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We got the news that everyone has been waiting for.  On Sunday night the USFL revealed that the Destination Dallas investment group has been approved to purchase and relocate the Boston Cannons.  Devastating news for Boston’s USFL fans, a relief for fans in Oakland and Nashville, and great anticipation in Dallas-Fort Worth as plans are under way to have football in the Cotton Bowl in 2013.  While Sunday night’s bombshell got the headlines, there was a full week of play this week, and some great games as well, with several stunning upsets, and even a win for the previously winless LA Express.  We will break down the news about Boston’s sale and relocation from several angles, but let’s start with the action on the field, beginning with our Game of the Week from Tampa Bay. NASHVILLE KNIGHTS 15   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 17 In football it is rare that you find fans of both teams feeling anxious and stressed out, but one sure way is to have one team build a lead and then watch as the other team gains momentum and starts picking away at it.  The fans of the leading team start to worry that there team is going to let the victory slip away.  The fans of the team trailing is trying to figure out if there is enough time, or if the sudden shift in momentum will shift back, costing their team a chance to finish the comeback.  That is exactly the situation we saw in Tampa Bay this week, where the Bandits built up a 17-0 lead and then spent the entire second half trying to keep Nashville from taking it all away, slowly chipping into the lead while the Bandits could do nothing right.  In the end the game came down to one play, either heading to overtime or locking up a Bandits victory on one single snap. As so many great comeback games start, this game between the Knights and the Bandits began with one team looking absolutely dominant.  The Bandits opened up the game at home and after shutting down Nashville on their first drive, Tampa Bay used 13 plays to get to Nashville’s 25-yard line.  For a brief moment it looked like they would take it the rest of the way, but Santonio Holmes was not able to reel in a TD toss that was just a little high and a little outside.   The Bandits settled for a field goal, but only 3 minutes later they would get the score they had hoped to hit earlier.  This time it was Joey Galloway from 32-yards out but the Culpepper toss was right on the money and Galloway hauled it in just in time to tap his feet in the endzone before falling out of play. Nashville had not managed to accomplish much in the first quarter, and that would not change as the second quarter began.  The Knights again failed on 3rd down, again were forced to go 3-and-out, and again watched as Tampa Bay capitalized with another scoring drive.  Culpepper connected on a 2nd TD toss, this time going back to Santonio Holmes, who was able to grab the out route and spin his way into the endzone to get Tampa Bay a 17-point lead.  It all was going their way. And that is when wind changed direction.  Rather than force a 3-and-out, the Bandits failed on a third down stop as Quincy Carter found Robert Meachem on an improbable 3rd and 17 play that yielded 18 yards and a first down.  That play got Nashville going.  They would hold the ball for a full 8 minutes and get their first points just as the first half ended, a 37-yard field goal from Kai Forbath.  It was a small gain for the Knights but it signaled a very important shift in momentum. Tampa Bay, which had fared so well early on, would not score again.  The Knight defense would give up an occasional big play, a 13 yard McGahee run or a 19-yard Galloway reception, but no death blows and no sustained drives for the Bandits.  And at the same time, Nashville just kept chipping away.  Their 2nd possession in the third got them a 2nd field goal.  Their first possession in the 4th also produced a kick by Kai Forbath, and with that kick the score was 17-9, an 8-point difference that could be matched with a single touchdown drive. That drive would start with 3:33 left on the clock.  Nashville was now in a no-way-out situation.  They would go for it on 4th down, do whatever it took to get the equalizer.  They would never be tested in that resolve.  On a drive that saw Montario Hardesty bust free for a 17-yard run, and Frank Gore turn a simple screen into a 27-yard gain.  With just under 1:30 left in the game, the ball was on the Tampa Bay 2-yard line, first and goal.  The Bandits went all out on the inside run on first down, and it worked, stuffing Gore at the line of scrimmage.  They repeated the strategy when they thought Carter had handed off to FB Peyton Hillis, but he had not, instead he tossed the ball wide to Gore, and the tailback slid between the linebacker on outside contain and the rushing cornerback to cross the plain and score the touchdown. The score left Tampa Bay with a 17-15 advantage, and no doubt that Nashville would go for two.  But would they trust Frank Gore to plow through the line or put the ball in the hands of Quincy Carter.  The Bandits bet on the former, but had both safeties on the outside in case of the latter.  When Carter faked to Gore, the linebackers crashed the line.  Carter rolled out to his right, with the option to run the ball in or pass it to his tight end.  Safety Idrees Basheer bet on Carter running for the endzone, cutting off his path and forcing the QB to make the toss to the corner of the endzone.  Justin Peele was there, but the ball was rushed and ended up at the receiver’s knees.  Peele could not contort his body to reach the ball that low, and Nashville failed in the 2-point play, leaving them 2 points short with 1:33 to play. Nashville would try the onside kick, but the ball landed in the waiting hands of WR David Tyree. Tampa Bay could run out the clock without gaining another first down.  They gave the ball to Shane Vereen on first down for a gain of 2, but then took a knee on the next two plays, Nashville unable to stop the clock. The Bandits escaped the comeback, held on to win and moved their record to 4-3, two games behind Charlotte but still in range.  Nashville would fall to 3-4, but in the quagmire that is the Southern Division that meant that they were still only a game behind New Orleans and tied with Birmingham for 2nd place. LOS ANGELES 17   SEATTLE 10 One week after the last unbeaten fell, it make sense that the last winless club would get their first W.  A disappointing loss for the homestanding Dragons, who now fall to 2-5 and have their own questions to answer.  Keyshawn Johnson was the star on the day, catching 5 passes for 113 yards, including a brilliant 59-yard toss that initially looked like a TD but set up a 1-yard LeRon McLain run to secure the win for the Express. HOUSTON 31   MICHIGAN 21 A good game that pushes the Gamblers to 4-3 and a share of first place in the SW Division.  Shaun Alexander topped 100 yards with a 17 carry, 117 yard day, and backup HB Cedrick Cobbs scored twice, both on goalline runs to help boost the Gamblers. Michigan again struggled to run the ball, gaining only 27  yards on 21 carries. CHICAGO 26   MEMPHIS 18 Chicago takes a share of first place with their win in Memphis.  After a lackluster first half, Matt Cassel was pulled in favor of Bobby Volek, as Memphis is trying anything to generate offense.  Donald Driver was on his game for the Machine, catching 6 of 11 targets for 116 yards and 2 scores as the Machine move to 4-3. ORLANDO 7   ATLANTA 24 Two teams headed in distinctly different directions as Atlanta moves to 5-2 with a convincing win over an Orlando team that just cannot get out of their own way.  Eight penalties and no points after the first quarter doom the Renegades, while Atlanta gets TDs from both Josh Reed and Matt Jones to secure the win and keep pace with Charlotte in the SE Division. TEXAS 14  LAS VEGAS 17 The Outlaws drop their 3rd game in the last 4 as Jake Plummer connects with both Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh to pull out the win at home.  The Thunder focused on HB Arian Foster and limited him to only 4 yards on 9 carries, not at all what the Outlaws hoped for.  The Thunder also sacked Joe Flacco 6 times as high pressure seems to be the formula teams are using against Texas. PHILADELPHIA 30   DENVER 14 The Stars continue to roll, this time rampaging past the Gold in Denver.  Stevie Johnson had 124 yards and a TD as Philly ran up a 13-0 lead and then matched Denver score for score. Steve Slaton and Reche Caldwell also scored for the Stars, who move to 6-1 as Denver drops to 3-4 on the year. JACKSONVILLE 14   CHARLOTTE 34 The Bulls cannot face Tampa Bay every week, and when they don’t they lose.  Charlotte gets 120 yards and 2 TDs from Fred Jackson and adds a John Keith pick-six and a D. J. Hackett TD reception to pull past the Bulls and move to an impressive 6-1 record. NEW ORLEANS 21   BALTIMORE 19 A good game between two pretty evenly matched teams as both 3-3 clubs battled by the Bay. Turnovers doomed the Blitz as they gave up 4 and collected none.  All four were Ben Roethlisberger picks as he tried to force the ball in to his receivers.  Torrance Marshall returned one for a score, and Patrick Peterson came away with 3 on the day in a truly stellar showing for the Breaker cornerback. BOSTON 13   WASHINGTON 38 The Feds had no difficulty dispatching the Cannons as they ran up a 21-0 lead after only 1 quarter, thanks in part to a Gibril Wilson pick-six.  From there it was a smooth ride as McCallister and Smart combined for 97 yards and David Garrard hit both Kellen Davis and Chase Coffman for scores. PORTLAND 3   OAKLAND 24 The Invaders were fired up for this one and it showed as Oakland built up a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and held Portland out of the red zone the entire game.  Joey Harrington finished the game with 3 touchdowns as Norwood and Ryan Williams combined for 114 yards rushing.  Portland was hampered throughout, with Fitzpatrick knocked out of the game early in the 3rd and Mike McMahon ineffective in relief. NEW JERSEY 20  ARIZONA 28 A much needed win for the Wranglers as they get 2nd half TDs from Rob Gronkowski and LaDainian Tomlinson to pull out to a 28-17 lead that New Jersey could not overcome.  The Wranglers sacked Sam Bradford 6 times and picked him off once as Arizona moves to 3-4 and within a game of .500.  New Jersey, with the loss, falls a game behind the Stars in the Northeast. ST. LOUIS 21   OHIO 23 The Glory continue to improve as they win their second in a row by shocking the Skyhawks.  Steve Smith took the game on his shoulders, calling for the ball often and finishing with 146 yards and 2 scores.  Rookie Isaiah Pead had a strong game with 14 carries leading to 62 yards and the Ohio defense did not allow St. Louis to make a final drive for a game winning field goal, shutting the Skyhawks down in their own end of the field as time ran down. PITTSBURGH 13   BIRMINGHAM 28 The Maulers did not look ready for this one as Birmingham rode their loud fan support to a 14-0 lead and never looked back. Cam Newton did it with his legs, rushing for 85 yards and 2 TDs while only completing 6 passes for 55 yards on the day.  Joseph Addai added another score and newly arrived WR Randy Moss took one of his only 2 catches to the house for another TD as the Stallions win big over the Maulers. Southwest Division Logjam If you are the kind of fan that loves parity, where any team has a shot to win on any week, then the Southwest Division must be for you.  The division has 4 teams and every one of them is either 4-3 or 3-4 after 7 weeks.  We could realistically see every single team at 4-4 by the end of Week 8.  How is that for parity?   So why is that?  Most of us expected Texas to win this division going away, and while there was some debate about who would finish second, what we did not expect is for all 4 teams to have a realistic shot at being at .500 at midseason. The obvious answer is that all 3 of the other teams, Arizona, Houston, and Denver, are right where we expected them to be, decent, but inconsistent.  Good enough for .500 but not setting the league on fire.  The surprise is that Texas, after starting the year 3-0, has dropped 3 of the past 4 games.  If they lose in Pittsburgh Week 8, they will be at .500, which we simply did not expect.  Whoy is this?  After all, the Outlaws still have the #1 offense in the league in total yards, with the top passing attack in the USFL.  They are still in the Top 10 in scoring defense.  So, what is not going right? Well, two things.  The first is that they just don’t have the same continuity in the run game.  Arian Foster has had some good numbers since coming in from the NFL, but the trust and the consistency is just not there.  Second, the protection needs to improve.  Teams have figured out that there are ways to attack the Outlaw passblocking scheme, and with Joe Flacco not exactly being Doug Flutie when it comes to mobility, teams are blitzing and having success disrupting the Texas passing attack.  Add to this a defense that has given up a few big plays and a few long drives, and you have a formula for a possible .500 team instead of a top seed. Orlando On a Chute, Atlanta a Ladder Ask us who is hot right now and who is cold and we don’t even have to confer.  The answers are pretty obvious, and both teams are in the same division.  Atlanta is very hot right now, winners of 4 in a row and 5 of the last 6, the Fire are looking good and just came off a sweep of their season series with Orlando, a weird quirk of scheduling that had the two teams play each other back to back weeks.  Atlanta held Orlando to only 13 combined points in the series, and has held 3 of their last 4 opponents under 10 points. Now, we do have to say that in their 5 wins, they have beaten no teams with wining records, having knocked off LA, Boston, and Birmingham along with the 2 Orlando games.  But, hey, you play who you play, and if you win those games, more power to you. A team that needs more power are those Orlando Renegades.  Picked by many to compete with Tampa Bay in the South, Orlando currently sits at 2-5, tied for last with Jacksonville and losers of 4 in a row.  They got shellacked by Charlotte 4 weeks ago, fell to Baltimore at home, and then got swept by the Fire.  Their offense is currently ranked 27th in scoring among 28 teams, and their defense has fallen out o the Top 10, despite Calais Campbell leading the league in sacks. Orlando was expected to have a more diverse, more explosive offense this year, but so far that just has not materialized.  Eli Manning has looked pedestrian, throwing only 4 TDs in the season’s first 7 games (with 5 picks).  Knowshon Moreno is averaging 4.9 yards per carry, but has only carried the ball 95 times.  Why is that?  Newly arrived HB Tim Hightower has only 41 attempts but is averaging a horrific 1.8 yards per carry, so no help there.  The receiving corps is leadin the league in drops and neither Justin McCaerins nor Greg Olsen has scored a TD yet.  If Orlando wants any shot at reaching .500 much less competing for a Wild Card, they need to figure out that offense quickly, because what we have seen to date does not look at all promising. Stars Lose Another Starter to IR The challenges just keep coming for the Philadelphia Stars.  Coach Harbaugh’s team may be sitting at 6-1, but they just added their third starter to the IR list after DE Robert Mathis tore his quad, separated from the bone, and will miss the rest of the season.  He joins QB Kurt Warner and OT Jaimie Thomas on the season-ending injury list.  Mathis will be replaced by a rotation of Connor Barwin and Muhammad Wilkerson, and Philadelphia has already started hitting the free agent line, with inquiries in to 37-year-old Marcellus Wiley and former Breaker and Express DE Corey Sears.   The fear is that Philadelphia is winning the short term battle as they work around the Kurt Warner injury, but losing the war of attrition that is the long 2012 season.  That said, with the club sitting at 6-1 there are a lot of healthier teams that would be more than happy to trade places with the Stars right  now. Steve Smith Playing Angry as Ohio Wins 2nd in a Row It looks like Steve Smith did it the right way.  Frustrated and upset about the Glory’s horrible 0-5 start, wideout Steve Smith did not go full Randy Moss and have a tirade in the press about his team.  He called a players only meeting and behind closed doors he asked every player if they were committed to this team and to each other.  The frank call to mutual responsibility seems to have worked.  Ohio has won their last two games, upsetting two of the better teams in their division by stunning Pittsburgh at Heinz Field and returning this week with a home victory over St. Louis. Smith talked the talk but also walked the walk, asking QB Vince Young to trust in him and to get him the ball. The results?  How about two strong back-to-back games, with 6 receptions in Week 6 and a 5 catch, 146 yard, 2 TD game this week against St. Louis.  Now, Smith has never been shy about tooting his own horn with the press, that is to be sure, but what he has never done is use the media to air dirty laundry or to call out teammates.  Smith stayed within the team, and that seems to have been the way to both get results and build better culture in Columbus.  Good for him, and good for the Glory and their fans. Robert Mathis was not the only player sent to the IR this week, with Seattle guard Amini Silatulo sidelined by a back injury and Orlando LB Darryl Sharpton also placed on the reserve list after suffering a broken wrist in Orlando’s latest loss.  It was a rough week for several teams as the injuries continue to be a factor across the league.  Here is our rundown of the newly-cited injuries across the league. INJURED RESERVE Amini Silatulo                     G         SEA        Back Darryl Sharpton                LB           ORL       Wrist OUT Chris Abner                         SS           PIT          Abdomen    2-4 Weeks Pearson Prioleau               SS        OAK       Arm                  1-2 Weeks Michael Egnew                  TE           STL         Knee                 1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL Michael Boulware            CB           TEX         Abdomen Lee Smith                            TE           OHI        Hand Peerless Price                     WR         DEN       Toe QUESTIONABLE Ryan Fitzpatrick                 QB          POR       Concussion Glen Smith                          FB           MGN     Finger James Ridley                       HB          STL         Neck Boston Blues!  Cannons Identified as the Team to Relocate to Dallas. It became official this week, as the USFL announced that the sale of the Boston Cannons to the Destination Dallas investment group had been finalized.  The Cannons will relocate to Dallas for the 2013 season, and will be renamed.  Boston had been considered one of three teams, along with Oakland and Nashville, who might have been the club to sell their squad and leave the city.  The news was met with outrage and disappointment in Boston, as you would expect.  The league made the announcement on Sunday, during the ESPN broadcast of the Sunday Night game and after Boston had already suffered a bad loss in Washington. The team will finish the season in Boston, as expected, but operations are already beginning to set up shop in Arlington, Texas.  Fans of the USFL in Big D can already put down deposits for tickets at Cotton Bowl Stadium for next year and while the team name has been revealed (see below), the “pick the look” contest will begin next week, allowing fans to decide which color scheme and logo combination will be used by the club.  One of the three anticipated color options will be to retain the navy, athletic gold, and grey colors of the Cannons. League Makes No Promises About 3rd Team in BeanTown With the relocation and sale of the Cannons, Boston loses a second USFL franchise, having seen the Breakers leave for New Orleans in 1986.  While fans of the Cannons are justifiably upset, the truth of the matter is that lack of support from the NFL owners of the Patriots, the Kraft family, and open hostility about sharing Gillette Stadium with a USFL franchise was one on the primary factors that led the Boston ownership group to sell to the Dallas investors.  Forced to play at Alumni Stadium on the campus of BC, which means not only limited capacity, inconvenient parking, and alcohol sale prohibitions, all of which impacted attendance and revenue, the Cannons simply were not able to provide consistent revenue outside of the league’s revenue-sharing system. While there was no statement about the future of Boston USFL football made during the announcement of the sale and relocation, the following day we were able to speak with the Vice-Commissioner of the USFL and get confirmation that Boston would not receive special consideration for replacement of a franchise, and that if an investment group wanted to return spring football to New England, they would have to put together a bid as would any other market the next time expansion was announced. That was bad news indeed for Boston fans, who had hoped that were a team to depart the league would prioritize a return to the city as it has done in the past with special expansion conditions created to return football to LA, Chicago, St. Louis and Atlanta.  It appears that the impasse with Gillette Stadium and the Kraft family is directly responsible for the USFL regarding Boston as a non-essential market.  So now, it will be contingent upon an investment group in Boston to develop a viable stadium plan that would allow football to return to the country’s 12th largest market. Dallas Reveals Name, will Open Team Branding Vote Sunday’s announcement of the Dallas purchase of the Cannons was followed on Monday by a press event at the Cotton Bowl, where the Destination Dallas ownership group, represented on stage by “front man” Mark Cuban, revealed that the cities newest pro franchise would be called the Dallas Roughnecks.  The name, a clear reference to the Texas Oil Industry, and the hard-working men and women who work the rigs, did not reveal a logo or team colors, stating that a Pick the Look contest would begin within 1 week on the team’s new website, www.dallasroughnecks.com.  The team is expected to reveal its set of logos for this contest and to offer fans three different looks, possibly with three different color combinations, for the team identity. With over 10,000 deposits already in place for the 2013 season at Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas is expected to reach their target of 25,000 season tickets, and possibly expand the season ticket pool to 30,000 if demand warrants added season ticket capacity.  The stadium’s 23 luxury suites & boxes are also going like hotcakes, with corporate and high income interest in the team very high. And so, while there is despondency and frustration in New England, there is jubilation and anticipation in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex as 2013 will mark the first official season of USFL football in the region (after a year hosting the displaced Outlaws).  Dallas will be the newest city to host USFL football next spring. Cannon Players Get the News As They Start a 3 Game Road Swing We finish our coverage of the breaking news that the Boston Cannons will be sold and relocated to Dallas for 2013 with the players.  While the press conference happened Sunday Night, we have learned from sources within the Cannon organization that the players were notified on Friday, before boarding the buses for the trip to Washington.  Reactions were, of course, mixed, and some might point to the lackluster performance in DC as being a partial result, there is some logic to the timing. Boston began a 3-game road trip this week, starting off in DC, before driving back as far as Keane State U. where they will prepare for their game in New Jersey in Week 8, and then a flight to Phoenix for their game in Arizona in Week 9. Essentially, the players will not be in Boston for these 3 weeks, training in New Jersey.  Time away from the Boston media and the fans which seems well timed.  It will not be a pleasant few weeks for Cannon fans as Dallas begins their build up of their new team.  Perhaps best that there are not any home games until Week 10, when the team faces Philadelphia at Alumni Stadium.  Just what the reaction will be when that game hits is hard to guess. We could see a half-empty stadium, or a packed but very angry stadium. While no one blames the players for what has happened, you can bet that the boo birds will be out if ownership is seen anywhere near the game.  And while fans may not boo any particular player, you can bet there will be some chanting, some disruptiveness, who knows.  It is what the USFL feared when the Dallas investor group turned its focus from expansion to relocation, and while the league may have helped the Cannon ownership strategize just how and when to announce the move, they must be prepared for anger in Boston as the city loses its second USFL franchise. So what is in store for us in Week 8?  The end of the season’s first half and for many teams a chance to get to .500 at the midway point.  That is the situation for both the Stallions and Knights when they meet in Legion Field.  Only one can finish the first half at .500.  The opposite situation will be the case when Tampa Bay takes on Las Vegas on Saturday.  Both clubs sit at 4-3, but the difference between ending the first half at 5-3 vs. 4-4 is palpable.  Denver sits at 3-4 and will face 4-3 Houston in a game that could go a long way to determining if we talk about the Gold in any playoff context moving forward.  If Houston gets the win, they are up 2 games on the Gold, and the Outlaws could be as well, but if Denver wins, then the SW Division stays very tight. On Sunday, there is only 1 game that has teams within 1 game of .500 going head to head.  It’s the Sunday night matchup where both Texas and Pittsburgh are both surprised to be only 4-3 and neither one wants to get through Week 8 at 4-4.  These are teams that expected to be in the 7-1 or 6-2 range, but one of them is going to be seen as underperforming by the end of this week. FRIDAY @ 8PM ET             NASHVILLE (3-4) @ BIRMINGHAM (3-4)                 NBC SAT @ 12PM ET                ORLANDO (2-5) @ CHARLOTTE (6-1)                  ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                ARIZONA (3-4) @ PHILADELPHIA (6-1)               FOX SAT @ 12PM ET                MEMPHIS (1-6) @ JACKSONVILLE (2-5)                   FOX SAT @ 4PM ET                  TAMPA BAY (4-3) @ LAS VEGAS (4-3)                ABC SAT @ 4PM ET                  DENVER (3-4) @ HOUSTON (4-3)                          FOX SAT @ 8PM ET                  BALTIMORE (4-3) @ WASHINGTON (5-2)  ESPN/EFN SUN @ 12PM ET               OHIO (2-5) @ CHICAGO (4-3)          ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               BOSTON (2-5) @ NEW JERSEY (5-2)            ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               ATLANTA (5-2) @ NEW ORLEANS (4-3)             FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                 OAKLAND (4-3) @ LOS ANGELES (1-6)                 ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                 SEATTLE (2-5) @ ST. LOUIS (4-3)                            FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                 MICHIGAN (2-5) @ PORTLAND (5-2)                        FOX SUN @ 8PM ET                 TEXAS (4-3) @ PITTSBURGH (4-3)                            ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The honor this week goes to Steve Smith, who not only led the Glory in receiving and scored two touchdowns, but whose leadership, calling together players for a "fear of God" speech, has helped Ohio go from 0-5 to winning their two most recent games, both against potential playoff favorites from their own division.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: How can we overlook Steve Slaton's 4-Td masterpiece against Baltimore. Not only did he have his best game of the season, rushing for 112 yards, but adding 4 Touchdowns puts him officially in the Al Bundy Club. Congratulations!

And then there were none.  Charlotte fell to the Nashville Knights this week, meaning that Ohio’s unbeaten 2002 season survives as the league’s only such accomplishment for one more year.  No champagne popping as we see with the 1972 Dolphins, but certainly pride in Columbus as their outstanding season remains untouched.  As for Charlotte, it was a tough road game in a tough environment and the Knights stood up, not only getting the W, but reminding everyone that they are a three-time division champion.  Sitting at 3-3, they are now tied with the Breakers atop the division as they await the time when their huge offseason signing, QB Peyton Manning can take the field. Just one game in a weekend full of stories, surprises and strong performances, not the least of which was a 4-TD day from Philadelphia’s Steve Slaton as the Stars continue to make hay in the NE Division.  But we start with our Game of the Week, an interdivisional clash between the Thunder and Skyhawks that had fans on the edges of their seats in the final minutes. LAS VEGAS THUNDER  17   ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS  22 Sure, the Thunder and the Skyhawks do not have much history, and neither has much tradition to count on either, but that does not mean that when they go head to head it won’t be an interesting game.  Both clubs came into the game at 3-2 and hoping to stay on pace for a playoff push.  And what we got was a game where the winning team was outgained, lost the time of possession battle by 7 minutes, and went 0 for 10 on third down.  So how did they do it? Las Vegas led in this game on several occasions but could not keep St. Louis down when it mattered most.  The Thunder, playing without Marshawn Lynch once again, relied on Curtis Benson, and the big back came through with his first 100-yard game in a very long time, rushing for 101 on 18 carries.  They also got 285 yards passing from Jake Plummer, but their defense struggled down the stretch, giving up the winning score on a drive in the final 2 minutes that took only 43 seconds. The Thunder started strong.  They held St. Louis to one first down before forcing a punt on the opening drive, then, on their first play from scrimmage they hit on a perfectly executed play action pass.  Jake Plummer faked the ball to Benson, pivoted to the left, and there was T. J. Houshmandzadeh all alone and flying down the sideline.  Plummer looped a ball out in front of him and Housh caught it in stride on his way to a rousing 72-yard TD.  Not the start St. Louis wanted, but certainly welcome for the visiting Thunder. St. Louis would get an equalizer on their next drive, with Freeman connecting with WR Jordy Nelson at the end of an 11-play drive.  The first quarter ended with both teams knotted up at 7 apiece, but Las Vegas was driving again.  They would get to the 2 yard line, but failed on 2 consecutive run plays.  Coach Jones opted to take the points and the lead as Jeff Reed connected on a chip shot 19-yard field goal. That decision would come back to haunt the Thunder.  On their next drive, St. Louis would not settle for three, going for it on 4th and 1 from the Las Vegas 41, the Skyhawks converted as James Ridley plunged over the right side for 2 yards.  That play catapulted the Skyhawks to a scoring drive, going on top for the first time in the game, thanks to a 28 yard connection between Freeman and HB Antowain Smith.  It was actually more like a 4-yard connection, but Smith wound his way downfield and refused to go out of bounds before crossing the plane.  Rob Bironas would doink the PAT, so St. Louis went into the half with a modest 13-10 lead. That lead would grow to 16-10 in the 3rd quarter as Rob Bironas’s 25 yard kick was the only scoring added to the game in the third.  Down 6, Las Vegas needed most of the final period before they would find an answer, but with 1:55 left to play, Jake Plummer found Chad Johnson for what appeared to be a potential game winner.  Jeff Reed added the vital PAT and the Thunder took a 1-point lead with less than 2-minutes of action left in the game. Down 17-16, St. Louis would have 1:55 to try to get into field goal range, but they would have to do it with only 1 timeout left, having lost one to a bad challenge of an earlier call and a 2nd to avoid a delay of game.  But, 1:55 is an eternity in the USFL, especially when a field goal is all you need.  It would not take St. Louis that long to get on the board, putting up a touchdown with only 43 seconds gone, at the 1:12 mark.  How did they do that?  Well it helps when on 1st and 10 from your own 21 you get a broken tackle that lets WR Eric Weems turn and 8-yard hook into a 40-yard catch and run.  With the ball now at the 29-yard line of the Thunder, already in range for Bironas, the Skyhawks pressed for the TD.  Only 3 plays later they would get it as Freeman found his favorite target, WR Taylor Jacobs, for a 12-yard connection and a TD that put the Skyhawks up by 5 at 17-22.  They would go for 2 to try to reach a 7=point difference, but Las Vegas was ready for their call and nearly picked the ball off in the endzone. The Thunder would get the ensuing kick and with 1:12 left, would need their own TD drive to take the lead back.  A field goal would do them no good. That pressure can be a lot for any team, but the Thunder are really not a fast break kind of squad, and it showed.  A dropped pass by Marty Booker, a missed shot at Houshmandzadeh, and a good tackle that kept TE Kevin Everett from reaching the yard to gain, and it meant that Las Vegas had to connect on a 4th and 3 to keep the drive alive.  Coach Arians went with an aggressive call, an all-out blitz on Plummer.  The call worked, forcing Plummer to put the ball up before his receivers had even made their cuts. The errant pass missed Chad Johnson low and behind the receiver.  It fell harmlessly to the ground and St. Louis’s Dome at America’s Center erupted in cheers of joy and relief.  The Skyhawks would move to 4-2, and find themselves tied atop the Central thanks to the shocking upset of the Maulers which Ohio pulled off.  Not bad for a Week 6 matchup across divisions. MICHIGAN 37   CHICAGO 10 The weekend kicked off with a rivalry game in the Central Division, and Michigan, one week after picking up their first win of the season, made it a double dip by thoroughly dominating the Machine.  Brian Griese threw for 316 and 3 scores as Hines Ward was unstoppable, turning 8 targets into 8 receptions, 121  yards and a score.  Michael Turner was the leading rusher with 95 yards, but Hart and Fason combined for 98, so not a bad day on the ground for the Panthers. TAMPA BAY 13   JACKSONVILLE 23 What is it about playing the Bandits that brings out the best in Jacksonville?  The Bulls have 2 wins on the season and both are against their in-state rivals.  Only two weeks after the Bulls upset Tampa at Raymond James they met again and the Bulls did it to the Bandits a second time.  Jacksonville got the W despite giving up 122 on the ground to Willis McGahee and losing the turnover battle 2-0.  The Bandits led 13-6 at the half, but Jacksonville shut out Tampa Bay in the 2nd half and got TDs from Lamar Miller and Johnny Knox to take the 10-point win. NEW ORLEANS 19   NEW JERSEY 27 Maurice Jones-Drew had himself a day in the Meadowlands, rushing for all three NJ offensive touchdowns, including an 18-yard pinball rush on the game’s opening drive.  The Generals also got a pick-6 from safety Scott Shields and held the Breaker run game to only 56 yards on the day.  With the win, New Jersey stays even with Philadelphia atop the division, with the two not set to meet again until Week 12. BIRMINGHAM 12   WASHINGTON 23 The Stallions fall to 2-4 as they struggle on the road against that tough Federal D.  Washington picked off Cam Newton 3 times and held the Stallion offense to only 248 total yards.  Meanwhile, Deuce McCallister and Rod Smart combined for 119 yards and TE Heath Miller scored a key TD to pull the Feds away from the Stallions in the 3rd quarter. OHIO 17   PITTSBURGH 9 The first of several surprising upsets, and perhaps the biggest of the year as the winless Ohio Glory shock the Pittsburgh Maulers at Heinz Field.  In what has to be seen as a perfect trap game, Pittsburgh came out flat and never found their rhythm.  Ohio got touchdowns from Lee Smith and from HB Rashad Jennings, who had his best game as a pro, racking up a stunning 111 yards on only 14 carries.  Steve Smith also had a good game, catching 6 passes from Vince Young for 67 yards. HOUSTON 23   TEXAS 17 Another upset, but one not quite as surprising as these two in-state rivals always play each other close.  Houston got a pick-6 from CB Shaun Springs and added TDs from Brandon Marshall and Cedric Cobbs to upend the division-leading Outlaws.  The Gambler D blitzed early and often, recording 5 sacks of Joe Flacco and picking off the defending MVP twice as they pulled their record to 3-3 and now within 1 game of the Outlaws. OAKLAND 38   SEATTLE 31 A shootout in Seattle as neither defense could find an answer and both offenses did plenty of damage, but in the end Seattle was one score up when the clock struck zeroes.  Back to back kickoff return touchdowns set a record in the USFL, with Oakland’s Leodis McKelvin returning the ball 107 yards only to watch as Jerious Norwood returned the favor on the very next play, going 102 in a wild back and forth.  The winning score came at the 4 minute mark in the 4th when Leftwich hit former Panther Bennie Joppru for what would be the game winner. MEMPHIS 7   BOSTON 27 The Cannons get their 2nd win on the year, easily dispatching a frazzled and unfocused Memphis squad.  Matt Cassel in his first start for Memphis went 21 of 37 for 220 yards but also threw 2 picks.  Jake Locker had a solid 21 of 33 day, throwing for 271, but getting a lot of help from rookie Justin Blackmon, who won a couple of dicey 50/50 balls, ending the day with 172 yards and a TD on 8 receptions.  Rashard Mendenhall also came up big against a struggling Showboat D, rushing for 117 and a score on the day. ORLANDO 6   ATLANTA 17 Renegade fans are getting antsy as their club drops to 2-4.  Despite 172 yards rushing from Knowshon Moreno, the Renegades were outclassed by the Fire and held to only 2 field goals on the day.  Atlanta’s Kyle Orton survived 7 sacks to get the win, thanks in part to a Ricky Manning 94-yard kickoff return on a day that saw quite a few special teams highlights across the league. CHARLOTTE 21   NASHVILLE 23 Nashville reminds the world that they have won the South three years in a row for a reason, sacking Jake Delhomme 5 times and holding Fred Jackson to only 60 yards on 19 carries. On offense they leaned heavily on Frank Gore, and the big guy came through with 90 yards on 17 carries, 4 receptions for 82 yards, and 2 touchdowns.  The win pulls Nashville into a tie for first place with the Breakers. ARIZONA 31   DENVER 34 Denver evened their record at 3-3 and pushed the disappointing Wranglers to 2-4 after 6 weeks. Newly acquired HB DeMarco Murray struggled to find holes, rushing for only 21 yards on 12 carreis, but Maurice Hicks picked up the slack, rushing for 83 and a TD.  Matt Leinart threw for 3 scores, as did David Carr, but in the end Denver just had a little more left in the tank and took the home victory. PORTLAND 26   LOS ANGELES 15 Portland sends LA to 0-6, despite a solid 106 yards and 2 TD from Ray Rice.  It was hardly an offensive explosion for the Stags, with only 233 total yards, actually outgained by LA’s 343, but the Express just could not get the ball into the endzone and that sent them down once again.  Newly arrived WR Jerrel Jerrigan looked solid however, catching 3 passes for 44 yards, but little solace to a small and shrinking LA crowd. PHILADELPHIA 37   BALTIMORE 30 Does it seem that the league new Philly would be a story this year, putting them in prime time again, and again it paid off as we got a great game between the Stars and the Blitz.  Steve Slaton went TD crazy, scoring four in the game, all 4 in the first half.  Baltimore fought back with TD passes from Big Ben to Tory Holt and Donte Do as they started to figure out the Philly coverages in the 2nd half.  The Blitz tied the game at 30 with 13 minutes left to play, but Philly had one more drive in them and when FB Francis Sosa plunged in from the 1, that was the score that gave the visiting stars their 5th win on the season. Slaton Rushes for 4 TDs in Stars’ Win Philadelphia has been a huge story all year, and each week it seems a different aspect of the team steps up.  This week it was Steve Slaton. Slaton had 22 carries and amassed 112 yards thanks to a 5.1 YPC average, but it was the nose of the endzone that had everyone cheering for the former Mountaineer.  Slaton had TDs of 1, 1, 16, and 5 yards all by the half.  At one point the Stars led 27-3 (Nugent shanked one PAT) and folks were hoping that the Stars would keep pushing Slaton towards 5 or more scores, but in the second half the team played a bit more conservatively, giving carries to Leon Washington and using short passes as well.  For Slaton, this was his highest scoring game as a pro, and one of his best halves of football ever.  For the Stars it was just one more example of how this team has rallied after the Kurt Warner injury and how they have talent all across the roster, able to step up when needed. Chris Claiborne Does it All for Cannons Boston manhandled the Memphis Showboats to earn their 2nd win of the day, and while many folks are praising the 172 yard game that WR Justin Blackmon had, winning him his second Rookie of the Week award in the season, we wanted to recognize another standout performance, that of LB Chris Claiborne, who did it all this week.  Claiborne had 5 tackles, which is not unusual for the MLB, and is actually well below his usual 8, but he also came up big on several occasions, landing a sack of Matt Cassel on a key early 3rd down.  He forced a fumble by HB Anthony Allen, which allowed Boston to get a short field and led to a Haushka field goal, and he had his first pick of the season, and not just a pick, a pick-six in the 4th quarter to seal the win for the Cannons.  Not a bad day at all for the former USC Trojan. Dayne Cleared to Practice Good news on the injury front as Baltimore HB Ron Dayne has been cleared to begin full practices.  He may still be about 2 weeks away from possible action, but the recovery from his broken wrist has come along very well and the team is anxiously hoping that he can be ready to go and in football form for a big Week 8 showdown against the Federals in Washington.  Baltimore has done pretty well on the ground without Dayne, with Anthony Dixon doing yeoman’s work to rush for 431 yards in his 5 starts. Those are solid numbers, and ones which could convince Coach Coughlin to keep Dixon in heavy rotation even after Dayne is back.  But, of course, Ron Dayne adds a power element that Dixon is not well suited for, and that could be the piece needed if the Blitz are going to keep pace in a very tough NE Division race.  Expect Baltimore to ease Dayne back into action, perhaps as early as next week’s matchup with the Breakers, but just the threat that Dayne could be playing will force Washington to plan for him in Week 8. Manning On Pace for Week 10 Activation One more bit of injury news as Nashville has set Week 10, and their game against Baltimore, as a possible return to the lineup for Peyton Manning.  That is a bit more conservative than the Week 8 best case scenario, but still would provide 7 weeks of play for the former 3-time Super Bowl Champion.  Manning is expected to start as soon as he is physically cleared to take the field. According to all reports he has already fully absorbed the Knights’ playbook and has been seen in practice coaching up Quincy Carter. We should say something about Carter before the Manning hype hits overdrive.  12 year veteran, who has never started more than 6 games in any season (2006 with St. Louis) has been about as good as Nashville fans could have hoped in keeping them competitive.  He finishes Week 6 with over 1,400 yards passing, a 65% completion rate, and a 10:3 TD:INT ratio.  There are plenty of clubs around the USFL who wish their QB had those numbers.  He has also been very open and very clear that he fully understands that this club will be Peyton Manning’s team as soon as he is able to take the field.  Carter has expressed time and again his admiration for Manning as well as for Head Coach Jim Johnson, who confided in him to be the caretaker for the better part of this season.  It has been a gutsy performance this year from Carter and a classy public face that he has provided for the club.  We hope that as the team transitions to Peyton, Quincy will get his fair share of accolades and recognition as well. Philadelphia’s Sunday Night win did not come without a cost as RT Jaimie Thomas could be lost for the year after suffering a serious injury to his back.  No paralysis, but potential cracks in the vertebrae in his mid-back could keep him on ice for the rest of the season.  Expect Philadelphia to add Thomas to IR.  Other than that injury, it was a pretty light week once again. INJURED RESERVE Jaimie Thomas                  OT          PHI         Back OUT J. D. Walton                     C             ORL        Shoulder              2-4 Weeks Jason Williams                LB           MEM     Arm                       2-4 Weeks Chauncey Davis               DE           OHI        Neck                      1-2 Weeks Osi Umenyiura                 DE           HOU      Hand                     1-2 Weeks C. J. Mosley                      DE           ATL         Hernia                   1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL Ryan Whalen                   WR         BOS        Concussion Jason Babin                   DE           BOS        MCL Miles Austin                      WR         NJ           Shoulder QUESTIONABLE Keith Rivers                  LB           LA           Illness John Moffitt                    OG          ARZ        Knee Tim Tebow                      QB          JAX         Pinched nerve Brady Quinn                    QB          CHI         Scratched cornea Dallas Sale Is Approved, but Which Club Was Sold? The USFL meetings this week were short, sweet, and single-minded.  The league owners gathered to discuss one topic and one topic alone, the proposed sale of a USFL franchise to the Destination Dallas investment group.  The proposal was kept under lock and key, the owners mum from the moment it arrived, and still, even after the vote, we have not been able to discern from interviews with various league owners and officials which club has been sold. This is, of course, by design. The league wants to delay the notification of sale as long as they can.  They will have to reveal it relatively soon as government filings related to the sale will, by law, be publicly available and that means the franchise will be know, likely within the next 2 weeks.  But for now, the league is hoping to move ahead with plans for a Dallas franchise in 2013 without saying which city will lose their team until it is absolutely necessary. One thing we do know is that the team is not the Chicago Machine.  Chicago this week announced a renewal of their contract with Soldier Field and the city of Chicago for another 5 years, so it seems clear that the Machine are staying put, and Chicago fans can rest easy.  That means the pressure is on in Boston, Oakland, and Nashville, the three remaining franchises who are linked to the Destination Dallas group and their efforts to secure a club. League officials would not go into detail on the discussion or the vote. We know that at least 2 clubs did vote against the sale, both Houston and the Texas Outlaws have been pretty vocal about their opposition to a third team in the state of Texas.  Beyond that we do not know if the vote was largely unanimous or split.  We do know that with Chicago out of the running, whichever franchise relocates to Dallas will represent a growth in market size, with the Texas city a significantly larger market than any of the three potential sale franchises, though how you determine market size for the Bay Area is always a bit of a discussion since some like to include all of Sacramento and half of northern California in the calculus. Destination Dallas came out this week to announce that they would be revealing the team name and logo in the next few weeks, but that they were going to have several design options for the color scheme and uniforms during the summer, with hopes of having a final winner by the time of the Summer Bowl.  We are assuming that Dallas will steer clear of Black or Kelly Green as the dominant colors, since those are the focal colors for Houston and the Outlaws respectively, but just what they will offer fans is not yet known.  Will it be an old West theme like both of the other Texas clubs, or will Dallas lean into the oil industry for its identity?  What about an animal since neither of the other Texas clubs use animal mascots?  We shall find out soon, but in the meantime the main mystery is not what Dallas will look like, it is what city is about to lose their USFL club and what impact that will have to the rest of the 2012 season in that city? USFL’s Best Receiving Seasons Up for Little Debate Last week, as part of the USFL’s 30th Season Celebration, we looked at five of the best HB seasons of all time and opened up possible debate for which was the best.  That debate is going to be tough to have for the best WR seasons of all time.  One name from the early years of the league is so dominant that it is hard to not just limit ourselves to the one or two best seasons of all time and forget the rest.   But, we decided to do our Top 5, so here are all 5 contenders, including the dominance of a certain Tampa Bay Bandit. 1985—Eric Truvillion (TBY We are picking the 1985 season from ET as our first highlighted season.  Why?  How about 25 touchdowns, 7 more than the best HB season the USFL has ever produced.  That is nearly 2 per game, and, oh, by the way, that was also the season in which Truvillion hit 1,944 yards receiving, the second highest total in league history.  And here is the crazy part. With all those yards and TDs, you would think Truvillion would be among the all time season reception leaders, but he did this through the deep ball, not the intermediate route, so ET does not even appear among the top 10 in receptions for a season.  Not once. 1986 - Eric Truvillion (TBY) A second season for the same player?  Yes.  When that season set a league yardage record with 1,959 yards, while also producing 15 TDs and 108 receptions, you bet we are going to recognize that year.  No player other than Truvillion has ever reached 1,900 yards in a USFL season, and Truvillion did it THREE TIMES!!!  With this season being his all-time highest total, only 41  yards away from 2,000. 1987 – Mel Grey (MEM) Now it gets tough, trying to figure out who we should recognize outside of Truvillion.  Mel Grey was not a deep ball receiver, not by the time he reached the USFL in 1984.  But what he was is perhaps the best 3rd down receiver we have ever seen.  In 1987, his most prolific of 6 prolific USFL seasons (he played 7, but lost most of 1986 to injury) he had 143 catches, averaging 11.9 yard per catch.  The first number was a league record that held for over a decade, the second a somewhat pedestrian mid-range receiver, but, what is stunning about Mel Grey’s 1987 campaign is that he was simply unstoppable on 3rd down.  Of his 143 catches, a full 51, more than 1 in 3 were successful third down convesions.  That number led to drives being completed and points being put on the board. 2000 – Joey Galloway Yes, 2000 was not Galloway’s best  year for receptions or scores. He had only 65 receptions, compared to 112 the year before, and only 10 TDs, 8 fewer than his career best in 2003, so why do we pick 2000?  Well, this was the year that he showed he could be a deep-ball genius.  Look at his career between 1005 and 1999 and you see a very good mid-range receiver, averaging between 15-17 yards per catch.  Get to 2000 and suddenly he is averaging 28.2 yards per catch, on his way to 1,854 yards.  He would never look back. The next year he would hit 30 yards per catch while playing only 8 games due to injury.  In the 2 year run of championships for Ohio he averaged nearly 23 yards per catch, but in 2000, the first year when Ohio started to show what it was building, Galloway was simply open over the top several times per game.  He produced a highlight reel that could compare favorably with anyone’s from any year. 1985 Derek Holloway (MGN) We wanted to select someone we thought we don’t talk about enough for our 5th great season.  Derek  Holloway, despite being a huge numbers guy and a burner on the outside, never got the love that teammate Anthony Carter saw in Michigan, despite the fact that his final career numbers were better, and the fact tha the stuck around far longer than Carter, playing 11 years with the Panthers.  In 1985, he had his only 20-TD season, and he did it while catching 71 balls for 1,877 yards, his highest total in yardage of his entire career.  The Panthers slipped in the playoffs that year, but it was a fantastic year for Holloway, who deserves more talk than he gets from USFL Fans. Not as many marquee matchups this week as in the past few, but still some good games.  NBC must be kicking themselves over their choice of the LA-Seattle game as their hightlight and only game of the week, but who could have seen an 0-6 start for the Express after last year’s division title? On Saturday, there are several intriguing middle-of-the-pack games, including Houston at Michigan, Orlando at Atlanta, and Texas at Las Vegas.  The Saturday nightcap is also a good middle-ground battle, as both Nashviille and Tampa Bay sit at 3-3 and neither wants to dip below .500. Our favorite game in the Sunday slate is another inter-divisional matchup of teams who are hoping to start a solid run.  Baltimore comes off a tough loss to the Stars and now hosts the New Orleans Breakers, who need a rebound win themselves to stay over .500.  We also like the prospects of the New Jersey Arizona clash as the Wranglers have to be feeling pressure to get their season kick started.  Finally, on Sunday Night, the battle of Steel Cities, as Pitsburgh heads to Birmingham to face the Stallions.  After a huge upset loss to Ohio this week, the Maulers have to right the ship, while Birmingham certainly hopes they look past the Stallions as well. FRIDAY @ 8PM ET             LOS ANGELES (0-6) @ SEATTLE (2-4)                   NBC SAT @ 12PM ET                 HOUSTON (3-3) @ MICHIGAN (2-4)                     ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                 CHICAGO (3-3) @ MEMPHIS (1-5)                        ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                 ORLANDO (2-4) @ ATLANTA (4-2)                         FOX SAT @ 4PM ET                   TEXAS (4-2) @ LAS VEGAS (3-3)                             ABC SAT @ 4PM ET                   PHILADELPHIA (5-1) @ DENVER (3-3)                  FOX SAT @ 8PM ET                   NASHVILLE (3-3) @ TAMPA BAY (3-3)                     ESPN/EFN SUN @ 12PM ET               JACKSONVILLE (2-4) @ CHARLOTTE (5-1)          ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               NEW ORLEANS (3-3) @ BALTIMORE (4-2)               FOX SUN @ 12PM ET               BOSTON (2-4) @ WASHINGTON (4-2)                     FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                 PORTLAND (5-1) @ OAKLAND 3-3)                       ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                 NEW JERSEY (5-1) @ ARIZONA (2-4)                    ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                 ST. LOUIS (4-2) @ OHIO (1-5)                                   FOX SUN @ 8PM ET                 PITTSBURGH (4-2) @ BIRMINGHAM (2-4)              ESPN/EFN

We are still trying to make sense of this season.  Portland and Charlotte were expected to be at or near the bottom of their divisions and both are sitting at the top of the standings.  LA was expected to compete for the Pacific again but sit winless and now have jettisoned perhaps their most famous player due to his frequent media rants.  Philadelphia was supposed to be hobbled by the injury to Kurt Warner, as was Baltimore with Ron Dayne out, and yet both sit at 4-1 and are looking very much like contenders.  It has been an unusual year, and we all are still waiting just to see if Peyton Manning will show up to end the year as well.  This has been a weird one, but a fun one, and we are only 5 weeks in. Let’s get right to it and see how we make sense out of the fifth week of this season. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 28   PHILADELPHIA STARS 31 A classic showdown of two clubs who just don’t like each other very much and who always seem to be in the mix in the Northeast Division.  Both entered the game 3-1 and both had reason to be optimistic about this game.  Washington was coming off a defensive gem, holding Denver to only 3 points. Philadelphia had just knocked off the unbeaten Texas Outlaws and were looking like a team on the mission. The game started with a bang as Washington went 71 yards in 8 plays and put the first points on the board with their opening drive.  David Garrard hit Deion Branch with a perfect corner route to break the Star defense and put 7 on the board.  It would be the only score of the first quarter, one dominated by Washington’s D and running game.  Deuce McCallister would be pivotal in the Federals last drive of the quarter, one that crossed into the 2nd and took more than 7 minutes to reach its conclusion, a 5-yard scamper by Rod Smart.  In that drive, McCallister carried the ball 6 times for 25 yards.  He would finish the day with an even 100 yards on 18 carries, a 5.6 YPC average. Philadelphia, now down 14, was loathe to give up on the run game, but what they did was salt their running attack with more screens and quick passes to mix things up.  The plan worked and at the 5-minute mark of the half they put up their first points on a 1-yard plunge by Leon Washington.  But, the first half clearly belonged to the Federals, who built their way to a 21-7 lead at the break by once again putting together chunk plays to get deep into Stars’ territory.  It was a drive that ended with Rod Smart again plunging in from short yardage, and with little time left, the Stars were forced to go into the break down 14 once again. Philadelphia knew they needed to do something to open the 2nd half strong or the game could get away from them.  They put together a quick, 79 yard drive, connecting on 3 long passes as Washington played the run.  The first was a 24 yarder to TE Brent Celek, followed by a swing pass to Steve Slaton before Matt Gutierrez hit Stevie Johnson with a deep shot, a 29-yarder for the score.  With 11:29 left in the 3rd, Philadelphia was back to a 7-point game.  They would stop Washington on the next drive, but a tipped ball would lead to a costly pick on their next possession, setting up the Feds with a short field to put more points on the board.  Washington did just that, as Rod Smart scored his 3rd TD on the day, a hat trick that no one saw coming from the sparsely used back.  He would have only 6 carries on the day, but 3 were inside the 5-yard line and all three went for scores. As the 4th quarter began, the Stars were down 14 for a third time and it was not looking promising.  They would score short field goal on their first possession, but would need to rely on the defense to try to get back on the board. The Star defense came through as needed, with, you guessed it, Quentin Jammer again making the play.  It was not a pick this week, unlike the past two weeks that saw him return interceptions for scores.  This time it was a simple strip of WR Darnerian McCants, causing the ball to pop out and right there for Jammer to recover. That quick turnaround let Philadelphia get right back on offense. The Stars would not waste the takeaway.  Only 4 plays later, Gutierrez would thread the needle on a very nice throw that found Reche Caldwell behind the safety.  Caldwell strode into the endzone and suddenly Philadelphia was down only 5 points, 28-23 after a failed 2-point play.  The Stars had more than 10 minutes left to try to get one more score and steal a win in a game where they had trailed since the opening drive. Washington needed a big play.  Too much time left to be worried about the clock, their strategy was to put more points on the board and make it a 2-score game.  But that pressure caused David Garrard to make a bad decision on a 2nd and 12, forcing a ball towards TE Kellen Davis.  Safety Jarius Byrd of the Stars read it all the way and had an easy pick.  Philadelphia now had all the momentum, cashing in on two consecutive turnovers.  They would milk the clock on their drive, taking 12 plays to get into the endzone.  They would get there on Stevie Johnson’s 2nd TD of the game, a 1-yard quick slant that put Philadelphia up 31-28.  They again tried for two and again failed, but now had their first lead of the game. Philadelphia would not squander that lead.  The defense clamped down on the Federals and after failing to convert a 4th and 6, the Stars were able to take a knee and celebrate a huge divisional win. NASHVILLE 22   BOSTON 30 The Cannons finally got their first win of the season, a result that has Nashville fans worried despite a solid day from Quincy Carter.  Jake Locker went 24 of 33 and threw 2 TDs for Boston, who built up a 27-0 lead at the half before letting up on the gas.  Carter helped spur a comeback in the second half, but the concerns about both the Knights’ defense and their lack of consistent offense are heightened by this loss to the previously winless Cannons. MICHIGAN 38   OHIO 16 In the battle of 0-4 clubs something had to give, and that something was Ohio’s defense. Brian Griese threw for 3 scores and the anemic Michigan run game managed to rack up 119 yards against an Ohio defense that was just not ready for prime time.  Vince Young struggled as well, completing only 15 of 37 attempts while suffering 6 sacks on the day.  Hines Ward had himself a week for Michigan, catching 6 balls for 142 yards and 2 of Griese’s 3 TD tosses. ATLANTA 34   BIRMINGHAM 24 The “Border War” between Alabama and Georgia went to the Fire in this one as HB Ladell Betts had a big game with 114 yards rushing.  Kyle Orton also threw for 288 yards and 2 scores as Atlanta improved to 2-3. This game, with Dontrell Inman catching only 1 of 5 targets (he has 10 receptions in more than 80 targets this year) is likely the reason the Stallions pulled the trigger on a big trade we will discuss later. HOUSTON 24   PORTLAND 27 Portland got back to winning ways despite 2 Ike Hilliard touchdowns in the 4th quarter, holding off the Gamblers for win number 4.  Jonathan Stewart rushed for 94 yards and a score and Ryan Fitzpatrick went 26 of 41 for 273 on the day for the Stags.  The game was 27-9 late, but Houston got two scores in the final 5 minutes to make it look closer than it had been all day. JACKSONVILLE 20   SEATTLE 31 Seattle pulled away in the 2nd half to win their 2nd game of the year in this battle of 1-3 clubs.  Nate Burleson was the star on offense for the Dragons, catching 7 of 10 targets for 143 yards.  On defense, the key contributor was DE Travis Laboy, who forced a sack-fumble in the 4th quarter to end a Houston drive that could have pulled them within 1 score. TEXAS 37   ARIZONA 8 With David Carr sacked a painful 11 times by the ferocious Outlaw defense, the Wrangler just could not sustain drives. Four different Outlaw defenders had multiple sacks, including Reynaldo Wynn, who is now only 2 sacks behind Calais Campbell.  On offense, the game was put in the hands of NFL impot Arian Foster and the big back came through with 103 yards and a TD on 22 carries. BALTIMORE 20   ORLANDO 15 Eli Manning was held to only 27 of 48 passing while Ben Roethlisberger was an efficient 14 of 19 as Baltimore controlled the clock, took an early 14-6 lead, and got a Tory Holt TD reception to pull away.  Anthony Dixon rushed for 182 yards and the Baltimore defense held Orlando to only 5 field goals on the day as the Blitz improve to 4-1 and keep pace at the top of the NE Division. MEMPHIS 9   NEW ORLEANS 42 Memphis suffered both insult and injury as they were absolutely manhandled by the New Orleans Breakers.  Ryan Mallett suffered an injury midway through the 3rd quarter after suffering 2 picks and 4 sacks. Matt Cassel came in and will likely start the next 1-2 weeks (assuming he does not win the position outright).  Drew Brees only threw 15 passes, but completed 11, with 4 going for scores before being subbed out for Kyle Boller.  Matt Forte also crossed the 100-yard mark for the first time all season as the Breakers asserted their dominance early and often. PITTSBURGH 26   ST. LOUIS 24 While they could not pull off the home upset, the Skyhawks certainly sent a message that the gap between Pittsburgh and St. Louis was not much.  Despite only 26 yards from Antowain Smith, St. Louis stayed in range all game, thanks largely to 2 TDs from Taylor Jacobs.   But, in the end, Pittsburgh edged the Skyhawks on TDs from Ronnie Brown, Vincent Jackson and Kevin Johnson to move to 4-1. NEW JERSEY 28   DENVER 13 The Generals moved to 4-1 as well after a thorough dismantling of the Denver Gold.  Denver’s run game could only muster 41 total yards (prompting a trade we will discuss later), while New Jersey got 75 yards form Maurice Jones-Drew and TDs from Both Michael Crabtree and Doug Baldwin on their way to a 15-point road victory that keeps them tied at the top of the NE Division with Philly and Baltimore. CHICAGO 24   LOS ANGELES 20 The Express again fell, dropping to 0-5, and this time Randy Moss’s postgame tirade led to immediate action as the star receiver was traded by Monday afternoon.  Moss only had 4 catches for 31 yards while Keyshawn Johnson had 147 through the air.  It was not enough however as Chicago got 115 yards rushing from Turner and rookie Doug Martin and the defense held LA without a touchdown in the second half. CHARLOTTE 27   LAS VEGAS 20 We thought this game would be a test for the Monarchs and it was.  Las Vegas kept the unbeaten Monarchs on the ropes, but Jake Delhomme came up big with a TD toss to D. J. Hackett (his 2nd of the game) to take the win on the road.  Delhomme was helped by his run game, which saw Fred Jackson and Taiwan Jones combine for 132 yards on the day.  Marshawn Lynch sat out the game after an injury in practice, and Cedric Benson struggled to fill his shoes as Las Vegas falls to 3-2. OAKLAND 14   TAMPA BAY 31 The Invaders had no answer for Willis McGahee as the Bandit back scampered for 132 yards and a score, averaging 5.5 YPC.  Throw in TD passes to Luke Stocker and David Tyree and you have a comfortable win for the Bandits.  Greg Jennings was the lone bright spot for Oakland, catching 8 balls for 124 yards, but it was not enough as Oakland falls to 2-3. LA Sends Unhappy Moss to Birmingham Loose lips may sink ships, but in the case of Randy Moss a big mouth got him an airline ticket to Birmingham and a chance to play for a potential division contender.  The LA Express, trying to free up cap space, obtain some draft picks, and remove a vocal problem shipped Moss off to the Stallions for two 3rd round picks (2013 and 2014) and young receiver Jerrel Jerrigan.  This means Birmingham may now have the loudest and brashest WR combo in league history with Moss joining Terrell Owens as the two presumed starters.  Good luck to Cam Newton getting a word in edgewise with those two on the field. Moss had been very vocal about his displeasure with both LA Head Coach Gregg Williams’s gameplans and with QB Mark Sanchez’s decision making in the pocket.  He now joins a team with a decidedly offensive-minded coach in Mike Shanahan, and a QB who is not afraid to throw up the deep 50/50 balls that Moss feeds on in Cam Newton.  The trade does put Birmingham close to a cap issue, so they will need to do some restructuring to stay within legal limits, but with an offense that now features Newton, Owens, Moss and HB Joseph Addai, the Stallions are hoping to make a run at New Orleans for the Southern Division title. For Los Angeles, while no one in the organization will say that the 0-5 club is already writing off this season, the handwriting is on the wall.  Rather than obtain immediate help for the league’s worst offense, the Express pick up a young receiver who will need some development and two future draft picks.  It seems pretty obvious that the Express may be accepting the fact that their expectation to win the division is now in serious trouble, that the team may need to be reimagined, and possibly that Coach Williams may not be the one to do it.  LA currently ranks 27th in scoring and dead last in yardage. They have the 2nd worst run game in the league and one of the worst passing attacks.  And, while last year they could rely on the defense to help bail them out, this season that Williams-led defense is sitting at 20th in the league, not nearly good enough to pull LA into the win column. Denver & Ohio Trade to Address Issues A second trade this week as disappointing losses by both Denver and Ohio lead them to make a move to try to address glaring issues.  For Denver it was the league’s worst rushing attack, averaging barely 60 yards per game with Javon Ringer and Maurice Hicks splitting carries.  For Ohio it is the 27th defense in yardage, particularly glaring against the run, where they give up nearly 140 yards per game. So, the two opted to make a move now in hopes of salvaging something out of the season. The 0-5 Glory will send HB DeMarco Murray and backup DT Alex McGee to Denver and receive in return Denver DT Tommy Harris.   Harris will likely be an immediate starter for the Glory, who hope he can help shore up the inside of the line and improve their ability to stop the interior run.  Murray, who had become somewhat expendable thanks to the solid play of rookie Isaiah Pead, will now head to the Gold, where he is likely to move into rotation with Ringer and Hicks, but will have a shot to make his case that he should be a lead back. Denver is sitting at 2-3, in a 3-way tie with Arizona and Houston as all 3 chase the 4-1 Texas Outlaws.  Ohio is winless at 0-5, having just lost the battle of winless 0-4 clubs to Michigan.  Both are hoping that this shake up will provide a spark and will help them improve on obvious weaknesses. Charlotte’s Coutu On Blistering Pace Don’t look now, but the longstanding record of 182 points in one season, held by Tim Mazzetti since 1990 is, for the first time in years looking vulnerable.  Charlotte’s Brandon Coutu is only 5 games into the season and is already sitting on 72 points, on pace for over 200 in the year.  The Monarch kicker has 19 converted kicks already this year, 6 more than the closest competitor, and Charlotte is also scoring touchdowns, providing Coutu with ample chances to add points one at a time. In 1990, Hall of Fame kicker Tim Mazzetti set a personal best and a league record at the time with 53 field goal attempts and 44 conversions.  With 19 converted kicks already, Coutu could reach that number with 3-4 games left in the season.  A lot depends on the Charlotte offense, of course, but given that the Monarchs are 5-0 and are currently averaging nearly 33 points per game, the odds are looking pretty good so far that Coutu will have a shot at reaching a record few thought would ever be challenged.  Considering that currently 2nd place in the season scoring record book goes to David Trout back in 1987, with 157 points, Coutu’s early season numbers are certainly pointing him towards a lofty goal. Does Mallett Injury Delay or Hasten the Inevitable? When Memphis signed Matt Cassel away from the USFL Champion Bandits, the hope was that the 9-year-veteran backup could push Ryan Mallett and help with the 2nd year QB’s development.  After subbing for an injured Daunte Culpepper in the Summer Bowl and leading the Bandits to victory, Cassel was seen as a story of interest, but not really a challenge to the starting job.  But, with Memphis now sitting at 1-4, Mallett struggling with a 64.4 QB Rating and only 4 TDs in 5 games, calls for Cassel to get a shot were getting louder. In this week’s games fans could be heard yelling for Cassel, particularly after a bad Mallett pass seemed to be intended directly for the New Orleans defender, his second pick in the game.  But, while Coach Childress did not seem eager to make a switch, fate stepped in to make it for him.  On a 2nd and 7 Mallett dropped back and was immediately hit by DE Cameron Jordan, fumbling the ball and heading to the sideline clearly bothered by his shoulder.  Cassel would come in to finish the debacle of a game against New Orleans and later that day Mallett would be seen with a sling on his throwing arm.  X-rays had revealed that it was a collarbone injury, a fracture without displacement, that would likely now keep Mallett out for at least 2 weeks. So, Matt Cassel is the starter, at least for the upcoming games against Boston and Chicago the next two weeks.  If he can show something, however, he could very well keep the job.  Childress did not draft Ryan Mallett, so the commitment to the former Arkansas QB is not as strong as it normally would be for a top draft pick. Add to that the fact that Memphis was a contender in trying to land Peyton Manning in the offseason and we can imagine a scenario where Cassel looks good in the upcoming games and gets to keep the job.  It won’t be easy for Cassel, particularly as starting HB Cadillac Williams was also lost in the game, suffering a hip injury that will require surgery and will cost Williams the rest of the season.  That means that Cassel goes from leading a topflight offense in the Summer Bowl to a team whose run game will be in the hands of 2nd year mid-round pick Anthony Allen, and whose receiving corps is led by a 33-year old Robert Ferguson, who has certainly lost a step the past few years.  Expect Cassel to rely heavily on TE Jim Kliensasser for support, his roommate and new best friend on the field.  He can also look to speedster Lee Evans and slot receiver Sidney Rice, but the trek from 1-4 and 29th in scoring to a starting job for the long haul will be a tough one. A very good week, all things considered, with no new players added to injured reserve and a lot of players coming back to action after missing a game or more.  Here is the list of the new injuries from this week, with Ryan Mallett’s making the most news, but Jason Williams suffering the more serious injury with his fracture in the upper arm. OUT Jason Williams           LB           MEM     Arm                       4-6 Weeks Sean Mahan                  G             NSH       Biceps                   2-4 Weeks Aldon Smith                LB           STL         Wrist                     1-2 Weeks DeMeco Ryans        LB           BIR         Neck                      1-2 Weeks Ryan Mallett                  QB          MEM     Collarbone          1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL Sean Lee                          LB           PHI         Concussion Marshawn Lynch              HB          LV           Ribs USFL Celebrates 30 Seasons with Top 5 All-Time Seasons Lists The USFL rolled out some water cooler conversation starters this week, looking back over the 29 prior seasons and trying to define the best seasons of all times in a variety of categories.  The focus this week was on the running backs, with the league revealing the 5 best seasons for yards, carries, and touchdowns.  The debate is then opened, which season for which back was the best ever?  Here are are the contenders: 1983—Herschel Walker (NJ) The opening season of the USFL saw the most touted player on the field do exactly as the league hoped, setting a rushing record that still stands today.  Walker’s 1,767 yards has been challenged over the past 29 seasons but never matched. That year Walker also set a record for rush attempts, with 396, that would not be surprassed until Michael Turner hit 400 with his 402 carry season in 2008.  Walker also had 15 touchdowns that season, good enough for 7th on the all time list, but oddly only 2nd in 1983, with Birmingham back Cornelius Quarles crossing the endzone 17 times in the league’s first season. 1984—Joe Cribbs (BIR) One season after Walker’s incredible debut, it was another first-year player who took the rushing crown.  Joe Cribbs came within 2 yards of Walker’s record with 1,765 yards.  He also was within 1 TD of Walker’s mark, with 14 scores that year, and, yes, he is also among the top 10 with 369 carries, good enough to tie for 8th all time. 1992—Mike Rozier (PIT) The Maulers’ all time rushing leader had his best year in 1992, finishing with 1,743 yards on 372 carries, both top 10 numbers. Rozier also appears on the top yardage seasons a second time in 1986, when he rushed for 1,692.  In fact all three of these backs, Rozier, Cribbs, and Walker both appear twice on the top 10 list for rushing yards, leaving only 4 spots for other backs. 1995—Robert Drummond (POR) If you are looking for scoring, this is the season for you.  Drummond racked up 18 rushing TD’s, a mark that Errict Rhett would match in 2000, but which no back has yet beaten.  Drummond also finished with a league best 1,623 yards.  He too would appear on our top 10 list for yardage with an even better yardage total in 1997, 1,710 yards. Before you pick your favorite, we do want to acknowledge whether these four great seasons produced results for the teams, not just the backs.  Well, in 1983 the Generals finished the regular season at 7-9, despite Walker’s impressive numbers. In 1984 Joe Cribbs had more success, taking Birmngham all the way to the League Championship Game (as it was called pre-1990) but the club fell to the Panthers in the final. In 1992, Rozier’s Maulers also made it all the way to the Summer Bowl, where they too came up one game short, losing out to the Houston Gamblers 34-28.  Finally, the 1995 Portland Thunder, bolstered by Robert Drummond’s strong season, finished in a tie with Arizona atop the Pacific Division, they would defeat the Denver Gold in the Wild Card round, but fell to the eventual champions, once again the Gamblers, in the divisional round.  So, no titles in these impressive rushing seasons, perhaps a testament to the pass-happy nature of the USFL. League’s Biggest Surprises After 5 Weeks Every USFL season brings its share of surprises, whether teams that rise or fall unexpectedly or players who break onto the scene suddenly.  We are only 5 weeks into the 2012 USFL season, but there are certainly plenty of those stories in place already this year.  We went through all the suggestions from our bullpen and picked 5 stories that have surprised us and may continue to shape the 2012 season moving forward.  Here are our Top 5 Surprises of 2012. 5—Kyle Orton’s Numbers We are not saying that in past years Kyle Orton has been a bad quarterback.  Far from it.  He has had three solid seasons with Atlanta since coming over from Chicago in 2009, reaching 3,000 yards each year, but he generally is not in the conversation of the USFL’s elite quarterbacks.  But this season he seems to have found another gear.  So far, less than 1/3 through the season and Orton is already at 1,456 yards, a pace that will put him not only above 3,000 for the year, but over 4,500, a number he has never come close to imagining.  He is also already at 11 TDs for the year, which is on pace to be over 30 for the first time in his career.  Simply put, Orton is lighting it up for the Fire this year.  His current 97.9 QB Rating is the best of his career, and could find him creeping into the Top 5 very soon. The arrival of Matt Jones, the journeyman wideout who is on his 5th team in as many years, has been a surprising boost to Orton.  Jones currently sits 2nd behind only veteran Josh Reed with 21 catches and 264 yards.  Jones has taken over the #2 spot from Demaryius Thomas, which means that the Fire have 3 solid outside receivers along with TE’s Will heller and Matt Schobel, and, lest we forget, they still have Tedd Ginn Jr. in the slot when they go to 3-4 wide.  What does this mean for Atlanta and Orton, that there are options, and Orton is taking advantage of them. 4—Moss Gone and LA 0-5 There were mixed opinions on the LA Express this offseason, after a year in which they won the Pacific Division, won their Wild Card game and advanced to the Divisoinals.  But no one was predicting the type of collapse we have witnessed so far.  Not only is the team 0-5 and looking like a club without a path forwards, but the collapse produced such a firestorm around WR Randy Moss and his public criticism of both his coach and his QB that the club opted to cut him loose, trading him to Birmingham way under his potential market value.  So, what does LA do now?  Do they hold a fire sale and try to rebuild from the ground up?  Do they build with the key pieces they have right now and hope to improve over the season?  And do they reconsider whether Mark Sanchez is the right man to lead the offense? LA is currently 27th in scoring and dead last in yardage. For his part, Sanchez is sitting with a 55.6 QB rating, about as bad as any starter in the league.  He has a negative TD:INT ratio of 4:5, and he is only completing 55% of his passes.  Now, that is not all on him.  The line has not been much help, in pass protection or run blocking.  Eric Pears has struggled after moving from RT to LT, and rookie Matt Kalil has been slow to pick up the schemes.  Many are also criticizing right guard Brett Williams, who has already given up 4 sacks this year, mostly by misreading his assignment on blitzes. The Express have only played 2 division games so far, so there is still time to claw back into a pretty mediocre division, but the next 3 weeks will be essential, as LA hosts Portland, travels to Seattle, and then hosts Oakland.  If they cannot pull out a win or two in that 3-game stretch, we may well see a fire sale in LA. 3—Portland Atop the Pacific We stay in the Pacific for our third surprise of the season, the Portland Stags.  The Stags were picked by most to finish dead last in the division, but they are sitting at 4-1 after 5 weeks and have a defense that is getting the job done.  They are averaging only 14.6 points against them, good enough for 2nd in the league, and they seem to be equally stingy against the pass and the run.  They have held Las Vegas, Seattle, Orlando, and LA under 20 points, and won the one game where they did not do that, beating Houston this week 27-24. What is perhaps most surprising is that they are doing this without being particularly good at pressuring the passer.  LB Channing Crowder leads the team with only 3 sacks and DE Eddie Freeman, signed away from St. Louis in the offseason, is only at 2 for the year.  What they are doing is keeping teams in third-and-long situations and then clamping down on the receivers.  They are also shortening games thanks to the rushing of Jonathan Stewart.  Stewart is only averaging 3.9 yards per carry, but with 119 carries in 5 games, he is doing enough to keep that clock moving and enough to sit at 2nd in the league with 470 yards. Can Portland keep this up all year? History tells us that “no name” teams, and particularly teams who have neither an elite QB nor an elite pass rush tend to be paper lions, falling apart as the season stretches out.  But, for now, don’t tell Portlanders that. They want to enjoy the ride. 2—Matt Gutierrez’s Success You knew that this had to be on our list, right?  When Kurt Warner went down in Week 2, no one, and we mean no one, thought that the Stars would continue to win games, to knock off the best teams they faced like Texas in Week 4 and Washington in Week 5.  But, here we are. Backup Matt Gutierrez is not Kurt Warner, that is clear, but he is having a Kurt Warner miracle season.  He is 3-1 in his 3 starts, and has been able to avoid mistakes that cost his team opportunities.  His numbers are not huge, barely 230 yards per game, and he is only completing 59% of his passes, but what he is doing is keeping an even keel on this ship.  He is relying on the defense, on the run game, and on the skill of his receivers, particularly the short- and mid-range game of Stevie Johnson to keep those chains moving. We don’t think Gutierrez will ever crack the Passer Ratings list, but he could well be considered for the MVP award if the Stars can keep pulling out games. We know it is a team effort, but with everyone expecting a collapse when Warner went out, we have to consider that what Gutierrez has provided has been pretty darned valuable. 1—Charlotte Undefeated Our clear top surprise, because even with a 9-7 record last year, there was more expectation of a dip for the Monarchs than a sudden rise to the top of the league.  But, here we stand five weeks in and Charlotte is among the elites in several categories.  The Monarchs are first in the league in scoring and are among the league’s best in every major defensive category.  Jake Delhomme is playing as well as he ever has, including his solid seasons in Orlando.  He currently boasts a 103 QB rating and is completing 73% of his throws.  D. J. Hackett has come on fast this year, but he is not alone.  He, Derrick Mason, and TE Brandon Pettigrew are all looking like career seasons are on the way. The Defense is somehow more aggressive after the retirement of Julius Peppers than in the years he was in Charlotte. They have4 players with multiple sacks, including team leader Rey Maualaga (4) and Rolando McClain is becoming a real nuisance with 33 tackles, 3 forced fumbles and a pick in 5 games. In some ways the Monarchs are much like Portland, a bit of a no-name squad, perhaps playing over their heads, and certainly over our expectations, but what we have seen from this team is that Coach Mora has them playing good fundamental football.  They block well, they tackle, they don’t beat themselves. That is a pretty nice formula to stick with as the season starts to heat up. Week Six kicks off with a Central Division clash between two bitter rivals, the Michigan Panthers and the Chicago Machine.  Michigan is hoping their win last week over Ohio will turn their season around, while Chicago aims to keep pace with the Maulers and Skyhawks. On Saturday, we have a national broadcast of the Tampa Bay-Jacksonville Florida Derby game, and an interesting Texas Tussle game between the Gamblers and Outlaws.  If Houston wants to be a contender this year they will have to find a way past the 4-1 Outlaws.  Saturday also has a regional game worth catching if you can as New Orleans and New Jersey have both gotten off to solid starts. They will battle at the Meadowlands at 12pm. On Sunday the game we are focused on is the nightcap with Philly surprising many at 4-1 headed to another surprising 4-1 club, the Baltimore Blitz.  Both teams suffered major injuries early in the year with Week One sending Ron Dayne to the IR and Week 2 sending Kurt Warner there.  But both teams have outperformed expectations after these injuries, setting up a really intriguing matchup. FRIDAY @ 8PM ET             MICHIGAN (1-4) @ CHICAGO (3-2)                           NBC SAT @ 12PM ET                 TAMPA BAY (3-2) @ JACKSONVILLE (1-4)                 ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                 NEW ORLEANS (3-2) @ NEW JERSEY (4-1)                FOX SAT @ 12PM ET                 BIRMINGHAM (2-3) @ WASHINGTON (3-2)                FOX SAT @ 4PM ET                   OHIO (0-5) @ PITTSBURGH (4-1)                                ABC SAT @ 4PM ET                   HOUSTON (2-3) @ TEXAS (4-1)                                     FOX SAT @ 8PM ET                   OAKLAND (2-3) @ SEATTLE (2-3)                                                ESPN/EFN SUN @ 12PM ET               MEMPHIS (1-4) @ BOSTON (1-4)                                  ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               ORLANDO (2-3) @ ATLANTA (2-3)                               ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               CHARLOTTE (5-0) @ NASHVILLE (2-3)                           FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                  ARIZONA (2-3) @ DENVER (2-3)                                     ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                  PORTLAND (4-1) @ LOS ANGELES (0-5)                        FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                  LAS VEGAS (3-2) @ ST. LOUIS (3-2)                               FOX SUN @ 8PM ET                  PHILADELPHIA (4-1) @ BALTIMORE (4-1)            ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Willis McGahee has been about as central to the Bandits success as any player is to any team. The Bandits managed to win a title with him on the bench last year, but with performances like this week's 132-yard effort, McGahee makes the Bandits an almost impossible team to defend. He catches the ball, runs inside and outside and can even take on the odd blitzer when necessary.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Charlotte stands alone as the only unbeaten team in the league, and this week they also get the POTW for LB Rolando McClain. McClain's big day included 7 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and a huge celebration as Charlotte moved to 4-0.

Everyone who had picked Charlotte to be the last unbeaten team in the league raise your hands.  No one.  That’s what we thought.  With Texas going down to defeat in Philadelphia and Portland struggling against the Las Vegas Thunder defense, the Charlotte Monarchs became the only team to reach 4-0 at the ¼ mark of the season, easily taking care of the Orlando Renegades to win their 3rd divisional game and take a 2-game lead in the Southeast Division.  Week 4 also saw four teams still sitting with a goosegg in the win column, including two franchises we did not expect to be here, the Michigan Panthers and the defending Pacific Division Champion LA Express.  It has been a wild first 4 games of the year and Week 4 did not disappoint as the tight games and surprise results continued.  We will review all the action from this fourth week of USFL action and also give you an on the unrest and speculation brought on by the as-yet undisclosed proposed sale of a current franchise to Dallas investors.  Let’s get right to it with this week’s best game, a Central Division showdown between two teams with very different first quarter fortunes in 2012. ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS  30   MICHIGAN PANTHERS 27 We had a good one in the Central Division this week as the Michigan Panthers hosted the St. Louis Skyhawks in a battle of two teams who seem to be headed in very different directions.  The Skyhawks entered the game at 2-1, having soundly defeated both the Machine and the Stallions before narrowly falling by 1 point to the Denver Gold last week. Michigan came into this matchup at a surprising 0-3, but have largely been in every game, losing to both Baltimore and Texas by exactly 3 points.  The Panthers have been close, but have been unable to hold teams down to secure wins, and that would be the storyline once again as for a second straight week they would fall by the score of 30-27. The problem for the Panthers has been their defense, which is giving up nearly 30 points per game, and against St. Louis it would fail them once again.  A game that was 13-13 after three quarters would explode for 31 combined points in the final quarter, 3 more than Michigan could afford to give up.  Michigan would allow 441 total yards of offense, and 130 yards rushing, but with 1:38 left to go they would have the lead, but once again would prove unable to hold it. The first three quarters of this game would not seem to foretell the explosive 4th quarter that we saw.  St. Louis would be held to only 2 field goals in the first half, while Michigan would score on only one drive, with Mike Hart getting a TD late in the 2nd quarter only to have the usually reliable Matt Prater doink the PAT off the crossbar, creating a 6-6 halftime score.  In the third quarter St. Louis would finally find paydirt, with Antowain Smith scoring from 2 yards out, but on the ensuing drive, Michigan would equalize as Brian Griese, who would finish the game with 287 yards and 3 TDs, would get his first, a 24-yard toss to Mario Manningham. Those two drives apparently cracked open the defenses for both teams and a wild 4th quarter would ensue.  It began mildly enough with a St. Louis drive bogging down in the red zone and ending with a 34-yard Rob Bironas TD.  After a 3-and-out for the Panthers, St. louis would get its longest play of the game as a missed coverage left Taylor Jacobs wide open for a 52-yard toss from Josh Freeman.  St. Louis had built a seemingly unassailable 10-point lead with over 9 minutes left to play. But the Skyhawks also had some issues on defense, and on their next drive Michigan would exploit the skyhawks, with Griese connecting on a 51-yard pass to Hines Ward that put the ball on the 6-yard line.  One play later Griese would find Manningham for a 2nd time and Michigan would be within 3.  After failing on a 3rd and 13 play, St. Louis would quickly return the ball to the Panthers, and Michigan would be in business, down only 3.  They needed only 1:58 to move the ball down the field once again, thanks in large part to a successful screen play that sent Mike Hart on a 24-yard scamper right up the middle of the field.  With 1:38 left to play, the seeminging unattainable comeback was in place as Gary Barnidge caught the 5-yard TD from Griese to put Michigan up 27-23.  It would appear that they would earn their first win after a rough 0-3 start. But 1:38 proved to be too much time.  Michigan’s defense moved to a shell, trying to protect against the deep ball, but allowing out routes and sideline patterns that were far too easy.  Josh Freeman connected on 5 consecutive passes, none longer than 11 yards, but quickly enough to put the ball at the 10-yard line with nearly 30 seconds left on the clock.  It was an epic failure of the prevent defense as the Panthers simply could not both protect against the deep ball and cover the outside routes that allowed St. Louis to pick up yards and stop the clock.  When Freeman took the snap from the 10, Michigan finally switched things up, sending pressure for the first time the entire drive, but when the blitz failed to get home, Freeman was able to find Taylor Jacobs fro his 2nd TD of the game, a perfectly thrown jump ball that Jacobs could pinpoint while his defender had his back to the ball.  Jacobs came down with it and St. Louis pulled ahead 30-27.  Michigan would drop to 0-4 while the Skyhawks, very much looking like a team that believes in its own ascendency, would rise to 3-1 on the year. TEXAS 21   PHILADELPHIA 28 As impressive as last week’s win over Atlanta was, this victory by the Stars over the unbeaten Outlaws may have just reminded the league that this team is so much more than a QB.  Matt Gutierrez only completed 10 of 22 passes, but the Stars still managed to hold off the Outlaws and move to 3-1.  Quentin Jammer again came up huge with his 2nd pick-six in two weeks, this time a 68-yarder that again got the crowd to their feet.  The Stars sacked Joe Flacco 7 times and limited the Outlaws to 4 of 14 on third down as they proved that they were still a force to reckon with in the East. NASHVILLE 29   OHIO 27 With 142 yards from scrimmage and 2 touchdowns, Frank Gore is doing his best to keep Nashville as a contender in the Southern Division.  Ohio had a good day from their lead back, DeMarco Murray (98 yards and 2 scores) but a failed 2-point conversion meant that the Glory fell to 0-4 on the season.  Nashville sits at 2-2 in large part due to Quincy Carter’s efforts to protect the ball and the defense’s ability to force teams to settle for 3 once they get into scoring range. PITTSBURGH 10  MEMPHIS 7 A second consecutive rainy and muddy week in the Mid-South forced both teams to slog through a tough game.  Kenny Watson was the man this week for the Maulers, as he rushed for 96 yards and Pittsburgh’s lone TD.  Memphis got within 3 on a 4th quarter TD to Sidney Rice after 3 quarters without a scoring try, but Dan Bailey went 0 for 3 on field goal attempts in the game, all from 40+, as the conditions made life miserable for the fans, the players, and the kicking game. NEW JERSEY 27   BIRMINGHAM 24 Birmingham got skirted by the rain on Friday, but by game time the field was in decent shape and both offenses could run a full playbook. That worked out well for both QB’s as both Bradford and Newton threw for 3 scores apiece.  Bradford found Doug Baldwin twice for scores, and by the half had a 24-3 lead.  Newton heated up in the second half, connecting with Terrell Owens twice, but could not get a final drive to tie or take the lead.  New Jersey escaped with the win and a 3-1 record at the ¼ mark of the season. LOS ANGELES 6   ATLANTA 9 Weather was not an issue inside the Georgia Dome, but poor offense certainly was.  In a sloppy game that saw the two teams combine for 17 penalties and go a combined 6 of 30 on third down, both offenses were inefficient, mistake prone, and just plain bad.  Randy Moss was again held under 50 yards in the game as his longest completion was for just 11 yards, and Atlanta could only muster 52 yards rushing against the Express in a game that was a joy for no one. PORTLAND 3   LAS VEGAS 16 The Stags’ surprising 3-0 start came to a halt as Las Vegas put up the first 13-points in the game and played shut down defense throughout.  Nine penalties for 80 yards did not help the Stags’ cause, and neither did Jonathan Stewart being held to only 2.3 yards per carry. The Thunder fared a bit better, with Lynch and Cedric Benson combining for 89 yards and backup QB Ingle Martin connecting with TE Ernie Williams for the lone TD of the game.  Las Vegas survives with Jake Plummer out, and gets the win to take a share of the Pacific lead with Portland. ORLANDO 10   CHARLOTTE 39 The Monarchs continue to impress as they blow out the Renegades and now sit as the league’s only unbeaten.  Jake Delhomme, who struggled through most of 2011 is looking right at home now, throwing for 200 yards on an 18 of 28 day.  Fred Jackson and Shonn Greene combined for 124 yards and 2 scores, and the Monarchs found the Renegade offense, without Knownshon Moreno, to be no threat at all. JACKSONVILLE 20   TAMPA BAY 17 Two losses in a row for the Bandits as they underestimate their in-state rival, let them hang around all game, and then look on in disbelief as the Bulls get 2 scores in the 4th, including a game winning TD from Tebow to Johnny Knox to take their first win of the season.  Tebow would go 22 of 38 for 226 and the score, while Lamar Miller, the rookie back, is beginning to look like a good catch, rushing for 86 yards on the day. BOSTON 6   BALTIMORE 14 Baltimore caught the front end of the rains for most of their game against Boston, but they may have found an answer as Anthony Dixon rushed for 102 in his best game of the year.  The defense was rough on Jake Locker, who has yet to settle into the pro game, and Boston could not get in the endzone again as the Cannons fall to 0-4 with another low-scoring loss. CHICAGO 13   NEW ORLEANS 21 After blowing out Arizona last week, the Machine came out flat against New Orleans. The defense pressured Drew Brees but the Breaker QB got the last laugh, completing 82% of his passes and connecting with both Early Doucet and rookie TE Coby Fleener for scores.  Doucet had himself a game with 150 yards on 6 receptions as New Orleans moved to 2-2, joining the 3-way tie atop the Southern Division. HOUSTON 20   ARIZONA 27 The Wranglers bounced back nicely from their loss last week, getting TDs from Fitzgerald, Mike Williams, and Stevan Ridley to upend the Gamblers.  David Carr had to leave the game just after the half, but Jim Sorgi rallied the Wranglers with a TD to Mike Williams to seal the win.  Ninety-five yards from LT helped as well as Arizona now moves to 2-2, along with the Gamblers. SEATTLE 16   OAKLAND 0 The Invaders drop to 2-2  with a stunningly ineffective showing at home against the winless Dragons.  Seattle held Oakland to only 59  yards rushing and controlled the ball for 38:25 of the 60 minutes, thanks in large part to the rushing of Jahvid Best and Jackson Smith, who combined for 98 yards on 31 carries.  Byron Leftwich hit Anquon Boldin for the game’s only touchdown, and Seattle got their first win of the year while shutting out a division rival. WASHINGTON 16   DENVER 3 Denver’s offense was also a no show on Sunday night as the Federals limited the Gold to 287 total yards and only 72 yards rushing.  A safety from Corey Liuget and a  pick-six from LB Antonio Pierce highlighted the dominance of the Federal defense in this game.  Five different Feds also got sacks as the visitors moved to 3-1 and now have a share of first place in the very competitive NE Division. Charlotte Moves to 4-0 But Cannot Shake Doubters The Charlotte Monarchs are beginning to understand what Rodney Dangerfield was talking about.  They just cannot get no respect.  The Monarchs are the last remaining unbeaten team, have won the last two games by a combined 76-10 score, are currently 1st in the league in scoring, 5th in scoring defense, and can boast a 19.3 point average margin of victory after 4 weeks, but no one seems to care.  The most recent ESPN Power Rankings have them 4th behind Texas, Pittsburgh, and Washington.   USA Today has them third, with only Washington falling behind, and the general opinion on sports talk is that this club is expected to start faltering and many are even saying they could finish 3rd in their own division. So, what does a team have to do to get some respect?  Well, the first thing may be to beat a team with a winning record.  So far, after 4 games, their toughest opponents have been 2-2 Atlanta and 2-2 Orlando, but that may change this week when they head out to Las Vegas to face the 3-1 Thunder on their own turf.  The game will also be the first road game of the year for the Monarchs, who have benefited from a quirky schedule that had them play an entire month of home games before hitting the road.  They will now head to Las Vegas, then to Nashville, and on to Jacksonville and Orlando in a 4-game road stretch. Charlotte will be challenged this week as both Fred Jackson and Shonn Greene appeared on the injury list.  Jackson is doubtful, Green questionable, but we expect one or both to be able to play.  The Monarchs will have their entire receiver group available, including D. J. Hackett, who leads the club with 303 yards, 23 receptions, and 4 TDs.  Former NJ General Mark Clayton has 3 scores of his own, despite only having 7 receptions so far this year.  The defense will also be intact, which includes Rolando McClain, who had a huge game this past week, as well as sack leader LB Rey Maualaga, and CB Asante Samuel, who already has 2 picks on the season. Charlotte may find that respect takes time, but as they venture out for a long road trip, this is the time for them to prove that they are not an early season fluke, but a true contender. Stewart the Story in Portland Portland fell to defeat for the first time this season in their game against Las Vegas, but don’t put the blame on HB Jonathan Stewart.  The 5th year back is having his best season with the Stags and could exceed 1,000 yards for the third straight year if he can keep up the pace.  He is on pace for 400 carries this season, something we have only seen once in 30 years of USFL football, 2008, when Michael Turner barely topped it at 402 for the season.  But, the 97 carries we have seen already have been productive ones for Stewart.  They include a 160 yard game in Week 2 against Orlando and two more games over 80 yards. The Stags need this kind of production from their lead back as the passing game has not exactly lit things up.  Ryan Fitzpatrick is doing pretty well this year, raising his completion percentage to a respectable 67.5% and he has been protecting the ball, with only 1 pick in 4 games, but he is not making huge plays downfield.  The Stags rely on the run, play action, and short passes to keep the chains moving, and it has been Stewart’s steady gains on early downs that have made it possible for the Stags to keep those chains moving and avoid the problematic third-and-long situations which tend to cause drives to stall. The defense has been a huge help to the Stags, ranked 2nd in points allowed at 12.2 per game (only Las Vegas is better) and barely 222 yards per game, but even that is partially a result of Stewart’s success, as Portland currently has the highest time of possession total through four games of any team in the league, nearly 37 minutes per game.  If the Stags are going to be a legitimate contender for the Pacific Title, especially after being picked by most to finish in 5th place, they are going to do so on the back (and the legs) of Jonathan Stewart. Flacco Holding the Triple Crown Despite Week 4 Loss As we look over the stats after 4 weeks (see our standings page for current totals) it seems clear that Joe Flacco is again on pace for a possible MVP award.  The Texas QB is currently holding the Triple Crown of yards, TDs and QB Rating.  It is a trifecta he was able to hold last year in his MVP season, an honor which only 5 QBs have ever achieved (Jim Kelly, Brett Favre-twice, Kerry Collins-twice, Troy Aikman, and Brian Griese) and one only Kerry Collins achieved in back to back seasons, the “Glory Years” of back to back titles in 2002-2003.  Texas fell short last year, falling to Pittsburgh in the Conference Title Game, but if Flacco can keep up this pace all season, the Outlaws may again be poised to reach their first Summer Bowl. Express Last in Scoring But First in Complaints The 2012 season is not going the way most expected for the LA Express.  After a 10-6 season that saw the Express win the Pacific Division and advance to the Divisional Playoff Round, there were high hopes that this year LA could go even further, maybe win the top seed and earn a bye, and make a serious push for the club’s first Summer Bowl appearance since 2006.  But, sitting at 0-4, and boasting the worst offense in both yards and scoring, it does not feel like that team has shown up yet. What has shown up in Los Angeles is discord.  It started with Randy Moss speaking publicly about the team’s offensive struggles, and calling out both the playcalling of his coach and the decision-making of his QB.  Now, after another brutal loss, and a 2nd straight game without scoring a touchdown, more and more fingers are being pointed in more and more directions.  Yes, Moss was again vocal about the team’s need for a more wide-open gameplan.  Keyshawn Johnson, the other distinctly extroverted receiver on the club, spoke out as well, stating that he felt chances were missed and that the gameplan continues to be far too conservative.  Halfback Ray Rice, who has yet to crack 1,000 yards in his career, is grumbling about a lack of carries, with only 52 this season.  Compare that to backs like Jonathan Stewart (97), Deuce McCallister (93) and Fred Jackson (88) and you can see why he is upset, but unlike those three backs, Rice is not providing enough bang for the buck at 3.8 yards per carry to warrant 20-25 carries a game. LA’s problems appear to be many.  Their line is struggling to hold blocks, their QB is rushing plays to avoid getting hit, and the receivers are not getting separation.  And while we can also critique the overall gameplan for not opening up the passing game, the truth is that the offense is not stable enough to allow for slow-developing plays or frequent deep shots.  Coach Gregg Williams is by nature a conservative coach with a defensive mindset, but the roster he has to work with on offense is not a classic smashmouth, grind it out, squad.  They are better aligned for a faster pace, more spread, deep ball vertical offense, but that is not the preferred strategy for Williams, so we are not seeing it on the field.  So, for the near future, expect to hear more grousing, more discord, and more post-game discussion as the losses continue to pile up. Injuries continue to mount as the USFL season continues, with the biggest hit coming in Memphis, where HB Cadillac Williams will be placed on IR after suffering a hip injury that will require surgery this week. The Showboats were not alone in their pain as Washington suffered two potential IR-inducing injuries, with RT Vernon Carey down with a ruptured Achilles tendon and DT Geno Atkins out with a fracture to his tibia.  A rough week all in all, with several season-impacting injuries to report. INJURED RESERVE Vernon Carrey              OT          WSH                  Achilles Cadillac Williams            HB          MEM                 Hip Andy Alleman                 G             BAL                   Achilles Geno Atkins                DT           WSH                 Leg OUT Terreal Bierria               SS           POR                       Arm                     6-8 Weeks David Bowens            DE          JAX                        Arm                     4-6 Weeks Michael Floyd             WR         CHI                        Abdomen            2-4 Weeks Jason Babin                  DE          BOS                       MCL                     1-2 Weeks Marshawn Lynch            HB          LV                           Ribs                      1-2 Weeks Shonn Greene               HB          CHA                       Ankle                   1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL Sinorice Moss                   WR         STL                        Concussion Jamar Fletcher                 CB           DEN                       Knee Tebucky Jones                  FS           MEM                     Concussion Marcus Truffant                CB           LA                          Shoulder QUESTIONABLE Michael Jenkins                WR         ORL                        Turf Toe Robbie Tobeck                 C             ATL                         Concussion John Greco                       OT          BIR                         Jaw Bobby Wagner                 LB           OAK                       Turf Toe Bob Sanders                     SS           NJ                           Hip Fan Groups Across USFL Call For Owners to Nix Sale This had to be expected.  With news that the USFL league offices had received the intent to transfer ownership paperwork from the Destination Dallas investment group fronted by tech billionaire Mark Cuban, but without naming the franchise in question to be transferred, fans in several cities have started making noise.  Organized efforts to protest the sale have emerged in all of the most likely cities impacted by a club sale: Boston, Chicago, Oakland, and Nashville, but also in Orlando, Memphis, and San Antonio, all cities not generally viewed as being in danger of a sale & relocation plot. The greatest pressure seems to be building in Chicago, where not only have over 25,000 fans signed a petition to ask the USFL to keep the Machine in the Windy City, but where Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, former White House Chief of Staff, has called for the city’s lease with the Machine to be held securely, requiring major punitive damages be paid to the city should the team leave town.  In Boston, fans have organized rallies to support the Cannons, but have been unable to get official support from City Hall.  In Nashville the local government is open to renegotiating the Knights’ contract with Adelphia Stadium, but have, as of yet, been unable or unwilling to go so far as to threaten legal action against the USFL should Nashville’s Knights be proposed as the club to be sold to the Dallas investment group. Meanwhile, in Dallas, the news of a potential club purchase has been greeted with widesweeping approval.  Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has said that the USFL will be welcomed with open arms. The Cotton Bowl renovations are near completion so a club could begin play in March 2013, and nearly 24,000 fans have already placed non-binding $100 deposits on seat licenses for a potential franchise, a number that has already put nearly $2.5 million in the coffers of the Destination Dallas group. Our reporters have, as yet, been unable to obtain any reliable information as to the identity of the team which has signed off on the agreement to sell the franchise.  We know the league owners will be reviewing and very likely voting on the sale in just a couple of weeks, but clearly word has gotten out around the league that this is a topic to keep under wraps, lest one of the existing franchises suffer a midseason crisis of faith, with protests impacting both attendance and public image in the club’s current location.  We will continue to reach out to both league and various team sources to see if we can get a better sense of the future, and we will continue to follow the actions of the Destination Dallas Group, as they seem to exuding confidence that approval is forthcoming and planning for a Dallas USFL club is moving forward. Would League Consider a Double Move to Save a Market? Sports radio has lept on the news of the Dallas sale, and in an interesting move, both on radio and on ESPN’s USFL coverage a new wrinkle has been discussed.  Would the league consider a double move if the Dallas deal costs the league one of its cornerstone cities?  What does that mean?  Well, we all know that the league is largely TV revenue dependent, and we know that the revenue stream is tied to markets across the USA.  The concern, both within the league offices and among all 28 owners is that a move, even to a large market such as Dallas, could lead to reconfigured deals with both ABC/ESPN and FOX, particularly related to the Saturday and Sunday slates of simulcast games. The fear, of course, is that Chicago is the team on the chopping block. The league already dealt with the loss of the country’s second largest city back in the late 1980’s when the Chicago Blitz relocated to Baltimore.  The league was able to assuage the networks then through a guaranteed reinstating of a Chicago franchise in 1987 as well as an expansion that added additional markets such as intended franchises in Miami, San Diego, and San Antonio.  That plan backfired a bit when Miami turned out to be Orlando, and San Diego ended up in Tulsa, but Chicago did return with the Machine in 1987, and by 1988 the Orlando, San Antonio and now Portland squads helped expand the market coverage into the Pacific Northwest and within Texas. In the current scenario, there is no immediate plan for expansion, so the departure of a Chicago franchise would be hard for the league to swallow. Or, would they simply not allow that to happen.  The case put forward in sports media has been that if Chicago is indeed the franchise under the microscope, the league might push hard for a 2nd team, particularly a team in a smaller market, Nashville, Orlando, or Columbus, for example, to be pushed, cajoled, or enticed to relocate to Chicago immediately.  What we could see is for the Machine to suffer a major upheaval, perhaps with new ownership coming from one of the other cities, and with the full staff and roster of that relocated 2nd team to replace the Machine roster and staff, while the original Machine franchise would move to Dallas, with all the players and personnel traveling to their new city as part of the deal with Destination Dallas.  This would not be the first time we have seen something like this, not even for Chicago. Older fans may remember that after only 1 season in the USFL, when the league was still struggling to establish itself, and right as the antitrust lawsuit and discussion of a fall calendar were getting underway, the owners of the then Chicago Blitz and the Arizona Wranglers all but traded entire franchises.  Chicago’s initial ownership took over the Wranglers, and brought most of the Blitz roster as well as head coach George Allen to the desert, while Chicago got handed most of the Arizona roster and staff. Considering the long history of Chicago being a somewhat unstable location, a history that has largely been forgotten as the Machine have resided in the city without much incident since 1987, discussion of a double move seems both plausible, and concerning.  Of course Chicagoans would not be happy to lose the team they have rooted for, even if the shell of the Machine were picked up by another team, but a double move would also mean that somewhere else in the USFL nation a city would be losing their franchise entirely, despite local support, just to ensure that the league retained a huge TV market in Chicago. Of course, this all assumes that Chicago is the franchise that the Dallas investment group has targeted and come to an agreement with.  Were the agreement to be with a club like Nashville, we likely would not be discussing any double move.  The Knights and Memphis Showboats have struggled to not cannibalize each other’s fanbase, and further splits exist with some Tennessee and regional fans also supporting Birmingham, Atlanta, or St. Louis.  If the team being sold is either Boston or Oakland, then there is a debate.  Boston is the 11th largest market in the USA, and while the league would  like to retain as many Top 20 markets as possible, a move to Dallas, the #4 market, could not be defined as a negative impact move by the league.  Similarly, with the Bay Area currently the 13th largest market, relocation of the Invaders to Dallas would still be a net pick up for the league. Of course, this all assumes that the network don’t look at the numbers and decide that losing all of New England, or the Bay Area and all of northern California as a more significant subtraction than the addition of a 3rd Texas squad would represent.  With Houston and San Antonio already represented in the league, there is an argument to be made that adding Dallas is not as big a gain as may be anticipated, with many DFW football fans having already signed on with the Gamblers or Outlaws as their team.  Losing the Boston or Bay Area markets could actually produce a greater impact than the addition of the DFW metro area could counteract. The idea of a double move, while primarily tied to Chicago as a city of concern, could, even in the cases of other markets, be a considerable consideration.  Could a smaller market essentially be squeezed out by the league’s interest in maximizing their TV dollars?  While that seems an unpleasant potentiality, it also feels very much like the kind of financial consideration the USFL may well be willing to consider. Peyton Manning Cleared for Non-Contact Drills Our final report of the week is good news for what must be a very nervous Nashville fanbase. While the club is still being named as a very possible Dallas target for sale and relocation, and while the club has had marginal success with Quincy Carter at the helm, sitting at 2-2 in the division at present, the news fans have wanted to hear has come to pass. In his most recent medical evaluation, Peyton Manning has been deemed to be improving nicely, recovering from the spinal fusion surgery which cost him the entire 2011 NFL season and has been cleared to participate in non-contact drills and practice with the Nashville Knights.  Manning, who has been a regular presence at the team’s facilities, an unofficial coach to the QB group during film and gameplan meetings, and who has been seen engaging in private workouts both on the field and in the team’s weight and training facilities, is now able to join the team for walkthroughs and other non-contract drills.  This is a good step towards being able to join in full practices and eventually to being moved from the PUP list to the active roster.  That is something all Knight fans are hoping will happen this year.  The alternative would be for the Knights to decide to give Manning more time, place him on IR for the remainder of the season and target 2013 as his potential return date.  What fans are hoping for, and what the recent announcement of his eligibility for practice seems to indicate, is the potential for a late season return to action, and a possible appearance of the former Tennessee Volunteer on the field in Knight purple, silver and gold this season. Week Five kicks off with a battle we all want to see, as two NE Division rivals square off. It will be the Federals visiting Philadelphia to take on the Stars. The Stars have found ways to win over the past 2 weeks, shrugging off the loss of Kurt Warner by redoubling their commitment to shut down defense and a balanced attack.   Washington comes in with the best ground game in the league and with a desire to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the division. Saturday’s headline games include Houston traveling to Portland, and a traditional Alabama-Georgia border war between two clubs in different divisions but with a history of football rivalry, the Atlanta Fire traveling to Birmingham to face the Stallions.  Saturday also features a game that could be the beginning of the end for one team as the winless Michigan Panthers travel to neighboring Ohio to face the winless Ohio Glory. Not exactly the Michigan-Ohio State clash we love each fall, but a game that could mark the end of any realistic goals for this season as one team will likely come out of the game at 0-5. On Sunday’s slate we look forward to the Baltimore-Orlando clash in Central Florida, to the Generals headed to Denver to face the Gold, and to the Maulers and Skyhawks, both 3-1, clashing in the Gateway city, but the game of the week has to be Charlotte heading to Las Vegas for a Sunday 4pm classic of a 4-0 Monarchs club being tested in their first road game against the 3-1 Las Vegas Thunder, the club with the best scoring defense in football. FRIDAY @ 8PM ET             Washington (3-1) @ Philadelphia (3-1)           NBC SAT @ 12PM ET                Nashville (2-2) @ Boston (0-4)          ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                Michigan (0-4) @ Ohio (0-4)                            ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                Atlanta (2-2) @ Birmingham (2-2)                   FOX SAT @ 4PM ET                  Houston (2-2) @ Portland (3-1)                     ABC SAT @ 4PM ET                  Jacksonville (1-3) @ Seattle (1-3)                     FOX SAT @ 8PM ET                  Texas (3-1) @ Arizona (2-2)                               ESPN/EFN SUN @ 12PM ET           Baltimore (3-1) @ Orlando (2-2)                       ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               Memphis (1-3) @ New Orleans (2-2)               FOX SUN @ 12PM ET               Pittsburgh (3-1) @ St. Louis (3-1)                       FOX SUN @ 4PM ET              New Jersey (3-1) @ Denver (2-2)                   ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                Chicago (2-2) @ Los Angeles (0-4)                    ABC SUN @ 4PM ET               Charlotte (4-0) @ Las Vegas (3-1)                     FOX SUN @ 8PM ET                Oakland (2-2) @ Tampa Bay (2-2)                  ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Week 3's POTW is Joe Flacco, who once again took the Texas offense on his back and, thanks to his 428 yard, 3 TD day, carried the Outlaws to victory as the club moved to 3-0 on the year. Special acknowledgement for the defensive POTW, Quentin Jammer, who set a league record with a 100 yard pick-six in Philadelphia's big comeback win.

Finally a week without a season-altering injury to report on.  Week 3 was highlighted by a big home win for the Stars with their backup now set to play out the rest of the season, blowout wins by the Chicago Machine and Charlotte Monarchs, a barnburner between Michigan and Texas, and quite a bit or rain across the league.  Stunningly we have the Monarchs and Stags sitting at 3-0 along with Texas, while Michigan, LA, and Seattle sit uncomfortably at 0-3 (along with Boston,  Jacksonville, and Ohio who many expected to have rough starts).  In a week where the focus was the scoreboard and not the injury list, a lot of good games to report on, so let’s get started. ATLANTA FIRE 25   PHILADELPHIA STARS 30 For the second week in a row the Stars make our game of the week.  This time it is purely their on-field performance, and not a season-altering injury, that gets our attention.  In a game that may build some fan confidence in their stand-in quarterback, a confidence he quite frankly deserved after last year’s playoff performance, Matt Gutierrez survived two picks and 6 sacks and led a game-winning drive in the final minutes to secure the win for the Stars.  It was not easy, not always pretty, and he got a huge assist from the defense, but Matt Gutierrez again found a way to win in a tough matchup. The gameplan for the Stars was simple, push the run game, use play action, and don’t ask too much of their quarterback. That plan seemed to be working just fine in the first quarter, when Philadelphia took the opening kickoff 77 yards in only 8 plays, thanks in large part to a couple of 20+ yard strikes, and got on the board with a brilliant 26-yard run from Steve Slaton.  The Stars would double their advantage 10 minutes later when Gutierrez found Stevie Johnson from 10 yards out to go up 14-0.  Johnson would be Gutierrez’s favorite target all game, targeted 7 times and bringing in3 balls.  Slaton would be even more important, rushing for 114 yards on the day. After falling behind early, Atlanta started pulling their way back in the 2nd quarter.  They got their first points on a Josh Scobee field goal, and would then add 7 more on their next drive as Kyle Orton found Ted Ginn Jr on a short crossing route from the 3 yard line.  Down 14-10 with a chance for a third drive in the quarter, Atlanta looked like they had found the formula.  They used tough inside running from LaDell Betts and Darren McFadden to force Philadelphia into bringing the safeties down, and then connected with Reed, Ginn, and Matt Jones behind the coverage, the very same strategy that Philadelphia was trying to use. But, on their 2-minute drive, one key moment would alter the ending of the first half.  Having had success moving the ball into the red zone, and with time counting down, Jay Cutler forced a ball into the endzone, trying to connect with Josh Reed.  What he did was through a perfect ball to CB Quentin Jammer, who not only stepped right into the pass, but was all but clear to run the full 100-yards downfield to turn in a 100-yard pick six play.  Orton tried to get the angle on Jammer, but fell a yard short, clearing a straight line run for the cornerback to take the ball to the house.  It was a play that left the Philadelphia crowd in an ecstatic state at the half, their team up 21-10. The second half would prove more difficult for the Stars.  Their offense stagnated, producing only a sole field goal in the 3rd quarter.  At the same time the Fire continued to claw their way closer and closer.  The opening drive of the quarter led to another Scobee field goal, pulling Atlanta within 8, a one score game.  They would get that one score on their next drive, a 14-play march down the field that ended with Will Heller on the receiving end of another short Kyle Orton TD pass.  Orton would finish the day with 59 pass attempts, connecting on 35 of them for 369 yards, far outpacing Matt Gutierrez’s 9 of 19 for 120, but in the end Gutierrez would get the last laugh. Atlanta missed the 2-point conversion after the Heller TD, which meant that they trailed the Stars 21-19.  They would get a field goal just as the third quarter ended, which put them up 24-19 when the final period began. In that period, both teams struggled with pass protection. Gutierrez was sacked by Chris Kelsay to end the Stars’ first drive, then Orton suffered a 14-yard loss on a poor attempt to escape an initial defender only to be sacked by Anthony Hargrove even further back.  Both drives failed, and with 7 minutes left, the game remained 24-19.  But Atlanta would find their groove again on their second drive of the quarter.  Orton would connect with Josh Reed for a huge 32-yard play on a 3rd and 9, and McFadden would add a 22-yard rumble that took the ball to the 4. From there Orton would again connect on a short TD pass, his third of the game, this time finding Demetrius Williams along the back line of the endzone. The Fire again failed on their 2-point attempt, leaving them up 25-24 with 3:26 left to play. Needing only a field goal, Philadelphia embarked on a drive that had two missions, get Mike Nugent in range for the winning kick, and kill as much of the clock as possible in that drive.  The Stars would rely on Steve Slaton to get that done, and the lead back would come through.  Philadelphia found themselves breaking off big chunks on the ground, perhaps too big for the time-killing goal of the drive. Within only 4 plays they were inside the Fire side of the field.  Perhaps that is why Coach Harbaugh decided to abandon the slow march and go for the jugular.  On a 2nd and 8 from the 39-yard line, the Stars faked the handoff to Slaton, and after a legal rub route freed up WR Reche Caldwell on a slant & go route, Gutierrez found the receiver in single coverage with the safety, who was trailing by a good 2 yards.  He heaved up his longest pass of the game, and found Caldwell, who had not caught a ball add day.  Caldwell reeled in the pass, tumbling to the ground, but rolling over the goalline and into the endzone for 6.  Yes, there was time on the clock, 1:44 to be exact, but instead of a 2-point lead, Philadelphia had the chance to go up 7. Those 2-point conversions are so tempting, but can be so tough to pull off.  After watching Atlanta fail on two attempts, it was Philadelphia’s turn, and they too failed to get the ball into the endzone from 2 yards out. Atlanta would have nearly 2 minutes, with 2 timeouts left, to try to get a TD, down by 5. Philadelphia got the hero ball play from Gutierrez and now they would need the defense to step up and preserve the win.  The D did just that.  Safety Jairus Byrd broke up a pass play to Williams on a 1st and 10 from the 33, then Orton was forced out of the pocket on 2nd and 10, throwing the ball away instead of taking the sack as Robert Mathis caught up to him.  That left a 3rd and 10, and while Orton was able to connect with TE Will Heller, the play went for only 4 yards, leaving Philadelphia to defend a 4th and 6 attempt still in Atlanta territory. Orton would again look to Williams, but this time it was Quentin Jammer once again who was the man on the spot. With his 4th pass defense of the game, going along with his 100-yard pick six, Jammer broke up the 4th down toss with a perfectly timed jab between the arms of Williams, knocking the ball away while avoiding a DPI call.  Philadelphia would pull this one out and move to 2-1.  Gutierrez would have his game winning drive and a defense that had given up 489 total yards on the day would make the stand they had to make.  A big win for what had been a rattled Stars team a week earlier. TAMPA BAY 16   ORLANDO 23 The Renegades fell behind early at home but rebounded in large part thanks to relentless pressure from their front four.  Orlando recorded 7 sacks of Daunte Culpepper, including 3 from DT Albert Haynesworth and another 2 from Calais Campbell as they rattled the veteran, forcing 2 picks, including a Cortland Finnegan 47-yard pick six, and a fumble from the Bandit QB.  Both teams now sit at 2-1 in the division. PITTSBURGH 23   NASHVILLE 10 The Maulers racked up 151 yards on the ground and got another TD from rookie Brandon Boldin as they outpaced the Knights.  Ronnie Brown led all rushers with 90 yards on 18 carries, and Vincent Jackson added 93 through the air.  The Knights at one point recorded 4 straight 3-and-outs and finished the game with only 4 converted 3rd down tries all game. NEW ORLEANS 13   MEMPHIS 3 Rain the night before had created a bit of a mud pit at Legion Field, making offensive football tough for both teams.  Matt Forte led all rushers with only 40 yards on 12 carries, while Drew Brees found Early Doucet for the game’s only TD, but not until the 6:35 mark of the 4th quarter. Both clubs now sit at 1-2 on the year. LOS ANGELES 0   CHARLOTTE 37 An ugly game for the Express in a rainy Charlotte.  LA gained only 171 total yards and was 1 of 10 on third down.  Charlotte did not seem bothered by the rain a jake Delhomme went 20 of 25 for 177 yards and 2 TDs.  With the score 31-0 in the 4th, we got to see rookie Brandon Wheedon on the field. The rookie went 3 for 3 and found TE Justin Green for a TD to put the game away. TEXAS 30   MICHIGAN 27 A shootout at Ford Field that saw Joe Flacco explode for 428 yards passing.  Flacco also connected with 3 different receivers for scores. Both Brandon Marshall and TE Chris Cooley went over 100 yards.  NFL signee Arian Foster carried the ball 22 times but struggled as Michigan loaded the box.  He finished with only 35 yards but Flacco’s huge day won the game for the visitors. DENVER 21   ST. LOUIS 20 The Skyhawks drop their first game of the year as Denver gets two 4th quarter TD’s from their run game to pull back from a 20-7 deficit and take the win.  Maurice Hicks was the star for Denver, rushing for 71 yards on only 8 carries to help lead the Gold back and on to victory.  St. Louis went through 3 QBs in the game with Josh Freeman knocked out after only 2 passes. Troy Smith played most of the game, but was hurt in the 4th, which led to Ricky Stanzi coming in to finish the game. BALTIMORE 13   WASHINGTON 16 Another wet game as rain persisted throughout the Blitz-Federals game.  That did not bother Deuce McCallister, who rushed for 139 and caught a 5-yard TD pass from David Garrard.  Tory Holt led al receivers with 126 yards as Baltimore abandoned the run in the muck.  It was 13-9 Baltimore after 3, but McCallister’s late TD gave the win to the homestanding Federals, who move to 2-1, equal with the Blitz. OHIO 16   BIRMINGHAM 25 Birmingham was spared the rain that soaked most of the Mid-South, and that helped Cam Newton and the Stallions as they got TDs from Terrell Owens and a pick six from LB Ernie Sims to take the W at home and move to 2-1.  Ohio kept it close, but the Stallons added 2 late field goals to pull the lead out to 9 points and Ohio never recovered. JACKSONVILLE 21   NEW JERSEY 27 The Generals win their second in a row as Michael Crabtree put on a show with 139 yards receiving and 2 scores against the Bulls.  Sam Bradford added another to Doug Baldwin and the Generals were off to the races. Jacksonville clawed back, but it was too little too late as New Jersey secured the win with a 7 minute drive to kill most of the 4th quarter. ARIZONA 13   CHICAGO 41 Arizona looked lost against the Chicago defense, getting called for 11 penalties and managing only 78 yards rushing.  Meanwhile, Brady Quinn went for 257 on 14 of 21 passing.  Rookie HB Doug Martin made a splash in this one, scoring 3 times, all on short runs in the red zone.  Donald Driver added 2 scores and 126 yards receiving as the Machine looked particularly well-oiled on this day. BOSTON 13   HOUSTON 38 Houston got back on a winning track at home, thanks in large part to a 4-TD day from Matt Hasselbeck.  The veteran connected 3 times with Roy Williams and once with the ageless Ike Hilliard as Boston’s secondary floundered all day long.  It was 10-0 Boston at one point, but then Houston scored touchdowns on 4 consecutive drives in the 2nd and 3rd quarters and the game quickly got out of hand for the Cannons. SEATTLE 7   PORTLAND 12 Portland moves to 3-0 with a Cascade Clash win against the Dragons.  Ironically, this clash of Pacific Northwest clubs did not see any rain, and very little offense as well. Jonathan Stewart had a good day, rushing for 91 yards, but the Stags won the game without scoring a touchdown all game.  The only 7-pointer was a Nate Burleson catch early in the 4th that made the score 9-7, but the Dragons could not get another on the board. LAS VEGAS 7   OAKLAND 17 Oakland’s defense proved effective against the Thunder, limiting Chad Johnson to only 34 yards receiving and holding Marshawn Lynch under 100 yards.  And while they were hardly explosive, the Oakland offense did enough to get the home win, scoring on a Hank Baskett TD catch and a Ryan Williams TD run, both in the second half, as Oakland moves to 2-1 and gives Las Vegas their first loss of the year. Flacco Shreds the Panthers for 400 Yards Texas is looking very much the part of a Summer Bowl favorite, sitting at 3-0 and putting up points at a blistering pace.  Their leader, QB Joe Flacco is also looking very much like a contender, once again for the MVP award, as he puts up 428 yards and 3 TDs against the Panthers on the road.  Flacco completed 22 of 29 passes despite constant Michigan pressure that produced 4 sacks.  He used 9 different receivers in the game, going for over 100 yards to both Brandon Marshall and Chris Cooley while Michigan shifted their coverage to consistently double up Marques Colston, the league leader in receiving yards.  Flacco still managed to connect with Colston 5 times, but with 75 yards receiving, the wideout finished third on the team for the game. In a game in which Arian Foster, the NFL import that Texas hoped would replace T. J. Duckett, struggled to find holes to run through (22 carries for only 35 yards), it was Flacco’s arm that proved to be the undoing of the Panther defense.  Texas is 3-0 and now heads into a huge game in Philadelphia against the Stars before back to back division games (@ Arizona and home to Houston).  IF they can emerge from this three game stretch still unbeaten, they could be in a very good position to snatch the brass ring of the #1 seed in the playoffs.  We know it is early, but this team is looking just that good. Michael Crabtree Steps up for the Generals With both Mark Clayton and Santonio Holmes leaving the Generals in free agency, there was some concern that QB Sam Bradford would not have the weapons he needed to be successful this season. But Coach Herm Edwards felt confident in the players he still had in his receiving room, and so far this season, that confidence has proven appropriate. Bradford is off to a good start with 8-8 yards and 5 TDs in his first 3 games, and that is due in large part to the emergence of both Doug Baldwin and Michael Crabtree as the starting duo. Baldwin leads the club with 196 receptions (2 Tds) while Crabtree, with a strong 5 catch, 139 yard, 2 TD performance this week, is leading the club in receptions.  This week, the Generals also added TE John Carlson to the mix, and while the NFL import did not have a catch, his presence in the middle drew away safety coverage just as the Generals had hoped, making it easier for Bradford to find both Baldwin and Crabtree outside. Now, we are not saying that the General passing game is an unstoppable force, but they currently rank 5th in the league, averaging 269 yards through the air after 3 games.  What we are saying is that they are a good step ahead of where many expected and the future looks bright.  If they can get Carlson into the groove of the passing game, and if they can get more out of their slot position (Miles Austin), this could be a very tough offense to defend, something we have not said about the Generals in a while. Jammer Returns Pick for 6 and for 13. It was the most dramatic play in our game of the week, a 100-yard pick six that helped Philadelphia stave off the Atlanta Fire, and what made it even more memorable was the tribute made by Quentin Jammer as he scored the longest defensive touchdown in the past 5 years. Jammer, crossing the endline and celebrating with the endzone fans, raised his jersey over his head, revealing a t-shirt with a hand-painted #13 on both the front and the back.  The tribute to Kurt Warner and the feeling of solidarity among all the Star players go the crowd to its feet. Warner has been a crowd favorite ever since he came over from the NFL in 2005. He has helped Philadelphia make the playoffs each of the past 5 seasons, reaching the Summer Bowl in 2010, and while he has not brought a title to the City of Brotherly Love, both his teammates and the city itself are showing him their brotherly love in this tough time.  Warner was not able to attend the game this week, still hospitalized, with his neck and back locked into temporary traction.  It is expected he will be able to return home over the next week, but will likely be wearing a hard neck brace at least for 2 months as doctors hope to avoid surgery on his fractured vertebrae.   But, while Warner was not able to be on the sidelines this week, the volume of 13 jerseys in the stands, and the gesture by Jammer to celebrate Warner in his moment of glory certainly showed that 13 is very much on the minds of the Stars players and fans. Haynesworth & Campbell Make Statement Against Bandits Orlando needed this win.  They needed a statement game, and they needed to not fall 2 games behind the defending league champions with only 3 games played. They came through on all of those needs, and the credit has to go where it so often does with this Renegade squad, to their front 4 on defense.  The Renegade front 4 tormented Daunte Culpepper all day, forcing rushed passes, pushing the somewhat immobile QB out of the pocket, and sacking Culpepper 7 times, all without the need to overcommit to blitzes. For once it was not Calais Campbell leading the charge.  Yes, he did have 2 sacks to increase his league lead to 7 on the year, but with Tampa Bay doing all they could to double team Campbell, DT Albert Haynesworth stepped up big with consistent pressure up the middle and a team leading 3 sacks on the day.  The Stars would also get pressure with minimal blitzing, with both Paul Posluzsny and SS Atari Bigby both recording sacks on the day, but it was the front four of Campbell, Haynesworth, Kenny Smith and RE Arthur Moats that made the Bandits cringe all game long.  With the front four so successful it meant that on many plays we saw 7 defenders drop into coverage, crowding the passing lanes and offering Culpepper few options. The ability to rush only 4 and drop 7 will be essential for the Renegades this season.  Their offense has yet to truly hit its stride, 25th in the league with only 250 total yards per game, and while the pass defense has allowed 250 yards per game, it’s the pressure that has produced results in the team’s two wins, both division wins, and the pressure is likely to be their advantage all season long.  The Renegades face a tough task this week, heading to Charlotte to take on the 3-0 Monarchs, but you already know that Jake Delhomme is watching the footage of this week’s win against Tampa Bay and he is dreading what Campbell, Haynesworth and the Renegade front 4 are going to be unleashing this week. Randy Moss Not Shy About Criticism after 37-0 Blowout Loss Are we shocked that Randy Moss spouted off after the Express were just crushed by Charlotte this week?  Not at all.  Are we surprised that Moss went after both his QB and his head coach?  Yeah, that is not what you ever want to see.  Do we think he was wrong?  Honestly, no.  His critiques were accurate, it is just not something you ever want to see in a locker room, much less a press room, and only 3 weeks into the year, that is not a good sign. When asked about the offensive struggles of the team, Moss was visibly upset and did not hold back, critiquing not only the execution of the offense as a whole, but calling out the playcalling, and naming names, both among the coaches (Gregg Williams to be exact) and the players (Mark Sanchez).  We get why Moss is upset.  The Express currently rank 26th of 28 teams with ony 178 yards passing per game. Moss himself has only 19 targets and 9 catches (3 per game average) over 3 weeks.  He has yet to score a TD and is averaging only 12.1 yards per catch. That is simply not the kind of production he expects or we expect for him.  Generally considered one of the best deep ball receivers in the league, Moss does seem to be wasted on an offense that is just not giving him opportunities to stretch the field.  He is not wrong about that. Where he is wrong, as has often been the case for this particular receiver (and others, let’s be honest, WR has become a prima donna position in the pro game), is how he expresses that frustration and who he expresses it to. Maybe this is a strategy to publicly call out his QB and his coaches, to force them to focus more on him or on the play calls he wants to see.  Maybe it is a ploy to force LA to consider a trade, to quiet him down, or maybe he is just simply at a point of frustration on an 0-3 team that he cannot contain himself.  But no matter how you come at it, laying into your own team at a press meeting, and not behind closed doors, is never a good look or a good move. Mario Williams Looks Good in USFL Debut Several NFL transfers saw their first action this week, but while many were somewhat quiet in their debuts, DE Mario Williams of Memphis had himself a pretty nice day and a pretty good introduction to the fans in Memphis.  The offense floundered all day, leading to the 13-3 loss in the rain, but Williams was one of the few highlights for the Showboats. The newly activated DE finished the game with 6 tackles, including 2 for a loss, and added a sack of Drew Brees for his first QB takedown in the new league. Williams came to the USFL and the Showboats with a strong NFL track record behind him.  But, when you play defensive end for the Showboats, you know exactly the giant shoes you are going to have to fit. Memphis was the home of Reggie White for 16 seasons, and White’s shadow still looms large over the franchise.  Mario Williams has come to Memphis to become part of the tradition of the Showboats, and that includes embracing the legacy of the Minister of Defense.  While it is way too early to know if Williams can live up to the hype that came with him, or if he can help Memphis attain the level of success they saw when White was playing, what we can say is that he introduced himself to his new team with the kind of effort, motor, and results that all Showboat fans were hoping for. A better week on the injury front across the league, but not without impact.  A particularly bad week for rookies as WR Michael Floyd, HB Robert Turbin, and LBs Luke Kuechley and Bobby Wagner are expected to miss the next week.  St. Louis loses QB Troy Smith for the year, prompting a move to bring in a backup via trade, and at the same time lose their RT, Bryan Bulaga for 1, possibly 2 weeks.  Las Vegas is hoping that Jake Plummer can play in Week 4, but right now it is not looking very promising. INJURED RESERVE Keiwan Ratliff                     CB           MEM                     Torn ACL Troy Smith                          QB          STL                        Torn MCL OUT David Bowens                    DE         JAX                        Arm                      4-6 Weeks Deltha O’Neal                   CB          MGN                     Foot                       4-6 Weeks Michael Floyd                    WR         CHI                        Abdomen       2-4 Weeks Bryan Bulaga                     OT          STL                        Thigh                     1-2 Weeks Robbie Tobeck                  C             ATL                       Concussion         1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL Bobby Wagner                 LB           OAK                       Turf Toe Knowshon Moreno         HB          ORL                        Shoulder Tebucky Jones               FS           MEM                     Neck Michael Jenkins            WR         ORL                        Turf Toe Jake Plummer               QB          LV                           Concussion QUESTIONABLE Kevin Burnett                  LB           HOU                      Hip Ben Sobieski                    G             NOR                       Hamstring Robert Turbin                 HB          SEA                        Hand Demaryius Thomas          WR         ATL                         Concussion Luke Kuechley              LB           BOS                        Foot Busy Week For Roster Moves, But No NFL Signings Despite the closing of the NFL-USFL transfer window and a lot of talk about Alex Smith of the 49ers, no NFL players were signed this past week as the window once again shut.  That does not mean that there were no moves at all, as we saw some action within the USFL free agent pool as well as some trades as teams try to find injury replacements.  Here is our rundown of the most impactful moves. Moore Moves from Orlando to Philadelphia There was a question what the Renegades would do when NFL import Chad Henne was activated from the practice squad.  We got our answer this week.  Henne moved into the active roster and Charlotte cut QB Matt Moore to make room.  Philadelphia immediately pounced on the waiver wire and put a claim in for Moore. That claim held and by Thursday, Moore was practicing with the Stars.  Expect him to be listed as the #2 QB within a week as Philadelphia moved Austin Davis to their practice squad. John David Booty Finds a New Home Charlotte also had an NFL import QB shifting from the practice squad to the active roster as Charlie Whitehurst was added to the 53 this week.  That meant that Charlotte also had 4 QBs on the roster.  Rather than cut one, they opted to make a deal, sending Booty to the St. Louis Skyhawks, who had recently placed Troy Smith on IR after his MCL injury  Booty will start as the #3 QB behind Josh Freeman and Ricky Stanzi, but we expect that the veteran will move past Stanzi once he has had a chance to absorb the Skyhawk playbook. Nashville Swaps Kickers With Knights kicker Connor Barth missing on 3 of his 6 field goal attempts already this season, including a potential game-winning kick in regulation of their 20-17 overtime loss to Memphis, the Nashville Knights have made a deal to bring in a new kicker.  Chicago had both Tim Seder and Kai Forbath on the roster because Seder had suffered some hamstring issues in camp, but with Seder now back at 100%, they were happy to send Forbath to Nashville for a 7th round pick. Stallions Upgrade at FB. The Stallions had not been happy with the production from FB Rhett Ellison. The rookie was struggling to pick up blocking schemes and was not reliable in passing downs.  So, still hopeful for the future for Ellison, they moved the rookie to the practice squad and worked out a deal with Charlotte to acquire veteran Obafemi Ayanbadejo.  Ayanbadejo BIR trades 5th to CHA for FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo, the 36-year old former Blitz and Bandit fullback was expected to retire this year but came back with Charlotte.  He now joins Birmingham, where the expectation is that he will be a coach on the field, helping to develop Ellison as he also helps Joseph Addai and Cam Newton with the Stallions right now. Destination Dallas Files For Purchase, But Details Undisclosed. Reports out of NYC this week that the investment group Destination Dallas has reached on preliminary agreements with a USFL franchise for a sale to the Texas-based investment group.  In sealed documents presented to the USFL league office, DD was expected to present the terms of the agreement.  With the Owners set to meet in 3 weeks, the expectation is that this proposed sale will be the primary order of business.  League officials as well as team officials with the primary potential targets (Chicago, Boston, Nashville, and Oakland) have all been mum on the topic.  And while that makes good legal sense, it is not going to do anything to calm the nerves of their various fanbases, each of whom are now very concerned that their team is the one for sale and the one that could relocate to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The fear within league circles, of course, is that news will get out of the team to be sold, and that when that happens we will see a combination of protests, fueled by anger about the relocation of the franchise, and ticket sale declines, perhaps a collapse of the entire fanbase for the remainder of the 2012 seaosn in whichever city is about to lose there team.  The problem, of course, is that relocation takes time, and it would benefit the Dallas group to start working on everything from team identity to ticket sales as soon as possible, assuming the sale is approved.  But, from the league perspective, a delay in releasing the information about which team has agreed to terms with Destination Dallas could allow the team to have a meaningful 2012 season and still have fan support. Just how long the league and its various teams can keep a lid on the identity of the proposed seller is very much in question.  We find it hard to believe that no announcement would be made during the regular season, but it is theoretically possible that the sale of a USFL franchise could be approved without public revelation of which team is being purchased.  If that happens, then the Dallas group could begin to set up their franchise this season without an open declaration of just who is moving to the city.  With most insiders expecting Dallas to develop a new identity for their club, regardless of the current identity of the franchise in question.  So, we could be losing the Invaders, Machine, Knights or Cannons and gaining a brand new team, but even in that process we may not know which city or which fanbase is being dropped until later.  Of course that all assumes that leaks do not occur and that the deal is approved as designed. Is OKC Really Next Up? That is the hope of the investors and city officials who have approved construction of a new football/soccer/lacrosse facility in the capital city of Oklahoma.  The city is cashing in on recent growth and hoping to expand their sports profile by investing in a new 57,000 seat stadium to be built just on the southeastern suburbs of OK City.  The new facility will be completed by the early spring of 2016, and the hope, of course, is that the facility will attract both a USFL franchise and a Major League Soccer franchise.  Both feel a bit farfetched, but stranger things have happened.  With Dallas, Miami, San Diego and the Twin Cities already planning on a push for USFL recognition, Oklahoma City has a lot of citeis ahead of them, with stadiums either already available or under development, not to mention the demographic data which certainly supports the larger markets. While Oklahoma has actually been home to a USFL franchise, the ill-fated and short-lived Oklahoma Outlaws, who played at the University of Tulsa’s Skelly Stadium, the growing Oklahoma City market had not been host to any major league sports franchise until the relocation of the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics in 2008.  The success of the newly-dubbed Thunder seems to be one of the motivating factors leading to the stadium project, with the city and the local investors hoping to attract a USFL franchise to fulfill the passion for the game that has always been present in the Sooner State.  We still rank OKC as a clear darkhorse in any expansion or relocation discussion, but the stadium is underway and the money may just be there to make the dream happen for the city and the state. Week Four, the one quarter mark of the season, and we kick it off with a rare interconference clash between two teams that were in the Conference Finals last year, Texas and Philadelphia.  The Outlaws are a 7-point favorite on the road, largely due to the absence of Kurt Warner for the Stars, but coming into Philly and getting a W is never an easy task. On Saturday we have an interesting matchup between New Jersey and Birmingham, two teams on the rise, both sitting at 2-1, and hoping that they can reach 3-1 with a solid game. Los Angeles, stuck at 0-3 and dealing with at least one disgruntled player, head to Atlanta hoping to earn their first win.  Saturday ends with a battle of two divisional foes, one 3-0 and the other 0-3, as St. Louis takes their unblemished record to Michigan to face the hard luck Panthers. Sunday brings us some good divisional games as Orlando, fresh off their win over Tampa Bay, must now visit unbeaten Charlotte.  We also have a rivalry game in the Southwest as Houston will travel to Arizona for a divisional clash.  Seattle is also in division as the 0-3 Dragons travel to Oakland to face a 2-1 Invader club.  The Sunday Night clash is another somewhat rare inter-conference showdown, with the Federals making their first trip to the Mile High City in several years. BOLD = National Broadcast BLUE = Divisional Game FRIDAY @ 8PM ET             TEXAS (3-0) @ PHILADELPHIA (2-1)                    NBC SAT @ 12PM ET                 NASHVILLE (1-2) @ OHIO (0-3)                            ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                 PITTSBURGH (2-1) @ MEMPHIS 1-2)                      FOX SAT @ 12PM ET                 NEW JERSEY (2-1) @ BIRMINGHAM (2-1)               FOX SAT @ 4PM ET                   LOS ANGELES (0-3) @ ATLANTA (1-2)                   ABC SAT @ 4PM ET                   PORTLAND (3-0) @ LAS VEGAS (2-1)                     FOX SAT @ 8PM ET                   ST. LOUIS (2-1) @ MICHIGAN (0-3)                      ESPN/EFN SUN @ 12PM ET               ORLANDO (2-1) @ CHARLOTTE (3-0)                   ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               JACKSONVILLE (0-3) @ TAMPA BAY (2-1)                ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               BOSTON (0-3) @ BALTIMORE (2-1)                         FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                 CHICAGO (2-1) @ NEW ORLEANS (1-2)                 ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                 HOUSTON (2-1) @ ARIZONA (1-2)                         FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                 SEATTLE (0-3) @ OAKLAND (2-1)                         FOX SUN @ 8PM ET                 WASHINGTON (2-1) @ DENVER (2-1)                    ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Four really good candidates this week, but we are going to give it to Tampa Bay HB Willis McGahee for his 210 yard day. Willis combined 82 receiving yards with 128 rushing yards as he dominated the game for the Bandits and set a mark for himself with this performance.

For the second week in a row a major injury, this one potentially career-ending, was the lead story coming out of the weekend.  Yes, there were some good games, and there are some teams turning heads with surprisingly strong starts, but the story of the week was the neck injury suffered by Philadelphia QB Kurt Warner and the potential impact not just for the 2012 season, but for Warner’s career.  We will run through that game, the status of Warner, the options available to Philadelphia, and, of course, all the games and highlights for the week.  We begin with Philadelphia’s ill-fated game against the Nashville Knights, a team already familiar with neck injuries as they wait out the situation with Peyton Manning. NASHVILLE KNIGHTS 24   PHILADELPHIA STARS 20 Of the 14 games this week, perhaps this one was not the closest contest, though it did feature a 10-point comeback in the 4th quarter, but, more importantly, it produced a play that could impact the entire course of the season.  Early in the 4th quarter, and leading by 10 points, Philadelphia’s Kurt Warner was knocked out of the game after taking a very hard hit on a rare scramble.  Complaining of both neck pain and numbness on his right side, Warner was quickly hurried to the locker room and then to a local hospital where it was determined that he had suffered fractures to two vertebrae in his neck,  There was some pressure on the spinal cord, but doctors were able to relieve that, restore feeling to the affected limbs, and stabilize the neck.  The final diagnosis was the two cracked vertebrae and a requirement for traction and stabilization of the neck which would end Kurt Warner’s season.  There is even talk that Warner could potentially be out of football altogether if the neck requires further stabilization, something that will not be known for several weeks. Following the injury to Peyton Manning of the NFL, this injury to Warner feels very much like a replay of that situation.  Both Manning, who was signed by Nashville this offseason, and Warner face a similar recovery timeline, though there has yet to be any talk of a spinal fusion surgery for Warner as Manning has completed. On the field, the game swung in that moment.  From Philadalphia having full control at 20-10, and with Warner having produced both Star TDs on passes to Reche Caldwell, the energy just got sucked out of the Stars’ players and staff.  It was apparent that they were deeply impacted by Warner’s injury, and that deflation allowed Nashville to rally in the 4th to take the win. Philadelphia had looked very good throughout the first 3 quarters, with Warner connecting with Caldwell from 23 yards out to go up 10-3 in the 2nd and then finding his deep ball receiver on a perfect fly route for a 63-yard score in the third to give the Stars their 20-10 lead.  But in the 4th, Philadelphia, and backup QB Matt Gutierrez, now very much looking like he will take on the starting position, just could not make plays and convert first downs.  On the other side of the ball, the defense was flat, and in two drives Nashville turned the table, first with a Frank Gore 9-yard run that pulled the Knights within 3, and then, n the final minutes of the game, with a  9-play drive that finished with Montario Hardesty scoring the game winning points just before the 2-minute warning. Philadelphia would get the ball back, but down by 4, and simply not playing in rhythm, it was too much to ask of the Stars. They failed on a 4th and 5 from their own 48 and that allowed Nashville to run out the clock.  Coach Johnson offered his support to Coach Harbaugh after the game, and all the Knight players interviewed in the post-game press room were in full solidarity with Kurt Warner, his family and the team.  For the second week in a row a team had lost a major star and one of the driving forces in their offense, and this time it might be a permanent departure, something that lends a somber air to the entire week and to the Stars’ season. ARIZONA 17   TEXAS 44 Don’t look now, but the Southwest Division race may already be over.  Texas put a Lone Star whooping on the Arizona Wranglers, scoring on 8 possessions and showing that they were the team to beat perhaps not only in the division, but the conference as well.  Joe Flacco completed 14 of 15 passes, throwing for282 yards and 3 scores, despite a vicious pass rush from the Wranglers that got 6 sacks on the day.  Texas’s rush was just as nasty, bringing down David Carr 7 times as neither o-line seemed ready for what they saw.  Marques Colston won honors this week for his 199 yards receiving, which included a 75-yard TD in the 2nd quarter and several 20+ yard catches.  Reynaldo Wynn was also recognized for his 3-sack game against the Wranglers. NEW JERSEY 25   WASHINGTON 22 A really good one at RFK that saw New Jersey take a 22-14 lead on Leigh Tiffin’s 3rd FG of the game, only for Washington to get a game tying TD from Deion Branch (with the ensuing 2-point conversion).  But, Sam Bradford, who finished the day with 321 yards passing, did what he needed to for Tiffin to get a shot at a 4th kick and with 26 seconds left Tiffin nailed a short field goal to give the Generals the win and move them to 1-1 on the year. JACKSONVILLE 23   CHARLOTTE 26 Another good game between divisional opponents as Jacksonville found a run game with rookie Lamar Miller (108 yards on 18 carries).  Charlotte countered with a pick-6 from Asante Samuel and Jake Delhomme connecting with free agent Mark Clayton for the second week in a row.  This one was also tied up until the final seconds, when Charlotte’s Brandon Coutu connected from 41 yards out to help Charlotte move to 2-0 on the season. PORTLAND 31   ORLANDO 9 Portland is proving the pundits wrong with a nice win in Orlando to move to 2-0.  The Stags got the ground game going against the Renegades, with Jonathan Stewart rushing for 160 yards.  That freed up Ryan Fitzpatrick to use play action, and he did so masterfully, throwing 4 TD passes on the day, including 2 to Roddy White and another to Stewart.  Orlando, meanwhile, struggled to get the run game going, and failed on 10 of 15 third down attempts as they drop to 1-1. TAMPA BAY 34   NEW ORLEANS 13 The Bandits move to 2-0 in their title defense with a pretty comfortable win in New Orleans.  It was 31-6 at the half as Tampa Bay got early scores form David Tyree, Willis McGahee, Shane Vereen and Joey Galloway.  New Orleans had no answers for the Bandit offense, which racked up 476 yards on the day, including 210 combined yards from scrimmage for Willis McGahee and another 109 in receptions from former General Santonio Holmes. SEATTLE 19   DENVER 21 Seattle made it close late, but the Gold hung on to win their first of the year, thanks to 2 Matt Leinart TD tosses and a key late stop by the defense.  Both Peerless Price and Daniel Graham found paydirt and Denver also got a score on a Maurice Hicks run as they held off a feisty Seattle squad.  WR Mike Wallace did not play in the game for Seattle, falling ill with the flu on the day the team flew to Denver. OAKLAND 27   LOS ANGELES 21 The first California Derby of the year goes to the visiting Invaders, who used 92 yards from HB Ryan Williams and another 71 from Jurious Norwood to run the Express into the ground. Joey Harrington only connected on 14 of 43 passes, but the ground game and the defense kept Oakland in it.  LA struggled on third down, and two turnovers domed their comeback attempt as LA now falls to 0-2. MEMPHIS 17   BALTIMORE 20 Anthony Dixon put in good work subbing for Ron Dayne, rushing for 89 yards on 18 carries, but the key to this game was Ben Roethlisberger connecting on 71% of his passes and finding both Antonio Gates and Donte Do for scores.  Memphis took a 17-13 lead midway through the 4th, but Big Ben connected with his new wideout, Do, in the final 2 minutes to move Baltimore to 2-0, atop the NE Division. BOSTON 21   ATLANTA 27 Boston played a tough game, as backup Adrian McPherson went 18 of 29 with 3 TDs and Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 125, but in the end, Kyle Orton’s third TD toss of the game was too much for the Cannons to overcome.  Orton hit Josh Reed, Matt Jones, and TE Will Heller with scores on an efficient day. BIRMINGHAM 21   ST. LOUIS 36 St. Louis is looking very much like a team on a mission with their second big win of the year.  Josh Freeman went 18 of 28 for 319 yards and 3 scores while Antowain Smith added 96 yards and a score as St. Louis pulled away from the Stallions, despite B’Ham QB Cam Newton rushing for 81 yards on the day.   Terrell Owens caught 6 fo r114 and a TD from Newton, but it just was not enough as St. Louis pulled away with 10 late points in the 4th quarter. HOUSTON 3   LAS VEGAS 23 Las Vegas also looked like a team to contend with as their defense completely befuddled the Gamblers.  Jake Plummer had a 14-yard TD run to go with his 180 yards passing, but it was the D that was most impressive, holding Shaun Alexander to only 49 yards rushing and limiting Houston to only 2 drives inside the Thunder 40. OHIO 21   CHICAGO 24 Terrelle Pryor was solid in his sub duty for Vince Young, throwing for 2 scores and 218 yards, but in the end Brady Quinn survived 4 picks to rally the Machine in the end. He got a huge assist from HB Michael Turner, whose 126 yards and 2 scores helped offset the Quinn errors.  Ohio falls to 0-2 despite winning the turnover battle 4-0. PITTSBURGH 27   MICHIGAN 16 The Maulers rebound from a season opening loss as they go into Detroit and get a division win against the Panthers.  The Maulers picked off Brian Griese twice and also forced a fumble to take a 3-0 turnover lead.  They got TDs from both Watson and Brown as the combo, along with 65 yards from rookie Brandon Boldin, combined for 175 yards rushing. Kurt Warner Lost for Season Two weeks into the season and our second major injury to a team’s big star.  First it was Ron Dayne in Baltimore and this week Kurt Warner for the Stars.  Warner, who had missed the end of the season opener, was the starter this week versus Nashville, but took a huge hit early in the 4th and was visibly shaken as he was helped off the field.  It would take 24 hours before we would get a report, and the report was not good, twin fractures in two vertebrae, the combination of the two requiring traction and limited movement for Warner over the course of 2 months, meaning that he is basically out for the year, with the potential to be a career-impacting injury. By Wednesday, Warner was placed on IR, ending his season.  Matt Gutierrez will be the starter, with Austin Davis as his backup.  But while Star fans send their well-wishes to their QB and we all hope that the medical staff is able to provide Warner with an option to return to the league in 2013, the Stars organization now looks to a long season with a backup at QB and few other options.  Matt Gutierrez, the 28-year-old backup who came in last postseason and won 2 games for the Stars now takes on the mantle as the club’s starter for this year.  Just how much this shakes up the Northeast Division remains to be seen, but for fans of the Stars the injury, and the uncertainly certainly cast a shadow of the 2012 season after only 2 weeks of action. Impressive Start to Year for Portland, St. Louis, and Las Vegas The power ratings do not look as we expected after 2 weeks, with Las Vegas, Portland, and St.Louis right there with Tampa Bay and Texas to form the Top 5.  It has been an impressive start for all three clubs.  While Texas leads all teams with 64 points in 2 games, St. Louis,  Las Vegas and Portland are all right there as well. Las Vegas is also doing it with defense, having allowed only 12 total points in their first 2 games. Portland is doing it with their ground game, leading the league with 256 yards rushing in their first two games, while St. Louis trails only the Bandits with 778 total yards over the first two weeks.  The Skyhawks have yet to take to the road, and will have a third straight home game this week against Denver, while Las Vegas, after two home games, will visit Oakland in a huge game for the Pacific Division.  Portland won on the road this past week in Orlando and returns home for a Cascade Clash with 0-2 Seattle.  Impressive starts for all three could be just the boost they need to build confidence as they head into the meat of their schedules.  With two of the teams, the Thunder and Stags, in the same division, and with the two set to face off in Las Vegas in 2 weeks, we could be building up to something big in the Pacific.  St. Louis has it’s big test in Weeks 4 and5 when they head to Michigan and then face the Maulers at home. It is early, but all three clubs are giving their fans hope that the somewhat negative predictions during the preseason may be way off base. Baltimore Acquires Clarett The Baltimore Blitz, despite a solid game from backup HB Anthony Dixon, made a move this week to shore up the HB group and provide more power in the backfield.  The Blitz sent two 2013 draft picks, a 4th and a 6th rounder, to Chicago for HB Maurice Clarett, the kind of big, bruising back that is not represented on the Blitz roster without Ron Dayne. Clarett is in his 8th season in the league, having played with Chicago his entire career after coming out early from Ohio State.  His best year to date has been in 2007, when he had 112 carries for 536 yards. Often used in short yardage and goal-to-go situations in Chicago, Clarett may have a bigger role in Baltimore as the thunder in a Thunder and Lightning combo with Anthony Dixon. NFL Players Expected to Debut in Week 3 As we have come to expect since the shifting of the NFL-USFL Transfer Window, it is Week 3, sometimes Week 4, when we start to see some of the newer NFL acquisitions make their way to the field.  As we look ahead to the third week of the year, we have seen many teams move their NFL signees off the practice squad and onto the active roster, a clear sign that they expect the veteran players to be on the field within a week, two at the latest.  So, who should we be watching this week?  Here are the 6 players we believe could make the biggest impact if they get on the field this week. DE Cliff Avril (OAK)—Expect Avril to rotate in with Justin Smith and Israel Idonije.  Just how much Avril will see the field may depend on down and distance.  He is more of a dual use DE, with more run stopping than pass rush specialization, so we might see him more in early downs. TE John Carlson (NJ)—We fully expect to see the talented Carlson in for at least 20-30 plays this week, especially on 3rd down and in the red zone, where Sam Bradford may look to the NFL veteran as a sure-handed target. HB Mike Tolbert (NOR)—While we think the Breakers will limit Tolbert’s carries these first few weeks, at least until he picks up the pass blocking schemes, we do think the bigger back will be on the field on short yardage and goalline situations.  After all, that is why they signed him. WR Mike Wallace (SEA)—Wallace was supposed to start in Week 2, but a stomach flu sidelined the former Steeler.  We expect him to jump into the starting lineup in Week 3, and to seek to do that with a splash. HB Arian Foster (TEX)—Texas has not had much luck with the run game led by Aveion Carson these first two weeks.  Carson has only 53 total yards rushing in two games, so do not expect a slow roll out for Arian Foster.  We would not be shocked at all to see the back with 20-25 carries in his first game on the active roster. DE Mario Williams (MEM)—This week, returning home to face New Orleans, we expect a big roll out for Williams.  He may not be in all 3 downs, but on third down you can bet the Showboats want him out there terrifying Drew Brees and the Breaker offensive coaches.  He is in great shape, seems energized for this second phase of his pro career, and will be very warmly welcomed by the team that made Reggie White a household name. Kurt Warner’s neck injury is clearly the top story of the week, but, as we see most weeks, it is not the only injury of note.  Week 2 saw several other players placed on IR after major injuries as well as a bevvy of shorter-term injury announcements.  Here is the rundown. ADDED TO INJURED RESERVE Logan Mankins          G             OAK            Bicep Kurt Warner                QB          PHI                   Neck Austin King             C             WSH                Quad OUT Knowshon Moreno         HB          ORL        Shoulder       1-2 Weeks Derick Harvey                    DE           BIR         Foot           1-2 Weeks DOUBTFUL Matt Birk                              C             PHI           Hand Robert Turbin                     HB          SEA          Hand Dexter Jackson                  SS           BOS           Knee Zach Miller                          TE           OHI         Hand QUESTIONABLE Richie Incognito                C            OHI          Tendinitis Kevin Burnett                     LB           HOU       Hip Josh Reed                            WR         ATL          Neck Patrick Chung                    SS           HOU        Hand Joey Porter                          LB           LV              Knee NFL-USFL Transfer Window to Close on Friday It has been a quiet two weeks on the NFL-USFL transfer window, with only a couple of USFL Players (HB Julius Jones and WR Doug Gabriel) signed by the NFL.  This is not unusual, as once the USFL clubs reach the regular season they tend to want their rosters to be locked in, but with the injuries to Ron Dayne, Kurt Warner, and center Austin King of Washington, these last few days of potential signing could actually bring some movement.  As we look at the current unsigned NFL free agents, there are possible solutions for all three clubs looking to salvage their seasons despite these major injury hits. Philadelphia is clearly going to look to Matt Gutierrez as their best option at QB right now, but if they wanted to bring in a potential short-term solution, the  NFL free agent pool does offer them a couple of choices.  At the top of the list is former 49er Alex Smith.  Now, Smith is hoping to catch on as a true starter for an NFL club, so it may be very hard to sign him to a short term deal, with the expectation that Warner would be back next year.  But, if the Stars are concerned that Warner will not be back, which is a legitimate concern, they may well opt to plan for the worst and sign a player like Smith to a multi-year deal, essentially moving on from Warner just as the NFL Colts did with Peyton Manning. If Philadelphia has more confidence that Warner can return in 2013, they will likely only be looking for the best possible option in a 1-year deal to help them salvage the 2012 season if Matt Gutierrez does not prove capable of leading the team successfully.  Looking over the NFL free agent pool the best options in that situation include former Bear starter Rex Grossman, former Birmingham Stallion Jason Campbell, and a bit of a wild card, Buccaneer QB Josh Johnson.  We could see any of these three signiing a one-year deal in hopes that a good season would give them a shot at a better deal, a long term one, in 2013. Baltimore is next, having lost Ron Dayne for at least 10 weeks, possibly the year (though they have not placed him on IR).  The Blitz have already traded to bring Maurice Clarett over from Chicago, but if they are not satisfied there, they too could be looking for an NFL option.  Here the options are not as promising.  W esee the best option as former Packer Ryan Grant, but Grant is not really the style of back that Coach Coughlin wants to have as the lead back.  Ideally Baltimore would look for a bigger back who can emulate Ron Dayne’s style, particularly inside.  Looking over the NFL free agents, which include Tashard Choice, Kahlil Bell, Justin Forsett, and Marcel Reece, honestly, the best of that somewhat uninspiring group would be Forsett.  But, based on the pool available, we expect that Baltimore may well stick with their current roster rather than dabble in the NFL free agent pool. Finally there is Washington, which lost center Austin King to a fully separated quad muscle.  The Feds have 12-year veteran Matt Johnson penciled in at center for now, have signed 4-year vet Mike Pollack as well, but may still be looking for someone else.  There are three potential targets in the NFL pool, including the Raiders’ Samson Satele, the Packers’ Scott Wells, and OT Marcus McNeill of the Chargers who did play a considerable amount of center in college.  If Washington is feeling solid with Johnson at the pivot, they will likely avoid the expense of competing with NFL clubs for one of these three players, but if they are still seeking a solution, we think Satele is the clear option, coming out of a zone-blocking scheme similar to their own, and with a good track record in Seattle. Beyond these three positions, the biggest names still in the free agent pool (after a flurry of signings within the NFL itself) are all players who have potential but may be leary of jumping mid-season into the USFL.  Among them are LB Chase Blckburn of the Giants, WR Jacoby Jones of the Oilers, safety Michel Griffin of the Tennessee Copperheads, and DE Andre Carter of the Patriots.  Will we see any of these players join the USFL, or is that move just too problematic this late in the game? Who is Making a Splash With many of the NFL transfers beginning to see action in Week 3, we thought we might first visit with the USFL free agents who swapped teams this offseason and see who has had an impact on their team ahead of reporting on the new faces from the NFL.  There was no shortage of free agent moves within the USFL this past year and some of those moves appear to already be paying dividends. Patrick Willis-LB-ATL Perhaps the biggest name on defense to change teams, Willis went from Memphis to Atlanta and has not skipped a beat. The hard-hitting LB is currently second on the squad with 14 tackles, behind only SS DaJuan Morgan (16), and Willis has already started to show that he will be a leader in the locker room, in the huddle, and in game action. LaDell Betts-HB-ATL The other big signing by the Fire has also shown that he can still bring it.  Despite having 11 fewer carries than starter Darren McFadden, Betts has more yards (69 to 66) and a better YPC average (4.3 to 2.4), now, this is a bit unfair as Betts typically sees more action late in games than McFadden who faces fresh defenders in the early stages of games, but it is still a very good option for Atlanta to bring in the bruising back to help ground out wins late. Mark Clayton-WR-CHA While only 5th on the squad in receptions, Mark Clayton, the former NJ General, is proving to be a reliable red zone target for QB Jake Delhomme.  He leads the team with 3TD receptions in the season’s first 2 games.  That is not bad at all for a receiver who has only 5 catches.  We expect Clayton to continue to build his targets as the season goes along, swapping in for both D. J. Hackett and Derrick Mason. Chris Canty-CB-HOU Houston’s newest corner has been an immediate success with 8 tackles, a pick and a defensive touchdown in his first 2 games.  It will take a while before fans warm up to him after the long and distinguished career of Ronde Barber, but both coaches and teammates are already on board with the former Panther as a defensive leader. Marcus Truffant-CB-LA A similar story for the Express and former Dragon corner Marcus Truffant.  The lanky defensive back is 2nd on the team in tackles and has his first pick as a member of the Express.  Paired with Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, the Express believe they have a killer 1-2 combo at the position. Chad Johnson-WR-LV No surprise that Chad Johnson has been the toast of the town in Las Vegas.  His bigger than life personality have been a big hit among Thunder fans. Johnson has not yet caught his first Thunder TD, and has been limited to 8 receptions in 2 games, but he is proving a coverage nightmare for opposing defenses who also have to worry about Marshawn Lynch. Keary Colbert-WR-MGN Colbert has been an invisible man in Michigan so far, with only 1 catch on 3 targets.  Expected to be the #2 behind Hines Ward, Colbert has struggled picking up the Michigan offense and has been relegated to 4th WR status behind Ward, Manningham, and rookie B. J. Cunningham. That is not what he or others expected when he signed a pretty pricey 3-year deal. Bradie James-LB-OHI James has come in and made an impact for the Glory, recording 10 tackles and a sack in his first 2 games.  Lined up on the weak side, with Laurinaitis in the middle, James has been effective at shedding blockers and getting to the ballcarrier. Santonio Holmes-WR-TBY A year after striking gold with their Joey Galloway signing, the Bandits think they have done it again with Holmes. Brought in to replace the retired Chris Doering, Holmes has been lightning in a bottle, with 10 receptions on 15 targets and a very nice 14.8 YPC average.  While Galloway remains the main target in the passing game, and Willis McGahee the X-factor, Holmes has already started to prove he was a quality signing for the Bandits. Jimmy Williams-CB-WSH We never doubted that a quality veteran like Williams would fit in with the Feds, and he certainly has.  Williams is currently 3rd on the team with 10 tackles and has his first pick as a Federal DB.  He has shared #1 duties with Sheldon Brown and has already become a close ally of FS Ed Reed as the two vets have been seen palling around during the week as well as on the field. So a good start for some of the most celebrated offseason signings and this week we expect to see the NFL imports also take their place on the field with their new teams. As we have seen in past years, the influx of talent can make all the difference, and we expect that by Week 5 or 6 we will have a real sense of just how the offseason moves have affected the fortunes of all 28 USFL squads. So, what is on tap in Week 3?  How about a Florida Derby battle between the Bandits and Renegades on national TV to get things kicked off?  That is the matchup on NBC’s Friday Night Lights, and it is one that could produce some fireworks as Calais Campbell goes up against that explosive Banditball offense. On Saturday, we are looking forward to watching Texas take on Michigan in an interesting inter-divisional showdown, while the Baltimore-Washington nightcap should be a true brawl between two clubs that simply don’t like each other that much.  St. Louis, sitting pretty at 2-0, and preparing for a 3rd straight home game, will be tested as the Denver Gold come to town. On Sunday, we start off early with our first look at Matt Gutierrez under center for the Stars when they take on Atlanta at the Linc.  In the 4pm slot we have the Cascade Clash as the 0-2 Seattle Dragons try to right the ship against the surprising Portland Stags, sitting at 2-0.  We end the weekend with a great Pacific clash as the 2-0 Las Vegas Thunder head to Oakland to face the Invaders. FRIDAY @ 8PM ET             Tampa Bay (2-0) @ Orlando (1-1)             NBC SAT @ 12PM ET                 Pittsburgh (1-1) @ Nashville (1-1)            ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                 New Orleans (0-2) @ Memphis (1-1)             ABC SAT @ 12PM ET                 Los Angeles (0-2) @ Charlotte (2-0)               FOX SAT @ 4PM ET                   Texas (2-0) @ Michigan (0-2)                ABC SAT @ 4PM ET                   Denver (1-1) @ St. Louis (2-0)                         FOX SAT @ 8PM ET                   Baltimore (2-0) @ Washington (1-1)           ESPN/EFN SUN @ 12PM ET               Ohio (0-2) @ Birmingham (1-1)                      ABC SUN @ 12PM ET               Jacksonville (0-2) @ New Jersey (1-1)             FOX SUN @ 12PM ET               Atlanta (1-1) @ Philadelphia (1-1)                   FOX SUN @ 4PM ET                 Arizona (1-1) @ Chicago (1-1)                           ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                 Boston (0-2) @ Houston (1-1)                       ABC SUN @ 4PM ET                 Seattle (0-2) @ Portland (2-0)                           FOX SUN @ 8PM ET                 Las Vegas (2-0) @ Oakland (1-1)                  ESPN/EFN