PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Houston QB Colt McCoy continues to impress and continues Houston on their winning ways, now 6-0 to start the year. McCoy had another strong game, throwing for 311 yards and completing 4 TD tosses as Houston just keeps rolling along.

Big Duff is a fan favorite in Seattle. Week six was all about moxie, chutzpah, and grit. Teams that many were writing off stood up, others who injury had seemingly devastated, decided to carry on. Yes, there were games that went exactly as many planned, and we again saw a star player go down for the season in another tough blow to the game, but what we also saw were some teams telling us that the story of this season is not written yet. That was the case for the Bandits, earning their first win; for St. Louis pulling off a big road upset; for Memphis, standing tall against the unbeaten Wranglers, and Dallas, showing they are more than just Johnny Football. We saw Ohio take a big step towards a closer divisional race, and we saw Seattle win the battle of the winless. In other words, it was a week when teams did their best to prove us wrong and show us they had heart. We like that, and we think you did too as you tuned in. But, before we recap all the action, we should acknowledge that it was not all feel good stories this week. We kick off our coverage with a team reeling from yet another gut punch in a season that has had plenty of them. Feds Season to Forget Continues with Garrard ACL Injury To say this season has not gone the way Sean Payton would like is a huge understatement. The Federals’s coach entered the season on a hot seat already, having failed to produce a winning season in 3 years, including a bad losing streak to end out 2016. The Federals, who have been struggling on defense for several seasons, were awful last year, and so far, in this year’s 0-6 start, matters have not improved. The Federals are giving up an average of nearly 28 points per game (27th in the league) and 388 yards each outing (dead last of the league’s 28 teams. The run game has not rebounded from the retirement of Deuce McCallister, averaging only 58 yards per game (27th of 28 teams) and the “heir apparent” former Invader HB Donald Brown, has already been benched behind Wendell Smallwood after averaging a paltry 2.1 yards per carry this season. So, to say the year has not started well kind of sums it up.   Well, it got a whole lot worse this weekend, with one of the few veteran stars on the team, and perhaps Washington’s most vital offensive contributor, QB David Garrard, lost for the season with a torn ACL. The 35-year old QB is not as spry as he once was, and that was a factor in the scramble that led to him getting sandwiched and his leg being bent awkwardly in this week’s loss to the New Jersey Generals. It is an injury everyone could tell was a big one on the replay, and it could well be not only a season ender, but like the injury to Joey Harrington, there are questions floating around out there that Garrard may not feel motivated to put in the hard work of rehabbing the leg back to playing strength, opting to retire instead. Honestly, the way this season (and the past few) have gone, who could blame him?   So, what does Coach Payton do now? He has veteran backup Mike Flynn (career QBR of 69.8 as his starter now. He has a scatback trying to be a bell cow back in Wendell Smallwood, an apparent bust behind him on the bench, and his star WR, brought in during free agency, former Invader Keenan Allen, is already grumbling because he is just not getting the ball often enough. Add to that the utter incompetence of the Federals’ defense and the fact that they play in one of the toughest divisions in the league, and this could very well be a very long year for Payton and Feds fans, though some fans would likely love to see Payton’s year shortened with a quick pink slip if he cannot get some W’s on the board soon. ARIZONA WRANGLERS 32   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 30 Going into the Sunday night game on ESPN and the ESPN Football Network, there was real fear that this could be a blowout. Arizona has been playing lights out football all year while Memphis has been very up and down, very much like their 2nd year QB, Paxton Lynch. But, from the opening drive, Memphis proved a game opponent, able to find ways to make plays and hold their own with their Summer Bowl opponent from last August.   The opening drive had to come as a shock to the Wranglers as Paxton Lynch went 3 of 4, including a 22-yard deep out to Brandon Marshall and a nice third down throw to TE Luke Stocker to keep possession and get into Wrangler territory. At the end of their 13-play drive, Lynch found HB Anthony Allen, in for Todd Gurley, placed on IR this week. Allen took the short pass and plowed his way into the endzone for 7 as Memphis declared with authority that they would not be intimidated by the 5-0 Wranglers.   Arizona did what Arizona does, scoring on their first drive after only 8 plays, a quick drive that was capped off by a nice Ka’Deem Carey outside run to the corner of the endzone. When Memphis was unable to move the ball on their second drive, the fear set in that perhaps they had gotten lucky with their first drive of scripted plays. Arizona scored again, this time a field goal as the Memphis D held inside the 5 and forced a three-pointer. But, as the 1st quarter closed, Arizona had the lead and many might have expected them to start to pull away. Quite the opposite happened.   Memphis absolutely owned the 2nd quarter, shutting down Arizona’s offense on 3 possessions and scoring twice to jump ahead at the half 21-10. The first drive was very similar to the game opener, a methodical mix of Allen and Hester runs, and crisp passing from Lynch, who looked more comfortable than most when facing Arizona’s pass rush. Lynch drove the ball down the field and then threw his 2nd TD of the game, a nice 11-yard fade route to the lanky Brandon Marshall. That drive began the 2nd quarter, the one that ended it might have even been better. The late drive included a very nice 13-yard run by Allen, a pair of third down completions and another Lynch to Marshall scoring toss. Memphis had to feel good as they headed to the locker room, up 11 on the heavily favored Wranglers.   The Wranglers received the ball to open the 3rd quarter, and they came out determined to reestablish themselves in the second half. It took them only 6 plays to do so as Carr followed up a 21-yard toss to TE Jimmie Graham with a 23-yard strike to Taywan Taylor for 7 points. Memphis would add 3 points on their next drive, but that left them only with a 6-point lead. Arizona saw an opportunity and took it. They got the lead back at the end of a 77-yard drive that saw them convert a 3rd and 17, not with a 17-yard pass, but with a swing route to Frank Gore that went for 53 yards, the biggest play of the game. Only 3 plays later FB LeRon McClain dove into the endzone to give Arizona the lead, a narrow 25-24 lead, but a big shift after being down 11 at the half.   The 4th quarter began slowly but heated up late. After two short drives produced nothing, the Wranglers had the ball back and it was Carr finding his favorite target, Larry Fitzgerald, to extend the lead to 8. Fitzgerald would finish the game with 117 yards, including a couple of nice deep balls, but it was this short 11-yard catch and score that would prove to be the most important. With 4:27 left on the clock, Memphis knew they likely had only 1 possession to try to tie the game and send it to overtime.   The Showboats got the ball after a touchback on the kickoff. They were 80 yards away, but they had plenty of time. Marc Clayton would catch 3 passes on the drive, all three of his targets. Jay Finley would add a nice 3rd down catch, scooping the ball from the turf, and Anthony Allen converted another on a 1-yard dive play. With just under 45 seconds left, the Showboats were in range on the 12. On first and 10 from there Lynch scrambled but was tripped up. He gained only 2 yards, but his roll out had shown Arizona a willingness to run. On the next play, he started on a QB run, drawing up the safeties, then lobbed the ball over them to reach TE Luke Stocker. Stocker initially thought he had scored, but replay showed his right foot had hit the sideline at the 1.   On the next play, Memphis went back to Stocker, this time on a fake HB dive. Again, he was open and again Lynch found him. This time the score was irrefutable. Memphis was back within 2. This was a situation we saw twice in last year’s playoffs, but then it was Memphis, on both occasions, with a slim 2-point lead and having to squelch the PAT to hold on for the win. This time it was Memphis trying to convert and Arizona trying to hold them off. On the PAT, Lynch gave something of a half-hearted fake to Allen before looking for Cordarelle Patterson over the middle. Patterson was there, but so was safety Troy Polamalu. Lynch made the throw, Polamalu made the swat, and the ball landed harmlessly in the endzone.   Memphis would try an onside kick with only 24 seconds left, but when Arizona fell on it the game was truly done. The Wranglers moved to 6-0, but Memphis showed a lot of heart and a lot of ability to make plays. Call it a pyrrhic victory, but the Showboats made the case that they are not so far off from their 2016 Summer Bowl squad, even if their record may not currently make that case. PHILADELPHIA 27  BALTIMORE 21 The Stars keep rolling as Matt Gutierrez goes 21 of 33 for 301 yards and 3 scores against Baltimore’s D. In a back-and-forth game, Baltimore had the lead at the half, but TDs to Randall Cobb and Travis Kelce helped Philly take over in the 2nd half. Stevie Johnson found lots of space in the Blitz secondary, catching 6 passes for 140 yards and a TD. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 388, with 3 scores, but was sacked on a key 4th and goal, costing Baltimore a possible go-ahead score. POTG:  Stars’ WR Stevie Johnson: 6 Rec, 140 Yds, 1 TD   OAKLAND 9  SAN DIEGO 12 Ryan Lindley looked rusty in his first outing as Oakland’s starter. He avoided any picks, but failed on 13 of 20 third down attempts. It was no offensive showcase for the Thunder either, as Joe Webb was picked off twice. But, in a game that saw all the scoring come from the kickers, it was Jeff Reed of the Thunder who got the last shot at a game winner and put it through to give San Diego the 12-9 win (4-3 in soccer terms), connecting on 4 of 5, while Roberto Aguayo went 3 of 5. POTG:  Thunder LB Myles Jack: 10 Tck, 2 TFL ORLANDO 21   CHARLOTTE 24 The Monarchs rebound from 2 straight losses by taking care of business at home against a Renegades team that has seen their losing streak reach 3 games. It was backup HB Taiwan Jones who provided a spark, rushing for 2 scores and averaging 8 yards per carry on his way to a 72-yard day. That big day, combined with 3 Charlotte interceptions, all from Zachary Bowman, helped offset 3 picks by Mitch Trubisky on a rough day for the rookie. Bowman also turned one of his picks into points, returning it 58 yards for a score. POTG:  Charlotte CB Zachary Bowman: 5 Tck, 3 Int, 1 Def TD   TAMPA BAY 24  CHICAGO 21 Dak Prescott returned to action and the Bandits get their first win of the year against a surprisingly unsettled Chicago club. Prescott accounted for 351 yards of Tampa’s 454 total yards, throwing for 2 scores and completing 26 of 40 attempts. The combination of rookie Dalvin Cook and veteran Rex Burkhead combined for 103 yards rushing as well. Chicago’s defense seems completely out of ideas as they allowed 9 of 14 third downs to be converted and gave up a season high in yardage. POTG:  Bandits’ WR Santonio Holmes: 8 Rec, 82 Yds, 2 TD   ST. LOUIS 19   DENVER 16 The breaks finally go St. Louis’s way as they knock off Denver in Denver. Eddie Lacy rushed for 82 yards, Jaosh Freeman completed 19 of 32 passing, and the defense limited Denver to only 87 yards rushing. The game was tight throughout, with Denver taking a 16-11 lead with1:26 left, but St. Louis put together a final drive when they needed it, marching 71 yards in just over 1 minute, with the winning score, a 2-yard crossing route to David Nelson, coming with just 20 seconds left to play. POTG:  St. Louis DE Kony Ealy: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   SEATTLE 28  PORTLAND 21 In a battle of two winless rivals, someone had to get their first victory of the season, and, thanks to 310 yards and 3 touchdown tosses from Jacoby Brissett, that team was the Dragons. Brissett and Mariota both had success against the troubled defenses of the opposition. Doug Martin also found holes for Portland, rushing for 117 yards and a score, but it was WR Emmanuel Sanders who stole the show. Sanders put up 121 yards and scored all three Brissett TDs, including 2 in the fourth quarter to help Seattle reach the W column for the first time all season. POTG:  Dragon WR Emmanuel Sanders: 5 Rec, 121 Yds, 3 TD   LOS ANGELES 16   OKLAHOMA 21 Another nice home crowd greeted the Outlaws, and they gave the fans something to cheer about, with Joe Flacco throwing 2 TD tosses and Marshawn Lynch combining runs, screens and swing passes to gain 124 yards from scrimmage. Add in 4 sacks of Sam Bradford and you have an Outlaw win. POTG:  Outlaw DT Luis Castillo: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   NEW ORLEANS 31   LAS VEGAS 14 The Breakers owned the first quarter in this one, going up 14-0 on two Drew Brees TDs, but after Las Vegas roared back with 2 from Eli Manning in the second, the Breakers put the game away in the 3rd. A David Wilson TD run, a 2nd TD reception for Jordy Nelson, and 2 Las Vegas turned this game into 17-point walk for the visiting Breakers. POTG:  Breaker WR Jordy Nelson: 5 Rec, 167 Yds, 2 TD   ATLANTA 20  JACKSONVILLE 14 Don’t look now, but Atlanta may be putting together some things. Aaron Murray again looked very poised on his way to 331 yards and 2 TDs, despite Jacksonville bringing pressure that produced 6 sacks. Atlanta’s defense played well also, though Matt Jones finished with 98 yards rushing, the Bulls struggled in the passing game and struggled to get deep into Atlanta territory all game. POTG:  Atlanta QB Aaron Murray: 20/27, 331 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   NEW JERSEY 28  WASHINGTON 15 The Federals’ season is officially a disaster as they not only lose their 6th game in 6 tries, but also lose QB David Garrard for the year with a torn ACL. New Jersey got a 25-yard pick six from Devin McCourty and 160 yards rushing from Maurice Jones-Drew as they dominated the game after Garrard’s injury. Mike Flynn came in for Washington, but could not get much done, scoring only 2 field goals in the second half. POTG:  General HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 18 Att, 160 Yds, 1 TD   MICHIGAN 10   OHIO 17 Ohio took a huge step towards respectability, and towards the Central Division crown, knocking off 4-1 Michigan and moving to .500 at 3-3. It was a full team effort as the defense sacked Kirk Cousins 5 times and held LeVeon Bell to an embarrassing 28 yards rushing as the offense got 81 yards from Isaiah Pead’s return, a Hackenberg to Blackmon TD and took a 17-3 lead into the 4th quarter. POTG:  Ohio CB Chimdi Chekwa: 8 Tck, 3 PDef   BIRMINGHAM 6   DALLAS 15 The Roughnecks win their 2nd in a row with Brandon Wheedon at the helm Wheedon threw for 211 and 2 scores, while the combination of rookies Samaje Perine and Donte Freeman produced 107 combined rushing yards. Dallas’s defense absolutely shut down A. J. McCarron, in for the injured Cam Newton. Birmingham failed to get anything out of their run game, with only 11 carries on the day, as it seemed they gave up completely on running the ball. POTG:  Dallas DE Connor Barwin: 7 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   PITTSBURGH 31   HOUSTON 41 A good effort and a nice game from Kevin Hogan again, but it was not enough as Colt McCoy went off for 311 yards and 4 TDs, including a 60-yarder to possible ROTY candidate Juju Smith-Schuster. Carlos Hyde added 85 yards on the ground, and the defense did just enough to keep Pittsburgh from a late comeback, picking off Colt McCoy late in the 4th. POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy: 15/24, 311 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   Wheedon Gets Win with Roughnecks Dallas fans were skeptical at first about the deal that brought former Monarch QB Brandon Wheedon to the Roughnecks. After all, they had a rising star in former A&M QB Johnny Manziel clearly set up as the starter, and Wheedon had largely been driven out of Charlotte by his tendency to throw the ball to the wrong team. But, with Manziel now serving his 2nd week of a 6-week suspension and Wheedon once again finding a way to lead Dallas to a victory, fans seem to be warming up to their new QB.   Wheedon’s numbers in his first game were a bit shaky (15 of 25 for 147), but it was enough to get past Chicago. This week, against a solid Birmingham club, the numbers were pretty darned impressive, with Wheedon completing 28 of 32 passes for an impressive 87.5% completion rate. He threw for 211 and had his first touchdowns as a Roughneck. And, what is even better, in his two game so far he has yet to throw a pick. Wheedon and the Roughnecks will have a much tougher test this week as they host the unbeaten Houston Gamblers. The Vegas books have Houston as a 10-point favorite, and after a tough game against fellow unbeaten, Arizona, that is not a surprise. But, even if Wheedon is unable to get the W this week, a good showing could put him in good standing heading into some winnable games before Manziel returns.   Reich Finally Gets a Break as Skyhawks Upset Denver It took 6 weeks, but the horseshoe finally turned the right way up for Coach Frank Reich and the Skyhawks. After suffering a series of close defeats, including a 34-31 heartbreaker in Week 5, St. Louis finally got the result they needed in a 1-score game, knocking off Denver 19-16. It took a late David Nelson TD to swing the game in their favor, but the game swung and stayed there.   Coach Reich praised his team’s resilience and grit as they kept fighting against a tough defense in a hostile environment. The Skyhawks are hoping this win can propel them towards a better midseason, as they will not face another club with a winning record (at this point) until Week 12. That is 5 consecutive games against teams at .500 or below. Could St. Louis parlay this win in Denver to victories in their next 2 road games (@ Oklahoma and @ Atlanta)?   Sanders Sparks Seattle to First Win When two winless teams meet, the good news is that someone is going to get a win, the bad news is that few will take that win seriously because it was against a winless team. But, be that as it may, the Seattle Dragons are still much happier this week than their foes, the Portland Stags. Seattle avoided 0-6 by knocking off the Stags in Portland. The star of the game was pretty clear, as Dragon WR Emmauel Sanders left little doubt with his 121-yard, 3-TD performance. Sanders simply torched the Stag defense time and again, helping Seattle come from behind with an 8-yard TD catch in traffic midway through the 4th quarter, only to add another, this one from 33 yards out, in the final two minutes, securing the W for the Dragons. The Dragons will face Portland again, this time in Seattle in only 2 weeks, with a tough road game in New Jersey up on the slate next.   Maulers Go with Dalton Many expected Andy Dalton to be ready to go this week for the Maulers, but he was a late addition to the inactive list and Kevin Hogan got the start as Pittsburgh faced off against the unbeaten Houston Gamblers. The Maulers came up short, 31-41, but Hogan again made a claim to the starting job with 266 yards passing and a solid 86.2 game rating.   But, with Dalton now fully cleared to play in Week 7, Coach Fangio has already stated that his injury will not be the reason he loses his starting job. After all this is a former league MVP we are talking about. Expect to see the Red Rifle back under center this week when the Maulers host another very tough team, the 5-1 San diego Thunder. You honestly have to feel for Pittsburgh. They are in the middle of a brutal run that began with now 5-1 New Jersey in Week 4, then the 4-2 Charlotte Monarchs, the unbeaten Gamblers, with 5-1 San Diego and 6-0 Philadelphia on the docket next. That is a brutal run of games regardless of who is under center.   Beyond the Garrard injury which throws the Federals even deeper in a hole this season, no other injured reserve listings, though Tampa Bay, fresh off their first win, cannot be happy to have rookie HB Dalvin Cook out for a month or longer. Quite a few defenders on the list of players expected to miss this week ,including key defensive backfield players for St. Louis, Oklahoma, Tampa, LA, and Pittsburgh.   OUT QB         David Garrard              WSH     ACL                       IR HB         Dalvin Cook                  TBY        Arm                       4-6 Weeks C             Ben Jones                      WSH     Arm                       2-4 Weeks CB          DeMetrius McCay          OKL       Elbow                   2-4 Weeks CB          William Gay                   STL         Toe                         1-2 Weeks G            Laken Tomlinson            SEA        Ankle                    1-2 Weeks T              David Tremblay               ORL       Abdomen           1-2 Weeks TE           Anthony McCoy             DAL       Concussion       1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR         Mike Williams                  PIT         Abdomen G            Dakota Dozier                  JAX         Concussion WR         Doug Baldwin                 LV           Wrist FS           Jalen Mills                    LA          Wrist LB           Sean Spence                ORL       Hip CB          A. J. Bouye                    PIT         Concussion FS           Will Allen                      TBY        Ankle LB           Jordan Jenkins             STL         Knee   QUESTIONABLE G            Mike Briesel                   SD          Concussion LB           Calvin Pace                     SEA        Hip FB          Tommy Bohanon             WSH     Concussion HB         Chris Ivory                       ATL         Hand QB         Cam Newton                  BIR         Foot LB           Lance Briggs               POR      Ankle   Mover or Mirage: Are These 3-3 Teams For Real? We are dubbing Week 7 the “Week of 3-3” because we have so many teams trying to get past the week with a winning record. We have 9 clubs currently sitting at 3-3. Some were expected to be well over .500 by now, others are surprising us with the fight they are putting up to reach the .500 mark after 6 weeks. So, to honor this decisive week, when some will move over the “Even-Steven” point, and others will drop off. We thought we would take a look at all 9 clubs and make a very unscientific decision on who is headed up the ladder and who is about to go down the chute.   Baltimore (3rd in NE) We are still shaking our heads at this one. Here is a team that has a Top 3 defense in both yards allowed and scoring and the 3rd best offense (yards) in the league. Sure,their run game is a bit suspect, but how are they 3-3? Well, they lost to Houston, Philadelphia, and New Jersey, who are a combined 17-1 so far this year. That pretty much sums it up.   Atlanta (2nd in SE)\ The Fire looked very shaky early on, losing their first 3 games while scoring only 36 points in that period, but they have come alive over the past 3 weeks, with wins over three division foes (Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville). Aaron Murray has really looked solid in that streak, and with 0-6 Washington up next, the Fire could find themselves ready to be over .500 at the halfway point.   Jacksonville (3rd in SE) The Bulls lost to Atlanta this week, snapping their win streak at 3 games. They may well be in the middle of a QB controversy between their dual-threat but erratic starter, Robert Griffin III, and their intriguing rookie C. J. Beathard, but they have a very solid defense and HB Matt Jones has shown some skills. They could be legit, and 2 more division games in the next 2 weeks (@ Orlando and home to Charlotte) could be the proof we have been looking for.   Orlando (4th in SE) An early favorite to run away with their division, Orlando has fallen hard, losing their last 3 games to the Fire, Bulls, and Monarchs, all doubly painful as divisional losses. The defense is solid against he pass, as we always expect with Calais Campbell on the field, but they have been giving up some big runs. The offense is only averaging 17.5 points per game, not good enough to win consistently.   Birmingham (3rd in South) The Stallions had a good run of games, knocking off the Maulers, Outlaws, and Monarchs, but the past 2 weeks they have had to play without Cam Newton and it seems the wheels have come off the bus. Newton is questionable for this week’s tough matchup against Philadelphia. If he cannot play, that could be a tough game for Birmingham to pull out.   Ohio (2nd in Central) The Glory have had two solid outings in divisional games, with this week’s upset win against Michigan a very strong statement about their capabilities. The defense is improving but still gives up too many big plays. The offense is solid when they can get play action working, but this is not a team that will come back easily if they get down more than 7.   Denver (2nd in SW) We keep saying that somehow, some way, Denver ends up 9-7, 8-8, or 7-9, so the fact that they are sitting at 3-3 is no surprise. They were 3-1 at one point, but back to back losses have hurt. They have a tough pair of games coming up with a trip to Charlotte followed by a matchup with Arizona. If they can somehow win those two, we may well have to take them more seriously as a challenger in the division.   Las Vegas (3rd in SW) Another potential playoff team out of the SW Division, Las Vegas needs to figure out how to beat good teams. Their 3 wins so far are all against teams at or below .500 right now. Their three losses are to Michigan (4-2), Denver (3-3) and New Orleans (4-2). Perhaps we should not tell them that their net two games are against unbeaten Arizona and Houston. Ouch!   Dallas (4th in SW) As we reported earlier, the Roughnecks have won two straight games with backup Brandon Wheedon at the helm. They have 4 more games with Wheedon before Manziel is eligible to return to action. They start with 6-0 Houston, no easy task, but then have Oklahoma, Las Vegas and New Orleans. Even going 2-2 in this rough stretch would be a bit impressive.   Five Relocated Players Making the Most of their Moves Free agency can be a bit of a crap shoot, for the players and for the team that signs them. And while we certainly have not seen every move pay off (looking at you, Donald Brown), there are certainly some that have been pure gold, either for the player, or the team, or for both. Here is our list of the 5 free agents who are making the most of their new environs and helping their teams see success as well.   WR Jordy Nelson (STL to NOR) No doubt this has been a huge move for the Breakers. Bringing in a sure fire target from the Skyhawks has helped Drew Brees spread the field out, break down defenses, and rebound from Early Doucet’s unexpected retirement last August. Nelson has been everything promised, speedy, good hands, a knack for the deep ball, the full package. Nelson currently leads the league in receiving yards with 769, well on pace to break 1,600, and has added 5 TDs. His 26 targets leads the team, even ahead of Brees’s usual favorite target, TE Coby Fleener. All in all, this is a clear gold star signing for the Breakers.   QB Aaron Murray (LA to ATL) It did not start well for Murray as the new starter in Atlanta, but after an 0-3 start, Murray has started to show signs that he can be the man for Coach Arians. In his last 3 games, all wins for the Fire, Murray has thrown 6 TDs to only 2 picks, and has over 330 yards, averaging nearly 290 per game. He has also started to rally the troops, proving leadership we have not seen from him since his days down the road in Athens, leading the UGA Bulldogs.   HB Doug Martin (CHI to POR) Not a lot has gone well for Portland this year, sitting at 0-6, but no one in the PNW is blaming tailback Doug Martin. Since coming over from the Chicago Machine, Martin has done nothing but impress, rushing for 519 yards in his first 6 games as a Portland Stag. That includes three 100-yard games, and along the way has proven to be a solid blocker when needed. He has caught only 1 pass so far, so that is something the Stags need to work on, but Martin is getting the job done in the run game. Now, can Portland get the rest of their game up to his level?   WR Roy Williams (HOU to ATL) Yes, we are going back to Atlanta for a 2nd player, because the story of Aaron Murray’s recent success is also the story of former Gambler Roy Williams. A favorite target of Matt Hasselbeck in Houston, Williams was a contributor from Day 1, catching 10 balls for 82 yards in his first regular season game in a Fire jersey. Since then he has been consistent and dangerous. He is sitting at 35 catches and 533 yards after 6 weeks, both great numbers as he pushes for a 2nd straight 1,000-yard season. Atlanta needs to get him more red zone targets (only 1 TD so far), but no one is complaining about his contributions so far.   CB Stephon Gilmore (NFL to LA) Our last free agent came to the LA Express from the NFL Bills. Happy to escape the cold and snow in Buffalo, Gilmore has fit right in and become an immediate leader in the Express secondary. Lined up against each foe’s top receiver, Gilmore is now 2nd on the team in tackles, behind only All-USFL MLB Clay Matthews. He has 3 picks as well, proving that he can be a nightmare for opposing QBs. Thrown in his first USFL touchdown, a pick-6 in Week 5’s win over Seattle, and the Express have to be very happy to have brought Gilmore in from the cold.   Under Armour Reveals First New Designs as Blitz Primaries Premier With a 6 year deal in hand, Under Armour is just gearing up to style the USFL’s 28 teams. While the uniform provider is now seen with all 28 teams across the league, the plan is for 6 teams a year to get the full attention of the UA design team, developing new looks, throwback designs, and alternative uniforms. This year’s scheduled teams will take on new designs in 2018, or possibly as soon as the USFL playoffs if they qualify, and the first of the looks is now public.   Under Armour and the Baltimore Blitz revealed the new primary uniforms for the club this week, a home blue and a road white. Baltimore is not getting any new logos this year, unless you count the throwback logos revealed with the new designs, so the novelty of the new look is mostly in the design of the jersey and pant set. Retaining a blue and silver color scheme, Baltimore unveiled the new uniforms which feature one “callback” element. It is a return of the “shock stripes” to the pant and helmet that stand out the most about the new Baltimore look. This design, a callback to their time with Nike, features a shift in the silver, white, or blue stripes on both the lower thigh and on the back of the blue helmets. The shift is supposed to mimic the lightning bolt found in the team’s main logo. Other than this element, there is a lot of familiarity to the Blitz look. They are retaining a shoulder stripe and sleeve color offset with both jerseys, using white sleeves and a silver stripe on the blue jerseys and a blue stripe with grey/silver sleeves on the white top. Silver and blue pant sets are available and the team retains the popular “mascot” of Billy Blitz as its sleeve ornamentation No word on the alternate looks yet, though the use of the red, white, silver, and blue “blitz” logo from the team’s early years in Chicago clearly indicate the way the throwbacks may go. Expect red to be back on the table when those are revealed. And, since the league allows only 2 helmet shells, a throwback to that era certainly means that the team’s 2nd helmet will be a silver one.   Week Seven offers the chance for several 3-3 teams to get over the hump and make a push for a solid winning record. We have two 3-3 clubs on Friday night when Denver heads into Charlotte (4-2) and Dallas hosts unbeaten Houston. No easy path to 4-3 for either club to be sure.   On Saturday Ohio has a much better shot at getting that 4th win as they are 8-point favorites over the 1-5 Chicago Machine. Our other 3-3 club on Saturday has a huge game as they host the unbeaten Arizona Wranglers in a huge SW Division clash.   Finally, on Sunday we have 3-3 Birmingham also facing an unbeaten squad as they host the 6-0 Philadelphia Stars at Legion Field. At the same time Atlanta hopes to avoid a trap game as they host the winless Washington Federals. At 4pm the 3-3 Baltimore Blitz hope to one up on the 2-4 Oakland Invaders, but a win after a cross-country trip is never easy. Finally, we end up “3-3 Weekend” with two clubs, both sitting at that .500 mark, going head to head. It is Jacksonville at Orlando in a Florida Derby, with the loser dropping below the even mark and giving up a valuable tiebreaker as well.   FRI 7PM ET          Denver (3-3) @ Charlotte (4-2)                   ABC FRI 9PM ET          Houston (6-0) @ Dallas (3-3)                         ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET     Michigan (4-2) @ Tampa Bay (1-5)                    ABC SAT 12PM ET         San Diego (5-1) @ Pittsburgh (2-4)                 FOX SAT 4PM ET             Chicago (1-5) @ Ohio (3-3)                          ABC SAT 4PM ET             Portland (0-6) @ Los Angeles (4-2)              FOX SAT 7PM ET             Memphis (2-4) @ New Orleans (4-2)                NBC SAT 9PM ET             Arizona (6-0) @ Las Vegas (3-3)                     ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET         Philadelphia (6-0) @ Birmingham (3-3)          ABC SUN 12PM ET          Seattle (1-5) @ New Jersey (1-5)                      FOX Regional SUN 12PM ET          Washington (0-6) @ Atlanta (3-3)                     FOX Regional SUN 4PM ET            St. Louis (2-4) @ Oklahoma (2-4)                     ABC SUN 4PM ET           Baltimore (3-3) @ Oakland (2-4)                      FOX SUN 8PM ET            Jacksonville (3-3) @ Orlando (3-3)                   ESPN/EFN

Stanley Stallion in Action A season-ending, perhaps career-ending injury added a sour taste to Week 5 action in the USFL as QB Joey Harrington suffered a non-contact injury that forced Oakland to place him on IR in what might be his final season of pro football. It is not the headline anyone wants to see, but it is a part of the game. Quarterback play was very much on everyone’s mind this week, in part due to the Harrington injury, but also because two teams that seemed to have their QB situation well-defined now could be facing a controversy as short-term injury created opportunity for backups to step up and they have. We will start our coverage with that story, then review all the week’s action, go deeper into the Harrington injury, as well as Memphis’s big injury loss, and also perhaps a sneak peek at a USFL club getting a new logo. All that is coming up right here in This Week in the USFL. Do the Bulls & Maulers have QB Controversies on Their Hands? Sometimes there are teams where you just know that they have 2 quarterbacks and no clear idea of who the starter should be. We have seen that quite a bit over the years, and usually it means that the club has 2 flawed players and need one to work their way through their issues and come out the other side. But sometimes a team will think they have a clear vision of their QB pecking order, a clear starter and a developmental backup. But then the games start, the backup gets some playing time, and surprisingly seems to outperform the starter. That creates controversy. It was not supposed to be a QB competition, but now you have evidence that you may have been starting the wrong guy. That is the situation that we are seeing in both Pittsburgh and Jacksonville after both starters missed a pair of weeks and the backups have outperformed expectations. The situation in Pittsburgh is a confusing one. After all, starter Andy Dalton is barely a year removed from winning the league’s MVP trophy in 2015. He had 47 touchdowns in that amazing season, jumping up from 18 the year before. He also threw for over 5,000 yards. But 2016 he crashed to earth, throwing for only 2,800 yards and dropping to only 20 touchdowns. The Maulers crashed with him, from 13-3 to 6-10. Cut to this season. The Maulers start the year 1-2, with Dalton throwing 2 TDs and 3 picks in the opening 3 weeks, earning an overall 62.8 QB rating. Dalton goes down and in Weeks 4 and 5 the Maulers are led by 2nd year QB Kevin Hogan. Hogan in two games throws for nearly 200 yards more than Dalton had in 3, throws 4 touchdowns, no picks, and sits at 105.2 in the QBR system. After a tough loss to New Jersey the Maulers came back this week with a big win over Charlotte, a win in which Hogan threw for 315 yards and led Pittsburgh on 6 scoring drives. So, what do you do? Go back to the Week 1 starter now that he is cleared to play or go with the hot hand? The Maulers face unbeaten Houston this week, and while Dalton certainly has more experience, Hogan provides the Gamblers with less film to study and less certainty in how they can defend him. Coach Fangio is playing it coy, not letting on who will get the start, which makes sense, but come the weekend, we will get our answer. Does Hogan keep Dalton on the bench or does Coach Fangio go back to his former MVP? In Jacksonville the contrast may even be more profound. Unlike Pittsburgh, where Andy Dalton and Kevin Hogan essentially run the same offense, the injury to Jacksonville’s Robert Griffin III meant that the Bulls had to recalibrate their entire offensive scheme to meet the talents of rookie backup C. J. Beathard. Whereas Griffin is a true dual-threat QB, one you can scheme on roll outs, bootlegs, and QB runs, Beathard is a classic pocket passer. So varied are the two styles, that many in and around the Bulls questioned why Coach Del Rio and the personnel team went after Beathard in the draft.   But, after two starts, Beathard is making his case. The former Iowa Hawkeye has not put up huge numbers, throwing for only 393 yards in the 2-game span, his 2:2 TD:INT ratio is also not eye-popping, though it is certainly better than Griffin’s 0 TD, 1 pick numbers after 3 games, but what is noticeable is that the Bulls, 1-2 under Griffin, won both games with Beathard at the helm, including this week’s huge upset win over the division-leading Orlando Renegades. Beathard may not be making huge statistical waves, but when we look at offensive production as a team, the Bulls seem to be responding to his style and skill set. With Griffin at the helm, Jacksonville was held to only 6 points in Week 1, 6 again in Week 2, and jumped up to 17 points against winless Tampa Bay. Enter Beathard and the Bulls stun us all by scoring 30 against Ohio in Week 4. This week against Orlando, they put up 23 points. With one of the better defenses in the league, a Bulls offense that can score 20+ points could win them a lot of games. So now Coach Del Rio has to try to determine if the less-dynamic, but perhaps more reliable Beathard gives them a better chance at doing just that. Do you give up the big play capacity of Griffin to stick with a more traditional approach?   Both Griffin and Dalton are expected back from injury this week. Both coaches are keeping their decision on who gets the start this week under wraps. But come Sunday we will see how each competition has panned out and whether or not 2 weeks of solid play has convinced a coach to go with the understudy over the more established starter. OHIO GLORY 34  ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 31 Two teams sitting at 1-3, division rivals, both hoping to crawl back towards .500 and give Michigan a run for the Central Division title. This game had just a bit of desperation in it, as well as all the usual division foe energy. Ohio came into town having lost 2 in a row, including a bad beatdown at the hands of the Jacksonville Bulls. St. Louis had lost 3 in a row, though their last two games (@ Michigan and vs. San Diego) had seen them hang tough with two of the league’s better clubs. Both teams needed a win, and this game played out like an early round playoff game because of that sense of urgency.   The game started off with about as much energy as you could ever ask for. Ohio took the opening kickoff and in only 4 plays had put the ball in the endzone. They hit a huge play right out of the gate when Rashard Jennings, filling in for the injured Isaiah Pead, took the 1st play from scrimmage for 32 yards, escaping the initial tacklers and making his way deep into the secondary. 3 plays later, Christian Hackenberg found Mario Manningham for the game’s first score.   The 2nd score of the game was no less surprising as Ohio picked off Josh Freeman on the Glory 41 yard line and returned it into St. Louis territory.  Hackenberg again found a receiver for a score, this time Justin Blackmon from 5 yards out and with 10 minutes still remaining in the 1st quarter, Ohio had themselves a 14-0 lead.  But St. Louis is capable of some big plays as well and they hit one on their second possession as Josh Freeman found speedy Erik Decker deep for a 42-yard gain that put St. Louis in scoring position just as quickly as Ohio had done. 2 plays later it was Freeman to David Nelson and we knew we had a game.   Ohio would add a field goal on their next drive, but even a 17-7 after the first quarter we had a feeling this game was far from over. After a couple of failed possessions, Ohio again put points on the board midway through the 2nd, as Hackenberg hit on his 3rd TD of the game, a 21-yard strike to Blackmon for the receiver’s 2nd score of the game. Ohio was now up 24-7 and seemed to be in control. St. Louis would add 3 points on a short Andrew Hamilton field goal, but then Ohio seemed to put the game away before the half, scoring on a Rashard Jennings 1-yard run at the 1-minute mark to take a commanding 31-10 lead. St. Louis used the half’s final minute to get into field goal range again, and after Hamilton connected on a final play kick, they went into the half trailing 31-13, a formidable deficit.   The furious pace of the first half was not repeated in the 3rd quarter. It felt very much like Ohio had taken their foot off the pedal, handing the ball off to Jennings and rookie Marion Mack more often than not. St. Louis mustered another field goal, but still trailed 31-16 after 3 quarters, a 15-point deficit. When Ohio added a field goal just a minute into the final quarter, it seemed they had an insurmountable advantage, up 18 at 34-16, but in the USFL, even that lead can be in doubt.   St. Louis shifted gears, all but abandoning eddie Lacy and the run game, a run game that had produced a very solid 120 yards for Lacy in 3 quarters. They went with Bobby Rainey, their receiving back, in the backfield for most of the quarter, and opted to keep 3 wideouts on the field, sometimes boosted to 4. It would be TE Rob Gronkowski and wideouts Erik Decker, Allen Robinson, and David Nelson in spread formations for the rest of the game.   The move worked almost immediately as St. Louis moved the ball well against the Glory defense, Freeman completing 4 of 5 passes on their next drive, including the 8-yard fade to Robinson in the endzone to pull St. Louis 7 points closer, 34-23. On Ohio’s next possession, St. Louis would hold on a 3rd and 3, stuffing Mack in the backfield and forcing a punt. With 2:34 left to play, they got the ball back on their own 26, down by 11. Again the spread offense and a lot of crossing and slant routes produced good results, but cost the Skyhawks time. When Freeman hit Erik Decker for his 2nd TD of the game, there was hope, but also there was only 1:31 on the clock and only 1 time out left. The 2 point PAT throw to Gronkowski connected and St. Louis, once dead in the water, was now within 3 points and a chance to pull off a huge comeback.   The Onside kick was a no-brainer call. Ohio put in their hands team, but Hamilton’s kick was a perfect 3rd bounce looper that forced Ben Obomanu to try to reach up to catch the ball. Hit by a St. Louis gunner, Obomanu could not bring down the ball, but having touched it, the ball was live. St. Louis CB Jordan Pugh was the hero, recovering the ball on the St. Louis 47 and giving the Skyhawks the chance they needed to complete the comeback and either send the game to overtime with a kick or take the win with a touchdown.   St. Louis’s offense took the field, 1:22 left to play, one time out, and 53 yards from an improbable comeback. Josh Freeman, who had shaken off a 4 of 12 start, had gone 11 of 18 over the past 2 quarters, and had 3 touchdowns already on the board. He needed a 4th to finish off the story. It looked very much like he would get it after his first pass went 12 yards to little used 3rd TE James Casey, in for Gronk on the play. Gronk returned for the next play, but was not open, so it was dumped off to FB Jeremy Felton, who gained 10. St. Louis was on the move. A third pass, this time to David Nelson, put the ball just outside of the red zone on the 21. But time was ticking. Freeman spiked the ball with 41 seconds left and a first and 10 from the 21. They were already well inside field goal range, but had a shot at a touchdown to win the game.   The next play would crush the dreams of the Skyhawk faithful, already “ka-kawing” with every stop of the clock. Coach Reich put the offense in a spread formation again, and Freeman got the look he wanted, a shell zone. He used a 3-wide cluster to the left to produce natural rubs against the corners, freeing up Allen Robinson streaking across the middle. Robinson made the catch at midfield, turned to go upfield and was immediately laid out by MLB James Laurinaitis. The ball came loose, the scramble produced a dogpile, and at the bottom was Ohio DT Jarron Gilbert. Whether Gilbert recovered the fumble originally is impossible to know. Perhaps the big man just had more arm strength to rip it away from the smaller St. Louis skill players, but in the end, Head Referee Pete Morelli signaled recovery Ohio. The call, as a turnover in the last 2 minutes, went to replay, but there was nothing to see. It was clearly a fumble, and the pile of bodies made it impossible to overturn the on-field call. Ohio had possession and ran out the clock to take the W. St. Louis fans left the game frustrated as once again the day was “close but still too far”. St. Louis fell to 1-4, Ohio stepped one game closer to .500 at 2-3.   MEMPHIS 23  BIRMINGHAM 14 The Showboats have 2 wins on the season and both are against the Stallions as the rivalry takes a new turn. The 3-1 Stallions again fell to their arch rivals, this time at home and favored by more than a touchdown. Memphis was aided by a very early injury to Cam Newton after only 4 snaps. Newton went out with a stress fracture in his foot that could cost him 2-3 games, and that gave Memphis all they needed to grind out a win over Birmingham, that and 121 yards from Todd Gurley, who left the game late with an injury as well, his potentially season ending. POTG:  Memphis HB Todd Gurley: 17 Att, 121 Yds   LAS VEGAS 10  OAKLAND 3 It was not a pretty game to watch, and it was certainly a rough one as Invader fans watched as their star QB, Joey Harrington, went down with a non-contact knee injury, later defined as a complete MCL tear. Without their starter, and with backup Ryan Lindley nursing an injury, Bob Volek came in for his first real action since 2010. Oakland’s defense kept them in it, but Volek could get nothing out of the offense and Las Vegas got all they needed on a Manning to Baldwin TD toss to get the divisional road win. POTG:  Las Vegas QB Eli Manning: 27/34, 205 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int   CHARLOTTE 17  PITTSBURGH 30 The Monarchs drop a 2nd straight game as Pittsburgh and backup QB Kevin Hogan have themselves a day. Hogan went 22 of 31 for 315 yards, putting Victor Cruz over 100 on the day as well. Meanwhile, Mitch Trubisky was chased, hit, and sacked by the Mauler front 7 all game long. Were it not for a nice 118-yard day from Adrian Peterson, this one could have gotten uglier. POTG:  Mauler WR Victor Cruz: 5 Rec, 135 Yds, 1 TD DALLAS 26   CHICAGO 15 The Machine came out on the wrong end of this one despite outgaining Dallas 324-214, but a 2-0 turnover deficit will do that to you. Dallas had a 19-15 lead late and a desperate pass by Fitzpatrick quickly turned into a pick-six for Melvin Ingram, extending Dallas’s lead as time ran out. It was a big win for a much maligned Roughneck defense, as they limited Matt Forte to 51 yards rushing and sacked Fitzpatrick 4 times on the day. POTG:  Dallas LB Melvin Ingram: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   DENVER 16   MICHIGAN 23 The Panthers take command of the Central by moving to 4-1, thanks in large part to a strong day from Kirk Cousins and a key 4th down play on Denver’s late drive that turned the ball over to the Panthers to end it. LB Sean Porter caught Matt Leinart with a blitz on 4th and 5 with only 37 seconds left to end the Gold’s chance to come back in the final seconds. It was the 4th sack of Leinart on the day, and the biggest of the game to be sure. POTG:  Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 23/32, 257 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   LOS ANGELES 17  SEATTLE 15 Seattle played it tough but had to keep settling for field goals (5 in the game) instead of touchdowns, and that gave LA just enough to escape with a win. The Express defense gave them an early 7-0 lead on a Stephon Gilmore pick-six, and Paul Perkins added another TD, but Seattle kept hanging on. They had a chance to win it late, but kicker Jeffrey Harris missed on a 49-yard kick as regulation ended and LA escaped with win number 4. POTG:  Express HB Reggie Bush: 15 Att, 86 Yds, 1 Rec, 15 Yds   BALTIMORE 14   NEW JERSEY 20 Tied at 14 midway through the 4th, this was anyone’s game to win, but after New Jersey went up 3 with 1:48 left, a botched handoff on 4th and short caused Baltimore to give the Generals back possession with 23 seconds left, and New Jersey added another late field goal to ice the game. Backup Nick Foles threw for 2 scores, matching Ben Roethlisberger’s total as the General defense kept Baltimore off rhythm all game long. POTG:  New jersey WR Odell Beckham Jr: 8 Rec, 103 Yds, 1 TD   OKLAHOMA 24   ARIZONA 38 This one was not as close as the final score indicates. It was 38-7 after three quarters and Oklahoma finally found some success against mostly Wrangler backups in the 4th. Despite 3 picks, David Carr absolutely destroyed the Outlaw secondary for 337 yards and 4 touchdowns. Larry Fitzgerald caught 5 for 138 and a score while Jimmie Graham had 2 scores as Arizona rolled over their rivals. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 16/30, 337 Yds, 4 TD, 3 Int   WASHINGTON 27  PHILADELPHIA 37 Washington’s defense continued hemorrhaging points as Philadelphia scored on 7 of 9 possessions and racked up 387 yards, including 109 from WR Stevie Johnson. Three David Garrard picks did not help as Washington had the lead at the half, but then gave up 3 straight TD drives as Philadelphia came up huge in the 2nd half. POTG:  Philadelphia QB Matt Gutierrez: 20/40, 313 Yds, 3 TD, 2 Int   ORLANDO 20   JACKSONVILLE 23 A huge win for the Bulls as rookie QB C. J. Beathard connects on 2 TD passes and the defense picks off Russell Wilson 3 times to secure a Bulls win over first place Orlando. Jacksonville safety David Bruton returned one of those picks 49 yards for a score and Beathard held up in the pocket to connect with both Gavin Escobar and Mike Williams for scores as the Bulls now sit at 3-2 and have a share of first place. POTG:  Bulls’ QB C. J. Beathard: 18/28, 135 Yds, 2 TD   ATLANTA 20  TAMPA BAY 0 Another bad loss for the Bandits as Atlanta shuts them out, picking off E. J. Manuel twice and sacking him 4 times in a very ugly offensive game for Tampa Bay. Meanwhile Aaron Murray remains hot, throwing for 223 and 2 scores as he leads Atlanta to back-to-back wins. Rookie O. J. Howard had another nice game, catching 5 balls for 81 yards and a TD for the Fire. POTG:  Fire QB Aaron Murray: 19/29, 223 Yards, 2 TD, 0 Int   PORTLAND 17   SAN DIEGO 34 Portland is no match for the Thunder and now will meet equally bad 0-5 Seattle next week in a battle of winless clubs. San Diego improves to 4-1 with another nice game from Joe Webb, who throws for 334 and 4 TDs on the day. Webb connected with TE Kevin Everett twice, but also threw to Chad Johnson and Nick Toon for scores as the Thunder roll over the Stags. POTG:  Thunder QB Joe Webb: 22/32,334 Yds, 4 TD, 2 Int   NEW ORLEANS 27  HOUSTON 40 Houston takes command of the Southern Division with a convincing game against the Breakers. Carlos Hyde rushes for 104 and 3 scores and Mike Evans joins the top 5 receivers thanks to a 132 yard day. Rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster also had a great game, catching 4 balls, 2 of them Colt McCoy TDs. Drew Brees threw for 384 in a losing cause, including 158 to Jordy Nelson and 107 to Kenny Britt, but it was just not enough as Houston’s offense was just too much for the Breaker D. POTG:  Houston HB Carlos Hyde: 22 Att, 104 Yds, 3 TD   Huge Win has Jacksonville Fans Bullish Bulls fans are feeling giddy after their team won their 3rd game in a row, and a big one at that, knocking off Orlando and taking a share of 1st place in the SE Division. After an 0-2 start that saw them score only 12 total points, the Bulls have beaten Tampa Bay, Ohio, and Orlando and looked very solid doing it. While the issue of the QB position is now one that could cause some controversy, as outlined earlier in our report, there are some aspects of Jacksonville’s 3-game streak that are not being questioned and could be indicators that the Bulls may be turning the corner after 6 consecutive 10+ loss seasons, including a disastrous 0-16 disaster in 2014.   So, other than perhaps a QB Controversy, what are we seeing in the Bulls that provides reason to be optimistic?   First up, the scoring defense is looking solid. They currently rank 3rd in the league, behind only Baltimore and New Jersey, allowing a mere 14.2 points a game. That has been the strength of the team the past 2 seasons, so it is no surprise that they are holding down scoring and giving their offense a chance each week.   Secondly, it’s all about the turnover differential. The Bulls have racked up 19 takeaways in only 5 weeks, that is nearly 4 per game. That includes 10 picks and 9 fumbles recovered. Dominique Rogers-Cromartie is leading the way with 4 picks, but we should also look at Sean Lee, the former Stars’ MLB, who has 2 picks and 3 forced fumbles. Throw in 2 pick-sixes and we have a defense that is helping put points on the board and create lots of short fields.   So, what about the offense? That has been a big issue for the Bulls over the past half-decade. What is different this year? Well, to start, the Bulls may have found themselves a back, as unheralded Matt Jones is averaging a respectable 3.8 yards per game and is providing an option in the backfield, especially on shorter third down plays. The 3rd year back already has more yards than in any previous season and is possibly on pace for a 1,000-yard season.   Then there is the passing game. We already know that Coach Del Rio has a decision to make, return to Robert Griffin and his less traditional style, or continue to allow rookie C. J. Beathard learn on the job and give the Bulls a more prototypical profile of pocket passing. Jacksonville is improving, though their passing offense is still ranked 26th out of 28 clubs, with only 180.8 yards per game. They may well be in the market to try to secure a trade for a topflight receiver as currently they do not have a receiver over 200 yards or 20 catches. Andre Caldwell, Mike Williams, and Tavon Austin have all been splitting targets, but no one has truly proven to be a go to receiver that defenses need to focus extra attention on.   Finally, one last positive sign for the Bulls, unlike past years, they seem to be staying healthy in 2017. Now, we don’t want to jinx them by pointing this out, but they are currently the only team in the league with no one on either Injury reserve or on the Week 5 injury list. That is a rare feat, and one that certainly helps as they face some tough games ahead. They are home to Atlanta this week in another big divisional game, then have their rematch with Orlando in Orlando, before facing Charlotte in Week 8. If the Bulls can sweep that 3-game stretch, they will be 5-0 in the division, which is a huge help come tiebreaker time.   Jennings Makes Most of Opportunity to Start Identified as a “3rd down” or “receiving” back, Rashard Jennings has has a very specific role both with the Thunder and in Ohio. It is why we have seen him averaging fewer than 120 carries a season throughout his career. But, the recent injury to Isaiah Pead may be giving Jennings a chance to prove he can be more than a 1-down back. Averaging about 10 carries per game through the first 4 weeks, Jennings got a chance to take on the lead back role when Isaiah Pead suffered a hyper-extended knee in Week 4. Jennings responded with a day that had to surprise everyone from Glory fans to Coach Coughlin, taking 23 carries for 165 yards and a score.   Now, that performance was against the Skyhawks and their troubled defense, so we perhaps have to tone down the Jennings-mania just a touch, but it was still a performance that showcased the back’s elusiveness and open field moves. Pead is questionable this week, so again we should expect to see Jennings get the majority of the carries, with rookie Marion Mack backing him up. With Ohio facing a much tougher defense in the Michigan Panthers, this will be a true test to see if Jennings has what it takes to perhaps start splitting carries or even surpassing Pead in carries regularly.   Hyde Powers Houston to 5-0. No surprise at all that Carlos Hyde had a big game when his team needed him to. In their key divisional matchup with New Orleans, Coach Phillips went in knowing that the Breaker pass defense, was formidable, and that Colt McCoy could use the kind of help a good day from Hyde could provide. A gameplan was put in place to get the ball in Hyde’s hands often. The result? Hyde got 22 carries, and with those carries racked up 104 yards (a 4.7 average) and 3 touchdowns. Hyde was unstoppable inside the 20, touching the ball 8 times and averaging over 5.5 yards per carry in the Red Zone, including his 11, 7, and 1 yard TD runs.   Hyde is not among the league leaders, as teams earlier this year focused on the run and tried to force Colt McCoy to make plays, but as McCoy has demonstrated more and more poise and ability to make plays, defenses have had to account for the Houston passing game, and that very well could give Hyde an opportunity to thrive in the weeks ahead. The Houston back currently sits in 10th place on the rushing table with 327 yards, but we think it is a safe bet he could finish in the Top 5 by season’s end.   Harrington Lost for the Season. Was it his Last? It is what every coach, every owner, and every fan dreads, that the player viewed as most valuable and least replaceable on their team will fall to injury. That is what Oakland is facing as Joey Harrington, the clear number one at QB for the past 11 seasons, is likely done for the year after suffering a fully torn MCL. It happened on a completely innocuous play with no contract, as we often see with knee injuries. Harrington had dropped back, left the pocket to his left, and looked to be sixing up a pass to TE Zach Ertz when his right foot landed awkwardly, twisting on its side. Harrington went down, the ball fluttering out of bounds, and the trainers came out.   Initially the concern was Harrington’s ankle, but he quickly pointed the trainers to his knee. He was helped to the sideline by two linemen, not putting pressure on the leg at all. From there it was quickly off to the locker room and by that evening the verdict was in. A full tear of the ligament and a lengthy recovery. Harrington, who turned 37 this year, has been rumored to be in his final season since last October, but no player wants their career to end this way.   For Coach Green and the Invaders, the ‘next man up” theory has to come into effect. That man will almost certainly be Ryan Lindley, the former Bandit. Lindley missed this last game with an injury of his own, but is expected to be back and ready to start this week, allowing 9-year veteran Bob Volek to take on a 2nd string role. Oakland also could activate practice squad QB Tom Savage to the active roster to allow for 3-player depth at the vital position. Lindley last started a game in 2014 with Tampa Bay, when he had 2 starts and appearances in 4 games for the Bandits. With Oakland already breaking in a new WR group after the offseason departures of both Pierre Garçon (NFL) and Keenan Allen (WSH), adding in a largely inexperienced QB can only cause worries for Green and the Invaders.   Todd Gurley Placed on IR after Breaking Wrist A second big injury this week as Memphis starting HB Todd Gurley will again miss significant action. The former Georgia Bulldog played in only 14 games last year, but it looks like his 2017 total will be only 5 games as he left the Memphis loss to Birmingham late, after racking up a very nice 121 yards in the game. Gurley had an awkward landing on his right arm and immediately came out of the game. X-rays revealed a compound fracture in his wrist, and as this is his dominant ball-carrying hand, and it would require a hard cast, the verdict was that his season was over. Gurley came within 50 yards of his first 1,000-yard season in Memphis’s Summer Bowl run last year, and currently leads the Showboats with 288 yards in 5 games, but is done for the year.   The obvious step up will be from Anthony Allen, who showed some real spark in a 700-yard season in 2016, subbing in for Gurley for several games. Allen now becomes the primary back for the Showboats, though we also expect we will see more of former Orlando and Denver back Jacob Hester, and maybe even practice squad player and undrafted Idaho rookie Scott Fox.   OUT G            Rokevious Watkins      PHI        Neck                     IR OT          Nat Dorsey                     LV           Shoulder             IR HB         Todd Gurley                  MEM     Wrist                     IR QB         Joey Harrington           OAK      MCL                      IR FS           Jalen Mills                      LA          Wrist                     1-2 Weeks DE          Da’Quan Bowers            BAL        Ribs                       1-2 Weeks QB         Cam Newton                 BIR         Foot                      1-2 Weeks LB           Nate Irving                      LV           Concussion       1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB           Sean Spence                  ORL       Hip CB          Shaquile Grifffin             ATL         Jaw CB          Dunta Robinson              PIT         Arm CB          Prince Amukamara       WSH     Concussion HB         Chris Ivory                        ATL         Hand G            Mike Briesel                     SD          Concussion   QUESTIONABLE WR         Robert Woods               MEM     Concussion WR         Percy Harvin                     OKL       Knee G            Mike Iupati                   ORL       Personal CB          Alphonso Hodge            OAK      Turf Toe DT          Sione Pouha                   BIR         Hand   Hundley & Prescott Expected Back Good news on the injury list for a pair of teams as New Jersey’s Brett Hundley and Tampa Bay’s Dak Prescott return to action this week. Hundley missed the past two weeks with back spasms, and while Nick Foles played well and got the Generals wins over both Baltimore and Pittsburgh, everyone expects the former USC Trojan to be back under center for the Generals when they take on the Federals this week.   For Tampa Bay, the two games with E. J. Manuel at the helm have not gone as well as Nick Foles’s outings. A 19-7 defeat in Baltimore was followed by this week’s embarrassing 20-0 drubbing by Atlanta. In Prescott’s absence, Manuel threw 3 picks and no TDs, and the offense simply did not move the ball well at all (187 yards passing followed by 158). That said, with many glad Prescott is back under center, the fact that he too went winless in his 3 games this season still has many Bandit fans pining for a better option.   Federals Cut DC Allen Loose, Promote Fewell A team accustomed to being among the league’s elite defenses is not sitting down as their defense proves to be among the league’s worst this year. On Tuesday, defensive coordinator Bruce Allen was let go and secondary coach Perry Fewell given the interim position. It is not really a big surprise that Coach Payton let Allen go after a 5-game stretch that had the Federals’ defense giving up over 300 yards passing per game, and nearly 28 points on average. Fewell, hoping to land the permanent gig at DC, will need to find a way to tighten up the secondary, improve the positioning of the linebackers, and, perhaps most importantly, get more pressure from DE’s Chris Long and Mathias Kiawanuka. The two have only 6 sacks between them, and Coach Allen was forced to use blitzes to create many of those opportunities, blitzes that often led to wide open receivers in single coverage. It won’t be an easy fix for Fewell, but Washington needs to see improvement if they want any chance to recover this season after a dismal 0-5 start.   Possible Stallion Logo Leak? We have a possible leak out of Under Armour that could reveal that the 2018 uniform redesigns by the USFL’s new uniform partner, could herald a logo change for the Stallions. An image of a souvenir pennant seems to show a new logo depicting a horse’s head in motion, a departure from the reared-up Stallion the team has used since they swapped out their full-body horse logo for the 2000 season. Is this a new logo for the Stallions? The new logo, if proven to be authentic, shows a white stallion with gold highlights and red outlines, complete with a flowing red mane. The logo includes only the head and neck of the rowdy horse. At this point, with no official confirmation from either Under Armour or the Stallions, it is not known whether this is only a partial logo, paired with the team’s wordmark on the pennant, or if this is to be the full logo. It is also not known if or how this logo would appear on the helmet.   Under Armour did promise when they got the USFL contract that they would not shy away from modernizing the look of USFL teams as part of the process. With 6 USFL clubs due for a “refresh” for 2018, it may well be that Birmingham is one of the teams getting a more comprehensive redesign. We expect several designs to be released over the next month to both build excitement for the new looks and to possibly provide teams with their new looks in time for the 2017 playoffs. In addition to Birmingham, we expect updated designs for the Baltimore Blitz, Jacksonville Bulls, New Orleans Breakers, Pittsburgh Maulers, and Washington Federals.   San Antonio Stadium Update Good News for USFL Fans The City of San Antonio & State of Texas now covering 27% of reconstruction costs. Celebration in San Antonio as ground was broken on the rebuild of the Alamodome. The ceremonial shovel was cast into the dirt by Mayor Rob Nirenberg, assisted by former Outlaws owner Red McCombs, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and lead architect Bill Johnson of HOK. The groundbreaking is itself a monumental feat when you consider the challenges of getting the funding and approvals together for the project. But, over the past 6 months several pieces fell into place. First was a settlement with Chubb insurance, which provided the project with $210M towards the project, about 23% of the estimated build cost, far less than a full payment on the insurance would have provided, but far more than Chubb had initially offered after revelations of sub-standard construction during a 2010 renovation put the claim of tornado damage at risk.   Following the successful settlement, and with the promise by McCombs and his partner Trevor Ross-Jones to fund up to $500M into the project, roughly 50% of the expected $1B price tag for a newly designed dome, it was up to the city and the state to find funding for the remaining $290M. It took several months, and two different ballot initiatives, but the project finally secured funding through a combination of bond sale (statewide) and a hotel/restaurant tax of 0.75% within the City of San Antonio and 0.5% within Bexar (San Antonio) county and the surrounding counties of Wilson, Atascosa, Medira, Corral, and Guadalupe. The original Dome architects will revive the structure. With funding in place, HOK was hired, and Bill Johnson, who is also working on Atlanta’s new retractable dome, were hired to revise the original plans of the Alamodome and produce a new, 68,000 seat facility. Unlike Atlanta, the new Alamodome will not be retractable, but will feature 4,000 additional seats along with 8 additional luxury suites. HOK was the architecture firm for the original dome but was not hired for the renovations in 2010 that produced significant structural and material flaws cited by Chubb in their initial denial of coverage when a tornado caused major damage to two sides of the facility on Memorial Day Weekend in 2015.   The timeline for the stadium calls for completion by November 2019, which means that the USFL’s promise to return a franchise to the city when the facility is completed could push the league to look at 2020 as an expansion season. Of course, the possibility still exists that a current USFL owner could choose to sell their franchise to the McComb/Ross-Jones endeavor, but at present we are not seeing any ownership groups that are eager to sell what has become a pretty solid investment over time. With the price tag set by the OKC Football Group’s purchase of the Outlaws last season, current owners are very much looking at solid year-to-year growth in the value of their clubs, so expansion does seem the most likely prospect.   Expect the San Antonio Group to make their pitch for a 2020 expansion date at next month’s Owner’s Meeting in New York. And while Outlaw fans in and around San Antonio must be feeling a bit left out right now as their former club sells out OGE Energy Stadium in far off Oklahoma City, the fanbase of the former Texas Outlaws may now see a new light on the horizon as the Alamodome is set to be rebuilt, bigger and better than ever.   With 3 unbeatens and 4 winless clubs in the league right now, the odds for an upset here and there, and for those numbers to decrease is very real. Will a team sneak up on someone and get their first win? Will someone else knock off one of the three unbeatens? The chances are good we will see at least one of these two scenarios happen this week, as we saw in both Week 3 and Week 4.   We have our first unbeaten team taking action on Friday Night, when the 5-0 Stars face a very tough challenge in traveling to Baltimore to take on Ben Roethlisberger and the Blitz’s top ranked defense. This could be a very tough one for the Stars. On Saturday, we have 3 of the 4 winless teams playing, with 2 playing each other, almost certainly assuring that the number of winless clubs will shrink by at least 1 this week. First off, at noon, we have 0-5 Tampa Bay, with Dak Prescott returning to action, headed to Chicago to face a struggling 1-4 Machine club. Then at 4pm, it is 0-5 Seattle visiting 0-5 Portland in a Cascade Clash that could leave one team sadder than an all day PNW soaker of a rain day.   Sunday we have two unbeatens and one winless club trying to earn W’s. Washington hopes they can turn the tide of pain as they host the New Jersey Generals in a key divisional game in the Northeast. Then, at 4pm, it is Pittsburgh hoping they can surprise the unbeaten Houston Gamblers in Houston, a tough task indeed. Finally, on Sunday night, the ESPN/EFN simulcast features 5-0 Arizona headed to Memphis for a rematch of Summer Bowl 2016. Memphis seems a very different team this year without Manning and now with Todd Gurley on IR, while Arizona looks possibly even more dominant than in their title run last year.   FRI 7PM ET         Philadelphia (5-0) @ Baltimore (3-2)                FOX FRI 9PM ET         Oakland (2-3) @ San Diego (4-1)                    ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET         Orlando (3-2) @ Charlotte (3-2)                       ABC SAT 12PM ET         Tampa Bay (0-5) @ Chicago (1-4)                    FOX SAT 4PM ET         St. Louis (1-4) @ Denver (3-2)                           ABC SAT 4PM ET          Seattle (0-5) @ Portland (0-5)                         FOX SAT 7PM ET           Los Angeles (4-1) @ Oklahoma (1-4)              NBC SAT 9PM ET           New Orleans (3-2) @ Las Vegas (3-2)              ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET       Atlanta (2-3) @ Jacksonville (3-2)                     ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET        New Jersey (4-1) @ Washington (0-5)              ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET         Michigan (4-1) @ Ohio (2-3)                            FOX SUN 4PM ET            Birmingham (3-2) @ Dallas (2-3)                      ABC SUN 4PM ET         Pittsburgh (2-3) @ Houston (5-0)                    FOX SUN 8PM ET           Arizona (5-0) @ Memphis (2-3)                       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: With starter Isaiah Pead out with an injury, it was up to third-down back Rashard Jennings to step in, and boy did he. Jennings had 23 attempts for 163 yards and helped Ohio eke out a thrilling 34-31 victory over St. Louis for their 2nd win on the season. Expect Jennings to get more touches after a game like this one.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: As good as Drew Brees's week was, we have to give this to backup QB Jake Locker, who did not miss a beat as he replaced Ben Roethlisberger as the signal caller for the Blitz. Locker threw for 319 yards and 4 TDs as Baltimore put a hurting on Tampa Bay in a battle of backups. pu

Derrick & The Big Win Wrench The first month of the season wraps up with 3 teams still unbeaten and 4 still looking for their first win. It is all rose-tinted victory for the Gamblers, Wranglers, and somewhat surprisingly for the 4-0 Philadelphia Stars. Things are looking quite a bit less peachy for the winless Dragons, Bandits, Stags, and especially for the Washington Federals, who did not expect to struggle quite as much as the other three winless clubs might have foreseen. Week 4 also saw a couple of surprises, the most impressive being winless Atlanta’s total domination of unbeaten Orlando in a result that likely cost some Vegas bookmakers quite a bit of cash. In a week that brought some key injuries to teams that can ill afford to lose key playmakers, St. Louis lost Eric Weems for the year, Jacksonville could be without C. J. Spiller for up to 2 months, and Memphis sees Robert Woods out at least 1-2 weeks. So, we have unbeatens, we have teams struggling to find their first W, we have upsets, and we have some injuries impacting teams across the league. Sounds like football season to us.   Way Too Early Award Favorites Yes, it is a long way from Week 16, and even further from the announcement of the annual award winners the week before Summer Bowl 2017, but we are a month into the season and it seems fitting to recognize some of the players who have started the year strong. So, with no guarantee that these frontrunners will last atop the podium all year long, here are our top 3 picks for each of the major USFL awards after 4 games.   MVP We are going to stick with the QB position, just because that tends to be where this award lands. Looking at the first month of the season, three names pop out. In New Orleans, Drew Brees is putting up strong numbers. He is currently 2nd in yards passing (1,166), 2nd in passing TDs (8), and first in QB Rating at 130.4. He is getting a lot of competition from 2016 MVP and Arizona QB David Carr , who is 2nd in QBR, and first in both yards and touchdowns. A possible darkhorse who has his club unbeaten after 4 weeks, Colt McCoy is a story fans love to see, a guy who waited patiently behind a legendary QB only to get his shot. He is taking that shot for sure, third in TDs and 10th in yardage, McCoy is the underdog story that may just capture some votes.   OPOTY If the MVP is a 3-QB race, then we are going to focus on the other offensive skill positions for the OPOTY. Our top three in this category are the league’s current rushing leader, Matt Forte , its current leader in receiving yards, Brian Hartline , and the very vocal and often justified LeVeon Bell . Bell currently trails both Matt Forte and Maurice Jones-Drew as defenses key on him, but he is within 30 yards of 1st place and we know he is motivated to rack up yardage this year after setting 2,000 as his target.   Forte is a bit of a surprise at the top of the rushing leaderboard, but he has clearly taken advantage of the trade of Doug Martin (himself 4th on the list) to get more carries and make more plays. He was held to only 56 yards this week, so he needs to get back on the 100+ track again if he wants to stay in this field. As for Brian Hartline, the Blitz wideout may only have 15 catches on the year, but at 32.3 yards per catch, he is making the most of his opportunities. It will be a tight field among the wideouts, with Jordy Nelson and Chad Johnson right there with him, but if he can continue to score TDs at the pace he has (7 in 4 games) he could be a runaway OPOTY candidate.   DPOTY Yes, once again it is the Calais Campbell vote vs. the anyone-but-Campbell vote. So, we know Campbell will be in the mix ,and why not? He is after all atop the sack leaderboard once again. But, let’s say he slows down, or decides to quit and sell insurance instead. Who else is in the running? Our first potential contender is Oklahoma’s Pacman Jones , who not only has 3 picks so far this year, but has returned 2 for scores in the season’s opening month. That is an impressive display, especially for a 1-3 team. The other dark horse candidate is Arizona CB Joe Haden . Haden may only have 2 picks so far, but that is because he gets fewer balls tossed to the man he covers. What is more impressive is that he has 33 tackles in 4 weeks, a very high total for a corner and a sure sign that Haden is not afraid to come up and play the run. He trails only Tampa LB Brian Orakpo for the tackle lead, almost always won by a linebacker.   ROTY While there are several rookie running backs who are starters for their clubs, and even more receivers who are getting targets, the running for the Rookie of the Year may come down to three very different players. On the one hand we have Mitch Trubisky , who is the only full time starter among the rookie QBs and who has Charlotte sitting at 3-1 after the first month of action. He may be hurt by his role as a “game manager” in his first season, as well as a stat line that does not scream “MVP”, with only 735 yards in 4 games (under 200 per game) and a 3:5 TD:INT ratio.   Our second contender seems more like the frontrunner, Oakland HB Christian McCaffrey . In addition to racking up 256 yards in his first 4 games, good enough to be in the top 10, McCaffrey also leads all tailbacks with 14 receptions. He is becoming a focal point for the Invader attack, and he seems happy to have that role.   Finally, let’s pick the best looking defensive rookie as our third option. Little doubt on that one. Houston safety Budda Baker has been all over the highlight reels week in and week out. The young safety has 14 tackles, a pick, 3 sacks, a forced fumble, and 4 pass defenses in 4 games. He is blowing up plays, taking down backs, and making big time moves on receivers. He is also just fun to watch, a Tasmanian Devil of a player who is not afraid to get some trash talking in, but who also seems able to back it up.   COTY When we look at the Coach of the Year, what we usually look for is the team that is far outperforming expectations. That is hard to gauge so early in the season, but if we look across the league, three names do emerge pretty easily. Jim Harbaugh has his Stars sitting pretty at 4-0, something few anticipated. In Denver, John Hufnagel has impressed many with his no nonsense style and the grit his Denver Gold have shown in slogging to a 3-1 record despite scoring 17, 13, and 10 points in their 3 wins. Finally, we should mention that Birmingham sitting at 3-1 is very much a surprise. Back-to-back wins over Oklahoma and Charlotte have impressed and Coach Henry Ellard could well be moving from the hotseat to a very comfortable seat among the coaches considered for this award.   LAS VEGAS VIPERS 26  OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS 23  OVERTIME Another sellout crowd at OGE Energy Stadium greeted the Oklahoma Outlaws as they returned for their 2nd home game. Their opponent, the Las Vegas Vipers, came into the game with the same record as the Outlaws, both sitting at 1-2 and hoping for a win to send them to .500 instead of a tough 1-3 start to the year. Oklahoma would hold the lead for most of the game, but never put Las Vegas away, and that left enough room for Eli Manning to bring the club back at the end of regulation and send the game into extra time.   Manning would finish the game with 381 yards passing, a season high, as he completed 33 of 46 passes, surviving 2 picks with 2 TD tosses. On the other side of the field, Joe Flacco struggled, completing only 8 of 19 attempts against the Viper defense. Marshawn Lynch faired a bit better, averaging4 yards per carry as he contributed 76 yards to the Outlaw attack. The two big receivers, one for each club, did as many expected, crossing the 100-yard mark, with Denarius Moore going for 12 receptions and 127 yards while Marques Colston caught 4 for 103, including a 57-yard TD catch and run.   The first quarter was largely uneventful, with both teams testing the opposition defense and neither one finding much luck. Oklahoma got the first points on the board and the only points of the quarter when Kai Forbath connected from 36 yards out. He would add a 42-yarder early in the 2nd quarter to double the Oklahoma lead before Las Vegas started finding offensive success. The Vipers had two solid drives to end the first half. The first took the ball all the way to the 4-yard line, but when 3 attempts to punch the ball in did not produce a TD, Coach Neuheisel settled for a 21-yard chip shot from Brett Maher. Neuheisel’s patience paid off 5 minutes later when the next Las Vegas drive put the first 7-pointer on the board. Unlike their prior drive, this one was not a slow, methodical move down the field, it was a quick strike score, as play action set up Brandon Marshall in one-man coverage and Eli Manning found enough time in the pocket to get the ball deep. The result was a 62-yard scoring play that gave Las Vegas their first lead of the game, and sent both teams into the locker room with Vegas leading 10-6.   Oklahoma would receive the second half kickoff, and they were eager to retake the lead after the late miscue in the first half. The Outlaws quickly proved that they too could hit on the big play as the 4th play of the drive provided Oklahoma with a long TD toss of their own. Joe Flacco found his favorite target, Marques Colston deep and the Outlaw receiver shrugged off the corner with a nice spin to the inside before high-stepping into the endzone to once again put Oklahoma back on top. Down 13-10, Las Vegas took over and after what appeared to be another deep TD pass was called back on a holding call were forced to settle for 3 again, tying the score at 13.   Oklahoma could not move the ball on their next drive, but got a big play on defense when Manning, trying to hit Denarius Moore, underthrew on an out route, feeding the ball right to Oklahoma corner Pacman Jones. Jones weaved his way across the field to return the pick 17 yards to for a TD as Texas went back on top 20-13.   With an Oklahoma field goal to start the 4th, the Outlaw lead was now 10 points, but Las Vegas had moved the ball well throughout the game, sprinkling Jeremy Hill and Montario Hardesty runs in between Manning passing plays. They found success in the 4th quarter as well, first with a short 34-yard drive that produced a field goal to drop the Outlaw lead to 7 points, and then with a 13-play drive that began with 3:33 on the clock and finished with a game-tying score with only 5 ticks left on the clock.   The drive was classic Manning at his best. He avoided the rush, extended plays, and found his receivers over the middle of the field, connecting twice with Tyler Eifert on key third downs and dumping the ball off to Hardesty twice for nice gains. The drive took most of the game’s remaining time, but with 13 seconds left, Manning had a first and 10 on the 13, and time for 2-3 shots into the endzone to tie the score and send the game to overtime. After missing on a throw to Doug Baldwin on first down, he was now at 7 seconds. The second down throw went to the slot receiver, Devante Parker, lined up in a 3-receiver cluster on the left side. Parker got a natural pick from Baldwin’s route, cut inside and found the ball waiting for him. He fell into the endzone and Las Vegas had set the game up for overtime.   Oklahoma won the toss and chose to get the ball in extra time, receiving the ball on their own 3 and getting a runback to the 17. Joe Flacco would rely on Marshawn Lynch to get the initial two first downs on the drive, the big back converting on 3rd and 3 and then on a 2nd and 4 run. On their third set of downs, a false start pushed them back, producing a 3rd and 11, but Flacco found Colston on a nicely run deep out, and Oklahoma was in Las Vegas territory. Having seen their defense give up 2 conversions on third down already, Las Vegas got more aggressive now that the ball was on their side of the field. A blitz on 2nd down forced Marshawn Lynch to take a 3 -yard loss, rare for the big back, and with 3rd and 9 on the Vegas 38-yard line, Flacco dumped the ball short to Chris Cooley, setting up a 49-yard attempt that could not immediately win the game, but would put a lot of pressure on Las Vegas. That pressure would come only if Forbath made the 48-yard kick, but when his kick sailed just too far to the left, Las Vegas took over on their own 37 with every chance to win the game with a kick of their own.   Manning led Las Vegas quickly into Oklahoma territory, hitting Moore on his 12th catch of the day for 9 yards, then Hardesty out of the backfield and Baldwin on the sideline. Before long, Las Vegas had the ball in range for Brett Maher, 1st and 10 on the Oklahoma 24. The Vipers tried to get even closer, but on 2nd and 8, Manning took a bad sack, dropped back at the 33 by DE Mllicah Goodman. After a miss on 3rd down, Coach Neuheisel put his trust in kicker Brett Maher to connect from 50 yards out. Maher was only 5 of 10 on the year, having gone 0-2 from beyond 45 yards, but on this day he made the most of his opportunity and proved worthy of Coach Neuheisel’s trust, sending the ball straight down the middle on a kick that easily would have been good from 55 out.   Oklahoma would drop to 1-3 with their first home loss and Las Vegas would move to 2-2 at the end of the first quarter of the season. Eli Manning had a game saving drive once again, and Coach Neuheisel had a positive first month at the helm leading Las Vegas to a solid .500 start. HOUSTON 20  MEMPHIS 16 Houston’s offense may have cooled off a bit the past 2 weeks, but their defense remains solid as they limit Memphis to only 245 total yards, picking off Paxton Lynch twice and allowing only 1 touchdown all game. Carlos Hyde outrushed Memphis’s duo of backs, gaining 114 and adding a TD as Colt McCoy was limited to 15 of 30 passing for only 168 yards. But, down 16-13 late, it was McCoy to rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster for the game winner with just 34 ticks left on the clock. POTG:  Gambler HB Carlos Hyde: 23 Att, 114 Yds, 1 Td   MICHIGAN 17   LOS ANGELES 20 The Express get the statement win on Friday Night, knocking off the unbeaten Panthers thanks to a 13-0 run to finish the game, coming back from 10 points down to win by 3. The Express D picked off Kirk Cousins twice in the 2nd half to spark the comeback, with Reggie Bush running in the 2nd half’s only TD as LA takes this one and moves to 3-1. POTG:  LA defensive tackle Chris Jones: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 2 FF, 1 FR   JACKSONVILLE 30  OHIO 13 Ohio’s D is not living up to the hype, while Jacksonville’s is looking very solid. Seven sacks of Christian Hackenberg, paired with 3 picks of the Ohio QB were enough to help Jacksonville to a big win and put the Bulls at .500 after ¼ season. Rookie C. J. Beathard got the start, rushing for his only TD of the day on a QB sneak at the goalline, The Defense added a pick-six from David Bruton and that was all she wrote for the Glory. POTG:  Bulls’ CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie: 12 Tck, 2 Int   ORLANDO 3   ATLANTA 28 A stunner at the Georgia Dome as 0-3 Atlanta absolutely took it to the 3-0 Orlando Renegades. The ‘Gades rush for only 21 total yards as Atlanta hits them early and often. Aaron Murray threw for 265 and 2 scores, Chris Ivory combined with Kenyan Drake for 115 rushing yards and 2 scores, and the Fire defense played like their season depended on it, which it may have. POTG:  Fire WR Roy Williams: 6 Rec, 122 Yds   CHICAGO 6   DENVER 10 Snow made this one a slippery and sloppy affair. The only TD came on a shovel pass from Leinart to TE Delanie Walker as players slipped all over the snowy field. Denver managed only 120 total yards of offense, but 2 turnovers by Chicago and very few advances into Denver territory allowed the Gold to hold on for the win in whiteout conditions. POTG:  Denver DE Von Miller: 3 Tck, 2 Sck   PHILADELPHIA 30  SEATTLE 24 The Dragons almost pulled off a major upset and did better than anyone else so far this season against the Stars’ defense. Jacoby Brissett threw for 284 yards and 2 scores while Joseph Addai added 76 yards on the ground as Seattle put a scare into the Stars. But, a Gutierrez to Zac Stacy TD pass and a late Mike Nugent field goal helped the Stars pull this one out in the 4th. POTG : Stars’ HB Derrick Henry: 21 Att, 115 Yds   PITTSBURGH 20   NEW JERSEY 22 Another close battle involving the NE Division as Pittsburgh held a 20-16 lead after 3 quarters, but a late Nick Foles to Maurice Jones-Drew swing pass gave the Generals the needed score to pull out the home win. Nick Foles played the entire game for the injured Hundley, completing 16 of 26 passes for 194 yards, outdueling fellow backup QB Kevin Hogan on the day. POTG:  Generals’ HB Maurice Jones-Drew: 20 Att, 98 Yds, 3 Rec, 15 Yds, 1 TD   ARIZONA 38 DALLAS 14 It was shock and awe for Dallas’s Brandon Wheedon in his first start for the Roughnecks. Arizona threw everything but the kitchen sink at him limiting the former Monarch to 145 yards passing. Meanwhile, Derrick Carr went off for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns, connecting with 4 different receivers, including Larry Fitzgerald, who finished with 120 yards to lead all receivers. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 21/30, 316 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   TAMPA BAY 7   BALTIMORE 19 With Jake Locker knocked out of the game and 3rd stringer Trevone Boykin thrown into action, Baltimore’s offense struggled, but the D was very tough against E. J. Manuel (in for another injured starter). Baltimore would get TDs from both Darrius Heyward-Bey and Brian Hartline, add a safety on defense, and have more than enough for the Bandits’ anemic attack. POTG:  Blitz WR Brian Hartline: 3 Rec, 125 Yds, 1 TD   NEW ORLEANS 31  WASHINGTON 24 Drew Brees averaged 18 yards per completion as he completed 16 of 23 throws for 413 yards and 3 scores against Washington’s overmatched defense. Both Jordy Nelson and Kenny britt went over 140 yards on the day and Leonard Fournette added a solid 69 yards on 13 carries for the Breakers. Washington hung close, thanks to 137 yards from Keenan Allen, but it was not enough as the Feds fall to 0-4 at the ¼ mark of the season. POTG:  Breaker QB Drew Brees: 16/23, 413 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   CHARLOTTE 16   BIRMINGHAM 36 The Stallions make a statement, moving to 3-1 and knocking off the previously unbeaten Monarchs in a dominant 36-16 performance. Cam Newton threw for 2 scores, including a 72-yard beauty to Dontrelle Inman, and the defense pressured Mitch Trubisky all game long, producing 2 picks and 3 sacks while holding Charlotte to only 1 TD all game. Add in 5 Garrett Hartley field goals, and by game’s end, Birmingham scored on 8 of 9 possessions in a truly impressive game for the Stallions. POTG:  Stallion LB DeMeco Ryans: 7 Tck, 3 Sck, 1 FF   OAKLAND 29   PORTLAND 13 Portland’s offense continues to struggle, amassing only 261 total yards as Marcus Mariota was sacked 4 times. The Stags’ only TD came on defense, a Donte Whitner pick-six, as the Invaders controlled the line of scrimmage all game. Christian McCaffrey rushed for 62 and added 21 more through the air, while Taylor Gabriel had a solid game with 7 catches, 91 yards, and a score for the visitors. POTG:  Oakland DE Cliff Avril: 4 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   SAN DIEGO 23  ST. LOUIS 17 OVERTIME The Sunday nighter was a nice finish to the week, with the Skyhawks kicking a late field goal to send the affair into overtime. In the extra period, San Diego pushed the ball down the field on the opening drive and a 1-yard Ryan Williams dive over the top clinched the game for the Thunder. POTG:  San Diego CB Justin Gilbert: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   Coach Hamilton Stands with Mariota Despite yet another bad loss, and another offensive no-show, Coach Pep Hamilton stands behind Marcus Mariota. “Look at the film, look at the stats and tell me we are not winning because of Marcus” said the Stags’ head man. He may be right. While Marcus Mariota’s 746 yards are not exactly setting the league on fire, his QB rating of 77.0 is better than most, including former league MVP Andy Dalton (76.6), Denver’s Matt Leinart (74.3), Chicago’s Ryan Fitzpatrick (72.6) and Oakland’s Joey Harrington (71.6). There are a lot of issues in Portland, but Coach Hamilton may well be right when he says the issues do not start with Mariota.   So, where do they start? How about a WR group that does not have a single receiver averaging more than 13 yards per catch, with two of the team’s supposed deep ball receivers, Alshon Jeffery and Brian Quick both averaging below 10 yards per catch? Or we could look at a line that has Mariota using his legs far more often to survive than to make plays? We are also looking at a Stag defense that was supposed to be a strength of the team but currently ranks dead last in scoring allowed at 28 points per game, and has allowed an average of 365 yards of offense each game, 2nd worst in the league behind the winless Federals.   Sure, Mariota is not making the big plays that can help produce points when long drives are not easy to come by, but that could well be on the receivers and his line as well. He is not making huge mistakes, with only 3 picks in 4 games, but there is just not enough happening around him to make his job easier. Coach Hamilton’s vote of confidence almost certainly means that Mariota will continue to get starts with Portland, but now the question is what can Coach Hamilton do to get more production around his young QB?   Murray Stuns Monarchs & His Own Coach In a game that could well have been Aaron Murray’s last as the starter for the winless Atlanta Fire, Aaron Murray picked as good a time as any to show that he could be an effective leader and accurate passer. Murray completed 24 of 33 passes for 265 yards agsinst the unbeaten Renegades, but what was perhaps more impressive was his hold over his offensive teammates, calling them to the line quickly, making adjustments, and generally reading the Orlando defense very effectively.   There is no doubt that Murray’s performance, as well as the team’s as a whole, won the former UGA signal caller more time under center. Even his new coach, Bruce Arians, had to admit that he was taken aback by Murray’s strong game against a very solid Orlando defense. “We know Aaron can play, but we were very impressed by how he took control today.” Was the statement Arians made to the press when asked about the sudden turnaround for Murray and the Fire offense. We agree. Murray showed us something this week, the potential to lead his team.   Federals’ Defensive Woes Mount The Federals have been hanging around the .500 mark for the past 3 years, but an 0-4 start may make that a very difficult target in 2017. The reason for the sudden ineptitude? Look no further than the team’s defensive woes. The Feds are currently dead last in the league, allowing 300.5 passing yards per game and 408.5 total yards, a combination of bad play, bad communication, and bad tackling that has doomed them to 4 straight defeats to start the year.   Yes, there are major issues with a run game that is averaging only 37.5 yards per game. Yes, you read that right, under 40 yards per game as a team. But even with that as a reality they are dealing with, the defense is perhaps an even bigger problem. You simply cannot give up 300 yards passing and 100+ yards rushing every game and expect to win many contests. Newly arrived MLB Shawne Merriman looks lost on the field, which is such a change from what we saw from him in his years with the Denver Gold. The front line just cannot produce pressure, with Chris Long the only lineman with more than 1 sack, and the secondary, well, let’s just say they are not exactly stuck like glue to their receivers.   It is a bad look for a team that made its name on defense with players like Jerome Brown, Antonio Pierce, Charles Woodson, Michael Barrow, and Ed Reed. The once proud Federal defense now looks like a shadow of its glory years, and that has the entire team scrambling to figure out how they can compete in a very tough division where there could be 3 playoff teams among the 5 clubs along some of the league’s more potent offenses. It has already been a long season for the Federals, and unless they can figure out how to spark a run game and how to actually slow down opposing offenses, the forecast for the next 12 weeks does not look much better.   St. Louis Loses Weems for the Year Coach Reich and the Skyhawks are trying to rebuild a winner in St. Louis, but that got just a bit tougher to accomplish as they lose one of their primary offensive weapons to injury. WR Eric Weems, who currently leads all Skyhawk receivers with 16 receptions and 220 yards, was placed on IR after both tearing and separating the bicep on his left arm in this week’s tight loss to San Diego. Weems went up for a contested ball, was wrestling with the DB and landed with the arm extended. An MRI conducted Monday proved the worst, a complete separation and a 12-16 week recovery timeframe. The decision was made immediately to place the receiver on IR.   Weems production will be missed. It appears that Coach Reich is going to promote Terrance Williams, the NFL speedster acquired in the offseason, to Weems’s spot, leaving David Nelson in the flanker spot and Allen Robinson at the slot. Some assumed that Eric Decker, who has more time with the team, might get the call, but Williams is apparently showing some flashes in practice and Coach Reich wanted to put a player with a skillset more akin to Weems’s in that spot.   Maualaga Goes Down Again A talented player who just cannot stay on the field. That is becoming the verdict on Rey Maualaga. The former Monarch LB came to the New Jersey Generals in 2013 and has been somewhat snakebit ever since. He went down this week with an ACL injury that could cost him the season. There is a window where he could come back, so New Jersey has not placed him on IR so far, but this is another major injury for the linebacker.   It looks like even in a best-case scenario, we are looking at 8-10 weeks before Maualaga could return to action. This comes a year after the linebacker lost 12 games to a season-ending quad injury. Now, in the same leg, it is the ACl that causes him to miss at least 2 months and possibly the entire remaining season. Maualaga had success early in his career, winning the unofficial Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2009 and making an All-USFL team in 2012, but after coming to New Jersey a year later, he has seen nothing but injury compounded on injury. He missed 5 games in each of his first two seasons in New Jersey, came back to play in 13 in his third year, and then both last year and this year it looks like he will be out for the long haul.   The Generals are expected to move rookie Matt Milano into the weakside LB slot that Maualaga had occupied, though we also think MLB Brady Poppinga could also see some snaps on the edge as well. The Generals will first test this new LB group Saturday as they host the Baltimore Blitz.   A rough week all around as we have our longest list of new injuries this season. St. Louis has a big loss as their lead receiver is out for the season. Las Vegas and Tampa Bay have not placed their injured starters on IR yet, but both could well end up there within the week. Dallas is down to 2 rookie HBs on the roster with C. J. Spiller expected to miss at least 6 weeks, and in Portland the LB group could have some rough seas ahead of them with Channing Crowder out at least a month and Lance Briggs expected to miss this week’s game at a minimum.   OUT WR         Eric Weems                 STL         Torn Bicep                IR OT          Nat Dorsey                   LV           Neck                     8-12 Weeks LB           Devon Kennard                TBY        Torn Quad               8-12 Weeks HB         C. J. Spiller                        DAL       Broken Leg              6-8 Weeks LB           Channing Crowder        POR      Shoulder                   4-6 Weeks OT          David Tremblay               ORL       Abdomen                 4-6 Weeks WR         Mike Williams                  PIT         Abdomen                2-4 Weeks OT          Levi Brown                      TBY        Torn Biceps              2-4 Weeks LB           Lance Briggs                  POR      Ankle                        1-2 Weeks CB          Dunta Robinson              PIT         Arm                        1-2 Weeks WR         Robert Woods                 MEM     Shoulder                 1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL QB         Ryan Lindley               OAK      Personal FB          Andy Janovich            ORL       Wrist DT          Andrew Billings               DAL       Scratched Cornea LB           Calvin Pace                   SEA        Hip WR         Percy Harvin                 OKL       Knee CB          Alphonso Hodge         OAK      Turf Toe C             Mike Pouncey                CHA      Foot   QUESTIONABLE DT          Dan Williams            MEM     Finger CB          Aqib Talib                      DEN      Pinched Nerve HB         Isaiah Pead                   OHI       Knee QB         Jake Locker                   BAL        Concussion CB          Xavien Howard             SEA        Knee   USFL First Quarter Power Rankings Here we go, our 2nd power rankings poll of the season. While there is no change at the very top and the very bottom, there are some major movers as the early season has thrown us some surprises. The two biggest risers are both up 13 spots as unbeaten Philadelphia jumps from 16th to 3rd and the 3-1 Birmingham Stallions move from 23rd to 10th in our new poll. The biggest drops? Well, that would be a tie between Memphis and Washington, both dropping 13 spots from our preseason rankings. The Showboats at 1-3 sit in 24th, while the Washington Federals have plummeted from 14th all the way to 27th, saved from the absolute basement only by the equally winless Seattle Dragons.   1-Arizona (4-0)              No Change No need to move Arizona from the top spot. They have looked every bit the league champion.   2-Houston (4-0)           No Change Houston has clearly found their new QB in Colt McCoy as he has the Gamblers sitting pretty and undefeated (with a bit of help from that defense.)   3-Philadelphia (4-0)                   Up 13 The Stars seem to be doing it with smoke and mirrors, but they are doing it, reaching the ¼ mark without a blemish on their season.   4-Baltimore (3-1)                      Down 1 A tough loss to Houston is the only reason they dip below the Stars. The defense has been a surprising strongpoint for the Blitz so far this year.   5-Los Angeles (3-1)                Down 1 The defense is still carrying the Express, but Reggie Bush and Sam Bradford are doing enough to finish 3 of 4 games with a lead in hand.   6-New Orleans (3-1) Down 1 Leonard Fournette is not having the immediate impact Coach Lathon wanted, but Jordy Nelson sure is.   7-Orlando (3-1)                  Down 1 Another club that is winning with defense, partially because Russell Wilson has missed some time to a nagging injury.   8-New Jersey (3-1)              Down 1 The Generals have been in a lot of tight games so far, but that seems to be toughening them up, which is very good when you look at their division.   9-San Diego (3-1)              Up 1 The Thunder started strong last year but faded down the stretch. Coach LeBeau wants to ensure that pattern is not repated.   10-Birmingham (3-1)            Up 13 A much better opening month than we gave them credit for. The defense seems much improved and Coach Ellard is getting more out of Cam Newton and the passing game.   11-Denver (3-1)                      Up 4 The Gold are winning ugly, partially due to early season weather, and partially due to a defense that is tenacious and an offense that is not exactly building big leads.   12-Michigan (3-1)                   Up 1 The Panthers have looked good on offense, but the defense needs to tighten up a bit, especially in the secondary.         13-Charlotte (3-1)                  Up 7 The start to the Mitch Trubisky Era has been far more positive than negative, though the loss this week to Atlanta should be sounding some alarms.   14-Jacksonville (2-2)             Up 7 The defense is there, the offense needs a lot more work if the Bulls are going to compete with Orlando and, apparently a revived Charlotte club, in the SE Division.   15-Oakland (2-2)                  Down 10 We are concerned by the lack of offensive consistency. While we like what rookie Christian McCaffrey is bringing, there needs to be more provided by others on the offense.   16-Las Vegas (2-2)               Down 4 Manning has had up games and down games, which feels like his full biography more than a recap of just his first 4 games in Las Vegas.   17-Atlanta (1-3)                       Up 7 The Fire are playing games tighter than we expected. We still look at their offense and wonder where the playmakers are, but this week’s big win against Charlotte was an eye-opener.   18-Pittsburgh (1-3)                Up 1 We just look at that D-line and wonder why they are not more dominant each week. The same could be said for the receiver group and QB Andy Dalton.   19-Dallas (1-3)                         Up 3 This may be only a temporary placement as Dallas has just played their first of 6 games without Johnny Manziel. Can Wheedon prove to be more reliable and protect the ball for Dallas in a way he did not in Charlotte?   20-Oklahoma (1-3)              Down 8 The offense is not getting the production Outlaw fans are used to and the defense seems middle-of-the-pack at best. More is needed if Oklahoma wants to get back in the mix in what could be a very tough division.   21-Chicago (1-3)                      Down 10 While Matt Forte has started the year strong, the rest of the Machine have not been keeping pace. Ryan Fitzpatrick seems to have left his magic act at home so far this season.   22-Ohio (1-3)                           Down 5 We expected defense to carry this club, but the defense we have seen to date is not what is needed if the Glory want to compete in the Central.   23-St. Louis (1-3)                    Up 3 The Skyhawks are not exactly taking the world by storm, but they are losing games by small margins, which is a good sign that they are fighting for Coach Reich.   24-Memphis (1-3)                   Down 13 Showboat fans may be getting buyer’s remorse as they compare Paxton Lynch’s early season against last year’s Eli Manning performance, but you should never judge a new QB by his first 4 games. He will need time.   25-Tampa Bay (0-4)               Up 2 How do you determine which winless club is the worst and which is the 4th worst? We at least see some signs of life when Dak Prescott is in the game and when they get Dalvin Cook involved.   26-Portland (0-4)               Down 1 As our earlier article cited, the problem does not appear to be Mariota, though his numbers are not great, it is the surrounding roster which is there to help Mariota and is just not doing it.   27-Washington (0-4)     Down 13 We did not see the Federal defense being this bad, not with Merriman signed in the offseason, but he is just not finding his role and the entire defense seems to be looking at others to get the job done.   28-Seattle (0-4)                    No Change We had Seattle in position 28 in preseason and we are not seeing enough to move them out of it yet. Coach Riley needs a plan to see growth this year and then a very good offseason to build a roster he can truly work with. It will be a long year in the PNW with the Dragons and Stags likely among the worst clubs in the league this year.     Rookie Roundup Four weeks in and already we are seeing some rookies beginning to take on major roles around the league. Some have started hot right out of the gate, while others are growing into their positions, and others still are waiting for their big break. We will take a look at the biggest names from the 2017 Draft and see just how things are starting off for each of the highly anticipated draftees.   Quarterback While the main focus here is obviously the only Week One starter from among the USFL draft class, we should note that this week saw a second rookie get a start as Jacksonville’s C. J. Beathard got the W for the Bulls as he replaced Robert Griffin Jr. But, the only true starter from the class is, of course, Charlotte’s Mitch Trubisky. With Charlotte sitting at 3-1 we have to say that Trubisky is starting well, even if his numbers are not earth shaking. Trubisky currently sits in 19th place for yardage with 735 yards over 4 games, less than 200 per game. His 3:5 balance on touchdowns and picks is not ideal, though he is completing nearly 63% of his passes. But, the key overall is that win-loss record, and so far that is definitely in his favor.   Halfback Four rookies were handed the starting job for their teams at the tailback position: Oakland’s Christian McCaffrey, LSU product Leonard Fournette in New Orleans, Tampa Bay’s Dalvin Cook, and Dallas’s Samaje Perine, having beaten out fellow rookie Donte Foreman in camp. So, where do they stand right now? Well, only one, McCaffrey is among the Top 10 rushers, with 256 yards (64 Yards per Game), while Cook and Fournette are close at 224 and 207 after 4 games. Perine has been splitting carries, so his 179 yards is pretty solid considering the lower play count. Perine actually leads all the rookies with 4 rushing touchdowns so far, so it seems fair to say that all four are contributing in their opening weeks in the pros.   Receivers Between wideouts and tight ends, there are 6 players we have been monitoring. In terms of receptions, Atlanta TE O. J. Howard (20 for 164 yards and 2 scores) and JuJu Smith Schuster (11 receptions for 238 yards and 2 TDs) are leading the pack. Behind him we find Chicago’s Kenny Galloday (10-92-0), with Charlotte’s Mack Hollins (4-42-0) and Orlando TE David Njoku (4 receptions).   Defense Among defenders, the names that pop out early in the season are St. Louis LB Trey Hendrickson (22 tackles with 3 sacks), Philly LB Hassan Reddick (18 tackles and 2 sacks), Atlanta CB Shaquile Griffin (18 Tck with 1 sack), Breakers’ corner Tre’Davious White (22 tackles) and perhaps the early frontrunner for the Defensive Rookie of the Year, Houston safety Budda Baker, who is already making a name for himself with 14 tackles, a pick, and 3 sacks in the SS position.   Special Teams Finally, we cannot talk about the rookie class of 2017 without mentioning the kickers, because this group of rookies, both drafted and free agent signings, is making an immediate impact for their teams. At the front of the pack is Michigan’s Michael Beam, currently 4th in the league in scoring with 39 points. Not far behind we find Houston’s Younghoe Koo, with 30 points, and Seattle’s Jeffrey Harris with 28. While we do not expect a kicker to have a shot at the ROTY, these four players are certainly getting their chance to prove their worth as they make clutch kicks each week.   Week Five is Divisional Mayhem, with 10 of 14 games between divisional rivals. High passions, energized fanbases, and teams that know each other well. This should be fun!! We start it off on Friday Night with a classic rivalry game as Memphis heads to Birmingham for the worlds biggest barbecue! The late game is a Wild West showdown between Las Vegas and Oakland, both at 2-2 and hoping to get over the .500 hump.   Saturday has three non-divisional games early, then heats up in the afternoon and evening. One non-divisional game to catch is the Denver @ Michigan clash on ABC at 4pm ET, with both teams coming into the game at 3-1. We also have LA @ Seattle in that timeslot, while our evening double headers has Baltimore @ New Jersey with first place in the division at stake and Oklahoma heading into Arizona to face the unbeaten Wranglers.   On Sunday every singe game is a divisional matchup. We kick off at 12 with the Federals vs. the Stars, the Renegades at Jacksonville, and the Fire in Tampa Bay to face the Bandits. Then at 4pm it’s Portland in San Diego and Ohio @ St. Louis. The final game of the week is a huge one in the South as 3-1 New Orleans tries to knock 4-0 Houston from the ranks of the unbeatens. A huge weekend for rivalries and for football all over the schedule!   FRI 7PM ET            Memphis (1-3) @ Birmingham (3-1)           ABC FRI 9PM ET             Las Vegas (2-2) @ Oakland (2-2)                   ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET           Charlotte (3-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-3)                 ABC SAT 12PM ET           Dallas (1-3) @ Chicago (1-3)                          FOX SAT 4PM ET             Denver (3-1) @ Michigan (3-1)                          ABC SAT 4PM ET             Los Angeles (3-1) @ Seattle (0-4)                    FOX SAT 7PM ET           Baltimore (3-1) @ New Jersey (3-1)                 NBC SAT 9PM ET          Oklahoma (1-3) @ Arizona (4-0)                      ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET        Washington (0-4) @ Philadelphia (4-0)             ABC SUN 12PM ET         Orlando (3-1) @ Jacksonville (2-2)                 FOX Regional SUN 12PM ET       Atlanta (1-3) @ Tampa Bay (0-4)                     FOX Regional SUN 4PM ET         Portland (0-4) @ San Diego (3-1)                      ABC SUN 4PM ET          Ohio (1-3) @ St. Louis (1-3)                               FOX SUN 8PM ET       New Orleans (3-1) @ Houston (4-0)              ESPN/EFN

Pablo Panther Leads the Cheers in Michigan Charlotte and rookie QB Mitch Trubisky are off to a great start, sitting at 3-0 after knocking off the Memphis Showboats. Philadelphia joins them after knocking Brett Hundley out of their matchup with New Jersey. Arizona, Orlando, Michigan, and Houston join them at 3-0 after their Week 3 victories, though it was certainly no cake walk for most of them. We will recap a week highlighted by QB injuries (fortunately all minor) and huge days for 2 dual-threat QBs as the debate over the running QB returns to the headlines. We will also look at how the Blitz and Gamblers are winning with…defense? And how Matt Forte is making Chicago’s front office look awfully smart for ditching the 2-back system. All this, plus we have the 2017 Hall of Fame semifinalists and an editorial about the HOF controversy surrounding former USFL great Phil Hansen. So, lots to discuss, let’s get right to it.   The Dual-Threat QB: Fierce or Fragile? In a week that saw two USFL QBs put up huge rushing numbers, it is clear to see why many fans, and some coaches, are loving the new emphasis on mobile, dual-threat quarterbacks. This week alone we saw San Diego’s Joe Webb rush for 126 and 2 scores as the Thunder knocked off Seattle, and Birmingham’s Cam Newton put together 99 yards rushing, with 2 long rushing touchdowns, as the Stallions knocked off Oklahoma. It is very apparent that a running QB creates all sorts of issues for a defense. And yet, for many the trend is not a good one. Concerns about injury, uncertainty about the division between a quarterback and a rusher, and the protection afforded to each, as well as some iffy passing numbers for some teams, have spurred a debate about the value of the dual-threat QB.   On the positive side we get games like those in San Diego and Birmingham this week, where the quarterback’s ability to take off and use their legs to make huge gains, to salvage third and long situations, or to bust out for a momentum-shifting score makes the game electric. There is no doubt that the fans in the stadium love to see their QB scramble for a first down on a 3rd and 13 or befuddle defenses by forcing them to cover a possible run only to leave receivers open. It adds a dimension to a team’s offense that is simply hard to prepare for and even harder to consistently defend.   But there are concerns as well. Last year we saw injuries take out some dual threat QBs, including Jacksonville’s Robert Griffin III. There is no doubt that by turning from passer to runner, these quarterbacks are putting their bodies at greater risk. But, in a strange way they are also putting defenders at greater risk. The issue of the QB slide and calls of unnecessary roughness are becoming a concern for the league as officials seem inconsistent in what they will call and what they will not. We saw this in the two games this week, where in the Stallions’ game Cam Newton was barely glanced by a defender during a slide and received 15 yards on an unnecessary roughness call, while in San Diego Joe Webb took a solid hit to the head and neck area as he did almost an identical foot-first slide and no call was made.   The league wants to protect their quarterbacks, this is obvious, and in itself controversial as many fans bemoan penalties they view as soft, but when a QB leaves the pocket and particularly when they are clearly running for yardage and not survival, the rules should mirror those we see for other backs and receivers, but there seems to still be a double standard. Particularly in the case of a player like Newton, who is as big as many halfbacks, bigger than most, actually, the issue of “protecting” him seems patently unfair when smaller backs are expected to take on huge hits and never receive the kind of roughing calls we see with Newton, Webb, Griffin or other scramblers.   Of course the USFL is very much in the business of keeping as many stars on the field as possible, and that is partly responsible for the rules around intentional grounding, roughing the passer, and unnecessary roughness, but it seems clear that the league and their teams of officials need to better define when a quarterback is a passer and when they turn into a ballcarrier, and make adjustments accordingly. We all love to see the QB run turn into a big play, and we all hate to see a star QB go down to injury, but at the same time, there has to be consistency in how defenders are expected to treat ballcarriers, whether they are halfbacks or QBs out of the pocket, and right now that consistency is just not there.   ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 21   MICHIGAN PANTHER 23 Any time a game comes down to the final seconds with the result in doubt, you have yourself some good football. When that is happening between two division foes, the pressure is even higher and the drama just that much more intense. That is what we got when the Panthers and Skyhawks battled in Ford Field, a game that proved to have plenty of drama and plenty of big plays. In the end, the homestanding Panthers were able to take the W and remain unbeaten on the year, but that result was in question for over 59 minutes of action as the Skyhawks came out ready to take it to their division rival.   It was a good game for several players, from Eddie Lacy’s 2 touchdowns to Cody Latimer’s 110 yards, but in the end, it would be a rookie kicker who would decide the outcome as Michigan’s Michael Beam connected on a chip shot field goal with 15 seconds in regulation to give Michigan the win. A tough loss for the Skyhawks, but a good performance from a team that is still struggling to define its identity under new head coach Frank Reich.   The game started the way it ended, with rookie Michael Beam putting points on the board. Michigan went up 3-0 early in the first when Beam connected on a 37-yard kick, but that lead would not last long. In only 5 plays St. Louis got on the board as Josh Freeman hit Eric Weems with a 44-yard strike to get St. Louis into the Michigan red zone on only St. Louis’s second play from scrimmage. 3 plays later, Eddie Lacy would have his first of two TDs on the day and St. Louis would rattle the Panthers by taking the 1st quarter lead.   Michigan got back on top in the 2nd, LeVeon Bell adding another touchdown to his season total. Despite being held to only 44 yards on the day by a Skyhawk defense that had no interest in helping Bell reach his stated season goal of 2,000 yards, Bell was able to bounce off Skyhawk defenders to give Michigan a 10-7 lead that held up through the half.   In the third, St. Louis again used Eddie Lacy’s big frame and grinding style to get in the endzone and retake the lead. This time it was at the end of a more labor-intensive 14-play drive, one ending with a simple 1-yard dive play for the score. But, for the 2nd time in two tries, St. Louis kicker Andrew Hamilton, missed the PAT. Hamilton has been struggling all year, and we may well see St. Louis bring someone in to compete with their kicker if this continues to be an issue. The 2nd missed PAT meant that St. Louis’s lead was only 12-10, rather than 14-10.   Michigan turned that 2-point lead into a 5-point deficit on their next drive, finishing up the 3rd quarter with a Cousins to Jerrigan TD strike from the 13. Jerrigan, who finished the day with 5 catches for 63 yards, made the catch on a jump ball in the endzone that very easily could have gone to St. Louis corner Vontae Davis.   The two missed PATs also meant that when Hamilton did put through a 34-yard kick at the start of the final period, it did not tie the score, only brought St. Louis back within 2 at 17-15. Michigan added a field goal of their own, a nice 46-yarder right down the middle, to again go up by 5, but St. Louis was not out of tricks. On a nicely-executed flea flicker, they caught the Panthers flat-footed, allowing Rob Gronkowski to come down with a nice catch to get into Panther territory. From there it was a series of short passes and runs by both Lacy and Bobby Rainey before Josh Freeman connected with Alan Robinson for a 5-yard score to once again give St. Louis the lead. The were up only1 at 21-20, but with 1:29 left, they had the lead.   The problem is, they only had a 1-point lead, not a 3-pointer, and that would mean that if the Panthers could get in range for Michael Beam, they could win the game with a field goal. The possibility of that kick coming seemed in doubt at first, as St. Louis seemed to be disrupting Kirk Cousins and the Michigan offense early in the drive, but after a needed 4th down conversion (a short dumpoff to Martellus Bennett that picked up a first, Michigan got what they needed as Latimer got behind the defense, something that simply should not be possible with less than a minute to play. Latimer got the better of the corner and Cousins found him for a 52-yard strike that nearly went to the house. Latimer was shoved out of bounds at the St. Louis 8 with only 21 seconds to play.   Following a short run by Bell to center the ball, Beam came out for a very makable 20-yard kick. St. Louis used a timeout to ice Beam, but unlike their own kicker, Beam did not seem phased by the short kick. He put the ball up and through and the Panthers remained unbeaten, perhaps a bit humbled by the nature of the win, but still unblemished after 3 weeks. MEMPHIS 20   CHARLOTTE 23 The Monarchs need a 4th quarter touchdown to come back on the Showboats, but they get the job done and stay unbeaten at 3-0. Taiwan Jones outpaced Adrian Peterson, rushing for 95 yards on 14 carries and Mitch Trubisky hit on one of the plays of the week, a 79-yard TD strike to D. J. Hackett with 7 minutes left in the game to give the Monarchs the home win. POTG:  Monarch WR D. J. Hackett: 5 Rec, 108 Yds, 1 TD   CHICAGO 17   ARIZONA 24 The Wranglers knocked off Chicago to also move to 3-0, coming back from a 17-14 deficit in the 4th, with David Carr connecting with Jimmie Graham for the game winner. Matt Forte led the Machine with 111 yards rushing, but it was backup Brandon Boldin who put Chicago on top with a 3rd quarter TD. Chicago had ridden the run all game, compiling 182 total rushing yards, but in the 4th it was David Carr’s arm that gave Arizona the W. Carr finished with 352 yards and 3 scoring throws as the Wranglers stay unbeaten. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 20/31, 352 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   OHIO 17   ORLANDO 23 Another close game but another loss for the Glory as Orlando stay unblemished with a home win. Russel Wilson returned to action after missing Week 2 and threw for 160 with a TD and a pick. Christian Hackenberg threw for 234 and 2 TDs, but it was too little too late as the Glory’s last minute TD did not offer them time to get any closer than 6 points. POTG:  Orlando DE Arthur Moats: 4 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   ATLANTA 13   NEW ORLEANS 20 Drew Brees threw for 2 scores and Leonard Fournette had his best game to date with 96 yards as New Orleans held off Atlanta to move to 2-1. The winless Fire again struggled in the air, with Aaron Murray throwing for only 148 yards while being sacked 5 times by the Breakers. Jordy Nelson had only 3 catches, but one was a 49-yard TD and he finished the game with 98 yards. POTG:  Breaker LB Rocky McIntosh: 10 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   SEATTLE 12   SAN DIEGO 27 San Diego had little trouble with the Dragons, scoring the first 20 points of the game and putting it on cruise control from there. It was the Joe Webb show, with the Thunder QB throwing for 146 yards but also gaining 126 on the ground, with 2 rushing TDs. Webb’s big play was an 86-yard scramble on a busted play early in the 3rd that put San Diego up 27-3. POTG:  Thunder QB Joe Webb: 14/20, 146 Yds, 8 Att, 126 Yds, 2 TD   DALLAS 15   PORTLAND 10 Despite the looming suspension, Johnny Manziel helped Dallas get their first win of the season, connecting with rookie HB Samaje Perine for the game winning TD in the 4th. Doug Martin again had a good day for the Stags, with 113 yards and a TD, but there was little else to celebrate as Portland simply could not sustain drives. They also could not contain Dallas WR Tim Wright who averaged 16.4 yards per catch on his way to 131 total yards on the day. POTG:  Dallas DE Larry English: 5 Tck, 2 Sck   NEW JERSEY 10 PHILADELPHIA 13 Another low scoring game for the Stars, but another win as they take over 1st place in the East at 3-0. The Stars defense sacked Brett Hundley 4 times, with the final sack causing the Generals’ QB to leave the game, replaced by Nick Foles. Foles threw a TD to Zay Jones, but it was not enough as Philadelphia held New Jersey out of the endzone the rest of the way. With New Jersey up late, 10-6, Matt Gutierrez had his best drive of the year, pulling the win from the jaws of defeat with a TD pass to Stevie Johnson with only 45 seconds left to play. POTG:  Stars’ DE Malik Jackson: 4 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FR   BALTIMORE 14   HOUSTON 17 We thought this would be a shootout, but no one noticed that the Gamblers and Blitz are also boasting two of the best defenses in the league in these early weeks. Those defenses were on display in this one as the two offenses combined to go only 7 of 23 on third down. Neither team would reach 300 yards of total offense and neither would reach 100 yards on the ground. With Carlos Hyde limited to 2.6 yards per carry and Ben Roethlisberger knocked out of the game early, it was the defenses that shined brightest. POTG:  Houston rookie safety Budda Baker: 5 Tck ,1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   PITTSBURGH 20  WASHINGTON 7 The Maulers finally got their offense going, and Washington continued to struggle to run the ball as the visitors get the emphatic win. The Feds were held to only 33 yards rushing, while Marcus Lattimore of the Maulers dashed for 111 all by himself. With Andy Dalton knocked out of the game in the 2nd quarter, it was Kevin Hogan leading the Maulers, tossing a TD to Victor Cruz while the Mauler D kept David Garrard and the Federal offense off balance all day. POTG:  Mauler HB Marcus Lattimore: 15 Att, 111 Yds, 1 TD   JACKSONVILLE 17   TAMPA BAY 16 A nailbiter in Tampa Bay, but the homestanding Bandits just could not get the late field goal they needed to snatch the win. Jacksonville gave up 104 yards rushing to the duo of Cook and Burkhead, but they also knocked the Tampa starting QB out of the game (a trend in so many games this week). Former NFL QB E. J. Manuel looked rusty, going 9 of 21 and throwing a costly pick late in the game. Jacksonville also lost their QB late in the 3rd, so it was rookie C. J. Beathard, who went 11 of 14 to get the W for the Bulls. POTG:  Bulls’ LB Jordan Hicks: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Int   OKLAHOMA 26   BIRMINGHAM 29 Cam Newton had one of those highlight reel games that he seems to pull out 2-3 times a year and that was enough to edge the Outlaws at home. Newton rthrew for 178 and a TD, but he also had TD runs of 5, 31, and 58 yards on his way to a POTW honor. The defense also did their part as Joe Flacco, the human statue, was sacked another 6 times in this one. Oklahoma is now 0-2 on the road, but 1-0 at home. POTG:  Stallions’ QB Cam Newton: 18/43, 178 Yds, 1 TD, 8 Att, 99 yds, 3 TD   DENVER 13   LAS VEGAS 10 More QB issues as Eli Manning threw only 6 passes before getting taken out of the game. Jeff Tuel finished the game, but could not generate much on offense. The lack of offense allowed Denver to come back form a 10-0 hole and score the game’s final 13 points to get the narrow victory. It was a day to forget for both offenses as neither proved very effective. POTG:  Denver DE Von Miller: 6 Tck, 1 Sck   LOS ANGELES 27   OAKLAND 24 The final game of the week was a good one, with 5 lead changes and both teams showing what they could do on offense. Sam Bradford had a great game under the lights, throwing for 3 scores and 344 yards against the Invaders. Oakland, for their part, got 135 yards rushing, though surprisingly it was Knile Davis, not McCaffrey, who got the majority of the yardage, 98 yards to McCaffrey’s 37. It was 24-20 Oakland with 2:55 left, but that proved to be too much time for a red hot Bradford, who found Brent Celek for the game winner in the game’s final seconds. POTG:  LA quarterback Sam Bradford: 31/53, 344 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   Manziel Suspension Upheld, Begins This Week The league’s ad hoc appeal committee has delivered the news that both Johnny Manziel and the Dallas Roughnecks were afraid would come, that the 6-game suspension of the Roughneck’s starting QB would be upheld and would begin immediately, making Manziel ineligible for this week’s upcoming duel with the defending champion Wranglers at the Cotton Bowl. Manziel is not permitted to enter team facilities during the 6 week suspension, which means he cannot practice with the team, though he is allowed to maintain communication with Coach Sherman. He would next be eligible to return to the team ahead of Week 11’s road game in New Orleans.   Manziel, of course, is still on the hook for potential legal concerns which could impact that return. His court date on DUI charges is set for May, and would align with Week his final week of suspension. Were the case to conclude with any potential incarceration, the league would be forced to extend the suspension even further. For now, however, Dallas must move ahead with Brandon Wheedon, acquired from Charlotte in the offseason, as their starter.   Baltimore & Houston Doing it with Defense? Sounds strange to us as well, but when we look atop the leaderboards for team defense, there we find the Gamblers and the Blitz. While both teams have outstanding offensive schemes, producing 30+ points per game this season, we should acknowledge that both clubs have also upped the ante on defense.   Houston currently sits 2nd in the league in scoring with 92 points (trailing only Michigan’s 100), but is also 2nd in the league, having allowed only 31 points in 3 games, barely topping 10 points per outing. They are doing particularly well against the run, where they have allowed only 175 yards per game, and have also been ball hawks on defense, racking up 6 takeaways over their first 3 games.   Baltimore’s numbers may be even better, despite their loss to the Gamblers this week. Baltimore ranks 3rd in scoring, only 5 points behind the Gamblers, while their defense is the league’s best in not allowing the opposition to put points on the board. They have allowed 30 points, exactly 10 per game, and are also ranked in the Top 5 among USFL clubs for total yards allowed and passing yards allowed, giving up only 275.7 total yards per game and a very stingy 189 thorugh the air.   Both clubs are looking very much like early season contenders, and when you put together Top 5 offenses with Top 5 defenses, what you end up with are teams that are tough to beat because either side of the ball can count on the other to make their lives easier. Their clash this week was a defensive battle but could have gone the other way and become a shootout. You just don’t know which side of the ball will prove dominant in any given week, and when both are playing at their highest level, these two teams are difficult to stop.   Matt Forte Making the Case for a 1-Back System With a 2nd straight dominant game, HB Matt Forte is silencing the doubters who criticized Chicago’s trade of Doug Martin to Portland this offseason. Having played with Martin in a dual-back system for the past 4 seasons, Forte had never topped 1,000 yards, with 2016 his best season at 837 rushing yards, but Chicago head coach Lovie Smith prefers the one-back system and made the call, along with the GM’s office, to send Martin to Portland in trade for defensive help. Forte is making Smith look pretty smart for doing so.   After a 63-yard opening week, Forte has rattled off 138 yards against Seattle and, even more impressively, 110 yards in this week’s matchup against Arizona. Few backs break the 100-yard mark against the Wrangler defense, so for Forte to do so, even in a loss, is a sign that the Machine have a solid run offense in place. Forte has yet to take the ball to the house, but his production has helped Chicago’s offense in all three games, having faced 2 of the league’s best defenses in the first 3 weeks (Orlando and Arizona). He will have another tough opponent this week in Denver, but then faces Dallas and Tampa Bay in two games that could allow him to run wild. With 312 yards already, he is averaging over 100 yards per game, which, of course, puts him on pace to top 1,600 for the year.   Which Winless QB Will Get the Hook? Five starters, five winless teams. It is just a matter of time before the head coaches of those winless clubs start trying to tinker, to find a way to earn a W, and that often starts with a change at QB. So, who will be the first to get the hook? We have 2nd year starters in Seattle’s Brissett, Tampa Bay’s Prescott, and Portland’s Mariota, along with veterans in Atlanta’s Aaron Murray and Washington’s David Garrard.   Garrard has to be the least likely to get the hook. A veteran who has had significant success in Washington, the 7-year starter for the Federals has had plenty of strong outings, and while his 2017 numbers have not been great (73.2 QBR and only a 2:1 TD:INT ratio), it seems far fetched to think the answer for the Federals is to bench the veteran and go with backup Mike Flynn.   On the other end of the spectrum is Aaron Murray , who has already been benched after rough starts with his past team, the LA Express. Murray did not lock up the Week 1 start until the week before the game, competing with veteran backup Brad Gradkowski or rookie DeShone Kizer. Murray was named the starter, but in his first 3 games has thrown 4 picks to only 2 TDs and has Atlanta yet to top 13 points in any game. Murray is expected to start this week against a very good Orlando Renegade team, but we look at the Week 5 matchup against the winless Bandits as a time when we could see Coach Arians make a switch.   The three 2nd year players are a tougher call. On the one hand, their coaches want to give them time to develop, to grow into the role and to watch the game slow down for them. On the other hand, the fanbases in Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Portland are only going to tolerate so many loses before they get feisty about the QB position. The key to who continues to get the vote of confidence from their coach and who gets pulled depends very much on what Option B is. For Jacoby Brissett , former Memphis backup Matt McGloin just does not seem like a viable option, not having started a game since 2015 and not having been a regular starter since 2014. In Portland, Mariota is backed up by Kellen Clemons and Kellen Moore, neither of whom have been a full-time starter in the league. Finally, in Tampa Bay there is perhaps a more viable option in NFL import and former FSU star E. J. Manuel. If there is an argument for Prescott it is that his stats are among the best of the 0-3 quarterbacks, with an 81.5 QB Rating, over 570 yards passing and a positive TD:INT ratio of 2:1. But, as with any of the 5 starters cited here, continued losses make all the stats in the world largely irrelevant. Teams will change the QB just to “create a spark” when the team is floundering as a whole.   QB Injuries Impact Several Games Week 3 provided some mixed news on the injury front for league QBs. On the downside, we saw 8 different quarterbacks, including 2 for the Las Vegas Vipers, leave the game early. But, the upside is that only 2 of these QBs are currently listed as “out” for this week, with most already cleared to play in Week 4.   We saw the starters chased from the game by injury in 7 games, as Robert Griffin, Andy Dalton, Dak Prescotte, Brett Hundley, Russell Wilson, and Ben Roethlisberger all left their games with an array of injuries. In Las Vegas, Eli Manning was forced out early only to have backup Jeff Tuel also removed from the game later on, forcing 3rd string QB Curtis Painter into some rare action. The good news is that when we look over the injury report this week we see that both Manning and Tuel are not present, Ben Roethlisberger is questionable, but expected to start, Prescott and Hundley are doubtful but could be in action, and only Andy Dalton and Robert Griffin are definitely out.   Dalton is dealing with a swollen knee and expected strain to the meniscus on his left knee. He has already been ruled out for Week 4’s divisional clash against the 2-1 Generals, which means that we will see Kevin Hogan again, after the 2nd year player helped Pittsburgh get the win at Washington this week. For Jacksonville, Robert Griffin III has been diagnosed with a deep thigh bruise and is expected to be out this week against the Ohio Glory, hopefully able to return in Week 5 against Orlando.  That means we will see a very different Bulls offense in Week 4 as we expect rookie C. J. Beathard, a pretty standard pocket passer, replacing the dual threat of RGIII at QB.     OUT OT          Nat Dorsey                 LV           Back                   IR LB           Devon Kennard             TBY        Quad                    IR FB          Francis Sosa                DAL       Arm                       4-6 Weeks LB           Calvin Pace               SEA        Hip                        1-2 Weeks QB         Robert Griffin III            JAX         Thigh                     1-2 Weeks HB         Jamaal Charles             DEN      Foot                      1-2 Weeks LB           Jelani Jenkins                 HOU     Hamstring         1-2 Weeks QB         Andy Dalton                PIT         Miniscus             1-2 Weeks CB          Prince Amukamara     WSH     Concussion       1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL QB         Dak Prescott                    TBY        Foot                      G            Deuce Lutui                     STL         Concussion LB           Bobby Wagner              OAK      Personal OT          Terron Armstead             SEA        Thigh QB         Brett Hundley                 NJ           Back CB          Aqib Talib                      DEN      Pinched Nerve   QUESTIONABLE FS           Dashon Goldson             SEA        Knee LB           Chad Greenway              OKL       Knee LB           Karlos Dansby                  ARZ       Concussion QB         Ben Roethlisberger       BAL        Scratched Cornea DT          Marcell Dareus                OHI       Pinched Nerve   USFL Hall of Fame Semifinalists Named A first for the Hall of Fame as we have a player who has been selected for induction as both an NFL and USFL dual candidate. With the finalization of the NFL’s Hall of Fame Class of 2017 we have a first for the Hall. In an arrangement between the Hall, the NFL, and the USFL, former NFL Rams and USFL Stars QB Kurt Warner will be inducted as a joint candidate. Warner, who helped to lead a dynamic passing offense with the Rams, winning an NFL title in 1999 (Super Bowl XXXIV) later joined the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars and won the 2010 Offensive Player of the Year, while helping the Stars make the USFL playoffs each year from 2007 until 2012, they year of his retirement, including a Summer Bowl appearance in 2010. Warner will be inducted in August, during the NFL Hall of Fame ceremony, but will also be on hand in October, when the USFL Class of 2017 is inducted. His presence in the Class of 2017 for both leagues will mean that the USFL will only induct 4 currently eligible players and one Legacy player with their remaining votes. It also means that the slate of nominee semifinalists just released is also 1 player short of the normal 10 currently eligible players. Before announcing the 9 USFL stars who made the semifinalist list this year, we should mention that another USFL great, HB LaDainian Tomlinson, was also named as part of the NFL Class of 2017. Tomlinson played 3 years with the Arizona Wranglers, gaining more than 1,000 yards in each, after his storied NFL career with the Chargers. As only a 3-year USFL veteran, he would not be eligible for a USFL nomination, but we are, of course, proud to see another USFL alum among the NFL nominees.   Now, with the unique nature of the 2017 USFL class and semifinalist list defined, let us present the 9 men who will be in consideration for 4 open slots in the USFL Hall of Fame class of 2017. QB Brian Griese Seattle 1998-2002, Philadelphia 2003-2004, Michigan 2005-2012 First Year Nominee An interesting nomination as Griese had a career of peaks and valleys. He started for 4 seasons in Seattle (a 5th was lost due to injury), and then 2 more in Philadelphia, but when he left the Stars he was made the backup in Michigan for 2 years before earning the starting job in 2007. His second career is where he gained the most accolades, nominated to 3 All-USFL teams and named OPOTY twice. He also won a title with the Panthers in 2008, throwing for 23 touchdowns that season. He retired in 2012 with over 38,000 passing yards, 262 touchdowns and 137 picks.   HB Antowain Smith Los Angeles 1997-2002, Jacksonville 2003-2009, St. Louis 2010-2012 First Year Nominee Smith can be said to have “finished strong” as a pro, winning the 2012 rushing title and a league championship in his 16th and final season of football. In that fateful year, Smith was the centerpiece of the St. Louis Skyhawks’ playoff run, finishing the year with 1,502 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, by far his best season as a pro. However, Smith was not a one season wonder. After a slow start to his career, he had his first 1,000 yard season in 2001 with the Express. He would go on to have 7 more over his long career, amassing an impressive 15,925 yards upon his retirement. He was a 2-time All-USFL nominee, both in 2006 and in his final season, 2012.   WR Joey Galloway Ohio 1995-2010, Tampa Bay 2011-2012 First Year Nominee We cannot imagine that Galloway, an Ohio State product who stayed local with the USFL Glory, will not be a first ballot entrant into the Hall. Retiring in 2012 with over 2,100 receptions, 24,000 yards receiving and 167 receiving touchdowns, Galloway is in the Top 5 All Time in the USFL for receptions (2nd to Henry Ellard), yards (1st All Time) and receiving TDs (2nd to Eric Truvillion). He is a 12-time All-USFL award winner, the 1996 Offensive Player of the Year, and won titles both with Ohio (2002-2003) and in his short stint with the Tampa Bay Bandits (2011).   WR Tory Holt Los Angeles 1999-2007, Baltimore 2018-2012 First Year Nominee Another outstanding receiver, Tory Holt played 9 seasons in Los Angeles and another 5 in Baltimore, all the while being among the best deep-ball receivers in the game. He retired in 2012 with over 15,000 yards and 1,550 receptions. He also had 125 career touchdowns between his two clubs. He was honored with All-USFL designation 8 times, and while his clubs never won a league title, Holt was always among the league receiving leaders.   CB Charles Woodson Washington 1998-2007, Atlanta 2008-2012 First Year Nominee Another fully expected first ballot Hall of Famer, Charles Woodson is both a model of excellence and of longevity. The former Michigan corner played in the USFL for 15 seasons in a position where long careers are few and far between. In that time he had over 1,200 tackles, 53 interceptions, over 360 passes defended, and a league record 15 defensive touchdowns. A 6-time All-USFL nominee and the 1998 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Woodson was and still is revered as one of the premier pass defenders ever to play in the USFL.   HB T. J. Duckett Michigan 2002, Texas 2003-2011 Second Year Nominee Duckett returns for a second year as a semifinalist. A veteran of 10 USFL seasons, the former MSU Spartan rushed for 11,439 yards and 54 touchdowns in his career, mostly with the Texas Outlaws. Named to the All-USFL team 4 times, Duckett retired in 2011 without having seen his Outlaws achieve the ultimate goal of a league title.   OT Mike Gandy Orlando 2001-2003, Memphis 2004-2011 Second Year Nominee Another 2nd year nominee, Gandy played 11 seasons in the USFL, most of them with the Memphis Showboats, where he won two titles, taking home a ring in both 2001 and 2007. Considered a classic Left Tackle, Gandy helped protect some of the league’s best QBs, gaining fame as Brett Favre’s right-hand man in the 2007 title campaign. He retired in 2016 having allowed only 33 sacks in 11 years, a true testament to his role as the QB’s best friend.   DT Montae Reager Memphis 1999, St. Louis 2000-2001, Denver 2002-2011 Second Year Nominee Defensive Tackle is a tough position to gauge. Statistically there is just not as much obvious dominance as with a linebacker or an edge rusher, and yet, despite this, many consider Montae Reager to be a clear Hall of Famer. Reager spent 13 seasons in the trenches, first with Memphis, and then in St. Louis and Denver. It is with the Gold that he had his best years, though he did win a league title as a rookie with the 1999 Memphis Showboats.   FS Anthony Dorsett Philadelphia 1996-2009 Fourth Year Nominee In his final year of eligibility, Anthony Dorsett once again makes the field of semi-finalists. A Philadelphia Star for his entire 14-year career, Dorsett retired in 2009 with 632 tackles, 34 interceptions, 19 sacks, and 4 All-USFL honors. His Stars made one Summer Bowl appearance, but he was not able to obtain a ring with the long title drought that began with Philadelphia after their 1994 title.   Others from the Retirement Class of 2012 who did not make the cut for 2017 Hall of Fame nomination include HB Shaun Alexander, DT Anthony McFarland, DE Robert Mathis, as well as two DBs from the Class of 2011 Retirees who were included last year as semi-finalists, but did not earn enough votes this time around, CB Ronde Barber and FS Brian Dawkins.   Is it Time to Honor Phil Hansen? With the latest pool of USFL Hall of Fame semifinalists announced, we once again come back to an old debate, when and how will DE Phil Hansen get into the Hall. The all-time USFL Sack Leader has been blacklisted ever since his 2007 memoir asserted massive steroid use throughout the league, including by himself, causing an uproar and an official league investigation. Hanson, who retired in 2004 with a league record 289 sacks, was considered a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer when he left the game and the New Jersey Generals, but his auto-biography “On the Edge” raised a lot of negative attention for the league, angered a lot of players, coaches, and league oficials, and ruined public perception of him as a player, his team, and the league. In his book, Hansen admitted to use of a range of steroid and growth hormone abuses, all apparently overlooked by league officials in the 1990’s. He would not name names, but spoke in generalities about teammates and opponents who not only participated in similar performance enhancements, but who helped him acquire the drugs. Hansen’s book, paired with similar revelations about Major League Baseball, professional wrestling, body building, and to a lesser degree the NFL, led to a significant shift in public opinion about performance enhancement. Just as we have seen with voters for the Baseball Hall of Fame, steroid use has been a huge factor in pushing a player who otherwise seemed a slam dunk out of consideration altogether.   Hansen’s USFL production is undeniable. He averaged 19.2 sacks per year for a 14-season career, topping 20 sacks in a season on 9 occasions and never had a season below 10 sacks. He was the gold standard for the edge rusher position throughout his career and only now is being challenged by Orlando’s Calais Campbell. A 13-time All-USFL player, 19991 Rookie of the Year, 2001 Defensive Player of the Year, and 2004 league champion, Hansen’s production and impact on the league are undeniable. And, if his assertions, even without names cited, are true, he was just one of a huge number of players in his era to use steroids, hormones, and other performance enhancers. So, why is he the lone player who seems to be impacted by the revelations?   Well, the answer is pretty clear. He is the whistle-blower. Whether intentionally or naively, Hansen revealed a dark secret about the USFL, pro football, and sports in general in the 1990’s, one that many did not want to admit, and certainly not to publicize. His autobiography, while largely unverified, is widely believed to be an accurate accounting of the culture of the league at the time he played, and that culture was rife with players doing whatever they could to stay on top, to stay in the league, and to enhance their value. Should he really be the only one to face scrutiny for this? Certainly there are players in the Hall of Fame, from both the USFL and the NFL who did just as Hansen did. Some, like NFL stars Bill Romanowski, Lyle Alzado, Mark Gastineau, and Joe Klecko have admitted to use. Many others are strongly suspected, in both leagues, but have never confessed to being users, including USFL players who many believe Hansen references without naming in his book.   The facts are pretty clear, up until the early 2000’s there was almost certainly pretty widespread use of performance enhancers throughout sports, from home run hitters in baseball to track and field athletes, cyclists, swimmers, and throughout pro football. We would argue that, asterisks or not, we should acknowledge this reality and not punish one man for being the whistle blower that took this dark secret and shone some light on it. It is time for the USFL’s all-time sack leader to get a shot at the Hall.   We kick off Week 4 with a Southern showdown as the Houston Gamblers head into Memphis to face the Showboats. Houston is rolling, while Memphis is struggling to find their footing with a new and inexperienced QB at the helm. Friday’s late game comes to us from LA, where the 2-1 Express will host the unbeaten Panthers in an early season interdivisional game. LA is hoping to knock off Michigan and stake a claim to the Pacific Division by moving to 3-1.   On Saturday, it is desperation time in Atlanta, where the winless Fire host the unbeaten Orlando Renegades. Aaron Murray will start, but with Calais Campbell gunning for him, he may regret that. At 4pm we have a nice one as Chicago heads out to Denver in what could be a real slog if the predicted spring snow comes as models anticipate. Then at 7pm ET it is Pittsburgh at New Jersey in a NE Division clash, followed by the nightcap, Arizona traveling to Dallas where Brandon Wheedon will get the start.   On Sunday, start your day with the Bandits at the Blitz, Breakers at Federals, or Fox’s national game, the unbeaten Monarchs heading to Birmingham to face the Stallions. The late games feature Oakland in Portland and Las Vegas headed to Oklahoma for the first time. Finally, we top off the weekend with San Diego making a rare trip to St. Louis to face the Skyhawks.   FRI 7PM ET            Houston (3-0) @ Memphis (1-2)                       FOX FRI 9PM ET            Michigan (3-0) @ Los Angeles (2-1)                  ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET          Jacksonville (1-2) @ Ohio (1-2)                         ABC SAT 12PM ET           Orlando (3-0) @ Atlanta (0-3)                            FOX SAT 4PM ET             Chicago (1-2) @ Denver (2-1)                          ABC SAT 4PM ET             Philadelphia (3-0) @ Seattle (0-3)                     FOX SAT 7PM ET             Pittsburgh (1-2) @ New Jersey (2-1)                 NBC SAT 9PM ET            Arizona (3-0) @ Dallas (1-2)                               ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET         Tampa Bay (0-3) @ Baltimore (2-1)                  ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET         New Orleans (2-1) @ Washington (0-3)           ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET          Charlotte (3-0) @ Birmingham (2-1)                FOX SUN 4PM ET            Oakland (1-2) @ Portland (0-3)                         ABC SUN 4PM ET           Las Vegas (1-2) @ Oklahoma (1-2)                FOX SUN 8PM ET            San Diego (2-1) @ St. Louis (1-2)                     ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: It does not happen often enough for Stallion fans, but every once in a while Cam Newton just explodes, often as a ballcarrier more than a passer. That was the case this week, when Cam rushed for 99 yards, including TD runs of 31 and 58 yards against Oklahoma. Add to that a 5-yard QB keeper and a TD pass to TE Bo Scaife, and you have a 4-TD day and the reason why dual threat QBs are very much a trend in the USFL. Now, how can Birmingham get something similar on a more regular basis? That is the question.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: After being contained in the season opener, LeVeon Bell busted out in Week 2, rushing for 156 yards and adding 3 touchdowns for the Panthers. The work load is going to be there for Bell, with 27 carries this week, but as teams stack the box against the Panthers, breaking out for over 150 yards may be a tough goal to reach consistently, but a necessary one if Bell wants to break past Herschel Walker's 35-year-old record for rushing yards in a season.

Breaker's Mascot, Gulliver Houston and their new starter, Colt McCoy, continue to roll. Baltimore continues to put points on the board, while also playing solid defense. Arizona plays it close to the vest, but comes out on top, and the New Jersey Generals win a defensive slog in Jacksonville. Week 2 sees the number of unbeatens drop to 8, and the number of winless clubs at the same number. We have a strong start by Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Michigan, and troubling starts from Washington, Pittsburgh, and Dallas. We will break it all down, take a look at the big performances of the week, and a couple of players whose years have not started how fans would hope. We kick it all off with the Houston Gamblers new dynamic duo, QB Colt McCoy and his favorite target, TE Vernon Davis.   McCoy & Davis Becoming a Dangerous Battery It is not hard to figure out how Houston has started the year at 2-0. They are averaging nearly 370 passing yards per game, which has them at 37.5 points per game. After saying goodbye to their veteran leader, Matt Hasselbeck, the reins of the Gambler offense have been turned over to Texas product Colt McCoy, who waited patiently for 3 seasons to become the starter, and now that he has his chance, he is quickly making headlines. McCoy followed a 310-yard, 2-TD season opener with an even better 281-yard, 4-TD Week Two. And while Houston has a strong receiver group headlined by veteran Mike Evans and enhanced with rookie starter Juju Smith-Schuster, it is tight end Vernon Davis who is not only McCoy’s favorite target but leads all receivers in the USFL by averaging over 150 yards per game.   Davis had a solid 655 yards in 2016 but is nearly halfway to that total after only 2 games in 2017. He and McCoy are finding gaps in zone coverage, exploiting the safeties as they try to deal with the outside speed on the roster, and making huge plays. Davis, a tight end, is averaging nearly 35 yards per catch after having huge gainers, often for scores, in both games this season. McCoy is also atop the league’s leaderboard after two very strong performances that have his TD:INT ratio sitting at 6:0.   Davis is not doing it alone, with Mike Evans also at 9 catches after 2 weeks and Smith-Schuster starting strong with 149 yards and TD in his first 2 pro games, but the story of the Gamblers so far has been McCoy to Davis for big play after big play. Defenses are going to have to divert more coverage to Davis, and that is a dangerous shift as it means one of Houston’s outside receivers could end up in single coverage, and that too could be fatal. It is an attack bolstered by the strong run game of Carlos Hyde, and one of the reasons the Gamblers are an early season favorite to represent the East in the Summer Bowl this year. It just goes to show that sometimes patience pays off as a seasoned and schooled Colt McCoy steps in and finds immediate success as a starter after spending 3 seasons learning at the side of Matt Hasselbeck. SAN DIEGO THUNDER 30  OAKLAND INVADERS 27  OVERTIME Both the Thunder and the Invaders are starting the season with three consecutive divisional games, both playing LA and Seattle as well as each other, so getting some wins in these early weeks is absolutely essential. Oakland got a 3-point win in Seattle last week, but San Diego fell to the LA Express, setting up a situation where the visiting Thunder had some early season pressure not to let another game slip away in the division.   The Thunder came into the Saturday night game on ESPN/EFN with a plan to contain rookie HB Christian McCaffrey and to get the ball to their playmakers, HB Ryan Williams, and WRs Chad Johnson and Nick Toon. Oakland hoped to keep the pressure off of Joey Harrington by using a lot of McCaffrey and by focusing on shorter routes against the Thunder defense. Both teams succeeded in one aspect of their plan, but not in others.   The San Diego offense looked very prepared for Oakland’s zone schemes, with Joe Webb able to find receivers sitting in zones most of the day. He would finish 33 of 45 for 340 yards and 3 touchdowns. Ryan Williams would struggle (only 50 yards on the day) but both Toon and Johnson would finish the game over 100 yards apiece. On the Oakland side, while San Diego did not make life easy for McCaffrey, the rookie back did manage to average 4.2 yards per carry on his way to 85 yards on the ground. Joey Harrington would throw for 254, mostly on shorter routes but throwing over the middle also produced three picks, including one to LB Kyle Van Noy that was just a momentum killer for the Oakland offense.   San Diego had the early momentum in the game, scoring the only points of the first quarter (a 19-yard Webb to Toon strike), and building a 17-7 lead at the half after also connecting with Chad Johnson. Oakland got an early touchdown from Taylor Gabriel, who would finish the game as the lead receiver for the Invaders, making 6 catches for 80 yards and 2 scores by game’s end. As the 2nd half started, Oakland was determined to draw closer to the Thunder, and succeeded thanks to a 74-yard opening drive that concluded with McCaffrey going off-tackle to the left and plunging in from 3 yards out.   Oakland would take their first lead of the game only 3 minutes later when an errant Joe Webb pass was snatched out of the air by FS Jahleel Addae and returned 55 yards for an Oakland score. Now down 21-17, San Diego finally got back on track just as the 3rd quarter rolled to a close. On a drive that started with 2 minutes left in the 3rd and extended well into the 4th, Webb connected on 5 of 7 passes before finding HB Ryan Williams out of the backfield for a 10-yard score. The Thunder would add a field goal only 3 minutes later to take a 27-21 lead into the final minutes of the game.   A six-point lead is a tricky one, because a field goal is no use, but a touchdown can swing the lead to the opposition. San Diego tried their best to keep Oakland from getting that late touchdown, but a bad pass interference call helped the Invaders out of a 3rd and 13 play and gave them new life in San Diego territory. Only 4 plays later, Harrington found Gabriel for the 2nd TD combo of the game. A PAT kick would put Oakland on top. But when Roberto Aguayo overcorrected for an earlier FG miss, the ball rattled against the goalpost and slid outside, a stunning missed PAT that caused the home crowd to groan and moan in Levi’s Stadium.   The game would be going to overtime, but, the good news for Oakland is that they won the toss and could take the win with an opening drive touchdown. They seemed to be on their way towards doing just that, gaining 2 first downs on their first 3 plays of overtime, but on a 1st and 10 from their own 47, Joey Harrington and his receiver got their signals crossed and the result was Harrington’s third pick of the day. While Harrington expected Donte Moncrief to make a quick hook in the zone, Moncrief instead took a sharp turn to an out route. The problem was that the ball was already on its way inside, making it easy pickings for San Diego CB Tye Smith. Smith picked the ball off at the San Diego 44 and returned it all the way to the Oakland 22 before Christian McCaffrey pushed him out of bounds.   The turnover meant that a field goal could win it for the Thunder. They had Lamar Miller dive into the center of the line twice and then brought out Jeff Reed to kick the game winner on third down. The kicker did his part, and San Diego got their first win of the year, evening their record and sending Oakland to an identical 1-1 start.   MEMPHIS 7   OKLAHOMA 44 It was a party in OKC as the Outlaws, in their home opener, absolutely demolished the Showboats in front of a sellout crowd. It was 7-7 midway through the first, but the Outlaws scored the next 37 points in a rout of the Showboats. Marshawn Lynch had 95 yards and 2 scores. Joe Flacco threw for 2 more, and Pacman Jones returned a pick for a score as the Outlaws simply rolled in this one. Memphis 2nd year QB Paxton Lynch was sacked 5 times, threw 3 picks, and ran for his life most of the game. POTG:  Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 22 Att, 95 Yds, 2 TD   MICHIGAN 45  LAS VEGAS 14 Friday saw 2 blowouts as Michigan also manhandled the Vipers in Eli Manning’s home opener. Manning was picked 3 times, but it was LeVeon Bell who just crushed all hope for the Vipers, rushing for 156 yards and 3 scores (Mike Hart added a 4th). Kirk Cousins was again hot early, connecting with Cody Latimer for two early scores, and then the Panthers just let Bell run wild in the 2nd half, scoring on TD runs of 18, 1, and 4 yards on his way to a big night on the road. POTG:  Michigan HB LeVeon Bell: 27 Att, 156 Yds, 3 TD, 3 Rec, 25 Yds   TAMPA BAY 12   ORLANDO 21 Bandit QB Dak Prescott was sacked 5 times, but hung in. After 3 quarters the score was only 14-12 Renegades, who played without Russell Wilson due to a flu bug. Backup Connor Shaw struggled for most of the game but found Jeremy Maclin for the game clinching score in the 4th quarter to help Orlando start the year at 2-0. POTG:  Orlando DE Calais Campbell: 4 Tck, 2 Sck   CHARLOTTE 29  NEW ORLEANS 21 The Monarchs move to 2-0 with rookie Mitch Trubisky at QB. The rookie got help from Adrian Peterson’s 95-yard day, and from a defense that held Leonard Fournette to 46 yards and returned a Brees pick for a score. Trubisky played well, completing 20 of 28 passes for 170 yards and a TD. New Orleans pulled within 1 score late but could not recover the onside kick and fell short at home. POTG:  Monarch LB Gabe Miller: 2 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ST. LOUIS 20   OHIO 33 Ohio QB Christian Hackenberg had his best game to date, throwing for323 yards, and the Glory Defense held St. Louis in check, sacking Josh Freeman 5 times and limiting Eddie Lacy to 71 yards rushing. The Glory had a 30-7 lead early in the 4th but allowed two late scores to make the game look closer than it was. The Glory outgained St. Louis 410-238 and converted 50% of their 3rd down plays, while the Skyhawks struggled to 1 of 10. POTG:  Glory QB Christian Hackenberg: 25/34, 323 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Int   DALLAS 13  DENVER 17 Both offenses struggled to turn yards into points as the Gold put up an early 14-0 lead and held the Roughnecks at bay the rest of the afternoon. It was 13-14 halfway through the 4th quarter, but Denver held on for the win by shutting down Dallas on 4th down on their final drive. POTG:  Denver HB Jamaal Charles: 22 Att, 72 Yds, 1 TD   WASHINGTON 6   BALTIMORE 31 A lopsided Beltway Brawl as the Blitz put up 457 yards of offense, including 128 yards from Darrius Heyward-Bey and another 115 from Brian Hartline. David Garrard connected with 9 different receivers but could only muster 2 field goals against the Blitz defense. Big Ben once again went over 300 yards and threw for 3 scores, despite 5 Washington sacks. POTG:  Blitz QB Roethlisberger: 17/33, 347 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   BIRMINGHAM 25  PITTSBURGH 20 A tight game, broken open by DB Corey White, who had 3 picks of Andy Dalton, returning one for a score. Dalton would throw for 367, including 128 to Thielen and 101 to Cruz, but the picks stymied 3 drives and helped Birmingham cash in on short fields, getting 17 points off turnovers despite being outgained by the Maulers. POTG:  Stallion FS Corey White: 5 Tck, 3 Int, 1 Def TD   PORTLAND 20   PHILADELPHIA 26 A good one in Philly as Mariota hit both Cooks and Jeffery For scores to keep Portland in the game the whole way. Philly got TDs from Stevie Johnson and Zac Stacy but needed two 4th quarter field goals to break the tie and claim the win. Gutierrez got the W despite throwing 4 picks in the game, including 2 to CB Cedric Griffin of the Stags. POTG:  Stars’ WR Stevie Johnson: 4 Rec, 98 Yds, 1 TD   NEW JERSEY 9   JACKSONVILLE 6  OVERTIME No snow, no monsoon, no hurricane winds, just two teams playing defense in this one. Both clubs were able to move the ball, but could not get points on the board. It would come down to a 51-yarder in overtime, but Ka’imi Fairbairn connected and gave the Generals the win in this defensive showdown. POTG:  New Jersey DE Vic Beasley: 6 Tck, 4 TFL, 1 Sck   ATLANTA 10   HOUSTON 38 Aaron Murray threw for 340 and a score, but was outpaced by Colt McCoy, whose 4 TDs and 10 of 18 day helped put him atop the league QB ratings. Both Mike Evans and Vernon Davis finished with over 100 yards and 2 scores apiece. With Carlos Hyde dealing with the after-effects of a concussion suffered in practice, Alfred Blue subbed in, but it was all Colt McCoy in this one, as the Houston QB orchestrated scoring drives on 4 consecutive possessions to pull away. POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy: 10/18, 281 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   SEATTLE 21   CHICAGO 24 Seattle again played a tight game but came up short to fall to 0-2. Chicago got a 4th quarter field goal to take the lead late and the defense stuffed Seattle on a 4th down play to preserve it. Chicago won without a single offensive TD. They got 5 field goals from Hopper, a safety, and a pick six from Josh Norman, and that was enough to eke out the win against a very game Seattle squad. POTG:  Chicago CB Josh Norman: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ARIZONA 24  LOS ANGELES 23 The Week came to a close with a nailbiter on Sunday night. LA took the lead 23-17 with just 1:18 to go, but David Carr pulled a miracle out, connecting with Antonio Bryant for the winning score with just 31 seconds left on the clock. It was Carr’s 3rd TD pass and Bryant’s second of the game. La Had gotten a great game from the HB duo of Bush and Perkins, combining for 130 yards, but the defense just could not hold the lead in the final minutes and Arizona moves to 2-0. POTG:  Arizona TE Jimmie Graham: 4 Rec, 146 Yds, 1 TD   Bell Runs Wild in Panther Mauling of Vipers After a tough week against the Ohio Glory that saw 2,000-yard hopeful LeVeon Bell limited to only 75 yards rushing, the Michigan Panther back more than doubled his Week 1 total as Michigan ran roughshod over the Las Vegas Vipers. Bell, who stated his target for the year is not just Herschel Walker’s 1983 rushing record of 1,767 yards, but the 2,000-yard mark, went from a reasonable but underwhelming 3.1 YPC against the Ohio Glory to an impressive 5.8 YPC against the Vipers. With 2,000 yards his target, he needs to average 125 yards per game, so his current 2-game pace of 115 is getting closer.   Teams are clearly going to prioritize stopping Bell and the Panther run game each week, some with more success than others. That has already proven to be a dangerous tactic as both Cody Latimer and Jerrel Jernigan have benefited, combining for 345 yards and 4 touchdowns (all from Latimer) in the Panthers’ two games. Much like Houston’s inside-outside conundrum for defenses, the need to stack the box against Bell undoubtedly produces great coverage options for Kirk Cousins to take advantage of in the play action game. And when teams feel pressured to drop their safeties back and play more of a shell coverage, well, that is when we start to see Bell getting to the secondary untouched and with a head of steam. It’s another dangerous game of “choose your demise” for defenses.   Corey White helps Stallions Win Steel City Clash After a rough Week 1 loss to Memphis in which the Stallions could do nothing right and scored only a lone field goal, Birmingham needed someone to step up against Pittsburgh. That person was cornerback Corey White, who proved to be a major headache for Mauler QB Andy Dalton. Birmingham continued to struggle on offense, gaining only 227 yards total in the game and rushing for only 53 yards, but White bailed them out with three picks, including a 29-yard pick-six that helped propel Birmingham to a narrow 25-20 win.   White got some help from a front 7 that harassed Andy Dalton all game, producing 5 sacks, including 2 from DE Dereck Harvey, but it was White’s positioning in coverage against Adam Thielen that made the difference. White was assigned Pittsburgh’s top receiver all game, and of the 12 targets for Thielen, White came away with 3 of them. He continuously forced Thielen towards the sideline with inside position and then stepped in front of him to make plays on the ball. It is a risky play, as a whiff could lead to a long gainer, but it proved effective as it seemed Dalton’s throws were often a step late and in range for White to steal away.   Birmingham will need to find some offense, but when your defense can produce turnovers and score points, it can help as the offense tries to find an identity and a rhythm. For White, more weeks like this could well have him in the conversation for DPOTY and could have Birmingham in more games than in recent years.   Lynch Struggling to Adjust to USFL Speed While Colt McCoy is finding immediate success as he replaces Matt Hasselbeck in Houston, 2nd year QB Paxton Lynch is having quite the opposite experience as he steps in for Eli Manning. Lynch currently sits as the worst-rated starter in the league after 2 weeks, averaging only 151 yards per game, with 3 picks and no touchdowns yet this season. The University of Memphis product was brought in last year through the Territorial Draft to be the future of the franchise, expected to compete with Eli Manning in his rookie year. But, as we are sure most USFL fans are well aware, Manning had a career year, guiding the upstart Showboats all the way to the Summer Bowl, only to move on to Las Vegas for one of the richest contracts in the league, paving the way for the local hero to step in and become the new leader of the ‘Boats.   Well, so far, it has been rough waters for the Showboats. Despite a very solid overall game in Week 1 against the Stallions, Memphis is not showing the offensive strength that got them to the title game last year. In that win, Lynch looked solid, going 21 of 27, but was unable to put the ball in the endzone. In Oklahoma this week, facing a very boisterous crowd and a pumped-up Outlaws squad (making their debut in their new home), Lynch was just not up to the task. Going 18 of 37 with 3 picks, 5 sacks, and only 133 yards, he looked very much like a rookie thrown into the deep end.   Chalk it up to a tough outing against a very fired up team, but Memphis fans are already getting nervous that their present may include a significant step back from last year’s unforeseen success, and that their future may need more work. It is early, granted, and Coach Ryan will need time to get Lynch up to speed as the pro game is a long way from the American Athletic Conference. It also does not help that the Showboats lost their OC to the NFL and a head coaching job in San Francisco. Ryan, and new OC Terry Robiskie, have some work cut out for them. With Todd Gurley currently averaging a paltry 1.4 yards per carry (42 yards on 29 carries), the Showboats need to take pressure off Lynch by getting the run game going. They also need to find ways to get some depth into the secondary. Robert Woods is averaging only 10.4 yards per catch and Brandon Marshall, the speed receiver on the squad, has only 2 catches to date, as does slot receiver Cordarelle Patterson. That is not a formula for success for a young QB who is seeing the game move very quickly past his eyes.   Gutierrez has Stars 2-0 Despite Poor Play The Stars sot at 2-0 after victories over Jacksonville and Portland, but they have reached that record despite of, not because of, the play of their QB. Matt Gutierrez has not started the season well, completing only 50.8% of his throws and sitting with a 3:6 TD:INT ratio after two weeks. His current 57.2 QB Rating is among the worst in the league and a solid 24 points below last year’s season ending 80.4 QBR. The Stars, despite their two wins, rank only 14th in points scored and have admittedly played two of the league’s weaker offenses, which may indicate how they have found early success despite poor play on offense. That will change very quickly as they face New Jersey this week and Baltimore in 3 weeks. Gutierrez, in particular, has been coming under a lot of scrutiny over the past 2 years. After starting his career with two very strong seasons (a 121.7 QBR in his first year as a starter in 2012 and a very solid 92.1 in his 2nd season), his results have declined every year. He has not topped a 90 QBR since 2013 and last year’s 17 picks were the worst of his career. After 2 games this year, he is already on pace to shatter that number, with 6 picks, a pace that would give him over 40 on the season.   Now, we don’t expect that to happen, but something has to be done to give him better options, whether that means more carries for Dereck Henry, who has yet to crack 20 touches in a game this year, or more options beyond deep balls to Johnson and Cobb, something is needed. Gutierrez has had some success connecting with TE Travis Kelce (who went over 100 yards this week), so perhaps more use of the TE position is needed if Philly is going to give their QB a shot at a successful season. Either that or they may well have to consider an upgrade.   Donald Brown Not the Answer for Federals The Washington Federals, spoiled by season after season of incredible numbers from future Hall of Famer Deuce McCallister, are finding that post-Deuce success is no guarantee. The Federals made a deal with Oakland to bring in the Invaders’ 2016 lead rusher, Donald Brown, confident in their ability to turn Brown from a 900-yard back into a 1,200-yard back. Well, so far that has not gone as planned.   Brown has accumulated only 39 yards in his first two games in the Kelly green jerseys of the Federals. He is averaging a miserable 1.3 yards per carry to date, outpaced by 3rd down back Wendell Smallwood’s 4.2 YPC and 51 total yards. Despite having 3 times the touches as Smallwood, Brown is not proving productive. Call it adjustment to a new blocking scheme and a new offense, but so far the investment that saw Washington send DE David Bass and a 4th round pick in the 2018 draft to the Invaders is not paying dividends.   Of course, we cannot expect Brown to step in and immediately look like McCallister. The former Federal back was a rare generational talent, rushing for over 1,000 yards for 13 consecutive seasons and playing at an All-USFL level until the age of 35. Those are ludicrous expectations for any back, but 1.3 yards per carry and a per game average under 20 yards per game are what you might expect from a backup getting 5-8 carries a game, not your lead back. Washington sits at 0-2, and just how long Coach Payton can be with Brown and the Federal run game remains to be seen, but some sign of success is needed soon if Brown hopes to keep the position uncontested and Washington could very soon be looking to trade once again. No new injured reserve additions, but plenty of players who will be out at least a week, some up to 4 weeks. Michigan looks to have several players out in Week 3 and St. Louis has 2 of their starting O-line out for their Week 3 game. Oakland will be without their defensive captain for at least a week, one of several star linebackers who are on the list after Week 2.   OUT OT          Willie Colon               HOU     Meniscus        2-4 Weeks OT          Ryan Considine               WSH     Knee                2-4 Weeks LB           Odell Thurman             MGN     Wrist              2-4 Weeks G            Deuce Lutui                    STL         Shoulder        1-2 Weeks TE           Coby Fleener               NOR      Neck               1-2 Weeks LB           Bobby Wagner             OAK      Personal          1-2 Weeks G            Ron Leary                      LV           Shoulder          1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB           Karlos Dansby                  ARZ       Concussion       G            Donald Thomas               DAL       Knee LB           Chad Greenway              OKL       Tendinitis DT          Marcell Dareus                OHI       Pinched Nerve C             Rudy Niswanger             STL         Concussion CB          Eric Wright                     OAK      Hand WR         Mike Williams                  PIT         Thigh DT          Star Lotuleilei                  DAL       Wrist   QUESTIONABLE LB           Kevin Minter               CHI        Thigh WR         Ted Ginn Jr                   MGN     Neck CB          Dre Kirkpatrick                MGN     Hamstring CB          Derech Cox                    CHA      Hip   Third Year Coaches On Hot Seat As Season Starts With Win Now Expectations We often talk about a 3-year plan for coaches arriving to a new team. You need a year to assess what you have and where the roster needs upgrades, a year to fully implement your system and preferred personnel, and a year when that work should turn into noticeable improvement. Realistically, pro football rarely allows a coach 2 years, much less 3 to make improvements that are visible to everyone paying attention. So the fact that we have 3 coaches all entering their 3rd season and just now feeling the heat of the hot seat is something of a surprise, but that is where we stand in Birmingham, Jacksonville, and Portland.   Of the three, Portland’s Pep Hamilton may be the coach with the most to defend. After all, he began his tenure with the Stags by taking them not just to the playoffs, but to the team’s first ever division title, edging the Oakland Invaders in the final week of the 2015 season to stand atop the Pacific Division. So, when his second year produced a pretty sizeable collapse, it put even more importance on this third year. Hamilton needs to show that the team Is on the right path, that the decision to jettison QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and go with Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, was the right call, and that he can now build a viable offense around Mariota and HB Doug Martin.   For Henry Ellard , a legend in Birmingham as a player, the welcome was all cheers and celebration, but in his first two seasons with Cam Newton and the Stallions, Ellard has not produced the offensive dynamism that he was hired to bring to the club. Birmingham dropped from 8-8 in Ellard’s first season to 6-10 last year, and the offense continues to be the biggest question that has gone unanswered. While Cam Newton can have occasional monster games, he also has far too many games where he is simply not producing extended drives or adequate points for a win. T. J. Yeldon has not panned out as the star everyone anticipated when he came out of Alabama, and even WR Amari Cooper has seen his numbers plateau, without improvement since coming into the league in 2015.   Finally, Coach Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville is coming off back-to-back 5-win seasons, not exactly a secure path to a second contract. His defense has at times looked like a real strength, but the Bulls continue to flounder without a real identity on offense. As much as we want to see Robert Griffin as a duel threat, for every big outing he has there is an equally head-scratching one, and the risk of further injury as well. Jacksonville could well be on the fringe of a major overhaul and that does not bode well for Del Rio, whose reputation for strong interior play is being undone by an offense that simply has not proven it can run the ball effectively.   Ohio Seeks Stadium Partnership with MLS Crew With setbacks in the plan for a new Canton-based football facility turning from doubts to near definite failure, the Ohio Glory turn in a new direction in their attempts to get a more suitable venue of the ground. This time the goal is to remain in Columbus, but to work with another club seeking a new home, the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer, to get a new facility approved and funded. The Crew and the Glory are proposing a 48,000 seat stadium to be built to the NW of the city in the area of New Albany. The open air stadium would serve as the home to both clubs,, each with their own current stadium concerns, and is being proposed as a 60/40 private/public partnership. The hope, of course, is that the city of Columbus, as well as the state, will approve bond measures to cover the public portion of the funding, while a combination of funds from the two franchises, the two leagues, and an array of sponsorships and naming rights would provide the 60% private funding for construction and maintenance.   With the bill to the state and city to be about 1/3 of what Governor Kasich’s proposed Canton football campus had targeted, there is hope that the two franchises can get broader support in the Statehouse. It helps, of course, that between the two teams there is already strong corporate support and the potential for naming rights that could bring in considerable revenue. The proposed stadium, while smaller than many USFL venues, would allow for the Glory to retain an attendance number at or even slightly above their 10-year average of 41,202, and certainly above the 39,593 they have averaged the past 3 seasons. For the Crew, the new stadium would be a considerable increase in capacity from their current facility, Crew Stadium, which is capped at just over 19,000. The facility would also allow the crew to partition the upper levels on both sidelines, providing a lower bowl with 28,000 seats with the ability to expand to the upper decks (one or both) as needed for larger events like international soccer tournaments.   The proposal is already before the city, as it will require backing of the city and county before it is taken to the Ohio Statehouse, and initial response has been positive. If all goes smoothly (as it rarely does, but just for argument) the facility could receive both city and state approval by June and construction could start in the spring of 2018 with a target of the 2020 USFL and MLS seasons for the grand opening.   Atlanta’s New Stadium On Track for 2019 Season Speaking of new stadiums, Atlanta’s new facility, a retractable dome stadium with a capacity of 71,000 is moving along nicely, expected to open for the spring USFL season in December of 2018. The facility recently added a 3rd tenant with Major League Soccer approving an expansion franchise for the city to go along with the USFL Fire and NFL Falcons. The as-yet-unnamed stadium will replace the Georgia Dome, turning 25 years old this year. Located west of downtown and on the edge of the Vince City district, the new facility will allow for the outdoor football experience when weather permits, but allow the Fire, Falcons and MLS Atlanta club to close the roof when heat, humidity, rain, or winter cold would make for an unpleasant atmosphere.   Coming in at roughly $300M to construct, the new facility will be managed by the Georgia World Congress Authority, the same semi-public stadium authority which currently operates the Georgia Dome. While the Fire are expected to be the first team to play a regular season game in the facility, it is already scheduled to host the SEC Football Championship as well as the NCAA BCS Championship games in December of 2018 and January of 2019. The facility is just another example of cross-league collaboration between the USFL and NFL, something the league is actively seeking with all their dual-league locations.   There is a lot to like in the Week 3 lineup of games. We start on Saturday with Memphis @ Charlotte, a game both teams view as a winnable game that can help propel them towards the top of their divisions. The late game is another interesting matchup as Chicago tries to knock off the defending league champions in Glendale. Arizona is thinking 3-0 sounds awfully nice and has no interest in helping Chicago stay in the fight in the Central Division.   On Saturday we have a cavalcade of 0-2 teams all trying to avoid 0-3. Atlanta heads to New Orleans seeking their first win. Seattle heads down the coast to San Diego, and Dallas and Portland, both 0-2, clash in the PNW, with both hoping this game is the start of something. Then, at night, we get the opposite as four teams sitting at 2-0 clash in our Saturday night double header. It is the classic matchup of the Generals and the Stars in Philly to kick things off at 7pm, then, in the late game, we have two of the league’s most prolific offenses facing off in Houston as the Gamblers host the Blitz. Sunday returns us to the 0-2 crowd, with both Pittsburgh and Washington hoping a division win will keep them from the dreaded 0-3 and help them build some momentum. We also have a matchup of two more winless teams, 0-2 Jacksonville and 0-2 Tampa Bay meet in a Florida Derby neither team can afford to lose. Later in the day it is St. Louis at Michigan and Denver at Las Vegas, and we end the weekend with another California Derby as the LA Express and Oakland Invaders, both 1-1 after 2 weeks, face off in Santa Clara with first place in the division on the line.   FRI 7PM ET          Memphis (1-1) @ Charlotte (2-0)                  ABC FRI 9PM ET             Chicago (1-1) @ Arizona (2-0)                         ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET         Ohio (1-1) @ Orlando (2-0)                             ABC SAT 12PM ET          Atlanta (0-2) @ New Orleans (1-1)                FOX SAT 4PM ET          Seattle (0-2) @ San Diego (1-1)                     ABC SAT 4PM ET            Dallas (0-2) @ Portland (0-2)                          FOX SAT 7PM ET          New Jersey (2-0) @ Philadelphia (2-0)           NBC SAT 9PM ET             Baltimore (2-0) @ Houston (2-0)                    ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET         Pittsburgh (0-2) @ Washington (0-2)                ABC SUN 12PM ET        Jacksonville (0-2) @ Tampa Bay (0-2)            FOX Regional SUN 12PM ET        Oklahoma (1-1) @ Birmingham (1-1)             FOX Regional SUN 4PM ET          St. Louis (1-1) @ Michigan (1-1)                      ABC SUN 4PM ET            Denver (1-1) @ Las Vegas (1-1)                       FOX SUN 8PM ET            Los Angeles (1-1) @ Oakland (1-1)                ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Plenty of strong outings in Opening Weekend, but we are going to highlighta player who has been here several tims before, Baltimore QB Ben Roethlisberger. Once again the deep ball was working for Big Ben as he threw for 359 yards on only 12 completions, hooking up with Brian Hartline 3 times for scores, with 4 total TDs on the day as Baltimore flew cross-country to Portland and blew out the shellshocked Stags.

This season we celebrate the Mascots, featuring 16 of the league's favorite fluffiest and most fanciful team mascots. Week One features a rarity, a non-cartoonish mascot, as the Tampa Bay Bandits go for a very real rider and a fierce black steed named "Midnight". Opening week and all the celebrations it brings across the country. This year’s opening week of USFL action was hampered by a major late winter storm that made travel and gameplay tricky across the Midwest and into the Atlantic region, but the games went on. We had the defending champs in a tough Friday night battle, the debut of rookie QB Mitch Trubisky for the Monarchs and Eli Manning in a Las Vegas Vipers jersey. We also had big games from unexpected places, with a huge weekend for tight ends. TE Vernon Davis came within inches of a 200-yard game and both Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce had huge outings. Finally, it was a week for rookies to show their stuff, and we saw very good games from both Trubisky and Oakland HB Christian McCaffrey. But we also had our first bad injury of the season, and now news of a possible suspension for a starting QB. We start there with the league’s decision to suspend Johnny Manziel following his arrest for a DUI this winter. We will then return to the field, reviewing the weeks’ games and looking ahead to Week 2 as the new season gets rolling. Dallas QB Johnny Manziel suspended for 6 games. We knew it was just a matter of time before the league’s investigation into Johnny Manziel’s offseason auto accident and arrest for DUI turned into league action. This week that action was announced, a six-week suspension for the Dallas Roughneck quarterback. The suspension, as expected, is under appeal, which could take 2-3 weeks to complete, and in the meantime Manziel will be permitted to practice and play for Dallas, but if he fails to win a lighter verdict from the league’s Judiciary Committee, Manziel could miss a month and a half of action, pushing Dallas to prepare former Charltte QB Brandon Wheedon for action.   The suspension is the result of a mid-winter car accident in College Station, Texas, where Manziel was returning to his alma mater. Manziel crashed his Alfa Romeo roadster in a one-car accident that did not see the quarterback injured, but did take out both a fire hydrant and a street sign. Police administered a breathalizer at the scene and took Manziel into custody with a reported blood alcohol level twice the legal limit. He was released on his own recognizance, and has a court date set for mid-May. The league immediately began its own investigation into the incident, with the resulting finding that Manziel had violated the misconduct clause of his contract with the USFL and the Roughnecks, and issuing the 6-game suspension on Monday, following Manziel’s solid performance in the Roughnecks’ game on Sunday afternoon. Manziel’s agent immediately filed the appeal paperwork and now we wait and see if the suspension is lifted, shortened, or remains to be served later this season.   Dallas made a deal with Charlotte in early February, just as camp was opening, that brought Brandon Wheedon over to the Roughnecks, very much aware that Manziel did risk suspension by the league. Now Wheedon is likely to see action perhaps as soon as Week 4. In the meantime, as the league reviews the appeal documents and convenes an appeal committee, Manziel will be at practice and is certainly expected to suit up next week against the Denver Gold. Just how much the looming league sanction, and possible legal issues in Texas will impact his play is yet to be seen.   LAS VEGAS VIPERS 24   DALLAS ROUGHNECKS 23 How often is it that the best game of the week is not between two teams at the top of everyone’s expectations list, but two teams scrapping for respect. That is what we got Sunday in Dallas in a showdown of SW Division teams as Las Vegas came into the Cotton Bowl to face the Dallas Roughnecks. The hype pre-game was about Eli Manning’s first outing in a Vipers’ uniform, and Manning certainly made news in the game, but this was a well-played opening week game from both teams and one that would come down to a final drive before it would be decided.   The game began very well for the visiting Vipers, who built up a 17-0 lead midway through the 2nd quarter, but Dallas fought back and was able to take back the lead in the 3rd. Johnny Manziel would finish the game with 323 yards passing but threw two costly picks. Eli Manning would throw for only 224, but avoided turnovers and connected for scores three times, all three to veteran WR Doug Baldwin.   Las Vegas’s first possession started off Baldwins strong day, as he helped turn the drive into 7 points with a 20-yard touchdown from his new quarterback. Las Vegas would add another 3 points on their next drive but as the first quarter wound down, Dallas was driving. With the ball at the Las Vegas 17, Johnny Manziel tried to hit Tiquan Underwood to put Dallas on the board, but the ball was caught instead by Las Vegas corner E. J. Gaines, producing a touchback and giving Las Vegas the ball back.   The Vipers would turn that pick into seven points as the 2nd quarter began. The pick turned into an 80-yard, 13-play drive that concluded with Manning finding Doug Baldwin for a second time. Now up 17-0, it all looked to be going the Vipers’ way. But, Dallas was not willing to give up and fought back in the 2nd quarter. On their next possession, Manziel guided the offense down to the 2-yard line, connecting with Tim Wright and Ben Watson on key third down throws. From the 2 it was veteran C. J. Spiller who got the ball into the endzone and put Dallas on the board. Spiller would have only 4 carries on the day as Dallas split the majority of carries between Texas rookie Donte Freeman and OU’s Samaje Perine.   With a late field goal before the half, Dallas was back in the game, down only 7 at the break. They came out for the second half determined to come all the way back. They did just that with the only scores of the period, a 31-yard Catanzaro field goal, and, on a drive that began when Dallas recovered a Montario Hardesty fumble, a 5-yard run by rookie Samaje Perine that gave Dallas a 20-17 lead, having scored the last 20 points in the game. Ka Midway through the 4th it would become the last 23 points as again Catanzaro connected on a short field goal after a 3rd and goal touchdown was called back by an illegal motion against Geronimo Allison. Dallas could not convert, so they sent out the kicker and took a precarious 6-point lead.   Las Vegas would have just over 6 minutes to try to get a score and retake the lead, but after a holding call they found themselves with a 3rd and 16, which proved too much, forcing them to kick the ball back to Dallas with just over 4 minutes in the game. They needed a defensive stop or a takeaway to have a shot at getting the ball back with time to get the touchdown they needed. They would get the latter when, on a 3rd and 7, Manziel scrambled to his right and then tried to throw back to the middle of the field towards TE Ben Watson. Safety Eric Berry was there to snatch the ball away form Watson, giving Memphis possession at their own 46 with time to move the ball into scoring range.   Eli Manning was at his best during the final drive, connecting on 4 of 5 throws as he moved the ball using out routes, a quick strike slant to Denarius Moore, and scrambling for a first down on a key 3rd and 3. With 1:10 left to play, he had the ball inside the Dallas 10, and he did not wait around to put las Vegas back on top. On 1st and goal he again looked for Baldwin, and again found him. Doug Baldwin’s third TD, and the ensuing PAT, gave the Vipers a 1-point lead with just over a minute left.   Las Vegas would have a chance, and all they would need is a field goal, but the clock was against them. With only 1 time out left, they had to play the sidelines, and while they got close, they did not get close enough. With only 2 seconds left on the clock they asked Catanzaro to attempt a 61-yard kick, a career long. The ball slid off to the right and lacked the distance, giving Las Vegas the win and Eli Manning his first official comeback drive as a member of the Vipers, a good start to a new chapter in his career.   WASHINGTON 13 NEW JERSEY 20 It took a 4th quarter rally, but the Generals won their season opener at MetLife thanks to a solid performance on both sides of the ball. Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 90 yards, Brett Hundley threw for 2 scores, and the defense held Donald Brown to only 15 yards rushing on the day as the Generals take the W on Friday night. POTG: Generals’ DE Aaron Kampman: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   DENVER 20  ARIZONA 26 Friday’s late game was a good one as Denver gave Arizona fits all night long. David Carr was sacked 5 times, but the Wranglers still managed to build up a 23-3 lead before Denver came alive in the 2nd half. TD throws from Leinart to Crabtree and newly-acquired Kelvin Benjamin put a scare into the defending league champions, but a 4th quarter Haden interception on Denver’s final possession preserved the win for the Wranglers. POTG:  Wrangler CB Joe Haden: 7 Tck, 2 Int   NEW ORLEANS 23  PITTSBURGH 7 Snow caused some issues for both teams, but New Orleans rallied behind Drew Brees as Leonard Fournette had a brutal day against Pittsburgh’s front line ( negative 4 yards on 11 carries). Down 10-7, New Orleans scored the final 13 points, with Brees taking over in the 2nd half, throwing for 352 in the snow, including a 72-yard strike to Kenny Britt that secured the win for the visiting Breakers. POTG:  Breaker QB Drew Brees: 17/24, 352 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   BIRMINGHAM 3   MEMPHIS 22 The Showboats got a solid game from Paxton Lynch (21 of 27 for 170 yards), and the defense contained Cam Newton to give the Showboats an opening week home win in their big rivalry game. Of the Showboats 23 points, 15 came off the foot of their kicker, with a short Todd Gurley TD run in the 4th quarter the only 7-pointer of the game. POTG:  Memphis CB Patrick Robinson: 9 Tck 2 FF, 1 FR   OAKLAND 26   SEATTLE 23 Seattle got a big game from CB Xavien Howard, with 2 picks, one returned for a score, and hung tough all game long, but in the end Oakland pulled the game out on a Roberto Aguayo field goal with 11 seconds to play in a heartbreaker for Dragon fans. There were 5 picks in the game on a sloppy outing for both Brissett (2 Int) and Harrington (3 Int). Rookie Christian McCaffrey was, as expected, the center of the Oakland offense, with 72 yards rushing and another 42 in the air. POTG: Seattle CB Xavien Howard: 6 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   BALTIMORE 42  PORTLAND 7 Doug Martin had a solid opening game as a Stag, with 111 yards on 22 carries, but that was about the only thing that went right for Portland as Baltimore rolled. Ben Roethlisberger averaged 16.3 yards per completion on his way to a 359-yard, 4-TD day. Brian Hartline caught 3 of the 4 scores, with newly arrived TE C. J. Uzomah adding 104 yards and a TD as well. POTG: Blitz WR Brian Hartline: 4 Rec, 173 Yards, 3 TD   OHIO 10   MICHIGAN 32 The weather produced several thousand no-shows in Detroit, but did not impact the game inside Ford Field, as Michigan outgained Ohio 395-288 and had zero penalties to Ohio’s 12 for 88 yards. The game was close at the half ,13-3, but the Panthers pulled away in the 2nd half to take a 3-score victory. Both Cody Latimer and Jerrel Jernigan went over 100 yards as the passing game was effective all game long. Ohio focused on LeVeon Bell, limiting the back to 3.1 yards per carry and a total of only 75 yards on the day. POTG: Panther WR Cody Latimer: 9 Rec, 102 Yds, 2 TD   LOS ANGELES 17  SAN DIEGO 10 LA’s defense struggled against the pass, but came up with a big 4th down stop late in the game to preserve the win in a low scoring but fun game. Reggie Bush had 81 yards on 17 carries, but also led the team with 4 receptions, including a 43-yard touchdown. Chad Johnson had 159 yards on 10 catches, but the Thunder just could not get the points they needed after LA built up a 17-3 lead. POTG: Express HB Reggie Bush: 17 Att, 81 Yds, 4 Rec, 69 Yds, 1 TD   CHARLOTTE 19  ATLANTA 13 Despite the low score, both clubs moved the ball surprisingly well. Rookie QB Mitch Trubisky debuted with a 16 of 24 performance, throwing for 138 and avoiding turnovers. Atlanta went with former UGA QB Aaron Murray, who went 30 of 38 for 293 but also threw 3 picks and was sacked 5 times. The key to the game was the 2-back strategy of the Monarchs, with Adrian Peterson and Taiwan Jones combining for 108 yards on the day. POTG: Monarch CB Derech Cox: 10 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   TAMPA BAY 12   ST. LOUIS 29 Frank Reich opened his tenure with the Skyhawks with a solid game plan, shifting the offense to more of a run-focused pro-style and getting a better-than-expected showing from the defense. June Jones’s new spread style had mixed results as rookie Dalvin Cook rushed for 55 yards on 12 carries, but the passing game struggled to sustain drives. The star of the game was TE Rob Gronkowski, who Reich’s offense featured against LB and safety coverage. POTG: Skyhawk TE Rob Gronkowski: 6 Rec, 121 Yds, 1 TD   JACKSONVILLE 6  PHILADELPHIA 13 Significant snow accumulation and two solid defenses kept the points down in this game. Both teams tried to use the slippery field to get receivers open, and both run games suffered, with Bulls’ HB Matt Jones slipping in his own endzone to produce a safety. Derrick Henry had the only TD of the day, a 1-yard swing pass from Gutierrez, with a 2-point dive for the conversion. POTG: Stars TE Travis Kelce: 5 rec, 122 Yds   ORLANDO 17  CHICAGO 10 You would think Chicago would have the advantage on a snowy and cold day, but this defensive battle went to the Renegades. Orlando got 2nd quarter TDs from Jeremy Maclin and CB Dee Milliner who returned a tipped ball 29 yards for a score. Chicago was held without a TD until late in the 4th, and could not get the ball away from Orlando in the final minutes. POTG: Orlando CB Dee Milliner: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   OKLAHOMA 7   HOUSTON 37 Old rivals clashed, but Houston got the clear advantage as Colt McCoy went 13 of 20 for 310 yards and 2 scores. TE Vernon Davis was his favorite target with 5 catches for 198 yards, including TD tosses of 68 and 66 yards on nearly identical plays. Joe Flacco struggled, completing only 15 of 31 passes and suffering 11, yes, 11 sacks from the Houston defense, including 3 from Dante Fowler and 2 from rookie safety Budda Baker. POTG: Houston TE Vernon Davis: 5 Rec, 198 Yds, 2 TD   First Impressions: 10 Debuts to Note A new season always means new opportunities, whether it is a rookie making an immediate impression in his first action or a veteran free agent shining in a new setting. After this week’s action we had more than a few notable games from newly arrived players as a combination of NFL imports, Free Agents, and Rookies all made good on the promise they brought to their teams. Here are the 10 players we believe gave us great first impressions.   QB Eli Manning (LV) No doubt that Viper fans are excited about Eli Manning being their QB. His final drive in Dallas was exactly what fans hoped he could bring to the team. It was efficient, timely, and turned a loss into a season opening win. What more could you ask for.   QB Mitch Trubisky (CHA) The UNC rookie did not produce an offensive explosion, but what he did was produce a win and avoid negative plays as Charlotte went into Atlanta and came away with a W. Trubisky went 16 of 24 for 138 yards but was sacked only once and did not throw a pick. For a rookie debut at QB that is a pretty solid outing.   HB Doug Martin (POR) The game certainly did not go the way Portland wanted, blown out by the Blitz, but you cannot fault new starting tailback Doug Martin for that. Martin was solid in the lead back role, toting the rock 22 times for 111 yards, a 5.0 YPC average. It was pretty much everything else that went wrong, especially on defense.   HB Christian McCaffrey (OAK) Perhaps the best rookie outing of the week was in Seattle, where Oakland HB Christian McCaffrey showed he was up to the task of being a centerpiece in the Invader offense. CMC ran for 72 yards on 17 carries, a healthy 4.2 YPC, and also contributed 5 receptions for another 42 yards. A very strong sign that his role in the Invader offense will only continue to grow.   TE C. J. Uzomah (BAL) Fans who were worried that the retirement of Antonio Gates would cause a dip in the Blitz’s offensive production had to be happy with their 32-7 win in Portland. Not only did Big Ben and Brian Hartline put up big numbers, but TE C. J. Uzomah, brought over in trade from St. Louis, also had himself a game, matching Hartline with 4 catches, going over 100 yards on the day and adding a TD.   WR Jordy Nelson (NOR) We thought that the addition of Nelson would be a big deal in New Orleans, and we think we were right. Six catches, 161 yards, and enough draw to pull defenders off of Kenny Britt showed just how impactful his arrival could be as New Orleans scored 23 and easily defeated the Maulers, even during snow and ice.   LB Trey Hendrickson (STL) A rookie we have not said much about, Henderson got the starting gig at strongside linebacker for the Skyhawks, and had himself a nice debut. Hendrickson helped St. Louis knock off Tampa Bay in their home opener, with 3 tackles and a sack which produced a safety. Keep an eye on Hendrickson, who the Skyhawks are using as a passing down pressure option.   CB Stephon Gilmore (LA) Gilmore came into the USFL after a solid career in the NFL and immediately showed why he was a high profile free agent target. In LA’s 17-10 defeat of the Thunder in San Diego, Gilmore led all Express defenders with 10 tackles, he also had 3 pass defenses, including an endzone swat in the 2nd that forced San Diego to go for 3 instead of getting 7.   SS Budda Baker (HOU) With 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 pass defenses, and a pick, Budda Baker was one of the most impressive rookies to debut this week. He was all over the field, playing deep coverage on one play, blitzing on another, stacking the box against the run on yet another. It seems Coach Phillips and the Gamblers may have themselves a playmaker in the secondary with Baker.   K Younghoe Koo (HOU) Just to give some love to the kickers, we chose Houston’s Younghoe Koo to highlight. The Korean-American kicker from Georgia Southern had a nice debut, going 3 for 3 on field goals and 4/4 on PAT’s in Houston’s opening win. Koo was not the only rookie kicker to open the season, as he was joined by Michael Beam (MGN), Harrison Butker (TBY), and Jeffrey Harris (SEA) as newly-minted pro kickers.   McCoy to Davis a Week One Debut to Remember Houston fans had to be overjoyed with what they saw this weekend out of their offense. With Matt Hasselbeck retired and Colt McCoy announced as the heir to the QB position, there was understandable trepidation in Houston. What if McCoy was not able to replicate the success he had in a handful of outings last year? Well, if Week 1 did anything, it helped dispel those concerns. McCoy had himself a major coming out party against the Outlaws, completing 13 of 20 passes for 310 yards and 2 scores, both to his new favorite target, tight end Vontae Davis. Davis went off with both a 68-yard and a 66-yard touchdown, both on seam routes opened when the safeties ran off to deal with Mike Evans and rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster.   McCoy was cool in the pocket, extended plays like a savvy veteran and found 6 different receivers on the day. It seems that with McCoy taking over for Hasselbeck, the talented Gambler squad did not so much rebuild as reload. They look dangerous once again, and fans can apparently rest easy that the QB position is in good hands.   Big Ben Makes Big Plays in Blitz Bombing Run Any game where your QB throws for over 350 yards is a big day, but when he can do that with only 12 completions, well, you are just connecting on big play after big play. That was the scenario for our Player of the Week, Ben Roethlisberger, who just kept finding his receivers open deep against a stunned and clearly underprepared Portland secondary. Ben’s day included a 75-yard TD to Hartline, a 41-yarder to TE C. J. Uzomah, a 34-yard toss to Jacob Tamme, another 34-yarder to Darrius Heyward-Bey, a 33-yarder to HB Anthony Dixon, and, oh yes, another deep TD to Hartline, this one for 82 yards. So, in other words, the deep ball was there for Roethlisberger whenever he felt like connecting on one.   Hartline and Uzomah both finished the game with 4 catches and both went over 100 yards on the day. Heyward-Bey, Dixon, and Lance Moore each had only 1 catch, but again, when your catches are over 30 yards apiece, well, that is pretty impactful.  Portland clearly missed the mark in trying to pressure Roethlisberger. They got to him for 4 sacks, and they had a few more hurries, but they also left their secondary in a very awkward place whenever the pressure did not immediately displace Roethlisberger from the pocket. The Blitz QB did finish the day with incompletions on 10 of his 22 throws, but the 12 that connected were huge and helped Baltimore blow out Portland by a score of 42-7.   Crowder Possibly Lost for Season with Back Injury It was not all joy and excitement as USFL football returned. The specter of injury is always a factor in pro football, and, as if a blowout loss to Baltimore was not bad enough, a season-ending injury to a star player made Portland’s home debut one to remember. Linebacker Channing Crowder, a past league tackle leader, was having a strong game, with 6 tackles in the first half, but a bad collision with one of his own players left the MLB lying on the ground, unable to get up. The stadium was pin-drop quiet as training staff came out to evaluate the situation. Players took a knee, visibly upset. The trainers removed Crowder’s helmet, and it was clear he was communicative, but he was just not moving his lower half. A backboard was used, and Crowder was driven off the field in the cart, his hand raised to give a thumbs-up to the crowd.   News of his condition would not come out until the next day, when the positive news that Crowder had regained feeling in his lower extremities was mixed with the disappointing news that his recovery time would be extensive, with the season lost and the very real potential that this was a career-ending injury very much still in play. Crowder was to be held in traction as doctors would have to rebuild two vertebrae, cracked and potentially at risk to shatter. The recovery time would be 6-8 months, and only then could the medical team assess whether or not it would ever be safe for the linebacker to step on a field again. A sobering thought on a tough day all around for the Stags.   While Channing Crowder’s injury was the most impactful and sobering of the weekend’s injuries, it was hardly the only major medical situation the league saw in its opening week. Two additional players could be placed on IR, though neither has officially been added yet. LA wideout Earl Bennett suffered a broken wrist that is expected to keep him out of action at least 8 weeks, while guard Ryan Seymour suffered a broken leg. He too could be placed on IR, depending on how Houston wants to deal with the possibility of a return for the postseason. Hard to imagine a full 3 months before the playoffs even begin, but this is football and injuries that can cost players a season or even a career are simply part of the game.   OUT LB           Channing Crowder        POR      Back                     IR G            Ryan Seymour                 HOU     Broken Leg              8-12 Weeks WR         Earl Bennett                   LA          Wrist                       8-12 Weeks DT          A’Shawn Robinson         WSH     Abdomen                1-2 Weeks DE          Chris Kelsay                     ATL         Concussion              1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR         Reuben Randle           JAX         Hip Pointer                        DT          DeMarcus Tyler            CHA      Toe   QUESTIONABLE SS           Tra Battle                     ATL         Knee DE          Anthony Zettle               CHA      Hernia HB         Carlos Hyde                 HOU     Concussion SS           Duke Williams             SD          Knee OT          Dereck Newton          TBY        Concussion   Oklahoma Home Opener a Tough Ticket Week 2 will see the Oklahoma Outlaws begin their new life at OGE Energy Stadium in Oklahoma City, but don’t expect to walk up and get a ticket. The first game of the relocated and “reborn” Oklahoma Outlaws is a sellout of the 55,422 seat stadium. Tickets on secondary markets are going for double face value and the entire state seems to be abuzz about their team returning pro football to the Sooner State.   The Outlaws have welcomed back two legendary former players, LB Brian Bosworth and QB Doug Williams to welcome the team to the state. The Governor and famous Oklahoman singer Blake Shelton will also be on hand as the Outlaws take on defending Eastern Conference Champion Memphis in their first game in the new stadium. What may be a sour start to the year for football fans in San Antonio, who lost their team after the destruction of the Alamodome in 2015 tornadoes, is certainly a sweet situation for Oklahoma City, which is expected to garner somewhere in the order of $400M in additional business and tax revenue from the Outlaws’ presence in the city.   And while there is some good news in San Antonio, with the stadium demolition complete, a settlement with Chubb insurance pumping $200M into the stadium reconstruction project, and a recent bond vote approving another $150M from the city, there is hope that the Alamo City will be back in the USFL within 4 years time. But, for now, it is all about Oklahoma and the Outlaws returning to the state for the first time since a short-lived love affair back in 1987, and the Sooner State is ready for it.   Weather Still an Issue for USFL Season Openers It has been an issue ever since the USFL was founded as a spring league back in 1983, foul weather impacting early season games. We see it every year, and we saw it this year as significant snowfall from the plains to the Appalachians impacted 5 season openers. The impact is not as great as it once was, in part due to more use of domed facilities and better snow clearing options for open air stadiums, but it was still certainly a factor in several games.   Michigan and St. Louis both held their season home openers with smaller than anticipated crowds due to weather conditions. Michigan reported a total of over 17,000 no shows, sold tickets that did not cross the turnstiles and enter the stadium. In St. Louis the number was closer to 8,000, in large part due to a lower snow total. But, for games in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, the impact was more noteworthy because slick conditions on packed snow and ice made footing treacherous.   We saw this with Jacksonville HB Matt Jones just faceplanting in his own endzone of the Linc on what should have been a simple dive play, but turned into a safety. We also saw it with poor showings from HBs Derrick Henry, Matt Forte, Knowshon Moreno and a truly bad day for rookie Leonard Fournette, who finished his debut with negative yards on a very sllck turf in Pittsburgh.                 Snow, cold, wind, and rain is simply a reality in the month of March, and it is something the USFL just has to deal with. Unlike the NFL which gets these conditions late in their season, the USFL gets them right up front, with the season progressing towards warm, sunny summer weather. So, it is a tradeoff. Some lower attendance games and sloppy play in March is a price the USFL pays for those late season tailgates and evening games on beautiful summer nights (OK, with some humidity as well. Looking at you, Birmngham).   Week 2 provides us with “Divisional Saturday” as 5 of 6 Saturday games are clashes within divisions. Before that we get another strong Friday night doubleheader, kicking off in OK City, where a sold out stadium greets the Oklahoma Outlaws and defending Eastern Conference Champion Memphis. That is followed by Michigan heading out to Las Vegas, where Eli Manning makes his debut in Sin City.   Saturday is all about the divisions with matchups in the SE (Tampa Bay @ Orlando), Central (St. Louis @ Ohio), Soutwest (Dallas @ Denver), and in the evening double header we have a NE Division clash between Washington and Philadelphia, followed by the West Coast feed, with Pacific rivals San Diego and Oakland going head to head in Santa Clara.   Sunday isheadlined by Arizona traveling to LA for the nightcap, but don’t miss out on what could be a very interesting showdown in Jacksonville, when the Generals take on the Bulls. Also on the slate we have a Steel City showdown with the Stallions in Pittsburgh to face the Maulers, and we have a clash of run games as Portland is in Philadelphia with Doug Martin showing up against Derrick Henry. A solid week 2 lineup with a lot of games that should be fun to watch. Now, let’s hope the weather is a bit better this week.   FRI 7PM ET         Memphis (1-0) @ Oklahoma (0-1)                NBC FRI 9PM ET             Michigan (1-0) @ Las Vegas (1-0)                    ESPN/EFN   SAT 12PM ET         Tampa Bay (0-1) @ Orlando (1-0)                   ABC SAT 12PM ET          Charlotte (1-0) @ New Orleans (1-0)             FOX SAT 4PM ET           St. Louis (1-0) @ Ohio (0-1)                             ABC SAT 4PM ET            Dallas (0-1) @ Denver (0-1)                            FOX SAT 7PM ET            Washington (0-1) @ Baltimore (1-0)               NBC SAT 9PM ET           San Diego (0-1) @ Oakland (1-0)                    ESPN/EFN   SUN 12PM ET         Birmingham (0-1) @ Pittsburgh (0-1)             ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET         Portland (0-1) @ Philadelphia (0-1)                 ABC Regional SUN 12PM ET         New Jersey (1-0) @ Jacksonville (0-1)           FOX SUN 4PM ET          Atlanta (0-1) @ Houston (1-0)                           ABC SUN 4PM ET           Seattle (0-1) @ Chicago (0-1)                           FOX SUN 8PM ET          Arizona (1-0) @ Los Angeles (1-0)                    ESPN/EFN