While Week 11 did not lock up any playoff berths, we did see some shifting as clubs like Arizona, Houston, Memphis, Oakland, and New Orleans strengthened their positions with another check in the Win Column. Meanwhile, we do have our first two clubs eliminated, as both LA and Tampa Bay earned the dubious distinction with 5 weeks left to play. It was a week that saw fans in San Antonio embrace their new club, even as some groups protested the choice of Gunslingers as the team name. We also saw a huge performance from Jacksonville QB Robert Griffin III, perhaps an audition for a new opportunity as Jacksonville’s support for their QB seems shaky at best. And speaking of QBs auditioning, Ryan Nassib is our big story of the week, as he continues to build up stats and enthusiasm for a possible Free Agency situation that could make securing his services the hottest contest in the upcoming offseason. We start our report with Nassib in focus, then review all the big games of the week, look at the current playoff picture, and report on 2 more expansion bid groups. All right here, right now, on This Week in the USFL.   Ryan Nassib’s 2018 Success Could Create Free Agency Frenzy He leads the league with a 112.6 QB Rating, is tied for 2nd with 20 touchdowns, and could finish in the top 5 in passing yards, and yet it is all but guaranteed that Ryan Nassib will be a free agent this offseason. Why? Well, he entered the season as the clear number two behind two-time defending league MVP David Carr. His rise to fame this season is a direct result of Carr’s season-ending injury, but Carr is locked in for another three seasons with Arizona, while Nassib is in a contract year. It is clear that Arizona cannot trade Nassib now, not with Carr out and Nassib the key to a potential Summer Bowl run. But at the same time they cannot re-sign the Syracuse product. There just is not the funding available to pay both David Carr and Ryan Nassib as All-USFL caliber starting QBs. No team has that. And so, Nassib is almost guaranteed to hit the free agent market as soon as Arizona’s playoff run is over. He could well be the most fought-over free agent since Eli Manning two years ago, perhaps even more since most of Nassib’s career is ahead of him at only 28 years old. And are there takers for a 28-year old who is putting up potential MVP numbers for the Wranglers? Oh, man, are there potential takers. Where do we start? We know that there are QB situations in flux in at least ¼ of the league’s teams, from Jacksonville to Dallas, but also Chicago and Birmingham, and what about clubs that might see their starter retire this year, clubs like Washington (Garrard), Las Vegas (Manning), or New Orleans (Brees)? Of course there are also teams that could stand pat, but may well be looking to upgrade at the most important position on the field, teams like Los Angeles (Bradford), Portland (Mariota), Seattle (Brissett/McGloin), or Atlanta (Murray).   With the numbers Ryan Nassib is putting up this year, he is almost certain to be offered a straight up starting job, and there is no shortage of teams that would be willing to offer him that deal. But, and this may be a silly question, is there a chance that Nassib, who no one scouted as a top tier prospect out of Syracuse 3 years ago, is finding success largely due to the talent around him in Arizona and the system that turned David Carr into an MVP? Could Nassib be a bust if he heads to the wrong team? Of course he could. That is true of even the most talented players. But, despite the reality that no team is a 1-man franchise, having a QB capable of doing what Nassib is doing this year can certainly help a club turn the corner, or take a huge step in the right direction. And so, as Nassib focuses on the games ahead, on what appears to have potential to be a very deep playoff run, his agent will focus on talking him up, building interest, and “chumming the water” to attract the sharks, clubs ready to shell out MVP money for a player who is making the most of his opportunity this year.   BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 23   ATLANTA FIRE 28 This was a tough choice. We had a shootout between the Bulls and Bandits, but both of those clubs are pretty much out of any postseason push, so while it was an entertaining game, it had little impact leaguewide. We also had a nice game between the Maulers and Monarchs, but Pittsburgh largely had that game won before Charlotte made it look close, so the drama really was not there. Then we had the Stallions and the Fire. Atlanta had just snapped a 4-game losing streak by beating up on the hapless Bandits, but needed to get another W to top .500. Birmingham, sitting at 4-6, was already 2 games under .500, but was still very much in the race for a Wild Card, where 8-8 could well sneak a team in if the tiebreakers are in their favor.   And so, these two teams, from two states where football is the undisputed king of sports, and with fanbases raised (for generations) on Georgia-Alabama animosity, faced off. It may seem odd, since the Fire and the Stallions are not even in the same division, but this game had the atmosphere of a big rivalry game, with plenty of crimson and gold in the stands along with the blue and orange of the Fire faithful. With two solid fanbases, and two clubs fighting for their playoff lives, how could this not be a great game?   It would be a back and forth game that saw 6 lead changes, including 3 in just the 4th quarter and which came down to 2 scores occurring in the final 30 seconds in what old timers will remember as an “ALCOA Fantastic Finish”. One of the best final minutes in the league this year, and one of the biggest plays to win it for the home team. And along the way, Atlanta QB Aaron Murray may well have made his best case to hold firm to the starting job all season, a 296-yard, 3 TD masterpiece that could finally earn him some respect from both the club and the fans.   The game started very much in Birmingham’s favor. After Atlanta’s opening drive fizzled outside of field goal range, the Stallions got the touchback on the Fire punt and started off on their 20. They would hold the ball for 7 minutes, threaten a touchdown, but, thanks to a nice defensive play on 3rd and goal, settle for a 24-yard field goal to start the day’s scoring. But, as disappointed as Birmingham was to settle for 3, CB Antonio Cromartie brought the Stallion faithful right back into the game on Atlanta’s 2nd play from scrimmage. Cromartie’s aggressive play would give Birmingham the ball back deep in Atlanta territory. After a short hook route got the ball into Dorial Green-Beckham’s hands, the receiver turned away from FS Will Allen, who had been covering the slot receiver, but Cromartie had already made a break on the inside play, and DGB spun right into him. With a swat of his arm, Cromartie dislodged the ball from the receiver, then fell on it to give Birmingham the ball on the Atlanta 25. Coach Arians threw out the red flag, arguing for an incompletion instead of a fumble, but video review showed that DGB had clear possession before being hit by Cromartie. The fumble stood and Birmingham took over deep in Atlanta territory.   It would take only 4 plays for the Stallions to cash in on the takeaway. HB Kerryon Johnson, who would lead all rushers in the game with 57 yards on 9 carries, busted free on an outside pitch and wove his way 18 yards for the score. Birmingham had 10 points on the board, Atlanta had 2 plays from scrimmage.   Getting the ball back after the post-touchdown kickoff, the Atlanta offense knew they risked losing the crowd if they could not respond. They put together a very nice 11-play drive that was capped off with Aaron Murray hitting 2nd year TE O. J. Howard with a quick incutting route for the score. Now down only 3, and having put together a very nice, controlled drive, Atlanta was in the game, and the fans were feeling better about their club. That good feeling would continue into the second quarter, where Atlanta’s D sacked Cam Newton on a 3rd and 7 to force a punt, and the Fire offense again found success with short passes and inside runs. Nick Chubb would take the brunt of the work in this third Fire drive, with play action from Murray also proving effective. The Atlanta QB found Roy Williams on a nice 19-yard pass to cross midfield, then connected with Kelvin Benjamin to get into the red zone. 5 plays later, on a 2nd and 3 from the 9, Chris Ivory took the handoff off the right guard, found a seam, and bounced off the tackle to reach paydirt. Atlanta would take its first lead of the game.   That lead would be short lived as Birmingham responded with a drive of their own, Cam Newton connecting with Amari Cooper on a huge 38-yard pass and catch on 1st down. They would retake the lead 5 plays later when Newton found slot receiver Julian Edelman for an 18-yard TD toss, Newton’s only TD of the game. When Atlanta failed to gain a first down on the ensuing drive, they gave Birmingham just enough time to get in position for kicker Chris Bosworth, and with Bosworth’s 53-yard field goal, the Stallions went into the half with a 20-14 lead.   The third quarter saw no scoring as both defenses made effective adjustments at the half. The period did see the 2nd Atlanta turnover, though the interception really should not be credited to Murray as his pass to TE Vance McDonald was tipped at the line and fell right into the hands of Will Allen, who was positioned close to the line to defend against Nick Chubb. With both clubs unable to alter the score in the 3rd, we would go to the 4th quarter with Birmingham clinging to a 6-point lead.   That lead would disappear after Atlanta’s first drive of the final period, a drive that saw Aaron Murray connect on 3 of 4 passing, including the drive capper, a short slant route to Dorial Green-Beckham, who made up for his earlier fumble by putting Atlanta back on top 21-20. But, with 9 minutes left to play, this game was far from over. Birmingham would go 3-and-out on their next possession, but so would Atlanta, giving the Stallions the ball with nearly 5 minutes left to play.   It would not be a perfect drive for the Stallions. They had two costly penalties that stunted their progress, including a call of offensive pass interference that took away an apparent touchdown. But, they managed to reach the Atlanta 4-yard line with a first and goal. First down saw Newton throw the ball out of the endzone. Second down saw the Atlanta defense ready for Rex Burkhead, stuffing him after only 1 yard, creating a 3rd and goal at the 3. The Stallions spread the offense out, with 4 receivers, but Atlanta was not fooled. They knew that Birmingham loved to run Newton from these spread formations. The Fire sent LB Patrick Willis on a blitz and the veteran LB caught Newton just as he began stepping forward. The result was a 6-yard loss, and another Birmingham field goal. But, with only 27 seconds left on the clock, that field goal from Boswell felt very much like a game winner for the Stallions.   Atlanta would need a miracle drive to get into field goal range, with 2 timeouts and only 27 seconds to go. They would get that miracle, and the W, on a play that fans in the Peach State will remember for a long time. The Birmingham kick went into the endzone, giving Atlanta the ball at the 20. They needed to gain about 45-50 yards to get into any type of range for kicker John Bounds. On first and 10, Murray was forced to dump the ball out to FB Marcel Reese, a 4 -yard gain and out of bounds. 2nd and 6 from the 24, with 24 seconds left. Time for an outside route and a quick first down? Apparently not, as the Fire changed things up, sending both Roy Williams and Kelvin Benjamin on deep in-breaking routes. Benjamin squared up about 18 yards downfield, catching the ball from Murray just as safety Baccari Rambo tracked him down. But before Rambo could get Williams to the turf, the wideout had done just as the play had demanded, he lateralled the ball back to the approaching O. J. Howard. The big tight end took the pitch and raced right past Rambo, with LB DeMeco Ryans trailing him but unable to catch up. Cornerback Ladarius Webb took a bad angle and missed with a poorly timed dive, freeing Howard’s path to the endzone. When the 2nd year receiver crossed the goalline, he was swamped by his fellow Fire players, and the Fire fans erupted in cheers of joy and disbelief at the play they just witnessed. The hook and ladder, made famous by the NFL Dolphins back in that classic playoff game against San Diego, was again perfectly executed, this time for a 76-yard touchdown to win the game for the Atlanta Fire, keeping their playoff hopes alive at 6-5, and sending Birmingham to a troubling 4-7 record, one that could well spell the end of their postseason hopes. It was a brilliant call, early enough in the drive that Birmingham did not see it coming, but beautifully executed by all parties, Murray, Williams, and especially Howard. The Fire remain alive, and with only 1 game left on their schedule against a team with a winning record (Charlotte in what could be a huge Week 15 game for both clubs) is looking very much like a team with a lot to play for over the next 5 weeks.   DENVER 13   OKLAHOMA 27 The two clubs tied for 2nd in the SW Division faced off at OGE Energy Stadium on Friday night, with the winner taking over sole possession of 2nd place and getting the upper hand in the Wild Card race. Denver jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead, but were then shut down by Oklahoma the rest of the game. Two Julius Thomas TD receptions and 96 yards from Marshawn Lynch were enough to overcome the deficit and earn a 14-point win for the home team. POTG:  Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 22 Att, 96 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Rec, 25 Yds   NEW JERSEY 10   NEW ORLEANS 23 With Nick Foles still sidelined, the Generals just could not muster enough offense to keep pace with the Breakers, not when Drew Brees had 3 receivers over 80 yards apiece. Kenny Britt got both of the Brees TDs, along with one on the ground from Leonard Fournette, as New Orleans sends the Generals down to .500 after 11 weeks. POTG:  Breaker QB Drew Brees: 21/27, 276 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   PITTSBURGH 31  CHARLOTTE 28 A nice battle between the Maulers and Monarchs saw the Maulers, behind 3 TD passes from Andy Dalton, build up an 11-point lead and hold on despite a late Justin Blackmon TD. The Maulers rushed for 176 yards and Dalton completed 17 of 27 with 2 TDs to wideout Victor Cruz and another to slot man Ted Ginn Jr. Rookie Nyheim Hines and WR Justin Blackmon scored for the Monarchs, who also got a defensive score when D-lineman Chandler Jones picked up a loose ball and rumbled into the endzone, but it was not enough as the Maulers hung on for their 7th victory of the year. POTG:  Pittsburgh CB Rasul Douglas: 5 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int   CHICAGO 13   SAN DIEGO 20 The Thunder win their 4th in a row to rise above .500, while sending Chicago a game beneath the break-even line. Again Christian Ponder played well, completing 24 of 31 passes for 298 yards and 2 TDs, despite suffering 7 sacks in the game. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 2 interceptions helped San Diego hold off the Machine, with both coming on San Diego’s side of the field. The Thunder D also held Chicago to 2 of 10 on third down, stymieing several drives with good nickel D. POTG:  Thunder QB Christian Ponder: 24/31, 298 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   MEMPHIS 30  LAS VEGAS 27 Back-to-back TD receptions from Robert Woods were followed by a 22-yard pick-six by Memphis CB Marcus Williams as the Showboats turned a 10-0 early deficit into a 21-10 lead, and never looked back, winning their 9th game in 11 tries. Las Vegas would get some scores late to even the score at 27 with 5:40 to play, but Memphis avoided overtime with a final minute field goal to take the road win. POTG:  Memphis CB Marcus Williams: 6 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   ORLANDO 41  PHILADELPHIA 14 Matt Gutierrez returned to action, but was clearly not 100% as he was sacked 3 times and picked off twice by the Renegade defense. Russell Wilson had none of those issues, standing in clean pockets all day as he completed 24 of 29 passes for 387 yards and 3 scores in the Orlando route. Three different Orlando receivers had 100-yard games, a first in nearly a decade for a Renegade team, with Perriman, Bowe, and TE David Njoku going over the century mark. POTG:  Renegade QB Russell Wilson: 24/29, 387 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   ARIZONA 14  DALLAS 10 Ryan Nassib throws for 337 yards but the Dallas defense keeps him out of the endzone for much of the game as the Roughnecks hung tough in this one. On a gameday decision, it was Brandon Wheedon for the start, much to the chagrin of the Roughneck fans hoping to see Josh Freeman in the game. Dallas played a very conservative game, and that was largely effective, but in the end, Arizona’s 2nd touchdown, a Carey run from 12-yards out, proved enough to bring the win to the visitors. POTG:  Wrangler CB Joe Haden: 5 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int   ST. LOUIS 13   OHIO 32 Lamar Jackson’s first true “rookie” game, saw the St. Louis signal caller sacked 4 times and picked off twice by a very tenacious Ohio defense. On Offense, Ohio split carries between Isaiah Pead (81 Yds) and Delone Carter (39 Yds), while Christian Hackenberg was an efficient 21 of 32 for 199 yards and a score as Ohio pulled away from the Skyhawks over the course of the 2nd half. Jackson did find Rob Gronkowski for a 4th quarter score, but it was much too little for St. Louis. POTG : Ohio LB Stephen Daniels: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   JACKSONVILLE 45  TAMPA BAY 42 An absolute shootout between these two 1-9 teams, one we nearly picked as our Game of the Week. The two clubs combined for 996 combined yards, with Tampa Bay racking up 354 in the air and 174 on the ground, while Jacksonville had 196 in the air, and, largely due to Robert Griffin’s insane 176 yards rushing, put up 272 on the ground. Griffin had 2 long TD runs, along with 3 more rushing TDs from the halfbacks, but it was a short Griffin to Mike Williams TD pass late in the 4th that proved to be the game winner, despite Dak Prescott’s 4-TD, 354-yard day. POTG:  Bulls’ QB Robert Griffin III: 18/23, 196 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 10 Att, 176 Yds, 2 TD   PORTLAND 21   MICHIGAN 35 The Panthers came out of the gate on fire, scoring on their first 5 possessions to take a 23-0 lead that Portland would never challenge. The Panthers got TDs from Bell (2) and Calvin Ridley, added a safety late in the 1st half, and held off the Stags over the game’s final 30 minutes. Rookie Kyle Lauletta threw for all 3 Portland scores, but also threw 3 picks on the day. POTG:  Michigan HB LeVeon Bell: 23 Att, 96 Yds, 2 TD   LOS ANGELES 0   OAKLAND 6 We feel like we should apologize to anyone who sat through this game, live or on TV. This was just plain ugly. Oakland had only 11 first downs, went 2 for 13 on third down, and committed 2 touchdowns, and yet they still managed to not only win the game, but shut out the Express to boot. LA had only 10 total first downs, only 189 total offensive yards, and never even got in field goal range the entire game. The only players with any decent numbers were on defense, where Oakland’s Bobby Wagner had 10 tackles and DE Michael Bennett recorded 2 sacks. POTG:  Oakland DE Michael Bennett: 5 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   WASHINGTON 20   HOUSTON 34 The Feds came out strong on the road, and looked good early, but Houston then found their groove, went on a 20-0 run, and built up a 27-10 lead that would hold through the 2nd half. Colt McCoy was in rare form, throwing for 298 yards and 4 TDs, though he did suffer 2 picks on the day. Washington TE Kellen Davis was a tough player to guard for the Gamblers, catching 7 balls for 104 yards and a score, but in the end, Houston just had more options on offense, with Hyde rushing for 114 and Mike Evans catching 6 for 119 and 2 scores. POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy: 22/31, 298 Yds, 4 TD, 2 Int   SEATTLE 28  BALTIMORE 17 Jacoby Brissett returned to action, but split series with Matt McGloin as the Dragons kept his “pitch count down”. The result was nearly parity between the two Seattle QBs, with Brissett going 11 of 16 for 105 yards and 2 TDs, while McGloin went 11 of 18 for 128, a TD and the Dragons’ lone pick of the day. Baltimore got a good game from Brian Hartline (131 Yds, 1 TD) in a season where he has simply not been making headlines, but it was far short of what they needed to stay in this game as Seattle again finds themselves 1 game from .500. POTG:  Seattle SS Terrell Edmunds: 2 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   Griffin Embarrasses Bandits with Long TD Runs While RG3 may not yet have proven to USFL fans that he can be a reliable pocket passer, there was not much doubt that he was a dangerous player when allowed to run free. As if that lesson had to be learned again, Griffin’s performance against Tampa Bay certainly showed it to be true. On 10 rushes, a combination of scrambles and designed read option plays, Griffin amassed 176 yards rushing, outpacing every back in the game, including Dalvin Cook, who had a career best 157 on the day.   The lesson in elusiveness started very early, on the 2nd drive of the game, when, following a Bandit touchdown on their opening drive, a poor choice on the kick return gave Jacksonville the ball on their own 10-yard line. After an incomplete pass on first down, Griffin lined up in the shotgun, but once the ball was in his hand, there was no attempt to look downfield, Griffin followed TE Gavin Escobar, lined up as the H-back, to the wide side and the race was on. Over 13.2 seconds, Griffin wove, juked, and sprinted his way 90 yards to a score for the Bulls, putting Tampa Bay on notice that the run would very much be a part of his game on the day.   Griffin’s elusiveness would strike again near the tail end of the 2nd quarter, when again, on a very similar play, he found a huge hole, exploited it, and was in the secondary before the linebackers even adjusted to the scramble. This time, on what was clearly an improvised run, Griffin did most of the work himself, shifting the angle of attack for the defenders with well-timed jukes and changes of pace. He would go for another 68 yards and his 2nd touchdown of the game. And while those two runs comprised 158 of his 176 yards on the ground, the threat of another big run forced Tampa Bay to leave in a spy, to shift to more zone and fewer man-up situations and generally handcuffed the defense.   The result was Jacksonville’s 2nd win of the season, and a very contented Griffin. It was a game that may well force the Bulls to reevaluate their strategy for 2019 and beyond. The thought had been that we are very likely to see a full “clean house” approach, with departures up and down the franchise, from scouting to coaching, and with a new focus on an offense that lacks consistency and playmakers. But, as this game showed, Griffin is perhaps the only serious threat that Jacksonville has on offense, so would it make sense for them to let their only weapon go, only to seek a new style of play? That is the question everyone within the Bulls’ organization must be pondering after this game.   Bell tops 1,100 yards, League’s Only 1,000-yard rusher after 11 weeks. While not quite as boastful and outspoken as last year, LeVeon Bell has been quietly putting up some of his best numbers and this week became the first USFL back to hit 1,000 yards, now at 1,102 after 11 weeks, and on pace for 1,500 or more for the season. Last year’s push for 2,000 yards did not go well at all as Bell’s mouth was writing checks that he simply could not cash, largely because defenses keyed in on him so much that both his per game and per carry averages took a significant dip.   Things are very different this year, as Bell, complete with a 2017 Championship ring, is staying out of the press, and finding much more success on the field. He boasts a stellar 4.8 YPC average, has a nearly 200-yard lead on 2nd place (Maurice Jones-Drew) and is now tied with MJD with 12 rushing touchdowns. Bell is going out every game and getting the job done, no bravado, no ego, not even a statement on the MVP or OPOTY race, both of which he now has to be part of, just doing his part and doing it very well for the Panthers. Colston-Ponder Connection Helping Thunder Get in Playoff Race It has not gone unnoticed that with backup Christian Ponder at the helm, the Thunder have won 3 of his 4 starts. Including the past two weeks. It has also not gone unnoticed that in those 4 starts, former Outlaw wideout Marques Colston has had his best games of the season, racking up 461 yards, with far more frequent deep routes and big play impact. It seems that Ponder and Colston have found a rapport that had eluded Joe Webb.   So, the question now becomes, is there a QB controversy in San Diego? And, if so, will Colston push for the backup to become the starter? It is undeniable that the Thunder have been more potent of late, scoring 27 against Philadelphia in Ponder’s first start, then 34 at Los Angeles, 35 at Oakland and this week 20 against Chicago. There is an argument to make that Ponder’s pocket style works well with both HB Ryan Williams’s role and with the ability to use play action to connect deep with Colston, as well as groupmate, Nick Tune. When we look at the two QBs head-to-head, there are arguments for each, with Joe Webb putting together 12 touchdown drives with only 5 picks in his starts, while Ponder, with 6 TDs to 4 picks, is a bit less impressive, but with Ponder’s completion percentage a solid 6 points higher than Webb’s, and an overall QB Rating 5 points higher, some would say it is more about team results than individual TD:INT numbers. With Webb still out of action, likely to be cleared to play either for Week 13 or 14, Ponder has 2 more weeks to show that he has the stuff to lead the team. And along with him, Marques Colston, is hoping to show that he remains among the league’s best deep threats.   Gore Hints at Retirement as His Role Shrinks While it is clear that Frank Gore remains the most trusted back in the Wrangler corral, particularly when the club is near the endzone, it also seems clear that the shift towards Ka’Deem Carey is happening before our eyes. Gore still gets the majority of red zone carries and outpaces Carey with 7 TDs to the younger back’s 1, but when we look at overall workload, Carey has surpassed the veteran, taking on more carries each week, and now leading Gore by nearly 100 yards of production.   With Frank Gore turning 35 this season, that shift should not be a surprise. Neither should talk about retirement, something that has been in the win for at least the past 2 seasons and now is a whisper that is getting louder as Gore himself seems to be hinting that this may be his last run at a title. This week the veteran back all but admitted he is considering retirement after the 2018 season in an interview with NBC Sports, where he spoke about the physicality of the game, the toll it takes on the body, and his desire to “win one last big game”.   While it may not be a surprise that a 35-year-old halfback is considering the end of his career, for many in Arizona it will be a very sad day when Frank Gore does finally announce that he has played his last game for the Wranglers. In 14 USFL seasons, the last 6 with Arizona, Gore has been a model of consistency, class, and pure effort. If he were to retire this year, he would do so with nearly 17,000 rushing yards, a number that is sure to land him in Canton in the near future. But for now, he shows up every day, puts in the work, watches the film, takes his carries, and gains his yards, often with 6-points the result. League Acts on Kareem Hunt Case, with 3 Game Suspension After several weeks of speculation, along with ongoing league investigation, this week league HQ in New York came out with its decision on Kareem Hunt’s case. The verdict? A three game suspension to begin in Week 13. While some are saying that the penalty is too soft for a domestic abuse case, others are saying that it is premature, since Hunt’s legal case is still in the early stages and he has yet to be found responsible, with every chance that a plea or mediated resolution will be the result of the legal case. Regardless, Hunt and his agent are, of course, appealing the decision, and hoping to delay the implementation of the sanction, though certainly no party wants the suspension to move into the 2019 season, with Las Vegas still alive in the Wild Card hunt, a penalty that spans weeks 13, 14, and 15 really is no better than one delayed by a week, which could cause Hunt to miss the final week of the season. Should it be delayed any further, the penalty would almost certainly force Hunt to miss the season opener in 2019, as preseason games are specifically excluded from all league suspensions.   With the 3-game suspension already being questioned as being too lenient a penalty, it seems very unlikely that the league will reduce the suspension, so Hunt’s appeal could be a very short one, receiving an almost immediate response from the league office. In the meantime, the former NFL halfback will suit up in Week 12, when the 4-7 Vipers take on Arizona at Wynn Arena.   Cluster of Teams with 5 or 6 Wins as Playoff Picture Remains Cloudy While it is certainly not certain, if we were to assume that any team that currently boasts a 7-4 record or better is likely going to retain a playoff spot, that means that there remain 3 spots to be claimed, the 5th and 6th seeds in the West and the 6th seed in the East. Right now, all 3 spots are held by 6-5 clubs, Atlanta in the East, Portland and Oklahoma in the West. But, with 3 other teams at 6-5 right behind them, 4 clubs at 5-6, and the Generals stuck in the middle at 5-5-1, we are talking about 11 teams vying for 3 spots. That, as anyone who follows pro football knows, can only mean a lot of jockeying for position over the final weeks of the season, and an almost certain reliance on tiebreakers to decide who gets their shot at the postseason. Let’s break down all 11 teams and see who may be in the best position to capture those 3 bids. ATLANTA (6-5) Currently in 6th place The Fire currently hold the tiebreakers over both Orlando and Washington, the other 6-5 clubs, and they have a distinct advantage in that 4 of their remaining 5 games are against clubs with 4 wins or fewer (2-9 Jacksonville, 4-7 St. Louis, 1-10 Tampa Bay, and 3-8 Baltimore). If they just win the games they are expected to win, they could finish they year 10-6, even if they fall to Charlotte in Week 15, and 10-6 should be solid enough to get a Wild Card.   ORLANDO (6-5) Currently in 7th place The Renegades find themselves trailing Atlanta in two distinct tiebreakers, division record (2-4 vs. 3-2 for Atlanta) and Conference Record (4-5 vs. 5-3 for Atlanta). They also finish up with a distinctly tougher final month, playing 5-6 Chicago this week before facing 7-4 Ohio and 8-3 New Orleans in the season’s final 2 weeks. This puts them at a distinct disadvantage unless they can pull some upsets and/or Atlanta stumbles against weaker opposition.   NEW JERSEY (5-5-1) Currently in 8th place That tie against Arizona is either a curse or a blessing. New Jersey is unlikely to be involved in any tie-breakers unless other clubs get forced into a tie game this season. So, they will either find themselves a half-game ahead of the competition or, as we see today, a half game behind the pack. Looking at their final 5 weeks, they have a very tough run ahead of them, with 4 straight games that will challenge them: @ Oakland, @ Washington, home to Pittsburgh and home to Philadelphia before a gift in the season finale, the 1-10 Bandits. That run, paired with Nick Foles injury, an injury that has led to 3 straight losses, could be the death of the once-promising Generals’ season.   Philadelphia (5-6) Currently in 9th place. The Stars may be last in our group of Eastern Wild Card contenders, but since they are only really 1 game back of the pack, they are still very much in the mix. They have a couple of tough games left, with Houston in Week 13, Washington in Week 14, and the Generals in Week 15, but their biggest hurdle may well be their current 2-6 Conference record, a very likely tiebreaker if they end up even with Atlanta, Orlando, or both. They likely need to be a full game up on both to win those tiebreakers.   Portland (6-5) Currently in 5th Place The Stags are 4-1 in their division, which is nice, but won’t help them if they are tied with teams from the Central or Southwestern Divisions. Their best chance to stay in playoff position is to gain a game on the competition and avoid tiebreakers. That may mean pulling an upset, and avoiding other 6-4 or 5-6 teams upsetting them. Their final five games include direct matchups with 3 of those clubs: 5-6 Seattle (This Week), 6-5 San Diego (Week 14) and 6-5 Oklahoma (Week 16). That season finale in OKC could very easily prove to be a Play in game for both clubs.   OKLAHOMA (6-5) Currently in 6th place. Yes, that season finale vs. Portland could be huge, as could this week’s game against Ohio, then Week 13’s trip to Seattle. Oklahoma has one advantage over Portland if things do get clustered, a 6-2 conference record. If they can upend Seattle, that would move to 7-2, which puts them at a clear advantage, but again, the season finale vs. Portland could still be a game where the winner is in and the loser is out, which the league loves, even if both clubs don’t want that kind of stress.   San Diego (6-5) Currently in 7th place The Thunder’s slow start has been wiped out by a 4-game win streak and now San Diego is in position to challenge but may need to have a game up on either the Stags or Outlaws to leapfrog them. They are clearly the hottest team of the three, with impressive wins over both Oakland and Denver in their run. They finish up with a lot of big games on the slate, including 7-4 Pittsburgh this week, then games against both Portland and Seattle before a very nice Week 16 “gimme” against the 1-10 LA Express in San Diego.   CHICAGO (5-6) Currently in 8th place Chicago has the advantage that many of the other Western clubs are battling each other in the season ‘s final month and could knock each other out of contention. But, Chicago has to prove it can win more consistently in its final 5 games to have a shot. An 8-8 record is not likely to be good enough. With games still on the docket against Orlando, Michigan, and Denver, they need to show a bit more than we have seen so far or they could easily fall short of both the Wild Card and .500.   DENVER (5-6) Currently in 9th place The Gold have been fading after a nice first month. They have lost 3 of 4 and 6 of their last 8, one more loss and Coach Hufnagel may be tempted to swap in Josh Allen for Matt Leinart, at least for some games, as he looks towards 2019. But, if they can win this week at home against Dallas, well, they may try to make a push. But, look at Weeks 13 and 14, when they have back-to-back games against 9-2 Memphis and 9-2 Houston. They cannot go 0-2 in that brutal 2-game stretch or it will be “maybe next year” for the Gold.   SEATTLE (5-6) Currently in 10th place I cannot believe we are hear again. Seattle’s season is like Day of the Dead, a sequel to a pretty amazing 2017, when they went from 0-5 to 9-7 and actually won their first playoff game before falling in the Divisional Round. To duplicate that feat they will need a lot of help, as most of the tiebreakers do not go their way, but they also have plenty of chances to help their own cause, with Portland, Oklahoma, and San Diego still on the schedule. Sweep those 3 games and they have a shot, but with Ohio and Michigan in their other 2 games, they are going to have to show us some really consistent play to have a true shot at 9-7 once again.   As we mentioned in the intro, no clubs were able to lock up playoff bids in Week 11, but two clubs became the first eliminated. With a 1-10 record after 11 weeks it really is not a surprise that both Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are now officially playing out the string. With LA already seeing their Week 1 head coach hit the pavement, now it seems June Jones’s tenure with the Bandits is also likely about to be cut short. But, what about the teams still alive in the hunt for Week 17 action and beyond?   Arizona and Houston lead their respective divisions, each with 2 losses (Houston at 9-2, Arizona at 8-2-1). But neither can rest over the next month. Arizona has Oklahoma 2 games back, and if they want the 1 seed, they have to keep an eye on 8-3 Oakland as well. Houston’s lead in the South is based on a tiebreaker with Memphis (also 9-2) and both are only 1 game up on New Orleans. Other divisions are equally tight, with Michigan and Ohio tied at 7-4 in the Central, Charlotte up only 1 game on both Orlando and Atlanta in the Southeast, Pittsburgh leading Washington by 1 game and New Jersey by 1.5 games in the Northeast, and Oakland still concerned about San Diego, coming on strong with 4 straight wins and now trailing the Invaders by only 2 games with 5 to play. The Wild Card races are also tight with the 6 seed in each conference very much up for grabs. Currently Portland, Oklahoma and Atlanta all sit in playoff position at 6-5, but they are challenged by San Diego, Orlando, and Washington (all also 6-5), with many others in close proximity, including New Jersey (5-5-1), Philadelphia (5-6), Chicago, Denver and Seattle (all 5-6). So, a lot of drama yet to unfold as we head into the 12th week of 16 this season.   Finally, a light week on the injury front after what has felt like a MASH hospital the past month. Were Baltimore in a playoff hunt, they likely would not have added Taylor to the IR, but with their season now looking very much like a lost cause, they decided to shutter his season and give some young players a shot to get some snaps. Other than that, we are looking at minor injuries that could see players back as soon as Week 13, and some still potentially playing this week.   OUT LB           Jason Taylor          BAL        Neck                     IR FS        Kyzir White             MGN     Arm                       2-4 Weeks LB         Junior Galette        OAK      Thigh Bruise      1-2 Weeks QB          Joe Webb               SD          Hand                    1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR       Dontrelle Inmana   BIR         Hamstring DE        Jordan Willis           OKL       Eye   QUESTIONABLE DE         Bradley Chubb      WSH     Hamstring FS          David Bruton          LA          Personal WR         Chris Givens          SD          Concussion     Two Hall of Famers Lobby for Their Coach to Join Them While it may be too late to realistically lobby for any Hall of Fame votes, with the tally due this Friday and the announcement to come next week, there is one pair of Hall of Famers who are hoping not only to vote one of their own, but to give what they believe is long overdue recognition by lobbying other voters to vote their former head coach into the Legacy position this year. Both Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly and fellow Hall of Famer, WR Antonio Freeman are going public with their support for former Gambler head coach Ray Willsey to get his recognition as a Legacy candidate. Willsey, who passed away in 2013, would be the first coach nominated as a Legacy candidate.   Coach Willsey While the Legacy addition to the HOF induction classes has yet to select a coach in its 8 years of existence, there certainly is an argument to be made for Willsey. After all, this is a coach who came to the USFL in 1990 after a distinguished CFL career and helped Houston garner two titles in 4 years (1992 and 1996) while helping to place Kelly, Freeman, Thurman Thomas, and LB Kiki Ayala into the Hall. His 11 seasons with the Gamblers produced a coaching record of 99 wins to 75 losses, but also a playoff record of 13-5, one of the best in league history. Yes, a 10-year career is a bit short for a coach in the Hall of Fame, and with the Hall not including Canadian years, that is a bit of a limitation, but there is no doubt that Coach Willsey certainly found success in the USFL with the Gamblers, and with names like Kelly and Freeman going around the sports radio and TV interview circuit pushing for their coach, they may just succeed in getting their guy into Canton.   Protests in San Antonio Falling on Deaf Ears While Red McCombs and the San Antonio Gunslinger ownership may be wildly popular in the Alamo City right now, a week after announcing that the team’s first USFL identity would be revived as the city gains an expansion team in 2020, there are some folks who are less than enthused about the return of a two-gunned duelist as the mascot of the club. Among those lodging complaints and making a lot of noise in the media are Sandy Hook Promise, a group formed after the Sandy Hook school shootings, along with other gun violence action groups such as Everytown and Moms Demand Action. The voices criticizing the newly revealed team identity also include a recent survivor of school violence, David Hogg, from Parkland, Florida, site of a horrible school shooting this past February. The logo of San Antonio's original Gunslingers in 1987. While McCombs has acknowledged the sensitive issue of gun violence and school shootings, he is quick to point out that the name predates the spate of school-related violence, that it calls back to a very specific time in American history, and a very specific character well-known to anyone who has ever enjoyed a Western or explored the history of the region. He believes that to ignore that history, or to avoid it due to current issues around gun violence, is not appropriate and does nothing to benefit the causes that the groups protesting his choice. He is adamant that the name is chosen and will not be changed, and with the surge in Gunslinger nostalgia that the announcement of the logo produced, and the production of merchandise already underway, it seems very likely that the club will withstand the initial backlash and move forward with the identity.   Thunder Appear Open to Portland Overtures Could the Thunder really rumble back in Portland again? Speaking of club nicknames and identities, it seems that some within the San Diego Thunder organization are more open to selling the rights to the identity than most assumed. There appears to be a groundswell of support among the minority owners of the franchise, to let the Thunder name go back to Portland and allow the club to create its own identity. That is a surprise to many in the league, who thought that Portland’s desire to reacquire the name was a lost cause. But with San Diego looking to bring in new ownership, and a new owner potentially wanting to create a brand of their own, there is apparently real potential for this idea to catch some momentum within the organization, particularly if the Portland Stags franchise is willing to pay the price for the name and brand, which they seem willing to do, this could be something that happens. Surprising as that is.   Boston Could Have 2 Bidders Vying for the Same Opportunity The Boston Breakers played only 3 years before relocating. In our preparation for this Fall’s Expansion bidding process, we have looked so far at a dark horse bid from a group in Hartford, Connecticut, and two midwestern bids, one each from Kansas City and the Twin Cities of Minnesota. This week we will look at a city that is considered a front-runner, but one that appears to have two separate bidding groups, each stating a claim to the city, and a potential deal with the NFL Patriots to finally bring spring football to Gillette Stadium, the best-suited stadium in New England for a USFL franchise after failed attempts to use Nickerson Field (BU), Harvard Stadium, and Alumni Stadium (BC) in the past. TheCannons called BC's Alumni Stadium home from 2003-2012. It is that issue, stadium viability, which has been a thorn in the side of a USFL presence in Boston ever since the Boston Breakers helped form the league back in 1983. Boston lasted 1 year at Nickerson Field, which at the time seated 18,000, with an awkward expansion to 22,000 if needed (it never was). In their second season, 1984, the Breakers cut a deal with Harvard to move their games to Harvard Stadium, but while the capacity was higher (approximately 30,000), the facility itself was sub-standard for a professional club. The Breakers would last only 2 seasons at Harvard Stadium before the original ownership gave up on the franchise, and a deal was cut head of the 1986 season to sell the team to a group based out of New Orleans, moving the Breakers to what has now been their home for over 30 years.   Boston went without USFL football for nearly two decades (1987-2002) before the struggling Atlanta Fire football club, a 1995 expansion team, was sold and moved up to New England. New ownership, headed by the owner of the Bruins, Jeremy Jacobs, had secured a deal to play at 45,000 seat Alumni Stadium. But even with the Boston club having solid attendance and eventually winning a league title in 2009, constant friction with Boston College over the use of the facility, needed upgrades and refurbishment, and the split of stadium revenue, produced a toxic stew that would eventually force the Boston Cannons franchise to move on, costing Boston their second franchise when the Cannons left for Dallas to become today’s Dallas Roughnecks.   The common theme among both the departure of the Breakers and the Cannons was a lack of access to first Foxboro Stadium, and later Gillette Stadum, both facilities the home to the New England Patriots. Ownership in New England had always been strongly in the camp of NFL owners who felt that any collaboration between the two leagues only weakened their investment and the fall league. While other owners gladly made arrangements with the USFL to share stadia, increase stadium use dates, and build a year-round football culture, that has always been a non-starter in New England, and current Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft, has been among the most vocal opponents to every NFL-USFL collaborative effort.   Boston 2020 is an investment group that aims to bring the USFL back for a 3rd time. But, the tide may be changing in New England, and we now have two groups who believe they can cut a deal with Kraft and Gillette Stadium to give a team in New England a real shot at financial viability. The first of these groups is called Boston 2020. Led by former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, along with the brother-sister team of Edward and Abigail Johnson. Edward, who is currently serving as CEO of Boston 2020, is also the president of Pembroke Real Estate, a major player in Boston area realty and a subsidiary of Fidelity Investments, where Abigail has served as CEO since her father stepped down 2 years ago. They are a well-heeled and well-financed group, and they have close relations with the Kraft family, which appears to be their inside avenue towards a stadium deal in Foxborough.   The New England Football Group thinks its bid will win a USFL team for the region. The second group, calling itself the NEFG (New England Football Group), also claims to be in discussions with the Kraft family, and anticipates a deal for Gillette Stadium should it be selected for 2020 expansion. This group has more figures in its leadership, including telecommunications executive Robert Hale Jr.; Bill Alfond, a minority owner of the Fenway Sports Group which owns the Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Liverpool FC across the pond; and former Boston sports legend Kevin McHale, the former Celtic. Both teams have also lined up some football greats connected with the region as part of their pitch. Former USFL and BC quarterback Doug Flutie is aligned with Boston 2020, while former Patriot Steve Grogan along with former Cannon Tiki Barber have been seen at NEFG press events.   Both groups will be competing to represent Boston, making the case that their group is best-positioned to deal with the Krafts, secure a lease for Gillette Stadium, and make a long term commitment to have USFL Football in Boston for the third time. Whoever comes out ahead in that argument will still have to deal with arguments in favor of bringing the USFL to a new market, with Kansas City, the Twin Cities, Hartford, and Miami all expected to be in that conversation. So, it is not just a battle for Boston, it is a battle to represent Boston in a larger competition for one single USFL expansion club. After all, while there are certainly some arguments in favor of having the nation’s 11th largest metro area back in the league once again, two prior failures, and the lingering uncertainty about bids until a Gillette Stadium deal is in place means that there will be doubters within USFL circles, owners more likely to look for a new market like KC, Miami, or Minnesota over a twice-failed market. So, for both Boston 2020 and NEFG, the key, the true missing piece of the puzzle, has to be their ability to lock down Gillette Stadium now, ahead of the proposal reviews this fall. Skyhawks, Amid Rough Season, Look to the Future with New UA Uniforms The 2018 season has been one of disappointment and transition for the St. Louis Skyhawks, disappointment on the field, losing 6 of their first 8 games, and struggling on defense (currently 27th in points allowed and dead last in yards allowed and rushing yards allowed). Transition, because after a 1-5 start, the move was made from veteran QB Josh Freeman to promsing rookie Lamar Jackson. Jackson’s early success has lifted spirits and given the club hope for the future, and the season feels very much like a turning point towards a new chapter in Skyhawk football. So, it is also a good time for a new look, and that is just what Under Armour has prepared for the Skyhawks.   While much will remain from the look that St. Louis fans associate with their league title in 2012, quite a bit is changing. First off, while the colors remain the same, the balance definitely leans more towards the pale royal blue that serves as their primary. There will also be more silver in the new look, not only with a silver pant set, but with silver in the player numbers and the shoulder striping. Navy is clearly moved to a less dominant color in the new look, used in striping, numbers and sleeve caps but far less prevalent overall. The new look features the same pale royal helmet with silver center stripe and the angular wings on either side. The jerseys now feature thinner shoulder stripes, designed to mimic the curvature of the city’s famous Gateway arch, with navy outlines over silver and white curved stripes, thinner at the top than at the base of each stripe. The numbers are a curved block font with thick inner numerals as well as thin piping. The collars feature a stylized Gateway Arch at the base, and are offset in color from each jersey. The team will have 2 pant sets in their standard uniforms, a silver set and a pale royal set, both still with swooping stripes, wider at the knee than the hip, and featuring the con trails and small triangular jet from the team’s secondary logo. Both jerseys feature the team’s primary logo on the sleeve, and the triangular secondar/tertiary logo above the nameplate.   The club also revealed two alternate looks. The first is a throwback to their 2006 look, complete with the primary logo on each helmet and the streaks of color across the chest. The second alternate look is a full silver over silver look. What the club is calling its “BattleHawks” look, named for the frequent chant heard at Skyhawk home games, is a silver helmet with light silver center stripe and the angular wings, with more silver in the design, on each side. The jerseys are also silver, with hints of navy and white in the striping and numerals, but no sign of the pale royal which is the dominant color of the team’s standard uniforms. This lack of pale royal extends throughout the look, with the white pant set having 2 tones of silver and navy blue in the striping, and with the socks featuring a darker grey block, with thin silver-grey stripe at the bottom. The Skyhawks will debut these uniforms next March, when they open the 2019 season, though replica jerseys are likely to be available ahead of the 2019 USFL Draft in January.    Week 12, the 3/4 mark for the season, is upon us, and we have a lot of games with a lot of playoff implicatoins. Can Seattle go into Portland on Saturday night and pull themselves back up to .500 and right in the thick of a Wild Card hunt again? Or will the Stags distance themselves from the Dragons and close in on Oakland for the division? Saturday has playoff implications up and down the schedule, with Chicago and Orlando facing off at noon, New Jersey in Oakland and Ohio taking on Oklahoma at 4pm, and two SW Division clashes in the night games, with Dallas hoping to play spoilers in Denver, while Arizona hosts the Las Vegas Vipers in the late game. Sunday features a key Southern Division battle as the 9-2 Showboats head down the river to New Orleans to face the 8-3 Breakers. We also have division battles in the Southeast with Atlanta at Jacksonville and Tampa Bay in Charlotte, in the Central with Michigan heading to St. Louis, and, on Sunday night we head to the NE Division, where Washington goes to Baltimore hoping to come away with a win that would all but assure them a playoff bid while taking the Blitz out of the picture alltogether.   Friday @ 6pm ET            San Diego (6-5) @ Pittsburgh (7-4)               NBC Friday @ 8pm ET             Seattle (5-6) @ Portland (6-5)                       ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET       Chicago (5-6) @ Orlando (6-5)                       ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET     Houston (9-2) @ Birmingham (4-7)                 FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         New Jersey (5-5-1) @ Oakland (8-3)             ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Ohio (7-4) @ Oklahoma (6-5)                           FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET       Dallas (3-8) @ Denver (5-6)                           NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       Las Vegas (4-7) @ Arizona (8-2-1)                   ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        Memphis (9-2) @ New Orleans (8-3)           ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET        Atlanta (6-5) @ Jacksonville (2-9)                   FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        Tampa Bay (1-10) @ Charlotte (7-4)                   FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET            Philadelphia (5-6) @ Los Angeles (1-10)         ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Michigan (7-4) @ St. Louis (4-7)                       FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET           Washington (6-5) @ Baltimore (3-8)              ESPN/EFN

Week 10 was a good week for several 4-5 teams as Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and San Diego all found a way to win and reclaim .500. It was also a good week for the Memphis Showboats, proving they were truly an elite team this week with a last second, and we mean that literally, victory over New Orleans. Add Lamar Jackson to those happy with this week’s outcomes as the St. Louis Skyhawks pulled off what may be the upset of the year so far, knocking off the Arizona Wranglers in front of a newly engaged St. Louis crowd. Oh, and we should also add that it was a good week for San Antonio football fans, as their 2020 expansion club revealed their nickname and logo. We will break it all down for you, and also talk about a big announcement from Matt Leinart, a look at coaches feeling some heat, and an early survey of some players who may well be hitting the free agent market in just over 6 weeks. Stay tuned, this is a big week, and there is a lot to talk about.   San Antonio Launches Team Identity, Gets Immediate Pushback For many fans of the Texas Outlaws, the sale and relocation of the club to Oklahoma City was something of a double betrayal. Not only had one of the club’s minority owners taken the easy way out, leaving the city with the club in the wake of tragedy, the tornadoes that ravaged the city and destroyed the Alamodome, but in a deal that the USFL accepted, despite the protestations of San Antonio fans, the club was allowed to take the team identity with them, returning the Outlaws to Oklahoma and leaving San Antonio, and team co-owner Red McCombs with little more than a promise of a new team and a color scheme (as McCombs kept the green, blue, silver and black when Oklahoma returned to black and red.)   Well, the frustration of the San Antonio faithful was replaced with excitement this week as McCombs, along with his new co-owner, Trevor Rees-Jones, revealed that San Antonio could return to its football history as well, announcing the rebirth of the city’s original USFL franchise, the San Antonio Gunslingers. The original Gunslingers were an underfunded, underwhelming team that lasted 1 season before the league forced a merger with the Oklahoma Outlaws and the Texas Outlaws were born. But, despite the somewhat comedic and short-lived history of the Gunslingers name, the fans in San Antonio still kept that club in their hearts as the first attempt since the WFL of 1975, to bring pro ball to the Alamo City.   The new Gunslingers have an updated logo, far less cartoonish than the original design (created by a local political cartoonist), but retaining much of the original’s look, with Kelly green and royal blue back as the dominant colors, with secondary features in silver and black. The new logo features a straight on look at the Gunslinger preparing for a quick draw. He sports a black hat with blue highlights and a green hat band, a pair of blue jeans with twin holsters, a green vest, green gun belt and silver lone-star buckle. The figure’s face is obscured, but the pose is unmistakable as the moment before shots are fired. The figure stands in front of a silver circle, much as the original had, though this circle is embellished with three diamonds and several round “rivets”. It is a modern take on the club’s original look, as is the Western font that spells out the team’s name below the logo. The club has not revealed the team uniforms yet, though we expect those will appear soon enough. But, if the logo is any indication, and if the club continues to try to bridge the 1987 Gunslingers with the Outlaws who followed them, then we can expect a Kelly green helmet, royal blue jersey and silver pants, a look that will certainly make many Outlaw fans in San Antonio, Austin, and much of central Texas, very happy indeed. Despite the very positive reception the reveal got from local media and many former Outlaw fans, the identity did not get universal praise. There was a small contingent, some very vocal on social media, who believed the celebration of violence, guns, and lawlessness was not appropriate in the wake of so many mass shootings in the nation over the past decade. The team was quick to dispel those concerns, focusing on the western heritage of the city and the state, the football lineage of the name, and the emphasis on Texas and San Antonio welcoming the Kelly and Blue back to the USFL. Most fans seemed to agree, and when the SAGunslingers.com website went live the next day, merch was already available and it was already recording a wave of orders. It will still be a year before seat licenses (and subsequently season tickets) will go on sale, but in the return of the Gunslingers it seems that McCombs, Rees-Jones, and San Antonio USFL have hit the right notes of nostalgia, Texas bravado, and local pride. So, beware USFL fans, because come 2020, the Gunslingers are back in town and this town ain’t big enough for the two of us (as it seems every good Gunslinger is want to say.) NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 17   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 18 Another week in the Southern Division and another dynamite game, though this week’s battle between the Breakers and the Showboats was not the offensive showcase we saw when New Orleans faced Houston, it was still a highly entertaining and high drama game. This one was more of a defensive war of attrition, but with the winning score coming with just 1 tick left on the clock, there certainly was high drama at the end.   The week started with a 3-way tie atop the division, with Memphis, Houston, and New Orleans all looking very tough at 7-2. With the ‘Boats and Breakers facing off at the Liberty Bowl, it was guaranteed that someone would be falling a game back of the division leader, but it was not known who that would be. The Vegas books had New Orleans as a 2-point favorite, despite being the road team, likely because there are still doubters out there who think the Showboats’ success is a mirage, but this game may well dispel the last of those thoughts.   It was a game that saw some big performances, despite the low score. At the top of the list was Memphis wideout Robert Woods, who was targeted 13 times, brought in 10 of those tosses, and racked up 136 yards to lead all receivers. Not far behind was the usual suspect for the Breakers, WR Jordy Nelson, with 7 catches for 119 yards and 2 TDs. We should also mention the outstanding play of Both QBs, neither of whom threw a pick in this game. Drew Brees went 19 for 29, throwing for 248 yards and 2 scores, while Paxton Lynch more than held his own, going 28 of 38, for 296 and 2 scores as well. Lynch did this despite suffering 6 sacks at the hands of the Breaker D, including 2 from NFL import Ezekiel Ansah. Memphis did not get to Brees quite as often, but still managed to hold New Orleans out of the end zone for the final 25 minutes of game time, something few teams can boast.   The game began, as these division clashes often do, with both teams testing the opposing defenses out. Neither team scored in the opening period as the defenses proved to be stout and ready for what the OCs were throwing at them early. It would not be until 3:19 was left in the 2nd quarter that we got the first score of the day, and it was a score that no defense could have prevented. Drew Brees threw a perfect pass over the leaping corner. Jordy Nelson first tipped it with one hand and then brought it in before falling to the turf just across the goal line, an absolutely perfect pitch and catch for a 27-yard strike that gave the Breakers the early lead.   That score motivated the Showboats, who managed to get in range for Lewis Ward, who put up a 46-yarder to get Memphis on the board. And that is how the game went to the half, with the visitors up 7-3, but clearly with a lot left to play for in the second half. That second half started with Memphis kicking off to the visiting Breakers. The kickoff was short, with Tyler Lockett taking the ball at the 15. It would be his only kick return on the day (all the others being touchbacks) and we see why, after Lockett added 24 yards to the Breaker field position, allowing New Orleans to start the drive at the 39-yard line. From there, Drew Brees marched the squad down the field, getting only minimal help from the run game (Fournette averaged 3.4 yards per carry on the day, better than Todd Gurley’s 1.2 YPC, but still not enough to sustain the offense.) It would mostly be Brees who produced successful plays, first an 18-yard toss to Kenny Britt, and then Nelson’s 2nd TD of the day, another beautiful toss, though this time Nelson was clearly past the defense and clear. The score put New Orleans up 14-3, forcing Memphis to largely abandon the run for the remainder of the game.   The Showboats apparently were OK with becoming more one-dimensional, as Paxton Lynch had 21 of his 38 attempts in the 2nd half. On his first drive after the Breaker score, he responded with a TD of his own. It came at the end of a 14-play drive that saw New Orleans earn a 1st and goal at the 1-yard line. Just one play into that series of downs, Lynch found TE Dallas Goedert, a dark horse candidate for Rookie of the Year, for the score. The 2-point PAT would fail, but the Breakers would still be within range of the lead, down only 5 at 14-9.   Just as the fourth quarter began, the Breakers added 3 points, extending their lead to 8 points. A 40-yard kick from Caleb Sturgis put them up 17-9, but, unknown to the Breakers at the time, it would be their final points of the day. Almost exactly 15 minutes left, plenty of time for Memphis to turn the tables and win the day, but they would need absolutely every second of those 15 minutes to do it.   After trading short drives for nearly 8 minutes of the quarter, Memphis got the ball a 2nd time in the period with 7:01 left to play. They dinked and dunked their way down the field, with Lynch connecting with Goedert, Mark Clayton, and Cobi Hamilton, but on a 3rd and 3, an inside screen to Gurley was blown up by Breaker DT Ricky Jean-Francois and Memphis had to settle for a second Lewis Ward FG, this time a boomer, from 51 yards out. Memphis was back on the board but still trailed 17-12 with just 3:28 left to play.   The Showboats needed a stop and a touchdown to steal this game away from the Breakers. With nearly 40,000 Showboat fans cheering them on (another 9,000 fans were clearly in the Breaker’s camp), the Showboat D took the field and got down to business. After stuffing Fournette for no gain on 1st and 10, Memphis forced Brees to scramble on 2nd down, bringing him down only 1 yard past the line of scrimmage, setting up 3rd and 9 on the New Orleans 21. Coach Ryan, never shy about blitzing, sent the house on third down. LB Jarvis Jones appeared to have a bead on Drew Brees, but the diminutive QB slipped out from under the shot, and rolled to his right, but there he found DE Sam Acho, and was forced to throw the ball wide and short of Tyler Lockett. The Breakers would have to punt with only 47 seconds taken off the clock.   Memphis would get the ball on their own 39 with 2:47 left to play, one time out, and 61 yards needed to get the TD that would give them the win. They ended up using 2:46 of that time. Paxton Lynch would go 4 of 6 on the drive, connecting with Gurley on a beautiful 14-yard screen pass, Dallas Goedert with a nice outside cut, and Robert Woods with a pair of comeback routes, including a 9-yard completion on a 3rd and 8 that saved the drive for the Showboats. With 9 seconds on the clock, Memphis had 1st and goal on the 8. They would have 2, maybe 3 shots at the endzone before time ran out, and with no time outs remaining, their only chance was to go for the endzone on every play.   First down saw them waste just a little too much time before Lynch was forced to throw the ball out of the endzone to stop the clock. No one had gotten open against New Orleans’s tight zone. It was 2nd and goal, with only 4 seconds left and the crowd at Liberty Bowl Stadium went silent, hoping against hope that Lynch could fare better on what was almost certainly the last play of the game.   Lynch took the 2nd down snap from the shotgun, Gurley lined up next to him, Goedert out wide with Woods on the left, Clayton and Hamilton on the right. The defense set up to double team the big rookie TE, knowing he was Lynch’s favorite target, but when Goedert took a straight line up the field, it left space underneath. Hamilton crossed at about the 3-yard line, and Lynch found him streaking between the hashmarks. With the center of the field cleared out by Goedert, Hamilton was able to catch the ball in stride and slip into the endzone untouched. Memphis, with 1 second left on the clock, took a 2-point lead. That lead would stand as again the 2-point try was no good, but when Ward squib kicked the ball towards the New Orleans up men, they had no choice but to field the kick, and after a pair of awkward laterals, the game came to an end when LB Kwon Alexander was forced to scoop the ball up with his knee on the ground. A touch from the oncoming Showboats and the play was whistled dead.   Memphis, an underdog in their own stadium, would take the win and move into first place in the division. New Orleans, having gone from 7-1 to 7-3 after back-to-back losses to the Gamblers and Showboats, would slip into 3rd place, a game behind both division foes. It was a heck of a game, perhaps without the constant offensive fireworks of last week’s GOTW, but certainly with plenty of late game drama and edge-of-your-seat tension. Fun stuff to be sure. PITTSBURGH 14   PHILADELPHIA 23 A huge win for the Stars, who could have slipped 2 games under .500, and a big disappointment for the Maulers, who could have stayed alone atop the NE Division. It was Philadelphia’s defense that gave this one to the Stars, with two of their offensive stars, HB Derrick Henry and QB Matt Gutierrez sidelined for the game. The Stars sacked Andy Dalton 6 times and held the combo of Sony Michel, Marcus Lattimore, and Jay Ajayi to only 41 combined rushing yards in a win that puts Philly within 1 game of the division lead. POTG: Stars SS Glover Quinn: 2 Tck, 2 Sck, 3 PDef   OAKLAND 23   SAN DIEGO 35 Another huge win by a 4-5 club that needed it as backup QB Christian Ponder and former Outlaw Marques Colston helped the Thunder win their 3rd in a row to reach .500 and pull Oakland back down to the pack. Ponder threw for 310 yards and 4 TDs, while Colston reminded us what a threat he can be, catching 5 balls for 164 yards, an eye-popping 32.8 YPC. Christian McCaffrey had his first 100-yard game of the season, but it was not enough as San Diego went on a 28-0 run between the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 4th quarters to take the W. POTG: Thunder backup QB Christian Ponder: 17/26, 310 Yds, 4 TD, 2 Int   CHARLOTTE 33  ORLANDO 15 The Monarchs consolidated their hold on the Southeastern Division by taking down their closest rival on the road. Mitch Trubisky went 21 of 30, with 3 touchdowns and Adrian Peterson added 117 yards as the Monarchs outpaced the Renegades, despite yet another multiple sack day from Calais Campbell. The Monarch D also came up big, holding Russell Wilson to only a 45.7% competion rate and limiting the run game to 63 total yards. POTG: Monarch QB Mitch Trubisky: 21/30, 174 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   ARIZONA 24   ST. LOUIS 31 The upset of the season, and one of its best games, as the Skyhawks seem to have new life with Lamar Jackson under center. Jackson went 17 of 26 for 173 and 3 TDs, connecting with Eddie Lacy as a receiver (2 TD catches) and the Skyhawk defense bent but did not break, giving up 382 yards to Ryan Nassib but also landing on 5 sacks and holding Arizona to only 2 touchdowns on 4 red zone trips, while also scoring a vital TD in the 3rd as Sean O’Connor returned a pick 63-yards to stun the Wranglers. POTG: Skyhawk FR Sean O’Connor: 5 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   BIRMINGHAM 18   DENVER 26 Two 4-5 clubs entered the game, only one could emerge at .500, and it was the homestanding Gold as a 21-0 run helped Denver build a 16-point lead byt the end of the 3rd. Demarco Murray rushed for 108 and the Gold got scores from Tate, Murray, and Lindsay on their way to the 8-point win. Cam Newton threw the ball well, but was a bit gimpy following 1st quarter safety, hindering his ability to contribute to the run game. POTG: Gold CB Chidobe Auzie: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 PDef   BALTIMORE 13   PORTLAND 34 The Stag run game found plenty of success, as did the pass rush as Portland stifled the Blitz attack and held possession for nearly 36 minutes to move to 6-4 and playoff position. HBs Ben Tate and Travares Cadet combined for 138 yards and 2 scores, making life easier for rookie QB Kyle Lauletta, getting his 2nd start, and this time lasting the entire game. The Portland D sacked Big Ben 4 times, held the run game to only 50 total yards, and produced 3 takeaways to keep Baltimore under pressure all game. POTG: Stag LB Nico Johnson: 11 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 PDef   HOUSTON 21   NEW JERSEY 10 Backup QB Ricky Stanzi struggled (17 of 41 with 8 sacks and a pick) while the Gamblers played a patient game of taking what the General D gave them, moving to 8-2 and the top spot in the Eastern Conference with the W. It was not an offensive showcase from the Gamblers, but they also did not make many mistakes on their way to the 11-point win. For General fans, the hope is that Nick Foles will return next week, because Stanzi was a sitting duck for the Houston pass rush. POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy: 13/23, 260 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   OHIO 7   CHICAGO 16 Chicago joins the group of 4-5 teams that got the big win needed to return to .500. The Machine picked off Christian Hackenberg twice, including a very nice pick-six from CB Jordan Poyer, to upend the Glory in a defensive battle. Ohio would outgain the Machine (315-223), but that defensive score, combined with Chicago holding Ohio to 4 of 16 on 3rd and 4th downs helped Chicago hold the Glory to a single score on the day. POTG: Machine CB Jordan Poyer: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 2 PDef   TAMPA BAY 13   ATLANTA 24 Dak Prescott blew up on the sideline as his efforts were for naught once again. The Tampa QB spent most of the game scrambling for his life, while Aaron Murray, also under pressure (6 sacks) managed to throw for 2 scores. HB Nick Chubb was the focal point of the Atlanta offense, rushing for 99 yards and a score. The Fire defense allowed 101 yards to Dalvin Cook, but kept pressure on Prescott all game as Atlanta pulled away in the 2nd half. POTG: Atlanta HB Nick Chubb: 16 Att, 99 Yds, 1 TD   JACKSONVILLE 7   WASHINGTON 34 It was all Federals in this one as they firmly place themselves in the hunt for the NE Division with the win. Anthony Allen had only 61 yards rushing but scored three times in the Feder’ls' victory. The defense picked off RG3 twice and landed 4 sacks, while limiting Griffin to -6 yards rushing, all but imploding the Bulls’ gameplan. Garrard left the game late in the 3rd, but by then it was well in hand for Mike Flynn to mop up. POTG: Washington LB Tremaine Edwards: 2 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   MICHIGAN 17  DALLAS 3 In what is likely his final start for the Roughnecks this year, Brandon Wheedon was sacked 4 times, threw 2 picks, and could not get Dallas into the endzone in a game dominated by the Panther defense. Dallas converted only 2 of 17 3rd or 4th down plays, and turned the ball over 3 times in the defeat. For Michigan, LeVeon Bell rushed for 109 as the Panthers were happy to control the ball and the clock to earn their 6th win and retake a share of 1st in the Central. POTG:  Michigan LB Phillip Dillard: 4 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int   OKLAHOMA 24   LAS VEGAS 31 Las Vegas gets a big win at home to stay alive in the SW Division. The Vipers got a big game from Kareem Hunt (68 yards and 3 TDs) as the back still awaits a verdict from the league on his possible suspension. For Oklahoma Joe Flacco threw for 293 yards and 2 scores, despite being sacked 5 times as Oklahoma opened up the passing game some more, but it was not enough as Las Vegas survived a 2-0 turnover deficit to build a 31-14 lead and then held on in the 4th. POTG: Viper HB Kareem Hunt: 16 Att, 68 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Rec, 16 Yds   LOS ANGELES 24   SEATTLE 27 The Express offense showed some life but again fell short as Seattle got the only score of the final period to take the W at home. After falling behind 20-7 in the first half, Los Angeles dominated the 3rd quarter, putting up 17 points, to take a 24-27 lead, but fell flat in the 4th. Seattle added a late Marshall Newhouse TD to take the W. Newhouse had 3 TDs on the day, becoming Matt McGloin’s favorite red zone target throughout the game. POTG: Portland QB Matt McGloin: 29/39, 256 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   Philly D Shines vs. Maulers After a rough month of action that saw Philadelphia drop 3 of 4 games, the Stars had had enough. The defense in particular was not happy after losses in Pittsburgh, Washington and Baltimore, all bad division games to lose. So, with the club returning home, the Stars defense decided to take a stand, and stand they did. With both QB Matt Gutierrez and HB Derrick Henry out of action this week, the defensive squad knew they would need to hold the Maulers down to have any shot at a victory. And while Pittsburgh would outgain Philadelphia, they would not outscore them. The Stars defense shut down the Pittsburgh run game, limiting the Maulers to a total of only 40 yards on the ground, they would harass Andy Dalton, sacking him 6 times and hitting him plenty more, and they would force Pittsburgh to battle for every yard.   The Maulers actually led 14-13 in the game but put together no offense at all in the 4th quarter, while the Stars scored on 3 drives to pull ahead and earn the victory. The frustrating final quarter for Dalton and the Mauler offense was obvious to all who watched, as was the teamwork and spirit of Philly’s D, a group that simply had had enough of losing in the division, and was not about to drop another game, not at home, and not to their rivals from the Western side of the state.   San Diego, Chicago & Denver Not Dead Yet Sitting at 4-5, it is easy to see a team give up hope and slowly fall from the playoff hunt. But that was not the case this week for several 4-win clubs. The Thunder had been fighting back from a 2-5 start for several weeks, knocking off LA and Denver before this week’s huge matchup against the Invaders. Their win over Oakland not only pulled them back to .500 but brought Oakland back to the pack as well.   For Chicago, the key was staying close enough to Michigan to have a shot at a late run. With Ohio also proving a tough out, their challenge was even tougher, but after knocking off St. Louis 2 weeks ago, the win over Ohio this weekend, helped Chicago not only pull within a game of both the Glory and the Panthers, but improve their division record to a solid 4-1, several games up on both of the division foes ahead of them in the standings.   Finally, Denver, who started the season strong at 3-0, then lost 5 of 6, were up against the wall. Another loss would put them at 4-6, two games under .500, stuck in 4th place, and 3 games behind division-leading Arizona. Problem was that their Week 10 foe, Birmingham, was also 4-6, and very much in a similar state of desperation. Denver would battle with the Stallions for 4 quarters, but in the end they emerged victorious, and with a loss by the Wranglers and the Outlaws, Denver’s 5-5 record now had them tied for 2nd and only 2 games back of the lead in the Southwest.   With 6 weeks left in the season, all three of these teams are still very much in the mix. Even a 4-2 finish could set them up well, so it is almost as if they start the season over at 5-5, with every game to come a must win. “Upset of the Year” or A New Age in St. Louis? Just how should we interpret St. Louis’s surprising 31-24 victory over the visiting Wranglers. Was this a fluke, a trap game that Arizona simply assumed they would win, a major upset, or a sign that St. Louis was turning the page on the past few disappointing seasons and gearing up to reassert themselves? For many fans, that last option is the one they are choosing. With a new rookie QB looking very much like the steal of the draft, Skyhawk fans are getting excited about the future, and the present, for this team. Chants of “Ka-Kaw” and “Battle, Hawks!” reigned down on Arizona throughout the game, a volume and intensity we have not heard in the Gateway City in a long time. Will enthusiasm and a newfound optimism be enough for a club with serious defensive issues, maybe not, but that spirit is certainly providing the players with newfound energy, and with Lamar Jackson seemingly oblivious to the fact that as a rookie he is expected to need time to build success, the Skyhawks are feeling ready to fly right now.   Leinart Makes Swan Song Season Official It had been suspected for some time, seemed even more likely when Denver traded up to pick Wyoming QB Josh Allen in the 2018 Open Draft, but now is official. The 2018 season will be the final go around for QB Matt Leinart. 2018 represents Leinart’s 13 season after coming out of USC and becoming a member of the Gold. He has been the starter in Denver since that first season in 2006, and he has had success in that role, leading Denver to the playoffs in 7 of his 12 seasons to date. The big prize of a league title has eluded him, with a 2-7 record in postseason play, but despite unmet goals, Leinart’s career has been more than solid, it has been a model of consistency. The 2018 season has Leinart (so far at least) above a 90.0 QB Rating for the 7th time in his career. He is on pace for over 20 touchdowns for the 6th time, and he is still very much in the hunt for a playoff berth, especially after this week’s home win over Birmingham.   So, it was a bit of odd timing, perhaps, when the former Trojan QB made it public that he had informed Coach Hufnagel and the front office back in the offseason of his expectation to retire after the 2018 campaign. With Denver choosing a 1st round QB in the draft, many suspected that after a short mentoring and adjustment period, Josh Allen would be given the keys to the offense, and that Leinart might well be on his way out, but many wondered if this would mean retirement or a possible free agent option for their QB of 12 years. We now know that it was the former and that the Gold’s season finale at Invesco Field against Chicago could very likely be the final game for Leinart as the Gold QB.   With Leinart’s intentions made public, many now wonder if he will be alone in his announcement, or if his retirement might be the start of a generational shift. After all, the 34-year-old Leinart is a solid 5 years younger than New Orleans’s Drew Brees, 3 years the junior of Las Vegas’s Eli Manning, and still younger than others like David Garrard, Ryan Fitzpatrick, David Carr, and Ben Roethlisberger (though only by 8 months in Big Ben’s case.) Could Leinart be the tip of the iceberg for a wave of quarterback announcements. Fans across the league hope not, because, while Denver made plans by signing Josh Allen and giving him a year to learn under Leinart, the same cannot be said for clubs like Las Vegas, Washington, Chicago, or New Orleans. Arizona appears to have gotten lucky with Ryan Nassib’s play this year, and Baltimore seems to like the prospect of Jake Locker taking over for Big Ben someday, but none of the clubs have an indisputable protégé on the roster right now, making Coach Hufnagel look pretty smart for taking a shot at Allen, though we have yet to see how the athletic former Cowpoke will turn out as a pro.  For now, we enjoy what we have left of Matt Leinart’s season and hope for the best for him and the Gold.   Kingsbury to Start Freeman in Saturday Night Prime Time Game Our big story last week was the trade that sent former league MVP Josh Freeman from St. Louis to Dallas. And while Freeman’s replacement, Lamar Jackson, continues to shine for the Skyhawks, the former MVP watched as Dallas could do almost nothing this past week in a 17-3 smothering by the Michigan Panthers. Well, this week it seems that Freeman will get his shot at doing something about it. Coach Kliff Kingsbury has announced that after only 9 days in Dallas, Josh Freeman will suit up as the starter for the Roughnecks when they take on Arizona this week at the Cotton Bowl. Expect a warm welcome for the former Skyhawk as Dallas fans are ready to move on after another lost season with former Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel in trouble with the league for alcohol. After Manziel’s 2nd major suspension, this time for the entire season, it is widely expected that Dallas may cut Manziel loose this offseason, moving on with a former MVP and league champion as their new QB. Well, if that is the case, it all begins this week, with Josh Freeman leading the Roughneck offense onto the field against both a division rival and one of the best defenses in the league.   With no teams clinched, or likely to clinch this early, we thought we would do something different this week, and just take a quick look around all 6 divisions to see what we see. So, rather than just tell you that there are no clinching scenarios to be had in Week 11, here is our look at the state of each of the USFL’s six division races.   NORTHEAST: Losses by Pittsburgh and New Jersey have made this division race a tight one, with two 6-win teams (the Maulers and Federals) closely pursued by two 5-win clubs in New Jersey and Philly. Only Baltimore seems to be out of the picture. Some big games are coming up in this division race, with New Jersey at Washington in Week 13, the Feds at Philly in Week 14, Pittsburgh at New Jersey that same week, the Generals facing the Stars in Week 15 and Pittsburgh heading to Washington in the season finale.   SOUTHEAST: Charlotte may just be pulling away after they struggled with Atlanta and Orlando in the first half of the season. The Monarchs now hold a 2-game lead over both the Renegades and Fire, with Orlando having lost 2 in a row while Charlotte has won their last 3. If either the Fire or ‘Gades are going to catch the Monarchs, they are going to need help as 3 of 4 games between the Monarchs and their pursuers have been played, with Charlotte going 2-0 over Orlando and winning the Week 8 matchup with Atlanta. The Fire have one last shot at Charlotte in Week 15, but will need to pick up a game on the Monarchs before then if that game is going to have an impact on the race.   SOUTHERN: This has to be our favorite race. We have the Gamblers and Showboats now at 8-2, with New Orleans, once a game up at 7-1, now a game back at 7-3. The Gamblers will face Memphis one more time in the season finale, and that game could be a huge factor for all 3 teams. Memphis may be in the best position of all 3 teams to control their own destiny, as they also face off against the Breakers in Week 12, after having beaten them by 2 points this week.   CENTRAL: This is a season for close division races, and the Central is also in that mix, as all 4 teams are within 2 games of each other, with Ohio and Michigan atop the division at 6-4, Chicago a game back after their win over the Glory, and St. Louis apparently still in the mix as Lamar Jackson has helped them win 3 of 4, to sneak into the fight at 4-6. Michigan remains the favorite and can help themselves with upcoming games in St. Louis (Week 12) and Ohio (Week 13) and a final divisional home game against the Machine in Week 15.   SOUTHWEST: This division is still Arizona’s to lose, with the Wranglers still 2.5 games up on both Oklahoma and Denver. With a 4-1 division record, the Wranglers have a nice tiebreaker, though a tie seems unlikely with Arizona’s tie keeping them a half game off from their closest competitors. The battle may well be for 2nd place, making Denver’s trip to Oklahoma this week perhaps the most pivotal game of the season for both clubs.   PACIFIC: At one point it seemed like Oakland would run away with the division, but the picture is getting a bit murkier with San Diego coming on strong and Portland proving they are very much in contention. After San Diego’s win over the Invaders this week, Oakland’s lead over Portland is only 1 game, and San Diego is only a game back from that. Believe it or not, at 4-6, even Seattle still has hopes that they can find a way into the postseason. Oakland still has the best position at 7-3, and with 2 games against a putrid LA Express team, they can strengthen that lead before facing Portland in Week 16. A somewhat lighter week across the league’s injury lists, though certainly the loss of any player at this key part of the season is going to be an issue for a club, and when you lose two players, like we see with Michigan this week. WR Jerrel Jernigan will be missed, as will SS Jabril Peppers, though Peppers could be back as early as Week 12. For Washington, the loss of guard Taylor Moton could be a major blow to their offense, as he is one of the better pulling guards in the game. Certainly, Anthony Allen will notice his absence.   OUT G          Taylor Moton            WSH           Back               IR CB         Brandon Carr          DAL              ACL               IR HB           T. J. Yeldon               TBY               PCL                 4-6 Weeks WR          Jerrel Jernigan        MGN            Leg                4-6 Weeks OT         Julian Davenport     MEM            ACL                  4-6 Weeks CB           Kevin Johnson         ORL                 Quad               4-6 Weeks TE        Brent Celek              LA                   Arm                 2-4 Weeks SS         Jabril Peppers         MGN              Turf Toe            1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL CB           Isaac Yiadom           NJ                  Migraines DE           Victor Abiami          CHI                Back WR          Dontrelle Inman      BIR                   Hamstring   QUESTIONABLE G             Logan Mankins      OAK              MCL LB            Chad Greenway     OKL                 Eye DE           Adrian Clayborn      STL                Thigh Bruise DE           Arthur Moats          ORL               Wrist   Which USFL Coaches Are Feeling the Heat? By Week 10 of any USFL season, it is pretty clear who may be feeling the heat of a possible coaching change. We may not be able to predict all the moves that will take place between now and Black Monday, but we can certainly see the writing on the wall for several coaches. With Andy Reid already stepping down in LA, we have our first coaching change already in place, but that does not mean we are anywhere near done with teams trying to find a new direction. Here, after 10 weeks, is our look at 6 coaches likely feeling things getting a bit toasty as they try to salvage not only the rest of the season, but their potential job for 2019.   LA Express Interim HC Emmitt Thomas Whenever your title has the word “Interim” in front of it, you know you are simply auditioning for a chance. The problem for Thomas is that Andy Reid left in large part because even he could not find answers on offense for this team, and defensive-minded Emmitt Thomas is having no better luck. Since taking over the team after Week 6, the Express have dropped 4 in a row, and apparently the defense has gotten worse without Thomas focused exclusively there. The odds that LA decides to stick with Thomas for 2019 seem pretty slim.   Jacksonville HC Brian Flores Flores was brought in this year to turn around a Jacksonville team that had a solid defense but no continuity on offense. The result after 10 games, the defense is worse and the offense is no better. The Bulls are not only 27th in the league in scoring, but 26th in scoring defense, a combination that produces an average margin of defeat of over 12 points. Yes, Flores is in his first year, and has not had a chance to craft the team the way he would like, but if Jacksonville cannot show something in the next 6 weeks, he may not get a second chance.   Tampa Bay HC June Jones Another 1-9 club down the road from Jacksonville as the Bandits are also struggling on both sides of the ball. They do have the league’s 3rd best passing attack, but with little in the run game and the league’s absolute worst defense (29.8 PPGA and 374.3 YPGA), things are looking very shaky for Coach Jones. After a 5-11 season last year, Jones may not be able to afford dropping to 1-3 wins in his second year.   Birmingham HC Henry Ellard We had Ellard on this list midway through last season, but a nice finish got Birmingham to 9-7 and gave Ellard another season to continue the upward trajectory. The problem with that is with higher expectations there is more room to fall. Sitting at 4-6, Birmingham needs to get back to .500 or Ellard could wear out his welcome, even with a club where he has a lot of history.   Baltimore HC Jim Caldwell After winning a league title in his first season with the Blitz, and then going 13-3 his second season, the Blitz seem to be slipping, and many are wondering if Caldwell’s early success was not all his doing, but the carryover from his predecessor. After back to back 9-7 seasons, both with playoff trips, the hope was that Baltimore would bounce back to 10+ wins. What we are seeing instead is a Blitz team that cannot seem to get out of its own way, dropping to 3-7 after 10 weeks and looking like a possible 10-loss season. That may not be enough to cost Caldwell his position, but it does put him on the hot seat going into 2019.   Oklahoma HC Greg Landry Why are we putting the coach of a 5-5 team, one in 2nd place in its division, on the hot seat? In part due to expectations, in part due to what appears to be a failed experiment with smashmouth football. Oklahoma shifted its offensive scheme mid-season in 2017, with some success. But the 2018 season seems to be proving that the Outlaws are just not getting results with the strategy, forcing Landry to put more on QB Joe Flacco the past couple of weeks. We are still trying to figure out how Marshawn Lynch is averaging only 3.6 YPC in a power run scheme. He has had his best games of the season the past two weeks, when Flacco was doing more passing and the team had more 3-receiver sets. With 6 weeks left, Oklahoma and Landry have a chance to prove they can adapt and get wins even if Lynch struggles.   Top 15 Players Likely to Hit Free Agency in August It is always tough to determine, even this late in the season, which players in contract years will sign a new deal and which will enter the free agent market. So many deals are done in the final weeks of the season, and even in the postseason, and yet, sometimes there are signs. Either a player is vocal about wanting a bigger role on the team, or there is clearly a falling out with the coaches, in other cases it seems clear the team may go in a new direction, or there is just a feeling that a player can make a windfall by testing out the market. Whatever the indicators, our bullpen has put together a very early, very speculative list of who we believe the biggest names to hit free agency will be. So, with a warning that we could well be wrong on any one of these, here is our list of 15 potential high value free agents this offseason.   QB Robert Griffin III (JAX) Despite the struggles of Teddy Bridgewater, and the very real possibility that there will be a new coaching staff in Jacksonville in 2019, we just don’t see the Bulls bringing Griffin back. He has had some exciting outings over his 3+ years with the Bulls, but the team has also gone 17-41 during Griffin’s run, which is not a record most QBs can survive.   HB C. J. Anderson (SEA) The Dragons clearly see Anderson as a short yardage back, preferring to use Knowshon Moreno as their primary, which does not sit well with the 5-year vet. Anderson’s contract is up this year and we fully expect him to try to find a scenario where he is at least splitting carries instead of being relegated to specific short-yardage situations.   HB Knile Davis (OAK) Davis came to the Invaders with the expectation that he would be a 3rd down weapon and see between 150-200 carries a season. However, with the arrival of Christian McCaffrey, Davis’s role has been reduced as the Invaders like to keep CMC in on passing downs (and who could blame them?). Davis is now a man without a role on this Invader team, and likely will finish the season with 100 or fewer touches. There are other locations where he certainly would have a bigger role, including a traditional 3rd Down Back role, so we think he hits the market to find one of those teams.   HB Anthony Dixon (BAL) With Kerwynn Williams clearly taking on a larger role for Baltimore, and with turning 31, it just does not feel like resigning the 8-year veteran is a high priority for the Blitz. Dixon will likely have to take on a limited role, perhaps as a backup rather than in a running back duo, but having averaged over 4 yards per carry the past 3 seasons, we do think he will find a spot somewhere, unless he decides to retire.   WR Aaron Dobson (CHI) This would be a blow to the Machine for sure, but Dobson is a top tier receiver, and will garner top tier money if Chicago cannot free up the funds to sign him in the next few weeks. We are quite sure Dobson’s agent prefers for him to test the waters, especially if the rumors are true that Ryan Fitzpatrick will not be resigned. That throws the QB situation in Chicago up in the air, something no receiver wants, and Dobson, in a contract year, has the ability to bail if he thinks the situation will not be in his favor. WR Victor Cruz (PIT) No QB change in Pittsburgh, but Cruz has been vocally upset about his diminished role this year. Adam Thielen is the clear number one for Dalton, and with more passes going to the TE’s and to slot receiver Ted Ginn, Cruz is feeling ignored. He has only 337 yards so far this season and only 2 TDs, just about half what Thielen is seeing. There will be teams in free agency that can offer Cruz a larger role, and we think he will seek them out.   DT Star Lotulelei (DAL) We move to defense, and while Dallas certainly wants to sign one of their biggest defensive contributors, there are plenty of voices telling Lotulelei that he would be better off, both financially and with more options to win a title, if he goes elsewhere. With a coaching change very possible, and with a market for Star’s talents, we think he holds out and takes a deal to move on.   DE Mario Williams (MEM) Williams does not get a lot of attention nationally, not since going to Memphis and playing on some pretty shaky teams, but Rex Ryan loves him, and why not, he has had over 10 sacks every season with the Showboats (He has 9 right now, with 6 weeks to play). We expect the Showboats to do what they can to extend Williams, but we also know that they have some cap issues, so a deal may be tough to find and Williams could easily garner Top 5 DE money on a 2-3 year deal if he moves on.   LB Shawne Merriman (WSH) This year we see several really good linebackers in contract years, and there is some speculation that the Federals will try to add youth at the position, meaning that they may well be fine with cutting loose the 13-year veteran and going for a younger, faster player. Assuming Merriman does not go the retirement route, we think he will certainly find a nice 1-2 year deal with someone.   LB Brian Orakpo (TBY) An All-USFL talent (2017 first team), Orakpo has all the leverage in his dealings with Tampa Bay. The team is pretty horrible. Orakpo is almost a 1-man show on defense, and the club could see a major overhaul with both the GM and head coach June Jones looking very shaky right now. All of that points to Orakpo holding off on any extension and getting a lot of attention on the market, and we mean “highest paid LB in the league” kind of attention.   LB Aldon Smith (NJ) If you are a team looking for outside pursuit, effective blitzing, and a winning attitude, you have to be salivating over the fact that New Jersey has not been able to resign Aldon Smith yet. If he hits the market, there will be no shortage of teams throwing bags of cash at the 7-year vet. Smith could reach 10 sacks this year, along with 70-80 tackles, he is only 28, and he is a disruptor. Those are all things that GM’s get very excited about.   LB Clay Matthews (LA) The Express are a sinking ship, a team in need of a major overhaul, with an interim coach, a truly underwhelming offense, and a lot of question marks. None of that is what a 9-year vet, turning 30, wants as he looks at what may be his last contract. Matthews deserves better after being one of the best players on the up-and-down Express franchise his entire career. Yes, he is an LA guy, played at USC, but he has to think practically at this phase of his career, and pretty much everyone agrees that moving on would be in his best interest.   LB Jerod Mayo (CHA) Mayo is a 33-year old, 10-year vet, who may just be having his best season yet. That game against Atlanta gave him some nice spotlight, something he has not really received playing alongside Rolando McClain and in a somewhat ignored market like Charlotte. We know that McClain loves Coach Mora, and the Monarchs have a solid squad around him and McClain, so maybe he stays, but if he waits until free agency, he could get an offer that only a fool would turn down, either from a rival USFL team or a chance to jump to the NFL.   CB Pacman Jones (OKL) With his rookie deal expiring, and with a very nice resume to shop around, we think Jones will certainly hit the market. He is a bit of a showboat and there are certainly larger markets and more media opportunities in places other than Oklahoma City. The Outlaws will do what they can to resign the Pacman, but we think he is going to try to find his way to a major media market on one of the coasts and try to cash in on his pretty good play by adding some pretty big media deals.   CB Joe Haden (ARZ) One of the last holdouts from Arizona’s championship defenses of recent years, Haden has maintained his status as one of the elite corners in the league despite major turnover on the Wrangler roster. So, does Arizona lose him now, or does Haden see that he has it pretty good, with an outstanding team, great coaching staff, and a new defense that seems to be almost as good as the one that garnered him two championship rings. If the Wranglers can free up some cap space, they could, and we think, should, make Haden the highest paid DB in the league. He has certainly earned it.   Week 11 is officially the “home stretch”, and that means almost every game has heightened importance. That is certainly true for all 4 teams in action on Friday night as each comes into the weekend on the fringe of the playoff race at either 5-5 or 4-6. We start the evening in Atlanta, where the Fire are now 2 games behind Charlotte, while Birmingham is just praying for a bit of a miracle to allow them to be the 4th team from the South to garner a playoff spot. Then it is off to OKC, where two 5-5 clubs from the Southwest meet, both desperate to make a run. Denver is in town and we think the loser of this game may well have to come to grips that they are not really in the hunt.   Saturday brings us some really nice interdivisional showdowns in the early slot, with 4 teams currently in playoff position facing off. New Jersey is in New Orleans on ABC while Pittsburgh heads to Charlotte on Fox. Then, at 4pm, we have another 5-5 showdown with Chicago and San Diego facing off at Qualcomm. The winner of this one could be in a good position to control their own destiny in the Wild Card race or even dream of a division title. We have one more 5-5 game at 7pm when Orlando heads to Philadelphia. Both divisions are up for grabs, so this game is almost like a mini playoff game.   Sunday is not quite as action packed. Unless you really care who gets the number one pick in the draft, you might want to tune out the Jacksonville-Tampa Bay game, because these are two pretty bad teams playing pretty unwatchable football. A much better option is the national noon game on FOX, where the 6-4 Stags head to Michigan to play the 6-4 Panthers. With both the Pacific and the Central races tightening up, this could be a huge game for both teams. We are intrigued as well by the 4pm game between Washington and Arizona. The Feds still have a lot of folks doubting them, and after a surprising loss in St. Louis, the Wranglers have some questions to answer as well.   Friday @ 6pm ET       Birmingham (4-6) @ Atlanta (5-5)               NBC Friday @ 8pm ET             Denver (5-5) @ Oklahoma (5-5)                    FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET       New Jersey (5-4-1) @ New Orleans (7-3)      ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       Pittsburgh (6-4) @ Charlotte (7-3)                    FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         Chicago (5-5) @ San Diego (5-5)                     ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Memphis (8-2) @ Las Vegas (4-6)                      FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET         Orlando (5-5) @ Philadelphia (5-5)                  NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       Arizona (7-2-1) @ Dallas (3-7)                         ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        St. Louis (4-6) @ Ohio (6-4)                              ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        Jacksonville (1-9) @ Tampa Bay (1-9)               ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       Portland (6-4) @ Michigan (6-4)                      FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET           Los Angeles (1-9) @ Oakland (7-3)                    ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET            Washington (6-4) @ Houston (8-2)                    FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET            Seattle (4-6) @ Baltimore (3-7)                        ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: We focus this week on San Diego's big win to reach .500. Backup QB Christian Ponder had a huge week, but do we reward him or his teammate, wideout Marques Colston, who had his best game as a member of the Thunder? How about we just say that the combo was amazing? Co-POTW it is! Here are the numbers: Ponder went 17 of 26 for 310 yards and 4 TDs, and a huge chunk of that success was throwing to Colston, the former Outlaw, who caught 5 of those throws, mostly deep balls, for 164 and a score. To say it was a good pitch-catch battery would be an understatement. Ponder was into back up a dinged-up Joe Webb, who could return in Week 11, but he put up some "I am ready to play"numbers to be sure. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Speaking of contenders, our first playoff picture has been developed and it shows, as we usually expect in Week 10, no clinched spots, and a huge cluster around the .500 mark. Houston, Memphis, Charlotte, New Orleans, Arizona, and Oakland look to be above the fray, at least well above .500 with 7 wins or more, but then, in the 6-4 to 4-6 range we find 17 of the league's 28 clubs. So, what that tells us is that this playoff hunt is going to be a complicated one for at least several more weeks.

All eyes are focused on St. Louis this week, where Lamar Jackson got the Skyhawks his 2nd win in 3 attempts, and his showing convinced management to make a deal for Josh Freeman, sending the former MVP to Dallas. It was also a week that may have just given us our game of the year, a 38-35 overtime shootout that helped Houston earn a share of first place in the absolutely breakneck Southern Division. With the Trade Deadline about to hit, we saw a lot of movement this week, and we also saw a couple of 4-4 clubs make statements with big upset wins on the road as Oklahoma upended the defending league champions and Washington got away with a W in Orlando. We will cover all of the action of the week, on the field and on the trading block, will update you on injuries to Derrick Henry and Nick Foles, and will take a look at two newcomers to the 2020 Expansion Derby as the Midwest comes calling. But we start with the story of the week, 2012 MVP Josh Freeman traded midseason from the Skyhawks to the Roughnecks.   St. Louis Pulls Trigger, Trades Josh Freeman to Roughnecks Maybe it was another strong game from rookie Lamar Jackson, perhaps it was that the price the Skyhawks had set internally was met, or perhaps it was just time, but this week St. Louis made of one the biggest deals in their team history, trading away a former MVP quarterback in Josh Freeman. Freeman, who started this season, as he has started every St. Louis season since 2010, as the starting QB of the Skyhawks, but a 1-5 start and some pretty shaky stats pushed head coach Frank Reich to make a move ahead of Week 7, and that move was to give his rookie QB and Heisman Award winner, Lamar Jackson a shot. Jackson threw for over 300 yards in his first game and has now won 2 of his 3 starts, looking very good in all three performances.   Freeman, who exploded on the scene in his 3rd year as a starter, setting personal bests for yards (3,983), touchdowns (39), TD:INT ratio (39:3, or 13:1) and QB Rating (114.3). They were numbers that helped St. Louis win the league title, defeating Charlotte in a battle of recent expansion teams. It also won him the MVP award, and with numbers like that, it is not surprising. But, after 5 more complete seasons, many had begun to believe that Freeman, rather than being a franchise QB, was a flash in the pan, a player who had one amazing season but who simply was not playing at that level year in and year out.   That assessment may not be entirely fair to Freeman. After all, this is a QB who went over 3,000 yards in 2010 as well, and who had 20 or more TDs in both 2010 and 2013. But what is clear is that injuries started to take a toll on the former K-State product. Freeman missed 8 of 16 games in 2014, played one game fewer than that in 2015, and played only 9 games in 2017. So, while Freeman may still have a lot in the tank, concerns about his long term health, as well as his ability to regain the form that won him the MVP made him expendable, and with a “first round talent” in Jackson, one who starts his career with three very strong outings, made that expendability all the more apparent.   But mid-season trades, particularly of players of Freeman’s caliber, are rare. Just the right combination of factors have to come to the fore. First, you need teams willing to make a switch at QB and looking to make that move during the season. Second, you need the right combination of picks and players to make a deal attractive. Third, you need a contract that is transferable without costing either club too much in the deal. And, finally, you need a sense that making the deal will not alienate fans, presenting the appearance of giving up on the season or opening up a fire sale.   Every one of those needs were met in the case of St. Louis and Josh Freeman. In the Dallas Roughnecks, struggling at QB after Johnny Manziel’s 2nd alcohol-related suspension cost him the rest of the 2018 season, you had a team desperate to find an alternative, not just for the current season, but potentially long term, particularly if they feel the time has come to cut the troublesome “Johnny Football” loose. Second, you had a deal offered by the Roughnecks that met the goals the Skyhawks had set for any agreement. Dallas offered a 2nd round pick this year and a 3rd next year. St. Louis wanted depth at QB, so they countered, asking for QB Tyrod Taylor to be included in the swap. Dallas agreed, and the deal was cut. The third factor, Freeman’s contract, was a non-factor. Freeman has 1 more year on his deal, a length that fits Dallas’s needs perfectly, giving them time to see how Freeman adapts to the Roughneck playbook before they have to work on an extension or a new deal. The contract also had limited signing bonus left to disperse, meaning that St. Louis would not be stuck with dead money still invested in their former QB. And finally, in St. Louis, and particularly with the immediate success Lamar Jackson showed in his first three outings, you had a fanbase ready to move on from Freeman and happy to have a chance to reboot a franchise that has won only only 6 games in the past 2 seasons combined.   And so, Freeman found himself on a plane to the Dallas metroplex, a chance to regain his position as a starter. He likely will not start this week against Michigan, but could see action as soon as a home tilt against the very tough Arizona Wranglers. Dallas coach Kliff Kingsbury certainly hopes that Freeman can pick up the offense quickly, build rapport with his teammates, and make the move into the starting lineup sooner, rather than later. Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Tyrod Taylor, himself a mobile, dual threat QB, is expected to compete with Kyle Boller to back up the Skyhawks’ exciting rookie signal caller. Taylor’s game is very similar in some ways to Jackson’s, so it is certainly conceivable that Coach Reich will promote Taylor after only a week or two, allowing the Skyhawks to run the same offense if Jackson has to miss any time. So, the deal is done, Freeman’s time in Skyhawk blue is over, and as the trade window begins to shut (we have about 36 hours left for last minute deals), the Skyhawks and Roughnecks pull off one of the bigger deals we have seen in recent years.   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 35 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 38 OVERTIME It is already being called “The Game of the Year”, an exciting, nerveracking, well-played, battle of two very good teams playing some of their best football of the season. In a game that required extra time to decide, these two Southern Division foes went toe to to, throwing haymakers like they were Clubber Lang and Rocky Balboa in Rocky III. There was no jabbing, no bobbing, no weaving, just big blow after big blow, and why not, these are two of the heavyweights in the USFL this year, both now sitting at 7-2 after 9 weeks, and both very likely to meet again in the postseason after splitting their regular season meetings, with Houston winning both games, each by a lone field goal.   This second meeting of the season for the Breakers and Gamblers was a big game. Everyone knew it before the game began. Tickets were going for $1,000 or more on the secondary market, and, for the first time in over a year and a half, NRG Stadium saw a sell out of 61,000 on hand (The stadium can hold over 70,000, but the USFL has always used tarps to reduce capacity, using a lower total to register a sell out. For NRG Stadium, that cap is 61,000 even.) The game was a Friday night smash on the FOX broadcast as well, registering the highest viewership since last year’s Summer Bowl, and the highest for a regular season game since Week 16 of the 2015 season, when these two teams met in the Super Dome for the season finale, with the winner claiming the Southern Division. In that game it was New Orleans that pulled out the close victory, 22-17. This time it would be Houston completing the season sweep of the Breakers with their overtime victory.   The action in Friday’s game started almost from the first play of the game, and not in a way that the Breakers wanted to see. After receiving the opening kick and gaining only 1 yard on an inside run on first down, New Orleans went to the air, with Brees trying to hit Jordy Nelson on a quick out, but the route was jumped by Houston’s excellent corner, Leodis McKelvin, who caught the ball in stride, galloping down the sideline 46 yards for a defensive score. Houston’s D had made the first move, but New Orleans is a quality team, with a QB who is about as cool as they come, and neither were flustered by the early mistake.   The Breakers gained 2 first downs on their next possession, showing some success in the run game, particularly on a nice misdirection play that had FB Curtis Nelson gain 5 on a 3rd and 3. But, the drive fizzled and the Breakers punted the ball back to Houston. The Gamblers offense took the field for the first time and immediately got to work. Colt McCoy hit Vernon Davis for 12 yards on the first play of the possession, followed by a nice run from Carlos Hyde. Both would finish the game with significant contributions, Davis finishing with 107 yards while Hyde would have 61 yards rushing and 39 receiving for an even 100 yards from scrimmage. But, just as we saw with New Orleans’s first drive, sometimes the energy and pressure of a big game can cause a team to be a bit careless, and now it was Colt McCoy’s turn. McCoy threw a ball over the middle, hoping to get it to Davis again, but the ball was high, and Davis managed only to tip the ball into the air, where FS Clyde Adams brought it down. Adams was almost immediately grabbed by Davis, but with his back to the line, he got help from LB Jerome Baker, who essentially took a handoff from the safety, and while the Gambler offensive players thought the play had ended, Baker made his way to the endzone. Coach Phillips would protest the initial call, that no whistle had sounded and that Baker had scored a pick-six while many of the Gamblers looked on. Using his red flag, Phillips argued that the play had stopped, apparently claiming that Adams had had his forward progress stopped by Vernon Davis, but the review came back confirming the original call, giving New Orleans a pick-six of their own and evening the score at 7 apiece.   Houston was clearly shaken by the call, going 3-and-out against the tough Breaker defense on the next possession, while the Breakers had their confidence boosted by the controversial play. When they got the ball back, New Orleans wasted no time moving into scoring territory, helped by a 18-yard pass and catch for Donnie Avery and a facemask penalty on a 1-yard run by Fournette. Fournette would be limited all day, but the facemask on this drive helped put New Orleans inside the red zone. 4 plays later, Drew Brees would find his favorite target, Jordy Nelson, for a 9-yard touchdown toss. The play gave New Orleans the lead, a lead they would expand to 13 points before Houston began to recover.   The Breaker momentum carried over into the 2nd quarter, with their next drive producing a field goal to boost the lead to 17-7, and then, with 1:24 left to play, Caleb Sturgis added a second 3-pointer and New Orleans hoped to enter the locker room up 20-7. But Houston had other ideas, and a blown coverage helped them score only 34 seconds later. Lining up as if to run out the clock, Houston fooled the Breaker defenders, and when Vernon Davis caught the seam pass from McCoy, he had only safety Brandon Taylor to beat. Davis used a stiff arm, and his 40 lb weight advantage, to shrug off the tackle and rumbled to the endzone for a 75-yard catch and run that got the Gambler fans in NRG Stadium on their feet before the half. This highly anticipated game would go to the half with New Orleans holding a 6-point lead, 20-14.   Houston would score the only points of the third quarter, taking the lead back with 3 minutes left in the quarter when Carlos Hyde finished off a 13-play drive with a 1-yard TD plunge. It was a quarter that saw both teams struggle to cross midfield until Houston’s long drive. Both clubs slowed down the pace with the run game, New Orleans with minimal success, while Houston had better luck with Hyde’s carries.   As the 4th quarter began, Drew Brees had helped the Breakers move out of the shadow of their own endzone with two consecutive completions, and New Orleans was changing gears from a position of safety to one of attack. The Breakers hit on a couple of nice third down plays, and soon found themselves in the red zone. Once there, it was once again Jordy Nelson, this time from 15 yards out, for his second score of the day. New Orleans went for 2 and on a toss to C. J. Spiller, the Breakers found the corner and took a 28-21 lead with 12:18 left to play.   It would be a 4th quarter that would see 4 touchdown drives in just over 12 minutes. Following the Breaker score, Houston was motivated to even the scoreboard, and they would use the big play to do it. The next Gambler possession was only 4 plays, but those 4 plays included a 40-yard completion from McCoy to Schuster and then a 35-yard touchdown strike when McCoy found Josh Reynolds on a corner route. With the safety following Mike Evans into the middle of the field, Reynolds got a step on the nickel corner and McCoy threw a perfect looping pass into his breadbasket.   With the game tied at 28 and nearly 9 minutes left to play, Houston would turn to their defense, and the defense would come up with a stop. On a 3rd and 7 from the New Orleans 37, it was SS Kenny Vaccaro who saw the ball coming for TE Coby Fleener. Vaccaro broke up the pass and forced New Orleans to punt. Houston would have just over 5 minutes to take the lead once again. They would need barely 3 to do just that. The Gamblers mixed runs by Hyde and Alfred Blue with short passes to Evans, Moeaki, and rookie Keke Coutee to get into range, and then McCoy found his speed specialist, JuJu Smith-Schuster for the lead. Smith-Schuster used a double move on a curl & up to beat the coverage and get behind the corner. McCoy again used perfect touch to connect with the receiver and Houston, at exactly the 2-minute warning, took a 35-28 lead.   So, it would be up to Drew Brees and the Breaker offense to put together a classic 2-minute drive to even the score and send the game to overtime. They too proved adept at the fast-paced offense, eschewing the huddle, with Brees calling plays from the line. First it was a screen to Fournette for 8, then a completion to Britt for 14, and a nice slant to Tyler Lockett for 8 more. All the while the clock kept ticking, save for the Breakers using their 2nd timeout after Lockett was brought down in the middle of the field. The drive in total would squeeze 11 plays into the 2-minutes of remaining time, and that 11th play a rub route that freed Kenny Britt just outside the endzone, would produce the game-tying score as Britt crossed the plane before falling to the turf.  This game, after providing 60 minutes of amazing entertainment, would be going to overtime.   For all the offensive fireworks of the first 60 minutes, it was the defenses that won out in overtime. Both teams struggled to find the connections that had worked in regulation. It would end up being one huge play that would decide this one. With just over 3 minutes left in the extra period, and many in Houston beginning to wonder if this game would be a “sister kissing” affair, Colt McCoy came up with a huge play to turn the game towards the Gamblers. It was a relatively routine looking play, an outside run with Hyde on a 2nd and 8, but the ball never landed in Hyde’s hand. The play fake was followed by a boot to the left by McCoy, and just as it looked like he might just run the ball out of bounds for a short loss, he squared up and heaved the ball downfield to a wide open JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Houston receiver had crossed the entire field and in the melee in the middle of the field, his coverage man lost a step, giving the speedy Smith-Shuster more than enough room to be seen by McCoy and to make a catch before running out of bounds inside the 10. It was a 40-yard toss that all but guaranteed the Gamblers a shot to win the game.   Coach Phillips did not fool around. The ball was on the left hashmark, exactly as kicker Younghoe Koo preferred, so on first and goal he sent Koo out to kick a chipshot, significantly shorter than the typical PAT. Koo’s kick was good, and the city of Houston celebrated a well-deserved sweep of the Breakers. The win evened up Houston’s record with that of their rival, both now atop the South at 7-2, with surprising Memphis only a game back at 6-3. For the rest of us, fans of the league if not, perhaps, of either team, what we got was a great game that could well be a precursor for the USFL playoffs.   Atlanta 14  Memphis 18 Memphis could not find the endzone, but another good defensive outing allows the Showboats to get the home win on 6 Lewis Ward field goals. Atlanta was game, with Aaron Murray connecting with WR Kelvin Benjamin twice in the 2nd quarter, but Memphis tightened up in the 2nd half, and got just enough out of their offense (and HB Todd Gurley) to get in range for Ward throughout the game, and the Memphis kicker came through time and again. POTG:  Memphis kicker Lewis Ward: 6/6 on FG, including 4 from over 40 yards.   Philadelphia 18   Baltimore 22 The Stars’ playoff hopes are fading fast as they lose another game with Matt Gutierrez stuck on the sideline with his knee still in a brace. Baltimore picked off Tony Pike twice, and got 2 TDs from Big Ben, along with 126 yards from WR Darrius Heyward-Bey to get back in the win column and upend the rival Stars. POTG:  Blitz CB Jabari Greer: 3 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 Int   New Jersey 3   Pittsburgh 9 Despite a combined 544 yards, neither the Maulers or the Generals could find the endzone in this one. Both had their only legitimate TD shot called back on penalties, and both struggled when reaching the red zone, going a combined 2 of 6 on red zone scoring chances. Add a Devin McCourty red zone pick for the Generals and a forced fumble form LB Vince Biegel for the Maulers and you end up with a very low scoring battle of two potential playoff teams. POTG:  Mauler MLB Paul Posluszny: 6 Tck, 1 FR   Tampa Bay 31  Arizona 37 The Bandits surprised us by finding holes in the Arizona D, amassing 331 yards, but they just got outdueled by Ryan Nassib, whose 407 yards helped Arizona amass 512 total yards on the day. Both Larry Fitzgerald (144) and Antonio Bryant (122) went well over 100 yards on the day. Nassib also hit Bryant, Kareem Carey and Mike Williams for scores. Throw in 75 yards and a TD from the ageless Frank Gore and you get another Arizona win, despite a very solid day from Dak Prescott (331 Yds, 3 TDs) against the Arizona D. POTG:  Wrangler QB Ryan Nassib: 16/34, 407 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   Oklahoma 27  Michigan 14 A huge confidence builder for the Outlaws as they open up the offense a bit, finally get a solid game from Marshawn Lynch and upset the defending league champs in their own home. Despite 103 yards from LeVeon Bell, the Panthers struggled to get into scoring position all game. Meanwhile Oklahoma gave the ball to Joe Flacco and opened up the passing game. The result was 265 yards and 3 TDs for the veteran QB, including a beautiful 64-yard strike to Marquise Goodwin in the 3rd. The loss dropped Michigan into 2nd place in the Central, and helped elevate Oklahoma to 2nd in the Southwest. POTG:  Outlaw QB Joe Flacco: 15/28, 265 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   Washington 27  Orlando 24 Another big road win for a 4-4 club as Washington upsets the favored Renegades in Orlando. David Garrard struggled, throwing 4 picks, but he is starting to get help from Anthony Allen, who had a nice game with 91 yards and 2 TDs on the day. The Federals defense did a good job against the Orlando backs, holding Murray and Jennings to a combined 61 yards, while also sacking Russell Wilson 4 times. POTG:  Federals’ TE Kellen Davis: 9 Rec, 109 Yds   San Diego 34   Denver 26 The Thunder are still in the chase after knocking off the Gold at Invesco Field. Joe Webb returned to action and had 4 TDs along with 235 yards. Webb hit both Marques Colston and Nick Toon with a pair of scores each as they move to 4-5 and send Denver to their 5th loss in 6 games. Despite chants from the crowd at Invesco, we did not see Josh Allen take the field, but another rookie, Phillip Lindsay saw lots of action with 20 carries for 71 yards and a TD for the Gold. POTG : Thunder QB Joe Webb: 13/26, 235 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   St. Louis 29  Jacksonville 19 Lamar Jackson gets his 2nd win in 3 tries as St. Louis knocks off the Bulls. Jacksonville returned to starting Robert Griffin III, and RG3 put on a show, throwing for 195 but also rushing the ball 10 times for 145 yards and 2 scores, but it was too little, too late, as St. Louis outpaced the Bulls, with TDs from newly acquired HB Bobby Rainey as well as FB Jerome Felton, paired with 5 field goals from Zane Gonzalez to take the win. POTG:  Skyhawk HB Eddie Lacy: 26 Att, 137 Yds   Las Vegas 6   Birmingham 33 Cam Newton throws for 2 scores and runs for another as Birmingham improves to 4-5 with a win over the punchless Vipers. Jeff Tuel struggled, suffering 3 sacks and throwing 2 picks as the Vipers simply could not put anything together. Birmingham relied on Newton and their defense, which held Las Vegas to only 11 first downs and 223 total yards. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 11/21, 186 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int, 10 Att, 83 Yds, 1 TD   Dallas 14   Ohio 20 Another rough outing for Brandon Wheedon likely played a role in Dallas’s deal for Josh Freeman. Wheedon threw for only 157 and could not move the Dallas offense for large swaths of the game. Meanwhile, Christian Hackenberg returned, looked a bit rusty, but got enough out of the offense to earn the W and send Ohio to the top of the Central Division at 6-3. POTG:  Ohio CB Chidi Chekwa: 6 Tck, 3 PDef, 1 FR   Portland 26   Los Angeles 20 The Express fought for Coach Thomas, but in the end it was not enough as Portland scored the final 13 points of the game to come back from a 20-13 deficit and take the road win to move above .500. Kyle Lauletta got the start for the Stags, but was knocked out of the game with a hip pointer only 12 plays in. So it was Kellen Clemons who got the W, thanks in part to a monster game from Brandin Cooks, with 14 receptions on a ridiculous 20 targets. Reggie Bush had 2 scores for LA, but they were shut out in the 4th and fall to 1-8. POTG:  Portland WR Brandin Cooks: 14 Rec, 159 Yds   Seattle 10   Oakland 33 The Invaders looked at Seattle’s 3-game win streak and were not impressed. After a 10-7 halftime, they exploded, outpacing the Dragons 23-3 in the second half, spurred on by Christian McCaffrey, who gained 83 of his 100 yards in the 2nd half. Garoppolo threw for 184 with 2 scores and the defense sacked Matt McGloin 6 times, 5 in the second half as Oakland pulled away and claimed their 7th win in 9 tries. POTG:  Invader HB Christian McCaffrey: 20 Att, 100 Yds, 1 TD   Charlotte 27  Chicago 16 The Sunday nightcap produced one of Mitch Trubisky’s best games this season, avoiding turnovers and completing 19 of 26 for 280 yards and TD tosses to TE Brandon Pettigrew and HB Taiwan Jones. Despite the run game struggling against Chicago’s stacked box scheme, Trubisky succeeded in building up a 17-point lead before a late Fitzpatrick TD toss made the game look a bit closer. POTG:  Monarch QB Mitch Trubisky: 19/26, 280 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int Hackenberg Helps Ohio Take Over First in Central The numbers were not eye-popping, 21 of 29 for 157 yards, no touchdowns and 1 pick, suffering 3 sacks, but it was simply the presence of Christian Hackenberg back under center that helped Ohio earn the win over Dallas, move to 6-3, and leapfrog over the Michigan Panthers, the league’s defending champion, to take over 1st place in the Central. Hackenberg, who had started the season as the clear number one on the depth chart, was knocked out of the season opener and has not seen the field until this Week 9 clash. And while a lot of kudos have to go to an Ohio defense that held Dallas to only 8 first downs and a ridiculous 1 of 16 on third down. But, you don’t win games without some offense, and Hackenberg helped Ohio get into position for three 4th quarter scores (two field goals and a 1-yard run by Pead) to recover from a 14-6 deficit and earn the 20-14 victory.   Ohio is one of the success stories of the season, using 4 different quarterbacks this year, but still remaining very much alive in the playoff hunt. Now, with a one-game lead over the defending league champions, both the players in red, white, and blue, and the fans in the same colors are beginning to believe that they may well be the best team in the division, and that this year will see them return to the playoffs for the first time since the retirement of Hall of Fame QB Kerry Collins in 2009.   Fire Doused, Drop 4th in a Row Things are not so cheery, and confidence is a lot harder to find in Atlanta, where the Fire again fell short, dropping their 4th game in a row. After a very heartening 4-game win streak in Weeks 2-5, Atlanta was upended by the surging Ohio Glory in Week 6, then dropped two straight divisional games, losing 45-23 to the Renegades and 24-19 to Charlotte. This week’s loss in Memphis is hardly a surprise, with Memphis sitting at 6-2 and playing at home, but the cumulative impact of losing 4 in a row is taking its toll on the Fire.   For many Fire fans, a home game against 1-win Tampa Bay is just the medicine their club needs. But while Atlanta can look forward to 2 games against the Bandits and 1 against equally-troubled Jacksonville in their remaining slate of games, they also have some tough tasks ahead of them: Birmingham in Week 11, a trip to St. Louis, with their new QB in Week 13, and a rematch with the Monarchs in Week 15 before they wrap up the season at home against Baltimore. With such strong competition in the NE and Southern Divisions, it seems unlikely that even 9 wins will ensure a team of a playoff spot, and certainly finishing 3rd in the SE Division is likely going to cost someone a shot at the postseason, but that is where Atlanta sits right now, 4-5, a game behind Orlando and 2 games behind the division-leading Monarchs.   The issues in Atlanta are pretty clear. While the defense has been solid against the pass, they rank 17th against the run, and their offense sits at 24th in passing, 21st in yards, and 16th in points per game, not numbers that typically translate into postseason action. But, for right now the focus is on Week 10, the Tampa Bay Bandits, and a chance to snap their losing streak. Nassib Peaking at Perfect Time When 2-time defending MVP David Carr went down in Week 2, many predicted the end of Arizona’s division dominance. After all, the defense was a total rebuild from 2017, and now the key pivot point in the Wrangler offense was lost for the season with untested and largely unseen backup Ryan Nassib having to step in. But, what no one saw coming was the kind of year Nassib could have in Arizona’s offense. OC Shane Waldron had worked with Nassib since the former Syracuse Orange product arrived in Glendale as a rookie in 2016. When given the snaps in practice to build rapport with the other 10 starters on offense, he started to have success from his first start.   Nassib impressed in his opening game, throwing for 367 yard and 3 scores against New Jersey. His numbers after 7 weeks of action have remained just as lofty. Nassib currently ranks as the top-rated QB in the league with a 115.2 QB Rating. He has 16 touchdowns to only 1 interception in 7 games, and could reach 3,000 yards this season. But why did we say that this success was perfectly timed?   One simple reason. Arizona signed David Carr to an extension this offseason, locking up the 2-time MVP through 2021, but Nassib, a 3rd year player, is coming up on the end of his rookie deal. That means that one of two things can happen, either Arizona will pay him a heck of a lot more than the $275,000 he signed for as a rookie, or they let him find a starting gig somewhere else, again with a pretty big shift in his take home pay. Most expect the latter is more likely, and there will certainly be no shortage of teams who would have interest, not after the season Nassib is putting up for the Wranglers. So, a payday is guaranteed, and a starting gig seems very much in the cards for a player that most fans around the country had never heard of before Week 3 of this season. Griffin Returns & Runs Wild But Still Not Enough for Bulls After a run of 3 games, all losses, in which Teddy Bridgewater threw 5 picks and no touchdowns, it appears that Coach Flores is now considering the QB switch away from Robert Griffin III a mistake. Bridgewater looked rusty, not up to the speed of the league, and largely unprepared to take on the starting job. Griffin, for all his flaws (and there are many), seems the better option at this time for a 1-win Jacksonville club.   Griffin himself made that case on the field Sunday, completing 21 of 33 passing (though for only 195 yards) and rushing for 145 yards and 2 scores, averaging 14.5 yards per carry largely due to runs of 77 and 31 yards, both for scores. It was not enough to get Jacksonville a 2nd win this year, but the dual threat of RG3 seems the best option Jacksonville has at this time. It may not be enough to turn around what has become a lost season for the Bulls, but for Coach Flores, the move away from Griffin has to be considered a mistake, and a return to the former starter provides at least some hope that the Bulls will not finish dead last in the league, and possibly not in their own division, where Tampa Bay is equally rancid at 1-8.   Trades Ahead of the Deadline Highlight Teams Trying to Find One Last Piece We have already broken down the deal that sent QB Josh Freeman to the Dallas Roughnecks, but that deal was hardly the only one in this final week before the trade window closes. We still have just over 30 hours for any final deals, but what we have seen this week already is a clear sign that several playoff contenders are willing to make a deal to fill gaps, improve their roster, or position themselves for a playoff run.   Ohio Deals Osweiler to Bolster D-line The Ohio Glory, with Christian Hackenberg back under center and with Troy Smith now the clear backup, have made a deal to send former starter Brock Osweiler to the LA Express for some additional defensive help. The deal involved 4 players and a draft pick as Ohio packaged Osweiler, DT Julian Taylor and their 5th rounder for 2019 to gain the services of LA DT John Jenkins, along with 3rd string QB Nick Mullens, who will likely be placed on the practice squad as an emergency QB behind Hackenberg and Smith. Jenkins will slot in alongside Marcell Dareus in Ohio’s 4-3 alignment, pushing Akiem Hicks to a swing role. For LA, Osweiler is expected to replace Brodie Croyle as the number two, but he will have to get healthy first. Osweiler is still expected to be unavailable at least for the next 2 weeks, but LA seems to be building for the future and Osweiler is a player who can play in a similar style to starter Sam Bradford.   Memphis sends 4th to STL for HB Gus Edwards The Memphis Showboats, hoping to be playoff bound after a 7-2 start, decided to add a bit more depth to their run game, trading for St. Louis rookie Gus Edwards. Memphis sent a 4th rounder to the Skyhawks, who had placed Edwards on the practice squad after dealing for Bobby Rainey and promoting Kenneth Runyon, another rookie, to the 3rd HB position. Edwards, a big, bruising runner, will take on much the same role that Jacob Hester had held for the Showboats before his injury, short yardage, goalline, and occasionally spelling starter Todd Gurley. With David Williams also on the roster, those occasional carries outside of short yardage may be few and far between, but Memphis is gearing up for a playoff run and you do not want to be shorthanded at halfback when playoff season comes around.   Arizona Finds Replacement for Carruthers Another contender, the Arizona Wranglers, decided that it was necessary to do something at the DT position after Tampa Bay had surprising success this weekend. With Ryan Carruthers expected to miss as much as 6-8 weeks of action, the interior line was thin, so the Wranglers made a deal, sending two 4th round picks (2019 and 2020) to the Skyhawks as St. Louis continues to wheel and deal. In return, DT Jason Hargrave, a 25-year old, 3rd year player, will join the Wranglers. Hargrave had 19 tackles in St. Louis before the trade, along with a lone sack for the Skyhawks. In Arizona he will rotate with Grady Jarrett and, when healthy, Ryan Carrethers in Arizona’s defensive scheme. Just another new face on a Wrangler defense that is exceeding expectations after a major overhaul this offseason. Lauletta Gets Start but Clemons gets Win for Stags When Coach LaFleur announced on Friday that it would be rookie Kyle Lauletta, and not backup Kellen Clemons, taking the starting job this week against LA, there was some surprise, but reports out of Portland had been saying for some time that Lauletta was looking good running the scout team and on those rare occasions when he was given practice snaps. But, as it turns out, it would be a short-lived opportunity for the Richmond Spider. Lauletta played only 2 drives for the Stags, neither producing points, before a scramble ended in his taking a hard dive to the turf. He got up trying to shake off numbness in his throwing hand, and when it was clear that the numbness was accompanied by swelling, Coach LaFleur had no choice but to call in Clemons.   Kellen Clemons played well in the game against the Express, completing 27 of 38 passes and throwing a TD to Alshon Jeffery. Whether that performance, Portland’s 5th win of the year, was enough to give him the start moving forward (at least until Mariota is able to return) is not known. As most coaches would do, LaFleur is not revealing the starter for the Week 10 tilt against Baltimore until the weekend, so we just don’t know if it will be Clemons or the rookie once again. Henry Out 1-2 Weeks for Sinking Stars We do know one player who will not be suiting up this week. Derrick Henry of Philadelphia will not be in action, and likely not on the sideline either after injuring his left knee this past week. No ligament damage, which is always good news for a back, but the injury, which has produced swelling and pain, will keep Henry out between 1-3 weeks. His absence will put pressure on QB Matt Gutierrez, himself dealing with a nagging injury to his knee. It will also require more out of fellow tailbacks Zac Stacy and Karlos Williams. Philadelphia is not expected to bring in a 3rd back during the Henry injury, using Stacy, Williams and FB Ira Johnson as the rushers for the next week and beyond. Having slipped to 4-5, Philadelphia can ill afford an injury to one of their primary weapons at this time of the year. The Stars have dropped their last 2 games (both with Gutierrez sidelined) and now they will be without their biggest star and perhaps their best offensive weapon.   Foles’s Injured Foot Puts Stanzi Under Center New Jersey will also be without a key figure for the next 1-3 weeks as QB Nick Foles suffered a stress fracture in his foot is likely to need that time with significant rest to be ready to go for the final weeks of the season. In his stead, New Jersey will start former Skyhawk Ricky Stanzi. Stanzi has had significant starting experience due to injuries to St. Louis’s (former) QB Josh Freeman. He has started 17 games between 2014-2016 for the Skyhawks, but this will be his first action with Coach Turner’s offense. He will be backed up by former starter for the Generals Brett Hundley.   Another rough week, though we only saw 2 players added to the IR. With only 7 weeks left, some of the mid-range injuries could be reevaluated and more players added to the reserve, but even without IR additions this is a very long list for one week.   OUT CB      Brandon Carr            DAL       ACL                       IR C              Marcus Martin                 ATL         Torn Quad          IR FS       Rudy Ford                       POR      Hip                        6-8 Weeks CB         Artie Burns                    DEN      Hamstring         6-8 Weeks HB           T. J. Yeldon                   TBY        PCL                       6-8 Weeks DE         Takkarist McKinley         SD          Broken Arm       4-6 Weeks HB           Kenyan Drake                  ATL         Neck                     4-6 Weeks C          Wesley Johnson             LV           Ribs                       2-4 Weeks OT         Roger Saffold                  OKL       Knee                     2-4 Weeks HB        Derrick Henry                PHI        Miniscus             1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL DE           Robert Quinn                   OHI       Hand                    C           Robert Vega                   PHI        Arm OT         Ryan Consididine           WSH     Concussion LB           D’Qwell Jackson             WSH     Migraines SS         Eric Berry                       LV           Wrist OT          Xavier Fulton                   OHI       Pinched Nerve WR          Darrius Heyward-Bey  BAL        Concussion   QUESTIONABLE DE          William Gholston           ATL         Hamstring C           Erik Cook                       JAX         Concussion FS         Nate Allen                 ARZ       Toe QB           Taylor Heinecke              MGN     Hand WR           Mike Wallace                SEA        Stress Fracture TE          Vernon Davis              HOU     Back   Expansion Update: The Midwestern Contenders As we continue our look at the 2020 USFL expansion, this week we start with a look at two long-shot contenders from the Midwest. We already talked about a dark horse candidacy from Hartford, Connecticut, but this week we look at two NFL cities that are hoping to join the ranks of full year football cities like New Orleans, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, or Tampa Bay. We have two investment groups working hard to put together their bids by the September deadline, the only two that we know of from the Midwest region: the Minnesota Twin Cities and Kansas City, MO. Let’s take a look at each, and then, let’s assume one of the two wins out, how does that affect the structure of the league?   Kansas City, Missouri Metro Population:  2.1 Million (31st) Stadium:  Arrowhead Stadium (76,416 capacity) Investment Group Leadership:  David Humphreys (Tamko), Donald Tyson (Tyson Foods) Notable Local Celebrities Involved:  Gale Sayers (UKansas), Steve Grogan (Ottawa HS), Mark Simoneau (Phillipsburg & K-State) The bid from Kansas City, known as the Arrowhead Football Group, clearly has already worked out the details with the Hunt Family and the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority to make a pitch to add a 2nd team to the fabled AFL and NFL stadium. The Hunts, who helped to found the Chiefs and the AFL back in the 60’s and Major League Soccer in the 1990’s, have always been forward looking when it comes to new endeavors, so we are not shocked that they have given their blessing to adding a USFL team to the sports picture in Kansas City. The ownership group has pretty deep pockets, and some local connections, but there is, as you would suspect, some hesitancy from franchise owners in the region, primarily St. Louis and Oklahoma, about adding another franchise in the Great Plains. The market size is on a par with Columbus, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, and Jacksonville, certainly larger than the league’s smallest market (New Orleans at 59th, but really they are a regional draw franchise). The economics of the region are solid, though the state of Kansas has had some issues over the past decade, and the football culture is solid, even if KU is not exactly a powerhouse. But, with a pretty nice stadium, though it is getting a bit long in the tooth and is a bit larger than the USFL ideal, the Kansas City group has to be considered a contender.   Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota Metro Population: 3.52 Million (16th) Stadium: Either TCF Bank Stadium (50,805) or US Bank Stadium (66,860) Investment Group Leadership: Glen Taylor (Owner of Timberwolves in NBA) Notable Local Celebrities Involved: Former Senator Al Franken, MLB star Kent Hrbeck, former Vikings Alan Page and Ahmad Rashad. The Group known as Twin Cities Football 2020 has done a good job of building grassroots interest in a spring club to complement Vikings fever in the fall. Using local celebrities ranging from minority owners Franken, Page, Rashad, and Hrbeck, to such Minnesota legends as musician Morris Day, actor Vince Vaughan, and even actor William H. Macy reprising his character from Fargo to help drum up interest. What has not yet been drummed up however is a clear stadium deal with either the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium, or the recently completed US Bank Stadium, home of the Vikings. General opinion is that the group would prefer US Bank Stadium, despite the more appropriate size of TCF Bank Stadium simply for the roof and the ability to ignore the often rough weather in the early weeks of each USFL season. The Twin cities have an advantage over Kansas City in that there is no current ownership group that feels particularly threatened by a franchise in that market. They are simply too far from Chicago, St. Louis, or Denver to be considered a drain on any current club’s fanbase. That could be a big factor in their favor. Minnesota’s strong economy and strong history of support for pro sports are also good indicators that this could be a winning option for the league. If they could just get a stadium deal done, we might even consider them a top contender.   So, what would it mean for the league structure if either KC or the Twin Cities got a franchise? Well, with Minnesota it is pretty clear. You place the new team in the Central, along with natural rivals in Chicago, Michigan, Ohio, and St. Louis, to form a mini Big-10 in the league. Kansas City could also fit into this model, and that may be the best option, even though a rivalry with Oklahoma would also make sense. It is just that trying to add another team to the SW Division makes no sense unless you can move at least 1 of the Texas teams, perhaps both of them, to the South, and that just means someone might get forced out to the Central, which is just much messier. The current favored position is that the league will want to add 1 team to the South and 1 to the Central without moving any other franchises, and that could be accomplished with a KC or Twin City franchise, another plus in the cap of these two bids.   League Reinstates Phil Hanson, Will HOF Now Welcome Him After significant lobbying by the New Jersey Generals, and with steroids as an issue fading into the history books, the USFL has done what many feel it should have done years ago, it has officially reinstated Phil Hansen into the good graces of the league. The league’s all-time sack leader, Hansen retired with 289 sacks to his name, a record that still holds (though clearly Calais Campbell is shooting for it). But, after his autobiography not only included admission of hormone and steroid use, but accused the league of essentially turning a blind eye to what he called widespread use of the banned substances, the USFL all but disowned Hansen, his records, and his legacy. Hansen looking intense during Summer Bowl 2004, in his final season. Over the past 2 years, the Generals, along with fans across the league, have been lobbying for Hansen to be returned to the good graces of the league, and the voters of the Hall of Fame. This week the USFL announced that it was doing just that, reinstating Hansen’s eligibility for the Hall, as well as all of his team and league records and statistics. We at This Week in the USFL have always included Hansen’s numbers when talking about the sack leaders, and we are happy to see that Hansen will now finally get a shot at induction in the Hall, an honor which is long overdue. It will need to come through the Legacy candidacy process, as Hansen is well outside of the 5-year window for standard selection, but we fully expect that his name will quickly brought up when the Legacy Committee meets to determine their 2019 selection next spring.   The 14-year veteran of the Generals, in addition to a league best 289 sacks, had 730 tackles, 38 forced fumbles, and 2 defensive scores (both on fumble recoveries). He remains a beloved figure in the New York, New Jersey area, despite the revelations in his book. This was not always the case, as many turned away from Hansen after its publication, but as times have changed and as many now have come to accept that steroid use was a much wider practice (across many sports) than any league wished to acknowledge at the time, sympathy for Hansen and respect for his career have returned. Perhaps next year we will see him join his teammates and competitors in the Hall of Fame, something we believe is richly deserved.   Memphis Goes Retro with New UA Uniforms The Memphis Showboats are seeing something of a resurgence on the field this year, a return to playoff contention for a club that has seen some hard times in recent years. It seems only fitting that with that resurgence they will be sporting a new look, perhaps as soon as the 2018 playoffs. Under Armour and the club released their newly-approved uniforms for the 2019 season this week, uniforms that could see the field in 2018 if the Showboats continue their strong play.   The look is very much one that builds on tradition for the Showboats, a retro-inspired look that recalls many past Showboat seasons. The helmet remains Silver Sky, a color the club created back in the late 80’s to differentiate themselves from the many silver-helmeted clubs in the league. It has a red facemask and a single tapered stripe, wider at the front than in the back. The home jerseys are very much a continuation of tradition, scarlet red with Silver Sky sleeves and white shoulder stripes. The white jerseys use the same template, trading white for red and vice versa. Both jerseys have numbers on the sleeves, the team’s secondary logo above the nameplate, and curved block letters with a vertical shadow.   Memphis bucks the trend of teams having multiple color combos by introducing only Silver Sky pants as an option; no mixing and matching different pant and jersey combos here. The pants feature a tapered stripe similar to the one on the helmet, thick at the waist and thinning to a point before the knee.   The club also presented two alternate looks, one very familiar to fans of the Reggie White, Walter Lewis, Mel Gray years. Back to a silver helmet, twin sleeve stripes, and traditional block numbers. The other alternate goes in a very different direction. Black is still an official color for the Showboats, seen in their wordmark and in the smokestacks atop their “M” monogram logo, but completely absent from the primary logo and both primary uniforms. That absence is undone in the team’s “Night Boat” alternates, which replace the team’s scarlet with black in all areas of the uniform. The look includes both a home and away jersey, both pairable with a black pant set containing a Silver Sky stripe, and topped by a Silver Sky helmet with black facemask and tapered stripe. The Showboats will also use their secondary in this alternate look, with a black and white version added to the alternate helmet. While for some this may be a case of BFBS (Black for Black’s Sake) but fans of the look point out that the color has been a part of the Memphis palette since the beginning, when the 1984 red jerseys used black outlines on the numbers and striping. Love them or hate them, the alternates are certainly a departure from the teams’s primary look, and while many fans may jump on the new primaries (available for sale in the next month) we expect both the retro throwbacks and the “Night Boat” alternates will have their share of fans as well.   The playoff clock is ticking, and as we prepare for Week 10, we see more than a few games that will have an impact on the playoff picture. We start with a Keystone Clash on Friday night, where the Stars absolutely need to prepare themselves for the division leading Maulers. A loss here would move Philadelphia 2 games under .500 and put the defending division champions up against the wall. The other Friday night game features the resurgent San Diego Thunder, hoping to get to .500 with a home win, facing the division leading Oakland Invaders, hoping to move to a dominant position at 8-2 with a win.   On Saturday we have some very intriguing matchups, starting with a clash in the SE Division as Charlotte heads to Orlando. A win by the Renegades and we could again see a cluster atop the division, but if Charlotte pulls off the road match, they would build a nice lead for themselves. Also at noon on Saturday, Arizona heads into St. Louis to face a rising star in Lamar Jackson. At 4-m, two 4-5 clubs battle in Denver, each hoping to stay in the playoff hunt and to climb to .500 with a win. It will be the Stallions and the Gold facing off with very real playoff implications on the line. We have a good night game in New Jersey, where the Generals, playing without starter Nick Foles, will take on the Houston Gamblers, hot off their overtime victory over the Breakers. In the late game, we have a division clash as Ohio goes into Chicago hoping to put away the Machine and retain sole possession of first place in the Central.   Sunday kicks off with three seeming mismatches as Atlanta hosts 1-8 Tampa Bay, Washington hosts 1-8 Jacksonville, and Michigan travels to Dallas to take on the 3-6 Roughnecks. Don’t expect to see Josh Freeman in this one as he has only been with the Dallas club for less than 48 hours. It will be Wheedon taking on that tough Michigan defense. The late games feature two division clashes, with Oklahoma traveling to Las Vegas on ABC and LA visiting Seattle on FOX. Finally, the week ends with another nasty Southern Division clash when New Orleans tries to rebound from their tough loss in Houston, but faces an insurgent Memphis squad that hopes to get right in the mix with a win at home against a longstanding rival. Should be a good week to watch some football. (Division Games in Bold )   Friday @ 6pm ET             Pittsburgh (6-3) @ Philadelphia (4-5)      NBC Friday @ 8pm ET             Oakland (7-2) @ San Diego (4-5)                     ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET     Charlotte (6-3) @ Orlando (5-4)                    ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       Arizona (7-1-1) @ St. Louis (3-6)                      FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         Birmingham (4-5) @ Denver (4-5)               ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Baltimore (3-6) @ Portland (5-4)                       FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET         Houston (7-2) @ New Jersey (5-3-1)            NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       Ohio (6-3) @ Chicago (4-5)                              ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        Tampa Bay (1-8) @ Atlanta (4-5)                      ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET       Jacksonville (1-8) @ Washington (5-4)            FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Michigan (5-4) @ Dallas (3-6)                         FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           Oklahoma (5-4) @ Las Vegas (3-6)                  ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Los Angeles (1-8) @ Seattle (3-6)                     FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET           New Orleans (7-2) @ Memphis (7-2)             ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: We had some great QB performances this week, but none was quite as impressive as Ryan Nassib's 407 yard, 3 TD day. Nassib, who is in a contract year, could become the hottest free agent candidate of the year, and may be playing himself into a permanent starting gig, but likely not in Arizona, where 2-time MVP David Carr is still under contract through 2021.

We arrive at the season’s midway point with a lot of big stories, from the surprising decline of the Baltimore Blitz to the surprising successes in Memphis and Pittsburgh, this has been a season of big moves. Week 8 gave us strong performances from Arizona and New Orleans, the league’s two best records, and dramatic wins by Charlotte, Orlando, and Birmingham. We saw a lot of backup QBs in action, most with pretty poor outings, but we also saw a strong 2nd game from Lamar Jackson, and a possible sign that San Diego and Seattle are not done yet in the Pacific. We will recap all of this week’s games, talk about the strength of the Southern Division, and take a look at all 28 clubs at the season’s midway point, including team MVPs for each club, and a look at the latest power rankings, all coming up right now in This Week in the USFL. The South Has Risen Again After years of being seen as one of the league’s weaker divisions, the South is showing us this year that they are a force to be reckoned with. Led by the 7-1 Breakers, with Houston and Memphis only a game back at 6-2, and Birmingham still in the mix at 3-5, the South is proving they are a top to bottom brutal division right now, especially at home. The four Southern squads are currently a combined 16-1 in their home stadiums, and a combined 16-4 in interdivisional games, the best record of any division in the league.   The division includes the 2nd and 3rd leading scoring teams (New Orleans and Houston), the second best scoring defense (Memphis), the 2nd and 3rd best rush defenses (New Orleans and Memphis), and the 2nd best team in turnover differential (Birmingham). You also have the two top passers (yardage) in Colt McCoy and Drew Brees, and three of the top 5 receivers (Mike Evans, Jordy Nelson, and JuJu Smith-Schuster). It is a division that could place 3, maybe even all 4 teams in the playoffs if they continue to dominated inter-divisional games. This is a long way from only a few years ago when the division had a streak of champions with 9 wins (2013 & 2012), or even only 8 wins (2011) and most viewed the division as a weak sister to the NE and SE Division.   Now, one reason for the shift is a change of teams, with Nashville leaving for Las Vegas and replaced by Houston, who were a power in the Southwest and have brought that dynamic to their new division. The other reason may well be improved run games across the division, with Todd Gurley in Memphis, Carlos Hyde in Houston, and Leonard Fournette in New Orleans all looking stronger this year. Even Birmingham seems to have improved after the trade of T. J. Yeldon that brought Rex Burkhead to the Stallions.   While there are still many who would point to the NE Division as the league’s toughest, an argument can be made that it is the South where we see the most competitive teams and the potential for multiple playoff contenders. The second half of the season will tell the tale, of course, as there will be 6 more divisional games between the division’s 4 clubs, but, as a 4-team division the South also have a higher number of inter-divisional games, and if they continue to excel in those matchups, we could well see all 4 clubs finish at or above .500 and in the playoff mix.   ATLANTA FIRE 19  CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 24 With both the Fire and the Monarchs caught in a three way tie atop the Southeastern Division, you knew this Atlantic Coast rivalry was going to produce a hard-fought and close game, and that is exactly what we got. Both clubs stress defense, and both have outstanding linebacker groups, with Atlanta led by Luke Kuechley and Patrick Willis, while Charlotte boasts Rolando McClain and Jerod Mayo. One of those four would go on not just to be player of the game, but USFL player of the week, and it would not take long to see why.   It was on Atlanta’s very first possession of the game, taking over barely 10 minutes in, after Charlotte punted the ball with a perfect coffin corner kick to the 1 yard line by one of the league’s best, 11-year veteran Ken Walter. First and 10 from the 1 and Atlanta sends rookie Nick Chubb up the middle for a 1 yard gain, tackled by a combination of Mayo and Gabe Miller. Second and 9 and Jerod Mayo announces that has come to play. Coach Mora, expecting Atlanta to try to pass on 2nd down, sends Mayo on a blitz off the right guard, Mayo clears the guard with ease, cracks Aaron Murray across the right side, forcing out the ball, which he then gathers and falls on in the endzone for the game’s first points. The always coveted strip-sack-recovery-touchdown for Mayo would be the highlight play of the game, but only one of many plays that helped the Charlotte linebacker win POTW this week.   But while Charlotte’s defense had put the Monarchs on the board, Atlanta’s defense was also having a good first half. They held the Monarchs to only 1 first down in the half, absolutely stuffing HB Adrian Peterson, who would finish the game with only 11 carries and, yes this number is right, a total of exactly 0 rushing yards. It was a masterful performance from Keuchley in particular,, though Coach Arians was also quick to praise play of DT Sione Pouha, getting 37 snaps after only arriving with the club on Wednesday, traded over from Birmingham. Atlanta shut out the Charlotte offense in the first half, and over the course of the two quarters equalized the score on a Kenyan Drake TD run and then took the lead with two 2nd quarter field goals from John Bounds.   Down 13-7 at the half, Charlotte needed inspiration, and once again it would be Jerod Mayo providing it. On a 3rd and 1 from the Monarch 48, Atlanta did what most expected, handing the ball to their main man, rookie Nick Chubb, but Mayo was in the hole produced for Chubb and he just flat out stood up and knocked down the rookie, with a crash that could be heard in the announcers booth. It was just a loss of 1, but it was also a resounding message to Atlanta that the Monarch defense was not going to give an inch. The Fire were forced to punt, and the Charlotte offense got a jolt of adrenaline from the big hit. As teammates surrounded Mayo on the sideline with congratulations, fist bumps, and pats on the back, the offense finally found a rhythm. Mitch Trubisky, who had a solid outing, hitting on 20 of 25 passing, found Hakeem Nicks for a nice 16-yard gain on the opening play of the drive. He then connected twice with Brandon Pettigrew to get Charlotte in field goal range. When a 3rd and 3 toss to Isaiah McKenzie fell wide, the Monarchs sent out Stephen Earl and put 3 on the board to bring the game to 13-10.   The fourth quarter began with Atlanta moving the ball well, Aaron Murray surviving his 4th sack of the game, but then finding Roy Williams for a 35-yard catch and run on 3rd and 18, helping the Fire get in field goal range once again. John Bounds put them up by 6 once again at 16-10 with a short kick and Atlanta was once again on defense. But this time, Charlotte was feeling their mojo. It would take the Monarchs only 4 plays to take their first lead of the game. Following an initial first down on a short pass to John Stupar, Trubisky faked the ball to Peterson on first and 10, then found Isaiah McKenzie on a corner route, with the safety out of position. McKenzie cut inside the corner and took off for a 57-yard catch and run for 7 points. Charlotte’s first lead stood at 17-16 with just over 6 minutes to play.   Atlanta got the ball back and again found some success. This time it was the run game, with Nick Chubb hitting his best carry of the day, a 15-yarder, followed 2 plays later by Kenyon Drake taking a toss outside for 11. Atlanta was knocking on the door, but once again Jerod Mayo stepped up, this time taking down Murray for his second sack of the day, a key play on 2nd and 8 from the 12, creating a 3rd and 20 situation on the 20. Murray, flustered by the big hit from the Monarch linebacker, missed high on an endzone throw to Kelvin Benjamin, forcing the Fire to settle for 3 points, but they did have the lead back at 19-17 with 2:13 to play.   But, just as we saw with the 3rd down stuff of Chubb earlier in the game, Jerod Mayo’s big play not only fired up the Charlotte D, it gave the offense a lift as well. The Monarchs’ offense took the field with a sense of swagger, despite their absolute inability to run the ball. With just over 2 minutes to go, the run game would not be a factor anyway, and Adrian Peterson was replaced on the field by rookie 3rd down back Nyheim Hines as Charlotte prepared to attack through the air. Trubisky would not look Hines’s way, but would connect with Hakeem Nicks, then Justin Blackmon, the former Ohio Glory star. After scrambling for 3 yards, Trubisky then found Blackmon again, with a throw that split the safeties and got Blackmon all the way to the 3 yard line. With nearly 90 seconds left to play, and down only 2, Charlotte went with the run game on first and second down, but the Fire run defense remained stalwart. Hines gained 1 yard on first down, then lost that yard on 2nd, giving Charlotte a 3rd and goal at the 3. Atlanta loaded the box, expecting a 3rd inside run and then a field goal for the win, but Charlotte, threw them a curve. Trubisky faked to Hines, rolled to his right and found Hakeem Nicks, the lone wideout on the field, streaking across the goalline. The throw was low and outside, but Nicks dropped to the turf and picked it up for the score and the Charlotte lead with just 90 seconds left to play.   Atlanta was now down 5 with 2 timeouts and 90 seconds to find paydirt. But, once again, they had to face that Monarch defense and the very fired up Jerod Mayo. The Fire had a good first play, with Murray finding Benjamin on the sideline for a quick 9 yards. They converted the first down on a Kenyan Drake pitch outside, with the back getting out of bounds to stop the clock. But on 1st and 10 from the 41, it all started to fall apart again. On first down, Mayo pressured Murray, and while he did not get the sack, he forced an early throw that was off target, missing Dorial Green-Beckham wide and low. On second down, Mayo dropped into coverage, taking away the inside route of O. J. Howard, and forcing Murray to try to hit Roy Williams in double coverage. Another incompletion and now it was 3rd and 10. Murray lined up in the shotgun, 3 receivers to his right, and Jerod Mayo making a lot of noise in front of him. Again, the Atlanta QB, perhaps flustered by Mayo’s vocal display and presence on the line, made a bad read, trying to hit Howard over the middle and nearly having the ball picked off by Rolando McClain, who had dropped back in coverage. That made it 4th and 10 and one last chance for the Fire.   Murray again lined up in the shotgun, and again had 3 receivers to his right, Benjamin, Green-Beckham, and Howard. Williams was the lone receiver to the left. The ball would go over the middle to Howard, but once again Mayo was there, hitting the tight end with a textbook wrap tackle 8 yards down the field and 2 yards shy of the first down. It would be Mayo’s 11th tackle (technically his 15th, but with several shared tackles, he got only half credit) and it would be the one that salted away a vital division win for the Monarchs. There was no doubt in the stadium who the hero of the day was, though we should recognize Trubisky’s solid game as well. This game was dominated by, and the Monarchs inspired by, the play of their 10-year veteran OLB.   MEMPHIS 14  BIRMINGHAM 20  OVERTIME A huge win for the Stallions as they stay relevant in the brutal Southern Division by knocking off their archrivals. The Stallions got off to a great start, spurred by their defense, as Antonio Cromartie returned a poor throw from Paxton Lynch 37 yards for a defensive TD. Newly-acquired HB Rex Burkhead made it 14-0 with a 2nd quarter TD, but Memphis fought back in the second half, with Lynch finding both Robert Woods and Jamison Crowder for scores. The game went into overtime, where Cam Newton found rookie HB Kerryon Johnson for a short TD to end the game and give the Stallions the win. POTG: Stallion HB Kerryon Johnson: 13 Att, 50 Yds, 1 Rec, 1 TD   LOS ANGELES 10  SAN DIEGO 34 A rough start for LA interim coach Emmitt Thomas, as San Diego got two pick-sixes against Sam Bradford to run away with this one. Bradford was under pressure all game, taking 4 sacks, and throwing two picks, both of them returned for scores. The San Diego offense, led by backup Christian Ponder, was not exactly explosive, gaining only 278 total yards, but they did enough to keep themselves well ahead of the Express, building up a 24-3 lead by the half and controlling the ball in the second half to gain their 3rd win of the year. POTG: San Diego CB Tye Smith: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF, 1 FR   DENVER 17  NEW ORLEANS 38 Leonard Fournette had his best game as a pro, including 2 first quarter TD runs and 92 yards receiving, which included a 60 yard explosion that lead to a C. J. Spiller 1-yard TD run as New Orleans improved to 7-1 at the midway point. Denver stayed close through three quarters, with TDs from Murray and Crabtree pulling them to within 24-17 at the end of the third, but two late Breaker TDs sealed the deal for New Orleans. POTG: Breaker HB Leonard Fournette: 23 Att, 64 Yds, 2 TD, 3 Rec, 92 Yds   BALTIMORE 0  NEW JERSEY 34 In what may be the ugliest loss in Blitz history, the Generals utterly dismantled the Blitz for a blowout win. Maurice Jones-Drew ran wild, averaging 5.9 yards per carry on his way to a 160-yard rushing game. Odell Beckham Jr also came on strong with 7 receptions for 116 yards for the Generals, who had no trouble at all managing the Blitz’s defensive scheme. The Blitz offense had all kinds of trouble with the Generals, committing 2 turnovers, and converting only 4 of 11 third downs, but the huge issue for the Blitz was discipline as they racked up 14 penalties for 124 yards against them. An ugly display from a Blitz team that drops to 2-6 at midseason. POTG: Generals’ HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 27 Att, 160 Yds, 1 TD   PITTSBURGH 14  SEATTLE 23 The “Seattle Surge” is alive and well as the Dragons upset Pittsburgh to win their third in a row. Seattle built up a 20-0 lead by the half and held on despite a Rasul Douglas pick-six of Matt McGloin. The Dragons got TDs form Marshall Newhouse and Wendell Smallwood, but it was the defense that starred in the game, picking off Andy Dalton twice and limiting the Mauler run game to a measly 10 total yards. POTG: Seattle FS Donte Whitner: 3 Tck, 3 PDef, 2 Int   OKLAHOMA 20  DALLAS 17 A good divisional win for Oklahoma, moving them to .500. It was a close game throughout, with both teams making mistakes but also making some big plays. The Outlaws held a 20-10 advantage in the 4th but Dallas made a valiant effort to equalize the game, but a holding penalty pushed the Roughnecks out of range for a final field goal to tie the game, forcing Brandon Wheedon to try for a Hail Mary on the game’s final play. The play failed and Oklahoma held on for the W. POTG: Outlaw LB Jonathan Moulton: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 FR   PHILADELPHIA 9  WASHINGTON 19 A bad loss for the Stars as backup Tony Pike struggled to only 9 of 28 passing and was sacked 7 times by the Federals. Washington took advantage, with Anthony Allen having his best day of the year, with 94 yards rushing and 2 receptions. Keenan Allen scored both Federal touchdowns, enough to get the W and push Washington to .500 at the midway point, with Philly dropping to the same 4-4 record. POTG: Federal WR Keenan Allen: 7 Rec, 91 Yds, 2 TD   ARIZONA 20  LAS VEGAS 3 And to think we were worried about Coach Tomsula’s defense this offseason. Arizona is now ranked first in points allowed after holding Las Vegas, and backup QB Jeff Tuel, to only 3 points. Ryan Nassib again looked to be in command, going 14 of 21 for 206 yards and 2 scores with no turnovers. The D also held Las Vegas under 300 yards of total offens and produced 3 takeaways. POTG: Wrangler CB Joe Haden: 13 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   OAKLAND 27  TAMPA BAY 3 The Invaders take command with a 6-2 record in the Division, their defense keying the win once again as they hold Tampa Bay to 252 total yards and a lone field goal on the board. Jimmy Garoppolo was taken out of the game at the half, with Oakland up only 10-3, due to concerns about his thumb, after it got bent back when it hit a helmet on a late 2nd quarter throw. Bob Volek came in, threw for 144 yards and a TD. POTG: Invader SS Jaiquawn Jarrett: 6 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   ST. LOUIS 21  CHICAGO 34 Chicago reaches .500 at the midway point by scoring 20 points in the 2nd half to pull away from St. Louis. The combo of Forte and Hill gained 10 yards on the ground against the hapless Skyhawk run defense. Lamar Jackson played well in the loss, completing 22 of 36 passes for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also used his legs, with 3 scrambles, including one for a first down. But, Chicago was just too much, with balance producing 391 offensive yards. POTG: Chicago HB Matt Forte: 16 Att, 98 Yds, 1 TD   OHIO 28  PORTLAND 14 A nice road win for Ohio, as Troy Smith throws for 2 TDs and gets 2 more from HB Isaiah Pead. Kellon Clemons struggled for Portland, sacked 3 times and picked off once. The lone highlight for Portland was a 58-yard pick-six by CB A. J. Bouye. It was 14-7 Portland at the half, but Troy Smith came on in the 2nd half, connecting with HB Delone Carter and WR Eric Weems for scores. POTG: Ohio FS LaRon Landry: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Blck FG   JACKSONVILLE 10  HOUSTON 35 Houston has their way with the 1-7 Bulls, putting up 395 yards of offense, including 94 yards and 2 touchdowns from Carlos Hyde. Teddy Bridgewater threw 2 more picks, giving him 5 on the year with no touchdowns yet, which has some believing that Robert Griffin III may get the next start. For Houston, a huge game as well from JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had 128 yards and a score on 5 receptions. POTG: Gambler HB Carlos Hyde: 22 Att, 94 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Rec, 30 Yds   ORLANDO 23  MICHIGAN 20 A fabulous Sunday night matchup between two solid teams as Orlando gets the winning field goal in the final minute to upend the Panthers in front of nearly 60,000 at Ford Field. Russell Wilson threw for 269 in the game. Michigan played with 2 backups, with Taylor Heinecke and Drew Stanton both seeing action due to Kirk Cousin’s injury. LeVeon Bell rushed for 182 and a TD, but the Panthers just could not shake Orlando, who got TDs from Latavius Murray and Dwayne Bowe in the victory. POTG: Orlando WR Brashad Perriman: 10 Rec, 118 Yds Leonard Fournette Shines for League’s Best Breakers LSU’s Leonard Fournette has not been the immediate breakout player the Breakers had hoped for, but if this week’s performance against Denver was any indication, the 2nd year back may be gaining more and more trust in New Orleans, with big things ahead. Yes, his rushing total was only 64 yards, after a season-best 87 last week, but he also turned in 90 yards in the passing game, including a brilliant 60-yard catch and run on an outside screen play. Fournette was kept in on more 3rd downs than in the past, a sign that he is gaining the trust of the coaches and his QB as a receiver. Balance in the offense has long been a goal for Coach Lathon, and this season we are seeing a better distribution of run and pass plays, allowing Drew Brees a bit of respite from those 50-attempt games of the past. Sitting at 7-1 atop the Southern Division, New Orleans is hoping the recent surge in production from Fournette is a sign of things to come. The Breakers still have 4 divisional games to play this year, including 2 against the surprising Showboats, so they need to keep the pedal to the metal and not get complacent. If they can keep Brees’s arm loose by not overtaxing the passing game, they could very well be looking at a one seed, a bye, and homefield in a very tough Eastern Conference. MJD Looking for MVP Don’t tell Maurice Jones-Drew that the league MVP award almost always goes to a QB. He does not want to hear it. After a 160-yard rushing game this week against Baltimore, part of a 34-0 drubbing of the division foe, MJD is talking MVP in a big way. This week was his 3rd 100-yard game, the 4th time he has had over 150 yards of combined yards from scrimmage, and he also leads the league with 12 touchdowns, giving him more points this season than any of the league’s 28 kickers, something that we often see in weeks 1-2 but not after 8 weeks.   MJD is arguably having his best year in his 13th season, and at age 32. He is averaging 4.0 YPG, the first time he has done that in 3 years, and is on pace for 1,500 yards, which would eclipse his career best by nearly 200 yards. He is contributing in the passing game as well, with 15 receptions. The offense clearly runs through him, as Nick Foles is using play action to great effect, and teams are loading the box but still struggling to contain the “Pocket Hercules”. But is it enough to really put him in the MVP race? At 5-2-1, New Jersey could well be looking at a bye and possibly a top seed, so the answer may well be yes, it it. Atlanta Cannot Hold the Mayo Our game of the week saw Charlotte outlast Atlanta to claim a share of first place in the Southeast, tied with Orlando at 5-3, and while both teams had a lot of stars on display, it was Charlotte LB Jerod Mayo who shone the brightest. Mayo finished the game with 11 tackles, 2 sacks, and the play of the game, a strip sack, recovery, and touchdown on defense that opened scoring in the game. Had this one play early in the game been his only contribution, we would not be singing Mayo’s praises today, but what we saw in this game was a linebacker causing absolute mayhem on nearly every drive. His blitzes were devastating to the Atlanta line, leading to Aaron Murray being sacked 5 times. He also disrupte the Atlanta run game, helping to hold standout rookie Nick Chubb to only 3.4 yards per carry, well below his season average. Finally, Mayo was a vocal leader on the field, working alongside Rolando McClain to rile up the defense at key moments. In other words, he talked the talk and also walked the walk, exactly the kind of game the Monarchs needed, and the kind of game that won Mayo the Player of the Week. Blitz Bottom Out in 34-0 Drubbing Things are getting ugly in Baltimore. The Blitz, once thought to be among the contenders for the NE Division, have fallen to 2-6 on the season, and did so in one of the ugliest performances Baltimore has seen since the final scene of John Water’s 1972 Baltimore film “Pink Flamingos” (Don’t ask, you don’t want to know.) The 34-0 drubbing in New Jersey highlighted many of the problems the Blitz have evinced all season: a shaky defensive line that just does not stop the run effectively and cannot get to the QB, a run game that is hit or miss, but cannot be counted on for key 3rd down runs, poor route running by receivers who have been outstanding in the past, and a seemingly indecisive Ben Roethlisberger, something we are just not used to seeing.   Baltimore now ranks in the bottom half of the league in Scoring (17th), yards per game (16th), rushing (16th), points allowed (19th), yards allowed (17th), and, most notably, pass defense (240.6 YPG, 20th in the league). None of these numbers were expected from a Blitz team that some had as an outside contender for a Summer Bowl appearance. Coach Caldwell does not seem to have any easy fixes either. It is not like he is going to replace Big Ben at QB, or find a new starting HB who can gain a 3rd and 2 when needed, or suddenly have an epiphany with the defense. Nope, it just looks like Caldwell will have to find a way to motivate better play from across the roster, find some new schemes on defense, and open up the offense somehow. All tall orders for a team that is now solidly in last place in a very competitive and balanced NE Division. Denver Loses Suh to Broken Leg We often talk about teams or players getting a bad break, but in the case of Denver’s star DT Ndamukong Suh, we are speaking quite literally. Suh got caught up in a combination block, and had the center for the Breakers, Chris Spencer, fall across his shin. The impact was immediate and devastating. Suh fell to the ground in obvious pain, and while not quite as visible or visceral as the famous Joe Theismann injury, it was clear that bone was protruding from Suh’s leg. He was taken off the field on the cart, and by day’s end it was revealed that both the tibia and the fibula had suffered fractures, with the tibia suffering a clean break that did not break the skin, but protruded it outwards. Suh would be out for the rest of Denver’s 2018 campaign, a huge loss for a team that had started strong this year but was now fading at midseason.   The injury meant that Sharrif Floyd would be joining Amobi Okoye in the starting four on the D-line, but more than that it meant that Denver would now have to rely far more on more elaborate schemes to stuff the run or find pressure on the QB. Even with Von Miller and Justice Cole forming a pretty formidable duo outside, it had always been Suh’s inside pressure and blocker-occupying physicality that had given Miller and Cole favorable matchups outside. The impact was immediate, even after the initial shock was shaken off by both teams. For the remainder of the game, Breaker QB Drew Brees would not feel considerable pressure, completing 11 of his final 13 passes. Breaker HB Leonard Fournette also saw greater success running the ball with Suh out of the game.   Denver, looking ahead to the next 8 games, will need to find a way to generate pressure and also to contain the run. They face San Diego this week, the team with the top-rated run game in the league, so Suh’s absence will be immediately tested. What follows after that is a series of games where Denver will need to both pressure the QB and stop the run without their best inside defender. It was a bad break quite literally, but also figuratively as the 4-4 Gold must now try to find a new way to defend and a new leader for the defense.   The injury to Ndaukong Suh was hardly the only one this week as we saw 3 more players added to the IR list, as well as several more expected to miss a month or longer. Among the high impact injuries are HB Kenyan Drake in Atlanta, suffering a hairline fracture in his right arm; former Stallion and current Bandit T. J. Yeldon, with a partial PCL tear; Dallas WR Tim Wright also with a PCL injury; and Orlando’s young corner Dee Milliner, with damage to the meniscus in his right knee after an awkward landing atop a receiver’s foot. Add to these several shorter term injuries, and we have a pretty long and gnarly injury list to report this week.   OUT SS      Chuck Clark        STL         Hamstring         IR C             Marcus Martin         ATL         Torn Quad           IR DT        Ndamukong Suh    DEN      Fractured Leg         IR HB      T. J. Yeldon              TBY        Torn PCL             6-8 Weeks WR      Tim Wright               DAL       Torn PCL             6-8 Weeks HB      Kenyan Drake         ATL         Fracture              4-6 Weeks OT       Ryan Ramczyk         BAL        Broken Leg         4-6 Weeks DT         Ryan Carethers       ARZ       Neck                     4-6 Weeks C           Wesley Johnson      LV           Ribs                       4-6 Weeks CB         Dee Milliner             ORL       Miniscus             2-4 Weeks G           Logan Mankins       OAK      MCL                      1-2 Weeks C           Erik Cook                JAX         Concussion       1-2 Weeks QB        Taylor Heinecke       MGN     Hand                    1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL FS           Jamal Adams          DAL       Concussion C         Sean Harlow            POR      Hand G           Kyle Long                 WSH     Knee WR        DeDe Westbrook    OKL       Hamstring WR        Mike Wallace           SEA        Stress Fracture (Foot)   QUESTIONABLE G              Luke Joeckel                     OAK      Neck DE            Cliff Avril                             OAK      Hamstring G              Max Jean-Gilles              ORL       Wrist TE             David Njoku                      ORL       Hand   Mid-Season Report Cards With 8 weeks down and 8 to go, it is time to evaluate where our teams stand across the league. We have opted to provide a mid-semester report card, dishing out grades from A+ to F across the league. It is not just about wins and losses but met or missed expectations. With each club we will provide a key theme, while later on, in our Power Rankings, we will also award a midseason MVP for each club. So, we start with our division by division analysis of the 2018 playoff race and season to date at the midway point.   The Northeast has not played out the way we expected. New Jersey is what we thought we would see, a solid team with a strong run game. Pittsburgh has been surprisingly good on defense, Philadelphia strangely weak on that same side of the ball. Washington is plucky but feels very much like a one man show with David Garrard in the center ring. Baltimore is a clown car that just isn’t fun to watch.   New Jersey        A-           Solidly where we expected them to be with a huge game against the Maulers this week.   Pittsburgh          A             The game at Heinz Field this week could propel the Maulers into a lofty position atop a division few picked them to win.   Washington       B+          While 4-4 may not seem like much, it is a positive step for a Federals team that was seen as a rebuilding project.   Philadelphia     C             While 4-4 gives Washington a B+ it has to be seen as a poor situation for a Stars team many picked to win it all. Philly has time to make a push, but they cannot let either the Maulers or Generals get any further ahead.   Baltimore           D             This season has been a disaster, and there are no major injuries or controversies to explain it. It just feels like nothing that worked in the past is working now. We expected a balanced battle in the division, and that is what we have after 8 weeks, with 3 teams all battling it out for the top spot. We expected more from both Tampa Bay and Jacksonville, especially from Tampa’s offense and Jacksonville’s defense, both of which have not been as advertised.   Charlotte            B+          The Monarchs could be in a better position, but it seems like Mitch Trubisky is suffering a sophomore slump. If they can fix that, they could pull out ahead with a solid run game and a strong defense. Orlando               A-           We are still somewhat shocked that Orlando is winning with offense and not their defensive front. Imagine how good they could be if the defense tightens up a bit.   Atlanta                B             The Fire are hoping that defense will carry them forward. Despite a solid year from Aaron Murray, the offense is still not producing enough to win consistently.   Jacksonville      D             Not much was expected of the Bulls, and not much is what we are getting. But how long will the Teddy Bridgewater experiment last when he has yet to throw a single TD pass?   Tampa Bay         F             The addition of Dez Bryant was supposed to make this a dynamic offense, one capable of propelling Tampa towards the top of the division, but it just is not materializing. The addition of Memphis to the mix, and even Birmingham’s occasionally strong outing make the South our rising division this year. There is an outside chance that all 4 clubs could make the post-season, though our bet is that the top 3 will get in and Birmingham will fall just short once again.   New Orleans    A+          The defense is playing lights out, the offense is explosive and more balanced than ever. This is a very dangerous team, with a huge game in Houston this week to prove it.   Houston              A             The Gamblers are right there with New Orleans. If they can win the home matchup with the Breakers this week, they gain the upper hand in a very tight race.   Memphis            A             No one expected Memphis to be here, but the defense has exceeded expectations (especially with Bowman missing several weeks) and Paxton Lynch seems to be developing nicely as he gets more games under his belt.   Birmingham      C+          While 3-5 is not where Birmingham wanted to be, we are seeing better defensive play, a better run, game, and as their win over Memphis showed, the capacity to rise to the occasion, but can they do so consistently? Michigan is still atop the division, but their title defense is proving a bit tougher than many expected, with both Ohio and Chicago playing above our expectations. There is still work to do in St. Louis, that seems obvious, but Lamar Jackson is at least providing some excitement and some hope for the future in the Gateway City.   Michigan            B+          It still feels like Michigan’s division to win, but this does not feel like the club that had all the answers last postseason. They are still winning games, but the dominance we saw late last year has not returned, at least not yet.   Ohio                      A-           We are impressed with how well this club has weathered the injury storm that took out their top 2 QBs. With Hackenberg expected back, can we expect even more from the Glory in the second half?   Chicago              B+          Sitting at .500 is a solid spot for a Machine club that had a lot of question marks coming into the year. The offense is finding some answers and the defense is much improved over last year.   St. Louis              C-           While we love what we have seen the past two weeks from rookie QB Lamar Jackson, until Coach Reich can fix that defense, it will be tough to win games.   Arizona’s demise was apparently greatly exaggerated. We all feared their defense would be a shambles after all the offseason departures, but they are playing amazing team defense, leading the league in points allowed. They are solidly ahead of the pack, but both Oklahoma and Denver could close the gap if they could just play their best ball more consistently. Dallas has improved on defense but now lacks a true threat at QB, and Las Vegas has been very disappointing and seems to be intent on building for the future instead of winning right now in what could be Eli Manning’s final season.   Arizona                A+          He may not be among the front runners for Coach of the Year, but the work Coach Tomsula has done with this defense is nothing short of amazing.   Oklahoma          B-           The defense is holding this team together. They need to figure out why their emphasis on power runs is producing Marshawn Lynch’s worst statistical year of his career.   Denver                 C+          Denver looked very promising early, but have lost 3 of 4 after a strong start. They need to find their mojo again because this is a division that should produce 2 playoff teams, and they are a squad that can make that happen if they get their minds right.   Dallas                  C             The Manziel suspension was an unwanted distraction that turned into a much bigger problem. Fans who were upset that the Roughnecks did not prepare by signing a backup QB in the offseason are feeling pretty vindicated for their offseason concerns.   Las Vegas           C-           This was a team that many thought could challenge for a Summer Bowl berth, but this season has not produced enough energy on offense or consistency on defense, and it feels already like Coach Neuheisel is planning for 2019. The resurgence of the Invaders is a great story, as was a strong early season from Marcus Mariota and the Stags, but Portland seems to be fading, and San Diego, expected to win the division, may just now be finding their form, perhaps in time for a surge in the 2nd half. Seattle is hoping they can duplicate last year’s miracle finish after once again starting a bizarre 0-5, and LA, well, the less we say about the Expres, perhaps the better.   Oakland              A             The Invaders survived a rough start with 2 QB injuries, but now that Jimmy G is solidly in place as the starter, they are winning, winning ugly in many cases, but that is just another way to say that their defense is ahead of the offense and helping out a lot.   Portland              B             A 3-1 start surprised many, but the Stags have gone 1-3 in the 2nd quarter of the season, and now, with Mariota hurt, there are concerns that the early season success was as good as the team will be all year.   San Diego           B-           The season started poorly, with 3 consecutive losses, but San Diego seems to be on the precipice of finding their identity and making a run. If it materializes, we could see them catching Oakland, especially if they can win their head-to-head matchup in Week 10.   Seattle                INC        Incomplete is the only grade we can give this club, mostly because we are having a hard time believing they can really pull off another playoff run after a 2nd straight 0-5 start to the year. If they do, then the question has to be what they can do to start the season stronger next year.   Los Angeles       F             After a marginally successful 8-8 year in 2017, the wheels have fallen off this express train, and Andy Reid has left the building. This team has too much talent to continuously underperform, and yet they do.   Player Awards Midseason is not just a time to look at team success, but individual player success as well. With that in mind, we offer you our best guesses as to the top contenders for each of the USFL’s major season-ending awards, from what could be a very tight MVP race to a really interesting cluster of candidates for Coach of the Year, here is our assessment of the individual accolades and who is looking good for recognition this year.   MVP: While we are very much appreciative of the outstanding season Maurice Jones-Drew is putting together in New Jersey, and while we think he absolutely should be in consideration, we all know that the MVP award goes to a QB nine times out of ten, and this year there are some very strong candidates. Right now we see it as a 3 QB race, with New Orleans’s Drew Brees and Houston’s Colt McCoy clearly having topflight seasons, but we also love what David Garrard is doing in Washington. He has single handedly willed the Federals to 4-4, and if the Feds can reach a playoff, he may well get a lot of consideration. Right now, looking at the stats, the three are ranked 1-2-3 in yardage, with McCoy slightly ahead of Brees and Garrard. Brees has the edge with 16 touchdowns to 14 each for McCoy and Garrard, and when we consider QBR it is once again Brees, the league’s 2nd rated QB with the edge. If the Breakers continue to hold the league’s best record it could very well be a 3rd MVP award for the Breaker QB, a full 11 years since his last award.   OPOTY: If the MVP is locked in for a QB, then Maurice Jones Drew (HB-NJ) has to be considered a front runner for the Offensive Player of the Year. He will have competition however, particularly from Michigan’s main man, HB LeVeon Bell, who currently leads MJD by 29 yards for the league rushing title. Don’t count out a pair of receivers also, returning once again to the Southern Division to recognize the league’s top two receiving yardage leaders, Houston’s Mike Evans (882 yards) and New Orleans’s Jordy Nelson (49 yards back at 833). A strong second half from any of these four candidates could put them over the top.   DPOTY: While it was clearly Charlotte’s Jerod Mayo making a huge splash this week, we don’t see the Monarch LB as a top candidate for Defensive Player of the year. Right now we think it has to be a 2-man race, with our main “usual suspect” Calais Campbell of Orlando leading the league in sacks for the umpteenth consecutive year. But watch out as well for Oakland’s Bobby Wagner (LB-OAK). The Invaders are getting a lot of attention and it is their defense that is shining brightest, with Wagner the clear leader and impact player on that squad. If there is a possible dark horse for the award, keep an eye on another Invader, cornerback Chris Gamble, whose 6 sacks are well ahead of pace to set a league record, currently at 9 picks for the year. Gamble needs only 4 in the final 8 games to set the league mark, and that will certainly garner him some votes if he is successful.   ROTY: An interesting race for Rookie of the Year because we really only have one offensive standout, which means there is room for two strong first season defenders to get consideration. The odds right now are that the winner this year will be named Chubb, but will it be Atlanta halfback Nick Chubb or Washington DE Bradley Chubb. Both have had very nice starts to their career, with Nick currently 8th in the league with 544 yards in 8 games, on pace for 1,000, possibly 1,100 yards. Bradley has not gotten as much press in DC, but his impact is being felt. The NC State product has 5 sacks and 25 tackles (7 for loss) in his first 8 games. He has come on of late, with 13 tackles and 3 sacks in his last 3 games, a sign that he may have a strong second half ahead of him. The darkhorse here is in Denver, where LB Harold Landry has gotten more and more playing time each week, and now could have an even larger role as the Gold have to adjust to the loss of Ndamukong Suh on the D-Line. Landry has 37 tackles (5 for loss) and 2 sacks, and could be used more in passing downs as a blitzing outside threat, with hopes that teams cannot defend him and Von Miller on the same side.   COTY: With several teams outperforming expectations this season, there are plenty of Coach of the Year candidates. As much as we would love to see Arizona’s Jim Tomsula here, most considered Arizona a pretty solid division favorite before the year, so even the surprising success of a rebuilt Wrangler D is likely not enough to give Tomsula the award. Right now it is another defense and another defensive-minded coach who is getting a lot of attention, Memphis’s Rex Ryan. No doubt that the surprising start of the Showboats has a lot of folks praising the job the outspoken Ryan is doing in the home of the Blues. If Memphis fades, which does not seem likely but could happen, then we look at some other surprising squads and their coaches, including former COTY, Pittsburgh’s Vic Fangio, Oakland’s first year import from the NFL, Gary Kubiak, and a very respected coach out of Philly, former Star DC and new Federals’ HC Gus Bradley.     POWER RANKING The third and final part of our midseason report is always the most controversial, our mid-year power rankings. We look at who is hot, who is rising right now, and who may be overrated. Our list from 1 to 28 is sure to have some close calls and controversial placements, so get ready to debate the list, and just to add some fuel to the fire, we have not only made a quick assessment of each team, but offer you our best assessment of who the first half MVP has been for each club. Some are obvious, some perhaps not known to the casual fan, but in our minds, all worthy of recognition for their output this year.   1-NEW ORLEANS (7-1)                   Up 6 from Preseason Ranking Hard not to be near the top with the league’s 2nd rated scoring offense and 4th best scoring defense. First Half MVP: QB Drew Brees: 100.7 QBR, 2,197 Yds, 16 TDs   2-ARIZONA (6-1-1)                           Up 4 from Preseason Ranking Despite all the changes, Arizona now boasts the league’s best overall scoring defense, allowing only 13 points per game. 1st Half MVP: QB Ryan Nassib: Almost no drop off from Carr with 13:1 TD-INT ratio and league best 118.2 QBR. 3-HOUSTON (6-2)                            Down 1 from Preseason Ranking Houston boasts the league’s best passing attack at 291.5 YPG, and the defense has 30 sacks already, spread among 10 different players. First Half MVP: WR Mike Evans with 43 catches for 882 yards and 5 TDs.   4-NEW JERSEY (5-2-1)                    Up 5 from Preseason Ranking Lead the league in points per game, thanks in large part to balance between the 5th best rushing attack and the 7th ranked passing game. First Half MVP: HB Maurice Jones-Drew leads the league with 13 touchdowns, actually ahead of all 28 kickers in points scored.   5-MEMPHIS (6-2)                              Up 16 from Preseason Ranking Rex Ryan’s defense is solid in all areas, rating Top 10 in points per game (5th), yards allowed (2nd), passing (9th) and rushing (7th). First Half MVP: DE Mario Williams has picked up his game with 8 sacks in 8 games.   6-OAKLAND (6-2)                             Up 12 from Preseason Ranking The league’s 2nd best scoring defense has given Oakland time to get Jimmy Garoppolo up to speed. Despite the league’s 2nd worst passing yard average (157.6 ypg), Oakland is finding ways to win. First Half MVP: LB Bobby Wagner: Leads the team with 58 tackles, but also has 3 sacks, a pick, 2 forced fumbles, and 9 tackles for loss.   7-ORLANDO (5-3)                            Up 16 from Preseason Ranking Surprisingly, it has been the offense helping Orlando to 5 wins, thanks to a 25.6 PPG average, though the defense (4th best in yards allowed) has not been too shabby either. First Half MVP: WR Brashad Perriman, with 50 catches, 820 yards and 6 TDs, Perriman is making a name for himself this season.   8-MICHIGAN (5-3)                            Down 7 from Preseason Ranking Top 10 in both points scored (22.5 per game) and points allowed (17 per game), Michigan excels against the pass, allowing fewer than 200 yards per game. First Half MVP: CB Dre Kirkpatrick, not only has 3 picks, but leads the team with 64 tackles, playing a lot of pressure coverage and contributing against the run.   9-PITTSBURGH (5-3)                       Up 11 from Preseason Ranking The new offensive scheme is still a work in progress (21st in yards per game but 12th in points), while the defense is the league’s best against the run (62.1 YPG), forcing teams to be one-dimensional in their attacks. First Half MVP: CB Rasul Douglas, with 36 tackles, 3 picks, 2 returned for scores, and 13 passes defended.   10-CHARLOTTE (5-3)                      Down 6 from Preseason Ranking The Monarchs are middle of the pack in most categories, but are finding ways to win despite Mitch Trubisky developing an interception issue (leads the league with 12). First Half MVP: CB Derech Cox, with 46 tackles, 5 picks, and 10 passes defended, Cox is one of several defensive standouts for Charlotte.   11-OHIO (5-3)                                    Up 1 from Preseason Ranking The Glory have played 4 different QBs and are still 2 games over .500. They rank dead last in passing, but are top 10 in rushing, and their pass defense is among the league’s best, allowing only 195.8 YPG through the air. First Half MVP: LB Ryan Shazier, with 42 tackles (12 for a loss), 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, he is an OC’s worst nightmare, covering sideline to sideline and blowing up plays.   12-DENVER (4-4)                              Down 4 from Preseason Ranking The Gold are struggling on defense, ranked 22nd in points allowed at 22.6 per game, but still rank 5th in the league against the run, so it is pass defense that has to concern them. First Half MVP: QB Matt Leinart: 13 touchdowns with only 2 picks and the ability to audible to a wide playbook for Coach Hufnagel. He is keeping top draft pick Josh Allen on the bench.   13-OKLAHOMA (4-4)                      Up 2 from Preseason Ranking The “Smashmouth” offense is not working, ranked dead last in rushing (59.4 YPG) despite having bruising Marshawn Lynch as their lead back, but the defense is keeping them in games, and Joe Flacco can still pull out games. First Half MVP: CB Pacman Jones, leading the team with 3 picks, including a pick six, he also has 11 passes defended and 40 tackles.   14-CHICAGO (4-4)                           Up 5 from Preseason Ranking The Machine have rediscovered their defense, third in the league by allowing only 15.6 points per game, and the acquisition of Jeremy Hill has given them a boost in the run game, where they rank 3rd at 121.1 YPG. First Half MVP: HB Jeremy Hill: 548 yards and 5 TDs despite sharing carries with Matt Forte for most of the season. Hill’s arrival has helped bolster the Chicago run game.   15-WASHINGTON (4-4)                 Up 11 from Preseason Ranking The surprising success of the Federals is almost all David Garrard, as Washington has the league’s 3rd best passing attack, helping them overcome a defense that has been less than stellar (26th in points allowed, 24th in yards allowed). First Half MVP: QB David Garrard, with a huge season, throwing for 2,095 yards and 14 touchdowns in the first 8 games.   16-PHILADELPHIA (4-4)                Down 13 from Preseason Ranking A very up-and-down first half for the Stars, who expected better. The defense is dead last in yards allowed, a bad stat to be bad in. The big issue has been the pass defense, also last in the league, allowing 298.6 YPG despite a pretty solid 26 sacks this season. First Half MVP: QB Matt Gutierrez, with a very solid 100.4 QBR and 10 touchdowns, despite no receiver having more than 25 catches (not counting Doug Baldwin, who just arrived from Vegas).   17-ATLANTA (4-4)                             Down 5 from Preseason Ranking The Fire are solid against the pass, and are hoping that their new DT acquisition will help their mediocre run defense. Now, if they could just muster more out of the passing game, they could make a run. First Half MVP: Rookie HB Nick Chubb, with 544 yards, on pace for a 1,000-yard season.   18-PORTLAND (4-4)                        Up 10 from Preseason Ranking The Stags have looked good on defense (9th in scoring, 8th in yards allowed), but still fall just short on points, giving up 18.9 per game while scoring 18.8. That seems about right for a team sitting at .500. First Half MVP: HB Ben Tate came in when Doug Martin got hurt and has rushed for over 600 yards to help salvage the Stag run-first offense.   19-SEATTLE (3-5)                              Down 5 from Preseason Ranking Here we go again, with another 0-5 start and a 3-0 rebound. Can they really keep this up? Well, the secondary may well be the league’s best, with FS Donte Whitner playing lights out and 3 top tier corners in Xavien Howard, Richard Sherman, and Desmond Truffant. First Half MVP: Safety Donte Whitner has 4 picks, a sack, 25 tackles and is taking command of a true shut-down DB group.   20-SAN DIEGO (3-5)                        Down 16 from Preseason Ranking The Thunder started slowly, but with the league’s top rushing offense (126.6 YPG), they are a team to keep an eye on. They need to tighten up on defense and hope that Joe Webb can get more in synch with Marques Colston if they want to make a 2nd half run. First Half MVP: HB Ryan Williams, on pace for 1,200 yards and 10 TDs this year.   21-LAS VEGAS (3-5)                         Down 11 from Preseason Ranking We are not sure about some of the moves, especially trading away Doug Baldwin. The Vipers still have a Top 10 passing attack (when Manning is healthy), but have to be concerned with Eli’s 12 picks this season. First Half MVP: DE Mathew Judon, with 9 sacks, he is the primary threat on defense, where Vegas needs more production from some others.   22-BIRMINGHAM (3-5)                  Down 6 from Preseason Ranking The Stallions traded away T. J. Yeldon, but like what they are seeing from Rex Burkhead. That said, their offense ranks 26th out of 28 teams in both points scored and yards gained, not good numbers if you want to compete in a very tough division. First Half MVP: CB Antonio Cromartie is leading the team with 54 tackles, which may be more of a bad sign for the rest of the defense, but certainly also shows his effort level.   23-DALLAS (3-5)                                Down 6 from Preseason Ranking Thrown into chaos by the suspension of Johnny Manziel, Dallas is seeing improvements on their previously disastrous defense. They now rank 7th in yards allowed and are 4th against the pass, which is a good sign for the future. First Half MVP: Free agent acquisition, CB Patrick Peterson, is paying immediate dividends, with 3 picks, 2 sacks, a forced fumble and 46 tackles. He is also becoming a vocal leader on the improved Roughneck D.   24-ST. LOUIS (2-6)                            Up 3 from Preseason Ranking Not a lot has gone well for St. Louis this year, especially with the worst ranked defense in the league, giving up 30.2 points per game. But, the strong play from rookie QB Lamar Jackson these past two weeks has given St. Louis hope for the future. First Half MVP: Free agent acquisition, WR Stevie Johnson, has been all that was promised, leading the team with 31 receptions and 503 yards. He seems very happy to have Lamar Jackson in action as well, so his 2nd half numbers could see a further boost.   25-BALTIMORE (2-6)                       Down 14 from Preseason Ranking This is not where the Blitz expected to be, especially not with a 34-0 drubbing as their last outing. The Blitz are somehow in the bottom 5 in points per game at 17.5, while the defense has simply not done enough, ranked 19th at 21.5 PPGA. First Half MVP: CB Jabari Greer. Don’t blame Baltimore’s poor first half on Greer. With 3 forced fumbles and a pick, Greer has been doing all he can to keep the Blitz in games.   26-JACKSONVILLE (1-7)                Down 1 from Preseason Ranking The Bulls expected much more than this, but their defense has been pretty shaky, and it was expected to be the key to the team’s success. It does not hurt that their offense has the worst time of possession of any team, also leading the league in 3-and-outs. First Half MVP: LB Sean Lee remains the glue that holds Jacksonville’s D together, but he needs more help from the line and from a secondary that has not stepped up.                 27-TAMPA BAY (1-7)                         Down 3 from Preseason Ranking A lot has to fail for a team to be 1-7, and that is certainly true in Tampa, where the team is near the bottom in both points scored and points allowed. They give up an average of 9 more points per game than they score. That is not a stat that you associate with a winning squad. First Half MVP: NFL import Dez Bryant has been a bright spot on a pretty dark season for the Bandits, with 506 receiving yards and 5 TDs, he is proving a valuable addition.   28-LOS ANGELES (1-7)                  Down 6 from Preseason Ranking When your coach steps down after only 7 games you know it has been a rough year. LA is just not scoring points, 24th in the league at 17.9 per game, and the defense, once considered their strength, is also failing, giving up 24.2 per game and spending way too much time on the field with a pretty poor third down conversion rate. First Half MVP: DT Chris Jones is maturing into a very solid player, leading the team with 5 sacks and 2nd with 40 tackles, not bad for an interior D-lineman.   Only 5 divisional games in Week 9, but some great interdivisional matchups. We get off to a great start with the Friday night doubleheader. It kicks off with Atlanta taking on Memphis and then we get a battle of Southern Division titans with New Orleans traveling to Houston. Saturday starts with two NE Division clashes as Philadelphia travels to Baltimore, and the two top teams in the division face off in Pittsburgh, when the Generals visit the Maulers. Saturday also sees an interesting Western Conference matchup with Oklahoma at Michigan, then interdivisional play at night with Washington at Orlando and San Diego headed to the Mile High City to face the Denver Gold.   On Sunday it is do or die time for two 3-5 clubs as Las Vegas head into Birmingham to face the Stallions. Then at 4pm, we have the Pacific Division in the spotlight with Portland headed to LA and Seattle hoping to make it 4 in a row when they head down to Oakland to face the Invaders. The weekend finishes with an interconference matchup as the Monarchs head up to the Windy City to take on the Machine.   Friday @ 6pm ET         Atlanta (4-4) @ Memphis (6-2)                       NBC Friday @ 8pm ET             New Orleans (7-1) @ Houston (6-2)             FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET     Philadelphia (4-4) @ Baltimore (2-6)              ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET     New Jersey (5-2-1) @ Pittsburgh (5-3)             FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         Tampa Bay (1-7) @ Arizona (6-1-1)                ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Oklahoma (4-4) @ Michigan (5-3)                   FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET         Washington (4-4) @ Orlando (5-3)                 NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET         San Diego (3-5) @ Denver (4-4)                        ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET          St. Louis (2-6) @ Jacksonville (1-7)                   ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Las Vegas (3-5) @ Birmingham (3-5)                ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Dallas (3-5) @ Ohio (5-3)                                    FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET           Portland (4-4) @ Los Angeles (1-7)                   ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Seattle (3-5) @ Oakland (6-2)                           FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET          Charlotte (5-3) @ Chicago (4-4)                       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: As good as the performances from MJD and Leonard Fournette were this week, we are going to give it to LB Jerod Mayo of Charlotte for one of the best all around best defensive performances of the season, and in a key divisional game that kept Charlotte atop the SE Division with their big win over Atlanta. Mayo was all over the field in this one, racking up 11 tackles, but also adding 2 sacks, including the ultimate defensive play, the sack-strip-fumble recovery TD. Mayo was a monster in this one and our POTW.

Player of the Week: We have to give it to rookie QB Lamar Jackson of the Skyhawks. To come into your first pro game and put up the numbers he did, throwing for over 300 yards and 2 TDs without a pick, that is impressive. Watch the replay of this game. You will see Jackson avoid pressure, make his reads, and throw the ball accurately. The Skyhawks could not have asked for a better first game from their big offseason signing.

Week 7 is in the books, and it is a week that brought us some big performances and a few surprises. We saw rookie QB Lamar Jackson throw for over 300 yards in his first action of the year, helping St. Louis snatch a victory in Las Vegas. We saw Seattle hold off Oakland to win their second in a row after an 0-5 start (sound familiar?). We saw Arizona’s defense again prove it is on the rise, New Orleans overpower another opponent to improve to 6-1. We also saw Orlando explode for 45 points after falling behind 20-0 in Atlanta, and we saw Pittsburgh show us they are a team to be taken seriously, as is Memphis, after they moved to 6-1 with a solid win in Charlotte. We also saw big games from HB Rashard Jennings (ORL), Jordy Nelson (NOR), Mike Evans (HOU), and Ryan Nassib (ARZ), but we start with the debut of the week, and perhaps of the season, with Lamar Jackson making a claim to the starting job in St. Louis and doing so with gusto.   Jackson In, Freeman Out? It has only been one week, just one game, but how quickly the tide has turned in St. Louis. With just one performance, former Louisville QB Lamar Jackson has Skyhawk fans believing and has management considering a permanent shift and a possible trade for former MVP Josh Freeman. All this from a single outing. But, that is the way things can sometimes go. Frustration with Freeman has been growing for several years as the veteran QB and 2012 MVP has just not been able to find the same swagger over the past few seasons. Following his 2012 MVP year, in which Freeman threw for 3,900 yards and 39 touchdowns, with a 114.3 QB rating, the St. Louis quarterback’s numbers have dipped considerably. He has not played a full 16 games since that 2012 season, suiting up for only 9 starts last year, and his production has slipped as well. From 39 touchdowns in 2012 to only 13 last season. He has not topped 20 touchdowns in a season since 2013, and the Skyhawks have also seen their fortunes take a major hit over the past 6 years as well.   Enter the newly signed former Heisman trophy winner. Following a 1-5 start with Freeman at the helm, Coach Reich, in something of a desperation move for the 2nd year coach, opted to give his rookie quarterback the start Week 7 in Las Vegas. And while it was hardly a perfect game by the rookie, the results were pretty stunning, including a road win for the first time this season. Jackson, expected to be something of a dual threat QB, stayed mostly in the pocket, throwing the ball 34 times, completing 25, and finding some big plays on the way to 301 yards passing.   The rookie QB looked poised, had good rapport with his receivers, and, most importantly, delivered a win for the struggling Skyhawks. Former Philadelphia Star receiver Stevie Johnson, who finished with 7 catches for 103 yards and a score, seemed more than pleased with his new QB, saying “This kid is special. I love Josh, but I am excited about what we have going on now.”. Coach Reich also praised Jackson, stating that his quarterback “made good decisions, played within himself, and executed the gameplan like a pro”.   It was, without a doubt, a strong start for the 2016 Heisman winner, one of only two “top tier” QBs signed by the USFL in this offseason’s wild QB frenzy. His fellow USFL signee, Denver’s Josh Allen, has yet to see the field, but in his debut, Jackson made a lot of Skyhawk fans very happy. It may be a while before his home crowd gets to see him play, with St. Louis at the front end of a 3 game road trip that sees him in Chicago next week and Jacksonville in Week 9, but number 8 jerseys are already selling well in St. Louis, and local sports radio is ready to anoint the kid as the new starter, with fans already expecting the Skyhawks to deal Josh Freeman in the coming weeks, with the trade deadline coming up in Week 10.   How realistic is that? Actually, the potential is there. With Kyle Boller a capable backup to Jackson, and with so many clubs across the league dealing with uncertain QB situations, either due to injury or lack of production, Freeman may never have more value than he does right now. St. Louis has to be ready to field offers and to consider making a move quickly. Of course, that can all change if Jackson struggles this week against Chicago. After all, one game does not prove much, but for fans in St. Louis, that one game is more than they could have hoped for from their new QB, and with discomfort over Freeman’s production and injury history the past few seasons, the time does seem right for a changing of the guard and a new face of the franchise in the Gateway City. OAKLAND INVADERS 17   SEATTLE DRAGONS 21 For the second straight year, Coach Mike Riley’s Seattle Dragons stumbled out of the gate, opening the season with an 0-5 start. And, for a second straight year, Week 6 proved to be a turnaround point, with Seattle earning their first win of the season, a 28-27 nailbiter in Los Angeles. But could the Dragons really go on a run again? That was the question when the club returned home to face division-leading Oakland, coming in at 5-1 and looking very much like the best club in an unsettled Pacific Division.   Oakland QB Jimmy Garoppolo was ready for his 4th start in the league, after mixed results statistically in his first 3 games, but 3 wins nonetheless. The Oakland defense was looking very solid, holding teams to only 14.9 points per game, and producing turnovers along the way. On paper, this looked like an easy win for the Invaders, but once again, the Dragons seem to be finding their way after a very rough first month of action, and they are doing so without starting QB Jacoby Brissett.   Since coming in for Brissett in Week 2, Matt McGloin has been impressive, throwing for 11 touchdowns and only 2 picks, and producing the Dragons’ first win last week, but in this game, he would not be the hero. Trailing 10-0 midway through the 3rd quarter, McGloin would go down after taking a hard hit, head to turf on a sack. McGloin had gone 11 of 14 to that point, but the Dragons had not been able to put any points on the board. Former Atlanta QB Brad Gradkowski would have to come in and finish the game, further darkening the mood of Dragon fans who were leery of their team’s chances.   But Gradkowski, while not perfect (throwing a pick on his 2nd attempt), did produce results. On his second possession in the game, he led a 2-minute drill that cut Oakland’s lead to 3 with a TD toss to Marshall Newhouse getting Seattle on the board with 30 seconds left in the period. Gradkowski went 2 of 4 on the drive, getting help from his backs as Knowshon Moreno had his best run of the game, a 15-yarder, and Wendell Smallwood took a toss for another 12. It was the first drive that saw Seattle enter the red zone and the first scoring drive for the Dragons.   Oakland was not impressed. They took the ball on the very next possession and pushed the lead back up to 10, with Jimmy G finding Davone Bess for a key 20-yard gain on a 3rd and 14 breaking the Seattle defense. Garoppolo, who had hit Davante Adams for a 64-yard score early in the 3rd to bust open what had been a 3-0 halftime lead, connected with Bess and then found Taylor Gabriel for 16 yards to put the ball at the 8. From there, Christian McCaffrey took the ball into the endzone to restore the 10 point lead at 17-7 with 11:35 left to play. Seattle would need to hold and to find more offense if they were to win their 2nd game of the season.   The Dragons did both. First came the defense, when FS Donte Whitner picked off Garoppolo on his first pass of the next drive, returning the ball 32 yards for a score and sending the Seattle crowd into a frenzy. The Seattle defense would rise in the final period, not only with this huge takeaway and score, but with two more big plays, shutting down Oakland on 3rd down twice more before the game was out. But, the offense also had to produce. Now down only 3 points, Seattle needed a drive. And when they got the ball back with 3:32 left to play, they would get one.   It was not the prettiest drive, and, admittedly, they were helped out by a costly defensive holding call on a 3rd and 8, but the ball just kept moving down the field, with Gradkowski hitting John Brown for 16, then C. J. Anderson gutting out a tough 3rd and 2 run to keep the ball in Seattle’s hands. Anderson also came up big with a 10-yard catch and run on 3rd and 7 as Seattle put the ball into the red zone. With time winding down, Gradkowski found TE Dennis Pitta on a seam route, lofting the ball over the linebacker and dropping it into his receiver’s hands. The score gave Seattle their first lead of the day, and gave the fans a reason to believe.   Oakland would get the ball back with just over 1 minute to play, needing a touchdown. The Dragon defense would not allow them even a first down, much less a last minute miracle. Pressure from Muhammad Wilkerson forced Garappolo to dump down the ball on first down, and good coverage from Seattle’s strong CB group of Richard Sherman, Xavien Howard, and nickel corner Desmond Truffant kept the ball from reaching the receivers on 2nd and 3rd down. On 4th and 8, Wilkerson, along with Calvin Pace, again collapsed the pocket, forcing Garoppolo to throw the ball too soon and it did not find a target, giving the Dragons the ball and the win.   Now, after only 2 wins, we are not willing to say that Seattle is going to duplicate their miracle run last year, one that saw them go from 0-5 to 9-7 and a playoff berth. But, what we do think we can say is that the Dragons are feeling more confident, and that they believe they are a much better team than the one that opened the year. They will get to prove that this week when they host the 5-2 Pittsburgh Maulers, and then the rematch with a stunned Oakland team in 2 weeks in the Coliseum.   CHICAGO 10   OHIO 17 The Machine and the Glory came into this one both sitting at 3-3 and both knowing that a win would put them in position to challenge Michigan in the Central Division. Ohio got off to a fast start when CB Chimdi Chekwa returned a tipped ball 16 yards for a TD. And despite having to go to their 4th QB of the season, with Keith Null stepping in when Troy Smith was injured, Ohio managed to hold Chicago at arm’s length, thanks in part to 4 total picks by the Glory defense in a rough outing for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Isaiah Pead led all rushers with 79 yards and a decisive TD as Ohio step up at home to take the important win. POTG:  Ohio SS Tyran Mathieu: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 FF   WASHINGTON 19  NEW JERSEY 31 Maurice Jones-Drew had 97 combined yards from scrimmage and 2 TDs as New Jersey held home court and knocked off the surging Federals. David Garrard threw for 308 yards but the Federals settled for field goals on 4 of 5 scoring drives while New Jersey got TDs from MJD, OBJ, and Muhammed Sanu to improve to 4-2-1 on the season. POTG:  New Jersey CB Aqib Talib: 7 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   NEW ORLEANS 26  TAMPA BAY 13 The Breakers double up the Bandits, scoring the first 26 points of the game as Drew Brees and Jordy Nelson connected for 146 yards and a score. Leonard Fournette also had a strong game, rushing for 87 yards and a TD as the game got out of hand early for the Bandits. Dak Prescott threw late touchdowns to Bryant and Ryan Grant, but it was too little, too late as the Breakers move to 6-1 on the season, the mirror image of Tampa Bay’s disappointing 1-6 record. POTG:  Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 7 Rec, 148 Yds, 1 TD   BIRMINGHAM 14   HOUSTON 20  OVERTIME The Stallions held a modest 6-0 lead at the half, but Houston came on with Colt McCoy hitting Mike Evans in the 3rd on a 34-yard strike. That was followed by a second scoring drive, with Carlos Hyde doing the honors. Birmingham evened the score when Cam Newton connected with Julian Edelman, and the game went to overtime, but in the extra period, McCoy found Hyde for a 2nd TD toss and the win went to the homestanding Gamblers. POTG:  Gambler QB Colt McCoy: 20/36, 348 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   ST. LOUIS 24  LAS VEGAS 14 Lamar Jackson makes a great first impression, throwing for 301 yards and 2 scores as the Skyhawks take down the Vipers in Las Vegas. Jackson went 25 of 34, and avoided any turnovers in his league debut. A much better day than Eli Manning, who suffered a late 2nd quarter injury and missed the second half. The Skyhawks’ much-maligned defense allowed only 251 total yards to the Vipers, and held Las Vegas to only 1 of 9 on third down to earn their 2nd win of the season. POTG:  Skyhawk rookie QB Lamar Jackson: 25/34, 301 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   SAN DIEGO 19   PHILADELPHIA 27 Joe Webb left the game early and NFL import Christian Ponder struggled against the Stars’ defense as Philadelphia moved back over .500 with the home win. Derrick Henry rushed for 109 and a score while backup Karlos Williams added 2 scores and 31 yards rushing for the Stars. Eight penalties by the Thunder meant that their 436 yards of offense went for naught, wasting a 104 yard rushing day from Ryan Williams. POTG:  Philadelphia CB Sam Shields: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   DENVER 13  LOS ANGELES 10 A good game from both defenses or an ugly one for both offenses, either way, Denver fought back from a 10-3 deficit, putting up 10 points in the 4th quarter as LA’s defense withered. It was Matt Leinart to Golden Tate for the equalizer and then Greg Zeurlein with 51 seconds left put up the winning points. The Express managed only 9 first downs in a game where Reggie Bush just could not get going against Denver’s front 7. Bush rushed for only 22 yards on 17 attempts, a paltry 1.3 yards per carry. POTG:  Gold QB Matt Leinart: 25/37, 271 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int   MICHIGAN 22  JACKSONVILLE 16 The Panthers built up a 19-6 advantaged, but a late TD run from Bulls’ QB Teddy Bridgewater made the game close in the 4th. Bridgewater, who had suffered a safety early in the game, escaped another endzone situation and rambled 99 yards for a score as he got outstanding blocks from WR Mike Williams and TE Gavin Escobar on the called QB bootleg. Outside of that amazing play, however, it was all Panthers, with LeVeon Bell and Jerrel Jernigan scoring for Michigan and the defense holding Jacksonville to only 58 yards rushing outside of the one big play. POTG:  Panther DE Dee Ford: 7 Tck, 5 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   PITTSBURGH 26  BALTIMORE 21 The Maulers make a statement with a big road win in the division. They now sit at 5-2 atop the Northeast after falling behind 21-10 in the 2nd. They went on to score the final 16 points in the game, thanks to a Rasul Douglas pick-six and 3 Andrew Franks field goals. The Mauler D struggled early, giving up two long Roethlisberger to Heyward-Bey touchdowns in the first half, but adjustments at halftime worked out for the Maulers, with DHB limited to only 1 catch for 8 yards in the 2nd half. POTG:  Mauler CB Rasul Douglas: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   MEMPHIS 24  CHARLOTTE 10 Time to take the Showboats seriously as they move to 6-1 with a big win on the road in Charlotte. Todd Gurley 108 yards rushing and caught a 1-yard pass for a TD as Paxton Lynch had an efficient game against the tough Charlotte D. Lynch went 25 of 31 for 229 yards and 2 scores.  Mitch Trubisky did not look as smooth, completing 18 of 31 but throwing 2 picks. Rex Ryan’s defense held Charlotte to only 224 total yards and forced 2 takeaways to help Memphis stay atop the South. POTG:  Showboat HB Todd Gurley: 18 Att, 108 Yds, 2 Rec, 1 Yd, 1 TD   DALLAS 12  PORTLAND 7 A rain-soaked field in Portland produced a sloppy game for both the Stags and the visiting Roughnecks. Marcus Mariota would be sacked 4 times and throw a costly pick late in the game, while Brandon Wheedon avoided mistakes and the Roughnecks were content to settle for field goals to earn the W. Dallas’s Patrick Peterson had a monster game, with 12 tackles, a pick, and a forced fumble which he then recovered. Kiko Alonso was the star for Portland with 3 of his 5 tackles stuffing runs behind the line of scrimmage. POTG:  Dallas CB Patrick Peterson: 12 Tck, 1 Int, 1 FF, 1 FR   ARIZONA 24  OKLAHOMA 13 Ryan Nassib continues to impress, throwing for 252 and 2 scores, while Mason Rudolph, getting the start for a dinged-up Joe Flacco, looked a little flustered, taking 4 sacks and missing on several key 3rd down plays. The game was close, 17-13 Arizona going into the 4th, but a Nassib to Larry Fitzgerald TD early in the final period put Arizona up 11, and they would not relinquish another point to the Outlaws. With the win, Arizona moves to 5-1-1, while Oklahoma slips below .500 at 3-4. POTG:  Wrangler QB Ryan Nassib: 13/28, 252 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   ORLANDO 45  ATLANTA 23 The Renegades join a 3-way cluster atop the SE Division as they go down 20-0 in the first quarter and then outpace Atlanta 45-3 the rest of the way in a true momentum shift game. Atlanta got early TDs from Roy Williams and Kenyan Drake, but then started to self destruct, with Aaron Murray (8 of 8 at the time) knocked out of the game, Blaine Gabbert came in and struggled, throwing two pick sixes in the second half. Russell Wilson added TD tosses to Brashad Perriman and Jeremy Maclin and Orlando ran away with this one, scoring 6 touchdowns in their final 7 possessions. POTG:  Renegade LB Sean Spence: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   Reid Steps Down as Express Lose 5th in a Row Rumors had been in the wind for a while, but this week, following another lackluster showing, Andy Reid put the rumors to bed, opting to step down as head coach of the LA Express rather than await a decision from ownership. The two-time Super Bowl winner in the NFL has just not been able to bring life to a moribund LA Express squad that has never tasted a championship in its entire existence. He came to LA with a lot of hopes and dreams of an Express title run, but the magic just never materialized for Reid and the Express.   After a strong first season that saw LA qualify for the playoffs as a Wild Card and upset Chicago to advance to the divisional round, 2014 saw LA regress, dropping to 6-10 and a last-place finish in the Pacific. LA dropped even further in 2015, sinking to 4-12, but with Reid bringing in talent via free agency, there was hope for a quick turnaround. The 2016 season bolstered faith in the head coach and his new squad as LA rebounded, improving from 4 wins the year before to 11, becoming one of the hot risers in the league. LA got a bye but fell in their opening game, a victim of payback as the Chicago Machine upended them 24-23. That defeat was followed by a disappointing 2017 campaign that saw the defending Pacific champions drop to 8-8 and finish out of playoff contention, third in the division.   The problem, consistently, had been offense. Despite talented players like QB Sam Bradford, HB Reggie Bush, and WR Demaryius Thomas, the Express simply could not generate points. Reid, who came to the USFL with a pedigree as an offensive strategist, has simply not been able to find the right combination of talent and execution to become anything like his dominant NFL offenses in Philadelphia. Seven games into the current season, LA ranks 22nd in points per game at only 19.0 (a number inflated by one ridiculous 48 point outing against St. Louis) and 19th in yards per game.   After becoming Seattle’s first victim of the season, a tough loss at home in Week 6, talk was getting loud that Reid would not last until the season’s conclusion. That talk apparently was very much happening behind the scenes. Following this week’s poor outing, again at home, a 13-10 loss to Denver, Reid opted to call his own number, announcing on Monday that he was stepping away from the team, resigning his position. Whether this is a true resignation or an indication that a firing was eminent is unknown, but the result is that the Express, languishing at 1-6 and in last place in the division once again, will be starting over with an interim head coach.   That interim coach is one familiar to USFL fans, former Orlando Renegades’ head coach and the DC for the Express the past 2 seasons, Emmitt Thomas. Thomas’s defense has been a bright spot for the Express despite poor game results this year. Thomas now takes over the top spot, though he is likely to continue to make the defensive calls. The offense will likely now be taken over fully by OC Greg Lewis, though we don’t expect a radical shift in either squads. Thomas is certainly going to lean into the defense, while Lewis might try to add more shotgun formations for Bradford, who has had some mobility issues this season. The Express were non-committal on whether or not Thomas would be given consideration for a permanent position as the Head Coach in LA, but certainly how the Express finish out the season over the next 9 weeks will go a long way to determining if the former Renegades’ coach will get a 2nd shot at a USFL head coaching gig. For now, the story is that Reid, so successful in the NFL, becomes just another in a long list of coaches who have simply not been able to find success with the Express.   Two More Trades as Teams Get Serious Midseason brings many things, panic in some cases, confidence in others, and trades as teams try to find the missing piece before the Week 10 deadline. Two teams very much in the playoff hunt made moves this week to try to do just that, find a missing piece and fill a need that, if well done, could help propel them into the postseason.   STARS ADD VETERAN RECEIVER Philadelphia, sitting at 4-3 and looking up at both Pittsburgh and New Jersey, made a move to add another option in the passing game. With Stevie Johnson off to St. Louis, Philadelphia has struggled to turn good passing yardage (268 yards per game) into big plays, with Randall Cobb struggling as the new number one target, having only 15 catches this season. Ronald Johnson has also struggled to clear coverages, despite having 10 more catches than Cobb. And so the Stars went dealing.   Philadelphia brought in a veteran known for his ability to slip coverage, nabbing wideout Doug Baldwin from the Las Vegas Vipers for a 3rd round pick in 2019’s draft. Baldwin, in his 8th season, already has more catches than any receiver on the Stars, with 42 in 7 games with Las Vegas this year. The former New Jersey General returns to the NE Division and could well become the top target right away for Stars’ QB Matt Gutierrez. He is expected to see a lot of snaps this week when the Stars take on the Federals at RFK. Now, Philadelphia is still expected to be a run-first offense, relying on HB Derrick Henry to pull defenders into the box, but having a bona fide weapon in Baldwin to diversify the passing game could make the 4-3 stars more of a challenge in a very tough division race.   FIRE HOPE TO STUFF THE RUN WITH POUHA Atlanta is also in a tough division race, currently mired in a 3-way tie atop the Southeast Division with Orlando and Charlotte.  But with the least productive offense of the three contenders, many expected the Fire to go after an offensive weapon, much as Philadelphia did. But, it seems Coach Arians is more concerned about the Fire’s 22nd ranked run defense, hoping to add more muscle in the middle to complement one of the league’s best pass defenses. The Fire sent LB Raekwon McMillian and a 4th rounder to the Birmingham Stallions to acquire that muscle, in the form of DT Sione Pouha.   Pouha, who 3 seasons in Denver and 3 more with the Stallions since coming over from the NFL, will slot in next to Nick Fairley, pushing Sylvester Williams into swing duty. The hope, of course, is that the Fire defense can be as stalwart against the run as they have been against the pass, believing that even with a middling offense, the strength on the defensive side of the ball will help them overtake the Renegades and Monarchs.   With one of the best 3-man linebacker groups in the game in Luke Kuechley, Patrick Willis, and Dannell Ellerbe, Atlanta could be a dominant defense if their front line can hold up and allow the linebackers to be more dynamic. Pouha is a space eater, and with Fairley’s aggressive style, the combination could both help shore up the middle of the line and give both Chris Kelsay and William Gholston more opportunities for single blocks outside.   As for Birmingham, they lose a solid contributor in the middle, but feel good about their combo of Corey Liuget and Montravius Adams. McMillians, who was not seeing many snaps in Atlanta, could slot in right away as a weakside linebacker next to MLB Reuben Foster and team captain, strongside LB DeMeco Ryans.   Several Starting QBs Set to Miss Time While there were fortunately no season-ending injuries to league QBs this week, there certainly were a fair share of signal callers removed from games for medical concerns and several likely to miss next week’s action if not more games. Here is the rundown of the QB injuries we saw this week:   Marcus Mariota (POR) The most serious and potentially season-impacting of the injuries this week. Mariota was forced out of the game after taking a vicious hit to the head. He was seen spitting blood, and it was clear that the team had to gingerly remove his helmet. X-rays would later reveal that Mariota had suffered a concussion, but also a broken jaw. With a significant fracture to his jawbone, Mariota could miss up to 6 weeks before he is cleared to return to game action. In the meantime, Portland is looking pretty thin at the position, with only career backup Kellen Clemons (who will get his first start this week) and rookie Kyle Lauletta behind Mariota on the depth chart. Expect the Stags to bring in another QB and to move someone to the practice squad so they can avoid putting Mariota on IR.   Matt Gutierrez (PHI) Gutierrez came out late in Philadelphia’s loss win over the Thunder with an apparent knee injury. X-rays were negative and it appears that there is no ligament damage, but the Stars’ QB did suffer a dislocated kneecap, which will hold him out of Week 8’s game at RFK, and possibly the following week as well. In his place, Philadelphia is expected to start former Ohio backup Tony Pike.   Eli Manning (LV) In what is being called a “groin strain” (sounds painful), Eli Manning was listed as “Out” for this week. The Vipers have been a bit secretive about exactly what the injury entails and its severity. It was clear when Manning left the field that he was having difficulty moving with any pace, so it is possible we are talking about a significant muscle strain or light tear, but the Vipers insist that they expect Manning to be back as soon as Week 9. So, for this week’s home game against the division rival Wranglers, expect the Vipers to have Jeff Tuel under center. Tuel has proven effective as a backup and when called on due to injury.   Joe Webb (SD) Another vaguely defined “groin injury” has Joe Webb listed as questionable this week when the Thunder take on the Express. Webb clearly came up a bit gimpy after a scramble against Philadelphia, and groin seems like a reasonable assessment, but again, we are not certain how severe the injury is, though being placed on the injury report as Questionable means that there is not a long term concern for Webb. When the Thunder take on LA this week they will have former NFL starter Christian Ponder under center, with Case Keenum as the number two, though Webb will dress as the emergency QB.   Kirk Cousins (MGN) Well, hamstring is not groin, but it can still be a tough injury to overcome. Cousins is also listed as questionable, though Coach McDermott has not ruled him out for this week’s game against the Orlando Renegades. If he cannot go in the Sunday night game it will be Taylor Heinecke getting the start.   Before we go, an update on some QB injuries from earlier this season with potential return dates: As we know, Arizona’s David Carr was placed on IR and is ineligible to return this season, but the word out of Phoenix is that his recovery is moving along well and he has attended the past couple of home games, sitting in the owner’s box. Oakland backup Ryan Lindley has moved from “Out” to “Questionable” in the Invader injury report, a sign that he might be ready to return to duty. Should he return, then expect the Invaders to release Kellen Moore, signed when Lindley went down. Ohio is still not fully sure that Christian Hackenberg can return. He was moved to Doubtful this week, and could be in action as soon as Week 9. Backup Brock Osweiler is still listed as “Out” and could miss at least another 2-3 weeks with his fractured arm. For this reason, expect Ohio to keep both Troy Smith and Keith Null active for the foreseeable future. Finally, Jacoby Brissett is considered 2-3 weeks from a possible return, meaning that we are likely to see Matt McGloin for the next few weeks, though with the quality of his play recently, Coach Riley may not jump to bring in a rusty Brissett unless McGloin begins to struggle. McGloin was knocked out of this week’s game, but is expected to start in Week 8. Is Seattle Going to Do It Again? It cannot be happening again, can it? For the second consecutive year, Seattle started the season with a deeply troubling 0-5 record, and for the second season in a row, weeks 6 and 7 have produced upset wins. Last year, it led to a 9-2 finish and a playoff berth. This year, with wins over two division foes the past two weeks (LA and Oakland), there are some saying that the Dragons are on a mission once again. It seems a mission no team should want to take on, to dig themselves out of a nearly bottomless 0-5 pit, but these Dragons believe they can do it again.   That belief will be tested the next two weeks as the Dragons face the 5-2 Pittsburgh Maulers this week and then head to Oakland for a rematch of this week’s narrow 21-17 victory. It seems very unlikely that Seattle can duplicate the success they had in the second half of 2017, an unprecedented run of victories that took them from last place into the divisional round of the playoffs. For one thing, unlike last year, this Dragon team is playing without starting QB Jacoby Brissett. While career backup Matt McGloin has impressed many with his performance since coming on in Week 2, throwing for 11 touchdowns with only 2 picks in his run, there are still doubts about the offense in general. It has been the Seattle D which has helped them earn W’s the past two weeks, but a defense that is still ranked among the league’s worst in several key categories, giving up 27.4 points per game, nearly 120 yards per game rushing and 391 yards per game overall. The numbers were certainly better against Oakland this past week, but with upcoming games against the Maulers, Blitz, Outlaws, Thunder and Panthers in the season’s second half, the defense will need to prove it is not the team that was simply run over and through in the season’s first five weeks. All this to say, yes, we know they did it last year, and we are not ruling out a late run, but to expect the same nearly miraculous comeback two years in a row seems a very tall order to us.   Are We Ready to Take Memphis Seriously Yet? Sitting at 6-1 after 7 weeks, and having knocked off some pretty good teams along the way (including New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, and the Monarchs this past week), maybe we need to reevaluate our perception of the Memphis Showboats. The Rex Ryan-led defense is among the best in the league, allowing only 16.1 points per game, and the offense is finding its stride, built on the run game of Todd Gurley and a much-improved Paxton Lynch, who has improved his QB Rating, accuracy, yards per game, and completion percentage over last season.   Memphis may not have the household names of division rivals Houston and New Orleans, but this team is playing complementary football and finding success with a simple formula of no-nonsense defense, a solid run game, and play action passing. The Showboats face off with the rival Stallions this week in Birmingham, but then have a run of games that could prove their real status within the league, including two matchups with the Breakers in a 3-week period. They finish the season at home against Houston in a game that could have huge playoff implications for both teams.   But before we get ahead of ourselves, we should stop to recognize some of the Showboats who have helped the club exceed expectations this season. We start with HB Todd Gurley, who currently sits in 5th place on the leaderboards. With Anthony Allen’s departure this offseason, Gurley was asked to step up and take on the full load of the run game, and with 536 yards in 7 games, he has answered the call. His role may need to be even greater moving forward as this week saw backup Jacob Hester added to the IR with a ruptured Achilles tendon. David Williams and newly promoted practice squad back Zac Brooks will get some carries, but it will be Gurley taking on the main load. The other player getting plenty of accolades on offense has been rookie TE Dallas Goedert, who trails only WR Mark Clayton with 30 catches this year. Memphis has distributed the ball to plenty of receivers with Clayton, Goedert, Robert Woods and Brandon Marshall all seeing plenty of action.   But the big story in Memphis has been the defense. Even with the injury to team captain NaVorro Bowman, the Memphis LB group has been playing outstanding ball. An unheralded group of Jarvis Jones, Ryan D’Imperio, Jason Williams, and Marcus Smith, has been containing the run, allowing only 68 yards per game, while the front four of Mario Williams, Dan Williams, Dontari Poe, and Sam Acho has also been outperforming all expectations, with Mario Williams among the league leaders with 7 sacks in 7 games. The secondary, led by yet another Williams, Marcus, has also come up big, with former Bandit and Gold DB Patrick Robinson showing he still has the juice at 31. It is not a big name defense, but it is a squad that is playing aggressive, downhill football, and that has Memphis sitting pretty at 6-1, well beyond what most saw for them this season.   Another rough week as we see several QBs hit the injury list, including Portland’s Marcus Mariota and Philadelphia’s Matt Gutierrez, both of whom will miss several weeks. Memphis loses backup tailback Jacob Hester for the year with the most dreaded ruptured Achilles injury, while Atlanta’s offense takes a hit as guard Trevor Canfield is out after tearing his MCL. While the news is not as bad for QB’s Eli Manning, Kirk Cousins, and Joe Webb, all three could be held out of this week’s action with minor injuries. Here is the full rundown of a pretty lengthy injury report.   OUT HB           Jacob Hester          MEM     Achilles      IR FS           Rudy Ford                       POR      Hip                 IR TE            Kellen Winslow II            WSH     Groin              IR G           Trevor Canfield              ATL         MCL                IR HB           Gus Edwards                STL         Foot                4-6 Weeks QB       Marcus Mariota            POR      Jaw                   4-6 Weeks QB        Matt Gutierrez            PHI        Knee                 1-2 Weeks C          Robert Vega                  PHI        Arm                  1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL QB          Eli Manning               LV           Groin                                    DE            Dante Fowler              HOU     Knee QB         Kirk Cousins                 MGN     Hamstring   QUESTIONABLE QB        Joe Webb                     SD          Groin LB           Rey Maualaga               NJ           Hamstring WR        Tandon Doss                 ORL       Concussion C           Jimmy Hook                  OKL       Arm   Four Possible Takers if St. Louis Trades Freeman With a great first performance, and likely more starts very much in the plans for Lamar Jackson in St. Louis, speculation has already begun as to what the Skyhawks will do with Josh Freeman. The 2012 League MVP has just not been able to replicate his success from that year, but he still certainly has value, the question is whether that value keeps him in St. Louis or has him headed elsewhere. Certainly a case can be made for having Freeman sitting behind the rookie starter, as plenty of QB injuries have shown us how important depth can be. But, with another year on his contract, there may be no better time than now for St. Louis to seek top value if they are open to trading their former starter before the Week 10 trade deadline. Just where a player like Freeman might make the most impact, and where he would likely be amenable to moving, is a very interesting question. We looked over all 27 clubs who are not St. Louis and we came up with four potential fits for the 9-year veteran.   OHIO GLORY: The fact that the Glory had to play their 4th QB of the season this week is a pretty good reason to add them to this list. They like what they have seen from Christian Hackenberg, but after the 2nd year player they have not exactly been overjoyed with the play of Osweiller or Troy Smith, and with both now dinged up, perhaps bringing in a known commodity, and a pretty solid QB may not be the worst idea. They could have him for this year, next year, and then decide if they want to hold him or let him walk in free agency, all depending on how Hackenberg shapes up.   DALLAS ROUGHNECKS: With Johnny Manziel on his second suspension for alcohol-related issues, the Roughnecks could very well be ready to cut the former Aggie loose. Even if they don’t, they cannot be feeling too confident with a QB room led by Brandon Wheedon. Adding Freeman could be an easy solution to both the current need and a long-term issue with the position. Many in our camp think that Dallas would be the slam dunk for a trade, but the issue is what St. Louis will ask for in return.   PORTLAND STAGS: Marcus Mariota is expected to miss at least 4-6 weeks, and after a strong start, the offense is sputtering, so bringing in a veteran like Freeman could be a true benefit for the Stags. Portland, very much like Ohio, could have Freeman see a lot of action this year, then use 2019 to determine if Mariota or Freeman is the future and make a decision on a new contract after a verdict is determined. For right now, Portland will go with Kellen Clemons at QB, with rookie Kyle Lauletta behind him, but adding Josh Freeman could be an immediate impact for the Stags.   LAS VEGAS VIPERS: Certainly less of an immediate play, but with only Jeff Tuel and Curtis Painter behind Eli Manning in Las Vegas, adding Freeman could also be a good move for the Vipers. What makes this intriguing is that Manning has struggled in a year many thought would be his victory lap around the league. He has thrown 12 picks this year, to only 8 touchdowns, and his rating of 75.6 has him among the worst of the league’s Week 1 starters. We could envision a situation where Freeman not only comes in but has a real shot to unseat Manning in his final contract year. The Vipers have shown a preference for adding veteran QBs rather than developing rookies, so a move for Freeman now could be a move for the future as well, even if Manning finishes out the year as the starter.   We probably should restate that there is no guarantee that St. Louis is in the market to move Josh Freeman. After all, behind Lamar Jackson they would then have only 31-year old Kyle Boller, but Boller has proven to be a solid player when called on, so it is not unthinkable that St. Louis would make a deal, get some value for Freeman, and rely on their rookie to finish out the year for them, gaining valuable playing time ahead of an anticipated passing of the torch in 2019. With only 2 weeks left before the trade deadline passes, the Skyhawks will have to make a decision quickly, and see what they can get if they do shop Freeman around.   League considering suspension for Viper’s Kareem Hunt Things are just not going Coach Neuheisel’s way right now. His QB got hurt, his defense is struggling, they just lost to a pretty bad St. Louis squad, and his shiny new NFL import may now be facing a suspension from the league. Of course, in the case of HB Kareem Hunt, this was not fully unexpected. Hunt was facing potential domestic abuse charges when he was let go by the Cleveland Browns of the NFL, and Las Vegas knew that should the charges lead to legal action, the USFL would have to act. Well, they have, and the league is now investigating, and could potential lead to a suspension in the next few weeks. The severity of the league action will likely be determined by the case against Hunt in the courts. If he reaches a settlement or a plea arrangement that removes any felony charges, well that could remove the threat of suspension, but if the case goes to trial, the league may feel pressure to suspend him for the season. For now, the Vipers must watch and wait.   While not the lead back for the Vipers, Hunt has seen considerable snaps this season. Montario Hardesty has more touches (87 to Hunt’s 59) but Hunt has been effective when called on, rushing for 294 yards (a 5.0 YPC average) and leads the team with 4 rushing touchdowns. If he is suspended, Las Vegas would likely add more carries for Hardesty and we are likely to see more of James Wilder Jr, who has only 14 carries so far this year.   Plenty of drama on tap in Week 8 as the USFL season hits the midway point. We kick it off on Friday night with the surprising 6-1 Memphis Showboats heading down the highway to Birmingham to face their archrivals, the Stallions. Later, Emmitt Thomas returns to the sidelines as the interim head coach in LA as the Express head down to San Diego to face the Thunder. On Saturday, we have a big game to start the day off, with 4-3 Denver heading into New Orleans to take on the 6-1 Breakers. Baltimore is in New Jersey for the other early game. At 4pm, Pittsburgh is hoping that Seattle cannot repeat their 2017 rebound this year, as they face the Dragons at Lumen Field.   Saturday night features a divisional double header, starting at 7pm on NBC with the Stars facing the Federals in DC. The late game features two Southwest foes as Las Vegas hosts the 5-1-1 Arizona Wranglers. Two more divisional games are on the slate on Saturday, with Atlanta and Charlotte fighting for a share of first place in the Southeast and St. Louis headed to Chicago for the Battle of I-55. But, perhaps the best game of the day is the nightcap, where the Orlando Renegades make a rare trip up to Detroit to face the Michigan Panthers, with both teams currently in first place in their divisions (Orlando being part of the 3-way logjam atop the SE).   Friday @ 6pm ET              Memphis (6-1) @ Birmingham (2-5)           NBC Friday @ 8pm ET         Los Angeles (1-6) @ San Diego (2-5)             ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET     Denver (4-3) @ New Orleans (6-1)                 ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET      Baltimore (2-5) @ New Jersey (4-2-1)            FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         Pittsburgh (5-2) @ Seattle (2-5)                       ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Oklahoma (3-4) @ Dallas (3-4)                         FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET        Philadelphia (4-3) @ Washington (3-4)             NBC      Saturday @ 9pm ET        Arizona (5-1-1) @ Las Vegas (3-4)                   ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET       Atlanta (4-3) @ Charlotte (4-3)                       ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET         Oakland (5-2) @ Tampa Bay (1-6)                   FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       St. Louis (2-5) @ Chicago (3-4)                       FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET          Ohio (4-3) @ Portland (4-3)                               ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET            Jacksonville (1-6) @ Houston (5-2)                  FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET           Orlando (4-3) @ Michigan (5-2)                       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: As much as we want to celebrate Maurice Jones-Drew's 4-TD game, we think we have to give the POTW to two Ohio linebackers who combined for 14 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 turnovers and a defensive touchdown. Both Ryan Shazier and Daniel Ellerbe made our list, with each snagging 7 tackles. Ellerbe also had a pick which he returned for a TD, while Shazier recorded 2 sacks, one including a strip sack which he then picked up. He also produced another fumble on a Kenyan Drake run play. Together these two dynamic linebackers helped Ohio go into Atlanta and upset the Fire on their turf despite playing with their 3rd string QB in the lineup.

Week Six of the USFL season was a week of statement games as teams across the country tried to prove their legitimacy by knocking off favored teams who came into the year with higher expectations. We saw this in Oakland, where the Invaders thoroughly dominated the defending league champion Michigan Panthers. We also saw it in Pittsburgh’s victory against the Philadelphia Stars, Portland’s road victory in San Diego, and Orlando’s 20-14 win over the Houston Gamblers. In a league that now has 9 teams at or within 1 game of .500, with no more unbeatens, and, after Seattle’s road win this week, no winless squads, the ability for teams to win the gams they are “supposed” to win has never seemed more tenuous.   We may be 6 weeks into the year, but it very much feels like we are not yet sure where this season will end up. A big piece of the mystery comes down to QB play, and just how effective the league’s 28 starting QBs can be each week. With that as our focus, we begin with our Big Story, the state of each club’s QB room, from elite to struggling. We will then review the week that was, our first big trades of the season, and take a look at the stats that are beginning to tell the tale of the season.   Quarterback Room Rankings Whether your team is at 5-1 or 1-5, we bet you have an opinion about their quarterback. Some fans are ecstatic that their club has a clear leader at the helm, a player who can pull them out of tough situations with a late rally or simply dominate a defense. Other fans are scratching their head and wondering how their team could ever have thought they were set at the position. We ranked all 28 QB rooms into one of 5 categories for you, so you can now start debating the merits of your team’s signal callers, and whether we got it right or not.   ELITE QB SITUATION BALTIMORE: No questions here. Roethlisberger and backup Jake Locker are both signed through 2019, so the Blitz are in a very good situation.   DENVER: They signed the player they see as their QB of the Future in Wyoming’s Josh Allen, and while Allen is impressing folks in the organization with his physical abilities, his presence also seems to be bringing out the best in Matt Leinart, who is having his best statistical season in years. He is sitting at a QBR of 96.1, his highest score since 2014, and with 11 TDs to only 2 picks, a lot is going right in Denver, at least at the QB position.   HOUSTON: The Colt McCoy era has started off about as well as anyone in Houston could have hoped. They have their 29-year old QB signed for another 3 seasons, and they like what they have in backup Landry Jones as well. Looks like Houston is out of the QB market for quite a while.   MICHIGAN: Kirk Cousins has one more year on his deal with the Panthers ,and you know they are working to sign their title-winning QB. The Panthers’ two backups, Taylor Heinecke and Drew Stanton are both in contract years. Our best guess is that Michigan signs one of them and takes advantage of what could be a rich QB pool in free agency to shore up the depth behind their starter.   OKLAHOMA: Joe Flacco may be a bit immobile, but he is still relatively young (31) and both he and his protégé, Mason Rudolph, are signed up through the 2021 season, so despite Oklahoma becoming something of a QB factory (Mayfield last year, Kyler Murray this year) the Outlaws don’t look to be shopping.   PHILADELPHIA: Before 2017 there was concern that Matt Gutierrez was not living up to the hype he got earlier in his career. But a fabulous 2017 campaign, and a pretty darn good 2018 so far have fans in Philly very happy with their QB situation. Behind Gutierrez, they have a solid, if a bit pedestrian, backup in Tony Pike, but they also like the development they are seeing in 22-year-old P. J. Walker, so it looks like the Stars are standing pat and feeling good about it.   SOLID QB SITUATION ATLANTA: We started the season saying Atlanta had a lot of questions at QB, but right now it looks like they have a pretty good situation. Aaron Murray is playing well, with a 9:6 TD-INT ratio and an 85.9 rating.  Behind him are young gun DeShone Kizer and former NFL starter Blaine Gabbert. Murray is a free agent after this year, so the priority now is to spend this season analyzing his play, and then signing him in the final weeks of the year. We think the Fire will do just that.   CHARLOTTE: We debated between Solid and Elite here, but with Trubisky struggling a bit more this year (8 TD to 9 picks) and some untested depth behind him in Tyler Thigpen and T. J. Yates, we think Charlotte is solid, but not in the elite category right now. The good news is that any choices to change things up will be voluntary, with none of their QBs in a contract year in 2018.   MEMPHIS: We had Memphis with a big question mark before the season, but Paxton Lynch is having a very nice 2nd season at the helm. His QB Rating has gone up about 8 points (75 to 83) and while we would not call him prolific (65.3% completions, 1,368 Yds, and 5:4 on TD:INT), he is playing smart and the Showboats are winning games. Kyle Orton is a solid backup, so we think the Showboats may be feeling pretty good about where they sit right now.   PITTSBURGH: 2018 is a make or break year for Andy Dalton. He had a very rough 2017 campaign, and Kevin Hogan seemed to be pushing him with some good outings, but this year is going much better for Dalton, with 1,135 yards and 7 TDs in 6 games. He is also avoiding the mistakes that got him into trouble last year. He may not be back at potential MVP level yet, but Pittsburgh is very happy with the Dalton-Hogan duo. Now, does Hogan want to sign on for more, or does he take off this offseason to find a starting gig?   PORTLAND: With the way Marcus Mariota is playing in his 3rd year as the starter, we think we have to say that the Oregon star may have arrived. His completion rate this year is the best of his career (67.2%) and he has 6 TDs to only 2 picks. What is more impressive is that he is making the right reads, something we all criticized his first 2 years under center. Signed through 2020, with rookie Kyle Lauletta behind him. Portland is no longer a team with a big red flashing alarm going off about their QB situation.   SAN DIEGO: The Thunder and their fans are still very high on Joe Webb, and while he may not be the most consistent performer, the big play capacity is always there. The biggest question in San Diego is if they keep Christian Ponder on the roster (He has 2 years on his contract) or if they feel good about Case Keenum as the number two. If the latter, we could see Ponder move at some point soon. There are certainly teams interested in finding another QB.   QB POSITION IN FLUX ARIZONA: You may have been surprised to not see Arizona in the Elite category, what with a 2-time defending MVP on the roster and a backup in Ryan Nassib looking like a quality starter with Carr out. But, here is the issue: Both Carr and Nassib, along with backups Tom Savage and recently signed Brooks Bollinger, are on the last year of their contracts. There is no way Arizona can afford to resign both Carr and Nassib, so they are in a bit of flux. They almost have to resign Carr, the 2-time MVP, despite being 34 years old and coming off a season-ending injury. That means Nassib could be on the market and a new Number 2 is needed.   NEW ORLEANS: The Breakers cannot count on Drew Brees to play into his 40s. While they like T-Draft signee Chad Kelly, it seems unlikely that they will hand him the reins without trying to add more competition. Pat White is a solid backup, but we think that the 2019 starter for New Orleans could currently be playing on another team. Bradford? Freeman? Maybe even an NFL starter available in the transfer window?   OAKLAND: While Jimmy G’s first ffew games have not been great, Oakland seems committed to the NFL import at least through 2019. They recently extended backup Kellen Moore, so we think that Ryan Lindley may be in the market this year. Expect Oakland to consider a QB if one stands out in the draft, but for now it looks like Jimmy Garoppolo is on a pretty long leash with time to improve.   ST. LOUIS: It looks like we are about to get our first look at Lamar Jackson, given the start in Week 7 against Las Vegas. Could this be a changing of the guard? Can the rookie handle the pressure? We will soon see. If he does well, it could be the end of an era for the Skyhawks. Josh Freeman has one more year on his current deal, but a good few games from Jackson and we could see St. Louis float their former MVP as a tasty trade bait morsel. If Jackson struggles, well, then the issue remains unresolved.   QB QUESTIONS CHICAGO: Here is the weird thing, Chicago could be considered solid, with Ryan Fitzpatrick playing very well this year, and with a solid backup in Mike Kafka and a young developmental player in Trevor Siemian, but they don’t seem to be happy where they are. That is why they went after Sam Darnold last offseason. With both Fitzie and Siemian in contract years, this could be a time when Chicago decides to either fish or cut bait. Do they build on what they have and focus on resigning their talent, or do they go a whole new direction?   JACKSONVILLE: Teddy Bridgewater got the start for the Bulls this week, and struggled. Now, if he starts to improve over the next few weeks, then we think the only question is whether Jacksonville tries to move Robert Griffin or just lets his final year wrap up and move to free agency. The issue is if Bridgewater continues to struggle. The Bulls may well be in the market for a QB by season’s end, and may be trying to sell off their two athletic, but seemingly erratic QBs.   LAS VEGAS: I think most folks believe that the 2019 starter for Las Vegas is not on the roster today. Eli Manning is struggling this year, and we think that even if he did not retire, with his contract ending this July, we think Vegas uses the lapse as a chance to bring in a youth movement. Backups Jeff Tuel and Curtis Painter are not QBs in training, so we think Vegas will be very seriously looking at NCAA talent like OU’s Kyler Murray, Duke’s Daniel Jones, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, or Missouri’s Drew Lock.   NEW JERSEY: The Generals have to have mixed feelings about Nick Foles. He has had moments, but he has also had some pretty bad games. His current QB rating of 78.1 is not what you want from a starter, and an 8:7 TD to INT ratio is also not ideal, not for a contender. Foles is in a contract year, and we think New Jersey will want to resign him, letting Brett Hundley go, but do they try to upgrade if there is a better option available?   OHIO: Yes, right now, Ohio has issues, with their top 2 players at the position injured, but both could be back in just a couple of weeks, so that is a short term issue. The bigger issue is what to do about Osweiler. The Glory like what Hackenberg has done as a starter, and he is under contract through 2020, so he is not going anywhere, but both Osweiler and Troy Smith are due for a new deal this year. We could see Ohio sign and trade one of the two, because they do not want to go into the offseason with 2 open spots.   ORLANDO: For the 2nd year in a row, Russell Wilson is missing time with injury. The Renegades like what they saw with Tim Tebow in the game, but Tebow does not seem like a long term solution. Orlando needs to decide if they renew Wilson this year or look somewhere else. We think Wilson’s best years are ahead of him, so we are a bit puzzled by Orlando’s lack of commitment, but those injuries are a concern.   WASHINGTON: David Garrard is showing us he can still play this game, especially the past couple of weeks, but at 36 and in a contract year, does Washington commit long term or do they let their starter for the past 9 seasons walk into the sunset? Garrard can still play, and certainly someone will sign him to a short term deal if he opts to stay in the game, but what is Washington’s future without him? It certainly is not either Mike Flynn or Tajh Boyd. So, big questions all around.   QB CUNUNDRUM BIRMINGHAM: No one doubts that Cam Newton has physical gifts, but he is struggling to turn those gifts into wins and consistent success. Folks in Birmingham are getting tired of the roller coaster, but with only A. J. McCarron and Byran Kohler behind him, Newton is not getting pulled. That said, he could very well be on the trade block this year, especially if ownership decides to blow it all up and start from scratch.   DALLAS: Too early to know if Wheedon can prove himself as a viable starter. His history of leading the league in picks has to have Coach Kingsbury feeling antsy about him. With Tyrod Taylor and Chase Daniel behind him, there is a chance we see multiple QBs this season. And what about Manziel? Clearly the most talented, but with this year’s suspension he will have lost 19 of the last 32 games to suspension, and there are voices both inside and beyond the organization saying that the club should let Manziel leave for the NFL. That is a classic QB Conundrum.   LOS ANGELES: There is no doubt that Sam Bradford has a talented arm, but he is just not getting results in LA. He has one more year on his contract and he is not getting challenged by either Nick Mullens or veteran Brodie Croyle. Is Bradford possibly a trade candidate in the offseason? If the coaching shift we are now expecting happens, that would be the time to make a wholesale change.   SEATTLE: Jacoby Brissett has had some very good moments, but the year Matt McGloin has put in for Seattle in the games since Brissett went down may well have created a real controversy. McGloin came out of nowhere to lead the league in passer rating after his 5 starts. He has over 1,200 yards, 11 touchdowns, and only 2 picks, is completing passes at a 71.4% clip, and Seattle is looking at only about 2 more weeks before they have to decide if they stick with the hot hand or go back to their Week 1 starter. That is a tough situation.   TAMPA BAY: We do not like Tampa’s QB situation at all. Not that Dak Prescott is a horrible option, but he has hardly been a consistent presence for the Bandits, and his contract is up in July. He is basically auditioning each and every week to keep his job. Not that E. J. Manuel or B. J. Daniels are going to steal it, but we could see Tampa Bay try again to find another answer, as they did this offseason. Unless Prescott really starts to put the pieces together, they may well start over once again.   BALTIMORE BLITZ 26   WASHINGTON FEDERALS 31 We love a good divisional battle, and when it is two teams separated by only 57 miles, you just know the two clubs will have a lot of bad blood, and the fanbases even more. Throw in the fact that both Baltimore and Washington came into this game at 2-3 and were fighting to reach .500 and you have a lot of motivation in this game.   The Blitz had started the season well, edging the Stars 15-10 on a rainy opening weekend in Philadelphia, but then went on to lose 3 in a row before rebounding last week with a thorough drubbing of the LA Express. Washington started very slow, beaten badly by the Maulers and the Stags before winning a shootout against Seattle. But a huge upset over New Orleans last week gave the Federals confidence that they were on the right track as they prepared to host their arch rivals in the Beltway Brawl at RFK.   And this one would truly be a brawl, a game initially dominated by the Blitz, but a game that Washington would not abandon as they clawed their way back, taking the lead, after trailing for much of the game, on their final drive, a game-winning drive that could well have broad ramifications for the season ahead for both teams. It was a game that saw veteran QBs Ben Roethlisberger and David Garrard battle it out over 60 minutes, with both defenses struggling to find answers as the two combined for over 600 yards passing.   Early on it appeared that the day might belong to Baltimore. After the Blitz were stopped on their opening drive, a coffin corner punt pinned the Federals back at their own 1-yard line, and on their first play from scrimmage DE Da’Quan Bowers drew a holding call in the endzone, giving Baltimore the safety and another possession after the free kick. Baltimore used that possession to put up 7 points as they mixed the run and the pass to get inside the 10 and Anthony Dixon punched the ball in from 8 yards out.   While the Federals struggled to find their groove, the Blitz were in full form already. On their 3rd possession of the game, Ben Roethlisberger found Brian Hartline on a fly route, gaining 32 yards in one fell swoop and placing on the ball on the Washington 9. Two plays later, Big Ben hit Jaydon Mickens, a little used target, for his only catch of the day, a 9-yard TD reception. Baltimore was up 16-0 after the PAT and the Federals looked to be struggling on defense.   But, sometimes the best defense truly is a good offense, and Washington finally found some positives on offense on their next drive. David Garrard used pistol and shotgun formations to survey the field, connecting on 4 consecutive throws and moving the ball 53 yards in those 4 plays. After a short run by Anthony Allen (held to 46 yards on the day), Garrard went back to the air, connecting with Brandon LaFell for the first Washington score of the day. But the defense was still struggling to contain the Blitz, and Baltimore used only 8 plays and 1:22 off the clock before they countered the Washington touchdown. This time it was Roethlisberger to Harry Douglas for 7, on a drive that began with a 20-yard Anthony Dixon run and finished with the Blitz back up by 16 at 23-7. Still, Washington was not going to go away. Garrard again moved the ball well, this time helped by some carelessness on a 3rd and 4, as Baltimore jumped offside and gifted a first down to the Federals. Washington did not waste the opportunity, with Garrard finding LaFell for a 2nd time, putting them at 23-14 with 2:36 left in the quarter.   Baltimore failed to pick up a first down on their next possession, giving the Federals a chance to get even closer with a final drive. They could not find the endzone, but with time running out Adam Vinatieri put the ball through the uprights and the Federals went into the half very much in the game, down only 23-17.   The Federals would put up the only points of the third quarter as Baltimore started to struggle to convert on third down, missing on 3 attempts in the quarter. The Federals opened the half with the ball and Garrard found Kellen Davis from 23 yards out for his third TD of the day. Garrard would finish the game with 351 yards, completing 31 of 43 throws as the Federals gave up on the run against Baltimore’s front 7, but had good success in the passing game. The TD drive spurred on the Federals and for the rest of the game they would keep Baltimore out of the endzone and struggling to string together first downs.   Both clubs spent most of the third and fourth quarters battling for field position, Baltimore trailing 24-23, but unable to get into range even for Josh Lambo to take a shot. That would change with 4:46 left to play when a poor choice by Washington’s Tyreek Hill would cost the Federals the ball. Hill caught a short slant and was on his way to a 17-yard gain, but thought he could spin his way past the safety and get even more. The spin move caused Hill to hold the ball out to his side and Baltimore safety Kendrick Lewis, stripped Hill of the ball. Baltimore recovered and had a short field to get in range for Josh Lambo.   The Blitz would convert on the drive, putting up 3 points and retaking the lead at 26-24 with just 2:22 left to play. But Washington had time, and, needing only a field goal to retake the lead, they would mount a drive that would send Baltimore home with a 4th loss. The drive lasted only 1:12 on the clock, but included 8 plays and a back-breaking TD toss, Garrard’s 4th of the day. Garrard hit Kellen Davis twice on the drive, including a 17-yarder on 3rd and 12, a brutal blow to the Blitz defense. Only 2 plays later, Garrard would find Keenan Allen on a fade route and the Feds would take the lead (and the win) with a 31-26 advantage.   The win put Washington at a surprising 3-3 after 6 games, while Baltimore slid to 2-4. Both teams clearly have problems to fix and a need for more consistent defensive play, but what we learned about Washington was that they were finding ways to compensate for issues in the run game by allowing David Garrard to use his experience and vision to pick apart a defense. A good win by the Federals and a short, but unhappy bus ride back to Baltimore for the Blitz. BIRMINGHAM 17   MEMPHIS 19 The Stallions’ absolute inability to sustain a run game may have cost them another game as Memphis held their arch rival to a truly pathetic 30 total yardsrushing, with both Kerryon Johnson and T. J. Yeldon held under 3 yards per carry, pushing the Stallions to make a mid-week trade (see below). The entire offense produced only 178 yards of offense as Rex Ryan’s defense kept Cam Newton in check. While it was not a banner day for the Showboat offense, with Paxton Lynch throwing 2 picks and Todd Gurley struggling to gain 66 yards on the day, it was enough as Memphis came back from a 17-10 halftime deficit with their three 2nd half Lewis Ward field goals the only scoring of the final 30 minutes. POTG:  Showboat rookie TE Dallas Goedert: 7 rec, 103 Yds   SEATTLE 28   LOS ANGELES 27 The Dragons earn their first win of the season as LA continues to find new ways to disappoint their shrinking home crowds. The Express went down 28-21 with 2:47 left, got a nice 2-minute drill from the offense, capped off by a Bradford to Demaryius Thomas TD toss with 1:35 left, only to have Dan Bailey shank the PAT into the right upright. Seattle got a stellar game from Matt McGloin, one of this season’s surprise successes, as the career backup completed 29 of 35 passing for 289 yards and 3 TDs. The Dragon defense also showed up, holding a somewhat gimpy Reggie Bush to only 18 yards on the day. POTG:  Dragon CB Xavien Howard: 7 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int.   OHIO 17  ATLANTA 13 A tough home loss for the SE Division-leading Fire as Ohio’s defense came up big with 5 sacks of Aaron Murray and, worst of all, a 4th quarter pick-six that gave the Glory the upper hand and the W. Tim Smith got the start at QB for the QB-shy Glory, completing 19 of 30 for 165, a TD and 2 picks. Isaiah Pead added 65 yards rushing, but the story of the game was the Glory defense, led by LB Daniel Ellerbe, whose 47-yard return of a tipped ball would be the deciding score of the game. The D produced 3 takeaways (1 pick and 2 fumble recoveries) and held Atlanta to only 236 total yards, with Nick Chubb gaining only 42 yards on 14 carries. POTG:  Ohio LB Daniel Ellerbe: 7 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 FR, 1 PDef, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.   TAMPA BAY 26   NEW JERSEY 35 Maurice Jones-Drew came up big with 122 yards rushing and 4 TDs (1, 1, 2, and 35 yards) as the Generals got the W despite Tampa Bay outgaining them 465-351. Dak Prescott did his best, throwing for 3 scores and 389 yards as the Bandits fell behind early and abandoned the run game, but it was not enough as New Jersey scored 4 first half touchdowns and controlled the clock in the 2nd half. Dez Bryant had his best game with the Bandits, catching 6 for 106 and 2 scores, but no one could outshine MJD on this day. POTG: Generals’ HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 24 Att, 122 Yds, 4 TD, 2 Rec, 24 Yds   MICHIGAN 17   OAKLAND 34 An absolute statement win for the Invaders as they try to gain respect they feel is due. The defending champs came into Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and were bombarded early, with Oakland putting up the first 24 points of the game to take a dominant lead a the half. Touchdowns from Christian McCaffrey and Davante Adams got it started, but the true backbreaker was a 2nd quarter scoop and score of a fumble by former Panther Michael Bennett. The Invader D continued to impress, holding LeVeon Bell to 62 yards rushing, sacking Kirk Cousins 4 times and snagging 2 picks and 2 fumbles in a dominant win. POTG:  Former Panther, now Invader DE Michael Bennett: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Def TD, 1 FR   PORTLAND 13  SAN DIEGO 10  OVERTIME Another team trying to earn respect, Portland went into defending Pacific Division Champ San Diego’s back yard and came away with a hard-fought overtime win. It was not a pretty win, but it was a win as Portland forced two Joe Webb interceptions and limited Ryan Williams to 0.9 yards per carry in a very impressive defensive showing. The Stag offense was not impressive but did enough to get the win in overtime. Marcus Mariota completed 4 of 5 passes in the game-winning drive before Dan Carpenter put the W on the board with a 44-yard kick with only 1:42 left in the extra period. POTG:  Stags’ CB Dale Luong: 5 Tck, 2 PDef, 1 Int   DALLAS 7   ARIZONA 24 We are not sure if Arizona’s rebuilt defense is beginning to find its stride under Coach Tomsula, or if Dallas, with Brandon Wheedon at the helm, is just not ready to mount an offense yet, but this was a strong defensive showing for the Wranglers, holding Dallas to only 252 total yards and only 140 yards passing. It helps that the Wrangler ground game was in good form, with Carey and Gore combining for 162 yards on 35 carries. Samaje Perine had a solid outing for Dallas, with 82 yards, but Brandon Wheedon averaged only 4.5 yards per completion on the day, limiting Dallas to 3 of 12 on third down. POTG:  Wrangler HB Frank Gore: 16 Att, 66 Yds, 2 TD   PHILADELPHIA 22   PITTSBURGH 24 In a week of statement games, the Maulers announce to the league that they are to be taken seriously, with Andy Dalton putting up 3 touchdowns, Sony Michel and Marcus Lattimore combining for 134 yards rushing and the Pittsburgh D holding an admittedly hobbled Derrick Henry to only 18 yards rushing. Down 24-13 after 3 quarters, Philadelphia did mount a comeback in the 4th, but it fell short when DT Aaron Donald sacked Matt Gutierrez on 4th and 11 from the Mauler 44 in the game’s final minute. POTG:  Mauler QB Andy Dalton: 22/33, 240 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   JACKSONVILLE 10   CHARLOTTE 38 The Monarchs recaptured a share of 1st place in the SE Division by dominating the Bulls. Charlotte outgained Jacksonville 406-231, picking off NFL import Teddy Bridgewater 3 times and sacking him another 4 times. Mitch Trubisky threw for 253 and 3 scores, with Justin Blackmon catching 5 for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns, but it was Adrian Peterson’s 114 yards on 13 carries that kept Charlotte in control the entire game. POTG:  Monarch HB Adrian Peterson: 13 Att, 114 Yds   OKLAHOMA 7   NEW ORLEANS 17 Joe Flacco was forced out of a 7-7 game in the 3rd quarter and New Orleans added 10 points in the final period to move to 5-1 on the year. Another gimpy running back, Marshawn Lynch had only 8 carries in the game before being sent to the locker room. Both defenses played well, but with 3 turnovers, 2 in the final period, including a late pick from Flacco’s sub, rookie Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma simply could not counter New Orleans’s two scoring drives. POTG:  New Orleans DT Ricky Jean-Francois: 8 Tck, 1 Sck   LAS VEGAS 33  DENVER 23 Denver’s defense had a surprisingly poor outing against the Vipers as Eli Manning threw for 334 yards and the combo of Hunt and Hardesty combined for 87 yards and a score for the Vipers. In a game that had no turnovers, field position was key and on multiple occasions Denver simply could not get the ball out of their end. Despite this, it was Denver up 23-12 after 3 quarters, but the 4th quarter saw Las Vegas come alive, with 4 scoring drives, including touchdowns from Montario Hardesty, and the backbreaker, and 59-yard, game winning punt return from Arnold Brown. POTG:  Viper QB Eli Manning: 27/36, 334 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int   CHICAGO 34  ST. LOUIS 6 In a game that may herald the end of an era, Josh Freeman completed only 6 passes for 53 yards as Chicago dominated, outpacing St. Louis with 412 offensive yards to a pitiful 121 for the Skyhawks. Ryan Fitzpatrick went 21 of 26, but it was the Chicago run game that dominated, with Matt Forte running for 88 yards and Jeremy Hill for 94 and 2 scores. St. Louis managed only 6 first downs all game, and by the third quarter the fans at the Dome could be heard chanting for Lamar Jackson to come in. He did not, but it looks like he will get the start in Week 7 as Josh Freeman’s tenure in St. Louis could be coming to an end. POTG:  Machine CB Josh Norman: 1 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   HOUSTON 14   ORLANDO 20 Russell Wilson finally looked back to his regular self, throwing for 229 yards and 2 TDs, while the Orlando defense made life difficult for Colt McCoy, and especially Carlos Hyde. Hyde finished with only 7 yards rushing as Orlando took an early lead and forced Houston to play catch up. Despite outgaining the Renegades, Houston just could not break into scoring position for most o fhte game, getting their 14 points in the 4th quarter when the game was all but locked up for Orlando. POTG:  Orlando DE Calais Campbell: 3 Tck, 2 Sck   Bridgewater Struggles after Surprise Start It is something of a cliché that teams should not count on their NFL imports to light things up in their first year. Trying to add a 2nd season into a year when you don’t give yourself time to rest and recover after a long NFL season is not easy. And yet, every year we get excited by players coming over from the fall league. Well, if Teddy Bridgewater’s first game is any indication, fans in Jacksonville may want to wait until 2019 before they expect much from their NFL import QB.   Bridgewater was a surprise start this weekend, with most indications being that Robert Griffin III would get another start against Charlotte. But when the Bulls’ offense took the field it was Bridgewater, returning to his college number 5 who took the field. Charlotte may have been surprised, but they were not flustered by the unannounced change of QB. The Monarchs proceeded to make the former Louisville Cardinal’s first start one he would like to forget. Charlotte’s D picked off the new USFL starter 3 times, got him to the ground with 4 sacks, and hit him more times than Coach Flores wanted to see. The result? A pretty easy 28-point win for Charlotte and only 231 yards of offense for Jacksonville. A rough start for the NFL import, but nothing we haven’t seen before. Expect to see Bridgewater back under center this week, when the Bulls pull a tough assignment, hosting the defending champion Panthers and their top ranked USFL pass defense. Skyhawks Moving On? Set to Start Jackson in Week 7 After an absolute stinker this week that saw Josh Freeman complete only 6 passes in a 34-6 drubbing by the Chicago Machine, it is no surprise at all that Coach Reich is now going to hand the keys to the offense over to rookie Lamar Jackson. With a 1-5 start and his job on the line, Reich has to do something. And while St. Louis’s problems on defense are sizeable, switching up the QB can potentially do some good, especially if it means keeping that miserable defense off the field for more of the game.   Jackson will start under center for the Skyhawks, but what does that mean for the St. Louis offense. Expect him to be given some pretty basic pass pattern combos to decipher, lots of opportunities to scramble if protection breaks down, and very possibly some planned runs. Jackson is far more mobile than Freeman, and Coach Reich would be a fool to try to keep him in the pocket. But, this will be Jackson’s first pro start, so we should also expect some issues with the speed of the game, with the complexity of defenses, and with indecisiveness. Going on the road for his first start will certainly not make things any easier, but Las Vegas is not a particularly aggressive defense, so there is a chance that Jackson will have a shot at putting together some drives and showing us his potential.   Two Big Trades Set Up Rush to Week 10 Deadline We have 2 more weeks until the trade deadline and only now did we get our first big trade of the season. Well, two trades actually. Will this trigger more movement, or are teams leary to make midseason deals? Well, four teams were not, and we got two pretty meaningful player swaps as a result.   Birmingham and Tampa Bay Swap Five as Both Seek to Bolster Run Game Two offenses both looking to shake things up and find a run game made a deal to swap backs, with Birmingham throwing in even more collateral to also upgrade at right tackle. The deal involves 5 players and 2 draft picks as the Bandits will send underrated but effective dual use back Rex Burkhead to Birmingham, along with starting right tackle Jake Long. In return, Birmingham, having already demoted former Alabama back T. J. Yeldon, now ships him off to Tampa Bay, along with swing tackle Brennan Williams, reserve DE Jarius Wynn and two 5th round draft picks (2019 and 2020).   For Birmingham, this is about trying to build a run game that has simply been ineffective with Yeldon. Burkhead can split carries with Kerryon Johnson, their 2018 draft choice, providing more of a pass-catching threat as well as some pretty good close-yardage skills. He will run behind Jake Long, who is certainly an upgrade on the right side for Birmingham.  Meanwhile, Tampa Bay adds depth at OT and DE, and has a back similar in some ways to their starter, Dalvin Cook, to utilize when Cook needs a breather. They also add a couple of draft picks, part of the addition of Long to the deal, without a doubt.                            Fire & Gold Exchange Starters  The Atlanta Fire made a deal with Denver in hopes of adding a solid 2nd option for QB Aaron Murray. The deal brings WR Kelvin Benjamin to the Fire after barely a full season in Denver. The former Federal had his best year in Washington in 2016, catching 66 balls for 1,026 yards before joining the Gold in free agency. In Denver, he started all 16 games in 2017 but dropped to only 671 yards receiving. He had 29 catches for 364 yards and 2 touchdowns with the Gold this season, but was being challenged for snaps by Michael Crabtree. In Atlanta, he will line up with Roy Williams as the starting receivers, with Pharoh Cooper and Dorial Green-Beckham sharing the slot. The deal for Benjamin is a clear sign that bringing Leonard Hankerson back from a short NFL stint has simply not worked out.   Meanwhile, with the deal Denver solves a question they had struggled with over their recent 3-game losing streak, who to line up alongside Shaquile Barrett and Patrick Onwuasor in their 4-3 LB group. Atlanta sends them veteran Justin Houston in the deal, along with both teams swapping 2nd round picks in 2019 for some reason (no one can figure out who wins that, at least not yet.)  Houston will likely share time with Harold Landry in the short term, but the goal, it seems, is to move Landry inside behind Onwuasor and to have Barrett and Houston outside.   With 2 weeks left to go, and several teams still hoping to salvage the season or make a move to the top of their division, it is safe to say that the trading block is not done seeing deals yet. We may just be getting started. Denver Drops 3rd in a Row After Fast Start After a very sweet start for the Gold, one that saw them knock off Arizona, Las Vegas, and Dallas in consecutive weeks, things have turned sour over the past 3 games, with tough losses to Oklahoma (a 35-30 shootout) and then losses in the rematches with both the Wranglers and Vipers. The up and down season means that Denver is sitting at 3-3 not only in the overall standings, but within their division as well. They now embark on a 4-game out-of-division run (they have only 2 division games left all season), beginning with a Week 7 trip to LA before they face the Breakers, Thunder, and Stallions.   Clearly Denver feels a need to shake things up, otherwise they would not have traded Kelvin Benjamin to obtain more help at linebacker, but they are also looking at their offense and wondering what else can be done. The run game has been solid, with DeMarco Murray and rookie Phillip Lindsay combining to average 114.8 yards per game, good enough for 6th in the league, but Matt Leinart and the passing game have started to sputter after a good start. Denver ranks 24th in the league with only 195.3 yards per game, and while Matt Leinart’s QB Rating of 96.1 is good enough for 4th in the league, there is concern that he has cooled off after an opening 3-game stint in which he had 6 touchdowns to only 1 pick. Trading away Benjamin may not be a positive in this direction, though Coach Hufnagel stated that he has the utmost confidence in shifting Michael Crabtree into the 2 slot and having Kevin White take over in the slot.   The question, of course, is whether Hufnagel will consider putting rookie Josh Allen in to spark some big plays. For all of Leinart’s efficiency, he is not getting the ball deep, and there is a growing sentiment that if Denver continues to struggle with big play production, that giving Allen a shot may help spark some potential highlight plays that will make Denver both more challenging for defensive coordinators and more exciting for a fanbase that has been a bit underwhelmed with the style of play.   Oakland Does it with Defense The Oakland Invaders have started 3 different quarterbacks in 6 games, are ranked 28th in yards per game, and yet are sitting pretty at 5-1. How are they doing this? Defense. The old fashioned way to win games, just keep the opponent below 20 points a game. Well, how about under 14 points a game?  Oakland’s defense is currently ranked 1st overall in points allowed at an average of only 13.8 per game. The only team to top 20 points was Arizona, which is also Oakland’s only loss.   The stars of that defense are easy to spot. Linebacker and defensive captain Bobby Wagner is all over the field, racking up 43 tackles on the season. He and squadmate Tavares Gooden have also combined for 6 sacks in the early weeks of the season. Of course this week the big hero was former Panther Michael Bennett, who got a nice shot in on his former team with Oakland’s big win and his big game. He leads the club with 5 sacks, but with 6 different players currently with multiple sacks on the year, it is clear that Oakland’s pressure packages are varied and effective. We should also highlight the work of the secondary, with Chris Gamble sitting at 4 picks on the year, followed by CB Jahleel Addae with 3.   It has been a team effort, and not only playing tight D, but using the D to put points on the board, with 3 defensive touchdowns already this year, 2 from CB Chris Gamble and one on Bennett’s scoop & score fumble recovery this week. Oakland may not have the most explosive offense, and QB Jimmy Garoppolo may still be trying to find his way in his first USFL season, but the Invader defense is proving to be a formidable force and a big reason why Oakland is looking at the league from atop the standings.   After a few pretty light weeks on the injury front, Week 6 turned the tables, with significant injury reports across the league, including 4 new additions to the IR list, with Memphis LB and defensive captain NaVorro Bowman perhaps the toughest injury to account for in the list. Certainly Orlando will also miss CB Dee Milliner, though he is expected to return in time for a possible playoff run. The same for Portland tackle Roger Saffold. Both Baltimore and Atlanta lose a starter on their offensive lines, and Oklahoma may well play Week 7 without their starting QB and star HB, as both Joe Flacco and Marshawn Lynch appeared on the injury report this week. OUT TE            Kellen Winslow II            WSH     Groin                    IR G        Trevor Canfield               ATL         MCL                      IR CB         Artie Burns                       DEN      Hamstring         IR LB          NaVorro Bowman             MEM     Hamstring         IR OT        Ryan Ramczyk                  BAL        Leg                        6-8 Weeks CB         Dee Milliner                      ORL       Miniscus             6-8 Weeks C           Wesley Johnson               LV           Ribs                       6-8 Weeks OT         Roger Saffold                   POR      Hip                        6-8 Weeks G           MacKenzie Bernadeu      SD          Arm                       4-6 Weeks C             Robert Vega                     PHI        Arm                       2-4 Weeks LB         Rey Maualaga                   NJ           Hamstring         1-2 Weeks FS         Kyzir White                       MGN     Finger                   1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL HB         Zac Stacy                   PHI        Hip                        SS          Tarvarious Moore       MGN     Hamstring QB        Joe Flacco                      OKL       Concussion   QUESTIONABLE DE         Deshon Hall                  SEA        Concussion TE         Vernon Davis                  HOU     Back DT       Gabe Wright                    PIT         Neck G           Parker Ehinger               PIT         Broken Nose TE      David Njoku                    ORL       Hand DT       Fletcher Cox                   JAX         Shoulder HB           Marshawn Lynch              OKL       Concussion    A Quick Look at Team Rankings After 6 Weeks While we publish player rankings each week, highlighting the league leaders in several statistical categories, we rarely look at teams as a whole, so this week we decided to do just that, review the top and bottom of the league in six significant categories. This will give you an idea where teams are finding their success and where they may be struggling. Expect to see something of a parallel between wins and losses and success in these categories, though an occasional outlier can slip in, as you will see.   Passing Yards TOP 5                                                    BOTTOM 5 Tampa Bay         1,712                       Oakland              828 Houston              1,710                        Ohio                      981 Philadelphia     1,622                         Pittsburgh          1,135 New Jersey        1,586                         Atlanta                1,172 Arizona                1,585                         Denver                 1,172   Several surprises here, from Tampa Bay’s top position to the low output of Pittsburgh’s new spread offense. But, in nearly all cases what we are seeing are veteran QBs, solid receiving corps, and teams with solid O-lines among the leaders, while both Oakland and Ohio have used multiple QBs this season, explaining why their production has not been particularly strong.   Rushing Yards TOP 5                                                         BOTTOM 5 Michigan            844                           Oklahoma          352 San Diego           819                         New Orleans    359 Charlotte            729                            Birmingham      384 Pittsburgh          724                            Houston              410 Portland              700                            Washington       421   The biggest shocker here is the absolute failure of Oklahoma’s switch to a smashmouth, power run game. They are dead last in rushing despite focusing their attention on Marshawn Lynch. It seems defenses have also been able to focus on Lynch and the hoped-for ground dominance just has not materialized. No surprise that the Breakers, Stallions and Feds are struggling, but Houston seems to have de-emphasized Carlos Hyde, and that may be an issue for them. On the other side of the spectrum, Portland, Pittsburgh and Charlotte seem to have found life through their run games, something we knew would be the case for the Panthers and LeVeon Bell.   Pass Defense      TOP 5                                              BOTTOM 5         Michigan            1,060              Philadelphia      1,856         Ohio                      1,106               Seattle                1,690         Dallas                  1,128               New Jersey        1,661       Chicago              1,138             Denver                 1,627         Jacksonville      1,198               Los Angeles       1,626   When you look at defense, the best thing to do is first to look at both run and pass, because one can suffer if the other is really strong. Take the Generals, for example. Their run defense is very solid, so teams fall behind early and have to pass to catch up, leaving the Generals looking like a weak pass defense when the truth is that they are a strong run defense. Of course, if you can hold down the pass, especially in the USFL, that is often a good sign for your club.   Rush Defense TOP 5                                                     BOTTOM 5 Pittsburgh          323                          St. Louis              1,119 New Orleans    377                        Seattle                782 Memphis            390                           Washington       764 New Jersey        437                            Charlotte            716 Houston              443                            Arizona                697   No surprise to find Pittsburgh atop the run defense list. Their front 7 is so tough to run against. Memphis, New Orleans and Houston also do a great job making teams one dimensional. And if this list shows us anything it is that St. Louis may well be historically bad against the run. With nearly a 400-yard difference between the sad state of affairs in Seattle and the 2nd worst team up in Seattle.   Sacks TOP 5                                                 BOTTOM 5 Orlando               26                     Portland              5 Oakland              25                     Seattle                9 New Orleans    24                    Jacksonville      9 Houston              23                    Arizona                10 New Jersey        20                     Washington       10   Is anyone surprised that Orlando leads the league in sacks? Probably not, but did you expect Oakland to be right there with them. The Invader D has proven itself very worthy this year. Meanwhile the Wranglers are struggling to find a pass rush with their new defense, but not as badly as both Seattle and Portland, whose entire teams are not keeping pace with the top 5-6 edge rushing ends in the league.   Takeaways TOP 5                                              BOTTOM 5 Charlotte            17                     St. Louis              3 Oakland              17                     Houston              5 Dallas                  16                    Memphis            5 Birmingham      16                   Arizona                6 Orlando               16                    Michigan            7   What is the saying? Turnovers equals points? Yup. Turnovers lead to short fields, short fields lead to more scoring opportunities, and that can easily lead to wins. Charlotte and Oakland are living well thanks to the short fields (and defensive scores) put up by their defense. The same is not true for the 1-5 Skyhawks, though it is surprising to see 3 really good teams struggling to get takeaways (Houston, Arizona, and Michigan).   Stags Make Serious Inquiry to San Diego About Naming Rights It started as a fan petition, but it seems that the goal of reacquiring the “Thunder” moniker and history is very much of interest to the Portland Stags organization, not just for fan service, but as a way to re-ignite the passion of the region’s fanbase. With the San Diego franchise exploring a possible sale, the time may be right if Portland wanted to make a move. A new owner could subsidize his offer for the Thunder by accepting significant financial remuneration for the Thunder logo, name, and branding, allowing the new owner to craft an identity for their new investment, while also reducing their own cost of purchase.   It may sound crazy, but with the Thunder now in their third home, and with no significant ties to San Diego in their short history there, the option to secure a new identity might be quite attractive, and the fans in Portland would certainly welcome back a franchise that began in the city back in 1988. The Stags, while welcomed to the city when Columbia Sportswear Stadium was completed in 2008, the franchise has not had the type of rabid following that the Thunder saw in their best years in Portland.   So, while right now the talks between the Stags’ ownership and that of the Thunder are merely tentative, the true test when San Diego formally announces their intention to seek new ownership. When that happens, we could see immediate action from the Stags to petition the USFL for a transfer of franchise identity, paired with outreach to the selected ownership group to sweeten the pot towards the sale and ensure a smooth transition. It is certainly not a done deal, far too early to say that, but what began as a grassroots movement within the Portland football community could well be on the path to success.   Express Refresh Look for 2019 The Los Angeles, mired in a 1-5 start and potentially on the verge of removing former 2-time NFL Champion coach Andy Reid seem ripe for a change, and that change appears to be starting with the team’s aesthetics. The Express and Under Armour released their new look for 2019 and with that look comes a first for a franchise which has been in the USFL in one format or another since its inception in 1983.   Throughout the snake-bitten history of the Express, leaving for St. Louis in 1992, returning to the City of Angels in 1995, and nearly 40 seasons without a title in Tinsel Town, the Express have taken the field in a combination of navy blue, speed (pale) blue, and silver, but they have always sported silver helmets as their primary. No longer. The new LA helmet shifts from silver to a color-shifting blue, with the crown in the team’s proprietary Speed Blue, but darkening by the base and rear of the helmet to a medium navy blue.  The helmets remain stripeless and have the wrap around jet and contrail logo first introduced in 2011. The primary jerseys, pant sets, and socks all retain elements of the past few LA Express iterations, with the dominant motif being the “split” striping, a feature also present on the jersey numbers, always presented in 2 colors with an angled cut dividing the two. The team will have both silver and navy pants and white and Speed Blue jerseys with offset colored sleeves. The secondary “Mercury” head logo will appear on the sleeves, and the LAX logo on the chest. The jerseys also feature a thin side panel stripe, interrupted by the “slash” cut that separates colors. This extends into the pant sets as well.   The Express alternate designs feature the same basic design, but in the “Silver Streak” alternate, we return to the silver helmet, along with a light silvery-grey jersey and white pant set. The silver jersey is the only one to feature piping around the numbers, with white surrounding the twin-blue numbers and comprising the color-separating slash. LA will also have a true throwback look, harkening back to the early 1980’s with a look which had to be approved by the now Las Vegas Vipers (formerly the Express until 1992). The navy and white jerseys, silver pants, and navy trim with burgundy harkens back to the team’s 1983 season. Week 7 action kicks off with a divisional double header as Chicago visits Ohio in the NBC Friday Night Lights game, a matchup of two 3-3 teams looking to pursue Michigan in the Central. The late game, this week on FOX, features 5-1 Oakland facing the 1-5 Seattle Dragons, who, for a second season in a row, needed to wait until Week 6 to get their first win of the year.   On Saturday, the best of the early games features Washington at New Jersey in a Northeast clash. The Feds have won three in a row to reach .500 and face a New Jersey team that sits only a half-game up at 3-2-1. At 4pm, we are tuning in for Birmingham at Houston, a Southern divisional game that could determine if Birmingham is a potential factor in the division or destined for 4th place. The evening games include San Diego at Philadelphia and Denver heading to Los Angeles to take on the Express.   On Sunday, we start the day off with an intriguing matchup in the Northeast as the 4-2 Maulers visit the 2-4 Blitz, with the fortunes of both clubs seemingly reversed from preseason predictions. The national game on Fox in the noon hour features a surprising 5-1 Memphis team headed to Charlotte to take on the defending SE Division champion Monarchs. At 4pm we have a good one in the Southwest, as Arizona takes their 4-1-1 record to Oklahoma City to face the 3-3 Outlaws, possibly without either Joe Flacco or Marshawn Lynch able to play. We wrap up the week with another division clash, this time it is Orlando visiting Atlanta. A win by the Fire, with some help, could give them lone possession of first place in the division, while Orlando is hoping to get right into the heart of the division race with a win on the road.   Friday @ 6pm ET                Chicago (3-3) @ Ohio (3-3)                              NBC Friday @ 8pm ET               Oakland (5-1) @ Seattle (1-5)                          FOX   Saturday @ 12pm ET              Washington (3-3) @ New Jersey (3-2-1)         ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET               New Orleans (5-1) @ Tampa Bay (1-5)           FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET               Birmingham (2-4) @ Houston (4-2)                ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET                St. Louis (1-5) @ Las Vegas (3-3)                  FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET                San Diego (2-4) @ Philadelphia (3-3)             NBC      Saturday @ 9pm ET                 Denver (3-3) @ Los Angeles (1-5)           ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET                 Michigan (4-2) @ Jacksonville (1-5)           ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET              Pittsburgh (4-2) @ Baltimore (2-4)          ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET               Memphis (5-1) @ Charlotte (4-2)             FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET                   Dallas (2-4) @ Portland (4-2)                    ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET                Arizona (4-1-1) @ Oklahoma (3-3)        FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET                  Orlando (3-3) @ Atlanta (4-2)         ESPN/EFN

A big week for big performances, from LeVeon Bell’s combined 229 yards of offense to Ben Roethlisberger’s 379-yard, 4 TD day, and the surprising 5 picks taken from Drew Brees by a Washington Federal defense that has been one of the league’s worst so far this season. We also saw Todd Gurley rush for 128, Nick Foles throw for 416 in a tough loss, Wrangler QB Ryan Nassib throw for 320 and 3 scores, and rookie Nick Chubb help Atlanta move to 4-1 with 121 yards for his first pro 100-yard game. Week 5 was a week that brought us some surprises atop the divisions, with Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Memphis, and Oakland all now either atop or tied for the lead in their divisions. We will break down all the action, discuss the Manziel suspension, made official this week, and highlight several players who have not lived up to our expectations so far this season, but we start with the 2020 expansion and a group of owners putting together a pretty serious bid for a city most would not have included on their wish list. Could Hartford, Connecticut outperform some much larger cities and become the 30th USFL franchise? With some big money behind their bid, the group that wants to add Hartford as a major league city seems to think so.   USFL in Hartford? An Oddly Comprised Ownership Group Says Yes. When the USFL announced that it would return a franchise to San Antonio and add a 30th club, both in 2020, the usual suspects were named. Certainly the league would look at returning to Boston, despite two failed franchises in the past (largely due to the intransigence of NFL owner Robert Kraft and his hold on Gilette Stadium), that other cities under consideration would include Miami and the Twin Cities, and that we might see bids coming in from NFL cities like Indianapolis or Kansas City, with owners aligned with the local stadium authority to try to expand use of their very expensive facility. What was largely unexpected was the idea that a city with no current major league franchises would join the bidding process, but that is what we are seeing. The USFL opened up the first round of bidding in recent weeks and one of the first publicly announced bidding groups does not represent Boston, Miami, or another NFL city, but the capital of Connecticut, Hartford. Hartford, a metro area of roughly 1.2M inhabitants, and without a “Big 4” franchise since the departure of the NHL Whalers in 1997, seems an unlikely site for a new USFL franchise, but before we dismiss the bid entirely, there are some very strong points to be made by the bidding group, including the makeup of the group itself.   We start with the moneyed interests, the investors who bring the big checkbooks to the table. At the forefront of the Hartford USFL bid are two very deep-pocketed investors, Ray Dalio, head of Bridgewater Associates, and Sergey Brin, a co-founder of Google. Dalio has been co-Chief Investment Officer of Bridgewaters since 1985, a position that places his net worth at over $8 billion. Sergey Brin co-founded Google with Larry Page and is considered among the Top 100 richest men in the world. A Russian-born computer scientist, Brin’s connection to the city of Hartford is tenuous, but his association with Dalio seems to have brought him into the fold with the Hartford bid. But, just in case the money these two represent is not adequate influence for the USFL to consider Hartford, the investment group also added two minority owners well known to fans of sports in the region. Both Geno Auriemma and Jim Calhoun are listed among the minority ownership, and were on hand in Hartford when the bid was officially announced to local press. Fans of college basketball will recognize the two as icons of UConn basketball, as the incredibly successful coaches of the UConn Women’s and Men’s teams, with a combined 15 NCAA tournament championships between them.   So the money is there for this to be a successful bid. What about the stadium? That has always been the issue in places like Boston, where access to a suitable stadium has cost the city two teams. It seems the UConn connection is the answer here as well, with the University’s Pratt & Whitney Stadium, often referred to by its pre-naming rights title of Rentschler Field, as the home to a potential franchise. P&W Stadium currently has a maximum capacity in the high 30,000’s, but the proposal includes a 3-year plan to expand seating capacity to 49,000, on the lower end, but certainly within a sound capacity for a USFL franchise, as most clubs average between 39,000-45,000 fans per game.   And, of course, the Hartford franchise bid is not marketing itself as purely a local franchise, but a regional one, a New England franchise, with the initial plans calling for the team to draw fans from Connecticut, but also from Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and areas north of New York City. Looking at this potential regional fanbase, Boston proper is approximately 100 miles away, well within the 2-hour driving radius that the league uses to assess markets. The same can be said for New York, with Yankee Stadium in the Bronx also approximately 100 miles away, meaning that the northern borough, as well as Westchester, Rockland, and other northern suburb counties of the city might find Hartford a more amenable drive than the trip to East Rutherford.   There will likely be resistance from the New Jersey Generals for this very reason, and certainly we will see counter-arguments from a Boston-based bid, particularly if their proposal can break the logjam and place a franchise at Gilette Stadium, but for now, we have to acknowledge that in funding, logistics, stadium availability, and local connection, this Hartford bid has a lot of positives in its favor.   NOTE: As new bids go public, we will continue to review each and provide you with an updated list of potential expansion cities for the USFL’s 30th franchise. All bids should be known by the league-set deadline of September 1st.   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 24  WASHINGTON FEDERALS 31 It is not often that a 2-touchdown favorite goes down, especially not when they outgain the underdog by nearly 70 yards and have an even time of possession, but when your All-USFL quarterback throws 5, yes 5 picks against one of the worst-rated defenses in the league, anything can happen. In a game that did not see a single sack of Drew Brees, the Breaker QB threw for 311 yards and 3 scores, but it will be the 5 picks that will haunt him.   The problem for the diminutive Brees was getting the ball past his own line. He had 3 of his passes tipped in the air, which is how MLB Shawne Merriman of Washington ended the game with 2 picks, and 3 other Federals also nabbed interceptions, including one in the endzone that cost New Orleans a chance to even the score late in the 4th quarter.   But kudos should also go out to David Garrard and the Federal offense, which found ways to avoid the issues so many teams have had with the Breaker D. Garrard was sacked twice, but threw no picks and completed 17 of 32 passing with 3 touchdowns. Garrard had Washington up 14-0 by the end of the first thanks in part to a tipped pass interception by Merriman that gave them a short field after their first score. Following a nice drive that was capped off by Brandon LaFell’s 6-yard TD reception, Washington got the ball back only 2 plays later on the tip drill pick. In less than a minute they added a 2nd score, this one a 20-yard TD completion from Garrard to TE Kellen Winslow II.   When the Feds added a field goal early in the 2nd, you could see the panic in the Breakers. They largely gave up on the run game, forcing Brees to have 45 pass attempts, and we saw more tips along the way. Brees did find Jordy Nelson for a 2nd quarter TD, but with Washington responding with a Garrard to Keenan Allen TD toss, the score still showed a 17-point advantage for the Federals.   New Orleans would drop the lead to 10 with a late Kenny Britt score before the half, but they were flustered by more turnovers in the 2nd half. A pick by Washington CB Brandon Boykin helped Washington add yet another TD, a 2-yard Orleans Darkwa plunge to make the score 31-14. The Breakers would fight back, but, late in the 4th, with Washington’s lead down to 7 and the Breakers closing in on the redzone, the tipped ball mania would strike again. This time a Brees pass towards Jordy Nelson got tipped at the line, turning into a duck and was easy pickings for safety Kyshoen Jarrett, ending the threat and helping preserve the Federals’ lead.   Washington, despite struggling on defense all year, came up with a gameplan that took advantage of Brees’s pocket issues (height mostly) and were efficient on offense, efficient enough to turn 5 short field drives into 24 points. The 5-interception day for Brees was the worst of his 17-year career, ending the Breaker unbeaten streak at 4 games and setting up a 3-way tie atop the Southern Division with Houston and the surprising Memphis Showboats. For Washington, their 2nd win of the season means they are only 1 game out of first place, a position currently held in the NE Division by another surprising team, the Pittsburgh Maulers.   NEW JERSEY 21   PHILADELPHIA 38 Nick Foles threw for 416 yards as the Stars forced New Jersey to be one dimensional, but even the big numbers were not enough as the Generals trailed from the beginning. An early pick-six from Glover Quinn helped Philly take a 10-0 lead that they would never relinquish. With both top tier rushers severely limited on the day (MJD with 18 carries for only 16 yards and Derrick Henry with 14 for 39) it was the passing game that provided the offense. And while Foles outpaced Gutierrez 416-197, his two interceptions were very costly, with both returned for scores. POTG:  Stars’ CB Sam Shields: 7 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int, 1 DefTD   SAN DIEGO 31  SEATTLE 21 San Diego absolutely ripped the Seattle run defense, rushing for 292 yards as a team in an impressive display of zone blocking by the O-line. Ryan Williams led all rushers with 128 yards on 21 carries, with QB Joe Webb getting in on the act with 99 yards and 2 TDs as a rusher, and Lamar Miller and Terrance West combining for another 65 yards on the day. All in all, the Thunder had 43 rushing attempts and averaged 6.8 yards as a team against Seattle’s overwhelmed defense. POTG: Thunder QB Joe Webb: 14/25, 214 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 13 Att, 99 Yds, 2 TD   MEMPHIS 17  TAMPA BAY 7 Two first quarter Todd Gurley TDs were more than enough for Memphis to take down the Bandits in Tampa Bay. Despite 244 yards passing from Dak Prescott, Tampa Bay simply could not find the endzone, while Memphis was happy to shorten the game with the running of Gurley, who finished with 128 yards on 22 carries. The Memphis defense held the Bandits to 3 of 11 on third down and grabbed two takeaways as the Showboats improve to an unexpected 4-1 record. POTG:  Memphis HB Todd Gurley: 22 Att, 128 Yds, 2 TD   ST. LOUIS 13   MICHIGAN 24 LeVeon Bell put up some MVP numbers against St. Louis’s abysmal defense, rushing for 157 yards on 23 attempts (6.8 YPC) and adding 5 receptions for 72 yards as well. Behind Bell’s 2 rushing TDs and a Rob Housler score Michigan built a 21-0 lead in the 2nd quarter and coasted from there as St. Louis just did not find any answers, with Josh Freeman sacked 5 times and completing only 11 of 25. POTG:  Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 23 Att, 157 Yds, 2 TD, 5 Rec, 72 Yds   JACKSONVILLE 3   CHICAGO 18 In a game that saw the two teams combine to go only 3 of 26 on third down, it was Chicago kicker Daniel Carlson who had the biggest role in the final outcome. Carlson scored 12 of Chicago’s 18 points (oddly missing a PAT while hitting on 4 field goals). With Matt Forte out, Jeremy Hill was Chicago’s main weapon, rushing the ball 30 times for 89 yards and the game’s only touchdown. Both QBs struggled on the day, with neither throwing a TD. POTG:  Chicago safety Bob Sanders: 9 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   HOUSTON 29  OKLAHOMA 10 Houston’s D focused on Marshawn Lynch while the offense stayed balanced as the Gamblers built a 13-3 lead after 3 quarters and then added 16 points in the 4th. McCoy had TD tosses to TE Tony Moeaki and Mike Evans, while backup HB Alfred Blue scored the lone rushing TD. Joe Flacco struggled against the very solid Houston pass rush, sacked 5 times and throwing a costly pick right before the half on a drive that could have leveled the score. POTG:  Houston DE Antwan Applewhite: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 FF   DENVER 16   ARIZONA 35 Ryan Nassib continued to impress as the new Wrangler QB, completing 17 of 22 for 320 yards and 3 scores. The ageless Frank Gore added 2 rushing TDs and Antonio Bryant caught 5 for 123 and 2 scores as the Wranglers got a definitive win in their rivalry game with the Gold. The win puts the Wranglers back atop the division at 3-1-1, a half game over both Denver and Oklahoma. POTG:  Arizona QB Ryan Nassib: 17/22, 320 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   BIRMINGHAM 13   PITTSBURGH 33 The Maulers looked solid in stepping over the .500 mark, while Cam Newton struggled, evident in his numbers: 16 of 37 for only 152 yards and 2 picks, sacked 4 times, but with 10 rushes adding only 2 yards for the day. Meanwhile, And Dalton rushed for 2 scores (both goalline plunges) and added a third by connecting with Adam Thielen for a 21-yard strike in a 4th quarter that saw Pittsburgh score 24 points on 4 possessions. Without an Antonio Cromartie 103-yard kickoff return, the final would have been even uglier for Birmingham. POTG:  Pittsburgh DE Dwight Freeney: 7 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   LOS ANGELES 7   BALTIMORE 34 A huge day for Big Ben, and a rough one for the Express, as the Baltimore QB threw for 379 yards and 4 scores against an Express defense that was on the field for nearly 40 minutes. Darius Heyward-Bey came up big with 9 catches, 131 yards and 2 scores, while Brian Hartline and Harry Douglas also caught scoring tosses from Roethlisberger. LA simply could not sustain drives, going 0 for 10 on third down. POTG:  Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 31/45, 379 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 26  ORLANDO 10 The Fire took over sole possession of first in the SE Division with a nicely complementary game. The offense got TDs from Chris Ivory and rookie Nick Chubb, while the defense limited Orlando to only 47 yards rushing. Nick Chubb got his first 100-yard game, rushing for 121 on 20 carries as Atlanta used the ground game to keep pressure off Aaron Murray. Calais Campbell got 1 sack in the game, but the Orlando passrush was simply not a major factor as Atlanta controlled the tempo. POTG:  Atlanta HB Nick Chubb: 20 Att, 121 Yds, 1 TD   LAS VEGAS 17   DALLAS 21 In what is now confirmed to be his last game of the season, Johnny Manziel went 25 of 36 and led the Roughnecks to a divisional win against the Vipers. Freeman and Perine combined for 100 yards rushing, and while Las Vegas outgained Dallas with Hardesty and Hunt adding 135 yards on the ground, the Roughneck defense found ways to pressure and fluster QB Eli Manning, giving him one of his worst outings in years, a 4-interception debacle that included 2 picks from CB Brandon Carr and one each from FS Jamal Adams and LB Brandon Spikes. POTG:  Dallas K Chandler Catanzaro: 5/5 on Field Goals   OAKLAND 19  PORTLAND 13 A 4th quarter Garoppolo to Adams TD toss proved the winner as the Invaders escaped a tough game in Portland and moved to 4-1 on the year. Neither offense was particularly prolific in this one, with both teams held under 300 yards of total offense. CB Eric Wright of the Invaders led all players with 11 tackles, but it was 2 sacks from DT Tyson Alualu that helped spur the Invaders to victory, with both coming on key 3rd down plays for Portland. POTG:  Oakland DT Tyson Alualu: 3 Tck, 2 Sck   CHARLOTTE 16   OHIO 9 Another defensive showcase as both the Glory and the Monarchs dealt with a lot of setbacks on offense. For Charlotte it was turnovers, with Mitch Trubisky throwing 3 picks and Taiwan Jones losing a fumble on what appeared to be an early touchdown. Ohio had its own issues, with Isaiah Pead giving up a safety in the endzone and the Glory converting only 3 of 11 third down attempts. Charlotte did get 2 TDs in the game, one each from TE Brandon Pettigrew and FB Glenn Smith, and that proved enough against the Glory, who lost Brock Osweiler midway through the game and finished with Troy Smith at QB. POTG:  Charlotte LB Rolando McClain: 9 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Sfty   Manziel Loses Appeal, Suspension Upheld Just 24 hours after leading the Dallas Roughnecks to a home victory over division rival Las Vegas, QB Johnny Manziel learned that his appeal had been denied by the USFL league office, and his full season suspension would be upheld. By Tuesday morning, Manziel’s locker had been emptied, teammates had said their goodbyes, and Manziel was on his way to his Arlington home to figure out how to spend the next 11 months.   The suspension, which now entails 13 games, plus the entire 2018 post-season, does not allow Manziel to participate in any team activities, including using the facilities for private workouts. He is permitted to receive support from the Roughneck medical team, but at an outside facility, and he is allowed to communicate with 2 Roughneck officials, the team GM and Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury, but for all intents and purposes, Manziel is now no longer a member of the Roughneck roster, though the club still holds his rights and his current contract remains intact.   The suspension also requires Manziel to undergo league sanctioned alcohol awareness programming and life coaching in order for reinstatement to be authorized for off-season activities beginning in December. Because his contract remains intact, Manziel is not free to sign with an NFL team in lieu of awaiting his USFL reinstatement. Despite this, Manziel’s agent has said that he continues to negotiate with the USFL and the Roughnecks to allow his client to pursue a possible NFL jump during the August-September transfer window. This would require mutual nullification of his contract with the Roughnecks. That seems unlikely, at least in the short term. For now Dallas will move on, with former Charlotte Monarchs’ QB Brandon Wheedon at the helm of the offense. The club also signed former Missouri QB Chase Daniel to bolster the QB room that also includes Wheedon and Tyrod Taylor.   Washington Upset Creates 3-Way Race in South The stunning 5-interception performance from Drew Brees and Washington’s unexpected victory over the unbeaten Breakers has had broad impact on the entire Eastern Conference. In addition to pulling Washington right into the mix in the Northeast Division, where their 2-3 record is just one game behind Pittsburgh’s and Philadelphia’s division-leading 3-2 mark, but the Washington victory also created a 3-way logjam atop the Southern Division, with the Breakers, Houston Gamblers, and upstart Memphis Showboats all sitting at an impressive 4-1 after 5 weeks.   New Orleans still holds the tiebreaker to lead the division, thanks to their 2-0 division record, but the loss to Washington, a team few believe will escape a 10-loss season this year, means that the Breakers have no margin for error. They will face the Gamblers and Showboats in back-to-back weeks, with both games on the road, in weeks 9 and 10. Houston, which lost to the Breakers 34-31 in Week 3, sits in 2nd thanks to their Week 2 win over the Memphis Showboats. They will next face Memphis in Week 16 to end the season, with the Breakers playing at NRG Stadium in Week 9. Memphis has yet to face the Breakers face-to-face, but will have two games against them in a 3-week span, playing at home in Week 10 and then heading to the Big Easy in Week 12. So, we could well be in for a very intense set of divisional games as all three clubs hope to come out on top of what may now be the league’s best division.   Northeast Division a Logjam As we mentioned, Washington’s upset of New Orleans, paired with Philadelphia’s 38-21 defeat of New Jersey and Week 4 victories by both the Blitz and the Maulers, has created a logjam in the NE Division, with every team within 1 game of .500. Pittsburgh actually takes over first place, thanks to their single division game being a W. Philadelphia is right there with them at 3-2, with New Jersey a half game back due to their tie game with the Wranglers, and both Washington and Baltimore now sit one game back at 2-3. Do we think it will stay this close throughout the entire season? No. We think space will develop, but we cannot tell you between whom.   So, with this cluster in the division, what should we be looking at in the next few weeks? Well, there are several big games that could start to give shape to the division. This upcoming weekend we have a huge Keystone Clash, with the two 3-2 clubs meeting in Pittsburgh with first place on the line. Baltimore will also be in Washington as the two 2-3 clubs renew their Beltway Brawl series. Then, in Week 7 we will see Washington head up I-95 to New Jersey and Pittsburgh heads to Baltimore. Week 8 wraps up the first half of the season with Baltimore now headed to New Jersey and Philadelphia visiting the Federals at RFK. In other words, every week from now until the midpoint of the season we have 2 divisional games in the Northeast, so we could very well find ourselves in Week 8 with a clear hierarchy of clubs, or quite possibly, an equal mess hovering around the .500 mark.  Bell Explodes for 229 Scrimmage yards We all remember that last year LeVeon Bell was shooting for a 2,000 yard season, but fell quite a bit short of that. This year, Bell has been hyping up the team, a Michigan squad seeking to repeat as champion and win a 6th title. He has been quiet on his personal goals, but with 572 yards rushing already this season, a pace well above 100-yards per game, he seems again on pace to challenge for the league title and perhaps even a league record. This week he reminded us that he can also be effective in the passing game, pairing his outstanding 157-yard rushing total with 5 receptions, adding another 72 yards to his offensive stats.   Bell has become a prolific pass-catcher in the somewhat run-oriented Michigan offense, rarely coming out on 3rd down. He had a career high 49 receptions in 2016, and added 41 in last year’s title run. This year he sits at only 9 receptions, but this week’s game jumped his per-catch average up to a career best 14.4 yards per game (compared with the prior best of 12.4 as a rookie). It seems that the MVP candidate wants to be a part of the offense in every way possible. We are still waiting for him to throw a pass, but you can imagine he is thinking about it. Big Ben Puts Blitz Back on the Map With three consecutive losses, it was beginning to look like Baltimore was not going to be much of a factor in the USFL NE Division hunt this year, but their performance this week against a struggling LA Express squad sent a message that this club, and particularly its All-USFL quarterback, are not done yet. In a thorough decimation of the LA defense, Roethlisberger put on a classic Big Ben game, standing in the pocket, extending plays, looking deep for receivers Darius Heyward-Bey and Ben Hartline, and putting the ball in the endzone. Roethlisberger finished with 379 yards and 4 touchdowns, including 2 to Heyward-Bey, and seemingly sent a message to the other 4 clubs in the Northeast, that the Blitz may not be frontrunners just now, but they are hardly out of the conversation. The Blitz will have a chance to drive that message home as they set up for a run of 4 consecutive divisional matchups, starting this week with a trip to DC and a game with the Feds. That is followed by a home game against the Maulers, a trip to New Jersey, and another home matchup as the Stars come to town. This 4-game stretch could well be the key to their entire season. Run the table and they almost certainly take over first place. Lose all 4 and they are likely out of any playoff hunt. It is a brutal stretch, but one the Blitz are preparing to take on as if their season depends on it, because they know it does.   No new injury reserve additions, but some key players who will be out in Week 6 and some for longer. Rookie Gus Edwards suffered a stress fracture in his foot, likely to miss up to 2 months in recovery as St. Louis promotes Bobby Rainey to the 2nd spot and brings rookie free agent Kenny Runyon into the active roster from the practice squad. A tough week for guards across the league, with 3 starters going out, all with various leg injuries. New Jersey and Las Vegas will also be without key defenders as LBs Matt Milano and DeAndre Levy are each expected to miss at least 1-2 weeks.   OUT HB           Gus Edwards          STL         Foot                 6-8 Weeks G              John Troutman        ATL         Leg                  4-6 Weeks G           Logan Mankins       OAK      MCL                 2-4 Weeks G         Ted Karras             NOR      Hamstring      1-2 Weeks LB           DeAndre Levy          LV           Knee               1-2 Weeks LB         Matt Milano            NJ           Hand                1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL CB          Stephon Gilmore  LA          Ankle TE            Vernon Davis          HOU     Back DT         Haloti Ngata           SD          Personal DT         Fletcher Cox           JAX         Shoulder   QUESTIONABLE FS          Tre Flowers             POR      Eye TE          Andrew Quarles     NOR      Concussion DT         Damon Harrison     LV           Ankle OT          Eric Fisher              SEA        Concussion WR        Robert Woods        MEM     Hamstring   Players Who Have Underwhelmed in 2018 While we certainly do not like to dwell on the negative here at This Week in the USFL, there are times were it is necessary to look at what is not working, at teams not living up to the hype, or, in our case today, at players of whom a lot was expected and from whom teams have not gotten what they had hoped for. We have chosen 10 players who had a lot of high hopes for a strong 2018, but who, so far, after 6 games, are not producing the kind of results, numbers, or impact that their teams had hoped for. There is still time, of course, and we tend to find that when we call out teams or players they often react with a strong on-field response, so in the hopes that by noting the weak starts we can inspire some strong finishes, here are 10 players who have underwhelmed us this spring.   Eli Manning-QB-Las Vegas The Vipers rode Eli to the playoffs last year and the club was very excited when the veteran QB said he would be back to do it again in 2018, but so far the results this year are just not meeting the expectation. While Eli Manning is 8th in the league with 1,561 yards passing, his QB Rating of 73.7 has him in the bottom third of all starters, below players like Robert Griffin III (benched already), Nick Foles, and Dak Prescott, all of whom are getting a lot of criticism. Manning’s 7:12 TD-to-Int ratio is one of his worst of a long career. The result is that Las Vegas is struggling to play consistent football.   Cam Newton-QB-Birmingham You had to know that Newton would be on this list. The Stallions are 2-4, Newton has only thrown 3 touchdowns as has not even cracked 700 yards yet. Now, part of this is due to injury, but that always seems to be the case with the Stallion QB. What is perhaps most shocking is that backup A. J. McCarron is looking mediocre with a 71.9 QBR, but Newton’s 59.1 score is just appalling. And when you add in 7 turnovers (3 picks and 4 fumbles), Newton’s play has folks in B’ham wondering if it is time for him to move on.   Marshawn Lynch-HB-OKL This shift midseason in 2017 to a power run game with play action vertical game seemed to produce instant impact for the Outlaws, and so they doubled down on that strategy this offseason, all in the hope that Marshawn Lynch, and not Joe Flacco, could become the engine that drives the Outlaws. But that train has gone off the rails, largely because Lynch’s numbers are just not good. He is averaging a pedestrian 3.0 YPC and has only 3 TDs in 6 games this season. Without more out of Lynch, the Outlaws could find themselves out of the running in a very tough SW Division.   Anthony Allen-HB-WSH Allen has improved after some pretty rough opening games, and with that improvement Washington has moved to .500, but a 3.0 YPC average and only 288 yards in 6 games is not what the Feds bet on when they pulled Allen away from his duties backing up Todd Gurley in Memphis. Yes, we hyped that move, because we too thought Allen could have a break out year in D.C., and yes, maybe some of the issue is Washington’s O-line, but what we are not seeing out of the big back is an ability to escape the initial hit and gain yards after contact, something we thought he excelled at with the Showboats.   Cordarelle Patterson-WR-MEM This was supposed to be the year for Cordarelle. After seeing both his targets and catches increase last year, this third year was his chance to become the multi-faceted threat that the Showboats expected when they drafted him. So, what do we have in 6 weeks? How about 11 targets and 1 catch? Those are numbers that get you benched. Yes, his one catch was a TD, but you have to do better than offer a 1 in 10 chance of catching the ball if you want to be a starter in this league.   Steve Breaston-WR-OAK Breaston came over to the Invaders after having some decent numbers in Washington with a pretty bad Federals team last year. But so far this year the former General, Monarch, and Federal has largely been a no-show. He has 2 catches for 17 yards after 6 games and seems to have lost snaps to former Bandit Davone Bess as well as Stallion castoff Donte Moncrief. If Breaston does not show something in the next few weeks, we could see him becoming a mid-season drop as Oakland makes room for more depth at some thin positions.   Robert Quinn-DE-OHIO The former Blitz end had put up solid, if not spectacular, numbers in his first 2 years in Ohio. The hope was that this year, with more help around him, we would see him return to double-digit sacks with the Glory. But, so far that has just not worked out. Quinn has only 1 sack in his first 6 games of the season, and is already losing snaps to backup Bruce Irvin, which is not a good sign for the veteran edge rusher.   Muhammad Wilkerson-DE-SEA After a very solid career in Philadelphia, Wilkerson dropped from16 sacks in 2015 to only 5 in 2016, with many wondering if his career was winding down. But he came to Seattle in 2017 and bounced back with 14 sacks in the Dragons’ surprise second half. No surprise that the Dragons were counting on another strong year from the edge specialist. And while 20 tackles in 6 games is pretty solid for a DE, what has not been as solid has been his ability to get to the QB. He has 3 sacks in 6 games, a pace that would give him only 8 for the year. There is still time for him to find his groove again, but with Seattle setting him up as the clear focal point of their pass rush, more has to happen or the Dragons will continue to struggle on passing downs.   Vontez Burfict-LB-OKL With only 1 tackle in his first 6 games, and with fewer and fewer opportunities coming, it seems very unlikely that Burfict will regain the form that saw him average just under 70 tackles per year the past 5 years. It seems Burfict’s penchant for getting unnecessary penalties called against him, a lack of discipline, and a bad temper, are all costing him snaps. It does not help that Oklahoma is using more nickel as a base, which leaves only Moulton, Greenway, and Scott on the field, but what we are seeing even more is a move away from Burfict’s aggressive but undisciplined play.   Stephon Gilmore-CB-LA Gilmore came to the Express with a lot of hype and a lot of anticipation. He was a very solid player in the NFL, and showed that he could be a true shut down corner against NFl competition, and last year he got off to a great start with 5 picks in his first campaign. But he seemed to wear down over the season, not uncommon for an NFL transfer playing over 30 games in 12 months. But, what we usually see from talented NFL imports is that they really start to shine in their 2nd year, after finally getting a full offseason. So far that has not been the case for Gilmore, who has only 1 pick so far this year (on a tip drill play) and has given up some pretty significant completions to receivers who are not always the USFL elites. LA is counting on Gilmore to be a leader in the secondary, and so far this year we are not seeing it on the field. Is Andy Reid On the Way Out? The press in Los Angeles made it back page headlines when the longsuffering LA Express signed former Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach Andy Reid to be the latest in a long line of Express head coaches. Reid, a two-time Super Bowl Champ in Philadelphia was thought of as one of the best offensive minds in the game, as well as a superior game strategist. After 5 seasons, the Express must be wondering what it is that made Reid so successful in Philly but has not translated to the West Coast.   Reid has amassed a 39-46 record in his 5+ years in LA. That does include two playoff seasons, a 9-7 mark in 2013 and an 11-5 Wild Card season in 2016, but it also includes two 10-loss campaigns, and a very frustrating lack of offensive cohesiveness over the entire Reid tenure. The hope had been that the former NFL coach could help elevate the Express offense, led by QB Sam Bradford and former USC star Reggie Bush. And yet, here we are again, five games into the coach’s 6th season and once again the Express seem to be running on empty.   LA currently ranks 20th in passing, 20th in points scored and 17th in total yards. That is hardly a dynamic or dangerous offense. Bradford, now in his 9th USFL season, ranks 16th among USFL QBs in yards, 19th in passing touchdowns, and has a pretty mediocre 85.2 QB rating, placing him below not only starters like Paxton Lynch, Matt Leinart, and Joe Webb, but also subs like Ryan Nassib and A, J. McCarron. Reggie Bush’s 379 yards places him a respectable 6th in the league, but he is only 4 for 11 on 3rd down conversions even though he has only been called on to convert when the yards to gain are 3 or fewer.   In other words, Andy Reid is in trouble. The Express sit at 1-4, having just put up only 7 points for the 2nd time in the season, and against a Baltimore defense that is not among the league’s elites. Other than the Express’s shocking 48-point outing against St. Louis, they have yet to score over 20 points. This is not the offense that ownership expected when it signed Reid back in the fall of 2012. While hardly the only head coach feeling some heat, the disparity between the hype when Reid was signed by LA and the general feeling of disappointment and unrealized promises now is perhaps the biggest gap among any USFL coach. Expect a lot of pressure between now and Week 16 to see both wins and offensive fireworks. If both are lacking, we do not see LA renewing Coach Reid’s contract, regardless of the reputation he brought with him from the NFL.   Four Other Coaches Feeling the Heat As we mentioned, Andy Reid is hardly the only coach feeling some heat right now. There are several who are being scrutinized this season, some for a lack of progression over several years, some for having apparently hit a ceiling of success. While every coach is always under some pressure and scrutiny to win games, we selected 4 who we think are beginning to feel some real heat to make improvements or risk a pink slip on Black Monday.   Frank Reich (STL) The former NFL and USFL quarterback is under intense pressure right now, in his second season with the Skyhawks. A 3-13 opener was considered the bottom of a curve that is supposed to start moving upwards, but not only are the Skyhawks sitting at 1-4 after 5 weeks, but they might actually be looking like a worse team than their 3-win season a year ago. The defense in particular has simply been shockingly bad, allowing nearly 190 yards per game rushing, a pace that would be a league record for poor rush defense if it holds all year. In addition to this, or perhaps because of it, they are also giving up over 386 yards per game and are dead last in scoring defense giving up an atrocious 32 points per game after 5 weeks. If those kinds of numbers continue much longer, we would say that Reich would be lucky to finish out his 2nd season with the squad.   Henry Ellard (BIR) Ellard is a legend in Birmingham. As a player he earned Hall of Fame credentials and has his name enshrined as one of the greatest Stallions in team history, but if he cannot prove that his coaching is leading to more W’s, that won’t keep him employed. Ellard is in his 4th season with the Stallions, and while the team has flirted with decency, finishing 8-8 in his first year and 9-7 last season, they have not yet made the playoffs in Ellard’s tenure. They now sit 2 games behind all three other Southern Division rivals, and will need significant improvement if they want to overtake division rivals for a possible playoff spot.   Unfortunately for Ellard, he is now inextricably tied to QB Cam Newton. Newton, who had such promise in his rookie campaign, winning the ROTY award with a stellar 2011 campaign, has been both injury-prone and inconsistent ever since. With a career passer rating of only 79.3 and not having completed over 50.2% of his passes the past two years (only 43.5% so far in 2018), Newton is very much looking like a flash in the pan, and if that is the case, then Ellard could be collateral damage. After all, there are enough moments of Newton demonstrating his dual threat talent that fans expect the player to be highlighted in ways that align with his skill set, but it seems Ellard has simply not been able to make that happen. Despite over 500 yards rushing last year, along with 9 rushing TDs, Birmingham struggles to put together consistent offense, ranked 17th in total offense this year. Ellard needs to find a way to make a quick change or he could be let go despite his history with the club.   June Jones (TBY) Only in his 2nd year in Tampa Bay, former Mouse Davis acolyte June Jones is another coach who needs to show that his offensive philosophy is providing results. Brought in to create a dynamic spread passing game, Jones is looking at a Bandit team that currently ranks 27th out of 28 teams with an average of 279.6 passing yards per game. Despite signing NFL superstar Dez Bryant, the Bandit passing game has just not produced the big plays expected of it.   QB Dak Prescott has some upside, we see that periodically, but he is taking far too many sacks (a 10.5% sack percentage is among the league’s worst) and he all-too-often locks into Bryant as if no other player is running routes. Admitedly, if it were up to us, we too would favor Bryant over the remaining receiving corps, a group that includes an aging Hank Basket, underperforming Sammie Coates and Ryan Grant, and a less than explosive TE in Jordan Cameron. But, regardless of the players, it is the system that Jones touted when he arrived, and that system so far has been more fizzle than sizzle.   John Fox (ORL) We all know the refrain about Fox and the Renegades. They have perhaps the greatest defensive player in USFL history and, according to most, they are “wasting him.” That is the complaint, that the Renegades should be among the league’s elites simply on Calais Campbell’s contributions alone. And while once again the Renegades are solid on defense, especially pass defense, where they rank 1st in the league at only 178 yards per game allowed, there is not enough support elsewhere. The offense is 22nd in rushing, the passing game has moments, and does include some break out stars in WR Brashard Perriman and Dwayne Bowe, but it is not producing enough week in and week out. The past two weeks included losses to both Jacksonville and Atlanta, leaving Orlando with a pretty sour 1-3 division record. They now have 3 consecutive games against 4-1 clubs (Houston, Atlanta, and Michigan) so things don’t get easier, but if Coach Fox wants to shake off the accusations of mismanagement of a talented roster, he needs to find a way to get this team to play complementary football.   Nine division games highlight a packed Week 6 across the USFL. Key matchups abound as teams either try to right the ship or pull away from their divisional rivals. We start on Friday with America’s Greatest Tailgate as Birmingham heads up to Memphis, ribs and pulled pork ready to go. Seattle is still seeking their first win as they travel to LA against an equally troubled 1-4 Express club. On Saturday it is Baltimore at Washington in a Beltway Brawl, with both clubs sitting at 2-3. Then Portland heads to San Diego in what could be another “Prove it” game for the Stags. Dallas will start Brandon Wheedon in a tough first assignment as they head to Arizona to take on the division-leading Wranglers. Sunday gives us another NE Division clash, a Keystone Clash to be exact, as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, both 3-2 and atop the division, face off at Heinz Field. We also have a nice inter-divisional game as the Oklahoma Outlaws head to the Crescent City to face the 4-1 Breakers. Later in the day, Las Vegas is at Denver in a big game for the SW Division, Chicago faces a struggling St. Louis defense, with a chance to reach .500 on the table, and we finish up in Orlando, where the Renegades will try to pressure Colt McCoy and get a much needed win against a very tough Gambler squad.   Friday @ 6pm ET             Birmingham (2-3) @ Memphis (4-1)          NBC Friday @ 8pm ET             Seattle (0-5) @ Los Angeles (1-4)             ABC   Saturday @ 12pm ET       Ohio (2-3) @ Atlanta (4-1)                        ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       Tampa Bay (1-4) @ New Jersey (2-2-1)    FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET       Baltimore (2-3) @ Washington (2-3)          ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         Michigan (4-1) @ Oakland (4-1)                FOX Saturday @ 7pm ET       Portland (3-2) @ San Diego (2-3)              NBC      Saturday @ 9pm ET       Dallas (2-3) @ Arizona (3-1-1)                   ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        Philadelphia (3-2) @ Pittsburgh (3-2)       ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET        Jacksonville (1-4) @ Charlotte (3-2)         FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET     Oklahoma (3-2) @ New Orleans (4-1)       FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           Las Vegas (2-3) @ Denver (3-2)                 ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Chicago (2-3) @ St. Louis (1-4)                 FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET         Houston (4-1) @ Orlando (2-3)                 ESPN/EFN