PLAYER OF THE WEEK: No doubt who earned POTW this week, with Cam Newton once again thriving in Toddy Haley's Run-Pass-Option offense. Newton completed 19 of 35 passing, throwing for 185 and a TD, but once again it was the QB Run that proved deadly as Newton amassed 140 yards and 2 scores against a Seattle defense that knew it was coming but could not stop it. PLAYOFF PICTURE: We are 15 weeks in and only 5 of 12 playoff spots are set. Tampa Bay locked up the SE Division with this week's win over Orlando, but that is the only official change. We did see Philadlephia take over the NE Division and they now control their own destiny with 1 week left to play. Similarly, Denver, Seattle, LA, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Orlando all have their playoff future in their hands, while New Jersey, Memphis, Birmingham, Chicago, Oakland, and Las Vegas need some help to make the postseason.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The Wranglers did not expect Oklahoma to put up much fight this week, but they had Arizona on the ropes. Fortunately the Wranglers had Nate Allen playing his best game of the year. Allen picked off Joe Flacco 3 times, including an absolutely essential pick-six from 34 yards out in the 4th quarter to help the Wranglers avoid the trap game loss. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Week 14 and we were unable to add any more teams to the playoff pool. The cluster of 8 and 7 win clubs is keeping the playoff hunt going deep into the seaosn's final weeks. We did have several teams disqualified, including Oklahoma, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Washington, and Atlanta. That means that we have 8 playoff spots left and we still have 16 teams in the mix. That should change after Week 15, but will we still see most spots left open until the season's final week? That is a rare occurence, but feels possible this year.

Some close calls this week, with Oklahoma giving Arizona a scare (both on the scoreboard and with Calais Campbell taken out of the game). Jacksonville nearly got a major upset in Las Vegas, Portland caused some issues for Oakland, and Atlanta came close to a major upset at home vs. Tampa Bay. But, by week’s end we saw only 2 significant upsets, with Seattle adding another win to their streak by taking care of San Diego and New Orleans getting the win they needed on the road against a Houston team that seems to be struggling to compensate for Mike Evans’s injury. We will recap these games and more as we review the 14 th  week of USFL action. We will also take a look at some possible names atop the wish lists of teams looking for a change at Head Coach, bring you news of a big name player who is declaring now that he wants to test the free agent waters, and some odd news from another big defensive star as a rare request to cancel a retirement has been sent to the league. All this, plus big news from St. Louis and a preview of all the Week 15 action ahead of us.   Five USFL Coordinators Who Could Get a Shot in 2020 With two expansion teams already looking to fill their front offices and with Black Monday only 2 weeks away, the time is now for several top tier USFL coordinators to get their shot at the big chair. We spoke with 15 GMs from across the league and asked them who they thought the hottest USFL coordinators would be, coaches who are finding great success and who are ready to take the next step and take the reins of a club. Of course, both the expansion clubs in New England and San Antonio are free to interview any range of coaches, from college coaches to former head coaches from both the USFL and NFL. We have also seen some teams wait until January to lock in a coach from the fall league, but the most common path is the Coordinator to Head Coach route. So, who did GM’s across the league cite? Well, 5 names came up time and again as coaches ready to take the leap this offseason.   Orlando Renegades DC Winston Moss When Ron Rivera agreed to take on the Renegades job last offseason, one of his requirements for the position was that not only would Orlando retain the services of their LB coach, former USFL star Winston Moss, but that he would be promoted to the OC position. Moss, a 15-year veteran of the Renegades, Feds, and Bandits, came on as a position assistant, working with the Renegades LBs back in 2012, when John Fox took over as Head Coach. He took over as the LB Coach in 2014, and under Rivera this year, he took over the defensive play calling. In a year when most expected a major letdown after the trade of Calais Campbell, not only did Moss produce a Top 10 defense, allowing only 17.9 points per game, but he helped rookie Montez Sweat step in and find instant success, racking up 14 sacks in his first 14 games. Moss plays an aggressive style of defense that is sure to attract some interest. The only question is what a team can expect on offense if they go with the former linebacker as their main man.   Arizona Wranglers OC Chuck Long Understanding offensive schemes is what Chuck Long does best. Many thought he would move on when both Frank Gore and Larry Fitzgerald retired last year, but he stuck with Coach Tomsula, and what the Wranglers are doing this year is proof that Long has had a huge role in their success, not just the talent on offense, but the talent in the Coach’s box as well. Long’s offense has barely missed a step with KaDeem Carey and Isaiah Crowell in the backfield and Victor Cruz and DeMarcus Robinson stepping in for Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant. The Wranglers currently sit in 2 nd  position in both yards per game and scoring, a testament to Coach Long’s system, a system pretty much every team in the league would love to have in place.   LA Express DC Vance Joseph Yes, it has not even been one full year for Joseph in LA, but when you put together the top-rated defense in the league, with a roster that most view as not one of the league’s strongest, you are going to get a lot of attention. And it is not as if Joseph has not had enough time to build up a reputation. He began as a grad assistant at Colorado, his alma mater, after a brief NFL career (3 years). From there he moved on to be a DB position coach for the Buffs, at Bowling Green, and then for the NFL 49ers. He held that same position with the Bengals as well, which parlayed into a position with Coach Lewis during his final 2 years in Seattle. When Coach Lewis built a staff for the new gig in LA, Vance Joseph (at the time working in the NFL again) jumped at the chance to be the DC for the rebuilding Express. His work in that role this year has not gone unnoticed and both his players (in the NFL and USFL) say he is born to be a head coach some day. Is that day coming this year?   Tampa Bay Bandits OC Jaime Elizondo Mark Trestman drew most of his coaching staff for the Bandits from the USFL and NFL ranks, but one coach he brought with him from the CFL was his OC. Coach Elizondo had never coached in either of the major U.S. leagues before, making a name for himself as a position coach and OC for various CFL clubs. Trestman brought his style of multiple-motion, pass-first offense from the Canadian league and, well, the proof is in the pudding, the Bandits are perhaps the most explosive, hard to scheme offense in the league. You know that other teams are watching as Tampa Bay rockets up the standings in Trestman’s first year, and that they will give serious attention to Elizondo’s role in that immediate success.   Denver Gold DC Orlondo Steinauer Another former CFL coach, Orlondo Steinauer came with Coach Hufnagel when Denver plucked him away from the Stampeders. What was interesting about the move was that Steinauer had not been with Calgary, he was the DC at Hamilton at the time, but Coach Hufnagel had been dealing with Steinauer’s defense as a CFL coach and he respected and liked the Tiger-Cat DC, so he asked him if he wanted to return to the US, and Steinauer jumped at the chance. Since coming to Denver with Hufnagel, Steinauer’s defenses have been highlighted by an aggressive pash rush, led by the duo of Von Miller and Justice Cole, and use of the DB’s in run coverage as well as bump & run man-up pass coverage. Just take a look at the current Gold stats and you will find starting cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Artie Burns right there with the LBs atop the list of the team’s top tacklers. With Denver the 2 nd  best team in the league in points allowed, and giving up only 80.8 YPG in the ground game, Coach Steinauer is getting a lot of attention for his player-friendly, simple but effective schemes.   Those five coordinators will be on several teams’ short lists. They likely won’t be alone, as there are sure to be some established Head Coaches looking for work, but we would not be surprised at all if 2, 3, maybe even 4 of the men from this list are sitting in the big office for a USFL team by January.   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 30  ATLANTA FIRE 27 We had a good one in the Southeast this weekend, and a bit of a surprise challenge for the Tampa Bay Bandits as 4-8-1 Atlanta put up a major fight before going down to their 9 th  defeat. The Bandits have been one of the revelations of the 2019 season, led by an offense that lives on the big play and the quick strike. Atlanta has shown a tendency to give up the run more than the big pass play, so perhaps we should have expected them to give Tampa Bay a game, but we did not think it would be quite as daunting as it turned out to be.   The Bandits, recognizing Atlanta’s major issues in run defense, did adjust their gameplan to take advantage of the issue, with Dak Prescott only throwing 20 passes in the game while Dalvin Cook carried the ball 16 times and David Wilson 6 more. The strategy was effective, with Cook gaining 131 yards with his 16 touches, an average of 8.2 YPC, which will win you most games. Cook got cooking right away, busting off a 14-yarder on the opening drive, a drive which led to Prescott finding his favorite receiver, Dez Bryant, for an 8-yard TD strike to open scoring in the game.   Atlanta responded only 1 minute later when the Fire, taking advantage of Tampa Bay’s biggest defensive weakness, deep ball coverage, got a quick strike score on the board. Aaron Murray found Roy Williams for a 38-yard post-pattern that left the Bandit safety out of position and equalized the score at 7. This battle, with both teams playing to the weakness of the opposing defense, would be the theme of the day.   The Bandits, wanting to make a statement early and hopefully discourage Atlanta from putting up a major fight, decided to take their chances on a big play and on their next drive Dak Prescott unleashed a deep out, trying to hit Prescott again, but the Fire were ready for it. With CB Darius Slay taking the underneath position, Prescott tried to loft the ball over the top, but FS Earl Thomas was zoned in, snatched the ball out of the air right in front of Bryant, and proceeded to run, and high step, his way into the endzone to put Atlanta up and stun the Bandit faithful who made the drive to Atlanta.   The pick-six was the second TD in the first 2 minutes of the quarter, but it would hardly be the last. We would see another 17 points scored in the period as Tampa Bay responded well with a long drive and a Dalvin Cook TD. Atlanta would reply again, this time with Murray finding Kelvin Benjamin on a nicely executed rub route, freed up by a “rub” (or was it a pick?) from Williams. With time running out, Tampa Bay worked their way into field goal range and put up 3 as the clock ticked down to zero, leaving Atlanta with a surprising, but narrow, 21-17 advantage at the half.   The game calmed down a bit in the 2 nd half, with both quarters producing 10 points apiece, but it remained a back-and-forth affair throughout. On their first possession of the 2 nd  half, Tampa stuck with the run and Dalvin Cook added a 2 nd  TD to give the Bandits the lead at 24-21. But by the end of the quarter, Atlanta had equalized the score on a 30-yard John Bounds TD. They could have taken the lead, but a holding call brought back what appeared to be a 3 rd  Murray TD toss, a nice fade route to Benjamin. As the 4 th  quarter started, the game was knotted at 24 and it seemed clear that either team could come away with the W.   Both teams failed to put up points on their first drives of the fourth, Atlanta’s Nick Chubb getting caught in the backfield by Bandit LB DeMeco Ryans on a 3 rd  and 2 and Prescott failing to connect with Ryan Grant on a 3 rd  and 7, forcing a punt back to the Fire once again. On their 2 nd  drive, Atlanta got some help, with a 3 rd  and 14 turned into an automatic first down when Bandit CB Jalen Ramsey was called for defensive holding on Williams. That call helped Atlanta get in range for John Bounds, who once again gave the underdog Fire the lead at 27-24. But, with over 6 minutes left to play, it was clear this game was far from over.   The Bandits took over on their 20 after a touchback and right away they found a money ball, with Ryan Grant snagging a slant route on 1 st  and 10, eluding the first tackler and going 52 yards into Fire territory. But, the success of the drive was to be short-lived. Another killer penalty forced Tampa Bay into a 3 rd  and 18 and pushed them out of field goal range. Hesitantly they punted the ball back to Atlanta, pinning them at their own 5. The Fire tried to run out of the shadow of their endzone, but DeMeco Ryans and Dont’a Hightower were all over the run on both first and second down, leaving the Fire with a tough 3 rd  and 8 form their own 7. Atlanta tried a screen to get the yards they needed, but HB Boston Scott was stopped a yard short and the Fire had no choice but to punt the ball away with 2:02 left on the clock.   Two minutes left, with 2 timeouts is not what the Fire wanted to give Tampa Bay. They also had to decide if they were going to go into a shell, hoping to slow down the Bandits but allow them enough room to get into field goal range for a tying score, or to play a more pressure defense, hoping to force mistakes or push the Bandits into a tough third and long before getting in range for Harrison Butker. Coach Arians and the Fire chose the latter, blitzing either LB Luke Kuechley or safety Baccari Rambo on every play of the Bandit drive. The strategy proved to be a flawed one. Prescott dealt with the pressure well, completing 4 of 7 on the drive, including a key 3 rd and 3 play that went for 14 when Prescott found TE Larry Izzo over the middle while racing away from pressure.   Atlanta not only did not get the 3 rd and impossible they were hoping for, but their use of man coverage and pressure gave space to the Bandit receivers. When Ryan Grant turned a 10-yard out into a 26-yard play, it placed the Bandits not only inside Butker’s range, but gave Prescott 19 seconds to try some shots into the endzone before bringing out the kicker. The Bandit offense would not need all 19 seconds, connecting on the first play from inside the redzone. Prescott rolled to his right, all but eliminating the pressure from the blitzing Luke Kuechley. He paused, pumped, and then found Dez Bryant for an endline catch that had the receiver touch his knee to the turf before rolling out of bounds. With 11 seconds left, Tampa Bay had finally overcome the Fire, and with that final drive had earned their 10 th win of the year, 7 more than in all of 2018. While they were not officially ensured a playoff spot yet, the odds were certainly in their favor with only 2 weeks to go. Bandit Ball was in full effect and a happy crew of Bandits headed back to Tampa Bay to prepare for what they hoped would be a division-clinching Florida Derby game against Orlando.   BIRMINGHAM 3  MEMPHIS 20 The Memphis Showboats were prepared for the new Cam-centric offense of the archrival Stallions. Todd Haley stuck with the plan, hoping to get a break out play, but in the end Newton rushed 16 times for exactly 16 yards, a pale shadow of the success they had against Houston last week. Memphis, on the other hand, balanced their run game (Gurley & Hester) with a short passing game from Paxton Lynch. That proved more successful as Lynch hit Devin Funchess for a big 3 rd  quarter TD, and HB David Williams put the game away with a 1-yard plunge in the 4 th . POTG:  Showboat WR Devin Funchess: 3 Rec, 85 Yds, 1 TD   SAN DIEGO 16   SEATTLE 24 It looks like the time has come to say that Seattle is for real. They were outgained 417-232 by the Thunder, but forced 2 turnovers and held San Diego to only 3 points in the second half. Trailing 16-7 early in the 3 rd , Seattle turned up the heat and scored the game’s final 17 points, with Wendell Smallwood putting them up for good with a 12-yard TD run with 2:24 left to play. POTG:  Seattle CB Desmond Truffant, 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   NEW JERSEY 28  PITTSBURGH 17 Nick Foles survived 7 sacks to go 10 of 17 for 264 yards with 3 TDs as the Generals pulled away in the 2 nd  half thanks to scores from TE John Carlson and WR Odell Beckham Jr. Maurice Jones-Drew added 93 yards rushing and 2 scores, one each from the ground and the air. The loss officially eliminates Pittsburgh from playoff contention and puts Vic Fangio’s tenure in question. POTG:  Generals’ LB Matt Milano: 5 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   DENVER 24  ST. LOUIS 7 Josh Allen goes 15 for 21 and throws 3 TDs while the Denver defense holds St. Louis to 257 total yards and only 39 on the ground. Eddie Lacy only gained 40 against a stacked front 7, while Phillip Lindsay and DeMarco Murray combined for 170 on the day. The highlight for St. Louis was LB Roquon Smith, who had 11 tackles, and a sack in the game. POTG:  Gold QB Josh Allen: 15/21, 197 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   NEW ORLEANS 20   HOUSTON 13 Don’t blame the absence of Mike Evans for this Gambler loss, because Colt McCoy still threw for 313 yards and JuJu Smith-Schuster stepped up with 140 yards, but Houston could not turn those yards into points as the Breaker D tightened every time they got into the red zone. McCoy did throw 3 picks, so perhaps there was a bit of an Evans factor, but, more importantly, Geno Smith avoided the turnover, throwing for 193 yards and 2 scores. POTG:  Breaker LB Tim Williams: 10 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int   OAKLAND 23  PORTLAND 17 Oakland struggled to get past the Stags, as Portland HB Doug Martin kept them in the game with his 144 yards rushing, but in the end the Invaders pulled to a 23-10 lead before letting up a late score. Jimmy Garoppolo was picked off twice, but led Oakland to 4 scoring drives in the 2 nd  half. Christian McCaffrey got the eventual game-winner, a 13-yard run with 12:38 left to play. POTG:  Invader DE Cliff Avril: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   OHIO 10   CHICAGO 34 This one got ugly quickly, with 4 first half TDs giving the Machine a 28-3 lead at the break. They got contributions from everyone, but it was Sam Bradford’s 3 TDs and 17 of 20 passing that lead the way for the Machine. Christian Hackenberg had himself a rough game, picked twice and sacked 5 times as he just could not generate offense for the Glory. They finished the day with a paltry 27 yards rushing, more than 100 yards fewer than the Machine. POTG:  Machine QB Sam Bradford: 17/20, 254 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   OKLAHOMA 21   ARIZONA 24 The Outlaws put some pressure on their SW Division rivals, with a 14-14 tie extending into the 4 th  quarter before Arizona got the narrow win, thanks primarily to our Player of the Week, FS Nate Allen’s 3 interceptions, including the game winning score, a 36-yard pick six early in the 4 th . Oklahoma had a shot late, but a sack on 3 rd and 11 put them outside of range for Kai Forbath to kick a game-tying field goal. They ended up going for it on 4 th  and 19 and did not connect. POTG:  Arizona FS Nate Allen: 2 Tck, 3 PDef, 3 Int, 1 Def TD   BALTIMORE 17   MICHIGAN 29 It was an unsung hero for the Panthers that helped them put away the Blitz. Tight end Martellus Bennett had himself a day, turning 4 catches into 134 yards, including a 68-yard catch and run in the 4 th quarter that put the game away for the Panthers. The Michigan D was huge all game, sacking Jake Locker 5 times, picking him off twice, and keeping Baltimore to only 3 points in the first half. POTG:  Michigan TE Martellus Bennett: 4 Rec, 134 Yds, 1 TD   WASHINGTON 21  ORLANDO 15 With 16 unanswered points (a safety and 4 field goals) in the 2 nd  half, Washington turne da 15-7 deficit into a surprising 21-15 win in Orlando. The Renegades led in most stats, including a 35-25 advantage in time of possession, and a 324-210 yardage advantage, but Washington just would not go away. They got field goals on 4 consecutive possessions between the 3 rd  and 4 th  quarters to turn defeat into victory. POTG:  Washington kicker Adam Vinatieri: 4 of 4 on field goals in the 2 nd  half, including two 46-yarders and a 48-yarder.   DALLAS 13   PHILADELPHIA 27 Derrick Henry had himself only his 2 nd 100-yard game of the season as Philadelphia used old-fashioned smashmouth football to roll past the visiting Roughnecks. Philly outgained Dallas 158-80 on the ground and got 3 rushing TDs, including 2 from Henry. The win improves Philadelphia to 7-7 and keeps them alive in a crowded Wild Card race. POTG:  Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 20 Att, 101 Yds, 2 TD   JACKSONVILLE 19   LAS VEGAS 24 The Vipers got a big game from HB Montario Hardesty (127 Yds, 1 TD) and two McGloin TDs in the 3 rd  quarter to take the win at home and remain alive at 7-7. Jacksonville got 305 yards from Teddy Bridgewater, who completed 34 of 44, but could not get the late score they needed in the final minutes. POTG:  Viper HB Montario Hardesty: 13 Att, 127 Yds, 1 TD   LOS ANGELES 19  CHARLOTTE 3 In a game that saw only 1 TD, it seems fitting that it came from LA cornerback Stephon Gilmore, returning a Trubisky pick for 44 yards and a score in the 4 th quarter. The rest of the game was an exercise in offensive futility as both teams struggled to put together drives. Reggie Bush, with 115 yards on 24 carries, did enough to get Dan Bailey in range for 4 field goals, while Charlotte only crossed the 50 twice in the entire game, with one of those ending with a blown 4 th  down call. POTG:  Express CB Stephon Gilmore: 3 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   Reception Leaders All on Struggling Squads Some may have noticed that our stats page always lists the Receiving stats based on yardage, not receptions. That differs from the way the NFL reports their receiving leaders, but it is conscious decision as history has shown us that USFL receivers tend to cluster in one of two categories, possession guys who rack up catches but often lag in big impact plays or in receiving touchdowns. The second group are the home-run hitters, the 1,400-1,700 yard receivers, some averaging well over 20 yards per catch. In the USFL’s rich history as a pass-first, vertical stretch league, it is the deep ball receivers who get the accolades, make the game-changing plays, and tend to rack up the awards.   If you believe that is unfair, this season shows you very clearly the dichotomy between high-reception guys and high-yardage guys. When you look at the Top 5 among USFL receivers for yardage, you see players on winning teams: Dez Bryant in Tampa Bay, Jordy Nelson in New Orleans, Brashad Perriman in Orlando, and both Mike Evans and JuJu Smith-Schuster for Houston. But when you take a look at the league leaders in receptions, well, the team results are not quite as impressive.   Currently leading the league in both targets and receptions is Ohio’s Eric Weems, with 92 receptions for 1,061 yards but only 1 touchdown. I think we can all agree that while Weems is certainly a talented receiver, his 92 catches have not helped Ohio win many games this year. In 2 nd  position is Mike Williams of Jacksonville with 85 receptions, again for a team at the bottom of the standings, though we should acknowledge that Williams has managed to snag 5 TDs this season, significantly better than Weems. Third is held by Oklahoma’s DeDe Westbrook, with 84 receptions. Westbrook also surpasses 1,000 yards, currently at 1,014, and his 7 TDs are more than solid, and yet, Oklahoma also finds themselves out of contention for the playoffs this year. So, what is the takeaway? Well, the immediate response to the stats, and this year is not at all an anomaly, is that while the reliability of a solid possession receiver can be helpful, it is the big play, the deep ball, and the quick strike that often produces wins and helps teams break down USFL defenses.                   Aaron Donald to Test Free Agency Waters After Disappointing Mauler Season While it is still unknown whether Head Coach Vic Fangio will be back with the Maulers for 2020, one big name in Purple & Orange who we now know will not be returning is defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The big man, without a doubt one of the best defenders on the team, is looking to move on, get himself not only a payday but a shot at a title, something that seems unlikely for the Maulers right now. Donald, through his agent, has confirmed for the Maulers that he will not be reviewing any contract offers before the end of the season and will be entering the free agent market. While the Maulers certainly don’t want to lose their best D-lineman, perhaps their best defender over all, they will likely have to come to free agency with both money and a plan to lure Donald back to the squad. For every other team, the impetus will be figuring out exactly what would attract the big DT and how they can put together a package that will bring the All-USFL tackle to their club.   Ohio ownership gives Coughlin Vote of Confidence Take it for what you will, but the Glory ownership made it very public this week that they believe in Coach Coughlin, despite this season’s collapse. It is true that up until this year, Coughlin’s tenure in Ohio has been a productive one, with the disciplinarian coach taking Ohio from a 5-win 2015 season to back-to-back 8-win, .500 seasons before improving to 10-6 and claiming the Central Division title in 2018. That the Glory have won only 2 games this year puts his position at risk, and we have all seen that a vote of confidence holds almost no value whatsoever. They are just as often followed by a Black Monday pink slip as not, so when the Glory tell us that Coughlin’s position is secure, we don’t exactly take that to the bank. It is very possible that the Glory will view this season as a glitch, though it has not had an obvious weak-point like a key injury or two, it is very much a mystery why the breaks have not gone Ohio’s way this year. But, if the team truly believes that Coughlin can get a quick rebound out of the Glory, they may well keep him on for the 2020 season. If the recovery does not happen, that will be a move many will question, but if they do bounce back, well then they will be proven right.   Could the Gunslingers Opt to Pass on Flacco? That is a question a lot of fans in San Antonio are bringing to the conversation about how to build a new team for the Alamo City. Before the season, had you asked the new Gunslinger fanbase which Outlaw players they most wanted to see on their roster in 2020, certainly QB Joe Flacco would have been right at the top of the list. But, what we have seen of Flacco this year seems to have fans nervous that the version of the Outlaw QB they are going to get in 2020 is not what they remember from his heyday with the Texas Outlaws.   A quick look at two key stats tell the story. If we compare his 2019 QB Rating and TD:INT Ratio in Oklahoma with his 2016 output, his last year in Texas, you can see why some fans are hesitant to hand the offense over to the veteran QB.                    QB Rating:           98.3 in 2016                    78.7 in 2019                  TD:INT Ratio:     10:3 (20:6) in 2016            6:7 (18:21) in 2019   Flacco has a higher completion percentage this year, and is attempting significantly more passes, but that all speaks to a shift away from the vertical game to more of a dink & dunk style of play. For a QB who made his name with the deep ball, that shift has some worried that the fast ball is no longer there and that Flacco is not throwing short by choice, but by necessity. That, combined with the sudden increase in interceptions (he had only 11 in both 2017 and 2018), has fans worried that they may not be in as advantageous position at QB as they had believed earlier this spring. But, is a solid veteran presence, even one who may be fading, better than many of the other options available to an expansion club? Many would say yes. The question is whether leadership of the Gunslingers is of that mindset, or do they see Flacco as a callback to the past, a figurehead as much as an on-field leader? We will know in September when the special Outlaw-Gunslinger draft precedes the main Expansion Draft. Until then, fans will speculate, but it is ownership and leadership in the Gunslinger organization that has the biggest say, and the biggest risk to address, with their choice for a first year QB for their new franchise.                                 Campbell Dislocates shoulder, but Expects to Play With Arizona still in the hunt for a 1-seed in the West, you can imagine that the thought of going into the final weeks of the season without the league’s sack leader could be a scary one. Well, Calais Campbell wants his coaches to know they can count on him. The veteran DE came out of this week’s win over the Outlaws late in the 3 rd  with a dislocated shoulder, the result of a tough fall to the ground during a run play. Campbell went straight to the locker room, but by game’s end could be seen on the sideline with a large icepack on the shoulder. Apparently it was a simple dislocation and the training staff was able to reset the arm, one can only imagine with some sort of Mel Gibson “Lethal Weapon” snap action, though that is pure speculation. Campbell has been held out of practice this week, but told the press (and his teammates) that he fully expects to be on the field when the Wranglers travel to Atlanta this week. This is not unheard of after a dislocation, though we expect that we could see Campbell in a compression sleeve to help minimize the risk of a recurrence. Bad news for Atlanta, but potentially a huge plus for the Wranglers as they try to surge past Michigan to earn homefield in the season’s final 2 weeks.   Week 14 did not lock in any new playoff teams, meaning that with only 2 weeks of action left we are still looking at 8 of the 12 playoff spots up for grabs. We did get some clarity in the division races as Michigan, Arizona, and San Diego are all locked in as division champions. We also got some more eliminations as Oklahoma, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Washington, and Atlanta joined Portland, Jacksonville, and Ohio as non-playoff teams for 2019. So, 8 spots left, 16 teams in play, and 2 weeks left to decide it all.   Looking ahead to Week 15, what do we think can be settled? Well, in the West, a Michigan win and a Wrangler loss would guarantee the top spot in the conference to the Panthers, while a reverse result would let Arizona leapfrog Michigan into 1 st . We also could see the 2-seed settled, depending on the Arizona and San Diego Results. St. Louis is eliminated with a loss, but could remain alive with a win and some help.   In the East, a Houston win over the Showboats would not only give them the division title, but would also lock up the top seed and home field advantage for the defending champs. The Bandits can also lock up a Division Crown this week if they can hold off the Orlando Renegades. Baltimore needs some help but would win the East with a victory this week and losses by both the Generals and Stars. Both Charlotte and Birmingham face elimination with a loss this week, as could New Jersey if the 4 teams at 8-6 all win and the Generals lose. A big weekend, to be sure. A bad week for guards as 3 are added to IR and all 3 are on teams still fighting for a playoff spot. We also see Orlando FS Deion Bush placed on IR after suffering a back injury this week. That could be a big loss for the Renegades as they prep for the Bandits this week and for a possible playoff run.   OUT OG         Keleche Osamele     STL         ACL                       IR OG         Andy Alleman                  BAL        Neck                     IR FS           Deion Bush                   ORL       Back                     IR OG         Logan Mankins                OAK      Wrist                     IR CB          Siran Neal                     HOU     Collarbone        1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB           Demario Davis              SD          Arm       WR         Donte Moncrief               OAK      Neck   QUESTIONABLE LB           Akeem Ayers                  NJ           Toe FB          Mike Boone                  OHI       Concussion CB          Joejuan Williams            MEM     Knee DE          Calais Campbell             ORL       Shoulder Skyhawks Get Support from State & City It seems the city of St. Louis and the state of Missouri are feeling the heat from their constituents as meetings with both seem to have brought the Skyhawks some assurances that a deal can be made for a new stadium. Maybe it was the impending departure of the Rams back to LA (an official vote in the NFL to come later this summer, but expected to pass), or the interest shown by the Twin Cities Football Group, or maybe it was the protests in St. Louis or the petitions sent to Springfield, but it looks like a deal is largely in place for a new open-air dual-use stadium to be placed on the ballot this fall.   The Skyhawks, and owner David Steward, have been quite vocal that while they are willing to contribute up to 40% of the costs for a stadium, with Major League Soccer and their St. Louis expansion group committing to a 20% investment, but that the remaining 40% would need to come from public funding. The goal? A new dual-use stadium in central St. Louis, not far from the MLB Cardinals’ Busch Stadium. The new facility would be home to the USFL Skyhawks and the tentatively-approved Major League Soccer club expected to begin play in either 2022 or 2023. The design proposed would include a lower bowl capable of holding 27,000 for the MLS, while the upper decks on both sides would allow the USFL squad to have a maximum capacity of 51,500.  That is smallish for a pro football stadium, but very much within the sweet spot for the USFL, which typically sees attendance in the mid-to-high 40,000-50,000 range.   The expected cost of the facility ranges from $450M to $800M, with a design similar to that of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (though to a slightly smaller scale. The proposed deal would have the state raise nearly $200M through bond sales, while St. Louis county would propose a temporary hotel, conference, and restaurant tax increase to add an additional $90M-$180M (depending on the cost of the approved stadium contract.) The twin deals would require approval from the city council in St. Louis as well as a statewide referendum vote this November to be approved, but simply getting a plan in place for the Skyhawks is a huge positive. They will have to wait and see if the residents of the state and their city will support the effort, but with the grass roots campaign already in place, and with the Skyhawks soon to be the only pro football in the city, one has to believe that getting the votes will not be as challenging as getting the vote to be set in place in the first place.   Albert Hayensworth Files Petition to “Unretire” at 36 It is one of the rarest of situations, where a player has filed all the paperwork to retire from the league, has taken time away from the game, and now wishes to return. It is rare, but apparently it is what we are going to see from former Renegade and Gambler DT Albert Haynesworth. The 36-year old defensive tackle was one of the league’s best during his 10-year tenure before retiring at the end of the 2018 season. Apparently, retirement has not suited the big man, who now seems eager to return to the game. Former Gambler to roll the dice again? Haynesworth is apparently filing with the league to rescind his retirement. If approved, the defensive tackle could become a free agent this August. Now, at 36, and after a year away from the game, we expect that teams will be somewhat skeptical of Haynesworth, but if the talent he showed in his NFL and USFL career are still there, certainly there will be a team who can use the big man, even if only in a rotational role. As to why Haynesworth wants back into the league, well, that is up for debate. There are rumors that the 9-time All-USFL performer has significant financial concerns, and that there may be a financial motivation behind the move. That would not be unheard of, though we rarely see a case where a player has burned through their accumulated contract funds this quickly. We hear plenty of cases of players 10, even 5 years out who have little left from their playing days, but to run through his funds in 1 year, that would be a feat.   Whether the return to the USFL is driven by finances, a sense of unfinished business, or simply difficulty adapting to life post-football, what is known is that the 36-year-old Haynesworth believes he can still contribute, still play at a high level, and still be attractive to a USFL team this offseason. We expect the league to make a decision within the next 1-2 weeks, after meeting with Haynesworth and his agent, but it may well be that this 9-time All-USFL DT could be a player of real interest as free agency kicks off this August.   With Portland and San Diego Deal Nixed, UA Can Get Started on 2021 Looks Under Armour was placed in an odd position this offseason. Just as they were gearing up for their next 6-team run of new designs, two of the teams hit them with a curveball, the possibility of a name and identity change. With voters in San Diego asked to weigh in and grassroots groups in Portland making a push to bring the Thunder name and look back to the Rose City, suddenly 2 of the 6 clubs on the docket for 2021 looks were now in doubt. The vote in San Diego went strongly towards keeping the Thunder identity, and with the club looking like a solid Summer Bowl contender, you can understand why fans would want to keep the team in their current look. The vote assured ownership that the Thunder brand was strong among the fanbase and that there was no need to try to reinvent themselves to satisfy their fans. That means that the Thunder remain San Diego’s team, and with that vote putting an end to speculation, it means that Portland will remain the Stags, much to the chagrin of fans who feel that the 2008 expansion team has not lived up to the tradition of their former club.  To be fair, Portland football fans have not exactly gotten the best results from their new team. The Stags have now played 12 seasons, and have only qualified for the playoffs 4 times, and have an overall playoff record of 1-4. While the Thunder’s time in Portland was hardly legendary, with no league titles, at least they produced several playoff seasons, including a trip to the Summer Bowl in 1997, before moving to Las Vegas, and now, San Diego. But, fans in San Diego are loving their new team, with 3 consecutive playoff seasons, and a 2 nd  Division Title this year, the Thunder are popular, playing well, and building a name for themselves in a city jilted by the NFL Chargers after more than 50 years in the city.   So, with the idea of a brand sale from one team to another now off the table, Under Armour can move ahead with their 6-team uniform and design updates. The 2021 class of new looks will include both San Diego and Portland, as well as fellow Pacific Division squad, Seattle, the Chicago Machine, and the Denver Gold, and the Charlotte Monarchs. And while rumors have both Charlotte and Seattle looking for some pretty radical changes, we expect Denver, Portland, and San Diego to retain much of what has been their brand for some time. The interesting case may be in Chicago, where the Pritzkers, owners of the club, have expressed interest in expanding on the connection between the team and the city, primarily linking to the ubiquitous flag of the city of Chicago, with its sky blue stripes and red stars.   Recently, team president and CEO Thomas Pritzker, who took over most of the shares when his cousin J.B. became governor of Illinois and was required to divest from the team, was quoted saying he never understood why the Machine took on maroon or claret as a primary color back in 1987 when the Michigan Panthers, a potential regional rival, already used a very similar plum color as its primary. Does this mean a change is coming? Chicago has worn maroon helmets and jerseys since they came to Chicago in 1987, only 1 year after the league founding Blitz (who wore red, blue and silver) left for Baltimore. From the sound of it the Pritzkers would be open to a change, but will they give Chicagoans a vote, because they have more than 30 years of tradition in Chicago already, so that could be a tough call to make without fan input. All this to say that even with the Portland-San Diego drama behind them, Under Armour may still have some issues to address as they look ahead to 2021.   Only 2 weeks left, and for more than half of the league their playoff future is still very much in play. We kick off on Friday with a huge game on each coast. The 7pm NBC game is very likely going to determine the SE Division champions as 8-6 Orlando heads just a short way down the road to 9-5 Tampa Bay. If the Bandits get the win, they take the crown. If Orlando wins, they set themselves up for a 1-week win & in situation where they could take the title. We follow that with San Diego visiting Oakland. The Invaders have been struggling, but at 7-7 they still have a shot at a Wild Card, while San Diego is hoping to grab a top 2 seed and get that bye.   Saturday is just a mad dash of games that can have real impact on the upcoming playoff season. We have teams hoping to lock in their spots or division titles, like Baltimore hosting Pittsburgh or LA heading to Dallas. We have battles of teams on the fringe of Wild Card consideration, like the huge game in New Jersey was the Chicago Machine take on the Generals. And then we have what may be a true classic in Houston as the Gamblers, playing without Mike Evans, hope to lock up the South against a very game Memphis Showboat team, hoping to still get a shot at the title.   Sunday features more playoff cusp matchups, with Charlotte at New Orleans, Las Vegas at Oklahoma, and Seattle heading to Birmingham. We also have two clubs battling for the 1-seed in the West, with 11-3 Arizona visiting Atlanta while 12-2 Michigan faces a tough divisional matchup on Sunday Night as they host the 7-7 St. l.ouis Skyhawks. A win by the Hawks could help Arizona leapfrog the Panthers for that 1-spot, but if Michigan holds on, they could lock up that coveted home field advantage.   Friday @ 7pm ET               Orlando (8-6) @ Tampa Bay (9-5)                     NBC Friday @ 9:30pm ET          San Diego (10-4) @ Oakland (7-7)                    FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET              Pittsburgh (5-9) @ Baltimore (8-6)                  ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET                Chicago (8-6) @ New Jersey (7-7)                   FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET              Los Angeles (8-6) @ Dallas (5-9)                     ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET              Ohio (2-12) @ Portland (4-10)                         FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET                 Philadelphia (7-7) @ Washington (5-9)             NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET             Memphis (8-6) @ Houston (10-4)              ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET              Charlotte (6-7-1) @ New Orleans (8-6)             ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET             Arizona (11-3) @ Atlanta (4-9-1)    FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        Denver (8-6) @ Jacksonville (3-11)   FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET                 Las Vegas (7-7) @ Oklahoma (5-9)                   ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET                 Seattle (8-6) @ Birmingham (6-8)                      FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET               St. Louis (6-8) @ Michigan (12-2)                      ESPN/EFN

Week 13 was a contrast of energy across the league. In some cases “Mighty Mo”, momentum was king, with Birmingham shocking Houston thanks to their new offensive philosophy, Seattle winning their 5 th in a row, and San Digo getting a 3 rd  in a row to clinch the Pacific. Other teams seem to be saying “No más”, the famous Roberto Durán line when he just had nothing left in a fight against Sugar Ray Leonard. There were some bad outings this week from teams that just do not seem to have any gas left in the tank. The Thunder shut out Portland 30-0, St. Louis absolutely destroyed a lifeless Ohio squad 48-7, Jacksonville put up only 2 field goals in a 17-6 loss in Charlotte, and Dallas did not put up much of a fight in a 20-7 loss to Arizona that did not see them score until the final minutes. In other words, we are seeing three kinds of teams right now, some dominant ones, some scrappers in the middle of the standings trying their hardest to move up the ladder, and some that seem very ready to be done for the year and regroup in the offseason. As we review the week’s action, we will look at these three categories, trying to figure out where each team lands. We will also bring you the news of the 2013 Hall of Fame class, announced this week, and the latest look at playoff odds as we head towards Week 14 and some must-win situations across the league.   League Reveals 2020 Expansion Draft Structure Fans of the expansion Gunslingers and Steamrollers got the update they had been waiting for, one that fans of all 28 current USFL clubs should also be paying attention to because this year’s expansion draft will impact all clubs. The league this week revealed the timeline and the process for the 2-team expansion draft. Complicated by the agreement made between the San Antonio group, the league, and the relocated Oklahoma Outlaws, the draft will take place in two parts, both occurring in late-September, immediately after the first of the league’s two transfer windows with the NFL.  Here is how it will operate:   Stage One: Sept. 24: The San Antonio Private Draft of Oklahoma Outlaw players. This was agreed upon as a condition of the sale and relocation of the Outlaws by Red McCombs, current owner of the expansion Gunslingers. San Antonio will have the right to draft 8 players from the roster of the Outlaws, but only from players who served at least one season playing for the Texas Outlaws before relocation. Back in Week 5 we outlined some of the big name talent who could be headed back to ole’ San Antone. Now we know what parameters the Gunslingers will have to abide by.   They will be able to choose any 3 players from the Outlaw roster who played with the Texas Outlaws. Once three names are off the board, Oklahoma will be able to pull 2 more names out of the pool to protect them. That will be followed by 3 more selections from the new San Antonio team, another 2 pulled off the board by Oklahoma, and then up to 2 more players can be chosen by the Gunslingers. So, they will get up to eight veteran players from Oklahoma, but not any 8 they choose.   Stage 2: Sept. 30: Complete Expansion Draft of all 28 current teams. The second phase will require all 28 clubs to prepare a roster of 10 players who they are going to protect from selection. Actually, we should say 27 teams will do this, Oklahoma is allowed to protect 16 players since they will have already lost 8 to the Gunslingers. That is one concession granted the Outlaw franchise. As each of the two expansion teams selects a player, the team who loses that player may add 1 more name to their protected list. This will go on for 22 rounds, however there are further limits which will restrict both teams in the 44 players they can select. The first of these is that no team may select more than 3 players from any one current USFL club, meaning that no club can lose more than 6 total players. Secondly, no more than 2 players from the same position may be selected from any one team. This means that no team can lose all 5 cornerbacks on their roster, or all 3 quarterbacks. A third restriction is that no player who was signed in free agency between August and September of this year can be selected, allowing all 30 teams to participate in early Free Agency without fear of losing a recently signed player. And, the final restriction is that neither San Antonio nor New England can exceed 40% of the salary cap with these 22 selections. The goal here is to require that the two teams also use the draft, the free agency pool, and the NFL-USFL transfer window to complete their camp rosters as well as their final 53-man squad for Week 1 of the regular season.   The restrictions will make the draft a bit more complicated, but it also protects a strong team, Houston, for example, from losing half their roster or all of their running backs. The cap limit also means that some picks may be coming from a team’s practice squad, or some 3 rd string depth positions, so that each expansion club can afford to sign a high-priced star that a team leaves unprotected. Will it produce instant competitiveness for the two expansion clubs? We are not sure. History says no, but history also shows that some expansion clubs have had success in a pretty short timeframe (3 years has been common for an expansion club to reach the playoffs), so it is possible. Certainly the Gunslingers have an added advantage thanks to their ability to raid the Outlaws for talent, but both clubs will still have a pretty tough hill to climb to put together their 2020 rosters.   BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 24  HOUSTON GAMBLERS 17 Houston makes our GOTW for a second straight week, but this time as the victim of an upset, an upset which may be a direct by-product of a coach’s unusual strategy decision. Last week, in what seemed a bit of a move of desperation, Todd Haley switched up the playcalling, adding significantly more QB designed runs into the playbook for the Stallions’ trip to Oakland. The strategy worked, with Cam Newton rushing the ball 20 times (compared to only 23 pass attempts). The result was 105 yards rushing, including 2 rushing TDs along with 208 yards passing, and, more importantly, a surprising 27-16 victory over the Invaders. Well, it seems that with a trip to 10-2 Houston on the docket for this week, Haley decided to see if Cam Newton’s success could be replicated. The answer this time was another resounding yes. Newton ran 12 times this week, but again put up over 100 yards on the ground, and again contributed a key TD, a 35-yard run that put Birmingham on top in the 3 rd  quarter. The balance was not the same as in Oakland, with Newton also putting the ball up 42 times in the game, but the threat of the designed run was very real and it was used very effectively by the Stallion offense.   On their very first play from scrimmage Haley and the Stallions alerted Houston that they would need to focus on Newton as a rusher, sending their QB off the left side with HB Ben Tate acting more as a fullback than a tailback. That opening play forced Houston to sacrifice a player in coverage, in most cases LB Ramik Wilson, one of their best coverage backers, to spy on Newton. On a few occasions it was safety Kenny Vaccaro who took on that role, but on nearly every play, there was a Houston defender shadowing Newton, which did impact his efforts as a rusher, but allowed him more options in the passing game.   That first play turned into an opening drive that saw Newton find slot receiver Julian Edelman from 7-yards out on a play clearly impacted by the Houston decision to spy Newton’s bootleg. A similar “catch 22” situation would play out at the conclusion of the game as Birmingham threatened the Newton run in the red zone and that threat created a hole in the zone that allowed Amari Cooper to score the game winner.   Between those two drives, Birmingham did two things very well, the offense kept Houston guessing, mixing passes and runs, including Newton runs, and the defense played the short and intermediate pass, forcing Colt McCoy to dink and dunk, a strategy that resulted in 7 failed third down conversions in 12 attempts. While Birmingham gave up 269 passing to the Gamblers, their shallow shell zones kept Houston from hitting on chunk plays and kept Carlos Hyde largely contained (56 yards on 21 carries, only a 2.7 YPC average). Ben Tate proved to be an effective lead blocker, helping Cam Newton break out for his 35-yard TD, but also a 12 and a 14 yarder over the course of the game. Newton also spread the ball around, mixing in all 3 starting receivers and both tight ends.   The result of the two strategies, the shallow shell defense and the threat of the QB keeper, was that Birmingham, for the second week in a row, defeated a significantly-favored home team in their own stadium. Is this sustainable? That largely depends on Cam Newton’s ability to avoid injury. We have seen running QBs take a lot of hits and miss a lot of games when they are asked to also serve as tailbacks, and Cam Newton is no exception. But, with 3 games left and Birmingham sitting at 6-7 after their two upset victories, the time seems to be now for all the tricks to be tried out and all the options put on the table. That is what Haley has done with his QB, and it seems to be working.   Birmingham heads into their huge rivalry game with Memphis, in Memphis, this week, a third straight road game in which they will be the underdog. If they can knock off the 7-6 Showboats, they would equal Memphis at 7-7 and would have two more games, neither easy (hosting Seattle and visiting New Jersey) to try to move into Wild Card position. If they do that, it will be one of the stories of the year, and all from the decision to do with their QB what he seems to choose to do on his own more often than not.   As for Houston, the loss did not really impact their playoff situation. They still have a 2-game advantage over both Baltimore and Orlando for the possible 1-seed, and still look like a lock for the Southern Division title, but, we have to wonder, is there a team in the possible playoff field that could replicate what Birmingham just did, use the threat of designed QB runs to force Houston into dedicating a player to a spy position? That could be a tactic another team could exploit, but who among the playoff contenders could pull that off? Orlando with Wilson seems plausible, not so much Locker in Baltimore, Prescott with Tampa Bay or Lynch in Memphis.   ORLANDO 38  ATLANTA 19 This one got ugly early as Orlando put up 34 points in the first half to Atlanta’s 6. Russell Wilson not only started the game, which was in doubt until gametime, but started it off with a bang, scrambling for a 47-yard TD on Orlando’s first possession. He then added TD passes to Brashad Perriman and David Njoku, another unexpected starter in the game, as Orlando rolled. It was only when they let up on the gas in the 2 nd half that Atlanta got their only TD of the game. POTG:  Orlando QB Russell Wilson: 18/24, 255 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int, 4 Att, 68 Yds, 1 TD   PORTLAND 0   SAN DIEGO 30 Oof, this was an ugly one as San Diego shut down and shut out the McCarron-led Stags, picking off the Portland QB twice, sacking him 4 times and limiting Portland’s rushing attack to only 42 yards on the day. Portland got TDs from Colston, Williams and Taiwan Jones, but they did not need them all as the Stags were stag-nant all game long. The win gives San Diego the Pacific Crown for the 2 nd  time in 3 years and now they look ahead to a possible 2-seed and a bye if they can pick up a game on Arizona. POTG:  Thunder CB Justin Gilbert: 6 Tck, 2 FF, 1 FR   MICHIGAN 45  PITTSBURGH 17 Another blowout, this one in Pittsburgh, where the Panthers outgained the Maulers 502-279 and put up 21 points in the final period to turn a 24-10 lead into a 28 point victory. LeVeon Bell had his 100 yards, 106 to be exact, but it was not allabout him in this one as Cody Latimer caught 8 for 113 and a score, and backups Alexander Mattison and Mike Hart both scored for the dominant Panthers. POTG:  Panther CB Dre Kirkpatrick: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   WASHINGTON 17   CHICAGO 21 Let’s at least acknowledge that Washington is still fighting. They go down in Chicago, but they made it tough on the Machine, Holding a 14-7 lead into the 4 th quarter before Two Sam Bradford TD tosses gave Chicago the win. Bradford found Keny Golloday to even up the scoreboard and then connected with TE Tyler Eifert for the game winner, moving the Machine to 7-6 and keeping them very much alive in the Wild Card hunt. POTG:  Chicago QB Sam Bradford: 16/27, 236 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   DENVER 17  LAS VEGAS 10 One of the better, more intense games of the week as the two 6-6 clubs battled to the end, with the visiting Gold getting the W thanks to a nasty pick-six from DaJuan Morgan, returning the ball 47 yards and offering QB Matt McGloin a stiff arm to the turf for his efforts to stop the play. McGloin recovered, throwing a late TD to Aaron Dobson, but it was not enough as Denver gets the key win in the division and moves to 7-6, putting them in playoff position for the moment. POTG:  Denver CB DaJuan Morgan: 2 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   MEMPHIS 6   NEW ORLEANS 21 Unlike some of the other teams that were held under 10 points, in Memphis’s case it was not for a lack of effort, just a superior performance by the Breaker D. Memphis and New Orleans each struggled to overcome the other’s defense, but it was the Breakers, holding Memphis to only 1 of 13 on third down and pressuring Paxton Lynch, who get the W. As with the Denver-Las Vegas game, it was a pick-six that propelled the Breakers into the lead and they simply would not give it up in the 2 nd  half. POTG:  New Orleans CB Tra’Davious White: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ARIZONA 20  DALLAS 7 Dallas actually outgained the Wranglers in the game, with Josh Freeman throwing for 342 yards, but that was largely because they spent the entire game behind, not scoring until the 4 th  quarter as Arizona slowly built up a 20-0 lead over the first three. Isaiah Crowell had his first 100-yard game in the USFL and got another 46 from KaDeem Carey as the Wranglers were content to shorten the game, limit David Carr’s exposure, and just rumble past the Roughnecks. POTG:  Wrangler DE Calais Campbell: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 2 Sck   BALTIMORE 24  TAMPA BAY 13 A huge win for the underappreciated Blitz as they go into Tampa Bay, a 7-point favorite, and get the road underdog upset. Jake Locker outperformed Dak Prescott, throwing for 346 yards to Prescott’s 181, and adding 3 touchdowns to Prescott’s 1. Both Darius Heyward-Bey and Brian Hartline found space against a Bandit secondary that had been playing better of late. A late TD to Denarius Moore helped Baltimore hold off the Bandits, turning a 4-point lead to a nice 11-point cushion in the 4 th . POTG:  Blitz QB Jake Locker: 23/32, 346 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   OHIO 7   ST. LOUIS 48 I think we can now officially say that the Glory have given up on Coach Coughlin and on the season. After hanging tough over a long losing streak, Ohio all but phoned this one in, falling behind 17-7 at the half, and then watching helplessly as pick-six returns from Sean O’Connor and Vontae Davis helped pump the lead up to 38-7. By the time Bobby Rainey put up an 18-yard run to boost the advantage to 38 points, the Glory had left the building, in spirit if not in body. A bad showing for a team that has little to play for but pride. POTG:  St. Louis HB Eddie Lacy: 20 Att, 135 Yds, 1 TD   JACKSONVILLE 6   CHARLOTTE 17 It is not so much that the Bulls looked listless in Charlotte, so much as the fact that their O-line looked hapless. Charlotte got 4 sacks on Teddy Bridgewater, a pretty elusive QB, and forced 2 picks, oh, and also limited the Bull run game to only 34 yards rushing. It was pretty ugly. Meanwhile, Mitch Trubisky, despite 2 more picks (earning groans from jaded Monarch fans), threw for 2 scores, both in the 2 nd  half as the Monarchs broke a 3-3 halftime score that had many fans wondering what else there was to do in the stadium. Charlotte returns to .500 with the win, but confidence that they can not only qualify for the postseason but win some playoff games is not exactly high among the Monarch fans. POTG:  Monarch LB Rolando McClain: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   OKLAHOMA 13  OAKLAND 19 The Invaders somehow won this game despite only putting up 152 yards of offense, a solid 105 less than Oklahoma. I guess we should praise an Invader defense that forced 3 takeaways, including 2 picks of Joe Flacco, but in a game that did not see Marshawn Lynch on the field, it still feels like the Invaders should have been able to do more. Taylor Gabriel led all Oakland receives with only 37 yards receiving, not a good sign for the future. POTG:  Invader LB Bobby Wagner: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   NEW JERSEY 13   PHILADELPHIA 21 The Generals had a shot to get over .500 and give Baltimore a run, but the Stars did their best Lee Corso impression at home and said “Not so fast, my friend” to their archrivals. It was unheralded DE Danielle Hunter who led the Stars to a surprising defensively dominant performance. Hunter finished the game with 3 sacks, a safety and a defensive TD off a strip-sack-recovery combo. Even with their offense struggling, the Stars still managed to get the win, leaving both teams now sitting at 6-7 and hoping they can somehow sneak up the board to earn a Wild Card. POTG:  Stars’ DE Danielle Hunter: 7 Tck, 3 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 Def TD, 1 FF, 1 FR   LOS ANGELES 10   SEATTLE 16 Coach Lewis has a love-hate relationship with his new club. He loves that defense, one of the league’s best, but the offense, well, not so much love. The Express kept themselves in range despite 108 yards from Knowshon Moreno, but Kyler Murray could not get the ball into the endzone. Reggie Bush was his only consistent weapon, putting 134 yards on the board, but for one of the league’s top rushers, Bush still has only 1 TD on the season. Meanwhile, Seattle did just enough, thanks in part to a nice 22-yard TD run from Wendell Smallwood, and earned their 5 th  win in a row to move to 7-6, currently sitting in 4 th  place in the Western Conference, much to everyone’s surprise, or is that just Déjà vu? POTG : Seattle FS Donte Whitner: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   Is LA Fading Right Out of Playoff Picture? Coach Marvin Lewis and his revamped LA Express were one of the stories of the season’s first half, jumping out to a 5-game win streak that put them atop the Pacific Division. But, after being upset at home by the Seattle Dragons, the Express have managed only meager 17-8 and 17-3 wins over two clubs now out of playoff contention, Ohio and Portland. In their 5 losses over the past 7 weeks, they have not surpassed 14 points and have struggled to find any offensive continuity at all.   Yes, the defense is still looking solid, evident in this week’s rematch with Seattle, where the Express held the Dragons to 271 total yards, but even gaining 407 (thanks in large part to 134 rushing from Reggie Bush) they still only put 10 points on the board. That is not playoff football, and right now, LA is not looking like a playoff team.  It may seem a strange thing to say about a club that is giving up only 14.8 points per game, a league best, but when your offense puts up on average 14.2, you are going to lose more than you win. Right now the Express are sitting at 7-6, which has them in 6 th  position, tied with Seattle, Denver, and Chicago, but even one loss could see the Machine leapfrog them for that 6 th  position.   So, what is to be done? Well, maybe Coach Lewis should take a hint from what Todd Haley is doing in Birmingham. Kyler Murray, the team’s rookie QB, is a very agile, very athletic runner. He does not have the heft and size of Newton, so there is a risk to asking him to run too often, but something has to be done to add more threat from the Express offense. Murray has been solid, not spectacular, throwing the ball (13:8 TD:INT ratio, 2,164 yards, 58.5% completion rate), but maybe Coach Lewis needs to at least threaten the QB run to make defenses have to account for it. So far, in 13 games, Murray has only run the ball 7 times, and 4 of those were sneak plays. Seems that LA is not taking advantage of their QB’s full skill set, and right now they need to use every player they have to their maximum ability.   Gutierrez May opt to Retire if New Deal Not Done The word out of Philadelphia is that Matt Gutierrez wants to resign with the Stars, wants to finish his career with the team that gave him a shot 13 years ago, and made him the full-time starter in 2012. But this has been a rough season, one in which Gutierrez went upside down on his TD:INT ratio for the first time since becoming the starter. His per game average has dropped from 256 yards passing in 2018 to only 190. That is a major concern. His QB Rating has likewise taken a huge hit, dropping from 84.0 down to 66.8, certainly a major drop from his standout season in 2012 when he was at 121.7 and threw for over 3,500 yards. Even 2 years ago, when he hit 4,000 (4,063) the expectation was that the Stars were set at QB, but that does not feel like the situation right now.   So, what does Gutierrez do? Well, he notifies the team that he wants to remain, and that he will likely retire if not signed to a new deal. That is not much of a threat to the Stars, since there is every chance they would let their QB go in free agency, so who is he speaking to when he lets this get out? Maybe to other teams, maybe to his own agent. It is hard to say. There are still many in Philadelphia who believe that Gutierrez has fallen off the QB cliff at age 35, so whether he retires or finds another team, it does feel unlikely that he lines up under center for the 2020 season opener.   Forte & Lynch Also on Retirement Watch While we are on the topic of retirement, there are several other big name players who have at least floated the idea, or who many around the USFL have highlighted as likely departures after the 2019 campaign ends. Chief among them are halfbacks Matt Forte of Chicago and Marshawn Lynch of Oklahoma. Both backs will turn 35 by the time camps open in January, which is the football equivalent of turning 80 for the rest of us. Both have seen their share of physical issues, and both have interests beyond football. It would not shock us to see both announce as soon as their seasons end.   Others entering the “maybe this is the end” phase of their careers include wideouts Roy Williams of Atlanta (37), Antonio Bryant of Michigan (36), and Darrius Heyward-Bey of Baltimore (34). Bryant could well be looking at another league title with Michigan this year, after having earned some hardware with Arizona. Could that be a good time for him to step away? His 2019 stats show he can still play the game (56 Rec, 635 Yds, 7 TDs) though it is noteworthy that in his first year in Michigan he is not being asked to be a deep threat, averaging only 11.3 yards per catch, compared to 20.8 in 2018 and 25.8 in 2017, both with Arizona.   Others we should cite include TE Jason Whitten of LA (37), guard Sean Locklear of Charlotte (36), another Monarch in DT Amobi Okoye (36), Jacksonville’s Kedric Gholston (also 36), LBs Daniel Ellerbe and Kirk Morrison of Ohio and Philadlephia (both 35), and DBs Antrell Rolle of Las Vegas (35) and Eric Weddle of Baltimore (34).   Lauletta Expected Back Under Center for Stags The rotating QB situation in Portland comes around for another spin as Kyle Lauletta returns from injury just as Week 13 starter A. J. McCarron gets placed on the injury list. McCarron suffered a shoulder separation this week and is likely to be shuttered for the season, but, just in the nick of time, Lauletta returns from injury to get the Week 14 start. Should anything happen to him, Portland has Tony Pike and Kellen Clemons on their 53-man roster. Heck, maybe let Clemons get a shot. He is the only one of the 5 QBs in Portland not to get a chance this year, and with Portland now officially eliminated from contention, what is the harm. The Stags will need to evaluate just what they want to do this offseason. Sure, they want Marcus Mariota to come back and be the starter when 2020 begins. Well, at least that is what we assume. After all, Mariota will have missed 18 games in the past two seasons by the end of 2019. That has to be a concern for the Stags. They have seen very short stints from both McCarron and Lauletta. Do they like one of them to be a potential competitor for Mariota next year? Or is it less competitor than understudy? With both Pike and Clemons in contract years, we think Portland will go shopping rather than resign either. But, will they also cut free McCarron, Lauletta, or even Mariota?   Why would they do that? Well, the main reason it has been floated is that there is a certain QB down the road in Eugene who is viewed as a “first round talent” and a potential franchise QB, Oregon’s Justin Herbert. Portland would have exclusive USFL rights to Herbert if they use a T-Draft selection to lock down the Ducks’ QB. But does Coach LaFleur want to start over with a rookie? Does management want to eat the remaining 2 years of Mariota’s contract? They could trade their 2019 starter, that would remove the cap issue and make room for Herbert, but do they dare do that prior to the USFL and NFL drafts, because the risk is very much there that Herbert heads to the NFL and that would leave Portland up a river without a paddle, or without a QB. A lot to think about, but for now, they will put Lauletta back under center and see what they have in the 2 nd  year player.   The dance tickets are going out to more and more teams as two more teams punch their ticket to the big postseason soiree. The Wranglers and Thunder now join Michigan and Houston as post-season participants. We also saw both San Diego and Michigan wrap up their division races this week, securing no worse than a 3 seed and a home playoff game with this week’s results, though both are very likely pushing for a Top 2 finish and a guaranteed bye week to rest and recover from a long season. There is quite a gap between these teams and those fighting for Wild Cards. After Arizona and San Diego, with 10 wins apiece, the next Western club up is Seattle with 7 wins, thanks to their league best 5-game winning streak. In the East, Houston’s 10-3 record is 2 games better than any other contender, with a trio of team sitting at 8-5. On the other end of the table, we added Portland to the mix, bringing us to 3 teams with the sad lower case “e” next to their names. Portland loses too many tiebreakers to have a shot even if they finish 7-9. They join the 3-10 Bulls and the 2-11 Ohio Glory in the category of “playing for pride” for the next 3 weeks.    Several significant injuries, but none with more potential playoff impact than Mike Evans’s groin injury, a severe strain that is likely to keep him out of the lineup for the final 3 weeks of the season and quite possibly for the Divisional Round, or even the Conference Championship.  That could be a big blow to Houston’s chances to repeat as Evans is a focal point of their offense.   OUT FS      Jamal Adams               DAL       Broken Leg         IR G            Zach Martin                    OKL       Achilles                 IR DT          A’Shawn Robinson         WSH     ACL                        IR HB         Justice Hill                      OKL       Broken Arm             IR HB         James Wilder Jr            LV           Knee                        4-6 Weeks QB         A. J. McCarron              POR      Shoulder                  2-4 Weeks WR         Mike Evans                 HOU     Groin                       2-4 Weeks   DOUBTFUL HB         Kenyan Drake                   ATL         Toe LB           Patrick Willis                    ATL         Neck   QUESTIONABLE WR         Will Fuller                   CHI        Toe TE           Anthony Hill                PIT         Concussion Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Includes Controversial Legacy Pick The votes are in, the class is selected, and 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame USFL Class is now official, but not without some controversy. Of course, there is the usual controversy as players who many fans feel deserve the honor were not selected, with this year’s snubs including Federals’ safety Ed Reed, 12-year veteran CB Quentin Jammer, and 2 nd year candidate, WR Peerless Price, a 14-season standout for the Denver Gold. The usual debates will exist around those snubs and the players who made the cut. We are talking about the controversial choice of the Legacy Committee, former New Jersey DE Phil Hansen. If we look only at Hansen’s on-field production, there is no doubt that he is worthy of induction, and likely would have been inducted upon initial eligibility several years ago. But, Hansen’s autobiography lit a firestorm around the former North Dakota Fighting Sioux. In his memoire, Hanson elaborated on a career impacted by steroid use, expanding to talk about widespread use across the USFL in the 1990’s, and naming several prominent players and coaches who either participated in, contributed to, or pushed for steroid use among players. The scandal this revelation produced led to Hansen’s disqualification for the Hall, and to this day, even with significant corroboration from players and personnel from the period, Hansen’s name is still viewed with a lot of skepticism, ranging from criticizing his motivations to challenging his career numbers as “tainted” by the scandal.   But, after receiving reinstatement for eligibility by the USFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past year, it did not take the select Legacy Committee long to recognize that despite all the controversy and the reality that steroid use was quite rampant in professional football through the early 2000’s, the accomplishments of Phil Hansen as a member of the Generals were certainly worthy of consideration. And while the votes of the Legacy Committee are not revealed publicly, there are rumors that his selection was unanimous, turning aside a second candidate, whose muddled retirement process impacted his initial qualification, Ohio HB Eddie George, as well as several other nominees who played between 1983 and 2007.   And so it is very likely that the shadow of the Hansen nomination will loom over the Class of 2019 for some time, we should not let it dampen the praise and admiration for all 6 newly named 2019 enshrinees.                  QB Jake Plummer (ARZ 97-08, LV 09-14) One of the greatest dual-threat QBs in USFL history, which is quite a rich pool stretching from Alan Richter and Doug Flutie all the way to Cam Newton today. Plummer played 18 seasons in the USFL, split between the Wranglers and Vipers. He threw for nearly 60,000 yards (59,759) and had 405 passing touchdowns. Add in his 68 rushing touchdowns and a lifetime QBR of 92.6 and it is clear why Plummer was a first-ballot nominee.   LB Mike Vrabel (POR 97-99, JAX 00-14) The venerable MLB who now serves as a coach for the San Diego Thunder, Vrabel retired in 2014 with 1,882 tackles, 49 sacks, 11 All-USFL nominations and the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Vrabel was a tackling machine in Jacksonville, regularly leading the league and setting the tone for the Bulls defense for a decade. He too enters the Hall in his first year of eligibility.   LB James Farrior (BAL 02-09, HOU 10-14) Farrior split his USFL career between two franchises, with Baltimore apparently making a huge mistake in 2009 by allowing Farrior to depart in free agency. The veteran LB joined the Gamblers that year and immediately helped the Gamblers capture the 2010 league title. He would play 5 seasons in Houston, retiring in 2014 with over 1,300 tackles and 7 All-USFL nominations added to his title ring.   DE Anthony Weaver (CHI 02-14) A sack master who excelled even when his Machine teams were not particularly successful, Anthony Weaver locked down the left side of the Chicago D-line for 13 seasons, amassing 199 sacks, 84 tackles for loss, and 8 All-USFL nominations. He is the 4 th of 4 first-year candidates to make the hall this year.   HB Antowain Smith (LA 97-02, JAX 03-09, STL 10-12) A member of the retirement group of 2012, Smith enters the hall in his 3 rd  year of eligibility. Fans most likely remember him for an outstanding swan song campaign in 2012, a year in which his contributions helped St. Louis win the league title. Defensive players who went up against Smith remember more. They remember his subtle jukes, his ramrod left shoulder, used to run through or over defenders, and his constantly grinding feet. Smith played 16 punishing seasons in the USFL, an incredible total for a back of his size and style of play. He retired with 15,925 yards rushing.   DE Phil Hanson (NJ 91-04) The stats from Phil Hansen’s 14 season career in New Jersey speak for themselves. 289 sacks, 105 Tackles for Loss, 703 Tackles at the DE position, oh, and we should add 13 All-USFL nominations and bookend awards as the 1991 Rookie of the Year, the 2001 Defensive Player of the Year, and a league champion with the 2004 Generals.   Picking the Playoffs: Our Bullpen Lays Odds Sure, we could just look up the Las Vegas oddsmakers and get some numbers on who will and will not make the playoffs, but we decided instead to stay in house, focus on our roster of former USFL players, announcers, sportswriters, and pundits and come up with our own odds. We tried to simplify it, giving everyone the chance to put each team at 100%, 90%, 80% and so on, all the way down to 1% and 0%, and we got pretty consistent answers. Yes, there was some variation between 60% and 40% but even with that, the 28 clubs shook out pretty consistently. So, without further ado, here is how our bullpen of USFL experts handiaps the race for the league’s 12 playoff spots, from those already in, through the full roster of teams, to the 3 officially eliminated clubs.   100%    Houston, Michigan, Arizona, San Diego Not much to say here, since all 4 have locked up playoff spots. It now is all about byes and home field advantage for these four frontrunners in the league standings.   90%       Orlando, Baltimore, Tampa Bay Sitting at 8-5 apiece, these clubs have a 2-game lead on any challengers, and that gives them very good odds with only 3 weeks left to play. Baltimore could come away with the division crown this week, Orlando and Tampa Bay are only separated by a tiebreaker, but that Week 15 matchup in Raymond James Stadium is very likely to be the final deciding factor. Should be a good one.   70%       Seattle We cannot believe it either, but the Dragons are the hottest team in the league, seemingly putting their QB confusion behind them and are now in a position to control their own destiny. They have a tough one this week with San Diego coming to town, but their final two games (@ Birmingham and @ Portland) could boost them to 9 wins even if they cannot get past the Thunder.   60%       Memphis, Denver Both 7-6 clubs control their own fate, which is why we have them at better than 50/50. Denver was considered for 70% only because their three final games are St. Louis, Jacksonville, and Atlanta, but all 3 are on the road, far from the nice altitude advantage they love in Denver. Memphis needs to beat both Birmingham and Philadelphia, but they would love to throw in a win at Houston just to boost their confidence.   50%       New Orleans, Los Angeles Inconsistency on offense has been a real bugaboo for both of these clubs. The Breakers have three tough games ahead of them (@ Houston, vs. Charlotte, and vs. Orlando), but at least 2 of 3 are in the Dome. As for LA, they are stuck with 3 more road games, visiting the Monarchs, Roughnecks, and Thunder. That Week 16 game could be a must win for the Express, but will San Diego be resting players?   40%       Charlotte, Chicago Both the Monarchs and Machine need some help. Chicago has 7 wins, but likely needs 2 more. Their schedule is not brutal, with Ohio and Baltimore at home and a road trip to inconsistent New Jersey. We could see them go 3-0 if they can stay focused. As for Charlotte, facing LA and New Orleans the next 2 weeks will be tough assignments, both those teams will be as desperate as Charlotte is for a W.   30%       St. Louis, Oakland, Las Vegas, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Birmingham The odds are longer for these 6-7 teams, but they are not “Miracle on Ice” long. If any one of these clubs can win 3 in a row, they have a good shot. They will need help, but they need to focus on their own games, not watch the scoreboard.   10%       Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Dallas Seriously? 10%? Yup, a one in ten shot of surprising us all, winning all 3 down the stretch and getting enough help that an 8-8 record could get the job done. Would we put money on any of these teams? Nope. Not at those odds.     1%        Washington So you’re saying theirs a chance!! Yes, Lloyd, there is a mathematical chance, but only if you ace this calculus class while drinking a glass of water upside down, riding a unicycle, and reciting the presidents in reverse order. If you can do that, you can see these Federals qualify for the playoffs.     0%        Portland, Jacksonville, Ohio Yup. We knew this already. Time to figure out what has gone horribly wrong, from starting 4 different QBs this season, to having absolutely no explosiveness on offense, to simply playing with no imagination, no passion, and no punch, these three have gotten here after a long ugly run of games.   After reviewing the status of all 28 teams, as well as their playoff odds as defined by the Vegas books, it seems pretty clear that we have some really important and likely some really intense games on our schedule for next week. Friday has two of them, with the 6-7 Stallions headed to Memphis to face the 7-6 Showboats. Neither of these teams can afford a loss right now, not if they want to improve their odds of a Wild Card berth. The late game has another team striving to make the cut, as Seattle, with a 5-game winning streak, hosts San Diego. Will the Thunder, officially division champs of the Pacific, lose a bit of their edge with little on the line this week?   Saturday has some key playoff implications in place as well. New Jersey hopes to improve their odds by returning to .500 as they head to Pittsburgh, Denver and St. Louis are both still in the mix, but cannot take a loss in this inter-divisional matchup. New Orleans has a tough matchup against a 10-3 Houston squad that still has its eyes on that 1-seed, and Ohio will limp into Chicago where the Machine need to get on a roll to get into the mix in the West.   Sunday has an intriguing game between a Baltimore squad that just won’t give up hold on the NE Division and the 11-2 Panthers who want the home field advantage that being the 1-seed would give them. Then we have Dallas and Philadelphia, a classic NFL rivalry that for both USFL squads means life or death in the Wild Card race. The same is true when the LA Express head to Charlotte. Both teams are right on the cusp of Wild Card position, so a win is essential for each. A lot of games with a lot of playoff implications up and down the Week 14 schedule, that is for sure. Friday @ 7pm ET            Birmingham (6-7) @ Memphis (7-6)                     NBC Friday @ 9:30pm ET    San Diego (10-3) @ Seattle (7-6)                       ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET      New Jersey (6-7) @ Pittsburgh (5-8)                         ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET      Denver (7-6) @ St. Louis(6-7)                                   FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET       New Orleans (7-6) @ Houston (10-3)            ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET      Oakland (6-7) @ Portland (4-9)                                 FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET       Ohio (2-11) @ Chicago (7-6)                                     NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       Oklahoma (5-8) @ Arizona (10-3)                         ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET      Baltimore (8-5) @ Michigan (11-2)                     ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        Washington (4-9) @ Orlando (8-5)              ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET         Dallas (5-8) @ Philadelphia (6-7)                      FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET        Jacksonville (3-10) @ Las Vegas (6-7)              ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Los Angeles (7-6) @ Charlotte (6-6-1)         FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET          Tampa Bay (8-5) @ Atlanta (4-8-1)             ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: As good as Cam Newton's performance was this week, and it was another beauty, we have to give the award to perhaps the best defensive performance of the year, and one we did not see coming. Philadelphia DE Danielle Hunter, hardley a well-known player nationwide, put in a breakout performance for the ages against the Generals. Hunter not only had a 3-sack game, reason enough to celebrate, but one of those was a safety, while another, a sack on the 2-yardline, also produced a fumble, with Hunter recovering in the endzone, giving him another 6 points on the day. And when Philadelphia wins by 8 points and one defensive player accounts for those 8 points, you have to give it to the young man. Hunter, finally getting some starts at RE, has seen his sack total rise to 7, well above his previous season best of 2. He is someone to watch out for, and this game proves it. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Two more additions to the postseason dance as the Wranglers and Thunder join Michigan in the Western Conference playoffs. The Thunder, along with the 11-2 Panthers, also wrap up a division title, with some help from tiebreakers. Houston's surprising loss to the Stallions keeps them from doing the same, with Memphis still mathematically alive in the division chase. We also saw two teams join Ohio in playoff elimination as both the 3-10 Jacksonville Bulls, and, due to tiebreaker issues, the 4-9 Portland Stags also find themselves out of the hunt this year.

Seattle is back in the fray again, apparently loving the formula of a rough start and a second half streak. Oakland is fading fast. Baltimore is hanging tough, and both Houston and Michigan are now assured of a ticket to the dance. That, plus a monster game from Birmingham’s Cam Newton, and a tough loss for the LA Express head up our Week 12 news. We will run through all the games and give you the big stories of the week, from Oakland’s offensive woes to Seattle’s third straight season of two-faced football. That plus the 3 rd  quarter power rankings as we prepare for the final 4 games of the season for all 28 clubs.   Oakland’s Offensive Woes Beg the Question: Will They Move on from Jimmy G? It is not just that the Invaders have dropped 3 of their last 4, but the way that this has happened that has Invader Nation frustrated. After a 23-0 drubbing by Arizona in Week 9, the Invaders appeared to have rediscovered their offense when they knocked off Portland 23-14, but the past two weeks have shown us that the Oakland offense has some serious issues. A 20-6 loss in San Diego and this week’s 27-16 home loss to the Stallions have proven that there are serious issues in Oakland, and while their defense is still 1 st  in the league in yards allowed, while giving up fewer than 200 yards per game passing, the offense is truly struggling.   The Invaders have dropped to 25 th  in points scored, averaging only 15.1 per game, and in each of the 3 main yardage indicators, passing (22 nd ), Rushing (27 th ) and overall YPG (23 rd ) the Invaders are among the 5 worst teams in the league. That reality has fans wondering if Jimmy Garoppolo, the NFL import, is the answer. He has stayed healthy this year, but his overall numbers are worse than in his first USFL season, something we rarely see from a veteran QB, as they usually benefit from the long USFL offseason and find more success in their 2 nd  year.   That has not been the case for Garoppolo, who has seen his completion rate drop from 58.5 to 55.4, the QB Rating also drop 2 points, form 72 to 70.2, but worst of all, the touchdown number also drop. Garoppolo, through 12 starts, has only 8 touchdowns. That is not what a team hoping to win their division needs to see. The lack of respect teams have for the Invader passing game means that defenses are creeping up to the line to stuff Christian McCaffrey. The 3 rd  year back is still playing well, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, but far too many 3 rd downs are being blown up by opposing defenses, including 3 rd  down rushes by McCaffrey, which see an average of only 1.6 yards per carry, far worse than his first or second down averages.   While certainly all the fault is not Garoppolo’s, he is catching most of the blame. To most impartial observers, the Invader receiving corps is best described as Davante Adams and 5 guys who don’t do much. The Invaders need more from TE Zach Ertz, and they need to find options in the 2 nd  and 3 rd  receiver slots who are better at getting defenders out of position. Neither Taylor Gabriel nor Davone Bess are proving effective in that task, leading Coach Kubiak to offer more snaps to untested players like rookie J. J. Arcega-Whiteside and 2 nd year receiver Javon Wyms, but so far no one has stepped up as a reliable option.   And so, as Oakland drops to 5-7 and their Wild Card hopes feel like they are on life support, there is growing momentum for an overhaul, both on the O-line and in the receiver group, because what we are seeing this year is not effective. The question that everyone is asking, however, is whether or not the QB position should also be part of that retooling. Is Garoppolo capable of improving in his 3 rd year or is Oakland better off cutting the NFL import loose and going in a new direction?   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 25   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 21 Ever since the Gamblers were relocated to the Southern Division, it has become one of the most entertaining divisions in the game. The 4 Southern teams take this game very seriously, and they all take tailgating just as seriously, so every matchup is a wild show, from the gumbo pots of New Orleans to the brisket in Houston and the pork ribs in Memphis, it is always a good time. That was certainly the case this Sunday, when a night game in Memphis meant a full day of barbecue, beer, and banter before the game even started. The Showboat faithful showed up in droves for the Sunday night affair, more than 51,000, though we saw a fair share of Gambler gear in the crowd as well.   The game they prepped for all day turned out to have been worth the wait as the Gamblers and Showboats combined for 7 lead changes and some late game drama. It all began with the Gambler defense picking off Memphis QB Paxton Lynch on his third pass attempt of the game, a quick takeaway that set Houston up to put the first points on the board. But, Memphis came to play defense as well, and they frustrated Colt McCoy all game long. The Houston QB would finish the day with only 9 completions, though 2 of those would go for scores. When McCoy missed on a 3 rd and 5 throw, Houston settled for a Koo field goal and the first points of the game.   Memphis could not do much on their 2 nd  possession, but when Houston took over, they too got a key play from the D and a takeaway. Theirs was a pressure by DE Sam Acho, clipping the arm of Colt McCoy just as he released the pass towards JuJu Smith-Schuster. The contact caused the ball to flutter just enough to allow Memphis CB Jaquan Johnson to undercut Smith-Schuster, snag the ball and race into the endzone for a Memphis TD. The defense had provided Memphis their first points and their first lead. The first quarter ended with Memphis up 7-3.   That lead would not hold for long as Houston’s offense started to make inroads on the Memphis defense with their run game. Carlos Hyde rattled off several big runs in the Gambler’s next 2 drives, and while the first would not lead to points, the second provided the first Houston TD of the day as Hyde took the ball into Memphis territory and Colt McCoy did the rest, hitting Mike Evans on a perfect corner route for a 23-yard TD, retaking the lead. They would add a field goal on their next possession and the visiting Gamblers headed into the half with a 13-7 lead.   Memphis knew it needed to take advantage of the opening possession of the second half. They pulled out all the stops, running a reverse on their first play from scrimmage, and following it 3 plays later with a very nice flea flicker on 1 st  and 10. When Houston’s D bit on the handoff to Todd Gurley, the back pitched the ball back to Lynch and the Memphis QB found Robert Woods for a nice 25-yard gain. That got Memphis into Houston territory and 4 plays later it was Lynch to Gurley on a shovel pass. The play worked to perfection and the Showboat back weaved his way through confused defenders and into the endzone to help Memphis once again retake the lead. Lewis Ward’s PAT gave them a 14-13 advantage.   Houston continued to focus on the run, and with Carlos Hyde averaging nearly 7 yards per carry, why do anything else? Hyde touched the ball 4 times on the next drive, including a nice 12-yard reception, and Houston again retook the lead when Younghoe Koo drilled the ball through the uprights from 23 yards out, putting Houston up 16-14.   The back-and-forth of the two offenses continued into the final period. Memphis used short passes to effectively move the ball and avoid the Houston pass rush, with Robert Woods now getting his chance to score, a nice double move found him on the inside of his corner and that gave Paxton Lynch a window. The low throw allowed Woods to go down, scoop the ball, and roll into the endzone for a 21-16 Memphis lead.   But Memphis’s inability to deal with Carlos Hyde cost them dearly in the final period. On Houston’s next drive, Hyde busted a 40-yard run, taking the ball all the way from the Houston 17 to the Memphis 43. And when McCoy faked to Hyde 3 plays later, it gave him a perfect set up to find Smith-Schuster in single coverage. The result was a 30-yard TD throw and once again Houston was in the lead.   Memphis tried to recover on their next possession, but Houston’s defense came up with another big play. Leodis McKelvin got his second pick of the game, giving him a league-best 8 on the season, and Houston took over on their own 30. They likely would have been happy to run the ball to kill the clock, but an early play changed the dynamic of the final minute. Trying to covert a 3 rd  and 2 after back-to-back runs by Hyde and backup C. J. Prosise, McCoy dumped the ball off to his star halfback in the flat, but instead of gaining the needed 2 yards and sliding down, Hyde made a move on LB Nate Triplett and was off to the races. By the time safety Jordan Richards pulled Hyde to the turf, he was 45 yards downfield. That play allowed Houston to put a field goal on the board with just over 30 seconds left, leaving Memphis down 4 instead of 1, and that meant they would need a touchdown.   Playing a deep shell, Houston kept all of Lynch’s passes in front of them. So, while Memphis relatively easily moved the ball to the Houston 30, they simply could not get it in the endzone as time ran out, and their final play was an attempted Hail Mary, but one that sailed untouched out of play on the right side of the endzone. Houston had hung on and with the win they expanded their lead in the division to 3 games, locking up a playoff berth and putting themselves in a position to win the divisional crown next week. Memphis is still in good standing at 7-5, but any hopes they had to overtake the Gamblers disappeared with the loss. They will face the Gamblers again in Week 15, but that game may prove a pointless one for both clubs if they can both lock up their playoff situation in the next 2 weeks.   WASHINGTON 10   BALTIMORE 21 The Blitz get their best game yet from Jake Locker and from their defense as they shut down the Federals and improve to 7-5 to retain sole possession of first in the Northeast. Locker connected on 23 of 34 passing and found Brian Hartline and Denarius Moore for TD tosses as the Blitz break past a 7-10 halftime deficit. Add a pick-six from LB Anthony Hitchens and Baltimore proves they can still manufacture wins as they take the rivalry game over Washington. POTG:  Blitz LB Anthony Hitchens: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ST. LOUIS 9   SEATTLE 35 The Dragons had their most complete game of the season in a blowout win over the Skyhawks. The Dragon secondary picked off Lamar Jackson 3 times while the offense got 92 yards and 3 touchdowns from the running duo of Moreno and Wendell Smallwood. Mike Wallace also had a solid game, catching 7 for 107 and a score as Seattle looks very ready for yet another late season run to relevance. POTG:  Seattle CB Richard Sherman: 7 Tck, 2 Int   OKLAHOMA 13  ORLANDO 12 An 8-point underdog on the road in Florida, the Oklahoma Outlaws came back from a 9-0 hole to shock the Renegades. Kai Forbath’s 42-yard kick with 28 seconds on the clock was the game winner, but it was the Outlaw defense which not only knocked Russell Wilson out of the game with a vicious sack late in the 2 nd , but also kept the run game to only 67 yards on the day. The win keeps Oklahoma alive at 5-7 and costs Orlando a share of first in the Southeast. POTG:  Recent trade acquisition CB Xavien Howard: 4 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 5 PDef   ARIZONA 31  OHIO 23 Ohio had upset on their minds, but the Wranglers gutted out a win thanks to 189 yards rushing from the combo of KaDeem Carey (114) and Isaiah Crowell (75), with Crowell also adding 2 scoring runs and a receiving TD to be named POTG. It was a good game for the Glory, who found holes in the Arizona defense, but not enough as the Wranglers get the W in the end. POTG:  Wrangler HB Isaiah Crowell: 14 Att, 75 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Rec, 4 Yds, 1 TD   LOS ANGELES 12   PORTLAND 20 A bad loss for the Express as their offense sputters, costing them a shot at 1 st  in the Pacific. Portland started former Stallion backup A. J. McCarron and the former Crimson Tide QB struggled, throwing for only 86 yards, but the Portland run game found surprising easy sledding against the usually tough LA defense, with Doug Martin and Travares Cadet combining for 199 yards on the ground. The Express just did not have answers on either side of the ball as Kyler Murray completed 22 of 43 but threw no touchdowns and Reggie Bush rushed for only 54 yards against the Stags. POTG:  Stag HB Doug Martin: 24 Att, 119 Yds, 1 TD   DALLAS 19   LAS VEGAS 34 Las Vegas made a statement as they moved back to .500 with a commanding win over the visiting Roughnecks. Hunt & Hardesty combined for 113 yards and a score, Matt McGloin found TE Richard Quinn for a score, and SS Troy Petty returned a poor Josh Freeman throw, one of 3 picks on the day, for a 34-yard pick-six as the Vipers rolled to victory in this divisional matchup. POTG:  Viper safety Troy Petty: 3 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   PITTSBURGH 17   NEW JERSEY 26 In a battle of 5-6 clubs hoping to reach .500 and stay alive in the hunt for the NE Division, New Jersey outpaced Pittsburgh 19-3 in the second half to break open the game. Maurice Jones-Drew was held to 72 yards rushing but scored twice as the Generals clawed their way back to a 6-6 record, 1 game behind Baltimore. Pittsburgh again struggled to run the ball and Andy Dalton, pressed to create plays, threw two picks to New Jersey linebackers (Aldon Smith and Rey Maualaga). POTG:  New Jersey DE Aaron Kampman: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 FF   CHICAGO 27  MICHIGAN 24 In their first meeting last week, Chicago took the Panthers to overtime before Michigan got the W, but in the rematch Chicago built up a 20-7 advantage and held on despite two 4 th quarter Panther TDs to earn the W and move themselves back to .500. Despite 121 yards from MVP candidate LeVeon Bell, Chicago withstood the Michigan assault. Sam Bradford was impressive, completing 16 of 21 throws for 247 yards while putting up 4 touchdowns on the Panther defense, including 2 to WR Michael Floyd. POTG:  Chicago QB Sam Bradford: 16/21, 247 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 16   JACKSONVILLE 21 A rough game for the Fire as a stoked Bulls team saw a rare opportunity to break what had been a 8-game losing streak. The Bulls got 3 TDs from QB Teddy Bridgewater, with TE Gavin Escobar hauling in 2 while the game’s leading receiver, Mike Williams caught the third, one of 6 catches for 102 yards on the day. The Bulls’ defense held Nick Chubb to 52 yards and held Aaron Murray out of the endzone all game as Jacksonville gets their 3 rd  win of the season. POTG:  Bulls’ WR Mike Williams: 6 Rec, 102 Yds, 1 TD   SAN DIEGO 21  NEW ORLEANS 19 A hard-fought game between two solid teams, but in the end Christian Ponder’s 3 rd  TD of the game proves to be the game winner as San Diego holds off a late charge from the Breakers to get the W. Ponder hit Nick Toon for 2 scores and then found HB Ryan Williams for what would prove to be the game winner midway through the 3 rd quarter. The Thunder defense also came up big, despite 124 yards from Jordy Nelson, holding the Breakers to 12 points until the last minute of action. POTG:  Thunder QB Christian Ponder: 11/18, 188 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   PHILADELPHIA 7   CHARLOTTE 23 After falling behind 0-7 in the first quarter, Charlotte completely shut down the Philadelphia offense and put up 23 unanswered points to take the win. Matt Gutierrez completed only 10 of 29 throws (34.5%) and Derrick Henry was held to only 46 yards rushing as the Monarch defense shut down and shut out the Stars, whose only points came on a careless Trubisky throw that Sam Shields returned 75 yards for a TD. POTG:  Charlotte LB Rolando McClain: 10 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 PDef, 1 Int   TAMPA BAY 17  DENVER 13 Denver had held the Bandit offense in check for nearly 45 minutes, taking a 13-7 lead into the 4 th quarter, but eventually the defense broke and Dak Prescott found TE Ryan Izzo for the game-winning score with 1:31 left in the game. Josh Allen, who went 20 of 34 for the game, could not produce a final second Hail Mary and the Bandits escaped one of their toughest games of the year. POTG:  Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 23/36, 359 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int   BIRMINGHAM 27  OAKLAND 13 Oakland’s offensive woes were on display in this one, as was QB Cam Newton as Coach Haley decided to stop playing around with Newton’s rushing ability and called nearly as many QB runs as passes. Newton finished the game with 23 pass attempts (completing 11 for 206 yards and a TD) while calling 20 planned QB runs, producing 105 yards and 2 scores for the Stallions. Oakland just did not have an answer. They also did not have an offense, with Jimmy Garoppolo completing 22 of 40 passes but only putting 1 TD run on the board, and that far too late for it to impact the final score. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 11/23, 206 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 20 Att, 105 Yds, 2 TD   Haley’s Strange Gambit Pays Off It was an unexpected strategy, but as Birmingham’s surprising 27-16 win in Oakland showed, doing something unexpected can be a great way to throw an opponent off. So, what did Haley do? He essentially turned QB Cam Newton into a shotgun halfback, calling designed run after designed run. While Newton dropped back to pass the ball 23 times, he took the snap and immediately shifted to a called run play 20 times, an insane number for a quarterback.   Did the strategy work? It seems a resounding “yes” is appropriate as Newton rushed for 105 yards on the day, blowing past not only the ineffectual gains of Ben Tate (12 yards on 8 carries) and Rex Burkhead (14 yards on 4 carries), but also topping Oakland HB Christian McCaffrey’s 90 yards. It also provided Birmingham with 2 rushing touchdowns, both from their QB. Is it a dangerous strategy? Sure. It is exactly the kind of thing that can send a QB to the IR in a hurry, but Newton is not a standard QB. His build and his demeanor are more akin to a bruising tailback than a pocket passer, so maybe this is the way to maximize his value to the team, and maybe to convince the Auburn product to consider resigning with Haley and the Stallions rather than testing the market for QB talent this offseason.   Ohio Has No Answers for 1st to Worst Slide After their 8 th consecutive loss this week, the Ohio Glory, and Coach Coughlin, did not have much to say for themselves. Coach Coughlin summed it up with a very curt “We are not a very good team right now.” Quarterback Christian Hackenberg repeated the sentiment, saying “We have been in some tight games, like this one, but somehow we are not making the plays that need to be made to win them.”   Both are right. Ohio is not very good, and they are not making enough plays. They currently sit with not only the worst record in the league, but are ranked 20 th  or worse in several offensive and defensive categories. They have been keeping games close, evident in their 5 point loss to Pittsburgh, 3-point loss to Dallas, and 7-point loss to Michigan, but they just don’t have the firepower to get over the hump. Giving up nearly 330 yards per game, and nearly 23 points per game while scoring barely 16 on average, well, that is not going to get you the wins you want. And for a team that surprised many by surpassing Michigan last year to take the Central Division title, the bigger surprise has been how far they have fallen in just one year.   Seattle’s 4-Game Win Streak Has Dragon Fans Conflicted Seattle’s fanbase must feel like they are suffering from whiplash. It seems like every March the team cannot get out of its own way, and every June they are apparently unstoppable. While the Dragons did not start the year 0-5 this season, they did find themselves at 1-5 after 6 weeks, but since then it has been a different story, with Seattle winning 5 of 6 on their way to a 6-6 record and a shot at a Wild Card spot.   Seattle’s current 4-game win streak includes solid victories over Las Vegas, Denver, and St. Louis, and while their next two games will show us a lot (home matches against both LA and San Diego). But for fans, the roller coaster is a tough ride to sit on year after year. By the time the team figures out how to win, fans are already dreaming of early draft picks and calling for Mike Riley’s head. Then they turn it around and the fans have to change gears, hoping against hope that the team can sneak into the playoffs as they did in 2017, and not end up at 8-8 as they did last year. It is hard to build a better team with a mid-round draft pick every year, but that is what happens when your team is good enough to finish strong, but apparently incapable of starting the year with the same focus and effectiveness.   Is Dak Prescott the League MVP? It may seem an odd question to ask when you have a QB who is leading the league in both passing yards (nearly 400 more than 2 nd  place) and touchdowns, and whose team already has 5 more wins this season than all of last year, and yet, it is still a question. Now, in part that may because Michigan’s LeVeon Bell is also putting together a good case with over 1,200 yards in 12 weeks (yes, on pace to finish the year averaging 100 per game), and we still have several QBs with a better QB Rating than Prescott, but those seem petty reasons not to recognize the year the Bandit QB is having.   And when we look at the growth from 2018, this is a year worth recognizing. Prescott’s yardage was also impressive last year, with 2019 looking very much like the young QB’s 2 nd consecutive 4,000-yard season, but with 4 games to play, Prescott has already matched his full season total of 25 TDs from last year, and his current 106.1 QB Rating is lightyears ahead of his 2018 score of 77.7. In other words, the growth is there, the stats are there, and the team impact is certainly there, with the Bandits currently 1 st  in the league in both yards per game and passing yards. So, the answer, in short, is yes. Dak Prescott should be the league MVP this season.   Wilson 50/50 to Miss Action with Hip Pointer After appearing on this week’s Injury Report as “Questionable”, Russell Wilson’s status for this week’s game is pretty much a mystery. The report lists his injury as a hip pointer, and while those can be quite painful, they can also range widely in severity. Coach Rivera has not been very forthcoming either, saying Wilson is a tough player, but not providing any insight into whether he expects his starter to make the trip to Atlanta or to stay behind in Orlando for treatment. He may very well not know, and we may not know until Sunday night, when the Fire host the Renegades. We could very much be looking at a game-time decision, exactly what most gamblers, fantasy players, and fans do not want to hear. Orlando has Tim Tebow as their #2, which could present a whole different set of issues for the Fire defense, but as a passer, Wilson is certainly a more reliable option, so we are just not sure how the Fire, or the fans, should prepare for next Sunday’s matchup.   We have our first two playoff berths locked up as the league’s two 10-2 teams, Houston and Michigan earn the first tickets to postseason football. Both are still waiting on both a division title (Houston with a 3-game lead on Memphis and Michigan up 4 on Chicago with 4 to play), and we expect both will get that checked off their goals next week. They are also each very much the favorites to lock up the 1-seed in their respective conferences, though Michigan’s lead over both Arizona and San Diego is tenuous at a single game. On the other end of the playoff pool, we are looking at .500 as the threshold, with New Jersey, Denver, and Las Vegas all sitting at 6-6 and in Wild Card position, but they will have competition. With another 11 teams all within 1 game of the current playoff position holders, this could be a long and complicated process to lock up those final positions. What we can say is that the three teams currently holding Wild Card spots are the teams who can control their own destiny. If any are able to go 4-0 down the stretch, they are guaranteed a spot. We also have our first eliminated club as Ohio dropped to 2-10 and is now out of the playoff picture. It has been an absolute nightmare season for the Glory, who were so up last year, when they surpassed Michigan to claim the Central Division crown. It seems every stroke of luck, every close victory or lucky bounce of the ball has turned and now goes against the Glory, sending them to the bottom of the league standings.   A good number of key players will be missing from Week 13 action, very possibly including Orlando QB Russell Wilson, Oklahoma HB Marshawn Lynch, and Las Vegas safety Antrel Rolle. It could be a rough week for the Las Vegas defense as they will also be without LB Blake Martinez, sidelined at least 1 week, perhaps longer, with a groin injury. Similarly, Chicago could be vulnerable with Josh Norman out of the secondary.   OUT G          Zach Martin          OKL     Achilles          IR G            Sean Locklear        CHA     Torn ACL          IR LB          Blake Martinez         LV           Groin                1-2 Weeks HB         Kenyan Drake         ATL           Toe                  1-2 Weeks CB         Josh Norman          CHI           Knee               1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL CB         Marcus Williams   MEM      Shoulder FS          Antrel Rolle             LV            Finger   QUESTIONABLE SS          Tyran Mathieu         OHI         Concussion WR        Allen Robinson        STL          Knee DT          Aaron Donald          PIT           Eye QB         Russell Wilson         ORL          Hip HB         Marshawn Lynch     OKL         Concussion   Believe it or Not: Trubisky Not Worst for Picks Among USFL Starters We know it sounds wrong, but we are here to tell everyone that Mitch Trubisky is not the king of throwing to the wrong team. It may be hard to convince Monarch fans, who have started calling their QB “Pick Trubisky” or “Mitch Trupicksy” out of frustration with the seemingly endless run of poor choices and worse throws. But, and this is the truth, after 12 games this year, Trubisky is not leading the league in picks. He is not second. He is actually not even in the Top (or is it Bottom) Five. You won’t find Mitch Trubisky and his 11 picks until you reach 6 th on the list.   Now, admittedly, the Monarch QB did miss three full games and most of a fourth due to several minor injuries, so his total of 11 picks in what is really only 8 full games is still far from what any owner or any fanbase wants to see. But when it comes to raw numbers, he is not at the top of the list. We actually have a tie for the dubious distinction of most picks so far this season, with both Oklahoma veteran Joe Flacco and St. Louis’s young QB Lamar Jackson both sitting at 16 interceptions apiece. What do the two QBs have in common? Certainly not their style of play, with Flacco a living statue in the pocket and Jackson a scrambler who prefers to take off and run than to finish his progressions. But, what they both have is undermanned WR groups and halfbacks who may be great between the tackles but are not great as safety valves.   After the two co-leaders in the league, we have three other veteran QBs who just are not getting the job done this year, starting with Philadelphia’s Matt Gutierrez with 15 picks, followed closely by Pittsburgh’s Andy Dalton, and Dallas’s Josh Freeman. All three have been very solid QBs in past years but in 2019 we are seeing far too many forced throws, and those tend to go pretty badly. So, if you want to defend Mitch Trubisky against the barbs he often gets on sports radio, at least you can point to a few others who are having an even tougher time, including some very successful QBs.   And, just in case you were wondering, of QBs with enough pass attempts to be counted in our QB rankings (230 attempt minimum after 12 weeks), the passer with the fewest picks on the year is actually a tie between San Diego’s Christian Ponder and Birmingham’s Cam Newton, each with only 4 picks in 12 games. Both are solidly over 300 pass attempts, so those low numbers are no flukes, they are a sign that both QBs are protecting the ball, and while Newton only has 8 TDs for a pretty mediocre 2:1 TD:INT ratio, Ponder’s 20 TDs gives him an absolutely stellar 5:1 ratio. A clear indicator of why the Thunder are looking to land the Pacific title this season, Ponder’s first as the starter for the full year.   Third Quarter Power Rankings A lot of movement as 3-1 months as well as many 1-3 months have caused teams to climb the ladder or drop down the chute. The Top 2 remain the same, but beyond that there is a lot of movement as some teams found their groove and others watched it all start to spiral. Here is the 3 rd  quarter power ranking for you to debate, discuss, and dispute.   1—Houston Gamblers (10-2)         No Change The Gamblers bounced back from their trap game loss to Atlanta with a solid win against their closest division rival this week. They will face the Showboats one more time, but their main competition is with themselves.   2—Michigan Panthers (10-2)      No Change After a classic 2-round fight with the Chicago Machine, Michigan is still very much in line to take both the division and the top seed in the West. We could very easily end up with a Summer Bowl that matches up the 2017 champions with the 2018 winners.   3—Arizona Wranglers (9-3)          Up 2 After a rough patch that saw Arizona lose 3 of 4, they have now rattled off 4 straight wins and while the 1 seed may be a tough ask, they certainly have the ability to earn the 2-seed, get a bye and set up for an epic playoff season.   4—Tampa Bay Bandits (8-4)        Up 13 With 4 straight wins, the Bandits have left .500 in the rear view mirror and look to be one of the hottest teams in the, and, even better, the defense has been showing up, allowing 15 or fewer points in their last 3 games. If the defense can hold, and with their top rated offense, this could be a very tough out in the playoffs.   5—San Diego Thunder (9-3)           Down 2 The Thunder have won 6 of their last 7, with only a tough road loss in Houston as their lone blemish. In other words, this is a very good team. We think they have a real shot at winning out and finishing the year at 13-3. The big test will be in the finale, when they host the LA Express, the only Pacific team with a shot to catch them.   6—Memphis Showboats (7-5)    Up 2 The Showboats have won the games they are expected to win, but struggled against both San Diego and Houston. They still have 3 divisional games left, including a rematch with the Gamblers in H-Town, but this feels very much like a team that will need to be happy with a possible 4-seed and a home Wild Card game.   7—Seattle Dragons (6-6)              Up 17 I swear we have seen this movie before. A 1-5 start was followed by a 5-1 streak, and now, with 4 games left, the Dragons are in playoff position and have a real shot at finishing over .500 and securing a Wild Card. They have two tough divisional games the next two weeks (LA this week, then San Diego), but both are at home, so Seattle has a chance to impress.   8—Baltimore Blitz (7-5)           Up 5 We all wrote off the Blitz when Big Ben went down, and while it has not been easy, this squad has won 2 of their last 4 and has held onto sole possession of first place in the Northeast. They will be tested, with matches against Tampa Bay, Michigan and Chicago in the final 4. Can they stay atop the division, or will this division produce a late surge from another contender?   9—Orlando Renegades (7-5)     Down 5 Two straight losses have dampened what had been a lot of excitement. But the Renegades still have a game in Tampa Bay, and if they can win that, they could be right back in the divisional race. We see this club making the postseason, but what will they do when they get there?   10—Chicago Machine (6-6)            Down 4 A 4-game losing streak really hurt the Machine. Even with a win over Michigan this week it looks to be too late for them to have a real shot at the division, but certainly they have a chance to finish strong and make the postseason as a Wild Card. A 3-1 final month seems viable, considering the only team they play with a winning record is Baltimore in the finale.   11—Las Vegas Vipers (6-6)            Up 11 Aside from their trap game against Seattle, Las Vegas has been impressive over the last quarter, winning 4 of 5. They do not face another team with a winning record, so they have a real shot at improving to 9 or even 10 wins. This week’s game against Denver is likely the most important of the bunch because it could factor into any tiebreaker between the Vipers and the Gold.   12—Los Angeles Express (7-5)   Down 5 The Express are struggling to put points on the board, and even with a solid defense, that is a real problem. Now, after being exposed by Portland, will other teams be able to break down that defense? And if they do, can LA put up enough points to finish strong?   13—New Jersey Generals (6-6)    Down 2 New Jersey has won 5 of their last 6, and they have 4 winnable games against fellow 6-6 and some 5-7 clubs, so their destiny is their own. If they can win out, they will be in the postseason.   14—Denver Gold (6-6)                  No Change The Gold have been up and down, win one, lose one, and that could be trouble as they really need to string several wins together to have a real shot at a Wild Card. The have a huge game in Las Vegas this week, then three non-divisional games, so the key is to win now and get a streak going.   15—New Orleans Breakers (6-6)      Down 5 The defense remains strong, but the offense has been faltering, and that has led to a 2-2 record in the last month. They need much better than that if they hope to leapfrog some teams and get into the postseason. It starts this week with a home game against Memphis, and then a huge trip to Houston the week after. They need to go 2-0 in those tough divisional games to have a real shot.   16—Charlotte Monarchs (5-6-1)       Down 4 The Monarchs won’t catch Tampa Bay, and their best shot may be to try to edge out a current 6-6 team by using that tie to get a half-game up on the pack. But, to do that, they need to win at least 3 of the next 4, and that could be tough with LA coming to town and a trip to New Orleans on the schedule.   17—Oklahoma Outlaws (5-7)       Down 2 After losing 4 of 5, the Outlaws had their backs to the wall and pulled off a nice upset in Orlando. The problem is, they have 4 games left and will likely be an underdog in every single one, starting this week in Oakland, then in Arizona, home to Las Vegas, and a tough finale at Michigan. This is not a road that looks promising for the Outlaws.   18—St. Louis Skyhawks (5-7)       Down 2 The Hawks have lost 3 of the last 4, and another loss should all but end their playoff hopes. They have winnable games this week (Ohio at home) and Week 14 (Denver at home), but then a trip to Michigan will be decisive. They need to go 4-0 and get some help or Ka-Kaw will not be the law and once again the Skyhawks will miss out on the postseason.   19—Birmingham Stallions (5-7)      Up 2 A Herculean effort from Cam Newton finally snapped Birmingham’s losing streak at 6 games, but the damage was done. Now they travel to Houston and a loss pretty much knocks them out of range for even a reasonable path to a Wild Card. With Memphis in Week 14, followed by Seattle and New Jersey, the Stallions have an absolutely brutal final month ahead of them.   20—Philadelphia Stars (5-7)         Down 2 After an 0-5 start, going 5-2 in the middle of the season was certainly a nice surprise, but the Stars still have more questions than answers, and they cannot afford to make any mistakes if they want to reach .500 or have any shot at a Wild Card. The odds are not in their favor.   21—Dallas Roughnecks (5-7)        Up 7 A nice 3-game win streak had Dallas fans feeling hopeful, but this week’s loss to Las Vegas was a tough one. They now head to Arizona for a really tough Week 13 draw, and still have the Express and the Vipers once more on their upcoming schedule. 2-2 would be a very good finish for this club.   22—Pittsburgh Maulers (5-7)      Down 3 The Maulers had 3 losses in the last month, by 2 points (Breakers), then by 2 again (Renegades) and by 9 this week (New Jersey). They have been in games, but they just don’t know how to finish. With Michigan, Baltimore and New Jersey still on the schedule, we think the Maulers will be lucky to reach 8-8, or even 7-9.   23—Portland Stags (4-8)            Up 2 A. J. McCarron became the 4 th  Mauler QB to start a game this week. He got the surprise win over LA, but put up fewer than 90 yards passing. With 3 tough division games still on the slate, we think Portland ends up with 10+ losses this year, and hopes that they can finally get a full year from Marcus Mariota in 2020.   24—Oakland Invaders (5-7)        Down 15 Losing 3 of 4 this month, while scoring only 36 points in 4 games (including a 23-0 shut out in Arizona) has left Oakland far from where they thought they would be this season. The offense has real issues, and the defense is just being asked to do too much. The real question right now is whether or not the club needs to build up Jimmy Garoppolo for next year or start looking for another option.   25—Atlanta Fire (4-7-1)           Up 1 The Fire have been better since Aaron Murray returned, but they just could not string together wins, and that means they are likely to have a top 5 draft pick next January. They need to think about weapons outside, and muscle inside, both of which have been noticeably absent this year.   26—Washington Federals (4-8)   Down 6 Fans in D.C. are feeling duped in that the Ryan Nassib they got is not the model they saw in the showroom last year. But the even bigger issue is that this Federals’ defense has been just awful, giving up nearly 350 yards per game and far too many easy plays for big gains. If Coach Bradley survives Black Monday, he will need to address that side of the ball heavily while also figuring out what went wrong with the offense.   27—Jacksonville Bulls (3-9)        No Change We don’t see a path for Coach Flores to get a 3 rd  year, not when Jacksonville has been giving up 28 points per game and lost 8 in a row. They got a win this week against a slumping Atlanta squad, but we don’t see a game on the horizon where they won’t be heavy underdogs. 3-13 is a real possibility.   28—Ohio Glory (2-10)                 Down 5 Not only have the wheels fallen off the bus, but the axel sparked on the ground, causing the gas tank to explode and now it is just one hot mess careening down the road with no steering, no brakes, and no answers. Coach Coughlin has to be embarrassed by how far the Glory fell from 2018 to 2019. He may actually survive the offseason, but only if he can convince ownership that he understands what went wrong and has a plan to fix it. Neither of those seem like something we would say about him at this moment.   Week 13 is set up as a huge playoff impacting week, with 10 of 14 games divisional games that could potentially lead to some major shifts across the entire league. Orlando and San Diego are hoping that their Friday night matchups against division foes Atlanta and Portland help propel them towards the top of the standings and a possible playoff berth. The Fire and Stags are still technically alive, but need to start getting results right now.   Saturday sees four divisional matches on the docket, starting at 4pm when Birmingham visits Houston and Denver heads to Las Vegas. That Gold-Vipers game will be huge as both sit at 6-6 and cannot afford to drop below .500. Then at 7pm it is Memphis and New Orleans, with a Breaker win giving them a share of 2 nd  place in the South, while Memphis can take a 2-game lead over New Orleans with a win. The late game comes to us from Dallas, where the playoff hopes of the Roughnecks depend on them getting a home upset over 9-3 Arizona.   Sunday has 4 more divisional games on tap, along with a very nice NE v. SE clash as 7-5 Baltimore hopes to remain atop their division but faces a tough 8-4 Bandit squad that wants to stay atop the Southeast with a win. We also have St. Louis hosting Ohio and Charlotte hosting Jacksonville, with both home teams hoping a win at home helps keep them in the mix. Later it is New Jersey at Philadelphia in a battle of NE Division teams that just cannot seem to escape the black hole of .500 football. Finally, the night game has us in Seattle, where the 6-6 Dragons seem to be doing it again, coming back from a seemingly desperate early season to find themselves in the hunt late. They host the surprising LA Express, who need to add some offensive firepower to their solid defense if they want to avoid another division loss.   Friday @ 7pm ET                Orlando (7-5) @ Atlanta (4-7-1)                     NBC Friday @ 9:30pm ET            Portland (4-8) @ San Diego (9-3)                    FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET              Michigan (10-2) @ Pittsburgh (5-7)                ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET           Washington (4-8) @ Chicago (6-6)                   FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET               Birmingham (5-7) @ Houston (10-2)              ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET                Denver (6-6) @ Las Vegas (6-6)                      FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET            Memphis (7-5) @ New Orleans (6-6)              NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET             Arizona (9-3) @ Dallas (5-7)                       ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET               Baltimore (7-5) @ Tampa Bay (8-4)                 ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET              Ohio (2-10) @ St. Louis (5-7)                 FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET               Jacksonville (3-9) @ Charlotte (5-6-1)      FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET                     Oklahoma (5-7) @ Oakland (5-7)                  ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET                    New Jersey (6-6) @ Philadelphia (5-7)            FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET              Los Angeles (7-5) @ Seattle (6-6-)                 ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: This was a tough one, in part because we were amazed by Coach Haley's decision to have Cam Newton run nearly as many times as he went back to pass, so his 105 yards rushing with 206 passing was impressive, but we have to give it to Carlos Hyde. Hyde rushed the ball 29 times, a career high, and with those carries amassed 204 yards rushing. And as if that were not enough he also contributed another 57 in the passing game, giving him 261 combined yards from scrimmage, a massive total. PLAYOFF PICTURE: We have our first two playoff berths locked down. Houston and Michigan, both 10-2, are now playoff bound. The Gamblers got the W this week to lock theirs up, while Michigan fell to Chicago but still clinched no worse than a Wild Card thanks to losses by several other Western Conference teams. With 4 weeks to play, we now have the first dominoes falling, and we expect that each week we may see more. A win this week by the Panthers would also grant them the Central Division title, despite Chicago's win in Week 12, while every other division is looking just a bit closer. And, yes, we should announce as well the first officially eliminated team. It is the 2018 Central Division Champion Ohio Glory, who have just seen the wheels come off this year, sitting at 2-10 and wondering what happened.

It was a week that would make Admiral Akbar proud. The famous fish-headed Star Wars leader, known for his catchphrase "It's a trap!" would have been right at home with this weeks upsets. They are called trap games, matchups against teams that appear to be outclassed and overmatched, often showing up on the schedule a week before a much tougher or more consequential opponent. Teams come in overconfident, or simply looking past their opponent, and they fall into the trap, losing a game that, by all accounts, they should have won. We had three of them this week, as three teams we highlighted in our list of streaking “hot” teams fell unexpectedly in games that both we and the books in Las Vegas had them heavily favored to win. Those trap games will be our story of the week, but we will, of course, run down all the games, including a hard-fought Central Division showdown in Chicago, a defensive gem from the San Diego Thunder, and a Memphis blowout win as they prep for their big game hosting the Gamblers this week. All this, plus some significant reunions as a trio of big name offseason transfers returned to play their former clubs. Stay right here, we will break it all down and prepare you for the Week 12 action to come this weekend.   Leagues’ Hottest Teams All Get Snared by Trap Games Last week we highlighted several teams that were feeling pretty good as they rode extended win streaks. This week all 3 teams we featured for their win streaks dropped games that saw them favored by 5 or more points, a sign that maybe it is unwise to read one’s own press. In each case, the team came out flat, seemed unprepared for a dog fight, and unable to recover when they got that first punch to the teeth. It is a classic “trap game” scenario, one we think we may have made worse by highlighting each teams’ successful streaks.   Perhaps the biggest surprise of the three was the first, Saturday’s noon kickoff, when the Atlanta Fire, sitting at 3-6-1 hosted the 9-1 Houston Gamblers. Houston entered that game as a 12-point favorite, a wide margin for any regular season USFL game, but one that seemed justified based on the relative success of each team this year. Apparently, the combination of the line, the press coverage, and the swagger Houston brought to the game was enough to light a Fire under Atlanta (oof, the pun), as the home squad outscored the defending League Champions 30-14 over the first three quarters. Houston tried to recover in the fourth but were unable to make up the full 16-point deficit, falling 3 short and falling to the underdog Fire.   Next up was the Dragon’s visit to Las Vegas, a game we will discuss again later on as a homecoming visit for former Dragon QB Matt McGloin. Seattle was a 7-point underdog on the road against a Viper squad that had won 4 in a row, but these Dragons know a thing or two about streaks, having recovered from 0-5 starts in both 2017 and 2018 to reach the playoffs in ’17 and a solid 8-8 final record in 2018. It seems they are seeking to do the same this year as they pulled off a 3-point overtime victory over the favorite, pulling Seattle up to 5-6 and now adding them to the cluster of teams hovering close to .500 and a potential Wild Card spot.   Last, and perhaps the most damaging of the 3 upsets, was in Washington D.C., where the 3-7 Federals found their footing against a Generals team that had won 3 in a row to reach 5-5 and 1 game from first place in the Northeast. The Federals built up a 20-0 first half lead, thanks in large part to 4 sacks and 3 picks of Generals’ QB Ricki Stanzi. Now, we know that with New Jersey playing with their backup the odds of an upset were certainly increased, but even with Stanzi at the helm New Jersey came into the game a 5-point road favorite. That fact certainly irked the Federals, and particularly DT Quinnen Williams, who played like a man possessed against the Generals, stuffing Maurice Jones-Drew on a key 3 rd  and 1 and also sacking Stanzi twice to lead the Federals’ D to one of its best outings of the season.   It all just goes to show that you cannot take a week off in the USFL, especially if you are a heavy favorite with eyes on the future. With all 3 streaking teams taking the L this week, we are now looking at Michigan’s 4 game streak and wondering if the Panthers are staying focused, and behind them, we see 3-game win streaks for the Bandits, Wranglers, Dragons and Roughnecks and wonder if they too are focused and ready this week or could they too be falling into a trap?                  MICHIGAN PANTHERS 33  CHICAGO MACHINE 27  OVERTIME It was the first in a 2-game, back-to-back series between the Panthers and Machine, and if this first game is any indication, this week’s second edition could be another beauty. Chicago came out ready to take on the 9-1 Panthers and show them that the division was not theirs alone, but Michigan was ready, and, with Kirk Cousins having one of his best games of the season, the Panthers pushed the game to overtime and got the W they wanted to push their division lead to an impressive 5 games.   Chicago had a plan for the Panther defense, and it showed right away as their first drive put 3 points on the board. It all seemed to be going to plan for the Machine as a quick 3-and-out led to a 2 nd Chicago score only 2 minutes later. Chicago got the first big play of the game when Malcolm Floyd used a good double move to create space and took the pass from Sam Bradford for 50 yards, all the way down to the Michigan 10. 2 plays later the 3-play drive ended with Jeremy Hill scoring the game’s first TD to give Chicago a 10-0 advantage only mid-way through the first quarter.   Michigan responded with the first of what would be 3 Kirk Cousins touchdowns. The Panthers moved the ball well on their second drive and Cousins hit former Wrangler Antonio Bryant for the score, a 21-yard strike on a simple fly post route. Michigan would even the score early in the 2 nd  quarter on a 39-yard kick from Chase McLaughlin. This game was going to be tight, that seemed very clear.   The Machine climbed back on top with 1:17 left in the half when a 9-play drive concluded with Matt Forte finding the corner of the endzone for a 3-yard TD run. The score once again gave Chicago a lead in the game, one that Michigan would cut down to 4 points after a half-ending field goal to send the teams to the locker rooms with the homestanding Machine up 17-13.   Michigan took the 2 nd  half kickoff and immediately went after their first lead of the game. It would take them only 4:22 of the 3 rd  quarter to do just that, with Cousins finding Kevin Kraft on a short TD throw on the 10 th  play of the Panther drive. Chicago had shot themselves in the foot earlier in the drive, giving Michigan new life with a defensive holding call on a 3 rd  and 17 that produced an automatic first down for the Panthers. Michigan made them pay with the Kraft TD.   But, undaunted by the Panther’s immediate success, Chicago took over and used short passes and a nice 16-yard run from Forte to get into position once again for a score. This time it was Sam Bradford hitting Tyler Eifert on an inside route that once again gave the Machine the edge, now leading 24-20. The Machine would extend that lead to 7 early in the 4 th  when Daniel Carlson connected on a 50-yard kick. It was nice to have the lead, but at only 7 points, Michigan could tie the game up with a score, and that is exactly what they did on their next possession, with Cousins hitting Calvin Ridley on a 25-yard catch and run which brought the ball to the 3. Two plays later, LeVeon Bell would add a touchdown to once again tie the game up, now at 27. Bell, who Chicago had frustrated all game, would finish the game with only 48 yards rushing (a 2.8 YPC average, his worst of the year), but this score would be huge as the Panthers evened up the game with 8 minutes left to play.   Those final 8 minutes proved frustrating for both teams. A holding call stymied Chicago’s next drive. Michigan failed to convert a 3 rd  and 3 with another run-stuff against Bell on the crucial down, and in the final minutes, Chicago could not get the kick they needed, with Carlson missing on a 49-yard attempt at the 1-minute mark. Michigan played conservatively in the final minute, seemingly content to go to overtime. And so they did, with Michigan winning the toss and taking the ball first. The Machine defense stepped up, forcing a punt after 5-play and giving the offense the ball on their own 23. But the Chicago offense also failed to get make their way into scoring position, themselves getting only 6 plays before a 4 th and 4 forced them to punt as well. Michigan got a 2 nd  possession in overtime, with time winding down to the final 4 minutes. They wasted no time, with Cousins finding Cody Latimer on a 13-yard strike on the first play of the drive and then locating TE Martellus Bennett for 24 yards on the very next play. Four plays later it would be Bennett again, this time for the winning score as a play action to Bell forced the linebackers up and allowed the big tight end to get open down the middle. Cousins found him and Michigan got the “walk off” touchdown with 2 minutes left in extra time to take the first of two games between the division rivals, pushing their division lead to 5 games, and ensuring that a win at home against this same Chicago squad would guarantee the division title for the Panthers.   MEMPHIS 41  CHARLOTTE 13 Up 13-7 at the half, the Charlotte Monarchs, even with some issues, had to be feeling pretty good. That sense of satisfaction disappeared over the next 30 minutes as Memphis scored 34 unanswered points, picked off Mitch Trubisky 2 times, grabbed a Latavious Murray fumble, and ran away with the game as a result. Memphis went from a 6-point deficit to a 21-point lead thanks to scores on their first 5 possessions of the half, and a late Ryan D’Imperio pick-six on a tipped Trubisky pass just put the cherry on top as Memphis rolls and Charlott drops to 4-6-1. POTG:  Memphis WR Robert Woods: 8 Rec, 128 Yds, 1 TD   OAKLAND 6   SAN DIEGO 20 San Diego knew the Invaders saw this as a must-win game, and that alone motivated them to shut down their northern neighbors. San Diego held Oakland to only 78 rushing yards and stopped them on 12 of 17 third down attempts, securing their 8 th  win in the process and sending the Invaders back below .500 on the season. It was complementary football as the Thunder scored the first 14 points of the game on 2 Ryan Williams TDs (one by land, one by air) and then shut down Oakland’s offense, limiting the visitors to two long field goals as they earned a big divisional win. POTG:  San Diego DE Kony Ealy: 5 Tck, 4 TFL   HOUSTON 27   ATLANTA 30 You could almost hear Admiral Akbar yelling “It’s a trap” as Houston looked past the Fire and paid the price. The Gamblers came out flat and Atlanta jumped on the chance to earn the upset at home. The Fire got touchdowns from unexpected sources, HBs Kenyan Drake and Boston Scott, WR Kelvin Benjamin, and did just enough to hold off a furious 4 th quarter comeback to preserve the win. For Houston it was a classic trap game as they looked ahead to Week 12 and a key divisional rivalry game with Memphis. Atlanta made them pay for overestimating their chances and underestimating their opponent. POTG:  Atlanta DT Sione Pouha: 5 Tck, 1 Sck. 1 FF   TAMPA BAY 23  JACKSONVILLE 15 Dalvin Cook and David Wilson combined for 106 yards, Dak Prescott found Dez Bryant and rookie Deebo Samuel for scores, and the Bandits held off in-state rival Jacksonville to move to 7-4. Jacksonville had opportunities but two drive-killing turnovers and far too many penalties kept them from keeping up with the Bandits as they drop their 8 th  in a row. POTG:  Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 15/31, 219 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   SEATTLE 28  LAS VEGAS 25  OVERTIME Don’t look now, but the Dragons are up to no good again. They take the Vipers to OT and get the W on a 42-yard field goal to win their 3 rd  in a row. At 5-6 they are now right there in the Western Conference Playoff hunt. Las Vegas got 118 yards from Kareem Hunt, but could not shake the Dragons, who got two defensive scores as their LB group just took over. Josh Allen returned a McGloin fumble for a score and line-mate Calvin Pace later returned a pick for 6 more as the Seattle defense had no mercy for former Dragon QB Matt McGloin, who was also tackled for a safety by former Bandit Jerry Hughes. It was an ugly loss for a Viper team that had won 3 in a row, but for Seattle, it may well be the start of yet another late season rally. POTG:  Seattle LB’s Calvin Pace & Josh Allen: Combined for 16 Tck, 2 Scks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Int, 2 Def TD   PORTLAND 3   LOS ANGELES 17 Tony Pike took a beating with 5 sacks from the Express and more hits than the Beatles. Meanwhile, Kyler Murray had to leave the game at the half due to a hip pointer, but Brock Osweiler managed to orchestrate 2 scoring drives, both ending with C. J. Anderson TD runs, as the Express D shut out Portland in the 2 nd  half to clamp down a 14-point victory and their 7 th  win of the season. POTG:  LA CB Jamar Taylor: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 PDef   PITTSBURGH 24  OHIO 19 In a game fans mockingly declared the “Someone Has to Win It Bowl”, the Maulers snapped a 4-game losing streak by extending Ohio’s to 7 games. The Maulers finally found a run game, with Sony Michel gaining 107 yards on only 14 carries, while Marcus Lattimore added 46 more. Former Bandit, Devante Booker led all rushers for Ohio with 37 yards. Ohio never led in this one as the Maulers built up a 21-9 lead after 3 quarters. While a late Hackenberg TD throw to Mike Boone pulled them within 1 score, there was nothing left in the tank as the Maulers simply ran out the clock to get the win and improve to 5-6. POTG:  Mauler WR Jarvis Landry: 6 Rec, 124 Yds, 1 TD   OKLAHOMA 9   DENVER 30 This one was close at the half, a 14-9 Denver lead thanks to a missed PAT from Oklahoma, but in the second half the Gold found their defensive swagger, adding an early safety and then holding Oklahoma scoreless while the Gold offense added 2 more scores to turn a close game into an easy 21 point victory for the Gold. Denver improves to 6-5, on the heels of Arizona, while Oklahoma suffers their 7 th  loss, a tough one since it pushes them down in the division as well. POTG: Denver QB Josh Allen: 18/25, 165 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   BIRMINGHAM 10   NEW ORLEANS 13 With Cam Newton sidelined, Birmingham opted to go with Bryan Kohler over E. J. Manuel, and, well, it did not help. The Stallion defense played well, holding New Orleans to only 13 points, but the offense simply had nothing in the tank. Newly acquired HB Ben Tate rushed for 34 yards in his first real action with the club, but Kohler completed only 38% of his passes as New Orleans confused him with multiple zone packages. If not for 2 Geno Smith picks, this game could have been much uglier. POTG:  New Orleans DE Cameron Jordan: 4 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 FR   BALTIMORE 22   PHILADELPHIA 30 Quite a high score considering these two clubs combined to go 5 of 26 on third down. Credit the kickers, with Baltimore’s Josh Lambo going 3 for 3 while Philly’s Eddie Pineiro went 3 of 4. Philly also got TDs from both Derrick Henry and Zack Stacy despite the two combining for only 74 yards rushing. Jake Locker completed 22 of 36 but was also sacked 6 times, including 3 on third down that cost them position and the chance to add points to their score. POTG:  Stars’ LB Eril Kendricks: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 2 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   NEW JERSEY 21  WASHINGTON 26 The Generals’ win streak comes to an abrupt halt as Washington stuns them with two late field goals and an unexpected onside kick. It was 21-20 New Jersey after backup Ricky Stanzi (who went 14 of 29 on the day) found Muhamed Sanu for the go ahead score with 3:14 to go. But Ryan Nassib moved the ball well in the Federals’ 2-minute and put 3 on the board to take a 23-21 lead. That is when Coach Bradley threw the analytics out the window, lined up to kick deep but had Adam Vinatieri clip the ball, allowing his up man, FS Adrian Amos to fall on the surprise onside effort. Washington held possession, kicked another field goal to go up 4 with only 2 seconds left in regulation and sent New Jersey home stunned. POTG:  Washington Kicker Adam Vinatieri: 4 for 4 on field goals, plus a successful onside kick.   ORLANDO 11   ARIZONA 18 In the “Calais Campbell Bowl”, the future Hall of Famer’s new team bested his former team, but it was certainly no cake walk. Arizona got out to a strong start thanks to 3 Parson field goals and a safety from Campbell, his only sack of the day, but one that gave the Wranglers an 11-0 start. Orlando fought back, with a Jennings TD run followed by a successful 2-point conversion and then a Cundiff FG to level the score at 11. The game winner came late, as David Carr led the Wranglers into position and Isaiah Crowell did the honors with the winning score at 2:15 left to play. POTG:  Wrangler HB Isaiah Crowell: 22 Att, 77 Yds, 1 TD   DALLAS 22  ST. LOUIS 17 A tough loss for the Skyhawks and a big road win for the Roughnecks, with both clubs now sitting at 5-6 in the West. Dallas got just enough out of their offense, with touchdowns from Samaje Perine and Tim Wright, to hold off the Skyhawks. Lamar Jackson rallied the Skyhawks in the 4 th , but after an Eddie Lacy TD brought them within 5, they simply could not get Dallas off the field fast enough. When they finally got the ball back, they had only 22 seconds to try to score a TD, and it just did not materialize. POTG:  Former Skyhawk Josh Freeman gets a bit of revenge, going 15 of 28 for 212 yards and 1 TD as Dallas upsets St. Louis.   Panthers 1 Win Away from Division Crown The Michigan Panthers got the win they wanted in Chicago this week, moving their division lead to 5 full games over both the Machine and the St. Louis Skyhawks. That means that with a win in the rematch with Chicago this week in Detroit, the Panthers can lock up the Central Division with a full month of action yet to come. At 10-1 they are also clearly the favorite to claim the 1 seed and home field advantage in the Western Conference playoffs, currently boasting a 2-game lead on both Arizona and San Diego.   After surprisingly dropping from the top of the division last year, the 2017 USFL Champions are looking very much like a favorite to claim another title. They boast the 2 nd  best scoring defense in the league, allowing only 15.8 PPG. Only LA at 14.8 is better, but unlike the offensively challenged Express, the Panthers can also win on offense, where they sit 4 th  in the league at 25.3 points per game. They have a possible MVP candidate in LeVeon Bell, who at 1,105 yards after 11 games, is the league’s only 1,000-yard rusher, more than 160 yards ahead of 2 nd place back, Eddie Lacy of St. Louis. They also can point to 3 receivers who each have 5 or more touchdowns, including former Wrangler Antonio Bryant (7) and TE Martellus Bennett (6). This is a club that ranks in the Top 10 league wide in all 4 team defense categories (points, yards, passing, rushing) and in 3 of the 4 offensive categories (4 th  in points, 5 th  in total yards, and 1 st  in rushing). In other words, Michigan may well be not only the first team to qualify for the playoffs, but they have a very good chance of being the last team standing when the playoffs conclude.   Northeast a Cluster of Mediocrity What can we say about the Northeastern Division? We used to say it was the league’s toughest. Now, perhaps “tough” is not the word we want. Balanced? Inconsistent? Mediocre? We don’t mean to be harsh, but with 1 team atop the division at 6-5 and 3 more sitting only 1 game back at 5-6, this is a division that it seems no one wants to win. Baltimore seemed like a clear frontrunner earlier this season, but since the injury to Ben Roethlisberger the Stallions have dropped 3 of 4. What is amazing is that despite the turn of fortune for the Blitz, no other team in the division has been able to take advantage and leap into the division lead. New Jersey won 4 in a row and looked like they could surpass Baltimore, but a bad loss to Washington this week keeps them a game behind. Philadelphia also had a streak, winning 4 in a row as well before dropping a Week 10 game to the Generals. They rebounded by beating the Blitz this week, so they too are sitting at 5-6. And then there is Pittsburgh. The Maulers just emerged from a 4-game losing streak that saw them plummet from 4-2 to 4-6 before their somewhat uninspiring win over a spiraling Ohio squad.   So just who could win the NE Division? Honestly, we have no idea, but even money says they do it at 8-8, maybe 9-7 at best, and very likely they get the nod due to a tiebreaker, because this division does not look like it can produce a team that rattles off enough wins to pull clearly ahead of the pack. Looking at the schedule, we see that the Blitz, clinging to their 1-game lead, have only 2 divisional games left, a must-win this week in Washington, and a Week 15 home game against the Maulers. The Blitz still hold a solid 4-2 record in the division, so winning those 2 games could help them win a tie-breaker if another team equals their overall record. Philadelphia may actually be in the best position, which seems weird to say after the Stars started the season at 0-5, but they are currently 5-1 in the division, and that could be huge for them. They too have only 2 division games left, facing New Jersey at the Linc in Week 13 and then the Federals in DC in Week 5.   New Jersey, for their part, have 3 chances to improve both their record and their division standing as they go back-to-back-to-back with divisional games, starting this week at home against the Maulers, then their trip to Philly before a rematch with Pittsburgh in Week 14. The Maulers have those two games against the Generals as well as a Week 15 game in Baltimore to make their case. Their issue may be how they handle their other two games as well, with a brutal game against 10-1 Michigan in Week 13 and a season ender against a very game St. Louis squad in the Dome at America’s Center. Those two inter-divisional matchups make it all the more urgent for the Maulers to sweep their 3 remaining division matchups.   It is going to come down to the wire, and it is also quite possible that only 1 team from the division will make the postseason, so that the divisional title could easily be the only prize available for these 4 NE Division teams. And on the outside, sitting there at 4-7, we have the Federals, who could certainly play spoiler, as they did this week by beating New Jersey, but who could, if things all go their way, actually be in the mix as well. They need to win all 5 games to have a realistic shot, which does not feel very likely, but, this is the USFL, and stranger things have happened.   A Day for Reunions Had the USFL been paying attention, they could have marketed Week 11 as “Reunion Week” around the league. We had three big matchups of players facing their former teams, with two of them returning to their former stadiums as well. Not all of them went the players’ way, but all three featured some pre-game hugs across team lines, and a lot of post-game trash talk.   Matt McGloin & the Seattle Dragons The Dragons traveled to Las Vegas this week, where they were able to check in on 2018 breakout star Matt McGloin at his new digs just blocks from the strip. McGloin had spent the past 3 seasons in Seattle as a backup, but when he got the opportunity to start last year, during a contract year, he showed his full potential, throwing for 3,100 yards and 26 touchdowns in a 13-game stint. He used that big year to find a new home with the Vipers, and, so far, he has largely repeated the success from last season. His stats after 11 weeks include 2,500 yards passing, 17 touchdowns, a 71.3% completion rate, and a 99.0 QBR, just a couple of points higher than with Seattle last year.   And how did McGloin fare in a matchup against his former Dragon teammates? Not poorly, throwing for 198 and putting a TD on the board in the final 2 minutes to send the game to overtime, but he could not stop Seattle from pulling off the upset road win in extra time, so a bit of a bittersweet visit from his former teammates.   Calais Campbell & the Orlando Renegades The future Hall of Fame edge rusher had a lot of good memories in Orlando, and a lot of friends on the Renegades roster, including former linemate Arthur Moats and former roommate, LB Anthony Barr. So, it was all hugs, laughs, and well-wishes ahead of the Renegade’s visit to State Farm Stadium in Arizona. But once the game started, as always, it was all business for the league’s all-time sack leader. Campbell laughed with Russell Wilson after each hurry, hit, and big defensive play, but while he did stick around to help Wilson up after sacking the Orlando QB for a safety, it was clear that he was not going easy on his former teammate. Neither did the Wranglers as a whole. Arizona turned an 11-0 3 rd  quarter lead, one including that Campbell safety, into a tough 18-11 victory, and while Campbell was all smiles after the game, folks in Arizona are glad he is happily finding continued success in the desert and helping the Wranglers to an 8-3 record after 11 weeks.   Josh Freeman & the St. Louis Skyhawks The arrival of Lamar Jackson in St. Louis was seen as a clear to challenge to former MVP, one that exploded in the 2 nd  half of last year, when the rookie QB replaced Freeman under center and was so convincing in the role that by season’s end Freeman had been traded to the Roughnecks. It was unceremonious, almost insulting to Freeman, and while the QB who spent 9 1/2 seasons in St. Louis certainly had friends in the stadium and on the opposing sideline when he returned to the Gateway City this week, team ownership, and even Skyhawk head coach Frank Reich were not among them.   So, it should come as no surprise that Freeman had circled this game as a must-win for him and the Roughnecks. The former Skyhawk did his part against his old team, completing 15 of 28 for 212 yards and guiding the Roughnecks to a 4 th  quarter TD, a 10-yard laser throw to Tim Wright, that would prove to be the game winner for Dallas. He also clearly helped his defense understand Skyhawk Lamar Jackson’s tendencies, limiting the QB to -4 yards rushing on three scrambles and sacking him 4 times. A sweet return for a player who got a good number of cheers from the St. Louis fans when he appeared for warmups and who certainly hopes that his move to Dallas puts to sleep the rumors of his fading skills.   Seattle LBs Not Ready to Give Up on Season The Dragons are at it again, playing dead for the first half of the season and then coming on strong to muck up not only the Pacific Division, but the entire conference. After a 1-6 start, the Seattle Dragons have won 4 of their last 5, including their last 4 in a row, to get right back into the mix at 5-6. This team is like a horror film monster, you think they are dead and then they pop up ready to slash once again. In their 4 recent wins they have upset Denver, Las Vegas, and the LA Express. With 3 more divisional games on tap (Week 13 vs. LA, Week 14 vs. San Diego, and Wk 16 @ Portland) the Dragons could have a real influence on the divisional race and could well put themselves in a position to be a Wild Card contender.   All this to say, why can’t this team win in March and April? How do they turn it on in the 2 nd  half when they are all but buried in the first half of the season? This makes 3 years in a row where a moribund Dragon squad rises from the dead and makes a late run. In 2017 they not only squeaked into the playoffs at 9-7 but upset San Diego to advance to the Divisional Round. Last year they fell a game short, finishing at 8-8, and this year, sitting at 5-6 with a 2-3 division record and 3 games to get both over .500, they seem to be going for it again. And who is leading this late charge? Well, just look at this week’s Players of the Week to find your answer. We gave the award to two Dragon linebackers, each of whom recorded 8 tackles and scored a defensive TD. Without those two defensive scores, the Dragons don’t pull off the road upset of Las Vegas and are not in the playoff conversation. And while this week it was Calvin Pace and Josh Allen winning accolades, it has been the Dragon LB group all year long. Led by Khalil Mack, the group that includes Pace, Allen, and Carl Ihenacho, has been the heart and soul of the Dragons. Even after ownership made a future-focused deal in trading away CB Xavien Howard, the defense, and especially this LB group simply would not give up. Seattle still has a very solid secondary, led by FS Donte Whitner and CB Richard Sherman, and the arrival of former Bandit DE Jerry Hughes has been a boost to the D-line, Hughes sitting on 8 sacks after 11 games, but it has been and apparently will continue to be the LB group that motivates this team and keeps them in the hunt.     It is still not a mathematical certainly, so we cannot put the X, Y, or Z next to Michigan on the playoff standings, but the odds are certainly in Michigan’s favor, with a current probability of 98.3% of clinching a playoff spot. They are the only team we see who can clinch in Week 12, thanks to the cluster of 5-win teams across the league. What may be even more unbelievable is that 2-9 Jacksonville and 2-9 Ohio are also still mathematically alive, though one more loss is very likely the end for both.   The games with huge playoff implications in the upcoming weekend are many. You have Houston v. Memphis in a game that could all but lock up the South for the Gamblers, as well as a ton of games where those 5-win teams have to give it their all to try to get back to .500. Just look at the Northeast, where Baltimore, despite all their struggles after the injury to Big Ben, are still a game up on a 3-way tie for 2 nd -3 rd -4 th . That logjam has to give way eventually. Similarly, Denver, Chicago, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Dallas, Oakland, and Seattle are all clustered together around. 500. The team that can string together even a small run of games could be on their way to a Wild Card or even a home playoff game.   Some big losses for teams on the outside of the current playoff standings but hoping to still make a potential run. Birmingham, Charlotte, and Dallas all lost key players to the IR list this week. For Dallas it is free agent acquisition and the league-leader in tackles who will be done for the year. For Birmingham, their newest defensive captain (after the trade that sent DeMeco Ryans to Tampa Bay) as Reuben Foster is done for the year, and in Charlotte it is Mitch Trubisky’s main bodyguard, LT Russell Okung.   Also of note this week is the significant number of players who may have to sit out Week 12 action, including QB Cam Newton for the Stallions, LBs Devin Bush (MGN) and Chad Greenway (OKL), and CBs Jalen Ramsey (TBY), Jabari Greer (BAL0, Desmond King (ATL) and Jeremy Lane (ARZ).   OUT LB      Reuben Foster      BIR         Back         IR OT          Russell Okung         CHA      Hip           IR LB           Clay Matthews        DAL       Knee        IR DT          Angelo Blackson     BAL        Back               IR FS           Antrel Rolle              LV           Hand                1-2 Weeks DT          Caraun Reid             MGN     Knee                1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL CB          Jalen Ramsey         TBY        Hernia CB          Jabari Greer            BAL        Concussion CB          Jeremy Lane           ARZ       Concussion   QUESTIONABLE DE          Calais Campbell   ARZ       Shoulder SS           Lano Hill                  CHI        Hand CB          Desmond King        ATL         Concussion LB           Chad Greenway      OKL       Hand DE          Vic Beasley              NJ Finger QB         Cam Newton           BIR         Knee WR         Miles Boykin            CHI        Thigh LB           Devin Bush             MGN     Concussion   A Dozen non-QBs Who Could Cash in on Free Agency As we enter the final weeks of the USFL season there will certainly be a lot of drama on the field and in the standings, but the other late season drama is in the personnel rooms, where teams need to make tough decisions about contracts, cap space, and plans for the future. We already discussed some of the QBs who could well be making moves this offseason (Newton, Gutierrez, and Jacoby Brissett), but there are certainly a lot of other position players who could be looking to cash in this offseason by joining the free market, as well as teams having to decide if a new deal is in their own best interest. We picked our own “Dirty Dozen”, a group of 12 players who may be either priced out of their current teams or who may just take advantage of their current standing in the league to find a buyer out there who will give them top dollar. Not all will reach free agency as certainly some of their current teams will open the vault and make them a deal they cannot refuse, but as we look around the league, these players look to us like the ones most likely to take on-field success and turn it into a financial windfall, either with a new deal or with some free market economics on their side.   DT Aaron Donald (PIT) We start on defense with perhaps the best DT in the game today. Aaron Donald has been the anchor for the Mauler defense these past 6 seasons, starting every game since his rookie campaign. The Maulers would love to keep him in that role, but that may mean making sacrifices elsewhere to free up some cap space. Donald seems happy with Coach Fangio, but if there is a coaching change in Pittsburgh, he may well opt to move on as well.   DE Chris Long (WSH) The Federals’ leading sack specialist the past 10 seasons, Long has regularly been putting up 10+ sacks per year (he is already at 11 this season) and at 31 he could be good for another 2-3 years (based on what we typically see at the position). So, does he stay the course as Washington goes through what appears to be a rebuilding phase under a new head coach, or does he make a push for a title by moving to a team that is ready to compete right now?   DE Chandler Jones (CHA) We don’t talk enough about Chandler Jones. That is on us. The Monarch DE has been one of the best pass-rushing Des in the game since coming to the USFL in the 2016 draft. His rookie deal is set to conclude in 2 months, and the Monarchs would be fools to let him hit the market. The man has 12 sacks this season, and 51 in only 4 years. That is a keeper. But… and this is a big one, the Monarchs are looking like a team that will be over the cap unless they make some immediate moves, so can they work around Jones so that they can resign the young edge rusher without gutting the rest of their roster?   LB Khalil Mack (SEA) While Mack has not duplicated the 102 tackles he had in 2016, he has still been one of the most exciting, most dangerous outside LBs in the game for the past 4 seasons. He is at 74 tackles this year, and we think he could again hit 100 by season’s end. So, do the Dragons make a commitment to their biggest defensive star, or did signing Jerry Hughes to a lucrative contract last offseason reduce their ability to resign the multitalented Mack?   LB Luke Kuechley (ATL) Since coming over from Dallas, Luke Keuchley has been a leader on the Atlanta defense, and while this year has been a down year for both Keuchley and the Fire defense as a whole, we cannot imagine that Atlanta will just let their MLB walk away. They have pretty solid cap space, so there is a good chance they can resign their star, but he has not signed yet, so the danger is there that he will get an offer from beyond the Fire and take a chance on relocating.   CB Stephon Gilmore (LA) Gilmore was lured to the USFL from the NFL, and the Express seem to be turning a corner this year, so there is some incentive for Gilmore to stay and ride what could be an ascending franchise towards postseason success. However, the Express have some serious bloat on their payroll. If they want to keep Gilmore as a defensive stalwart, they need to rework or just close out some overpriced contracts and free up some room, because right now they could barely afford to sign a punter, much less an All-USFL cornerback.   CB Leodis McKelvin (HOU) The problem in Houston is that they have so much talent, so many mouths to feed, that they cannot possibly retain all their talent. Someone is going to have to be let go so that they can keep their core together. That said, McKelvin is making the case this year, with 6 interceptions and 4 defensive touchdowns, that he is part of that core and should be prioritized. We cannot imagine that the Gambler CB wants to leave what appears to be a perennial Summer Bowl contender, so he is making his case on the field that the Gamblers need to show him some respect.   CB Josh Norman (CHI) The Machine are playing solidly, maybe good enough to move into playoff position, and Josh Norman is one of their most consistent contributors on defense, so they would love to hold onto the corner. The good news is that the Machine are easily one of the teams with the most cap space. Yes, they want to add more on offense, so there will be some money spent there, but retaining Norman should also be a priority.   FS LaRon Landry (OHI) LaRon Landry could be a tough sell on returning to Ohio, especially if the Glory look like a team that needs to rebuild or at least add more talent. The 12-year veteran turns 33 this offseason, and his opportunities to win a title are fading. That alone could lead him to look for a 2–3-year deal that would put him on a contender for the final years of his career. Right now, Ohio does not look like a team that can offer him the opportunity to win a title, which at this point in his career could be bigger for him than a big payday.   OT Brian Bulaga (STL) Headed into his 10 th season, and having locked in as the LT for the Skyhawks, we don’t think Bulaga is seeking to restart in a new place, but that does not mean he won’t test the waters. A quality left tackle is one of the most sought-after positions in the game, and Bulaga could find that even if he wants to stay with the Hawks, it makes sense to field offers from elsewhere, just to boost the deal he will get from St. Louis.   OG Andy Levitre (MGN) Another case where team success improves the odds that a player will stay put, but also another case where the list of players who Michigan needs to pay or potentially lose is a long one. In addition to their starting RG, Michigan has to find funds to resign QB Kirk Cousins, LT Gabe Carimi, WR Cody Latimer, DE Dee Ford and possibly WR Antonio Bryant as well. That is a lot of payout for a team that right now has less than $1M in cap space available. WR Jordy Nelson (NOR) Leading the league in receiving yards is a good way to go into a contract year. Jordy Nelson loved playing with Drew Brees, and seems to be flourishing with Geno Smith even if the Breaker offense is not what it had been. Is that enough to keep him in New Orleans, or will the potential for a big payday as one of the league’s elite receivers have him move on again, only 3 years after coming to the Big Easy in 2017?   Skyhawks Ownership Meets with City & State Representatives The rumors of a possible sale of the Skyhawks to a group hoping to relocate the team to Minnesota has apparently spurred local politicians into action. This week, team CEO and President David Steward met with both city and state officials. The topic? A new stadium, of course. With the St. Louis Rams already well on their way to relocating back to Los Angeles, a move that has local fans furious, but which seems inevitable, the Skyhawks are using that major loss for the city as leverage to push for an open-air stadium to be constructed. They are not alone in the push, partnering with an MLS expansion group hoping to bring Major League Soccer to the Gateway City. The premise that St. Louis could lose both of their pro football franchises, and miss out on the quickly-growing soccer fandom as well, is a major point of pressure that Steward and the Skyhawks are using with both city and state officials. That there is already a group waiting in the wings to snatch up the Skyhawks and move them to the Twin Cities is yet another weapon Steward and company can use to pressure the city.   It seems clear that Steward enjoys being a USFL owner. He is one of the most involved in league committees, helping the USFL rework their deal with ABC/ESPN this offseason, participating in the 2020 Expansion Review Committee, and working with coaches and officials on the standing Competition Committee. It also seems clear that the native Missourian does not want to sell the franchise, but the reality is that The Dome at America’s Center is not a facility that benefits the Skyhawk bottom line, certainly not when compared to some of the other recently-completed stadiums within the league. Steward wants the team to stay in St. Louis, and, when the Rams finally make it official, he could well pick up a huge fanbase boost fueled by anti-NFL sentiment, but that only works to his favor if he can get a deal done, a stadium built, and reaffirm his commitment to the region.   St. Louis fans have already been forming grassroots protest groups and events to try to keep both the Rams and Skyhawks from relocating. With the Rams all but out the door, those groups have merged and the populous of the city is now united behind retaining the 2 nd  of their 2 pro football franchises. So, in addition to the economic impact a 2 nd departure would produce, there is now political pressure to make a deal happen and keep the USFL in St. Louis. All of this seems to lean in the Skyhawks’ favor, because if it does not go their way, there is a shiny new stadium in Minneapolis, and an ownership group willing to pay a more-than-fair price to Steward to sell the Skyhawks. So now all the pressure is on the government to make a deal, to save the city the indignity of losing both of their pro football teams, and to build a stadium to suit the USFL and the Skyhawks. Will that prove the kind of leverage Steward and the Skyhawks have lacked in the past, or will we be seeing another team relocation? It is very much a question on everyone’s mind not only in St. Louis, but across the league.     Oakland Updates Logo Set Along with Uniforms for 2020 The Oakland Invaders become the 6 th and final Under Armour uniform redesign to be revealed this week. Apart from the two league expansion teams, the earlier reveals this year (New Jersey, Atlanta, and Houston) have been largely tweaks, without major overhauls to each team’s identity. And while Oakland is not reinventing the wheel, theirs is the first of the 4 returning teams to be reworked to make a significant change to their logo in addition to their uniforms. The new Oakland Invader look includes a modified “Zeus” logo. The fist grasping a lightning bolt is still very much the central image, but for the first time that image will be encased in a shield rather than a circle. The new shield logo aligns the primary logo with a secondary logo featuring crossed lightning bolts as well as text identifiers of “Oakland”, “CA” for California, and “1983” to identify the founding year of this USFL charter member.   And while the color palette and basic design (athletic gold helmet, sky blue jersey, white or gold pants) is not changed, the design of each element is significantly revamped. The goal, according to Under Armour, is to play up the icons of the Invaders with their Air Force squadron connections, using symbolic color shifts to represent the wide open skies and sunny views from the air. They accomplish this primarily through a 3-stripe pattern repeated on the helmet, jersey and pant sleeves and echoed in the use of color-shifting numbers. The stripe pattern features two solid stripes with a third inner stripe of equal width which transitions from one color to another. On the helmet this is two sky blue stripes with an inner stripe that transitions from white to sky blue and back again. The same is seen on the gold pant set, while on the white pants and jersey it is two sky blue stripes with an inner stripe that transitions white-gold-white, and finally, on the blue jersey it is two gold stripes that have an inner stripe transitioning from gold to white and back to gold. This same motif of a color shift reflecting rays of sunlight or cloud to sky transition is found on the jersey numbers. Both number sets transition from sky blue to white, though with far more blue on the white jerseys and more white on the blue jerseys to boost contrast for those of us trying to read the numbers from a distance.   This new look, focusing on the color transition elements, is also very much at the center of the team’s new alternate look, dubbed the “Wild Blue Yonder” alternate, a design that removes all gold from the team palette, producing a sky blue and white look. This new alt look gives us the Invaders’ alternate helmet, a sky blue shell with white face mask. It uses white and blue striping to accomplish the color shift, while using the center of the team’s secondary logo, the two crossed lightning bolts and the “CA” monogram to create a very different look from their primaries. The team revealed a blue jersey and white pant set with the look, though it is rumored that there will also be an all-white version as well.   And, of course, there is the requisite retro throwback look, bringing us back to the 1983 season when the club wore sky, navy, and gold, with their original rondel logo on the helmet and traditional sleeve striping. Our overall impression is that this may be the strongest of the 4 new looks for 2020, with a lot of connection to the team’s past while also providing a bold new look, with unique striping and uniform features and a strong identity connecting the club to Air Force iconography that has always been a part of the Invader identity.   Week 12 and a lot on the line as teams try to finish the year with a run that could put them in playoff position. We start in Baltimore, where a win over the Federals keeps the Blitz in first place ahead of a 3-team group that sits a game back, but Washington upset New Jersey last week and is looking to make it 2 for 2. Then on to Seattle, where the Dragons have clawed themselves back into the playoff picture with 3 straight wins. They take on a St. Louis club that is also hoping to reach .500 with a win and stay in the Western Conference hunt.   On Saturday we have what appear to be a pair of mismatches with Oklahoma heading to Orlando and Arizona hosting Ohio, but be on the lookout for another trap scenario. The same is true for LA as they head up the coast to Portland. We have more clashes of 5-6 clubs, each trying to get back to .500 as Dallas heads to Las Vegas and Pittsburgh visits New Jersey. The winners of each game could be in position to move forward with a Wild Card, or even a Divisional run. Then, the nightcap features the 10-1 Michigan Panthers hoping to hold off Chicago, while the Machine need a win to avoid slipping 2 games under .500 wit only 4 left to play.   On Sunday the big matchups are San Diego (8-3) @ New Orleans (6-5) in the 12pm slot, Tampa Bay @ Oakland in the 4pm slot, and the night game featuring a Southern Division clash as Houston hopes to expand their lead over Memphis to 3 games, while the Showboats can drop it to only 1 game with a home win over their division rivals.   Friday @ 7pm ET              Washington (4-7) @ Baltimore (6-5)            NBC Friday @ 9:30pm ET       St. Louis (5-6) @ Seattle (5-6)                            ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET      Oklahoma (4-7) @ Orlando (7-4)                    ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       Arizona (8-3) @ Ohio (2-9)                                 FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET        Los Angeles (7-4) @ Portland (3-8)                  ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET       Dallas (5-6) @ Las Vegas (5-6)                           FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET        Pittsburgh (5-6) @ New Jersey (5-6)                NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET      Chicago (5-6) @ Michigan (10-1)                     ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET     Atlanta (4-6-1) @ Jacksonville (2-9)                 ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        San Diego (8-3) @ New Orleans (6-5)           ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       Philadelphia (5-6) @ Charlotte (4-6-1)          FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET          Tampa Bay (7-4) @ Denver (6-5)                      ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Birmingham (4-7) @ Oakland (5-6)                  FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET        Houston (9-2) @ Memphis (7-4)                     ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: This week we are going to do something we almost never do, split the POTW between two players, but how do you choose between the performances put in by two of Seattle's linebackers in their big win over Las Vegas. Both had 8 tackles, both had defensive touchdowns, and they were intertwined as it was Calvin Pace's sack of former Dragon QB Matt McGloin that produced the fumble which Josh Allen returned for a score. PLAYOFF PICTURE: While we are still waiting for the first playoff berth clinched or the first elimination, we got a step closer, at least for the Michigan Panthers, who can lock up their division and a playoff spot next week. Things will take a lot longer at the bottom of the playoff pool as the cluster of teams at 6-5 or 5-6 will take time to sort out.

An absolutely wild game between the Bulls and Wranglers has David Carr throw 5 TDs while Teddy Bridgewater throws for 300 yards and rushes for another 100. And that was just one game out of many that were just plain fun to watch. Whether it was Houston coming back to beat a very tough San Diego club, Dallas taking a win in Ohio in overtime, Atlanta edging Oklahoma, or Las Vegas pulling off the upset in Chicago, this was a good week for drama. We will talk it all over, explore the hot seat coaches are really beginning to feel, talk a bit about the QB situation that could develop into a wild Free Agent market, and, of course, present the first of our weekly Playoff Picture updates. It’s Week 10 in the USFL, and the tension is mounting.   Will 2019-2020 Free Agency Be Another QB Chase? As we all recall from only a few months ago, the 2018-2019 offseason began very much as mad dash for teams to try to land one of two quarterbacks who turned huge 2018 performances into free agency gold. The competition for Arizona QB Ryan Nassib and break-out performer Matt McGloin of Seattle produced a wild flurry of bids, counter bids, and team facility visits. In the end the Federals and Vipers won out and landed the two high-value QB prospects. There is no way that the upcoming 2019 free agency period could match that, right?   Well, as we look around the league, that may well be what we are looking at, though perhaps more on the “seller’s market” side than the buyers. Why is that? Well, by our accounts we could be looking at 5 or more teams that could be moving on from their current quarterback situations. Each of them could be fighting to land whoever they believe is the best option from the available free agents, which means that even if the players in the pool are not coming off hot seasons like Nassib and McGloin did, they could see a lot of interest as teams try to figure out a new path forward at the game’s most important (and hard to evaluate) position. Here is what we see on the horizon this August and September.   Baltimore is almost certainly looking at their QB situation. The injury to Ben Roethlisberger has to be assumed as career-ending. All indications are that the 35-year-old Roethlisberger would be wise to retire and not risk permanent disability after his back injury. And, with Jake Locker struggling since coming on in relief, it is not safe to assume that the Blitz will feel comfortable with the former Boston Cannon as their starter. Odds are they are going to be looking for someone who can once again open up the deep game for their offense, an offensive strategy based on Roethlisberger’s big arm. That could mean looking for a rookie with some firepower, but we think there may be another candidate who Coach Caldwell would love to land. More on that in a moment.   Oklahoma is Practically Guaranteed to Need a New Starter Due to the agreement made when the Outlaws were sold from San Antonio Owner Red McCombs to the OKC group, the expansion Gunslingers will be able to sign away from the Outlaws up to 8 players who were on the Outlaw roster when they played their final season in San Antonio. There is no way that Joe Flacco is not high on that list for the new Gunslingers. He would be welcomed back to San Antonio with open arms and give the Gunslingers a solid starter (though a bit immobile and getting older) on a team that will need veteran leadership. Where does that leave the Outlaws? Well, by all accounts, Coach Stoops looks favorably on backup Mason Rudolph, a player he got to see several times when his OU team faced the in-state rival Cowpokes of OSU. But, that does not mean that Stoops will not take a shot at a veteran to compete with Rudolph.   Three Teams with QBs in the Final Year of their Deal Who Could Let Them Walk It may seem insane to let a starting QB walk away in free agency, but it is certainly not an unheralded development, especially when the QB is not producing wins, even if they do produce stats. So, who may be looking at their current starter and saying “we can do better”?   First up is Seattle . It seems clear that Mike Riley is just not sold on Jacoby Brissett as the starter. The fact that he gave former General Brett Hundley 2 starts when Brissett could have returned from injury after only 1 game tells us that he is in the market for an upgrade. We think he lets Brissett go, holds onto Hundley as insurance and looks long and hard at the position in free agency, in the NFL pools (September and January) and in the draft. Could T-draft prospect Jacob Eason of the Huskies be an option? What about down the road in Eugene where Justin Herbert is getting pretty good draft grades ahead of his final year?   Next on our list is Philadelphia . Yes, the Stars had a nice 4-game streak to get back in the middle of their division, but even during that stretch Matt Gutierrez did not exactly light things up. The fact that their former 4,000-yard, 26-TD quarterback is now on pace for barely 3,000 yards (not ensured) and more picks than TDs, and that many who follow the Stars closely think that Gutierrez has hit the dreaded QB cliff, when their bodies just cannot produce the throws they need, tells us that the Stars could be on the market for a new starter. Neither current backup (P. J. Walker and Trace McSorley) seem good options for 2020, with both being more developmental talents). We could see the Stars having interest in a veteran to pair with those two. But who?   Finally, there is Birmingham . Cam Newton has put up some huge individual games, but his style, and his swagger, make him tough to plan around. Quite frankly, we think Coach Haley may want a new start just because this year feels so much like the unsuccessful seasons that his predecessors had with Newton under center. While the Stallion QB is one of the most dangerous dual threat QBs in the game, almost impossible to tackle in the open field, his tendency to move from passer to runner early in his progressions is just a problem for most offensive game plans and not something that has produced a lot of wins. We think there is a very good chance that Haley and Newton come to an agreement that a change of scenery would be best for both the player and the club.   So, we are predicting 5 teams looking for a QB (in addition to expansion New England) and 3 starters from the 2019 season possibly on the market in Brissett, Gutierrez, and Newton. We should also mention that San Diego’s Joe Webb, who started for the Thunder for several years, is also expected to hit the market, so that makes 4 potential targets. What do we think happens? Well, our consensus is that Cam Newton is clearly the best talent of the three, and with a coach who could develop an offense that makes sense for him, he could win more games than what we have seen in Birmingham. Both Mike Riley and Jim Caldwell seem like the kind of coaches who would look at Newton’s talent and see possibilities not obstacles. Expansion New England would also do well to bring in a “face of the franchise” type of player, though we are not sure Newton is that player for an expansion club that will certainly struggle in their first outings. The Steamrollers might prefer to spend more elsewhere and sign a veteran with a less public demeanor, a Gutierrez, for example.   Of course, we have to factor in the options coming out in the 2020 draft class. This is not a particularly deep pool, but there are some intriguing possibilities, including Oregon’s Justin Herbert, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Utah State’s Jordan Love, OU’s Jalen Hurts, and, a bit of a Wild Card in LSU senior starter Joe Burrow. You have to imagine that Coach Stoops is looking at Jalen Hurts out of OU as a popular move for his fanbase, even if starting a rookie might be a setback in 2020 for the Outlaws. Herbert could be a target of several teams, and Tagovailoa could be just what Coach Haley needs in Birmingham, an Alabama product, but certainly more of a pocket passer than Newton. So, a lot of QB intrigue on the way this fall. We will see where it all ends up as we head down the stretch.   SAN DIEGO THUNDER 19  HOUSTON GAMBLERS 26 The trip to Houston to face the 8-1 Gamblers was going to be a huge test for San Diego. At 7-2 they were hoping to set themselves up as a potential 1 or 2 seed in the West and as a legitimate threat to the league’s top teams. For Houston, this was about defending home turf and keeping on pace to snag that 1-seed in the East, a much-preferred path if they want to defend their title.   The two clubs played very much like this game would be playoff-impacting, both having their moments and both showing their capabilities on both sides of the ball. There was not a quarter in which each team did not score at least once, but it was two late scores from Houston that proved the difference as the Gamblers took the win and improved to 9-1, the clear frontrunners in the Eastern Conference. But it was not easy, that is for sure.   The Gamblers got their first taste of how tough San Diego could be on the very first possession of the game, when, after an initial first down on a toss to Mike Evans, the Thunder got a brilliant swim move from Jonathan Newsome and planted Colt McCoy squarely on the turf. That forced a Houston punt and gave the Thunder their first shot on offense. They responded with a 12-play drive that saw Ryan Williams break off a 15-yard run, Nick Toon catch a key 3 rd and 8 out route, and Marques Colston bring in his 4 th  TD of the year on a quick hitch from Ponder.   The Gamblers responded with a scoring drive of their own, but when McCoy could not connect with JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 3 rd  down end zone shot, they had to settle for 3 to end the first quarter down 4. San Diego would extend their lead just 5 minutes later, after their 2 nd  possession produced a second Ponder TD toss, this time to TE Luke Wilson on a nicely executed short yardage play fake. The Gamblers now found themselves down 11 in their own house. They would spend the rest of the half chipping away at that lead, adding two more Younghoe Koo field goals, but still frustrated by their inability to turn red zone drives into 7 points.   Down 14-9 at the half, the Gamblers hoped to open things up in the 2 nd half, and after shutting down San Diego on the opening drive, thanks to a Dante Fowler sack (one of two on the day), they hoped to get the ball back in good position to start a scoring drive, but when return man Richard Iverson muffed the punt, it bounced out of bounds at the 2, and that forced Houston to play from their own end zone. That position proved to be an immediate issue as a blitz by FS Mark Barron caused Houston’s right tackle to take the inside man, leaving DE Lamarr Houston untouched and easily able to bring down McCoy in the endzone for 2 more Thunder points.   Houston, having faced their share of adversity in the past, did not panic at the 16-9 score, and in a nicely conceived drive that took nearly 7 minutes, patiently moved the ball before McCoy evened the score with a short TD pass to TE Vernon Davis. Three quarters in and we had a tie game in NRG Stadium. On the ensuing drive, San Diego again moved the ball well, With Ponder connecting with Nick Toon and Davante Parker for 12 and 9 yards. But a holding call on 2 nd and 7 forced San Diego deeper and they could not convert, forcing them to settle for 3 points and a 19-16 lead midway through the final period.   Houston would not wait to strike. On the 4 th  play of their next drive, they finally found the matchup they wanted, Mike Evans against Justin Gilbert in single coverage. They used the threat of Vernon Davis to keep safety Mark Barron in the center of the field, and used C. J. Prosise not as a receiver, but as a chip blocker on Jonathan Newsome to give McCoy time. He uncorked a perfect arcing ball down the sideline and Mike Evans did the rest, snatching the ball, avoiding the tangle of legs with Gilbert and high stepping into the endzone for Houston’s first lead of the game.   It would be on Christian Ponder to bring the Thunder back, now down 4, and with about 3 minutes to go, they had time to do just that, but Houston’s defense went on high alert, and Coach Phillips turned up the pressure, blitzing on 3 consecutive plays, including an all-out blitz on third and 12 that produced a sack for DE Tim Crowder (aided by LB Jelani Jenkins). Coach LeBeau would have a decision to make with 2:12 left and 3 timeouts. He opted to kick away. Houston would make him regret that choice. After a Carlos Hyde run for no gain, LeBeau called the defense up to the line for 2 nd  down and Colt McCoy fooled them into man coverage, allowing Smith-Schuster to get free for what would be a 62-yard run and catch. That play, putting Houston inside the San Diego red zone, was all she wrote for San Diego’s attempt to get the ball back. Koo would kick another field goal to bring Houston to their eventual 7-point advantage and San Diego would get the ball back with only 2 seconds on the clock.   It was a well-played game by both teams, but when push came to shove, the Gamblers simply had more confidence and more resilience, coming back in the 4 th quarter and then taking the risky call to end the game against a defense fully committed to stopping the run. A great call by the Gamblers and a solid win for a team that appears more than capable of becoming the league’s 2 nd back-to-back title winners.   NEW ORLEANS 13   MEMPHIS 24 With Geno Smith sidelined by injury and Todd Gurley simply going off, this Southern division matchup quickly became a mismatch as Memphis rolled to victory behind 171 yards from their bell cow back. The Breakers, with Pat White at QB, were simply unable to generate enough offense, scoring their first touchdown in garbage time, when the game was already decided. Gurley’s huge game was aided by Paxton Lynch’s 194 yards and 2 TD tosses, while the Memphis defense rebounded from a disastrous outing against San Diego to hold New Orleans to only 2 of 13 on third down and only 3 points in the opening 3 quarters. POTG:  Showboat HB Todd Gurley: 19 Att, 171 Yds, 1 TD   BALTIMORE 20  BIRMINGHAM 6 Another QB out of the game early as Cam Newton has to leave after only 1 quarter of action. Without him, and with inexperienced Bryan Kohler at the helm, the Stallions produced only 207 yards of offense on the day. For Baltimore, HB Josh Jacobs took over the offense, rushing the ball 26 times for 124 yards as the Blitz hold onto the top spot in the Northeast with a much-needed win. POTG:  Blitz HB Josh Jacobs: 26 Att, 124 Yds   LAS VEGAS 23  CHICAGO 17 Trevor Siemian got the start for the dinged-up Sam Bradford and looked solid, throwing for 298 yards, but it was not enough as Matt McGloin went 23 of 33 for 264 and 2 touchdowns to help propel the Vipers to the .500 mark after 10 weeks, dropping Chicago to 5-5 in the process. The key to the game was a 17-0 scoring run by Las Vegas that put them up by 13 and forced Chicago to give up on the run game in the 2 nd  half. POTG:  Viper QB Matt McGloin: 23/33, 264 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 23  OKLAHOMA 20 A costly loss for Oklahoma, who now sit 2 games under .500 with 6 to play. Atlanta trailed 0-7 but went on a 20-3 run through the 2 nd  and 3 rd quarters to take a 10-point lead. Oklahoma fought back and equalized the score with 1:38 left, but that was enough time for Aaron Murray to get the Fire in position for the game winner, and John Bounds connected on the winning kick with 9 seconds left on the clock to give the visiting Fire the win. POTG:  Atlanta WR Roy Williams: 9 Rec, 120 Yds   LOS ANGELES 10   MICHIGAN 20 Two very good defenses met in Detroit and while the Panther defense came out of the gate hot, LA struggled against the Panthers in the first half, giving up 20 points and falling behind by that same number at the half. They shut Michigan out in the 2 nd  half but could only muster 10 points of their own. Michigan improves to 9-1 while LA drops to 6-4 with the loss. POTG:  Michigan CB Keivarei Russell: 4 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 FF, 1 FR   ORLANDO 17  PITTSBURGH 15 The Renegades won their 7 th  in 8 games by holding Pittsburgh to only 10 first downs and 259 total yards. And while the Mauler D kept them in this game, the offense simply could not do enough to overcome Orlando’s halftime lead. Russell Wilson went 20 of 27 for 206 yards, finding 9 different receivers on the day and throwing a TD to veteran Emmanuel Sanders. POTG:  Orlando CB Dee Milliner: 3 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int   DALLAS 26  OHIO 23    OVERTIME The Roughnecks win their 2 nd  in a row, winning a back-and-forth battle with the Glory that extended into overtime. Josh Freeman threw for 289 and 2 scores, both to Sammy Watkins, who finished the day with 123 receiving yards. For Ohio, it was rookie Terry McLaurin putting up big numbers with 7 receptions for 123 yards and a score, but in overtime, Dallas’s Chandler Catanzaro does the honors, winning the game with a 48-yard kick. POTG:  Dallas WR Sammy Watkins: 6 Rec, 123 Yds, 2 TD   ARIZONA 41  JACKSONVILLE 27 In a game that saw both David Carr and Teddy Bridgewater earn POTW votes, it was Carr’s 5 TD performance that won the day of Teddy Bridgewater’s combined 447 yards of offense (338 passing and 109 rushing). Victor Cruz also had a huge game, catching 4 deep balls to rack up 196 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. Add in scores from Jimmie Graham, Demarcus Robinson and Taywan Taylor and you get another commanding win from the Wranglers. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 13/20, 389 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int   ST. LOUIS 36  WASHINGTON 21 Eddie Lacy and rookie David Montgomery combined for 139 yards rushing and backup Tyrod Taylor filled in well when Lamar Jackson tweaked an ankle, throwing TDs to Rob Gronkowski and David Nelson as the Skyhawks improve to 5-5. Ryan Nassib had a solid game, throwing for 3 scores, but the Federals still struggle to find a run game and just cannot keep pace with a strong Skyhawk offensive performance. POTG:  St. Louis LB Trey Hendrickson: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   PHILADELPHIA 5   NEW JERSEY 16 An ugly, chippy game between two teams that just don’t like each other produced a win for New Jersey, helping them leapfrog the Stars in the standings and reclaim a .500 record. Maurice Jones-Drew outperformed Derrick Henry, 105 yards and 1 TD to 71 yards with no score. Throw in 2 second half field goals from Ka’imi Fairbairn and that was all New Jersey needed as the Stars’ offense struggled to keep drives going, converting only 2 of 13 third down attempts. POTG:  New Jersey LB Aldon Smith: 8 Tck, 6 TFL   DENVER 17   SEATTLE 24 A bad loss for Denver, dropping them to 5-5 and keeping Seattle alive at 4-6. The game saw Jacoby Brissett back under center, and he may keep that spot after throwing for 303 yards and 2 scores. He was helped by Knowshon Moreno’s 135-yard day, which forced the Gold to respect the run and allowed Brissett time in the pocket. POTG:  Seattle LB Khalil Mack: 10 Tck, 3 TFL   PORTLAND 14   OAKLAND 25 The Invaders return to .500 with a solid home win that saw Christian McCaffrey finally crack the 100-yard mark with 111 rushing yards on 23 attempts. Okland also got 3 Roberto Aguayo field goals in the 2 nd  half to pull away from a scrappy Portland squad. But three picks by Tony Pike simply cost the Stags too much and even a late TD from Travares Cadet was not enough to get them back in the game. POTG:  Invader SS Jaiquawn Jarrett: 7 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty   CHARLOTTE 10   TAMPA BAY 27 The Bandits got a combined 122 yards rushing from Cook and Wilson, added 249 and a TD from Dak Prescott (including 126 on 4 catches from Ryan Grant) and blew past the Monarchs. Backup Tyler Thigpen struggled to evade the Bandit pass rush, going down 4 times, including 1 sack recorded by newly acquired DT Marcel Dareus as Tampa improves to 6-4 on the year. POTG:  Bandits’ LB Dont’a Hightower: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   Bridgewater Explodes on Offense, but Bulls Still Fall Short For all the issues the Jacksonville Bulls are having in the midst of their 2-8 2019 campaign, the one thing that seems to have gone right is that they have found a quarterback who can make plays. Going into the season the Bulls were indecisive about their two NFL imports, Teddy Bridgewater, who came to them during the 2018 offseason, and Ryan Tannehill, signed away from the NFL Dolphins just a couple of weeks before the season’s opening week. With Tannehill’s late arrival, it was clear that Bridgewater would start the season under center for the Bulls. What we have seen since that first game is that the former Louisville Cardinal has no desire to give up the reins.   In 10 games, Bridgewater has thrown for nearly 2,500 yards, with a very healthy 3:1 TD:INT ratio (18-6 in real numbers). His 93.5 QB Rating is the best by a Jacksonville QB since Jake Delhomme clocked a 110.6 in 2007. That’s a solid decade without a better performance. “Teddy B” has thrown for 3 or more touchdowns in a game 4 times this year, and this week, against a very tough Arizona squad, he had his best game of the year. Bridgewater survived significant pressure from Calais Campbell and the Wrangler D-line to complete 38 of 47 passes for 338 yards, adding 2 scores with no picks. That would be enough for Bulls fans to be happy to have Bridgewater as their starter, but that does not even account for the 109 yards rushing he also contributed, a total that includes the most exciting play of the game, a perfectly executed blind bootleg that resulted in a 75-yard run. Bridgewater almost single-handedly kept Jacksonville in the game against Arizona.   Yes, the Bulls fell to the Wranglers by a score of 41-27, but we cannot imagine how bad it would have been had Bridgewater not contributed 447 of the team’s 479 yards of offense. He had a combined 31 yards from HBs Devin Singletary and Matt Jones, and he managed to throw for nearly 350 yards without a single receiver topping 100. The Bulls have a lot of needs. Their defense is just not getting the job done, and the run game has all but disappeared. Bridgewater could use a true speed receiver, and better protection, so there are certainly areas of need, but for Jacksonville fans, they now feel that they have their QB, and if this week’s action is any proof, we have to agree.   Cruz Has Amazing 196 Yards on Only 4 Receptions in Wrangler Win Let’s stay with that wild Bulls-Wranglers game and recognize just how good Victor Cruz has been this year, taking over for Larry Fitzgerald as the prime target for QB David Carr. Cruz was a very good player in Pittsburgh. He left after being pushed to second fiddle by the emergence of Adam Thielen, but it certainly was not a talent issue. Cruz is proving that by fitting right into Arizona’s complex route tree and vertical game. Cruz may not be among the top receivers in pure numbers this year, unlike his predecessor, Fitzgerald, but with a per-catch average of 22.4 yards, he is keeping the big play offense moving. Cruz is actually second on the Wranglers with only 35 catches, trailing underneath option Demarcus Robinson, but with 2 scores this week bringing him up to 9 for the year, he is certainly turning opportunities into results.   Speaking of this week, we have to acknowledge what an impact Cruz had on the game vs. Jacksonville. He had only 4 catches but averaged an absolutely insane 49 yards per reception on his way to 196 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. Yes, that is right, nearly 50 yards per catch. That includes, of course, the 94-yard play that took Arizona from the shadow of their own endzone all the way to 6 points on the other end. It was a crazy call, an even crazier play, and ended with Cruz all alone, sprinting down the sideline before offering fans his signature Salsa celebration in the endzone. Cruz would also add a 28-yard TD on the day, along with two huge gainers that helped the Wranglers put 5 offensive TDs on the board. The speedy Wrangler receiver has found new life with his transfer from the Steel City to the Valley of the Sun, is well on his way to a 1,000-yard season, will almost certainly finish among the Top 10 receivers in yardage, and could do something with Arizona that was just not possible in Pittsburgh, punch a ticket to a Summer Bowl.   Moreno & Gurley Help their Underdog Squads Get the W Two more players who deserve kudos this week, both classic “bell cow” backs who helped their clubs pull off upset wins this week. The first was Knowshon Moreno, who had his best game of the year for the Seattle Dragons as they faced a tough defense and a tough crowd in Denver. Moreno carried the ball 26 times, averaged 5.2 yards per carry, opened scoring with a 7-yard TD in the first quarter, and had the play of the game, a 44-yard scamper that saw him juke past the initial tackler and slide out of a second tackle before finally being brought down on the Denver 8-yard line, a play that set up a Dennis Pitta TD to give Seattle a 14-7 lead at the half. The 135-yard effort marks Moreno’s second straight 100-yard game, the first two of the year. He has helped Seattle win both of those games, keeping the club on the fringes of the hunt for a Wild Card despite a rough 1-6 start to the year.  Across the country, in New Orleans, Memphis was able to upset the homestanding Breakers thanks to a monster game from HB Todd Gurley. Like Moreno, this was Gurley’s 2 nd  straight 100-yard game, but this was no ordinary 100-yarder, this was 171 yards on only 19 carries, an average of 9 yards per carry that included several 20+ yarders. Gurley’s only TD was a 7-yard sweep, but he also set up Memphis with several big runs, helping place the team in range for two Paxton Lynch TD passes (3 and 14 yards).  The Breakers, seeing Gurley eclipse 70 yards in only his first 8 carries, was forced to recalibrate their plan for the day, use their linebackers in run coverage, and that freed up Lynch for play action. It also did not work, with Gurley continuing to find holes and break tackles. After missing Week 8’s game after tending to an ankle issue that had held him under 50 yards in each of the prior two games, the former Georgia Bulldog came back fresh, healthy, and clearly ready to push Memphis towards the postseason for the second year in a row.   Seattle and Knowshon will be in another dogfight this week as they head to Las Vegas to face the surging Vipers. Memphis has a huge game as well, traveling to Charlotte to face one of the best LB groups in the league. If either club hopes to get the road win they will need to ensure that their halfbacks get the touches they need, and the opportunities to turn carries into big plays.   Ten weeks in and we are ready to look at our first playoff picture. Not surprisingly, with 9-1 records, the Gamblers and Panthers are looking very solid atop the standings board. They could easily be the first teams to lock up their divisions and their playoff spots. Michigan now holds a 4-game lead over Chicago while Houston is up 3 on Memphis. That security is not in place for the other division leaders, with Arizona up 2 on Denver, but San Diego, Baltimore, and Orlando holding only slim 1-game leads in their divisions.   In both conferences we are seeing teams at 5-5 currently making the playoffs (2 in the West, 1 in the East), which means that all the 5-5 clubs, and there are 7 of them, along with the 7 teams sitting at 4 wins right now, are all very much in the mix. No one is eliminated yet, but the 2 clubs with only 2 wins apiece, Jacksonville and Ohio, have to be feeling the heat as they bring up the rear in this conference playoff picture.   We have reached the phase of the season when players simply start breaking down from the wear and tear of pro football. We can see that in some of the names on our Doubtful or Questionable list, with veterans needing time to heal and recover from their games. Beyond that, we also have some more serious issues, particularly in Philadelphia, where the Stars lose one of their best pass rushers and their slot receiver for the rest of the year, both with injuries to their legs. Those of you placing wagers on this week’s games may also want to check in just before kickoff because both Marshawn Lynch and Cam Newton could be gametime decisions for the Outlaws and Stallions respectively.   OUT CB          Kris Boyd                   DEN      Back                    IR DE          Anthony Hargrove    PHI        Torn Quad         IR WR         Braxton Berrios         PHI        Hamstring             IR OT          Morgan Moses         DAL       Knee                        4-6 Weeks QB         T. J. Yates                   CHA      Finger                       1-2 Weeks WR         Keke Coutee            HOU     Hamstring               1-2 Weeks WR         Allen Robinson         STL         Knee                         1-2 Weeks WR         Jordan Shipley          POR      Illness                      1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL OT       Cedric Ogbuehi    HOU     Miniscus CB         Jourdan Lewis         MGN     Foot SS           Jabril Peppers         MGN     Concussion   QUESTIONABLE OT          James Carpenter     CHI        Knee DE          Chandler Jones      CHA      Hamstring QB         Cam Newton           BIR         Knee TE           David Njoku             ORL       Hand HB         Marshawn Lynch    OKL       Concussion DE          Von Miller                DEN      Neck OT          Brian Bulaga           STL         Hamstring   Flores Rumored to be Out After Season Two seasons at the helm may feel like a short tenure for a head coach, but with the Bulls following up Brian Flores’s 4-12 season with only 2 wins in their first 8 games, the kind of improvement you expect from year 1 to year 2 is just not evident in Jacksonville, and fans are calling for a change once again. Of course they are also asking ownership to sell the team, blaming them for the Bulls’ lack of a league title in over 30 years and the recent run of seasons that has not seen the Bulls win the division since 2007, or post a winning season in that same time, a truly awful 13-year span.   So, will Flores be the scapegoat? Will Jacksonville also address a front office that just has not put winning squads together? It seems very likely, because the Bullard family, having inherited the team from its founder, is not giving up the team, not selling to new leadership, not when his club is still consistently a money-maker, but something has to give. There has to be a way for the Bulls to find a mix of talent and leadership to become relevant again, and right now, it just does not seem that they have either.   Three Other Coaches in Hot Water Jacksonville’s Brian Flores is not the only head coach feeling the heat. As we look across the league, there are several who simply are not giving the fans what they want, either unable to get over the hump, or facing a bad year when more was expected. In each case we are going to look at here, these are coaches who either have had some success recently, or who have had enough time to build the team they want, but who are not getting the results that fans expect of them. We have three pretty big names who could well be getting calls from ownership on Black Monday this year.   Vic Fangio (PIT) The 2015 USFL Coach of the Year set very high team expectations with a 13-3 season and a dynamic offense 4 years ago, but since then we are looking at 6-10, 5-10-1, 8-8, and, so far this season, 4-6. After last year’s return to .500, fans were expecting to see more this year, and they had some good early wins, but if the Maulers again fail to reach .500, even that magical 2015 season is unlikely to support bringing Fangio back for a 7 th season.   Jim Mora (CHA) After 11 seasons it may well be time for the Monarchs to move on from the only coach they have ever had. I tis not that Mora has not helped build a team in Charlotte, after all his Monarchs have made the playoffs 7 times in 11 years, but it does very much feel like the team he built is not one that can go the distance. Mora is 0-4 in his last 4 playoff seasons, including a quick exit after a 9-7 season last year. Now, at 4-5-1, the 2019 Monarchs are not out of the picture, but there are question marks all over the place. We just don’t feel confident that even another Wild Card bid, especially if it comes at 8-7-1 (for example) is going to convince folks that the Mora-led Monarchs are ready to dominate in 2020. He has done a good job building a base, but it feels like the Monarchs need to look for something more.   Jim Harbaugh (PHI) Another longstanding coach, Harbaugh, first joined the Stars in 2005. He too has had more than a fair share of success, including 10 playoff appearances and 2 Summer Bowl appearances, but it has been since 2013 that the Stars have won a playoff game, and even a 13-3 record in 2017 was largely wiped away by their quick postseason exit. When the Stars were sitting at 0-5, many were saying openly that it was time for Harbaugh to move on, and even though their 4-game winning streak helped bring them out of the basement, this could well be a losing season for the Stars, and that could be the impetus that ownership needs to make a change.   Do we think any of these three coaches will be without work for long? No. All three have proven they can win in this league, and whether it is as a coordinator or even a new HC position, we think that if they are let go, they will find work quickly. After all, there are two expansion teams coming in next year, and finding a head coach with a record of winning teams may well entice one or both to look at these three men, if they become available. So, the present is quite tenuous for Fangio, Mora, and Harbaugh, but don’t worry too much about them. We think they will end up on their feet if Black Monday sets them back initially.                  Hot & Cold: Teams Streaking It is often said that one of the keys to a championship run is to get hot at the right time. Perhaps Week 10 is not that time, because, with 6 weeks left to play, there is still time to cool off, and you don’t want to do that as the playoffs arrive. But, at the 10-week mark, we can certainly assess who has solid momentum and who is flailing, dropping games at an alarming pace. We looked at the league and the teams on winning or losing streaks, and compiled the coldest and hottest clubs in the league for you. Here is our look, alternating and building to the longest win and loss streaks in the league at this juncture.   Pittsburgh Maulers:   4-game losing streak Hard to believe after the month that Pittsburgh has had, but at one point they were sitting at 4-2, competing for the NE Division and had impressed us with a quality win over Memphis and back-to-back wins over the Federals. That is not so impressive now, after losing their 2-game series with Philadelphia and failing to score more than 17 points since Week 6. The Maulers struggle to put together a solid run game, and they really don’t have the talent outside to be a pass-first offense, so that is a huge issue. The defense is still solid, 2 nd  overall in yards allowed and against the rush, but without some offensive production, Pittsburgh will continue to drop in the division.   Las Vegas Vipers:  3-game winning streak Yes, we know that 3 games does not a season make, but when you combine those three wins (Arizona, Oklahoma, Chicago) with their earlier victory over the Wranglers, it seems clear that this Viper squad has the potential to be dangerous. They sit at 5-5 right now, but we think they will finish the season over .500 and in the playoff mix. When we look at their upcoming games, we see several where they should be favored (Seattle, Dallas, and Jacksonville at home, possibly Oklahoma and Dallas on the road as well). If they can win just those 5 games, they are likely in the postseason at 10-6.   Birmingham Stallions: 5-game losing streak Another team that got off to a good start (4-1) before the wheels fell off. They have dropped their last 5, and while there is no shame in losing back-to-back games to Houston and in San Diego, the losses to Portland, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore show us that the Stallions have lost their way, and could be on the way to a 10-loss season. They have some brutal games left, especially since they have only 1 home game left in their final 6, and with a killer road lineup ahead of them: @ New Orleans, @ Oakland, @ Houston, @ Memphis, and @ New Jersey, we think that 5-11 is very much a real possibility. Only a home game against Seattle is a game where they could be favored, and we are not even sure of that.   New Jersey Generals: 4-game winning streak New Jersey struggled to find their offensive groove early in the season, dropping some tough games @ Houston and Baltimore, and home to Michigan and Baltimore again, but they have started to figure things out, starting with a nice win at St. Louis. They put up 35 to beat the Bandits, 31 in a win over Atlanta, and shut down Philadelphia at home this week. Are they as good as last year’s squad? It seems not. MJD is just now beginning to put together some good games, and we just cannot trust in Nick Foles on a regular basis. But, after winning their first of five consecutive divisional games (home to Philly), they are ready to run the gauntlet, and could conceivably sweep the entire run (@ Washington, v. Pittsburgh, @ Philly, and @ Pittsburgh). Doing that all but guarantees them the division in our minds.   Ohio Glory: 6-game losing streak What the heck has happened to the 2018 Central Division Champs? They are ranked 25 th  in offense, averaging only 80.9 YPG on the ground, and even worse, the Tom Coughlin defense that helped them leap over Michigan last year is struggling. They are still tough to throw against (3 rd  in passing yards allowed), but they are giving up too many rushing yards (26 th  in the league) and too many short drives due to turnovers. In short, this is a team that last year was able to shorten games, keep scores low, and get a few plays to get the W, but this year it seems everyone has figured them out. Evident in their losses to a Blitz team without Big Ben, and a brutal 10-7 loss to the Outlaws. We suspect that this Ohio squad will win a few upcoming games, but could easily finish in 4 th behind the rising Machine and Skyhawks, and the very -much reawakened Panthers.   Houston Gamblers: 7-game winning streak No surprise here. The defending champs are one of the most complete teams in the league. They rank 2 nd  in scoring, 3 rd in yardage, and have a defense that may not look great on paper, but knows how to protect a lead. With Memphis and New Orleans both struggling a bit for consistency, they could put away the division with a month to spare. They do have 3 key games in division in the final 6 (2 vs. Memphis and a rematch with the Breakers), so the season is not locked up yet, but they look very much like a 1-seed waiting to coast down the stretch.   Jacksonville Bulls: 7-game losing streak When Coach Flores arrived in Jacksonville, he promised a tough, smashmouth team that would earn respect even in games they lost. Well, if that is the plan, he must be gaining a lot of respect, because they are losing a lot of games. The truth is that you cannot be a tough, smashmouth team if you average 88 yards per game rushing and give up 118. The Bulls’ defense has simply not shown up, rivaling Tampa Bay as one of the worst, but without the Bandits’ explosive offensive capability. We like the emergence of Teddy Bridgewater, so the Bulls have that going for them, but since we pointed out Matt Jones as a player to watch, he has totally disappeared, to the point that after 10 games it is the QB, Bridgewater, who leads the team in rushing with only 308 yards (that’s 30.8 per game for those of you counting). We tend to agree with the fans who are saying that the Bulls need a wholesale change, maybe even new ownership, to develop a new culture, because the one that has guided this club, honestly since the 1980’s, has put butts in seats, but no rings on fingers or trophies in cases. We are into the “teens”, with Week 11, no time for anyone to fall into a trap game, to take a foe lightly, or to come up short. It is time to make a run and get that playoff spot. And with so many teams in the mix, that means a lot of games where a team’s season could be on the line. That may be the case in both games on Friday night as the 4-5-1 Charlotte Monarchs host the Showboats and need to pull off the win to reach .500 again. Then at 9:30pm Eastern it is 5-5 Oakland with a huge divisional battle as they head down to San Diego to face the division-leading Thunder.   Saturday, we have Seattle, still alive at 4-6, headed to Las Vegas, who at 5-5 cannot afford to drop this one. We also have LA hosting Portland in a Pacific game that could help propel the Express into a tie for first place (depending on the Oakland-San Diego game) and we have a SW showdown between 4-6 Oklahoma and 5-5 Denver. The Gold need this win to put some space between them and some other divisional rivals.   On Sunday the divisional action heats up even more, with 4 more key games, including Birmingham @ New Orleans, Baltimore @ Philadelphia, New Jersey @ Washington, and a must-win for Chicago as they host the Michigan Panthers. They are already 4 games back, but dropping to 5-6 could also seriously damage their Wild Card hopes. Outside of the divisional games we also have two great inter-conference matches as 4-6 Dallas faces 5-5 St. Louis with their playoff lives on the line. Finally, it is a good one in the desert as the 7-3 Wranglers host the 7-3 Orlando Renegades in the “Calais Campbell Bowl”.   Friday @ 7pm ET             Memphis (6-4) @ Charlotte (4-5-1)              NBC Friday @ 9:30pm ET       Oakland (5-5) @ San Diego (7-3)                      FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET      Houston (9-1) @ Atlanta (3-6-1)                       ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       Tampa Bay (6-4) @ Jacksonville (2-8)             FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET       Seattle (4-6) @ Las Vegas (5-5)                         ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET       Portland (3-7) @ Los Angeles (6-4)                   FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET         Pittsburgh (4-6) @ Ohio (2-8)                            NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET      Oklahoma (4-6) @ Denver (5-5)                       ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        Birmingham (4-6) @ New Orleans (5-5)           ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET       Baltimore (6-4) @ Philadelphia (4-6)              FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       New Jersey (5-5) @ Washington (3-7)               FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET         Orlando (7-3) @ Arizona (7-3)                           ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Dallas (4-6) @ St. Louis (5-5)                             FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET         Michigan (9-1) @ Chicago (5-5)                       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Two strong candidates from the Bulls-Wranglers game, but we have to give it to the winning QB. David Carr threw 5 touchdowns and squoze 13 completions into nearly 400 yards. While Teddy Bridgewater's individual heroics (338 Yds passing, 109 rushing) were a lot of fun to watch, he just could not get enough help to take down the Wranglers. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Week 10 brings us our first look. Far too early to clinch much, but at 9-1 both Houston and Michigan are certainly looking like they could be the first division champions to lock up a title. Houston has a 4-game lead on both Chicago and St. Louis, while Houston has a 3-game advantage over Memphis. At this pace they could potentially lock up their divisions by Week 12.

Just days before the USFL Trade Deadline closes (Friday at noon), and we have seen a flurry of deals, including some big names changing addresses, as teams look to make a run late and get that postseason payoff. Others are in a selling mood, hoping to build for the future, and that created a scene that saw some names you will recognize get a mid-season restart. We will cover all the big deals in our “Big Story”, then bring you up to speed on an exciting Week 9 on the field, including the Stars winning their 4 th  in a row to right a ship that seemed destined for Davey Jones’s locker this season. We also saw the Wranglers break down and break the soul of the Invaders, whose offense is not what anyone expected. We will review those two games, along with a Big D upset against a Trubisky-less Monarchs, and a San Diego statement at home. All that, plus an expansion update as both clubs start to form their franchises, and New Jersey brings back a fan favorite look for 2020. So, stay right there, it is all coming up This Week in the USFL.   Trade Wire Produces Several Big Moves We had some rumors going into Week 9 action that there were deals on the table across the league, but it was not until Monday that we started to see just how active this week would be. Typically the trade deadline might bring one, maybe two deals that include name players. More often than not it is a shuffling of practice squad talent or third stringers as teams try to build depth after some injuries. Not this year. And what was at the center of the dealmaking? Well, in one series of trades it seems that QB help was the focal point, though the harsh assessment of Cam Newton about his own team’s offensive strategy also seemed to be a factor.   It began with Birmingham , a team desperate to find some help for their talented, but often-put upon QB, Cam Newton. The Stallions reached out to the Portland Stags , one of very few teams that could honestly boast of a true 1-2 HB combo. They asked about both Ben Tate and Doug Martin. Both are 30-year old backs, both have had strong games over the past couple of years, and both could be a possible trade candidate. Portland was interested, mostly in trading Tate, who has been less productive overall this year than Martin. They had one clear goal in mind, addressing what has been a catastrophic year at the QB position. With Marcus Mariota on IR, and now with the news that backup Kyle Lauletta could miss 6 weeks or more, the Stags needed a QB, and Birmingham was willing to deal former Crimson Tide QB A. J. McCarron. Portland demanded a bit more and managed to squeeze a 3 rd  round pick in 2020 from the Stallions. But, at the end of the day, Birmingham had themselves a halfback and Portland had a potential short-term starter at QB, assuming he could move in and immediately pick up the Stag playbook.   Problem is, Birmingham now had only 3 rd stringer Bryan Kohler behind Newton, so they were now in the QB Market themselves. They fished around, made some inquiries, but then got an unexpected call from the Tampa Bay Bandits . Tampa, whose offense is not an issue, were trying to get a quick fix for a defense that has been “unimpressive” to say the least. They were not interested in adding depth or draft picks, they wanted a stud, and they made their case to Birmingham. The target was none other than Birmingham’s defensive captain and consensus best LB, DeMeco Ryans. The Stallions were very resistant at first, but the Bandits kept adding more to the deal, and eventually they found the magic combo. Birmingham would replace the 3 rd rounder they sent to Portland by picking up a 2 nd  round pick from the Bandits. They also got themselves a linebacker in return, as Tampa included Jonathan Goff into the mix, and they got their 2 nd  string QB, a former NFL player who could potentially fit nicely into an offense designed for Cam Newton. That player was former Buffalo Bill E. J. Manuel.   Manuel comes to Birmingham as the new number two. Goff will rotate in at MLB, while Reuben Foster takes over for Ryans. And, now the Stallions will have 3 picks in the top 60. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay adds a tackling machine, a strong locker room leader, and a very savvy veteran at MLB, allowing Don’t’a Hightower to shift to the strong side and Devon Kennard to get some much needed help inside.   Were the Stallions’ 2 deals the only moves, it would have been an interesting story, but we had 2 more moves that defy the usual pattern of low-impact transactions in the final week of trading. And, just as the Portland-Birmingham move triggered a second move for the Stallions, the deal between Tampa Bay and the Stallions triggered another move by the Bandits as they addressed their defense once again.   This time it was the line that got a huge boost, as the Bandits found a formula to satisfy the Ohio Glory and bring DT Marcell Dareus to the Gulf Coast. In a 4-player deal that also included the Bandits giving up another draft pick (5 th  rounder), the Bandits sent HB Davantae Booker and DT Andre Neblett to Ohio in return for short yardage back Marion Mack and 8-year veteran Dareus for the D-line. So now the Bandits have a true “bruiser” to pair with Dalvin Cook in the run game, but, more importantly, they now have a new spine for their defense, with Dareus up front and DeMeco Ryans behind him.   Oklahoma came into the final week of trading activity with a need to improve their pass defense. The 4-5 Outlaws still have designs on a playoff spot, but they struggle to keep teams from picking on the corner opposite Pacman Jones. That may no longer be a concern after the Outlaws made a deal with Seattle to bring Xavien Howard to the plains. Howard leaves the 3-6 Dragons and gets a shot to make a playoff run in Oklahoma. The Dragons get two 3 rd  rounders in return, showing that they are well on their way to building towards 2020. Howard will start immediately, sharing man duties with Jones as the Outlaws try to bring more pressure on the QB by using blitzes.   Finally, while O-line moves rarely include “big” names, it is important to say that the Oakland Invaders have found an answer to their issues at right tackle. That answer comes in the form of Jacksonville’s Andre Smith. Smith, a free agent after this July if not resigned by Oakland, was a costly option for the Bulls, and one likely to leave at the end of the year. In return, Jacksonville gets a young tackle in Yodney Cajuste, who still has 3 more years on his deal, and add a 4 th  rounder for this year’s draft. In Smith, Oakland gets a road grater who can be a boon to the run game and who is solid in pass protection as well.   So, while it was not a leaguewide flurry of moves, the 5 deals this year, all involving starters, and in some cases former All-USFL talent, does mark a very active, and potentially very impactful trade deadline. We still have 2 days when deals can happen. Will we see more? Hard to say, but we can clearly see that there are teams with needs, so you never know.   WASHINGTON FEDERALS 20   PHILADELPHIA STARS 24 A good ole’ fashioned Northeastern grudge match, that is what the Friday Night Lights game on NBC promised us, and that is pretty much what we got. Two teams, both coming in at 3-6 and desperate to fight their way back into relevance in the division and the playoff hunt would meet at Lincoln Financial Field, with only 1 moving to a 4 th  win and closer to .500. It was also a game of two quarterbacks who have taken some heat, Matt Gutierrez for a very slow start and sub-par production by the entire Stars’ offense, and Ryan Nassib for not bringing the same energy (stats or success) to Washington that the high-priced free agent had shown in his break out year with the Wranglers, a year that got him a 4-year deal as the new Federals’ QB. So, would one of the two break out in this game and silence the critics?   A solid “yes and no” on that. Both quarterbacks played quite well in this game, with Nassib completing 65.7% of his throws (23 of 35) for 228 yards and 2 TDs, while Gutierrez played even better, going 24 of 36 (66.7%) for 313 yards and 3 scores. But over the course of the game, both would have their highlight drives and some serious dead zone time. For Gutierrez and the Stars, the good news was that their QB was hot early, giving Philadelphia an early 2-score lead, and again late, driving the Stars for the game winner in the final minutes, but between those it was Nassib who had the better run of play.   The game, and the QB battle, started off very well for the Federals, and very problematically for Ryan Nassib and the Feds. After a short opening drive by Washington, the Stars got the ball on their own 17 and Matt Gutierrez started putting together plays. He got some help from Derrick Henry, who would finish the game with 82 yards, but had to grind those out at 3 yards per clip over 27 carries. But, in the opening drive, he converted a key 3 rd  and 2 and also broke off a nice 8-yard run to help Washington move the ball over 13 plays until Gutierrez found lead receiver Randall Cobb for the game’s first score.   Following the kickoff, it was time for the Philadelphia Stars’ defense to get their first big play, as DE Malik Jackson put immediate pressure on Ryan Nassib. Nassib threw an ill-advised pass towards Brandon LaFell and Stars’ safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was there to nab it. The turnover gave Philadelphia the ball at the Washington 39 and just 2 minutes later they were back in the endzone, this time on a nicely-designed screen that had Henry with blockers against the Feds’ secondary. The 14-yard score put the Stars up by 14.   But that is where the Stars’ offense started to flounder. Over their next 5 possessions they would only muster one field goal. Meanwhile, despite the loss of WR Keenan Allen on their next drive (see story below), the Federals were able to add 17 points in the 2 nd  quarter, evening the score by halftime. During their run Ryan Nassib would hit on both of his touchdown passes, first to speedy wideout Tyreek Hill, who took over for Allen outside and proved to be a handful to cover for the Star corners, and the second from former Panther TE Rob Housler, who caught a nice seam route throw and plowed over the safety to get to the endzone. Those two scores, paired with an Adam Vinatieri field goal wiped out the Philadelphia advantage and sent the game to the half all knotted up at 17.   The third quarter would see both teams struggle to get past midfield. Each did so only once, and the only attempt at a score was a missed field goal from Eddie Pineiro that ended Philadelphia’s best drive of the quarter. Both defenses dominated the quarter, with Chris Long for Washington and Anthony Hargrove for Philadelphia both recording drive-ending sacks on key third down plays. The fourth quarter looked to be more of the same, with both teams struggling to recalibrate their offenses. It seemed that the halftime adjustments by both DCs were proving very effective. And it would be a defensive play that would help put the next points on the board as Washington’s Long, stripped the ball out of Gutierrez’s hand, swatting at the QB’s arm just as he reared back to throw the ball. It took an officials meeting and a replay for the decision to be finalized, but the play was finally declared a fumble, not an incomplete pass, and Washington took over at the Philadelphia 29. The ensuing drive would actually gain only 5 yards, but the Vinatieri kick from 41 out would be enough to give Washington their first lead of the game at 20-17.   With 3:25 left on the clock, the Stars were down and their 3-game winning streak was on the line. They received the kickoff in the endzone for a touchback, putting them 80 yards from a win and approximately 55 yards from a safely makeable field goal for their kicker. Matt Gutierrez needed to show some spark in the drive if the Stars were going to secure the win in front of their hometown fans. Gutierrez responded. The Stars’ QB would complete 5 of 6 passes on the drive, including the game winning touchdown toss. He also threw to 5 different receivers, completing passes to TE Cameron Brate, slot receiver Braxton Berrios, wideout Doug Baldwin, and then, from the 11, a perfectly thrown ball over the linebacker to the arms of TE Travis Kelce. The throw over the middle was a risky one, but it was perfectly lofted to get over the defender and fall to his receiver.   Philadelphia had retaken the lead, 24-20 with 1:09 left to play, forcing Washington to try to secure a touchdown with only 1 timeout available and without their big play receiver. That task proved too much for Nassib and the Federals, who fell short on a 4 th  and 7 from the Philadelphia 48 and watched as Gutierrez brought the offense out for one last play, a victory formation kneel down, as Philadelphia won their 4 th  in a row and sent Washington to the basement of the Northeast Division.   OAKLAND 0 ARIZONA 23 The Invader offense has been struggling in recent weeks, putting up only 10, 11, and 6 points in their 3 most recent losses. Well, Arizona did them one better, shutting out the Invaders in a game that pushed Oakland under .500. The Wrangler D limited Oakland to 10 first downs, only 3 third down conversions, 230 total yards and only 24 yards rushing, a dismal showing on all fronts. And with KaDeem Carey and Isaiah Crowell combining for 117 yards rushing while David Carr kept Arizona cruising with a TD to Victor Cruz, the Wranglers dominated this game from start to end. POTG:  Arizona FS Nate Allen: 2 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   PITTSBURGH 13   NEW ORLEANS 15 After building up a 15-0 lead over 3 quarters, New Orleans almost let it slip away. Andy Dalton got hot late, connecting with Albert Wilson for a 42-yard touchdown midway through the 4 th  and then finding Brian Quick in the endzone with 28 seconds left. Pittsburgh could have tied the game and gone to overtime with a 2-point PAT, but the Breakers were saved when CB Tra’Davious White stuck his hand between Jarvis Landry and the ball and prevented the game-tying try. A close call for the Breakers but they, not Pittsburgh, move to 5-4 with the win. POTG:  Breaker CB Tra’Davious White: 8 Tck, 3 PDef   NEW JERSEY 31  ATLANTA 10 Yes, Aaron Murray was back (and played well), but it was the Atlanta defense that apparently missed the memo that there was a game today. Not only did they give up 163 yards to Maurice Jones-Drew, they also surrendered 4 TD passes to Nick Foles, including 2 more for Odell Beckham Jr. and one to MJD. With no run game at all from 2 nd  year back Nick Chubb, it was all on Murray and he just could not produce, unlike Nick Foles, who threw for 247 and those 4 scores to secure a 21-point win for the visiting Generals, their third victory in a row. POTG:  Generals’ HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 28 Att, 163 Yds, 1 Rec, 53 Yds, 1 TD   CHICAGO 13   DENVER 20 Chicago held a 10-3 lead when Sam Bradford went down early in the 3 rd . After that, Denver started chipping away and as the Machine defense tired, Josh Allen took advantage with two 4 th quarter TD passes, including the game winner, a 57-yard strike to Kevin White in the final 2 minutes. Chicago had held Allen to 10 of 20 passing for 3 quarters, but the 2 nd  year QB went 12 of 13 in the final period and helped Denver move above .500 with the victory. POTG:  Denver QB Josh Allen: 22/33, 247 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   OKLAHOMA 23  LAS VEGAS 24 This was a fun one. Two SW Division rivals, both hoping to stay relevant in the playoff race and taking the action down to the final seconds. It was back and forth all game, and when Kai Forbath put Oklahoma up 23-21 with 1:26 left to play, you could tell that Coach Stoops new he had left the Vipers too much time. Matt McGloin got Las Vegas in range and Matt Gay did the honors with the game winning score as time ran out to move Las Vegas to 4-5 and drop the Outlaws to that same record. POTG:  Vipers’ LB Nate Irving: 5 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Sck   PORTLAND 10   SEATTLE 23 It was a Cascade Clash that inspired little enthusiasm as backup Tony Pike faced off against intermittent starter Brett Hundley in front of only 23,404 in Seattle. As it turned out neither QB was at their best, each throwing for less than 160 yards and failing to complete 50% of their throws. Seattle got the edge because HB Knowshon Moreno managed 102 yards on 24 carries, and they won the field position battle for most of the game. POTG:  Seattle HB Knowshon Moreno: 24 Att, 102 Yds   MICHIGAN 28  ST. LOUIS 24 The Skyhawks put a major scare into the 7-1 Panthers, taking the lead early in the 4 th  quarter, but Kirk Cousins stayed cool under pressure and found Cody Latimer for the game winner at the 5-minute mark. St. Louis tried to recover but failed on a 4 th  and 7 late in the game. It was a good win for the Panthers, but also an announcement that St. Louis was a team to be reckoned with. POTG:  Michigan CB Dre Kirkpatrick: 8 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   BIRMINGHAM 28   TAMPA BAY 31 It was the Cam Newton show for a good part of the game as the Stallion QB threw for 259 and 2 scores but also ran for 93 yards and a TD. And yet, with all that, Tampa Bay still found a way to win, thanks in large part to Dak Prescott’s 390 yards passing and a late TD to his favorite red zone target, TE Jordan Cameron. This game also saw both Dez Bryant and Ryan Grant top 140 yards receiving as Dak picked apart the Stallion defense. POTG: Bandit QB Dak Prescott: 17/28, 390 Yds, 2 TD   JACKSONVILLE 19   ORLANDO 41 Just utter domination as Orlando went on a 41-0 scoring streak between the end of the 2 nd  quarter and the start of the 4 th . In that span, Russell Wilson had a 50-yard TD to Perriman, a 12-yarder to Bowe, and a 65-yard bootleg run for a score. Add in a Jonathan Bostic pick-six of Teddy Bridgewater (one of 3 picks on the day) and this one got real ugly for Coach Flores and the Bulls. POTG:  Orlando QB Russell Wilson: 13/24, 222 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int, 4 Att, 73 Yds, 1 TD   CHARLOTTE 7   DALLAS 17 The Roughnecks snap a 6-game losing streak by stuffing the Charlotte run game and forcing Tyler Thigpen to put the ball up. That did not work for the Monarchs, who managed only a lone score in 8 possessions. Dallas did somewhat better on offense, with Josh Freeman going 15 of 30 for 140 and 2 scores while Samaje Perine and Chris Simms combined for 99 yards rushing. Not a pretty win, by any means, but after 6 losses in a row, Dallas will certainly take it. POTG:  Dallas LB Clay Matthews: 10 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   OHIO 8   LOS ANGELES 17 Ohio again struggles, this time limited to 2 field goals on offense as the LA Defense once again comes up with big stops time and again. LA got some offense as well, with Reggie Bush rushing for 90 yards and C. J. Anderson adding another 60 on the ground. That made life easier for Kyler Murray, who completed 15 of 24 for 158 yards and a TD to TE Jason Whitten. LA moves to 6-3, while Ohio drops to 2-7 and is now clearly looking to the future rather than 2019. POTG:  Express LB Keith Rivers: 8 Tck, 1 FF, 2 PDef, 1 Int   MEMPHIS 24   SAN DIEGO 53 Hard to believe that this was a 13-10 game at the half, because what San Diego did to the Showboats in the second half was eye-popping, putting up 40 points, and none of that on fumbler or interception returns. In just the 3 rd  quarter Christian Ponder hit DeVante Parker, Marques Colston, and Nick Toon for scores. Then Taiwan Jones added two goalline scores in the 4 th , and the route was on. The Thunder finished with 522 yards of offense, nearly 400 of it in the second half. There was serious risk that Memphis HC Rex Ryan was going to need a defibrillator as he just got hotter and hotter as the game progressed. It got ugly, let’s just say that. POTG:  Thunder QB Christian Ponder: 20/29, 339 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   Ryan Red in the Face as Showboats Thunderstruck When you are the son of legendary hot head Buddy Ryan, a bit of histrionics is expected when your team does not perform on Sunday. But as a close game between the Thunder and the Showboats turned into a route, well, Rex Ryan turned from a pasty pink color to full on cartoon red with steam coming out of his ears. By game’s end he was yelling at everyone and anyone, even laying into his own punter at one point. A punter? Yes, it was wild. Now, we will admit, unlike a famous incident with his father, Rex never punched one of his coaches, or shove a ref, but if you ever want to see a man descend from frustration, through rage, into madness, watching the 2 nd  half of this game on ESPN Sunday night would show you a prime example of spiraling.   There was actual concern about what would happen in the post-game interviews at Snapdragon Stadium’s media room, but when DC John Blake came out instead of Ryan, everyone sighed in relief. Blake took the blame, said he had not done his job preparing the Showboats for the Thunder, a pretty obvious statement considering that in one half of football Christian Ponder threw for 270 yards, Ryan Williams rushed for 101 and Marques Colston caught 4 balls for 104 yards. Clearly Ryan wanted his DC to take the heat, but it may also have been a career-saving decision, because what we saw on the sideline of this game would not have translated well to the media room. Ryan will be fined for missing the press conference, but honestly, it may have been the smartest decision he or the Showboats as a team made all game.   Newton Does Everything but Win in Tampa Someone who probably should have skipped the post-game interview is Birmingham QB Cam Newton. Newton was pretty fired up, something we have seen in the past, as once again he accounted for nearly every yard of Birmingham’s offense. In the loss to the Bandits, Newton threw for 259 yards and rushed for another 93, making him personally accountable for 352 of Birmingham’s 421 yards. That is 83% of the yardage, and it would have been worse if not for a single play from Rex Burkhead, a 32-yard run early in the second half. Outside of that, it was all Newton, and he made sure the press knew that was the case. Newton did not throw anyone under the bus, not new Head Coach Todd Haley, not OC Mike Munchak, not even his teammates, he just made it very clear that he was doing more than his part and that he has done this his entire career in Birmingham.   He is not wrong. We looked, and Cam Newton’s 126 starts in Birmingham, he has been the team’s leading rusher 73 times, a ludicrous number. He has accounted for 75% or more of the team’s yards even more often, 92 times. That is just too much. We have to agree with Newton that the Stallions have never developed a legitimate run game outside of his own efforts. They have tried, drafting T. J. Yeldon, a very promising back out of Alabama, but that did not pan out and now Yeldon is sitting at home still hoping for a call from a team 9 weeks into the season.   As we reported above, Birmingham has made a move to try to address this, trading for Portland HB Ben Tate, but at 30 this season, is Tate a long term solution? And will the Stallions be able to block for him? It has been a constant issue with every back the Stallions have tried. Coach Haley seems keen to diversify the offense, and that certainly is needed, but even adding Tate may be too little too late for this season, and maybe for Newton as well.   MJD Catches Fire in Atlanta After a 1,400-yard season in 2018, coming in 2 nd  to LeVeon Bell in last year’s rushing title, MJD has struggled to find his groove in 2019. He had a solid game in Week 3, rushing for 95 yards in Columbus, but other than that he really has not sniffed 100 yards in a game. That ended this week. MJD exploded through an Atlanta run defense that has struggled all season, giving up nearly 125 yards per game. MJD surpassed that, rushing for 163 on the day. Over 24 carries that means an average of 5.8 yards per game. That would be enough for most backs to be happy, but the play that “Pocket Hercules” wanted to talk about after the game was his lone reception on the day. MJD pointed out that he is a solid receiver, maybe a nudge to Coach Turner to incorporate more pass plays into his repertoire. Well, if his catch in the Atlanta game is any indication, Coach Turner really ought to consider it. Jones-Drew caught a simple flat route pass, maybe 2 yards beyond the line. What followed was more like a pinball bouncing off the flippers, coils, and bumpers than a halfback stretching a play. It was dynamic, high drama action and it went for the score. What more could you ask for. Maybe MJD needs a new nickname. Not “Pocket Hercules”, but “Pinball Wizard”.   From Bad to Worse for Feds The Federals are not getting the season they expected. Whether it is the somewhat lackluster performance of their huge offseason acquisition, QB Ryan Nassib, the defensive concerns (the Feds are in the bottom five against both the run and the pass) or the absolute lack of any run game at all (50.4 yards per game), Washington is struggling through what is now a 3-6 season. To make matters worse, they got the news they did not want from the doctors looking at Keenan Allen’s injury this week. The neck injury suffered by Allen midway through their game in Philadelphia produced a compression of the vertebrae, not surprising when you see how Allen landed on his head. While no fracture is indicated, the pressure placed on the spine produced significant immediate concerns, and will require that Allen join the injured reserve to recover and strengthen the neck once again.   Allen has been something of a bright spot in a pretty shaky season. He goes on IR with over 670 yards receiving and 49 catches, easily on pace for 80 for the year. But, with his season over, the Feds will have to go to another receiver, and they just have not seen much from anyone this year, including veteran Brandon LaFell. LaFell will step up to the number one position, likely joined by Tyreek Hill, who will abandon the slot. We are not sure who will step into Hill’s role, likely either David Sills or Kavontae Turpin, a solid special teamer but also a rookie with only 7 catches on the season.   This will be an added challenge for QB Ryan Nassib, whose 86.1 QB Rating is not horrible, but is nearly 30 points below the 117.9 he put up last year as Arizona’s starter. He is averaging nearly 110 fewer yards per game this year and has only 10 touchdowns after 9 games. So, losing his top receiver is almost certainly going to make things even tougher, and with a 3-6 record, the Feds may soon be planning for the future rather than trying to salvage this season.   In addition to Keenan Allen’s season-ending injury, we also got bad news for Jacksonville cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromrtie, whose collarbone injury is a fracture and who could be out up to 6 weeks. The Bulls have decided not to place DRC on injured reserve as of today, but they will evaluate his improvement over the next few weeks and we could see him added to the IR if they decide not to risk his recovery with a late season return. There were fears in Las Vegas that the Vipers had lost Aaron Dobson as well, but it appears that his injury is primarily a nerve pinch, with some muscular strain, and that ha him potentially returning within the next 2-3 weeks.   OUT WR         Keenan Allen                                    WSH     Neck/Back       IR CB          Dominique Rogers-Cromartie  JAX   Collarbone    4-6 Weeks OT          Morgan Moses                                  DAL       Knee          4-6 Weeks OG      Cole Madison          POR      Stress Fracture 2-4 Weeks WR         Aaron Dobson            LV           Pinched Nerve 1-2 Weeks CB          Desmond King              ATL         Shoulder  1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL DT          Corey Liuget              BIR         Concussion HB         Marshawn lynch          OKL       Concussion QB         Sam Bradford               CHI        Eye   QUESTIONABLE G            Andy Alleman            BAL        MCL WR         Brian Hartline              BAL        Concussion OT          Isaiah Wynn                 ORL       Concussion Return Game Surprisingly Quiet in 2019 It is pretty clear that we don’t often talk about special teams here. But even with as little coverage as we give the 3 rd  leg of the “complete team” stool, this year seems like there has been even less to talk about that most. We looked into it and it is not a mirage. This has been a bad year for special teams players. So far in 2019 there have only been 2 kickoffs returned for 6 and only 1 punt. That is a low total considering we have played 135 games. Normally, based on the past 15 years, we should be at 5 or more on both counts, and yet all we have seen this year is a single punt return by Pittsburgh’s Josh Cribbs, and one kickoff return TD each from shifty Charlotte receiver Isaiah McKenzie and Tampa Bay’s dynamic return man & slot receiver Deebo Samuel. That is it.   This is not to say that we have not seen some good returns. After all you have Portland’s lead back, who also returns punts, averaging nearly 17.5 yards per return. One wonders if now that the Stags have traded Ben Tate they can still afford to have their lead back doing double duty. But, Martin is not alone in putting up a good average. His is the best, but Josh Cribbs, Jacksonville’s Tajae Sharpe and New Jersey’s Chad Beebe are all over 12 yards per return, a pretty good standard. On kickoffs, a very strong average is around 25 yards, and we have no fewer than 13 returners over that total, led by Deebo Samuel’s haughty average of 29.9 yards per return. McKenzie is right there as well, as is New Orleans’s Tyler Lockett (27.8 YPR) and Birmingham’s Antonio Cromartie (27.6).   So, we are getting good returns, but we are not getting great returns, dynamic scoring returns. Are we overdue? Will we see more in the season’s second half? That seems unlikely. When we looked back at the past 10 years the trend is definitely that long scoring returns are more prevalent in a season’s first 5 weeks, and that in the latter half of the season they tail off. We don’t know if this is a heat issue in June & July, a wet field issue earlier in the season, or just that teams’ return coverage units just get better over the season. Whatever the reason, the trend is that early weeks are clearly the most dynamic for kick returns, so the fact that we have had only 3 scores this year means we are likely to set a low total by season’s end.   Expansion Clubs Looking for Key Staff Things are beginning to take shape in San Antonio and Boston as the two newest USFL franchises begin to put together their teams and set the wheels in motion for what will be a very busy offseason. Both clubs are in the process of setting up their promotional and support staff, to finalize deals with local sponsors and partners, and to begin looking at player personnel staff who will guide them through the expansion draft this September, the offseason free agency and NFL transfer windows, and the College Draft in January.  And while it is far too soon for either the reborn Gunslingers or the newly-formed Steamrollers to fill out their coaching staffs, at least not if they want to secure a coach from the USFL ranks, they have been working on the GM positions, which makes sense from a roster-building standpoint. It seems quite clear that the Gunslingers are targeting former Houston Oiler Director of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden as their potential GM. Cowden, who left the Oilers after the 2018 season has done some consulting for both NFL and USFL clubs, but could soon be announced as San Antonio’s new GM. For New England, the search has been pretty much on paper, as they are unable to speak with USFL personnel during the season. The Steamrollers have considered a potential head coaching candidate in former Orlando and Boston Cannons head coach John Fox, but it seems clear that they are assessing current USFL coaching staffs as well.  While both clubs want someone with experience, an absolute necessity when you are building a franchise from scratch, the hope is to also get some innovative thinking into the mix, since it is very likely that from a talent standpoint both clubs will be at something of a disadvantage in their first years of play. And while San Antonio could potentially start off with an influx of veteran talent because of the special arrangement with the Oklahoma Outlaws (a result of the agreement to sell the Outlaws), New England will likely be looking at a team made up of expansion draft selections, a small number of USFL or NFL free agents, and a large rookie class, so the choice of GM as well as Head Coach will be essential for either team to avoid the fate of most expansion clubs, a rough first year or first few years.   New Jersey Generals Bring Back Some Old Favorites in UA Reveal The Generals know what their fans like and right now that is some returning favorites. That is clearly the sentiment out of East Rutherford as the Generals and Under Armour released the new look for “Team Jersey”. What do we see in the new look? Well, how about a prominent return of the secondary logo to the jersey. The classic American Revolution General returns as a chest patch worn on the left chest in both the new home and away jerseys. But that is not the only returning element. The popular single stripe extending from the arm to the knee is back, as is the “epaulette” switchover from blue to red. New Jersey will retain their current helmet design, made no alterations to the team palette, and basically bring back a few details from past designs that fans like. Seems smart. So, what did they do with their alternate looks?   Oh, here is where the club let Under Armour get creative. How about eliminating the team’s primary color completely from the alternate design? Yup, no red, not a drop. The new “Bluecoat” alternate, another nod to the state’s Revolutionary War history, features only secondary deep royal blue and tertiary gold as the colors. Looking more like Notre Dame than the USFL Generals, this look features a metallic gold helmet with a single blue stripe and blue facemask. The helmet also features the General’s monogram “NJ” logo, in blue with a white star. The rest of the uniform consists of a really striking blue jersey, complete with gold side panels, gold numbers trimmed in white, and the secondary logo on the chest again. The pants are gold, as you would expect, with a blue stripe topped by a single white star. The look is classic, and yet totally revolutionary for a Generals’ team that has barely tweaked their main look in their many changes of uniform designers. And, of course, for those who really want a retro look, there is the throwback design, complete with the simpler helmet logo from the mid-late 80’s, the stripeless jerseys and wide-striped, white pants. So far New Jersey has not released a red pant set with any of their new looks, which would mean that they essentially have only a red-over-white and an all-white option except with their Bluecoat variant.  So, what do you think? Honestly, we love the consistency over time for this club, and, what is new, the new blue & gold look, is really classy even if it just does not feel like the Generals without any red in there.   Week 10, our kickoff to playoff race coverage, and we have only 4 divisional games on the docket, so a bit of a reset week for many teams, though no one is comfortable taking a week lightly. That is how you get trapped. We kick off on Friday with one of the best divisional rivalry games of the week as New Orleans heads into Memphis. Both clubs sit at 5-4, 3 games behind Houston, so very likely these two are battling for a Wild Card spot. Speaking of Houston, they have a huge test at home later that same night as they host the 7-2 San Diego Thunder, a club looking to prove to the world that they are one of the USFL’s best, and the way to do that is to knock off the 8-1 Gamblers.   Saturday gives us a lot of 4-5 and 5-4 teams all trying to stay in the mix as we enter the heat of summer. We start with 5-4 Baltimore, trying to regroup under Jake Locker, headed into Birmingham, to face a Stallions team that started fast at 4-1, but has lost 4 in a row. Then at 4pm we have another battle among strong teams as LA takes their shut down defense into Michigan to face LeVeon Bell and the Panthers. This one could be a very low scoring affair as these two teams simply do not give up big plays.   On Sunday, we kick things off with national coverage of the Generals-Stars Turnpike Tussle as both clubs have turned a corner, with Philly winning their last 4 and New Jersey on a 3-game win streak of their own. The winner of this one gets back to .500 and will be in the mix in a very volatile NE Division. At 4pm We have two Western Conference games, first it is Denver headed up to Seattle and hoping to avoid a trap and escape 2 games over .500. We also have a Pacific Division battle as 3-6 Portland hopes to take advantage of the offensive struggles the Invaders have had, sending them to 4-5. Then, in the nightcap it is last year’s SE Division champs, sitting at 4-4-1, headed down to Tampa Bay to face the Bandits, who now sit at 5-4. Without Mitch Trubisky (cornea scratch), it will be Tyler Thigpen hoping to take advantage of the Bandits’ iffy defense, but watch out, Charlotte’s own defense is going to be sorely tested as they face the top ranked passing game in the league, with Bandit Ball in full effect.   Friday @ 7pm ET            New Orleans (5-4) @ Memphis (5-4)           NBC Friday @ 9:30pm ET        San Diego (7-2) @ Houston (8-1)                    ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET      Baltimore (5-4) @ Birmingham (4-5)                 ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET      Las Vegas (4-5) @ Chicago (5-4)                      FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET        Atlanta (2-6-1) @ Oklahoma (4-5)                     ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET       Los Angeles (6-3) @ Michigan (8-1)                FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET         Orlando (6-3) @ Pittsburgh (4-5)                       NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       Dallas (3-6) @ Ohio (2-7)                                ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET       Arizona (6-3) @ Jacksonville (2-7)                    ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       St. Louis (4-5) @ Washington (3-6)                 ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       Philadelphia (4-5) @ New Jersey (4-5)            FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET         Denver (5-4) @ Seattle (3-6)                           ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET         Portland (3-6) @ Oakland (4-5)                       FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET       Charlotte (4-4-1) @ Tampa Bay (5-4)           ESPN/EFN