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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

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Big Ben Roethlisberger had had enough of losing. In the first of two back-to-back games with Philadelphia, the former MVP decided enough was enough and put up 4 scores and 377 yards as Baltimore made a statement with their first win of the season over the division-leading Stars. The Stars will have to do better in Week 6 or they could suffer back-to-back losses to the team many picked to win the division.

It was a week that saw Houston drop from the unbeatens, leaving only Arizona without a blemish. Philadelphia lost their second, as did Jacksonville, Memphis improved to 4-1, and San Diego took advantage of an Oakland loss to take over sole possession of first place in the Pacific. Overall, however the story of the week was greater balance across the league as more teams pulled within 1 game of .500, either 2-3 or 3-2. Yes, we still have some surprise successes at 4-1, including the Thunder, Showboats, and Monarchs. We also have Seattle sitting at 0-5, and Baltimore finally notching their first win, but with 13 of 28 teams at either 2-3 or 3-2, there is still a lot of football to be played before we know how this season will end up. Matt Hasselbeck Sidelined with Torn Abdominal Muscle It is one of the most painful injuries in the game, and a tough one to come back from because it is just so hard to isolate and rest, the abdominal tear. But, after something of a sandwich between his center and a New Orleans pass rusher, that is exactly what Matt Hasselbeck now faces.  The veteran QB of the Gamblers is looking at 2 missed games at a minimum, but most doctors we surveyed believe that 4-6 weeks may be the actual recovery time.  In the meantime, with Hasselbeck sidelined, the hope is that Colt McCoy, who already subbed for Hasselbeck in Week 3, will be able to return next week and take the helm for the next few weeks. McCoy, a 6 year vet who has spent more time holding a clipboard in Houston than a football, looked pretty solid in Week 3 against the Charlotte Monarchs. He threw for 307 and 2 scores against a pretty solid defense. But after suffering an injury in practice this week, he was left off the active roster. Coach Phillips says it was precautionary and that McCoy could have played if needed, so the expectation is that the former Longhorn QB will be starting in Week 6 when Houston faces the New Jersey Generals.  As for Hasselbeck, a 2nd injury within a month is a bad omen for the 38-year old who has been fending off retirement rumors for several seasons. He had a resurgence last year, Houston’s first in the Southern Division, and the hope was that he could make another run at a title, but now he is out at least 2 more weeks and perhaps much longer.    HOUSTON GAMBLERS 30   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 34 Ooh, we had a good one in the Southern Division this week. Last year it went down to the wire between these two and this week New Orleans ensured that Houston would not run away with the division, sending the Gamblers to first loss of the year and pulling themselves back into relevance in the division with their 2nd win. This one was a beauty and once again it was a late comeback that saw the winner decided in the final minute of action.   Houston had their moments, particularly as QB Matt Hasselbeck found his rhythm, completing 19 of 26 passing for 334 yards and 3 scores. But, on the other sideline Drew Brees was also feeling it, going 23 of 29 for 300 even and adding 3 scores of his own. Both defenses struggled against each team’s top receivers, with Houston’s Roy Williams catching 3 for 142, a blazing 47.3 YPC average, helped in great deal by a 77-yard reception that somehow did not produce a touchdown. For New Orleans it was Early Doucet doing the damage, catching 7 balls for 122 yards and adding 2 touchdowns as the Breakers came back on Houston to earn the win.   The game started well for the Gamblers. They marched down the field with their initial drive, finishing off a 14-play march with a Carlos Hyde 2-yard TD run to take the early lead. The only other score of the quarter would be a 32-yard field goal by Breakers’ replacement kicker Matt Allen.  With Caleb Sturgis sidelined, the undrafted free agent kicker is getting a chance to prove himself and would go 6 for 6 on kicks in the game.   In the 2nd quarter Houston again found paydirt when Matt Hasselbeck connected with Johnny Knox on a 10-yard fade. It was the final paly of a quick 7-play drive that saw Hasselbeck connect with 4 different receivers.  But, Houston, despite a 14-3 lead, was not out of the woods yet. New Orleans would storm back in a quarter that saw 30 points scored.  It began with a nicely orchestrated 71-yard drive that produced a 1-yard dive over the left guard by Jeremy Hill. Hill would only touch the ball 11 times, but averaged 5.4 YPC on the day.  Following a quick defensive stop, New Orleans was back in action again, and again it was Drew Brees finding receivers all over the field. He hit Coby Fleener for 11, then Kenny Britt for 21, Demetrius Byrd for 12 and then connected with Early Doucet for the score that would flip the lead, a 28-yard corner route that gave New Orleans their first lead at 17-14.  But, there was still 5:28 left in the half, and the scoring was not done.    Houston replied to losing the lead with a quick drive of their own. Hasselbeck started the drive with the longest play of the game, that 77-yard toss to Williams. That play put the ball at the New Orleans 3-yard line, but two consecutive penalties drove the Gamblers back 15 yards, a holding on their first play from the 3, and then a false start before the next play could even get going. So, from a 1st and goal at the 3, the Gamblers would face 1st and goal from the 18.  But, that setback did not faze Hasselbeck at all. On 1st and 18 for the score, Hasselbeck connected with Mike Evans, the big receiver going up to high point the ball just outside the endzone, and then powered his way in to put the Gamblers back up by 4, 21-7. That should have been the end of the scoring in the half, but a brutal error on the kickoff gave Houston what they needed to add 2 more points. Kick returner Donnie Avery took the ball in the endzone, stepped out, then tried to kneel as if he were still in the endzone. That lack of awareness put the ball on the 1-yard line with 1:38 left to play in the quarter, and it set up Houston to score on the first play from scrimmage for the Breakers. Sure enough, Houston brought pressure on 1st and 10 from the New Orleans 1 yard line, and it worked, with DT John Jenkins forcing a holding call in the endzone that gave Houston a safety.    New Orleans would kick the ball away and went on defense, trying to keep Houston out of field goal range as the clock wound down. They did just that, holding Houston too far from their endzone to try a late kick and forcing a kneel down on the final play of the half.   The 3rd quarter would not see nearly as many fireworks as the defensive adjustments at half helped to calm things down. New Orleans added another field goal, but that was all either team could muster. Entering the final quarter it was Houston still on top, 23-20.  Matt Hasselbeck and the Houston offense would again increase their lead thanks to a long touchdown drive. They used short passes to Williams, Evans, TE Vernon Davis, and HB Carlos Hyde to get the ball deep into Breakers’ territory before Hasselbeck connected again with Davis, a 5-yard strike that put 7 more on the board.   Down 30-20 with just over 9 minutes left, New Orleans needed a break. They got one but not how it was expected. After being forced to punt on their next possession, New Orleans set up to play some defense again. On 1st and 10 from their own 21, Houston hoped to put the game away, but what they got instead was a play that could cost QB Matt Hasselbeck several games. The Houston QB was caught between the rushing Cameron Jordan and his own center, going to the ground awkwardly. He got up, winced, tried to make a throwing motion between plays and called to be taken out. It was the last action he would see on the day. With Colt McCoy already a scratch due to an injury in practice, it would be up to Jeff Driskoll, the untested 3rd QB, to hold onto the lead.   New Orleans would get the ball back 2 plays later, and they would strike fast.  In only 5 plays they took the ball from their own 47 all the way to the endzone on a 2nd TD for Early Doucet. Now down only 3, and with Hasselbeck out of the game, the Breakers would concentrate on penning in Carlos Hyde and forcing Jeff Driskol to beat them. The strategy worked, with Houston again going 3-and-out. New Orleans got the ball back with just over 1:22 left to play.  They needed only 3 to tie, but they had their hearts set on more.   The drive started with a nice draw play to David Wilson, who burst through the line for 13 yards. They followed that with Brees hitting Kenny Britt for 37 on a busted coverage. Now, with plenty of time left and still 2 timeouts, New Orleans could play for the win. They ran the ball with Hill on first down, then found Coby Fleener for another 1st down. First and 10 at the 21. After another draw play produced only 3 yards and forced the Breakers to use their 2nd timeout, they stopped looking at the clock and decided to go for the win on the next play.    Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi called a zone buster with slot receiver Tyler Lockett as the primary target. He would send TE Coby Fleener on the seam and then trail Lockett behind him. The play worked just as it was drawn up, Lockett caught the bullet from Brees and had a clear path to the endzone with Fleener occupying the safety. With only 41 seconds left to play, New Orleans was back on top, 34-30 after the Matt Allen kick.    Houston needed a touchdown, down 4, and they just were not going to get it with Driskol at the helm.  He completed one pass but then failed to convert the first down, all the while the clock ticking away. When the whistle sounded to end the game, New Orleans was back within a game of .500 and the Gamblers had suffered their first defeat.    PHILADELPHIA 13   BALTIMORE 45 Baltimore needed to rediscover their 2015 and they did so in a big way, demolishing the upstart Philadelphia Stars. Philly gained only 177 total yards on the day while Baltimore went for 473 in an entirely dominant game. Big Ben went 21 of 31 for 337 yards and 4 TDs against the Stars’ D.  The Blitz also outgained the Stars on the ground, something no one expected, as Wiliams, Dixon, and Jacquizz Rogers combined for 126 yards to the Stars’ miserable 38 rushing yards. POTG:  Blitz WR Harry Douglas: 7 Rec, 139 Yds, 1 TD   PITTSBURGH 20   WASHINGTON 26 The Maulers are still looking for their 2015 successes, dropping to 1-4 after giving up 2 late field goals to Washington, who escape with a win. Deuce McCallister topped 100 yards and also led the Federals with 44 yards receiving as the veteran back did it all in this one.  Pittsburgh’s Victor Cruz had a huge day, catching 5 for 199 yards and 2 scores, but it was not enough as the defense again fails at a key moment. POTG:  Federals’ HB Deuce McCallister: 21 Att, 119 Yds, 6 Rec, 44 Yds   LOS ANGELES 26   NEW JERSEY 13 A surprise outing for the Express in New Jersey as Reggie Bush runs for 116 and Sam Bradford survives 5 General sacks to throw for 2 scores. The LA defense did their part, with Tracy Porter scoring on a pick-six as the Express picked off young Brett Hundley 4 times in his worst outing as a pro.  POTG:  Express CB Tracy Porter: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   OAKLAND 13   ARIZONA 45 The Wranglers take apart one of the supposed challengers in the West as they absolutely dominate the Invaders. David Carr threw for 303 and 2 scores as Gore and Carey added 3 rushing touchdowns. The Wrangler D also picked off Joey Harrington twice and held the Invader run game to only 38 total yards, proving once again that this club is one of the toughest to plan for in the league on both sides of the ball. POTG:  Wrangler DE Adam Carricker: 2 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   ST. LOUIS 6   PORTLAND 24 Portland put together their best game of the year, shutting down St. Louis’s potent offense and getting a surprisingly strong day from HB Felix Jones (127 yards on 22 carries). Marcus Mariota reaped the benefits of a strong run game, using play action to go 13 of 17. The Stags’ defense forced 4 fumbles, recovering 1, and picked off Josh Freeman as well to keep St. Louis from mounting a comeback, helping Portland improve to 2-3. POTG:  Stags’ DE Cullen Jenkins: 5 Tck, 1 Sack, 3 FF   BIRMINGHAM 24   MEMPHIS 30    OVERTIME An overtime thriller in this rivalry game as Birmingham scored 17 unanswered points to come back from a 24-7 deficit in the 2nd half, only to have Eli Manning take over in the extra period, hitting on 3 of 4 passes in the opening drive of overtime to put away the game.  Manning, who threw for 336 on the day, found Robert Woods, his new favorite target, for the overtime game winner. In a game that saw Todd Gurley return to action with a 100-yard game and 2 scores, the Showboats knock off their arch rival to move to 4-1 in front of a very jubilant 51,000 at the Liberty Bowl. POTG:  Showboat HB Todd Gurley, 21 Att, 115 Yds, 2 TD.   DENVER 23    TEXAS 26 Texas just keeps finding ways to win close games.  Denver finds ways to lose them. The Gold hada 23-16 lead going into the 4th, but a fumble by HB Jamaal Charles gave Texas a short field and Joe Flacco hit Justin Hunter 1 play later for the tying TD. Later in the quarter they would put up the game winning kick and shut down Denver’ s last minute drive before they could get a tying kick. It was a bad game for Joe Flacco (only 8 of 19 for 129 yards), but he still got the win thanks to the defense and that turnover. POTG:  Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 24 Att, 78 Yds, 1 TD   CHARLOTTE 34   ATLANTA 0 Just plain ugly in Atlanta where the Fire could only muster 152 yards of total offense. Kyle Orton completed only 13 of 25 passes and the run game got nowhere. Charlotte got 2 scores from Brandon Wheedon and fans got to see Adrian Peterson on the field for the first time in Charlotte teal as the NFL import got 9 carries and scored his first USFL touchdown. POTG:  Charlotte LB Rolando McClain:  8 Tck, FF   ORLANDO 41    JACKSONVILLE 6 This battle of 3-1 clubs got very one sided very quickly as Orlando rolls to a 41-6 crushing of the Bulls.  The Jacksonville defense, so good for 4 weeks, crumbled as Russell Wilson went 22 of 28 for 227 and 2 scores. Three Bulls’ turnovers did not help the Jacksonville cause as Orlando’s defense stifled the Bull run game and forced 2 fumbles. A convincing win as Orlando keeps pace with Charlotte atop the SE Division. POTG:  Orlando DE Calais Campbell: 9 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   CHICAGO 36   OHIO 13 Chicago rebounds from their heartbreaking loss in Week 4 by taking out their frustrations on the Ohio Glory. Ryan Fitzpatrick got a huge game from Matt Forte and threw for 246 as the Machine outgained Ohio 432-220 in a rare offensive showcase for the Machine. Forte rushed for 2 scores and 106 yards on only 15 carries, while Doug Martin rushed for another 60 and a score of his own in an impressive outing for the Machine. POTG:  Machhine HB Matt Forte:  15 Att, 106 Yds, 2 TD   SAN DIEGO 16   SEATTLE 13 Seattle’s offense continues as a no-show in 2016, and while the defense made life tough for Joe Webb and the Thunder, San Diego had enough to edge the Dragons for their 4th win of the season, putting them into sole possession of first place in the Pacific. Ryan Williams was the engine for the Thunder, rushing for 153 yards in a light drizzle at Lumen Field. POTG:  Thunder HB Ryan Williams:  17 Att, 153 Yds   TAMPA BAY 10   LAS VEGAS 20 Las Vegas improves to 2-3 by frustrating Tampa rookie Dak Prescott all game. Four sacks and a pick were the result for Prescott as Las Vegas used a lot of pressure from blitzing safeties and linebackers to disrupt the Tampa Bay offense. With 126 yards rushing from the combo of Brandon Oliver and Montario Hardesty, Las Vegas was able to build a 20-3 lead before a late Bandit TD brought the score closer. POTG:  Las Vegas tailback Brandon Oliver: 16 Att, 73 Yds, 1 TD   MICHIGAN 35    DALLAS 13 Dallas’s defense continues to be a huge liability as Kirk Cousins throws for 3 scores and LeVeon Bell’s 110 yards lead a rushing attack that garnered 221 total on the ground. Landry Jones did not help the Dallas cause, completing only 8 of 26 passes and throwing a pick-six in relief of an injured Johnny Manziel. With Michigan controlling the clock (38 minutes to 22), there just was not enough in the arsenal for the Roughnecks to stay in this one. POTG:  Michigan CB Dre Kirkpatrick: 2 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   Maulers Reeling with 3rd Straight Loss The Maulers dropped another game this week, their third in a row, as they could not get the W in Washington.  That loss leaves them at 1-4 and already falling several games behind the division leaders. So, what is causing the sudden struggles?  Well, the 27th rated run game is clearly an issue.  Some were saying that Pittsburgh needed to do more for their running back room this offseason, and those folks seem to have been proven right as Pittsburgh is barely averaging 65 yards per game on the ground. Charles Sims, now injured, is leading the team with only 172 yards, but he is the only back with more than 3.5 YPC average.  Marcus Lattimore, considered the probable starter for the year, is at 3.4 and has only 141 yards. Needless to say, the Maulers are struggling on offense as they are asking Andy Dalton to do it all. Perhaps more surprising than the issues with the run game is Pittsburgh’s sudden decline as a defensive club. Pittsburgh is giving up nearly 29 points per game and is rated in the bottom 10 clubs in both rush and passing defense. None of that is what we expected.  When you consider that the combo of Dwight Freeney and Jared Allen have a combined 8 sacks, well off their pace from last year, and that the secondary has produced only 2 picks so far this year, it is clear that the Maulers need to be more aggressive. The front three of Freeney, Allen and Aaron Donald need to be creating pressure, allowing them to drop 6, 7 or 8 into coverage, but so far they have only really had success when Coach Fangio brings in extra pass rushers, and that is a major issue.    There is still time for Pittsburgh to turn it around, but that window is closing fast.  They need to find an answer at halfback and they have to rediscover the defensive pressure that helped take them to a conference title game last year.   Fire Embarrassed by Shutout Loss Things are getting dark in Atlanta as the Fire drop to 1-4 and we are hearing more and more rumbles from players.  After dropping from 10-6 down to 6-10 last year, there was concern that Coach Ramsey was not getting the most out of the squad and that the front office was struggling to bring in quality players to reinforce the roster. With Kyle Orton struggling and already missing a game this year, and with Chris Ivory already on IR, putting the entire run game on rookie Kenyan Drake, there is a lot of concern that the Fire offense has no spark.    The offense currently ranks 26th in scoring and dead last out of the 28 team league in yards per game.  What makes this even worse is that the team is also 24th in points allowed and 22nd in yards allowed. Every bit of those troubling numbers was on display as Atlanta completely floundered on both sides of the ball this past week in a brutal 34-0 loss to division and regional rival Charlotte. It was a brutal game for Fire fans, many of whom left before the game even reached the 4th quarter.  Coach Ramsey was not viewed as a coach on the hot seat when the season began, but at this point in the year, and with some rumbling in the locker room, he very much is feeling the heat.   Big Ben Puts Blitz on his Back Apparently he had seen enough. Ben Roethlisberger was vocal all week about the Blitz’s need to turn things around and the need for every player to step up and do their part.  He talked the talk all week and on Friday night he walked the walk, dominating the Philadelphia defense on his way to a 32 point win over their division rival. Big Ben threw for 337 yards and 4 TDs in the blowout win, but perhaps more importantly, he pushed others around him to do their best as well. The defense finally showed some backbone, and some aggression, sacking Matt Gutierrez 5 times and picking off the Stars’ QB twice. Even the much criticized Baltimore run game got it going, with 3 different backs combining for 126 yards rushing.   Is this a turning point for the Blitz? They were picked by many to win the division, but an 0-4 start had landed them near the bottom of the league power rankings.  Could a win against the Stars be enough to reawaken the team we have seen over the past two years?  We will see this week when the two clubs meet once again, this time at the Linc in Philly.    Von Miller Makes a Statement After a month in which he amassed only 2 sacks, Von Miller was beginning to hear critiques of his slow start.  He put those voices to rest this week, racking up 3 sacks, one a safety, against Joe Flacco and the Outlaws. Now, while we recognize that Joe Flacco is not exactly a fleet of foot quarterback, any time a player can earn 3 sacks in a game is a pretty good sign that the rusher is doing a lot right.   Maybe the target of outdueling Calais Campbell was a bit too ambitious for Miller, but that does not mean he cannot still be a major force for the Denver Gold, a club that went all in on Miller by signing him away from the NFL last season. In his first full year in the USFL, after missing out on the offseason last year, Miller is hoping to show that he is among the elite edge rushers in the USFL or in the country, and if he can keep up the pace from this week he likely could do just that.   Felix Jones Runs Wild Perhaps we were too quick to write Felix Jones off as Portland’s lead back and the replacement for retired Stag superstar Jonathan Stewart. After 4 largely unimpressive showings, including a brutal 5 carry, 13-yard outing against Seattle in week 3, Jones seems to have found his groove. He rushed the ball 17 times for 71 yards last week against San Diego, but this week he did even more, earning his first 100-yard game for Portland.  His 22 carry, 127 yard, 2 TD outing helped Portland knock off St. Louis and improved the team to 2-3 on the season.   Jones largely did it the hard way. Other than a nice 22-yard scamper, it was just tough run after tough run.  3 yards here, 5 there, until he finished with 127 on the day. That included 3 different runs that produced first downs on 3rd and short, proving Jones could be reliable as a short yardage runner.  He did split time with LeMichael James, with James gaining 43 yards on 13 carries, but this game seems to have solidified his status as the number one back for Coach Pep Hamilton and the Stag offense. New Jersey loses a defensive leader for the year as a torn quad will require surgery to reattach, costing Rey Maualaga the season.  A similar situation for LA cornerback Kevin Seymour, with a biceps muscle that detached from the bone.  Finally, Atlanta sees two of its big men out for at least a week as DT Nick Fairley and OT Zack Strief both go down this week.   OUT LB       Rey Maualaga                  NJ        Torn Quad           IR CB          Kevin Seymour                LA          Torn Biceps            IR HB          Charles Sims                    PIT         Broken Wrist           6-8 Weeks WR         Danny Amendola           SD          Neck                       4-6 Weeks CB          Xavien Howard                SEA        Shoulder                4-6 Weeks QB Matt Hasselbeck HOU Abdomen 2-6 Weeks DT          Nick Fairley                       ATL         Concussion              1-2 Weeks OT          Zack Strief                         ATL         Hamstring                1-2 Weeks DT          Kevin Vickerson        MGN     Migraines                 1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR         Mike Wallace                   SEA        Knee                     QB         Christian Hackenberg  OHI       Finger CB          Devin McCourtey           NJ           Pinched Nerve SS           Troy Polamalu                  ARZ       Ribs DT          Henry Melton                   JAX         Foot   QUESTIONABLE WR         Dwayne Jarrett                BAL        Tendinitis LB           NaVorro Bowman           MEM     Foot   Early Season Star for Each USFL Club While not every team has a clear All-USFL standout, they all have someone who has provided leadership, sizzle, or just moments of superior play.  Here is a quick breakdown of the player we see on each squad who has either surprised us or confirmed our estimation of their talent through their play over the season’s first five weeks.   ARIZONA:   QB David Carr No surprise here as Carr’s numbers have been nothing short of MVP material.  Five games in and he is on  pace for over 4,200 yards and 55 touchdowns.  Just ridiculous production.   ATLANTA: DE Chris Kelsay Not a lot has gone right for the 1-4 Fire, but no one is complaining about Chris Kelsay’s production.  He has 7 sacks and 25 tackles after 5 games, a nice pace to possibly hit 20 sacks on the season.   BALTIMORE: WR Brian Hartline While Darrius Heyward-Bey has been quieter than usual, Hartline, long considered a possession guy, is averaging nearly 32 yards per catch and has over 500 yards with 4 touchdowns in the first third of the season.   BIRMINGHAM: CB Antonio Cromartie We thought we might give this to T. J. Yeldon, who has been steady this year, but Cromartie is proving his worth each week with 13 passes defended and 33 tackles so far this season.   CHARLOTTE: WR D. J. Hackett An underappreciated talent league-wide, Hackett just puts up numbers every single year.  He is sitting at 33 receptions, 527 yards and 2 TDs after 5 weeks, which is a pace to reach 1,600 yards and possibly 100 receptions as well.   CHICAGO: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Chicago fans are warming up to their new QB and his infectious enthusiasm.  A 7:1 TD:INT ratio is also helping a lot.   DALLAS: DE Larry English The 28th ranked Roughneck defense has few bright spots to boast about, but 7-year vet English is certainly one of them. His 6 sacks and 5 tackles for loss are one of the few good notes in a pretty sour defensive symphony of errors.   DENVER: WR/KR Kevin White The fact that White is our standout player may be a bad sign for Denver.  But, that said, White is getting it done on punt returns (11.7 average) and is 2nd on the team with 15 receptions.   HOUSTON: WR Roy Williams While Mike Evans gets most of the hype, it is Williams who is leading the 4-1 Gamblers in receptions (18), yards (520) and average (28.9).    JACKSONVILLE: DE Barkevious Mingo Mingo is beginning to find his groove in his 4th season, and his 7 sacks have helped Jacksonville start strong with a top 10 defense against the pass.   LAS VEGAS: QB Cody Pickett Pickett is silencing the doubters in Las Vegas with a strong first quarter.  He boasts a 10:3 TD:INT ratio, a QB rating of 93.3, and has been the key to the Viper offense all season.   LOS ANGELES: FS David Young Young leads the Express with 3 picks, but is also solid against the run, with 12 tackles on backs this year. MEMPHIS: HB Anthony Allen We thought of giving the award collectively to the Memphis O-line, considering the success the Showboats have had with all their backs, but it was Allen’s strong performances that kept the team afloat when Gurley went down, so we give the nod to the career backup.   MICHIGAN: CB Dre Kirkpatrick Yes, LeVeon Bell is having another monster season, but we wanted to recognize one of the best corners in the game, and Kirkpatrick’s 4 picks already this season make that easier to justify.   NEW JERSEY: DE Vic Beasley The break out star of the Generals this year, Beasley is hanging close to Campbell, which is pretty lofty real estate.    NEW ORLEANS: LB Kevin Minter Minter has become a true leader on the Breaker defense, not only with his 39 tackles, but as the defensive play caller and on-field motivator.   OAKLAND: LB Bobby Wagner Another linebacker having a huge impact this year, Wagner not only leads the Invaders in tackles (41) but has 3 picks and 2 forced fumbles as well. Those are All-USFL numbers for a player who is getting more and more attention across the league.   OHIO: LB James Laurinaitis Our third LB in a row, Laurinaitis is having his best year as a pro with 45 tackles so far.  Ohio relies on his steady hand and good instincts as they have improved on defense and now boast a Top 10 squad in yards allowed.   ORLANDO: QB Russell Wilson The Renegades are 4-1 in large part because of the more controlled, more precise play of Wilson.  The 5th year pro is beginning to look like a more focused and dangerous QB than ever before.   PHILADELPHIA: HB Derrick Henry No question here.  Henry has been the story of the season so far for the Stars.  He has 5 TDs already and has even started to stay on the field on passing downs.  He is a serious candidate, the favorite, for Rookie of the Year.   PITTSBURGH: WR Victor Cruz Cruz has stepped up with Thielen injured, and has put up big numbers all season, leading the club with over 580 yards receiving and 4 touchdowns.  If Pittsburgh can pull themselves back into this season, Cruz will be a big reason why.   PORTLAND:   LB Channing Crowder Portland has not been able to count on much this season, but they can always rely on Crowder to be in the mix and in on the tackle.    SAN DIEGO: HB Ryan Williams The biggest reason San Diego is a surprising 4-1 is the acquisition of the former Invader halfback.  Williams sits at 401 yards after 5 weeks and when he is on, defenses struggle to keep him contained.   SEATTLE: LB Calvin Pace We struggled to find a high achiever on the Dragons in their 0-5 start.  We knew it would not be on offense, but on the D there is no shining star, so we give the award to the most reliable, if not the most dynamic player.   ST. LOUIS: WR Eric Weems Weems has come on as a true number 2 receiver, helping take pressure off Jordy Nelson with his 23 catches, 326 yards and 3 scores so far this year.    TAMPA BAY: CB Philip Buchanon Tied for the league lead with 4 interceptions, Buchanon also has 27 tackles and a defensive TD, one of the bright spots for a rough 1-4 Bandits’ start.   TEXAS: HB Marshawn Lynch With 428 yards over 5 games, Lynch is well on his way to 1,000 and has largely broken out of the rotation with Chris Johnson.  Lynch has 106 carries to Johnson’s 14 so far this year, and we are not seeing any reason that should change.   WASHINGTON: KR Wendell Smallwood There have not been a lot of stellar individual performances this year in Washington, but one player who has caught a lot of people’s eyes is rookie return man Wendell Smallwood, who is averaging nearly 15 yards per punt return and is also sharing kick returns with fellow rookie Tyreek Hill.   League Signs Deal with Under Armour, Expands Uniform Plans The USFL announced this week that it had come to an agreement with Under Armour to be the uniform partner for a 5-year span from 2018-2023, with the option to extend to 2028.  The deal means that Adidas’s contract will not be renewed and will once again likely produce a wave of new looks across the league over the contract’s extension. Under Armour has been a growing presence in youth and college athletic uniform design, and now gets a major contract to produce football uniforms for the league. They are expected, as others have, to partner with Riddell, the official helmet purveyor for the league, on any new designs.  And we should expect that there will be new designs as the league also announced some uniform guideline adjustments.   In addition to the league signing on with a new uniform designer, one expected to work with 5-6 teams per year to refresh their looks, the USFL announced two significant updates to the uniform code for its 28 member teams. The first is an allowance for teams to use up to 2 distinct helmets per year. There was a brief period in the 1990’s when this was permitted, but concerns regarding safety led to a one-helmet rule similar to that initiated by the NFL. The decision to allow alternate helmets is considered one of the major stepping stones to allow the USFL to develop more alternative looks with the new Under Armour contract.  Each team will be allowed to use two distinct shells, which means that a team could develop a home helmet and an away helmet, revert to an older helmet color for throwback looks, or develop a limited use alternative look. As an example, the Baltimore Blitz, who currently use a deep royal blue helmet with silver and white decals could offer a silver alternative or provide a retro look with a silver shell and earlier logos. The expansion of options from 1 shell to 2 opens up both retro looks for some teams and alternates for others.    The other alteration to uniform codes is specifically around the question or throwback looks. The league is actively encouraging teams to consider development of official throwback uniforms, but would limit their use to rivalry games in which both teams agree to don “old school” looks. What this means is that while the Stallions and Showboats could both wear designs and logos from the 1980’s they could only do this in games when both agree to do so, eliminating the option for Memphis to go retro while Birmingham does not.  It would also preclude the option for Memphis to wear a retro look against a team like St. Louis, which did not exist in the same era. Essentially what the league seems to be pushing for is era-specific clashes. With each team allowed 2 helmets, but no limitation on decals, a team like Washington, which has had several different logos but always on a white or silver helmet, to be able to recreate looks from any period of their history.   Under Armour has not made any statements about the alternate or throwback options, other than to say that they are planning on working with all 28 teams to ensure that each club has a look that is both recognizable and timeless. Expect to hear more as we enter 2017 and the Adidas deal concludes, including an announcement next year as to how many and which teams will be the first to undergo major overhauls when UA takes over provision of team uniforms and fan apparel.   Renegades Reveal “Jawsome” New Branding While we are on the topic of uniform design, we have to talk about the results of the Orlando Renegades’ brand reinvention and fan poll. As you will recall, after nearly 30 years in which the main image of the club has been a tomahawk, pressure from Native American groups, as well as the potential for the team to lose its unique trademark option on their tomahawk logo, led Orlando to seek a new branding focus.  The club revealed 3 different animal designs back in January, with a boar, a mammoth, and a shark as the three options to be considered.  All three new brands retained the club’s traditional blue, silver, and black look, while replacing the Native American imagery with an animal emphasis.  Well, the vote has wrapped up and the winner was announced this week. The concept of a “Renegade” will now be focused on the image of a rogue shark.  The shark design, featuring a silver and white blacktip shark with black outlines and a Renegade Blue splash of water won the fan survey by nearly 40,000 votes, sending a clear message that despite Orlando being a landlocked city in the Florida peninsula, fans still identified the city and region with the state’s extensive coastline and coastal culture.  The Renegades partnered with Adidas to remake their image and this week they revealed new uniforms that would take to the field in 2017 along with a new marketing campaign focused on the toothy aquatic predators.    The uniform features the white helmet with black facemask and wrap-around logo that was seen in the later weeks of the vote.  This helmet returns Orlando to the ranks of the league teams wearing white helmets, joining Washington, New Orleans, San Diego, and the newly-converted Seattle Dragons. The white helmet will be paired with white and Renegade blue jerseys. The sleeves feature a unique striping pattern that incorporates a shark fin into the design and blue sleeve caps. The white jersey will have white sleeves with the blue caps, while the blue jersey will have silver-grey sleeves with the same blue sleeve caps.  The three pant sets (white, blue, and silver) all feature the team’s new secondary logo, based on the sleeve striping with a background monogram “O” carrying over from past designs, along with a wide horizontally slanted stripe and two thinner stripes.  According to team officials, the primary uniforms will be the white top with blue pants and the blue top with white pants, with silver reserved for limited use and an all-white combo available for particularly hot afternoon games in the later part of the season.  It is a look that is very much new for the Renegades but incorporates the color palette and some traditional elements that help retain the identity of the Renegades over the past 30 seasons.   A heavily inter-divisional week with only 5 division games on the slate, though we do start the weekend off with one as we have Dallas visiting the Texas Outlaws, who play this game in Houston as part of their 2016 stadium rotation.  ON Saturday we have some good inter-divisional games, such as Michigan @ Washington and a surprising battle of 4-1 squads when Memphis head out to San Diego.  On Saturday night the double-header features two divisional battles.  Baltimore will try to double up their wins in their back-to-back series with Philadelphia on NBC and then on ESPN/EFN the Oakland Invaders head up to Seattle to take on the winless Dragons. Sunday is headlined by another 4-1battle, this one the national game on Fox as the co-leaders of the Southeastern Division, Orlando and Charlotte face off at BOA Stadium.  A few other games to tune in for include New Orleans @ Portland with the winner returning to .500 after rough starts to the season, Las Vegas @ Denver, with a similar result for the winner, and Ohio @ Pittsburgh in what used to be a divisional rivalry but is now just a regional matchup.   Friday @ 8pm ET              Dallas (1-4) @ Texas (4-1)                             NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET       Michigan (4-1) @ Washington (3-2)                  ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET      Arizona (5-0) @ Chicago (2-3)                           FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET        Memphis (4-1) @ San Diego (4-1)                    ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET          New Jersey (3-2) @ Houston (4-1)                   FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET         Baltimore (1-4) @ Philadelphia (3-2)                NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET       Oakland (3-2) @ Seattle (0-5)                           ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET         Tampa Bay (1-4) @ Birmingham (2-3)               ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET         Jacksonville (3-2) @ Atlanta (1-4)                       ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Orlando (4-1) @ Charlotte (4-1)                       FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET          New Orleans (2-3) @ Portland (2-3)                 ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET           Las Vegas (2-3) @ Denver (2-3)                         FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           Los Angeles (2-3) @ St. Louis (1-4)                FOX Regional Sunday @ 8pm ET            Ohio (2-3) @ Pittsburgh (1-4)                           ESPN/EFN

We have hit the ¼ mark of the season. Time to assess where our preseason picks may have been a bit off. We know we have to reassess some teams, especially with Baltimore sitting at 0-4 and some unexpected frontrunner, like San Diego at 3-1 and New Jersey and Philly battling atop the Northeast Division. We will run down the top stories of the season’s first quarter, review our preseason power rankings (lots of movement there) and touch on the stories of the week, starting with this week’s results. Four games down, but still plenty of time for teams to adjust and find their stride. We will see if some quick starts start to slow down and some poor starts find their way.    CHICAGO MACHINE 34    OAKLAND INVADERS 37 The Machine came into Oakland as a 10-point underdog, but gave the Invaders everything they could handle, building up a 34-20 lead early in the 4th quarter, but Oakland dug deep and found a way to win, putting up 17 points in the game’s final 5 minutes to stun the Machine and move to 3-1 on the season.  A tough loss for a Machine club just trying to find its identity, but a key win for an Oakland squad that is expecting to win their division.   It was also a good game for quarterback play as newly-relocated Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 319 yards only to have longstanding Invader QB Joey Harrington  throw for 330.  In a game where both teams struggled to run the ball, it was the QB’s as well as wideouts AaronDobson and Davante Adams who provided the fireworks, along with a pick-six, of course, as we always seem to have one in our GOTW.    This was a game that saw both teams find holes in the opposition defense from the early going.  After a quick and unproductive opening drive by Chicago, Oakland opened their first drive with a 15-yard completion and went 81 yards in only 10 plays before Donald Brown took the ball off tackle for the final 4 yards to give Oakland the initial 7-0 lead.  That lead would not last long as Chicago needed only 5 plays to move the ball 67 yards, with Ryan Fitzpatrick connecting on a long throw to HB Doug Martin before connecting with Aaron dobson for the equalizer.    Oakland retook the lead on a 51-yard field goal by rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo, but Chicago would again find their way down field in short order.  In a drive that crossed over into the 2nd quarter, Fitzpatrick and the Machine needed only 7 plays to take their first lead of the game.  The scoring play was a short toss from the veteran QB to rookie Will Fuller, the 3rd TD of the season for the impressive young wideout.  Chicago would expand their lead less than a minute later when a tipped ball found its way to Machine DB Jordan Poyer.  Poyer, who is listed as a corner, but who has been taking some snaps at free safety, was in that position and in the right place to come up with the ball and find a path through the Oakland offense, a long path, as his run went 86 yards for a score to give Chicago a 21-10 advantage.   But Joey Harrington has a short memory and was back, throwing the ball on Chicago, in a final drive that would prove fruitful for the Invaders.  With just 38 seconds left in the half, Harrington would find his favorite target on the day, 3rd year wideout Davante Adams.  Adams would make 5 receptions on the day for 110 yards and this scoring play, a 6-yard fade route.   The game went into the half at 21-17 Chicago, and the back-and-forth play continued in the third, with Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Machine offense finding holes in Oakland’s zone scheme, and getting help from a 2nd Harrington pick.  After Chicago went up by 11 on a Doug Martin run, they got another gift from the Invaders as Jordan Poyer nabbed his second pick, this one a shoestring catch on a ball that looked like it would hit the turf before the defender or the receiver could reach it.  The play went to the replay officials after an initial ruling of incomplete, but the replay clearly showed Poyer’s hands under the ball.   Chicago would add a field goal on the ensuing drive and had themselves a nice 14-point lead at 31-17, but Oakland would keep scrapping.  Oakland would move the ball well on the next drive, helped by a nice 37-yard catch & rumble from TE Zach Ertz.  They would settle for a field goal, but the offense showed it could find its own success against the Machine D.    The 3rd quarter ended with Chicago driving again, and just 31 seconds into the final period they brought the difference back up to 14 with another field goal.  Down two scores, Oakland needed to both score and get stops.  They failed in the first need on their next drive, going 3-and-out, but succeeded in forcing a Chicago turnover only 2 plays into the next Machine drive.  The play came on a big hit from LB Bobby Wagner, forcing the ball out of TE Anthony Fasano’s hands, recovered by LB Donterrious Thomas. That change of possession turned into an 8-play scoring drive with Knile Davis getting the TD on a 1-yard plunge over the right guard.    Oakland had pulled back to within 7, and they would get a shot to tie the game after forcing Chicago into a 3rd and 14 with a sack of Fitzpatrick.  The machine could not convert and were forced to punt.  Oakland moved quickly, using a muddle huddle to call plays without allowing Chicago to substitute.  In 7 plays they were in the red zone, 3 plays later Harrington found Keenan Allen for the score. It was the 8th reception of the day for Allen and meant that with 1:15 left, Oakland and Chicago were knotted up.   Dennis Green decided to kick away and play defense, but his defense decided that the best way to win the game was to give the ball back to the Oakland offense.  On a pitch play to the wide side of the field, CB Chris Gamble stood up Doug Martin and Bobby Wagner punched the ball out for his 2nd forced fumble of the game.  In the scramble Wagner recovered the ball, giving Oakland the ability to win the game with a last-minute score.  They tried to get the ball into position, but a holding call forced them backwards.  Not wanting to risk another play causing them to back out of field goal range, Coach Green called for two straight kneel downs, putting the ball finally at the Chicago 27 and setting up rookie Roberto Aguayo for the winning kick. The FSU rookie, knowing that a miss with 3 seconds left would  produce a tie and overtime rather than a loss, was cool and collected. He put the ball between the uprights and Oakland escaped the game with a win.  It took some defensive tenacity, but 2 Chicago turnovers in the final quarter proved to be all that Oakland needed to come back on the Machine and get the win. BALTIMORE 21   MEMPHIS 24 It was too little, too late for Jake Locker as the Showboats built up a 24-0 lead before the Baltimore backup started to connect with his receivers.  Locker would finish with 323 yards and 3 TDs, but time simply ran out on the Blitz, who fall to a surprising 0-4.  Memphis got 94 yards from Anthony Allen, and 3 huge touchdowns from Todd Gurley’s understudy as the Baltimore run defense again proves to be a sieve. POTG:  Showboat HB Anthony Allen: 23 Att, 94 Yds, 3 TD   ARIZONA 31    ATLANTA 13 Another blowout win for the Wranglers as David Carr earns POTW honors with 4 TDs and 396 yards passing.  Kyle Orton did play, but was ineffective, sacked by the aggressive Wrangler D six painful times. Frank Gore added 102 yards on the ground and new Wrangler Jimmie Graham had his best day of the season, catching 5 for 114 and his first touchdown with the team. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 17/25, 396 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   NEW JERSEY 36    WASHINGTON 30    OVERTIME Brett Hundley impresses again, and the Generals find a way to win their 3rd of the year, taking the game to overtime on a late Fairbairn field goal and then wrapping it up with a Delone Carter TD run.  Hundley threw for 376 yards and 3 scores in his best game so far for the surging Generals.  Odell Beckham was his star target, earning POTG standing with a huge day. POTG:  Generals’ WR Odell Beckham: 10 Rec, 192 Yds   LOS ANGELES 15   HOUSTON 34 Houston just had too much for the Express as Matt Hasselbeck returned to action, completing 12 of 16 for 241 yards and 2 scores.  Carlos Hyde added 98 and a score on the ground while the defense sacked Sam Bradford 6 times and held LA to only 4 of 15 on third down.  Safety Kenny Vaccaro added a pick-six to help keep Houston among the unbeatens. POTG:  Houston safety Willie Andrews: 5 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   JACKSONVILLE 19   TAMPA BAY 0 The Bulls have found something with their new defense, shutting out Tampa Bay and limiting Tampa Bay rookie QB Dak Prescott to only 20 of 43 passing.  Cadillac Williams helped the Bulls with 114 yards on 12 carries, but it was the D that was the story of this game, holding the Bandits to only 8 first downs and 209 total yards. POTG:  Bulls’ HB Cadillac Williams: 12 Att, 114 Yds   MICHIGAN 37    ST. LOUIS 6 The Panthers dominated on both sides of the ball to move to 3-1 as they scored 31 unanswered points to knock St. Louis out.  LeVeon Bell rushed for 120 and the young receivers for the Panthers came through, with Jerrel Jernigan and Cody Latimer combining for 9 receptions and 131 yards.  The defense was led by DE Michael Bennet, who finished with 5 tackles, a sack, and a big fumble. POTG:  Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 16 Att, 120 Yds, 1 TD, 2 Rec, 28 Yds, 1 TD   SEATTLE 7   BIRMINGHAM 20 The Dragons’ offensive woes continue as again they fail to score more than once.  Birmingham was hardly explosive, but the did enough to knock out the Dragons.  Amari Cooper led all Stallions with 4 receptions for 103 yards, including a big 75-yarder that led to the club’s first score. Derrick Harvey had 2 sacks and Antonio Cromartie forced 2 fumbles as the Dragons just could not hold onto the ball. POTG:  Stallions’ LB Ernie Sims: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR   OHIO 21   PHILADELPHIA 31 A good one in Philly, not decided until the final minutes.  Derrick Henry again came up big, rushing for 92 yards and 3 big TDs for the Stars.  Christian Hackenberg started for Ohio and fared pretty well, going 15 of 22 before being knocked out with a minor injury.  Tony Pike came in but could not keep pace with the Stars.  Henry’s 3rd TD of the game was enough to put Philly ahead for good. POTG:  Stars’ HB Derri ck Henry: 22 Att, 92 Yds, 3 TD   CHARLOTTE 24   NEW ORLEANS 17 The Breakers drop to 1-3 after a tough loss at home to Charlotte. Darren McFadden combined 77 yards rushing with 53 through the air and Brandon Wheedon completed 25 of 31 on the day as Charlotte moved to 3-1. The Breaker run game simply never got started and New Orleans went 4 of 12 on third down as they drop a tough one to the Monarchs. POTG:  Charlotte LB Rolando McClain: 10 Tck, 1 TFL   ORLANDO 41   DALLAS 26 Dallas’s defense is just not showing up as Russell Wilson throws for 3 scores. Rookie Deion Bush gets another pick and this one goes for 6 as backup Landry Jones, in for a concussed Manziel, makes a fatal mistake in his first series.  Orlando built up a 24-12 lead and never looked back as they dominated the shaky Dallas defense all game. POTG:  Renegade QB Russell Wilson: 23/30, 208 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   DENVER 19   LAS VEGAS 21 A tough loss for Denver as they score with 12 seconds left to play, but fail on the 2-point conversion, giving Las Vegas their first win of the season.  Cody Pickett threw for 2 scores and Montario Hardesty added another as the Vipers scored 21 unanswered points after falling behind 13-0.  Denver got a Kevin White TD in the final seconds, but they needed 2 to tie and did not get it as POTG Willie Middlebrooks tackled Leonard Hankerson half a yard shy of the endzone on the key play. POTG:  Viper CB Willie Middlebrooks: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   SAN DIEGO 38    PORTLAND 16 The Thunder are a surprising 3-1 after a big game from free agent acquisition Ryan Williams helps them take down Portland at Columbia Sportswear Stadium.  Joe Webb threw for 245 and 2 scores, but it was Williams, with 101 yards rushing, 73 receiving, and 2 big scores who helped lead the way for the Thunder.  Webb’s 70-yard TD to Williams was the highlight play of the game. POTG:  Thunder HB Ryan Williams: 15 Att, 101 Yds, 1 Td, 2 Rec, 73 Yds, 1 TD   PITTSBURGH 25    TEXAS 27 The Maulers drop to 1-3 as they too fall one PAT away from tying the game in Texas.  The Maulers got a 31-yard Dalton to Marshall TD with 32 seconds to play, but just like Denver, they needed 2 to tie, and they could not get it.  Texas got 3 TDs from Joe Flacco, including one from newly-arrived WR Justin Hunter.  LB Jonathan Moulton was named player of the game in large part due to his play on the final 2-point attempt, swatting the ball away from Pittsburgh TE Anthony Hill to preserve the 2-point lead. POTG:  Outlaw LB Jonathan Moulton: 10 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF Quarterly Report: 10 Big Stories of 2016 So Far A lot has happened in only 4 weeks. Teams have had surprisingly good starts, upsettingly bad ones, and players have broken out in a big way. We looked over all the posts, all the conversations we found ourselves having around the bullpen, and we have come up with the 10 most discussed stories of the season’s first month. Lots to break down as we look at Weeks 1-4, so let’s get right to it.   10—Memphis Starts Strong We start our list of stories with the surprisingly quick start of the Memphis Showboats. The club that many picked to bring up the rear in the 4-team Southern Division is sitting at 3-1 and has put some impressive wins on the board, knocking off the defending league champion Breakers, the defending NE Division champion Blitz, and the 3-1 Oakland Invaders. The win in Oakland was perhaps the most impressive of the lot as Memphis dominated the Invaders in their own house, winning by a decisive 24-7 total.    Memphis has improved in two key areas this year, ranked 4th in the league by allowing only 52.5 yards per game on the ground and sitting at 7th in the league with 269 yards per game through the air. Eli Manning has quieted some of the calls for rookie Paxton Lynch by starting strong, throwing for 1,075 yards and 4 TDs in the season’s opening month.  Robert Woods has emerged as a solid option for Manning, paired with Mark Clayton to give the Showboats a solid short and mid-range game. But perhaps the biggest revelation has been in the run game, where an injury to 2nd year back Todd Gurley has given backup Anthony Allen a chance to shine. Allen, in 3 starts, has recorded over 200 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns.  With Gurley expected to return, Memphis may well consider more of a rotation to keep Allen’s hands on the ball.  Too much quality at halfback is a good problem for a club to have.   9—Jacksonville D Delivers There is no denying that the sudden improvement of the Jacksonville Bulls’ defense is one of the stories of the year. The Bulls have held 3 of 4 opponents under 20 points, including a huge shut out of Tampa Bay this week to move to 3-1 on the year.  While fans were oohing and ahing at a big game from QB Robert Griffin III in Week 2, it has been the defense each and every week that has gotten the job done for the insurgent Bulls.   The front line of Barkevious Mingo, David Bowens, Robert Ayers, and DT Grady Jarrett has produced 14 sacks and has been solid against the run, giving up 82 yards per game.  The linebacker are led by former Philly Star Sean Lee in the middle.  Lee leads the team with 23 sacks and is getting help from outside backers Gabe Miller and Jarret Johnson. In the secondary, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie is taking on a leadership role, supported by fellow CB Charles Godfrey (15 tackles and a pick) an safety revelation David Bruton, whose pick-six was the highlight of the win over Tampa Bay. Can the Bulls win with this defense? It seems the answer is yes. They have a big showdown with 3-1 in-state rival Orlando this week, and that game could show us which Sunshine State defense is able to shine brightest.   8—San Diego’s Surprising Start We follow the theme of surprisingly fast starts by looking at the San Diego Thunder.  After a season-opening loss to the Michigan Panthers, San Diego has rattled off three straight wins. Now, admittedly, they beat 3 teams with a combined 3-9 record in Las Vegas, LA, and Portland, but wins are wins, and San Diego will gladly take more of them. The Thunder have done this without a clear area of dominance. They rank between 12th and 18th in most categories tracked by the league, though their run defense has been a little bit better, ranked 5th and allowing only 66.2 yards per game.  The offense has been balanced, with Joe Webb happy to hand the ball off to free agent signee, former Oakland starter Ryan Williams. The 6th year back is providing punch to the Thunder ground game and that is making it easier for Webb to use play action to connect with Chad Johnson, Nick Toon, and TE Kevin Everett.  Johnson, in particular, has benefitted from fewer double teams as defenses have to commit more to stop the Thunder run game.     San Diego has a big challenge coming up as they will head to Memphis in Week 6, but they won’t face 3-1 Oakland until Week 10, giving them plenty of time to build up their confidence before facing the club most picked to win the division.   7—Pittsburgh Power Outage What happened to the Maulers’ offense and the MVP campaign many expected from QB Andy Dalton?  The Maulers have struggled to score points, averaging only 20.5 per game, and have also seen the defense collapse on more than one occasion.  The result?  Well, a 1-3 start is not what anyone expected, but that is what we have.  Other than a solid game against Philadelphia (a 22-16 win at Heinz Field) Pittsburgh has looked sloppy and out of synch.  They scored only 10 against a suspect New Jersey defense, and this week failed on a 2-point conversion that would have sent their game with Texas to overtime.   The Maulers have some winnable games coming up, with 2 games against 2-2 Washington in the next 3 weeks, with 2-2 Ohio sandwiched in there as well.  They also still have a lot of solid weapons, but the loss of Adam Thielen this week (out 2-4 weeks with a dislocated knee) will not help.  Andy Dalton needs to pick things up.  His yards per game are down by nearly 60 yards, his comnpletion percentage is hovering around 50%, down nearly 10 points from last year, and the big plays have been far fewer.  If the Maulers are going to dig out of their 1-3 hole, they will need more from him, and likely more from wideout Mike Williams, who is likely to step in for Thielen as he recovers.   6—Henry Running Away with ROTY Some years it is a mystery which rookie will pull out a Rookie of the Year title at the end of the year.  This is not shaking out to be one of those years.  Philadelphia tailback Derrick Henry is literally running away with the title.  With 315 yards and 4 TDs in his first 4 pro games, including a stellar 107-yard outing in his premier game and nice 101 yard and 92 yard games in the last 2 weeks, Henry is looking like the real deal and a clear front runner for the ROTY award.    It is a long season, and halfback is a position that tends to start fast but run out of steam over time, but the aggressive style of Henry is looking very effective.  Henry is a “hit them, don’t let them hit you” kind of back.  Bruising but also fast enough to break away once he gets into the secondary, Henry is looking like one of the best picks from this year’s draft.  With Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott opting for the NFL Cowboys, Henry came in as the highest drafted tailback, and he is making coach Jim Harbaugh look like a genius for pushing to sign the Alabama back.   5—Beasley A Beast Calais Campbell may have caught and one-upped Beasley this week, but that does not take away from the 2nd year player’s impressive first month of 2016.  The New Jersey General left end has impressed coaches, fans, and players over the season’s first month.  His linemate, Aaron Kampman has praised Beasley’s work ethic and athleticism.  Coach Norv Turner has also praised Beasley for putting in the work all week long to get results each weekend. Teams are beginning to adjust their lines to compensate for Beasley, something that will make Aaron Kampman more effective, but the big man out of Clemson is still making plays, disrupting blocking schemes and intimidating offenses, a very good development for a Generals’ team hoping to make some noise this year.   4—Wilson on Target While much of the attention in Orlando has been on the defense, and deservedly so, we should recognize the continued growth from QB Russell Wilson. The former NC State and Wisconsin QB had a huge improvement in his 4th year, throwing for over 3,000 yards, but still struggled with accuracy, throwing 17 picks to go with 17 touchdowns last year. While still a concern (6 picks in 4 games) what we are seeing from Wilson this year is greater accuracy and better decision-making in general.    The other noticeable change to Wilson’s game appears to be his willingness to take off and run when the play is not there.  So far this year Wilson has rushed for over 110 yards and is turning scrambles into first downs.  He will want to work on avoiding big hits, but what Orlando fans are getting excited by is Wilson’s ability to move the pocket, extend plays, and take off when the receivers are just not open.   3—Gamblers Going Gangbusters Houston has staked their claim to the Southern Division once again.  After falling just short of winning the division in their first season since being reallocated from the Southwest to the South, Houston is laying claim to the division with a 4-0 start this year. They have already knocked off both Memphis and Birmingham, and with New Orleans off to a slow 1-3 start, Houston is looking very good as a division front runner.   Even better, the Gamblers are doing it on both sides of the ball, averaging over 33 points per game on offense (even with Matt Hasselbeck missing parts of 3 games due to injury) while the defense is giving up only 20.8. The Gamblers may not be blowing everyone out like their old division rival in Arizona, but they are winning with a combination of confidence, competency, and consistency week in and week out. They have a huge game with New Orleans this week, one that could certainly cement them as the favorite in the division and set them up to compete for the top seed in the East.    2—Baltimore Bottoms Out We have already touched on this, but it is without a doubt one of the most talked-about stories of the year. With early games against New Jersey, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Memphis, most expected the Blitz to get off to a 4-0 start, not fall to 0-4.  It does not get any better with back to back games against 3-1 Philadelphia in the next 2 weeks, then more tough games with St. Louis and Michigan up next.    The Blitz need to get their offense back on line, find ways to get the ball to Darrius Heyward-Bey and figure out how to slow down opposing rushers. Baltimore is giving up 120 yards rushing a game, and that means teams are keeping the ball away from them. They have been close in their last 2 games, but close only gets you so far. The time is now for them to turn this around, because losing the series with Philadelphia would put them at 0-6 and there is no coming back from that.   1—Wranglers Rolling No doubt what the story of the year so far has been.  Arizona’s offense has been uncharacteristically dynamic, explosive, and fun to watch.  We got so used to the Wranglers winning games with defense and Frank Gore handoffs that we did not see this coming.  David Carr is on fire, throwing for over 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns in the season’s first 4 weeks.  It is an incredible pace, one that we also see with Larry Fitzgerald leading the league in receiving yards by 166 yards over 2nd place.  He is averaging over 150 yards per game and over 30 yards a catch.  Ridiculous numbers.  And don’t think they have forgotten Gore either, the veteran back is currently 7th in the league with 283 yards, a healthy 70.75 per game.    If Arizona continues to pair their solid defense with this type of offensive explosiveness, they could be on their way to another Summer Bowl.  They are just destroying teams, evident in their 41-14 dismantling of Dallas in Week 1 and their equally impressive 43-19 win over Denver.  Las Vegas gave them a fight, but they were back to blowout wins in Atlanta this week.  They have a tough one with Oakland in town this week, but after that they don’t face another team with a winning record until a Week 9 clash against Jacksonville.  Arizona is looking very much like a team that has it all working and that is not good for the other 27 teams in the league.    Campbell Back on Top with 3 Sack Day We came into the year expecting that Calais Campbell’s stranglehold on the league’s Sack Leader Board would come to an end in 2016.  We looked at Von Miller of Denver and thought he was in position to challenge the Orlando sack master.   Well, a challenger has risen, not in the form of Miller, but in New Jersey’s Vic Beasley, who led the league with 9 sacks over 3 weeks, but a big 3-sack game in Week 4 helped prove that Campbell would not relinquish his title so easily.  Campbell’s big game against Dallas and Johnny Manziel has put him back on top with 10 sacks in only 4 games, a pace that we all recognize as ridiculous (on pace for 40 sacks over 16 games).   It seems that having a legitimate challenger is once again bringing out the best in Campbell as he hopes to retain the crown and the near universal view that he may well be the best edge rusher in league, and maybe pro football history.   Here is an expanded look at the top sack leaders so far this year.   Calais Campbell (ORL)         10 Sacks (4-1-2-3 by week) Vic Beasley (NJ)                    9 Sacks (3-3-2-1 by week) Chris Kelsay (ATL)                   6 Sacks (1-2-2-1 by week) Barkevious Mingo (JAX)           6 Sacks (1-3-1-1 by week) Reynaldo Wynn (TEX)             6 Sacks (1-1-2-2 by week)   (As a note, Von Miller has only 2 sacks over the same 4 games, a slower start than most expected.)    Cascade Collapse:  Stags & Dragons Cannot Find Endzone While the Cascade Clash between Seattle and Portland is one of the league’s trademark rivalries, the shine may not be on this apple in 2016.  After 4 weeks the Stags and Dragons are a combined 1-7 and neither looks like a team that will be bringing a lot of excitement to the league.  Seattle is averaging fewer than 10 points per game, with Byron Leftwich siting on a 47% completion rate and a 3:4 TD:INT ratio.  Portland has a new QB in 2nd year Oregon product Marcus Mariota (65.0 QBR and 0 TDs to 4 Ints so far) and a new cobbled-together run game with Felix Jones and LeMichael James.  They suffered a brutal 40-0 beat down by the offensively-challenged LA Express, which was a very bad look for the defending division champ.   Both clubs were thought of as up and comers after the Stags snuck into a division title in Week 16 last year and Seattle came on strong over the final 6 weeks of the season, but 2016 has proven that sometimes momentum is squelched in the offseason.  The sudden retirement of Jonathan Stewart and the trade of Ryan Fitzpatrick seem to have deflated hopes in Portland while Seattle may have a decent defense but is proving to have a lot of issues on offense.    The two faced off in Week 3 and that has been Portland’s only win so far. They will face each other again in Week 9, but before that Portland has some potential opportunities to improve, with 1-3 St. Louis and 1-3 New Orleans both coming to town.  Seattle has a tougher road ahead, with 3-1 clubs on the slate each of the next 4 weeks (San Diego, Oakland, @ Michigan, @ Memphis).    No D in Big D: Roughnecks Giving Up 30+ per Game The Dallas Roughnecks had their first winning season since the move from Boston last year, finishing 8-7-1, and many had them pegged as a potential threat in the Southwest Division, but if they want to compete they are going to have to do something about their defense. Opponents over the first month of the season have averaged 30.5 points per game, including 41 by both Orlando and Arizona.  The Roughnecks are -2 in turnover margin, have struggled against the run, and have also seen more than a fair share of deep balls find success.  While DE’s Larry English and Taylor Hart have combined for 9 sacks in the season’s opening month, the secondary has been an issue.  Corners Billy Jones and Brandon Carr are making tackles, not pass defenses or picks.  Safeties Dezmen Southward and Will Allen have had to spend their time deep in coverage to avoid big plays, which has made them far less effective against the run.  Just the fact that in their top 7 tacklers the Roughnecks have only 1 linebacker is a clear sign that things are not going well.  If they want to have any shot of keeping pace with Arizona, Texas, and Denver, they will need to find a way to improve the results on defense.  Otherwise they may need to win shootouts to have any shot.     A bad week for the tight end position as two starters get placed on IR.  Brandon Pettigrew was helped off the field this weekend and an MRI showed what everyone on Charlotte feared, an ACL tear that will cost him the season.  For Jacksonville it was not a soft tissue injury, but a broken fibula that will cost Kellen Winslow the rest of the season.  Charlotte will promote L. J. Smith, the former LA Express starter, up to the starting position. In Jacksonville, it will be Gavin Escobar taking over.    Two Week 4 starting QBs were also sidelined as rookie Christian Hackenberg suffered a dislocated thumb and had to leave his first start.  He could be gone for up to 3 weeks.  Johnny Manziel, the starter for Dallas might miss 1-2 weeks after a designation of his foot injury as turf toe, a much better diagnosis than originally thought when he came out of the game this week.   Brock Osweiler will be back under center for the Glory, while Landry Jones will get at least one start for the Roughnecks.     Here is the full breakdown of new names on the Injury Report ahead of Week 5.   OUT TE           Brandon Pettigrew         CHA      ACL Tear                  IR CB          Kevin Seymour                LA          Biceps Tear             IR TE           Kellen Winslow II            JAX         Broken Leg          IR WR         Danny Amendola           SD          Neck                       6-8 Weeks DE          Chandler Jones               CHA      Abdominal Tear     2-4 Weeks QB         Christian Hackenberg  OHI       Hand                        1-2 Weeks DT          Kawann Short                   TBY        Concussion             1-2 Weeks CB          Devn McCourty               NJ           Pinched Nerve         1-2 Weeks QB         Johnny Manziel              DAL       Turf Toe                  1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL G            Cody Wickman               ATL         Ankle G            Max Jean-Gilles           ORL       Hip WR         Mike Wallace              SEA        Knee DE          Cliff Avril                   OAK      Thigh G            ean Locklear              CHA      Back   QUESTIONABLE SS           Brandon Taylor                NOR      Hamstring DT          Sylvester Williams         LA          Finger DE          Matthew Judon                LV           Knee LB           Jaylon Smith                     CHA      Concussion   First Quarter Power Rankings One month into the year and we have huge movement all across our power rankings. We absolutely had to downgrade clubs like Baltimore, New Orleans and Pittsburgh as each have struggled out of the gate. Meanwhile, we have fast risers in places like Jacksonville, San Diego, and Memphis, so you will see a lot of teams rising 5 or more spots and many others dropping by 5 or more as well.  We will revisit the rankings in Weeks, 8, 12, and 16, so let’s see just how fluid the ranking gets as the season moves on.   THE SUPERIOR SEVEN   1—ARIZONA (4-0): Up 1—2nd in preseason That the Wranglers are 4-0 is no shocker, the way they have done it, with an explosive big-play offense and with David Carr looking like an MVP candidate, that has been a surprise.   2—HOUSTON (4-0): Up 3—5th in preseason What has been most impressive about the Gamblers is that they have won with Matt Hasselbeck dealing with injuries.  It seems that the slow development of Colt McCoy is delivering exactly the type of understudy and eventual transition that Houston had hoped for.   3—MICHIGAN (3-1): Up 3—6th in preseason The Panthers are just about where we expected them to be, among the best in the league in rushing the ball at 133.8 YPG and also boasting the league’s best scoring defense.  That is a winning combination.   4—ORLANDO (3-1): Up 5—9th in preseason The Renegades are 1st in yards allowed and 2nd in rush defense, allowing only 45.8 yards per game.  That along with Russell Wilson’s continued improvement have Orlando looking very much like a contender for the division.   5—TEXAS (3-1): Up 2—7th in preseason The loss to Ohio is the one blemish on an otherwise strong opening quarter.  Marshawn Lynch has Texas in the Top 10 for rushing, taking a lot of pressure off of Joe Flacco.  What is possibly surprising is that Marques Colston is under 300 yards receiving after 4 weeks.  But we expect he will catch fire soon.   6--NEW JERSEY (3-1):  Up 17—23rd in preseason The Generals started the season with more questions than answers, but we have quickly learned that some of the biggest mysteries may actually be strengths.  Second Year QB Brett Hundley is looking very good and DE Vic Beasley could make a real run for DPOTY as New Jersey has proven to be one of the most improved teams of the early season.   7—PHILADELPHIA (3-1): Up 9—16th in preseason Another big riser, the Stars have gotten back to running the ball and using play action, with rookie Derrick Henry looking very much like the Rookie of the Year.  The ball control offense has also helped their defense, currently ranked 5th in scoring D and 1st in run defense.  This is a very positive first month for the Stars.   THE SOLID SEVEN   8—OAKLAND (3-1): Even—8th in preseason The Invaders have struggled to find a run game without Ryan Williams, but with a solid defense they have found ways to win more often than not, though that big loss to Memphis has to worry them.  They need more out of Donald Brown, and out of the passing game if they want to stay atop the Pacific.   9—CHARLOTTE (3-1): Up 5—14th in preseason A better start for the Monarchs than many expected, despite a horrible 6:10 TD:INT ratio from Brandon Wheedon.  With Adrian Peterson set to finally make an appearance in Week 5, the Monarchs have been doing it with Darren McFadden, who has 310 yards and 4 TDs already.  The defense has been solid against the run, but a bit shaky against the pass.   10—JACKSONVILLE (3-1): Up 9—19th in preseason We all know what the story has been in Jacksonville.  The defense has been impressive, which must make head coach Jack Del Rio happy.  The Bulls are 2nd in scoring D, allowing only 12.8 yards per game, including this week’s shutout of in-state rival Tampa Bay.  They have won 3 in a row and are looking very much like a contender as long as they can produce just enough points to keep the defense from wearing down. 11—MEMPHIS (3-1): Up 11—22nd in preseason Another quick riser after a very strong start to the year for the Showboats.  Rex Ryan has to love what he is seeing out of his rebuilt defense, especially against the run, where Memphis is giving up only 52.5 yards per game.  Anthony Allen has been a revelation after an injury kept Todd Gurley out for 2 weeks.  Can Allen and Gurley turn Memphis into a 2-headed rushing monster?   12—SAN DIEGO (3-1): Up 8—20th in preseason The Thunder have been another big surprise, though the success of Ryan Williams was somewhat expected.  The free agent acquisition has helped balance the Thunder offense, making life easier for Joe Webb.  The defense is also looking solid, with DT Haloti Ngata leading the way.   13—BIRMINGHAM (2-2): Up 2—15th in preseason A 2-2 record is about where we expected Birmingham to be.  We have not seen the big game breaking runs from Cam Newton yet this year, but what we have seen is a much-improved defense, allowing only 14.5 points per game. They did lose both division games in the season’s first month, which is not ideal, but this week’s game against Memphis should tell us where they are headed over the next 3 months.   14—DENVER (2-2): Up 3—17th in preseason The Gold got shellacked by Arizona, but looked much more comfortable against both Jacksonville and Michigan.  They could be 3-1 if not for a botched 2-point conversion this week. They have a solid and balanced offense, with DeMarco Murray and Golden Tate both getting off to good starts. The run defense needs improving however, as they are giving up over 100 yards per game.   THE STRIVING SEVEN 15—WASHINGTON (2-2): Up 3—18th in preseason The Feds started the year strong with wins over Atlanta and Chicago, but back to back division losses to surprising Philly and New Jersey have us wondering if this club can challenge in the division.  The Feds are middle of the pack on both offense and defense, so sitting at .500 seems just about right.   16—OHIO (2-2): Up 10—26th in preseason A 2-2 start is better than we anticipated for the Glory.  Having the 10th rated offense is absolutely more than we expected.  Brock Osweiler has looked solid at the start of his second USFL season and he seems to have built rapport with WR Justin Blackmon.  The defense is 5th in the league in yards allowed, mostly due to a pass defense allowing only 183 yards per game.   17—NEW ORLEANS (1-3): Down 16—1st in preseason Call it a title hangover, the kind you expect on Bourbon Street, because the Breakers have really struggled over the first month of the season. The defense is as good as ever, ranked 6th in the league at 17 points per game allowed, but the offense, well, not so good. They are 25th in scoring, 23rd in rushing, and mid-table in yards and in passing.  That is not what we expected after such a good 2015.   18—PITTSBURGH (1-3): Down 15—3rd in preseason Another surprisingly slow start.  Losses to Orlando, New Jersey, and Texas, and a defense giving up nearly 30 points per game are not what Mauler fans expected.  Now it looks like Adam Thielen could miss a month or more of action, and that with some tough games on the horizon.  The Maulers had better find their form quickly or this could be a very big letdown of a season.   19—ST. LOUIS (1-3): Down 8—11th in preseason The Skyhawks have some good numbers, 1st in the league in pass defense, 9th in yards gained, 8th in rushing, but they are giving up nearly 26 points per game and they have been absolutely horrible defending the run, giving up over 175 yards per game, an absolutely insane number. With some run-heavy teams on the horizon, they had better address that issue and quickly.   20—PORTLAND (1-3): Down 11—9th in preseason We expected some bumps in the road as the club rebuilds their offense with Marcus Mariota and a run game cobbled together with castoffs, but the bigger issue may be that the defense is not keeping them in games.  They lost by 22 this week, and suffered a humiliating 40-0 beatdown against the Express.  That has to have folks worried in the Rose City.   21—DALLAS (1-3): Down 9—12th in preseason A trendy pick to make the playoffs and take another step forward this year, Dallas has disappointed.  The defense has just not shown up.  Ranked 28th in the league and allowing 30.5 points per game, this is a defensive squad that has simply not lived up to anyone’s expectations.  That, along with the 25th rated passing offense, must make Roughneck fans feel deceived by the preseason hype.   THE SINKING SEVEN 22—LAS VEGAS (1-3): Up 6—28th in preseason Yes, we still have Las Vegas in the 4th quartile of the league, but they have been playing teams tough all year.  Their last 2 losses were by 3 and 2 points, and this week they got their first W.  Cody Pickett has the passing game working, but they need the defense to do more if they are going to make any waves in a very tough SW Division.   23—TAMPA BAY (1-3): Up 4—27th in preseason Fan hopes were low when the season started, and losing Pat White in the opener made the Bandits’ prospects look pretty dim. But rookie Dak Prescott has been decent and the defense has shown some moxy as well. They got shut out this week, so there are still plenty of concerns, but we are seeing some signs of life out of the Bandits.   24—ATLANTA (1-3): Down 3—21st in preseason Losing Chris Ivory has meant that rookie Kenyan Drake has had to take on a bigger role, which has been a struggle.  Kyle Orton also missed some action, but of greater concern is the defense, which has allowed far too many yards each week (360) and too many points as well (23.8).  In a division where Orlando and Charlotte are already 3-1 and Jacksonville looks like a tough out, Atlanta seems to be falling behind.   25—CHICAGO (1-3): Down 1—24th in preseason A season-opening win in LA seemed to indicate that the new-look Machine might make something happen this year, but 3 straight losses have sent them crashing down to earth.  The offense is about where we thought It would be (11th in points, 13th in yards), but the defense hasto improve if Chicago is going to compete in the Central this year.  They are giving up 286 yards per game in the air and nearly 27 points per game.   26—LOS ANGELES (1-3): Down 1—25th in preseason That 40-0 decimation of Portland is looking more and more like an anomaly.  Once again offense is the issue, as LA has scored 19, 14, and 15 in their 3 losses.  Sam Bradford has struggled with protection and even solid outings from Reggie Bush don’t seem to be turning carries into points.  The defense is 7th in scoring, but the offense just has to do more.   27—BALTIMORE (0-4): Down 23—4th in preseason Do we really think the Blitz are the 2nd worst team in the league? No, but when you are 0-4, there are not a lot of teams you can rank above.  The Blitz are just not getting results.  The defense is giving up big yards in the run game and big plays left and right.  Opponents are averaging 27.8 points per game, and even with the 5th best passing attack, Baltimore is just not keeping up.  This is a huge shocker for us, and we are wondering if Jim Caldwell can rally the troops and get them back in this season after such a rough start.   28—SEATTLE (0-4): Down 15--13th in preseason It may be a bit unfair to have Seattle last.  After all, they have some close games, but they have also averaged 9.2 points per game on offense after 4 weeks.  That is atrocious. The defense is keeping them in games, but Byron Leftwich looks like a shadow of his past self, and this offense is looking punchless.  We think Seattle will win enough games to move out of the 28 spot, but it may already be too late for them to consider a playoff spot, even if they can find some offense.    Eight divisional games, including some real solid battles, highlight the Week 5 slate of games.  We start of the week with a NE Division showdown between the team we thought would win the division and one that is looking like an upstart contender.  Philadelphia (3-1) is looking to add to Baltimore’s pain.  The Blitz are a stunning 0-4 after winning the division last year, and Philly wants to see them drop to 0-5 to be sure.   Saturday includes another NE Division clash as Pittsburgh, also surprisingly struggling this year, visits Washington.  We also have one of our favorite games each year as Birmingham heads into Memphis for one of the best tailgate weekends in sports.  A Stallion win would put both teams at 3-2.  Saturday also sees a great inter-divisional game as Oakland (3-1) heads to Glendale to face the 4-0 Arizona Wranglers.  That one is must-watch TV.  The Saturday slate ends with a SW Division clash as Denver (2-2) heads to Ft. Worth for Texas’s first game at Amon Carter Stadium.   Sunday has 3 divisional games at the 12pm slot, with 4 of 5 SE division foes in action against each other.  Charlotte heads to Atlanta for a battle of the two non-Florida teams, while we also have a Florida Derby between the 3-1 Orlando Renegades and the surprising 3-1 Jacksonville Bulls.  That one could be a defensive slugfest as both clubs live off of their shut down defenses. At 4pm we have one more divisional matchup with San Diego headed up to winless Seattle.  Can the Dragons finally get some offensive production or will the Thunder move to 4-1 on the year?  Finally, Sunday night we are with ESPN and the ESPN Football Network as they simulcast the Houston v. New Orleans clash.  The Breakers cannot absorb another loss this early in the year if they have any hopes of competing for the division.  A huge game for the league champs as they host the unbeaten Gamblers.   Friday @ 8pm ET          PHILADELPHIA (3-1) @ BALTIMORE (0-4)    NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET     PITTSBURGH (1-3) @ WASHINGTON (2-2)    ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET     LOS ANGELES (1-3) @ NEW JERSEY (3-1)      FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         OAKLAND (3-1) @ ARIZONA (4-0)            ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET        ST. LOUIS (1-3) @ PORTLAND (1-3)          FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET        BIRMINGHAM (2-2) @ MEMPHIS (3-1)           NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET     DENVER (2-2) @ TEXAS (3-1)           ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET         CHARLOTTE (3-1) @ ATLANTA (1-3)              ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET         ORLANDO (3-1) @ JACKSONVILLE (3-1)        FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET         CHICAGO (1-3) @ OHIO (2-2)                       FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           SAN DIEGO (3-1) @ SEATTLE (0-4)        ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET            TAMPA BAY (1-3) @ LAS VEGAS (1-3)           ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET            MICHIGAN (3-1) @ DALLAS (1-3) FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET         HOUSTON (4-0) @ NEW ORLEANS (1-3) ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: David Carr was dominant again, with 4 more touchdowns bringing his 4-week total to an amazing 16 touchdowns. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 396 yards as Arizona once again proved why they are the top rated team in the league and now one of its most feared offenses.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Some very good choices this week, from strong offensive performances by QBs Josh Freeman and Brett Hundley to a gem of a game from Houston CB Leodis McKelvin, but with 2 more sacks and 3, yes 3, forced fumbles, we have to give this week's honor to one of the season's break out stars, New Jersey DE Vic Beasley. Look out league, Beasley is a beast!!

A wild week to be sure as we are still sorting out who may have found a winning formula, who may have slipped from last year, and who may be a surprise in 2016. We had some upsets this week, at least based on expectations, including Philadelphia over Washington, Denver knocking off Michigan at Ford Field, New Jersey pummeling Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, and Memphis absolutely dominating the Oakland Invaders in Oakland.  We also saw Jacksonville’s defense come up big again and we saw Ohio stun the Texas Outlaws, all results we would not have picked a week ago.  So, lots to talk about, some reassessement perhaps needed, and an update on the situation for the Outlaws beyond the field.  All that is coming right up, starting with our game of the week.   ARIZONA WRANGLERS 33   LAS VEGAS VIPERS 31 One of the big question marks for the Las Vegas Vipers this offseason is whether or not they had confidence in Cody Pickett as their starter for 2016.  Pickett had a rough year in 2015, scoring a QBR of only 73.1, his lowest in his long career, and with 15 picks, there were many calling for the Vipers to look a different direction.  Las Vegas management felt better about their QB than many fans did and opted to address other areas of need.  Well, if this week’s game against Arizona and their dominant defense was any indication, they may have made the right call.   Pickett found plenty of space for his receivers and time in the pocket, despite suffering 4 sacks, to rack up 319 yards and 3 touchdowns against a Wrangler team that had utterly dominated their first two foes this year. The result was a very tight game that thrilled the 47,278 on hand at the Wynn Arena.  Ultimately, a late TD from Larry Fitzgerald, his 2nd on the day, helped Arizona remain unblemished at 3-0, but the Vipers showed a lot in defeat as they gave the Wranglers a serious run for their money.   It did not look like that would be the case in the first quarter, a period in which Arizona dominated on both sides of the ball, starting the game off with a safety as LB Travis Goethel tackled Viper HB Montario Hardesty in the endzone for the first points of the game.  The Wrangler offense then added 7 more as their next possession produced a 37-yard TD toss from Carr to Antonio Bryant.  A field goal on their next drive gave them a 12-0 lead after one.    The Wranglers would seem to take total control only 4 minutes later, when their first drive of the 2nd quarter saw another 37-yard strike, this time to Fitzgerald.  Now up 19-0, it seemed the Wranglers were in for another cakewalk game, but Las Vegas was not giving up yet.  With their first possession of the 2nd quarter, Las Vegas started to find chinks in the defensive armor of the visiting Wranglers.  Cody Pickett completed two key 3rd down throws, on his way to a 9 of 16 day on third downs.  Brandon Oliver then broke 3 tackles on his way to the endzone and the first points of the day for Las Vegas.   By the half, both teams had scored once again, Arizona with a Frank Gore TD run and Las Vegas with another solid drive, ending with Pickett finding TE Tyler Eifert to finish the half down 12 at 26-14.  They would cut into that lead over the next 20 minutes, first with a third quarter field goal, and then with Pickett finding Doug Baldwin, the former New Jersey General, with a 5-yard strike to pull within 2 points at 25-24.  In the second half, the Viper defense had also found its legs, limiting Frank Gore to 6 carries for only 12 yards and picking off David Carr along the way.    But Arizona is a team that knows how to put teams away, and that is what they did on the first play of their next drive.  After a solid kick return brought the ball out to the 26 yard line, David Carr and the Wrangler offense took a shot and found a connection.  Carr hit Larry Fitzgerald on a perfect double move route, giving the wideout a solid 2-3 steps on the corner and making for an easy catch and run, a 74-yard touchdown on a 1-play, 11 second drive.  That score put Arizona up 9, and that 2 score lead would hold, despite Las Vegas’s offensive successes. With 2:33 left in the game, the Vipers again cut into the lead, Pickett finding Doug Baldwin a second time, but the Vipers kicked the ball deep and needed a quick stop to get it back in time to try a game-winning field goal. They would not get that chance.  Arizona converted on a 3rd and 2, thanks to a 3-yard Ronnie Hillman run, and that allowed them to burn the remaining clock and take a final knee for the win.  It was a valiant effort by the Vipers, a team many picked to be the worst in the league this year, and a game that showcased what Cody Pickett could do with a solid gameplan.  But, in the end, Arizona is a complete team and one that does not panic, so getting the W was anticipated and ended up being the final result. ORLANDO 24    ATLANTA 16 In a game that saw both teams score on pick-sixes, it was Olrando’s Deion Bush and his 53-yard returned pick that saved the day for the Renegades.  Both Russell Wilson and Brad Gradkowski (starting for Kyle Orton after an injury in practice) struggled as the defenses were keyed in on the passing game for both teams.  Both run games also struggled, though 21 yards from Wilson on scrambles helped Orlando pull off the road win, but up only 17-16 in the final minutes, it was the pick-six from Bush that gave Orlando their 2nd win of the season. POTG:  Orlando CB Deion Bush: 2 Tck, 2 Pass Def, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   BIRMINGHAM 3   NEW ORLEANS 21 The Breaker’s title game defense showed up again, limiting T. J. Yeldon to only 11 yards rushing and keeping Newton in the pocket all game.  Throw in three Drew Brees TD passes and this game was a pretty comfortable win for the home team.  Jeremy Hill went over 100 yards with a 112-yard performance, while Kenny Britt, Early Doucet, and HB David Wilson all caught Brees TD tosses. POTG:  Breaker QB Drew Brees: 21/33, 245 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   PHILADELPHIA 31    WASHINGTON 9 The Stars get 101 yards from rookie Derrick Henry and a huge 3-TD game from Matt Gutierrez as they simply dismantled the Washington Federals.  The defense picked off David Garrard twice and held Deuce McCallister to only 49 yards rushing, but it was their balanced offense that impressed us about the Stars this week. POTG:  Stars QB Matt Gutierrez: 21/30, 235 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   SEATTLE 10    PORTLAND 16 The Stags win the Cascade Clash of 0-2 teams, earning their first win with two 4th quarter field goals from Mason Crosby on a blustery and cold day in the Rose City.  Byron Leftwich connected with Emmanuel Sanders for 102 yards and a TD, but it was not enough as the Dragons simply could not get into scoring position in the final period.  Marcus Mariota went 17 of 29 for only 125 yards but helped put the Stags in position for the winning kicks. POTG:  Stags WR Brandon Cooks:  7 Rec, 79 Yds   DENVER 20   MICHIGAN 17 Denver knocks the Panthers from the unbeatens with a solid game on both sides of the ball.  DeMarco Murray and NFL import Jamaal Charles combined for 88 yards rushing and a TD, while the defense held Kirk Cousins to only 17 of 30 and 179 yards passing.  Von Miller added a sack, but it was a full team effort as Denver gets the road W. POTG:  Gold LB Shaquille Barrett:  5 Tck, 1 Pass Def, 1 Int   NEW JERSEY 31    PITTSBURGH 10 The Generals’ pass rush led to a long afternoon for Andy Dalton.  New Jersey got 6 sacks on the Mauler QB and held Pittsburgh to only 4 of 13 on third down in a pretty convincing win.  On offense, Brett Hundley looked very much like a good option at QB, throwing for 309 yards and 3 scores as the Generals stunned the Mauler crowd.  Vic Beasley stayed hot as well, with 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles,  and 5 tackles for loss against the Mauler run game. POTG:  New Jersey DE Vic Beasley:  8 Tck, 5 TFL, 2 Sck, 3 FF, 1 FR.   SAN DIEGO 16    LOS ANGELES 14 A defensive struggle for both clubs as neither team could get their run games going.  Reggie Bush was held to 12 yards on 17 carries while Ryan Williams gained only 28 yards on 21 carries.  Kicker Jeff Reed was the main man for the Thunder.  The game could have ended as a tie, but a 2-point conversion on a late Bradford to Lee TD was incomplete and San Diego held on for the 2-point win. POTG:  Thunder DT Haloti Ngata: 7 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 Sck   BALTIMORE 21   TAMPA BAY 24 Another rough day for Big Ben as Roethlisberger was sacked 6 times and left the game after 3 quarters. Jake Locker did not fare much better, though he did contribute 2 touchdowns late.  Meanwhile, Tampa Bay got solid efforts from their run game, with Rex Burkhead gaining 72 yards on 13 carries.  Add in a Prescott to Greg Olsen TD and the Bandits send Baltimore to a rough 0-3 start to the year. POTG:  Tampa Bay LB Devon Kennard: 4 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   CHICAGO 24   ST. LOUIS 30    OVERTIME St. Louis needed a late C. J. Usomah TD to even the score and send the game to overtime, but in the extra period they kept momentum, with Eric Weems catching the game winning score on the first overtime possession, ending the game without Chicago touching the ball in the extra period. Josh Freeman threw for 4 scores, while Chicago got 125 yards and 2 TD runs from Doug Martin.  POTG:  Skyhawks QB Josh Freeman: 29/44, 333 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   JACKSONVILLE 16   DALLAS 11 Another nice game from the Bulls’ defense as they hold Dallas to 254 total yards and only 63 yards rushing.  Cadillac Williams outdid that with 74 yards on 13 carries, but it was the defense that won the game for Jacksonville, with their only TD coming on a David Bruton interception return for a score. POTG:  Bulls safety David Bruton: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 DefTD   MEMPHIS 24    OAKLAND 7 A shocker in Oakland as Rex Ryan’s rebuilt Memphis defense held the Invaders to only 34 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the combo of Anthony Allen and Tavares Cadet, with Todd Gurley out, did more than their share, combining for 97 yards and a score.  Eli Manning also found Robert Woods for a TD, but it was the Memphis D that outperformed all expectations to move the Showboats to 2-1. POTG:  Memphis safety Calvin Pryor: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   OHIO 31    TEXAS 20 Another upset this week as the Glory surprised the Outlaws with Brock Osweiler going 19 of 30 and throwing 3 TD passes. Add in 112 yards from Isaiah Pead, and a defense that sacked Joe Flacco 7 times and you have an Ohio upset road win. Texas rallied in the 4th quarter but it was too little, too late as Ohio held them to only 10 points and they fell well short of a complete comeback. POTG:  Ohio HB Isaiah Pead: 20 Att, 112 Yds, 1 Rec, 5 Yds, 1 TD   HOUSTON 41   CHARLOTTE 30 The Gamblers built up a 24-7 lead in the first half and held on from there as once again Colt McCoyplayed well, throwing for 307 yards and 2 TDs with Hasselbeck out.  Both Roy Williams and Mike Evans went over 100 yards as the Gamblers looked solid in moving to 3-0.  Charlotte struggled to run the ball, and despite having two 100-yard receivers themselves (Hackett & Nicks), they could not keep pace with Houston. POTG:  Houston WR Mike Evans: 4 Rec, 159 Yds, 1 TD Baltimore Mystified by 0-3 Start The call-in shows on Baltimore sports radio have been ablaze with theories about Baltimore’s 0-3 start, and now, with Ben Roethlisberger possibly out for Week 4 after taking an elbow to the jaw, there is real panic setting in that the Blitz could be quickly falling out of contention to repeat as division champions.  An 0-4 start is not out of the question and it is very rare that any team that starts that poorly can recover in time to win a Wild Card, much less one of the league’s tougher divisions.   So, what is the issue with Baltimore?  Why has a 13-3 club fallen to 0-3 just a year later?  Many are pointing fingers at the club’s 26th ranked scoring defense, and the decision to let Robert Quinn walk in free agency.  But despite the loss of Quinn, Baltimore still boasts the 4th rated pass defense.  It is against the run where they seem to be struggling, giving up an average of 128 yards per game, 3rd worst in the league.  They gave up only 98 this week to Tampa Bay, but in Week 2 they got torched by QB Robert Griffin III, who ran for 163 yards and 2 scores, including a 56 yard run and a 74-yard TD.  In week one the damage was done by New Jersey’s Maurice Jones-Drew.  Run defense is clearly a part of the problem, but is it the full story?   Add into the mix the fact that Big Ben has completed only 40.8% of his passes, that Darius Heyward-Bey is far behind his typical numbers after 3 weeks, and the surprising stat that star TE Antonio Gates has only 5 catches over 3 weeks and there are some questions about Jim Caldwell’s offense as well.  Is hope fading?  No.  This is a solid roster and there is still time for Baltimore to get back in the mix, but with Jake Locker expected to start this week, the pressure is certainly on to avoid an 0-4 start as the Blitz visit Memphis before a big Week 5 matchup against the surging Philly Stars.   Wranglers Winning a New Way We focused on Arizona’s tenacity in their close win over Las Vegas, but in all three victories, including blowout wins over both Dallas and Denver, Arizona has shown us something we have not seen in their recent Division-Winning seasons, an explosive offense.  The Arizona offense has always had talent, particularly in the form of tailback Frank Gore, but what we are seeing this year is Coach Tomsula turning loose a deep ball vertical game that seems perfectly suited to wideouts Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant.  Arizona leads the league with 335 passing yards per game, with David Carr currently leading all passers with 993 yards and 12 passing touchdowns.  So, what has helped boost confidence in the Arizona passing game?  The biggest change seems to be the presence of former Mauler Jimmie Graham in the middle. Teams are forced to defend the 2015 TD leader, a solid receiver who can make safeties pay if they give him too much space. That has meant more zone coverage and more one-on-one with corners and the speedy Arizona wideouts.  After 3 weeks, that formula has not worked for defenses, with Larry Fitzgerald leading the league with 458 yards in only 3 games.  Antonio Bryant is looking good as well with 251 and 3 touchdowns already.  Graham’s own numbers have not been that dynamic, only 6 catches for 86 yards and no scores yet, but his presence is clearly influencing defenses and giving Coach Tomsula more options to hit deep balls to his wideouts.    Add that capacity on offense to a Wrangler defense that is still one of the league’s most intimidating, and it is no surprise that the Wranglers are one of only 2 unbeaten teams left in the USFL after 3 weeks.   Buchanon Makes Early Push for DPOTY Philip Buchanon has been around for a while, coming into the league in 2002 with Tampa Bay. In his 15th season with the Bandits however, he seems a man on a mission. After recording only 1 pick in both 2014 and 2015, Buchanon now leads the league with 4 picks in his first 3 games this year. Now, part of that may be due to his ability to shift coverages with rookie Jalen Ramsey opposite him, but that does not explain his 2016 success. Buchanon has always been a bit of a ball hawk, so perhaps it is the two years with only 1 pick that should be viewed as the anomaly. After all, he recorded 7 picks in 2009 and has had 4 or more on 5 occasions, but to nab 4 in only 3 games seems to indicate either a newfound confidence to play the ball rather than the man, or a new scheme in Tampa Bay that frees Buchanon up.  Either way, Buchanon has put his name in the conversation about Defensive Player of the Year, early, we realize, but a strong start to be sure.   Roethlisberger Questionable for Week 4 with Jaw Fracture As we highlighted above, it has been a rough start to the year for the Baltimore Blitz, and for their   MVP QB, Ben Roethlisberger, but the emotional pain of an 0-3 start also turned to real physical pain this week when Ben took a hard elbow to the chin, leading to a fracture that is expected to keep him out at least one week.    The elbow was that of Bandit DE Tank Carridine, who delivered the blow just as Big Ben was releasing a pass late in the 3rd quarter.  Carridine was cited for unnecessary roughness, but Roethlisberger was taken out, visibly spitting some blood and massaging his jawline.  He would go back to the locker room, and an x-ray would reveal a hairline fracture in the jaw.  The injury won’t require anything drastic like wiring his mouth shut, but it will almost certainly keep him out of Week 4’s matchup in Memphis.  He is listed as questionable at the moment, but we are hearing that Jake Locker is taking nearly all the snaps in practice, so expect Coach Caldwell to keep Ben out, in hopes that he will be ready to go in the Stars’ big Week 5 matchup at home against the Philadelphia Stars.   An rare kicker injury as New Orleans’s Caleb Sturgis fractured his collarbone trying to tackle a kick returner, showing why you generally don’t want the kicker to be the guy responsible for saving a touchdown.  We also see Orlando now dealing with two significant injuries, including a ruptured Achilles for tackle James Carpenter.  We will likely see 3 starting QBs out of action this week as well, with Roethlisberger, Kyle Orton, and Brock Osweiler likely to miss action.  Rookie Christian Hackenberg could very well get his first pro start as Ohio heads to Philadelphia this weekend.   OUT OT          James Carpenter            ORL       Achilles            IR WR         Brashard Perriman        ORL       Neck                IR K             Caleb Sturgis                  NOR      Collarbone     1-2 Weeks DE          Lamar Houston               SD          Concussion   1-2 Weeks WR         Nate Burleson                SEA        Hand                1-2 Weeks G            Sean Locklear                CHA      Back                1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL C             Zach Williams                  TBY        Shoulder             CB          Desmond Truffant          SEA        Concussion WR         Michael Crabtree           DEN      Eye LB           Kiko Alonso                    POR      Broken Nose   QUESTIONABLE QB         Ben Roethlisberger       BAL        Jaw HB         Ka’Deem Carey               ARZ       Wrist OT          Greg Robinson              BIR         Knee DE          C. J. Mosely                   SEA        Concussion QB         Kyle Orton                     ATL         Finger QB         Brock Osweiler                OHI       Toe   League Brokers Deal for Sale of Outlaws Citing a tough situation in San Antonio, ongoing doubt about a timeline for stadium reconstruction, and the viability of the franchise in the short term, league owners approved this week a compromise agreement between the OKC Football Group, led by George Frazier and Clay Bennett, and Texas Outlaws majority owner Red McCombs.  The deal will permit McCombs to sell his majority share to the OKC Group, relocating the franchise to Oklahoma City for the 2017 season, while giving McCombs an inside track to bringing a franchise back to San Antonio when a stadium is available.    There are still details to be ironed out, including the contentious issue of team records and history, as well as the Outlaws identity, but the league and both parties agreed that a series of meetings with a third-party mediator would be used to determine the final details.  What is certain is that the current season, an odd road-warrior season for the Outlaws in which they are playing games in San Marcos, Ft. Worth, and Houston, will be the last for the franchise in the Lone Star state until a new facility is built in San Antonio. William Tatham, who began the Outlaws franchise in Tulsa back in 1987 before merging it with fellow 1987 expansion club, the San Antonio Gunslingers, will remain a minority partner, and will have a role to play, likely that of COO to Clay Bennett’s CEO position. He will retain a 47% share of the franchise, with OKC Football Group holding 51% and the remaining 2% owned by a small collection of local investors, including former player Brian Bosworth.    Expect Bosworth, an OU graduate and a member of the club’s first season in Oklahoma, to become one of the faces of the franchise as the club relocates back to the Sooner State.  The team will not be returning to the University of Tulsa, where they played their 1987 games, but to a brand-new facility in the south side of Oklahoma City, OGE Energy Stadium.  Expect ticket sales to start as soon as July, with the conclusion of the 2016 season.   What this means for the Texas Outlaws this season will remain to be seen. The announcement of relocation could well cause a drop in ticket sales at all three venues, though the promise of a return to San Antonio either through relocation of another franchise or expansion upon completion of an Alamodome rebuild could help retain interest in the club.  The timeline for that return will depend heavily on the city of San Antonio, on Red McCombs, expected to head up the rebuild project on behalf of the USFL, and on the results of the current legal action in which both the city and the Alamodome Stadium Authority are trying to force more financial compensation from Chubb, the insurer for the facility, while Chubb is asserting that shoddy construction during a 2010 refurbishment directly led to the extensive damage produced during Memorial Day Weekend tornadoes in the region.    The immediate news is that the Outlaws are in their last season in Texas, that the club will play in Oklahoma City starting in 2017.  Whether they will play as the Outlaws or a new identity, whether they will take the franchise’s history with them or will start new, and just when San Antonio will get both a stadium and a return of the USFL is still very much in question.  Texas is now playing a swan song season across the state of Texas, with hopes that a team, perhaps the Outlaws, perhaps a new franchise (in identity and history) will be back, we just don’t know when.   League Stadium Update With stadium issues at the core of the Texas to Oklahoma relocation, and with hopes that a newly reconstructed Alamodome will see USFL football return to San Antonio, the topic of stadium viability has become one many fan bases are discussing across the league.  We thought it would be a good time to do a roundup of some recent news related to stadium deals, construction, and petitions.  So here are the 4 most relevant stadium-related stories of the past few months.   Washington’s New Dual Use Stadium Gets a Name Perhaps the least “eventful” of the stadium news over the past month, but the new dual use stadium in the Buzzard Point neighborhood of D.C. has its name officially released. The future home of both the USFL Federals and the MLS club D.C. United will be called Audi Field.  The new facility, scheduled to open officially in February of next year, in time for both clubs’ 2017 home openers, will seat 51,500 fans in what has been described as a European-styled box formation, one that very much resembles Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, with its broad awnings protecting most of the seats from early spring weather or summer sun.    The new stadium was financed with funds from the USFL, the Federals, MLS, DC United, and the District of Columbia itself, motivated by a desire to avoid yet more franchises moving to suburban Maryland as the NFL Redskins had in the late 1990’s.  The facility, now sponsored by the Audi automotive group, has already been cited for its amenities, location on several metra lines and community outreach within DC and the Buzzard Point neighborhood.  It is scheduled to open in February with a gala event, then host the Federals for its first regular season sports event.    Fire & Falcons Partner with Atlanta to Get a New Dome Built Another partnership could be bringing a new stadium to Atlanta.  It may seem odd for the city to be considering a new domed facility with the Georgia Dome only 24 years old, but 24 years is an eternity in pro sports, and both the Falcons and the Fire are hoping to get approval for a new facility in the next few weeks.  The proposal is to put a retractable roof stadium in the heart of the city, only blocks from the Georgia Dome, with the plan to host the Falcons, the Fire, and the MLS Atlanta United club for more than 30 total home sporting events year year.    The proposal will once again see the Fire as secondary tenants, with the Falcon’s and Atlanta United sharing a common owner, AMB Group, both leading the funding and partnering with the state of Georgia on the proposal.  The USFL Fire will have their role to play, of course, but will once again find themselves in a secondary position, which is never ideal, but has worked so far with the Georgia Dome.    Skyhawks Push for Open Air Facility Another club looking at their 20-year old facility and hoping to make a change is in St. Louis, where hopes for an MLS expansion franchise bring discussion of constructing a dual use facility similar to the newly-dubbed Audi Field in DC.  St. Louis is still home to 2 pro football franchises, despite some talk from NFL Rams owner Sam Kroenke seeking to potentially relocate.  That threat, combined with the possibility of an MLS franchise may actually prove beneficial to the Skyhawks, who would be unable to get much support for a new facility without additional sports ventures on board.    Expect to hear more about a St. Louis open air stadium over the upcoming months as Major League Soccer considers expansion and as both the Rams and the Skyhawks lobby both city and state officials to try to make the case that the Dome at America’s Center is reaching its expiration date as a viable facility for major league sporting events. A tough case to make for a city that has other financial issues, but one that may actually benefit from Mr. Kroenke’s musings on relocation.   LA Struggles to Fill Farmers Insurance Field Finally, in Los Angeles, the issue is not so much the stadium itself, as Farmers Insurance Field, which just last August hosted the USFL Summer Bowl, is still very much an “up to date” facility with several enviable amenities, but with the franchises that call it home.  Sale of season tickets for both the LA Express and the newly relocated NFL Chargers have been well below desired numbers.  Both leagues are concerned by the apparent lack of fan culture in Los Angeles.  The Express have, as we know, not provided a lot of highlights and motivating reasons for fans to buy in over their somewhat nondescript existence. Even the arrival of Sam Bradford at QB for the club this year has not excited their pretty jaded fanbase.   The Chargers are suffering from culture shock as well, as fans of the now-departed Raiders are simply not prepared to shift allegiances to what had been one of their most hated rivals.  And while the Raiders are looking at very strong season ticket sales for their inaugural season in Las Vegas, many being purchased by Los Angelinos who are willing to make the trip across the desert to reach the Wynn Arena, what we are not seeing is San Diegans willing to forgive their club’s short jaunt up north to LA.    Community surveys and ticket sales seem to indicate that while many San Diegans have been more than happy to jump ship from the Chargers to the USFL Thunder, often with a spiteful wave goodbye to the NFL, Raider fans remain loyal to their club and are willing to make the drive to see the black and silver in Las Vegas.  Neither the Express nor the Chargers seem to be benefitting much from their presence in Los Angeles, or from Raider fans shifting allegiances, something both had counted on as part of their strategy for this year.   Only 5 divisional games this week, headlined by an intriguing matchup in the NE Division with New Jersey heading to Washington.  But we also have some really interesting inter-divisional games.  It kicks off in Memphis on Friday when the Blitz try to get their first win, but face a Memphis club that looked really good this past week in Oakland.  Saturday features a nice Central Division matchup as Michigan heads to St. Louis.  We are also watching 3-0 Houston as they host the LA Express.    On Sunday, the big game was supposed to be Charlotte at New Orleans, but we are thinking that Ohio and Philadelphia, both 2-1, could prove to be a must-watch game.  Two winless teams are in action as well, with 0-3 Seattle in Birmingham and 0-3 Las Vegas hosting the Denver Gold in another divisional game.  The weekend finishes up with Pittsburgh at Texas in a matchup of two of the league’s elite quarterbacks.   Friday @ 8pm ET             Baltimore (0-3) @ Memphis (2-1)          NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET        Arizona (3-0) @ Atlanta (1-2)                   ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET       New Jersey (2-1) @ Washington (2-1)  FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET        Chicago (1-2) @ Oakland (2-1)               ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET       Los Angeles (1-2) @ Houston (3-0)      FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET        Jacksonville (2-1) @ Tampa Bay (1-2)   NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET         Michigan (2-1) @ St. Louis (1-2)             ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET         Seattle (0-3) @ Birmingham (1-2)         ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Ohio (2-1) @ Philadelphia (2-1)              ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET         Charlotte (2-1) @ New Orleans (1-2)   FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET            Orlando (2-1) @ Dallas (1-2)                    ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET            Denver (2-1) @ Las Vegas (0-3)               FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           San Diego (2-1) @ Portland (1-2)           FOX Regional Sunday @ 8pm ET            Pittsburgh (1-2) @ Texas (2-1)                 ESPN/EFN

Player of the Week: Move over Cam Newton, there is another running QB to deal with. Jacksonville gets a huge win this week and most of the credit goes to Robert Griffin III, who was pretty average through the air (15 of 28 for 172 yards) but was astounding on the run, rushing for 163 yards and 3 TDs, two of which were over 50 yards. He was simply untouchable once he got moving, something Bulls fans have to be excited to see.

A surprisingly slow start to the year for three 2015 playoff teams as St. Louis, New Orleans, and Baltimore all drop to 0-2 after surprising losses this week.  On the flip side of that, we have Washington and Charlotte off to very nice starts at 2-0, with the Monarchs getting the added bonus of back-to-back division wins.  It was a week for the halfbacks as well as we saw 100+ yard games from Ryan Williams, Deuce McCallister, Frank Gore, Darren McFadden, Marshawn Lynch, LeVeon Bell, Reggie Bush, C. J. Spiller, and T. J. Yeldon, but the biggest game of the week may have been from a QB, as Robert Griffin III rushed for 2 long scores on his way to a 163-yard outing as a running QB.    A lot to talk about, and a small bit of controversy as the USFL’s experiment with its schedule this year has already got people upset.  We will talk about that, about the fast and slow starts across the league, and about the upcoming league meeting, all right here. Let’s get it started with our Game of the Week, one of the weirder overtime finishes we have ever seen. DALLAS ROUGHNECKS 26    ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 24    OVERTIME It is rare to see an overtime game ended with a defensive score, but even more rare for that score to be a safety.  And yet, despite the odds against it, that is exactly what we got as the Roughnecks edged the Skyhawks, sending St. Louis to an 0-2 start with an overtime safety.  It was an odd play, in an otherwise straightforward game between two teams considered playoff contenders.   Both teams came into the game after rough Week 1 losses. Dallas was shellacked by a dominant Arizona squad, 41-14, while St. Louis fell at home in a hard fought, low scoring game against the Philadelphia Stars.  Both expected more in the second week of the season, and on the whole both teams played much better, but someone had to lose this one, even if it would take extra time to decide who.   After a scoreless first quarter that saw both teams play well on defense and struggle on third downs, the 2nd quarter started with back to back TD drives from the Skyhawks. On both occasions it was receiver Eric Weems who had the honors of putting points on the board, first from 7 yards out, and then from 22.  Weems would finish the game with 5 receptions for 74 yards, but would not see the endzone again after these early scores. Dallas responded to the St. Louis advantage, mounting a 13-play, 81-yard drive that concluded with their first TD of the game, an 8-yard toss from Manziel to TE Ben Watson.   The game would go to the half with St. Louis up 7, but with Dallas feeling like they were right in this one.  The 3rd quarter would be a low-scoring affair, but one that saw both teams turn to their run games.  Both would find success in the 2nd half with their running games, and by the end of the affair we would have 3 running backs over 100 yards, with Dallas getting 105 from starter Rashard Mendenhall, but also another 127 from third-down back C. J. Spiller.  St. Louis countered with a 105-yard game from Eddie Lacy as the two teams seemed hesitant to risk opening up the passing game.   St. Louis had the only scoring drive of the third, with Freeman finding TE Rob Gronkowski to once again go up by 14, but the lead would be halved again by Dallas on their next drive.  Starting with 3 minutes left in the 3rd, Dallas put together a short 6-play drive, with Manziel connecting with Percy Harvin and rookie Geronimo Allison for back to back chunk plays before finding Allison again for the score, his first pro TD.  Once again down 7, Dallas just would not go away.   After a St. Louis drive produced 3 points from the foot of their new kicker, Andrew Hamilton, Dallas went 3-and-out but a nice punt put St. Louis back on their own 3 yard line.  Two plays later, Dallas defensive end broke past the tackle, who held him to protect Freeman, leading to a penalty in the end zone, which produced 2 points and had Dallas back within 8.  They would need a defensive stand to get the ball back with time to equalize.   They got the stand they needed when Josh Freeman missed on a shot to Jordy Nelson on a 3rd and 8. Dallas got the ball back and wasted no time moving downfield.  A nice 26-yard run from Mendenhall on a draw play helped put the ball in St. Louis territory, and from there Manziel hit Percy Harvin for the score.  The Roughnecks would need a 2-point conversion to equal the score at 24 just before the 2-minute warning.  They would get it when Manziel found Spiller in the endzone out of a spread formation.  Game all tied at 24, but time on the clock for the Skyhawks to end it before time ran out.   Once again the Dallas defense came up big, getting a sack on 2nd and 4 to create a 3rd and 11.  Freeman missed on a pass to Weems and opted to punt rather than risk 4th and 11 from their own 33 with 1 mnute left.  Dallas took a couple of shots but eventually took a knee and settled for overtime.   The Roughnecks won the toss in the extra period, and their opening drive looked promising at first.  Spiller ran for 9 yards, followed by Manziel to Tim Wright for 8 more, but the drive bogged down at midfield, forcing Dallas to send out the punter.  Harold Halstead earned his pay again by putting the ball inside the 5 for the second time in the game.  St. Louis would be backed up, starting the drive form their own 4.  On first down they gained 3, but a flag appeared and holding was the call.  They now sat at 2nd and 12 from the 2.  While most, including the game announcers, anticipated another run play, St. Louis rolled the dice by calling a play action pass.  Dallas seemed to expect this as they called for a safety blitz on first down.  It was the perfect call and one that St. Louis did not handle well.  When the guard opted to take on DT Star Lotuleilei, it gave Will Allen a free shot into the backfield and the veteran safety got the play of the game, wrapping up Freeman and producing a whistle for “in the grasp”. That whistle meant that Dallas earned 2 points and the game would end on a safety.  Perhaps one of the more unusual overtime deciders we have seen, but a welcome one for the Roughnecks. MEMPHIS 24     NEW ORLEANS 17 The defending champs are off to an 0-2 start, dropping another home game, this time in division as Memphis gets a big day from Eli Manning (323 yards on 33 of 44) and the Showboat defense limits the Breakers to only 43 yards rushing.  Anthony Allen took over for an injured Todd Gurley and rushed for 73 yards and a score.  Robert Woods added 70 yards and a TD as well as Memphis upsets New Orleans. POTG:  Showboat HB Anthony Allen: 16 Att, 73 Yds, 1 TD, 4 Rec, 71 Yds   PHILADELPHIA 16   PITTSBURGH 22 Philly puts up a good fight, but the Maulers prevail as a sloppy, icy field brings us our first true weather-impacted game.  Players were slipping all over, and it deeply impacted the run game, with the top rushers for each team being Derrick Henry with only 15 yards and Chris Sims with only 19.  Andy Dalton connected for scores with both Thielen and Cruz on a tough day for both offenses. POTG:  Mauler DE Dwight Freeney: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Sfty   WASHINGTON 20    CHICAGO 12 The Feds improve to 2-0 with a nice road win, thanks in large part to a big day from Deuce McCallister.  The Ageless One rushed for 126 and a score as the Federals controlled the clock for 34 minutes and limited Ryan Fitzpatrick to only 173 yards passing. Federal LB D’Qwell Jackson had himself a day as well, racking up 10 tackles, , 4 for loss, and a sack.  POTG:  Federals’ HB Deuce McCallister: 28 Att, 126 Yds, 1 TD   OHIO 10   MICHIGAN 29 The Panthers got their run game cranked up, outrushing Ohio 187-79 thanks to 168 yards on 31 carries from LeVeon Bell.  Dre Kirkpatrick also had a good day, with a pick six of Brock Osweiler.  17-10 at the half, Michigan held Ohio without a score in the second half and pulled away to win by 19. POTG:  Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 31 Att, 168 Yds, 1 TD, 4 Rec, 30 Yds   NEW JERSEY 14   TEXAS 20 On this weekend of big rushing results, it was Marshawn Lynch having a day as he rushed for138 yards and 2 scores to power the Outlaws to victory in San Marcos.  Joe Flacco completed only 9 of 20 passing, but Lynch was a runaway train for most of the game.  New Jersey’s Maurice Jones-Drew tried to keep pace, rushing for 115 and a score as well, but in the end it was Texas’s ability to run out the clock that helped them hold on for win number two. POTG:  Outlaw HB Marshawn Lynch: 28 Att, 138 Yds, 2 TD   ARIZONA 43    DENVER 19 Arizona is looking like a juggernaut with a second enormous offensive output.  David Carr threw for 420 and 5 TDs as play after play broke for big yardage.  Touchdowns of 87 yards, 30, 32, and 54 were all part of the fireworks as Larry Fitzgerald caught 5 for 184 and 3 scores with Antonio Bryant right there as well, catching 5 for 139 and 2 more Carr scoring tosses.  It was a display we are not used to seeing from the Wranglers, and a bad sign for the rest of the league. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 18/24, 520 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int   CHARLOTTE 20    TAMPA BAY 13 The Monarchs move to 2-0 and send Tampa Bay to 0-2, thanks to another big rushing game.  Darren McFadden rushed for 113 yards and a score to help offset 3 Brandon Wheedon interceptions.  Tampa Bay’s Philip Buchanon had 2 of the 3 Wheedon picks, including a 64-yard pick six to help keep Tampa Bay in the game despite a rough 2nd outing for rookie QB Dak Prescott, who threw two picks on the day. POTG:  Bandits’ CB Philip Buchanon: 6 Tck, 2 Int, 1 DefTD   JACKSONVILLE 34    BALTIMORE 23 A stunned Blitz crowd in Baltimore watched as Robert Griffin III just went off, not with his arm, but with his legs.  RG3 had TD runs of 56 and 74  yards on his way to 163 yards rushing as Jacksonville gets the huge upset to send the Blitz to 0-2.  The Bulls defense also shone, sacking Big Ben 7 times, including 3 from Barkevious Mingo.  POTG:  Bulls’ QB Robert Griffin III: 15/28, 172 Yds, 13 Att, 163 Yds, 3 TD   ATLANTA 30    ORLANDO 24 A strong defensive performance by the Fire helped Atlanta pull off the road upset.  Orlando QB Russell Wilson was sacked 5 times and threw up 3 picks as the Fire outpaced the Renegades.  Rookie HB Kenyan Drake got the start for the injured Chris Ivory and rushed for 52 yards, while also catching one of Kyle Orton’s 3 TD passes. Knowshon Moreno was the rarity this week, a star HB who struggled, rushing for only 19 yards on the day.  POTG:  Atlanta free safety Earl Thomas: 7 Tck, 2 Sck   SEATTLE 6   OAKLAND 10 A rough day for both offenses in Oakland as the Invaders edge the Dragons thanks to the only TD of the game, a 2-yard Tyler Ervin run in the 2nd quarter.  Both teams struggled to put together drives and both defenses came up big on third down to make this one a war of attrition and a bit of a punting festival.  POTG:  Invader WR Keenan Allen: 7 Rec, 103 Yds   LAS VEGAS 21   SAN DIEGO 24 A good game between two evenly matched teams saw San Diego prevail as QB Joe Webb rushed for 2 TDs and Ryan Williams had a much better 2nd week, rushing for 121 anda score as well.  For Las Vegas it was Cody Pickett tossing 2 TDs and completing 26 of 38 for 307 that kept them in this one.  In the end, San Diego was able to stop the Vipers on 4th and 11 to preserve the win. POTG:  Thunder HB Ryan Williams: 22 Att, 121 Yds, 1 TD   LOS ANGELES 40    PORTLAND 0 Perhaps the most shocking score of the season to date, not just because Portland was completely manhandled, but because Los Angeles showed some real offensive firepower, outgaining the Stags 401-224.  This was a bad day for Marcus Mariota, with 2 picks and sacked five times, but it was a huge day for LA halfback Reggie Bush, who amassed 143 yards and 3 TDs on the ground.  Portland could do nothing right and it seemed like the Express could do nothing wrong in this dominant performance. POTG:  Express HB Reggie Bush: 18 Att, 143 Yds, 3 Td   BIRMINGHAM 22   HOUSTON 24 A really nice finale to the week, the Sunday Night game saw division rivals Houston and Birmingham battle all game, with the deciding score coming with only 17 seconds left on the clock.  Cam Newton was held in check on the ground, but threw for 3 TDs on a 20 of 33 evening.  Matt Hasselbeck threw for 3 scores but had to leave the game early in the 4th after a late hit left him a bit goofy.  Colt McCoy led the Gamblers on the final field goal drive for the win.  POTG:  Birmingham HB T. J. Yeldon: 13 Att, 108 Yds Bush & Express Explode as Stags Caught in Headlights It was the most surprising game of the week, perhaps of the past few years, as the LA Express, long suffering from an offensive malaise, found their stride on both offense and defense against the Portland Stags, last year’s Pacific Division Champion.  We knew going in that the Express had a solid defense, despite their 4-2 record last year, but offense had always been the issue with Andy Reid’s squad. It certainly was not an issue this weekend.   Portland, which had also built it’s 2015 division title largely on defense, was overrun by the Express, and we do mean run, because it was HB Reggie Bush who did most of the damage. While new Express QB Sam Bradford had a solid game (before being removed late), completing 11 of 18 passes for 125 yards, it was Bush, with 18 carries for 145 yards and 3 touchdowns, who took over the game.  Bush averaged 7.9 yards per carry and while his touchdowns were modest 1, 1, and 11-yard runs, he had both a 42- and a 36-yard scamper on the day.  And Bush was not alone.  Rookie Paul Perkins got 15 touches, mostly late in the game when the verdict was already decided, and averaged 4.3 yards to garner 65 yards rushing.  Even FB LeRon McClain got in on the act with 5 carries for 34 yards (a 6.8 YPC average) and a touchdown.  It was a ground assault the likes of which we have  not seen from the Express in many years, and perhaps a blueprint for how they want to approach the season.    A run-first attitude is a bit unusual in the USFL, but with Sam Bradford new to Andy Reid’s system,and with a receiver group most would be generous to describe as “pedestrian”, developing a strong run game could well be the Express’s best option to produce offense each week. It certainly worked against a Stags team that simply did not see it coming and did not prepare well for it.   Griffin and Bulls Shock the Blitz Another shocker this week involved the Baltimore Blitz and the stunning scrambles and scripted runs that Bulls’ QB Robert Griffin III used to upset Baltimore in their own house.  Jacksonville came into this game as a 10-poiint underdog to the defending NE Division Champion, but it did not take long for the Blitz to be served notice that they had their hands full. Only 3 minutes into the game, on a scripted run-pass option, Griffin broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run that was electric to watch.  Not since his rookie season in the NFL had we seen Griffin be so effective as a rusher, and it was just beginning for the Bulls and the stunned Blitz in this game.   Griffin would remain a featured part of the offense all game, rushing for an even longer 74-yard score early in the 3rd, and then finishing up with a short 1-yard TD dive later in the period.  He would finish the game with 163 yards rushing, easily eclipsing halfbacks Cadillac Williams and Matt Jones to lead the Bulls.  Baltimore simply did not have the resources to defend against the halfbacks, the passing game, and to place a spy on Griffin.  They would try this tactic in the 4th quarter, to some effect, but by then it was too late and Jacksonville was happy to use short passing and runs by Williams to wind down the clock.   So, as with Los Angeles, we have to ask if Jacksonville may have just found their key to offensive production this week.  A running quarterback can be a very dangerous weapon, but, of course, it comes with risk.  Griffin’s NFL career took a turn south after injuries started to pile up, and while he seems more than fit now, there are questions over whether or not pushing him to run with the ball is a good option for his long-term presence under center.  For now, however, it is certainly a threat that teams will have to consider as they prep to play the Bulls.   David Carr on Crazy Pace After 2 Games Two weeks in and David Carr, often the forgotten man in discussion of the league’s best quarterbacks, is making a statement.  In his first two games this year, Carr has been absolutely on fire.  After posting 306 yards and 4 TDs in the opener at Dallas, Carr followed up that performance with an even stronger 420 yards and 5 TDs this week against Denver.  That is two divisional wins, over 700 yards passing and a 9:0 TD:INT ratio in his first 2 weeks. No wonder he tops the league passing stats with a QB Rating of 146.9.    And yet, despite these numbers, Coach Tomsula says he is not asking more of Carr. “He is taking what the defense gives him”, said Tomsula.  Well, the defenses are giving him a lot of deep balls and a lot of big plays.  With Frank Gore still looking spry at age 34, and with Ka’Deem Carey showing sparks as well, the Arizona run game has maintained its usual role as the bread and butter of Arizona’s attack, but that has provided Carr with a lot of man coverage and a lot of opportunities to connect with Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant. We should also not forget that Arizona went out and signed 2015’s receiving TD leader, TE Jimmie Graham, in the offseason.  That move has proven a brilliant one as Graham regularly attracts safety coverage, meaning that either Bryant or Fitzgerald is likely matchup up in single coverage, and that is a bad move for any defense.   Can Carr keep up this pace?  It seems unlikely.  Expect teams to opt for more zone coverage, and for them to be willing to give up more runs to Gore and Carey, because as bad as being gashed for 8 or 9 yards on a run is, getting toasted for a 60-yard TD is much worse.  For now, at least, Arizona is looking like a team that can and will dominate the SW Division, possibly the entire Western Conference, and has the Wranglers as the early favorite for Summer Bowl 2016, which would be their 3rd appearance in 4 years.   Beasley a Beast for New Jersey If David Carr’s numbers are the early season story on offense across the league, the emergence of 2nd year DE Vic Beasley in New Jersey has to be the defensive story of the year so far.  Beasley, the 3rd overall pick in the 2015 USFL Draft out of Clemson, has emerged as a major threat on the Generals’ defense.   After a year working with Aaron Kampman and taking over the RE position, Beasley is now being moved around, with he and Kampmann flip flopping frequently during drives.  The flexible positioning has worked for him, producing 6 sacks in the first two games of the season.   Any time you can outpace Calais Campbell, you are doing something right, and Beasley currently leads the 7-time Sack Champion by 1 sack.  Do we expect that to stay there?  Unlikely, because you know Campbell is not happy about being in the second position, but what we can say is that New Jersey may now have a very potent pass rush with the front 4 of Beasley (6), Raji (2), Kampman (2), and Ta’amu (2) producing 12 sacks in 2 games.  That means no blitzes are needed, freeing up 7 players for pass coverage.  That is always a plus for any defensive coordinator.    Ivory Lost for Season, Rookie Steps In One of Atlanta’s offseason priorities was to find a way to offset the retirement of former NFL back Steven Jackson, the team’s leading rusher the past three seasons. Their solution was to trade for Chris Ivory (NJ) and to draft Kenyan Drake out of Alabama.  Well, with only 2 weeks gone in the season, half of the plan is now shuttered.  Ivory, in his 2nd year in the USFL after coming over from the NFL Jets, has been placed on IR after x-rays revealed what the team had feared, a significant fracture of the femur with secondary fractures of the tibia, both in his right leg.  With Ivory now in a hard cast, he has been ruled out for the season and the full weight of the Fire run game now falls on their 2nd round draft pick.    The Fire have 2nd year back Raymond Williams behind Drake and just added rookie free agent Noel Hurst to the roster as the 3rd back.  We expect that there will be more moves to come to add some experience to the backfield.  Currently, the best available free agents are former Wrangler Stevan Ridley, former Breaker Mike Tolbert, and a potentially very controversial pick, former General, Express and Thunder back Ray Rice.  Rice has not played in the league since 2013, when video of an altercation with his wife became public knowledge and charges of domestic abuse were filed.    Atlanta will almost certainly look to land a veteran back to help Drake with run game duties.  Will they take the publicity hit to land the talented but troubled Rice, go for a more conservative pick like Ridley or Tolbert, or will they use the trading block to try for another option?  We will see, but for now, it is Kenyan Drake’s turn to make an impression as Atlanta sorts out their options. The Chris Ivory injury was by far the most impactful of the week.  Several other players are set to miss Week 3 action, but most if not all could be back in action for Week 4, including DE Robert Quinn (OHI), HB Todd Gurley (MEM), and QB Matt Hasselbeck (HOU).   OUT HB         Chris Ivory                ATL        Fractured Leg                 IR OT         Joe Staley                STL        Team Rule Violations    1-2 Weeks G           Sean Locklear          CHA      Back                                  1-2 Weeks WR        Nate Burleson         SEA       Hand                                1-2 Weeks C           Zach Williams         TBY       Shoulder                          1-2 Weeks WR        Michael Crabtree     DEN      Eye                                   1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL DE         Robert Quinn     OHI       Knee                   OT         Greg Robinson       BIR        Knee G           Trevor Canfield      ATL        Migraines FS          Nate Allen               ARZ       Concussion   QUESTIONABLE HB         Todd Gurley           MEM     Neck HB         Ka’Deem Carey      ARZ       Wrist QB         Matt Hasselbeck     HOU     Concussion WR        Tim Wright              DAL       Tendonitis OT         Xavier Fulton          OHI       Toe CB         Vontae Davis            STL        Concussion TE          Anthony Hill           PIT        Abdomen DE         Chris Long               WSH     Back LB          Vontez Burfict           TEX       Wrist   League Meeting To Focus on Outlaws & Oklahoma This week will not just feature on-field action, but in New York there is sure to be some fireworks as the league owners meet.  The main item on the agenda is the future of the Texas Outlaws franchise.  There appears to be real concern about the offer made by the OKC Football Group to buy out majority owner Red McCombs and work with minority owner William Tatham to relocate the team to a new facility in Oklahoma City.  McCombs is in favor of the deal, but only if the league will essentially guarantee him a new franchise for San Antonio upon completion of the full demolition and reconstruction of the Alamodome.  Essentially, Tatham’s position is one seeking a guarantee of expansion, likely within the next 4-5 years.  That may be a tough sell for the gathered owners. There is some support for expansion, and certainly the league would like to recover a team in San Antonio, a sizeable and growing market, which also understanding that the current situation with the Alamodome does not work for any parties.  There will certainly be some dealmaking required between all parties to bring a deal to the table.  OKC Football wants approval for their facility and their ownership model.  Tatham wants to retain his portion of the Outlaws franchise, as well as the team’s history, records, and identity.  McCombs, as mentioned, is pushing for guaranteed re-entry in either 2020 or 2021, but is also interested in retaining team identity and records, a clear sticking point between the two current owners of the franchise.  The league, of course, is concerned about the impact of relocating the franchise from the larger San Antonio market to a much smaller Oklahoma City site.  That concern could be addressed with confirmation of an expansion team locked in for San Antonio and Red McCombs, but questions of team identity and history could be a sticking point.   A decision, or at least a pathway to a decision, needs to emerge from this week’s meetings.  The Outlaws are spending 2016 with three different home stadiums in three different cities (Houston, Ft. Worth, and San Marcos), and everyone agrees that this model is not viable beyond one year.  It is costing the league upward of $20M in support to the Outlaws to allow for the rotating home venue model, something the league has no interest in continuing, but with no other viable stadium in or around San Antonio, the question of relocation is one the league has to take a hard look at.   Fans Cry Foul on New Schedule Format As we head into Week 3 of the season, fans around the league are getting their first taste of the league’s scheduling experiment this year, and they are not happy.  The experiment, one impacting nearly all of the clubs in the league, involved “clustered scheduling”. The best way to describe this is that there will be several divisional matchups where the two teams’ home and away matches are within 2 weeks of each other, and many where the teams essentially play a home-and-away series in back to back weeks. This is a huge departure from the usual strategy of trying to balance divisional rivalry games with one matchup in the season’s first half and the other towards the season’s final month.    A quick look at the schedule shows this new strategy in obvious ways. After facing off this past week in Atlanta, the Fire and Renegades will play their second matchup this week in Orlando, a true back-to-back series. Orlando will do the same with Tampa Bay in Weeks 7 and 8. The Bandits likewise have already played Charlotte in back-to-back weeks in Week 1-2, with the Bandits losing both matchups. Philadelphia will have a back-to-back series with Baltimore, one that could be vital to the divisional standings, in weeks 5 and 6. Later in the year, Arizona and Texas, one of the best matchups in the West, will play back-to-back games in weeks 12 and 13.  The same will happen with Ohio and St. Louis in weeks 13 and 14, and with Michigan and Chicago in Weeks 9 and 10.   In addition to these 2-week “series” there are no less than 5 times when two divisional foes will play each other twice within a 3-week span, including Washington & Pittsburgh (5 & 7), Texas and Dallas (6 & 8), Denver and Las Vegas (4 & 6), Charlotte and Jacksonville (12 & 14), and, for one of the league’s best rivalries, Memphis and Birmingham, who will meet Week 5 at the Liberty Bowl, and then reprise the rivalry only 2 weeks later at Progressive Stadium in Birmingham.   The general reaction of fans, gauged mostly through call in radio and online postings, has, to say the least, been negative. It appears that fans are not interested in back-to-back series, or in immediate reprisal games after an initial meeting. There is concern that having games so close together creates a situation where the team that loses the first meeting has little time to make adjustments and win the 2nd, and there are complaints that the close scheduling of these divisional games leaves longer stretches in the season when teams are playing less intense inter-divisional and inter-conference games. The league set this model up as a test, to see if it might foster greater emphasis on the rivalry games and on road trips between cities as teams faced off in close succession game to game. What it seems to be producing instead is annoyance and disappointment among fans who prefer to see their teams run through their divisional games over a full 16 weeks, rather than clustering these games. We expect the league will continue to monitor social media and their own mailroom as they determine if the experiment was more advantageous than unpopular and as they prepare to design the 2017 schedule, but for this year at least, the clustered divisional games are here to stay, so buckle up for some back-to-back rematches, including this week’s game in Orlando, where the Renegades will try to undo the damage caused by their defeat Week 2 in Atlanta.      ORLANDO RELEASES HELMET DESIGNS With one week left in the voting for the new logo, design, and branding for the Orlando Renegades, the team has upped the ante by releasing the helmet designs for all three options. Each will feature a different shell color, and we can now see how the primary logo will appear in each design. Here are the three choices once again, now with the helmet designs. TUSKER DESIGN: The wild boar or "tusker" features a Renegade Blue shell and black facemask. The helmet will have a large decal of the hog logo on each side with three tapered stripes from the rear to the front of the helmet. MAMMOTH DESIGN: Will the Renegades be entering a 3rd grey/silver helmet into the state of Florida. With both the Bandits (bright silver) and the Bulls (dark, almost pewter) already sporting a grey-toned helmet, this design for the Mammoth option seems like a challenge to the other USFL clubs in the state. it features a black facemask, a matte grey shell, and a 4-stripe pattern in black and two tones of Renegade Blue. BLACKTIP DESIGN: Orlando proposes a return to a white shell, the color they began their USFL run with in 1987. The blacktip shark emerges out of the blue waters, soaring in the air across the helmet on each side. This is the only one of the three designs not to include center striping, understandable considering the use of a wraparound decal. Voting continues on the designs through Week 3's action, with the winning brand, and possibly a more complete uniform design, scheduled for a Week 5 reveal. Week 3 kicks off with another of the controversial back-to-back matchups as Orlando heads to Atlanta only 1 week after the two faced off in Florida.  It continues through the weekend with a heavily divisional lineup of games. Saturday sees Birmingham @ New Orleans, Philly @ Washington, a Cascade Clash with Seattle @ winless Portland, and twin divisional night games with New Jersey @ Pittsburgh on NBC and San Diego headed to LA to face the Express on ESPN/EFN.   Sunday has only 2 divisional matchups (Chicago @ St. Louis and Arizona @ Las Vegas), but also has a clash of 2-0 clubs as ESPN’s Sunday night game features the Houston Gamblers visiting the Charlotte Monarchs. A full slate of good games this week as we are still looking to see who is for real, who is in trouble, and who may be a surprise this year. Can 0-2 Baltimore get into the win column? How about the Breakers, Skyhawks, or Stags?  Will surprising Washington make it 3 in a row? Will Arizona continue to dominate the opposition? A week when the last of the NFL players, including HB Adrian Peterson, are expected to see action. Should be a good week for football.   Friday @ 8pm ET              Orlando (1-1) @ Atlanta (1-1)                 NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET      Birmingham (1-1) @ New Orleans (0-2)          ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET     Philadelphia (1-1) @ Washington (2-0)          FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET         Seattle (0-2) @ Portland (0-2)                         ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET        Denver (1-1) @ Michigan (1-1)                     FOX      Saturday @ 7pm ET         New Jersey (1-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-1)               NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET        San Diego (1-1) @ Los Angeles (1-1)             ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET        Baltimore (0-2) @ Tampa Bay (0-2)                   ABC Sunday @ 12pm ET         Chicago (1-1) @ St. Louis (0-2)                        FOX Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET         Arizona (2-0) @ Las Vegas (0-2)                        FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           Jacksonville (1-1) @ Dallas (1-1)                      ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           Memphis (1-1) @ Oakland (2-0)                       ABC Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET           Ohio (1-1) @ Texas (2-0)                                    FOX Sunday @ 8pm ET          Houston (2-0) @ Charlotte (2-0)                     ESPN/EFN

Week one saw its share of upsets, big games, and big debuts, but, as we often see in Week 1 of any season, it also saw some sloppy play, some penalties, and some turnovers as teams still try to find their groove after a short preseason.  What we did not see this week was snow or bitter cold.  With only 3 games in outdoor cold weather cities (Baltimore, Washington, and Pittsburgh), the league got lucky with the Northeast generally looking at good weather. So, no blizzard games or rain outs, just football and some growing pains.  Speaking of pain, Tampa Bay suffered the first big setback of the year, or did they?  We will review the Bandits-Monarchs game, our Game of the Week, then recap all the action of the league’s opening weekend.  Get your USFL fix right here as football is back! TAMPA BAY BANDITS 17   CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 20    OVERTIME This was not a game that many had circled as “must watch” in Week 1, but it ended up being a game filled with drama, surprises, and some pretty well-played football.  Plus, it went to overtime, which we always find intriguing.  It matched up the top and the bottom of the 2015 standings in the Southeast Division, with reigning division champions Charlotte facing off against basement dweller Tampa Bay.  For many, the game looked on paper like a pretty easy opening week for the Monarchs, facing a Bandit squad whose biggest offseason story was one of failure, failure to obtain a bona fide starting QB.  Charlotte, for their part, had made several big offseason moves, bringing in NFL talent on both sides of the ball.  Even though the biggest name added this offseason, HB Adrian Peterson, would not be activated for the game, the other big signing, DE Chandler Jones would be on the field and was expected to be a nightmare for beleaguered Bandit QB Pat White.   For Tampa Bay, the biggest new name was former NFL linebacker Don’t’a Hightower, though rookie Jalen Ramsey was also a story of interest.  What we did not expect is that it would be a rookie QB who would impress us and nearly provide the Bandits with a huge upset over the heavily favored Monarchs.  Midway through the 2nd quarter, Tampa Bay starter Pat White would go down after a scramble and would have to be helped off the field, meaning that T-Draft rookie pick and “backup option” when Jared Goff signed with the NFL, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott, would find himself in the game and likely starting for the Bandits for the next month or longer.    At the time Prescott came into the game, the score was only 3-3, with both starting QBs having already thrown a pick, and both defenses looking a bit more advanced than the offenses. Prescott would have one play on offense, a 3rd and 5 draw that did not convert, before returning to the sideline to get some very hasty coaching.  In the meantime, Charlotte hit on a big play that looked like it might finally turn the tide in the game.  Brandon Wheedon benefitted from miscommunication in the Tampa Bay secondary, with rookie Jalen Ramsey expecting help over the top from the safety.  That help was too late and Wheedon hit D. J. Hackett for a 79-yard TD toss on a perfect out & up route.    Now down 7, Prescott returned to action and promptly missed on his first 4 pass attempts.  Nerves were clearly an issue, as was a lack of snaps in practice all week with Pat White getting the pre-game focus. Prescott would calm down and earn some first downs in the third quarter, but while he was getting his feet under him, the Monarchs were increasing the lead to 17-3, thanks to an 11-play drive that ended with Wheedon finding his tight end, Brandon Pettigrew for a Brandon-to-Brandon TD.  Now down, 14, it was beginning to look like Tampa Bay was going to start the year with a loss and that the 9-point spread that Las Vegas had given the Monarchs was in good shape. But, a funny thing happened in the 4th quarter.  The rookie started to make plays, and others around him made plays for him.  With the run game producing absolutely nothing against the Monarch front 7 (a total of 37 yards for the game, a clear issue the Bandits need to address), Coach Shula showed confidence in the young QB and started calling more pass plays, using bootlegs, play action, and run-pass options to allow Prescott to maximize his talents and play a style closer to his college days. The 4th round pick got help from his receivers, particularly Hank Basket, another new Bandit, having come over from Dallas as a free agent.  Basket would have 4 of his 5 catches in the 4th quarter, including a 38-yard catch and run on 3rd and 7 that put Tampa Bay in position for their first TD of the game, putting the ball on the Charlotte 15.  After a scramble for 3 yards, Prescott found 3rd year receiver Ryan Grant on a 12-yard scoring toss, pulling the Bandits within 7 and boosting the confidence of the young QB.    Charlotte responded with a nice drive down to the Tampa Bay 22, but when Brandon Coutu surprisingly missed on the 39-yarder, it raised the Bandit spirits even more.  They had over 5 minutes to get another score and send the game to overtime.  The Bandits rallied around Prescott, with 5 different receivers making catches on the drive, including a 1-handed grab by Santonio Holmes on a 3rd and 11 that just barely crossed the line to gain.  With just over 1:30 left to play, Prescott found his tight end, former Renegade Greg Olsen in the endzone and we had a tie game.   The Bandits had proven resilient, and their rookie QB had shaken off the early game jitters and produced two touchdown drives in the final 9 minutes of action.   Charlotte would play conservatively in the final 90 seconds, not wanting to give the ball back to the Bandits.  They moved the ball only to midfield and then took a final shot at a Hail Mary which was easily swatted to the ground, sending the game to an extra period.  In the extra period, both defenses got more aggressive, sending blitzes and keeping any completed passes in front of them.  Both teams had the ball twice, but it was only on the final drive of the game that anyone saw any offensive success.  Charlotte moved to a 2-minute offense late in the extra period, eschewing huddles and rushing back to the line. That strategy paid off as Wheedon was able to find Hakeem Nicks and D. J. Hackett on back to back throws that brought the ball in range for Brandon Coutu.  With a timeout taken with 2 seconds left in the game, the Monarchs knew they would not lose the game.  They could win with a 46-yard kick from Coutu, or they would get a tie if he missed.  Coutu, having been embarrassed by his sub-40 shank earlier in the game, redeemed himself by sending his kick straight down the middle of the field.    Charlotte got the win, but Tampa Bay may have gotten something they did not expect, a sneak peak at what their rookie QB could become.  Prescott did not play perfect ball, completing only 15 of 31 throws, but he showed spirit and an ability to make plays in his 2 fourth quarter drives.  The verdict on White’s injury would have to wait 24 hours, but it appears that the Bandits may have lucked into a viable option in the draft after all, at least that was the impression received in his first 40 minutes of action. OAKLAND 17    NEW ORLEANS 3 We expected a defensive battle and we got one.  Neither team cracked 200 yards passing or 300 yards of total offense.  The two combined for only 6 converted 1st downs in 22 tries, and the Breakers had trouble holding onto the ball, with 4 turnovers, 3 of them picks by a beleaguered Drew Brees.  Oakland got just enough from their offense to build a 17-0 lead, helped by 10 points off turnovers.  New Orleans finally got on the board in the 4th to avoid the shutout, but it was not a good showing at all from the Breaker offense. POTG:  Invader LB Bobby Wagner: 10 Tck, 2 Int   ATLANTA 3   WASHINGTON 16 Another defensive game, with both teams a little sloppy to start the year, committing 10 penalties between the two.  Washington got two Garrard to Benjamin TD tosses to put themselves on top 16-0, with Atlanta getting only a late FG to avoid the shutout.  Garrard had a good first week, completing 25 of 32 passes for 259 yards and 2 scores. POTG:  Federals’ WR Kelvin Benjamin: 4 Rec, 52 Yds, 2 TD   HOUSTON 35    MEMPHIS 16 Memphis outgained the Gamblers in this one, but not on the scoreboard.  Three Hasselbeck TD tosses, and 108 yards from WR Mike Evans were enough to more than double up the Showboats, who moved the ball, thanks in part to 100-yard games by both Robert Woods and Mark Clayton, but could not score in the red zone, settling or fireld goals on 3 different red zone trips. POTG:  Gambler HB Carlos Hyde: 17 Att, 86 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Rec, 8 Yds, 1 TD   LAS VEGAS 20   TEXAS 34 A game that looks closer on the scoreboard than it really was.  Texas had built up a 34-6 lead before the backups came in and gave up two late TDs to Cody Pickett and the Vipers.  Joe Flacco threw for 289 and 2 scores in this one, while Marshawn Lynch rushed for 63 yards on 16 carries, including a TD run in the 3rd to boost the Texas lead to 28 points.  POTG:  Texas LB Bart Scott: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.   PORTLAND 6    BIRMINGHAM 29 Portland outgained Birmingham 300-177, but committed 3 turnovers to help the Stallions get the home opening win.  The star for the Stallions was kicker Garrett Hartley, who converted on all 5 field goal tries.  Kudos as well to the Stallion D, which pressured Mariota all day, producing 5 sacks and a pick.  POTG:  Stallion kicker Garrett Hartley: 5/5 field goals   NEW JERSEY 29    BALTIMORE 24 A stunning upset in Baltimore, where the Generals got a Devin McCourty pick-six in the 4th to build a 12-point lead that Baltimore could not overcome.  Brett Hundley was a respectable 25/40 for 217 yards, surviving two picks thanks to his defense, which also picked off Ben Roethlisberger twice to even the score. POTG:  Generals’ DE Vic Beasley: 4 Tck, 3 Sck   MICHIGAN 27   SAN DIEGO 10 The panthers build up a 14-3 lead at the half and then expand it for a 17 point victory in San Diego despite only 2.3 YPC from LeVeon Bell (26 attempts for 60 yards). Kirk Cousins was the star, throwing for 2 scores and nearly 300 yards.  Joe Webb threw 3 picks and Ryan Williams was a non-factor in his first game for the Thunder, rushing the ball 13 times for a stunning -2 yards.  Not what Thunder fans expected from their big free agent signing. POTG:  Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 26/29, 293 Yds, 2 TD   PHILADELPHIA 18    ST. LOUIS 16 Two very good early signs for the Stars as they beat a 2015 Division Champion on the road to start the season. The defense looked very solid against the Skyhawks, holding Eddie Lacy under 40 yards rushing, and rookie Derrick Henry looked like everything Stars fans hoped for, rushing for 107 on 20 carries. POTG:  Stars LB Terrell Suggs: 9 Tck, 1 Sck   DENVER 17   JACKSONVILLE 10 The Gold get a road win to open the season as Matt Leinart throws for 279 and 2 scores to begin the 2016 campaign.  Golden Tate caught 7 and brought in a score as well. The Denver d did their part, holding Jacksonville to only 4 of 16 on third down and shutting down the Bulls’ run game.  QB Robert Griffin III was the leading rusher for the Bulls with only 34 yards as Matt Jones and Cadillac Williams combined for only 42 yards on 16 carries. POTG: Denver DE Justice Cole: 8 Tck, 2 Sck   OHIO 30   SEATTLE 14 Maybe Ohio does not have a QB problem after all. Brock Osweiler goes 27 of 34 with 2 TDs in the surprising Ohio outburst.  He did throw 3 picks, which helped keep the game close for a half, when Seattle led 14-10, but in the second half he connected with both Mario Manningham and Justin Blackmon as Ohio took the lead and pulled away.  The defense also came up big, especially rookie Xavien  Howard, whose first pro pick was run back for 6 points. POTG:  Ohio CB Xavien Howard: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD   CHICAGO 21   LOS ANGELES 19 This battle between two last place finishers in 2015 was a pretty entertaining game.  Each club had a new QB under center, with Ryan Fitzpatrick just slightly outperforming Sam Bradford. Fitzie went 15 of 22 for 174 yards and 2 scores while Bradford finished 21 of 31 for 231 yards and a score.  Ohio trailed in the 4th, but a TD toss from Fitzpatrick to veteran Michael Floyd gave them the lead and the D held late to give them the win. POTG:  Chicago WR Aaron Dobson: 7 Rec, 113 Yds   ARIZONA 41    DALLAS 14 The Wranglers make an opening week statement, turning a 17-14 halfttime lead into a dominant second half. Arizona scored the final 31 points in the game, including a pick-six on defene and long TDs from both Frank Gore and Larry Fitzgerald to crush Dallas’s hopes for a big divisional win to open the season.  POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 12/23, 306 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   ORLANDO 42   PITTSBURGH 25 The Renegades had the formula to upend the Maulers in their home opener, racking up 433 yards of offense and pulling away from the Maulers in the second half.  Russell Wilson threw for two scores and Latavius Murray was dynamic, rushing for 80 yards on only 8 touches, including a 16-yard TD run that thrilled the small contingent of Orland fans on hand at Heinz Field.  Pittsburgh was not in synch on either side of the ball, coming out of the gate slow, with Andy Dalton suffering 9 sacks in the game, including 6 from the Orlando pair of starting DE’s. POTG:   Orlando DE Calais Campbell: 9 Tck, 4 Sck, 1 Sfty Campbell, Carr, Beasley, and Hackett impress in Week 1. The stars of Week 1 were not hard to find.  Calais Campbell, perhaps annoyed by predictions that he was due to see his reign as the Sack King of the USFL end, put up 4 sacks in Week 1 action against Pittsburgh.  Andy Dalton suffered 9 sacks in the game as the front 7 of the Renegades was relentless, but it was Campbell who was the focal point, and even with constant double teams, the 7-time USFL Sack Leader was up to the task, earning 4 sacks, one of them producing a safety, and taking the league-wide lead in the season’s first week.   Second to Campbell on the sack tally is a surprising candidate, 2nd year DE Vic Beasley of the Generals.  We should not be entirely surprised by Beasley’s big opening week, he did finish 2015 with 16 sacks for the Generals, a very impressive rookie season.  Well, with 3 sacks in the Generals’ upset win in Baltimore, Beasley set himself up for a strong sophomore campaign as well.  The Clemson product benefitted from a Blitz O-line that was focused on Aaron Kampman (5 tackles, 2 sacks), so Beasley found himself often in a single block without chipping.  Ben Roethlisberger suffered 8 total sacks, as it seems that both the Generals and Renegades opted to focus on QB pressure as a way to derail the Mauler and Blitz offenses.  With two upset victories, led by their D-lines, it appears they found an effective strategy, at least for Week 1.   On offense, the big star of the week was Charlotte WR D. J. Hackett, who brought in 7 catches for 184 yards, including a 79-yard TD catch in the Monarchs’ overtime win over the Bandits.  Hackett was all over the field, often on the deeper routes, while Hakeem Nicks and TE Brandon Pettigrew dealt with the underneath coverages.  Hackett averaged 26.3  yards per catch for the day, producing a score and 5 first downs with his 7 receptions.    The other big offensive star of the week was Arizona QB David Carr, who started the season with a 4-TD performance against Dallas in a key divisional Week 1 game.  Carr starts the year with a 300-yard game and a 26-point win over a team we predicted to finish 2nd in the division.  The Arizona QB spread the ball around, hitting Larry Fitzgerald 4 times for 126 yards and 2 scores, Antonio Bryant 3 times for 75 yards, and connecting with tailback Frank Gore twice, both times producing scores. A good start for all 4, and many others, as the league kicked off with a bang and players got their first chance to impress the fans (and the fantasy team owners) with games that count.   Prescott Pressed into Service in Tampa Bay It was not planned, and it was certainly not Coach Shula’s preference, but rookie QB Dak Prescott became the first of the rookie QBs to see action in 2016.  Coming into the game when Pat White suffered a knee injury on a scramble in the 2nd quarter, Prescott struggled at first, but had a big 4th quarter to send the game to overtime.   While it may not have been the plan, Coach Shula is now likely to be pressed into developing Prescott on a faster timeline.  The 4th round pick is likely to see between 4-6 weeks of action before Pat White is ready to return.  White’ knee was imaged on Monday and a partial MCL tear is the verdict. That puts White on track to remain out at least through week 5, possibly longer.  In the meantime, Prescott will get the start over 3rd stringer B. J. Daniels.  Tampa has already added a third QB to the roster, signing former Memphis Showboat QB Ryan Mallett to a one-year deal.  Mallett will be on the practice squad this week, eligible only as the 3rd “emergency” QB behind Prescott and Daniels.    For Prescott, this is a chance to show the Bandits and the league what he is capable of. If he can find success with the Bandits, he could earn the starting position over White.  If he struggles, he returns to the bench and is back in place as the number two option.  For the former Mississippi State starter who signed with Tampa Bay over the Houston Oilers (4th round pick there as well), it is a chance to show everyone that he deserved more consideration after a very strong career in Starksville.  For Coach Shula and the Bandits, it is a chance to see if they lucked into a potential starting QB despite their much criticized failures with Jameis Winston and Jared Goff in the past 2 drafts.   Henry and Howard Best of the Rookie First Impressions First impressions are huge, and at least for two rookies they made the best of their chance to impress USFL fans.  Stars’ HB Derrick Henry finished Week 1 as the league leader with 107 yards on 20 carries, a very nice 5.4 YPC in his first pro action.  He also added 2 receptions for 18 yards, proving that he could be a factor in the passing game.  Henry’s success was a big factor in Philadelphia’s surprising season opening win in St. Louis.    The other initial impression came from Seattle cornerback Xavien Howard.  Howard could not will the Dragons to a win as their offense struggled to put anything together, but his day was highlighted not only by his first pro interception, but a pick-six at that, returning an errant Osweiler throw 24 yards on the opening drive of the game.  Howard finished with 4 tackles and that strong opening shot, a play that likely kept Osweiler from trying to exploit the rookie the rest of the game.   Another rookie who started the season looking like he would have a considerable role this year include Atlanta HB Kenyan Drake, who rushed for 30 yards on 9 carries.  We also saw Hunter Henry lead all Birmingham receivers with 5 receptions, racking up 35 yards, in his first action.  San Diego linebacker started in Week 1 and finished the game with 8 tackles, with one a TFL, snagging Mike Hart behind the line.  Of course, QB Dak Prescott saw more action than anyone expected, and likely will over the next month.  Finally, two rookie kickers got their first points in the league, with New Jersey’s Ka’imi Fairbairn connecting on 3 of 4 field goal attempts in the Generals’ upset victory over Baltimore and Oakland’s Roberto Aguayo going 1 of 2 as Oakland fell to New Orleans.    Two Sack Specialists Already Out (But Not for Long) You never want to see a star edge rusher knocked out of action, especially not in Week 1 of the season, but the good news for both the Maulers and Invaders is that the injuries to their star defensive ends are not expected to be significant, with both Jared Allen of Pittsburgh and Cliff Avril of Oakland targeting Week 3 for a possible return, meaning they will miss only 1 game.  Allen suffered a neck injury, believed to be a nerve pinch in a dogpile after a Philadelphia fumble, while Avril has a deep thigh bruise which he picked up after taking a knee right between the quad and hamstring, a classic Charlie Horse.  Neither injury produced significant damage, so both players should be cleared to play after taking this next week to rest and rehab. The injury to Tampa Bay QB Pat White got headlines, but he is hardly alone on the injury list.  No players added to IR after one week, but several who could be out for several weeks and more listed as doubtful for week 2.  Football is a brutal sport.   OUT OT          James Carpenter            ORL       Ankle             6-8 Weeks QB         Pat White                       TBY        MCL              4-6 Weeks DE          Marcus Harrison             NJ           Arm                 4-6 Weeks C             Zach Williams           TBY        Shoulder        1-2 Weeks CB          Vontae Davis                   STL         Eye                   1-2 Weeks DE          Jared Allen                     PIT         Neck                1-2 Weeks DE          Cliff Avril                          OAK      Thigh               1-2 Weeks LB           Vontez Burfict                WSH     Toe                   1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL G            Joe Thuney                     WSH     Toe FS           Nate Allen                       ARZ       Concussion WR         Nelson Agholor              LA          Toe DE          Michael Johnson            CHA      Hamstring OT          Ju’Wuan James             ARZ       Concussion OT          Xavier Fulton                  OHI       Foot   QUESTIONABLE TE           Kevin Everett                   SD          Hand TE           Antonio Gates                BAL        Neck DE          Chris Long                       WSH     Back LB           Alec Ogletree                  WSH     Abdomen   Tracking the Biggest Free Agent Impacts of Week One We have already looked at the rookie class of 2016 and how some of the big name signings fared in Week 1.  How about the big free agents and traded veterans?  Well, it was a mixed bag, with some big games and some disappointments. Here is the rundown of 12 players who are in new homes this year and how their seasons began.   QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (POR to CHI trade) Fitzpatrick had a solid game, going 15 of 22 for 174 yards, 2 TDs and 1 pick in his Machine debut, but more importantly, he got the W for a Machine club that started last year 0-8.  That alone was reason for fans to start warming up to the Harvard grad and beard aficionado.   WR Doug Baldwin (NJ to LV trade) Baldwin’s numbers were solid in his first game as a Viper, catching 8 of 10 targets for 78 yards.  It was not enough for the Vipers to defeat Texas, but it was a solid outing for the 5th year veteran.   HB Knile Davis (MEM to OAK trade) Davis led the Invaders with 57 yards on 13 carries, splitting time with Donald Brown.  He did not have any receptions, which is odd because Oakland was expected to use Davis quite a bit in the passing game.    HB Chris Ivory (NJ to ATL trade) Ivory, as expected, got the start at tailback, but produced only 2.4 yards per carry with 14 attempts for only 33 yards.  He did not appear to be as productive as rookie Kenyan Drake, but that may be due to the timing of their runs, with Ivory taking more of the tough 1st down carries.   LB Angelo Crowell (LV to STL trade) Crowell started at MLB and had himself a solid game, finishing behind only Aldon Smith with 7 tackles, including 1 tackle for loss.   TE Jimmie Graham (PIT to ARZ, free agent) Graham was largely silent for the Wranglers, catching 1 of 4 targets for only 3 yards.  Arizona really did not need him as the outside receivers for the Wranglers were devastating, with Bryant and Fitzgerald combining for 201 yards on 7 receptions. QB Sam Bradford (NJ to LA, free agent) A solid outing for Bradford, going 21 of 31 for 231 yards and a TD. He probably was not a fan of the 6 sacks Chicago landed, but that is really no different from what he experienced in New Jersey. He had LA in this game but could not come up with a final game winning drive.   DE Robert Quinn (BAL to OHI, free agent) Quinn was one of the more successful transfers, racking up 4 tackles and 2 sacks in his first game for the Glory. His contribution and pressure on Leftwich helped Ohio start the year off right with a road victory.   HB Ryan Williams (OAK to SD, free agent) A horrible opening week for Williams as he rushed the ball 13 times for a putrid -2 total yards. Nothing was there for him as the Michigan defense seemed to be one step ahead of the Thunder all game long.   HB Felix Jones (TEX to POR, free agent) Jones won the starting job in camp over fellow new arrival LeMichael James, but he also struggled in his first game as the starter, rushing for only 1.2 yards per carry (20 attempts for only 36 yards).  Not what the Stags were hoping to see as they try to replace Jonathan Stewart.   LB Kevin Burnett (HOU to WSH, free agent) Washington’s defense came out strong in their opener against Atlanta, and Burnett was a big part of it, finishing with 6 tackles (1 for loss) and 2 pass deflections.  A good start for the veteran in a new home.   WR Hank Basket (DAL to TBY, free agent) Our last free agent check in, Basket had a strong first outing, catching 5 passes for 102 yards.  He did miss on a couple, with his 5 receptions coming on 12 targets, but we also have to acknowledge that QB Dak Prescott was a bit inaccurate on some throws as well.   NFL Stars Sit in Opening Week We did not see all the big names that came over from the Fall league as the USFL kicked off.  That is pretty normal due to the physical need for players to heal and recover after a full NFL season. We did see several players contribute this week, including DE Connor Barwin in Chicago, though it was LB Courtney Upshaw who had the bigger impact, with 6 tackles and his first USFL sack.  In Tampa Bay, LB Don’t’a Hightower got 2 tackles in limited action, while in Dallas got only 2 extra points from NFL import kicker Chandler Catanzaro, who did not attempt a field goal.   We expect to see more NFL imports in action in Week 2, with the announcement that DE Chandler Jones will get his first action for Charlotte, with Jamaal Charles cleared to play for Denver, and with Memphis hoping to have Cordarelle Patterson ready for action.  No word yet on whether or not Charlotte’s other big signing, Adrian Peterson, will be suited up.  We do know that WR Dorial Green-Beckham for Atlanta and WR Kenny Stills of Chicago are not expected to be activated yet.  San Diego will have Christian Ponder in uniform, but we still expect Joe Webb to get the start as the Thunder face off against Las Vegas in the second iteration of the Thunder relocation revenge game, this time in San Diego.   Chicago & Orlando Unveil 30th Season Patches This year four USFL clubs celebrate their 30th anniversary in the league. Or is it two?  It depends how you look at it.  What is unquestioned is that the USFL expanded from 16 teams to 20 in the Spring of 2017.  For two of those expansion clubs, the Chicago Machine and the Orlando Renegades, the story from there is pretty straightforward.  For the other two, the San Antonio Gunslingers and the Oklahoma Outlaws, the history gets murky really fast.    Chicago and Orlando have been stable franchises for the 30 seasons since then, with Orlando making a Summer Bowl appearance only 4 years later in 1991, then, a decade later, winning a league title in 2001. Chicago has appeared in three Summer Bowls since replacing the relocated Chicago Blitz in 1987, but have yet to bring a title to the Second City.  Both clubs celebrate their 30th season this year, and this week each club took to the field with commemorative patches on their jerseys. Chicago’s patch includes 4 logos used by the Machine over the years, from the Block M of the first few seasons to the first and later versions of the “Gear C” logo, and finally the newest of the logos, the “Machinery M” design that is a current secondary logo for the squad.   The Orlando logo was a bit trickier considering that the club is in the middle of a process to remove the tomahawk logo from its identity, a feature of the Renegades’ design since their opening season.  So, how did they celebrate their history without referencing the controversial design element?  Well, for starts, they used the team’s original red script “Renegades” wordmark, then paired it with a “30” made up of a 3 and the now-iconic Orlando “O” design in blue and black.  Finally, they added the years 1987 and 2016 on a squared banner behind the numbers, one that evokes, without representing the tomahawk handle from recent versions of the team logo.   But what about the Gunslingers and Outlaws?  Well, as you might imagine the topic of celebrating the 1987 Oklahoma Outlaws would be a very touchy subject in San Antonio right now.  As for the Gunslingers, there remains significant debate over whether the Outlaws, who retain the 1987 team’s kelly and royal color scheme, is the true heir to the team, or if it is the Thunder, who took on considerable portions of the Gunslinger staff and roster when they were formed in Portland in 1988.  The easiest thing to do, and what it appears that both teams are doing, is to wait for the 2017 to recognize the formation of the two clubs that came to be known as the Thunder and the Outlaws.  How the situation with Texas ownership, potential sale, and the club’s current “road” status, impacts any celebration of club history will have to wait until then.    Dallas Leads Strong Opening Week at the Box Office A very good weekend for mid-March weather helped the USFL increase their Week 1 attendance by nearly 1,100 attendees per game.  Leading the pack were the Dallas Roughnecks, whose season opener against Arizona drew an impressive 52,082.  They were followed by Baltimore’s 48,507 and Pittsburgh’s 48,425, in an unusually strong opening week for teams in the North. The rest of the Top 5 saw League Champion New Orleans draw 47,889 for their opener, with a party atmosphere that still felt like Mardis Gras nearly a month later, and Birmingham, always among the attendance leaders, drawing 47.011 to their opener.   Only 2 clubs drew fewer than 40,000 in a strong opening week for the league.  Texas, playing their opener in San Marcos at 30,000 seat Bobcat Stadium had a sellout, but that still only meant 30,022 in attendance. The other sub-40k team was no shocker as Los Angeles drew only 31,244 to Farmers Insurance Field.  LA has almost always been a tough market for the league, with plenty of other distractions in the city and a team with a reputation as one of the league’s least successful over the decades.  Following up on a 4-win season, LA struggled to sell season tickets, even with Sam Bradford as the new star attraction.  Facing a 3-win Chicago team in the opener did not exactly pack in the fans, and now, with LA sitting at 0-1, Express tickets could remain a tough sell. Week two seems early for a major divisional action week, but we have 9 of 14 games including divisional opponents, starting on Friday with the Showboats visiting the Breakers.  The divisional clashes continue on Saturday, with 3 more games, including Philly @ Pittsburgh in a Keystone Clash, Ohio @ Michigan and the nightcap game, Arizona @ Denver.  Sunday has 5 more, with Charlotte @ Tampa Bay and Atlanta @ Orlando in two SE Division 12:00 noon clashes.  At 4pm we have two Pacific clashes with Seattle visiting Oakland and LA heading up the coast to Portland.  Finally, at 8pm in the weekend’s finale, we have the Birmingham Stallions visiting Houston.  That is a lot of meaningful division games all in one weekend.  As always, blue denotes our divisional matchups in the week's schedule rundown.   Friday @ 8pm ET             Memphis (0-1) @ New Orleans (0-1)              NBC   Saturday @ 12pm ET        Philadelphia (1-0) @ Pittsburgh (0-1)              ABC Saturday @ 12pm ET      Washington (1-0) @ Chicago (1-0)                   FOX Saturday @ 4pm ET        Ohio (1-0) @ Michigan (1-0)                              ABC Saturday @ 4pm ET        New Jersey (1-0) @ Texas (1-0)                          FOX       Saturday @ 7pm ET         Dallas (0-1) @ St. Louis (0-1)                             NBC Saturday @ 9pm ET         Arizona (1-0) @ Denver (1-0)                             ESPN/EFN   Sunday @ 12pm ET         Charlotte (1-0) @ Tampa Bay (0-1)                  ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET          Jacksonville (0-1) @ Baltimore (1-0)                  ABC Regional Sunday @ 12pm ET        Atlanta (0-1) @ Orlando (1-0)                           FOX Sunday @ 4pm ET          Seattle (0-1) @ Oakland (1-0)                           ABC Sunday @ 4pm ET            Las Vegas (0-1) @ San Diego (0-1)                    FOX Regional Sunday @ 4pm ET          Los Angeles (0-1) @ Portland (0-1)                  FOX Regional Sunday @ 8pm ET           Birmingham (1-0) @ Houston (1-0)             ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The first POTW for 2016 goes to a player accustomed to getting accolades, Orlando DE Calais Campbell. We predicted that this year would be the year he loses out on the league sack leaderboard for the first time in 8 years, and he apparently took offense to that. The tally after Week 1: Our predicted champion, Von Miller 0 sacks, the 7-time reigning champion, Calais Campbell, 4 sacks. Mauler's QB Andy Dalton, 3 Aleve, an ice bath and recurring nightmares of Campbell coming free to his left.

Welcome back for Part 2 of our 2016 USFL Season Preview.  We have looked at the big offseason moves across the league, so now it is time to look forward, making bold (often far off base) predictions and previewing each club and their prospects for the season ahead.  We will go division by division, then team by team, discussing the hopes and the concerns for each club, then make our picks for both the potential playoff participants, eventual champions, and for the league’s most prestigious award, all to help you prepare for the 2016 season less than a week away.   Regular Season Predictions We start our annual futile effort to predict the unpredictable with the six USFL divisions.  You know by now that we are more often wrong than right.  Yes, we predicted Pittsburgh to be a fast riser last year, but totally missed on our predictions for Portland, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay.  So, as you look at the arguments we make for some teams to find success and others to flop, don’t get too excited, or too downhearted.  We are not good at this, and you should know that by now. It would be easy to look at last year’s standings and predict another 2-team battle between the Blitz and the Maulers for 2016, but we are feeling a bit edgy about this, so we are going to say it will be a three-team race.  Yes, Baltimore and Pittsburgh will be right there, powered by explosive, big play offenses.  But we are going to add a team many may not expect, the Philadelphia Stars, back into the mix.  We are just not buying that this is truly a 5-11 team.  They struggled last year, but they have so many good pieces and adding two impactful players like HB Derrick Henry and DE Malik Jackson is going to help this club rebound quickly.  That and we just think that Coach Harbaugh is not going to see his club stay below .500 for another year.    That is where we see the NE Division going, with quite a bit of distance between the top three and the bottom two.  We just don’ t see enough improvement this offseason from the Washington Federals, not enough young talent added.  As for New Jersey, they are taking a big risk with 2nd year QB Brett Hundley expected to start.  He may well be playing on a short rope with Nick Foles coming over from Arizona just in case.    OUR BEST GUESS:  We see Pittsburgh getting the upper hand on Pittsburgh to finish 12-4 to the Blitz’s 11-5, with Philly right there at 10-6.  Behind them we have Washington at 6-10 and New Jersey rounding out the division with a lot of growing pains at 4-12. Does anyone really want to win this division?  There is no one in the division who looks like a club that can win 11 games or more.  So, once again we think the SE Division will be one that a 10- or even 9-win team can take.  Of the teams in contention, we think Orlando may have the best shot, if only because they are solid at QB, can run the ball, and have the best defensive player in the game.  Behind them we see Atlanta and Charlotte as the most likely choices, but we are watching to see how the Bulls go this year.  They had some good wins last year, and if they can get more consistency from QB Robert Griffin III, they could be a tough out.  We see Tampa Bay as a team still in an identity crisis after two straight years of high profile QB failures.  With Pat White at the helm, this team just does not seem to have enough to be dangerous to anyone but themselves.   OUR BEST GUESS:  We have Orlando going 10-6 and taking the division  We like the moves Charlotte made, especially adding Chandler Jones to their D-Line, but we are still going to go with Atlanta in 2nd at 9-7, followed by both Charlotte and the Jacksonville Bulls at 8-8, and Tampa Bay coming in at 4-12 for a second year in a row.  The South just feels like a division on the rise.  Not only does it have the defending league champion in New Orleans, but a very good Houston squad, and both Birmingham and Memphis are significantly better than they were a year ago.  The battles within the division should be epic.  We still see the Breakers and Gamblers in a head to head battle, and we are a bit gun shy about picking Birmingham as a dark horse because every year they seem to be a team on the rise and every year they end up hanging around .500.  As for Memphis, they added a lot of pieces, but the transition from Eli Manning to Paxton Lynch will determine just how competitive they can be. OUR BEST GUESS:  We see  New Orleans and Houston both finishing at 11-5, each suffering a couple of division losses.  We are going to put Birmingham slightly up from last year, potentially a Wild Card team at 9-7, and then we have Memphis improving slightly to finish at 6-10, but with Paxton Lynch getting plenty of playing time over the final month of the season. Last year Michigan seemed to have this locked up, but stumbled down the stretch and watched as St. Louis outlasted them to take the crown.  This year we think the Panthers have learned their lesson and will hold onto the top spot.  St. Louis is going to be right there as well, and we think Chicago may well be improved enough after a lot of moves this offseason to leapfrog the Ohio Glory, who still have huge questions at QB.  We love the idea of Ryan Fitzpatrick opening things up a bit for Coach Lovie Smith, and we think the defense will certainly be better.  Can Chicago compete for a title?  No, that is asking too much, but from 3-11-1, we could see them winning 7, maybe 8 games.    OUR BEST GUESS:  We are going to put Michigan on top at 11-5, with St. Louis a bitt behind at 9-7, then a resurgent Chicago at 7-9, and Ohio struggling to a 3-13 season. Arizona was so close last year.  They thought they had a 2nd title in their grasp, but the Breakers broke their hearts.  We think that will inspire even more out of the Wranglers this year.  They went out and added a true Red Zone weapon in Jimmie Graham, and that defense is still going to be among the league’ s toughest.  The bigger question is who finishes in 2nd.  Your instinct might be to say Texas for sure, but not so fast.  Dallas was a much improved team last year, and we think they have a shot.  It will be tough just because the Outlaws have an outstanding offense, with Flacco, Colston, and now Marshawn Lynch for the entire season.  But Texas is also in franchise limbo, playing all over the state and rumored to possibly be transplanted to Oklahoma by year’s end.  That will wear on the team, so we think Dallas jumps over them in a move to become a playoff contender.   OUR BEST GUESS:  Arizona takes the division by 2-3 games, with Dallas in 2nd and earning a Wild Card.  Texas finishes around .500, and both Las Vegas and Denver bring up the rear, with both somewhere between 5-7 wins. This may be the toughest division to figure out.  We thought Oakland would dominate last year and they could not even hold on to the division title, with Portland stealing it away in the final week of the season last year.  But now Fitzpatrick is gone and Portland’s reign will depend on Marcus Mariota, who saw very few snaps as a rookie.  LA has a new QB, but is that enough to resuscitate the moribund Express offense?   San Diego has their own QB controversy brewing after they brought in Christian Ponder from the NFL to compete with Joe Webb.  The team that may actually be in position to turn heads is Seattle. They have a veteran QB, a solid run game with Joseph Addai, and they could have the best defense in the division, especially if rookie CB Xavien Howard looks as good in live games as he has in camp.   OUR BEST GUESS:  We think that like the SE Division, this one will be close, with 10 wins likely taking the crown.  We are going to go for the dark horse and pick Seattle as that 10-win club.  They will be followed closely by a 9-7 Oakland squad, then Portland, rebuilding just a bit after losing both Fitzpatrick (Trade) and Stewart (Retirement).  Hard to decide between San Diego and Los Angeles for 4th place.  Either club could make a move, or either could fall flat on their faces, so let’s say that both clubs finish somewhere in the 6-win area.   8 Bold Predictions You know we love to go out on a limb, so we asked our bullpen to give us their biggest home run swings (ok, we are mixing sports a bit). Here are 8 predictions that range from "out there" to "wait, what?".   Andy Dalton Gets his MVP after a 2nd Brilliant Season Picking Pittsburgh to jump from 5-11 into contention for a Summer Bowl was a bold pick last year.  We are not entirely sure that after coming off an OPOTY season where he threw for over 5,000 yards and 47 touchdowns, picking Andy Dalton for MVP is all that bold.  But, with other big name QBs always in the mix, from Big Ben, to Matt Hasselbeck, to Joe Flacco, and now Drew Brees as defending champ, well, the competition will be fierce.   Rookie Derrick Henry gains over 1,500 Yards for the Stars This may not seem insane at first glance.  We know that the Stars love to push their run game, and we all saw how Henry played at Alabama, but when you look at recent USFL history, 1,500 yards is a huge deal, and for a rookie?  Almost unthinkable.  Even Carlos Hyde, in his amazing first year, did not crack 1,500 (He fell just about 50 yards short).  So, what makes us think that Henry has a shot? Well, first off, it is the Stars.  They don’t have a Matt Hasselbeck to offset the run, so they are going to rely on Henry more than most teams rely on a back.  Secondly, other than maybe the Maulers, there are not a lot of sturdy run defenses in the NE Division.  We think Henry could well be among the league leaders for rushing, and we are going to push for 1,500.   Both Paxton Lynch and Christian Hackenberg are Starting by Week 10 Both are possible, but neither is starting the season as the team’s number one.  Honestly, we expect Eli Manning to do all he can to boost his value in a contract year when he knows he is likely heading into the free agency market.  If he is playing at his best, maybe Paxton Lynch gets a season like Marcus Mariota had last year, watching a veteran put together a great year and learning along the way.  As for Hackenberg, well, he is not quite as polished as Lynch, nor as athletic, but the QB in front of him in Ohio, Brock Osweiler, is hardly a sure thing, so the odds are good that the Glory will pull the plug if he cannot deliver.   Adrian Peterson Finishes the Year with More Yards than Starter Darren McFadden This one could be tough.  Peterson had a great bounce-back year after suffering a dual MCL/ACL tear in 2014, but he now comes to the USFL after playing nearly a full NFL season and we have seen a ton of backs struggle physically as they jump from fall to spring.  That said, few players are as motivated or as fit as Peterson.  He is a truly a wonder.  Pair that with pretty low expectations for McFadden and we can envision a situation where Peterson slowly starts attracting more and more carries and takes over the lead spot by midseason.   One of the 2015 Division Winners Ends the Year Under .500 This almost always happens, so that is not very bold. The mystery is always who it will be.  The easy money is Portland, bringing in a new QB and playing without Jonathan Stewart.  But, we also look at St. Louis and wonder how legit they are.  We don’t think it will be either Arizona or Baltimore, but pretty much any team can be one key injury away from a season going South.  Just look at what happened to Philly last year when Gutierrez went down.  Our money is on Portland, but just because they have more dramatic changes to the roster than any of the other 2015 division winners.   Someone Other than Calais Campbell Wins the Sack Title It has been 7 years since anyone not named Campbell won the sack race.  That is an insane fact, just nuts.  So why this year?  Well, for one, we are just expecting a run like that to end.  Secondly, we love what we saw out of Von Miller last year, a year in which  his body had to be exhausted playing back-to-back seasons.  We see Miller as the candidate to possibly dethrone the King.  It won’t be easy.  Miller does not have a man mountain at DT like Campbell has with Albert Haynesworth, but Miller’s game is about speed and elusiveness, so we think he can still be very effective even if double teamed.  Maybe it is laughable to think Campbell won’t lead the league in sacks, but some year it is going to happen.   Sam Bradford Gets LA’s Offense Into the Upper Half of the League Look, Bradford had his struggles in New Jersey, so it is not like the Express brought in a Roethlisberger or Flacco. But Bradford is simply far more talented than any QB the Express have had in several years.  He has an outstanding HB to lean on, one who is a dual threat, in Reggie Bush, and the young receivers in LA may not be household names, but there is talent there.  Add a sure fire safety valve like Jason Whitten and this team could be a very big surprise on offense.    A Coach Will be Fired By Week 12 Again, not the most outrageous of predictions, but a change that early is rare.  That said, there are a few coaches who squeeked by in 2015 and will be on a very short leash.  We could easily see a team like Tampa Bay letting Mike Shula go early, especially if the lack of QB proves as brutal as it seems on paper.  Another coach who has to be entering the year feeling the heat is Andy Reid.  The man was an offensive genius with the Eagles in the NFL, but so far his LA teams have been laughably bad on offense. If getting Bradford cannot turn that around, then Reid is in big trouble.  Finally, if we look for a team that could realistically start the year out 0-8, putting pressure on ownership to make a move, it could be the Las Vegas Vipers, and while the team is only in its 2nd year in the desert, Coach Roman is in season 3 of his contract, and we have not seen anything like improvement since he showed up, so he too could be in real trouble.  2016 Preseason Power Rankings We once again will use the ESPN/EFN Power Rankings as our guide for our team-by-team breakdown and preseason analysis.  We will revisit these power rankings at the end of each quarter of the season to see how teams have met, exceeded, or fallen short of our expectation.   THE SUPERIOR SEVEN 1)  NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS                        13-3 in 2015, League Champions Why fans are excited for 2016:   After 33 seasons, the Breakers finally broke through and brought home the John Bassett Trophy. Their win over the Arizona Wranglers was celebrated for weeks in the Big Easy.  Spurred by an underrated defense and the leadership of QB Drew Brees, the Breakers enter 2016 as the league champions. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The Championship hangover is real.  Teams tend to lack fire after winning a title, but unlike many champions, the Breakers did not suffer huge hits in free agency or a large cluster of retirements. They return a very similar team to the field for 2016, and that Is not necessarily a bad thing. Player to keep an eye on: LT Marcus Gilbert comes over to the Breakers from San Diego in free agency and immediately finds himself protecting Drew Brees’s blind side.  His ability to keep defenders off of Brees could be the difference between a run at a repeat and a post-title slump. Our Best Guess:   New Orleans is a solid club, with little turnover from last year.  We think they may lose a few more games due to everyone playing up to their level, since they have the League Champ target on their backs, but come playoff time, we expect New Orleans to be right there. Predicted Finish:  11-5, 1st in Southern Division   2) ARIZONA WRANGLERS                               12-4 in 2015, Conference Champions Why fans are excited for 2016: This team came within 1 score of winning a 2nd title in 3 years, and there are few teams in the West who look like they can compete with them.  They added the league’s TD leader in TE Jimmie Graham, and they have one of the best defenses in all of football.  There is a lot to like about the Wranglers. Why fans are nervous about 2016:  The one position where Arizona may be a bit thin is perhaps the most important one on the field.  Last year, David Carr missed several games and Nick Foles came in and played like a USFL starter.  Now Foles is in New Jersey and the backup is either Jim Sorgi or NFL import Ryan Nassib, neither of whom have much of a track record.  Oh, and their star back is eligible for AARP benefits, so there is some fear there too. Player to keep an eye on: Fans are expecting a lot from TE Jimmie Graham, but Arizona is not Pittsburgh and David Carr is not going to be throwing him 18+ touchdowns.  That said, Graham is about as good a red zone target as any in the league, so Carr could see his numbers improve, helping to take some pressure off the Wrangler defense to hold teams down. Our Best Guess:   Texas and Dallas will give Arizona some competition, but in the end we still see the Wranglers as the most complete team in the conference.  Another Summer Bowl appearance is certainly not out of the question.  Predicted Finish: 13-3, 1st in SW Division 3) PITTSBURGH MAULERS                              13-3 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: The 2015 Maulers were one of the stories of the year, with a killer D-line combo, a dynamic passing game, and some budding young stars.  The sudden rise, an 8 game swing from a 5-11 2014 to 13 wins in 2016, paired with a playoff win in Baltimore, has Pittsburghers thinking that a title run is in the cards this year. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The one area where the Maulers still have some big question marks is at HB.  The duo of Marcus Lattimore and Chris Sims is not going to terrify opposing defenses, but if they can do enough to keep them honest, the passing game can thrive.  Mauler fans wish the club had found either a USFL or NFL free agent to do more, but the cap can only support so much talent. Player to keep an eye on: Free Agent safety Tyvon Branch has big shoes to fill.  Comparison with Sean Taylor is not fair, but it is natural.  Branch is likely not going to spend the time impacting the run game that Taylor did, but if he can effectively play center field, then free safety Robert Sands might see more time closer to the line of scrimmage. Our Best Guess: The Maulers are a hot pick to win it all, and we share the enthusiasm that many have for this team.  Whether it is the offense of Dalton-Thielen-Cruz-and Mike Williams or the D-line with Jared Allen, Aaron Donald, and Dwight Freeney, this is a team that can beat you in a variety of ways. We think that makes them a favorite in the division and in the Eastern Conference. Predicted Finish:  13-3, First in NE Division. 4) BALTIMORE BLITZ                                          13-3 in 2015      Why fans are excited for 2016: The offense.  For a second year in a row, Ben Roethlisberger was named league MVP and the Blitz offense, particularly the passing game, was nearly unstoppable.  Blitz fans are feeling very confident that they can once again with the division and this time they believe they will knock off the Maulers and find themselves back in the Summer Bowl.   Why fans are nervous about 2016: The pass rush.  With Robert Quinn now in Ohio and Joe Tafoya retired, the Blitz are starting a brand new set of edge rushers in Vernon Olivier and Da’Quan Bowers taking over the pressure game for Coach Caldwell.  Blitz fans are not looking forward to a year when the offense has to carry the bulk of the responsibility to win games. Player to keep an eye on: WR Dwayne Jarrett.  A free agent from Atlanta, Jarrett is expected to serve as the 3rd receiver and slot specialist.  Baltimore does not use 3 WR often, as it pulls All-USFL TE Antonio Gates off the field, but Jarrett will have a chance to demonstrate his skill set when Baltimore opens up and spreads the defense out. Our Best Guess: The Blitz are too talented to fall far, even if their pass rush is not as productive as in past years.  They have a solid secondary, headed by safety Adam Archuleta, and they can count on their offense to score a lot of points.  We can imagine them falling behind Pittsburgh, but no further.  Predicted Finish:  11-5, 2nd in NE Division 5) HOUSTON GAMBLERS                                12-4 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Houston was a very good team, with both offensive and defensive stars playing well last year.  They are also the only team in the league that will be starting no newcomers.  Yes, some players are stepping from the bench to the first team, but they are all players who know Coach Phillips’s system well. Why fans are nervous about 2016: Players moving to the starting lineup can be a good thing or it could mean that the team has not done enough to replace starting talent with new starting talent.  Is Kenny Vaccaro as good as Patrick Chung?  Can Janoris Jenkins really replace Shaun Springs?  Player to keep an eye on: DE Dante Fowler. After a strong rookie season, Houston was impressed enough with Fowler to let Malik Jackson walk despite a 9-sack season.  Fowler now steps in and is expected to equal or improve upon that number.  Our Best Guess:   As long as Matt Hasselbeck is upright, and has the kind of talent that Houston has at receiver and back, the Gamblers will be dangerous.  A few questions on defense, but we expect the Gamblers to be right there with the Breakers once again. Predicted Finish:  11-5, 2nd in Southern Division   6) MICHIGAN PANTHERS                                10-6 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: The Panthers have perhaps the best run game in the USFL, led by LeVeon Bell, and now they add NFL fullback Kyle Juszczyk, one of the best dual blocker/receiver options at the position.  That alone will pose more problems for their opposition.  They also improved at LB with the arrival of Cody Glenn vis Free Agency. Why fans are nervous about 2016: While Kirk Cousins continues to improve as a decision maker, we are still baffled by Michigan’s apparent lack of urgency to improve the WR group. Now, with Hines Ward playing golf somewhere, they have perhaps the least impressive WR group in the league:  Cody Latimer is their number one, followed by free agent Jerrel Jernigan and slot man Ted Ginn Jr.  it is just not a WR group that many will fear, which makes the Panthers’ offense an easier one to defend. Player to keep an eye on: Jernigan is on his 4th team in 6 years, and this is his best shot yet to prove he can be a playmaker.  He had 64 catches as a rookie in Birmingham, but the years in LA and Chicago since have just not shown much.  Michigan sees something in him, but we are not sold on the idea that he has enough skill to be a consistent starter in the league. Our Best Guess:   Defense and a run game can get you pretty far, and in a relatively weak Central Division, Michigan could once again compete for a division title, but don’t they want more? Predicted Finish: 10-6, 1st in Central Division 7) TEXAS OUTLAWS                                            10-6 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Three new members of their 5-man secondary give fans hope that the Outlaws will not have to be a team that outscores teams to win. They still can outscore teams and win shoot outs, but the hope is that the new secondary, featuring CBs Jaylen Watkins and Benjamin Richards alongside Pacman Jones, and backed by SS Tashaun Gipson, will be able to keep the opposition from matching Joe Flacco score for score. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The departure of Brandon Marshall could be a bigger issue than most Outlaw fans want to admit.  Justin Hunter was brought in as a free agent, but he is not in the same league with Marshall when it comes to being a deep ball threat.  Joe Flacco is hoping that a full year with Marshawn Lynch as the lead back means less pressure on the passing game, but if Lynch struggles, it will have to be Flacco again, but without a key weapon. Player to keep an eye on:  More than anything else, the Texas defense needs for Reynaldo Wynn to return to the form that had him closer to 20 sacks than 10.  Last year he managed 12, which is a respectable number, but Texas needs more out of him and the entire front 7 if their defense is going to hold up all year. Our Best Guess:   We think Texas is going to be a solid team, but playing all their “home” games across the state, the uncertainty of their future, and the need to consistently put 30 or more points on the board to win is going to be exhausting.  That combination of psychological concerns could be enough to see the Outlaws slip a bit, and Dallas is right there waiting for that. Predicted Finish:  9-7, 3rd in Central     THE SOLID SEVEN 8) OAKLAND INVADERS                                   10-6 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Coach Green did not stand pat this offseason, not after a second year in a row with a late season swoon.  He added speed at HB with Knile Davis now partnered with Donald Brown in the backfield. He added solid tackling in LB Tavares Gooden, and he may have found a gem in CB William Jackson III, who is expected to start in the nickel. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The swoons have to be a concern.  Despite having a very solid defense, led by DE Cliff Avril and MLB Bobby Wagner, Oakland blew a few games that they should have won.  Mental toughness and more of a killer instinct is needed for the Invaders to live up to their potential. Player to keep an eye on: The Invaders have not been happy with their kicking game, so they went out and invested in it this year.  They used an early draft pick on the best kicker in the college game, FSU’ s Roberto Aguayo, and then they paid top dollar for one of the game’s best punters, Mat McBriar.  So, can improved special teams help them avoid a late season collapse? Our Best Guess:   On paper the Invaders remain the clear frontrunner in the Pacific.  Now, can they turn talent into consistent wins?  We won’t know until Week 10, when they have faded in the past.  A great start is nice, but a strong finish is needed to give us all faith in this club. Predicted Finish:  11-5, 1st in Pacific 9) ORLANDO RENEGADES                             9-7 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: The Renegades made their return to the playoffs last year after a long drought.  They won and advanced before falling in the Divisional Round, but it was a good start.  Now, this year they have improved their offensive line with a trade to bring Max Jean-Gilles over, and by signing OT Cameron Fleming.  That could be a huge boost to them as they try to become more than Calais Campbell’s team. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The offense remains a concern.  They have some talent in Russell Wilson, Knowshon Moreno, and Michael Jenkins, but they don’t seem to have a clear offensive philosophy.  Are they a smashmouth team?  A vertical game team?  Do they have enough speed?  Do they have enough power?  The answer is simply unknown. Player to keep an eye on: Not a newcomer, but WR Jeremy Maclin has to be a bigger part of the offense for Orlando to succeed.  Michael Jenkins is a possession guy, slot receiver DeSean Jackson is a deep threat, but Maclin has yet to really define himself.  He needs to if Orlando is going to be more than a competitor within their division and a minor speed bump outside of it. Our Best Guess:   We are bullish on Orlando, perhaps not at the league-wide level, but as a very real contender to take the division title.  The defense added a quality signing in DT Jerel Worthy, and rookie Deion Bush has looked good at FS in camp.  Predicted Finish : 10-6, 1st in SE Division 10)  PORTLAND STAGS                                        10-6 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Despite loving what Ryan Fitzpatrick gave them last year, most Stag fans are eager to watch Marcus Mariota in orange and brown.  The Stags had a lot of turnover this offseason, especially on offense, but fans trust in Coach Pep Hamilton to produce offense with this squad, especially if he can find ways to let Mariota use all of his talents as a passer and rusher. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The loss of Jonathan Stewart, a surprise retirement in August, leaves a huge hole in the Stags’ plans for the year.  They did their best to replace him, trading Fitzie to Chicago for the 1st overall pick in the Open Draft, a pick they used on Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott, but Elliott opted for the glitz of the Dallas Cowboys, so now the Stags are looking at Felix Jones and LeMichael James and wondering if they have enough to operate what had been a run-first offense. Player to keep an eye on: It has to be Mariota.  We expect Pep Hamilton to put a lot of this offense on his shoulders. The Stags have to pivot to more passing and more spread formations.  They just don’t have the reliable lead back in place to run last year’s offense any more, and Mariota has some skills that Fitzpatrick just did not.  Our Best Guess:   We like Mariota, but we think he will need time.  We are not fans of the current RB group, so we think Portland will need time to regroup, redefine their offense, and maybe even seek another option.  We think that may be enough to keep them from repeating as division champs. Predicted Finish: 9-7, 3rd in Pacific Division 11)  ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS                                 10-6 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: St. Louis is banking on stability to help them step up in 2016.  They had only minimal changes to their starting lineup, Brett Williams at RG (from the NFL), Angelo Crowell at LB (Trade), and rookie Deiondre Hall at FS are the only modifications, so the Skyhawks are looking for the team’s familiarity with each other and the steady leadership of Josh Freeman to propel them into the postseason again. Why fans are nervous about 2016: While a lack of major turnover can be good, it rarely provides dramatic improvement in a team.  St. Louis may again be one of those teams that finds its way to the postseason only to face a quick exit.  They are not elite on either offense or defense, so how do they get past some of the conference’s better teams? Player to keep an eye on: Crowell comes over from Las Vegas, having had his best season as a pro last year and will likely take over at MLB, which could help Aldon Smith be even more effective on the edge.  St. Louis does not look like a team that can depend on their front 4 to generate pass rush (Kony Ealy & Adrian Clayborn at DE just don’t have that kind of burst), so blitzing Crowell, Smith, or safety Kendrick Lewis may be a regular part of the plan. Our Best Guess:   We are not as high on the “stand pat” strategy of the Skyhawks as some are.  We think that the odds are that others can catch or surpass a team that does not keep improving.  Yes, the Skyhawks can win against weaker teams, but we are not convinced they can knock off the Arizona’s, Texas’s or maybe even Michigan’s in the conference. Predicted Finish:   9-7, 2nd in Central 12)  DALLAS ROUGHNECKS                              8-7-1 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: The Roughnecks had their first winning season since moving from Boston, giving Dallas fans plenty to be excited about.  Then, this offseason, they go out and sign two very solid defenders to add to their squad, LB Melvin Ingram and DT Brandon Mbane.  Mbane’s presence alongside Star Lotuleilei will make it very tough for teams to double up on the edge rushers.  We could see Larry English and Elvis Dumervil really step up this year, and that is something Dallas fans would relish. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The Dallas offense has some weapons, but we are not sure they have what it takes to be elite.  Rashard Mendenhall dropped from 1,200 to 800 yards last year, and fans fear the cliff has hit him. The receivers (Wright, Harvin, and free agent Tiquan Underwood, are not exactly a murderer’s row. And, rumors that Johnny Manziel spent more time in the clubs than in the gym this winter are not going over well. Player to keep an eye on: Honestly, it is Manziel.  The former Aggie improved his numbers from 2014 to 2015, with a higher QB rating (90.3 vs. 82.2), better completion percentage (68.1 vs. 63.6), and more yards (3,145, v. 2,986), but his TD production dipped by 6 scores.  The Roughnecks need Manziel to continue to improve in his 3rd season.  They need him to be smart with the ball but also to take enough risks to produce big plays.  Our Best Guess:   We like the defensive additions, hopeful that the offense can do enough to keep them in games, and we think that coach Sherman has the team believing it itself, which can be half the battle for a club on the rise. Predicted Finish:  10-6, 2nd in SW Division 13)  SEATTLE DRAGONS                                     7-9 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Seattle had nice improvement in 2015, especially on defense.  They won the same number of games as in 2014, but they were more aggressive and more able to stay with the better teams in the league.  The hope this year is that they can take another step, one that adds more wins to the record. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The defense was a strength last year, but the Dragons now have two new starters in the secondary, one of them a rookie (Xavien Howard).  Can the new secondary come together and work with each other to help the front 7?  Can the offense sustain possession to limit the reps the D has to be on the field? Player to keep an eye on: LB Khalil Mack could spend even more time blitzing this year.  After jumping from 3 sacks as a rookie to 7 last year, Coach Mitchell wants to maximize his role as a pass rusher, and that could very well turn this defense from a tough one to a brutal one. Mack’s versatility and mobility could be the best argument for the Dragons staking a claim to the division. Our Best Guess:   We like several aspects of this Dragon club, from an aggressive blitzing D to the stability at QB with Byron Leftwich.  We love how Joseph Addai responded in his first year since coming over from Birmingham, and we like Mike Wallace’s big play ability.  This could be a darkhorse team in 2016. Predicted Finish:  10-6, 2nd in Pacific 14)  CHARLOTTE MONARCHS                         9-7 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: How could you not be excited by the arrival of Adrian Peterson?  Yes, he is not the dominant back he was back in 2012 or 2013, but he could still have a huge impact on the Monarch offense, making life a lot easier for Brandon Wheedon and scaring defenses every time he touches the ball.  Why fans are nervous about 2016:  We are worried about Wheedon, who has been throwing far too many picks for comfort, and about a WR group that has just not stepped up.  D. J. Hackett is a solid number one, but the Monarchs need more from both Hakeem Nicks and James Hardy if they want to compete offensively with some of the league’ s best. Player to keep an eye on: As much press as AD is getting, it is Chandler Jones on the defense who we think will have the biggest impact.  He takes over after the retirement of Jevon Kearse, and the hope is that he can equal, or even best, Kearse’s production.  Our Best Guess: Even with a very talented 2-headed HB situation (McFadden and Peterson), we are looking at the Monarch offense and wondering if they have enough.  Perhaps in the SE Division, which looks like it could again be the league’s weakest, but in the big picture, just not enough to feel good about. Predicted Finish:  8-8, 3rd in SE Division     THE STRIVING SEVEN 15)  BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS                        8-8 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: The Stallions added some talent on defense in the shape of free agent DT Corey Liuget (WSH) and free agent CB LaDarius Webb (MGN).  That, plus the maturation of their young offensive stars, and fans feel they can make a move. Why fans are nervous about 2016: We have heard this song before.  It seems like every year we think Birmingham is poised to make a major leap in their results, and each year they finish within 1-game of .500.  That won’t do it in a division with two clear Summer Bowl contenders ahead of them. Player to keep an eye on: The arrival of Corey Liuget may not seem like a big deal, but if he can absorb some of the guard’s attention, it means that DE’s Greg Hardy and Derrick Harvey could see more one-on-ones, and Birmingham could be a better team on third down.  That would be a huge add for Birmingham. Our Best Guess:   It is so hard to look at Birmingham and see a team ready to knock off either New Orleans or Houston.  They could be improved, but we are not sure it will make much difference in their final record.  Predicted Finish:  8-8, 3rd in Southern Division 16)   PHILADELPHIA STARS                                5-11 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Two new additions have Stars fans starry-eyed.  On offense it is all about Alabama HB Derrick Henry, but don’ t discount how big the addition of former Houston DE Malik Jackson is.  The Stars think they are better on both sides of the ball, and if their faith in Henry results in big games as a rookie, they could bounce back strong in 2016. Why fans are nervous about 2016: There is a creeping doubt in Philly that Matt Gutierrez is the solid starter he started off as.  Some are worried that defenses have figured out his tendencies and that without an all-league run game he just cannot carry the team.  That concern seems legitimate after last year, when he just could not produce wins, or stay healthy. Player to keep an eye on: The easy answer is HB Derrick Henry, but let’s also take a look at FB Ira Johnson, who comes over in free agency with the mission to create holes for Henry to run through. Our Best Guess:   We like Philly to rebound. The defense is improved, though rookie nickel Prince Charles Iowah, could be picked on early.  We like the LB group with Morrison, Lloyd, Connor, and Suggs, and we think Malik Jackson will have an impact as a pass rusher after a 9-sack season as a rookie in Houston. Predicted Finish:  9-7, 3rd in NE Division 17)  DENVER GOLD                                                               7-9 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: After nearly 20 years, the Gold have a new coach, and while there are a lot of question marks about John Hufnagel’s transition from Canadian ball to the USFL, there is also excitement that some of the wide open style of the CFL will find its way to Denver.  The addition of Jamaal Charles to the backfield seems to point to an interest in more 1-back sets, more draws, screens, and HB catches, and more big plays. Why fans are nervous about 2016: While the offense may benefit from John Hufnagel’s CFL pedigree, there is serious concern about a defense that struggled last year and which lost 3 starters.  Two rookies will start on defense, but we all know who is the centerpiece of the Gold’s D, it will be all about Von Miller and Denver fans’ hopes that he will be elite again. Player to keep an eye on: Outside of Miller, the player who needs to prove that they are elite this year is DT Ndamukong Suh. His presence in the middle is key to Miller and Justice Cole getting pressure on the QB.  He needs to not only occupy space, but disrupt blocking schemes to make it easier for Miller and Cole to get mismatches and find the QB. Our Best Guess:   Denver is a tough team to figure out.  They could gel early and be a very tough team to face each week, or they could struggle to find themselves and once again slip below .500. We are feeling a bit more of the latter, but we admit we could be all wrong about this club. Predicted Finish: 7-9, 4th in SW Division 18)  WASHINGTON FEDERALS                        7-9 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Deuce McCallister did not retire. He is back for another year, and there is a generally good feeling about the defense, which added DT Atiyyah Ellison and LB Kevin Burnett.  Why fans are nervous about 2016: Deion Branch is gone, and fans are not sure if the Feds did enough to replace his production in the offseason.  Brandon LaFell becomes the top target for David Garrard, with Kelvin Benjamin now opposite him as a starter.  Is that pair enough to help Washington compete in a very top-heavy division? Player to keep an eye on: Slot receiver and rookie wideout Tyreek Hill is one of the fastest players in recent years to sign with the league.  If his ball skills and route running can improve, he could be a real weapon, turning slants into sprints, and hooks into home runs.  Our Best Guess: We see the Federals still as a middle of the pack club. The defense could be better, but likely will not be dominant.  The offense is only as good as Deuce McCallister’s 78-year-old legs can carry them. (OK, exaggeration, but at 35, Deuce is playing on borrowed time. Predicted Finish :  8-8, 4th in NE Division   19)  JACKSONVILLE BULLS                                5-11 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Bulls Nation is putting a lot of faith in QB Robert Griffin III to have a strong sophomore spring season.  We have seen it before, a QB who comes over from the NFL needs a year to get their legs under them.  Bulls fans feel that Griffin is primed for a huge comeback year.  If that is the case, the Bulls could make a leap forward in a division that lacks a true powerhouse franchise. Why fans are nervous about 2016: While we like Griffin, we are not huge fans of the receivers he has available.  The top 4 targets for Griffin will be Sinorice Moss, Reuben Randle, Tavon Austin, and TE Kellen Winslow II.  Is anyone shaking in their boots at that roster of receivers?   We did not think so. Player to keep an eye on: The newest Bull on the defensive side, veteran SS Patrick Chung, could be the most important.  Chung will be the defensive play caller and leader on the field, but he needs help from others in this defense in order for the Bulls to move out of the bottom half of the league in points allowed. Our Best Guess:   We think the Bulls could surprise, and even 8-8 could garner them 2nd place in the division.  A lot will depend on the defense and on HB Cadillac Williams.  If he can be a threat each week, then the passing game benefits and even a mediocre receiver group can become dangerous. Predicted Finish:  8-8, 2nd in SE Division 20) SAN DIEGO THUNDER                                               6-10 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: I think we all may have expected too much out of the Thunder last year.  They had some good games, and they added a true lead back in Ryan Williams this offseason, so there is hope that they can be a much better team in 2016. A lot will depend on their QB position to see if they can make that happen. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The QB position is the big mystery.  Joe Webb got his chance to be a full-time starter after a very successful career as a backup in Washington, but his first year produced a 3:4 TD:INT ratio (12 to 16), and a QB rating of only 71.7.  As an insurance policy, San Diego recently added NFL QB Christian Ponder.  So now you have a full blown QB competition.  That can produce players playing at their best, or it can divide the locker room and produce incertainty. Player to keep an eye on: Our favorite new addition to the Thunder is rookie LB Myles Jack out of UCLA.  First off, what a great name for a hard-hitting LB.  But, more importantly, Jack will be on the outside, able to blitz the QB, contain outside runs, and provide a nice bookend to Shantee Orr on the other side.  San Diego has an underrated LB group (With Kyle Van Noy and A. J. Hawk inside), and Jack could be the piece they need to become elite. Our Best Guess:   We think the Thunder will be improved in 2016, especially if they can get a run game going with Williams. The QB concerns are real though, and that puts a ceiling on where we think they can go. Predicted Finish:  7-9, 4th in Pacific Division 21)   ATLANTA FIRE                                                 6-10 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: This is a tricky question.  We are not getting a lot of energy out of Fire fans after a pretty lackluster offseason.  The additions (SS Tra Battle, LE William Gholston, HB Chris Ivory) are just not splashy signings, and the club seems to lack true big play capacity on offense.  The LB group (Ellerbe-Keuchley-Willis) remains elite, but is that enough? Why fans are nervous about 2016: Lots of questions, but the run game, now without Steven Jackson, has to be the biggest concern.  Atlanta did little to address it and now enter the season looking like rookie Kenyan Drake and veteran Chris Ivory will share carries unless one of them shows some real dynamism.  That puts even more pressure on Kyle Orton, and we are not convinced he does well with that kind of pressure on him. Player to keep an eye on: Kenyan Drake played second fiddle to Derrick Henry at Alabama.  Now he has a chance to make a name for himself. If he can show some spark early in the season, he could take on a lead back role, rather than splitting carries with Chris Ivory. Our Best Guess: We see Atlanta as a team whose playoff window may have closed.  Not enough new faces to give us confidence that they will improve from 2015.  In this league, if you are not moving forward, you are falling behind. Predicted Finish:   5-11, 4th in SE Division     THE SINKING SEVEN 22)  MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS                            5-11 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: If it were just the arrival of U. of Memphis QB Paxton Lynch, we would be very skeptical of enthusiasm around Memphis.  After all, Eli Manning is still expected to get the starts this year.  But in adding both veteran deep threat Brandon Marshall and NFL “swiss army knife” Cordarelle Patterson, the Showboats also have more weapons and more big play potential.  That could make them a team to watch. Why fans are nervous about 2016: Rex Ryan took the job in Memphis hoping to replicate his father’s monstrous 46 defense, but we just don’t see the talent on that side of the ball to make it happen.  Other than NaVorro Bowman, the LB group is not impressive, and the pass rush of Mario Williams and Antonio Smith has just never materialized as a major factor.  We just don’t see that enough was done to add to this side of the ball. Player to keep an eye on: We will all be watching Cordarelle Patterson, in the return game, and whenever he is on the field on offense.  He is a dynamic, elusive, and electrifying player with the ball in his hands. Our Best Guess:  We see Memphis providing fans with plenty of big plays and exciting moments, but still finding ways to lose games.  The defense has to be more than the sum of its part if this club hopes to avoid the basement.  We are not sure it can do that. Predicted Finish:  6-10, 4th in Southern Division 23)  NEW JERSEY GENERALS                          6-10 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: There is a lot of young talent on this team, from WR Odell Beckham Jr, to CB Devin McCourty, and now, potentially, former USC quarterback Brett Hundley.  The Generals could be a team that just needs to mature in order to be competitive.  Fans who think that maturation comes this year are excited about the possibilities. Why fans are nervous about 2016: The Generals are all about potential, particularly at QB.  The truth is we do not know what they are going to get from Hundley, which is why they signed Nick Foles from the Wranglers as well.  We also don’t know if they have the defensive strength to stay in games with some of the dynamic offenses within their own division.  A lot of questions all around. Player to keep an eye on: We are going to highlight two players, the starting corners for the Generals.  Devin McCourty showed a lot of promise last year, and a trade with Atlanta brought them a bona fide starter in Brandon Boykin.  That is a pretty good combo.  Is it good enough to keep New Jersey from giving up big plays?  Or will they need help from DE’s Aaron Kampman and Vic Beasley to keep plays from going too long? Our Best Guess:   Compared with every other team in the division, New Jersey has a lot of questions and a lot to prove.  This is a team that may be ready to improve, but they have a tough road ahead, and not a lot of winning experience to fall back on.  It will be a tough job for Coach Turner to get them above .500 this year. Predicted Finish:   5-11, 5th in NE DIvision 24) CHICAGO MACHINE                                   3-12-1 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: Six new starters from 2015 to 2016 have Chicago fans feeling like this is a new team.  Of course, having a new head coach in former Bear front man Lovie Smith is also a positive, but the one thing everyone is talking about is Fitz-Magic.  Ryan Fitzpatrick had his best season as a pro last year in Portland.  Chicago made the deal to get him to Soldier Field, and fans are hoping that Fitzie can do what Brady Quinn could not, turn Aaron Dobson into an elite receiver and find ways to turn the Machine offense into a top 10 group.  Why fans are nervous about 2016: Three new offensive linemen mean that Chicago will need time to get their run game going, and could struggle against solid pass rush clubs.  Will they be able to gel quickly enough to keep this team from having another brutal start (0-8 in 2015) and show some life early on? Player to keep an eye on: In addition to Fitzpatrick, the players that are bringing excitement back to Chicago are two NFL imports, LB Courtney Upshaw and FS Micah Hyde.  Both were much needed positions for improvement and both come from the NFL with a lot of upside in front of them.  Our Best Guess: We think Chicago will be an improved team in 2016. They have weapons on offense, weapons we think Fitzpatrick can use to get the ball down the field and points on the board.  The defense should also be improved, though a lot depends on if Jason Pierre-Paul can live up to the hype when they got him from the Bandits last year.  The secondary is solid, the LBs disruptive, but the front 3 has to do more.  We see Chicago improving and leapfrogging over Ohio to get out of 4th place. Predicted Finish:  7-9, 3rd in Central.   25) LOS ANGELES EXPRESS                             4-12 in 2015                                       Why fans are excited for 2016: All the buzz in LA is about Sam Bradford.  He is a clear upgrade from the decline of Mark Sanchez and from the failed attempt to make Aaron Murray into the starter.  Bradford is certainly an upgrade, but is that enough? Why fans are nervous about 2016: Roddy White, Nelson Aholor, and Marqise Lee. Those are the top 3 receivers in LA.  Do you expect any of those three to top 85 catches, 1,200 yards, or 8 TDs? Neither do we. Bradford is a solid QB, but we are just not sure how he produces an effective passing game.  More likely he spends a lot of time looking for Reggie Bush out of the backfield or running for his life. Player to keep an eye on: TE Jason Whitten put up some huge numbers in Jacksonville, and the expectation was that he would do the same in LA, but last year was not the year for that.  Whitten had 54 catches for only 451 yards.  With Bradford under center, Whitten could have a resurgence. Our Best Guess:   Coach Reid came to LA with the promise of producing a dynamic and multifaceted offense. It has not happened yet, but now he has a better shot with Bradford.  If only he had some weapons out wide.  LA will have a solid defense, and maybe they stay in more games, but they still look like a team destined for the Pacific Division basement. Predicted Finish: 5-11, 5th in Pacific Division. 26) OHIO GLORY                                                   5-11 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: They aren’t.  It’s just that simple.  There was a brief moment when Glory fans thought they had nabbed Carson Wentz. That got them excited, but now, with Brock Osweiler and rookie Christian Hackenberg as their QB options, we are not sensing a lot of optimism in Columbus.  And we kinda think they are right to be concerned. Why fans are nervous about 2016: Beyond the QB issue, Ohio fans are not happy with their receiver group (Blackmon, Mario Manningham, Randall Cobb), uncertain about Isaiah Pead as a premier back, and, despite some nice additions (DE Robert Quinn, Daniel Ellerbe, and LaRon Landry), not feeling confident about the D. Player to keep an eye on: We are a bit more optimistic about the Ohio D.  We think all three additions are upgrades for the Glory D, and the combination of Quinn and Wemberly at DE could produce a pretty good pass rush. We love Ryan Shazier at OLB and the addition of Ellerbe makes that group better.  CB is still an issue, but LaRon Landry is solid option at safety.  If this club has any success this year, we think it will be because of the defense. But, all said, wins will be tough to come by. Our Best Guess:   Could Ohio surprise us?  Well, if their defense holds up, and the run game with Pead is better than expected, and either Osweiler or Hackenberg proves they can be a steady hand at the wheel, and pigs sprout wings.  Basically, we just don’t see the talent on this team to compete in what could be a very strong Central Division.  Chicago has improved quite a bit over the offseason, in ways Ohio has not, so that does not bode well for the Glory, who need to do more to revamp a team that feels left behind in the mix. Predicted Finish:   5-11, 4th in Central 27)  TAMPA BAY BANDITS                                   4-12 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: The two types of people who might be very excited about the Bandits this year are masochists and the family of rookie CB Jalen Ramsey.  Outside of those two groups, we are having a hard time finding excitement about a team that once again failed to land a premier QB and has more questions than answers across their roster. Why fans are nervous about 2016: Well, a 4-12 season, with no coaching change, will make teams nervous.  Failing to sign Jared Goff a year after whiffing on Jameis Winston will just make them angry.  Fans expected a bigger roster turnover from 2015 to 2016, but they got only a few new faces. That does not seem like a team ready to leave the divisional basement. Player to keep an eye on:  Ramsey is by far the most exciting of the new players on the club.  He and NFL import Don’t’a Hightower could be vital to any defensive resurgence the Bandits hope for. Our Best Guess:   Our take on the Bandits is that they are uncertain at QB, underwhelming at HB, understaffed at WR, and unsure on defense. That is a lot of un-good. Predicted Finish:  3-13, 5th in SE Division 28)   LAS VEGAS VIPERS                                       6-10 in 2015 Why fans are excited for 2016: They are drunk?  They won big at the blackjack table?  It certainly is not because of the roster the Vipers have put together.  Look across the Viper offense and show me a player who is top 5 at his position?  Heck, do the same on defense.  Not easy, is it? Why fans are nervous about 2016: The Vipers have the look of a team that will be picking first or second in the Draft next January.  We just don’t see how this roster is supposed to be competitive. Add to that a coach in Greg Roman, who very few see as having the capacity to turn these parts into a surprise success, and there is a lot of pessimism about the Vipers. Player to keep an eye on: Rookie Matthew Judon won the RE job over several veterans.  He will be a player to watch as the Vipers’ 4-3 tries to produce pressure without the heavy blitz rate that the club used last year.  Could he be a surprise find in the draft?  We shall see. Our Best Guess:   Honestly, we think Las Vegas is the frontrunner to be the worst team in the league. We just don’t see them being favored in many games. They will win a few, because going 0-16 is almost as hard as going 16-0, but nothing will be easy for them this year. Predicted Finish:  3-13, 5th in SW Division Postseason predictions Sticking with our team by team predictions above, we end up with the following division and playoff positions:   NORTHEAST:    PIT 13-3,  BAL 11-5, PHI 9-7, WSH 8-8, NJ 5-11 SOUTHEAST:     ORL 10-6, JAX 8-8, CHA 8-8, ATL 5-11, TBY 3-13 SOUTHERN:      NOR 11-5, HOU 11-5, BIR 8-8, MEM 6-10                   Seeds:  1-BIT,  2-NOR, 3-ORL, 4-HOU, 5-BAL, 6-PHI   CENTRAL:           MGN 10-6, STL 9-7, CHI 7-9, OHI 5-11 SOUTHWEST:    ARZ 13-3, DAL 10-6, TEX 9-7, DEN 7-9, LV 3-13 PACIFIC:              OAK 11-5, SEA 10-6, POR 9-7, SD 7-9, LA 5-11                                 Seeds: 1-ARZ, 2-OAK, 3-MGN, 4-DAL, 5-SEA, 6-STL   Texas, Portland, and charlotte drop from the 2015 playoff roster. Dallas, Seattle, and Philadelphia make playoff appearances, but the favorites remain the same. Arizona, Oakland, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans get bye weeks, which can be a huge advantage especially after the wear and tear of a full season.     In the Wild Card round we see Orlando defeating Philadelphia in a low scoring affair, Baltimore edging Houston in a high scoring shoot out, Michigan holding off division rival St. Louis, and Seattle upsetting Dallas in Dallas. That sets up Orlando @ New Orleans, Baltimore @ Pittsburgh, Michigan @ Oakland, and Seattle @ Arizona. We are going to predict two upsets here, with Baltimore edging Pittsburgh as a revenge game from the Maulers’ road win last year, and we see Michigan outlasting Oakland. So, our Conference Championships would be Baltimore @ New Orleans, and Michigan @ Arizona. We cannot currently picture the Panthers upending the Wranglers, so we are going to put Arizona in their 3rd Summer Bowl in 4 years. We do think that Baltimore has the firepower to get past the Breaker defense, so we are going to go with the upset, creating a Summer Bowl battle of the 2013 vs. 2014 Champions with Baltimore vs. Arizona. This would be a fascinating game to analyze, as both teams are superior in one clear area but solid I the other. Baltimore’s offense would have their hands full with Arizona’s defense, while Arizona’s offense matches up well with Baltimore’s defense.  We are going to say that if the winning team’s point total is 24 or less, that points to the Wranglers, but if the winning side has 25 or more, that leans it to Baltimore. When in doubt, at least in the USFL, we go with offense, so we are going to call the upset, with the 5th seed Blitz edging the 1st seed Wranglers by a total of 27-23.   But, as always, do not put the deed to the ranch on this bet, because it truly is impossible to call at this stage of the year. Award Predictions When we look over the league and try to make predictions about league awards, we feel a bit more confident than when we try to look at entire teams and determine their placement.  With the league awards there are already favorites, players whose performance in recent years puts them in prime position to garner votes early and hold them for the year.  We will make our picks for the Big 5 awards the USFL hands out, recognizing once again that everything from injury to team strategy can influence the outcome of these races.   MVP:  Dalton over Roethlisberger We pretty much limit our exploration of MVP votes to the quarterbacks, because history shows us that it is rare for a non-QB to do enough to jump over the highest rated signal callers.  When we look over the league, there are several QB’s who could be in the initial running, but we clearly end up with 2-time MVP Ben Roethlisberger and his top competitor, Pittsburgh’s Andy Dalton as the two most likely candidates.  We are going to give Dalton the edge this year because we are also predicting Pittsburgh to take the division, but we expect it will be a split vote between the two gunslingers.   OPOTY: Marques Colston Comes Close Again. It seems almost cruel to say that Maques Colston will once again finish second in the voting, but with our prediction that Texas suffers a bit from the loss of his opposite, Brandon Marshall, we think both the team record and his personal stats will drop just enough to allow someone else to sneak in ahead of him.  We are going to go with HB Carlos Hyde, the 2014 Rookie of the Year, to have a huge season, both rushing and receiving, likely topping the 2,000 yard mark for Yards from Scrimmage, and we think that, along with Houston’s better final record, will allow Hyde to overtake Colston for the title.   DPOTY: Von Miller Emerges in Year Two We made the bold prediction earlier that Campbell would have his sack total snapped after 7 seaons, and we predicted Miller to be the one to do it.  If he can win the title, and if his sack total is 25 or higher, which feels very possible, then we cannot see any way he does not win the DPOTY award.   If Campbell can once again hold onto the sack title, then the race is wide open because we know folks are tired of giving Campbell awards.   ROTY: Derrick Henry Runs Laps Around the Contenders Just based on circumstance and opportunity we have to give Henry the clear advantage here.  He is the only HB already penciled in not only as the starter, but as a lead back in a 1-back system. Most of the other rookies, whether backs like Kenyan Drake or Paul Perkins are pencilled in as the 2nd back, either a pure backup or a rotational starter. We don’t see any rookie QB’s starting, at least not initially, and among the rookie receivers (Will Fuller in Chicago, Tajae Sharpe in Jacksonville, or Tyreek Hill in Washington), we just don’t see any who are going to emerge quickly enough to outpace Henry statistically. There are a couple of defenders who will be in the race, players like CBs Jalen Ramsey (TBY) or Xavien Howard (SEA), a LB like Myles Jack (SD), or a D-lineman like Matthew Judon (LV) or Chris Jones (LA), we just don’t see them doing enough to overtake a solid offensive starter.   COTY: Jack Del Rio Gets Kudos for Resurrecting the Bulls We are picking Jacksonville to improve to 8-8, which may not seem like much, but when Coach Del Rio took over the Bulls, they were 0-16, so a two year program that gets them to .500 is a pretty amazing accomplishment.  We believe voters will see and acknowledge that.  However, as was the case last year with Vic Fangio in Pittsburgh, if any team can jump from sub-.500 into a 10+ win season and a playoff berth, they could be looking at this award. Right now we would say that Jim Harbaugh is the most likely candidate in that group.   So, we have reviewed the offseason moves, dissected the rosters, and made our picks.  Are we ready to play some football?  Week 1 is only 3 days away, so it is time to pick your venue, order some wings or burgers, and pour yourself a brewski.  Football is back!  Here is our breakdown of the first week of action across the league, 14 games, no waiting!!!    FRI @ 8:00pm ET                           Oakland Invaders @ New Orleans Breakers                 NBC The Breakers begin their title defense hosting the Invaders in a game that will likely feature a lot of defensive football.     SAT @ 12:00pm ET                        Atlanta Fire @ Washington Federals                                 ABC Two teams hoping to make a statement with an opening week victory.   SAT @ 12:00pm ET                        Houston Gamblers @ Memphis Showboats                 FOX Eli Manning opens what could be a swan song season with a tough matchup against Matt Hasselbeck and the Gamblers.   SAT @ 4:00pm ET                          Las Vegas Vipers @ Texas Outlaws                                     ABC The Vipers were unable to win a road game in all of 2015.  Starting with one in Texas is no way to snap that streak as Joe Flacco will be waiting for them.   SAT @ 4:00pm ET                          Portland Stags @ Birmingham Stallions                         FOX Marcus Mariota debuts as the clear number one in Portland, but the Stags D had better be ready for Cam Newton, or it could be a long day for the home team.   SAT @ 7:00pm ET                          New Jersey Generals @ Baltimore Blitz                           NBC Brett Hundley will get the start for the Generals against a revamped defense for the Blitz, including the arrival of Olivier Vernon as the new LE chasing opposing QBs.   SAT @ 9:00pm ET                          Michigan Panthers @ San Diego Thunder                      ESPN/EFN Kirk Cousins, LeVeon Bell and the Panthers hope to start the season fast, but the Thunder are hoping that their new run game can match Michigan with Ryan Williams taking the lead.   SUN @ 12:00pm ET                      Philadelphia Stars @ St. Lous Skyhawks                        ABC It’s the pro debut of Derrick Henry.  Is he the newest in a long line of outstanding Star halfbacks?   SUN @ 12:00pm ET                      Tampa Bay Bandits @ Charlotte Monarchs   FOX Regional Two teams with a lot of question marks and a lot of new faces.  We are excited to see Chandler Jones in action, but Pat White probably is not as psyched by the prospect.   SUN @ 12:00pm ET                      Denver Gold @ Jacksonville Bulls                                      FOX Regional Two teams hoping they are heading in the right direction.  Denver has a new coach in John Hufnagel, but the Bulls showed some fight last year and in Jack Del Rio’s second year, they are hoping to compete.   SUN @ 4:00pm ET                         Ohio Glory @ Seattle Dragons                                              ABC Regional Tom Coughlin is hoping to whip the Glory into shape, but he needs to be careful of a Seattle defense that could be a real challenge.   SUN @ 4:00pm ET                         Chicago Machine @ Los Angeles Express                      ABC Regional Two QBs with new homes as Chicago’s Ryan Fitzpatrick faces off against LA’s Sam Bradford.  Only one of them can start this new phase of their careers with a win.   SUN @ 4:00pm ET                         Arizona Wranglers @ Dallas Roughnecks                      FOX If the Roughnecks want to prove they are ready for prime time, they have to find a way to knock off the big boys in the division, David Carr, Frank Gore, and Troy Polamalu have other ideas.   SUN @ 8:00pm ET                         Orlando Renegades @ Pittsburgh Maulers                   ESPN/EFN Calais Campbell and the Orlando defense offer a tough start for Andy Dalton, Adam Thielen, and the Mauler offense in the first Sunday Nighter of the season.