Eight weeks down, eight left to play, and a season still in the balance.  We have surprises galore, like the unbeaten Wranglers and their league best defense, the struggles of the Skyhawks, and the struggles of the league to keep some of their top QBs healthy and on the field.  We seem to say this every year, but 2013 has not been the season we anticipated.  Sure, there are some teams at the top who we absolutely expected to be there, and there are some at the bottom of their divisions who we foresaw as having issues, but there are many stories we did not anticipate, and many yet to be written.  In this special midseason edition of our USFL reporting, we will review the Week 8 action and then focus on where we are and where we think we will be heading in the second half, starting with Week 8’s game of the week, an upset as the Tampa Bay Bandits try to stay in the hunt in what is shaping up to be a hard to predict SE Division. CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 27   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 34 It started as a dominant performance from the division-leading Charlotte Monarchs, but something happened in the second half and the Bandits rallied behind their offense and a boisterous crowd to score the final 21 points of the game, surging past their division rivals to claim a much needed victory at the midway point of the season. It was very much a game of two halves, with the Charlotte defense and run game dominating the firs half before Daunte Culpepper and the Bandit passing game found its groove in the second, rattling off 4 touchdowns in just over 19 minutes to shock the visiting Monarchs.  The stats bear out this storyline with Charlotte racking up 176 yards rushing (117 from Fred Jackson) while Tampa’s final stat line included 322 yards and 3 TDs from Daunte Culpepper. The first half did not start well for the Bandits.  On only the 5th play from scrimmage, Culpepper threw behind his receiver and was picked off by Asante Samuel.  It was a poor throw and Samuel made the Bandit QB pay, returning the ball deep into Tampa’s end of the field.  Only 4 plays later Shonn Greene was plunging into the endzone for the game’s first score.  Charlotte would dominate the first half, with the line creating alleys for Fred Jackson and Greene and with the offense consistently pushing deep into Bandit territory. In the 2nd quarter, Charlotte would add a Brandon Coutu field goal and a Fred Jackson TD run before the Bandits ever sniffed the Monarch endzone.  Down 17-0, the Bandits started to move the ball late in the quarter and were able to put up two Kaeding field goals to pull within 11 at the break, but they still did not look like a club that was capable of exploding in the second half, and at first they did not. Charlotte took the opening kick and again moved the ball well, with Brandon Wheedon working mostly through play action, the Monarchs got into range for Coutu and the Monarch kicker added 3 points to make the score 20-6.  Tampa Bay needed to find their offense and find it fast.  They would find it in the big play just 3 plays after getting the ball back.  Using a fake to McGahee to freeze the safety, Culpepper found Santonio Holmes in one-on-one coverage and heaved the ball along the sideline to the big receiver.  The corner mistimed his jump and Holmes found himself uncovered with the ball in his hands.  Sixty-seven yards later the Bandit receiver scored the first TD of the game for Tampa Bay, pulling them within 7. But Charlotte proved themselves still capable of moving the ball, going on an extended drive before Wheedon hit TE Brandon Pettigrew for an 18-yard TD strike that built the lead back up to 14 for the visitors.  Tampa Bay was very much behind the 8-ball as the 4th quarter began. A loss would drop them to 2-6 and a solid 4 games behind the 6-2 division leaders.  They needed to rally. That rally began as soon as the 4th quarter hit, with Culpepper hitting Vincent Jackson twice on their next drive, a 33-yard strike followed by a 22-yarder that at first looked like a TD before being called back to the 2-yard line after replay.  From there McGahee took the ball to the right pylon and the Bandits had again cut into the lead.  With 12:44 left, Charlotte did not anticipate an onside kick, but that is exactly what the Bandits did, and did it well, with LB Jerod Mayo falling on the ball after breaking through the thin line of Monarch defenders. That play seemed to spark the turning of the tide, shocking the Monarchs and rallying the Bandit faithful to make some noise and be a factor in the game. When Culpepper, 8 plays later, used a shovel pass to his fullback to pull the Bandits within 3 points, the 48,207 in attendance moved from engaged to rowdy, the noise level increased dramatically, and the Bandits themselves began to believe that they could pull it off.  There was still time, and momentum was clearly on their side.  They had tied the score and could win it before overtime would be a factor. The Bandits blockaded the Charlotte run game on first and second downs and when Wheedon’s pass to D. J. Hackett was off target, the Bandits had successfully shut down the Monarch drive and burned only 1:02 of the clock. They would have time for one more drive and a shot at a major comeback victory.  They had confidence now, and a look at the Monarch bench showed the concern and feelings of inevitability that had taken over the visiting side.  Culpepper led the drive, which took only 7 plays, six in the air, to reach the red zone.  From the 11, the Bandits added 7 yards on a screen to McGahee, and then went for the win.  Using a 3 receiver stack on the left side of the line, Culpepper spotted the quick slant to Davone Bess, who had not caught a pass all game, and Bess found the endzone.  The bandits had wiped out a 14-point deficit in the final period and were now on top by 7. Charlotte was spent.  They had seen this game as won when it was 20-6, and even at 27-13 at the end of 3 quarters, but the Bandits had put 21 points on the board in the final 15 minutes, and the Monarchs simply could not rally in the remaining time.  When the final whistle blew and the teams walked off the field, one was celebratory, greeting the fans in the tunnel, the other dispirited, having let their chance to own the division slip away. LOS ANGELES 7   PHILADELPHIA 30 The Stars rebound from their Week 7 loss with a resounding victory at home over the Express.  Philadelphia outgained the Express 375-268 and put up the first 30 points in the game before a late garbage time LA touchdown in this blowout.  Steve Slaton rushed for 2 scores and 113 yards for the Stars to take the Game MVP. OHIO 14    CHICAGO 31 Chicago is staking their claim to the Central title, with a balanced attack that saw both Doug Martin and Ben Tate score on the ground while Malcolm Floyd scored through the air.  Ohio went through all 3 QBs as Chris Weinke got knocked out in the 2nd quarter, then Vince Young suffered an injury after only 2 pass attempts, leaving Tony Pike as the last QB standing for Ohio. PITTSBURGH 28   WASHINGTON 31 The Feds thought they had this one in hand at 31-7, but a furious comeback by Andy Dalton and the Maulers fell just short as they pulled within 3 with 10 minutes left to play but could not get that one additional score they needed.  Deuce McCallister takes over the rushing lead with another 100-yard day while Joe Webb survives 2 picks, including a pick-six to Mauler CB Patrick Surtain, to get another W for Washington. TEXAS 14   PORTLAND 21 The first big upset of the weekend as the Maulers shock the Outlaws.  Two touchdowns and 250 yards from Ryan Fitzpatrick helped the Stags pull it off, but it was a defense that sacked Joe Flacco 7 times and held Arian Foster to only 33 yards rushing that did the most damage. OAKLAND 24   MICHIGAN 16 The Invaders get TDs from BenJarvis Green-Ellis, Pierre Garçon, and Derek Hagan to upend the Panthers at Ford Field.  Michigan played well, but two picks from the league leader in interceptions, Kirk Cousins, helped Oakland take the W on the road. NEW ORLEANS 17   NASHVILLE 35 A week after knocking off Philadelphia, New Orleans struggles on the road and helps Nashville keep their playoff hopes alive in the clustered Southern Division.  Ray Rice rushed for 69 and added another 57 through the air for Nashville.  Peyton Manning also tossed 3 TDs, including one to a rare target, FB Peyton Hillis in the Knight victory. ST. LOUIS 21   LAS VEGAS 34 The Skyhawk offense struggled against that nasty Thunder defense as Josh Freeman was sacked 6 times.  Jake Plummer had a great game for Las Vegas, throwing for 3 scores including a 41-yard strike to Chad Johnson that gave the Thunder a 31-7 lead that they would not relinquish.  Johnson went over 100 yards on 4 receptions and T. J. Houshmandzadeh contributed a score as well. BIRMINGHAM 13   ATLANTA 25 Though not a divisional game, the Atlanta-Birmingham rivalry carries over from the college game, so this was a good win for the Fire.  Steven Jackson may not have had many yards (only 25 on the day) but he did add 2 touchdowns to help knock off the Stallions.  The Fire D held Cam Newton to only 188 yards passing and -3 yards on 5 running plays as Atlanta evens their record at 4-4. JACKSONVILLE 3   ORLANDO 27 Orlando found some offense against the Bulls, with the run game producing 170 yards, led by Knowshon Moreno’s 94.  Touchdowns from Moreno, Murray, and McCaerins were enough to knock off a Bulls team that just could not sustain drives. NEW JERSEY 20   BALTIMORE 34 Charlie Whitehurst threw for 2 scores, but between Big Ben and Ron Dayne, the Blitz had 4 offensive drives end with 7.  That was enough for the Blitz to get their 3rd win on the year and to drop New Jersey to 4-4.  Big Ben threw for 338 on 17 of 25 and connected with TE Antonio Gates for 122 yards in one of the best offensive outings all season for the Blitz.  New WR Robert Ferguson added 98 yards and a score in his debut with Baltimore. MEMPHIS 51   SEATTLE 7 The absolute shocker of the season so far. Sure, we expected Seattle to struggle a bit with Mike Flynn at QB, but we never saw Memphis exploding like this.  Eli Manning threw for 3 scores, and even backup Matt Cassel got in a TD pass late.  Throw in rushing TDs from Knile Davis and Darren McFadden and this game got out of hand quickly.  It was 20-0 Memphis at the half and just got worse for Seattle in the second half. DENVER 23    DALLAS 3 Dallas started Landry Jones at QB and the rookie looked very much like a rookie, completing only 17 of 44 pass attempts and throwing 2 picks to the Denver defense.  For Denver, Matt Leinart found Peerless Prices 7 times for 108 before connecting with Golden Tate for a 39-yard TD.  Denver would outgain Dallas 395-224 as the Roughnecks drop their 6th in a row. HOUSTON 12   ARIZONA 27 Houston managed to score more than 10 points against the Wrangler D, but four field goals were not enough as Arizona got 3 TD from Derrick Carr, one each to Larry Fitzgerald, Mike Williams, and Antonio Bryant.  The Wranglers trailed 6-0 early, but then came alive and put away the Gamblers to stay unbeaten at the half-way mark of the season. MIDSEASON REPORT CARD Let’s get right to the analysis as we go division by division to look at the stories of the season and what we can expect from the second half.  We will discuss each division’s major stories and surprises, and then look at each team, what they have accomplished and what unfinished business remains. The Story of the First Half: Quarterback injuries and how to overcome them is the biggest takeaway from the first 8 games in the NE Division.  Both New Jersey and Washington have lost their starters for the year, but the ability of the Federals to overcome that and continue to win games (6 in a row) despite moving from Garrard to Webb has made all the difference.  Washington now stands toe to toe with the Philadelphia Stars at 7-1, while New Jersey is 3 games back at 4-4 and looking like a team that just cannot absorb the loss of Bradford. The Surprise of the First Half: New Jersey going 0-4 in the division.  With Bradford gone, we did expect some issues, but in particular two losses to the Blitz have really hurt the Generals’ chances of surviving in playoff range long enough for Bradford to come back.  With a tough second half, the Generals need to find some answers, or the season may be done before Bradford is even able to throw passes on the sideline, much less enter games again. What We Expect Moving Forward: It clearly looks like a 2-horse race, with the Stars and Federals battling it out for the title.  The two will clash in Week 15, and that could well be for the division title as these two clubs have looked solid at every step of the way through 8 weeks.  Baltimore and Pittsburgh both sit at 3-5 and could conceivably make a run for a Wild Card, but they will both need to do more and do it consistently to make any headway. CURRENT RECORD: 7-1 STRENGTH: A defense that does not allow many yards (7th best in USFL) and even fewer points (2nd in USFL).  Philadelphia is allowing only 11 points per game, 9 fewer than they average on offense. WEAKNESS: Not many.  When they have balance on offense they can be very tough to match up with.  The key seems to be shutting down Steve Slaton to force Matt Gutierrez to carry the full load of the offense. PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie TE Travis Kelce is seeing more and more snaps, and with that more targets as well.  He is already 2nd on the team, beating out the injured Reche Caldwell and slot receiver Troy Williamson.  Expect Philadelphia to focus on him as a target even more as the season progresses. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: 13-3, and if they can beat Washington in Week 15, they likely rest their starters in Week 16. CURRENT RECORD: 7-1 STRENGTH: The Federals are top 10 in several categories, but it is their #1 rated run game that makes the entire team function.  Even with Joe Webb at QB they have been able to be the #2 offense in the league thanks to that run game. It also tends to allow them to control the clock, meaning fewer plays for their defense, which is one reason the Feds give up significant yardage but not a lot of points. WEAKNESS: The passing game has certainly taken a dip with Webb replacing Garrard.  Washington now ranks 22nd in the league in passing yards, so the secret to beating them may well be to get an early lead and force them to look to the air more, but that means having a great plan from the start to deal with that defense. PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Joe Webb. The pressure will be on Webb to continue winning.  He has not lost a game since coming in at QB, despite only averaging only 210 yards per game.  If the Federals want to avoid being made one-dimensional, they will need Webb to add a bit more to the passing game. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: 12-4—We think they will struggle to upend Philadelphia, but we are not going to say for sure that they cannot.  They have the tools to be a very tough foe each and every week. CURRENT RECORD: 4-4 STRENGTH: The Generals have developed a solid run game and a pretty good scoring defense.  If they can allow their QB to be a game manager, they could win more games than they lose, but if not, they could dip below .500 as the season progresses. WEAKNESS: We are impressed that New Jersey is giving up only 19 points per game, because they are giving up nearly 360 yards on average.  They have done well at getting key 3rd down stops and in producing takeaways.  If that remains a consistent pattern, great, but if not, then the defense could easily wear down. PLAYER TO WATCH: HB Maurice Jones-Drew.  MJD is having his best season as a General, perhaps of his career, and the Generals need that.  His 4.3 YPC is a solid .4 yards better than in any past season, and he has already contributed 8 touchdowns.  If MJD can take on the role of a dominant back, then the Generals stand a chance regardless of their QB play. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We are not sold on the Generals as they could go either way over the final 8 games. For that reason we are going to say another 4-4, giving them an 8-8 final record. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: The run game is solid, even with Ron Dayne slowing down a bit, and the defense has had its moments.  Baltimore’s strength is in slowing down and shortening games. Where they have been able to limit opposition play totals, they have had a chance.  Their worst losses have been when they fall behind early and have to abandon the run. WEAKNESS: The passing game is still not there. We like what Robert Ferguson brought this past week, so there is hope, but it is still very much a work in progress. PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Robert Fergusion arrived from Memphis via trade, and now he steps in and is expected to immediately have an impact.  That is a lot to ask of an older receiver who now has to learn a new system. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We think Baltimore is a pretty middle-of-the-pack team, and we think they can finish 4-4 over the final 8, which leaves them at 7-9 overall, which feels about right. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: The secondary has proven to be about as good as anyone in the league.  All 3 starting corners, Robinson, Bouye, and Smith, have 2 picks apiece, and safeties Sean Taylor and Robert Sands have been intimidators over the middle.  If they could get a bit more pressure out of the front 7, they could be a very good defense. WEAKNESS: The offense has had some good games (42 against Memphis ,29 against Jacksonville), but they have also had some real stinkers (6 points against Chicago being the worst).  They are young, are still relying on a HB rotation, and Andy Dalton is still learning.  This may be a team to worry about in 2014, but right now they are just too inexperienced. PLAYER TO WATCH: It has to be the two rookie receivers who are now starters.  Adam Thielen has looked like a good reliable option for the Maulers, with 29 catches on 50 targets, including 4 for touchdowns, but they have just not gotten their money’s worth out of slot receiver and return man Tavon Austin yet.  He was the bigger name coming out of the draft and fans are still waiting for him to make dynamic plays. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We think 3-5 was fair in the first half and would be fair in the 2nd, so that gives us a final record of 6-10. The Story of the First Half: Charlotte had the chance to run away with the division, but have not been able to do so and now we have Atlanta, Orlando, and Tampa Bay all within range (2 games) of the leaders.  If anyone can string together even a short winning streak, they could take over the lead.  There just does not seem to be a dominant team in the bunch, and while Jacksonville is looking like the weakest club in the division, it is not by much. The Surprise of the First Half: The road struggles of the Bandits.  Tampa Bay is 3-1 at home but 0-4 on the road.  The main culprit seems to be the defense, which is ranked dead last in the league in points allowed (27 per game) and they struggle against the run in particular.  If they cannot get that sorted out, their odds of catching the Monarchs, even with this week’s win over them in Tampa, are not good. What We Expect Moving Forward: Charlotte will have their chance to make a move and put some space on the rest of the division as they face the Bulls twice and only 1 team with a winning record (Philly) in the final 8 games.  Can they be consistent and just wear down the rest of the division, or will someone get hot and make a run at them? CURRENT RECORD: 5-3 STRENGTH:  Going into the season we thought it would be the defense, but the Monarch offense is ranked 3rd in the league, largely due to the success of Fred Jackson and the run game.  Charlotte is averaging just under 110 yards per game, and the run game is helping Brandon Wheedon adjust to taking on the starting role after the Delhomme injury. WEAKNESS: Charlotte is very solid against the run, but they have been taken advantage of in the passing game, giving up an average of 240 yards per game.  When you look at their 3 losses (Dallas, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay), in each they simply gave up too many conversions on 3rd and more than 5, almost all through the air. PLAYER TO WATCH: LB Rolando McClain. The trade of Rey Maualaga in the offseason has absolutely had an impact on the Monarch defense.  McLain needs to take charge if the Monarchs are going to repeat their late season success from last year. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We think Charlotte is vulnerable, so we are going to give them another 5-3, but not more than that.  Will 10-6 be enough to win the Southeast?  Maybe. CURRENT RECORD: 4-4 STRENGTH:  Honestly, it has to be balance, because we look at the numbers and there is no one area where the Fire are Top 5 in the league. They are solid on defense, but not spectacular, they can run at times, though Steven Jackson has not been the breakout star they hoped for, and Kyle Orton has had some decent days.  But, this team is 4-4 for a reason and that reason is that they have no squad that is elite just a lot of pretty solid components. WEAKNESS: We could say consistency, but a better answer may be that this is a team that is not explosive.  They can grind out wins, but they are not going to overwhelm anyone.  That makes them susceptible to teams that gain momentum or are just hot. PLAYER TO WATCH:  HB Steven Jackson.  Since starting in Week 4, Jackson has struggled.  Marus Lattimore has a better per-carry average than the NFL veteran.  This is not a huge surprise as we often see backs coming to the USFL on tired legs after a full NFL season, but Atlanta simply needs more from the run game, so either Jackson finds a second wind or Atlanta may need to consider putting Lattimore in for more snaps. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We like Atlanta’s toughness and they are well-coached, so we give them a shot.  But they would need to possibly go 6-2 to catch Charlotte, and we don’t think that is very viable. We can see perhaps 5-3, which puts them at 9-7 overall and a possible Wild Card. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: Other than the obvious answer of DE Calais Campbell, the run game has been a pleasant development this season. Knowshon Moreno is over 600 yards on the year and he is getting decent support from rookie Latavius Murray, whose 4.5 YPC is a nice change of pace for Moreno. WEAKNESS: The WR group is just not that scary.  Yes, they can make first downs, but now, with Greg Olsen out for the year it is going to be a rough run for 2nd year starter Russell Wilson.  He loses his security blanket and must try to find other options. PLAYER TO WATCH: WR DeSean Jackson.  We expect to see Orlando go to more 1-back offense and keep either Barnidge or Schouman in to block at TE, which  makes Jackson the best underneath option.  Jackson can be explosive, so maybe this will work, but he has only 16 catches so far this season, and 5 drops. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We think Orlando will be lucky to reach .500.  They just have too many issues, and in this league a weak passing game is one of the worst weaknesses you can have.  We see another 3-5 and a 6-10 final record as pretty reasonable. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: The offense is still pretty darned scary, 2nd in yardage and 4th in scoring.  Vincent Jackson is having a big season, Willis McGahee is among the rushing leaders, and Daunte Culpepper is leading the league in TD passes.  This team can be a very tough opponent when they have their mojo intact. WEAKNESS: If the offense is the mojo, the defense is the “oh no”.  Tampa Bay has blown leads in so many games this year that fans are afraid to get excited when they build one.  Now, they have won 3 of their last 5, and the defense did very well against Charlotte in the 2nd half this past week, but no one has confidence in it yet. PLAYER TO WATCH: DE Jason Pierre-Paul.  If Tampa Bay is going to get off the field more often, it will be because JPP is getting to the QB and making him get rid of the ball.  So far only 4 sacks for the LE, but if Tampa Bay can get just a bit more out of him a bad defense can become mediocre, which is all a team with this offense needs for success. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We are going to double down on our preseason enthusiasm for the Bandits.  We say they go 6-2 in the second half (with no evidence as to why) and that puts them at 9-7, which may just get them into the postseason. CURRENT RECORD: 2-6 STRENGTH: Um, no state income tax, maybe?  A lot more was expected of this offense, but it is just not happening.  They are 28th in scoring, 28th in total yards, and Tim Tebow is again looking like a potential league leader in only 1 category, interceptions thrown.  None of that is a strength.  We do like the season rookie Barkevious Mingo (6 sacks) is having, so that is a good building block for the future. WEAKNESS: Name a position on the field, perhaps other than RE.  The defense is not good, the offense is horrific.  This feels very much like a team that needs a new direction, which is surprising after a halfway decent 2012. PLAYER TO WATCH: We are struggling to pick one, honestly.  Maybe keep an eye on LE David Bowers.  As more teams shift their blocking towards Mingo, it should give Bowers a chance to match up one on one with the left tackle, and that could be a good situation for him. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We look at the Bulls schedule and we are not sure where they manufacture more than 1-2 wins over the final 2 months.  So, that means 4-12 is what we see as the end result, which is not good news for Leslie Frazier. The Story of the First Half:  Birmingham has been the talk of the Southern Division.  Cam Newton has this team believing they are the best squad in the South and early wins over Nashville, and New Orleans put them in a very good position, even if their lead over the Breakers is only 1 game.  They have a Top 5 defense in total yards and particularly against the run, and the Stallion passing game has been outstanding.  We would love to see more out of Joseph Addai and the run game, but for now, they seem like the class of the division. The Surprise of the First Half: The decline in Peyton Manning’s abilities.  Let’s be honest, even with the neck injury, most of us expected that if Manning was able to play we would be seeing the 3-time NFL MVP and 2-time Super Bowl winner carve up the division and possibly the league.  What we have seen this year, with Manning both healthy and rested is a passing offense that is not horrible, but hardly dynamic.  The Knights have had some good games, particularly in Week 4 against Atlanta and this past weekend at home vs. New Orleans, but it has been inconsistent.  Some bad losses make us question whether the Knights would not be better off retooling around former Mauler Cody Pickett instead of trying to squeeze one more season out of Manning. What We Expect Moving Forward: The Breakers suffered a bad loss in Nashville this week, but prior to that they had run off 3 straight wins.  We think they will make a run at the Stallions, who they face again in Week 11.  If they can get the wins they will be favored to get the next 2 weeks (Orlando and Portland), then that Week 11 matchup at home against Birmingham could be a huge springboard for them. CURRENT RECORD: 5-3 STRENGTH: While we have all been focused on Cam Newton and the 5th ranked passing defense, Birmingham has also put together a pretty solid defense, especially against the run. They are giving up only 77.8 YPG on the ground and that has helped them keep games from getting out of hand. WEAKNESS: The Stallions’ success in the air has hidden to a great degree their issues with rushing the ball. They are averaging only 64.8 yards per game rushing, and Joseph Addai is not looking at all like the player he was in the NFL.  He is averaging a decent 4.1 YPC but has only 63 touches, so maybe it is less a talent issue than a mindset issue. PLAYER TO WATCH: HB Danny Woodhead.  As much as defenses focus on the nasty combo of Moss and Owens (each over 600 yards at the midway point this year), having a back like Woodhead who can be Newton’s safety valve on 3rd down is a precious thing. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We like Birmingham’s makeup, how they pass first and ask questions later, and how they limit team’s ability to control the clock with the run. That is a nice combo when put together.  So, for that reason, we are looking at 11-5 and a division title for Birmingham. CURRENT RECORD: 4-4 STRENGTH: The Breakers have won 3 of their last 4 largely on the strength of their top rated passing game. Yup, guess you missed that, but Drew Brees and company are averaging 276 yards per game. Early Doucet is the big target, with 43 catches and 743 yards already, but Brees is spreading the ball around, with LaFell, TE Coby Fleener, and slot receiver Santana Moss all getting their looks as well. WEAKNESS: Despite the strength of the passing game, New Orleans has trouble putting games away.  Maybe it is the lack of a big bruising back, maybe just play calling, but their games tend to be close because they just don’t pull away and break the spirit of the opposition. PLAYER TO WATCH: Third year DE Cameron Jordan is finally beginning to look comfortable on the right side. He is on pace with Ty Warren and that combo has been a tough one for the opposition.  If he can reach 10-12 sacks, New Orleans might have something on defense to crow about. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We like the Breakers, but not enough for them to catch Birmingham.  We think 5-3 over the 2nd half, giving them a 9-7 record and a shot at a Wild Card. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: The run defense is pretty solid, but that may just be because teams are not scared to pass against them.  The Passing game for Peyton Manning is also pretty good (7th in the league) and yet somehow the Knight just don’t produce consistent scoring chances.  They clearly miss Frank Gore. WEAKNESS: Ray Rice is having a decent year, but he just does not do as much for the Knights as Gore had.  That puts more on the WR group, and they have been somewhat underwhelming this year.  Robert Meachem’s per catch average has dropped below 10 yards and Denarius Moore has been injured, or ineffective in far too many games. PLAYER TO WATCH: The ability of Nashville to compete will likely come down to whether or not they can get more out of Ray Rice.  He has started to play a role in the passing game, and now they need to find ways to get him in space in the run game, rather than asking him to drive the ball into the line on power run plays. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We think 4-4 over the second half would be a good upward direction, but it puts them at 7-9 overall, which will be another season without a playoff run, and that could be enough for the team to say goodbye to the coach with the longest tenure in the league, Jim Johnson. CURRENT RECORD: 2-6 STRENGTH: This week’s 51-point explosion may seem an anomaly to most, but when we look at the numbers, the Eli-led Showboats have been solid on offense, ranked 1st in yards, 2nd in passing yards, and 8th in rushing yards.  They can run the ball, and now, with Greg Jennings having a great 1st game in town, they could be a real offensive threat. WEAKNESS: Which means, of course, that the issue is the defense, and, yes,  it is an issue.  The showboats average 318 yards against each week, and 23.8 points allowed as well.  They are not getting to the QB early and often enough, and they are struggling against teams that can spread the ball out.  If you want to know why the top yardage offense in the league is 2-6, that is your answer. PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie HB Knile Davis has been explosive, averaging 4.8 YPC and able to break open a play at any time.  He is a bit slight, so don’t expect him to be getting 25 carries a game, but he can be a dangerous weapon. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  Memphis is better than a 2-win team, but that defense is holding them back.  We think a 6-10 finish would be a very good sign for this team and perhaps enough to keep Brad Childress in the big chair. The Story of the First Half: As much as we want to point to Chicago’s success, it has to be the 3-5 first half put out by the Skyhawks.  Many went into this season looking at St. Louis as a club that could challenge to repeat for the title, and without any major injuries the Skyhawks have just not been that team. Call it a Championship hangover, or just that everyone is giving St. Louis their best effort, but the Skyhawks have some losses that are just not easy to explain. The Surprise of the First Half: OK, now we can talk about Chicago.  Coach Schiano has this club believing.  Their defense is just crushing it against the run and allowing only 15.6 points per game.  The offense is buzzing and balanced, thanks to Doug Martin and the run game.  They have won 5 in a row, including huge wins over Ohio and St. Louis the past 2 weeks.  They have a 2-game lead over the Glory and are unbeaten in divisional play.  All of that points to the Machine potentially earning themselves a bye week and a nice home schedule in the postseason. What We Expect Moving Forward: The real battle in the division could be for a Wild Card.  Ohio and St. Louis both look like teams capable of doing better, though Ohio’s 3-game losing streak does have us worried that their early success was a mirage.  If either can go 5-3 over the second half, they could just find themselves in the playoff picture, as this looks very much like a season where 9-7 or even 8-8 could do it. CURRENT RECORD: 6-2 STRENGTH: There is a lot we could point to, the 2nd rated rush defense, 3rd rated scoring defense, or the 3rd best run game in the league.  All of those are factors that have moved Chicago from potential Wild Card contender to the frontrunner in the division.  Wins over St. Louis and Ohio the past 2 weeks have propelled the Machine into first place and they look like a team that could stay there. WEAKNESS: Brady Quinn is averaging only 190 yards passing per game.  Part of that is strategic, but it also may point to a team that would have trouble if they ever fell behind by more than a few points.  That is something to watch as they face rematches with both the Glory and the Skyhawks in the season’s final 3 weeks. PLAYER TO WATCH: DE Tamba Hali has found a place in Coach Schiano’s system.  After mediocre seasons in both New Jersey and Chicago (last year), Hali is beginning to find his groove.  He has 6 sacks already this year and could be on pace to set a personal best, just what the Machine were hoping for. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We think the Machine could drop a couple down the stretch, but by then they may have the division to themselves.  We are going to say 11-5 overall and a possible bye. CURRENT RECORD: 4-4 STRENGTH: The Glory hold the top scoring offense in the league, lthanks in large part to the emergence of Chris Weinke as a legitimate option at QB.  Wienke’s passing offense is rated 6th best in the league and that is making space for Isaiah Pead to get some big runs in. WEAKNESS: The defense is ranked 23rd out of 28 teams in points allowed, a big reason the Glory sit at 4-4 instead of 6-2.  In their 3-game losing streak they have given up 32 points to St.  Louis and 31 to Chicago.  Both of those divisional losses hurt doubly. PLAYER TO WATCH: It is still QB Chris Weinke.  While he has not thrown a pick in the last 3 losses, he has also not produced the kind of offense expected of him (Week 8 was really not his fault since he was knocked out of the game early.)  To be successful in the 2nd half, Ohio needs to see the numbers that Weinke put up early in the season. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We still like what we see from Ohio, enough for us to say they go 5-3 in the second half, giving them a 9-7 record and a shot at the postseason. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: It is pretty simple for the Skyhawks.  They need to outscore opponents, and by that we mean they need 30+ points a game to win games.  They have the weapons to do it, but nothing has come easy for them this season. WEAKNESS: That defense has been, well, woof.  26.5 yards per game allowed.  316 yards allowed.  It just has not been good at all.  They have a grand total of 3 picks from the entire defense after 8 games, and they are not shutting down the run either.  This is a huge problem for a team with championship repeat aspirations. PLAYER TO WATCH: LB Aldon Smith is the undisputed leader of the D.  He needs to sit down the entire squad and shake them out of their stupor.  Without a more aggressive and more successful defense, St. Louis may not even make the postseason. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We still see enough in the Skyhawk offense to worry about this club as a potential blowout winner each week.  We think they can win 5 or 6 games in the 2nd half if they can focus.  If we say 5, they likely miss the playoffs, finishing 8-8. CURRENT RECORD: 2-6 STRENGTH: We are not sure if the Panther pass defense is actually good or if they get a pass because teams are able to run so easily against the D.  We will also acknowledge that the combo of LeVeon Bell and Mike Hart has been far better this year than the Cason-Hart pair was last year, when Michigan finished last in the league in rushing. WEAKNESS: There is some talent on defense, but the two DEs have produced only 4 sacks so far this season.  That is putting a lot of pressure on the DB’s, and, with no run defense to speak of, the safeties and corners are forced to play the run far too often.  That might explain why the Panthers have a grand total of 2 interceptions as a team. PLAYER TO WATCH: DE Michael Bennett was considered a huge signing away from the NFL, but so far in Michigan he has been underwhelming . The Panthers need a lot more from their big acquisition.  2 sacks in 6 games is not what they expected and not what they need. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  With Kirk Cousins leading the league in picks and the defense not able to stop opposing backs, this is going to be another long season in Detroit.  We think 4-12 is very likely here. The Story of the First Half: The Arizona defense and just how dominant it has become.  The Wranglers have played 8 games and allowed fewer than 70 points this year. They are unbeaten, and they face only 1 team with a winning record the entire 2nd half, a Week 16 clash with Texas.  Do we think they can run the table?  No, because that is such a big ask.  But can they win the division going away?  Oh yes, we see that as nearly inevitable if this defense keeps playing like this. The Surprise of the First Half: Denver’s early struggles were surprising.  And if we are not going to talk only about Arizona, that is one we can point to. They started off 1-3, but have found their way the past month to even their record at 4-4 by the midway point.  If the current run is more indicative of what Denver can do, well, they may just be back in Wild Card contention.  They have already lost twice to Arizona, which means that they don’t have much of a shot to catch the Wranglers, but they could be a menace to both Texas and Houston and may well be a playoff contender by season’s end. What We Expect Moving Forward: While we all watch to see if anyone can upend the Wranglers, the real fight will be for 2nd place and a possible Wild Card.  Right now Texas has the upper hand at 5-3, but both Denver and Houston are only 1 game back at 4-4.  The games among these three teams will all be vital as we look at the 2nd half.  That means pay close attention to Denver @ Houston in Week 10, Texas @ Denver in Week 11, Houston @ Denver in Week 13, and, Houston hosting Texas in Week 15.  Those 4 games will tell us all we need to know going down the stretch. CURRENT RECORD: 8-0 STRENGTH: The unbeaten Wranglers are the story of the year, and that defense is being compared to the 1985 Bears.  That is some company to keep. They are allowing only 8.6 points per game, and only 260 yards, that’s total yards, per game.  That is scary good. WEAKNESS: Arizona’s passing game, despite the good season from Larry Fitzgerald, is still ranked as the worst in the league.  Now, a big part of that is because they are grinding Frank Gore up the middle and finding success, rushing for 123 yards per game, but you do not want to be one dimensional.  Arizona needs more out of Carr, Fitzgerald, Gronkowski, and Antonio Bryant. PLAYER TO WATCH: We highlighted Bryant in our players to watch, so we are going to stick with him here.  He is slowly taking snaps away from Mike Williams and could be a consistent number 2 opposite Fitzgerald. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: It is so hard to go unbeaten, and with road games at Tampa, Houston, and Texas still on the schedule, we think Arizona drops 1, but that may be it.  15-1 is still pretty impressive. CURRENT RECORD: 5-3 STRENGTH:  Joe Flacco is back and the passing game is looking very dangerous.  Flacco is over 2,000 yards at the half-way point, with a stellar 15:2 TD:INT ratio.  He is mixing it up too, with 4 different receivers, including HB Arian Foster, over 20 targets so far. WEAKNESS: While Foster has worked his way into the passing game, the run game has not been stellar for the Outlaws.  90.2 yards per game is likely adequate, but not enough to force teams to think run first and free up Flacco even more.  The Outlaws will want to try to get more production from the run game if they hope to disrupt some defenses. PLAYER TO WATCH: Last year’s DPOTY, Reynaldo Wynn has not made headlines this year, and with 7 sacks so far he is a bit off the pace, but he could and should surge in the second half of the year as Texas has some games against shaky lines, like those of Michigan, Orlando, Dallas, and even Houston to a degree. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  Were it not for the Wranglers, we think Texas’s path to the playoffs would be assured.  They have a huge matchup in Week 16, but we expect Texas to be locked into a Wild Card by that point . We place them at 11-5 after 16 games. CURRENT RECORD: 4-4 STRENGTH: The Gamblers are balanced across all 4 major stats (rushing, passing ,and the defense for both), which can mean that they can beat you in a variety of ways, or that they are pretty good at several things but not outstanding at any.  That is not unusual for a team sitting at .500 WEAKNESS: The big Achilles heel for the Gamblers has been their pass defense, which is giving up 275 yards per game. In the USFL a weak pass defense often means big trouble.  They also have shown an offense that is spotty, scoring 17 or fewer points in all 4 losses and 28 or more points in their 4 wins.  If they could score 24+ consistently, they would be 6-2 and not 4-4. PLAYER TO WATCH:  HB Michael Turner has looked good when he is in the lineup, but he has already missed 4 of 8 games and he does not seem fully healthy, though his 109  yards in Week 7 was a nice perk for the Houston offense. If he can stay healthy, Houston’s offense could be what they need it to be. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We are going to say that Houston gets a healthier Turner and that helps them to 1 more win than in the first half, so that means 9-7 overall, which puts them in the Wild Card race. CURRENT RECORD: 4-4 STRENGTH: The Gold have a solid D, the best in the league against the pass (only 172 yards per game), and they can run the ball when they focus on it, but it seems like too often they give up on the run too early.  This is a team that wants to keep games close and grind them out in the end, and they have the roster to do just that. WEAKNESS: Explosiveness is what is lacking in Denver.  Neither Peerless Price nor Golden Tate are going to turn an 8-yard out into a 50 yard TD.  LeMichael James and DeMarco Murray are not exactly turning 3-yard runs into 30 yarders either, with both averaging less than 3.5 yards per carry.  Denver needs to find themselves a gamebreaker if they want to truly compete in this division. PLAYER TO WATCH: DT Ndamukong Suh has started to look like a strong interior pass rusher, not just a run disruptor.  He is tied with Bryce Fisher with 4 sacks on the season, which is not a lot overall, but for a true nose tackle is pretty impressive.  Now if Denver could get a true edge rusher next to Suh, they would be on to something. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  When we look at Denver and Houston, we see Houston as the better team overall.  We think that comes out in the 2nd half of the season, so we pick Denver to finish 7-9 overall, which may just be the mark that costs Dick Jauron his tenure with the club. CURRENT RECORD: 2-6 STRENGTH: After a surprising 2-0 start, Dallas has lost 6 in a row.  Still they do have some bright spots to build on.  HB Rashard Mendenhall continues to be a solid option with over 640 yards after 8 games.  The defense, though ranked 27th in yards allowed, does have a rising star in DT Star Lotuleilei, who leads the team with 49 tackles, a rarity for an interior lineman. WEAKNESS: Other than Mendenhall and Lotulelilei the Roughnecks roster is still very much in flux and very much undermanned.  Perhaps the biggest issue remains the QB position, where Coach Sherman is going to experiment with rookie Landry Jones from Oklahoma. Jake Locker’s numbers were not horrible (9 TDs, 6 picks, 223 YPG), but he was just not putting the Roughnecks into scoring position consistently. PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Landry Jones.  This is his team to lose.  With one start under his belt he has a lot of growing left to do, but if he can find some success, he could find himself locked in as the starter in 2014. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We don’t think the Roughnecks go 0-8 in the second half of the season, though they likely will be the underdog in all 8 games.  With 2 games against Arizona, plus matches at Chicago and LA, and home against Philadelphia, Texas and Houston, a 2-14 finish is not out of the question.  We will give them 1 upset to finish 3-13. The Story of the First Half:  The upsets.  Seattle knocking off Las Vegas, LA edging Oakland, and Oakland manhandling Las Vegas.  Each was a big upset, and each has kept this division interesting.  We still see Las Vegas and Oakland atop the standings, as we predicted preseason, but there is enough firepower among the other three teams in the division to cause some issues as the season progresses. The Surprise of the First Half: Honestly, the ability of the Las Vegas Thunder players to stay focused with all that is happening around them.  Their primary owner is likely headed to prison.  The team is being run by the league and a sale could be eminent.  The team could even potentially relocate.  Honestly, there is no security or consistency at all in the team’s standing, and yet these players are putting it out there every week on the field and have a real shot at a division title and possibly a bye week as a top seed.   That is impressive. What We Expect Moving Forward: It may all come down to Week 15 when the Thunder host the Invaders.  Yes, we could see both stumble a bit before then, but we think this division will end up as 2 teams battling for 1st place, and that game will be the game to determine who gets the division and who may be traveling on the road in the Wild Card round. CURRENT RECORD: 6-2 STRENGTH: Apparently focus is the key to this club.  Despite all that is happening around them, the Thunder are playing very focused and efficient football. The Defense is Top 10 across the board and the offense is now 8th in scoring, their highest mark in a very long time.  They have lost 2 divisional games, which is troubling, but they have scored 30+ their last two games, with Lynch back in the fold, so watch out in the 2nd half. WEAKNESS: The run game was one of the league’s worst with Lynch out.  Let’s assume that is going to improve with him back, so then what is the weakness?  How about something pretty minor, third options.  We love the duo of Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh, but Las Vegas could really use a great 3rd option for Plummer.  He likes Kevin Everett at TE, but Everett is not a major weapon.  Willie Ponder and Marty Booker have also not shown much in the slot. PLAYER TO WATCH: HB Marshawn Lynch.  He is back from injury and his return could make the Thunder offense one of the toughest to plan for.  Plummer has weapons, but the passing game is just that much better when Lynch is intimidating tacklers and forcing safeties to play close to the line. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We like Las Vegas to match their 1st half success, so that puts them at 12-4 and likely gets them the number 2 seed in the West. CURRENT RECORD: 5-3 STRENGTH: The Invaders pair the league’s 4th best scoring defense (15.9 PPGA) with an offense that may not blow you out, but will control the ball and put more than enough points on the board each week to earn wins.  Ryan Williams is having a strong season with over 600 yards already and Joey Harringon, while not as dynamic as he once was, is adapting well to having rookie Keenan Allen as his top target. WEAKNESS: Consistency on offense has been the biggest issue.  When Oakland loses it is because they cannot get into rhythm and they fall behind, which makes play action less viable.  They need to play with a lead to be most effective. PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie WR Keenan Allen is a frontrunner for ROTY after catching 38 of 59 targets for 488 yards in the season’s first half.  Coach Green so liked the combo of Allen and Garçon that he felt OK trading away veteran Greg Jennings and putting the rookie into the number one slot after only 8 games in the league. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: We like the look of Oakland’s 2nd half, with 5 games against teams at or below .500 and a huge Week 15 matchup at Las Vegas.  We think they win 5 of the 8 games, which puts them at 10-6 and a likely Wild Card. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: This is tough because LA ranks between 16th-28th in every measurable stat.  in their 3-game win streak, they showed both defensive fortitude and an ability to score, but that streak was surrounded by 5 losses where both squads struggled. WEAKNESS: Overall we think the biggest issue is the inability of the offense to consistently build drives.  They get the occasional good outing or big play, but they just don’t put together 10-15 play drives and force teams to adjust on defense. PLAYER TO WATCH:  Former NFL and USC Halfback Reggie Bush has yet to top 85 yards in any game.  We know it can be tough to play a full NFL season and then add on the USFL games, but the Express need Bush to be the dynamic double threat that he was at USC if they are going to build an offense around him. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We think LA still has a way  to go to build a winner.  We are going to put them at 5-11 on the year because there is no unit we fully trust. CURRENT RECORD: 3-5 STRENGTH: Cadillac Williams has given Seattle a solid option at HB, something they have lacked since the retirement of Corey Dillon.  His 600 yards is a great start for an offense that has struggled, and is likely to struggle now that Byron Leftwich is ruled out for the rest of the season. WEAKNESS: Pretty  much everything else.  The defense gives up way too many yards (321 per game) and third down conversions.  The offense only scores 15 points per game, and seems to lack a true identity, a situation not helped at all by the QB shift.  Basically, we think the rebuild is only starting. PLAYER TO WATCH: It has to be QB Matt Flynn, whose 2 games so far have been nothing to write home about. If Seattle has any hope of reaching .500 this year it will because Flynn steps up.  Right now that looks like a longshot. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD:  We are going to keep Seattle matched up with LA in the division, so 5-10 for them as well. CURRENT RECORD: 2-6 STRENGTH: Well, we can look at this week’s win over Texas, a pretty hefty upset, as a sign that the Stags are still playing hard for Coach Mornhinweg.  That is something, not enough, but something. WEAKNESS: The roster.  Look, we could candy coat it, but that is the issue. This is not a roster that can win 10 games, maybe not even 8.  The receivers are not dynamic enough, the defense is too slow and the passing game still does not trust Fitzpatrick as their QB.  He has moments, but not enough quality play game in and game out. PLAYER TO WATCH: HB Javon Ringer came over from Denver to help relieve Jonathan Stewart, but has only gotten 23 attempts this year.  He is the only Portland back with a 4.0 YPC average, so we think that Coach Mornhinweg needs to give him more touches to see if he can be a viable number 2. PREDICTED FINAL RECORD: Were it not for the fact that we are also unimpressed by Seattle and LA, we might pick Portland to go 0-8 down the stretch. But, they have Seattle this week, then potential winnable games against LA, Michigan, and maybe even Ohio.  We think 4-12 is possible. REEVALUATING OUR PICKS FOR THE USFL AWARDS We have reevaluated the six divisions and all 28 clubs, so now we have one task left to accomplish, to reassess our picks for the five major league awards. Once again, our preseason picks were a bit off the mark, but that is why they play the games.  Here is our revised look at all five awards and where we see the race at the midway point. MVP We saw it as a battle between two of the league’s best QB’s, and it made sense at the time that this would be between St. Louis’s Josh Freeman and Texas’s Joe Flacco.  At the midway point, Flacco is still very much a possibility, but now he joins a crowded field that also include Las Vegas veteran QB Jake Plummer and the breakout player of the season, Birmingham’s Cam Newton.  The voters love a new face, so if his second half can look like his first, we think it will go to Newton rather than a veteran like Flacco or Plummer. OPOTY We said Deuce McCallister was the frontrunner, and we think he is certainly still in the mix.  The surprise for us is Ohio’s Steve Smith, who certainly has had good years in the past but seems to be taking on a much bigger leadership role.  He is very dependent on Chris Weinke, which does have us a bit nervous about his odds.  Right now, we would have to say that McCallister, or Arizona’s Frank Gore, have the two inside tracks. DPOTY Last year it went to Reynaldo Wynn, as a bit of a knock on picking Campbell, who plays on a losing team.  So, what happens this year if Wynn’s numbers are down and Campbell’s team is sub-500 again?   One possible avenue is to look over the Arizona lineup and pick the most deserving member of what has been true team defense this year.  That very likely would be team captain Karlos Dansby, but could also be safety Troy Polamalu.  Another option would be to look at someone like Philadelphia’s Anthony Hargrove or Washington’s Chris Long, a new face in the sack leaderboard, even if they finish behind Campbell in total sacks. ROTY Our original pool included LeVeon Bell, Eddie Lacy and Keenan Allen.  Lacy and Bell have been good, but not jaw-dropping.  Allen may be in the lead from that trio, but watch out as well for a dark horse like Star Lotuleilei, despite playing on a 2-win Dallas team.  Barkevious Mingo in Jacksonville is another very good player on a pretty bad team.  But, if wins matter, it may be Keenan Allen who is in the best position to take this award. COTY How can it not bee Jim Tomsula?  Sure, we love what is happening in places like Birmingham and Chicago, but what Tomsula has done with this Wrangler team is just astounding. They may well have an all-time defense and they will make a major run at an unbeaten season.  That is certainly a huge surprise for a club that went 6-10 last year and gave up nearly 27 points per game, 19 more on average than this season. If we consider a good week on the injury front to be one where no new players are added to the IR, then we have to say that Week 8 was a good week.  We are still not sure if Vince Young will be placed on the reserve, testing is still underway to determine the extent of his injury, but it does not appear that any of our other players are headed to IR.   That is not to say that they won’t be missed over the next week or few weeks.  Certainly the loss of Peyton Manning is going to impact the Nashville Knights, as will Jordi Nelson’s 2-4 week absence.  But, if IR is what we want to avoid, well, Week 8 has apparently done that. OUT QB         Vince Young                      OHI       Groin                    6-8 Weeks WR         Jordi Nelson                      STL         Neck                     2-4 Weeks LB           Carl Ihenacho                  SEA        Leg                        2-4 Weeks CB          Marlin Jackson                 CHI        ACL                       1-2 Weeks CB          Ricky Manning                 ATL         Nerve                   1-2 Weeks QB         Peyton Manning              NSH      Ankle                    1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL WR         Antonio Bryant                 ARZ                       Shoulder WR         Kevin Johnson                  PIT                         Foot G            Damien Woody                JAX                         Hamstring WR         Sam Hurd                           HOU                     Knee QUESTIONABLE LB           Joe Odom                        OAK                      Hip LB           Chad Greenway              TEX                        Concussion LB           Buster Davis                     PIT                         Personal QB         Ingle Martin                       LV                           Back Protect v. Pamper: The QB Safety Conundrum In a season that has seen the USFL lose the services of Sam Bradford, Byron Leftwich, Jake Delhomme, and David Garrard, it is natural to ask if anything could be done to ensure that fewer teams see season-ending injuries to their leaders and often the most important person on their roster. At the same time, there are many who complain that the USFL, like the NFL, have done too much to protect their start QB’s, often at the expense of defensive football.  The push for more offense, and for everything from more protective “in the grasp” and more liberal “intentional grounding” options, has certainly had its share of detractors, those who feel as if QB’s are being overly-pampered, protected to the point that playing defense is near impossible and that the two leagues are over-legislating a game that is inherently violent and where injuries are to be expected. The balance between protecting the player most fans want to see, and the player who is often the key to success and retaining the hard-hitting, high risk nature of the game itself is a very tricky one.  On the one hand very few fans want to sit through game after game of rotating backup QBs who cannot sustain drives or put points on the board, and yet, at the same time, no one wants to see two-hand-touch any time a DE or LB gets within 3 yards of a QB.  So what can you do? Technology can help to a degree.  Better pad structures, items like rib vests, neck rolls, and knee braces can help avoid a good number of injuries.  Concussion protocols can also keep a player from suffering one brain injury on top of another, but no padding or high-tech design for uniforms is going to eliminate all the hits in the game, not to mention non-contact injuries such as hamstring, calf, ankle, or even ligament injuries caused simply by running, turning, stopping and starting.  Those are just not avoidable. So, what is the USFL (and the NFL as well) to do about their highly marketable, highly paid QBs and how to protect them.  While we at This is the USFL agree that rules against body-slamming a QB, or crashing your entire 300 lb body on top of him are good additions to the rule book, we worry that calls of Roughing the Passer are already too frequent and too often based on actions a defender could not prevent, like being blocked into a QB or having the QB duck their head so that it connects with the defender instead of it being a hit to the chest. One possibility is to further amend the “Intentional Grounding” rule, allowing QB’s to dispatch the ball as a defense mechanism.  After all, by its very nature, IG is a loss of down, which for many drives is already a bad outcome.  Does there need to be a penalty thrown as well?  What if it was just the loss of down, or perhaps placing the ball at the spot where the QB threw the grounding ball.  Giving QB’s the chance to ditch the ball without taking a huge hit seems a better one than forcing him to hold it and take the hit. Other options which have been floated in recent years seem to go to far.  Suggestions that the league limit blitzers to allow only a total of 5 rushers on any play, or that offenses be required to keep 6 players in to block, with either a back or a TE required to not join the passing routes on a play seem too artificial and too detrimental to the innovation that the game needs.  We don’t want to see defensive coordinators forced to stick to dense zones with almost no chance of a successful pass rush, and we don’t want to take the talents of the halfback or tight end out of the passing game so they can attempt to block a blitzing LB or free DE. As we look at the injuries to USFL QB’s over the past few years, including not only this year’s 4 big losses, but also last year’s injuries to Kurt Warner and Joe Flacco, we understand the desire of the league and its teams to keep their stars healthy, but there has to be a way to do this that does not turn the USFL into the Big 12, where no one seems to play defense at all and scores are in the 50’s regularly not because of impressive offense, but pathetic defense.   What the USFL needs is a way to balance protection for their stars with respect for the nature of the game. Philadelphia Extends Harbaugh for 3 More Years Turning to coaching news, the Philadelphia Stars, who sit atop the NE Division at 7-1, have rewarded head coach Jim Harbaugh with a 3 year extension onto his contract, locking him up through the 2017 season.  Harbaugh, who has led Philadelphia to six consecutive playoff appearances, the past two NE Division Titles and a Summer Bowl appearance in 2010, once again has Philadelphia looking very much like a Summer Bowl contender.  The transition from Kurt Warner as starter to last year’s hero, Matt Gutierrez has been relatively smooth, even though Gutierrez is not putting up MVP numbers as he did in relief last season.  The defense remains one of the league’s best, and Harbaugh continues to make good decisions both on the field and in the draft, having pushed for the signing of TE Travis Kelce, who is turning out to be an excellent selection. Compared with other longstanding coaches such as Dick Jauron, Jim Johnson, and Dick LeBeau, all of whom appear to be on the hot seat right now, Harbaugh is looking very much like a coach who is in for the long haul and a long run of success with his Stars franchise.  Adding 3 more years and another $15M to Harbaugh’s contract seems to be pretty good insurance that the Stars have their coach in place for the foreseeable future. Will John Join Jim in USFL? So, with Jim Harbaugh faring so well with the Stars, the question arises as to the future for his brother John.  The current coach of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens has had some good years since taking over the team in 2008, but a 4-12 season in 2012 has John potentially on the outs with the Ravens.  Could we soon see him in Philadelphia along with his brother?  Or would another club in the league take a chance on the former Special Teams and Defensive Coordinator?  If his brother Jim has anything to say about it, he will get a shot.  Jim was recently asked about his brother’s status in Baltimore, and Jim was not shy about saying that it would be a mistake for the NFL Ravens to let his brother go, but that if they did, he would, as he said, “be overjoyed to face off against him every year in the USFL”. It would certainly add a new dimension to some of Philadelphia’s rivalries.  Of course, it does not look like Washington or New Jersey are looking to change things up and Baltimore just signed Jim Caldwell to a 3-year deal, so the only divisional team that might even be considering a shift is in Pittsburgh, where Ron Rivera has also taken some flack in recent years.  For now, Rivera seems pretty secure in the Steel City, and who knows, perhaps the NFL Ravens will see value in retaining their Harbaugh rather than letting the USFL corner the market on Harbaughs. St. Louis Announces 2014 Uniform & Logo Changes Following a “Pick the Helmet” contest that ran over 6 weeks of the USFL season, the Skyhawks this week introduced not only the vote winner, but a full uniform redesign.  The team will retain its primary logo, the hawk’s head emerging from the Gateway Arch with 3 jets flying through it.  The team has added, however, a new secondary logo, one in which a pair of wings surround an upright sword.  This new “crest” will tie in with the new helmet, selected by the fans. That is right, the fan vote skewed heavily towards removing the Skyhawk primary from the helmet and going instead with two wrap-around wings.  The new helmet will retain its Clear Sky Blue shell and navy facemask, but will now feature two stylized hawk wings emerging from the facemask and covering both sides of the helmet.  Between the two wings is a curved silver stripe, outlined in white and navy, which forms an arc similar to that of the famous landmark of the city, the Gateway Arch. The Uniforms also update the team’s look along similar lines, with both the white and Clear Sky jerseys now having colored sleeves and a shoulder stripe.  The Clear Sky jersey will have navy sleeves and a silver shoulder stripe, while the white jerseys sport a Clear Sky Blue sleeve, and a navy blue shoulder stripe.  Both uniforms also have team logos on the sleeves, with the hawk primary appearing on the home jersey and the triangular secondary appearing on the white jersey.   The pants move to a wide primary stripe, outlined in two colors, such as silver outlined in white and navy on the Clear Sky pant set, or a Clear Sky stripe with white and navy on the silver pant set.  A new navy blue set is also featured in the team’s new look. With 8 weeks left to the season, the 3-5 Skyhawks are hoping to see significantly more success in the second half of the season. Were they to qualify for the playoffs, the new uniform set would be available to them as they gear up for the postseason.  If they do not qualify for the postseason, then these new looks would debut next February during the preseason games prior to the 2014 season. Friday @ 8pm          Nashville (3-5) @ Oakland (5-3)                            NBC Saturday @ 12pm   Arizona (8-0) @ Tampa Bay (3-5)                            ABC Saturday @ 12pm    Jacksonville (2-6) @ Charlotte (5-3)                    FOX Saturday @ 4pm    Washington (7-1) @ Ohio (4-4)                               ABC Saturday @ 4pm     Las Vegas (6-2) @ Los Angeles (3-5)                    FOX Saturday @ 7pm       Chicago (6-2) @ Baltimore (3-5)                            NBC Saturday @ 9pm      Dallas (2-6) @ Houston (4-4)                                   ESPN/EFN Sunday @ 12pm     Memphis (2-6) @ Philadelphia (7-1)                       ABC Sunday @ 12pm    New Orleans (4-4) @ Orlando (3-5)                        ABC Sunday @ 12pm     New Jersey (4-4) @ Birmingham (5-3)                FOX Sunday @ 4pm        Portland (2-6) @ Seattle (3-5)                                 ABC Sunday @ 4pm       Atlanta (4-4) @ Denver (4-4)                                      FOX Sunday @ 4pm       Michigan (2-6) @ Texas (5-3)                                     FOX Sunday @ 8pm        St. Louis (3-5) @ Pittsburgh (3-5)                          ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: WR Greg Jennings made about as good a first impression as you can make with a new team, catching 6 passes from Eli Manning and putting 2 scores on the board as the Showboats got a stunning win, only their 2nd of the season.

Philadelphia loses a heartbreaker to a backup QB.  Arizona cruises to 6-0.  Another QB sent to IR has the league worried.  And, oh yes, one of the best games of the year as Baltimore discovers their offense.  All this plus a fine week for offensive football and the run game in particular.  Week seven has a lot to talk about as teams try to position themselves for the season’s second half.  All this, plus a potential big move on the Las Vegas Thunder ownership front as a new bid makes a splash with a big offer.  Stay right here for all the USFL news as we recap Week 7 and get you up to date on all the league happenings. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 43   BALTIMORE BLITZ 37   OVERTIME The Blitz did everything they could to take this game, scoring 17 points in the 4th quarter to come back from a 34-21 deficit and take the lead with 1:26 left, but it still was not enough as Washington rallied for a game-tying field goal and then added the heartbreaking touchdown in overtime to move to 6-1, but what a game we got along the way.  The Blitz came into this game with real questions about their offense, the Feds with Joe Webb starting his second game since losing David Garrard in Week 5.  What we got as a result was a gem of a game with two longstanding rivals who left everything on the field. The game started off looking very much like a battle of a 5-1 team and a 2-4 squad, with the better record belonging to the visiting Federals and Washington taking control early. Washington scored on their first two drives, a quick Shayne Graham field goal followed by a long drive that led to Deuce McCallister scoring from the 6 to give the Feds a 10-0 lead.   But Baltimore got a huge play from Ron Dayne as time waned in the 1st quarter to get back in the game.  Dayne broke 3 tackles on his way to a 49-yard romp to the endzone to put Baltimore on the board. The second quarter was much the same, with Washington again adding 10 points, again from Graham and then from Deuce McCallister.  The big back for the Feds would finish the game with 109 yards on 22 carries, and with two first half touchdowns as Washington again pulled out ahead, now leading 20-7. But, once again in the final minutes of the quarter, Baltimore battled back.  This time it was an 11-play drive led by Ben Roethlisberger, who connected with Donte Do for a 56 yard bomb before hitting TE Antonio Gates for the score 2 plays later.  Baltimore had the game in range at the half and they had found some offense as well.  Big Ben would finish the game with an even 400 yards passing, but his day was just beginning as the second half began. Washington’s Joe Webb would also have a productive day, throwing for 314 yards on 28 of 42 passing, and out of the gate in the second half he again stretched the Federals’ lead, connecting with Kellen Davis for the Feds’ third TD of the day, pushing the lead to 27-14.  Baltimore responded with another long drive, this time connecting with Jacob Tamme, Darius Heyward-Bey and Gates again to get the ball to the 3, and from there Dayne would score his second TD of the day. Baltimore was again within 1 score, but again Washington would find a big play on offense, this time with Webb connecting with Bryant Johnson for a 43-yard play that put the ball on the 20.  Two plays later, backup HB David Wilson scampered into the endzone, giving Washington a 34-21 lead at the end of three.  Every time Baltimore closed the gap, Washington would stretch it out again.  But that would not be the story of the 4th quarter. In the final period, Baltimore racked up 17 consecutive points, shocking Washington with quick strikes and forcing a takeaway as they punched the ball out of the hands of TE Heath Miller to get a short field.  After scoring on a 9-play drive, with Donte Do catching a 9-yard TD toss from Big Ben, the Feds took the field, but on the first play from scrimmage, Miller caught a short pass and was immediately hit by Baltimore safety Adam Archuleta.  The ball popped out of his hands and was recovered by the Blitz on the Washington 10.  Baltimore advanced the ball to the 2, but failed on a 3rd and goal throw.  Rather than risk it on 4th down, Coach Caldwell brought in the kicking team for an easy 19-yarder, pulling the score to only 3 at 34-31 Washington. The Feds could do nothing on their next drive as the Blitz defense, spurred on by the crowd at M&T Bank Park, stifled the Federal offense and got the ball back in the hands of the offense with 4:22 left to play.  Big Ben took it from there, connecting with 4 different receivers, including TE Jacob Tamme, who brought in the 10-yard TD toss with 1:21 left to play that brought Baltimore its first lead of the game, 37-34.  But the luck for the Blitz ran out with that drive.  Nick Folk clanked the PAT off the right upright, meaning Baltimore had only a 3-point lead, not the 4-points that would have forced Washington to go for a touchdown in the final minute. Needing only a field goal to tie the game and send it to overtime, Washington was methodical in moving the ball down the field.  Runs by Jahvid Best and McCallister were paired with short passes to Darnerien McCants and TE Kellen Davis, and with 16 seconds left on the clock, Shayne Graham did what he was called on to do andtied the game up with a 34-yard field goal, sending the game to overtime. In overtime, Washington got the ball first, and they would never give Baltimore a chance to steal the win away. They drove 77  yards in 13 plays, again dinking and dunking their way down the field, using the run to keep the defense honest and hitting receivers over the middle against the Baltimore zones. On a 2nd and 7 from the 12-yard line, they went for the win, using the threat of Deuce McCallister to pull in the safeties with their 2-TE formation.  Webb kept the ball and found Kellen Davis in single coverage over the middle.  He crossed the endline and gave the victory to the visiting Federals, ending one of the best games of the season and one of the best in the long history of the Federals-Blitz rivalry. LOS ANGELES 12   LAS VEGAS 31 Jake Plummer and his starting receivers were all back in form and it showed as they simply overwhelmed LA’s defense.  Plummer connected for TDs to both Johnson and Houshmandzadeh on the way to a 19-point victory as LA simply had no answers.  The Thunder scored first and never gave up the lead.  Midway through the third, with LA having no luck against the Vegas defense, Coach Reid sent Mark Sanchez to the bench and brought in Brody Croyle, but that also failed to produce results as Las Vegas dominated from kickoff to final whistle. CHARLOTTE 32   BIRMINGHAM 20 The Monarch defense was ready for Cam Newton and the Stallions, as they raced to a 26-3 lead on TDs from Fred Jackson (2) and D. J. Hackett.  They then picked off Newton three times in the second half to preserve the win despite two Terrell Owens TDs.  Brandon Wheedon looked good once again, going 17 of 23 for 198 and throwing for a score. OHIO 14   NEW JERSEY 21 Charlie Whitehurst’s first start as a General was not perfect (2 picks) but he did enough to get the W, with a lot of help from Maurice Jones-Drew, who rushed for 107 and scored all 3 New Jersey TDs.  Ohio struggled to run the ball against the Generals, who held Isaiah Pead to only 33 yards on the day, and a late TD was called back on a holding call, disallowing the potential game-tying play as New Jersey steps up to 4-3 after 7 weeks. PHILADELPHIA 19   NEW ORLEANS 24 A huge win for the Breakers and for backup Kyle Boller, who stepped in for a concussed Drew Brees and went 23 of 31 for 257 with two scores, including the game winner with only 4 seconds left to play.  Trailing 19-17, Boller found Santana Moss on a miraculous Hail Mary to give New Orleans the surprise win against the formerly unbeaten Stars.  Matt Forte topped all rushers with 106 yards and a TD, but it was Boller to Moss for the play of the week as New Orleans knocks Philly form the unbeaten ranks. ORLANDO 10   HOUSTON 28 Russell Wilson was sacked 5 times by the Gamblers and Michael Turner returned to action this week with 109 yards to help spark Houston to victory.  Matt Hasselbeck also had a strong game, completing 17 of 24 passes and tossing 3 touchdowns, including 2 to Michael Sims-Walker, who stepped in for the injured Roy Williams. The win puts Houston above .500 with a huge game at Arizona next week. ARIZONA 21   DENVER 10 The Wranglers now stand alone as the only unbeaten team left after a nice rivalry win in Denver.  Matt Leinart was knocked out of the game after throwing 2 picks in the first half, and Dan LeFevour could do little to muster the Gold against that nasty Wrangler defense.  David Carr suffered 7 sacks but held it together to throw 2 TDs, including a beauty of a seam route to TE Rob Gronkowski as the Wranglers move to 7-0 on the season. TEXAS 22  JACKSONVILLE 17 The Bulls did not make it easy, but in the end the Outlaws survived thanks to a 4th quarter Flacco to Colston TD pass for the win. Colston finished the game with 124 yards receiving and 2 Texas touchdowns, while CB Michael Boulware scored the third on a 72-yard pick six as the Outlaws moved to 5-2 on the season. PITTSBURGH 42   MEMPHIS 30 A surprisingly high scoring affair between the Showboats and Maulers as the two teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of offense.  Memphis racked up 526 yards, including 382 through the air as Eli Manning went 24 of 38. HB Knile Davis rushed for 127 as he proved a tough back to bring down.  But it was not enough as both Kenny Watson and Ronnie Brown topped 100 yards rushing on the day, each averaging an equal 8.3 yards per carry against a Memphis D that had no answers at all for the Mauler run game. TAMPA BAY 25   ATLANTA 29 With 3:09 left, the Bandits thought they had pulled this on out with a Nate Kaeding field goal, but Atlanta had one drive left in them and with 47 seconds still left on the clock Kyle Orton found TE Matt Schobel for the go ahead TD to give Atlanta their 3rd win of the season.  It was Orton’s 3rd TD of the day, equaling Culpepper’s total and giving the Fire a divisional win. SEATTLE 9   OAKLAND 38 The Invaders roll at home, thanks to 116 yards from Keenan Allen and another 93 with 2 TDs from Pierre Garçon as Oakland just demolishes the Seattle secondary.  It was a bad day all around for Seattle, who saw Byron Leftwich go down to injury early in the 4th quarter, an injury that will cost him the rest of the season. PORTLAND 24   NASHVILLE 28 The Stags got 3 TDs from Ryan Fitzpatrick, but a costly interception late in the game gave Nashville the chance to steal the win and when Peyton Manning hit Denarius Moore for the game winner, the Stags had no response.  Manning finished with 250 yards and 3 scores as the Knights win their 2nd game of the year, and push Portland to a miserable 1-6 record. DALLAS 14   MICHIGAN 23 The Roughnecks drop their 5th in a row, prompting a QB change for Week 8. Michigan got a pick-six and three Matt Prater field goals to break a 7-7 tie and take the win.  In a game where neither team could convert on third down (3 for 28 combined), Michigan just made fewer mistakes and was able to pull out an ugly win. CHICAGO 23   ST. LOUIS 7 The Chicago D had an answer for everything St. Louis threw at them, limiting Eddie Lacy to 88 yards rushing and sacking Josh Freeman 4 times. Meanwhile Doug Martin’s 92 yards and 2 Brady Quinn TDs proved to be enough as the Machine took over first place in the Central with the win. Former NFL receiver Emmanuel Sanders had only 3 receptions but two were for scores as he helped Chicago get the big divisional win. Byron Leftwich The Latest QB Injury This is getting to the point where the league may have to investigate what, if anything, can be done to protect quarterbacks. Byron Leftwich became the 4th starter in 7 weeks to go down for the year with a significant injury.  Seattle was already down big to the Invaders (28-6 in the third) when Leftwich scrambled to avoid the rush, only to take a nasty hit and hard tackle at the line of scrimmage.  When he did not immediately get up, the Oakland crowd knew something was wrong.  The trainers from Seattle came out, followed by the Oakland team, and both would end up helping to put Leftwich in the cart to be wheeled of the field.  He would be taken to a local hospital where it was confirmed that he had suffered both a dislocated hip (a very painful injury) and a chipped pelvic bone. The combination of the two would require isolation and traction to allow the hip joint to reform around the femur, a diagnosis that meant no less than 3 months without taking the field. In other words, Leftwich was done for the year. Mike Flynn wrapped up the game for the Dragons, and now looks to be the starter for the rest of the year.   Seattle had brought Flynn in from Baltimore as a free agent backup, but  now he appears to be the man they will have to rely on if the 3-4 club hopes to compete in the Pacific conference.  He will be backed up by longstanding Dragon reservist Alex Brink, and by former CFL and Portland QB Dennis Dixon, signed on Wednesday. Leftwich represents the 4th established starter to go down this year, following Sam Bradford (NJ-Week 2), David Garrard (Week 5), and Jake Delhomme (CHA-Last Week).  At this pace, half the league could be playing with backups by season’s end. Of course, each injury is unique, with Leftwich’s hip very different from Delhomme’s torn ACL, Garrard’s skull fracture, or Bradford’s bicep muscle detachment, but what is the common factor is that we now have 4 contending teams all working with backups at the most important position on the field. Kyle Williams to IR for the Thunder Las Vegas also suffered a big blow due to injury this week as star D-tackle Kyle Williams went down with a season-ending injury.  Williams, like QB Sam Bradford before him, was diagnosed with a fully separated bicep muscle.  The timing however, with only 11 weeks left in the season, meant that even with a fast recovery, Williams would be out until at least the Divisional playoff round.  Unlike the Generals, who kept Bradford on the active roster, Las Vegas opted, due to the timing of the injury, to place Williams on IR and promote Trevor Laws up from the practice squad.  Terrance Knighton and Ellis Johnson will likely share the spot opposite Haloti Ngata in Las Vegas’s 4-3 alignement, with Laws limited to respite snaps only. The loss of Williams is a big one for the Thunder defense, as not only was the big man responsible for 11 tackles, but was a team captain and rallying point for the defense. In his absence, more responsibility will be put on Ngata and on LB Joey Porter to help lead the defensive squad. Bradford On Pace for Playoff Return Let’s finish our quick injury assessment with some good news for a change.  All indications are that Sam Bradford’s recovery from a separated bicep is on pace for a possible return this season.  The Generals have placed a possible return as early as Week 15 on the table, meaning that if they can qualify for the playoffs, the Generals could have their All-USFL starting QB back in time for the season finale and all playoff games. Of course, for this to matter, the club has to be in position to qualify for the postseason.  They currently sit at 4-3 after earning a tough win over the Ohio Glory this week, the first with former Monarch and NFL QB Charlie Whitehurst at the helm.  Th club had been erratic with Bryan Hoyer starting, losing 3 and winning one, as Hoyer struggled to a 60.2 QB Rating. In his first game as the Generals’ starter, Whitehurst went 24 of 40 for 233 yards, but threw two picks.  That gave him only a 54.5 rating, but thanks in large part to Maurice Jones-Drew’s 3 TDs, the Generals pulled the game out.  Whitehurst will need to do more to hold the job, and the Generals will have to play complementary ball the rest of the season if they hope to make Sam Bradford’s anticipated return a meaningful one. USFL Backs Run to Daylight in Week 7 It was a big week for the tailbacks across the USFL this week, with 100-yard days all over the map.  In a league known for passing, sometimes the backs just take over, and that certainly seemed to be the case this week.  Here is the full list of all the 100-yard rushers in Week 7 and where each stands so far this year. Frank Gore (ARZ)                             151 in Week 7                   693 through 7 weeks Ron Dayne (BAL)                             140 in Week 7                   544 through 7 weeks Rashard Mendenhall (DAL)        127 in Week 7                   569 through 7 weeks Knile Davis (MEM)                          127 in Week 7                   211 through 7 weeks Ryan Williams (OAK)                     116 in Week 7                   576 through 7 weeks Deuce McCallister (WSH)          109 in Week 7                   681 through 7 weeks Michael Turner (HOU)                  109 in Week 7                   212 through 7 weeks Kenny Watson (PIT)                        108 in Week 7                   377 through 7 weeks Maurice Jones-Drew (NJ)            107 in Week 7                   549 through 7 weeks Matt Forte (NOR)                            106 in Week 7                   431 through 7 weeks Ronnie Brown (PIT)                        100 in Week 7                   222 through 7 weeks That is 11 backs on 10 teams that all crossed the century mark, and that does not even count some of the league leaders like Doug Martin (615 this season), Willis McGahee (600 this season), Eddie Lacy (583 this season), and Jonathan Stewart (528 this season) who just missed the century mark this past weekend. The message is clear, running the ball can work in the USFL, and when you pair a good run game with a solid defense, you can win a lot of games, just ask Arizona, Washington, and Chicago. Three Way Trade Moves Two Starting Receivers We have our second big trade of the regular season, following New Jerseys’ acquisition of QB Charlite Whitehurst from Charlotte.  This one involved two starting, and arguably two number one receivers, as both Greg Jennings and Robert Ferguson find themselves on new teams, adjusting to new coaches and a new QB.  Here is how it went down. Baltimore, despite a solid outing this week, has been very unhappy with their offensive production and have been roundly criticized for a lack of versatility at WR.  They were in the market for a top target who could both stretch the field and make the tough inside catches.  They liked what they saw in Memphis’s Robert Ferguson, but the Showboats would not move their longstanding number one without a potential replacement in place.  That forced Baltimore to try to work a 3-team trade instead of a simple bilateral move. They found an interested party in Oakland, where the breakout rookie season by Keenan Allen and strong performances from Pierre Garçon had made veteran Greg Jennings less essential to the long term plans of the Invaders.  Move around a few draft picks and you have a deal that all three clubs were willing to accept. Oakland gives up Greg Jennings, and in return they get a 3rd rounder from Baltimore and a 5th round pick from Memphis.  The Showboats snag Jennings to act as the mid-range target and veteran presence, and also nab a 5th rounder to replace the one they send to Oakland.  Baltimore gets the WR they coveted in Robert Fergusion, and give up only a 3rd (to Oakland) and a 5th (to Memphis) to get him.  It is a move that may take a couple of weeks to assess as both wideouts must adapt to their new teams, and while Allen and Garçon adapt to their new roles in Oakland, but when all is said and done, this could be a proverbial win-win-win for all three clubs. Dallas to Make a Move at QB It is not that Jake Locker has looked terrible, but after losing 5 in a row the Roughnecks needed to do something, and with OU rookie Landry Jones sitting on the bench, a change at QB seemed the best short-term solution to infuse the team with some more energy.  At least that is the theory after Coach Sherman announced that Jones would get the start this week as the Roughnecks host the Denver Gold in a divisional matchup.  Jones, who has recovered from an injury in practice that had him demoted to 3rd string for the past 2 weeks, will jump all the way into the starting lineup for the 2-5 Roughnecks.  The hope is that the rookie can bring some energy to an offense that has averaged only 17.4 points per game this season, including 14 or fewer in their past 3 games. Coach Sherman is still analyzing what he has in Dallas as both the offense and the defense have struggled to win battles over the past 5 weeks, turning a surprising 2-0 start into a more pedestrian 2-5 record.  With 2 straight divisional gams on tap (Denver and Houston) and a 3rd in 4 weeks as Dallas hosts Arizona, the Roughnecks still have a chance to impress their new fanbase with some key wins this month, but they will need to tighten up their execution and avoid the mistakes that so often accompany a rookie starter at QB. Orlando loses a favorite weapon, Washington a key defender, and several other teams see shorter term injuries affecting their starting lineups as we head into midseason. Here are the new names on the injury list for Week 8. OUT TE           Greg Olsen                 ORL                       Broken Leg         IR DT          Corey Liuget                      WSH                     Hip                        6-8 Wks CB          Darius Slay                        ATL                         Biceps                 4-6 Wks OT          Lamar Holmes                BAL                        Neck                     2-4 Wks WR         Deion Branch                   WSH                     Hip                        1-2 Wks LB           Kirk Morrison                    PHI                        Concussion       1-2 Wks LB           Chad Greenway              TEX                        Concussion       1-2 Wks DOUBTFUL LB           Nate Webster                 BIR                         Toe WR         Jerricho Cotchery           JAX                         Thigh QUESTIONABLE FS         Darnell Bing                      POR                      Hip SS           Jaiquawn Jarrett              JAX                         Concussion WR         Demaryius Thomas       ATL                         Toe QB         Matt Leinart                      DEN                      Toe Los Angeles & San Diego Ownership Groups Make Move on Las Vegas A very interesting development in the Las Vegas Thunder saga. John Tu, a minority owner of the LA Express, and a deep-pocketed one at that, has joined forces with John Moores, the former owner of the San Diego Padres and one of the initial investors in the San Diego USFL Expansion group to put together a bid to purchase the Thunder.  This combination of tech investors, Tu with ties to the USFL already and Moores with pro sports ownership background and connections with San Diego State University, could be making a move much like Mark Cuban and the group that purchased the Boston Cannons and relocated them to Dallas. While no details have been released, including whether or not the new pairing of Tu and Moores is seeking to cash in on the Thunder as a Las Vegas property or if they are interested in getting in on a current franchise to relocate it to San Diego is not yet known.  There is speculation, for instance, that if a current USFL owner opts to sell off his stake in his current team (and here we are thinking about the ownership in Nashville) so that they can then get an inside track on the Las Vegas franchise, then someone like the Tu/Moores combo could swoop in, buy the controlling share of that USFL franchise and make the case to relocate the team to San Diego.  But, before we assume that this is what is happening, we should consider the possibility that both Tu and Moores see the value of the Las Vegas franchise and are considering a strong offer to take on the franchise, and the new stadium option in Sin City, and will abandon the cause of bringing USFL football to San Diego altogether. What is known is that between Tu and Moores, we are looking at nearly $3B in assets, making them one of the wealthiest potential ownership groups in the USFL if they can find their way to a franchise.  What is up in the air is just which franchise, and in what market? Our Breakout Players of 2013 Seven weeks in and one week before our big Midseason Report, and we wanted to prime the pump on midyear grades by looking at some of the surprise contributors and breakout stars of the 2013 season to date.  Some are names we have profiled before, others may be players you have not noticed, but ones you should be keeping an eye on.  Let’s get started on offense as we look at 4 players on each side of the ball who have started 2013 on a tear and are among the breakout stars of the season. QB Cam Newton (BIR) No surprise here.  Newton, who enters Week 8 as the league leader in passing yards (1,849) and is only 1 TD behind Daunte Culpepper, has been the driving force behind the success of the Stallions.  In his third season, he has the Stallions sitting atop the Southern Division with a 5-2 record and the 3rd rated passing attack in the league.  It helps, of course, that he has two outstanding veterans in Randy Moss and Terrell Owens, but what has been most impressive is that Newton is finding ways to manufacture wins even when his best targets are double or triple teamed.  TE Jabari Holloway, slot receiver Julian Edelman, and HB Danny Woolford have all also been frequent targets for Newton, who is also not afraid to run the ball when needed. HB Doug Martin (CHI) The Machine’s gamble, trading away Michael Turner to Houston this offseason, has proven to be a shrewd move.  While Turner has missed more games than he has played since arriving in Houston, 2nd year back Doug Martin has proven to be a revelation, rushing for 615 yards in the season’s first 7 weeks.  He is one of only 4 backs to surpass 600 yards so far this season and has also been a factor in the passing game.  Chicago finds themselves atop the Central Division in large part because of the balance that Martin has helped the Machine achieve on offense. TE Jimmie Graham (PIT) The 4th year TE is having a season to remember in Pittsburgh.  After having 52 targets and 43 receptions in all of the 2012 season, this year he is approaching those numbers at the halfway point, with 52 targets and 37 receptions in only 7 games.  He has turned those looks into production, averaging over 10.5 yard per reception and finding the endzone 3 times already this year, after a 2012 season with no TDs at all.  And he has done this despite Andy Dalton missing several games due to injury.  Watch out for Graham as the season continues, with Pittsburgh sitting at 3-4, they feel like they are ready to make a move on a division that is still very much in flux. OT Chance Warmack (ARZ) The Only rookie on our list, and one in a non-glamor position, guard Chance Warmack has been a huge gift to Frank Gore, David Carr and the Wrangler offense.  He has started all 7 games for the Wranglers, clearing paths for Gore, pulling across the line, and has yet to give up a sack.  The 1st round pick from Alabama was a huge signing for the Wranglers, if not a flashy one, but sometimes flash is not what you need, sometimes muscle is all that is required, and Warmack is proving he has plenty of that for the unbeaten Wranglers. DE Chris Long (WSH) While Long’s 8 sacks are not atop the league, they are pretty darn close, and when you consider that in 2012 Long had 9 sacks the entire season and now is on pace for 17-20, you can understand why we are excited about Long’s development as an edge rusher.  Long has always been good against the run, and he has had 2 seasons with 10+ sacks, but his pace this year indicates that he is ready to take the next step and become one of the league’s premier pass rushers, something the 6-1 Federals certainly appreciate. LB Buster Davis (PIT) Another impressive Mauler, Davis is another player whose production has leapt up this year.  In 2012 the 2007 draftee had a very solid year with 66 tackles over 11 games, but only 7 games into 2013 Davis is already close to surpassing that number, with 60 sacks already under his belt.  Add to that a personal best 14 TFL already on the season and Davis is looking very much like a breakout player in the Mauler D.  It helps that Coach Rivera moved him from the weak side to the strong side, but more than a position shift, what we are seeing is a linebacker who has started to make sense of blocking schemes and how to defeat them. LB Jason Taylor (BAL) The former Miami Dolphin came to Baltimore with a lot of fanfare and a reputation as a pass rusher.  In his first 3 season, he had modest numbers in that category (5, 6 and 2 in those years), but has quietly been improving as a run-blitzing linebacker.  Coach Caldwell saw that in Taylor and asked the outside backer to focus more on the run.  If the sacks come, great, but focus on the run first.  That strategic use for Taylor has proven a good one.  Taylor leads the league with a stunning 21 tackles for loss in the run game, an average of 3 per game.  He is disruptive on both inside and outside runs, and he is even finding his way to the QB as well, with 3 sacks over the first 7 games.  He is on pace for over 80 tackles and nearly 50 TFL, outstanding numbers and very important to a Blitz team that is struggling on offense. FS Quinton Carter (NJ) The third year player and first year starter has stepped in and stepped up at Free Safety for the Generals.  After two seasons as a rarely used bench option, Carter was handed the starting position this offseason and he is making Coach Herm Edwards very happy with his play so far this year.  Carter not only has 4 picks on the season, but has also allowed only 16 catches in 7 games, a paltry 2.28 average. Week 8 kicks off with a cross country showdown as the Express hope to finish the season’s first half at .500 but will have a tough task as they face a bitter Stars team, angry after their first loss of the season and ready to defend their home turf. ON Saturday we get the first divisional games of the weekend, with Ohio headed up to Chicago with 1st place in the Central on the line.  Pittsburgh is also in Washington for a game that could thrust the Maulers into the playoff conversation.  Saturday Night we have the first of two games between the Breakers and Knights this season, and you know how rough those matchups can be.  The nightcap is an intriguing one with St. Louis facing Las Vegas in the desert. Sunday we have New Jersey hoping to stay hot with Charlie Whitehurst at QB as they head to Baltimore.  Denver is in Dallas with a chance to return to  .500, Houston is hoping they can finally put a dent in Arizona’s armor as they face the unbeaten Wranglers in Glendale.  And Sunday night we finish the week with the Monarchs hoping to put away the Bandits in Tampa Bay. Friday @ 8pm        Los Angeles (3-4) @ Philadelphia (6-1)             NBC Saturday @ 12pm   Ohio (4-3) @ Chicago (5-2)                                       ABC Saturday @ 12pm     Pittsburgh (3-4) @ Washington (6-1)                   FOX Saturday @ 4pm       Texas (5-2) @ Portland (1-6)                                     ABC Saturday @ 4pm     Oakland (5-3) @ Michigan (2-5)                             FOX Saturday @ 7pm     New Orleans (4-3) @ Nashville (2-5)                   NBC Saturday @ 9pm     St. Louis (3-4) @ Las Vegas (5-2)                           ESPN/EFN Sunday @ 12pm       Birmingham (5-2) @ Atlanta (3-4)                         ABC Sunday @ 12pm       Jacksonville (2-5) @ Orlando (2-5)                          FOX Sunday @ 12pm       New Jersey (4-3) @ Baltimore (2-5)                        FOX Sunday @ 4pm         Memphis (1-6) @ Seattle (3-4)                                 ABC Sunday @ 4pm         Denver (3-4) @ Dallas (2-5)                                        ABC Sunday @ 4pm         Houston (5-3) @ Arizona (7-0)                                 FOX Sunday @ 8pm         Charlotte (5-2) @ Tampa Bay (2-5)                       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: It came down to two halfbacks in a week full of strong rushing performances. While Ron Dayne's 140 yards with 2 TDs was huge for Baltimore, it was not enough to get the Blitz the win in their rivalry game. Meanwhile, Frank Gore put up 151 yards and scored on one of 2 receptions to help Arizona stay unbeaten, so the POTW goes to Gore, who is putting together a monster season in his first year in the desert.

Arizona and Philadelphia just keep chugging along.  St. Louis is back to .500 and putting that 0-3 start behind them.  Charlotte and Oakland are slipping.  And Dallas’s surprise 2-0 start has come crashing back to reality as they lose their 4th in a row.  All the Week 6 news, including another starting QB sent to the IR and some issue in Tennessee arise.  All this, plus the 2013 Hall of Fame semi-finalists are announced. Don’t go anywhere.  All the USFL news is happening right here. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 27   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS  24   OVERTIME Sure, it’s a cliché when rivals meet to say that you can throw out the records, but it is a cliché because it is so often true.  That was certainly the case when the Stallions headed up to Memphis to face the Showboats.  Birmingham was 4-1, coming off their first loss of the season but looking to set themselves back on course with a win against their rivals.  Memphis was sitting at 1-4, having struggled to put together a complete game on either offense or defense, but on this day the records were out the window and we got a game that would not be decided until extra time. It was Memphis’s best crowd of the year, a solid 48,402, though by our count a solid 15,000-16,000 of the folks at the liberty bowl were wearing Birmingham colors, not atypical for a Stallion-Showboat game.  The game would feature Cam Newton going up against Eli Manning, and both QB’s would have good outings.  Newton would finish with 391 yards on 24 of 43, and he would contribute 3 touchdowns on the day.  Mannign would also look solid, going 30 of46 for 289 yards and 3 scores of his own. The game started with a quick 3-and-out by the Showboats, causing a groan among the Showboat faithful.  Birmingham would seek to silence the Memphis crowd with a strong first drive.  They would get just that, with Newton connecting on 3 of his first 4 passes, including a 24-yard out and up to Randy Moss for the game’s first score.  Memphis would respond with a couple of first downs and a 45 yard field goal from Dan Bailey to get on the board.  But, when Randy Moss responded with a second TD reception only 2 minutes later, there was definitely a sense among the Showboat fans that this game could get out of hand unless the Showboats found a way to get in the endzone on their next possession. It seems the Showboat coaches and players felt this too, as they were significantly more daring in their 3rd drive, using McFadden as a decoy as Manning found Robert Ferguson open on a play action play that got them in scoring range.  They then surprised Birmingham by shifting to a 5-receiver set after shifting Knile Davis out wide.  The ploy worked and Nate Washington found himself in single coverage not with a DB but with a linebacker.  Manning caught that mismatch and found Washington on a corner route that the backer had no chance of defending.  Memphis had pulled within 4 at 14-10, and the crowd was back in the game. Birmingham would score a field goal to close out the half, but down only 7, Memphis fans at least felt that there team was doing all it could to hang with the Stallions.  That sense was pushed even further when the Showboats scored the first points of the second half, a long drive, lasting 14 plays, that looked for a while like it might come up empty.  With a first and goal from the 2, Memphis lost yardage on a 1st down run, then missed on a slant route to Lee Evans.  On third down, they got called for illegal motion, pushing them back to the 9-yard line, and fans started to worry if a field goal was eminent.  But, on 3rd and goal from the 9, Eli Manning avoided a sack, moved in the pocket, and found Robert Ferguson late, giving Memphis the TD and tying the game at 17. Birmingham was in a dog fight, and despite their best efforts, they had not been able to put Memphis away.  Now tied with the Showboats in the final minutes of the third, they too felt urgency to get points on the board, to remain in control of the game.  That sense caused Coach Shanahan to go for it on 4th and 2 from the Memphis 47.  Newton scrambled, one of only 3 rushes on the day for the QB, and just barely reached the marker.  That play helped spur the Stallions, and 5  plays later they were in the endzone on a Newton to Owens TD pass.   The 3rd ended with Birmingham back on top by 7, sitting at 24-17. Most of the 4th quarter was a battle of field position, with neither offense able to coordinate well enough to string together more than 1 first down conversion.  When Memphis took the ball over at 3:31 left, they knew that it was down to this drive, and once again the urgency kicked up the intensity a notch.  Memphis got a 12-yard run from McFadden, his 2nd longest of the day, to kick things off, and that set the tone as the Showboats marched the ball down the field with a focus on getting inside the red zone with enough time to get several shots at the endzone. With 67 seconds left to play, they made their mark, sitting at the 19.  4 plays later they were at the 3-yard line and looking to even the score and send the game to overtime.  Again they tried the run on first down, and again Birmingham stuffed them for no gain.  On 2nd down, Eli Manning took a sack back to the 9, but one play later, Birmingham DE Quentin Groves, was called for a late hit on Manning, which brought the ball back to the 4 and gave the Showboats a new set of downs.  They would not try the run again, instead Manning would hook up with his top receiver, Robert Ferguson, using a rub play to free the wide out, Manning zipped the ball inside and Ferguson scored the equalizer with 30 seconds left to play. Birmingham would opt to sit on the ball after the kickoff, content to go to the extra period to settle the game.  In overtime, both teams would have their chances.  Birmingham’s first opportunity to end the game came after Memphis’s opening drive, which ended with a punt from their own 33.  Birmingham would have a bit more success, but would have to settle for giving Dan Bailey an attempt from the 39.  The 56-yard attempt fell well short and off to the left, so Memphis took over from the 46.  They too would venture only marginally in range for their kicker as Garret Hartley was sent in to attempt a 49-yard attempt from the 32.  He too was unable to make the kick, drifting the ball to the right as the wind affected his trajectory just as it had Bailey’s. Birmingham got the ball back at their own 39, and with only 2:07 left in the extra period, they would do what they could to get Bailey much closer to make his next attempt.  That effort proved easier than anticipated thanks to a perfect pass and a well-executed spin move.  On a 2nd and 8 from their own 41, Newton hit slot receiver Julian Edelman over the middle for what looked to be a 7-yard gain, but when safety Tebucky Jones closed in on the receiver, Edelman perfectly timed a turn that caused Jones to barely get one arm on his target.  Edelman rolled right out of the tackle and raced for 48 yards on the play, putting the ball on the 9 yard line.  From there it was a simple chip shot for Bailey, and Birmingham escaped with their 5th win of the year, but one they had to work hard to earn, proving once again that when two rivals meet, the on paper difference is wiped away by the on field passions of two teams that don’ t like each other and certainly don’t want to lose to their rival. NASHVILLE 20   TAMPA BAY 31 Daunte Culpepper and company finally had a complete game as the Bandits scored 24 unanswered points to blow open the game against the Knights.  Three third quarter TDs, all Culpepper TD passes helped Tampa turn a 13-10 deficit into a 31-13 advantage.  Culpepper finished the game with 4 TD passes on 29 of 40 throwing.  Ray Rice was the one bright spot for Nashville as he gained 81 yards in the first half on his way to 123 and 2 TDs. DENVER 28   ORLANDO 24 The Gold reach .500 with a nice come-from-behind win in Orlando.  Matt Leinart hit Golden Tate with the game winner mid-way through the 4th quarter as the Gold hung on to defeat the Renegades thanks to a strong game from DeMarco Murray (105 yards on 15 carries).  The Denver run game totaled 203 yards rushing as Orlando simply could not shut them down on key 3rd downs all game. PHILADELPHIA 24   CHARLOTTE 16 The Stars remain unbeaten as they drop Charlotte to their 2nd loss of the season.  Matt Gutierrez went 23 of 28 and threw TDs to Johnson, Newhouse, and TE Daniel Fells to lead the Stars’ offense.  The defense contained Charlotte, though D. J. Hackett still had 113 yards on 9 receptions.  LB Kirk Morrison had a good day in the middle for Philly, racking up 10 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. HOUSTON 13   ATLANTA 27 The Fire score the final 17 points of the game to knock off visiting Houston and gain their 2nd win on the year.  Kyle Orton went 24 of 35 and avoided turnovers on his way to the victory.  The Charlotte D held Matt Hasselbeck to only 47.1% completions and nabbed a key pick in the 4th quarter to quell a Gambler comeback attempt. CHICAGO 20   LOS ANGELES 10 Despite 78  yards on only 15 carries from Reggie Bush, LA’s newfound offense fizzled against a relentless pressure scheme from the Chicago Machine.  The Express were held to only 189 yards passing against Chicago.  And while the Machine offense was hardly a thing of beauty, they did get TDs from HB Doug Martin and WR Michael Floyd, which was enough to propel them to the road victory and a 4-2 mark. BALTIMORE 12   NEW JERSEY 10 Bryan Hoyer struggled once again and an anemic Baltimore offense found just enough, thanks to the leg of Nick Folk, to upend the Generals and claim victory despite never reaching the endzone.  Neither team looked particularly capable on offense, but Big Ben’s 217 yards trumped Hoyer’s 160 and the Blitz earned victory number 2 on the season. DALLAS 7   TEXAS 41 The Roughnecks have now lost 4 in a row after their surprising 2-0 start, and this one got ugly pretty fast.  Texas racked up 470 yards of offense, with Joe Flacco throwing for 344 and Arian Foster adding 76 yards rushing with 2 TDs to boot.  Both Brandon Marshall (115) and Marques Colston (154) went over the century mark and we even saw Luke McCown come in late in mop up duty as Texas rolled to victory in this in-state rivalry game. JACKSONVILLE 10   PITTSBURGH 29 Andy Dalton threw for 233, but it was the Mauler defense that stole the show with 2 picks of Tim Tebow, including a Dunta Robinson pick-six that saw the DB execute a perfect stiff arm on his way to the endzone.  The Maulers held Jacksonville to only 223 total yards of offense and only 1 third down conversion all game as both teams left the game with 2-4 records. MICHIGAN 10   WASHINGTON 23 Joe Webb calms Federals fan fears about a post-Garrard collapse with a 20 of 29 passing day.  Webb was solid, but it was Deuce McCallister, as expected, who was the focal point of the Federal offense, carrying the ball a grinding 31 times for 120 yards.  Jahvid Best added 52 on 9 carries, including a 13-yard TD run as the Federals controlled the clock for over 39 minutes and just wore down the Panther defense. LAS VEGAS 10   SEATTLE 27 With Plummer and Houshmandzadeh sidelined, Las Vegas struggled to mount an offense.  Case Keenum completed only 13 of 30 passing for the Thunder, while Byron Leftwich went 13 of 21 and threw for 3 scores for Seattle.  Add in a combined 101 yards rushing between Cadillac Williams and Robert Turbin and you had enough for the Seattle faithful who came out to the stadium to go home happy. NEW ORLEANS 29   OAKLAND 13 The Invaders dropped their 2nd in a row as the visiting Breakers started off the scoring with an Early Doucet TD in the 1st and never looked back. Drew Brees threw for 2 scores and Matt Forte averaged 4.9 yards per carry as the Breakers had a strong offensive outing. PORTLAND 9   ARIZONA 20 Larry Fitzgerald joined the league leaders in receiving yards thanks to a 124 yards performance and thew Wrangler D made short work of the Stags on their way to a 6-0 start.  Portland could only muster 50 yards rushing against the Arizona D and only added 3 field goals to the scoreboard.  Not enough as a late Stevan Ridley TD run made it a 2-score game and the D held off the Stags from there. OHIO 27   ST. LOUIS 32 A really fun game in front of a really rambunctious Skyhawk crowd of over 57,000 as the homestanding ‘Hawks evened their record with a third straight win and pulled within 1 game of division-leading Ohio at the same time.  Both QB’s had good games with both Weinke and Josh Freeman throwing for 2 scores.  Eddie Lacy was the difference maker, with his 100 yards (4.5 per carry) and a key TD late in the 2nd quarter. Jake Delhomme Now 3rd QB on IR For the third time this season we open our weekly top stories with a starting QB being added to the IR with a season ending injury.  After Sam Bradford and David Garrard, it was Charlotte’s Jake Delhomme who went down this week. The 16-year vet and 37-year-old QB suffered the injury to his left knee on a partial scramble, but one that led him to be rolled up on by his own guard. Helped off the field, Delhomme would not return to the game.  The injury occurred late in the 4th, with Charlotte driving to try to get a go-ahead TD, trailing 21-16 at the time.  Brandon Wheedon came in for the next play, an 3rd and 8.  He would complete this pass, but it would go only for 7 yards and Charlotte would have to give the ball up to Philadelphia.  The Stars would add a field goal and run down the clock, giving Charlotte no chance to come back with Wheedon at the helm. After the game, Coach Mora announced that Jake Delhomme had been diagnosed with an ACL tear and that he would be placed on IR.  Wheedon would be the starter in Week 7 and for the foreseeable future.  Having traded Charlie Whitehurst to the Generals only a couple of weeks earlier, it would mean that untested Jeff Tuel went from the practice squad to the number 2 position perhaps more quickly than anyone hoped.  Charlotte is expected to sign a 3rd QB from the free agent pool, but all eyes will now turn to Brandon Wheedon, the 2nd year QB out of Mizzou who surprised everyone last year with a playoff run that saw him lead Charlotte past both Atlanta and Philadelphia and into the Summer Bowl.  Can Wheedon repeat that success with the Monarchs this year now that the team is all but handed to him and all eyes are on him to rise to the occasion? Olsen, Caldwell, Williams Also Out While we highlighted Delhomme’s injury as one of three big losses this season for three clubs, his was not the only IR placement in what was a pretty rough week around the league.  Orlando will be without one of its most consistent weapons as TE Greg Olsen is done for the year after x-rays revealed not just a strain, but a significant fracture in his tibia.   In Philadelphia, deep threat Reche-Caldwell was placed on IR after suffering a neck and shoulder injury that caused fractures both to his collarbone and one of his vertebrae.   Finally, in Houston, wideout Roy Williams opted to have surgery to remedy a dislocated rib, and the recovery, while possible in 8 weeks, was iffy enough that the Gamblers opted not to leave the Williams on the 53-man roster, but to rule him out for the year by placing him on the full IR list. Olsen will be replaced in Orlando by a combination of Dereck Schouman and Gary Barnidge.  Philadelphia moved WR Garrett Akins up from the practice squad, but Caldwell’s starting spot is expected to go to James Hardy, the Indiana product.  Finally, in Houston, Williams’s placement on IR brought quick action as the Gambler signed a 1-year contract with 29-year old Maurice Stovall, bringing the former Machine and Showboat receiver and return man to the Gamblers.  Expect the starting three wideouts to be Hilliard, Sims-Walker, and Jeremy Kerley (in the slot), with Bethel Johnson, Sam Hurd, and Stovall to fill in as needed. Panther D Should Have LeBeau Worried Last week we listed Dick LeBeau as one of the longstanding USFL coaches who could be in trouble this year.  We thought we would dive a bit deeper into Coach LeBeau’s case this week, and look at the primary issue Michigan is facing, its defense. Prior to the start of the season, most of the question marks for the Panthers were on offense.  How would Kirk Cousins develop in his first year as a starter?  Would MSU rookie LeVeon Bell be the answer for Michigan’s recent anemia in their run game?  But six weeks in we have turned our attention from the offense to the defense.  The offense has actually fared pretty well, ranked 8th in passing, with Cousins closing in on 1,500 yards already, but the defense has been a disaster. The Panthers rank dead last in points allowed, giving up an unhealthy 27.7 points per game, on average more than 10 points more than they score each week.  They are also 2nd to last in run defense, giving up over 128 yards per game.  Their last few games have been a good indication of the issue.  Three weeks ago against Chicago they gave up 115 to Doug Martin, and this week, knowing that Washington would emphasize the run with David Garrard sidelined, the Panthers gave up 120 yards to Deuce McCallister and a total of 195 total rush yards to the Feds. So, what is the issue with the Panther defense?  A lot of people are pointing fingers at the LB group, which has lost some key members over the past two seasons.  Michigan now has an inexperienced MLB in Sean Porter, after Andy Katzenmoyer’s departure.  Odell Thurman has seen his numbers slip each of the past two years, which leaves DeMarcus Ware as the one man that offensive coordinators have to plan for.  But, perhaps more troubling is the ineffectiveness of the D-line to take on blockers and keep backs from getting to the second level. The Michigan D-line of D’Aundre Reed, Kevin Vickerson, Jerel Worthy, and Michael Bennett is just not winning at the line of scrimmage, and far too often backs are getting 3-4 yards before contact, which is definitely not how you stop the run. Add to this the fact that only Michael Bennett, with 2 sacks this season, has more than 1 to his name.  the line is just not winning up front, and that means that running backs are getting yardage before contact and that quarterbacks have the time they need to pick apart the Panther secondary.  The Panthers have talent back there, particularly with CBs Dre Kirkpatrick and Deltha  O’Neal, but when you give QB’s time and a comfortable pocket, no DBs are going to be able to find success. Is there a quick fix to this situation?  Not really.  The Panthers could try to shift their strategy, bring the safeties forward, but then they could be vulnerable to the deep ball.  They could try to trade to boost the D-line, but few teams are going to be in a situation to give up an impact player along the D-line to the Panthers, so it would likely be a costly move.  The news just does not look good for LeBeau, who likely will not survive a 10-loss season in Michigan and is already half-way there with 10 games left to play. What is Wrong in Baltimore? This is another tough situation as Baltimore currently sits dead last in scoring with only 13.7 points per game.  Yes, we all picked the Blitz to fall off and finish behind the Feds, Generals, and Stars, but their 2-4 start has been marred by 3 games where they have scored 10 or fewer points, and they have only scored more than 20 points one time, a 26-23 loss to the Skyhawks. We knew going into the season that Tory Holt’s retirement was not adequately dealt with.  A receiving group of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Donte Do, and Brian Hartline is just not a group that will instill fear in defensive coordinators.  The results have born this out.  DHB has 31 receptions for 367 yards, but the next highest wideout is Donte Do with only 13 catches in 6 games.  Ben Roethlisberger has been dumping the ball down to Antonio Gates and Jacob Tamme.  Those dump downs have not been producing first downs and drives have been stalling. Big Ben’s numbers are way down, with the former All-USFL QB connecting on only 54.6% of his throws, which is fine if the team is going vertical, but that is with Ben dropping the ball off short far too often.  His 1,033 yards is the lowest number after 6 games in his entire career, and his 3 TDs in 6 games is just not what we expect from a player of his caliber. The run game is a bit of a brighter picture, though Ron Dayne is averaging only 3.8 yards per carry, it is enough for him to have over 400 yards in 6 games.  The fact that he has yet to score a TD this season is a sign of how rare a red zone appearance is for the Blitz. So, what is the solution?  Unlike in Michigan, this issue seems to have a possible solution.  Baltimore has both cap room and collateral on its roster.  They should be actively seeking to trade for a true number one receiver.  That won’t be a cheap trade, but there are teams with older receivers who might be open to the idea if they see promise in some of their younger players. Here, just as a hint to Coach Caldwell, are 4 players we think they might want to target. Greg Jennings (OAK): The Invaders are infatuated with rookie Keenan Allen, who leads the team in receptions and yards after 6 weeks, so they may be open to trading the veteran starter and having Allen take over, with Pierre Garçon move to the number 2 position. Taylor Jacobs (STL): This may be a tougher sell because Jacobs is something of an institution in St. Louis, having been the lone bright spot during several lean years, but with Jordi and Dave Nelson both coming on and with Sinorice Moss solidly holding the slot role, Jacobs could be a possible option if St. Louis is looking to make changes.   The problem may be that they are not looking to change anything after winning 3 in a row. Michael Crabtree (NJ):  This may be a bit of a stretch. Crabtree has a lot of talent but has never been a true number one.  The fact that he plays for a division rival also makes this less of a likely move for either club.  That said, with Doug Baldwin, Miles Austin and Muhammad Sanu all looking solid right now, we could see New Jersey letting Crabtree go for the right price, but would they let him go to a division foe?  That seems unlikely. D. J. Hackett or Derrick Mason (CHA): We could see the Monarchs being open to trading either of their two starters.  Why?  Well, they are now looking at Brandon Wheedon at QB for the remainder of the season and BW has more rapport with backups Hakeem Nicks and Mark Clayton than with either starter.  Not that the Monarchs want to give up talent, but if trading one of the two starters means that they can acquire something they need, and in the mix they promote one of Wheedon’s favorite targets to the starting role.  Well, that could work for them. You saw the stories above about new IR listings, so you know this was not a good week around the league.  The leaguewide injury list will just confirm this fact: OUT TE           Greg Olsen                        ORL       Leg             IR CB          Marquand Manuel         POR      Biceps                 IR QB         Jake Delhomme              CAR       ACL                       IR FS           Dennis Linkous                TEX        Neck                     IR WR         Reche Caldwell               PHI        Shoulder             IR OG         Dan Santucci                   MEM     PCL                       IR WR         Roy Williams                    HOU     Ribs                       IR CB          Darius Slay                        ATL         Biceps                 4-6 Weeks OT          Lamar Holmes                BAL        Back                     4-6 Weeks QB         Ingle Martin                       LV           Back                     2-4 Weeks DE          Aaron Kampman             NJ           Neck                     2-4 Weeks OT          Luke Petigout                   JAX         Ankle                    1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL FS           Antuan Edwards             STL         Jaw FS           Darnell Bing                      POR      Hip WR         Jerricho Cotchery           JAX         Thigh WR         Vincent  Jackson             TBY        Finger QUESTIONABLE TE           Luke Stocker                     TBY        Toe FS           Quinton Carter                NJ           Knee WR         Antwan Randle-El          POR      Hand LB           Chris Claiborne               DAL       Foot USFL Announces Semi-Finalists for Hall of Fame Class of 2013 While it is hard to say that any Hall of Fame class lacks star power, there is a bit of an “inside feel” to the list that the USFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame released this year.  Yes, there are two QB’s on the list, one in his first year of eligibility, but this is a semifinalist class that is heavy on linemen and defenders, without a single wideout or halfback in the mix.  That is not to say that this is not a very accomplished and talented group, just that the star power may be a bit more for the diehards than for the casual fan. As always, the Hall released 10 names, including 6 who are first-time nominees in 2013 and 4 who are returning candidates.  From this group the voters will select up to 5 enshrinees, with those 5 joined by a sixth candidate who retired at least 10 years ago and who was overlooked in earlier votes. This Legacy enshrine will join the new nominees for enshrinement in October’s ceremony in Canton, Ohio.  And so, without further delay, here are the 10 players selected as semi-finalists for 2013, listed in alphabetical order: Willie Anderson, OT (SEA 96-05, ATL 06-08) A first-time nominee, Anderson is one of two tackles from the same Seattle squad to make the semifinalist list.  If selected for the Hall, Anderson would be the first OT to primarily play on the right side of the line to join the hall.  All prior enshrinees (H. Ballard, B. Armstrong, E. Yates, and R. Webb) were all primarily left tackles.  Of course it also means that Anderson is in direct competition with his own LT teammate, a tough call for the HOF voters. Aaron Beasley, CB (OAK 96-05, ATL 06-07) Beasley returns to the semifinalist list for a 2nd season.  The former Oakland DB retired in 2008 with 2 All-USFL placements, 20 career picks, including 5 career pick-six touchdowns, and 51 career tackles.  Is this the year for the former Invader, or will he suffer in comparison to the two first-timer CB’s also in the pool? Lomas Brown, OT (SEA 96-08) The big left tackle who made 4 All-USFL teams and started 168 of 172 games in the league may well be a lock for a first-ballot nomination, which does not bode well for his teammate, Willie Anderson.  Brown was widely considered among the best in the league during his playing days, just ask Byron Leftwich how vital Brown’s protection was, or ask Corey Dillon about Brown’s blocking.  By the way, how is Dillon not in the Hall? Mark Brunell, QB (DEN 95-05) Returning for a 4th try at the Hall, Brunell has the advantage this year of being in a high profile position with few others to compete against.  There may also be a groundswell to recognize a QB who may have only played 10 years in the league but whose teama were consistently in contention, including the 2000 squad that won the league title and the 3-year run of Summer Bowl appearances by the Brunell-led Denver Gold from 1999-2001. Terrell Buckley, CB (JAX 92-07, NSH 08) The first-time nominee retired in 2009 with 1,038 tackles, 32 picks, 22 forced fumbles, and 6 defensive touchdowns.  All numbers which would put him ahead of Beasley in most categories, though certainly playing on some pretty rough Bulls teams may not help his case.  As an individual talent, it is hard to knock Buckley’s output, but his teams were not particularly strong, so he does not get the playoff bump of some other players. John Copeland, DE (BIR 93-97, SEA 98, OHI 99-01, TBY 02-06) In his third year of eligibility, Copeland suffers the stigma we often see with players who moved around a lot.  The premise is that a true Hall of Famer would have been too highly valued to have been shopped around or allowed to join free agency.  And yet, when you look at the numbers, they are there, 102 sacks, including 5 seasons over 10, but that movement from team to team still seems to be an issue for Copeland. Jeff George, QB (ATL 98, CHI 99-06, TEX 07, LV 08) While he certainly has his fans, the issue with George is that the reality never seemed to match the hype from when he came out of Illinois as a rookie.  The arm was certainly there, but the success was tough to find.  He made All-USFL only once, never won a title, and was not even a starter for several years towards the end.  Yes, he has over 27,000 yards passing, but the general sense was that he was all arm and no head.  Honestly, the comparison between Brunell and George may actually help Mark Brunell make the Hall this year. Randall Godfrey, LB (ATL/BOS 96-03, HOU 04-07) The second year nominee has the stats: 928 tackles, 159 for a loss, 42 sacks, 6 picks, and 15 forced fumbles.  He was All-USFL 3 times, despite playing on few winning teams.  And that, right there is the issue.  The HOF tends to be filled with players who helped their teams win titles, but what about the players who excelled on teams that did not?  That is the question being asked about Godfrey and many others. Tyrone Poole, CB (ATL/BOS 95-08) Our favorite to make the hall from the 3 nominees this year.  Poole also played on some pretty bad teams in Atlanta, but stuck around long enough with the team in Boston to see success.  His numbers also jump off the page.  190 starts, 957 tackles, 37 picks, and 9, yes, 9 defensive touchdowns.  Poole holds team records for the franchise (now in Dallas) in Tackles, Interceptions, Int. Return Yards, and Defensive TDs. Basically, he is the defensive MVP of the franchise, so how do you pass him up? Regan Upshaw, DE (PHI 96-08) A 2x All-USFL end, the 1996 Defensive Rookie of the Year, and the all-time sack leader for the Stars with 182 in his career.  Upshaw was a big reason the Stars have always been known as a defense you don’t mess with.  He started 191 of his 193 career games, and helped the Stars qualify for the playoffs 8 times during his tenure, including a Summer Bowl in 2000.  We expect Upshaw to be the most likely of all the candidates to enter as a first-time nominee. Nashville Ownership Considering Move With the announcement that the Las Vegas Thunder were under league ownership and that a search for new owners would commence immediately, we anticipated that several current USFL owners might jump at the chance to shift their assets to the Las Vegas option.  After all, with a new stadium already under construction and subsidized by the league, the possibility exists to have a franchise in a fast-growing and high-income market and with a stadium deal likely to be one of the best in pro sports.  That is a rare and valued opportunity, and we should expect that several owners whose current situations are less than ideal might show interest. Leaks out of Nashville, reported in Wednesday’s “The Tennessean” newspaper, indicate that the ownership of the Nashville Knights have already put together a team to build a proposal that they should be allowed to transfer ownership to Las Vegas and sell off the Nashville franchise.  Cal Turner Jr., principal investor in the Nashville Knights and CEO of the Knight franchise is specifically named as someone very much interested in making the move.  We reported last season on the issues surrounding the Knights and Adelphia Stadium, issues which have not found resolution despite over a year of negotiations between the club, the stadium and the NFL Copperheads.  In addition to the issue of stadium revenue, the Knights have been struggling to fill Adelphia Stadium.  After a string of strong seasons in the city, the club had suffered some weak years from 2006-2008 and in the past 2 years have barely hit .500 with 8-8 records in both 2011 and 2012.  During this period attendance has dipped, and many within the organization are concerned that even the arrival of Peyton Manning, with its initial boost, will not provide long term solutions for the attendance issues.  Sitting at 1-5 this season has certainly not helped the situation either. Nashville was initially viewed as a potential suitor for the Las Vegas franchise, and one the league might not balk at since it is essentially a swap of mid-sized to mid-sized market.  That may suit the league well, but certainly the fans of the Knights will not be happy to hear that their ownership is interested in jumping ship and taking a shot at the potentially lucrative Las Vegas option.  And while Nashville’s apparent interest is clear, they are very unlikely to be the only bidder on the Las Vegas franchise.  They may  not even be the only bid from within the USFL as other owners may also be eying the potential for the market and the stadium and hoping to throw their hat in the ring as well. Memphis Cutting Ticket Prices in Desperation Move Despite a very good crowd at the Liberty Bowl for their rivalry game against Birmingham, there are concerns in Memphis that yet another slow start and the prospect of yet another 4th place finish are beginning to chip away at the team’s usually stout fan support.  Rumors are that sales for the next two home matchups, against Pittsgburgh in Week 7 and then Oakland in Week 10 are so anemic that the Showboats are considering offering a series of deals to entice Memphians to show up. This is not a strategy we have seen from the Showboats in a long time, as they often are within the top 8 USFL clubs in attendance regardless of their playoff position, but this year, while season tickets have sold at their usual rate, the team did dip considerably into their wait list to fill that quota.  And now, single game sales are clearly the issue.  It was reported this week that the Oakland game, for example, had over 35,000 unsold seats still available.  The story went on to say that the club is considering adding discounts for first responders, teachers, and HS football teams to their usual veteran discounted seats, hoping to drum up greater fan support for a club that is currently sitting at 1-5 and not feeling like a team that will compete for the division this year. Week Seven looks like a good one for clashes in the middle of the standings.  It starts on Friday Night with a Pacific Division clash as 3-3 LA takes on 4-2 Las Vegas in a game that could determine how close a race the division is.  Expect Jake Plummer back in action for this one as the Thunder host LA. On Saturday we have a battle of two first place clubs as Charlotte visits Birmingham.  We also have Ohio, coming off a tough divisional loss, headed to 3-3 New Jersey, where the QB situation is anything but settled.  Philadelphia is in New Orleans hoping to move to 7-0, while the evening games have Washington in their rivalry game at Baltimore and the Wranglers hoping to stay unbeaten as they head to Denver to face the 3-3 Gold. On Sunday, we kick it off with Texas visiting Jacksonville or a SE Division clash between 2-4 clubs trying to get in the hunt as Tampa Bay visits Atlanta.  At 4pm Seattle visits Oakland with both clubs now sitting at 3-3 and hoping to take a step towards division-leading Las Vegas.  The nightcap is an intriguing Central Division clash as St. Louis seeks a 4th straight victory but have to deal with the 4-2 Chicago Machine and their pressure defense. Friday @ 8pm             Los Angeles (3-3) @ Las Vegas (4-2)                   NBC Saturday @ 12pm           Charlotte (4-2) @ Birmingham (5-1)                   ABC Saturday @ 12pm           Ohio (4-2) @ New Jersey (3-3)                                FOX Saturday @ 4pm            Philadelphia (6-0) @ New Orleans (3-3)            ABC Saturday @ 4pm            Orlando (2-4) @ Houston (3-3)                               FOX Saturday @ 7pm            Washington (5-1) @ Baltimore (2-4)                    NBC Saturday @ 9pm              Arizona (6-0) @ Denver (3-3)                                  ESPN/EFN Sunday @ 12pm              Texas (4-2) @ Jacksonville (2-4)                               ABC Sunday @ 12pm              Pittsburgh (2-4) @ Memphis (1-5)                           ABC Sunday @ 12pm            Tampa Bay (2-4) @ Atlanta (2-4)                            FOX Sunday @ 4pm               Seattle (3-3) @ Oakland (3-3)                                 ABC Sunday @ 4pm                Portland (1-5) @ Nashville (1-5)                              FOX Sunday @ 4pm                 Dallas (2-4) @ Michigan (1-5)                                   FOX Sunday @ 8pm               Chicago (4-2) @ St. Louis (3-3)                               ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cam Newton's spectacular 2013 season continued in Week 6 with a big win over rival Memphis and another multiple TD game, this time paired with nearly 400 yards passing as the Stallion run game continues to be invisible and Newton continues to find ways to will the Stallions to victory.

And then there were two.  Philadelphia knocked off Birmingham in a battle of unbeatens while Arizona took care of Texas in another highly-anticipated matchup, leaving the two as a pair of unanticipated unbeatens after 5 weeks of USFL action.  The Wranglers now enjoy a 2-game lead in the SW Division, while Philadelphia remains a game up on the Feds in the Northeast. Meanwhile, the Pacific got more interesting thanks to our game of the week, a come-from-behind win by the underappreciated LA Express club.  In a week that saw all 14 home teams earn victories, we also saw Charlotte again assert their dominance in the Southeast and Ohio take a commanding lead over their division with a big win against Michigan to move to 4-1.  The season is taking shape, and it is a shape that has some fanbases very excited about the success their teams have seen so far, while others, like those of 1-4 Atlanta, Baltimore, Nashville, and Tampa Bay are feeling quite differently.  We will get right to it with our coverage of the GOTW as LA knocks off Oakland and sends a message that they are in the hunt this year. OAKLAND INVADERS 20   LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 23 In what has to be considered a statement game, the LA Express won their third in a row, knocked off their top rival, and declared that the Pacific Division would be a 3-team race, not the 2-team competition many had pictured.  In other words, they sent a broadside shot across the division.  They did this with another solid defensive performance, shutting Joey Harrington and the Invaders out for the entire second half, and with a strong performance from Keyshawn Johnson, long the most ardent of supporters of Mark Sanchez. Oakland came in holding a share of first place with the 3-1 Las Vegas Thunder.  LA was at home after knocking off Portland on the road last week to even their record at 2-2.  It had been an impressive win, but even after scoring 41 against the Stags, the Las Vegas books still had the visiting Invaders as 5-point favorites, a spread that seems to have insulted quite a few Express players.  They came out fired up and ready to make a point and by the final whistle that point had been delivered loud and clear. The first quarter saw both defenses winning the day.  The two opposing offenses each managed a field goal, but it was clearly a field position game early on.  That started to change in the 2nd quarter.  After a 2nd LA field goal from Damon Duvall, Oakland had its best drive of the half, working their way down the field over 12 plays, including a conversion on a key 3rd down when Harrington hit TE Joel Dreesen on a 9-yard in route on 3rd and 8.  The drive would end with Joey Harrington hitting one of his favorite new targets, rookie WR Keenan Allen, on a fade route from the 12.  Allen had to wrestle the ball away from LA defender Marcus Truffant, but in the end the rookie came down with it and with the first touchdown of the game. The score turned a 6-3 LA lead into a 13-6 Oakland advantage, but it would not hold. LA put together their own drive, relying heavily on the dual threat of newly acquired HB Reggie Bush.  Bush caught what appeared to be a 33-yard screen, but had it called back for a hold, but he did carry the ball 3 times for 20 yards, including the scoring play, a dive over the pile from the 1-yard line.  LA was back on top 13-10 with just 3:49 left to play, but Oakland was about to complete the longest pass of the game and take it right back. The play came on 2nd and 6 on Oakland’s next possession.  LA set up in man coverage, and while they had Keenan Allen and Greg Jennings well-covered, that left Pierre Garçon in single coverage with a safety, and that is a speed mismatch.  Garçon got a step on the safety and Harrington hit him in stride. The rest was a footrace ending in a 72-yard strike that silenced the LA crowd. The stunned Express went 3-and-out on their next possession, leaving Oakland nearly 1:30 to add to their lead. They would do so with a field goal in the final seconds, heading into the locker room feeling pretty good about their 20-13 lead.  They had their 5-point spread, they had made the biggest play of the half, and they would get the ball first in the second half.  But, what they did not count on was the LA defense adjusting to the Invader passing game and forcing Oakland to try to run the ball to move it. That was the strategy coming out of the half.  LA shifted to a nickel-dominant formation, daring Oakland to run the ball against 7 and 8-man coverages.  Oakland did oblige, a big reason that Ryan Williams finished the game with 102 yards, but the result was 5 straight drives that ended before crossing the LA 45.  The Express struggled as well in the third quarter, suffering a pick on one drive, a tipped ball that fell to Oakland safety Sean Jones.  They entered the 4th still trailing by 7. In the 4th, the break for LA came when LB Clay Matthews both stripped the ball from Ryan Williams’ hands and then fell on it, giving LA the ball at the Oakland 33.  It would only take 5 plays for LA to get on the board, though it was only a short field goal to pull within 4 at 20-16. While the lack of a TD was disappointing, the strip-fumble was still a crowd-pleaser and the LA defense seemed inspired for the remainder of the game.  They shut Oakland down on both of their 4th quarter possessions, nearly picking off Harrington on a 50-50 ball that ended up hittin the turf, and stuffing Benjarvis Green-Ellis on a key 3rd and 2, forcing Oakland to punt the ball away. But LA was still trailing with 1:47 left to play when they got the ball. They would need a TD to take the game.  Mark Sanchez would need to distribute the ball against a blanket zone, and make good use of the two remaining timeouts the Express had at their disposal.  The much-maligned QB did just that.  He hit 5 different receivers on the final drive of the game. First connecting with TE L. J. Smith, before finding young WR Jerrel Jerrigan for a 7-yard slant on 2nd and 2.  He would connect with Brandon Lloyd for 8, then rookie Robert Woods for a very nice 14-yard gain.  The ball was at the Oakland 28, but time was running short.  That is when Sanchez went to his top target, using a flood route form trip to force the defenders to split their zone.  That allowed Keyshawn to be matched against the safety, and when he took off for the corner of the endzone, the safety was out of position.  Sanchez pumped once but then let the ball go towards the endzone.  Johnson came down with it and the LA crowd erupted as Keyshawn paraded around the endzone triumphantly. LA had knocked off the Invaders, moved their record to 3-2, and sent notice to the league and, in particular, to their division rivals, that the Express were going to be a factor in this year’s race for the division title. ATLANTA 13   JACKSONVILLE 18 It was an ugly offensive game from both clubs in ALLTEL Stadium, one in which Jacksonville failed to score a touchdown in the game but still emerged victorious. Both Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow struggled as both teams dealt with offensive penalties and missed opportunities.  The lone TD in the game came with 6 seconds left to pull Atlanta within 5, but with no time for a last ditch comeback effort. MEMPHIS 10   WASHINGTON 23 A costly win for the Federals as a collision on a scramble left David Garrard unconscious on the field.  He would be taken to a local hospital in a back brace.  While no spinal injury was discovered, the head to knee collision did produce a skull fracture and swelling on the brain which had to be relieved at the hospital.  Garrard is expected to make a full recovery, but will be unable to return this season.  Joe Webb finished out the game at QB for the Federals, throwing 2 TD passes and completing 20 of 26 passes to get the W for the home team. BIRMINGHAM 7   PHILADELPHIA 12 The battle of unbeatens was played in off and on rain and high winds,  with both offenses being disrupted by the weather and the defenses.  Neither team was able to do much on the ground, with Steve Slaton rushing for a grand total of 9 yards while Joseph Addai did little better, rushing for only 17 on the day.   In a game that saw 14 punts between the two teams, Philadelphia got 4 field goals form Mike Nugent to pull out the win. SEATTLE 3   NEW ORLEANS 26 Drew Brees threw for 249 and 2 scores, but it was the much maligned New Orleans defense that stepped up in this one, sacking Byron Leftwich 4 times and producing 2 turnovers.  WR Early Doucet was the focus of the offense for New Orleans, catching both of Brees’s scoring throws and finishing the game with 115 yards on 5 receptions. TAMPA BAY 17   HOUSTON 38 The Gamblers got 4 TDs in 16 completions from Matt Hasselbeck as once again the Tampa defense seemed out of synch.  Ike Hiliard finished as the game’s only 100-yard receiver, also nabbing 2 of the 4 Hasselbeck scoring throws.  The other two went to Roy Wiliams and HB Herbert Perron.  With Michael Turner still sidelined, Cedrick Cobbs again ran for 100 yards in relief, earning 103 on 26 carries. MICHIGAN 7   OHIO 42 A dominant win against division rival Michigan for the Glory as they scored on their first 6 drives, producing a 30-0 lead.  Kirk Cousins was picked off twice by the Glory DBs, while Javon Walker ran wild over the middle of the field, catching 5 passes for 86 yards and both Chris Weinke TDs as the Glory absolutely lambasted the Panthers to move to 4-1. NASHVILLE 17   NEW JERSEY 24 Bryan Hoyer may have bought himself some good will in New Jersey with a solid 19 of 35, 201-yard, 2 TD outing against the Knights.  Combined with a defense that bent but rarely broke against the Knights, New Jersey was able to eke out the win and remain over .500 at 3-2. Peyton Manning threw the ball 44 times, completing 31, but every time Nashville got close in the game, it seemed the NJ defense had an answer. ORLANDO 13   CHARLOTTE 20 A back and forth game between these two SE Division rivals, but in the end Charlotte built up a 20-10 lead thanks to a Shonn Greene TD run and a Brandon Coutu fieldgoal in the 4th.  Knowshon Moreno had 105 yards rushing, but the Monarchs, using three backs, had 118 yards combined, with Fred Jackson leading the way.  Charlotte Moves to 4-1 and takes a 2-game lead on the division. PORTLAND 10   LAS VEGAS 13 With Jake Plummer and both Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh unable to play, the Thunder struggled to put points up.  Thankfully Marshawn Lynch was there to run the ball for 130 yars and the only TD for the Thunder.  Offense was hard to come by for Portland as well, with Matt McGloin under center, the Stags mustered only 253 total yards of offense, nearly all of it in the second half after they had fallen behind 13-0. PITTSBURGH 6   CHICAGO 13 Another ugly offensive game, and this one in perfect weather in Chicago.  Neither team had more than 230 total yards, and Pittsburgh committed 3 turnovers, all Andy Dalton picks, as the starter returned to action but looked very rusty after 3 weeks recovering from injury.  Doug Martin rushed for 90 yards and the lone TD in the game as Chicago, almost reluctantly, improved to 3-2. DALLAS 14   DENVER 24 The Gold improve to 2-3 and Dallas drops their third in a row as they fall flat at Mile High.  Peerless Price and D. J. Williams each caught touchdowns and LeMichael James added a third as the Gold outlasted the Roughnecks on a windy but clear afternoon in Denver. BALTIMORE 23   ST. LOUIS 26 Baltimore’s woes continue as John David Booty gets a 2nd win, again thanks to the run game, with Eddie Lacy racing to 104 yards and a score.  The defense also contributed, sacking Ben Roethlisberger 4 times and limiting Ron Dayne to 68 yards on the day.  It was close throughout, but in the 4th, Booty connected with FB Jerome Felton for a short scoring toss and that gave St. Louis a lead it would not later relinquish. TEXAS 18   ARIZONA 21 In this battle of offense v. defense, this time the defenders kept the edge.  The Wranglers sacked Joe Flacco 7 times, but still watched him complete 21 of 32 for 294 and 2 scores.  David Carr played a great game in a limited role as the Wranglers handed off to Frank Gore 23 times for 128  yards. Carr threw only 15 passes, completing only 7, but three of those were for scores, thanks in part to Larry Fitzgerald’s after-catch gains.  The Wranglers now take a 2 game lead over Texas in the division and remain unbeaten at 5-0. Garrard Placed on IR After Skull Fracture A win this week for the Federals, but just like we saw earlier this season in New Jersey, they may have won the battle, but lost the war as a scary injury to QB David Garrard now throws Washington’s season into disarray.  It happened on what appeared to be a routine play, but when Garrard tried to throw a low block after a Jahvid Best cutback, he took a huge blow to the back of the head.  Laying motionless on the ground, there was fear of a spine injury. The trainers took the facemask off of Garrard’s helmet and put him on a backboard.  He was conscious but in obvious distress as they carted him off the field. Fans would not know Garrard’s situation as Joe Webb helped pull the game against Memphis out for the homestanding Federals, but later that night it was reported that there was no spinal injury, but instead, Garrard had suffered not only a concussion but a fracture to his skull which had produced swelling in the brain cavity.  The cavity needed to be drained, and Garrard is likely to spend at least 4-5 days in the hospital as doctors work to ensure that additional swelling does not happen.  According to the physicians at GWU Hospital stated that they believe that Garrard is stable and not at risk of life-threatening developments, but that the skull has a chip in it which may require surgical correction. The Federals have already put Garrard on IR, recognizing that his recovery will require months, not weeks.  They will go with Joe Webb at QB for the foreseeable future, with Cleo Lemon as the number 2.  Expect them to sign a free agent to the practice squad as their emergency, but both Webb and Lemon are longstanding members of the club and have the confidence of Coach Payton. Hines Ward Ruptures Hamstring News was also not good for one of the league’s leading receivers as Hines Ward’s hamstring injury is not a strain, but a tear.  The Panther receiver is expected to miss at least 6 weeks, though a longer absence is possible. That is not good news for a 1-4 Panther team that was hoping to develop 2nd year QB Kirk Cousins over the season. Thanks in large part to Ward’s stable presence and ability to make space in zone defenses, Cousins was starting off well, 2nd to only Drew Brees in passing yards after 5 weeks. The Panthers are expected to go with Mario Manningham as their new number 1 target, with Keary Colbert in the slot and either Kevin Kasper or B. J. Cunningham on the opposite side. That is a significant downgrade from Ward as the primary target. If Michigan were 2-3 or 3-2, we might expect them to make a deal to bring in another receiver, but that seems unlikely for the 1-4 club currently sitting in last place in the division. Ohio Wins 4th in a Row in Impressive Fashion We stay in the Central Division to celebrate the rapid rise of the Ohio Glory.  With Chris Weinke taking over at QB and with an offense that is beginning to find itself, Ohio moved to 4-1 with an impressive 42-7 destruction of the Panthers this week. It was a game that saw Ohio dominate in every phase of the game, from Weinke’s 22 of 27 passing game to the defenses 5 sacks and 2 picks of Kirk Cousins. Ohio was picked by many to finish last in the Central for a 4th straight year, but after 3 consecutive 10-loss seasons, the Glory are sitting pretty at 4-1.  Sure, this is not the star-studded, high flying offense of the Collins-George-Galloway years, but this is a solid club, one who are able to play complementary football in all three phases.  Chris Weinke is third in passing yards, tied for 1st in the league with 11 TD passes, and has an outstanding 98.9 QB Rating, all numbers no one expected from the former backup who seems to have found his groove. HB Isaiah Pead is also making a good impression with 379 yards in 5 games, while WR Steve Smith is the talk of Columbus with 468 yards and a league-leading 49 receptions, on pace for a whopping 150 for the year. On defense, the stars for Ohio are across the roster.  Chauncey Davis has 5 sacks, while DT Tommy Harris already has 3 this year. CB Chimdi Chekwa leads the team with 30 tackles, but LB Philip Wheeler is right there with 22, followed closing by the other 2 starters, Tommy Polley and James Laurinitis.  The kick and punt team is also doing well, with both Ashton Youboty and Justin Forsett putting up solid numbers while the coverage team is holding teams to one of the worst return averages in the league. Big Weekend for Defensive Football We talked a bit about the Ohio defense, but this week it was all about defense all across the league.  Whether it was Aldon Smith’s big game for St. Louis (highlighted by a sack-fumble-recovery), Tommy Polley’s pick-six for the Glory, Olivier Vernon’s safety, or Baltimore’s Jason Taylor getting a rare tip-catch-return for a pick-six while blitzing.  It was a good week for the defenders.  We should also mention Arizona’s Adam Carriker, who added two sacks in their big win over Texas, or Denver’s 2-interception game from free safety Dashon Goldson.  It was just a good week for the defenders, a reality evident by the fact that of the league’s 28 clubs, 18 were held to 20 points or less, including a 13-6 defensive slugfest between Chicago and Pittsburgh and a 12-7 war of attrition between the unbeaten Stars and Stallions.  Some weeks it is glitzy scoring plays that make the highlights, this week it was big hits and huge stops to help teams pull out games. Another bad week, as once again we lose a top quality starting QB and an All-USFL skill player.  But beyond Garrard and Ward, already covered above, there were more big hits for USFL rosters as the season is proving to be a tough one for the training crews.  Here is the full injury report for the week (new additions): OUT CB Marquand Manuel          SEA        Biceps                 IR QB David Garrard                   WSH     Skull                      IR OG Dan Santucci                     MEM     PCL                       IR WR Hines Ward                        MGN     Hamstring         6-8 Wks CB Marlin Jackson             CHI        ACL                       4-6 Wks CB Brandon Flowers              ARZ       MCL                      4-6 Wks OT Marco Colombo               DAL       ACL                       1-2 Wks FS Antuan Edwards                 LA          Wrist                     1-2 Wks DOUBTFUL WR Demaryius Thomas         ATL         Toe DE Antonio Smith                   MEM     Hip CB Philip Buchanon                 TBY        Concussion QUESTIONABLE WR Darnerien McCants          WSH     Miniscus CB Dee Milliner                       ORL       Knee LB Chris Claiborne                 DAL       Foot DT Kevin Vickerson                 MGN     Finger DT Marcell Dareus                  OHI       Pinched Nerve C Stefan Wisniewski               DEN      Foot Ohio’s Incognito in Hot Water Over Racial Slurs Overheard on Field It was a good week in many ways for the Ohio Glory, but they did not escape the week without at least one negative story.  During the game, broadcast audio caught Ohio center Richie Incognito’s banter with the defenders, and the language the microphone picked up was not at all appreciated.  In addition to the usual expletives and taunting, the broadcast microphones picked up Incognito using both homophobic and racial slurs during the game as he lined up opposite Michigan’s Kevin Vickerson and Jerel Worthy.  In addition to terms such as “pansy”, and both the anti-gay “f” slur, the mikes picked up Incognito using the “n-word” on multiple occasions. NBC shared their audio with league officials after a request from the NY offices.  New York then communicated with the Ohio Glory and apparently a joint investigation is underway.  No sanctions have been issued yet, but this is certainly a nasty distraction for the team and a troubling issue for the league, which has generally had a strong record of player behavior and race relations.  It would not be surprising to see either the league or the Glory suspend Incognito, though we also expect the player to make a statement ahead of this week’s game.  If that will be enough to dispel the issue, we don’ t know, but the pressure is definitely on both Ohio and the USFL to make a statement and that could certainly lead to more significant sanctions. Three Veteran Coaches Who Could Be In Trouble As we complete 5 weeks, the question of coaching and of coaches on the hotseat certainly has begun to be a conversation both in the press and with fans.  What might make this year a bit unique is that the names being tossed around are all coaches who have pretty significant tenures with their clubs. Among those rumored to be in trouble are Denver’s Dick Jauron, Michigan’s Dick LeBeau, and Nashville’s Jim Johnson. It may seem hard to believe that Jauron, who is in his 16th season with the club and whose tenure includes a 3-year run of Summer Bowls (1999-2001, with a title in 2000) is on the hot seat, but that great stretch was over 10  years ago, and the Gold have been hovering around .500 seemingly every year since then. Could this be a case of diminishing returns for Jauron and the Gold? Dick LeBeau is another coach in unexpected danger.  The Coach of the 2008 league champion Panthers is in his 10th season but has failed to make the playoffs in 2 of the past 3 years.  Dropping to 6-10 last year, and off to a 1-4 start this year is not a good look for LeBeau, and the injury to Hines Ward is certainly not going to help.  Now, if Kirk Cousins continues to look good this year, and if LeVeon Bell can provide a boost to the Panther run game, we could see Michigan having a strong 2nd half, which could be enough for LeBeau to get another year, but if 1-4 turns into 2-8 and then 4-12, well, that could be a real problem for the veteran defensive coach. Finally, there is Jim Johnson, who has been in charge with the Knights since before they relocated from St. Louis.  Coming to the Knights in 1996, Johnson has had an incredible 19-year run, particularly for a club that has never won a title.  He has taken the Knights to the playoffs 12 times in 19 years, which is a pretty amazing record.  A win-loss record of 182-159 would be the envy of many coaches, but again, high expectations can lead to a pretty high floor for potential release.  The Knights were 8-8 each of the past 2 years, and Johnson’s playoff record of 5-12 has long been a topic of debate among Knight fans.  Could a 1-4 start in Nashville this year, particularly after they brought in a bona fide super star from the NFL in Peyton Manning, turn into a very shaky situation for Johnson?  Seems hard to believe, but we have seen stranger things, especially when there is a sense that the defensive-minded coach has simply not paid enough attention to an offense that has major issues. Oakland Reveals 2014 Look, Including Retro Colors Perhaps trying to clean their palette after a rough loss in LA, the Oakland Invaders opted to hold a press conference this Tuesday to reveal their new look for 2014.  Working with Adidas, the Invaders opted to go for a retro, nostalgic look, not with huge uniform changes, but with a reconsideration of their colors. Over the past decade, with changes during both the Reebok and and Nike eras, Oakland has continuously lightened both their sky blue and their gold colors, to the point where the current helmets look more lemon than athletic gold. That will change in 2014, when the Invaders will return to the colors they first used when they appeared in the league in 1983.  Bay Blue is a darker hue while still clearly a sky blue, and the Invader Gold color is far more “mustard” than lemon.  It is a welcome change for many Oakland fans, who still sport vintage jerseys with names like Besana, Whittington, Banks, and Manumaleauga on them. The new, darker uniforms will still feature traditional sleeve stripes, a block number font (now with shadows) and a gold helmet with blue and white stripes (now slightly tapered).  It is a traditiona look, though there is some innovation, such as the new Bay Blue pant set, a look designed to appeal to all the Invader faithful who have been with the team since the early 80’s and who need to be enticed to stick with the team when they relocate to Santa Clara in a couple of years. So, what is on tap after a pretty intense Week 5?  Well Week 6 has its intense matchups as well.  How about a battle of desperate squads, two teams expected to battle for division titles but who now sit at 1-4?  That is what we have under the Friday night lights as 1-4 Nashville visits 1-4 Tampa Bay.  Which team can use this game to turn the corner, which will fall even deeper in the hole? Saturday features a full slate of national games, including some cross-country matchups like Denver in Orlando, Houston in Atlanta, Chicago visiting the hot LA Express.  The two night games, however, are traditional divisional grudge matches as New Jersey hosts Baltimore at 7pm on NBC and Dallas tries to spark a rivalry with the Texas Outlaws at 9pm Eastern Time on ESPN and the ESPN Football Network (where the EFN group are bringing in Texas legend Ricky Williams to give commentary). On Sunday, our favorite early game is the War of the South, with Memphis hoping to sneak up on Birmingham after their tough loss to Philly this week.  At 4pm, you will want to check out the Las Vegas Seattle game, as the Dragons are trying to prove to themselves that they too are a contender in the Pacific.  Arizona is again at home, trying to move to 6-0 with a win over the struggling Portland Stags.  Finally, the nightcap features the current Central Division leaders headed to St. Louis to face the defending league champions. The Skyhawks have won 2 in a row after a shocking 0-3 start, and a win here could truly put them back in the mix with the Glory in the Central. Friday @ 8pm          Nashville (1-4) @ Tampa Bay (1-4)         NBC Saturday @ 12pm Denver (2-3) @ Orlando (2-3)                  ABC Saturday @ 12pm   Philadelphia (5-0) @ Charlotte (4-1)        FOX Saturday @ 4pm      Houston (3-2) @ Atlanta (1-4)                 ABC Saturday @ 4pm     Chicago (3-2) @ Los Angeles (3-2)        FOX Saturday @ 7pm      Baltimore (1-4) @ New Jersey (3-2)         NBC Saturday @ 9pm      Dallas (2-3) @ Texas (3-2)                        ESPN/EFN Sunday @ 12pm      Birmingham (4-1) @ Memphis (1-4)        ABC Sunday @ 12pm       Jacksonville (2-3) @ Pittsburgh (1-4)         FOX Sunday @ 12pm       Michigan (1-4) @ Washington (4-1)         FOX Sunday @ 4pm         Las Vegas (4-1) @ Seattle (2-3)                ABC Sunday @ 4pm         New Orleans (2-3) @ Oakland (3-2)         ABC Sunday @ 4pm        Portland (1-4) @ Arizona (5-0)                   FOX Sunday @ 8pm         Ohio (4-10 @ St. Louis (2-3)                     ESPN/EFN

Player of the Week: Aldon Smith was a huge part of St. Louis's 2nd consecutive wins. Not only did the linebacker wrap up 10 tackles, but he was a huge factor on the blitz, with 2 sacks, including one of the plays of the game, a sack, strip, and recovery. Hi all. My apologies this week. I got a bit to anxious and simulated Week 6 before double checking that I had completed the weekly stat leaders sheet. I had not, so there are no stats this week, but they will return in Week 6. Sorry for the gaff.

A good week for the winless as Nashville, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis all notch a win at the ¼ mark, leaving no teams without at least 1 win after four weeks.  We do still have 3 unbeaten clubs as Philadelphia joins surprise 4-0 squads from Arizona and Birmingham atop the standings and the power rankings.  The Stallions sit atop a division where their 4-0 record gives them a 3-game advantage over all three of their rivals, a huge advantage as we move into the 2nd quarter.  Las Vegas fell this week, evening them up with Oakland atop the Pacific, while Ohio and Charlotte now top the Central and Southeast Divisions.  We will review each club at the ¼ mark, look at who might want to make some changes, and, of course, recap all the action and our first midseason trade as well, with New Jersey hoping to expand their options at QB as they put Bradford on IR.   It’s all right here, so let’s get started with our game of the week, the surprising Ohio Glory moving to 3-1 with a win over a former division rival. OHIO GLORY 29   PITTSBURGH MAULERS 26 The Maulers and Glory were a pretty decent regional rivalry when both lived in the Central Division, but even with Pittsburgh being shunted back to the NE Division with Boston’s relocation, these two still find ways to dislike each other.  The two former division foes faced off in the Steel City this week and gave us one of the week’s best games, even if it was only available regionally on ABC on Sunday. With Andy Dalton still nursing a pinched nerve in his throwing arm (he is questionable again for Week 5), it was Quincy Carter again getting the start as he faced off against one of the stories of the season, the resurgent Chris Weinke at QB in Ohio.  Weinke won the starting position over Vince Young this preseason and has turned that opportunity into a pretty solid start and a growing fanbase in Columbus. In this game, both QBs would play well, though Carter’s numbers earned him some POTW recognition, with 387 yards passing on 27 of 38, and with 3 TDs.  Weinke’s numbers were more modest, 25 of 31 for 251, but he too threw for 3 scores and, as he has done all season, he managed the game, the clock, and the emotions of his team to help them pull out the 3-point win in the end. Ohio started the game very much in command, building an opening 14-0 lead thanks to early TD passes from Weinke to both Steve Smith and Zach Miller.  In the 2nd, Pittsburgh finally started to put some drives together and would score on all 3 possessions.  By the half the score was Ohio 17-12 and we had a game on our hands.  Both passing games were working well, but while Ohio’s combo of Isaiah Pead and Rashad Jennings were well on their way to the combined 130 yards they would earn, Pittsburgh was having no luck with the combo of Brown and Watson, with the two combining for only 17 yards in the first half (they would finish with only 14 carries for 34 yards for the game.)  it would be on the passing game of each team to keep the offenses moving. That passing game gave Pittsburgh their first lead early in the 3rd, when Quincy Carter found Jimmie Graham on a seam route up the middle.  The 25-yard pass was only one of 7 passes over 20 yards that Carter would have against an Ohio defense which continued to crowd the line to limit the run.  The Maulers took the lead at the 13-minute mark, and it would hold for most of the third, but late in the quarter, Weinke would again find his new best friend and favorite target, former Philly Star, Steve Smith.  Smith brought in his 2nd TD of the day and once again it was Ohio on top. The Glory would add 2 field goals by the midpoint of the 4th quarter and with a 29-18 lead felt pretty good about their position.  But that mood quickly soured when Pittsburgh put together a lightning quick scoring drive of only 3 plays, capped with a 26-yard strike from Carter to Victor Cruz.  The quick score pulled the Maulers within 3 and with over 4 minutes still on the clock, it put pressure on Ohio to hold on late. The Maulers needed to hold Ohio and get the ball back to have a chance at the game winner or a game tying field goal.  On Ohio’s first set of downs it took them only 2 running plays from Pead to get a first down, a 6-yarder followed by a 5-yard off-tackle run.  But, with time still available, the key would be the second set of downs.  Pittsburgh held Pead to only 1 yard on first down, a good start. On second down they pressured Weinke, forcing a scramble and bringing the QB down behind the line, but a flag on the play for a defensive hold not only gave Ohio 5 yards but another first down.  Pittsburgh would have to start again. They did well on first down again, this time stuffing Jennings for no gain.  They used their 2nd timeout to stop the clock.  Ohio would try the run again on 2nd down, this time handing the ball to FB Mike Karney.  His lone run of the game again produced no yards, leaving the Glory with a 3rd and 10.  After using their last time out, Pittsburgh new that if they held Ohio on third down, they would get the ball back with no less than 1:33 left in the game, plenty of time to get at least the game-tying field goal. It would come down to a 3rd and 10 play from the Ohio 41.  Weinke lined up in the shotgun, Smith, Walker and TE Zach Miller on his left, Benn on his right and Jennings by his side.  Pittsburght opted to pressure, bringing Donnie Spragan on a blitz, but the pressure meant that there was a gap in the zone, right in the center-right of the field.  It was a short gap, about 5 yards downfield, but it was perfectly placed for Weinke to find Javon Walker on a crossing route.  The pass was short of the first down, but when Walker put a move on safety Robert Sands, he was able to gain 12, pulled down just past the line.  But, whether by 20 yards or just 2, it was enough to give Ohio 4 more downs, and more than enough for 3 kneel downs to end the game. Ohio would move to 3-1 and take first place in the Central Division.  Pittsburgh would drop to 1-3 and join Baltimore in the NE Division basement as the 4th week concluded.  Two former and current rivals who seem to be headed in different directions. NEW ORLEANS 29   BIRMINGHAM 39 A nice offensive showcase as Cam Newton threw for 3 scores and rushed for another to help the Stallions keep their record perfect at 4-0.  Drew Brees also had a good day, throwing for 3 scores, while Matt Forte topped 80 yards in the game, but it was Newton keeping plays alive, scrambling for first downs, and finding Randy Moss for 118 yards and 2 scores that gave the Stallions the win and pushed them to a stunning 3-game lead in the division after only 4 games played. PHILADELPHIA 16   BALTIMORE 3 An unseasonably hot day in the Charm City produced a game defined by defense as neither club could do much on offense.  Philadelphia got the game’s lone TD on a pass from Gutierrez to his rookie TE Travis Kelce.  Beyond that it was all the two offenses could do to get into field goal range.  Neither were consistent on 3rd down, combining for a 6 of 24 conversion ratio (25%).  While Steve Slaton ended the game with a very solid 128 on the ground, most of that came on 2 runs, both of which led to Philly field goals.  Stars DE Anthony Hargrove was the game’s MVP with 2 tackles, and a sack of Ben Roethlisberger that produced a safety, the game’s first score. ATLANTA 19   NASHVILLE 26 The Knights earned their first win thanks to a surprisingly successful run game, with Ray Rice gaining 84 yards while Montario Hardesty added another 71.  The run game made life easier for Peyton Manning, who used play action to throw for 243 and 2 scores.  Kyle Orton did not have that advantage as newly-activated NFL transfer Steven Jackson struggled to find holes, finishing with only 2 yards rushing.  That lack of a run game left Orton exposed, and Nashville garnered 5 sacks on the day as they outlasted the Fire to move to 1-3. LOS ANGELES 41   PORTLAND 16 A major shift in offensive strategy led to a blowout win for the Express as Coach Reid shifted away from the spread sets and put into place for Mark Sanchez an offense that looked very much like the old Bill Walsh West Coast offense.  Sanchez responded with 4 TD passes, all to Keyshawn Johnson in the brash receivers most dominant game in years.  Portland seemed flabbergasted by the new offensive strategy of the Express, and when Ryan Fitzpatrick went out early in the game, the Stag offense could not keep pace, with rookie Mark McGloin throwing 2 picks. HOUSTON 17   SEATTLE 24 Seattle kept Byron Leftwich’s status secret until gametime, but the veteran did take the field and helped lead the Dragons to a very solid home win over a good Houston squad.  Leftwich, who contributed 260 yards and 3 scores, was helped by HB Cadillac Williams’s 88 yards rushing, and by a defense that forced 3 turnovers, two of them in the red zone to snuff promising Houston drives.  Both clubs now enter the 2nd quarter of the season at 2-2. CHICAGO 30   MICHIGAN 20 The Machine got the edge in this important Central Division rivalry as they built a 17-0 lead on the road, quieting an initially rambunctious Panther crowd at Ford Field.  A Ben Tate TD run and a Quinn to Floyd TD pass helped Chicago forget a horrible Week 3 pick-fest by Quinn.  The Chicago QB responded to his bad week by going 21 of 29, managing the game and allowing Doug Martin to do his part, rushing for 115 yards.  Kirk Cousins had 3 TD passes for Michigan as they abandoned the run early on, but it was not enough as Chicago moves to 2-2 and the Panthers fall to 1-3. LAS VEGAS 10   OAKLAND 23 A huge game in the Pacific Division and the Invaders were ready for it.  The pressure on Jake Plummer was intense, with the Invaders scoring 9 sacks on the day.  While Plummer still managed to play well (20 of 28 for 271 yards), the sacks caused 3 drives to crash and burn, enough for Oakland to build a 20-3 lead after 3 quarters.  The Invader offense, while not explosive, was productive, with Ryan Williams grinding out 86 yards on 23 carries, and Joey Harrington finding Williams for a TD on a nicely timed screen pass.  The win gives Oakland the tie-breaker as both sit atop the division at 3-1. WASHINGTON 23   NEW JERSEY 7 Another day of struggles for Bryan Hoyer and the Generals offense as Washington just stymied them at every turn.  It was 23-0 before the Generals got their lone score in a game that saw some boo birds come out in MetLife Stadium.   It may be these boo birds, as well as the lackluster performance by the offense that convinced the Generals to make a trade after only 4 weeks to bring in another QB option (See the story below). ARIZONA 24   ORLANDO 6 We know it seems like we are beating a dead horse, but man, that Arizona defense is scary. They held Orlando to only 134 total  yards, including a pathetic 31 yards rushing.  They even ran Russell Wilson out of the game as it was Chad Henne who came out in the second half.  Knowshon Moreno was held to only 2.1  yards per carry as Arizona’s d-line, reinforced with their NFL import Glenn Dorsey, was dominant.  On offense, Frank Gore scored for the Wranglers but also got some rest as his 15 carries was split with 19 for backup Stephen Ridley.  A good sign for Gore’s long term health. CHARLOTTE 24   MEMPHIS 17 The Monarchs struggled with Darren McFadden, an old foe from his Atlanta days, but still managed to claw out the road win in Memphis to move to 3-1.  McFadden averaged 7.2 yards per carry on his way to 101 on the day and 2 TDs, but Charlotte countered with TDs from Taiwan Jones and Dereck Mason.  An early injury to Fred Jackson may have derailed the Monarch offense just enough for Memphis to keep it close, but in the end, the Mason TD from Delhomme was the game winner. ST. LOUIS 24   DALLAS 21 Dallas may have dropped to 2-2 with a home loss to the defending champs, but there is no doubting that the fans in Big D were at the top of their game.  Over 55,000 showed up at the Cotton Bowl to root on the Renegades.   Unfortunately, what they saw was a determined St. Louis squad rack up a 24-3 lead on 3 rushing TDs, one each for Eddie Lacy (93 yards on the day), William Bethea, and James Ridley, as St. Louis shifted gears with John David Booty at QB.  Booty managed the game well, completing 16 of 28 for 201 yards, mostly short routes to Jacobs, TE Jeramy Stevens, and Santana Moss, but it was effective and St. Louis gets their first win of the campaign. DENVER 13   TEXAS 37 The Outlaws move their record to 3-1 with an impressive division win over the Gold.  Arian Foster rushed for 111 and a score, while Joe Flacco tossed TDs to three different receivers on the day as the Outlaws simply overmatched the Denver defense.  They also controlled the clock, racking up 38 minutes to Denver’s 22.  The win keeps them only 1 game behind the unbeaten Wranglers. JACKSONVILLE 13   TAMPA BAY 20 The Sunday Night weekly finale saw the Bandits ensure that no winless teams remained in the league as they edged the Bulls  thanks to another strong game from Vincent Jackson and a much better defensive showing.  Tampa got 2 picks of Tim Tebow, including one that put the ball on the Bulls’ 5-yard line and led to the game’s first TD.  While Jacksonville was able to run against Tampa’s 2-deep zones, with Miller and Spiller combining for 141 yards, the zones frustrated the passing game and forced Tebow to hold the ball far too long.  Both clubs now sit at 1-3 after 4 weeks. “Finally”: Bandits, Skyhawks, and Knights all get 1st win in Week 4 A good week for the winless and for the league that wants to see more parity, particularly when their reigning champion is among the 0-3 squads entering the week.  All three winless clubs, all of whom were expected to compete for their divisions, found themselves on the winning side this week.  So, what went right?  Well, for St. Louis it was a necessity. With Josh Freeman out on the injured list, they had to recalibrate with John David Booty under center. They did, and the recalibration left Dallas unprepared for what they would face.  What they got was a 3-headed run game and a lot of crossing patterns.  That was enough to help St. Louis pull out the 3-point win. For Tampa Bay it was making Jacksonville one dimensional and forcing Tim Tebow to throw into complex zones.  The Bandits did not blitz nearly as much as in past games, allowing Tebow time, but very little space to throw, and that proved effective against the 2012 leader in Interceptions thrown.  Finally, for Nashville it was the run game that finally came to life as they split carries between Ray Rice and Montario Hardesty.  After several years in both New Jersey and LA, it may finally be appropriate to say that Rice is just not a bell cow back, that he does better in smaller doses, and that is what Nashville did against the Dallas Roughnecks. So, can any of these three turn their week starts into  playoff run?  We know enough about the USFL to say “yes” to that question, but the answer is different for each.  Both Tampa Bay and St. Louis find themselves 2 games behind the division leaders (Charlotte & Ohio respectively), while Nashville has an even tougher path, with Birmingham sitting at 4-0 and looking very much like a club on a mission.  Any one of these three teams could turn things around in quarter two and get hot, and we expect that St. Louis might be the one that is in the best position to get back into the mix, as the Central is generally considered a weaker overall division, but all three need to continue to mix things up and not rely on what worked in 2012, because it seems that they are at their best when the opposition cannot effectively plan for what they will see each week. Oakland Topples Las Vegas to Assume 1st Place We had a feeling that the Pacific might come down to these two clubs, though Seattle and LA also seem to be finding themselves with recent success.  But when the two faced off at the Coliseum in Oakland, we knew this was a battle for first place between an undefeated Thunder squad and a very solid Invader club.   What we got was a well-played competitive game, and Thunder fans will certainly point to Marshawn Lynch’s absence as the factor that held them back.  But what is apparent about these two rivals is that both have solid defenses that can cause all kinds of mayhem for the opposition and offenses which are diverse enough to beat you in a variety of ways, especially once Lynch comes back on the field. Jake Plummer is putting up potential MVP numbers (see article below) while the Invaders have been much more successful with finding ways to balance Ryan Williams’ carries with effective play action and mid-range passes to Greg Jennings and rookie T-draft star Keenan Allen. Allen has proven to be the deep threat Oakland needed (60 yards on only 2 receptions this week), while Jennings and the tight ends (Joel Dreesen and another rookie, Zach Ertz) are showing that even in a tight 2-TE formation, the Invaders can pass the ball effectively. The two clubs will face off again in Week 15 and that game should be a major showcase as the two are almost certainly going to be battling for their playoff lives at that point.  We cannot wait to see that game and these two very good, very bitter rivals. Very Early MVP Candidates We mentioned that Jake Plummer has been putting up some MVP numbers, and with the current lead in both passing yards (1,162) and rating (125.6) we have to consider the veteran Thunder QB one of the frontrunners, but it is way to early and way to close to say he has it locked up.  So, who might be competing with the veteran QB? How about Cam Newton, the leader of the unbeaten Stallions?  While Cam Newton’s numbers are not as flashy (he is only 12th in yardage), but he is leading the league with 10 passing TDs and he has his 4-0 Birmingham club looking very much like the rising club of the season. If Newton can continue dominating the Southern Division and if Birmingham can clinch and clinch early, there will be a lot of votes headed his way. We know that QB’s usually have the advantage for the MVP vote, but we cannot leave Frank Gore out of the mix in this year’s vote.  Sure, after 4 weeks he is only 5th in the league with 363 yards, but that is because the Wranglers gave him a breather this week, cutting his usual carry total in half.  He leads the league with 98 touches, 8 more than even annual workhorse Deuce McCallister.  He is helping Arizona grind out games, burning time off the clock, and that is one of the reasons their defense is staying fresh and just shutting down the opposition. Finally, we wanted to give a nod to Ohio receiver Steve Smith, even if his odds may not be great to be a finalist for MVP.  Smith is the league leader with 33 catches, but he has done that with only 44 targets, an incredibly efficient 75% completion rate.  He is also among the leaders in the league with 5 TD receptions and with 385 yards in 4 games.  His resurgence with his new QB Chris Weinke has been a huge factor in Ohio jumping out to a 3-1 start.  The Glory boast the league’s best offense in both points and  yardage, averaging an even 400 yards per game, an a huge factor in that is Smith’s presence.   He is not doing it alone, as TE Zach Miller and slot receiver Javon Walker are also looking solid, but Smith is clearly a leader for this squad, not just in word (and he is known for his talk), but in deed. Generals Cut a Deal for a QB With two straight troubling performances from Bryan Hoyer and two straight sub-10-point games, the Generals felt that something had to be done.  Rumors had them reaching out to Ohio to ask about Vince Young, but they apparently found greener territory in Charlotte, where the Monarchs had 4 QBs under contract.  New Jersey inquired both about backup Brandon Wheedon, who, as you will recall, led Charlotte to the Summer Bowl with two straight upset playoff victories in the Eastern Conference playoffs last year, and former NFL QB Charlie Whitehurst. As you might expect, with Jake Delhomme turning 37 this year, the Monarchs were keen on keeping Wheedon, the 2nd year QB out of Mizzou, under contract and available should Delhomme decide to hang up the helmet.  They were more flexible on Whitehurst, who was sitting third on their depth chart with Jeff Tuel limited to the practice squad.  New Jersey felt that they knew enough about Whitehurst’s game from his time in the NFL, and it matched well with what they hoped to do on offense now that Sam Bradford was placed on IR. He would also come relatively cheap. New Jersey agreed to send their 5th round pick both this upcoming offseason and in 2015 to the Monarchs in exchange for Whitehurst.  Charlotte, with Tuel already available to them, also felt that this was a good deal.  So, New Jersey will get the former Clemson QB who played 3 years with the NFL Chargers and Charlotte will have some picks to play with and a clear protégé for Delhomme in Brandon Wheedon. Whitehurst arrived in East Rutherford on Wednesday and is expected to be #3 on the depth chart this week, behind Hoyer and veteran Jeff Blake, but you should expect that if Hoyer struggles again in their Week 5 matchup against Nashville, that it very well could be the former Monarch at the helm in Week 6. Fortunately for the USFL’s 28 clubs, we saw no season-ending and very few month-long injuries this week, but that does not mean there are not issues. While neither of their injuries are serious, both Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh could be out this week for Las Vegas, leaving them quite a bit shorthanded at the position.  Here are all the new additions to the injury list after Week 4: OUT CB Carlos Rogers           CHA              Hernia                 4-6 Weeks LB Brian Cushing            PIT              Quad                    2-4 Weeks QB Landry Jones             DAL             Thigh                     1-2 Weeks QB Ryan Fitzpatrick      POR                 Eye                        1-2 Weeks DT Luis Castillo               TEX                  Shoulder             1-2 Weeks DE Antonio Smith           MEM              Hip                        1-2 Weeks HB Mike Tolbert              NOR               Groin                    1-2 Weeks TE Vernon Davis              HOU                Hip                        1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL FS Ed Reed                                   WSH                     Foot CB Philip Buchanon                      TBY                        Concussion SS Terrance Holt                             TEX                        Shoulder WR Dwayne Bowe                          ORL                       Thigh WR T. J. Housmandzadeh           LV                           Jaw QUESTIONABLE DE Aaron Kampman                     NJ                           Hip HB Lorenzo Booker                        JAX                         Finger WR Deion Branch                           WSH                     Concussion OT Erik Pears                                    LA                          Concussion LB Karlos Dansby                           ARZ                       Abdomen WR Chad Johnson                          LV                           Hamstring CB Nate Clements                        NJ                           Neck QB Jake Plummer                           LV                           Elbow First Quarter Feel For All 28 Clubs Four games down, twelve to go.  Plenty of time to right the ship, or to drop off and fall closer to the pack. So, how do all 28 clubs stack up after their first four games.  Who is outpacing expectations, who has had a rough start, and what can each team do to improve in Q2?   Here is our look at all 28 clubs with our best thoughts on what might be ahead. ARIZONA (4-0) Sitting at 4-0 and leading the league in all 4, yes, all 4 major defensive categories (Points,  Yardage, Passing Yards, and Rush Yards)  has given the Wranglers a storybook start.  Yes, they would like to their offense to be more than just Frank Gore rushing for 3.2 yards, but if they can keep holding teams to 5 points a game, a truly staggering number not seen since the 2002 Baltimore Ravens in the NFL, well, they could well be on their way to a division title and a very deep playoff run. ATLANTA (1-3) This is not the start the Fire wanted, and Steven Jackson’s opening week 2-yard effort is not making anyone feel good, but if Jackson can get his legs under him, there is still potential here for the Fire.  They need to improve on a 26th ranked scoring offense, and that may well be up to Kyle Orton.  The passing game has been more anemic than we expected, and that has led to far too many 3-and-outs. BALTIMORE (1-3) We had a feeling the season would start off rough, with Philly on the schedule twice in 4 weeks and the Knights as well.  Baltimore dropped both games to the Stars, and they have struggled on offense, not scoring over 16 points in any game this year.  Coach Caldwell has installed a new offense and it is taking time to find itself.  The Blitz need to move from learning to executing the offense or they could be irrelevant by midseason. BIRMINGHAM (4-0) Another dream season so far in the USFL.  Birmingham does not have the dominance we are seeing in Arizona, as they have been close in nearly every game to letting one slip, but they are finding a way to win.  Now what they need to do is find their run game.  Joseph Addai has only 144 yards in 4 games.  And while the fans all want to see Owens and Moss running fly patterns, that is easier to do if there is a viable run threat.  But, that said, this is still an incredible start for the Stallion faithful. CHARLOTTE (3-1) A surprise loss to the Dallas Roughnecks is the one blemish on an otherwise strong start for the defending Eastern Conference Champions. Fred Jackson is running well (308 yards before getting dinged up this week) and Jake Delhomme is among the league’s QBR leaders.  The defense clearly misses Rey Maualaga, among the league leaders in tackles for New Jersey, but they are doing well enough to have Charlotte atop the division at the ¼ mark. CHICAGO (2-2) Sitting at .500 is not bad for the Machine, adding a win in division over Michigan is a nice touch too.  The Machine are targeting Week 6 at St. Louis as their bellweather game. If they can win that and, even better, be 4-2 after 6 weeks, well then the confidence will be there.  Now, all they have to do is avoid more Brady Quinn 6-interception games.  Woof, that was a rough one. DALLAS (2-2) After opening a surprising 2-0, the Roughnecks have fallen back to earth.  We have to remember that this was a club that had 3 wins all of 2012.  Yes, they have changed up their roster quite a bit, but there are still holes here. What we do like is that even in the losses Jake Locker has played pretty well, with already over 1,000 yards and a very solid 88.0 QBR after 4 games.  If the ‘Necks can continue to play complementary football, they could be one of the surprise teams this year (by that we mean surprisingly at or near .500). DENVER (1-3) The Gold always seem to be in the mix, but this year they are struggling to score, having been held under 14 points in all 3 losses.  They need more out of the run game, to be sure, and out of Matt Leinart. The offense seems sluggish, unable to get big plays or quick drives. That seems a constant statement about Denver teams under Coach Jauron, but in past years defense has allowed that to be OK.  This year’s club may not have enough to compete if they cannot get more offense going. HOUSTON (2-2) The Gamblers are right around where we thought they would be at this point.  We thought they would beat Seattle and lose to St. Louis, and those results were reversed, but they are where we thought they would be.  They are in the Top 10 in scoring, but give up too many points (ranked 22nd).  If they can get more takeaways, or just more stops on defense, they can compete.  They face Tampa, Atlanta, and Orlando in a 3-game SE swing to open the 2nd quarter of the season.  They need to go 2-1 in that swing before facing the Wranglers in a very big Week 8 game in Glendale. JACKSONVILLE (1-3) The Bulls let one get away in the season opener in New Orleans, and they have struggled for consistency all season.  Sitting at 1-3, but 1-1 in division is not a killer, but they need to find a way to get more out of the 23rd ranked offense if they hope to make waves in a pretty balanced SE Division. LAS VEGAS (3-1) The 3-0 start was a bit of surprise for a club that is dealing with a lot of off-the-field tension.  The loss to Oakland this week was disappointing, but considering that both Jake Plummer and both starting receivers had to miss plays due to injuries, while Marshawn Lynch has been out since Week 2, gives hope to Thunder fans that all 4 will be back in action and that the Thunder can make a run, especially with 3 straight divisional games on the slate (Portland, @ Seattle, and home to LA). LOS ANGELES (2-2) Sitting at 2-2 is not going to excite LA fans, but what we saw this week from what appears to be a newly reimagined offensive plan has to.  The Expressed put in a shorter passing game and more of a West Coast look and rattled off 41 points against a pretty solid Portland defense.  Can they do that week in and week out?  That is what fans are hoping and what the rest of the Pacific is afraid of. MEMPHIS (1-3) If you told the Showboats preseason that they would be tied for 2nd place in the division after 4 weeks, they likely would have taken that, but sitting at 1-3 is not really that positive, even if 2 other division foes are also doing the same.  Memphis is getting what they hoped for from Eli Manning and Darren McFadden, but it is clear that they still have issues on offense, and one of them is that their line is a bit problematic and their receivers struggle to get open.  Neither of those seems like a quick fix for them. MICHIGAN (1-3) Panther fans have to be happy with the first 4 games for both Kirk Cousins and LeVeon Bell, but that has not been enough to produce wins.  Why?  Well, two reasons. First, the yardage produced is not mirrored by points being put on the board. Too many failed drives or field goals instead of touchdowns.  Secondly, the defense needs to do more, especially against the run, where they are allowing a disturbing 125.8 yards per game. NASHVILLE (1-3) This was supposed to be Peyton Manning’s coming out party, and while 986 yards and a QBR over 93 is not bad at all, it is not translating into wins.  Let’s face it, the club is just not that explosive, Manning’s arm does not have the life it once did, the receivers are good but not great, and the run game with Ray Rice replacing Frank Gore is clearly not what the Knights hoped for.  They got their first win this week and they have winnable games against New Jesey, Tampa, Portland, and New Orleans filling their 2nd quarter, so they could come out of it at 5-3 if they play their best football, but if they don’t they could also find themselves out of it by midseason, not a position Coach Johnson is often in. NEW JERSEY (2-2) The loss of Sam Bradford will define this season.  Hoyer was able to hold on in Week 2 for a win, but since then the Generals have scored 6 and then 7 points.  We are not sure that Charlie Whitehurst is the answer, but it is at least good to see the Generals trying.  It will be tough for them to keep pace with the Feds and Stars, but they could still be in a Wild Card hunt if their D and run game can just give whoever their QB is a smaller role. NEW ORLEANS (1-3) The Breakers are looking rough on defense, which is a surprise considering they brought in Antonio Pierce to lead their LB group. Pierce is looking solid with 34 tackles, but the defense as a whole is shaky, giving up 28.5 PPG (worst in the league). They need to find some backbone in the D if they want to compete, because the offense of Matt Forte and Drew Brees is not strong enough to go it alone. OAKLAND (3-1) The win at home against Las Vegas was a big one for the Invaders, who may be a better team than they even believe they are.  They have a Top 5 defense and an offense that is improving.  Back to back division wins after their lone loss to Arizona have helped.  Having a 3-0 division record in 4 weeks is a huge help.  They have a huge game at LA this week. If they pull that one out they may then be the team to beat in the Pacific, but we are still going to circle that rematch with Vegas on our Week 15 calendar. OHIO (3-1) They may not be unbeaten like Arizona or Birmingham, but this start is all the Glory faithful could have hoped for.  The run game is dynamic, Steve Smith is having a highlight reel season, and their QB controversy has turned out about as well as you could hope.  Yes, the defense is still not great (ranked 20th in yards and 21st in points allowed), so that is a concern, but a 3-1 start is a great way to build confidence in Columbus. ORLANDO (2-2) The Renegades think they made the right move, trading Manning and giving Russell Wilson the offense. So far Wilson has looked very good, even if his 624 yards passing is not exactly an MVP number.  He is protecting the ball, not trying to play hero ball, and the offense is responding.  Calais Campbell finally  had the big game this week that Orlando fans were waiting for, and if he and the defense can start to put more pressure on opposing QB’s, the ‘Gades could rebound from a horrific 2012. PHILADELPHIA (4-0) Apparently the preseason pick of the Stars to drop a notch or two has done nothing but inspire Philadelphia.  Their defense is impressive, allowing only 8.5 points per game (2nd to Arizona) and they are diverse enough on offense to keep defenses guessing.  Steve Slaton is averaging almost 90 yards per game, which is always a good start to an offense.  They got the early win over Washington and we think their eventual position will depend a lot on their Week 15 rematch, because it is looking more and more like a 2-horse race in the division. PITTSBURGH (1-3) The Maulers were hoping a win against Ohio would put them at 2-2. Instead they sit at 1-3 and there are concerns that they may be slipping.  Now, that said, they have been playing without Andy Dalton at QB for most of the season, but Dalton is expected back this week. That could be a turning point, though it will not be an easy game back as they face another old Central Division foe in Chicago. PORTLAND (1-3) The Stags started the season well, with a big win over Memphis, but they have now lost 3 straight divisional games, and will face Las Vegas next week.  They  have not clicked on either side of the ball, currently ranked 24th in points per game and 27th in points allowed.  Neither of those bodes well for this club.  Despite this, they still have the league’s leading rusher after 4 weeks in Jonathan Stewart, but unless they can get more from their last-ranked passing attack (only 165 yards per game), they may  need to start selling off pieces to rebuild next year.  Ryan Fitzpatrick is injured (out one to two weeks after taking a finger to the eye) which means that rookie Matt McGloin will get a chance to show what he can do.  If he has success, he could wrest the starting gig away from Fitzpatrick.  If not, well, do they go to Mike McMahon or hope Fitzie can improve this year? SEATTLE: (2-2) The Dragons are at .500, which is not a bad start for a team picked to finish last in the division.  The defense has been solid, led by the secondary, and yet they have only 1 pick and 4 team sacks after a month.  Those numbers have to worry Stump Mitchell.  Cadillac Williams has been an upgrade at tailback, and the passing game is getting there, with Mike Wallace looking better this season than last.  NFL Import Dennis Pitta has 9 receptions in his first 2 weeks with the team, and surprise starter Joe Toller is up to 13 catches, so expect to see more 2-TE sets this season. ST. LOUIS (1-3) The record is not what the Skyhawks hoped for one month in, and their only win coming with backup John David Booty at QB is also not ideal, but there are still signs that the Skyhawks can turn it around.  The offense is still one of the best in the passing game, and rookie Eddie Lacy has also shown he can be a solid option, going over 100 yards in Week 2.  They absolutely need more out of the defense as it appears that teams are willing to slow down the offense and take their chances that they can outlast the Skyhawks in a lower scoring game simply because the D is giving up too many big plays. TAMPA BAY (1-3) This is not the Bandit squad we expected to see.  Yes, Vincent Jackson is having a very good year with Daunte Culpepper throwing him the ball, and Willis McGahee is looking very much like Wilis McGahee, but there seems to be little else going right.  The defense is a major concern, having issues against both the run and the pass, and the offense, while not the worst in the league, is not exactly humming.  The Bandits do not have an easy schedule, with Houston, Nashville, Atlanta and Charlotte up next, but they better start finding some ways to win these tough matchups or they could see themselves slipping even further behind. TEXAS: (3-1) The Outlaws are more or less where we expected them to be, but we did not predict a 4-0 Arizona team ahead of them in the standings.  They will face Arizona this week in what should be the game of the week.  If they can get the win on the road, that would position them very well for the rest of the season.  If they lose and find themselves 2 games back of the Wranglers, well, that will create some challenges, even for a team as solid as the Outlaws. WASHINGTON (3-1) The Feds are another team that is looking very good but also looking up at an unbeaten division foe.  Not only are the Feds 1 game behind the Stars, but their one loss this year was to Philadelphia, so it is like being 2 games back.  That said, with New Jersey limping along without a QB and with both Pittsburgh and Baltimore sitting at 1-3, the Feds are still very much in a good position right now.  They likely want a bit more out of their 16th ranked passing game, but they are happy to have a run game that is a bit more varied with Jahvid Best spelling Deuce McCallister and providing a spark in the passing game.   All in all we expect Washington to be there at season’s end, and that includes a Week 15 showdown with the Stars in Philly. Four USFL Owners Who May Be Looking at Las Vegas When we reported last week that the league would be taking over operational management of the Las Vegas Thunder and that an ad hoc search committee had been created to seek out potential ownership for the franchise, well, it looks like we set off a bit of a frenzy.  Fans from nearly every franchise in the league wanted to know if their team could be sold off so that their owner could take over what could be a very lucrative market with a new stadium already under way and a team that looks ready to roll.  While the idea of most current USFL owners jumping ship on their franchises and signing on to take over a brand new franchise is largely ludicrous, it is not entirely out of the question, at least with a few of the teams in the league. Our crack team of financial and organizational analysts looked at all 28 clubs in the USFL and we believe we have identified four of the 28 ownership groups that could be considering a Las Vegas option.  Each one is different and not every scenario would even lead to their current USFL club dissolving or relocating, but some could.  So, let’s break down the four franchises we think could be most impacted if the USFL does not find a ready, willing, and able external candidate to take on the Las Vegas Thunder franchise. Chicago:  Why, you ask, would the owner of a franchise in the nation’s 3rd largest market give up that market to purchase a team in a much smaller, less established location?  Stadium rights.  That is the key for the entire Las Vegas option.  Unlike what we see in many cities, where the USFL is often either the lone tenant in an older facility owned by the city or shares a stadium with an NFL team where the NFL team, by virtue of longevity or finances, is the primary tenant and the USFL club gets a lesser cut of the deal, often a deal that may even provide the NFL franchise with funding from USFL sales of parking, concessions, or tickets.  It may not always be an adversarial relationship, but in  several NFL-USFL cities there is a 2nd fiddle aspect to the contract deal most USFL teams face, and that impacts profitability.  That is true nowhere more than in Chicago where the deal the Bears have with Soldier Field allows them revenue even from Chicago Machine gamedays, while the Machine do not receive similar benefits. The stadium itself in Chicago is fine, but the revenue streams are not as robust as they would be in Las Vegas, where the USFL’s investment in a new stadium would produce a situation where the owner would reap a much greater value from events, including USFL games and even possibly NFL games if the stadium is able to lure a fall tenant.  Imagine a USFL owner benefitting not only from their own games, but from the Las Vegas concert scene and from a possible NFL franchise in town as well. That is the kind of revenue that Bill Wirtz (owner of the Machine) can only dream of in Chicago. Los Angeles:  The situation in LA with the Express is quite different from that in Chicago.  What you have in LA is a team that is adequately (but not extravagantly) funded, but an ownership group that is a bit contentious and potentially interested in a split.   What we envision for the Express, and what could cause a Las Vegas ownership group to develop, is the idea that several of the minority owners see potential benefit to becoming  majority owners in a new franchise.  One minority owner in particular, John Tu, who bought a 15% share of the Express in 2001.  Tu, the Chinese-American tech investor behind Kingston Tech, and who sold off his shares of Softbank for $1.5B only to buy it back just a few years later at 1/3rd the price, has long had an interest in a more prominent role in the league.  It seems unlikely he will find that opportunity within the LA Express ownership group, but if he were to sell off his ownership of the LA franchise, he would then be eligible to seek the Las Vegas franchise, and he certainly has the resources to put together a winning bid. Nashville: The Knights are perhaps the best case, even more than Chicago, to prove the value of the front end stadium revenue model.  Nashville not being the huge market that Chicago is, it would be even more likely for ownership to look at both the potential of the Las Vegas stadium situation, but also a much less problematic market shift from Nashville (the nation’s 40th largest MSA in 2010) to Las Vegas (the 34th and growing quickly) than say a Chicago relocation.  We already know that Knights ownership has been trying and struggling to make strides in their negotiations with Adelphia Stadium and that they still are undervalued and receiving lower stadium revenue than many franchises (currently anticipated to be 26th of 28 franchises.)  A move with the potential of the Las Vegas situation could certainly be a profitable option for Nashville ownership. Portland:  This one may be more a nostalgia pick than the other three. The Thunder began in Portland in 1988, and there is still a pretty sizeable contingent of Portland football fans who see the Thunder as an identity preferred over the current Stags franchise.  Does that translate into a bid to purchase the team and transfer is identity to the Rose City?  Could we see Portland make a deal with the league to assist with management, bring in additional owners, transfer the Thunder to Portland and essentially start fresh in Las Vegas with a new identity and new owners?  There is some appeal in that, because despite the recent success on the field for the Thunder, the incessant negativity coming out of the financial investigations and possible legal actions against Thunder ownership have soured the city on the team quite noticeably.  A new owner bringing in a new identity could be seen as a very positive outcome, and if that is a possibility, then Portland could very well be in the market to contribute to the value of the sale in exchange for the Thunder’s name, logo, identity and history. Week 5 brings us a schedule with a lot of intrigue, but there are two that stand above the others. First we have a Saturday noon showdown between two unbeatens as Cam Newton and the Stallions travel up to Philadelphia to take on Steve Slaton and the Stars. Someone is coming out of this game 5-0, but will it be the scrappy Stallions or the methodical Star machine? On Sunday we have another huge matchup with the 3-1 Texas Outlaws, favored to win the SW Division, heading to Glendale to face the surprising 4-0 Arizona Wranglers and their absolute shutdown defense. Will Joe Flacco and company be able to find a chink in the armor of the Wranglers or will Arizona shut down the Outlaw attack and build up a 2-game lead in the division? Friday @ 8pm            Atlanta (1-3) @ Jacksonville (1-3)                         NBC Saturday @ 12pm         Memphis (1-3) @ Washington (3-1)                     ABC Saturday @ 12pm         Birmingham (4-0) @ Philadelphia (4-0)             FOX Saturday @ 4pm            Seattle (2-2) @ New Orleans (1-3)                        ABC Saturday @ 4pm            Tampa Bay 1-3) @ Houston (2-2)                           FOX Saturday @ 7pm            Michigan (1-3) @ Ohio (3-1)                                      NBC Saturday @ 9pm            Oakland (3-1) @ Los Angeles (2-2)                       ESPN/EFN Sunday @ 12pm              Nashville (1-3) @ New Jersey (2-2)                         ABC Sunday @ 12pm              Orlando (2-2) @ Charlotte (3-1)                               ABC Sunday @ 12pm            Pittsburgh (1-3) @ Chicago (2-2)                           FOX Sunday @ 4pm               Portland (1-3) @ Las Vegas (3-1) ABC Sunday @ 4pm                Dallas (2-2) @ Denver (1-3)                                        FOX Sunday @ 4pm                Baltimore (1-3) @ St. Louis (1-3)                              FOX Sunday @ 8pm               Texas (3-1) @ Arizona (4-0)                                       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Arian Foster's 173-yard day had a bit of everything; tough inside running, breakaway outside runs, and 62 yards receiving as well. Foster also contributed both a rushing TD and one through the air as Texas moved to 3-1 and prepares for a huge matchup with unbeaten Arizona in Week 5.

A look at the standings and you may think that the world has turned upside down.  Nashville, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis all sit dead last in their divisions at 0-3.  Ohio (2-1), Birmingham, and Arizona sit atop their divisions, with the latter 2 joining Philadelphia and Las Vegas at 3-0.  It is a mixed up crazy season so far in the USFL.  As we review the week, we will look at how this came to be, see how the Generals faired without Sam Bradford, and report on the owners’ meeting and the fate of the Las Vegas Thunder.  All this plus a look at the last wave of NFL transfers to be added to USFL rosters, all right here this week in the USFL. CHICAGO MACHINE 30   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 33 We will be honest.  This was not the game we thought we would be highlighting this week, but NBC got themselves a real humdinger on Friday Night and it ended up being our showcase game.  Chicago and Houston, both showing a bit more offensive diversity and a bit more aggressive style than we expected as both tried to finish Week 3 at 2-1.  What is perhaps even more surprising is that somehow Chicago managed to stay in this game despite what has to be one of Brady Quinn’s worst outings, throwing 6, yes, 6, interceptions in the game, including a pick-6 to Chris Canty to end the 3rd quarter. In a game that Houston led from the very first drive, Chicago just would not go away.  The Machine got 72 yards from 2nd year back Doug Martin and 288 yards passing from Brady Quinn and somehow managed to stick close despite Quinn’s six turnovers.  For Houston, with Michael Turner out for the  matchup against his former club, it was Cedric Cobbs who got the start, and the “short yardage” back proved he could do more than that with 94 yards on 32 carries.  Not a great per-carry average, but he slogged his way through the game and added 2 touchdowns as well. Houston started the game strong, with Matt Hasselbeck going 3 for 3 on the opening drive and connecting with Ike Hilliard for the game’s opening score.  Chicago responded only 2 minutes later with a Vontae Leach TD run to even the score at 7.  Houston then drove the ball again, and as the quarter started to wind down, we saw Cobb score the first of his 2 TDs, a 3-yard off-tackle grinding run that got him barely over the line. In the 2nd Houston looked like it might pull away.  Already up 13-7 after the last TD and missed PAT, the Gamblers got the ball back and in only 8 plays were back in the endzone, this time Cobbs from 11 yards. When they added a field goal (following a Quinn interception), it was 23-7 and it looked very much like the homestanding Gamblers had control.  But Chicago just would not go away.  They rallied in the final minutes of the half, and when Anthony Fasano caught a scoring throw from Quinn, they went into the half down 9 at 23-14. That 9-point margin turned to 2 after the first drive of the 2nd half as Chicago again avoided mistakes and Quinn hit Emmanuel Sanders with his first USFL touchdown.  Houston would add 3 more on the next possession, but after a Shaun Springs pick at the goalline had the ball placed on the 2, Chicago got the upper hand as Mante Te’o sacked Matt Hasselbeck in the endzone for a safety.  Down 26-23 at this point, Chicago took the free kick, but once again Quinn misfired, and this time it was a bad one.  He tossed the ball behind Aaron Dobson and Chris Canty was there not only to snag the errant pass, but to race it all the way for a pick-six.  That gave Houston a better cushion at 33-23.  They would need it. Chicago would have 2 major offensive drives in the 4th quarter, but both would be thwarted by Houston takeaways.  The first lasted 8 plays and got into the redzone before nickel back Justin Knox picked Austin Pettis’s pocket, stealing the ball away as the two fell to the ground. On their next possession, Chicago again moved the ball well, but again a Quinn interception ended the drive, this time FS Willie Andrews dove for a tipped ball and came up with the pick.  The play was challenged but was upheld as yet another Quinn interception. As Houston tried to control the ball and the clock, they too got into the interception funk, though it was Hasselbeck’s only one of the game.  It was a pretty costly one as Haselbeck’s pass sailed on him and fell right into the hands of CB Captain Munnerlyn, who returned it 62 yards for a score, a score that brought Chicago within 3 points.  Unfortunately for the Machine, time was not with them.  After failing to get a first down on their next drive, they punted the ball away.  By the time they got it back they had burned all 3 of their timeouts and Houston had left them only 37 seconds.  Chicago tried, but was unable to get into field goal range for Jason Myers.  Stuck at their own 48 on the final play of the game, they did not send him out to try a 69-yard attempt but went for a Hail Mary instead.   The ball barely reached the 15-yard line and was easily swatted to the ground.  Chicago fell to 1-2 and Houston escaped a tough game, despite all their defensive success, with a win and a 2-1 record after 3 weeks. TEXAS 10   ATLANTA 17 The Outlaws fall for the first time and the Fire get their first win as a tough defensive stand helps Atlanta edge Texas at the Georgia Dome.  The Fire D held Texas to only 1 converted third down, sacking Joe Flacco a painful 6 times on the day.  It was a close battle, tied at 10 until the final 2 minutes, when Kyle Orton found Demaryius Thomas for the game winning score and Atlanta’s first W of the season. PITTSBURGH 24   ORLANDO 34 The Renegades were impressive, particularly on offense, as they earned their 2nd win in 3 weeks, this time a home victory over visiting Pittsburgh.  Both Knowshon Moreno and rookie Latavius Murray scored as Moreno rushed for 102 on the day.  Pittsburgh’s Kenny Watson also rushed for 100+ yards, but with 2 picks Quincy Carter struggled against the Renegade defense.  Russell Wilson again looked solid, tossing 2 touchdowns and completing 70.6% of his passes (24 of 34) in the Orlando victory. NASHVILLE 20   LAS VEGAS 33 Win number three for the surprisingly focused Las Vegas Thunder as the newly-ownerless franchise continues to impress between the white lines.  The defense again was the story, as they produced 3 turnovers, boosting their league lead.  Jake Plummer also had himself a good game, throwing for 325 and 3 scores with no picks on the day.  With Marshawn Lynch expected back in Week 4, we may  have to just expect Las Vegas to get even better as they regain their running attack. SEATTLE 10   DENVER 27 The Gold get their first win of the year thanks to a little home cooking and two TD tosses from Leinart to Golden Tate.  The Gold were outgained by Seattle, but were effective in the red zone, allowing only 2 scores and 10 points in 4 trips into the 20.  LeMichael James had himself a good game for the Gold, splitting carries with DeMarco Murray but rushing for 76 yards on the day, but it was the Leinart-Tate connection that pushed Denver to 1-2 and dropped Seattle to the same record. WASHINGTON 26   ST. LOUIS 16 The Feds send St. Louis to a very unexpected and unwelcome 0-3 start with a defensive performance that shocked the home Skyhawk crowd.  St. Louis was limited to only 27 yards rushing and Josh Freeman was knocked from the game in the 3rd quarter in a frustrating game for Skyhawk fans.  Add in both a rushing and a receiving TD from McCallister and Washington pulls away for a 10 point win. OAKLAND 27   PORTLAND 14 Oakland tops .500 with a solid win over a division foe, using TDs from Jennings, Joique Bell, and a Joe Odom pick-six to rattle the Stags.  Portland was driving to tie the game when Odom picked off Ryan Fitzpatrick, shifting the momentum solidly to the visitors.  Oakland would use Ryan Williams’s 118 yards to control the clock in the second half and the Stags would never get within 10 points as they drop their second game of the year. BIRMINGHAM 16   BALTIMORE 15 Three weeks in and the Stallions have yet to lose a game.  This time it was the defense that carried the day, limiting Baltimore to 216 total yards while Cam Newton, with a 1-yard TD plunge and a 16 of 29 pasisng day did enough to help his club edge the Blitz on a 4th quarter field goal.  The Stallions are quickly becoming the story of the season as they surprise the pundits and Las Vegas and just keep winning. MEMPHIS 27   NEW ORLEANS 16 The Express and QB Eli Manning find their swagger and earn their first win on the road against a sloppy Breaker squad.  Manning completed 25 of 43 passes, including 2 TD tosses and no picks as the Showboats racked up a surprising 426 yards against the Breaker defense.  They used a 3-back rotation of McFadden (47 yards), Allen (56 yards), and rookie Knile Davis (51 yards) to bamboozle the Breakers and keep the defense guessing.  Is this a strategy we will see more of?  Memphis fans hope so. NEW JERSEY 8   PHILADELPHIA 26 The Generals struggled without Sam Bradford as stand-in Bryan Hoyer completed only 12 of 37 passes against a Philadelphia defense that was in no mood to coddle the backup QB. Meanwhile, Steve Slaton and Leon Washington combined for a whopping 184 yards rushing as Philadelphia easily took this edition of the Stars-Generals rivalry, moving to 3-0 in the process. MICHIGAN 14   LOS ANGELES 16 The Express finally showed some defensive backbone, not only holding Michigan to only 2 scores, but breaking up a final scoring play to preserve the win in the process.  Michigan had a shot as time ran out, but Dominique Rogers-Cromartie made a huge play, disrupting what appeared to be a sure game winning TD to Hines Ward as time ran out.  The Express get their first win of the year and show some danger to offenses by sacking Kirk Cousins 6 times in the game.  Lofa Tatupu secured 2 of the 6 to take the lead in the sack race after 3 weeks, a rare thing for a linebacker. OHIO 24   DALLAS 16 The crowd came out for the Roughnecks, but this time it was not enough as Ohio used 126 yards from HB Rashard Jennings (and another 64 from Pead) to outlast and outmuscle the homestanding Dallas club.  After a 17-16 first half, it was scoreless well into the 4th when Chris Weinke found Steve Smith, his new best friend, for the score that secured the win for Ohio.   Don’t look now but the Glory find themselves in first place in the Central. JACKSONVILLE 0   ARIZONA 24 We told you the Arizona defense was good, but we did not expect them to be this good.  They not only shut out the Bulls but held Jacksonville without a first down in the entire second half in a dominant performance.  Huge games from CB’s Joe Haden and Brandon Flowers highlighted a stifling defensive performance by the Wranglers.  The offense helped out as well, with Frank Gore again going over 100 yards and David Carr throwing for 2 scores. TAMPA BAY 19   CHARLOTTE 28 Is it time to panic in Tampa Bay, where the Bandits drop to 0-3 after another tough loss.  Charlotte got 4, yes, 4 touchdowns from Fred Jackson, a nice pairing with his 137 yards rushing as Tampa’s defense had no answers at all for the veteran back. Add in two Bandit turnovers, including a Jerrod Mayo pick of Daunte Culpepper in the endzone and you have another rough week for Mike Shula and the Bandits. Skyhawks, Bandits, & Knights Mired at 0-3 It is stories like this that give preseason prognosticators a bad name and an ulcer.  Three teams favored to be in the hunt for not only a division title, but possibly a Summer Bowl appearance have all started the season 0-3, and are in danger of completing the first month of the 2013 campaign without a win.  So, just what is the issue with the Knights, Bandits, and most shockingly, the Skyhawks? Nashville:  Two things are being discussed as the primary concerns in Nashville. The first is the fact that their usually-stellar defense is looking old and slow.  They are currently ranked 25th in the league, allowing 26.7 points per game, including their 33-20 loss to Las Vegas this week.  The second is the complete lack of offensive continuity.  Not only has Peyton Manning seemed a shadow of his former self, certainly lacking in the power his arm used to have, but also not making reads that many expect should be second nature to him, but the run game, trying to rebuild with Ray Rice taking on Frank Gore’s role, has been pathetic, barely reaching 70 yards per game.  Rice, who is always talked about as a player whose potential has never been fully met, has only 179 yards in 3 games, just slightly under 60 yards per game.  That is a far cry from the production fans got used to watching Frank Gore run for the Knights. Tampa Bay:  The Bandits had a couple of close losses, dropping by 5 to Orlando in the opener and then by 4 to the Stallions, but this week’s 28-19 dismantling by the Monarchs has really caused concern.  The Bandits currently sit dead last in scoring defense, allowing 29.7 points per game.   They don’t look too good against either the run or the pass, sitting near the bottom in both categories as well.  That means teams are playing to their strengths, running if that is their best option, or going to the air if they wish.  It means  Tampa is unable to dictate what the opposing offense can and cannot do.  The Bandit offense is still doing quite well, with Willis McGahee averaging 100 yards rushing per game and Vincent Jackson looking like the perfect fit, but if they cannot improve their defense, it may not help to have some good offensive weapons. St. Louis:  We have talked about the Skyhawks before, but after another loss, this time to Washington, and this time where they did not reach 20 points, there is reason to be nervous that St. Louis will not be able to defend their league title with a playoff run.  The offense has been solid, though the run game is not quite there yet with rookie Eddie Lacy at the helm.  The passing game remains one of the league’s best, but this is once again a story where defensive woes make good offense not good enough. Not quite as bad statistically as the Bandits, St. Louis is still not looking solid, ranked 27th in scoring defense (28.0 PPG allowed) and in the bottom 8 in the league in every other major category.  If Coach Arians cannot get more from his defensive team, he may well find himself struggling to reach .500, much less a playoff berth. Arizona Shut Out A Scary Scene As good as the Wrangler defense has been over the early wins against  Denver and Oakland, no one anticipated that they would completely shut down and shut out the Jacksonville Bulls.  Maybe the Bulls were jetlagged, maybe they left their playbooks at home.  Whatever it was, they were simply ineffective all across the board against the Wranglers on Sunday. Outgained 419-234, with only 36 yards rushing combine between Spiller and Lamar Miller, Jacksonville only crossed the 50 twice, and both times their drives stalled before they reached the 40.  They did not even attempt a field goal in the game, much less threaten the red zone.  Tim Tebow, who dropped back to pass 50 times in the game, averaged only 4 yards per completion.   Miller averaged 2.6 yards per carry and Spiller an even worse 1.6.  And what is stunning about this is that we are not seeing Arizona using a superstar cast on defense.  Yes, they have some solid players like Karlos Dansby (5 tackles, 1 for loss), Lance Briggs (7 tackles), Adam Carriker (3 tackles, 1 sack) and Joe Haden (7 tackles, 5 passes defended and 1 pick) but this is not a team made up of household names.  It seems that Coach Tomsula, who was brought in as a defensive-minded guy, may have finally put together the exact combination of talents who can turn his defensive schemes into a legitimate force in the league.  Arizona will be tested as they have Orlando and then Texas coming up, but this defense looks like it is playing as a unit, playing fast, and hitting hard. So watch out, USFL, the Wranglers could be in this for the long haul. Birmingham Pulls Out a Nail Biter for 3-0 Start The other surprise 3-0 club is doing it in a different way.  Birmingham has upended Nashville, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore but has not won a game by more than 4 points.  They are hanging in games, playing smart at the end of games, and getting timely plays when needed from their 3rd year QB, Cam Newton.  While many figured it would be the passing game that got Birmingham some wins, based mostly on the combo of Randy Moss and Terrell Owens out wide, we don’t think that many thought they could go it alone, but they largely have.  Birmingham is near the bottom of the league in rushing with only 55.3 yards per game.  Danny Woodhead is actually the leading rusher with 81 total yards, ahead of starter Joseph Addai (72) and big back Marion Barber (1 carry for 9 yards).  And it is not that Cam Newton is really the team’s lead rusher.  He has scrambled far less, and officially now has 16 carries for negative 2 yards. It is just that they are not trying to run the ball.  Woodhead, with 25 carries is the leader in that category too.   Meanwhile Newton has thrown the ball 89 times for nearly 800 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Stallions defense is much improved, and currently ranks 9th in yards allowed, but somehow, despite a seemingly one-dimensional offense and a solid, but not spectacular defense, they are keeping scores low, staying right there with their opponents and finding a way to win.  We will see how that fares this week with New Orleans coming to town, and then a huge game against 3-0 Philadelphia in Week 5, but for now, the fans in the Magic City are feeling the love and getting behind their Stallions. Freeman & Leftwich Sidelined in Losses Scary moments for fans of the Skyhawks and Dragons as both Josh Freeman and Byron Leftwich had to leave this week’s games due to injury. But, fortunately for both clubs and both fanbases, neither player has an injury as serious as that of Sam Bradford.  Freeman is expected to miss a game, possibly two, with a wrist injury, but there were no fractures and no displacement, just a sprain, which is very good news.  For Leftwich, the diagnosis was a broken finger, but it is on his non-throwing hand and can be splinted and the index finger in question can be taped to his ring finger to allow for the hand to be used.  Leftwich is listed as questionable, while Freeman is out this week.  That means we will be seeing John David Booty under center for the Skyhawks and if Leftwich cannot go, then it will be 2nd year player Ryan Lindley starting for the Bandits. While there was relatively good news on the QB injuries in St. Louis and Tampa Bay, not every injury was as manageable and not every player as lucky.  Here is the rundown of the new additions to the league injury list: OUT SS          Lance Schulters             LA        Neck                     8-12 Weeks OG         Chester Pitts                   TEX        Wrist                     8-12 Weeks LB           Brian Cushing                 PIT         Quad                    4-6 Weeks QB         Josh Freeman                  STL         Wrist                     1-2 Weeks TE           Vernon Davis                  HOU     Hip                        1-2 Weeks CB          Patrick Peterson             NOR      Knee                     1-2 Weeks OT          Erik Pears                       LA          Elbow                   1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL OT          Wade Smith                      ARZ       Wrist CB          Nate Clements                NJ           Concussion OT          Jared Gaither                  PIT         Personal LB           Karlos Dansby                  ARZ       Abdomen DE          Ryan Denney                    DEN      Thigh CB          Drayton Florence           MGN     Wrist TE           Brandon Pettigrew         CHA      Finger QUESTIONABLE OG         Aaron Sears                      WSH     Back DT          Stephen Paea                   POR      Concussion C             Nick Hardwick                 JAX         Toe DE          Erasmus James               LV           Concussion QB         Byron Leftwich                SEA        Finger LB           Angelo Crowell                BAL        Neck Owners Vote for League Takeover of Thunder, Will Seek Ownership Options Huge, but not unexpected, news out of the league meetings this past week as the league has taken over the ownership responsibilities of the Las Vegas Thunder from Phil Ruffin and the Thunder investment group.  Ruffin and company are still technically the owners, until such time as a sale can be completed, but all operations will now run through a team set up by the league office in New York.  Expect Team President Reggie McKenzie will retain his position, as will Director of Football Operations A. J. Smith, but all organizational and financial processes will now operate out of New York. The league has also put together an ad hoc search committee to locate potential ownership groups for the franchise. It took some work to determine how the transition would be handled, but eventually an agreement was reached between the league and the Ruffin group, one that guarantees the sale will provide no less than a 15% gain on the initial purchase price paid for the Thunder when Ruffin took over the team and relocated them from Portland to Las Vegas.  That is a low return on investment for a franchise, but considering the financial issue surrounding Ruffin and company, it is considered a positive outcome for Ruffin’s group. While there is some speculation that an ownership group from within the USFL may opt to put their hat in the ring, due to Las Vegas’s attractiveness as a market and the already initiated stadium project in place, the league’s ownership search committee, headed by Denver co-owner Charles Monfort and including 3 other owners as well as league officials and legal representatives, is still expected to look at both existing USFL investment groups and potential local ownership.  The process is expected to take between 6-10 months before official bids will be taken, so we may well be talking about this process and the direction of the Thunder well into the offseason. Jackson, Freeney, Dorsey, & Clady Finally Cleared to Play As we prepare for Week 4 of the USFL season,  the final wave of NFL transfers is finally ready to take the field as several players who had been held out so far have now been moved to the active roster for their respective clubs.  The final wave includes Atlanta HB Steven Jackson, Arizona DT Glenn Dorsey, Pittsburgh DE Dwight Freeney and offensive tackles Ryan Clady for Chicago and Sebastian Vollmer for Philadelphia.  While Steven Jackson may be the player that most fans are focusing on, especially in Atlanta, where the Fire just earned their first win of the season, the one that folks should be looking at may well be Glenn Dorsey joining the already scary Arizona defense.   Expect to see Dorsey splitting snaps in a rotation with Monsanto Pope and Josh Shaw in the middle of Arizona’s 4-3 alignment.  Just how many snaps he will get this first week is unknown, but we don’t expect it will take long for Dorsey to be on the field for most downs. In Atlanta, Jackson is expected to step into the starting role, pushing rookie Marcus Lattimore, who averaged just over 55 yards per game in the first three weeks, to drop to the 2nd position while J. J. Arrington may see the field mostly on third downs.  Jackson, who rushed for 1,045 yards in the NFL this past fall, but may see a reduced load to avoid the burnout and physical risks of playing back to back seasons.  Atlanta faces Nashville on the road this week, so we will see just how much action Jackson sees. Both Ryan Clady in Chicago and Sebastian Vollmer in Philly are expected to see significant snaps this week, with Clady, formerly a left tackle, likely to see snaps at both RT and LT for the Machine, while Vollmer is slated to take over for Ken Shackleford at RT, allowing Shackleford to sub all across the line, as a tackle or center. The one quarter mark is up in Week 4 and it is a week with significant divisional play as 8 of the league’s 14 games will feature divisional rivals facing off.  It begins on Friday Night where the surprising Birmingham Stallions are hosting the 1-2 New Orleans Breakers. If the Breakers want to be a factor in the divisional hunt, they need to ensure that they don’t fall 3 games back of Birmingham after only 4 weeks. Saturday starts off with a Northeast clash as Philadelphia visits Baltimore.  The Stars are unbeaten, while the Blitz sit at 1-2 and, just like New Orleans, do not want to fall 3 games back this early in the season.  At 4pm we have a Pacific clash with LA headed to Portland. Both clubs are 1-2 so a win means reaching .500 at the one quarter mark.  Saturday night’s doubleheader includes a Central Division clash on NBC, with Chciago and Michigan resuming their Great Lakes Rumble.  Both sit at 1-2 and would like to even their records. The late game has unbeaten Las Vegas visiting Oakland in what should be an early season battle for bragging rights in the division. On Sunday we open with Washington at New Jersey, a game that may have lost a bit of luster with Sam Bradford out of action, but which is essential for the Generals if they want to show that the season is not lost.  At 4pm we have a nice rivalry in the SW Division, with Denver visiting Texas in San Antonio.  The Gold got their first win this week and showed some offensive spark in doing so.  They will need that as they try to keep pace with Joe Flacco and the Outlaws.  We end the weekend with a Florida Derby as Jacksonville and Tampa Bay battle at Raymond James. The Bandits cannot afford to drop to 0-4, but Jacksonville wants to rebound strong after an embarrassing shutout in Arizona. Friday @ 8pm             NEW ORLEANS (1-2) @ BIRMINGHAM (3-0)  NBC Saturday @ 12pm            PHILADELPHIA (3-0) @ BALTIMORE (1-2)       ABC Saturday @ 12pm           ATLANTA (1-2) @ NASHVILLE (0-3)                FOX Saturday @ 4pm              LOS ANGELES (1-2) @ PORTLAND (1-2)       ABC Saturday @ 4pm              HOUSTON (2-1) @ SEATTLE (1-2)                     FOX Saturday @ 7pm              CHICAGO (1-2) @ MICHIGAN (1-2)                 NBC Saturday @ 9pm              LAS VEGAS (3-0) @ OAKLAND (2-1)                 ESPN/EFN Sunday @ 12pm            WASHINGTON (2-1) @ NEW JERSEY (2-1)     ABC Sunday @ 12pm              ARIZONA (3-0) @ ORLANDO (2-1)                   FOX Sunday @ 12pm              CHARLOTTE (2-1) @ MEMPHIS (1-2)                FOX Sunday @ 4pm                 ST. LOUIS (0-3) @ DALLAS (2-1)                         ABC Sunday @ 4pm                 OHIO (2-1) @ PITTSBURGH (1-2)                       ABC Sunday @ 4pm               DENVER (1-2) @ TEXAS (2-1)                             FOX Sunday @ 8pm               JACKSONVILLE (1-2) @ TAMPA BAY (0-3)       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: This one was not a difficult choice. When a back rushes for 4 touchdowns in one game, you pretty much expect he will get the award that week. Fred Jackson's Week 3 performance was not the flashiest--his longest of the 4 TD runs was only 11 yards-- but it was a clinic on consistency and finishing power.