On a steamy evening in Memphis, the Tampa Bay Bandit, led by backup quarterback Matt Cassel, outlasted the Pittsburgh Maulers to claim their third Summer Bowl title.  With the on-field temperature at kickoff just over 100 degrees, it was a long, hot evening in the Liberty Bowl for both teams, and the energy level of both players and fans was definitely affected, but over the course of the game’s second half, the Bandits rallied around Cassel to come back from an early 7-3 deficit to score 17 second half points and take their first John Bassett Trophy as USFL Champs since 1998. It had been a sweltering day in Memphis, and while the game began just after 6pm local time, the temperature was still hovering around 100 degrees, with on-field conditions even hotter.  And while that was great for beer, soda and water sales in the sold out Liberty Bowl Stadium, it was not as good for the members of the two teams, who struggled to avoid cramping and stay hydrated throughout the game.  Even halftime performers Justin Timberlake and Lady Antebellum commented on the heat during their performance. The game itself got off to a slow start, with the two teams, who had not met in the regular season, sizing each other up and trying to get their run games going.  There would be no points in the first quarter, as neither team ventured within their opponent’s 40-yard line. What would be the biggest play of the first quarter, and a defining moment in the game was not a long pass or a dynamic run, but a sack.  Linebacker Keith Bullock, blitzing on a 3rd and 8, drove Daunte Culpepper to the ground. The Bandits’ starter got up and immediately called for attention, his non-throwing left arm dangling awkwardly at his side.  He would go immediately to the locker room, and later it would be revealed that not only had his shoulder been dislocated, but that there appeared to be damage to the joint.  Culpepper would not return and in a scoreless game it would have to be backup Matt Cassel, who saw all of 12 snaps during the season, who would now have to lead Tampa Bay in the championship game. The next two drives, one each for the Bandits and Maulers, would continue the slow pace of play and would again see both teams fail to cross the 50.  As the Mauler offense prepared to go onto the field at the 3:33 mark of the half, Coach Rivera encouraged Pickett to open up a bit and test the Bandit secondary.  He did just that, connecting with Vincent Jackson for one first down, then Ronnie Brown rushed for 15 three plays later for another, before Pickett connected with Victor Cruz for the opening score, a fade route to the right side of the endzone.  The Maulers were up 7-0 and facing an untested backup for the Bandits. As Matt Cassel prepared to come in for his next series, Coach Shula gave Cassel a pep talk and a pat on the back.  Shula started Cassel off with a makeable short pass just to help calm his nerves.  The strategy worked, and on Cassel’s second drive he completed 4 of 4 passing and got the Bandits into field goal range for Nate Kaeding.  Cassel would lead the Bandits down to the 5-yard line, but could not connect with Chris Doering on a 3rd and goal, so Kaeding would come in and put the Bandits on the board. The Maulers received the kick and took a knee, apparently happy to go into the air-conditioned locker rooms up 7-3, confident that Tampa Bay’s offense was significantly hobbled without Culpepper, and ready to slowly pull away.  But that is not what would happen. Following the half-time show which saw Lady Antebellum get the crowd up and cheering to songs like “Need You Now” and “I Run to You”, and Justin Timberlake both bring “Sexyback” and hit with “Cant’ Stop the Feeling”, the Liberty Bowl crowd settled in for what they feared would be a slow-moving and low-scoring second half.  The temperature had, by this time, dipped into the 90’s but with humidity and no breeze at all it was a sticky, muggy evening still. As expected, the two teams coming out of the locker room had a bit more energy, having hydrated at the half.  And yet, getting into scoring range proved difficult.  Tampa Bay garnered 2 first downs on the opening drive, but then stalled and were forced to punt.  Pinned in their own end, Pittsburgh moved the ball slowly, largely on the backs of Brown and Watson, who would combine for 99 yards on the day.  They would get down to the Tampa Bay 41, but then the ballhawking Bandit defense got its first break.  A slightly off-target ball towards Vincent Jackson made for easy picking for Patrick Robinson, who stepped into the throw and snatched it away from Jackson, returning the ball to the Maulers’ side of the field. Energized by the turnover, Tampa Bay’s offense came onto the field, and hit Pittsburgh with two quick plays, both for first downs.  Shane Vereen started the drive off well when his initial carry of the drive went for 12 and got Tampa Bay inside the 35.  Then Cassel connected with Joey Galloway for another first down, hitting him with a very well thrown out route.  4 plays later, Cassel would connect with TE Jared Cook on a short goal-to-go toss for 6 and Tampa Bay would surprisingly take the lead.  Cassel, who would finish the day 25 of 29 for 241 yards, was showing confidence in his arm and in Coach Shula’s playcalls.  The Bandits went up 3 and seemed amped up as the third quarter wound towards its conclusion. That feeling would only grow stronger after Pittsburgh was forced to punt after a 3-and-out, giving the Bandits the ball back in good field position with 1:01 left in the quarter.  Cassel again found Galloway, again putting the team in range for Kaeding, but they would not be satisfied with that.  3 plays later, from the Pittsburgh 39, the Maulers went for it all. It was a 3rd and 2, and the play fake to Brown worked to perfection, forcing the safeties to hesitate, and leaving Chris Doering in single coverage with Dunta Robinson.  Now, Robinson is a solid corner, but even he cannot defend against all routes.  Cassel let fly a perfect arcing ball towards the endzone and Doering got a step on Robinson, stretched his arms out and brought in the pass for another score and a 10 point lead for the Bandits.  Shockingly, the Bandits, with their backup QB at the helm, had a two score lead. Pittsburgh was stunned, the big play had been something they had avoided all season, and all game, and they just did not see it coming, figuring Shula would go for the first down with his run game, or perhaps a short crossing route, but Shula trusted Cassel to take a shot and that confidence paid off.  The Maulers took the field with an air of desperation about them. They had rarely faced this type of scenario during the season, and they had simply not proven an ability to drive the ball consistently all game. They had some success on the drive, relying heavily on the run and the play action pass.  Pickett connected with TE Owen Daniels to get the Maulers within field goal range for Ryan Succop, but Pittsburgh could not move the ball any further.  With 10:14 left to play, the Maulers settled for a Succop field goal from the 27-yard line, drawing within 1 score at 17-10.  Tampa Bay would take over on their own 14 yard line, and would do what they could to retain possession and kill as much clock as possible.  They relied on Vereen, who would take the handoff from Cassel 5 times on the drive, and they would mix in short passes to Galloway, Cook, Tyree, and Stocker, but while they did take significant time off the clock, they would have to punt the ball back to Pittsburgh with just over 4 minutes left to play. The Maulers had time, had time outs, and had the ball with a chance to tie the game, or go for 2 and possibly take the win.  They did not need to rely entirely on the pass, and they did not.  Using Watson on first down, and Brown 2 plays later to snag the first new set of downs of the drive.  A short pass to Jackson, then another to Owen Daniels and they had a 2nd first down.  But on 1st and 10 from their own 48, catastrophe.  Jason Pierre-Paul, who had recorded one of only 2 sacks against Pickett all game, got immediate pressure on the left side of the line.  Pickett threw the ball hurredly, but inaccurately, and once again Tampa Bay’s Patrick Robinson was there to take advantage of the rushed throw.  Robinson caught the ball cleanly and started down the sideline for what appeared to be a certain game-clinching touchdown.  Only Cody Pickett’s diving shove forced Robinson out of bounds at the 17-yard line. In field goal range, and with just under 3 minutes to play, Tampa Bay was content to send Vereen and fullback Ayanbedejo into the center of the Mauler line on three consecutive plays.  They failed to pick up the first down on 3rd and 3, but set up Kaeding for an easy 20-yard chipshot.   Kaeding connected and once again Tampa Bay was up 10, now with just over 2:30 left in the game.  Pittsburgh would need two drives and two scores to recapture this game. The Maulers, exhausted, drenched in sweat, and deflated by both the sudden turn of events and by their inability to capitalize on Daunte Culpepper’s absence, did not have it in them to mount one, much less two, scoring drives.  Their initial drive would stall out around midfield, and on a 4th and 5, Pickett was unable to find a receiver, scrambled, and tried to hit Jimmie Graham late over the middle.  The pass did not connect and the Bandits took over on downs.  They would milk the clock, force Pittsburgh to use their last time out, and then take a knee to end the game. As red, silver, and black confetti was shot into the air around the Liberty Bowl, the Bandit players celebrated on the field with their families, Coach Shula congratulated Coach Rivera on a game well-played, and Matt Cassel hugged everyone in sight, including a wincing Daunte Culpepper, back on the field in sweats, his arm in a sling.  Many felt that Cassel deserved the MVP trophy, but it was awarded to Patrick Robinson, whose two interceptions of Cody Pickett set up 10 points for the Bandits and preserved the win in the process.  The Bandits would take home their third John Bassett Trophy, matching Philadelphia, Michigan, and New Jersey in that feat, and now only 1 behind 4-time winner Houston. For Pittsburgh, it was a tough and bitter pill to swallow, to come so far and fall short, even after knocking out the opponent’s star quarterback.  The Maulers simply were not able to generate the offense they needed, and Cody Pickett, despite a solid 20 of 30 day passing, also threw two balls that led directly to Bandit scores.  For Tampa Bay it was a celebration of tenacity, toughness, and timely big plays that gave them the league trophy and the title of USFL Champions.  Well earned and well deserved by the Bandits. And so, now on to the 2011-2012 USFL offseason, as clubs prepare for the 2012 season and a chance to appear in Summer Bowl 2012 in St. Louis for the 30th title in the 30th season of the spring league.

And then there were two. The Tampa Bay Bandits and the Pittsburgh Maulers both advance at home against tough opposition to return to the Summer Bowl for the first time since the late 1990's. It took the Bandits an extra period to get their as the plucky Philadelphia Stars, led by backup QB Matt Gutierrez simply would not go out easily. For the Maulers, it was the defense that led them, holding the explosive Texas Outlaws under 20 points and securing their first trip to the title game since 1995. We will have breakdowns of both games, a preview position-by-position of the 2011 Summer Bowl matchup, and all the latest league news, from a coaching hire in Portland to the All-USFL team and award winners for the 2011 season. It's all right here. Say what you will about the Philadelphia Stars, they are not a team that is easily discouraged.  A week after battling back in the final minutes to defeat Washington, the Stars were at it again, taking Tampa Bay into overtime despite playing without QB Kurt Warner.  They may have eventually fallen to the homestanding Bandits, but they certainly impressed many who watched with their effort. In a game that saw Tampa Bay lose one of its offensive stars, with Willis McGahee going out in the 1st quarter with what would be diagnosed later as a dislocated kneecap, Tampa Bay found itself in a similar position to the Stars, forced to reassess their offensive plan and the weapons at their disposal.  The injury happened on Tampa Bay’s 2nd drive, already down 3 to the visiting Stars.  Philadelphia had managed a field goal on their first possession, thanks in part to the first of 6 defensive penalties called against the Bandits on the night, a 15-yard roughing the passer call that turned a failed third down into a first down in Bandit territory for the Stars. However, even with McGahee out, Tampa Bay was able to take the lead as the first quarter ended, backup Shane Vereen doing the honors with a 5-yard TD run on a perfect draw play.  Tampa Bay would increase the lead to 7 with a Nate Kaeding field goal early in the 2nd quarter, but the plucky Philadelphia Stars would not go away.  Philadelphia, which emphasized the run all game with 30 combined carries between Steve Slaton (19 for 81 yards) and Leon Washington (11 for 95 yards), saw Washington make the first of several big plays, a 19-yard scoring scamper that equalized the score before the half.  The Stars were making life tough for Tampa Bay and were able to go into the half all even at 10 apiece. The two teams continued to trade offensive drives, defensive stops and points throughout the second half as well. Tampa Bay retook the lead in the third on the period’s lone score, a 1-yard plunge from FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo.  Philadelphia would equalize midway through the 4th as once again Leon Washington found paydirt, this time from much closer with a 2-yard dive.  But only 3 plays later, Tampa Bay again took the lead.  Daunte Culpepper found a mismatch in the defense and connected with veteran wideout Joey Galloway for a 58-yard TD strike to again take the lead. With 3:20 left to play, Philadelphia found themselves down 7 points.  Again, they would call on backup Matt Gutierrez to get them the points they needed to stay in the hunt, in this case to send the game to overtime.  It would take the offense 3:19 of those 3:20 to get the job done, but on a 3rd and goal from the 3, with only 6 seconds on the clock when the play started, Philadelphia got it done.  Gutierrez used a bootleg, with Steve Slaton trailing for a possible pitch, but instead of pitching, the QB found TE Brent Celek in the end zone and Philadelphia found the points they needed to send the game to overtime. In the extra period, the Bandits were stymied on their first possession, but then returned the favor as they forced a 3-and-out from the Stars.  On their second possession in the extra period, Tampa Bay found what they needed to get the ball in range for kicker Nate Kaeding.  Another perfect pass to Galloway got them down to the Stars’ 20-yard line.  Shane Vereen slammed the ball into the line on two consecutive plays, getting the ball to the 16 before Coach Shula sent out Kaeding to end the game with a 33-yard kick.  Kaeding got It done and Tampa Bay punched their ticket to the Summer Bowl, dinged up, exhausted, and respectful of Philadelphia’s effort, but ultimately claiming the Eastern Title and the chance to seek a third title, potentially their first in over a decade. The Maulers found their stride after struggling through the first quarter, scoring 23 consecutive points to overtake an early Texas lead and claim the Western Conference title in a battle of wills.  Both QB’s were picked twice in the game, and Pittsburgh’s Cody Pickett suffered 6 sacks, but found his rhythm with 2 third quarter touchdown tosses as the Maulers return to the Summer Bowl for the first time since their 1995 title. The star of the game for Pittsburgh was WR Vincent Jackson, who turned 12 targets into 10 receptions for 122 yards and the go-ahead TD in the 3rd quarter.  Despite frequent double coverage, Jackson exploited Texas’s secondary on multiple occasions, using double moves and sharp cuts to create space and get open for Pickett.   The Mauler QB, who spent a good part of the first half scrambling to avoid Texas’s pass rush, got help in the second half as TE Owen Daniels was kept into chip DE Reynaldo Wynn and provide his QB with more time. After a battle of field goals led to a 3-3 score, Texas took their first lead thanks to a 12-play drive and a 5-yard T. J. Duckett scoring run.  They would hold their lead through the half, though Pittsburgh did chip away at it with 2 field goals.  Up 10-9 at the half, Texas had struggled to mount offense in the 2nd quarter and that would continue well into the second half.  The third quarter was dominated by the Maulers.  On their opening drive, Pickett connected with Vincent Jackson 3 times, the last one being the 18-yard TD pass that would put the Maulers on top, with a 2-point PAT added to give them the 17-10 lead.  On their next drive, a defensive flub by Texas safety Terrance Holt allowed TE Jimmie Graham to turn a 9-yard route into a 62-yard catch and run.  Pittsburgh was now up 14, and they would not look back. The Maulers boosted their lead to 17 with a Succop field goal to open the 4th quarter, and the defense would hold that lead until the final moments, allowing only a garbage time touchdown to Brandon Marshall with only seconds remaining.  The defense which had sustained the Maulers all season had shut out Texas after the first quarter, limiting T. J. Duckett to a paltry 24 yards on the ground and picking off Joe Flacco, the presumptive league MVP, twice.  Pittsburgh would be returning to the Summer Bowl as Mauler fans started planning a bus convoy to Memphis as their beloved purple and orange would take on the Bandits. Sam Shields Making His Case Before Free Agency Strong safety Sam Shields of the Maulers is doing everything in his power to convince Pittsburgh to pay him a hefty sum in order to retain his services.  After a regular season in which Shields made 45 tackles and added 5 takeaways (2 fumbles forced, 3 picks), Shields has emerged in the playoffs as a player who steps up in big moments. With a pick of Flacco and three key pass breakups, Shields helped keep the Texas offense in check and led a secondary that was the undoing of the Maulers.  His squad mate, Dunta Robinson would be named Defensive Player of the Game, with both a pick and a forced fumble on the day, but Shields was clearly the leader of the position group.  The 13-year vet, and former Outlaw himself, is in the final year of his contract with the Maulers, and he is making a strong case that he should end his career with Pittsburgh, but certainly not yet. McGahee Injury Will Cause Him to Miss Summer Bowl 2011 It was confirmed on Monday that Willis McGahee’s knee injury was a dislocated patella, and that the injury would not permit McGahee to appear in the Summer Bowl.  After a season that saw McGahee rush for 1,050 yards and 9 TDs, while also catching 22 passes for the Bandits, the 9-year veteran will be forced to watch the championship from the sideline. Taking McGahee’s spot in the backfield will be rookie Shane Vereen.  Vereen, who started 4 games this season as Mcgahee dealt with a midseason injury, has been a valuable player in reserve, but with only a 2.1 yards per carry average, he is neither as explosive nor as productive as McGahee.  Just as we have been talking about how the Stars would need to alter their gameplan without QB Kurt Warner, the absence of McGahee will certainly force Tampa Bay to look at other options, whether that means letting Culpepper throw the ball 50 times or mixing in Vereen and 2nd year back John Ball remains to be seen.  We fully expect to see a lot more emphasis on Daunte Culpepper and the passing game, whether through use of their 2-TE formation with Luke Stocker and Jared Cook or if the Bandits will have David Tyree on the field in more 3-WR sets, well that is the question. Portland Gets Their Man We had a feeling that it would not take Coach Marty Mornhinweg long to find a new gig after parting ways with the Chicago Machine.  Afterall how many coaches can say that they took a club to the playoffs nine times in the past eleven years.  That is not normally a resume that has you seeking employment.  Well, he was not seeking it for long.  On Tuesday the Portland Stags introduced the former Machine head coach as the new leader of the Stags. Mornhinweg will take over a team that fell from back-to-back 8-win seasons to a 5-11 record in 2011, but it is a club that has some noteworthy talent.  The Stags have key pieces in place with HB Jonathan Stewart, CB’s Marquand Manuel and Mike Rumph, and MLB Mark Simoneau.  They seem to have settled on Ryan Fitzpatrick as their QB solution and the Harvard grad did have a solid season when healthy.  They could upgrade on the D-line and in the receivers group, but this is a squad with several core positions well-established. Mornhinweg will likely bring in several coaches from his Chicago squad but may want to find someone with specialization in D-line play, as that has been a particular weakness of the Stags over the past couple of years. With Mornhinweg hired by the Stags and Lamar Lathon shifting from an interim to a permanent position with New Orleans, there remain only 2 open positions across the league, in Memphis and in Chicago.  And with the Summer Bowl this weekend, there is a good chance that we will see movement on those two positions before too long, as many of the top coordinators are now sidelined and available to interview. Nashville Open to Trading Cutler for the Right Price The Nashville Knights and head coach Jim Johnson have responded to Jay Cutler’s demands to be traded, with both Johnson and GM Dave Caldwell stating on the record that Nashville is open to a trade offer but will not be actively engaging with teams.  Essentially a “come and ask” attitude.  Cutler may have mistimed his decision to demand a new home, as this offseason looks to be one of the most stable for the QB position in recent memory.  As we look around the league, we are just not seeing a lot of teams who are going into the offseason with a mindset that they absolutely must obtain a new signal caller.  Sure, there are always teams looking to upgrade, but is Cutler going to be considered a significant improvement over most USFL starters?   Not necessarily. Of the league’s 28 clubs, we count no fewer than 20 who are pretty well set up at the position, with topflight QB play, a veteran who is viewed as a solid option, or a younger player who is being developed.  That leaves 7 potential landing spots.  In our estimation the top options would be Boston, where Jake Locker has not impressed in his first year; Ohio, where Vince Young also struggled after coming over from the NFL; Portland, if Coach Mornhinweg is not a fan of Fitzpatrick; and Memphis, where Ryan Mallett is the current starter.  But here is the tricky part, in 3 of those 4 cases you have either a young QB on an expensive rookie deal or an NFL veteran brought in, so trading for Cutler would create both a cap space issue and a perception of failure that few GM’s are willing to put out there. The most likely scenario is that Cutler could potentially go to a team with a veteran QB who is nearing retirement, which would put him in a backup role, a step down from being a starter in Nashville.  The Knights are certainly not going to void his contract so that he can jump to the NFL, so his options are limited.  So as much as fans may criticize some of Cutler’s decisions on the field, this decision, to push for a trade this offseason, may well be the worst one he has made to date. Is T. J. Duckett Retiring? Call it frustration with a big loss or call it the end result of a long and tough season, but T. J. Duckett on Monday hinted that he may well be considering retirement.  While it certainly would not be unusual for a running back to retire at age 30, especially one who has taken the kind of beatings and hits he has as a power runner, Duckett’s 2011 season still had him playing at a very high level. He rushed for 1,168 yards, putting him in the Top 10 in the league, had a 4.0 YPC average, and he remained a significant contributor to the offense with 294 carries.  That is a high number for any back, though certainly well below the 340 he had in 2010 or the 350 in 2008. Duckett survived the season injury free, and, unlike in most past years, had a topflight passing game to take some of the pressure off.  But only he knows the impact all those carries over 9 years have had on his body.  Again, it may just be frustration after a pretty tough outing against Pittsburgh, or it may just be a sore and aching body speaking to him one day after his season ended, but if Duckett is serious and does call it a career, it certainly leaves a major hole in Texas’s roster and a major target point for their offseason. Duckett was backed up this year by Aveion Carson and rookie Jay Finley, but combined, these two backs had a total of only 98 carries.  Texas would almost certainly have to look seriously at a halfback in either free agency or the draft. The free agent pickings, as usual, do not contain any franchise backs, with Ladell Betts, Brandon Jacobs, Antonio Pittman and Rashad Jennings being the top-rated backs available. That leaves the draft, and while there are certainly some talented backs in this year’s draft pool, players like Alabama’s Trent Richardson, Boise State’s Doug Martin, or Virginia Tech’s David Wilson, there is not a top prospect from the Outlaw’s three territorial schools, which means they will need to invest heavily in either a 1st round pick or a trade to get access to a T-Draft blue chipper.  The best option within the T-Draft for the Outlaws is Baylor’s Terrance Ganaway, who is considered marginal as a draftee at all, and certainly not a plug-and-play back. So, Outlaw fans wait with anxiety to see if Duckett retracts his post-game statements, or if their club will need to invest in a back one way or the other.  Their success in providing a high-level run game next year could well be the difference between returning for another deep playoff run or taking a step back in a pretty competitive division. Looking at the Summer Bowl rosters, it seems the Maulers have a distinct advantage on the injury front.  They had no new injuries in Sunday’s Conference Title game, with only guard Chester Adams still listed as Out.  No players added to the list and no other injuries of note.  Meanwhile, Tampa Bay lost two important players on Sunday, with Willis McGahee out after dislocating his knee and LB Zeke Moreno also listed as out after an ankle injury.  Add those two names to LB Jeff Goff’s injury, one expected to keep him out as well, and immediately the issue becomes clear, the Bandits’ LB group is running on fumes.  Tampa Bay will go with Jonathan Vilma and Monty Beisel in their usual positions but will likely rotate 12-year veteran Mike Peterson with youngsters Jesse Nading and Tyrone McKenzie into the two remaining spots.  That is not ideal, and we could well see the Bandits opt to use nickel personnel as an option. That reality has to be making HBs Ronnie Brown and Kenny Watson grin ear to ear.  A weakened LB group or the use of nickel personnel likely means a big day for the Mauler running backs, and we know that Coach Rivera is absolutely fine with the idea of a run-first game plan.  How Tampa handles what is likely to be a very large dose of the Pittsburgh HB duo could well become the story of the game. All-USFL Team & Award Winners Named The Week before the Summer Bowl means a lot of excitement for the game, but also the announcement of the annual awards and the All-USFL team.  We got both last night in the league’s Honors Ceremony, held in Memphis, site of the Summer Bowl.  Not a lot of surprises, but always still good water cooler conversation starters with this year’s winners and snubs.  Here is our quick rundown of the award recipients for 2011. MVP No surprise here as QB Joe Flacco took the trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player.  It was a breakout season for the Outlaw signal caller, leading the league with 4,129 yards passing, 34 touchdowns, and a 122.9 QB Rating.  When a QB wins all three of those statistical races, there is almost no way he is not named MVP.  When that QB’s team wins its first divisional title in its 25-year history, you had better give that QB the award. OPOTY While another Texas Outlaw, WR Marques Colston, did very well to finish second in the voting, ahead of QB Kurt Warner, the runaway winner was also not a surprise.  Washington HB Deuce McCallister won the rushing title by 146 yards over Knowshon Moreno and also led the league with 13 rushing TDs and a 4.6 YPC average.  He was an absolute beast this season, racking up seven 100-yard games and adding more of a role in the passing game as well.  His 344 receiving yards and 3 receiving TDs were personal bests.  Add to this the dominance of the Feds run game down the stretch and the clinching of the #1 seed in the East and McCallister was an easy choice. DPOTY Was their any doubt here?  Calais Campbell did it again, topping 30 sacks for the second time in his career. His 34 sacks means he averaged over 2 per game for the Renegades. That is just a stunning number, especially considering how much of the opposing offensive strategy he sees each week is designed to slow him down.  Teams are just not able to find a way to effectively keep Campbell off their QB, partially because of the presence of Albert Haynesworth in the middle, but clearly also because of the repertoire of devastating swim, power, speed, and lift moves that Campbell employs play after play.  Another no-brainer come time to vote for the Defensive star of the year. Rookie of the Year This vote was closer, with some pulling for Nashville WR Denarius Moore or Baltimore DE Robert Quinn, but in the end the QB won out. Cam Newton started the year hot, cooled off a bit (as did the Stallions) in the second half of the long season, but still had strong numbers throughout.  The one-year wonder from Auburn finished the year with 2,958 yards and 29 touchdowns, completing 57.6% of his passes and garnering an 84.3 QB Rating. He also rushed for over 200 yards and added 2 rushing touchdowns.  It is an aspect of his game which Coach Shanahan admitted to trying to repress this year, to force Newton to spend more time working the progressions in the passing game, but a feature of his game which we may see more of in 2012.  Newton helped revive a stagnant Stallion offense, along with NFL import Joseph Addai, and while Birmingham did fade down the stretch and failed to reach the postseason for the 8th consecutive year, their 7-9 record was a huge step up from the 2-14 season the Stallions had in 2010. Coach of the Year Votes for Coach of the Year went to Tampa Bay’s Mike Shula, Pittsburgh’s Ron Rivera, and Arizona’s Jim Tomsula, but the winner, and rightfully so, went to former USFL QB Greg Landry for his work with the Texas Outlaws.  Landry, given credit for developing Joe Flacco into an MVP quarterback, helped build a club that went from 8-8 to 12-4, and from the bottom half of the league in both offensive production and total defense, to one that finished #2 in scoring, #2 in yards gained, #5 in points allowed and #8 in yards allowed.  Texas was one of the stories of the year, and despite their loss in the Western Finals, the 2011 season will long be remembered in San Antonio as the year that the team finally broke through, winning the first division title in 25 seasons of USFL football. Finally, we have the All-USFL Team. This is usually where we see the biggest complaints about snubs and favoritism, but there is no doubt that every player on this roster had an outstanding year, so, rather than focus on those who did not make the team, we celebrate those who are represented here. QB: Joe Flacco (TEX), Kurt Warner (PHI), Cody Pickett (PIT) HB: Deuce McCallister (WSH), Ron Dayne (BAL), LaDainian Tomlinson (ARZ) FB: Rick Razzano (TEX) TE: Jordan Cameron (POR), Jason Whitten (JAX) WR: Marques Colston (TEX), Hines Ward (MGN), Joey Galloway (TBY), Vincent Jackson (PIT), and Taylor Jacobs (STL) OT: Jonathan Thomas (PHI), Matt Light (OAK), Brian Bulaga (STL) OG: Eric Stienbach (BAL), Mike Holland (ARZ), Stee Sciulo (TBY) C: Matt Birk (PHI), Aaron Graham (TEX) DE: Calais Campbell (ORL), Jason Babin (BOS), Justin Smith (OAK) DT: Brian Noble (SEA), Rene Jean-Francois (NOR), Marquez Pope (ARZ) LB: Brian Urlacher (CHI), DeMeco Ryans (BIR), Mike Maslowski (OAK), Glenn Cadrez (OHI) Jeff Goff (TBY), and Shawne Merriman (DEN) CB: Brandon Flowers (WSH), Patrick Buchanon (TBY), Cortland Finnegan (ORL), Marquand Manuel (ORL) SS: Troy Polamalu (ARZ), Bob Sanders (NJ) FS: Tebucky Jones (MEM), Scott Shields (PIT) K:   Mike Nugent (PHI) P:   Matt Turk (TBY) The Tampa Bay Bandits (12-4), Champions of the Southeast Division and the Eastern Conference, face off against the Pittsburgh Maulers (13-3), Champions of the Central Division and the Western Conference, in Summer Bowl 2011 in Memphis, Tennesee’s Liberty Bowl Stadium.  It is a battle of battlers.  The Bandits improved from 7-9 a  year ago, building their success on a vertical offense and a ballhawking defense. The Maulers went from 9 wins in 2010 to a league best 13 in 2011, thanks to one of the league’s stingiest defenses and a running back duo that accounted for over 1,700 yards on the ground. These two face off in a Summer Bowl most did not expect, and yet, watching both clubs down the stretch, there is no shock that they both arrived here.  Pittsburgh won 12 of 13 before resting their starters in the season finale.  Tampa Bay won 8 of their last 9, including 5 straight to lock up the #2 seed in the East.  In the postseason, both easily dispatched their Divisional opponents and hosted their conference title games, edging their opponents to punch their ticket to Memphis and a shot at a title.  It will be a chance for Tampa Bay to earn a third John Bassett trophy, and the first since 1998.  For Pittsburgh it is their shot at a second title, along with their 1995 championship.  But, who will come out on top?  We break down this game position by position to see who we see holding the John Bassett Trophy aloft on Sunday. QUARTERBACK:  Both teams have solid QB play.  You generally don’t get this far without it.  On paper, Culpepper has the advantage in yards, completion percentage, and QB Rating.  Pickett threw for 2 more TDs and 6 fewer picks, so this is pretty even, but when we look at the film it is clear that while Pickett tends to look to move the sticks and keep drives going, Culpepper is going to look for the big play, the gamebreaker.  For that alone, we give the nod here to the Bandits. RUNNING BACK: Were Willis McGahee able to go in this game, he would tilt the scales towards the Bandits.  He reached 1,000 yards despite missing 4 regular season games, but he is out, and that means that Tampa Bay has to rely on rookie HB Shane Vereen, whose 2.1 yards per carry are not going to scare the Maulers.  Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has two solid options and likes to make use of both.  NFL import Ronnie Brown led the club with 888 yards and 9 TDs, but right there with him is Kenny Watson with 786 yards and 4 TDs.  The Maulers will pound Tampa Bay with Brown and then throw a curveball with Watson.  The edge has to go to Pittsburgh on the ground. RECEIVERS: Vincent Jackson had a stellar year for Pittsburgh with 104 catches for 1,343 yards, and the Maulers also got 1,000 yards out of second option Victor Cruz, a speedy and elusive receiver who finished the year with a team best 10 TDs.  They have two tight ends who can also catch the ball in Jimmie Graham and Owen Daniels.  And yet, despite this solid group, we give the edge to Tampa Bay.  The ageless Joey Galloway came to the Bay this year and lit up the league for nearly 1,300 yards on 96 catches.  He is joined by another veteran, undervalued WR Chris Doering, who just gets it done every year without accolades. Rookie TE Luke Stocker has been a solid target, and David Tyree as the slot receiver has been tough to defend.  They do lose a quality receiver out of the backfield with McGahee out, but this group has been consistently playing at a high level all year. OFFENSIVE LINE:  Both lines are outstanding.  Tampa Bay’s front 5 has given up only 17 sacks all year, while Pittsburgh’s is right there with them with only 19 sacks allowed.  Both are athletic, can pull to assist the outside run, or just bowl over defensive linemen for the inside run game.  We are going to call this one a push, since it is so hard to see how either line has a clear advantage. DEFENSIVE LINE: Two very different schemes at work with these teams, but both very effective.  Pittsburgh employs a 4-3 with Dan Klecko and Amobi Okoye occupying blockers in the middle to free up Jared Allen to rush the passer, which he did to the tune of 13 sacks this year.  Linemate Jerome McDougle added another 9 as the Maulers finished the season with 53 sacks on record.  Tampa Bay was not quite as dominant up front, with only 24 sacks in 16 games, but that is not their game. Their line of Jason Pierre-Paul, Marcellus Wiley, and Andre Nesbitt is designed to get pressure, but more importantly to occupy blockers so that the linebackers can roam freely to disrupt plays.  However, even with two different schemes, we have to recognize the quality of the Mauler line.  They take this one. LINEBACKERS:  Where Pittsburgh wins on the line, Tampa Bay has the more gifted linebacker group.  They will be without Jonathan Goff for this game, which will impact them, but they still have veterans Jonathan Vilma and Zeke Moreno, runstuffer Monty Beisel, and will rotate between Jesse Nading and veteran Mike Peterson in the 4th position.  For the Maulers, their 3-man group of Brian Cushing, Buster Davis, and Keith Bullock is often used in pass coverage and to squelch the outside run.  Expect to see swing backer Barrett Green in on passing downs as one of the faster backers responsible for covering the tight end.  We still give the edge to the Bandits here. SECONDARY: The combo of Patrick Surtain, and Dunta Robinson outside, and Sean Taylor and Scott Shields inside makes the Mauler secondary the strongest part of their shut-down defense.  Their catch to target ratio is one of the best in the league, and yet, they have not proven to be particularly effective at snagging interceptions.  Tampa Bay, on the other hand, may give up more big plays but also was 2nd in the league behind only Atlanta, with 20 interceptions this season. Their quartet of Patrick Robinson, Philip Buchanon, Idrees Basheer, and Bryan Scott, often bolstered with Richard Colclough in the nickel, is not afraid to take a chance on a big play, go for the ball, and occasionally give up the big catch.  While the Bandits’ aggressive play in the secondary could be a factor in this game, we have to go with the steady shut down ability of the Mauler DB’s to take this category. SPECIAL TEAMS: Tampa Bay’s Matt Turk has a clear advantage over Pittsburgh’s Steve Kemp in punting average and accuracy, while Nate Kaeding and Ryan Succop are pretty evenly matched when it comes to range and accuracy for field goals.  In the return game Richard Colclough and Victor Cruz are pretty evenly matched as return men, both capable of finding a crease and breaking a big gainer.  With so much being even, this could come down to opportunity and just one or two missed blocks to see a difference here. So, we will call this a push. COACHING: Pittsburgh’s Ron Rivera certainly wins on seniority, serving in his 6th season with the Maulers while Dave Shula has done amazing things in his first year at the helm in Tampa Bay.  Rivera came out of the DC ranks, where he built a reputation for discipline, structure, and aggressive gameplans, but on offense he tends to play it conservatively, using short passes and the run game to keep the chains moving and shorten games.  Shula is an offensive-minded coach, always looking for the mismatch and the chance to take the ball deep.  His defense tends to be a bend-but-don’t-break philosophy, and he seems to have little concern for the clock, except to play at tempo when the club is behind.  We are going to give the edge to Rivera here, but recognize that when it comes to championship football, both of these coaches are inexperienced and largely unknown to each other. OUR PICK: With all the factors in place, and in large part due to the absence of Willis McGahee and Jonathan Goff from the Bandit lineup, we are giving the edge to the Maulers.  We love their defense scheme, their aggression against the QB, and their ability to power the ball with a 2-back system.  While Tampa Bay could hit on some big plays, we don’t think they will be able to consistently break down the Mauler D, while Pittsburgh’s Cody Pickett should see good protection all day, and, with a focus on possession, should be able to limit Tampa Bay’s opportunities for the surprise gamebreaker.  Our pick is Pittsburgh to win their 2nd title, Maulers 23-18.

A really fun week of playoff football as we witnessed an upset no one saw coming, a defensive struggle, and two dominant performances by home favorites.  Texas and Tampa Bay proved to us why they are Summer Bowl contenders with convincing wins at home, both clubs taking early leads and just pulling away over time.  We had a nice game between the Wranglers and the Maulers, one that was controlled by Pittsburgh’s D, but which stayed close enough for Wrangler fans to have hope up until the final seconds, and we had a huge upset as the wounded and cornered Philadelphia Stars rose to the occasion, fought back in the final minutes, without their superstar QB, and upended the number 1 seed Washington Federals in RFK, a bitter defeat for the home team, but a historic win for the Stars.   We will cover it all right here, and take a look at two very intriguing Conference Finals, plus a check in on the free agent pool, and a couple of intriguing bits of player news from the pre-Free Agency period. All coming up right here. As a general rule, if you are only going to convert 1 third down all day, try to keep the opponent from converting 75% of theirs.  That is the number that stands out from the Bandits’ dismantling of the Baltimore Blitz on Saturday.  That and a 455-286 yardage advantage.  The Bandits’ D locked down on third downs all game long and that meant that Blitz drives sputtered to a halt outside of scoring range far too often. Meanwhile, Willis McGahee and Daunte Culpepper had no difficulties with the Blitz’s defensive scheme.  McGahee rushed 24 times for 114 yards and a score.  Culpepper threw for 298 yards and 3 scores as Tampa Bay took a 14-3 halftime lead and extended it in the second half, pulling away and ending the game well before the whistle blew.  Down early, Baltimore had to abandon their plans to use Ron Dayne to milk the clock.  Dayne would finish the day with only 13 carries as early TDs from Chris Doering and Willis McGahee forced Baltimore to play catchup. Doering would catch a 2nd TD pass in the 4th quarter and Culpepper would also find former Ohio Glory receiver Joey Galloway for a 3rd TD as Tampa Bay thoroughly dominated and set up an Eastern Title Game at home as the top seed remaining in the East. The Outlaws were also inhospitable hosts for the visiting Express.  They too jumped out to a significant first half lead, forcing LA to settle for field goals on their two scoring drives, while the homestanding Outlaws got two first half Flacco-to-Cooley TD passes, along with a Rian Lindell kick, to build up an 11-point halftime lead. LA was game, as Mark Sanchez completed 31 of 45 passing, but the need to settle for field goals was a theme of the day, with LA adding a 3rd early in the second half to pull within 8.  But while the Express struggled in the red zone, Texas did not.  They would add a goalline TD pass to Marques Colston and a Duckett 2-yard run in the 2nd half and pull away from LA long before the Express finally found the endzone in the final minute of the game. The win sends Texas to the first Conference Title Game in franchise history.  They would have to wait to see the result of the Wrangler-Mauler game, where they would oddly find themselves rooting for division rival Arizona to ensure that the title game would be in San Antonio, but on Saturday night those concerns were not formed yet.  It was just time to celebrate as Texas moves on to the conference title game. In an odd bit of scheduling, due to Pittsburgh being in the Eastern time zone, the Western divisional game was scheduled before the Eastern.  That was no concern for the Maulers, but meant an early start for Arizona, who had to fly east and adjust to the 2-hour difference in kickoff time.  But, the bigger issue for Arizona was not the timezone, but that nasty defense of the Maulers.  Arzona, like Baltimore before them, would struggle to convert on 3rd down, achieving the feat only twice in 10 attempts.  They would also find absolutely no room for LaDainian Tomlinson to run as the 1,000 yard rusher ended the game with only 23 yards on 11 carries. Pittsburgh, while certainly not putting up huge numbers, at least got a decent showing with 81 total rush yards between Brown and Watson.  Both Mauler backs also scored, putting up the first 14 points on the board.  As we saw in both of the Saturday games, early leads of 10 points or more were enough in each game to force the opposition out of their early game plans.  Arizona started to emphasize the pass, which proved disastrous as Pittsburgh accumulated 9 sacks of David Carr in the game.  LB Keith Bullock and DE Jared Allen both got to Carr twice, and 5 other Maulers also found their way to the Wrangler QB, who spent most of the game either dumping the ball off quickly or taking a hit for holding it longer. Arizona did get a late TD from Tomlinson to pull within 3 at 14-17, but Pittsburgh added a field goal within 2 minutes, holding the ball and forcing a desperate late Wrangler drive that failed to produce points.  Pittsburgh’s win means they, and not Texas, will host the Western Conference final, what should be a great matchup of the Maulers and the team that shocked them only a month ago. Looks like it is time for our staff and many others to eat some crow.  Few gave Philadelphia much of a chance as they headed into their big game with Washington absent their All-USFL QB Kurt Warner.  But this is a plucky and determined Stars team and those qualities showed up in spades as they forced the division champions into a hole after 3 quarters, and, when the Federals pulled ahead, they came back with a late TD that shook RFK Stadium to its foundations. The Stars started off about as well as a team can, with LB Sean Lee snatching away a David Garrard pass and running it back for a score in the opening minutes of the game.  That was followed by a 17-play drive by the Stars offense, using every weapon available to them before handing the ball to Steve Slaton on the 1-yard line and having him plunge in behind the left guard.  Philadelphia, the underdogs, were up 14-0 just 6 minutes into the 2nd quarter. Washington would pull the game back to a 7-point difference with a long Garrard to Kellen Davis TD pass, but with the only points in the 3rd quarter being a Mike Nugent field goal, Philadelphia went into the final period up 10.  Along the way, the Stars offensive line played like true champions, winning the battle at the line of scrimmage and giving backup QB Matt Gutierrez all the protection he would need.  Washington blitzed, twisted, stunted, all to try to get to Gutierrez, but to no avail. But the Washington offense also had its moments, and in the 4th quarter they erased the 10 point Stars lead, thanks to a Chris Massey TD and a pick-six of their own.  It was Gutierrez’s one bad play of the game, throwing late towards Reche Caldwell, allowing Sheldon Brown to step in front of the pass and return it for a score that would put Washington up 21-20 with 4:27 left to play.  The Federals would add a field goal just 2 minutes later, and with 2:25 left to play the Stars’ bubble appeared to have burst.  Down 4 with just 1 time out left and a TD needed, it looked bleak. But, rather than fold, the Stars rallied, with the O-line giving Gutierrez time and the receviers finding gaps in the Washington zone.  The backup QB hit Stevie Johnson for a huge 24-yard play, then TE Brent Celek for 11, and Michael Newhouse for 9 on a key 3rd and 7.  With 33 seconds to play, they had the ball inside the 10, and Gutierrez called what would be the winning play, a cluster formation that would allow slot receiver Troy Williamson to take advantage of some rub routes to get free from the nickel back.  The play worked to perfection and Gutierrez found Williamson all but uncovered on the left sideline.  He zipped the ball to the small receiver, who took it in stride and dove for the pylon.  It took over 3 minutes for the review to confirm what most of the fans at RFK dreaded.  Philadelphia touchdown and the Stars took both the lead and the game. It was a gutsy performance from the Stars, their line, their receivers, and their defense, but Philadelphia was moving on to the Conference Title Game.  They now travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Bandits for the right to play in the 2011 Summer Bowl. Playoff First as Center Matt Birk Gets POTG Honors We have never seen it before, but this week the USFL declared that Matt Birk, the Philadelphia center, and captain of the line was the Player of the Game for the Stars’ upset of Washington.  There were other options, particularly LB Sean Lee, whose pick-six sparked a strong first half for the Stars, but when we look at the game film, there is a very good reason that Birk was chosen. Protection and run blocking were key for the Stars to have any chance against the Federals, and Birk led a line that played about as well as we have ever seen from a unit.  Not only did Birk record 10 pancake blocks on the day, a ridiculous number against as good a line as Washington has, but his leadership, calling out plays and adjustments, kept the Stars unit working as one, both in the run game and particularly in the final drive that allowed the Stars to take the victory.  It is a rare thing for any lineman to get recognition, so we salute Birk and the entire Stars line for the honor this week. McGahee Magical in Bandit Win Is anyone really surprised that Willis McGahee was a focal point for the Tampa Bay offense this week?  When McGahee goes over 100 yards rushing, the Bandits win. It is that simple. Add in a key play,  a short pass that the back turned into a 39-yard scamper, and you have impact in the passing game as well as on the ground. Yes, the Bandits have a lot of weapons, not the least of which is 2-time league champion Joey Galloway, but for our money, the secret to the Bandits has been, and remains, their halfback and his ability to make plays in space.  Something the Stars may want to focus on this week. Moss Fumes About Missed Opportunities Randy Moss was targeted 9 times in the game against Texas this week, and he caught 7 of those, but he is not touting that, he is fuming over two other opportunities that did not go his way.  Moss, speaking on ESPN radio this week, was livid that he is not being targeted enough by Mark Sanchez and the Express offense. He cited two plays in particular, stating he was open deep but Sanchez checked the ball down to the middle of the field.  Tape of the game shows he was not wrong, though certainly the design of plays to a degree determines the QB’s progression.  There was a play early in the 2nd quarter, and another in the 3rd, where Moss had beaten his defender and a well-thrown ball along the sideline could have resulted in 6 points, but on both occasions Sanchez looked elsewhere, connecting with L. J. Smith on one case, and missing a pass to Keyshawn Johnson on another. Prodded to speak about the disappointment of losing on Saturday, Moss would not lay blame by naming names but it is clear that he believes that the offense of the Express is too conservative, too focused on achieving first downs and hesitant to look deep. Whether he puts the blame for that on QB Mark Sanchez, Head Coach Gregg Williams, or OC Steve Fairchild is not known, but what is clear is that Moss is going to keep asking for the ball, and the Express should have known this about him when they signed him. Mauler D Manhandles Wrangler O-Line We went back through the tape of the 20-14 Mauler win over Arizona this week looking for a key to the game, and it became apparent pretty quickly that there was one unit that was simply outclassing their opposition.  Pittsburgh’s D-line, mad up of ends Jared Allen and Jerome McDougle and tackles Amobi Okoye and Dan Klecko, simply dominated the Wrangler offensive line.  Whether on pass plays, with David Carr running for his life and sacked 9 times, or in the run game, where LT was held to only 2.1 yards per carry, the Wrangler offensive line simply had no answers. We all knew that the Maulers love to blitz, it is part of who they are, and they did, on 45% of passing downs, and on 21% of first downs, but it seems clear to us tha they did not need to . Even on the plays when they did not send additional rushers into the line, they simply overwhelmed the Wranglers up front, winning battles across the line and disrupting blocking schemes and playcalls all day.   If Pittsburgh can get a similar performance out of this group against a Texas line that is likely to have 2-3 All-USFL nods, then the Maulers may well be purchasing tickets to Memphis and the Summer Bowl. Good news across the league as we have three of four teams that have not added any new players to their injury list. The one exception is Texas, who have listed backup Sage Rosenfels and linebacker Jonathan Moulton as probable. Moulton is the bigger factor here as he is a key member of the Outlaw defense, but if he is probable, then we expect he will actually see the field.  All other injuries, including that of Kurt Warner, are from prior weeks and each team has worked their way through the options to replace or cover for that missing player, so we enter the Conference Finals with a pretty good sense of what to expect from each club. Chad Johnson to Generals? While free agency does not begin for another 2 weeks, players are certainly allowed to speak with other teams, to visit other facilities, and to get a sense of where they want to be.  They just cannot sign on the dotted line.  So, when Chad Johnson appeared in East Rutherford, chatting with Sam Bradford and Herm Edwards, it was very much a part of his plan to find a new home with an established QB and a shot at team success.  New Jersey may not seem like the optimal location, but there are few current playoff teams that are desperate for a new number 1 receiver, and few non-playoff teams that have a young and talented QB.  New Jersey makes sense, it also happens to be a team with a pretty spacious salary cap shortfall, which means they have the funds to sign someone like Johnson if that is their interest. Certainly New Jersey will not be the last team Johnson and his agent engage with over the next 2 weeks.  Rumors already have him talking to New Orleans and Orlando, but it is an intriguing option, particularly since that would mean twice annual matchups against Boston. Cutler Seeks Trade After Rough Playoff Ouster The season did not end the way that Nashville fans would have liked, with 4 straight regular season losses, including a devastating 14-6 shutdown in the home finale against New Orleans and then a beatdown by Baltimore in the Wild Card round.  Well, apparently, one player who is more than a little unhappy not only with the way the season ended, but by the entire season and how he was utilized is Nashville QB Jay Cutler.  Reports this week have Cutler demanding of the GM that he be traded, stating that he cannot continue to be held back by Coach Johnson’s run-first philosophy.  Honestly, trading Cutler and starting fresh may just be the move that the Knights, and Coach Jim Johnson, need to reinvigorate the franchise and an increasingly uncomfortable culture of “just good enough” within the team. Now, we are not sure what Cutler believes he can do in another system.  Honestly his numbers have never been that great with Nashville.  In fact, over his 5 seasons in the league, this year’s numbers are the best he has ever posted.  He finished 2011 with nearly 3,500 yards passing, a 67.1% completion rate, and a 20:16 (5:4) TD:INT ratio, all the best of his career.  That said, he also finished with only an 83.7 QB Rating.  Cutler has yet to finish any season with a Top 5 rating, but perhaps he believes it is the system that is producing these less than all-star results.  If that is the case, going to a new location, with a new coach, could be a solution.  At worst it will prove that it was him all along, and not Coach Johnson’s conservative approach to offense that led to mid-range results. Is Nashville open to the idea? We believe they might be, particularly if they feel they have a shot at acquiring a young gun at QB who could help them right away.  With a mid-to-late draft pick, that won’t be Andrew Luck of Stanford, but could be a player acquired in trade, or could be a late 1st round QB like a Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M.  Of course, with the new rule in place this year, Nashville could take a shot at either Luck or Baylor’s Robert Griffin III if they are willing to trade open draft picks to acquire one of Oakland’s or Texas’s Territorial Picks to land one of the two QBs.  That would make things interesting. Free Agent Pool Expands with 8 Playoff Teams Eliminated With 8 teams now out of the postseason, the free agency pool continues to grow.  Again, these players cannot be signed by any club until Free Agency officially opens in 2 weeks, but they can speak with other teams. Here are the 3-5 players from each eliminated playoff team that could garner some attention in the marketplace. ARIZONA:  CB Jimmy Williams, WR Kassim Osgood, DT Kimo Von Oelhoffen, QB Dave Dickenson BALTIMORE: HB Antonio Pittman, FS Shaunard Harris, WR Doug Gabriel, QB Chris Simms CHARLOTTE: G Sean Locklear, WR Anquon Boldin, TE Anthony Hill, LB Raynoch Thompson LOS ANGELES: FB Casey Kramer, CB Terrence McGee, CB Renaldo Hill, HB Cedric Houston, WR Eddie Kennison, WR Bernard Berrian MICHIGAN: WR Laverneous Coles, TE Bennie Joppru, OT Breno Giacomo, CB Chri Canty, DT Igor Olshansky NASHVILLE: G Jeb Terry, P Sam Koch, DE Quintin Moses, OT Jason Fabini, QB Chase Daniel OAKLAND: FS Roman Harper, FB Marcel Reese, WR Joey Jamison, C Jeff Saturday, LB Brendon Ayanbedejo WASHINGTON: CB Brandon Flowers, G Scott Tercero, OT Matt Stinchcomb Of this group, we see a lot of market value for Raynoch Thompson, Roman Harper, Renaldo Hill, and Jimmy Williams. We doubt that Oakland let Jeff Saturday go without a clear message from him that he is going to retire.  Much the same for Eddie Kennison of LA. Could we really get an All-Pennsylvania Summer Bowl?  Well, the Stars and Maulers are both still alive as we enter the Conference Title Games, but while Pittsburgh is at home, the Stars, still without Kurt Warner at QB, are on the road in a tough place to get a win, Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.  Here is our breakdown of both Conference Title Games, and our picks for who will be making the trip to Memphis and the Summer Bowl at Liberty Bowl Stadium in just 10 days. #4 PHILADELPHIA STARS (12-4) @ #2 TAMPA BAY BANDITS (12-4) Sunday, July 24 @ 2pm ET Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Tampa Bay -5 To be honest, we are still somewhat shocked that Philadelphia made it here without Warner, but kudos to them for the way they fought in the Federals game.  Looking at this matchup the formula will have to be the same, protecting Gutierrez, using the run game and putting in a very strong defensive effort.  Tampa Bay has a lot of options on offense, including one of the best pass-catching backs in the league in McGahee and a veteran wideout in Galloway who still has enough speed to beat teams deep. When Philadelphia has the ball, expect Tampa Bay to try to pressure Gutierrez with blitzes and stunts, while using coverages that force the ball to the middle of the field.  When Tampa Bay has the ball, Philadelphia will try to get pressure with just four players, allowing them to double receivers and prevent the deep ball. OUR PICK:  As much as the win last week was impressive for the Stars, we have to go with the favorite here.  Tampa Bay 24-18. #2 TEXAS OUTLAWS (12-4) @ #1 PITTSBUGH MAULERS (13-3) Sunday, July 24 @ 6pm ET Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh -2 This one could be a very low scoring affair.  We have two teams that just don’t crack on defense, although we also have two top 5 offenses on the field as well. One of these 4 squads is going to give, and the one that does could determine the game.  If either team can establish the run to the point of drawing in the safeties, then the passing game will open up and it may only take one deep shot that connects to win this game.  We think this one will stay a one score affair throughout, but will it be 17-14 or 31-35?  That is the question. OUR PICK:  As much as we like the Maulers, and we do, Joe Flacco is having a legitimate moment this season, and we think that moment continues with the road upset of Pittsburgh and a trip to the Summer Bowl for the long-suffering Outlaw faithful.   Texas 19-16.

Playoff football is back as the USFL kicks off the 2011 postseason with four Wild Card games.  The results this week showed the wide range of quality we expect from the opening playoff games.  We had only one truly competitive game, with LA taking an early lead over Michigan and then holding on for dear life over the final quarter.  We had a battle of teams that backed their way in, with Baltimore showing that they had more left in the tank than Nashville.  We had a potential sign that Arizona was righting the ship and getting back to early season form, and we had a depleted Charlotte squad simply unable to compete with the 12-4 Philadelphia Stars, but it was a win for the Stars that took a heavy toll.   We will recap the action this week, take a look ahead at the divisional round, and hit all the top stories from the games and from the other 14 clubs who are already seeing questions arising as retirement announcements begin to impact rosters. It is all right here at This Week in the USFL. In a battle of clubs that backed their way into the playoffs, it was a chance for one team to right their path and get back to winning ways.  That team turned out to be the visiting Baltimore Blitz, who turned two first half touchdowns into a lead they would not relinquish.  In the battle of running back, Baltimore’s Ron Dayne had the last laugh, not only outgaining Frank Gore 98 yards to 41, but scoring both of the 2nd quarter touchdowns that helped propel the Blitz to victory.  Dayne was helped by QB Ben Roethlisberger’s 17 of 25 passing day and by a defense that picked off Jay Cutler twice and limited Nashville to only 3 of 13 third down conversions. Up 14-3 at the half, Baltimore got the deciding score from that defense as Ken Lucas picked off Cutler late in the 3rd quarter and raced the ball back 38 yards to give the visitors a decisive 21-3 advantage.  Add in a Tory Holt TD catch from Roethlisberger and the die was cast.   Baltimore would move on to face the Tampa Bay Bandits in the next round (part of the USFL’s odd playoff tree system that does not guarantee that the lower seed will face the highest seed in each round).   For Nashville, it marks 4 straight defeats to end what had been a very promising season, with questions now arising about Jay Cutler’s development and about the offense in general as once again the Knights fail to score more than 10 points in defeat. For weeks now we have been waiting for the Wranglers to regain the form that got them off to an 8-0 start, and in their home playoff game against Oakland we think we have finally seen it.  Arizona dominated the first quarter, with TDs from Carr to Antonio Bryant and an LT TD run to give them a 14 point lead after only 15 minutes of play.  By game’s end, Tomlinson would have 110 yards rushing, Bryant would have 2 TDs, and the Wranglers would have a statement game to lead them into the Divisional Round. Oakland tried to come back, with Harrington throwing the ball far more than is customary for the Invader offense, completing 28 of 48 passes for 292 yards, but with that shift in focus came risk, and that risk manifest as 2 drive-ending picks, including one in the endzone that kept Oakland from pulling back within 1 score.  The defense was able to sack David Carr 6 times but the Arizona QB did not turn the ball over and the Wranglers played a steady game throughout.   Arizona will now travel to Pittsburgh to face the 13-3 Maulers.  If they can play the type of football that they showed in this game, they could stand a very good chance in that game. Everyone from the Las Vegas books to our own staff felt that this game was ripe for a blowout, and that is exactly what we got.  Philadelphia, at 12-4, is considered among the elite of the Eastern Conference, and they played like it against a hobbled and humbled Charlotte Monarchs team.  But the victory, easy as it may appear on paper, did not come without a price. Early in the 3rd quarter Stars QB Kurt Warner threw a pass to his tight end, but on the follow-through his hand hit a Charlotte defender’s helmet.  The finger was broken, bent in a way that was uncomfortable to see.  He would not return and, up 20-7, Matt Gutierrez would have to go the rest of the way.  Gutierrez would not be called on to do much, as a pick six by Stars defender Darren Sharper put Philadelphia up comfortably at 27-7.  He would manage the remaining game, completing 6 of 11 passes, including two touchdowns as Philadelphia cruised, but Warner is sure to miss the divisional playoff against Washington. That game now takes on a very different tone from the two regular season matchups, a split series that saw both games down to the wire. Without Warner, more will fall on the Stars’ defense and on running back Steve Slaton, who only carried the ball 10 times against Charlotte.  Expect a much heavier load next week as the Stars try to protect Gutierrez against a fierce Washington defense.  So, a big win for the Stars, but a very costly one as they move on in the playoffs. The closest of the games, this matchup in the West saw LA race out to a 14-0 lead and then struggle to do anything more, allowing Michigan to slowly fight their way back.  But, the LA defense was stout all game, holding Michigan to only 26 yards rushing, pressuring Brian Griese, and keeping the Panthers out of the endzone until the final 1:32 mark of the 4th quarter. Early scores from Randy Moss and a rare Mark Sanchez TD run put LA up early, but Michigan’s defense shut them down from the second quarter on.  Meanwhile, Michigan’s offense could get nothing going in the first half, allowing LA to take that 14-0 lead into the half.  In the second half, Michigan was forced to settle for Matt Prater field goals until the final minutes of action.  Up 14-6, LA held Michigan down for 58 minutes, but on a fluke play just after the 2-minute warning, Hines Ward escaped a tackle on a short slant route and took the ball 45 yards to paydirt.  The Panthers were now only 2 points away from tying the game.  Brian Griese tried to connect with TE Bennie Joppru on the 2-point play, but was thwarted by the right hand of LB Lofa Tatupu, who forced the ball out of Joppru’s  hand before control could be gained and the points scored.  With little time left, Michigan’s onside kick attempt failed and LA would milk the clock with 3 straight kneel downs to seal the victory and set up a trip to San Antonio to face the Texas Outlaws next week. Warner Injury Casts Shadow on Stars’ Big Win No team wants to see a key player go down in the playoffs, but when it is your MVP-candidate quarterback, the impact is about as profound as it can get.  That is the scenario that the Philadelphia Stars are facing this week as they prepare for a very tough divisional matchup against division rival Washington.  An inadvertent clipping of a defender helmet by Kurt Warner as part of his throwing motion led to the grisly finger break and dislocation.  The injury is expected to require at least a month to heal and for Warner to get full use of the finger, which certainly would impact his grip of the ball and his spiral.  This means that by all accounts Warner’s postseason is done. Backup Matt Gutierrez, the former Michigan Wolverine and 5-year backup to Warner, will get the start against Washington.  Gutierrez has certainly started games before, including 6 starts in his rookie campaign.  Since that year he has started only1 game, but appeared in several others, often in mop up duty.  He now faces one of the toughest challenges any QB can face, starting in a playoff game with only 1 week of reps as the starter and against one of the most innovative and aggressive defenses in football. The Stars will almost certainly alter the gameplan to protect Gutierrez.  Rather than the wide open, vertical game we see with Warner throwing to Stevie Johnson and Reche Caldwell deep, we expect a lot more short and medium routes, more use of slot receivers like Troy Williamson and tight ends Daniel Fells and Brent Celek.  They will try to focus on providing a solid rushing attack through Steve Slaton and receiving back Leon Washington, and keep Gutierrez from having to progress through 3-4 receiver reads.  But, even with that, the final result, success or failure, will depend on Gutierrez’s ability to deal with pressure, protect the ball, and make good decisions. Maulers Mum on RB Plan As the Pittsburgh Maulers prepare to face Arizona in the Divisional Round, they are being very tight-lipped about the one feature of their offense which shifts game to game, the lead back.  All season long the Maulers have been altering their plans based on their opponents, in one week using the slashing, quick juke moves of Kenny Watson, and in others the “bull in a china shop” approach of Ronnie Brown. Both backs finished the year with similar totals.  Brown rushed 216 times for 888 yards and 9 TDs, while Watson had 209 carries, 786 yards and 4 TDs.  The game plan always involves both, but Coach Rivera has tended to favor one or the other in each game, often a decision made before the game begins, but alterable in-game if one back seems more successful early on. Against the Wranglers, whose rush defense ranks 10th in the league, the bigger back, Brown, may seem the better choice.  If Pittsburgh can wear down the Wrangler front line over the course of the game, his runs will become more and more productive.  Of course, if Arizona takes a lead in the game, then having Watson in the backfield, a better receiver, could help Pittsburgh challenge Arizona’s pass defense while still keeping the run an option. It is no surprise that Coach Rivera does not want to reveal which direction he is heading as he preps for the Wranglers, but as fans, we like to debate these things, and that was certainly true in our bullpen, where arguments were made for both backs as to who might find more success against the Wranglers. New Orleans To Stay With Lathon Having taken over as interim head coach after New Orleans’s horrific 0-8 start, Lamar Lathon knew that any chance he had to get the permanent job would depend on showing success in his 8 week trial.  After losing the first 2 games of that trial, Lathon’s Breakers would win 5 of the final 6 games, including victories over two playoff teams.  As expected, that turnaround, and the support the players heaped on Lathon, was enough to land him the permanent gig. New Orleans made it official this week, naming Lathon the new Head Coach and signing him to a 3-year deal in that position.  For the former Breaker LB, it is a dream job, to be able to coach the team he spent his entire pro career as a linebacker with.  Lathon only retired in 2004, and now, 7 years later he has risen through the ranks.  At the start of 2011 he was the linebackers coach, but with the firing of Mike Nolan and both coordinators at midseason, the chance was given for Lathon to lead the team, and he did just that.   Now he is rewarded with an opportunity to mold the team in his image, to bring in some more talent, and to compete in a very weak Southern Division. Memphis to Interview Several Candidates The Showboats are now one of three teams looking to add a new coach.  They have been active in that endeavor already, reaching out to several potential candidates to set up interviews.  Former Minnesota Viking HC Brad Childress is likely to be the first to be interviewed, but Memphis has also sent out feelers to both Philadelphia and Texas about their current offensive coordinators.  They are prohibited from meeting with either as long as both clubs remain alive in the playoffs, but the clear message has been sent.  The Showboats are looking for an offensive-minded coach who can help groom Ryan Mallett into the next Shuler or Favre. Meanwhile, no word out of Portland or Chicago about their coaching searches.  As we have seen in recent years, it is possible that one or both have their eyes set on someone currently within the NFL, which means they may have to wait until January to make a deal. Both teams have solid front office staffs and long-established GM’s, so it is possible they could go that route, having the GM guide the offseason roster build and then bringing in an NFL name in the winter.  But it is also early and it is possible as well that someone within the current playoff teams is the true target, and patience until that club’s playoff run is complete is the order of the day for the Stags and Machine. As we look ahead to the divisional round, one injury, that of Kurt Warner, is getting the press, and deservedly so.  But, every team has questions to answer.  Here is our breakdown of the 4 games and the injuries which could impact them. BAL: OT James Brewer-D, LB Angelo Crowell-P TBY: FS Bryan Scott-Q,  WR Davone Bess-D, OT Marvel Smith-Out,  LB Jonathan Goff-Out For Baltimore there are no new injuries, and Angelo Crowell has moved up to “Probable” meaning that the Blitz will get some defensive help for the matchup. For Tampa Bay, there are several players out of the game, including their All-USFL caliber linebacker Jonathan Goff.   The absence of Goff and Bryan Scott from the defense has to be a concern, especially with Ron Dayne coming to town. PHI: QB Kurt Warner (Out) WSH: TE Kellen Davis--P Sure, each team has one player on the injury list, but when one of the two is a backup TE and the other is the starting QB and MVP candidate, Kurt Warner, it seems a bit unbalanced.  It will be Gutierrez at the helm of the Stars’ league leading offense when they head to Tampa Bay, and that is almost certainly going to mean that the Bandits load the box against the run and force the backup to try to beat them. LA: No new injuries, WR B. Lloyd--P , QB B.Croyle--Q TEX: No injuries reported No new injuries for LA, and no injuries reported for Texas, so this game could be strength against strength.  LA has to find a way to both attack one of the league’s toughest defenses, but also how to stymie what has become a very balanced and dangerous offense. ARZ: No injuries reported PIT: G Chester Adams (Out) Another pretty clean game, injury wise, with Arizona reporting no injuries and Pittsburgh only one.  Without major talent missing, this one will come down to gameplan and execution. Retirement News as Offseason Begins for 16 Clubs As the postseason marches on, for the 16 USFL franchises not participating in playoff football, it is the offseason which has already taken over the headlines.  Yes, free agency is still a few weeks off, and while we know who is still unsigned, there is still some time to make a last second deal.  But the other offseason impact point for rosters across the league are the retirement announcements which accompany the end of every season.  We have already seen several big name announcements over the past week and a half, and we expect more as the offseason moves along.  Here is our recap of the biggest names and most difficult players to replace from the early announcements. DE Julius Peppers (CHA): A five time All-USFL player on the edge, Peppers played 6 frustrating seasons in Memphis before finding a home with the expansion Charlotte Monarchs.  In Charlotte, Peppers flourished, averaging 16 sacks per season in his last 4 years.  His presence on the D-line was a key factor in Charlotte’s defensive strategy and a huge part of their playoff run this year.  However, injuries and concerns for his knees in particular have caused Peppers to miss games, and, finally, to declare retirement at only 31 years of age.  He announced his retirement the day after Charlotte’s loss to Philadelphia, a game in which he recorded a sack and a fumble recovery but had to come out of the game for most of the second half due to knee concerns. WR David Boston (SEA): The 6-time All-USFL nominee and all-time leading receiver for the Seattle Dragons, David Boston has decided to call it a career after 13 seasons in Seattle.  Boston retires with 679 career receptions for over 14,000 yards.  He brought in 112 career TDs and averaged nearly 21 yards per reception over 13 seasons, all impressive, and likely HOF worthy numbers. DT Montae Reager (DEN): “A lineman’s lineman” is how Reager has been described.  Reager has been a force in the middle for the Gold since coming over  from St. Louis in 2002. Typical of a nose tackle, his numbers are not staggering, though 31 sacks at nose is pretty darn good.  His impact is that he consistently took on double teams, allowing the edge rushers and linebackers free access to ballcarriers and the QB.  Reager was named to the All-USFL squad 4 times and won a title in his rookie year as a member of the Memphis Showboats. OT Mike Gandy (MEM): A four-time All-USFL tackle and two-time league champion, Mike Gandy has been protecting his QB’s blindside since his rookie campaign, a year in which he helped Orlando win a title.  He played three seasons for the Renegades before joining the free agent pool and signing with the Memphis Showboats.  In Memphis he protected Brett Favre during the 2 year run where the Showboats won and then returned to a Summer Bowl.  Of his 160 games in the league, he started 144 of them, but retires now at the age of 34. TE James Whalen (BOS): One of Drew Bledsoe’s favorite targets, Whalen retires after 11 seasons with the Boston Cannons.  Over his career as a Cannon, Whalen caught 613 passes for 5,069 yards and 26 touchdowns.  He won a title along with his QB, Bledsoe, two seasons ago. P Brad Costello (DEN): The 34-year old Costello has been punting in the USFL since 1998, having played in Memphis all the way through the 2010 season before catching on for one more year in Denver.  One of the most consistent punters in league history, Costello averaged between 43 and 44 yards per punt in eery season since 2002. Other players announcing their retirements ove the past week include Boston LB Corey Miller, Birmingham WR Arnaz Battle, New Orleans C Todd McClure, Brimingham FS ClarenceLove, and Denver LB Nick Rogers. League Schedules September Meetings We have dates for the next league meetings, schedule for the week of September 20-24 in New York.  What is on the table for these meetings?  Three potential big items are likely on the docket.  First and foremost is a potential vote being proposed by several teams to reconsider the 12-team playoff format.  We know for certain that both Las Vegas and Orlando are now very much in the camp of those who want the league to expand back to a 14-team playoff, a format used only in the strike-impacted 2009 season.  Both franchises had winning records this year but missed out on the post-season, so you know they are in favor of expanding the field. The second topic is very likely to be how to deal with the aggressive stance taken by Destination Dallas in pursuing a franchise to purchase and relocate.  There are very much mixed feelings among league owners, as some are hoping to add Dallas as a large market currently unserved by the league, while others are concerned about the impact that a relocation has on the league’s image.  The other major concern is that the Dallas group led by tech billionaire Mark Cuban is not limiting its inquiries to small market franchises, but has been in talks with teams in large markets the league does not want to lose, including Boston, LA, and Chicago. A third big item, the league is looking at reworking its deal with ABC/ESPN.  While the decision to broadcast the Sunday night game exclusively on the ESPN Football Network (EFN) has provided solid numbers for the add-on cable network, the numbers pale in comparison to the Friday and Saturday night games on NBC and ESPN proper.  While the network seems happy to get eyes to EFN, and to be able to push the add-on network to more cable subscribers, the league would rather see its Sunday night game as one of its top viewership games, rather than one of its lowest numbers.  It is believed that the league may be open to the idea of swapping the EFN night game to allow EFN to broadcast both a Saturday and Sunday afternoon game (producing more national broadcast games by adding a 3rd network to the afternoon slate) and having either ABC or ESPN take over the night game.  The networks are expected to push back on this, though the premise of having 2 games per week to boost EFN ratings would be a very enticing offer for them. And, of course, as always, we expect the meetings to also look at reports from the Competition Committee for some in-game rule adjustments, as well as the Corporate Relations Committee on potential partnership and sponsorship deal adjustments.  We don’t expect anything major to come from these two reports, though we do expect that the Competition Committee will look at moving the 2-point play from the 2-yard line to the 5 yard line as a proposal, and that the ongoing issue of how to define what qualifies as a catch or reception will again be dealt with.  After several plays this year in which the referees seem to vary wildly on what constitutes possession in cases where balls were either ruled catches or incompletions, this topic is not going anywhere. Finally, expect the league to be updated on the agreement between the Las Vegas Thunder, the city of Las Vegas, and the league itself, to fund construction of a new domed facility along the Strip in Las Vegas.  The deal seems very solid, with each party essentially chipping in for a share of the cost.  The location has been settled on, and architectural firms are now competing for the deal, with stadium giant HOK expected to get the contract, but getting competition from both Manika and Perkins as alternative bids. Let’s take a look once more at each of the 4 matchups this week, focusing on the key player for each team that we think can make or break the game for the teams involved. #6 Baltimore (9-7) @ #2 Tampa Bay (12-4) Saturday, July 16 @ 3pm ET Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Bandits by 4 Baltimore showed some grit last week against the Nashville Knights, snapping a 4-game losing streak and claiming a win on the road. They will have to be even more steadfast this week as the Bandits are one of the best, and the hottest, teams coming into the playoffs.  The Bandits have won 5 in a row to end the season, boast Top 10 rankings in scoring, yardsage, and scoring defense, and come in with a week of rest to prepare for the matchup. Expect Willis McGahee to be back in action this week, backed up by rookie Shane Vereen. He will partner with Daunte Culpepper and Joey Galloway for the latest “Triple Threat” in Tampa Bay’s long history of potent offenses, but don’t forget as well about players like Chris Doering, David Tyree, or TE Luke Stocker, all of whom have proven to be very effective in the passing game.  The Blitz will likely try to shorten the game, keeping the number of Bandit possessions to a minimum, by feeding Ron Dayne with as many carries as he can muster.  Will that be enough or will Big Ben have to air the ball out to Tory Holt, Darrius Heyward-Bey and TE Antonio Gates.  The Blitz can certainly do that, but we know they prefer to kill clock and keep scores lower if they can. OUR PICK: We just think Tampa Bay is the hotter club, with more weapons and a better scheme to use them all.  Baltimore is 20th in points allowed this year, which means that there will be chances for Tampa Bay to put the ball in the endzone.  Bandits 31-24 #3 Los Angeles (10-6) @ #2 Texas (12-4) Saturday, July 16 @ 7pm ET The Alamodome, San Antonio, TX Outlaws by 5 A matchup of two chronic underachievers who this year had better than anticipated seasons.  Los Angeles struggled to move the ball against Michigan, so we are not sure if they are ready for Texas’s 5th ranked defense. The Outlaws are also a challenge for the Express defense, with the top ranked passing offense in the league and the option to lean on T. J. Duckett on the ground as well.  LA’s defense is also tough (4th in points allowed) but their offense has struggled, averaging only 18 points per game.  If they get into a shootout with Texas they do not match up well. OUR PICK: We think Texas has the total package, whereas LA is too dependent on their defense to give them short fields to work with.  Outlaws 24-16 #5 Arizona (10-6) @ #1 Pittsburgh (13-3) Sunday, July 17 @ 3pm ET Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh by 4 We are excited for this game.  If the Wranglers are back to early season form, this could be one monster of a game.  Pittsburgh is strong on both sides of the ball, ranked 4th in points scored and 3rd in points allowed, giving them a league best 8 points per game scoring differential.  As we discussed above, they have a 2-back rotation that is tough to defend, and Cody Pickett is having his best year as a pro.  But, Arizona, when they are at their best, is equally as dangerous.  With LaDainian Tomlinson they can run against even the best defenses, and David Carr has solid options in the passing game with Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant able to stretch the field while Rob Gronkowski is a matchup nightmare in the middle. OUR PICK:  As much as we want to go with the underdog in at least one matchup, we just cannot pick against the Maulers, who have been the best team all season long.  Counting on Arizona to play their best game of the year to match up with the Maulers is a lot to ask.  Maulers 27-23 #4 Philadelphia (12-4) @ #1 Washington (13-3) Sunday, July 17 @ 7pm ET RFK Stadium, Washington, DC Federals by 7.5 This game with Kurt Warner on the field would be epic.  Without him we are hoping that the Stars can keep it close.  The Stars have a good defense, good but not great, and they can run the ball, but their entire season has depended on Warner to go deep and loosen up the defense. What will Reche Caldwell and Stevie Johnson do to make life easier for Gutierrez?  Meanwhile, Washington is a health squad, with the top yardage offense in the league, 3rd in scoring, and they also have the 2nd best scoring defense in the USFL.  That is a killer combo.  Expect a lot of Deuce McCallister to loosen up the Stars and force them to defend with 8 or 9 in the box, which is when Garrard will look for Deion Branch and Darnerien McCants deep. OUR PICK: We have to go with the obvious choice here.  Washington 28-18

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Once again, the final week's results did not shake up the playoff positioning. The Seeds are now set, however, and the matchups for the Wild Card. EAST: 1-WSH 2-TBY 3-NSH 4-PHI 5-CHA 6-BAL WEST: 1-PIT 2-TEX 3-LA 4-ARZ 5-OAK 6-MGN PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The final POTW of the 2011 season is Tampa Bay QB Daunte Culpepper, who looks to be in prime form for a playoff run after throwing for 4 TDs in the season finale for the Bandits.

It was not the most suspenseful Week 16, with 9 of 12 playoff spots already set and many seeds also locked in, but don't tell that to fans of the Panthers or Renegades. Both clubs were on the fringe of the playoffs, and both were guaranteed a Wild Card with a win. Michigan took care of business and eliminated 5 other contenders with their win against the Maulers (starting several backups), while Orlando had their fate in their hands. Baltimore and Charlotte had fallen on the final Saturday of the season, and on Sunday Orlando could win a Wild Card with a victory over a Bandits team that had nothing to play for. To say they did not execute is an understatement. We start our coverage of Week 16, and our kickoff of the USFL postseason with that Bandits-Renegades game, but we will be here for all the news, including the firing of 2 coaches with a lot of playoff pedigree. All right here. TAMPA BAY BANDITS 34   ORLANDO RENEGADES   31 The Renegades had it all lined up, with both Charlotte and Baltimore losing their games, all they needed was to edge a Bandit team that had nothing to play for and they would be playoff bound.  They played some of their best ball of the year, but something about their chippy attitude also inspired the Bandits to come out swinging and in the end Tampa Bay got the last laugh, scoring 17 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to oust the homestanding Renegades from the playoffs despite Calais Campbell’s astounding 2nd record-setting season at DE. The game started strong for the visiting Bandits, who rattled off 2 straight TD drives in the first quarter.  Daunte Culpepper hit the ageless Joey Galloway with a 38-yard strike to start off the game, but then connected with David Tyree on the 2nd drive to silence the Renegade crowd.  Orlando would rebound and would go on to score on their next 4 possessions, getting 2 TD receptions from TE Greg Olsen, a third TD pass to DeShaun Jackson, and a Knowshon Moreno 39-yard run that put Orlando up 31-17 after three quarters. But, along the way, Orlando started to get chippy, with a couple of late hits, and some taunting.  Apparently that was enough to trigger QB Daunte Culpepper, who spent the break between the third and fourth quarter riling up his team.  He came out on fire in the 4th, a period when he would complete 11 of 13 passes and lead the Bandits to 17 straight points.  The defense did their part, picking off Eli Manning late in the game, with the score tied at 31, and giving Tampa Bay a chance to end the game with a field goal and a win. Earlier in the quarter, Culpepper connected with Chris Doering for a score to bring them back to within 7.  Then, after the D shut down Orlando for the first time in the half, he followed it up with a perfect screen to Shane Vereen, and 32 yards later Vereen had tied the game with a score.  Panic had set in for the Renegades, and they tried to rally by going to a no huddle with 2:38 in the game and now tied.  That strategy backfired as Philip Buchanon stepped in front of a pass intended for Justin McCaerins, setting up the Bandits with a chance to steal the win in regulation.  Willis McGahee, who returned to action with 95 yards rushing, helped get the Bandits into range and Nate Kaeding ended the game and the Orlando season with a 54 yard strike with no time left on the clock. The Bandits enter the playoffs fired up, Orlando exits the season deeply disappointed and once again unable to take advantage of a defense that features one of the league’s elite players. BIRMINGHAM 30   MEMPHIS 24 A week 16 game with no playoff implications, though when it is the Stallions against the Showboats it is always a party, and that was certainly the case for this game at the Liberty Bowl.  Birmingham started Colt Brennan while Memphis gave Ryan Mallett the start but quickly pulled him out of the game after 2 sacks by the Stallions.  So it was Brennan vs. Mike Flynn, and both offenses showed some spark.  Cadillac Williams rushed for 103, Brennan threw for 344 and 3 TDs and the fans just seemed to have a good time in their last football for the year. NEW ORLEANS 14   NASHVILLE 6 The Knights played their starters the whole way, but still lost their fourth in a row as once moribund New Orleans makes the case for Lamar Lathon to stay on as head coach with their 5th win since he took over the winless club.  Lathon seems likely to get the gig as he has taken a team with no energy at all and gotten them to win 5 of 7 down the stretch.  It was not a pretty game, particularly fo the Knights, and fans in Nashville have to be concerned that they enter the playoffs at only 8-8 with a 4-game losing streak on their backs. PORTLAND 27   BALTIMORE 10 Another club that cannot be happy about their final stretch as Baltimore loses their third straight, this time at home to a 4-win Stags squad.  In Rich Brooks’s last game at the helm, the Stags go with Mike McMahon at QB due to the injury to Fitzpatrick, and the backup leads them to a win in the finale.  The defense was particularly effective, forcing 3 Roethlisberger picks and nabbing him for 3 sacks.  The Blitz would still get a Wild Card, but questions persist about the club’s ability to rally. HOUSTON 21  OAKLAND 9 It seems like the 2-8 Gamblers are gone and there are signs of hope that Houston will rebound from this bizarre season in 2012.  Both clubs kept their starters in and Houston found running room  against the usually solid Invader D, with Shaun Alexander leading all rushers with 116 yards on 19 carries.  Cedric Cobbs added another 56, creating concern for the Invaders as they enter the playoffs on a home loss. LOS ANGELES 6   LAS VEGAS 17 The Express, secure in the #3 slot, rested a lot of starters, while Las Vegas, still fighting for a Wild Card spot, did not.  The result was a comfortable win for the home team as Marshawn Lynch rushed for 74 yards nd Jake Plummer connected with former General T. J. Houshmandzadeh to give Vegas a 17-3 lead which they would not let slide against Brody Croyle and the LA second string. But would the victory mean anything?  Only if the Panthers lost to Pittsurgh. CHICAGO 19   SEATTLE 11 Playing at the same time as the Thunder, these two teams were still in the hunt for a Wild Card and played tough football throughout.  Michael Turner led Chicago with 137 yards and a TD, while Seattle struggled on offense with Leftwich sacked 5 times and hurried on almost every passing down.  The Machine dominated with defense and held a 19-3 lead until the waning minutes, when Seattle got a late TD from Tyler Eckler and a 2-point conversion to pull within 8.  But that was all for Seattle as Chicago improved to 8-8.  But with Las Vegas’s win it was not enough, and by Monday Coach Mornhinweg would face the consequences of another disappointing showing. WASHINGTON  13   CHARLOTTE 3 With the #1 seed still to be won the Federals’ defense took this game in their hands and held Charlotte in check all game, forcing a league leading 21st pick from Jake Delhomme and limiting the Monarchs to a sole field goal.  Charlotte’s D was also solid, holding Deuce McCallister to only 74 yards on 24 carries, but it was enough to help the Feds get the win and lock up home field advantage for the playoffs. PHILADELPHIA 14   BOSTON 13 With Warner, Slaton, and Stevie Johnson all wearing sweats on the sidelines, Philadelphia struggled on offense, but still managed to get the W thanks to 5 sacks of Jake Locker and a late Gutierrez to Marshall Newhouse TD pass with 1:02 left to play.  Boston finishes the year with 1 lone win, but despite the struggles, ownership confirms that John Fox’s position is secure. OHIO  14   ST. LOUIS 17 Despite having been eliminated from playoff contention by the Thunder’s Saturday win, St. Louis showed some pride and won their 8th game of the year, creating their first ever .500 season as a franchise.  Josh Freeman threw for 228 and a score, with both Taylor Jacobs and Jordy Nelson going over 100 yards receiving. The finish strong in the final month of the year and will now look forward to 2012 with optimism. PITTSBURGH 17   MICHIGAN 26 Much to the dismay of the Las Vegas Thunder, Pittsburgh did as expected, starting rookie Andy Dalton at QB and resting several key players, and that was enough for Michigan to earn the W and lock up the final playoff spot in the West.  Thomas Jones was the hero for the Panthers, rushing for 51 yards and a TD, but also nabbing a 2nd TD through the air. Brian Griese continues his hot streak as the Panthers win their 4th in a row to go from 5-7 to 9-7 and a playoff spot. ATLANTA 41  JACKSONVILLE 31 Both defenses apparently took the finale off as the Fire and Bulls went back and forth in this shootout.  Kyle Orton threw for 266 and 3 TDs while Tim Tebow matched him with 387 yards and 3 scores of his own.  It was a fun game to watch, but only 22,407 were there in Jacksonville after a disappointing season ends with the Bulls at 3-11-1. TEXAS 21   NEW JERSEY 13 The Outlaws, looking at a bye in the first round, played Joe Flacco only a couple of series, but kept T. J. Duckett in the whole game to try to bolster his rushing stats.  That,plus 7 sacks of a shellshocked Sam Bradford, were enough to get the Outlaws their 12th win of the season.  They will  now rest before playing in the Divisional Round.  New Jersey finishes the year a disappointing 6-10 and look to figure out how to improve their roster despite a tight cap. ARIZONA 19   DENVER 13 Denver drops to 7-9 with a loss in their big rivalry game.  A good win for Arizona as they prepare for a Wild Card matchup next week.  David Carr looked solid, throwing for 263 and 2 scores, while LT rushed for 107 to finish the regular season strong.  Denver had been eliminated from the Wild Card by Las Vegas’s win on Saturday and the spark just was not there for the Gold. Final Wild Card Spots Stay in Same Hands The Michigan Panthers, Charlotte Monarchs and Baltimore Blitz held the three final playoff positions after Week 15, and with this weekend’s results all three retained their spots after Week 16, locking themselves into Wild Card playoff spots.  Michigan did it the way most teams hope to, capturing a “win and in” game to eliminate all 5 other contenders without having to rely on anyone else.  Baltimore and Charlotte did it the hard way, losing their season finale and then having to hope that Orlando did the same so that they did not get leapfrogged by the Renegades. Both the Blitz and the Monarchs lost on Saturday and had some waiting to do.  With Baltimore’s loss, Charlotte knew they would at least capture the #6 slot, even with a Renegade win, while the Blitz had to hope for Orlando to fall to the Bandits.  Tampa Bay, riding a 3-game win streak had hoped that Charlotte would knock off the Washington Federals, opening the door for the Bandits to steal away the #1 seed, but when Charlotte fell in one of the two Saturday night games, it meant that Tampa Bay was playing for pride, locked into the #2 position.  And yet, despite the somewhat meaningless nature of their game in Orlando, the Bandits came to play, leaving their starters in the game despite the risk of injury and rallying back from a deficit in the final period to stun the Renegade faithful.  That comeback not only gave the Bandits a 4-game winning streak heading into their bye, and knocked Orlando out of the playoffs despite a winning record (8-7-1), but also saved Baltimore from dropping out despite not winning a game in a month. Baltimore and Nashville Back into Postseason Play Let’s talk more about the idea of backing into the postseason because we had not one, but two teams fall into that category this year.  At one point this season Baltimore was 9-3, Nashville 8-4, and both looked headed for 10-win seasons and high seeds, but the past month has not been kind to either club. Baltimore had a nice win At Philadelphia in Week 10, and had expected wins in Boston and against the Breakers, but then fell to Washington for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, dropped a game in Michigan, and came into the finale needing a win against Portland to lock in their playoff destiny.  The Stags stunned the Blitz and put it all in doubt.  In all three of their final losses, the Blitz scored only 10 points.  That is a real concern as Ron Dayne and the offense had been a major factor for the Blitz all season long.  Had Dayne hit a wall?  There were no major injuries on offense, so why the sudden power outage.  That is a a question the Blitz will have to answer as they head to Nashville to face the Knights. Nashville has its own big questions to answer in that matchup as they too enter the playoffs with a major slump in effect.  After a solid 30-3 victory over Ohio in Week 12, the Knights have dropped 4 in a row, including defeats to all 3 division rivals.  Again offense seems the issue as the Knights could only muster 3 field goals against Tampa Bay, and only 10 points vs. Birmingham, finishing the year with a truly poor outing against New Orleans, a 5-win team, as they scored only 6 points. Frank Gore topped 1,000 yards again, but his last few games have been very much a disappointment, rushing for only 59 yards against Memphis and then only 53 in the season finale.  Meanwhile, Jay Cutler has also failed to pick up the slack.  Over the past 4 games he has thrown 2 TDs to 8 picks, not a good ratio at all.  It seems the Knights have simply forgotten how to sustain drives, and they are putting a lot of pressure on a defense that has dropped out of the Top 10 in pass defense.  The edge rushers are not getting to the QB, and that is allowing opposing QB’s to have success connecting on deeper routes.  That is not a good thing to say about a defense about to face Big Ben and Tory Holt.  But, with both of these teams entering a matchup on cold streaks, one of the two is going to find success, snap the streak and get a playoff win. The other will be left to wonder what went wrong down the stretch. Michigan, Texas and Tampa Bay Peaking At Right Time On the opposite side of the momentum swing we have the Panthers, Outlaws, and Bandits, all of whom prepare for the postseason on nice winning streaks.  Michigan came from 5-7 after a Week 12 loss to St. Louis and rattled off wins against Houston, Portland, Baltimore and the Maulers to move from near irrelevancy to the final Wild Card spot and a showdown with Los Angeles in the Wild Card round.  They did it with a combination of improved pass defense and, most notably, with a significant return to form for Brian Griese.  Griese’s late season run included a 4 TD day against the Blitz and over 1,000 yards passing over the past month. For Texas, their 4-game win streak is part of a 7 of 8 second half that was only diminished by a loss to the Stars in Week 12.  Since then they have raced past Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Denver, and New Jersey to lock up the 2nd best record in the West and a bye.  The win against the top seeded Maulers was perhaps the jewel in that climb as they demolished a 1-loss Mauler squad to the tune of 30-14 in Pittsburgh.   The two could very easily meet again at Heinz Field in the Western Conference Final. For Tampa Bay, a 5-game win streak is also part of a larger trend as they have won 8 of their last 9.  Their only defeat was a home game against in-state rival Orlando in Week 11, a game they thoroughly avenged this week by not only beating Orlando in Orlando, but in doing so knocking them out of the postseason altogether.  Tampa Bay is doing it with a balanced offense that also has quick strike capability.  “Old Man” Galloway has had a monstrous season after coming over from Ohio and rookie HB Shane Vereen has done an admirable job subbing in for Willis McGahee when called upon.  The Bandits get a week to rest before their first playoff game, and that should be good news as we expect McGahee back in full form for the Divisional round.  Entering in the playoffs as the number 2 seed and possibly healthier after a week of rest, Tampa Bay is certainly in a position to challenge Washington to represent the Eastern Conference this year. Black Monday Comes for Mornhinweg and Haslett As we look forward to the postseason, we also recognize that the end of regular season play always comes at a cost.  Retirements, free agency, and the inevitable decisions to relieve coaches of their duties is just a part of the transition from season to offseason, and this year was no different.  In addition to the earlier departures of Mike Nolan in New Orleans and the resignation of Rich Brooks in Portland, Black Monday, the first day after the conclusion of regular season play, claimed two more coaches as the Chicago Machine and Memphis Showboats opted to make a change. Coach Marty Mornhinweg had been on the cusp of being let go after the 2010 season, and an 8-8 year this year, missing the playoffs after several season of postseason disappointment, was the final straw.  Machine management were simply not satisfied with decent regular season play that led to a quick playoff exit, and the failure of Chicago to qualify this year was enough for them to call Coach Mornhinweg into the meeting room for the hard news. Mornhinweg, who has been at the helm of the Machine since 1999 and who has helped Chicago make the postseason 9 of the past 11 seasons, including two Summer Bowl appearances, is clearly the victim of high expectations and the slow build up of postseason frustration.  With an overall coaching record of 124-86 in Chicago (a .600 winning percentage), we expect that Martyball will find a place to be sooner rather than later.  After all, there are plenty of teams who would jump at the chance to make the playoffs as often as Chicago has the past decade. As for Jim Haslett in Memphis, the trajectory has not been kind to him. After a league title with Brett Favre at the helm in 2007, Memphis returned to the title game again in 2008, but with the retirement of Favre, the club’s success has plummeted.  Memphis won only 4 games in 2009 as they searched for an option at QB.  After a 6-win campaign in 2010, they drafted Ryan Mallett of Arkansas and Haslett’s future rode on the success of the rookie QB this year.  The successes for Mallett, and the wins, were hard to come by this year, with Memphis finishing with only 4 wins again (4-11-1).  That lack of improvement was a huge factor in the decision to let the defensive-minded coach go.  We expect that Memphis will look to bring in an offensive coordinator or offensively-minded coach to help Mallett develop in 2012.  They have invested a lot in that pick, and both finances and  pride will want them to see a much better sophomore season for the former Razorback. So, four openings across the league, though we suspect that 5 wins in the final 2 months of the season may well have locked in the New Orleans job for interim HC Lamar Lathon.  Chicago is looking for a coach who can keep them in the playoffs and get them a title, Portland a coach who can take a club with a lot of potential over the hump and into the mix in the Pacific Division, and Memphis a coach who can develop a QB and get a team back to a competitive stance in a pretty weak division. Not much to say that has not already been reported.  The seeding and the final Wild Card berths do not shift, so we see Washington and Pittsburgh at the top in each conference, Tampa Bay and Texas getting Wild Card Round byes, and Nashville and Los Angeles hosting games as the third division winner in each conference.  Philly, Charlotte and Baltimore will be the Wild Cards in the East, with the Stars hosting the Monarchs and Baltimore traveling to Nashville. Oakland nabs the 4th spot, with Arizona claiming 5th and the Panthers locking in the final spot in the West with their win this week.  It will be Panthers at Express and Wranglers at Invaders in the Western Wild Card roundup. We can also say that we have the draft order set for the 16 teams that did not make the playoffs.  Boston, with a truly horrible 1-14-1 season, will have the #1 pick and, it appears, John Fox will be there to make that pick.  In second are the 3-12-1 Jacksonville Bulls, followed by Memphis, Portland, New Orleans and Ohio.  The 2010 league champions have the ignominy of a top 10 pick, along with fellow 6-win team New Jersey.  After them, the cluster of 7-9 and 8-8 clubs will have the mid-round picks, before the playoff teams start to fill in picks 17-28. As we look at the Wild Card matchup, we do see some key injuries that will impact the ability of each team to put their best foot forward.  Only Arizona reports having a clean roster with no injury designations, while some teams are dealing with significant injury concerns.  Here is the breakdown of each Wild Card matchup on the injury front. BAL: OT James Brewer (Out), LB Angelo Crowell (D) NSH: CB Willie Middlebrooks (P) Good news for Nashville as they do expect Middlebrooks to be a go on Saturday.  That has them clean, while Baltimore will be without a key defender in Crowell as well as their RT in Brewer. CHA: DE Fred Perry (Out), DT Jimmy Kennedy (Out), HB Fred Jackson (Out) PHI: FB Frank Sosa (Out), LB Sean Lee (Q), TE Daniel Fells (Q) The Fred Jackson injury is huge for Charlotte, but so too is losing 2 of their 4 starters on the D-line. The Monarch defense has simply not been as effective without those two beefy linemen in the game, and against a high-flying Stars offense, the lack of line control could be huge. MGN: DT Marcus Springs (Out), SS Tyrone Carter (Out) LA: DT Gabe Watson (Out), QB Brodie Croyle (Out), WR Brandon Lloyd (Out) Michigan is down two defenders, with Carter joining Marcus Springs on the injury report this week.  Meanwhile, LA will be without DT Gabe Watson and WR Brandon Lloyd.  The injury to Croyle, who got the start in a meaningless Week 16 matchup, did have to leave the game, which means that it will be Kevin Kolb backing up Mark Sanchez for the playoffs. OAK: DE Israel Idonije (Out), WR Pierre Garçon (Out), FS Chris Conte (Q) ARZ:  No injuries reported Arizona has to be happy to be at full strength, while Oakland will miss WR Pierre Garçon, one of Joey Harrington’s favorite targets.  The loss of Israel Idonije could also be huge as it means less pressure on David Carr of the Wranglers, and when Carr can stay in the pocket he is a much more effective passer. Five Coaching Prospects Being Talked About With four spots open in the USFL as we enter the offseason, there are jobs to be had.  As we mentioned earlier, we fully expect Interim Breaker HC Lamar Lathon to get more than a fair shot at the job with the club he pulled out of a winless collapse to get 5 wins during the interim period.  But who else is being talked about as a top prospect for a possible coaching job this offseason.  Here are five names we are hearing a lot about: Brad Childress, Former NFL Vikings HC Childress, a former Running Backs coach who served as OC for the Philadelphia Eagles before taking the HC job in Minnesota, was let go by the Vikings in 2010 despite winning a division title with the Vikings in 2008 and going 12-4 with the club in 2009.  After two straight playoff seasons, a 3-7 start in 2010 and friction with team owner Zygi Wilf, led to Childress being relieved of duties.  He remains without a position and is considered a frontrunner for several NFL and USFL positions.  An offensive-minded coach, we could see both Memphis and Chicago taking a long look at the former Viking coach. Mike Mularkey, Texas OC and former NFL Bills HC Nothing surprising about this.  The Texas offense under Mularkey has become one of the league’s best this year.  A lot of that is on the development of Joe Flacco into one of the league’s best passers and a clear MVP candidate.  Mularkey will not be able to interview as long as the Outlaws remain in the playoffs, but he should expect his phone to ring once they are done for the year.  Memphis, and possibly New Orleans if Lathon is not signed, could be the top contenders to help them improve their offensive attacks. Pepper Johnson, Maulers DC If you are looking for defense, you cannot do much better than the Maulers’ squad led by DC Pepper Johnson. The former NFL linebacker has proven he can put together aggressive schemes and solid gameplans. We could easily see him doing the same with the Machine’s talented defense, or brought in to improve the situation in Portland.  Pittsburgh will do what they can to extend Johnson’s deal, but he could walk if the deal is on the table. Perry Fewell, Federals DC Another DC with a lot of clout after a very strong season.  Fewell will be in demand for interviews as soon as the Feds are done in the playoffs, which could be a while.  His defense has been impressive in that they have found ways to manufacture pressure without a clearly dominant edge rusher.  They are nearly impenetrable against the run and have a knack for timely takeaways. Marty Mornhinweg, former Chicago Machine HC Look, if you are a team that has issues reaching the postseason, Martyball has a track record you have to like.  10 appearances in 11 years is a pretty good resume.  Yes, he was let go by Chicago after an 8-8 season, but his clubs are always in the mix.  We see him as a possible candidate in Portland, where the Stags have enough talent to compete, but fell well short of expectations this year.  He could also be a good fit in New Orleans, where the Breakers need to find an offense to put around Drew Brees. Free Agency Pool Begins to Fill With the conclusion of the regular season players with 2011 contract terminations are now free to play the field and seek out better opportunities.  While Free Agency does not officially open until 8 days after the Summer Bowl, we already know that for the 16 non-playoff teams there are players no longer under contract who could soon be looking elsewhere for employment.  Looking across the league, there are some names worth taking a long look at.  Yes, those players could still resign during the playoff period, but if they have lasted this long without a deal, the odds are very good that they will be looking to move on.  Here is our look at all 14 non-playoff teams and the best player on each who could be in the market for a new home. ATLANTA: LB Rahim Abdullah is going to be a big loss for the Fire, but you know he will earn top dollar as a free agent.  Abdullah started 12 games this year (injury), but nabbed 81 tackles in that span.  After 6 seaosns in Atlanta, the 12-year vet wants to find a spot to finish his career with playoff expectations. BIRMINGHAM:  WR Donte Do had some flashes in his 5 seasons in Birmingham, but never really developed up to his talent.  His best year was 2010, where he had 586 yards on 60 receptions.  Best suited as a number 2 receiver on a team that already has a speedburner, Do could find this a tough market this year. BOSTON: No question here, Chad “85” Johnson is a star who will demand superstar money.  A league champion with the Cannons, and a top receiver in the league for a decade, Johnson wants to go to a team that has a solid QB in place and a shot at another title.  Oh, and he wants Bill Gates money and a lot of camera time too. CHICAGO: SS Reggie Tongue could still resign with Chicago.  He is 34, which will make some teams wary, and his one year with the Machine was not ideal, but he is still highly regarded around the league. DENVER: WR Keary Colbert is clearly the odd man out after Denver resigned veteran Peerless Price to a big deal.  Colbert is talented, and at 30, could be in the market for a 3-4 year deal with any number of teams. HOUSTON: Yes, Ronde Barber is a free agent, but we expect his retirement announcement any day now, which makes DT RaShon Harris likely the biggest Free Agent out of Houston’s roster.  Not a big name, and not a major factor in the Houston defense, we don’t see a big market for Harris. JACKSONVILLE: CB Dereck Combs struggled as a number 1, but could be an outstanding find as a second corner for a club that already has an established guy in the top spot.  He is 33, so a 2-4 year deal is quite possible. LAS VEGAS:  Hard to choose between the two safeties who are testing the market.  SS Chad Scott is the bigger hitter, but FS Sean Jones is better in coverage. Either way Coach Jones is going to struggle to put a secondary back together if he loses both. MEMPHIS: LB Patrick Willis has seen enough.  He wants to return to a contender, and get contender money in a new deal.  Expect him to get a lot of offers. At 25 he could be a decade contributor for a club. NEW ORLEANS: Guard Paul Zakauskas may not have name recognition among fans, but personnel experts across the league know how good this guy is.  He will likely be among the highest paid interior linemen by January. NEW JERSEY: Both Mark Clayton and Santonio Holmes remain unsigned.  We think NJ will go for Clayton one more time, but if he is annoyed by their earlier lowball offers, he could walk. OHIO: LB Glenn Cadrez had an All-USFL season and has been a stalwart for the Glory, but he has not meshed well with the new coaching regime and we think he will look for a new home.  If he finds the right fit, someone could see All-USFL play for at least another 2-3 seasons. ORLANDO: DT Jarron Gilbert and HB Jacob Hester are not household names, but both will be missed if they do not return to Orlando. PORTLAND: Center Brad Meester was an All-USFL performer three times over the past decade, so for him to go unsigned by the Stags is a big whiff.  Expect the 32-year old to get a 2-3 year deal from someone and quickly. SEATTLE:  CB Marcus Truffant is only 30, and Seattle does not want to lose him, but he will likely hit the market to earn top dollar, something Seattle just cannot pay with their cap troubles. ST. LOUIS: FB Vontae Leach is one of the best dual-use fullbacks in the league.  He can catch the ball, and he can blow up linebackers in the run game.  Not an expensive position, but with limited cap space, St. Louis may well let him walk to prioritize another position. #6 Baltimore (9-7) @ #3 Nashville (8-8) Saturday, July 9 @ 3pm ET Adelphia Stadium, Nashville, TNKnights favored by 1 This one is a battle of who is slumping the least.  There is some homefield advantage on Nashville’s side, of course, but the reason the line is so low for them is that no one has faith in either club right now.  In our minds it is whichever team can get their back rolling downhill.  Ron Dayne and Frank Gore are both exceptional running backs, and if one of them can get rolling, well, that may be all it takes for either club to snap their losing streak and get a playoff win. OUR PICK: Can we call this one a toss up?  No? Well, then we will go with the home team as having a slight edge. Nashville 17-15. #5 Oakland (9-7) @ #4 Arizona (10-6) Saturday, July 9 @ 7pm ET University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ Wranglers Favored by 3 This is a very intriguing matchup between two teams that have had some really dominant games but have also struggled at times.  If Arizona can recapture their early season form, they could roll, but we have been waiting for that ever since David Carr came back from injury and have not seen it yet.  We think they will try to get LT in the game early, force Oakland to bring men up into the box, and then try to hit Fitzgerald deep.  But Oakland knows that too. OUR PICK: We are going to go with the road dog here and pick the Invaders.  Oakland 20-14. #5 Charlotte (9-7) @ #4 Philadelphia (12-4) Sunday, July 10 @ 3pm ET Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA Stars by 8 Las Vegas has Philly up big, and we are not sure it is big enough.  We see the Stars as a legitimate Summer Bowl contender, while Charlotte, missing 2 key D-linemen, is limping their way in.  Could their be an upset?  Sure.  But we think a solar eclipse is more likely. OUR PICK: Philadelphia big, 31-17. #6 Michigan (9-7) @ #3 Los Angeles (10-6) Sunday, July 10 @ 7pm ET Farmers Insurance Field, Carson, CA Express by 3 Michigan is hot, and if Brian Griese is on his game, this one could be a big win for the Panthers, but LA is often sold short, and they have a pretty solid club as well.  We like their LBs, led by Lofa Tatupu, and we like their balance on offense.  Getting Randy Moss certainly did not hurt either.  One or two plays by Moss could put LA over the top. OUR PICK: We are going with Moss and the Express to hold court in LA.  Express 24-21.

The playoff picture comes into vivid shape as Nashville, Tampa Bay, LA, Oakland, and Arizona all earn spots, leaving only 3 playoff berths available to be claimed in the season’s final week.  Pittsburgh survives a scare in Houston, and we have a cluster near .500 in the West, where there are 6 teams all within 1 game of the final Wild Card slot.  It is getting very serious very fast, and yet, with several spots locked up we may well see some backups get a shot to play next week, especially for Pittsburgh, Nashville, Texas, and LA, who are all locked into their seeds.  Let’s start with the wild game in Houston where the Maulers were almost undone by last year’s league champions, and then we will walk through all the Week 15 results and prep for what could be a very complex set of Week 16 scenarios. PITTSBURGH MAULERS 32    HOUSTON GAMBLERS 28 If you ever wanted an example of why you should not look at team records and assume a win is evident, this game is good evidence of it.  Now, admittedly, when the underdog is the prior year’s league champion, the potential is always there that they will put the pieces together and prove to be a tough out, and that is exactly what happened for the Gamblers.  Houston, after suffering a shocking 8-game losing streak to scuttle what was supposed to be another deep playoff run season, has rebounded, with 3 wins in their last 4, including victories over Arizona and Denver in division.  Pittsburgh, having locked up the #1 seed in the West has, admittedly, let up on the gas a bit, losing to Texas last week in blowout fashion, so a trip to Houston may have been a situation where the Maulers simply did not have the juice to play at their best.  Either way, the result was a game that saw Houston give the Maulers a serious run for their money, but in the end the 12-2 Maulers pulled out the win. It was a game where Pittsburgh would outgain Houston 412-266, largely on the basis of 330 yards passing from Cody Pickett.  The Maulers would also win the turnover battle, but 7 penalties would disrupt the offense just enough for the Gamblers to keep the game close throughout.  Houston started well on their first drive, needing only 6 plays to march the ball down the field and for Matt Hasselbeck to find Ike Hilliard with a 17-yard TD toss.  Pittsburgh would respond with a Ryan Succop field goal, his first of 4 on the day, but after 1 the Gamblers were proving a tough opponent. The game had its first lead change early in the 2nd when Brandon Jacobs completed a long Mauler drive with a 2-yard TD plunge. Houston would respond, and with 1:50 left in the half, they would retake the lead as Hasselbeck again found the veteran Hilliard for his 2nd TD of the day.  Pittsburgh would narrow the gap with a 2nd Succop field goal as time ran out and we went to the half at 14-13 Houston. The Gamblers would extend that lead in the 3rd as Hasselbeck connected on a third TD, this time to Roy Williams.  The Mauler defense, one of the league’s best, was struggling to stop drives, largely due to poorly-timed penalties that gave Houston new life on third down.  Matt Hasselbeck also enjoyed good protection all game, sacked only once and able to complete 17 of 26 attempts.  Cody Pickett was also protected well, not sacked in the game, and on the final drive of the 3rd quarter he would find Jimmie Graham for a 22-yard touchdown that again pulled Pittsburgh closer, but the 2-point conversion failed, leaving the Maulers 2 points down at 21-19 after three. In the 4th the Maulers continued to push to retake the lead.  It did not take them long as Pittsburgh’s next drive got them close enough for Succop to connect on a 42-yard field goal.  Up 22-21, they would double down 5 minutes later with Succop’s fourth kick, taking a 4-point lead.  Houston would respond, taking the ball at the midpoint of the period and using nearly 6 minutes to drive the ball deep into Mauler territory.  Helped again by a penalty, this time an offsides on a good use of voice inflection by Hasselbeck on 3rd and 4, Houston got the ball to the Pittsburgh 4 and then used play action to Shaun Alexander to free up Roy Williams for his 2nd score of the day.  With just 1:47 left, Houston went up by 3, 28-25. Pittsburgh would play for the field goal and the tie. That was the theory at least.  And for most of the drive, that seemed the logic as the Maulers played the sidelines, preserved their last timeout, but still moved the ball deeper into Gambler territory.  But, on a 2nd and 3, a slip by Houston veteran CB Ronde Barber allowed Vincent Jackson to turn a 5-yard out into a 25 yard catch and run.  He got the ball to the Houston 12 yard line, with time and a timeout left, and that changed the perspective of the Mauler offense.  They would have time for 2, maybe 3 shots into the endzone before bringing in Succop.  They would need only 1 play to take the lead. Cody Pickett looked to Jackson again, pumped, but then brought the ball down as the safety moved over to Jackson, only to find Jimmie Graham again, this time cutting towards the goal post and uncovered by the safety.  Pickett threw a frozen rope down the middle and Graham brought it in for the game winner with just 11 seconds left to play.  The Maulers had found a way, giving them a franchise record-tying 3th win on the season.  Houston would drop their 10th game of the year, and their 7th game by less than 1 score.  Close but not quite there was apparently the theme of the year for the Gamblers, whose luck turned sour after a brilliant 2010 campaign. DENVER 28   TEXAS 38 A big win for the Outlaws, a devastating blow for the Gold.   Denver’s playoff hopes are on life support as the Gold drop to 7-8 with their 4th loss in a row.  Matt Leinart did what he could to help the Gold, throwing 3 TD passes, but he also forced the ball, causing 2 picks.  Meanwhile Joe Flacco was flawless, throwing for 319 yards and 4 TDs to take the win as Texas continues to impress. CHARLOTTE 23   ATLANTA 20 Charlotte’s run of good play continues in Atlanta, where the Monarchs pick up their 9th win and putting them in a position to control their own destiny going into the final week of the season.  The run game was the key as Shonn Greene and Taiwan Jones combined for 156 yards, helping the club overcome 3 Delhomme picks.  Atlanta was in this one till the end, but the loss means their playoff hopes are officially dashed. JACKSONVILLE 13   ORLANDO 13   OVERTIME If ties are like kissing your sister, this one was like kissing your sister after she has been eating picked herring.  Orlando needed a win here to stay on pace with Charlotte and Baltimore, but they fell into a trap game against a bad Bulls squad and it caught them.  Despite outgaining Jacksonville 430-251, the Renegades had costly turnovers, bad penalties, and just let the Bulls hang around.  Jacksonville sent the game to overtime, but neither team could do anything with the extra period, so we get the 2nd tie of the season in the USFL. PORTLAND 7   LOS ANGELES 13 Clearly Coach Brooks’s announcement of resignation did not inspire the Stags to win one for their coach.  Portland was lackluster all game, while LA also looked a bit out of sorts.  If not for a Ray Rice TD run of 41 yards, this one would have been an absolute snoozefest.  LA will take the win and hold onto first place, but they will need to do better if they want to make a splash in the playoffs. BIRMINGHAM 7   NEW ORLEANS 23 Interim Head Coach Lamar Lathon is making his case to remain at the helm of the Breakers.  After taking over an 0-8 team, he lost his first 2 games, but since then has won 5 of 6.  Despite not having Eli Manning available, the Breakers won this one going away against the Stallions.  The defense starred with CB Patrick Peterson the star with a pick 6 that turned the momentum fully to the Breakers. NEW JERSEY 24   PHILADELPHIA 34 The Generals were up to the challenge in this rivalry game, but the Stars found a way to put this one away with a late Reche Caldwell TD pass from Matt Gutierrez. The Stars’ backup played a good part of the game after Kurt Warner hopped of the field after turning his ankle.  The Stars turned to the run game without their MVP candidate QB in the game, and Steve Slaton came through with 124 yards and a TD. MEMPHIS 31   NASHVILLE 20 This is not a good look for the Knights as they prepare to host a Wild Card game. Memphis ,which has struggled on offense all season with rookie Ryan Mallett at the helm, suddenly found a rhythm.  Mallett threw for 2 scores and the defense made the stops it needed to to hold Nashville down.  Two Jay Cutler picks also helped the Showboats get the upset in the Tennessee Tussle. LAS VEGAS 13   OHIO 10 The Thunder defense continues to carry this team as they move to 9-6 and in range for a playoff spot.  Ohio was held scoreless well into the 4th quarter and managed only 163 yards passing on the game as Vince Young struggled to find open receivers.  Marshawn Lynch put in a workman 72 yards on 19 carries, and the defense did the rest. WASHINGTON 29   BOSTON 19 Boston is playing hard, we will give them that, but with Jake Locker completing only 16 of 43 passes, the offense is just not good enough, especially against a tough Federals’ D.  In a game that saw 9 field goals, it was a TD from, who else, Deuce McCallister that gave Washington the advantage and the defense held Boston to only 3 points in the second half as the Feds are still on pace for that top seed in the East. BALTIMORE 10   MICHIGAN 28 A good win for the Panthers as they move to 8-7 and into position to control their own destiny.  They hold the final Wild Card position, so a win next week guarantees them a playoff bid.  They won this game on the arm of Brian Griese, whose 4 TD passes mark a season high for him.  The defense also did their part, limiting Ron Dayne to a season low 19 yards rushing. ST. LOUIS 13   CHICAGO 30 St. Louis was hoping for more but Chicago still has a slim chance at the playoffs as well and their experience won out.  The defense sacked Josh Freeman 4 times and held him without a TD pass as Chicago dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and stayed alive at 7-8. OAKLAND 31   ARIZONA 28 The Wranglers have struggled to regain their early season form, and while the offense was explosive in this one, racking up 457 total yards against a solid Oakland defense, the Wrangler D let them down at the end.  Arizona had taken the lead on a Larry Fitzgerald TD late in the 4th, but the D could not stop Joey Harrington, who led the Invaders down the field and connected with Greg Jennings for his 3rd TD of the day to steal the win in the desert. SEATTLE 10   TAMPA BAY 23 The Dragons’ playoff hopes are fading as they lose their 3rd in 4 games.  The cross country trip to Tampa Bay was clearly not what the Dragons needed as they gave up 13-0 lead in the first half and could not recover.  Shane Vereen did well subbing for Willis McGahee, rushing for 80 yards on the day.  Daunte Culpepper went 22 of 31, mostly short dump off passes against a shell defense, but it was enough to control the clock and the ball and keep Tampa Bay within range of the #1 seed with 1 game left. Texas Wins Division for 1st Time in 25 Year History Congratulations all around to Coach Greg Landry and the Outlaws as, for the first time in franchise history, Texas will be a division champ.  It took 25 years for the Outlaws to finally come out on top.  Not only that, but they are also locked into a Top 2 position, which means a bye week is their reward in the playoffs. Texas has done it on both sides of the ball.  Landry, who was brought in to improve the Outlaw offense and coach up Joe Flacco, has had great success with both tasks.  Flacco is a very likely MVP candidate and the Outlaw offense now sits at 2nd in the league in both points and yardage.  What is even more impressive is that this offensive improvement has not led to a decline in defensive quality as the Outlaws now sit in the Top 10 in both points allowed and yardage allowed.  That is an impressive combination and balance, one that could make Texas a truly dangerous team in the postseason. Expect Landry to get some votes for Coach of the Year, along with both Joe Flacco and T. J. Duckett in the running for offensive awards.  The defense does not have quite the big name players or singular stars, but it too deserves recognition.  CB Michael Boulware, LB Chad Greenway, and SS Terrance Holt have all had good years, but the player who has really come on is DE Reynaldo Wynn, who leads the team with 16 sacks and should get some All-USFL votes. Texas, which in its history has had a tendency to fade down the stretch of seasons, is breaking that bad habit, and have now won  6 of the last 7.  In a season that saw Arizona jump out to a huge advantage with an undefeated first half, Texas has kept plugging along and bit by bit made up the gap.  Now they sit atop the SW Division and they want more.  After having defeated Pittsburgh handily last week, this is truly a team to focus on as we head into the postseason. Orlando Tie Complicates Eastern Wild Card Admittedly, the final Wild Card spot in the East was always going to be a 3 team race.  However, had the Renegades won this week, we would have 3 teams at 8-7 with 2 Wild Cards on the line.  That would make the math pretty easy.  2 teams would be in with a win, the 3rd with a win and 1 team losing.  Now, with Orlando a half-game behind both Baltimore and Charlotte, we start getting messy.  Basically, the Renegades need help.  They need to win in Week 16, of course, but they need at least one of the others, preferably both, to lose their season finales.  It is not the worst scenario possible for a playoff spot, but it is certainly not what the Renegades were hoping for. 6 Teams & 1 Spot in Western Wild Card Race If you want complex math related to the USFL, the Western Wild Card race is providing it.  We have Michigan currently sitting in the 6th position at 8-7, a game behind both Oakland and Arizona (whose spots are assured).  But we also have Las Vegas at 8-7, but losing on a tiebreaker, and then St. Louis, Chicago, Denver, and Seattle all at 7-8. The easiest scenario next week is for Michigan to win in their matchup against the #1 seed Pittsburgh Maulers.  If they can do that, then they lock up the spot and nothing else matters. The nightmare scenario for the league is for both Michigan and Las Vegas to lose and for St. Louis, Chicago, Seattle, and Denver to win, creating a 6-team cluster at 8-8. That worst case scenario would force the league to first rank the divisions, with Michigan, St. Louis, and Chicago looking at division record and possibly margin of victory.  Seattle and Las Vegas would have to do the same, while Denver would find itself matched up with whichever Central and Pacific team ended up in the top position.  So then we have a 3-way battle of head to head, then conference record, and possibly margin of victory.  A nasty mess that will not be fun to sort out.  So, the folks in New York, at league HQ may be hoping that the Maulers rest some starters, that Michigan gets the W, and that none of the complex comparative statistics are needed. Fitzpatrick Injury Could Impact 2012 Season In a bad game at the end of a bad season, Portland got even more bad news.  QB Ryan Fitzpatrick came off the field early in a lot of pain.  He made it to the sideline, but the Stags eventually needed to bring the cart out to him to take him to the locker room.  He would later be taken to a local hospital for further review.  The diagnosis?  A torn abdominal lining.  That is a nasty injury that is in part muscular, but mostly tissue-based, and one that is hard to heal because it is hard to isolate and immobilize the muscle groups to allow for the lining to mend itself. The concern in Portland is that Fitzpatrick will not only miss the final game of the year, but almost certainly all of the offseason minicamps, with the potential for the injury to impact training camp, preseason, and even the opening weeks of the 2012 season. Now, Fitzy is a smart guy, he did go to Harvard and all, so we expect he will be very vigilant about his care and the physician’s instructions, but the possibility is still there that Portland may need a plan B through the offseason and into the next year of play. Is Week 16 Jim Haslett’s Last Game with Memphis? That is the question being asked around the Mid-South.  After helping the Showboats win a title in 2007, Haslett has struggled to find success, particularly after Brett Favre’s second retirement.  From 10 wins in both ’07 and ’08, the Showboats dipped to 4-10 in 2009, 6-10 in 2010, and now are sitting at 4-10-1 with 1 week left, guaranteed another 10-loss season. Without the 2007 title, Haslett would almost certainly be out the door, but he did win it all only 4 seasons ago, and, quite honestly, the lack of a QB on the roster who can win games for him is not entirely his fault. After the failed Jake Delhomme project, Ryan Mallett was drafted this year, but his rookie season has been more growing pains than sparks of hope.  Mallett has a QBR hoving around 60 points, well below the league average, and has thrown more picks than touchdowns, never a good thing.  The defense, however, is Haslett’s project, and it has largely been a failure.  The Showboats, rank 27th of the 28 USFL clubs, allowing nearly 355 yards per game, and their 20 points per game average is also near the bottom of the league. If ownership is looking to make a move, they will likely point to that defense, as well as the decline of the run game (only 23rd at 80.6 YPG) as reasons why they wish to move on.  No statement has come from ownership yet, neither in support of Haslett or showing signs of wavering, so it is hard to gauge, but with Black Monday only a week away, we should have an answer soon. A lot is settled, but there are many teams still fighting for something.  Let’s run through the current playoff standings and tell you what each team is looking at. EASTERN CONFERENCE WASHINGTON: The Feds are only 1 game up on Tampa Bay for the #1 seed.  A loss against Charlotte and they could get bumped to number 2. TAMPA BAY: They have the division and the bye week, and still have a shot at the #1 overall seed.  If they don’t want to play in DC for the Conference Title, they will want a win and root for the Monarchs to upend the Feds. NASHVILLE:  They are the Southern Division Champions and are locked in at #3, so they could rest their starters, but do they really want to finish at .500?  A loss and that is what they would be doing. PHILADELPHIA:  Locked into the #4 slot, we expect the Stars to rest a lot of starters in their season finale. CHARLOTTE:  A win or an Orlando or Baltimore loss and they are a Wild Card.  Those are good odds, but the best way to lock it up is to upset Washington at home. BALTIMORE:  Classic win and in scenario for the Blitz as they face a Portland squad without their starting QB.  A loss and they have to root against the Renegades, who face the Bandits this week. ORLANDO: That tie this week is going to make life tough.  Orlando has to win against a Bandits team that is unlikely to rest their starters, and they have to hope that either Charlotte or Baltimore take an L this week.  It is never a good feeling to rely on others to get you into the postseason. WESTERN CONFERENCE PITTSBURGH:  The Maulers are in the classic #1 conundrum.  Do you rest your starters in a meaningless Week 16 game, providing 2 weeks of rest, or does that create rust? TEXAS: The Outlaws are locked in at #2, so they face the same issue as Pittsburgh, risking rust in 2 weeks or an injury this week.  We think they will take their chances with rust. LOS ANGELES:  Another club locked into their spot at #3, and with a playoff game in the Wild Card round, we expect to see Mark Sanchez wearing a baseball cap and not a helmet. OAKLAND: They are back in the postseason, but if they want to host that Wild Card game, they need to win this week. ARIZONA: Yes, the Wranglers are in the postseason, but they cannot feel good about losing 6 of 7. Expect them to see this week as a tuneup game to try to regain their form from the first half of the year. MICHIGAN: The Panthers control their own destiny.  A win and they are in.  A loss and it seems unlikely that they survive the scramble of 6 clubs to take the final Wild Card spot. LAS VEGAS:  The Thunder need to win this week to have a shot, and they need help.  The easiest path is for a Thunder win and Panther loss. Any other combination creates a mess. ST. LOUIS: They have a shot only because their 6-5 conference record is better than Vegas or Michigan.  If both the Thunder and Panthers lose, the Knights could find themselves in a Wild Card for the first time ever. CHICAGO: A win this week, along with losses by St. Louis, Michigan, and Las Vegas, puts Chicago in position to shock us and get in the postseason. Their division record would put them over the Panthers, and that could be enough. DENVER:  Pretty much they have to win and for most of the known universe to lose.  They have a 6-5 Conference record, so that gives them some hope. SEATTLE: They are basically in the same boat as Denver, but they also need the Gold to lose.  Right now they have a 2.3% chance of making the postseason.  “So you’re saying I have a chance” is the mantra for the Dragons this week. With only 1 week left, you hate to see any players go down, but that is a part of the game, and we saw several, including the troubling injury to Ryan Fitzpatrick this week.  Others who will miss the season finale include another Stag starter as center Brad Meester suffered a neck injury.  It is not major, but it will be enough to take him out of the Week 16 game.  Others who will miss Week 16 includeOhio TE Lee Smith (collarbone), Memphis WR Lee Evans (finger), and New Orleans QB Drew Brees (elbow).  Among teams still hoping for a Week 16 win to propel them to the postseason we see Denver will be without DE Ryan Denney, not only for next week, but if they do make the postseason, he would miss that as well after suffering a knee injury this week.  Michigan is in a similar situation with FS Tyrone Carter, who is expected to be out up to a month with a bicep tear.  Michigan may also be without MLB Andy Katzenmoyer after he suffered a concussion this week, putting him as “doubtful” for Week 16’s important season finale. On the other side of the spectrum, several playoff-bound or playoff competitive teams are getting players back for their final regular season game.  Among those expected to return to action are WR Deion Branch and TE Heath Miller (WSH), DE Robert Mathis (PHI), SS Roy Williams (DEN), SS Pearson Prioleau (OAK), DE Anthony Weaver (CHI), and HB Willis McGahee (TBY). Looking at 10 Possible Retirements This Offseason We have reached the last week of the year, and just as fans start looking at the unsigned players to see what the free agent market might look like, we can also look to the rosters of teams across the league and wonder who we may see hang up their cleats and call it a career.  Every year we are surprised by that player who opts out early, or another who opts to give it one more year, but we also know that each year we lose some quality veterans, creating tough choices and unwanted holes in the roster for GMs across the league.  As we travel around the 28 teams of the USFL, we are hearing whispers and folks are asking questions.  From these somewhat uncertain bits of info, we have built our 10 players to watch for, all of them possibly considering calling 2011 their final season on the field. Houston FS Brian Dawkins (37) Houston singed Dawkins to a 2-year deal at 36 years old, so it may not be that much of a surprise if Dawkins opts out after one year, particularly with the year the Gamblers have had.  2011 has not been a banner year for the safety, as he has only 25 tackles and 2 picks over15 game so far. Tampa Bay WR Joey Galloway (37) The question with Galloway is whether or not his outstanding 2011 campaign means he is game for more or now able to end his career on a high note.  All across the board his move from Ohio to Tampa Bay has been a success.  Not only are the Bandits the Southern Division Champs and battling for a top seed, but Galloway saw his numbers jump back to totals we have not seen since the early 2000’s.  From 51 catches in 2009 to 90 this year and from 736 yards to a potential 1,300.  It is his call, because it seems clear that Tampa Bay would love to have him back. St. Louis HB Antowain Smith (34) While 34 is not considered retirement age for many positions on a USFL roster, for a running back it is pretty rare to see backs reach 35.  The injury-shortened 2011 season was Smith’s 15th in the league, a lifetime for a big back.  His torn abdominal limited him to 12 games and 836 yards, and will require extensive PT to get back in form.  At 34, that may be more than Smith would like to engage. Charlotte QB Jake Delhomme (35) After a 1-year disaster in Memphis, and two opening months that had fans calling for the backup, Delhomme has had a stronger second half.  Is that enough to motivate him to come back for another year?  Would Charlotte tender an offer for a 2nd year after Delhomme threw for over 20 picks?  Hard to say, but Charlotte is in playoff position, and a solid final week, followed by a decent showing in the Wild Card game could be enough for the Monarchs to offer a deal.  Is it enough for Delhomme to agree to it and return to the Monarchs? Baltimore CB Chris McCallister (36) After 13 years prowling the defensive backfield for the Blitz, McCallister would certainly be understood if he opted to retire at 36.  Injuries are the obvious reason for such a decision.  The past 3 seasons McCallister has struggled to stay on the field, appearing in only 13 games over the 3-year span.  Very often the will is there for veteran players but the body is not. Houston DE Kavika Pittman (36) Houston has another core defender on this list as Kavika Pittman is rumored to be debating the issue.  Sixteen seasons at DE is a very long career, and it has been a Hall of Fame one for the Gambler, who has 276 sacks to his name, a ridiculous total.  Pittman, in 16 seasons, has never had fewer than 10 sacks in a year, and is often closer to 20 than 10.  If he retired after this season he would be 26 sacks behind all-time great Phil Hansen, and that feels like a lot to try to make up in only 1 more year.  We think he will be happy sitting in 2nd place, ahead of Reggie White, Santana Dotson and Mike Rucker, and so we think this could be his swansong. Michigan QB Brian Griese (35) Earlier in the year the questions were there.  Had Griese peaked?  Had his injury in 2009 led to permanent issues?  His numbers were not great to start the year, and he was struggling to get the Panthers moving.  But, ever since a Week 6 loss to Denver, Griese has found another gear.  The Panthers have won 7 of 9 games, and Griese has a 19:7 TD:Int ratio. He is making good choices, protecting his body and the ball, and getting W’s for the Panthers.  One more win and they are in the playoffs, and we think if that happens, there is no way Griese calls it quits. New Orleans DT Jason Peter (36) Another player who signed a 1-year deal at the end of a long career, Peter had a solid career in Arizona, then spent 2 years in Tampa Bay, and now 2011 in New Orleans.  His numbers are still good, but it seems clear that he is not at the same form he was in as a Wrangler.  Does that make him question the need to keep going at age 36?  The Breakers are not a club on the verge of a title, so it is not as if Peter is hoping to go out on top. Tampa DE Marcellus Wiley (36) Wiley may be hoping to do just that, to go out on top. Tampa Bay is a serious contender, and Wiley is having a strong season, again over 10+ sacks for the year.  If the Bandits can win it all, then Wiley will have nothing left to achieve.  If they lose, he could possibly be swayed to stay for a 2nd chance. Las Vegas QB Jake Plummer (34) At 34, Plummer is hardly the oldest QB in the league, but his body has taken a beating over his 15-season career.  Honestly, most of us are shocked he has made it this far, particularly after the move from Arizona to Las Vegas, where his pass protection has not been ideal.  His numbers are certainly down from his heyday, and Coach June Jones’ run & shoot variation has not produced the eye-popping stats that it did in previous iterations.  All of these factors could lead Plummer to decide to hang it up before his body demands it. As we see each year, all games in Week 16 will be played on Saturday and Sunday, with clusters of games based on divisional playoff positioning.  It makes for a compact, but exciting week as the last playoff spots are decided and seeding is fixed.  Here is the plan for Week 16 in the USFL. SATURDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (6-9) @ Memphis (4-10-1)                                  ABC No playoff implications in this one, but we expect the Showboats to play hard for Jim Haslett, even if the decision on his future is already decided. New Orleans (4-11) @ Nashville (8-7)                                      FOX Could the Knights actually win the division at only 8-8?  Seems possible, with the Breakers getting some steam later in the year for interim coach Lamar Lathon. Portland (4-11) @ Baltimore (9-6)                                             FOX The Stags are out, Baltimore needs only a tie to lock up a playoff spot. Expect to see the Blitz try to get a lead early and then coast if they can. SATURDAY @ 4pm Houston (5-10) @ Oakland (9-6)                                                ABC Oakland is locked into a Wild Card, but if they want a home game, they need this win.  Houston has been anything but a lame duck team the past month, so this could be interesting. Los Angeles (10-5) @ Las Vegas (8-7)                                       FOX You know the Thunder will be motivated.  A loss and they are out of the Wild Card.  Will LA? They could rest their starters because even with a win and a Texas loss, they are still locked into the #3 slot. Chicago (7-8) @ Seattle (8-7)                                                      NBC Both clubs are technically still alive for a Wild Card.  Only the winner has any shot, so this one could be one of the best games of the year as both will bring their best. SATURDAY @ 8pm Washington (12-3 @ Charlotte (9-6)                                        ESPN Both clubs want this win to lock up something.  A playoff spot for Charlotte, the #1 seed for Washington.  Don’t expect to see the backups in for either club as they both want this one. Philadelphia (11-4) @ Boston (1-13-1)                                    EFN We have no idea if Boston will come to play or just phone this in after a brutal season.  Jake Locker at least needs to show some spark.  Philadelphia cannot catch Washington even with a win, so they may rest some starters ahead of next week’s Wild Card round. SUNDAY @ 12pm Ohio (5-11) @ St. Louis (7-8)                                                       ABC The Skyhawks’ playoff hopes are on life support.  A win and a lot of help are needed. They need losses by both Michigan and Las Vegas, but they better not just assume they will beat Ohio in this divisional game. Pittsburgh (13-2) @ Michigan (8-7)                                          FOX The Maulers are almost certainly going to rest a few starters to avoid injuries.  Michigan could use that to their advantage as they are in a Win & In situation.  But does Pittsburgh want Michigan in the playoffs?  They may keep the defense on the field to try to knock out their division rival. Tampa Bay (11-4) @ Orlando (8-6-1)                                       ABC The Bandits might have considered resting the starters, but they are actually in range of Washington.  A win and a Feds loss and Tampa Bay could get that #1 seed (the computations are tough because it takes several tiebreakers, but it is possible.)  Meanwhile, Orlando is ½ game behind Baltimore and Charlotte for the final Wild Card, so you know they need this. Atlanta (6-9) @ Jacksonville (3-11-1)                                        FOX No playoff issues here, just a battle of two teams that have built something of a regional rivalry, as much as you can between clubs that don’t have a lot of playoff success in their histories. SUNDAY @ 4PM Texas (11-4) @ New Jersey (6-9)                                                FOX Sort of a weird ending for the Outlaws.  They have the #2 seed all locked up, so we likely won’t see Flacco, Duckett, or Colston on the field.  New Jersey will also likely play some younger players just to see for the offseason. Arizona (9-6) @ Denver (7-8)                                                      EFN Denver is still alive, but not by much.  Arizona has to find its form because this is not the squad that started the season 8-0. They have lost 6 of 7 and that is no way to go into the Wild Card round.  Expect both clubs to fight for this one.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Nine of the twelve playoff spots are now claimed. Washington, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Nashville are in from the East, with the Bandits locking up division titles this week. In the West, Pittsburgh, Texas, Los Angeles, Arizona, and Oakland are all in. The Maulers and Outlaws have wrapped up division titles as well, with Pittsburgh guaranteed the #1 seed. PLAYER OF THE WEEK: We are going to give the POTW to Joe Flacco for helping Texas win their first SW Division title in team history. He did it in style too, throwing for 319 yards on only 13 completions, but also tossed 4 touchdowns to lead Texas to their first ever division crown.

Three more USFL teams lock up playoff spots as an exciting Week 14 brings us that much closer to the season finale and the postseason.  Tampa Bay and Philadelphia are in the Eastern Playoffs.  Texas has locked up a playoff spot in the West, but after 14 weeks there is still a lot to play for as we still sit with only 1 division locked down.  Charlotte edges Orlando to get a leg up in the Wild Card race.  St. Louis is back in the mix as they move to 7-7, their best record in club history.  LA gets the edge on Oakland, and Arizona continues to struggle, losing their 4th in a row.  All that, plus, believe it or not New Jersey and Michigan are still alive in the playoff hunt.  But, let’s start the review of Week 14 with the best game of the week, a SE Division showdown between the Monarchs and the Renegades that needed extra time to find a winner. ORLANDO RENEGADES 16   CHARLOTTE MONARCHS 19 The Southeast Division continues to be the most balanced in the league.  While Tampa Bay has reached 10 wins and clinched a playoff berth, Orlando, Charlotte, and Atlanta continue to be in the mix, and this showdown between the Renegades and Monarchs would be for 2nd place and the best shot at catching the Bandits.  Charlotte came into the game at 7-6, but on a 3-game winning streak, Orlando a game up at 8-5, but the winner of this game would take over 2nd place in the division, and both teams played like that was a prize worth battling for. Orlando came into the game as the league’s sack leader, no shock when Calais Campbell is basically lapping the field with 26 sacks in only 13 games.  Charlotte is no slouch in the pressure game either, with 44 sacks on the season, led by Julius Peppers with a very respectable 16 sacks.  Charlotte also came into the game as the #1 defense in the league when measuring yardage gained, a measure that takes into account the league’s 3rd best defense against the run and 2nd best against the pass.  So, it should be no surprise that neither team lit up the scoreboard as the defenses were the key to this one. With Eli Manning sidelined and Matt Moore at the helm, we knew going in that the pressure would be on the Renegade defense to keep the score low, and they basically did just that.  The first quarter of the matchup was a scoreless one which saw only 3 combined first downs and 4 punts.  We finally saw some points on the board as the 2nd quarter began, as Orlando, helped by a nasty roughing the kicker penalty on a 4th and 3 punt, was able to sustain a drive and put up 7.  Matt Moore found TE Greg Olsen for the first score of the game and Orlando was in the lead on the road. That lead would not hold as Charlotte, motivated to return to an even score, also put together a good drive, ending with Shonn Greene (starting once again for Fred Jackson) plunging in from the 2.  But, with Brandon Couto’s kick taking a hard hook to the right, the ‘Gades retained the lead 7-6.  Couto would get a chance to redeem himself on Charlotte’s next drive. Following a short punt by Orlando’s Adam Podlesh, perhaps still impacted by the earlier hit, Charlotte took over on their own 42 and were able to get in range for Cuoto.  The Monarch kicker was on target this time and Charlotte took a 9-7 lead into the half. The Monarchs would expand on that lead in the 3rd quarter, with Jake Delhomme and the Shonn Greene putting together a good drive, capped off by Taiwan Jones scrambling to the right on a pitch play and diving for the pylon to put another 6 on the board.  Couto’s kick was good and Charlotte had a 16-7 lead. Orlando would finish the 3rd quarter with a 3-pointer as Bill Grammatica hit from 35 after the Renegade drive came to a halt on a missed 3rd down attempt, one of 11 third downs which went uncoverted by Orlando. With the game headed to the 4th quarter at 16-10, the lead was certainly not secure.  Charlotte got a bit too conservative too soon and very quickly Orlando had the ball back and were again able to add points.  In a drive that saw Knowshon Moreno get his longest run of the day (a 17-yarder), Orlando again bogged down in Charlotte territory, and again Bill Grammatica was the answer.  16-13 with 10:02 left to play. The Renegades would struggle on their next possession, forced to punt the ball back to Charlotte with 5:02 left to play.  However, when you have Calais Campbell, you are only 1 play away from a major change.  That change came after Charlotte had gained two first downs with their run game. On a 2nd and 6, Campbell did not bite on the run fake, and when Delhomme spun to his left the big man was there to face him.  Delhomme tried to pivot again, but all that did was lose him 3 more yards.  Campbell snagged his 3rd sack of the game, giving him 29 on the year.  The play meant that Charlotte would face a 3rd and 17, and that meant a quick draw play just to use some time and another punt. Orlando wasted no time on offense once they got the ball back.  Matt Moore hit Michael Jenkins for 17  yards, then tossed a screen to Leon Johnson before connecting with DeShaun Jackson for 10.  The hope, of course, was to finally put the ball back in the endzone, but as time started to become an issue, and Charlotte’s defense stiffened, it became clear that Orlando was going to let the clock run down and put the ball into Bill Grammatica’s hands, or his feet, to tie the game.  Grammatica came through and Orlando knotted up the score at 16.  The game would go to overtime. Charlotte won the toss and opted to go on offense. Jake Delhomme would connect with Dereck Mason and TE Brandon Pettigrew to get into Orlando territory, but just as we saw with Orlando’s offense at the end of regulation, moving into the red zone was quickly taken off the agenda and Charlotte was forced to send out their own kicker, Brandon Coutu.  The long kick was good and Orlando would now get the ball needing to score to either win the game or keep it going. The Renegades tried to get the ball rolling with a run play but Moreno was stuffed for no gain.  On 2nd down Moore was flushed from the pocket and tried to hit Moreno in the flat, but the ball bounced at his feet.  Third and 10 and Moreno looked to Greg Olsen. The TE caught the ball over the middle but was brought down immediately by LB Rey Maualaga.  Fouth and 4.  Again pressure from Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims forced Moore out of the pocket, and again he was unable to connect with his receiver, this time Justin McCaerins.  Turnover on downs, and the game goes to Charlotte for their 4th win in a row and a share of 2nd place two games behind the surging Tampa Bay Bandits. BALTIMORE 10   WASHINGTON 24 The Federals looked every bit the part of a top seed, rushing out to a 10-0 lead on the Blitz and then holding off their rivals from Baltimore all game.  Deuce McCallister bolstered his MVP case with 121 yards and aTD on the day, while a dinged up Ron Dayne had only 9 carries for 12 yards as he is clearly not 100%. BOSTON 21   NEW JERSEY 24 New Jersey stays alive by knocking off the struggling Cannons in the Meadowlands.  Jake Locker got the start for Boston, completing 14 of 28 with a TD, but Sam Bradford had the better day, throwing 3 TDs and passing for 294 yards against the Cannons’ questionable defense.  Maurice Jones-Drew also had a strong game, rushing for 109 yards on the day, while Austin Miles got POTW honors for his 2 TD performance. TEXAS 30   PITTSBURGH 14 We had a feeling this could happen.  With the #1 seed in the West guaranteed, motivation is the question for the Maulers in these final weeks, and that was clearly a factor against a very good Texas club.  T. J. Duckett rumbled for 118 yards on the ground and added another 63 in the air as the Outlaws racked up 448 yards of offense on the Mauler defense. NASHVILLE 10   BIRMINGHAM 21 The Stallions stay alive in the playoff hunt with a strong game against the visiting Knights.  Cam Newton throws for 212 and 2 scores and the defense bent but would  not break against Nashville.  Frank Gore had 115 yards rushing with a score, but the passing game for Nashville was sporadic at best.  For Birmingham, Terrell Owens made the plays needed, catching 6 for 100 even. ATLANTA 10   NEW ORLEANS 27 A game Atlanta had to take seriously, but New Orleans plays spoiler again, thanks to a big game from WR Early Doucet (113 yards) and a defense that picked off Kyle Orton 3 times, Drew Brees went 18 of 27 for 237 yards and 2 scores and the Breakers D had one of its best games of the year. TAMPA BAY 23   LAS VEGAS 21 Marshawn Lynch was back in action for Las Vegas, rushing for 54 yards on limited carries, but it was not the boost the Thunder needed as Tampa Bay edges the Thunder in Las Vegas.  Culpepper found both Galloway and Doering for scores and the defense picked off Jake Plummer 3 times as the Bandits score the cross-country victory in the desert. DENVER 16   HOUSTON 17 A huge loss for the Gold as they cannot generate enough offense against the Houston D to take the road win.  It was 16-7 Denver at the half, but Houston got 10 points in the second half, including a Hasselbeck TD pass to Howard Gannon, and the D held Denver out of scoring range to help the Gamblers get the upset and play spoiler against the Gold. ARIZONA 17   PHILADELPHIA 33 David Carr got a rough welcome back to game action as the Stars came out on fire, scoring 27 unanswered points to blow past Arizona and take the W.  Two Steve Slaton TDs helped the home team pull out to a big league.  Carr, who threw two picks, had his first TD throws in a month, but Arizona was simply too far behind to make a meaningful comeback late. MEMPHIS 22   JACKSONVILLE 19 A pretty good game between 10-loss teams as the Showboats and Bulls battled for 60 minutes.  It was a Mallett to Robert Ferguson TD with 1:37 that would give the Boats the win.   Tim Tebow was pulled at the half after producing only 1 field goal in 6 drives.  Josh McCown would go 12 of 23 in the second half but could not get the team into range for David Akers, and the final second 57-yard desperation kick fell short and wide. OHIO 7   CHICAGO 13 The Machine improve to 6-8 with a home win, but it was not exactly a thing of beauty.  Neither Quinn nor Vince Young could sustain drives, despite both clubs having a back go over 100 yards.  Michael Turner led all rushers with 112 yards on 20 carries, but Ohio also got 100 when DeMarco Murray busted a 25-yard run to put him over the century mark late at 104. SEATTLE 10   ST. LOUIS 14 St. Louis is hoping their good play of late is not too little and too late. They knock off a pretty hot Seattle club, and they do it with defense, sacking Byron Leftwich 4 times.  St. Louis again leaned on 2nd year back William Bethea, who responded with 128 yards and a 5.8 YPC average.  Throw in TD tosses to Fred Baxter and David Nelson and the Skyhawks now even their record at 7-7. MICHIGAN 30   PORTLAND 23 A big road win for the Panthers as they return to .500 with a W in Portland. Thomas Jones led the way for the Panthers, rushing for 114 yards and a score to balance the Panther offense. Brian Griese survives 3 picks by the Stags and connected with Mario  Manningham in the 4th to give the visitors the lead and the win. OAKLAND 17   LOS ANGELES 20 Another great battle of California as LA edges Oakland to retake sole possession of first place in the Pacific.  It would take a 2-minute drill by Mark Sanchez to put the ball in position for kicker Damon Duvall, but the drive worked out and LA held on to win the game despite 311 yards from Joey Harrington and a stunning 161 yards receiving for Pierre Garçon.  LA now controls their own destiny as they seek their first division title since 2006. Brooks to Step Down in Portland Rich Brooks to Step Down from StagsRather than wait for Black Monday, it appears that former Oregon Duck has taken flight on his own.  Brooks announced on Tuesday that he would finish out the final 2 games of the 2011 season, but then would resign from the Stags organization after 4 seasons.  Brooks had found some early success with the Stags, building a pretty solid start for an expansion club with a 7-9 opening season.  But since then the hump of .500 has been one the Stags have not been able to overcome.  They made the playoffs in 2009 with an 8-8 mark, but were unable to repeat that feat in 2010, and this year, well, it has not gone well.  The Stags sit at 4-10 and they rank in the bottom quartile of the league in pretty much every offensive an defensive category. Brooks thanked club ownership for the opportunity to return to pro ball, but said he now looks forward to having more time for his family after the rigors of 4 USFL seasons.  For the Stags, the clock now starts on their search for a new head coach.  Rumors have ownership interested in a coach with pro experience, likely a current coordinator, who can step in and build from a roster that has more talent than their 4 wins would seem to indicate. Calais Campbell Closes in on 30 Again With three sacks this week, Calais Campbell is only 1 away from achieving a feat only one man has ever achieved, a 30 sack season, and that man was himself.  Campbell could again hit the 30 mark next week against LA, but also has a buffer game against Baltimore to close out the year.  Neither Mark Sanchez nor Ben Roethlisberger are particularly elusive, though both clubs have solid lines, particularly on the left side.  That said, we all seem pretty resolved to the fact that once again the Orlando DE is going to hit that stunning total of 30 sacks in 16 games, and will almost certainly walk away with another DPOTY award for that effort. While Campbell’s total of 29 puts him over 2 sacks per game, he has been doing it more in spurts this year, with the big guy recording 3 or more sacks in a single game 5 times this season, while in other weeks he has been largely contained by offenses designed to shut him down.  But, that said, 3 of the 5 biggest games for Campbell this season have been the past 3 weeks, with 3 sacks against Charlotte in Week 12, 4 against Atlanta in Week 13, and 3 more against the Monarchs this week.  The fact that all three were divisional games is no shock to anyone as Campbell does tend to ride the emotion of rivalry games and big games.  So, what does that mean moving forward?  Let’s just say that the next two weeks will be big games, and, if Orlando can get wins to end the year, Campbell could try his hand at the intensity of playoff football as well.  QBs beware. Team Stats Breakdown With 2 weeks left, and a lot on the line for a lot of teams, we thought it might be a good time to take a look at the leaders not seen in each week’s statistical breakdown.  We took a look at team offense and team defense to try to see who may have an edge in these pivotal two weeks.   Here is what we found. Points Scored is an easy one to see, since we can just look at the standings, and what we see is that the Stars, Federals, and Outlaws are the only clubs averaging over 25 points per game, with the Stars topping all others at 27.8 per game. Passing: The Stars’ success in scoring is very much the result of their top-rated pass offense.  Kurt Warner has been healthy all season and is producing 279 yards per game, a healthy average that has placed the Stars just ahead of Joe Flacco’s Outlaws and, believe it or not, the St. Louis Skyhawks, sitting in 3rd with 254 yards a game. Rushing: Don’t tell the Washington Federals and their star HB Deuce McCallister that the USFL is a passing league.  The Feds are averaging 129 yards per game on the ground, a total 15 yards per game higher than 2nd place Oakland. With the best record in the East and a playoff spot locked up, the Feds are proving that a solid ground game can be a successful formula in any league. Points Allowed: No surprise here that the Maulers are sitting pretty at number 1 with an average of only 14.9 points per game allowed. That defense has been the key to their run to the top seed in the West.  Behind them we find Texas, a very balanced club, and the Las Vegas Thunder, still more in the mold of Jerry Glanville than new coach June Jones. Rushing defense: The Feds run the ball and they defend the run.  There, you have learned their formula.  At only 70 yards per game allowed, Washington has the top spot.  Philadelphia and Charlotte round out the top 3 run defenses, none of those clubs allowing even 80 yards per game. Pass defense: Oakland, Pittsburgh, and Charlotte lead the league in pass defense, with the Invaders the only club to hold their opposition under 200 yards per game (191.4).  The Invaders are not quite as good against the run, and their offense is not producing big leads, so there is a reason teams are not throwing on them. Turnovers: Believe it or not, the Boston Cannons are the club that has produced the most takeaways, 31, with Portland and Chicago tied for the lead in turnover margin at +15.  That defies all logic as those three teams are not among the elite of the league, with Boston dead last in the standings.  They say turnovers are the key to winning, but that has clearly not been the case for any of these three teams. A strange stat if ever there was one, at least this year. We enter Week 15 with 5 playoff spots locked up and 7 still available to be claimed.  Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Texas all punched their postseason tickets this week as all the 10-win teams are locked in.  We still only have 1 division winner secured, the Maulers dominanting the Central.   All other divisions are within 2 games, with Tampa Bay and Nashville needing only 1 win in their final 2 games to lock up their Divisions.  Texas, LA, and Washington are all in 1-game races. The jockeying for position among Wild Card contenders continues, with Charlotte and St. Louis currently holding the tiebreaker edge in each conference.  The Monarchs are tied with Orlando, who they just defeated this week, with 8-6 records, but control their own destiny. Two wins in their final 2 games and the Monarchs are in.  St. Louis is tied with Seattle, Denver, Michigan and Las Vegas, all at 7-7, but the Skyhawks are the only one who is guaranteed a playoff spot if they go 2-0.  All the others need help to leapfrog other 7-7 clubs.  Even at 6-8, Chicago, Atlanta, New Jersey, and Birmingham are still alive in the hunt, but each of those clubs needs a major alignment of the stars over the next 2 weeks to make a move and leap over several other clubs for a spot at 8-8. The injury lists really start to get long as we get further and further into the year.  No surprise, football is a brutal game and the wear and tear of 16 weeks is enough to mess with even these elite athletes.  This week the good news is that only 1 player, Orlando SS Atari Bigby, has been placed on IR.  Bigby suffered a knee in jury and Orlando fears it may be a full ACL tear.  The Renegades also lost CB Lito Sheppard, perhaps for 2-4 weeks with a knee injury of his own, though it looks like no ligament damage for Sheppard.  Orlando did get some good news as it is expected that Eli Manning will be back under center this week. Other significant injuries this week include Atlanta DT Jason Ferguson (2-4 weeks, knee), Memphis LB Kirk Morrison (1-2 weeks, foot), Houston LB James Farrior (1-2 weeks, leg), Baltimore LB Angelo Crowell (1-2 weeks, neck), and Chicago DE Anthony Weaver (1-2 weeks, meniscus).   Willis McGahee is listed as doubtful with his lingering ankle injury, while Philadelphia will likely be without DE Robert Mathis after the big man suffered a concussion this week.  New Jersey will be without Michael Crabtree after the receiver was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his jaw. Some players expected to return to action this week, outside of Eli Manning, include Ohio LB James Laurinaitis, LA LB Lofa Tatupu, Philly CB Quentin Jammer, and, hoping for a bigger week, Las Vegas HB Marshawn Lynch. Ready to Test the Waters We have had a flurry of extensions and re-signings across the USFL over the past month as GM’s get to work locking up players coming to the end of their contracts, but that does not mean that the free agent pool will be without any talent.  There are still quite a few players unsigned, some already knowing that they will be let go this offseason, others perhaps holding out for the 11th hour to get the best deal possible.  We looked across the league and identified 10 players we think could very well opt to walk away from negotiations with their current clubs and take a shot at a better deal in a new environment. Here are the players likely to be in high demand this offseason. 10— Jimmy Williams, CB-ARZ: The Wranglers and Williams are still talking, but all accounts have the corner looking for a new direction, despite a very strong year in Arizona.  The 30-year old is not getting the picks he once did, but that is largely because teams are not testing him. 9— Keary Colbert, WR-DEN:  With Denver signing Peerless Price to a very lucrative deal this week, it seems that Colbert, who has been a solid #2 in Denver, will have to look elsewhere.  He is not likely to get the big dollars of our #1 name (below), but he should be able to find a good placement where he can increase his total targets. 8— Chris Spears, C-LA: Despite the success the Express have had this year, the pivot on their O-line has shown signs that he wants out.  Maybe it is the scheme, maybe just a personality clash with his head coach, but whatever the reason, someone is going to land a very solid center to bolster their pass protection. 7— Rahim Abdullah, LB-ATL:  He does not get the press that many other backers get across the league, but don’t let that fool you.  Abdullah is a first class strongside linebacker, capable of covering the field sideline to sideline.  Atlanta has the cap space to sign him, but they have other priorities, which seems odd to us, so someone is going to potentially get a steal this offseason. 6—Santonio Holmes, WR-NJ:  Another receiver who will likely be allowed to hit the market because their team just does not have the ability to sign everyone.  Marc Clayton is close to signing, and that, paired with the emergence of Miles Austin for the Generals means that Holmes will likely be looking to catch on with a team that can give him more targets. 5—Scott Shields, FS-PIT: The Maulers are having quite a season, but with that success comes an expectation for a payday.  With several spots to fill, and several key players signed, the cap space is just not there for everyone, and Shields, a very solid safety who could very much boost a club’s pass defense as well as their run coverage, could be allowed to walk. 4—Marcus Truffant, CB-SEA:  Rumors have Truffant looking to get out of Seattle.  If that is true, and his lack of progress with the front office to date seem to confirm them, then he will be one of the hottest prospects in free agency.  A true shut-down corner, Truffant is an instant upgrade for at least 20 of the USFL’s 28 clubs. 3—Patrick Willis, LB-MEM: Unhappy for some time with the inability of the Showboats to build a defense around him, and frustrated by declining numbers because of it, Willis is a LB  in his prime and with a ton of talent.  Expect him to limit his options to teams that are in contention.  If he can be the final piece that helps a team get over the top, that is a team he will sign with. 2—T. J. Duckett, HB-TEX:  One of the premier HBs in the league, Duckett wants to be paid QB money, and that is always a tough position to take.  Texas is tight on cap space, and unless they want to gut a roster that has just won them their first division title ever, Duckett is not going to get what he wants.  Would the Outlaws really let him walk or are others going to be willing to restructure their deals so that the HB can get paid? 1—Chad Johnson, WR-BOS:  Is 85 a pain in the rear sometimes?  Yes, absolutely.  But is he also one of the most productive wideouts of this generation?  Also true.  Johnson seems resigned to step away from John Fox and the Cannons, and there will be no lack of interest, to be sure.  Expect him to become the highest paid receiver in the league as someone will value him enough to open up the safe and hand him all the money. Boston & Nashville Owners linked to Dallas Meetings We knew this had to be happening, that leaders within the Destination Dallas group would be reaching out to league owners to see who might be interested in a big payday and a sale/relocation deal for their club. Boston was always on our radar.  The inability to get a deal cut with Robert Kraft and Gillette Stadium has always made Boston’s stadium woes a major concern.  But the news that Mark Cuban has met with Nashville ownership is a surprise.  Nashville plays in a very solid, quite recent stadium, and while the deal may not be exactly what the Knights would want (serving as 2nd tenants after the NFL Copperheads), the Knights are certainly not suffering at the box office. So, what is happening here?  Is Nashville trying to build some leverage to improve their stadium deal or get some sweet funding from the state or local government?  Could there really be interest in a quick sale and a move to Dallas?  It has been less than 10 years since the Knights moved from St. Louis, only a decade after moving from LA.  Could this franchise really be looking at a third relocation? We suspect this is a power play by Nashville owners, but that suspicion cannot be enough to keep the Knights’ fanbase in Nashville from panicking about the possibility that they would lose their team.  Meanwhile, Bostonians are in no mood to build a new stadium just for their USFL team, particularly not in a year when the Cannons have struggled to only 1 win.  That could be really bad timing as rebuilding their roster and their on-field success is not the formula to get top crowds, even in a small stadium.  Boston seems primed for a sale, giving ownership a quick payday while providing Dallas with a team they can mold in whatever image ownership wants. We don’t think the Destination Dallas group is done either.  We know that they have reached out to frustrated Chicago Machine ownership, dealing with their own issues with the city and the use of Soldier Field.  Interest may also exist in Oakland, whose stadium is just a disaster, in Las Vegas, where Sam Boyd Stadium is even smaller than Boston’s Alumni Stadium, and in Atlanta, where even playing in the climate controlled Georgia Dome has not helped the Fire get out of the bottom quartile of teams in terms of attendance. It is getting serious around the USFL with the Dallas group on the hunt and at some point someone is going to take the money and run, to the detriment of their current fanbase.  We just don’t know who that will be. Only 2 weeks left in the regular season so there are basically playoff implications all across the schedule.  Friday night feels very much like a must win for Denver as they head to San Antonio to take on the division-leading Outlaws.  A loss here could be the end of any playoff hopes for the Gold.  On Saturday, we have a big game between Charlotte and Atlanta as both try to stay in the hunt in the East.  A lot of chance for teams to play spoiler as well with Jacksonville, Portland, Houston, and New Jersey all facing teams that are either in or very nearly in the postseason already. On Sunday, our attention will be in Arizona, where the Wranglers hope to break a 4-game losing streak, but they have a tough task with Oakland in town.  St. Louis is hoping to guarantee that 2011 will be their first non-losing season as a franchise as they travel to Chicago with a chance to get to 8 wins this season.  Baltimore takes on a very tough Michigan squad and Las Vegas is hoping to right the ship as they head to Columbus to play the Ohio Glory. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                  Denver (7-7) @ Texas (10-4)                        NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET          Charlotte (8-6) @ Atlanta (6-8)                      ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET          Jacksonville (3-11) @ Orlando (8-6)        ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET          Portland (4-10) @ Los Angeles (9-5)                    FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET            Pittsburgh (12-2) @ Houston (5-9)                       ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET            Birmingham (6-8) @ New Orleans (3-11)            FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET            New Jersey (6-8) @ Philadelphia (10-4)              ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET              Memphis (3-10-1) @ Nashville (8-6)                     ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET              Las Vegas (7-7) @ Ohio (5-9)                                FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET              Washington (11-3) @ Boston (1-12-1)                  FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                Baltimore (9-5) @ Michigan (7-7)                        ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                St. Louis (7-7) @ Chicago (6-8)                             ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                Oakland (8-6) @ Arizona (9-4)                              FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                Seattle (7-7) @ Tampa Bay (10-4)                         EFN

PLAYOFF PICTURE: The field of 2011 playoff teams expands from 2 to 5 as Texas, Tampa Bay, and Philadelphia all lock in playoff spots with Week 14 wins. We still have only 1 division title settled (Pittsburgh), and we still have many teams battling for Wild Card spots if not division titles as well. 7 of the league's 28 teams have been eliminated from playoff contention: Boston, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Memphis, Portland, Ohio, and Houston. PLAYER OF THE WEEK: What else can we say about Calais Campbell. This week's 3 sack game puts him only 1 sack away from reaching 30 sacks for the second time in his career. If Orlando is going to make a playoff run, Campbell will certainly be a big piece of the reason why.

A big week for teams trying to catch up in their divisions as Texas overtakes Arizona in the Southwest, Oakland evens up their record with LA’s, and both the NE and SE divisions remain clustered, with several teams vying for the top spot.  Big wins by St. Louis, Michigan, Orlando and Charlotte keep them alive in the playoff chase, while Seattle makes a statement against the LA Express, making their case for the Pacific Division crown.  A big week, with lots of stories to follow. Let’s get right to it with our game of the week. PITTSBURGH MAULERS 26   BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 23    OVERTIME The Battle of the steel cities was a true test of each teams mettle, if you will pardon the pun.  Birmingham gave Pittsburgh a run for their money, but the Maulers mounted a monster second half to rally back and take the W in overtime, proving that the team with the best record in the league is able to battle adversity. The first half belonged to Birmingham entirely as the Stallions took a 20-7 lead into the half.  After a scoreless first quarter that saw both teams struggle to get the run game going, Birmingham started to have success with their offense just as the quarter started winding down. Cam Newton used his legs to avoid pressure from the Maulers and on a 3rd and 3 from the 12-yard line, he found Jabari Holloway in the back of the endzone late for the first score of the game.  After a tipped ball was picked off by Stallions LB Donte Curry, the Stallions were once again in business.  This time, when pressured, Newton hung in the pocket and found rookie WR Jerrel Jerrigan deep for a 34-yard scoring strike. Stunned by the 14-point deficit, Pittsburgh felt pressure to get on the board, going for a 4th and 2 from their own 41 and converting.  That daring call from Coach Rivera proved worthwhile as 6 plays later, HB Ronnie Brown burrowed his way into the line and across the plane of the end zone for the first Mauler points of the game.  Birmingham would respond with a field goal on their next drive, going up 17-7 with 1:00 on the clock.  Hoping to get a late field goal, Pittsburgh called an aggressive no huddle, but Cody Pickett threw the ball right to safety Shiloh Keo, who returned the ball into Mauler territory.  As time ran out, it was Birmingham who were able to get a late score, adding another 3 on a 34 yd kick from Garrett Hartley. The second half began much as the first had ended, with Birmingham marching into Pittsburgh territory before settling for a Hartley field goal.  Up 23-7, things were looking very good for the homestanding Stallions, but you don’t get to 11-1 without being tenacious, and the Maulers are certainly that.  On their first possession of the half, the Maulers finally started to see success for tailbacks Ronnie Brown and Kenny Watson. The two combined for 51 yards on the drive as Pittsburgh tried to protect Pickett from the pressure Birmingham had found success with.  The Maulers would put 6 on the board thanks to a Vincent Cruz TD catch from Pickett, but the 2-pointer failed, leaving a 10 point deficit at 23-13. Now it was Cam Newton’s turn to have some bad luck.  He too had a pass tipped, and he too saw it end up in the hands of the opposition, this time FS Robert Sands.  Sands returned the ball to the Birmingham 34, where the Maulers took over on offense.  They would waste no time trying to get on the scoreboard.  Pickett fackedthe ball to Kenny Watson, rolled to his right and found Kevin Johnson in stride on a corner route. The slot receiver slid out of a tackle by the safety and into the endzone just as the 3rd quarter ended, pulling the Maulers within 3 at 23-20. The fourth quarter would see more issues for Newton as the Mauler D started to find their way to the rookie QB.  A sack and another pick were the results of two Stallion drives.  And while the pick did not directly lead to points, the sack forced Birmingham to punt from deep in their end, giving the Maulers the field position they needed to march into field goal range and tie the score.  Ryan Succop hit from 52 yards out to equalize the score with just over 3 minutes to play, but Birmingham was unable to get anything going in their 2-minute drill and the game ended with no winner decided. In overtime, Birmingham won the coin toss, but could do nothing, going 3-and-out on the opening possession.  The Maulers got a solid return from Cruz, and started with the ball on their own 37.  After a run by Brown, Pickett found his favorite receiver, Vincent Jackson (7 for 109 on the day) and Jackson went for 22 yards.  After 2 runs gained the Maulers another first down, the Stallion defense stiffened, but could not drive the Maulers out of field goal range.  Succop would line up for a relatively easy 37-yard attempt.  The kick was good and the game ended with the Maulers taking victory number 12 on the season and Birmingham dropping to 5-8 and as close to eliminated as you can get right now. NASHVILLE 9   TAMPA BAY 27 A rough game for Jay Cutler and a big one for Chris Doering as the Bandits blow past the Knights and stake their claim on the SE Division title.  With Joey Galloway and Willis McGahee both sitting with injuries, someone had to step up, and that someone was Chris Doering, whose 129 yards on 9 receptions helped the Bandits score 20 of the final 23 points in the game.  The defense also did their part, picking off Jay Cutler twice and limiting him to only 22 of 44 passing for 194 yards. ST. LOUIS 28   OHIO 25 The Skyhawks set a club win record with their 6th of the year, but more importantly, they stay in the playoff hunt after knocking off the Glory in Columbus.  Josh Freeman threw for 338 and 3 TDs while rookie HB William Bethea carried the ball 27 times for 102  yards in a break out game for him.  Add in 4 sacks of Vince Young and you have just enough for St. Louis to squeak by and get the win. BOSTON 10   WASHINGTON 44 This one was all Washington and all Deuce McCallister as the star tailback rushed for 128, caught 5 for 62, and scored 4 touchdowns on the day to please Federals fans and fantasy players as well.  David Garrard also looked back to pre-injury form, completing 20 of 29 for 265 and 2 touchdowns.   With Adrian McPherson struggling again, it looks like the final 3 games of the year will be back to Jake Locker at QB in Boston. NEW ORLEANS 16   BALTIMORE 31 The Breaker’s 2-game winning streak comes to a crashing halt as they come up against a determined Blitz team.  Despite Ron Dayne only getting 7 carries thanks to a touchy hamstring, Baltimore had more than enough to take care of the breakers, getting 3 TDs from backup Anthony Dixon and 5 sacks from their defense in a game that was never close. HOUSTON 17   MICHIGAN 19 It was not easy, but Michigan stays alive at 6-7 while Houston is eliminated.   Brian Griese and Hines Ward connected for 128 yards passing, but it was Laverneous Cole who got into the endzone, twice.  Those two scores, combined with a strong defensive outing from the Gamblers, was enough to hold on and win a tight game at Ford Field. TEXAS 19   LAS VEGAS 13 A good defensive showing by both teams at Sam Boyd, but in the end Texas gets the W thanks to two Joe Flacco TD passes and 102 yards from Marques Colston.  Las Vegas kept it close with a Rashard Jennings 15-yard TD run, but they just could not muster a final drive to recapture the lead when they needed one. ORLANDO 16   ATLANTA 6 More defensive football, this time inside at the Georgia Dome, where Orlando shut down the Fire thanks to 8 sacks of Kyle Orton, 4 alone by the league leader, Calais Campbell.  The Renegade offense did not do much, particularly after Eli Manning was knocked out of the game with a stinger, but they did get a single TD from Knowshon Moreno following an Atlanta fumble, and that proved to be enough for the visiting Renegades, who move to 8-5 and send Atlanta to 6-7. JACKSONVILLE 17   CHARLOTTE 23 The Monarchs win their third in a row, thanks to a Delhomme to Mason TD that gave them the lead for good over the Bulls.  Tim Tebow threw for 2 scores but also threw 2 picks and was sacked 7 times by an aggressive Charlotte defense.  The win moves Charlotte to 7-6, still in range of Tampa Bay and Orlando, while Jacksonville drops to 3-10 and is eliminated from contention. CHICAGO 31   MEMPHIS 6 Chicago took advantage of a pretty shaky Memphis defense to the tune of 210 yards rushing as Michael Turner racedfor 168 yards on only 22 carries, an average of 7.6 yards per carry. Maurice Clarett also got into the act, running for 2 scores in limited action. Meanwhile, the Chicago defense held Memphis to only 68 yards on the ground and sacked Ryan Mallett 4 times. NEW JERSEY 20   ARIZONA 13 Things went from bad to worse for the Wranglers when Jim Sorgi, already subbing for an injured David Carr, was also hurt in this game, with Arizona forced to go with 3rd stringer Dave Dickenson.  Dickenson would be sacked 6 times by the Generals.  The game could have been much worse, but New Jersey also struggled with pass protection, with Sam Bradford sacked 7 times by the Wranglers.  But, in the end, a 42-yard punt return TD from Miles Austin and a Leigh Tiffin FG in the fourth quarter were enough to give the visitors a 7 point victory. LOS ANGELES 6   SEATTLE 26 Seattle made a statement, not only moving over .500 with a home win over LA, but pulling within one game of the division leaders in convincing fashion.  Byron Leftwich threw for 2 scores and the combo of Best and Betts combined for 121 yards on the ground as the Dragons controlled the clock for nearly 37 minutes in this one.  After an initial Express field goal, Seattle rattled off 23 unanswered points to take over this game and work their way right back into playoff contention. PORTLAND 17   OAKLAND 24 Seattle’s win also helped the Invaders, who edged Portland to move to 8-5 and take a share of 1st place.  They are still behind LA on the tiebreaker, but with 4 straight wins, the Invaders are peaking at the right time to make a run.  The difference in this game was the Invader defense, which got 2 takeaways and forced Portland into 11 penalties (7 on offense).  Despite being slightly outgained on the day, Oakland still won where it counted, on the scoreboard. PHILADELPHIA 24   DENVER 17 A big Sunday night matchup that went down to the wire.  After Denver tied the game at 17 with 6 minutes left, Philadelphia ate up 4:34 on their final drive before Kurt Warner hit Stevie Johnson with the game winner.  Denver could not recover and drop to 7-6, currently out of playoff position, while the Stars keep pace with Washington in the East. Boston to Return to Locker We had a feeling that with the season already a lost cause, and with ownership wanting to get more out of their inveastment in a top tier rookie QB, that we would be seeing Jake Locker again, and so it is.  Coach John Fox, who got the sometimes-dreaded “vote of confidence” this week, announced on Tuesday that Jake Locker would finish out the season as the starter.  Locker, in his 7 starts, threw for 15,42 yards, but had only 3 TDs to 9 picks.  Adrian McPherson, in only 6 games, threw for 1,387 and put up 6 TDs to only 5 picks, but had as much difficulty getting wins as Locker.  So, with only 3 weeks left the Cannons are looking to use the final weeks to get Locker more snaps, and hope that growth into the position will come with additional opportunities to see game action. Deuce Wants (and Deserves) MVP Consideration Federals’ HB Deuce McCallister is not being shy about what he wants out of this season.  And, honestly, we cannot say we blame him.  McCallister is quoted as saying that he wants to be in the discussion for MVP alongside QB’s Joe Flacco and Kurt Warner.  He made it clear that his top priority is a title, but that also commented on how ridiculous it is for MVP to almost always go to a QB.  The Washington back is not just yelling at clouds, he has the stats to back up his desire to be in the conversation.  Deuce leads all backs in the league with 1,211 yards, while also boasting a 4.7 YPC average and putting up 13 total TDs (10 rushing, 3 receiving).  He is on pace for a 1,500 yard season, and it is clear that he is the focal point of the entire Federal offense. Can he win it?  Well, that could be tough even for the best player on one of the two best teams in the league.  For whatever reason, quarterbacks tend to draw more attention, and that means they also get more votes.  McCallister’s case could very much be damaged by a late surge by the Texas Outlaws into first place in the SW division.  If Joe Flacco can continue to put up big numbers and if Texas can hold out and win the SW Division over Arizona, then all odds say that Flacco will get the nod.  But an argument can truly be made that McCallister needs to be considered. Manning to Miss Week 14 When Eli Manning left the game vs. Atlanta in the early stages of the 2nd quarter, there was concern for what had happened. He had been sacked, but seemed fine when he stood up, only to call for replacement from the sideline.  We learned later that he was suffering from blurred vision, and that the likely issue was a concussion suffered when he hit the turf in the Georgia Dome.  By midweek the reports were not looking good as Manning was still dealing with occasional bouts of dizziness and blurred vision, not something you want in a QB.  He is listed as doubtful for this week’s game but all indications are that Orlando will take their chances with Matt Moore at QB, at least for Week 13’s game at Charlotte.  It is a horrible time for the club to be missing their starter, especially with Charlotte at home on a 3-game winning streak, but the goal is to have Manning healthy for the playoffs, even if that means taking a possible step back this week. Lynch Looks to Return in Week 14 Six weeks after going out of action in a game against Portland, Marshawn Lynch appears ready to return to action, and none too soon for a Thunder team that has lost 5 of their last 7 games.   The Thunder are still in range, now only 1 game behind the Express and the Invaders, but they will need some good games down the stretch, and having Lynch back in action may well help them do that. Lynch began practicing with the team two weeks ago, but this is the first week where he has taken full practice and participated in contact drills with his teammates.  The leg looks good, and Lynch seems excited to be back.  That could well spell trouble for the Tampa Bay Bandits, this week’s opponent at Sam Boyd Stadium.  A healthy Marshawn Lynch makes the Thunder a much more dangerous team. Hard to believe that after 13 games we still only have 2 playoff spots locked up, but that is the scenario as Washington joins the Pittsburgh Maulers as playoff locks.  The Maulers have locked up the overall #1 seed in the west, with a solid 3 games over 9-4 Texas.  Washington is in a tighter race, with theStars and Blitz only 1 game back.  And, yes, we said Texas, because Arizona’s loss this week means that the Outlaws step up to the division lead and a potential bye as the 2nd seed. Other current division leaders include Tampa Bay and Nashville in the East and La in the West, though the Express are now in a dogfight with Oakland and Seattle right there with them.  Tampa Bay has 1 game on Orlando, but Charlotte is also charging late with 3 straight wins. On the other side of the standings we saw Jacksonville, Portland, and Houston join the Showboats, Breakers and Cannons as teams no longer in the hunt. A huge disappointment for the 2010 USFL Champion Gamblers, and not at all what fans in Portland or New Orleans expected this season either. A very good week around the USFL as no new players were added to IR and we only saw a few potential short term injuries.  Atlanta TE Matt Schobel is out 1-2 weeks. Oakland SS Pearson Prioleau could also miss 2 weeks due to a dislocated knee.  Philly DE Robert Mathis is out after suffering a concussion last week.  Willis McGahee remains doubtful after missing last week. Eli Manning is also doubtful as we cited above. Expected back in action this week are some big names like David Carr, Marshawn Lynch, Chauncey Davis, Will Allen, Antoine Winfield, Mike Vrabel, and Matt Hasselbeck.  So, we could see Week 14 as a great week for teams to make a push as some of their stars return to action. Pro Football Hall of Fame to induct 6 USFL Players and a Legendary Coach The USFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its 6-member class of 2011, including 5 main ballot inductees and one legacy inductee.  The names will be familiar to football fans for sure, and the honor spread among 11 different teams.  This year’s class is led by one of the most heralded coaches in USFL history, Jim Mora Sr, who led the Philadelphia Stars and the Memphis Showboats to league titles.  He is joined by two more first ballot inductees: QB Heath Shuler, the long-time Memphis Showboat signal caller, and cornerback Phillipi Sparks, who played his entire career in Arizona.  Joining them in the Hall will be 2nd year honoree Mo Lewis, a defensive force for the Bulls, Fire, and Express, and 3rd year finalist Rashaan Salaam, the former Gold and Invader halfback. Salaam is, and always would be, a controversial pick after suffering a year-long suspension after a post-title game extravaganza of excess had him brought up on a host of legal charges.  He returned to football after both his suspension and legal issues were resolved, but his legacy will always be a controversial one, a likely reason why it took 3 attempts to find himself with a gold jacket. Finally, the Legacy Committee provided its nominee, an automatic approval in the current voting system.  Quarterback Doug Williams will enter the Hall of Fame.  Originally a member of the NFL Buccaneers after an outstanding college career at Grambling, Williams jumped to the USFL’s Jacksonville Bulls in 1984 as part of a contract dispute with his NFL club.  He would play for Jacksonville for 3 seasons, then become the biggest offensive star of the expansion Oklahoma Outlaws in 1987, and then the merged Outlaws-Gunslingers in San Antonio, where he would play in the 1988 and 1989 seasons.  A classic gunslinger as a QB, Williams still holds several team records for the Outlaws and Bulls, and can be found among all-time league leaders as well. And so, this October, we will see two QBs, a Halfback, a linebacker, a corner, and a 3-time Summer Bowl Champion coach all take their place alongside the greats of both the NFL and USFL in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.  Congratulations to all the enshrines and to the fans who got to watch these outstanding players over the years. Federals Unveil New Look It took a while, but the Washington Federals’ new look has finally been made public, and, with Washington sitting at the #1 seed in the East, there is a very good chance that fans at RFK will get to see the new look on the field in just a few weeks.  Adidas and the Federals unveiled the new designs yesterday and while they are very much keeping with the history of the Federals’ look, there are some new elements to outline. Firstly we have the logo, which once again tweaks the idea of a black and green eagle with its wing spread behind it. The shape is slightly different, a bit more curved than the past version, but it is certainly recognizable as the Federals. What makes it interesting this time is the way the logo blends with the wordmark, with the eagle’s beak and body forming the top of the letter “F” in Federals. The rest of the wordmark moves from the somewhat tough to read “dollar” font to a bold script font. The uniforms have some new tweaks but are also well-grounded in Federals traditions.  The white helmet now has 3 bold stripes in green and black, the pant sets (white, green, or black) also have a 3 stripe pattern, presented in a horizontal diagonal on the upper thigh, and the team’s secondary rondel logo at the hip. The jerseys feature a more legible block font with curved edges and three thick stripes on the sleeves.  The big innovation here is the use of green sleeves on the white jersey, creating a very different striping look with the same white-black-white stripes than on the kelly green jersey.  Of course, both jerseys will feature the league’s 30th season patch, as all teams will have, and the Federals will actually trot out a 1983 replica uniform for any matches against other 1983 founding franchises, including division rivals Philadelphia and New Jersey. Week Fourteen kicks off with a huge game in the NE Division as our Friday night game features 10-3 Washington hosting 9-4 Baltimore.  The Feds can either put some space between themselves and their rivals or fall back into a tie with the Blitz (and possibly the Stars as well). Saturday is headlined by two of the Best in the West as the leaders of the SW and Central Divisions clash at Heinz Field.  Texas brings their 9-4 record into Pittsburgh to face a Mauler squad that has not lost since the opening week of the season.  We will also have the big Tampa Bay-Las Vegas game in the later slot, and then Denver heads to Houston on Saturday Night Football. Sunday starts off strong when the Arizona Wranglers, with David Carr back under center, head to the City of Brotherly Love to face the 9-4 Stars.  Philadelphia needs this win to try to keep pace with the Federals, while Arizona simply cannot afford any more losses as they battle Texas for the division.  Sunday also sees a Pacific Division battle among in-state rivals as the Oakland Invaders travel down the 1 to challenge the LA Express, both tied atop the division at 8-5.  The winner will have the inside track to a division title. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                   Baltimore (9-4) @ Washington (10-3)              NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET        Boston (1-11-1) @ New Jersey (5-8)                ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET        Texas (9-4) @ Pittsburgh (12-1)                      ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET       Nashville (8-5) @ Birmingham (5-8)              FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET             Atlanta (6-7) @ New Orleans (2-11)                 ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET          Tampa Bay (9-4) @ Las Vegas (7-6)              FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET             Denver (7-6) @ Houston (4-9)                       ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET          Arizona (9-4) @ Philadelphia (9-4)                     ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET               Orlando (8-5) @ Charlotte (7-6)              FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET             Memphis (2-10-1) @ Jacksonville (3-10)          FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET              Ohio (5-8) @ Chicago (5-8)                            ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                Seattle (7-6) @ St. Louis (6-7)                         ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET               Michigan (6-7) @ Portland (4-9)                      FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                Oakland (8-5) @ Los Angeles (8-5)                EFN

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Washington joins Pittsburgh as both playoff locks and front runners for the #1 seed in each conference. Portland, Houston, and Jacksonville join Memphis, New Orleans and Boston as eliminated clubs. PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Deuce McCallister had a whopper of a game, combining for nearly 200 yards of total offense and accounting for 4 Washington TDs as the Federals's veteran back moves to the top of the rushing leader board with a huge week 13 game.