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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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