Was it a week of nail biting, last second, down to the wire action? No, it was not, with the margins of victory in Wild Card Weekend being 32, 15, 21, and 11 points, this was not the weekend for late game drama. What we did see was a clear separation from the “knew they should be there” and the “glad to be there” crowds. In both conferences what we got were the 5 and 6 seeds being eliminated, and the 3 and 4 seeds moving on to the Divisional round, which should not feel so strange, and yet we have gotten so used to Wild Card Weekend upsets, that it does feel a bit strange to see a Divisional Round featuring exclusively the 1-seed against the 4, and the 3 visiting the 2.   Regardless of the large differential in games, and the victories by all 4 home favorites, it was still playoff football, and we will break down each game for you. We will also discuss the spate of retirement announcements over the past week, including a few players who may well be very difficult for their teams to replace. We will take a look at the QB situation among all 28 teams as we prepare for the offseason, and we will get you up to speed on early interviews for the league’s 5 vacant coaching positions. We kick it all off with our look at the week’s retirement news.   QBs Lead Early Retirements Wildcard Weekend brings two things every year, the excitement of playoff football and the realization that rosters will change this offseason. It is too early for free agency, that starts up 4 days after Summer Bowl 2018, but with the end of the season for 16 of the league’s 28 teams, we start to get the first wave of retirement announcements. These are often players who have notified their teams, if no one else, that they intend to hang up their cleats at the end of the year. The week only makes those decisions public. So far, at this early stage, it seems safe to say that there are no big shockers, with most of the announcements somewhat expected. But, that does not mean that these will not be players who will be missed by their squads. We start with the 2 quarterbacks whose retirements we already knew well in advance, and then we will hit the rest of the impactful announcements from the week.    Eli Manning, QB-LV This was known and celebrated for the latter half of the season, but it will still be a huge hit for a Vipers team still trying to find an identity after moving from Nashville. Manning is considered by many a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, borderline only because he never won a title. But with over 40,000 yards passing and 214 TDs, Manning certainly was a franchise QB, and a great addition to the new franchise in Sin City. Finding a replacement to become the new face of the franchise will be job one for Coach Neuheisel, GM Phil Savage, and the entire Vipers organization.   Matt Leinart, QB-DEN After 14 seasons as the starter in Denver, Matt Leinart leaves with a lot of fond memories, but no championship ring. Leinart is another borderline Hall of Fame candidate. The stats are there, again 40,000 yards, 239 touchdowns, but no title. He had one of his best seasons in 2018, with 21 TDs to only 8 picks, but it still was not enough to get Denver to the playoffs. The Gold, quite distinct from Las Vegas’s situation, already have their QB of the Future (now QB of the Present) in house as 1st round draft pick Josh Allen spent the entire season watching, learning, and working with QB guru Jordan Palmer to transition his game to the pro level in preparation for the job in 2019.   Bob Sanders, SS-CHI After 15 seasons in the USFL, first with Washington, then New Jersey, and finally Chicago, Bob Sanders has been perennially solid, occasionally great, winning All-USFL accolades 3 times. He retires with over 1,000 tackles (1074), 38 sacks, 16 picks, and over 200 starts.   Patrick Chung, SS-JAX Another veteran centerfielder, Chung spent most of his career in Houston, winning a title with the Gamblers in 2010. He made his lone All-USFL team in 2015 with the Gamblers, and parlayed that season into a nice contract with Jacksonville. He retires with 624 tackles, 21 sacks, and 7 career picks.   Jason Taylor, LB/Edge-BAL Taylor came to the USFL after several very strong years in the NFL, mostly with Miami. He was expected to be a 2-3 year bridge player, but retires after 9 years in the league. He produced only 42 sacks in those 9 years, but was solid against the run and helped Baltimore claim their only league title in team history in 2014.   Paul Posluszny, LB-PIT The “Poz” (a nice riff on USFL HOFer Brian Bosworth), was a fixture in the middle for several teams over his USFL career. He came into the league in the 2007 Draft and was a 1st day starter in Philadelphia. After 3 seasons in Philly he moved on to Orlando before finishing his career in Pittsburgh. Known for his ability to stuff the run or drop back into coverage, Poz retires with 174 starts, 1,038 tackles, 20 sacks and 18 picks.   Will Allen, FS-BIR A 15-year veteran of the USFL, Allen made a name for himself in Oakland before moving on to Boston/Dallas, and finishing with 2 one-year stints in Tampa Bay and Birmingham. A ball-hawking safety, Allen could also dish out the hits. He retires with 747 tackles, 34 picks, 18 sacks, and 8 career defensive TDs.   CB Cortland Finnegan-PHI In both Orlando and Philadelphia “Finn” was considered an outstanding zone coverage corner who was also solid with tackles in the run game. He retires with 901 tackles and 39 picks. He was also a quick study of the “Peanut Punch”, producing 15 forced fumbles after picking up the famous Cedrick Tillman punch move in his tackles.   Erik Pears, OT-LA After 14 years in the league and 10 locking down the right side of the LA Express line, Pears retires at 35 years old. He became the regular starter in 2008 and was known for his pancake blocks in the run game.   Mike Nugent, K-PHI A career Star, Nugent retires with a career 82.2 FG% (396 of 482), 1682 career points, topping Philly legend David Trout in PATs made, while finishing 2nd in Philly history in several other kicking categories. But, the one category that may well be remembered for a long time was an accomplishment this year, when he connected on a league record tying 63-yard field goal, matching Jeff Hall’s 2008 record. The kick gives him a 63, 62, and 61 yarder in his career, placing him on the Top 10 list for longest USFL kicks three times.   Others announcing this week include tight ends Delanie Walker (DEN) and Brent Celek (LA), Wideouts Harry Douglas (BAL) and Erik Decker (STL), linemen Stacy Andrews (CHI), Carl Nicks (TBY), Deuce Lutui (STL), and Nick Hardwick (JAX), and DT Atiyyah Ellison (WSH). We also know that QB Drew Brees is stepping away, but he still has work to do this year with the Breakers in action this week in the Divisional Playoffs.   CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 6   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 38 This game felt competitive for 30 minutes, with the Generals holding a reasonable 14-6 lead at the half, but the second half saw complete and utter domination by the Generals, scoring the only points of the half and adding 24 unanswered to their 8-point lead. And if you missed the game and are wondering how it could have turned so severely, there is one obvious reason, Mitch Trubisky had to leave the game midway through the 2nd quarter with a rib injury that simply made it impossible for him to put any velocity on his passes. Backup Tyler Thigpen, having had very few snaps in practice, was simply not ready to come in, taking 3 big sacks, throwing a costly pick early in the 3rd, and simply faltering in place of the season-long starter.   Add to these issues a New Jersey defense that was so keyed in on HB Adrian Peterson, that the former NFL star was held to a ludicrous 13 yards on 12 attempts. That is a miserable 1.1 yards per carry. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Maurice Jones Drew was averaging 5.5 per touch, including 2 touchdowns, as the Generals just poured on the points in the second half. In addition to the two MJD scores, New Jersey got TD passes from Foles to both Muhamed Sanu and Odell Beckham Jr, as well as a game-closing pick-six from Quinton Carter.   It was exactly what General fans wanted, a dominant performance and a confidence-builder as they prepare to face the 2-seed Atlanta Fire next week. For Charlotte, it was everything they dreaded, an injury to a key player, a failure to establish balance, and an overall let down that included 2 missed field goals, 10 of 14 third down conversions failing, and a general lack of comeback ability once things started to go south.   Stars of the Game: HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 26 Att, 144 Yds, 2 TD                                   LB Chase Blackburn: 10 Tck, 1 PDef                                  CB Aqib Talib: 9 Tck, 4 PDef MICHIGAN PANTHERS 37   SAN DIEGO THUNDER 48 The second game of Saturday’s slate felt quite a bit more competitive, with Michigan coming back on San Diego multiple times, but when you look over the boxscore, what you notice is that despite this sense that it was a closer game than the final score indicated, you see that the Thunder took a 7-point lead late in the 2nd quarter and would never trail again. Their lead fluctuated, from 7 points to 144, then 7, then 14 again, then 11, then 4, then bac ku to 11, and 17, before finally settling at 11 for the final score. So, yes, Michigan was in the game, but they never retook the lead after that 2nd quarter score.   So, how did the Thunder do it. Two things were clear, they were going to allow LeVeon Bell to have his share of runs, but they were going to focus on making life miserable for Kirk Cousins. They may have only sacked him twice, but he took countless hits, had to scramble out of the pocket far more than he likes to do, and he did force two bad throws, both picked off (it honestly could have been 3 or 4 picks). On offense, San Diego found the big plays that eluded the Panthers, with a 74-yard throw to Colston, along with a 42-yard TD toss, a 64-yarder to DeVante Parker, and a 44-yard throw and catch to Nick Toon. The big “chunk” plays were nearly all for San Diego, especially in the second half.   Michigan started quite strong, putting up the first 13 points of the game, worrying the San Diego faithful that they would be in for another rough outing in the postseason, but the Thunder rallied in the 2nd quarter, scoring a ridiculous 27 points to fly past the Panthers in a span of barely 10 minutes. In that span, we saw 2 field goals by Reed, followed by a TD from Ponder to Toon, then a pick by Cousins, leading to the Marques Colston 42-yard score, and then, to rub it in, a 2nd Cousins pick, this one returned all the way for 6 by LB Myles Jack. So, from a 13-0 deficit, the Thunder went into the half with a 27-13 advantage.   Michigan fought back, starting with a LeVeon Bell TD run to open the 3rd, but every time they did, San Diego had a response. A Ryan Williams TD run from 15 yards out, Colston’s 2nd TD, and finally the big throw to DeVante Parker that put San Diego up 18 with only 6 minutes to play. Yes, Michigan pulled back 7 points, but they needed 3 scores and that was simply not going to happen. The defending champs were simply not the same team this year. The fire was not there, the breaks did not go their way, and the Thunder were simply the better team on the day, giving the city its first ever USFL home playoff victory celebration.   Stars of the Game: QB Christian Ponder: 15/29, 322 Yds, 4 TD, 0 int                                WR Marques Colston: 4 Rec, 133 Yds, 2 TD                                 LB Myles Jack: 2 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD PORTLAND STAGS 10   OHIO GLORY 31 Another good start that quickly turned ugly as Portland put up the first points of the game in Columbus, then suffered as the Glory responded with a 31-3 run to walk away with the game and set up a matchup with Oakland next week. The Ohio defense, often unsung and certainly not stocked with big names, did their job for sure, sacking Mariota 4 times, securing a pick-six in the final minutes of the game, and holding Tate & Martin to a respectable, but not game-impacting 80 yards combined.   The Ohio offense was not splashy, their longest score on the day was from the 9-yard line, but what they lacked in explosiveness, they made up for in efficiency. Pead and Carter combined for 133 yards and a score. Hackenberg completed 19 of 25 passes, while getting sacked only once by the anemic Stag pass rush. That combination forced Portland to play vanilla defense, and in drips and drabs, medium gains, short gains, and key 3rd downs, Ohio just kept adding points. The Glory won the turnover battle 2-0, held the ball for 5 more minutes, had 7 more first downs, and were better on 3rd down. When you can say all that, you are probably winning that game.   Stars of the Game: QB Christian Hackenberg: 19/25, 200 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int                                  WR Mario Manningham: 8 Rec, 88 Yds, 1 TD                                 SS Ryan Neal: 5 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 20   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 35 Perhaps the most purely entertaining of the week’s games, something we largely expected out of these two Southern Division foes. The Showboats outpaced the Gamblers, with 448 yards of offense to Houston’s 378, but a 3-1 turnover deficit and 7 penalties to Houston’s lone infraction, all paired with yet another scoring streak, a period when Houston went from a 13-7 deficit to a 35-13 advantage, and this game swung towards the team that simply made more big plays.   The Gamblers fell down 13-7 after a 2nd quarter Lynch to Clayton TD, and the score stayed their until the half, creating a lot of nervous Texans at the snack bars during the break. But, as so often happens in the USFL, halftime adjustments swung momentum. Houston would score 28 unanswered points before Memphis added a late TD, opening up the 3rd with a long McCoy to Evans TD pass, then adding another to Vernon Davis. The 4th quarter saw Carlos Hyde score on consecutive drives and it was 35-13 and all those nervous Texans were now ready to party.   Hyde would win the game MVP for his 111 rushing yards, 67 receiving yards, and 3 combined TDs, but this was just as much a victory for the Houston defense, which held Memphis out of scoring range for the better part of the second half, giving up a late TD only after they had built out a 22-point advantage. They got 3 picks, including 2 from CB Janoris Jenkins (in for the injured Leodis McKelvin) and held Todd Gurley to only 2.6 yards per carry on his way to a 45-yard day.   Houston now moves on to another huge Southern Division clash, as they will visit New Orleaans to take on the Breakers, both clubs sitting with identical 12-4 records, but Houston having to play the extra week due to a tiebreaker costing them the division crown.   Stars of the Game:  HB Carlos Hyde: 18 Att, 111 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Rec, 67 Yds, 1 TD                                  QB Colt McCoy: 16/29, 262 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int                                CB Janoris Jenkins: 8 Tck, 5 PDef, 2 Int   MJD and Generals topple the Monarchs Maurice Jones-Drew has not been shy all season long about his role in the Generals’ offense, his desire to be considered for a major award, and his desire to turn stats into wins. Well, he certainly attained the latter this week, with a dominant performance against Charlotte pushing the Generals into a Divisional Round matchup with another Southeastern team in Atlanta. It was not a game where MJD broke off big run after big run. He did have a very nice 29-yarder for his longest of the day, but it was a constant barrage of 4, 5, and 6-yard runs that wore down the Monarchs and helped New Jersey dominate the second half.   MJD finished with 144 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns, and a 5.5 YPC average, all testaments to the power and stamina of “Pocket Hercules”. He may be disappointed when the MVP or OPOTY votes come out (solid money is on a QB for the former, and on either Bell or Evans for the latter), but there is no doubt that MJD is turning stats into wins and that he has the full respect of the league, and the full attention of the Atlanta Fire coming up this week.   Ponder Shines vs. Michigan If there was any questioning of Coach LeBeau’s decision to keep Christian Ponder at the helm of the San Diego offense when season starter Joe Webb came back from injury, his performance in this week’s Wild Card matchup against the defending league champs certainly put that to bed. Ponder was at his best, throwing 4 touchdowns and no picks against a very talented Michigan secondary that features Dre Kirkpatrick and Jabril Peppers.   Ponder was under pressure from the Panthers, who blitzed him often, but still completed 15 of 29 passes, averaging over 11 yards per completion, and finding big plays to multiple receivers, including a 42-yard TD to Colston, a 64-yard score to DeVante Parker, and a beautiful 44-yard scrambling throw to Nick Toon. The former NFL “washout” showed he had the stuff to be a true difference maker for the Thunder. He and Marques Colston have become tight, and it shows on the field. So, now the question is not who starts for San Diego when they head to Arizona to face the Wranglers, but what the Thunder will do with Webb this offseason. The veteran starter is under contract through 2019, but will he play second fiddle, demand a trade, or compete with Ponder in camp? Ohio “Who Dey” Defense Shut Out Stags in 2nd Half Yes, it is a bit of copyright infringement to call the Ohio Glory defense the “Who Dey” defense. After all, it is in-state NFL “rival” Cincinnati who coined the “Who Dey” chant, but at the same time, many of the Glory fans also claim the Bengals as their team, and, to be honest, when you look across the Glory defense, it might make sense to ask “Who dey?”.  This is not a team with a lot of names you might recognize, though certainly team captain James Laurinaitis certainly made a name for himself when he was playing for the Buckeyes. Others, like Marcel Dareus, Kamerion Wemberley, and Ryan Shazier should be bigger names around the league. Their play the past few seasons has merited more attention than this club from the center of the Buckeye state often gets.   After knocking Michigan from the top of the Central Division, shutting out Marcus Mariota and the Stags for the final 30 minutes of their Wild Card game, and winning their first playoff game since 2007, you know fans in Columbus are aware of this defense. And they are not alone, you can bet that there are a lot of folks in Oakland who are very aware of how good the “Who Dey” defense has been playing for the Glory. Coach Kubiak and the Invader offense is going to be taking that question very seriously, as they try to not only learn who “dey” are, but what they can and cannot do against the Invader offense.   Houston’s 28-0 Scoring Run Sinks Showboats To say that Houston won a game by simply outscoring an opponent is nothing new. They were doing that long before Colt McCoy became the starter. But, when you pair regular TD drives with regular stops on defense, well, that just seems unfair. That is what happened during a 28-0 run that turned a 13-7 deficit into a devastating 35-13 lead for the Gamblers.   It is all the names you would expect it to be—McCoy, Hyde, Evans, Smith-Schuster, Davis—too many topflight offensive weapons for nearly any defense to handle. Certainly it is a talent pool that the Breakers and Coach Lamar Lathon, a former All-USFL linebacker himself, are well aware of. The Breakers had their difficulties with Houston’s talented offense this year, giving up 31 and 38 points in their split-series with the Gamblers. They won in Week 3 by outscoring Houston in a shootout, then lost 38-35 6 weeks later. So now they face that potent offense, but also the possibility that the Gambler D is just a bit more coherent, a nasty combination, but one the 1-seed need to have an answer for if they want to move on in the postseason.   Thunder Lose Sack Leader in Wild Card Win It was not all sunshine and high fives in San Diego’s 48-37 victory over Michigan. They might have taken a significant hit when DE Jonathan Newsome went down with an ankle issue. Newsome was a revelation for the Thunder this year, racking up 15 sacks to lead the club. He added a 16th, along with several pressures, against Michigan, but midway through the 4th quarter he went down after stepping on the foot of the OT, and landing awkwardly. The ankle could be solid enough for him to make an appearance in the Conference Championship, but in order to do that, he will have to miss this week’s Divisional game at Arizona. Sen’Drick Marks, who had only 3 sacks this season, will step in, but may well struggle to fill the shoes of the Thunder’s best edge rusher.  Shaq Mason To Miss Playoff Run for Gamblers Another injury that could impact the Divisional round is in Houston, where the Gamblers lost center Shaq Mason for the rest of the playoffs after the big man got caught in a dogpile and emerged with a fracture to his right arm. Mason will not be able to play even if Houston reaches the Summer Bowl, meaning that they will have to turn to Travis Swanson, who has a total of 42 snaps at center this season. There is some speculation that Houston may also sub in tackle Marcus Cannon at center periodically to ensure more continuity on the line. Cannon would move over from RT and Chad Rinehart would take over on the end. Either way, it is a significant adjustment for an offense that is about as complex and demands as much as any in the league from their linemen.  We have highlighted the two major injuries that came out of the Wild Card round. Here is the full injury list for all four upcoming Divisional games.   NJ: HB Kiero Small (OUT) ATL: WR Pharoh Cooper (OUT), G Trevor Canfield (OUT), DE William Gholston (D)                   DT Sione Pouha (P)   OHI: SS Tyran Mathieu (OUT) OAK: LB Tavares Gooden (OUT), DT Rakeem Nunes-Roches (P)   HOU: C Shaq Mason (OUT), CB Leodis McKelvin (OUT), SS Budda Baker (OUT),          DT R. J. McIntosh (P) NOR: OT Willie Colon (OUT), CB Tra’Davious White (Q)   SD: DE Jonathan Newsome (OUT), FS Mark Barron (OUT), LB A. J. Hawk (P) ARZ: QB David Carr (OUT), DE Da’Shawn Hand (D)   COACHING CAROUSEL We start our look around the league with updates on the five vacant head coaching positions. Not a lot of action yet, but we are starting to see some feelers going out, and some interest in coaches currently under contract with the league’s playoff teams.   Birmingham: The Stallions are still looking to fill the GM position first, so we expect some pause before they get serious about the head coach position. With both positions open, there is a chance we see Birmingham delay any coaching search until the conclusion of the NFL fall season, though that only makes sense if their top target is a current NFL coach. If they are going for a USFL coordinator, they could act sooner, but it seems clear they want a new GM to be part of that process.   Los Angeles: The Express seem eager to get someone signed, but just who remains a mystery. Rumors have them speaking with former Seattle Dragon coach Marvin Lewis, former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, and recently released Oklahoma Coach Tom Ramsey (a former Express QB back in the 80’s).   Oklahoma: No word yet on if the Outlaws have been in communication with former OH head coach Bob Stoops, but we do know that fans in the state want that to happen. They have asked about setting up a time to speak with Oakland DC Reggie Herring, but that won’t happen as long as Herring has work to do with the Invaders in the playoffs.   Orlando: The Renegades may well be the club closest to announcing a hire as they seem to have locked their eyes on former Mauler head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera would be a defensive-minded hire, which makes sense if they want to keep Calais Campbell happy, and, certainly, Rivera brings a solid resume with him. Orlando is also very likely going to try to find a big-name OC as well, in an effort to revive a group that was pretty hit-and-miss this year, but likely will not do so until they have their head coach in place.   Tampa Bay: Nothing yet out of Bandit camp, where word is that Steve Spurrier is not a candidate for a 3rd tenure at the helm of the club he helped build in the 80s. Some fans on local sports radio may want a 3rd Spurrier regime, but it seems that neither the Bandits nor Spurrier himself have any interest in a 3rd term for the “Head Ball Coach”.   Could Memphis Lose Clayton & Marshall to Free Agency? There is no shortage of teams with potential contract conundrums. From Arizona having to let the league’s QB Rating leader go because they are locked in on David Carr as their starter, Seattle discovering how good Matt McGloin can be, and then having to let him loose as well, but Memphis’s WR situation may be one of the toughest. Memphis has pretty good cap space for this offseason, more than enough to resign some key players and still go shopping in free agency and the draft for some roster improvements. That is a good position for a team who went 11-5 to be able to boast, but they also have a few players making what many would call unrealistic demands.   At the top of the list are two of their top receivers. Mark Clayton, who finished 2nd in both receptions and yards (79 for 843) and Brandon Marshall, who is used mostly in 3-WR sets as a deep threat, are both asking for pretty big pay increases. Of course, with Robert Woods signed for the next 3 seasons, any pay hike for either, but especially Clayton, is likely to produce a demand for renegotiation from Woods as well, after all, he was the leader in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, so he certainly can ask to be the highest paid receiver.   Now, throw in DE Mario Williams, who is looking for Von Miller money in a contract year, FS Calvin Pryor, who wants to renegotiate his deal, LB Jarvis Jones, and backup QB Kyle Orton, and the Showboats, even with a good cap situation, could have some tough decisions to make. They don’t want to give up on both of their wideouts, especially not in a division with Houston and New Orleans among the league leaders in offense, but they may have to try to find some up-and-comers and let 1-2 key players go if they want to be financially sound going into 2019. They may not be alone in this situation, but after rising from 6-10 to 11-5, there are more players than ever looking to cash in from their success this year, and that means some are going to do so, and others may have to do so elsewhere. QB Situations Around USFL a Major Offseason Focus Sure, we could probably say this every season, but with several major retirements across the league, along with some big performances from QBs headed into free agency, and quite a few teams either in flux or seeking to upgrade at the game’s most essential position, it seems only appropriate that we look across the league and see what we see when it comes to the QB position in the 2018-2019 offseason. We are going to clump teams into groups based on how established they are and what they might be looking for this offseason, so this is not a team-by-team analysis, though some teams will get the spotlight, based on their unique situations.   TEAMS STANDING PAT These are clubs that have a solid 1-2-3 depth chart, all signed and ready to move ahead with no changes needed or wanted. Not to say that any one of these clubs would pass on a good prospect in the draft, but don’t expect any of them to make major moves for a starter, future franchise guy, or to trade away their talent.   Who is in the group?: Baltimore, Birmingham, Charlotte, Oakland, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, Pitttsburgh, Portland.   Team to Watch?: This is not really a group where we expect much to happen, but if we had to pick one team that may shake things up and surprise us, it has to be Birmingham. Until they have a new GM and HC in place we won’t know what to expect. But is it really likely that they dump Cam Newton, even with his mixed results and up-and-down play? No. More likely is that they try to find a backup who more closely parallels’ Newton’s style. Would they go after RG3 as a quasi-Newton clone? McCarron certainly is not Newton Jr, so it is not out of the question.   TEAMS WITH A POSSIBLE QB CONTROVERSY FOR 2019 These are teams that seem to have some options already on their roster but may not yet have a very obvious 1-2-3 ranking after this year. These teams are also potential landing spots for a player like Ryan Fitzpatrick, who could compete for a starting job, or may sit back as a 2, ready to jump in if needed.   Who is in the Group? Dallas, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Jersey, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa Bay.   Team to Watch?: This group really falls into 2 subcategories, teams looking to upgrade if a chance presents itself (Bandits, Dragons, Generals, Express) and teams looking to have 2 options because they are not sold on their number one (Bulls with Bridgewater, Roughnecks with Freeman and an unsettled Manziel situation). And then there is San Diego, who now seem set with Ponder at number one, but what does that mean for Webb? Is he on the block? Is he kept as insurance? The Thunder are in an interesting situation.   TEAMS IN SEARCH OF A FRANCHISE STARTER AT QB Every year we have several such teams, but this year we know that retirement will drive several teams to try to find a franchise guy, not just a workable starter.   Who is in the Group?: Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Washington Two certain retirements (Manning & Brees), one potential retirement we are still unsure of (Garrard) and a decision to let Fitz-magic walk in Free Agency put these teams in this situation.   Team to Watch: The Machine, Vipers, and Breakers are all losing an established starter (Chicago to free agency, the other two to retirement), so expect them to look long and hard at the rookie class. But our most interesting team is Washington. It all depends on what happens with David Garrard. Rumors have him stepping away, but he has not said anything yet, at least not publicly. The Feds are letting backup Mike Flynn walk, so that means they could be in the market for both a starter and a backup, which is a tough way to start an offseason.   TEAMS LOOKING FOR A VETERAN These are teams with young talent at the starting position, but they want someone to help mentor that starter, so, not really looking for competition, but a solid backup who can step in if needed and who will serve as a teacher for their young protégé.   Who is in the Group?: Denver, Memphis We could be putting Washington, Seattle, or Tampa Bay here, depending on what they end up deciding about their current starter. Does Garrard return? Is Brissett the clear number one? What does Prescott need to turn stats into wins, and who will be coaching the Bandits?   Team to Watch?: Memphis loves what they got from Lynch this year, so they just want to see him continue to grow. Denver does not yet know what they have in Allen, though they love his attitude and work ethic, so they may well be looking for a veteran backup who can not only mentor the young Wyoming product, but also potentially step in if Allen’s issues with accuracy have not improved with a season of QB guru Jordan Palmer’s attention.   TEAMS WHO MAY BE LOOKING FOR A DEVELOPMENTAL QB These are teams who have veteran leadership, maybe even a solid number 2, but want to look for the future. We all saw what happened in Houston as the Gamblers developed Colt McCoy over several years while Hasselbeck was still on the squad. McCoy stepped in without the team skipping a beat and they may now have an MVP QB once again. Expect teams to look in the mid-rounds of the draft for a guy who has a high ceiling but needs time.   Who is in the Group?: Arizona, Michigan, New Jersey, Orlando We repeated on New Jersey because we are just not sure if they love Foles or just see him as a bridge to a true franchise option. The others all have solid starters, if not All-USFL QBs at the helm, so they just want to put something in reserve for the future.   Team to Watch?: Arizona is a fascinating case. They have a 2-time MVP in Carr, then saw Ryan Nassib put together a possible MVP season this year, but Nassib was in a contract year and the Wranglers just don’t have the funds to resign him or the option to offer him the full-time starting gig, so he is on the market as soon as the Wranglers’ playoff run is over. That leaves a big hole behind Carr, but after seeing how Coach Tomsula developed Nassib in only 2 years, we think they go for a mid-draft QB and try to do the exact same thing.   If your team was not here, what does it mean. Most likely it means that their only QB move is to add a low-cost number 3, or maybe sign a backup who could maybe be a 2, but has no specific need to do something dramatic. So, not much to say for teams like St. Louis, Ohio, or Atlanta, who simply will focus in other areas for impact additions to their teams.   And, just for those of you wondering, who is available in both the free agent pool and the potential rookie class of 2019. Here is a quick breakdown:   USFL Free Agents: This is the best, deepest, and most interesting pool, with potential 2018 MVP Ryan Nassib here, along with Matt McGloin, who Seattle simply cannot afford to keep, Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is likely not a clearcut starter after several up-and-down years in Chicago, and Robert Griffin III, who has had his wow moments, but few wins in Jacksonville. Add in some veteran backups like Kyle Orton, Brett Hundley, Mike Flynn, and you have a very deep pool.   NFL Free Agents: Way too early to know who will be in the pool when the 2018 NFL season is over, because there are a lot of great options in contract years, but we know most will not be there come January. Available right now for the upcoming September pool, the biggest name is former NY Jets QB Geno Smith, along with controversial former 49er Colin Kaepernick, and backups Mike Glennon and Josh Johnson.   Rookie Class of 2019: The top prospects expected to come out in the 2019 draft class include Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, Duke’s Daniel Jones, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, and Missouri’s Drew Lock. This is not as flashy a class as 2018, but it may have more depth, with some good looking 2nd-5th round options like West Virginia’s Will Grier, Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham, or another guy with huge numbers in the FBS, North Dakota State’s Easton Stick.   On to the divisional matchups, and that means 4 more games over 2 weeks, now with the top 4 seeds in each conference all matched up in 1 v. 4 and 2 v. 3 setups. So, will the home favorites take the games, or will we see some upsets? Here is our breakdown of each of the 4 games, along with the Las Vegas lines.   (3) New Jersey Generals @ (2) Atlanta Fire Saturday, July 14 @ 3pm ET Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA Fire -1   Atlanta earning only a 1-point advantage in Vegas means that there is a lot of doubt that they can maximize home field to beat a very tough New Jersey team. When we look at the numbers, we can see why folks might be nervous about the Fire. The number that jumps right out is their 24th ranked run defense. When you have Maurice Jones-Drew coming into town, that low ranking has to make you nervous. But, on the positive side, Atlanta is one of the better ball control teams in the league, with a solid run game and effective short passing game as well. They may well try to grind out a low scoring win by holding onto the ball as much as they can. As for New Jersey, they come in with the league’s 3rd best scoring defense and one of the best run defenses in the USFL as well, so Atlanta cannot assume they can run the ball to eat clock against this Generals team. The strengths of New Jersey align well with Atlanta’s issues, and their defense could force Atlanta to be one dimensional, which does not often work well for the Fire.   OUR PICK: We share in the Vegas books’ skepticism of the Fire. Yes, they are a hot team, having won six in a row, but the matchups with New Jersey seem to fall in favor of the NE Division Champs. We are going to say it is a low-scoring match, but one the Generals pull out thanks to that run game. Generals 16-13. (3) Ohio Glory @ (2) Oakland Invaders Saturday, July 14 @ 7pm ET Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA Invaders -4   The Invaders get a 4-point edge from the books, and that makes sense. They have been pretty solid at home, They also went into Columbus in Week 3 and walloped the Glory by a score of 32-13. Now, that was when Brock Osweiler was in for an injured Hackenberg, and Osweiler is not only the starter this week, he isn’t even with the team any more. So, we hope Oakland is not counting on that early season game as a sign that they have this in the bag. They do still have the league’s 2nd best scoring defense, allowing only 16.6 points per game, but the offense has been shaky, which, against Ohio, could be an issue. Ohio’s numbers are not quite as good on defense, but, as we saw in the Wild Card round, they are certainly capable of shutting teams down when necessary. The key for the Glory may be how well Isaiah Pead can get the ground game going. With it, Hackenberg will have time to make his play-action throws. Without it, the Glory have to open things up, and that is not their game.   OUR PICK: This one is tough, because it really could swing either way, but as much as we love what we are seeing from Ohio this year, we think Oakland just has more talent, especially if Bobby Wagner and that defense can start strong. We think the game will be tight, but we see the Invaders moving on. Oakland 17-13.   (4) Houston Gamblers @ (1) New Orleans Breakers Sunday, July 15 @ 3pm ET Mercedes Benz Super Dome, New Orleans, LA Breakers -2   This one should be fun. Both teams have offensive explosiveness, but they both also have defenses that can take over a game. The Breakers have the top scoring offense in the league and a Top 10 defense, including the best defense in the league against the run. Houston is 2nd in scoring, 2nd in yards, and in passing. They also have a solid defense, 7th against the run.   So, what do we see as the key here? We think it comes down to the big plays. Which team can connect on more deep balls? Have more runs break through the front 7? Force more mismatches? There are just so many weapons in this game, if we knew who could find those mismatches and exploit them, we would know who wins.   OUR PICK: The two split their series this year, with both games very close down to the wire. We expect nothing less this third time around. But, since both games were won by the home team, and since we expect a loud and fully rowdy N’awlins crowd on hand in the dome, we are going to give the slight edge to the Breakers. New Orleans 33-31.   (4) San Diego Thunder @ (1) Arizona Wranglers Sunday, July 15 @ 7pm ET University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ Wranglers -6   It is no easy task to go into Glendale and get a win, even tougher if your best pass rusher is out of commission. That is San Diego’s challenge. Arizona has more experience, more playoff history, more depth, and certainly more on offense. San Diego has enough talent, however, to make this one a tough win for the Wranglers. If they are not on their game, or if Nassib struggles with the pressure of the playoffs, we could certainly imagine the Thunder pulling off the road upset.   The pressure is on Arizona, since most would expect them to win. But if San Diego can play loose, if they can get Ryan Williams into some good early runs, it will make the game more manageable for Christian Ponder and the Thunder offense. On defense, the key for San Diego is to rein in Fitzgerald and Bryant. If they can keep the passes short and in front of the safeties, they can keep Arizona from those back-breaking chunk plays and dramatic scores.   OUR PICK: A lot of “if” situations for San Diego. That is because Arizona is clearly in the better position, and they have the playoff experience to not be overtaken by the moment. We cannot pick against them in this one. Our pick is Arizona, 27-21.

I don’t know what else you could want from a USFL regular season final week. We had a true play-in game on Sunday night, we had Wild Card battles in the Northeast, South, Southwest, and Pacific Divisions. We had teams battling for bye weeks, for home field, and for their playoff lives. We had tiebreakers and heartbreakers. It was a week to remember and one I hope you did not miss. So, what were the results? We will get to that soon enough, but first we will start with the big story of the week, 4 more coaches joining Andy Reid and John Fox on the golf course as Black Monday strikes again in the USFL. Then we will cover all the big games, starting with our GOTW, the Portland-Oklahoma game that helped one team claim the final playoff spot in the league. Then all the recaps, all the stories, and our look ahead to a Wild Card Weekend that will feature a massive divisional showdown in the East and a battle of surprising playoff teams in the West. All that, plus the final Power Rankings of the season, with a few surprises as streaks take on extra value at season’s end. All now, all here, you know this is the place for all your USFL news: This Week in the USFL.   Four Join Coaching Job Hunt on Black Monday After the mid-season resignation of Andy Reid, and the Week 15 announcement from John Fox, we were not sure how many positions would be vacated on Black Monday. We had a feeling that Interim Coach of the Express Emmitt Thomas would be let go, and he was. We also suspected that a 7-9 finish was not enough to keep Henry Ellard in his position in Birmingham, and it wasn’t. We also saw the Oklahoma Outlaws opt out of the final year of their contract with Tom Ramsey after an 11-year run in San Antonio that saw only 4 playoff appearances, no titles, and then a frustrating pair of 7-9 seasons in Oklahoma. It was also no surprise that Tampa Bay, suffering through a 3-13 season, has jettisoned offensive “genius” June Jones , whose version of the run & shoot provided plenty of stats for Dak Prescott and Dalvin Cook, but could not provide wins for the team.   So, four more coaches let, go meaning there are 5 positions available in the league. Before we get to our picks for the perfect candidates for each position, a note about a few coaches who must be thanking their lucky stars that they get another chance (at least that is what we think, though they could get a pink slip at any point this offseason, so don’t breathe too easy). Among the surprise retentions we have Baltimore’s Jim Caldwell, who many saw as on the hot seat after his Blitz club slid all the way to a 10-loss season, but a few late season upsets, and a sense that the team very much supports the coach who won them a league title only 4 years ago, and Caldwell gets a chance to rebound with the Blitz. Another coach who has to be thankful today, Las Vegas’s Rick Neuheisel, whose Vipers slid from division champs to 7-9, but it was only a 2-game difference, one that could be blamed on Eli Manning’s midseason injury, so Neuheisel returns and now will face the challenge of finding a replacement for the retiring Manning. Oh, and a few 1st year coaches who got the benefit of the doubt after poor seasons, largely because they need time to work with the GMs to rebuild their rosters. That is you Kliff Kingsbury (Dallas) and Brian Flores (Jacksonville). Expect major overhauls to both teams, especially at QB this offseason.   So, what about the 5 open positions. What does each team need? What might they do as they head into their offseason? Here is our best guess:   BIRMINGHAM: The Stallions are not far from competing, though they are in a brutal division with 3 teams that won 11 or more games this year. They saw significant improvement on the defense, but the offense runs hot & cold. What they need is a coach who can delegate play-calling and focus on a scheme and a culture of discipline, execution, and players taking accountability for themselves. We think a disciplinarian in the mold of Ohio’s Tom Coughlin would be ideal, but who is that coach? We are not sure, though we like what we saw from the Ohio defense (which is 50% Coughlin), so maybe Ohio DC Jim Schwartz.   LOS ANGELES: The story going into 2018 was that LA had a solid D and an incoherent offense. Well, we got it half right. The Express offense remained a muddle, finishing 25th in points scored and 26th in yardage, despite a 1,000-yard season from Reggie Bush. The defense, however, was a huge disappointment, so much so that star LB Clay Matthews has openly declared he is leaving in free agency. So, what we think LA needs is a coach who can rebuild the team almost as if they were an expansion team. Someone who can take advantage of their 1st overall draft choices, and the USC talent pool in the T-Draft. That means experienced, focused, and a proven commodity. Two names come to mind, former Seattle Head Coach Marvin Lewis and former NFL “superstar” coach John Gruden, both available if you can pull them out of broadcasting and both the kind of big name that will get some sour LA fans to buy season tickets even for a rebuilding club.   OKLAHOMA: There is certainly talent in OKC, with Joe Flacco, Marshawn Lynch, emerging WR Dede Westbrook, and a defense that has Pacman Jones and LB Jonathan Moulton, but the Outlaws are a team with no clear philosophy. They need to rebuild their D around their 2 best players, and they need to find an offense that plays to the strengths of Flacco’s arm and Lynch’s legs. They need to rebuild both lines as well. But, with all these needs, we still think there is an obvious choice who will excite folks in the Sooner State, former Sooner HC Bob Stoops. Stoops has never led a pro team, but his experience in building winners and his Oklahoma credentials would make him an immediate favorite among the Outlaws new fanbase in OKC.   ORLANDO: So, here is the key to this position. If Orlando goes offense, trying to support Wilson, Perriman and a new style of offense, then that tells us that Calais Campbell may be on the way out (retiring or demanding a trade), but if they go with a current defensive coordinator, like Schwartz in Ohio or Oakland’s Reggie Herring, then Campbell could stay put and we will all wonder what happens to the offense. Our pick would be someone who could work with both squads, perhaps a college success like Georgia’s Kirby Smart or former Wisconsin & Arkansas coach Bret Bielema.   TAMPA BAY: The June Jones was short and not-so-sweet. But Tampa Bay is still very much interested in playing “Bandit Ball” and winning with a big strike offense. The problem is they finished the year 4th in yards but only 15th in scoring, and the defense, well, the less said about that, the better. We know what fans want, they want the club to once again turn to Steve Spurrier, but that seems far-fetched at best. How about finding a younger, up-and-coming offensive mind. There are plenty out there, in college, in the USFL, maybe even in Canada. How about someone like Kevin Gilbride, Joe Lombardi, or Eric Bienemy?  PORTLAND STAGS 17  OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS 10 While the showdown between Portland and Oklahoma at OGE Energy Field was not directly a play-in game, only Michigan-Seattle met that criteria, it was a game with huge playoff implications. Portland would clinch a Wild Card spot with a win, Oklahoma could still get in with a win, despite a 7-8 record, if, and only if, Denver lost in their game against Chicago. The two games were played simultaneously, so for the Outlaws, the key was to worry about Portland and not spend energy on tracking Denver’s game on the scoreboard.   For the Stags, the job was easier. All they needed was a road win. They had already beaten both Pittsburgh and Oakland on the road in the past month, so what was one more hostile crowd? They had Marcus Mariota back under center, both Ben Tate and Doug Martin available at HB and Brandin Cooks was on his way toward locking up the league title for receptions. Sure, this was Joe Flacco, but with Marshawn Lynch unavailable, the key was to play the pass on every down and force Oklahoma to run the ball with Jahvid Best and James Ridley.   That strategy, paired with both teams hoping to shorten the game and keep the score in the teens, led to a scoreless, and largely punchless first quarter, but that would change in the 2nd, when 19 of the game’s 27 points would be scored. It started simply enough, Mariota found Brandin Cooks on a nice double-move route and picked up 29 yards to place the ball inside the 20, but Oklahoma’s defense tightened, allowing only 4 yards between the two runs on first and second down, and then pressuring Mariota to throw the ball away on third down. Dan Carpenter’s 33-yard kick would be the first points of the game, but only 3 points let up by the Outlaws.   Oklahoma would be the first to put a touchdown on the scoreboard, doing so only 6 seconds later, as a well-executed play action to best set up TE Julius Thomas in single coverage with safety Darrian Thompson, a 2nd year player who still has not fully grasped the speed of some USFL tight ends. Thompson went for the ball instead of the man, and Thomas made him pay for that mistake, racing 74-yards to paydirt and giving Oklahoma their first lead of the day, 7-3.   The rest of the first half would be a kick-fest, with Portland adding 2 more field goals and Oklahoma’s Kai Forbath hitting his first of the day. By the half, the score was 10-9 Oklahoma, still holding the advantage thanks to that one big play from Julius Thomas. The Outlaw defense had bent, but not broken on two more Portland drives, forcing short field goals on both occasions and allowing the Outlaws to go to the half with a slight lead.   The third quarter, much like the first, saw very little in the way of offensive success. Joe Flacco struggled to find an open receiver (He would go only 11 of 25 on the day thanks to Portland’s zone coverage) and Portland struggled to turn yards into points. The Stags would finish the day well ahead of Oklahoma in yards gained, 428 to 285, but they just were unable to find the big play or the right call to put the ball in the endzone.   And yet, early in the 4th, the Stags would still put up the only points of the half. It came after a poor punt by Oklahoma gave Portland the ball at their own 47. They opted to go to big formations, bringing in 2 tight ends and a fullback on several plays. That seemed to work for them against an Oklahoma defense that had been on the field for a good part of the game already. Ben Tate would be the lead back as the larger, more physical of the two main Portland options. He would have 7 of his 17 carries on this one drive, and with those 7 carries he produced nearly 45 yards of offense. Other than a short crossing pattern to Alshon Jeffery and a hook to TE Trey Burton, every positive play on the 11-play drive was Tate carrying the rock.   So, with a drive like that, it was fitting that Tate would be the one to score. He did just that on a classic counter tre, looking very much like John Riggins as the initial tackler slid off him and the smaller DB was simply carried backwards. Tate’s 6-yard run made it a 15-10 lead for the Stags. Coach LaFleur, recognizing that anything less than a 7-point lead could lead to a 4th quarter drive ending their playoff hopes, kept Mariota, Tate, and the offense on the field. The Stags did nothing fancy, just lined up tight and let Tate find the hole on an inside run. The line pushed forward against a tired Outlaw defense, and Tate stretched the ball over the line to secure 2 more points.   Oklahoma, now down 7, with just over 10 minutes to play, still had time to even the score, but they would need to find more on offense than the one big play that had given them their earlier lead. Looking at Oklahoma’s final 3 possessions, it is clear that they simply did not have the quick-strike capacity they needed to pull out the win.   Their first possession was a 3-and-out, with Best gaining only 1 on first down, an incompletion to Westbrook on 2nd down, and a short 5-yard gain on third down. Their second possession was only 1 play longer, and only because the ref called a defensive holding on Portland’s A. J. Bouye on first down. But even with the automatic first down, Oklahoma could not pick up momentum. Again it was a short run on first down, an incompletion on 2nd down, and, in this case, a draw to Best on third down that did not come close to reaching the line to gain.   Oklahoma’s third and final possession would begin with 2:02 left on the clock. It would be longer, but no less frustrating for the fans in the stands. Starting at their own 11, the Outlaws got a quick first down when Flacco found Thomas for 12 yards. They would get a 2nd one 2 plays later with a nice pass to Thomas (Flacco’s favorite target on the day), but with only 1:31 left, Oklahoma had only reached their own 37. That is as far as they would get on the drive. On 1st down, Flacco’s pass to Goodwin was broken up. Second down saw the Outlaws called for illegal shift, sending them back to the 32. Then, on the replay, Flacco was sacked by Tyrunn Walker for a loss of 11, taking them back to the 20 and producing a 3rd and 26. Flacco gained 9 of those yards back on a pass to Goodwin, but facing a 4th and 16, the Oklahoma offense simply did not have a play. Flacco completed the pass to Justin Hunter, but he was easily tackled after 10 yards and the Stags took over on downs.   A kneel from Mariota and the game was over. Oklahoma’s season was also done, and, we now know, so was Greg Landry’s time as the Outlaw head coach. For Portland, the win meant that they were in the show, now all they needed to know is if they would be headed to Ohio to face the Central Division champs, or to San Diego to face the Thunder. That answer would have to wait until Sunday night. If Seattle won, then Portland would be the 5-seed and would face San Diego in a Pacific Division clash. If Michigan could beat the Dragons in Seattle, then the Stags would have the 6-seed and would be headed to Ohio to face the Glory.   PHILADELPHIA 22  JACKSONVILLE 17 P. J. Walker gets the start at QB for the Stars and gets a W as Philadelphia finishes 7-9. Karlos Williams led Philadelphia in rushing, Randall Cobb in receiving. For Jacksonville, Teddy Bridgewater threw for 221 and 2 scores, while Matt Jones finished with 81 yards rushing. Both clubs now turn to the offseason and trying to build more depth and more explosiveness across their rosters. POTG: Stars’ DE Malik Jackson: 5 Tck, 3 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR   PITTSBURGH 10   WASHINGTON 19 The Feds outlast the Maulers to finish 9-7, sending Pittsburgh to a 3rd consecutive loss and a disappointing 8-8 finish. David Garrard was unable to finish the game, but would be available if Washington made the post-season. They now need to wait to see the result of Charlotte’s final game. POTG: Federal LB D’Qwell Jackson: 9 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 FF, 1 FR   NEW JERSEY 30  TAMPA BAY 13 The Generals take care of business and the Bandits. Building up a 20-7 halftime lead and cruising to a win and the NE Division title. MJD rushed for 81 yards and a score, while Nick Foles survived 6 sacks to throw for 227 and a TD to OBJ as the Generals win their 2nd division title in the past 3 years. POTG:  New Jersey LB Aldon Smith: 13 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   DALLAS 0   LAS VEGAS 26 It was all Vipers in the send off game for QB Eli Manning. Their retiring QB threw for 2 scores and the defense dominated the Roughnecks in a game that had no playoff potential, but plenty of fans there to say goodbye to Manning in his final pro game. Coach Neuheisel sent Manning to the bench with 3 plays left in the game so that fans could give him a final ovation. For Dallas, the loss was their 9th in a row to end a truly brutal season. POTG: Viper QB Eli Manning: 19/27, 174 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   ST. LOUIS 13   OAKLAND 14 Oakland struggled, falling behind 13-0 after 3 quarters but came alive in the 4th, taking the lead with a late Davante Adams TD reception. The star of the game for Oakland was HB Christian McCaffrey, who rushed for 155 yards, but needed 2 more, finishing the season at 998 for the year. POTG: McCaffrey: 21 Att, 151 Yds   SAN DIEGO 26   LOS ANGELES 16 The Thunder lock up the 4 seed on the road, scoring the first 17 points of the game and then holding off Brock Osweiler to secure the win. Marques Colston caught 7 for 106 and the defense picked off the LA quarterback twice in the 2nd half to secure the win and a home playoff game next week. LA dropped to 3-13 and will have the 1st overall pick in the 2019 draft. POTG: San Diego QB Christian Ponder: 19/25, 305 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int   HOUSTON 17   MEMPHIS 13 In a game that ended up being a battle to see who would host the rematch next week, Houston got a Vernon Davis TD in the third quarter and held off Memphis in the 4th to take the win, assuring their fans get the chance to cheer them on next week. Colt McCoy played only a half after taking a shot to the head, but is expected to be back next week. Paxton Lynch threw two costly picks, as Houston clamped down in the final 20 minutes of action to secure the 4-seed. POTG:  Houston WR Mike Evans: 5 Rec, 83, Yds, 1 TD   BALTIMORE 30  ATLANTA 27 The Fire rested several starters and Baltimore went into the game with Brandon Boykin at QB as the Blitz won their finale to finish 6-10. Boykin threw for 2 scores and 244 yards, while Atlanta’s DeShone Kizer threw for 233 and 2 scores, but had a costly 4th quarter pick as well. The halfbacks also performed well, with Anthony Dixon racking up 118 yards and Nick Chubb crossing the 1,000-yard mark for the year with 93 and a TD in the game. POTG:  Baltimore HB Anthony Dixon: 12 Att, 118 Yds   CHARLOTTE 19  BIRMINGHAM 30 The Monarchs, knowing that Washington’s win over Pittsburgh gave Charlotte the 6th seed on a tiebreaker, played it very vanilla against Birmingham, resting several players after the first quarter, and fell to 9-7 as a result. Birmingham got 3 TDs from Cam Newton, who played the entire game, as the Stallions finished 7-9. By Monday they would learn that 7 wins was not good enough for the club to hold onto Henry Ellard as their head coach. POTG:  Stallion WR Dontrelle Inman: 2 Rec, 110 Yds, 2 TD   ORLANDO 10   NEW ORLEANS 27 New Orleans had no sentiment about John Fox’s last game with Orlando. They needed the win to wrap up the 1-seed, and they got it, thanks in part to a defense that held Orlando under 300 yards of offense and an offense that controlled the clock, with KennyBritt, Jordy Nelson and C. J. Spiller all scoring for the new 1-seed in the East. POTG:  Breaker DE Kenny Ealy: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   OHIO 27   ARIZONA 28 Arizona rested several starters, so it was Brooks Bollinger who got the win over Ohio, who kept their starters in all game. Bollinger threw for 2 scores and 273 yards, showing that Arizona’s system is solid regardless of who is under center. Ohio could have nabbed the win, but a late fumble killed a drive in field goal range. POTG:  Arizona WR DeMarcus Robinson: 8 Rec, 105 Yds   CHICAGO 10   DENVER 13 Denver needed help to make the postseason. They did not get it. But, they did their part to finish 9-7, edging Chicago at home to lock up a winning record in Matt Leinart’s final game. Like Manning in Las Vegas, Denver took out Leinart with just a kneel down left, allowing their long time starter to get a standing ovation from a grateful Denver crowd. POTG:  Denver LB Shaquile Barrett: 7 Tck, 1 Sck   MICHIGAN 38  SEATTLE 20 Seattle held a 20-14 lead at the half, but Michigan dominated the 2nd half of the season finale, scoring 24 unanswered points to take the win and the final playoff spot in play. LeVeon Bell got 101 of his 155 yards in the 2nd half, and touchdowns from William Bethea, Bell, and Kevin Kraft gave Michigan what they needed to secure the 5-seed in the West and a shot to defend their title in the postseason. Seattle, finishes 8-8 after an 0-5 start, which is still impressive, but one game shy of what they had hoped to achieve this week. POTG:  Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 21 Att, 155 Yds, 2 TD   Federals Do Their Part, but Fall Short On Tiebreaker The Feds did what they needed to do, but they apparently did not read the fine print. Had they (and their fans) done so, they would have realized that even at 9-7, after knocking off the Pittsburgh Maulers to claim 2nd place in the NE Division, they would not make the post-season. Why? Because as of 3 years ago, strength of non-division schedule was moved above conference record as a tiebreaker, and that gave Charlotte the tiebreaker, so even a loss by the Monarchs did not remove them from the advantaged position. Had Pittsburgh won, they would have claimed the final Wild Card spot, but with Washington’s victory, the Monarchs locked up the final spot, even with Washington winning in Week 16 and Charlotte getting knocked around by the Stallions. It is a harsh way to go, to put your all in, to beat a division rival on the season’s final week, believing it gave you a shot, and then finding out that even with a loss, another club still nabs the final playoff spot. Would Washington be a better foe for the Generals next week? Almost certainly, if only due to familiarity, but it will be Charlotte sneaking in, some would say backing in, to that game, and Washington, who surprised many by finishing 9-7, who will be sitting home wishing they had won just one more game this year.  Gold Reach 9 Wins, but Stag Win Ends Playoff Hopes It is a similar feeling in Denver, though with less illusion as the Gold knew exactly what they needed to get in. They needed to beat the Chicago Machine and, as that game was happening, they had to watch the scoreboard to see if Oklahoma could take care of the Portland Stags at OGE Energy Stadium. Denver did their part, though it was no picnic, a tough 13-10 victory that was not decided until the 4th quarter, and things seemed to be going their way in Oklahoma as well, with the Outlaws holding a 10-9 lead through the first 3 quarters, but a Portland TD from HB Ben Tate with 10 minutes left in the game meant that Denver would not make the postseason. When the Gold game finished, Denver players and fans stayed in the stadium, watching the final 2 minutes of the Stag-Outlaw game on the big screen, and eventually went home disappointed. Portland held on, locking up the 6-seed in the West, and Denver, despite a solid 9-7 first season under Coach Gary Kubiak, were another team with a winning record, but no playoff berth.  Express Lock up 1st pick in 2019 Collegiate Draft On the other side of the standings, with their loss to the San Diego Thunder, the LA Express finished the year at 3-13, tied with the Bandits and Roughnecks, but assured the first pick in the draft thanks to their weaker strength of schedule. Tampa Bay “earned” the 2nd spot, and Dallas, despite a 9-game losing streak to finish the year, ends up 3rd. Both the Express and Bandits will have new coaches in place for 2019, so those early draft picks will go to good use, but it is not the kind of advantage any team wants to have.   The remainder of the non-playoff draft order was also set, with Jacksonville picking 4th as the lone 4-win club this year. They are followed by 5-11 St. Louis, then 6-10 Orlando and Baltimore, before we get to the cluster of 7-9 teams. Tiebreakers only went so far, and a coin toss was used to determine the 8th and 9th pick. It will be Chicago at 8, Birmingham at 9, followed by Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and Oklahoma. 8-8 Seattle picks 13th, Pittsburgh at 14, and the 9-7 but not quite good enough Gold and Federals wrap it up with the 15th and 16th picks. As always, the remaining 12 picks will depend on when teams are removed from the playoffs and then their records, with the lowest seeds getting the earlier picks as teams are eliminated from the postseason.   So, Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa, Clelin Ferrell, and Ed Oliver, you have a season ahead of you to impress the Express, Bandits, and others that you deserve their attention come draft day (yes, we know, most are also likely T-Draft selections, but what is the fun in assuming none of them will be available in the Open Draft?)   Sturgis & Vinatieri Surge for Points Title It was the one statistical race that really was unsure. We pretty much knew who to expect in passing, rushing, receiving and most defensive categories, but the league scoring leader was a very tight race with several potential winners in the mix in Week 16. While Roberto Aguayo (OAK) and Lewis Ward (MEM) entered the weekend in the lead with 123 points, there were no fewer than 4 other kickers who could conceivably catch them, and one did. Caleb Sturgis of New Orleans added 2 field goals and 3 PATs in the Breakers’ 27-10 win over Orlando and that was enough to give them a league-leading 131 points for the year. But, Sturgis was not alone in having a big game this weekend. Washington’s Adam Vinatieri was the bulk of Washington’s offense in their 19-10 win over Pittsburgh, putting 4 field goals and a PAT on the board. That 13 point game shot Vinatieri from 118 to 131 points, giving him a share of the scoring title with Sturgis, even if the Feds are not going to be seeing more action while New Orleans sits pretty with the 1-seed in the East.   Other league stat champions in 2018 are pretty much what we expected: Passing Yards:          Colt McCoy                     4,377 Yards Passing TDs:            Colt McCoy                     35 TDs Passer Rating:         Ryan Nassib                   117.9 QBR Rushing Yards:         LeVeon Bell                     1,617 Yards Rushing TDs:           Maurice Jones-Drew  16 TDs Receptions:             Brandin Cooks              128 Receptions Receiving Yards:      Mike Evans                      1,616 Yards Receiving TDs:        Mike Evans                      16 TDs Tackles:                  Kirk Morrison                  130 Tackles Interceptions:          Marcus Williams         9 Interceptions Sacks:                       Calais Campbell          30 Sacks   MVP Chase Could be Heated Battle of QBs So, which QB is the MVP? The leader of the club with the best record, who also holds the QB Rating title? The QB with the most yards and most TDs, despite only qualifying his club as a Wild Card contender? How about the 2-time MVP who finished 2nd in yards and touchdowns, while locking up the 1-seed in the East? Those are your obvious contenders: Ryan Nassib of the 12-3-1 Wranglers, Colt McCoy of the 12-4 Gamblers, or Drew Brees of the 12-4 Breakers?   There is a case for each, so it comes down to what the voters prefer, game results, big numbers, or efficiency. All three teams have 12 wins, so do we blame Colt McCoy because New Orleans won the tiebreaker to take the 1-seed in the East or do we focus on the stats. All three have huge numbers, but none are at or close to league records. Does that give the underdog, the surprise candidate, Nassib an edge? Or will voters recognize the rise of Colt McCoy as an elite QB in the tradition of Kelly and Hasselbeck, former Gambler MVPs? Or, with his retirement eminent, do voters give Drew Brees one more accolade on his way into the sunset? It is a very tough call, because all three had great seasons, on great teams, and it is very likely that one of these 3 QBs will also be headed home this offseason with a title trophy and a championship ring on order.  They all are deserving, but only 1 will get the MVP. Should be a nice topic of debate for the next 3 weeks until the USFL Gala in New Orleans ahead of the 2018 Summer Bowl.   When all the dust had settled, and the final game of the weekend was in the books, we had our 12 playoff teams. New Jersey had won the NE with their victory in Tampa Bay. Michigan and Portland had won their must-win games and wrapped up the final Wild Cards in the West, and Charlotte, thanks to the 3rd tiebreaker, had backed into the East’s final Wild Card spot over Washington. Losing out were the Federals and Gold (both finishing 9-7), the Dragons and Maulers (both 8-8), and the Outlaws (dropping to 7-9).   The week also set up the schedule for next week, with the 4 Wild Card games set and scheduled by Monday morning. Wild Card weekend would kick off with Charlotte visiting New Jersey, followed by the defending champion Michigan Panthers starting their title defense on the road in San Diego. Sunday would see an inversion, with the Eastern Conference game actually taking place further West than the Western Conference game, and so it would be Portland visiting Ohio in Columbus for the early game and Memphis and Houston reprising their Week 16 matchup in NRG Stadium in the late game.  The early lines for both had all 4 home teams favored, with Ohio as the largest favorite with a 6-point advantage and New Jersey as the shakiest with a 2-point advantage. Expect those to rise and fall as the bets come in over the next few days, but for now all four home favorites are being given marginal advantage over the visitors.   As we look ahead to the Wild Card round of playoffs, there are certainly some games that will be affected by injuries, though, we must say, most of these teams have been dealing with their unavailable players for some time, with many on IR already and for several weeks.   CHA: WR Hakeem Nicks (IR), DT Vernon Butler (OUT), DE Anthony Zettel (P) NJ: HB Kiero Small (IR) No doubt that losing Nicks has hurt the Charlotte offense. Blackmon remains the main target, but Austin Proehl will have to step up as the number 2.   MGN: LB Jake Ryan (IR), SS Tarvarious Moore (IR), TE Rob Housler (OUT),                   WR Jerrel Jernigan (Q) SDG: LB A. J. Hawk (P) The Thunder are very much hoping that adrenaline and a sense of duty will put A. J. Hawk on the field this Saturday. For Michigan, losing Housler is a blow to the offense, meaning that LeVeon Bell may have to play the role of outlet receiver, one he does not often fill.   POR: FS Rudy Ford (IR), LB Nico Johnson (Q), C Sean Harlow (P), HB Ben Tate (P) OHI: SS Tyran Mathieu (OUT), CB Jeremy Lane (P) Ohio has been without Mathieu for most of the season and still rank as a Top 10 scoring defense. For Portland, getting Ben Tate back this week helped them win their matchup with the Outlaws, and now, paired with Doug Martin, they have a very formidable 1-2 punch in the run game.   MEM: TE Luke Stocker (IR), HB Jacob Hester (IR), WR Cobi Hamilton (D), LB NaVorro        Bowman (D) HOU: CB Leodis McKelvin (IR), SS Budda Baker (IR) Houston has been without their 2 best DBs for several weeks now, but against Memphis that could be a real issue for them. Meanwhile, the Showboats are still coping with Luke Stocker’s absence and will count on rookie Dallas Goedert to help pull safeties off of either Robert Woods or Mark Clayton.   No Record as 10th Pick Proves Elusive for Williams There is no doubt that the 2018 season will be remembered as a monumentous one in the home of Marcus Williams. After 4 seasons in Memphis, Williams had captured a grand total of only 3 picks, but this season he reached 9 interceptions by Week 14. With 2 games left he had a shot to either tie or surpass the league record of 10 interceptions in a season, held by another largely-unknown player, Texas Outlaw Free Safety Elbert Shelley back in 1997. It was a record now 12 seasons old, but one of the toughest to break because it depended on so much. Unlike a rushing, or even a sack stat, where the player is largely able to dictate the possibilities to score another notch on the statboard, with interceptions, much like receptions, so much depends on other players, players like the opposing QB.   Williams had 2 games to tie or break the record, but in those two games he would face the Dallas Roughnecks (QB Josh Freeman) and the Houston Gamblers (QB Colt McCoy). While Dallas was struggling, and was perhaps the easier target for Williams, Josh Freeman is no anxious rookie or inaccurate gunslinger. Colt McCoy would be even tougher, with very good receivers who could fight a pick away from a DB, and an offense that tended to find success against even the best secondaries.   And so Williams had a chance, but it was by no sense assured, and, as we saw, over his final two games the chances to nab that 10th pick was simply not coming his way. There would be only 1 Memphis pick in the 2-game run, and that was a tipped ball far from Williams’s side of the field. So, no record, but even without that accolade, Williams will in all likelihood be named an All-USFL player this year, something not on anyone’s radar before the season.   Final Regular Season Power Ranking Offers A Few Surprises Sixteen weeks down, an entire season of ups and downs, and we come to the final Power Rankings of the season. There is no doubt that some teams have outperformed their preseason expectations, others have fallen well short of where we thought they would be, and along the way, we have seen teams go from cold to hot, hot to cold, or bouncing from win streaks to cold snaps. Our final rankings take into account the way teams finished the year, from 3-4 game win streaks, to a truly nasty 9-game losing streak. So, without further delay, here is the way the 28 USFL clubs stack up as we prepare for the postseason to begin.   1—Arizona Wranglers (12-3-1)            Up from 6th in preseason poll. Best record in the league and the first team to clinch a playoff spot. Makes sense they are here.   2—New Orleans Breakers (12-4)       Up from 7th in preseason poll We had a feeling that whoever won the South would end up here. The Breakers get it on a tiebreaker.   3—Houston Gamblers (12-4)               Down from 2nd in preseason poll Houston finished tied with the Breakers at 12-4, but while many think they are the better team, we nod to the standings and the playoff seeds.   4—San Diego Thunder (10-6)               No change from preseason poll. The Thunder have won 4 in a row and 10 of 12 since their 0-4 start. They are a team that has found their stride, and possibly a new QB in Christian Ponder.   5—Memphis Showboats (11-5)          Up from 21st in preseason poll. A great story in 2018, the rise of Paxton Lynch and the Showboats could end quickly if they cannot figure out how to slow down Houston this week.   6—New Jersey Generals (9-6-1)         Up from 9th in preseason poll. It was not the most direct route to a Division Title, but the Generals slogged through a tough schedule and a lot of ups and downs to earn this spot.   7—Oakland Invaders (11-5)                  Up from 18th in preseason poll. As much as it feels strange to put an 11-win team below a 9-win team, there are still concerns about Oakland’s offense that make us pause about their playoff prospects.   8—Ohio Glory (10-6)                                  Up from 12th in preseason poll. The Glory have been a grinder of a team, finding ways to win, but rarely looking dominant. The fact that they lost to a team of Arizona backups this week has to worry them.   9—Atlanta Fire (10-6)                                Up from 13th in preseason poll. An argument can be made that we are selling short a Fire team that won 6 in a row to win the SE Division, but when we look at who they beat (Tampa twice, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Birmingham), we are not so sure they are for real.   10—Michigan Panthers (9-7)                Down from 1st in preseason poll They fought their way into a Wild Card on Week 16, but that 3-game streak of losses to St. Louis, Ohio, and Arizona still worries us about their ability to win on the road in the playoffs.   11—Portland Stags (9-7)                         Up from 28th in preseason poll. No doubt that this is much higher than anyone thought for the Stags this year. Back-to-back wins at Oakland and Oklahoma to get a Wild Card means they could be a dangerous road team in the playoffs.   12—Charlotte Monarchs (9-7)            Down from 5th in preseason poll. After leading the SE Division for much of the year, the Monarchs seem to be fading, and having their QB lead the league in picks is not something that often spells postseason success.   13—Washington Federals (9-7)          Up from 26th in preseason poll. The Feds came within a hair of being a playoff team, and many might argue that they are a better team than Charlotte, but we cannot place them higher than 13th if they did not make the postseason dance.   14—Denver Gold (9-7)                              Down from 8th in preseason poll. Denver, like Washington, just missed out on a Wild Card due to a tiebreaker, or is it due to losing to Oklahoma, twice.   15—Seattle Dragons (8-8)                      Down from 14th in preseason poll. A nice recovery from an 0-5 start. Not the Cinderella run of last year, but a nice recovery. Now… how do they start their season better next year?   16—Las Vegas Vipers (7-9)                    Down from 10th in preseason poll. Week 15 and 16 victories with Eli back at the helm was a nice sendoff for their QB, but now they need to find a replacement. We don’t think Jeff Tuel is the guy.   17—Pittsburgh Maulers (8-8)               Up from 20th in preseason poll. So much promise this year, so many good early results, but losing their final 4 games is just a nasty way to end up the year. They had a shot in Week 16 to make it all better, but again came up short and finish a disappointing 8-8.   18—Birmingham Stallions (7-9)         Down from 16th in preseason poll. We said it early on this year, another 8-8 or 7-9 season would not bode well for Coach Ellard, and that is exactly what happened. And, one thing we should not ignore, this was a team that went 7-1 at home and 0-8 on the road. Something their new coach will have to fix in 2019.    19—Philadelphia Stars (7-9)                 Down from 3rd in preseason poll. So much was expected of Philadelphia this year, and we cannot blame the disappointing year on the Derrick Henry injury, they were not finding consistent success before he went down. Tough decisions ahead for Coach Harbaugh.   20—Baltimore Blitz (6-10)                      Down from 11th in preseason poll. The Blitz played hard for Coach Caldwell down the stretch, winning their final 2, both against playoff teams, but the Blitz need to figure out both their 22nd rated run game and their very disappointing 24th rated scoring defense.   21—Chicago Machine (7-9)                   Down from 19th in preseason poll. A 1-game improvement over 2017, but they need more. With the 19th rated passing game, and Aaron Dobson likely headed out the door, Chicago will need to focus on the passing game this offseason.   22—Oklahoma Outlaws (7-9)              Down from 15th in preseason poll. Another midling season meant the end of a long tenure for Tom Ramsey as head coach. Now the Outlaws start over, but with some nice pieces in place. But, let’s remember that in 2020, the new San Antonio Gunslingers get to claim some of those pieces.   23—Orlando Renegades (6-10)          No change from preseason poll. Another year, another disappointing season, and this time it was too much for Coach Fox, who resigned officially on Monday. The Renegades seemed to sense that it was over, losing their last 5 to drop to a 10-loss season.   24—St. Louis Skyhawks (5-11)            Up from 27th in preseason poll. All the talk in St. Louis is about Lamar Jackson, but he will need more around him on offense, and a lot of new pieces for the 28th ranked defense.   25—Jacksonville Bulls (4-12)               No change from preseason poll. Coach Flores gets a 2nd year, is likely hoping for a new QB, and will need to improve the HB & WR positions, along with a defense that just did not come through this year.   26—Tampa Bay Bandits (3-13)            Down from 24th in preseason poll. The 2-year June Jones era is over. The Bandits, who were 4th in the league in yardage, just did not have enough scoring power or enough stopping power on defense to compete this year.   27—Los Angeles Express (3-13)         Down from 22nd in preseason poll. That is right. The Express have the 1st pick in the draft, but we are not putting them dead last in our rankings. They are bad, no doubt, but Dallas just gave up this year.   28—Dallas Roughnecks (3-13)            Down from 17th in preseason poll. It is 1 thing to wallow in self pity when your starting QB is suspended for the year, and even though the Roughnecks tried to fix things by trading for Josh Freeman, losing 9 consecutive games to end the season has to put you in last place as a team that simply did not fight for their pride as the season wore on. It is July, so it is playoff season in the USFL. We just missed 4th of July weekend this year (well, since the 4th is on a Wednesday, we all kind of missed out on a holiday weekend. We have 4 Wild Card games, only one of which is a divisional battle, but what a battle it will be. Here is what you need to know about each matchup ahead of this weekend’s wild action.   6-Charlotte Monarchs (9-7) @ 3-New Jersey Generals (9-6-1) Saturday, July 7 @ 3pm ET MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ Generals -3   Two teams that still have a lot of doubters. Charlotte has lost 3 of 4 to find themselves dropping from the 2-seed down to the 6th, and even that was only due to a strength of schedule tiebreaker. New Jersey is only 3 weeks beyond a 13-0 debacle against Washington, but they did win those 3 games to get here, and to earn the right to host this game. We all know what the key is for New Jersey, get Maurice Jones-Drew cranking early and often, force Charlotte to bring men up to the line and then surprise them with some play action.   Charlotte’s strategy could be very similar as they try to keep Mitch Trubisky in short third downs. The concern for Charlotte has to be Trubisky’s tendency to put the ball up when he should either take the sack or throw it away. When you lead the league with 21 picks in 15 starts, well, turnovers are going to be a concern.   OUR PICK: We are going to go with the Generals. They have won 3 in a row to get here, have more to offer on offense, and can play solid D as well. New Jersey 18-13. 5-Michigan Panthers (9-7) @ 4-San Diego Thunder (10-6) Saturday, July 7 @ 7pm ET Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA Thunder -4   The Thunder survive an 0-4 start, winning 10 of 12 to get here. Meanwhile, Michigan has been an extremely inconsistent defending champion. They needed to win their last two (Chicago and at Seattle) just to get here. But, in those two games they did show some spirit, so we could be seeing the fires reignite in Michigan just in time. The Panthers will ride LeVeon Bell as much as they can, especially with Rob Housler out and Jerrel Jernigan still not at 100%.   San Diego has their own run game, led by Ryan Williams, but it has been Ponder to Colston that has ignited the Thunder over the past 3 months. San Diego has won 4 in a row, including impressive wins over the Stags and Dragons. They will be at home, where they suffered a bad loss in last year’s Wild Card round, and certainly they don’t want to repeat that.   OUR PICK: There is something about a culture of success. We know it may be counter-intuitive, but we think Michigan has rediscovered their passion and now that it is playoff time we may see a team much more like the one that ran through last year’s postseason and claimed a title. We are going with the Panthers, but in a tight one: Michigan 28-27.   6-Portland Stags (9-7) @ 3-Ohio Glory (10-6) Sunday, July 8 @ 3pm ET Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH Glory -7   These are two great stories, neither expected to be here. Portland, after all, was our choice in the preseason to be the worst team in the league. What did we miss? Well, Marcus Mariota taking a huge leap forward, Ben Tate becoming a back capable of 1,000 yards (he finished with 972 due to an injury costing him 2 games), and a defense that does not have big names but gives up only 289 total yards per game (2nd best in the league.)   Ohio, who has started 4 different QBs this year, has their Week 1 starter back in Christian Hackenberg, has a solid inside-outside run game with Isaiah Pead and Delone Carter, and a defense that saw 15 different players record a sack while holding teams under 19 points per game. So, here is the weird thing, an argument can be made that if this game is in the teens, it could favor both teams. Neither has a quick-strike, shoot-out-ready offense. These are two clubs that love to milk the clock, stick around, and get just enough points to win. Almost mirror images of each other.   OUR PICK: The two played way back in Week 8 and Ohio doubled up Portland in Portland, 28-14. We don’t think it will be that dramatic, but we still think Ohio is the more disciplined team (thanks, Coach Coughlin) and the more battle-tested in the Central Division. We are going with the favored Glory to move on to the next round. Ohio 21-17.   5-Memphis Showboats (11-5) @ 4-Houston Gamblers (12-4) Sunday, July 8 @ 7pm ET NRG Stadium, Houston, TX Gamblers -4.5   Oh, man, will this one be fun. The two met this past weekend in Memphis, and the Gamblers snuck out with a 17-13 win. Earlier in the year Memphis won in Houston 27-20, so home field does not appear to be a big issue. Of course, this is home field in the playoffs. Houston is the more talented team, that goes without saying, but Memphis has proven they can play with the big boys, beating both the Gamblers and the Breakers this season.   This is a game where we think the final score tells us who wins. Memphis’s defense and run game is the key to their success, while Houston (whose defense is solid) is all about big plays, big scores, and lead the league at nearly 28 points per game. So, if the game is in the teens, that certainly means Memphis has found some answers. If it is in the 30’s, that tells us Houston has the edge and is connecting on big plays.   OUR PICK: Houston remains very hungry after losing to the Panthers in Summer Bowl 2017, and there is a fear that Memphis, coming off a 6-10 season only a year ago, may suffer from the “happy to be here” syndrome that often hits newly-successful playoff teams. It is also hard to pick against a team that may have the league MVP in McCoy, the OPOTY in Mike Evans, and a HB with over 1,500 yards from scrimmage in Hyde. We think this one gets away from Rex Ryan, his defense, and his eager, but inexperienced club. Houston gets their mojo working and wins this one. Gamblers 33-24.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: When the Panthers absolutely, positively need a win, who do they turn to? No one but LeVeon Bell will do, and Bell did what he does, runs against stacked fronts, gets the yards the Panthers need, and puts the ball in the endzone. In Week 16's huge win over Seattle, propelling the Panthers to the 5-seed, Bell finished with 155 yards and 2 scores. PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Generals win the NE Division, Charlotte, San Diego, Michigan and Portland wrap up Wild Cards and heartbroken fans in Washington and Denver fall just short. Here are your 2018 Playoff Seeds: EAST: 1-NOR, 2-ATL, 3-NJ, 4-HOU, 5-MEM, 6-CHA WEST: 1-ARZ, 2-OAK, 3-OHI, 4-SD, 5-MGN, 6-POR

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: No doubt about this one, as Ohio's Isaiah Pead was a monster in the Glory's division-clinching win over Orlando. Pead was all about balance as he racked up 87 yards rushing, with 2 touchdowns, oh, and also 82 yards receiving, with 2 touchdowns. Yes, it was a blowout win for the Glory, but largely because Pead blew it out. PLAYOFF PICTURE: We have a bit more clarity this week, with Arizona locking up the 1-seed out west, with Atlanta landing the SE Division title with their win over Charlotte, and with Ohio clinching the Central. We still have 5 unclaimed playoff spots with 1 week to decide them. New Orleans can clinch the 1-seed in the East with a win this week. Others who can lock up playoff spots with a win include New Jersey, Charlotte, San Diego, Portland, Seattle, and Michigan. How is that possible, 6 teams with Win & In? Well, because Michigan and Seattle will play a pre-playoffs playoff game, with the winner locking up a Wild Card and the loser sitting at home.

Week 15 may have added only 1 more team to the 2018 playoff field, with Atlanta’s victory over Charlotte locking up the Southeastern Division, but it certainly gave us far more clarity as to the playoff picture. With 1 week left we know who controls their own destiny, who will need help in the final slate of games, and which two teams will play a season-ending “play-in” game. We also learned this week that one more USFL coach will be out the door as of next Monday, our story of the week as we discuss the decision by Orlando coach John Fox to leave the club after 6 frustrating seasons with the Renegades. We will outline that story, review the Game of the Week from Atlanta, then cover all the Week 15 stories as we look ahead to the final week of the regular season and the playoff impact of each upcoming game. There is a lot to unpack, so don’t go anywhere.   Fox to Step Down from Renegades after 6 Seasons. In a press conference yesterday afternoon, Coach John Fox of Orlando made it known that this week’s upcoming matchup with New Orleans would be his final game with the Renegades. After a successful run with the Atlanta Fire/Boston Cannons, Fox left the club prior to their relocation to Dallas, becoming the Orlando head coach after only a few weeks away from football. Combining his two tenures, he has been a head coach in the USFL for 18 seasons, but the last 6 have been tough sledding for the veteran leader of the club. His tenure in Orlando produced playoff teams in 2015 and 2016, but in both cases they fell in the divisional round. But with another losing season guaranteed by Orlando’s 6-9 record, his overall coaching record in Orlando can be no better than 48-48. In fact, since the 2009 season, when his Boston Cannon’s won the league title, Fox has been unable to recapture that success, or even moderate success in either Boston or Orlando.   With many now vocally calling on the franchise to go a new direction, and many more lamenting the “waste” of Calais Campbell on a team that simply never truly challenged for a league title, Fox is stepping away from the sideline. His teams have had moments, but they simply have not been able to put together enough offense, or enough on the back end of their defense, to be considered an elite squad. Fox did not specify what his plans for the future are, though many believe he may move into broadcasting, but the Renegades now know that they will join the LA Express in the list of clubs seeking a new head coach, a new culture, and a new path.   What does this mean for the current Renegade squad? Well, it could mean a lot of change. We know that Orlando is likely to lose HB Latavious Murray and CB Johnathan Joseph, two of a pretty short list of players who are not under contract past next week. They could also be looking to shift up their roster more completely by trading away some key players. Does that mean Calais Campbell could be available? Not particularly likely, as it would take a pretty huge offer for the Renegades to move away from their one consistent achiever. But, others, like QB Russell Wilson, CB Dee Milliner, WR Jeremy Maclin, or DE Arthur Moats could find themselves as trade bait for the Renegades if they engage in a rebuild or a redesign. We won’t know how widespread the changes in Orlando will be this offseason, as that will largely depend on the coaching staff that comes with Fox’s departure, but we do anticipate that Orlando will want to use Fox’s departure as a clear pivot point to try to regain the fans’ enthusiasm, something sorely lacking the past 2 years as Orlando has floundered on the field.   CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 20   ATLANTA FIRE 27 There were no last-minute heroics in this game, no late game drama, but what we got instead is a truly meaningful game, one that determined the SE Division champions, and a pretty intense game at that. Turnovers were a huge factor in the game, and the star may be a name you simply don’t know yet, an unsung player who came up big when it mattered the most.   With both clubs coming into the game in a position to win the division,Atlanta, winners of 5 in a row, at 9-5, with Charlotte just a game back at 8-6, we knew this game would be a battle. The winner would take the division title and would have a very good shot at the 2-seed, granting them a much-coveted bye week before opening postseason play. The loser would be at serious risk of losing out on the postseason altogether. With 3 clubs in the Northeast also in that ballpark, a loss here, paired with another next week, would almost certainly spell disaster and a long offseason of questions.   That was the hornet’s nest that the Fire and Monarchs entered as they took the field at Mercedes Benz Stadium, facing off with their playoff lives very much on the line. Both clubs had similar aspirations and similar strategies, use the run game to provide play-action opportunities for their QBs, hope that the defense could get pressure and produce takeaways. That strategy worked better for one than the other, as one team escaped with only 1 turnover and no interceptions, while the other had 3 picks cost them drives in this game, And yet, for the entirety of the game neither team ever built more than a 7-point lead, meaning that at no point did either team feel a sense of desperation, not until the final seconds, that is.   The game started off somewhat slowly, with a first quarter that produced 1 drive each into the other team’s side of the field. Atlanta got the better of that tradeoff, putting up 3 points for the only score of the quarter. Charlotte had two short drives in the period but never got in range for their kicking team. They would, however, find better success early in the 2nd quarter, when they had their first scoring drive, a 12-play, 61-yard drive that showcased HB Adrian Peterson with two nice runs before Mitch Trubisky gave Charlotte the lead by finding TE Brandon Pettigrew for a 6-yard score.   The Charlotte score put the visitors up with 10:05 left in the half, but would not hold, as Atlanta had themselves a very nice scoring drive 2 possessions later. Aaron Murray got help from HB Nick Chubb, who had a beauty of a 22-yard run on 2nd and 7 to cross midfield. Five plays later, Murray found WR Roy Williams for a 39-yard scoring strike, taking advantage of play action and the single coverage, it produced. Atlanta was back up by 3, and, following Mitch Trubisky’s first pick of the day, a self-inflicted mistake that gave Atlanta the ball in Charlotte territory, the Fire added another 3 to boost their advantage to 13-7 with just 1:03 left to play.   Charlotte would use an effective 2-minute drill to get into position for kicker Stephen Earl, and their kicker would shrink the gap to 3 with a 43-yard kick at the buzzer. We had seen a battle for 30 minutes, and we had another 30 to go. Atlanta would need to keep the pressure on Trubisky, who had shown a tendency to force balls into coverage all year, producing 18 picks already this year. For Charlotte, the key was to keep Nick Chubb’s gains to a minimum, forcing Aaron Murray to try to convert 3rd and more than 5, a situation that essentially took Chubb out of the equation on 3rd down.   When the Monarchs equalized the score on a 37-yard kick from Earl, the game was once again back to a war of field position, with each team forcing the other to give up on a drive before they even reached their own 40. But on their 3rd possession of the half, Atlanta figured out a soft spot in the Charlotte defense. They used 4-wide receiver sets and saw that in their nickel coverage; Charlotte was forced to put a linebacker on slot receiver Trey Quinn. That was a mismatch to be sure. On the drive, Murray found Quinn first on a 12-yard inside slant, then, after marching the ball down to the Charlotte 28, he found Quinn on a seam route, and this time it was for 6 points. It was the rookie’s first TD of the season, on only his 7th catch of the year.   Atlanta had found a gap in Charlotte’s coverage, but Charlotte had also found an issue with Atlanta’s D, as Adrian Peterson started to see success in the 2nd half, with runs of 8, 11, and 7 on his next 3 touches. Those runs, paired with some dump-off passes, helped Charlotte move methodically down the field, with Trubisky eventually finding Austin Proehl from the 5 to once again equalize the score. There were still nearly 10 minutes in the 4th, but Charlotte was still very much in business in this game, with Atlanta having to adjust their coverage once again.   The Fire still wanted to test Charlotte’s nickel coverage, and they found it lacking once again. After a couple of short completions from Murray to TE O. J. Howard and flanker Dorial Green-Beckham, they went back to Quinn again, and once again the rookie came up big. A slant and go worked perfectly to free up Quinn, and the pass from Murray allowed him to run under the ball, catch it in stride, and race off to a 43-yard touchdown. Still, with 8:42 left to play and only a 7-point lead, the Fire needed to keep the pressure on.   Atlanta’s defense did exactly that, producing both a sack and an interception on the next drive. The sack came on 2nd and 5, creating a 3rd and 11 after Mario Edwards spun Trubisky to the ground. On that 3rd and 11, Atlanta brought pressure, with SS Derron Smith getting into the backfield in a flash, an unblocked blitzer that forced Trubisky to put the ball up early. That ball ended up in the hands of CB Darius Slay, ending the Charlotte drive and putting Atlanta in a position to kill some clock and expand their lead. They succeeded in the former but failed in the latter as Coach Arians opted not to trot out John Bounds to try a 51-yarder, instead pooch punting the ball inside the 15 and challenging Charlotte to move more than 85-yards for an equalizer.   The Monarchs were not up to the task. On a 2nd and 7 from their own 31, the turnover bug struck again. This time it was DT Nick Fairley getting a hand up and tipping a low throw from Trubisky. The ball ended up in the hands of Daniel Ellerbe, the Fire linebacker, who gained only 2 yards before being knocked to the turf by a frustrated Charlotte lineman. But with only 2:13 left to play at this point, that pick meant that Atlanta could try to run out the game. They stuck to the ground, gaining one first down before having to punt, but killing nearly 1:55 in the process. That time was too much for Charlotte to overcome.   The Monarchs got their last possession with barely 18 seconds left to play. The desperation to gain chunks of yards forced Trubisky to stand in the pocket, producing a sack on 1st down, and then two incompletions as the clock ran down. Atlanta had won their 6th in a row, had come from 4-5 to now sit atop the division at 10-5, clinching the title and sending Charlotte to 8-7, on the fringe of the Wild Card group, and potentially out of the postseason if they could not earn a win in their season finale against the Baltimore Blitz.   BALTIMORE 33  PITTSBURGH 27 The Blitz, playing without Ben Roethlisberger, deal Pittsburgh a franchise-shaking loss, one that could drop them completely out of the playoffs. It was a 20-0 run in the 2nd half that undid a 20-13 Mauler lead and gave Baltimore an upset that drove Mauler fans into hysteria. The Maulers got 284 yards and 3 TDs from Andy Dalton, but it was not enough as they found themselves down 13 with only 2:21 to play and just could not get 2 scores in. The loss drops them to 7th in the East, meaning they now need help to get back in the playoff picture. POTG:  Baltimore WR Brian Hartline: 4 Rec, 101 Yds, 2 TD   SEATTLE 7   SAN DIEGO 27 This one was all Seattle from the start. The Thunder put up 14 in the first, with Ponder hitting Nick Toon and Luke Willson for scores. Down 14-0 at the half and with nothing happening on offense, Coach Riley tried putting in Jacoby Brissett to mix things up. It helped a little, but not nearly enough to catch the Thunder, who added 13 more in the 4th to move a game up on Seattle and give themselves a Win & In scenario for Week 16. POTG:  Thunder QB Christian Ponder: 12/25, 294 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   LOS ANGELES 13  WASHINGTON 16 The Express gave Washington a scare, but in the end the Feds held on and kept their playoff hopes alive. With Mike Flynn in for the injured Garrard, the offense was not what Feds fans wanted, but it did just enough to get the W, thanks in large part to Anthony Allen’s 78 yards and 2nd quarter TD. LA dropped another close one as Brock Osweiler suffered 4 sacks, a pick, and averaged only 5.3 yards per completion. POTG : Washington SS Kyshoen Jarrett: 9 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   BIRMINGHAM 7   NEW ORLEANS 27 The Breaker D sacked Cam Newton 5 times, held him to only 3 yards rushing, and thoroughly dominated the Stallions. Drew Brees connected twice with Kenny Britt for scores, and Jordy Nelson had another 100-yard day as New Orleans put themselves in position to claim the 1-seed in the East with a win in their finale. Birmingham drops to 6-9 and will need a win to avoid a 10-loss season for Coach Ellard, who could well be on the hot seat in a week’s time. POTG:  Breaker DE Cameron Jordan: 5 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 FF   MEMPHIS 30  DALLAS 23 Dallas got a nice 93-yard day from Samaje Perine and kept this one close, but Memphis QB Paxton Lynch found Mark Clayton for 2 scores, and special teams ace Cordarelle Patterson contributed a 74-yard punt return TD to help Memphis take the W and stay within 1 game of the Breakers. Assure a playoff spot, Memphis is now fighting for position and a chance to play at home in the postseason. POTG:  Memphis WR Mark Clayton: 5 Rec, 101 Yds, 2 TD   DENVER 20  ST. LOUIS 17 After a scare that sent Lamar Jackson to the bench with an ankle issue, Coach Reich opted to let Kyle Boller play the rest of the way. Boller almost got St. Louis the win, putting up 2 TDs and building a 17-3 halftime lead, but the Gold came out determined in the second half and scored 17 unanswered to take the 3-point win and stay alive for a Wild Card. Golden Tate shone with 6 catches, 117 yards, and a 3rd quarter TD to start Denver’s run. POTG:  Denver WR Golden Tate: 6 Rec, 117 yds, 1 TD   CHICAGO 13   MICHIGAN 23 The Panthers got the memo that their title defense depended on a win over Chicago. They are still not clear for a playoff spot, but can earn one with a win in the finale after sending Chicago down to 7-8 and out of contention. They did it largely thanks to the D, which included a pick-six from LB Odell Thurman and 5 sacks of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Cody Latimer added 99 yards and a score as Michigan stayed alive for 1 more week, and now face a win & in game in Seattle in the finale. POTG:  Panther LB Odell Thurman: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   TAMPA BAY 34  JACKSONVILLE 21 The Bandits showed some pride, winning their 3rd game of the year in impressive fashion. Dez Bryant caught 7 for 116, but all 4 Bandit TDs came on the ground, two from Devontae Booker, 1 from David Wilson, and one from Dalvin Cook. The D even stepped up, holding Jacksonville and Teddy Bridgewater to only 1 converted third down in 10 attempts. POTG:  Bandit DE Tank Carradine: 11 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 FF, 1 FR   OHIO 49  ORLANDO 17 Chants of P-E-A-D from the small Glory contingent in the stands as the Ohio back accounted for 4 touchdowns in a game thoroughly dominated by the new Central Division champion Glory. Tim Tebow, in for Wilson, threw 3 picks, was sacked 3 times, and scrambled 8 times for a combined -4 yards as the Glory D was ready for him. The same could not be said for the Renegade defense, which watched as Isaiah Pead rushed for 2 scores, caught 3 balls for 82 yards and 2 more scores, and just looked like a man on a mission. That mission won Ohio their first Central title since 2007. POTG:  Glory HB Isaiah Pead: 16 Att, 87 Yds, 2 TD, 3 Rec, 82 Yds, 2 TD   PHILADELPHIA 7  NEW JERSEY 13 The Stars’ D did not make it easy for the Generals, sacking Nick Foles 4 times and holding MJD to only 44 yards rushing, a 1.5 YPC average, but in the end, the Generals pulled this one out. Their only TD on the day came in the 1st on a pick-six from CB Aqib Talib, but two later Fairbairn field goals proved to be enough as the New Jersey D also played very well in this one. The win, paired with the Baltimore upset of Pittsburgh, means the Generals can lock up the division title with a win next week, something that seemed nearly impossible 3 weeks ago. POTG:  Generals’ CB Aqib Talib: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   PORTLAND 23  OAKLAND 7 Did Oakland rest on their laurels, or did Portland just step up? We may never fully know, but what we do know is that this was a very good win for the Stags, who remain alive for a Wild Card with only 1 game left. They need some help, but they are still in it thanks to TDs from Brandin Cooks and Doug Martin and a defense that only allowed Jimmy G 158 yards passing. The pass rush was much better than usual for the Stags, who pressured Garoppolo into several scrambles and several bad throws despite not recording a sack. POTG:  Stag LB Lance Briggs: 6 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   LAS VEGAS 31  HOUSTON 20 A shocker in Houston as the Gamblers drop out of the top spot in the East and make room for the Breakers to steal the 1-seed out from under them. Las Vegas came in fired up, with Eli Manning throwing for 298 and 3 TDs, while unheralded James Wilder Jr. rushed for 72 against a usually tough Gambler D. Colt McCoy found Mike Evans for 2 scores, but it was not nearly enough as the Vipers also scored on a pick-six in the 4th to take the surprising W home. POTG:  Viper QB Eli Manning: 30/42, 298 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   OKLAHOMA 17   ARIZONA 31 The Wranglers took care of business and wrapped up another 1-seed as their long run of success, and Ryan Nassib’s run at a 3rd straight Arizona MVP award, continued. Nassib went 18 of 29 for 265 yards and 4 TDs, including 2 to All-USFL wideout Larry Fitzgerald. Oklahoma could not run the ball at all with Lynch out, so it was all on Flacco, who threw for 2 scores but just could not escape the Wrangler pass rush, forcing several poor throws and recording 4 sacks. Oklahoma is mathematically alive, but only a PhD in Calculus could tell us how they can get past all the 8-7 teams next week. POTG:  Wrangler QB Ryan Nassib: 18/29, 265 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   San Diego D Forces QB Change as Dragons Flounder To say it was not the day that the Dragons, Coach Riley, or QB Matt McGloin hoped for is a major understatement. The Thunder absolutely dominated in front of over 48,000 rabid fans at Snapdragon Stadium. They drove McGloin from the game at the half, having taken a lot of hits and produced next to no offense in 30 minutes. Jacoby Brissett started the 2nd half, fared a bit better, at least putting 7 on the board with a toss to slot man John Brown, but that was nowhere near enough as San Diego dominated the game and all but assured themselves of a playoff spot. Seattle is still very much alive in the mix, but will have to upend the defending league champs next week to qualify.   It was a very strong game from Christian Ponder who certainly has earned Coach LeBeau’s trust over the course of Brissett’s injury. He will lead the Thunder into their season finale at LA next week, and with a win, to San Diego’s first home playoff game since a stunning loss to the Dragons in last year’s Wild Card round. So, a bit of revenge for the Thunder, but they are not done yet. They need to lock up the 4th seed with a win win next week, and they could very well be facing the Dragons in the Wild Card round. Seattle could well be the 5 seed if they knock off the Panthers, potentially setting up a rematch of last year’s tough loss in the playoffs. But, after this game, perhaps the Thunder are feeling that even a rematch is not a problem. Manning Not Going Quietly into Retirement Eli Manning may be headed to retirement and even more ads filmed with his brother Peyton, but he does not seem ready to go out quietly. The younger Manning put up some huge results this week in an upset win over the Houston Gamblers. He will now have one more game to share with the fans in Las Vegas as the Vipers finish out the year with a home game against Dallas. Las Vegas won’t be making a playoff appearance, but the game could still be a big one for Vegas fans as they say goodbye to Manning. While Manning has only played 2 years with the Vipers after a career that had stops in New Orleans, Orlando, Memphis, and Tampa Bay, he will hang up the cleats in Las Vegas, with one more outing in front of him, one more chance to stand on a USFL field and share in the cheers of a fanbase that is appreciative of his contribution to the game. Locker Gets the Start, Gets Hurt, but gets the W in Upset of Maulers When it was announced on Friday that Big Ben would not appear in Pittsburgh, but that Jake Locker would get the start, many thought it was a sign that Jim Caldwell was tanking, throwing the game in hopes of getting a better draft position, but Jake Locker is no slouch, and the Blitz definitely were not tanking as they took it to the Maulers, possibly costing Pittsburgh not only the NE Division crown, but a playoff spot altogether. Locker played well, but perhaps more surprisingly the Blitz D played well, and there was no sign that this club, sitting at 10 losses, was giving any ground or tanking to get a better draft position. Much to the contrary, they seem to be battling for Coach Caldwell. Will that be enough to give their coach another season in Baltimore? That is yet to be seen, but at the very least they are clearly still feeling the fire as they head into their final game of a disappointing season. Panthers Back in Playoff Hunt, with Huge Week 16 Showdown in Seattle It is a true pre-playoff playoff game when the Panthers head into Seattle next week. Regardless of other results in the week, the winner of that game will be making a playoff appearance. Michigan was on the ropes, needing a win against rival Chicago to even have a shot at a meaningful Week 16 game, but the 2017 league champions got the win they needed and now face a play-in situation against a Seattle team that has demonstrated heart and determination all season long.   Seattle is in a very similar position to the Panthers. A win in the finale, now scheduled for Sunday night, and they leap right back into the 2018 playoffs, duplicating their amazing 0-5 to 9-7 run from last season. It was a feat few thought they could accomplish, but once again they can control their own destiny, playing at home, against a tough and determined team, but that is not new for these Dragons. Just who will come away with the playoff berth and the win is not known at this point, but what we do know is that we are going to get some true playoff football in Week 16 when these two meet.   One week left, 5 playoff berths still up for grabs and 10 teams still mathematically in range to claim one. But, not all opportunities are equal. Some can control their own destiny, others will need help, perhaps too much help to be a realistic contender. But, by the end of this weekend, we will know not only the 12 teams that will continue playing in the USFL playoffs, but who and when they will play in the league’s 17th week. We will go conference by conference, breaking down each teams’ situation and what they need to get their best playoff position, starting in the West, where the top seed is already locked in but plenty is still on the line. Arizona: The Wranglers have locked up the SW Division and the 1-seed, so do not be shocked if we see a lot of subs in this week’s season finale as Arizona preps for a bye week and a home game in the Divisional round.   Oakland: The Invaders know they are headed to the playoffs, but they want that division title and the 2 seed. They need a win this week to lock up both and hold off the hard-charging San Diego Thunder.   Ohio: The Glory locked up the Central Division this week, so the only thing on the line for them is a possible 2-seed. But, here is the thing. Oakland plays Saturday and Ohio does not play until Sunday. If the Invaders win, then Ohio has nothing to play for, locked into the 3-spot, so they will rest some starters, but if Oakland loses, then there is a lot on the line when the Glory take on the Wranglers.   San Diego: Despite an 0-4 start, the Thunder can win the division. They need Oakland to stumble and then they have to ensure they get past LA and the Division, even a possible 2-seed could be theirs.   Portland: The Stags have no chance at the Division, or even a home playoff game, but they still need to ensure they get into the dance. A win over Oklahoma gets them there, but the Outlaws also need a win to qualify, so this won’t be an easy Week 16 matchup.   Seattle: The Dragons had their “play in” game last week, and struggled against the Thunder. They have a “mulligan” because a win this week at home will still get them a Wild Card. Problem is, they face not only a team that is also in with a win, but a team that won last year’s league title and is not looking forward to dropping out of the hunt if they can prevent it.   Michigan: The Michigan-Seattle game is a true “play in” game. The winner is guaranteed a playoff spot, the loser almost certainly out (not entirely, but realistically, yes.). No wonder the league put this game in the prime Sunday night slot.   Denver: The Gold are still alive, but they need to beat Chicago at Invesco Field, which seems doable, but also hope that Portland stumbles at Oklahoma. Honestly, when we say it out loud, it does seem viable.   Oklahoma: Believe it or not the 7-8 Outlaws are still in the mix. They need to upend Portland at home in OGE Energy Stadium, that is a given. They also need Chicago to knock off Denver, and that may be the tough part. But, if they get both results, they would leapfrog over the Stags, the Gold, and the loser of the Michigan-Seattle game and claim the final spot. It is the most tenuous of all situations, so the Outlaws just need to focus on the task at hand, knocking off Portland.   That is the situation in the West, where we have 3 open playoff spots and 6 teams in play. We move now to the East, where only 2 spots remain, and we have 4 teams not yet guaranteed a playoff spot, all battling for the right to get one more game.   New Orleans: The Breakers sit in a 3-way tie atop the Southern Division. They are the club, of the three, who can control their own destiny. A win over Orlando and the 1-seed is theirs. After a long season that saw all 3 contenders take over the top spot at some point, it is the Breakers in the best position to claim the title, the bye, and homefield advantage.   Atlanta: The Fire are locked into the 2-seed, so they can rest some starters, take it easy, not show much against Baltimore, and know that they will be resting next week ahead of their home game in the Divisional playoffs.   New Jersey: The Generals have crept up on the Maulers, taken over the lead in the division by ½ game and now control their own destiny. They have what should be a very winnable game against a 3-12 Tampa Bay club with nothing to play for. Of course that also means the Bandits have nothing to lose. If the Generals win, as you would expect, they wrap up the NE Division crown and will host the 6-seed next week.   Houston: The Gamblers hold the 4-spot currently, but they know that if Orlando can knock off the Breakers, then Houston could leap all the way to the top spot and get themselves homefield for the entire Western Conference playoff run. They face Memphis in a game that matters for both teams, both hoping for the 1-seed, but both also knowing that a loss would drop them all the way to the 5-seed, and a road game next week. Memphis: The Showboats are in exactly the same situation as Houston. A loss puts them in the unwanted 5-seed. A win means they at least get a home Wild Card game as the 4-seed, and if New Orleans loses, a possible 1-seed. Here is the thing though. How much do you fight for that home game next week? How much do you show, since a Breaker win means that Houston and Memphis will certainly meet in the Wild Card round. So, do you show everything to get a home game, or do you hold something back so that you can surprise the other next week?   Charlotte: After holding the division most of the year, the Monarchs have slipped and lost the crown to Atlanta. Now they are fighting for their playoff lives. A loss and they are almost certainly out of the postseason, with both Pittsburgh and Washington right there to jump over them. But, a win and they claim the last spot, dooming the two Northeastern clubs to watch from the outside. They control their own destiny, but still must be wondering how it came down to this in the first place.   Pittsburgh: Another team that has to be shaking their heads. They had the division won, but have lost 3 in a row, allowing New Jersey to leapfrog them. Now, they need a win plus a Charlotte loss just to get in as a Wild Card. If they are very lucky, they get a win, a Charlotte loss, and somehow Tampa Bay stuns the Generals, which would provide Pittsburgh with the NE Title and their only shot at a home game next week.   Washington: The Federals play the Maulers in the season finale, and just like Pittsburgh, they need help. They too can earn a Wild Card with a win and a Charlotte loss. Or, just like the Maulers again, a win over Pittsburgh and a loss by the Generals and it is Washington atop the NE Division and sitting pretty with a 3-seed. So, they, like many other teams, need to focus on the job at hand, and hope others do their part as well. Not ideal, but the chance is still there. Few injuries to report this week, not compared to some weeks this season, though with nearly every game having some influence on the playoff picture, any one of these injuries, even those where players could take the field at less than 100% could be a factor.   OUT WR       Nelson Agholor        LA          Hip                12-16 Weeks DT        Corey Liuget                BIR         Back               6-8 Weeks OT         Erik Pears                   LA          Leg                  4-6 Weeks DE        William Gholston           ATL         Neck                1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL QB          Jake Locker              BAL        Concussion       SS            Leon McQuay          OKL       Neck DE         Kemoko Turay        BIR         Concussion   QUESTIONABLE OG         Michael Dunn             LV           Concussion CB         Dunta Robinson              PIT         Hip C            Sean Harlow                 POR      Neck LB           Keenan Clayton           OAK      Concussion LB         Matt Milano                  NJ           Pinched Nerve   League Sets Final Week Schedule with Panther-Dragon Play-in Game as Sunday Nighter On Monday, following the study of all playoff permutations, the USFL finished its usual Week 16 flex scheduling, and they have given us a weekend full of questions and full of must-watch games, ending with a crescendo on Sunday night when the Panthers and Dragons will face off in Seattle, the winner advancing to the Wild Card round, and the loser headed home for the year.   The weekend will start with 2 huge games for the Northeast Division at Noon on Saturday. As always, when possible, games that impact each other are scheduled at the same time and that is certainly the case on Saturday afternoon when Pittburgh faces Washington and New Jersey finishes their season in Tampa Bay. If the Generals win, then the Mauler-Federal game could be for a Wild Card berth (depending on what happens with Charlotte. If New Jersey loses, then the Mauler-Federal winner would claim the NE Division title and the 3-seed, hosting a Wild Card playoff.   At 4pm the focus shifts to the Pacific, with St. Louis taking on Oakland and San Diego headed to LA. Oakland is already locked into a playoff spot, but San Diego needs the W to earn their berth. If the Thunder can win, and if Oakland falls to the Skyhawks, it would be San Diego claiming the Pacific Division, a total shock after their 0-4 start to the year. If both clubs win, Oakland keeps the division and the bye week, while San Diego will host a Wild Card game as well as the 4 seed.   The night game on Saturday is a big one for the Southern Division as Houston faces Memphis with both 11-4 and behind New Orleans on tie-breakers. The winner of this game has a shot to claim the 1-seed if New Orleans falters on Sunday. The loser is likely a 5-seed and on the road for their Wild Card game. The Breakers won’t play until noon on Sunday, so this game won’t involve scoreboard watching, but you know the winner will be tuned in to the Renegades-Breakers game and rooting hard for Orlando.   Sunday’s noon games include that ‘Gades-Breakers game, but also a game that will be huge for the NE Division as Charlotte heads to Birmingham. If they win, the last Wild Card is theirs, regardless of what happens with the 2 NE Division games on Saturday, but if Birmingham pulls off the upset, it means that a 2nd NE Division team will get in, and by the time this game starts we will know which team will be on the edge of their seats hoping against hope that the Stallions can get the job done.   Sunday at 4pm we have 3 games that pit the Central Division against the Southwest, with Ohio at Arizona, Chicago at Denver, and Oklahoma hosting Portland. We expect both Ohio and Arizona to put in several subs as both are locked into their playoff spots. But, the other two are huge games in the Western Wild Card race. Denver can earn a Wild Card spot with a win, but only if Oklahoma can upset Portland. Oklahoma can get in if they pull off that upset, but only if Denver is losing, so a lot of scoreboard watching from both those clubs. Finally, Portland is in with a win, plain and simple, so they will be going after Oklahoma with everything they have.   And then we get to Sunday night, where the Panthers and Dragons know that the winner is in the playoffs and the loser goes home. That is a true play-in game, and we expect it to be a beauty. A great set up by the league, lots of crossover games happening at the same time, and a Sunday night finale that should be a true war of wills, a game we all can enjoy as the final regular season game in what has been a highly entertaining 2018 regular season. When the schedule is over, it is then on to Black Monday (sorry, coaches) and Wild Card Weekend for mid-summer playoff football!!   League Leader Boards As Week 16 Looms As we look across the league with one week left, the playoffs are clearly the main focus of attention, but for many players this last week is about putting together a big game to reach a milestone, an incentive-laden stat, or to leapfrog over another player and claim a statistical title this season. We are going to run through the major stat categories and see who is in range to challenge for the top spot in each, and who is closing in on a big milestone, record, or statistical marker.   PASSING Basically the same names in rotation, but with almost no chance at all that one player can win the big 3: yardage, touchdowns, and QB rating. In yardage, the race is between Colt McCoy and Drew Brees. The Gambler has about 150 yards on the Breaker, and both QBs will almost certainly see lots of action this week as their games determine the 1-seed in the East. Others with possible milestone-achieving games include Ryan Nassib (57 yards from 4,000) and Dak Prescott (92 yards away).   For Touchdowns, we have a tie right now between McCoy and Brees again, and while Ryan Nassib is only 2 back, with 32 to their 34, Arizona is unlikely to keep their MVP candidate in for more than a series or two, with nothing on the line for the Wranglers in the game result.   QB Rating: Ryan Nassib seems to have this wrapped up at 117.9. Even a masterful game by Brees at 104.7 won’t produce a 10-point leap. We should note that San Diego’s Christian Ponder is currently the only other player above 100, with a 102 rating, but he has insufficient pass attempts to be included in the big board when it comes to QB Rating.   RUSHING We know who is going to win the rushing title. LeVeon Bell’s 135 yard lead is nearly uncatchable, especially with Bell and the Panthers playing a very meaningful game this week. Maurice Jones-Drew will need to focus on winning the game, but if he gets up around 150, he may start thinking about reaching 1,500 for the year, currently 168 yards away.  Several other players are hunting for a 1,000-yard season, including Atlanta rookie Nick Chubb (37 yards away), veteran Monarch HB Adrian Peterson (62 yards away) and Seattle’s Knowshon Moreno (98 yards off).  As for touchdowns, MJD has a 2-score lead over LeVeon Bell, 15 to 13, with Houston’s Carlos Hyde likely too far off the pace at 11.   RECEIVING We have 2 receivers already over the 100-catch mark, with Portland’s Brandin Cooks running away with the title at 120 after 15 games. Aaron Dobson is just over 100 at 101. Closing in on that magic number are Viper Denarius Moore (99), Denver’s Golden Tate (93), Breaker Jordy Nelson (91), and Orlando’s Brashad Perriman (90).   Mike Evans has a healthy lead in yardage, sitting at 1,533, with 2nd place Larry Fitzgerald at 1,468. Fitzie will see very limited action, if any at all, this week, so he may be lept by New Orleans’s Jordy Nelson at 1,445 currently. For those closing in on 1,200 yards, a common contract boosting number, we have Denarius Moore again (1,180), JuJu Smith-Schuster (1,177), Mauler Adam Thielen (1,161), and Michigan’s Cody Latimer (1,111). We should also note that Coby Fleener is the only TE over 1,000 yards, sitting at 1,098, more than 200 yards ahead of 2nd place.   For receiving touchdowns, it is again Mike Evans leading the pack, sitting on 15 scores in 15 games.  Three behind him are Breaker Kenny Britt and Seattle’s Marshall Newhouse, both at 12. Then Jordy Nelson and Antonio Bryant at 11, and TE Julius Thomas leading all big men with 10.   DEFENSE Do we even have to say who is going to win the Sack title this year? Once again it is not a race, with Calais Campbell sitting pretty at 29, hoping to hit 30 yet again, the only man ever to do so. Von Miller is well back at 18, but still comfortably ahead of Chris Long and Dwight Freeney, both at 15.   Among the tackle leaders we have Philly’s Kirk Morrison (123), with Arizona’s A. J. Klien next up at 117, and Jacksonville’s Sean Lee at 114.  Likely to reach the century mark are Oakland LB Bobby Wagner (99), Dallas’s Brandon Spikes (97) and a fun race on the same team, with both Campbell and LB Sean Spence sitting at 98 apiece.   The real fun may be watching Memphis’s Marcus Williams, who is sitting at 9 picks this year, and has to try to get one more, against Colt McCoy and the Gamblers, if he wants to tie the league record. Of course, he also has competition, with Orlando FS Deion Bush and Seattle FS Donte Whitner both sitting at 8 apiece. A 2-pick game from either of them could leap right over Williams and into the record book.   SPECIAL TEAMS Finally, we should mention that we have one of the closest races for the scoring leader in several years. After 15 weeks we have two kickers, Oakland’s Roberto Aguayo and Memphis’s Lewis Ward tied at 123 points, but we also have Elliott Parson of Arizona and Caleb Sturgis of New Orleans only 1 point back at 122. And don’t count out Pittsburgh’s Andrew Franks (120) or Adam Vinatieri of Washington (118) and Greg Zeurlein of Denver (also 118). A big game, with several field goals, could propel any of them to the top of the leaderboard. Stars Reveal Some Radical Changes with 2019 UA Unis We wondered if the Under Armour Class of 2019 would reveal any radical changes. Most of the designs have been tweaks here or there, with a few retro elements built in. But with Philadelphia we finally got a bit more of a radical departure. Now, we should start by saying that the main logos for the team are not altered, the “phasing” star remains the focal point of Philly’s look. But what UA has done is take that motif and crank the intensity up quite a bit.   The new uniforms will be the first to feature a helmet stripe in Stars’ history. But no ordinary stripe, a stripe that transitions from red to orange to gold, and back again. That same “shifting” angled striping will be a feature on every element of the uniform, including side panels on the jerseys and the pants, with the design starting at the armpit in red, transitioning to orange, then gold, and then back again from the hip to the knee. It is a very different look from the more traditional thick red pant stripe or old-school sleeve stripes. The other new feature is an almost military style bar on the chest. Another transitional stripe, the bar features the angled stripes, but also 3 stars, representing the 3 titles held by the Stars over their long USFL history. Beneath the bar will appear a small wordmark, displaced now from beneath the collar to the left chest.   These primary uniforms come with only the gold pant set, matching the helmet. For variation we will need to look at the alt jerseys and pants. Philadelphia released two alt looks. The first, as you might expect, was a pure callback to the early years of the league, featuring the team’s original logo, a thick red pant stripe, and modified Northwestern stripes on the sleeves. The club can use the same helmet shell as their primary uniforms, but now with the striping removed. The second look is an all-white jersey and pant set, apparently for high-heat outings, called the “Summer Sun” alternate. This uniform removes all use of the team’s trademark scarlet red, and uses color shifting from gold to orange as the exclusive palette for the midsummer look. The ombre effect from orange to gold is present on the unique color-shifting helmet, on the numbers for the white jersey, and even on the socks. The pants are white and feature a gold and orange set of angled stripes which also extend to the side panels of the jersey. It is a bright, and very “heat” focused look, to be sure, one clearly aligned with the long tradition of Philadlephia Star football, but also quite unique in a history defined by a very traditional style.   OK. Here we are, Week 16. We have already broken down the playoff picture, and we know about the strategy of scheduling games with crossover impact at the same time. So, with very little more to say, here is the full rundown of Saturday and Sunday games, each with their potential impact on the playoff race included.   Saturday @ Noon             Philadelphia (6-9) @ Jacksonville (4-11)                                  No Playoff Ramifications   Saturday @ Noon             Pittsburgh (8-7) @ Washington (8-7)                                           Winner takes NE Division if NJ loses, Wild Card if Charlotte loses.   Saturday @ Noon             New Jersey (8-6-1) @ Tampa Bay (3-12)                                           New Jersey Takes NE Division with Win.   Saturday @ 4pm               Dallas (3-12) @ Las Vegas (6-9)                                          No Playoff Ramifications   Saturday @ 4pm               St. Louis (5-10) @ Oakland (10-5)                                           Oakland Takes Pacific Division with Win.   Saturday @ 4pm               San Diego (9-6) @ Los Angeles (3-12)                                          Thunder Takes Pacific Division with Win + Oakland Loss.   Saturday @ 8pm               Houston (11-4) @ Memphis (11-4)                                          Winner Takes Southern Division with New Orleans Loss.   Sunday @ Noon              Baltimore (5-10) @ Atlanta (10-5)                                         Atlanta is locked into the 2nd Seed in the East.   Sunday @ Noon             Charlotte (9-6) @ Birmingham (6-9)                                           Charlotte earns a Wild Card with a victory.   Sunday @ Noon             Orlando Renegades (6-9) @ New Orleans (11-4)                                            New Orleans Takes Southern Division + 1 Seed with a Win.   Sunday @ 4pm               Ohio (10-5) @ Arizona (11-3-1)                                           Ohio Takes 2 seed with win and Oakland loss   Sunday @ 4pm              Chicago (7-8) @ Denver (8-7)                                           Denver earns Wild Card with win + Portland loss.   Sunday @ 4pm              Portland (8-7) @ Oklahoma (7-8)                                           Portland earns Wild Card with win, Oklahoma needs win + Denver Loss   Sunday @ 8pm                Michigan (8-7) @ Seattle (8-7)                                            Winner earns a Wild Card

When it rains it pours, and this week it was pouring playoff bids as 6 clubs punch their tickets for the postseason. Arizona locked up the SW Division for the 4th straight year, pulling 3 games up with only 2 to play. Houston, Oakland, New Orleans, Memphis, and Ohio also earned berths, though their divisions remain unsettled with 2 weeks left to play. That leaves 6 slots unclaimed, and we have 12 teams still alive in the hunt. So, you know every game from now on is a big game. We will recap the Week 14 action that finally broke through and gave us some playoff teams, we will also update you on Sam Bradford’s nasty injury, talk about MVPs for all 28 clubs and take a look at the last of our expected 2020 Expansion groups, with Miami hoping 4 teams in Florida is not a deal-breaker.  All of it starts now, with our story of the day, The Wild Wild West.   Seven Teams, Three Wild Cards. The West is Truly Wild in 2018. With 2 weeks left in the 2018 season, we finally have some playoff teams locked in, but what we have in the Western Conference could produce one of the craziest and most complex finishes in league history. We have Ohio, sitting at 9-5 and assured no worse than a Wild Card, but we also have both Chicago and Michigan, who face off in Week 15. The winner of that game could still unseat Ohio atop the division. In the Pacific, we have Oakland with a 2-game lead over both the Thunder and the Dragons. Those two also face off in Week 15, with the winner possibly in position to catch the Invaders. But, even if those in the chase fall short of the division, we still have 3 wild card spots, and between the 8-6 and 7-7 clubs, we have seven teams who could be fighting for those three spots.   As of today, San Diego and Seattle, sitting at 8-6, have an advantage, but since they face off this week, we know one of them will almost certainly drop back to the pack at 8-7. Add to that the pack of five 7-7 clubs, and you could have a logjam for those Wild Card spots. As we said, Chicago and Michigan will be playing a quasi-knock out game this week, with the loser dropping to 7-8 and almost certainly out of the chase. We also have Portland, who next face the Invaders, Denver, who head to St. Louis in what is a must-win game, and we have Oklahoma, who must try to knock off the Wranglers in Arizona to stay alive.   So, what do we think happens? Well, the winner of the Dragons-Thunder clash will have a clear win-and-in situation in Week 16. The winner of Chicago v. Michigan likely will have the same control of their own destiny in the season’s final week. As for all the other 7-7 teams, 2-0 in the final two weeks is their best shot, but nearly all need the right combination of wins and losses by fellow 7-7 or even 8-6 teams to make it happen. Nine wins is nice, but it may not lock you into a playoff berth.   Meanwhile, in the East, we know that a minimum of 9 wins will be needed, and this week’s Atlanta-Charlotte game means that you will have 1 SE team in the battle for the last Wild Card along with at least 2 NE Division clubs as the gap between Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Washington is only 1 game. It could all sort out this week, or it could drag into Week 16, with a lot depending on what happens when the Maulers host the Blitz on Friday night. A Mauler win and they will have a playoff spot for certain, which may kill the chances for several teams. Not quite as crazy as the West, but still something on the line in several games on the schedule. SEATTLE DRAGONS 24  OHIO GLORY 23 Two teams trying to gain respect, both very possibly playoff bound, and both looking for a win to help that quest. That is what we got on Sunday, when the Seattle Dragons flew east to face the Ohio Glory. Seattle, winners of 4 in row and 6 of their last 7, would take on an Ohio team that was challenging the defending league champions for dominance in the Central Division, and themselves winners of 3 in a row and 7 of their last 8. Two very hot teams. Two teams that feel they don’t get the attention or the accolades they deserve, and now they were facing off in hopes of proving the doubters wrong.   It would be a game that would showcase both teams and what they do well. Ohio would get 130 yards on the ground, mixing Isaiah Pead’s inside runs with contributions from Delone Carter and Marion Mack. Seattle would focus on an aerial attack, with Matt McGloin throwing for 328 while connecting with 8 different receivers. It was also a game with some big defensive contributions, with 5 turnovers over the course of 60 minutes. It was a game that would require the full 60 before a winner was chosen as the game saw 2 scores in the final 60 seconds of action, thanks in large part to one amazing play.   The game began with Ohio forced into a 3-and-out on their opening possession, while Seattle, when they got the ball, was quite successful on offens, McGloin hitting TE Dennis Pitta on a seam route that went for 37 yards. Pitta’s big play did not result in a touchdown, however, as the Ohio defense tightened up in the red zone, forcing Seattle to settle for a 36-yard Jeffery Harris field goal. When Ohio got the ball back, they would be inspired by Seattle’s run and would put together a solid drive of their own. Christian Hackenberg hit Mario Manningham for 13 on a key 3rd and 9, keeping the drive alive, and 7 plays later Marion Mack, in for Pead in a goal line formation, plunged over the line on 2nd and 1 for the score.   Following the score, Ohio would control the 2nd quarter, holding Seattle to only 2 first downs over the 15 minutes and putting up 10 more points, first on a Robbie Gould field goal, and then a second TD run, this time from Delone Carter, the game’s leading rusher with 73 total yards. On this drive, Carter had two meaningful runs, a 9-yarder at midfield and the TD run from the 2. So, as the two teams headed into the locker room at the half, it was Ohio up 14, with a 17-3 lead.   Seattle would waste no time in the 3rd quarter cutting into that lead. They got the 2nd half kickoff and went 68 yards in only 8 plays, with McGloin connecting with Mike Wallace for 17 and then Pitta for the score to pull the Dragons within 7. It was a quarter that saw Seattle’s adjustments work, as the Ohio run game struggled with the Dragon line shifts, and Christian Hackenberg threw a pick in Seattle territory, his only truly bad throw of the day.   But, come the 4th quarter, Ohio once again expanded their lead, adding a 49-yard kick from Gould, who guessed right on the swirling winds in Columbus, his ball looking wide right before being pushed back into play and through the uprights. Seattle was now down 10 and needed to get points on the board. They would, thanks to a nice 17-yard gainer from Tyler Kroft, a defensive PI call on 3rd and 6, and then a beautifully timed slant from McGloin to Wallace for 6 points. With 5:25 left to play, Seattle was now down only 3 points, 20-17, and had their sights on a possible kick to tie the game.   But, Ohio had the ball, and while they tried to run out the clock, they did not pull into a shell, mixing play action with runs along the way. That balance allowed them to get as far as the Seatle 26 before sending out Robbie Gould for his 3rd kick of the day. Gould connected and Ohio had a 6-point lead with only 30 seconds left on the clock. Surely they could hold Seattle at bay for the final 30 seconds. Well, that was not as sure as many expected. Seattle got the ensuing kickoff, with returner Wendell Smallwood getting out to the 26 before being tackles. It would take the Dragons only 2 plays to prove Ohio’s confidence to be misplaced. On first down, pressure on McGloin forced him to throw out to Knowshon Moreno in the flat, a 5-yard gain that still left the Dragons 69 yards away from paydirt. But with Moreno stepping out of bounds, Seattle held their final timeout. They would need to go deep, and soon, with only 22 seconds left in the game.   The call was a basic cluster tree, with Wallace on a fly, Newhouse headed up 10 yards before cutting to the goalpost, and John Brown also running 10 yards and cutting inside for a deep cross. The play developed just as Ohio had hoped, with confusion among the safety and corners leading to two men taking an initial step to follow John Brown over the middle. That freed up Newhouse running a post pattern, and McGloin found him in stride. With only 1 man to beat, Newhouse simply turned on the afterburners and with nearly 55,000 in utter shock, hands to their heads in disbelief, Newhouse pulled away and ran the full length of the field and into the endzone.   As the Dragons celebrated in the endzone, everyone else, from the Ohio players to the bench, to the fans just hung their heads. They had let a win slip away, and with only 15 seconds left, they would need their own miracle. It was a miracle that would not come. Hackenberg was unable to connect deep with a receiver on first down, and his attempts at Hail Mary’s were equally unable to find a receiver. Seattle held on, saddling Ohio with the home loss and walking away in very good position for a Wild Card at 8-6. Ohio Drops to 9-5, but still clinches a playoff berth thanks to other results (including another Michigan loss), but this loss to the Dragons certainly stung, as all last-second miracle plays do for the team that gives them up. PITTSBURGH 10  NEW JERSEY 27 The Generals stay alive, and pull Pittsburgh back to the pack with a huge home win. MJD was again the star for New Jersey, rushing for 163 yards and 2 scores, but kudos as well to the defense, who held the Maulers to only 271 total yards and 10 points. Pittsburgh also hurt themselves with 11 penalties, many of them pre-snap errors. They now are under the 8-ball as they try to wrap up a division they could have won outright had they not fallen in New Jersey. POTG:  Generals’ HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 31 Att, 163 Yds, 2 TD   HOUSTON 24   DENVER 13 The Gamblers got the win they needed to lock up a playoff spot, severely damaging former division-mate Denver’s chances at the same time. Colt McCoy threw for 2 scores and Carlos Hyde rumbled for 104 yards and a score as the Gamblers opened with a 17-0 run and never let Denver get within 10. Matt Leinart was sacked 7 times in the game, but stayed in the entire game as the Gold tried to come back. POTG:  Houston DE Donte Fowler: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 2 FF   JACKSONVILLE 12  ORLANDO 7 Orlando, playing without Russell Wilson, continued to fade down the stretch as Jacksonville limited Tim Tebow to 186 yards passing and only 10 on the ground. The Bulls’ offense was hardly impressive either, but they got a Bridgewater to Williams TD (PAT no good) to take and hold the lead in the 4th, giving them their 4th win of the season and eliminating the Renegades form the playoffs at 6-8 in another “wasted season” for a clearly upset Calais Campbell, who was still the POTG in the loss. POTG:  Orlando DE Calais Campbell, 7 Tck, 3 Sck   MEMPHIS 31  BALTIMORE 14 The Showboats claimed their 10th win and with it a playoff spot as they took a 24-0 lead after 3 quarters before their backups allowed Baltimore to get some late scores. The Showboats racked up 328 yards with a balanced attack that saw Todd Gurly and David Williams combine for 133 rushing while Paxton Lynch threw for 2 scores. Big Ben was sacked 4 times and threw 2 picks in the first half in a truly forgettable outing for the now 10-loss Blitz. POTG:  Memphis DE Mario Williams: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   BIRMINGHAM 5   OKLAHOMA 31 One of two games this week that saw the loser score 5 points, this one was 7-5 Outlaws after one and then the home team just took over. Joe Flacco would throw for 247 and 4 touchdowns, taking over after Marshawn Lynch had to sit after tweaking an ankle. HB James Ridley had 2 of Flacco’s scoring throws, but it was a full team effort, with 10 different receivers catching a pass from the veteran QB. The Outlaws spied Cam Newton to great effect, as the dual threat QB was held to only 4 yards rushing on the day, hobbling the Stallion attack. POTG: Outlaw QB Joe Flacco: 20/27, 247 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   NEW ORLEANS 38  DALLAS 31 Dallas put a major scare into the Breakers, picking off Drew Brees 3 times and taking a 31-17 lead after 3 quarters, but a 21-0 explosion in the fourth helped New Orleans capture a playoff spot and improve to 10-4. Drew Brees hit Coby Fleener and Jordy Nelson with back-to-back scores over a span of only 2 minutes, helped by a Freeman pick, and C. J. Spiller got the game winner on a 3-yard run at the 2-minute warning to help the Breakers take out the very feisty Roughnecks. POTG:  Breaker TE Coby Fleener: 6 Rec, 172 Yds, 1 TD   ST. LOUIS 5   CHARLOTTE 16 Charlotte’s D came up big against the Skyhawks, as the offense played without Mitch Trubisky. Tyler Thigpen went 20 of 29 and threw the game’s only TD, but it was a struggle for the Monarch offense, which only rushed the ball for 75 total yards against a stacked front 8 for the Skyhawks. St. Louis could not get Eddie Lacy rolling, and that limited Lamar Jackson’s effectiveness all game long as St. Louis converted only 2 of 15 third downs, with 12 of them 8 yards or longer to gain. POTG:  Charlotte DE Anthony Zettel: 5 Tck, 1 Sck   SAN DIEGO 16  PORTLAND 14 The Thunder win a huge Pacific showdown, setting up another next week with Seattle. Christian Ponder survived 2 picks on a day when Ryan Williams was limited to only 43 yards rushing. The key was a second half that saw San Diego put up 3 field goals while Portland never crossed midfield. The Stags finished with more yardage, fewer penalties, fewer turnovers, and more time of possession, but the most important number, the one on the scoreboard, was not in their favor as they dropped to 7-7. POTG:  San Diego LB Myles Jack: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   WASHINGTON 27   PHILADELPHIA 30  OVERTIME The Feds take a major blow to their playoff hopes, dropping to 7-7 as Philadelphia scores the final 17 points in regulation and takes the W in overtime. The Washington D just wilted down the stretch as a 27-10 lead faded away with Randall Cobb and Zac Stacy putting up 4th quarter touchdowns. An onside kick and a 41-yard field goal by Mike Nugent sent the game to overtime and Nugent added a 36-yarder for the Philly win. Despite the win, Philadelphia, at 6-8 is still eliminated this week from playoff contention. POTG:  Stars’ QB Matt Gutierrez: 30/48, 373 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int   ATLANTA 14   TAMPA BAY 10 The Fire avoid the trap game in Tampa Bay and stay even with Charlotte, setting up a huge SE Division showdown this week between the two division co-leaders. Tampa Bay led 10-7 at the half, but a 3rd quarter Murray to Vance McDonald toss gave Atlanta the lead and they held Dak Prescott at bay in the second half to take the win and put themselves in position to take the division. POTG:  Fire DE Mario Edwards: 1 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   OAKLAND 23  LOS ANGELES 19 The Express showed up for this longstanding rivalry game, lost Sam Bradford early to a nasty injury, and had a shot late, but Brock Osweiler, in his first action since being traded from Ohio, missed on a 4th and 11 throw in the waning seconds of the game. Oakland survives, but has to be concerned as the Express gave them a serious run. Jimmy Garoppolo threw 2 picks and Christian McCaffrey was held to only 17 yards rushing by an Express D that had upset on their minds. POTG:  LA CB Stephon Gilmore: 6 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   LAS VEGAS 7   CHICAGO 21 Chicago stays alive and sets up a huge game with the Panthers this week by shutting down Eli Manning and Montario Hardesty. Down 7-3 at the half, Chicago held Las Vegas scoreless in the second half, while getting TDs from both TE Tyler Eifert and HB Jeremy Hill to secure their 7th win and stay in the Wild Card hunt in the West. POTG:  Chicago DT Kedric Gholston: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 FR   ARIZONA 25  MICHIGAN 24 A good game from both teams, but Arizona edges the Panthers, locking up the Pacific Division with a late field goal and sending the Panthers to 7-7 and a showdown with Chicago this week that could lead to the defending league champions missing out on the playoffs. Ryan Nassib was held in check by the Michigan D, with only 1 TD on the day, but Arizona had enough to put the final 13 points on the board and steal the road win from a game Panther team. POTG:  Wrangler CB Mike Morales: 7 Tck, 1 Int   LA Loses Bradford for 4 Months, For What? It was an ugly injury late in the 1st quarter, and the result was that QB Sam Bradford will be in a cast for at least 2 months, with significant rehab to follow. Not what any team wants to see for their starter, but with LA sitting at 4-9 and well outside the playoff hunt, the injury seems all the more meaningless. Sure, there was little chance that the Express were going to pull Bradford and have Brock Osweiler or Brody Croyle start the season’s final games, but now they have no option after Bradford went to the sideline (and the hospital) with a compound fracture of his throwing arm and wrist. The x-rays revealed 3 separate fractures, one each to the radius and ulna, and a third in the wrist itself.   It was a nasty injury that saw Bradford’s arm hit the turf awkwardly and the hand bend back unnaturally, essentially folding all the way back to the arm. Bradford was rushed into the locker room and then off to the hospital. Osweiler warmed up, and LA fans once again wondered if their club was somehow cursed, another lost season, and now their QB likely unable to participate in offseason training, possibly choosing to retire at only 30 years old, depending on the recovery process. It is an ugly end to an ugly season in LA, one of many over the club’s snakebitten history. McGloin Spurs Dragons, Will Start Rest of the Way With Jacoby Brissett now set to come off the injury list for the first time in nearly 3 months, and with backup Matt McGloin sitting at a 98.0 QB rating, with 24 TDs on the season, you knew a decision would have to be announced. Few were surprised to learn that McGloin, who has led Seattle to an 8-4 record in his 12 starts, was named the starter the rest of the way. McGloin had a nice game this week against the Ohio Glory, our game of the week and a nice road upset of a very good Glory squad.   The Dragons have now won 5 in a row and 8 of their last 9 to become real playoff contenders, and McGloin has built a real rapport with his receivers, especially 11-year vet Mike Wallace, who has 3 touchdowns in the past 2 games, Former Philadelphia Star Marshall Newhouse has also found a rhythm with McGloin, with 12 touchdowns in McGloin’s 12 starts. So, it is not a surprise that Coach Riley is sticking with the hot hand. With Seattle seeming ready to pull off the astounding 0-5 to playoff run for a second year in a row, with a 2nd QB at the helm, now is not the time to muck about with a formula that is clearly producing results. Panthers Drop 3rd in a Row as Ohio Locks Up Playoff Berth Michigan has dropped their last 3 games, at St. Louis, at Ohio, and home to Arizona, in a streak that could cost them any chance to repeat as champions. In fact, a 4th loss, either home this week to fellow 7-7 Central Division rival Chicago, or in the season finale at Seattle, could very well mean that the defending champs are not going to be playoff bound. It certainly is not the first time such a post-title flop has occurred in the USFL, but in most cases we see a huge exodus of talent, or a wave of retirements altering the roster of the champs ahead of the next year. Michigan was about as stable in the offseason as a team can expect, and yet, their 2019 results are a far cry from what we saw in 2017, when the Panthers roared to a 12-4 record and a league title. The season started well enough for the Panthers as they went 4-1 out of the gate, but over the second half of the season they have won only 2 games, going 2-4 so far, with 2 games left. They now need to win out in those two games, and get some help, just to qualify for a Wild Card as they sit 2 games behind the Ohio Glory in a division they dominated last year. Even with few major shifts in the offseason, Michigan is showing us how tough it is to repeat as champion, when everyone has their eyes on you and the fire may just not be stoked quite as high. MJD & Generals Top Maulers, Setting Up 3-Team Race for Division With a win this week, the Maulers would have essentially wrapped up the division, 2 games up on the Feds and 2.5 up on the Generals, but it was not to be as Maurice Jones-Drew and the Generals would not give up on their quest for a division title. With a 163-yard rushing performance, spread over 31 carries, Jones-Drew almost single-handedly pulled Pittsburgh back to the pack. By the end of the 1st quarter alone, MJD’s two touchdown runs, including a beauty of a 39-yard pitch, juke, and sprint to the endzone, had given New Jersey a 14-3 advantage. It would turn to 27-3 before the Maulers put up their next (and final) points of the day.   While we certainly should recognize the efforts of the New Jersey defense in holding Pittsburgh to only 10 points, and getting the Maulers to commit 11 penalties, 8 of them on offense, we have to give the accolades this week to MJD. Not only did he put those early scores on the board, but of New Jersey’s 15 first downs, 11 came via the run. MJD was also a huge reason why New Jersey finished the game with over 37 minutes of possession, simply reducing the number of drives Pittsburgh could put together. It was a huge win for the Generals, who now sit at 7-6-1, just ½ game behind the 8-6 Maulers. It also helped Washington, who sit at 7-7 stay in the hunt as well.   Fire, Monarchs, Thunder & Dragons In Huge Week 15 Showdowns There are always big games in the final weeks of a season, but this year Week 15 may be giving us two of the best of the year. We have two games that could well decide the playoff lives of all 4 teams, with Seattle facing off against the Thunder in San Diego, both at 8-6 and both hoping to lock in a surprising Wild Card after rough starts. Meanwhile in the Southeast, we have the Monarchs and the Fire both sitting at 9-5, sharing first place. The winner of their showdown at Mercedes Benz Stadium will lock up the SE Division and could well be in line for a bye. But here is the kicker, with a loss, either the Monarchs or the Fire could be forced into a must-win scenario in Week 16, with 3 NE Division teams possibly in position to surpass them for the final Wild Card spot (teams from the South having locked down the other two). So, while there is great motivation for the Fire and Monarchs to win this weekend, the motivation not to lose is equally powerful.   The Vegas bookmakers have both home teams as slight favorites, with San Diego a 2-point favorite over Seattle, while Atlanta, who have won 5 in a row, are a 3-point home favorite over a Monarchs squad that has been up and down the past few weeks, losing to both Pittsburgh and Jacksonville while defeating Tampa Bay and St. Louis. Back on the West Coast, we have a Seattle squad that has now won 5 straight facing off against a San Diego team with an equally impressive run, winning 6 of their last 7, with a tough 13-7 loss at Pittsburgh their only blemish. So, it will be Trubisky v. Murray, McGloin v. Ponder in two of the biggest games of the year next week. Time to set up that TiVo, or just get out to the sports bar to catch these games. Six teams are now locked into a playoff spot, with Arizona earning the SW Division Crown this week (their 4th in a row) and Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, Oakland, and Ohio guaranteed at least a Wild Card. The final two weeks of the year will determine who wins the remaining 5 divisions, with this week’s Charlotte-Atlanta game likely to bring us a champion in the Southeast. Pittsburgh can also wrap up the division with a win and losses by both the Generals and Federals. Ohio captures the Central with a win, as Michigan and Chicago fight this week to hold 2nd place and hope for 2 consecutive Glory losses. In the Pacific, a win by Oakland locks up the division for them, while Seattle and San Diego will battle for 2nd place, also hoping the Invaders drop their last two to give them a potential shot at the Division crown. Finally, Houston, New Orleans, and Memphis may go down to the wire, however, if the Gamblers win this week, and both the Showboats and Breakers go down to defeat, they would also clinch their division in Week 15. As we outlined above, the Wild Card race is a mess, with all sorts of permutations and combinations, though we expect that this week’s games may well produce at least a few locks. The winner of Seattle and San Diego’s game could well lock up a a spot, while the loser of the Chicago & Michigan game could well be out of the running. Speaking of out of the running, this week we saw St. Louis, Las Vegas, Orlando, Philadelphia, and Birmingham all lose out on a chance to stay alive. Each of these clubs is now eliminated bringing the total to 10 of the league’s 28 teams, with 6 more to come over the next two grueling weeks.   The injury to QB Sam Bradford was certainly the worst of the week’s new listings, but it was hardly the only one. Several teams in the playoff hunt could well be without key players this week, including Charlotte, who goes into the big game with Atlanta without one of Mitch Trubisky’s favorite targets, WR Haekeem Nicks, who will miss the entire postseason after suffering a hip fracture. Less severe, but possibly enough to keep them out of the final two weeks of the regular season are Marshawn Lynch’s shoulder, a pinched nerve for New Jersey LB Matt Milano, and back issues for Atlanta DT Sione Pouha.   We are also keeping an eye on both QB David Garrard and WR Keenan Allen of Washington, as both are listed as questionable with concussions. The Feds cannot afford to be without those two for this week’s big game, one that could either keep them alive or send them packing in their quest for a playoff spot. The same attention will be given to LB A. J. Hawk in San Diego, as the Thunder face a huge test against Seattle this week.   OUT QB         Sam Bradford             LA          Broken Wrist/Arm        IR WR       Hakeem Nicks                 CHA      Broken Hip                   IR G         Mitch Morse              LA          Neck                             1-2 Weeks DE     Connor Barwin               DAL       Pinched Nerve                 1-2 Weeks HB           Marshawn Lynch            OKL       Shoulder                       1-2 Weeks LB         Matt Milano                   NJ           Pinched Nerve                 1-2 Weeks DT      Sione Pouha               ATL         Back                                1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB        Keenan Clayton        OAK      Concussion   QUESTIONABLE QB          David Garrard           WSH     Concussion WR       Keenan Allen                WSH     Concussion QB        Russell Wilson                 ORL       Pinched Nerve CB         Patrick Peterson             DAL       Neck LB         A. J. Hawk                    SD          Concussion     2018 MVPs for All 28 Teams As we enter the final weeks of the season, we recognize that even on teams whose seasons have been major letdowns, there are still players doing their best, lifting up others, and getting their job done. So, we decided that rather than focusing only on the teams at the top of the standings, and their star players, we would look at all 28 USFL franchises and pick one player who has stood out, outperformed expectations, or lifted up the team when they needed it. This is our look at each club’s MVP for the season. Feel free to disagree, but we feel pretty good about these picks.   ARIZONA:    QB Ryan Nassib No doubt about it. When Carr went down we all thought Arizona was done, but instead we have the very likely QB Ratings champ for 2018 stepping up and stunning us all, paving the way for free agency insanity as he looks to get a starting gig somewhere.   ATLANTA:               QB Aaron Murray In his second year as the starter, back home in Georgia where he played his college ball, Murray has surprised us all with his growth. His QB Rating is up nearly 10 points, now sitting at an All-USFL level at 98.6. He has 23 touchdowns, nearly 3,300 yards, and has helped put Atlanta in a position to possibly win the division this week.   BALTIMORE:        DE Olivier Vernon With all the offensive stars for the Blitz having down years simultaneously, we turned to the team’s defense, itself not having the best year, but in Vernon we see a player who has not given up. With nearly 40 tackles and 12 sacks on the year, Vernon has been consistent across the season. It has not been enough for the Blitz D to escape mediocrity, but not for a lack of trying.   BIRMINGHAM:   CB Antonio Cromartie It is generally not a good sign if a corner is your team’s leading tackler, but in the case of Cromartie, that is as much about his willingness to play the run as his quality as a pass defender. With 17 passes defended, 2 picks and a single defensive TD, Cromartie’s numbers may not stand out, but when we add in the 88 tackles he has as of this week, you can see his value to the team.   CHARLOTTE:       LB Rolando McClain There are many on the Charlotte defense who have played above their pay grade this year, but the clear leader, captain, and focal point of the defense remains LB Rolando McClain. With 100 tackles and contributions in both pass rush and coverage, McClain’s versatility has been the key to the Monarch D all season.   CHICAGO:           HB Jeremy Hill He needs nearly 300 yards o reach 1,000 for the year, but even without reaching that milestone it is clear that Hill’s presence as a balance to Matt Forte, or simply as a replacement when Forte was hurt, has been huge for the Machine. Add to that the fact that Hill has clearly become the preferred goal-line back for Chicago and you can see why we picked him.   DALLAS:                 LB Brandon Spikes With the 28th ranked offense, and the season starter at QB on season-ending suspension, you kind of had to think we would pick a defender. That may seem odd for the Roughnecks, but the Dallas D is ranked 9th in yards allowed, and a big reason for that is the play of Spikes, who leads the club with 93 tackles, and has10 for a loss, along with 2 picks for a defense that is not particularly good at taking away the ball.   DENVER:               QB Matt Leinart In his swan song season, Matt Leinart saved some of his best for last. He is set to finish the year with more than 3,500 yards passing, and will almost certainly top 24 touchdowns with fewer than 8 picks, a 3:1 ratio that every QB likes to see. With Josh Allen on the bench, the clear successor already in house, Leinart has kept the Wyoming product from the field by guiding the Gold offense to one of its best years in recent memory.   HOUSTON:           WR Mike Evans There are a lot of potential candidates from the Gamblers, but leading the league in receiving yards, likely to cross 1,700 on the season, and in receiving touchdowns, we had to pick Evans, who has just been indefensible this year. Yes, McCoy gets credit too, but if you watch Evans’s highlight reel, you also see how often he simply outmuscles the defender for the ball, and that is all him.   JACKSONVILLE:   LB Sean Lee No matter the team’s record, you know what you are going to get from Lee, pure effort and an endless motor. Lee could finish the season as the league’s leading tackler. He is already over 100 on the year. And, yes, that is often the sign of a defense with issues, but it does not take away from the quality we see from the Bulls’ MLB each and every week.   LAS VEGAS:          WR Denarius Moore We looked up and down the Las Vegas roster, seeking out a player who stood out, and quite frankly, we did not see much. Moore at least has numbers that look like a team leader’s, creeping up on 100 catches and likely to surpass 1,200 yards. He may not make the final league leaderboard with those totals, though he could, but on a pretty lackluster Las Vegas stat board his numbers certainly pop.   LOS ANGELES:  LB Clay Matthews Express fans are going to hate this pick, because it is very clear that Matthews is headed out the door as soon as this long and painful season is over for LA. But, while it might anger them that their best player does not want to be there, even jaded LA fans have to admit that this season Matthews has been the best player on the field for the Express.   MEMPHIS:             HB Todd Gurley There are a lot of reasons for Memphis’s unexpected success this year. The defense has been much better. Paxton Lynch is making better decisions. But the biggest shift is the reliability of the run game and of Gurley in particular. He is on pace for 1,100, maybe 1,200 yards, could hit 10 TDs on the ground, and he has also contributed to the passing game with over 20 receptions this year. All good for a Memphis team that is one of the season’s great stories.   MICHIGAN:          HB LeVeon Bell Across the board the Panthers have not played as well this year as in last year’s championship run, but the one consistent remains Bell. He could well cross 1,600 yards this season, averaging more than 100 per game, and he is doing it with fewer touches per game than in the past. The Panthers are not wearing him down, and the impact of that is that he has stayed strong, productive, and dangerous all season long.   NEW JERSEY:       HB Maurice Jones-Drew This one is a no-brainer. With nearly 1,300 yards and leading the league in rushing TDs, MJD has been the undeniable focal point of the team’s offense. While the D, which is quite good, is more of a team effort, the offense has been all about Pocket Hercules.   NEW ORLEANS:  QB Drew Brees Another swan song season, another QB going out in style as Drew Brees is on pace for what could be his 3rd MVP award. He will easily cross 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, and if New Orleans can hold on to win the Southern Division, we think the Old Man at the helm of the Breaker offense is very likely getting that 3rd MVP trophy, and deservedly so.   OAKLAND:           LB Bobby Wagner We love the Oakland D, ranging from Michael Bennett’s pass rush to Chris Gamble’s 7 picks, but the star of the show remains Wagner. The LB is having another stellar season, on path for 100 tackles, but also potentially 10 sacks as well. He is a wrecking ball for offensive game plans and a huge reason Oakland could reassert themselves as Pacific Division champs.   OHIO:                     HB Isaiah Pead We expect many of you thought Hackenberg in this spot, but when you look at the Glory season, where we saw Hackenberg, Osweiler, and Troy Smith all get starts, it has been Pead’s consistent presence that has helped keep the team moving forward and on the cusp of dethroning the Panthers to win their first division in a decade.   OKLAHOMA:      QB Joe Flacco The plan going into the season was for the Outlaws to lean on Marshawn Lynch. But when the smashmouth strategy proved too easy to defend and too ineffective to produce W’s, it was back to Flacco for the save, and he very well could still save the Outlaw season and get Oklahoma to the postseason.   ORLANDO:           WR Brashad Perriman The season has not gone as planned for the Renegades. The defense has slipped, the run game has not materialized, and the team is likely done when it comes to competing for a playoff spot, but the one bright spot has been the emergence of Perriman, who could reach 100 catches and 1,600 yards by the end of this campaign.   PHILADELPHIA:  LB Kirk Morrison The offense has been erratic, the defense often absent, but there is one man on the field each week who is clearly not giving up for the Stars. Morrison could finish with 130 tackles or more on the year, has 4 forced fumbles, and is just about the one thing that Stars fans can count on in a season that has not at all gone as planned . PITTSBURGH:     DE Dwight Freeney When the Maulers last competed for a division title it was the passing game that blew folks away. This season it is the Mauler D that is doing most of the heavy lifting, and with his 15 sacks and 57 tackles, Dwight Freeney is the biggest star on that defense (with all due respect to Aaron Donald, who we also considered for a long time.)   PORTLAND:         WR Brandon Cooks Cooks is almost certain to lead the league in receptions, with over 175 targets already, and with those targets come catches, yards, and touchdowns, though not as many as Stag fans wish for. A lot has gone right for the Stags this year, but Cooks’s growth has to be the biggest improvement for the 2018 club.   SAN DIEGO:        WR Marques Colston The Thunder knew what they were getting when they made the deal to bring Colston to San Diego. He has been among the best receivers in the league for nearly his entire career, and 2018 did not disappoint. Colston won’t reach 100 catches, but he should reach 1,600 yards, and could have 10 or more touchdowns for a Thunder team still very much in the playoff hunt.   SEATTLE:               QB Matt McGloin Just like Nassib in Arizona, McGloin’s rise to the top of the QB ratings and stat leader board was not at all what fans expected when Jacoby Brissett went down. So now the Dragons have a QB controversy, though they are clearly sticking with the hot hand of McGloin the rest of the way this year.   ST. LOUIS:             QB Lamar Jackson Ask any Skyhawk fan what has given them hope for the future and they will unanimously point to the start that Lamar Jackson has had after getting the starting gig in midseason. Sure, he is not winning every week, but even in losses we can see the potential. Now the Skyhawks just need to build around him.   TAMPA BAY:          QB Dak Prescott Say what you want about the 2-win Bandits, but don’t blame it on their QB. Dak Prescott has been better than anticipated all season long, with a shot at 30 TDs on the year, and very likely 4,000 yards. There are a lot of issues in Tampa Bay, but even the most forlorn Bandit fans have to believe they have their QB in hand.   WASHINGTON:  WR Keenan Allen We have talked about David Garrard as the key to the Feds all season long, but we should not ignore his number one target. Allen has been the one truly consistent target for Garrard, could see 100 catches this year, and is one of the best in the game at escaping the initial coverage.   Five Unsung Heroes of the 2018 Season We have looked at the biggest stars, the MVPs of each team, but every season there are players who have a big impact on their teams but may not get the recognition they deserve. We have found five of these unsung heroes, each contributing in a big way but perhaps not getting the accolades they deserve.   Orlando LB Sean Spence We talk a lot about Calais Campbell when we discuss the Renegade defense, and understandably so, but no man can do it all on his own, and this year, while Campbell has continued to put up stellar numbers, we also want to recognize another member of Orlando’s defense. Spence, in his 6th year after being selected out of “The U” in the 2012 Territorial Draft, is having his best season as a pro. Spence has been starting in the Renegade’s 3-4 alignment since 2014, but his 2018 numbers are a big step up from prior years. He actually leads Campbell with nearly 100 tackles this year (Campbell has been the team’s tackle leader for several years now). He also has 12 TFL and 2 picks this season. Spence has been contributing in both pass coverage and as a run-stuffer for a defense that needs more around Campbell to return to elite status.   San Diego DE Jonathan Newsome If you ask most fans to name the best pass rushers in the USFL right now, they would quickly cite Calais Campbell, follow that with Von Miller and then maybe fish around for Dwight Freeney, Cliff Avril, or maybe Mario Williams. Few would name Thunder DE Jonathan Newsom, but Newsome is right there with Miller after 14 weeks, and could well end up as the third best sack master of the season. And here is the thing. This should not be a surprise. After 3 seasons with only 3-4 starts and minimal big impact plays, Newsome took over the LE job full time in 2017, finished the year with 12 sacks, and showed real promise. This year that promise has turned to production. We think Newsome could finish with as many as 15-17 sacks, and that is not a number to sneeze at, so maybe we should start to talk him up a bit more.   Memphis CB Marcus Williams Another defender who just is not getting much love or attention. Marcus is not even the most famous Williams on his own defense, with DE Mario Williams playing very well and LB Jason Williams coming on in his first year as a starter for Coach Ryan.  But it is unheralded Marcus Williams who is actually having the best year. He has been with the ‘Boats since being drafted in the 6th round in 2014, got his first starts in 2016, took on the full time starter role last year, but had a total of 3 career picks before this season. With 3 weeks left in 2018 he has 9 picks, and could set a new USFL record with just 2 more in the next 3 weeks. That is worthy of some attention.   Tampa Bay HB Dalvin Cook Cook was a highly touted rookie when he came out of FSU last season. Miami locked onto him in the T-Draft and signed him to a nice 4-year deal. His rookie season, as so many are, was more potential than production, but this year, despite the many issues in Tampa Bay, Cook has come on in a big way. He is on pace for a 1,200, maybe a 1,300 yard season after gaining only 595 in 2017. Add to that 5 touchdowns and a nice presence in the passing game and we think that no matter the fallout in Tampa Bay after a truly nightmarish 2018 campaign, Cook will be one of the players the club is built around for the future.   Denver WR Golden Tate Since coming over from Chicago in 2012, Golden Tate has been an outstanding member of the Gold. He had his first 1,000-yard season in 2014, has now had 3 in a row, and has been one of Matt Leinart’s most trusted targets. He does not put up a lot of big splash plays, but on 3rd down you want him on the field. This year looks like it will be his best yet, with a shot at 100 catches being very realistic, and already over his highest yardage total ever. Tate may have to adjust as a new QB comes under center next year, but we think that he will continue to be a trusted weapon for the Gold, one we should talk about more as one of the best possession men in the game. Miami Hopes for Hoping for Fantastic Four in Florida We have spoken about the upstart bid from Hartford, the two Midwestern cities vying for USFL expansion, and the two competing Boston groups hoping the 3rd time is the charm in Beantown, but there is one more bid on the table. In some ways it may be the longest of longshots, but in others it could well make sense. Miami, Florida is a city that really was put on the map by football. What was once a sleepy retirement community, became the place to be largely due to the rise of the Miami Dolphins in the early Super Bowl years of the NFL. Soon after came Miami Beach as a hotspot for youth, Miami Vice, and then just a blur of pastel and rum. Schnellenberger found himself up I-95 from Miami when the 1987 expansion team landed in Orlando. So, why has the USFL not landed there? They almost did, as far back as 1987. The original plan for the Orlando Renegades was for them to call the Orange Bowl home and for former University of Miami Coach Howard Schellenberger to bring spring-summer football to a city most famous for humidity and blazing sun in the summer. But the stadium lease fell through, the ownership shifted during the onboarding process and the USFL found itself with a club just up the highway in Orlando, rather than in direct competition with the NFL Dolphins.   That could end in 2020, when the USFL expands to 30 teams. A group called simply Miami USFL has pitched the idea of a Miami franchise once again. It won’t be the Orange Bowl this time, but a shared agreement with the NFL Dolphins to use Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Dolphins has given Miamians a shot at a USFL club. The group is headed by a well-known figure in the Miami sports scene, Carnival Cruise CEO & President Micky Arison, who also owns the NBA Heat. The son of Carnival’s founder, Arison is a fixture in Miami and a big money player, one of the 10 richest Miamians according to a recent Tribune article.   Arison, like many of the investment and expansion bid groups, also brought in some local celebrities and football connections, with former Dolphin head coach and current FOX NFL announcer, Jimmy Johnson, along with former U. of Miami, NFL and USFL QB Vinny Testaverde, and former All-USFL tight end Greg Olsen (now also in broadcasting). The bid has star power, local ties, and plenty of financial backing, but none of that may be able to overcome the one big issue that everyone sees. Location.   While an argument can be made that playing football in an outdoor venue like Miami in May, June, and July is a very unwelcome prospect (just ask Arizona fans who remember the days before the dome). Even early season Dolphin games can be played in an oven, one often producing significant complaints from visiting teams. But it is not the heat (or even the humidity) which produces the biggest challenge to a Miami club. It is the proximity to 3 other already existing and already very territorial Florida USFL clubs.   Just look at the regular battles about the T-Draft between Orlando, Tampa Bay, and Jacksonville and you can see that there will be no positive words coming out of any of those camps for sharing the state of Florida with a 4th team. Orlando certainly does not want to give up “The U” as a protected school, or battle with both Tampa Bay and Miami for season ticket holders. Both the Renegades and Bandits boast pretty sizeable Miami fan groups and provide regular bus outings from Miami to games at Camping World or Raymond James Stadium. They would certainly oppose a new club in Florida.   What may be even more interesting is that you might also expect both non-Florida teams in the Southeast Division to also oppose a fourth Florida franchise. Neither Carolina or Atlanta wants to be the club that would have to shift to the Southern Division to make room for Miami in the SE, the most natural placement for an expansion club in South Florida. Equally, neither club wants to be the one left behind in the SE Division with 4 Florida clubs. With the Atlanta-Charlotte rivalry becoming one of the SE Division’s best, neither club wants to split up a good 1-2 combo.   So, while Miami may well have a deal for a stadium and significant funding, it may well still be an outside contender with a pretty solid block of USFL teams ready to vote no on the Miami bid. That is a tough place to start, but Miami USFL says they know the challenge and they are up for it. We will see this Fall how that pans out. With 5 other bids known at this time (we are still wondering if Salt Lake or Indianapolis will jump in at the last minute) the competition will be tough, but we have been surprised before by league votes, so there is hope.  It is all about divisional matchups and playoff position in Week 15, and who would expect anything else?  We kick it off on Friday, where Pittsburgh can take one more step closer to a division title by knocking off the Baltimore Blitz on NBC Friday Night Lights. Then at 8pm ET we have a massive game in the suddenly strong Pacific Division as Seattle and San Diego go head to head with 2nd place and a very likely Wild Card berth in the offing.   On Saturday it is Birmingham hoping to play spoiler against New Orleans after already knocking both Houston and Memphis down a notch with upsets. The night games are also huge, with a Week 15 clash between the Monarchs and Atlanta all but guaranteeing the division to the winner. Chicago is also in Michigan, where the surprising Machine can still leapfrog the Panthers and possibly send the defending league champions down to a humiliating playoff elimination.   Sunday’s big games start with Philadelphia hoping to spoil things for their rivals from New Jersey. The Stars are not headed to the post-season, but they can make sure New Jersey’s season ends in Week 16 as well. Then at 4pm the 7-7 Stags need to pull of the upset in Oakland to have any hope at a Wild Card. Can they upend the Pacific champs? Finally, a big game for the Outlaws, as they too need a win to stay alive in the Wild Card hunt, but they face the Wranglers, who want to lock up that 1-seed and home field advantage, so don’t expect any let up from Arizona in this one. (Divisional Games in BOLD )   Friday @ 6pm ET             Baltimore (4-10) @ Pittsburgh (8-6)                NBC Friday @ 8pm ET             Seattle (8-6) @ San Diego (8-6)                       FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET     Los Angeles (3-11) @ Washington (7-7)         ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET     Birmingham (6-8) @ New Orleans (10-4)         FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         Memphis (10-4) @ Dallas (3-11)                     ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Denver (7-7) @ St. Louis (5-9)                     FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET       Charlotte (9-5) @ Atlanta (9-5)                     NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       Chicago (7-7) @ Michigan (7-7)                     ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        Tampa Bay (2-12) @ Jacksonville (4-10)       ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET      Ohio (9-5) @ Orlando (6-8)                    ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        Philadelphia (6-8) @ New Jersey (7-6-1)      FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET           Portland (7-7) @ Oakland (10-4)                       ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET         Las Vegas (5-9) @ Houston (11-3)                  FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET           Oklahoma (7-7) @ Arizona (7-7)                      ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Maurice Jones-Drew beats out McGloin and Flacco, who both had strong weeks, with his 163-yard, 2 TD effort to boost New Jersey's playoff hopes and even still a chance to win the division. New Jersey now trails Pittsburgh by only 1/2 game, so this NE Division is nowhere near done, and MJD is a big reason the Generals are still very much alive. PLAYOFF PICTURE: It took 14 weeks to break the logjam, but once it broke the playoff spots started dropping fast. In just this one week 6 teams have now locked down a playoff berth, with Arizona going one step better, securing the SW Division title. None of the other 5 clubs who are now guaranteed a playoff spot, Houston, Oakland, New Orleans, Memphis, or Charlotte have done that, and may not until the season's final week. Meanwhile, we also have a wave of teams officially eliminated, with Orlando, Philadelphia, Birmingham, St. Louis and Las Vegas joining the 10+ loss teams as official also-rans in 2018.

A wild week with more than its fair share of upsets as we saw all 3 10-loss teams find victory against favored opponents. Jacksonville stunned the SE Division-leading Monarchs, Tampa Bay outlasted Orlando in a Florida Derby game at Raymond James, and the LA Express went into Chicago and thrashed the playoff-hopeful Machine. Add to this Denver upending the Showboats, Las Vegas stunning the Breakers thanks to former Breaker Eli Manning’s return, and Portland stumping the Maulers in Pittsburgh, and you have a weekend that defies logic and quite simply complicates the playoff race all across the league. We will break down all the games, talk about the playoff implications and then finish off with the recently announced Hall of Fame class of 2018. All coming up This Week in the USFL.   Upsets Make Week 13 A Horror Show for Playoff Hopefuls We already set it up, Week 13 was a week of upsets, with all three 10-loss teams earning victories, along with upsets of the Maulers, Showboats, and Breakers. It was a week that proves the adage about “any given Sunday” but also one that tightened the playoff race in both conferences. Charlotte, which had hoped to potentially expand their lead over Atlanta, fell to the lowly Jacksonville Bulls, and a stunningly good day from Teddy Bridgewater, and now finds themselves tied with the Fire atop the SE Division, a situation they had earnestly hoped to avoid. Both Memphis and New Orleans now fall a game behind Houston. While the Gamblers were taking care of business in Philadelphia, the Breakers watched as Eli Manning returned to action and stunned even the home fans in Las Vegas with a 4-TD performance. Meanwhile, Denver was showing that they were not yet dead in the playoff hunt, outpacing the Showboats and putting up the final 13 points of the game to jump past the ‘Boats and move to 7-6.   Add to this Tampa Bay stunning Orlando, quite possibly removing their playoff chance, and Los Angeles doing the same to Chicago, with both teams dropping to 6-7 after the surprising losses, and you have a weekend for the underdogs. At a time of year when we often start talking about teams playing out the string, players turning to their own personal numbers to try to justify new contracts, and veterans taking a seat on the bench so rookies can see some action, these five underdogs came out swinging, showed some moxie, and took it to their favored opponents. It is not logical at all, but it is football, and in football you never know what will motivate a team, what some good turns can lead to, or what can happen any given Sunday (Saturday, or even Friday night.) We don’t know if the Gold will make it to the postseason, or what changes are on the way in Tampa, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, or LA, but what everyone now knows is that they cannot look at the schedule and assume that they have a win in hand. If you underestimate a foe, take them lightly, or assume they won’t show up ready to battle, you do so at great risk to your own goals. Something to look out for as we get ready for Week 14.   MICHIGAN PANTHERS 14   OHIO GLORY 15 We knew this would be a close one, we just knew it. The Central Division on the line, Ohio hoping to make a statement, Michigan hoping to regain the upper hand. This was born to be a classic, and while it was not exactly a shootout, the intensity was there in this game, a true slobberknocker of a clash between two teams and two fanbases that just love to hate each other.   It was a game that saw two lead changes in the final 1:09 of regulation, a slow build up to a frantic finish as the Panthers and Glory just kept grinding it out until both defenses had little left in tank, and, all in front of the largest crowd at Ohio Stadium since the 2003 USFL season, nearly 61,000 on hand, including a pretty sizeable contingent of fans in plum, sky, and champagne to make things interesting.   The game actually started off pretty quickly, with Ohio taking the opening kickoff after Michigan won the toss and deferred. They went on a 14-play drive, taking the ball from their own 27 yard line all the way to the Michigan 1. There they faced a 3rd and goal, and they put the ball into the hands of trusted inside back Isaiah Pead, but Michigan was ready, LBs Odell Thurman and Sean Porter both crashed the center of the line, Pead was turned away, and Coach Coughlin decided that a sure 3 points was better than the risk of coming away empty.   That field goal stood as the only score of the game well into the 2nd quarter. Both defenses tightened up, with Michigan getting no closer than the Ohio 47 on its first 4 possessions. Ohio also struggled after their initial drive, with Michigan holding Pead to only 2.5 yards per carry on the day, and only 21 total rushing yards in the half. LeVeon Bell struggled at first for the Panthers, but as the game progressed, his carries became more and more fruitful. On Michigan’s 5th possession, midway through the 2nd quarter he had his first big gainer, a 17-yard play that saw him spin off the initial tackler and carry safety Tyran Matthieu a good 4 yards before going down. That play, along with a very nice toss from Cousins to Cody Latimer on a 3rd and 8, got Michigan into scoring position, and once their they did not miss their chance, pushing the ball down to the Ohio 4-yard line and using backup Mike Hart as the battering ram, gaining 3 yards on his first red zone carry and hitting paydirt with his second. It would be 7-3 at the half, and both defenses were locked down for another hard-fought 30 minutes of action.   The third quarter produced more defensive magic as only 1 drive produced points, another 3-pointer from Ohio kicker Robbie Gould. Along the way Michigan got the only turnover of the game, a tight throw by Hackenberg that was essentially wrestled out of Mario Manningham’s grasp by safety Tarvarious Moore. It would be Moore’s final play of the game as in the melee that ensued he injured his back, but it gave Michigan the ball at the Ohio 44. But, just one play later, the Glory got a break when Michigan receiver Calvin Ridley muffed a bubble screen throw. The ball rolled out of bounds and was ruled a lateral, so it went from 1st and 10 to 2nd and 14. Michigan never recovered and Ohio got the ball back 3 plays later.   Down 7-6 after 3 quarters, Ohio needed a spark, and they got it on a drive that began with 1:02 left in the 3rd. The spark came in the form of the longest pass play of the game, a 45-yard catch and run by Glory wideout Curtis Samuel, who took a 7-yard hook, spun away from the corner and raced away from the safety before being forced out of bounds. That big play did not produce a touchdown, however, but with a third Gould field goal, Ohio took the lead with about 12 minutes left to play.   The lead would hold for nearly 11 minutes, but it would eventually give way to a Michigan touchdown. Kirk Cousins, having escaped a sack on 3rd and 5, only to scramble for the first down, led the Panthers into Ohio territory, and with the help of a defensive holding call, Ohio’s 3rd penalty (to 11 for the Panthers), Michigan lined up at the Ohio 11. After 2 LeVeon Bell runs got the Panthers to the 3, on 3rd and 2, Cousins found reliable TE Rob Housler for the score, a pure post-up move on the linebacker that got Housler a huge blow to the back, but not enough to shake the ball loose. Michigan was up 14-9 with only 1:09 left to play.   This was the time for Christian Hackenberg to make a name for himself, to win over the Ohio fans, and to prove that he was ready to lead the Glory back to Glory as a playoff contender. Hackenberg, who had already thrown 41 passes in the game, would throw 5 more. He would connect on all 5. On the final drive, Eric Weems, the wideout brought over from St. Louis to add speed to the Glory roster, would go over 100 yards on the day. Manningham and former Invader Richard Rodgers would each catch their 7th ball of the game, and most importantly, Curtis Samuel would catch the game winning toss for the Glory. Samuel’s 2nd TD of the season may well prove to be the most important one all year for the Glory. It was a corner route, and Samuel took the short outside shoulder throw, brought it into his body, dragged his toes, and fell out of bounds with 6 points on the board.   Ohio would fail on the 2-point conversion, but with only 16 seconds left on the clock and Michigan needing to go nearly 50 yards to get in range for Michael Beam, a few plays of solid prevent defense and the game was theirs. Ohio got what they needed, Kirk Cousins was forced to try a Hail Mary on the final play of the game, and the Glory came away victorious. It was a victory that would give Ohio a 2-game lead in the Central Division, 2 games up on the defending league champion and with only 3 weeks to go, they could clinch their first division title since 2007 with one good week of results.  For the defending champs, this was a sober moment, a sign that perhaps a repeat was not in the cards. Michigan was now 7-6, tied with 4 other Western Conference clubs with that record, and trailing 3 of them for a playoff spot. They will now need help simply to return to the postseason, a position few champions want to be in this late in their title defense season. They will finish with 3 tough games, home to Arizona, home to another rival, Chicago, and then a Week 16 road trip to Seattle, also 7-6 and also very much looking for a playoff spot.  A tough loss for the Panthers, and perhaps a tough road for them to try to defend their title.   NEW JERSEY 0   WASHINGTON 13 The weekend’s slate of games kicked off on Friday with a game many expected to be high scoring, evident in the Las Vegas books setting an over/under of 41.5 points. Easy to see that the under won this one. Both defenses came up big in this game, but it was Washington’s oft-criticized defense, one that gave up 34 points in each of their last two games, that came up the biggest. The Federals shut out New Jersey thanks in part to Nick Foles struggling in his return and thanks as well to a defense that came up huge when it mattered most, allowing a combined 2 for 16 on third and 4th down, including a goal line stand that saw New Jersey fail to score on 4 plays inside the 5 yard line. POTG:  CB Tre Herndon: 4 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   OAKLAND 39  ARIZONA 34 The Invaders needed a statement win to get their fans believing again. Knocking off the Wranglers in Arizona certainly fits that bill. Ryan Nassib had the big numbers, throwing for 304 and 4 scores, but Oakland got 92 yards from Christian McCaffrey, 2 passing TDs and one rushing from Jimmy Garoppolo, and a well-rounded performance by the defense, and in the end they got the win they needed. The Invaders actually led 39-20 until two late Arizona touchdowns made the game look a lot closer. POTG:  Invader QB Jimmy Garoppolo: 23/32, 220 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int, 12 Att, 20 Yds, 1 TD   CHARLOTTE 28   JACKSONVILLE 30 A shocker of a win for the Bulls as they pull out the win over division-leading Charlotte in front of only 17,202 at EverBank Stadium. Skeptical Bulls fans stayed away from the game with Robert Griffin out of action and a likely blowout on the slate, but the Bulls surprised everyone, with Teddy Bridgewater looking very solid, going 24 of 32 for 230 yards and 3 scores. Despite a late surge from Charlotte, the Bulls held on and secured one of the bigger upsets of the year. POTG:  Bulls’ QB Teddy Bridgewater; 24/32, 230, 3 TD, 1 Int   ATLANTA 24  ST. LOUIS 21    OVERTIME In a weekend of upsets, Atlanta avoided the trap game and winning their fourth in a row, though it certainly was not easy. Aaron Murray, who finished the game with 414 yards passing, needed to find a score late to send the game to overtime. He connected with Dorial Green-Beckham with 2:10 left, and then watched as Zane Gonzalez lined up to win the game for the Skyhawks at regulation. Gonzalez’s 48-yard attempt hooked to the left and the game went to overtime, where it was John Bounds who made the winning kick, sending Atlanta to 8-5 and giving them a share of 1st place in the Southeast. POTG:  Fire QB Aaron Murray: 34/55, 414 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   OKLAHOMA 23   SEATTLE 45 We know we sound like a broken record, but can you really believe Seattle is doing it again? They now stand a game over .500 and in playoff position after defending home turf against the Outlaws. The game was close through 3 quarters, with Seattle nursing a 28-23 lead, but the 4th belonged entirely to the Dragons, with a field goal from Jeffrey Harris followed by TDs from Mike Wallace and Knowshon Moreno to open the game up and give the win to Seattle. POTG:  Dragon QB Matt McGloin: 24/31, 295 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   ORLANDO 24   TAMPA BAY 30 Much like the Bulls, the Bandits shocked a road favorite in front of a small crowd, with only 20,467 on hand at Raymond James to see Tampa pull out the win with 10 unanswered points in the final 3 minutes. Down 24-20 against the Renegades, the Bandits drove the ball in the final minutes, with Dak Prescott finding Ryan Grant with the go-ahead TD with 2:13 left. With Russell Wilson throwing a pick only 2 plays later, Tampa was able to build up a 6-point lead and kill the clock at the same time, securing only their 2nd win on the year. POTG:  Bandit LB Brian Orakpo: 8 Tck, 2 FF   BALTIMORE 19  SAN DIEGO 24 The Thunder move to 7-6 and place themselves in playoff position thanks to a 5-point win over the visiting Blitz. Christian Ponder connected on 3 TD passes in the 2nd half, including two to former Outlaw Marques Colston, to turn a 12-3 deficit into a 24-12 lead. From there the defense did the rest, sacking Ben Roethlisberger to end one drive and forcing a bad 4th down throw on another. POTG : San Diego CB Justin Gilbert: 3 Tck, 5 PDef, 1 Int   DALLAS 16   BIRMINGHAM 40 Believe it or not, at 6-7, the Stallions still have a chance, a slim chance, but a chance. They got there by demolishing the Dallas Roughnecks, thanks to A huge game from Cam Newton. Newton went 9 of 13 for 165 yards and a score through the air, but it was his legs that took Dallas out of the game, with both 80-yard and 66-yard TD runs. Newton simply took over with his legs and helped Birmingham put together a 24-point scoring spurt in little over 1 quarter to bury the Roughnecks. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 9/13, 165 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 10 Att, 173 Yds, 2 TD   PORTLAND 30  PITTSBURGH 13 The return of Marcus Mariota was an eventful one as the Stags exploded for 24 points in the first quarter and then spent the remainder of the game just holding Pittsburgh at bay. In just the first quarter, Mariota hit Alshon Jeffrey with a 30-yard score, found Brandin Cooks for a 70-yarder, and then quieted down the Mauler faithful for good with a third TD, a second to Jeffery, to end the first period. The Maulers never recovered, and the Stags moved to 7-6 with an impressive road win. POTG:  Stag QB Marcus Mariota: 29/36, 299 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   DENVER 24  MEMPHIS 16 Don’t tell Denver this was an upset, but they were a 6-point underdog in Memphis. They played like a playoff contender, however, with the defense producing 3 picks of Paxton Lynch, including a pick-six from C. J. Goodwin to put the visiting Gold on top for good in the 4th. Add a Leinart to Crabtree TD and the Gold improve to 7-6 and cost Memphis their shot at the lead in the South. POTG:  Gold CB C. J. Goodwin: 8 Tck ,1 Int, 1 Def TD   NEW ORLEANS 29   LAS VEGAS 31 Eli Manning’s pro career began in New Orleans, and it seems the Viper QB is perfectly happy torturing his former club. Manning returned to action by throwing for 260 yards and 4 touchdowns against a pretty good Breaker defense. New Orleans kept it close but was down 9 with 4 minutes to go after Manning found Richard Quinn for his fourth TD pass of the game. It was too much to overcome, even for Drew Brees and the Breakers, who dropped to 9-4. POTG:  Viper QB Eli Manning: 21/30, 260 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   LOS ANGELES 30  CHICAGO 10 Another shocker, as the lifeless offense of the Express decides to come to life like vampires when the sun goes down. LA got 126 yards from Reggie Bush and Sam Bradford threw for 3 scores as they completely stunned an overconfident and underprepared Chicago club. Chicago did it to themselves as well, with Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing 3 picks and Matt Forte adding a fumble as Chicago lost the turnover battle 4-0. POTG:  LA safety David Bruton: 5 Tck, 2 Int   HOUSTON 45  PHILADELPHIA 20 The Gamblers take over sole possession of first place in the South thanks to avoiding the trap game and taking the Stars seriously. It was 45-3 at the half and very clear that Philadelphia, not Houston, came into the game with little to no plan. Name a Houston offensive player and they likely had pretty stunning stats. Carlos Hyde had 160 yards, averaging 9.4 every time he touched the ball. Mike Evans caught 4 passes, but 3 were touchdowns as he just could not be denied in the red zone. It was so bad that not only did we see Landry Jones in the 4th quarter but third stringer Jeff Driskel as well. POTG:  Houston HB Carlos Hyde: 17 Att, 160 Yds, 2 Rec, 47 Yds, 1 TD Newton Explodes Against Dallas’s Deflated D I think we can safely say that we have reached the part of the season where some teams just do not have the fortitude to get up for a game when there is nothing motivating them to play hard. That seemed to be the case in Philadelphia’s shellacking by Houston, in Chicago’s surprisingly flat outing against LA, and certainly in Dallas’s performance against Birmingham. Sure, Cam Newton is an amazing talent, and when he is on, there are few who can contain him, but with both an 80-yard and a 68-yard touchdown run against Dallas I think we have to be honest that the Roughneck D was not exactly putting 100% into every play. The Roughnecks were just flat, unwilling to go the extra mile to avoid big plays, and it led to a brutal 24-point beatdown by a Stallions club that is still mathematically alive for the playoffs, but hardly a favorite to qualify. Kudos to the Stallions for coming in with fire in their eyes. After upsetting Houston last week, you could imagine they would be flat against the Roughnecks, but they came in with an intensity that Dallas simply could not match, and once again Cam Newton made a halfhearted defensive effort look like a disaster.   Mariota & Martin Manhandle the Maulers Portland fans were hoping that the return of Marcus Mariota might give their Stags something of a spark. Portland had lost back-to-back games and looked very flat against Seattle last week, but this week, with a tough assignment in Pittsburgh, Mariota picked up the team and got them inspired to play perhaps their best game of the year. But Mariota was not the only big return. With Ben Tate hurt, Doug Martin, who has not seen action since Week 1, came in, despite still being listed as doubtful this week. We are not sure what doubtful means if Martin can come in and rush the ball 25 times for 113 yards.   The win puts Portland in playoff position, and with both Mariota and Martin now apparently ready to roll, the Stags could be a very dangerous team over the final 3 weeks. They host San Diego this week in a game the Thunder now need to be far more worried about and then head to Oakland and Oklahoma. A sweep means they are guaranteed a playoff spot, and if they can play against those three teams the way they played against the Maulers this week, we could see it happen. Manning Stuns Breakers with Blast from the Past After missing the last 5 weeks, Eli Manning, in what many believe is his final season, returned to action this week against the team that gave him his start in the USFL, the Breakers, and he showed them no mercy. Throwing for 4 scores and helping the Vipers upset New Orleans in grand fashion, Manning’s return was a welcome sight for Viper fans who had seen the season completely get away from them when Manning went down to injury. Las Vegas still has some major issues, and we are still not sure if Manning is coming back or if he will join Matt Leinart and Drew Brees (see below) in stepping away form the game, but at least for this weekend, the former Breaker, Renegade, Showboat, and Bandit, was the star the Vipers hoped he would be when they signed him 2 years ago. Federals Foil Foles Not every return this week went as planned. Nick Foles, coming off a 3-week hiatus, looked much rustier than either Mariota or Manning. His numbers were not horrible (14 of 26, 158 yards) but he simply could not muster much on offense, and against a Federals squad that has been giving up an average of an average of 24.2 points per game. It is one thing to lose a tough divisional game, but to be shut out when you have a playoff berth still in range, that is pretty bad.   Credit where it is due, the Washington defense contained Maurice Jones-Drew without opening up obvious passing lanes for Foles. They limited Odell Beckham Jr. to only 4 receptions, and they were outstanding on third and fourth downs, despite only getting to Foles for 2 sacks on the day. New Jersey went 2 for 14 on third down and 0 for 2 on fourth down, including a goal line stand that kept the Generals off the board and crushed their spirit. New Jersey now slips to 6-6-1, and Washington jumps into 2nd place, now only 1 game behind the 8-5 Maulers, a deficit the Federals can remove when they face Pittsburgh in the Week 16 finale. They will have to get past Philadelphia and LA in the next two weeks to get that shot, but with Pittsburgh facing the Generals and Blitz, Washington may actually have a real shot at winning the division if they can run the table.   Invaders Ride 22-0 Scoring Streak to Victory One last story to focus on with our Week 13 results, that 22-0 scoring run that helped Oakland upend the Wranglers in Arizona. It was the kind of offensive explosion that we have not seen the Wranglers give up all season long. Down 20-17 at the half, Oakland came out in the 2nd half with all kinds of attitude and some strategic shifts that stifled the Wrangler offense (producing a rare Ryan Nassib pick) and giving life to the offense. The 22-0 run included 2 Aguayo field goals, a 17-yard Garoppolo to Adams TD toss, a 2-yard Garoppolo TD run, and a safety, with the Oakland D getting to Frank Gore in the endzone for a rare negative play by the veteran.   It was a stunning reversal of fortune for Arizona, used to having their own offensive explosions but rarely having to face one down. From a 20-17 lead, Arizona found themselves down 39-20 with only minutes left. It was the roughest patch of play from the Western Conference’s current top seed that we have seen all year and may well be proof that they will have some major challenges in the post-season, once, that is, they qualify officially.   As for Oakland, the win gives them a 2-game lead over a trio of Pacific challengers, with 3 weeks to play, meaning one more win could be enough to clinch the division in Gary Kubiak’s first season as the head coach of the club. Oakland faces the Express this week and then has a tough showdown with Portland in Week 15 before finishing the year by hosting the St. Louis Skyhawks. A win this week could potentially win them the division, but with Portland and San Diego facing off, the winner of that game is likely to keep Oakland only up 2 games, which means they could still be caught. Oakland would certainly love to see a tie in that game, but more likely will need to get up for that Week 15 clash with Portland. Only 3 weeks left to the season and still no teams have locked up even a Wild Card. That is a sign of parity, and a sign that we had better pay attention over the next 3 weeks. Who could clinch this week? Well, Arizona has a 2.5-game lead over Denver, so a win by the Wranglers this week and they lock up the Southwest Division. Ohio has a 2-game lead over Michigan, so they can get in with a win and a Panther loss to the Wranglers, which feels very possible considering what is at stake for Arizona. Houston cannot wrap up the division this week, but they win and lock up a playoff spot. Wins by Memphis or New Orleans, paired with a loss by Washington would also place those two Southern clubs in the postseason, with just positioning left to determine.   Things are not so easy for Charlotte, now tied with Atlanta atop the Southeast, or for Pittsburgh, with a very tenuous 1-game lead over the Federals. Oakland has a 2-game lead over the Stags, Thunder, and Dragons, all three of whom are in Wild Card position right now. They need Seattle to lose and the Thunder-Stag game to end in a tie if they want to win the division this week but could clinch a playoff spot with a win and some key losses among the cluster of 7-6 teams. Meanwhile, down at the other end of the standings, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Chicago, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, Birmingham, and Orlando are all still mathematically alive, but you need a degree from MIT to figure out how. That leaves Baltimore, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Dallas, and LA as the clubs out of the running and playing out the string as they prepare to hit the links in 4 weeks.   A light week when it comes to serious injury concerns, which is always good to see. We could be without two starting QBs in the Southeast, however, as both Orlando’s Russell Wilson and Charlotte’s Mitch Trubisky may be held out this week with minor injuries. Likewise, some other dinged up players, like Blitz WR Brian Hartline or LA linebacker Clay Matthews may be given a week to avoid turning a minor injury into a more significant concern.   OUT SS         Tarvarious Moore          MGN     Back              IR WR          Andre Caldwell                JAX         ACL                2-4 Weeks FS         Rudy Ford                     POR      Hip                2-4 Weeks CB         Tra’Davious White         NOR      Knee           1-2 Weeks LB           Phillip Dillard                MGN     Foot              1-2 Weeks WR        Cobi Hamilton               MEM     Wrist                1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL DT         Nick Fairley               ATL         Knee     HB           Ben Tate                       POR      Concussion   QUESTIONABLE OT          Oniel Cousins                  PIT         Knee QB        Russell Wilson                 ORL       Pinched Nerve WR         Mike Thomas                 BIR         Back LB          Daniel Ellerbe                  OHI       Shoulder WR         Briand Hartline                BAL        Concussion LB          Clay Matthews                LA          Knee QB          Mitch Trubisky                 CHA      Hamstring   Five All-USFL Players Who Will Not Be Re-Signing Earlier this season we gave you our best guess of players who might make the Free Agent market. At this point in the season, we are now certain about a few of those who are absolutely looking to move on. We have 5 players who have either openly said they won’t resign, or whose agents have made that message known to their current clubs. In some cases, it is about their role with the team, or their lack of rapport with the coach. In others it is just a belief that their club is due for a major overhaul, and they don’t want to suffer through that, hoping they can latch on with a club who may only be 1-2 players short of a title run. These five players are five we now know are looking for greener pastures and a chance to alter their course in 2019.   LB Clay Matthews (LA) No surprise here. LA is a bit of a mess, with an interim coach who almost certainly is playing out his final 3 weeks with the team, a major overhaul likely in the offseason, and a lot of uncertainty about the direction they will go. None of that is attractive to a 30-year-old, 9-year vet, who still thinks he has 4-5 really good years left in him. Look for the quality of the team to be a major factor for Matthews, not the funds available. Matthews wants a shot at a title, a chance to play on a contender, and there are almost certain to be some contenders interested in his talents.   WR Victor Cruz (PIT) Of all the players on our list, Cruz has been the most vocal. He likes Coach Fangio, but he is not happy playing second fiddle to Adam Thielen, which is exactly what he has done the past few years in Pittsburgh. Cruz believes he has primary receiver talent, and he may be right. He also knows that a top-tier receiver is worth more than Pittsburgh can probably offer, so he is all in favor of finding a new home and getting paid to be the primary target.   WR Aaron Dobson (CHI) Dobson has been the primary target in Chicago, and one of the leading receivers in the league, for some time now, but Chicago seems mired in a no-win situation on offense. They want to run the ball first, they get enough good games from Ryan Fitzpatrick that they don’t want to jettison the Harvard QB, but they are not turning into a playoff contender, and Fitzie also has some pretty bad games, like the 3-interception stinker this week against LA. Dobson clearly wants to go to a team with more upside, with a true stud at QB, and with a game plan each week that gives him the chance to showcase what he can do.   LB Brian Orakpo (TBY) Orakpo has been the one bright star for Tampa Bay’s pretty miserable (28th ranked) defense. He is possibly going into his final contract, and he sees this as his shot to both find himself with a winner and with a big payday. By going into the market now, he has a real chance to become the highest paid LB in the league, and a real chance to see the playoffs for the first time since 2014.   SS Baccari Rambo (BIR) The situation for Rambo is pretty interesting. Birmingham, like Chicago, is a team that seems to be mired in mediocrity. They are not horrible, not likely to blow up the entire team, but there is a chance that they will have a new coach next year, or at least a new DC. And it is a team that is just not going to spring for huge money for a safety. But who really is? Rambo has made it clear that he believes he does not get the media attention, the marketing options, or the respect he deserves as a player because he is stuck in Birmingham, with a team that just does not get much press, and on a team that has not made the postseason since 2013. So, he wants a shot to remedy all of that, preferably in a large market and a team that has better playoff possibilities.   QB Drew Brees Joins Leinart in Announcing 2018 Finale After 18 seasons and more than 240 USFL games, there is not much Drew Brees has not done. He has won a title with the New Orleans Breakers, their only title in nearly 40 years of USFL action. He has been named MVP of the league twice. Has been named to five All-USFL teams. He has racked up more than 57,000 passing yards, nearly 400 touchdowns, and has led 3 teams over his career. So, it is not surprising that the only thing he really has not done as a USFL player is retire from the game. But we now know that he will do just that once the 2018 season is over. Brees let it be known this week that his plan is to hang up his helmet, pads, and cleats after the 2018 season comes to an end. With a playoff spot almost a certainty for the 9-4 Breakers, we know that we have at least 4 more games, with a chance for more as the Breakers are set to enter the postseason. We know that Brees will appear at home for certain in the final two weeks of the season as New Orleans wraps up the regular season hosting Birmingham and Orlando. And we know that the Breakers still have shot at the Southern Division title and a possible bye week, though it won’t be easy.   So, we know that Brees will retire, regardless of the results of the 2018 playoffs, but can he leave the game as a 2-time champion? That will be up to him and this Breakers squad, but what better way to motivate everyone on the team than to make it clear that they are playing to give their leader, the man who has guided them for the past 8 seasons, a chance to go out on top? Brees’s announcement is not really a surprise, there had been talk of his retirement for months, but the timing of his announcement very much feels like a challenge to his team, and a motivator for the club to do all it can these next two weeks to bring home the Southern Division crown and propel the squad deep into the playoffs. Would we really expect anything else from Brees than to use his very personal decision to motivate his team?   The decision could also propel Brees to a 3rd MVP award, and since he is currently in 2nd place in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and passer rating (trailing Colt Mcoy in the first two and Ryan Nassib in the third category), he is already a prime candidate. Finishing this season strong and leading the Breakers into the playoffs could well get him over the top there, another fitting end point for what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career for the Breaker QB.   Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Revealed This week’s USFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame announcement was a moment of pride for 4 former USFL players and a legendary coach, but also for some fellow Hall of Famers who saw the result they were lobbying for. While we cannot prove that Jim Kelly’s and Antonio Freeman’s late season lobbying had an impact, the result they wanted was gained when the Legacy Committee named former Houston Gambler head coach Ray Willsey as their legacy candidate this year. The selection of Willsey is historic, making him the first head coach named by the committee for induction, and also making 2019 the first year to see two USFL head coaches enter the Hall in nearly 20 years. Not since 2000, when both Sam Rutigliano and Dick Vermeil were selected, have we seen 2 coaches honored, but Willsey will join former Knights head coach Jim Johnson as members of the Class of 2019.   The remaining 4 selections were not huge surprises, with 9-time All-USFL wideout Randy Moss leading a group that also includes 2000 Rookie of the Year and 8-time All-USFL back Ron Dayne, 4-time All-USFL safety Tebucky Jones, and 2-time Offensive Player of the Year QB Brian Griese. Griese, a 3-time All-USFL quarterback who won a title in 2008 with his third team, the Michigan Panthers, was the only repeat nominee to make the cut in what was a very strong class of first-time nominations. Among the semi-finalists not chosen we find potential 2019 nominees Willis McGahee and Peerless Price,along with returning candidates like HBs Antowain Smith and T. J. Duckett.  They will all have tough competition next year, as the 2020 class will include legendary players like Ed Reed, Jake Plummer, Quentin Jammer, and Anthony Weaver, along with a LB group that is star studded, including Hannibal Navies, James Farrior, Mike Vrabel, Lofa Tutupu, and Antonio Pierce.   But the celebration now is for the 6 former USFL legends who will be entering the Hall of Fame this October. So, congratulations to Randy Moss, Ron Dayne, Tebucky Jones, Brian Griese, Coach Jim Johnson, and long overdue congratulations to the family of Coach Ray Willsey. All men who helped shape the game and make the USFL a rite of spring.   Panthers Reveal New Look for 2019 Michigan had a rough week against Ohio this week, but with 3 games left, and still very much alive for both a playoff spot, the club took some time out of practice this week to reveal their new look for 2019, a look they hope to be wearing as part of the 2018 playoffs. As we all expected, the Panthers did not touch their iconic logo or helmet, leaving those to their already classic standard, but several other elements of their uniform have been updated.   The new primary looks for the club, both the plum and the white jerseys, will bring back several features of classic Panther looks. The jerseys feature two-color shoulder “slashes”, with a thick blue stripe and a thin champagne slash on the home jersey and a thick plum stripe with thin sky blue on the whites. Both will feature a block number font, with a shadow to the right of each number. New to the look for next year will be the absence of white on the plum jerseys, with champagne numbers replacing white. The secondary “stalking panther” monogram will be on both jerseys’ sleeves as well. The team revealed only one pant set for the look, a champagne set, with thick plum and sky-blue stripes, that break into the now familiar block ascension at the knee. The look is finished off with plum-colored socks. It is a classic look for Michigan, which has often been voted one of the best-looking clubs in the USFL since they debuted their champagne helmets a few games into the league’s inaugural season.   That classic look can be seen in the Panthers’ throwback alternate look, which brings back the original panther logo on the helmet and the original sleeve and pant striping. No shocker there. What may surprise many is the newly released “Hunter’s Moon” alternative look, which features a champagne-colored jersey, plum pants, and, for the first time ever, a helmet without the trademark wrap-around panther design. The new alternate helmet is plum, with a plum facemask and a single champagne striped down the center (with block ascension at the base). The logo on each side is the alternative monogram with a stealthy prowling panther. The logo will not feature any outlines, blending the plum elements of the logo into the helmet shell and leaving the champagne-colored panther and sky-blue monogram as contrast. It is a very different look for the Panthers, but, after all, that is what alternate looks are meant to be, even for a team with such a distinctive standard look.   Three weeks left, and a real chance that Week 14 could bring us our first playoff bids claimed. We have several huge divisional battles this week, along with several other games that could lead us to much more clarity on the playoff front. We start on Monday with a game that could determine the NE Division. Pittsburgh, up 1.5 games on the New Jersey Generals, can lock up the division with a win and a loss by Washington. But, if New Jersey gets the win, well the division is then still very much up for grabs. The late game features Houston at Denver, with the Gold desperate to avoid dropping back to .500, and a win certainly would help Denver with playoff position, but don’t expect Houston to take them lightly. The Gamblers want the win too, in hopes that it could lock up the Southern Division in their favor.   Saturday has more Southern Division action, with the Showboats hoping to gain ground on Houston as they face the Blitz in Baltimore, and New Orleans, fresh off Drew Brees’s announcement, taking on Dallas in Dallas. If Houston slips on Friday, these two Saturday games could lead to yet another 3-way tie atop the division. We should also watch out fo the Birmingham v. Oklahoma game. The loser may well be eliminated from the playoffs with a loss, the winner could still be very much in the mix. The other game that has a similar impact is in Portland, where both the Thunder and the Stags enter the game at 7-6. A loss does not eliminate either club, but a win certainly gives one team the advantage with only 2 weeks to play.   Sunday begins with a big game for the Federals, as they try to hold off the Stars, avoid the upset, and stay in the hunt in the NE Division, knowing that either New Jersey or Pittsburgh will drop a game this week. We also have a big game in Columbus, where the Glory can lock up the division if they can avoid a letdown against the surging Seattle Dragons, once again trying to prove that 0-5 means nothing to the club. We have a bit of a one-sided California Derby, with 9-4 Oakland traveling to 3-10 LA, and we have a likely elimination game in Chicago, where the 6-7 Machine cannot afford a loss to 5-8 Las Vegas. Finally, we have a game with a lot of drama in Michigan. After losing to Ohio head-to-head, Michigan’s only chance to win the division requires that they upend the Wranglers this week, but Arizona can clinch the SW Division if they can go into Ford Field and get the win. That is a game that could be among the most intense of the season.   Friday @ 6pm ET       Pittsburgh (8-5) @ New Jersey (6-6-1)        NBC Friday @ 8pm ET             Houston (10-3) @ Denver (7-6)                       ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET     Jacksonville (3-10) @ Orlando (6-7)            ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       Memphis (9-4) @ Baltimore (4-9)                   FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         Birmingham (6-7) @ Oklahoma (6-7)             ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         New Orleans (9-4) @ Dallas (3-10)                FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET         St. Louis (5-8) @ Charlotte (8-5)                        NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       San Diego (7-6) @ Portland (7-6)                   ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        Washington (7-6) @ Philadelphia (5-8)           ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET        Atlanta (8-5) @ Tampa Bay (2-11)                   FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET    Seattle (7-6) @ Ohio (9-4)                               FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           Oakland (9-4) @ Los Angeles (3-10)              ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Las Vegas (5-8) @ Chicago (6-7)                     FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET      Arizona (9-3-1) @ Michigan (7-6)                     ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cam Newton once again showed up in a big way as he almost single handedly took out the Dallas Roughnecks with long TD runs. He only atttempted 13 passes, completing 8 for 165 yards and a TD, but with his legs he added another 176 yards and 2 TDs on only 10 carries. Once again the One-Man-Show was just that for the Stallions. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Still no clinching, thanks to a bevy of upsets this week that kept teams from moving ahead of the pack. We did add two more teams to the eliminated ranks, with Baltimore and Dallas now among 5 clubs out of the running.

It was a week with just about everything. We had some upsets, like St. Louis over Michigan or LA over Philadelphia. We had some amazing divisional clashes, like Seattle upending Portland, New Orleans outlasting Memphis, Birmingham stunning Houston, and our game of the week, which saw Baltimore upend the Washington Federals. We also had some frontrunners acting like frontrunners, with Arizona demolishing Las Vegas and Pittsburgh stifling San Diego. We had big games from defenses, from quarterbacks, and from run games across the league. But what we had more than anything was drama, as games went down to the wire, and teams stayed alive in a playoff hunt that is looking like one that will need all 16 weeks to come to a conclusion. We now have a “Pack of 6-6”, with 8 teams (6 in the West) all sitting at the .500 mark. Add in the 6-5-1 Generals in the East and you have 9 teams all eyeing 3 playoff spots (4 at the most if we include 7-5 Michigan). Even 5-7 St. Louis and Birmingham may now still be in the mix as we head into the final month of the season. We will break it all down for you, share the Week 12 Power Rankings, and give you five players to watch over the season's final month. All coming up, so don’t go anywhere. Eight Teams at 6-6 have 4-game Season to Define Their Year They were dubbed the “Pack of 6-6” by ESPN commentator Joey Galloway, and it is a name that sticks. Eight clubs (nine with 6-5-1 New Jersey), all stuck at .500, all fighting for their Wild Card lives with one month left. Any team that can finish strong, maybe 3-1, and certainly 4-0, can lay claim to a playoff berth. Clubs that continue their streak of inconsistent play and finish 2-2 could well be on the outside looking in. It is a cluster of mid-level play that almost certainly guarantees us a lot of drama and a lot of hard-fought games down the stretch, exactly the kind of parity that both the USFL and the NFL dreams of, because it means butts in seats and eyes on screens over the final month.   So, who looks to be in the best position of these 9 mid-table teams? Well, if you are looking for the hottest teams in the pack, that would be Seattle, yes Seattle doing it again, and possibly San Diego, as the Pacific gets interesting. Seattle has won 3 in a row, and once again appear to be a strong finisher, having won 6 of their last 7. If only they could win some games in March they could actually compete for a division title. San Diego, who many expected to win the Pacific Division, also started off poorly, klosing their 1st 4 games, but have now won 4 of their last 5, with only this week’s tough road matchup in Pittsburgh as a blemish on their late run. Believe it or not, with Oakland only 2 games up and having lost 2 of their last 3, both the Dragons and Thunder believe they are still very much in a race for the division title, not just a possible Wild Card. On the other side of the spectrum, we have the Portland Stags, who have lost 4 of their last 6, including this week’s home loss to Cascade Clash rival Seattle. They still have games against the Thunder and the Invaders, so their season is still very much in the mix as they look for Marcus Mariota to return to action perhaps as soon as this upcoming weekend.   Orlando has lost 3 of 4, dropping from 5-3 down to 6-6, and have struggled to find rhythm on either side of the ball in this past month. They are still only 1 game behind Atlanta for 2nd place in the division, and they have 2 nice games lined up against the division’s sad sacks, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville, in the next 2 weeks, so they feel they can still make a run.   New Jersey sits a half-game up on the pack, thanks to their tie with Arizona back in Week 3, but a recent run of brutal games (losses at Pittsburgh, home to Houston and New Orleans, and this week’s win in Oakland) have pulled them back to the pack. They have 3 straight division games on the docket (@ WSH, v. PIT, and v. PHI) and a 3-0 run in those games could vault the Generals right back into the mix, but they have to find more on offense than they have shown in recent weeks. The return of Nick Foles under center could not come at a better time for this squad.   Chicago, Oklahoma, Denver, and Washington are the other clubs in the mix, all four having alternated wins and losses for most of the season. All four need to find some consistency, some rhythm, and some mojo if they want to go on a late run and find themselves in Week 17 action as a Wild Card. Of the 4, the one with the best shot seems to be Chicago, who face 2-10 LA this week and 4-8 Las Vegas the week after. They will have a huge season ender in Denver, with both teams possibly still in the hunt. Denver has perhaps the toughest road, with four very tough games on the schedule: @ Memphis, v. Houston, then at the very plucky Skyhawks, and the road finale at Chicago. We like Oklahoma’s chances, since they play 3 other teams in this mix, visiting Seattle this week, before finishing home to Birmingham, at Arizona, and a big Week 16 game against another 6-6 club, with Portland visiting OGE Energy Stadium in the finale.   Finally, there is Washington. Every time we think they have turned a corner they slip up, as we saw this week in Baltimore. They have a tough final month, with New Jersey in town this week, then a trip to Philly, before hosting LA and Pittsburgh to close out the season. They may well hope that Pittsburgh wraps up the division and a bye before Week 16, so they play against some backups, but the Maulers may well be locked in a division race as well, so don’t count on a win there. It should be a Week 16 classic.   So, the long version of saying, this final month is going to be a war of attrition, and that to get a playoff spot, maybe even a divisional title in some cases, this “Pack of 6-6” is going to have to fight each and every week, because 10-6 is very likely a playoff record, while 8-8, and maybe even 9-7 is no guarantee of a postseason trip this year.  Should be fun for us, brutal for all 8 head coaches and their teams, but a lot of fun for us.   WASHINGTON FEDERALS 33   BALTIMORE BLITZ 34 This week’s Federals-Blitz game is a perfect example of why we love rivalries. By all rights this should have been a one-sided affair in favor of the visiting Federals. Baltimore had lost 4 of their last 5 and were essentially out of any playoff contention. Washington sat at 6-5 and were in the thick of a playoff hunt, still clinging to hopes of a division title but certainly in play for a Wild Card. They had beaten this same Blitz team back in Week 6, but since that game the two teams had seemed headed in different directions. But, this is a rivalry game, and as they say, throw the records out because this game was sure to be personal.   So, when Washington built up a 30-14 advantage early in the 3rd, this could have easily turned into a route for the ascending Federals, but you don’t let your rivals do that to you, so the Blitz fought, and fought their way all the way back, taking a lead early in the 4th only to see Washington retake it later in the period, requiring a last minute score to once again regain the advantage. That is what rivalry games get you, dogged determination and surprising results. In the end the Blitz willed themselves to victory, outgaining Washington by nearly 200 yards (489-292) and exposing the Federal defense in a way few have the past month. They got a huge game from, who else, Ben Roethlisberger, putting up the ball 37 times, throwing for 406 yards, and adding 3 touchdowns to his season total. In the end, the ability of the Blitz to move the ball proved the downfall of the favored Federals, and put quite a dent in their hopes for a division title.   The game started with both defenses playing close zones, not giving up much, but also not exposing any issues. Washington would have the first successful drive, a 9-play quick-moving drive that saw David Garrard connect on two key 3rd down plays before Joique Bell took the ball to the corner of the endzone to give Washington the early lead. They would add to that lead as the 2nd quarter began, with Adam Vinatieri boosting the advantage to 10. But, Baltimore was still in the game, and after their own solid drive, one that saw Big Ben connect with Brian Hartline for 35 yards, only to have Anthony Dixon punch the ball in, it was a very manageable 10-7 deficit for the Blitz.   Washington was held to another field goal on their next drive, giving Baltimore the chance to take their first lead of the day, which they did when Big Ben hit Brian Hartline on an in-cutting route for the score. With 1:15 left in the half it was the homestanding Blitz up 14-13. Washington would use some quick strikes from Garrard to Tyreek Hill and Brandon LaFell to get in range for Vinatieri, and with time running out in the first half, Washington retook the lead 16-14 in what looked to be a classic back and forth game.   The Federals started with the ball in the 3rd, and wasted no time expanding on their slim lead. After finding Kellen Davis for 12 yards on 3rd and 7, and then getting a nice 14-yard run from Anthony Allen, the Federals found 7 points in the form of a Garrard to Keenan Allen touchdown toss. With Vinatieri’s kick, the lead was now 9, 23-14. Baltimore tried to respond, but Washington, which had 6 sacks on the day, got to Big Ben on 3rd and 6, with CB Brandon Boykin coming in on a corner blitz. Untouched, Boykin nearly stripped the ball from Roethlisberger, and while he could possibly have recovered, he fell to the ground to avoid the turnover as others crashed in on him. That forced a Blitz punt, and that punt led to the biggest play of the day for Washington. Tyreek Hill, who has been seeing more and more time on offensive snaps, continues to excel in the return game, and on this occasion returned the William Levy punt 68 yards, weaving and spinning out of tackles before finally being bumped out of bounds at the Baltimore 4. That return set up Washington to expand the lead to 16 with a score. On his second carry of the short possession, Allen plunged up the middle, between the center and the right guard, and found paydirt. Washington now led 30-14 with about 20 minutes of game time to play.   It was here where some in the stands started to grumble. Once again the Blitz had allowed a big play to put the game out of range. Or at least that is what some were thinking aloud. But that was not the sentiment on the Blitz sideline. Balitmore returned to the field, pushed the ball down the field, and pulled the score back within 2 touchdowns with a Josh Lambo 45-yarder. Still, down 13 with just over a quarter to play was not particularly motivating. Baltimore would need a big play. They would get one just as the third quarter was closing.   The Blitz defense allowed Washington to reach their own 41, but stopped the Feds on a 3rd and 2 when Allen was stuffed behind the line of scrimmage by the combo of DT Angelo Blackson and DE Olivier Vernon. Washington punted, and Lachlan Edwards put the ball at the Baltimore 7. After a 1-yard run by Kerwynn Williams on 1st down, Baltimore faked the ball to Williams, and Big Ben found time in the pocket. Washington had only sent 4, and the Baltimore line had accounted for them. By the time Roethlisberger let loos the ball, the defenders were in full panic mode, the original play having broken down and several players having added additional moves. The ball did not go to one of the speedy receivers Washington had double covered, but to receiving tight end C. J. Ozumah. The third year end was wide open on a seam route, and when the safety misjudged his jump, the receiver was able to escape the ankle tackle. He got some help from Darius Heyward-Bey, who held the corner away from the rumbling tight end, and in what seemed a 20-minute play (Ozumah is a solid receiver, but hardly the fastest in a 100-yard dash), Baltimore had a 92-yard touchdown on a play that exposed Washington’s secondary. They had so feared the wide outs, that they simply had not adequately defended over the middle and Ozumah had made them pay.   Down only 30-24 after the score. The Blitz could feel the tide turning, and their fans were letting them know that they believed in their team. As the fourth quarter began, the Baltimore defense again stymied the Federals and the Blitz again took over, now with a chance to take the lead. The score would not come so quickly, taking nearly 4 minutes for the Blitz to get into the red zone, but it came sure enough, with Roethlisberger hitting Heyward-Bey for his 3rd TD pass of the day, a 15-yarder that, with the kick, gave Baltimore a surprising 31-30 lead with 12:23 left to play.   The ensuing 12 minutes of action could not go fast enough for the Blitz, They would hold the lead, however, only for the next 7. With just over 4 minutes to play, Washington made their way into range for Vinatieri again and the veteran kicker connected on a 39-yarder to give Washington the lead back, a tenuous 33-31 lead, but still the advantage was theirs. Baltimore would need one more drive.   The Blitz offense took the field, and after a nasty sack that saw Big Ben spun to the ground on 1st and 10, the Blitz recovered and Roethlisberger would not be brought down again. Short passes to Harry Douglas and HB Kerwynn Williams got Baltimore out of the hole and earned them a first down. A strike to Hartline got them another, and then a throw to Heyward-Bey. In no hurry to score and give Washington the ball back, Baltimore did not rush their plays, they continued to huddle, and they ate clock as they moved the ball into range for Josh Lambo. On a 3rd and 5 from the Washington 29, they opted not to extend the drive longer, but to run up the middle, setting Lambo up for a makeable if somewhat risky 46-yarder. They let the clock tick down as long as they could before calling a timeout, Washington having already expended all of theirs, and sent Lambo out with 39 ticks on the clock.   Lambo’s kick was true, the Blitz took a 34-33 lead with just over half a minute left, and with no timeouts, Washington would need some huge chunks of yardage to get back in range for Vinatieri. They would not get them. What they got instead was a false start on 1st and 10 from their 20, creating a 1st and 15. They would not recover from that, with Garrard trying to hit Allen, and then LaFell, but with no success. Their final play was a desperate heave that did not find a target. Baltimore, with little to play for but pride, had done what any good rival does, they had spoiled the day for their nemesis, delayed any playoff celebration for the Federals and pulled out a win that for most of the game had not seemed to be in the offing. A rivalry game is a beautiful thing.   SAN DIEGO 7  PITTSBURGH 13 Week 12 got off to a defensive-minded start as both the Thunder and Mauler D’s came to play on Friday Night. Pittsburgh knocked Christian Ponder out of the game late in the 1st quarter, and that all but ended any offensive threat from the Thunder all game. What started as a 7-7 game in the first quarter did not see any more scoring until two 4th quarter field goals from Pittsburgh in a game that likely did not thrill the Friday Night bar crowd, but certainly helped Pittsburgh shore up its lead in the NE Division. POTG:  Mauler DE Dwight Freeney: 5 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   SEATTLE 23  PORTLAND 10 The late game Friday Night offered more fireworks, largely thanks to an explosive performance from Dragon HB Knowshon Moreno, averaging 7.3 YPC on his way to 160 on the night. Moreno helped Seattle gain 380 total yards on the night, while Portland’s run game, with Ben Tate sidelined with a gimpy ankle, could muster only 19 total yards, putting all the pressure on rookie Kyle Lauletta. The result? A comfortable win for the Dragons and a return to .500 as the 6-6- Dragons now find themselves in a cluster of teams hoping for a Wild Card spot. POTG:  Dragon HB Knowshon Moreno: 22 Att, 160 Yds, 1 TD   CHICAGO 13  ORLANDO 9 Chicago entered the “Pack of 6-6” with their Saturday win, and sent Orlando into the pack as well, as the Machine D dominated the Renegades, holding the Orlando offense to only 261 total yards and limiting them to only 3 field goals on the day. Chicago’s offense was hardly anything to write home about, but one lone Michael Floyd TD was enough to tilt the game towards the visitors and help the Machine reach .500 once again. POTG:  Machine LB Manti Te’o: 5 Tck, 2 Sck   HOUSTON 26  BIRMINGHAM 27 The Stallions do it again. After knocking off Memphis in Week 8, Birmingham takes another bite out of a division leader, stunning Houston with 13 unanswered points to end the game and steal a 1-point victory at home. The Stallions picked off Colt McCoy three times, including a drive-killing 4th quarter pick that kept the Stallions within 2 points, allowing Boswell’s final minute kick to be the decider. POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 17/34, 311 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   NEW JERSEY 24  OAKLAND 13 The Generals keep their playoff hopes alive, thanks to a stout defense that included a pick-six from LB Matt Milano and a run-stuffing front 7 that held Christian McCaffrey to only 60 yards on the ground. Maurice Jones-Drew also came up big for New Jersey, rushing for 100 yards and a score, but also leading the team in receiving on the day. POTG:  New Jersey LB Matt Milano: 2 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   OHIO 31  OKLAHOMA 24 This was a fun one, with both teams throwing everything they had at each other. Joe Flacco threw for 378 yards and 3 scores, Ohio’s Christian Hackenberg therw for 279 but connected with Eric Weems for 2 scores, including the game winner with 45 seconds left on the clock as it was a true “last team with the ball wins” scenario. Ohio got a bit lucky in this one, fumbling the ball 3 times but recovering each one, while Oklahoma had 2 turnovers. POTG:  Ohio DT Marcell Dareus: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   DALLAS 13   DENVER 26 A good win for Denver brings them to .500 and keeps them on pace with the “Pack of 6-6” as they limit Dallas to 3 of 16 on third down, spoiling Josh Freeman’s debut as the Roughneck QB. Freeman would go 20 of 38 for 173 yards and a TD, but was sacked 6 times by the Gold, including 2 from Von Miller, who also forced 2 fumbles in the game. POTG:  Denver WR Golden Tate: 6 Rec, 103 Yds, 1 TD   LAS VEGAS 24   ARIZONA 40 Down 27-0 at the half, the Vipers finally showed some life in the 2nd half to at least look respectable, but this was Arizona domination from the get go. Their first points came on a Chester Rogers 51-yard punt return touchdown, but that just opened the floodgates. Antonio Bryant had two first half TDs, and Arizona cruised to victory in this one. POTG: Wrangler FS Nate Allen: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1FR   MEMPHIS 19   NEW ORLEANS 30 A huge showdown in the South produces a huge win for the Breakers, helping them pull into a 3-way tie atop the division with 4 games left to play. Leonard Fournette was the key to this game, rushing for 120 yards and 2 scores, while the Breaker D held Todd Gurley to 72 yards and no scores. It was 30-6 until the final minutes of the game, when Memphis scored, got the onside kick, and scored again, but still fell 11 points short of the homestanding Breakers. POTG: Breaker HB Leonard Fournette: 18 Att, 120 Yds, 2 TD   ATLANTA 36  JACKSONVILLE 20 Atlanta does what they needed to do, knocking off the Bulls to improve to 7-5, staying only 1 game back of division-leading Charlotte. Kicker John Bounds had 5 field goals for the Fire, who also got 2 TDs from rookie Nick Chubb and a pick-six to outpace Jacksonville. The Bulls used all 3 QBs in this game, with Robert Griffin lost for the year to injury (see below), and Teddy Bridgewater going 23/41 but throwing 2 picks. C. J. Beathard got the mop up duty late, but it was all Atlanta throughout. POTG: Atlanta CB Darius Slay: 3 Tck, 2 Int, 1 DefTD   TAMPA BAY 13   CHARLOTTE 28 With the Fire coming on strong, Charlotte could not hiccup against the Bandits, and they did not, getting TDs from Brandon Pettigrew (2), Isaiah McKenzie, and Taiwan Jones to outpace the anemic Bandits. Mitch Trubisky again avoided turnovers, throwing 3 TDs with no picks, and the Monarch defense held Tampa Bay to only 1 TD on the day despite 5 red zone trips. POTG:  Charlotte QB Mitch Trubisky: 22/32, 214 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   PHILADELPHIA 6   LOS ANGELES 27 An ugly loss for the Stars, one that may well knock them out of any realistic playoff shot. The Stars could do nothing right on the day, rushing the ball for only 72 yards with Derrick Henry still sidelined, and giving up 131 yards to Reggie Bush for his best game of the season. It was a flat performance for the Stars on every side of the ball, and while the Express did not exactly look like they had turned a corner, they certainly played the cleaner and better game in this one. POTG:  LA tailback Reggie Bush: 17 Att, 131 Yds, 1 TD   MICHIGAN 21   ST. LOUIS 24  A stunner in St. Louis as once again Lamar Jackson looked very much like the future of the franchise, throwing for 3 scores on the day. He got help in this one, with Eddie Lacy and Bobby Rainey combining for 164 rushing yards, and the defense knocking Kirk Cousins out of the game with an apparent concussion early in the 4th. Taylor Heinecke put a TD on the board, but it was not enough as St. Louis held on for the 3-point win. POTG:  Skyhawk QB Lamar Jackson: 21/35, 162 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int     Big Ben Refuses to Concede Season Yes, the Baltimore Blitz are sitting 5 games under .500, and yes, their playoff hopes are on serious life support, 3 games behind Atlanta for the final playoff berth, but don’t tell Big Ben Roethlisberger that the Blitz are done. As he showed this week in upsetting the Washington Federals with a 406-yard day that included a final drive to put the game winner on the board, Big Ben does not believe in anything being over until the whistle blows. The 2014 MVP and 5-time All-USFL Qb is not ready to give up on the season, on his teammates, or on trying for another title. At 34, Roethlisberger still has a few seasons in him, though we have to admit that 2018 has been his worst statistical year in a long time, the first time he has dipped under a QBR of 90 since 2012, as his current 83.6 rating is the worst of his long and distinguished career. He still has yet to reach 20 TDs on the season, something that has barely been a blip in a run of 30+ TD seasons. But, while he and the Blitz have hardly looked iike the 2014 league title team, Big Ben is still plugging, still getting up for big games, and still hopeful for the future.   “We have some great talent on this team, and some young guys who are only going to get better.” Said Roethlisberger in the post-game presser. “We are not eliminated yet, so we keep playing each play, each game, with winning on our minds” he followed. And yet, despite his optimistic take, rumors around the league are that Baltimore head coach Jim Caldwell may not be long in his position. Despite winning the league title, the first in Blitz history, back in 2014, the fact is that the Blitz have been slipping since then. Well, slipping by Blitz standards. Caldwell has gotten the Blitz to the postseason each of the past 4 seasons, and while 2018 does not look promising, it seems odd that his name is being listed as one on the hot seat with 4 straight playoff appearances and a league title to his name.   But, despite the determination of their QB, this has been a rough year in Baltimore, slipping from 3rd place and a Wild Card at 9-7 last year to a likely losing season and last place finish this year. The offense has not been the force it once was, ranked 9th in total yards, and 22nd in rushing, and the defense has just not been good. They are 22nd in the league, giving up over 23 points per game, and have had more than their share of disastrous outings. And yet, despite all this, their QB can still put up games like we saw against Washington, can still inspire hope for the club, and can still look ahead with optimism to the future of the Blitz. Moreno Makes Impact Against Stags It has been an up-and-down first season for Knowshon Moreno in Seattle. After signing as a free agent, leaving Orlando after 9 frustrating seasons, Moreno hoped to have an instant impact in the PNW, but he has only seen sporadic success. A Week 4 game that saw him gain 142 yards, was one week after a 20-yard outing and was followed by 7 games where he failed to reach 80 yards. Last week was absolutely one to forget, as Moreno had only 18 yards on 16 attempts against Baltimore, but this week he left that behind and absolutely exploded against Portland.   It seems Moreno knows how big the games against the Stags are. Both his 142-yard game in Week 4 and his 160-yard outburst this week were against the Dragon’s main rivals. Now, the question will be if Moreno can show some staying power as Seattle makes a late playoff push with games upcoming against teams not from Portland. If he can crank out a few more 100-yard games, the Dragons may just have a shot at once again turning an 0-5 start into an improbable playoff run. Fournette Powers Breakers to Huge Week 12 Win Leonard Fournette’s first 100-yard game of the season could not have come at a better time for the Breakers. New Orleans needed every one of his 120 yards and his 2 TDs as they upended Memphis and reclaimed a share of the Southern Division lead, a lead they lost with back-to-back losses to the Gamblers and Showboats in Weeks 9 and 10. Fournette’s 2nd season has not been quite the explosion the Breakers hoped for, but he is on pace to improve on his rookie numbers. With a month left to play, he is within 20 yards of his 2017 rushing total, already has twice as many touchdowns, and has added more in the passing game this year. Breaker fans are still not pleased with his 3.3 YPC average, and an average of only 58 yards per game, but this week’s game against the Showboats, and Rex Ryan’s normally sound run defense, has to be a sign that Breaker fans are eager to see. With upcoming games against some shaky run defenses (especially the next two weeks with Las Vegas and Dallas on the docket), Fournette could be set up to finish strong, possibly reach 1,000 yards, and be a major factor come playoff season. Stallions Survive with Another Southern Upset Win No one is saying the Stallions are ready to take over the Southern Division, far from it, but this group seems to have no fear of the “Big Boys” atop the division standings. After upsetting Memphis several weeks back, the Stallions did it again, eking out a win over 9-2 Houston thanks to a 13-0 run over the game’s final quarter and a half. The game winner did not come until the final minute of action, a Chris Boswell chip shot field goal with only 42 seonds left to play, but the game had been dominated in the 4th quarter by the Stallion defense, something we are not used to saying about this club and that defense.   It helped that Cam Newton was on target in the game, connecting for 3 scores and not turning the ball over. It also helped that Colt McCoy got a bit careless with the ball, producing a bad pick in the final period. But, what we saw from Birmingham this week was a willingness to fight for every inch, something that has not always been there. They are staying in games, just look at their last few losses, a 5-points to Atlanta, 8 in Denver, only 6 in Houston, and only 2 to Memphis the week before that. An optimist would say they are close to being a good team. A pessimist might point out that we have been saying that for the entire Henry Ellard tenure, with 7-9, 8-8, 6-10, and 9-7 seasons all showing promise, but never delivering. Do we say the same thing this year? Based on this week’s win over a very good Houston team, we again see the potential, but what many are wondering is if Birmingham might need a change at the top to turn potential into production.   Ohio Has Season-Defining Opportunity in Week 13 After back-to-back 8-8 seasons, the Ohio Glory are seeing the hump and feel like they are on the verge of getting over it. They sit at 8-4, almost a guarantee that they can finish 2018 with a winning record. They are also a game up on the defending league champion in the division, able to control their own destiny and possibly claim the division as their own for the first time since 2007. And they very full well know that their upcoming game this week is the key to the entire thing.   Ohio will host the Michigan Panthers in a game that could define their season and their path forward. Fans recognize this, with ticket sales this week surging, quite possibly forcing the Glory to take some of the tarps off Ohio Stadium and send their capacity over 60,000 for the first time in a long time. The players know it too, as everyone from QB Christian Hackenberg to LB Daniel Ellerbe have highlighted this game as a must-win if Ohio wants to take the next step. A win over their division rivals all but ensures a division title for the Glory, a 2-game lead with only 3 to play. It also has such symbolism, knocking off both the reigning league champion and a club that has bedeviled them for the better part of a decade. There are games you circle on your schedule before the season even starts, but rarely do they turn out having the impact you hope they will. That is not the case for this Michigan-Ohio game, which could well mark a change of fates for both clubs, a revival of faith in the Ohio Glory, or a restatement of dominance by the Panthers. Griffin Lost for Season with Torn MCL Just one week after a dominant game against Tampa Bay that saw Robert Griffin throw and run for nearly 400 yards and 3 touchdowns, we again see the downside of the dual-threat QB, as once again, and for the 4th time in 4 years, we see Griffin sustain a major injury. This time it is the MCL joint in his right knee, another leg injury for a rushing QB. Once again Griffin will miss significant time, and this time not because his coach wanted to test out his NFL import, Teddy Bridgewater, but because Griffin simply cannot play his style of game without putting his body at risk.   This week’s injury was another case of the rushing QB taking a hit to the knee during a tackle. Very different from last year’s injury, but still in the same vein of a scramble turning into a melee and another knee injury. With many fans already calling for 1st year head coach Brian Flores to go another direction at the position, another leg injury just pours fuel to the fire, that while Griffin can have amazing outings like his game vs. the Bandits, the long term prognosis is more disappointment and more lost time and not more wins for the Bulls.   Foles & Manning Could Return in Week 13 As we place Robert Griffin on season-ending IR, we anticipate 2 starting QBs, possibly 3, returning this week. Both New Jersey’s Nick Foles, and Las Vegas’s Eli Manning have been cleared to play and neither appeared on today’s injury list, so there is a good chance that both will be in action when the Generals head to D.C. to face the Federals in a key NE Division showdown, and that Manning will reclaim the starting job from Jeff Tuel when Las Vegas hosts the New Orleans Breakers, one of Manning’s former clubs.   The third QB who could be back this week is in Portland, where Marcus Mariota is listed as questionable but has taken snaps with the first team during practice. Mariota, who was knocked out of action back in Week 7, suffering a broken jaw after a vicious hit, has been able to practice, and participate in non-contact drills for the better part of a month, staying active with the team, but this is the first week he has been cleared to take hits in practice, a sign he could jump into action against the Maulers. And after two consecutive losses dropped Portland to 6-6, the Stags could certainly use their QB back. Rookie Kyle Lauletta has been up-and-down in his starts, while Mariota was putting up the best numbers of his short career before the injury. His return, if possible this week, could be just the spark the Stags need in the final month of play. So, keep an eye out for Mariota, along with Foles and Manning in Week 13 action.   Twelve weeks in and still no one has their division wrapped up. Who is closest? Well, Arizona is sitting on a 3.5 game advantage over both Oklahoma and Denver, so a win this week will lock them in to yet another SW Division title. Oakland is up two games on the Thunder and Dragons, so Week 14 may be the earliest they can lock down the division. Pittsburgh is up 1.5 games on New Jersey, with Washington still very much in the mix. Charlotte and Ohio have only 1 game leads, with big games coming up, and, of course, we have that stunning 3-way tie at 9-3 in the South, which is going to take a while before anyone can claim the division outright.   The Wild Card chase is equally messy as our Big Story outlined. Don’t expect much clarity there, except that the 2 Southern teams that don’t win the division could still lock up a playoff spot as soon as this week with all games going the right way. On the bottom of the standings we added Jacksonville to the Bandits and Express as eliminated clubs, which should not surprise when you have 10 losses on your resume with 4 more to play. We could see some others join them this week, including Dallas (3-9) and Baltimore (4-8), depending how the week’s games play out. Outside of the already-reported injury to RGIII, the big hit this week may be for Houston, who may be without their best cover corner until the playoffs, and perhaps not even then. Leodis McKelvin broke his collarbone in the loss to Birmingham and the minimal window for him to be out is 4 weeks, so that means the Wild Card weekend is a best case scenario. Of course, Houston would love to earn a bye through to the Divisional round, but will have to do that without McKelvin.   OUT WR        Pharoh Cooper       ATL         Broken Wrist               IR SS           Chuck Clark           STL         Torn Hamstring              IR CB         Leodis McKelvin      HOU     Broken Collarbone         IR QB         Robert Griffin III       JAX         Torn MCL                        IR CB        Tra’Davious White   NOR      Dislocated Knee             4-6 Weeks CB        Kevin Johnson      ORL       Torn Quad                      2-4 Weeks CB         Artie Burns            DEN      Torn Hamstring              2-4 Weeks HB           Ben Tate                 POR      Neck                               1-2 Weeks   QUESTIONABLE DE          Quentin Groves              PIT         Hamstring         DT          Re’Shede Heggeman      OKL       Hand DE        Jordan Willis                     OKL       Concussion WR        Chris Givens                    SD          Hamstring OG       Deuce Lutui                      STL         Concussion CB          Taron Johnson                POR      Concussion WR          Darius Heyward-Bey        BAL        Concussion Five Players to Watch in Season’s Final Weeks Four games left, all 12 playoff spots still to be claimed, and a cluster of teams all hovering around .500 and hoping to make a move. So, who could be the players that help determine the final push of the season? We put that question to our bullpen and they came up with 5 players we need to watch over the season’s home stretch. Strong runs by these five could well be the key to the entire season for their clubs. Sure, we could have named more, and it is certainly possible that someone else will be the impact player of the final weeks, but these are the five we think could determine if their teams sink or swim, play their way into the postseason or drop below .500 and out of playoff contention.   Ohio QB Christian Hackenberg This should be no surprise. Ohio is sitting at 8-4 and controls their own destiny. They are 4-1 in games “Hack” starts and finishes, and only 4-3 in games he has missed. With their QB fully back to form the past two weeks, Ohio has scored 32 and 31 in the two games, and now they face Michigan with a game that could all but lock them up as 2018 Central Division Champs. They need their starter to have himself a game against a very solid Michigan defense. If they can do that, then the remaining 3 games could pave the way to Ohio making themselves very dangerous come playoff time.   Seattle HB Knowshon Moreno We spoke about Moreno above, but he appears again in this category. Seattle needs to keep the pressure off their QB, especially if they start to fluctuate between McGloin and Brissett (coming off injury soon). If they can produce on the ground, it may not matter which QB they use. The run game also helps their defense stay off the field, and that helps them control the pace of the game, two things they need to do if they are really going to make a late run once again.   San Diego WR Marques Colston Colston has clicked with Christian Ponder, evident in his 139-yard outing this week, and his run of good games with Ponder under center. If he can be the weapon we are used to seeing over his long career, the Thunder can chart a course to the postseason. They need the deep ball threat to keep teams from crowding Ryan Williams at the line, if Colston can provide that, this offense can be a real threat in the season’s final month.   New Jersey LB Aldon Smith The Generals need to win with defense, especially if Nick Foles needs time to regain his form after his injury. That means pressuring the QB, which has been a 3-man job this season, with Vic Beasley, Aaron Kampman, and Aldon Smith all sitting at 7 sacks apiece. As important as the two DEs are, we think it is Aldon Smith who is the key. If he can continue to be a threat on the blitz, while also being a factor against the run (65 tackles, including a team-best 15 tackles for loss) then New Jersey can rebound from their slump without Foles and make a late run at the Maulers.   Denver DE Von Miller Outside of Orlando, there is no one better at getting to the QB, but even with 15 sacks in the season’s first 12 games, more is needed from Denver’s best defender. Sure, we could look for more out of others like Justice Cole, Amobi Okoye, or the LB group, but the reality is that Denver’s D goes as Miller goes, and if they want to escape .500 and steal away a playoff spot, they need Miller to be at his best each and every week down this homestretch. That may mean 2-3 sacks a game and a presence against the run.   Third Quarter Power Rankings Here we are, Week 12, the three-quarter mark, and time again to assess our teams and where we think they stand. Of course what really matters is the playoff standings and divisional races, but this gives us a chance to tell you how we think these teams stack up, from the best of the best, to the best we not speak of this. So, here, with very little ado at all, is our ranking of the USFL's 28 clubs after 12 weeks. 1—ARIZONA (9-2-1) The league’s best offense (395.7 YPG) paired with the 4th stingiest scoring defense (16.7 PPG) makes Arizona our pick as the best club in the game right now.   2—NEW ORLEANS (9-3) The Breakers bounced back from a 2-game losing streak to Houston and Memphis, by knocking off the Generals and the Showboats, showing us that they are still focused on the prize and still a very tough out.   3—PITTSBURGH (8-4) We are leapfrogging Pittsburgh over several 9-3 clubs, because they have taken on 3 winning teams in the past month and beaten them all. They stumbled at Philly, but rivalry games are always traps. The Mauler D in particular, first in the league by allowing only 280.9 YPG, is coming on strong down the stretch.   4—HOUSTON (9-3) The Gamblers had won 5 in a row before this week’s 1-point loss to Birmingham. So, why do we have them 4th instead of 1st or 2nd? The Offense is still the league’s best at putting points on the board, but the defense has slipped over the past month, and that has to be a concern as we head towards the playoffs. 5—MEMPHIS (9-3) Fifth overall, but third in their own division. That may upset Showboat fans, but that is how most of the country still sees the South breaking down. The Boats are only 14th in scoring and 8th in scoring defense, so the stats seem to support our thought that they are a challenger in their own division.   6—OHIO (8-4) With Hackenberg back under center, the Glory have won their last 2, making it 6 of the last 7. They now stand alone in first place in the Central and their defense is one of the league’s best against the pass, all good signs that the Glory are headed back to the postseason for the first time in a decade.   7—CHARLOTTE (8-4) Despite struggling to stop the run (27th in the league), the Monarchs are keeping teams below 20 points per game, and that has helped them win 4 of their last 5, including big wins over both of their closest division rivals, Orlando and Atlanta.   8—OAKLAND (8-4) The Invaders have lost 2 of their last 3, and the only win in between those two was a pretty miserable 6-0 win over the LA Express. The offense is relying very heavily on Ryan Williams as Jimmy Garoppolo is still not showing us what we saw from him in the NFL. He is sitting on a 70.9 QB Rating, and has a 1:1 TD-INT ratio (7:7), which is not what you want from the QB of a potential division winner.   9—ATLANTA (7-5) The Fire have won 3 in a row, jumping from 4-5 up to 7-5 and climbing their way up our power rankings. They have put up 24 or more points in each of those wins, but with all 3 opponents currently under .500 (Tampa, Birmingham, Jacksonville) there is still some doubt whether this sudden rise is actually a mirage.   10—MICHIGAN (7-5) The defending league champions are struggling to put games away, losing late to St. Louis this week being a prime example. They have lost their grip on the division and now face a must-win situation at Ohio this week or it is very likely only a Wild Card chase in the season’s final weeks. That surprises us and should alarm Coach McDermott.   11—NEW JERSEY (6-5-1) A month ago, New Jersey was looking solid at 5-2-1, but three losses in their last 4 games has been rough. Admitedly, those games were against 3 very good teams (PIT, HOU, NOR), but you have to win those games if you want to win the division, and right now New Jersey is trailing the Maulers by 1.5 games, which means they need to turn it up if they want a shot.   12—SEATTLE (6-6) Don’t ask us why the Dragons are crap in March and dynamite in June. Maybe it’s the weather? We just don’t know, but for the second year in a row, Seattle is winning the season’s second half and making a run at the playoffs after a brutal start. It’s a mystery, but it is also an unavoidable reality right now.   13—SAN DIEGO (6-6) San Diego is also trying to pull their own Summer Surge, as they went from 0-4 to 6-6 by figuring out their offense. If Oakland does not watch out, they may well be facing a challenge on two fronts, from the PNW and from SoCal.   14—CHICAGO (6-6) Somewhat forgotten in the Ohio-Michigan feud is that Chicago has put together some nice wins, beating both Ohio and Orlando in recent weeks. Unfortunately, they also sandwiched in a couple of tough losses, so they are still just one of many teams fighting for a possible Wild Card berth.   15—DENVER (6-6) The Gold are simply much tougher at home than on the road, and they are just way too inconsistent. With Memphis and Houston next up for them, they could be out of the mix unless they can pull an upset, maybe 2. If they do falter, will we see Josh Allen in a Week 16 road trip to St. Louis? They finish at home with Chicago in Week 16, and we fully expect them to give Matt Leinart a curtain call in that one.   16—WASHINGTON (6-6) Anthony Allen is coming on, which we love to see, and David Garrard is pulling games out of thin air, but the Feds are struggling on defense, giving up nearly 27 points per game, and that does not bode well with New Jersey, Philly, and Pittsburgh still on the schedule.   17—BIRMINGHAM (5-7) The Stallions and Cam Newton are doing it again. Playing just well enough to win a few surprising games (like this week vs. Houston), but then having real stinkers too (like Week 10 @ Denver), which means another 8-8 year may again happen. Will ownership keep Henry Ellard around for more 8-8 season? Or will a change be needed to get over the hump in a very tough Southern Division?   18—ORLANDO (6-6) Yes, we hear you all on the message boards and phonelines. Yes, we agree that Orlando has had perhaps the most dominant player in a generation in Calais Campbell and yet they cannot seem to put it all together around him. We don’t have an answer for that. He deserves better, to be sure. But we don’t know if that can happen unless he demands a trade, which he has not shown any interest in doing.   19—OKLAHOMA (6-6) So the smashmouth approach has not worked, the Outlaws put the ball back in Joe Flacco’s hands, but without Colston on the squad, the deep ball is just not there the same way. So, what do we get? The 17th best offense on a team with the 18th best defense. In other words, mediocrity and inconsistency. There is talent on this team, but it is not producing wins the way it should.   20—ST. LOUIS (5-7) There may not be a hotter player in the league than rookie QB Lamar Jackson. He is the most exciting thing to happen in the Gateway City since the Worlds Fair back in 1904. OK, that is clearly an exaggeration. Ozzie Newsome is looking at me angrily just for saying it. Let’s just say that Skyhawk fans have Jackson Fever, and it is catching all over the county as the young QB is lighting up the league in a way that just makes us want to watch.   21—PORTLAND (6-6) Marcus Mariota should return from injury in Week 13, and not a moment too soon. The Stags need to find the flow they had going early in the season or they could easily drop and stay below .500. Now, with Ben Tate possibly missing some action, it could be a tough run, not to mention that their final 4 games form one of the toughest months in the league (@ Pittsburgh, San Diego, @ Oakland, @ Oklahoma). That is a tough way to finish the year for a 6-6 team.   22—PHILADELPHIA (5-7) After a surprising win over Pittsburgh in Week 10, we thought Philly could make a run, but losing badly to Orlando (41-14) and then the absolute stinker this week (losing 27-6 to LA, yes, LA!!!!) shows us that the Stars are done. Yes, Derrick Henry could return soon, but do you even risk him in a season that has been a major disappointment?   23—BALTIMORE (4-8) We love that Big Ben still has a passion for the game, evident in this week’s upset of Washington, but the best the Blitz can hope for is to be a spoiler as they face San Diego, Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta in the final month. Winning any of those games will be a feather in their cap, but the cap itself still fits poorly.   24—LAS VEGAS (4-8) Eli Manning is set to return from injury this week, and many expect the final month of games to be more of a goodbye tour than a tour de force. The season finale against Dallas may be a send-off game for Manning, who made a lot of fans in his final 2 seasons in Las Vegas, even if he struggled to help the Vipers ascend in the SW Division.   25—DALLAS (3-9) With 3 wins after 12 weeks, the focus in Dallas is in seeing what new QB Josh Freeman can bring to the club in the final month. Expect a rebuild this offseason, with Freeman viewed as the new focal point. What this means for suspended QB Johnny Manziel is unclear, but it does seem certain that he is not holding the starting gig even if the club keeps him on the roster this offseason.   26—JACKSONVILLE (2-10) Robert Griffin III is the human roller coaster ride. He raised the spirits of Bulls fans with huge performances, including the big win over the Bandits last week, but then you get the downside of his game, as he is now lost for the final month with a knee injury. Just what the Bulls do looking forward is a huge mystery, but we do expect some turnover in the front office as the team tries to give Brian Flores more in his 2nd year than he had this year.   27—LOS ANGELES (2-10) The Express finally got a win for Interim Head Coach Emmitt Thomas, but we still think the future of the Express is one of complete overhaul. They can still play spoiler, but only if the players have motivation to do so. We think many of them are playing not to get hurt and looking for a way out this offseason. A sad state for any team.   28—TAMPA BAY (1-11) So, here is the question. With Jacksonville and LA getting recent wins to leave Tampa as the only 1-win club, how hard do you fight over the final month? Do you want to possibly lose the 1st overall pick in the draft, even in a draft system where the NFL often steals your pick out from under you? We think Tampa would love to knock off Jacksonville in the rematch in 3 weeks, and there is no love lost for Orlando, their opponent this week, but at this point perhaps the thing to do is play some younger players and see what you can build on (well, what the new coaches the team will likely have will build on).   Week 13 kicks off with what could be a real battle in the NE Division as the Generals and Federals are both battling for a possible Wild Card, both hoping they might get hot and catch Pittsburgh for the division, and both dreading that a loss could make their quest for postseason action nearly impossible to achieve. We also have a very interesting inter-divisional clash out west when the Pacific and Southwest division leaders face off in Glendale. Can Arizona hold onto their top seed in the conference or will Jimmy G and the Invaders pull them back to the pack?   Saturday has its fair share of the pack of 6-6 in action, with a huge one in Seattle that sees the Outlaws and the Dragons both trying to reach that 7th win and stay alive in the Wild Card race. We also have Orlando hoping for a road win in the Florida Derby against Tampa Bay and San Diego hoping for some home cooking against the Baltimore Blitz. But perhaps the biggest game of the day is in Columbus, where the Ohio Glory hold a 1-game lead over the defending league champion Panthers. If the Glory can get the home win, they would all but wrap up the Central Division, but if Michigan can win in the heart of Buckeye country, well, then we have a race down to the wire in the Central.   Sunday gives us more 6-6 squads in action with Portland in a tough cross-country matchup at Pittsburgh. Denver has a tough road game as well, heading to Memphis to take on the 9-3 Showboats. Chicago has perhaps the best scenario, playing at home against the 2-10 Express. Memphis sits in a 3 way tie with New Orleans, who are in Vegas to play the Vipers, and Houston, who travel to Philly to face the Stars. Expect those three to all do their best to get the W and put pressure on the other two in what has been a wild battle for the Southern Division title.   Friday @ 6pm ET          New Jersey (6-5-1) @ Washington (6-6)       NBC Friday @ 8pm ET           Oakland (8-4) @ Arizona (9-2-1)                    FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET    Charlotte (8-4) @ Jacksonville (2-10)              ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       Atlanta (7-5) @ St. Louis (5-7)                       FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET       Michigan (7-5) @ Ohio (8-4)                         ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Oklahoma (6-6) @ Seattle (6-6)                      FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET       Orlando (6-6) @ Tampa Bay (1-11)              NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET         Baltimore (4-8) @ San Diego (6-6)                    ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET          Dallas (3-9) @ Birmingham (5-7)                       ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Portland (6-6) @ Pittsburgh (8-4)                       ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Denver (6-6) @ Memphis (9-3)                          FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET            New Orleans (9-3) @ Las Vegas (4-8)               ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET            Los Angeles (2-10) @ Chicago (6-6)                FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET            Houston (9-3) @ Philadelphia (5-7)                   ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ben Roethlisberger refused to roll over for the Federals, playing with a lot of pride and a lot of fire against the rival club from D.C. The result? A 400-yard, 3 TD day that spoiled Washington's hopes to take over 2nd place in the division. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Again, no teams have locked up a playoff berth, though it now appears that Week 13 could see the dam break with several teams on the verge of clinching a postseason berth. Jacksonville did join the Bandits and Express as clubs eliminated as they dropped to 2-10 on the season and are now mathematically unable to secure a Wild Card berth even with a 4-0 finish.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: This week's POTW is not a surprise. Robert Griffin III almost single handedly got the Bulls their 2nd win in a long tough season, by combining 196 yards passing with a stunning 176 yards rushing, including TD runs of 90 and 68 yars as the Bandits simply could not find a way to keep the elusive dual-threat QB contained. PLAYOFF PICTURE: No clubs have locked up playoff positions yet, but we do have our first eliminated clubs as both Tampa Bay and Los Angeles, both mired at the bottom of the standings at 1-10, have been eliminated from contention.