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PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Dallas dealt Las Vegas a major playoff hunt blow and it was all because the Vipers just could not keep Johnny Manziel from throwing touchdowns. Manziel had four on the day, which is more than he had incompletions, going 24 of 27. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Arizona became the first club to clinch a spot in the 2016 post-season, no surprise for a club with a 10-2 record. Houston's loss complicated things in the East, with Memphis and New Orleans right there in the South as well. We also saw the number of eliminated teams rise to 4 with St. Louis and Atlanta joining Tampa Bay for early tee times this July.

The Playoff picture is staying tight as division leaders fall in Week 11. Arizona (and 2nd place Texas) both suffer defeats, as does NE Division leader Washington. Houston makes a statement against New Orleans, but Memphis makes one right back.  Michigan drops to 6-5, now with both Chicago and Ohio in the mix for the Central.  No such worries for Orlando, who benefit from Charlotte’s 4-game slide.  It is looking like a year that will draw out until the final week with no team ready to claim a playoff spot yet.  That is music to the ears of the league and not unwelcome in places like Columbus, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and LA, where playoff hopes are still very much alive.  We will run through all the scores, but first, the ups and downs of the running QB was certainly the story this week as Robert Griffin III suffered a nasty injury only 1 week after rushing for over 200 yards.   That is our lead story for the week, a week that saw several QBs forced to leave games. The Risk of the Running QB Becomes Evident for Bulls Two weeks in the life of the Jacksonville Bulls has revealed the full range of experiences available when you lean into the running QB as an offensive scheme.  In Week 9 we saw the massive upside, with Robert Griffin III rushing for over 200 yards, accounting for 4 touchdowns, and completely overwhelming the Atlanta defense. This week it took less than one quarter for the equally massive downside to become apparent, with Memphis’s defense keyed in on Griffin, the quarterback took a massive hit and was out of the game with a fracture in his fibula that could potentially cost him a month or more, all but squelching any faint playoff hopes the Bulls had.  It is the very picture of why some teams embrace the dual threat QB model and others try their hardest to keep their signal callers in the pocket and out of the run game.    Jacksonville had fully embraced Griffin as a dual threat option, far more than other teams like Orlando (Russell Wilson) or even Birmingham (Cam Newton). The stats for the Bulls bear this out.  Griffin is the team’s leading rusher with 557 yards, nearly 100 more than halfback Cadillac Williams. He also has 9 rushing touchdowns, 6 more than 2nd place Matt Jones (Williams does not have any as of yet) and 3 more than Griffin has passing the ball (only 6 in 11 games). Griffin has yet to top 200 yards passing in any game this year and currently sits with a 67.6 QB Rating as a passer, topping only the recently-benched Byron Leftwich as the 2nd worst rating among regular starters.  And yet, despite the clear deficiencies as a passer, Griffin’s position as the starter was not in doubt, not with days like the one he had in Week 9 as a possibility. In a league where we have seen Joe Webb and Russell Wilson also put up 100-yard games both scrambling and through planned QB runs, Robert Griffin had become the poster child for a new generation of athletic quarterbacks who were more likely to run than to go deep into their passing progressions. And when the offense is designed to provide running plays to the quarterback, the impact can be dramatic.   But, as we saw this week, and as we have seen in the past with athletic QBs like Jake Plummer or Doug Flutie back in the day, the ability for a quarterback to make plays with his feet has one major drawback, injury.  It is one thing to have a halfback go down to injury.  The hope is always that there is a solid backup. We all recognize that the position of tailback is one that tends to have a short shelf life and a high injury risk.  But the QB is not only an athlete on the field, he is the team’s leader, the offense’s focal point, and, in most cases, the on-field coach who directs, motivates, and guides the team on every play. Losing your starting QB to injury can tank an entire season, and so, putting that player regularly at risk to take the kind of hits that running backs endure is a huge risk for a club, as Jacksonville has learned. It is the reason why we see so many coaches try to turn athletic college QBs into pocket passers. It may also be the reason that when you look at championship history you see far more traditional quarterbacks with titles and rings than scramblers or dual-threat players.    The Bulls now sit at 4-7, alive for a Wild Card but only barely. What is more, they will now have to adjust their offense on the fly, accounting for the far-less mobile options available to them for the rest of the year, veteran Adrian McPherson or 2nd year developmental player Chase Daniel. An offense built around Griffin using run-pass options, bootlegs, and scrambling out of danger will now have to morph into a traditional run game with a pocket passer. While that shift may actually get Cadillac Williams his first touchdown of the year, it is unlikely to produce the kind of results in the win column that will help Jacksonville fight for a Wild Card.  It was a risk the Bulls were willing to take with Griffin, and they rolled snake eyes this week, putting the rest of 2016 in question.   MICHIGAN PANTHERS 29   LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 30 From the start this has been a “make or break” year for Coach Andy Reid and the LA Express.  Reid was brought in to lead the Express back in 2013, one of the highest visibility coaching hires in club history.  Off of his great success in the NFL with the Eagles, Reid was seen as an offensive innovator, the kind of coach who could finally add some punch to a largely lifeless Mark-Sanchez-led offense.  In his first 3 years, the first two with Sanchez, Reid’s teams were among the worst offensive units in the league.  The Express dropped from 9-7 to 6-10 and then 4-12.  There was talk that the veteran coach could have been let go last year, but ownership gave him one more year, and a shiny new QB in former General Sam Bradford, with one clear charge.  Turn this offense around.   The season did not start off well, losing to Chicago 21-19.  LA then exploded for a 40-0 win over Portland, but quickly slipped back to offensive struggles, failing to reach even 20 points in 4 of their next 5 games.  Ownership made a deal to bring a true deep threat to the receiving corps in former Fire speedster Demaryius Thomas, and Reid reemphasized the importance of balance by providing Reggie Bush with more carries.  Signs slowly started to appear that the moves were working, a 22-20 win against Charlotte.  27 points against Portland, and an overall record of 5-5 after 10 weeks, but there remained plenty of doubters. Coach Reid and the Express circled this game against Central Division leading Michigan as a chance to prove that they were both a legitimate playoff contender and a team that could put points on the board.    The Express proved both with a narrow 30-29 victory over the Panthers. It was a game that saw Los Angeles put up 369 yards of offense, including 298 through the air as Sam Bradford had perhaps his best game since coming over from New Jersey.  Despite losing the time of possession battle by nearly 10 minutes, the Express outgained the Panthers and, more importantly, outscored them.  It was not a slam dunk, after all, at one point in the early 4th quarter, they were trailing 29-17, but with two late scores, one coming with only 1 tick left on the game clock, the Express roared back and took the W over Michigan, possibly a turning point game for the franchise.   As Coach Reid has tried to do in previous weeks, the Express came out of the gate trying to establish the run.  Michigan expected this, and Reggie Bush’s numbers throughout the game would not be great, but Bush did put the first points on the board, a 5-yard run at the end of a 64-yard drive. Bradford had gone 4 for 4 on the drive and LA had appeared to find a solution to the Panthers’ early defensive wins.  Michigan, playing without Kirk Cousins, had struggled to find its own offense in the first quarter, but got into rhythm in the 2nd.  Taylor Heinecke started finding receivers underneath and Michigan got on the board with a touchdown to Cody Latimer, himself just back from injury.  An LA field goal gave the Express the lead again, but when Michigan got a 2nd touchdown, this time from B. J. Cunningham, you could feel the tension among the LA fans.  Would this be the beginning of another missed opportunity game? Would Michigan start to pull away?   Those doubts were quelled when LA responded immediately, a rapid fire drive of only 7 plays, ending with Sam Bradford hitting Roddy White on a 22-yard strike.  The Express were not going to concede the game, and had some answers on offense.  They would go into the half tied up with Michigan after the Panthers put a 42-yard field goal on the board in the half’s waning seconds, but that was more than the Express had scored in one half since their early season blowout of the Stags.   Perhaps they could keep pace with the Heinecke-led Panthers.   The third quarter was a disheartening one for Express fans as their club failed to score and suffered two bad gaffs on offense.  First was a safety as a high snap rolled into the endzone, forcing Sam Bradford to fall on it for the safety.  On the next drive, Bradford overthrew Demaryius Thomas on an incutting route and FS Kenny Philips was there for the Panthers to pick it off.  4 plays later, Matt Prater extended the Michigan lead to 22-17.  Still, only a 5 point lead, and a full quarter to go.    When Michigan got a 3rd touchdown from Taylor Heinecke to open the 4th quarter, we started to see some LA fans headed out, trying to get ahead of the traffic.   Down 29-17, it looked very much like another stumble for the Express against top opponents.  But, the Express proved us wrong.  On their next possession Bradford was crisp and accurate, connecting on 3 key plays to move the ball down the field in short order.  He hit Thomas with a 23-yard out & up route, found Jason Whitten over the middle for 17 more, and then Nelson Agholor for 29, on a play that looked like a TD, but for a slight misstep by Aghalor that put his foot out of bounds at the three.  One play later, Bradford faked the ball to rookie Paul Perkins and caught Demaryius Thomas on a shallow crossing route.  Touchdown LA, and the gap was cut to 5 points, 29-24.   With 4:10 left to play, Los Angeles needed the ball back.  Their defense, which has been the strength of the team for several years, came up big, forcing a punt after 5 plays, thanks in large part to a nice defensive swat away by CB Jamar Taylor of a ball headed to Latimer.  LA would get the ball back at their own 27 with 2:47 left to play.  While some fans had left the stadium earlier, those that remained got louder as Bradford and the offense took the field.  On his first play of the new drive, Bradford found Roddy White for 14 yards and a first down.  That play was quickly followed by a nice toss in traffic to Marqise Lee, a 2nd and 4 run of 7 by Perkins, and another first-down-gaining throw to Jason Whitten.  It would take 2 timeouts and nearly the full time for LA to reach the red zone, but with 17 seconds left, they were sitting at the 12 with a first and ten.    When Sam Bradford took a sack on 1st and 10, the crowd erupted in disbelief.  LA was forced to use their last timeout to stop the clock.  On their next play, Bradford used a hard count and managed to draw an over-eager Justin Tuck into an offsides position.  Five yards closer, it was now 2nd and 8 from the 10.  Bradford took the snap out of the shotgun, was forced to elude Tuck and the passrush, and by the time he had thrown the ball out of the endzone there were only 5 seconds left.    Third and 8 from the 10, with 5 seconds on the clock.  Edge of your seat time for everyone still in their seats at Farmers Insurance Field.  Bradford again lined up in the shotgun, with Agholor and White to the left, Thomas and Whitten to the right.  Bush went into motion out to the right and the ball was snapped. Bush immediately drew the linebacker out to the flat, Whitten went straight up the field, drawing the safety to his seam route, and Roddy White angled to the right pylon, taking inside position on the corner.  Bradford took advantage of the single coverage on his veteran possession receiver, threw the ball low and outside, and White snatched it from about knee high, falling into the endzone for the winning score with 1 second left on the clock.   LA would go for 2 to make it a 3-point game, but failed on the attempt.  A dribbling squib kick would ensure that Michigan would not get a miracle return, and the clock rolled to all zeroes. It was the narrowest of victories, in the narrowest of timeframes, but it was evidence that this Express squad could put points on the board, could muster a late comeback, and very well could be a playoff team come Week 16. ORLANDO 30   ARIZONA 20 A huge win for the Renegades as they take advantage of David Carr still not at 100% and get a win in Glendale.  The story of the game was Calais Campbell, who pursued Carr like a man possessed, landing 6 sacks on the day and just disrupting every part of the Arizona offense.  Russell Wilson got into the recent QB scrambling action with 115 yards and a TD on the ground to go along with 191 and another in the air.  Arizona had 100-yard games from both Fitzgerald and Jimmie Graham, but it was not enough as Orlando built up a 27-14 lead and never let Arizona get closer than 10 points. POTG:  Orlando DE Calais Campbell:  10 Tck, 6 Sck   DALLAS 17   ATLANTA 31 Three picks of Johnny Manziel and a surprising 4 TD game from Brad Gradkowski helped Atlanta snap their losing streak and get win number 3.  Gradkowski, again making a case to start for the Fire, went 19 of 26 for 189 and connected with both matt Jones and rookie Pharaoh Cooper for 2 scores each.  Four Dallas turnovers halted drives that could have made the game closer as Dallas simply gave up too many opportunities. POTG:  Atlanta FS Earl Thomas: 7 Tck, 2 Int   BALTIMORE 28    CHICAGO 17 The Blitz got back over .500 and sent Chicago to 5-6 with a solid game on both sides of the ball.  Big Ben threw for 357 and added 2 TDs despite being sacked 5 times.  Anthony Dixon had 2 scores, and both Darrius Heyward-Bey and Brian Hartline went over 130 yards receiving on the day.   Chicago got 108 from Doug Martin and avoided turnovers, but just were not able to get enough points on the board against the Blitz. POTG:  Blitz DE Jason Taylor: 8 Tck, 1 Sck   PORTLAND 10   OAKLAND 21 Oakland rebounded from their loss in San Diego by taking care of business at home.  Bobby Wagner was dominant on defense and Donald Brown scored twice as Oakland won the game despite 3 turnovers to none by Portland.  Marcus Mariota was unable to turn those takeaways into points and that proved the difference in this one. POTG:  Oakland LB Bobby Wagner: 10 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   SEATTLE 10   SAN DIEGO 17 Seattle played the Thunder tough, with Joseph Addai rushing for 74 yards and a score and the defense frustrating the Thunder all game long.  But, midway through the fourth, the Thunder put together a 14-play drive that ended with a Lamar Miller TD run and that proved the game winner. Joe Webb had only 170 yards passing and tried to run but had minimal success after last week’s explosion. Former Dragon had a big game in his first action for San Diego, winning POTG in the match against his former team. POTG:  San Diego DE C. J. Mosely: 5 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Sack   WASHINGTON 17   NEW JERSEY 28 The Generals even their record with Washington at 7-4 with a big home win.  Odell Beckham Jr. was the star of the game with 167 yards and 2 scores for the Generals.  Washington’s Deuce McCallister was held to only 24 yards rushing and new General LB Aldon Smith had 6 tackles and 2 Tackles for Loss in his first game for New Jersey. POTG:  Generals’ wideout Odell Beckham Jr: 6 Rec, 167 Yds, 2 TD   NEW ORLEANS 7   HOUSTON 35 Houston was not hearing it as Breaker Fans made the case for their club to take a share of first place.  The Gamblers dominated on both sides of the ball, outgaining New Orleans 338-256 and holding the ball for nearly 38 minutes.  Carlos Hyde and Ben Tate combined for 144 yards, with Tate averaging 9.3 yards on 7 carries and putting the ball in the endzone twice.  POTG:  Houston DE Tim Crowder: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   PHILADELPHIA 17    TAMPA BAY 16 The Stars also gained ground on Washington with a win, but it was not easy as the Bandit defense looked uncharacteristically stiff against Philly.  Derrick Henry was held to only 54 yards rushing and it took a late Marshall Newhouse TD reception from Gutierrez to pull out the win against a very game Bandits squad. POTG:  Philadelphia QB Matt Gutierrez:  17/28, 214 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   MEMPHIS 41    JACKSONVILLE 3 If Jacksonville had playoff aspirations, the beat down they took from Memphis may have just disavowed them of that dream. The whole game went south for Jacksonville on the 3rd play of the game, when they tried a Griffin bootleg only to have their QB go down with a leg injury later determined to be a partial fracture that could cost Griffin up to a month of action.  From there it was just pure domination by the Showboats, with Eli Manning throwing for 3 scores and Paxton Lynch seeing action in the 2nd half. POTG:  Memphis HB Anthony Allen: 17 Att, 72 Yds, 2 TD   BIRMINGHAM 37    CHARLOTTE 9 Charlotte’s losing streak grows to 4 games as they looked utterly hapless against a 3-win Stallion club.  Cam Newton threw  TDs in the 2nd quarter alone, finishing the game with 4 total.  Amari Cooper just blew through the Monarch D for 143 yards and 2 scores, with Dontrell Inman not far behind with 127 and a score.  Brandon Wheedon again gained a lot of critics by throwing 3 more picks, while NFL import Adrian Peterson struggled for only 21 yards on 14 carries. POTG:  Stallion QB Cam Newton: 11/17, 316 Yds, 4 TD   TEXAS 17   LAS VEGAS 20     OVERTIME A nice win for the embattled Vipers and their new starter Jeff Tuel.  Tuel would go 31 of 58 as Vegas ignored calls to focus on the run and let Tuel throw the ball.  With TDs to Tyler Eifert and Devante Parker, Tuel helped Vegas complete a 10-point comeback in the 4th quarter, tie the game, and then win it in overtime.  Joe Flacco’s absence in the 2nd half after suffering and injury to his throwing hand at the start of the 3rd was also a factor, but this was a big win for Las Vegas regardless of the reason. POTG:  Las Vegas SS Eric Berry: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   OHIO 18    DENVER 6 What is wrong in Denver?  That is the question Gold fans are asking as they look lifeless against Ohio.  The Glory move to 5-6 with the win, and may well have found their QB in Christian Hackenberg. The Penn State product went 15 of 24 for 113 yards, but that was enough against a Denver offense that could not get out of their own way.  Three turnovers stunted any comeback attempt by the Gold and sent them to 4-7. POTG:  Ohio kicker David Green:  6 of 6 on field goals for all the Ohio points.    PITTSBURGH 20    ST. LOUIS 15 The “Disappointment Bowl” as it was dubbed, went to the Maulers, thanks to 2 TDs from Andy Dalton and a pick six from FS Robert Sands.  St. Louis went through all 3 QBs on the roster, with Josh Freeman spraining his wrist on a poorly executed slide early in the third.  Ricky Stanzi came in, threw 10 passes and then took a blow to the head, forcing St. Louis to finish the game with Tajh Boyd at QB.  POTG: Mauler safety Robert Sands: 4 Tck, 1 Pass Def, 1 Int, 1 Def TD Campbell Running Away with Sack Race after 6-Sack Dominance in Arizona We will admit it.  Our preseason pick of Von Miller to end up on top of the Sack Leaderboard was not only misguided, it may have made Calais Campbell angry, which is not something we or any left tackle in the league wants to see.  Campbell is having perhaps the best year of what is a sure fire 1st ballot Hall of Fame career.  With the exclamation point on his year being this week’s insane 6-sack day against a stunned Arizona line and a not-100% David Carr, Campbell made it very clear that no one, not Vic Beasley, and not Von Miller, who now sits in 2nd place with 13 sacks on the year, is going to match the master.  Well on his way to an 8th consecutive sack title, Campbell now sits at a stunning 26 sacks after 11 weeks, giving him 5 weeks to try to match his league record 34 sacks (from back in 2009).  Campbell has not had fewer than 20 sacks since his rookie season back in 2008.  Since then we have seen a steady and striking consistency.  It seems that no matter what offenses scheme against Campbell, it is doomed to fail. Add to this the fact that Campbell has improved his play against the run, becoming the first defensive end in league history to both lead his team in tackles and reach 100 tackles in a season (both last year in another DPOTY performance), Campbell is well past being called the best defensive player in the league and is now pushing names like Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White as the greatest defensive player in pro football history.  No more doubts from us.  No more predictions that another player will surpass him. Until he retires, we are ready to keep calling the sack total race a non-competitive event as long as Campbell is suited up.   Nelson Says He Wants a New Home Another week, another loss for St. Louis, and another moment of drama as star wideout Jordy Nelson, frustrated and underutilized once again, made it known that he would not be returning to St. Louis after the season.  Fed up with a lack of targets and a lack of success this season, Nelson made it clear that he was on the last few weeks of his deal with the Skyhawks and that while he remained a fan of head coach Bruce Arians, he did not believe it was in his best interest to remain with the team.   Considered a likely trade candidate up through the Week 10 deadline, there had been rumors that both Philadelphia and Portland had reached out to the Skyhawks about Nelson.  Now, in Week 11, a trade is not an option, and the 3-time 1,000-yard receiver would wait out the last weeks of his current contract and seek a new home in free agency. Nelson has 54 receptions and 760 yards after 11 weeks, which are still very solid numbers, but it seems he does not feel appreciated for what he brings to the team, and with only 3 touchdowns, his production as a deep threat is certainly not what it once was.  Accustomed to averaging over 20 yards per reception, Nelson saw that number drop to 16.3 last season and now sits at only 14.1.  For a player with his speed and deep ball skills, that does seem a waste, and with questions about the future of Arians and the offense, in the midst of a 2-win season, Nelson seems ready to move on, perhaps the first brick removed from a club that may be looking at a full tear down and rebuild for 2017.   Wheedon Leads League in Passing Yards, But Could be Benched There is talent in Brandon Wheedon’s arm, that cannot be denied. After all, with 3,086 yards passing this season, Wheedon leads even MVP candidate David Carr and sits atop the leaderboard for yardage. The problem is, as some have put it, the $1M arm is attached to what may be a $2 brain. That is harsh, but that is what many are saying with Wheedon leading the league in interceptions, with 20 on the year in only 11 games.   This is not a new problem for the Charlotte QB.  A quick look at the past few years shows a propensity for throwing the ball to the other team.  Wheedon led the league in picks last year with 19 over 15 starts.  This year he is on pace to shatter that number, with a real shot at 30 picks by season’s end.  And, when your team has dropped 4 in a row, falling from 1st place in the division to a non-playoff position at 6-5, the issue of ball insecurity becomes a huge factor.  So, is Wheedon, the league passing yardage leader, at real risk of being benched for the home stretch of what began as a very strong season?   Well, that depends on how desperate the Monarchs become.  A loss this week to 4-7 Jacksonville could well force Coach Mora’s hand.  He has to do something to turn the story of this season around. Falling to 6-6 would be a nightmare, and the most obvious issue is with Wheedon and the constant stream of picks that seem to be unavoidable.  But here is where the problem lies.  Behind Wheedon on the depth chart are Tyler Thigpen and T. J. Yates.  Thigpen has started 1 game since 2010 while Yates has yet to throw a regular season pass.  Do you really want to turn the ball over to either one with a playoff drive on the line?  Perhaps there just is not an answer, at least not this year.   Take a peak at the draft pool for 2017 and you see what Charlotte fans are already pointing out.  There, in prime position at a T-Draft protected school, may be the answer. Ready to suit up for his final year at UNC is a quarterback that has pro scouts making comparisons to Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith or a young Byron Leftwich.  Tarheel QB Mitch Trubisky is being seen as a possible 1st round pick in both the USFL and the NFL, and this even before he completes his career with a senior season many expect to be his best yet.  And there he is, potentially protected by Charlotte with no USFL competition for the pick.  Listen to the call-in shows across the region and you will hear Trubisky’s name early and often.  Even Wheedon fans are saying that the Monarchs would be fools not to take a shot at the Tarheel QB.  So, whether or not Coach Mora decides to keep Wheedon under center this year, interceptions and all, the future may already be written, and it may not be a future with Wheedon as the starter in Charlotte.   Flacco Doubtful for Week 12 After a glancing blow on an lineman’s helmet caused Joe Flacco to come off the field with his hand looking much worse for wear, the All-USFL QB of the Texas Outlaws is now listed as doubtful for this week’s game in Arizona, a must win if the Outlaws hope to catch the Wranglers and claim the SW Division title.  Coach Landry has not yet ruled out Flacco, but reports out of San Antonio have stated that Flacco is wearing a splint on two fingers and that Kyle Boller is taking the first team snaps, with Flacco largely watching on the sideline.    The 8-3 Outlaws may well be going into the biggest game of their season without their leader and the engine that drives the offense.  So, what are their options.  We expect that they will lean even more on Marshawn Lynch, already sitting 2nd behind only LeVeon Bell with 853 yards rushing in the season’s first 11 games.  Arizona’s defense is solid against the run, though they have given up a couple of big games this year, so the Outlaws will need something in the passing game as well. With Flacco out, the deep balls to Colston and Marquise Goodwin may be fewer and harder to complete.  Boller is a decent game manager, but the deep ball is not his forte.  Expect more mid-range throws to Justin Hunter and a bigger role for TE Chris Cooley as Texas tries to deal with the Wrangler coverages and avoid that pass rush.  All in all, a much tougher task for Texas with Flacco sidelined.   Cruz Out 1-2 Weeks with Hand Injury Pittsburgh’s offense has been a shadow of its 2015 outburst this year, and that has been in part due to injuries. Add one more to what has already been a challenging season as team leading receiver Victor Cruz is likely out at least 2 weeks with an injury to his right hand.  Cruz, who is second only to Larry Fitzgerald with 1,119 yards, a whopping 33.9 yard per catch average, is ruled out this week and could also miss a Week 13 matchup against Atlanta.  In a year that has seen Andy Dalton dealing with lingering shoulder issues, saw Adam Thielen miss 5 games with a dislocated knee, and in which the offense has simply not performed anywhere near their 2015 numbers, Cruz’s injury is just one more stumbling block in a major drop off season for the club. Picked by many to win the NE Division and compete for a Summer Bowl, Pittsburgh is sitting at 4-7 and struggling to explain what has gone wrong. The Mauler offense is not among the league’s worst, not by a longshot.  They sit at 11th in scoring and 9th in yards, but it has not been the type of explosive, big-play offense we saw last season. The run game has struggled, currently 19th at 80.9 yards per game, and while Andy Dalton has thrown for over 2,600 yards, he is not even close to his 2015 pace.  Add to that several games where they Maulers simply did not seem in synch, games like Week 10’s 29-7 debacle in New Orleans, and the last thing the club needs is for their big play receiver to miss action.  But, that is just the kind of season the Maulers seem to be enduring.   Eleven weeks in and no locked up berths yet.  We do have our first eliminated team as Tampa Bay gets that unfortunate first this year.  Currently no team in the east with fewer than 7 wins is in playoff position, with 3 teams sitting at 6-5 and hoping to find a path into the mix.  Houston, with one more win, could lock up a playoff berth in the East, likely the first to do so even with Memphis and New Orleans still in the mix.  In the West, Arizona also needs only 1 more win to lock themselves into the postseason, though they also have a tight race with a huge game against 2nd place Texas this week.  In the West, we have 2 teams currently in position at 6-5, both from the Pacific Division (Oakland and LA), but there are three more teams at 5-6 who are hoping to overtake them and earn a spot, including last year’s worst overall club, Chicago, and a resurgent Ohio Glory squad.  Las Vegas joins those three on the outside hoping to get in.  We could also see several eliminations in Week 12, particularly among the many 3-win teams, though also with 2-win St. Louis.  So, potentially the end of any chances for Seattle, Portland, St. Louis and Atlanta as we get within 4 games of the season finale.   We have already outlined the injuries to Robert Griffin III, Joe Flacco, and Victor Cruz.  Those are only 3 of 16 players added to the injury list across the league this week.  We may also see Kirk Cousins and Josh Freeman sit out Week 11, and Jacksonville is currently debating placing guard Dakota Dozier on IR as well.   OUT G            Dakota Dozier               JAX         MCL              6-8 Weeks C             Wesley Johnson              LV           Quad              4-6 Weeks QB         Robert Griffin III              JAX         Fibula              2-4 Weeks WR         Victor Cruz                     PIT         Hand              1-2 Weeks WR         Dwayne Jarrett                BAL        Jaw                   1-2 Weeks LB           Brandon Jenkins             BAL        Hip                  1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL LB           Travis Goethel                 ARZ       Tendinitis           QB         Joe Flacco                      TEX        Hand LB           D’Qwell Jackson             WSH     Foot DT          Brian Price                 MGN     Hamstring   QUESTIONABLE SS           Dezmen Southward      DAL       Knee QB         Josh Freeman                  STL         Wrist QB         Kirk Cousins                   MGN     Concussion WR         Keenan Allen                   OAK      Ankle WR         Alshon Jefferey                POR      Finger SS           Tra Battle                       ATL         Shoulder   Oklahoma Outlaws On Pace for 30,000 Season Ticket Deposits While the situation surrounding the Outlaws has plenty of detractors, particularly in and around San Antonio, there is no doubt that the club is going to receive a warm welcome in its new Oklahoma City home.  According to the OKC Football Group, the seat reservation system which is having fans purchase seat licenses to reserve 2017 season ticket options is seeing strong interest and the club expects that they will sell out on their initial release of 30,000 season ticket slots.  With the new OGE Energy Stadium preparing for its first season in the USFL, the Outlaws are likely to expand their season ticket pool as high as 40,000, leaving roughly 18,000 seats for individual game tickets.  This outpouring of support is similar to what we saw in Dallas when the Boston Cannons first relocated, with strong buy in from the community and strong attendance expected.  It is a strong indicator that expansion will also find willing fanbases in various locations (though we expect San Antonio will be one of 2 teams added as soon as a date for expansion is set).  The Outlaws have yet to reveal their 2017 branding, but vintage Oklahoma Outlaw gear has made a huge comeback, with several stores selling the old logo merchandise.  The Outlaws are expected to embrace the legacy of their 1-year Outlaw identity from 1987, and have already signed on former OU and Outlaw star Brian Bosworth to be the face of the season ticket campaign.  Bosworth has been touring the region, and has been an enthusiastic spokesperson for the new team, a team that is hoping to capture the full fervor of the state’s college football fandom.    Season tickets will officially go on sale in November, but with the seat licenses getting snapped up, expect Oklahoma to be among the league leaders in season ticket purchases.  The Outlaws are expected to release their new logos, colors, and identity any day now, so keep your eyes peeled for that reveal as well.   With 2016 On Field Success, Express Hope to Expand Ownership The LA Express are hoping that their on-field success will provide just the spark needed to attract potential minority owners to the franchise.  The club has been working with the NFL and the newly relocated LA Chargers to develop a long-term lease agreement amenable to all parties for Farmers Insurance Field and is hoping to expand their finances as well by bringing on new ownership to enhance the reserves available to the club as they work in one of the more expensive locations in the league.    While no names have been officially released, it is believed that the club has been courting Jim Jannard, founder of the Oakley sunglasses company as well as Red Digital Cameras, producers of some of the film industry’s preferred digital equipment.  Jannard is a frequent attendee at Express games, and his estimated $850M net worth would be a welcome addition to the Express ownership group.  The Express have had financial obstacles due to the higher tax burden and workers compensation requirements in California, paired with a long history of attendance concerns in LA.  Unlike the USFL franchise in Oakland, and the newly-relocated club in San Diego, the Express have struggled at the ticket office ever since their initial foray into LA sports back in 1983.  This second Express franchise, a member of the 1995 expansion class, has had better luck than their predecessor, but still remains one of the clubs most frequently in the bottom 8 of USFL franchises despite Farmers Insurance Field having a 62,000 seat capacity and some of the league’s best amenities.  Drawing new ownership, while not solving the attendance issues, will help build the financial base for the franchise, something all teams seak to do.     League Will Not Add Bye Weeks for 2017, But Discussion with Union Continues While the 2017 league schedule will not be revealed until October, there is schedule news out of the New York league offices as it was announced this week that a move to a 17-week, bye week system will not be incorporated for the 2017 season.  The league continues to explore the option of adding a week to the season and providing each club with a one-week bye during the heart of the summer season.  The success of the NFL’s bye week schedule to provide recouperation time and mid-season respite for its teams seems to be driving this exploration of the theme.  The USFLPA, representing the 1,600+ active players, is very much in favor of providing each team with a mid-year break, though just how the league would schedule byes is still very much up for debate.   Expect this topic to continue to be one discussed at league meetings over the next year, as the union, the owners, and the clubs all have their preferences for what the USFL schedule looks like and what a bye system might entail.  We do know that after their experimentation with season “series” (closely scheduled 2-game rematches between divisional foes) the USFL has recognized the issues and the very profound public pushback against the scheduling quirk, and we are likely to see a 2017 schedule that splits most season series between the first half of the season and the season’s final 4-5 weeks, as we had seen in past years.    Summer Bowl 2018 Logo Revealed We have our first news about Summer Bowl 2018 after the league announced that the game would be held in New Orleans, with 2019 scheduled for Las Vegas.  The league this week revealed the logo for the 2018 title game, a design that incorporates a Mardi Gras vibe with images of the city’s famed French Quarter.  The main logo depicts the St. Louis Cathedral, cultural heart of the city, as well as the statue of Andrew Jackson which stands in the square that bears his name.  The dual image of these French Quarter icons is framed by a shield shape that roughly approximates the shape of a football, but with the upper section dissolving into green, gold, and purple confetti.  The league’s “U” logo is at the base of the shield. The descriptor “Summer Bowl 2018” occupies a horizontal space across the shield, with twin footballs on either side.  The combination of Mardi Gras colors, celebratory confetti, and the familiar French Quarter symbols are designed to evoke the celebratory nature of the Summer Bowl, even with the game occurring a full 6 months after the city’s annual Mardi Gras celebration.  The Summer Bowl returns to New Orleans for the first time since 1993, a memorable game that saw Brett Favre and Birmingham upset the defending champion Houston Gamblers 38-36.  New Orleans follows this year’s game in New Jersey (the third game in the Meadowlands) and the 2017 Summer Bowl, which will be the first hosted by the city of Detroit (though the Pontiac Silverdome did host the game in 1989, before the title “Summer Bowl” was made official.)  Some really fun matchups in Week 12 including the renewal of the Philadelphia-New Jersey rivalry.  Both clubs are thick in the playoff hunt in the East, so this one will be an intense one to start the week off right.  On Saturday we have some interesting inter-divisional matchups, including Chicago @ Pittsburgh, Baltimore @ Ohio and two that could really be playoff disrupters as we have a clash of 7-4 clubs when Washington heads to New Orleans to face the Breakers and when San Diego heads to Houston with the 1-seed in the West up for grabs.   On Sunday we open with some divisional matchups, St. Louis @ Michigan, Atlanta @ Tampa Bay, Charlotte @ Jacksonville, and Seattle @ Los Angeles.  The best game of the day could be the nightcap, where the Denver Gold are against the wall and need a win, but they have a tough task as they head down to Orlando to face a very motivated and impressive Orlando squad.   Friday @ 8pm ET               Philadelphia (6-5) @ New Jersey (7-4)      NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET           Chicago (5-6) @ Pittsburgh (4-7)              ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET           Portland (3-8) @ Memphis (8-3)             FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET              San Diego (8-3) @ Houston (9-2)              ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET              Baltimore (6-5) @ Ohio (5-6)                   FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET              Washington (7-4) @ New Orleans (7-4)    NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET               Texas (8-3) @ Arizona (9-2)                       ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET                St. Louis (2-9) @ Michigan (6-5)            ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET                Atlanta (3-8) @ Tampa Bay (2-9)             FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET                Charlotte (6-5) @ Jacksonville (4-7)         FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET                 Seattle (3-8) @ Los Angeles (6-5)             ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET               Birmingham (4-7) @ Oakland (6-5)           ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET                 Las Vegas (5-6) @ Dallas (3-8)                  FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET                   Denver (4-7) @ Orlando (8-3)                  ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Generals' WR Odell Beckham Jr was the catalyst behind the club's big win over division-leading Washington. OBJ contributed6 catches for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Generals pulled even with the Federals atop the division with the win. PLAYOFF PICTURE: No teams have been able to clinch a berth in the 2016 playoffs yet, though both Arizona and Houston could do so in Week 12. We have had the first elimination from contention as Tampa Bay's 2-9 record puts them too far behind the 6th place team to catch up even with 5 more wins.

Injuries cropped up as a big story in Week 10 as Las Vegas lost their QB, Jacksonville lost their best pass rusher, and New Orleans lost a key part of their run game.  The other big story was the trade deadline, and we saw a few big names find new homes right at the wire.  Of course, on field action was also a huge part of the week, from San Diego’s statement win at home to Washington and Memphis also making it clear that they were teams to take seriously.  Texas sent Charlotte to a 4th straight loss while Chicago got the win they needed to tighten up the Central with rival Michigan.  All this, plus we saw two quarterbacks go completely wild this week, with Robert Griffin III setting league records for rushing by a quarterback and Joe Webb right behind him.  We will break down all the games, and also take a look at the trades that wrapped up the trading window for the year.  Stay put, it is all coming at you right now.   We thought it might be a busy Trade Deadline and we were right.  Five big moves made within 24 hours as the trade window shut on Friday, including one move we did not see coming but which could be huge down the stretch. Let’s get right to it with the five moves that may well impact the final month and a half of action. Philadelphia added a weapon for QB Matt Gutierrez following the Stevie Johnson injury.  The Stars agreed to send a 6th rounder and backup receiver Lavelle Hawkins to the Ohio Glory for slot receiver Randall Cobb .  Cobb could split time inside and on the flank as he incorporates into Philadelphia’s run-first offense.  For Ohio, Cobb was expendable as he was already showing he had little intention of resigning with the club as his contract expires this fall.  He will now have 6 weeks to impress the Stars as he seeks to sign a multi-year deal. A rare in-division trade, and it was exactly what we thought as Seattle agreed to send 32-year old DE C. J. Mosely to the San Diego Thunder.  The deal also included 2 receivers as Seattle obtained receiver and return specialist Legedu Nanee and San Diego gets slot receiver David Clowney.  Seattle also lands a 6th round pick from the Thunder.  Expect San Diego to have Mosely come in on passing downs as he replaces injured starter Adewale Ogunleye. Las Vegas, still hoping to get into the Western Conference playoff hunt, shored up their secondary and helped Tampa Bay clear some cap room.  The Vipers send a 3rd rounder to Tampa Bay for Free Safety Antrel Rolle .  Rolle will turn 33 this year and has one more year on his deal.  He could look for an extension from the Vipers as they look to add more takeaway skills to their defense. Another deal for Seattle as they seem ready to move on from former All-USFL QB Byron Leftwich. With Jacoby Brissett now starting, Seattle added a veteran backup in Memphis’s Matt McGloin .  This almost certainly indicates that the Dragons expect to let Leftwich go in free agency this year and move ahead with the rookie Brissett, now with McGloin as the backup.  Memphis, for their part, gets a 4th round pick in the draft, with Eli Manning also possibly headed to free agency and rookie Paxton Lynch potentially taking over in 2017. And now the surprise move.  We felt confident that St. Louis would try to add more cap room, but we thought that they would move disgruntled WR Jordy Nelson as the obvious choice.  They did not.  Instead they made a deal with the New Jersey Generals that sends one of the best young linebackers in the league to the Generals.  OLB Aldon Smith will be the newest member of New Jersey’s D, adding a lot of talent and a lot of big hits to their roster.  New Jersey, in return, sends the Skyhawks their 2nd round pick this year and a 3rd rounder in 2018.    The deal makes all kinds of sense for New Jersey.  With Rey Maualaga on IR, the Generals have been shuttling in linebackers on the weak side, and now they get one of the best run-stuffing, ball-pursuing, and QB terrorizing options at the position, can bring Maualaga back on the strong side next year, and can use Smith in a late playoff run.  For St. Louis, losing one of their marquee defenders is big, but by sending Smith to New Jersey, they free up over $3M in cap space next year, space they may need if they are thinking of a full rebuild of the roster. It was a move that no one saw coming, but one that could potentially make a lot of sense for both clubs.    And so the trade window closes and now teams have few options outside of a pretty thin free agent pool if they need to deal with injuries down the home stretch.  Here is where roster depth will start to play a real factor in the final push for playoff positions across the league.             OAKLAND INVADERS 22   SAN DIEGO THUNDER 25 The first of two battles between the team most picked to win the division and the upstart team that currently leads the Pacific.  Playing at home, San Diego had something to prove, but it was not a given that they would take out the Invaders.  This one was nip and tuck all the way, but in the end, it was the homestanding Thunder that picked up the win and, in so doing, built up a 2 game lead on the division.    Joe Webb was the start of the game, doing his best impression of Robert Griffin III with 2 long rushing TDs along with a TD pass.  For Oakland the goal was to run the ball better, and they did, with Donald Brown and Knile Davis combining for 123  yards, but Joe Webb had what he needed late to get the win for the Thunder and send 48,302 San Diegans home happy.    The game began with Oakland going 3 and out as Shantee Orr tackled Pierre Garçon short of the first down on a key 3rd and 7 toss.  San Diego then marched down the field, highlighting former Invader Ryan Williams, who was eager to get some revenge on the team that let him walk in free agency.  The drive was progressing well, when Joe Webb took the game into his hands, or rather, his feet.  He bootlegged on a 2nd and 2, and he had plenty of running room, dashing 41 yards for a TD.   Oakland wrote the Webb play off as a fluke and got back to business on offense after a nice 31-yard kick return gave them the ball at their own 39.  Joey Harrington was sharp in his 2nd drive, hitting both Richard Rodgers and Davante Adams with big 2nd down completions to avoid a tough 3rd down.  In just over 5 minutes, the Invaders were knocking on the door and backup HB Tyler Ervin got the call, plunging into the endzone from the 3-yard line to put Oakland within 1.  But, when Roberto Aguayo doinked the PAT, Oakland had to settle for a 7-6 deficit.   The second half saw both defenses play well.  Oakland picked off Joe Webb on an errant throw, but failed on 3rd down and were forced to kick a field goal.  San Diego responded with their own field goal drive, sending the game to the half with a 10-9 lead for the home team.   When San Diego came out for the second half, they saw Oakland in a similar defense to Joe Webb’s earlier TD, and on a 1st and 10 they called the same play.  It worked just as well, this time with Webb getting a nice block from WR Nick Toon to free him for a longer 65-yard scoring run.  The play electrified the large San Diego crowd and gave the Thunder a nice 8-point lead at 17-9.    Oakland needed a response, and they got one, thanks to two nice balls from Harrington. The first came on a first and 10, when Taylor Gabriel used a double move to get open and Harrington hit him for a 16-yard completion.  3 plays later it was Harrington to Garçon for 22 yards, putting the ball into the red zone.  The drive came to another 6 points when Harrington found Gabriel for a second time, this time for 6. They would go for 2 to tie, but San Diego was up to the task and Oakland again came away with only 6 points, now trailing 17-15.   They would get their chance to take the lead on the first drive of the 4th quarter, another nice march down the field, led by a 28-yard pitch play to Knile Davis, who avoided the initial tackle, spun out of a second and took the ball into San Diego Territory.  A nice run by Donald Brown, and a short pitch and catch from Harrington to TE Richard Rodgers set up the ball at the San Diego 15.  From there, Harrington used a screen to Ervin to give the back his second score of the game.  This time Aguayo connected on the PAT and Oakland had its first lead at 22-17.    A five point lead is a dangerous position.  You don’t fear the field goal, but you know that one mistake puts you behind once again.  With over 9 minutes left, Oakland’s position was hardly ideal.  San Diego had the crowd behind them and had confused Oakland twice with bootleg runs.  That option forced the Invaders to overplay when Joe Webb sprinted to the left, particularly since it was Ryan Williams with the ball. A 14-yard run and a first down started off the drive right for San Diego.  Webb would then hit Kevin Everett over the middle for 11, followed by a 9-yard Williams run and a short completion to Chad Johnson, who would have only 2 catches on the day.  Slowly but surely, San Diego moved the ball into Oakland territory.  When Webb went for it all on a deep ball to Johnson, he did not connect, but the flag came out, defensive pass interference, putting the ball on the 5.    After a Williams run for 2 yards, Webb used the threat of the run to freeze the linebackers and found TE Luke Willson free in the endzone for the lead.  The Thunder went for 2, and got it on a scramble by Webb to the corner pylon.  Up 25-22 with 1:01 left, San Diego had to defend against the touchdown, but also against a game-tying field goal.  The defense did its job on the first account, but with 4 seconds left Oakland had a shot to equalize the score.  It required a 52-yard kick from rookie Roberto Aguayo, who had already missed from 53 earlier in the game.    The snap was a bit high, the holder brought it down, but Aguayo was out of rhythm and the kick did not stand a chance.  It fell both short and off to the left, giving San Diego their statement win and sending Oakland into a 5-5 tie with Los Angeles in 2nd place.    WASHINGTON 17   BALTIMORE 13 A big win for the Federals as they try to gain some respect, moving into first place in the NE Division by beating the Blitz in Baltimore. Washington’s front 7 got to Ben Roethlisberger 6 times, including 2 sacks from DE Matthias Kiawanuka.  David Garrard connected with HB Deuce McCallister for one TD toss and Kelvin Benjamin for the game winner.  With Darrius Heyward-Bey unable to go, Baltimore did not have a 100-yard receiver as Washington held their vaunted deep ball attack in check. POTG:  Federals’ QB David Garrard: 20/28, 245 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int   MEMPHIS 41    NEW JERSEY 27 Another statement win as Memphis went into East Rutherford and blew up the New Jersey defense.  Todd Gurley rushed for 143 and a score, while Anthony Allen added two more short TD runs as the Showboats spoiled Maurice Jones-Drew’s return to action.  MJD had a great game, rushing for 133, but it was not enough as Memphis scored on 6 of 9 possessions and also added a pick six to blow past the Generals. POTG:  Showboat HB Todd Gurley: 21 Att, 143 Yds, 1 TD, 4 Rec, 25 Yds   TEXAS 28    CHARLOTTE 21 Charlotte’s third straight loss drops them out of the playoff picture and puts them a game behind surging Orlando. Texas scored on three straight possessions in the 3rd and 4th quarter to break ahead of the Monarchs 28-14, and held on from there.  Brandon Wheedon had 3 touchdowns, but it was offset by 4 picks as the Monarchs simply gave Texas too many gifts to come back. POTG:  Texas LB Chad Greenway: 10 Tck, 1 TFL, 1 Int   MICHIGAN 17    CHICAGO 24 Chicago got the win they needed, evening their record at 5-5 and pulling Michigan within 1 game in the Central Division.  It took them 59 minutes and 29 seconds, but they got the lead on a Fitzpatrick to Kenny Stills TD toss with 31 seconds left to play.  Chicago’s D was masterful in containing LeVeon Bell, holding the league leader to only 1.7 yards per carry and daring Michigan to pass.  Cousins was knocked out of the game early in the 3rd, and with Taylor Heinecke in at QB the Panthers were unable to respond to the late Chicago TD. POTG:  Machine QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 21/28, 251 Yds, 2 TD   BIRMINGHAM 21   SEATTLE 24 With two new coordinators in place, along with Consulting Asst. Coach Wisenhunt, the Stallions looked better on offense, with Cam Newton throwing for 3 scores and T. J. Yeldon rushing for 128 on the day, but now the defense was the issue as Seattle, one of the league’s worst offenses, found their stride.  Rookie QB Jacoby Brissett threw for 228 and 3 scores.  Joseph Addai added 86 on the ground as Seattle won their second in a row with Brissett at the helm. POTG:  QB Jacoby Brissett, 25/39, 228 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   NEW ORLEANS 29   PITTSBURGH 7 The Breakers’ defense was too much for a Mauler squad that just has not had the same offensive swagger this year.  Andy Dalton threw three picks as New Orleans pressured him all game.  One of the came late as Pittsburgh was trying for a face-saving late score only to have Patrick Peterson snatch the ball in the endzone and return it 100-yards for a backbreaking score.  The win was New Orleans’s 6th in a row as they make a run at Houston in the South. POTG:  Breaker CB Randall Gay: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 FF, 1 FR   LAS VEGAS 17   OHIO 20 A tough loss for a Vipers squad that had eyes on a late playoff run. Ohio surprised both the Vipers and all of us by starting rookie Christian Hackenberg over Brock Osweiler. The play worked, with Hackenberg throwing for 2 scores, including the game winner to HB Rashad Jennings.  Of course, the bigger issue for Las Vegas is the loss of Cody Pickett, who suffered a season-ending injury.  Jeff Tuel finished out the game and may well finish out the year for the Vipers. POTG:  Ohio QB Christian Hackenberg: 25/40, 245 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 19   JACKSONVILLE 40 The Bulls leaned into the QB run this week and Robert Griffin III had a record-setting day.  The Bulls’ QB rushed for 217 yards and 4 touchdowns as an overwhelmed Atlanta defense had no plan on how to defend the dual threat QB.  With Kyle Orton out, Atlanta was already weakened, but touchdown runs of 43, 55, and 98 yards by Griffin just destroyed any hopes Atlanta had in this game. POTG:  Bulls’ QB Robert Griffin III: 12/23, 95 Yds, 0 TD, 13 Att, 217 Yds, 4 TD   PHILADELPHIA 27   ORLANDO 52 The Renegades and QB Russell Wilson were on fire against the Stars this week, racking up 417 yards of offense, most of it on the arm of Wilson, who went 21 of 27 for 331 yards and 4 scores.  Wilson spread the ball around with no receiver going over 100 yards but 3 different receivers scoring and 4 going over 50 yards.  Matt Gutierrez was picked off 3 times and sacked 5 more as Orlando’s aggressive defense kept the Stars at arm’s length all game. POTG:  Renegades’ QB Russell Wilson: 21/27, 331 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   PORTLAND 20   LOS ANGELES 27 The Express improve to 5-5 thanks to a solid defensive outing and 2 Sam Bradford TD passes.  LA sacked Marcus Mariota 5 times and, despite both Brian Quick and Alshon Jeffery going over 100 yards, they kept Portland out of the endzone.  On offense, Bradford connected with Roddy White and new weapon Demaryius Thomas for scores.  Reggie Bush added 80 yards rushing and LA held Portland to only 3 points in the second half as they pulled ahead after a 17-17 halftime deadlock. POTG:  Express DE Antwan Odom: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   ST. LOUIS 9    ARIZONA 27 Arizona built up a 17-3 halftime lead and never looked back, containing the St. Louis offense all game long.  The Skyhawks converted only 2 of 15 third downs and Josh Freeman threw two picks as Arizona used defensive discipline to hold them at bay.  With Jim Sorgi at QB the Wranglers still managed to put up 27, with Sorgi connecting with David Tyree 5 times for 115 yards and a score.  Frank Gore added a TD on a screen pass and CB Mike Mickens had the coup de grace, with a 41-yard pick-six to move the Wranglers to 9-1 on the year. POTG:  Wrangler WR David Tyree: 5 Rec, 115 Yds, 1 TD   TAMPA BAY 10   HOUSTON 41 After a tough first half that saw Houston up only 10-3, the Gamblers turned up the pressure in the 2nd half and pulled away with a big fourth quarter.  Matt Hasselbeck was back in action and looked good, throwing for 3 TDs.  Carlos Hyde added 81 yards and a score and the defense held Tampa Bay to 4 of 17 on third down as they moved to 8-2 on the season. POTG:  Houston CB Leodis McKelvin: 8 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF   DALLAS 30   DENVER 7 A brutal game for the Gold as they outgain Dallas 321-206 but commit 5 turnovers.  Matt Leinart was picked off twice and three more fumbles gave Dallas too many opportunities to mess up.  They got a pick six on the opening drive of the game and when Johnny Manziel went out with an injury, Landry Jones came in and threw 2 fourth quarter touchdowns to put the game out of reach. It was self-inflicted damage for a sloppy Denver club playing at home. POTG:  Dallas CB Billy Jones: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF Las Vegas Loses Cody Pickett to PCL Injury It was a rough week to be a Las Vegas Vipers fan.  They went into the weekend with a shot at .500 and a good position in the race for the Pacific Division, they leave the weekend at 4-6, out of playoff position, three games behind San Diego, the team that used to call the city home, and they also lose their quarterback, having one of the best seasons of his career, to a knee injury that forces him onto injured reserve. The play came early in the second quarter, Cody Pickett scrambling to avoid a sack.  He would throw the ball away, but not before taking a hit from Ohio linebacker Justin Durant.  Durant would fall at the knees of the Viper QB and right away you knew something was wrong.  Pickett was able to stand, but when he tried to walk to the sideline, his right knee gave out on him.  A teammate helped him to the bench, and then the cart took him into the locker room.  It would be Monday morning before the MRI could confirm what most feared, a significant injury, one with damage to the posterior cruciate ligament, meaning that the stability in Pickett’s knee would be severely impacted.  Pickett could get surgery, which is the way it will go, and that would allow him full use of the knee, but not for the next 2 months at the least.  That meant injured reserve, and that is where Pickett finds himself with 6 weeks left in the season and the Vipers still in striking range for a possible Wild Card.   The Vipers will move ahead with Jeff Tuel as the starter.  Curtis Painter moves up to the number two position and undrafted free agent Ron McLendon from Cal State Northridge moves from the practice squad to the 3rd position.  With the trade deadline now passed, Las Vegas has to either stand pat or take a shot with a possible free agent.  Right now, the most likely free agent options are either former Ohio Glory starter Vince Young, released by Baltimore after an injury cut short his comeback as a backup, or 35-year-old journeyman Josh McNown.  So, to say that there is not a lot of enthusiasm about the options is perhaps accurate.  For now it looks like Jeff Tuel will take over, and Las Vegas will try to rework their offense around the run game an short passes to protect Tuel.    Robert Griffin Runs for 200+, Keeps Bulls in Contention It was not your typical quarterback performance, not by a longshot, but it was effective.  Jacksonville leaned into Robert Griffin’s natural running ability and designed a game plan to take advantage of Atlanta’s 25th ranked run defense.  Call it the QB option, but what we saw on Sunday was more akin to the wishbone or single wing than a modern pro offense.  Yes, Griffin did have some standard shotgun passes or play action from under center, but more often than not he was in the pistol formation with Cadillac Williams to his side.  He would hand off to Williams, keep the ball and run with Williams blocking, or use the bootleg, faking to his back and taking the ball the other way.    Whatever you may think of the unorthodox system, it certainly worked against Atlanta.  Griffin set league records for rush yards in a game by a quarterback, rushing for a stunning 217 yards, well past the record set 2 years ago by Cam Newton.  He also rushed for a record 4 touchdowns, something no quarterback has ever accomplished, well, not since the early days of the NFL when the quarterback was also a halfback in most formations.  Griffin threw for only 95 yards on 12 completions, but with 13 rushes he not only had a POTW performance, but helped Jacksonville win going away against a division foe.  Will this new strategy work against the likes of Charlotte or Orlando?  That remains to be seen, but with the success this week, you can bet that next week’s foe, the Memphis Showboats, are working overtime to find ways to offset the QB run game.   Wilson Leads Orlando to Sole Possession of First in SE Division While Jacksonville and Robert Griffin were winning with a unique and somewhat unorthodox QB strategy, Russell Wilson was doing it in a far more conventional way.  Orlando put up 52 points on the Philadelphia Stars largely due to the efficiency of Wilson’s game in the pocket.  He had a few scrambles of note, finishing with 37 yards and a rushing touchdown, but from within the pocket he went 21 of 27 for 331 yards and 4 passing touchdowns.    But it was more than fantasy owners that were happy with Wilson’s game.  The Renegades have been hoping to see their QB take the next step towards being among the league elites.  This game may well have been the coming out party for Wilson.  In his 5th season in the league, Wilson is having his best numbers to date. He is on pace for a 4,000 yard season, averaging 212 yards per game, and with a 17:8 TD:INT ratio he may well see his highest TD total and lowest pick total in the same year.  His 86.8 QB rating may not yet have him among the league’s best, but Wilson is bringing better decision making and better game management to the Orlando offense, and that has brought with it a 7-3 record and sole possession of first place in the division, which is certainly all the fans and his coach can ask for.   Washington Blitzes Baltimore & Big Ben for Big Win The Federals were not expected to be among the contenders for the NE Division this year.  All the preseason pundits were looking at Baltimore and Pittsburgh.  They were not getting much respect around the league even at 6-3, with wins over many sub-500 teams (Atlanta, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, and Ohio), but with a win in Baltimore against the surging blitz this week may well have helped them gain the respect they believe they deserve.  With New Jersey losing this week, Washington now sits alone at the top of the Northeast Division.  And they are doing it without a clear dominance in any part of their game.   Washington is largely middle of the pack when we look at their numbers.  They are14th in points per game (21.4), 10th in points allowed (20.8 per game), 9th in passing, 18th in rushing, and only 20th in yards allowed, but they are winning games through tenacity and discipline.  They don’t make many mistakes, not big ones at least, and they are one of the least penalized teams in the league.    They have kept David Garrard largely untouched in the pocket, and they are still getting monster numbers when needed from 35-year-old Deuce McCallister.  McCallister is averaging 3.9 yards per carry and has nearly 800 yards rushing with 6 games left to play.  They are also spreading the ball around, with 5 different receivers over 20 receptions on the year, led by TE Kellen Davis with 46 catches and 558 yards.  Brandon LaFell (40 for 426) and Kelvin Benjamin (39 for 697) have been consistent, and even McCallister is getting into the passing game with 32 receptions.  Washington may not be the team making the headlines, or filling the highlight reels with insane plays, but they are winning games and outperforming expectations, just as Coach Sean Payton promised this offseason.   Ohio Starts Hackenberg & Earns a W It was a surprise, to the Las Vegas Vipers, the announcers, and even the fans in Ohio Stadium, but the decision by coach Tom Coughlin to pull Brock Osweiler and give rookie Christian Hackenberg the start turned out to be a good one.  It was not the former Nittany Lion’s first start of the season. That came in Week 4 when Osweiler had to miss action with an injury, but this was his first start while Osweiler remained an option. Coach Coughlin made the call on gameday, having worked with both QBs all week long.  Likely an unpolular choice with Osweiler, who had gone 1-3 since returning to action in week 6, the decision helped spark Ohio to a home victory against Las Vegas.  Now, many might argue that it was the injury to Cody Pickett, the Viper QB, and not Hackenberg, that produced the win, but we have to acknowledge that the rookie had a solid outing as well.  Hackenberg completed 62.5% of his throws (25 of 40) and tossed two touchdowns in the game, including the 4th quarter throw to Rashad Jennings that would go for 52 yards and a score.  Yes, most of Hackenberg’s throws were underneath, averaging 6.1 yards per completion, but he played within himself, did not turn the ball over, and looked poised as Las Vegas tried to confuse him with pre-snap adjustments along the defense.  Coach Coughlin has already announced that his rookie QB would be under center in Week 11 when Ohio travels to Denver to face the Gold in a battle of 4-6 clubs hoping to stay relevant in the Wild Card chase.  As we look at the first playoff standings of the season, it is clear that we may be waiting a while before we start to see postseason berths coming off the board.  Arizona is a likely early candidate, already 4 games up on 7th place Los Angeles (9-1 vs. 5-5), while 8-2 Houston may well need time to pull away from 7th place Charlotte, only 2 games back at 8-4, despite a 3-game losing streak.  We are also seeing most divisions pretty tight, at least as 2-team races after 10 weeks.  Houston has only a 1 game lead on both Memphis and New Orleans, with the Breakers riding an impressive 6-game win streak.  Orlando is a single game ahead of Charlotte, though the two teams seem to be headed in very different directions at present.  Washington gained a 1-game lead on New Jersey with this week’s results, but the Generals, along with both Philly and Baltimore, are still very much in the hunt.   Out west, Arizona, despite an excellent 9-1 mark, are only 1 game up on the Texas Outlaws, who have survived a road-trip season and sit at 8-2.  San Diego has builtup a 2-game lead on both Oakland and surprising Los Angeles.  Michigan has had some stumbles and now sits at 6-4, only 1 game up on a much-improved Chicago team.  So, the message right now is don’t expect too much news in the next couple of weeks.  Some of these divisions could well come down to Week 15 or 16 matchups to finally be decided. Jacksonville may have had a good week results-wise, but the loss of Barkevious Mingo could be a big hit for the defense.  Mingo broke his fibula in a pileup after a fumble.  He could theoretically be back in time for a playoff run, so the fact that Jacksonville placed him on IR tells us they don’t see that as a realistic option moving forward. New Orleans also took a hit with HB David Wilson now out with 4 broken ribs.  That will put more pressure on Jeremy Hill to be the bell cow back for the Breakers.    OUT DE          Barkevious Mingo           JAX         Broken Leg         IR QB         Cody Pickett                     LV           Torn PCL             IR HB         David Wilson                    NOR      Ribs                       IR WR         Brashad Perriman          ORL       Neck                     2-4 Weeks DT          Brian Price                     MGN     Hamstring         1-2 Weeks OT          Joe Haeg                       SEA        Collarbone        1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL SS          Darrian Thompson         POR      Concussion LB           Ahmad Brooks              LV           Tendinitis G            Amini Silatulo                  SEA        Hand G            Kyke DeVan                   HOU     Wrist   QUESTIONABLE QB         Kyle Orton                       ATL         Shoulder OT          Willie Colon                    HOU     Hand QB         Kirk Cousins                MGN     Concussion CB          Jalil Brown                  OHI       Hip WR         Leonard Hankerson      DEN      Broken Nose DT          Aaron Donald               PIT         Elbow   USFL Agrees to Expand Friday Night Football with ABC/FOX Deal The deal is done and the USFL will alter its weekly schedule in 2017 with 2 games on both Friday and Saturday nights.  The success of the Saturday Night Doubleheader, with one game starting at 7pm eatern (NBC) and the other at 9pm often from the West (ESPN/EFN), has led to an expanded Friday night offering.  The USFL and three of its television partners have come to an agreement to shift one of the Sunday afternoon games to Friday night, adding a second game to the weekend evening lineup and removing two regional games in the mix. The move, which will grant FOX and ABC 8 games apiece in the Friday Night slot, will also see NBC bump its Friday Night Lights to the 9pm ET slot. Allowing the peacock network to air a West Coast game on Fridays and an Eastern game at the 7pm slot on Saturday.  No games change hands between the networks, but what this move means is that at the 4pm slot on Sundays there will be only 1 game on both ABC and FOX, removing the regional coverage from one of the two Sunday afternoon slots.    Fans of the USFL will now have 14 nationally covered games each week, with the only two regionally broadcast games now occurring on Sundays at noon.  The weekend will kick off with an ABC/FOX game at 7pm on Friday night, followed by an NBC game at 9pm.  Saturday will bring the same lineup of 4 nationally televised games, 2 at noon and 2 at 4pm, and the same NBC 7pm game and ESPN/EFN 9pm ET game.  Sunday will now feature alternating weeks of regional coverage on either FOX or ABC, with the other hosting a nationally broadcast noon game.  At 4pm, both ABC and FOX will have a national broadcast game, and the weekend will end, as it has for nearly a decade, with ESPN and the ESPN Football Network simulcasting the last USFL game of the week.    Wranglers Reveal 2017 Look Two new Adidas looks for 2017 were revealed this week, to go with the new Orlando branding.  Arizona was the first to reveal their updated look and it has a clear callback to the early years of the franchise.  The emphasis on red and blue, and the simpler jerseys are a clear reference to the 1984 look.  The one big adjustment is that the Wranglers, for the first time in team history, are going to shift from a blue facemask on the helmets to a red one.  Of course the copper helmet and flame-adorned pants remain, it would be a crime to get rid of either. Bandits Back to Basics with 2017 Adidas Redesign Another team that is going back to where they began are the Tampa Bay Bandits.  Their new look is another minimalist look, returning to a grey helmet with grey facemask, traditional 5-stripe look on the helmet and pants, and a minimal use of sleeve striping at the cuff.  Looks like many teams are recognizing that with shorter sleeves in use, the presence of elaborate sleeve striping, as with shoulder stripes, is less effective than a more rudimentary sleeve cap and possibly a logo on the sleeve itself.  The one interesting novelty to the new Bandit uniforms is in the jersey numbers.  For the first time in team history Tampa Bay will go with red letters and a black outline instead of their traditional black lettering with red outline.    Week 11 gets off to a bang when the SE Division leading Orlando Renegades travel out to Arizona to face the Wranglers in a very strong Friday night game.  On Saturday we get 4 divisional games, with Portland @ Oakland and Seattle @ San Diego in the Pacific, followed by night games of Washington @ New Jersey and New Orleans at Houston.  That last one is going to be a doozy as both clubs have a lot wrapped up in this matchup.   Sunday brings us some games between contenders and teams on the cusp, starting off with Memphis visiting a 4-6 Jacksonville squad that still has playoff hopes.  Texas is at Las Vegas, where the Vipers are hoping to stay in the hunt despite losing Cody Pickett for the year.  Ohio visits Denver in a battle of 4-6 teams that cannot afford an out-of-division loss right now.  We then see Michigan visit LA and we close out the week with a bit of a Disappointment Bowl as Pittsburgh and St. Louis hope to lick their wounds a bit with a night game victory.   Friday @ 8pm ET            Orlando (7-3) @ Arizona (9-1)                         NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET      Dallas (3-7) @ Atlanta (2-8)                               ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET      Baltimore (5-5) @ Chicago (5-5)                     FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET       Portland (3-7) @ Oakland (5-5)                          ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET       Seattle (3-7) @ San Diego (7-3)                       FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET     Washington (7-3) @ New Jersey (6-4)             NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET     New Orleans (7-3) @ Houston (8-2)                 ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET       Philadelphia (5-5) @ Tampa Bay (2-8)              ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       Memphis (7-3) @ Jacksonville (4-6)                 ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        Birmingham (3-7) @ Charlotte (6-4)                FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET         Texas (8-2) @ Las Vegas (4-6)                          ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET         Ohio (4-6) @ Denver (4-6)                      FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET        Michigan (6-4) @ Los Angeles (5-5)               FOX Regional Sunday @ 8pm ET        Pittsburgh (3-7) @ St. Louis (2-8)                     ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Robert Griffin may not have done it in the traditional way, but he was the star of the week, rushing for 217 yards out of the QB position and scoring 4 touchdowns as Jacksonville crushed the Atlanta Fire. The Bulls gave up all pretense of having Griffin act as a drop back passer, combining bootlegs and designed runs with his passes and scrambles to overwhelm the Atlanta defense. PLAYOFF PICTURE: No teams have clinched or have clinching scenarios this week. Current tie breakers would have New Jersey, Chicago, and Oakland in the playoffs while Charlotte, and Los Angeles would be out, despite having the same overall record, but these tiebreakers will shift over the next 6 weeks.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: An easy choice this week as Carlos Hyde reminded us just how good he can be with a 129 yard, 4-TD explosion as Houston took care of a major challenger in the Southern Division, beating the Memphis Showboats and taking sole control of the lead at 7-2.

The USFL entered the second half of the season with a couple of divisional matchups that proved to be among the year’s best as Michigan battled with Chicago on Saturday night, a game ending with an overtime victory by the Panthers, and with Memphis and Houston going down to the wire on Sunday night.  Along the way we also saw New Jersey knock off Charlotte to improve its playoff bona fides. We saw Arizona take care of business once again, Baltimore make a statement in Pittsburgh, and San Diego get a huge win on the road in Denver.   It was a week that helped to solidify the playoff scenarios moving forward, and one which provided some hope for the downtrodden Seattle Dragons, as their rookie QB helped the Dragons earn their second win against arch-rival Portland.  We will run through all the games, discuss the seeming disparity between the East and West, and look ahead to Week 10 and the first playoff standings of the season.  All right here, right now, this week in the USFL.   Birmingham Cleans House After Bad Loss It was a bad look for a team that had higher hopes this season.  Birmingham had just gone on the road to face 4-4 Philadelphia and put up a performance that did not build any confidence in the direction of the team at all.  Not only had the Stallion defense given up 24 points before the offense even crossed the 50, but a pick-six had allowed Philadelphia’s defense to score more points than the Stallion O would muster all game.    The big stars for the Stallions looked anything but stellar, with Cam Newton throwing two picks and looking far less mobile as he rushed 4 times for negative-5 yards.  T. J. Yeldon averaged only 1.7 yards per carry against a Philadelphia defense that had given up some big games over the past month, and 2nd year receiver Amari Cooper, while leading all Birmingham receivers, had only 47 yards and was responsible for 3 drops on the day.  Nothing was looking polished or even functional for a Stallions’ offense that was held scoreless until the waning moments of the game.   On the other side of the ball, the defense seemed helpless against the Stars’ run game, with Derrick Henry making gashing runs on key plays as Philadelphia scored almost at will, 4 straight drives in the 2nd quarter to produce a 23-0 halftime lead.  Matt Gutierrez suffered no sacks, and only 1 pressure the entire game, giving way to backup Chad Henne in the 4th quarter as the game was well beyond Birmingham’s ability to mount a comeback.  It was a humiliating game, and just one of several over the past month, with the Stallions losing their 4th game in their last 5 outings, once again failing to score 20 points or more.  A change was needed. That change came on Tuesday, when management announced that both OC Sylvester Croom and DC Ray Horton were let go.  Head Coach Henry Ellard retained his position, but clearly is on shaky ground, saved perhaps only by his standing as an All-USFL star for the Stallions in his playing days. Birmingham promoted receivers coach Shawn Jefferson to OC and D-Line coach Nick Eason to the DC positions, but with a clear understanding that an internal solution may not be enough, they also brought in an outside “Consulting Assistant Head Coach” to help Ellard with everything from game management to player development.  Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Wisenhunt, who lost his job as Tennessee Copperheads head coach during the past NFL season, has signed on as a 2nd in command to Ellard, with the hope that he can help maximize the production of the trio of stars on the Birmingham offense.  Wisenhunt, who helped the NFL Cardinals win the NFC West in both 2008 and 2009, lasted only 2 years in Tennessee, fired after a 1-6 start in 2015, was previously thought of as an offensive guru.  His task in 2016 will be to help turn around a Birmingham offense that has underachieved and seems to be wasting the obvious talents of Cam Newton, Amari Cooper, and T. J. Yeldon.    The hiring could prove to be a double-edged sword for Head Coach Henry Ellard.  If Wisenhunt fails, we could see a full cleaning house move by ownership.  If he succeeds, it could produce a shift, with Ellard let go and Wisenhunt ready to step in.  It seems like a lose-lose situation for the former Stallion wideout turned head coach. Just how this plays out over the next 7 weeks will determine just what we see this offseason from the Stallions, a shift in leadership or a full reboot. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 31  HOUSTON GAMBLERS 38 Yes. we had an overtime thriller between Chicago and Michigan in the Central, but for sheer entertainment value and playoff impact, no game was bigger this week than the shootout between the Houston Gamblers and the Memphis Showboats. The two teams combined for more than 800 yards of offense and 69 points in a game that shifted back and forth several times and was not decided until the final minutes. It was a game that saw Eli Manning go 32 of 39 passing, that saw Carlos Hyde rack up 4 touchdowns, including the game winner, and in which both teams showed that they were among the league’s best by throwing haymaker after haymaker in one of the best divisional showdowns of the year. The scoring began early with 21 points put up in the first quarter, and never let up.   It began with Memphis putting together a 6-minute drive from the opening kickoff until the first touchdown of the game, a 2-yard crossing route toss from Manning to Cordarelle Patterson. On the drive, Memphis converted 3 third downs, they would finish the day 8 of 12. They got big runs from both Todd Gurley and Anthony Allen as well, a combo that would total 124 yards on the day, but still fall short of Carlos Hyde’s production for Houston.   Houston could not produce a drive in their first possession and watched as Eli Manning again led Memphis to the endzone on the second Showboat possession, with Manning again connecting on a short scoring throw, this time to Mark Clayton, to give Memphis an early 14-0 advantage. That deficit awakened the Houston offense, who needed only 5 plays to score on their second possession. It was a 44-yard catch and run by Mike Evans that put Houston in position for their first score, but it would be Carlos Hyde inside the 10 who punched it in, first with an 8-yard run to the goalline and then a 1-yard plunge to halve the Memphis advantage.   Memphis would add a field goal to make it 3 for 3 on scoring possessions, but Houston had found their footing and again moved the ball quickly on their way to another score. Once again it was Hyde punching the ball in that brought the Gamblers within 3. Hyde, who would finish the day with 129 yards on 21 carries, a 6.1 YPC average, proved to be the engine that moved the Houston offense, both moving the ball effectively on the ground and producing options for Colt McCoy in play action. McCoy would finish the game 12 of 19 for 276 yards thanks in large part to the Memphis defense being forced to bring up the safeties to help against Hyde.   With Houston now within 3 points, Memphis went to work on their 4th drive, hoping to make it 4 for 4 and expand their lead. They would use nearly 7 minutes on the drive, with Manning playing the short game with passes to Robert Woods, TE Jermichael Finley, and HB Todd Gurley on the drive. Memphis would find success again, this time with HB Anthony Allen breaking 2 tackles on his way to a 6-yard TD run with 1:56 left in the half. With the score Memphis increased their advantage to 10 points at 24-14 and made it 4 scoring drives to start the game.   Houston would need only 54 seconds to respond. Colt McCoy ran a brilliant 2-minute offense that saw him complete first-down earning passes to Dante Rosario, Johnny Knox, and Mike Evans before finding Roy Williams on a 28-yard touchdown strike to once again drop Memphis’s advantage to 3 points. Houston would go into the half having scored on 3 straight drives but needing to find a way to slow down the Memphis offense.   Both teams would see their scoring streaks end in the 3rd quarter, where the defensive adjustments at halftime seemed to shift the game away from its breakneck pace. Memphis failed on a 3rd and 11 for their first failed drive of the game (technically they ended the 1st half with a non-scoring drive, but that was by choice as they killed the clock to end the half). Houston produced only 1 first down before they were forced to punt on their 1st possession of the second half. Memphis’s second drive ended with a failed 4th and 2 attempt at the Houston 44, a swing pass to Gurley that lost 2 yards. It was a risky call on a short yardage attempt, and the failed attempt inspired the Gamblers, producing a double negative play for Memphis. Houston took the ball from that turnover on downs and went to work with a quick strike to Roy Williams, a 33-yard completion that would help Williams finish the day with 106 yards receiving. From there it was the ground game that would help them gain their first lead of the day. When Carlos Hyde plunged in from the 1 for his 3rd TD of the day, it gave Houston the 28-24 lead they had been fighting to obtain for 3 quarters.   Memphis’s offensive production seemed stunted by the change in momentum and the halftime adjustments made by the Gamblers. Gurley was finding room harder to find against the Gambler front 7 and Eli Manning was finding fewer receivers open on key downs. Memphis would again fail to reach the 50 on their next drive, and when Houston produced a field goal to open up the 4th quarter, the Showboats were down 7 and not feeling confident.   It would be TE Luke Stocker who would help get Memphis’s head back in the game. On a 3rd and 4, Stocker took a short pass over the middle and turned it into a 25-yard gain, sloughing off a tackler and lowering his shoulder to take on the safety in a play that seemed to give Memphis back a little bit of the swagger that they had started off the game exhibiting. Five plays later, the run game would again produce points as Anthony Allen again broke through the defense on his way for six points. Memphis had tied the score with 4:41 left in the game, but now needed a stop to get the ball back and put more points up to avoid overtime.   Tied at 31, Houston knew that their next possession would set the tone for the remaining minutes. They could not have a quick exit or Memphis could end the game with a late score. Coach Phillips needed his offense to retain possession, move the ball, and hopefully put up a game winning kick with little time left. The plan started off well, with three consecutive Hyde runs producing a first down and forcing Memphis to draw in closer. The defensive shift allowed McCoy to hit Mike Evans on an out route for 14 yards, and then Roy Williams with another outside catch for another first down. Now across the 50, Houston returned to the run game, with Ben Tate getting his only carry of the day, and then Hyde returning for another run to move the chains. The drive was working, but it was also moving very quickly, which had its own risks.   With just under 2:30 left on the clock, Hyde put Houston ahead with his 4th and longest TD run of the game, a 13-yard slashing run that left Memphis defenders looking foolish as they failed to get the right angle on the Houston back. The score put Houston up 7 but left more than enough time for a Memphis response. The Gambler defense would need to find an answer for Memphis’s attack or risk an overtime-producing score.   Memphis responded with a no-huddle offense, led by Manning, but relying heavily on draws and screens to outmaneuver the Houston zone defense. With good gains from both Gurley and Allen, and with a nice 3rd down play to Jermichael Finley, Memphis avoided trouble early and soon found themselves at the Houston 30. Needing a touchdown and with only 1 time out left, Memphis needed a big play. The pressure to get one, paired with a Houston defense which was giving up underneath throws but forcing Memphis to the middle of the field, produced the mistake that would give the Gamblers the win.   Rather than continue to dink and dunk their way towards the goalline, Memphis, concerned about the fleeting clock, opted to try to catch Houston with a quick strike. The Showboats wanted to break through the shell coverage, so they called up a hook & ladder play, hoping to use trickery to draw in the defensive backs and then catch them moving the wrong direction. The play started off well, with Manning finding Mark Clayton over the middle. The plan was for Clayton to make the catch, draw in the safeties, and then lateral the ball to Cordarelle Patterson, crossing behind him. The throw was good, the catch fine, the safeties did move in, but Clayton’s pitch to Patterson was behind the crossing receiver. It glanced off his hands and fell to the ground. The lateral was a live ball and a scramble resulted from the missed connection. It would be Houston LB Ramik Wilson who would emerge with the ball after several failed attempts to wrangle it. The failed trick play doomed Memphis, as Houston simply kneeled down with the ball 3 times to end the game and ice the win. A tough loss for Memphis, but a huge come-from-behind win for the Gamblers, who now sit alone atop the South. PORTLAND 16   SEATTLE 24 Richard Sherman got it all started for Seattle, thanks to a 40-yard pick six. Sherman would finish the day with 11 tackles and the POTG award as Seattle’s defense picked off Marcus Mariota 3 times to make life a bit easier for their struggling offense. Jacoby Brissett went 13 of 30 but did throw a TD to Dennis Pitta to help Seattle earn their 2nd win of the season. POTG:  Dragon CB Richard Sherman: 11 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   ORLANDO 6   NEW ORLEANS 16 The defense that won New Orleans a title last year was on full display as they limited Orlando to only 218 total yards, with Russell Wilson completing only 15 of 30 passes and mostly dump-downs as he passed for only 100 yards. Ty Warren had 2 sacks, one for a safety, and Orlando could only muster 2 field goals as New Orleans held them in check all game. Kenny Britt was the offensive star for the Breakers, catching both of Drew Brees’s TD tosses. POTG:  Breaker DE Ty Warren: 8 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty, 1 FF   BIRMINGHAM 3   PHILADELPHIA 30 In a bad showing all around, Birmingham was scoreless into the final minutes of the game as Philadelphia built up a 30-0 lead over 3 quarters. Sam Shields returned a Newton pick 37 yards for a score. Derrick Henry had 84 yards on the ground and added a 1-yard TD reception as well. Birmingham looked utterly helpless, leading to a purge in the coaching room on Monday. POTG:  Philadelphia HB Derrick Henry: 26 Att, 84 Yds, 1 Rec, 6 Yds, 1 TD   LOS ANGELES 17   OAKLAND 27 Oakland got the win they needed in what many considered a must-win game. Joey Harrington connected for scores with Pierre Garçon and Knile Davis. Davis also had 73 yards rushing, paired with 63 and a score from Donald Brown as a balanced offense helped Oakland solve the puzzle of the LA defense. Oakland’s defense held LA to only 59 yards rushing and that limited the effectiveness of Sam Bradford as well as Oakland takes sole possession of 2nd place in the division with the win. POTG:  Invader QB Joey Harrington: 18/23, 209 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   SAN DIEGO 13  DENVER 3 A defensive slugfest at Invesco Field as neither offense could get much done. Christian Ponder was injured, forcing San Diego to go with Case Keenum at QB, but Keenum and the defense did enough to preserve the win for the Thunder. Matt Leinart was picked off twice and the Denver run game produced only 53 yards as Denver could not take advantage of the shorthanded Thunder. POTG:  Thunder HB Ryan Williams: 18 Att, 83 Yds, 1 TD   BALTIMORE 51   PITTSBURGH 21 Don’t look now, but the Blitz are making a statement that their early season woes are well behind them. They simply demolished the Maulers for 472 yards of offense and 6 touchdowns as everyone got in on the action. Big Ben threw for 350 and had 2 touchdowns despite constant pressure producing 7 sacks. Anthony Dixon and Kerwynn Williams each scored twice, with the combo rushing for 109 yards on 26 carries. Brian Hartline had a huge game, going for 178 yards on the day. POTG:  Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 11/16, 350 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   CHICAGO 27   MICHIGAN 33  OVERTIME A very tight game between the Panthers and a Chicago team hoping to make a statement. The Panthers needed overtime to escape with a win as Chicago gave them a battle all the way. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 277 with 3 TDs and the Chicago D held LeVeon Bell to only 57 yards, but in overtime Michigan found their way into range and a 4-yard Mike Hart run put an end to the upset bid from the Machine. POTG:  Panther LB Odell Thurman: 13 Tck, 1 FF   DALLAS 28   TAMPA BAY 24 In a battle of teams that have disappointed this year, Johnny Manziel had one of his best games of the year, throwing for 4 scores and 328 yards as Tampa Bay blows a 24-21 lead in the final minute. Manziel connected with Tiquan Underwood and somehow the Tampa defense blew the coverage, allowing a 93-yard touchdown with only seconds left. Tampa had fought back from being down 21-3 to take the lead with 30 seconds left in the game, only to let it get away in the final seconds. POTG:  Dallas QB Johnny Manziel: 15/30, 328 Yds, 4 TD, 2 Int   WASHINGTON 20  OHIO 17 Ohio put up a fight but falls to 3-6 as Washington gets the win in a tough matchup played with thunderstorms interrupting play in the third quarter. The Feds had held a 17-9 lead, but Ohio came back with a 4th quarter TD and 2-point conversion to tie the game, only to watch as Adam Vinatieri hit the game winner later in the quarter. POTG:  Federals’ HB Deuce McCallister: 21 Att, 123 Yds, 2 TD   NEW JERSEY 17   CHARLOTTE 14 The Generals move to 6-3 thanks to a Quinton Carter pick-six and a solid defensive gameplan. Adrian Peterson got his first start in the USFL and rushed for 45 yards on 16 carries. Delone Carter got the start for New Jersey with MJD still out. He helped keep the Generals 2-dimensional, with Brett Hundley connecting with FB William Swan for New Jersey’s only offensive TD on the day. POTG:  New Jersey FS Quinton Carter: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   JACKSONVILLE 10   ARIZONA 25 The Bulls knocked MVP candidate David Carr out of the game, but not before Arizona had built up a 19-3 lead, with Carr hitting Fitzgerald for 2 scores in the first half. Jim Sorgi kept the Wranglers on top and the Arizona defense did the rest as they held Jacksonville out of the endzone until the waning moments of the game. Sorgi even added a TD, finding Daniel Graham for a late score. POTG:  Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald: 4 Rec, 100 Yds, 2 TD   ATLANTA 7   LAS VEGAS 30 Vegas looked solid against a Fire team that appeared unmotivated and disengaged. Cody Pickett went 28 of 39 for 252 and 2 scores while the combo of Montario Hardesty and Brandon Oliver combined for 137 yards and a score. TE Tyler Eifert had 5 catches on the day for the Vipers, 2 of them going for scores as the Vipers dominate. POTG:  Viper DE Matthew Judon: 3 Tck, 2 Sck   ST. LOUIS 7   TEXAS 10 No rain in San Marcos, but high winds made passing a task, producing a low scoring game that made no one happy to be there. Both QBs struggled, with Joe Flacco uncharacteristically completing only 41.7% of his throws (only 10 of 24). Marshawn Lynch was the key for the Outlaws, pounding out 118 yards despite often facing 8-man fronts. Texas CB Pacman Jones had 8 pass defenses on the day, but the vast majority of those were wind-aided misses from Freeman. POTG:  Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 22 Att, 118 Yds   Carlos Hyde Goes Off in Huge Win for Houston With all eyes on the developing QB story in Houston, Carlos Hyde has had himself a very good year with very little notice.  With injuries to Matt Hasselbeck allowing Colt McCoy to get in games and to impress everyone from the media to Houston’s fanbase, the limelight has clearly been on the QB position.  But as that drama has unfolded, Carlos Hyde has just continued to make plays and rack up yardage.  After his 4-touchdown, 129-yard day, we expect more folks will be recognizing just how good his year has been.  Hyde currently sits in 4th place on the rushing leaderboard with a very solid 664 yards.  His 4-TD day now puts him at the top of the board with 9 TDs, 2 more than either Marshawn Lynch or Anthony Dixon. His 252 yards receiving also leads all backs.  Hyde is a complete weapon for the Gamblers, unafraid to either block or be a safety valve receiver on passing downs, able to run to the edge or right up the gut.  The press may want to talk about a budding QB competition between Hasselbeck and McCoy, but the secret to Houston’s offensive success may be something much more essential, a dual threat, three-down, all-purpose back in Carlos Hyde.   Tampa Fans Irate at Defense After Last Second Turnaround We really cannot blame Tampa Bay fans for being irate with the club.  For two years they have made bids for top QB talent only to have the NFL steal away the star rookie talents.  The run game is among the worst in the league, averaging barely 50 yards per game, and the defense, well, the less we say about the Bandit defense perhaps the better.  So, we can understand why the boo birds were out early and often as the Bandits hosted the Dallas Roughnecks, another team struggling to play consistent and quality football.   But, for a change, the Bandits were winning this week, having put up the go-ahead touchdown with only 30 seconds left to take a 24-21 lead in the game’s final minute.  Certainly, this would be the Bandits’ third win of the season and a good start to the second half.  Everything seemed to be in their favor, after all, Dallas had botched the kickoff and with only 27 seconds left they were sitting at their own 7-yard line. So, when, after 2 incompletions, Johnny Manziel not only found Tiquan Underwood on a deep ball, but the Bandit secondary was so unfocused and out of position that Underwood was able to turn the 20-yard toss into a 93-yard touchdown, you can understand the palm-to-face reaction among the few Bandit faithful still engaged in the game.   Bandit fans gave up in that moment.  It was clear from the calls made in to local sports radio.  The fanbase is disillusioned, distraught, and simply done with this season’s team.  You name a member of the Bandit organization and fans want that person fired, from ownership all the way to the water boy.  Even minority owner and film star Burt Reynolds was criticized by fans in the days that followed.  And while we generally agree that Cannonball Run 3 was not a good movie, we are not sure how that impacts the play of the Bandits this year.   So, what is Tampa Bay to do?  They have just suffered a humiliating loss, giving up the unthinkable last second touchdown in a new low for the franchise, a franchise that has 3 league titles and was once one of the most feared offenses in football.  Clearly Head Coach Mike Shula is preparing to receive a Black Monday call into the owners’ suite.  But how much more is needed.   The defense needs an injection of both talent and discipline, the run game is a shambles, and it seems very clear that the Bandits are not ready for prime time.  A full autopsy of the season is needed, and we still have 7 weeks left to play.  A lot of change is needed, and a lot of turnover should come with it.  This is not the look the Bandits wanted as they prepare for their 35th anniversary season in 2017, but it is the reality for this once proud and now down-and-out franchise.   NFL Import Ponder Lost for Season San Diego may have gotten the win this week in Denver, putting an end to a modest 2-game losing streak, but the win came at a cost as NFL import QB Christian Ponder went down with a non-contact injury that will place him on IR for the rest of the season.  With Joe Webb already held out due to lingering issues with a neck injury suffered in Week 6, it was up to Case Keenum to finish out the game, and very possibly to get the start in Week 10.  The Thunder have brought in former general Bryan Hoyer to back up Keenum if Webb is again inactive this week, but the Ponder injury has more long-term ramifications.   The expectation was that Ponder would quiet possibly get the starting nod at some point this season, after reasonable time to recover from the past NFL season.  He was called to duty in Week 6, when Webb first suffered his neck injury (compacted disc).  Since then he has played in 4 games, and has had midling results, with 6 picks to only 3 touchdowns.  Now, with Ponder out, and Webb still uncertain, it may be up to Keenum in the short term, and San Diego may not yet know what the long-term plan is.  Webb is only 29 and could stay on as the starter, Ponder could do as many NFL imports do and come on in his second USFL season, or the Thunder, who are looking like a pretty well-rounded team, could go a different direction for 2017 and beyond, but for now, it looks like San Diego will make due as they can, hoping Webb is healthy if not this week, then by Week 11.  They have a slim 1-game lead over the rest of the Pacific Division, but have a huge game against Oakland, the closest pursuer, this week.    Carr Questionable for Week 10 Arizona QB David Carr limped off the field in last week’s win over Jacksonville.  The diagnosis was a deep thigh bruise, which is good news when one considers the other options with a leg injury, but the bruise could be substantial enough to keep Carr out of this week’s game against St. Louis.  The MVP candidate is listed as questionable, which means a 50/50 chance to play this week.  If he cannot go, then it will be Jim Sorgi once again under center.  Sorgi, a 12-year backup, last started a game back in 2011 and has appeared in only 4 games since then.  He is trusted enough that Arizona allowed Nick Foles, last year’s backup, to depart in free agency, but he is certainly not as dangerous an option as Carr has proven this season.  If Carr can go, he may be limited, with mobility and escapability an issue, something St. Louis would certainly try to use to their advantage.  If Sorgi gets the start, expect a lot of Frank Gore, and far fewer deep shots than we have gotten accustomed to with the Wranglers. In addition to the Christian Ponder injury outlined above, there were several other season-impacting injuries, including Las Vegas center Wesley Johnson and, at least for the short term, Atlanta QB Kyle Orton, who is likely out at least 2 weeks.  Here is the full rundown of this week’s new additions to the injury list.   OUT QB         Christian Ponder    SD          ACL                       IR C             Wesley Johnson      LV           Quad                    6-8 Weeks SS           Patrick Chung          JAX         Miniscus             2-4 Weeks CB          Brandon Flowers     ARZ       Groin                    2-4 Weeks WR         Keenan Allen           OAK      Ankle                    1-2 Weeks QB         Kyle Orton                ATL         Shoulder             1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR         D.J. Hackett        CHA      Pinched Nerve G            Brett Williams        STL         Concussion CB          Mark Donohue      NOR      Ankle CB          Brandon Carr           DAL       Migraines WR         Brandon LaFell        WSH     Knee   QUESTIONABLE QB         David Carr                     ARZ       Thigh OT          Eric Fisher                        SEA        Eye HB         Javon Ringer                 MGN     Neck WR         Danny Amendola           SD          Concussion WR         Darrius Heyward-Bey  BAL        Hamstring   Texas Oil Man Trevor Rees-Jones Joins Alamodome Rebuild Project It would appear that Red McCombs, former owner of the Texas Outlaws, has already found a partner for his proposed privately-funded rebuild of the Alamodome and anticipated re-entry into the USFL.  Trevor Rees-Jones, the 65-year old founder of Chief Oil & Gas, has signed on with McComb for the major project.  Rees-Jones, who began his career as a bankruptcy lawyer, founded Chief in 1994, and has spent most of his life in and around Big Oil in the Dallas area, getting his JD degree at Southern Methodist.    Rees-Jones is expected to help McComb bankroll a significant portion of the Alamodome project, with the expectation being that the city of San Antonio will be responsible only for about 1/5th of the project cost, far less tha one normally sees in a stadium project, but aligned with their expected investment were Chubb insurance to cover the cost as had been anticipated.  With Chubb having denied the claim on the Alamodome after it was partially destroyed in 2015 Memorial Day tornadoes which ripped through the city, the far higher cost of the project for the city had the potential to completely derail any efforts to build a new facility.  However, McComb, having sold off his portion of the Texas Outlaws, is now working with the city on a proposal that would limit the municipal contribution to the project while granting McComb and his investors, which now includes Rees-Jones, control of the facility.    Whether or not Rees-Jones will also take on minority ownership of the proposed USFL expansion franchise which McCombs hopes to bring to the new Alamodome, is as yet unknown.  What is known is that Rees-Jones represents a significant addition to McCombs own financial standing, one that may also attract other investors to the project, and potentially to an ownership group for the city of San Antonio as it hopes to rejoin the USFL in the near future.   Nine Teams in East over .500, only Five in the West As we prepare for the first official USFL playoff picture in Week 10, the standings already show us that we are looking at something of a disparity between the two conferences.  In the East we have 9 teams sitting at 5-4 or better, including a whopping 6 teams all at 6-3 as there is a clear logjam at the top.  Houston leads the conference at 7-2, but beyond that we have 8 teams and only 5 potential playoff spots available.   Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, we don’t even have enough clubs with winning records to fill the 6 possible playoff spots.  There are only 5 teams currently with winning records, though Chicago, Las Vegas and LA are both only 1 game back at 4-5 and could come into the mix down the final 7 weeks. Right now Arizona is sitting pretty at 8-1, with Texas a game back at 7-2, and no other team better than 6-3, but if the playoffs were to start today, 4-5 Chicago would be the final Wild Card team, despite having a losing record.   So, what should we expect down the stretch? A lot of battling, particularly around the .500 mark between Chicago, LA, Las Vegas, and 5-4 Oakland in the West.  In the East, the battles will be between those 6-3 clubs, including division battles between New Jersey and Washington, Memphis and New Orleans, and Charlotte and Orlando.  Houston hopes to stay out of the fray, and 5-4 Baltimore and Philadelphia are certainly expecting to make some noise as well.  Problem is that there are only 6 spots, so while the West may scramble to fill the last couple of playoff berths with .500 teams, the picture seems to be that 9-7 won’t do it in the East.  Ten wins may not even do it if all shakes out as it could. That’s a tough race to be sure.   Top Trade Deadline Candidates With the trade deadline fast approaching this Friday, there is a lot of talk around the league that we could see a wave of movement in the final days before trading is locked for the season.  With a wide open playoff hunt in full effect in both conferences, and with a few key injuries impacting teams across the league, we could see some movement as playoff contenders try to add a key piece that will put them over the top, while, at the same time, teams that are already planning for 2017 might well be open to selling off some talent in hopes of adding more draft collateral, as well as cap space, before August’s free agency window opens.    While it is nearly impossible to accurately assess which teams will pull the trigger on a big deal, we do think there are some players who are in a position where a trade now could be in the works.  In some cases it is a matter of teams trying to get some value from a player before their contract expires and they become free agents.  For others, cap space is the primary concern as they look ahead to the 2016-2017 offseason.  We have identified 5 players on teams that are in the “seller’s market” right now, teams that could be looking to reboot their rosters, free up some cap room, acquire some picks, or just move a disgruntled player now, before they have to do so with no compensation in free agency.  We have selected 2 receivers, 2 backs, and an edge rusher who could be in high demand as the trade deadline looms.  How many will move will depend very much on how each team envisions their future and the needs they see to find success.   WR Jordy Nelson (STL) Nelson wants out of St. Louis, that seems clear, and since he will be a free agent as of August, the Skyhawks’ best chance to get some value for him is to trade him this week, ahead of Week 10’s trade deadline.    WR Randall Cobb (OHI) Ohio is going to be undergoing both a cap and a roster purge this offseason, so why not get started early and get some draft picks to rebuild what is looking like a struggling roster right now.  Cobb has more upside than most of the offensive underachievers on the Glory roster, so we would start there.   HB Rashad Jennings (OHI) With Isaiah Pead the clear lead back in Ohio, perhaps third down specialist Rashad Jennings makes sense as trade bait as well.  There are certainly teams that are in need of Jennings’s skills down the stretch.   HB Matt Forte (CHI) Chicago is in an interesting position. They seem uncertain who their starting back is, alternating between Doug Martin (136 carries for 573 yards) and Matt Forte (118 carries for 477 yards).  The 2-back system has worked for them, but if they want to upgrade they may need to trade one to address another position of need.  Both have 1 year left on their contract, so at 32-years-old, Forte seems the easier of the two to send off with a year to pay off on his deal.   DE C. J. Mosely (SEA) Seattle is not going anywhere fast, and with Mosely a free agent as of August, it might make sense for the Dragons to make a deal and send him somewhere just to get some draft capital.  Problem is, the team that is most in need of a short-term solution at DE is a division rival, San Diego.   Week 10 officially kicks off the playoff race, with the first playoff picture released by the league.  It is also a week that sees several key divisional matchups, all kicking off with a longstanding NE Division grudge match between Washington and Baltimore.  With a win, the Blitz could even their record with the Federals and put themselves right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.  But, a win by Washington and they send Baltimore back to .500 and put 2 games between the two Potomac rivals.   On Saturday we move from the Northeast to the Central Division with the 2nd of our back-to-back showdowns between Chicago and Michigan.  After barely eking out a win at home, in overtime, Michigan now travels down to Chicago, where the Machine is hoping that home field will help them get the best of their rivals.  Later in the day we head out west for one of the biggest games in the short history of the Thunder in San Diego.   They host the Oakland Invaders, and a win by the home team means a 2-game lead over Oakland in the division, something no one could have foreseen before the season kicked off.  Oakland knows this full well, and also knows that a win in San Diego puts them right there, tied with the Thunder atop the Pacific.   On Sunday, we stay in the Pacific, where the 4-5 LA Express are hoping to throw their hat into the division race by knocking off the Portland Stags.  A win here puts LA at .500 and potentially within 1 game of the lead in the division with 6 weeks left to go.  The evening matchup has Dallas visiting Denver in a SW Division game that could determine if the Gold are contenders or pretenders.  They need a good showing against Dallas to return them to .500 and keep them within sight of the top of the division standings as well as the Wild Card race.   Friday @ 8pm ET             WASHINGTON (6-3) @ BALTIMORE (5-4)          NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET       MEMPHIS (6-3) @ NEW JERSEY (6-3)                  ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       TEXAS (7-2) @ CHARLOTTE (6-3)                           FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET          MICHIGAN (6-3) @ CHICAGO (4-5)                      ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET        BIRMINGHAM (3-6) @ SEATTLE (2-7)                  FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET        NEW ORLEANS (6-3) @ PITTSBURGH (3-6)      NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       OAKLAND (5-4) @ SAN DIEGO (6-3)                     ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET         LAS VEGAS (4-5) @ OHIO (3-6)                         ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       ATLANTA (2-7) @ JACKSONVILLE (3-6)          ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET       PHILADELPHIA (5-4) @ ORLANDO (6-3)        FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET           PORTLAND (3-6) @ LOS ANGELES (4-5)        ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET         ST. LOUIS (2-7) @ ARIZONA (8-1)                     FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET       TAMPA BAY (2-7) @ HOUSTON (7-2)             FOX Regional Sunday @ 8pm ET            DALLAS (2-7) @ DENVER (4-5)                          ESPN/EFN

We reach the midway point of the season with quite a few surprises all across the league. From Arizona’s offensive explosion to the rise of clubs like Memphis, New Jersey, and San Diego, 2016 has not been the season we predicted, and we are loving it. We are watching as LeVeon Bell reaches for the league rushing record, as Larry Fitzgerald has us wondering if 2,000 yards is a realistic possibility, and as Vic Beasley comes out of nowhere to challenge Calais Campbell’s sack dominance. We are also surprised as we try to figure out what has gone wrong in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Dallas.  We have seen Baltimore look horrible and then fully turn it around, as New Orleans shook off a very slow start to rise over the last month, and as Oakland seems to have withered even before the summer heat arrives. Will new stories emerge out of the season’s second half? Will someone we write off now prove us wrong, or will a current hot story fade away as the spring turns to summer? Lots of stories this season, lots of questions moving forwards. We will do our best to capture it all in this Midseason Review edition of This Week in the USFL. Our Midseason Award Favorites Here we are, crossing over the midpoint of the season and ready to give out our picks for the midseason award winners, frontrunners for the end of season awards. We will run through all five major awards and give out a couple of others as well as we review the season’s opening half.   MOST VALUABLE PLAYER This year’s MVP race already feels like a 2-man showdown, with Arizona QB David Carr going up against Michigan HB Leveon Bell. Both have very legitimate claims to the title and very impressive numbers at the season’s midway point. Carr would seem to have the edge for two reasons, firstly that he is a quarterback and this award does tend to lean towards that position, and secondly, that his club is 7-1 while Michigan is good, but 5-3 is not the same.  It is hard to argue with Carr’s numbers being MVP-worthy: 2,560 yards, 24:4 TD:INT ratio, and a 137.1 rating. He leads the leagues in all three major passing stats and is on pace for 5,000 yards with a chance at reaching 50 touchdowns. Bell’s claim is based on his 818 yards, which puts him on pace for 1,600 by season’s end, were he able to push that higher, into the 1,700 range and challenge Herschel Walker’s still-valid league record from 1983 of 1,767 yards, we could see Bell overtake Carr, but without a run at the record, Carr will be hard to beat.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR If Carr nabs the MVP, then Bell is the clear frontrunner for OPOTY.  If somehow Bell overtakes Carr, then we could see the Arizona QB here, or, in an odd twist, we could see his favorite target, Larry Fitzgerald, snatch the award away from the quarterback. Fitzgerald is sitting at 994 yards at the midway point, meaning he could make a legitimate run at 2,000.  If he can reach that number, he could well garner enough votes to overtake either Bell or Carr.   DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR A lot here depends on if folks are still tired of Calais Campbell simply owning the sack race every year. There will certainly be momentum to recognize the strong 2nd year from New Jersey DE Vic Beasley, but for as good as his season has been, he is still 5 sacks behind Campbell in sacks, which means he could end the year down even more. Can voters really give him the DPOTY title if he is 7-10 sacks behind Campbell and if Orlando is a playoff team? Seems unlikely. The other potential dark horse is in Chicago, where Brian Urlacher just continues to be a force at MLB, leading the league in tackles at the midway point. Urlacher’s hopes lie in Chicago finishing the year above .500, because no one is going to reward defensive play on a losing team.   ROOKIE OF THE YEAR We dubbed Derrick Henry the winner nearly a month ago and we are seeing nothing to alter that prediction. Henry is currently 4th in rushing in the league with 573 yards after 8 weeks.  No other rookie even appears on the leader boards in most categories, and as much as we like the season’s being put up by Orlando safety Deion Bush and Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright, it is tough for a defensive rookie to overtake a halfback with the season that Henry is putting together.   COACH OF THE YEAR We have several contenders because we have several teams with surprise success. It will largely depend on which club finishes the year looking like the most dangerous playoff team. Among those to consider this year are New Jersey’s Norv Turner, San Diego’s Dick LeBeau, and Memphis’s Rex Ryan. Based purely on the fact that he is new to the league, that he is having immediate success in his first season, and that he is a legacy coach, the son of a legendary coach in Memphis, we have to say that Rex Ryan has the inside track if his Showboats can keep pace with Houston in the South and make a serious run at the division title. It will not be easy with the Gamblers and now the Breakers right there in a 3-team race.   COMEBACK PLAYER Not an actual end of year award, but we wanted to highlight that Denver WR Golden Tate is deserving of some accolades after missing 7 games to injury last year and returning this season in top form. Tate had only 520 yards and 41 catches in an injury-shortened 2015, but has returned in 2016 with a newfound intensity. He has already surpassed his 2015 numbers, with 48 receptions and 766 yards on the year, on pace for his best season yet as a member of the Gold.   BREAKOUT PLAYER Another category we invented to highlight a strong season from a relative unknown.  We would give this award (if it existed) to New Jersey’s Brett Hundley, who is 7th in passing yards and has helped New Jersey surge to an unexpected 5-3 record in his first year as the starter.  After spending his rookie season behind Sam Bradford, Hundley is emerging in his sophomore season, putting up better numbers than we see in LA from Bradford and making Norv Turner look good in the process. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 33    JACKSONVILLE BULLS 27   OVERTIME We got a surprisingly good back-and-forth game between the Federals and Bulls this week, a game that went to extra time to be decided as the Feds get an overtime touchdown to take the win and move to 5-3. Jacksonville put up quite a fight in this one as Robert Griffin III did it with his arm and his legs, keeping the Federals’ defense off balance all game long.    This was a game between two teams that tend to win with defense and clock control, but in this one we saw a combined 900 yards of offense as both clubs found ways to exploit the defenses of their opponent.  Kelvin Benjamin made some huge plays for the Feds on his way to a 116-yard day, while the Bulls saw a combined 166 yards rushing between Cadillac Williams, Matt Jones, and QB Robert Griffin III.  It was a game that saw the lead change 5 times, including 3 lead changes in the second half before the game went to overtime.    The first big play came in the late stages of the first quarter. After a series of short drives produced a 3-0 lead for the Federals, Jacksonville got the ball at their own 22, and after gaining a first down to the 37 on a nice Williams run, they got a huge play from QB Robert Griffin as he bootlegged on a play action run-pass option, keeping the ball and fooling the Washington  linebackers. As they pursued Williams to the right, Griffin sprinted to the left. A nice juke on the safety and he was off, dashing 63 yards to paydirt and to his longest run in over a month.    The two teams traded field goals early in the 2nd, before Washington finally got their first score of the game. It was Benjamin, bringing in a nice deep ball from David Garrard and scoring from 39 yards out to give the Feds their first lead since the early 3-0 starter.  The lead would not last long, however, as Jacksonville mounted a nice 2-minute drill to end the half, putting their own touchdown on the board when Griffin hit Cadillac Williams out of the backfield for a 4-yard score. Jacksonville was up on the favored Federals 17-13 at the half.   Washington received the 2nd half kickoff and proceeded to march the ball down the field, putting it in the endzone on the 15th play of the drive, a bullet of a pass from Garrard to TE Heath Miller, splitting the coverage. Down 20-17, Jacksonville responded on their next drive, using 11 plays, including a bad offsides call against the Feds, to move the ball down the field before Griffin hit Andre Caldwell to put the homestanding Bulls back on top.  The 4th quarter began with Jacksonville up 24-20.   Washington responded midway through the 4th as Garrard connected with Brandon LaFell for 11 on a key 3rd down, completed passes to 4 other receivers and then let the savvy veteran, Deuce McCallister recover the lead with a 1-yard plunge. The score was 27-24 with 6:36 on the clock.  Jacksonville could not mount a drive on their next possession and kicked the ball back to Washington with just under 5 minutes left. Washington tried to run down the clock but needed a 3rd down conversion to keep possession. They failed as David Bowens burst into the backfield to disrupt the 3rd down run of McCallister, forcing a punt with 3:03 left to play.   The Bulls needed at least a field goal to tie but hoped for a touchdown to get the win in regulation. They got as far as the Washington 18-yard line but failed on two shots to the endzone. David Akers would put the ball through the uprights with only 46 seconds left, but it would be a late stand that seemed to fuel the Federals as the game went into overtime.    Washington won the toss and got the ball first, with a chance to end the game before giving Jacksonville a shot at the ball. They mounted a 73-yard, 14-play drive that included conversions on a 3rd and 7 and another on 3rd and 4.  Inside the redzone, Washington did what the Bulls had not been able to do at the end of regulation. On a 2nd and 8 at the 12, they found a scoring throw as Garrard connected with Brandon LaFell for the 12 yard score and the game winner. A tough loss for a very game Jacksonville team, but a good win for a Federals team that now shares first place in the NE Division with the Generals. ORLANDO 16     TAMPA BAY 10 We are not sure if Tampa has discovered their defense or if Orlando just had a trap game that caught them unprepared, but this one was a lot closer than anticipated. The Bandits held Russell Wilson to 141 yards passing, and while the combo of Moreno and Muray gained 142 yards, they struggled with the Bandits, who had the game tied at 10 with only 5:49 left before a late Wilson to Dwayne Bowe TD toss gave Orlando the win. POTG:  Bandits DE Tank Carradine: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   MICHIGAN 17    BALTIMORE 20     OVERTIME The Blitz reach .500 with a solid home win against a good Michigan team. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 347 and a score, while Josh Lambo provided 4 field goals to help Baltimore get the W. The Blitz defense focused on LeVeon Bell, holding the potential MVP to only 46 yards on 20 carries, a season low 2.3 yards per carry. Michigan had a 17-14 lead, but a late Lambo field goal took the game to overtime and in the extra period Lambo did it again with a chip shot 26 yarder to give Baltimore the win. POTG:  Blitz kicker Josh Lambo: 4 of 4 on field goals.   NEW ORLEANS 23    ATLANTA 6 The Breakers’ defense held Atlanta to 198 total yards and only two John Bounds field goals as they dominated the game. Atlanta went 1 of 10 on third down, committed 3 turnovers and saw Kyle Orton sacked 5 times in a dominant performance for the New Orleans D. David Wilson paced the Breaker offense with 62 yards on only 12 carries (5.2 per carry) as the Breakers move to 5-3 after a rough 1-3 start. POTG:  Breaker CB Randall Gay: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 FF, 1 FR   SAN DIEGO 17   ST. LOUIS 22 The Skyhawks stun the Thunder with a 22-5 run in the second half to upset San Diego.  Jordy Nelson and Eddie Lacy put up 3rd quarter scores and a pick-six of Christian Ponder (in for a dinged-up Joe Webb) put St. Louis up for good as the Thunder struggled in the 2nd half with Webb down. Ponder threw two picks and was sacked 3 times in the second half as St. Louis turned up the pressure. POTG:  Skyhawks’ CB Vontae Davis: 5 Tck, 1 int, 1 Def TD   TEXAS 31    DALLAS 21 Dallas played the Outlaws tough but, in the end, there was just too much from Joe Flacco and the Outlaw offense. 2nd half TDs to Marques Colston and Julius Thomas helped Texas pull ahead and hold the lead down the stretch. Both Colston and Marqise Goodwin went over 100 yards and scored on the day as Texas moves to 6-2.  POTG:  Texas QB Joe Flacco: 15/25, 291 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   PITTSBURGH 30   PHILADELPHIA 33 A really fun game between these two in-state rivals as the Stars get back to .500 with a key home win. The defense helped the cause with a fumble recovery TD from DE Malik Jackson, 6 sacks of Dalton and 2 picks. Derrick Henry scored another TD and rushed for 76 yards, while Matt Gutierrez found Alan Robinson for another score. Pittsburgh scored the final 13 points of the game, but just did not have enough left to get one more drive. POTG:  Stars DE Malik Jackson: 8 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FR, 1 Def TD   LAS VEGAS 22   ARIZONA 37 Arizona got nearly 200 yards from Larry Fitzgerald and 99 yards combined from Gore and Carey as they pull past the Vipers to move to 7-1 at the halfway point. Fitzie went for 198 on only 5 receptions as David Carr hit him for both 74- and 52-yard scoring strikes. Jimmie Graham also had a big day for the Wranglers, snagging 4 passes for 83 yards, including a nice 43-yard catch and run. POTG:  Wrangler WR Larry Fitzgerald: 5 Rec, 198 Yds, 2 TD   SEATTLE 26   MEMPHIS 31 Rookie QB Jacoby Brissett had a solid game going 21 of 43 for 212 in his first start, but it was not enough as Memphis pulled away in the 3rd. Seattle fought back with TDs by Ajayi and Emmanuel Sanders to make it close, but Memphis would hold on. Eli Manning went 16 of 24 for 189 yards and 2 scores as the Showboats move to an unexpected 6-2 at the halfway point of the season. POTG:  Memphis LT Tyson Clabo: 12 pancake blocks on the day.   NEW JERSEY 10   BIRMINGHAM 16 A much-needed home win for the Stallions as they hold off New Jersey. Brett Hundley was sacked 5 times by Birmingham in a game that saw both clubs struggle to put together drives. Garrett Hartley went 3 of 4 on field goals to create the differential between the two as the defenses won the day. POTG:  Birmingham CB LaDarius Webb: 4 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   DENVER 14   PORTLAND 24 A bit of a surprise as the Stags found their offense against Denver. Mariota went 25 of 38 for 191  yards and a score, while Felix Jones and LeMichael James combined for 94 yards and 2 scores as Portland held off the Gold to move to 3-5 at the midway point. Denver got 86 yards from DeMarco Murray but struggled in the passing game with Leinart sacked 4 times and gaining only 161 yards on the day. POTG:  Jason Fisk, Portland DT:  6 Tck, 2 Sck   OHIO 14   CHICAGO 17   OVERTIME Chicago reaches .500 at the midway point thanks to a solid game by the defense. Ryan Fitzpatrick survived a 3-pick afternoon in large part because Chicago’s D got the ball back twice with picks of their own. A 48-yard TD by Chicago WR Aaron Dobson sent the game to overtime, where Chicago shut down the Ohio offense and then put up the winning kick to improve to 4-4. POTG:  Chicago WR Aaron Dobson: 8 rec, 121 Yds, 1 TD   CHARLOTTE 20  LOS ANGELES 22 The Express get a big win as they too improve to 4-4 on the year. Knocking off the 6-1 Monarchs at Farmers Insurance Field, LA built up a 22-3 lead and held on as Charlotte rallied late. Reggie Bush and CB Gustavo Carr got the key scores for LA on a 7-yard run and a 55-yard pick six of Brandon Wheedon, who remains snakebit with interceptions. POTG:  LA corner Gustavo Carr: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   OAKLAND 10   HOUSTON 24 Oakland is not happy to be 4-4 at the 8-week mark after they drop another game. Houston’s Colt McCoy looked good again, throwing for 261 and 3 scores as the Gamblers move to 6-2 and remain atop the Southern Division with the win. Mike Evans had 2 scores and Roy Williams added another as both receivers were over 90 yards in the game. Oakland had their run game going, but when Joey Harrington went down early, Ryan Lindley struggled with few practice snaps to mount a steady offense. POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy: 13/19, 261 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int We will use the power of the Top 5 list to decipher the first half of the 2016 season, with its surprises, break out performances, and trends.  Looking across the league, we hope to make sense of where we are now and where we may be when the regular season wraps up in 8 more weeks.  Let’s get right to it with the 5 biggest head-scratchers of the season to date.   Five Big Unsolved Mysteries of 2016   How is an Express team with a Top 5 defense in both yards and scoring sitting at 4-4?   OK, this may be the easiest mystery to solve.  No need to call out Scooby & the Gang on this one.  The LA Express are the 2nd best defense in the league in yards allowed and are third best in points, allowing only 17.2 points per game, but their offense has still not fully found a way to capitalize.  The acquisition of Demaryius Thomas has not fully begun to pay dividends yet, but with Coach Reid using Reggie Bush more effectively, the Express have won 3 of their last 4.  They have a lot of division games coming up, and if they can start to put more than 21 points a game on the board, they could go on a run, which would put an end to this enigma.   Where did the pundits go wrong with Dallas? For many the Roughnecks, coming off an 8-7-1 record, were a team ready to take the next step and compete for the SW Division.  We look now and we see a 1-7 team, a defense giving up 31.4 points per game, and an offense that is one of the three worst in the league.  So what did the pundits miss?  First off, it seems we all vastly overestimated QB Johnny Manziel and a receiving corps that lacks true punch.  Manziel has fewer than 1,000 yards at the season’s midpoint and does not have a single receiver over 400 yards. TE Ben Watson leads all receivers with 35 receptions, which is not a ringing endorsement of the wideout group in Dallas.    Then there is that defense.  They can get to the QB (3rd in sacks with 33 as a team), but they cannot stop the run, having already allowed over 1,100 yards to opposing backs in only 8 games.  When you add in a -7 turnover ratio, the Roughnecks simply cannot get teams off the field and far too often give them a short field to play with.  None of this bodes well for a club that had high hopes going into the season.   What happened to Byron Leftwich? Benched this week, the former All-USFL quarterback is currently the lowest ranked regular starter in the league.  He sits with a 64.3 QB rating, a 6:7 TD:INT ratio, and a 1-6 record as a starter. Leftwich seems to have fallen off a production cliff, and no one is sure just why.  When we look at his 2015 stats we see a completion rate that is nearly 20% higher, we see 22 TDs to only 10 picks, and we see a rating over 100, so where did it all go wrong?  Is it simply wear and tear on the 35-year-old?  Is it mental?  It should not be a scheme issue as the coaching staff did not change in the offseason.  This one remains a mystery, and now, with Leftwich on the bench, we may not get an answer this year.   What has gotten into the San Diego Thunder? Sitting at 5-3 after 8 weeks, San Diego joins New Jersey as one of the bigger surprise success stories of the year.  But what has been going right for the Thunder this year?  The easiest piece of the puzzle to identify is the arrival of Ryan Williams at halfback.  Williams is on pace for 1,100 yards and has the Thunder run game among the top 10 in the league.  That has had a very positive impact on QB Joe Webb and the passing game as well.  While Webb is not putting up huge numbers, he, when healthy, has been solid enough to keep San Diego in games and pull out some tight ones.  The final piece of the puzzle is a defense giving up only 18.8 points per game.  Led by LBs A. J. Hawk and Shantee Orr, the Thunder are solid up the middle. You have Haloti Ngata anchoring the interior line, Hawk and Orr stuffing the run behind them, and Coy Wire commanding the secondary.  That core has made the entire defense much better and has helped them get teams off the field with one of the league’s best rates for 3-and-out possessions.  All that together helps explain why San Diego currently sits in sole possession of 1st place in the Pacific.   Is David Carr really an MVP Quarterback? It seems odd to say it, because Carr has never had the numbers or the reputation as a game-dominating QB, so how can he be among the frontrunners for the award?  Well, the 2016 Wranglers are 7-1 at the break, have the league’s best offense, and have been making big play after big play.  Carr, who threw for only 2,749 yards all of 2016 (a Summer Bowl season), already sits at 2,560 this season, on pace for a 5,000-yard total.  He has 24 touchdowns and only 4 picks.  And he is doing it with huge chunk plays.  Just look at his two primary receivers, Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant.  Both outside threats are averaging over 30 yards per reception.  OVER THIRTY PER CATCH!!! That is insane!  Even TE Jimmie Graham is at 17.8 yards per catch.  Those are just insane numbers.  When we consider that Frank Gore is not even on pace for a 1,000-year season (He has 446 at the midway point) it is mind-boggling to think that Arizona could have a 5,000-yard passer, a receiver close to 1,800 yards and possibly 2 other 1,000 yard receivers.  If that comes to pass, how do you not call David Carr an MVP candidate?   Five Break Out Stars of 2016 Lots of great performances so far in 2016, so who are the players that have emerged, going from potential to performance this season in a way that has everyone talking about them?  We picked five who we think are making their presence felt this year.   QB Brett Hundley (NJ) With Sam Bradford gone in free agency, the Generals took a chance on a 2nd year QB prospect out of UCLA. Hundley has delivered, helping to place New Jersey atop the East at 5-3, and putting up some good numbers along the way.  Hundley is currently 7th in the league with 2,084 yards passing, His 12:11 TD:INT ratio is not ideal, but he is completing over 60% of his passes and, most importantly, has New Jersey winning games.   HB Derrick Henry (PHI) No surprise here, not with the half-season that Henry has had.  His 573 yards put him 4th among league rushers and Philadelphia has been leaning on the Alabama product to be the centerpiece of their offense, even more now that Stevie Johnson has been placed on the IR.  It is a lot for a rookie back to shoulder, but Henry seems more than ready to take it on.   WR Denarius Moore (LV) The 5th year receiver for the Vipers is having his best season to date, on pace for 112 receptions and 1,200 yards. Moore has been a solid contributor for the Vipers since they were in Nashville, but this year he is putting up his best numbers and beginning to get some notice as Cody Pickett has chosen him as his favorite target.    DE Vic Beasley (NJ) Another break out star for the Generals, Beasley is having a monster sophomore year in the league.  He sits at 11 sacks, on pace for a 20-sack season.  If not for another monster performance by Calais Campbell, Beasley would be a potential DPOTY. He is getting double teamed nearly every play, but still finding ways to get to the QB.  New Jersey has found themselves a gamebreaker in Beasley.   CB Justin Gilbert (SD) The third-year corner for the Thunder is having himself a big year.  We probably should have noticed him last year, when he finished with 72 tackles, but this year, with 36 already and 3 picks to go along with it, Gilbert is getting known as a corner you want to avoid if you can.  Gilbert has one of the league’s best catch-to-target ratios and is looking very much like a possible 1st time All-USFL selection for the surprising Thunder.   Five Coaches Who Should Be Worried For every success story, there are teams that underperform, or which just don’t make progress year to year, and for those clubs, the kneejerk reaction is that the coach is the issue, and a change is needed.  So, as we look across the league, we certainly see some heat being applied to coaches whose clubs are not where we all thought they would be.   Stump Mitchell (SEA) After a 7-9 season in Seattle, there were signs that the Dragons could be on the upswing, but the 1-7 start to 2016 has to have ownership questioning whether Stump Mitchell is the man to get it done. Seattle is in disarray on offense, which is supposed to be Mitchell’s strength. Now, after benching Byron Leftwich, Mitchell’s position may well depend on the performance of rookie Jacoby Brissett.   Mike Sherman (DAL) Another club that seemed to be headed in the right direction only to take a major step backwards.  After improving the Roughnecks from 5-11 to 8-7-1 in his first two years, big things were expected from Dallas this year, but a 1-7 start now has folks in the metroplex calling for Sherman’s head.  If he cannot show some signs of improvement over the final 8 weeks, ownership in Dallas may decide that 3 years is enough.   Mike Shula (TBY) This is a tough one because Shula won a title with the Bandits in 2011, but since then the team has just not been able to recover from a generational change of roster.  They surprised many in 2014, jumping from 7-9 up to 12-4, but lost in their first playoff game.  Since then, it has been 4-12 last year and a seemingly directionless 2-6 so far this year.  Despite the bright spots over the years, the lack of consistent growth may well signal the end for Shula in Tampa Bay.   Bruce Arians (STL) Another Summer Bowl winner, Bruce Arians was on top of the world as recently as 2012, but since then, the Skyhawks have been unable to regain the magic of that season.  They made the playoffs last year at 10-6, so there was hope that Arians had righted the ship after a couple of rough years, but this year’s 2-6 start has folks wondering if there is any future for the Hawks with Arians at the helm.  If the club opts to blow it all up and start over, that could spell the end of Arians’ time in St. Louis.   Henry Ellard (BIR) Yes, it is only his second year, but what Henry Ellard faces is a fanbase that cannot believe that a team that has Cam Newton, T. J. Yeldon, and Amari Cooper, three statewide heroes from their college days and three very talented young players, cannot generate any offense.  The Stallion faithful expect this club to be dominating on offense, but they are averaging fewer than 20 points a game and it seems Ellard does not have any solutions.  That could be a major issue, even for a former Stallion great, unless he can start to get some results in the season’s second half.   Five Players Who Could Look at Free Agency This time of the season we recognize that it is normal for many of the bigger name players on team rosters to be unsigned for next year, holding out for a better deal or delaying negotiations.  But, from that large pool of talent, only a few will decide to explore their options, avoid resigning with their current team and take the plunge into the treacherous waters of USFL (and NFL) free agency.  As we look across the league, there are some players who may well opt to go that route.  Some are not happy with their roles at present, others may be looking for a big payday.  We picked 5 players who are in contract years and who we think could well be considering a move.   WR Jordy Nelson (STL) While he is a clear number one in St. Louis, if the Skyhawks continue to struggle, and if a full rebuild is in the works, Nelson may well decide to take his talents elsewhere, somewhere that has more solid footing and a better chance for immediate success.   QB Byron Leftwich (SEA) If Leftwich believes he has more in the tank, and that the Dragons have given up on him too soon, he could certainly sign a short-term deal to be an option somewhere else.  There are certainly many teams that could use a QB with his experience and (previously obvious) talents.  His 2016 struggles will be an issue, so a 1-year “prove you still have it” contract may be the best option for the veteran.   DE Dwight Freeney (PIT) Freeney is a part of perhaps the best D-line in the league, alongside Aaron Donald and Jared Allen, but he is something of an underappreciated part of that line.  If he hits the free market, he will be perhaps the most sought-after defender on the board, and that could produce a huge payday for him.  Don’t be surprised if he jumps at the chance to become one of the league’s highest paid defenders with a move.   WR Keenan Allen (OAK) Allen has been pretty vocal about his interest in being a true number one receiver.  He had a fabulous 2014 season but last year he slipped quite a bit as Davante Adams seemed to become Joey Harrington’s favorite target.  He is on pace for a 1,200-yard season this year, so perhaps he is feeling the love once again, but if he truly wants a shot as a number one, moving on from Oakland may well be the way.   QB Eli Manning (MEM) What a time to have what may be his best season. The idea in Memphis was for Manning to mentor rookie Paxton Lynch, likely giving way to the youngster in 2017, but Manning seems to be proving his worth just at the right time. He can leave the Showboats with Lynch for next year and still have a financial windfall in an offseason when his 2016 success will pay off.  Don’t be shocked if Manning finds himself wearing the colors of a 4th USFL team.     Arizona Won’t Put Dansby on IR Despite a PCL tear that required surgery last week, the Arizona Wranglers have confirmed that they will not be putting veteran LB Karlos Dansby on IR.  The 33-year-old Dansby is expected to miss no less than 8 full weeks, with 10 weeks an even more realistic estimate of when he could return to game action.  That timeline means that the Conference Championships are very likely the earliest action he could see.  Call it confidence or call it respect for Dansby’s role on the team, the move means that if Arizona were able to progress in the playoffs, they could see their defensive captain back on the field.  That is a gambit Arizona is willing to take, even if it essentially puts them a man down for the rest of the regular season.    Dansby is in his 13th USFL season, all of them with the Wranglers.  He is the undisputed leader of the defense and has been a dominant force on their defense through good years and bad.  If there is any chance that the veteran can be on the field for the Conference and League title games, Arizona wants to be sure he is available.  So, no IR for Dansby, and an opportunity for the linebacker to make an appearance just as Arizona seeks to claim its second title.   McFadden Possibly Done for the Year In Charlotte, the verdict is still out for Monarchs’ HB Darren McFadden. MRI Imaging showed that there was a partial tear in the tailback’s groin muscle, a painful injury and one that can be tricky to rehab, but the timeline for recovery is uncertain.  It is expected that McFadden will miss at least a month, but there is a chance that the recovery could take twice as long.  Due to the uncertainty, Charlotte will not place the IR tag on McFadden at this time.  He may be able to return for the closing weeks of the season and Charlotte wants the option to bring him back if it is possible. McFadden leads the 6-2 Monarchs with 513 yards rushing.  The club had signed Adrian Peterson from the NFL as insurance and in part as a reclamation project. Now it looks like Peterson will be thrust into the role of the lead back, at least for the next 4 weeks.  Taiwain Jones and Kenneth Dixon will be in support, as it is uncertain if Peterson can truly handle a full-time workload.  McFadden had taken on the bulk of all rushing attempts, with 140 touches compared to 72 for all other backs combined, so the loss is a big one, but now Peterson will be tasked with carrying the club’s run game, with McFadden’s return date very much up in the air. One new addition to IR as San Diego will be without DE Adewale Ogunleye after the big man was diagnosed with a torn quad in his left leg.  Several other players likely to be out for several weeks, including Texas DE Chris Harrington and Charlotte HB Darren McFadden.  Expect to see Christian Ponder under center for San Diego this week as well, with Joe Webb suffering from a concussion in last week’s game.   OUT DE        Adewale Ogunleye        SD          Torn Quad           IR HB         Darren McFadden          CHA      Groin Tear              6-8 Weeks DE          Chris Harrington             TEX        Wrist                       4-6 Weeks WR         Brashad Perriman          ORL       Neck                         4-6 Weeks G            Chad Ward                      WSH     Abdominal               1-2 Weeks WR         Danny Amendola           SD          Concussion              1-2 Weeks DT          Marcus Tubbs                 MEM     Concussion            1-2 Weeks HB         Joique Bell                    ORL       Personal                   1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL OT          Marcus Cannon               HOU     Stress Fracture                WR         Darrius Heyward-Bey  BAL        Hamstring HB         Javon Ringer                   MGN     Neck G            Mitch Morse                   LA          Back QB         Joe Webb                       SD          Concussion   QUESTIONABLE LB           Darryl Sharpton            ORL       Migraines LB           Jonathon Goff               TBY        Turf Toe DT          Ndamukong Suh             DEN      Eye WR         Mike Wallace                   SEA        Knee Midseason Power Rankings Not much change at the top or the bottom of our Power Rankings, but a lot of movement up and down the chart in the middle.  Teams who started 1-3 or 0-4 turning things around, others dropping several games in the season’s second quarter produce some drops as well.  It is fluid, folks, just remember that.  But, with that intro in place, let’s get right to the listing, with Arizona still sitting pretty at the top and Seattle mired at the bottom.   1—ARIZONA WRANGLERS (7-1)              NO CHANGE No surprise here as the Wranglers have the top scoring offense in the league and the best record.   2—HOUSTON GAMBLERS (6-2)               NO CHANGE 1st in yardage and passing, the Gamblers now have 2 QBs who look like they could both be at the top of their games.    3—CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS (6-2)               UP 6 SPOTS They don’t always win big, they just win. They came within a safety of being 7-1 at the halfway point as LA just edged them out this week.   4—TEXAS OUTLAWS (6-2)                          UP 1 SPOT The team’s future is becoming clearer, their present is pretty solid, with Flacco and Lynch leading a dynamic offense and with a solid defense to complement it.   5—ORLANDO RENEGADES (6-2)            DOWN 1 SPOT The best first half Orlando has had in years, led by an improving Russell Wilson and the league’s best defense in yards allowed.    6—MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (6-2)            UP 5 SPOTS The Showboats have proven they are for real, averaging 24.1 points per game and tied with Houston atop the South.   7—MICHIGAN PANTHERS   (5-3)              DOWN 4 SPOTS A tough loss in Baltimore keeps them from 6-2, but this is still a very solid team on both sides of the ball, allowing a league best 14.5 points per game and leading the league in rushing.   8—SAN DIEGO THUNDER (5-3)               UP 4 SPOTS One of the season’s surprise stories, San Diego has lost 2 in a row, which has to concern fans that the fun early season ride is showing some signs of weakness.   9—NEW JERSEY GENERALS (5-3)           DOWN 3 SPOTS They have beaten some very good teams, but they have a tough schedule ahead.  Can New Jersey remain a contender through the remaining weeks?   10—NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (5-3)    UP 7 SPOTS Four straight wins have helped wipe out the sour taste of a 1-3 start, but they still find themselves in a tough spot with both Houston and Memphis ahead of them.   11—WASHINGTON FEDERALS (5-3)     UP 4 SPOTS Better than most expected, thanks in part to a revived passing game. LaFell, Benjamin, and TE Kellen Davis are proving a solid group of receivers for David Garrard.   12—BALTIMORE BLITZ (4-4)      UP 15 SPOTS An 0-4 start was followed by a 4-0 second month. Watch out, the Blitz seem to be playing angry, and they seem to have also found their defense, a bad combo for the rest of the NE Division.   13—DENVER GOLD (4-4)            UP 1 SPOT Consistency is the issue with Denver, which knocks off the Wranglers one week then loses in Portland the next.    14—OAKLAND INVADERS (4-4)               DOWN 6 SPOTS They started 3-1, then dropped 3 of 4 to sit at .500 after 8 weeks. With 3 straight divisional games coming up (LA, @ SD, Portland), they can make a statement over the next few weeks.   15—PHILADELPHIA STARS (4-4)             DOWN 8 SPOTS Another team that started fast (3-1) but has struggled of late. Their win this week against Pittsburgh is a good sign that the first month was not a mirage.   16—LOS ANGELES EXPRESS (4-4)         UP 10 SPOTS The Express have won 3 of their last 4, including a nice win against Charlotte this week. They will have 4 divisional games in their next 5, including 2 against Oakland, so the time is now to make a move.   17—CHICAGO MACHINE (4-4)                UP 8 SPOTS The Machine have swept Ohio and surprised Texas in the last month.  Can they keep that up and make a run in the Central? They play Michigan back-to-back these next two weeks.  Sweep that series and it is Chicago’s division to lose.   18—PITTSBURGH MAULERS (3-5)          NO CHANGE Just as they start to show signs of life with wins over Ohio and Washington, they cannot take care of Philly and drop below .500 again. It does not get any easier with Baltimore and New Orleans up next.   19—JACKSONVILLE BULLS (3-5)             DOWN 9 SPOTS The defense has been there, but it cannot do it alone. The Bulls’ need more from their offense, particularly QB Robert Griffin III if they want to top .500 this season.   20—BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (3-5)     DOWN 7 SPOTS Speaking of a team that needs more on offense, Birmingham has some big names, but they are only putting up 18.8 points a game and Cam Newton is not delivering as most expected he would, pushing the Stallions to the basement of the Southern Division.   21—PORTLAND STAGS (3-5)     DOWN 1 SPOT Maybe trading away Fitzpatrick was not the best move. The Stags are only averaging 15.4 points per game with Mariota running the offense. Of course, the loss of Jonathan Stewart has also been a tough one to come back from.   22—LAS VEGAS VIPERS (3-5)   NO CHANGE The Vipers have had some good games, winning 3 of 5 and losing 3 of their 5 games by a field goal or less. They need more from their 24th ranked defense if they hope to hit .500 this year.   23—OHIO GLORY (3-5)               DOWN 7 SPOTS The Glory just don’t have an answer at QB right now. They have to win with defense and by shortening games, and when you have 1 winning path, it is hard to win many games.   24—ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS (2-6)              DOWN 5 SPOTS A hugely disappointing half of the season, but the win this week against San Diego shows that there are still signs of life in St. Louis. The question of a full blow-up/rebuild are still very much on the table however.   25—TAMPA BAY BANDITS (2-6)                DOWN 2 SPOTS Losing Pat White has meant that the Bandits have had to rely on rookie Dak Prescott.  White may be back as soon as this week, so does that provide a spark?   26—ATLANTA FIRE (2-6)              DOWN 2 SPOTS Fans are getting tired of Kyle Orton’s limitations, and we suspect that management is as well. Expect Atlanta to be a player in the QB hunt this offseason.    27—DALLAS ROUGHNECKS (1-7)          DOWN 6 SPOTS This is not the season anyone expected from the Roughnecks this year, but when your defense gives up 371 yards and 31.4 points each game, you are not going to win often. This could be big trouble for Coach Sherman.   28—SEATTLE DRAGONS (1-7)                  NO CHANGE A team clearly in need of a youth movement, Seattle is testing out rookie Jacoby Brissett, which may mean that veteran Byron Leftwich could find another home this offseason.   More Clarity on New League Uniform Options We have gotten more clarity from the USFL on its updated uniform policy to go into effect in 2018.  Along with the switch from Adidas to Under Armour as the league’s uniform and apparel provider, the league introduced some new uniform guidelines, but questions quickly arose as to what the guidelines meant for each club.  We have gotten some clarity on that as USFL officials spoke with our team about the new policy.   What we learned is that as of 2018 teams will be able to have as many as 5 uniforms.  Each team will have a designated home and away set, the typical dark and white sets we currently see.  Additionally, each team could designate a home and away set based on past uniform designs, a throwback set for home and road.  The stipulation is that these sets must represent uniform designs that are at least 10 years old and that they can only be worn as part of a “throwback game” in which both teams where similar throwback sets.  Finally, each team will have one alternate set, themed around the team’s history or its host city or region.  One final limitation on the team looks is that of the helmet.  Each team may have up to two different helmet shells but may modify the logo decals with either set.  This means that a team like Washington could have their current designs on the white helmet as well as a throwback set that depicts their 1983 logos and striping on the same white shell.  They could then opt to create a green helmet alternate, a black helmet alternate, or perhaps use a silver helmet to go throwback and use their standard white for a new alternate look.  What is not possible is for a team like Baltimore to have a blue helmet for regular use, a “white-out” option, and a silver throwback.  They would have to stick with 2 helmet colors for all 3 looks (modern, throwback, and alternate).    Early indications is that many teams are set on their throwback looks, but the alternates will be designed in conjunction with Under Armour and Riddell as each team gets its revised design package between 2018 and 2023. So, what can we expect?  Here are a few early hints:   We should expect to see teams which have changed their helmet color over the  years use the 2-shell rule to bring back a classic look.  That may be good news for Baltimore fans who hope to see a retro silver helmet.  But, since most clubs have stuck with the same helmet color throughout their history, what may be more prevalent is seeing 2 designs on the same shell. For example, the Breakers could bust out their original Boston blue colors alongside their current teal designs.  LA could use the classic 1983 Express “LA” logo on the same silver shell they use for their modern “jet” logo.  It also means that many of the 2nd shells could be used for the alternate look.  Could we see a return to the short-lived Tampa Bay “Night Rider” black helmet?  How about New Jersey in blue?  Chicago or Pittsburgh playing up the grey in their color scheme, or a team throwing in a whiteout look or a black-for-black’s-sake look just to mix things up?  Of course, we will need to see if any clubs opt to modify their current designs and helmet colors as they work with Under Armour as well. After all, we just saw Seattle go from forest green to white shells, so there could be others who use the new policies to try out something new but keep a tie to the past through the throwback option.  Exciting stuff for fans of sports design, and it will all start with the 2018 reveals at some point next year.  We open the season’s second half with a rivalry game that has seen better days.  This year’s Cascade Clash features two teams with a combined 4-12 record.  Seattle will start rookie Jacoby Brissett again as 2nd year QB Marcus Mariota gets the start for the Stags.   On Saturday we have some good ones, kicking off with 6-2 Orlando headed to 5-3 New Orleans.  Then, at 4pm, a California Derby with some punch behind it as both LA and Oakland sit at 4-4 after 8 weeks.  San Diego travels to Denver in a key inter-divisional game, while the two night games feature key divisional rivalries as Baltimore heads to Pittsburgh on NBC and Chicago is in Michigan on the late ESPN/EFN game.   Sunday has only 1 divisional matchup, the night game between Memphis and Houston, with both sitting at 6-2 after 8 weeks. During the day, we have an intriguing one with New Jersey at Charlotte at noon and then at 4pm we see St. Louis, hot off their win at home against San Diego, headed to Texas to face the Outlaws in a game to be played at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos.   Friday @ 8pm ET             PORTLAND (3-5) @ SEATTLE (1-7)                 NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET      ORLANDO (6-2) @ NEW ORLEANS (5-3)        ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET      BIRMINGHAM (3-5) @ PHILADELPHIA (4-4)   FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET        LOS ANGELES (4-4) @ OAKLAND (4-4)         ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET         SAN DIEGO (5-3) @ DENVER (4-4)                   FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET        BALTIMORE (4-4) @ PITTSBURGH (3-5)           NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET         CHICAGO (4-4) @ MICHIGAN (5-3)                ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET       DALLAS (1-7) @ TAMPA BAY (2-6)                    ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET        WASHINGTON (5-3) @ OHIO (3-5)               FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET         NEW JERSEY (5-3) @ CHARLOTTE (6-2)        FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           JACKSONVILLE (3-5) @ ARIZONA (7-1)         ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET            ATLANTA (2-6) @ LAS VEGAS (3-5)                 ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           ST. LOUIS (2-6) @ TEXAS (6-2)                           FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET         MEMPHIS (6-2) @ HOUSTON (6-2)                  ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: A huge game for Larry Fitzgerald, but we have to give this week's POTW to Philadelphia DE Malik Jackson. His fumble recovery TD was the key to a close victory by the Stars over in-state rival Pittsburgh. Add to that 2 sacks and Jackson had a huge game in a very important matchup for the Stars.

Arizona goes down to their archrival, Texas gets upset by a feisty Machine squad, Baltimore stays hot at home, and the Breakers take on the challenge of the 5-1 San Diego Thunder. All that in a week that saw the divisions get closer and tighter.  It was a rough week for Dallas, Seattle, and St. Louis, all of whom dropped to 1-6, and an exciting one for fans in Denver, New Orleans, and Washington who all saw their clubs claw their way above .500 and into playoff position.  It was also an exciting week for football fans in Oklahoma, who got the news they were hoping for, that their new USFL club would indeed be the return of the one-and-done Oklahoma Outlaws.  We will cover all this, plus take a look at 5 teams that have tough decisions in front of them as we head towards the midway point of the season.  We start it all off with a look at a veteran quarterback, a Summer Bowl champion quarterback, who may well be finding himself benched for a rookie as Seattle debates whether the time is now to go back to formula and start from scratch.      Seattle To Turn to Rookie Brissett The 2016 season has not been the year that the Seattle Dragons, or their fans, had expected.  This was a club that looked so good in the final weeks of 2015, that added talent in the offseason both in the draft and in some front office moves, but it is also a team that seems to have lost its identity.  The Dragons sit at 1-6 and with a defense that remains in the Top 10 in passing yards allowed, total yards allowed, and nearly Top 10 in scoring, all fingers are pointing to the offense, ranked dead last in the league at 12 points scored per week, and in particular at veteran QB Byron Leftwich.   Leftwich is in his 14th season with the Dragons, 14 years that have included 6 All-USFL honors and a league title back in 2005.  But those glory days seem ancient history this year.  Despite a strong season just a year ago, a year that produced 2,947 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and a 101.2 QB Rating, Leftwich’s best since 2008, the carryover into 2016 just did not happen.  This season we have seen a very different quarterback in Byron Leftwich, one who has more picks than touchdowns, is averaging barely 212 yards per game, and one whose QB rating has dipped into the mid 60’s.  All this to say that it may very well be that at 35, Byron Leftwich has hit a wall.    It is something that we see at all positions, noteworthy in halfbacks at 30, and very noticeable in quarterbacks, usually in their mid- to late 30’s.  Leftwich’s arm just does not seem to have the same zip, range, or speed to it, and that has made the Seattle offense struggle.  So, what is a coach to do? In the case of Stump Mitchell, with a good deal of reluctance, the decision is to turn a 1-6 start into a transitional season, to test out his rookie QB, NC State’s Jacoby Brissett, and to start the process of redesigning his club around youth and athleticism.    The decision to start Jacoby Brissett in Week 8 was not an easy one for Mitchell, who has worked with Byron Leftwich since taking over as the head man in 2014.  It is also no guarantee that this year will start to turn Seattle’s way.  Brissett was not considered a clear blue-chip candidate, despite good numbers at NC State.  He now enters the fray of a USFL season where his club seems to lack major playmakers.  His receiving corps, led by NFL imports Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace, is a bit long in the tooth and known for its public outbursts, not the type of group likely to tolerate the ups and downs of a rookie quarterback in silence.  Brissett will likely need to lean on a run game led by Joseph Addai, who is averaging only 3.4 YPC this year, and may need to build rapport not only with his wideouts but with other receivers like TE Dennis Pitta.    At 1-6, the decision to pull Leftwich and play for the future is a tough one, one that could cost Coach Mitchell his job.  Mitchell needs this season to produce not only some more wins, but some positivity, signs that a transition can work, that a rebuild at this time was the right move, otherwise it could well be another man at the helm in 2017, with Brissett, Leftwich or an as-yet undefined third option.   DENVER GOLD 26    ARIZONA WRANGLERS 7 Most weeks our Game of the Week is a nailbiter, either headed to overtime or coming down to the wire, maybe occasionally a great comeback victory, so why are we presenting a 19-point Denver victory as our spotlight of the week? Well, consider it an autopsy on an upset. Arizona has looked virtually indestructible over the season’s first six weeks, so how did the 3-3 Denver Gold find a way to not only win the game, but to handily control the Wranglers?  That is the mystery we, and most of the league, is hoping to decipher as we look at this week’s film.    The first thing we should acknowledge is that Denver has an advantage over many teams. They know these Wranglers so well, having played against them in heated rivalry games twice a year since 1983.  Secondly, they may well be perfectly suited to counter Arizona’s strengths. They have a defense that is at its best by limiting big plays and forcing a team to go down the field in slow, long drives.  They have an offense designed for ball control and time management. And they have strong offensive and defensive lines that can win the battle of the trenches, evident by the 6 sacks of David Carr that Denver recorded this week. They also have a shutdown corner in Joe Haden, a corner who was able to limit Larry Fitzgerald to only 2 receptions and 28 yards on the day. Haden’s tight coverage on Fitzgerald meant that the safeties could focus on Antonio Bryant, and they did, allowing not a single catch by the speedy receiver. On offense, Denver struggled to run, but stuck to it, attempting 34 rushes to only 33 passes, despite the fact that it was the passing game that produced most of their yardage. That strategy forced Arizona to play a standard 4-3 and to endure long plodding drives, shortening the game.  It did not hurt that the line also did a fine job protecting Matt Leinart, which allowed Leinart to complete 72.7% of his throws 24 of 33. One more factor was key, avoid turnovers. Denver did that, winning the turnover margin 2-0.  By the game’s end, they had won time of possession, turnovers, and the yardage battles, and those combined to provide a big win on the scoreboard as well.   The game began with both defenses dominating, but towards the end of the first quarter, Arizona’s first mistake, a poorly timed throw by David Carr, turned into a pick and a short field for the Gold. They capitalized, using 5 minutes and 11 plays to go 41 yards. They capped off the drive with a DeMarco Murray plungefrom the 2-yard line and the lead was theirs.    Arizona would respond with their lone scoring drive of the day, a 68-yard drive that took them 15 plays. They avoided mistakes, negative plays, and penalties on the drive, something that would be rare in later possessions, and they emerged with a Frank Gore 5-yard TD run to equal the score. It would be the last points this previously dominant offense would produce. Denver would score on their next two possessions, both field goals by Greg Zeurlein. The last one came with 50 seconds left on the clock. But, not happy to go into the half down 13-7 at home, Arizona pressed to score before the half, and that produced the biggest play of the game. David Carr forced a deep ball when the coverage clearly indicated he should check down. Instead of a long reception he got his second pick of the day, with Patrick Robinson returning the ball all the way to the Arizona 9-yard line. From there it only took Leinart 2 plays to get the ball into the endzone, Jamaal Charles rushing it in with 27 seconds left on the clock. Now, instead of going into the half down 6, they were down 13.    Denver added a field goal at the end of a 13-play opening possession to start the 3rd quarter. Now the pressure was on and Arizona kept attempting to make big chunk plays, failing to show the patience that Denver’s protective zones required. In 5 second half possessions the Wranglers would garner only 142 yards and would never reach the endzone. Kicker Elliott Parson would be called on to attempt a 48-yarder and a 52-yarder and would miss on both accounts.    When Denver pushed the lead to 26-7 at the start of the 4th quarter, Arizona was truly sunk.  They needed 3 scores, all touchdowns, to get the lead, and Denver knew it.  On offense the Gold milked the clock on every down. On defense they forced Arizona to dink and dunk, defending anything beyond 5-10 yards deep. Arizona would falter on third downs and a drive to get back into the game just never materialized. It was a demoralizing defeat in front of nearly 55,000 home fans in Glendale. For Denver it was a triumph, one that could energize them to make a playoff push over the next 9 weeks. And for the rest of the league, it may well have proven to be a formula they will seek to emulate in order to have more success against a very good Wrangler team.   DALLAS 13   OAKLAND 37 It was all Invaders in this one as the Roughnecks continue to struggle on both sides of the ball.  Johnny Manziel returned to action but threw 3 picks against the Invader D.  The Roughneck D managed to pick off Joey Harrington twice, but it was not enough as the Invader run game dominated.  Donald Brown rushed for 101 on 19 carries and Knile Davis added 80 more on 15 carries as the Invaders ground and pounded Dallas into submission. POTG:  Invader corner Chris Gamble: 10 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD.   TAMPA BAY 10   ORLANDO 34 Orlando dispatched the Bandits easily in this first game of a back-to-back series.  Russell Wilson threw for 270 and the Orlando D was all over Dak Prescott, sacking the rookie 6 times (2 from DE Arthur Moats) and picking Prescott off twice.  Moats had the play of the day, a sack, strip, recovery, and 9-yard TD rumble late in the game to put the icing on the cake for Orlando.  The two go at it again in Tampa next week. POTG:  Renegade DE Arthur Moats: 3 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Def TD   MEMPHIS  24    BIRMINGHAM 18 The Showboats sweep the series with Birmingham, thanks in large part to 107 yards and 2 scores from Todd Gurley.  The defense again stifled Cam Newton both in the air and on the ground as Rex Ryan’s use of Navorro Bowman as a spy proved very effective against the mobile Stallion QB.  Eli Manning had a solid game, keeping Paxton Lynch on the bench once again with a 20 of 27, 226-yard day. POTG:  Showboat HB Todd Gurley: 22 Att, 107 Yds, 2 TD   WASHINGTON 20   PITTSBURGH 43 The Maulers and QB Andy Dalton vent their early season frustration on the Federals with an offensive explosion.  Dalton threw for 357 yards and 2 touchdowns while HB Marcus Lattimore rushed for 83 yards and short-yardage back Steven Ridley added 2 touchdowns in the blowout win.  David Garrard struggled with the Mauler pressure, throwing 4 pick in an ugly game for the veteran Federal QB. POTG:  Mauler WR Victor Cruz: 4 Rec, 146 Yds, 1 TD   SAN DIEGO 10   NEW ORLEANS 17 The Thunder knew that going into the Super Dome to face the Breakers would be a test, and it certainly was.  The Breakers held San Diego to only 41 yards rushing and forced 3 turnovers in a tight game.  The Breakers jumped out to a 17-0 lead early in the 4th thanks to a Mike Doss pick-six, but San Diego made a game of it late, scoring the final 10 points but failing on a late onside kick as New Orleans improves to 4-3. POTG:  Breaker safety Mike Doss: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   NEW JERSEY 16   PHILADELPHIA 10 Philly’s fast start is beginning to feel like a distant memory as they drop their third in a row.  The Generals survive a 3-interception day from QB Brett Hundley, thanks in large part to a defense that only allowed 2 third down conversions all game.  Derrick Henry was held to 65 yards, while New Jersey HB Maurice Jones-Drew suffered an injury late in the game and could miss several weeks. POTG:  General SS Anthoine Bethea: 7 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   HOUSTON 49    PORTLAND 31 Houston looked dominant, building a 28-10 halftime lead and expanding it to 49-17 before the backups came in and Portland made the game look a bit closer.  Colt McCoy was on fire, throwing for 373 yards and 4 touchdowns in 3 quarters.  Marcus Mariota finished with 4 touchdowns as well, but Portland was never really in this one.  POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy; 11/20, 373 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   ATLANTA 17   CHARLOTTE 24 The Fire held their own in this one, thanks to a big game from rookie Kenyan Drake (15 carries for 120 yards), but in the end Charlotte got the W on a Wheedon TD toss to D. J. Hackett.  Wheedon finished with 251 yards passing, 2 scoring throws and no picks.  The Charlotte D was strong on third down, allowing only 3 conversions in 11 tries. POTG:  Monarch FS Tre Boston: 4 Tck 1 Int, 1 Def TD   LAS VEGAS 20   JACKSONVILLE 17      OVERTIME The Vipers and Bulls got into a war of attrition in this one, with both teams struggling to convert on 3rd down (4 of 27 combined).  Jacksonville had the ball inside the Vegas 10 in the final minute but had to settle for a game tying field goal to send the game to overtime.  Vegas stopped them in the extra period and then got in range for Brett Maher to give them the win with a 47-yard kick. POTG:  Las Vegas MLB Hunter Hillenmeyer: 11 Tck, 2 TFL   ST. LOUIS 27   BALTIMORE 37 In a game that was tight in the first half, Baltimore pulled away with 2 scores in the third quarter to take control.  Big Ben had a big day, throwing for 3 scores and 377 yards, including 117 to Darrius Heyward-Bey, who looks to be back in 2015 form with some solid games over the past few weeks. Rob Gronkowski and Eric Weems played well for the Skyhawks, but they fall to 1-6 with another tough loss. POTG:  Blitz QB Ben Roethlisberger: 17/30, 377 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   TEXAS 13   CHICAGO 17 A big win for the Machine as they pull off the upset in front of an engaged 37,580 at Soldier Field.  Joe Flacco threw for 357 but could not get the ball in the endzone.  Meanwhile Doug Martin helped Chicago build up a balanced offensive attack that produced 352 total yards. Martin also produced the game winner on a 7-yard run that included one of the best juke moves you will ever see. POTG:  Machine HB Doug Martin: 16 Att, 102 Yds, 1 TD   LOS ANGELES 17   OHIO 20 Ohio got surprising production out of the TE position with Zach Martin catching 7 balls for 99 yards against the LA defense.  They also got TDs from the run game with both Isaiah Pead and Rashad Jennings scoring on 1-yard runs.  LA struggled on offense, nothing new, with newly acquired wideout Demaryius Thomas catching only 1 of 7 throws targeted to him.  LA made the game close with a last second TE but could not get the ball back to try to tie the game up. POTG:  Ohio TE Zach Miller: 7 Rec, 99 Yds   SEATTLE 14   MICHIGAN 34 LeVeon made waves on the field, with his 169 yards from scrimmage and 3 TDs and off the field by declaring himself the favorite for League MVP in the post-game presser.  He certainly earned accolades in this one, averaging 6.8 yards per carry and contributing 3 of Michigan’s 4 touchdowns on the day.  His performance helped Michigan overcome 3 Kirk Cousins picks on a day that ended well but will not be one of Cousin’s season highlights. POTG:  Michigan HB LeVeon Bell: 21 Att, 143 Yds, 2 TD, 4 Rec, 22 Yds, 1 TD   Bandits & Maulers Make Moves to Improve Run Game We are hitting the meat of the season and that means that teams are done testing the water and are now quite clear where they see strengths and needs. Last week we saw the LA Express try to address a need, trading for WR Demaryius Thomas. This week it is the run game that got attention from two teams hoping to still make a run this year. Tampa Bay has had the worst run game of any team in the USFL after 7 weeks.  Averaging only 59 yards per game is not going to satisfy anyone, and when you have a rookie QB leading the team, you need a lot more out of the run game.  So, a deal was needed, and with Marshawn Lynch looking like a clear bell cow back for the Outlaws, Chris Johnson was becoming more and more expendable.  Tampa Bay jumped at the chance to land the former NFL back, making a deal with the Outlaws that would bring Johnson to the Bay.  Tampa sent former Dragon halfback Jahvid Best along with a 4th round pick to Texas for Johnson.  Best is likely to take on a role in the Texas passing game, perhaps as a 3rd down back on 3 and 4 receiver sets.   For Tampa Bay, Johnson will likely start off platooning with Rex Burkhead, but the hope, of course, is that Johnson can show some of the breakaway speed that made him a star for the Tennessee Copperheads in the NFL. The other team that made a move this week was in Pittsburgh, where the combo of Marcus Lattimore and Steven Ridley had struggled to produce consistent wins in the run game.  While Pittsburgh’s rushing average of 82 yards per game was not a bottom 10 total, it was not what Andy Dalton needed to keep pressure off the passing game.  But, with a clear emphasis on running back-by-committee, Pittsburgh was not in the position to go after a clear bell cow.  They need a back who could be good for 10-15 carries a week, participate in the passing game and help the Maulers provide the threat of a running play on any down. Their choice was to make a deal with Arizona to bring Ronnie Hillman to the Steel City.  Hillman had seen limited action in Arizona behind both Frank Gore and Ka’Deem Carey.  With rookie Peyton Barber looking good on the practice squad, Arizona was willing to let Hillman go for a relatively low price, a 56th round pick and backup safety Steve Gibbs.  That was a price that Pittsburgh was willing to pay, and so, Hillman now joins the Maulers.  Expect Hilman to alternate with Lattimore on most downs, with Steven Ridley in reserve for short yardage and goalline.   Two more moves, and with 2 weeks left, likely not the last moves we will see as the trade deadline approaches.  Will any of these moves have a major impact?  Only time and touches will tell.   Bell Wants MVP, not OPOTY “Don’t talk to me about Offensive (player), I am the MVP.  You see it, I see it.”  Those were the words that LeVeon Bell used to define his view of this season’s awards and his place in the league.  Not hard to say after a game in which he scored 3 touchdowns and rushed for 143 yards, his 5th 100-yard game in 7 games.  It is clear that Bell believes he is the frontrunner for the MVP award, helping his Panthers to a 5-2 start and the top rating for rushing yards in the league at 142.9 per game.    Of course, David Carr may beg to differ with Bell, and others like Ben Roethlisberger or Russell Wilson may also have a say before the season is out, but for Bell, the voting should just wrap up now.  Bell is fully aware that the MVP often goes to a quarterback and that the last running back to win the title was Frank Gore in a monstruous 2013 season that saw Arizona dominate and run their way to a league title.  If Michigan can make such a run, Bell may well find himself with the MVP trophy in his hand, but there are still 9 weeks left to play and a lot can happen. David Carr is clearly the top contender in the mix right now, but Bell feels he needs to put his hat in the ring, and for a halfback to win the award maybe a little publicity, even self-generated publicity, may be a good thing.   Lynch Success Made Johnson Expendable Another back making a name for himself is in Texas, where Marshawn Lynch has used the change of scenery from the Thunder to reinvent himself and assert his place as one of the league’s best.  Lynch had early success in Las Vegas, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his first 3 seasons with the Thunder, but his last few years in Las Vegas were tough, and the back felt that he was not given the chance to release “Beast Mode” as he calls his running style.  Lynch was traded to Texas mid-season last year and grew into a dual back system with Chris Johnson.   But this year it is clearly Lynch in the position of lead back.  His 141 carries is fourth in the league, behind only Bell, McCallister and rookie Derrick Henry.  His 562 yards is second best among all backs.    Those totals essentially made Chris Johnson expendable for the Outlaws.  It was clear that last year’s two back rotation would not be put into effect this season, and that Lynch was not only the clear number one, but a very good option in that position.  And so, Texas this week traded away Johnson, bringing in Jahvid Best, a back whose style and strengths are very different from those of Lynch.  Unlike Johnson, who would compete for carries, Best will serve as a change of pace, possibly receiving back on key downs, but not a threat to take carries away from Beast Mode.    Lynch is on pace for a 1,200-yard season, his first in nearly a decade, and he could not be happier to be with the Outlaws, despite all the strange elements of this season for the team-without-a-home.  Lynch has found a home, a team that is using him the way he likes to be used, as a force on first down and a threat every time he touches the ball.   MJD to Miss 2-4 Weeks with Thigh Injury We stick with our running back roundup with a back who is likely to miss considerable action.  Maurice Jones-Drew was having a pretty good game in Philadelphia this week, that is until he caught a knee right between the quad and hamstring.  What we might call a nuclear Charlie horse was, in fact, a blow that produced significant damage to the quad muscle.  MJD is expected to be out at least 2 weeks, perhaps longer, due to the damage done, which was fortunate not to include any tearing, but which apparently impacted both the muscle tissue and the tendons as well.  Coach Turner is concerned that bringing MJD back too soon could be far worse than what would otherwise be a short-term injury, so don’t be surprised if he takes a wait and see attitude on Jones-Drew’s recovery.  Delone Carter will get the majority of snaps the next few weeks, with Tim Hightower expected to serve as the backup and rookie free agent Michael Cox to remain on the practice squad at least for now.   Maulers Hurt by Cushing Injury The Maulers made a splash with their trade for a halfback, but the biggest impact move of the week may well be one that is more troubling than tantalizing.  Pittsburgh placed LB Brian Cushing on the IR this week.  There was a chance that the 8th year player could have come back at or near the end of the regular season, but Coach Fangio wanted to avoid putting too much hope into that bucket or the temptation of bringing Cushing back too quickly.  The move to IR means that Cushing’s ACL injury is a season-ending one.  Pittsburgh will move forward with Tahir Whitehead taking over at the strongside LB position, backed up by Blake Costanzo and Nick Kwiatkowski.  It is a loss for the Maulers, who, sitting at 3-4, are hoping to get back into the race in the NE Division, and one that could make improvement on their 24th rated scoring defense tougher to achieve. This is the kind of week you hate to see.  We added 4 more players to the IR, done for the year, including a key member of the defense for both San Diego and Pittsburgh.  It could have been 5, but the Arizona Wranglers are waiting to determine if Karlos Dansby’s recover time will be closer to 8 weeks, potentially allowing him to return for a playoff run, or if he will need more time.  An IR decision could come in the next couple of weeks.  We also see rookie CB Xavien Howard go down for up to a month for the Dragons and New Jersey’s lead back, Maurice Jones-Drew, potentially miss a week or more after a deep thigh bruise.   OUT FS           Clyde Adams                   TEX        ACL                 IR G            Duke Robinson               ARZ       Achilles           IR DE          Adewale Oguleye       SD          Quad              IR LB           Brian Cushing                PIT         ACL                 IR LB           Karlos Dansby                  ARZ       PCL                  8-12 Weeks G            Chis Kemeomatu           OAK      Wrist             6-8 Weeks LB           Kevin Burnett                WSH     ACL                  6-8 Weeks CB          Xavien Howard                SEA        Neck          2-4 Weeks G            Mitch Morse                    LA          Back           2-4 Weeks OT          Marcus Cannon               HOU     Foot          1-2 Weeks HB         Maurice Jones-Drew     NJ           Thigh     1-2 Weeks   QUESTIONABLE WR         Matt Jones                   ATL         Collarbone WR         Santonio Holmes         TBY        Concussion HB         Mike Hart                        MGN     Wrist DT          John McCargo              HOU     Personal   Oklahoma to Get Outlaws Back Will Oklahoma bring back their classic look? The mediation is over, the decisions are made.  The 2017 season will see the Texas Outlaws become the Oklahoma Outlaws. The league-structured mediation between the Outlaws majority owner Red McCombs and the new Oklahoma ownership provided both parties with some of what they wanted, but not all that either ownership wanted. For the OKC Football Group, they get the team name, a return to the club’s origins as the Oklahoma Outlaws back in 1987, and they will be seen as a continuation of the Outlaws franchise, with all its history and team records intact.    What did San Antonio get? In addition to the promise of expansion to be timed with stadium completion, Red McCombs, who is locked in as a primary owner for the as-yet unspecified new team, obtained two valuable assets. The first is that he retains the club’s colors, ensuring all the fans of San Antonio that while the team may be different, their Kelly and royal swag will continue to be part of San Antonio football in the USFL. He also was able to obtain specific concessions related to the expansion process, including the right to acquire talent from the Outlaws. The deal would allow Texas to claim up to 8 signed players from the Oklahoma Outlaws who were with the team in 2016. That could mean someone like Joe Flacco, Marques Colston, or Marshawn Lynch could be coming back to Texas in 2019 or 2020.    This last deal may well have been a strategy provided by USFL officials, worried that fans in San Antonio and throughout Texas will turn on the Outlaws after the announcement of their relocation. By ensuring that some of the current members of the squad will be joining a new San Antonio team, the hope is that fans will continue to support the Outlaws and their stars until a new franchise can be formed.    So, where do we stand?  San Antonio fans can hope to see the Kelly green and royal blue back in their city, with some familiar faces, potentially as early as 2019, though most feel that 2020 or 2021 is more realistic. Fans in Oklahoma will be getting the Outlaws in 2017. The Outlaws will retain all team records and history all the way back to that first season in Tulsa, and, as many suspect, a version of the original logo featuring the masked outlaw on a black helmet could well return as well. That would please folks old enough to have been fans back in 1987, and it also helps San Antonio retain a portion of their identity moving forward. So, now we ask, if the Oklahoma Outlaws return to their roots, can we expect Red McCombs to also wax nostalgic and bring back the identity that started it all in San Antonio. Will we see the Gunslingers once again?    Five Teams With Decisions to Make As we approach the midway point of the season there are plenty of questions around the league and some tough decisions as well.  Whether it is a specific position on the roster or the entire direction of the club, the midseason point is one where teams often might need to make some tough calls, to change direction, to go for youth over experience, to decide what kind of team they want to be.  We culled from all 28 clubs the five decisions we think could be the toughest as each club heads into midseason and beyond.  Here is who we believe will be losing some sleep over the next few weeks. Houston:   Do they Make the Transition to McCoy or Stick with Hasselbeck Down the Stretch?  Sitting at 5-2 atop the Southern Division, Houston may look like a team that has it all together, but the question of who should be their quarterback has arisen this year and it could be a tough one.  Matt Hasselbeck went into the season as the clear number one, starting his 19th season, his 18th in Houston, it seemed unquestioned that he would be at the helm.  But injuries have kept him out of 2 games and shortened others.  He has done well when in, with over 1,200 yards and a 12:2 TD:INT ratio. So what is the issue?   The issue is that Colt McCoy has come in and looked like the future for the Gamblers. In 2 starts this year, McCoy has averaged over 335 yards per game, has 6 TDs an no picks.  He has looked dangerous and poised at the same time.  No spring chicken, this is McCoy’s 7th year as backup to Hasselbeck, and it is a contract year.  If the Gamblers cannot assure him that the starting job is his, there will be serious interest in him on the free agent market and they could well see him leave.   Atlanta: Can They Trade Within the Division to Get a Quarterback? This is more of an offseason question than something they will address right now, but with the team mired near the bottom of the offensive stats and with Kyle Orton clearly not looking like the answer, fans in Atlanta are already calling for the Fire to make a splash in the 2017 Collegiate Draft, and they want a QB.  But here is the problem, some of the top QB prospects are potentially within the protected spheres of division rivals.    Looking at the potential draft class of 2017, you have Mitch Trubisky at UNC, who would have his rights go to Charlotte as a Territorial pick.  Then you have DeShaun Watson at Clemson, who would be in the same situation for the Jacksonville Bulls.  Both Charlotte and Jacksonville could very possibly also be in the QB market, so the cost to allow a division rival to obtain that pick and draft a QB within the division could be very high indeed.  Atlanta would likely have to give up both talent and a number of picks to get either Jacksonville or Charlotte to trade their T-Draft picks within the division.   What other choices does Atlanta have?  They could hope that a free agent of quality, like a Colt McCoy, would be available.  Perhaps an NFL import?  Or they could look elsewhere in the draft, perhaps Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes, Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, or Cal’s Davis Webb, but all three have questions that might make them far less intriguing than either of the QBs from the Carolinas would be.   Philadelphia:  Should the Stars Trade for a Wide Receiver? This question comes immediately after the injury to Stevie Johnson that takes away one of the Stars’ biggest playmakers.  They now go into games with Ronald Johnson, Allen Robinson, and Marshall Newhouse as their three primary receivers out wide (Travis Kelce at TE is perhaps Matt Gutierrez’s most reliable option.  If the Stars hope to compete in a very tough division, one where both Pittsburgh and Baltimore have shown signs of life and where both New Jersey and Washington look serious about a playoff season, they may need to do more to help Gutierrez.   So, what are their options midseason?  There are certainly no major talents sitting in free agency to pick up cost free.  So that leaves a trade as the best option.  The most likely teams looking to make a deal, perhaps for draft capital, are teams sitting at 1 or 2 wins.  So, who is out there?  St. Louis is sitting at 1-6, but would they consider trading away Jordy Nelson or Eric Weems when the passing game is one of the few positives for the team? Dallas is also mired at 1-6, bt when we look at the Roughneck WR group, it may be the only one with less big play capacity than the Stars.  No help there.  Atlanta already traded away their top receiver, sending Demaryius Thomas to LA.  Las Vegas has an intriguing youngster in DeVante Parker, but is he ready to jump into a major role?  Ohio could be convinced to trade either Justin Blackmon or Mario Manningham, but are they the kind of playmaker that Philly needs?  That leaves Seattle as the best option. NFL veterans Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders are both short-term solutions, but both have the potential to step in and help Philadelphia stretch the ball and open up the field, which is what they lack with the injury to Stevie Johnson.   St. Louis: Should the Skyhawks Start a Reboot? It has been 4 years since the Skyhawks soared to a league title, and this year’s 1-6 squad is not looking or feeling like the same club at all, despite several holdover players.  If they cannot improve over the next few weeks, the temptation will be there to blow it all up and start fresh.  That may make QB Josh Freeman available, or wideout Jordy Nelson, and what about members of the club’s 23rd ranked defense?  Could a move be made before Week 10 that would indicate that the Skyhawks are looking to rebuild?  We think there well could be.  They seem well out of range for a late playoff run, and they could well see their record dip even lower than the 4-12 season in 2014.  If that happens, everyone from the GM to the water boy could be on the block.   Seattle: Is Stump Mitchell done, and with him Byron Leftwich? We already got a short-term answer with Jacoby Brissett scheduled to start in Week 8.  It seems that Stump Mitchell, in what may be a last gasp effort to save his own job, has opted to start pushing for a youth movement.  But will it be enough to avoid a much larger, wholesale house cleaning in Seattle?  The answer to that question may well determine if Seattle becomes a trade deadline exporter of talent.  Could we see Leftwich headed to Atlanta?  Wallace or Emmanuel to Philadelphia? If we see some trades ahead of the Week 10 deadline, especially player for pick trades, that would be a clear message that the Dragons are going to tear it all down and try to build something new.  That would not be what Mitchell wants, but it may be what he gets, especially if starting Brissett does not bring immediate results that show he is on to something.   As we reach the midpoint of the season, the stakes continue to rise, and that means a lot of games with a lot on the line.  We kick off the week with a Florida Derby as Orlando hopes to keep pace with Charlotte by knocking off the Bandits in Tampa Bay.  On Saturday it is a big match between two preseason Summer Bowl contenders as Michigan heads to Baltimore to take on the surging Blitz.  New Orleans is in Atlanta in a regional rivalry and Texas heads to Dallas hoping to gain ground on the Arizona Wranglers.  We also have a Keystone Clash as Pittsburgh is in Philly to face the Stars on Saturday Night before the nightcap, a SW Division clash between Las Vegas and Arizona. On Sunday a pair of teams hoping to win with defense clash as Washington (4-3) heads to Jacksonville (3-4).  Other games to watch include New Jersey at Birmingham, Ohio at Chicago, and Charlotte at LA.  The weekend concludes with a nice Western Conference duel as the Oakland Invaders (4-3) head to Houston to take on the Gamblers (5-2) and talk of the town QB Colt McCoy.   Friday @ 8pm ET             Orlando (5-2) @ Tampa Bay (2-5)              NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET       Michigan (5-2) @ Baltimore (3-4)              ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET     New Orleans (4-3) @ Atlanta (2-5)           FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET        San Diego (5-2) @ St. Louis (1-6)               ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET        Texas (5-2) @ Dallas (1-6)                          FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET        Pittsburgh (3-4) @ Philadelphia (3-4)        NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET      Las Vegas (3-4) @ Arizona (6-1)                 ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET       Washington (4-3) @ Jacksonville (3-4)      ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Seattle (1-6) @ Memphis (5-2)                   ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          New Jersey (5-2) @ Birmingham (2-5)      FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET           Denver (4-3) @ Portland (2-5)                 ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET            Ohio (3-4) @ Chicago (3-4)                       FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET            Charlotte (6-1) @ Los Angeles (3-4)        FOX Regional Sunday @ 8pm ET            Oakland (4-3) @ Houston (5-2)                ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: We have a POTW who may actually produce some tension for his team as Colt McCoy absolutely lit up the Portland Stags. McCoy, in for the injuried Matt Hasselbeck, threw for nearly 400 yards and put up 4 TDs against a pretty solid Portland defense. So the question now is what happens if McCoy continues to shine for Houston? Would Houston actually consider keeping McCoy in over Hasselbeck?

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Every once in a while a role player steps up big and has a game that he will never forget. That was the case this week for Los Angeles linebacker Alfred Fincher. An 11-year vet who has yet to start a game this season came into the game for the Express when Nathan Triplett went down with a deep thigh bruise and made a huge impact, picking off 2 passes and returning one for a TD. When you consider that these were the first two picks of Fincher's 11-year career, that is quite a day indeed. W