two options, a red-dominant look and a classic maroon look, combined. With nearly 250,000 votes coming in over the extended online voting poll, City Blue racked up over 170,000 votes while the second-place maroon and third place red look combined garnered just under 68,000 votes, a pretty clear message from the fans to the team. And, as promised, the Machine, and their Chicago-based ownership, J.B. and Thomas Pritzker, sided with fans, announcing the new look for the Machine at a press conference in front of Soldier Field this week. The Machine will wear a look that many say reminds them of the NFL Houston Oilers, but which also clearly pays homage to the easily recognizable Chicago city flag, complete with its white and blue stripes and six-pointed red stars. The new look was revealed for the first time this week, and while the team itself is camped out in Houston for the season as part of the league’s hub city “bubble” plan to combat COVID spread, team owners and a limited number of the media were on hand out the outdoor unveiling.   Announcing the new look, with the designs on display on a series of mannequins outside Soldier Field, the Pritzkers revealed the four looks that will take the field in 2021. They also revealed that regardless of the results of this year’s season, the look will not be seen until the Machine return home to play the 2021 season (something we all anticipate, and hope will be the case), with J. B. Pritzker announcing that the club will not wear the new uniforms if they qualify for the 2020 playoffs because, in his words, “This look deserves a Chicago welcome, in front of our great Chicago fans.”   The full look entails 4 different designs, as we have come to expect from Under Armour. The primary uniforms feature a white helmet with the new minimalistic “Clockwork C” logo in sky blue with a red star at the center and center striping meant to evoke the city flag, with thin maroon stripes outside thicker red, white, and blue striping. The ubiquitous Chicago star appears at the base. The road jersey is white with a sky-blue collar, sleeve stripes that parallel those on the helmet and sky-blue numbers outlined in white and red with a subtle maroon drop shadow. The sky-blue home jerseys follow the same pattern, with white numbers outlined in red with the maroon drop shadow. The team will alternate a white and a blue pant set, with an all-white look available for hot summer games, while an all-sky kit is also an option. Both pant sets again repeat the flag-inspired striping from the helmet and jersey sleeves, and each once again feature the six-pointed star on the hip. The look is capped off with red socks that have thin white, sky, and maroon striping.   With USFL teams able to utilize a 2 nd  helmet shell, and with all teams receiving a throwback look, it is no surprise that the 2 nd  helmet will be the team’s traditional maroon color with a maroon facemask. The throwback goes all the way back to the team’s origin, the 1987 look, complete with maroon pants, and the cog-inspired “M” monogram in dark metallic grey on the helmet. The “Maroonificent Mile” alternate blends the two eras, replicating the features of the new Under Armour design but emphasizing maroon as the dominant color. In this alternate look the “flag” striping combines sky blue and white, the jersey numbers are sky blue with maroon and white outlines, and the set offers a maroon pant set to be worn both with the white jersey and the dark maroon top.   So, a very different Chicago Machine begins in 2021. No more complaints from Michigan fans of the Machine riding their design coattails, and a unique design in a league that also has light blue in the designs of Las Vegas, Oakland, Dallas and San Diego. This is a look that screams “Chicago” so loudly, you almost expect Roxy Hart or Al Capone to show up.   Week Two and we prepare for another week of silent games, fake crowd noises, delayed viewing, and late nights as the unique COVID-impacted schedule of games is back. We kick the week off with a major NE Division rivalry as the Generals and Stars battle in Orlando. An hour later another rivalry kicks off as New Orleans and Houston battle at Rice University’s vast but empty stadium. And a good nightcap starting at 11pm Eastern when the Thunder get a rematch with Arizona after last year’s playoff disaster.   Saturday has 3 divisional games with Washington and New England meeting at Raymond James, Orlando on the road to Gainesville to face the Monarchs, and expansion San Antonio hoping for their first win as a franchise as the face Memphis. Sunday’s big games include a SE Division showdown as the Bandits and Bulls stay in state, playing in Gainesville. Atlanta takes on Baltimore in a battle of Week 1 victors, and Tom Brady and the Invaders take on Las Vegas from steamy Sun Devil Stadium.   FRIDAY 8pm ET      Philadelphia @ New Jersey      Camping World Stadium     NBC 9pm ET      New Orleans @ Houston         Rice Stadium                 ABC 11pm ET      San Diego @ Arizona               U. of Arizona Stadium     ESPN/EFN   SATURDAY 8pm ET        Washington @ New England    Raymond James Stadium       ABC 8pm ET       Orlando @ Charlotte               Ben Hill Griffin Stadium           FOX 9pm ET       San Antonio @ Memphis      TDECU Stadium                       NBC 9pm ET        Pittsburgh @ Michigan        NRG Stadium                           FOX 11pm ET      Seattle @ Dallas                  State Farm Stadium                ABC 11pm ET     Los Angeles @ Denver        Sun Devil Stadium                  FOX   SUNDAY 8pm ET        Tampa Bay @ Jacksonville     Ben Hill Griffin Stadium       FOX 8pm ET        Atlanta @ Baltimore       Camping World Stadium     ABC 9pm ET           St. Louis @ Ohio               Rice Stadium                           FOX 9pm ET        Chicago @ Birmingham      NRG Stadium                       ABC 11pm ET       Oakland @ Las Vegas       Sun Devil Stadium      ESPN/EFN 11pm ET      Portland @ Oklahoma    U. of Arizona Stadium             ABC

May 1, 2020 Great news, America! The USFL is on, the games will commence in just 3 weeks, and we will have a full 16-game season. It won’t be like any prior season, but there will be football this summer (and fall). We will break down the huge news out of the USFL this past week, will take a look at how the season will unfold, and what special adjustments have been made to make football part of our summer again. We will also use this opportunity, as players rejoin their teams, to take a peak at how the extended offseason has prepared all 30 USFL clubs for the upcoming games, give our forecast on each team, each division, and our always reliable (kidding!) predictions for this unique 2020 season’s playoffs, championship, and major awards. Football is coming to your TVs, Laptops, and Phones, so get ready! It will be a season like none before, but it is football, so we are all happy campers right now, even as we have not put on real pants in weeks.   USFL Lays Out Plan to Return to Action on May 22.   The news all football fans have been waiting for ever since a somber USFL Commissioner Steve Bisciotti announced the suspended 2020 season back in March has arrived. A much more chipper Bisciotti announced via livestreamed league announcement on the return of USFLFootball.com America’s premier spring football league in just over 3 weeks time. Appearing on screen with three governors and several USFL head coaches, Bisciotti and his team laid out the format for what will be a USFL season that will include a lot of firsts for the league. Here is the plan he laid out for USFL fans, partners, and the media.   2020 SEASON TIMING The league will kick off on Friday, May 22, with 15 games per week, newly realigned to have 3 games on Friday night, six on Saturday, and six on Sunday each week. It will be a full 16-week season, meaning that for the first time the USFL will technically be playing football in the Fall. The regular season will end on Sunday, September 6. We will see a very familiar 12-team playoff, including a Wild Card round with 8 teams, a divisional round of 8 teams, a conference title round with 4 teams, and Summer Bowl 2020, now scheduled for Sunday, October 7. So, delayed, but not shortened or otherwise altered from the format we all know and love. The schedule does remove the planned bye weeks that were to debut this year, and some special arrangements had to be made with Major League Baseball to avoid potential conflicts from an October Summer Bowl and the MLB playoffs. The two leagues agreed upon Sunday, October 7 as the date for the Summer Bowl, with the understanding that MLB would not schedule any playoff games for that Sunday. The removal of the bye week was a concession to MLB to avoid a possible World Series-Summer Bowl conflict later in October.   2020 SEASON FORMAT If you recall our March update, we proposed 5 possible paths the USFL could take. By now you can see that neither cancellation, a full fall season, or a shortened season were not chosen. That leaves the “Bubble Season” as the best option to both play games and follow safety and health restrictions in place across the country. Working with the CDC and state officials, the USFL came to an agreement that the regular season would be played in three “geographical bubbles”, bringing 10 teams each to three locations and playing all games without fans in attendance.   Yes, you heard that right. At least at first all USFL games will be played in empty stadiums. Aside from essential stadium staff, broadcast teams, and the teams themselves, there will be no attendees of the USFL games this season. Commissioner Bisciotti announced that the league will continue to work with the Public Health departments of the three states where games will be played and with the CDC. If conditions allow for partial or reduced attendance later in the season, the policy may be adjusted, but for now the plan is that we will see empty stands as the teams face off each week. Both Fox and ESPN have already said that they are considering adding computer-generated crowd noise to games to make the viewing experience as similar to past years as possible, but that certainly feels like a bit of a awkward work-around. As for season ticket holders, the USFL is offering the opportunity for fans of all 30 teams to hold their deposits towards the 2021 season or to obtain refunds. Knowing the typical USFL season ticket holder, there are going to be a lot of deposits retained for 2021.   GAME & TEAM "HUB" LOCATIONS The Commissioner turned over his presentation to the three governors also available on the livestream to announce the locations for all games and team camps. Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona, Governor Greg Abbot of Texas, and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida each spoke proudly of their state, of the possibility to both host the USFL and to hopefully bring fans into the stands before the season is completed. All three Republican governors have been outspoken about CDC recommendations from mask use to public gatherings, so we expect some friction between the states, the CDC, the league, and the players’ union, which is very much looking to the players’ health as a key priority. In turn, each governor announced their plans to host 10 USFL teams for a unique “bubble” season with each team playing schedules clustered within their bubble.   Florida will play host to all 10 teams from the Northeastern and Southeastern Divisions. Teams will be housed in Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Gainesville, making use of local college dormitories, now empty as students were sent home for the year, and hotels (should on-campus study return in Fall 2020). Gainesville and the University of Florida will host the Generals, Steamrollers, and Monarchs. Orlando the Blitz, Federals, Renegades, and Bulls, with Tampa and St. Petersburg playing host to the Stars, Bandits, and Fire. As we will see in all 3 clusters or bubbles, Orlando and Tampa Bay players will be required to live in campus/hotel housing along with the other teams to ensure fairness in player conditions. Games will be played at Raymond James Stadium, Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, and the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (The Swamp). Both the Swamp and Camping World will host 1 game each on Saturday and Sunday each week, while Camping World Stadium will host 1 game per day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.   Texas , and more specifically the Houston area, will host all 10 teams from the Southern and Central Divisions. Games will be played at NRG Stadium, Rice Stadium, and TDECU Stadium, all located in greater Houston. The league originally proposed combining Houston with San Antonio, but the use of a domed stadium was considered a higher risk than having all games played outdoors, so the Alamodome was taken off the list, and TDECU was added. The teams will be housed in 3 communities in and around Houston, with the Gamblers, Gunslingers, Maulers, and Machine in Houston proper. The Breakers, Stallions, and Skyhawks will be housed in Galveston, while the Glory, Panthers, and Showboats will be in College Station, making use of Texas A&M’s extensive sports facilities and residential space.   Finally, Arizona will play host to both the Pacific and Southwest Divisions. The Wranglers, Gold, Express and Thunder will be based in Phoenix, with Dallas, Oklahoma, and Oakland in Tucson, and the Stags, Dragons, and Vipers in Flagstaff. Despite having 3 clubs based in Flagstaff, the league will not be using NAU’s Walkrup Skydome, once again a domed facility to host games, with State Farm Stadium in Glendale hosting 3 games per week, while ASU’s SunDevil Stadium and the University of Arizona Stadium in Tucscon each hosting 2 games per week.   THE 2020 SCHEDULE Fans will immediately notice two significant differences in USFL scheduling for 2020. First is the time when games will be played. Due to the summer heat in all three states, nearly all games will be scheduled for evening play, meaning that we will be seeing a lot of regional coverage across both on Saturday and Sunday. All Florida games will begin at 8pm Eastern time, with all Houston games kicking off an hour later at 8pm Central Time, and all Arizona games delayed 2 more hours, until 8pm Pacific Time. That means fans of the Express, Dragons, Wranglers or any Pacific or SW Division teams who live on the East Coast are looking at 11pm kickoff times all season long. It is either that or play in 120 degree heat in Arizona on a weekend afternoon.   The second schedule oddity is that all games will be held between teams in the same 10-team pods. Over 16 games, all teams will play their 4 division rivals twice, nothing new there, but they will also play three of the five cross-division teams twice as well, with their final two games against the two remaining cross-division teams. To give you a sense of this, here is what the schedule looks like for the expansion San Antonio Gunslingers .   Week 1:           v. Chicago                     TDECU Stadium Week 2:            @ Memphis                        Rice Stadium Week 3:           v. New Orleans                 Rice Stadium Week 4:          v. Ohio                        TDECU Stadium Week 5:         v. Houston                       NRG Field Week 6:           @ Birmingham                 TDECU Stadium Week 7:           @Michigan                  NRG Field Week 8:            v. St. Louis                     TDECU Stadium Week 9:           @ New Orleans                Rice Stadium Week 10:         @ Ohio                            Rice Stadium Week 11:        v. Birmingham                  NRG Field Week 12:        @ Houston                         NRG Field Week 13:        @ Chicago                     TDECU Stadium Week 14:     v. Memphis                      Rice Stadium Week 15:       v. Michigan                    TDECU Stadium Week 16:      @ St. Louis                      Rice Stadium   The league will see inter-bubble matchups once the playoffs begin in September, with the home team remaining in its region and host city, while the visiting team may need to travel to a new bubble to face their playoff opponent.   And what about Charlotte and the Summer Bowl? The USFL has kept the option to host the Summer Bowl in Charlotte on the table and will make a decision in August as to the viability of a Charlotte-hosted game. If they are unable to make that work, then we should expect an announcement at that time of the host city, with Orlando and Houston the clear favorites, however, the league would like to avoid a situation in which either the Renegades or Gamblers get a clear home-field advantage, so we could see the title game played at a pure neutral site like Gainesville or Tucson if Charlotte is not a viable option.   DEALING WITH COVID Within 24 hours of the league relaunch announcement, USFL officials within the Competition Committee revealed a series of health guidelines in place for the rescheduled and reformatted season. Not to worry, players are not going to be expected to wear masks during games, but you will notice some significant changes, particularly to the injury designations and player eligibility.   TESTING: Players will be tested for COVID-19 3 times each week, each Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. In the event of a positive test, the player is immediately isolated in their housing (moved to a single with significant restrictions on contact with other team members or team personnel outside of medical staff). INJURY REPORT: Players who test positive on Monday or Wednesday are retested on Thursday. A second positive test means that they are placed on the injury list as OUT and must miss that week’s action. If they retest positive the following Wednesday, they remain in that status for a 2 nd week. League medical officials believe that in most cases a player will clear the 2 nd  week test, but there may be cases in which players are unable to do so, particularly if they demonstrate symptoms at that time.   ROSTERS: The USFL is not expanding rosters beyond 53 active players, but they are expanding the practice squad by 4 additional positions and an allowance will permit teams to add players to the active roster as late as 4 hours prior to game time.   FORFEIT: If a team has a mini epidemic within their roster and cannot field a minimal roster of no fewer than 46 players for a game, the game will be forfeited as a 2-0 victory for the opponent. With no bye weeks to reschedule games that are missed, this was the option agreed upon by the league and the union. Players will receive game checks for any forfeited games.   The league is also in discussion with the league to potentially implement temporary changes to the waiver policy, trade deadline, and IR systems to assist teams with roster replacements where possible, but no details of any adjustments to these practices have yet been announced.   So, there you have it, a full 16-game schedule, with all games at night, and all teams clustered into hubs or bubble cities in Arizona, Texas, and Florida. Players have already received their assignments on where to report, and camps reopen this week, with local high schools and some university campuses used as training facilities. There will be strict housing and meal rules in place as well as additional rules for practices, injury (and illness reporting) and gamedays, and, as we just laid out, some changes to roster management, injury reporting, and potential forfeit.   2020 TELEVISION SCHEDULE The last item to discuss is how you, the USFL fan, can catch games. This was a tricky bit of negotiation for the league and their 4 TV partners, but an eventual deal was agreed upon. The broadcast/cable/satellite structure will be as follows:   NBC will produce and broadcast 1 Friday and 1 Saturday game. ESPN will similarly produce and broadcast 1 game both Saturday and Sunday night. Both FOX and ABC will produce 4 Saturday and Sunday games, with regional coverage of all four. They will also each host 1 Friday national game in alternating weeks.   But what if you are a Generals fan in Texas or a Stags fan in Florida? Never Fear, while games will be broadcast in regional coverage on each network’s broadcast feed, each provider will offer out-of-market games to fans on their online platforms through livestreaming. In an agreement with the league, ABC and FOX, the only networks using regional coverage, will livestream all games on their web streaming platforms, with fans able to buy a Nationwide USFL package to watch all out-of-market games for $80 dollars for the season, a deal that comes to $5 per week and gives fans access to both the ABC and FOX broadcasts, making all games available to the entire nation.   But what about blackouts? OK, now you are just being silly. With no fans allowed at games, the league has obviously done away with the blackout rules around home attendance. All games will be shown in their home markets, so, for example, all Generals games in regional coverage will be available for the NY-NJ markets, while all Oakland games, despite being played in Arizona, will be shown in Northern California. So, if your favorite team is in your home region, the $80 Nationwide plan is not needed as all games will either be on national coverage or shown to you in regional coverage, but for fans of the Invaders who live in Chicago, you can use the Nationwide USFL Package to get all 16 Invader games on your computer, phone, tablet, or any Wi-Fi-enabled television.   That is more than enough talk about COVID-19, special arrangements, bubble-cities, and empty stadium games. Let’s talk some football. The second part of our Season Preview is all about the game inside the white lines, the teams and their prospects for this unique season. Let’s get ready to analyze all 30 teams, account for all the offseason moves, and make our (often dubious) picks for the 2020 season, late in arriving, but now more welcome than ever.     Season Preview: Teams & Divisions   The Northeast Division gets a new team in the expansion New England Steamrollers, loses a recent arrival in the Maulers, and is again likely to be a very close, very hard fought division. Philadelphia won the division title at 9-7 last year after an 0-5 start, but there is certainly no lack of challengers this year, with 2019 playoff teams New Jersey and Baltimore right there and Washington hoping to see major improvement this year.   NEWCOMERS TO WATCH: BAL:       Rookie WR Michael Pittman Jr. NEN:      Rookie DE Yetur Gross-Matos, DT Aaron Donald, QB Ryan Tannehill NJ:          WR Kenny Stills, TE Jonnu Smith PHI:        OT Matt Kalil WSH:     WR Jarvis Landry, NFL LB Danny Trevathan   STORIES TO FOLLOW: Stars QB Struggle The fact that the Stars made efforts not only to land a top flight rookie but also made some inquiries during the NFL-USFL transfer window should tell us that they are not sold on the fact that Matt Gutierrez still has enough in the tank to get the job done. Coach Harbaugh seems to have faith in him, but everyone else, from the GM to the very vocal fans seems to have their doubts. Will Gutierrez prove that he still can bring wins to the Stars or will the team again be looking elsewhere. The Stars still have only P. J. Walker and Trace McSorley behind Gutierrez, so once again there may not be a fallback option for Philly.   Nassib Needs to Prove Himself Again Ryan Nassib got himself a very lucrative deal to join the Federals last year after a break out performance in Arizona in 2018. But what Federals fans saw from their new QB did not exactly live up to the hype. Nassib’s accuracy was still there, completing passes at essentially the same rate, but his yards per game was down nearly 100 yards, and his TDs dropped from 32 to 20. That said, not all of that is on Nassib. After all, the Washington receivers do not match up to the 2018 Arizona combo of Fitzgerald and Bryant. With two new options in Jarvis Landry and Jalen Saunders joining Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill, there are no excuses in 2020. That is a very solid WR group and one capable of turning short completions into big plays, so it is time for Nassib to show Washington why they showed him the money.   Steamrollers Hope to Surprise Life as an expansion team is never easy. Not only do you need to build a roster, you need to build a culture. Coach Fox will try to do just that with his Steamroller squad. He has a lot of interesting pieces, but will they come together as a team. The offense may well be pretty sound, led by former NFL QB Ryan Tannehill, this squad has some talent, including HBs Kerwynn Williams and Matt Forte, WRs Doug Baldwin, DeVante Parker, and Zay Jones, and All-USFL TE Dennis Pitta. The line will need time to come together, and there is a general lack of depth, but front line talent is there.   On defense, expect the Steamrollers to rely heavily on their huge free agent signing, DT Aaron Donald, to set the tone. Donald, more than even edge rushers Mario Addison and Tashawn Bower, may be the most dangerous player on the field for opposing QBs. The LB group is led by another NFL import, veteran Jamie Collins, who changes teams and leagues, but not zip codes, moving from the moribund Patriots to the brand-new Steamrollers. The secondary is likely the strength of the defense overall, with two quality corners in Sam Shields and Jalen Mills, and a pretty savvy safety combo of Jaiquawn Jarrett and Deion Bush. Again, depth behind the starters is where the concern lies, but this is a team that should be competitive and could surprise some folks.   OUR ASSESSMENT We are picking New Jersey to claim the division title, but this could be a three, maybe even four team race. We don’t see anyone getting beyond 10 wins and only New England likely has the capacity to lose more than 10 games. So, why did we pick New Jersey? We think Norv Turner has the pieces in place to be the most consistent team in the division. We like the addition of two more weapons in the passing game, and we think their defense is the most stable of the 4 returning teams. Could we be wrong? Of course. Perhaps Philadelphia’s 9-2 run last year is more indicative of their team than the 0-5 start. Maybe Matt Gutierrez is ready to rebound. Or maybe Baltimore, now with Jake Locker at the helm, can make a move. So hard to say, but in our mind the team with the fewest “what if” scenarios is New Jersey.   In 2019 the Southeast quickly developed into a 2-team race, with surprising Tampa Bay outperforming all expectations in Coach Trestman’s first year and Orlando certainly on the rise. Atlanta lost steam when Aaron Murray got hurt and their run defense was a pure no-show. Charlotte also seemed to lose a step. That reality led to some shakeup, with 3 of the division’s 5 teams making a change in the front office. Can Jacksonville, Atlanta, or Charlotte catch lightning in a bottle as Coach Trestman did with the Bandits last year, or are all three destined to be looking up at last year’s two best teams?   NEWCOMERS TO WATCH: ATL:        Rookie WR Gabe Davis, DT Albert Haynesworth, NFL WR A. J. Green CHA:      WR Tandon Doss, NFL CB Ronald Darby JAX:        Rookie WR Tee Higgins, DT Montravious Adams, ORL:       Rookie DT Javon Kinlaw, FS D. J. Swearinger, NFL HB Ty Montgomery TBY:       NFL HB Matt Breida   STORIES TO FOLLOW: Three New Coaches The Fire, Monarchs, and Bulls all start out 2020 with a brand new coach, each now dealing with COVID issues as well as roster and team culture issues. Of the three, Atlanta’s Jaime Elizondo helped usher in the most significant roster changes, signing 37-year-old Albert Haynesworth to help with the run game and then importing two offensive players with real potential, WR A. J. Green and HB Jordan Howard to help with the Fire’s shaky offense from last year.   Charlotte and Head Coach Vance Joseph start a new chapter for the franchise, but much remains the same for the Monarchs. They did bring in a solid backup behind Trubisky, acquiring Kyle Boller in a trade with St. Louis. Other than that, the offense looks very much like the 2019 squad that struggled under Jim Mora Jr. Can Elizondo bring in elements of the explosive Bandit offense that helped him get the job?   In Jacksonville, Winston Moss will be tackling not only the current issues that had the Bulls finish 2019 with the worst record in the league, but a culture of more than 35 years of poor performance and disappointment. He started addressing both by addressing the defense, bringing in DT Montravius Adams and shifting Alex Anzelone from MLB to the Strong Side position to try to help put energy into the run defense. On offense, Teddy Bridgewater is now securely the starter at QB, with only NFL import Cardale Jones and late round rookie Ben DiNucci behind him. Devin Singletary is expected to challenge Matt Jones for time at tailback, and rookie Tee Higgins is looking very much like a Week One starter.   Which of these three new head coaches is in the best position to win right away? That is hard to say, and we still expect the two top teams from 2019, Tampa Bay and Orlando to be atop the division in 2020, but maybe we will get a surprise like the one we saw in Tampa Bay last year.   Bandit Ball Sequel? The Bandits made a huge leap in 2019, jumping from a 3-win 2018 campaign to a division title and a trip to the Eastern Conference Championship in 2019. But, will teams catch on to their new offense? Will the departure of OC Jamie Elizondo to Atlanta lead to a decline in effectiveness? And will some of the departures on defense, like CB Trumaine McBride (retirement) or Tank Carradine (traded to Ohio) create a backstep for the Bandits? We still think they are good enough to win a SE Division in transition, with Orlando their likely main competitor, but can they get past the best of the other two divisions to get back to a Summer Bowl? That is a big question.   Haynesworth the Answer? Atlanta made a few big-time moves, but none with the potential Boom or Bust nature of the signing of a 37-year old Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth successfully petitioned the league to allow him to rescind his 2018 retirement and now returns to football at an age when most defensive linemen are on the golf course or in the jacuzzi. At his prime, Haynesworth was a monster inside, helping to free up Calais Campbell to lead the league in sacks every single year while in Orlando. But at 37, there are a lot of questions as to whether this 9-time All-USFL selection can still get the job done. The Fire certainly hope he can, because they simply had no ability to stop the run last year, and they need a presence in the middle to make teams pay for trying to grind out first downs on the ground. Haynesworth is also supposed to take on blockers so that edge rushers like William Gholston and Mario Edwards can bring pressure without devoting LB talent to the blitz. With Kuechley, Ellerbe and Patrick Willis in the LB group, Coach Elizondo may still want to bring in the extra rushers, but if Haynesworth can do as he used to, occupying both the center and a guard, he may not have to.   OUR ASSESSMENT You may be surprised to see us picking Orlando over the Bandits this season. We do that for two reasons. The first is that Tampa Bay had some losses on defense in the offseason and it was the ability of the Bandit defense to hold off opponents that allowed the Bandits to make a 7-game improvement from 2018 to 2019. If the defense again falters, we think the Bandits take a step back. Orlando, on the other hand, has been on a steady path towards improvement. We like the addition of Swearinger to the secondary and we think Kinlaw is a net positive addition in the D-line. Those two positives, along with a solid and balanced offense feels like a winning combination to us. As for the three remaining clubs, we think Atlanta did the most to improve their chances in 2020. Of course, a lot depends on if Albert Haynesworth can be even close to his All-USFL self as he returns after more than a year away from the game. Charlotte could surprise if they have truly improved their defense and if Mitch Trubisky can mature his way out of his bad decisions. The South adds a second Texas team as the San Antonio Gunslingers join Houston, Birmingham, Memphis, and New Orleans. This could well be the toughest division in the league, with the defending conference champion Gamblers, a very solid Breaker team, and two potentially improved teams in both Memphis and Birmingham. San Antonio will get few opportunities to snag division wins, but with Joe Flacco at the helm, they may surprise some folks.   NEWCOMERS TO WATCH: BIR:        Rookie WR Henry Ruggs, NFL WR Robby Anderson HOU:     Rookie HB Cyle Edwards-Helaire, NFL TE Gerald Everett MEM:     CB Josh Johnson, WR Geronimo Allison NOR:     Rookie WR Justin Jefferson SAN:      Rookie WR Jaelen Reagor, DE Marcus Lawrence, QB Joe Flacco, NFL OT Zach Banner   STORIES TO FOLLOW: Gunslinger Growing Pains The San Antonio Gunslingers were looking forward to opening day perhaps more than any other team. They had brought football back to the Alamo City five years after the devastating tornadoes led to the demolition and reconstruction of the Alamodome. And they were bringing back some familiar faces from the days of the Texas Outlaws. QB Joe Flacco, a 35-year-old Marshawn Lynch, and 6 other former San Antonians were back in town, along with a lot of new faces. But, now reality has to set in. After a 2-month delay, San Antonio will be back on the field, but not yet back in San Antonio. The Gunslingers will play all their games in Houston, and likely with no fans in the stands. So what will we see from the new Gunslingers and head coach Chuck Long?   On offense, expect Long to split carries between Marshawn Lynch and former Gambler C. J. Prosise. Joe Flacco will be throwing to at least one familiar face, another Outlaw transfer, Marquise Goodwin, but will also have former Federal Brandon LaFell and slot man Isaiah McKenzie to throw to. The line may be a bit shaky, typical for a new group learning to play together, and that could be an issue because Flacco is about as mobile as an oak tree. On defense there is some good talent and good experience in the LB group with Casey Matthews, Gabe Miller and Justin Hollins among the starters. The secondary has a real talent in CB Jordan Pugh, and a solid safety duo of Will Harris and David Bruton, but that line, that could be an issue. If teams can run on the Gunslingers, and if opposing QBs get time, this could be a defense worthy of an expansion team.   Gamblers Draw Two The Houston Gamblers have developed a knack for adding talent to key positions before they need it. We saw that with Colt McCoy prepping behind Matt Hasselbeck and producing one of the best QB handoffs in memory. We may be seeing that at halfback now, as the Gamblers drafted and signed LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire as backup, and potential future replacement for All-USFL veteran Carlos Hyde. Hyde turns 29 this year, so he is not over the hill yet, but adding a talented young back behind him seems like a very shrewd move.   The other big add for the Gamblers was a necessity. With Vernon Davis retiring this year, tight end became a position of need, and the Gamblers hope they have found the solution to that need in the form of NFL import Gerald Everett. The 2017 draftee of the St. Louis Rams is big (6’3” and 239 Lbs), fast (4.62 in the 40), and has strong hands. He caught 37 balls for 408 yards last spring and Coach Phillips thinks he is just reaching his prime. Of course, having Colt McCoy to throw to him and with outside receivers like Mike Evans and JuJu Smith-Schuster, Everett is in prime position to make a big splash this year.   Stallions Add Targets The contract extension given to Cam Newton did two really important things this offseason. It said unequivocably that the Auburn product was both the present and the future of Coach Todd Haley’s offense, and it told the league that Birmingham would not be pursuing Alabama product Tua Tagovailoa. Tua ended up signing with the NFL Chargers over the Atlanta Fire, but Birmingham was not done. They had their QB, but after losing WR Amari Cooper in free agency (Seattle), they needed to provide their new multi-millionaire QB with some options in the receiving group. The Stallions started in the draft, claiming and signing another Crimson Tide star, wideout Henry Ruggs in the T-Draft, then waited for the NFL-USFL Transfer Window to add even more, signing Robby Anderson away from the New York Jets. Anderson and Ruggs will likely split time opposite Dontrelle Inman, but if either one proves himself early, expect them to become the top target for Newton, who will also still likely finish the year as the leading rusher for Birmingham, ahead of Ben Tate or Rex Burkhead. With 2 new weapons, as well as the best 1-2 TE combo in the league (Hunter Henry and Eric Ebron) the Stallions have given Newton the weapons he needs to reach his self-stated goal of winning an MVP and a Summer Bowl. Big dreams. We will see if the Stallions are there.   OUR ASSESSMENT I think we all expect Houston to sit atop the South again. They are just so solid, and even added some depth this offseason. As for their potential rivals, we still wish Joe Burrow would have signed with the Breakers, because that would have been such good entertainment, but even without the LSU quarterback, we think the Breakers could be a real challenge to Houston’s division dominance. We also think that either Memphis or Birmingham could get into the mix. We are choosing Birmingham just because they seem far more active and intent on improvement. Coach Ryan and the Showboats seemed to be treading water this offseason, which does not make sense for a team that finished 8-8 last year. San Antonio could fare quite well for an expansion team, mostly out of division, but we think that 10 losses or more is still the most likely scenario.   The Panthers absolutely dominated the Central Division last year, winning 14 of 16 games. But 2020 looks to be a year when they could face a few tougher challenges. The Maulers return to the division and should be a mid-tier squad among the 5 teams. Chicago is certainly on the upswing and we are also expecting more from St. Louis this year. All in all the Central will likely be a lot closer than in 2019, but that does not mean we don’t still see Michigan on top.   NEWCOMERS TO WATCH: CHI:       Rookie WR Chase Claypool, HB Marion Mack, NFL WR Jermaine Kearse MGN:   Rookie WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, DT Dontari Po OHI:       Rookie LB Malik Harrison, WR Cordarelle Patterson PIT:         Rookie HB Cam Akers, DE Aaron Kampman STL:        Rookie OT Tristan Wirfs, Rookie DE A. J. Epenesa   STORIES TO FOLLOW: Michigan’s 2019 Hangover Michigan’s shocking ouster in the Divisional Round of the 2019 playoffs is still very much a topic of conversation both on local sports radio and within the organization itself. After a 14-2 regular season, the defending league champions felt poised to seek the repeat, but failed to even qualify for the Conference Title Game after a stunning 20-12 loss to the Denver Gold. Enter the offseason and what do we see? Fullback and LeVeon Bell’s personal chauffer Kyle Juszczyk heads off to the NFL in the September window, DT Kevin Vickerson retires at 34 years old, the Panthers lose DT Terrell Troupe, WR Jerrel Jernigan, and LB Cody Glenn to free agency, and the Expansion Draft costs them young QB Easton Stick (NE), a player Coach McDermott really liked and was hoping to build up this year. So, how does Michigan shake off the upset hangover and the loss of some quality talent? Well, they get active in free agency, signing Tyler Thigpen to back up Kirk Cousins, and bringing in the best DT option outside of 37-year-old Albert Haynesworth, pulling Dontari Po away from the Showboats. They also bring in HB Karlos Williams to help on third down, and then, in the NFL Window in February they add a veteran at LG in Ron Leary. Is that enough to help Michigan remain dominant in the Central Division? We think so, but is it enough to wipe away the taste of that playoff loss and make the push this year to return to the Summer Bowl? That may be a question we won’t get an answer to until September. Man, that is weird to say, September in the USFL.   Chicago Offensive Overhaul If the Panthers are going to repeat as Division Champs, they are likely going to have to fight off the Chicago Machine to do it. Chicago continues to add weapons to their offense, bringing in Marion Mack to be the piledriver paired with Jeremy Hills smooth speed. They drafted and signed Notre Dame deep threat Chase Claypool to spread the defense, and then added Jermaine Kearse from the NFL to provide a 4 th  option on those long third downs that killed them last year. The defense will be almost identical to the 2019 squad, which is a good thing, but with more offensive options for Sam Bradford to utilize, Chicago may well be a very dangerous combo of fast-strike scoring and hard-nosed defending this year.   Maulers in Midwest What at the time felt like a permanent move from the Central Division to the Northeast in 2013 turned into a 6-year experiment as the arrival of yet another team in the Boston area (the city’s 3 rd USFL attempt) once again relocated the Maulers from one division to the other. So now, instead of more Keystone Clashes with Philadelphia, the Maulers will have to rekindle their twice-a-year rivalry with neighboring Ohio, while also taking on the Panthers, Skyhawks, and Machine. The Maulers struggled to reach .500 in the NE Division the past 6 years, topping the 8-8 mark only once in their 2013-2019 run in the division. Now they return to a Central Division that seems somewhat bi-polar, with Michigan and Chicago looking like real title contenders and St. Louis and Ohio looking like teams trying to find themselves. What does that mean for new Head Coach Skip Holtz? Coming into a situation already fraught with issues, the former La Tech coach is under fire before his team even takes a snap. And now we add on a season where the Maulers will be playing in Houston and living on the campus of Rice University. It is no way to start a new era in Mauler history, but it is what it is.   OUR ASSESSMENT If anyone can challenge the Panthers for the division title, it has to be Chicago. They added more weapons for Sam Bradford, have a defense that improved over 2019 and they are coming into the year with a lot of expectations and a lot of confidence. We see St. Louis as an improved team in Lamar Jackson’s 3 rd  year and Pittsburgh could surprise as well. As for Ohio, we are feeling very much like their 2018 division title was a fluke and that the 2020 Glory will look a lot like the 2019 edition that won only 4 games.   The Wranglers were not just the best team in the division last year, they were the best team in the league, a fact proven by their domination of Houston in Summer Bowl 2019. All they did this offseason was reload, so we think they are still going to be tough to topple. Denver also had a solid year in 2019 with Josh Allen outperforming expectations in his first season as a starter. We still think they need a bit more youth on the team, but they are competitive. Las Vegas could improve, and we think that if Justin Herbert is anything like what we saw at Oregon, Dallas could also take a step forward.   NEWCOMERS TO WATCH: ARZ:       Rookie WR Brandon Aiyuk, NFL DT Snacks Harrison DAL:       Rookie QB Justin Herbert, TE Pharaoh Brown DEN:      DT Terrell Troupe, DE D’Aundre Reed, LV:           Rookie S Julian Blackmon, LB Nick Perry, OT Tyson Clabo OKL:       Rookie HB DeeJay Dallas, Rookie QB Jalen Hurts, WR Nick Toon   STORIES TO FOLLOW: Wrangler Repeat? Arizona not only won a third title last year, they claimed the right to call themselves the Team of the Decade and a true dynasty. So, what do they do for an encore? How about a 4 th ? How about a 6 th Summer Bowl appearance in an 8-year span, a nearly inconceivable feat? That is the plan for the Wranglers, and while they won’t quite be at home all season, playing in Arizona certainly cannot hurt their chances, even if they are living in a hotel in Glendale and will play some games in Tucson. The Wranglers return pretty much all of their big-name players from the 2019 run, losing only LB Travis Goethel to free agency (NEN), TE Jimmie Graham to retirement, and DT Grady Jarrett to a trade with Baltimore, and DE DeShawn Hand to the expansion draft.   Back at center stage we will have the offense led by David Carr, with the HB duo of Carey and Crowell, and the receiving group led by Victor Cruz. New to the offense will be rookie WR Brandon Aiyuk, who should see ample time in the slot, and TE Robert Tonyan, making the move from TE2 to the starting gig. On defense, it will be Calais Campbell and Bud DuPree making QBs run for their lives, while Scooby Wright, A.J. Klien, and Malik Jefferson anchor down the LB group and Joe Haden takes away a team’s best receiver. The Wranglers did not see a mass exodus of talent this offseason, so their odds to be a Summer Bowl contender once again look very favorable.   Herbert’s Timeline Dallas made the move and landed a player they think can be a generational QB for them. They will start the season with Josh Freeman at the helm, but you can expect that at some point this year we will see the Roughnecks run former Oregon star Justin Herbert out onto the field. Herbert can make all the throws, is mobile enough to make plays with his feet, and has excellent field vision. He is also an ideal front man for the Roughnecks, who really have not created a clear place for themselves in the sports psyche of Dallas-Fort Worth since coming over from Boston in 2013. Herbert may give them the chance to do just that, even if fans can only watch him from their TVs. The Roughnecks may still need to add more around their young franchise QB, but this year is all about helping Herbert adjust to the pro game and get some playing time before the club returns to Dallas in 2021.   Miller’s Retirement Tantrum He begged, he demanded, he pouted, but Denver would not budge. They held Von Miller under contract for 2 more years, and they said that he would not be cut loose, not traded, and not offered a new deal. Miller’s response was epic, and not in a good way. Over the course of the Winter he kept it largely professional, hoping that the Gold would release him in time to make a leap back to the NFL. But that did not happen. The Gold held him to his contract and left him few options. The options Miller took were to go to social media and throw an absolute tantrum about Denver. Not just the ownership of the Gold either. Miller laid into Coach Hufnagel, his DC, his teammates, even the city itself, calling the fans bandwagon jumpers who did not understand real football, the city a “whitebread imitation of a real city” and pretty much going full scorched earth on everyone and everything about his time with the Gold (apparently Denver was just fine when Miller was a Bronco, but the Gold period showed him he was wrong). When the Gold would not acknowledge his wishes and the NFL-USFL Transfer Window opened and closed without him being made eligible, it was the last straw. On March 22 nd , Miller took the one action left available to him. He retired. He did so with a flurry of tweets, a couple of loud and angry appearances on ESPN and the Stephen A. Smith podcast, and with, eventually, official filing with the league.   What does this mean for Miller? It means his USFL career is over, not just in Denver, with all 30 teams. It means that he could sign with the NFL in the upcoming months, but only if he can find a team that is OK with the way he left the Gold, and that is the part it seems he did not count on. Miller is a very talented player, and he still has gas in the tank, but the way he left the Gold is not going to sit well with a lot of NFL teams. No one wants someone with that kind of explosive capacity to bring the heat to their team, not unless they are desperate. So now Miller waits and the Gold move on. They signed D’Aundre Reed in anticipation of Miller leaving, and now Reed will pair up with Justice Cole and Denver will see what they have.   OUR ASSESSMENT The SW Division is still very much Arizona’s to lead. We like Denver to finish second, and maybe a couple of games closer to the Wranglers, but still not close enough. Dallas is our pick to jump into the playoff picture, as we have high hopes for their rookie QB. Las Vegas could also be in the mix, though they really did not make many moves worthy of boosting our confidence in them. Oklahoma took a huge hit with the expansion agreement sending 8 veterans to San Antonio. As much as we like their draft this year, we think it will take a year or two to see the dividends and until then the Outlaws could struggle. Last year we got all excited about the LA Express early on, only to watch them slump back to 8-8 by season’s end. Seattle again started very weak (1-5) only to pour it on late and find themselves in the playoffs. Could you imagine if they could just go 3-3 in the opening 6 weeks? They could win the division. Portland played 4 different QBs last year, and hopes that won’t be repeated in 2020. And then there is Oakland, who had some solid but unimpressive offseason moves until they pulled the trigger on the biggest signing in mid-February. We don’t want to get too excited about one player, but when that player is arguably the best championship QB in two leagues, it is hard not to.   NEWCOMERS TO WATCH: LA:         Rookie C Tyler Biadasz, WR Austin Pettis, NFL LB Yannick Ngakue OAK:     CB Brandon Boykin, SS Marquestan Huff, NFL QB Tom Brady POR:     Rookie DT Raekwon Davis, NFL WR Josh Gordon SD:         Rookie WR Laviska Shenault, WR Ronald Johnson, DT Rakeem Nunes-Roches SEA:      Rookie S Grant Delpit, WR Amari Cooper, NFL TE Kyle Rudolph   STORIES TO FOLLOW: The Brady Factor As a general rule, a team signing a 43-year-old QB feels more like desperation than brilliance, but when that QB is Tom Brady, generally considered the best championship QB in all of pro football, well, you have to get enthused about the move. The Invaders had a solid defense in 2019, can put together a strong run game behind Christian McCaffrey, but neither Jimmy Garoppolo or Ryan Findley felt like a real answer at QB. Both struggled and with them the Invaders were stuck in mediocre form, finishing at 8-8. If Brady is health, which the added 2 months of rest may well aid with, he can be a difference maker for certain. Could he get them 2, 3, 4 more wins? Very possibly.   Brady has weapons all around him in Oakland. The line is weaker than in past years, but still likely in the upper half of the league, and the defense is aggressive and fast-moving, very much in the model of their captain, Bobby Wagner. Expect fans to be snapping up those number 12 Brady jerseys, and look for Oakland to take every chance to put Brady in a position to win games this year. This should be fun to watch.   Sophomore Slump in LA? The Express started so strong in 2019 and then started to falter. That is not entirely surprising for a team built around 3 rookies. So, the question is, will those three star rookies advance their games in 2020, or will we see a sophomore slump that spells a rough year for Express fans once again? Of the three, we have the most confidence in DE Nick Bosa, in part because his final month of 2019 was certainly stronger than his first month. He should be a focal point of any team’s offense this year. Kyler Murray needs to take a step forward. In 2019 it looked like he was often relying on instincts, not preparation or understanding, and that can get you only so far. The Express need their QB to be able to see what is on the field and make adjustments to take advantage of it. Finally, WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown has to be more than a one-route receiver. Yes, his speed lends itself to the deep fly route, but there has to be more to his game if he wants to be a starter, much less a star, in the USFL.   Seattle QB Questions The Dragon’s third straight year with a late season run seems to speak to the ability of their team to learn and develop, but they seem to have amnesia every offseason. One of the areas of amnesia may well be around the QB position. Yes, the Dragons won some games, but was Jacoby Brissett really the long-term solution? Seattle did not pursue a top flight option at QB this offseason, which tells us that Coach Riley is happy with what he got out of Brissett last year, but for those of us outside the organization, that seems to be overvaluing a player who just has never proven to be able to carry his team when it is needed. We will see if Coach Riley’s faith in Brissett is warranted. Maybe they can get off to a faster start and compete for the division title, but maybe they are capped out at the 8-8 or 9-7 range.   OUR ASSESSMENT We suspect that fans of the San Diego Thunder are feeling very much like Rodney Dangerfield, getting no respect at all. We certainly acknowledge that their 12-4 season in 2019 was a very strong showing. Their 41-10 playoff loss to the Wranglers was not a good look, however. So, what happens in 2020? Well, we look at the return of Tom Brady and maybe we get a bit starstruck, but we think that gives Oakland an edge. We have both teams sitting at 11-5. That assumes a 3-game improvement for the Invaders and a 1-game slip from the Thunder. We have both LA and Seattle slipping back a game and Portland struggling to keep up. But a lot depends on the Brady factor. It would not surprise us if San Diego again dominated the division, but something tells us that Tom Brady returning home to Oakland could truly shake things up.   PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS So, looking over our division rankings, we have our 12 playoff teams at the end of the 2020 “bubble” season of the USFL. Our anticipated seedings would be as follows:    EAST: 1-HOU, 2-ORL, 3-NJ, 4-NOR, 5-TBY, 6-BIR WEST: 1-MGN, 2-ARZ, 3-OAK, 4-SD, 5-CHI, 6-DEN   This playoff format would produce entirely interdivision and inter-pod Wild Card games. We see New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Oakland, and San Diego coming out of those. From the ensuing Divisional games, we pick Houston to take down the Bandits, Orlando to outlast New Jersey, Michigan to knock off San Diego, and Oakland to upset Arizona. That leaves 4 teams for the conference finals. We are picking Houston to defeat Orlando, returning to the Summer Bowl for a 3 rd straight year. In the championship we think they face the Oakland Invaders. Yes, we know, we are way too excited about Tom Brady, but we cannot help it. We are going to go all the way with Brady and the Invaders, picking them to upset Michigan and win only the 2 nd  title ever for a Pacific Division team. We are so often wrong with our picks, that it just seems like we should at least go with a bit of a dark horse pick anyway, and Oakland is ours.   AWARD PREDICTIONS As bad as we are at picking league champions in the preseason, we at least tend to be in the ballpark more often than not with our Award Picks. After all, we can see who has huge talent upside and who is in a position to have that talent paired with a lot of team Ws. So, with the usual caveat that you should never put up your mortgage on one of our picks, here are our selections for the Big 5 USFL awards for 2020:   MVP: QB Tom Brady (OAK) Look, if we are picking the Invaders to capture the Pacific, and defeat Arizona, Michigan and Houston on their way to a title we have to believe that Brady will be MVP material. He may not put up huge passing numbers, but fans and voters alike will certainly be able to see his impact on the Invaders and his ability to pull out wins when they are needed. That should be enough in our minds to have voters give him the MVP even if he captures none of the statistical categories.   OPOTY: QB Colt McCoy (HOU) Here is where we see the stats being the story. McCoy has amazing weapons all around him in Houston, from Mike Evans to Carlos Hyde, and they even added a potential dual-threat understudy for Hyde in LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire and a solid safety valve option in TE Gerald Everett from the NFL Rams. If McCoy cannot win at least 2 of the 3 main passing categories (yards and TDs) then something is very wrong, and we just don’t think anything will be wrong with the Gambler offense this year.   DPOTY: CB Josh Norman (CHI) We are going out on a limb this year. We could play it safe and go with Calais Campbell, last year’s winner and a seemingly eternal sack champion. We could ride the Oakland bandwagon even more and go with 2018 DPOTY Bobby Wagner, but we are predicting that Chicago, and particularly their defense, see major improvement this year, and of all the players who could be in position to see their numbers pop off the page, we think it is Norman who could put up some major numbers. We honestly see a chance that the Machine corner could challenge the league record for picks if we are right about this defense, and if he gets in that stratosphere and the Machine are over 10 wins, then we like his chances.   ROTY: WR Justin Jefferson (NOR) This one was tough. We wanted to pick Justin Herbert in Dallas, but we are not even sure how many games he will see. If Josh Norman plays well early, he could only get some mop up duty. Meanwhile, Jefferson is poised to be starting opposite Jordy Nelson from Week One. And with Nelson absorbing a lot of double teams, Jefferson could have a huge rookie campaign. A lot depends on QB Geno Smith, but the Breakers are capable of putting up big passing numbers, and with teams having to focus on Jordy Nelson, it could be a gold mine for Jefferson.   COTY: Chuck Long (SAN) With 5 new head coaches in the league, and barring a team going from 10 losses to 10 wins like we saw with Tampa Bay last year, we think the best odds go to the expansion team that most exceeds expectations. San Antonio is in a tough division, but with veterans like Flacco, Lynch, and Goodwin on the roster we think this Gunslinger squad looks far closer to 8-8 than 0-16. If the former Wrangler OC can get his offense humming for the Gunslingers, they could impress us, and that would be a feather in the cap of their coach.   We are still 3 weeks away from the opening of the Bubble Season, but we are so anxious to see the USFL back on the field that we cannot wait. Here is your Week 1 Schedule for May 22-25. It is the kickoff of a season many thought would not come, and the start of a weird experiment in empty-stadium football, but it is football, and we are here for it.  Here is the Week 1 schedule with all stadiums listed, television networks as well, and with all divisional games in bold blue font.   FRIDAY, MAY 22 8pm ET          Charlotte @ Baltimore        Camping World Stadium   ESPN/EFN 9pm ET     Ohio @ Houston                  NRG Stadium                           NBC 11pm ET         Dallas @ Arizona                  State Farm Stadium              FOX   SATURDAY, MAY 24 8pm ET         Jacksonville @ New Jersey     Ben Hill Griffin Stadium          ABC 8pm ET          Orlando @ New England      Raymond James Stadium        FOX 9pm ET       Michigan @ Birmingham        TDECU Stadium                       ABC 9pm ET          Pittsburgh @ Memphis            Rice Stadium                            FOX 11pm ET        Las Vegas @ Denver                  U. of Arizona Stadium              ABC 11pm ET         Oakland @ San Diego             Sun Devil Stadium                   NBC   SUNDAY, MAY 25 8pm ET        Tampa Bay @ Philadelphia    Camping World Stadium        ESPN/EFN 8pm ET        Atlanta @ Washington        Raymond James Stadium      ABC 9pm ET        St.Louis @ New Orleans        NRG Stadium                           FOX 9pm ET         Chicago @ San Antonio        TDECU Stadium                       ABC 11pm ET      San Diego @ Portland            State Farm Stadium                 FOX 11pm ET      Seattle @ Oklahoma             U. of Arizona Stadium             ABC

March 17, 2020 It is mid-March, the time of the year when our team here at “This is the USFL” gear up to put out our season preview edition and get ready to hunker down for some Week One action, but this year we are instead reporting on the uncertainty and disappointment that the current global pandemic has produced. The USFL announced 10 days ago that it was closing camps, cancelling this week’s preseason games and indefinitely suspending the 2020 season. We will use this special edition of “This is the USFL” to discuss the decision, to look at possible plans the USFL is working on to offer a deferred, but not deleted season, and to discuss how the pandemic and the decision to put the 38 th season of USFL action on hiatus impacts the teams, the players, and the fans. We will also run down the news that had us excited for 2020 before a global health crisis forced the league and all of us to reconsider our priorities.   League Indefinitely Delays 2020 USFL Season When Commissioner Steve Bisciotti took the podium, backed by 5 USFL officials in blue surgical masks, it was clear the news was not going to be positive. The former minority owner of the Baltimore Blitz, who took over as USFL Commissioner in 2011 removed his mask and somberly announced that earlier that day all 30 USFL franchises had been told to close up camps, to send the players home, and to await news as the week’s preseason games were cancelled and the season itself deferred indefinitely and very much in jeopardy. Commissioner Bisciotti outlined the concerns that forced the USFL’s hand. Restrictions across multiple states which would not only make filled stadia impossible, but even the regular practices and locker room use by teams a violation of emergency restrictions on mass gatherings. Unlike the first responders, transit officers, and food supply chain staffing that was deemed essential labor, the USFL, in fact all sports, was not “essential” work, and it was not right to try to engage in what could be life-endangering activities in the conditions now in place. That was the message from the Commissioner, halting the 2020 USFL season just 2 weeks prior to its anticipated season kickoff.   Within 2 days nearly all players had left their team facilities and training grounds, returning home to their families to await an answer as to whether or not the 2020 season would be possible at all. For stadium workers and other affiliated businesses, the loss of revenue from the cancelled games would have an immediate impact. And while the Commissioner was very careful to call the decision a deferral or a delay, he had no answers when asked when and how the USFL would be back. The league offices would also be shuttered, but both league and team officials from across the USFL would continue to meet virtually, using conference calls and online technology to hold virtual meetings, seek solutions, and compare notes with other major sporting leagues and events, also on hiatus. The USFL would share strategy meetings with Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and both the NBA and NHL, both suspending their seasons as they nearly reached the postseason.   It is a pattern seen across the nation, across the world. Schools and colleges closed to in-person instruction, switching quickly to virtual formats with little to no preparation. Businesses shuttered. Theatres, concert halls, and cinemas shut down. The world of professional sports would not be an exception to the quickly moving closures, restrictions on movement, and ever-changing public health concerns, with all their federal, state, and local reactive actions. And now, as the league seeks options, we wait. We wait to see if the USFL can play its 2020 season in some form, whether a rescheduled season, a truncated “tournament” or simply a year without spring and summer football. We wait to find out what is possible, what is advisable, and what is admissible. We just wait.   Players Return Home Amid Uncertainty For players all across the league, the news of camp closures, game cancellations, and a mandate to return to their homes was a tough message to receive. These are men who had spent the better part of a month in camp with each other, sweating together, eating together, and preparing for all the possibilities of a new season. In both New England and San Antonio there was a buzz from all the new faces brought together to form new teams, players from across the USFL who found out only a few months ago that the city they called home would be changing. The same is true for the rookies attending their first pro camps, ready to impress their coaches and earn a spot on a pro team, to achieve a dream. Even grey-haired veterans, including a fair share of NFL imports signed just in the past couple of weeks, were adjusting to their new teams, only to now have their transition to the USFL halted and their futures put in doubt.   And for some the trip “home” was itself an Odyssey. Former Oakland LB Junior Galette was one of many new Steamrollers who had yet to relocate their families, requiring a 5-day journey by car for the new Steamroller player to return to northern California by car. Galette shared the ride with another former Golden Stater turned Steamroller, ex-Thunder wideout DeVante Parker, for the long ride across the country, a ride filled with closed stores, takeout food, and limited hotel options.   For others the trip was a bit quicker and a lot easier. Several members of the Jacksonville Bulls got their first train rides as they headed north to their homes in Georgia and the Carolinas. With limited flights available, players had to get inventive. One bull player, rookie QB Ben DiNucci seemed very pleased with his decision to spend a chunk of his signing bonus on a new Harley, the perfect way for him to return north to Pennsylvania and his childhood home. He had been living in a hotel in Jacksonville since relocating from James Madison after the draft and now he would at least be able to get some home cooking after a 900 mile ride up I-95 on his new bike.   For players from coast to coast, the way home is far less upsetting than the fact that they are headed home at all. We heard from players all across the league about their love of the game, their frustration with the decision made, and their hopes that a solution could come quickly, one that would let them get back together with their teammates and get back on the field. One of the newest USFL players, former Bengals WR A. J. Green said it best in a tweet posted on the day he returned to Cincinnati and the home he still had on the market after signing with the USFL: “Whole life on hold. Wanted to prove I was back and ready to ball. We were all ready to ball.”   Rookie Contracts to be Honored Perhaps the players in the most tenuous situation as we await news on the 2020 season are the rookies, many signing with the USFL only days before the season’s postponement. For many, their contracts freshly inked, their first paycheck not yet issued, the reality that an extended postponement of the USFL season could also mean an extended period of financial uncertainty. The league addressed that issue two days after the season suspension announcement, declaring that all contracts for 2020 would be honored and would remain valid. Players would receive all signing bonuses and in the event of a suspension of play beyond 1 month, which all now feel is likely at the least, there would be payments made to all players aligned with practices used in camp and preseason. This will be a significant pay cut for many players, compared with the salary they would earn in their contracts for regular season game checks, but it would be a holdover, a stop-gap payment that could help them with costs they have already incurred, everything from moving expenses to deposits on apartments in their new pro football homes.   “I needed to hear that”, said rookie guard Jon Runyan Jr. of the Ohio Glory, adding “I don’t have the kind of deal that landed me a huge signing bonus to start the year, so even a partial payment will help.” For others, including Dallas’s new Golden Boy, Oregon QB Justin Herbert, the money is a sign of goodwill. “I appreciate the gesture and what it says to all the guys, especially those who depended on that first paycheck”, said Herbert to a local station in Portland upon his return home to Eugene. Herbert had already cashed in a big bonus, so it was not about his own personal finances, but about the need to show the players that the league cared about their deal and about the uncertainty of the present. Herbert added, “For all of us, it was about the chance to play in the league, to get on the field, so that is up in the air, but it is nice that the league is trying to do what it can to make sure that every player is in a good place, and can focus on staying ready for when we can come back.” While the veteran players of the league, and those just signed from the NFL should have the resources to survive even a cancelled season, for these rookies, the league providing some support means a lot more than just the finances, it is a way to feel respected by the league.     NFL Signings Now Question Their Decision to Join Spring League The decision to jump from the NFL to the USFL is usually one focused on a player’s finances, their sense of being acknowledged, or a chance to reinvent themselves not only with a new team, but a whole new league. For many, the transition demands a heavy toll on their bodies, playing back-to-back seasons with the NFL in the fall and the USFL in the spring, with only a few weeks of rehab and rest in between. But now, with the delay, some are wondering if they should have seen the potential for disruption to the season and wondering if their colleagues back in the NFL might just have lucked out, getting several weeks or months before they need to adjust to a new reality.   “Yeah, it’s tough,” said one of the newest USFL imports, cornerback and former Eagle Ronald Darby, “Seeing your future put on hold and knowing that there is a good chance the guys back in the NFL are in a better place.” Yes, NFL minicamps, voluntary workouts, and offseason training is also on hold, but with 6 months between now and the scheduled start of the NFL season the players in the fall league seem to be breathing a sigh of relief that their league has months to figure out how to address the changing face of Covid-19 and the limits it is placing on everything from public services to the entertainment industry, particularly sports entertainment.   Perhaps the most celebrated signing of the 2019-2020 USFL offseason, two-time USFL champion and 3-time NFL champion quarterback Tom Brady put the reality into perspective. Now relocated to the Bay Area after signing a 3-year deal with the Oakland Invaders to play football back in his home state, Brady commented that for all the disappointment and uncertainty the season’s suspension has caused, the pandemic has clearly shown where our priorities should be. Brady spoke about the ability for families to stay safe, for communities to take care of each other, and for everyone to cherish what matters most. Brady had only been in camp with the Invaders for 2 weeks when the announcement was made. He was likely going to spend the first 2-3 weeks of the season waiting for his chance to take the helm of the Invader offense as he learned Coach Kubiak’s system.  Now he will have a lot of time to review the playbook, watch film, and get one-on-one guidance from Kubiak via online “mental workouts” between the head coach, QB coach Greg Knapp, and the All-USFL, All-NFL quarterback.   For many NFL imports, a delayed season, even if it means a shortened season, could well offer them the chance to recover from the long NFL season, but for others, including new Atlanta Fire wideout A. J. Green, the delay is just another disappointment. Green, who missed all of 2019 due to injury, was hoping to prove that he was ready to resume play in March, but now both he and the rest of us just don’t know when he will take the field in the navy and orange gear of the Fire. And while many NFL veterans can certainly use the time away to learn about their new teams, to adapt to new systems (at least mentally) and to provide their bodies with rest and recovery from the fall season, for many, the potential of making a shift from fall to spring only to have the season now in question feels like a snakebitten decision.   Five Ideas that Could Save USFL Football in 2020 So, what are the options for the USFL? How can they move ahead in a period of uncertainty, restricted movement, concerns about mass gatherings, and no sense of when the situation will change for the better? We spoke with several league officials, and we looked at the conversations being had in all of the major spring and summer sports, and we believe there are five possible futures for the 2020 USFL season, some darker than others, some perhaps more likely, and some perhaps just wishful thinking.   OPTION 1: Cancel the 2020 Season and Hope for Medical Help by 2021. In our view, as both football fans and folks are now confined to our homes as well, this is our least desirable option and the one we hope the league can avoid. A cancellation means that the entire season is lost and may also mean that conditions across the country have gotten really bad. If there is no option to play football for months on end, then we are all in a worse place. We know the league wants to avoid this potentiality if there is any way to safely bring teams back together and put on games. So, if we see the league come out at some point this summer and simply cancel the season, well, that is a sign that there is no light yet visible at the end of this dark tunnel, and that is the opposite of what we are all hoping for.   OPTION 2: Move to the Fall. Don’t tell former Generals’ owner Donald Trump that his goal of a fall season for the USFL might actually become a reality in 2020. His push for a move to the fall was squelched by league owners, led by the man whose name now emblazons the league’s championship trophy, the John Bassett Trophy. But, in 2020, with a spring start now deferred and time needed to come up with both safe practices and alternative plans, a fall 2020 season may be a very real possibility. Of course, there are major challenges to this idea, not the least of which is the NFL. From stadium availability to television bandwidth, trying to run both a full NFL season and a delayed USFL season at the same time feels like a big ask, particularly if the main option for viewing pro football will be through television coverage. With all 4 USFL networks (NBC, ABC, ESPN/EFN, and FOX) also heavily scheduled with NFL coverage in the fall, how could there be room for both? Add in as well the stadium use contracts held by both leagues, and the complications of likely capacity limits if fans are allowed to attend games at all, and we could be looking at a situation where both the NFL and the TV networks play hardball and refuse the concessions needed to allow for both leagues to coexist in the same timeframe.   OPTION 3: Season in a Bubble This is an idea we are hearing as a potential choice for the NBA and their upcoming playoffs. What would this mean? It would mean all teams playing in a limited number of sites, with each team holing up in a particular facility, practicing in a dedicated space, and playing games in empty facilities. It is a strategy that would be far simpler for the NBA, with 12-man rosters and far more facilities available, than for the 53-man rosters and huge facility needs of the USFL. Imagine trying to house 30 USFL teams in a single state, much less a single city. The logistics of putting those players on the field each week, and where they could fit 15 games per week are mind-boggling. While elements of the bubble plan seem viable, particularly the potential to have professional sports played in empty stadiums, other elements of a bubble plan, with teams huddled together, seem counter-productive if there are any concerns at all of players contracting the virus.   OPTION 4: The Shortened Season We all think this option may be the most likely, but it too has a lot of moving parts. To even know how to schedule a 12-game, 10-game, or even 8-game season, there has to be a sense of when any potential for play could be possible. Then you add in what are almost certain to be additional safety guidelines, and even a half-season of 8 weeks feels tough to envision. We are not going to see USFL players on the field while wearing gloves and masks, are we? And how would the league handle a short season if one or more teams ends up with a major breakout? Yes, there is the advantage that many USFL stadiums are open air, which is something the NBA or NHL cannot say, but you also have to consider the issue of team transportation from city to city, housing in locations where hotel rooms will be few and far between, and the availability of practice facilities, even a half-season starting in mid-summer could be a risky proposition.   OPTION 5: A Virtual Season You think this is a joke, but it has actually been floated. We kid you not. We are talking about a complete transition from on-field football to e-sports. Imagine each USFL team setting up small clusters of players, selected not for their physical gifts, but their ability to win team tournaments in Keith Jackson Football 2020, the EA Sports version of the spring league. Sure, it is a fun game, but do fans really want to tune in and watch Marshawn Lynch and Noah Fant sitting in their living rooms playing as the expansion San Antonio Gunslingers against rookie HB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster representing the Houston Gamblers. First off, it would be murder on the older superstars whose video-gaming skills are not what the rookies bring to the party, and there is also just a ridiculousness to broadcasting players sitting in flip flops and drinking Red Bull while their avatars run across electronic fields and tackle CGI replicas of each other. Yes, we get that e-sports is a real thing, but we can think of no faster way to lose the interest of any fan over the age of 40 as well as any semblance of legitimacy in the sport if an entire season of the USFL is replaced by a season of Virtual USFL on the PlayStation.   Draft Roundup In light of the decision to suspend the 2020 USFL season, it may seem a bit odd for us to take time to review the signings (both rookie and NFL transfers) which occurred in late January through February, but we also know that for many football fans, the complexity of both draft and transfer practices often leaves a sense of confusion and that a recap of the signings, even if we don’t know when or if these new USFL players will take the field, is helpful as fans re-engage with the league. So, rather than waiting for a final decision from the USFL as to how they will adjust to the current pandemic and potentially find a path towards a 2020 season, we felt it best to bring everyone up to speed on the USFL and NFL deals that have shaped the late winter months and the rosters in both leagues. Here are our top stories on player acquisition, beginning with USFL signings from the draft class of 2020.   NFL Wins QB Duel, USFL Stands Its Ground with Early Picks As we entered the draft season, we spoke of five blue chip QB prospects and by the end of the signing period in February we can now look back on the class of 2020 and say that the NFL garnered a slight advantage, signing 3 of the 5 top QB prospects. With Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jordan Love all opting to sign with the NFL, leaving fans in New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Atlanta disappointed. Burrow, in particular, was a surprising loss for the USFL, with the Breakers having a clear home-town advantage for the LSU product, but the NFL Dolphins simply had too much skin in the game and too many dollars at their disposal. The Fire lost out to the LA Chargers in their quest for Alabama product Tua Tagovailoa, a pretty clear case of Los Angeles’s allure and lucrative side-deal opportunities for Tua overpowering the home-region benefits of staying in the South. In the case of Utah State’s Jordan love, the Packers outbid and outwooed the Stars in their quest for an heir to Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.   But while hometown fervor did not work for the Breakers, it appears that Justin Hurts’ 1 year in Oklahoma was enough to help the Outlaws make the case that OKC would be a good market for the former Crimson Tide and Sooner QB. Hurts signed a 4-year deal to remain in the Sooner State and will now be in direct competition with OK State product Mason Rudolph for the QB duties for the Outlaws. But perhaps the happiest fanbase in the league is down the road in Dallas, where a trade to acquire the T-Draft rights to Oregon QB Justin Herbert paid off for the Dallas Roughnecks. As expected, the chance to play in Big D, along with all the local and regional spokesperson opportunities, helped woo Herbert from Oregon to the Roughnecks. It did not hurt that once again the Cincinnati Bengals just would not put up the kind of funds that the USFL club could offer. And so, with a 3-2 tally, the NFL feels they fared well in the QB Derby of 2020, but for fans in both Oklahoma City and Dallas, their teams got the job done. When we look at the overall draft situation, we see that of the 32 NFL first round picks, exactly half opted for the fall league while the USFL held their ground with 16 of their own signings. In addition to the two high profile QBs taken by the USFL, including Hurts, who was actually a 2 nd  round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, the USFL struggled to match the NFL at the top of the fall league’s draft, but by pick 32 had evened the tally. Of the Top 10 NFL picks, only 1, Justin Herbert, opted for the spring league, with major talents like DE Chase Young, CB Jeff Okudah, OT Andrew Thomas, and LB Isaiah Simmons all choosing to join the senior league. The USFL started to make more gains between picks 11-20, with WR Henry Ruggs signing with Birmingham, OT Tristan Wirfs staying in the Midwest with the Skyhawks, and CB A. J. Terrell heading to Jacksonville over the Atlanta Falcons. Of the picks between 11-20, 6 of 10 opted for the USFL, with the biggest losses to the NFL being T Mekhi Becton choosing the Jets over the Blitz, WR Jerry Jeudy opting for the Broncos over the Ohio Glory, and WR CeeDee Lamb deciding not to stay in Oklahoma with the Outlaws, but to wear the star of the Dallas Cowboys.   From pick 21-32 the USFL fared the best, landing 9 of the 12 picks, including WRs Jaelen Reagor (Gunslingers), Justin Jefferson (Breakers), and Brandon Aiyuk (Wranglers); LBs Kenneth Murray (Outlaws) and Patrick Queen (Federals); corners Noah Igbinoghene (Bandits) and Jeff Gladney (Dragons), and Houston Gambler HB selection Clyde Edwards-Helaire. A similar pattern emerged though all 7 rounds of the NFL Draft, with the USFL faring quite well with their Territorial Draft picks, landing over 60% of those choices, while the NFL fared better with players taken by USFL clubs in the Open Draft. Between the two leagues, with 224 NFL draft selections (7 rounds) and 300 USFL selections (3 rounds of T-Draft, 7 of Open Draft), there were 198 players chosen by both leagues and as of today we have 101 signed with the NFL, 93 signed by the USFL and 4 still outstanding. That aligns with what we have typically seen year to year, with a range that rarely gives either league more than a 53% signing advantage. After a shortened and interrupted USFL preseason, and in hopes that we will see a 2020 season in some shape or form this summer, here are the rookies from the Class of 2020 most expected to provide immediate impact to their clubs:   Arizona                 WR Brandon Aiyuk Atlanta                 OT Isaiah Wilson, FB Reggie Gilliam, and WR Gabe Davis Baltimore           WR Michael Pittman Jr. Birmingham      WR Henry Ruggs and DE Jabari Zuniga Charlotte            DT Leki Fotu Chicago               WR Chase Claypool and C Nick Harris Dallas                   QB Justin Herbert and WR Devin Durvernay Denver                 CBs Jaylon Johnson and Bryce Hall Houston              HB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and DT Nnamdi Madubuike Jacksonville      WR Tee Higgins and K Rodrigo Blankenship Los Angeles       OT Austin Jackson Las Vegas           S Julian Blackmon Memphis            DE Darrell Taylor, CB Dee Alford, and WR Jauan Jennings Michigan             LB Josh Uche and WR Donovan Peoples-Jones New England    OT Matt Peart and DE Khalid Kareem New Jersey        SS Kyle Dugger and DE Yetur Gross-Matos New Orleans     WR Justin Jefferson Oakland              C Tyler Biadasz and DT Jordan Elliott Ohio                      LB Malik Harrison Oklahoma          HB DeeJay Dallas and QB Jalen Hurts Orlando               DT Javon Kinlaw and OLB Anfernee Jennings Philadelphia      WR K. J. Hamler and CB John Reid Pittsburgh           HBs Cam Akers and Rico Dowdle Portland              DT Raekwon Davis San Antonio       WR Jalen Reagor and DT Ross Blacklock San Diego           WR Laviska Shenault Seattle                 S Grant Delpit and ILB Kamal Martin St. Louis              OT Tristan Wirfs and DE A. J. Epenesa Tampa Bay         CB Noah Igbinoghene Washington       WR Juwan Johnson and LB Patrick Queen     The arrival of February and the opening of USFL camps coincided once again with the opening of the NFL-USFL Spring Transfer Window, the last real opportunity for teams to add talent to their rosters, and, as we see each February, many teams did just that. As we now wonder when or if we will get to see these NFL talents take the field in our beloved spring league, here are the stories that came out of the Transfer Window this year.   1.  Brady Returns Home Both Literally and Figuratively The news that the Dallas Cowboys and 3-Time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady had parted ways, with Dallas releasing the 43-year-old QB just days before the opening of the Transfer Window was met with great delight across the USFL. Many felt that Brady would be open to returning to the league that gave him his first shot, and his first glory as a 2-Time Summer Bowl winner with the 2004 and 2006 New Jersey Generals. But with both NFL and USFL teams salivating over the opportunity to bring one of the best quarterbacks of his generation to their team, the competition would be thick. Which team could attract the legendary QB to finish his career with them. The magic mix of financials, an attractive destination, and a real shot at Brady’s presence being the missing piece to bring a 6 th  title for the veteran QB was very much a delicate balance.   Over the course of 3 weeks, nearly the entire transfer window, Brady was wooed, wined and dined by no fewer than 7 teams across both leagues. But one team sparked his interest with a perfect mix of a roster ready to win now, a financial package that would make him the highest paid QB in either league, and a chance to reconnect with his home. The choice was made, and just one week after Valentine’s Day we had a match. Tom Brady was joining the USFL’s Oakland Invaders on a 3-year deal. So, what sold Brady on Oakland over the other frontrunners, the NFL Buccaneers and Patriots, and the Philadelphia Stars.   There is no one answer, but what Oakland could offer attracted Brady on multiple levels. First we have to understand that Brady grew up and played HS ball in nearby San Mateo, so signing with the Invaders would be a return to his childhood. Brady had even attended a pair of Invader games as a young man, watching as a gangly 14-year old as Coach Dick Vermeil, QB Gale Gilbert and WR Henry Ellard brought the Invaders the 1991 USFL title. The second factor in Oakland’s favor was Head Coach Gary Kubiak, himself a former NFL quarterback with the Broncos. Throw in a roster that has talented targets for Brady, including WR Davante Adams, TE Zach Ertz, and HB Christian McCaffrey, one of the best receiving backs in the league. And even with the retirement of Cliff Avril, Oakland also boasts what is expected to be another Top 5 defense, led by LBs Bobby Wagner and Shaq Barrett, CB Eric Wright. It is a situation that could provide Brady with a solid path to the playoffs and a real shot at winning a 6 th  title. Throw in a very lucrative 3-year deal, with a major balloon payment right up front and more than $25M in guaranteed money and you have yourself the formula to bring a legend to a team that has needed a spark for quite a while now. The only question remaining is whether or not the Invader faithful will get to see their returning local hero in gold and sky blue at any point this summer.   2. Atlanta Adds Fire-Power to Their Offense The Atlanta Fire, who made a big splash in free agency by signing DT Albert Haynesworth out of retirement at age 37 made another big move in free agency, landing perhaps the most explosive wideout available, former Bengal A. J. Green. Green comes back to Georgia, where he played college ball for the Bulldogs, but he returns with a lot of question marks. The former 7-time NFL Pro Bowl player lost all of the 2019 fall NFL season to a complex ankle ligament injury. He comes to Atlanta after passing the baseline physical, but there is no assurance that this means he has retained his breakaway speed or his ability to make the sharp cuts that made him so tough to cover in his NFL career. Atlanta is hoping they have the real deal in Green, pairing him with former Federal Kelvin Benjamin outside while placing rookie WR Gabe Davis in the slot.   The Fire also added former Hoosier and Chicago Bear Jordan Howard to a pretty good RB room that already has 2018 Rookie of the Year Nick Chubb and solid backup Kenyan Drake in place. Chubb had a disappointing sophomore year, dropping from 1,056 yards and 7 touchdowns as a rookie to only 833 yards and 3 scores in his second campaign. Howard is very much in the mold of Chubb, a solid inside runner with surprising burst once he hits the secondary. Expect him to be the main “handcuff” to Chubb while Drake sees more action in third down situations.   3. Charlotte Focuses on Defensive Depth with 3 NFL Signings The Monarchs continue to look to their defense to be the defining trait of the club, even after a coaching change from the team’s founding coach, Jim Mora Jr., to their 2 nd  all-time coach, former LA Express DC Vance Joseph. Joseph comes from a defensive background and it showed as he worked with the Monarch front office to free up cap space and land three solid contributors for the defense, signing CB Rondal Darby away from the Eagles, DE Isaac Rochel from the Chargers, and safety Vonn Bell from New Orleans. In preparation for the now-cancelled preseason matchup with Ohio, the Monarchs had Rochell listed behind Chandler Jones on the depth charge, but both Bell and Darby were in starting positions. We will see if the trio of NFL imports get their shot to impress USFL fans or if they gain a very long inter-season break.   4. Gunslingers Spend Their Cap Space San Antonio was not shy about brining in NFL talent this offseason. They began in September by signing 7 players in the Fall Window, including WR Corey Coleman and OT Zach Banner. In this February’s Spring Window, they added 3 more, adding safety Rashad Jones (Dolphins), OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai (Eagles), and HB Trey Edmunds (Steelers). There is a very distinct possibility that if we see a USFL season opener this year, both tackle positions will be filled by NFL imports. Add in kicker Mason Crosby and punter Ryan Allen and the Gunslingers may start as many as 7 different NFL imports. That, combined with the veteran leaders they were able to bring over from Oklahoma has the Gunslinger roster looking far more like a longstanding team than a typical expansion club. Some were even saying that the new San Antonio franchise could potentially avoid the basement in their first season in the league, something often very difficult for a first-year expansion club to do. Playing in the very competitive Southern Division may make that difficult, with Houston, New Orleans, Birmingham, and Memphis not providing any clear weak sister to try to leapfrog as the Gunslingers begin their USFL story.   5. Additional NFL signings in February Not every signing was a big story at the time, but there are several additions to the league who could prove valuable should the 2020 season be played at some point. Among the best players brought in on offense we find Tom Brady, of course, but also backup QBs Cardale Jones (JAX), Cooper Rush (NOR), and Nate Sudfeld (BAL). Both former Jaguar Blake Bortles and former Buccaneer Jameis Winston had visits with USFL clubs but ended up signing back to the fall league. Among the HBs coming to the USFL, we have Howard with Atlanta, as already mentioned, along with Matt Breida, who makes the long trip from San Francisco to Tampa Bay to join the Bandits. In addition to A. J. Green and Corey Coleman, you will also be seeing former NFL Starters Josh Gordon, Jermaine Kearse, and Robby Anderson joining the USFL, with the extroverted Gorden headed to Portland as their likely new top target for Marcus Mariota, Anderson headed to Birmingham, and Kearse joining Michael Floyd and rookie Chase Clayborn in Chicago.   On defense, Ronald Darby and former Bengal Darqueze Dennard (BIR) are the only corners to make the jump, while safety Justin Simmons (ORL) Rashad Jones (SAN), and Vonn Bell (add three more NFL safeties to the league. There was not much action at the LB position, though we are intrigued by former Patriot Jamie Collins joining the expansion Steamrollers, while Oakland adds Hassan Reddick, LA signs Ngakue Yannick, both September signings. Along the D-Line we will hopefully see former Vinny Curry line up for the Invaders, who spent a pretty penny to land him, Reddick, and Tom Brady.  Keep an eye out as well for Emmanuel Ogbah in Houston along with DTs Timmy Jernigan (PHI), Quinton Jefferson (NEN), and, perhaps our new favorite USFL player name, DT Snacks Harrison, who moved to the Wranglers after several seasons in Detroit with the Lions.   Chicago Releases Updated Redesign Images Hoping to bring a second wind to their long (and now extended) vote on a new team design, the Chicago Machine released three artistic representations of their 3 new helmet designs. Shown in front of a tonal painting of the Chicago Skyline, the images depict the helmet front, side, and rear angles, showing off the logo placement, center striping, and the color combinations. These, along with the earlier release of team colors and mock-up jerseys, give us a pretty good idea of the full look that each design will bring. Voting is continuing beyond the original timeframe as a way to keep fans engaged as they (and we) await news on possible season-saving strategies from the league.   The first design, dubbed “Dark & Stormy” shows off a traditional maroon Machine shell and facemask, now adorned with the updated navy, grey, white, and red “Machine M” logo. It features a 5-stripe center line that runs from grey and navy outside to a white inner stripe. A ubiquitous 6-pointed Chicago Star is located at the base of the helmet. The second design, dubbed “Red Dawn” showcases the red helmet that will accompany the red-dominant jersey. Featuring a maroon facemask along with a thick white center stripe which contains a much thinner sky blue center stripe at its core. The logo on both sides of the helmet is the current maroon, white, sky, and red “Steampunk C” logo.   Finally, the “Rhapsody in Blue” design shows us which helmet will pair with the sky blue design showcased in September. In a look that reminds some of the NFL Houston Oilers, the sky blue jersey will be paired with a white helmet. The glossy white shell is paired with a sky blue facemask, and a complex center striping that includes pencil-thin maroon stripes outlining the thicker red stripes, and within those 2 stripes, a Chicago-flag-inspired series of white and blue stripes.   Voting continues through March, with hopes that the team can reveal the look at the same time that the league reveals its plans for 2020, so something additional for Chicago fans to look forward to in this long, strange spring season.     While we cannot say for certain exactly when our traditional Season Preview Edition will be coming out, we absolutely guarantee that no matter what shape the 2020 USFL season takes, we will come out with a leaguewide preview, including a full disclosure on the format of the season, the unique features it may hold, and our best guess as to which teams might come out on top in one of the stranger seasons in league history. We hope to hear news from the USFL leadership in New York very soon, but a fully-outlined plan for a modified season may well take weeks to determine as the league consults with medical experts, city and state governments, and their own primary stakeholders from stadium authorities to the television networks. As soon as we know what comes of those conversations, we will be back to update the situation and to talk football once again.

January 27, 2020 Welcome back, USFL fans! It has been an eventful winter and as we prepare for camps to open there is a lot to report and to look ahead to. We will bring you all the big stories, including a flurry of interest in the rookie QB class, some big draft position trades, and all the latest free agent signings. We will also take a look at the upcoming NFL-USFL Transfer Window and the top 20 NFL players who could well be available for USFL bids in 3 weeks’ time. We will also take a look at 10 USFL clubs still in the hunt for a huge missing piece in the final weeks of the offseason. It’s all coming up right now, kicking off with our look at a QB Crazy January.   Quarterback Quests Shake Up 2020 USFL Draft It should not be surprising that our story of the offseason is all about the QB position. It is the hardest position to scout, the most in-demand, and the most often linked to team success. So it is not a shock that we get years like 2018, when teams from both the NFL and USFL battled over the largest pool of blue chip QBs in nearly a decade, with the USFL landing Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Mason Rudolph, while the NFL signed Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Baker Mayfield. While 2020 was not viewed as quite as rich a QB group, the break out season from LSU’s Joe Burrow meant that there were again 5 QBs who were getting 1 st round grades from both scouts and pundits. The class of 2020 would include Burrow, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon’s Justin Herbert, Utah State’s Jordan Love, and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. And when there is that much talent at the most coveted position on the field, there will be some chaos leading into the draft.   What made the QB class of 2020 so intriguing for the USFL’s 30 clubs was that once again it would be the Territorial Draft that would give a team a direct shot at a coveted QB, but that we would not always see the top talent aligned with the most QB-needy teams. As in 2018, when there was one QB of the top choices who was not the product of a protected school, in that case Josh Allen at Wyoming, the 2020 Draft sees one potential target, Utah State’s Jordan Love, going directly to the Open Draft, while the other 4 were potential T-Draft selections of the Breakers (Burrow), Stallions (Tagovailoa), Stags (Herbert), and Outlaws (Hurts). And here is where it gets really interesting.   The Breakers had a very solid 2019 campaign, finishing 10-6 and advancing to the Divisional Playoff Round with NFL import Geno Smith at QB. Would they be open to trading away the rights to select Joe Burrow, or would they build for the future and use Smith as a bridge option, selecting Burrow themselves? Birmingham just signed Cam Newton to a multi-year extension, and they have a lot of needs elsewhere, so were they open to a deal for their first T-Draft pick and a shot at Tua? Portland seems very much settled on Marcus Mariota, despite his injury issues, and Oklahoma had all but handed the torch to Mason Rudolph after Joe Flacco returned to San Antonio in the Expansion Draft. So the field was set for teams that felt real pressure to upgrade at QB to make a deal to swap picks between the T-Draft and Open Draft to try to get exclusive rights to a QB. So, what did we see happen in December and early January, leading up to the T-Draft? We saw a lot of phone calls, and a lot of attempts to make moves, but in the end what we got was 2 teams holding their picks and selecting their protected QB, hoping to land a franchise player, while 2 others opted to take some collateral in swap and allow a QB-hungry team to take their shot at a blue chip prospect. Here is the story of each of the 4 protected QBs, as well as the USFL fate of the unprotected Jordan Love. LSU’s Joe Burrow  (Protected by New Orleans) Following an astounding final year at LSU in which Joe Burrow threw for over 5,600 yards and a jaw-dropping 60 touchdowns, the Breakers received more than their share of calls and offers, but they also received plenty of fan feedback, demanding that they not miss their chance to land a newly-crowned LSU legend. The Breakers never got a deal they felt could offset the bad press of allowing Joe Burrow to leave the fold, and at the Territorial Draft the Breakers did as their fans hoped they would, spending their first T-Draft pick on Burrow before also selecting his battery-mate, WR Justin Jefferson, as well as guard Damien Lewis.   Despite the ”home field advantage” the Breakers have in the Burrow chase, he was still highly coveted by NFL clubs, with the Miami Dolphins cutting a deal to swap picks with the somewhat gun shy Cincinnati Bengals. With the first overall pick Miami chose Burrow, which now sets up a battle for the young QB’s talents as the NFL Dolphins try to use the honor (and paycheck) that comes with being the first overall NFL pick to offset New Orleans’ local appeal to the LSU product.  Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa  (Protected by Birmingham) With Cam Newton’s new deal taking up both significant cap space and locking him into the starting position for the Stallions, Birmingham never really felt pressure to land the Alabama QB, one of several top prospects at the position over the past few years. So, compared to the Breakers, they were a much easier sell when it came time to listen to trade offers. They found the deal they liked 10 days prior to the USFL T-Draft, securing Atlanta’s1 st  T-Draft pick as well as the 4 th overall pick in the 2 nd  round.   The aggressive move by the Fire was not anticipated, and likely comes as quite a shock to 2019 starter Aaron Murray, who has to feel like the team has lost confidence in him. The Fire now find themselves in a bidding war with the LA Chargers of the NFL who chose Tua Tagovailoa with the 6 th pick in their draft. Certainly there is regional appeal for Tua to stay in the Southeast, but sunny SoCal can be a lure as well. As for Birmingham, they parlayed the two picks into two high potential selections, choosing Georgia OT Andrew Thomas with the Fire’s T-Draft pick (Atlanta would make it 2 for 2 by choosing Isaiah Wilson with the 2 nd T-Draft choice) and then using the Fire’s Open draft pick, number 34 overall, to go after some defensive help in the form of Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr.  Oregon’s Justin Herbert  (Protected by Portland) Our second traded T-Draft pick would shift from the Stags to the Roughnecks in another pre-draft deal. Dallas gave Oregon two T-Draft picks (1 st  and 3 rd ) for the Stag’s initial pick, allowing Dallas to select the Duck QB, recognizing that Josh Freeman was likely not a long-term solution as he winds down his career. With the two Dallas picks, Portland focused on defense, selecting Texas Longhorn safety Brandon Jones with the first pick and another Longhorn, DT Malcolm Roach with the 3 rd pick (Dallas selected WR Devin Duvernay in between the two).   So, who will the Roughnecks be competing with in their attempt to land a “QB of the Future”, the very same Bengals who swapped their way out of the 1 st  overall pick and opted to take their preferred QB option with Miami’s 5 th  overall pick. That has to be good news for Dallas, as Cincinnati has a well-earned reputation for frugality, almost the Denver Gold of the NFL, and that means that the Roughnecks could well outbid their NFL competitor without breaking the bank. And besides, Dallas has to be a more attractive destination for Herbert than Cincinnati. Just bring him down to Big D and have him watch footage of the Freezer Bowl back in the 80’s. That alone should make a West Coast kid choose Texas over Ohio.  OU’s Jalen Hurts  (Protected by Oklahoma) The fourth of the protected QBs becomes the 2 nd to be selected by their “natural” territorial team. Coach Stoops never had the chance to coach Hurts at Oklahoma, with the prospect playing his first three years in Tuscaloosa, but he certainly was familiar with the former Bama and OU starter. Following a very solid 32-TD, 3,800 yard season for the Sooners, Coach Stoops kept the Sooner fans happy by selecting the QB from Norman.   Oklahoma may now have the clearest path to landing their preferred QB as Hurts did not find an NFL home until midway through the 2 nd round, when the Philadelphia Eagles selected him 53 rd  overall. With all the departures in the offseason due to the expansion process, Oklahoma has more than ample cap space to make a deal with Hurts that exceeds what the Eagles are able to match in the NFL’s scaled salary system.   And what would Hurts coming to OKC mean for the incumbent, former Cowpoke Mason Rudolph? It means immediately we set up an OU-OSU rivalry at the QB position and a very likely QB competition, if not this year, in 2021. That could be fun to watch, especially for folks with strong feelings on the in-state rivalry between the two schools. We are not saying it will be Bedlam 2: Quarterback Boogaloo, but we aren’t saying it won’t be either.  Utah State’s Jordan Love (Unprotected) This leaves only one QB left from the “Group of Five” in the 2020 draft, unprotected Jordan Love. Coming out of Utah State, Love had questions about the level of competition, his route reading, and his overall production. Those questions pushed Love out of the first round of the USFL Open Draft and made him a potential steal in the 2 nd  round. The Philadelphia Stars, apparently not fully committed to Matt Gutierrez as a long term prospect after a very rough 2019, saw that potential, made a deal with the Charlotte Monarchs which allowed them to jump up 11 spots and chose Jordan Love with the 43 rd  overall pick.   The initial excitement around Love quickly turned to concern in Philadelphia when the Green Bay Packers surprised many by selecting Love with the 26 th  pick in the NFL draft, making Love an NFL first rounder. The move a huge surprise since the Packers already boast an NFL All-Pro at QB in veteran Aaron Rodgers, but they apparently want an heir apparent and took Love far sooner than most expected the Utah State Aggie to go. So, what does that mean for the Stars? It means they may well have to spend a lot more than they might like to land a QB for the future. Does that doom them to letting Love go? Or will they invest in a player who may not see the field in his first year.   So there you have the story of the five “Blue chip, 5-star” prospects at the QB position. In the next few weeks we will see if the deals made by Atlanta and Dallas pay dividends, if Oklahoma and New Orleans’s home town heroes will come to the Spring, and if Philadelphia has the clout to outbid the NFL for their QB choice. We finish by giving you an update on other QBs taken in the draft, because, as former NFL and USFL superstar Tom Brady proved, not all great QB’s start their careers on the first day of the draft. Here is a quick rundown of the other QBs taken in both the USFL and NFL drafts.   PLAYER    USFL PICK               NFL PICK Washington’s Jacob Eason         Dragons T-Draft               Redskins 4 th round FIU’s James Morgan                         Bandits T-Draft                Jets 4 th  round Georgia’s Jake Fromm                    Monarchs 4 th  round       Bills 5 th  round Oregon State’s Jake Luton         Renegades 6 th  round       Jaguars 6 th  round Hawaii’s Cole McDonald                Express T-Draft                        Copperheads 7 th  round James Madison’s Ben DiNucci      Bulls 6 th  round                        Cowboys 7 th  round Mississippi St. Tommy Stevens       Undrafted                               Saints 7 th  round Iowa’s Nate Stanley                    Undrafted                                Vikings 7 th  round Chattanooga’s Nick Tiano              Atlanta 7 th  round                  Undrafted Colorado’s Steven Montez               Denver 7 th  round                     Undrafted Northern Arizona’s Case Cookus    Arizona 7 th round                   Undrafted   The trading block was buzzing both before and during the draft itself, with teams moving up and down the draft board in search of the perfect mix of top talent and additional picks to work with. In addition to the moves that got Dallas and Atlanta T-Draft angles for top QB talent, we saw Philadelphia back out of the first round, and St. Louis trade a veteran QB for some picks.   Philadelphia Drops from First Round as Glory Move Up for WR Jerry Jeudy The Stars cut a deal only minutes before their Round 1 pick, acquiring a 2   and a 4 from Ohio to drop 9 spots and make their first pick in the early stages of the 2 nd  round. Ohio jumped up because they saw a player drop who they did not expect to be available by pick 24, Alabama receiver Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy was considered a possible Top 15 pick and a likely protected pick by the Stallions. But, when Birmingham opted instead to go with Jeudy’s teammate Henry Ruggs in the T-Draft, it apparently cast some doubt on Jeudy. As the first round of the open draft progressed, Jeudy kept slipping, and when Ohio saw that there was every chance he would be available at 24, they made the deal with the Stars to jump back into the round (having already selected Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons with the 3 rd  overall pick) and claim the Bama receiver. They now find themselves in a bidding war with the NFL Broncos for Jeudy’s services, with the Alabama receiver going 15 th  overall in the NFL Draft.   As for the Stars, they used Ohio’s 2 nd  round pick, 3 rd overall in the round, to select DE K’Lavon Chaisson, another player who slipped lower than expected in the USFL Open Draft. They would then add DT Carlos Davis from Nebraska with the 24 th  pick in the round to go back-to-back on D-line picks in the round. They used the 4 th  round pick from Ohio to go back to the Penn State well and add a receiver they passed on in the Open Draft, Nittany Lion Dan Chisena. That gave Philadelphia the rights to both Penn State wideouts in the draft, having chosen K. J. Hamler in the T-Draft 4 days earlier.   St. Louis Sends Kyle Boller to the Monarchs for 2 picks. We don’t often see many player for picks trades on draft day, but we got one this year as the Skyhawks sent veteran QB Kyle Boller to Charlotte for a 4 th this year and a 5 th  in 2021. Boller just did not fit in with the style of play that St. Louis is developing around the talents of starter Lamar Jackson. With the mobile Tyrod Taylor now firmly placed in the 2-spot and able to run the same playbook as Jackson, Boller, a more classic pocket passer, just did not make sense. He made perfect sense for a Monarch squad that has been frustrated by starter Mitch Trubisky’s interception issues. Boller would be a solid option behind Trubisky, a proven commodity who will play well in the more traditional drop back passing roll Charlotte wants to run.   With the pick gained from the deal, St. Louis added Ole Miss safety Myles Hartsfield, another piece they hope can work to improve their oft-maligned defense. The Skyhawks, with additional trade capital from earlier deals with Dallas, Arizona, and Pitttsburgh, finished the draft with a league high 10 picks in the 7-round open draft. Combined with their 3 Territorial picks (Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs, DE A. J. Epenesa, and CB Michael Ojemudia) the Skyhawks will have a lot of mouths to feed. We will have to see how well they can negotiate the cap and compete with the NFL for the 13 players they have selected.   Denver Trades Position For Picks On the other side of the USFL spectrum are the Denver Gold, who felt that their T-Draft options were very limited, and decided to maximize the pick-for-pick value of the Open Draft by conducting a series of trades to move out of the later rounds and acquire more early-round picks. They did not expand upon their 1 st  round choice at pick 27, but made deals that gave them two picks each in the 2 nd  and 3 rd  round. The plan was clearly to limit the number of players selected, but maximize the ability to outbid the NFL for each pick. That may well be good news for the 5 players Denver selected: First rounder, Utah CB Jaylon Johnson, 2 nd  rounders DE Jason Strowbridge of UNC and CB Bryce Hall of Uva, and third rounders, HB Jonathan Ward of CMU and OLB Jonathan Greenard, all of whom could get very nice deals from the Gold as they attempt to do more with less.   Las Vegas Trades for an All-USFL tackle Hoping to shore up the protection for QB Matt McGloin, the Vipers made a deal to acquire a major talent at the left tackle position. Memphis LT Tyson Clabo, a 4-time All-USFL nominee, turned 35 this offseason and was due for a bubble payment at the end of his 4-year deal with the Showboats. Memphis apparently felt that the cost of the deal made Clabo expendable and agreed to a deal that would bring them a 3 rd  rounder this year and a pick in 2021 (either a 4 th  or a 2 nd  contingent upon Clabo’s 2020 output.) The Vipers, who are limited in their cap space this year, are hoping to rework Clabo’s deal, adding a 3 rd  year to the current package to reduce the bubble in 2021, but now find themselves with one of the best bodyguards in the league. Memphis, for their part, used the additional 3 rd  rounder to work on the interior of their line, selecting Michigan guard Michael Onwenu.   With camps opening soon, we are still looking at a surprising number of free agents still unsigned, including some major talents in players like WR Antonio Bryant, FS Eric Weddle, QB Joe Webb, SS Leon McQuay, WR Kenny Britt, and DT Rakeem Nunes-Roches. But, even with some big name still in the pool it has hardly been an uneventful winter for Free Agent signings. Looking over the signings since our October report, we wanted to focus on the 5 stories that are worth following up on, and these are the ones that stood out to us:   Atlanta Takes a Shot at Unretired Haynesworth When Albert Haynesworth filed to unretire from the USFL at age 37 there were plenty of doubters that any team would take the effort seriously, but after failing in two separate bidding wars, Atlanta pulled the trigger on the 9-time All-USFL defensive tackle. Call it desperation, call it a longshot, but the Fire, who had one of the worst run defenses in the league in 2019, went into the offseason with DT as a top priority and needed to come out of the winter with some hope at the position. After losing out to Jacksonville in a bid to land 24-year-old Montravious Adams and also coming up short to the Panthers in an attempt to sign former Showboat Dontari Po, there just were not a lot of options left for the Fire. They did not find themselves in a position to draft a sure fire DT in the draft (not that there are any surefire picks in the draft anyway), so they took the long odds and signed the very-talented, but 37-year old Haynesworth to a 1-year deal. Will that be a solution for them or a case of pure folly? We will see soon enough when the Fire start the season with a tough opening day matchup against a Washington Federals team that absolutely wants to establish the run with Jahvid Best and rookie Darrynton Evans (already signed to a 3-year deal) as a 1-2 punch in the run game.   Philly Lands Kalil with 4-year deal       The Stars are not shy about the fact that 2020 will be a make-or-break year for Matt Gutierrez as the starter at QB. After a year that saw the team win the NE Division despite a pretty miserable season for their veteran signal caller, Philadelphia did not go after a big-name QB to challenge Gutierrez, but instead are adding pieces to make their QB’s life a bit easier. Those pieces include adding HB Marcus Lattimore as a change-of-pace back for King Henry, drafting a pair of Penn State wideouts, and, in perhaps the move that will make Matt Gutierrez the happiest guy in the Stars’ locker room, the Stars opened up the vault and gave former Express LT Matt Kalil a 4-year deal that makes him the highest paid LT in the game. It is a compensation deal heavily front-loaded into 2020 and 2021, but certainly a sign of recognition for the 29-year-old tackle who has already proven to be one of the best in the league. With Kalil protecting his blind side, Gutierrez is hoping for a resurgence, a bounce back year to silence the critics who were calling on the Stars to make a deal to land another option at QB. Gutierrez now has one of the league’s best protectors on his left, an OPOTY candidate in HB Derrick Henry, and a rejuvenated receiver group that features TE Travis Kelce, wideouts Randall Cobb, Quincy Enunwa, veteran slot man Steve Breaston, and quite possibly a highly touted rookie in PSU’s K. J. Hamler. If he cannot find success with that setup, well, that could be a sign that the disgruntled fans have some validity in their attacks on Gutierrez.   Is D’Aundre Reed Deal a Sign for Von Miller? It has been a winter of discontent in Denver, at least for DE Von Miller, who continues to demand either a trade or a release from the Gold. The All-USFL edge rusher wants out, after being denied a major contract upgrade repeated times, and, if the signing of D’Aundre Reed says anything, it says that Denver may well be ready to let their most dangerous defensive weapon go. Reed signed a 3-year deal just before the Winter holidays, bringing his 9-years of experience at RE to the Gold. His signing signals that Denver may be ready to shift Justice Cole back over to the left side, to Miller’s position, and that could well mean that Miller is going to get his wish.   What form that wish will take is unknown, though it seems clear that if they go the trade route any team that deals with them would have to pay a hefty price to the Gold and then immediately work with Miller and his agent to make the feisty DE happy with a new deal, a double whammy of expense that may make Miller harder to deal than his talent would normally produce. The easier path may well be for Denver just to cut Miller loose, cancelling the final 2 years of his contract and allowing another team to land the All-USFL end for just the cost of a big new deal. But, why would Denver want to free up Miller to land with a possible rival. One theory is that the Gold will hold onto Miller right up to the opening of the NFL-USFL transfer window. If they release him just as the window opens, then the odds are in their favor that Miller will head back to the fall league for 2020 rather than hastily cutting a deal with another USFL team. That is a calculated risk, but with the signing of Reed, it may well be a risk the Gold are ready to take.   Birmingham Backs Up Newton with Tebow Talk about an unorthodox backfield, Birmingham just doubled down on their 2019 strategy of using their QB as a primary contributor to the run game. Having shipped backup A. J. McCarron to the Portland Stags late in the 2019 season, and having agreed upon a 3-year extension for starter Cam Newton, the focal point of Coach Haley’s “Stampede” offense, it seemed logical that they would be seeking to upgrade from untested Bryan Kohler as their backup. Their choice to serve as Newton’s number 2 shows us that Coach Haley is going all in on the QB option offensive style, adding former Florida Gator, Jacksonville Bull, LA Express, and Orlando Renegade QB Tim Tebow this winter.   Tebow, who is often criticized for his limited skills as a drop back passer, is well-known for his fullback-like running ability. The 10-year USFL veteran has seen little action in past years, but his style of play is well suited to the offense Haley is devising for Newton, one in which there are often as many designed QB runs as there are drop back passes. Should Newton go down to injury in 2020, always a threat with any running QB, it seems Haley is interested in maintaining the same dual threat offense with Tebow stepping in. Will Tebow see action this year? Will Newton stay healthy? And will the unorthodox offensive strategy prove effective in a very tough Southern Division? That is the gamble that Haley is taking. We will see how it pans out in what could be a make-or-break season for the 2nd year coach.   Oakland Builds Secondary with 2 Additions The Invaders were burned last year by their inability to keep offenses in front of them and avoid the big play. While their defensive stats overall were solid, the defense, and particularly the secondary, had too many lapses, allowing teams to break them down, stretch them out, and get quick scores that the somewhat limited Invader offense could not overcome. And, when you add the retirement of CB Chris Gamble and SS Jaiquawn Jarret to free agency, the secondary definitely needed some attention. The Invaders saw the need and made moves to secure two solid additions to their DB group in free agency. The Invaders signed SS Marquestan Huff away from New Jersey in November and then went back into the pool to find CB Brandon Boykin, the 2 nd  rated free agent at the position, bringing on the former Federal DB in early January. Those two additions, combined with a possible signing of Cal safety Ashtyn Davis from the T-Draft, could be a huge help to the Invaders. They still need to find an answer to the retirement of DE Cliff Avril, their primary pass rusher a year ago, but the Invaders at least now feel they can put a solid defensive secondary on the field, with Boykin pairing up with William Jackson III at corner and Huff partnering with Jahleel Addae at the two safety positions. Other signings of note over the winter include HB Marion Mack heading to Chicago to back up Jeremy Hill; Houston resigning starting center Shaq Mason; Michigan bringing in Tyler Thigpen to back up Kirk Cousins; New Jersey adding former Chicago WR Kenny Stills, San Antonio signing perhaps the best corner in the entire pool, former Skyhawk Jordan Pugh; and the New England Steamrollers continuing to add first team talent through free agency, landing FB C. J. Ham, SS Duke Williams, LB travis Goethel, and punter Ken Walter over the past 3 months.   We have already laid out the wild QB situation tied to the 2020 USFL Collegiate Draft, but what about the other 23 positions on the field? Well, as always the Draft is complex, uncertain, and largely contingent on how the USFL fares in their signing battles with the NFL. We can talk all we want about our perception of how each team managed the Territorial Draft or the steals they may have found in the Open Draft, unless they can sign the talent they selected, any draft can turn from an A+ grade to an F really quickly. So, how do we analyze the 2020 USFL Draft? We probably should wait a few weeks to determine who signs and who does not, so for now, what do we do? How about we tell you our favorite picks and just hope that they are suited up and ready for USFL camps in February? So, without further ado, and putting aside the QB position for a while, here are our 15 favorite picks by USFL teams across all 10 selections (3 T-Draft and 7 rounds of Open Draft), with the hope that we will see most of these players on the field in March.   15-WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (Indiana) – Seattle Dragons Undrafted by the NFL, Westbrook-Ikhine became the first Dragon draft pick to sign with the team just 3 days after being taken with Seattle’s final pick. He is not a Year One starter, but when we look at the film on the Hoosier receiver, we see an ability to get open and a very good battler for those 50/50 balls. He also plays well in inclement weather, which is always a plus if you are going to play in Seattle.   14-QB Ben Dinucci (James Madison) – Jacksonville Bulls The first of 3 Bulls picks to appear on this list, Dinucci’s selection in the final round of the USFL draft may feel like an afterthought, but we see a lot of potential in the Dukes’ QB. If the Bulls can stash him on their practice squad, Dinucci could have time to develop and we think he has potential to move up the depth chart in 2-3 years. Yes, a longshot, but with a 7 th  round pick, that is still an acceptable choice, and we think this is one that could pay off in time.   13-K Tyler Bass (Georgia Southern) – Los Angeles Express Are we serious that a kicker is one of the best picks of the draft? Well, when that kicker is one of the most accurate to come out of college in years, and when you only spend a 7 th  round pick on him and still are in very good shape to land him, well that is a good pick. Bass was taken in the 5 th  round by the NFL Bills, but here is a case where LA may well offer a much better home to a kicker than windy, cold, and snowy Buffalo. We certainly all agree that kicking at Farmers Insurance Field is a heck of a lot easier than in the swirling bitter cold winds of Buffalo.   12-HB DeeJay Dallas (Miami) – Orlando Renegades We had Dallas as a 3 rd  round talent, and Orlando liked him so much that they used their 2 nd  pick in a pretty good T-Draft pool to select the Hurricane halfback. That he did not go in the NFL Draft until the 5 th  round gives Orlando a very good chance to sign the Miami back. Picture Dallas as the inside back for the Renegades, allowing them to reduce the load on speed back Knile Davis. We could see a true Thunder & Lightning combo if Dallas shows the Renegades what we saw in Miami.   11-LB Alex Highsmith (Charlotte) – San Diego Thunder When the Thunder chose UNC-Charlotte as their optional 4 th  protected school (an option given to all teams with a small pool from their standard 3 schools), we knew exactly which player led to that odd choice. Highsmith is a high motor, high effort guy who can penetrate against the run and stay with tight ends in coverage. He is a bit raw, but he could turn out to be an excellent choice in the T-Draft by a San Diego club that just did not see much talent in their 3 California schools. They just need to outlast the NFL Steelers in the bidding battle to land him.   10-LB Anfernee Jennings (Alabama) – Orlando Renegades With so much talent coming out of the Crimson Tide it feels like every year the Stallions have to let a player go unprotected who ends up being a huge talent. This year we think that player is Jennings, a 3 rd round pick for the NFL Patriots and for the Renegades, we believe Jennings could develop into a truly devastating weakside backer. He is a hard hitter, has great range, and good instincts. His size is not ideal, but we think that is the only reason he was not viewed as a first round talent.   9-HB Cam Akers (FSU) – Pittsburgh Maulers With Marcus Lattimore off to Philadelphia in free agency, the Maulers needed to bring in a back who could help Sony Michel carry the load for a run game that needed more power runs. Enter Akers, a bruising back who also has the ability to break away and turn a short run into a 20-yarder. The Maulers chose Akers near the top of the 2 nd  round, as did the NFL Rams, so we will see which team can get him to sign, but if he does end up in the Steel City, he could be an impact player in his first year.   8-TE Cole Kmet (Notre Dame) – Seattle Dragons When Chicago passed on protecting Kmet in the T-Draft, you could see teams all across the USFL salivating. The only potential 1 st round talent at the position would be available in the Open Draft. With so many teams needing to fill their TE1 slot this offseason, including both Summer Bowl participants (with both starting TEs retiring after the Summer Bowl), it was a question of who would pull the trigger first. The answer was Seattle, using the 21 st  pick to secure the USFL rights to the Notre Dame product. That spoiled things for several teams, and helped the Dragons who lost Dennis Pitta to the expansion Steamrollers this offseason. Seattle will compete with the NFL Bears for Kmet’s services, and while there is some concern that Chicago offers Kmet the chance to stay close to home (and to South Bend), Seattle’s use of a 1 st round pick on the tight end could help balance the scales.   7-DE Yetur Gross-Matos (Penn State) – New Jersey Generals We love this pick perhaps more than pure on-field talent should allow, for one reason only: Philadelphia took a calculated risk by not choosing the talented DE in the T-Draft, and New Jersey could make them pay for it twice a year when the two rivals meet in the Turnpike Series. Imagine the trash talk from YGM and all the Jersey fans every time he sacks the Stars’ QB after they passed on him. That kind of rivalry-enhancing pick is pure gold. Now, it is up to the Generals to land the edge rusher also selected by the NFL Carolina Panthers.   6-WR Tee Higgins (Clemson) – Jacksonville Bulls The first player taken in the NFL Draft’s 2 nd round, Higgens was a T-Draft pick of the Bulls and would be a perfect target for Teddy Bridgewater and the Bulls’ pass offense. He would bring both speed and height to a Bulls’ receiver group that was short of both. Picked by the worst team in both leagues (Bulls and the NFL Bengals) the question becomes which bad team is a better fit for the coveted receiver? We think playing in Jacksonville with Bridgewater may be a more attractive option, but it may be money that decides this one.   5-HB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (LSU) – Houston Gamblers Carlos Hyde will turn 29 this season, and as he edges towards the dreaded 30-year drop off, Houston wanted to be sure to have an option that would be able to step in, take some pressure off their All-USFL back and be as effective in the passing game as Hyde has been. With the 29 th pick in the Open Draft they may have found the perfect understudy who could turn into the protégé in the next few years. Eddwards-Helaire is a dynamic back very much in the mold of Hyde, able to run inside, outside, and catch the ball. He could not hope for a better situation than to be in Houston. We hope he sees that and does not sign with the NFL Chiefs, who also selected him late in the 1 st round of the NFL draft.   4-WR Justin Jefferson (LSU) – New Orleans Breakers The first of two back-to-back WRs taken in the T-Draft, we love, love, love the idea of the Breakers building an offense around the combo of Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson, the dynamic pitch-catch combo that got LSU an NCAA title this past January. It will be tough to win both bidding battles (Burrow with the Dolphins, Jefferson with Minnesota), but if they can, what an immediate big-play combo they may have found in the T-Draft.   3-WR CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma State) – Oklahoma Outlaws There was almost no way for the Outlaws to screw up their T-Draft, but the double dip of choosing Sooner QB Jalen Hurts as a competitor to Mason Rudolph, and then adding his favorite receiver, Lamb, in the 2 nd  round, well that could work out very well for the Outlaws. Even if they go with Mason Rudolph at QB, if they can pull Lamb away from the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, they can have one of the most dynamic WR groups in the league. We love the idea of Lamb and DeDe Westbrook on the field together.   2-OT Tristan Wirfs (Iowa) – St. Louis Skyhawks Wirfs is viewed as a “can’t miss” prospect at left tackle after spending 3 years locking down the protection for Hawkeye quarterbacks. He will have to adjust to a much more dynamic QB in Lamar Jackson, assuming he joins St. Louis instead of heading to the NFL Buccaneers. Adapting to a more mobile QB and a gameplan that includes a lot of roll outs and bootlegs will be very different from Iowa’s more static QB strategy, but Wirfs has a ton of athleticism, seen in his use as a pulling tackle in Iowa City. We think he could be just what Lamar Jackson needs to confidently drop back and pass or go naked on a bootleg to the left.   1-DE Chase Young (Ohio State) – Jacksonville Bulls The Bulls may have put together the best overall combined T-Draft/Open Draft week of any team, always a good thing to say about the prior season’s worst club. Young was left unprotected by the Ohio Glory, who had plenty of talent from Ohio State to chose from and went for 3 picks in positions of greater need. That left the consensus choice for best edge rusher in the draft available for the Bulls, and all they had to do was not blow the pick. They did not, choosing Young with no hesitation. Now, if they can outbid the Washington Redskins, who chose Young 2 nd  overall in the NFL Draft, they could find themselves with a much improved pass rush, which can only help the team escape from the bottom of the league power rankings and the standings.   USFL Owners Wary but not Worried about Wuhan Virus With the nightly news filled with stories of concern about the spread of the virus now known as Covid-19, we spoke with USFL officials about their thoughts. League officials told us that while they are keeping an eye on the news and have asked team and league medical teams to stay abreast of news as the virus expands from China out to the globe, they do not believe that even a significant viral epidemic, similar to a major flu outbreak will have a significant impact on the league or its players. Noting that USFL players are some of the healthiest people on the planet, the league stated that it would take a major outbreak, one which shut down entire communities, to impact the league. And while the news may be building up the Covid-19 outbreak as a serious concern, the league officials we spoke to felt confident that even a considerable outbreak could be handled within the league’s health and safety protocols.   In speaking with officials from the Dragons, Invaders, and Express, whose location in major Asian ports of entry, we heard similar sentiments, though one team physician (who wished to remain nameless) stated that it is not inconceivable that the league might need to adjust its injury reporting and possibly even its IR guidelines if there were an outbreak that impacted teams rosters. All three medical teams felt that while there was a significant health risk to the virus, that what was more likely was a possible impact on league attendance if fans were concerned about large mass gatherings, but not necessarily player safety. So, as the world has Covid-19 on the tips of their tongue, the message from the USFL is that they are vigilant but fully expect that the season will not be impacted any more than we might see in a particularly bad winter of flu outbreaks.  Good news in a time when we seem to be focused on the negative.   As we look ahead towards next month’s NFL-USFL Transfer Window, there is a lot to be excited about. Almost as if on cue the NFL looks to have its largest free agent class in over a decade. Maybe it is that agents are convincing players that a USFL expansion season is a good time to hit the market and get top dollar, maybe it is just a coincidence of contract expirations, but we are looking at a very rich pool, and it may get even richer if the rumors are true about a certain 5-time pro football champion. As we look over the pool of talent available, here are the top stories to follow.   Cornerbacks Aplenty We are looking at an NFL free agent cornerback group that could be as many as 25 deep, depending on how many sign quickly during the 10 days of NFL-exclusive deals. But, with a pool this deep, there is sure to be some quality when the USFL gets their shot. At the top of the list right now are All-Pro options and consistent starters like Jalen Mills, Ronald Darby, Jimmy Smith, Logan Ryan, and Trae Waynes. Expect some major action at this position as clubs always want more depth and more quality in the secondary.   D-Line Destroyers While not as deep as the CB group, there are some major players along the defensive line for USFL teams to salivate over. Whether you are looking for edge help form the likes of JaDeveon Clowney, Vinny Curry, or Emmanuel Ogbah, or run-stuffers inside like Michael Brockers, Quinton Jefferson, Michael Pierce, or Maliek Collins, there looks to be a handful of top tier options for the USFL clubs to consider.   Speed & Power at HB The Halfback position may not have any of the NFL’s league leaders, as it rarely does, but if you are looking to fill a need for either a speed back or a short yardage plugger, there will be options here. For speed try 49er Matt Breida, Jet Ty Montgomery or Copperhead Dion Lewis. If you want pure power, take a look at Steeler Trey Edmunds or Eagle Jordan Howard. And if a receiving back is what you crave, you could do a lot worse than veteran LeSean McCoy or the Chargers’ 3 rd  down specialist, Austin Ekeler. Expect some USFL Coaches to consider a 2-back rotation if they can land the right back in the transfer window.   Receivers to Rave Over Whether you want speedburners, sure-handed 3 rd down options, or big tight ends with good hands, well this pool could be for you. We have veterans up and down the receiver group, and while some come with a bit of baggage (often of the “diva” stereotype), the talent is here. How about some deep ball speed with veterans like Josh Gordon, Tim Patrick, or Jermaine Kearse. If you want some sure hands, there is Robby Anderson and Jake Kumerow. And, if you want the total package, the clear number one receiver in the pool is former Bengal A. J. Green. Green is coming off an injury, so there is a risk there, but the upside is certainly there too.   And, yes, we know that there are a lot of teams, including the two Summer Bowl competitors, Arizona and Houston, who are looking to add a pass-catching TE. If that is what your team needs, then you are really happy to see Viking Kyle Rudolph in the mix, along with Copperhead Jonnu Smith, and Ram Gerald Everett. Expect Rudolph to be a major target of attention after several outstanding seasons up in Minnesota.   QB Group Waiting on Possible HOF Decision The current QB group in NFL free agency is pretty solid, but it could turn into a real feeding frenzy if the rumors of Tom Brady’s departure from Dallas prove true. Brady and the Cowboys have not been on the same page for a couple of years, and there is serious thought that Jerry Jones will let the 3-time Super Bowl MVP walk. Brady seems to want just that, and while at 43 many would expect him to retire, he seems to believe he has more than a couple of good years left in him. If Brady becomes a free agent, which could happen at any time if Jones and Brady agree to cancel the remaining year of his contract, well, that will produce a two-league QB chase that could break the bank and the internet.   Without Brady, there are still some very interesting options for QB-Hungry teams to consider. As per usual, the pool has some baggage, some players needing a 2 nd  chance, but some real talent as well. Among the players who could compete for a USFL starting job we find Jaguar Blake Bortles, Buccaneer Jameis Winston, 38-year old Charger All-Pro Phillip Rivers, and former Dolphin starter Matt Moore. For teams looking for a quality backup, we add Nate Sudfeld, Mike Glennon, Cooper Rush, and former OSU star Cardale Jones to the mix.   Lots of talent, lots of late-offseason upgrades, lots of intrigue as the 2020 February USFL-NFL Transfer Window comes to fruition in just a few weeks. Who will add a major player to their camp rosters? Who will opt to jump leagues? And, the question on everyone’s mind, will Tom Brady, a 2-time USFL Champion with the Generals and 3-time NFL Champion with the Cowboys, be on the market and possibly returning to the league that gave him his start?   We are back in mid-March, one week before the USFL season kickoff with our full USFL preview. We will examine all the teams, the rookie signings, NFL imports, late trades and free agent additions, and every team’s prospects as we prepare to kick off the 38 th  season of USFL football. All right here in just about 6 weeks time. We will see you there.

Welcome back, USFL fans. It has been just under 3 months since we last checked in on America’s favorite spring football obsession, and quite a bit has happened, as you would expect. We will run it all down for you, the trades, the signings, the arrivals and departures, and, of course, the 2020 expansion draft as the Gunslingers and Steamrollers start to put together their teams. We now have all 30 head coaching slots filled, and a lot of player news, so let’s get right to it, and stick around as we also preview January’s Collegiate Draft. All right here on This Week in the USFL. Steamrollers & Gunslingers Stock Up We start our offseason report with the two newest teams in the USFL, the San Antonio Gunslingers and the New England Steamrollers. Both clubs were active in Free Agency in August, and then September brought the 2 phase Expansion Draft process. Thanks to the original agreement made when the OKC Football Group bought the Outlaws, San Antonio had their own private selection of 8 current Outlaws who had played with the then Texas Outlaws prior to 2017. Three days later both teams engaged in a leaguewide expansion draft to add 20+ players to their early rosters. It has been a busy 2 months to say the least for these two franchises, but we will try to recap the moves made and the players brought over to start off the 29 th  and 30 th  USFL franchises.   SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS We start with the first big move, made 3 weeks after Summer Bowl 2019, when the Gunslingers held a press conference to announce that their first head coach would come from the league champion Wranglers. As many suspected, Chuck Long , former quarterback of the Chicago Machine and Philadelphia Stars, 1994 USFL MVP, and longtime offensive coach in the league, would be the first had coach of the Gunslinger franchise. Hot off a title run and a 56-point offensive showcase with the Wranglers, Long comes to the Gunslingers with the ability to craft not only an offense from scratch, but an entire franchise. He will work with GM Ryan Cowden, formerly of the NFL Oilers to build a team that can compete in year one and which should be offensive minded like the Wranglers squad that Long has helped win a 3 rd  title this past year.   The Gunslingers began their roster-building in the first days of free agency, negotiating with over 12 players before eventually signing their first USFL talent. The honor of being the first official member of the reborn San Antonio Gunslinger roster goes to DE Marcus Lawrence . The former Dragon and Stag edge rusher started every game for the Stags over the past 3 seasons, amassing 17 sacks over those years. He was soon joined by San Antonio’s second major signing, guard Andy Levitre , formerly a member of Michigan’s impressive front 5.   When it was time for the new Gunslingers to announce their 8 selections of former Texas Outlaws, there were two names on everyone’s lips, and those two names were the first two players announced on the ESPN Football Network’s Gunslinger Special. Quarterback Joe Flacco was not a surprise, having been the face of the franchise in Texas and seen as a huge draw for the new Gunslingers, even after a rather shaky 2019 campaign in Oklahoma. The second choice, HB Marshawn Lynch , was more in doubt as many expected the 35-year-old back to retire this year. But, when Lynch announced that he was not only interested in returning for a 14 th USFL season, but that he would love to return to San Antonio after the club’s hasty departure following the destruction of the Alamodome by tornadoes, the choice was another obvious one.   Beyond the two former Outlaw stars, the Gunslingers also tabbed 3 more offensive players along with 3 defenders. Tight End Julius Thomas, WR Marquise Goodwin, and OT Dennis Kelly rounded out the offensive talent selected, while DT D. J. Humphries, LB Casey Matthews, and CB Demetrius McKay will also now return to the Alamo City with the USFL’s newest San Antonio club.   Come the leaguewide expansion draft, San Antonio was at something of a disadvantage, as New England was given several compensatory picks to balance out the Gunslingers’ 8-man early selection. Even so, they were able to choose several players who project as Week 1 starters from across the league. Their Gunslingers focused on the secondary with their first two selections, Memphis CB Jaquawn Johnson and Express free safety David Bruton . Their 3 rd  round pick was considered one of the best receivers left unprotected in the expansion process, Washington Federal wideout Brandon LaFell.   With Marshawn Lynch expected to carry a reduced load in 2020 and likely to retire after 1 year, the Gunslingers added some insurance by selecting Carlos Hyde’s backup in Houston, tailback C. J. Procise , in the 5 th  round. Additional picks included three linebackers: Charlotte’s Gabe Miller, Portland’s Justin Hollins, and St. Louis’s Ulysses Gilbert, as well as Breaker safety Will Harris, Mauler TE Noah Fant, and several offensive linemen: Chicago center Ethan Pocic, G Taylor Morton (WSH), and G Dorian Johnson (BAL).  An intriguing late round pick was at quarterback, where the Gunslingers tabbed Michigan backup and 2019 rookie Easton Stick out of North Dakota State.   The third source of potential talent was the NFL-USFL Transfer Window, which opened 2 weeks after the expansion draft. As always, the fall selection of still-unsigned NFL talent was thin, so there were not a lot of immediate impact players available, though San Antonio feels they did land one gem in signing former USFL and NFL kicker Mason Crosby to be their placekicker. The Gunslingers signed a total of 3 NFL free agents, adding WR Corey Coleman and OT Zach Banner as well as Crosby. Expect a far-more active Gunslinger squad in the always richer pool of NFL talent available in February.   With plenty of roster spots still to go, we expect more action from the Gunslingers over the next few weeks, but from the start it looks like Chuck Long is hoping to recreate the vertical and dynamic offenses he had in Arizona. In Flacco, Lynch, Procise, Goodwin, LaFell, and slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie, he has some weapons to build with. NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS With no pipeline like the Outlaw-Gunslinger option that San Antonio had, the Steamrollers knew they would need to be aggressive in the early days of Free Agency, and the, led by HC John Fox proved not only to be aggressive recruiters from the Free Agent pool, but very effective talent acquisition closers. The Steamrollers not only targeted, but signed, more players than any other team, including the biggest fish in the entire free agency pool, somehow convincing DT Aaron Donald to give up the immediate hope for a league title for a chance to be the face of a franchise in Boston. Donald signed with New England after a three-week wooing tour of several clubs. He became the 4 th  player to sign with the Steamrollers, but certainly the biggest name and most impactful signing of the 2019-2020 free agency period to date. His deal also made him the highest paid defensive tackle in either pro league, earning an average of $18M per year for the next 4 seasons. Donald’s huge deal likely means that the Steamrollers may not be able to sign too many more big-contract players, though they did take on some more in free agency as well as in the expansion draft.   In addition to the All-USFL defensive tackle, the Steamrollers added TE Dennis Pitta as their first official free agent signing. The former Dragon had 71 receptions for 639 yards and 2 TDs in 2019 and is generally considered a Top 5 player at his position. New England also added WR Doug Baldwin , formerly of Philadelphia, safety Jaiquawn Jarrett (OAK), and QB C. J. Beathard (JAX) before the big splash of the Donald signing. But they were not done there.   Only 3 days after the Donald announcement, the Steamrollers announced another surprise addition. Halfback Matt Forte , who had already declared his intention to retire from the USFL, agreed to join the Steamrollers on a 1-year deal. Arrangements were made with the Chicago Machine to allow the move, and the Steamrollers had themselves a tailback.   When the Expansion draft came, more pieces started to fall into place for Coach Fox’s second Boston team. Job One for the Steamrollers was to secure a viable starting quarterback, as there were few options available in free agency and backup C. J. Beathard was not viewed as a potential starter. They wasted no time, using the first pick in the expansion draft to select former Miami Dolphin QB and 2019 NFL import Ryan Tannehill . The signing of the Jacksonville Bulls was expected to take on the starting job for the Bulls but was limited to a few games of mop up action when Teddy Bridgewater put together a strong season and limited Tannehill’s opportunities to show what he can do. He will now have the chance to demonstrate that he can be a steady leader on a team that will be very much in need of leadership.   Following the Tannehill pick, New England went to work on building a roster around their new QB. In round two they added a bodyguard for Tannehill in OT Kelvin Beachem (CHA). The defense got some attention with the additions of Viper DE Mario Addison , Express LB Cameron Smith, CB Sam Shields (PHI) and 2019 breakout player, CB Chidobe Owuzie of Ohio. They also added a 2 nd  back early in the draft, signaling that Matt Forte might again be in a 2-back rotation. Baltimore’s 2 nd  back, Kerwynn Williams was chosen in the 4 th  round and will join Matt Forte in the Steamroller backfield.   Other offensive players selected include linemen Brandon Brooks (TBY), Yodney Cajuste (JAX), Eric McCoy (POR), and Martinas Rankin (ORL); receivers Zay Jones (NJ), Will Fuller (CHI), and Devante Parker (SD); receiver/return man David Clowney (POR) and Denver TE Jack Doyle. On defense, the Steamrollers added linebackers Cameron Smith (LA), Junior Galette (OAK), and Sione Takitaki (LV), Defensive linemen R. J. McIntosh (HOU), Tashawn Bower (HOU), Deadrin Senat (NJ); and safety Deion Bush (ORL).   The latest additions to the Steamroller roster came when the NFL-USFL window opened. New England was not as aggressive in the limited NFL pool, but did make two signings, landing a former New England Patriot who could be a nice draw for fans, linebacker Jamie Collins , and filling their punter position with Atlanta Falcon castoff Matt Bosher. As with the Gunslingers, there are still many roster spots in limbo as free agency leads into the Collegiate Draft and the final NFL-USFL transfer window.   Looking over the roster right now, the obvious star for the Steamrollers is Aaron Donald, but Coach Fox is hoping to support Donald with the LB trio of Smith, Galette and Takitaki as well as the veteran leadership of safety Deion Bush and two solid corners in Shields and Owuzie. The offense, led by Tannehill, will likely use a 2-back system with Kerwynn Williams and Matt Forte splitting opportunities, and a receiver group that has reliable hands but may lack speed. That may be an area where the college draft provides a burner to complement the possession game that Baldwin, Parker, and Will Fuller provide. Fire Hope to Stoke Offense with Elizondo The Atlanta Fire, coming off a year in which their offense sputtered to a 19 th ranking in points per game, and their run game could only muster 78.9 yards per game have decided that the way forward is to bring in a creative offensive mind, particularly one that can get HB Nick Chubb back to his rookie year form, when he hit the 1,000-yard mark. Their solution? Tampa Bay OC Jaime Elizondo. While many give Bandits HC Mark Trestman the credit for the offensive explosiveness and season turnaround of Tampa Bay, Atlanta saw in Elizondo a coach who could revive the Fire run game and help Aaron Murray find more options in the passing game. The pick, which seems popular with Fire fans not only for what Elizondo brings to Atlanta but what his signing takes away from division rival Tampa Bay, will need to also consider a defense that had a major letdown in 2019, dropping to dead last in the league by allowing 29.9 points per game despite having a solid pass-defense. The key there will be for Elizondo to bolster a run defense that gave up over 110 yards per game, 4 th  worst in the league. No word yet on who Elizondo’s DC will be, but that will be a vital hire if Elizondo is going to use his considerable experience as an offensive position coach and coordinator to focus on Murray, Chubb and the Fire offense.   Five-Time All-USFL Linebacker Tabbed as Newest HC for Bulls The Bulls opt to go with a former player, and a very good one, as their next head coach, signing former Renegade, Federal, and Bandit LB Winston Moss as their new head coach. Now, we are probably selling Moss’s resume a bit short. In addition to 15 seasons as a USFL player, including 5 All-USFL seasons, Moss has become a well-respected figure in coaching since his retirement. Moss began as a “quality control” expert for the Federals before taking on their LB position coaching duties. He moved up by moving on, joining New Jersey for a short 1-year stint as the Assistant DC before returning to Orlando with Coach John Fox as the defensive coordinator, a position that new ‘Gades head coach Ron Rivera insisted Moss keep last year. After taking Rivera up on the offer to stay on as the DC in Orlando, Moss helped the Renegades improve their defensive stats, particularly against the run, where Orlando finished 7 th  in the league by allowing only 81.7 yards per game. Moss also got credit for helping the Renegades develop rookie Montez Sweat after the departure of Calais Campbell last offseason.   Moss moves up the coast to Jacksonville and takes on a much larger task, becoming the Bulls’ 10 th  head coach and the 5 th  in the past decade. In addition to a 36-year record of playoff futility, Moss also inherits a team that finished with the league’s worst record at 3-13, a feat accomplished largely because of the 27 th  rated scoring defense, 27 th rated defense in yards allowed, and a bottom 5 defense against both the pass and the run. In other words, they were a sieve. Despite a respectable passing game, led by QB Teddy Bridgewater, that helped them finish in the Top 8 in yards per game, and average 20.4 points (good enough for 12 th  in the league), the Bulls won only 3 games because they allowed nearly 27 per outing on defense.   So, Moss comes in, immediately loses some talent due to free agency and the expansion draft, and now must build a team that quite frankly does not believe much in itself. He has a few pieces to work with, namely Bridgewater, DE Barkevious Mingo, LB Sean Lee, and LB Jarret Johnson, but there are a lot of gaps, a lot of issues and a need not only for a talent infusion, but a faith infusion as well. This is a Bulls’ franchise that has not had a winning season since 2007 and has had 10 or more losses every season since 2010, including an 0-16 campaign in 2014.  Moss is a good man, was a great player, and will need to be coach, mentor, and head cheerleader in Jacksonville.   Summer Bowl Tight Ends Announce Retirements While there was not a significant 3 rd  wave of retirements following Summer Bowl 2019, both title game competitors had a player declare their intention to retire, and for both the Wranglers and Gamblers it was their star tight end. Jimmie Graham and Vernon Davis both made their announcements within 48 hours of each other and both step away from the game after multiple All-USFL seasons.   Jimmie Graham leaves the game after scoring a second championship ring with the Wranglers. Coming to the desert in 2016 after several years and a 19-touchdown season in Pittsburgh in 2015, Graham won a title his first season in Arizona, and this year won his second. Graham contributed 665 yards and 4 TDs in this, his 10 th  and final season in the league, also adding 3 catches for 60 yards and a score in the Wrangler’s division win over San Diego, 1 catch for a 20-yard TD against Denver, and 4 catches for 77 yards and a pair of scores in the Wranglers’ Summer Bowl Victory.   Vernon Davis had hoped to add a 3 rd  title to his resume this year, but was thwarted by the Wranglers. The 14-year veteran played his entire career with the Gamblers, racking up some impressive numbers, including 652 receptions, 7,274 yards and 68 career touchdowns, including 5 this season. In the 2019 playoffs Davis had a total of 10 receptions and 223 yards. A 3-time All-USFL selection at tight end, Davis won titles with the Gamblers in 2010 and again 8 years later with last season’s Summer Bowl Victory.   Others who announced retirement plans after the end of the 2019 season include Denver safety DaJuan Morgan, San Diego DT Henry Melton, Atlanta fullback Marcel Reese, Michigan DT Kevin Vickerson, and two members of the 2019 Tampa Bay Bandits, CB Trumaine McBride and WR Ted Ginn Jr.   Did Expansion Slow Down Free Agency Signings? Despite the fact that newly-signed free agents were designated “unselectable” during the Expansion Draft, there still seemed to be a chilling effect on the early Free Agent period, as we saw far fewer signings than in most years. It appeared that teams, concerned about potential player losses in the Expansion Draft, were not ready to commit big money to sign free agents ahead of San Antonio’s and New England’s picks. There were, of course, some significant signings, but compared to a typical August-September period, the number of players signed was about 20%-25% lower than what we have typically seen, a reality that also meant that when the NFL-USFL transfer window opened, there was more USFL talent on the table for the NFL than we typically have seen.   We will discuss the NFL signings in a moment, but first we should acknowledge those free agents who have found new homes within the USFL. We already cited the impressive signings of the New England Steamrollers (DT Aaron Donald, TE Dennis Pitta, WR Doug Baldwin, and S Jaiquawn Jarrett) as well as the somewhat less “splashy” additions to the San Antonio Gunslinger roster (OG Andy Levitre and DE DeMarcus Lawrence). So, what other stories emerged out of the early weeks of free agency?   Cooper Flies the Coop Despite resigning Cam Newton for the 2020 season and beyond, the Stallion offense did take a hit this offseason as their leading receiver, former Alabama product Amari Cooper , came to the end of his rookie contract, tested the free agency waters, and found a new home with the Seattle Dragons. Cooper is primed to step into the lead receiver position vacated with Mike Wallace’s earlier retirement. His new deal, a 4-year deal, will significantly increase his annual salary, while joining the Dragons means a greater possibility of topping 1,000 yards consistently, after seeing his receiving numbers negatively affected the past two years by a heightened focus on the Stallion run game and Cam Newton’s tendency to quickly shift from being a passer to a runner, something Cooper will not face in QB Jacoby Brissett.   Outlaws Sign 3 in Effort to Bolster Roster Well aware that they would be losing 8 veteran players to the expansion draft, the Outlaws were one of the more aggressive teams among the 28 returning franchises. Within the first weeks of free agency the Outlaws made offers to 6 different players and were able to secure deals with three potential starters: WR Nick Toon from San Diego, OT Joe Haeg from the Seattle Dragons, and HB Jawan Jamison from the Breakers. Of course this does not make up for the 8 players lost to the Gunslingers early in September, but it is a start as the Outlaws try to remake their roster.   The theory on the Bob Stoops-led Outlaws is that they are giving OSU product Mason Rudolph a solid chance to become the heir to Joe Flacco, and that another young player, HB Justice Hill, will lead the run game in Oklahoma. With Mark Clayton retiring and Marquise Goodwin headed to the Gunslingers, the signing of Nick Toon makes sense for the receiver-short Outlaws, but we also expect they will add another receiver or two to help fill the group in around DeDe Westbrook. On defense, the toughest replacement may be LB Casey Matthews, though it is expected that either Greg Lloyd Jr. or a reinstated Vontez Burfict may be asked to step into Mathews’ role.   By the time the NFL-USFL window opened in mid-September, the larger free agent pool provided a lot of options for NFL teams. What we saw in the signings by NFL clubs was a clear preference for veteran players who could come in, spend a few weeks adapting to a new system, but step in and provide a mix of veteran leadership and late-season support to teams in need of depth or talent at key spots. While some younger players were selected, the clear pattern was the preference for shorter 1-2 year deals offered to players in their 30’s.  Here is a quick run-down of the signings from the spring USFL to the fall NFL:   DE Lamar Houston (31)                 Thunder to Chicago Bears CB Antonio Cromartie (33)            Stallions to New York Jets WR Demaryius Thomas (32)             Express to Denver Broncos FB Kyle Juszczyk (29)                        Panthers to San Francisco 49ers SS Glover Quin (32)                         Stars to Detroit Lions CB Derek Cox (32)                           Monarchs to Jacksonville Jaguars LB Jarret Johnson (33)                     Bulls to Baltimore Ravens FS Donte Whitner (32)                   Seattle to Buffalo Bills LB D’Qwell Jackson (32)                  Federals to Indianapolis Colts DE Greg Hardy (33)                        Stallions to Carolina Panthers OG Kevin Zeitler (33)                   Machine to New York Giants HB C. J. Anderson (31)                   Express to Denver Broncos C Peter Konz (33)                             Invaders to Atlanta Falcons WR Dwayne Bowe (32)                   Renegades to Kansas City Chiefs HB Zac Stacy (28)                          Stars to Philadelphia Eagles LB Carl Ihenacho (32)                        Dragons to Las Vegas Raiders LB Jonathan Moulton (34)               Outlaws to Houston Oilers DT Jerel Worthy (31)                         Renegades to Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Dan LeFevour (31)                    Gold to Jacksonville Jaguars     USFL Teams Seek Roster Depth with NFL Signings As we so often see each fall, the NFL talent still unsigned 1-2 weeks into their fall season is not much to get excited about. USFL teams sign some practice squad or unsigned depth players but not much star power is available. That was the case again this fall, with only a few signings of note to present:   Eagles’ CB Ronald Darby went unsigned in the NFL but found a new home with the USFL Monarchs. HB Jordan Howard left the Bears to sign with the Atlanta Fire as Nick Chubb’s understudy. DE Emmanuel Ogbah had 3 sacks with the Browns last fall and will now join the Gamblers. HB Ty Montgomery will reprise his 3 rd  down role for the Renegades after playing both in Green Bay and Baltimore in 2018. LB Hassan Reddick, who had 80 tackles for the Arizona Cardinals last fall held out for a big money deal and got what he wanted from the Oakland Invaders, who lost Junior Galette in the Expansion Draft. And, of course, there were the signings by San Antonio (OT Zach Banner, K Mason Crosby, WR Corey Coleman) and New England (P Matt Bosher and LB Jamie Collins) already discussed.   Other NFL players making the leap include S Justin Simmons (ORL), DT Timmy Jernigan (PHI), and LB Danny Trevathan (WSH).   While the free agent market has been noticeably underutilized in the early weeks of the offseason, there certainly has been no lack of action on the trading block as teams try to fill gaps left by retirements and free agency or to simply upgrade areas of weakness. There will surely be more trades to come as we build up to the draft, including a lot of pick swapping, but the first few months of the offseason have kicked off with significant movement from team to team. Here are the most noteworthy of the deals cut this fall.   The trading block opened up with a 2-for-1 deal involving the Ohio Glory and Tampa Bay Bandits as the Bandits sent veteran DE Tank Carradine to Ohio for two offensive linemen, guard Travis Bond and tackle Jack Mewhort. Carradine has had 6 sacks each of the past 3 seasons in Tampa Bay and now will line up opposite Robert Quinn in Ohio’s front four. New Orleans added a speed back to their RB room by trading OT Rob Haverstein to the Dallas Roughnecks for 2019 rookie Myles Gaskin . Gaskin had 404 yards rushing for the Roughnecks in 2019. Haverstein started all 16 games for the Breakers in 2016 and 2017 but had been demoted to a swing position for the past two years, getting only 2 starts in that time. Jacksonville added some heft to their offensive line, bringing in veteran center Russell Bodine in a deal that send HB Andre Williams and a 6 th  round pick to the Generals. Bodine started 4 games for the Generals in 2019, subbing for the injured Owen Phillips, and must have impressed the Bulls in that span. New Jersey adds Williams, who spent the 2019 season on Jacksonville’s practice squad, most likely to assist with special teams and with concern still for Kiero Small’s injury recovery. When neither expansion team took a Portland QB, the stags, hoping to relieve a logjam in their QB room found a willing suitor in Orlando. The Renegades offered up center Greg Mancz for the rights to QB Kyle Lauletta , with the two clubs also swapping 5 th  round picks in the upcoming draft. The biggest swap, in raw numbers, came as the Blitz worked to improve their defensive line and Arizona sought to fill a gap on offense. In a 4-man swap, both teams moved an offensive and defensive tackle, with starting DT Grady Jarrett leaving the Wranglers for the Blitz, while Arizona acquired OT Mitchell Van Dyck . Arizona also got DT P. J. Hall in the deal while Baltimore added OT D. J. Humphries. Following the loss of FS David Bruton in the Expansion Draft, LA addressed the gap by sending slot receiver Willie Snead IV to Memphis (along with a 4 th  round pick in 2020) in return for safety Lonnie Ballentine (and a 6 th  rounder). A shocking post-Expansion Draft move came from the Pittsburgh Maulers who shipped off a 1,200 yard receiver, NFL import Jarvis Landry , after a very successful first season in the USFL. Landry had 79 receptions for 1,219 yards and 7 touchdowns, all very solid numbers, but was shipped to the Washington Federals in trade for CB Tre Herndon. Herndon started 18 games for the Federals over the past 2 years, but with only 2 career picks, it seems the Maulers may have either overvalued the young corner or had a significant issue with their leading receiver from 2019. And, finally, in the only player-for-pick swap so far this offseason, St. Louis, having named Tyrod Taylor as their 2 nd  string QB behind Lamar Jackson, traded veteran Kyle Boller to the Charlotte Monarchs, where he will now likely step in as the 2 nd  option behind Mitchell Trubisky. In return, Charlotte provided the Skyhawks with an additional 4 th  round pick this year and a conditional 5 th  rounder in 2021.   Here we go! Time to start looking at the Collegiate Draft for 2020 and this could be a complicated one. Once again there appears to be a strong QB class, but with nearly all the top-rated quarterbacks protected by teams that may not be urgently seeking help at the position, it opens up the door to pick-for-pick trades, or for surprises. Who deals with Birmingham to get a shot at Tua Tagovailoa? Does Portland spend big for Oregon’s Justin Herbert or do they stand pat with Mariota? Will the sudden but impressive rise of Joe Burrow cause New Orleans to bow to local fan pressure? And what about the one QB not on anyone’s protected list, Utah State’s Jordan Love? Does he suddenly become a hot commodity for several QB-needy teams?  Of course, the QB position is not the only one of interest, but once again, it is likely to be a huge water cooler topic as the 2019 NCAA season continues and as both the USFL and NFL prepare for their 2020 draft season. Here is our look, in the order of the 1 st  round picks, at all 30 franchises, their needs, T-Draft options, and our thoughts on what their 1 st round strategy should be in the Open Draft.   JACKSONVILLE BULLS POSITIONS OF NEED: WR, DT, CB, LB, QB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: With needs at both CB and LB, Jacksonville could find some help in the T-Draft with LB Isaiah Simmons of Clemson, and CBs C. J. Henderson (Florida) and A. J. Terrell (Clemson), but inside sources say the team is infatuated as well with WR Tee Higgins of Clemson, and they do certainly need more explosiveness on offense. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: The Bulls have so many needs that they could honestly use their 1 st overall pick on a pure “Best Player Available” pick and almost certainly hit a position of need. Based on what we think will happen in the T-Draft, the two most likely top-graded players who could be at the top of the draft are OSU edge rusher Chase Young and Georgia OT Andrew Thomas. But, would Jacksonville take a shot on a QB? Burrow? Tagovailoa? Herbert?   PORTLAND STAGS POSITIONS OF NEED: DE, DT, LB, TE, G BEST T-DRAFT FIT: The Stags are likely looking for a trade for the rights to QB Justin Herbert, and certainly can get some draft capital in exchange for the Ducks’ QB. As for who they would pick with their 2 remaining choices, a good fit for need would be Oregon LB Troy Dye. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Portland is more likely to go defense than add a QB to compete with Mariota, so if Jacksonville does go QB, we absolutely see Portland praying that Chase Young escaped the T-Draft. If not, Auburn DT Derrick Brown may be an option.   OHIO GLORY POSITIONS OF NEED: LB, DT, TE, QB, WR BEST T-DRAFT FIT: A bad year for Ohio State to produce few top talents in key positions for the Glory. They could take a run at DE Chase Young, though that is not a position of deep need. More likely they scout out the DT position,with both Jashon Cornell and DaVon Hamilton potentially becoming eligible this January. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: If Brown is there (likely if Young goes to Portland), then the glory jump on that, if not, they likely look for the best LB available, which could be Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons or Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray.   ATLANTA FIRE POSITIONS OF NEED: DT, WR, LB,OT, FB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Two outstanding tackles should come out of UGA this year, with both Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson likely to be available, so it is a question of whether Atlanta selects both or just one they like better. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: No knock on Aaron Murray, but the Fire should give real thought to the QB position, especially if either Tagovailoa or Herbert are sitting here waiting to be picked.   NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS POSITIONS OF NEED: DE, OT, CB, WR, FS BEST T-DRAFT FIT: So many needs, so few good players from BC, UConn or Purdue. The league has given them a 4 th  school and they chose Minnesota. Does this mean that they are looking at safety Antonio Winfield Jr? POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Almost any player they pick here would be helpful for them, but their top need is DE, so we look at LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson. If the Breakers locked him up, then we go OT, where there are more options: Andrew Thomas (UGA), Jedrick Wills (Bama), or Mekhi Becton (L’ville).   SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS POSITIONS OF NEED: DT, CB, HB, DE, LB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: With all the needs of an expansion team, the Gunslingers have to look long and hard at both immediate impact and depth. We really like a trio of TCU players as potential help at key positions: DT Ross Blackhart, WR Jalen Reagor, and CB Jeff Gladney could be good options. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: There is a reasonable chance that Ohio does not protect CB Jeff Okudah, and if that is the case, he could drop to the Gunslingers at pick 6. If that happens, they should definitely try to add the versatile DB.   WASHINGTON FEDERALS POSITIONS OF NEED: LB, HB, G, DE, WR BEST T-DRAFT FIT: The Feds also got a 4 th  school in 2020 because of a lack of prospects from their main 3 protected programs (UVa, Va Tech, and James Madison). They selected Appalachian State, which almost certainly means either HB Darrynton Evans or LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, both positions of need for the Federals. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: So many fans, upset with Ryan Nassib’s first year in DC, want the Feds to snag a QB here, but they have so much money invested in Nassib’s contract that we just don’t see it happening. How about replacing Brandon LaFell with a solid rookie option at WR, like either of the Bama products, Ruggs or Jeudy.   ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS POSITIONS OF NEED: OT, LB, WR, DE, QB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: With OT a definite need area, the Skyhawks have to love having Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs under their scope. We also like Hawkeye DE A. J. Epenesa as a possible target of attention. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: OT is a need. We listed 3 above (New England), so there is a shot that one of those three makes it to pick 7 and the Federals. OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS POSITIONS OF NEED: LB, QB, TE, WR, HB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: We are fascinated by the possibility that QB Jalen Hurts is in the Outlaws’ pool. Would selecting Hurts cause issues for Mason Rudolph, or do they get their young QB some help with OU wideout C. D. Lamb? POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: We do like Oklahoma to possibly take a QB, though for Mason Rudolph’s sake, they may wait until Round 2. If not, then they could have a competition from Day 1. If they do hold off, they could go TE with the best option being Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet.   DALLAS ROUGHNECKS POSITIONS OF NEED: TE, C, G, WR, QB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Not a lot of matches between immediate needs and protected school talent, except at WR where the Longhorns could offer 2 options in Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Dallas certainly hopes Oklahoma goes with a QB pick, because they love Kmet. If either Chicago (T-Draft) or Oklahoma snaps him up, then the next best option is to nab an interior lineman, with either Cesar Ruiz (Michigan) or guard Robert Hunt (La-Monroe) as the best case scenarios.   BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS POSITIONS OF NEED: DE, WR, FS, CB, DT BEST T-DRAFT FIT: The resigning of Cam Newton to a lucrative deal means that Tua Tagovailoa has to be off the table. Expect Birmingham to trade his rights to a Western team just to ensure that he does not come to town in a southern rival’s uniform. As for who they should pick, how about a replacement for Amari Cooper. Bama provides 2 great options, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: If I were the Stallions, I would be waving Tua Tagovailoa at the Bulls or Atlanta Fire, hoping to move up and get some shot at Chase Young. They could also make a deal with Ohio to swap T-Draft picks, which makes sense. Birmingham could get the DE they covet and the Glory could land either Tua or one of those Bama wideouts.   PITTSBURGH MAULERS POSITIONS OF NEED: HB, G, TE, DT, DE BEST T-DRAFT FIT: A week class from both Pitt and WVU puts Pittsburgh in a bad spot here. We don’t see a single prospect who grades out as anything earlier than a 4 th  round pick, so it looks like roster depth is the route here. Maybe, just maybe the Maulers trade to get someone else’s 1 st round T-Draft talent. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: We have not taken a HB yet, and the Maulers could certainly use an upgrade there (sorry, Samaje Perine). We don’t think the Breakers lock up LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire, or that Atlanta goes for D’Andre Swift (not with Chubb on the roster), so Pittsburgh could have their choice of two quality backs.   CHARLOTTE MONARCHS POSITIONS OF NEED: DT, LB, SS, OT, WR BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Another team that might want to try trading for someone else’s picks, because we see no 1 st -3 rd  round talent in their pool from UNC, NC State, or Wake Forest. OT Charlie Heck from UNC and DT Larrell Murchison from NC State are in positions of need but both grade out as depth players only. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Defensive Tackle is a deep group, but Charlotte would love to address the position in the first round. That could be Auburn’s Derrick Brown, South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw, or TCU’s Ross Blacklock.   CHICAGO MACHINE POSITIONS OF NEED: C, HB, WR, G, TE BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Notre Dame could come to the rescue for Chicago, as they always seem to. TE Cole Kmet would be a need pick as would WR Chase Claypool. And don’t overlook LB Julian Okwara even if LB is not a position of immediate need. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: The Machine likely go for an impact player in the offensive skill positions here. That could be a wideout (Jeudy, Ruggs, Lamb, Justin Jefferson) or a halfback (Edwards-Helaire, Swift, or Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor).   LOS ANGELES EXPRESS POSITIONS OF NEED: LB, OG, OT, HB, QB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Ever since the Thunder moved to San Diego and snagged UCLA away from the Express, their T-Draft has been much weaker, and that is true this year as well. We still like USC’s Austin Jackson as an option at OT, but beyond that, the needs don’t match the small pool of talent the Express have to draw from. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: With needs along the offensive line, that seems the best early round option for the Express. The tackle group, in particular, could offer several immediate starters, including Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, Alabama’s Wills, Louisville’s Becton, or Iowa’s Wirfs.   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS POSITIONS OF NEED: DE, DT, CB, OG,WR BEST T-DRAFT FIT: With D-Line at the heart of Rex Ryan’s wish list, the Showboats are sure to look at both Tennessee’s Darell Taylor and Arkansas Nose Tackle McTelvin Agim. They could also scout out Volunteer WR Jauan Jennings. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: It may be tough for Memphis to get either a DE or DT who will bring the impact they want, but at cornerback they may have some good options. One player to watch is Clemson’s A. J. Terrell. Ohio State’s Damon Arnette could also be available here.   LAS VEGAS VIPERS POSITIONS OF NEED: FS, TE, WR, DE,CB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: A perfect fit for the Vipers is Utah safety Julian Blackmon, a talented player who could slot right into their need at the Free Safety position. We also think Utah HB Zack Moss would be a nice addition, though not a position of immediate need. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Is free safety a first round option? It is if Alabama’s Xavier McKinney is on the board. Another, perhaps riskier pick this early comes from unprotected Lenoir-Rhyme, a young dynamic athlete named Kyle Dugger.   ORLANDO RENEGADES POSITIONS OF NEED: DT, OG, LB, WR, QB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: There is some talent out of “The U”, as always, but our favorite fit is actually from up the coast in South Carolina, where Gamecock DT Javon Kinlaw could be a perfect fit for the Renegades’ need to beef up the run defense. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Best player available could land the ‘Gades a player in any one of their top 4 areas of need. They won’t go QB in the first round, since they are looking for a 2 nd -3 rd stringer to develop, but everything from DT to WR is an option here.   OAKLAND INVADERS POSITIONS OF NEED: DT, C, CB, SS, QB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Not a very deep pool, but a couple of names that pop out to us are safety Ashtyn Davis of Cal and Stanford LB Casey Toohill. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Oakland’s strategy could be one of the most interesting. Will they be in the QB hunt? And if they are, who do they like? Tua? Herbert? Utah State’s Jordan Love? What about OU’s Jalen Hurts? Or do they give up on the QB position because signing a 1 st round rookie adds even more chaos to their situation?   NEW JERSEY GENERALS POSITIONS OF NEED: SS, DE, TE, WR, DT BEST T-DRAFT FIT: With the shift in protected schools caused by the arrival of 2 new expansion teams, the Generals reclaimed Wisconsin as a school, and not a moment too soon. How about HB Jonathan Taylor? LB Zack Baun? Maybe C Tyler Biadasz? POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: If McKinney is here to fill the safety position, that will be the pick. If not, the Generals could shift to DE or even DT. The other option is to trade down and still have a good shot at Dugger, LSU’s Grant Delpit or Minnesota’s Antoine Winfield Jr.   SEATTLE DRAGONS POSITIONS OF NEED: FS, TE,CB, WR, LB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: No help at key positions of need, at least not immediate help, but some interesting prospects for depth, including UW quarterback Jacob Eason and Boise OT Ezra Cleveland. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Seattle is also in the safety hunt, so what New Jersey does will be essential. They could even trade up just a couple of spots to get the player they covet if they fear New Jersey will snatch that player out from under them.   BALTIMORE BLITZ POSITIONS OF NEED: WR, FS, QB, LB,CB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Last year Baltimore made the big move to trade for Josh Jacobs. They may need to do something similar this year because neither Maryland or Louisville have strong groups, well, aside from a pretty nice OT prospect in Cardinal LT Mekhi Becton. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Baltimore has to replace a superstar in Darrius Heyward-Bey, so WR has to be a priority. For star power, speed, and big play potential, we love either LSU’s Justin Jefferson or OU’s CeeDee Lamb here, assuming both escape the T-Draft.   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS POSITIONS OF NEED: OG, SS, QB, DE, LB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: Fans in the Bayou State are hoping that the Breakers jump on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been looking like a quick mover up the draft grade charts so far this fall. The other obvious player of interest, also from the Tigers, is DE K’Lavon Chaisson. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: The Breakers’ pick here depends on how deep they think the safety pool is. If they see a drop off after the first few names, they may try to trade up. If not, then they sit here and see who falls to them.   PHILADELPHIA STARS POSITIONS OF NEED: WR, CB, SS, DT, C BEST T-DRAFT FIT: We really like Penn State DE Yetur Gross-Matos, but we are just not sure Philly is in the market for the position. They are more likely going deep into scouting CB John Reid, as well as a pair of prospects in their own back yard, Temple center Matt Hennessey and CB Harrison Hurd. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: We do know the WR group is deep, so even if there is an early run, the Stars could do well this late in the round. They will want to scout a deep pool, considering players like ASU’s Brandon Aiyuk, TCU’s Jaelen Reagor, or Colorado’s Laviska Shenault.   SAN DIEGO THUNDER POSITIONS OF NEED: OG, DT, WR, C, FS BEST T-DRAFT FIT: We lamented the loss of UCLA from the LA talent pool, but this year the Bruins are not aligning their talent with San Diego’s needs, though the Thunder could still take a look at TE Devin Asiasi. They may want to look at their other 2 in-state options, Fresno State and San Diego State, particularly for the O-line depth they are hoping to add. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: So close to the end of the round, San Diego has to avoid honing in on just one position. There may be a guard who slips, a DT who escaped, or they too dip into the deep WR pool.   MICHIGAN PANTHERS POSITIONS OF NEED: WR, DT, QB, LB, HB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: What do the Wolverines and Spartans offer to the USFL Panthers this year? How about a top flight center in Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz, a strong OLB candidate in Josh Uche, and, from MSU, a solid CB option in Josiah Scott. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: We know that Coach McDermott likes Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool, but this feels too soon for him, so do the Panthers trade into the early part of the 2 nd  round to get their man at the price they want and also pick up a later pick from someone who wants to move up?   DENVER GOLD POSITIONS OF NEED: DE, CB, TE, HB, FB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: While we are intrigued by Buffalo WR Laviska Shenault, it is not a high-need area. The Gold are more likely to be exploring some depth options with this year’s crop from the Buffs, Huskers, and Cowboys. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Trying to figure out if Denver goes for a DE or if they make a deal with Von Miller between now and January is near impossible. They would be in deep need if Miller moves on, so we look at the entire DE group. The big names won’t be here at this pick, but some talent is there, like Auburn’s Marlon Davidson and possibly Tennessee’s Darrell Taylor.   TAMPA BAY BANDITS POSITIONS OF NEED: CB, C, WR, OG, HB BEST T-DRAFT FIT: FSU Halfback Cam Akers is an interesting prospect, but does he fit Coach Trestman’s offensive style? Notas well as FIU CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver might help out the Bandit secondary. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: The Bandits are confident that a CB they like will be on the board at pick 28. There are many to choose from, so they may be right. Players like Utah’s Jaylon Johnson and Alabama’s Trevon Diggs are considered 1 st -2 nd  round tweeners, so this may be the spot to find the corner they want for their rebuilt Bandit defense.   HOUSTON GAMBLERS POSITIONS OF NEED: TE, HB, WR, DT, C BEST T-DRAFT FIT: The Eastern Conference Champs won’t get help at TE in the T-Draft, but might be able to add another outside threat in Baylor WR Denzel Mims. That and some D-Line help from either A&M’s Nnamdi Madubuika or another Baylor product, DT James Lynch. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET:  We are going to assume that Cole Kmet is not falling this far. So, who is the next best TE, and is he worth a late 1 st  round pick? On our boards we would put either Devon Asiasi of UCLA or Josiah Deguara of Cincinnati as the 2 nd  best TE, and we have both with 3 rd  round grades. So, if we were Houston, we might trade to get a TE and look at another position here.   ARIZONA WRANGLERS POSITIONS OF NEED: TE, WR, LB, DE, DT BEST T-DRAFT FIT: If the Wranglers are looking for even more weapons for David Carr, they could do a lot worse than Sun Devils Brandon Aiyuk (WR) and Eno Benjamin (HB). Other than those two, the pool is not a very promising one for the Wranglers. POSSIBLE OPEN DRAFT TARGET: Arizona also needs a TE, but they would likely be happy to nab a WR here and get their TE elsewhere. If they feel good that they can sign Brandon Aiyuk, they may even go for a LB here, and we would love to see someone like Michigan’s Josh Uche or Notre Dame’s Julian Okwara get a chance to show their stuff in a Jim Tomsula defense.   Miller Sells Home, Demands a Move If you wanted a sign to indicate how the talks between edge rusher Von Miller and the Denver Gold are going, we think the real estate listings in Denver just gave it to us. The $3.3M home formerly owned by Miller in Denver’s exclusive Belcaro neighborhood went on the market in September, and was off the market only 2 weeks later. That seems a pretty clear message from Miller that he does not expect to be returning to Denver for the 2020 season. Still under contract for another 2 seasons, Miller has demanded a trade after having his demands for a Calais Campbell range contract extension declined by the team.   Miller’s contract does not give him much leverage within the USFL structure, but, as we have seen with other players over the years, the “Favre Option” is always on the table. Miller could declare his retirement from the USFL and immediately become eligible to join an NFL team, without requirement to be cut by the Gold or to wait on the next NFL-USFL transfer window. It is a move that has been used only a handful of times over the past 20 years, but it is one that is always on the table for a top talent like Miller, if that talent is willing to risk a major hiatus between games. If Miller made that move, he would almost certainly need to prove the authenticity of his retirement by delaying an NFL signing until the 2021 season, essentially “red shirting” himself. To do otherwise would be to risk throwing his deal, his retirement, and his new NFL contract into legal litigation which could prove very costly. And so, for now, we have some surface-level gestures, like the home sale, to express his distaste for Denver’s offers, but no retirement and no imminent NFL signing. How long the stalemate lasts is largely up to Gold management, who have said that they have every desire to have Miller return to the club in 2020, but who are also well-known around the league for their hard-nosed approach to player compensation and demands for renegotiation.   Machine Offer Fans Opportunity to Reinvent Look An interesting development on the team marketing side of the USFL as the Chicago Machine have decided to give the fans a say in their 2021 Under Armour redesign. The Pritzker family, owners of the Blitz for the past 5 seasons, have been hinting at a major shift in the club’s look for several years now. When they bought the club, they commented on the oddity that Chicago and their closest rivals, the Michigan Panthers essentially shared 2 of their primary colors (maroon and sky blue). And while design “nerds” will argue that the Chicago maroon has typically leaned more towards the red spectrum, while Michigan’s “plum” version is a deeper, almost purple tone of burgundy, the reality is that in many cases the two colors are too close to separate without perfect lighting.   Well, apparently the Pritzkers, the Machine, and Under Armour are ready to move to a new look. They have offered up three different designs and are taking the choice on Chicago’s new look to the fans in an online poll that will help decide the look Chicago will bring to the field in the 2021 season, or, depending on the Machine’s 2020 output, possibly as soon as the 2020 playoffs. Fans can vote on the team’s website, with the results expected to be revealed early in the 2020 regular season as part of UA’s season long reveal of 2021’s six redesigned clubs (in addition to Chicago, that group includes Charlotte, Denver, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle.)   The three options being presented and now visible on the Machine homepage include a team logo, wordmark, and, in a unique twist, a mockup of the home jersey. In the past, these kinds of votes have often used a helmet mockup to provide a glimpse of the look, but it appears that UA did not want to differ to Riddell or Schutt, so they are offering us a glimpse of the jersey instead .   So, here is the link if you would like to take part in Chicago’s “Design the Machine” contest , and here are the three options available to choose from.   OPTION 1: Navy Pier Edition Of the three options, this is the closest to the current look, retaining maroon as a dominant color, and the color of the jersey presented. It appears that with this look Chicago may return to its roots, bringing back a stylized “M” as the helmet logo rather than a steampunk “C”. the metalwork “M” is not a new logo, but what is new is that it appears that sky blue is out and a combination of navy blue (hence the “Navy Pier” reference) and gunmetal grey is in. Chicago has never had navy as a color in its palette before, pairing a dark grey with sky blue in the past, but this new look appears to go for dark on dark on dark with only a small pop of bright red from the city flag’s ubiquitous red stars to brighten up a very serious maroon, navy, and grey design. We also note that the wordmark for this design features strong block letters in a slightly skewed perspective, with a navy blue strip between the city and team name and the red star atop the wordmark.   OPTION 2: Red Star Edition Again, some new and some old combined in a new way. The Red Star version of the look retains the same three colors currently in use, maroon, scarlet red, and sky blue, but very obviously shifts the priority of the three, using red as the dominant color, sky blue as the secondary, and retaining maroon, but only with minimal use in the jersey. The current logo which combines the steampunk “C” with the iconography of the city flag remains, but the red jersey, with sky blue block letters is a major departure from the current look. The jersey also features bold white and sky blue striping, while maroon is seen only in the wordmark, sleeve cuffs, the UA logo and a small swatch beneath the league logo on the collar. With the logo retaining maroon as a strong color, we have to wonder if this look will include a red helmet as well, or will Chicago combine the red jersey with either a maroon, sky, or white lid?   OPTION 3: City Blue Edition Now we are clearly leaning into the city flag, something the Pritzkers have already done with several ancillary marketing and stadium décor elements. The City Blue edition features a new logo, far simplified form the current steampunk “C”. This one features a sky blue “gear” and a more prominent red star. Missing entirely is maroon from the logo, though it does appear in the team’s updated wordmark, which now includes a strip of gear-inspired maroon at the base of the angled block lettering. The jersey revealed with the look is sky blue, with flag-inspired sleeve stripes, and white block numbers outlined in red. If you look hard, you can see that maroon is not entirely absent, used as a shadow effect on the numbers and as a thin piping on the outside of red, sky, and white sleeve stripes. This look also begs the question as to what the helmet might look like. Will it be sky blue, red, possibly white? It seems with so little maroon in the design, the prospect of Chicago keeping its traditional maroon helmet is least likely with this third of the three options.   The voting is now open and is expected to continue through the winter. Which design connects best with Chicagoans and Machine fans, we can only guess. In all likelihood we will see a mix of traditionalists who want to retain the maroon emphasis, and those who seek a new direction for the club, one perhaps tied with the city’s iconic flag. In the end the final decision will almost certainly lie with the Pritzker family, but the votes of Machine fans will have a lot of leverage in how the Pritzkers view the options in front of them.     N We hope you have enjoyed our Fall Edition check in on the USFL. We will be back again in late January, just as camps open, to provide all the player news, updates on each club as they enter camp, and, of course, our run-down of all the trades, moves, surprises, and selections from the upcoming Territorial and Open Collegiate Drafts as the USFL, now sitting at 30 clubs, prepares for the 2020 season ahead.

Summer Bowl 2019 was a game you either loved or loathed. If you love high-scoring, big plays, and largely-ineffective defense, this was the game for you. If you love hard-nosed defense, big stops, and close contests, this year’s Summer Bowl may not have been your cup of team. The 56-33 victory by the Arizona Wranglers was the 2 nd  largest margin of victory in the league’s 37-season history, with the 23-point margin falling one point short of the 24-point demolishing of Memphis by the 2002 undefeated Ohio Glory. The combined 89 points marked the highest combined score in Summer Bowl History, blowing away the prior record of 81 points when the Maulers beat these same Houston Gamblers 44-37 in 1995. The game also marked the 9 th time that the two competitors combined for more than 70 points in the game.  Summer Bowl MVP loosening up in pre-game before his 6-TD spectacle. This was not a game of inches, it was a game of 20+ yard plays, with both teams hitting on big plays often all game long. Eleven different players recorded at least 1 play of 20 or more yards, with several recording more than one on the day. Victor Cruz led all players with 173 yards in the game, a total that came with 2 touchdowns. For Houston, their leader was WR Josh Reynolds, with 161 yards on only 6 catches. JuJu Smith-Schuster also topped 100 yards, with 116 on the day. In the run game, there was no huge number. The game became a passing affair early and both teams used the run mostly to earn short first downs or to keep the safeties thinking. Carlos Hyde topped all rushers with only 15 carries and 76 yards. Arizona split carries between Isaiah Crowell (13 for 43 yards) and Ka’Deem Carey (9 for 43 as well). And, yes, the stars of the game were certainly the quarterbacks. Colt McCoy threw for a Summer Bowl record 427 yards, most of it playing catchup. Why? Because in addition to 390 yards of his own, Summer Bowl MVP David Carr threw for 6 touchdowns on the day, including two each to Victor Cruz and Jimmie Graham, and one apiece to DeMarcus Robinson and Maxx Williams. This was not a game for the defenders, though Joe Haden did win the Defensive MVP thanks to the game’s lone interception as well as a forced fumble (though recovered by the Gamblers). And, with a score this high, you must wonder how busy the kickers were. Well, while Younghoe Kim kicked 2 of 3 field goals, Arizona’s Elliott Parson was called on exclusively for PAT’s, 8 of them to be exact.   This was a game that saw more explosives than a good 4 th  of July celebration, but it was hardly a back-and-forth affair. Arizona built up a 21-0 lead in only 14 minutes, and while Houston started to respond in the 2 nd  quarter, they never pulled the score closer than 8, with it quickly ballooning back to 15, then 19, and as much as 30 at one point in the 4 th  quarter before the final 24-point total. It was a coronation for the Wranglers as one of the great franchises in league history. Appearing in their 5 th  Summer Bowl since 2013, the Wranglers brought home a 3 rd  title in 7 years and David Carr added a 3 rd  ring, something his understudy, Ryan Nassib was unable to do last year. For a team that lost most of its 2013 stars over the past couple of years, including HB Frank Gore, WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant, and defenders Troy Polamalu. Adam Carriker, and Karlos Dansby, the Wranglers have not rebuilt, they have clearly reloaded, with new stars like Victor Cruz, Ka’Deem Carey, Jimmie Graham, Scooby Wright, and this year’s Defensive MVP, Calais Campbell.  To say this game started heavily in Arizona’s favor would be a bit of an understatement. The Houston Gamblers had a combined 37 yards and 11 plays in the first quarter, while Arizona, had 21 plays, but in those 21 plays scored 3 touchdowns. Their opening drive used up more than half of those plays, as they used 12 plays to methodically march down the field, confusing Houston with misdirection runs and play action before David Carr hit his first scoring toss of the game, a short 3-yarder right over the center to TE Jimmie Graham. After Houston went 3-and-out on their first drive, Arizona went right back to business, and in only 4 plays they had upped the score to 14-0. One of those plays, a 44-yard catch and rumble by big TE Maxx Williams showed that they had a plan in place if Houston overextended themselves to cover Cruz and Graham. Williams caught what should have been a 9-10 yard play but extended it 44 yards down the field thanks to a missed tackle and some really bad angles by flustered Gambler defenders. Two plays later Carr had a 2 nd  touchdown, this one a 21-yard strike to Victor Cruz on a post-corner that turned around the league’s interception leader, Leodis McKelvin.   Now down 14 only 9 minutes into the game, Houston mounted a meager drive, but when Colt McCoy was flushed from the pocket by Calais Campbell he had no choice but to throw the ball away rather than take the sack. Arizona got the ball for a 3 rd  time, and for a 3 rd time they would make the Houston defense look foolish. Their 3 rd drive began with a Ka’Deem Carey 12-yard run on a basic sweep, then Carr found DeMarcus Robinson for 20 yards before connecting a 2 nd  time with Cruz, this one from 27 yards out to put Arizona up 21-0 as the 1 st quarter reached its final 2 minutes. Houston was shellshocked. They needed some energy and they needed it fast.  The Gamblers would get the spark they needed on their 3 rd  and final possession of the quarter. On the 3 rd play of the drive, a 3 rd  and 3, they turned to their best all-around player, HB Carlos Hyde. An outside screen turned from a short first down gainer to a 24-yard crowdpleaser that finally got the Gambler contingent at Wynn Stadium on their feet. It would take only 5 more plays for the Gamblers to finally put some points on the board as they cut the Arizona lead down to 15 with a McCoy to Moeaki TD toss. But, when Younghoe Koo missed on the PAT there was a sense that Houston might possibly be snakebit in this game.   The Gambler defense finally got a break on the ensuing Arizona possession as a false start pushed the Wranglers back on 3 rd and 3 to a much harder 3 rd  and 8. Houston blitzed and Carr for the first time misfired, throwing the ball too low for Jimmie Graham to scoop it up. Arizona punted and Houston got to work to try to bring the score back into a manageable range. They did just that thanks to a Carlos Hyde 1-yard TD run that pulled Houston back to 21-13, technically a 1-score game at 8 points of difference.  Isaiah Crowell was one of 3 Wranglers to finish with 2 TDs on the day. But, if there was any thought that the Gamblers could somehow equalize the score by halftime, Arizona’s next drive put some serious doubt into the minds of even the most adamant Gambler fans. The Wranglers controlled the ball for nearly 5 minutes, now dinking and dunking their way into the red zone. The drive featured 6 runs, the most of any on the day, and included the final play, an 8-yard run that saw Ramik Wilson bounce right off a steamrolling Isaiah Crowell as Arizona’s bigger back rumbled into the endzone for the Wrangler’s 4 th  score of the game.   Houston still showed some spark, moving the ball well in the game’s final seconds before putting up a field goal to make the Arizona advantage 12 points at 28-16 as both teams headed into the locker rooms, one certainly feeling a lot more upbeat than the other. As the fans in Las Vegas were enjoying a halftime show that included local favorites The Killers as well as an unannounced appearance by Post Malone, the Gamblers were trying to find a strategy that would hold back the Arizona offense. In the other locker room, Coach Tomsula was urging his team not to let up. Chuck Long promised the offense that they were not going to take their foot off the accelerator until all 60 minutes were up. The defense would just need to slow down Houston, not even stop them every time, because the offense was planning to continue lighting up the scoreboard.  Arizona OC Chuck Long did not get an award, but may well get a HC job after a season and a title game like this one. Would that strategy work? Well, it did not take long for Arizona to prove it could. After a bad drop of a potential 1 st down ball on 3 rd  and 7, Houston was 3-and-out again, and Arizona was ready to make them pay. After a couple of Crowell runs proved effective, the Wranglers got a connection from Carr to Maxx Williams to put them at midfield, and then went to their other, much faster, tight end. Carr found Jimmie Graham mismatched against Kenny Vaccaro and the big man used his height and body size to box out the smaller Houston safety. Once he had the ball in his hand, he spun away from the tackle and had clear running to complete the 50-yard score. It was Carr’s 4 th  on the night, well on his way to a Summer Bowl record and the MVP award.   Now down 19, Houston needed yet more from their offense. They would get it again from Carlos Hyde, who ripped off his own long play, a 31-yard TD run to help Houston at least stay relevant. The long scoring run pulled them back to within 12 at the midway point of the 3 rd , but they would need the defense to find some kind of success In the final 23 minutes of action, because they simply could not trade scores with Arizona and hope to come back. The Wranglers had no intention of letting up, as Coach Long had said at halftime, and on their next drive they marched 64 yards in 10 plays before Carr hit on TD number 5, a perfect play action dump off to Maxx Williams, who rumbled the final 2 yards into the endzone before spiking the ball. Back up by 19, Arizona new that Houston would need 3 scores to get a lead, and they still felt like scoring even more to make that a near impossibility. QB Colt McCoy (Seen here in pregame warmups) threw for 427 yards, but a 4th quarter INT gave Arizona a 26-point cushion. The next Houston drive ended up helping Arizona all but lock up the win. Now desperate not only to score, but to do so quickly, Colt McCoy took a risk he did not need to take, trying to force a pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster despite solid double coverage by the combination of CB Joe Haden and safety Corey White. Haden confidently snapped the ball away from Smith-Schuster, knowing White was there if he somehow whiffed on it. He stepped out of bounds almost immediately, but the turnover was all Arizona needed. They soon added their 7 th  total touchdown of the game, with Carr hitting his Summer Bowl record 6 th  TD toss, finding DeMarcus Robinson for the score that gave the Wranglers a nearly insurmountable 49-23 lead just 3 minutes into the 4 th  quarter.   The final 12 minutes of action saw Houston put up 10 points, but even in doing that there was a clear sense that it was cosmetic and not impactful, particularly as the Wranglers were also able to add 7 more, even after bringing Brandon Allen in a QB to finish up the game. The additional 17 points added to the scoreboard did not impact the end result, only the total points tally, already well above the Over-Under set by Las Vegas, but pushing the score into the Summer Bowl records cited earlier. The same could be said for Colt McCoy’s final 2 drives, which pushed him over 400 yards passing but never really challenged Arizona’s hold over the final result.  With SB19 concluded it is on to the offseason in preparation for 2020 & Charlotte's first Summer Bowl. When the final whistle sounded, Arizona had claimed victory, their third league title in 7 years, and had done so in about as dominating a fashion as the USFL had seen in 37 championship games. David Carr was recognized for his 6-touchdown performance with the game’s MVP award, Coach Tomsula was handed the John Bassett Trophy, which would then be shared with one player after another. The stadium filled with red, white and blue confetti, more a tribute to the league itself than to the colors of the Wranglers, and the fans found their way back to the casinos, luxury suites, and gaming floors, though many Arizona fans stayed in the stadium to share the joy that the Wrangler players and coaches were expressing on the field and the small stage built near the North endzone. Arizona and Houston had put on an offensive showcase, but in the end it was the Wranglers who could claim a dominant victory and the title of league champions.

Two title games decided by a combined 4 total points, and the end result is a first for the USFL, the first Summer Bowl rematch in the league’s 37-year history. After a pair of very close calls, the defending champion Houston Gamblers and the defending Western Conference Champion Arizona Wranglers will return to the USFL’s title game for a rematch of a thrilling 2018 final. We will review how both teams clinched their conference title and punched their ticket to Las Vegas and Summer Bowl 2019. We will also take a look at the news from around the league, including the 2019 league awards revealed at last night’s Gala and even take a look ahead to September, when the league will conduct its first expansion draft since 2008. All this, plus our pick for the 2019 USFL Champion, right here, and right now.   Summer Bowl Rematch, a USFL First Regardless of the result of Summer Bowl 2019, it will be a historic game for the USFL. For the first time in league history the two teams who battled in the prior year return for a second round. Like a matchup of two prize heavyweights, like Ali and Frazier or Tyson and Holyfield, this one will almost certainly be a historic battle between two of the league’s elite franchises. And the winner will undoubtedly have something to brag about as well.   If Houston can defeat their former rivals from the Southwest Conference, they will become only the 2 nd  team in league history to defend their championship, following the 2002-2023 Ohio Glory. The would also be the Gambler’s 6 th  title. They are already the only USFL team with 5 league championships, so a 6 th  would put them in very rarified air. For Arizona, a win would be their 3 rd title in a span of 7 years, solidifying their standing as one of the league’s all-time dynasties. Simply appearing in the Summer Bowl sets a precedent, with 5 trips to the title game in only 7 years. The Jim Kelly-led Gamblers appeared in 6 Summer Bowls between 1987 and 1996, and Arizona would have 3 more seasons to equal that feat, but, just as that Houston squad is considered an all-time dynasty, so too could Arizona claim to be the “Team of the 2010’s” with a 3 rd title this year.   Not since 2014 has the USFL had a Summer Bowl without either the Wranglers or Gamblers making an appearance, and with the shift of Houston from the same division as the Wranglers, a concession made when the Boston Cannons relocated to Dallas, we have come to expect these two to be at the top of each conference. As we see this year, that is clearly the case as the two go face-to-face for a second time. So, will it be a 6 th title as well as a back-to-back repeat for Wade Phillips and the Gamblers? Or will Arizona get a measure of revenge for last year’s ugly 48-17 defeat, claim a 3 rd  title in the decade, and join New Jersey, Tampa Bay, and Philadelphia as 3-time champions? We will know soon enough, when the two clash on Saturday in Las Vegas with a full house anticipated and a rowdy “Sin City” atmosphere guaranteed.  But, how did these two clubs get here? Let’s look back at the two Conference Title Games to see just how both booked a return trip to the promised land.   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 21   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 22 It certainly was not a given that Houston would triumph in their matchup with the Tampa Bay Bandits, and for a good part of the game it appeared that Tampa’s triumphant rise from 3-13 to a SE Division title might go all the way to the Summer Bowl. Houston was down in the game for nearly 55 of the game’s 60 minutes, but prevailed on a late TD from one of their regular heroes to take the victory and lock up a 3 rd consecutive trip to the USFL’s title game.   In what was one of the stranger starts to any playoff game, we opened the Bandits-Gamblers game with a 2-2 score after 1 quarter, a total that surely threw off countless “number square” games. No one expects that 2-2 is going to win anything, but that was what we got. It began after a perfect coffin corner punt by Tampa’s Tress Way put the Gamblers back at their own 2 to start their opening drive. After an inside run by Carlos Hyde provided no relief, Colt McCoy dropped back, was immediately pressured by Dante Fowler, barely getting the ball away before being dragged down. The refs discussed the play, then called Illegal Grounding on McCoy, whose pass did not find a nearby receiver. Though not recorded as a sack for Fowler, the play produced 2 points and would give the Bandits the ball. After a pair of failed drives, it was Houston’s turn to pin the Bandits back inside their own 2. Gambler punter Chad Lester drove the ball inside the 10, giving Tampa Bay a 1 st  and 10 on their own 7. That would lead to a Houston safety just one play later as Dak Prescott’s pitch to Dalvin Cook was poorly timed. The ball careened off fullback Roger Gregory, who apparently had take the wrong angle for the play called. The ball bounced backwards towards the endzone before a diving Cook landed on it. As he tried to get up, he was touched by a Houston defender and the safety was called. Two to two and a strange start for two teams known for their offense.   The second quarter, while not producing any scoring oddities, was still not what most expected of this matchup. The defenses dominated in the half, with both teams recording 3 sacks apiece in the opening 30 minutes. Both clubs moved the ball to a point, but struggled with third downs. Tampa Bay converted only 1 of 5 in the half while Houston went 0 for 4, something that defied the odds when we look at how good both offenses were in the regular season. While both teams managed to put some points on the board, it was only thanks to the strong legs of both kickers. Harrison Butker added 6 points to the tally while Younghoe Koo would have only one chance, and that led to the Bandits taking a very surprising 8-5 lead into the half.   Both clubs spent the better part of the halftime break trying to make offensive adjustments, to strategize how best to put the ball in the hands of their playmakers. Both found success in adjusting to the defenses and the 3 rd  quarter would prove to be the kind of play we all expected from these two high-flying offenses. The Bandits would get the opening kickoff, a result of Houston misstating their “deferred” interest and allowing Tampa Bay both the opening and 2 nd  half kickoffs. That mistake, a rarity for teams this late in the year, helped Tampa Bay bolster their lead. The Bandits would use only 8 plays to move from their own 20 into the Houston endzone. They opened the drive with a big pitch and catch between Prescott and Ryan Grant, a 29-yard play that got them to midfield in one stroke. They would add two nice runs from Cook and a key 3 rd  down conversion to Cameron before Prescott found Dez Bryant for the game’s first touchdown. With a botched holdon the kick, keeping the advantage to 14-5, Tampa Bay was still feeling very much in control.   But the Houston Gamblers are no strangers to tough matchups, and they responded as you would expect a defending champion would. The Gamblers were patient, took what Tampa’s defense was willing to give, and built up an 11-play, 5-minute drive that brought them back to within 2. On the drive, the player with the biggest impact was not one of the usuals, but 2 nd tight end Tony Moeaki, who had 3 of his 5 catches on the day in this one drive, including a 10-yard completion on 3 rd  and 9 that kept Houston rolling along. With the ball at the 10, McCoy again looked to the unsung star of the drive, and Moeaki again came up with the catch, a high throw reminiscent of the famous Montana-Clark play from the 80’s. Moeaki went up for it and brought it down to give Houston their first touchdown and drop the lead from 14-5 to 14-12.   But the third quarter was not done yet. There were still nearly 7 minutes left, and we would still see two more scores before entering the 4 th . Tampa Bay responded to Houston’s 11-play drive with one of their own, sparked by a 34-yard throw and catch to rookie Deebo Samuel. The Tampa Bay drive got bogged down at the Houston 20, but Coach Trestman chose to go for it on a 4 th  and 1 from the 20, and with former Ohio Glory back Marion Mack brought into the game, it was no surprise that the Bandits went for a straight power play right off the center. The refs called a first down, Coach Phillips challenged the play, but replay was unable to overturn the call. Tampa had a first down at the 19. Three plays later it was Prescott to his own tight end, Jordan Cameron, for his 2 nd  TD of the game.   Down 21-12 with 2:39 left in the quarter, Houston opted to pick up the pace. Helped by a defensive holding call on the second play of the drive, the Gamblers pushed the ball into Bandit territory, but a nice play by CB Jalen Ramsey forced Houston to settle for a field goal. Koo’s kick was good from 48 yards out and at the end of 3 we had a 21-15 game, a marginal 6-point lead.   That lead would hold through most of the 4 th quarter, helped by two failed 3 rd  down plays from the Bandits and an atypically poorly thrown ball by McCoy that missed Josh Reynolds and was scooped off the turf by CB Taurean Nixon for a pick. The Bandits tried to push the lead to 9 with a long Butker field goal attempt, but for the 2 nd time in 4 attempts, the Bandit kicker missed to the right, the ball hooking harmlessly outside of the goalposts and giving Houston the ball on their own 34 yard line. With 3:37 left to play, down by 6, the Gamblers knew this was likely their last chance to change their fate.   McCoy gathered the Gambler offense ahead of the drive, reminded them that they have been here before and that all they had to do was for each man to do their job and they would take the win. The Gamblers broke huddle and began what would be a 9-play, 66-yard drive to destiny. The drive opened with McCoy hitting Carlos Hyde with a swing pass, but SS Derwin James was there to disrupt it before much damage could be done, a gain of only 1. On their next play, they found a better connection, with McCoy hitting JuJu Smith-Shuster for 11 and a first down. McCoy would hit 4 different receivers on the drive, including a 27-yard catch and run by Hyde and an 11-yarder to Vernon Davis that put the ball on the Tampa Bay 9 yard line with 1:40 left to play. A Hyde run brought the ball down to the 2, and on a 2 nd and goal, McCoy called play action. His pass to Josh Reynolds was too high and sailed out of the endzone, leaving Houston with a 3 rd  and goal on the 2. Houston brought out 3 receivers along with Hyde and Davis. But it was not a pass. They trusted the ability of their back to find a hole along the line, called an inside run and Hyde plowed his way across the plane and in with 1:27 to play.   Houston now led 22-21, but with 1:27 they would need some defense to keep the Bandits out of field goal range. They would get it, with the front 7 putting pressure on Prescott, leading to a sack from LB Pat Angerer on a 2 nd  and 5 that created a 3 rd  and 12. Prescott completed his next pass, but only for 4 yards as Houston safety Budda Baker made a textbook tackle on Jordan Cameron. That left 4 th  and 8 and one shot left for the Bandits. With 4 receivers on the field and only Mack in to help block, Houston opted to bring pressure, and, as is so often the case with Wade Phillips defenses, it was the right call. Mack chipped the blitzing Pat Angerer, but that left Tim Crowder free to come around the end. Crowder got his first sack of the game, but the most important sack of the affair as it ended Tampa Bay’s drive and gave Houston the ability to take the victory formation and claim their third consecutive Eastern Conference title. DENVER GOLD 17  ARIZONA WRANGLERS 20 Much like the Eastern final, the battle between Arizona and their SW Division rival Denver Gold was a nip and tuck affair that was not decided until the final minutes. Denver would employ the same strategy that had helped them upend the 14-2 Michigan Panthers a week earlier, a slow, steady offensive possession game that combined short passes with timely runs to milk the clock and shorten the game. Denver would finish with nearly 35 minutes of possession, but Arizona found enough big plays to offset some of the slow-down tactics.   Two big turnovers also helped Arizona claim the title in the end, both picks of Denver QB Josh Allen, though, to be honest, at least one of those interceptions was far more on the receiver than the QB. In a game that saw a combined 31 points in the first half and only 6 scored in the second, the two late takeaways proved to be the difference in the contest.   The first quarter did not delay in providing some drama. Arizona received the opening kickoff after Denver won the toss and deferred to the second half. They would need only 2:40 off the clock to put up a touchdown, thanks largely to a 37-yard catch and run by former Mauler Victor Cruz. The play took advantage of play action, with Denver biting on the run by Isaiah Crowell. Carr retained the ball, saw Cruz in single coverage and hit him down the left sideline with a perfect pass. Only 3 plays later Crowell would get his turn, a dive over the pile from the 1 to put Arizona on top. But if the Wranglers thought this first drive would be indicative of the ease with which they would take this game, they were very mistaken.   Denver responded with a drive of their own, and with a play as big, if not bigger, than Cruz’s. The Gold began the game on the ground, with Murray and Lindsay both getting 2 carries in the drive’s first 4 plays. Both found good holes and produced a first down, setting up a 2 nd and 3 that Allen easily converted with a dump down pass to TE T. J. Hockenson. With the ball now in Arizona territory, it appeared the Gold were going back to the run, but instead they set up a slip screen to DeMarco Murray. Catching the Wranglers in a heavy run defense, Murray only had to clear the initial coverage from LB Travis Goethel and he would have clear space to run. With help from pulling guard Larry Warford, Murray got past Goethel and it was off to the races. Forty-two yards later Murray was diving across the goalline and equalizing the score at 7 apiece.   All this occurred before the game had even hit 5 minutes of time elapsed, but the flurry of points would not continue. For the remainder of the opening quarter both teams found the going a bit tougher, and we saw only 3 punts as the quarter wound to a close. Early in the 2 nd we did get another good drive, but it too fizzled, forcing Arizona to turn to Elliott Parson to retake the lead. Parson’s 48-yarder was good and Arizona took a 10-7 lead with 14:12 left in the 2 nd . After a pair of short drives, Denver again got the ball and this time they opted to use more passing on 1 st  down to loosen up the Arizona defense. Josh Allen connected with Jack Doyle and Kendrick Bourne on consecutive first downs to create easy run situations on 2 nd  and short. It was not the fastest attack option, but that was fine for the Gold. They took 14 plays and nearly 8 minutes off the clock, but when FB Robert Foster punched the ball in from the 1, Denver had the lead, 14-10.   Getting the ball back with 3:05 left to play in the half, Arizona did not have luxury to slow play the drive. They went into a 2-minute offense, though they did hand off to Carey and Crowell a combined 4 times in their hurry-up set. After a nice completion to Demarcus Robinson, the Wranglers were within field goal range at the 20, but they had both time and 2 time outs left, so the goal was certainly to add 7, not 3 to the scoreboard. A failed shot at the endzone on first down was followed by a false start call, making it 2 nd  and 15 from the 25. But, David Carr got sneaky and used a nice hard count to turn the tables, forcing Von Miller offsides and gaining back the 5 yards from the false start. On the next play it was a clear case of a mismatch recognized. Arizona TE Jimmie Graham was covered in man by Denver MLB Patrick Onwuasor. Now, Onwuasor is a very solid linebacker, but he just cannot keep up with Graham and David Carr saw that. Carr’s route was changed from a crossing pattern to a seam route and Carr found him over the middle. The big TE was able to muscle his way past the safety and into the endzone, putting Arizona up 17-14 as the 2 nd  quarter came to a close.   From what we saw in the first half, we might expect the game to easily enter a final score in the 30’s, but both Coach Tomsula and Coach Hufnagel know how to make adjustments at the half, and both did just that, producing a second half with only 6 total points scored. It could have been more, but the Arizona defense also managed to nab two Allen passes to shut down promising Denver drives. The first came on Denver’s opening drive of the game, a drive which had amassed 3 first downs and was closing in on field goal range for Greg Zeurlein. But, on a 2 nd  and 8, Josh Allen was flushed to his right, tried to throw back over the middle to Golden Tate and found CB Jeremy Lane instead. The play cost Denver a shot at a field goal and got the Wrangler faithful on their feet.   Arizona could not make anything of the takeaway and 5 plays later punted back to Denver. The Gold again showed that they could muster enough offense to threaten the Wranglers, and this time there was not a costly turnover. With 5:36 left in the 3 rd , Greg Zeurlein put up the equalizer. Just as they had done in Michigan, the Denver Gold were keeping Arizona close, waiting for a mistake that would help them earn the win. Unfortunately, this time the mistake would be theirs.   Following the tying field goal, both teams struggled to push the ball into the opposition’s side of the field. While the run game for both clubs was proving somewhat effective, play action was not, and several drives simply faltered on third downs as the opposing defenses stepped up. Denver was not allowing Wrangler receivers to obtain needed yards-after-catch to turn short receptions into first downs, and Arizona was pressuring Josh Allen with their front 4, allowing 7 to stay back in coverage. From the 5-minute mark of the third quarter to the 4-minute mark of the game, neither team got closer to the endzone than the opposition’s 45 yard line. Both teams seem to be waiting for the other to crack, for a routine play to turn into an opportunity. That crack came with 3:53 left to play, and it came from a simple mistake.   Denver had the ball on their own 37 on a 2 nd and 7. The play called for a fake to Lindsay and a toss over the middle to either TE T. J. Hockenson or slot receiver Kevin White, whomever had shaken off their coverage. As the play developed, it was White who had gotten inside position on the nickel back, and had a step. Josh Allen put the ball in the air, a laser in front of White, but White, feeling the presence of the safety coming in, diverted his eyes from the ball. Rather than coming cleanly into his hands, the ball deflected off his fingertips and up into the air. It was a classic tip drill, and there, coming over from his coverage on Hockenson was Arizona LB Scooby Wright. Wright came down with the ball, falling to the ground before holding it up in celebration. Arizona had the ball on the Denver 41 with time to get into position for a game-winning kick.   The Arizona offense would do the rest, using a pair of outside runs from Ka’Deem Carey, they reached the Arizona 32. A 3 rd and inches produced a first down on a QB sneak. With 1 st  and 10 on the 31, Arizona took a shot at the endzone on first down, thwarted by CB Chidobe Awuzie. On 2 nd  down it was Isaiah Crowell up the middle for 4. Then on third, a throwaway as Carr could not find a receiver before DE Justice Cole got too close for comfort. Out came Elliott Parson to attempt the 44-yard kick. It was a clean kick and with 1:21 left to play, the Wranglers had the lead, they had taken advantage of the crack in Denver’s game, a simple hesitation that produced a turnover.   The Gold would not recover. Going to a no huddle, the Denver offense got a first down immediately on an Allen to Crabtree connection, but it would be the final completion of the day for the Denver QB. Two plays later, a holding call on 2 nd  and 10 put the Gold in a brutal 2 nd and 20 position, and Allen was unable to make connections with his receivers to pull them out of the hole. On 4 th  and 20 his final pass reached Golden Tate, but Joe Haden was there to break it up and Arizona took over. The win was theirs, and with it a trip to Summer Bowl 2019 and a rematch with the Houston Gamblers for the USFL title.   Houston Finds New Options in Attack With Mike Evans on the IR, and with the Bandit defense doing all it could to neutralize HB Carlos Hyde (75 yards on 21 carries) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (2 receptions on 7 targets), the Houston Gamblers were forced to find alternatives. They proved just how dangerous their offense is by doing just that. WR Josh Reynolds stepped up with 4 receptions for 98 yards, proving that he could be a valuable weapon for McCoy on the outside, but the biggest revelation was tight end Tony Moeaki. Living in the shadow of Vernon Davis since coming to the Gamblers from St. Louis, Moeaki was viewed as primarily a run blocker or an extra defender for Colt McCoy’s blind side, but in their game against Tampa Bay, he became an option for McCoy, and one used often.   With only 20 receptions all year, Moeaki was hardly on Tampa Bay’s gameplan as a threat. But in the game this week, the 10-year veteran was targeted 8 times, coming away with 5 receptions for 41 yards and a key score in the 3 rd  quarter. With the Bandits focusing their attention on Hyde and Smith-Schuster, McCoy had to find options, and in Moeaki he found a reliable one. Sure, the Samoan former Hawkeye was not going to pull away from defenders, but he was able to get open and bring the ball in on key plays, sustaining Houston drives and helping them do just enough to get the W against the Bandits.   In all likelihood, Arizona will also try to contain Hyde and Smith-Schuster, they may even target Vernon Davis as a potential offensive threat. So the ability of the Gamblers to turn to others, whether Moeaki, Reynolds, slot man Keke Coutee or even fullback Anthoy Sherman, may prove essential as they try to repeat as champions. A diverse offense is the key to defeating a quality defense, and Houston is showing that they understand the necessity to move beyond the favored targets and use everyone on their roster.   Butker Kicking Himself Over Misses While we certainly would not single out Harrison Butker as the reason Houston, and not Tampa Bay, is going to be playing in Las Vegas this week, it is undeniable that the Bandits’ kicker did not have his best week. In addition to missing a PAT on their opening score of the 2 nd  half, a 1-point differential which would have caused the Eastern Title Game to go to overtime, he also missed on two field goals, including a 38-yarder in the first half. Either of those kicks would have won the game for the Bandits.   Was it a case of the yips? Did the pressure of the title game get to the Bandits’ kicker? It seems something was off. Missing on the early field goal could perhaps be just a case of nerves, but by the 2 nd half you would expect that a kicker of Butker’s quality would have shaken off the early game jitters and be ready to help his team take the title. The missed PAT showed no signs of a botched snap or poor hold, it simply went sideways from the moment it came off Butker’s foot, sliding outside the right upright without so much as a doink. Later in the game, with the Bandits up 21-15, Butker lined up for a 48-yarder, not an easy kick, but certainly one he has made before (5 of 7 in the regular season from 45+). Again the ball hooked to the right, another missed opportunity, as it would have given the Bandits a 9-point, 2-score lead at the time.   Is it fair to single out these misses as the reason the Bandits are sitting at home this weekend? No, that hardly seems fair. After all, they had more than a quarter left in the game to put up more points. So, it is not appropriate for fans to be calling for a new kicker in 2020, as some on sports radio have asserted. The Bandits did have other opportunities; they just did not put the ball in the endzone or keep Houston from doing so. Winning is a team effort, as is losing. While Harrison Butker certainly will not look back fondly on this week’s game, he is hardly the sole reason that the Bandits are not moving on to Summer Bowl 2020, and Coach Trestman is certainly not going to put all the weight of the loss on the right foot of his kicker. Butker will be back in 2020 and he will have other chances to show his value to the team.   Hufnagel Loves His Team’s Fight Losing to the Wranglers was a tough blow for the Denver Gold, but Coach Hufnagel is not bowing his head. Since the game, both in the post-game media time and in his own local show in Denver, he was adamant about how pleased he was with his team’s tenacity, grit, and effort. And there is no denying that in the way Denver played both in their surprising victory over Michigan and their narrow defeat in Arizona, the Gold outperformed expectations, did all they could to level the playing field with a more talented opponent, and frustrated their opposition. Both Panther Coach Sean McDermott and Arizona’s Jim Tomsula praised the Gold’s gameplan and their ability to stick to a plan with determination. Coach Hufnagel spoke of the same thing in his evaluation of the two games.   Rehashing the cliché of football as a game of inches, Hufnagel laid out just how close it was in Michigan, and that the Panthers could have easily gotten a break or two to win that game, and just how close it was in Arizona. Without the late game turnover, or if it had been Carr’s ball and not Allen’s that was tipped into the air, and the Gold could easily have taken the win and moved on. It will be a long offseason for Denver, and they do have some issues to address, not the least of which is Von Miller’s demand for a new deal, but the fans in Denver and the organization as a whole, has to be proud of the way the Gold committed themselves to the postseason, outperformed expectations and created something to build on for the future.   Wranglers Finding Balance When it is Most Needed The book on Arizona is well-known. They are a big play team, often relying on their QB and WR group to hit on the 40, 50, or longer pass plays to break open a defense. Their run game is just to keep the safeties honest. Well, that was not the case this week. Arizona showed surprising balance in their attack, using the run effectively to move the ball, not just to set up single coverage for one of their talented receivers. In a game that saw David Carr attempt 27 passes, the combination of Ka’Deem Carey and Isaiah Crowell accounted for 29 plays, 15 carries for the speedster and 14 for the grinder. Those 29 carries produced 125 yards on the ground and a touchdown. With Carr completing only 12 of his 27 attempts, for only 188 yards, it was the balance of the Arizona offense that helped get the Wranglers the win and their Summer Bowl slot.   Will that balance work against Houston? Yes and no. Yes, balance certainly will help. If Arizona can establish the run as a viable weapon in their arsenal, it will pressure the Houston defense to keep linebackers, and even safeties, near the line, and it could disrupt Coach Phillips’ blitz schemes. But, at the same time, Arizona is going to have to find those huge 40 yard or longer chunk plays, the big backbreakers, against a Houston team that is unlikely to be held to 17 points, as Denver was. Arizona may not want to play in a shootout, but they need to formulate ways to win one if that is what the game turns out to be. Having a viable run game is a part of the solution there. It can provide them with opportunities for big gains in the passing game, or it can be used (to take a page out of Denver’s gameplan) to shorten the game and give Houston fewer opportunities to cause damage on offense as well.   Two very healthy teams are heading into the Summer Bowl, with neither team facing a serious concern coming out of the conference title games. Keke Coutee continues to nurse a hamstring issue, but it did not seem to impact him this week, so we expect he will be fully able to engage against the Wranglers. Arizona lists no one on their injury roster and we believe that to be accurate as they did not have anyone leave the Denver game due to injury, so two very good teams at full strength is what we can expect this week.   ARZ:       NONE HOU:     WR Mike Evans (IR), CB Siran Neal (P), WR Keke Coutee (P)   USFL Gala Presents Awards & All-USFL Team The world-famous Wynn Las Vegas was the home for this year’s USFL Summer Bowl Gala, and it was a parade of big-name talent, celebrity appearances, and all the glitz you would expect from Sin City. From showgirls to Celene Dion, it was a night of surprises, and a night of celebration of excellence in the premier spring football league. At the center of it all were the awards and the award winners, along with the unveiling of the All-USFL Team for 2019. We will start there, with 44 players named to the honor roll. As always, there will be some players, and many fans, who feel that they did not get the recognition they deserve, but it is hard to deny that the 44 names on this year’s All-USFL Team don’t deserve to be honored. Here is the roster of this year’s honorees:   QB: Dak Prescott (TBY), Kirk Cousins (MGN), David Carr (ARZ) HB: LeVeon Bell (MGN), Eddie Lacy (STL), Carlos Hyde (HOU) FB: Kyle Juszczyk (MGN) TE: Coby Fleener (NOR), Jordan Cameron (TBY) WR: Odell Beckham Jr. (NJ), Dez Bryant (TBY), JuJu Smith-Schuster (HOU)      Victor Cruz (ARZ), Cody Latimer (MGN) OT: Levi Brown (TBY), Brandon Scherff (ARZ), Riley Reiff (BAL) OG: Jason Asamoah (HOU), Barrett Brooks (TBY), Chase Warmack (DAL) C: Mike Pouncey (CHA), Stefen Wisniewski   DE: Calais Campbell (ARZ), Shaquile Riddick (PIT), Cliff Avril (OAK) DT: Ndamukong Suh (POR), Aaron Donald (PIT), Dan Williams (MEM) LB: Channing Crowder (PHI), Rolando McClain (CHA), Trey Hendrickson (STL),      Bobby Wagner (OAK), A. J. Klien (ARZ), DeMeco Ryans (BIR/TBY) CB: Leodis McKelvin (HOU), Stephon Gilmore (LA), Antonio Cromartie (BIR)     Dre Kirkpatrick (MGN) SS: JaJuan Jarrett (OAK), Budda Baker (HOU) FS: Earl Thomas (ATL), Nate Allen (ARZ) ST: Elliott Parson (ARZ), Matt Bosher (BIR)   The Arizona Wranglers led all teams with 7 All-USFL players, followed closely by the resurgent Tampa Bay Bandits with 6 and both Michigan and Houston with 5 apiece. And after the All-USFL Team was announced, it was time to start handing out some individual awards, all five of the annual honors found their 2019 recipients, with few surprises across the evening.   MOST VALUABLE PLAYER It was a competitive 2-man race between Michigan QB Kirk Cousins and Tampa Bay’s Dak Prescott , but in the end, the combination of individual achievement, including 4,245 yards and 30 TDs, and team improvement, jumping from 3 wins to 10 in one season, that gave the honor to first-time recipient Dak Prescott of the Bandits.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Kirk Cousins may have missed out on the MVP, but there was one Michigan Panther who was not denied as HB LeVeon Bell “ran away” with the OPOTY award, if you will forgive the pun. With1,552 yards rushing, 11 total touchdowns, and a career best 453 yards receiving on the year, the 2,000+ yards from scrimmage were more than enough to win Bell his 3 rd  OPOTY in the past 4 years.   DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Who else could hold up this trophy but Calais Campbell . Moving to a new team, winning his 10 th consecutive sack title, and helping Arizona win the SW Division for a 5 th consecutive season was more than ample reason to once again recognize Campbell as the best defender in the game. The 2019 DPOTY is Campbell’s 5 th , and there are many who still say he should have at least another 2-3.   ROOKIE OF THE YEAR It came down to two players, one on either side of the ball, but in the end, as it so often does, offense wins out over defense, at least when it comes to awards. This year’s ROTY is Baltimore HB Josh Jacobs , who finished 2019 with 1,132 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns for the Blitz. A competitive 2 nd  place was held by Orlando DE Montez Sweat, who had the unenviable job of replacing a legend in Calais Campbell. Sweat more than held his own, with 17 sacks in his rookie campaign.   COACH OF THE YEAR As always, this award goes to the coach who produced the biggest upturn for his team, and no one did more than Tampa Bay’s Mark Trestman , with the Bandits improving from a miserable 3-13 in 2018 to an impressive 10-6 record with a division title to boot. Trestman’s Bandits were explosive on offense and had marked improvement on defense. They went 6-2 in division and earned the 2-seed this year after finishing as one of the worst teams in the league just 12 months ago.   Congratulations to all the nominees, all the winners, and to the entire All-USFL squad for 2019. And now, with the Gala concluded, we have 2 more days of practice, pundits, and prognostication, and then it is game time as we gear up for Summer Bowl 2019 in Wynn Arena.   5 Stories to Follow this Offseason While all eyes are in Las Vegas for Summer Bowl 2019, we here at “This Week in the USFL” are well aware that this is our last regular report until October, which means we might want to talk a bit about the offseason. So, we put our heads together, looked ahead at the upcoming Free Agency period, as well as September’s expansion draft, and decided to hit you with 5 stories you will want to track between now and October. These are the stories we think will impact the league and your favorite team, especially if you are a newly christened fan of the Steamrollers or Gunslingers.   1—Will any USFL Stars go Unprotected in the Expansion Draft? The answer here is an unqualified “yes”. With each team only able to protect 10 roster spots, there will certainly be some very well known, and very solid players left unprotected. Is your favorite team going to lose their All-USFL QB or star halfback? No. But positions like safety, defensive tackle, linebacker, or tight end quite possibly could be seen as a lower priority. We also could see some players hitting the twilight of their careers, especially those with bloated cap-hammering contracts left available with the possible effect of having either New England or San Antonio pick up that expense and that late career player.   With a cap of 3 potential players taken from any team, the damage, even if some quality players are left unprotected, will not be severe, but for a team that has already had significant retirements from their roster, or a large free agent exodus, the expansion draft could definitely complicate a club’s offseason, adding new needs that were not part of the original plan. But, for others, cap relief may actually make for a more beneficial position from which to approach the draft and free agency. We all expect that there will be some surprises, for example teams with a QB battle leaving those QBs exposed to see if one of the expansion teams will solve their dilemma for them, or perhaps a team with a player who is good on the field and a nightmare off it leaving that locker room issue available and hoping he soon becomes someone else’s problem. These could all happen, but if you are a fan of one of the 28 current teams, you really should not fear that your roster will be gutted by the expansion draft.   2—Will both Flacco and Lynch be Returning to San Antonio? Both are up in the air, though Marshawn Lynch certainly seems open to the idea of giving it one more season if that season brings him back to San Antonio and he can be the main man for a new team. We are not sure Lynch is ready to be the main man for an offense, but perhaps from a promotion and “face of the franchise” perspective, he would be a good addition. As for Joe Flacco, on the one hand he had his worst season in a long time this year. On the other, an expansion team getting a veteran QB with Flacco’s credentials is more than most can ever hope for. Flacco will almost certainly be a better, more secure, option than any other quarterback left unprotected in the expansion draft. Sure, he may not be a 35 TD, 4,000-yard QB anymore, but San Antonio will have a better shot at some early success with Flacco under center than with pretty much any other option that might be available to them this year.   3—Who Will Land the Biggest Free Agent Fish, Aaron Donald? This will be “THE” story of free agency. Very much like the Calais Campbell story last year, Donald is in the enviable position of essentially picking and choosing the situation he will accept. And like Campbell, we believe Donald is not so much chasing dollars as championship rings. That limits the pool of potential teams quite a bit. For Campbell the move to Arizona was all about chasing a title, one he now has within sight. For Donald, a very similar goal is in mind. So, who could be on his short list? Certainly, Michigan would be an enticing option. Houston also would be in the mix. We think Arizona is out, simply because the cost of having both Campbell and Donald on the D-line would hurt their ability to put together anything else within the cap. If we go beyond the 3 obviously elite teams, there is a pretty nice pool of potential contenders, teams that would have a much better shot with Aaron Donald on their roster. San Diego and Tampa Bay are obvious options in the “one missing piece” category. We think New Jersey or Orlando could also be an option. It would be interesting to see if Donald stepped into Campbell’s former club and, paired with sensational 2019 rookie Montez Sweat, did what Campbell could not do in Orlando. And, one last thought, if Von Miller is serious, and if Denver does not blink, either trading or releasing the unhappy DE, they would then have the funds to bring in Donald, and that would also be a very interesting move.   4—Will Oakland Stand Pat at QB or Go Shopping? Coach Kubiak’s Wild Card Playoff QB switch tells us that the Invaders are getting frustrated with Jimmy Garoppolo’s lack of production and are open to a new option. Rather than go into camp next January with two middling options and no clear frontrunner, they could look at jettisoning one of their 2 current “starters” (expansion draft, anyone?) and then go for the big-name rookie. Portland is unlikely to draft Justin Herbert, but also unlikely to trade within division to send him to Oakland. But we could imagine Birmingham, having just given Cam Newton a new deal, being open to sending Tua Tagovoiloa’s rights to the Invaders. Another option might be to work out a deal with Jacksonville, who brought in Ryan Tannehill from the NFL last offseason only to have Teddy Bridgewater secure the starting job with a solid 2019. A lot is up in the air in Oakland, because having 2 quarterbacks you are unsure of is not the way any team wants to go into a new season, so keep an eye on how they handle free agency and the expansion draft. That will tell us what we need to know about the plans for 2020.   5—Is This the Year Chuck Long Gets His Shot at the Big Chair? Well, there are only 2 positions left from the 5 we started out with only 3 weeks ago, but we still think the Arizona OC has to be a serious contender for a head coaching job. Chuck Long has shown that he can get results with a backup QB (Ryan Nassib in 2018), and with a whole new receiving corps (after Fitzgerald’s retirement and Bryant’s departure last offseason), by putting together a very strong campaign with free agent Victor Cruz and untested talent DeMarcus Robinson. With all the changes on Arizona’s roster over the past 3 seasons, they have maintained their status as an elite offense, and that has to be attractive to the teams out there looking for a new head coach. So, while New England (John Fox), Charlotte (Vance Joseph), and Pittsburgh (Skip Holtz) are out of the market, we think that both the expansion San Antonio Gunslingers and the Atlanta Fire could do a lot worse than to bring Chuck Long in to help build an offensive juggernaut.   Summer Bowl Preview Here we go, Summer Bowl 2019. A rematch of the 2018 title game. Does Houston go back-to-back and make history? Does Arizona get a measure of revenge and cement themselves as a decade-dynasty by winning their 3 rd  title in 7 years? We will break down the matchup statistically. Talk a bit about history between these two clubs, even bring in some of their 2019 opponents to get their analysis of each club, but in the end, we will have to pick a winner. Stop snickering. We know how mediocre our track record is with picks, but we doubt you have done much better. So, let’s break this game down and see what we see.   BY THE NUMBERS We start by taking a look at these two returning conference champions statistically, because while we know the history between the two last year, these are not the exact same teams as the two that met in New Orleans for Summer Bowl 2018. Here are 15 different statistical markers that might tell us something about the matchup.   CATEGORY                            ARIZONA                       HOUSTON Points Per Game                   27.6       (1 st )                25.2       (4 th ) Yards Per Game                  366.1    (2 nd )               353.6    (4 th ) Passing Per Game                    255.8    (4 th )                 262.8    (2 nd ) Rushing Per Game               110.2    (3 rd )                  89.8       (16 th )   Points Allowed                         16.8       (5 th )                 20.4       (16 th ) Yards Allowed                          344.1    (25 th )                328.4    (21 st ) Passing Allowed                    261.5    (26 th )               225.8    (16 th ) Rushing Allowed                    82.6       (11 th )               102.6    (21 st )   Turnover Differential              +9           (12 th )              +9           (12 th ) Sacks                                        60           (4 th )                  49           (8 th ) Interceptions                          17           (4 th )                 14           (8 th ) Field Goal %                           94.1%   (1 st )                   77.8%   (18 th ) Penalties                                63          (10 th )                 65           (13 th ) Record in 1-Score Games        4-2                                     5-5   When we look at the offenses, we see two very good squads. Perhaps surprising is that Houston is significantly more dependent on their passing game, despite having Carlos Hyde as their lead rusher. Hyde is outstanding as a receiver, which might explain why there is not as much of an emphasis on the straight run game. We also should note that while Hyde has the most rushing yards of any back in this matchup, Arizona’s use of a HB duo (Ka’Deem Carey and Isaiah Crowell) easily outpaces Houston’s one-back offense in total yardage, with Hyde accounting for 1,151 yards and the duo of Carey and Crowell accounting for 1,741. The ability for Arizona to balance their offense could be important, but as we have seen, there is no denying that Houston can lean on Hyde for a ground game when needed. Our thoughts on the offensive matchup is that both teams are very capable of putting up good games, so it is nearly impossible to say that one has a clear advantage.   The defensive stats are also largely balanced, with each club perhaps having issues with yardage, using a bend-but-don’t-break philosophy, or with both accustomed to playing with a lead, which tends to produce greater yardage for the opposition but without the real threat of a foe outlasting their club’s offense. That said, Arizona has been far more successful than Houston in keeping teams beneath 20 points per game, which means that they are putting less pressure on the offense to be on their game. Additionally, while both teams tend to give up a lot of passing yardage (something we tend to see in teams that have strong offenses because the opposition abandons the run to try to catch up) Arizona has a greater capacity to stuff the run and force teams to be one dimensional. That, of course, feeds right into Calais Campbell and the pass rush as well.  We are giving an advantage here to the Wranglers.   The two teams are pretty well balanced as far as some key intangibles go, with both equal at a +9 in turnover/takeaway balance, both strong in their pass rush and solid in forcing opposing QBs into uncomfortable throws and interceptions. It is interesting to note that Elliott Parson has been far more accurate this year than Younghoe Koo, which could be a factor to note should this game come down to a few key field goal opportunities. Somehow this does not feel like a matchup that ends with a game winning kick, but if it does, Arizona seems to have the advantage there. Finally, Houston has certainly had far more experience in tight games, but their 5-5 record seems to indicate that they have not always found the way to come out on top in that scenario. This could be tied to the issues with field goal accuracy, or just that they have not been able to retain leads or grow them to the same level that Arizona has.   The statistical matchups all seem to point to an advantage for the Wranglers, thanks in part to their ability to put pressure on offenses through the pass rush and their ability to pull away in games over time. Those two trends in the stats certainly seem to fall in Arizona’s favor, both being patterns which do not match the 2018 numbers or game outcome.   MATCHUP HISTORY The Gamblers and Wranglers did not play each other this year, a result of Houston moving from the West to the East, but the two have certainly faced off many times in the past, including, but not limited to last year’s title game. That game, of course, is the most recent matchup of the two former division foes, with Houston taking a convincing 17-point win, 48-31. Prior to that game, the two faced off 36 times over the long history of both clubs, with Arizona holding a 20-16 advantage in all games. Of course, that is a span of nearly 40 years, so not all of those games have much relevance to this matchup.   But if we look only at the last 5 years, with both Coach Tomsula and Coach Phillips going head-to-head, and both rosters having many of the same parts (again, tenuously, since player turnover certainly has been heavy among both clubs even in only 5 seasons), what do we see? Well, prior to their Summer Bowl matchup in 2018, the last time the two faced off was Week 15 of the 2017 season, which was another shootout game, with Arizona taking the W by a score of 38-31 at home. Prior to that, the two had not faced off since the 2014 season, when Houston was still a member of the SW Division along with the Wranglers. In that year the two faced off twice, with Arizona taking a 13-10 defensive win in Week 9 and then pounding the Gamblers 41-21 in Week 13.  So, do we gain anything from this history? Perhaps only that there is a general propensity for high-scoring games, with Arizona having a better track record over time, but last year that did not mean anything as the Gamblers not only won the game but did so pulling away. ASKING THOSE WHO KNOW So, with only marginal help from looking at stats and history, we turn to those who might know best, players who faced off against the Gamblers, the Wranglers, or both this year. What do they see in these two teams and who do they pick to win it all. We start with two players who matched up against both clubs this year, followed by two who played one of the two twice as divisional foes.   Atlanta LB Luke Kuechley:  Kuechley, who played against both the Wranglers and the Gamblers this year, helping Atlanta produce an upset win over Houston, while falling to the Wranglers, had nothing but praise for both teams, but clearly seemed to have a favorite in this one.  According to Kuechley, “Arizona has too many weapons. You shut down their top receiver, they run the ball, you focus on the run, they go over the top. They are a really hard team to defend.” He added about the Gamblers, that: “If Mike Evans were playing, they might also be a match up problem, but without their best receiver, they are definitely weakened.” We asked Kuechley for a final score and he was very bullish on Arizona, picking the Wranglers to win 31-21.   Tampa Bay CB Jalen Ramsey:  Another player who faced both clubs, even before this past week’s defeat at the hands of the Gamblers, Ramsey also focused on the offensive firepower of both teams,saying: “Both of these teams can turn a short completion into a touchdown on any play. They both have big time receivers, and both know how to put them into winning schemes.” Despite his praise for both passing games, Ramsey pointed out that Houston has one distinct advantage over the Wranglers, commenting that “Carlos Hyde is the key. If he gets going, especially as a receiver, then you just cannot have enough men on defense to slow down the Gamblers. If you go nickel or dime too early, he will grind you down on the ground, but if you stick with your standard defense, he becomes a very dangerous receiver.”  His pick? He is going for the Gamblers, picking them to win a shootout, Houston 41-35.   Memphis HB Todd Gurley:  We wanted to speak to someone who played the Gamblers twice this year, and Todd Gurley was there both times the Gamblers took a W from the Showboats in division play. So, what did the Showboat halfback have to say? “The thing with the Gamblers is that their defense may not look great on paper, but that is because they so often get to ease up later in a game, when their offense has already put the game away. When they want to tighten up, they can be one of the most aggressive defenses in the league, but they don’t have to hold that intensity all game because the offense is so good.” Gurley did not want to fuel the fire under the Gamblers by talking too much about Arizona, but admitted: “Do I think Houston will win? Yeah, I do. Do I want them to? Hell, no.”   Oklahoma QB Joe Flacco:  We did the same for the Wranglers, finding a player who suffered two defeats at their hands. QB Joe Flacco of the Oklahoma Outlaws came close twice, but fell to Arizona in both Week 1 and Week 14. According to Joe, “Arizona can beat you 13-10 or 50-45. They have the offensive firepower to run with anyone, but they can also play shut down defense, especially this year, with Campbell there.” We asked Flacco about Campbell’s role in Arizona, and he stated “He is what he always has been, pure disruption. You may think it is all about the sacks, and he certainly loves them, but he is willing to chase down a halfback pitch, or get in the mix in the middle too. He is simply the best defender on the field, has been for as long as I can remember”. So, who wins? Of course the QB of a Southwest rival goes with the Wranglers. Flacco thinks the defenses will do just fine in the game, picking Arizona to win a game with lower-than-expected scoring, “It’s gonna be the Wranglers, but not a shootout, something like 24-20, not the crazy scoring festival most folks want to see.”   WE MAKE OUR PICK  So, there you have it. Four expert opinions from players that lined up against the Gamblers, the Wranglers, or both. And they come in split 2-2. So who are we to get it right if they cannot even pick a winner? OK, we know we have to. And we have looked at every factor, from third down defense to punt return average. These two are so hard to lock down, so hard to define, and quite possibly we are looking at one of the best matchups in Summer Bowl history, and the fact that it is a rematch. So, who do we pick?   We are going to go for history, for Houston getting a 6 th  title, and joining the 2002-2003 Ohio Glory as only the 2 nd  team to defend their title with a repeat Championship. Would we be shocked if Arizona pulls it out? No, of course not. They are too good a team to be discounted, but when push comes to shove, we have to pick a winner, and we think Houston is both motivated and focused. So we are going to pick the Gamblers to win, and with all deference to Joe Flacco’s thoughts, we think it will be a shootout. Our pick is Houston to win 35-33. That sure sounds like a great game to us.

After a Wild Card weekend that saw all 4 games settled by 3 or fewer points, the Divisional Round hit us with more disparity among teams, though in at least one case we had a major upset. With Arizona winning by 31, Houston by 25, and Tampa Bay by 12, the 8-point margin in the Denver-Michigan game does not seem so bad, but when you highlight that it was the heavily favored Michigan Panthers who went down to defeat, becoming the first home playoff favorite to lose in this year’s postseason, the shock is still there.   We will start our report with Denver’s surprising upset of the 14-2 Panthers, break down all 4 games and prepare you for the USFL Conference Championships, featuring a 1 v. 2 matchup in the East as the Bandits head to Houston to face the Gamblers, and a surprising 4 v. 2 matchup in the West, where the upstart Denver Gold head to face their archnemesis, the Arizona Wranglers with a trip to the Summer Bowl on the line. We will also discuss Two coaching hires, one a major head-scratcher, and the latest from post-season retirements across the league. All this and a look at how a certain 10-time USFL Sack Leader is having the time of his life with a new club.  We start, however, with the story of the week, a major upset as the 1-seed Panthers stumble at home.   Denver Strikes Gold, Upsets Top-Seeded Michigan In 8 playoff games this season the home favorite has won 7. The lone exception was perhaps the biggest upset possible this weekend as the 4 th  seed Denver Gold upended the 14-2, top seeded Michigan Panthers. Denver came in with no pressure, no expectation to win, and so they played loose, they played with intensity and abandon, and they got Michigan to seize up, to choke when they could least afford it. The Gold did what an underdog has to do on the road in the playoffs, they rattled the favored Panthers, got their quarterback to make bad choices, stayed in the game, kept the pressure on, and found a way to win in the end.   What Denver did was pretty much textbook underdog strategy: keep the score close, shorten the game by milking the clock for all 60 minutes, avoidself-inflicted wounds, and keep the pressure on the opponent to see if they crack. The Gold did not play home run ball, they bunted, stole bases, took what they could get, and kept reminding the Panthers throughout that they were not the team everyone thought they were. Josh Allen, in only his second playoff game as a pro, went 15 of 20, threw no picks, and kept a cool head against pretty solid pressure from the Panther defense. Phillip Lindsay and DeMarco Murray combined for 95 yards, but also for 32 carries, each one taking 30+ seconds off the clock. The Denver defense contained Cody Latimer and Antonio Bryant, using two-level zones to keep everything in front of them, while the front 7 made sure that LeVeon Bell was accounted for on every play. Bell would average only 2.9 yards per carry, limited to 66 yards on 23 carries.   And when the time came, Denver made the most of their opportunities, particularly after both of Kirk Cousins bad decisions turned into takeaways for the Gold defense. Chidobe Awunzie’s near pick-six created a crack in Kirk Cousins that did not heal for the rest of the game. The second pick, Marqui Christian’s interception would produce the game winning drive for the Gold. Two turnovers, 10 points, and a 3 point deficit became an 8-point lead. While Coach McDermott did not blame QB Kirk Cousins for the loss, and he is right that the entire team underperformed in a game where they were heavily favored, we have to acknowledge that Denver’s gameplan maximized the pressure on Cousins, not physically (he was only sacked 2 times) but psychologically. By hanging right there with the Panthers, not allowing the big play to emerge, and not making mistakes, the Gold got Michigan to doubt themselves, so when things started going bad, they kept going bad. That is how an underdog gets a playoff win, and that is how the Denver Gold moved on to play in the USFL Western Conference Finals this week.   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 20   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 45 A close game through the half turned into a Houston route as the Gamblers put up a 21-0 scoring run in the second half to pull away from division rival New Orleans. We don’t know what Coach Phillips said at the half, but it clearly paid off as the Gamblers were simply dominant for the final 30 minutes of action in this one.   Early on it looked very much like we might have a tooth-and-nail battle between these two familiar foes. The Breakers opened things up on their first possession and put 7 on the board when Geno Smith found Jordy Nelson for a 9-yard TD toss. Houston responded with 10 points on two drives, adding a Keke Coutee TD from Colt McCoy along with a Koo field goal to take their first lead. That lead did not last long as New Orleans got two field goals of their own on their next two possessions to open the 2 nd quarter. But those were just the first 2 of 5 scores in the 2 nd  as both teams proved their offensive credentials.   Houston, down 13-10 after the second Sturgis FG came back quickly, putting together a 67-yard drive that lasted only 6 plays before Carlos Hyde busted free for an 11-yard TD on a screen pass from McCoy. New Orleans responded with a TD from Smith to Kenny Britt with 1:38 left in the half, but that too was not the final score as McCoy hit Josh Reynolds with a 36-yard scoring strike only 31 seconds later. So, we went into the half with Houston up 24-20, but this game had the feeling of a shootout that would not be decided until the final seconds. Something changed at the half, because that simply did not happen.   While Geno Smith found great success in the first half, throwing for 288 yards, his second half would be much tougher. In the second half, Houston adjusted their attack strategy on defense and not only sacked Smith 5 times in the final 30 minutes but also held him to only 60 yards through the air as the Gamblers shut down Jordy Nelson and contained the Breaker attack. At the same time, the Houston offense continued to put points on the board. It started with a 3 rd  quarter TD toss from McCoy to Smith-Shuster his 4 th  on the day. Only 5 minutes later he added a 5-yard toss to Josh Reynolds. With a 38-20 lead, the 3 rd  quarter proved fatal to the Breakers.   New Orleans pushed in the final 15 minutes, but that simply led to more long 3 rd  down attempts, and more failed drives. Meanwhile, Houston was comfortable giving the ball to Hyde, who finished the game with 100 yards even, and dinking their way to first downs. They would add another late score, with C. J. Prosise putting the ball in from the 11, but it was not needed. New Orleans simply did not have the firepower to come back on the Gamblers and Houston punched their ticket to yet another Eastern Title Game, their 3 rd  in a row. DENVER GOLD 20  MICHIGAN PANTHERS 12 If the weekend’s opener gave us an offensive explosion, the 2 nd  act was more of an implosion as the 14-2 Panthers simply folded under pressure from the Denver Gold. The Panthers came into the game confident, perhaps a bit cocky. The Vegas line had creeped up from 7 to 10 points, and the Gold were generally disrespected as an opponent happy just to be there. It seems Denver took offense at that categorization and wanted to prove that they deserved a shot at the Conference Title Game. They not only proved they deserved to be in the game, they deserved to win it.   The first half of the matchup was dominated by both defenses. Denver struggled to get a run game going, but the Panthers were finding it equally hard to find room for LeVeon Bell to get into open space. While both QBs were able to complete passes in early downs, both struggled to find receivers on key 3 rd  downs, with the two teams combining to go 5 of 15 on conversions over the half. The defensive struggle kept both kickers busy, with Denver’s Greg Zeurlein putting 1 through the uprights while Michigan’s Chase McLaughlin did him two better, producing a 9-3 halftime score that rightfully had the Panther faithful at Ford Field feeling a bit antsy.   That anxiety was only slightly tempered by a 4 th  McLaughlin kick to start the second half. Michigan had pushed the ball to the Denver 20 but could get no further, a frustrating lack of finishing power that kept the game close and gave Denver a shot to come back on the favorites. The Gold did just that with their first possession of the second half. Sparked by the first big play of the game, a 28-yard throw from Allen to Golden Tate that defied logic. Allen appeared to be falling out of bounds when he let the ball go. Somehow it stayed straight down the sideline and Golden Tate not only brought the ball in, but kept his toes down for a valid catch. Four plays later, Allen found Tate again, this time for 7 as he hit the veteran in the endzone with a laser that zipped right past the safety.   Denver was now down only 12-10, and had finally broken through Michigan’s defense. But, Michigan still had the lead and could punch it back up to 2 scores with a touchdown on their next drive. But that touchdown did not come. Instead, what Michigan got was a pick from Kirk Cousins that initially looked like it could go the distance. Denver CB Chidobe Awunzie tiptoed down the sideline for an apparent score, but upon review it was shown that he stepped out at the Michigan 21. Denver would not be able to punch the ball in, but their 2 nd  Zeurlein field goal gave them their first lead of the game, 13-12. The throw itself was a bad one, with Cousins just not reading the play right and throwing to Antonio Bryant’s inside, when Bryant broke outwards.   The Panthers avoided a catastrophe, but the play clearly rattled QB Kirk Cousins. He missed on his next 3 rd  down throw, forcing a punt to open the final period. On their next possession, he was sacked on a poorly designed bootleg, leading to an unmakeable 3 rd and 21. Now the Panther faithful were more than nervous, they were concerned. That concern would turn to despair on Cousin’s next throw. With 8 minutes left in the game, and the Panthers still trailing by only 1 point, Cousins again made a truly poor choice. The Panther QB, under duress from a charging Von Miller and pressure from the right coming from LB Justin Houston, Cousins forced a ball towards TE Martellus Bennett. The throw into the middle of the field sailed over Bennett’s head and directly into the hands of Denver safety Marqui Christian, a backup who had only been in the game for 3 plays after starter DaJuan Morgan had to come out after a poke to the eye. Christian made the play of the game for Denver returning the pick another 9 yards before being tackled at the Michigan 41.   Josh Allen and the Denver offense recognized the moment and rose to it. They used 10 plays to march the remaining 41 yards to paydirt, eating up nearly 6 minutes to do it. Switching between Lindsay and Murray, the Gold pushed the ball on the ground. When a pass was needed to mix things up, Allen connected with TE Jack Doyle for 10 and Lindsay for 8. At the end of the drive, with the ball sitting at the 2, Allen gave the ball to backup HB Robert Foster before rolling out to the right. Michigan defenders split between the little-used back and the dangerous QB run, and that gave Foster enough space to get across the plane. With 5:19 left to play, Denver had pushed their lead to 8 points. Michigan was on the ropes.   The Panthers would touch the ball 2 more times, the first leading to a punt with 3:23 left to play after Cody Latimer uncharacteristically dropped a catchable ball on 3 rd  and 7. The second came with only 11 seconds left to play and Michigan having used all their timeouts. It was not to happen. The 1 seed would go down, and the Denver Gold, who few had given a shot to advance, did just that. Was it a case of Denver being underrated, or was this a choke, pure and simple, from the supposedly better team. It would not matter. Michigan’s season fell short, and Denver was headed to the Conference Championship. PHILADELPHIA STARS 19   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 31 If drama was what you craved, Sunday’s games in the USFL playoffs were not for you. In the day’s opener, Tampa Bay gave up an early field goal to the Stars, responded with a Ryan Grant TD and would never lose the lead again. The Bandit offense was in good form all game, with Dak Prescott throwing for 311 and 2 scores and Dalvin Cook averaging 4.6 yards per carry to keep the Star defense honest.   When the Bandits added a 2 nd touchdown on a David Wilson 12-yard run, the Stars were down 11 and that meant that they could not grind out the game with Derrick Henry. Henry would get 21 carries, but 15 of those were in the first half and Philly still trailed by 11.   In the second half, the Stars put more on Matt Gutierrez, but It proved not to be enough. Philly started strong out of the halftime break, putting up 7 on a nice Gutierrez to Cobb touchdown throw, but when Tampa Bay responded with a 6-play “mini drive” and a Dalvin Cook TD, the Stars were still down by 11. Again Tampa Bay doubled up the scoring, with Prescott finding Grant for his 2 nd  TD of the game. Grant would finish with 97 yards and 2 scores, and TE Jordan Cameron would add 126 through the air as the Bandits took their 28-9 lead into the 4 th  quarter, playing more short passing and run game to shorten the game and keep Philadelphia from mounting a viable comeback.   The Stars managed to put 10 points on the board in the 4 th , but it was not enough as Tampa Bay added another field goal and finished the game with a 12-point margin. Despite a solid outing from Matt Gutierrez (22 of 37 for 291 and a score), Dak Prescott had gotten the better of him (16 of 32 for 321 and 2 scores) and the Bandits were headed to the Eastern Conference Championships only 1 year after a 3-13 finish. SAN DIEGO THUNDER 10   ARIZONA WRANGLERS 41 The final game of the weekend was billed as a shot at elite status for the San Diego Thunder. What we ended up getting was proof of just what elite football looks like as Arizona once again proved their status as one of the truly elite teams in the Western Conference. The Wranglers’ D dominated the first three quarters, giving up only 3 points to the Thunder and sacking Christian Ponder 5 times. Calais Campbell had 3 of those 5 sacks in truly dominant play. And when the Thunder finally started compensating for Campbell’s impressive rush skills, it left space for RE Bud DuPree and LB Scooby Wright to come at Ponder from the other side. Those three players would account for 7 sacks in the game.   The defensive performance over the first 3 quarters, paired with two TDs from the Wrangler HB group (one each for Crowell and Carey), helped the Wranglers build up a 17-3 lead going into the final period. With San Diego now pressing, Arizona took advantage, picking off Christian Ponder twice, and scoring 24 points, 14 off turnovers. After an Elliott Parson field goal made it 20-3, a pick put Arizona on the San Diego 30, and 2 plays later David Carr found Jimmie Graham for a score that made the gap 21 points. Another Ponder pick led to Ka’Deem Carey’s second TD, and now it was 34-3. The Thunder were just outmatched.   San Diego put 7 on the board late, but then gave up a careless TD to backup QB Brandon Allen. Allen had dumped the ball down to Chester Rogers in garbage time, but Rogers escaped the initial tackle and was off to the races, scoring from 45 yards out to give us the final score of 41-10. It was a bad loss for a San Diego team that came into the game seeking respect. It was a glorious win for a Wrangler team that came so close last year, losing to Houston in the Summer Bowl, and was clearly not only eager to return to a title game, but to cement their standing as a modern day dynasty with a 3 rd  title. Now, they were back in the Conference Championship, and, thanks to Denver’s stunning win in Michigan, that title game would be in Phoenix, well, Glendale. Arizona would host the Gold for a chance to return to the Summer Bowl and cement their place in history.   With Bryant Swarmed, Cameron Steps Up for Bandits It did not take long for the Tampa Bay Bandits to figure out the focus of Philadelphia’s defense. Between the shifted zones and the safety support it was very obvious that the goal of Jim Harbaugh’s defense was to deny Dez Bryant the ball. In the first quarter alone, Dak Prescott made 4 pass attempts to Bryant and all 4 proved dangerous as the Stars were bracketing the standout receiver for Tampa Bay. As the game progressed, the Bandits continued to look Bryant’s way, but often as a decoy, forcing the safety to shift even further and freeing up the game’s eventual receiving leader, TE Jordan Cameron. While Bryant finished the game with only 2 receptions on 8 targets, Cameron would catch 5 of 6 targets and amass 126 yards receiving against a Stars’ secondary that simply did not have the manpower to lock down Dez Bryant and Cameron on the same side of the field.   Cameron’s success also produced better opportunities for Ryan Grant, who also finished with 5 receptions in 6 targets, including touchdowns in both the 2 nd  and 3 rd  quarters. Essentially, Philadelphia was daring the Bandits to work without their top receiver, and with Dak Prescott throwing for 321 yards, the Bandits showed they could do just that. Chalk it up as a strategy that had a short lifespan. While the Bandits were held scoreless in the first quarter, allowing Philadelphia to open the game with a 3-0 lead, once deciphered, the strategy proved less than effective as Tampa Bay put touchdowns on the board in 4 of their 6 possessions between the 2 nd  and 3 rd  quarter. So, a memo to Houston, you may need to try something different.   Cousins Says Criticism is Fair After Rough Outing Michigan’s stunning defeat was a team effort, but if there is one player taking most of the heat for the unexpected departure from the playoff field it is QB Kirk Cousins. With 2 picks both of which led to 2 nd  half scores for the Denver Gold, it is easy to see why sportswriters, TV talking heads, and calls into sports radio are all critiquing the performance of the Panther QB, a player who was under consideration as an MVP candidate.   Cousins absolutely struggled in the second half of the game, flustered by the tight coverage and regular pressure put on by the Gold, but also by his own mistakes. On Monday, the Panther QB, in an interview with local television, all but admitted that he felt responsible for the loss. While acknowledging that the whole team felt responsible, Cousins took it upon himself as the leader of the offense, to accept that the defeat was very much impacted by his choices, including his attempts to force plays that simply were not there, decisions that led to the two pivotal interceptions that set Denver up for their final10 points in the contest. Cousins is not at any risk of losing his job over this week’s struggles, he is clearly among the better quarterbacks in the game today, and we should remember that he helped Michigan claim a league title only 2 seasons ago, but this game will be a tough one for him to shake off.   Hyde gunning for Playoff MVP Again With Huge Output Last season, in a 3-game playoff run that saw Houston Houston outduel the Breakers, Generals, and Wranglers for a league title, Carlos Hyde played like a man among boys. In his 3-game run through the postseason, the Houston tailback amassed 415 yards rushing, with another 215 in the air, and a total of 6 touchdowns. Yes, that is correct, over 200 yards per game and an average of 2 scores per contest. Well, after this week’s divisional game, it seems like the Gambler tailback is hoping to earn the Playoff MVP once again. Hyde not only rushed for 100 yards and a per-carry average of 7.7 yards, but he also was the 2 nd  leading receiver behind TE Vernon Davis, bringing in 3 of 4 targets for another 37 yards and his lone touchdown of the game.   Hyde is going to have competition, of course, chiefly from his own QB, as Colt McCoy’s 5-TD performance won him the POTG honor for the divisional victory over the Breakers, but we fully expect that if the Gamblers can stay hot, get past the Bandits, and find their way to the Summer Bowl, that Carlos Hyde will again be putting up numbers that deserve our attention. There is a long way to go, but we have seen it before and, certainly, the ability is there for him to have huge days regardless of the opponent.   Campbell Living Large and Loving It You only needed to look to the sideline during the Wranglers’ raucous 4 th  quarter, one in which the club scored 24 points to put their matchup with San Diego away, to see whether or not DE Calais Campbell is loving his decision to leave Orlando and join the Wranglers. Campbell was all smiles along the sideline, even as the growing Wrangler lead led to Coach Tomsula sitting Campbell for the final 8 minutes of game action. Up 34-3, the Wrangler certainly did not want to risk their new defensive star, besides, with 3 sacks in the game already, there was no need for Campbell to do any more.   The 10-time USFL Sack Leader may have slowed a bit this year, perhaps due to adaptation to a new system, perhaps due to his 33-year-old body needing more recovery time, but he still managed to lead the league with 23 sacks in the regular season, and with 3 more in the Divisional Playoff, he is not only proving to everyone that he still has the gift for creating chaos for offenses, but that he is in a good place in his new home. Campbell came to the desert in hopes of finding what had always eluded him in Orlando, a shot at a title. And he is certainly helping that hope become reality with his play.   The biggest injury news of the week came late in the Bandits victory over Philadelphia, when left tackle Levi Brown asked to be taken out of the game, his left arm dangling at his side. He was not needed in the late stages of that game, but after a diagnosis of a ruptured bicep, particularly on his outside arm, the key to getting leverage against an outside rush, Brown will be out of the Conference Title Game for the Bandits. He is one of 3 new additions to Tampa’s injury list, with both Dez Bryant and Jalen Ramsey listed as probable with minor issues. Without Brown, Tampa Bay will start rookie Chuma Edoga in his place. As you can imagine, that could be a major issue for Dak Prescott and the Bandit passing game. Without Brown locking down Prescott’s blind side, Houston is sure to send pressure with Dante Fowler and blitzes from Pat Angerer, Ramik Wilson, and Jelani Jenkins. There is no way Wade Phillips misses that opportunity. Here is the rest of the injury list for the 4 Conference Championship contenders:   TBY:         OT Levi Brown (OUT), CB Ken Webster (OUT), CB Jalen Ramsey (P), WR Dez Bryant (P) HOU:      WR Mike Evans (IR), CB Siran Neal (Q), HB C. J. Procise (P), WR Keke Coutee (P)   DEN:      CB Kris Boyd (IR), OT Ronnie Stanley (OUT), C Stefan Wisniewski (Q) ARZ:       DT Jason Hargrave (P)   Charlotte Goes for D, Lands Joseph As Club’s 2nd Head Coach The Monarchs wasted no time going after a coach they believe can bring a hard-nosed no-nonsense style to their club. Barely two weeks after letting the only head coach in franchise history go after 12 seasons, the Monarchs tabbed LA Express Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph as the club’s second head coach. Joseph, who helped guide the Express to Top 5 rankings in points allowed (16.4 per game), yards allowed (289.8 per game) and passing yards (only 198.8 per game), has been viewed as an up-and-coming coach since before he arrived in LA. The former QB/HB hybrid at Colorado entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and played cornerback for three NFL clubs before retiring in 2000. He returned to Boulder as a Grad Assistant, but was quickly snatched up, first by the NFL 49ers, before connecting with current LA Express head coach Marvin Lewis and the Seattle Dragons. Joseph spent 4 seasons in Seattle before taking a job in the NFL once again, but when Lewis returned to the USFL as coach of the Express, he brought Joseph back.  Coach Joseph in LA The former undrafted free agent turned DB coach and DC, is now getting a shot at age 48 to lead the Monarchs as their 2 nd head coach. He inherits a team that has some solid defensive pillars to build around, including dynamic edge rusher Chandler Jones, MLB Rolando McClain, and a secondary in transition. With CB1 Derech Cox now a free agent (well, about to be one) and SS Shaun Schilinger retiring, part of Joseph’s tasks this offseason will be to shore up the secondary. But perhaps his biggest mission is not on defense at all. It is his QB. Mitch Trubisky, entering his 4th year as the starter and with a 5 th  year option on his contract, does a lot well. He is mobile, he has good arm strength, and he can make all the throws, but he sometimes does too much, forcing balls, trying to throw against his body’s momentum, and that has made him an interception-generating machine.  Trubisky has thrown for 54 interceptions in only 3 years, a truly unacceptable average of 18 per season. Joseph, and whoever he taps to be the OC for the revamping Monarchs, needs to find a way to reduce that one glaring issue, because the club could and should rebound from a disappointing 7-8-1 season if they can just stop helping the other team beat them.   Pittsburgh Locks in on an Odd Choice for Coaching Vacancy No one was surprised to see Vance Joseph get a gig as a head coach this offseason. But what Pittsburgh just did, well that has some heads scratching. With less than a month before the NCAA season kicks off, the Maulers lured a college coach away from his team and into a 5-year deal to become the leader of the squad in Pittsburgh. That alone could be seen as a bit of an unorthodox move and certainly made no fans of the alumni and boosters of the NCAA club that is out a head coach with no time to do anything but promote from within. But the even bigger surprise is just where the Maulers went to find a head coach. This is not a case of Pittsburgh stealing away Dabo Sweeney from the NCAA Champion Clemson Tigers, or even a former pro coach like Brian Kelly from 12-1 Notre Dame. Nope, Pittsburgh went to the less flashy, less impressive world of Conference USA. Their choice? Louisiana Tech’s Skip Holtz. Now, if that name is familiar to you, it is either because you live in Shreveport or are an alum of South Florida or East Caroline, Holtz’s two prior stops. Maybe you are a Notre Dame fan and remember Skip from the coaching staff of his father, Lou Holtz. But what you don’t know the 55-year-old coach from is a stellar pro football career.  Coach Holtz makes a big leape from La Tech to the USFL. Holtz, for all his success at some mid-to-lower-level NCAA programs, has never been affiliated with a pro football program. From Notre Dame it was off to UConn, then some time at South Carolina as an assistant before moving on to his head coaching positions at ECU, USF, and LA Tech. So, how did Holtz get on the Mauler’s radar? The connection is an odd one. It appears that Mauler CEO Brian Gaine ran in circles with SMU head coach Chad Morris. Morris was approached about the job, but having recently moved on to Arkansas turned it down. When Gaine asked about coaches Morris felt could make the transition to the USFL, Morris gave the endorsement to Skip Holtz, who had defeated Morris’s Mustangs 51-10 in the 2017 Frisco Bowl and Morris told Gaine to look into the La Tech coach. Gaine did that, brought Holtz up to Pittsburgh, and apparently Holtz made an impression on ownership, and vice versa.   And so, now, after a series of coaches with significant pro football bona fides to their record (Fangio, and before him Ron Rivera, Jack Bicknell and Emmitt Thomas) the Maulers are going in a totally different direction. While we feel for the folks at La Tech, who must be scrambling as they prepare for their opener against none other than the Texas Longhorns, we also wonder how Skip Holtz will transition to the pros, how Pittsburgh will greet him as a football-obsessed city, and how the USFL will welcome in one of the more “intriguing” new head coach hires in a long time.   Playoff Losses Lead to Retirement Decisions With 8 playoff teams of 12 now out of contention, the 2 nd  wave of postseason retirement announcements has hit and at least one team is going to have some issues to fix. The Oakland Invaders were a pretty senior roster this year, and that veteran advantage has now turned into significant roster turnover, with 4 starters stepping away from the game after Oakland’s tough loss in San Diego. The biggest hit will be on defense, where the Invaders lose two of their best. Defensive End Cliff Avril will retire after leading the team in sacks for 7 of the past 8 years. He tied for 2 nd in the league this year with 18 sacks, but at age 35 he feels his time has come to move on. Avril recorded 15 or more sacks every season since 2013. The good news for Oakland is that Michael Bennett, who had 14 sacks this year, should be able to immediately shift from RE to take on the vital LE position.   The other loss on defense is just as tough, with CB Chris Gamble also declaring his intent to retire this week. Gamble paired with another veteran, Eric Wright, to combine for 7 picks this year. With Wright now also entering his mid-30’s the time may be right for Oakland to invest in the CB position in the draft to try to develop some youth in the position. Add in the retirements of slot receiver Davone Bess , and All-USFL guard Logan Mankins and the Invaders will have to have some major plans in the offseason to replace these 4 positions.   In Seattle the announcement by Mike Wallace that he will retire at age 34 means that the Dragons will need to focus on the WR position in the offseason. They like their 2 nd  receiver, Marshall Newhouse, as well as slot man John Brown, but need the kind of deep ball threat that Wallace provided. With Dennis Pitta now a free agent, the 2020 Dragon receiving corps needs to be a focus point for Coach Riley and the Dragons this year.   In what was a somewhat expected change, longstanding veteran MLB Kirk Morrison has announced that 2019 was his final season in the league. Morrison played 14 seasons with the Showboats and Stars, and retires with 9 seasons of 100+ tackles, including a league best 130 in 2018. With the arrival of Channing Crowder this year, Morrison shifted to strongside linebacker in 3-4 alignments, but retained his role in the middle when Philly mixed in some 4-3 and in nickel packages. He retires with over 1,400 tackles.   Across the Delaware River in New Jersey, the Generals announced that both TE John Carlson and DE Marcus Harrison will not be back next year, choosing to file for retirement. Carlson played 8 years in New Jersey after coming over from the NFL in 2012, producing 30 catches for 337 yards and 3 scores this year. Harrison was the swing end behind the duo of Kampmann and Vic Beasley. With Kampman now a free agent, New Jersey may need to prioritize the edge rush in the offseason along with finding a new receiving TE.   Others who announced their decision to retire in the past 2 weeks include WR Emmanuel Sanders (ORL), TE Daniel Fells (DAL), G Sean Locklear (CHA) and HB Shane Vereen (OKL)   Here we go. Four teams left, two games, and the winners punch their tickets to Las Vegas and Summer Bowl 2019. Will we get a rematch of the 2018 title game (Houston v. Arizona) or can the upstart Bandits and surprising Denver Gold mix things up and give us something unexpected this week. The odds are in favor of the two home teams, which would set up the first rematch in Summer Bowl history, but we have already seen one big upset this postseason, and history tells us that we should expect some surprises as we come down to the wire. So, with an eye on how each underdog could potentially shock the favorites, here is our breakdown of each Conference Title Game.   Tampa Bay Bandits (10-6) @ Houston Gamblers (11-5) Sunday, July 28 @ 2pm ET NRG Stadium, Houston, TX Gamblers -6   How the Bandits Win: Tampa Bay is not a team that is going to try to shorten the game, run the ball to eat clock, and dink & dunk their way down the field. They are a big play, vertically minded team. So how do they make that work for them against the Gamblers? The key may well be to diversify their attack even further. Yes, we saw against Philadelphia that the Bandits were able to win without a huge game from Dez Bryant, but in this matchup they may still need more. More in the passing game from HB Dalvin Cook, more from rookie receiver Deebo Samuel. On defense they will need to contain, confuse, and cause mistakes. Houston’s offense is as diverse, if not more diverse, than the Bandits, so you cannot shut down every option. The Bandits need to hide their coverages, disguise their blitzes and confound Dak Prescott with changing zone schemes if they hope to outpace the Gamblers.   How the Gamblers Win: Let’s start on defense. The teams that have had success against Tampa Bay this year are those that have been able to bring pressure against Dak Prescott. Rush him, force him out of the pocket, make him consider running instead of a dump down pass. Those are strategies necessary to disrupt the rhythm in the Bandit offense. Key to this will be DE Dante Fowler, and the use of well-hidden blitzes from LB Ramik Wilson and the two safeties, Baker and Vaccaro. On offense, the key may well be to force Tampa Bay to cover Carlos Hyde and Vernon Davis early in the game, to pull defenders away from double teams on JuJu Smith-Shuster. The Gamblers, like Tampa, want to hit on big plays, and those plays may come, but first you have to prove you will use every receiver on the field, force the Bandits to cover the shallow options as well as the deeper ones.   OUR PICK: We are very impressed with what Tampa Bay has been able to do this year. In Mark Trestman’s first season the defense is now significantly better and the offense is one of the league’s best, but what we see in Tampa is almost an homage to the Houston Gamblers under Wade Phillips. So, can the student become the master? We are not sold on that, not quite yet. We think Houston will find more effective ways to address weaknesses in the Bandit defense than we will see when the Bandits are on offense. We are picking Houston to return once more to the Summer Bowl. Gamblers take this one, 33-29.   Denver Gold (10-6) @ Arizona Wranglers (13-3) Sunday, July 28 @ 6pm ET State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ Wranglers -8.5   How the Gold Win: The plan has to be very much what they did in Michigan, establish the run, shorten the game, play error free, and force the Wranglers to establish long drives without big plays. Unfortunately, Arizona has more options on offense, a more patient QB in David Carr, and the experience not to get flustered by a close score. They also have Calais Campbell, who could really produce issues for Josh Allen and the Gold offense. The formula is there, and it can work, but only if Denver can find ways to retain possession, stack first downs on each other, and eat up clock.   How the Wranglers Win: Don’t panic. That feels like all they need to do. If they get a lead early they could take the game by breaking Denver’s ability to slow down the game, but if they don’t then they just need to recognize that the game will be close. There will be moments when they can find gaps in the Denver defense, and they need to hit on those plays. Just a couple of big plays could shatter the Denver chokehold and force a very different type of game. On defense, the Wranglers need to contain Josh Allen, using pressure, but not allowing him to leave the pocket. Denver is not a big play offense, so just be patient, get them in third down and then apply pressure.   OUR PICK: Look, as much as we love a good Cinderella story, this looks very much like midnight to us, and we think Arizona is deserving of a Summer Bowl appearance. Besides, the idea of the USFL having its first rematch in Summer Bowl history is pretty enticing. We know that ESPN would love a Gambler-Wrangler rematch, and we think the USFL and its fans would too. Our pick is Arizona to break Denver down, get a lead early and ride it to victory. Wranglers 23-14.

Wild Card weekend lived up to the hype this year, giving us 4 great games, none finishing with a margin of victory of more than 3 points as every club in the competition came with their A game. Yes, in the end all 4 home team favorites won out, but not without a lot of drama and a few tense moments in each of the four Wild Card games. That means we are set up for a Divisional Round this week that features the 1-2-3-4 seeds in each conference. This week also, as it so often does, brought news of retirements across the league, with a few surprises that may well throw some teams’ offseason priorities a curveball.  We will cover all the on-field action, discuss some free agent news, and preview the Divisional playoffs on tap, but we start with the retirement news that impacted several of our non-playoff teams this week.   Retirements Complicate an Already Complex Offseason It is one thing for teams to recognize their depth issues and potential free agent departures as they plan for the offseason, and some retirements are well-known in advance, but when a player who most believed was a key to the plans for the next year surprises a club with an offseason retirement, it can be pure chaos, forcing teams to reassess priorities, make unplanned deals or shift direction on their plans. Not all the retirement announcements this week were unexpected, but some certainly will impact how their teams treat the offseason.   QB Ben Roethlisberger (BAL) While nothing had been said publicly, Ben Roethlisberger’s press conference on Tuesday was known by the Blitz well in advance, as was the likelihood that with his 2019 back injury, this would be the result. Big Ben spoke kindly of his club, his teammates, and the city of Baltimore as he said goodbye to the game in front of the assembled local media at the stadium he brought a title to in 2014.   For the Blitz, the question is whether or not they are happy with the season Jake Locker has had in relief of Big Ben. Locker finished the year with a QB Rating of 87.3, which is certainly better than some starters across the league. He threw for 2,435 with 11 TDs and 7 picks, also not poor numbers, but are they franchise numbers? We expect the Blitz will explore options, particularly since their 1-year deal with backup Charlie Whitehurst has expired. The question is whether they bring in a clear competitor for Locker in the starting position, or perhaps back him up with a young QB, someone along the lines of a mid-round rookie draft choice.   HB Rashad Jennings (ORL) The first of the “surprise” announcements came on Sunday, exactly one week after the season officially ended for the Orlando Renegades with their loss in New Orleans. Jennings, who had led the ‘Gades with 809 yards rushing, was a centerpiece of their offense. But, after 11 punishing seasons with the Thunder, Glory, and Renegades, the back’s body was just not recovering from games the way it had in the past, and citing his health as a priority, Jennings announced that the time had come for him to step away from the game. Orlando used Jennings in a dual backfield with speedster Knile Davis this year. It is expected that they will see to find a big-bodied back to pair with Davis for 2020. One option, for example, could be rookie D. J. Dallas out of Miami, a T-Draft territorial school of the Renegades.   HB Matt Forte (CHI) Chicago Machine personnel staff knew that Forte was considering retirement, but most fans of the Machine had not been in on that info when Forte made his decision. Forte’s role had been diminishing in recent years, and in 2019 he finished 2 nd to Jeremy Hill with 669 yards to Hill’s 837, despite having more carries over the season. The Machine could entertain making Hill their lead back, rather than splitting carries, but Hill has not had over 250 touches since 2015 with the Breakers. Another option would be to sign or draft a 2 nd  back, particularly one who has strong receiving skills, to split carries with Hill in 2020.   WR Roy Williams (ATL) This one had to be a blow to Atlanta’s player personnel team. Williams was the unquestioned top target for Aaron Murray this season, receiving 145 targets and racking up 1,016 yards and 7 touchdowns. But, at age 36, he clearly had to be considering retirement. Did Atlanta have a plan to replace him if he opted for it, as he now has? Kelvin Benjamin and Dorial Green-Beckham may now compete for the 1-slot, but it seems almost certain that Atlanta has to bring in another option as well. With no clear options in the T-Draft, Atlanta may now be in a position to deal to get another team-s territorial pick, or take their chances with the Open Draft.   WR Mark Clayton (OKL) Another long-in-the-tooth receiver, Clayton finished his 15 th  pro season this year in Oklahoma. His numbers in his lone season with the Outlaws were on par with his time in Memphis before the move, and it seems that the change of scenery, as well as the anticipated roster shuffle for the Outlaws this year, were factors in Clayton’s decision to retire. He leaves the game with over 900 career receptions, over 10,00 yards and 56 career touchdowns. So, what does Oklahoma do? Well, the answer may be right there waiting for them in the territorial draft, with OU’s CeeDee Lamb seen as one of the better receivers expected to come out for the 2020 draft.   Other noteworthy announcements this week include Orlando guard Max Jean-Gilles, Dallas TE Ben Watson, Atlanta’s injury-plagued DT Sione Pouha, Charlotte safety Shaun Schillinger, and Jacksonville’s veteran DT Kedric Gholston.   BALTIMORE BLITZ 17   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 20     OVERTIME Wild Card weekend kicked off with a good one, an overtime classic from the Super Dome in New Orleans. Both the Breakers and the Blitz came into this game hoping to get their ground game established and take pressure of their QB. Both had success with just that plan, with Leonard Fournette gaining 105 yards on the ground and rookie Josh Jacobs topping it with 113. What we got on Saturday were three quarters of back-and-forth touchdowns, a final period where the defenses dominated, and an overtime settled with a late field goal. In other words, a good game from start to finish.   Baltimore got the ball rolling with a 12-play, 5-minute drive to open up the action. They had scripted their first 15 plays and needed only 12 to find the endzone. Mixing runs from Jacobs, roll outs and short passes from Jake Locker and a very nice TE screen to C. J. Uzomah, Baltimore kept the Breaker defense off balance and finished off the drive with Josh Jacobs diving over the right side from the 1 to put the visiting Blitz on the scoreboard, opening the game with a solid first drive.   It would take New Orleans two possessions before they found an equalizer, but after going 3-and-out, they held Baltimore on the next drive, got the ball back, and the offense got the first big play of the game, a 21-yard completion on 3 rd  and 4 as Geno Smith found Kenny Britt after a nice double move. That helped set up the Breakers in scoring position, and 4 plays Smith found slot receiver Tyler Lockett for the equalizer. The game would head into the 2 nd  quarter knotted up at 7.   Baltimore would get the only points of the second quarter, a mid-period drive of only 6 plays that saw Josh Jacobs’ longest run of the game, a 17-yard pitch to the wide side. Jake Locker also found Heyward-Bey for a 13-yarder on a nice play action pass and then found Denarius Moore for 7 on a crossing route from the 4. Baltimore took the lead into the break despite a nice final drive from New Orleans, when Caleb Sturgis uncharacteristically shanked a mid-length, 37-yard field goal.   The Breakers would turn the tables in the third, allowing only 33 yards on 3 Baltimore drives, helped by a pick from FS Keanu Neal, who has been coming on in the past month. They also forced a punt after a successful Baltimore 3 rd  down call was cancelled out by an illegal formation call. On their lone scoring drive, It was Leonard Fournette finding success on the ground, hitting on a 20-yarder and then a 9 yarder to set up the eventual touchdown, a 1-yard plunge over center.   The Breakers took their first lead of the game after Sturgis hit on his next field goal try, but that lead was short-lived as Baltimore also got in field goal position on their next possession. Josh Lambo hit from only 23 yards out and the game was again tied. It would stay that way through regulation, with neither team able to get in range late. In overtime New Orleans got the ball first, but another missed kick, this time a bit of an ambitious 55-yarder, kept the Blitz active. They had the ball in Breaker territory, but a well-timed sack from Ezekiel Ansah, another late season hero for New Orleans, pushed them out of range for Lambo. They would go for it on 4 th  and 14 but turned the ball over to New Orleans when the pass play to Hartline failed to gain all the yardage needed. The Breakers would need only 3 plays to get into position for Sturgis. Following a short run by Fournette, Smith faked the ball to the big back and found Tyler Lockett for the longest play of the game, a 51-yard catch and run that put the Breakers well in range for their kicker. After using a run to the right to center the ball, New Orleans brought Sturgis onto the field on 2 nd down and the Breaker specialist connected to give New Orleans a hard-fought win and a trip to face their division rival, Houston next week. SEATTLE DRAGONS 18   DENVER GOLD 21 Saturday’s second game was also a back and forth affair, with the lead changing 4 times before it was settled in the game’s final minute. In a game that may well prove to be a turning point for Denver QB Josh Allen, the 2 nd  year player and first year starter connected on 26 of 40 passes for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a dramatic game winner with 9 seconds on the clock.   The game started slowly, as playoff matchups often do. It was not until the 4 th  possession of the game that either team crossed midfield. Seattle did so when Jacoby Brissett found John Brown for a 17-yard gain. Denver had left a linebacker on the speedy slot receiver and Brissett saw and took advantage of the mismatch. Three plays later Jeffrey Harris would connect on the kick and Seattle took a 3-0 lead as the 1 st quarter closed.   Denver continued to struggle on offense, with Seattle containing their running attack and the talented combo of Desmond Truffant and Richard Sherman shutting down the outside receivers. But with just 2:27 left to play, Denver shifted gears, with Allen finding TE T. J. Hockenson for the first big play of the game, a 20-yard reception that put Denver inside the Seattle 40. Patrick Lindsay then hit a nice 11-yard scamper and Denver was in business. It would take them 7 plays to get from the 30 to the Seattle 3, but from there, Allen found Kevin White on a rub route and the Gold took the lead with 1:07 left to play in the period.   The Denver lead would be expanded early in the 3 rd  as Josh Allen showed off his arm strength after a nice fake to Lindsay. He uncorked a 74-yard TD pass to Golden Tate which easily traveled 60 yards in the air. Tate had gotten behind Truffant thanks to a nicely designed cluster formation which got the corner caught up in the mix of players. With good time for Allen to set and throw, he unleashed a rainbow that helped Denver go up 11, 14-3.   Seattle would respond, helped by a defensive holding call on LB Patrick Onwuasur, and then a big run from Wendell Smallwood, who busted the initial tackle and rumbled 34 yards before being caught from behind. The drive came to an end when Brissett again found slippery inside receiver John Brown, this time for a score. That play cut the lead to 3, 14-11, but only 4 plays later Seattle would once again take the lead. The advantage-turning play was brought on by the unheralded Dragon pass rush. DE Deshon Hall got around the right side, pressuring Allen almost immediately. The Denver QB tried to roll left and throw back to the right, one of the more difficult throws for a right-handed QB to complete, and it was a throw he instantly regretted. Rather than find his receiver, the throw found Seattle safety Taylor Rapp, who not only brought the ball in but returned it to the endzone for the Seattle lead. It looked like youth, inexperience, and a bad decision might doom Denver’s chances. For the rest of the third and nearly all of the 4 th , the Gold simply could not get their offense moving. Seattle, content to milk the clock and grind the ball out, was not taking any chances, but they still had to return the ball to Denver with 2:11 left on the clock. It was time for Allen to prove himself. The athletic but inexperienced Gold QB had gone 21 of 35 on the day, which was pretty solid, but that pick-six was still hanging in the air as Allen took the field with 2 minutes and 1 timeout left. What followed was a 5-for-5 passing run that helped the Gold move from their own 21 down the field efficiently. With 17 seconds left on the clock they found themselves on Seattle 13. On the next play, Allen pitched the ball to Lindsay, surprising the Dragons, who were playing a shell defense. The Dragons were able to push the Denver HB out of bounds at the 1, but with 10 seconds left, Allen would have 2 plays from the 1 to get a TD and end the game.   The Wyoming product came to the line with a goalline formation, all 3 TEs in the game along with DeMarco Murray and fullback C. J. Ham. When Allen spun to hand the ball to Murray, the Dragon defense collapsed, discovering too late that Allen still had the ball and that TE Jack Doyle was uncovered. A soft lob into the endzone found Doyle and 57,500 in the stadium erupted as Denver took the win, advancing to the next round to face the top-seeded Panthers.   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 26   PHILADELPHIA STARS 27 Sunday’s games would prove to be as exciting as the Saturday lineup. The highlight on everyone’s calendar for the weekend was a bitter rivalry game between the Generals and the Stars. Philadelphia had beaten out both New Jersey and Baltimore on a tiebreaker to get this game played at Lincoln Financial Field, and they intended to use every home field advantage they could.   The Stars trotted out legends Kelvin Bryant and Jon Fusina before the game to help rile up the Philadelphia crowd, and the rush of adrenaline and fan energy seemed to be of immediate help as Philadelphia dominated the first quarter, taking a 10-0 lead thanks to a 52-yarder from kicker Eddie Pineiro and a 9-play drive that saw Matt Gutierrez connect with Doug Baldwin on a 3 rd  and 16 play, with Derrick Henry putting the Stars up 10 with a short TD run, much to the delight of the Stars faithful in the stadium.   New Jersey finally got their offense in gear as the quarter ended, initiating a drive with their 3 rd  possession that would run 11 plays and finish with a Foles to Beckham touchdown. Both clubs slugged it out for the rest of the quarter, seeing marginal success with their ground games, but connecting on enough plays in the air for each to put a field goal up before the half. Philadelphia took a slim 13-10 lead into the break and both clubs looked for ways to outmaneuver the other in the second half. The Stars opened the 2 nd  half much as they opened the first, with a touchdown drive that made use of play action and a pair of nice third down conversions before Matt Gutierrez found Doug Baldwin to build up their 10 point lead once again. That lead held for only 4 minutes as New Jersey responded, thanks in large part to a nice 22-yard screen play to MJD. Foles found TE John Carlson from the 10 with 3:48 left in the period to again pull New Jersey to within 3.   The 4 th  quarter would see New Jersey take advantage of a tiring Star defense and a poor throw by Matt Gutierrez. On three consecutive drives, one sparked by Marquestan Huff’s pick of Gutierrez, the Generals evened the score at 13, then went up 3, and then 6 as Ka’imi Fairbairn connected from 48, 33, and 27 yards out. Philadelphia had managed to stop New Jersey from scoring a touchdown on any of the three drives, but now found themselves down 6 with only 1:47 to play.   The Stars, and much beleaguered QB Matt Gutierrez, responded with a 7-play drive that used up only 1:15 on the clock. The drive included a 17-yard strike to Quincy Enunwa, a key third down connection to Travis Kelce, and then, with 27 ticks on the clock, a 15-yard post-corner route to Randall Cobb for the equalizer. All the Stars needed was the PAT and they would hold the lead with only seconds left. Eddie Pineiro connected on the kick and the stadium erupted as Philadelphia punched their ticket to the Divisional Round and a trip to Tampa Bay to face the Bandits. OAKLAND INVADERS 17   SAN DIEGO THUNDER 20 Three very close, down to the wire games in the weekend, but few expected a 4 th  as the Oakland Invaders struggled their way to an 8-8 record and the final Wild Card berth. They were headed down the coast to face San Diego, a team that had not only finished the year at 12-4, but won their final 4 games by a combined score of 132-30, including a Week 16 obliteration of LA, 44-0 and a 20-point win over the Invaders only 2 weeks ago.   But, as so often happens as the regular season turns into the postseason, the Invaders upped their game, especially on defense, and gave San Diego a real run for their money. The Invader defense held San Diego to only 1 first down in the entire first quarter, and on their 3 rd possession of the game, put up the first points. They did this with a new quarterback in the game as Coach Kubiak had made the controversial decision to sit the struggling Jimmy Garoppolo for the playoff matchup, starting Ryan Lindley instead. Lindley, who would finish the game with a 15/34, 104 yard, 1 TD performance, struggled as well, but late in the 1 st  he connected first with Taylor Gabriel on a 14-yard third down connection, and then hit Davante Adams with a TD throw to open scoring.   San Diego responded in the 2 nd quarter, shutting down the Oakland attack and putting up 10 points to take the lead. They first got on the board with a short field goal after a 3 rd and goal throw from Ponder to Marques Colston was broken up by CB Chris Gamble. On their next possession, Ponder found Colston, this time from 51 yards out, as the Thunder struck quickly on a 4-play drive. The deep ball to Colston put San Diego up by 3 as the two teams went into the locker rooms for halftime.   Coming out of the half, San Diego added another 3 points to take a 6-point lead, but the Invaders again found some magic. This time it was a pick from CB Eric Wright, snatching a ball right out of the hands of Nick Toon, and setting up Oakland at the San Diego 17. On the very next play, Lindley faked the ball to Christian McCaffrey and bootlegged to the left. San Diego’s linebackers overreacted to the fake, leaving no one on the outside to contain Lindley. The Invader QB was at the 4 before the first Thunder DB reached him. Cornerback Damontae Kazee tried to shove Lindley out at the 4, but Lindley leaned into the hit and spun his way into the endzone to put Oakland up 14-13 in the final minutes of the 3 rd  quarter.   San Diego seemed stunned by the turn of momentum, and on their next defensive possession they gave up another 3 points after allowing fullback Trey Millard to run for 19 yards on what should have been a short yardage dive. Lindley found Adams for 14 on the next play, and while they could not put a TD on the board, the Invaders jumped to 17-13, forcing San Diego to get a TD to take the game. With more than 10 minutes still in the game, the Thunder offense did not panic. On their first possession after the Invader FG, their drive stalled at the Invader 36 and Jeff Reed tried to connect on a 53-yard kick. The ball sailed right, retaining the 4-point Invader lead. But, the Invaders were not able to do anything on their next possession, going 3-and-out and using up only 1:02 in game time.   San Diego took over with more than 6 minutes still left to play. Christian Ponder would complete 4 of 5 passes on the drive, bringing his game total to 16 of 30 and 297 yards, but most importantly, he connected with DeVante Parker on a 2 nd  and 2, using play action to find Parker in man coverage and getting the ball to his receiver in stride. Parker eluded the tackle by the corner and reached the endzone before safety Jaquawn Jarrett could reach him. The score put San Diego up 20-17 with 3:37 left on the clock. It would be up to the Thunder defense to hold that 3-point lead against their in-state rivals.   Oakland had time, and had timeouts to help delay the game’s conclusion, but what they lacked were opportunities to break the Thunder defense. After requiring a 3 rd  and 3 run by McCaffrey to earn their initial first down, the plays just did not come. 2 yards on a first down rush attempt. Incomplete to Davone Bess, incomplete again to Adams, leaving a 4 th  and 8 from their own 39. Lindley was pressured immediately on the 4 th  down play, with A. J. Hawk blitzing from the MLB position. He escaped to the right, tried to find McCaffrey, but the ball was low and outside and San Diego took over possession with 2:02 left and the ball in Oakland territory. The Thunder earned a first down on a Taiwan Jones run, and that allowed Ponder to take a knee twice, burning both the clock and Oakland’s last timeout. The Thunder had been in a closer contest than many expected, but the result was as predicted, with San Diego setting up a Divisional matchup in Arizona next week.   Blitz begin “Renewal” process with Wild Card Departure and Big Ben Retirement Not the best week in Blitz Nation as the fanbase of Baltimore’s USFL club deals with an early exit from the 2019 postseason and the retirement of their beloved QB all in the span of 4 days. The good news for the Blitz is that they had enough talent to stay in the playoff hunt after losing their former MVP quarterback in Week 7. They have clearly found a talent at halfback in rookie Josh Jacobs, who led all rookies (and a good part of the league) with his 1,132 yards this year. They also have some solid talent on defense, with DE Olivier Vernon, LBs Jarvis Jones and Anthony Hitchens, and CB Jabari Greer, but the team as a whole is clearly going to be entering a new phase with a new leader at QB.   In addition to a vital decision about the QB position, the club is looking at an aging front 5 on the O-line, some needs on defense as well, and some potential losses in both free agency (FS Eric Weddle, WR Denarius Moore, and OG Corey Levin among others) and in the expansion draft. Fans now have to wonder if the team will attempt to overhaul the roster or “reload” on the fly, hoping to remain a playoff contender in 2020.   Allen Shows Grit, Follows Pick-Six with Game Winning Throw It was a moment that could break a young quarterback in his first playoff action, a pick-six that gave both momentum and the lead in the game to a tough and determined opponent. But, while it took Josh Allen of the Gold some time to shake it off, his game-winning drive, with a TD toss with only 9 seconds left in the game, certainly showed that the unproven Denver QB was not broken by his earlier mistake. He rallied the club, drove the ball down the field with time running out, and put up a perfect TD pass on a nice goalline play action call to win the game for the Gold and remove the bitter taste of the earlier misstep.   Allen was forthcoming in the post-game media room, admitting that he just made a throw he knew he shouldn’t, resulting in the Taylor Rapp pick-six. He also stated that he knew it was on him to move past that moment and do what he could to get the W. A pretty mature response for a player who saw his first pro action this year, his sophomore season in the USFL. Allen’s first season at the helm of the Gold offense was better than most predicted, with the work he did with QB Guru Jason Palmer paying off. The former Wyoming product, who suffered from accuracy issues in college, finished the year with a respecable 63% completion rate, and showed off the arm strength that led Denver to select him in the 2018 draft. Allen threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first season as the starter, and, with the pick-six in his first Wild Card game overcome, he is now ready to take the Gold into an even tougher matchup against a 14-2 Michigan squad which tends to disrupt, disturb, and defeat opposing quarterbacks.   Gutierrez Gets New Deal, then Gets Stars a Wild Card Win Consider the QB change rumors to be over. Not only did Matt Gutierrez get the Wild Card win this week with a final drive and a late TD pass to Randall Cobb, but yesterday the 8-year starter for the Stars got a new deal, adding 3 more seasons to his contract and all but ensuring that he will be under center in 2020. That was not always a given, even for a QB who has thrown for over 27,000 yards with the club.   Many pointed the finger for Philadelphia’s 0-5 start to the year on Gutierrez’s performance, but while his overall statistics for 2020 were well below the numbers we have seen in past seasons, he also led the club back, going 9-2 in the final 11 games to not only make the playoffs, but win the Northeastern Division. Coach Harbaugh at no point in the year benched Gutierrez, even when the club lost their first five outings. Instead, he defended his QB and the wins started coming.   Now, will the Stars need to have a plan B in 2020, very likely. Neither P. J. Walker nor Trace McSorley seem ready to step in if Gutierrez continues to see his numbers decline, so the Stars need to consider other options for the number 2 position, but for now, at least, it seems that Philadelphia is not moving away from Gutierrez, putting their faith in the QB who led them from the brink of disaster all the way to this week’s Divisional Playoff in Tampa.   Coach Kubiak Stands by Playoff QB Switch While not an unprecedented move in the annals of pro football, it is certainly not common to see a team switch from the starter who got them to the playoffs to a backup who had little track record during the season, but that is what Coach Gary Kubiak did on Sunday when he tabbed Ryan Lindley, and not Joey Garoppolo to start against the Thunder. Garoppolo had started all 16 regular season games for the Invaders, but, with only a 70.2 QB rating, 11 picks to only 13 touchdowns, and an offense that had failed to score 20 or more points in 11 of 16 games, Kubiak felt a change was needed.   Was it the right call? Well, Ryan Lindley’s 104-yard performance, and the 17 points scored by Oakland in their game at San Diego did not exactly produce a 180 shift in the club’s offensive output. Kubiak defends the decision, stating that the club needed a spark, but we are not so sure that they got what they wanted from the move. What they did get was a very uncertain offseason as they look at the QB position for 2020. Will Garoppolo be challenged by Lindley? Will Oakland try to bring in another option? The Invaders have a top tier defense, so if they can find a path towards putting up just a few more points each week, they could very well be a contender for a Summer Bowl instead of an 8-8, one-and-done Wild Card. Having the QB position uncertain going into the offseason is something most winning teams try to avoid, so we will have to see if Kubiak has an answer, or if this could be a messy situation going into camp next February.   With news out of Michigan that Kirk Cousins is expected to get the start, the biggest injury impact for this week’s Divisional Playoffs may well be the status of CB Tye Smith for the Thunder. Smith had a strong season and was seeing a lot of action as teams tried to avoid throwing at his teammate, Justin Gilbert. If he is unable to go this week, which seems likely, then San Diego will have to backfill the 2 nd  CB position, which in turn puts inexperienced players into the nickel and dime slots against a very aggressive Arizona offense. Here is the full rundown of the week’s Injury Report from the 8 remaining playoff contenders:   NOR: DT Justin Ellis (IR), DT Ricky Jean-Francois (IR), SS Will Harris (IR), FS Clyde Adams (IR) HOU: WR Mike Evans (IR), CB Siran Neal (Q), WR Keke Coutee (P)   DEN: CB Kris Boyd (IR), OT Ronnie Stanley (OUT), C Stefan Wisniewski (D), FS Jerron McMillian (Q) MGN: QB Kirk Cousins (P)   PHI: DE Anthony Hargrove (IR), WR Braxton Berrios (IR), C Corey Linsley (D), G Trevor Canfield (Q) TBY: CB Ken Webster (IR)   SD: CB Tye Smith (D), SS Duke Williams (Q), DT Dexter Lawrence (P), LB Demario Davis (P) ARZ: DT Jason Hargrave (P)   Von Miller Wants a New Deal Someone in Denver needs to fess up. Who showed Von Miller “Jerry Maguire”? Despite having 2 more years on his 2 nd contract with the Gold, Von Miller is now demanding that the Gold “Show me the money!!!”. Either he saw the Tom Cruise movie recently, or he has been talking with Calais Campbell about the deal that Arizona gave the league’s sack master, because now Miller is demanding some Campbell-sized money.  Miller was all smiles after the Gold's playoff win. Denver seems unlikely to give Miller anything close to Campbell’s deal, and we are with them on that. Miller has been an outstanding player, to be sure, but over the length of his initial, and then extended, contracts with Denver, he has produced 90 sacks, very solid number that comes to an average of 18 per year. Compare that with Campbell’s 5-year production of 141 sacks, an average of 28.2 sacks per season, an utterly ridiculous number, and you can see why Miller may not get the payday he is demanding. Should Miller be the 2 nd  or 3 rd  highest paid edge rusher? That’s something we might be able to justify, even if his numbers dropped to only 11 sacks this year, placing him 27 th  on the season leader board. Now, that is in part a result of missing 5 games to injury this year, but now we have to talk about Miller’s injuries, and the reality that at age 32 he may see more frequent injuries and lower production over the next year or two.   So, what does Denver do? We think they will make a gesture towards making Miller one of the top salary earners at his position, but the Gold are notoriously stingy at times, so maybe they won’t. Miller has few options since his contract is good through the 2021 season. He can hold out, he can threaten to retire (as Campbell did before his trade to Arizona) or he could push to be released or traded. None of those are potential paths that Denver wants to see, but at the same time, the Gold are not in a position to give Miller what he wants, nor should they do so.   Arians Joins NFL Buccaneers 1 Week After Atlanta Sacking As of 10 days ago, Bruce Arians was the head coach of the Atlanta Fire. That ended on Black Monday, and it seems the NFL was ready and waiting. NFL teams cannot negotiate with any current USFL coaches except during the two approved transfer windows, but with Arians’ firing he is free to do what he wants, and it seems at least one NFL team has concluded that the issues in Atlanta were not Arians’ doing. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, only a month from their season opener, have hired Arians on as “Assistant Head Coach and Passing Game Specialist”. It is a new position, but one clearly designed to help out Head Coach Dirk Koetter and OC Todd Monken get more out of the Bucs’ offense.   Arians becomes the first of the recently sacked USFL head coaches to find new work. Jim Mora Jr. is rumored to be speaking with ABC about a position on their USFL Gameday show, while both Brian Flores and Vic Fangio are likely to find work as a defensive coordinator either by the next USFL season or if any NFL clubs shift staffing mid-season. And while they wait, four USFL coaching positions remain vacant. New England tabbed former Boston Cannons HC John Fox to take the reins of Boston’s newest team, but San Antonio, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Pittsburgh are still in the exploration and interview phase of the coaching search. Free Agent Rundown with 20 Teams Done for the Season With 20 teams now out of playoff contention, we are beginning to see the strengths and weaknesses of the potential USFL Free Agent Pool. Now, some of the players without contracts may still resign with their clubs over the next 20 days, before the moratorium on deals and the new free agent period begins, but we know from history that if someone is unsigned now, the odds that they get a new deal to their liking in the next 3 weeks is somewhat slim. So, just how does the Free Agent pool look? Here is our breakdown by position.   QUARTERBACK              Grade: C- If you are a team looking for a starter, there is only 1 name that even seems marginally viable in this year’s pool, San Diego’s Joe Webb. Webb started for the Thunder for 3 years before being displaced by Christian Ponder. Other than Webb, you are looking at 2 nd  string depth with names like Tim Tebow, Tyler Thigpen and Dan LeFevour.  Not what QB-hungry teams want to see.   RUNNING BACK             Grade: B+ There are some serviceable players in the tailback pool, some who may prove to be legitimate starters for a team in need. Among those we like to get a shot at a starting job include Mauler Marcus Lattimore, Star Zac Stacy, and Reggie Bush’s understudy in LA, Paul Perkins. Others in the pool who should at least get a look include Marion Mack, Jay Ajayi, and longtime Panther Mike Hart.   WIDE RECEIVER              Grade: A Maybe it is the “diva” mentality, but wideout is almost always a position where players think they deserve top dollar and are willing to go the free agency route to get it. This year’s crop of wideouts is headed up by Birmingham’s Amari Cooper, who could well get the money he is hoping for. Behind him, but not by much, are veterans Denarius Moore, Demaryius Thomas, and Dwayne Bowe. Each may only be in the mix for a 1-2 year deal, but they could certainly find a fit like Antonio Bryant did last year, moving from Arizona to Michigan. Others to take a look at include Doug Baldwin, Nick Toon, Kenny Britt, Kenny Stills, Donnie Avery, and, yes, assuming no deal is done soon, possibly Antonio Bryant again.   TIGHT END                  Grade C- Only one name comes up as legitimate starting talent, and that is Seattle’s Dennis Pitta. Other than him, you are looking at depth only.   OFFENSIVE LINE            Grade: A- Three names pop to the top of the list as we look over the pool: OG Andy Levitre (MGN), OG Vlad Ducasse (NOR), and OT Matt Kalil (LA). Those are All-USFL quality players who should be up for a big pay raise and a solid contract. Beyond those three, there is also really good depth with players like centers Peter Konz (OAK) and Pat Elflein (TBY), guards Jon Feliciano (MGN), Michael Dunn (LV), and Zach Banner (LA), as well as tackles Jaimie Thomas (PHI), LaAdrian Waddle (OAK) and Joe Haeg (SEA).   DEFENSIVE LINE            Grade: A Yes, Aaron Donald is the undisputed top free agent in the entire pool. His insistence that he is not returning to the Maulers, paired with his skill set, will make him a huge focal point of the offseason. But Donald is not alone in this very talented pool of big men. How about fellow DTs Dontari Po (MEM), Andre Nebbitt (OHI), Terrell Troupe (MGN) or Jerel Worthy (ORL). Then add in ends like San Diego’s Lamarr Houston, Birmingham’s Greg Hardy, New Jersey veteran Aaron Kampman, and 25-year-old DeMarcus Lawrence from Portland. That is a deep and very promising position group for teams looking to beef up the D-Line.   LINEBACKER          Grade: C After last year’s major haul of quality linebackers, this group feels somewhat lacking. There is some talent, solid players like Nick Perry, Carl Ihenacho, Mason Foster, and D’Qwell Jackson, but none of these solid players are game-changing, high impact, immediate improvement signings. So, adding a quality option to your rotation, sure. But if you need immediate impact, you will need to find another way.   CORNERBACK             Grade: A Behind the D-line, this perhaps the best position pool in the market. You have big names like Birmingham’s Antonio Cromartie or Charlotte’s Derech Cox, but you also have really talented, but overlooked players like Jordan Pugh (STL), Brandon Boykin(WSH), Josh Jackson (STL), and Jalil Brown (OHI). There are some real finds here who could help a team build something special in the secondary.   SAFETY                       Grade: B Some very good players, but largely on the downward side of their careers, so maybe a 1-2 year deal but not a franchise player here. Among the bigger names in the anticipated pool are Baltimore’s Eric Weddle, Philly’s Glover Quinn, Seattle’s Donte Whitner, Viper Antrel Rolle, and Invader Jaiquawn Jarrett.   SPECIAL TEAMS Grade: C As we so often see, kickers and punters price themselves out of their current deals. For so many teams it is better to have a solid kicker on a low cost deal than to spend to keep or to sign a quality veteran in a higher tax bracket. The Free Agent pool this year will have several solid options, but will teams pay for the benefit of having a reliable punter/kicker group? If they do, then look for punters Jeff Locke (OKL) and Trevor Daniel (LV) to get some interest, along with veteran kickers David Akers (JAX) and Greg Zeurlein (DEN).     Divisional Weekend is upon us. Four games, and the top 8 seeded teams in the league go into battle for a chance to play in their conference’s Title Game. Only 4 teams will be left after this weekend. How do the 4 matchups look? Well, we have our breakdown right here to help you prepare for what should be another exciting week of USFL football.   Philadelphia Stars (9-7) @ Tampa Bay Bandits (10-6) Saturday, July 20 @ 3pm ET Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Bandits -5   We are honestly surprised that the books in Vegas have the Bandits as only a 5-point favorite at home. Maybe it is because they had some close affairs late in the season, but this is an offense that led the league in passing and total yards, finishing 2 nd  in the league in scoring. They go up against a Philadelphia defense that struggled against the pass, finishing 15 th  in the USFL. The Stars also averaged about 8 points fewer per game than the Bandits all season. Does that mean this game will be a blowout? No, but it certainly favors the homestanding Bandits. Now, if the Stars can get Derrick Henry rolling against Tampa Bay’s defensive front, that could help a lot. The Bandits do have the worst pass defense (in yards allowed) in the league, but that was a by-product of them playing with a lead so frequently. Teams had to pass. So, is it a true weakness, or a sign that they often play from ahead?   OUR PICK: We are done picking the underdogs after going 1-3 last week. The only game we got right was the one favorite we picked, San Diego. So, this week, we take the seeding seriously. We also happen to believe that Tampa Bay is simply a more dangerous team. They have the ability to run the ball with Dalvin Cook, but if you overplay the run, they will kill you with the vertical game. Dak Prescott is on fire this year, and we just don’t see the same game-breaking capacity in Matt Gutierrez, even with his new deal freshly signed.  We say Tampa Bay 28-21. Denver Gold (10-6) @ Michigan Panthers (14-2) Saturday, July 20 @ 7pm ET Ford Field, Detroit, MI Panthers -7   We love the moxie that Josh Allen showed in coming back against Seattle last week, but this game is a whole different level of challenge. The Panthers finished the year 14-2, the best record in the game, and it was not a fluke. The Panthers have the league’s best running back, leading all teams with a 125.8 YPG average on the ground, but they can also beat you through the air, with Kirk Cousins tied for the league lead (with Prescott) with 30 TD passes. The arrival of Antonio Bryant from the Wranglers has forced defenses to play more zone and avoid double covering Cody Latimer, which, in turn, has allowed Latimer to rack up 1,169 yards and 9 TDs, while Bryant had a solid year as well with 722 and 8 scores. Throw in TE Martellus Bennett, and consider that Bell had 47 receptions on top of his 355 carries, and this is a Michigan team that can find your defense’s weaknesses and exploit them. Oh, and we probably should also mention a defense that allows only 16.9 points per game.   OUR PICK: This one feels very much like a minor obstacle for the Panthers before they take on either Arizona or San Diego. Denver is a plucky team, but plucky does not feel like enough in this one. We are going to go with the Panthers: Michigan 24-16 New Orleans Breakers (10-6) @ Houston Gamblers (11-5) Sunday, July 21 @ 1pm ET NRG Stadium, Houston, TX Gamblers -5   We love a divisional matchup in the playoffs. Why? Well, because they tend to showcase teams that both know each other well and don’t like each other much at all. That is certainly the case between these two Southern Division rivals. Ever since the Gamblers shifted from the SW Division to the South, they have been battling with New Orleans for supremacy, and largely winning. But, the Breakers have had their moments, including a surprising 20-13 road win at NRG Stadium only 3 weeks ago. Can the Breakers do it again? Well, a lot will depend on QB Geno Smith and the Breaker offense. In their Week 14 victory, New Orleans got a very solid game from HB Leonard Fournette, and that helped Smith avoid pressure, throwing for 2 scores with no picks. The Breakers also held Carlos Hyde to 52 yards rushing, picked off Colt McCoy 3 times, and frustrated the entire Gambler offense with heavy pressure.   OUR PICK: Sounds like we are picking the Breakers, doesn’t it? Well, no. We think Houston is very aware of what happened in Week 14, and they will be ready to use extra linemen, their fullback, or even TE Tony Moeaki as an extra blocker, giving McCoy a better pocket and the chance to find JuJu Smith-Shuster or Josh Reynolds on deeper routes. In other words, we don’t think what worked 3 weeks ago will find the same success now that things are “playoff serious”.  We go with Houston to win a tight one, Gamblers 20-18. San Diego Thunder (12-4) @ Arizona Wranglers (13-3) Sunday, July 21 @ 5pm ET State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ Wranglers -4   It is put up or shut up time for the Thunder. They blew through the final weeks of the season, beating Portland 30-0, LA 44-0, and Oakland 34-14, all the while saying they deserve respect, the kind of respect the Wranglers already get from fans and pundits alike. So, here they are, facing the Wranglers, in Arizona, and with a chance to prove once and for all that their earlier bravado can be backed up. Are the Thunder elite? Are they ready to make a Summer Bowl run? They did the easy part, beating an 8-8 Invader squad in Snapdragon Stadium. Can they beat an 13-3 Wrangler team at State Farm Stadium? We are not buying it. This is a Wrangler team that has won their last 8 games, including some crushing blowouts of their own. They lead the league in scoring at 27.6 PPG, are top 5 in yards, passing, and rushing, and they have a Top 5 defense as well. Yes they do give up the occasional big play, but they also make a lot of big plays. Throw in Calais Campbell, fueled by his first legitimate shot at a championship ring, and we think Arizona is not going to be surprised by a solid, but perhaps not quite elite San Diego Thunder Team.   OUR PICK: We go 4-for-4 with picking home favorites. We are going to take the Wranglers to send a message in this game. They are the elite monsters out West, not San Diego. Arizona 31-20.

It was one of the wildest Week 16s in recent memory, with 7 playoff spots still up for grabs and nearly half the league still in the hunt. In the end it was a good weekend for the Northeast and a rough one for pretty much everyone else, including the Express, Machine, and Showboats, who all found themselves on the outside looking in. We will recap all the games and their impacts on the playoff picture, take a look ahead at this week’s Wild Card matchups, and, of course, break down the four Black Monday firings as Atlanta, Jacksonville, Charlotte, and Pittsburgh all decide to start fresh. We start off with our Big Story, the wild finish to the year and the success of the Northeast, placing 3 teams into the 2019 USFL Playoffs   Playoff Scramble Sees 3 Northeast Teams in, Memphis, LA, Chicago Out On Friday the USFL still had 7 playoff spots out of 12 unclaimed, including the NE Division champion and all 6 Wild Cards. They also had 13 teams vying for those spots, meaning that nearly half of those clubs would be very unhappy by Monday. It also meant that tiebreakers would be key as teams locked up with similar records, and that is exactly what happened in both conferences.   Going into the weekend, the Stars, Breakers, Blitz, and Orlando controlled their own destiny, with New Jersey, Memphis and Birmingham needing help. But with the Breakers and Renegades going head to head, we knew one of them would be in trouble. That game was not until Sunday night, so we would know what the stakes were by then. Earlier in the weekend we watched as Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Baltimore all won their matchups, placing all three at 9-7. The Stars locked up the division title thanks to a strong division record of 7-1, compared to the 5-3 mark of the Blitz and 3-5 mark for New Jersey. But at 9-7 all three had a shot at the playoffs, and when Memphis fell, it meant the only challenge would be Orlando, sitting at 8-7. A win by the Renegades would drop New Jersey out.   So by Sunday night it was known, the Breakers were in even with a loss, but with a Breaker win New Jersey would claim the final Wild Card. A loss to Orlando and the Renegades would take that final spot. So, with the Generals all watching nervously, the Breakers held off the Renegades, claiming the 4 seed for themselves (a home game next week) and dropping Orlando to 8-8 and out of the picture. The Generals would be in, along with the Blitz and Stars from the Northeast. The Renegades, Showboats and Stallions were out, leaving a sour aftertaste to their seasons. All three divisions were locked up in the West before Week 16 play, so what was on the table were the Wild Card berths. At 9-6 Denver was not only in with a win, but would lock up the 4 seed and a home playoff game. Seattle and LA would also be in with wins, while Chicago, Oakland, and Las Vegas would need help. One of them would get it.   Seattle did their part, beating Portland to lock up a spot. Denver did the same, shutting out Atlanta to claim the 4-seed at 10-6. That left only 1 spot left. LA needed to beat division champion San Diego to secure the spot, regardless what happened in other games. Well, as the 44-0 score shows, the Thunder were in no mood to help their in-state rivals out. The humiliating loss knocked the Express out of the playoffs at 8-8 and will certainly go down as a low point in Express history. That meant that the final spot would come down to the Machine, Vipers, and Invaders. Chicago had the advantage at 8-7, while the other two were stuck a game back at 7-8. But Chicago was facing a Baltimore team that needed a win to reach the postseason, and despite holding the Blitz without a touchdown, Baltimore pulled out the win, 12-10, sending Chicago to 8-8 and needing assistance from the foes of the Invaders and Vipers. Neither opponent came to their aid. Houston rested most of their starters, secure in the 1-seed in the East, allowing Oakland an easier path to 8-8, and the Invaders took it, defeating Houston 21-7. The Vipers likewise got the win they needed, though it was not easy, a tough 27-20 war of attrition with Dallas. With all three clubs, along with LA, all sitting at 8-8, only 1 could get the berth.   That berth went to the Oakland Invaders, who, despite losing badly to San Diego the week before, still had the strongest Conference Record of the four contenders. They stood over LA thanks to a 6-2 division record, far better than the Express’s 2-6 mark. That removed LA from contention. Within the conference the Invaders had gone 7-5, while both the Vipers and the Machine had managed only a 6-6 mark. That 1 game difference gifted the Wild Card and the 6-seed to the Invaders, leaving Chicago and Las Vegas out in the cold (or the heat, it is July after all).   And so we have our 2019 playoff teams set, from the dominant Michigan Panthers at 14-2 to the suspiciously inconsistent Oakland Invaders at 8-8, twelve teams that will play at least one more game this season. We will have more on the playoff matchups and game previews later, but we now take a look at the game that determined the fate of 3 different teams.   ORLANDO RENEGADES 20   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 27 By Sunday Night, the stakes were well understood. Eleven of the twelve playoff spots were claimed. The Breakers, sitting at 9-6, already knew they were in the post-season, but still needed a win to lock up the 4-seed and get their Wild Card game at the Super Dome instead of on the road. The Orlando Renegades had even more at stake. A win would set them up at 9-7 as well, and would grant them a Wild Card over the New Jersey Generals thanks to a better conference record. But, they also knew that a loss would send them to 8-8 and they would be sitting home next week without a playoff game to prepare for. For both teams, as well as for the Generals, looking on from team facilities in the Meadowlands, the Sunday night game would determine who was in, who was out, and who would play whom next week.   That was the setup when both teams took the field in the Super Dome. The Breakers had played well at home all season, boasting a 5-2 home record (compared to 4-4 on the road), while Orlando had been somewhat solid on the road, winning 3 of 7 games so far this season. Both teams were relatively healthy, well, New Orleans still had those 4 starting defenders on IR, but they had been there since the first 6 weeks of the season and they had still proven capable on defense. Both teams were somewhat familiar with each other, and now it was just about execution.   After a pair of 3-and-outs to open the game, it would be Orlando who had the first meaningful drive of the game. A 22-yard connection between Wilson and Dwayne Bowe had gotten the ball into Breaker territory, and Rashad Jennings did the rest, rushing for 27 yards on only 3 carries, including the last touch of the drive, a 2-yard TD run to the right side. The gauntlet had been laid down by the visitors.   New Orleans would accept the challenge and show Orlando that they too could be dangerous, going on to score 20 unanswered points in the half to take a commanding 13-point lead into the break. It started on their next drive when Geno Smith got the team into range with back to back 1 st  down throws for 10+. The drive eventually fizzled, but Caleb Sturgis’s 40-yard kick put the Breakers on the board for the first time. When Russell Wilson was sacked on a 3 rd  and 7 on their next possession, one of 6 sacks on the day by the Breakers, it forced a punt and New Orleans once again had the ball.   The Breakers moved the ball well on the drive, needing only 7 plays to get inside the 10. Coby Fleener had two big catches and a scramble by Geno Smith got them to the 5. With 2 rushing plays, both from Leonard Fournette, the Breakers crossed the plane and took the lead. Fournette would prove vital to the Breaker offense, even with only a 3-yard average, because it was off his rushes that Geno Smith found play action success.   Orlando tried to mount a response, but had to settle for a long fieldgoal attempt, and Caleb Sturgis missed from 51 yards out, giving the Breakers the ball in good field position. They would take advantage, moving the ball down the field efficiently before Smith found TE Coby Fleener on a perfect seam route for a 19-yard touchdown. The Breaker lead expanded to 17-3, and would end up at 20-3 by the half.   Orlando regrouped during the break, altered their defensive philosophy to better account for Fleener, and recommitted to the run game. That proved effective for them in the 3 rd  quarter, where they took the opening drive for a field goal, and then followed that up with the longest play of the game on their next possession. After having forced a punt which went into the endzone as a touchback, Orlando started with the ball on their own 20. They called a play action fake to Jennings and Russell Wilson found Brashad Perriman in single coverage down the sideline. Wilson’s pass was perfectly placed and Perriman was not going to be caught once he had beaten the corner. He raced 80 yards with the Breaker safeties in pursuit, scoring to pull Orlando to within 3, 20-17, as the 3 rd  quarter wound down.   The 4 th  quarter was high tension for both clubs, and, of course, for the Generals’ players watching from their team facilities in New Jersey. For most of the quarter the defenses seemed to dominate, forcing 3 consecutive punts from each team’s side of the field. But, with 3:32 left to play, a break in the coverage gave Orlando a shot to tie the game. Wilson found Dwayne Bowe for a 22-yard gain that helped flip the field, and 4 plays later Orlando tied the game on a Caleb Sturgis kick with 1:36 left to play. New Orleans had time to respond, but could they.   The answer was yes, and in quick fashion, as they also set up a play to get their best deep threat into single coverage. They used a rub play from a trips formation to get Jordy Nelson all alone with CB Michael Jackson. Nelson beat the corner and raced for 50 yards to put New Orleans in field goal range. When Leonard Fournette broke the next play for another 17 yards, the Breakers were in range not only to kick the field goal, but to give themselves a 7-point lead and force Orlando into a much tougher final drive. They did not relent, and 2 plays later, with only 48 seconds left, Wilson found Fleener for his 2nd score of the game, a score that would force Orlando to go the full length of the field to tie the score again.   Orlando had 1 time out and only 48 seconds to save their season and earn a playoff berth. A field goal would be no use at all, and the Breakers knew it. They played a shell coverage, allowing Wilson to complete passes inside and short of 10 yards, and then they rallied to make the tackle. Wilson completed his first 3 passes on the drive, but that only got Orlando to their own 44, and cost them 22 of the 48 seconds they had. When Wilson started looking for bigger chunks, he started missing on throws, and on a 3 rd  and 14, following Ezekiel Ansah’s 2 nd  sack of the game, he would essentially end the game with a poorly chosen pass. Trying to force the ball to Perriman, he instead found FS Keanu Neal, who brought in the forced throw and essentially ended the game with its only turnover.   New Orleans would claim the 4 th seed in the East, setting up a home game against Baltimore in the Wild Card round. New Jersey would earn the 6 th  seed at 9-7, while Orlando would go home knowing they had their own destiny in their hands, but falling short. The Renegades would finish the year 8-8 and on the outside of the playoff pool, a tough way to end any season.   PHILADELPHIA 30  MEMPHIS 23 We think it is safe to say that the Stars team that finished the year 9-2 over the final 11 weeks is not the same club that started the year 0-5. Philadelphia capped off an amazing recovery from their start by putting their trust in HB Derrick Henry. That plan paid off as Henry rumbled for 173 yards and 2 scores to help Philadelphia win the Northeast Division. Memphis simply had no answer for the Stars’ run game, which finished with 208 total yards to Memphis’s total of only 78. With the loss, Memphis was knocked out of Wild Card contention at 8-8. POTG:  Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 22 Att, 173 Yds, 2 TD   BALTIMORE 12  CHICAGO 10 Philly’s win meant that Baltimore would not be reclaiming the division lead they had held for most of the year, but a win over Chicago still got them into the mix as a Wild Card. In a game that only saw 1 touchdown, a 1 st  quarter Matt Forte run, the Blitz slowly chipped into the Chicago lead, turning 7-0 into 7-9 by the half, and then responding to a 4 th  quarter Machine FG with one of their own within the final 2 minutes to claim the win and the playoff spot. Chicago, dropping to 8-8, would be eliminated from a Wild Card on a tiebreaker. POTG:  Blitz LB Anthony Hitchens: 7 Tck, 2 Sck   BIRMINGHAM 10   NEW JERSEY 37 The Generals were also denied a division title by Philly’s win, but they left no doubt that they wanted that Wild Card slot by demolishing the Stallions at home at MetLife. OBJ had a huge game with 2 scores and 150 yards receiving, Nick Foles threw for 3 scores, and the General defense held Cam Newton to only 27 yards rushing as the “Stampede” offense was corralled by the Generals’ active LB group. POTG:  New Jersey WR Odell Beckham Jr: 8 Rec, 150 Yds, 2 TD   TAMPA BAY 10   ARIZONA 39 The Bandits rested many starters, while Arizona, still hoping for the 1-seed in the West, did not. The result was predictable, a strong first half for Arizona, putting up a 22-0 lead and then slowly benching some of their stars for the rest of the game. David Carr finished 11 of 17 for 233 yards and 2 scores, with backup Brandon Allen throwing a TD for security late in the game. Tampa started QB B. J. Daniels, who got no mercy from the Wrangler D, sacked 6 times (2 from league sack champion Calais Campbell) and picked off 3 times, including a pick-six from Wrangler CB Jeremy Lane. POTG:  Wrangler WR DeMarcus Robinson: 5 Rec, 109 Yds, 2 TD   OAKLAND 21   HOUSTON 7 The Invaders get the season finale win they needed against a Houston team that did not put McCoy or Hyde on the field. Landry Jones got the start along with C. J. Prosise, while Oakland had its best game of the year from rookie Bryce Love, sharing carries with Christian McCaffrey. The two combined for 98 yards, with Love scoring twice as Oakland improved to 8-8 and, thanks to their conference record, claimed the West’s final Wild Card. POTG:  Invader HB Bryce Love: 6 Att, 66 Yds, 2 TD   OKLAHOMA 20  MICHIGAN 23 Oklahoma got what they wanted out of Mason Rudolph’s start at QB, a good sign that they can go into 2020 with the young QB at the helm, while Michigan got what they wanted, the win, and a lock as the 1-seed, providing a bye and home field throughout the playoffs. Kirk Cousins played only the 1 st  quarter, which helped Oklahoma keep it close, but LeVeon Bell played the entire game, finishing with 83 yards and the league rushing title. POTG:  Panther CB Keivarae Russell: 9 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 PDef   DENVER 16   ATLANTA 0 Denver wanted that 10 th  win and the 4-seed (providing a home playoff game next week), while Atlanta wanted to avoid injury. The result was a pretty one-sided game that saw Denver shut out the lifeless Fire. DeShone Kizer again struggled at QB for the Fire, while for Denver the run game was working well against Atlanta’s struggling run defense, gaining a combined 124 yards between Murray (36) and Lindsay (89). POTG:  Denver CB Chidobe Awuzie: 4 Tck, 5 PDef, 1 Int   LAS VEGAS 27  DALLAS 20 The Vipers’ fate was not set when they kicked off, and they played like a team still eager to land a Wild Card spot. Dallas played them tough, but two pick-sixes from Viper CBs in the third quarter gave the Vipers an advantage that they would not surrender in the 4 th quarter. Matt McGloin went 24 of 36 for 200 yards, while the Viper D not only scored twice, but also held Dallas to only 30 yards rushing. POTG:  Viper CB Shaquille Richardson: 6 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   LOS ANGELES 0   SAN DIEGO 44 This one was ugly from the start, with Kyler Murray throwing a pick-six on his first pass of the game. San Diego just went wild, putting up multiple scores in each quarter. Christian Ponder played for a half, then Joe Webb came in and threw 2 TDs in relief with the game already a 24-0 debacle for the Express. San Diego seems primed for a deep playoff run, and they made their point that they are a contender by obliterating the top-rated LA defense from every possible angle. POTG:  Thunder WR Chris Givens: 3 Rec, 65 Yds, 2 TD   SEATTLE 19  PORTLAND 14 Portland played the Dragons tough, but in the end, thanks to a Brissett to Newhouse TD in the final minute, the Dragons pulled out the win and earned a Wild Card berth, another amazing comeback season after a 1-5 start. Brissett, who remains unsigned for 2020, threw for 223 and 2 scores, while Portland got a surprising 101 yards on 17 carries from Doug Martin. POTG:  Seattle DE Deshon Hall: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   PITTSBURGH 19  ST. LOUIS 14 In a game that saw little excitement on the field, and even less in the mostly empty stands of The Dome at America’s Center, Pittsburgh improved their final record to 7-9, dropping St. Louis to 6-10. It was a battle of backups, with former Pitt QB Nathan Peterman getting the win after going 22 of 35 for 196 yards, topping St. Louis’s Tyrod Taylor. Eddie Lacy added 75 yards for St. Louis to finish the year second to LeVeon Bell in rushing, while Pittsburgh started Jay Ajayi at HB. POTG:  Mauler DE Shaquile Riddick: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   OHIO 28  WASHINGTON 12 The Glory finish the year with back-to-back wins as they got the win despite resting Christian Hackenberg. Connor Shaw got the start, threw for 203 yards and 3 TDs along with 3 picks. Ryan Nassib finished an utterly forgettable first year in Washington by throwing 2 picks and proving unable to get the ball into the endzone. POTG:  Ohio QB Connor Shaw: 18/31, 203 Yds, 3 TD, 3 Int   CHARLOTTE 28   JACKSONVILLE 13 In what would prove to be the final game at the helm of each club for both head coaches, the Monarchs get the W thanks to a strong defensive showing against Bulls’ backup Ryan Tannehill. The NFL import completed 24 of 36, but for only 217 yards, with no touchdowns. The highlight of the game was a 55-yard punt return from Charlotte’s Isaiah McKenzie, but there were few fireworks overall in this snoozer of a season finale for both teams. POTG:  Monarch DE Anthony Zettel: 6 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   Black Monday A Bad Day for Arians, Mora, Flores, and Fangio With the end of the regular season there are several things we all know to expect. There will be 12 excited fanbases, each expecting their team to overcome the odds and find their way to a league title. There are 18 disappointed fanbases, each now focusing on what went wrong, what their teams need to do in the offseason, and often upset at someone, the owner, the coach, the players, for the team’s failures. And there will be coaches who take the fall for their team’s lack of success. From the 18 non-playoff teams it is almost guaranteed that some teams will move on, relieving their head coach, and often the entire coaching staff, of their duties and starting over. The question is not if it will happen, but for how many teams will it happen.   The answer for 2019 is 4. Four teams have decided to seek a new start, to turn the reins of the team over to someone new and hope for the kind of immediate payback that fans in Tampa Bay are enjoying this year. Within 24 hours of the official end to the 2019 season, four head coaches were let go and 4 positions now open for hiring, in addition to the unfilled position with expansion San Antonio.   JACKSONVILLE (3-13) We should not be surprised, and I expect many of us are not, that Coach Flores is out after only 2 years. After suffering through a 4-12 season in his first year, the hope had been that Flores, with a full year to enhance the roster, select a QB, and install his own defensive schemes, would be able to break an 8-season run of 10-loss seasons. While Teddy Bridgewater provided some hope this season, that hope did not turn into wins. With Jacksonville slipping back a step to only 3 wins, and the worst record in the league, Flores was the obvious and easiest piece of the puzzle to replace. We doubt he will be the lone departure, though GM Chris Grier is also out, that could be coming very soon since you do not complete 9 years without improving above 6-10 without personnel being a major issue.  ATLANTA (4-11-1) The Fire had hoped to compete for the division this year. After a 10-6 finish in 2018, a lot was hoped for. And, sure, losing Aaron Murray for 5 weeks was a huge issue for the Fire, and they did rebound upon his return with 3 wins in 4 games, but the run defense was atrocious all year long, and the team’s 5-game losing streak to end the year was ugly, with what looked very much like club that had given up. That more than anything was likely the reason that ownership in Atlanta was not willing to give Coach Arians a 4th season. They simply needed to do something after a 6-game drop from 10-6 to 4-11-1. Arians is likely not the main issue in Atlanta, but when you are the head coach you get the praise when the team wins, and you pay the price when they do not.  CHARLOTTE (7-8-1) Jim Mora Jr. is the only coach the Charlotte Monarchs have ever known. The son of legendary Stars, Invaders and Showboat head coach Jim Mora Sr. got the gig before the expansion Monarchs had a single player on their roster in 2007, ahead of the 2008 expansion season. He molded the team, got them to the playoffs in their 5 th season (2011), and to a Summer Bowl the year after. The Monarchs have made the playoffs in 7 of the last 9 seasons, but with the club falling well short of expectations this year, and with Mora bringing a 1-5 playoff record since that 2012 run to the Summer Bowl, the goal was to prove he could do more with the Monarchs, not less, and this year was a lot less than what most expected. Mora’s tenure with Charlotte ends after 12 seasons, and he leaves with a pretty solid 103-85-2. Will he find another USFL gig? Seems likely, but perhaps not right away, as teams look for younger options and “innovative” offenses.   PITTSBURGH (7-9) Vic Fangio came to the Maulers in 2014 with a reputation for outstanding defensive game planning. After a rough 5-10-1 season in his first year, he shocked the USFL by bringing Pittsburgh to the lofty heights of 13-3 in his 2 nd  year. His 2015 team featured a big-play offense and a ball hawking defense. The problem was, it turned out to be a brightly burning, but short-lived flame. The next season Pittsburgh crashed back to earth, finishing 6-10. Since then, Fangio has been unable to get the team above .500 and has missed the playoffs 4 years in a row. This year’s 7-9 club was again an exercise in missed opportunities. The NE Division was as wide-open as it has been in years, and yet despite the balance across the conference, Pittsburgh could fare no better than 4 th place and a sub-500 record. That was the last chance for Fangio, and now the Maulers will move on, hoping to find the right mix of toughness, leadership, and offensive know-how to end a run of sub-par seasons and return the team to playoff contention again.   San Diego Demolishes LA, sending message to Wranglers & Panthers If you wanted to get a sense of how the Thunder view this season’s division title and playoff aspirations, you need only look at the way they finished the regular season. They could have rested their starters, content with a division title and a home playoff game next week. But, they knew that with Arizona facing Tampa Bay, there was still a shot that the Thunder could sneak into the 2-spot and get a bye. They also went into their finale with the LA Express upset that very few in the world of USFL punditry were even talking about them as a Summer Bowl contender. Despite an 11-3 record, all the talk has centered around Michigan, Arizona, Houston, and even the upstart Tampa Bay Bandits.   That feeling of disrespect fueled this week’s game against in-state rival Los Angeles. Facing the team with a league-leading defense, and a team that had its own “win & in” aspirations for a playoff spot, San Diego did not come to win the game, they came to destroy. And destroy is exactly what they did. The Thunder’s 44-0 demolition of the LA Express was not just a sign that they are prepared for the post-season, it is a clear message that they deserve to be respected, and perhaps feared, as a very real threat to the popular favorites in the conference and in the league.   Whether or not San Diego can get over the hump, outplay one of the big favorites in the conference, perhaps both of them, on the path to a Summer Bowl, well that we will have to wait and see. The Thunder will be playing next week, a home test against Wild Card Oakland, another familiar foe with some offensive shortcomings. We could be in for another show of power. If San Diego can humble the Invaders, their next game would almost certainly be in Arizona to face the powerhouse Wranglers, representatives of the West in 4 of the past 6 Summer Bowls. A win in Glendale against David Carr, Calais Campbell, and the 13-3 Wranglers will be exactly the kind of respect-earning, fear-inducing win that the Thunder need if they want to be included among the elites in the league.   Bell, Nelson, and Cousins Among Stat Leaders at Season’s End The 2019 season is done, the stats are in, and we have our league leaders for 2019. Some are expected, some a bit of a surprise, but all deserving of accolades for a very strong year. Here are the season’s best in the major offensive and defensive categories:   PASSING No “trifecta” this year as Dak Prescott led the league in yardage (4,245) and tied with Kirk Cousins with 30 TDs, while Cousins took the QB Rating title with a score of 107.4, largely influenced by his league best 71.6% completion rate. Taking 2 of 3 major categories, while also turning the 3-13 Bandits into a 10-6 playoff team may well be enough for Prescott to earn the MVP this year, though some may argue that Kirk Cousin’s somewhat quieter season, but a 14-2 season with Michigan, has him in contention.   RUSHING It has been the LeVeon Bell show all season long, with Bell more or less atop the rushing leader board for the better part of 3 months. He finishes the season with a very nice 1,552 yards and a per carry average of 4.4 YPC. That puts him 197 yards ahead of 2 nd place, St. Louis’s Eddie Lacy, with 1,355 rushing yards. When it comes to rushing TDs, Tampa Bay’s Dalvin Cook edges Houston’s Carlos Hyde, 11 to 10.   RECEIVING Mike Evans had the lead in receiving yards for a good part of the season, but an injury cost him the final 6 weeks and that allowed others to step up. Jordy Nelson again finds himself as the league leader with 1,461 yards. It is his 2 nd  league receiving title, though almost 400 yards less than the 2017 total of 1,851 yards. For receptions, it was Ohio’s Eric Weems , the only receiver to top 3 digits, with exactly 100 receptions on the year, a far cry from the record of 152 held by Michigan’s Jeff Campbell way back in 1998. For TD receptions, look to the 2 nd place finisher in yards, New Jersey’s Odell Beckham Jr. whose penchant for 1-handed grabs made him a fantastic red zone option for QB Nick Foles. OBJ finished with 14 TDs, 2 more than second place finisher Victor Cruz (ARZ)   DEFENSIVE STATS No shock who won the sack race this year. For the 11 th  season in a row it is Calais Campbell , his first title as a Wrangler, but an amazing 11 th  in a row for the greatest edge rusher in USFL (dare we say pro football) history. His 23 sacks are amazing, even if it represents his lowest sack total since winning with 22 sacks way back in 2010. Once again he was the only player to top 20 sacks, with both Oakland’s Cliff Avril and Pittsburgh’s Shaquille Riddick finishing up at 18 apiece. As for tackles, the move from Portland to Philadelphia did not diminish Channing Crowder ’s talents. He earns his 2 nd  tackle title, leading the league with 125 this season. Crowder first won the honor back in 2014 with the Stags, and his win, paired with Kirk Morrison’s win last year, gives Philadelphia the title in back-to-back years with two different MLBs. Finally, Houston’s Leodis McKelvin , who scored a stunning 4 defensive scores this year (all pick-sixes) finishes atop the interception board with 8 picks. That means that for every 2 picks he had this year, he returned 1 for a score, a truly stunning result.   By now you likely have a good sense of the playoff situation, but, just in case it is not clear, here are the matchups as we look ahead to Wild Card Weekend:   Houston is the 1 seed at 11-5, they and the 2-seeded Tampa Bay Bandits (10-6) will have byes next week before taking the field again in the Divisional Round.   Philadelphia, coming back from their 0-5 season start, claims the 3-seed as the NE Division champions thanks to the division record tiebreaker. They will face the 6-seed, which is none other than their archrival, the New Jersey Generals. That should be a fun one, and probably a chippy one as these two teams always seem to get into it when they play.   Finally, the 4-seed goes to the 10-6 New Orleans Breakers. They get to host the 3 rd  of the NE Division teams to qualify for the playoffs, the 5 th  seeded Baltimore Blitz.   With Michigan, Arizona, and San Diego all winning this weekend, the rankings and seedings do not shift at all. Michigan wins the 1-seed at 14-2, with Arizona claiming the 2 at 13-3. Both will have the bye this week and play at home in the Divisionals.   San Diego sits with the 3-seed at 12-4, which means they will face the 6-seed, a matchup not unfamiliar to the Thunder as they take on the 8-8 Oakland Invaders. San Diego swept the series with the Invaders, with both games played in the final 5 weeks of the year, and with the Thunder dominating, winning by a combined 54-20 in the two matchups.   The other Wild Card game features the 4-seed Denver Gold hosting the 5-seed Seattle Dragons. This one could be very interesting as the two played a very competitive game in Week 10 with Denver getting the W in Seattle by a 24-17 margin.   So, 4 games this weekend, featuring 8 of the 12 playoff squads, the other 4 waiting to hit the field a week later. We will look at each game below in our breakdown of Wild Card weekend on the slate in just a few days.   Four games this weekend and a range of teams dealing with new issues, others with long IR lists, and others still who seem to be quite healthy for this late in the season. Here is the breakdown of the weekend's Wild Card matchups and the injuries that could impact each game.   BAL      QB Ben Roethlisberger (IR), OG Andy Alleman (IR), DT Barry Cofield (IR) NOR      DT Ricky-Jean Francois (IR), SS Will Harris (IR), DT Justin Ellis (IR), FS Clyde Adams (IR)   SEA         OT Terron Armstead (IR) DEN         CB Kris Boyd (IR), OT Ronnie Stanley (OUT), C Stefan Wisniewski (OUT), FS Jerron McMillian (OUT)   NJ       G Danny Isidora (OUT), LB Akeem Ayers (Q), WR Muhamed Sanu (P), TE Matt Spaeth (P) PHI         DE Anthony Hargrove (IR), WR Braxton Berrios (IR), C Corey Linsley (D)   OAK     G Logan Mankins (IR), WR Donte Moncrief (Q) SD         CB Tye Smith (OUT), SS Duke Williams (Q), DT Dexter Lawrence (Q), LB Demario Davis (Q)     Draft Order set through pick 18 In an expansion year, the draft is always a bit of an odd structure. We will see a reshuffling of the Territorial Schools once again as the league adds 2 more teams to the mix, and we will see the two expansion teams added to the Open Draft as well. The decision was made that the two expansion clubs, due to their advantages in acquiring players in both free agency (endless cap space) and through the expansion draft, would be given not the first two picks of the draft, but the 5 th  and 6 th picks. So, where is the cutoff? Here is the listing through pick 18, as all the non-playoff teams have their slots.   1-Jacksonville 2-Portland 3-Ohio 4-Atlanta 5-New England 6-San Antonio 7-Washington 8-St. Louis 9-Oklahoma 10-Dallas 11-Birmingham 12-Pittsburgh 13-Charlotte 14-Chicago 15-Los Angeles, 16-Memphis 17-Las Vegas 18-Orlando   Regular Season Final Power Rankings Here we go, the final power rankings of the season, and a preview of how we see the playoff dynamics as the top 12 teams are ranked.   1—Michigan (14-2) 4-0 down the stretch helps move Michigan up to 1 st  place as the Summer Bowl favorite.   2—Arizona (13-3) Up one as well, thanks to a 4-0 final month. A Panthers-Wranglers Conference Title Game would be epic.   3—Houston (11-5) The Gamblers went 1-3 down the stretch. Is this “Senioritis” for a club that already punched their playoff ticket or a sign of trouble?   4—San Diego (12-4) The Thunder want to be considered one of the “big boys” and will likely have their shot at Arizona soon enough.   5—Tampa Bay (10-6) The Bandits have improved on defense and can outscore almost anyone. We think they could be very dangerous, especially if Houston cannot get back in top gear after a slow June.   6—New Orleans (10-6) The Breakers won their final 4 games to finish as the top Wild Card team in the league.   7—Philadelphia (9-7) We should not underestimate the Stars. Their 9-2 run is impressive, and they won 7 of 8 divisional games in a division that placed 3 teams in the playoffs.   8—Denver (10-6) It seems Denver always plays the role of the undervalued contender. They are again in the mix, and again no one is talking about them.   9—New Jersey (9-7) Nick Foles has quietly put together a very solid season. If MJD can have a good postseason, we could see the Generals surprising some folks.   10—Seattle (9-7) After falling 1 game short last year, the Dragons are again back in the playoffs despite another weak start (1-5). Last time they were here, they pulled a road upset. Can they do it again?   11—Baltimore (9-7) Going 2-2 down the stretch is not ideal, but the Blitz are still showing that they are more than just their former starting QB. They have some tricks up their sleeves.   12—Oakland (8-8) Getting in on a tiebreaker is still getting in. But, with San Diego on their playoff dance card, this could be a short stay.   13—Las Vegas (8-8) Coach Neuheisel is building something in the desert, and in Matt McGloin he seems to have found a good hub around which to place more pieces.   14—Memphis (8-8) A disappointing drop off from the team, but especially from Paxton Lynch, whose 2019 numbers are not matching what we saw last year.   15—Orlando (8-8) The Renegades had a chance, it was in their hands, but they are just not confident in themselves yet. Give Coach Rivera another year and this could be a team to watch.   16—Chicago (8-8) Another team that was better, but not quite over the hump yet. Michigan needs to keep an eye on this club, because they are better each year than the last.   17—Los Angeles (8-8) While Express fans should be happy with a 5-game improvement from 3-13 to 8-8, the fact that the Express were 6-3 at one point and won only 2 more games in their final 7, that has left an unpleasant feeling behind.   18—Charlotte (7-8-1) The Monarchs have a lot of positive elements in their roster, but they need to figure out how to either get Mitch Trubisky to protect the ball better or how to replace him. That decision will fall on a new coach as Jim Mora Jr is out after building the team from their expansion in 2008.   19—Birmingham (7-9) Todd Haley thinks he has found something in his new offensive scheme for Cam Newton, but he needs to consider the long term viability of putting his QB at risk so frequently.   20—Pittsburgh (7-9) Another non-playoff year, and a dip back under .500 was too much for ownership. They will now look for a new head coach, and, very likely, a replacement for likely free agent departure Aaron Donald.   21—Dallas (6-10) Three more wins than in 2018, but another 10-loss season just the same. Fans in Dallas are coming out of the honeymoon phase with the club and are going to want to see a playoff-caliber team pretty soon.   22—St. Louis (6-10) Another slight improvement over the prior year (3 wins in 2017, 5 in 2018), but is slow and steady enough?   23—Oklahoma (6-10) The Outlaws will have a rough offseason ahead of them, very likely losing some of their biggest names either to retirement (Lynch?) or to the new San Antonio Gunslingers.   24—Washington (5-11) After an encouraging 9-7 record in 2018, the Feds take a step backwards. Fans are hoping they can see the Ryan Nassib from the 2018 Wranglers next year, because he was not on the field this season in Washington.   25—Atlanta (4-11-1) Coach Arians knew this was a make or break year, and, well, it broke. From 10-6 to 4 wins is not what any team wants to see, especially when you cannot point to any injuries as season-impacting.   26—Ohio (4-12) Coach Coughlin wins his final 2 games and that seems to have saved him for this year. Ohio won the division last year but looked like a shadow of that team this year. Expect 2020 to begin with Coughlin firmly planted in the hot seat.   27—Portland (4-12) The Stags are a team that can certainly point to injuries as an issue. They started 4 different QBs this year, including one they traded to get midseason. Hard to win when you don’t know who will be under center week to week.   28—Jacksonville (3-13) Coach Flores does not survive what is Jacksonville’s 9 th  straight 10+ loss season. Seven wins over two seasons will do that. So now the Bulls once again start over.     Baltimore Blitz (9-7) @ New Orleans Breakers (10-6) Saturday, July 13 @ 3pm ET Caesar’s Super Dome, New Orleans,LA Breakers -7   How do we break down this game? Well, the Vegas books seem pretty confident that a mix of solid defense (4 th in PPG allowed) and home field will be enough to give New Orleans the win. We are not so sure. The Blitz have proven to be a very resilient group, particularly after the loss of Big Ben Roethlisberger for the season with a back injury. That injury, and the very real potential that their star QB will never take the field again, has been a huge motivator for the Blitz, who have shown their own defensive mettle, and who can surprise with an offense that still has some playmakers.   OUR PICK: We like the upset here. We think Baltimore is motivated, focused, and that they match up well with the Breakers. A lot will depend on if they can get a run game started to keep the pressure off Jake Locker. If they can, then some single coverage may allow Hartline and Heyward-Bey to get favorable looks and Baltimore to crack that tough Breaker D. We say Baltimore 21-17.   Seattle Dragons (9-7) @ Denver Gold (10-6) Saturday, July 13 @ 7pm ET Sports Authority Field @ Mile High, Denver, CO Gold -5   This one is a tough one to pick. We love what Coach Hufnagel is building in Denver, and in his first full year of action Josh Allen has had some impressive moments. But this will be his first playoff game, and while Seattle has struggled every season with slow starts, they are a team that comes on strong late in the year. Coach Riley has them believing they deserve to be here, and that may extend into believing that they can win in a tough atmosphere (or lack of atmosphere) in Denver.   OUR PICK: We are again going to go with the road underdog. We like Knowshon Moreno to find gaps in Denver’s front line, and that can help Jacoby Brissett avoid pressure from Von Miller. It may well be a close game decided by a field goal, but we think that the 3-year run of late season surges from the Dragons continues in Denver.  Seattle 24-21.   New Jersey Generals (9-7) Philadelphia Stars (9-7) Sunday, July 14 @ 1pm ET Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA Stars -3   We love that this is a playoff matchup. We have two teams that have had to scrape and survive all season long, but also two teams that know each other so well, and honestly do not like each other. The Linc should be packed, and there will be warring factions there as well as on the field. So, what is the difference between these two? We think it all comes down to which HB will be able to do have success. Will it be human bowling ball Maurice Jones Drew? Or will “King” Henry be able to repeat his outstanding Week 16 performance?   OUR PICK: The oddsmakers give Philadelphia a slight edge because of the home field advantage. We give them a slight disadvantage because we have seen how Matt Gutierrez has struggled all season long, throwing 18 picks to only 16 TDs, and while Nick Foles had some bad games, he has been more reliable all season long, throwing for 28 TDs and only 7 picks, a really nice 4:1 ratio. We continue our streak of picking the road underdog with this one too. Our pick is New Jersey 27-25.     Oakland Invaders (8-8) @ San Diego Thunder (12-4) Sunday, July 14 @ 5pm ET Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA Thunder -12   Here is where we break our streak for the underdog. We agree with the Las Vegas book that this is not a close matchup. Just the fact that Coach Kubiak is considering making a QB change for a playoff game, a wild idea, tells us that he has his doubts as well. The Oakland offense has been a major liability all season long (ranked 25 th  of 28 teams in scoring). And, yes, the Invaders can play defense, but this Thunder team just dismantled the top defense in the league, Los Angeles, in a 44-0 massacre. We just don’t think this will be close.   OUR PICK: We think this one has the potential to get ugly quickly. Perhaps Oakland’s D can keep it close for a half, but over 60 minutes San Diego’s quality will show itself. We say San Diego 31-17.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Derreck Henry has been pretty quiet all season, but not in Week 16, when he rattled off 173 yards on 22 carries and produced 2 scores to help Philadlephia take the Northeastern Division Title. After an 0-5 start that was a huge push for the Stars, and in that push, Henry slowly worked his way up the rushing stats, finishing strong and finishing the year in 4th placewith 1,226 yards on the year. PLAYOFF PICTURE: All six Wild Cards and the NE Division Champion were decided this week. With all three 8-7 teams in the Northeast winning, and with both Orlando and Memphis losing, all of the NE Teams make it in, with Philadelphia taking the division title thanks to their 7-1 record in the division. Baltimore and New Jersey enter as the 5th and 6th seeds. New Orleans locked up the 4-seed with their victory over Orlando. In the West, Denver and Seattle both won, locking in their Wild Card berths. Oakland also got a season-ending win, placing them ahead of LA in the Pacific. And, thanks to a 7-5 conference record, the Invaders get in at 8-8 with both Chicago and Las Vegas out with 6-6 conference records. So, the final seeding is now set, with the 1 and 2 seeds getting byes this week. Here are the twelve 2019 playoff seedings: EAST: 1-HOU 2-TBY 3-PHI 4-NOR 5-BAL 6-NJ WEST: 1-MGN 2-ARZ 3-SD 4-DEN 5-SEA 6-OAK

We may well be witnessing the wildest Week 16 in league history this weekend. Why? Well, because we still have 7 unclaimed playoff spots, and we have 13 teams still very much in play for those spots. Surpriing results, like Pittsburgh road win over NE Division-leading Baltimore, New Jersey’s win over Chicago, Tampa’s narrow victory over Orlando (our GOTW), and Dallas’s surprising win over LA, have meant that only 1 new playoff spot has been reserved (the Bandits winning the SE Division), and leaving all 6 Wild Card spots, as well as a newly-clogged 3-team tie atop the NE Division, in play for Week 16. As you would expect, we are going to break it all down, review all the huge Week 15 results, and tell you what all 13 teams still in the hunt have to do to get to a Week 17. We will do all that and also take a look at the 5 new head coaches this year to see how they all fared. All this, plus an expansion team lands their inaugural head coach, and a wave of potential free agents come off the market as a wave of extensions and new deals come to fruition this week. No time to waste, let’s kick this week’s recap off with our big story, how the Pittsburgh Maulers threw the entire NE Division into chaos.   Maulers Create Mayhem as 3 Tied for First in NE Division The Maulers, sitting at 5-9 after 14 weeks, will not be going to the postseason this year, but that does not mean they cannot they won’t be an influential player. Their surprising 13-7 win in Baltimore ensured that. By shutting down Josh Jacobs, Jake Locker and the Baltimore offense, the Maulers threw the NE Division into chaos and knocked Baltimore out of lone possession of first place, a positoin they had held most of the season.   The Maulers’ upset win gave both Philadelphia and New Jersey the shot they needed to take a share of 1 st  place with 1 week left in the season. With Baltimore falling to 8-7, the 7-7 Stars were able to wipe away the memory of their 0-5 start and technically take over 1 st  place on a tiebreaker. With Philadelphia’s 34-20 road win in Washington, they finished their division schedule with a 6-2 record, providing the Stars with a tiebreaker advantage over both Baltimore (5-3 in division) and New Jersey (3-5 in the NE). But, with 1 week of actoin left, all three had a shot to claim a division title that had looked to be Baltimore’s for weeks.   New Jersey knocked off Chicago impressively, 24-6, in Week 15, and now looked at another home game, though a tough one against Cam Newton and the resurgent Stallions. With the worst division record of the three teams, they need a win and for both the Blitz and the Stars to lose, but they still had a shot at the title. Baltimore faces Chicago in the season finale, hoping to finish at 9-7 and hoping the Stars fall in the finale, a combination that would allow Baltimore to reclaim the division. But, the team with the clearest path is perhaps the most surprising. After starting the year 0-5, and with serious concern that their QB, Matt Gutierrez, had turned a corner he could not return from, the Stars had won 8 of 10 games to reach 8-7, and now had only to beat Memphis in Memphis in Week 16 and the division would be theirs.   What will make Week 16 so interesting across the NE Division is that all three of the teams in contention for the title could end up being underdogs in their finales. Memphis currently is a 3-point favorite over Philadelphia, an understandable advantage considering that they will be playing the game at the Liberty Bowl, and because Memphis, also 8-7, is in their own playoff hunt. Baltimore will travel to Chicago, where the oddsmakers have set up the 8-7 Machine, again another team with their own playoff push, as 2 point home favorites, a margin that shows a lack of faith in Chicago, but still has them with a slight advantage as the home team. New Jersey is the only club playing at home from the trio of contenders, and yet, despite that, the sudden success of Todd Haley’s new QB option offense and the recent struggles for New Jersey, including losses to both Philly and Washington, has created a situatoin where New Jersey is a 1 point underdog despite playing at home.   This is all to say that the entire division, as well as some Wild Card possibilities, is coming down to the final week, and in large part because of the surprising result from Pittsburgh, a team not at all involved in the race for the division. Like Washington’s upset of New Jersey in Week 11, the Mauler win in Baltimore throws the division into a 3-way race, and all three teams could potentially make the postseaon, or alternatively, we could have only 1 representative of the division, sitting at 8-8, who still earns a home playoff game. We will know just how this turns out in 4 days, when the weekend wraps up and all 12 of the playoff spots are claimed.   ORLANDO RENEGADES 23   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 24 Another good battle in the Southeast Division as the 8-6 Orlando Renegades faced off against the 9-5 Tampa Bay Bandits. A win at home and the Bandits lock up a division title only 1 year removed from a miserable 3-13 season. A win by the visiting Renegades and they earn a share of first place and get the edge on Tampa Bay with 1 week left, leapfrogging the Bandits thanks to a 6-2 division record vs. Tampa’s 5-3 mark. So, with the stakes very high, and with both teams looking to claim their first division title in several years (Orlando 2016, Tampa Bay 2014), this one was earmarked as a potential thriller all week, and it did not disappoint.   The game started tentatively, with both defenses holding their own and forcing early punts. Between both teams we saw 5 of 6 drives end in punts from each team’s side of the field. The only outlier came after a nice nice punt return by Orlando’s Tandon Doss helped put Orlando in positoin for a short drive and a Cundiff field goal. Orlando held the 3-0 lead going into the second quarter thanks to Doss’s 36-yard punt return and Cundiff’s right leg.   But that lead would disappear quickly in the 2 nd , with Tampa Bay responding with a quick-strike drive that saw them advance from their own 17 into the endzone in only 5 plays. The first big play on the drive was A shot to Dez Bryant, who lept over the corner to bring the ball down for a 46-yard gain. 3 plays later, Prescott found TE Ryan Izzo on a seam route and 30-yards later he was in for a score. The quick strike proved that Orlando’s defense could be susceptible to the big play, something Tampa’s first 3 drives had not succeeded in showing. Following a quick 3-and-out from the improving Bandit defense, the Bandits were ready to show that big play capability once again.   On the Bandits’ 2 nd  drive of the quarter, it was again a pair of big plays that got Tampa back in the endzone. The first this time was a simple pitch to Dalvin Cook, with the Bandit tailback jukin past the first tackler, and grinding his legs on the second hit, adding an other 5 yards to his run for a total of 15 and a first down for Tampa Bay. The Bandits then hit on another long pass play, this time to slot receiver Deebo Samuel, who went 30 yards on a beautiful out and up. That play put the Bandits on the 9-yardline of Orlando, and 2 plays later Prescott had his second TD toss, this time to Bryant on a crossing pattern. The Bandits had put 14 points on the board in barely 6 minutes. Was this game about to turn ugly for Orlando?   The ’Gades,feeling the pressure to respond, circled their wagons and put their trust into their run game. They put together a 10-play drive, with 8 of those plays on the ground. Knile Davis accounted for 31 yards on 4 carries and Rashard Jennings added another 22, including the scoring play, a 9-yard run to the endzone on a classic counter tre. The 14-10 score would hold through the half, and Orlando was still in the game as both clubs headed into the locker rooms.   Orlando got the ball first in the 2 nd half and it became clear that they had opted to try to shorten the game. Their drive would take 14 plays and nearly 9 minutes before Kerrith White dove in from the 2. Russell Wilson went 5 of 7 on the drive, building towards his eventual total of 328 yards. Jennings and Davis also contributed with several strong runs against the Tampa front 7. The combo would finish the game with 108 combined yards as Orlando kept a nice balance of run and pass to keep the Bandits honest. Now up 17-14, Orlando would have to withstand Tampa’s response.   The Bandits did respond, with mid-range passes to both Ryan Grant and Dez Bryant helping to put them in range for their kicker, and when Prescott missed on a throw to TE Jordan Cameron, it was Butker who came out to level up the score. The 3 rd  quarter ended with the two teams locked at 17, and 15 minutes left to possibly decide the division title.   Orlando would reclaim the lead after a pair of offsides calls against the Bandits helped them get into range for Billy Cundiff. Russell Wilson had noted the aggressiveness of Bandit linemen and used a hard count to draw the Bandits over the line, giving Orlando two first downs on the drive. Cundiff made the long 52-yarder and once again Orlando was on top.   What happened next looked to spell doom for the Bandits. On the ensuing possession, in fact the very first play of the drive, Bandit QB Dak Prescott turned to hand the ball off to Dalvin Cook, but his right guard had stepped back too far, landing his foot on Prescott’s. The QB went down, and hopped over to the sideline in obvious pain. Backup B. J. Daniels would play the rest of the game, and while it was later determined that Prescott had suffered an injury to the big toe, and not the ankle as first imagined, it was still enough to keep him out of the rest of this pivotal game.   And so Daniels, who had a grand total of 13 pass attempts all season, would have to lead the Bandits. Fans in Raymond James Stadium were noticeably uneasy at the prospect, but Daniels’ first drive showed them that there was no need to panic. The untested backup started off slowly, with 2 consecutive handoffs to Dalvin Cook, the second a nice 9-yard run that kept the Bandits from a tough 3 rd  down. On the third play, Daniels faked the ball to Cook and found Jordan Cameron for a gain of 9. Then, 2 plays later, he located Dez Bryant for a 22-yarder. His third pass of the drive would also be to Bryant, a touchdown toss on a nice bootleg, providing the Bandits with a 24-20 lead and the fans with a bit more confidence that their untested backup was ready to play.   The Bryant TD came with 9:27 left in the game. The Bandits would now have to buckle down to avoid further Orlando scores, uncertain of their ability to win a shootout without Prescott in the game. And unlike in past years, the Bandit defense was up to the task. Orlando would have 3 short drives in the final 9 minutes of action. The first ended with a near pick as Jalen Ramsey snatched the ball away from Dwayne Bowe, but could not keep a grasp of it as he tumbled out of bounds. Orlando was forced to punt nonetheless. After Tampa Bay missed on their own 3 rd  down play, Orlando got the ball a 2 nd  time. They found quick success on a nice pass from Wilson to Hunter Renfrew, got a needed first down on a Russell Wilson scramble for 11, and then pushed the ball to the Tampa Bay 14 with a perfect throw from Wilson to a streaking Brashad Perriman. Pushed out at the 14, Orlando appeared to be ready to retake the lead, but on three consecutive plays the Bandit D stepped up. On 1 st  and 10 they forced movement on the Orlando line, creating a false start call that moved the ball back to the 19. On the next play Ramsey again forced an incompletion. 2 nd  and 15 saw Rashad Jennings gain back the 5 yards from the penalty, but on 3 rd and 10 Russell Wilson was flushed out of the pocket by DE Pernell McPhee and his pass towards Bowe was wide and high. Coach Rivera, seeing that there were well over 3 minutes left to play, opted not to go for the risky 4 th and 10, sending out Cundiff to make it a 1-point game.   Down 1 with 3:24 left, Orlando kicked the ball away. Tampa tried to use the run game to grind out a first down, but failed on a 3 rd  and 3 when LB Sean Spence blitzed into the gap and dragged HB Marion Mack down after only a 1-yard gain. The Bandits would have to punt the ball back to Orlando before the 2-minute warning. Giving Orlando 2:22, the 2-minute warning, and 1 timeout left to get into field goal range. But, even with adequate time, the Renegades hurried, perhaps a bit too much. After an initial Wilson pass went for 5 yards, the ‘Gades rushed back to the line. They did not adequately set their blocking before Wilson received the snap, and that allowed McPhee to find a gap in the pocket, slide past the RT and hit Wilson hard, sending him to the ground and recording Tampa’s only sack on the day. That play forced a 3 rd  and 9, and the Bandits tightened up their coverage to stop the drive right there. The close coverage worked, with Wilson forcing the ball to TE David Njoku well short of the first down, producing a 4 th and 4 on their own 31.   Orlando called their final timeout, trying to find the right play to call on the crucial down. That allowed Tampa’s defense to get a breather, swap out some linemen, and scope out the offensive formation. When Russell Wilson got under center, the Bandits called a time out of their own, a move which forced Orlando to change their play. We don’t know what the original call was, but the newly-called play, which had Orlando in a trips formation, proved to be ineffective, with Wilson forced out of the pocket, throwing on the run and missing Dwayne Bowe once again. Tampa Bay took the drive over, with B. J. Daniels sent out only to take a knee, and the fans celebrated as their Bandits recorded the win, clinching not only the SE Division title, but locking into the 2 nd  seed, meaning that Tampa Bay would get a bye and host a Divisional Game in 3 weeks time. For Orlando, the playoffs are still very much an option, but to secure it they would have to go back on the road in Week 16, and no easy task, they would need to head into New Orleans to face a Breakers team that also needed a win to lock up a Wild Card.   SAN DIEGO 34  OAKLAND 14 The Thunder are showing that they are in no mood to rest after clinching the Pacific Division crown. San Diego built a 21-0 halftime lead thanks to two short TD runs and a pick-six of Jimmy Garoppolo. They then kept pace with Oakland the rest of the way to take the 20-point win and stay in the hunt for a bye week, still trailing Arizona by a game, however. POTG:  Thunder CB Justin Gilbert: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   PITTSBURGH 13  BALTIMORE 7 Jake Locker was sacked 6 times by an aggressive Mauler defense, and Baltimore suffered a bad loss that not only knocked them out of first place in the NE Division, but could result in them missing the playoffs entirely if they don’t get a Week 16 win. The Maulers flew around on defense, playing very much like a team with nothing to lose and a desire to spoil the fun for their opponent. POTG:  Mauler LB Brian Cushing: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   CHICAGO 6   NEW JERSEY 24 A much-needed win for New Jersey and a rough loss for Chicago as they saw Sam Bradford have to leave the game after a 5 of 5 start throwing the ball. Bradford should be back for Week 16, but this loss hurts Chicago’s chances. Meanwhile, New Jersey claims a share of 1 st place, though they will need to avoid the tiebreakers if they want the division title next week. Nick Foles connected with Odell Beckham for 131 yards and 2 scores, while also hitting Muhamed Sanu with a 3 rd  TD in the game. POTG:  Generals’ WR Odell Beckham Jr: 4 Rec, 131 Yds, 2 TD   LOS ANGELES 7   DALLAS 24 Another rough loss for a team on the cusp of a playoff berth as LA’s anemic offense again proves a major issue. Rookie Miles Gaskin got his first serious action in this game and looked good, rushing for 73 yards and a TD while splitting carries with Samaje Perine. The Dallas D found their way to Kyler Murray 5 times and produced a pick late as the Roughnecks did not play like a team eliminated from the Wild Card race, while LA, which still can win a spot with a victory next week, did not look at all ready for playoff football. POTG:  Dallas SS Dezmen Southward: 5 Tck, 2 Sck   OHIO 24  PORTLAND 10 The Glory snap their losing streak at 10 painful weeks, taking a convincing win in Portland against a Stags team that is “staggering” to the end of the year. The Glory D sacked Kyle Lauletta 4 times and held Portland to an ugly 1 of 17 on third downs. The offense got 282 yards from Christian Hackenberg, as the QB added 8 more receptions to Eric Weem’s league lead, now over 100 for the season. Rookie Terry McLaurin again looked like a keeper, catching another TD, his 6 th  since being added to the starting lineup for the Glory. POTG:  Glory DE Datone Jones: 7 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   ST. LOUIS 16 MICHIGAN 21 The Panthers continue to roll on towards a possible 1-seed, led by Kirk Cousin's 3 TD tosses as they hold off the Skyhawks to claim their 13th win of the season. With the Skyhawks intent on holding down LeVeon Bell's rush total, the Panthers had to go to the air, and did so quite successfully, with Cousins going 21 of 32 for 247 and finding Cody Latimer for 2 scores, with Arizona import Antonio Bryant getting the third. St. Louis stayed in the game, largely thanks to Lamar Jackson's 2 TD tosses, but 3 picks by the Skyhawk QB also limited their ability to come back against that tough Panther D. POTG: Panther WR Cody Latimer: 5 Rec, 129 Yds, 2 TD PHILADELPHIA 34  WASHINGTON 20 The stars have now gone 8-2 since their 0-5 start, and were spurred on again by their defense, which put pressure on Ryan Nassib all game. Philadelphia now sits in 1 st  place in the NE Division after Baltimore’s loss and can control their own destiny. A win next week gives them the NE Crown, something that seemed impossible early in the season. POTG:  Much-maligned Star QB Matt Gutierrez: 21/32, 229 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   MEMPHIS 3   HOUSTON 20 The Gamblers seem to have found their adaptation to Mike Evans’s injury. They used an aggressive defensive package to hold Memphis to only a single field goal, while spreading the ball around on offense. JuJu Smith-Schuster stepped up with 102 yards and 2 TDs, but Houston used 6 different recievers and all 3 halfbacks to sustain offense against the Showboats. POTG:  Gambler QB Colt McCoy: 13/25, 245 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   CHARLOTTE 17   NEW ORLEANS 23 In the battle of the league’s two teal-clad teams, New Orleans got the W, moved to 9-6, and set themselves up for a likely Wild card berth next week. Charlotte dropped to 6-8-1 and was eliminated from the playoffs, a huge drop off from their early season success. Leonard Fournette scored 3 times and the Breaker D sacked Mitchell Trubisky 6 times, including 3 and a safety from DE Ezekiel Ansah as the Breakers get the W. POTG:  Breaker DE Ezekiel Ansah: 6 Tck, 3 Sck, 1 Sfty   ARIZONA 37  ATLANTA 20 The Fire again played tough, but Arizona wore them down and earned their 12 th  win of the season. Atlanta actually outgained the Wranglers 320-261 but lost the turnover battle 3-0, including a pick-six from Arizona CB Joe Haden, jumping a swing route from the 10 to shock Aaron Murray. Murray was picked twice, and sacked 4 times by Arizona, who also got TDs from Jimmie Graham, Victor Cruz, and KaDeem Carey. POTG:  Wrangler HB KaDeem Carey: 15 Att, 70 Yds, 1 TD   DENVER 21  JACKSONVILLE 11 The Gold avoided the trap game, moved to 9-6, and now control their own destiny, with a possible home Wild Card game on the table. Josh Allen threw for 216 and found both Philip Lindsay and Michael Crabtree for scores, while the defense held Jacksonville in check for all but 1 play, a dynamic TD run from Teddy Bridgewater that proved to be too little to give the Bulls a W. POTG:  Gold DE Justice Cole: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   SEATTLE 30   BIRMINGHAM 34 The Stallions snap Seattle’s win streak and stay alive, though on life support at 7-8, with a surprising win and yet another huge game from Cam Newton. The new option offense helped Newton throw for 189, rush for 140 and account for 3 touchdowns in the game. Seattle tried a bit of everything, from spies, to shell defense, but nothing seemed to work as Birmingham scored touchdowns on 4 of their first 6 drives. Despite 120 yards from Knowshon Moreno, Seattle fell short and drops to 8-7, meaning next week is essential for them. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 19/35, 189 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 12 Att, 140 Yds, 2 TD   LAS VEGAS 24   OKLAHOMA 27 The Vipers needed this one, but Oklahoma showed some pride and held them off, thanks in part to 2 TDs from WR DeDe Westbrook. The Outlaws held the Viper run game in check, and despite giving up 3 TDs to QB Matt McGloin, were within 4 in the final minutes. Joe Flacco led the Outlaws on a two-minute drill and found Westbrook with the winning score to break the Vipers’ backs in the final seconds. The loss means Las Vegas needs quite a bit of help next week if they want to play some postseason football. POTG:  Outlaw WR DeDe Westbrook: 8 Rec, 104 Yds, 2 TD   Newton Shatters Seattle Streak with Another Huge Game The Dragons new what was coming, but they just could not do anything about it. That is the takeaway from Birmingham’s 34-30 victory over Seattle, a win that kept the Stallions alive in the Wild Card hunt and hurt the Dragon’s chances to host a playoff game. The Stallion victory snapped a 6-game win streak for the Dragons and once again showed that Coach Haley’s decision to turn Cam Newton into the team’s featured ballcarrier has a huge upside.   Newton spent a good amount of time in the pocket in the game, throwing 35 passes for 189 yards and a score, but he had his moments in the option game as well, rushing the ball 12 times for 140 yards, a ridiculous 11.7 YPC average, though most of those yards came on only 2 plays, a 59-yard TD run and an even more stunning 83-yard score. And that is the key to what Birmingham is done. For all the times Newton gains 3 or 4 yards and then slides down or steps out of bounds, there is always the potential that he can bust one for a score. Seattle spied Newton for most of the game, but with either a tight end or tailback acting as a lead blocker, Newton still managed to escape his shadow on more than a few occasions, including his two huge runs. The new “Stampede” offense that Haley has implemented for his QB has proven a very tough strategy to overcome. Memphis found a way to deal with Newton last week, limiting the QB to only 16 yards, but when Seattle tried the same tactics, they just could not execute, and their failure to contain Newton on the ground directly led to Birmingham’s victory.   Ansah & Fournette Bring Breakers Back from the Brink The Breakers have won 3 in a row, improving from 6-6 to 9-6 and thrusting themselves right back into the playoff hunt. It seems that every week there are different heroes stepping up to help the team get the W. Last week, in a stunning upset of the Gamblers in Houston, it was LB Jerome Baker with 2 sacks of Colt McCoy and WR Tyler Lockett with a late TD for the W. This week it was DE Ezekiel Ansah and HB Leonard Fournette who stepped up to help New Orleans get past the Monarchs. Ansah had a huge game, recording 3 sacks, one of which was a safety that pushed the Breaker lead from 11 to 13 in the 4 th  quarter.   The other standout was HB Leonard Fournette, who scored two first half touchdowns and added a third to open the 2 nd half and put the Breakers up 18 (21-3), breaking the Monarchs’ hopes for a 2 nd half rally. Fournette’s total for the day was not huge, only 68 yards, but when the Breakers got into the red zone, the big back showed he could plow over and through defenders when the endzone was in sight.   New Orleans locks up not only a Wild Card berth with a win next week, but a home game as the 4 seed. They face a tough Orlando squad also hoping to lock in a playoff berth in what should be an intense Sunday night affair, and the question is, who will step up for the Breakers this week?   Ranking the Five First-Year Coaches after 15 Weeks With the 2019 regular season lacking only 1 week of action to be put in the books, we wanted to take a look at the season’s five new head coaches to see where each stands and how their first year at the helm has gone. Overall it has been a very good year for the new hires, ranging from rebuilding to redefining a culture. We fully expect the Coach of the Year is in this group, and more and more it seems obvious who that will be, but all 5 coaches have had their moments.   1. Mark Trestman (TBY) No doubt in this pick. It is clear that Trestman is not only the most successful of the 1 st year coaches, but that he is the frontrunner for COTY. He not only has the Bandits sitting at 10-5, a 7-game improvement over 2018, but has locked down his first division title this week. He took all the strengths of the Bandit offense and enhanced them, while also turning what was a truly horrid defense into a tolerably weak group that at least knows how to hold a lead. The Bandit D still has work to do, but they are not allowing teams to roll up and down the field, and even a few stops per game are enough when your offense is scoring the way the Bandits do.   2. Ron Rivera (ORL) Rivera’s Renegade squad has been another pleasant surprise, and while their rise from 6-10 last year to a respectable 8-7 at present is not nearly as dramatic as what happened on the Gulf Coast, many expected Rivera’s squad to suffer from the loss of Calais Campbell as both a leader and a dominant defender, and yet the Renegade defense has held up quite well, staying in the top half of the league in most defensive stats. He has helped rookie Montez Sweat step in and find his own identity on defense and his offense, led by Russell Wilson has made strides, currently sitting 6 th  in scoring and showing good balance.   3. Marvin Lewis (LA) A few weeks ago we might have had Lewis in the running for COTY. He had the Express sitting pretty at 6-3 and looking like a contender for the Pacific crown. But, since then the offensive issues have proven tough to overcome as rookie QB Kyler Murray has had some adjustment issues. That has led to a 2-4 dip that has LA in a “must win” situation in Week 16. The defense has been a revelation, and that is Lewis’s strong suit, so he clearly has made a positive impact. If he can get more help on offense next year, this Express team could be ready for a serious run.   4. Todd Haley (BIR) It took a while for Coach Haley to learn his team, and to accept the idea of an unorthodox take on offense. The delay before developing the new “Stampede” offense, as fans have started calling the Run-Pass Option that Cam Newton has run so well the past month, means that the Stallions may well be too late to snag a playoff spot, but fans have to be excited about how this new strategy could help them next year. Newton just re-signed with the club (see article below) so the new Todd Haley offensive gambit can continue into next year.   5. Bob Stoops (OKL) Coach Stoops is learning the pro game, and that can be an awkward transition. He is also dealing with a roster that could well look very different next season. His 6-9 Outlaw squad will be losing several players to the expansion San Antonio Gunslingers as part of the deal that brought the club to OK City, and even if a player like HB Marshawn Lynch does not move back to Texas, the shadow of retirement is there. The Outlaws have not been consistent on either side of the ball, but we are quite sure that Stoops, a legend at OU, will have a strong hand in redesigning the roster this year and that the team will reveal a more Stoops-like scheme in 2020.   Who Could Rest Players in Week 16? No one likes it, but teams protecting players from injury in a season’s final week has become standard procedure in pro football. Teams with nothing to play for don’t want to risk one of their star players getting hit and suffering an injury that could cost them months in recovery time. We see it with teams out of playoff contention, and with those whose playoff position is already locked in. So, who do we expect might just be sitting out this week, well, from our vantage point there are no fewer than 9 teams who could decide to rest some starters, take a look at some young players, and start thinking about what comes next. Here is our rundown of what we see happening this week.   HOUSTON (v. Oakland) The Gamblers are locked and loaded for the 1-seed in the East. That means they are already set for a bye next week, so do they really want their stars to be off the field for 2 weeks? History says yes. No one wants to risk Colt McCoy, Carlos Hyde, or JuJu Smith-Schuster, not with Mike Evans already on IR. Don’t expect to see too many of the Gamblers’ top players on the field this Sunday. Oakland gets about the easiest Houston matchup possible.   TAMPA BAY (@ Arizona) What would have been a sure-fire “Future Summer Bowl matchup” a couple of weeks ago may very well prove to be a battle of backups this week. Yes, Arizona technically could catch Michigan for the 1-seed, though that feels somewhat unlikely, but Tampa Bay is stuck in the 2-slot, and we expect we will see very little, if any action at all from Dalvin Cook, Dez Bryant, Dak Prescott. And if Arizona is resigned to a 2-seed, they could rest some starters as well.   SAN DIEGO (v. Los Angeles) By the time San Diego plays on Sunday, we will already know if they still have a shot at a 2-seed (with an Arizona loss to Tampa Bay) or if the Wranglers held off the Bandits and San Diego is locked into the 3. If they are certainly going to be hosting a playoff game as the 3-seed next week, then you can bet that a lot of their starters will see very little action against the Express. That could be huge for LA as they still need a win to get into Wild Card position.   JACKSONVILLE (v. Charlotte) Nothing for Jacksonville to play for here, but, and this could be interesting, they may well want to find a trading partner for NFL import Ryan Tannehill. With Teddy Bridgewater having a fine year with the Bulls, having Tannehill play in this game could be a way for Jacksonville to drum up some interest and possibly trade away an expensive backup QB to free up some cap space.   OHIO (@ Washington) Not that they are tanking to get the 1 st  draft pick, but why would the Glory not want to give their starters a week off (on the road) and let some of the younger players into the game to see what they have for the future. They have already fallen in love with rookie WR Terry McLaurin. Maybe there is another potential future star on the roster who just needs to get into the game. WASHINGTON (v. Ohio) Exactly what we said for Ohio is true for their opponent. It seems pretty safe to say that we will see a lot of players from deep down the depth chart suited up and on the field for the Federals. And why not? It is not like winning this game does anything at all for Washington.   ATLANTA (v. Denver) The Fire are almost certainly going to give DeShone Kizer another start. They need to decide if his mid-season issues were a sign that he just needs more development, or that he may just not have “it”, whatever “it” is. We also expect that they won’t risk Nick Chubb’s legs in this one, again, good news for their opponent, as Denver can lock up the 4-seed and guarantee themselves a home playoff game with a win in the finale.   ST. LOUIS (v. Pittsburgh) Last year it was all about testing out Lamar Jackson. This year that is not needed, and the Skyhawks would be better served to keep him, and some of their other key contributors off the field. Let the backups have a game. We expect Pittsburgh will do the same, though they might keep Jarvis Landry in the game, so he has a shot at a Top 5 finish in the receiver rankings.   OKLAHOMA (@ Michigan) A win and Michigan is the 1-seed. Will Oklahoma try to stop that, or do they just want to look at some roster depth? Our educated guess is that Lynch is out, and Flacco gives way to Mason Rudolph because the Outlaws need to know if Rudolph can take over next year if the San Antonio Gunslingers opt to pull Flacco away in their targeted draft of Oklahoma players. That seems a shrewd strategy, because if Rudolph is not ready to take over next year, that would certainly impact the Outlaws’ offseason plans.   The Bandits have punched their ticket to the dance, and they are locked in as a 2-seed, with a bye week on the schedule. That is a huge upgrade from last season’s 3-13 final record, so all kudos to Coach Trestman and the Bandits. So, with 1 week left, 5 of 12 playoff spots are claimed. How does it all shake out for Week 16?  Here is the rundown, only the facts , ma’am.   ALL LOCKED IN:  Houston & Tampa Bay Believe it or not, these two are the only clubs (aside from those already eliminated) who know exactly where they are headed in 2 weeks. Houston has the 1-seed all set in the East, and Tampa Bay secured the 2-seed this week, so both can rest easy and get ready for that sweet bye-week.   ALL ABOUT THE SEEDING:  Michigan, Arizona, San Diego. It is something of a chain reaction in the West. If Michigan wins, they have the 1-seed. If they lose, Arizona has a shot by beating Tampa Bay this week, though they would need to make sure that they have the margin of victory tiebreaker in hand, and that could be tough. But, if Arizona loses to the Bandits, well, then San Diego can jump from the 3 to the 2, and that gives them the bye. All three are locked in as division champs, but the prospect of home field advantage or a bye week could motivate all three to put in some effort this week.   CAN SECURE A HOME PLAYOFF GAME WITH A WIN:  Philadelphia, New Orleans, Denver. None of these three are locked into a playoff berth yet, and a loss could knock any one of them out (with the right combination of other results),but, on the positive side, all three can not only lock in a playoff berth, but a home playoff game as either the 3 seed (Philadelphia) or the 4 (New Orleans and Denver) with a win this weekend. That is huge for all three, so expect them to come out swinging. CONTROL THEIR DESTINY:  Baltimore, Orlando, Seattle, Los Angeles A win and they are in the postseason, with seeding a possible mess of variables. But, at the very least they can ignore the scoreboard and focus on getting the job done. With any luck, Baltimore could even be a 3-seed and get a home game. Seattle could possibly land the 4 seed if Denver falls, so there is some mobility there, but only if they win, because a loss could see them playing golf next weekend.   NEED HELP:  New Jersey, Memphis, Birmingham, Chicago, Oakland, Las Vegas None of these teams can get into the playoffs if the clubs in the two categories we just laid out all get wins. That is as basic as we can put it. New Jersey and Chicago have the best shot; they just need one of the other 8-7 teams to drop their finale and then they have a chance. The others need some pretty complicated combinations of results to move up the list and sneak into the 6 slot. They have hope, but there will be a lot of scoreboard watching for fans of these teams.   It is so rough when a player gets injured right as the season is either winding down or ramping up for the postseason, and that is exactly what we got this week with 5 more players added to the IR. For most, it means a fall focused on either surgery rehab or PT. For at least one, Philadelphia’s Anthony Hargrove, it could mean missing out on a playoff run, which no player wants to watch from home, especially after putting in over 4 months of camp, training, and grinding regular season action. OUT LB           Brian Orakpo                PIT         Broken Leg         IR OG         Keleche Osamele          STL         ACL                        IR FS           Jamal Adams                DAL       Ankle                       IR OG         Andy Alleman                  WSH     ACL                       IR DE          Anthony Hargrove          PHI        Torn Quad                IR HB         James Wilder Jr              LV           Knee                        1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR         Keenan Allen               WSH     Back CB          Brandon Boykin               WSH     Neck DE          Ifeadi Odenigbo            CHI        Hamstring WR         Keke Coutee                  HOU     Concussion   QUESTIONABLE OG         Mitch Petrus                  OHI       Ankle SS           Duke Williams                 SD          Eye OG         Michael Jordan                ATL         Toe    Newton Leads Tsunami of Deals With the end of the regular season only a few days away, teams and agents have gotten serious about extending contracts or creating new deals to keep core players in the final days of their current deals in house. The flurry of announced deals this week included several potential All-USFL candidates, and ended the question of whether or not the Birmingham Stallions would move on from QB Cam Newton, removing one of the bigger name quarterbacks from the potential free agent pool this offseason.   Cam Newton and the Stallions agreed to a new 3-year deal that would increase Newton’s current deal by roughly $2M per season while ensuring that Todd Haley’s new offensive scheme will have a chance to play out over a full season. And while Newton was perhaps the biggest name among the players inked this week, he was at the helm of a pretty large pool of talent that will no longer be available to teams when the 2019-2020 free agent market opens 4 days after the conclusion of the season at Summer Bowl 2019. And for those hoping their team might find a new option at QB this offseason, there is still a pretty sizeable pool, though perhaps not one filled with “franchise” players, as their rarely is. Still unsigned for next year we have Seattle’s Jacoby Brissett, San Diego’s Joe Webb, Philadelphia’s Matt Gutierrez, Tim Tebow in Orlando, Charlotte’s Tyler Thigpen, and Birmingham backup E. J. Manuel.   Beyond the QB group, other names of note who were extended or who signed onto a new deal with their current team include several star cornerbacks, including Chicago’s Josh Norman, Tampa’s Jalen Ramsey, and current INT leader, Houston’s Leodis McKelvin. Linebackers Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuechley both added 3 years to their current deals with Oakland and Atlanta respectively. Charlotte and St. Louis both locked in a key piece on their O-lines, with center Mike Pouncey and LT Brian Bulaga both signing new deals. And while there was not a huge wave of "skill” player signings, three of note include Arizona HB KaDeem Carey, and WRs Cody Latimer in Michigan and Alshon Jeffery in Portland.   New England Taps Former Cannon Coach John Fox A week before Black Monday and one coaching position is off the board and one candidate no longer available. The expansion New England Steamrollers have found their man in former Boston Cannon head coach John Fox. Fox is, of course, familiar to fans in the region after helming the Cannons during their relocation from Atlanta, their rise in the NE Division and their 2009 Summer Bowl title run. Fox stayed with the club stayed with the club through 2012, when he was let go following a 2 year run that saw Boston win only 4 games in total. He would then go on to lead the Orlando Renegades from 2013 through last season, hired almost immediately after Boston cut him loose. In Orlando, Fox had an overall record of 47-49, taking the Renegades to the playoffs in 2015 and 2016 as a Wild Card, but was never able to get over the hump and win the division.   Despite the rough end of his tenure with Boston, Fox is still seen as a strong team builder, and is still celebrated for the 2009 USFL title, Boston’s lone title in either the NFL or USFL in more than 60 years of professional football in the city. He comes to the Steamrollers once again to build a franchise, much as he did when he took over a flailing Atlanta Fire on the verge of relocation. This time, the veteran coach of 17 USFL seasons will have to start from scratch, without a single player already signed to the franchise he and his GM will have a wide open field from which to build a roster, primarily through September’s Expansion Draft, along with free agency, potential NFL signings, and January’s Territorial and Open Collegiate Draft. It is assumed that with the restructuring of the T-Draft pool, New England will have Boston College among its protected schools, though the other two options may well be from outside the region due to the lack of power schools in the Northeast.   San Antonio Eyeing Offensive-minded HC With the announcement that the Steamrollers have hired their inaugural head coach, all eyes now turn to San Antonio to see if the other 2020 expansion team will also quickly jump on a candidate. The Gunslingers have not made a lot of news on the coaching front, focusing first on the personnel team as well as other franchise business functions, but what is known is that team CEO Red McCombs is looking to bring in a coach with offensive expertise. That is a pretty broad qualification, so it is not known if McCombs is focusing on coaches with prior Head Coach experience or potentially one of the prominent Offensive Coordinators from across the USFL. What is expected is that the first coach of the Gunslingers will have USFL experience and may come from the active coaching ranks of the league, because at this time of the calendar year, few NFL options exist. While we often see both USFL players and coaches leave for the NFL in the September window, it is not until the second USFL-NFL Transfer Window in February where we see much movement from the fall league to the USFL.   Early feelers seem to point to a current OC position, and for that the Gunslingers will have several strong options just by looking at the top of the offensive stat categories. While Tampa Bay’s offensive explosion is impressive, most believe it is HC Mark Trestman pulling those strings, so snagging their OC (more of an offensive assistant) seems unlikely, but that is not the case with teams like Arizona, Michigan, Houston, or San Diego, all of whom have OCs who could be of interest to the Gunslingers. McCombs could also be looking at offensive-minded head coaches who recently were “relieved” of their positions, names like former Portland HC Pep Hamilton, former Atlanta HC Tom Ramsey, or even former Outlaws Head Coach Greg Landry, though we expect that Landry’s inability to get the Texas Outlaws, San Antonio’s prior club, to a league title in his 9-year tenure likely does not make him a popular choice among the current candidates.     Expect the Gunslingers to wait just a bit longer, hoping to speak with coaches currently occupied by the 2019 USFL season and postseason, but to make a decision quickly after the conclusion of the Summer Bowl if not sooner. With Free Agency starting up only days after Summer Bowl 2019, there is no time to lose as the Gunslingers start to build their franchise.   Here is your Week 16 lineup of games. As always, the USFL has flexed several games, removed the Friday night lineup, and shifted around the schedule to align as many games with competing playoff implications to the same timeslot as they can. Problem is, with so many teams in play, and so many playoff spots up for grabs, there is no way to put everyone who is competing for a slot in the same time as everyone else. So, for example, Arizona will play at the same time as Michigan, which could impact the 1-seed in the West, but San Diego plays the next day, and they will already know if they have a shot at the 2-seed (if Arizona loses) or if they can rest players and sit back with the 3 locked up. That same situation is up and down the schedule as we just have too many teams vying for Wild Cards to have them all in simultaneous action. The one game that could be a true Play-In game is the Orlando-New Orleans matchup, which is why it was saved until Sunday Night. Now, it is also possible that by the time they both play they could both be in the Wild Card round, but even if that happens, the question of the 4-seed (a home game) could still be on the table. So, that one game is a bit of a stand-alone game, while for many other teams there will be one eye on the field and one on the scoreboard.   SAT. @ NOON       Pittsburgh (6-9) @ St. Louis (6-9)                     ABC Regional                               No playoff Implications   SAT. @ NOON   Charlotte (6-8-1) @ Jacksonville (3-12)           ABC Regional                                  No playoff implications   SAT. @ NOON        Denver (9-6) @ Atlanta (4-10-1)                      FOX                                  Denver clinches 4 th  Seed in West with win.   SAT @ 4PM            Las Vegas (7-8) @ Dallas (6-9)                        NBC                        Vipers require a win + losses by LA, Chicago, and Oakland for a Wild Card.   SAT @ 4PM          Tampa Bay @ Arizona                                      ABC                                  Bandits are locked into 2-seed in East                                  Arizona could earn 1-seed in West with win + MGN Loss                                  SAT @ 4PM            Oklahoma (6-9) @ Michigan (13-2)                 FOX                          No playoff implications. Michigan is locked into 1-seed in East.               SAT @ 8PM           Baltimore (8-7) @ Chicago (8-7)                     ESPN/EFN                               Baltimore earn Wild Card with win, Win division with win + PHI Loss                                 Chicago earn Wild Card with Win + loss by LA or SEA    SUN @ NOON      Birmingham (7-8) @ New Jersey (8-7)              NBC                                 Generals earn Wild Card with win + 2 losses between BAL, ORL, MEM.                              Stallions require win + combination of losses (3% chance) for Wild Card   SUN @ NOON      Philadelphia (8-7) @ Memphis (8-7)                 ABC                                  Stars win NE Division with win.                 Memphis wins Wild Card berth with win + BAL or ORL loss.                                                                                                      SUN @ NOON        Ohio (3-12) @ Washington (5-10)                    FOX                                 No Playoff Implications   SUN @ 4PM          Los Angeles (8-7) @ San Diego (11-4)           ABC                                  Express earn Wild Card with win.                                  San Diego can earn 2-seed with win + large loss by ARZ.   SUN @ 4PM            Seattle (8-7) @ Portland (4-11)                       FOX Regional                                  Dragons earn Wild Card with win.   SUN @ 4PM            Oakland (7-8) @ Houston (11-4)                    FOX Regional                           Oakland earn Wild Card with win and 2 losses between SEA/LA/CHI.   SUN @ 8PM            Orlando (8-7) @ New Orleans (9-6)               ESPN/EFN                                  Renegades earn 4-seed with win + BAL loss                                 Breakers earn 4-seed with win