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King Leo lords over the Charlotte Sideline. Absolute joy and shock in Seattle as the Dragons, despite an 0-5 start to the season, win 9 of their next 11 and find themselves in the post-season. The opposite feeling in both Columbus and Birmingham. Ohio had the inside track to the Wild Card, but could not hold it as they lose, at home, to the already-eliminated Atlanta Fire, a huge blow that cleared the path for the winner of the Seattle-Los Angeles game to leapfrog them and claim the Wild Card, as Seattle did. In the East, Birmingham did all they could, beating Jacksonville 12-3 to win their 5th in a row, but it was just not enough. With both Baltimore and New Orleans earning wins in Week 16, the 9-7 Stallions will sit at home this postseason. We are going to review all the big games from the final week of the season, preview this week’s Wild Card round, talk about Black Monday and the two coaches who did not survive the day, and also take a look at the final leaderboard for individual stats. A lot to cover, but let’s start with our big story, Week 16 playoff drama.   Playoff Races Make Week 16 Shine This is what you love about the final weeks of a football season. Even though every game technically counts the same, there is something about the final week or two, when the number of playoff spots left to claim is limited, and there are more teams alive than can finish the season with a berth, that just adds drama, gravitas, and energy to the games. Yes, there are some games where both teams are playing out the string, and there are games where teams already locked into their playoff position protect players from injury by benching their stars, but there are always games where everything is on the line, and those games can be magical.   The 2017 season finale weekend gave us that energy and magic. We had two teams, each sitting at 13-2, each trying to claim home field and the best possible path to a Summer Bowl berth. We also had 7 teams vying for only 4 Wild Card spots, and, eventually, as the weekend played out, we had two teams going head-to-head, the winner earning a berth and the loser going home. That is playoff football, a play-in game. So, yes, we had some drama this weekend, and some tension, and some joy, and a lot of disappointment as well. Let’s start off with the race for the 1-Seed in the Eastern Conference. The two contenders were playing in the same timeslot, with Houston visiting Tampa Bay and the Philadelphia Stars hosting the Baltimore Blitz. Philadelphia had the tiebreaker in hand, so a win and they would earn the spot, but when we looked at the matchups, it seemed clear that Houston had the advantage there. Tampa Bay had played better of late but were already eliminated from the playoffs and were already saddled with a 10-loss season. Baltimore, on the other hand, had won 5 of their last 6 and were very much looking the part of a contender. The Blitz also knew that their path to the playoffs depended on getting this season finale win on the road. That distinction proved to be essential to the games playing out as they did. Baltimore was hungry, they were focused, and they took it to the Stars, fighting for their playoff lives. Tampa Bay played their starters but the energy was not there. So, while Houston was able to pull away with a 20-7 scoring advantage in the 2nd half, Philadelphia was locked in a real battle, trailing 10-9 at the half and then outpaced 14-8 in the 4th quarter, with Baltimore breaking a 17-17 tie with a late TD that sealed the victory and assured the Blitz that they would be dancing next week as a Wild Card. For all the drama of the two Eastern powerhouses in action to secure a bye week and home games, the tension was even higher for the other teams vying to get into the playoffs at all. Baltimore would not play until later, but New Orleans could not count on a Philadelphia win. They knew that they needed a victory to be assured of making the postseason. Birmingham needed the Breakers or the Blitz to lose, along with a win of their own, to have a shot, despite having won their last 4 games. Just like Philly and Houston, the Breakers and the Stalions were in the same timeslot and scoreboard watching became the primary obsession when players were not in the game. The Breakers had a challenge on their hands, traveling to Oklahoma, where the Outlaws had yet another sellout at OGE Energy Stadium, and had a shot at finishing the year at 8-8. But New Orleans had a larger mission, and a deeper motivation. By the half, they were up 24-7. Oklahoma would fight back, but the Breakers never lost their lead and locked up the Wild Card with a win. Meanwhile in Birmingham, the Stallions were watching New Orleans, sensing that Oklahoma would not clear a path for them. They did their part, posting their best defensive outing of the year against Jacksonville, and would earn a 12-3 win. But then it all came down to what happened in Philadelphia. The Stallions and their fans were able to tune into the Blitz-Stars game on ABC the next day, watching agonizingly as the Blitz eliminated them from the playoffs despite their 9-7 record and 5-game season-ending winning streak. Over in the west, the drama also built over the weekend. It started on Saturday night, when the Denver Gold faced the San Diego Thunder, a win clinching them a Wild Card at 9-6-1. With San Diego already locked into the 3-seed, the Gold faced a Thunder squad without Joe Webb or Chad Johnson on the field. Their defense dominated the game against Christian Ponder, who would throw 3 picks, and a 10-0 lead turned into a 17-7 victory. One Wild Card spot down, only one left to be claimed. Next up were the Ohio Glory. They were at home, facing an eliminated Atlanta Fire squad that was giving their rookie QB Deshone Kizer his first start. A win and the Sunday night clash between the Dragons and Express would be meaningless. Ohio would earn the 12th and final playoff spot. But after taking a 10-0 lead in the first, Atlanta turned up the pressure. Kizer started to see the game a bit slower, and the Atlanta offense started to make plays. Between the 2nd and 3rd quarters the Fire outpaced the Glory 24-3, taking an 11-point lead into the final period. Ohio was fighting for their playoff lives, but for whatever reason, the Fire were not ceding an inch. Christian Hackenberg forced too many throws, producing 2 second half picks, and Atlanta hung on, taking the game by a final of 27-24. Ohio knew what this meant. With the two other contenders, Seattle and LA, playing each other, their only chance to make the playoffs was the slimmest hope that the two Pacific clubs would end their game in a tie. Disappointment had already set in among Glory fans. By Sunday night, it would be fully realized.   So it came down to the Sunday night game, winner takes the Wild Card, loser stays home. In the one camp you have a very talented, but strangely inconsistent LA Express club, a team playing at home, with everything to gain. On the other, you have the Cinderella story of the season, a Dragons team that began the year at 0-5 and widely considered the worst team in the league. Preseason pundits had focused on the negatives, the long road ahead for 1st year coach Mike Riley. But inside the clubhouse, Riley had focused on each week, and since earning their first win in Week 6, the Dragons had only lost 2 games, sitting at 8-7 after winning 8 of 10 matches. A 9th win and they would pull off the most unlikely run to the postseason since, well, actually, since Seattle won the league title after posting a 6-8 record in the regular season back in 2005. Could the Dragons again defy the odds and put on the glass slipper of a true Cinderella story? Let’s get right to that fateful final game of the regular season, our clear-cut Game of the Week.   SEATTLE DRAGONS 23 LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 15 It was exactly what the league had hoped it would be, a Sunday night showdown in which everything was on the line. The Seattle Dragons and Los Angeles Express facing off in prime time with the winner headed to the playoffs and the loser missing their chance. Both clubs came in at 8-7, and with Ohio’s loss finalized only minutes before kickoff, both teams would have everything to play for. Seattle came in, having won 8 of their last 10, Los Angeles had struggled for consistency, defeating the Philadelphia Stars the week before, but losing to Portland only 3 weeks earlier. Which team would step up to the challenge and punch their ticket to the postseason?   The Express came out strong in the 1st quarter, their defense holding Seattle without a first down on the opening drive and forcing a quick punt. They took over on their own 17 after the punt and methodically “matriculated” the ball down the field as Hank Stram once famously said. It would take the Express 13 plays, 9 of them runs by either Reggie Bush or Paul Perkins, but they put points on the board, with Perkins scoring on a 4-yard run right up the gut. The two backs would be the focal point of the offense, combining for 29 carries on the day, and with success, rushing for a combined 136 yards against Seattle’s defense.   Seattle seemed willing to let LA play a slower, ground-based game, wary of the big play. And while the strategy allowed the Express to pick up yards and earn 19 first downs on the day, it also avoided the quick strike,the momentum shifting play that would get the crowd involved in a big way. Seattle too opted for a more conservative offensive style, designed to hold possession, build first down after first down, and wear down LA’s defense. On their second drive, they followed that plan, avoided penalties, and put together their own long scoring drive, a 12-play, 5 minute drive that ended when Jacoby Brissett hit TE Joe Toler for the equalizer.   This back and forth slow motion style for both teams would continue throughout the game, both defenses keeping the plays in front of them, both offenses content to gain 3 or 4 yards per play, with only the occasional mid-range pass to quickly gain ground, and the occasional holding or false start to disrupt a drive. But, as the game moved from the first quarter through the second and the third, the slow war of attrition started to prove which team was more engaged, more decisive, and more focused. LA would not score again until the final minutes of the fourth quarter, while Seattle managed at least one solid drive in each quarter, slowly building a lead and quieting the LA crowd with each successive score.   The first of Sam Bradford’s two interceptions gave Seattle their second scoring drive, with CB Richard Sherman taking the ball away from LA receiver Nelson Agholor at midfield in the 2nd quarter. With only 50 yards to go, Seattle drove the ball into LA territory and one of the deeper throws of the day, a 28-yard catch and run by Mike Wallace, put the ball on the 1-yard line. From there Joseph Addai plunged in and the Dragons had their first lead. The Seattle defense would protect that lead, forcing Los Angeles into a long 3rd and 13 on their next possession and then disrupting Bradford’s throw to Marqise Lee. Seattle happily ground out the final minute and a half, and went to the half up 7.   In the 3rd quarter, the Express moved the ball well on their first possession, and when it bogged down they sent out Dan Bailey to add 3 points, but his kick doinked off the right upright and the Express came away with nothing on a 6-minute, 11-play drive. After a pair of 3-and-outs, Seattle got the ball with 4:02 left in the 3rd and again found success against the LA defense. The key play on the drive was a 3rd and 7 that saw Jacoby Brissett escape what appeared to be a quick sack, roll away from pressure and find TE Tyler Kroft for a 13-yard gain. Three plays later, Brissett found Jerricho Cotchery for a 17-yard scoring toss and the Dragons now had some breathing room, stretching the lead to 20-7.   LA needed to put points on the board, but once again the Seattle defense came up big. On a 3rd and 8, Bradford hit Willie Snead on a quick slant route, but as he approached the line to gain, Snead tried to stretch the ball out, only to have Dragon strong safety Shaun Shillinger punch the ball out. When the pile cleared, it was Trevor Guyton, the Dragon DT, who stood up with the ball in his hands. 5 plays later, as the 4th quarter began, Seattle added a field goal from Jeffrey Harris to now go up by 16 at 23-7. Los Angeles was in trouble.   The Express started to press. On their next possession, they reached the Seattle 39, but Bradford tried to force a ball downfield on 2nd and 6 and once again Seattle came up with the turnover, a sideline pick from league interception leader Xavien Howard. The Express would get the ball back on a Brandon Oliver fumble 5 plays later, but the setback cost them nearly 3 minutes. Bradford was more conservative on this next possession, and that paid off, giving LA the chance to get back in the game when Bradford hit Brent Celek for a 6-yard TD with 3:04 left to play. The 2-point PAT was good and the lead was down to 8. But time was now against the Express. They needed a touchdown and another 2-point conversion to tie the game. Seattle needed only 1 or 2 first downs to be able to run out the clock and claim their playoff berth. The Dragons opted not to go into a shell, using the threat of Joseph Addai runs to create easy completions from Brissett to Kroft and Cotchery. They got an initial first down through the air. They then got a play that all but sent the LA crowd to the parking lot, a first down run by Addai that broke through the initial line and went for 17 yards. That play gave Seattle the ball in LA territory and forced the Express to use their last time out. From there it was just three straight run plays, including a successful 3rd and 2 run by Oliver, and Seattle was able to eat up enough clock to end any threat of an LA last second miracle. Brissett took the final play, a kneel down, and the Seattle bench erupted. The Dragons had done what no team in USFL history had ever done. They had qualified for the playoffs after an 0-5 start. To do so they had won 9 of 11 games, a truly outstanding run, and had won their last 5 divisional games. The team that many had called the least-talented, and most likely to draft first during preseason projections, had outperformed every expectation to become one of the 12 USFL clubs to grant themselves a 17th game. Coach Riley praised his team’s tenacity, willingness to put in the work, and spirit in the post-game presser. Despite everyone’s poor assessment of their talent, Seattle finished the regular season with the league’s 3rd best scoring defense, allowing only 16.9 points per game, and their offense had crept into the top 10, led by Jacoby Brissett’s 3,700 yards passing and two backs, Anderson and Addai, who each rushed for 600 yards. It was on to the playoffs and another divisional game, facing division winner San Diego in the Wild Card round.   PORTLAND 20  WASHINGTON 30 Many fans may say that Washington shot themselves in the foot with this season-ending win, dropping them from the 1st overall draft pick to the 3rd. Players for the Feds don’t see it that way, wanting to go out with a win. They did that with Mike Flynn throwing 3 TDs and the combo of Johnson and Brown racking up 134 yards on the ground. Doug Martin finished his bid for the rushing title with 116 yards, enough to stay in first place among the league’s rushers, a lone bright spot in a very dark year for the Stags. POTG:  Feds’ QB Mike Flynn: 19/34, 200 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   ORLANDO 16  ST. LOUIS 10 All three St. Louis QBs got into this game, but fans in Orlando were more excited because Tim Tebow got the start for the Renegades. Tebow finished only 11 of 30 for 114 yards, but he did hit Brashad Perriman with a TD toss and ran another in for a 2 TD day. The Skyhawks finished the year with a lot of young players rotating in, a loss that assured them the top pick in January’s open draft. Orlando’s Arthur Moats got the 2 sacks he needed to finish the season in 2nd place, the first 1-2 finish in league history by teammates, and he made it extra special by forming the first duo where both players had at least 20 sacks. POTG:  Orlando DE Arthur Moats: 5 Tck, 2 Scks.   PITTSBURGH 31  CHARLOTTE 24 Charlotte started all their regulars, but also rotated in a lot of bench players over the course of the game. That paired with 3 Andy Dalton to Adam Thielen TDs helped Pittsburgh comeback from a 24-14 deficit to take the win. Adrian Peterson did not play in the game, so Travares Cadet ended up as the game’s leading rusher with17 carries for 69 yards. POTG:  Mauler WR Adam Thielen: 8 Rec, 172 Yds, 3 TD   BIRMINGHAM 12  JACKSONVILLE 3 The Stallions needed a win to have any shot at a Wild Card, and they got it thanks to a monster game form the defense and a Newton to Edelman Td in the 2nd quarter. Birmingham added a safety and a late Garrett Hartley field goal against the very unmotivated Bulls. In the end, it would not be enough for the Stallions as both Baltimore and New Orleans pulled out their games, but it was the 5th consecutive win for Birmingham, something to build on in 2018. POTG:  Stallion DE Derrick Harvey: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   NEW ORLEANS 31  OKLAHOMA 24 A win and New Orleans was in, but the Outlaws did not make it easy as they pleased the always-supportive home crowd at OGE Energy Stadium with a nice game. In the end, however, 2 TDs form Jordy Nelson and another 2 from halfback David Wilson were enough to get the Breakers the win and the Wild Card berth. Nelson did not get the receiving yards record, but did finish as the top receiver in the league with yet another 100-yard game. POTG:  Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 5 Rec, 116 Yds, 2 TD   LAS VEGAS 28   ARIZONA 34 No David Carr, no Frank Gore, and only 1 half with Larry Fitzgerald in the game, and yet Arizona came back from a 28-18 deficit to upend the Vipers and finish the year at 15-1. Antonio Bryant finished with 140 yards and a TD and Jimmie Graham tied for the league lead with his 14th TD on the season. All this with Ryan Nassib proving he is a solid backup, throwing 3 TD passes as he helped Arizona rally late. POTG:  Wrangler WR Antonio Bryant: 4 Rec, 140 Yds, 1 TD   DENVER 17  SAN DIEGO 7 The Gold got a bit of an assist from the Thunder, who kept Joe Webb and Chad Johnson in sweats for their season finale. That was enough for Denver to pull out to a 17-0 lead and coast to a Wild Card spot. Charles and Murray combined for 121 yards and a TD, Kelvin Benjamin connected on a nice pass from Leinart, and the defense picked off Thunder backup and former NFL QB Christian Ponder 3 times to help secure a home playoff game for the Gold. POTG:  Denver LB Patrick Onwuasor: 9 Tck, 1 Int   BALTIMORE 24  PHILADELPHIA 17 The Blitz had the toughest assignment of any Wild Card hopeful, needing a win in Philadelphia against the 13-2 Stars to qualify. With Birmingham and New Orleans having already won, there was no other path for the Blitz. They did what they needed to, with Big Ben throwing for 371 and 2 TDs and the defense holding Derrick Henry and the Stars to only 17 points. It was no easy task, however, as Philadelphia tied the game at 17 with 7:58 left to play, but Roethlisberger found Jacob Tamme for the winning score with 1:03 left to play and the D held Philly out of the endzone in the final seconds to propel Baltimore to a Wild Card playoff spot. POTG:  Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 24/38, 371 Yds, 2 TD, 0 int   HOUSTON 34  TAMPA BAY 16 Houston was scoreboard watching as they faced the Bandits, building up a 27-9 lead as they watched Baltimore and the Stars go at it. When their game ended first, they watched as the Bandits put the end of the Blitz-Stars game up to see, with a huge celebration as Houston learned that they would be the 1-seed in the east thanks to their victory over the Bandits. Colt McCoy threw for 280 and 2 scores, getting a surprise start in the game, despite his injury. POTG:  Houston HB Carlos Hyde: 21 Att, 88 Yds, 1 TD, 4 Rec, 41 Yds, 1 TD   DALLAS 13   MEMPHIS 3 In a game with nothing on the line and only about 17,000 fans on hand in Memphis, the Roughnecks got the win, thanks to a Manziel TD toss to Daniel Fells and a good defensive outing. Anthony Allen rushed for 92 yards for the Showboats, but little else worked well for Coach Ryan’s offense. Dallas saw Manziel throw for 351 and a score, but returns home with a final record of 6-10, the same as the Showboats. POTG:  Dallas QB Johnny Manziel: 27/36, 351 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 27  OHIO 24 In the shocker of the week, the 6-9 Fire came ready to play and took it to the Glory, who had a Wild Card on the line. Atlanta sacked Christian Hackenberg 4 times and picked him off twice, including a pick-six by LB Luke Kuechley, giving “Hack” the dubious honor of being the season’s interception leader. Chris Ivory and Kenyan Drake surprised Ohio and combined for 120 yards rushing, while rookie Deshone Kizer, given the start in the season finale, looked solid, going 18 of 32 for 165 yards, a TD and a pick in his first pro action. POTG:  Atlanta LB Luke Kuechley: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 DefTD   NEW JERSEY 38  OAKLAND 13 The Generals opted to keep Nick Foles in for the finale and he looked ready for playoff football, surviving 4 sacks as he threw for 345 yards and 4 TDs against the Invaders. TE John Carlson had his biggest game of the year, catching 3 of Foles’s 4 TD throws. The defense also played at playoff level, sacking Bob Volek 4 times and picking him off once as well. Christian McCaffrey ended the season only a few yards away from 1,000, but with room to grow next year. POTG:  New Jersey QB Nick Foles: 30/41, 345 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   CHICAGO 20   MICHIGAN 17 The Panthers did what they could for LeVeon Bell, giving him 22 carries, but Chicago was game, holding Bell under 100 yards. Trevor Siemian still looked shaky for Chicago, throwing 3 picks and getting sacked 5 times by the Panther defense, but in the end Chicago got the win when Siemian hit Aaron Dobson with the winning score with only 57 seconds left in the game. POTG:  Chicago DE Jason Pierre Paul: 2 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   Blitz Complete their Own Cinderella Story Seattle may be crowned as this year’s Cinderella story, but let’s not forget that after 9 weeks, the Baltimore Blitz were sitting at 3-6 and looking very much like one of the season’s biggest disappointments. A team that had big names all across the offense and was also expected to boast a Top 10 defense was floundering. But the Blitz would rally. Boosted by 3 straight games against teams in trouble, the eventual 3-13 Federals, the Orlando Renegades struggling without QB Russell Wilson, and the underachieving Pittsburgh Maulers. That 3-game streak, one in which Baltimore outscored their opponents 98-30, turned the corner for Baltimore. They regained their swagger, knocking off New Jersey in Week 13. A stumble against the Maulers in Pittsburgh put them back in their pursuit of a playoff berth, but they rebounded by beating New Orleans before facing the best team in the division, and the current 1-seed, Philadelphia.   That Baltimore was able to walk into Lincoln Financial Field, stand up to the Stars, who had defeated them in Week 6, and punch Philly square in the jaw was the ultimate sign that their confidence was back. Baltimore won 6 of their last 7 to turn 3-6 into 9-7 and disappointment into a Wild Card game. Next up, a rematch with New Jersey, another familiar foe, and one who has no interest in being part of anyone’s Cinderella story.   Tom Coughlin Praises Fire, Takes Blame for Ohio Loss It was a heartbreaking loss, one that fans simply could not wrap their heads around. Atlanta had nothing to play for. They had all but conceded by taking Aaron Murray out of the game and allowing their untested rookie, Deshone Kizer get the start. Ohio had a simple task, win and they get their first playoff appearance since the final days of their glorious run in the early 2000’s, their first winning season since 2009. So what went wrong?   Coach Coughlin pointed to two things in his post-game presser, the spirit of the Atlanta Fire and his own mistakes. Coughlin took the blame for his team giving up a 10-0 lead and allowing Atlanta to rise up. He praised Coach Arians and the Fire for their spirit and the execution of their gameplan. He did not criticize his own players, something the press and the fans certainly were doing, but stated that in the end he was proud of his team for the season they put in, and while disappointed to finish 8-8 and miss the postseason, he hoped his team would learn and grow from this, coming back stronger in 2018. It was the classy thing to do, but classy is not likely to calm down a very upset and very vocal fan base, a fanbase that got a bit spoiled during the days of Collins, George, and Galloway, but has been paying the price ever since.   Final League Leaders With the end of the regular season we now can see both the final standings and the final rankings on the individual statistical leaderboards. We did not see a new record set this year, but we did see some amazing performances, and a first, with the Orlando Renegades, despite their troubled season, becoming the first team in league (or pro football) history to have two 20-sack defenders on the same D-line. With 2 sacks this weekend, Arthur Moats joined 29-sack dominator Calais Campbell to form the most devastating D-line duo in the history of pro football. While we are sure that we will hear it from Deacan Jones about the NFL Rams’ Fearsome Foursome, the reality is that sacks were not a stat back then, so officially, what Orlando did with Moats and Campbell this year is a first. The two finished 1 and 2 in sacks, and combined for 49 total sacks, a stunning number.   Others who finished the year atop the standings include almost certain back-to-back MVP winner, David Carr, who topped every single number from his MVP campaign last year to finish first in the league with 4,269 yards passing, 49 touchdowns, and a QB rating of 127.6. Yes, there will be some controversy, since Colt McCoy technically had a higher rating at 127.7, but McCoy’s absence from the final games of the year left him with too few passing attempts to qualify.   The rushing title stayed with Doug Martin in Portland, a nice individual accomplishment for the former Chicago Machine back who came to Portland this year and put up over 1,400 yards. He finished the year 92 yards ahead of 2nd place, New Jersey’s Maurice Jones-Drew, with LeVeon Bell rounding out the top 3 with a very respectable 1,287 yards, but nowhere near the 2,000 he had set as his personal goal for the year. The receiving title was no mystery at all, with Jordy Nelson’s 1,851 yards more than 200 yards ahead of Adam Thielen’s 1,619. Nelson fell short of the 30-year-old record of 1,959 set by Eric Truvilion in 1986, but there is nothing but praise for his huge numbers in his first year as a Breaker. Thielen also got kudos and almost certainly will be an All-USFL performer with his 112 catches, the league’s best this year.   On defense, it was again Calais Campbell winning the Sack title, now his 9th in a row for the GOAT. What made this year special for him and Renegade fans, was that Arthur Moats finished 2nd with 20 sacks, the first time two players from the same team finished 1-2 and also the first time two players from the same team finished with 20 or more sacks. Seattle’s Xavien Howard led the league with 8 picks, finishing his sophomore campaign as one of the hottest young defensive talents in the league. The title for the league’s best tackler came down to the wire, but Jacksonville’s Sean Lee came away on top with 124 tackles, 2 more than Tampa’s Brian Orakpo, and 6 ahead of DeMeco Ryans of Birmingham.   And finally, the scoring title this year went to Seattle’s Jeffrey Harris, who beat Ohio’s Robbie Gould by 10 points. Harris led the league with 40 field goals and also put through 32 of 35 PATs. Gould was the league’ s most accurate kicker, connecting on 37 of 38 field goal attempts and hitting all 31 of his PAT attempts.   Harrington Makes it Official The big question in Oakland was answered on Tuesday, when, a day after the team returned from their final game in New Jersey, the Invaders held a press conference and QB Joey Harrington, still using crutches, announced that he had played his last game as a pro quarterback. It is always tough when a QB ends his career on an injury, and with Harrington losing all but the first 4.5 weeks of the season, it was an emotional departure. Harrington was drafted to be the star QB of the Orlando Renegades after an illustrious career at Oregon, but only 4 years into his career, changes in Orlando and struggles with injury sent Harrington packing for Oakland. It would take him 2 more years before he would earn the starting job for the Invaders, but once he did, he was a steady presence on the club for 11 seasons, leading Oakland to the playoffs an astonishing 10 consecutive years (2007-2016), including a 2009 Summer Bowl appearance.  Oakland's leader is moving on. Harrington has not announced what is next, though certainly the charismatic former QB will get offers to join broadcasting, either of the USFL or of college ball. He could also choose to go into coaching, or simply sit back and enjoy time with his family. For the Invaders, the press conference sets up their offseason to be a time when quarterback will be on everyone’s mind. Already writing off any chance at making a trade with either California rival to get the rights to USC’s Sam Darnold or UCLA’s Josh Rosen, the options for a rookie signal caller will be limited, but the Invaders could also look to make a deal and bring in a veteran. It will all be up to GM Jo Jo Wooden to pick a path, make a deal, and find a successor. No easy task when you have depended on one star for a decade.   With the drama of Week 16, our last 4 playoff spots were finally locked in and the seeding finalized for the 2017 postseason. Ohio’s loss, paired with wins by Denver and Seattle means that the Gold, and Dragons take the last two Western Spots. Seattle will travel to San Diego to start the playoffs with a familiar divisional foe, as well Las Vegas, as their loss means they have to travel to the Mile High City to face the Gold. Top seeds Arizona and Michigan wait in the wings, resting their players and biding their time.   In the East, Philadelphia’s loss to Baltimore is great news for the Blitz, as they get the 5-seed, but for Philadelphia it means dropping to the 2-seed. Houston takes over as the top seed, with home field and a bye week. With both Baltimore and New Orleans winning this week, Birmingham finishes at 9-7, but misses out on the post-season. So, for the Wild Card round in the East, it will be a battle for the South and a NE Division clash, with New Orleans traveling to Charlotte and the Baltimore Blitz headed up I-95 to face the New Jersey Generals at MetLife Stadium.   Some significant names missing from many of the playoff teams, but few that are new situations. Here are the players who will be out in each of the four Wild Card games.    NOR @ CHA: Both the Breakers and Monarchs will be missing some key defenders in this one, with both LB Rocky McIntosh and DT Everett Dawson listed as Out for New Orleans and Charlotte missing LB Jerod Mayo. The Breakers are also saying that DE Cameron Jordan could be a gametime decision, while Charlotte is doubtful that backup HB Taiwan Jones will be available.   LV @ DEN: For the Vipers, the good news is that DE Matthew Judon is listed as Probable, and is expected to play, as are receivers Arrelious Benn and Tyler Eifert. Denver does not have such positive news, with All-USFL DT Ndamukong Suh ruled out for the game and LB Shaquile Barrett questionable. That could prove a challenge when it comes to stuffing the run and making Las Vegas one dimensional.   BAL @ NJ: The Generals are reporting no injuries, which is such a rarity this late in the year, and cannot be good for Baltimore to see. But, the Blitz are looking at WR Darrius Heyward-Bey and are hopeful he can play, despite being listed as Questionable. DHB’s presence on the field makes a major difference in how New Jersey has to defend the Blitz, so that gametime decision will be huge.   SEA @ SD: We know Seattle is shorthanded, with both TE Dennis Pitta and HB C. J. Anderson out for this one, but they were equally shorthanded this week against LA and others stepped up. For the Thunder, the good news is that QB Joe Webb is now listed as probable, having rested in Week 16, so the full offensive contingent will be there. Not so certain is the status of CB Justin Gilbert. If he is unable to go, that could be good news for Emmanuel Sanders and the Dragon passing game.   Black Monday Strikes in Portland and Jacksonville It would not be Week 16 without the odd combination of playoff excitement and Black Monday firings. This year two of the coaches expected to be on the hotseat got burned weeks early, with both Sean Payton and Mike Sherman departing “officially” before the end of the regular season. Sherman resigned, allowing Todd Haley a couple of weeks in the regular season to show he could become the permanent replacement, a decision that is by no means set. We expected that the two early changes would mean a smaller Black Monday pool, and we were right. Two coaches were relieved of their duties on Monday, Portland’s 2nd year coach Pep Hamilton will not be getting a 3rd year for a 3-year plan, having followed up a 4-12 season with an even worse 3-13 result. In Jacksonville, Jack Del Rio finished his third year with the Bulls, but a combined 16-32 record was not going to get him a fourth season. So, we will have 4 teams in the coaching market this offseason, all 4 with major work to be done and the 4 teams with a combined record of 18-46. No easy situations, and no expected quick success stories anticipated. Of course, we said that last year and both Mike Riley and Rick Neuheisel got their clubs to the playoffs in his first year, so anything is possible. Dallas to Weigh Options, Haley a Candidate Given 2 weeks to show his style and his connection to the team when Mike Sherman stepped down, Todd Haley will try to make his case to Roughneck management that he is the man for the job. Haley stepped in after serving as the Offensive Coordinator the past 2 years. His first year with the Roughnecks, the club averaged 20.4 points per game and 234.5 yards per game, neither particularly strong numbers. This year, Dallas, with QB Johnny Manziel suspended for 6 games, produced only 18.2 points per game and only 296.8 yards. Haley did have Brandon Wheedon prepared to play when Manziel was required to leave the team, but neither Wheedon or Manziel ever produced truly strong results.   So, what is Haley’s selling point? He is certainly familiar with the roster, what they are and are not good at. He is also well-regarded by the players, meaning there won’t be a rebellion if he gets the job, but is that really enough? With several highly regarded coordinators out there, along with some head coaches who spent 2017 working at the networks as analysts, there are options.  We know Dallas CEO Mark Cuban likes to make a splash. Does he try to snag an NFL coach with a big pedigree? How about taking a shot at a top college figure like a Mike Leach or Dabo Swinney? Haley cannot feel too confident, having gone 1-1 and the Roughnecks only putting up 37 combined points in his two games, and Dallas cannot simply settle for the known commodity without at least kicking the tires on some other options.   Skyhawks “Win” Top Draft Spot It is an honor no one wants to win, but it is still a heck of a lot better than coming in 2nd or 3rd. St. Louis, by virtue of their loss to Portland, and the Stag’s loss to Washington, “wins” the three way tie at 3-13 and will have the first pick in the 2018 USFL Open Draft. As we know, thanks to the USFL’s territorial draft process, that does not get them unfettered access to the best player available. But it is still an advantage, and a major bit of capital that could be traded if the team does not see a clear top player to go after.   If we look only at players who we know cannot be protected in the T-Draft, the obvious number one is Wyoming QB Josh Allen, but he is considered a project by many who scout the position. Beyond him, the next best “sure bet” options to be available are UTSA Defensive End Marcus Davenport, a nice potential addition for a club that was not exactly “steadfast” on defense this year. The could look at South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst, though the position is hardly a “number one overall” standard. Or they could build up the O-line with Nevada tackle Austin Corbett or UTEP guard Will Hernandez.   However, as we all know, there will be some top names that do slide through the T-Draft. We may even see 1 or 2 of the prospective early round QBs make it through if teams are not willing to trade into another club’s T-Draft to nab them. While we expect a lot of trading this offseason, with as many as 5 potential top tier QBs among the territorial schools as well as players like Penn State HB Saquon Barkley or NC State DE Bradley Chubb potentially being “tradable” selections. So, just who will be there for the Skyhawks at number one, or even if St. Louis holds the pick or deals it themselves to get into the T-draft for a player they covet, a lot is unknown right now, but what we can say is that the Skyhawks are almost, kinda, a little bit “on the clock”.  Here is the full rundown of the first 16 picks of the draft, the non-playoff teams:  1—ST. LOUIS (3-13) 2—PORTLAND (3-13) 3—WASHINGTON (3-13 4—TAMPA BAY (5-11) 5—PITTSBURGH (5-10-1) 6—OAKLAND (6-10) 7—CHICAGO (6-10) 8—MEMPHIS (6-10) 9—ORLANDO (6-10) 10—DALLAS (6-10) 11—JACKSONVILLE (6-10) 12—ATLANTA (7-9) 13—OKLAHOMA (7-9) 14—LOS ANGELES (8-8) 15—OHIO (8-8) 16—BIRMINGHAM (9-7)   Playoff season is here, and we have 3 of 4 Wild Card Games occurring between division foes, so you know that they are going to be hard-fought games between teams that know each other’s tendencies and love to get under each other’s skin. Here is our look at each of the 4 big games this upcoming weekend.   9-7 NEW ORLEANS (6) @ 10-6 CHARLOTTE (3) Saturday, July 2 @ 3pm ET Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC Monarchs -3   OUTLOOK: As with many Wild Card games, this one is hard to predict because both clubs have been somewhat inconsistent all season long. The Breakers certainly have more experience, particularly at QB where Drew Brees has plenty of playoff background compared to rookie Monarchs QB Mitch Trubisky. Charlotte has been at their best when Adrian Peterson finds holes to run through and Trubisky can use play action to find open receivers. New Orleans is going to do all they can to put the ball in the hands of Jordy Nelson, hoping to break some big plays against a Charlotte secondary that has had some issues.   OUR PICK: We think veteran leadership will win out. This is Trubisky’s first career playoff game and coming out of UNC he just has not faced this kind of pressure before. That is something you don’t worry about with Drew Brees at the helm of the Breaker offense. We see that as the difference in this one. New Orleans 23-17 .   9-7 LAS VEGAS (5) @ 9-6-1 DENVER (4) Saturday, July 2 @ 7pm ET Invesco Field, Denver, CO Gold -4.5   OUTLOOK: Denver’s home field advantage has not been its usual force this year, with the Gold losing three of their last 4 at home (with the 4th being that odd tie game to Pittsburgh). They cannot rely on their fanbase to carry them. They need to produce some points. Las Vegas similarly needs to find a way to outpace their usual 20 points per game, while holding Denver under 20. Eli Manning has been here before, taking an underdog Memphis team to the Summer Bowl last year. But, at the same time, Denver has a ton of veterans who have been in many playoff situations in recent years. So, which experience matters most?   OUR PICK: This one is really tough. Both teams won on the road in their 1-1 split this year, and both games were close, with Denver winning 13-10 in Las Vegas and the Vipers pulling off a 31-23 game in Denver. We don’t think we will see a shootout here, as both clubs are likely to play to shorten the game. So, in the end, which comes out on top? We like Denver’s steady, low drama offense and solid defense by a hair over Las Vegas’s more up and down style. We say it goes to the Gold, 17-16 in a nail biter.   9-7 BALTIMORE (5) @ 10-6 NEW JERSEY (4) Sunday, July 3 @ 1pm ET MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ Generals -2   OUTLOOK: The books in Vegas don’t seem to have much faith in New Jersey. Yes, they are favored, but only by 2 at home, which is the same as being a 4-point underdog on the road. Maybe it is because there is still no sense of whether General QB Nick Foles can take the team on his shoulders. He has played solid football but has not been called on to make huge plays. Against a team like Baltimore, who can put up big plays in a hurry, Foles may have to do more than just manage the game. A lot will depend on whether or not Maurice Jones-Drew can find room to run against what is likely to be a lot of 8-man fronts from the Blitz. That, and New Jersey’s ability to contain the Hartline & Heyward-Bey combo will be huge factors in this game if the Generals want to get the home win.   OUR PICK: We think Baltimore is just the more dangerous team. Yes, New Jersey can run the ball against them, but at any point one missed coverage and you have a Blitz receiver going for a 70-yard score. That kind of explosiveness, and certainly a more seasoned veteran QB in Ben Roethlisberger gives the Blitz a distinct advantage. We think it wins them the game. Our pick is Baltimore, 27-21 .   9-7 SEATTLE (6) @ 10-6 SAN DIEGO (3) Sunday, July 3 @ 5pm ET Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA Thunder -6   OUTLOOK: The widest margin in any of the betting lines as Vegas sees San Diego as a 6-point favorite. Joe Webb is expected to be at full strength, Chad Johnson will be in the lineup (unlike in Week 16), and the Thunder defense, will bring all kinds of pressure on Jacoby Brissett. This is Brissett’s first playoff game, and that could be a huge issue for the Dragons. And yet, when we look statistically, Seattle is the better team as far as both points per game and points allowed. They are confident and they have shown they can upend the Thunder, having knocked them off by a pretty sizable 26-3 margin in Week 15.   OUR PICK: We want to pick Seattle, just because we love the parallels to the 6-8 Dragon squad that won it all back in 2005, but even with San Diego stumbling a bit down the stretch, we think that the combination of home-field advantage, the dual threat of Joe Webb outside the pocket, and the veteran presence of Chad Johnson tilts the game towards the home team. We will pick San Diego to end the Cinderella run, Thunder 19-16.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: We are giving the final POTW award to a rookie who has been outstanding all season long, Houston safety Budda Baker. Baker finished the season with style, returning a pick-six to help Houston finish the season as the top seed in the East. PLAYOFF PICTURE: All 6 playoff spots are locked in, with Houston winning the East's top seed thanks to Philadelphia's loss to Baltimore. The Blitz and the Breakers both won, so Birmingham, despite a season-ending 5-game winning streak is on the outside looking in. Ohio fell in the finale, which allowed Seattle to pull off the most unlikely playoff run, from 0-5 to 9-7 and a Wild Card. Here are your seedings for the 2017 playoffs: EAST: 1-HOU 2-PHI 3-CHA 4-NJ 5-BAL 6-NOR WEST: 1-ARZ 2-MGN 3-SD 4-DEN 5-LV 6-SEA

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Apparently, telling Cam Newton that he was not POTW last week, when he ran for over 180 yards, because he passed for less than 60, seemed to motivate the Birmingham QB. Newton this week threw for a much more acceptable 146, tossing three touchdowns along the way, oh, and just in case we forgot that he can run too, he also took off for 122 yards on 10 carries, adding a 4th TD on the ground. We got the hint. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Las Vegas and New Jersey move to 9-6 and lock up the first two Wild Cards. That makes 8 of 12 playoff spots locked in (with a bit of positioning to be decided. There remain 7 teams alive for the 4 remaining spots, with Baltimore, New Orleans, Denver, and Ohio currently holding those spots and with their destiny in their own hands. Birmingham needs help to get in, as will the winner of the LA @ Seattle matchup, who could find themselves battling for the last Wild Card spot in a pre-playoff playoff game of sorts.

The league's newest mascot: Orlando's renegade shark, Ripper. A huge week across the USFL, with a huge game on Friday Night to kick us off. The Houston-Arizona game was an instant classic, even with Colt McCoy sidelined. It will be remembered as one of the games of the year, but was just one of several high drama matches as teams go tooth and nail to try to lock in a playoff spot. There are now only 7 teams left in the hunt for 4 remaining spots, with 2 of the 6 Wild Cards locked up this week. We will cover the races, including the breakdown of what everyone needs in the season’s final week. We will also take a look at what has happened in Birmingham since Cam Newton’s trade demand tirade. The Stallions have won 4 straight and could be in the playoffs if they can make it 5. We will also take a look at Jordy Nelson’s pursuit of a 30-year-old record, and all the latest injury news as we prepare for the season finale and the playoffs. Don’t go anywhere. This is the USFL bas your football fix right here. Did Newton’s Tirade Spark a Stallion Surge? Can a locker room explosion of anger and frustration really turn around a season? We may be getting an answer to that question this year in Birmingham, courtesy of Cam Newton and his highly publicized “I want out!” rant after a Week 11 loss to the Breakers. Birmingham had just suffered a pretty humbling 32-14 beat down at the hand of their division rivals. Newton had thrown for only 136 yards, been sacked 3 times, and rushed 8 times for exactly 0 yards. It was a bad performance by him and by the entire team, and he let them know it. In a locker room rant, he covered all the bases, challenging his fellow players to care more and do more, but most publicized was his attack on the coaches and his demand to be traded. He seemed emphatic that no one around him seemed to care enough to do what it took to win, and he did not want to play on a team that was not going to try.  Did an angry Newton turn into a happy one when the team responded with 4 straight wins? It was all caught on tape, thanks to a local reporter with a cellular phone. It was broadcast to the world, and it was all the local media would talk about for days. And yet, the result of that epic tirade were felt. The next week Birmingham eked out a 16-5 win over visiting Las Vegas, a game in which the defense came up huge against Eli Manning with 2 picks and 3 sacks, T. J. Yeldon had his best game of the year, and Coach Ellard tried to push Newton, calling QB run after QB run late in the game. At the time it was viewed as an attempt to humble the outspoken QB, but perhaps that was not the motivation, perhaps it was about building a sense of shared responsibility in the team.   What has happened since Newton’s tirade has been nothing less than a stunning turnaround. The Stallions followed the victory over Las Vegas with another, a huge one, traveling to Houston and knocking off the 11-1 Gamblers. They then shut down Orlando to win a 3rd in a row, and this week, traveled to Washington and beat the Federals by 12 points. They are 4-0 since Cam Newton’s frustration-fueled rant. And in those 4 games, what has Newton done? How about throwing for 7 touchdowns with only 2 picks? And how about rushing for 44 yards in Houston, then 151 yards and 2 scores against Orlando, 121 and another score against Washington. That makes 10 TDs in the past 4 games, all wins for the Stallions?   Whether you find Newton’s Week 11 rant to be the sign of a brash, overly dramatic diva or the legitimate concerns of a player who just wants everyone to give as much of himself as he does, the final verdict is that it did have an impact. Maybe it shifted the team’s focus. Maybe it got players and coaches to reevaluate their own effort. Or maybe it just got the team to play angry, to push their frustration on their opponents rather than each other. Whatever the reason, we now find Birmingham sitting at 8-7, a vast improvement from 4-7, and with a realistic shot to make the post-season. They need some help, a loss by either Baltimore or New Orleans this week, along with a win in their game against Jacksonville, but it is entirely possible that the team which Newton decried for giving up too easy and not putting in the work, will find their way to the playoffs because of his calling them out. And the irony could very well be that if New Orleans stumbles this week, it could be the very team that sparked Newton’s now infamous rant, the team that humbled the Stallions, that ends up losing out to the same Stallion team in the playoff race. That would be a true turnaround of fortunes.   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 31 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 38 It was the most hyped game of the week, perhaps of the season. The 11-1 Houston Gamblers traveling back to a familiar place, Glendale, Arizona, to face the 11-1 Arizona Wranglers. Had it not been for the divisional realignment that came when Boston’s franchise moved to Dallas, this would have been a showdown for the SW Division. Instead it was a potential preview of Summer Bowl 2017, with two of the best teams in the league facing off in a huge late season clash.   The game would not be the ultimate showdown of the two clubs, the injury to Colt McCoy would make sure of that. It would be Landry Jones going up against the Wrangler defense, or at least that was the plan. By game’s end it was 3rd stringer Jeff Driskol more than holding his own, throwing 2 touchdowns and helping Houston stay right there with the Wranglers until the very end. On the other side it was pure Wrangler football, with potential repeat MVP David Carr throwing for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns, and former Mauler TE Jimmie Graham proving to be almost uncoverable, catching 4 passes but extending them for 138 yards, a nearly 35-yard per reception average. It was Houston’s pluck and determination up against Arizona’s cruel efficiency and big play capacity. It was one of the best games of the year without a doubt, and one that had fans up late on a Friday night cheering and enjoying spring football to the fullest.   The game started well for Houston, with the defense holding up against Arizona on the Wranglers’ first two possessions. The plan was obvious, keep Larry Fitzgerald under wraps (he would finish with only 1 catch on the day) and keep Carr throwing underneath. That plan, along with a good amount of pressure from the D-line of Albert Haynesworth, Antwan Applewhite, and Dante Fowler, kept Arizona from starting fast. Houston’s offense, relying on Carlos Hyde to keep pressure off of Landy Jones, struggled at first, but put together a strong second drive, one that put the first points on the board in the form of a TD toss to rookie sensation Juju Smith-Shuster.   But, Arizona’s big play capacity could not be contained for long. The second quarter saw them explode, scoring 21 unanswered points before Houston could respond. It was not Fitzgerald, but it was definitely David Carr showing what Arizona could do, first with an 11-play drive that ended with a Carr to Fitzgerald TD (his only catch of the day), and then a big play, with Carr hitting Antonio Bryant on a 39-yard strike to give Arizona the lead. Only 2 minutes later they would get help from their defense. With Landry Jones temporarily out of the game after a blow to the head, Jeff Driskol came in cold and almost immediately made a near fatal mistake, underestimating DB Nate Allen’s speed and throwing a ball late. Allen made up the ground on the Houston wideout, snatched the ball away and raced 21 yards to the endzone to push the Arizona lead to 21-7.   Houston could have folded at this moment. Their early schemes had stopped working, their QB situation was problematic, and Arizona had all the momentum. But a Wade Phillips team is nothing if not gritty, and Houston clawed their way back before the half. It took 13 plays, with Jones back on the field, but Houston added a Carlos Hyde TD plunge from the 1 with just over 40 seconds left in the half to get back to within 7 and stay focused and in the game.   During the break, the Gamblers apparently reconsidered having Jones return to the game, because when they came out for the second half, he was not on the sideline, remaining in the locker room. That meant that third string QB Jeff Driskol would go the rest of the way. If he went down, it would be emergency QB and full time fullback Madison Hedgecock who would have to take over. Fortunately for Houston, the emergency did not come. Driskol stayed in the game the rest of the way. On the opening drive of the 2nd half, he looked good, connecting on short passes, avoiding a blitzing Karlos Dansby on a key 3rd down and connecting with Dante Rosario to convert the play and earn 3 more downs. The Gamblers drove to the Arizona 40 and then Carlos Hyde had his biggest play of the game. On a sweep to the left, Hyde cut the ball back, sliding past the pursuing linebacker, then stiff-arming safety Nate Allen to break into the clear, from there he easily outpaced LB Scooby Wright and galloped 40 yards for the game-tying score.   Arizona, despite playing against Houston’s 3rd string QB, was knotted up in an even ballgame with the Gamblers. They would again turn to the big play to try to get out ahead. Once again, the big play was there for them, as it had been all season long. On their next possession, Carr used play action to HB Ka’Deem Carey to find Antonio Bryant in single coverage. With Fitzgerald always the focus of the Houston defense, Bryant was often in single coverage, and this time Carr made the defense pay, throwing a perfect deep ball to his wideout and scoring from 32 yards out to once again give Arizona a lead. On their next possession, he hit on an even bigger play. With the two wideouts a major concern for Houston, TE Jimmie Graham had been largely covered by linebackers, which is not a great plan, and on Arizona’s next possession, that plan backfired in a big way.   Houston had remained in man coverage, as they had done most of the game. Arizona had sent both Bryant and Fitzgerald to the sidelines with out routes, leaving the middle of the field exposed. A toss to Jimmie Graham garnered the Wranglers 14 yards and would have been a first down, but when safety Budda Baker, an outstanding rookie who has made a lot of key tackles all year, misjudged the angle, he found himself flailing at Graham’s left leg. Graham shook out of the tackle and took off. It would be a 62-yard scoring play for the big tight end, clearly winded by the time he collapsed in the endzone. It gave Arizona its second 14-point lead of the day, but the game was not yet over.   The 4th quarter began with Houston having to settle for a field goal, a 30-yarder from Younghoe Koo that dropped the lead to 11, but when Arizona responded with a 3-pointer of their own, Houston had little time and still trailed by 2 touchdowns. QB Jeff Driskol would respond, hitting Dante Rosario with a scoring toss with just over 2 minutes to play. That late drive brought the game to within 7 points at 31-38, but the drive forced Houston to use 2 of their 3 timeouts, meaning that they did not have the ability to stop the clock more than once. That reality forced Wade Phillips’s hand. He had to go for the onside kick rather than kicking deep and trusting his defense.   And so, Younghoe Koo would need to find a way to get the ball to his own teammates to give Houston a shot. The Gamblers overloaded the left side, but put both Mike Evans and Carlos Hyde on the right side. Koo swivel kicked the ball back to the right, trying to find Hyde, but Arizona had countered with Joe Haden, their All-USFL cornerback. Haden saw the swivel and raced towards the ball. He touched it before it had gone the requisite 10 yards, always a risky move, but he also tucked it away and rolled to a fetal position on the turf, forcing Houston to touch him down and giving possession to the Wranglers.   Arizona would run out the clock, gaining a first down on a short Frank Gore run, and then kneeling the ball to end the game. The Wranglers’s style of big play offense and hardnosed defense had again triumphed, but an undermanned Houston squad had proven that they could stick with the Wranglers, and if given the chance to go into the game at full strength, with Colt McCoy back under center, the Gamblers could well get the better of Arizona. It was an epic battle of two very well-coached and highly talented teams, a potential Summer Bowl preview, and if that is the case we could be in for a great title game this year. OHIO 30 DALLAS 24 It was a better game for Johnny Manziel (302 yards, 3 TD, 3 Int) than for Christian Hackenberg (210 yards, 1 TD, 3 picks), but the Glory got the result they needed, thanks in part to the combo of Pead and Jennings, who combined for 134 yards and 2 scores. Manziel hit Tiquan Underwood for 2 scoring throws, including one with 21 seconds left, but it was not enough as Ohio moves to 8-7 and can clinch a playoff spot with a win next week. POTG:  Ohio CB Chidi Chekwa: 11 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 int   NEW JERSEY 25 PITTSBURGH 14 The Generals snag a Wild Card with their road win in Pittsburgh. MJD rushed for 147 and a score, averaging 5.8 YPC against the Mauler defense. It was also the triumphant return to action for LB Rey Maualaga, who made both POTG and Defensive POTW honors for his outstanding first game back from injury. POTG:  General LB Rey Maualaga: 5 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty   JACKSONVILLE 26 ATLANTA 13 The Fire had a playoff spot on the line, but they just could not overcome the Bulls’ defense. Jacksonville put 4 field goals on the board in the first half to take a 12-0 lead and finally got a TD on the board, from the defense, as Charles Godfrey returned an Errant Aaron Murray throw 50 yards for the decisive score. C. J. Beathard did little more than dink and dunk, completing 14 of 18 but for only 118 yards on the day. POTG:  Bulls’ DB Charles Godfrey: 4 Tck, 2 Int, 1 DefTD   PORTLAND 14 OAKLAND 27 Bob Volek had a game he will remember for a long time, completing 27 of 36 and throwing for 4 TDs as Oakland took out some of their frustration on the visiting Portland Stags. Volek threw 2 TDs to lead receiver Davante Adams, and one each to TE Zack Ertz and slot receiver Taylor Gabriel. Marcus Mariota was sacked 5 times as Oakland’s D dominated the line. Even league leading rusher Doug Martin could only muster 34 yards on the ground against the angry Invader D. POTG:  Invader QB Bob Volek: 27/36, 238 Yds, 4 TD   PHILADELPHIA 9 LOS ANGELES 13 One of the best defensive performances of the year gave LA the win over favored Philadelphia and gives the Express a shot at a playoff berth in next week’s showdown with Seattle. Philadelphia could not run the ball against the Express front 7, with Derrick Henry averaging a paltry 1.9 yards per carry, going for only 35 yards on 18 attempts. LA struggled on offense as well, but had the lone TD of the game on a Bradford to Sneed TD toss. The D did the rest as the Express stay alive. POTG:  Express DE Greg Scruggs: 4 Tck, 1 Sck   MICHIGAN 26 ORLANDO 10 The Panthers extended Orlando’s losing streak to 7 games by sacking Connor Shaw 6 times and holding the disgruntled Knowshon Moreno to only 26 yards on 7 carries. Michigan dominated time of possession, 37-22, with LeVeon Bell rushing the ball 21 times for 79 yards and Kirk Cousins completing 30 of 40 pass attempts. Cody Latimer, Jerrel Jernigan and TE Martellus Bennett each had 5 or more receptions and Michigan simply shortened the game while protecting Cousins from Orlando’s pass rush. POTG:  Panther QB Kirk Cousins: 30/40, 261 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   OKLAHOMA 34 DENVER 17 A frustrating day for both clubs. Denver took a loss and looked pretty bad doing it, but Oklahoma, despite the nice win, found themselves eliminated from playoff contention by the Monday morning. Marshawn Lynch was huge again for the Outlaws, rushing for 118 on 28 carries and punching the ball in for 6 twice. The Outlaws also benefitted from a 20-yard fumble return for TD from CB Pacman Jones, but in the end, they still find themselves outside of playoff contention at 7-8. POTG:  Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 28 Att, 118 Yds, 2 TD   BIRMINGHAM 34 WASHINGTON 22 Cam Newton played angry football, and good football, putting up 4 touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) and once again went over 100 yards on the ground as Birmingham kept their Wild Card hopes alive by winning their 4th in a row. For Washington, and interim head coach Mike New, too many mistakes as they committed 2 turnovers and 8 penalties. POTG : Stallion QB Cam Newton: 11/26, 146 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int, 10 Att, 122 Yds, 1 TD   ST. LOUIS 9 CHICAGO 29 Trevor Siemian put together a solid game against a bad St. Louis defense as the young QB tries to make his case to be the starter in 2018. Siemian completed 15 of 27 attempts for 244 yards. The TDs came from the backs, with both Matt Forte and Brandon Boldin scoring. Kyle Boller struggled, throwing 2 picks and sacked 3 times as St. Louis dropped their 12th game of the season, a season to forget for the Skyhawks. POTG:  Chicago kicker William Hopper: 5 of 5 on field goals.   TAMPA BAY 21 CHARLOTTE 24 The Bandits proved to be a tough out, with Dalvin Cook rushing for 87 yards and 2 scores and Dak Prescott throwing for 303, but in the end, Charlotte found a way to pull the game out, scoring 14 in the 4th quarter to turn a 21-10 deficit into a 24-21 victory. Mitch Trubisky hit Jonathan Stupar and Brandon Pettigrew for scores in the final period, making tight ends everywhere happy. POTG:  Charlotte QB Mitch Trubisky: 17/29, 249 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   SAN DIEGO 3 SEATTLE 26 A bad loss for the Thunder as they are now locked into the 3 seed in the West. They just were outhustled by Seattle, who got solid games from HB C. J. Anderson, QB Jacoby Brissett, and their defense. Seattle now faces LA in what could be a “play in” game in Week 16. San Diego mustered only 138 total yards in a game that has to make fans nervous about their upcoming playoff situation. POTG:  Seattle DE Muhammad Wilkerson: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   MEMPHIS 16 LAS VEGAS 19 It took all 60 minutes to get there, but Las Vegas clinches a playoff berth after knocking off the Memphis Showboats. Memphis looked solid, with a strong defensive gameplan and a good game from Paxton Lynch (30 of 45 for 228 and a TD). Las Vegas was down 23-21 with 3:04 left after Lynch hit Mark Clayton for a go-ahead TD, but Eli Manning, facing his former team for the first time, was calm and collected on the drive. With just 1:15 left to play a TD pass to Denarius Moore put Las Vegas back on top. Not an easy win, but one that was worth it as Las Vegas clinched a Wild Card at 9-6. POTG:  Viper QB Eli Manning: 21/35, 217 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int   NEW ORLEANS 17 BALTIMORE 25 The Blitz win the battle of Eastern Conference Wild Card contenders, but both Baltimore and New Orleans remain in a “control your own destiny” situation. Both need to win next week to lock up Wild Card berths. In this game, the Blitz got solid contributions from their run game (100 yards even on the day), from Big Ben (2 TD tosses and 213 yards) and from their defense, as pressure forced Drew Brees and Pat White out of the game. That almost backfired for Baltimore as rookie QB Chad Kelly came in and threw for 2 late TDs to get New Orleans close and put a scare into the Blitz. POTG:  Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 14/21, 213 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int Outlaws Win the Battle, but Lose the War It was a good win for the Oklahoma Outlaws, a road win against a quality club, a divisional win, the kind of win that could help propel a team into the playoffs with a very positive self-image. But there was one problem. The win was not enough. Oklahoma had done their part, picking apart the Denver defense, setting Marshawn Lynch free once more like a bull in a China shop. They built up a 17-0 lead in just one quarter and never allowed Denver to get closer than 10 points all game. But their future was not theirs to control.   Beating Denver certainly helped, but in order for Oklahoma to stay alive for the postseason, they needed help from some unlikely sources. They needed Dallas to knock off Ohio, sending the Glory. They needed San Diego to beat Seattle at Lumen Stadium, and they needed LA to fall at home to the 13-1 Philadelphia Stars. San Diego and Philadelphia were favored, and Dallas was at home, so there was hope in OK City that the Outlaws could get exactly what they needed to stay alive for a Wild Card going into the season’s final week. That hope dimmed on Friday night, when Ohio held off the Roughnecks and got the W they needed. Then in the 4pm slot on Saturday the Outlaws watched as LA shut down the Stars and got the home win they needed to stay alive. And on Sunday, after the Outlaws played their part, the last nail in the coffin. Seattle not only upended San Diego, they blew them out of the water.   “We have no one to blame but ourselves” said a resigned Coach Landry. And he was right. Oklahoma had come alive after adjusting their offensive scheme in Week 12, but by then they had dug themselves a 4-7 whole. They would win 3 of their next 4, but even with that, the best they could hope for was .500 and an 8-8 record is no guarantee at all of a playoff berth. And so, on Sunday they were officially eliminated. They will host the New Orleans Breakers in Week 16, with a chance to play spoiler as now it is New Orleans on the precipice of playoff elimination, but they will also use the opportunity to thank the fans of their home, Oklahoma City. Every home game this year was a sellout, and that is in itself a huge victory for the Outlaws, the kind that cannot be taken away by other teams.   Harbaugh Says Los Angeles Defense “Ate Our Lunch And Stole Our Milk Money” Coach Jim Harbaugh was pretty blunt about how his team played in Los Angeles on Saturday. In the post-game interview he was “not so much angry as disappointed”, a classic “dad line” but one that seems appropriate for a team that only lost their 2nd game all season. As it turned out, that loss in LA would not hurt their chances for a 1-seed, as Houston also was upset this week, meaning that Philadelphia still controls their own destiny, and can lock up home field advantage in the Eastern Playoffs with a win at home v. Baltimore next week. But, even with that rosy situation still in front of them, it is no fun seeing your team flounder, and so Harbaugh summed it up with the colorful analogy in our header. Yes, he was right. LA’s defense did eat Philadelphia’s lunch and steal their milk money. It was a classic playground bullying from the Express.   Defense has been the calling card of Coach Reid’s team all season and that was certainly the case this week against the favored Stars. While the Stars only logged 3 sacks, that does not mean that Matt Gutierrez was free from pressure. He was hit early and often. And the same could be said for HB Derrick Henry, who averaged only 1.9 yards per carry and simply was not given a chance to break out of the front 7 all game long, with his longest run totaling only 6 yards. It was a master class by the LA defense, and had Philadelphia not also brought their A-game on defense, this game would certainly have been uglier than the 13-9 final score.   Nelson Needs Huge Game for Record With the Breakers going through 3 quarterbacks in their tough loss in Baltimore, the production from the passing game was understandably lower than the norm. Drew Brees only threw 7 attempts before he was lost for the game with an apparent concussion. In came Pat White, who also threw only 7 passes before a gimpy ankle forced him out of the game. Rookie 3rd stringer, Chad Kelly, nephew to famous Houston Gambler Jim Kelly, was up. Kelly played well, throwing for 2 late touchdowns, including one to Jordy Nelson, but that was Nelson’s highlight for the game. A game that finished with only 75 yards in his receiving total.   Seventy-five yards is a fine day for many receivers, but when you have to average nearly 140 per game over the season’s final month in order to break a 30-year-old receiving record, well, it puts a major hitch in the plan. How much of a hitch? Well, in order to get the record, Nelson is going to need to rebound in a major way this week against Oklahoma. He needs 225 yards to overtake Eric Truvillion and hold the single season receiving record of 1,960 yards. That, even for a player as talented as Nelson, seems like a big ask.   Carr Closes in on MVP, but Thinks Fitzgerald Deserves Honor David Carr is the current USFL leader in passing yards, with 4,269 to date, the only player currently over 4,000 yards. He also leads the league with 43 touchdowns, 14 more than 2nd place Kirk Cousins. And, thanks to Colt McCoy missing enough time to drop him from eligibility for the Passer Rating category, Carr is also leading that category with a 127.6 rating. That is the trifecta, and with that honor there is almost always another, that of season MVP. Carr is the defending MVP after a brilliant 2016 season that saw the Wranglers win the league title and saw Carr emerge as a truly elite QB.   When we look at this year’s numbers, they are already significantly better than the 2016 MVP season, with Carr over 4,000 yards, something he did not accomplish last year. His 43 touchdowns, with one week left to play, surpass the 36 from last year as well. And yet, Carr has said he does not believe he should get the award for a 2nd year in a row. He may be the only person left in America who believes that, but in Carr’s words “I am honored, but when I look at what Larry Fitzgerald does game in and game out to get open, get deep, and make me look good, I am certain he should be considered for MVP”. Carr has a point, Larry Fitzgerald has been an unstoppable force of nature this year, but a receiver can never succeed unless his QB is right there with him. So, while many may consider Fitzie a quality candidate for OPOTY, we are still leaning towards Carr to repeat as MVP.   Jones Lost for Playoffs, Coach Phillips Mum on McCoy. Houston has a tough call ahead of them in next week’s season finale against Tampa Bay. A win, paired with a Philadelphia loss in Baltimore, means that the Gamblers, and not the Stars, get home field, which could be huge if the two meet in the Conference Title Game. Much better to have that game in Houston than in Philadelphia, at least if you are the Gamblers. But, in this week’s epic matchup with the Wranglers, Houston suffered a blow that will complicate their plan. They lost Landry Jones, understudy to Colt McCoy, to an injury that will keep him out of the entire playoff postseason.   While losing your QB could be disastrous, the reality is that Colt McCoy is cleared to play this week. He is not 100% and were Landry Jones available, the Gamblers would almost certainly play Jones and have McCoy rest up for the Divisional Playoff round. But Jones is gone, which means that Houston has to decide whether to risk McCoy’s health ahead of the playoffs, or go with 3rd stringer Jeff Driskoll in a game that could decide who plays where in the Conference Title Game. On the one hand, playing McCoy gives you the best chance to win in Tampa Bay and the best chance at that one seed, but if he aggravates his injury, that could lead to a quick playoff exit. Play Driskoll and you are sure to get McCoy back at 100% in 2 weeks, but you could be facing a tough road game in Philadelphia. That is why Wade Phillips is getting paid the big bucks, to make exactly these kinds of decisions.   Seattle’s Win Comes at a Cost The Seattle Dragons remain alive for the postseason, a reality that seemed unimaginable after an 0-5 start to the year, but their upset win over San Diego did come at a price. Two key pieces of the Dragon offense are now gone for the season finale, with one out for any future games even if they do make the postseason. HB C. J. Anderson is expected to miss 1, possibly 2 weeks after taking dislocating his elbow in a nasty tackle. That means that Joseph Addai will likely see a true lead-back share of carries next week in LA. What may be more devastating to Jacoby Brissett and the Dragon offense is that TE Dennis Pitta is out for the remainder of the season and postseason after x-rays revealed a fracture in his pelvic bone, not the hip pointer that was hoped for. Pitta is the 3rd leading receiver for the Dragons, with an impressive 64 receptions and 562 yards. He is one of Brissett’s safety outlets on most routes, and while his replacement, Tyler Kroft, is a solid receiver, he does not provide the same sure hands and physical presence as Pitta. Seattle will have to make use of slot receivers Jerrico Cotcherry and Legedu Nannee much more than they have so far this year (only 33 catches between them) if they are going to find success against a very tough LA defense. It is a chance to prove something to the doubters who are still out there, but not the way the Dragons wanted to enter the game. “Shorthanded” is never a word you want to hear in a must win situation.   Week 16 Playoff Scenarios   ARIZONA (14-1): The Wranglers have clinched the 1 seed in the West, will get a Wild Card bye and have home field throughout the Western Conference playoffs.   MICHIGAN (12-3): The Panthers have clinched the 2 seed in the West, will get a Wild Card bye and a home game in the Divisional Round.   SAN DIEGO (10-5): The Thunder have clinched the 3 seed in the West and will host a Wild Card playoff against the 6 seed.   PHILADELPHIA (13-2):   The Stars have clinched a Top 2 seed, with a Wild Card bye. With a win over Baltimore or a loss by Houston, they will clinch the 1 Seed which provides home field throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs.   HOUSTON (13-2): The Gamblers have clinched a Top 2 seed, with a Wild Card bye. With a win over Tampa Bay and a Stars loss to Baltimore, they would claim the 1 seed, with home field throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs.   CHARLOTTE (10-5): The Monarchs have clinched the 3 seed in the East. They will host the 6 seed in the Wild Card round.   LAS VEGAS (9-6): The Vipers have clinched a Wild Card. With a win over Arizona, they would receive the 4 seed in the West, giving them a home game against the 5 seed in the Wild Card round.   NEW JERSEY (9-6): The Generals have clinched a Wild Card. With a win over Oakland, they would receive the 4 seed in the East, giving them a home game against the 5 seed in the Wild Card round.   DENVER (8-6-1): The Gold control their destiny. A win would clinch them a Wild Card as the 5 seed, but a win and a Las Vegas loss would give them the 4 seed and a home playoff game.   BALTIMORE (8-7):  The Blitz control their destiny. A win would clinch them a Wild Card as the 5 seed. A win plus a New Jersey loss would almost certainly give Baltimore the 4 seed and a home playoff based on points scored (4th tiebreaker)   OHIO (8-7):            The Glory control their destiny. A win assures them of a Wild Card berth.   NEW ORLEANS (8-7): The Breakers control their destiny. A win assures them of a Wild Card berth   LOS ANGELES (8-7): The Express can earn a Wild Card with a win over Seattle and a loss by either Denver or Ohio.   SEATTLE (8-7):  The Dragons can earn a Wild Card with a win over Los Angeles and a loss by either Denver or Ohio.   BIRMINGHAM (8-7):  The Stallions can earn a Wild Card with a win over Jacksonville, and a loss by either Baltimore or New Orleans.   With only 1 week left in the season, one wonders why teams bother to use the Injured Reserve, or to announce multiple week injuries, at least those already removed from playoff contention. The reasoning is two part, first, moving a player to IR frees up a space to bring someone onto the active roster from the practice squad, secondly, it is needed to trigger some of the more lucrative injury support mechanisms at the league level, concessions won by the players’ union in the last CBA agreement. Essentially, salary paid out to players on IR is taken from league funds and not counted against the team’s salary cap, creating a benefit for the team, while assuring that players cannot be either cut or placed on lists such as the PUP or others that do not allow for full salary. And so, with only 1 week left, we have one of our largest IR lists of the season.   OUT OT         Charles Leno              NOR      Hip                 IR FS         Jairus Byrd                     PHI        Hip                        IR SS          Jaiquawn Jarrett          OAK      PCL                       IR QB      Landry Jones               HOU     Leg                        IR FS         Calvin Pryor                  MEM     Achilles               IR G          Garrett Gilkey                DEN      Back                     IR LB         Paul Posluszny              PIT         Hamstring         IR CB       Dunta Robinson         PIT         Hamstring         IR SS         Jabril Peppers              MGN     Wrist                     2-4 Weeks OT        Dennis Kelly                OKL       Arm                       2-4 Weeks WR       Ronald Johnson         PHI        Hand                    1-2 Weeks WR        Kevin White                 DEN      Hand                    1-2 Weeks G         Chris Watt                   MGN     Shoulder             1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB          Kiko Alonso                POR      Eye DE           Cameron Jordan         NOR      Concussion TE            Jordan Cameron     POR      Shoulder TE           Ben Watson                     DAL       Hamstring SS         LaRon Landry               OHI       Hand QB         Pat White                     NOR      Hand   QUESTIONABLE G             Davis Martin                     STL         Concussion CB        Justin Gilbert                 SD          Hamstring WR        Darrius Heyward-Bey  BAL        Back DE         Dion Jordan                  POR      Pinched Nerve   Stat Races to Watch in Week 16 One week left in the regular season means not only a playoff push for the teams that remain alive but not locked in, but also a race for stats. From players hoping to renegotiate contracts to others looking for All-USFL recognition, the final week can be one where records are broken, league leaders shift, and individual accomplishments are celebrated, especially when the team’s goals are already well-defined as successes or failures. We have no shortage of players that are going to be making a push for individual statistical markers this year. We start with the big one, now considered a longshot, a push to break a record that has stood for over 30 seasons.   The Breakers need to win to earn their Wild Card berth, but in addition to that, Jordy Nelson is in range, a distant range, but in range for Eric Truvillion’s 1986 receiving yardage record of 1,959 yards in a season. That may not happen for Nelson, who would need 224 yards to tie the record, but he may very well break up the monopoly Truvillion has on the record book, with the former Bandit holding the top 3 spots on the season receiving record list. Nelson should break into that top 3 even with a moderately successful performance this week.   We have 6 receivers all looking at the season TD lead with interest this week. Larry Fitgerald, Brian Hartline and TE Jimmie Graham each have 13 TDs on the season, with Jordy Nelson, Marques Colston, and Houston TE Vernon Davis one back at 12. Is it a race to 14 or 15 for someone to grab the title outright?   Currently only Pittsburgh’s Adam Thielen has surpassed 100 receptions this year, but there are 4 others who are within 10 of that big mark: Odell Beckham Jr (NJ), D. J. Hackett (CHA), Denarius Moore (LV) and Aaron Dobson (CHI) could reach 100 if they can get as many as 10 receptions in Week 16 action.   Doug Martin has the rushing lead, as he has held it for most of the year, but two other backs could potentially leapfrog Martin on the season’s final week. MJD is the closest, needing only to outperform Martin by 37 yards in the season finale to overtake him and earn his first rushing title. LeVeon Bell, who started the season with huge ambitions, has come up short of setting a league record and would need to outperform Martin by 100 yards to get the rushing title.   Three other backs are staring at the 1,000 yard mark and hoping they have what it takes to earn their first 1,000-yard seasons. Jacksonville’s Matt Jones needs only 31 yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark. Oakland rookie Christian McCaffrey needs 65, and Anthony Allen, who has not even started the entire season, can reach 1,000 if he can put together a 124-yard outing in his final game of the season, possibly his final game as a Showboat as he remains unsigned beyond Week 16.   While David Carr is well over 4,000 yards passing, sitting at 4,269 after 15 weeks, there are 3 other QBs with a reasonable chance to hit that huge number. Philadelphia’s Matt Gutierrez, having a real bounceback season, needs only 41 yards to eclipse 4,000. Michigan’s Kirk Cousins also needs a modest number, 141 yards this week, while Joe Flacco, who has had his share of 4,000-yard campaigns in the past, could do it again if he can have a very Flacco-esque day, needing 384 yards to get their once again.   Perhaps more of a dubious honor than one players want, there are currently 3 quarterbacks tied for the most interceptions thrown this season. Aaron Murray, Christian Hackenberg, and Paxton Lynch are all sitting at 17 picks on the year. They would each love for one of the others to pull ahead and earn the dubious honor of throwing the most of any starter in the league.   The race for the league’s leading tackler is very close, with 3 players within 1 tackle of each other’s totals. Tampa’s Brian Orakpo and Jacksonville’s Sean Lee both sit at 116, with Birmingham’s DeMarco Ryans only 1 back at 115. All three have been outstanding players saddled with pretty bad supporting casts this year, so winning the tackle title will be at least one positive that comes out of the year.   The sack title has been decided for weeks, with Calais Campbell again proving he is the absolute GOAT as a pass rusher, but there are three players all tied for 2nd with 18 sacks apiece. You know each of them would like to be able to claim 2nd place all for themselves. The four in battle this week for that 2nd place finish are Denver’s Von Miller, Pittsburgh’s Dwight Freeney, New Jersey’s Vic Beasley, Jacksonville’s Robert Ayers, and Campbell’s linemate Arthur Moats are all 9 sacks behind Campbell, but one of them could jump into 2nd with a big game.     Gone But Not Forgotten: San Antonio’s Bittersweet Season It has been a weird spring and summer in San Antonio. For the first time since 1986 they have gone through the spring season without pro football in town. Yes, the Outlaws were still out there, but they were playing nearly 500 miles away in Oklahoma City. Few fans of the Texas Outlaws made the trip up to OKC to watch their former team, and resentment over how the Outlaws “took the money and ran” rather than staying and playing locally is pretty much the overwhelming sentiment in the city. Many former Outlaw fans are ready to jump ship to the new expansion franchise the city has been promised for 2020, but the Outlaws were a part of their lives for 30 seasons, so it was a rough USFL season watching Oklahoma and their new black, crimson, and orange uniforms receiving huge crowds and plenty of fanfare in their new home.   San Antonio fans are holding onto their royal, kelly, and white gear, secure in the knowledge that former Outlaw owner Red McCombs has retained the rights to the colors, if nothing else, and that he has promised that the 2020 expansion team will return those colors to the city. Of course, many fans wish that the team in Oklahoma had taken a new name, much as the Browns became the Ravens when they moved from Cleveland to Baltimore in the NFL. But, the deal needed to be approved, and the folks in OKC were right in saying that the original USFL Outlaws were an Oklahoma team, playing in nearby Tulsa.   2020 will be here before you know it, and we expect McCombs and his new ownership group to reveal the new team well before March of 2020 rolls around, but between now and then, the people of San Antonio, and much of southern Texas are a people without a team, and that is a feeling they have not had in a long time.   Federals Reveal 2018 Uniforms, including “Black Ops” Alternate The Federals become the 6th and final team to present their new Under Armor makeovers. With their season this year going much worse than expected, and some major changes on the way for 2018, it seems as good a time as any for the club to redefine itself and its look. The new Under Armor uniforms help to do that, with major changes to the design of the club, including a fascinating new alternate look.   Let’s start with the primary uniforms. While the team’s eagle logo is unchanged with the 2018 reimagining, there are several aspects of the design that are very much new for Washington. First, looking at the helmet, the team returns to a simple 3-stripe pattern, but UA adds a bit of flare by having the stripes end in curved tips at the back of the helmet, a design nod to the wing design on the primary logo. This motif, of 3 “feather” stripes, is a preeminent one in the entire design. On the jerseys, this is evident in the diagonal sleeve striping, which rises from the cuff in the back to the chest in the front, extending beyond the sleeves in another 3-stripe pattern. This is evident in both the all-green “home” jersey as well as with the green sleeves on the light or “away” uniform. A second new feature in the jersey design is the use of a diagonally tilted number system, something we are more accustomed to seeing in a NASCAR design than on a football jersey. The curved block number rises from the observer’s left to right, again focusing on the theme of flight and upward motion. The pants also feature this theme, removing the long vertical stripes and again presenting a “rising” 3-stripe pattern, which highlights the wing motif once again. Both green and white sets are available for the Federals to mix and match.   The throwback uniforms are exactly what we expected, a return to the more traditional block font and horizontal jersey stripes of the 1983 Federals, though UA did retain a bit more color than the originals by having a two tone collar included in the look, something that was not present in 1983. This look will only have 1 pant set, as the Feds did not add green pants until several years later. The final look is what UA is calling the “Black Ops” kit, a reference to either military or spy operations, appropriate to a team based in the nation’s capital. This uniform is another monochrome look with a matte black helmet, black jersey, pants and socks. The helmet features the same three truncated stripes as the new primaries, with a green-white-green striping, but no longer do we have the familiar eagle logo on the helmet. Instead, we have the crest-like secondary, looking very much like a government office design rather than a football logo. The jerseys are solid black, as are the pants, with the diagonal “rising” stripes much as they are on the primary looks. The numbering is kelly green with white piping. It is a very distinctive look for a club that has always been focused on white over green (to avoid comparisons with the hated Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL).   Saturday Noon Games:  No playoff scenarios on tap here, with Charlotte having already been locked into the 3 seed, but what we have here is potential chaos in the draft order. We could end up with either a 3-way tie for the first pick if Portland loses to Washington and St. Louis loses to Orlando, or a 3-way tie for the 2nd Pick if Portland and St. Louis win, and Pittsburgh loses. May not seem like much, considering the impact the NFL has on USFL first round picks, but you know the GM’s have opinions on this.   SAT @ 12PM ET                  Portland (3-12) @ Washington (2-13) SAT @ 12PM ET                  Orlando (5-10) @ St. Louis (3-12) SAT @ 12PM ET                  Pittsburgh (4-10) @ Charlotte (10-5)   Saturday 4pm Games:  Birmingham needs to win and have either New Orleans or Baltimore lose. They will be playing at the same time as the Breakers. Baltimore won’t play until the next day, but could be in the playoffs if Birmingham stumbles. Someone of those three (Breakers, Blitz, Stallions) is going to have bad news by Monday. Las Vegas needs a win to lock up the 4-seed and a home game. Arizona is almost certainly going to rest their starters.   SAT @ 4PM ET                     Birmingham (8-7) @ Jacksonville (6-9) SAT @ 4PM ET                     New Orleans (8-7) @ Oklahoma (7-8) SAT @ 4PM ET                     Las Vegas (9-6) @ Arizona (14-1)                 Saturday Night Game: Denver needs this win. A loss could be catastrophic as both Ohio and the LA-Seattle winner could leapfrog them, knocking them out of the playoffs. San Diego is locked into the 3 seed, so they, like Arizona, could rest some starters and prepare for the Wild Card round.   SAT @ 7PM ET                     Denver (8-6-1) @ San Diego (10-5)   Sunday Noon Games:  Lots on the line here. The main item on display is the 1-seed in the East. A Philadelphia win clinches it for them. Houston needs to beat Tampa Bay and hope the Blitz can stay hot against the Stars. For Baltimore, a win is essential for the playoffs only if both New Orleans and Birmingham won on Saturday. If either has lost, then the Blitz are already locked into a Wild Card and could opt to rest their starters. We don’t think Philly or Houston will do so.   SUN @ 12PM ET                Baltimore (8-7) @ Philadelphia (13-2) SUN @ 12PM ET                Houston (13-2) @ Tampa Bay (5-10) SUN @ 12PM ET                Dallas (5-10) @ Memphis (6-9)   Sunday 4pm Games:  Some low, intensity matches here, though New Jersey would like to get the win at Oakland to lock up the 4-seed and play at home next week. Michigan is locked into the 2, so they will almost certainly rest their starters. Ohio needs to win against the Fire to have a shot, especially if Denver has won the night before, because if the Gold won on Saturday night, then Ohio can only get in with a win. A loss means the winner of the Sunday Night game will bypass them for the final spot.   SUN @ 4PM ET                   Atlanta (6-9) @ Ohio (8-7) SUN @ 4PM ET                   New Jersey (9-6) @ Oakland (6-9) SUN @ 4PM ET                   Chicago (5-10) @ Michigan (12-3)   Sunday Night Game:  The league put this Pacific matchup on Sunday Night because it is the only game that has the potential to be a Win-and-in-lose-and-out game for both teams. If either Denver or Ohio has already lost, then the winner of this game gets the playoff spot. Of course, if both the Gold and Glory get the W’s they need, then this is very anticlimactic indeed.   SUN @ 7PM ET                   Seattle (8-7) @ Los Angeles (8-7)

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: As much as we want to recognize Cam Newton's day as a rusher, he had less than 60 yards passing, and we cannot reward that over David Carr's outstanding day throwing the ball. Carr threw for 438 Yards and 4 scores, and that, quite frankly, is what you want your QB to do. As much fun as it is for Newton to run, you need to be able to count on your QB to throw the ball effectively, as Carr showed. PLAYOFF PICTURE: We have all six division winners locked up with 2 weeks left to play. Charlotte and Michigan became the 5th and 6th team to punch their playoff ticket, both creating enough distance with the 2nd place team in their division to lock up the title. With San Diego's surprising loss this week, Michigan has moved into the 2-slot in the West and could lock up a bye with the right results next week. We also saw a slew of teams removed from playoff contention as all teams with 5 or fewer wins are now out of the mix, mostly due to divisional or conference records, which make it impossible for them to win tiebreakers with current 7-7 squads.

St.Louis's favorite avian, Skyler Two weeks left in the USFL season and we have all 6 division winners crowned. That is a rarity. But, the good news for all those fans who love to see late season drama is that we still have 6 playoff spots unclaimed and 12 teams very much alive in the hunt. That guarantees that we will have some drama for the next two weeks. But what about this past week? What did Week 14 bring us? How about Cam Newton being his best self as he ripped through the Orlando defense for two long TD runs? How about David Carr making a serious case to win back-to-back MVP awards with a 4-TD, 400-yard outing against a very good Breakers club? And, just for a surprise factor, how about Philadelphia turning a 20-17 deficit into a 23-20 victory in only 20 seconds? We will cover all this, plus take a sneak peak at the offseason ahead, listing our anticipated Top 20 Free Agents and some players who may well be playing their last games in the next 2 weeks. But, let’s kick it off with another coaching change, this time a resignation, as Dallas moves on from Mike Sherman’s 5-years of futility.  Sherman Steps Down as Roughneck Coach With only 2 games left in the regular season, Coach Mike Sherman of the Dallas Roughnecks apparently saw the writing on the wall and announced that he would step down, effective immediately, as head coach of the 5-9 Dallas squad. His team had just suffered a tough defeat, blowing a 17-6 lead in the 4th quarter and losing to Denver in overtime. They were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss, ensuring that Sherman’s 5 season stint in Dallas would produce no playoff appearances. There had been hope after an 8-7-1 season in 2015 that Sherman was building something in Big D, but the Roughnecks dropped to 6-10 last year and now had clinched themselves a losing record for 2017 as well.   There had long been suspicion that before the season Sherman was given an ultimatum, qualify for the postseason or step down. Apparently, rather than wait for Black Monday, Sherman took the task upon himself. In his press announcement he thanked the players, thanked the owners for the opportunity, but declared that he had not made good on promises made to the team or the fans when he took the job back in 2013, and it was time for him to help the team move on.   The Roughnecks announced that OC Todd Haley would take on the Interim Head Coach title, and that Haley would be a candidate for the permanent job. Many expected this, due to Haley’s strong relationship with the team’s young, and supposed franchise QB, Johnny Manziel. Haley will have a 2-game interview ahead of him, with Dallas finishing out the string of games with a home game next week against 7-7 Ohio before heading to Memphis to face the 6-8 Showboats in the season finale. Should Haley’s Roughnecks prevail in both games, or even in 1 with a good showing in the other, the expectation is that Mark Cuban and the ownership group is likely to give Haley the job, confident in his ability to both get the most out of, and avoid any future issues with, their star QB. OAKLAND INVADERS 20   PHILADELPHIA STARS 23 Call It a last gasp surge of effort, call it a trap game, or desperation vs. security, a post-playoff clinching let-down or a game played for pride, but whatever the reason, the flailing Oakland Invaders, playing with their 3rd string QB under center, gave the 12-1 Philadelphia Stars all they could handle on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. In a game that saw Philadelphia as an 11-point favorite in Las Vegas, the Invaders, led by 3rd stringer Bob Volek and practice squad QB Tom Savage, outgained the Stars 383-310, outrushed “King” Henry and the Stars 163-148, won the turnover battle 2-to-1, and held the time of possession as well. But, as tends to be the case with snakebit teams, it was still not enough, as the only advantage that mattered was the one on the scoreboard that moved Philadelphia to13-1 and eliminated Oakland with a 5-9 mark.   Oakland came out fired up, Philadelphia perhaps a bit flat after clinching the NE Division and locking themselves into no worse than the Eastern 2-seed and a bye week in the playoffs. Oakland looked sharp on defense, holding the Stars to a single first down before getting the ball on a punt from the Philly 41. The offense then used a nicely scripted set of plays to move the ball effectively against the Star defense, ending a 9-play drive with Volek hitting Davante Adams for an 11-yard TD to open scoring.   Philadlephia woke up after the scripted Oakland drive, scoring on their next two possessions to take the lead. They got a nice play from WR Randall Cobb on their next possession, spinning out of the initial tackle and turning a 6-yard route into a 30-yard TD. The, on the next drive, Philadelphia moved the ball on the ground, but not with Henry. Whenever Henry was in the game, the Invaders kept 8 players by the line, adding safety Jaiquawn Jarrett to their LB and D-Line groups to bottle up the big man. But when Zac Stacy was in the game, they dropped Jarrett back, and that gave Philadelphia a chance to catch them with some draws. One of those draws worked to perfection, from the Stars’ 25-yard line. The receivers took the safeties deep and TE Travis Kelce provided the key block for Stacy, who bounced the ball outside and ran down the sideline for 7.   Down 7, Oakland responded with a somewhat stilted drive, but did manage to put 3 points on the board with a 32-yard Aguayo kick before the half. At the break, Oakland trailed 14-10 and Philadelphia fans did not seem particularly concerned. That would change in the 3rd quarter. The second half opened with a solid drive that took the ball from Oakland’s 17 into Philadelphia territory, but ended badly for the Invaders as Bob Volek was both picked off and shaken up on the same play, a hit coming from DT Brandon Williams sent the ball up into the air, a perfect tip drill for LB Dan Connor to snatch, while Volek took the shot to his throwing shoulder. He would leave the game and not return. It would be former practice squad QB Tom Savage who would finish out the game.   But, after Philly failed to gain a first down, Oakland got the ball right back, and Savage, going 3 of 5 on the drive, got the Invaders into field goal range, but the field goal was a fake. Punter Matt McBriar took position as the holder, but when he got the ball, he quickly stepped up and found TE Austin Hooper wide open on the right side. The play went for 7 yards, more than enough to meet the 4th and 3 target. Philadelphia was stung by their own assumptions, and 4 players later HB Tyler Ervin, not exactly a household name, stung them again, taking a pitch to the left and diving into the endzone to put Oakland up 17-14. It would be the only score of the quarter as the Invader defense, led by LB Bobby Wagner, made life tough on Stars’ QB Matt Gutierrez and on HB Derrick Henry.   The Stars would equalize the score at 17 early in the 4th, after getting a defensive holding call on a key 3rd down to keep the drive alive. They struggled inside Oakland territory, losing ground on 2 consecutive plays before sending out Mike Nugent to kick from the 22-yard line. The kick knotted up the game, but did not alleviate the tensions felt by Stars fans, who were not at all pleased by the lack of intensity they were seeing from the Stars.   When Oakland drove to within the Philadelphia 5-yard line, the crowd was getting openly disjointed. This is Philly after all, where even Santa Claus cannot escape the often-drunken anger of Philadlephia fans. But the Stars gave them something to cheer about when hope was fading. First, LB Hassan Reddick stuffed Christian McCaffrey for no gain on first and goal. Then a pitch to McCaffrey gained only 1 yard. On third down, Oakland tried a bubble screen to Taylor Gabriel, but it was blown up by CB Cortland Finnegan and Oakland had to settle for the chipshot field goal. That score put them up 3, and with only 1:19 left, they knew that they needed to hold Philadelphia to avoid overtime.   The late score by Oakland put Philadelphia on notice, and Coach Harbaugh huddled up his offense with the plan for the next minute and change. The key was to get into field goal range and get the tie on the board. The Stars would use just 59 seconds to do just that. The drive began with Karlos Williams getting a nice return up to the Philadelphia 34. From there it was on Matt Gutierrez to get the team in range. He connected with Ronald Johnson on the very first play to gain 20 yards. Then a couple of dink plays to his backs and they were in Oakland territory. After another throw got them to the Oakland 33, they failed on both first and 2nd down to make a connection. With only 20 seconds left, Jim Harbaugh did something unexpected, he sent out Mike Nugent to try a 50-yarder rather than trying to gain more yards on 3rd and 10. It mystified the announcers and the fans, but when Nugent put the ball through, there was a clear sign of relief. It was then that Harbaugh revealed his strategy. He was not going for the tie and overtime, he had scouted Oakland’s special teams and knew that in this situation they would leave in their regular return team, expecting a deep kick and some kneel downs to head into overtime. Harbaugh’s team lined up in a regular kickoff formation, but Mike Nugent topped the ball, sending it spinning down the middle of the field. The linemen in the front row of Oakland’s return team were hesitant to pick up the ball, but gunner Sam Shields was not, he raced to the ball, fell on it and suddenly Philadelphia had a first down in Oakland territory with 17 seconds left on the clock.  It was a brilliant coaching decision, one that Dennis Green admitted he had never considered as a possibility until it happened.   Philadelphia came to the line, the ball already on the outskirts of Nugent’s range. They had a time out left, so the entire field was theirs to use. After a quick throw out to the sideline failed to connect with Cobb, Matt Gutierrez found TE Cameron Brate covered by a LB, and connected. Brate quickly went down and Harbaugh called the timeout. The ball was on the Oakland 20, making it a 37-yard kick for Nugent to win the game in regulation, and no pressure, since a miss meant overtime, not a loss. Nugent connected, Philadelphia got their 13th W, and Oakland again felt like the universe was against them. Coach Green admitted that this was a clear case of him being outcoached, that his guys played their guts out on the day, and he let them down. We would tend to agree, though we too were confused and surprised by Harbaugh’s daring moves late in the game.  LOS ANGELES 0   NEW JERSEY 19 An ugly outing for the LA Express and Sam Bradford in particular. Bradford was sacked 5 times and completed only 14 of 39 passes (36%) on a day when LA could only muster 7 first downs. New Jersey did not explode offensively, but they certainly did enough to take the W with Nick Foles hitting Miles Austin for one score and Maurice Jones-Drew finding the endzone for a 2nd. POTG:  Generals’ CB Devin McCourty: 5 Tck, 4 PDef   DENVER 23  DALLAS 17  OVERTIME The Gold were down 17-3 early in the third quarter but rallied to score the final 20 points in the game and move to 8-5-1. Matt Leinart got 210 of his 340 yards in the final period, finding Kelvin Benjamin and Golden Tate for touchdowns. A Greg Zeurlein field goal tied the game with 15 seconds left in regulation and in the opening possession of overtime, Leinart hit Golden Tate with a 36-yard touchdown throw to complete the comeback. POTG:  Gold QB Matt Leinart: 20/35, 340 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   BALTIMORE 24  PITTSBURGH 31 Andy Dalton returned to action and dealt Baltimore a nasty surprise, throwing for 3 scores and helping the Maulers knock off the Blitz. The Mauler D also got into the fun, sacking Ben Roethlisberger 9 times, including 2 from Dwight Freeney. Big Ben completed only 42% of his throws under pressure, while Dalton completed 21 of 29 on the day (72.4%) POTG : Mauler FS Robert Sands: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   OKLAHOMA 20   MICHIGAN 34 Michigan’s run D was more than ready to deal with the new Oklahoma run game. Aided by a 17-0 lead after only 1 quarter, Michigan essentially forced Oklahoma to throw the ball and that allowed them to offset Lynch’s runs and get to Flacco 4 times. Kirk Cousins had no such problems against the Oklahoma defense, throwing for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns. POTG:  Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 22/30, 310 Yds, 4 TD   CHARLOTTE 26  SAN DIEGO 7 San Diego came out flat after locking up their division and Charlotte took advantage of it. The Monarchs built up a 17-0 halftime lead and never looked back. Mitch Trubisky avoided the turnover bug and the Monarch defense keyed on the run game, limiting San Diego to only 25 yards rushing. With little run game to speak of, the pressure was on Joe Webb, and the San Diego QB struggled to find receivers. POTG:  Charlotte CB Zachary Bowman: 4 Tck, 4 PDef, 1 Int   TAMPA BAY 17   JACKSONVILLE 19 The Bulls spoiled Tampa’s 3-game win streak with a late field goal to steal the home win in the Florida Derby. C. J. Beathard got the start and completed 21 of 31, throwing a TD to Mike Williams to help Jacksonville even their record with Tampa’s at 5-9. Dalvin Cook returned to action for Tampa Bay, and had a solid outing with 84 yards on only 16 carries, but it was not enough as Jacksonville gets the W. POTG:  Bulls’ CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sck, 4 PDef, 1 Int   MEMPHIS 16   HOUSTON 20 The Showboats kept it close, and entered the 4th quarter with a slim 16-13 lead, but one mistake cost them the game. Flushed out of the pocket by Ramik Wilson, Memphis QB Paxton Lynch made a poor throw under pressure. The ball was picked by Leodis McKelvin and the speedy corner raced it back for the game-winning points. In his first start, Landry Jones finished 9 of 23 for 121 yards, but it was the defense that got the win for Houston in this matchup. POTG:  Houston CB Leodis McKelvin: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ORLANDO 16   BIRMINGHAM 27 The Stallions improve their record to .500 and are in the Wild Card hunt, thanks in large part to Cam Newton’s legs. After getting caught for a safety in the 2nd quarter, Newton decided to remind everyone what an effective runner he is during the 3rd. Newton, on back-to-back drives, ran for 73- and 50-yard touchdowns. He finished the day with 151 yards on only 12 carries (a 12.6 YPC average). While he only completed 6 of 18 passes, Newton’s legs proved more than enough to outpace the offensively stifled Renegades. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 6/18,56 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int, 12 Att, 151 Yds, 2 TD   LAS VEGAS 16   OHIO 6 The Vipers improved to 8-6 with a hard fought defensive win in Columbus. Eli Manning had the only TD of the game, an 18-yard connection with Doug Baldwin. The rest was a battle of field position and defensive moves and countermoves. The vipers picked off Christian Hackenberg twice and forced 3 turnovers to help them leapfrog Ohio in the Western Conference playoff standings. POTG:  Viper QB Eli Manning: 24/32, 252 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int   CHICAGO 7   ATLANTA 13 Atlanta stayed alive in the playoff race, moving into 2nd place in the SE Division by limiting Trevor Siemian and the Machine to only 189 total yards of offense. Siemian was given the start after Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention, but struggled in his first start of the season. Aaron Murray completed 24 of 29, but did throw 2 picks, keeping Chicago in the game. POTG:  Atlanta CB Darius Slay: 5 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int   WASHINGTON 3  SEATTLE 33 Seattle returns to .500 with an absolute demolition of the floundering Federals. C. J. Anderson and Joseph Addai combine for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns, and the Dragon defense allowed Washington only 1 trip inside the 30-yard line. The Federal run game returned to its worst form all season, with a grand total of 38 yards and only 17 total carries. POTG:  Seattle DE Travis LaBoy: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   ST. LOUIS 21  PORTLAND 34 A surprising offensive output for the Stags as they roll up 148 yards rushing (135 from Doug Martin) and score 6 of 9 possessions. Kyle Boller threw for 332 trying to keep St. Louis in the game, but two 4th quarter TDs from Felix Jones helped Portland pull away for good. Both teams now sit at 3-11, and Portland may have actually helped St. Louis improve their draft standing with the Stag win. POTG:  Portland HB Doug Martin: 22 Att, 135 Yds, 1 TD   ARIZONA 41  NEW ORLEANS 14 The Wranglers had New Orleans’s number in this one, with David Carr simply carving up the Breaker defense. Carr finished with 438 yards and 4 touchdowns, including a 57 yarder to Larry Fitzgerald and a 34-yarder to TE Jimmie Graham. It was 14-14 with 2 minutes left to go in the first half, but Arizona then put the hammer down, shutting out New Orleans the rest of the way and scoring 27 unanswered points to turn a close game into a rout. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 19/31, 438 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int  Moreno Frustrated with Renegades, Seems Unlikely to Resign Knowshon Moreno adds himself to the list of players who seem ready to move on next year. While not as dramatic as Cam Newton’s locker room explosion, the tone and message sent by the Orlando HB during the post-game interview this week left little doubt but that the team’s leading rusher is likely to be playing elsewhere next year. Moreno’s 4-year deal is set to expire in 2 weeks and all the reports out of Orlando have the back and the club very far from an agreement. Moreno sees himself as an elite back and is asking for Frank Gore or LeVeon Bell money. Orlando is looking at a back who has not had a 1,000-yard season since 2015, and would need huge numbers to reach it this year. He is also going to turn 29 in the offseason, and we all know teams are not in love with paying top dollar for backs as they enter their 30’s. The outcome of this difference of perspectives is that it is very likely that Moreno, and his agent, will wait out the Renegades and take a shot at free agency. If he is available, Moreno is likely to be among the top players in the pool, and certainly at halfback.   Harrington Hints at Possible Retirement It is not looking good for Oakland fans who wanted assurance that their star QB, Joey Harrington, would be back, fully recovered from his injury and ready to roll in 2018. All reports out of Harrington’s camp seem to be pointing towards the 37-year old QB calling it a career and joining the world of golf-playing and gigs on TV as a color commentator. Harrington, who began his career in Orlando in 2002, has been with the Invaders since coming to the team in 2005. He became the starter for Oakland late in the 2006 season and has been at the helm of the Invader offense ever since. The MCL tear this season that cost him all but 5 games is certainly a big factor, but so too is the frustration over having his WR group gutted this past offseason, with both Keenan Allen and TE Richard Rodgers now with other teams. At 37 years old, 38 by the next camp, Harrington is one of the older QBs in the league, with only Drew Brees older than him among active starters. Eli Manning is just a couple of months younger. So, those of you who are big fans of Brees and Manning, well, if Harrington steps away, the doors may stay open. Just sayin’.   Five Teams Almost Certainly in the QB Market Since we are talking about quarterbacks, and the very real possibility that Oakland is in the market for a franchise QB. We thought we should look at those teams who we see as very likely taking a long hard look at this year’s bumper crop of potential 1st year starters. This is a good year to need a young QB to build a team around. And with most of the potential 1st rounders either not at a T-Draft protected school (Allen & Lauletta) or at schools protected by teams not likely in dire QB straits (Mayfield, Darnold, Jackson, and Rosen), there is a chance for any of these clubs to make a deal to either move into another team’s T-Draft pool or up into the top of the Open Draft. A very intriguing set up for what could be a dynamic offseason.  When we look across the league, these are the 5 teams that we expect will be very much players in the feeding frenzy for young, highly-rated QB prospects.   OAKLAND INVADERS Currently: Likely retirement of Joey Harrington, Ryan Lindley and Bob Volek on the roster.   No doubt that Oakland is already scouting the QB pool heavily. Here is their main problem, of the Top 4 rated rookie QB prospects, two of them, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen, can have their rights held by division rivals (LA and SD respectively). No way are the Express or the Thunder going to hand over the rights to a possible franchise QB to a division rival in distress. That limits Oakland to the other prospects or to making a deal with a team that has a potential trade in mind. Expect Coach Green to be in communication with Oklahoma if he feels that the Outlaws are not interested in Mayfield, because Mayfield fits well into Oakland’s style of play.   JACKSONVILLE BULLS Currently: The Bulls seem unsettled, not feeling good about Robert Griffin’s health issues or C. J. Beathard’s long term prospects.   We see Jacksonville as a team that could be in position to move up in the Open Draft and take a long look at Wyoming’s Josh Allen. He is athletic, a solid runner like Griffin, but with the frame of a linebacker, certainly able to absorb hits better than Griffin, who fans have started to refer to as Mr. Glass (the popular villain in M. Night Shamalan’s “Unbreakable”. We could also see the Bulls looking to give Beathard a shot and signing a mid-round QB to be there if he flounders. In that case, someone like Western Kentucky’s Mike White, or even local product AlexMcGough out of FIU could be their backup plan.   CHICAGO MACHINE Currently: They just benched Ryan Fitzpatrick to give Trevor Siemian another look.   We think Chicago wants to love Trevor Siemian, but has he given them enough to go on if they decide that Ryan Fitzpatrick is just not doing it for them. There will be trade value for Fitzie, we know that, but if they don’t see Siemian developing, can they really go into 2018 with him as their lone option? We think Chicago, which could end the year with a Top 10 draft pick, could trade their 1st rounder to Oklahoma, LA, or San Diego to take a shot at Mayfield, Darnold or Rosen. Seems a good option, especially because they would still have Siemian if their selected QB ends up in the NFL instead.   WASHINGTON FEDERALS Currently: Another team with an injured veteran QB who is past 35-years-old and could be on the way to the golf course.   Yes, David Garrard has played very well for the Feds, but he will be 36 before he next suits up, and he has taken a lot of abuse in recent years, including the ACL injury that sidelined him this year. An ACL is a tough injury to return from, and Garrard could see limited benefit to return, especially if he has no idea who the coaches will be next year, as is the case right now. If we assume Garrard is not back, and a new coach wants to start fresh, well, then it is time to look for a QB. We have no idea what the Feds want in a QB, because we have no idea who their coach will be. So, until we know that, we are assuming every QB in the draft is going to be heavily scouted by Washington.   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS Currently: Overjoyed with Drew Brees, and even OK with Pat White, but…   So, this is pure speculation. If Drew Brees comes back next year at 39 years old, well he is the starter. The Breakers also like their depth with Pat White and rookie Chad Kelly learning from the master and being asked to emulate Brees’s focus on accuracy. The Breakers may not have QB on their radar, but if Brees does opt to retire before turning 39, would that change? We think it should. When we look at a player like Lamar Jackson, we see so much potential in an offense like that of the Breakers, with a superstar deep threat in Jordy Nelson, a reliable safety valve in Coby Fleener, and a line that can both block and open holes for QB runs. Maybe we are just seeing the potential and getting excited about it, but we think New Orleans would be wise to take a stab a the Louisville prospect.   Four Coordinators Looking at Possible HC Moves in 2018 With two head coaching positions already open, the time is now for USFL coordinators to show their best stuff and get ready to be interviewed. If they want to move on and move up, we think these four coordinators in particular are primed to step into the big chair and take on a head coaching position.   Matt LaFleur, Houston QB Coach & Passing Game Specialist What LaFleur has done in transitioning from Hasselbeck to McCoy, and the immediate success Colt McCoy has had after spending all those years on the bench is a testament to Matt LaFleur’s skillset. He prepared McCoy for the moment, assessed his skillset and tweaked the Houston attack to match it. Now picture him doing that with one of the premier rookie QB prospects coming out this year. If I am in the market for a new coach and a rookie QB, I had better have LaFleur on my short list of coaching prospects.   Brian Flores, Charlotte Defensive Coordinator If defense is what my team needs, there may be no better prospect out there than Charlotte’s Brian Flores. The Monarchs don’t get the hype of some other teams, but this is the league’s top-rated run defense and one of the best at taking the ball away. If I am a team that is hemmoraghing points but has a solid OC in place, I would keep that guy right where he is, but replace the head man with a defensive minded coach like Flores (looking at you St.Louis).   Matt Nagy, New Orleans Offensive Coordinator If my situation is the exact opposite, solid defense, but a hopeless offense, the same strategy can work. Keep your DC in place, replace your head coach with an offensive guru like Nagy. Not a lot of teams have good defenses and losing records (look it up), but there are a couple of potential takers. We could see Nagy headed to Orlando, for example, if they opt to move away from Fox, or maybe Portland, if they trust their 24th ranked defense to improve more easily than their 25th ranked offense.   Jim Fassel, Oklahoma Assistant Head Coach & Special Teams Coordinator Yes, we know. Not exactly a hot, young turk in the field. Jim Fassel has been around for a long time, and while promoting someone from Special Teams to the HC position is just not done, Fassel is not your typical special teams guy. His role in Oklahoma has changed over the course of the past 2 years. He has a voice in the ear of HC Greg Landry, and many are saying it is his “old school” focus that helped Landry make the switch from a pass-happy offense to a smashmouth style. Fassel has coached before, has led teams before, and while his style is more old school discipline and simpler schemes, if your team has a solid grounding, and particularly a solid HB to build around, he could be a perfect fit to bring order and discipline to a loose team. This could be very effective in a place like Portland (Doug Martin as centerpiece), or St. Louis. Not a great fit in DC or Dallas, the current open positions, but there are places that could do with more of an old-school take on coaching. Two weeks left to play, and for 12 teams all to play for. Week 14 saw Charlotte and Michigan lock in their divisions, meaning that all 6 division winners are now crowned, but all 6 Wild Card spots remain open. Between that and the fight for the 1 seed in both conferences, there is still a lot to be decided. When we look at the Wild Card races, it is pretty self-explanatory. The 6 teams currently in Wild Card position (New Jersey, New Orleans, Baltimore, Denver, Las Vegas, and Ohio) can stay there by winning their last 2 games. They control their own destinies. 2-0 means they are playing in Week 17. For the others who remain alive (Birmingham, LA, and Seattle at 7-7; Atlanta, Memphis, and Oklahoma at 6-8), they need help. The three 6-8 clubs need to win out and need a lot of help as they each have 4-5 teams ahead of them in the rankings. The 7-7 teams need the right combination of wins and losses among themselves, their 7-7 peers and the teams ahead of them with 8 wins. It gets really complicated, but the basic premise is the same for all 12 of these teams, win 2 games to have a shot. For some it is a guaranteed shot, for others it is all they can do to help themselves, and then rely on fortune for the rest.   With 6 teams locked into playoff spots and 12 more competing for the 6 remaining spots, that means that we have 10 teams now out of the picture, and that is, in fact, the case. This week’s results mean that any team with 9 losses or more under their belts are now eliminated. That adds 5 teams to our pool of non-contenders: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Oakland. For these 5 teams, the only motivation they can now have is a combination of pride and wanting to finish 7-9 instead of earning the dreaded distinction of being a 10-loss team. Not sure that is enough to motivate them to avoid a loss in the next 2 weeks, but it is all that is left.   Several injuries that could complicate the final playoff push. In Philadelphia, the hunt for that 1 seed will have to happen without TE Travis Kelce, expected to miss up to 2 weeks with a neck injury. In New Orleans, the Breaker D will be without LB Rocky McIntosh, at least this week, as he deals with a pinched nerve in his hip. Also a bad week for offensive linemen, with 3 added to IR and several others expected to miss action. That could mean trouble for several USFL quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco, who certainly has been sacked more than enough this year.   OUT OT          Sam Tevi                     MEM     MCL                               IR OG         Garrett Gilkey                DEN      Back                               IR OT          Dennis Kelly                OKL       Arm                               4-6 Weeks OG         Trevor Canfield           ATL         Biceps                            2-4 Weeks TE         Travis Kelce               PHI        Neck                             1-2 Weeks LB           Rocky McIntosh           NOR      Pinched Nerve              1-2 Weeks LB           Jerod Mayo                    CHA      Abdomen                     1-2 Weeks WR         Arrelious Benn               LV           Turf Toe                       1-2 Weeks WR         Marquise Goodwin       OKL       Arm                              1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL TE           Ben Watson                DAL       Hamstring OT          Zach Strief                     ATL         Eye LB           Jarrett Johnson           JAX         Ribs OT          David Bakhtiari          DEN      Knee OT          Reid Fragel                  OHI       Concussion   QUESTIONABLE LB           Blair Brown               DEN      Concussion WR         Hank Basket             TBY        Hand HB         T. J. Yeldon               BIR         Concussion QB         Joe Webb                    SD          Finger DE          Robert Quinn            OHI       Neck   Our Projected Top 20 of 2018 USFL Free Agents Two weeks. That is how long more than half the teams in the USFL have to lock in their players with contract expiration coming up. Sure, there is the USFL playoffs, and teams can continue to negotiate, but once the playoffs start, every agent of every unsigned player is going to be playing hardball, knowing that hitting the open market is likely to produce a better payday and a better commission. So, as we look at the players who have yet to sign extensions or obtain a new deal, we think we can put together a pretty accurate look at just who will be plying the waters of the free agent sea. Here is our look at 20 players we think could be there and could be in high demand when free agency starts in early August.   20    FB Roosevelt Nix (OKL) Expected to be a cap cut, even with the new emphasis on the inside run game by the Outlaws, Nix is either going to have to take a pay cut or hit the market.   19    TE Tyler Eifert (LV) A solid receiver who could get a payday if he moves to a team that has more cap room to spare.   18    LB Donterrious Thomas (OAK)  Age, and the possible need for Oakland to find room to land a QB, could be the reason we see Thomas on the market.   17    DT John Jenkins (HOU) Houston has to make cuts somewhere, and we think Jenkins is solid, but not so irreplaceable that Houston won’t try to find a cheaper option.   16    WR Eric Weems (STL) So tough to go into a contract year and then lose the season to injury. Weems was becoming a high-value player in St. Louis, and they may well want to welcome him back, but he may also play the market despite the injury concern.   15   HB C. J. Spiller (DAL) With two rookie backs on the roster, both sucking up pretty big dollars, Spiller, who just never developed into the player we expected, is likely the odd man out.   14    DE Quentin Groves (ARZ) The Wranglers have to free up cap space to resign several big name players, and we think they will do so by letting Groves go. Not going to get you 15 sacks each year, but he is solid in both run coverage and pass rush.   13    C Matt Tenant (BIR) The best lineman on an iffy front. Tenant is very good as a pass protector, even against the best interior linemen, but he will lose value simply because Birmingham has not been able to build a good run game.   12   FS Donte Whitner (POR) A good defender on a bad defense. Rumors have Whitner wanting to move out of the PNW and find a more high-profile market. Yeah, Portland is many things but media hub is not one of them.   11  DE Michael Bennett (MGN) This would be a tough loss for the Panthers, but we are not sure they have the cash available to give him what he is going to want. 10    HB Anthony Allen (MEM) Allen has shown us bell cow production for 2 years now. It is time for him to cash in and get his shot to be the true number one for someone.   9     SS Shaun Schillinger (SEA) Schillinger is not a big name nationally, but coaches around the league see how he plays and what he brings. Leaving Seattle could honestly lead to him doubling his compensation, and you cannot deny a man a chance to do that.   8   CB Brandon Flowers (ARZ) Another potential cap casualty for Arizona’s stacked defense. This is the challenge of having a dynasty, eventually the pieces start to break up because you cannot pay them all.   7  G Kyle Long (OKL) Not a high-cost position, but when you are one of the best at the position, you need to test the waters. If Oklahoma cannot get the ink signed by Week 16, we think he finds a nice payday elsewhere.   6   WR Justin Blackmon (OHI) JB has played well in Ohio, and the team is improving, but he will never get major national attention or the side hustle deals with sponsors in Columbus. That, plus a nice paycheck, are far more likely if he enters the market.   5   FS David Bruton (JAX) In a year that could see several top safeties seek better deals, Bruton is likely the top prospect and will pull the best deal.   4  OT Willie Colon (HOU) If I am Colon, I want to be paid as the top LT in the game (a debatable call), and if I am one of the other 3 teams in the Southern Division, I might just pay that to get him away from the Gamblers. All three could use him. That is for sure.   3   HB Knowshon Moreno (ATL) Knowshon is unhappy in Atlanta, and his production shows it. He is likely looking for his final contract, and a team has to know that production beyond 2-3 more years is not likely, but as a short-term fix for a run game, you could do a lot worse.   2  WR Stevie Johnson (PHI) The Stars are coming up on a cap catastrophe, and with the rise of Randall Cobb as a target in the Philly passing game, we think they will, begrudgingly, let Johnson test the waters, where you know he will have options.   1  CB Patrick Peterson (NOR) Not often is a defender the top free agent prospect, but in Patrick Peterson you get what every team wants and needs, a shut down corner who can take away half the field. That is worth a king’s ransom in either league, and you know both the NFL and USFL are salivating at the chance to land Peterson for the next 4-6 years.   Some solid divisional games this week, but you know which game you are not going to miss. It is 13-1 Houston heading to their old division rival 13-1 Arizona in what could very much be a Summer Bowl preview. This is two teams that did not like each other at all when they both played in the SW Division, and now that Houston is located in the Southern Division, the level of animosity is not lowered at all. Neither team wants to lose this one, so expect this to be a playoff atmosphere in prime time on ESPN and EFN Friday night.   Saturday may not have the same intensity, but it does have 4 divisional games, including a tough SW Division “must win” game for the Oklahoma Outlaws, as they head to Denver to face a Gold team that could clinch a playoff spot with a win. We are also intrigued by the Philly-LA matchup as the Express simply cannot afford a loss, even with the 13-1 Stars in town. On Sunday, we have more playoff-impact on tap as Memphis needs a win in Las Vegas to stay alive and Baltimore clashes with New Orleans on Sunday night. Seattle also has a must-win game as they host the San Diego Thunder in a Pacific Division clash that could decide if the Dragons are a true Cinderella story, or if the shoe does not fit.   FRI 7PM ET         OHIO (7-7) @ DALLAS (5-9)                      FOX FRI 9PM ET      HOUSTON (13-1) @ ARIZONA (13-1)   ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET       NEW JERSEY (8-6) @ PITTSBURGH (4-9-1)      ABC SAT 12PM ET     JACKSONVILLE (5-9) @ ATLANTA (6-8)         FOX SAT 4PM ET   PORTLAND (3-11) @ OAKLAND (5-9)            ABC SAT 4PM ET      PHILADELPHIA (13-1) @ LOS ANGELES (7-7) FOX SAT 7PM ET         MICHIGAN (11-3) @ ORLANDO (5-9)                NBC SAT 9PM ET      OKLAHOMA (6-8) @ DENVER (8-5-1)                ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET      BIRMINGHAM (7-7) @ WASHINGTON (2-11)  ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET       ST. LOUIS (3-11) @ CHICAGO (4-10)            ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET    TAMPA BAY (5-9) @ CHARLOTTE (9-5)            FOX SUN 4PM ET         SAN DIEGO (10-4) @ SEATTLE (7-7)               ABC SUN 4PM ET        MEMPHIS (6-8) @ LAS VEGAS (8-6)               FOX SUN 8PM ET        NEW ORLEANS (8-6) @ BALTIMORE (7-7)    ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Marshawn Lynch provides Oklahoma with a second big week in a row, this time going for 179 and a score. The new smashmouth version of the Outlaws is looking like a winner for Coach Landry, and certainly is making Lynch a much more valuable commodity. PLAYOFF PICTURE: San Diego joins the playoff club and Arizona locks up the SW Division as more playoff pieces start to fall into place. Philadelphia overtakes Houston for the top spot in the East after the Gambler's surprising loss to the Stallions. The Stars also capture the NE Division, and with both Philly and Houston now 4 games up on Charlotte, the two division winners are guaranteed a bye week as either the 1 or 2 seeds. We also see 4 more teams eliminated as St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Jacksonville are now mathematically eliminated along with the Federals and Stags.

Amos Alonzo Stag is a staple in Portland. Undefeated is a tough thing to pull off. It has only been done once in the USFL, and that one time holds up again as the Houston Gamblers are shocked at home by a plucky and determined Birmingham Stallions squad. We will go in depth on that game, look at the big road win for the Thunder that punched their playoff ticket, and review all the scores of the week, a week that saw 4 more teams drop out of the playoff race, but a lot of races still very much in fierce competition. We will also preview the 2018 draft class as seniors (and a few juniors) gear up for the upcoming college season and take a look at the newly announced 2018 USFL Hall of Fame Class. A big week, a lot to cover, let’s get right to it. Teams Streaking in Two Very Different Directions While the big story of the week is clearly the loss at home by the Gamblers, since that is our Game of the Week, it will get the depth of coverage it merits. So, we start our report with another important story, the streaking teams that are either rocketing their way into playoff contention or spiraling into disaster. We start with the rockets, Baltimore, New Orleans, and, yes, the Tampa Bay Bandits. Baltimore’s rise has already been discussed, but with their win this week, they have all but erased the 5-game slide that had them fall from 2nd in the NE Division down to 4th. Well, with a win over New Jersey as their 4th in a row, they now find themselves right in the mix, sharing a 7-6 record with the Generals and solidly in the Wild Card hunt behind division winner Philadelphia. Baltimore’s rebound has been a whole-team effort, with the offense averaging over 30 points per game over the streak and the defense keeping their first 3 opponents under 20 points (including their 23-0 shutout win over Pittsburgh). This week, New Jersey cracked 20 but still could not overtake the red-hot Blitz. New Orleans is another team that seemed to be floundering, falling to 5-5 and well behind the Gamblers in the Southern Division, but they have now ripped off 3 consecutive wins, including 2 divisional wins to bolster their playoff chances. Now 8-5, it seems like the Breakers are now in full swing towards the playoffs, with one of the stories of the year, Jordy Nelson’s pursuit of the receiving yard record, serving as motivation for the Breakers now that the Division Title is not going to happen. And yes, the Tampa Bay Bandits have now won 3 in a row and are actually in range of the postseason at 5-8. It is a longshot, but with recent wins over both Atlanta and Orlando (as well as Washington), the Bandits have a chance, and a solid 3-3 division record. That they can still hope to make a move in the division is quite a surprise after their very rough 1-7 start, but this past month they have apparently found their footing. With 2 divisional games on tap (at Jacksonville and home to Charlotte) they can make a run, but that closing game against Houston could be tough, assuming the Gamblers don’t rest their starters. If the Gamblers do, then we could see Tampa go from 1-7 to 8-8, which would be a major accomplishment for Coach June Jones. Things are not so rosy in Atlanta, where the Fire have dropped from 5-5 and playoff contention to 5-8 and a rough road ahead. Losses to the Monarchs and Bandits have hurt their divisional standing. The good news? They have back-to-back 4-win teams on their schedule before a final game in Ohio. They, like Tampa, could be 8-8 when all is said and done, but will that be enough to make the post-season? Oakland’s woes are well-documented. Down to their 3rd option at QB and now with Christian McCaffrey dinged up, Oakland has lost 4 in a row and failed to score more than 10 points in 3 of those games. With a brutal road game in Philadelphia this week, Oakland could be on the outside looking in very quickly. Fans seem to have already checked out, with sales for the two final home games looking pretty bleak, and the team itself could well be looking at 2018 with players hoping to boost their value before free agency or to secure a job for next year. If Oakland’s situation is bleak, Orlando’s is even darker. The Renegades are sitting on a 5-game losing streak, one that has seen them drop from the top of the division practically to the bottom. Their last 3 games have been particularly humiliating, suffering a 23-0 shutout to the Blitz, before suffering a 17-point loss to division rival Charlotte and a close, but ultimately frustrating loss in Tampa Bay. It does not get easier for Orlando as they must travel to Birmingham to face the Stallions just a week after Birmingham knocked off unbeaten Houston, and deal with Michigan in Week 15. Yes, the Russell Wilson injury is a huge reason for the collapse, but the fact that Orlando has not been able to find strategies to work around his absence has been very telling, and not in a good way.  BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 27 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 21 We did not see this coming at all, and that is what is so fun about pro football. Birmingham was a bickering team with their star player demanding a trade and the head coach essentially getting him abused at the end of last week’s game by forcing the star player to take hit after hit at the end of the game. Maybe the message sank in. Maybe the anger the Stallions had been inflicting on each other found a more viable direction, or maybe they just caught Houston being too cocky and too confident. Whatever the reason, Birmingham’s upset win in Houston is one of the biggest surprises of the year.   Houston came into the game undefeated, practically untouched, but as with so many things in the USFL, the margin between victory and defeat can be very thin, and even thinner if one of your star players cannot go. The Gamblers had been rolling because QB Colt McCoy had stepped in after the retirement of Matt Hasselbeck and immediately started putting up MVP numbers. His ease of adjustment to the role of starter and the ability of Coach Phillips to use his talents to their maximum has been one of the stories of the year, so, when McCoy went to the turf with a friendly-fire injury after only 3 plays, it was a huge shockwave to the Gamblers.   McCoy was pivoting to hand the ball off to Carlos Hyde when his own guard stepped back a bit too far and stepped squarely on the QB’s ankle. Hyde got the ball, but McCoy crumpled to the ground and had to be helped off. The verdict, discovered later, was not an ankle injury as assumed, but a hyper-extended knee (visible when we reexamined the footage). McCoy will likely miss the next two Gambler games, and he was done for the remainder of the Stallion game.   Losing their starting QB was certainly a huge blow for the Gamblers, but it should not have immediately impacted the defense, and yet it seems to have done just that. With the score 0-0 when McCoy went down, Coach Phillips tried to engage his defense, letting them know that they would need to step up, and that pressure was apparently too much for them. Birmingham scored on 3 consecutive drives, a Hartley field goal, followed by a 12-play drive where Danny Woodhead added 7 and then another long drive that saw Cam Newton find Amari Cooper for 7. Suddenly, late in the 2nd, it was 17-0 Birmingham, and the Gamblers needed to rally, something they simply had not needed to respond to in their 12-0 run.   To their credit, Houston did put points on the board before the half. Landry Jones, in for McCoy, led the Gamblers on a 9-play 2-minute drill that concluded with him finding McCoy’s favorite target, TE Vernon Davis, for the TE’s 12th touchdown of the season. Jones would play most of the game, with Jeff Driskoll taking only a few snaps midway through the third when Jones took a finger to the eye. He would complete 11 of 24 for 199 yards and 2 scores, but he struggled to convert 3rd downs, with only 2 of 10 successful.   Meanwhile, Cam Newton, who was still fuming all week about his teams and his protection, had reason to fume, as he was sacked 7 times by the Gamblers. And yet, during the game he did not lash out at his coach or his teammates, he simply did his job. Newton went 16 of 27 for 218 and 2 scores, also rushing for 44 yards, though it should be noted that 8 of his 11 rushing attempts were clearly unplanned scrambles, not the sacrificial QB runs that Coach Ellard had called at the tail end of last week’s game.   Birmingham got the ball first to start the 3rd and they quickly bumped the advantage back up to 17, with Newton hitting Dontrelle Inman with a very nice post pattern, producing a 29-yard TD strike. Houston tried to rally, with Carlos Hyde scoring on a goalline plunge, and Jones finding rookie JuJu Smith Schuster for a score to bring the game within 3 at 24-27, but all that 3rd quarter action was followed by Birmingham shutting down Jones and the Gamblers in the 4th. In the final period, Houston managed only 2 first downs and never crossed the 50. Birmingham used the run (110 yards between Woodhead and Newton) and short passes to keep possession and Houston just seemed unable to get them off the field. They would only put up another 3 points, in part due to a TD toss to Cooper being called back for offensive holding and a missed field goal from Hartley, but the game was solidly in Birmingham’s control.   Houston drops their first game, understandable when you realize their star QB missed all but 3 plays, and Birmingham wins their 2nd in a row to get into the Wild Card conversation at 6-7. So once again the Ohio Glory can rest easy, their 2002 record run to an undefeated season sitting alone (with the NFL Dolphins of 1973) as the pinnacle of perfection in the sport. Houston, already locked into a top 2 seed (with the bye that entails) drops below Philadelphia on tie-breakers but is certainly in the mix for the top seed. They stay home next week for another divisional game, this time Memphis, who are also 6-7) while Birmingham will try to keep their issues under wraps and their anger focused on the opposition when they host the slumping Orlando Renegades in Protective Stadium next week. OHIO 16 CHICAGO 10 Chicago took a 10-6 lead into the half, but the second half was all Ohio as Rashad Jennings and Robbie Gould helped the Glory pull out the 16-10 win and improve to 7-6. Christian Hackenberg went 24 of 35 for 232 and the Ohio defense held Matt Forte to 52 yards as Ohio improved their playoff positioning with the win. POTG: Ohio LB Daniel Ellerbe: 6 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   OAKLAND 6 LOS ANGELES 10 No weather issues, just two teams unable to do much on offense. Yes, Reggie Bush rushed for 100 yards on only 13 carries, but LA could only get one TD on the day and Oakland could not even do that with Bob Volek at QB. A real snoozer, but LA gets the W they need to move about .500 and stay in the Wild Card hunt as Oakland loses their 4th in a row. POTG: LA cornerback Stephon Gilmore: 5 Tck, 6 PDef, 1 Int   PITTSBURGH 0 MEMPHIS 23 The few fans still hanging on to Kevin Hogan as the Mauler QB could not be happy after watching this game. Memphis just dominated the game, limiting Pittsburgh to 158 total yards. Anthony Allen again came up big on the ground, rushing for 122 and a score as Memphis dominated time of possession: 36 minutes to 23. POTG: Showboat HB Anthony Allen: 34 Att, 122 Yds, 1 TD   PHILADELPHIA 33 WASHINGTON 17 The Stars again handle Washington with ease, with Matt Gutierrez throwing for 338 and the defense holding Washington to a sad 19 total yards rushing. A pick six, and a Derrick Henry TD run helped the Stars pull away for the 16-point win. POTG:  Philadelphia WR Randall Cobb: 3 Rec, 136 Yds, 1 TD   MICHIGAN 27 ST. LOUIS 21 Michigan moves to 10-3 thanks to a solid defensive game and a good day from Kirk Cousins. LeVeon bell only mustered 38 yards against the Skyhawk defense, but Cousins threw for 265. Kyle Boller got the start for the Skyhawks and looked better than expected as he shook the rust off, going 23 of 33 for 211. POTG:  Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 24/30, 265 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int   DALLAS 24 OKLAHOMA 31 A solid game from Johnny Manziel, throwing for 3 scores, but once again the new Smashmouth Outlaws proved they can dominate the game on the ground. Marshawn Lynch rushed the ball 28 times for 179 yards and a score. Jahvid Best added another 13 carries for 54 yards, which meant that Joe Flacco was again protected, going 16 of 23 for 162 and 2 scores. Dallas made it close late, but Oklahoma held on to move to 6-7 and keep their once-faint playoff hopes alive. POTG: Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 28 Att, 179 Yds, 1 TD   SAN DIEGO 20 DENVER 17 OVERTIME Denver sent the game to overtime with a late Greg Zeurlein kick, but in the extra period the Thunder got the win with their own kicker, Jeff Reed, as he ended the game with a walk off 47-yarder. Ryan Williams had a big game with 115 yards and a score, while for Denver DeMarco Murray scored twice in this entertaining game. POTG: Thunder HB Ryan Williams: 15 Att, 115 Yds, 1 TD   NEW JERSEY 23 BALTIMORE 30 The Generals stumble again as Baltimore makes it 4 wins in a row. Big Ben throws for 3 scores and the Baltimore D holds Maurice Jones-Drew to only 1.9 yards per carry as they dominate the line of scrimmage. Baltimore now ties New Jersey at 7-6 but is clearly the hotter of the two teams in the NE Division. POTG:  Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 9/23, 189 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   ORLANDO 13 TAMPA BAY 16 The Bandits win their third in a row as they down the spiraling Renegades. No Tebow sighting for Orlando, as Brandon Allen got the start, going 23 of 40 for 185 in his first outing. Rex Burkhead again was the catalyst for the Bandits, rushing for 112 and a score. POTG:  Tampa Bay DE Tank Carradine: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   JACKSONVILLE 3 NEW ORLEANS 26 Jacksonville started C. J. Beathard against the Breakers, but it did not rattle the Breaker D, who held the Bull QB to only 113 yards passing. Drew Brees did a touch better, throwing for 304 and 2 scores, including another strong day for Jordy Nelson with 139 yards and a score as he closes in on Truvillion’s mark. POTG: Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 6 Rec, 139 Yds, 1 TD   SEATTLE 20 LAS VEGAS 23        OVERTIME Another good overtime game as the Dragons and Vipers both battle for that 7th win. The Vipers come out on top as Brett Maher connects on the game winner in overtime. Las Vegas trailed 20-7 after a Joseph Addai TD run in the early part of the 4th but got a late TD from Doug Baldwin and two Maher field goals to force overtime. By then all the momentum was with the Vipers as Seattle now has dropped 2 in a row. Manning gets POTG despite 4 picks, thanks to his 4th quarter heroics. POTG: Viper QB Eli Manning: 29/47, 238 Yds, 2 TD, 4 Int   PORTLAND 0 ARIZONA 35 We thought this one could get ugly and it sure did. Portland could do nothing against the Wrangler D, with Mariota sacked 4 times, while David Carr went wild for 4 scores and 309 yards before Ryan Nassib came in late in the game. It was all Arizona all day as KaDeem Carey, slowly taking on the lead back role, rushed 17 times for 75 yards and a score as well. POTG: Wrangler QB David Carr: 15/20, 309 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 21 CHARLOTTE 27 It might have been the Fire’s last shot at a playoff spot, but Charlotte got the win as Aaron Murray was knocked out of the game early and Brad Gradkowski was rusty, throwing 2 picks. Mitchell Trubisky looked very much in command, completing 23 of 30 passes for 190 yards and 3 scores. Hakeem Nicks was again his favorite target with 6 receptions and 2 scores. POTG:  Charlotte QB Mitch Trubisky: 23/30, 190 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int Two Shutouts in One Week as Team Disparity on Display Shutouts have been about as rare in the USFL as snow games in July, but for some reason 2017 appears to be the Year of the Shutout. With two shutout wins this week, Memphis’s 23-0 win over the Maulers and Arizona’s 35-0 demolition of Portland we have the first week in league history with 2 shutouts in the same week. Add to that the Fire’s 20-0 shut out of Tampa Bay in Week 5 and Baltimore’s 23-0 win over the Renegades in Week 11 and you have 4 shutouts in the season’s first 13 weeks, which is already double the highest total in any past season.   So, what is the issue? Is there an issue? Or is it just a quirk of fate. Well, the obvious common denominator is bad QB play. Whether it is teams working with backups, like Kevin Hogan in Pittsburgh, E. J. Manuel in Tampa Bay, or Brandon Allen in Orlando, or just poor offensive game planning, we are seeing a lot of games where the losing team does not even muster 10 points, often only getting a minimal TD or even a lone field goal on the board. In that situation it is no doubt that we would see more shutouts. No one wants to see it, well, except if it is your rival and you just blow them away, but between QB injuries and what clearly seems like a disparity among the “haves” and “have nots” when it comes to star power, this cannot be seen as an abnormality, it is going to happen.   Lynch Has Another Big Week for Outlaws As if last week’s 181-yard performance in Seattle was not proof enough that Oklahoma has found something in their new smashmouth offensive gameplan, Lynch following that with a 179-yard obliteration of Dallas seems to drive home the message that the Outlaws have figured out their best option when it comes to attacking opposing defenses. Lynch averaged an impressive 6.4 yards per carry against the Renegades, following his 6.7 yards per carry in Seattle. Not many teams are going to lose games when their lead back is getting 25 or more carries and averaging over 6 yards per touch. In only 2 weeks Lynch has risen from 14th to 7th on the league’s rushing list, and at 922 he is now almost certainly going to get that 1,000-yard season he aims for. He may even top his 2016 total of 1,260 with three games to gain 328 yards to equal that career best. Seems clear that Oklahoma is going to use their big back as much and to as great an effect as they can. If they can run the table these last 3 weeks, they will finish at 9-7 and could well be looking at a Wild Card berth, something that seemed to be eluding them and their sack-prone QB Joe Flacco just a few weeks ago.   Trubisky Taking the Throne in Charlotte His game is not always as polished as you would like, and his 16 picks this season are certainly something to improve upon, but it seems clear that with the Monarchs sitting at 8-5 and the offense averaging nearly 23 points per game that the club feels they have found their franchise QB. Trubisky has improved throughout the year, is garnering praise from the coaches for his learning curve, and from his peers for his leadership on the field and in the locker room.   With a legitimate shot at the Rookie of the Year trophy, likely in competition with two Houston Gamblers, WR JuJu Smith-Shuster and SS Budda Baker, Trubisky seems to have turned uncertainty into confidence and helped Monarch fans take the offseason departure of Brandon Wheedon as a positive, not a crisis of leadership. Both Wheedon and Trubisky have had a propensity for throwing picks, which has some questioning the play calling and possible “tells” built into Coach Mora’s offense, but the flashes of real potential, and the developing team trust in Trubisky has been showing in recent weeks.   It was on full display this week as the Monarchs knocked off Atlanta 27-21. Trubisky on a key third down was forced to call a time-out after two players went into motion without time to set. That was a veteran save of what would have been an illegal procedure penalty, but what was more telling was watching Trubisky highlight the mistake to both Adrian Peterson and D. J. Hacket, two veterans who would not normally take much critique from a rookie, but who accepted their role in the screw up and showed no hesitation in agreeing with Trubisky’s on-field correction. That alone is a good sign that Trubisky is on the right path with the Monarchs, a good sign for the future since Charlotte has the QB on a pretty cap-friendly 5-year deal, so room to grow as he led the Monarchs towards a possible division title in his rookie year.   Boller, Beathard, and Brandon Allen Get Starts Not every team has a QB situation as promising as Charlotte. Three teams this week opted to start using the final month of the season to test out just what they have. St. Louis gave the start to veteran journeyman Kyle Boller, apparently unhappy with the lack of production they received from Blaine Gabbert over the past few weeks. In Jacksonville Robert Griffin III was again dinged up, in what is becoming a bad trend for him, and C. J. Beathard was back under center. And in Orlando, in what seems a desperation move, the Renegades gave untested Brandon Allen the start over the ineffective Connor Shaw. Having recently signed former Heisman winner Tim Tebow, Allen’s tenure as the starter may also be very short. Tebow would represent the 4th different starter in 2018 for the Renegades if he got the nod in any of the team’s final 3 games.   While Orlando came into the season with a solid QB situation with Russell Wilson the clear starting candidate and rising star, their season epitomizes how fragile a team can be and how vital a quality backup can be for a team that otherwise looked like a possible playoff contender. Without Wilson, Orlando has floundered, losing 5 in a row, and the turnstile at QB is certainly not what anyone in the organization wanted to see. For St. Louis a similar situation existed after the injury to Josh Freeman, though they may have started the year in a worse situation, since there were already concerns that 2018 Josh Freeman was not the same as 2012 Josh Freeman. In Jacksonville, questions about Robert Griffin’s effectiveness and his health have never really been silenced. He came to the Bulls after a pretty serious injury while playing in the NFL, and he has yet to show that with his freestyle scrambling he can stay off the injury list. Having a quality backup would seem essential for the Bulls and yet they went into the season not only with a rookie as their number two, but a rookie whose classic drop back pocket-passer style is the exact opposite of Griffin’s, forcing the team to jerk back and forth between two very different styles of play depending on Griffin’s health. All in all, of the three teams, Jacksonville may be in the toughest spot, with St. Louis also asking some tough questions and Orlando likely happy to have Wilson back next year but hoping that someone can prove that they deserve the backup spot. The San Diego Thunder locked up their 2nd consecutive playoff appearance this week as the 10-2 Thunder are closing in on the division title, leading LA by 3 games with 3 to play, a win or an Express loss locks it up for the Thunder, who last won a division back in 2012 in Las Vegas. They join the Wranglers, Stars, and Gamblers, all of whom have their division titles in hand. Michigan can join them this week with a win and a loss by the Ohio Glory. Charlotte may need a bit more time. Charlotte can also lock up a 6th straight playoff appearance with a win over the Thunder this week, giving them the SE Division Title for the 3rd time in 5 years (always in odd years.) On the downside, four more teams saw their slim playoff hopes slide away as Chicago, St. Louis, Jacksonville, and Pittsburgh now join the Portland Stags and Washington Federals on the wrong side of the playoff standings. Week 14 could add several teams to that list, with a pool of 5-8 teams hanging on for dear life while hoping that 7-6 Ohio, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and New Jersey all have major downturns over the final 3 weeks. A drop to 5-9 pretty much ends any hopes for the 5-8 clubs still on the fringe of consideration.   OUT DE          Mallicah Goodman       OKL       Broken Leg         IR CB          Dre Kirkpatrick                MGN     Back                     4-6 Weeks G            Dan Santucci                   MEM     Arm                       2-4 Weeks LB           Devon Kennard               TBY        Quad                    2-4 Weeks WR         Marquise Goodwin        OKL       Arm                       1-2 Weeks TE           Ben Watson                 DAL       Hamstring         1-2 Weeks SS           Joseph Beall                 ARZ       Thigh                     1-2 Weeks QB         Colt McCoy                     HOU     Knee                     1-2 Weeks WR         Denarius Moore            LV           Hamstring         1-2 Weeks DT          Aaron Donald                PIT         ACL                       1-2 Weeks TE           Kellen Davis                   WSH     Concussion       1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL OT          Reid Fragel                 OHI       Concussion CB          Cedric Griffin                POR      Concussion OT          David Sharpe                  ORL       Pinched Nerve                                 QUESTIONABLE LB           Travis Goethel                 ARZ       Migraines WR         Justin Blackmon             OHI       Jaw WR         Donnie Avery               NOR      Arm DE          Victor Abiami                CHI        Groin CB          Richard Sherman           SEA        Thigh   Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Named The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017 has been announced and it is a group with a unique distinction. For the first time in the history of the Hall a player will be inducted by two different leagues in a joint enshrinement. As we announced back in March, former NFL and USFL quarterback Kurt Warner will be inducted representing both leagues and officially honored by both leagues. Warner spent the first half of his career in the NFL, where his rise from obscurity to Super Bowl Champion and league MVP was the stuff of legends. After an amazing 7-year run with the NFL Rams, Warner jumped leagues, coming to the USFL in 2005, signing with the Philadelphia Stars. Warner would spend the next 7 years as the starter in Philadelphia. With the Stars, Warner finished with a QBR over 90 in every season, including 4 consecutive years with a rating over 100. He would throw for over 22,000 yards and 155 touchdowns, and he would lead the Stars to the playoffs in 6 of 7 years, including a Summer Bowl appearance in 2010. Warner’s pair of distinct 7-year careers, one in each league, likely would not have been able to garner him a HOF nod individually, but with the two leagues agreeing to the joint nomination, Warner was a a shoe in and a quick first ballot winner for ensrhrinement.   Warner will be joined by 4 additional Open Nominees and a fifth nominee from the Legacy Commission, which selects players overlooked during their 5 standard years of eligibility. Joining Warner in the Class of 2017 are some names that we know all USFL fans know well.   Joey Galloway, WR (Ohio 1995-2010, Tampa Bay 2011-2012) Perhaps the greatest USFL receiver of his generation, Galloway was the main weapon for fellow Hall of Famer Kerry Collins, helping the Glory to become the first (and still only) team to win back to back league titles, and to be the only USFL squad to go a complete season undefeated (2002). The former Buckeye then went on to win a 3rd title in Tampa Bay. He retired with over 24,000 yards and 197 career touchdowns.   Charles Woodson, CB (Washington 1992-2007, Atlanta 2008-2012) In his incredible 21-season career, Woodson was not just an icon of longevity, but of quality DB play. He retired in 2012 with over 1,200 tackles, 53 picks, and an amazing 15 defensive touchdowns. A six-time All-USFL nominee, Woodson was a dynamic player who could turn any missed throw into a major disaster for an offense.   Tory Holt, WR (Los Angeles 1999-2007, Baltimore 2008-2012) A speedy and dangerous receiver, Tory Holt was the lead target for the Express from the minute he joined the league, and in Baltimore became one of the most feared deep ball receivers in the game. He retired in 2012 with over 15,000 yards and 125 career touchdowns. Mike Gandy, OT (Orlando 2001-2003, Memphis 2004-2011) Gandy was the consummate bodyguard for his QBs, allowing only 33 sacks his entire career. He was a 4-time All-USFL selection and helped his clubs win 2 titles, Orlando winning in his rookie season and Memphis in 2007. This year was Gandy’s 2nd year of eligibility.   Alan Risher, QB (Arizona 1983-1984, Pittsburgh 1986-1996) The Legacy Nominee for 2018 is a familiar face to USFL fans, particularly in the Steel City, where he was the starter for 11 seasons, leading the Maulers to the playoffs 7 times, including two Summer Bowls and the league title in 1995. Risher came to the USFL as a rookie out of LSU in the first year of the league’s existence, starting 14 games for the Arizona Wranglers in that inaugural year. Injuries cost him the 1984 season and he spent 1985 out of football. He returned to the league, healthy and ready to play in 1986, signing with Pittsburgh. He would start the final 8 games that season and would be the starter through 1995. He amassed 239 touchdowns and 34,524 yards in the league over his career and was named All-USFL twice, including during the Maulers’ 1995 title season.   So, there you have it, the Class of 2017, an historic class, and one that is certain to bring a lot of Mauler and Glory fans to Canton to celebrate their two heroes as they are enshrined this October.   2018 College Draft Class is QB Rich With players reporting to campuses across the country, the nation is already gearing up for the 2017 NCAA football season, which means that USFL fans, especially in those cities whose clubs are already looking to the future, are thinking about the draft. January’s USFL Collegiate Drafts may be more than 6 months away, and a full college season will be played between now and then, but the 2018 Draft Class is already looking like one that could be historic. By most accounts, including those of our in-house draft experts, there are no fewer than 7 quarterbacks who could find themselves with first-round grades if they have productive seasons this fall. That means a feeding frenzy akin to a piranha attack is likely to occur in January and February as the USFL and NFL battles to sign as many potential franchise QBs as possible. So, just who may be the “meat” at the center of this feeding frenzy? Here are the 7 names being discussed, along with their USFL territorial rights.   Sam Darnold (USC): Los Angeles Express The Trojan’s starter in 2016, Darnold threw for over 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. That got our attention. He is viewed as the most pro-ready QB to come out in recent years and demonstrates a fluid motion, quick analysis of plays, and ability to make all the throws. The Express are pretty settled at QB with Sam Bradford, but could opt to go younger with Darnold if they feel he can step in immediately.   Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma): Oklahoma Outlaws Do the Outlaws jump on the Mayfield bandwagon, potentially parting ways with former MVP Joe Flacco? We don’t see it happening, especially as Mayfield’s style is more gunslinger than game manager. The talent is there, the ability to make big plays, but also a degree of erratic output. We cannot picture the Outlaws giving up on Flacco to take that risk, so almost certainly they are looking to find a taker who is willing to give up big draft capital to obtain the Outlaws’ first T-Draft pick and take their shot at signing the exciting, if somewhat inconsistent Mayfield.   Josh Allen (Wyoming) He is big, mobile, has a gun for an arm, and a “homespun” charm, and what is more, he is a true free agent. No USFL club has Wyoming as a protected school, which means that the Cowboys’ QB is going to the Open Draft. There are concerns about Allen’s accuracy, and about the leap up from the Mountain West to the pros, but physically, Josh Allen has a lot to offer, and teams at the top of the draft order will certainly give him a long look.   Josh Rosen (UCLA): San Diego Thunder The Thunder have been very happy with Joe Webb, and they also have Christian Ponder under contract, so we could see them trading away a T-Draft pick to a team with a less-settled QB room. What scouts like about Rosen is his calm demeanor and analytical approach to the QB position. He is not the most physically gifted QB in the draft class, but he has good accuracy and anticipation with his throws, drawing comparisons to players like Drew Brees and Kirk Cousins, not bad company at all.   Lamar Jackson (Louisville): Philadelphia Stars A true wildcard, the 2016 Heisman Winner as a Junior, Jackson is a true dual threat, compared often to Robert Griffin or Cam Newton for his ability to use his legs to absolutely destroy a defensive game plan. He has a cannon for an arm but needs to work on his accuracy and route reading. The Stars are getting a great season out of Matt Gutierrez, so once again this may be a situation where the club that holds the T-Draft rights is not feeling the need to draft for the QB position and is open to a trade.   Mason Rudolph (OK State): Oklahoma Outlaws The Outlaws have that rare situation of having 2 top tier QBs available to them. Rudolph is perhaps considered a step below the names already listed and could drop to the 2nd round in the Open Draft, assuming he does not absolutely light things up in his final season at OK State. If viewed as a 2nd rounder, then we might see the Outlaws do much as Houston did with Colt McCoy, sign Rudolph, have him learn from Joe Flacco for a year or two and then step in when Flacco retires. That seems like a plan that Outlaw fans would get behind.   Kyle Lauletta (Richmond) Another true free agent, Lauletta will get a lot of attention from USFL clubs that do not have a Top 5 pick in the Open Draft. The level of competition at Richmond has not been that of most of the other QBs listed, but Lauletta has shown some skills and some potential for growth. The best fit for him may be a club that has an aging veteran starter and wants someone to develop into the next QB for the club, rather than a team that is looking for immediate help.                 So, seven QBs will get a lot of attention this season, ahead of the USFL and NFL drafts, but this is not a QB-only draft, there is some serious talent on the board and in the wings and a team that is not overly concerned about the QB position could find themselves a real gem all across the roster. Here are 10 players we think should be early picks or T-Draft targets.   HB Saquon Barkley (Penn State): Philadelphia Stars There is no way that Barkley gets out of the first round in either the USFL or NFL Draft. But with Philadelphia over the moon with “King” Henry as their lead back, the best chance to land Barkley may be for a team to negotiate a deal with Philly to get into the T-Draft. With both Barkley and Lamar Jackson in Philly’s protected pool, the Stars could clean up by trading away those T-Draft picks.   CB Denzel Ward (Ohio State): Ohio Glory You know Coach Coughlin is scouting Ward hard. The consensus number one corner in the draft, and right there in Columbus with the Glory next door, we expect that the Glory will not only protect Ward in the T-Draft but spend some quality time wooing the corner ahead of the NFL draft.   DE Bradley Chubb (NC State): Charlotte Monarchs It is a question of cap space for the Monarchs. They would love to add Chubb on the opposite side from Chandler Jones, but they have more pressing needs, so we may well see Charlotte either trade away the pick or let Chubb go to the open draft. If he does, he will clearly be the first edge rusher taken.   OG Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame): Chicago Machine Considered the most pro-ready and can’t miss prospect in the draft, Nelson is a Week 1 starter for whoever picks him. That is likely to be Chicago, using their T-Draft prerogative. They can go for more immediate areas of need with the Open Draft and in free agency, but landing a solid 10-year starter at guard would be a good move for the Machine.   LB Roquan Smith (Georgia): Atlanta Fire Coach Arians has already commented on how much he loves Smith’s game, his explosiveness, aggressiveness, and nose for the ball. We could easily see Atlanta wooing Smith, selecting him in the T-Draft, and lining him up along with Luke Kuechley and Patrick Willis to form perhaps the most physically gifted LB trio in the league. S Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): Birmingham Stallions It seems like every year the Stallions have a rich pool of Bama and Auburn players to pick from. But, considering the issues the Stallions have on defense, bypassing Fitzpatrick would be an absolute blunder. He is exactly the kind of presence this club needs on the back end of that defense.   DT Vita Vea (Washington): Seattle Dragons The Dragons have to see Vea as an upgrade at DT, though Broderick Bunkley has had a good 2nd half to the season. Vea is a space-eating, run-stuffing big man in the middle. He won’ t necessarily get to the QB, but somehow, some way, that halfback is getting stuffed by Vea on the inside run, and that is a nice thing to have.   DE Marcus Davenport (UTSA) We love when there are real talents at schools that are not protected, because it adds excitement to the Open Draft. Unless some of the QBs escape the T-Draft unselected (which seems unlikely), we see Davenport as a possible Top 5 pick in the USFL Open Draft, and that can help a USFL sign him, because he likely slips into the mid-teens in the NFL’s Draft, which does not have the Territorial rounds the USFL has. When picks are higher draft choices in the USFL Open Draft than the NFL Draft, they often lean towards the spring league and the higher initial paycheck.   LB Tremaine Edmunds (Va Tech): Washington Federals Physically gifted, but perhaps a bit too dependent on instincts rather than disciplined positioning and assignments, Edmunds does need some coaching up, but since Washington does not yet have a head coach for next year, whether he is picked by the Feds and chooses to come to Washington may well depend on just who the Federals tab to be their new head coach.   S Derwin James (FSU): Tampa Bay Bandits James is a playmaker, pure and simple. He will make the big hit to shake a ball loose or take inside position to snatch a ball away from a receiver. He is an intimidator and a disciplined defender. With Will Allen likely nearing the end of his career, we could see Tampa Bay go for James and possibly trade away Allen to get some value. Not a bad move for a team that needs more “pop” in their defense.   So, there you go, 17 players who will be big stories come January. Expect a lot of movement on the T-Draft trading block, because there is a lot of talent on the table, including at the most coveted position of all, and in many cases the team with a key prospect’s rights may well be in a mood to trade those rights for the right price. Should be a wild build up to the draft. Week 14 looks a lot like a palette cleanser, with only 4 divisional games on the slate. Yes, all the games, divisional or not, have stakes at this point of the season, but it does feel odd to have so few intra-divisional matchups so close to the season finale. That said, it is a fun weekend, with lots of inter-divisional showdowns that will impact playoff position, starting on Friday night when two 7-6 clubs face off in the Meadowlands. Both New Jersey and LA have a lot on the line, and neither can afford to drop to 7-7, not with the Wild Card race so tight in both conferences.   On Saturday, we are looking forward to the Charlotte-San Diego clash, two teams with a lot to prove as most of the attention this season has gone to the 1-loss Gamblers, Stars, and Wranglers. We are also looking at that Memphis-Houston night game. The Showboats took down unbeaten Philadelphia. Can they take down the Gamblers as well, or is Houston ready for them?   On Sunday, we have some teams who cannot afford to lose going head to head, including Orlando visiting Birmingham, with the Renegades desperate to do anything to snap their 5-game slide. Birmignham can reach .500 and be right in the mix for a Wild Card if they can use some home cooking to make Orlando’s slide hit 6 games. We have two 7-6 teams meeting in Ohio when the Vipers come to play the Glory in a game that could determine which of the two is in the Wild Card playoff and which is watching from home. New Orleans hosts the Wranglers in a “prove it” game for all those who think that the Breakers are just not in the same league as the USFL elites. And, a weird one to watch, but one that could be very important come January, the 3-win Skyhawks are at the 2-win Stags. Does Portland play for the draft pick or do they go for win number three. Fans are split on this, but you know the players in Portland want that W.   FRI 7PM ET          Los Angeles (7-6) @ New Jersey (7-6)             ABC FRI 9PM ET            Denver (7-5-1) @ Dallas (5-8)                            ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET         Oakland (5-8) @ Philadelphia (12-1)                ABC SAT 12PM ET       Baltimore (7-6) @ Pittsburgh (5-9-1)               FOX SAT 4PM ET       Oklahoma (6-7) @ Michigan (10-3)                 ABC SAT 4PM ET           Charlotte (8-5) @ San Diego (10-3)                 FOX SAT 7PM ET          Tampa Bay (5-8) @ Jacksonville (4-9)            NBC SAT 9PM ET          Memphis (6-7) @ Houston (12-1)                    ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET        Orlando (5-8) @ Birmingham (6-7)                   ABC SUN 12PM ET        Las Vegas (7-6) @ Ohio (7-6)                         FOX Regional SUN 12PM ET       Chicago (4-9) @ Atlanta (5-8)                           FOX Regional SUN 4PM ET         Washington (2-11) @ Seattle (6-7)                  ABC SUN 4PM ET         St. Louis (3-10) @ Portland (2-11)                  FOX SUN 8PM ET         Arizona (12-1) @ New Orleans (8-5)            ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: It was a tough call between Derrick Henry and Marshawn Lynch this week. But, while Lynch had more yards overall, Henry's 4 touchdowns were too much to overcome. Both backs had outstanding games, but the honor goes to Henry for his contribution to Philadelphia's big win this week. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Two changes to the playoff picture this week, with Arizona being added to the list of teams guaranteed a playoff spot. They join Houston and Philadelphia as confirmed playoff teams. The other change is the addition of the Washington Federals to the list of teams eliminated from playoff contention, joining Portland as eliminated clubs.

General Mayhem Arizona punches their playoff ticket. Baltimore gets right back in the mix. San Diego stumbles and Houston holds on in Week 12 action. We had some close calls this week, including a very game New Jersey squad taking on the unbeaten Gamblers. Coach Ellard showed Newton a bit of a lesson on humility, and we got a great showdown of teams on the rise as Ohio hosted Denver. Another good week to be a football fan in the USFL. We will cover those stories, look at the coaches feeling the heat, give you our ¾ Power Rankings, and look at each game this past week, but we start with our top story, a major shift of style, with impressive results as the Oklahoma Outlaws switch things up as they visit Seattle. Outlaws Go Smashmouth in Seattle It is rare to see a team completely shift their offensive strategy mid-season, but this week in Seattle we may have seen a team do just that. The Oklahoma Outlaws displayed an offensive strategy against Seattle that we have just not seen before from this club, eschewing many of their spread formations and shotgun alignments and moving Joe Flacco under center, with either a fullback or 2 tight ends, and just playing power football, smashmouth football against the Dragons. This may have been a switch brought on by pure necessity. Joe Flacco has been absolutely pummeled this season, with sack numbers that far outstrip any other team in the league. Now, part of that was certainly Flacco himself, but part of it was a scheme that focused on deep ball routes, spread formations, and trying to defend the QB with only 5 linemen. Oklahoma’s O-line has simply not been up to the task, and with Flacco both an immobile QB and waiting on deep routes, the result has been a lot of hits and a lot of sacks on Oklahoma’s former MVP quarterback.   Switch to this week and Coach Landry may have simply had enough. We expect Flacco may have hinted that he too has had enough. So, what did we see on Sunday? We saw Joe Flacco under center, in many cases with both Marshawn Lynch and fullback Roosevelt Nix behind him, or with both Chris Cooley and Julius Thomas in H-Back position or lined up next to the tackle. Unlike in the past, we saw far fewer 3 and 4 receiver sets, we saw more use of the TEs as blockers rather than receivers, and we saw a much better balance between run calls and passing plays. Oklahoma ran 40 run plays while Joe Flacco attempted only 24 passes (22 official attempts, he was still sacked 2 times, which are pass plays but do not count as pass attempts.)   What was the result? First off a resounding 10-point road win over a club that had rattled off 6 consecutive wins. Second, a banner day for Marshawn Lynch, who certainly benefitted from the tighter and heavier formations. Lynch had himself a day, rushing for 181 yards on 27 carries, getting stronger as the game wore on, which has long been his reputation. We also saw Joe Flacco with a much cleaner uniform by game’s end. Yes, he was sacked twice, but that is nothing compared to the regular 6,8, or 10-sack obliterations we have seen in the past. The offense was perhaps not quite as explosive, with the longest pass going only 30 yards (only 1, all others were less than 20), but it was productive, scoring on 5 of 9 posessions.  And what may be the best sign for Oklahoma, it was an offense that was sustainable, where the star QB has time in the pocket, has protection, and has the option of relying on one of the best “bruiser backs” in the league. Kudos to Coach Landry for being willing to put ego aside and do what was best for his team. Now we wonder if it was just too late for the Outlaws to make a playoff run. What could have been had Oklahoma started this new style of offense in Week 1? DENVER GOLD 26   OHIO GLORY 22 A really entertaining game from two teams that are often written off as “boring” and which simply don’t get much press on a national level. Denver and Ohio may not be the flashiest teams in the league, and their star players may not be on the box of Wheaties, but these are two teams that are proving that boring can win games and that team coherence and solid execution can win games. Both the Gold and Glory are looking to return to the playoffs after a bit of a dry spell. For Denver it has been only 2 years, but it has been 7 for the Glory, last seeing postseason action in 2009. Both came into the game over .500 on the season, and both played like teams fighting for a playoff bid.   Denver got the ball rolling on their first possession, a nice 9-play drive that saw Matt Leinart connect with TE Delanie Walker on a nice third down and long play, then saw Jamaal Charles, getting more early game snaps than usual, take the ball for another 13 to get deep into Ohio territory. The drive fizzled and Denver settled for a 30-yard Zeurlein field goal, but it was a very good start for the Gold offense.   After a short Ohio drive, the Glory got a break when Denver return man Kevin White muffed the punt and had to fall on it on his own 2. That gave the Glory a chance to get to Matt Leinart for a safety, and they did just that, with DE Kamerion Wemberley catching Leinart in the endzone to give Ohio 2 points and a short field on the ensuing free kick. Ohio would take advantage of that short field and would turn a 3-2 deficit into a 9-3 advantage when Isaiah Pead took a handoff at the 9 and burst through the line, shrugging off the tackle of LB Randy Gregory and plowing into the endzone for the first touchdown of the game. Denver would pull back within 3 with a field goal as the first quarter ended, and we were off on a game that saw a lot of hard-nosed football, and a few key plays from both defenses, starting with that first quarter safety. The second quarter saw Ohio’s defense hold Matt Leinart and the Gold offense at bay, allowing only 1 first down in the quarter. Denver’s defense, for their part, bent a bit but never broke, forcing Ohio and Christian Hackenberg to settle for two short Robbie Gould field goals. Ohio went into the half with a 9-point lead, 15-6, but hardly a stranglehold on the game.   The third quarter was the highlight of the game as both teams came out with some strong adjustments on offense that proved effective. However, despite the adjustments, the biggest play of the quarter came from the Denver defense. On a 2nd and 9, Denver called the perfect blitz against a play action play, forcing Hackenberg to put up an ill-advised throw to a player in double coverage. Denver pounced on the mistake, with LB Randy Gregory, perhaps embarrassed by the Pead TD earlier in the game, stepping in front of TE Lee Smith and snagging the errant pass. Gregory, like Pead had done with him, refused to go down, shrugging off a tackle attempt by HB Rashad Jennings and rambling 49 yards to paydirt to pull Denver within 2 at 15-13.   The pick-six stunned the Columbus crowd, but they were soon back on their feet as Ohio mounted a slow, methodical drive, converting 3 consecutive 3rd and short plays by simply dominating the line of scrimmage. Pead was the runner on all three, refusing to go down without gaining the needed yards. With the ball on the Denver 6-yard line, the threat of the inside run proved effective and allowed Christian Hackenberg to bootleg to the left and find Curtis Samuel, the Glory’s rookie slot receiver, on a crossing route to once again boost the lead to 9 points.   But, little did Hackenberg or the Glory know that this would be the final points put on the board by the Ohio offense. Denver would prove their mettle over the final 20 minutes of game time, shutting down Ohio on 4 drives over the rest of the game, while also scoring on 3 of their own possessions. The first of the three Denver scoring drives came at the end of the 3rd quarter, a quickly-paced 8-play drive that took only 2:11 off the clock, but produced a Leinart to Kelvin Benjamin red zone TD pass that again narrowed the gap. In the 4th quarter it was all about field position, and Denver had the edge throughout. They forced Ohio to start drives on their own 8, 11, and 14 yard lines with good punts and kickoff coverage. They also held Ohio to only 1 first down in the quarter, which meant that the Denver offense got significant field position advantages. They used those advantages to get Greg Zeurlein into position for 3 field goal attempts. One was a 55-yarder that perhaps should not have been attempted, but the other two, kicks of 37 yards and then 18, gave Denver the lead and helped them expand it to 4 points with 2:08 left to play, forcing Ohio to go for a touchdown in their final drive. That final drive never materialized. A sack of Hackenberg on first down made it 1st and 17, then a false start by Ohio meant it was 1st and 22, and that was an obstacle that proved too big to overcome for an Ohio offense not built for deep throws and big plays. Shot passes to Manningham and Blackmon made it 4th and 7, but on 4th down Denver cornerback Aqib Talib, perhaps the best pure shutdown corner in the league, made sure that Blackmon would not come down with the catch on the out route, and Ohio gave up the ball on downs.   It was a rare prime time show for both clubs, and both showed that they are solid teams, with the ability to play some very disciplined and very effective football, especially on defense, but in the end, Denver moved to 7-4-1, in prime position to compete for a Wild Card, while Ohio dropped to 6-6, still very much alive, but at risk with a .500 record.   NEW ORLEANS 30  MEMPHIS 13 Drew Brees was back in full form and so was the Breaker defense as they held Anthony Allen to only 2.2 yards per carry and sacked Paxton Lynch 4 times, producing 2 turnovers as well. The Breakers built up a 16-3 lead at the half and never looked back, with Drew Brees connecting twice with Jordy Nelson for scores. The Defense also put points on the board late as the only score of the 4th quarter was a fumble recovery & return for six from Tim Williams. POTG: Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 8 Rec, 173 Yds, 2 TD   JACKSONVILLE 12   MICHIGAN 30 The Panther D held the Bulls to only 4 field goals and pulled away thanks to touchdowns from LeVeon Bell, Mike Hart, and Jerrel Jernigan (back from a minor injury). Jacksonville converted only 2 of 13 third downs and committed 4 turnovers in the lopsided Panther win. LeVeon Bell was contained, rushing for only 59 yards, but his backup, Mike Hart, had a solid day, rushing for 78 yards on only 10 carries, a nice 7.8 YPC average. POTG:  Michigan DE Justin Tuck: 6 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   PITTSBURGH 13   BALTIMORE 38 The Blitz return to .500 with their 3rd consecutive win as Big Ben and the offense rack up 405 total yards against the Maulers. The run game was working for Baltimore, with Dixon and Williams combining for 146 yards and 2 scores. Big Ben contributed 258 yards passing and a TD as Baltimore rolled the Maulers and found themselves in playoff position after 12 weeks. POTG:  Baltimore WR Darrius Heyward-Bey: 5 Rec, 155 Yds   PHILADELPHIA 34  ATLANTA 31 Don’t be fooled by the final score, it was 34-10 after 3 quarters and Atlanta made it look good late with a pair of late scores against the Star backups. Derrick Henry was a pure monster in this game, rushing for 154 yards and 4 touchdowns basically in 3 quarters. By the time Aaron Murray started connecting on scores, this game was all but over. POTG: Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 21 Att, 154 Yds, 4 TD   OAKLAND 3  DALLAS 22 Dallas sent Ryan Lindley to the locker room with an injury and brought Bob Volek into the game to be abused by the Roughneck defense. Johnny Manziel still looked a bit rusty, but completed 16 of 26 and threw a TD to Reggie Brown as the Roughnecks improve to 5-7. Oakland has now lost 3 in a row, dropping a game out of playoff position and into 4th place in the division. POTG:  Dallas LB Johnathan Casillas: 2 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   ARIZONA 26  ST. LOUIS 13 The Wranglers struggled to run the ball, but had no issues in the passing game, even with David Carr knocked out of action early. Ryan Nassib came in and proved that St. Louis had no plan to cover anyone, with both Antonio Bryant and Jimmie Graham going over 100 yards apiece. Throw in a Frank Gore TD and a pretty lackluster day from Blaine Gabbert and you get Arizona moving to 11-1 by doubling up the Skyhawks. POTG:  Wrangler TE Jimmie Graham: 4 Rec, 156 Yds, 1 TD   HOUSTON 16  NEW JERSEY 10 New Jersey played about as good a game as anyone this year against Houston but it still was not enough as the Gamblers added the final 10 points to the scoreboard to take the W. Odell Beckham Jr. had 96 yards on 7 receptions, adding a 29-yard TD from Nick Foles, but later in the game Colt McCoy found his best bud, TE Vernon Davis for a 33-yard score and that was all she wrote for the Generals’ upset bid. POTG:  Gambler TE Vernon Davis: 5 Rec, 90 Yds, 1 TD   SAN DIEGO 10   CHICAGO 25 The Machine pull of the upset as they sack Joe Webb 6 times, pick him off twice, and get 17 fourth quarter points to blow past the favored Thunder. Down 10-9 after 3 quarters, Chicago took the lead on a Fitzpatrick to Fasano TD toss and then got the play they needed from the D, a 27-yard interception return by CB Josh Norman to pull ahead by 12. San Diego could not respond and the Machine finish off their best game of the year for win number four. POTG:  Chicago CB Josh Norman: 8 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   CHARLOTTE 27  ORLANDO 10 Mitch Trubisky withstood the Orlando pressure, avoided turnovers, and threw for 2 scores as Charlotte sent the Renegades to their 4th consecutive defeat. It was a huge game for veteran HB Adrian Peterson, very much looking fully recovered from his ACL injury as he rushed for 138 yards on only 19 carries. Throw in 2 Hakeem Nicks TDs and Charlotte takes over first place in the SE Division at 7-5. POTG:  Monarch HB Adrian Peterson: 19 Att, 138 Yds   WASHINGTON 10   TAMPA BAY 12 Mike Neu does not fare any better in his first game than Sean Payton had all year long, dropping the road game in Tampa Bay to the Bandits. The one bright spot for Washington was that long-abandoned halfback Donald Brown got an unexpected start and came up big, rushing for 129 yards and a score in a surprising return. Tampa Bay won the game on 4 Harrison Butker field goals, but it was the defense that held the team in the game throughout, frustrating QB Tahj Boyd on third down after third down, allowing only 2 conversions in 12 tries. POTG:  Bandit LB Brian Orakpo: 8 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   LAS VEGAS 5   BIRMINGHAM 16 An absolute power outage for Las Vegas as they were held to only 51 yards rushing and 201 total yards. Birmingham’s defense just did not give them a shot, allowing only 1 converted third down all game. While the Stallions also struggled on offense, at least they found the endzone, getting the lone TD in the game early on a swing pass from Newton to Yeldon. Not a game for fans of offense, but a welcome win for the Stallions as they stay alive at 5-7. POTG:  Birmingham CB Antonio Cromartie: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   LOS ANGELES 10   PORTLAND 23 Express fans have to be frustrated with this one as the Express absolutely fell flat against the 1-win Stags. Reggie Bush had 108 yards rushing, but Doug Martin put points on the board with 2 scores. Marcus Mariota looked solid, completing 20 of 29 passes for 244 yards in his best game of the year. The Portland defense also held up well, stopping 10 of 11 third down conversions and 3 of 4 attempts on 4th down. POTG:  Stags’ LB Kiko Alonso: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   OKLAHOMA 23   SEATTLE 13 Seattle’s win streak ends at 6 games as Oklahoma unveiled a very different offensive strategy, a smashmouth approach that helped protect Joe Flacco (sacked only 2 times) and allowed Marshawn Lynch his best game of the season, and one of the best by any back this year, 27 carries for 181 yards and a score. Seattle was hampered by a gimpy Jacoby Brissett, who left the game on 2 different occasions, splitting snaps with Matt McGloin. POTG:  Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 27 Att, 181 Yds, 1 TD Henry Declared King of Philly with 4 TD Game “King” Henry is what fans in Philly are now calling their 2nd year halfback, and quite frankly, with what we saw this week against Atlanta, it seems fitting. Derrick Henry, the Alabama product who electrified Philly fans as a rookie, is looking like a true bell cow back, one of the league’s most dominating backs in his second year. This week against a pretty solid Atlanta run defense, he looked like a man against boys. Henry rushed for 154 yards on 21 carries, a 7.3 yards per carry average that only tells part of the story. Along with the big average came big plays, including a 41-yard TD run that simply embarrassed the Atlanta defenders. It was one of 4 scoring runs for the Stars’ favorite star. He also had a 15-yarder in the first quarter that included a straight arm for the ages, planting Atlanta safety Derron Smith squarely on his ass. Henry blew through arm tackles, even sent Luke Keuchley to the turf on a huge collision and reminded many of old footage of Earl Campbell.   The game marked Henry’s 3rd 100-yard effort of the season, and perhaps his best as he scored all four of Philly’s TDs on the day. Henry is currently 5th in rushing yards for the year, with 886, and while he trails Doug Martin by nearly 200 yards, we are not ruling out a late spurt to get in the mix with Martin, Jones-Drew, and Bell. The Stars are certainly hoping that Henry stays hot as they prepare for a playoff run. He may not have the Philadelphia legendary status of Kelvin Bryant, but “King” Henry is quickly becoming a fan favorite and a major factor for any team that has to face this Stars squad.   Baltimore Back in Business with 3-Game Streak Sitting at 3-6 after 9 weeks, there were real concerns that Baltimore was at risk of missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2013. But three weeks later, and with an impressive 98-30 scoring differential in those games, fans in Baltimore are back on the bandwagon and liking what they are seeing from their Blitz club. While we should immediately point out that the 3-game win streak has come against a 2-10 Federals team, a 3-8-1 Mauler squad, and an Orlando team that has lost 4 in a row after losing Russell Wilson to injury, we can still appreciate that the Blitz seem to have regained their mojo.   The offense in particular seems to have made an about-face from the lackluster outings that saw them score only 10 points against Seattle, 7 against LA, and 13 against Oakland, their last 3 losses in a 5-game losing streak before the turnaround. Big Ben Roethlisberger, the engine that drives the Blitz offense has certainly turned it around, throwing for 337 yards against Washington and a solid 258 against Pittsburgh. The run game has also started contributing, with Dixon and Williams combining for 102 yards in Washington, 95 against Orlando’s tough run defense, and 147 at home against the Maulers.  The defense has also come up big in the past 3 games, shutting out Orlando in Orlando and holding both the Feds and Maulers under 20 points in those two games.   At 6-6 Baltimore is not out of the woods, and they still trail both Philly and New Jersey in the division, but they currently sit in the 6th position in the East and can control their own destiny with a 1-game lead over 5-7 Memphis, Atlanta, Orlando and Birmingham. That is not something we thought we would be saying when they were 3-6 and riding a 5-game losing streak.   Could Jordy Nelson Reach Truvillion’s 1986 Record? In the preseason a lot of hype was surrounding LeVeon Bell’s desire to make a run at one of the league’s oldest and most revered records, Herschel Walker’s 1983 season rushing total of 1,767 yards. Bell was brash, but now, 12 weeks in, seems far from the attempt. But, quietly and without much bravado, another USFL player is very much on pace to possibly knock off a record few thought would be challenged. New Orleans receiver Jordy Nelson has 1,415 yards receiving after 12 weeks, meaning that he is only 544 yards behind the all-time USFL receiving record of 1,959 yards held by Eric Truvillion. Truvillion set that record back in 1986 and also holds 2nd and third place on the all-time season receiving yards record list with his 1985 and 1992 seasons (1944 and 1932 respectively). Could Nelson, in his first year as a Breaker, actually challenge Truvillion’s hold at the top of the USFL record book?   It won’t be easy, of course, as the needed total would require Nelson to average 136 yards per game over the season’s final 4 weeks, but it is the best run we have seen at the title since Joey Galloway went for 1,834 in 2000. Nelson has been averaging just over 118 yards per game this entire season and already has 7 games where he has topped the needed 136 per game to reach the record. But this means he cannot have a week with a 55-yard performance. He needs to be getting targeted every week, and turning as many 10-yard Brees throws into 30-yard YAC gains.  In Brees, of course, he has one of the best and most accurate passers in the game at his disposal. If anyone can lead a throw to allow Nelson to turn 10 into 30, it is Brees. So, the record is there, the QB is there, and Nelson has a shot at history. Not bad for a free agent “testing the waters” and “building a new rapport” with a new team.   Did Coach Ellard Send Newton a Message? Yeah, we all think he did. After Newton’s post-game meltdown last week, where he challenged Ellard to trade him and questioned the effort level of his teammates, we think Ellard sent him a message, and that message is “no one is above the team”. Birmingham had a solid 13-2 lead on Las Vegas when the 4th quarter began, and the defense, apparently inspired by Newton’s disparaging remarks the prior week, had not let Eli Manning (a bit rusty after injury) do anything with the Viper offense all game. It was time to burn some clock and run the ball down Las Vegas’s throat to shorten the game. Normally this would call for T. J. Yeldon and Danny Woodhead to get carry after carry, but on 13 occasions in the final 15 minutes, Coach Ellard called a designed run for Newton. This included first down runs, 2nd down and long runs, even one third and long run call. Newton being Newton, he would not audible out of a play designed for him. So what was the result? Newton finished the game with 15 rushes for -1 yards. Yup, he got smoked, time and time again. His longest run in the 3rd quarter was 3 yards and on multiple occasions Las Vegas linemen and linebackers just piled on him as he tried both inside and outside runs. The Vipers may have been losing the game, but you could see smiles on the faces of LBs Ahmad Brooks and DeAndre Levy as they helped Newton get up after yet another crushing hit. Newton was dead silent after the game. Was he humbled by the beating? By his coach’s clear message that no player wins on his own or is bigger than the team? It seems so, but will this also push Newton to push for a trade even harder? Perhaps, but not likely with Ellard. We think he will wait until the offseason and speak to GMs in suits rather than risk offending a head coach who played the game for over a decade and has no patience for disrespect.   Renegades Surprise Us with Tebow Signing Coming off a 4th consecutive loss, and 4 in which the team has averaged 10 points per game since losing Russell Wilson, we expected something to change, but what Orlando chose to do was a shocker. There were rumors that they were speaking with true NFL free agent QB Geno Smith, but the name announced as the newest Renegade was not on anyone’s radar, former Florida and Jacksonville Bull QB Tim Tebow.   Tebow played 5 up and down seasons with the Bulls, was traded to LA, where he just did not fit at all, and was released after the 2015 season. He spent the last year briefly on the rosters of the NFL Broncos and Jets, but was unemployed by Week 10 of the NFL season. That means that like Geno Smith, his 6-month window of being unsigned allowed USFL teams to freely negotiate with him outside the NFL-USFL transfer window. Orlando did just that and this week announced that the Florida star was back in the USFL and back in Florida.   Tebow with the Renegades will certainly sell some jerseys, as he still maintains a nice fanbase among Gator fans, but just how quickly he can be brought up to speed and have a chance to see game action, that seems somewhat dubious with only 4 weeks left in the season. Connor Shaw has been ineffective in the 5 games where he has been under center (4 starts and 1 sub-in when Wilson was hurt). Orlando has already stated that this week’s starter will be untested and very wet-behind-the-ears 2nd year QB Brandon Allen. Could they be thinking they can put Tebow in as soon as next week? He is certainly still a very athletic player, but there is something different about being in “football shape”, and what about mentally? The last few years have not been kind to Tebow’s ego and confidence. It seems a risk to us, but this point, with Orlando a game out of a possible Wild Card spot, perhaps risk is what is needed.   Oakland Hit Again as Lindley Joins Harrington on IR The season just got one notch uglier for the Oakland Invaders. The team is sitting at 5-7, having lost Joey Harrington to a season ending MCL injury back in Week 5. Now they get the news that his replacement. Ryan Lindley is also down for the count after suffering a fracture to the radius on his throwing arm after it crashed into the helmet of an oncoming tackler in this week’s loss to the Dallas Roughnecks. The Invaders finished the game with 3rd stringer Bob Volek under center. Volek, a 9-year veteran, is certainly a sage presence on the sideline, but last started a game in 2010, a full 7 seasons ago.   Volek will be starting this week, as Oakland visits arch-rival Los Angeles down the coast. He will be backed up by Tom Savage, acquired in free agency after being cut by the Maulers. They have added undrafted free agent 2016 rookie QB Joe Callahan of Wesley College to have a 3rd QB, but for the foreseeable future (the remaining 4 weeks) the Invaders are likely to try to run out the year with Volek under center. The Arizona Wranglers, sitting at 11-1, have clinched a playoff spot this week. They join Houston and Philadelphia as guaranteed postseason participants. As yet only Houston has clinched their division, with Denver still mathematically alive (4 games back) of the Wranglers and New Jersey still alive (4 games back) in the NE Division. Both the Stars and Wranglers can clinch their division this week with a win or with losses by the Generals or Gold.   We are seeing our usual clusters of teams in the battle for the final Wild Card spots as well. In the West, you have 4 teams with 6 wins each, and only 2 spots available. Ohio and LA currently hold the tie-breakers but those can change at any time with different combinations of wins and losses by any of the 4 teams. Seattle and Las Vegas are right there with 6 wins apiece, and 5-7 Oklahoma, Dallas, and Oakland are still in the mix as well. In the East, Baltimore is the lone 6-6 squad and holds the 6th and final spot, but there are 4 clubs at 5-7 who are certainly within striking range should the Blitz stumble. Memphis, Atlanta, Orlando, and Birmingham need to finish strong and hope that Baltimore has issues. While they are technically in range of 7-5 New Jersey, New Orleans, and Charlotte, the odds are against them to make up a 2-game difference and win on tiebreakers with only 4 weeks left. Finally, we added a 2nd team to the list of clubs eliminated from playoff position. Washington joins Portland in that unhappy club. After Portland’s win this week, the two are tied at 2-14, and both have their two wins in conference, so there is no saying which would get the 1st draft pick at this point. It could go down to a 3rd or even 4th tiebreaker if they both finish the year at 2-14. So, now the question for Stag and Federal fans, do you want to win any of your last 4 games? Generally, the answer is yes, because the Open Draft is such a crap shoot and with the NFL often claiming more than 50% of all early round draft picks, it is not worth taking the hit for “tanking” to get that 1st pick.   OUT FS           Jairus Byrd                  PHI        Hip                        IR LB           Paul Posluszny                PIT         Hamstring         IR LB           Reuben Foster               BIR         ACL                       IR LB           Dannell Ellerbe           ATL         Neck                     IR QB         Ryan Lindley                  OAK      Arm                       IR TE           Kellen Davis                  WSH     Shoulder             2-4 Weeks SS           Tra Battle                        ATL         Wrist                     1-2 Weeks LB           Nick Perry                     STL         Arm                       1-2 Weeks HB         T. J. Yeldon                    BIR         Concussion       1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR         Justin Blackmon             OHI       Jaw        C             Peter Konz                      OAK      Concussion WR         Donnie Avery                   NOR      Arm   QUESTIONABLE QB         Andy Dalton                  PIT         Hamstring HB         Christian McCaffrey     OAK      Concussion WR         Alshon Jeffery                POR      Tendinitis DE          Matthew Judon             LV           Foot   Five Head Coaches Feeling the Heat With only 4 weeks left in the season and Washington providing us the first coach firing of the year, the question now turns to the other coaches on the hotseat, feeling like their opportunities to turn things around, or at least show some hope moving forward, are shrinking with every week. We picked 5 coaches we believe are somewhere on the sliding scale from nervous about 2018 to almost certain Black Monday fodder and reviewed where they are, how they got there and what they need to avoid the axe this August.   Jim Caldwell (BAL) The Situation: The 5-game losing streak had Caldwell squarely on the hot seat, but they have since won 3 in a row and are actually in playoff position at 6-6. The Blitz also have the league’s top scoring defense and a top 10 offense, so is Caldwell now in the safe zone? Our Assessment: We are feeling pretty good that Jim Caldwell will stay at the helm of the Blitz. There are 4 games left and even a 2-2 record could get Baltimore a playoff spot. 8-8 is not what fans want, but ownership is likely not going to let Caldwell go unless the Blitz completely tank. What He Can Do: Get that Wild Card, or at least get 2 wins to finish at 8-8 and we think Caldwell is safe for another offseason.   Lovie Smith (CHI) The Situation: It is only Smith’s 2nd year with the team and last year was a surprising success at 9-7. This year has not been so kind, with Chicago starting the year a dreadful 1-7. But they have won 3 of their last 4 games, so there is hope that Smith can keep them from a truly embarrassing year. Our Assessment:  A rough 2nd year is not always out of the question as he reworks the roster and tries to make changes to the style of play. We think that unless he goes 0-4 down the stretch, even a 5-11 season will get Smith ano What He Can Do: Winning 3 games to finish 6-10 would be great, and would give the Machine a nice 6-2 second half. That will go a long way to showing the club that Smith has the club headed somewhere.   Mike Sherman (DAL) The Situation: We had Sherman on the watch list for possible firing last season. This is his 4th year in Dallas and it has the chance to be his 2nd consecutive 10-loss season. Manziel’s suspension was an unwanted distraction and a blemish on the team, but does Sherman get the blame for that or does it lie with the Roughneck QB? Our Assessment: Dallas is sitting at 5-7. If they can win 3 of 4 to finish at 8-8, well, then Sherman may have a chance, but if they hit that 10-loss spot at 6-10, we think it is over. No idea what 7-9 would mean. What He Can Do: Dallas has just not shown any improvement on defense all year, and the Wheedon-Manziel handoff has not gone well, so we think that 8-8 may be the only saving grace for Sherman. If he hits 6-10 or even 7-9, we think they will call it a day and move on.   Henry Ellard (BIR) The Situation: Ellard can only ride his local celebrity and fan affection so far. He was brought back to the Stallions to turn Cam Newton into a star and the Stallion offense into one of the league’s elite squads. As he comes to the conclusion of his 3rd season at the helm, the offense is one of the league’s worst (27th in yards per game and 26th in passing) and his star QB is demanding a trade. Our Assessment: Likely on his way out. Ownership would rather keep Newton. What He Can Do:  Unless he can patch things up with his QB, we just don’t see a path forwards, and even that may not be enough.   Pep Hamilton (POR) The Situation: After a pretty rough 4-12 season to start his tenure at Portland, the hope was that Hamilton would be able to bring rapid development for Marcus Mariota and that Portland would take a nice positive step, maybe to 7-9 or 8-8. They now sit at 2-10 and it looks like this year’s club is less focused and less competitive than last year’s group. That is not good news for their coach. Our Assessment: We don’t see a path forward for Hamilton. Had Mariota shown signs of growth this season, then maybe a 10-loss year would have been survivable, but Mariota is not looking at all like he is ready to step up, and the Stags have just not been a team that gives their foes much to worry about. What He Can Do: Start packing, sell the house, get that resume out there for OC positions, or maybe consider a year in the booth doing color commentary. We don’t think Portland will be your home by next March.   Third Quarter USFL Power Rankings 1-HOUSTON (12-0) NO CHANGE Being number one in scoring and total offense, along with a Top 5 defense is a very good place to be.   2-ARIZONA (11-1) UP 3 David Carr is making a case for back-to-back MVP trophies as Arizona has the top passing offense in the league and is looking like a Summer Bowl favorite in the West.   3-PHILADELPHIA (11-1) DOWN 1 Fourth in points scored and in points allowed gives Philadelphia a great margin of victory of over 8 points per game. 4-MICHIGAN (9-3) DOWN 1 Another team strong on both sides of the ball, averaging over 28 points per game while allowing only 17. Arizona had better not get too cocky.   5-SAN DIEGO (9-3) NO CHANGE Still not getting the respect a 9-win team usually gets, San Diego won 4 in a row before the weird stinker in Chicago this week.   6-NEW ORLEANS (7-5) UP 2 We are all watching Jordy Nelson’s numbers, but this team is solid in lots of areas beyond their new superstar receiver.   7-DENVER (7-4-1) NO CHANGE The Gold are not going to wow you, but they can still beat you. It helps that they allow an average of only 70 yards per game rushing.   8-NEW JERSEY (7-5) UP 2 MJD has the Generals over 100 yards per game rushing, and the 2nd rated scoring defense has teams averaging only 16 points when they face the Generals.   9-BALTIMORE (6-6) UP 9 The Blitz get a lot of credit for their 3-game streak. How quickly we forgot the five-game skid that took them from 3-1 to 3-6.   10-CHARLOTTE (7-5) UP 1 We get it. Rookie QB, too many turnovers. There are reasons to be skeptical of the Monarchs, but in a weak SE Division, they could still get a top 3 seed.   11-SEATTLE (6-6) UP 9 The 6-game win streak is over, but and the Dragons play only 1 team with a record below .500 in their final 4 games. Time to prove you are legit.   12-LOS ANGELES (6-6) DOWN 3 The Express have won some surprising games, but also just lost to Portland. Guess that is the life of a 6-6 club.   13-OHIO (6-6) UP 2 With all 4 remaining games against teams at or below .500, the Glory have a chance to make a statement and propel themselves into the postseason for the first time in almost a decade.   14-LAS VEGAS (6-6) UP 9 Big wins against Denver and Oklahoma have them very much alive in the SW Division. They won’t catch the Wranglers but could still find a path to a Wild Card.   15-OKLAHOMA (5-7) DOWN 3 We loved the new offensive plan, but is it too little, too late for the Outlaws in their first season in OKC?   16-ATLANTA (5-7) DOWN 2 Aaron Murray seems to be the key for the Fire. When he plays well, they can beat some solid teams, but when he struggles, there is not much else the Fire can offer.   17-DALLAS (5-7) UP 2 We are still not sure that Coach Sherman made the right call in returning to Manziel at QB. Wheedon had better numbers in his 6-game stint than Manziel has had in any 6 consecutive games.   18-MEMPHIS (5-7) DOWN 1 How does this team beat the Stars, barely lose to Arizona (32-30) and then get crushed by New Jersey and New Orleans? They have no consistency on either side of the ball. That is how.   19-BIRMINGHAM (5-7) DOWN 6 The Cam Newton drama aside, the Stallions are just not good on defense, giving up 343 yards per game, with most of it through the air (264 per game). Hard to win in this league if you struggle in pass coverage.   20-CHICAGO (4-8) UP 7 That was a nice win over San Diego, a week after beating Oakland in Oakland. Maybe Chicago should petition to join the Pacific Division? Three of their 4 wins have come against Pacific foes.   21-JACKSONVILLE (4-8) UP 2 The Bulls keep tempting us with their defense, which has looked dynamic at multiple times this year, but if your offense can only muster 64 yard rushing and 183 in the air each week, you cannot expect to reach or surpass .500. Time to draft for offense.   22-OAKLAND (5-7) DOWN 6 The Invaders have to feel snakebitten this year, losing both Harrington and now Lindley. Coach Green is not in any danger, not with his track record, so the plan for 2018 has to start now.   23-ORLANDO (5-7) DOWN 17 The Renegades were 5-3 and looking like a division title contender before they lost Wilson. Now they look like one of the worst offenses in the league. Nothing Calais Campbell can do about that.   24-TAMPA BAY (4-8) UP 2 This has been a great quarter for the Bandits, who have won 3 of 4 in the past month, including big wins against Charlotte and Atlanta in their division. Dak Prescott has looked like he is beginning to really understand the game and see things slow down.   25-PITTSBURGH (3-8-1) DOWN 4 A nice effort in Denver got them a tie, but otherwise this has been a bad month. Losing by 25 to Baltimore has got to hurt, and the face them again in 2 weeks. Ouch. 26-ST. LOUIS (3-9) DOWN 2 The Skyhawks may be looking to reboot. After seeing how good Jordy Nelson has been in New Orleans, folks are questioning whether former MVP Josh Freeman is still the man. He is injured now, so that will be an offseason question that may not get an answer.   27-PORTLAND (2-10) DOWN 2 Hey, look, you are not in last place any more. Good for you, and good for you to put in the effort to get that win this week against a stunned LA squad. Still may not be enough to keep Pep Hamilton in his corner office.   28-WASHINGTON (2-10) NO CHANGE Jeff Ireland (GM) is gone. Sean Payton is gone. Washington is looking like a team that has hit rock bottom and now must do some soul-searching to decide who they want to be in 2018 and beyond. That will start with the hiring of a new GM and Head Coach this offseason.     MAULERS UNVEIL SLEEK “STEEL CITY” ALTERNATE’ A week after revealing their new primary looks, Pittsburgh embraces their Steel City identity with an all “steel” look. The limited-use alternate look features a steely grey helmet, not exactly glossy but also not matte. The helmet has a single purple stripe and a simple block letter P on either side. As with the entire look all orange has been removed from the design, creating a purple and silver/grey look that K-State, Furman, and Northwestern should immediately copy.   The jerseys, using the same cut and yoke pattern as the primaries, are steel grey with purple numbers (outlined in white) and a purple yoke which features a special 2-tone purple, steel and white version of the team logo. The pants are also steel grey, with a single purple stripe interrupted at the knee with a small white block. The team’s secondary logo is on the hip, also in just grey, white, and purple. It is sharp, one of my favorite alts to date and a fitting tribute to the steel city without infringing on the NFL Steelers in the least. Pittsburgh also unveiled their 1984 throwback, an expected move that is still welcomed by throngs of longstanding Mauler fans, especially when you reveal the look with Mike Rozier’s number, a very welcome callback for Mauler fans who will never forget one of their teams greatest legends. Back to some serious divisional action in Week 13, as it should be this late in the year. Ohio and Chicago kick us off in a game the Glory desperately need if they want to protect their Wild Card hopes. Then at 9pm ET it is the struggling Invaders visiting the inconsistent Express. I would not bet on this game with my own money. No way to know what will happen.   On Saturday we start off with what could be a very ugly game as 11-1 Philly visits 2-10 Washington. Expect no mercy from the Stars in this one. We also have some nice 4pm matchups with Michigan at St. Louis, Dallas @ Oklahoma, both divisional games with some playoff influence.  The night games feature two of the league’s best teams in action, 12-0 Houston hosting the Stallions and 9-3 San Diego making a tough trip to the mountains to face the Denver Gold.   On Sunday we kick off with a biggie in the NE Division as 7-win New Jersey heads to 6-6 Baltimore. This could have a huge impact in the Wild Card race. We also have Orlando, struggling to find themselves against a Tampa squad that has won 3 of their last 4. Another bad mismatch at 4pm when the 2-10 Portland Stags head to Arizona to face the 11-1 Wranglers. This may be one that you want to avert young children from watching. Finally, the nightcap on Sunday has a SE Division battle with first place Charlotte hosting the 5-7 Atlanta Fire. If Atlanta wants any shot at the division, or maybe even a playoff spot in general, they need to step up in the Dixieland Dustup.   FRI 7PM ET          Ohio (6-6) @ Chicago (4-8)                                ABC FRI 9PM ET        Oakland (5-7) @ Los Angeles (6-6)                  ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET          Pittsburgh (3-8-1) @ Memphis (5-7)                 ABC SAT 12PM ET         Philadelphia (11-1) @ Washington (2-10)         FOX SAT 4PM ET             Michigan (9-3) @ St. Louis (3-9)                       ABC SAT 4PM ET          Dallas (5-7) @ Oklahoma (5-7)                         FOX SAT 7PM ET           Birmingham (5-7) @ Houston (12-0)                NBC SAT 9PM ET            San Diego (9-3) @ Denver (7-4-1)                  ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET        New Jersey (7-5) @ Baltimore (6-6)                  ABC SUN 12PM ET         Orlando (5-7) @ Tampa Bay (4-8)                      FOX Regional SUN 12PM ET        Jacksonville (4-8) @ New Orleans (7-5)           FOX Regional SUN 4PM ET           Seattle (6-6) @ Las Vegas (6-6)                       ABC SUN 4PM ET            Portland (2-10) @ Arizona (11-1)                  FOX SUN 8PM ET            Atlanta (5-7) @ Charlotte (7-5)                        ESPN/EFN

Bomber gets the Oakland faithful ready to roll. A shocking upset as Memphis takes down the Stars in Philadelphia, a happy Houston squad now the lone unbeaten as they take care of business in Charlotte. A beauty of a game between two title contenders as San Diego outlasts Michigan on Saturday night and the season’s first tie as the Maulers, with Kevin Hogan again impressing at QB, nearly get the big upset in Denver. Overall a great week to be a USFL fan, with a lot of tight games, high drama, and big performances. We are going to break it all down, including a close look at that nice Michigan-San Diego showdown, and all the scores from the week. We start it off with a story on something that we have always know, but which this season is proving to be absolutely true, that QB health and good QB play is the key to success in the USFL.   2017 Showing How Vital QB Health Is If there were any doubters that the USFL is a QB-driven league, or that the ability to protect and keep your star QB on the field is vital to success, the 2017 USFL season is putting any doubts to rest. Whether it is looking at the success of teams who have prioritized quality QB play and QB protection, teams like Houston, Arizona, or Philadelphia, or if you look at the fate of teams who have proven unable to keep their star QB’s on the field, teams like Oakland, Orlando, or St. Louis, well the story is the same. Having a healthy leader on the field is huge. Losing your star QB is devastating.   Honestly, we don’ t even have to look at the current situations in places like Oakland and Orlando, where the losses of Joey Harrington and Russell Wilson have all but sunk the playoff hopes of each team. Just look at the ongoing saga of Joe Flacco in Oklahoma. Here is a QB that has won an MVP and 4 All-USFL honors, who has led his team to great success in the past, and who is widely regarded as one of the best pure passers in the league. The problem is that he is also a statue in the pocket, lacking even the minimal escapability that other larger QBs like Ben Roethlisberger, Sam Bradford or Andy Dalton possess. When you pair that with an offensive line that is rated as one of the 10 worst in the league, what you get is a QB who is getting sacked far more often than any sane man would want to. And while Flacco’s numbers are still solid (2,900 yards and a 17:8 TD:INT ratio), the results are not coming, with Oklahoma only averaging 21 points per game and sitting at 4-7.   But, of course, the cases of the Renegades and Invaders are even clearer. When Joey Harrington went down in Week 5 the Invaders simply did not have a response. Yes, Ryan Lindley is not exactly a wet behind the ears rookie, but the 6th year QB had not started a game since his last year in Tampa Bay back in 2014. He has struggled since coming in as the new starter, with a 69.3 QB rating and more picks than TDs. With a team whose WR group has been decimated by free agency and which depends on a rookie HB for much of their offensive spark, having a backup playing 11 of team’s 16 games has not been a scenario for success for Oakland, who currently sit outside of playoff position at 5-6.   Orlando was looking very solid until they lost Russel Wilson 3 weeks ago. They were sitting atop the SE Division at 5-3, but three consecutive losses, and a significant drop in offensive productivity now have the Renegades underwater at 5-6, and seeking a new path forward. The ‘Gades looked absolutely lost this week in a 23-0 shellacking by Baltimore. Connor Shaw, the 4th year backup who has barely seen the field in past seasons was overwhelmed by a somewhat shaky Baltimore defense, which does not bode well for the next 5 weeks. Sacked 5 times and indecisive even when he was not pressured, Shaw is not the answer, but with the league trade deadline come and gone, there are not a lot of options left. Some expect Orlando to bring in NFL free agent Geno Smith, but that could take weeks to develop and the Renegades just don’t have weeks to spare.   So, the story is not a new one, but it is a lesson for every head coach out there. Get the best QB you can get, protect the hell out of him, and make sure that you have a backup who is ready to go, just in case. Failure to do this could be the difference between a deep playoff run and a disappointing season watching the post-season from the couch. This is the USFL after all, the league that brought us Hebert, Kelly, Flutie, Favre, Aikman, and Collins. This is a Quarterback League.   MICHIGAN PANTHERS 30   SAN DIEGO THUNDER 34 Two division leaders, both with impressive 8-2 records, going head to head in what could be a preview of a Western Conference playoff clash. That sounds like a pretty good ticket, and that was what we had in San Diego when the Michigan Panthers, led by tailback LeVeon Bell came to southern California to face Joe Webb and the San Diego Thunder for the Saturday Night Special on ESPN and EFN.   Michigan came to San Diego winners of 4 straight, but it had been a while since the Panthers had faced a team with a winning record, not since Week 6 when they lost in Ohio. Since then they have had a relatively easy time of it with games against Tampa Bay, Chicago, Atlanta, and Portland. For the Thunder, who have won 8 of 9 since losing their season opener to the Express, the road has been a bit tougher, and after a huge Week 10 win at LA, the Thunder were feeling very much like the Pacific Division was theirs to claim, if they could avoid some intra-divisional losses. So the stage was set for a great matchup of two teams with very high aspirations.   The game would not disappoint. San Diego, knowing the key to Michigan’s offense was halfback LeVeon Bell, would design their defensive gameplan around run blitzes and outside containment. For Michigan the mission was to keep Joe Webb contained, forcing him to be a pocket passer, and to have eyes on Chad Johnson at all times. Both gameplans would have their moments, but both would also break down as this game slowly moved from the teens into the 20s and then into the 30s, with both clubs finding ways to put points on the board. The game opened with Michigan in possession, and after a couple of initial first downs, San Diego’s run blitz worked as drawn up on a key third and short. Myles Jack crashed down on Bell before the back could clear the backfield, producing a 1-yard loss on 3rd and 3 and forcing a Michigan punt. But, Panther punter Chris Jones nailed the coffin corner kick and San Diego found itself backed up on their own 2. After a run for no gain by Lamar Miller, Michigan DE Michael Bennett came after Joe Webb on 2nd and 10, was held in the endzone and the safety was awarded to the Panthers. Not an auspicious start for the Thunder offense.   Michigan would add to their 2-point lead with the post-safety possession, starting just short of the 50. The Panthers used the short field to quickly strike at the Thunder defense. On a 1st and 10 from the Thunder 39, play action pulled in the safeties, concerned about Bell charging to the left, but it was TE Martellus Bennett, going from left to right who was the true focus of the play. With the safeties out of position, Cousins was able to hit Bennett in stride, and the big man found the path to the endzone with only marginal threat of being tackled by the cornerback. Michigan had played the Thunder’s concern over Bell perfectly and now held a 9-point advantage.   But, on the next Thunder possession, Michigan’s defensive scheme, to contain and control Joe Webb’s movement, would prove absolutely ineffective. Webb dropped back to pass on a 1st and 10, saw a crease in the pocket, took off through the hole, and proceeded to make Michigan defenders look both slow and foolish on his path downfield. He got some good blocks from his receivers, occupying cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and FS Kenny Phillips, and allowing Webb’s run to reach paydirt. It was an 86-yard scamper that caused the partisan Thunder crowd to erupt and sent shivers down Coach McDermott’s spine. He would need to adjust his plans, put a spy on Webb at all times, and risk big plays from others because his containment plan failed miserably on the first true San Diego possession.   The Panther offense would respond to the quick strike from San Diego, mounting a 13-play drive that finished with Cousins connecting with B. J. Cunningham, in the game for injured WR Jerrel Jernigan, for a short TD toss to go up 9 once again, 16-7. But San Diego was still feeling the energy from the long Webb TD run, and the second quarter would largely be dominated by the Thunder offense. The Thunder would score 17 points in the period, to Michigan’s lone 2nd quarter field goal. The first strike came after the first of Michigan QB Kirk Cousin’s three picks on the day. A tipped ball, this first pick gave San Diego the ball on the Michigan 29 after Kyle Van Noy, blitzing on the run, instead clipped the ball coming off Cousin’s hand and FS Mark Barron snagged the tipped ball for the first of his 2 picks on the day. From the 29, San Diego needed only 4 plays to put the ball in the endzone, with HB Terrance West doing the honros from 8 yards out.   Michigan would score their lone points of the quarter on the ensuing drive, a Michael Beam field goal pushing their lead up to 19-14, but San Diego responded quickly, moving the ball from their own 27 to the Michigan 30 in only 5 plays before Joe Webb found Nick Toon on a deep ball, with a perfectly thrown strike to the endzone, brought in by the lanky wideout. The score gave San Diego their first lead of the game at 21-19, and with a field goal in the final seconds added to the total, San Diego went into the half with a 24-19 lead and a sense that momentum was theirs.   But the third quarter proved that both coaches knew how to make adjustments at the half. Neither offense found it easy to move the ball in the period. Kirk Cousins suffered his 2nd pick, this time just a poor throw that was easy pickings for CB Tye Smith. But, Joe Webb also found it hard to connect with his receivers, suffering 2 picks of his own in the period, in both cases balls intended for Chad Johnson, but both thrown under pressure and finding Michigan CB Jourdan Lewis instead. Michigan had put Lewis on Johnson after the Nick Toon TD, recognizing that while Johnson was a more frequent target, putting Kirkpatrick on Toon was needed to offset the wideout’s speed.   And so, the third quarter saw only one lone score, a long field goal from Michael Beam to pull Michigan within 2 points at 24-22. It would come down to the 4th quarter in what had to be a frustrating game for fans on the East Coast, now heading towards midnight without a clear leader in the game. The period began with Michigan in possession, moving the ball slowly into San Diego territory, but once again a forced ball would be the undoing of the drive. Cousins wanted to try play action again to hit Bennett as he had earlier in the game, but this time safety Mark Barron held back when the ball was faked to Bell, and when it headed towards Bennett, Barron was there to take it away.   San Diego used the momentum from that pick to add to their lead, moving the ball down to the Michigan 20 before the drive fizzled on a missed receiver on 3rd and 7. The Thunder added 3 on a Jeff Reed 37-yarder and now lead 27-22. Michigan would need to rebound and Kirk Cousins would need to shake off a 3rd pick in the game. With the run game not proving very effective, it would be up to Cousins to get the ball into scoring range. He did just that by first connecting with TE Rob Housler for 13 yards, then finding Cody Latimer on a huge 42-yard completion, with the Thunder defenders claiming that a rub route had been a pick, but no penalty was called. Michigan had the ball inside the San Diego 20 and was still only down 5 points, despite their earlier errors. It was now that San Diego had their defensive hiccup, much like Michigan had seen with their own glitch on the Webb TD run. Maybe it was a defensive miscall, or maybe LeVeon Bell is just too good to be contained for 4 quarters, but he let loose his best run of the game, breaking a tackle a yard into the play and then putting a smooth juke move on LB Kyle van Noy to find daylight. Once free from the linebacker group, it was over, and Bell raced to the endzone untouched, putting Michigan up 28-27. A 2-point play for the PAT found success when Cousins hit Housler in the endzone and Michigan had a 3-point advantage at 30-27 with 6:17 left to play. But, man, that is still a lot of time.   The Panther defense came up huge on the next drive, giving hope to Panther fans back East that they would hold on over the final 6 minutes. They forced a quick 3-and-out on the Thunder, aided by a holding call on 2nd down, but locked up with a nice defensive play by Kirkpatrick on Nick Toon on 3rd and 16. But, the Panther offense fizzled on the next possession, perhaps going a bit too conservative with 3 consecutive runs. Both Bell and Mike Hart were bottled up and after failing to convert with a run on 3rd and 5, the Panthers were forced to kick the ball right back to San Diego with 3:03 left to play.   San Diego would not be bottled up on this final drive. They knew that all they needed was a field goal, an Michigan knew the same, but the Thunder still used a sense of urgency, going to a no huddle and seeking to convert for new first downs on earlier downs. The strategy worked as the Thunder earned three first downs without facing a single third down, Webb finding receivers open in the 7-9 yard range consistently. A nicye draw play to Terrance West produced a 16 yard gain, and at the 2-minute warning, San Diego was on the edge of the red zone looking to take the game away from the visiting Panthers.   It would take San Diego only 4 plays and 22 seconds from there to score the go-ahead touchdown. ESPN color commentator Steve Young pointed out that the Thunder may well have scored too soon, with Nick Toon getting his second TD on a 9-yard fade route with 1:47 left to play. Young feared that the Thunder had given Michigan more than enough time to come back, but, that down by 4, they would need to go the full length of the field to score.   The Panthers would get the ball on their own 28 after a nice return by Ted Ginn Jr. but they would not find success on their last minute drive. A false start on the very first play made it 1st and 15 at the 23, and 2 plays later they would be called for a 2nd penalty, an illegal hands to the face. They ended up facing a daunting 3rd and 16, which became 4th and 16 after an incomplete pass to Latimer. On 4th down, San Diego rushed only 3, keeping everyone back. When Cousins found TE Bennie Cunningham 10 yards downfield, the Thunder defense swarmed the big receiver and he failed to gain the needed 6 additional yards, a turnover on downs and a victory formation was all that was left in the game.   San Diego is proving themselves a formidable foe, with a solid defense (7th against the run and in oversall scoring). Michigan played a good game, made a few too many mistakes and, outside of the one TD run, were never truly able to free up LeVeon Bell, who finished with only 57 yards rushing. San Diego now moves to 9-2, on the cusp of a playoff berth and only 1 game behind the Wranglers for that coveted 1-seed and home field advantage.   HOUSTON 19   CHARLOTTE 14 The Gamblers come back from a 14-3 deficit, scoring the game’s final 16 points to stay unbeaten at 11-0. Charlotte had them early, thanks to a big day from HB Adrian Peterson (107 yards, including 73 and a TD in the first half), but Houston roared back with Mike Evans producing 132 yards receiving and the defense coming up huge with the winning score, a 30-yard pick-six from Kenny Vaccaro. Mitch Trubisky heard boo birds as his pick led to the loss, picks remaining a huge issue for the rookie. POTG:  Houston SS Kenny Vaccaro: 2 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   DALLAS 13   ARIZONA 26 Keeping his word to his starter, Coach Sherman put Manziel back in the game as the starter, but facing Arizona after a 6-week hiatus is no easy task and Dallas struggled to put offense together. It did not help that the run game was held to only 45 yards on 30 attempts. Arizona faired much better with Frank Gore and Ka’Deem Carey combining for 104 and 2 scores. Larry Fitzgerald added 97 yards and a score as Arizona moves to 10-1 on the year. POTG:  Wrangler DE Adam Carriker: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   BALTIMORE 23  ORLANDO 0 An ugly game for the Renegades as their offense only accounted for 199 total yards and QB Connor Shaw looked rattled all game long, sacked 3 times, but also fumbling without contact twice. Baltimore only had Big Ben for the first quarter before an injury knocked him out, but Jake Locker came in, threw for a score and helped Baltimore earn the win. The shutout was almost lost in the closing seconds, but a late Billy Cundiff field goal hooked left from 48 yards out. POTG:  Blitz WR Brian Hartline: 4 Rec, 119 Yds, 1 TD   MEMPHIS 20  PHILADELPHIA 10 An absolute shocker as one week after throwing 4 picks in a blowout loss to New Jersey, Paxton Lynch and the Showboats come into Philadelphia and knock the Stars from the ranks of the unbeaten. Lynch went 18 of 27 for 194, with 2 TDs and, more importantly, no picks. Anthony Allen was the key to the game for Memphis, rushing for 132 yards on 27 carries, he kept Philadelphia in a base defense and off balance all game long. The defense also played well, holding Derrick Henry to only 47 yards rushing and forcing Matt Gutierrez to throw a lot of passes away, producing only a 34.3% completion rate for the Philly QB. POTG:  Memphis HB Anthony Allen: 27 Att, 132 Yds   PITTSBURGH 27  DENVER 27  OVERTIME With Andy Dalton again sidelined by injury, Kevin Hogan had another opportunity to impress, and he did, going 31 of 56 for 317 yards and nearly pulling off the road upset in Denver. Hogan hit Anthony Hill late in the 4th to tie the game, but neither team could get a score on the board in overtime, so the game ended in a tie. For Denver, the star of the game was HB Jamaal Charles, who rushed for 120 and 2 scores, while his backfield mate, DeMarco Murray also played well, adding 70 yards and a score on 19 carries as Denver used a ground & pound strategy, but could not get the W yet again. POTG:  Mauler QB Kevin Hogan: 31/56, 317 Yds, 1 TD, 2 Int   CHICAGO 27  OAKLAND 24 Oakland continues to backslide without Joey Harrington at the helm. Ryan Lindley threw 2 picks, including a costly pick-six to Micah Hyde in this one, while Matt Forte rushed for 73 and a score for Chicago. Chicago capitalized on 4 Invader turnovers to take the narrow win and provide Oakland with a third straight defeat, dropping them below .500. POTG:  Chicago FS Micah Hyde: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   WASHINGTON 7   LOS ANGELES 37 Sean Payton tried to shake things up by starting Tajh Boyd at QB and newly-signed Chris Johnson at HB. The plan failed, though Johnson’s 65 yards on 9 carries were solid. LA simply dominated, with Sam Bradford throwing for 4 TDs and the combo of Reggie Bush and Paul Perkins combining for 119 yards rushing. The result? Payton was let go on Monday, with 5 games still to play. POTG:  LA quarterback Sam Bradford: 25/32, 285 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   TAMPA BAY 19  ATLANTA 10 The Bandits pull off the road upset in Atlanta thanks to a big day from HB Rex Burkhead (26 carries for 126 yards) and 2 Aaron Murray picks. Atlanta was only 1 of 9 on third down as Tampa’s defense played one of its better games this season. Burkhead and backup Davante Booker combined for 167 yards rushing, allowing the Bandits to control the clock and grind out the win. POTG:  Bandit HB Rex Burkhead: 26 Att, 123 Yds, 3 Rec, 14 Yds   ST. LOUIS 10   JACKSONVILLE 37 The Bulls roll past St. Louis, thanks to a defense that sacked Skyhawk QB Blaine Gabbert 4 times and picked him off on 3 more drop backs. Robert Griffin III largely stayed in the pocket, completing 28 of 40 passes, including TD tosses to Matt jones and Reuben Randle as the Bulls win at home in front of nearly 50,000 happy fans. POTG:  Bulls HB Matt Jones: 14 Att, 91 Yds, 1 TD, 5 Rec, 11 Yds, 1 TD   BIRMINGHAM 14   NEW ORLEANS 32 The Breakers welcomed back Drew Brees and their QB thanked them with a 1st quarter TD, all part of a 20-0 start that the Stallions never recovered from. Brees finished with 288 yards passing on 15 of 25. He got a lot of help from his backfield as Leonard Fournette (86) and Doug Wilson (85) combined for 171 yards and a score. Cam Newton could be seen yelling at his coaches for a good part of the 2nd half, and after the game was heard demanding a trade. POTG:  Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 6 Rec, 138 Yds   OKLAHOMA 14  LAS VEGAS 38 Someone please buy Joe Flacco some protection! The Oklahoma QB was again battered and beaten as Las Vegas sacked Flacco 7 times and hit him many more. They also picked off Flacco twice and limited Marshawn Lynch to a measly 19 yards on the day. Meanwhile, Jeff Tuel had a solid game, throwing for 2 scores and rushing for a 3rd as Las Vegas gets above .500 at 6-5. POTG:  Viper DE Mario Addison: 6 Tck, 2 Sck   OHIO 16  SEATTLE 35 The Dragons look better and better each week, blowing past the Glory at home thanks to 309 yards from QB Jacoby Brissett, 94 on the ground from C. J. Anderson, and a huge game for Emmanuel Sanders, with 146 yards receiving and a TD. The Seattle defense also played extremely well, sacking Ohio QB Christian Hackenberg 6 times, including a safety from LB Khalil Mack. POTG:  Dragon WR Emmanuel Sanders: 6 Rec, 146 Yds, 1 TD   NEW JERSEY 17  PORTLAND 10 Portland continues to stay in games, but drops to 1-10, becoming the first club officially out of the playoff hunt. In an odd game, all 27 points scored happened in the first half, with both clubs unable to mount any offense in the 2nd half. Nick Foles completed 19 of 25 passing and MJD rushed for 100 yards as New Jersey built up the 7-point lead and then held Portland at bay in the second half. POTG:  New Jersey DE Aaron Kampman: 4 Tck, 1 Sck   Payton and Ireland Relieved of Duties as Washington Destroyed by Express To say the 2017 season has not been what the Washington Federals expected would be an understatement. The Federals are sitting at 2-9, on the cusp of elimination from playoff contention with 5 weeks left, and both the offense and the defense are bottom 3 in the league. While injuries have certainly played a part in this year’s failures, there was a lot going wrong even before the IR list started to grow, and something had to be done.   That was essentially the message provided to fans and the press as the Federals announced that both Head Coach Sean Payton and GM Jeff Ireland had been let go with 5 weeks left in the 2017 season. The Federals have been simply atrocious this year, and it is no surprise that both leadership positions would be let go this year, but Week 11 feels just a bit early, even for a team struggling to only 2 wins in 11 attempts. So, Sean Payton leaves Washington with a 94-75 record over 11 seasons. He had taken Washington to the playoffs 6 consecutive years, from 2008-2013, but had a 3-6 record in the postseason, never advancing past the Divisional Round. And since 2013, the Federals have been on the decline, with back-to-back 7-9 seasons, followed by an 8-8 campaign last year, spurring hope that perhaps they had turned the corner, but now, at 2-9 it seems clear that the bottom has dropped out.   For Jeff Ireland, who helped bring many of Washington’s star players to the team, including QB David Garrard, WR Keenan Allen, and LB Shawn Merriman, a 5-year tenure with the Feds is also over. Fans have been on Ireland for his inability to find an adequate replacement for legendary back Deuce McCallister, saddling the team with the worst run game in the league this season. Cap issues are also a factor in the decision to let Ireland go, as the Federals currently sit with less than $2M in available room and some big names to resign this offseason, including WR Brandon LaFell, LB Alec Ogletree, DE Mathias Kiawanuka, and DT Atiyyah Ellison.   For now, interim staff will fill both positions, with OC Mike Neu taking over as the interim Head Coach. Neu, who did not have play-calling duties under Payton, now takes over not only the offensive play calls, but the entire team as they play out the season. Head Scout John Finisterre will take over as GM until a hire can be made. Neu and Finisterre are not likely to be offered the permanent positions, not without a miraculous turnaround over the next 5 weeks, so the search for both a new coach and a GM to manage the offseason likely begin in earnest.   Do Allen & Burkhead Deserve Lead Back Status? With 100-yard efforts this week, both Memphis HB Anthony Allen and Tampa Bay HB Rex Burkhead have once again shown that they have what it takes to be successful, and the question now becomes whether their best option is to stay where they are, essentially taking 2nd seat to their team’s designated lead back, or to move on and seek an opportunity to take on the lead back role. Both backs seem capable of performing at a high level, so why do they sit in the 2nd position in Memphis and Tampa? Anthony Allen has over 600 yards rushing this year, and now, with Todd Gurley hurt, he is the de facto lead back for the Showboats. This is not the first time he has taken on that role, and he has had success in the past, so the question has to be why he gets supplanted by Gurley when the Georgia product is healthy? Couldn’t, perhaps, shouldn’t Allen be seeking a chance to be the primary back for a club. His 132-yard game this week certainly looked like the work of a true lead back, not a fill in. Since taking over for Gurley in Week 6, Allen has averaged over 80 yards per game, good enough to finish a full year at over 1,200 yards. That is not only lead back material, that is All-USFL material. In Tampa Bay, Rex Burkhead’s position has never been clearly defined. He is used in short yardage, but also as a receiver on 3rd down. Injuries have often allowed him to take on more of a role, as he did last year when in 10 starts he had over 570 yards rushing, and this year, when in 5 starts he is looking at over 500 yards, including back-to-back 100-yard games the past two weeks. Burkhead may not be the prototypical bell cow back, but he certainly has shown he can be effective. As much as Tampa Bay wants to lean on rookie Dalvin Cook, it is Burkhead who appears the better option more often than not. So, will the Bandits give their veteran back a true shot at taking on the lead role, or should Burkhead, like Allen, consider other options, other locations where they may be able to earn that full-time starting gig.   Is Mike Riley Locking Up Coach of the Year? A month into the season and many were wondering if Mike Riley would survive the year as Seattle’s coach. Now there is a lot of talk that he could walk away with the Coach of the Year award. Amazing what a 6-game win streak can do for you. But it is not just the wins, though certainly they are very big in the picture, it is the shift in how Seattle sees itself as a team and how others see them as well. The Dragons went into the season as a very obvious rebuild project. They had an untested 2nd year QB at the helm of the offense, big questions in the receiving corps and all across the defense. And yet, after 11 weeks, Seattle boasts a Top 5 offense, averaging 24.3 points per game, and a defense that has not given up 20 points in over a month, including holding New Jersey to 6 points and both Baltimore and Oakland to only 10.   That is an impressive run, and Mike Riley is being noticed as someone who looked at the talent around his team and figured out how best to use them. On offense, he implemented a short passing game, allowing QB Jacoby Brissett to have 1 or 2 reads and then get rid of the ball. He is mixing up the targets as well, making sure that both Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace are getting plenty of looks, but also allowing the TE position to be a factor, with both Tyler Kroft and Dennis Pitta seeing plenty of targets. On defense, Riley is using a high pressure system to bring 5 or 6 defenders at the QB, trusting his 5-man secondary of safeties Goldson and Schillinger and the 3-corner setup of Richard Sherman, Xavien Howard and nickel Richard Crawford, take on receivers, challenging quick routes and making it tough to get deep.   With 5 weeks of action left to go, and certainly other feel-good stories across the league, including nice coaching jobs by Dick LeBeau in San Diego, Rick Neuheisel in Las Vegas, Jim Harbaugh in Philadelphia, and Tom Coughlin in Ohio, the Coach of the Year is not a lock, but Riley is certainly making the case that the competition starts and ends with him. If the Dragons keep winning, and keep rising up the power rankings, he may well get his recognition come this year’s Awards Dinner.   Was Newton Venting or Truly Demanding a Trade? That is the question all Stallion fans want answered. Cam Newton’s post-game rant, caught on tape by reporters in the locker room included some pretty harsh words directed at his teammates, and the team in general. A lot of raving about how his talents are being wasted, about the lack of effort from others, or the lack of focus by the team as a whole, but the moment that has erupted online and in the local media is when Newton went right up to Head Coach Henry Ellard and demanded a trade. “   “You don’t respect me, what I can do. So trade me! Get me out of here! Because I can play this game but not the way you are using me. I should be dominating this league! I should be winning titles, but I am not getting a chance! If you don’t want me to be me, then I don’t want to be here! Trade me or I am quitting this whole thing! I can go to the NFL! I can go to Canada! I don’t need you or this team!” Newton could be heard yelling on the recording from a local reporter. That tape is now one of the most downloaded and debated stories of the week.   For Stallion fans, the words their star QB belted out are exactly what they dreaded, that their best player, tired of playing on teams that are just not competitive, would demand to leave. Now, neither Coach Ellard or the Stallions’ organization is in any way obligated to trade Newton. Their star QB is under contract with the Stallions through the 2019 season, but Newton does have options. What many fans fear is that he will either become a pariah on the team, refusing to put the effort in to help the team and his teammates, or, even worse, that he will do what Stallion fans saw another star QB do just a decade ago, declare his retirement from the league, a tactic which could still allow Newton to later sign on with the NFL outside of the two league’s strict transfer policy.   It is a loophole neither league likes, but one which the two leagues and their lawyers have yet to find a path to shutting. Newton, if not traded, could well opt out of his contract with Birmingham by signing a retirement filing with the league. That would allow him to become eligible to NFL or CFL teams in as little as 4 months, meaning that he could begin play in the NFL by late fall. It is a risky move, as both league’s have proven very resistant to the strategy ever since the Brett Favre situation back in the early 2000’s. But it is a move Newton could make, or could use as leverage if his true goal is to get out of Birmingham.   If Birmingham decides that it is better to trade Newton and get compensation for him, as opposed to losing him with nothing in hand, there would likely be no shortage of takers, though Newton’s particular skillset and style of play is one that does require a particular offensive mindset, one willing to put pocket passing and a pro-style offense on the back burner and allow for greater freedom for the QB to make run-pass decisions on the fly, something many OC’s and Head Coaches hate to do.   Could we see Newton in a different uniform in 2018? Quite possibly. Could that be an NFL uniform? Also possible. Because Birmingham’s ownership has a lot to lose if they try to play hardball with the QB, and potentially could justify a deal that sends their biggest star elsewhere with the hope of rebuilding around a new star, and with an offense that will better allow others on the team to flourish. It is a tough situation for the Warners (principal owners of the Stallions) and Coach Ellard, but it is one that seems to be unavoidable as long as Newton continues to express the kind of frustration and displeasure with his situation that we saw come out after yet another Stallion loss this week.   Dallas Fans Split on QB Decision This week’s Roughneck loss in Arizona has produced a new debate in Dallas. Did Coach Sherman make the right call at quarterback? Coach Sherman stuck to his guns, and to a statement he made back in the opening weeks of the season when 2016 starter Johnny Manziel was first issued a 6-game suspension. At the time of the league announcement, Coach Sherman stated unequivocally that Manziel was the starter and that if he was suspended (at the time it was under appeal) he would not lose his position and would be the starter upon his return. In that moment it was a no-brainer position, one fans were glad to hear. After all, Manziel is something of a legendary figure in Texas, from his years and his successes at Texas A&M.   But, with the suspension upheld and beginning in Week 4, Dallas had to move to Plan B, and that Plan was former Charlotte starter Brandon Wheedon, signed by the Roughnecks during camp after a trade with Charlotte that cost Dallas 2 draft picks. Wheedon was the security blanket after Manziel’s DUI arrest this past winter. When the suspension came down, the former Monarch stepped in, fully aware of the promise Coach Sherman had made to Manziel. But, what has happened since has raised doubts about that promise. Wheedon has played better than expected, looking like his best self, the version we saw take Charlotte to the playoffs in each of the past 4 years, and without the huge issue of turnovers that plagued his final 2 seasons in Charlotte. In his 6-game stint as the Roughneck starter, Wheedon has thrown for over 1,300 yards, garnered a 92.5 QB rating and has limited mistakes, throwing 3 picks vs. 6 touchdowns over that period. He has also helpd produce 3 wins, including last week’s upset of New Orleans.   And that might be the biggest issue fans are having with Coach Sherman’s decision to put Manziel into the game against Arizona as the starter. While Manziel had less than a full week of practice after 6 weeks away from the club, Wheedon was coming off one of the biggest wins of the season for the Roughnecks, a game in which he completed 15 of 20 passes and threw no picks. Yes, he was dinged up in that game, but he was cleared to play this week. Instead of going with the hot hand, Coach Sherman went to an understandably rusty Manziel. And while Manziel did not play horribly, he spent much of the game running from the Wrangler pass rush, completing 16 of 27 passes, but for only 111 yards, often dumping the ball off to his backs and tight ends. His longest pass of the day was for 14 yards, with 7 of those being YAC.   For many, Wheedon should have gotten the start, giving Manziel time to work himself back for Week 12’s much less demanding game at home against a flailing Oakland squad. While many on local sports radio in the DFW area gave Sherman credit for sticking with Manziel as the team’s starter, the question of just how to reintroduce the former Aggie as the starter were abundant. Too fast, too unprepared, too shellshocked by Arizona, those were the claims against the decision and Manziel’s play. So, what does Sherman do now? He has to stick with Manziel, right? But what if “Johnny Football” continues to struggle to find his rhythm? Is there a point where you go back to Wheedon? Dallas may not have a full-blown QB Controversy, but they certainly are not feeling like they have the position locked down and ready to roll. Five weeks left to play and we have our first playoff berths locked up. And, to no one’s surprise, it is unbeaten Houston and the 10-1 Philadelphia Stars who get their golden tickets. Philadelphia had to have mixed feelings this week, upset by Memphis, their perfect record now showing its first L, but at the same time, due to the events in other games, they lock in a playoff spot. With a 3-game lead over New Jersey, locking up the NE Division is not in play yet, but could be soon. Meanwhile in Houston, the unbeaten Gamblers are flying high, having not only locked down a playoff spot, but winning the Southern Division with 5 weeks left to play. Their attention can now be refocused on locking up the 1 seed and home field advantage, while, always in the background, and growing in power, is the reality that they still have not suffered a single loss this season. On the downside of the same playoff ranking we find Coach Hamilton and the Portland Stags. After locking up their first division title in 2015, things have gotten a lot darker for the Stags. They went 4-12 last season in a major collapse, and this year sit at 1-10, now officially the first team eliminated from playoff position. With more than a month to go, the Stags could well be playing a lot of games without any team motivations, a long time to be running out the season.  We are going to call this a light injury week, but don’t tell Orlando we said that. They are not at all happy to lose yet another offensive weapon for the remainder of the year. HB Latavious Murray, part of their 1-2 punch with Knowshon Moreno, suffered an injury in training on Tuesday, a non-game injury but a big one as his quad muscle separated from the femur, a painful injury and one that will require surgery to repair. Memphis also put a key player on IR in safety Calvin Pryor. Pryor had a partial Achilles tear during the game this week at Philly. Memphis will promote Lonnie Ballentine into the starting lineup, with Sean Webb now moved from the practice squad to fill the backup role. In Orlando, Moreno is now likely to take on more carries, but will be relieved by scatback Joique Bell and free agent Javon Ringer, signed on Tuesday. Ringer last played for Michigan, carrying the ball only 20 times in 2016.   OUT HB         Latavious Murray        ORL       Torn Quad       IR FS         Calvin Pryor               MEM     Achilles            IR TE          Kellen Davis                    WSH     Neck             2-4 Weeks   DOUBTFUL SS          Jabril Peppers                 MGN     Concussion       OT          Winston Justice              OHI       Foot   QUESTIONABLE DT          Kendall Reyes                PIT         Wrist FS          Jalen Mills                       LA          Knee DE          Cameron Jordan             NOR      Concussion WR         Antonio Bryant              ARZ       Concussion HB         Ryan Williams               SD          Concussion Ten Players Who Should Be Looking to Be Traded With Cam Newton’s outburst, demanding a trade, as well as with the issues surrounding QB play on several teams, the topic of players who should be looking to move has been a popular one around the water cooler this week (wait, who still hangs around water coolers in 2017? Maybe we should say the Keurig?).  So, we thought we would put together our bullpen’s list of 10 players who really ought to be looking for a new home.   QB Kevin Hogan (PIT) It seems obvious that Hogan is a very capable player, one who should get a shot at starting. While Andy Dalton is in the last year of his contract, no one expects him to be going anywhere, so Hogan, who has one year left on his deal with the Maulers should be speaking to management about letting him get a shot to play elsewhere, while allowing Pitt alum and 2017 Mauler draft pick Nate Peterman step into the backup role.   QB Christian Ponder (SD) Ponder signed with San Diego in the 2016 NFL transfer window with every expectation that he would get a good shot at the starting job. That first camp Joe Webb held onto the position and has not let go since. Ponder has had some mop up duty and some injury starts, but that is it. He has only 4 pass attempts this season. We know this is not why he came to the Thunder, so perhaps the time is right for him to look for another option. He has 3 more years on his contract, so a trade would be the best option for him right now.   HB Rashad Jennings (OHI) After a strong 2016, we really expected Jennings to take more carries away from Isaiah Pead, and perhaps even become the primary back, but Coach Coughlin likes Pead’s power and his ball security, and that has kept Jennings largely to a 3rd down role. That feels like a waste for a player who showed us some real ability when Pead was out injured. Jennings is averaging over 4 yards per carry this year, and certainly would garner interest from teams looking to improve their run game, so why not make a deal and get something in return? If not, Jennings is likely gone in 2018 as this is a contract renewal year.   HB Kerwynn Williams (BAL) Williams signed an extension last year, so he is locked in with the Blitz through 2019, but Anthony Dixon remains the starter and the lead back in Baltimore. Dixon is in a contract year, so perhaps some promises have been made to Williams, which would allow him to get more touches starting next year. If that is the case, then it is Dixon who is likely to be relocated, but what we are seeing this year is that Williams is outperforming Dixon when he gets the chance. Averaging 4.7 yards per touch, Williams has 55 more yards rushing than Dixon despite significantly fewer touches. That seems unsustainable beyond this year if you ask us.   WR Marques Colston (OKL) We debated on this one. Should we say Joe Flacco instead? Why is Colston, a top receiver closing in on yet another 1,000-yard season a trade candidate? Well, again, it is a contract year for him, and he is likely to shop around, particularly with Oklahoma’s declining offensive production due to poor line play. Rather than have him leave with nothing for Oklahoma in return, the best option for the Outlaws may well be a sign & trade deal with a club before the season is out. The Outlaws could seek a high price for Colston and there are plenty of teams with cap space to sign a long-term deal. They cannot trade him this season, but they could sign him to a short-term deal and then trade him in the offseason.   LB Brian Orakpo (TBY) Orakpo is a superstar talent on what has to be called a bad defense. He is fighting for the league title in tackles, but nowhere near a league title as a team. He has only 1 more year on his deal with Tampa Bay, and he has to be frustrated with the lack of clear improvement on the Bandit team. If we were his agent, we would be pushing hard for a deal that would send Orakpo to a contender and maybe land Tampa Bay some draft capital to start rebuilding.   LB Kyle Van Noy (SD) We are picking on a lot of players in the final year of their contracts, but only because they tend to be ideal trade bait for those sign & deal arrangements. Van Noy is having a very strong season for the Thunder, and he certainly seems happy playing in sunny San Diego with a team that could contend for a title. So, why deal him? Well, while San Diego has solid cap space going into the offseason, Van Noy is likely to be looking for a big raise after his performance this year. San Diego already has big money invested in Myles Jack and A. J. Hawk, and while Van Noy is certainly a quality player, it seems unlikely that the Thunder want to invest so much cap space on the LB group when they have other needs as well.   DT Aaron Donald (PIT) He is generally considered one of the best defenders in the league, and while he is under contract with the Maulers for 2 more seasons, he has to see that the quick rise of the Maulers in 2015 was something of a fluke. Things looked rosey for Pittsburgh 2 seasons ago, when they finished 13-3 and were the Cinderella story of the league. But the Maulers have simply not been able to maintain that momentum, dropping to 6-10 last year and looking very much like another 10-loss club this year. If I were Donald, I would want more. It is not about the money here, it is about being on a club that has made the commitment to winning and has the roster to get it done. It will be a tough sell for Pittsburgh to agree to trade Donald, but it should at least be on the table.   DE Cliff Avril (OAK) Avril has been one of the best defenders on the Invaders, and in the league, since coming over from the NFL in 2013. With four 10-sack seasons in 5 years, including 13 this season, he is a huge force for the Invader defense, but is his dynamic play being wasted on a club that has been 1-and-done in the playoffs the past 3 seasons and could easily be out of the playoff picture this year. Look, there are much worse places to be than the Bay Area, and Coach Green is beloved by his players, so maybe Avril is happy where he is, but maybe he would like a ring, and Oakland may not be the place to get one.   DE Arthur Moats (ORL) Whether or not you put Arthur Moats on this list depends entirely on how you view the Orlando right end. There are many who look at his 11 sacks this year, and his string of 10-sack seasons and say he is a talent in his own right who will be in the shadow of Calais Campbell for as long as the two play together in Orlando. And there are others who look at the same numbers and say that Moats is being overvalued because Campbell is drawing all the attention, that on his own, as the clear top guy on the edge, Moats would not be able to produce what we have seen in Orlando. We are on the fence on it, so maybe it depends on what Moats values. If he wants bigger money, more attention, and a chance to show that he can be a Top 10 sack guy without Campbell, then he should move on. But if he believes, as many do, that being on the line with Campbell is a big part of what gives him success, then he should milk his remaining years on Orlando for as much as he can.   New Orleans Reveals Navy Helmet & Jersey Alternate The Breakers unveiled their throwback and alternate uniforms this week, and man, were we not disappointed. The throwback is a true classic, returning to the look that started it all for Breaker Nation, with the classic color combo of navy, the original Breaker Blue, and grey, this epic look from the 1980’s is as fresh today as it was back then. The fact that they unveiled jerseys with the number and name Dupree on it certainly did not take away from the nostalgia with this look. But for our younger fans, the look that likely raised the pulse and got folks jazzed was the “Deep Dive” alternate, an all navy look from helmet to socks, featuring the first ever Breakers’ helmet without a wrap around design. The new navy helmet, with matching navy facemask, features the new logo on each side, including the flying gull, and a short tapered striping that goes from the facemask only to the crown of the helmet. The jerseys feature the same logo striping combination as the new primaries, but with a focus on the use of Breaker Blue as the primary stripe color. The numbers are white with navy and Breaker Blue piping. The pants feature the same wavy striping as the primaries, but with the entire look done in deep navy blue, this look is miles away from the primary’s bright colors and emphasis on white and silvery grey. A bold look for the Breakers, as is the entire package.   Maulers Unveil 2018 Redesign New Orleans was not the only team to reveal their 2018 look this week, as Pittsburgh also rolled out their new primary gear in a ceremony that featured former Mauler legend Mike Rozier as well as current Maulers Victor Cruz and Aaron Donald. The Maulers new primaries feature shoulder yokes that extend down to the sleeve cuffs, an offsetting color swatch across the color and chest, and a collar cut out in a 3rd color to form a dynamic look. They also feature a new blockier block lettering. The team’s primary logo is on each sleeve, with the now-familiar secondary logo, the hardhat & cross Bones featured above the nameplate on the back. Many expected a return to more traditional sleeve striping, but that was not on hand, perhaps with the team’s anticipated throwback look. The new uniform debuted with two pant sets, one in steel grey and the other in the team’s signature purple. Both pant sets featured a thick stripe, interrupted right above the knee with a small “flare” of orange. The team also announced that their throwback and alternate uniforms would be on display next week, with many hoping to see a steely grey helmet debut with the new look. There are only 4 divisional games on the docket for Week 11, but we open the weekend with a big one, as New Orleans and Memphis are separated by only 1 game. With Houston already having clinched the division title with their 11-0 record, it comes down to earning a Wild Card for both of these clubs, and a loss in division will not help either one.   On Saturday, games with major playoff impact dot the schedule. We have Atlanta hoping to return to .500 but facing a juggernaut Philadelphia squad, that game at 12pm ET on FOX, then at 4pm New Jersey takes their shot at knocking Houston from the ranks of the unbeaten, when they host the 11-0 Gamblers at MetLife Stadium. The nightcap on Saturday has a 3-win Chicago team hoping they can get the upset against a very tough San Diego Thunder squad.   Sunday opens with a nice SE Division clash as Charlotte takes on Orlando at Camping World Stadium. The Renegades have lost 3 in a row and cannot afford to slip any further below .500, while Charlotte is hoping to finish the weekend back on top of the division. Coach Neu will get his first live fire when the Federals head to Tampa Bay to take on another struggling team, the Bandits. We have interesting matchups as well between Las Vegas & Birmingham and Oklahoma visiting Seattle. We end the weekend with one of the best games of the week as Denver, sitting at 6-4-1, head into Ohio to take on the 6-5 Ohio Glory. It is a game both teams desperately want to win to help propel them into position for a Western Division playoff spot.   FRI 7PM ET       New Orleans (6-5) @ Memphis (5-6)         ABC FRI 9PM ET          Jacksonville (4-7) @ Michigan (8-3)         ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET         Pittsburgh (3-7-1) @ Baltimore (5-6)         ABC SAT 12PM ET        Philadelphia (10-1) @ Atlanta (5-6)           FOX SAT 4PM ET           Oakland (5-6) @ Dallas (4-7)                      ABC SAT 4PM ET           Arizona (10-1) @ St. Louis (3-8)                 FOX SAT 7PM ET           Houston (11-0) @ New Jersey (7-4)          NBC SAT 9PM ET           San Diego (9-2) @ Chicago (3-8)             ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET       Charlotte (7-5) @ Orlando (5-7)               ABC SUN 12PM ET        Washington (2-9) @ Tampa Bay (3-8)       FOX Regional SUN 12PM ET       Las Vegas (6-5) @ Birmingham (4-7)         FOX Regional SUN 4PM ET          Los Angeles (6-5) @ Portland (1-10)         ABC SUN 4PM ET          Oklahoma (4-7) @ Seattle (6-5)                 FOX SUN 8PM ET           Denver (6-4-1) @ Ohio (6-5)                      ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The Denver Gold may not have gotten the win this week, but in salvaging a tie, they owe a lot to HB Jamaal Charles. Charles got the bulk of the carries against the Maulers and he made each one count, rushing for 120 yards and 2 scores to help Denver avoid the upset loss. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Two teams have clinched a playoff berth and one has now officially been eliminated. Houston, sitting at 11-0, has clinched not only a playoff spot, but the Southern Division title, thanks to their 5-game lead over 2nd place New Orleans. Philadelphia, despite a loss this week, also clinched a playoff spot thanks to their conference record. The Portland Stags, the league's only 1-win team, has been officially removed from playoff contention, the only team so far eliminated.